4C3 



JOUEXAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ June 12, 187S. 



glossnm Insleayii leopariTimim, Campsidium filicifolium, Croton 

 grande, Dracreua Fraseri, and others; aud in Mr. Croucher's, 

 Agave Gilbeyi, A. striata Richardsoni, A.Baxteri, A. Kerchovei, 

 and two or three more. E. Foster, Esq., bad also a first-class 

 certificate for Show Pelargonium Grand Monarque, very fine 

 form, rose, veined with deep rose, dark top edged with rose, 

 white throat. 



In the Friiit division of the Show there are half a dozen Queen 

 Pines, some of which may weigh 2S lbs. The best single fruit 

 of that variety, as well as the best pair, is from Mr. Hepper, 

 gardener to E. O. Ledward, Esq., The Elms, Acton. The best 

 dish of Black Hamburgh Grapes comes from Mr. Bashford, East 

 Sutton, Kent; the second best from Mr. Coleman, gardener to 

 Earl Somers, Eastnor Castle — these are very well finished, as 

 also are those from Mr. Bannerman, gardener to Lord Bagot, 

 Blithfield. Mr. Little, gardener to Sir G. East, Maidenhead, is 

 first for a 12-lb. basket. Mr. Bannerman and Mr. Davis, gardener 

 to C. Scholefield, Esq., Hanley, show the best Black Prince, 

 not large, like all the fruit this year. For two dishes of Peaches 

 (distinct), Mr. Coleman is first with A Bee and Early Grosse 

 Mignonue, fine ; Mr. Bennett, gardener to the Marq>iis of Salis- 

 bui-j', an excellent second ; and Mr. Bannerman third with Eoyal 

 George and Millet's Mignonne, which latter, if correct, is a 

 synonym of Koyal George, to which, indeed, the fruit on casual 

 examination bore a close resemblance. Hunt's Tawny and Elruge 

 Nectarines from Mr. Kemp, gardener to the Duke of North- 

 umberland, Albury Park, Guildford, walked over the course 

 with the only dishes exhibited. 



Of the few Melons shown, the best in the Green-fiesbed class 

 is Bellamore Hybrid from Mr. Cross, and in the Scarlet-fleshed 

 Moretou Hall, from Mr. Coleman. 



For a single dish of Strawberries, Mr. Davis comes first with 

 President; Mr. Bennett second with Dr. Hogg; Mr. Plumridge 

 third with Sir J. Paxton. The best Cherries are Elton and 

 Black Tartarian from Mr. Miles, gardener to Lord Carington, 

 Wycombe Abbey, and Rose de Lyon from Mr. Ward, Bishop 

 Stortford, the last remarkably fine. Mr. Coleman sends good 

 Brown Turkey F'igs, and Mr. Gardiner, Lower Eatington Park 

 Gardens, several dishes of Apples in good preservation. 



EXTEACTS FEOM DB. HOOKER'S EEPORT 



ON THE BOYAL GABDEN.S AT KEW, DDEING 1872. 



DiiiiiN-G the year 1872 the Eoyal Gardens were visited by 

 E53,2i0 persons, an increase of a little more than UOUO over the 

 numbers in 1871. The numbers of each class of visitors were 

 much the same as in last year, except that there was a greater 

 attendance of professional gardeners, an increase attributabie 

 chiefly to the greater facilities for naming the Ferns and orna- 

 mental herbaceous plants. Increased interest has also been 

 shown in the arboretum as it progresses towards completions 

 and especially in the collections of deciduous trees, the planting 

 of which has in this country, during the last quarter of a century, 

 been to a very great extent superseded by that of Conifers. 



The degree to which the displacement of deciduous trees and 

 shrubs by Conifers has extended in England is best illustrated 

 by a comparison of both public and private parks planted during 

 the last century and the beginning of this, with those more 

 recently laid out, and an examination of nurserymen's catalogues 

 gives the same result. 



Thus, in the Kew grounds, as at those of Sion House, Bicton, 

 &c., very many kinds of South European, Western Asiatic, and 

 American timber trees, besides numbers of shrubs, still survive, 

 few or none of which are now planted or are to be had in English 

 nurseries; and even twenty-five years ago, when the Kew 

 arboretum was commenced, various American Maples, Oaks, 

 Poplars, Limes, itc, were procured in England, for which resort 

 must now be had to continental nitrserymen or to America. 



The demand for deciduous trees and shrubs is rapidly reviv- 

 ing, and over and above the interest of this department to 

 botanists, I have every reason to believe that the named collec- 

 tion in the Kew arboretum will soon be as much frequented by 

 planters and landscape gardeners as the Botanic Ciarden and 

 plant-houses now are by amateurs aud professional gardeners. 



The American garden at tlie back of the Palm house, which 

 had not been renewed since its formation in 1847, has been in 

 gi-eat part renovated. A named collection of Ivies has been 

 placed along the Eoee walk, the species being trained up tree 

 stumps 8 feet high, which alternate with the pillar Eoses. 



A great improvement has baen effected by the Works Depart- 

 meui in the painting of the plant houses, both as regards the 

 durability of the composition and the colours used. The intro- 

 duction of a little blue on the girders of the long succulent 

 house (200 feet long), and the temperate house in the pleasure 

 grounds, has been much approved. The dark green glass with 

 which the Fern houses have been glazed has answered well, and 

 I have had very numerous inquiries respecting its use in this 

 establishment. I have no reason to suppose that it has any 

 specific effect whatever on the plants grown under it, beyond 

 that, by partially intercepting the sun's heat rays, it prevents 



scorching of the plants and drying-up of the houses, whence its 

 use in doing away with the necessity for expensive shading 

 during a great part of the year, and in days of alternate sun and 

 cloud, is very manifest, as also in maintaining a more uniform 

 temperature and humidity. 



The labour and expense involved in procuring ground tallies 

 for such a large collection are great, and the subject is fuE of 

 difficulties ; I have, consequently, numerous inquiries from 

 public aud private establishments, especially in the United 

 States and the provinces, as to the best kind of tally to adopt ill 

 public gardens, parks, &c. The tallies should be so firmly 

 planted in the ground as not to be easily removed — so strong as 

 to resist the blow of the butt end of the scythe, so legible as to 

 be clearly read, aud, indeed, to attract attention at five paces* 

 distance, and should last many years without repainting. Maw's 

 parian tallies are imperishable, aud -by far the neatest, but they 

 are shivered by a scythe blow. Cast-iron tallies, well smoothed^ 

 and painted black on a white gi-ound (with the best paint, 

 thoroughly ground and mixed), if well done, should last from, 

 eight to ten years at least ; a great number of these are in use 

 in the arboretum ; the best have an oblong top or face of 5 by 

 4 inches, and a leg 10 inches long. The face is perpendicular 

 (not slanting backwards from the leg), and the top edge is shai-p, 

 to prevent birds sitting on it and defiling the writing. Experi- 

 ments are being made of coating the paint with paraffin, the 

 results of which will be reported hereafter. A trial is being 

 made of Slate, Teak, and Australian Gum-tree wood taUies, 

 15 by 3 inches, of which the upper 9 inches are painted white 

 with black letters (reading vertically, like a pot tally.) 



Hanging wooden tallies are very durable, but are not always 

 easily discovered on the trees, and from hanging obliquely are 

 pulled aside to be read, and hence detached by visitors, who 

 afterwards simply fling them on the ground. They should be of 

 a light wood (good deal answers well), hung with well-tarred 

 twine or strips of oiled hide. 



Iron hanging labels, fixed with wire, are very objectionable,, 

 their weight and motion in the wind soon breaking the wire. 



The writing on the tallies is confined to the vernacular name 

 (given only when in common use), the Latin name with its 

 author's initials, and the native country. Synonyms are added 

 only when the plant is equally well or better known under such^ 

 English names not in general use, and especially such as axe 

 formed by translating the Latin one, are useless and pedantic^ 

 In the case of varieties, the varietal name follows the specific. 



The receipts during the year have been 2700 seed packets, and 

 11,240 plants of all kinds. 



The accessions to the herbarium are of exceptional importance 

 as regards novelties. The number of specimens acquired during 

 1872 has been about 17,500, of which 1500 were purchased, and 

 the rest procured by gift or exchange. 



[It is very gratifying to note the continued increase of visitors 

 to Kew Gardens, for it is an unmistakeable evidence of the in- 

 crease of taste for healthy amusement and information. More 

 than 600O visitors went in 1872 over the previous year, and on 

 Whit-Monday of the present year there were 59,152 visitors, all 

 very orderly aud well conducted. This is by far the largest 

 number ever there on one day. On the Whit-Monday of last 

 year there were 37,795 visitors. — Eds.] 



THE EHODODENDEON SHOWS. 



EvEEY year, as June comes round, those marveHoiis masses 

 of colour at what are called the American Shows are brought 

 before our eyes. They are dazzling in the extreme ; once Been 

 they are never forgotten, even by those least sensible to the 

 beauties of plants. 



At the Eoyal Horticultural Society's gardens at South Een. 

 sington, Mr. Anthony Waterer, of Knap Hill, Woking, fur- 

 nishes the Exhibition, and an extensive and excellent one it is, 

 occupying a vast tent at the southern side of the garden. 

 Owing to the backwardness of the seafou it has only just 

 attained to beauty, and will probably continue in fine condi- 

 tion for a fortnight or three weeks. When we visited it the 

 other day there were many plants only in bud, and several 

 seedlings only coming out. Among kinds more especially 

 conspicuous for their beauty of colour aud free-flowering we 

 noticed Alexander Dancer, bright rose, very free ; Brayanum,, 

 an old aud well-known variety ; Charles Bagley, extra fine, 

 cherry red ; Old Port, rich plum ; Stella, pale rose ; Titian,, 

 scarlet ; and Towardii. Mr. A. Waterer has also a similar exhi- 

 bition at Manchester. 



Messrs. Lane, of Great Berkhampstead, as already noticed, 

 make the exhibition at the Eegent's Park, aud have shown that, 

 though not having peat soil.Ehododeudrous can bo brought to 

 perfection with them. Their show is now a sheet of bloom,, 

 and does great credit to their euterpiise in what, as regards 



