•d6(j 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



[ May 25, 1S71. 



alv7ay3 put threads over the Wistaria just as I do over my 

 Gooseberry and Carrant bushes. My friends had just begun 

 their work this year, but I was in time to stop much mischief. 

 I believe that they pluck the buds for the sake of the moisture 

 which they afford, as it is in the driest weather that the attacks 

 are made. I am always obliged to thread my Crocuses and 

 Primroses in the same way, the little marauders breaking these 

 off, and leaving them scattered on the ground, unless some pre- 

 ventive measures are taken. — H. G. Meekiiian, Guildford. 



CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW. 



Mat 20th. 



Kap.elt has there been a more successful May Sho^r at the Crystal 

 Palace than that held on Saturday last ; the weather was favourable, 

 the attendance large, and the subjects exhibited nearly if not quite as 

 numerous as in past years, while in some instances there was a great 

 advance towards perfection. 



^ov fifteen Stove and Greenhouse Plants, Mr. Baines, gardener to 

 H. Micholls, Esq , Soutbgate House, stood far in advance of all com- 

 petitors, with specimens which for excellency of culture and brilliant 

 effect have never been equalled at any show which we have seen. They 

 were simply perfect, and whatever differences of opinion there may be as 

 to large I'ersiis small specimens, there could be none as to the superiority 

 of the former when exhibited in such perfection as Mr. Baines has done. 

 On this occasion his jtlants were Erica ventricosa coccinea minor 

 4i feet in diameter ; Eriostemon neriifoUum ; Epacris EcHpse nearly 

 5 feet high, and quite 4 feet across ; Azalea Stella, the finest specimen 

 ever seen of that brilhant variety ; white Azalea Magnificent, qaite 

 5 feet high, two Ixoras, Hedaroma tnlipiferum, Boronia pinnata, 

 Aphelesis macrantha purpurea and humilis rosea, Eriostemon densi- 

 tiorum, Erica Cavendishii, beautifolly furnished; Clerodendron Bal- 

 fonrianum, and Anthurium Scherzerianum with sixteen large spathes 

 and three advancing. "With Mr. Baines's collection in the eye, it is 

 hardly possible to do justice to those which were shown against it in 

 the same class, the one throwing the others so completely into the 

 shade; nevertheless, Mr. Chapman, gardener to J. Spode, Esq., 

 Hawkesyard Park, Eugeley, sent a collection containing excellent speci- 

 mens of Pimelea spectabilis rosea and mirabilis, Bougainvillea glabra, 

 Azaleas, Epacrises, and Chorozema varium nanum. The third and 

 fourth prizes went to Mr. Wheeler, gardener to J. Phillpott, Esq., and 

 Mr. Peed, gardener to Mrs. Treadwell, Lower Norwood. 



In the nurserymen's class for ten, Mr. Williams, of Holloway, was 

 first with Azalea Empress Eugenie, a very large plant and a dense 

 mass of blossom ; Boronia pinnata ; Azalea Chelsoni, fine ; Anthurium 

 Scherzerianum ; Clerodendron Balfourianum, and other good speci- 

 mens. Messrs. Jackson & Son, Kingston ; Mr. Morse, Epsom ; and 

 Mr. Cutbush, Barnet, where the remaining prizetakers. 



In the amateurs' class for ten, Mr. "Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, 

 E.tiq., Leyton, was first with a very fine collection, in which we par- 

 ticularly noticed Tetratheca ericaefolia, Dracophyllum gracile, Aphe- 

 lexis macrantha purpurea, Statice profnsa, large, and in great per- 

 fection, promising to last the season in bloom ; Chorozema Chandleri, 

 Hedaroma tulipiferum, and Clerodendron Balfouriauum. Mr. Peed, 

 Mr. Carr, gardener to P. L. Hinds, Esq., Byfieet Lodge, and Mr. 

 G. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. Goldsmid, Bart., M.P., Regent's Park, 

 took the remaining prizes. 



In the class for six Fine-foliaged Plants, the first prize was withheld, 

 and a second was awarded to Mr. Carr, extra prizes being given to Mr. 

 A. "Wright, gardener to C. H. C. Boberts, Esq., Regent's Park, and 

 Mr. K. Laing, gardenerto P. L. Flowers, Esq., Tooting. Several of the 

 exhibitors appeared to have misapprehended the terms of the schedule, 

 and exhibited flowering plants aloug with ornamental-foliaged plants, 

 instead of the latter alone. Those shown were good without being 

 remarkable. Groups arranged for effect came from Messrs. EoUisson, 

 Messrs. Carter &: Co., Mr. Foreman, gardener to W. Wright, Esq., 

 Denmark Hill, and Mr. J. Woodward, gardener to Mrs. Torr, Ewell, 

 and comprised a great variety of plants. In our own opinion the best 

 eflect was j.roduced by Mr. Woodward's arrangement, though the ■ 

 plants were neither so numerous nor so valuable as those from the 

 other competitors. Viewed from the opposite side of the transept, the 

 white -flowered Deutzias and the hanging-baskets of Ferns at once 

 arrested the eye, and the efl'ect of the whole was very graceful. 



Heaths were numerously shown, mostly by the same exhibitors as 

 those who were at Kensington on the previous Wednesday, and in 

 most cases the plants were identical. Ventricosa grandiflora and 

 maguifica, tricolor Wilsoni and elegans, tortUiflora, clegans, Spenceri- 

 aua, perspicua nana, and Beaumontia were well represented in several 

 collections. The prizes went to Messrs. Jaclison &: Son, Mr. Morse, 

 Mr. Ward, Mr. Peed, Mr. Carr, and Mr. J. Wheeler. 



For Azaleas, in the nurserymen's classes Mr. Williams was first for 

 eight, with, among others, fine specimens of Napoleon III., Countess 

 of Stamford, Eulalie Van Geert, and Alba Meliora. Small plants 

 from Messrs. Dobson tt Son had a third prize, the second being with- 

 held. Messrs. Lane were first for six, but the plants were not up to 

 tho mark of those which Rlessrs. Lane usually exhibit. Among 

 amateurs the prizes were taken by Messrs. G. Wheeler, J. AVheeler, 

 W. Chapman, and Peed, who had well-grown plants in good bloom, 

 but not calling for special remark. 



Pelargoniums were for the most part the same as those shown at 

 Kensington, with a few additions; Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. 

 Wilkins, Esq., Leyton, was first in the amateurs' class, Mr. James 

 second, and Mr. Foreman third. Of nurserymen, Messrs. Dobson and 

 Sons, Isleworth, were the only exhibitors, taking first prizes for both 

 Show and Fancy varieties. 



Of Koses, Mr. Turner, of Slough, and Messrs. Paul & Son, of 

 Cheshunt, exhibited in the class for ten, in 13-inch pots, two of the 

 most magnificent collections ever seen. That from Mr. Turner, ad- 

 mirably arranged as his wont is, was altogether remarkable, such was 

 the size of the specimens and their abundance and perfection of bloom. 

 They were Miss Ingram, Duchesse de Caylus, John Hopper, Victor 

 Verdier, Souvenir de Malmaison, Paul Perras, General Jacqueminot, 

 Anna Alexiefi', and Madame de St. Joseph. It would he vain to heap 

 on these superlatives — they stood out grand examples of our finest 

 potEoses. Messrs. Paul & Son had a second prize for a collection 

 which in some respects scarcely yielded to that just noticed — a par- 

 ticularly even lot scarcely so large as specimens, but also in magni- 

 ficent condition. Of the varieties of which this consisted, we may 

 signalise Charles Lawson, Senateur Vaisse, John Hopper, Mdlle. 

 Therese Levet, and President, but there were others nearly equally 

 good. For twenty and twelve varieties respectively, first prizes were 

 taken by Mr. Turner and Messrs. Paul with plants which, though not 

 so large as those just noticed, and not so full of bloom, were admirable 

 for the size of pots in which they were grown. After these the Koses 

 in the amateurs' class, as they always are, were poor. Mr. Gold, gar- 

 dener to H. Dorling, Esq., Stroud Green House, Croydon, was first ; 

 Mr. James, gardener to F. Watson, Esq., Isleworth, being second. 



Orchids were not very numerous, though there were several fair 

 collections, and although there was no retrogression there did not seem 

 I to be any advance. For eighteen Mr. Burnett, gardener to W. Terry, 

 j Esq., Peterborough House, Fulham, was first, with good examples of 

 Cypripedium Stonei, barbatum, and villosum, Cattleya Mossiae, Ljelia 

 purpurata, Foxbrush Aerides, Saccolabium retusum, and Phalsenopsis 

 Luddemanniana ; Mr. Wright, gardener to C. H. C.Roberts, Esq., 

 being second. For ten SIi-. Ward was first, Mr. Birmingham, gardener 

 to G. B. Arnold, Esq., South Norwood, second. From the former 

 there were good examples of Oncidium Lanceanum, C. serratum, 

 Anguloa Clowesii, and others ; whilst Mr. Birmingham had a fine 

 specimen of Dendrobium nobile, La>Ua purpurata, and Oncidium 

 sphacelatum. Mr. J. Wheeler was third. In the nui'serymen's class 

 Mr. Williams stood alone. Cypripedium caudatum in this collection 

 had twelve flowers, and with it were C. villosum, Vanda suavis, Aiirides 

 Fieldingii, a splendid Phaltenopsis SchiUeriana, and Saccolabium 

 retusum, with four fine spikes. In the amateurs' class for six, the 

 awards were made to Mr. Woodward, gardener to Mrs. Torr, Mr. Peed, 

 and Mr. Burnett. The first named had a remarkably fine example of 

 Trichopiha suavis with three dozen flowerF. 



Among the miscellaneous subjects were beautiful boxes of cut Eoses 

 from Mr. William Paul, also baskets of new Pelargoniums ; Waltham 

 Bronze and Marchioness being very striking, and together with these 

 was Waltham Bride, with white flowers and white-edged leaves, which 

 has before been frequently noticed as a desirable variety. Princess 

 Beatrice Rose from the same exhibitor again received a first-class 

 certificate. Messrs. Dobson & Son, of Isleworth, sent a fine collection 

 of herbaceous Calceolarias ; Messrs. Lane, one of Rhododendrons 

 which was veiy efl'ective ; Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing, a collec- 

 tion of Caladiums and other fine-foliaged plants ; Messrs. Carter and 

 Co., a similar group; Mr. Emmett, gardener to H. Piper, Esq., West 

 Dnlwich, a collection of Fuchsias and standard Azaleas. First-class 

 certificates were awarded to Mr. WiUiams, who exhibited a choice 

 collection of new plants, for Adiantum asarifolium, Gymnogramma 

 Pparcei, Ehapis humilis, Yucca de Smetiana, and Senecio argentea, a 

 neat silvery-leaved plant. The last named, from Messrs. Downie and 

 Co., also received a similar award, Hkewise Tropieolum Mrc. Bowman, 

 which was shown at Kensington three weeks previously. Mr. Turner, 

 of Slough, had a first-class certificate for Pelargonium Chieftain, one 

 of the show varieties, soft rose, the upper petals crimson edged with 

 rose, the throat white, a very pretty variety of excellent shape. In 

 front of the orchestra were two octagons of bedding plants, charmingly 

 arranged by Mr. Gordon, and an oval gioup of fine-foUaged plants by 

 Mr. Williams, of the Ciystal Palace. 



A rLorvisr's xotes at the crystal rAL\.CE. 



A GRAND Show and a lovely day tended to make this a most at- 

 tractive Exhibition, while all the arrangements were of that complete 

 order which characterises everything connected with the Crystal Palace 

 Shows ; especially was this the case with stove and greenhouse plants. 

 I do not believe that such a collection of plants as that staged by 

 Mr. Baines was ever before exhibited ; but with these I have nothing to 

 do, I simply have to write of those flowers for which prizes were ofi'ered 

 by the Metropolitan Floral Society — Tulips and Pansies. It was 

 a great pleasure, although the competition was not very great, to see 

 these tine flowers once more asserting their position, and I am con- 

 vinced that it only needs an earnest e£fort on the part of florists 

 generally, to insure the increased cultivation of these once-highly- 

 valued favourites. 



In the class for thirty-six Pansies, the flrst prize was taken by 

 Messrs. Downie, Laird, A: Laing, for beautifully smooth and well- 

 finished blooms of A. Downie, Rev. H. Dombrain; Alexander McNab, 



