23—1846.] 
THE GARDENERS’ CHRONICLE. 
373 
the excellent rules now enforced at the Exhibitions 
given purchasers a rule to be guided by.— Veritas. 
Fraudulent Seedsmen.—It is not my intention to ex- 
pose the party as * Lusor" seems to recommend ; but, 
after giving 3s, 6d. for a packet of seeds, to find a patch 
of weeds only coming up instead of a crop of a new 
and gigantic species of is provoking enough. Had 
there been a variety of weeds, I might have thought 
otherwise than I do; but finding the surface in a few 
days covered with one sort only, I can only conclude 
the seeds sent me were the seeds of that weed instead of 
the seeds advertised and ordered and pre-paid for.—.4 
Victimised Amateur. [Weare much inclined now to 
publish the name of this culprit ; and, if fresh complaints 
of him reach us this year, we will do so. 
The Potato crop in Devon.—Last year, through the 
month of June, it was observed that the Potato crops 
in my locality had never previously been seen in a more 
healthy, vigorous, and evenly state of growth. The 
tubers too of the early kinds, in the month of July, were 
not only numerous, but large ; any quantity could be 
purchased at four-pence per score pounds, But this 
spring they have been selling as high as twenty-pence 
per score pounds. It is now the last week in May, 
and the early crops of Potatoes are equal in strength 
and evenness with what they were a month later last 
year, and the tubers are equally fine and numerous, 
more particularly all the autumn planted varieties; 
those which were protected, through bad weather, with 
dry dust, fern, and other refuse, have actually now 
about finished their growth—the foliage is cupping up as 
if ripening ; other crops also appear in most luxuriant 
health, when viewed ata distance; but I am sorry to 
state that the detestable enemy has again made its 
appearance, in its too generally known forms of rusti- 
ness, black spotted inkey blotchings on the foliage, 
eankery, gangrenous sore looking spots on the stems 
or stalks and ribs of the foliage. Whether the cold 
rains which we have had—the remarkably cold north 
winds we have experienced for the most part of the first 
twenty days of this month—have in any way accelerated 
‘the disease or not I cannot say, but I am sorry to 
again observe its appearance even on some of the 
young tubers. We cut and pick off all the diseased stalks 
and leaves as we discover them, and burn them, although 
by this means I do not expect wholly to stay or prevent 
its ravages, but the trouble is little, and it puts out of 
sight an eye-sore. I never had crops so prosperous in 
appearance, when viewed at a distance ; and this has 
Jed many to suppose that all was right. It would, how- 
ever, be strange indeed were not some of us to produce 
good crops and clear from disease, this season ; for no 
doubt can be entertained that many have been careful 
in the preservation, selection, and planting of this year’s 
*rop, and the after-management will, no doubt, be per- 
formed with more than usual care, and this useful 
Vegetable may yet possibly be an average crop. lam 
happy to say too that at present we have here some 
‘Pieces of Potatoes in which no disease has been ob- 
served ; still I am doubtful as to the future.—J. Barnes, 
Bicton Gardens, near Sidmouth, Devon. 
Bees.—1I do not know what this industrious insect 
may be doing in England’s more genial clime, but in 
this locality things are at a stand still with them; I 
imagine they must have adopted the prevailing fashion 
of making a strike—for fine weather. We are now 
drawing towards the end of May, and my three hives 
have added nothing to their store; indeed, on the 
contrary, they are still diminishing in weight. In Oc- 
tober, the three hives were doubled, and in November 
o. 3 had another family added, thus it was trebled. 
No. 2, in eousequence ofa capsize whieh broke away 
a great proportion of its comb, has been fed since 
February, therefore I have not included it in the sub- 
joined table ; it is, however, thriving as far as brood 
oes. You will observe that since the breeding season 
commenced (beginning of March, since which they have 
been working more or less) the consumption has been 
very great, uo less than 174 Ibs. for No. 1, and 22 lbs. 
for No. 3 ; but it is very unusual for the spring to be 
‘80 late as it is this season: we have acres of Furze de- 
lighting the eye with its golden blossoms, but the wet 
weather precludes our purveyors from taking advan- 
tage of the sweets, Both Nos. 1 and 3 are very popu- 
lous, the hives (straw) appearing quite full, and not 
more than about two dozen bees having died from each, 
at least not in the hive. Drones made their appearance 
in Nos. 1 and 3 on 2d May ; No. 2 has no drones yet, 
it has a second swarm of last year (on 26th June) and 
therefore, according to Huber, there will be no drones 
till towards the middle of June; the queen will not be 11 
1 
in September, when the masters (as they are called in | 
this part of the country) were all destroyed. I think 
Mr. Wighton has been deceived into the belief that the 
latter killing was of a second brood, from a deficiency 
of h The ci I have stated I 
account for thus :—During August I had a cap on the 
top of the hive, and consequently the bees had room 
enough; but before the drones were all killed I re- 
moved the cap ; then, the room being rather confined, 
there may have been a probability of swarming. In 
fact, they began to lay out, and in apprehension that 
they would swarm, I, in haste, cut a half flour-barrel in 
two, and fitting one part with loose bars, placed it 
under the hive. The killing of the drones recommenced, 
and finished. Does the experience of any of your cor- 
respondents enable them to make an approximation to 
the time of swarming from the date of the appearance 
of the drones? The following Table shows the monthly 
decrease, ing with S ber, and inui 
until the present time :— 
i 
Month, | General State of | Hive No. 1| — Hive No. 2, 
ON Weather. decreased. | decreased. 
E nae yo ipe. 
fildanddry ..| Lis -.| 25 
HEIN 43 Vie LAP RARER Me ING 
jos 3, 435» 
Feb. .. ..|Coldandfrosty ..| Nil. 
March m o. 0. 2, . 1 : 
April .. ..|Wetand cold » 1 j Breeding. 
May, till29d Wet —.. .. : 
HS 
Worth Extreme of Wigtonshire, 
— Edgar Slade, 
May 22. 
Experiments in Autumn-planting Potatoes.—I send 
you the results of my experiments in planting Potatoes 
last autumn. The soil is dry and calcareous, and all 
the tubers were planted six inches deep in November. 
The first portion of seed had been grown on poor dry 
land, which had not been manured for the crop, and 
was quite free from the rot. All the sets have come 
up, and are growing vigorously. ‘The second portion of 
seed was produced on land naturally dry and poor, 
manured with abundance of fresh stable-dung, and 
overshadowed with luxuriant garden Beans growing at 
intervals of a yard. The crop was greatly injured by 
the rot, and although the healthiest looking tubers were 
selected, not a third of them have vegetated. The third 
portion of seed was grown in the rich soil of a garden. 
The produce was tainted, and the consequence was the 
same as in the second trial. I must notice that although 
the results have been so successful in the two last 
cases, abundance of Potatoes are coming up where the 
seed was grown, verifying the notion that tainted Po- 
tatoes should be left in the ground when the soil is dry, 
aslong as possible, and used as soon as they are dug 
up. As to the remaining trials the sets have vegetated 
or not, according to their soundness. One half was 
planted with the surface level, and the other with ridges 
of soil over the sets. The latter plan has in every case 
sueceeded the best, the shoots being more luxuriant. 
Whether the manure was incorporated with the whole 
of the soil, or placed above or helow the Potatoes, I can 
perceive no difference in the result, During Mareh and 
April I frequently examined the tubers, and found 
numbers of wireworms preying on. the eut sets ; but 
where the seed was sound they do not appear to have 
destroyed a single plant.— Sigma, Banbury. [We 
print this communication; but we would again repre- 
sent to our correspondents that the present health of a 
crop is no guarantee whatever for its future condition]. 
Docietwes. : 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
June 2d.— R. W. Barchard, Esq., in the chair. Mr. 
W. Healy, 130, Fleet-street, was elected a Fellow. 
Among subjeets of exhibition produced on this occasion 
was a charming collection of hardy hybrid Azaleas from 
the grounds of the Earl of Carnarvon at Highclere. 
Some were the result of a cross between A. pontica and 
the red flowered A. rubescens, of the United States, 
and showed in a remarkable degree the value of such 
crosses, for in the mules the yellow flowers of A. pon- 
tica partook of the rich crimson tints of A. rubescens 
in a greater or less degree of intensity, and a beautiful 
display of various coloured flowers has been the result. 
This has also been the case in another group of hybrids 
obtained from A. sinensis,which had the glaucous foliage 
and inflorescence of that species modified by the various 
tints of crimson, these colours blending nicely together, 
and producing a striking effect. Another charming 
hybrid is well deserving of notice ; to the habit of 
Bhododewd id 
months old till 26th May, and supposing she 
her laying of drone eggs on that very day, as they re- 
quire 24 days to arrive at their full development, it 
would be 18th June before the first drones would issue 
from their cells, consequently the swarms must be late; 
this forms a strong argument against keeping second 
Swarms for stocks, as, if Huber is right, such stocks 
Cannot give early swarms. lobserve Wighion in his 
book treats Huber's theory with contempt, but has any 
one had a swarm from a second swarm of the previous 
year so early as to disprove Huber’s statement ? Wigh- 
ton states that a brood of drones sometimes issues from 
a stock in the autumn, after the killing of the drones 
of the spring begins; but I much doubt his conclusions, 
for this reason, that last year, my No. 1 commenced 
killing the drones in August, but desisted before the 
Completion of the work of destruction, and during the in- 
terval the drones were to be seen entering and leaving the 
hive qui Testaa tht u 
d till the second week 
B 
or fragrans it added the 
colour of the broad leaved Kalmia. 1t had been ob- 
tained between the Azalea rubescens and the Highclere 
Rhododendron. Other mules also came from the same 
gardens in the shape of our hardy European purple 
Rhododendrons, greatly improved in foliage by the 
use of the crimson Indian kind. These purple varie- 
ties were not only beautifully spotted, but one in parti- 
eular displayed a peculiar play of colour, the purple 
half transparent flowers being beautifully shaded with 
violet. A Banksian Medal was awarded. Other hybrids in 
the form of Cacti, were sent from Oulton Park, Cheshire, | alba ; Sak Mu 
ngton, gr. to Sir P. G. Egerton, Bart., M.P. | Pimelea decussata, forming a depressed bush, 3 feet in 
by Mr. Erring 
These seedlings belonged to the pendulous section of 
the tribe ; the old Cereus flagelliformis, being one of 
the parents. One, a delicate pink variety, was a flower 
of considerable size and beauty; the other, a brilliant | the stage was a huge bush of Epacris 
Another Cactus, named furmosissimus, eame from the 
nursery of Mr. Smith, of Dalston, who also sent two 
Fuchsias, one named Eximia, and the other Beauty of 
Dalston—the latter in the way of Conspicua, but larger. 
Messrs. Veitch and Son, of Exeter, sent a novelty in 
the form of Didymocarpus crinitus (the long-haired 
id p), a Gloxinia-looking plant, with snow-white 
flowers, streaked in the throat with yellow, and along 
with it Dendrobium hymenophyllum, only interest- 
ing in point of novelty, the dull yellow flowers being 
anything but beautiful. A certificate was awarded for 
the former. From: Messrs. Chandler and Sons, of 
Vauxhall, were 12 Pelargoniums of sorts very suitable 
for bouquets ; a bluish purple Cineraria, named Bijou ; 
and two pigmy Yams, whieh had been received from 
Chili under the supposition tha: they were Tropzeolums, 
the tubers being somewhat similar. Mr. Groom, of 
Clapham Rise, sent a small bouquet composed of dif- 
ferent varieties of Anemone hortensis, a smaller but 
better-coloured variety than A. coronaria. From Mr. 
Golledge, of Stratford, was a collection of Caleeolarias, 
including a seedling named Forget-me-Not. Mr. Wid- 
nall, nurseryman, Cambridge, sent a noble speci- 
en of the recently introduced  Fuchsia serra- 
tifolia. This plant was about 6 feet in height, 
and had, apparently, been covered with blos- 
som, but was mueh spoiled by travelling. It proves to 
be a fine species, the long, shining, rosy pink, green- 
tipped calyx, contrasting finely with the orange-scarlet 
corolla. Banksian Medal was awarded it.—From 
Mr. Cuthill, of Camberwell, were Leianthus longifolius, 
a West Indian plant, nearly related to Lisianthus ; and 
a fine-looking sample of perfectly sound new Ash-leaved 
Kidney Potatoes.—A sample of Potatoes, from Norway, 
of last year's growth, was likewise shown by Messrs. 
Keeling and Hunt, of Monument-yard. It is well known 
that the crops in that country suffered from the prevail- 
ing disease of last year; but if there had been any 
doubt about the matter it would have been dispelled by 
an examination of the sample produced, for these were 
evidently affected, although in a slight degree. — Of 
Fruit, Mr. Fish, gr. to Col. Sowerby, sent two Melons 
and excellent specimens of Royal George Peaches, for 
which latter a certificate was awarded. The Melon 
was sent to exhibit the singular circumstance of a fruit 
swelling upon a twig coming from the fruit stalk, near 
its junction with the ripe fruit, and which would, no doubt, 
ave reached maturity if the ripe one had been cut 
away.—From the garden of the Society was Achimenes 
patens, a most beautiful new species, sent by Mr. Hart- 
weg from Mexico since his departure for California. It 
proves to be one of the loveliest of the genus. The colour 
of the flowers somewhat resembles that of A. grandi- 
flora; but it is much deeper and brighter, and the 
flowers themselves are smaller; it may be expected 
to become still better, for the specimens now in flower 
have been raised from bulbs sent home only a few 
weeks ago by post to this country. Along with it was 
another novelty in the form of Campanula nobilis, 
lately sent from China by Mr. Fortune. It is a hardy 
species, producing large lilac bells, which were said to 
have within these few days become paler ; it will form 
a good addition to our shrubbery borders. From the 
same collection were, moreover, Heliophila trifida, an 
annual with light blue cruciform flowers with white 
centres, which open in the morning, close about noon, 
and drop off soon after. This short duration of the 
flowers is the more a matter of regret, as they are pro- 
daced in tolerable abundance, and in the morning when 
they are all open the plant has rather a striking effect. 
Associated with these were the handsome scarlet- 
flowered Piteairnia punicea, the well known Cypripedium 
barbatum, a Gloxinia, two species of Oncidium, the 
rose-coloured variety of Epidendrum macrochilum, and 
a noble mass of Phalenopsis amabilis, which has been 
obtained from Manilla, through the perseverance of 
Mr. Fortune, this—the queen of all the Orchids—being 
most difficult to procure, a cireumstance which will 
always make it a searce species. 
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY. 
June 3.—This, tHe SECOND. EXHIBITION for the 
season, took place in their Garden, Inner Cirele, 
Regents-park. The day was very propitious. We 
learn from the Court Circular that His Royal Highness 
Prince Albert, with the Prince of Wales and Princess 
Royal, honoured the Society with a visit. The plants 
were in beautiful order, and altogether the exhibition was 
an improvement on the last meeting. As many of 
the plants were, however, present on that occasion, we 
shall not repeat the description of those again brought 
forward ; but shall confine our remarks to the leading 
features of the exhibition, and to such as have not 
been previously shown, In collections of 30 Stove and 
Greenhouse plants there were two exhibitors, Messrs, 
Fraser, of the Lea-bridge-road Nursery, and Mr. Barnes, 
of Bromley. The first 
gr. to W. Norman, Esq. 
` 4m — 
prize was awarded to the Messrs. F. sers’ group, 
which contained some matchless plants in point 
of cultivation. We remarked Aphel speciosa 
| 
| 
s 
2} feet in height, and about 2 feet in diameter, 
quite a mass of flowers; a fine plant of Vinca 
Chorozema Henchmanni, superbly grown ; and 
width, and 24 feet high ; together with a large Coleo- 
nema pulchrum; and the red-flowered Clerodendron 
splendens, blooming freely in a pot. At the back of 
randiflora, and, 
€ 
orange-eoloured flower, was so much bruised by travel- | supporting it, a large purple Azalea ; a finely bloomed 
ling, that a correct idea of it could hardly be formed. | Boronia serrulata, 3 feet in width and 23 feet in height; 
