June 27, 1867. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



441 



convinced that the rottenness arises from the very wet and windy 

 season we haye had. The stems with me having grown rather 

 luxuriantly, they were violently swayed by the wind, and by 

 degrees revolved, as it were, in the ground, and so cut tlieir own 

 throats ; for in each instance the rottenness is found where the 

 action such as I describe it would be felt by the stem. The other 

 kinds to which I have referred escape, owing, I believe, to their 

 more sturdy growth, and to having a more sheltered position. 

 The tenderness of the Regent stem marking it out as the first 

 victim for blight is well known ; this more delicate habit, with 

 the peculiarly unseasonable weather, with us I consider to be 

 the cause of this failure. — Subsciiiber. 



WPIAT IS A VARIEGATED PELARGONIUM? 



Many raisers of Variegated Pelargoniums are very anxious to 

 have this matter definitely settled, so that no mistake may 

 occur at any exhibition where they raay exhibit their varieties. 



At the forthcoming Bary St. Edmunds Show one of the 

 special prizes, a silver cup valued at £10 10s., is offeied for the 

 best twelve seedling Variegated Pelargoniums of 18(16 and 1867. 

 Two other prizes are also offered in Classes 18 and li) for six 

 Variegated Pelargonium?. In Class 18 the subjects invited are 

 described as six Variegated Pelargoniums including Nosegays, 

 distinct varieties. There are very few Nosegays that I have 

 seen that have more than two colours in the leaf. If Pelargo- 

 niums of the Bronze and Gold section are to be excluded from 

 collections for which the £10 10s. prize is offered, what is to 

 be done in the class for six Variegated, in which Nosegays are 

 admissible ? 



I think the schedule in its present form is likely to mislead 

 many intending exhibitors at the forthcoming Exhibitiou, and 

 to occasion the jurors at that Exhibition much trouble and 

 unpleasantness. 



I maintain that any departure from the normal state must 

 be variegation. If, as I understand by a communication lately 

 received, a collection competing for the £10 10s. prize would 

 be disfiualilied if containing plants belonging to the Bronze 

 and Gold section, then I say the old Manglesii, Flower of the 

 Day, Bijou, i-c, are no Imger Variegated Pelargoniums ; and 

 if not, what are they ? I shall, therefore, feel obliged if the 

 Editors will give us the benefit of their opinion. I also hope 

 correspondents will give us their views on the matter. 



I enclose leaves of several of my Bronze and Gold varieties, 

 also leaves of a new section. The latter have only two colours 

 in the leaf. Several of the Bronze have three ; but it the 

 Bronze and Gold cannot be considered variegated, the leaves 

 of the pretty varieties named above cannot be variegated. I 

 trust the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society will inform 

 , exhibitors by advertisement as early as possible, that all varie- 

 ties with leaves containing more than one colour are variegated 

 and eligible, and that such varieties may be exhibited without 

 being disqualified at the forthcoming Bury St. Edmunds Exhi- 

 bition. If something of this sort be not done, I think few 

 exhibitors from a distance will bring their plants to the Exhi- 

 bition. Mr. U. T. Fish wishes to see everything of beauty 

 exhibited on that occasion. I therefore hope he will give us 

 his views on the matter, and also try to induce the Council of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society to adopt some measure similar 

 to that which I have suggested above. — J. Wills. 



[We have no doubt, it the words of the prize list remain 

 unexplained, that any Pelargonium havinL' another colour in it 

 except the ordinary green and the dark zone, or horseshoe, is 

 admissible to compete for the County silver cup, and in Classes 

 18 and 19; for that prize list does not even employ the word 

 " Zonal." 



To remove all doubts, we hope that the Society's Council 

 ■will publicly announce the varieties they intend to be included 

 under the general term of " Variegated Pelargoniums." 



To avoid ambiguity, Zonal Pelargnniums, we think, should 

 be divided into four sections, each with its special designation 

 and characteristic!;. 



1. Zonal Pelargoniums (the old Horseshoe), having green 

 leaves with a dark zone. 



2. Variegated Zonal Pelargoniums, having green leaves with a 

 dark zone, and edged, or otherwise marked, with white or yellow ', 



3. Golden Zonal Pelargoniums, having yellow leaves and a 

 dark or coloured zone. 



4. Versicolor Zonal Pelargoniums, having leaves partly green, 

 but marked with two or more additional colours, and zone 

 partially or entirely red. 



Such a division tnay be considered arbitrary, but it has Hie 



great advantage of certainty — enabling competitors to foreknow 

 clearly against what and with what they must contend. It 

 would also proportionately lessen the difficulties of the Judges. 

 — Eus.] 



THE EDINBURGH WORKING MENS 

 FEOWER snow. 



This is fixed to take place on the Krd of August next. 



" The Show of ISIiti was a complete success. It was held in 

 the Corn Exchange, Grassmarket, on Saturday, 2Sth July. It 

 is estimated that upwards of 5000 persons visited it in the 

 course of the day, 4000 having paid Id. each admission after 

 two o'clock. In all, there were '245 competitors, 80 of whom 

 entered in Class IV. as ' Juveniles under fifteen years of age;' 

 and, in addition, there were about oO exhibitors, including 

 several nurserymen, who kindly brought forward valuable and 

 interesting collections of plants. (At the former Show, there 

 wore only 160 competitors.) There were 481 entries of plants, 

 iSjc., for competition. 



"The number of successful competitors was 133, to whom 

 were awarded 220 prizes, including a number of ' specials,' 

 amounting in all to £21 6s. <jd. 



" The unanimous opinion of the Judges was, that, compared 

 with the Show of 1863, a most decided improvrment in the 

 quality and appearance of the plants exhibited had taken place, 

 showing increased care and skill in culture; and testifying to 

 the f'lct that the experience gained during the foimer year had 

 gone far to assist in educating the people in the cultivation of 

 flowers, even at smoky windows, and other situations equally 

 unfavourable to floriculture. 



" The Committee are pleaded to announce that during the 

 past year a permanent fund, in support of the Working Men's 

 Flower Show, was originated by the hand.some donation of 

 £100 sterling from the late Bailie .\lexauder, as trustee of the late 

 John Mackenzie, Esq., 8, Manor Place, Edinburgh, the interest 

 of which will be applied to payment of a series of prizes to be 

 designated the ' Mackenzie Prizes ;' and the Committee hope 

 tliat additions to this fund will be made from time to time by 

 parties interested in this movement. 



"A new feature of last year's Show, which imparted to it 

 con.siderable interest, was the district competition — prizes 

 having been offered for plants grown in specified districts, in 

 addition to those open to residents in any part of the city. 



" In beginning operations for the ensuing summer, the Com- 

 mittee would earnestly solicit a renewal of the liberality of 

 their friends. Bills, containing full particulars relative to the 

 Working Men's Flower Show for 18(j7, may be had on appli- 

 cation to — W. P. Duuii3ioND, Sccrctari/, 52, George Street, 

 EdinLarrik." 



HARDY PLANTS IN FLOV>'ER IN EARLY 

 SPRING. 



BITIOX, GLOnCESIEESHIRE. 



HIOHLASDS,- SEAR GRAXI3A1I. 



In the first week of January my garden was enlivened by 

 •Jasminum (nudiflorum, as I suppose, the yellow flowers ap- 

 pearing before the foliage), 'Virginian Stock, Laurustinus, 



