September 5, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
187 
Asters were remarkably good, especially the incurved or Chrys- 
anthemum-flowered, for which Mr. Fellowes was first, Mr. Till- 
brook second, and Mr. Redman third ; for twelve Pzony-flowered 
Mr. Tillbrook was first with a very fine stand, Mr. Redman 
second, and Mr. Meyer third; for German Globe varieties Mr. 
Fellowes was first with some distinct and well marked varieties. 
Double Zinnias were the finest I have seen, and all the usual 
colours seem now to be represented in large and perfectly double 
flowers, an immense advance having been made in this attractive 
flower during the past decade. Mr. Meyer was first, and My. Till- 
brook second. African Marigolds were shown very large and 
fine by Mr. Meyer, and Mr. Tillbrook was first for French. Ver- 
benas were unattractive, being principally staged as single blooms. 
Coleus, Caladiums, Fuchsias, and Zonal Geraniums included some 
well-grown plants, and a very brilliant specimen of Coleus Duchess 
of Edinburgh attracted much attention. 
In a very good competition for dinner-table decorations Miss 
Pearson of The Hassells, Sandy, was deservedly first, the delicate 
flat blue of Plumbago capensis being considerably used with good 
effect ; Miss A. Raye of Tetworth Hall was second ; and Miss H. 
Astell, Woodbury Hall, third. All the exhibits in this class were 
meritorious and showed good taste. For bouquets Mr. H. Remp- 
ton, Ely, was first; Mr. R. Parker, Waresley Park, second; and 
Mrs. Sewell third. For button-holes Mrs, E. T, Leeds Smith, the 
wife of the energetic Honorary Secretary, was first with a very 
prettily mounted trio. 
An exhibition of live bees, notwithstanding the once-feared 
pains and penalties, drew crowds of interested spectators at 3d. 
each ; and if in the twentieth century suffocation is still in vogue 
‘amongst bee-masters it will not be the fault of the Rey. H. R. 
Peel, Hon. Sec. of the British Bee-keepers’ Association, to whom 
humanity owes somuch. The exhibition of bees was conducted 
by Mr. Baldwin of the Alexandra Palace, the expert to the Asso- 
ciation, kindly assisted by Mr. Huckle of King’s Langley. It 
was here where one of the first exhibitions of the kind was held. 
Honey as shown in the comb was free from brood, but several 
Supers were rather dark in colour from having been kept too long 
in the hive, whilst that shown in glass jars in a liquid state by 
Mr. 8. Hone of Ashwell was of a brilliant light golden colour, and 
very clear. The first-prize Kohl Rabi from Mr. T. J. Cranfield of 
Roxton were large and perfect in shape. The best Barley was 
shown by the Rey. J. Richardson of Sandy Rectory, and the best 
Wheat by Mr. John Cox of the Three Counties Asylum, and Mr, 
‘G. Matthews of Beeston. 
The show of poultry and cage birds was also a success. 
The management at Sandy is unusually good. Open showing 
is in vogue, and the names of the exhibitors are printed in red ink 
on the class cards; but in consequence of the absence of the 
description of the class which is usually written or printed on 
the cards, and the insignificant size of the number as written on 
the cards, some confusion followed, the exhibitors rarely placing 
the proper card on their exhibits. A good plan of having blue 
ecards for first prize and red for second is followed ; and where there 
is so much good it appears like cayilling to point out a defect, but 
the exhibiting of large stove and greenhouse plants on lofty 
staging is a terrible eyesore, and must add much to the labour of 
the exhibitors as well as to the risks and expense. The Society 
would do well also in future to discourage, especially amongst 
cottagers, the showing of unripe fruit and vegetables, and to 
encourage the correct naming of the specimens—a palpable defect 
at this Exhibition, and one which takes away much of the edu- 
‘cational advantage to be derived from a horticultural show. 
The Society and the public are much indebted to Mr. Foster for 
the use of his pretty and admirably adapted grounds, and to the 
Rey. J. Richardson for throwing open the attractive rectory 
gardens ; the tasteful bedding-out, however, in both places show- 
ing unmistakeable signs of the early autumn season and the late 
rains. At the rectory visitors were much struck with the beauty 
of a magnificent old plant of Plumbago capensis, which covers 
pberwaele back wall of a large conservatory and is a glorious 
sight. 
The Society seems altogether admirably appointed and sup- 
ported, and the Exhibition is a credit to the neighbourhood.— 
‘T. Laxton, Bedford. 
DRESSING CARNATIONS. 
I po not grow Carnations either for exhibition or for the 
decoration of the garden, for the simple reason that unless I 
wire every bed I should not be able to preserve a single plant 
from the rabbits ; but I am very fond of the plant, and I know 
several of the largest growers both amateur and professional, 
and I have exhibited Roses at a sort of joint show where Car- 
nations were shown. JI had neyer seen florists dressing their 
flowers before, and I must express my opinion that it was a 
very unedifying sight. The lovely flower was seized by the 
scruff of its tender throat, much like a poor victim is seized by 
the dentist, and a pair of ivory tweezers were employed in 
pulling every single petal out of its place. “I say, old fellow, 
have you seen these Carnation fellows dressing their flowers ?”” 
said a brother rosarian tome. ‘They are like a lot of ladies’ 
maids,” I answered, “preparing their mistresses’ heads for 
a ball.” 
It was most amusing work watching them; and certainly 
the difference they made to their pets, and the improvement 
or the reverse that they effected in Nature’s handiwork, was so 
great that I am sure the dame herself would not have recog- 
nised her children. Now is this right and proper? If it is, 
how is it that this, so far as I am aware, is the only flower 
which is manipulated in this way ? How is it that we rosarians 
are content to show our blooms as they are grown? What 
would be thought of a man who fastened down with gum or 
some cosmetic the inmost petals of the somewhat thin Htienne 
Levet, or of the operator who applied some sort of contrivance 
which held the Rose in a grip like a vice and prevented its 
opening ? No end of a row would be made about it, and quite 
properly too. 
If this practice goes on we shall come to this: It will not 
be the best florists or the best flowers that will win; it will 
be the most skilful operators and the most highly dressed 
and artificial flowers that will carry off the prizes. Such a 
result may be wished for by some florists, but it is altogether 
repugnant to the feelings of a—WYLD SAVAGE. 
NOTES FROM KEW GARDENS. 
STATICE ROSEA is a charming novelty in the Temperate 
house at Kew. It is a shrubby species with erect branches, 
and is in contrast to all others for pot culture in the merit of 
pink or rosy flowers. The one deficiency is that of dwarf 
habit, which might be improved by crossing. It is native of 
Natal. Habrothamnus fasciculatus in the same house is now 
the most showy of greenhouse shrubs. Every branch is termi- 
| nated by a panicle of red flowers, and these after some time 
will be succeeded by beautiful berries of similar colour. 
Fuchsias here are a good feature ; they are planted in the beds 
and trained to tall stakes, by which they form conspicuous 
floral columns, and admirably relieve the green shrubs around, 
In the Palm house are several attractive plants. Dichoris- 
andra thyrsiflora is attractive on account of its deep purple 
flowers, which open in long succession, and in company with 
massive foliage makes an effective specimen. Pancratium 
speciosum is one of the best stove bulbs ; it flowers freely, and 
is easily cultivated. The pure white flowers with long and 
narrow segments are perfect in their way. Another fine plant 
in flower is Lagerstrcemia indica ; it makes a graceful much- 
branching shrub with small leaves, and now profusely bearing 
pretty pink flowers, peculiar in appearance from the long and 
slender claws of the petals. It is equally worth the trouble 
and attention to which the majority of stove flowering shrubs 
are indebted for their decorative value. Crinum Moorei, 
flowering in the cool end of the T range, is one of the best 
species ; it has large well-formed flowers of the most delicate 
pink colour. Though nearly, if not quite, hardy, it is best 
grown under glass, attaining out of doors some slight degree 
of coarseness. For greenhouse decoration it is of great value, 
flowering welland keeping in good condition with the slightest 
attention. In this division are many varieties of the tuberous- 
rooted section of Begonia, affording good opportunity for 
selection. The largest flowers appear often in company with 
the worst habit, and probably much remains to be done in 
combining the several good points. This group appears to be 
more than ever popular, and the number of seedlings raised 
must be immense. An interesting hybrid, raised by Colonel 
Trevor Clark between the so-called genera Ismene and’ Elisena, 
is flowering here. It has much the appearance of Ismene 
calathina, one of its parents, and not partaking conspicuously 
of Hlisena. 
Flowering in the Succulent house is the rarely seen Adenium 
obesum, a gouty-stemmed Apocynad bearing handsome crim- 
son flowers. A. speciosum has also been freely in bloom. 
This is nearly allied to the last, and it also grows in the desert, 
A. obesum coming from Aden, after which town the generic 
name is taken. 
TROPAOLUM SPECIOSUM. 
WHEN, three years ago, I first saw this beautiful plant in 
Scotland and was so struck with its appearance, I was told 
that it would not do in the south, or if it did that it could only 
be grown on a north aspect ; and this opinion concerning it is 
