JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ July 2, 1874. 



Chloroeodon Whitei is in flower in the Palm house, " the 

 aromatic roots of which are extensively collected and sold by 

 the native tribes as ' Mundi ' or ' Mindi,' and used by them 

 as a stomachic " (Dr. Hooker, " Bot. Mag."). It is a curious 

 Asclepiad, a native of Natal. It has large evergreen foliage, 

 and would be useful where a climber of tbat character is re- 

 quired. Pieces of the root grow freely, and it requires a warm 

 greenhouse or stove. It was figured in the " Botanical Maga- 

 zine" of 1871, when the above name was given. Pavetta 

 caffra is very pretty; it is covered with white flowers, and 

 from the protrusion of so many styles it has a light appearance. 



In the Temperate house the beautiful Spiraea palmata is 

 very attractive. It does not seem to be much grown for con- 

 servatory decoration, though eminently suited for the purpose. 

 " By far the handsomest species of the genus hitherto im- 

 ported, and certainly one of the most beautiful hardy plants 

 in cultivation ; the deep purple red of the stems and branches 

 passing into the crimson purple of the glorious broad corymbs 

 of flowers, contrasts most exquisitely with the foliage, which 

 in autumn assumes beautiful tints of brown and golden yellow " 

 (Dr. Hooker, "Bot. Mag.," 1868). Cyphomandra betacea is 

 very ornamental in one of the beds; now coming into flower, 

 it still retains a number of the fruits of last year ; they are 

 the shape and size of a hen's egg, reddish yellow in colour, 

 and hang by slender stalks from the rigid branches ; they re- 

 main on the tree altogether about fourteen months. The 

 plant is cultivated in South America for the sake of the fruit, 

 where they are used in a similar way to the Tomato. 



In the Succulent house are the three plants supposed to be 

 lost to cultivation at page 511 last week — Kleinia or Caoalia 

 articulata, the Caudle Plant ; Crassula imbricata, under the 

 preferable name C. lycopodioides, which, according to the laws 

 of botanical nomenclature, is the one that should be upheld ; 

 and Monanthes polyphylla, which should be replanted in pans 

 at least every year, otherwise it is liable to lose vigour and at 

 last to die. 



MIDLAND COUNTIES GRAND HORTICULTURAL 

 EXHIBITION, 



AT ASTON PABK, BIRM[NGHA3I. 



The arrangements for this great Exhibition, which may be 

 said to take the place of the large provincial Show of the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society, which will not be held during the present 

 year, are in a very forward state, and are being worked-out 

 with spirit. The large tent occupied by the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society in 1872 has been roofed over, and formed into 

 two longitudinal divisions. The northern division is wholly 

 covered-in with glass. One half of this is fitted-up with a hot- 

 water apparatus, and is used by Mr. Qailter for the growth of 

 the large specimen Palms, tree Ferns, and other tender-foliaged 

 plants. These will still continue to occupy the centre of the 

 house, and wUl be an imposing feature ; but all round there 

 is a staging which will accommodate the Orchids, new plants, 

 tender specimens, &c. The other half, which is used as a 

 winter promenade, will be fitted-up to contain table-deco- 

 rations, of which a large number of elaborate designs are ex- 

 pected, bouquets, button-holes, &c. The structure is airy and 

 lofty, and the necessary means have been taken to mitigate 

 the effects of the sun's rays, and make it pleasant for the 

 visitors. The other longitudinal division is planted with Rho- 

 dodendrons, Clematises, &c., with a broad winding path down 

 the centre ; and in addition it will afford accommodation for 

 miscellaneous collections of plants tastefully arranged. 



An immense tent, lofty, airy, and of great strength, will 

 contain all the large collections of plants, with ample space at 

 the side for smaller groups. Another long tent will be oc- 

 cupied by the cut Roses, cut flowers, etc. ; and another by the 

 fruit and vegetables. They wiU be so arranged as to aflord as 

 far as possible a continuous promenade. Every faciUty wiU 

 be afforded exhibitors to secure a proper staging of their 

 plants ; notices containing a list of the classes to be staged 

 Vfithin will be posted at the entrance to each tent, and at- 

 tendants will be found in each to indicate the proper position 

 for the plants, and otherwise assist exhibitors ; and, in fact, 

 every precaution will be adopted to secure the rapid staging of 

 the plants, a comprehensive arrangement, and such a prompt 

 clearing of the tents, that the judging may be got through 

 quickly and uninterruptedly, and the tents thrown open to the 

 public at the announced time. The disposition and arrange- 

 ment of the plants will be under the superintendence of Mr. 

 Thomas Baines, of Southgate, and Mr. WilUam Spinks, Mr. 



Quilter's foreman, and formerly of Chiswick. As soon as 

 possible after the work of judging shall have been completed, 

 lists of awards will be posted at the entrances to all the tents. 



The comfort and convenience of the exhibitors will be care- 

 fully looked after by Mr. Quilter. One room will be set apart 

 as a meeting-place for horticulturists, where appointments 

 can be made, and friends meet together. Another will be 

 fitted-up as a temporary reading and writing room — a want 

 always felt at large gatherings. A cold collation will be pro- 

 vided every day from twelve to four, at a moderate charge, 

 and the tariff of refreshments supplied on the grounds will be 

 arranged in a like spirit. 



On Wednesday, July 8th, the judging of the implements 

 and the trial of lawn-mowers will take place. This is a most 

 important and extensive feature of the Show, and the gi-eat 

 desire of Mr. Quilter is to afford opportunities for displaying 

 all the newest improvements in garden appliances. The lawn- 

 mowing contest is so arranged as to afford every exhibitor an 

 opportunity for fully testing the capabiUties of his machine. 

 Mr. Charles Quilter will have the supervision of this part of 

 the Exhibition. 



A horticultural dinner will take place in the afternoon of 

 the second day, when the Mayor of Birmingham wiU take the 

 chair, and the cost of the dinner has been fixed at a price that 

 will bring it within the reach of all. 



AMONG THE NORTH-FOLK.— No. 1. 



That is Camden's name for the county, and far superior is 

 it to our curt corruption, Norfolk, or, as our base pronuncia- 

 tion stUl further mangles it, Norfuk. However, the North- 

 folk have no right to complain, for they and other East- 

 Anglians are the worst corrupters of names that ever bewildered 

 me. I have found out and am well housed at Hunstanton, 

 but I had to inquire for it as Hunston. No countryman knew 

 Eye, but Ay was about a mile off ; and Botsdale was unknown, 

 but they knew Buedel. The cottagers in some of the out- 

 lying villages still call Gooseberries " Thebes," and yeast 

 " God's-good ;" but they have one form of expression which 

 deserves general adoption : in speaking of a recent occurrence 

 they say, " It was near now." 



As aforesaid here I am at Hunstanton, which, being inter- 

 preted, means Hunna's Dwelling, and though the Normans 

 won his and the broad acres of many other Anglo-Saxons, they 

 did not extirpate their place-names ; all are still of Anglo- 

 Saxon origin, even the ruined chapel on the headland here is 

 " St. Edmund's." Camden says that both it and the village 

 were built by Edmund, last titular King of East-Anglia. Ho 

 was AD. 903 killed by the Danes, and buried at " Breadis- 

 worth," known now as St. Edmund's Bury. As he had been 

 a great benefactor of monastic establishments he was canonised, 

 and St. Edmund's day is November 20th. 



The district, I think, would repay the attention which might 

 be bestowed upon it by archseologists ; more than one tumulus 

 would probably repay them for opening. They must not wait 

 for an invitation, inasmuch as such researches do not seem 

 to be appreciated. The ruins of St. Edmund's chapel and of 

 Ringstead St. Peter's church I found, the one in the middle of 

 a Barley field, and the other in a field of Clover, without the 

 possibility of reaching the ruins without trampling through 

 the crops. Those crops, and of Wheat, are excellent — above 

 an average — and the last-named is safely in bloom during con- 

 tinued fine weather. 



In the cottage gardens — and these, happily, are general and 

 well cultivated — the Potatoes are vigorous, and the early va- 

 rieties yielding abundantly. Of the flowers around the cottages 

 I will only mention that the Roses, even the standards, are 

 marvellously vigorous, and free from both mildew and green 

 fly. Their flowers and those of Valerian, which is much 

 patronised, are intensely crimson. The sea air and the sea 

 manures accomplish these results. I speak of the manure in 

 the plural, because not only is seaweed largely used as a fer- 

 tiliser, but fish also. I saw a twenty-acre field of Mangold 

 Wurtzel that had been manured just previously to the last 

 ploughing with mussels. Apples are a total failure, the frosts 

 in early June cut off the blossoms. Pears and Plums are 

 abundant. Cherries I cannot speak of, for I never saw a 

 •district where there are fewer Cherry trees. Strawberries and 

 small bush fruits are above an average crop. 



In Hunstanton churchyard is a square plot with a low rail, 

 and borders of flowers around it. In the centre of the plot are 

 two tombs of the Le Stranges. I have more than once advo- 



