March 3, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



and female plants of Stangeria paradoxa, each with its peculiar cone- 

 lite fructification ; likewise Agave cuspidata, a handsome species. 



From Mr. \Y. Paul, of Waltham Cross, came bedding Pelargonium 

 Waltham Bronze, with a very richly coloured bronze zone, of great 

 depth. This promises to be a great acquisition if the colour remain 

 as bright in summer as it is at present, and we are informed that it 

 does so, and even improves. This, however, is too early to judge of 

 its properties for bedding. 



Mr. Turner, of Slough, again exhibited a collection of Ivies, which 

 were fully noticed in the report of the January meeting; the new 

 Rose, Marquise do Mortemart ; three fine baskets of Chinese Primulas ; 

 Mr. Ratter and Mrs. Headly Tricolor Pelargoniums, and a small col- 

 lection of Dracamas. 



Mr. Wiggins, gardener to W. Beck, Esq., Isleworth, contributed a 

 splendid collection of Cyclamen persicum of various ages ; some of 

 the plants one year old could not have had less than one hundred 

 flowers, and one three years old had between two and three hundred 

 blooms. Mr. "Wiggins also sent a white-flowered variety, named album 

 fimbriatnm, from the edges of the petals being irregularly toothed, 

 giving a fringed appearance. Messrs. Dobson & Sons, Isleworth, ex- 

 hibited a collection of Chinese Primulas, several of which were very 

 good in the colour and size of the flowers, as well as in the habit of 

 the plant. Mr. Wiggins likewise seut very good red and white varie- 

 ties ; and some, having the flowers striped, may become the parents of 

 a new straiu. 



Messrs. Standish & Co. of the Royal Nurseries, Ascot, brought an 

 Azalea called mollis carnca, which, it is stated, is from Yeddo ; the 

 flowers are ualmon-pink, with a peculiar orange tinge in the upper 

 petal. From Messrs. John Waterer & Sons, Bagshot, came a 

 beautiful golden-variegated variety of Cupressus Lawsoniana, and 

 Retinospora obtusa erecta, a pretty Arbor- Vita-like variety ; also 

 Cupressus Lambertiana dumosa, a most singular-looking dwarf. 



First-class certificates were awarded to Mr. C. Turner, for Rose Mar- 

 quise de Mortemart ; to Mr. Green for Agave cuspidata ; to Messrs. J. 

 Waterer & Sons, for Retinospora obtnsa erecta and Cupressus Law- 

 soniana anrea ; to Messrs. Veitch, for Dendrobium euenllatnm gigan- 

 tenm and Lffilia Pilcheri alba; and to Mr. B. S. Williams, for Daemo- 

 norops plumosns. Special certificates were given to Mr. Green for 

 Stangeria paradoxa ; to Mr. Wilson, for Odontoglossum Rossii ; to Mr. 

 Pilcher, for Dendrobium nobile : to Messrs. Veitch, for a collection of cut 

 Camellias; to Mr. T. Burnett, for AnsectochilusLowii; to Mr. Turner, 

 for Primulas, for Ivies, and for Dracsnas ; to Mr. B. S. Williams, for 

 Solanums, and for a collection of Orchids ; to Mr. Wiggins, for Primulas 

 and for Cyclamens ; to Mr. Denning, for a group of Orchids and 

 Dendrochiiuru glumaceum ; and to Messrs. Dobson, for a collection of 

 Primulas. 



Mr. Looker, of Kingston-on-Thaiues, exhibited what he terms his 

 patent capped garden frames, ground vineries, and Fern cases. These 

 -essentially consist in two parallel rows of earthenware chairs or slabs 

 placed at any convenient distance apart. On the top of these chairs 

 rest sheets of glass in a sloping direction towards each other. A space 

 is preserved between the upper edges of the glass, which is fitted with 

 moveable earthenware caps, having grooves at the bottom. The top 

 of the chairs or slabs is so constructed that the glass rests securely on 

 them without any other support, and the frame or caso is made 

 thoroughly firm by the addition of the caps. Ventilation is obtained 

 by removing any or all of the caps, which can be placed across the top 

 of the glass. When bottom ventilation is required, spaces can be left 

 between the chairs. The advantages claimed are, that while possess- 

 ing all the uses of ordinary garden frames, hand-glasses, and cloches, 

 the frames have the advantages of being more durable, promoting the 

 healthier growth of plants, &c, being far more ornamental, and of 

 being considerably less in price. 



The Chairman closed the proceedings by announcing that the next 

 meeting, which would include the Hyacinth Show, would take place 

 on March 16th. 



On this occasion seventeen new Follows were elected, and the 

 Council Room, large as it is, was crowded even to an inconvenient 

 extent — both healthy signs that the Society is doing its work, and that 

 that work is appreciated by gardeners and by garden-lovers as well. 



CULTIVATION OF ONIONS. 



This being one of the most indispensable of crops the gar- 

 dener has to produce, being in request almost every day through- 

 out the year, I will describe a mode of cultivation I have 

 adopted with uniform success for some years. The ground 

 for Onions should be laid up in 2-feet ridges as early in autumn 

 or winter as it can be cleared of other crops, and frequently 

 turned over during frost. A dressing of soot or lime at that 

 time will be of much service. At the end of February or the 

 beginning of March, it should have a good dressing of rotten 

 dung spread on and forked in not very deeply ; this must be 

 done during open dry weather. The ground will then be ready 

 for sowing, which should take place about the middle of March 

 if the weather is fine. Choose a dry day for sowing, put the 

 seed intended to be used into saucers, and cover it with warm 

 water ; let it steep for two or three hours, during which time 

 the ground should be troddeu over from one end to the other, 

 then cross-trodden, making it quite hard. Just smooth it over 

 with the back of a rake, stretch a line across on the surface, 

 and sow the seed in drills, treading it as you go on. Let the 

 drills be 9 inches apart. Sprinkle a little dry soil or fine 

 ashes over the rows after sowing, and beat them with the back 

 of a spade. By this mode beds and paths are dispensed with, 

 the rows being a convenient distance for hoeiug and weeding. 

 A dusting of soot or guano during showery weather when grow- 

 ing, is a great assistance. 



Since practising the above mode of cultivation, I have never 

 missed having a good crop of fine sound Onions without a 

 maggoty one amongst them. 



After steeping, the water should bo drained from the seeds, 

 and a little red lead — just sufficient to colour them — mixed 

 with them whilst wet; a little dry sand will make them part 

 readily. 



Last year I grew four kinds — namely, Danvers' Yellow, 

 Brown Globe, Bedfordshire Champion, and Nuneham Park. 

 Danvers' is a first-rate kind, coming in early, very regular in 

 size, of good flavour, and keeping well. I have grown it four 

 years, and like it better every year. Brown Globe is a very 

 gc od kind ; indeed there is little difference, that I see, between 

 this and the Champion, the last-named being very thick-necked. 

 Nuneham Park, after a three-years trial, has proved worse 

 than any other I have tried. The seed has been that from 

 sealed packets, the Onions grown on the same ground, and they 

 received similar treatment in every respect. — J. T. Creed, Gar- 

 dener to F. Swanwick, Esq., Whittington House, Chesterfield. 



General Mkbtimu . — W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., in the 

 chair. After the awards of the Committees had been announced, the 

 Chairman, in the absence of the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, mentioned the 

 most prominent objects exhibited. As regards the Fruit Committee's 

 province, he moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Fernyhough for his draw- 

 ings of tropical fruits, and in the Floral Committee's department he 

 took occasion to refer to the effect of grafting in producing variega- 

 tion, as in Abntilon Thompsoni. Where the graft was green and the 

 stock variegated, the result was that the whole of the leaves became varie- 

 gated by degrees ; where the stock was green and the graft variegated, 

 precisely the same result occurred. Some specimens illustrative of 

 this were shown by Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing. In this case 

 variegation seemed co be the result of disease, but such was not always 

 the cause of variegation. 



The most remarkable of the Orchids were then pointed out, and it 

 was mentioned that ou this occasion, for the first time, Stangeria 

 paradoxa was shown in tlower, and that at first the plant had been 

 mistaken for a Fern. The Chairman concluded by remarking on the 

 utility of the Ivies, both for enlivening the garden in winter, and for 

 covering arches in summer. 



Major Trevor Clarke drew attention to the beautiful collection of 

 Cyclamens, but be had found there was not a single fragrant flower 

 among them, although the Cyclamen was naturally inclined to be 

 fragrant. Fragrance was one of the highest attributes of a flower, and 

 though florists pinned their faith to cn-cularity of form he thought 

 they should " go in " for fragrance as well. 



GARDENERS IN THE OLDEN TIME. 



The following may be interesting, as illustrative of the man- 

 ners of the gardeners in the olden time. In 1315 (19 Edw. III.) 

 " the gardeners of the earls, barons, and bishops, and of the 

 citizens of the city of London," petitioned the mayor, John 

 Hamond, that they might " stand in peace in the same place 

 where they had been wont in times of old, in front of the 

 church of St. Austin, at the side of the gate of St. Paul's 

 Churchyard, there to sell the garden produce of their said 

 masters, and make their profit." But the mayor, finding that 

 " the scurrility, clamour, and nuisance of the gardeners and 

 their servants there selling pods, Cherries, vegetables, and 

 other wares to their trade pertaining daily, disturbed" the 

 priests in the church of St. Austin, as well the reputable 

 inhabitants, ordered that henceforth the gardeners " should 

 have as their place, the space between the south gate of the 

 churchyard of the said church and the garden wall of the Friars 

 Preachers (Black Friars) at Baynard's Castle." 



THE LENTISCUS OF CICERO. 

 I Ait much obliged to you for your reply to my question on 

 this subject, which I think contains the right clue to the ex- 

 planation of the puzzling passage referred to. I really believe 



