48 



JOUBNAL OP HOBTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



r July 16, 1S74. 



I have seeu prizes awarded to table decorations that would 

 not have U'^teJ area during the time of an ordinary dinner 

 party. At Taubridge Wells and at the Crystal Palace the 

 first prices v7ern given to vasea of the March type, where single 

 flowers of the Drtlphiuiam formogum and csruleam were wired 

 on to pieces of grass, and the chief effect produced by meane 

 of flowers that would die before dinner was hilf over. 



Tuere is such a thing as making vases too heavy by over- 

 crowding them with flowers, however choice the flowers may 

 be ; but 8urely there is no need to run into the opposite ex- 

 trem'i and encourage poverty of idea and paucity of flowers. 

 There is a limit to the use of Grass and Ferns ; nor can I see 

 any beauty iu white sand stuck all over with Grass, and a few 

 flowers thrown promiscuously at the base of the stand. 



The excuse given for wiring the flowers on grass for table 

 decorations is, that the same practice is adopted for hand- 

 bouquets at Covent Garden ; but surely Covcnt Garden is not 

 to rule the taste of judges at horticultural shows, and what 

 may be alio wable for ahaad-bouquet of ameretraasitory nature 

 to be used for one night, is not to be a guide for a table decora- 

 tion which ought to be of a more permanent character. A 

 .stand of flowers for the centre of a drawing-room or dining- 

 jroom table ought to be fit to be seen the next morning. If 

 ■dinner tables are decorated at a nobleman's or gentleman's 

 bouse when a large party is staying in the house, the breakfast 

 table or the luncheon table should bo able to profit by the 

 decorations of the previous evening. 



The habit of introducing plants in pots by means of holes 

 cut in the table is, I am in hopes, dying out, even where it was 

 for a bhort time adopted ; and I also trust that poverty and 

 paaoity will not be encouraged under the pretext of lightness 

 and elegance. The best table decorations ought always to 

 consist of choice flowers, not overcrowded, nor, on the other 

 band, too formally arranged, but every flower nsed should bo 

 good of its kind, and folliage should he accessory and se- 

 condary, and not the principal object. — C. P. P. 



NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 



On the Roekwork in flower are two very interesting new 

 plants from Mirocco, bronfibt home by the Expedition of Dr. 

 Hooker, Messrs. Maw and Bill, in 1871 — Bellis rotundifolia, 

 var. cffirulescens (the Blue Daisy), and Salvia taraxacifolia. 

 " The Blue Daisy is one of the commonest spring flowers in 

 various parts of Marocco, abounding in fields with a rich soil 

 on the hills near Tangier, and occurring in great profusion by 

 the watercourses of the valleys of the Greater Atlas in lati- 

 tude 31°, at elevations of 4000 to 11,000 feet" (Dr. Hooker's 

 " Bot. Mag.," 1871). It is easily cultivated, and may be grown 

 in pots, but is better planted on roekwork, where it grows 

 freely. Increase may be eff dieted by division. It is as yet ex- 

 ■ceediugly rare, and is much inquired after. The leaves of 

 ■Salvia taraxacifolia are pleasingly scented ; the flowers are pale 

 pink, and are produced in spikes. It does not seem to stand 

 our winters well ; a few plants should therefore be grown in 

 pots and wintered in a frame. A stock is best obtained from 

 Beeds, which are freely produced and grow readily. 



Bi-gonia Sedeni is he,^vily covered with scarlet flowers. 

 B. carmiuata is also very handsome, with flowers of a yellowish 

 'hue. B. intermedia and B. Anacreou are also beautiful; the 

 flowers of the former are very fiery. 



There are a few half-hardy plants that may with propriety 

 be planted on the roekwork in summer, among which may be 

 aamed the tuberous Begonias. They are an additional point 

 of interest and beauty without being in the way, and serve to 

 attract thope who can see no beauty that does not consist 

 chiefly of fliming colour. Cuttings strike freely; it is the 

 only way of getting the best kinds true. They are easily 

 grown and flowered from seed, when a variety may be obtained. 

 Hf*at is never required ; fine specimens may be grown in a 

 greenhouse, prefer.ibly with a north aspect. When the plan s 

 inc:iue for rest the supply of water must decrease, and the 

 'tubers be placed in a moderately dry and cool position. They 

 •grow well in rich fibrous loam. The New Zealand Lobeha 

 (Pratia) littoralis is very charming. It has a neat creeping 

 babit, and bears a profusion of pure white flowers. It may 

 not be quite hardy, but only requires the protection of a frame 

 in wiutir; a few plants in pots would hold it safe. In sum- 

 mer it lik< F, a moist and rather shady position. It appears to 

 be rare, but by mi-ans of the roo'ed stems may be increased 

 •t ' • y extent. Tricyrtis macropoda is rare aod curious ; it 

 'has yellow flowers with numerous small dark purple spots; the 



leaves have usually a few large ones almost black. Lilium 

 Wdshingtonianum, mentioned last week, is represented in this 

 country by the variety purpureum. The type, it is supposed, 

 has not been introduced to cultivation. 



In the Herbaceous ground Erigeron muoronatum, nearly a 

 yard across, is producing a mass of flowers on slender much- 

 branching stems. The flowers are Daisy-like, are white at 

 first and then turn red. This plant till last year was every- 

 where known as Vittadenia triloba, with which it has nothing 

 whatever to do. It is a native of Mexico and Venezuela, and 

 therefore must not be called the New Halland Daisy. Here it 

 is quite hardy and of perennial habit. It grows freely from 

 seed, and being so pretty and distinct is worth cultivation 

 everywhere. Coreopsis auriculata is very fine, much in the 

 way of C. lanceolata. Scolymus maculatusis a striking peren- 

 nial of Thistle-like aspect, with many large yellow flowers. It 

 is not at all common, and is best grown from seed. Campa- 

 nula celtidifolia is a very fine species, about 3 feet in height, 

 with panicles of large flowers (it is also in bloom at the Rock- 

 work). Salvia H'irminum, var. rubra, presents a pretty change 

 of colour from the commoner violet form. Calandrinia um- 

 bellata during sunshine is so brilliant as scarcely to be equalled 

 by anything else. Though a perennial on well-drained soil, it 

 may sJso be treated as an armual; sown early, the crimson 

 flowers are produced the same year. Genista Eetnensis is a 

 very handsome and graceful shrub. The branches are com- 

 posed of slender, green, leafless twigs, bearing a profusion of 

 yellow flowers. Diauthus monspessulanus is very pretty with 

 pink flowers, the petals of which are deeply fringed. D. ramo- 

 sissimus is very distinct in habit ; it produces a dense tuft of 

 slender stems, bearing numerous small pink flowers. 



In the Cape house Eucomis punctata is very ornamental. 

 It has tall racemes of greenish white flowers, the ovaries of 

 which are dark violet. Several plants are in flower of the new 

 Pelai-gonium oblongatum. It has dwarf fleshy st^ms without 

 any inclination to branch. A few Mesembryanthemums are 

 very showy. M. cocoineum, M. iuclaudens, M. blandum, 

 M. falciforme, M. bulbosum, and M. lacerum, of which a single 

 flower is quite an ornament ; it is large, and of a fine rose 

 colour. 



THE LAWN-MOWER COMPETITION AT 

 BIRMINGHAM. 



Medals were offered in this section of considerable value, and 

 it was to be regretted that there was not a larger numberof mowers 

 to take part iu the contest, although, as matters were arranged, 

 the work that fell to the share of t be Jadftes wasof a very laborious 

 character. For instance, instead of testing the draught of each 

 machine by a dynamometer, which could readily have been ob- 

 tained for this purpose, and which would have given the result 

 with accuracy, each machine bad to be tested by the muscular 

 exertion of those who had to adjudicate on its relative merits. 

 Surely the work that falls to the share of the censors at an ex- 

 hibition like that at Aston is trying enough both to the mind and 

 the body without oppressing them with work that might be per- 

 formed by a donkey or other beast of burden. Conductors of 

 exbiiiitions would do well to take a note of this when organising 

 another contest of this character; do let the work of the judges 

 be as pleasant as possible. Another feature in the machines 

 which could not be tested in a competition like this is their 

 liability to get out of order; but this could only be ascertained 

 by a whole season's practice. Of course simplicity of construc- 

 tion may, to some extent, be considered a guarantee that the 

 machine would continue to work for a period in proportion to 

 the least number of parts, cogwheels, Ac, of which it is possible 

 to construct i^. 



The new " Royal " machines exhibited simplicity of construc- 

 tion in a very marked degree ; these were sent by Messrs. Green 

 and Son, and are totally different in couslruction from the ma- 

 chines made by them and worked by cba'n-action. The broad 

 wheels at the sides are certainly objectionable when it is in- 

 tended to cut amongst flower beds, around large pedestals, itc. 

 Still, none of the machines cut quite up to pedestals, and in 

 practice it would not matter much whether the space to be cut 

 with shears was or 3 inches broad. 



The contest ought to have commenced at 11 a.m. on Wednes- 

 day (July 8tb), but owing to some delay it was mid-day before 

 the first machine was set to work. The following were the sizes 

 of the machines entered, and the conditions are also specified 

 below. 



12 or 14-iQch machine, to bo ■wort-ed by one person. 

 20-incb, ,, ,. two persona. 



SO-iuch, „ ,. 1 poiiy. 



CoMDiTioNs. — 1. Stren^h and simplicity of coQstructioii. 

 2. Capability to out a smooth lawn. 



