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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 11, 1866. 



rosea and alba. M. Andre, who is known to many English 

 horticulturists, reports very favourably on a new Pelargonium, 

 Eleonore Petit, considered nearly equal to Gloire de Paris. 



The Committee of the Paris Exhibition hare taken the ground 

 called Eillancourt. Part of it had been secured by the Society 

 of the Market Gardeners of Paris for the purpose of exhibiting 

 their productions, which the French themselves consider a 

 model of skill ; but by some neglect in breaking up the ground, 

 augmented by the drenching rains of September, the Society 

 feared to undertake its share of the work without, as is so 

 usual in French enterprise, an imperial guarantee. It seems 

 that heavy autumn rains are very likely to be followed by 

 winter storms in the latitude of Paris, and this fact decided 

 the abandonment of the ground. It has, therefore, to the great 

 disappointment of the Committee, been taken to show agricul- 

 tural machines in operation. A number of the most able 

 market gardeners had engaged to occupy the ground in such a 

 manner that the crops should have been gathered in rapid 

 succession. 



Is it true, asks the " Revue Horticole," that all the male 

 Gyneriums are more or less of a rosy hue ? No : this suppo- 

 sition presents many exceptions, many varieties of the darkest 

 colours being completely female. In fact, Gyneriums present 

 remarkable variations of every kind. Even stiff and narrow 

 panicles do not, of necessity, characterise male plants, as 

 many suppose. One beautiful variety has received the name 

 of " Marabout." 



M. Gloede announces a remarkable variety of the Strawberry, 

 which, he says, produces a good crop the first season, and con- 

 tinues to flower and produce fruit until the autumn. Doubt- 

 less, we shall have an opportunity of judging of its merits, and 

 Mr. Eadclyffe will give us the advantage of his experience. The 

 French editors seem rather dubious as to the possibility of this 

 matter, and " leave to M. Gloede the responsibility of what he 

 advances." 



With respect to a new Peach, Heath Clingstone, which was 

 beautifully coloured in a former Number of the " Revue," it 

 would not be difficult to form an opinion. From what is known 

 of it already, it is only one of a numerous race of yellow 

 Peaches, which are now just introduced into Fiance, and which 

 require very careful cultivation and some appliances to bring 

 them to perfection. Certainly our neighbours have of late years 

 been completely outstripped by the introduction of orchard- 

 houses in England. The ensuing Exhibition will be a good 

 opportunity to test this fact. Intending exhibitors had better 

 be very careful to fulfil all the required details, and to select 

 such sorts as will best serve to compete. There are few or no 

 Peaches in the French markets, except from Algiers, before 

 the commencement of August. Early Grosse Mignonne is the 

 very earliest sort sent in from Montreuil, and this usually 

 ripens about the very end of July, or the commencement of 

 August. The Algiers Peaches are, however, sometimes very 

 fine, and well coloured. I should, therefore, recommend in- 

 tending orchard-house competitors to try very good early sorts, 

 such as Early York, and Mr. Rivera's early seedlings, of which 

 Early Silver could not be approached in France. The mere 

 mid-season Peaches common to both countries should not be 

 sent, as a rule. Nectarines would be very valuable for exhibition. 

 Such sorts as Rivers's Victoria cannot be met with, as yet, in 

 France. This is, therefore, the moment to show it. In Ame- 

 rican Apples (orchard-house-grown) much might be done, as 

 also in the numerous varieties of handsome Plums of recent in- 

 troduction. For Pears it would be well to be very careful in 

 the selection, as the French and Belgian growers have long 

 been renowned for their fruit. Doubtless, American fruit will 

 also compete. In short, it is most desirable that some advice 

 should be given by experienced persons at this time, and such 

 I understand, is likely soon to be the case. Many prizes are 

 also to be awarded to trained forms of trees, and now is evi- 

 dently the season to decide thereon. Let us not allow our 

 foreign friends to take the prizes in these classes so easily. At 

 the International F.xhibition in May last, there were hardly 

 any English exhibitors in them. — Th. Brehaut. 



Ne Plus Ultra Pea. — I sowed this Pea in the middle of 

 the garden in the last week in June, and finished gathering in 

 the last week in October, and a better Pea I could not wish to 

 have. I feel confident that the result would have been favour- 

 able had the sowing been made even much later. Another year 

 I-mean to try it for much later production. — W. C, Staplehurst. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 December 4th. 



Floral Committee. — The last meeting for the season was held 

 this day, and it proved by no means inferior in interest and display of 

 plants to many which have taken place daring the closing year. There 

 were many objects of considerable interest, among them a very 6ne 

 display of Orchids and other plants from the Society's gardens at 

 C'hiswick and South Kensington. Mr. Turner exhibited a very hand- 

 some and beautiful Adiantuni, a seedling from A. farleyeuse ; the 

 fronds very fertile and of a brilliant green colour, greatly differing in 

 form and colour from those of the parent. Mnch interest was attached 

 to the specimens, and farther information respecting them has been 

 requested. Messrs. Veitch sent a recently imported plant of Deudro- 

 bium giganteum. to which reference is made beneath. It had beantifnl 

 spikes of highly scented pale lilac flowers, with a dark under lip. A 

 first-class certificate was awarded it. From the same firm came also 

 Odontoglossum ies, sent to he named, a supposed form of 0. mem- 



branaceum. Mr. Buchanan, gardener to Capt. Trotter, brought a tine 

 specimen of Celosia pyraniidalis, called plamosa aurea. The flowers 

 were rather faded, but the plant had been well grown. Mr. Wilson, 

 gardener to YYni. Marshall, Esq., Enfield, sent a specimen of Lycaste 

 Skinneri alba, a pure white flower of great beauty. A first-class cer- 

 tificate was awarded lor it ; and a like award was made to Mr. Ander- 

 son, gardener to W. Dawson, Esq., for a similar specimen of Lycaste 

 alba. Mr. Shefratt, gardener to J. Bateman, Esq., exhibited cut 

 specimens of Eriopsis rutidohulbon and other Orchids. From Mr. 

 Bull came a large specimen of Selaginella dc-utienlata variegata. 

 Should this plant retain it* variegation when planted out of doors it 

 will lie most useful for edgings of flower-beds. Mr. Anderson, gardener 

 to Vt'iii. Dawson. Esq., received a special certificate for a superb cut 

 spike of Odontoglossuin Alexandra 1 , also a special certificate for several 

 other tine cut specimens of Orchids. Mr. Standish introduced quite 

 a new form of Aucuha japouica (hermaphrodita), producing perfect 

 flowers on the same plant. Should this seedling afford berries from 

 flowers fertilised by pollen produced on the same plant it will prove 

 a great botanical novelty. The Aucuhas, so far as experience goes, 

 have always been found dioecious plants. Mr. Standish also brought 

 specimens of a new Yew. Taxns adpressa stricia, a plant of upright 

 growth, always making a good leader. A first-class certificate was 

 given it. A small basket of Saxifraga tricolor, which Mr. Standish 

 informed the Committee was grown in the poorest peat in a cool house, 

 on a shelf near the glass, ws awarded a special certificate for merit- 

 orious cultivation. Mr. Wm. Paul exhibited a collection of fifty 

 varieties of Beaton's Scarlet Pelargoniums; the cut specimens were 

 very tastefully arranged and were much admired. A special certificate 

 was awarded them : also to a collection of cut specimens of berry- 

 bearing shrubs, consisting of Hollies, Cotoneasters, AVc., and shrubs 

 with coloured bark, likewise contributed by Mr. Wm. Paul : the latter 

 are quite a new featnre, and worthy of consideration in planting a 

 shrapbery. George Coopi r, Esq.. Old Kent Road, exhibited a recently 

 imported specimen of an Epidendrum : it appeared to he quite distinct. 

 The plant was not in good condition. Mr. Bateman decided upon its 

 named E. Cooperi. Mr. Pilcher, gardener to S. Rucker, Esq., 

 received a special certificate for cut specimens of some lovely Orchids, 

 which were most kindly sent for Mr. Batenian's illustrations. 



We cannot conclude our last report of the season without express- 

 iug our satisfaction and delight on the great success cf these Tuesday 

 meetings. The Fir.it and Floral Committees have been fully oc- 

 cupied, and we trust that the horticultural world will benefit by their 

 labours. The -iron- unity of feeling which once more seems to be in- 

 fluencing the Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society, and the 

 great success of the past season, secia fall; to augur continued support 

 and increased success to these most interesting meetings. 



I'rrir Committee. — Mr. J. Douglas, gardener to F. Wbitbourn, 

 Esq., Loxford Hall. Ilford, exhibited two remarkably fine Pine Apples, 

 perfectly ripened, tor each of which he received a special certificate. 

 One was a very handsome fruit of Charlotte Rothschild, weighing 

 8| lbs., the other an equally handsome Smooth-leaved Cayenne, of 

 7 lbs. 10 ozs. A special certificate was likewise awarded to Mr. Cox, 

 gardener to W. Wells, Esq., Redleaf, for a collection of eighteen 

 soil, of Apples, very sound, well grown, and for the most part finely- 

 coloured. They consisted of Ribston. Feam's, Cox's Orange, and 

 Blenheim Pippins, the last very hue; Scarlet, and Golden Winter 

 Pearmaius ; Court of Wick, Sam Young, Golden Russet, Nonpareil 

 li) i. Golden Harvey, Golden Keinette, Harvey Apple, Christie's 

 Pippin, Eac&horse, Seek-no-farther, and Bedfordshire Foundling. 

 From Mr. Jack, gardener to the Dake of Cleveland, Battle Abbey, 

 came fruit of Stauntouia latifoha, hearing considerable resemblance 

 to a Purple Brinjal ; on being tasted it proved to be very insipid. Mrs. 

 Ti nnant, The Glen. Innerleithen. N.B., sent fruit of a Passiflora, 

 called macrocarpa, measuring about 7 inches across, and 9 inches or 

 more in length, and to which allusion will be made farther on. Not- 

 withstanding the large size of the fruit the edible portion was small 

 in quantity, aud not of very good flavour. Mr. Suialley, gardener to 

 the Hon. A. Seymour, Norton Hall, Daveutry, exhibited a spike of 

 the fruit of Bromelia Commelyniana, De Viiese, measuring 21 or 

 22 inches in length. , The fruit is oval, has much the same size and 

 appearance as a rather small Yellow Magnum Bonum Plum, and the 

 I number produced in each cluster is veiy large. Major R. Trevor 



