

THE GARDENERS 5 CHRONICLE. 



>99 



I *•** 



r wav, 

 the 



m 



attra ; and as generally admired 

 finest productions of our stoves and 

 as lias been well observed by no 

 thoritv in floricultnral matters ■ even Royalty 

 ^A bten known to dwell in admiration longer over a 

 JJ^j of well selected Pansies, than over the rarest 

 fJJJjcclniral specimen of an exhibition.' 9 I will briefly 

 JEfout the actual injustice of the case, though it is so 

 '^ -*nt, thas little comment is needed. By this 

 rement of the schedule we have the buyer and 

 er brought into an unwise antagonism. Fair 

 Btttion is the thing to be aimed at in every exhi- 

 and one would suppose that if it be necessary to 

 -^rtte dealers from amateurs in the productions 

 •SwJt enumerated, so as to produce a fair competition, 

 ant lv the same necessity must exist to treat our 

 flowers upon the same plan, with such a sepa- 

 jjfoa. 1 am thankful to admit, on behalf of every 

 u rc r of floriculture, that the schedule of 1852 needs 

 gdf to be a second edition of that noticed at the head 

 of this article. I am unable to discover any reasonable 



Cd for the continuance of this unnecessary col- 

 between the buyer and the seller ; it tends to keep 

 lltfrower from exhibiting, for fear of disgusting his 

 cotomcr : it tend* to keep the purchaser from exhibit- 

 jaf, because he knows that he cannot, for many reasons, 

 jfem to the same pitch of excellence as his opponent ; 

 att, more, it will keep many from purchasing and grow- 

 iny flowers which they have no opportunity of bringing 

 forward to a fair competition. It may be said that, 

 wittt reasons are there why an amateur should not grow 

 good a stand of Pansies as a dealer ? I answer there 



for instance, the amateur can never have so 



• 





ik nun y 



peat I variety to choose from as the dealer, who is 

 oHged to test every variety that is put forth in each 

 jear by the principal raisers ; it will be hard if 

 fium these he does not obtain some improvements 

 •a the torts in the hands of private growers. No 

 •uteur can venture to buy everything in this 

 ft>lrion ; he must look to the advice and recommenda- 

 tion of one or two growers of note, when they have proved 

 tie previous year's lot ; this necessary process must 

 ilways throw the amateur one whole season behind the 

 d«der ; reasons such as these might no doubt be multi- 

 lied, were they necessary. With this alteration will be 

 ma an increased number of exhibitors. The only 

 reflection likely to arise in the mind of every florist, 

 upon considering this subject, will be one of unmitigated 

 Mtonishment, that so palpable an evil to the true interest 

 »d progress of floriculture should have so long existed. 

 1 shall be thankful if what I have written should in any 

 wit tend to produce its removal. Let the floricultural 

 motto for 1852 be, « A fair field and no favour." J. E. 



The Dahlia Exhibitions for the season will be pretty 

 generally brought to a close during the coming week ; 

 tfwillbemy duty to attend those enumerated in the 

 "List of Meetings," at p. 595, viz., the North London 

 (BiJigate), on Wednesday, and the Stoke Newingtonon 

 Thursday. The usual classes have been instituted at 

 both places ; dealers, 24 varieties and 12 fancies ; 

 tttteurs, 12 varieties and 6 fancies. I also observe 

 fwt at Highgate, Hollyhocks, Fuchsias, Verbenas, 

 Antirrhinums, and Petunias are invited, together with 

 several classes of extra prizes, making a varied and 

 attractive schedule. I hope to be able to furnish reports 

 wtich, without being too elaborate or irksome, may yet 

 »rve the purpose intended, viz., a record of the leading 

 w*ers, together with notices of all novelties, to which 

 wlivided attention shall be directed. /. E. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS (FLORICULTURAL PORTIONS) 

 -„ FOR SEPTEMBER. 



1 he Midland Florist has an article by the conductor, 

 «j t " How Tulips are judged in the Midland Counties f 



On Auriculas, by Mr. Lightbody," accompanied by a 

 descriptive catalogue of some known high class flowers, 

 «w of others little known in the south ; and a report of 

 we Midland Horticultural Society's Carnation and 

 ncotee Exhibition. The latter will be found valuable 

 • * reference. 



GtoKr Plrtrist l,as a P late °f> an< * some remarks on 

 k^ioli. The Monthly Remembrancer contains the 



^information on the culture of Florists' Flowers, and 



«<V * ^P lies ' a remembrancer, on which all may rely. 

 _won continues his running comments on " The Pro- 



*/ Ga 1 P t lar S° nium " in the Floricultnral Cabinet. 

 niiL^r s ' Mvffazine of Botany contains a few brief 

 WW remarks on Floriculture. 



&>0fiett'eft 



cltoral, Sept. 18. — Several nice Holly- 



the Surrey and ShackleweU, tine even as they were there. 

 They consisted of 3hr R, Peel. <^ueen of Dahlia* Stadcivil'e 

 Thames Bank Hero, Snowflake, Duke of > llin?ton. Sir C. 

 Napier. Goliath, Lady CathearL George Glenn?. Mr. Herbert! 

 Mr. Seldon, Fearless, Cobden, Miss Spears (Lamont \ John 

 Edward, Andromeda, and Grenadier. 



Camberwell Amateoe Dahlia, Sept. 15. -This is the third 

 year ia which this Society has held a show, which is principally 

 supported by Surrey amateurs; the system adopted here is 

 " cut and cut -," viz., Mr. A. sees Mr. B. not only cut the blooms 

 to be shown, but seals up th« box, which must only be opened 

 in the presence of Mr. B. Mr. C. does the same thing for Mr. 

 B., and so on by all the members, one to the o f .her. On the 

 present occasion, the exhibition was held in the Lecture Hall. 

 For 12 bloom*, Mr. Marshall, Norwood, obtained the 1st prize, 



wih Buffalo Girl, Beeswing, Carmina, Mrs. Shelley, Sir f! 

 Bathurst, Earl Clarendon, Richard Cobden, Privateer, Seraph, 

 Black Prince, Duke of Cambridge, and Captain Warner: 2d, 

 Mr. Noake, Camberwe 1 : 3d, Mr. C mnell, ditto. 9 blooms • 

 1st, Mr. Attrill ; 2.1, Mr. Korshaw ; 3d, Mr. Morris. 6 blooms :" 

 1st, Mr. Larkin; 2d, Mr. Willis; 3d, Mr. Champion ; 4tb, Mr. 

 Atherton. As an open prize to private growers, a j-ilver rap 

 was presented by Robert Donaldson, E*q through the Society, 

 for the best 12 blooms. For this 4 collections were produced : 

 1st, Mr. Hunt, jun., Paddington, with Duke of Wellington, 

 Mr. Seldon, Prince*B IUdzivill, Earl Clarendon, Sir f! 

 Bathurs-, Queen of Lilacs, Sir R. Peel, Honourable Mrs. 

 Ashley, Shy lock, Louis Philippe, Yellow Standard, and Gem of 

 the Grove; 2d. Mr. James; 3d, Mr. Prockttr; 4th, Mr. Black. 

 Mr. Btftg£ h»d a large collection of Dahlias, Hollyhock*, Pan- 

 sies, and of her cut flowers ; Pansy Pandora (Hunt}, and Fancy 



•ahlia Mis* Mathew?, were both in good condition. Verbenas, 

 Fuchsia*, and other subjects were well supplied. ./. /•;. 



Dotting Hill Dahlia, Sept* 16.— This exhibition was h 

 in Ladbroke-aquare. The day was tioe, and the company 



numerous. First-cla68 certificates were voted to George Villters 

 (Union), a dark ruby variety of much merit; the specimens 

 were only, however, of moderate growth; to Triumphant 

 (Keynes), a flower formerly noticed by us ; to Laura Laving ton 

 (Keynes); to Nancy (Kejnet); to Morning Star (Turner), deep 

 orange scarlet, bold; to Miss Ward (Turner), a pale yellow, 

 tipped white; to Miss Mathews (Bragg), brilliant scarh 

 tipped white. Other seedlings were shown — Una (Keynes), a 

 bold white ; Flora McIvor( Keynes) ; Phantom (Nosks), golden 

 orange ; Sarah, mottled luke and white; Duchess of 

 Gloucester and George Long (Trenfield); Malvina (Turner), 

 bold purplish lake, mottled. Amateurs, 12 blooms: Isr. 

 Mr. Weedon, of Hillingdon, with Mr. Seldon, Nil Despe- 

 rjindum, Magnificent, Duke of Wellington, Sir F. Bathurst, 

 Admiral, Snowflake, Anticipation, Elizube h, Yellow Standard. 

 Grenadier, and Karl of Clarendon ; 2d, Mr. Hunt, jun., with 

 Magnificent, Earl of Clarendon, Princess Radiiville, l>uke of 

 Wellington, >irlt. Peel, Elizabeth, Mr. Seldon, sir F. Bathurst, 

 Ytllow Superb, Shylock, Fearless, and Yellow Standard; 

 3d, Mr. Prockter, viith Puke of Wellington, Thames Bank 

 Hero, Mrs. C. Bacon, Hichard Cobden, Fearless, Snowflake, 

 Purple Standard, Crocus, War Eagle, Captain Warner. 

 Mr. Seldon, and Scarlet Gem ■ 4 to, Mr. J. Edwards, 

 with Snowflake, John Edward, The Hero, Mr*. Seldon, He- 

 gina, Thames Bank Hero, Earl of Clarendon, Negr «. Richard 

 Cobden, Fearless, Mr. Seldon, and Queen of the Isles ; 5th, 

 Mr. Cook; Gth, Mr. Jones; 7th, Mr. Hopkins; 8th, Mr. 

 Chawner. Six Fancies: 1st prize to Mr. Black, with E)iz«beth. 

 Kaciiael, Mrs. Hansard, Miss. Cotnpton, Madame Wachy 

 and Forget-me-Not ; 2d, Mr. Jones, with Miss Compton, High- 

 land Chief. Madame Hose, Floral Beauty, Lady Grenville, and 

 Madame Bresson; 3d, Mr. James, with Miss Compton, Mrs. 

 Hansard, Elizabeth, Gasparini, Madame Wacby, and Mrs. S. 

 Lefevre ; 4th, Mr. Edwards, with Mrs. Hansard, Highland 

 Chief, Princess Helena, Forget-me-Not, Kingfisher, ami Gas- 

 parini ; 5th, Mr. Chawner. Six new varieties : 1st prize to Mr. 

 Weedon, with Nil Desperandum, Lady Cathcart, Hegina, Ad- 

 miral, Jullien, and Model; 2d, Mr. Black, with Goliath, Queen 

 of Bi amies (extra fine), Led*, Nepaulese Prince, Yellow Su- 

 perb, and Sir C. Napier; 3d, Mr. Edwards, with Admiral, 

 Leda, Kegina, Nepaulese Prince, Napoleon, and Sir C. Napier ; 

 4th, Mr. Jame9 ; 5tb, Mr. Jones. Four new varieties sent out 

 this season by Mr. Keynes: 1st prize to Mr. Black; 'id, Mr. 

 James ; 3d, Mr. Edwards ; 4th, Mr. Pope ; 5tb, Mr. Jones : 

 sorts, Yellow Superb, Mr. Herbert, Summit of Perfection, 

 Beauty of Kent, Baltic, and lflet Pope. Four new sorts let 

 out this season by Mr. Turner : 1st prize to Mr. Black ; 2d, Mr. 

 James ; 3d, Mr. Jones : sorts, Nepaulese Prince, Goliath, Lad> 

 Cathcart, Sir C. Napier, Nil Desperandum, Jullien, Regina, 

 Roundhead, Leda, Model, and Mr. Palmer. Dealers, 24: 

 1st prize to Mr. Legge ; 2d, Mr. Bragg ; 3d, Mr. Cook. 24 Fan- 

 cies : 1st prize to Mr. Legge ; 2d, Mr. Bragg : the sorts 

 being those already enumerated. Hollyhocks and Pansie- 

 were produced by Mr. Bragg ; and a neat collection of Roses 

 by Mr. Wilkinson, Western Rose Nursery, Ealing; among the 

 sorts were 18 bunches of that sterling variety Geanc des 

 Battailles, also La Reine, Safranot, Paul Joseph, Mrs. Bosan- 

 quet, Cloth of Gold, <fec. J. E. 



line; it has the shape el e Dnfc* of WeHlag 'on. and colour 



or John Edwitd. The specimen* wore much past v<> ir beet.* 



Panst : U B IK A yellow-ground flower, in the wa\ ..f Belh.n 



W 1 A. _ — A. 1a* 



b 



state 



Miscellaneous- 





^iTTOlCAt Flomc 



Mr Biroh* 8 ^ own - A- first-class Certificate was awarded to 

 fi ne form V** Model of PwfecHon, a pale primrose flower of 

 Portions iv teXture » P uard Petals smooth, centre well pro- 

 ton %u<\ L. to t0 ^ourpre de Tyre (Bircham), a rosy purple 



t> . ' "niOlie of* 1 *" 1 ---*- ** A - ' n .-*.!** « 



(Bircham), deep 



Certifi 



to Penelope 



rosy pink, large and fine, guard petals smooth, 



First-class certifioate to Mr. 



ce *tre not »,,« -^V™** large 

 . • ,n i render* --end fnrSuf^a, 



pne of the best of its colour. 



wy pink, large and t 



ndy elevated. Fin 

 •otour*fi ' "' ,CI "-end, for Safranot, adesirable pinkish salmon- 

 (Par*onir U * 1 K ty,witb buff K«ard petals. Ditto to Pillar of Beauty 

 Triomnb a ^ Dt ro *l' ciimson flower of fine form. Ditto to 

 *"**<t wirK*^ lP ar80nB )» a pale primrose kind, occasionally 

 inon* n hv e rose * The aboTe were al1 « hown itt spikes. 

 Turner , ♦ u " * fir8t cIa8S certificate was awarded to Mr. 

 lesion w \! • Rojal N «"ery, Slough, f.^r Miss Ward, bright 

 Bsntard rr P * ° f pure wmte » a decided improvement on Mrs. 

 *ith'*csrl t « t0 l . ^ orn *°& ^ tar (Turner), orange suffused 

 BarUf c m gna i )e » ano * certainly an improrement on 



t^a, a , r ndon ' Certificate to Mr. Keynes of Salisbury for 



tir/a ros v7 ' Bltto *° Mr " Rj4Wlin ?^» for Sir F - Thesi- 

 •• on f«- c flo *er, which has been favourably noticed by 



Wr merocca »i'»ns. 

 Mr. s^ri Br3mT ' KEA * Bristol.— The Cup, Mr. Turner; 2d, 

 *Hitol. 9?\ 3d ' Mr - Mau^ Amateurs: 1st, Mr. Ltddiard, 

 Mr, Turn! ' k[ Fi<her r Batb ; 3d, — ^alters, Esq., Gloucester, 

 up, Snch'ifi "' oom * were certainly the finest he has ever pn 



18 fiowers could scarcely have been selected fr m 



Calceolarias : C J. The leaves sent were so dry that no 

 traces of the insect were visible. Try tobacco- water, and 

 syringe the plants on the under-side of their foliage. J. E. 



Carnations and Picotees : Anon. These will nowbentostl 

 rooted and fit to take off. J. E.—B V. It is Hale's Sir H« 

 Smith, S. F. ; we know of no other. J. E. 



Cinerarias: A B, and T S. The notes were made at the 

 several exhibitions which occurred du ing the season. I 

 have not been a grower of them, yet, like yourselves, I have 

 a disposition that way ; further, I have already «*had in" a 

 dozen, by way of beginning, and I advise you both to M go and 

 do likewise : M their cultivation is by no means difficult, and 

 from their early season of flowering, they prove valuable and 

 interesting without being expensive. Obtain Adela Viilier*, 

 Amy Robsart, Blue Perfection, Carlotta Grisi, Cento, Clemen- 

 tine, David Copperfieid, Effie Deans, Klectra, Flora Mlror, 

 Jetty TrefTz, Ladies Gertrude and Hume Campbell, Lettice 

 Arnold, Madame Sontagr, Weddiug King, die. Madame 

 Sontag has pale green foliage, without any purple on the 

 under side ; Eiectra is a shade darker, slightly tinged with 

 purple underneath ; Lettice Arnold is of a still darker shade 

 of green, but without the purple tinge— its habit is robust ; 

 these are also the characteristics of Jetty Trtflz; Adela 

 Villitrs, Amy Robsart, Eitie Deans, and Lady Hume Camp- 

 bell are each distinctly shaded with purple on the under side 

 of the foliage ; Wedding Riotr, Ceruo, Lady Gertrude, and 

 Carlotta Grisi, are of less robust habit tnan the preceding, 

 yet all may be advantageously added to every collection. J.J 



Dahlias (Fancies) : II P. It is probable that they will resume 

 their proper character, if treated as you propose. At the best 

 of times, Fancies are disponed to sport into Selfs : even those 

 now complained of, as the season advances, and the soil be- 

 comes exhausted by their growth, will produce flowus true 

 to their kinds. J. E, 



Flower Snows: «u*tice. Yes; the 12 plants in noway inter- 

 fered with classes ; they were set up as " extra," and ben g 

 considered worthy, were so rewarded, for which Rule lu 

 especially provides. «/. E. 



Trowbridge Society : J A'. Censors should not be biassed by 

 the remarks of a manager or assistant ; a casual observer 



seldom examines the flowers tufficiently to be able to form a 

 correct opinion on their meiits. I have, however, every 

 respect for the gentleman referred to ; he could not easily be 

 deceived, and would be one of the last to dispute an award 

 if rightly made. J, E. 



"^^^^ ^— 1 11 j^mii Mil II M I 



SEEDLING FLOWERS. 



Dahlia : Scarlet King is brilliant in colour and £0)d in out- 



Potato Jhscase in Germany. — A cor respondent travel- 

 linn; in Northern Gtarniany sends us the following : — k * I 

 think you will be painfully interested in hearing that 

 throughout the north of Germany the Potato - ,: iTiit 

 hag made rapid progri ss. When 1 left London, a short 

 time ago, fear; were enter: lined for the crop in Ireland ; 

 hut, so far as 1 am aware, no fears were then felt for the 

 crop in the great Potato- growing plains of the north of 

 Europe. Within the last seren da> -. 1 have patted fronA 

 Cologne to Berlin, through hundreds of miles of diseased 

 roots, and in many j. laces 1 he decay was so far advanced 

 as to make the atm osph ere <jnite intolerable. Already 

 the effect of the calamity is felt in the market price of 

 food in these countries, and «\en in England it is n< \: 

 to impossible that its influence should not be serious. 

 1 w misfortunes could he greater than another general 

 failure of this great staple ; and those who have it in 

 their power to take precaution, should l»estir theuiatlvea 

 in time. It is already bitterh old in N<>rtb ( rin 

 and there is every prospect of a severe wint- r to ag_ 

 vate the calamity." A the r i m m m y 8cpf. 13. 

 I [Cement for Stow Ware. — Gelatine is allowed to swell 

 in cold water, the jelly warmed, and so much recently* 

 slacked lime add- 1 as requisite to render the mats 

 sufficiently thick for the purpoee. A thin coating o f 

 this cement is spread while warm over the p-n try-heated 

 eurfaoes of fracture of the articles, and let dry uuier a 

 strong pressure. What ooxes out is removed directly 

 with a moist rag. ( < ntral- Watt., No. .31 ; Chemical (hmtte. 



Eatable Plants of Panama. — Several spoutaneoua 

 productions are used as culinary vegetables. The 

 Ma rati 1 rum fceniculaceuin, II. \\. K., a plant r inbling 

 some of the finer sea- weeds, and growing in most rivers 

 of Veraguas, is esteemed so highly by the inhabitants 

 that they have called it Pasaecarne, /. c, ex»eeds or 

 surpaeses meat ; ami. indeed, its young leaf-stalks, when 

 boiled, have a very delicate flavour, not unlike that of 

 French Beans. The leave* of the Nnaja di espina 

 Pereskia Bleo, Do (and.) are eaten as ealad ei thar raw 

 or boiled, like the young branches of several Optra tia* 

 in Mexico; and in a country where, from the nature of 

 the climate, the rearing of Lettuces is attended with 

 difficulties, thev form a tolerable substitute. The foliage 

 of the Jatropha nmltifida, Linn., affords anothei ulinary 

 vegetable, losing, apparently, as do must Euphorbiaceee, 

 its poisonous qualities by boiling. The shrub is always 

 found in hedges and around dwellings, which leadg us to 

 suppose that it was originally introduced, a supposition 

 to which its vernacular name, Col de Js'icaragna, or 

 Cabbage of Nicaragua, gives additional stenigth. The 

 seeds of the China (Xamia sp.), a plant abounding in 

 the vicinity of Chiramhira, after having been boiled and 

 reduced to a mash, are mixed with milk and sugar, and 

 thus ^eaten. A kind of bread is also prepared from 

 them. As condiments for esculent purp^s t divers 

 plants are employed. The red l*erries of the Malaguete- 

 chico, or Malagueto hembra (Xylopia sericea, St. llil.), 

 are substituted for pepp<?r, especially by the negroes, who 

 seem to have imported the first part of its name frona* 

 their native country. The fruit of the Vainilla (Vanilla 

 sp.) and Vainilla chica (Sobralia sp.) are valuable spice 

 much (employed in flavouring sweetmeats, chocolate, 

 puddings, &C. The leaves of the Toronjil (Ocimura 

 Campechianum, Mill.), a common annual, are chopped, 

 and serve to replace our Parsley. The most important, 

 however, of all the aromatics to the l'ananiian cook is 

 the Culantra (Eryngium 6 idum, Linn.). It imparts a 

 flavour difficult for a foreigner to relish ; but the 

 inhabitants consider it the sine qui non, and are <mite 

 distressed when in the sou])8 and sancoches their 

 favourite herb has by some accident been omitted. 

 Hooker's Journal of Botany. 



Calendar of Operations. 



(For the ensuino iceek.) 



PLANT DEPAKTMKNT. 



In addition to making this department as gay asu 

 possible at this season, attention to cleanliness and order 

 should be rigorously enforced, as the time is drawing 

 near when this will be looked to as a principal means of 

 affording gratification and enjoyment, in lieu of that 

 which is rapidly disappearing from the open flower 

 garden ; and when attention is concentrated more 

 exclusively upon the plant-houses, anything which is 

 untidy or out of order will the sooner attract notice. 

 Some nice good-shaped plants of hardy Rhododendrons* 

 Azaleas, Kalmias, &c, which are well supplied with 

 blossom-buds, should be taken up, potted, and plunged 

 in a bed of ashes, from whence they can be brought 

 forward in succession as they are required. Roses in 

 pots for winter use should be examined, and any 

 that require repotting or top-dressing should be imme- 

 diately attended to ; a little stimulus in the way of rich 

 soil will be of great service to them. Attend to the 

 staking of Chrysanthemums, and stimulate their growth 

 by occasional waterings of liquid manure, removing all 

 suckers as soon as they appeal*. Encourage the growth 

 of Cinerarias, Primulas, Calceolarias, ft 1 *, by repotting 

 them, as often as they require it, into light rich soil ; 

 and give them every other attention calculated to ensure 

 a strong sturdy growth. 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



Pineries.— As long as the daylight is strong enough 

 to keep the plants in a healthy gr ving state, great care 

 fchould be taken to prevent them receiving any check* 



