May 15, 1873. ) 



JOUENAL OP HOBTICULTDEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



387 



digging an important department of colonial industry; it is, 

 however, a very wearisome occupation, requires much patience, 

 and the results depend entirely upon chance. The rosin 

 which flows in astonishingly large ijuautities from the trunk 

 and stump of a freshly-felled tree has scarcely any value in 

 commerce, as it is impossible to congeal it either by artificial 

 heat or otherwise without destroying its essential properties ; 

 yet when submitted to a process of distillation it yields a 

 superior sort of oil resembling spirits of turpentine. The 

 leaves of the tree also contain a fine ethereal oil. The trees 

 are usually feUed shortly before the beginning of the rainy 

 season, and cut upon the spot into logs of from 20 to 32 feet 

 in length. The mountainous nature of the country renders 

 theu' transport to the coast impossible for cattle, and, conse- 

 quently, the vicinity of a mountain stream is always selected 

 as the basis of operations. Across the mouth of this stream, 

 which flows either into a larger river or dhectly into the sea, 

 a strong dam is constructed in order to gather all the water. 

 When all the timber required has been cut down and rolled 

 into the valley, and if there is water enough to float it off the 

 dam is opened and the logs, often many thousands in number, 

 shoot down into the larger creek or du'eot into the sea, whence 

 they are then conveyed to the respective saw-mills. It fre- 

 quently, however, happens that the dam has not been suffi- 

 ciently secured, or that too much water has gathered and a 

 premature departure of the logs takes place. In such cases the 

 loss to the owners is often very heavy, as the logs are driven 

 far out to sea, or, perhaps, entu-ely lost. 



The first rank amongst the timbers of New Zealand is held 

 hy that of the Kauri. It is usually divided into two sorts, red 

 and white. Like almost all the timbers of the country, it 

 possesses the peculiarity of contracting or expanding in length 

 as well as in breadth with the various changes in temperature. 

 When converted into planks the wood has in general a smooth 

 compact appearance, free from all knots and scare, and is of a 

 very close grain. The quantity of rosin contained by it causes 

 it, especially the red variety, to give way rapidly under strong 

 pressure. On account of this brittleuess it is not easily worked, 

 and requhes to be well seasoned before being cut up, especially 

 if the tree has not been thoroughly " bled." It requires to 

 be pai'ticularly sorted for joinery, which trouble, however, is 

 richly rewarded, as pieces are to be found which in beauty of 

 grain and wavy lines far surpass mahogany, and also take on 

 a fine poUsh. For naval requirements there is scarcely any 

 other tree which can be compared with the Kauri. For these 

 purposes it is exported in great quantities, as its durability, 

 its length, and its elasticity have procured for it the first place 

 in the favour of ship-builders. — X. 



AURICULAS AT SOUTH KENSINGTON ON 



MAY 7th. 



The very exceptional character of the season may be gathered 

 fjom the fact that while, as a rule, Auriculas are at their best 

 about the 2Uth of April, there were so few exhibited at the last 

 meeting. At this meeting three weeks afterwards there was 

 a very good collection, and as far as I am personally concerned 

 I can safely say I never remember such a time. Two of the 

 plants I exhibited to-day were shown three weeks ago, and of 

 some kinds, such as Kichard Headly and Lancashire Hero, I 

 had only one plant to send. The only regret one can feel is 

 that there are not more competitors ; and if people would only 

 beheve that a simple and natural course of treatment will 

 insure for them good and healthy plants, I think there would 

 be a larger number of persons taking pleasure in the growth 

 of one of oiu' most beautiful and refined flowers. 



Mr. Turner, of Slough, exhibited as usual a large number of 

 wonderfully fine plants, grown very strongly, and many of 

 them in oonsequeuce, to a critical eye, out of character. There 

 can be no doubt that if they are grown too strongly the body 

 colour, as it is called, becomes larger and the flower coarse, 

 and that refinement which in the eye of a connoisseur is one 

 of the great charms of an Auricula, is done away with. An 

 exceedingly beautiful purplish blue self, called after our la- 

 mented friend Charles Perry, was amongst his collection, and 

 obtained a first-class certificate. It is of fine habit, and novel 

 in colour ; the paste is a little too angular, but in all other 

 respects it is a first-rate flower. The fine green-edge. Alder- 

 man Wisbey, which he exhibited last year, %vas in good condi- 

 tion, and will be a valuable addition to that somewhat limited 

 class. Colonel Champneys maintains its character as a first- 



rate stage plant, although wanting in some of the points 

 necessary for a show flower ; there is too much colour, and the 

 colour is apt to run out to the edge, but there is such an at- 

 tractiveness about it that it will be sure to be a favourite for 

 the home stage, especially as it has such a good habit and con- 

 stitution. Charles Edward Brown, which I myself exhibited, 

 and to which a first-class certificate was awarded, is a seedling 

 of Mr. Headly's, the raiser of George Lightbody, and is a 

 flower of great refinement. It was sent out by the late Mr. 

 Lightbody a year or two before his death, but has never been 

 exhibited in the south before. It is unquestionably oue of 

 great merit, very smooth and circular, the eye and paste both 

 good, and the colour- well defined ; it was also exhibited by 

 Mr. James, but not in good condition. Lightbody's Sir Charles 

 Napier was shown in a good state ; it is a peculiarly neat 

 flower, with a well defined grey edge, and in this state is 

 deserving of a very high place in the florist's estimation. I 

 sent up with the plant of Charles Edward Brown a very extra- 

 ordinary bloom of Fletcher's Ne Plus Ultra, for which I can- 

 not account. It was a truss of five pips, each pip measuring 

 more than 2 inches across, with an immense amount of colour 

 and great coarseness of texture. I do not grow my flowers 

 richly, never give them any liquid manure, and I think I may 

 say that their general condition is not so much of size as 

 of great refinement. This plant received the same treatment 

 as the rest, and yet it produced this truss, which anyone would 

 have pronounced to be the effect of over-stimulating; but the 

 strange thing is that the plant did the same last year, so that 

 it is one of those sports for which there is no accounting. 

 PoppleweU's Conqueror, an old and generally coarse flower, I 

 had very good; in fact, a veteran in Auricula-growing, Mr. 

 Butcher, of CamberweU, told me that he had never had it so 

 good and refined. The best of all those shown was George 

 Lightbody, as, indeed, it was last year, and I question if ever 

 a flower wiU be raised to beat it. I had another curious flower 

 in my lot, a perfect gem, Lancashire Hero, which generally 

 comes as a grey-edge, but was in this case a pure pale green. 



It was gratifying to Auricula-growers to see the manner in 

 which the flowers were admired by those who were without 

 the pale, but who were attracted by the peculiar beauty and 

 singular colouring ; and although many of the observations 

 were such as made one smile, yet it could not be mahciously, 

 for then' expressions were the index of true admiration. Let 

 us hope the time may come when there shall be such gather- 

 ings for competition as one remembers in early days, when the 

 " Horns " at Kennington used to be filled with eager exhibitors 

 and appreciative visitors. — D., Deal. 



BESSIE JOHNSON ROSE. 

 In a recent issue of your valued paper some remark was 

 made to the effect that the new Hybrid Perpetual Rose Bessie 

 Johnson was too similar in colour to Abel Grand. Being 

 myself a grower of Eoses and successful exhibitor, and having 

 had abundant opportunity of judging as to the distinctness of 

 this truly beautiful and sweet Rose, allow me to state that I 

 have seen it at the Devon Eosery in quantity, both under 

 glass and in the open air, side by side with Abel Grand, and 

 can assert that it is quite distinct from that Rose, being a 

 true pale blush in hue, between La France and the superb but 

 scentless Madame Rothschild. It is superior in shape to Abel 

 Grand, and surpassingly fragrant. I feel sure Messrs. Curtis 

 will exhibit their beautiful Rose at the Crystal Palace, so as to 

 fully settle the question of its distinctness. Bessie Johnson 

 will, undoubtedly, prove a great acquisition and a general 

 favoiuite, it has so many desirable qualities — size, colour, ex- 

 treme sweetness, hardihood, and a fine habit, never giving a 

 barren shoot. — Eoeekt Eobson, Torre Park, Torquay. 



THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S 



SHOW AT BATH. 

 The Royal Horticultural Society's show-ground, of which 

 the accompanying engravings are the plan and sections, is 

 situated in the Eoyal Victoria Park, Bath, in the midst of one 

 of the most favoured spots for picturesque beauty in the west 

 of England. It occupies an area of about 13 acres, and is on 

 the western side of the city, about a quarter of a mile from the 

 new station of the Midland Railway Company, and three- 

 quarters of a mile from that of the Great Western. It is the 

 intention of both these Companies to run excursion trains 



