454 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTOBE AND COTTAGE GABDBNER. 



[ Jane aS, 1888. 



Being like Mr. Wills an admirer of the Viola tribe, I last year 

 began to hybridise, with the view of obtaining improved va- 

 rieties. I crossed Viola cornuta with the Imperial Blue 

 Pansy, but I am sorry to state that I could not get a seed to 

 oome up. I Lave also crossed Mr. Tyerman's Viola montana, 

 but I cannot say what the result may be. 



I liked the habit of Viola lutea well, but not the flowers ; 

 they were so unshapely and paltry-looking. To improve it I 

 crossed a few flowers carefully with blues, and the best yellow 

 compact- growing Pansies, and I am pleased to say I have in a 

 great measure attained my object, for the seedlings which have 

 already bloomed have flowers very superior in shape to the 

 original plant. Already 1 have a variety of a deeper yellow 

 than the original, a primrose-coloured one, and a third which 

 I mean to call Viola lutea striata, in which the upper petals of 

 the flowers ere distinctly striped with blue. The flowers of all 

 are much superior in shape to those of Viola lutea. I have 

 many other seedlings to flower, and should any prove of value, 

 I will send an account of them. — William Melville, Dal- 

 nuny Park. 



NOTES ON THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY'S PELARGONIUM SHOW. 



Few, I think, could complain of the manner in which the 

 prizes were awarded at the Special Prize and Pelargonium 

 Show, held at South Kensington on the 16th and 17th inst. 

 It was evident the Judges were alive to their duty. They very 

 properly disqualified several tine collections, owing to these 

 not being exhibited in accordance with the wording of the 

 schedule. This is as it should be, and a few more examples 

 like this will make exhibitors more careful, and the part to be 

 performed by the judges will thus become much more simple 

 and agreeable. 



Many and various are the opinions as to who has the best 

 Gold or Silver Tricolor Pelargonium, and so changeable are 

 these varieties, that it is not often that one can be shown in 

 zeally good condition many limes in succession. It is only, 

 therefore, when any particular variety happens to be in good 

 condition just at the time the exhibition takes place, that its 

 owner can hope to gain a prize with it. 



In glancing over the numerous and beautiful collections ex- 

 hibited the other day, few plants could be found amongst them 

 having a decided and permanent character like Mrs. PoUock. 

 The young leaves were bright and beautiful as butterflies, but 

 their beauty only lasts a short time. No plant could be found 

 with any of the fully-developed leaves retaining their beauty 

 so long as Mrs. Pollock does ; for this reason Mrs. Pollock will 

 retain its position, the same as Flower of the Day has done, for 

 many years. I consider, therefore, the Judges did quite right 

 in bestowing their hi^^hest favour on Mrs. Grieve, for in my 

 opinion it was decidedly the best variety exhibited on this 

 occasion, and the only one likely to become a formidable rival 

 to the beautiful Mrs. Pollock. It appears to have the same 

 freedom of growth that Mrs. Pollock possesses ; there is a good 

 substance in the leaf, and, above all, a good foundation of 

 green in the composition of the leaf. This will enable it to 

 retain its beauty for a much longer period than many of the 

 other varieties which appear for the time more beautiful and 

 bright than Mrs. Grieve. 



The next best Golden Zonal, in my opinion, is Sir E. Napier, 

 exhibited by Messrs. Carter & Co. It is perfectly distinct from 

 everything else exhibited on this occasion, and appears to 

 possess a good constitution. It has a neat and compact style 

 of growth ; the leaves are flat, of good substance, with a splen- 

 did crimson Eone waved with blackish velvety crimson. To 

 the above may he added Masterpiece, Howarth Ashton, Prince 

 of Wales, Mrs. Dnnnett, Ettie Beal, and Countess of Craven. 



Amongst the Silver Tricolors, Miss Burdett Coutts staDds 

 first, in my estimation. Mrs. John Clutton is also good. To 

 these may bo added Lass o'Gowrie and Prince^^B Beatrice. 



Amongst the Bronze and Gold Zonals, Criterion must be 

 CAnsidered a splendid variety, only suitable, however, for pot 

 culture. The plant exhibited by Messrs. F. b A. Smith was 

 a splendid mass of colour, and was deservedly awarded the 

 first prize. Mrs. Simpson and Arab are also fine varieties. 



Amongst the Golden self varieties, Golden Emperor, from 

 Messrs. Siiltmirsh, was decidedly the best. 



First-claas certifioates were awarded to Mr. W. Paul and 

 Messrs. E. O. Henderson on this occasion for the beautiful 

 donble-flovered Pelargonium Madame Lemoine, the best of all 

 the double-flowered section. The habit is very dwarf and 



compact, and, unlike most of the other double kinds, it is a 

 very free-flowering variety. The flowers, which are very double, 

 and of a pretty peach colour, are borne on stout footstalks well 

 above its neat foliage, which is slightly zoned. This will, un- 

 doubtedly, become one of the most popular plants of the day. 



Amongst the subjects for the awards of the Floral Committee, 

 Mr. C. Noble exhibited Spiraa palmata, one of the handsomest 

 hardy plants in cultivation. It has tine, dark green, palmato 

 leaves, and above these are produced immense clusters of 

 bright peach-coloured flowers, which are double. It is, certainly, 

 a most graceful and useful plant, and if it will bear forcing in 

 pots like the Hoteia japonica, will prove one of the most valu- 

 able decorative plants we possess. It was deservedly awarded 

 a first-class certificate. I predict a brilliant future for this 

 lovely plant. 



Mr. Cole, of the Worthington Nursery, exhibited a beautiful 

 seedling Fern, Lomaria gibba crispa. This handsome Fern 

 was also awarded a first-claas certificate. 



Messrs. E. G. Henderson produced a grand display with 

 their little square wooden boxes, in which were exhibited one 

 hundred species and varieties of plants suitable for bedding 

 purposes. This was, undoubtedly, the most interesting feature 

 of the Show ; it was not only interesting, but highly instruc- 

 tive to the flower gardener, for a very large number of plants 

 were here brought before him, which would at once suggest 

 their use in bedding arrangements. The way in which these 

 were arranged reflected the highest credit on Messrs. Hender- 

 son and their skilful assistants. At some future time I shall 

 give a list of flowering and other plants suitable for producing 

 tine combinations with many of the little gems in this exhi- 

 bition. It is to be hoped that Messrs. E. G. Henderson will 

 still retain this pretty collection of plants in the boxes just as 

 they were exhibited at the late Shows at Kensington and 

 Regent's Park, so that many gardeners who may have been 

 prevented from seeing them on the occasions referred to, may 

 see them at the nursery, where they will find many other 

 subjects that will prove quite as interesting, if not quite so 

 instructive. — J. Wills. 



CRYSTAL PALACE ROSE SHOW.— Jcne ^Oth. 



As might have been expected, the Roses even thus early have shows 

 nmnistakeable symptoms of the effect of the scorching, almost tropical 

 weather, which we have had for some time. Never, probably, were 

 so many Hoses shown ont of character as they were on this occasion, 

 and more especially was this the case with the dark varieties, the 

 colour being fairly driven out of them by the sun. Some kinds were 

 really hardly distinguishable ; notably was this the case with a box of 

 John Hopper, which no one could have recognised as that fine variety. 

 Charles Lefebvre in many boxes had a mottled appearance, also, no 

 doubt, the effect of the san ; but although this was the case, and it 

 may seem a strange anomaly, yet I may also add that I never saw 

 finer blooms of some varieties, but then they had been evidently 

 bloomed under shading. Thus, for example, in Mr. Hedge's and Mr. 

 Pochin's boxes there were blooms which were, beyond doubt, as fine, 

 &a fresh, and clean as we have ever seen them. Some wonderful 

 boxes of yellow Roses were exhibited ; amongst others by Mr. Hedge 

 and Mr. Cant, Marechal Niel, L'Enfant Tronve, and Triomphe de 

 Rennes, were exceedingly fine. 



Leaving, however, other hands to deal with this portion of the 

 Show, I would confine my observations to the new Roses, of which 

 there was not a very plentiful supply, some of the boxes, too, being 

 disquahfied for not complying with the rules, which only admitted 

 Roses sent out in 1866 and 1867. Mr. Keynes took the first prize, 

 and Mr. Cant the second. Among the best Roses of 1866 were FeUx 

 Genero, Fran9oi8 Treyve, Horace Vemet, Madame George Paul, 

 colour somewhat flown, but a fine Rose in cool weather ; Mademoiselle 

 Annie Wood, a first-class Rose of bright colour ; Monsieur Noman, a 

 Rose I had too hastily condemned ; it is veiy fine, in the way of Mar- 

 guerite de St. Amand, and a box of it shown by Mr. Cant was most 

 lovely. Thorin is bright, but has too little stuff in it ; Boutin d'Or, 

 Tea, is excellent, and Madame Margottin, very fine. 



Of the Roses of 1867 but very few were exhibited. Madame No- 

 man is a lovely Rose in the style of Mademoiselle Bonnaire, and Vir- 

 ginal, white with light flesh-coloured centre; Baronne Adolphe de 

 Rothschild, a lovely light pink if it is full enough — as shown it was 

 not ; Prince Humbert, very bright, bnt its shape not what I should 

 like ; but I think the new Roses must be respited for another time, 

 for it would be very unfair to judge of them this season, when Rosea 

 are so ont of character. I think we may say, however, that Rosea 

 which show now well will be worth keeping. 



It falls quite within the legitimate sphere of floral notices to draw 

 attention to the very beautiful decoration of the Royal Box, showing 

 that the tasteful decoration of rooms is not a spedalitc of our French 

 neighbours, for it is entirely owing to the good taste and judgment of 

 Mr. Wilkinson, the able and active manager of the flower shows, that 



