September 34, 1874. ] 



JOUKN'AL OF HORTICULTUBE AXD COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



this year attained the first place. This Plmn has the repu- I 

 tation of being a Ehv bearer, but I find it very prolific on high [ 

 ground ont of the reach of frost. It does not come into bear- 

 ing 80 early as the Victoria, nor as a rule docs it crop bo 

 heavily, but it grows quite as strongly, and is much tougher 

 in the wood, and the fruit is larger in size. If Plums are 

 grown for profit, I should draw a line below the Eivera's Early 

 Prolific as it stands in my list. 



The Pear crop is very good this year, but I notice a curious 

 result. I have varieties of Pear — e.g., the Louise Bonne and 

 Vicar of Winkfield, grafted on three different stocks — the Pear, 

 the Quince, and the common Quick or VThitethom, and the 

 Pears on the Quick stock are this season half as large ajain as 

 any of the others. — W tttt»m Lea, St. Peter's, Droitwich. 



reason to me is plain, and that is, he has neglected to provide 

 them with congenial boU. Unless attention is paid to tViia 

 essential I do not wonder at his non-success. For example, 

 the Scolopendrinms and Polypodiums, which grow so freely in 

 Korth Lancashire, grow on a limestone formation, and if I 

 do not procure a sufficiency of soil with the roots, I mix lime- 

 rubbish (rough-casting from houses will do) amongst the soil 

 when potting ; this, and taking care to keep the outside of the 

 pots clean, wiU preserve them alive and luxuriant for many 

 years. A seven-years-old Seolopendrium which I have now 

 has upwards of one hundred fronds upon it, grown in a 6-inch 

 pot, and will keep green and luxuriant through the winter. — 

 Beia. 



NOVELTIES rs* THE EOTAL GARDENS, EEW. 



Though a dull season of the year for Orchids in flower, | 

 there are still several of much beauty and interest. Two good , 

 varieties of Odontoglossum grande are very attractive. Zygo- ; 

 petalum maxillare is still in perfection, and the rich blue of 

 its Up is in contrast to the colour of everything else. MUtonia 

 Candida var. grandiflora is very beautiful ; so also is an extra 

 fine variety of ililtonia Clowesi. Among the Oncidiums are 

 O. Harrisianum, 0. "Wentworthianum, 0. obrizatum, and 

 O. Limminghii ; all are worthy of cultivation. The first has 

 a very neat habit ; the last is remarkable, " perhaps the most 

 singular in the whole genus." The flowers are large in pro- 

 portion to the size of the leaves, which are closely adpressed 

 to the block on which the plant is growing. There is a good i 

 variety of the beautiful and distinct Cattleya Aelandias, this | 

 plant appears to flower freely. Others are Dendrobium chry- ; 

 santhum, Pleione lagenaria, Eriamyristicaformis, Phalaenopsis 

 cornu-cervi, and, as a matter of course, P. rosea, with many of 

 botanical interest. 



Flowering in the Palm house are two beautiful climbers of 

 the order MalpighiacesB, both with yellow flowers. They are , 

 Thryallis brachystachys and StigmaphyUum ciliatum. The | 

 former has oval leaves, green above and white underneath. ' 

 It flowers in large masses. A native of Rio de Janeiro. Peat 

 and loam in equal parts may be used for its culture. Cuttings 

 strike readily. StigmaphyUum ciliatum is better known than 

 the above ; the flowers are larger, but fewer together ; its 

 branches are slender, and hang gracefully ; the leaves are dark 

 green, and ciliated with long hairs distant from one another. 

 It is a native of Brazil, £nd will succeed with the treatment 

 for the preceding. 



Passiflora Munroi is one of the finest climbers in the tem- 

 perate house on account of its handsome dark green foliage 

 and beautiful sweetly-scented flowers. It is a hybrid between 

 P. alata and P. cserulea, the former being the female parent. 

 In character the leaves are those of the latter, but larger. The 

 flowers are intermediate between the two. It was described in 

 1868, and is worth the attention of all who do not already 

 possess it. P. alata is flowering in the Palm house, and is 

 also handsome, it is nearly allied to P. quadrangularis. 



The Asters are commencing to make a show in the herbaceous 

 ground, and of them there is a large coUeetion. A. Shorti is 

 the finest now in flower, it is about 4 feet high, and is loaded 

 with large, finely-formed, lavender-coloured flowers. A. turbi- 

 nellus is very distinct and good, the stems are slender, and the 

 flowers large. Funkia grandiflora is an excellent autumn- 

 flowering herbaceous plant, it has beautiful light green foliage, 

 and pure white flowers of good size, valuable for cutting. 

 Hypericum patulum is rare and elegant, one of the finest for 

 borders. It was figured in the " Botanical ilsgazine ' for 1S6S, 

 where we are informed that " it is a native of Japan, where it 

 was discovered by Thunberg ninety years ago, and was intro- 

 duced into Kew by Mr. Oldham, collector for the Boyal Gar- 

 dens, who, after making many valuable botanical collections, 

 perished of fever on the coast of China."" The flowers are | 

 large, li to "2 inches in diameter, and freely produced. The ; 

 stems are reddish, and reach a height of about 2 feet. It is ■ 

 quite hardy. Salvia angustifoUa is a handsome blue-flowering 

 species from Mexico. It has neat and distinct foliage, and is 

 worth cultivation from the late period of its blooming. 



NOETHAMPTON- SHIRE HORTICULTURAL 

 SHOW. 



This Show, which was held on" the racecourse at ^S^orthampton 

 on the ISth inst. in connectiou with the County Agricultural 

 Society, was a marked success. Stove and greenhouse plants 

 were unusually good for the season, Mr. J. House of Peter- 

 borough taking the first position; but it is the cut flowers, and 

 especially the Koses, which we are induced to note. 



The liberal schedule of prizes for Boses had evidently been 

 prepared in view of a favoura'ole autumn for the queen of 

 flowers, and the result proved that the Committee had made " a 

 gold," the display of Boses having been rarely, if ever, equalled 

 previously in the fall, auguring well for Boses in the concur- 

 rent Exhibition now being held at Lyons. Messrs. Paul and 

 Son appeared in good force, coming to the front in both the lead- 

 ing classes of twenty-four and twelve trebles, having good 

 blooms of Princess Beatrice, which has proved a leading show 

 Bose this year; Madame George Schwartz, Charles LefebvTe, 

 Alfred Colomb, Madame C. Crapeler, Baroness Eothschild, 

 Fisher Holmes, Paul Xeron, and Marechal SieL Mr. Prince, 

 who arrived late, was a good secand in both classes, and in his 

 usual colour ; indeed, another hour for arrangement might 

 have turned the scale in his favour. Mr. House, who had evi- 

 dently suffered more than his competitors from the heavy 

 rains of the previous Wednesday, had otherwise fine flowers, 

 and was tiiird. Mr. Perkins of Coventry also showed welL 

 In the classes for gentlemen"3 gardeners and amateurs Mr. 

 Laxton and Mr. Whittle of Leicester were first with good 

 twelves, the former also being first in the class open to both. 

 Teas were also well shown, Mr. Prince being foremost. We 

 noticed in this class clean blooms of Marechal Xiel, Catherine 

 Mermet, Triomphe de Bennes, Xiphetos, Belle Lyonnaise, 

 Madame Cecile Berthod, Madame Caroline Kuster, Cloth of 

 Gold, and Narcisse. In new Boses Messrs. Paul were first, and 

 " The Shah," who appeared in glaring scarlet, took the post of 

 honour. 



There was a large and good competition in Dahlias, Mr. 

 Walker of Thame taking the lead. Asters were remarkably fine, 

 the two stands of French shown by Mr. Laxton, who was first 

 in both classes, being particularly good. Mr. Walker also 

 showed well, and Mr. Tranter of Henley amongst amateurs, 

 Mr. Walker being first in the Globe quilled class. Table decora- 

 tions were a feature, and with the bouquets filled a large tent ; 

 Mrs. Turner, the Mayoress of Northampton, and Mrs. J. Phipps 

 exhibiting much taste in the arrangement of a group of three 

 pieces and a centrepiece, with fruit and flowers for the dinner- 

 table. 



Fruit, with the exception of Grapes and Pines, which were 

 not so well shown as might have been expected in so favourable 

 a locality as Xorthamptonshire with its numerous resident 

 landed proprietors, was good. Amongst Apples, Messrs. Brown 

 of Stamford showed their new seedling Peasgood's Xonesuch, 

 very fine and highly coloured. Bed Astrachan, Franklin's 

 Golden Pippin, the Irish Peach Apple, Quarrenden, and Beinette 

 Blanche d'Espagne were also nicely coloured and good. Pears, 

 with few exceptions, were not ripe. 



In vegetables, Broccoli and Onions were well shown, but, as a 

 rule, the Potatoes were coarse. Altogether the Show, which 

 was contained in seven large marquees, was a decided success, 

 and creditable to the management. 



FERNS AS WINDOW PLANTS. 

 Is No. 699, page 165 of the Journal, " F. P." says that he 

 has brought Ferns from the Isle of Man and other places, but 

 could never get them to live more than one season. The 



ELECTION OF ROSES. 

 I PBOcEEn now to give to the readers of " our Journal "" " the 

 state of the poU,"' but first a word or two on the utility of this 

 election. On the one hand I have had letters considering it 

 unnecessary, whilst on the other I have received regrets that 

 the election was not extended to other flowers. Apart from 

 both of these classes, I have met during the past year with an 

 example of a class for whom this election was specially in- 

 tended — viz., those fond of gardenicg and who are lovers of 

 Boses, but who can from various circumstances only grow a 

 certain moderate number. The gentleman had long been 



