406 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTrAGB GARDENER. 



[ May 3t, 1877. 



of Peas tbat are a delight to look at. If I had not done it 

 (no guu being allowed to bo fired in the garden) I certainly 

 should not have Peae in the good and healthy state they are 

 now. So, then, instead of being an infidel I am now a trae 

 believer in the merits of black cotton as a protection from the 

 ravages of birds. — X. 



Perhaps the following mode of protecting Peas may be of 

 interest to some of your readers who, like me, are troubled with 

 sparrows. As soon as the Peas are visible I insert two short 

 sticks at each end of the row of Peas, and from these I run 

 two lengths of black thread 2 or 3 inches from the ground, so 

 that the birds cannot touch the Peas without coming in contact 

 with the black thread. I have at the present nineteen rows 

 of Peas, and I do not think a single Pea has been touched, 

 whereas before I tried the above method I mostly lost one-third 

 of the crop. I have aUo fouud black tbread equally useful in 

 protecting young Lettuces in early spring.— W. G. 



ORLEANS CLUB FLOWEB SHOW, 



Twickenham, May 25th and 26th. 



The plants were staged in two large marquees in a meadow 

 adjoining the banks of the Thames. The interior of the mar- 

 quees presented a very pleasing appearance, for banks and 

 mounds had been raised for the plants, and much taste was 

 displayed by Mr. T. EoUisson in the arrangement of the col- 

 lections. 



Boses in pots first claim our attention. The renowned cham- 

 pion growers agdin exhibited their masterpieces of culture. 

 The meeting between these rival champions ia brought to a 

 close, or nearly bo, for this season, and Mr. Turner of Slough 

 has in the majority of cases proved himself the victor ; but to 

 Messrs. Paul & Soas of Cheshuut much praise is due for the 

 persevering manner displayed to the last, for on every occasion 

 they have run Mr. Turner very closely ; but on this occasion 

 they clearly turned the tables on their formidable but friendly 

 rival, and Messrs. Paul were placed first and Mr. Turner second 

 for ten lar^e Roses. The Juno in the first-prize collection was 

 perfection and worthy to be classed as one of the best of the 

 season, being a fit companion with Mr. Turner's Paul Perras 

 and Edward Morren shown at Regent's Park. The competition 

 in the class for twenty Roses in 8 inch pots lay between Messrs. 

 Paul & Sou and Mr. J. W. Moorman, gardener to the Misses 

 Christy, Coombe Bank, and the prizes were awarded in the 

 order named, both collections being very good. For eight Roses 

 in not less than li-inch pots (amateurs) Mr. Moorman was first 

 with good plants of Charles Lawson, Paul Verdier, Victor 

 Verdier, Celine Forestier, Edward Morren, Paul Perras, Beauty 

 of Waltham, and Marguerite de St. Amand ; Mr. KIlis, gardener 

 to J. Galsworthy, Esq., Coombe Leigh, being placed second. 



lu the nurserymen's class for nine stove and greenhouse plants 

 Messrs. Jackson Sc Sons were the only exhibitors, and weie 

 worthily awarded the first prize. In the amateurs' class for six 

 stove and greenhouse plants Mr. Child, gardener to Mrs. Torr, 

 Garhra'-;d Hall, Ewell, was placed first. Mr. Legg, gardener to 

 T. S. Ralli, Esq., Clapham Park, was second ; and Mr. Ellis 

 third. They all staged qood collections. Mr. W. Bates, gardener 

 to W. H. jPunchard, Esq., Poulett Lodge, Twickenham, and 

 Mr. Child shared the honours for ten Orchids. Mr. Bates's 

 first-prize collection contained two splendid plants of Cattleyas, 

 C. Warueridelicataand C. Warneri splendens. Mr. Child's were 

 also very good. In the corresponding class for nurserymen 

 Messrs. Jackson & Sons were the only exhibitors, and were 

 awarded the first prize. 



Oruamental-foliaged plants were admirably exhibited, Mr, 

 Legg outstripping all competitors. Mr. Ley, Croydon, was 

 second ; and Mr. Cornhill, gardener to S. Virtue, Esq., Oatlands 

 Park, Walton-on-Thames, third. 



Azaleas were both numerous and excellent. In the amateurs' 

 class for eight large plants Mr. Child won the premier honours 

 with grand plants. Mr. Smith, gardener to A. Cooper, Esq., 

 Twickenham, was placed second, the other prizctakers for Azaleas 

 being Mr. Ratty, gardener to R. Thornton, Esq., Sydenham, Mr. 

 Turner, and Messrs. Jackson & Sons. Heaths were not largely 

 represented, bat they were very good ; Messrs. Jackson & Sons 

 and Mr. Legg sharing the honours. 



The Pelargoniums as shown by Mr. Turner and Mr. James, 

 gardener to F. Watson, Esq., Redleea, Isleworth, were very good 

 indeed. In the class for twelve show varieties Mr. Turner was 

 placed first and Mr. James second ; and for fancies Jtr. James 

 turned the tables and was a good flr.st, staging the best fancies 

 we have seen thiii year. Tho varieties were East Lynn, Acme, 

 Princess Teek, Ellen Beck, Reino ilea Fantiisiies, Tho Shah, 

 Fanny Gair, and .Mrs. Hart. Mr. Dean staged a group of hardy 

 perennials, for which a first prize was awarded. For twelve 

 plants suitable for diuuer-tablo decoration there were eight com- 

 petitors. Mr. Wills of South Kensington was placed first, Mr. 



W. Bates second, and Messrs. Hooper it Co., Covent Garden, 

 third. For six Ferns Mr. Ley was awarded first, Mr. Smith 

 second, and Mr. Wells, gardener to the Hon. J. C. Vivian, Rich- 

 mond, third. DraciEuaa were well represented. Mr. Ball, 

 Chelsea, was placed first, and Mr. Legg second for splendid col- 

 lections. Caladiums were exhibited by Mr. B. Morrell, gardener 

 to J. S. Rntter, Esq., and Mr. Cornhill, who were placed in the 

 order named. 



Messrs. Bull and Wills shared the honours in the order named 

 for new and rare plants of 1875-76-77. Extra prizes were also 

 awarded to the same exhibitors for ornamental groups; to 

 Mr. Wimsett of King's Road, Chelsea, for a picturesque group, 

 which occupied the centre mound in the large tent; and to 

 Messrs. Webber & Sons for two dozen splendid Peaches, very 

 fine St. Michael Pines, and large baskets of Madresfield Court 

 and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes. Extra prizes were also 

 awarded to Messrs. Dean, Bates, Wills, Ley, James, East, Dick 

 Badclyffe, Jlott (for bouquets), and to Mr. Mayo and Messrs. 

 W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, for cut blooms of Rosea. 



STRAWBERRY SIR HARRY. 



I HAVE forced many Strawberry plants annually for some 

 years, and have tried some of the best sorts against Sir Harry, 

 but they never did so well as that great cropper. Sir Harry 

 bears heat, sets well, and yields continuously large fruit, which 

 weigh well. It ia not an early sort, but comes in about ten 

 days after Keens' Seedling and President. 



In preparing Strawberry plants for forcing tho mode of lay- 

 ing early runners in small pots as practised in gentlemen's 

 gardens is probably the best, but in some market gardens this 

 mode is considered too expensive on account of the labour and 

 time involved in carrying it out. In a market garden in this 

 neighbourhood in which two thousand plants are forced annu- 

 ally, from which unusually heavy crops are obtained, a different 

 plan is adopted. The first runners (from the mother plants) 

 are placed so tbat they can root and grow in the soil till about 

 the end of July, when they are cwefully lifted with large balls 

 and potted in 7-inch pots, placed in a sunny spot, where they 

 remain till the end of October, are then wintered and thas pre- 

 pared for forcing. For five years I have been a witness of the 

 results of this practice. Very strong plants with good crowns 

 are producad, and heavy crops of fruit are obtained from them. 

 Sir Harry is a favourite sort at this place as a sacond early 

 variety. — A. P. 



SPRING GARDENS. 



Spring flowers are now well to the front, and I am the more 

 pleased, for they do us service for many years, as after flower- 

 ing they are easily removed to the reserve ground until wanted 

 in the autumn. It has been said that we are slow to chronicle 

 failures ; it is not pleasant to do so, but is much more agree- 

 able to Bay we have succeeded. I have jotted down a few plants 

 which have done well this spring and others which have not 

 succeeded, and have learnt a lesson from the failures. First of 

 all we had a fine display of Aconites from Christmas onward, 

 with Snowdrops and Christmas Roses in abundance. These 

 never fail. Hepaticas are charming plants for the spring, and 

 have given great satisfaction. Palmonarias are fine now, as 

 also are Golden Feather, Cheiranthns alpinns, C. Marshalli, 

 and C. oohroleucus. Iberis sempervirens is a mass of white, 

 ahd Ajuga purpurea in contrast is very effective. Musoari 

 botryoides in masses is very attractive at this season. Lamium 

 maculatum is admired : this is an excellent plant for covering 

 an unsightly bank. A bed of Golden Thyme just now is grand, 

 and Daisies and Epimediums in variety are in full beauty. 

 Sanguinaria canadensis is a gem for the spring garden when 

 grown in pots and plunged. Soillas bifoUa, siberioa, and 

 amcrna are very fine. The old Honesty (of which there is too 

 little) makes a grand bed in spring. Fumitories and Cory- 

 dalises are fine, especially Corydalis nobilis, C. albitlora, and 

 C. bnlbosa. 



Anemones single and double have done us good service, 

 but A. fnlgens is the brightest of ail. A. nemorosa plena is 

 fine for spring and has a prominent place, so has apennina. 

 Arabises are amongst the most effective of winter and spring 

 bedders, and should be in all gardens. Dog's-tooth Violets 

 are effective. Myosotis rnpicola is excellent, and Veronica 

 speciosa is a charming little plant — a carpet of white with a 

 tinge of blue. Double Primroses in their many shades of 

 colours and Polyanthuses have done well, and are now fine, as 

 nlr-o aro Auriculas. Phloxes verna, Nelsoni, subulata, and 

 Irondosa are among the ohoicost of our spring flowers. They 



