370 



JOURNAL GF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



[ May 8, 187a 



and the Guernsey hoe, may be furnished with bandies of 

 quartered maiden ash ; this wood when well seasoned is lasting, 

 strong, and tough, as well as comfortable for the hand to grasp, 

 which is not the least important part in the working of tools ; 

 for if a workman has an imcomtortable- working tool his energy 

 for work is diminished, and he sooner becomes wearied. — 

 Thomas Recoiu>. 



KOYAL HORTICULTUBAL SOCIETY. 



May 7th and 8th. 

 The Rose and Azalea Show commenced at South Kensing- 

 ton yesterday, and will be continued to-day. Never there nor, 

 perhaps, anywhere else has there been such an assemblage of 

 magnificent pot Koses as is there to be seen ; larger competi- 

 tions we have often known even at this season, but, as a whole, 

 never finer. The plants perfect in symmetry, the flowers the 

 perfection of size and colour, and withal exquisite in their 

 freshness, what is there left to desire but their possession? 

 But there is not simply the Society's Rose Show, added to 

 it is Mr. W. Paul's Show, in which Roses are nobly represented 

 in their multitudinous varieties, and the two combine to make 

 one of the finest floral displays of one flower ever seen. 

 Unfortunately, ou the opening day the weather in the after- 

 noon was far from propitious. 



In the nurserymen's class for twelve Boses in pots two mag- 

 nificent collections are shown. That which comes from Mr. 

 Turner, of Slough, and which took the first prize, consists of 

 specimeus which have certainly not been surpassed, if, indeed, 

 equalled. Charles Lawsou, measuring G feet in diameter and 

 about the same in height, is covered from below the rim of the 

 pot to the top with flowers averaging nearly 4 inches in diameter. 

 Paul Perras is about the same size, and equally splendid. The 

 remainder of the collection consists of fine examples of Souvenir 

 de Malmaison, Souvenir d'un Ami, General Jacqueminot, Alfred 

 Colomb, Madame de St. Joseph, Paul Verdier, Victor Verdier, 

 CC'hne Forestier, Baauty of Waltbam, and a splendid plant of 

 Anna Alexieft. From Messrs. Paul & Son, of Cheshuut, who 

 are second, come fine specimens of Souvenir d'un Ami, Madame 

 Thfirese Levet, Dr. Audry, Victor Verdier, Anna Alexieff, Marie 

 Baumann, Madame Victor Verdier, Juno, John Hopper, Horace 

 Vernet, and Elie Morel. These plants, though not so large as 

 some of Mr. Turner's, are very evenly matched in size and full 

 of flower. 



In the class for six Eoses in pots Mr. Turner is also first, 

 showing, among others, beautiful specimens of La France 

 and Madame Thereso Levet, and a very large plant of John 

 Hopper. 



In the amateurs' class for three Roses Mr. Ellis, gardener to 

 J. Galsworthy, Esq., Coombe Warren, Kingston, takes the first 

 place ; and Mr. James, gardener to W. F. "Watson, Esq., Isle- 

 worth, the second. 



For twenty new Roses, the prizetakers are Messrs. Paul and 

 Son, Mr. Turner, and Messrs. Veitch. The best appear to be 

 Tea Marie Van Houtte, lemon, beautiful in brad; Perfection de 

 Montplaisir, pale yellow; Cheshunt Hybrid, Etieuue Levet, 

 Lyonnaise, Baronne Louise Uxkull, Coquette des Blanches, a 

 white Hybrid Perpetual, and Madame George Schwartz. Maxime 

 de la Eocheterie, full, maroon crimson, as well as several of the 

 preceding received certificates. 



Of greenhouse Azaleas there is a very good show, and ou the 

 ■whole there ia less of that stiff crinoline style so much com- 

 plained of in former years. The tendency seems now to be in 

 favour of a looser style, and there is more foliage seen. 



In the nurserymen's class for nine Azaleas Mr. Tmner, Slough, 

 is second with a lot comprising round-headed dwai'f standards 

 and bush-formed plants in good bloom. For six, among amateurs 

 Mr. J. Herrington, Thornton Eoad, Clapham Park, is fiist with 

 tall pyramidal plants of ludica alba, Rubra plena, and others 

 very well bloomed. Mr. G. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. Gold- 

 smid, Bart., Regent's P.ark, has a second prize for large plants of 

 Apollo, Wooleri, Stauloyana, and others in fine bloom. Mr. 

 Hill, gardener to H. Taylor, Esq., Avenue Eoad, Regent's Park, 

 is third. In the nurserymen's class Messrs. Dobson, Isleworth, 

 have a second prize. For three (amateurs) Mr. J. Ward, gardener 

 to F. G. Wilkius, Esq., Leyton, is first with splendid bushes of 

 Due de Nassau, Louise Margottin, and Sinensis ; Mr. Wheeler 

 being second ; and in the class for the same number, open only 

 to those who had not previously taken a j)rize for Azaleas, Mr. 

 Ward is first with Flower of the Day and Madame Miellez, white, 

 and Sinensis. Second comes Mr. Slogrove, gardener to W. 

 Tyser, Esq., Eeigate ; and third prizes are taken by Mr. Mar- 

 cham, gardener to E. Dates, Esq., Iver; and Mr. Eowe, Eoe- 

 hampton. The best single specimen is a fine bushy plant of up- 

 wards of .5 feet in diametrer, snd a mass of white blossom, shown 

 l)v Mr. Turner; Criterion from Mr. Cole is second, and Mr. 

 Ellis is third. 



Of Auriculas, there is a numerous exhibition, and superior in 

 quality to that of a fortnight ago. For twelve show kinds Mr. 

 Turner, of Slough, is first, with Rev. F. D. Horner, Topsy, 

 Arabella, Alderman Wisbey, Mrs. Marsden Gibson, Col. Cbamp- 

 neys (very fine), Cantab, Lovely Ann, John Waterston, Charles 

 Perry, Apollo, and Eichard Headly. The Rev. H. H. Dombrain, 

 Westwell Vicarage, Ashford, is second, and Mr. James, Isle- 

 worth, is third. For six Rev. H. H. Dombrain and Mr. James 

 are respectively first and second. For twelve Alpines the 

 honours go to Mr. Turner, Mr. James, and Messrs. Dobson. 

 Mr. Turner exhibits a numerous and very fine collection of 

 show and alpine kinds in the miscellaneous class, for which an 

 extra prize was given. 



Of herbaceous Calceolarias, the best gi'oup of six comes from 

 Mr. James — these are of a very fine strain. The second honours 

 go to_ Messrs. Dobson & Sons. 



In the remaining classes Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, 

 Esq., takes the first prize for six Orchids with fine potsful of 

 Phalienopsis grandittora, Cypripedium villosum with fourteen 

 flowers, Odontoglossum Phahonopsis, andDendrobiumFarmeri. 

 Mr. Denniug, gardener to Lord Londesborough, Norbiton, is 

 second in the same class with Cyrtopodium punctatum having 

 two gi'and compact spikes, Cattleya Meudelii with lovely white, 

 orange, and purple flowers, and Dendrobium infundibulum 

 covered with white and orange blossom. Mr. Bull is third. For 

 six Lycastes the prizes go to Messrs. Ward and G. Wheeler, the 

 former in particular having excellent examples of varieties of 

 Lyoaste Skinneri. For Mr. Peacock's prizes for Agaves, Aloes, 

 and Cacti there was no competition. Several boxes of beautiful 

 cut Roses are shown by Messrs. Paul & Sou, Turner, aud others,, 

 the first-named firm taking the first position. 



Messrs. Carter & Co. offered prizes for their First Crop Pea. 

 Mr. T. Farrow, Brigadier Hill Gardens, Enfield, took the first 

 prize. The other competitor was Mr. G. Brown, gardener to 

 E. Mackenzie, Esq., Fawley Court, Henley, who was awarded a 

 second in-ize. 



The subjects exhibited in the miscellaneous class are nume- 

 rous, aud several extra prizes were awarded, as will be seen 

 from the official list in another column. Mr. J. Aldous, Glou- 

 cester Road, South Kensington, sends a nice group of flowering 

 aud tine-foliaged jdants ; Mr. Denning, gardener to Lord Lon- 

 desborough, a group of very choice Orchids, containing Vanda 

 Parishii with sepals and petals pale yellow, spotted brown, Up 

 rosy purple (this had a first-class certificate from the Floral 

 Committee), Aerides Veitchii with a handsome spike ha-\dng ten 

 branches, aud Masdevallia Harryana. Messrs. W. RoUisson and 

 Sons, Tooting, have a choice group of Orchids and hardwooded 

 flowering plants ; Messrs. F. & A. Smith, Dulwich, a group of 

 Azaleas and Heaths ; Mr. J. Welch, Hollycombe Gardens, Lip- 

 hook, a group of plants of Habrothamnus Hawkshawiaua with 

 beautiful variegation; Mr. G. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. H. 

 Goldsmid, Bart., St. John's Lodge, Regent's Park, exhibits a 

 choice group of stove and greenhouse plants ; and Mr. C. Noble a 

 splendid group of his hybrid Clematis, which have been noticed 

 in detail iu previous reports. 



From Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea, comes a fine basket of 

 Spira-a palmata, one of the most elegant and effective of crim- 

 son-flowered plants, and moreover hardy. Mr. Bull has Coch- 

 liostema Jacobianum, one of the best of our recent intro- 

 ductions, in fine bloom ; also a miscellaneous group of Palms 

 and fine-foliaged plants. Groups of spring-flowering plants, 

 Show, Fancy, and Bedding Pansies, aud Succulents come from 

 Mr. Ware, of Tottenham. Messrs. E. G. Henderson exhibit a 

 grouj) of their useful Perpetual Carnations, also Caladium Albert 

 Victor, which had a first-class certificate from the Floral Com- 

 mittee. From Mr. James, Messrs. Dobson, and Mr. Bragg, of 

 Slough, come also several collections of Show, Bedding, and 

 other Pansies. Mr. Goddard, gardener to A. Chancellor, Esq., 

 Eichmond, sends a number of Polyanthuses aud cut flowers of 

 Narcissi in competition for Mrs. Lloyd Wynne's and Messrs. 

 Barr & Sugdeu's prizes, are exhibited by Miss Florence Barr, 

 Tooting, and Mr. Ware. Mr. Lacy sends a collection of Cine- 

 rarias ; and Mr. Pestridge, Uxbridge, a group of Tricolor Pelar- 

 goniums. Mr. C. Bachhoffer, 41, Hatton Garden, exhibits flower- 

 vase aud Hyacinth glass-holders, ornamental as well as cheap. 

 These we hope, to notice more fully hereafter. 



Feuit Committee. — Alfred Smee, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 Messrs. Watts & Son, Northampton, sent specimens of North- 

 ampton Hero Broccoli, which was considered to be not superior 

 to other varieties already in cultivation. Messrs. Waite, Bur- 

 nell, Huggins, it Co. sent specimens of Yorkshire Hero Broccoli, 

 a good close-headed variety, but with no merit superior to other 

 varieties. Mr. A. Parsons, of Danesbnry Park, sent Lauder's 

 Protecting Late White Goshen Broccoli, a good large variety. 

 Messrs. Hurst & Son, Leadenhall Street, sent Monro's Improved 

 Rably Ciu'umber, a variety not approved of by the Committee. 

 Mr. Jones, Royal Gardens, Frogmore, sent fruit of the Hedsor 

 Cucumber. Air. Frederick Perkins, Leamington, again exhibited 

 his Leamington Broccoli, which was admired for the protecting 



