24 



JOUKNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABUENEE. 



I July 8, 1875. 



and ricenocoma were also admirably grown. The third prize 

 was worthily won by Mr. Partes, gardener to J. Harriot, Esq., 

 Warwick Greeu, Coventry, with a group of beautiful aid we)l- 

 finithfd plants. Sobralia macrantba was 4 feet through; and 

 equally well set up were Eucbaris amazonica, Oncidium flexuo- 

 Bum, Dipladenia and Statice, and other remarkably good naedinm- 

 sized plants. A fourth prize was deservedly awarded to Mr. 

 Tndgiy, pardener to J. F. Williams, Esq., Henwick Grange, 

 ■Worcester. The growers of the plants in this class are to he 

 complimented on the results of their skill, and each richly de- 

 serve the honours they have won. 



The next was an open class for the best specimen ttove plant 

 in bloom. There were eight competitors. Firpt honours fell to 

 Mestrs. Cole & Sons for a grand plant of Ixora Coleii .5 feet high 

 and 4 feet through, a dense mass of white blooms. Mr. Foster, 

 gardener to E. Greaves, Esq., Avonside being second for a plant 

 of the Eame size of Stephanotis in fine health and bloom. Mr. 

 Webb, gardener to J. Gulson, Esq., Warwick Green, Coventry, 

 being third also with a Stephanotis not so large as the preceding, 

 but Biih better foliage and finer flowers. Neither of these 

 plants, however good as they are, evidenced such skill in grow- 

 ing as Mr. B. S. Williams's fine Anthurium; but, postibly by 

 being a little past its best, it could not win a place, which proves 

 how good the winners were. For the best specimen greenhouse 

 plant Mr. Webb was first with a well-grown specimen 4 feet 

 in diameter of Bouvardia auguatifolia; Mr. Chadwick, gardener 

 to C. Nelson, Eeq., Crackley Hall, Kenilworth, having the se- 

 cond place with a faiily good Statice. There were six competi- 

 tors, but except the winners the plants were only of moderate 

 quality, and the third piize was justly withheld. 



We now come to the fine fuliaged plants, and although some 

 very good specimens were staged, the plants generally in these 

 clasEes were not of extraordinary merit. In the nurserymen's 

 class for nine plants Messrs. Cole & Sons had the first place with 

 Phormium tenax variega'um. Yucca aloifolia, a good Dai-yliiion, 

 Croton pictum, and Palms; Mr. Cypher being second with 

 smaller but generally brighter plants, Enria latifolia variegata, 

 Phormium tenax variegatum. Yucca aloifolia, a Dracaina, Croton, 

 and Palms constituting the best of the group. In the corre- 

 sponding class for amateurs were Fome very beautiful plants, the 

 first-prize collection from Mr. Foster containing some remark- 

 able specimens. The most striking of all was a noble plant of 

 Cjcas revoluta, 8 feet across, iu robust health, and with a globe 

 of fruit in the centre a foot in diameter; he hael also Crotons 

 august ifolium and pictum in pyramids of 8 feet iu height, a 

 beautiful Encephalartoa villosus with a severed bloom spike 

 attached, Pbcenccophorium seycbellarum, and Areca Verschaf- 

 felti in perfect health. Mr. Pilgrim had the second place with, 

 amongst others, a capital Dasylirion acrotrichum, a nice Croton 

 Weismauni, Thrinax elegans, and a welbcoloured Phormium. 

 Mr. Brown, gardener to Mrs. Alston, Elmdon Hall, Birmingham, 

 was thiid ; bis collection embraced a very fine Gleichenia semi- 

 vestita, Phormium tenax variegatum throwing up a spike of 

 bloom, and an exceedingly good Caladium. In the nurserymen's 

 class f( r six plants Mr. Cypher was first, and Messrs. Cole and 

 Sons second, with plants not greatly differing from those in 

 Class 9. In the amateurs' sixes Mr. Pilgrim was placed first ; 

 Mr. Jones, gardener to C. E. Matthews, Esq., second; and Mr. 

 Brown, Elmdon Hall, third. Mr. Pilgrim had besides the 

 plants previously enumerated a very good Cordyline indivisa, 

 a fine Encephalartos, and a capital Theophrasta. Mr. Jones 

 had some very nice specimens of Euterpe edule, a well grown 

 Caladium Belleymeji, Araucaria excelsa, and a good Latania 

 borbouica. Mr. Brown's plants were smaller, but equally well 

 grown, with those in the other collections. In the open class 

 for the best specimen fine foliaged plant, Messrs. Cole & Sons 

 had the first place with a remarkably healthy Cocos Weddel- 

 liana, Mr. Cypher being second with a smaller plant of the same 

 beautiful Palm, Mr. Parkes having the third place with an ex- 

 cellent Alocasia macrorhiza variegata, very clear and pure in its 

 markings, and altogether a good plant. In this class were six 

 competitors. For six Dracaenas Mr. B. S. Williams was placed 

 first, Mr. Brown second, and Mr. Matthews third. Some of the 

 plants were very good, but the collections did not equal those of 

 Mr. Bull and Mr. Wills at the late Crystal Palace Show. For 

 the best specimen Croton Messrs. Cole & Sons won with a 

 grandly coloured C. angustifolinm. One could not but feel that 

 the name of the Golden-fountain Plant was very appropriate. 

 When well grown this old favourite is still one of the most 

 beautiful, as it is certainly the most elegant of all the Crotons. 

 Mr. Cypher had second honours with a fine plant of C. longi- 

 folium extremely well coloured, Mr. Parkes being third with a 

 capital plant of C. Weismanni. 



Ferns. — In these classes were many exceptionally fine plants. 

 In the nurserymen's class for eight plants Mr. B. S. Williams and 

 Mr. Cypher were awarded equal first prizes, and well they 

 merited the honour. Mr. Williams had his fine Alsophilas; he 

 had also an excellent Cibotium, very fine Gleichenias, a beauti- 

 ful plant of Davallia Mooreana, Marattia elegans, and a very 

 good Adiantum farleyense. Mr. Cypher had Cibotium princeps, 



Gleichenias Epelunca? and dichotoma, Neottopteris australis, 

 admirably grown, also a very good Silver Fern. 'These were very 

 fine groups, as also were the following in the amateurs' class : 

 — For eight plants were seven competitors, first honours falling 

 to Mr. Brown, Elmdon !Hall, for a splendid collection. Todea 

 superba was in a rare state of perfection. The silver Gymno- 

 gramma peruviana and the gold G. chrysophylla were capitally 

 grown. Davallia Mooreana was very fine, Leucostegia immersa 

 ti feet over, and a large Gleichenia were the most striking plants. 

 Mr. Jones, gardener to E. E. Matthews, Efq , had the second 

 place with a collection of level excellence ; Mr. Colman, gar- 

 dener to W. Bay lis, Esq., Walsall, being placed third with very 

 good plants. For the best pair of tree Ferns Mr. B. S. Williams 

 was without a rival with plants of Dicksonia antarctica 10 feet 

 high, and with trunks more than a yard iu circumference. For 

 six Cycads Mr. Williams was first with a striking collection in 

 remarkable health of Encephalartos horrida, Lehmanni, Ghel- 

 lincki and villosus, Dion edub-, and Cycas revoluta. Mr. 

 Pilgrim being second with healthy medium-sized plants. For 

 the best specimen Fern, Adiantum excluded, Mr. Williams won 

 with his noble plant of Alsophila australis Wiliiamsii, the most 

 distinct and beautiful of all tree Ferns, the fronds of which 

 assume the graceful weeping character on plants in a young 

 state. It is an important acquisition to a valuable class of plants. 

 Mr. Brown, Elmdon Hall, was secondwith avery healthily-grown 

 Dicksonia; Mr. Quarterman, gardener to T. Gladftone, Esq., 

 Edgbaston, having the third place with a nice Alsophila australis. 

 There were eight competitors. Eight also competed for the 

 best Adiantum, Mr. Cypher beinc first with a grand A. farley- 

 ense fully 4 feet through ; Mr. Parkes having the second place 

 with a plant of the same nearly as good ; Mr. Peevor being third 

 with A. cuneatnm. For twelve hardy Ferns fine collections 

 were staged. Mr. Moseley, gardener to J. E. Mapplebeck, Esq., 

 Birmingham, winning the first place with splendid plants of 

 Athyrium Filix-fn:-miua var. robusta multifida, C feet over; 

 Lastra?a cristata, fronds 3 feet in length, and the plant 4 feet 

 through; Atbyrium Filix-famica Elworthii, very beautiful; 

 A. Pritchardia and A. coronatum, finely crested; and a beauti- 

 ful Polystichum angulare var. proliferum Wollastonii. Mr. 

 Brown, Elmdon, had the second place with healthy medium- 

 sized plants of Sculopendriums, Atbyriums, &c. ; Mr. Coleman 

 being third, his noticeable plant being Onoclea eensibilis. The 

 Ferns in these six classes alone numbered 199 plants, and 

 scarcely an inferior one was to be seen. In contrast was the 

 following class for 



Three Pitcher Plants — Only two competed, Mr. Tudgey, 

 gardener, Kenwick Grange, being first with Nepenthes Hook- 

 erianaand distillatoria, and Sarracenia purpurea; Mr. Williams 

 having the second pdace with a trio of better quality of 

 Nephenthes Sedeni Hookeriana and phyllamphora. Neither 

 were the Heath classes remarkable for fine plants. In the 

 nurserymen's class for six Ericas Mr. Cypher was placed first, 

 and Messrs. Cole & Sons second. Eximia superba, exquisita, 

 Massoni major, and Parmentieriana were the smallest plants and 

 the best. In the corresponding amateurs' class better plants 

 competed. Mr. Pilgrim had the first place, E. Lindleyana, 

 obbata, and ventricosa being good, with a nice plant of ferruginea 

 major. Mr. Tudgey was second with small and medium-sized 

 well-grown plants. Mr. Chapman being third with larger but 

 looser specimens. 



Palms. — In the nurserymen's class for six plants good collec- 

 tions were set up by Mr. .1. H. Ley, Croydon, and Mr. B. S. 

 Williams, who had first and second prizes in the order named. 

 Mr. Ley had Martinezia Lindeni, Latania borbonica, Thrinax 

 elegantissima, Chamrerops tomentosa, Astrocaryum mexicanum, 

 and Acanthoriza ; Mr. Williams having Sabal Blackburniana, 

 Areca lutescens, Phccnicophorium Seycbellarum, Astrocaryum, 

 Chammrops, and Latania. All the plants were healthy and fine, 

 and so equal in point of merit that they might fairly have had 

 equal awards. In the corresponding class for amateurs Mr. 

 Pilgrim, Cheltenham, had the first place with well-grown glossy 

 plants of medium size; Mr. Brown, Elmdon, being second with 

 a nice collection. 



F'or fix new and rare plants sent out iu 1873,1874, or 1875 

 there were seven competitors, Mr. B. S. Williams being placed 

 first, Mr. Cypher second, and Mr. J. H. Ley third. Amongst 

 the most noticeable were, in Mr. Williams's group, an excellent 

 DraCcena Baptistii, Croton majesticum, Dipladenia Brearleyaua, 

 a fine Cyathea Dregii, and Bertolonia Van Houttei in splendid 

 form and colour. Mr. Cypher had as the best Dipladenia Brear- 

 leyaua very good, Pbyllotffnium Lindeni, Croton majesticum, 

 Ficus Parcellii, Aralia Veitchii, &c. ; Mr. Ley having a Dion, 

 Zamia, Croton, &c. Messrs. Barron ».(.' Sons' choice collection of 

 new Conifers in this class attracted considerable attention. 



Orchids. — These were not largely represented. In the open 

 class Mr. Williams was the only prizetaker. Amongst his ten 

 plants were Vauda Batemanii with a fine opening spike, Aiirides 

 odoratum majus with sixteen racemes, Pilumna fragrans with 

 four fine spikes, Ai'rides Larpentre, Odontoglossnm citrosmum 

 roseum, Liolia purpurata, &o. In the next clasa for six plants 



