168 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 3, 1868. 



been exhausted, have presented an appearance in piteous con- 

 trast to the usual summer carpeting, whilst one of my neigh- 

 bours rejoices in the extreme richness of an extensive lawn of 

 Dutch or White Clover, which has required no extra watering, 

 and a much less frequent use of the mowing machiue. I 

 cannot but think that the substitution of this elegant and dwarf 

 variety of Trifolium for even the choicest of our Grasses, would 

 prove a decided advantage. — Hounslow, 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



September 1st. 

 Fruit Committee. — G. F. WilsoD. Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 Messrs. Backhouse & Sons, York, exhibited a dish of Fi^s, which 

 proved to lie the White Marseilles. Figne Panaoht-e came from the 

 Society's Garden. Chiswicb. It is a very beautiful variety, prettily 

 striped vrith yellow and green, and of excellent flavour. Mr. Melville, 

 gardener to the Earl of Roseberry, Dalmeny Park, Edinburf>h, again 

 sent examples of his early seedling Grape, "which was exhibited at the 

 last meeting. The Committee then could not decide upon its merits, 

 as there was but a very small portion of a bunch sent. This time the 

 examples were much about the same ; the Committee, therefore, while 

 commending the Grape for its earliness and pecuharly agreeable fla- 

 vour, partaking somewhat of Moselle, could not come to any sound 

 decision respecting it from the small portions of bunches exhibited. 

 Mr. Colegrave, Swerford Park, Enstoue, sent a very large and beauti- 

 fully grown bunch of Buckland Sweetwater Grape ; the berries were 

 very fine, and it was an excellent example of good cultivation. 



Mr. Francis Dancer, Little Sutton, Chiswick, sent some very large 

 and fine specimens of Jersey Gratioli Pears, grown on standards ; 

 they were very juicy and of fine quality. This is an excellent Pear 

 for market gardens, being large and a very free bearer. Mr. Dancer 

 also sent a dish of a large seedling Apple, which was of considerable 

 merit, very juicy, and brisk. 



Messrs. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, sent a fruit of Ananassa Porteana, 

 a pretty striped-leaved variety of Pine Apple, grown as an ornamental 

 plant. The fruit proved veiy water)' and tasteless. 



Mr. "Whiting. The Deepdeuc, near Dorking, sent three dishes of 

 Plums — viz., Jefferson, very highly coloured and excellent; Green 

 Gage, also rich and juicy; and Biyanstone Gage, highly coloured, but 

 wanting in richness. The exhibition was commended by the Com- 

 mittee. Mr. Whiting also sent some highly-coloured Eoyal George 

 Peaches, which were, however, wantingin flavour. Mr. Cole, gardener, 

 Otto House, Hammersmith, sent some good examples of Barriugton 

 and Grosse Mi.c;nonne Peaches and Ribston Pippin Apples, which 

 were commended by the Committee. 



Mr. Cos, gardener to Earl Beauchamp, Madresfiehl Court, sent a 

 very fine fruit of Gulden Gem Melon. It is a large, round, and beau- 

 tifully netted yellow fruit, the flesh whitish green, flavour very rich and 

 excellent. The Committee awarded it a first-class certificate. Mr. 

 Perkins, gardener to Lord Henniker, Thornham Hall, Eye, Suffolk, 

 sent a hybrid Cashmere Melon, a red-fleshed variety. It proved to be 

 of very poor quality. 



Mr. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth, exhibited samples of Summer Beurrc 

 d'Aremberg, a variety similar in every respect to the Bcuitl- d'Arem- 

 berg, only ripening in summer. It is a very nice, pleasant, refreshing- 

 flavoured Pear, with a brisk acidity. The Committee commended it 

 vei*y much, but required to see it in somewhat better condition before 

 awarding it a certificate. Better specimens of this variety are noticed 

 in. another column. Mr. Rivers also exhibited Princess of Wales 

 Peach, a seedling raised from Pavie de Pompone. It is a large pale 

 variety of very excellent flavour. 



Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, exhibited samples of Premier Runner Bean, 

 a variety having the same appearance and taste as the Dwarf Kidney 

 Beans. It is, however, a runner, a continuous bearer like the Scarlet 

 Runner, and on that account valuable. The Committee awarded it a 

 first-class certificate. Mr. Mai'cham, gardener to E. Gates, Esq., 

 Bydorp House, Hanwell, sent examples of a Dwarf Ividuey Bean, 

 named Bydorp Longpod. It was a long and rather coarse -looking 

 Bean. 



Messrs, Dry, Hayes, Middlesex, sent a seedhng dark oval Plum, 

 which proved to be of veiy good quality. The Committee requested 

 that it should be sent again. It was highly commended by the Com- 

 mittee. They also exhibited a seedling Apple of no great merit. 



Mr. Fleming, Cliveden, exhibited some tine bunches of the Franken- 

 thal Grape. Mr. Fleming sent them, judging they might he of interest 

 to the Committee from being the average size and quahty of two 

 hundred bunches on one Vine, which is fourteen years old. and filling 

 one entire house. They were a vei-y fine example, but greatly damaged 

 before their arrival. 



Mr. R. Webb, Culham House, Reading, sent some seedling Plums 

 and Apples, which, however, arrived too late for the meeting. 



From the Society's Garden, Chiswick, came Pear Beurre d'Anianlis 

 panaehce, a very beautifully striped variety, well worthy of extended 

 cultivation. 



Mr. Turner, Slough, exhibited some very fine examples of White 

 Spanish Onions, nnusually so for the season. They were highly com- 

 mended by the Committee. 



A large collection of White Spanish Onions was exhibited from 



E. G. Hartley, Esq., Hon. Secretary of the Banbury Horticultural 

 Society. They were of unusual excellence and large size. They were 

 highly commended by the Committee. 



Flor-al CoioiiTTEF,. — Xumerous awards were made at this meeting. 

 Messrs. Veitch received a first-class certificate for the following plants 

 — viz., Cattleya speciosisslma, a veiy beautiful kind ; Dendrobium 

 bigibhum, very distinct in form ; MasdevaUia Veitehiana. very curious ; 

 Abutilon Thompsonii, a golden-leaved plant most beautiful, a great 

 addition to ornamental- folia ged plants ; and Begonia Clarkci, an erect- 

 growing plant, with bright red stems and pale rose-coloured flowers. 

 Of its hardiness nothing was said ; in point of colour and habit 

 B. Veitchii far surpasses it ; a cut specimen of the latter was exhibited 

 from a plant gi-owing in the garden. A special certificate was awarded 

 for a collection of Odontoglossums ; a second-class certificate for 

 Begonia Buttonii, a small but pretty-foiiaged plant. It was requested 

 that Panicum plicatum niveo-vittatum should be shown again. Of 

 Lapageria alba, a veiy well-grown and handsome plant was awarded 

 a special certificate, and the whole collection, consisting of many very 

 htantiful plants, a special ceriificato. 



Mr. BuU, Chelsea, exhibited Kaveualia elegans, a fine-foliaged 

 plant — second-class certificate ; Strelitzia Nicolai — first-claFS certifi- 

 cate ; a fine Palm, Bactris maragua — a first-class certificate ; Adian- 

 tum Seemanni, a beautiful Fern — first-class certificate; Geonoma 

 imperialis — first-class certificate ; Dieffenbachia eburnea, a pretty 

 variegated-foHaged plant — second-class certificate. Mr. Bull also sent 

 three Coleus seedlings, two of which had received first-class certificates. 



Some seedling Caladiums and Fuchsias were sent from the Society's 

 garden ; of the latter we hope to speak again. Messrs. Smith, Dnl- 

 wich, received a special certificate for a collection of Balsams, showing 

 the difiiculty of procuring seed, which can only be saved from the 

 lateral branches, most of which produce blooms as double as the 

 centre spike, but of course are much later in expanding their flowers. 

 Messrs. Smith also sent three seedling Zonal Pelargoniums of promising 

 character, and a small collection of some of their best variegated kinds. 



Messrs. Lee, Hammersmith, exhibited cut specimens of eight or ten 

 beautiful varieties of Elms, which were awarded a special certificate. 

 Ulmns Webbiana was much admired ; also a variegated form of 

 Cerasus Mahaleb.' The leaves of this specimen were rather crumpled, 

 perhaps owing to the season ; the variegation was distinct and effective. 



Messrs. E. G. Henderson sent a collection of jjlants of great interest. 

 Among them were small specimens of Centaurea of several kinds, two 

 Cyclamens, a singular unnamed Lycopodium, some good specimens of 

 Variegated Zonal Pelargonium Lucy Grieve, a basket of small plants 

 of Fuchsia Garibaldi, "^and other plants. A special certificate was 

 awarded the collection. 



Mr. Eckford, gardener to the Earl of Radnor, Coleshill, sent 

 eighteen seedling Verbenas, all of considerable merit. First-class 

 certificates were awarded to Lady Folkestone, Master Jacob, Mrs. 

 Eckford, and Ace of Trumps. These were all distinct and good 

 varieties. Mr. Perry. Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, exhibited a 

 collection of seed li ng Verbenas. Fkst-class certificates were awarded 

 to Florence Fiddhin, Emma Perry, and Argus. These were all fine 

 flowers. A special certificate was awarded for a splendid box of 

 twenty-one varieties; among them were several seedlings which had 

 previously received first-class certificates. Mr. Eckford sent two 

 seedling DahUas, of which Memorial, a fine deep rose-coloured flower, 

 was awarded a first-class certificate. Mr. Rawlings sent seedling 

 Dahha Indian Chief, a fine dark maroon flower of gi-eat merit. It 

 was awarded a first-class certificate. Mr. Burgess, Chelsea, sent four 

 seedling Dahlias, and Mr. C. Turner, Slough, seedling Dahlia Unique, 

 one of the finest flowers yet seen, a white ground, shaded with rosy 

 purple, of exquisite form — first-class certificate ; Polly Perkins, buff, 

 with delicate purple tips to the petals — second-class certificate ; and 

 Lady Dunmore — second-class certificate. Mr. George Smith, Ed- 

 monton, exhibited seven seedling Dahlias, but not up to the mark as 

 distinct from others. Mr. Legge. Fdmnnton. also sent seedling 

 DahUas. Mr. Barfitt exhibited scarlet seedling Dahlia, Charles Lam- 

 bert. Mr. Keynes sent seedling Dabhas — ilrs. Brunton, first-class 

 certificate; Julia Wyatt. second-class certificate; Annie Neville, 

 second-class certificate ; Mr. Dix, first-class certificate ; and James 

 Hunter, first-class certificate. 



Mr. Keynes had a fine collection of Dahlias, but we must venture to 

 say that the Dahlia race must be considered as fairly run. It is 

 seldom we see exhibited any flower new and distinct. Traces of good 

 old flowers are visible, but no advance is to be observed upon flowers 

 of the last five years. Not wishi.ig to disparage the excellent flowers 

 exhibited this day. we could not discover any advance or improvement. 

 We should be inclined to say we are multiplying vaiieties, but not 

 introducing improvements or novelties. 



We must not omit to notice a Zonal Pelargonium, Sui-passe Chris- 

 tine, flowers of which were brought from Chiswick from ])lants sent 

 there by Mr. Chater. The marked improvement on this old favourite 

 was most evident. It appears to be a veiy desirable variety. 



Generai. Meetin-g. — W. Wilscn Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., in the 

 chair. After the election of W. Daricy Hull, Esq., F.G.S., and F. 

 Whitbourn, Esq., Loxford Hall, Ilford, as new FeUowR,the Committee 

 awards were announced. The Chairman then directed attention to 

 Begonia Clarkei, resembling the hardy B. Veitchii in flowers, and 

 said that if it proved as hardy as the latter it would be a valuable 

 acquisition, especially as it was of an erect habit. Abutilon Thomp- 

 soni, [another plant exhibited, was also worthy of jiarticular notice 



