THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 



[October 27, 188§. 



Hebron, Second Early, Dickson's Northern Queen 

 (put in commerce, I believe, this }'ear), and in Scot- 

 land The Don, are ripe and with the skin "set" at 

 that time ; and they find, moreover, that disease has 

 not reached the tubers. I asked Messrs. Dickson if 

 they lost any by storing thus early, and I was 

 assured that none were lost. Well, then, if we can 

 grow any second early variety that can be lifted 

 and stored before disease can seriously affect them, 

 are we not on the right road to defy the disease ? 

 I submit this point has not received as much atten- 

 tion as its importance merits. W. J. Murphy, Clonmel, 

 September 11. 



LATE FLOWERING ICELAND POPPIES. —All 

 lovers of hardy flowers are well acquainted with the 

 beauty of the Iceland Poppies and I am pleased to 

 observe that they are getting as popular as the 

 Canterbury Bells and Wallflowers. Indeed these 

 charming Poppies should be largely grown where 

 cut flowers are wanted for indoor decoration, I 

 have now before me some slender specimen glasses 

 loosely arranged with bud and flowers, ranging from 

 the purest satiny-white and yellow to the deepest 

 glowing orange-scarlet. What can be more beautiful 

 than an arrangement of these elegant Poppies in 

 various shades with their own buds and foliage ? I 

 enclose a few blooms, just to give you an idea how 

 splendid these Poppies are, which, notwithstanding 

 the fact that the flower season is over and all their 

 companions completely destroyed by the recent sharp 

 frost, are still making a grand show. C. S. 



IRISH YEW. — We have a large upright Yew tree 

 here, it is in perfect health ; the height is 33 feet, and 

 the circumference at 15 feet from ground 58 feet. I 

 enclose a small photo of it, and should like to know 

 if there are many in the country larger. Win. Allan, 

 Sea/orde, Clougk, co. Down, 



THE FERNS AT THE RECENT MEETING OF 

 THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. — The 



group of Perns shown by Mr. H. B. May, of Upper 

 Edmonton, on October 0, numbered upwards of 200 

 species and varieties, and generally stood several 

 plants together in one pan to show off the character- 

 istics of the species or variety better than single 

 plants would do. Of Adiantums there were from 

 forty to fifty different varieties, including several that 

 were new and beautiful, viz., A. elegans, which 

 resembles A. cuneatum, but has a rather larger 

 frond, with long stipes. It is likely to become a 

 very popular market plant, and is especially good for 

 cutting. Several of the market growers have already 

 commenced growing it in preference to A. cuneatum. 

 A. fragrantissimum is another beautiful form. A, 

 Williamsii, now a favourite for cut fronds, the pale 

 green colour being much appreciated. A. mundu- 

 lum, A. Pacottii, and A. Legrandii, dwarf compact 

 varieties — distinct and valuable. A. Reginas is a 

 very fine variety, intermediate between A. Vic- 

 toria and A. scutum, and has the broad deep green 

 pinnules of the former, and more of the habit of 

 the latter ; it forms a bold and effective plant. A. 

 cuneatum grandiceps is a very prettily tasselled form, 

 and A. Weigandii forms a pretty and compact plant. 

 Among sorts remarkable for their brightly tinted 

 foliage may be mentioned : — A. Veitchii, A. tetra- 

 phyllum gracile, a perfect gem, but rather scarce at 

 the present time ; A. rhodophyllum, A. rubellum, 

 A. macrophyllum and its variety, A. m. bipin- 

 natum, were also well shown. Of larger growing 

 varieties, A. pentadactylon, A. Sancta Catherina;, 

 A. trapeziforroe were conspicuous. A formosum 

 and A. cardiochtena may also be mentioned. 

 A. Farleyense was shown in good condition, and the 

 young fronds had the distinguishing bright pink 

 tint. Several good varieties of A Capillus-veneris 

 were shown, including the beautiful A. Raperi, or A. 

 Mariesii, as it is frequently named ; A. C.-v. mag- 

 nificum, A. C.-v. daphnites, A. C.-v. cornubiense, 

 and the curious little A. C.-v. fissum were all worthy 

 of notice. Before leaving this genus I must mention 

 the pretty little A. reniforme, A. curvatum, A. dola- 

 briforme, and A. caudatum (A. Edgworthii), two 

 very pretty Ferns for baskets. Aspleniums were 

 well represented, about eighteen sorts being shown, 

 the most conspicuous being A. laxum pumilum, A. 

 cicutarium, A. formosum, A. neo-caledonicum, A. 

 Belangerii, A. flaccidum, A. lucidum, and several 

 varieties of the A. bulbiferum type. The Cheilanthes 

 were represented by good specimens of C. elegans, 

 C. hirta Ellisii, and C. tomentosa. About a dozen 

 species and varieties of Davallias were shown, the 

 most conspicuous being D. Mooreana, a fine plant of 

 which occupied the centre of the group ; the beau- 



tiful D. fijiensis plumosa, D. elegans, D. tenuifolia 

 Veitchii, D. fceniculacea, D. Griffithiana, with con- 

 spicuous silvery-grey rhizomes and deep green 

 foliages, may be regarded as one of the best of the 

 genus ; D. Tyermanni, another pretty species similar 

 to the above but of smaller growth, and a fine variety 

 of D.canariensis, were worthy of notice. OfLastreas 

 several beautiful species were shown ; L. aristata 

 variegata, L. erythrosora, remarkable for its bronzy- 

 tinted fronds ; L. patens, of graceful habit, and the 

 pretty little L. glabella, were likewise worthy 

 of note. Of Gymnogrammas, good forms of both the 

 silver and golden varieties were observed ; G.Alstonii 

 was the most conspicuous of the latter. In this 

 variety the under surface is covered heavily with 

 bright yellow mealiness, and the pinnules are curled 

 inwards at the extremities, showing off the under 

 surface to much advantage. G. peruviana argyro- 

 pbylla was the best silver variety. Good crested 

 forms were seen in G. Parsonsii (golden), and G. 

 Wettenhalliana (silver). Nephrolepis, another beau- 

 tiful genus, was well represented, and some fine 

 seedling forms were remarked of N. davallioides fur- 

 cans, N. rufescens tripinnatifida, a recent addition to 

 this genus, which should become a favourite ; N. 

 Bausei, another elegant variety ; and N. acuta, a bold 

 habited and effective Fern for baskets, and suspend- 

 ing generally; N. Duffi, N. pectinata, and several 

 others were shown. Numerous beautiful species and 

 varieties were shown of variegated Pteris, viz., P. 

 tricolor, in beautiful condition ; P. aspericaulis, re- 

 markable for its deep bronzy hue ; P. argyrea, P. 

 nemoralis variegata, similar to the last named, but of 

 dwarfer habit, and the young fronds of a reddish hue ; 

 P. cretica Mayii, and the dwarf-crested variety of P. 

 albo-lineata, which has often been alluded to, was 

 seen in good form. The dwarf-crested form of P. 

 serrulata (May's variety) was also good, as was 

 the Chiswick variety of the major form. P. 

 umbrosa (the true variety). P. leptophylla, P. 

 tremula, and several pretty varieties of this use- 

 ful ;Fern were included, besides many others. 

 The other interesting genera exhibited were, 

 Anemidictyon phyllitides, a pretty little Fern, the 

 fertile portion of the fronds standing up from the 

 base of the fronds in flower-like fashion ; Osmunda 

 palustris, Onychium japonicum, and the beautiful 

 Onychium auratum may be included among the most 

 elegant of all Ferns ; Dictyogramma japonica varie- 

 gata, a pretty variegated Fern, with fronds of good 

 substance ; Doryopteris palmata, a good variety of 

 Lomaria gibba, Microlepia hirta cristata, Phlebodium 

 glaucum (P. sporodocarpum of some), was very 

 pretty ; Actinopteris radiata, a little gem with small 

 Palm-like fronds : Pellea rotundifolia and P. terni- 

 folia are also worthy of note. Pteris. 



TOMATOS RECOVERING FROM DISEASE. — You 

 will doubtless remember me writing to you some six 

 weeks since re Tomatos diseased, and I sent you 

 some of the foliage and fruit. You recommended 

 pulling them out and burning them. I did not take 

 your advice, but at once put some 4-inch hot-water 

 pipes into the house and treated the plants for the 

 disease ; and I am pleased to say that they have 

 recovered, and by this post I have sent you a sample 

 of the fruit, which hang in clusters on the plants. 

 F. Case. [The plants must have recovered in an 

 unusual manner from the attack of Peronospora 

 lycopersici under the warmer treatment adopted to 

 have produced such fine samples of fruits as those 

 sent with the above note. Ed.] 



LONG-LIVED CUCUMBERS. — Referring to my 

 recent note anent the house of long-lived Cucumbers 

 at Belton Park, it may, by way of reply to Mr. 

 Froud (p. 447), be interesting to state that, if my 

 memory does not deceive me, the plants referred to 

 were, I was informed by Mr. Sage, the gardener, 

 raised from seed and not from cuttings, as was your 

 correspondent's. I certainly did express surprise, 

 and justly so, for after visiting several gardens of 

 repute during the past summer, it was the best house 

 of Cucumbers I had seen, summer or rather spring- 

 planted ones included. Thus it is obvious that to 

 keep Cucumber plants in full bearing for more 

 than a year is no- mean performance, although Mr. 

 Froud eclipses that by doubling the time, which 

 reflects credit upon him as a grower of Cucumbers. 

 Here, however, although it may be digressing from 

 the point, the question arises, which is the most con- 

 ducive to a lengthy period of fruitfulness — plants 

 raised from seed or cuttings? Personally, I am in 

 favour of the latter, and should always raise plants 

 by that means. It is a simple matter to do — in 

 fact, with the aid of a little bottom-heat nothing is 



simpler to strike than a Cucumber plant. Although 

 Mr. Froud proved his proficiency as a Cucumber 

 grower by keeping them in perfect health and pro- 

 ductiveness for the period of nearly two years, it 

 by no means proves that it is an advisable plan to 

 follow generally. C. Collins. 



Societies. 



ROYAL HOETIOULIURAL, 



OcTOJiER 23. — The exhibits at the meeting held 

 at the Drill Hall last Tuesday were extremely few, 

 and made the smallest of the season, no large groups 

 being shown by the nurserymen. Messrs. J. Veitch 

 & Son contributed a few plants ; Mr. W. Holmes, 

 Mr. Stevens, and Mr. Owen Chrysanthemums ; and 

 an interesting hybrid Orchid came from Mr. Ballan- 

 tine. Exhibits of fruits and vegetables were also few. 



Floral Committee. 



Present : G. F. Wilson, Esq., in the chair, and 

 Messrs. Shirley Hibberd, W. Goldring, H. Herbst, 

 W. Bates, W. Holmes, R. Dean, C. Pilcher, J. 

 Dominv, H. Ballantine, H. M. Pollett, J. O'Brien, 

 Rev. W. Wilks, E. Hill, T. Baines, G. Duffield, 

 and J. Fraser. 



A few plants and cut blooms of new and recent 

 varieties of Chrysanthemums were shown by Mr. 

 W. Holmes, Frampton Park Nurseries, Hackney. 

 Lincoln's-Inn, a Japanese reflexed flower, pretty 

 dull crimson-brown and yellow below ; and Sun- 

 flower, a bright yellow large Japanese, were Certifi- 

 cated — the latter being a particularly pretty flower : 

 the petals are rather narrow and of good length. He 

 also had good specimens of Quintus, a lilac Japanese 

 variety ; Sabine, a light yellow Japanese Anemone ; 

 Nelson, lake ; Japanese Anemone, and Feu de Ben- 

 gale, a pale red-brown Japanese, the tips yellow, and 

 making a large head. 



Messrs. J. R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell, Notts, 

 showed good flowers of C. Delmas, dull brown-red, 

 broad segments reflexed, and a plant of Capucine, with 

 pale yellow-terra-cotta coloured flowers (Japanese), 

 very pretty and effective, and which was noticed by 

 the committee as a good early flowering decorative 

 variety which it certainly seemed to be. 



Blooms of Chrysanthemum Wagstaff (a good full 

 white Japanese), and Edwin Molyneux, also Japanese, 

 with broad curled petals, rich crimson-red, with dull 

 yellow below were well shown by Mr. G. Stevens, 

 Putney, S.W. 



Mr. R. Owen, Castle Hill Nursery, Maidenhead, 

 showed a stand of some very good blooms, Lincoln's 

 Inn and Magicienne being the best. The latter is a 

 bronzy-orange coloured Japanese of large size, and 

 very attractive. Others were Miss Burgess, bright 

 lilac Japanese ; Mons. Ch. Souchet, like Lincoln's 

 Inn, but brighter yellow below; Thomas Stevens, 

 white, suffused with lilac — Japanese ; and Comte 

 Horace de Choiseuil, reflexed broad white segments. 



Mr. H. Jackson, gr. to S. A. Ralli, Esq., had a 

 large cluster of Lapageria alba ; and from the garden 

 of G. F. Wilson, Esq., there came a white form of 

 Primula capitata. 



Messrs. Seeger & Tropp, The Nurseries, East 

 Dulwich, had a Cypripedium named C. Seegerianum X , 

 stated to be a hybrid between C. Spicerianum and C. 

 Harrisianum. The dorsal sepal is almost round, 

 white, with a deep lilac median line, and a few lines 

 of the same colour on each side, greenish at the base. 

 The petal, about 1£ inch long, slightly longer than 

 the sepal, light brownish-green, with a dark line 

 running through the centre, spotted at the base with 

 brown-purple and hairy along the margin, the lip 

 projects forwards, green at the bottom and lake- 

 brown over the rest ; staminode livid lilac. 



Mr. E. Crook, gr. to G. H. Baxter, Esq., Hutton 

 Park, Brentwood, had a very richly-coloured piece of 

 Odontoglossum Insleayi splendens, the spike bearing 

 five large flowers. Oncidium Mantinii was also 

 shown by the exhibitor, and again by Messrs. J. 

 Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, S.W. 

 The flower" is of the ciispum form, the lip being 

 yellow, with several brown spots distributed irregu- 

 larly on it ; the two petals brown, with a yellow 

 border, the sepals being brown. 



Messrs. Veitch also contributed hybrid greenhouse 

 Rhododendrons, Yellow Perfection bearing bright 

 primrose-yellow coloured flowers (its parentage is 

 Teysmanni), and Lord Wolseley, the latter being the 

 seed-bearer. Rhododendron Brunette was also 

 shown ; It is pale Indian-yellow, tinged with red — 

 very pretty — and has six or seven segments in the 



