152 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 20, 1868. 



ing the making of a new kitchen garden, pleasure ground?, and 

 terraces, with walls for the purpose of growing different kinds 

 of climbers, and we used galvanised iron wire strained abont 

 half an inch from the wall, in some cases perpendicularly, and 

 in others horizontally. As regards fruit trees of every descrip- 

 tion, I never found any injurious elYect produced by it ; in 

 fact, I am so thoroughly satisfied with it, that in my present 

 situation, where we have been carrying out similar work, we 

 have used it to all the walls both inside the houses and in the 

 garden.—GEORGK Lamb, Cohtvu Ba^actt, Biufjham, Nntts. 



KOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



February 18tb. 



Fruit Committee.— G. F. Wilson, Esq-, F.R.S., iu the chair. 

 Messrs. Stnart and Mein, of Kelso, sent a tall Sproutiug Cabbaj-e, 

 which the Committee considered was not of sufficient merit to be re- 

 tained in cultivation, Mr. K. Tanton, nurseryman, Epsom, exhibited 

 a Bccdlinfj Potato, called Red Surrey Kidney, being a cross-bred be- 

 tween Bratten's Kidney and Napoleon III. "When cooked, the tubers 

 were of a deep yellow llesh, close texture, and indifferent flavour, and 

 altogether were considered very inferior. 



Mr, Earley, of Digswell, sent a dish of Scorzonera, and one of 

 Salsify, both of which were unusually tine. The mode in which Mr. 

 Earley produced them was by putting a good dressing of manui-e, 

 abont 3 or 4 inches thick, at a depth of 10 or 14 inches. Mr. Earlev 

 also exhibited fine specimens of White Spanish Onion, and a dish of 

 Mushrooms containing the white and brown varieties. Messrs. Wood 

 and Son, of Maresfield, sent what was supposed to be a seedling 

 Apple, but which proved to be the Winter Pcanuain. or Duckbill, an 

 Apple extensively gi-own in Sussex. Mr. Alfred J. Clarke, of Long- 

 wood House, St. Ebbe's, Oxford, also sent a seedling Apple, which 

 proved to be Franklin's Golden Pippin. Messrs. J. C, Wheeler and 

 Sons, of Gloucester, sent a dish of fine specimens of Ashmeads 

 Kernel, which were most delicious iu flavour, and iu fine condition. 

 Messrs. J. A; C. Lee, of Hammersmith, exhibited a fine large Apple, 

 similar in appearance to the White Calville, and with the same deli- 

 cacy of flesh, but without the flavour. There was some doubt as to 

 its being the White Calville, and the determination of the name was 

 xeseiTed. Mr. John Cox, of Eedleaf, exhibited dishes of Josephine 

 de Malines, Knight's Monarch, Passe Colmar, and Old Colmar Pears, 



Mr. Tillery, of Welbeck, sent magnificent bunches of Gros Guil- 

 laume and Trebbiano Grapes, each weighing about 4 lbs. They were 

 sent to prove that the Vine, grown on the restrictive system, was not 

 deteriorated after nineteen years' growth, which was the age of the 

 Vines producing these bunches. When twelve years old, the Vines 

 ■pere lifted from the borders and transplanted into the new gardens 

 seven years ago ; they have grown full crops for thn last five years, 

 and have continued to produce large bunchss similar to those exhibited. 

 Mr. Miles, gardener to Lord Camngton, Wycombe Abbey, sent speci- 

 mens of old Lady Downe's and new Black Hamburgh Grapes, but the 

 former were much superior to the latter in flavour. Mr. Myatt, of 

 Deptford, exhibited three pots of preserved Plums, Strawberries, and 

 Cherries, to show how weU jams of these fruits keep by covering the 

 pots with paper dipped in a sohation of isinglass. 



Floral CoaiMiTTEE. — This meeting was one of the most interesting 

 that has taken place. Bearing iu mind the early season, and its being 

 the fix-st Tuesday meeting of the Society's session for the present year, 

 it must be considered a gi-eat success. The Orchids exhibited so 

 numerously were of the highest order ; there were specimens of unusual 

 splendour and rarity, Messr.s. Backhouse, York, sent Oucidium ca- 

 ianthum (?), said to be excavatum ; and W. Brackston, Esq., a large 

 specimen of Gardenia radicans variegata, Mr, Sherratt, gardener to 

 James Bateman, Esq., exhibited three spikes of Orchids, among them 

 Odontoglossum cordatnm ; and Mr. J. Hodges, gardener to E. Wright, 

 E^q., Gravelly Hill, Birmingham, four cut spikes of Orchids, Cattleya 

 Walkeriana bulbosa was very fine. A special certificate was awarded 

 them. 



Mr. C, Allen, gardener to Capt, B. Glegg. exhibited a box of fine 

 cut flowei's of Camellias, among them a seedhng named Miss B. Glegg, 

 a pretty white flower with broad carmine stripes, but deficient in out- 

 line and form. A special certificate was giveu to the collection, Mr, 

 Forsyth, gardener to Baron De Rothschild, Gunnersbnr}-. sent three 

 fine specimens of Dendrobiums in full flow .r, for which he was awarded 

 a special certificate. Mr. Graham. Cranford sent a specimen of a 

 Violet called Victory, a seedling from The Czar ; it had been trained 

 as a tree Violet, and bore large, purple, extremely high-scented 

 flowers of good substance, with broader petals than any yet raised. 

 The Committee much wished a specimen of The Czar had been sent 

 •with it to have compared their merits. How very interesting it would 

 he if, at the next meeting, any person whose speeiahty is the Violet 

 would bring a named collection of these s%veet flowers. We see many 

 new names of Violets advertised, but they never appear at any of 

 these meetings. Messrs. E. G. Henderson sent a very pretty gi-oup of 

 plants, containing a specimen of a variety of Odontoglossum Alexan- 

 thap. The flower of this with a rosy shade is not equal iu form to many 

 varieties that have been seen. In this collection were a variety of 

 Hippeastrum pardinum with confused spots ; Camellia Florentine, with 



a soft rosy tint, something like Valtevaredo ; and Cypripedium Lowii. 

 A special certificate was giveu for the gioup. 



Messrs. Veitch sent a large collection of plants, perhaps the most 

 beautiful group we have yet seen. It contained many specimens of 

 Orchids. The following were selected as vei-y fine specimens, and 

 were awarded special cei-tificates :— Lycaste Skinncri, with thirty- 

 four flowers; AngriEcura eburueum ; there was also a Cypripedium, 

 probably venustum, with twelve beautiful flowers ; Lsclia PUcheri. one 

 of Mr. Dominys hybrids ; C^-pripedium villosum, which also received 

 a special certificate ; DendroLium Hillii ; and Hippeastrum pardinum. 

 The whole collection was so good, and the plants so well gi-own, that after 

 the complimentary award of a special certificate had been given, the 

 Committee recommended that a medal should be awarded to this very 

 superb group of plants. 



Mr. WeatheriJl. nurseryman, Finchley, exhibited a collection of 

 Cinerarias of all shade? of colour, some of them of great beauty ; also 

 some fine Primulas, and a fine lot of seedling Cyclamens covered with 

 flowers, most admirably grown. A special certificate was awarded to 

 eacli of these collections, 



Mr. B. S. Williams sent an excellent gi-oup of plants; among them 

 were Gongora species, which was much admired, Saccolabium Huttoni, 

 Cj-pripedinm villosum. Hippeastrum pardinum. and Calanthe vcstita 

 nivalis, which received a first-class certiticate. A special certificate 

 was awarded for the collection, Mr. Stevens, lOaliug, sent a small 

 group of Variegated Zonal Pelargoniums, some of them of great pro- 

 mise, but at this season no one could presume to decide u])on their 

 merits ; also so\uc Primulas and Cyclamens, A special certificate waa 

 awarded for the three collections, Mr. Woodward, gardener to Mrs. 

 Torr. Ewell, Surrey, sent a small group of plants of great merit, con- 

 taining Lycaste Slrinneri, Gleichcnia speluucte, Lomaria gibba, and 

 Odontoglossum pulchellum. A special certificate was awarded for 

 these plants. 



Messrs. Lee, Hammersmith, brought specimens of Thujas for com- 

 parison. They came under the different names of Thuja Zuccariniana, 

 T. fnlcata, T. viiidis. and T. pyramidalis, Mr, Kinghorn also brought 

 specimens of the same. The Committee was of opinion that these 

 apparent varieties were all forms ol Thuja Zuccarmiana, to which 

 was awarded a first-class certificate, as a handsome and hardy ever- 

 green. Mr. Wm, Paul exhibited Juuiperus japouica nana, which 

 received a first-class certificate. Inquiry was requested to be made as 

 to its history. Messrs. Lee also sent Euonymus japouicua elegan- 

 tissimus argenteus, which received a first-cluss certificate, being a vei-y 

 ornamental and bartly plant. Messrs. Smith, Duhvich, sent a speci- 

 men of a double red Azalea, Fraut,-ois Desbois, the colour rather 

 dingy; also, some curious seedhng Primulas, which it was requested 

 should be sent again, and a dwarf double reddish variety. Mr, Wilson, 

 gardener to W, Marshall, Esq,, sent a very nice, though small, col- 

 lection of Orchids, Among them was a fine specimen of Odontoglossum 

 Alexandra', the spike of which, by Mr. Marshall's kind permission, 

 was cut after the meeting, and sent to Her Royal Highness the Princesa 

 of Wales. An unusually fine spike of "N'anda gigantea was sent with 

 these Orchids. Oncidium leopardinum received a second-class certifi- 

 cate ; others being Odontoglossum Marshallianum, nearly resembling 

 Odontoglossum radiatum, and a most beautiful Orchid, and Cattleya 

 amethystoglossa. A special certificate was awarded them. Mr. Taplin,. 

 gardener to the Dulie of Devonshire, exhibited the finest specimen Ccelo- 

 gyne cristata ever seen. This most superb specimen was recommended 

 for the Lindley medal. Mr, Taplin also brought a small raceme of 

 Amherstia nobilis, a splendid flower. Mr. Standish, Ascot, exhibited 

 a ven,- handsome seedling Rhododendron, from Bootan. Some doubt 

 existed about its origin and name. It appeared to be much like 

 argcnteum, or veiy nearly allied to it. A special ceriificate was 

 awarded. Mr. Mills, gardener to Dr. Pattison, sent a specimen of 

 Odontoglossum Bluntii roseum. a very pretty variety ; and Mr. Earley, 

 gardener to F, Pryor, Esq,, of Digswell, a cut specimen of an old 

 plant, Teucrium fruticans. 



Gexeral Meeting. — W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., in the 

 chair. After the election of twenty-seven new Fellows, the Chaii'man 

 remarked that the Society had on that day commenced a new session, 

 and under circumstances more favourable than in pre%-ions years. If 

 in these greater advances had not been made, it was no fault of the 

 Council, for they had not the necessary funds, but this year it would 

 be found that tlicre was every disposition on the part of the Council to 

 spend as much as they could in the encouragement of good cultivation 

 and new plants. Much of the scientitic part of the work of the Society 

 was brought out at the Tuesday meetings, and at these the Fruit 

 Committee and the Floral Committee did their work well, and these 

 meetings were also the means of dravriug from the Society's botanical 

 adviser, the Rev. Mr. Berkeley, much u.^eful information in connec- 

 tion with the subjects exhibited. He (Mr. Saunders), on the part of 

 the Council, would urge the FeUows to bring to the meetings all that 

 might be interesting in their gardens, and especially out-door plants, 

 to which of late years it had not been the fashion to pay the same 

 amount of attention as to the inmates of the stove and greenhouse. 

 Many herbaceous plants, for instance, are of exquisite beauty, and, 

 requiring very little care in their cultivation, are suitable for the gardtc? 

 of the muhitude, and he was very anxious that they should be more 

 generally grown. Numbers of beautiful out-door plants formerly in 

 gardens, had been allowed to go out of cultivation, and were now 

 only to be found iu books, but he would be glad to see them back 



