May 22, 1S73. J 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



•113 



and Kentish are varieties of C. vulgaris. Both are found wild 

 in the woods of Britain." 



If we refer to our older catalogues of Cherries we find three 

 varieties, the May, the Duke, and the Arch-Duke. The same 

 catalog'.?-: say that the first was so called because it ripened in 

 that month. If so, the ripening was not in this country, for 

 no Cherry that we know has ever ripened here so early unless 

 it was forced. We rather think that the name " May Duke " 

 and its contraction " Duke," and its exaggeration " Arch-Duke," 

 are one and all derived from Medoc, a district in the Gironde, 

 from which it was introduced here, and its name, as usual, cor- 

 rupted by our old gardeners, just as they corrupted Corinths 

 into Currants, and Walnuts from Gaul-nuts, and many others. 

 —Eds.] 



AURICULAS IN LANCASHIRE. 



I H.VVE the pleasure of sending you the prize list of the National 

 Auricula Society's Show, held at Manchester in connection with 

 the Botanical Society's Show, April 29th. 



In the opinion of all the growers present, the exhibition was 

 a thorough success. It was unusually well supported by the 

 public, and the many questions put to us by visitors to whom 

 the fair flower had been known by little more than its pretty 

 name, showed that a deeply interesting surprise had been 

 afforded them. There were more plants in bloom than might 

 have been expected at such a period in a very late ungentle 

 spring. Ournorthern March had little of " the lamb " about it, 

 .and .\pril came with a cold white face, never for long lit-up with 

 the sunny smiles and tears of April showers. However, the 

 Auricula blooms on the 29th were fine in condition, character, 

 and size, and it will be seen by the names of the winning varie- 

 ties that the good old favourites and the good new flowers were 

 brought forward. 



The absence of the later bloomers, such as Lancashire Hero, 

 35arl Grosvenor, Richard Headly, &c., was owing to the hard 

 times the Auricula has had to contend against this year. I did 

 not see Lancashire Hero anywhere, except the one plant at the 

 head of its class. My friend, " D., Deal," speaks of having a 

 pure pale green-edged bloom of this variety. It is curious that 

 the very same thing has occurred upon one of my Heroes this 

 year, and further that I have had a similar sport to a very pale 

 green tint, upon a plant of Lovely Ann. This last has been 

 constant for two or three years, and there is a plant at Sheffield 

 of the same variety which has conducted itself with like 

 eccentricity. Smihng Beauty has been perfection with me on 

 several of the plants. I do not know a white edge (my favourite 

 class) to surpass it. I had two very correct trusses of Taylor's 

 Glory, on one of which six pips measured 1 J inch across ; but 

 though Glory's paste is of the softest and whitest, it is not bo 

 circular as in Smiling Beauty. George Lightbody and Charles 

 Brown are a pair of magnificent Greys, and are fully appreciated. 

 There are two green edges. Prince of Greens and George Light- 

 body, boih raised by Mr. Traill. There are not many plants of 

 •either in existence yet. The former was much noticed iit the 

 Show for its many good points, particularly the richness of the 

 •vivid dark green edge, the quality and proportions of the paste, 

 and the circularity and perfect flatness of the flower. Its weak 

 point is a pale eye. Traill's George Lightbody is a flower that 

 was highly esteemed by the eminent grower whose name it bears. 

 I bloomed the late Mr. Lightbody's own plant, but it was only a 

 small one, giving two pips of great promise ; the edge is a broad 

 pure rich green colour, nearly black, and in fine proportions. 

 Lightbody's 125 is a seedling of Maria, and in the way of Lady 

 Dumaresque, but without the irregularities in form which the 

 latter, one of the same parentage, can exhibit. A rich bright 

 grey edge of Campbell's, called Confidence, is worthy of its 

 name, and this veteran raiser has this season sent me a box of 

 pips of fresh seedlings, which are a goodly sight. A friend in 

 Sheffield also sends me some, and there are several seedUngs 

 ajnong them, quite of the George Lightbody class, which is 

 saying much. More I may say of them at another time. — F. D. 

 Horner, Kirkbi/ Malzeard, liipoii. 



NATIONAL AURICULA SHOW. — PRIZE LIST. 



Pans of six dissimilar varieties, one at least in each of the 

 classes. — 1st, Robert Lord, Esq., Todmorden, with Col. Taylor, 

 George Lightbody, Smiling Beauty, Pizarro, Charles Brown, 

 and True Briton. 2nd, Rev. F. D. Horner, Kirkby Malzeard, 

 Ripon, with Prince of Greens (Traill), George Lightbody, Smiling 

 Beauty, Garibaldi (Pohlman), Imperator. and Ne-Plus-Ultra 

 (Fletcher). 3rd, John Rowland, Esq., Prestwich, with Prince 

 of Greens, Privateer, Bright Venus, Lord Primate, Prince of 

 Wales, and Alma. 



Pans of four dissimilar varieties, one of each class. — 1st, 

 Abraham Barker, Esq., Todmorden, with Col. Taylor, Privateer, 

 Bright Venus, and Mary Gray. 2nd, Dr. Foster, Todmorden, 

 with Imperator, Complete, Taylor's Glory, and Pizarro. 



Green Bdige». — Premium, Robert Lord, Esq., Prince of Wales. 

 1st, Dr. Foster, Booth's Freedom. 2ud, R. Lord, Esq., Lady 



Wilbraham. 3rd, R. Lord, Esq., Col. Taylor. 4th, R. Lord, Esq., 

 Imperator. .Oth, Rev. F. D. Horner, Prince of Greens, tith, Rev. 

 V. D. Horner, Page's Champion. 7th, Clement Royds, Esq., 

 Lady Blucher. 8th, Rev. P. D. Homer, TraUl's Rev. G. Jeans. 



Grey Edgcu. — Premium, R. Lord, Esq., Lancashire Hero. 

 1st, Clement Royds, Esq., Conqueror of Europe. 2nd, R. Lord, 

 Esq., George Lightbody. 3rd, Rev. F. D. Horner, Robert Traill. 

 4th, Rev. F. D. Horner, Charles Brown. 5th, Rev. F. D. 

 Horner, May Morning, (ith. Rev. F. D. Homer, Apollo (Hud- 

 son's). 7th, Dr. Foster, Charles Brown. 8th, John Rowland, 

 Esq., Lovely Ann. 



White Eiitjcs. —Vreminm, Rev. F. D. Horner, Smiling Beauty. 

 1st, Rev. F.D. Horner, Catharina. 2nd, R. Lord, Esq., Bright 

 Venus. 3rd, Rev. F. D. Horner, Taylor's Favourite. 4th, Rev. 

 F. D. Horner, Lightbody's 125. 5th, Rev. F. D. Horner, Taylor's 

 Glory. Cth, John Rowland, Esq., Lady Jane Grey. 7th, Rev. 

 F. D. Horner, Ashworth's Regular. 8th, Rev. F. D. Horner, 

 Ne-Plus-UItra (Smith). 



Sc^/'s.— Premium, Rev. F. D. Horner, Mrs. Sturrock. 1st, 

 Rev. 'F. D. Horner, Spalding's Metropolitan. 2nd, Rev. F. D. 

 Homer, Meteor Flag. 3rd, Rev. F. D. Horner, Pizarro. 4th, 

 Abraham Barker, Esq., Lord Lome (Campbell). 5th, Abraham 

 Barker, Esq., Lord Lee. 6th, Rev. F. D. Horner, Lord Clyde. 

 7th, Robert Lord, Esq., Jupiter. 8th, Rev. F. D. Horner, Red- 

 man's Metropolitan. 



Alexandra Palace. — The opening of the .Uexandra Palace 

 and Park is on Saturday next, the 24th inst. The natural 

 beauty of the Alexandra Park, heightened as it is by judicious 

 and tasteful planting, would alone sulhce to attract visitors, 

 and the extent of the grounds (which embrace '220 acres) 

 renders them a valuable addition to the existing lungs of 

 London. The Palace, which crowns the summit of Muswell 

 Hill, erected by Messrs. Kelk & Lucas from the designs of 

 Messrs. Meeson & Johnson, architects, is an exceedingly 

 elegant and substantial structure, its graceful dome being a 

 striking feature in the northern suburban landscape. On the 

 opening day there will be a grand international flower show, 

 at which £1200 will be given in prizes ; and at 3 p.m. a grand 

 vocal and instrumental concert will take place in the centre 

 transept, under the direction of Sir Michael Costa. 



THYRSACANTHUS RUTIL.\NS. 



Than this no plant has been more appropriately named — 

 its flowers are in thyrses, and its leaves are glossy. It is a 

 native of Central America, and introduced into this country in 

 1851. Coloured portraits of its flowers are in the " Botanical 

 Magazine," " Paxton's Flower Garden," and in Thompson's 

 " Gardener's Assistant ;" but the only detail of its cultivation 

 is in the Gardeners' Chronicle nearly twenty years ago.* 



In the " Botanical Magazine," where the plant is figured 

 under the name of Thyrsacanthus Schomburgkianus, it is 

 stated that it was discovered by C. S. Parker, Esq., in British 

 Guiana, where Sir Robert Schomburgk afterwards detected it, 

 and that subsequently it had been found in New Grenada at 

 at elevation of 4000 feet above the sea level. As a stove plant 

 it is one of the most useful for winter-flowering. It is of vigor- 

 ous growth, and has broadly lanceolate, nearly sessile deep 

 green leaves. The flower-stems are from I to 2 feet long, 

 gracefully drooping, and bearing, in opposite pahs, numerous, 

 rich crimson, tubular flowers about 2 inches long, which are 

 produced in long succession. 



As regards the cultivation of this plant " Alpha," in the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle, gave some years ago the foDowing in- 

 structions : — 



" Cuttings planted in sandy peaty soil, covered with a bell- 

 glass, and placed in a sharp bottom heat, soon emit roots, and 

 if these are put in early in spring they will form nice plants for 

 flowering next winter. The cuttings should be potted singly as 

 soon as they are well rooted, and placed in a close, moist, warm 

 pit or house till well established ; and if they can be afforded a 

 gentle bottom heat, this will gi-eatly assist in promoting the 

 emission of roots and inducing fidl growth. The young plauts 

 must never be allowed to suffer for the want of pot room, as this 

 tends to make them even more leggy than they are naturally 

 inclined to be ; therefore, until the plants are in their flowering 

 pots, attend to shifting before the balls get over-matted with 

 roots. 



" The best situation for the young plants during the gi-owing 

 season is a pit or house where they can be kept rather warm, 

 close, and moist ; and if they can be afforded a gentle bottom 



' Our woodcut, with some correction, is copied from a North Araerican 

 periodical, in which our ilJastrations aie copied witliout acknowled^ieut. 



