May 19, 18S3. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



361 



cured. Theophrastus, Pliny, Columella, and Palladium all men- 

 tion this fact, but it will be sufficient to quote the two last- 

 named. Columella says — " It often happens although the trees 

 are vigorous that they produce no fruit. Let these be bored 

 with a Gallio augre, and a green graft, or slip, of a wild Olive 

 tree be put into the hole ; thus the tree becomes more fertile." — 

 (De Re iiustioa, L 5, c. ii.). Palladius, in his poem on " Graft - 

 ingj" 1. 53-4, says, "The wild Olive renders fruitful the barren 

 Olive, and teaches that to bear which knew not how." 



But our translation, taken literally, has no obscurity'; for it 

 only alludes to the fact that the Gentdes were now admitted to 

 all the privileges previously confined to the Jews, just as the 

 scion of a wild Olive would partake of the sap (fatness) supplied 

 by the root of the cultivated Olive if grafted upon it.] 



THE BIRMINGHAM" HOSE SHOW FOE 1863. 



We last week drew attention to the fact that the prize list for 

 the nest Show ia now ready, and may be had on application to 

 the Secretary. We have since carefully examined the prize list, 

 and have much pleasure in submitting to our readers a summary 

 of its contents. 



As was the case last year, there are three classes. Class A is 

 for Nurserymen. Nos. 1, 2, and 3 (for 96 varieties, singles ; 

 48 varieties and 24 varieties, trebles, respectively), are open to 

 the United Kingdom. No. 4 (24 varieties, singles), is open to 

 nurserymen resident in the counties of 'Warwick, Worcester, or 

 Stafford only. 



Class B is for Amateurs. Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8 (48, 24, 18, 

 and 12 varieties, singles, respectively), are open to the United 

 Kingdom. Nos. 9 and 10 (12 and 6 varieties, singles), are open 

 only to amateurs resident within fifteen miles of Stephenson 

 Place, Birmingham ; and No. 11 (6 varieties, single), is open 

 only to amateurs resident within three miles oi Stephenson 

 Place, Birmingham. 



Class C is entirely open. It consists of five divisions. No. 12 

 is for a collection of not exceeding 24 new Roses of 1S60-61-62, 

 single trusses ; No. 13 for the best new Rose, lSbO-bl-62, six 

 trusses ; No. 14, best six varieties, Roses, single trusses, with 

 stem and foliage as cut from the tree ; each truss to be shown 

 singly in a vase to be supplied by the exhibitor. No. 15 is for 

 the best design, basket or vase, of Roses and Rose foliage ; and 

 No. 16 for the best bouquet for the hand, entirely of Roses and 

 Rose foliage. It is added as a note to No. 16, that it is essential 

 for the bouquets sent to be suitable for the hand — a much- 

 needed regulation, for usually the bouquets sent are large enough 

 to make half a dozen hand- bouquets of the proper size. 



It will be seen that some considerable changes have been made 

 in the prize list as compared with the one issued for the Exhibi- 

 tion held last year ; and we are inclined to think that the changes 

 will be also "found improvements. The Committee were evi- 

 dently guided by principle in framing their bill of fare for the 

 year, and we are of opinion that experience will prove that they 

 have been guided by correct principle. While making the prize 

 list in its main features thoroughly unrestricted, so as to induce 

 exhibitors from all parts of the kingdom to join in the compe- 

 tition some very sensible reservations have been made. These 

 are to encourage local exhibitors to do their best, not but that 

 as far as we can judge, all circumstances considered, the midland 

 counties succeeded in maintaining a very honourable position, 

 even when in hand-to-hand fight with such successful veterans 

 as Turner, Paul & Son, Cant, Eraneis, and Keynes, who were all 

 prizetakers at last year's Show. We find there were at that 

 Show exhibitors from thirteen counties — viz., Berks, Bucks, 

 Essex, Gloucester, Hereford, Hertford, Leicester, Monmouth, 

 Nottingham, Oxford, Somerset, AYarwiek, and Wilts. Including 

 extras thirty-three prizes were awarded, and they went in the 

 following proportions to the various counties named below : — 

 Berks, l'prize ; Bucks, 5 ; Essex, 3 ; Hereford, 1 ; Hertford, 5 ; 

 Leicester, 1 ; Monmouth, 2 ; Nottingham, 3 ; and Warwick, 9. 

 At the same time the limitations of ISos. 4, 9, 10, and 11, will 

 bring out many small growers ; and the proper cultivation of 

 Roses in suburban gardens — one of the objects which induced 

 the establishment of the Show— will receive a desirable amount 

 of stimulation. 



The endeavour to get exhibitions of Roses grown within 

 three miles of the centre of Birmingham will, we hope, prove 

 Tery successful. That there are many residents in the imme- 

 diate suburbs of that and other large towns who are true 



subjects of the queen of flowers is undoubted ; but that there 

 are at present many successful growers of Roses within three 

 miles of the centre of any town so large and smoky as Birming- 

 ham, is, we fear, not very probable ; but if the competition in 

 this division should be limited it will not long continue so. 

 The Committee of the Rose Show having offered prizes for a 

 small number of varieties grown within a short radius of the 

 central railway station will naturally increase the number of 

 growers, and the names of the varieties shown in the winning- 

 stands will be read with interest by all small cultivators residing 

 near large towns, as the names of those kinds which they may 

 successfully grow in such unfavourable localities. We would 

 draw particular attention to division' No. 14 in the Open Class, 

 as one which we hope to see well filled : it is for the best six 

 varieties of Roses, single trusses, with stem and foliage as cut 

 from the tree, each truss to be shown singly in a vase. Last 

 year the six trusses were shown together as a bouquet ; but the 

 plan for the present year will, we think, be found a great im« 

 provement on that, besides adding several features of interest to 

 the Exhibition. The regulations seem to be much the same as 

 last year, only such slight alterations having been made as the 

 experience gained by the first Show has suggested. The amount 

 of prizes offered is £106 5s., an increase of more than £20 on 

 the amount paid last year ; and in all cases there are to be first, 

 second, and third prizes— liberality which we hope will meet 

 with a hearty response from all the leading cultivators. 



CHINESE FEUTT-GAEDENING. 



Ms. Eortcne, in his pleasant book " Tedo and Peking," 

 mentions, page 321, the Chinese method of cultivating fruit 

 trees in pots which he observed in the nurseries near Tien-tsin : — 



" Pears are perhaps the most abundant amongst all the 

 autumnal fruits in Peking. They are exposed for sale in every 

 direction — in shops, in stalls, on the pavement as well as in the 

 basket of the hawker. They were of two or three kinds, and 

 one of them was high-flavoured and melting. This is the first 

 instance of a Pear of this kind having been found in China, and 

 it is a most welcome addition to the tables ot the foreign resi- 

 dents in Peking. Curiously enough this fruit, excellent though 

 it is, is as yet unknown at Tien-tsiu, a place only about seventy 

 miles distant." 



" Apples, Pears, and Siberian crabs are cultivated in pots in 

 these gardens, and apparently with great success, for the little 

 trees were all loaded with fruit. The Chinese have, probably, 

 been doing this for ages past, just as they have been growing 

 Roses in pots, dwarf and covered with bloom, while we have 

 only found out very recently that such things could be done." 



It is really true that we have only recently " found out " that 

 such things can be done, and it is not to be wondered at that 

 English gardeners, like English agriculturists when threshing 

 machines were first introduced, should feel that " such things " 

 are innovations, and to be opposed accordingly. Mr. Fortune 

 also describes standard Chrysanthemums grafted on a species of 

 Artemisia. Unfortunately, he has omitted to give the species, 

 or to say if he has introduced it. We have, as far as my know- 

 ledge goes, no h-rdy shrubby Artemisia fit for a standard stock 

 for Chrysanthemums. — Yedo. 



THE TOAD. 



YoT/B correspondent, Mr. W. Earley, asks, " Does the toad 

 habitually consume worms?" I have two toads, one in each of 

 my Cucumber-frames, which I placed there for the purpose of 

 destroying woodliee, &c. ; and now that the woodlice are reduced 

 to "few and far between," I, as a rule, feed the toads four or five 

 times a-week with live worms. I merely place the worms on the 

 ground before them, when, as soon as the worms mot e, the toads 

 quickly devour them, but never till they move ; nor do they 

 touch any kind of food till it moves. — Thus. Austen, Ashford. 



NATURAL HISTOEY. 

 A Baedcooi was seen with eight young ones on the 23rd 

 April. 



Wrjj) Pheasants were seen with young ones on the 5th of 



