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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 23, 1866. 



GOOSEBEBRIES OF GOOD FLAVOUR. 



Yon will oblige me by stating what Gooseberries you would 

 recommend for flavour as well as size. I wrote to a most 

 respectable nurseryman on the subject ; and he assures me 

 that the very large kinds are deficient in flavour, and he has 

 found them unsaleable for that reason. 



I cannot understand why prizes are given for such fruit as 

 London, red and green, Ploughboy, &c, if they are deficient in 

 the chief requisite of all fruit — flavour ; but I have had to dis- 

 card some sorts — dark brown, yellow, and white fruits of good 

 size, but insipid, and have no wish to return to them : there- 

 fore I seek your counsel in the matter. — H. N. B. 



[The nurseryman was quite correct in stating that the largest 

 prize Gooseberries are deficient in flavour ; and you may justly 

 express surprise that size, not good quality, is encouraged by 

 the prizes offered. It is the same at Celery, Cucumber, and 

 cattle shows — size, not utility, is chiefly considered. One 

 reason for this is that weight is much more easy to determine 

 than any other quality. We recommend the following varieties 

 of Gooseberry, quite irrespective of prize lists : — Redi : Iron- 

 monger, Warrington. Yellows : Moreton Hero, Yellow Cham- 

 pagne. Greens : Green Overall, Pitmaston Green Gage. 

 Whites : Snowball and Whitesmith. 



The book you mention can be had free by post from our 

 office if you forward twenty-six postage stamps with your 

 address.] 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 October 16th. 

 Floral Committee. — But very few specimens were exhibited at 

 this meeting, the lateness of the season is a sufficient explanation ; 

 and had there been a good display of plants, the dense fog would have ' 

 quite prevented their being seen to advantage. Mr. Bull sent several 

 plants of interest, among which were Tillandsia argeutea, a very novel I 

 and remarkable plant, with narrow Bush-like leaves, covered with a 

 woolly substance, which gave them the Appearance of tine velvet — a 

 first-class certificate was awarded it ; Pandanns l'orteanus, as exhibited 

 not sufficiently distinct from other Palms ; Saxifraga Fortuuei, six or 

 seven plants of which made quite a display — its curiously formed white 

 flowers render it very useful in a conservatory at this time of the year ; 

 Philodendron crinipes, which it was requested should he sent again ; 

 Fittonia argyroneura, which had received a certificate under tbe old 

 name Eranthemum argyroneurum — a very pretty fine-foliaged plant; 

 Astroearyuni mexicanurn, a young plant, to be sent again; Adiantum 

 Lindeni, a first-class Fern, but not shown in condition for an award ; 

 Adiantum species, probably a form of Adiantum capillus-Veneris ; 

 and Tact a ('.') picturaca, which it was thought would prove to be an 1 

 Amorphophallus. A special award was given for Mr. Bull's collection. 

 B. Morris, Esq., sent a seedling Zonale Pelargonium Maid of Kent, 

 very deep rose, from appearances not a free bloomer ; but it is too 

 late to decide on these plants, and we hope to see it again. Mr. 

 Joseph Morgan exhibited a seedling Fern called Scolopendrinm Vul- 

 gate Morgan i ; it is a distinct variety of dwarf habit, and the points of 

 the fronds are very densely tasselled or tufted — it received a first-class 

 certificate. C. Leach, Esq., Clapham Park, sent a collection of seed- j 

 ling Nerines, some of them very showy, especially Nerine corusca 

 major, with bright orange scarlet flowers, forming a good contrast with 

 Nerine Fothergilli. A special certificate was awarded this interesting 

 collection. Mr. Wm. Paul brought a seedling Zonale Pelargonium, 

 Ossian, of dwarf habit, and having a great abundance of trusses of 

 bright scarlet flowers. This must be seen again before its merits can 

 be decided upon. Messrs. Veitch sent a very curious and interesting 

 plant of a Sarraeenia, of which the name at present is not decided ; 

 it formed a perfect star on the surface of the pot. A first-class certi- 

 ficate was awarded it. A nice collection of Zonale Pelargoniums was 

 brought up from Chiswick in excellent order, and the plants were 

 well covered with flowers. 



Fruit Committee. — With the exception of a collection of Pears, 

 and dishes of Dutch and Mill Hill Hamburgh Grapes, from the 

 Society's garden at Chiswick, but little frait was exhibited. From 

 Mr. Turner, of Slough, came a fine dish of Cox's Orange Pippin 

 Apple, and a box of British Queen Pear remarkably tine. Mr. H. W. 

 Reynolds, Thame, Oxfordshire, and Mr. Leslie, St. Peter's, Margate, 

 sent seedling Apples, to none of which, however, was any award 

 made. Some fruit to name came also from Messrs. Yeitch and Mr. 

 William Paul ; and Mr. Jones, Petworth, sent two dishes of Cran- 

 berries. Mr. Carr, gardener to P. L. Hinds, Esq., Byfleet, again 

 exhibited fruit of the Passiflora, shown at the last Committee meeting, 

 and which proves to he the Water Lemon, Passiflora laurifolia. As 

 this, so far as known, is the first time fruit of the species has been 

 ripened in this country, a special certificate was awarded. 



Fortnightly Meeting. — The Bev. George Cheere in the chair - . 

 Two new members were elected, and the Erewash Valley Floral and 

 Horticultural Society admitted into union, after which, in the un- 



avoidable absence of the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, Mr. Wooster pointed 

 out the principal subjects exhibited, adding at the same time some 

 brief remarks. With reference to the variegated Jasmine shown by 

 Messrs. Francis, of Hertford, at the last meeting, Mr. Wooster said 

 that he had then mentioned having seen a very similar variety up- 

 wards of twenty years ago in the garden of the late Mr. Loudon, at 

 Bayswater. He had at the time some doubts as to whether the plant 

 was still alive, and he had gone to the house where Mr. Loudon lived, 

 and having found the plant in the garden, he had brought specimens, 

 cut that morning, which seemed to confirm the opinion that the 

 variety in question is not new. In the " Gardener's Magazine " for 

 1839, page GO, a statement will be found with respect to its perfect 

 hardiness during the memorable winter of 1837-8. After noticing the 

 crested Scolopendrium exhibited by Mr. Morgan, and remarking that 

 there were many beautiful forms of the common Hart's-tongue to be 

 met with in Scotland, he added, in reference to the fruit of Passiflora 

 quadrangularis, or Granadilla, shown at the previous meeting by Mr. 

 Carr, that it forms a very agreeable drink in a silver tankard along 

 with sugar and a glass or two of sherry. 



Weekly Show, October 20th. — For the best collection of fruit Mr. 

 B. Brown, gardener to K. H. Wyatt, Esq., Wandsworth Lodge, Upper 

 Tooting, received the first prize for a very good and well-grown assort- 

 ment, including a nice Queen Pine. Mr. B. Marcham, gardener to 

 E. Gates, Esq., Bydorp House, Hauwell, received the second prize, 

 and Mr. Young, gardener to B. Barclay, Esq., Highgate, an extra 

 prize. Mr. Young likewise received an extra prize for a collection of 

 Pears and Apples, also one for a collection of Onions. For the col- 

 lection of miscellaneous plants Mr. Young received a third prize. 



MR. WILLIAMS'S NURSERY. IIOLLOWAY. 



It is now some time since Mr. Williams removed the princi- 

 pal portion of his valuable collections from his old establish- 

 ment, the Paradise Nurseries, to his new one, called the Victoria 

 :•> nraery, at the foot of Highgate Hill ; and with his plants he 

 took what our continental friends would call the udmiuiHratiou 

 of his business, or in plain English, transferred thither his 

 offices and staff. Rather more than two years ago some ac- 

 count was given (Vol. VII., page 174), of this nursery, together 

 with a beautiful engraving of the interior of the spacious con- 

 servatory ; and although Rhododendron Nuttallii does not at 

 present, as then, add to the display by its magnificent and fra- 

 grant blossoms, the above representatiou, notwithstanding 

 many changes in the contents of the house, will afford a toler- 

 ably exact general idea of its aspect, now that the arrangement 

 of the plants for the winter has been completed. 



Few, indeed, there are who could fail to admire, on entering 

 this conservatory, the rich profusion of gracefully curving 

 bright green fronds of the Ferns, intermingled with the stiffer 

 forms which the majority of the Yuccas and Dracamas present ; 

 and though at present there is rather a deficiency of flowering 

 specimens, by-aud-by the Camellias, now plentifully studded 

 with swelling buds, and plants from other houses, will give 

 colour to the scene during the gloomy months of winter. _ As 

 it is, nothing can be more grateful to the eye than the various 

 shades of green foliage diversified by variegated plants and 

 others remarkable for their singularity of form. At the 

 entrance is a fine pair of the handsomely variegated Yucca 

 Stokesii, and a little farther on, one on each side of the broad 

 central walk, two very fine specimens of Charmerops excelsa, 

 each about 10 feet high, and one of which is now in fruit. It 

 may here be remarked, that most of the large specimens are 

 arranged, as far as possible, in pairs on each side of the main 

 walk, and according to their size at various distances from the 

 edging. The next pair consists of handsome specimens of the 

 variegated Aloe-leaved Yucca, which forms an excellent con- 

 trast with the green foliage near it. We then come to two large 

 plants of the old Double White Camellia, a fine pair of Arau- 

 caria Bidwilli, and in the centre of the house a pair of Dicksonia 

 antarctica standing nearly 10 feet high, and on the opposite 

 side of the cross walk two handsome specimens of Dracaena 

 lineata. At the intersection of the walks is one of Pulham]s 

 terra-cotta fountains, which is prettily clothed with Isolepis 

 gracilis, which is so useful for this and many other decorative 

 purposes where a pendent grass-like plant is needed, with Selagi- 

 nella denticulata, and with various Ferns, the whole having an 

 excellent effect. Proceeding onwards we find Cycas revoluta in 

 fine condition, fruiting Orange trees, Dracama draco and D. in- 

 divisa, about 14 feet high, and two remarkably fine specimens 

 of those singular plants the Eeaucarneas, one of them being 

 B. glauca, and the other B. tubereulata, the latter with graceful 

 pendulous foliage. The central walk terminates at Mr. Wii- 



