24G 



JOtJEITAl OF HOKTICCTLTURE AND COTTAGE GAUDENEK. 



[ March 28, 1365. 



One good clever gardener sliould be there to give his un- 

 divided attention in canning out experiments on a far 

 different scale to the present. Some enlightened accom- 

 plished gardener should be on the Council to suggest such 

 experiments, and to see them carried out, so as to put at 

 rest all theoretic culture, and enable the Council to say to 

 the gardening world. Come to Chiswick and see. I could, 

 and I would if I thought there was the least chance of their 

 being carried out with energy, give a list of horticultural 

 experiments of great interest still untried; but while our 

 Society has that millstone i-ound its neck — the gardens 

 of South Kensington — nothing of the kind can or will be 

 done. I see no remedy for this state of things, unless the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society ceases to frittei- away iU time 

 in giving certificates for music, sculpture, table puerilities. 

 Primroses, Violets, and 'Wallflovvers; or to form a iS'ational 

 Horticultural Society. I have no wish to be hasty, and I 

 shall continue to pay my four guineas annually till a society 

 of true earnest lovers of horticulture can be inaugurated to 

 show to the world wliat can be done by English gardeners 

 when properly directed. — F.E.H.S. 



LA CO]\^STANTE STKAWBEEEY. 



When I was a Han-ow boy, I used to go to London on a 

 Saturday, to visit my relative, the Hon. Mrs. Agar, at 1. Dean 

 Street, South Audley Street. Her son, Jlr. Agar Kobartes, 

 the present Member for Cornwall, was also a Harrow boy. 

 With him I went to London. On one occasion I went to 

 Astley's, and sav.' acted the then famous " Tom and Jerry," 

 and also the '• invincibles." On another occasion I went to 

 Drury Lane, or Covent Giarden, and saw a play acted, which 

 convulsed everybody. Koars wero excited by the announce- 

 ment, "Here's Monsieur Tonson come again!" Well! 

 here's La Constantc come atrain ! and I am one of the " In- 

 vincibles ! " I do not want the hist word, but Mr. de Jonghe, 

 unintentionally of course, has not exactly "resolved" my 

 statements. I refer only to the first. The others I admit. I 

 never said La Constantc was not hardy in the sense he in- 

 tends you to understand — namely, that it will not stand the 

 cold of winter. On the contrary, your readers will rememlier 

 that I stated it was suited to clay lands, and a northern 

 aspect. It was not here summer-lmrdy. 



Mr. de Jonghe's offer is a very fair one, and T hope 

 amateurs (it would not succeed with the generality of quasi 

 Strawberry-growers), who have good land and take pains 

 with Strawberries, will give it a trial. 



I received a letter irom Mr. Turner concerning a new 

 seedling of Mr. Bradley's, in which he says, "My experience 

 confirms Mr. Kadelyffe's respecting LaConstaute ; but those 

 who differ may be right, as far as their experience goes. 

 Different soils and situations have a great e^'ect on some 

 kinds. I cannot get rid of the impression, that it is a variety 

 that will not remain very long in our collections." 



I believe I sent it both to Mr. Turner and Mr. Rivers in 

 the first place, having every desire to sea it propagiited in 

 this country. I told them at the time, after my experience 

 of it and great pains, that it did not suit me, but that it 

 would, probably, suit their finer lands. I sent it also to Mr. 

 Taylor, who lives in the fine vale of Mowbray, hoping that 

 it might suit him. He has not had it long enough to be 

 sure about it. It may yet turn up well, when put in early 

 enough. It i.s, however, in any land strictly an amateur' .s 

 StrawboiTy. It is not a Strawberry jjlant that can Ije ro- 

 oommended to go into all lands and all hands. No one 

 can have read the statements made by the defenders of La 

 Constantc without perci-iving that the efforts have been 

 laborious, and the pleading " special." I remain a member 

 of the " Invincihlea," and promise, unless evoked, not to act 

 again the part of "MonHieur Tonson," — W. F. K.iDci<TFPE, 

 Tarrant Ruahion, BUmd/urd. 



Gardeners' Boyal Benevolent Institution. — At a 

 meeting of the Committee held on the 20th inst. it was 

 resolved that an election of three pi.-nsioners shall take place 

 in July next. It waa also resolved that the anniversary 

 dinner shall talce place on Friday, .Inly 7th, on which occa- 

 sion .Jaa. B. Jefliry, Escj., of Woollen" Hall, Liverpool, will 

 take the chair. 



LIVERPOOL SPEING FLOWER SHOW. 



The flowers ! The flowers ! The stai-s that gem our earth, 

 even as the stars themselves are the flowers of the sky! 

 Who does not love the pretty flowers at all times and aU 

 seasons ? beautiful as they are in the dewy morn of sum- 

 mer, and the calm eve of autumn; and if possible, still more 

 beautiful and engaging, not only by contrast, but by all the 

 delightful associations of promise and of hope, amid the 

 frosts and the snows of winter, and the rude surly blasts of 

 spring. Such, as we were permitted to read them, we feel 

 convinced were the prominent sensations that passed through 

 the minds of the more than three thousand visitors, who 

 happily promenaded among the tables and banks of floral 

 loveliness in the noble St. George's Hall, at Liverpool, on 

 the loth March; the fine proportions of the gorgeous Hall 

 itself, and its rich artistic finish and embellishments, being 

 for the moment lost sight of amid the attractions of some 

 fifteen hundred entries and collections of plants, embracing 

 such a blaze of Azaleas as reminded one of May and June, 

 the dense masses of rich lihododendrons, the many gaudy- 

 coloured Tulips from a thousand bulbs ; and not only the 

 striking contrasts in colour, but the sweet fragrance that 

 loaded the atmosphere, from more than seven hundred 

 Hyacinths. And as if it were not enough that the organs 

 of sight and scent should be gratified, the ear was regaled 

 witli beautiful music froui Mr. Harrison's band in front of 

 the grand organ, and during the interludes a splendid thrush 

 made the arched roofs echo and re-echo with thrilling and 

 plaintive notes, causing us to feel as if wo were surrounded 

 with choirs of the sweetest songsters of the "woodlands 

 wild." 



So far as we could make out in casual conversation, there 

 are two horticultural and floral societies at Liverpool, which 

 are severally independent of, but which act rather in uni- 

 son with than in anything like opposition to each other. The 

 one holds its exhibitions chiefly in summer, and is so far 

 patronised by the Corporation as to be permitted to hold its 

 fMes in the Park close to the Botanic Garden, which at that 

 time presents features in the nev^ style of flower gardening 

 hardly to be rivalled elsewhere. At these times and only 

 tlien, as we understood, visitors to the Botanic Garden are 

 allowed to traverse the beautiful lawns. At all other times 

 visitors as a matter of necessity are confined to the broad 

 handsome walks. The other Society, of which this is the third 

 season, holds its fetes early in spring and late in autumn; 

 and though it boasts distinguished patronage on its pro- 

 spectus, it is well known that it was chiefly set on foot to 

 meet a felt want, by Mr. Tyerman, the much and generally 

 esteemed manager of the Botanic G.-irden, ably assisted by 

 Messrs. Ker, as Secretaries, and a Conmiittee of nursei-ymen 

 and gardeners connected with the immediate neighbourhood. 



The decided success which this latter Society has already 

 achieved, and the increased stimulus it has given to the 

 culture of flowers for spring and autumn decoration in the 

 western metropolis, have been so great that it might be 

 advisable to merge in the man.agement, not only cultural 

 skill, but the enthusiasm of the amateur, and the matured 

 .judgment of men of business. We can well understand the 

 anxiety felt on such occasions by those who sustain tiie chief 

 responsibillt.v, and who can receive no reward for tlieir efforts 

 but the consciousness that they have at least endeavoured 

 to extend the rn.nge of knowledge and of happiness. We 

 may dill'er much as to our estimate of true greatness, and 

 may (;ven regret that some called qrenl have but too truly left 

 t licir " footprints on the sands of time ; " but wo can hardly 

 dilfer as to our estimate of the self-denying efforts of those 

 who are quietly loa,ving their marlcs on Imman hearts. by open- 

 ing up new fields of investigiition. and pure fresh sources of 

 enjoyment aujid the conteuiplation of the bciiutiful. 



On entering the Hidl the ell'ect was very striking, though 

 with the same materials it miglit have been made much 

 more so without :iny confusion as to the separate classes. 

 'I'o tliis we may refer before we conclude. Sidlice it to say 

 that |-,hearra,ngeni«nt left nothing to desire so far as bringing 

 tlio competitive plants in each class at once under the eye of 

 the Judges. Immediately in front of the orchestra., and 

 beneath su-ipended baskets, a long circular stand was filled 

 with beautiful bouqui^ts, and we would suggest that in future 

 the awarding of the palm of Iionour should be left to a 



