September 7, 1878. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETIOULTDBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



211 



conditions, can be produced beyond that point without the 

 intervention of the males. How many broods annually follow 

 each other when the insects are at large will depend on the 

 weather, and also there are differences in the species, some 

 being marvellously prolific. Bonnet had several individuals 

 which gave birth to others when they were twelve days old, 

 and though this need not be regarded as representing an 

 average state of things, no doubt from May to September there 

 are many successive broods of aphides, the bulk of them wing- 

 less ; but winged aphides, almost invariably female, do show 

 themselves from time to time — in fact, on any day during the 

 summer we may see winged specimens on some plant or 

 another. It is not necessary to show by argument that wings 

 mean flight, therefore it follows that there are constantly 

 aphides passing through the air, though May or June, the 

 time varying with the wind and weather, are especially the 

 months for aphis migration. The statement formerly made 

 that flights of these insects only took place in the spring and 

 autumn is not Btriotly true, though it may be correct as to 

 some species. During the autumn, however, males appear in 

 company with the females, eggs are deposited on the twigs 

 and stems, and these generally remain unhatched for seven or 

 even, eight months. According to the observations of Mr. 

 Walker in a few instances impregnated females live through 

 the winter, laying in the spring. — J. B. S. C. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



September 6th. 

 Fruit Committee. — Henry Webb, Esq., in the chair. — Mr. 

 G. T. Miles, gardener to Lord Carington, Wycombe Abbey 

 Gardens, sent a dish of Early Crawford Peaches from the open 

 wall. The weight of the sis was 3 lbs. They were well- 

 ripened, fine-looking fruit, and well deserved the cultural com- 

 mendation voted to them. Mr. A. Offer, Pelcourt Gardens, 

 East Grinsted, sent a white-fleshed Melon that had been raised 

 from Beeds sent from Greece, but it was worthless ; also a large 

 variety named Felcourt Green-flesh Melon from an English 

 variety crossed with the Grecian sort, but it was not well 

 flavoured. Mr. W. Turner, gardener to W. Knowles, Esq., 

 Streatham, Surrey, sent a Pine that had been raised from im- 

 ported orowns. The fruit was very juicy, but of inferior flavour. 

 A letter of thanks was voted. Col. B. H. Clarke sent fruit of 

 Fig de l'Archipel from the open wall. It was of large size and 

 fair flavour. A letter of thanks was voted. Nine varieties of 

 Dwarf Kidney Beans were sent from the Society's gardens at 

 Chiswick, including Canadian Wonder, Fulmer's Forcing, Scarlet 

 Flagelot, Crimson Flagelot, Nain Blanc Qiiarintin, Advancer, 

 Pheasant's-eyed, and Yellow Champion. 



Messrs. Carter & Co., High Holborn, London, offered prizes 

 for a dish of their new Green Gage Tomato. Sixteen dishes 

 were staged in competition. The first prize went to Mr. J. 

 Douglas, gardener to Francis Whitbourn, Esq., Loxford Hall, 

 HEord ; he had very fine examples, large in size and perfectly I 

 round. Mr. J. Morgan, gardener to Major Soott, Wray Park, 

 Beigate, was second with well-ripened fruit, bat smaller ; Mr. 

 B. Brown, gardener to F. T. Barry, Esq., Clock House, Becken- 

 ham, was third also with very fine fruit. These Tomatoes 

 made a very fine display, and the variety is one that is worthy 

 of general cultivation. 



Floral Committee. — W. B. Kellook, Esq., in the chair. The 

 Council-room was made gay on this occasion by the boxes of 

 Quilled ABters which were entered in competition for the prizes 

 offered by Messrs. James Carter & Co. ; by large exhibitions of 

 Dahlias from Mr. Turner, Slough, and Mr. Keynes, Salisbury, 

 and a few interesting plants. Amongst the Dahlias exhibited 

 by Mr. Keynes three obtained first-class certificates — namely, 

 John "William Lord, orange scarlet, large, full, and cupped; 

 Minnie Bond, oream, tipped with purplish lilac, but too open in 

 the petals ; and Mrs. J. Downie, a beautifully formed and highly 

 symmetrical flower, white, heavily tipped with lilac, very 

 attractive and good. Ada Badford, deep peach colour, was very 

 attractive in the collection. 



Mr. Turner's collection of Dahlias was very large, and a vote 

 of thanks was awarded. For Figaro a first-class certificate was 

 awarded. It is a well-formed flower with great smoothness of 

 petal and of an orange vermilion colour, the orange predomi- 

 nating in the centre of the petals ; it is very full and good. A 

 similar award was also made to Earl of Boaconsfield, a rather 

 small but very full flower of a deep rich maroon colour — one of 

 the finest of very dark Dahlias. In this collection were fine 

 blooms of the new variety Drake Lewis, the finest of all scarlet 

 Dahlias. Another particularly charming flower in the collection 

 was Heather Bell, lilac peach colour, very distinct and attrac- 

 tive ; Burgundy, Claret Cup, and Christopher Bidley, a small 

 but very full red variety, also attracted notice. A stand of 

 twelve very fine varieties consisted of Flag of Truce, BaroneBs 

 Smith, Jas. Hunter, John N, Keynes, John Standish, Countess 



of Pembroke, JaB. Cocker, Memorial, Jas. Service, Harriet 

 Tetterill, Mrs. Stancombe, and Sir G. Smith. Mr. Turner also 

 staged a collection of Pompon Dahlias, and received a vote of 

 thanks. There were twenty-four varieties, the whole of which 

 were good. 



A first-class certificate was awarded to G. F. Wilso n, Esq., 

 F.B.S.,forLilium neilgherriense, a grand flower, having smooth, 

 massive, and gracefully recurved petals. It is of a creamy 

 white colour, deepening towards the centre. The flower is 

 trumpet-shaped, and 8 inches in diameter exclusive of the 

 petal's curve, and from its remarkable substance must be con- 

 sidered as one of the finest of recent introductions. It was dis- 

 covered in the Neilgherries, and bulbs were distributed laBt year. 

 Mr. Wilson had a second-class certificate for Lobelia subunda ; 

 it was not in flower, but it is very distinct, its foliage resembling 

 that of a miniature Begonia, being velvety and clear in its 

 venation. Mr. Wilson also exhibited Echeveria Murrayana 

 from the Bocky Mountains. Splendidly cultivated plants of 

 tuberous-rooted Begonias were exhibited by Messrs. E. & B. 

 Perkins, Leamington. Excellent, a cross between Stella and 

 Prestoniensis superba, is a rich crimson scarlet, having very 

 large flowers of great substance ; Majesticum, a cross between 

 Sedeni and Prestoniensis superba, baa still larger flowers of a 

 warm cerise colour. These are splendid varieties of an attractive 

 family of plants. 



Mr. Cannell, The Nurseries, Swanley, Kent, sent double Pelar- 

 gonium M. Buehner, purplish crimson, exceedingly rich, and 

 received a first-class certificate ; also Fuohsia Boliviana, a 

 species having large crimson dusters of flowers ; Aurora su- 

 perba, distinct, by the orange tint of its corolla ; Mrs. H. Cannell, 

 the best of the double whites ; and Erecta Von Novelty, a most 

 profuse-flowering variety, with semi-upright flowers, with 

 greenish white sepals and a lavender corolla, a fine bedding and 

 decorative variety. Mr. Kingsbury, nurseryman, Southampton, 

 exhibited double white Fuchsia Kingsburyana, very large and 

 floriferous, but somewhat coarse, and a semi-double white 

 variety with variegated foliage. 



Mr. Noble, Bagshot, exhibited his newBose Queen of Bedders, 

 a most profuse and continuous-flowering variety, fully meriting 

 its name. It is a seedling from Sir Joseph Paxton, and has 

 been previously alluded to. Mr. Dean exhibited French Mari- 

 golds dwarf and floriferous, and a Potato grafted on the To- 

 mato stock and producing tubers on the haulm ; but we have 

 heard of Potatoes indulging in the same freak when growing 

 directly from the tuber. Mr. W. Chapman, gardener to B. Beeves, 

 Esq., North-end Lodge, Fulham, exhibited Nerine curviflora 

 major having an umbel of scarlet flowers; Colonel Clarke, 

 "Welton Place, Daventry, hybrid Begonias ; and Mr. H. Mette, 

 Quedlingburgh, North Germany, Humea elegans alba. 



The prizes offered by Messrs. James Carter & Co. for twenty- 

 four blooms of Quilled Asters went in the following order : To 

 Mr. Giles, Wickham, Newbury ; Major Scott, Wray Park, 

 Beigate ; Mr. Douglas, gardener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., Loxford; 

 Mr. Morgan, jun., Dood's Boad, Beigate ; and Mr. Gaines, 

 Fairley, Hampton Wick. The best collection was disqualified 

 on account of flour having been used, ostensibly to change the 

 yellow florets to white. Had this device not been resorted to 

 Mr. Benham would easily have had the first place. The same 

 exhibitor staged excellent flowers in other stands, as did also 

 Messrs. Carter & Co., the latter being awarded a vote of thanks. 

 The Asters exhibited were Princess Alexandra, Snowball, Purple 

 Prince, and Prince of Novelties, and many of the blooms were 

 very superior. There was a good attendance of horticulturists. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



From many districts tidings have reached us of the super- 

 tuberation of Potatoes. The crops had become partially 

 ripened by the extreme heat, and since the rains have fallen 

 are producing small young tubers. The value of such crops 

 is greatly depreciated, the quantity of the first crop, or the 

 crop proper, beibg inferior, and the tubers of the adven- 

 titious crops are, where large enough, only suitable for plant- 

 ing. Some may hesitate to plant these, but they are superior 

 for that purpose to the tubers which first ripened. Fortunate 

 are those who dug up their crops so soon as the tubers had 

 attained to a fair size, for they have now produce of superior 

 quality. A sample of Paterson's Victoria has been forwarded 

 to us by Mr. Luokhurst, from the crop which was taken up 

 when the haulm was still green and when the skins slipped off 

 the tubers. These tubers are of splendid quality, indeed they 

 are as perfect as if they had ripened in a natural manner in 

 the ground. Early lifting, with subsequent care in storing, 

 are the only real means of escaping the disease and " second 

 growth." It is a lesson, however, which the great body of 

 Potato cultivators appear to be slow in learning. 



Mr. F. Hawes, gardener to Mrs. Bhodes, Henerton, 



near Henley-on-Thames, has this year grown some of the 



