March 29, 1877. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBB AND OOTXAQB GARDENER. 



239 



lire. Frederick Francis, Hon. Mrs. Murray Gladstone, James 

 Grieve, Lady Cornelia Guest, J. Clarke Hawkshaw, John H. 

 Ley, Mrs. Midlane, E. H. Pember, Q.C., James M. Polak, 

 John M. Polak, Mrs. A. G. Pollock, Henry Pott, Col. K. A. 

 Roberta, R.E., and Mrs. Woodbine. Also the following as 

 guinea members : — Eev. George Brewin, H. J. Buchan, Rev. 

 H. Cheales, Eev. N. W. Gibson, John F. Gabriel, Judah Nahon, 

 Miss A. L. Eobartson, Edgell Westmacott, E. Gilbert, W. 

 Holland, E. Stevenson, J. G. Kemp, Jas. Tweedie, and Mrs. 

 Nash. The Cirencester and Llanelly Societies were admitted 

 into union. 



D., Zh'al," states, that if a " Would-be Exhibitob " will 



send his address, a schedule of the National Rose Show shall 

 be forwarded to him, from which he will see that not only are 

 classes provided such as he wishes, for twelve and six Roses, 

 single trusses, but that there is a rule that no large exhibitor 

 shall show in the small classes, thereby giving the small 

 grower a fair chance of winning a prize. 



We are informed by Mr. Charles Parker, the Hon. 



Secretary, that owing to unforeseen circumstances and the 

 inadequate support accorded to the Wisbech Rose Show and 

 Horticultural Exhibition, the Show fixed for the 28th of June 

 will not be held. 



The next exhibition of the National Acbicula Society 



will be held in connection with the Botanical Society's Show 

 in the Town HaU, King Street, Manchester, on Friday, April 

 the 27th, 1877. Liberal prizes are offered for pans of six and 

 four dissimilar varieties. There are also numerous prizes for 

 green edges, grey edges, white edges, and sells ; also special 

 prizes for the best Lancashire Hero, the best green and the 

 best grey ; for Alpines with yellow centres, for Alpines with 

 white centres, and for Polyanthuses in pairs and single plants. 

 All plants in the pans to have not less than five expanded 

 pips, those in the classes not less than three; the trusses to be 

 shown free from all artificial packing and support. Intending 

 exhibitors are requested to apply to the Hon. Secretary, Eev. 

 F. D. Horner, Kirkby JIalzeard,Kipon, not later than April 2l8t 

 for exhibition labels, stating the probable number required. 



The following were among the distinguished person- 

 ages who visited the Eoyal Hoeticl'ltdral Society's Show 

 on the 2l8tinst. — Marquis and Marchioness of Bowmont,Lord 

 and Lady Alfred Churchill and Miss Churchill, Ladies Blanche 

 and Constance Conyngham, Lady Chesterfield, Lady Dorothy 

 Nevill, Julia Countess of Jersey and Mr. Brandling, Marchioness 

 of Londonderry and Lady Edwardes, Sir Trevor Lawrence, 

 Bart., M. P., Col. Hon. Strange Jocelyn and Miss Jocelyn. 



We have received from B. E. Cant of Colchester some 



excellent specimens of the fruit of what is now known as the 

 D'Abcy Spice ArrLE, a variety which on account of its late- 

 keeping and delicious flavour ought to find a place in every 

 garden however small. It is also known by the names of Bad- 

 dow Pippin, Spring Eibston, and Essex Spice. The tree is a 

 good bearer, inasmuch as being late in blossoming it frequently 

 escapes the frosts of spring which aro often so disastrous to 

 many other varieties. The D'Arcy Spice Apple originated at 

 at Tolehunt Darcy, in Essex, and is gradually finding its way 

 into general cultivation. 



The last meeting this season of the Wijiblbdon House 



Gardenebs' SeciETY was held in the young men's rooms on 

 Monday night. These meetings are held at fortnightly intervals 

 during the winter months. They are supported wholly by 

 Sir Henry Peek, Bart., MP., who provides a substantial meal 

 on each meeting night for twenty-four gardeners of the dis- 

 trict. After the repast a paper is read, and discussion thereon 

 follows, and many useful hints are thus elicited, and good 

 gardening is directly encouraged. Sir Henry takes great 

 interest in the gatherings and the subjects which are discussed, 

 his object being the laudable one of enabling the gardeners of 

 the district to render themselves more proficient in their callin g, 

 and at the same time to afford them a means of joining to- 

 gether for wholesome relaxation. The paper read on Monday 

 night was an able essay on Vine culture and management by 

 Mr. OUerhead ; and the improved state of the Vines under his 

 charge is sullicient evidence of the soundness of the practice 

 that was embodied in his lecture. At the close of the meet- 

 ing an uuanimous vote of thanks to Sir Henry Peek for his 

 kindness was recorded on the minutes, and Mr. OUerhead was 

 similarly thanked for the satisfactory manner in which he had 

 carried out the wishes of his employer in rendering the gather- 

 ings successful. This private organisation is distinct from 

 the Village Gardeners' Improvement Society. 



The Istebnational Potato Show will be held at the 



Eoyal Aquarium, Westminster, on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of 

 October next, and not, as originally intended, at South Ken- 

 sington. The prizes offered amount to upwards of £100. The 

 Secretary is Mr. J. McKenzie, 1 and 2, Ch-eat Winchester Street 

 BuUdings, E.C. 



One of the best modes of peotectino the blossoms of 



PYRAMID Peah trees that has come under our notice is adopted 

 by Mr. OUerhead in the gardens at Wimbledon House. The 

 trees, handsome specimens 10 to 12 feet in height, are laden 

 with blossom, which appears to be efficiently sheltered from 

 frost. Between each tree a pole has been fixed in the ground 

 and made firm by braces of wire, after the manner of securing 

 telegraph poles ; and along the top of the poles a batten — 

 ridge piece — is nailed. Long lightly made garden mats are 

 then sewed together, forming a covering of any length desired 

 and 7 or 8 feet in depth. The top side of the covering ia 

 secured to the ridge piece ; the lower side, which is 3 or 4 feet 

 from the ground, having attached to it at suitable intervals 

 stout cords, which are drawn tight and secured to pegs which 

 are driven in the ground at some distance from the trees — 

 sufficient to prevent the covering touching the branches ; the 

 plan adopted being precisely that of fixing a lent or marquee. 

 The trees, in fact, are " in camp." During favourable weather 

 one side of the trees is exposed to the sun as required by 

 raising the covering. Each tree appears to be capable of bear- 

 ing a bushel of fruit, which Mr. OUerhead justly considers will 

 be of ten times the value of the mats, which will be serviceable 

 for three or four years. The work of covering is neatly done, 

 the trees being in long rows, and the tents have a somewhat 

 novel yet comfortable appearance. 



Plants of a very chaste and valuable Orchid — Ak- 



GR.ECOM ciibatu-m, aro now flowering in the collections of 

 Lord Londesborough and the Messrs. Veitch & Sons. The 

 plants are growing in baskets, each plant having two pendulous 

 flower stems containing two rows of small creamy pink glossy 

 flowers, somewhat after the form of the flowers of Lobelia 

 ramosa. For wreaths it is impossible to imagine anything 

 more charming than this lovely Orchid; the wreaths would, 

 however, be rather costly, the plants though small being worth 

 about forty guineas each. 



Special methods of propagation for particular plants 



are always of interest and often of practical value. It is well 

 known that cuttings from large plants of Jacaranda filici- 

 FOLLA will not strike, and as small plants run out of stock or 

 grow too large it frequently happens that others have to be 

 bought at a high figure. The method found to succeed at Kew 

 for propagation from large plants has not, so far as we are 

 aware, been hitherto tried elsewhere. It consists in cutting- 

 back the plant when too tall, and laying the old stems their 

 full length on a moist warm bed of cocoa-nut fibre. Here the 

 buds break and grow entirely from the strength in the old 

 wood, and when large enough may be taken off and struck in 

 tho usual way without difficulty. It must be observed that the 

 stems are laid down their full length, and not cut up as is usual 

 with Dracenas. We may mention as a recent observation 

 that the leaves of Aphelandra fascinator readily produce plants, 

 the buds growing from the base of the petiole. This plant, how- 

 ever, is easily struck from cuttings. It may not be known to 

 all cultivators that the leaves of Bertolonia Van Houttei will 

 produce plants just in the same way as a largefoliaged 

 Begonia. Nothing is more gorgeous in the way of leaf-colour- 

 ing than a pan of these Bertolonias in a healthy state of growth, 

 as they always may be when young without any difficulty. 

 While on the subject of leaf-propagation it may be well to 

 mention Drimiopsis Kirki, a new Liliaceous bulb. If a leaf 

 be broken off and thrown down it proceeds at once to form 

 few or sometimes many bnlblets on the broken edge. In- 

 stances of this are not common. Lachenalias are said to act 

 in a similar manner, but certainly not with the same freedom. 



It may be encouraging to gardeners in comparatively 



small places to know that Mr. Moorman, who exhibited so suc- 

 cessfully at Regent's Park last week, has not the charge of a 

 large garden and unlimited resources ; he simply makes the 

 best of a small place. The Misses Christy's residence at 

 Coombe Bank is pleasantly situated, and the two or three acres 

 of pleasure grounds have been tastefully laid out, principally 

 by the present gardener, and contain many handsome speci- 

 mens of Hollies and other shrubs. Tho soil is naturally a 

 poor gravel, yet cut Eoses have been successfully exhibited 

 from this garden, where a miniature rosery has been arranged. 



