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JOUKNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ September 23, 1876. 



Tamer, England ; and Dr. Hogg the pomologista of Britain, 

 received a perfect ovation. We left the beautiful city of the 

 north with the impression that "they do not do these things 

 better in France " — nor in England. 



NOVEL HOBTICDLTUBAL SHOW. 



A NOVELTY in floral and horticultural shows has taken place 

 at Lancaster, when an exhibition by gaslight of plants, flowers, 

 fruit, and vegetables was held in the Palatine Hall, and was 

 most tucceEsful in every respect, the entries being extensive, 

 the quality of the specimens good, and the attendance of visitors 

 very large. The novelty of the exhibition, no doubt, tended to 

 bring about this result, as this was the first gaslight-show ever 

 held in Lancaster, and the experiment will probably be repeated 

 another year. The scene in the Hall was of a most brilliant 

 description. The principal successfal competitors in the open 

 class were — Mr. Jas. Leland, Mr. GiU, Mr. Wm. Parker, Mr. R. 

 Clapham, Mr. E. Dods, Mr. W. Kainford, and the Messrs. Har- 

 greaves. In the amateurs' clasf — Mr. J. Stewardson, Mr. F. G. 

 Dale, Mr. W. Parkinson, Mr. W. Johnson, Mr. R. Moser, and 

 Mr. W. Jackson. In the cottagers' class — Mr. T. Richmond, 

 Mr. J. Metcalf, Mr. L. Bennett, Mr. Geo. Normanton, and Mr. 

 Geo. Winter.— Beta. 



CABNATIONS AND PICOTEES. 



It was a real treat to read Mr. Horner'9 notes. He gave us 

 such information as can be obtained nowhere else about these 

 fine old flowers. 



It is plain from his remarks about the dates of flowering 

 that we could not have a truly national show. In Essex our 

 blooms are at their best just a month before his in Yorkshire. 

 The third week in July answers beet for London : about that 

 time the Eoyal Horticultural Society's Great Show of Fruit 

 and Zonal Pelargoniums is announced, let lis hope that this 

 class of old favourites will not be forgotten in the rage for new 

 and more easily-grown flowers. My reason for writing is 

 to ask from your correspondent the favour of answers to the 

 following questions : — First, a Carnation Show is announced 

 at the Botanical Gardens, Manchester, September 13th and 

 14th, is it possible that a show can be held at that time? and 

 how are the blooms obtained ? Second, could Mr. Horner give 

 a Ust of the best Carnations and Picotees for exhibition pur- 

 poses ? I quite agree with the remarks on dressing the flowers ; 

 there is fair- and legitimate dressing which every exhibitor of 

 cut flowers of whatever sort must understand, or he is not 

 likely to be successful. Dressing that goes to the extent of 

 "deceiving the public" is not legitimate, but I do not think 

 it is often attempted. I well remember showing my firs'; 

 stands of twenty-four aud twelve cut blooms of Chrysanthe- 

 mums. I had touched the flowers up a little and had removed 

 a few bad petals from some of them. On arriving at the room 

 where the exhibition was held I showed the stands to a friend 

 who had been long at the business. His remark was this — 

 "You have splendid blooms, but they must be dressed. If 

 you like I will pM them up for you." He did so, and on that 

 occasion I think I stood highest on the list in both classes. 

 Now, like Carnations, some of the varieties needed no artificial 

 aid, others had the centres pulled quite out and the flowers 

 pulled together with blocks ; but no additions must be made 

 to the flowers. If a flower has not a centre, one must not be 

 put in. I presume that the flowers exhibited at the National 

 are upon cards, as at the London shows. — J. DoroLAs. 



GEAPES AT THE EDINBURGH SHOW. 



The following are facts concerning the respective weights 

 of the first and second heaviest bunches of White Grapes. 

 The first prize was awarded to J. Curror, Eskbank, whose 

 bunch was said to weigh 20 lbs. i ozs., and when weighed in 

 the show room it weighed 26 lbs. J oz. ; while the second 

 prize was awarded to myself, the Judges saying that my 

 bimch weighed 2.5 lbs. 15 ozs. Prior to starting for Edinburgh 

 my bunch weighed 26 lbs. 8 ozs., which can be attested by 

 two witnesses. Not being allowed to be present at the weigh- 

 ing, I requested the bunches to be reweighed, but this was 

 refused more than once within the two days. This seems a 

 very strange procedure, and I leave the public to judge from 

 these facts. 



I object also to the first-prize Grapes being one bunch, as 

 from what I saw myself it was two bunches, and I am backed 

 in this by six of the best Grape-growers and principal prize- 

 taliers at the Show. I have had bunches of the same sort 



over and over again, and I have always cut those parts away 

 to prevent people saying it was more than one bunch. I 

 should like to hear the opinion of two or three able men and 

 parties that are not interested in either of the bunches men- 

 tioned. It surely ought to be known what constitutes one single 

 btinoh of Grapes. — James Dickson, Arkleton, Langholm, N.B. 



TAKING UP GLADIOLUS. 



It is not often that I differ from so experienced a cultivator 

 as Mr. Douglas, but I am compelled to do so as to his advice 

 in last week's Journal about Gladiolus. He says, " In a large 

 collection there are always a number of plants of which the 

 stalks die off prematurely. The best way is to puU them up 

 and tie them in bundles to burn. Some of the best growers 

 consider this to be a disease, but it is probably nothing but 

 degeneration, as no trace of disease is apparent in the corms." 

 This degeneration in a previous sentence he explains to be 

 the result of delicate constitution and of their cultivation in 

 England. 



Now for my reply. I send you herewith a root of Celemene 

 which I imported this year from France. You will see the old 

 corm has thrown up two shoots and formed two new corms, 

 and you will perceive that they are fearfully diseased. Will you 

 kindly look at them and then forward them to Mr. Douglas ? 

 The stalk has prematurely decayed, but the corms are diseased, 

 and being newly imported bulbs it is not owing to their culti- 

 vation in England. I have observed the same premature 

 dying-ofi in a seedling bed where degeneration cannot be laid 

 to their charge. I do not like, if the bulbs are of a good sort, 

 to burn them without close examination ; and I am confirmed 

 in this by a curious experience of last year. I took up some 

 corms of Madame Desportes, a variety which it seems impos- 

 sible to keep free from disease. At planting time they looked 

 so scrubby and bad that I determined not to put them in my 

 best beds, but planted them with some others in my kitchen 

 garden. Strange to say they started into growth, and I have 

 had some capital blooms from them. I therefore take up the 

 bulbs when a plant dies off prematurely and examine the corms 

 well. If they are badly diseased I destroy them ; if only 

 specked I keep them on, hoping to secure perhaps some of 

 them for next year. — D., Deal, 



[This is a subject that "D., Deal," and I must agree to 

 differ upon. He believes that the Gladiolus does not degene- 

 rate under cultivation in England. I believe that it does, and 

 at a very rapid rate too. If your correspondent will discontinue 

 importing for three seasons I believe he will hold the same 

 opinion. The specimens sent are diseased and would never 

 recover ; those alluded to in the " Doings " were quite different. 

 The bulbs were apparently sound, but they will never throw 

 strong spikes again. They are afflicted with what might be 

 called " the yeUows." Many growers complain of the same. 

 The late Mr. Standish told me that my bulbs would soon 

 degenerate, and that I should have to give up their cultivation 

 after a time ; but I keep up a healthy stock from seed and by 

 occasional importations. I may say that I have had bulbs die 

 in the same way as the specimen sent, and amongst newly 

 imported roots too. They might be from disease ; degenera- 

 tion is a different thing. — J. Douglas.] 



BOURNEMOUTH, ITS SCENERY AND 

 VEGETATION.— No. 1. 

 To the ordinary traveller who makes London his centre a 

 journey by the South- Western EaU to Southampton, and be- 

 yond that place, presents larger tracts of waste unprofitable 

 land than is to be met with on any other line that I am ac- 

 quainted with in England. Certainly some of the Scotch rail- 

 ways pass through districts more truly wild, and consequently 

 having a more picturesque appearance ; but the waste laud met 

 with on the South-Westem line from London has but Uttle 

 that is inviting about it, especially the portion that almost 

 approaches the suburbs of the great metropolis. Though far 

 from being sterile its vegetation is not luxuriant, and it is 

 generally either flat or the undulations look tame, and, unless 

 seen at the best period of the year, present but little that is 

 cheering beyond the atmosphere which is no doubt exempt 

 from the London impurities ; but after passing the grief-stricken 

 shadow of Woking a little more cheerfulness is infused into 

 the landscape. Dry chalky hills show diligent cultivation, and 

 trees aud hedges look flourishing even if the grass land be burnt 



