July 28, 1870. J 



JOTJBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



63 



pecfea — half a peck of one variety. The prize was given to the three 

 half pecks, distinct varieties, exhibited by Mr. Maunders, gardener to 

 the Earl of Abingdon, Wytham Abbey — viz., British Queen, General 

 Wyndham, and Ne plus Ultra, all of which were very excellent ex- 

 amples, the pods fine, long, full, and fresh. Mr. J. Perkins was placed 

 second, and Mr. F. Sims, Marston, Oxford, third. There were no less 

 than seventeen competitors in this class, and all the eollections were 

 creditable. Laxton's Supreme, Ne plus "Ultra, Premier, Veitch's Per- 

 fection, Champion of England, &c, were amongst the most noticeable 

 of the other varieties exhibited. 



Though not strictly coming under the head of vegetables, we may 

 here add that Messrs. Sutton & Sons, of Reading, had in the Agri- 

 cultural Show Ground a large and very complete collection of Grasses, 

 seeds, roots, &c, and Messrs. Carter & Co. had a similar collection. 



HORTICULTURAL APPLIANCES, IMPLEMENTS, STRUCTURES, &c. 



This department of the Exhibition was very meagre — meagre as to 

 extent and meagre as to quality. As to the implements and a great 

 portion of the appliances or useful articles applicable to horticulture, 

 a better selection could be obtained by turning out the interior of any 

 ordinary ironmonger's shop. As to structures also, with a few excep- 

 tions, we can say but little. In this special department, indeed, specially 

 pertaining to the garden, the exhibition in the yard of the Agricultural 

 Society was infinitely su- 

 perior, more varied, and 

 more extensive, the ex- 

 hibitors thus finding it 

 more to their interest to 

 exhibit at the great ga- 

 thering than at the little 

 show. Mr. Beard, of Bury 

 St. Edmunds, exhibited 

 some of his patent glass 

 walls, which are to be 

 nsed instead of brick. 

 The glass used is com- 

 mon rough plate in large 

 squares, set on edge, and 

 fixed in grooves in up- 

 right iron pillars. They 

 have a very light, ele- 

 gant, and pretty appear- 

 ance, take up but little 

 space, and are thus re- 

 commendable for smi II 

 gardens. They will pro- 

 vide shelter for the plants 

 trained agaiust them, but 

 cannot in any way com- 

 pete with brick walls in a 

 horticultural sense. 



Mr. Ormson, of Chel- 

 sea, exhibited several 

 forms of wrought-iron 

 boilers, which seem to bo 

 of a very powerful cha- 

 racter, also drawings and 

 designs for hothouses, 

 &c. Mr. Ormson fur- 

 ther exhibited models 

 of his new patent venti- 

 lating hot-water appa- 

 ratus, which appears me- 

 ritorious, the cold air 

 being admitted into the 

 centre of a cylinder 

 heated by four pipes, 

 which are cast in one 

 piece with the cylinder; 

 combined with this, the 

 rafters are made bollow 

 and faced with perforated 

 zinc, whereby all stag- 

 nant and vitiated air is 

 carried off by ventilators 



in the back wall, and which can be regulated at pleasure. As a 

 means of ventilating in winter this method of Mr. Ormson's is, we 

 think, very excellent. The glass used by Mr. Ormson is of immense 

 thickness, being what is known as 32-oz., and is fixed in grooves, thus 

 doing away with front putty, which is always expensive to keep in repair. 



Messrs. Weeks & Co. exhibited models of greenhouses, &c, and of 

 their well-known upright tubular boilers, one of which is further 

 altered by being made in two halves, either of which may be used 

 whilst the other is being repaired. Mr. Kendle exhibited numerous 

 examples of his patent plant -protectors, ground vineries, &c. Mr. 

 Looker had also his patent propagating boxes and other ingenious con- 

 trivances for the cultivation and propagation of little things. These 

 may be all very useful in their way, especially to amateurs. Mr. 

 James Cranston, Birmingham, had examples of his patent green- 

 houses, which have the merit of being very ornamental. 



From Messrs. T. H. P. Dennis & Co. we have a novelty in Gilbey'3 

 patent glass orchard, represented in the accompanying engravings. It 

 is at least ingenious and simple, and also neat in appearance. "We 

 cannot say, however, that we should expect great results from it. The 

 same firm also exhibited two strong lean-to houses, the sashes and 

 sashbars being made of galvanised iron ; these had a light and elegant 

 appearance. They had also examples of their square tubular boiler. 

 Mr. P. J. Perry, of Banbury, had a model of what is very modestly 

 styled " The Improved Peach House," a loan-to, the glass being iu 

 large squares, and fixed with strips of flat lead instead of putty. 

 Messrs. Messenger, of Loughborough, exhibited a structure invented 

 and patented by Mr. Ayres, of Nottingham. This is called the " Im- 

 perishable Hothouse," and so far it is almost worthy of the title. The 

 glass itself will not perish, and the glass is held in its place by small 

 clips of brass or other material, which will likewise not perish. The 

 house consists of a mere framework of rafters and mullions, placed 

 from 6 to 8 feet apart, and connected together by cross pieces of iron, 

 or wood at such distances apart as may be required to take the glass, 

 which is laid on in much tbe same way as tiles on the roof of a house, 

 and held fast by the clips as before stated. We have some objection 

 to the lapping-over of the glass at the sides, otherwise we consider this 

 a decided move forward in horticultural structures. The outside being 

 all glass, no painting whatever is required, and what a wonderful 



saving this must be ! 



Messrs. Green & Son 

 had some of their most 

 excellent lawn mowers 

 on view ; and the new 

 Archimedean was shown 

 by Messrs. Gill & Co., 

 of Oxford, besides a 

 great variety of minor 

 articles. Messrs. Dick 

 Radclyffe & Co. had 

 some mowing machines 

 and other articles on 

 view ; and Messrs. 

 Haynes & Sons had a 

 large stand of their 

 patent hy drone ttes. which 

 are too " squirty " in 

 their action to meet with 

 much approval. There 

 were, besides, Appleby's 

 and Drechsler's fnmiga- 

 tors, neat wire flower 

 baskets, and various 

 other articles in wire- 

 work, from Mr. Holli- 

 day, of Notting Hill, as 

 well as many other things 

 of a miscellaneous cha- 

 racter. 



THE 

 GENERAL MEETING 

 AND HORTICULTURAL 

 CONGRESS. 

 At the General Meet- 

 ing, held on the 20th, 

 G. F. Wilson, Esq., 

 F.R.S., was in the chair. 

 Alter the usual preli- 

 minary business several 

 new Fellows were elected. 

 The only object of spe- 

 cial interest not before 

 reported upon ,was Mac- 

 adamia ternifolia, of 

 which Dr. Masters exhi- 

 bited the nuts, which 

 v ere too late to be sub- 

 mitted to the Fruit Com- 

 mittee. These nuts were 

 stated to be fully equal to Filberts in flavour, and were accompanied by 

 the following remarks from Dr. Hooker : — 



"A year ago I received from Australia ripe seeds of the Macadamia 

 ternifolia, for the garden, and happening to taste one, I found it to be so 

 excellent in texture and flavour that I at once wrote to my friend, Mr. 

 Hill, of the Brisbane Botanic Garden, to send me a supply for trial as 

 a dessert fruit. The box has now arrived, and Mr. Hill requests me to 

 foward a sample to the Scientific Committee for an opinion, which I 

 now do. I should add that, the box having been delayed considerably in 

 transmission, some of the nuts have deteriorated in consequence.— J. D. 

 Hookeb." 



Plan of a quarter acre 



The Horticultural Congress commenced on the 20th inst., was 

 preside! 07er on that day by G. F. Wilson, Esq., and was well attended. 

 Dr. Voelcfcer opened it with a lecture on " The Principles of Manur- 

 ing." Ha was glad, he said, to have the opportunity of imparting in- 



