May 11, 187-1. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURR AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



381 



Walnuts are shrivelled up as if they had been scorched. About 

 Maoon the damage bus beea very Ki'^at ; but it is consolatory 

 to know that some of the finest of the Mpdoc vineyards, such 

 as Marp;auex, Brauue Moutou, LafiUe, and Larose have escaped. 

 Near Dijon we observed that one proprietor, more thoughtful 

 than his neighbours, had taken the precaution to shelter as 

 much as about a quarter of au acre by laying boards on a 

 rough framework over the Vines. 



Vegetation to the south of Paris as far as Macou has not 

 advanced much, if any, farther than it had done in England 

 •at the time of our departure ; and it was curious to observe 

 the difference which altitude made in the foliation of the 

 interminable Poplars which everywhere farce themselves on 

 the attention. Between Paris and the Cote d'Or the leaves 

 are almost fully developed ; but whan the higher ground is 

 reached, and where we found the altitude to be G50 feet above 

 Paris, the buds had hardly burst. Bat beyond Macon a 

 gradual advance was observable, and on reaching B.)urg and 

 Amberien all traces of the frost had gone, and the Vines and 

 Walnuts were rejoicing in their bright new clothing. 



At this early season when vegetation is fresh we had an 

 opportunity of observing what we never did before during 

 many visits to the Contiuoat, and that is that among the 

 interminable Poplars there are two species which are easily 

 distinguished at this early period. These are Populus nigra 

 and Populus canadensis, the latter being by far the more pre- 

 valent. The distinction is easily seen by the dark green foliage 

 of the former, and the pale yellow-green with russet tinge of 

 the latter. Sometimes where there is a group of canadensis 

 with here and there nigra dotted among them the effect is 

 quite striking ; and this hint may benefit those of our readers 

 who are interested in planting trees for colour effects. The 

 same contrast is met with between the Lombardy Pojjlar, which 

 is a variety of nigra, and canadensis. 



Another object of attraction from Dijon to Bourg.the capital 

 of the old province of Bresse, was the heaps of flat square 

 crates that were piled up empty at various stations, and these 

 we discovered to be the " returned empties " which had con- 

 veyed the noted fowls of Bresse to all parts of France. These 

 fowls take the place of the Sussex and Dorkings with us, and 

 are esteemed as the finest fowls on the Continent. True to 

 ■its tradition, we found throughout Bresse large quantities of 

 these fowls running in the pastures, and reminding us of the 

 great chicken-fatting districts of Sussex. 



As we near the Alps, vegetation, instead of being retarded 

 as we erroneously supposed, is far in advance of the parts 

 through which we had passed. From Amberien, where the 

 grandeur of the Alpine scenery begins, there is great progress 

 made, and the Walnuts, Mulberries, and Limes are almost in 

 full leaf, while at Chambery the fine avenue of Planes leading 

 to the town affords an ample shade from the sun, which has 

 already become so powerful as to remind us that we have left 

 the cold north behind us. 



EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



May 13th. 



The great feature on this occasion was the display of Boses 

 in pots, which was of the highest excellence. It was no mere 

 repetition of that at the Palace on the previous Saturday, except 

 in quality, which was equally good. Orchids, Azaleas, and 

 miscellaneous groups lent tlieir aid, the whole forming au im- 

 portant and effective exhibition, occupying nearly the whole of 

 the two conservatory corridors, while in the conservatory itself 

 was Mr. Noble's show of Clematis. 



Of pot Roses the examples shown by Messrs. Paul and Mr. 

 Turner in Class 1 were superb. Several of the plants ranged 

 from 5 to feet in diameter at the base, and he would be a bold 

 man that would hazard a guess at the number of blooms which 

 they bore, and all so exquisitely fresh and beautiful that one 

 would suppose that the art of the cultivator could go no further. 

 The competition between the two redoubtable champions we 

 ■have named was extremely close, but ended in the Judges de- 

 ciding in favour of Messrs. Paul, of Cbeshunt, as the winners of 

 the first prize; but the merit of both twelves was so great that 

 we should have been pleased to have seen a first prize given to 

 «acb. Messrs. Paul had Souvenir d'uu Ami, Juno, delicately 

 beautiful, Charles Lawsou, a mass of flowers, Madame Victor 

 Verdier, audCt'Une Forestierclaiiniug especial attention, the last 

 in particular being a variety which it is difficult to show in 

 such fine form. The remainder were John Hopper, President, 

 Vicomte Vigier, M^-idame Willermoz, Victor Verdier, Camille 

 Bernardia, and Elie Morel. Mr. Turner, of Slough, had graud 

 plants of Juno, Charles Lawsou, P. ml Perras, La France, with 

 others almost equally fine of Paul Verdier, Souvenir dun Ami, 



Victor Verdier, Beauty of Waltham, Anna Alexiefl, Souvenir de 

 Malmaison, and Madame Therese Levet. 



In the amateurs' class for six Mr. Ellis, gardener to J. Gals- 

 worthy, Esq., and Mr. Moorman, gardener to the Misses Christie, 

 Coombe Bank, KiugRtou, exhibited plants more than usually 

 good for amateurs. Those from Mr. Ellis were the larger speci- 

 mens, while Mr. Moorman's La France, Paul Verdier, and Anna 

 Alexieft' were exceedingly well bloomed, though smaller plauts. 



The next class was for twenty distinct kinds in 8 inch pots. 

 Here Mr. Turner took the lead ■with, among others, beaulifully 

 grown and flowered plants of Alba Rosea, Lyonnais, Charles 

 Lawsou, Edward Morren, La France, and Marie Van Houtte. 

 Messrs. Paul came in second with an excellent group in which 

 FranQois Michelon, Monsieur Neman, Mdlle. Eugouie Verdier, 

 Cbeshunt Hybrid, and ColiuQ Forestier were conspicuous ; while 

 Messrs. Veitch were third with au even and very well bloomed 

 collection, in which the white Hvbrid Perpetual Madame La- 

 oharme was perfection, although Exposition de Brie, Dr. Andry, 

 and La France carried blooms which could hardly be excelled. 



For cut blooms the prizes for twenty-four went to Messrs. 

 Paul and Mr. Turuer, in the order in which they are named ; for 

 twelve to Mr. Moorman and Mr. Tranter, Upper Assendon, 

 Henley. 



The next class in the schedule was for six Clematis. Here 

 there was only one collection, that from Messrs. Jackman, of 

 Woking, who well merited the first prize that was awarded. 

 Countess of Lovelace, which received a first-class certificate at 

 the last meeting, was the finest; but of the single, Vesta, Fair 

 Rosamond, The Queen, and Lady Stratford de Redclyffe were 

 specimens as well grown as they were full of bloom. 



Azaleas were neither of large size nor remarkable on the 

 whole for excellence. Mr. Turner, of Slough, had a very good 

 nine in 12-inch pots, taking the first position for that number ; 

 Messrs. Ivery & Son came second, also with well-grown plauts, 

 not, however, fully out; Messrs. Jackson, of Kingston, were 

 third. In the amateurs' class for six, Mr. G. Wheeler, gardener 

 to Sir F. Goldsmid, Bart., was the only exhibitor, and secured 

 a first prize. In the open class for the same number, Mr. Turner 

 was first with very good dwarf standards of Due de Nassau, 

 Hooibrenkii, and others. 



For Calceolarias Messrs. Dobson & Son, and Messrs. James, 

 of Isleworth, were respectively first and second with richly- 

 coloured, large-flowered varieties obtained from their excellent 

 strains. A third prize was awarded to Mr. Rapley, gardener to 

 B. Hudson, Esq., Clapham Common. 



For twelve Hardy Perennials in 12 inch pots Mr. R. Parker, 

 Exotic Nursery, Tooting, took the highest position with a fine 

 pot of Iris gerrnanica spectabilis, Iberis corifolia, Saxifraga 

 granulata flore-pleno, Dielytra spectabilis, and a flue golden- 

 yellow bush of Alyssum orientate. Mr. R. Dean, Rauelagh Road, 

 Ealing, was second with nice healthy Daisies, Violas, &o. 



Of twelve bunches of cut flowers of hardy herbaceous plants 

 Mr. Parker was the only exhibitor, but he had some fine flowers, 

 and a first prize was awarded to them. 



The classfor twelve plauts suitable for the dinner-table brought 

 out collections of valuable and suitable plants. Mr. J. W. Wim- 

 sett, nurseryman, Chelsea, received the first prize. 'The most 

 effective plants in his collection were Aralia Veitchii— its finely- 

 divided leaves are very graceful; Cocos Weddeliana, one of the 

 best Palms for this purpose; and Pandanus Veitchii. Mr. W. 

 Bull, King's Road, Chelsea, was second ; his plauts were also 

 very fine. Aralia leptophylla, Cocos Weddeliana, and Dajmono- 

 rops plumosus were the beat. Mr. J. Hudson, Champion HLU, 

 was third. 



Auriculas were poorly shown; it is now too late for them. 

 Mr. C. Turner was first both for Show and Alpine varieties. 

 The Rev. H. H. Dombrain was second in the former class, and 

 amongst others he had au excellent truss of Fletcher's Ne Plua 

 Ultra. Mr. R. Deau was second in Alpines, and Mr. James, of 

 Isleworth, third. 



Among miscellaneous subjects, for which several silver and 

 bronze medals were awarded, were mixed groups of plants from 

 Mr. Williams, HoUoway; Messrs. RoUisson, Tooting ; Messrs. 

 Veitch; Mr. Aldous, Gloucester Road, South Kensington ; Mr. 

 G. Wheeler ; and Messrs. Standish. In Messrs. Veitob's group 

 were several fine Orchids, and of these plauts alone Mr. Denning, 

 gardener to Lord Londesborough, sent remarkably fine examples 

 ofBpidendrum ibaguense with thirteen spikes; Schomburgkia 

 lilacina, Odontoglossuras, Leptotes bicolor, Chysis Limminghii, 

 Cattleya Mossiio, and Lajliamajalis. Messrs. Dobson sent a col- 

 lection of Calceolarias; Messrs. F. & A. Smith one of Azaleas, 

 and Mr. Condy. gardener to T. BlackweU, Esq., Harrow Weald, 

 a fine plant of MediniUa magnifica. 



Fruit Committee.— G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 From Mr. Miller, The Gardens, Clumber, came some fair ex- 

 amples of a Cucumber called Clumber Prolific, which was passed 

 as of no particular merit. Mr. Hepper, gardener. The Elms, 

 Acton, sent a box of Hepper's Goliath 'Tomato, to which a 

 cultural commeudatiun was awarded. The same exhibitor sent 



