May 4, 1876. J 



JOUBNAL OP HORtlOULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



355 



as the Wood Anemones. We have fonnd them growing in the 

 greatest profusion along the whole length of a narrow strip 

 of grass at the foot of a churchyard wall at Tilehurst Id Berk- 

 shire, and Ro early in blossom that we have gatliored a hand- 

 ful before the end of February ; yet the most diligent Eoaroh 

 on every bank or other likely situation save this one spot went 

 unrewarded by a single bloom. 



While the delicate blossoms and sweet scents of the wood- 

 land flowers win us to love them for their very tenderness and 

 fragile beauty, the Marsh Marigold commands our admiration 

 for its bold splendour, where it makes the meadow adjacent to 

 the streamlet or river a very field of cloth of gold, richer in 

 colouring and more wondrous than the one on which Harry 

 the Eighth met his French rival. 



The Caltha palnstris must surely be the " Cuckoo buds" of 

 Shakespeare, for he says — ■ 



"When Daisies pied and Violets blue, 

 And Ladyemoolts, all silver white, 

 And Cnckoo buds of yellow hue, 

 Do paiat the meadows with delight;" 



although we have always looked upon the pale flowers of the 

 Cardamine pratense as the true Cuckoo-flower, whose opening 

 blooms heralded the coming of the bird. Indeed, in the north 

 of England the plant is known only by the name of Cuckoo- 

 spit, the rather inelegant cognomen being gained no doubt 

 from the fact of almost every flower stem having deposited 

 upon it a frothy patch much resembling the human saliva, in 

 which is enveloped a pale green insect. Few north-country 

 children will gather these flowers ; they have a superstition 

 that it is unlnckly to do so, and will tell you with the gravest 

 countenance that the cuckoo has spit upon it while flying over. 



Trailing along the bank, which is starred with the flowers 

 of the Ladysmock, we shall doubtless see the beautiful bine 

 Periwinkle ; and in rare spots in the south of England find a 

 meadow which has become the homo of the little-known wild 

 flower, the Fritillaria meleagris, the wild Tulip of the cottagers. 

 Adjacent to the Kennet and Avon Canal, about a mile and a 

 half from the town of Reading, there is a meadow which 

 during the latter part of April is entirely studded over with 

 these curious Chinese-lantern like flowers, the chequered dark- 

 coloured bells being found in much greater profusion than the 

 white variety, although there are a fair number of the latter 

 growing on a tall stalk with scarcely any leafage — none in fact, 

 save a grass-like blade to each stem. The pretty pendulous 

 flower hangs from its slender support, and sways in every 

 breeze. 



The Fritillaria is suggestive of Fairydom and Puck's pranks ; 

 it might have formed a fitting hiding-place for the tiny sprite 

 — a shelter from inclement weather ; or a canopy for Oberon 

 when he sat in state. In airy gracefulness of growth we 

 know of no native flower to equal it save the wild Harebell, 

 which comes later in the season to cover our heaths with 

 beauty. Both flowers are eminently suggestive of fairy bells ; 

 a lightly-held bunch of either will tinkle as they are carried 

 in the hand, recalling to mind poetic allusions to the chimes 

 of the good people and the sports of the elves at the court of 

 Titania, whose "starlight mirth" would have found a suitable 

 arena in a meadow thickly set with Fritillarias and sheltered 

 by high hazel-planted banks. 



In April the wryneck, the nvant courier of the cnckoo, 

 returns. Mary Howitt, who sings so sweetly of the country 

 and its pleasures, alludes in some pretty stanzas to the name 

 given to this Uttle bird by the country children — 



" ' Pee, pee, pee,' says the merry pee bird ; 

 And as soon as the children hear it, 

 ' The cuckoo's a-comiug they cry, for I heard 

 Up in the Elm the merry pee bird, 

 And he'll come in three days or near it.' 



" The days go by, one, two, three, 



And the merry bird 8in(Jeth, ' pee, pee, pee,' 

 Then on the moiTow 'tia very true 

 They hear the note of the old cuckoo." 



Before the month is out the "household-loving swallow" 

 will have returned, and will give life and animation to many 

 a rural scene as it skims over the village green or darts as 

 quick as thought after its insect prey. 



Now is the season when the cottage homes of England peep 

 out from a garland of blossom ; the Cherry, the Plum, the 

 Pear, and the Apple are in full beauty this month ; as an 

 enthusiastic American lady once told us, she had travelled 

 from Liverpool to London in the spring, and appeared to be 

 journeying the whole time through one large highly-cultivated 

 garden. 



The forest trees — the latest lingerers — begin to don their 

 summer dress in welcome to April's flckle smiles, and before 

 May is with us we shall have the young, rich brown, bursting 

 foliage of the tardy Oak to form a contrast to the various 

 shades of green now so conspicuous in the distant woods, or 

 clothing with beauty the hedges and trees in close vicinity. 

 — T. S. J. 



TWO-DAY KOSE SHOWS-AURICULAS, &c. 



I csN fully endorse the statement made by " T. H. G." as to 

 the inconvenience of two-day Rose shows, and I am exceed- 

 ingly grieved at the decision of the Crystal Palace people to 

 hold theirs on two days. 



Singular to say, as soon as I read the notice that the admis- 

 sion on Saturdays was reduced from half-a-crown to a shilling 

 I felt convinced that the Sydenham people would keep our 

 Show open for two days. 



But what can we exhibitors do 7 We all look upon the 

 Crystal Palace as the Derby day, and a first prize won there 

 as the blue ribbon of Rosa's court. We can write and protest, 

 but I am afraid no notice will be taken of our grievance. As 

 Mr. Gould says, Roses that have been cut for two days and for 

 one day exposed to the glare and heat of a crowded exhibition 

 room or tent are quite over by the evening of tho first day, 

 and for them to be exposed to another day's sunlight is really 

 cruelty not only to the Rose but to her owner. The expense, 

 too, is so considerably increased while the prizes are the same, 

 so that it is a very unfair arrangement. But in spite of all we 

 must show at the Crystal Palace. 



Some time since I read a letter in our Journal — I think from 

 my friend" D.,Dcn;," — about Auriculas, in which he stated that 

 certain exhibitors had (in order to get their blooms out for the 

 April Show at South Kensington) placed the plants in their 

 greenhouse. Now I have hitherto failed egregiou'ly in culti- 

 vating the Auricula. All my plants gradually died, and I 

 bought very fair ones too. Last autumn I procured a fresh 

 lot and placed them in the only glass house I have, which is 

 nothing but a small forcing pit, and there the Auriculas have 

 done very well. Heat is only applied in case of very severe 

 weather. 



I never saw (I am ashamed to confess it) Auriculas at an 

 exhibition, so I do not know what is considered a fine truss of 

 bloom ; but my Colonel Champneys had five very fine pips on 

 one trues, and I fancy that is a fair number. I obtained a 

 most wonderful bloom of one pip on Miss Giddings, a green- 

 edged variety. 



With regard to Auriculas I must tell how splendidly the 

 Alpine varieties do here out of doors. I bought a lot of seed- 

 lings, and planted them in front of my church where no wind 

 but the south could come near them. They grew all the 

 summer and now are in fine bloom. They certainly are moEt 

 beautiful flowers for the garden as well as for pot culture. 



May I ask any of your readers to tell a poor ignoramus like 

 myself, without laughing at me more than they can possibly 

 help, whether they have ever tried tho other kind of Auriculas 

 (green-edged, etc.) out of doors ? and whether, if they were 

 protected by bell-glasses from heavy storms of rain and wind, 

 they think there would be any chance of their succeeding? 

 I know from experience one of the common self varieties will 

 bloom out of doors, but have never seen any of the choicer 

 sorts. 



Camellias are in bloom now (April 21st) in my church- 

 yard, and Azaleas are covered with bloom buds. This is 

 very wonderful considering that ice IJ inch thick was picked 

 up here on Good Friday. By the way, an old woman here 

 told me that she had noticed all her life, and her father had 

 told her that he had done so too, that we never have warm 

 weather till after Easter. Let that great festival fall early or 

 late, it made no difference ; there was no warm weather till 

 it was over. Have any of your readers ever heard or noticed 

 the same ? 



Concerning new Roses, I hear grand accounts of Duchesse 

 de Valambrosa and Triomphe de France, particularly the 

 latter, which is said to be an improved Marquise de Castellane. 

 If it really turns out to be so, then France will have given us 

 one grand new Rose in 187(5. I have just bloomed a plant of 

 Anna Olivier, a Tea Rose. My friend Mr. Cranston induced 

 me to buy a dozen plants of it last autumn ; and as he sent 

 them in pots they were put in the forcing pits. The flower is 

 a most beautiful one, a little like in the bud what I believe 

 M'.dame Lacharme is supposed to be when she is at home. 



