68 



JOXmSXL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDBNEK. 



[ Jannary 17, 1885. 



less attractive than under more favourable atmospheric 

 conditions precedent they would have been. In the floral 

 department one of the first objects to attract the notice of 

 a visitor, -was a very beautiful Torenia pulcherrima, a new 

 varietj of stove plant, contributed by Messrs. Osborne and 

 Sons. On the same table, and on either side of the hand- 

 some plant just named, were two large cases of cut flowers 

 TCry artistically grouped, and the property of Messrs. Osborne 

 and T. Johnson respectively. Both collections were very 

 pleasing and of such nearly equal merit as to occasion some 

 trouble to the Judges in arriving at a decision upon their 

 merits, but the palm of victory was finally awarded to the 

 Messrs. Osborne. On the first stand facing the doors stood 

 a beautifid and valuable collection of twelve greenhouse 

 plants, for which the Society's silver medal was most worthily 

 bestowed. The next object to catch the eye' was a magnifi- 

 cent Strelitzia regina; exhibited by the Messrs. Osborne, and 

 •which constituted one of the leading features of the Show. 

 In the Amateur class, Mr. Johnson deservedly obtained a 

 first prize for a handsome collection of six greenhouse 

 plants, amongst which an Azalea was conspicuously charm- 

 ing. Amongst the cut flowers, all the collections of Koses, 

 Anemones, and Tulips were disqualified from receiving prizes 

 on the ground that they were not in accordance (as regards 

 number of blooms exhibited) with the Society's schedules. 

 Of the first-named class Mr. Johnson's were decidedly the 

 best in the room, whilst another collection (for exhibition 

 only) by Mr. Luckman, of Sandy Bay, possessed considerable 

 merit. A box of Anemones, also transmitted for exhibition 

 only, by Mr. Thos. Bentley, deserved commendatory mention. 

 The Tulips of Mr. Johnson and of Mr. Smith (nurseryman) 

 also merited favourable notice. 



In the class for fruits a couple of very fine Pine Apples were 

 shown by the Messrs. Osborne, some excellent Pears by Mr. 

 Thomas, and some Black Achau Pears by Mrs. W. Lindsay. 

 Amongst the Apples, the Sturmer Pippins of Mi\ Smith, and 

 the Newtown Pippins of Mr. J. Dickenson, were the most 

 worthy of praise. 



In the vegetable division, the Society's silver medal, for the 

 best collection, was given to Mr. Chandler, gardener to His 

 Excellency, and some remarkably fine Cauliflowers were 

 sent in (for exhibition only) by Mr. Waterhouse, of Sandy 

 Bay, and others by Mr. J. Wilson, of nearly equal merit. 

 Some Cabbages exhibited by Mr. Culf, the Hon. Secretary, 

 and one of which weighed no less than 14 lbs., were said to 

 be the finest ever shown at an exhibition of the Society. A 

 collection of Onions, contributed by Mr. J. Dickenson, and 

 one of Asparagus by the Messrs. Osborne, were also of strik- 

 ing excellence. 



We had nearly omitted to state that Mr. Abbott, as usual, 

 contributed from the Royal Society's Gardens, an extensive 

 and handsome assortment of growing flowers, which largely 

 contributed to the pictorial effect, if we may so term it, of 

 the entire display. 



[The correspondent who sent us the above report, adds 

 that there is no other colony of the Australian group so well 

 adapted to the pursuit of horticulture as Tasmania. In fact 

 it bears the enviable reputation of being " the Garden of 

 Australia ;" and no one after rea<ling the report and the 

 list we have of prizes awarded to Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, 

 Petunias, Cinerarias, Azaleas, and numerous single speci- 

 mens of other plants, fruits, and vegetables would be in- 

 dined to doubt its title to that reputation.] 



BEUEEE CLAIRGEAU PEAR— MUSCAT DE 

 SAEBELLK GEAPE. 



Ik Dr. Hogg's " Fruit Manual," first edition, ho speaks 

 thus of the IJeurri! Clairgeau Pear : — " A handsome and 

 ahowy Pear, ripe in November. Its appearance is its 

 greatest recommendation." 



Two years ago I planted a bush of this sort, and I 

 gathered from it in October this year half a dozen Pears, 

 which I laid upon a shelf in my sitting-room, where a fire 

 is kept up, and a few days ago I felt the Pears, and they 

 showed no sign of ripening ; but this day I tried them again, 

 they had turned to an orange red colour, and are melting 

 and musky, not coarse-grained, but very agreeable. I had 

 thought of destroying the bush, or grafting it with some- 



thing else, relying upon the rather unfavourable character 

 given by Dr. Hogg ; but as a December Pear I think it 

 quite worth saving, and equal to most. 



I do not think, too, that enough justice is done to the 

 Muscat de Sarbelle Grape by Dr. Hogg. It does not cer- 

 tainly hang or set well, but the flavour is rich and sweet, 

 and it is hardy and prolific. I am very sorry to differ from 

 such a judge as Dr. Hogg, but I speak of fruit as of men — 

 as I find them. — Jas. C. Baenham, Norwich. 



[We are glad to find that Beurr^ Clairgeau succeeds so 

 well at Norwich, and is not coarse-grained. It is doubtless a 

 very handsome Pear, though, as our correspondent remarks, 

 it is melting and musky, but very agreeable ; still it wiU. not 

 compare in flavour with Glou Morceau, Knight's Monarch, 

 Moccas, Winter Nelis, Henriette Bouvier, Thompson's, and 

 many others that are in season at the same time]. 



EOYAL HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The second of the Saturday Shows was held at South 

 Kensington on the 14th inst., in the same place as its prede- 

 cessor — a heated room adjoining the eastern entrance and 

 conservatory. The last Show, though small, was varied, 

 and had a respectable appearance, but on this occasion 

 there was veiy little to be seen, and hardly any one to se& 

 it. Between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we 

 visited it, there were not half a dozen people in the room, 

 and not more than a score or two in the conservatory listen- 

 ing to the band, which was indeed the only attraction. The 

 objects invited were Cyclamens, and of these two small lots 

 were shown. That from Messrs. E. G. Henderson, which 

 received a fii-st-class certificate, contained several pretty 

 varieties, and well grown ; the other, which was second, 

 came from Mr. Aldred, Kilburn, and consisted of seedlings. 



Messrs. E. G. Henderson also received second-class cer- 

 tificates for Sonchus laoiniatus, with ornamental deeply cut 

 bright green leaves ; and Senecio Ghiesbreghti, with large 

 heads of yellow flowers, but rather coarse-looking. 



From the Eev. George Cheere, Papworth Hall, Caxton, 

 came a nice plant of Mignonette, and Mrs. Pollock Geranium, 

 from a cutting put in in August, and kept iu a cool green- 

 house, the plant having its beautiful zonate markings very 

 well developed. For both of these objects fii-st-class certi- 

 ficates were awarded to Mr. Cheere. 



Lastly, Mr. Meredith, Garston, exhibited splendid bunches 

 of Black Alicante Grape, the large oval berries of which 

 were covered with a dense bluish- black bloom. For this a 

 first-class certificate was awarded. Child of Hale, a seedling 

 between the Muscat of Alexandria and Syrian, and which 

 has been already several times noticed in these columns, 

 was also shown by the same exhibitor. The bunch was- 

 about 11 inches long, and 81 across the shoulders. 



WORK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Manuring and trenching vacant ground should be pro- 

 ceeded with in favourable weather. The formation of new 

 borders, and all descriptions of work requiring the removal 

 of earth, should also be attended to. Clean plots of ground 

 immediately the crops are oil', as, if refuse is left, it only 

 afi'ords shelter to vermin. In mild weather the vegetable 

 quarters would bo much benefited by a dressing of salt and 

 hot lime, repeated two or three times. This, by killing the 

 present stock of slugs, will save much after-trouble. In 

 dry weather stir between such crops as Cabbage. Lottuce, 

 Peas, &c. Arlic.holccs {Jerusa.\em), trench them out and store 

 the best in sand for use, and replant the remainder. Onions, 

 sow in a warm corner for spring use, and plant out small 

 ones of last year's growth for the same i)urpose, and to bulb 

 for kitchen use; the soil should be light and rich. Shallots, 

 a healthy well-prepared situation should be chosen for them, 

 some charred refuse applied, and the roots placed on the 

 surface of the soil. By lliis treatment this useful bulb will 

 increase most abundantly; no frost will injure it; and if 

 worms are found troublesome at first, in displacing them, 

 nothing more is required but a slight sprinkling of slaked 

 lime ; the roots soon push into the soil, and become firmly 



