216 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 21, 187L 



Episcia chontaunsis (Chontalensian Episeia). Nat. ord., 

 Gesneraceffl. Linn., Didynamia Gymnospermia. — Native of 

 Central America, being first found in the Cliontales region of 

 Nioaragna. Flowers white, with a slight tinge of pink. Leaves 

 margined with brown purple lobes. — {Ibid., t. 5925.) 



LiTHOsPEEJiUM Gastoni (Gastou's Gromwell). Nat. ord., 

 Boraginaoefe. Linn., Pentandria Monogynia. — Native of 

 the Pyrenees. Flowers dark blue, with white eye. — (Ibid., 

 t. 5926 ) 



Tacsonia speciosa, " introduced from New Grenada by the 

 late Mr. Bowman, might have been seen last summer flower- 

 ing in great beauty in one of the greenhouses at Cbiswiok. It 

 is quite distinct, in the clear rosy red or carnation colour of its 

 flowers, from any of those previously cultivated. It proves to 

 be the Tacsonia speciosa of Humboldt, Bonpland, and Ennth, 

 a plant which Dr. Masters, who has made the Passion-flowers a 

 study, regards as a variety of Tacsonia tomentosa. There are, 

 indeed, he observes, some half-dozen Tacsonias which are so 

 variable that it is impossible to separate them by any absolute 

 character. 



" For decorative purposes we have here a rapid-growing climber, 

 with downy branches, and shining deeply three-lobed leaves, 

 downy beneath, with hooked serratures, and having on the 

 petioles four to sis pairs of stalked glands. The stipules are 

 leafy, obliquely ovate, dentate, prolonged into a slender point. 

 The flowers are axillary, the tube cylindrical, green, 3 to 4 inches 

 long, the sepals externally green, internally red, the petals pure 

 rosy red or carnation colour. The coronet is in two rows, the 

 upper of small whilish purple-spotted tubercles ; the lower, 

 near the base of the tube, membraDoua, white, and deflesed. 

 It is a splendid accession to an already beautiful group of green- 

 house Passion-flowers, and appear to be a free flowerer, requir- 

 ing only the ordinary treatment of conservatory climbers." — 

 {Florist and Pomohgist, 3 s., iv., 1C9 ) 



Plum — Duke of Edinburgh. — '' For this fine new Plum we 

 are indebted to Mr. Dry, Hayes, Middlesex. It is one selected 

 from a numerous batch of seedlings for its handsome appear- 

 ance and very productive qualities. The name Duke of Edin- 

 burgh has been given to it on account of its resemblance to 

 Prince of Wales, to which it has quite a brotherly similarity, 

 not only as regards its general appearance and character, but 

 also in the quality of the fruits. The Prince of Wales, as is 

 well known, is one of the best of culinary Plums, and a most 

 abundant bearer, and such is the character of this new variety, 

 with, however, a marked improvement in fiavour. 



" The Duke of Edinburgh has fruits large, roundish, inclining 

 at times to obovate, and having a shallow suture. The skin is 

 light purplish, with an extremely dense coating of light-bluish 

 bloom. The stalk is short and stout, inserted in a slight 

 cavity ; the flesh reddish yellow, thick, juicy, moderately rich, 

 and separating freely from the stone. It is a very abundant 

 bearer. The leaves are like those of the Green Gage. This 

 Plum was exhibited before the Fruit Committee in August, 1869, 

 and was awarded a first-class certificate." — [Ibid., 193.) 



in such a manner that they may be used as substitutes for 

 animal food. It is to be hoped that one of these days some 

 method will be discovered by which fruit and vegetables may 

 be packed and transmitted with as little damage as AustraUan 

 beef and mutton, and the market for these articles be placed 

 on a more satisfactory footing than it rests upon at present. — 

 {Pall Mall Gazette.) 



MORE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES WANTED. 



Peehaps one of the chief reasons why there is so much in- 

 temperance in this country is to be found in the difficulty of 

 obtaining any good fruit at a reasonable price. How small a 

 per-csntage of the inhabitants of London have ever tasted a 

 Peach, for instance ! Grapes are a luxury only within reach 

 of the wealthy, and, except sour Apples and Oranges, the 

 poorer classes have no fruit which they may call their own. 

 For some reason or other fruit appears to become more scarce 

 each year in this country. Nectarines and Apricots, once com- 

 mon, are now rarely seen, and in a few years will probably dis- 

 appear altogether. The same may be f aid of Haatbois Straw- 

 berries, which a quarter of a century ago were as plentiful as 

 Gooseberries. It would be an inestimable boon to all dwellers 

 in cities if large dep6ts of fresh fruit and vegetables, to be pro- 

 cured at reasonable prices, were to take the place of the dirty 

 little greeDgrocers' shops, where stale Cabbages and unripe 

 mouldy fruit are retailed at exorbitant charges. Nor should 

 this be impotsible, for there ate few trades more profitable 

 than market-gardening; but the truth is that great improve- 

 ments have yet to be tfieoted in the packing of fruit and vege- 

 tables, and in the cooking of the latter. When fruit arrives 

 even at the greengrocer's shop it is too often in a damaged and 

 "unfresh" condition, and vegetables, which equally snfi'er in 

 transit, are only purchased as luxuries for the simple reason 

 that, apart from their cost, few people know how to cook them 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SEPTX5IBER 20th. 



Fp.uit CoaiciTTEE. — G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.K.S., in the chair 

 Mr. William Paal, of Waltham Cross, sent three very large bnBclies 

 of a new Grape, called Winter Muscadine. Eacbof them was tetween 

 4 and 5 lbs. in weight. The berries are white, and become yellowish 

 when ripe, and the flavonr is that of the Eoyal Muscadine. The 

 Committee, while admiring the magnificent bunches, were of opinion 

 that they were not quite ripe, and requested Mr. Paul to exhibit it a 

 little later in the season. Mr. Earley, gardener to C. M. Ingleby, 

 Esq., Valentines, Essex, sent a bunch of Black Hamburgh Grapes, 

 cut from the parent of the great Vine at Hampton Court. Though 

 the bunch was one of sixteen grown on a rod 13 feet long, it was of 

 large size, and the berries were large, well-eolonred, and of good 

 flavonr. showing that there is stiU considerable vigour in the old Vine. 

 Mr. William Paul sent a collection of eighteen different varieties of 

 Plums. Mr. George Lee, of Clevedon, near Bristol, sent fruit of 

 Pond's Seedling, or FonthiU Plum, with the accompanying account 

 of it— 



" Clevedon, September 19th, 1S71. 

 " Deae Srs, — I sent off this morning a little bos containing four Plums, 

 another sport, but the whole tree this time. The graft was from Fonthill, 

 bat you will see the fruit is not so tapering at the stem, is darker, a 

 little earlier, and the wood buds and leaves quite distinct £rom that 

 variety. 



" The tree is about ten years grafted, is about 7 feet high. It wag 

 grafted about 6 inches from the ground. The first shoot the graft made, 

 about 2 feet in length, was quite void of any buds ; the nest year it started 

 from the estremity, but has grown very slowly compared with other trees 

 of the same age and under the same circumstances, girth above and 

 below the craft 4 inches. I measured another Fonthill tree, same age ; 

 this is 12 feet high, and girth above and below the graft 7 inches ; but 

 they are and have been in a nursery for want of room, but removed. 

 The branches of the sport have been several times cut bactc ; the under 

 ones are about 1 foot 9 inches, and those towards the top about 1 foot in 

 length. I have not the least idea what the stock is, but; I will try and 

 ascertain by taking up some roots. The ordinary size of the fruit is about 

 four times that of the Plums sent. It is sometimes quite egg-shaped, and 

 very distinctly spotted all over. — I remain &c., Geokge Lee." 



Mr. H. Eckford, Coleshill Gardens, Highworth, sent a seedling Nec- 

 tarine, called Coleshill, the flavour of which was inferior. Mr. W. 

 Paul sent a dish of Pears, among which were Summer Franc Real, 

 Poire Peche, Williams's Bon Chretien, and Autumn Bergamot. 

 Messrs. Kivers A; Son, of Sawhridgeworth, sent a collection of ten small 

 pyramidal Plum trees, literally studded with fruit, and they were the 

 admiration of the Committee. They consisted of Belle de Septembre, 

 Late Black Orleans, Autumn Compote, Imperiale de MUan. To these 

 a special certificate was awarded. Mr. E. Fenn, The Rectory, Wood- 

 stock, exhibited three dishes of Apples — one, the Ribston Pippin on 

 the Apple stock, another the Ribston Pippin growing on its own roots, 

 after being grafted on a seedling from Blenheim, and a third the 

 Ribston Pippin grafted on a stock raised from seed of the Blenheim 

 Pippiu. The fruit of the last was certainly altered in it3_ character 

 and appearance. Mr. Squires, gardener to H. G. G. Ludlow, Esq., 

 Heywood, Westbnry, sent a dish of Nectarines, called Hejwood Seed- 

 ling, but the fiavour was not equal to other varieties in cultivation. 

 Messrs. Sutton & Son. of Reading, sent a brace of very handsome 

 Cucumbers, called Marquis of Lome, cut from a plant which has been 

 producing fruit since May last. 



Mr. J. May, The Gardens, Hayling Island, Hants, sent a dozen 

 Shallots, weighing 4 lbs. They were considered by the Comrnittee 

 the finest they had ever seen, and were awarded a special cenificate. 

 Mr. Piccuillo, of Wigmore Street, sent four heads of Garlic of im- 

 mense size, weighing 2 lbs. 6 ozs., and two roots of the Giant White 

 Tripoli Onion, one weighing 3 lbs. 13 ozs.. and the other 3 lbs. 11 ozs. 

 Their circumference was S'feet 1 inch. They were awarded a special 

 certificate. Messrs. Criscnolo, Kay, & Co., Gracechurch Street, sent 

 a collection of Italian Onions, among which were the Red Maggiola, 

 Early White Maggiola, and Blood Red Tripoli. They were awarded 

 a special certificate. 



Mr. Thomas Simpson, the gardens, Broomfield Lodge, Chelmsford, 

 sent tubers of what was supposed to be a graft hybrid between the 

 Potato and the Jerusalem Artichoke, but in the opinion of the Com- 

 mittee no union had taken place between the two tnbers. Collections 

 of Potatoes were exhibited by Mr. E. Fenn, of Woodstock, Messrs. 

 Sutton & Son, of Reading, Messrs. J. & C. Lee, of Hammersmith, 

 and Mr. Richard Dean, Bedfont, to each of which a special certificate 

 was awarded. Mr. Fenn also exhibited a collection of seedling Pota- 

 toes of a very interesting character, illustrating his mode of crossing 

 different varieties to obtain those varieties he is desirous of establish- 

 ing in general cultivation. The collection was awarded a special 

 certificate. 



Prizes were offered for the best and second best dish of dessert 



