420 



JOUKNAL OF EOKTICULTUEE AKB COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ J nne 15, 1871- 



It is not an absolute preventive, but our paths have been made 

 seven or eight years, and have required up to the present time 

 very little weeding. I do not recollect vrhat I paid for the 

 lime — a merely nominal sum, if anything. If I were going to 

 make new paths I would not omit the gas lime on any account. 

 — AaiATEUE, Cirencester, 



KOYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY'S SHOW. 



Ju^■E 14th a>-d 15th. 



The second great Show of this Society opened yesterday and vdlX 

 close this day. Like its predecessor at Kensington it is fairly good, 

 but presents no remarkable points of interest. Ai-e exhibitors becom- 

 ing tired of the great frec[neney of shows ? "We have not heard any 

 ontcries, but results would lead to the behef that such is the case. 



In the floral department Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith, have a vei-y 

 effective mixed group, and others come from Messrs. Carter & Co., 

 and Messrs. Kolhsson, of Tooting. 



In Stove and Greenhouse Plants Mr. Baines, as usual, takes the 

 highest place, being first both for nine and sis, exhibiting, among 

 others, large and superbly grown specimens of Hedaroma ttdipifera. 

 Erica Cavendishii, Erica ventricosa minor, Anthurium Scherzerianum, 

 together with fine examples of Boronia pinnata and the charming 

 bright- coloured Dipladenia amabihs. Mr. TVard comes second for 

 nine, and Mr. J. Wheeler third, and second for six. Mr. Carr being 

 third in the latter class. In the nurserymen's class Messrs. Jackson, 

 of Kingston, and Mr. Morse, of Epsom, each exhibited. 



Orchids are bat few ; by far the best come from Mr. "Williams, of 

 Holloway, who has magnificent examples of Cattleya lobata and Cypri- 

 pedinm caudatum, Aerides affine with ten racemes, Cypripedium bar- 

 batum, and Saccolabium retusum. Mr. Bull, -who is second in the 

 nurseiymen's class, has the new and pretty Thunia BensoniEe, Odon- 

 toglossum citrosmum, Vanda tricolor, and Lalia pui-purata. Among 

 amateurs the awards go to Mr. Ward and Mr. J. "Wheeler for nine ; 

 and to Mr. Burnett and Mr. HUl for sis. 



For Show Pelargoniums Mr. "Ward, gardener to F. G. "WilMns, Esq., 

 Leyton, is a long way first with truly magnificent specimens, some of 

 which were quite 4 feet across, and all of them in splendid bloom. 

 The kinds are — Fair Rosamond, Selina, Conqueror, Rose Celestial, 

 Patroness, Lilacina, Mary Hoyle, Conflagration, and Desdemona. 

 Mr. "Weir, gardener to Mrs. Hodgson, Hampstead, is second ; and Mr. 

 James, gardener to "W. F. "Watson, Esq., Isleworth, third. In the 

 nurserymen's class Messrs. Dobson are the only exhibitors. 



In Fancy Pelargoniums ilr. "Weir sends a fine plant of Miss-in-her- 

 Teens, and Liberty and Multiflora good ; while in the nurserymen's 

 class Messrs. Dobson have good plants of Marionette, Lucy, &:c. For 

 twenty distinct kinds the prizes go respectively to Mr. Turner, of 

 Slough, and Messrs. Dobson, the former having many very fine 

 varieties. 



Of Tricolor Pelargoniums excellent plants are shown by Mr. Stevens, 

 of Ealing, Mr. Turner, of Slough, and Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Co. 



Hoses in pots from Messrs. Paul & Son include lai^e specimens, in 

 beautiful bloom, of Paul Perras, Marechal Yaillant, LieUa, and Charles 

 Lawson. The same firm also exhibit a mixed collections of standards 

 and dwarfs, and a fine miscellaneous group. 



Of fine-foliacred plants, Mr, Baines has Gleichenia rupestris, large 

 and in beautiful condition ; Theophrasta imperialis, a magnificent 

 Phcenicophorium sechellarum, Sarracenia fiava, very fine; and Dasy- 

 lirion acrotrichnm. Mr. Baines took the first prize ; the second went 

 to Mr. Taylor, gardener to Mrs. Tates, Highgate, who has a fine speci- 

 men of Encephalartos latifrons. Mr. Burley, Bayswater, came in 

 third. Mr. Cole, gardener to S. Budgett, Esq., Eahng Park, has also 

 excellent plants, and two fine examples of Lomaria gibba shown 

 before. Mr. "Williams has three noble examples of Chamaerops 

 humilis, Latania borbonica, and Areca lutescens, taking the first prize 

 for three Palms, and Mr. Burley is second. 



Among cut flowers the Boses are the majority, Marechal Niel, 

 from Mr. Keynes, of Salisbury, and Ft. "Webb, Esq., Calcot, is in 

 splendid condition, and the same variety from Mr. Mitchell, PHtdown, 

 large and of exquisite freshness and colour. Mr. Keynes also sends 

 beautiful blooms of Climbing Devoniensis, and Mr. "Webb a stand of 

 tho seldom-shown Persian "Yellow. Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Keynes, Mr. 

 Chard, and others, have fine stands of different varieties. 



The following first-class certificates were given for new plants — viz., 

 to Messrs. Veitch, Chelsea, for Begonia intermedia, Dracxna amabihs, 

 D. "Wisemannii, DiefEenbachia Bansei, Selaginella sp. Japan, Paul- 

 linia thaUctrifolia, and Linum campauulatum ; to Mr. Williams for 

 Adiantum asarifohum, Eestrepia antennifera, and Agave Ortgiesiana ; 

 to Mr. Bull for Phormium tenax albo-variegatum, Ptychosperma re- 

 gale, Cycas elegans, Thrinax elegantissima, Macrozamia Fraseri, and 

 Warscewiczella velata ; to Mr. Parker for Tacsonia Buchanani ; and 

 to Messr?. Paul & Son for Cupressus Lans^niana alba pendula. 



Certificates were given to the following Pelargoniums — to Mr. Nye 

 for The Bride and Rubens ; to Messrs. E. G. Henderson for Zonals 

 Alice Maude Maiy and Bronze Queen ; to Mr. George for Polly King, 

 Flame, and Caven Fox ; to Mr. "William Paul for Sir C. Napier, 

 lanthe. Lady D. Nevill, Comtesse de Flandre, and "Wellington. 



Fruit. — The show of fruit even for this time of year is small — a 

 circumstance the more to be regretted as we have so few shows near 

 London at which fruit takes a prominent part. 



Of Pine Apples there were only four, Mr. "Ward, gardener to T. K- 

 Miller, Esq., Bishop Stortford. showing a splendid Queen of o^ lbs. : 

 Mr. Benham, gardener to H. "Woods, Esq., M.P., one of 5 lbs., also 

 remarkably fine ; and Mr. Godfrey, gardener to J. Anderson, Esq., 

 Ankerwycke, Staines, a heavy and well-ripened fruit, rather large in 

 the crown. The prizes went to the exhibitors in the order in which 

 they are named. The only exhibitor in the class for any other variety 

 is Mr. W^ard, who has a Blood Pine of 4 lbs. finely coloured. For 

 this a first prize was given, 



Green-flesbed Melons consist of "Wilson's Hybrid, Hybrid Cashmere, 

 Emperor of the "West, Sultan, and Champion. In scarlet-fleshed, Gem 

 is the kind principally shown. Mr. "Ward is first in both classes. 



Of Grapes, excellent baskets of Black Hamburgh are shown by Mr. 

 Osborne, Kaye's Nursery, Finchley, and Mr. Hick, gardener to C. 

 Scholfield, Esq. Muscat of Alexandria, exceedingly good and fairly, 

 ripened, from Mr. Davis, Fryem Bamet, took the second prize, Mr. 

 Osborne and Mr. Hick being respectively first and third. For Black- 

 Hamburgh Mr. Benham was first with large bunches, Mr. Excell being 

 second with well-finished bunches of ordinary size. Mr. Davis, 

 Fryem Bamet, and Mr. Lane, gardener to J. Miles, Esq., are third 

 and fourth. "Very good examples of Black Prince come from Messrs. 

 Benham, Hick, and Ritchie. Three beautifully ripened bunches of 

 Buckland Sweetwater are first in the class for white Grapes. These- 

 come from Mr. Beid, gardener to L. Huth, Esq., Possingworth, 

 Sussex. Mr. Pizzey, gardener to Sir E. Perry, is second with Eoyal 

 Muscadine, and Mr. Davis third with fine bunches of Muscat of Alex- 

 andria tolerably ripe. 



The best two dishes of Peaches come from Mr. Browne, gardener to 

 Earl Howe, GopsaU, being large and splendidly coloured fruit of Grosse 

 Mignonne, and Boyal George, also very fine. Mr. Osborne is second 

 with the same kinds, also very fine ; and Mr. Davis third with Yiolette 

 Hative and Grosse Mignonne. In Nectarines Mr. Browne again 

 takes the lead with Elruge, very fine, highly coloured, and Hunt's- 

 Tawny. Mr. Holder, gardener to "W. Childs, Esq., Keymer, is second 

 with good fruit of Eoman and Brugnon; Mr. "Wright third with 

 Elruge and Yiolette Hative. 



Strawberries are few, and altogether inferior, the first-prize single 

 dish of Sir Charles Napier from Mr. Chard being the best. 



In the miscellaneous class Mr. Turner exhibits fruit of Frogmore 

 Early Bigarreau from the open wall; Mr. Eeid, Brown Turkey Figs 

 and Physalis edulis, the latter pretty to look at, but to be partaken of 

 cautiously by dyspeptics. Sooly-qua Cucumber, 4 feet -k inches long> 

 comes from Mr. Godfrey. 



I "WILL TRY. 



If onr cottagers generally would only adopt this maxim, how 

 very different many of their roadside dwellings would be in 

 their outward appearances. 



I lately visited a poor man's cottage where I had been de- 

 lighted to see its windows filled with nicely-bloomed plants of 

 easy culture and little expense. Opposite this cottage there is 

 a wall 7 feet in height, and 2 perches in length. Against this 

 wall are growing five plants which would do credit to any gar- 

 dener ; the wall is gradually being covered by these five plants. 

 The first is Pyrus japonica in good style ; the second is Baronn& 

 Prevost Eose blooming profusely ; the third is Gloire de Dijon 

 with seventy-three blooms, most of them of the largest size I 

 have ever seen; the fourth is Charles Lawson, and a good com- 

 petitor in size and number. The fifth is a Cotoneaster nicely 

 trained, as all are, in the fan-form. The Gloire de Dijon Kose 

 has been very much admired, and my experience of it has led 

 me to believe it to be one of the best Pioses in cultivation, but 

 with a flight exception as to its colour. It strikes easily from 

 cuttings, and its fine foliage is almost evergreen. Moreover, 

 it requires but little knifing as a wall or pillar Eose. 



It is to be regretted that gentlemen and their gardeners do 

 not lend a more helping hand to the cottagers in their respective 

 neighbourhoods. A very few plants of easy cultivation would 

 adorn the poor man's cottage and delight its inmates. The 

 expense of snch aid would be but little, and in some cases 

 nothing, and there would be but little trouble to the gardeners 

 to rear a few plants, &Q., for each cottage. If such induce- 

 ments were offered to the cottager class, and more horticultural 

 information given them, there would not be so many dead 

 walls and unsightly windows to be seen in numerous otherwise 

 nice cottages. — A. Lawles. 



FRUIT GROWING C0:MMERCIALLY. 



[The following is from a paper by Mr. John Eobson. Linton 

 Park Gardens, read at the meeting of the Maidstone Farmera' 

 Club on April '20th.] 



It is not without some reluctance that I now address myself 

 to a subject, the nature and details of which must be so well 

 known to many that are present, that I fear much that I have 



