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JODENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTaGE GiARDENER. 



[ Februarj 3, 1876. 



admirably Euited for outdoor culture. Flowers bright orange 

 scarlet. 



B. CheUoni. — A cross between B. boliviensis and B. Sedeni. 

 Flowers a bright glossy red. 



B. Sedeni. — A cross between B. boliviensis and B. species, 

 a plant of free growth and robust habit. Flowers rich magenta. 



B. Model. — A variety, the result of intercrossing B. Pearcei, 

 B. Veitcbii, and B. Sedeni. Flowers bright salmon suffused 

 with orange. 



B. Excelsior. — This variety has B. Cheleoni and B. cinna- 

 barina for its parents. Its colour is very brilliant, a light 

 orange. 



B. Emperor. — This tine Bfgonia was exhibited last year at 

 the Royal Botanic Gardens, Regent's Park, and at the Royal 

 Horticultural Gardens, South Kensington. It received first- 

 class certificates from both Societies. It is also figured in the 

 " Florist and Pomologist " for December, 1875. It is of robust 

 habit and foliage, and its flowers the most brilliant scarlet of 

 the tribe. It is, I believe, not yet in commerce. 



B. Acme. — Has also been before the public on several oc- 

 casions, and attracted much notice on account of its brilliant 

 colour, which is a delicate orange pink, and quite distinct from 

 the other varieties, to which, however, it is a very welcome 

 addition. 



B. KalUsta. — Is another fine robust hybrid with medium- 

 sized flowers of a rich vermilion scarlet, the deepett. in colour 

 yet obtained. It is very floriforous, and an improvement on 

 B. Stella, which is figured as representing a fine type of these 

 valuable plants. 



Where these plants do not flourish satisfactorily under pot 

 culture it is almost invariably the result of growing them in 

 too much heat. A sun-heated pit or frame is preferable in 

 the summer months to a fire-heated stove, hence these plants 

 may be successfully cultivated by all who have the conveni- 

 ences of a Cucumber frame and other ordinary structures, 

 adaptable to growing Geraniums and other popular greenhouse 

 plants. — W. 



ABOUT MANY THINGS. 



" Varitty's the sonrce of joy below," 



And first as to the great use of j'our paper — the help, the 

 comfort, the friend it is to us all who take an interest in 

 gardening. I had been for weeks in doubt as to what veget- 

 able seeds and Potatoes I should order for my kitchen garden. 

 I have been overwhelmed with seed catalogues, vade mecums, 

 amateurs' guides, each one apparently more beautiful in their 

 " get-up " than last year, full of every kind of information, but 

 alas I perfectly 'oewildering in the number and variety of the 

 sorts of Peas, Potatoes, Beans, &o. " What shall I do ? What 

 shall I order?" has over and over again been my cry, and I 

 have kept putting cii sending my small order tm my friends 

 will consider if I have cut them. In the very nick of time, as 

 a very Dcits ex macliina, your paper arrives, and I am re- 

 lieved from my perplexity, for the very first article is beaded 

 " Notes about Potatoes," and there I find a selection of about 

 sis sorts, which will answer my purpose admirably, and the 

 very nest page contains an article from my evergreen friend, 

 the genial "D., Deal," upon the vegetables which have suc- 

 ceeded with him during the last year, inoladiog a select list of 

 Peas, which vegetable is my particular fancy, but which also 

 is year by year the cause of greater perplexity from the extra- 

 ordinary and ever-increasing number of sorts. 



Then to turn to another part of " our .lournal,'' I find the 

 Hst of the fixtures ol the horticultural exhibitions of the 

 greatest boon, and one for which exhibitors cannot bo too 

 grateful. Among these entrie one which brings to my mind 

 an amusing scene last year. It is that of my native place, 

 "Brighouse, July 20th, Messrs. C. Jessop and t. Eawnsley, 

 Hon. Sees." 



Mr. Baring Gould opens his capital work on " Yorkshire 

 Oddities " by saying, " every Yorkshireman is an oddity," and 

 there is more fun to be had in that county than any other I have 

 been in. I happened to arrive the day before the last Show, 

 and was greeted by, " Why you have come just in time for our 

 show." Early next morning I accompanied one of the Com- 

 mittee to the show ground, and never before did I see such a 

 wonderful place for a horticultural exhibition. At one side 

 was erected an enormous grand stand with beams and joists 

 fit for the sons of Anak to sit on, and all over this stand was 

 to be found a printed papsr certify ing that " We (two practical 

 carpenters) have examined thie stand, and certify that it is of 



sufficient strength and stability." In front of the stand im- 

 mense barricades separated a large portion of the field. This 

 is for the jumping. Jumping;' Yes, leaping. We have prizes 

 for hunters, &a., as well as for flowers. At the other side of 

 the field was an enormous tent, as large as those we usually 

 see down here, which contain the flowers. " Is that the tent 

 for specimens?" "Oh, dear no, they are all in one tent — 

 that is for the refreshments." And, gentlemen, it would have 

 astonished you if you had seen the preparations for eo supply- 

 ing the needs of our jc lly tykes. The very tables were supported 

 on beer barrels, a most ingenious arrangement as they per- 

 formed the double purpose of supplying two kinds of support. 

 There was as much beer that day consumed as would have 

 kept my parish well supplied for years. 



Then at last we came to the flower and vegetable tent, and 

 what a wonder it was. Of enormous size, filled with a strugg- 

 ling, gesticulating, shouting mob, no policeman to keep anything 

 like order. No one to prevent all the boys and girls of the town 

 coming in. There they were all together, exhibitors without 

 coats, committee-men screaming, " Here, lads, any more Beet- 

 roots ?" " Now, then, three sticks of Celery here 1" And then 

 a sudden charge was made on the populace by some inde- 

 fatigable member of the Committee, who proceeded to what 

 we caU " poise" a few email boys, who immediately returned 

 to the same place directly his back was turned. " Why in the 

 world don't you have a policeman to keep order?" I asked. 

 "Oh! they said they would not come unless they were paid , 

 and we are not barn to pay them." 



On one table, however, was a most miscellaneous collection 

 of things. Joints of meat, hats, churns, whips, bridles, boxes 

 of cigars, and even a cake covered with sugar were displayed. 

 " What are these ?'' " Oh ! those are some of the prizes given 

 by the tradesmen." "And what is this?" "Oh, that's an 

 air pad." "A what?" " An 'air pad." "Oh," I said, " you 

 mean one of those things they put on chairs for invalids." 

 "No, I doant," he roared out, "I mean chignons, pads for 

 the 'air of the 'ead." The flowers were really wonderfully good, 

 considering what a climate we have there. The Show was a 

 most decided success, and attracted vast numbers of visitors. 



And now a few words about Rose shows for the coming year, 

 and first as to the Royal Horticultural Society. Here I know 

 I am on delicate ground, but surely the fact of one of you 

 being Secretary will not close the columns of our Journal to 

 any criticism of the Society. And we rosarians have really 

 just cause to be indignant, for the Rose show proper is con- 

 spicuous by its absence from the Society's schedule. There 

 are a few miserably small prizes for Roses given at an exhi- 

 bition late in July, but there is no Rose show in which the 

 National Rose Show is incorporated. And why not? If any 

 show succeed it must have been the Rose one, for the arcades 

 were always crammed with people. And why should the Rose 

 be left out in the cold when flowers in every way her inferiors 

 are to have their special days ? It is an insult to the queen of 

 flowers, and I shall leave the Society in disgust, and without a 

 regret. Why, gentlemen, if it had not been for the Westmin- 

 ster Aquarium filling the gap, London would this year not 

 have a Rose show, for that miferal la affair at the Royal 

 Botanic is not worthy of the name. Do try and alter this at 

 Kensington, use your influence in preventing this slight being 

 paid to our queen of flowers. With the exception of the 

 R.H.S., societies are offering more liberal prizes for Roses. 

 The schedule of the Westminster Aquarium is a most liberal 

 one, and at Maidstone the same large prizes of £l-j for nursery- 

 men and J.' 10 for amateurs are offered. Frome offers grand 

 prizes for the open classes, and numbers of other societies 

 follow suit. Every day the enthusiasm for Roses is increas- 

 ing, the sale at the well-known nurseries is so great that the 

 proprietors have to purchase large numbers to supply their 

 customers. 



The last year brought out an amateur who will soon be nallt 

 secundum. I allude to Mr. Jowett of Hereford. If he does not 

 have very late frosts this season he will show marvellous blooms. 

 I never in my life saw such growth as his blooms proved at 

 the shows, except that of his great neighbour Mr. Cranston. 

 He has the same grand soil as the latter and is as enthusiastic 

 as any of us, and will make it hot for us in the west whenever 

 we meet. 



We are having the most violent changes in the weather down 

 here. A week ago it was bitterly cold, though hardly any 

 snow fell, and now it is so mild that Ibo birds sing all day, 

 and the Roses are beginning to show signs of returning life. 

 I am afraid we shall have cause to rue this present state of 



