Slay 10, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



351 



ntunber of the Bhoots until they are 6 inches apart, and always 

 bear in mind to leave a good shoot in a good position near the 

 base of the old wood. This will kesp the trees from becoming 

 bare of fruiting wood in the centre. Always leave shoots to 

 fill up open spaces, and never crowd them together upon any 

 consideration. This kind of disbudding applies principally to 

 Peaches and Nectarines, but young Plume and other trees re- 

 quire to be dealt with in like manner. At the last disbudding 

 always try to leave the fruit as much exposed to the light and 

 sunshine as possible. Old Apricot and Fear trees which send 

 out large bunches of young shoots from the spurs should have 

 some of the shoots taken away altogether, and the others 

 ehonld be cut or nipped with the finger and thumb about 

 2 inches from their base. This saves pruning in winter, and 

 is much the best way of securing healthy fruit buds for another 

 year. — Pbaciicai,i8t. 



DEATH OF MR. J. E. EEEVES. 

 It is with deep regret that we have to announce the death 

 of Mr. John Russell Reeves, F.R.S., F.L.S., which took place 

 at his resideace of Woodhayes, Wimbledon, in the seventy- 

 third year of his age. Mr. Reeves was long known as an 

 ardent lover of science, and especially of natural science, and 

 from the position he occupied he bad ample opportunities, 

 which he freely used, of promoting its advancement. Horti- 

 culture and botany have lost in him a liberal and enlightened 

 patron. He was for some years on the Council of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society which resigned in 1873 in consequence 

 of the agitation raised by Sir Alfred Slade, Mr. Chetwynde, 

 and others ; but Mr. Reeves was always opposed to that resig- 

 nation as being illegal, and he stoutly opposed the fatal step 

 to the last. Like his father the late Mr. John Reeves, whose 

 death we recorded just twenty-one years ago at the age of 

 eighty-two, and after whom so many plants have been named, 

 Mr. John R. Reeves was equally assiduous during his sojourn 

 in the East to forward to the Royal Horticultural and Zoolo- 

 gical Societies any objects of interest or of rarity with which 

 he was brought in contact. It is in honour of him that the 

 beautiful pheasant Fhasianus Reevesii is named, and many 

 plants now so popular and ornamental in European gardens 

 were introduced through his instrumentality. Mr. Reeves was 

 for many years connected with the commerce of the East, and 

 was one of the heads of the great house of Dent, Palmer, and 

 Co., in the City of London. 



THE NATIONAL AURICULA SOCIETY'S 

 NORTHERN SHOW. 



A FEW hours of real pleasure devoted to an inspection of the 

 treasures brought together by the exhibitors at the National 

 Auricula Show held at the Town Hall, Manchester, on April 

 27th, gave fall evidence of that strong and lively appreciation 

 of the beautiful in Nature and cultivation for which the 

 artisans and their employers have bo long been famous in the 

 two counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. The latent fires 

 of a memorable past only needed the kindling spirit of a 

 Homer or Barlow to give life and activity to the slumbering 

 embers of the famous old florists of the neighbourhood, whose 

 presence was pleasing evidence there, although they had long 

 ago to retire before the overwhelming foe of scarlet Geraniums 

 and fickle faehion. They only needed the word of command 

 to step to the front in their neat, not gaudy, uniforms and 

 challenge the criticism of the most fastidious. Auriculas, al- 

 thongh the principal feature, were not the only things of beauty, 

 but formed the gems for a magnificent setting of beautiful- 

 flowered and foliage plants kindly lent by the principal growers 

 around Manchester. 



1 append a list of the names of the principal prizetakers ; many 

 of them, like old songs, are always welcome. To give the names 

 of all the good flowers would occupy too much of your space, but 

 the following in the classes I think nneurpassed : — Of white edges, 

 to which I wonld yield the palm, although those who know them 

 better than I claim premier place for the green edges, are John 

 Simonite, with its lovely frosted silver margin, Frank Simonite 

 having a grand violet ground overlaid with its well-defined 

 silvery band, SmUing Beauty, and Catherina always the perfec- 

 tion of correct form and marking. Green edges included Prince 

 of Greens, Talisman, and Freedom; also several very beautiful 

 unnamed seedlings of great promise. Of greys Lancashire Hero 

 has no rival; Geo. Lightbody, Charles Brown, Bolivar, S. Bar- 

 low, and Alex. Meiklc-john were all first-rate. Selfs. — The finest 

 were Charles Perry, Metropolitan, Pizarro, and Elen Lancaster. 

 The rich colour of Lord Leigh and Marquis of Lome give great 

 promise for the future to those interested iu raising new varieties. 



A very interesting box of seedlings, exhibited by S. Barlow, Esq., 

 and raised by the Rev. F. D. Horner, many of them in good form, 

 of the most delicate shades of greenish yellow and primrose, are 

 full of promise for the future development of quite a new race of 

 flowers, which, if they do not find a place in competition with 

 the present standard flowers, cannot fail to find admiration as 

 decorative plants. The following is a list of the awards : — 



Class A, six dissimilar {one at least in each class).— \, Rov. F. D. Horner, 

 Kirkby Malzeaid, Kipon. 2, B. Simonite, Sheffield. 8. H. Wilson, Halifax. 

 4, J. Booth, FailBworth. Class B, four dissimilar {oncin each class).— 1, Rev. 

 F D. Horner. 2, B. Simonite. 3, C. Royds, Rochdale. 4, Miss Steward, 

 York. Class O, dissimilar (pain).— 1, Rev. F. D. Horner. 2, T. Mellor. S, C. 

 Rojds. 4, S. Cooper, The Hollies, Timperley. Class D.four Alpines.— 1, R. 

 Gorton, Ecoles. 2, S. Cooper, 3, Miss Steward. Class E, green crf-ics {single 

 plants).— Premiam, Rev. F. D. Horner. 1, B. Simonite. 2, 3, and 4, Rev. 

 F. D. Horner. 5, B. Simonite. 6 and 7, Rev. F. D. Horner. 8, C. Royds. 

 Class F, grey edges {single plants). — Premiom, S. Barlow, Stakehill. 1 and 

 2. Rev. F. D. Horner. 8, J. Booth. 4, 6, 6, 7, and R, Rev. F. D. Horner. 

 Class 0, tchite edges {single plants) —Preminm and 1, Rev. F. D. Horner. 

 2, W. Wardle, Winshill. 3, D. Jackson, Middleton. 4, B. Simonite. 5, Miae 

 Steward. 6, T. Mellor. 7, B. Simonite. 8, Bev. F. D. Horner. Class B, 

 selfs {si7igle plants).— Fremiam, H. Wilson. 1, Rev. F. D. Horner. 2, C. 

 Royds. 3, S. Barlow. 4. Miss Steward. 5 and 6, W. Wardle. 7 and 8, B. 

 Simonite. Chus I, Alpines, yellow centres. — Premium and 1, S. Cooper. 

 2, 8, 4, and ."i, R. Gorton. Class K, Alpines, white iTn(rf«.— Premium and 1, 

 Miss Steward. 2, R. Gorton. S, Miss Steward. 4 and 5, R. Gorton. Special 

 Auricula Prizes— For best Lancashire Hero, Rev. F. D. Horner. For best 

 green edge. Rev. F. D. Homer. For best grey edge, B. Simonite. (Chosen 

 from the whole Exhibition). 



Polyanthus (pairs) dissimilar.— 1, R. Dyson, Chadderton. 2, M. Parting- 

 ton, Middleton. Single plandi.— Premium and 1, 2, 3, 4, R. Dyson. 5. D. 

 Jackson. 6, W. Taylor, Middleton. 7, G. Smith, Edmonton. 8, M. Parting- 

 ton, Middleton. 



RICINUS QIBSONII. 

 Of all the varieties of the Castor-oil Plant this I consider to 

 be the most distinct and effective. For subtropical gardening 

 it is highly suitable, and shows to great advantage from the 

 contrast afforded with the surrounding plants. Its habit is 

 robust, yet the plant is not in the slightest degree coarse, and 

 the colour of the leaves and stems is quite distinct from that of 

 any other strong-growing bedding plant. A single plant grow- 

 ing in the centre of a small bed of Centaurea, Cineraria 

 maritima, or Gnaphalium lanatum has a very fine appear- 

 ance ; also a number of plants thinly disposed over a wide 

 expanse impart a diversified effect to the garden. This Eicinus 

 comes true from seed, which should be sown at the present 

 time — one seed iu the centre of a small pot, and placing in 

 a heated frame or house. The plants can be shifted into 

 larger pots when required, and be gradually prepared for 

 planting-out in June. Castor-oil Plants are frequently raised 

 too early, and become drawn for the want of suitable struc- 

 tures to grow them iu during the spring months ; but by com- 

 paratively late sowing — say the first week iu May — the evil 

 of having spindly plants is in a great measure obviated. — 

 A Flower-qakden Fobeman. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



In greenhouses and other places where Vines are grown with- 

 out the aid of artificial heat they will by this time have started 

 well into growth, and in most cases the young shoots will have 

 become sufficiently strong to be secured to the wires placed in 

 the house to support them. Handle the shoots carefully, and 

 if they appear stubborn tie them loosely at first and return to 

 them again in a few days, when they may be placed where they 

 are required. As soon as the shoots have grown about two 

 joints from the bunch stop them. If more than one bunch show 

 on a shoot remove the weakest, and avoid overcropping; and 

 when laterals shoot again from the joints below where they are 

 stopped, stop these again to one joint. Keep the atmosphere 

 as moist as possible consistent with the requirements of the 

 other subjects in the same house, and close early in the afternoon 

 to raise ttie temperature and conserve the sun heat. By this 

 treatment the Vines will make rapid growth and soon be in 

 bloom. 



The bedding-out of summer occupants of most gardens will 

 now receive attention, more especially in gardens where spring 

 bedding is not resorted to. Very often during the spring months 

 we find flower beds as gay with Wallflowers, Myosotis, Pansies, 

 Polyanthuses, Daisies, Silenes, Collinsias, and other effective 

 annuals as at any time during the brightest of summer months. 

 Spring bedding, however, has its disadvantages, for very often 

 with a late spriog like the present one the flowers must either 

 be destroyed when in full beauty, or delay is incurred in the 

 planting-out of the summer favourites until a very late period, 

 and which is occasionally detrimental, for they have not time 

 to become established, more especially in hot dry soils, before 

 the drought of summer usually sets iu. With the thermometer 

 registering from 2^ to ti" of frost every morning dtiring May, as yet, 

 many spring flowers have suffered considerably. We would urge 



