204 



JOUENAL OF HOBTICOLTDfiE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. ( s«pi.mb«r 9. 18W. 



Hamburg, were allowed do privilege whatever. We cannot bat 

 think this extremely Bbort-aigbted policy of the Committee, 

 which in the case of another eidiibilion being attempted will 

 tell heavily against them. ^Ve are sure that Eoglieh exhibitors, 

 who are accustomed to such privileges, wiil know how to appre- 

 ciate such treatment. 



We now come to speak of a still more diiagreeable subject, 

 that in relation to the gold cup given by Her Majesty the Qaeen 

 lor Grapes. The exact deCniti in of the words " for the best 

 specimen Grapes" first communicated to England was some- 

 what difficult, so that the English committee applied to Ham- 

 burg, and received the information the cup was to be awarded 

 " for the three best specimen Grapep," that signifying the best 

 three bunches. In the German catalogue of the Kxhibition it 

 is, however, worded, " For the three best specimen Grapes in 

 three varieties." On the simple understanding that it was 

 offered for the best three bunches, Mr. Meredith entered and 

 staged his fruit ; and on the understanding that it was for the 

 three bunches in three varieties Mr. Thomson entered and 

 staged his. There was yet, however, another interpretation 

 nnderstood by Herr Weaselhoeft, of Altona, who staged his 

 fruit as an assortment. To the intense astonishment of all the 

 English exhibitors, it was then announced that a telegram had 

 been received from Her Majesty that the cup was to be given 

 " for the best assortment of Grapes," thus putting the English 

 exhibitors at a complete nonplus. I3y chance, Mr. Meredith, 

 having brought a collection of Grapes, was enabled to com- 

 pete either for specimens or as an assortment, and thus he has 

 the good fortune to bring back with him to England Her 

 Majesty's cup. We cannot, however, too severely comment on 

 the way in which this result has been brought about. The cup 

 was distinctly offered for the best specimens of Grapes, and on 

 this ground alone it should have been awarded. No alteration 

 can by any fairness be allowed to take place, however exalted 

 the donor may be. It is all very well to consult the wishes of 

 Her Majesty as to its disposal. It was too late, however, to 

 do so after the fruit was staged. We do not believe that if 

 the matter had been properly repre.^^ented to Her Majesty, 

 that such an unjust proceeding would have been permitted. 

 That the ultimate issue might not have been otherwise does 

 not signify. A great injustice was perpetrated, especially to 

 Mr. Thomson, whose exhibition was the only one strictly in 

 accordance with the schedule, and his three hunches were, 

 without doubt, the finest examples of cultivation. They had, 

 however, the misfortune to be somewhat damaged in transit ; 

 Mr. Meredith's, on the contrary, arrived in splendid condition. 



BegiBning. now. with the plants in the large and principal bnild- 

 ing already allnded to, one end of which is principally filled with 

 Palms and Ferns from temperate parts, and the other with natives of 

 warmer climes, at the farther end we find the very splendid lot of new 

 plants exhibited by Messrs. Yeitcb it Sons. These, altbough not 

 entered for competition, form decidedly the finest gronp of plants in 

 the whole Exhibition, and attract an immense amonnt of attention. 

 They are so far superior to anything else here, that we believe, altboagh 

 they have not been entered, it is in contemplation to award tbem the 

 pold medal for new plants. In the group are eight splendid plants of 

 Nepenthes, that of Ilafflesiana very larfjo and fine ; Hookeri ; and the 

 new hybrid between these two, one of the very finest, the pitchers very 

 large ; six of the new Dracsenas, which are models of fine cultivation ; 

 the new Crotons ; Japanese Amaranthns ; hybrid Cypripediams ; the 

 new Dieffenbacbia Bowmanni. a splendid kind ; Lapageria alba, &c. 

 Messrs. Linden, who compete, have here the next finest gronp, more 

 nnmerons than Messrs. Yeitch's, but not nearly so select. There are, 

 however, some very fine plants, such as Palms, «fec. ; Dieffenbaehia 

 princeps, nobilis; Tillandsia Lindcni. a fine plant; the curions Coeh- 

 liostema Jacobiannm ; Fourcroya Lindeni, a fine plant, greatly re- 

 sembling in appearance the variegated American Aloe; Cissas Lin- 

 deni, &c. 



Of Orchids Messrs. Linden are the only contributors who stage a 

 ^ronp of ahont twi'nty plants, amongst which we find fine plants of 

 Acrides qninquevalnerum, Angnloa Clowesii, Cattleya maxima, a large 

 plant of the strange Trichotosia ferox, Odontoclossnm Alexandra} 

 Trian.Ti, the splendid Cattleya Eldorado, &c. The .'iW) thaler prize 

 for the best gronp of fifty plants, one half of which must bo in flower, 

 has been awarded to M. Kramer, the very skilfal gardener to Senator 

 Jenicfa, Flottbeck, Ilolstein. The great mass of the plants in this 

 group are of the most ordinary description. There are. however, a 

 few splendid plants of Disa granditlora, which tell well ; they have 

 from seven to eight stems from each pot, and each stem bearing from 

 three to seven large and beautiful flowers. The cnltivation of this fine 

 cool terrestrial Orchid seems hero to be perfectly understood. 



A very beautiful collection of An&ctocbils are exhibited also by 

 M. Kramer, to which the first prize has been awarded. The speci- 

 mens are small. The selection is, however, excellent. 



Herr Wcndland, Royal Gardens, Herrenhansen, carries off the first 



hononr^ amoni^ Palms, of which tribe there ii an immeoM variety 

 exhibited. In Mr. Wendland's lot, the specimens of which »r» very 

 largo and fine, arc the beantifnl Georamas Martians, sarmpigienaii, and 

 Wildonovii ; and Chamirrops bamilis bilaminata. Messrs. Linden, 

 Brussels, have also some fine plantu— Phiinicophoriam Verschafleltii, 

 Areca Verschafleltii and ttlba, Verschafltltia siilendida. Arc. Fine 

 plants of Cyc«B revolnta are contributed by Herr A. F. Kcichers, Ham- 

 bnrR, which receive the first prize. This is a plant held in very high 

 estimation in Germanv. M. Jean Vcrschafftlt further exhibits »ome 

 splendid Palms and a noble specimen of that beantifnl tree Fern, 

 baliintium nntarcticnm. with a stem abont 10 feet in height. 



Wo now pass to hnilding No. '2, a very large oval structnre, the 

 interior being arranged with a sort of concentric circles and itoeea 

 concfashion. Here arc exhibited large groups of what are called 

 market plants in lots of fifties or so, anch as Azaleas, Camellias, Pri- 



muli 

 ord 



las, ileaths, and very fine Drocienas. The most of these are inat 



«inarv stoff, such as may be seen in any nnrsery by the thousand. 



Cnt flowers of all descriptions and in immense variety are exhibil«d 

 by Messrs. F.mst & Von Spreckelsen, seedsmen. Hamburg. Tbeie 

 are staged so nicely, and so many of tbem together, that they really 

 look well. Their double Zinnias, Asters, and Everlastings are very 

 line indeed. If wo could only get such from their seeds, we should be 

 satisfied. 



Asters form a great feature of the Exhibition, an immense variety 

 being exhibited from all the German seed-growers, F. Haage. Haoge 

 and Schmidt, Benary. Mnhring of Amstadt, itc. By far the finest lot, 

 however, came from Dippc Brothers, seed-growers, Qaedlenburg ; these 

 are really splendid. 



Of Hollyhocks thirtrsix varieties are shown by Messrs. Dowme, 

 Laird. & Laing, Stanstcad Park, Forest Hill, and very fine they are, 

 as also are their Pansies. A very pretty lot of Fancy Pansies, cnrions- 

 looking things, come from Herr H. Wre'de, Lunebnrg. These German 

 Fancy Pansies take onr taste more than the English strain ; they are 

 some of them so verv singular in appearance. Cot Boses are weU 

 shown by Friedrich Harms, nnrscryman, Hamburg. Dahlias and 

 Gladiolus are here also shown, but none of particular merit. 



An extremely intere.iting and extensive variety of Oaks, Elms, &c., 

 small plants in pots, are exhibited from Moscow. 



Tricolor Pelargoniums are exhibited by Messrs. Carter & Co., and 

 Messrs. F. & A. Smith, Dalwicb, whose plants are extremely fine and 

 much admired. Bronze varieties come from Messrs. Carter and 

 Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing, and a glass case of leaves of the 

 same from Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Sons. Some of these leaves 

 are so very vividly coloured that the visitors do not believe tbem to bo 

 Kcnnine. Colenscs are abundantly displayed in variety. They do not 

 look well, however, in this dark tent. The best come from Messrs. 

 Carter A: Co. One large plant grafted with twenty-eight varieties 

 attracts a good deal of attention. 



Passing now to the open ground, where the most of the plants snjt- 

 nble for the open air are exhibited, we find tbem placed hero and there 

 in groups or smgly, according to their character. The placing and 

 arrangement of all these plants must have been a task of considerable 

 difliculty. We are bound to admit that it has been ably executed, and 

 a most" beantifnl effect produced. It is a very excellent method 

 of exhibiting such plants as Conifers, Roses in summer. Oranges, 

 &c. They tell to greater advantage when placed thus in a natural 

 position. 



Conifers are largelv shown, and form a grand feature in the gronnda 

 They are principally'contrihated by Messrs. Peter Smith & Co., nnr 

 serymen, Hamburg: Jiirgens, Nieustadten ; and Barron & Son8,Bor- 

 rowash, Derhv. The first prize for the Rroup of 100 distinct varieties 

 has been awaVded to Messrs. Peter Smith & Co. There are some 

 good varieties in this lot, but a great number are very coarse ani 

 inferior, and we question verv much if there are UK) varieties. There 

 were at least two Thuja Warreana which came under our own notice. 

 M Van Geert, Belgium, exhibits a very pretty lot of 100 smaUish 

 plants, which were awarded the third prize. In the class for twenty- 

 five Abies and Picea the first prize was deservedly awarded to Messrs. 

 Barren & Sons for a very choice collection, the planU about 3 feet in 

 height nil pretty specimens. Messrs. Barron are agam first for six 

 distinct Kctinosporas— viz., R. obtusa, oblnsa nana aurea, plumosa 

 anrea, plumosa alba variegata, pisifera, and lycopodioides. Second 

 prize M. J. Vcrschaffelt. The first-prize Wellingtonia. a plant abont 

 10 feet high, from Borkoop. Holland, is a verj- wretched object, one- 

 sided, and almost dead. Herr Jurgens carries off the honours for the 

 specimen Abies lasiocarpa. Messrs. Barron's plant having lost ita 

 leader thus lost the prize. The first-prize group of Cnpressns Law- 

 soniana comes from Borkoop, Holland, and is a very Rood lot indeed, 

 lu this class there is strong competition. Cedrus Deodara is wcU 

 shown, .the first prize going to Juricssen & Sons. Messrs. »""■>« 

 i.lant. altbouKh smaller, is in every respect a finer specimen, the lead- 

 in" shoot of the prize plant being very poor. Some fine Thuja Lobbi, 

 Warreana, &c.. are exhibited. Messrs. Peter Smith & Co. obtam the 

 first prize for Abies Nordmanniana with a beautiful plant about 5 or 

 C feet high. AVc cannot, however, say so much for the prize phint of 

 Abies nobilis shown bv Messrs. Peter Smith & Co. It is a smoU 

 plant quite out of health, without a leader, bnt bearing some four or 

 live cones, which we suppose must in the opinion of the Jurors have 

 been a wonderful phenomenon. Messrs. Barron s plant opposed to 

 this is twice the size and in most cxceUent health. Judgments of Uus 



