406 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( liij 25, 187& 



the foliage healthy and Invariant, and will be beneficial for 

 beeping down thrips and red spider. 



Bat in syringing Vines after the fruit has set I fail to perceive 

 the advantage derived therefrom, inasmuch as there is a likeli- 

 hood or probability of injury to the bloom of the fruit. Vividly 

 can I remember some time ago the circumstances relative to a 

 fine house of Grapes situated in the north of Ireland that oom- 

 plet«'ly fell a victim to reckless syringing. The water was i 

 obtained from a running river, as the supply on the place was 

 limited, and with this water the gardener incautiously ordered 

 the Vines to be syringed. Previous to syringing in the even- 

 ing of each day the water was placed in pans to settle, and be- 

 came apparently as clear aa crystal, yet contained snfiioient 

 mineral matter to accomplish much mischief, for as soon as 

 fruit was coloured the berries were covered with a whitish in- 

 crustation, which marred their appearance and proved what a 

 mistake had been made in syringing. 



I am fully convinced that success can be attained in Grape- 

 growing without any systematic application of water to the 

 foliage of the Vines in the usual form of daily syringing. — 

 J. Boyd, George's Hill. 



CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW. 



May 19th. 



CoNSiDEBiNG the great number of exhibitions which are pro- 

 vided for public patronage, it is not a little surprising to find at 

 each such nnmeroaa and excellent collections of plants. Large 

 prizes, however, are tempting, and "the Palace" Company are 

 certainly not behindhand in liberality. The schedule com- 

 prised thirty classes, and in these .fiOO was ofEered in prizes. 

 Upwards of £90 was provided for stove and greenhouse plants, 

 £50 for Roses, £57 for Azaleas, and nearly £oO for Orchids. 

 In most of the classes there was good competition, the stages 

 being all occupied and the collections well arranged. 



For twelve stove and greenhouse plants in bloom (nursery- 

 men), Messrs. Jackson it Sons, Kingston, bad the first place with 

 an admirable group, Imantophyllum miniatum was 4 feet across 

 with thirty fine flower beads ; Hedaroma f nchsioides, Statice pro- 

 fusa, Clerodendron Balfourii, Aphelexis macrantha purpurea, 

 Epacris grandifiora rubra, Erica Cavendishii, and E. tricolor 

 Wilaonii were perfect globes 5 to 6 feet in diameter ; Anthuriam 

 Scherzerianum was in splendid condition, having forty fine 

 spatbes ; Azalea Criterion was also very fine. Mr. B. S. Williams 

 had the second place, Anthnrium Scherzerianum being exhibited 

 in splendid condition. In the corresponding amateur's class for 

 nice plants, Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, Esq., Leyton, 

 had the premier position with large, healthy, trim specimens. 

 Genetyllis tnlipifera. Azalea magniflca plena, and Erica Caven- 

 dishii were globes of 5 to 6 feet in diameter ; Anthurium Scher- 

 zerianum was in grand form ; Erica ventricosa magnifica, 

 Franoiscea confertifolia, and Statice profusa were also in admir- 

 able condition. Mr. Peed, gardener to Mrs. Tredwell, St. John's 

 Lodge, Lower Norwood, had the second place with, amongst 

 others, a grand example of Imantophyllum miniatum, an ex- 

 cellent plant of Clerodendron Balfourii, also good Azaleas — 

 Symmetry and sinensis, not " iodica " sinensis, as ticketed — two 

 large Ericas, and an excellent specimen of Tetratheca ericoides. 

 This was a very good group. Mr. Legg, gardener to S. Ralli, 

 Esq., Cleveland House, Clapham Park, had the third place with 

 smaller plants. In this collection Ixora amboynenais was in a 

 superior state, and the Aphelexes were well cultivated. In the 

 clasB for six stove and greenhouse plants (amateurs), Mr. Peed 

 had the first place with the same kinds of plants as previously 

 enumerated; Mr. Strahan, gardenertoP. Crowley, Esq., Waddon 

 House, Croydon, being placed second with loose plants. 



In the class for twelve fine-foliaged plants (open), Mr. J. H. 

 Ley, Croydon, might consider himself fortunate in being placed 

 first with large Palms, &c,, worse for wear, and also unnamed ; 

 second honours being for some mysterious reason bestowed on Mr. 

 Wright, Florist, Lee, Kent, for an excellent group. The Palms 

 Areca Verschaffeltii, Dsemonorops palembanicus, Latania bor- 

 bonica, and Kentia anstraUs were in fine condition; while 

 Maranta leopardina, Pandanns Veitchii, Dieflenbaohia nobilis, 

 and Crotons were very superior. Quality and variety were in 

 this class swamped by size, and no small commotion was caused 

 by the decision of the Judges. For eight fine-foliage plants 

 (amateurs), Mr. Harrow, gardener to H. Bessemer, Esq., Den- 

 mark Hill, Camberwell, had the first place with a large plant of 

 Cocoa Weddelliana, Geonoma Seemanni, very good ; Croton 

 Weismanii, strangely like a plant exhibited last year by Mr. 

 Legg ; C. variegatam, C. pictum ; Yucca aloifoha variegata, 

 PandanuB Veitcbii, and Dasylirion gracile, all good. Mr. S. 

 Strahan, gardener to P. Crowley, Esq., being second with, 

 amongst others, Cyanophyllum magnificum, Dieffenbachia 

 Bowmannii, Crotons, a Palm, and Phormium tenax varie- 

 gatum. 



For a gionp of stove and greenhouse plants arranged foi 



effect the first prize was awarded to Mr. Walter Foreman, gar- 

 dener to E. C. Nicholson, Esq., Carlton House, Heme Hill; 

 Mr. Joseph Bristow, gardener to G. Campbell, Esq., Wood Hall, 

 Dulwioh, being placed second for attractive collections. 



For eight Ericas distinct (open), Mr. Peed, gardener to Mrs. 

 Tredwell, had the first place for irregular-sized plants ; E. ele- 

 gans, E. ventricosa coccinea minor, and E. magnifica being 

 large and good, the rest small. For six Ericas distinct (ama- 

 teurs), Mr. Ward had the premier place with fine aymmetrical 

 plants, but not quite at their best, of E. afiinis, E. florida, E. ele- 

 gans (very good), E. depressa multiflora, E. tricolor impressa (a 

 splendid plant), and E. ventricosa coccinea minor as the best; 

 Mr. Peed being placed second for large and somewhat loose 

 plants ; and Mr. Legg third with smaller young plants of uni- 

 form size, well trained, and in excellent health. 



For nine Azaleas distinct (open), Mr. Child, gardener to Mrs. 

 Torr, Garbrand Hall, Ewell, was easily first with the best plants 

 that have been exhibited this year : they were obtuse pyramids 



5 to G feet high and 3 to 4 feet through, not too formal, but well 

 bloomed. Duchesse Adelaide de Nassau, Criterion, Holfordii, 

 Duchesse de Nassau, Iveryana, and Semi-duplex maculata were 

 especially fine. Mr. Peed was placed second ; and Mr. Ratty, 

 gardener to R. Thornton, Esq., Sydenham, third. For six Aza- 

 leas (amateurs), Mr. Ratty was a long way ahead with plants 

 remarkable for their size, but not all of them well bloomed, 

 A. Chelsonii, however, was fine, and Mrs. Fay perfect ; Julians 

 was also very good. Mr. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. H. Goldsmid, 

 was second with medium-sized irregularly-shaped plants. For 

 twenty Azaleas (open), pots not to exceed 16 inches in diameter, 

 Mr. Turner, Slough, was first with a very good collection — good 

 plants and good varieties. Amongst the deep colours Madame 

 Thibaut and Roi d'Holland ; and amongst the lights Apollo and 

 Mr. Turner, two splendid kinds, were conspicuous. Mr. Ratty 

 was placed second with standard and oval-shaped plants in 

 good condition, the foliage being healthy and the flowers fine, 

 Grandis, Apollo, and Louis Napoleon (double pink) being notice- 

 able; Messrs. Ivery (fc Son being third with medium-sized but 

 rather loose plants, Stella amongst the scarlets and Bride of 

 Abydos amongst the lights being the best. 



For ten Orchids (nurserymen), Mr. B. S. Williams, Holloway, 

 was in his old premier position, some of the plants having won 

 honours at the Aquarium, also in Brussels. In this collection 

 Dendrobium Falconeri was in splendid condition ; Cypripedium 

 barbatum superbum, grand; Angnloa Clowesiana, Trichopilia 

 crispa, Saccolabinm retusum, &c. were all in good form. Messrs. 

 Jackson & Sons, Kingston-on-Thames, were second with a grand 

 plant of Dendrobium nobile, D. Devoniannm, very good ; and 

 fresh examples of Saccolabinm retusum, Phalsenopsis amabilis, 

 and Cypripedium caudatum. In the class tor eight Orchids 

 (amateurs), Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, Esq., had the 

 first place with Masdevallia Harryana, very fine and richly 

 coloured ; Odontoglossum Phaltenopsis, a superior plant ; Den- 

 drobium Falconeri, splendid flowers; Odontoglossum Pescatorei, 

 O. hystrix, Vanda tricolor, Lycaste Skinneri, and Oncidium 

 aerratum, all very good. Mr. Child, gardener to Mrs. Torr, 

 Garbrand Hall, Ewell, was aecond with fine examples of Cypri- 

 pedium Stonei and C. barbatum superbum, Lfelia purpurea 

 pallida, Saccolabinm retusum, Trichopilia auavis, Dendrobium 

 Devonianum, &c. Mr. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. H. Goldamid, 

 being placed third. In Mr. Child'a group the plant of Cypri- 

 pedium Stonei had four spikes and seventeen fine flowers, and 

 was a very superior specimen ; Mr. Wheeler's most noticeable 

 plant being Dendrobium tortile rosea, a charming Orchid, but 

 the flowers were somewhat faded. In the class for six Orchids 

 (amatenrs), Mr. Ward had the first place with a fresh bright 

 group : Odontoglossum Blunti had six fine spikes ; Epipendrum 

 vitellinum majus three vigorous spikes 18 inches high; Odon- 

 toglossum bictonense seven spikes, very fine ; and 0. hystrix, 

 very good. 



For six Dracfenas (open), Mr. Legg, gardener to S. RaUi, Esq., 

 had the first place with the same fine plants that were success- 

 ful at the Aquarium; Mr. Wright, Lee, being second also with 

 the Aquarium collection ; Mr. Wills being third for an excellent 

 half-dozen worthy of being placed equal second; and Mr. Ley's, 

 which had nothing, of a third prize. These collections formed 

 a remarkably fine bank of plants. Mr. Wills did not of course 

 exhibit his new gold medal varieties. 



For six Crotons, distinct, in pots not exceeding 16 inches in 

 diameter, Mr. Harrow, gardener to H. Bessemer, Esq., was first 

 with a valuable collection. C. angustifolium was very large, 

 and C. majesticum one of the finest plants ever exhibited; 

 C. spirale was also in superb condition, C. undnlatum in fine 

 colour, and C. Youngii and C. Weismannii very good. Mr. 

 Williams had the second place with very large specimens of 

 older varieties. 



For six Palms Mr. Legg, gardener to S. Ralli, Esq., was 

 first with a superb collection — fine sorts splendidly cultivated. 

 Stevensonia grandifolia had fronds 5 feet in length and '2 feet 



6 inches in width; VerschaSeltia splendida was approaching 

 the same dimensions ; Dasmonorops periacanthus, D.palembani- 



