US 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



C Julf 9, 1B6S. 



seeds of nnlnmn, snow covers those not scattered, and all this 

 time tho birds are starviDR. The appearance of the bare earth 

 in winter is very different from that which it presents in sum- 

 mer when clothed with verdare ; the difference is known to be 

 caused by cold, and so wo hastily conclude that winter is a 

 weeder to whom we may safely trust ; but the very green of 

 summer is ouly preparatory to the growth of plant seed, and 

 if we waste that season by allowing this consummation to f^o 

 uncheckeri. we miy be quite sure that Nature has thus amply 

 proyided f jr the continuance of species. — Geouge Newltn. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



July 7th. 



flnmT CosoirrTEE.— George F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 Mesars. Carter & Co. and Messrs. Hurst & Son exhibited a dish of 

 Laxton'a Sapreme Peas, a fine, large, and very distinct early Pea of 

 the Green Man-ow race. It was awarded a first-class certificate. 

 Meaara. Wood & Son, of Mareafiold, sent a dish of a seedling Potato, 

 which wassnbmitted for trial in the collection of Potatoes at Chiswick. 

 Mr. Carver, gardener to J. Walker, Esq., Southgate, sent fine fruit of 

 tiie Camellia. 



Three splendid bnncheg of the Golden Champion Grape were ex- 

 hibited by Mr. William Thomson, of Dalkeith Park. This is the first 

 time it has been aabmitted to the jadgmeut of the Committee, and it 

 fully realised all that has already teeu said of it. The bunches are 

 large, and tho berries are enormous ; tho latter are oval, with an 

 amber tin;;o when quite ripe, a nolid, tender flesh, and a flavour di^er- 

 ing littlo, if at all, from the Blaok Hamburgh. In size and appear- 

 ance it far anrpa'ises any white Grape, and in flavour it is exceUed by 

 none except the Muscats. It received a first-class certificate. 



Mr. TUIery of Welbeck, sent dishes of very fine fruit of Galaude 

 -Peach and Violotte Hative Nectarine, both of which were hand- 

 some. Mr. Wnstcott, gardener to the Duke of Cleveland, at Raby 

 Castle, sent a large oblong ribbed Melon, a hybrid between Scarlet 

 Gem and Scarlet Rock. It was a handsome fruit, but the flavour was 

 very deficient. Mr. Jack, gardener to tho Duke of Cleveland, at Battle 

 Abbey, flent a green- fleshed Melon, called Battle Abbey, the flavour 

 of which, though good, was not of sufficient merit to warrant the 

 -award of a certificate. A collection of Gooseberries came from the 

 Sociiitj'a garden at Chiswick. Legerdemain, a large green Lancashire 

 •variety, was very richly flavoured. Beeston Castle was also good, but 

 not 80 rich. Old Ship, a yellow variety, was rather more acid. 

 Teazer, also a hairy yellow, was of good flavour. Early Amber and 

 Pitmaston Green Gage were very rich, and Red Champagne, though 

 ' not quite ripe, was very good. 



The Committee had previously met on June 29th at Chiswick, and 

 proeeeded with its examination of Peas growing in tho gardens. If 

 the early varieties have suffered in this excessively dry season, later 

 kinds — the large foliaged dwarf Marrow sorts — are still more affected, 

 it being well known that these varieties succeed best in rather a rainy 

 season ; and the present being just the reverse of that, they are con- 

 seqaeutly considerably under the usuiil average, both in quantity and 

 quality. One or two exceptions to this state of things have, however, 

 been observed ; or, rather, some varieties seem to succeed in this dry 

 season and to withstand the summer drought better than others. The 

 following decisions were arrived at ; — 



McLean's Princess Royal is a first-class second-early white Marrow, 

 distinct, with large, well-filled pods ; it withstood the summer drought 

 well. 



Peabody is a vory prolific dwarf white Pea. 



Somersetsliire Early Prolific is very much in the way of the old white 

 Prussian. 



Dillistone's Early Prolific Green Marrow is the same as Prize- 

 taker. 



Heale*g Matchless Marrow is the old Matchless Marrow — a large and 

 very good grpeu Marrow. 



Blue Excelsior (Knight) is a very good and prolific green Marrow 

 Pea, in appearance while growing like Champion of England ; the 

 dried seeds of a light bine. Blue Emperor is a dwarf-growing and 

 inferior variety of this. 



Carter's Surprise is very much in the style of Scimetar — a prolific 

 variety. 



Grotto is a tall growing late green Marrow, of pretty good quality, 

 distinct. 



Laxton'a Supreme is a grand Pea, a green Marrow of excellent 

 quality, with very long, well-filled, curved pods. It is a hybrid betwen 

 'Prolific 9j]d Little Gem. The stock of this variety is very true this 

 season, entirely free from that mixed character which was its great 

 drawback last season. Laxton'a Quality is very similar to this, bat 

 partaking moro of the wrinkled character of Littlo Gem, a very 

 excellent variety. 



Laxton'a Leader is in the style of Veitch's Perfection. 



Cooper Wyton is a very good dwarf wrinkled Marrow, with large, 

 well-filled pods. 



Dwarf Incomparable is a very dwarf and prolific late wrinkled 

 Marrow, with small, well-filled pods, of good quality. 



Forty-fold ia a very excellent Pea ; an improved form of Champion ' 



of England, with larger and more curved pods. It stands the drj 

 weather well. 



Premier is tho finest and best form of the dwarf wrinkled green 

 Marrow class. 



Paterson'a Matchless Marrow, a variety which has been grown by Mr. 

 Whiting, of the Deepdone, for many years, is the same as Veitch's 

 Perfection. 



New Tall Wrinkled (Hurst), is very much in the way of Britiall 

 Queen. 



A tall Marrow (Bradley) is, tall white Mammoth. 

 Spider Pea is a dwarf white wrinkled, much-branching variety, with 

 small, well-fiUed pods. 



Hybrid Poa (B. Sandiland), is a hybrid between the Sugar Pea and 

 Knight's Marrow. It is of a very distinct character, remarkable for the 

 shining glossy colour of the leaves and pods, resembling the old Glass 

 Pea in that respect. It is a large white wrinkled Marrow, of very 

 excellent quality ; its appearance, however, militates against it. 



The Committee then proceeded to examine the collection of early 

 Potatoes, which in this (Iry season is remarkably fine — large in size, 

 and of fine appearance and good quality, without the slightest trace of 

 disease amongst them. The following were tho most remarkable 

 varieties noticed : — 



Lemon Kidney (an old variety), quite ripe. Large, full-eyed, clean, 

 and handsome. Prolific. 



Rivers's Ashloaf is a vei-y prolific variety, handsome, but not so 

 early as others. 



Birmingham Prizetaker is a very handsome variety, of medium size, 

 oblong, flattened, early. 



Mona's Pride (quite ripe), is a first-class early kidney ; large, full, 

 regular, and handsome ; excellent cropper, 



Gloucester Kidney is a very excellent early Potato, of fine size, 

 good quality, and very prolific. 



Milky White is a very distinct variety, the whitest of all, of excellent 

 quality, and a good cropper. 



Giant King ia a very handsome variety, large and regular, of oblong 

 shape, with a fine clear skin. A splendid Potato for early market 

 use. 



Red Ashleaf Kidney is a very large and fine variety, of a dark 

 purple colour, fit for use as early as the White Ashleaf; a heavy 

 cropper. 



Smith's Early, which is the same'as the Coldstream, is the earliest 

 round Potato. 



Myatt'a Ashleaf (quite ripe), ia a very fine, large, and excellent 

 stock. 



Old Ashleaf (quite ripe), large and very handsome. 

 Paterson's Red Kidney (quite ripe), ia a very fine Potato, of hand- 

 some appearance, recommendable for field culture. 



Floral Committke. — A greater number of certificates than usual 

 were awarded this day ; and a more interesting exhibition could not 

 be seen, whether we consider the beauty of some of the plants, or the 

 botanical interest of others. The Society may well be satisfied at the 

 continued interest of these fortnightly meetings. 



The silver Flora medal was offered for tho best twenty-four Cama- 

 tiona, also for twenty-four Picotees. These medals were awarded to 

 Mr. Hooper, of Bath, there being no other competitor. A special 

 certificate was also given to Mr. Hooper for his general collection of 

 Cloves, &c. There were some very tine varieties among the Cloves, 

 and we hope Mr. Hooper and others will give their attention to the 

 improvement of this most welcome and favourite flower. There ia 

 much to be done, and easily done, with this flower ; bold and smooth 

 outline and guard leaves of substance being the principal points. Per- 

 fection in form and colour must also be studied. From what we have 

 seen we may hope this flower will prove a favourite of the ladies. 



Messrs. K. G. Henderson, of the Wellington Road, St. John's Wood, 

 exhibited several new Lobelias, but not in a condition to judge of their 

 merits. These plants in pots are apt to be deceptive : the ouly sure 

 way of judging of theij- merits is from plants planted out. Lobelia 

 pumila Distinction, much resembling Beauty of Ravensbourne, received 

 a first-class certificate for its robust habit. Viola cornuta alba, from 

 the same firm, received a second-class certificate. Pelargonium Flower 

 Queen, exquisitely white in its margin, but with foliage of rather 

 flimsy texture, had also a second-clasa certificate. Lass o' Gowrie, a 

 silver-edged Zonal Pelargonium, received a tii-st-class certificate. 



Messrs. RoUissou sent a collection of Orchids, which received a 

 special certificate. From Messrs. Downie, Laird, &; Laing came 

 a hybrid Nosegay Pelargonium, with bright scarlet flowers in a largo 

 compact truss ; it was named Robert Bowley, and rectived a first-class 

 cei-titicate. Red Ring, a bronze Zonal from the same firm, had also 

 a first-class certificate. 



Mr. Williams, of Holloway, exhibited several interesting plants, and 

 among them Txichomanes fimbriatum and Trichomanes maximum 

 received first-class certificates. He likewise sent some others. Mr- 

 Whitehead. gardener to Mr. Dodgson, contributed a cut spike of On- 

 cidium luridum of unusual size, and a special certificate was awarded 

 it. Messrs. Veitch had first-class certificates for Lindssea sp., to be 

 deteiTuined by Mr. Moore ; Ampelopsis Veitchii, a hardy climber with 

 small foliage," but of rapid growth ; Adiantum sp., niime to be deter- 

 mined hereafter ; Nepenthes Hookeri. a most beautiful plant ; Ne^ 

 penthes rubra, equally interesting; Phorminm Cooksii, a beautiful 

 foim of the New Zealand Flax ; Draca-na nigra rubra, a very fine 



