300 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



[ October 22, 1668. 



creasing the nnmber of its varieties ; yet tbe superiority of 

 Belle de Fontenay to most of tie older kinds tends to show 

 that the Easpberry is capable of improvement both in size and 

 quality. Why should we not have our OockEcomb and Dao de 

 Malakoff amongst Easpberries as well as in the family of its 

 great rival the Strawberry ? 



Whether the present standard of excellence amongst Easp- 

 berries will ever be much improved upon is not of such import- 

 ance as that all who care for this fruit should have the best 

 kinds at present in cultivation ; and amongst these I am 

 strongly inclined to assign the first place to Belle de Fontenay, 

 a sort possessing such great merit as to render it quite worthy 

 of the certificate which was awarded it when exhibited at South 

 Kensington, and which was my only guide in ordering it about 

 three years ago. I am sure all who have grown it will agree 

 with me as to its excellence both as a summer and an autumn 

 fruit, for it is a double-fruiting kind, producing its large dark- 

 coloured fruit in large clusters on the tips of the current year's 

 wood, which, when the autumn crop is gathered, is shortened 

 to the usual length preparatory to yielding an abundant crop 

 of fruit from side shoots in the following summer ; after this 

 the exhausted canes are cut away, just as is usual with those 

 kinds which yield their fruit only in the summer. 



As regards the habit of growth of Belle do Fontenay, nothing 

 can be more healthy than its sturdy robust canes of about 

 5 feet in height. It is worthy of notice that, although this 

 kind, in common with other late-fruiting varieties, has produced 

 but little fruit during the present autumn, yet what fruit has 

 been obtained was very superior in flavour to that of ordinary 

 seasons ; for, generally speaking, the second crop of Easpberries, 

 owing to its acidity, is only useful for tarts and creams. — 

 Edwaed Luckhukst, Egerton Home Gardcitg, Kent, 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



October 20th. 



Fruit Committee. — G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.E.S., in the chair 

 Prizes of £2 and £1 were oilered at this meeting by the Eev. George 

 Kemp, of Sevenoaks, for the best and second best sis bunches of 

 Grapes, grown in the open air against a wall without any protection 

 whatever. The following are the names of the six exhibitors, who sent 

 in all seven collections : — Mr. L\nn, of Hedsor, who had Blach Ham- 

 burgh ; Mr. Booth, F.E.H.S., Jsew Eoad, Hammersmith, sent Black 

 Prince ; Mr. Earley. of Digswell, sent well-ripened rnssety specimens of 

 Eoyal Muscadine ; Mr. Dewdney, of Dorking, large handsome bunches 

 of 'Black Prince, and well-developed hunches of White Frontignan, 

 which, however, were not sufficiently ripe ; Mr. Charles Lee, of Ham- 

 mersmith, and Mr. Jackson, of Titscv Park, Godstone, Black Ham- 

 burghs ; and Mr. Foster, of Leigh. Essex, who exhibited a basket of 

 remarkably fine and well-ripened Muscadine Grapes, which obtained 

 the first prize. The second was awarded to Mr. Lvnn, for his Black 

 Hamhnrghs. which were remarkably well grown, but were inferior in 

 flavour to the Eoyal Muscadine. 



Mr. Darkin. of St. Peter's Vineyard, Bury St. Edmunds, sent a 

 collection of nine distinct varieties of Grapes, grown iu his vineyard 

 in the open air, which in some instances were very highly ripened. 

 Among these were Black Hamburgh, White Muscadine, Black Mus- 

 cadine, and Miller's Burgundy. There was an immense bunch of a 

 white variety called Miller's Eoyal Muscadine, but which was in 

 reality White Nice. A special certificate was awarded for the col- 

 lection. 



Mr. Parsons, gardener to E. Attenborough. Esq., Acton Green, was 

 the only competitor in the class for Muscat Hamburghs, and received 

 the first prize. 



G. F. Wilson, Esq., of Gishurst Cottage, Weybridge, exhibited 

 examples of Black Hamburgh and Chasselas Musque from a cold 

 orchard house, the former well-ripened and well-flavoured, and the 

 latter distinctly Muscat. 



Tn the class for the best three dishes of desseii Apples, there were 

 ten competitors, all of whom sent unexceptionable exhibitions, which 

 on close examination resulted in the first prize being awarded to Mr. 

 'Whiting, of The Deepdene, for Sudbmy Beauty, Cox's Orange Pippin, 

 and Eibston Pippin. Mr. S. Ford, Leonardslee, Horsham, was second, 

 with Blenheim Pippin, Cornish Gilliflower, and Eibston Pippin. 



Mr. Eobert Fenn, of the Eectory, Woodstock, exhibited thirty-six 

 varieties of Potatoes, of which three of Mr. Fenn's selection were cooked 

 for the judgment of the Committee. Of these. Almond's Yorkshire 

 Hero was found to be of unusual excellence, and to it a tirst-class 

 certificate was awarded, and Mr. Fenn received a special certificate for 

 the collection. 



In the class for the best three dishes of dessert Pears there were 

 seven competitors. The first prize was awai-ded to Mr. Marcham, 

 gardener to E. Gates, Esq., Hanwell. and the second to Mr, S. Ford. 



H. Webb, Esq., of Eedstone Manor, exhibited a dish of Brown 

 Turkey Figs of the second crop, which were excellent in flavour. 



Mr. Hill, of Keele Hall, sent bunches of Black Morocco, Champion 



Hamburgh, and Black Barbarossa. | Mr. Lovegi^pvc, of Maidenhead, 

 sent a bottle of English champagne wine made from Black Hamburgh 

 Grapes grown out of doors. It possessed more of the character of a 

 French than an English wine, and was so highly appreciated by the 

 Committee as to receive a special certificate. Mr. Cox, of Eedleaf, 

 exhibited a dish of Bcuitc Clairgcau, which for size and beauty have 

 been rarely surpassed, and to which a special certificate was awarded. 

 Mr. Marcham. gardener to E. Gates, Esq., of Hanwell, sent a dish of 

 Coe's Golden l)rop Plums, which received the commendation of the 

 Committee for the admirable way in which they had been kept. 



John Cox, Esq., of Clinton House, Weybridge, sent samples of a 

 thin-shelled Walnut, possessed of excellent flavour. Mr. Lunnon, of 

 Bourne End, Maidenhead, sent two varieties of Walnuts of a very 

 large size. 



Mr. Bains, of Thingwall Hall, sent a collection of Pears and two 

 dishes of enormous Mire de Menage Apples, which received a special 

 certificate. In the class for the best collection of Pearmain Apples, 

 Mr. Cox, of Eedleaf, received tbe first prize ; and Mr. Chaff, gardener 

 to Alfred Smee, Esq., F.E S., received a special certificate for a fine 

 collection. Messrs. Veitch it Son received a special certificate for a 

 very complete collection of well-grown Endive. Messrs. Stuart and 

 Mem, of Kelso, sent a seeilling Beet, said to be a cross between 

 Dewar's and Pine Apple, but the Committee were of opinion that it 

 was inferior in quaUty to either. 



Floil^l Committee. — The awards made on this occasion were but 

 few. The specimens sent were by no means inferior, but owing to the 

 advanced season of the year they were not so numerous as usual. Mr. 

 Earley, of Digswell, brought cut specimens of an Ipom^ea, raised from 

 seed sent from India ; tbe flowers about an inch in diameter, of a pale 

 buff colour, with a puiiilc centre ; the foliage small and palmate ; tbe 

 plant of dwarf habit. Mr. Shcrratt. gardener to J. Bateman. Esq., 

 Knvpersley, sent a beautiful and well-cultivated specimen of Pleione 

 lagenaria, and a special certificate was awarded it. From the Society's 

 gardens two hybrid Coleuses of gi-eat promise were awarded first-class 

 certificates ; their names were Princess Eoyal and Prince of Wales. 

 A seedling variegated Fuchsia, named Eet^aUa, was also exhibited 

 from the Society's gardens ; it has rich golden foliage, deeply veined 

 with red ; the mixture of colour has a veiy pleasing effect. 



Mr. Church, gardener to J. Hodgson, Esq., sent seedling Vai-iegatea 

 Pelargoniums — J. Hodgson, Golden Harvest, Golden Sovereign, Ad- 

 vance Guard, and Prince Arthur. The Committee unanimously 

 agreed that it was too late in the season to judge of the merits of 

 Zonal Pelargoniums. Mr. Walkling, nurseiyman, Lewisham, also sent 

 two seedUng Variegated kinds, named Jliss M. Walkling, a highly- 

 coloured variety of great promise, and Viceroy of Egypt, too much 

 like others of the Bronze Zonal section. Mr. Hill, gardener to B. 

 Hanbury, Esq., The Poles, Ware, exhibited a fine specimen of Vanda 

 cierulea, which was awai'ded a special certificate. 



Mr. '\Villiams, of HoUoway, sent a fine specimen of AraUa Sieboldi 

 variegata, which in ISHl received a label of commendation in conside- 

 ration of its great beauty and usefulness as a decorative plant, and 

 its having proved to a certain extent hardy, surriving the last fonr 

 winters in Battersea Park ; the Committee decided that the label of 

 commendation should be superseded by a fii-st-clas3 certificate. Mr. 

 Williams also sent Aralia aureo-varicgata, in the present condition 

 not equal to A. Sieboldi ; a second-class certificate was awarded it. 

 A special ceitificate was given for his collection of Orchids. 



Mr. Ford, gardener to E. Hubbard, Esq., sent a collection of seed- 

 ling Zonal Pelargoniums. Mr. Parker, Nurseiyman, Tooting, eihi- 

 bited a beautiful sjiecimen of Zygopetalum Gautieri, veiy distinct, and 

 a first-class certificate was awarded. Mr. Green, gardener to W. W. 

 Saunders, Esq., exhibited a small collection of curious and interesting 

 plants, which was awarded a special certificate. 



Mr. W. Paul, Woltbam Cross, sent specimens of three of his well- 

 known seedling Zonal Pelargoniums, Eed Admh-al, Prince Silverwing, 

 and Silver Swan ; the latter a white-edged plant, the flowers also white. 



Messrs. Veitch sent a largo specimen of Ampelopsis Veitchii, a useful 

 climber for covering a wall, having small foliage not nnlike Ivy ; also 

 Ampelopsis japonica, another climbing plant, with rich foUage of bright 

 autumnal tints ; it received a first-class certificate. Mr. H. Veitch 

 brought cut specimens of Abutilon Tbompsoni from the open ground, 

 showing no injurious result after tbe previous night's frost, thus 

 proving the plant anything but a stove pl.ant, as it was first supposed 

 to be. 



Mr. Green brought specimens of bright flowers of Begonia Mar- 

 tynia, grown in the open ground. Tbe Chairman announced that 

 Cf. Bateman, Esq., had sent thirtv seedling plants of Ehododendron 

 javanicum for the ballot. Mr. T. D. Fish sent leaves of the true 

 Claret Vine, the deep yet bright ruby tints of which were much 

 admired. The introduction of these highly-coloured leaves led to a, 

 suggestion, that an interesting exhibition might be made next October 

 by tbe arrangement of many plants so beautifnlly variegated an* 

 ornamented by their rich autumnal tints. 



Gen-eh.1I, Meetisg.— W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., F.E.S., in the 

 chair. One new Fellow was elected, and the Birmingham Horticultural 

 Society admitted into union. In reporting the awards of the Fruit 

 Committee, G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R-S-, stated with reference to 

 Walnuts, that when these were in a half-diy state they might be made 

 almost as sweet and plump as when fresh-gatbered, by soaking them 



