July 15, 18fl9. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUHE AWD COTTAGE GABDENER. 



food than tliey cnri pick up, and must have raw meat minoed 

 for them ; they speedily become bo tame as to eat out of 

 your hand. Mix your meat wiib worms at first, and they will 

 soon take to it. They also require a ehelter of some sort — a 

 door ou four supports is as good as anything. The birds were 

 purohased from an advertisement in the columns of this 

 Journal.— I. N. P. 



SOME H.VEDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



Trientalis Euiior.TiA. — This pretty little plant is a native 

 of Britain and other countries of E urope, also of North America 

 and Asia, always alVeoting the colder latitudes, or if appearing 

 in the warmer countries, it rises into the mouutains. Old Fir 

 or other open moist woods are its favourite haunts. It is a 

 solitary species, and the sole representative in the flora of 

 Britain of the seventh class in the Linnrean system of botany ; 

 but it is not a good seventh, the parts of the flowers being often 

 found in fives. The whole plant rarely exceeds 6 inches high, 

 with erect wiry stems bearing a few leaves whoil-fashion at the 

 top, and from the centre of these spring the chaste and grace- 

 ful star-like white or pale pink flowers with a small yellow eye. 

 Oa rockivork it must be placed ia such a position that shade 

 and moisture will be secured to it, and the soil it most delights 

 in is open gritty leaf mould, or very sandy pjat and light loams 

 It does not succeed cultivated in the ordinary exposed mixed 

 border or bed, shade being very essential to its well-being ; but 

 it is a most useful plant to introduce into moderately shady 

 moist woods or banks, with a northern aspect, where the 

 uataral herbage is not too rank and overpowering. In all 

 cases where the introduction of it is contemplated, the soil 

 above named should be liberally allowed ; it well repays a little 

 trouble in the first preparation for its reception. The flowers 

 appear in cultivation usually in May or Juno, but in nature 

 often a month later. Division is the best method of propa- 

 gation. 



Ltsimachia. — This is a useful, showy, and free-flowering 

 group of plants. For a small family there is a considerable 

 diversity of habit in the msmbers comprised in it, but there is 

 little variety of colour, yellow in various shades being the pre- 

 dominating hue. 



L. nummidaria is one o the prettiest and moat interesting. 

 It is a dwarfy prostrate plant, throwing many branches out 

 in all directions from the centre, which in moist situations 

 root at the joints and so spread many feet. The flowers are 

 j-ellow, and appear iu Jane, and last till September and Octc- 

 oer if occasionally pinched -in to induce fresh growth. It is 

 useful for a variety of purposes — for clothing rockwork, moist 

 banks, front lines iu mixed beds and borders, and for festoon- 

 ing the margins of rustic vases where such ornaments may with 

 propriety of taste be iutmduced into flower gardens. Native 

 of Britain and Europe generally. A variety with yellow leaves 

 or yellow- variegated leaves, recently introduced, is of consider- 

 able value, and will, when more generally known, become a 

 favourite in the flower garden of any style. 



/-,. vulgaris, like the last-named species, is a native of 

 Britain, and Europe generally, appearing also in many parts of 

 Asia and in Australia. It rises erect to the height of 2 or 

 3 feet, with branching stems terminating in loose leafy panicles 

 of yellow flowers, which appear in July, August, and September. 

 It is not at all a choice-looking plant, but it is valuable for in- 

 troducing into moist open woods, and for planting on the 

 banks of ponds and streams where the natural vegetation stands 

 in need of improvement, and for lighting up masses of shrubs. 

 It succeeds in any common soil, but delights most in partially 

 shady moist places. 



i. punctata, by some considered as a rather well-marked 

 variety of L. vulgaris, is for horticultural purposes not very 

 distinct from that species. It is found in some parts of England 

 and Scotland along with Ii. vulgaris, and in south-eastern 

 Europe. The spotting implied in the specific name is not of 

 much value. 



L. thyrsi flora, native of Britain and other parts of Europe, 

 of northern Asia and America. It is similar iu aspect to the 

 preceding species, but dwarfer, and with simple or unbranched 

 erect stems. The flowers are yellow in rather dense racemes, 

 and appear in June, July, and August. Useful for the same 

 purposes as the preceding. 



L. anriustiJoUii, from North America, is a very graceful 

 species, growing to the height of 1 foot or 18 inches, with ter- 

 minal leafy panicles of nodding pale yellow flowers. It is use- 

 ful for the same purposes as the two preceding species, and is 



veil worth a place in the mixed border. Like the others it 

 delights in moisture, and is not fastidious as to the quality of 

 the soil. The flowers appear in June and July. 



L. cphemerum, from several parts of the south of Europe, is 

 veiy distinct from either of the foregoing species. It grows 

 about 2 feet high, with rather graceful habit, and the stems 

 terminate in handsomo racemes of white flowers. The corolla 

 ia rotate, with deeply-divided spreading lobes, obovate in form. 

 It flowers in July and August, and is most suitable for cultivat- 

 ing in the mixed border or the margins of shrubberies in good 

 moist soil. — {The Gardener.) 



BIRMINGHAai ROSE SHOW. 



The tigbth annnal Exhibition of Roses, borticultnral implements, 

 garden ornameuts, &c., was held on the 9th and 10th inst., in the 

 Town Hall. This annual Exhibition has now become one of the 

 permanent institutions of Birminpham, and its increasing importance 

 and nsefnlness arc fully evidenced by the fact that nearly all the prin- 

 cipal Rose-growers of England — some of them coming from such re- 

 mote districts as Essex, Hertfordshire, Devonshire, and Somersetshire 

 — have deemed it worth their while to comjjete for the honours which 

 are awarded to the most successful growers of this garden favourite. 

 The committee of management, and all who take an interest in this 

 delighlfal exhibition, are to be congratulated upon the nnprecedented 

 success which has attended the efforts made to promote the Show this 

 year, and in every respect it is much the best that has ever been held. 

 Altogether, there were no fewer than two hundred and thirty separate 

 entries, by fifty-four exhibitors ; bnt reckoning by former experience, 

 a redaction of aboat 30 per cent, on this number was anticipated. 

 Contrary to the nsnal custom, however, all the exhibitors, with the ex- 

 ception of fonr, pat in an appearance, and the result was the largest 

 and finest exhibition of Roses that has taken place in the Town Hall. 



Considerable attention was paid to the decoration of the hall, so as 

 to enhance the attractions of the Roses, and considering tho short time 

 that was available for this pnqxjse, the manner in which this was 

 execnted, under the direction of Mr. J. Cole, was worthy of all praise. 

 For much of tb.e pleasing effect wljich was produced by the decorative 

 ability of this gentleman, visitors to the Show were indebted to Messrs. 

 Felton & Sons, of the Birmingham Nurseries, Edgbaston, who fur- 

 nished a handsome collection of stove and gi-ecnliouse plants. These 

 choice plants were very effectively displayed in the orchestra, and in 

 the great gallery, and Mr. Cole himself sent some very fine plants, 

 which were admirably arranged in lines down the centre of the tables 

 in the body of the hall. Messrs. T. & E. Jephcott, of Balsall Heath, 

 snpplied several collections of Ferns, flowers in vases, and bonquets, 

 which were arranged with much taste on a talde immediately under- 

 neath the platform ; and Mr. A. Bicldey, of Moseley, sent a fine col- 

 lection of British Ferns iu pots— .ill of which were judiciously utilised 

 in contributing to the general effect of the Show. 



As regards the show of Roses, the collection was extensive, and the 

 whole of an nnexoejitionably meritorious character. In the section 

 for seventy-two varieties, single trusses, Messrs. Paul & Son, of Chea- 

 hnnt took the lead. In this collection the specimens of the Dnke of 

 Edinburgh and Miss Tngi'am, both new floi>ers, and Alfred Colomb, 

 were remarkable for their great beauty. For depth of colour and 

 brightness of petal, the collection was much admired. Mr. John 

 Cranston, of Hereford, who took the second prize, had also an excellent 

 collection. The same gentlemen were equally snccessfnl in the forty- 

 eight varieties, three trasses, takiug first and second prizes respectively 

 with collections, all the blooms in which were very fine. In the stand 

 of Mr. Cranston the three trusses of Madame Charles Wood were very 

 large, but rather rongh. In the class for twenty-four varieties, three 

 trusses, Messrs. Paur& Son again took the lead with a stand of which 

 it is not too much to say that it was one of the best in the entire 

 exhibition, and that it did not contain a Rose which would not have 

 been a credit to any exhibition. Mr. B. R. Cant, of St. John's Nursery, 

 Colchester, had also a very fine collection, which was awarded the se- 

 cond prize. The iame gentleman exhibited, but not for competition, 

 a stand containing about thirty blooms of Marccbal Niel, all in most 

 perfect condition as regards form and colour. This stand, indeed, was 

 quite a feature in the exhibition, and, viewed from the galleries, the 

 rich, deep, golden colour of these beautiful Tea Roses was very striking. 



The amateurs also .made a splendid show in their various classes. 

 Amongst tho exhibitors flf peculiar and highly meritorious specimens 

 were the Rev. P. M. Smythe, of Solihull, whose Charles Lefebvre was 

 a remarkably handsomo flower ; and Mr. W. Brown, gardener to Mrs. 

 Alston, Elmdon Hall, whose Francois Lacharme, Madame Willermoz, 

 and Franc^ois Lonvat were very beantif al specimens. _ _ 



In the open class there were 'many specimens which for intensity of 

 colour and smoothness of petal could scarcely be surpassed. 



There was also a very fine collection of bouquets for the hand ; that by 

 Mr. John Cranston gained the first prize. In the class restricted to 

 ladies, the best design for dmner-table decorations was that by MlSff 

 Cole, of Birchfield, who sent three stands, one as a centre piece, and 

 the other as side pieces. The design by Miss M. Bailey, of Longton, 

 which was also very prettily executed, received the second prize. In 

 both of these designs touch decorative skill was displayed, and great 

 pains had evidently been taken with them. 



