422 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Jane 16, 1870. 



lection for the most part in pots made in imitation of trnnks of trees, 

 bnt being too large in proportion to the plants the appearance of the 

 latter was deteriorated. The Saccolabinms, however, were very good ; 

 there was a pan of Cypripedinm Hookeri, with ten flowers, and others 

 on the point of opening; and among the rest were good examples 

 of Cypripedinm Lowii, and Veitch'B -variety of Vanda snavis. Mr. 

 Yonng, Dnlwich, was third. For eight, Mr. Page, gardener to W. 

 Leaf, Esq., Streatham, was first with Aerides rosenm, with fonr 

 racemes, Saccolabinm Blnmei, A. rides Lindleyannm, odoratnm, 

 Lobbii, the last splendid, and a good Lrelia pnrpnrata. Mr. Burnett, 

 gardener to W. Terry, Esq., Fnlham, was second ; Mr. Wright, third. 

 For six, the first prize went to Mr. Ward, the second to Mr. Burnett, 

 gardener to W. Terry, Esq., Fnlham, who had Aerides rosenm, with 

 five spites, and Mr. Woodward was third. 



The Golden and Silver Tricolor Pelargoninms formed a large part 

 of the display, hut viewed from a distance their distinctions conld not 

 be discerned ; Golden and Silver Tricolors became confused together, 

 and the largo mass, however beautiful its individual parts, was not 

 effective as a whole. It seemed to want breaking up, so as to give 

 relief by the introduction of plants of a different character, of Mowers 

 or foliage of a different hue. Then the bright-coloured leaves would 

 have shone like gems. 



In the nurserymen's class for twelve, Mr. J. Stevens, of Ealing, was 

 first with very well grown plants of Golden Tricolors, Sophia Cusack, 

 Sophia Dumaresque, Lady Cullum, Countess of Tyrconnel, Lucy 

 Grieve, and Mrs. Turner ; Silver Tricolors, Mabel Morris, Charming 

 Bride, Glen Eyre Beauty, Italia Unita, and Imperatrice Eugenie. 

 Mr. Cannell, Woolwich, was second, and Mr. Turner, Slough, third ; 

 bnt smaller plants from Messrs. Carter & Co. were brighter-coloured 

 and more effective. Mrs. Dunnett, Prince of Wales, Sir K. Napier, 

 Aurora, Dr. Wallace, Royal Standard, and Fairyland, were shown in 

 this collection. In the amateurs' class, Mr. Welsh, gardener to D. 

 Butter, Esq., HiUingdon, took the first honours with well-furnished 

 plants, from 15 to 18 inches across, the kinds being Mrs. Turner, 

 Sophia Dumaresqne, Lady Cullum, Sophia Cusack, Lucy Grieve, and 

 Italia Unita. Mr. Townsend, gardener to J. C. Mappin, Esq., 

 Clapham Park, was second, and the Rev. H. H. Dombrain, Westwell 

 Vicarage, Ashford, third, with well-grown plantB. The prize for 

 three plants of the best Golden Tricolor was taken by MessrB. Carter 

 and Co.. with their brilliant-coloured Prince of Wales, the second 

 prize going to Mr. Stevens, for Ealing Rival, and the third to Mr. 

 Turner, for Achievement. The first prize for three plants of the best 

 Silver Tricolor went to Mr. Turner, of Slongh, for Miss Pond, with a 

 bine green centre, dark crimson zone, shaded with rosy carmine, and 

 broadly margined with white. Mrs. Rousby, another fine variety 

 from the same exhibitor, was second ; and Charles Edmonds, from Mr. 

 Stevens, of Ealing, third. 



Pelargoninms of the Gold and Bronze sections were in fine con- 

 dition, and those from Messrs. Downie & Co. extremely beautiful 

 and more effective than the brighter-coloured Tricolors. For six, 

 Messrs. Downie. Laird, & Laing, were first, with Imp. ratrice Kul" me, 

 with a broad bright-coloured zone, and golden ground colour ; Crown 

 Prince, very fine ; Prima Donna ; Red Gauntlet, Black Douglas, a 

 striking variety, and Mr. Alan Lonndes, with a dark chocolate zone. 

 Mr. Cannell was second. In the amateurs' class, the prizes went to 

 Mr.W. Townsend and the Rev. H. H. Dombrain. The best three plants 

 of any Gold and Bronze variety were those of Reine Victoria, with 

 leaves remarkable alike for their size and colouring, and with zones 

 nearly 2 inches wide. Kingcraft and Napoleon ILL, from the same 

 firm, were second and third, and each would have been first had the 

 others been absent. 



For the best Silver-edged Pelargonium, Mr. Turner was first with 

 Bright Star, with an abundance of scarlet blooms. May Queen, from 

 Mr. Turner and Mr. Cannell, was second. 



The best of the double-flowering Pelargoninms were Madame and 

 Marie Lemoine, Wilheim Pfitzer, and Triomphe, the last named very 

 bright, bnt not blooming freely. The prizes went to Messrs. Downie, 

 and Mr. Turner. 



Prizes were also offered for collections of Colens, and wero taken by 

 Messrs. Downie & Co., and Mr. G. Wheeler. 



Miscellaneous subjects consisted of a collection of plants from 

 Messrs. Downie & Co. ; of a collection of Roses in pots from Mr. 

 Turner ; Ixias, &c, from Messrs. Hooper & Co. ; Caladinms from Mr. 

 WilHe; Lilium anratnm from Mr. W. Paul, of Waltham Cross; 

 Pelargoninms from Mr. Turner, of Slongh ; Zonal Pelargoniums from 

 Mr. Mann, of Brentwood ; Pinks, Pansies, &c, from Mr. Shenton, 

 Mr. Hooper, Bath, Bragg, and others. First-class certificates were 

 awarded to Mr. Turner, for Pelargoninms Iron Duke, Black Prince, 

 and Charles Dickens ; to Mr. Williams, for Viola cornnta Perfection ; 

 Peristrophe angustifolia aureo-variegata, a very promising golden 

 variegated plant for bedding-out, and for Agave Verschaffelti ; to 

 Messrs. Paul & Son, for a basket of Cupressns Lawsoniana variegata ; 

 and to Messrs. Downie & Co., for Caladinm M. Barillet. 



have interfered, and I mnst defer it, merely saying that there was a 

 vast improvement upon what we have seen before, and that the pnblic 

 are being educated to a better taste in such matters. — D., Deal. 



If one might judge from the places where the crowd "most did 

 congregate,'' the table decorations, the variegated Pelargoniums, and the 

 Orchids formed the most attractive featnreB of the Show. The two 

 latter have already been commented upon, and I had hoped to have 

 given this week a detailed critique upon the former : but other matters 



LAWN MOWERS. 



Messrs. Greek have great cause for gratitude in securing the ser- 

 vices of such an " earnest " advocate of their lawn mowers as Mr. 

 Robert Featherstone. the Gardens, St. Ann's Villa, Burley, Leeds (see 

 page 3110). His desire to caution people against purchasing any 

 noveltv. expressed in a former paper, is now fully displayed. " Do 

 not purchase the Archimedean lawn mower,'' wrote Mr. Featherstone 

 before he had even tried it ; " yon mnst purchase Green's, that is the 

 best." The most of your readers know that Messrs. Green's lawn 

 mowers are really excellent, but few of them, however, know about the 

 Archimedean. I have said that I like the Archimedean, and I sayso 

 still. I have said my say, and abide by it. Mr. Featherstone, writing 

 for Messrs. Green, says he dislikes it, and strains every nerve to con- 

 demn it. Nothing conld be more natnral than to hear him say so. I 

 only hope the proprietors of the Archimedean mower may give Mr. 

 Featherstone what* satisfaction he requires in a competitive trial. It 

 will nut be in the ordinary Yankee spirit if his bold challenge be not 

 accepted. I should like to empty Mr. Featherstone's overfilled purse 

 myself if I had as much influence at head-quarters as my quondam 

 opponent. Why do not Messrs. Green send the challenge themselves, 

 and to the proper parties, instead of deputing it to the hands of any 

 agent, however able or however much in earnest ? Is there not room 

 enough for all, instead of all this petty jealousy between rivals m 

 trade ? — Archambacd. 



In page 3S9 an article appears condemnatory of the Archimedean 

 lawn mo"wer. I have used the word condemnatory, for I conceive that 

 the article in question is written expressly in that spirit. Criticism 

 impartially administered is a useful guide, bnt anyone assuming snch 

 a dnty should take care to render himself above prejudice, otherwise 

 his object will not fail to be seen. Now, with the Archimedean lawn 

 mower I have not had practical experience ; but independently of this, 

 I consider it would have been qnito out of my province if, from a 

 limited knowledge of its working properties, I had got up a comment- 

 ary, and from these deductions a challenge " for any sum of money, 

 etc.," to the maker of the Archimedean, on behalf of the maker of 

 another machine. Gardeners are indeed well able to form an opinion 

 of the merits or demerits of these machines, but challenges onght to 

 proceed from the parties whom they immediately concern. Against 

 the machines of Messrs. Green I have nothing whatever to say, for I 

 have nsed them for a number of years. If, however, they are good— 

 which I do not deny— if they are more perfect now than when first 

 introduced, it is only fair to say that their present style of make has 

 not been attained and accomplished all at once. This, however ib not 

 my object in writing, but merely, as I before stated, to say challenges 

 ought to proceed from the parties who are most directly concerned. It 

 may be all very well to have the blades tested at such places at Krrk- 

 stall Forge ; but wore anyone to take every piece of cutlery. &c, about 

 which his "suspicions are aroused" to snch places to test, I fear 

 even the foreman smith would think such a one troublesome. But I 

 am not disposed to believe that there exists a machinist, or the maker 

 of a lawn-mowing machine, who would intentionally make the blades 

 or cutters of cast iron. H there be such, he may safely count the 

 extent of his business in that direction. I am not able, as I said 

 before, to say anything either for or against the Archimedean ; indeed, 

 although I have had charge of extensive lawns upon which both pony 

 and hand machines were required, yet I never deemed it desirable to 

 have in use those from different makers ; in fact, there are many ex- 

 cellent employers who do not give indiscriminate commission to their 

 employees Further than this I do not feel justified in trespassing on 

 the columns of the Journal ; nor do I feel disposed to say more on 

 Mr Featherstone's subject, except to add that it may be a satisfaction 

 to some to find that certain defects which the Archimedean seems to 

 possess, such as not collecting the grass, &c, can be easily remedied. 

 —J. R. 



The Rhododendron Shows.— Last week the show which 

 Mr. Anthony Waterer, of the Knap Hill Nursery, Woking, is 

 holding in the large tent in the Royal Horticultural Society s 

 gardens, at SouthKensington, was briefly noticed, and it was 

 intended to have given a fuller account of it this week, the 

 probability being that many varieties then coming into flower 

 would be at their best ; but the sharp frosts of May have 

 seriously impaired the blooming of Rhododendrons this year, 

 and now the hot, dry weather has shortened its duration by 

 several days. On again visiting the show, therefore, we found 

 its beauty rapidly passing, and beyond noticing a few varieties 

 we can offer nothing in addition to what has been stated in 

 previous vears. Mrs. R. S. Holford, salmon crimson, and 

 Purity, white, are conspicuous among the very best, bir 

 Thomas Sebright, purple, with a bronze blotch ; Othello, rose ; 

 and Beauty of Surrey, rosy crimson, are also very fane. Mrs. 



