December 3, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIOOLTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



493 



beings ; but I have seen people subjected by it to Rreat suffer- 

 ing, notably a scientific gentleman, who plucked off a branch 

 and carried it some distance as a curiosity, wondering the 

 while what was causing the pain and numbness in his arm. 

 Horses I have seen die in a^ony from the sting, the wounded 

 parts becoming paralysed ; but, strange to say, it does not 

 seem to injure cattle, who dash through scrubs full of it with- 

 out receiving any damage. This curious anomaly is well 

 known to all bushmen. — (GasseU's Illu-it rated Travels for 

 December.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The first annual meeting — the maiden meeting — of Tuk 

 Western CHRTSAN-rnEMUM Society was held recently in the 

 Davonport Town Hall, under very promising auspices, and 

 with the most gratifying results. The Society was formed a 

 few months since by several local gentlemen interested in 

 horticulture, and especially in the growth of Chrysanthemums. 

 Mr. G. H. E. Ruudla was elected the President, and the fact 

 of hia consenting to take the office at once gave the movement 

 a good start; for in connection with the Western Horticultural 

 Society, as well as in other ways, Mr. Rundle has done as 

 much as any single gentleman in this locality to advance the 

 study of horticulture among the public generally, and to bring 

 the refining and elevating influences of flowers to bear upon 

 the masses. The Show was good. In the number of exhibitors, 

 the number and quality of the plants, and general support 

 accorded it, the most sanguine anticipations of the managers 

 and promoters were realised. The Plall itself, which is one of 

 the handsomest and most expensively decarated in the West 

 of England, is admirably adapted for such a Show, and cer- 

 tainly its advantages were fully utilised in the arrangements 

 of the stalls. The display of the Chrysanthemums was bril- 

 liant. Among those who exhibited collections of plants as 

 well as Chrysanthemums, in order to give the Society a help- 

 ing hand, were the Rev. T. Bewes ; Mr. Chalice, Plympton ; 

 C. Fox, Esq., Mr. Anderson, Mr. Eastley, and Mr. Cuerel, 

 Stoke, &c. 



LIVERPOOL CHRYS ANTHEM QM SHOW. 



The twelfth annual Show of this Society was held Nov. 17th 

 and ISth in the large room of St. George's Hall, thau which there 

 could not be a better place for a floral exhibition at this time of 

 the year, particularly as it is brilliantly lighted. From the side 

 galleries the view is splendid by gaslight; and the music from 

 the band floating on the ear, combined with the bright hues of 

 the flowers and the delicate tracery of the Ferns, the decora- 

 tions of the Hall with its noble columns, and the moving crowd, 

 all make up a scene worth going many miles to see. It is a pity 

 that such a meeting should be in any way hampered for want of 

 funds in a populous town like Liverpool, yet such is the case 

 unless this Show has made up the loss on its predecessors, for I 

 was told that the Committee were some £30 out of pocket. This 

 I hope is not the case now. 



Gardeners muster in strong numbers after six o'clock in the 

 evening, when it becomes a matter of great difficulty to get to 

 the stands of cut blooms. This year there was better competi- 

 tion thau last, and the blooms were shown in splendid condition. 

 I think that last year they were larger thau this, but those ex- 

 hibited in the present one were more equal, and showed less of 

 the dresser's art. Last year the Show was held late, and the 

 majority of the blooms would not have kept longer. "This year 

 I noticed several blooms that would have been better in another 

 week ; these were, however, few. 



When a Chrysanthemum will cover a circle of C inches iu 

 diameter, and is beautifully incurved and full in the centre, we 

 are, I think, nearly approaching perfection. In size Empress 

 of India leads the way, closely followed by Queen of England 

 (this I considered the iiuest flower in the Show considering all 

 the stands); H^-rcules, Bronze Jardin des Plantes, Jardin des 

 Plantes, Lady Harding, Nil Desperandum, John Salter, Alfred 

 Salter, Isabella Bott, Prince Alfred, Empress of India, Guern- 

 sey Nugget. Bronze Jardin des Plantes was not so fine as last 

 year, but the others were, I think, better. 



For a stand of eighteen Mr. Norrie was first with Hercules, 

 Alfred Salter, Nil Desperandum, Queen of England, Lord Hard- 

 ing, General Slade, Jardin des Plantes, John Salter, White 

 Globe, Empress of India, Novelty, Empress Eugenie, Guernsey 

 Nugget, Prince and Princess of Wales, Isabella Bott, White 

 Venus, Lord Derby. Mr. G. Ehodes was second, and Mr. W. 

 Kepps third. For twelve Mr. Rhodes was first with a splendid 

 Empress of India, Golden Beverley, Lady Harding, John Salter, 

 Prince Alfred, Lady Slade, Prince and Princess of Wales, Isa- 

 bella Bott, Jardin des Plantes, Bronze Jardin des Plantes, Queen 

 of England. Mr. Moreton second, and Mr. Kepps third. For 



six Mr. Peers was first with Alfred Salter, Empress of India' 

 Lady Harding, John Salter, Prince of Wales, Jardin des Plantes. 

 Mr. llyley second, and Mr. Johns third. 



For six specimen plants, large flowering, natural habit, Mr. 

 Morris was first, Mr. Peers second, Mr. lugwood third. With 

 the exception of the first prize lot the exhibits iu this class were 

 poor. For six specimen plants trained, large-flowering, Mr. 

 Brown was first with splendid examples of Lady Talfourd, Queen 

 of England, Mrs. G. Rundle, John Salter, Lord Derby, and 

 Guernsey Nugget. Mr. Wilson was second with good plants, but 

 with too little variety of colour ; Mr. lugwood third. For three 

 specimen plants trained, large-flowering, Mr. Phythiau was first 

 with Mrs. G. Bundle, Guernsey Nugget, and Pink Perfection. 

 Mr. Wilson second, and Mr. Ingwood third. For one large- 

 flowering specimen Mr. Whitfield was first with Guernsey 

 Nugget, Mr. Wilson second with Mrs. G. Rundle, and Mr. Brown 

 third with Fingal. For one standard Mr. Pliythiau was first 

 with a well-flowered specimen of Mrs. G. Rundle; the first, 

 second, and third prizes going to Mrs. G Rundle, which was 

 well represented in all the different classes, and taking a place 

 at the bead of the lists for decorative purposes. Mr. Brown 

 was second, and Mr. Ingwood third. 



For six Pompous Mr. Phythian was again first with Amy, 

 Aigle d'Or, Aurora Borealis ; yellow, lilac, and white Cedo Nulli. 

 Ml-. Whitfield was second, and Mr. Wilson third. For three, Mr. 

 Blackmore was first with the three hinds of Cedo Nulli, splendid 

 plants and grandly flowered; Mr. Phythian second, Mr. Wilson 

 third. 



It will be seen from the foregoing that there were no trade 

 growers competing, and the Exhibition proved that a high 

 degree of excellence has been attained by the amateur culti- 

 vators of the Chrysanthemum around Liverpool. 



Fruit was another special feature, and the competition being 

 open to gardeners in any part of the country, splendidly- 

 coloured Apples and Pears were shown from districts where less 

 soot and smoke are flying shout than in Lancashire. Grapes 

 were fairly represented, as were also Pines. Mr. Jameson, gar- 

 dener to the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, was first for three 

 Pines with nice examples of Smooth-leaved Cayenne. Mr. James 

 was first for Black Hamburgh Grapes, not large, but beautifully 

 coloured, and having a splendid bloom ; and Mr. J. Bruce was 

 first for Muscats. In the collections of fruit there was, I thought 

 t^o much sameness ; such as two dishes of Apples, two of Pears, 

 two of Grapes in one collection; the time of year, however, 

 should be considered. For twelve dishes Mr. Hauagan was first, 

 Mr. Jamieson second, Mr. Potts third. For six Mr. Hanagan 

 was again first, Mr. Curie second, and Mr. Jamieson third. 



Of Palms, Ferns, ornamental-foliaged and flowering plants 

 there were enough to back-up the Chrysanthemums. A fine 

 Adiantum farleyense was exhibited by Mr. Cromwell, gardener 

 to T. Moss, Esq. ; it was 5 feet through, but not being well 

 supported by the rest of the six, the group consequently only 

 stood second, Mr. Forester being first with Cibotium regale, 

 C. glancescens, Goniophlebium subauriculatum, Microlepia 

 species, Adiantum pentadactylon, and Lomaria gibba. Tree 

 Ferns, first a fiue plaut of Todea arborescens from Mr. Tyndal 

 Bright, of Ai^burth; Mr. Gore was second with Alsophila 

 exceisa, and Mr. J. Anderson third. For fine-foliaged and 

 flowering plants (10) Mr. Blomley was first, Mr. Wilson second, 

 and Mr. Wri;-',ht third. Primulas, Epiphyllums, Mignonette, 

 and Poinsettias were not so good, not being at their best. The 

 first-prize Epiphyllum, single, was by far the best of the 

 lot.— W. 



GARDENING IN SWEDEN. 

 Ofveras, Sweden, the seat of James J. Dickson, Esq., is 

 situated about half an hour's walk south from the town of 

 Gothenburg, and is sheltered from the north by a rocky hiU 

 of considerable height. Here extensive gardens have been laid 

 out within the last eight years under the direction and man- 

 agement of Mr. James Loney, sou of that well-known veteran 

 horticulturist Mr. Loney, gardener to Sir Patrick Murray 

 Thriepland, Birt., at Piugask Castle, Perthshire. A public 

 road divides the fruit and kitchen-garden department from the 

 plant houses, flower garden, and pleasure grounds. In the 

 former are two splendid orchard houses, eoch 100 feet long, 

 35 feet wide, and IS feet high, C fe3t high at the sides. A stone 

 path extends up the middle of the houses, and there are two 

 cisterns on each side of the pathways for collecting rain water 

 from the roofs. Here it may be remarked, all rain water that 

 falls on the various roofs is collected inside in slate cisterns, 

 from whence the overflow was conveyed to a large well, from 

 which it was pumped for use. Since that arrangement was 

 made, however, a supply of water has been taken from a lake 

 to the town and passes here, giving a never-failing supply for 

 the mansion as well a? for the hothouses and gardens, likewise 

 for a fountain in the centre of the flower garden. 



