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JOURNAL OE HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 23, 1863. 



means of preserving a supply of rain water to avail themselves 

 of the chance, as there is no other water can be so properly 

 used. 



Amongst other erroneous opinions respecting the powerful 

 influence of water that are entertained by those who direct its 

 application toplantB, are some rather odd notions. A writer to 

 The JotTBifAi! of Hobticultueb complains that his employer 

 insists that all watering must be done after sunset or before 

 sunrise. This at the time of year I write (June), must give 

 rise to very early and very late hours indeed, but in no case 

 whatever that I am acquainted with is it needed. Certainly a 

 plant perishing for want of water ought to have it without delay 

 whatever the time of day may be, only taking care not to wet 

 the foliage in bright sunshine, or the globules of water left there 

 will form lenses which will burn the plants ; and as many small 

 plants must be wetted on the foliage, it is only proper to do it 

 at a time when the fierce rays of the sun are considerably abated, 

 or before they acquire their full strength. When plants are 

 established and seemingly not suffering much from the lack of 

 water, but where they are certain to do so before another day is 

 over, it is best to postpone the watering of such plants until the 

 morning; for as all or most watering cools the ground, and 

 thereby to a certain extent checks vegetation, it is better to 

 delay this until the period when the sun is able to warm it again. 

 When, however, the plant shows evident signs of distress let 

 its wants be supplied at once, for to delay this duty until an 

 established plant absolutely droops or flags is hurtful to that 

 plant, especially if it be a hardwooded one, and Heaths and 

 such plants soon show signs of neglect if treated improperly in. 

 the way of water. 



In conclusion, it may be added that although the use of the 

 watering-pot may be extended, the desirability of this is far from 

 certain. Nature has endowed most crops with the faculty of 

 enduring such periods of drought as she herself inflicts. Turf 

 may look completely parched up after a period of hot dry 

 weather, and apparently every vestige of life may be gone ; but 

 a day or two after a genial rain how it starts into life again ! 

 Trees and other large-growing objects are still better able to 

 endure a summer's heat, by sending their roots down deeper or 

 farther off for fresh food, and at the end of a dry season the 

 congratulations of success in certain things quite equal the com- 

 plaints of the shortcomings of others, where candour allows a 

 fair hearing to all sides of the case. Although the use of the 

 water-pot may be wanted to secure such crops as Lettuce in 

 good condition, Peas on dry ground, Strawberries,, and the like, 

 it is more than questionable if one-half the water that is supplied 

 to' such crops does not do harm. Watering the ground between 

 the rows so as to induce the fibres of the plants to extend them- 

 selves in search of what they want, is both encouraging to then- 

 growth and renders them less dependant on hand- feeding. Daily 

 watering to such plants is not commendable, as it only tends' 

 to make them root near the surface, and, therefore, become a 

 prey to the first gleam of Bunshine that comes on a day they may 

 not have received their usual allowance. Like most other things, 

 plants are accommodating to a certain extent, and if inured 

 to the hardship of trying to make a living for themselves they 

 will do so ; otherwise, if they are brought up by hand — i. e., kept 

 as it were by hand-watering, they will trust to that support 

 and become unable to provide for themselves when it is taken 

 suddenly away. All out-door crops ought, therefore, to be 

 watered with caution, and the matter thought of before it is 

 begun, for it is far from certain whether more mischief than 

 good has not arisen from out-door watering. Those, therefore, 

 to whom nature denies the quantity of water to lavishly pour 

 upon ground that it is not unlikely to do harm to, may console 

 themselves that there are many other employments more cer- 

 tainly beneficial than watering often is. J. Robscw. 



THE EOYAL HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY'S 



EXHIBITION.— June 17. 

 Heavy showers on the day preceding thiB Show gave rise to 

 gloomy forebodings as to the probable character of the weather, 

 and some prognosticated that the Horticultural Society would 

 have " its usual ill-luck." Eortunately, however, these anticipa- 

 tions were not realised, the day having proved highly favourable ; 

 and although black clouds occasionally swept over the sky as if 

 betokening the approach of a thunderstorm, the sun shone 

 brightly throughout the day, and noraiu fell to mar the pleasure 



of the crowds who preferred the open air and the band of the 

 Royal Engineers to the close, heated atmosphere of the Exhi- 

 bition building. 



The fine band of the Marines was posted during the afternoon 

 in the centre of the nave, but though the result fully proved the 

 capabilities of this part of the building in a musical point of 

 view, yet the music was an interruption to the quiet which, is 

 desirable for the inspection of plants, besides which it offered a 

 counter-attraction too strong for many. 



Although the great height of the building exercised to some 

 extent a dwarfing effect on the plants, this waB much less than 

 one would have expected ; it must be borne in mind, however, 

 that some of the specimens exhibited were of enormous size. 



The Stove and Greenhouse Plants were both numerous and 

 almost without exception large and well grown, though m some 

 instances there was too evident an effort to secure the required 

 shape by means of sticks and tying-in. The species exhibited 

 were mostly the same as those seen at previous shows, and it 

 will be sufficient to mention the names of such as were moat 

 remarkable in each collection. 



Unquestionably the finest collection of fifteen came from Mr. 

 Whitebread, gardener to H. Colyer, Esq., of Dartford, the speci- 

 mens being of extraordinary size and in the finest condition. 

 Amongst the most noteworthy were a magnificent Ixora javanica, 

 an immense Erica Cavendiahii, Pleroma elegans (a splendid 

 plant), Rondeletia speciosa, Epacris miniata splendenay Pimelea 

 mjrabilis, Vinca alba roBea, that fine climber Dipladenja craesi- 

 noda, Ixora ooccinea, and Polygala Dalmasiana. To this col- 

 lection a first prize was awarded. The second was given to Mr. 

 Peed for a collection also excellent, in which Ixora coccinea and 

 salicifolia, Ericas Cavendishii and tricolor flammea, Vinea rosea 

 and Dracophyllum gracile were noticeable. Mr. Green was third, 

 having a splendid Erica obbata, a fine pyramid Iveryana Azalea, 

 Ealosanthes coccinea, Allamanda grandiflora, and others ; whilst 

 Mr. Baxendine, who was fourth, had Allamanda Sehottii look- 

 ing very fresh, Hoya bella, Coleonema rubra, Aphelexis hmnilis 

 rosea, &c. Mr. Rhodes, who received an extra prize, had a very 

 showy plant of Erica metulaeflora bieolor. 



In the Nurserymen's Class for twelve Mr. Cole, of Worthing*- 

 ton, near Manchester, took the lead, most of his plants being 

 very large and fine. We particularly noticed Aphelexis ma- 

 crantha rosea, Ixora coccinea and alba, Epacris miniata splendens^ 

 Pimelea mirabilis, and Phjenocoma proliferum Barnesii. Messrs* 

 J. & J. Eraser were second with a collection in which were 

 noticeable fine specimens of Prostanthera lasianthos, Ealosanthes 

 Angelina, Pimelea diosmsefolia, Phanocoma proliferum, and 

 Boronia serrulata, the latter, however, being deficient in flowers. 

 Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith, were third. They had a magni- 

 ficent Allamanda Sehottii with immense flowers ; a pretty bushy 

 Leschenaultia formosa ; Pheenocoma proliferum, also very fine ; 

 Erica Candolleana, Clerodendron fallax, and Tetratheca verticil- 

 lata. Mr. Cutbush, of Barnet, was fourth. 



In Class 3, for nine plants, the first prize was taken by Mr; 

 Chilman, in whose collection there were fine plants of Ealo- 

 santhes coccinea, which is always very showy ; Erica- Caven- 

 dishii, fine; Dipladenia crassinoda; and AphelexiB macrantha 

 rosea and spectabilis grandiflora, both of them excellent* Mr.. 

 Page came second ; some of the best here were Allamanda; 

 Sehottii, Dracophyllum gracile, Erica tricolor flammea, and: 

 Pimelea decussata. Mr. Wheeler, who was third, had among 

 others Hedaroma tulpiferum and fuchsioidea, Epacris pulchella, 

 and Dracophyllum gracile. Mr. Kaile received the fourth prize 

 for Koellia ciliata, Ealosanthes coccinea superba, a large and 

 handsome RhyncoBpermum jasminoides, and other plants. 



Mr. Tegg, gardener to Baron Hambro', Roehampton, had a 

 second prize for a collection of bix plants. 



Of Fine-foliaged Plants a superb collection was exhibited by 

 Mr. May, gardener to J. P. Butt, Esq., of Arle Court, Chelten- 

 ham, consisting of a magnificent Cycas revoluta, an enormous 

 Pandanus ulilis, Theophrasta imperialis, and Jussieui, Aralia 

 dactylifolium, Croton variegatum and pictum, an immense Pan* 

 danus javanicus variegatus, and a Bplendid Caladinm Chantinjw 

 Mr. Smith, of Syon, was second, his collection including ftna 

 examples of Anthurium acaule, Latania borbonica, Calathea 

 zebrina, Caladium Chantini, and Martinesia caryotaafolia. In 

 the collection from Messrs. Lee, who had the third prize, weiB 

 fine specimens of Cibotium princeps, Cyathea Smithi, and Cordy- 

 line indivisa; and in that from Mr. Hutt, gardener to Miss 

 Burdett Coutts, Highgate, Philodendron pertusum, Latania bor- 

 bonica, Dicksonia antarctica, and Pandanus utilis were the most 



