September 29, 1870. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



241 



in many respects. Your correspondent farther asserts that 

 Garibaldi was sent out last year; allow me to inform him that 

 I sent it out five years ago. If he will write me on the sub- 

 ject I shall give him sufficient references. I have only to add 

 that at present Garibaldi stands unrivalled. — T. Armstrong, 

 Belah Gardens, Stanwix, Carlisle. 



THE SLOUGH CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES. 



Now that florists' flowers are once more looking up, and we 

 are, I hope, likely to see more of them in the metropolis than 

 we have done during the past few years, I shall be justified in 

 drawing attention to some of them as they come under one's 

 notice ; and having had an opportunity of seeing Mr. Tamer's 

 collection of Carnations and Picotees in full bloom, an account 

 of what I saw cannot fail to be of interest to some. 



It was on my return journey from Okefoid Fitzpaine and 

 Salisbury that I found myself at Reading and enjoying the 

 hospitality of some kind friends there, who much wanted me to 

 go with them the next day to the Oxford Show. The weather 

 was insufferably hot, and I heard so poor an account of the 

 show and the difficulty of getting about, that I would not go. 

 Instead, I determined to visit the classic grounds of Slough, one 

 of the choice spots of " merrie England " to the florist, for has 

 not there the very prince of florists set an example to all lovers 

 of flowers as to what can be done ? From thence he has brought 

 forth artillery that has raked the finest competitors. In Aza- 

 leas, Pelargoniums, Eoses, Auriculas, Dahlias, Pinks, Carna- 

 tions, and Picotees he has shown himself a very giant ; and 

 for neatness, order, and well-kept grounds it would be difficult 

 anywhere to find the equal of Slough. I knew that the best 

 twenty-four Picotees and Carnations had gone off to Oxford, 

 but knowing how extensive his Btock was I felt sure this would 

 make no very perceptible difference : nor was I wrong. Inde- 

 pendently of the large stock in pots out of doors, a lean-to in a 

 northern aspect was filled with a splendid collection in fine 

 health and full bloom. Eall, the intelligent and able cultivator 

 of these and the Auriculas, was at home, we had a good hour's 

 chat over our favourites, and I here give the result of my 

 observations, seconded by his greater experience. 



In Picotees I would place at the very head of the list, as 

 possessing the finest qualities, a flower sent out by Mr. Turner 

 last year — Admiration. It is a heavy-edged purple Picotee, of 

 splendid habit and first-rate properties. Wherever it was in 

 the house it was at once recognised by its fine habit and ap- 

 pearance. It is some satisfaction to know that this, one of our 

 newest flowers, is also our very best. Miss Turner is another 

 very beautiful flower of a different character, a light-edged red, 

 with a very pure white ground and a medium edge of bright red. 

 These, with Charmer, medium purple edge, very constant and 

 distinct ; Colonel Clerk, heavy red, with broad smooth petal, 

 large, fall, and regular ; Mrs. Fisher, a light-edged rose, fine 

 and full, good ground, and beautifully marked ; and Nimrod, 

 a rich dark purple, were among the newer flowers that struck 

 me as being fine. 



Amongst older flowers, in heavy-edged red kinds Exhibitor, 

 Favourite, Mrs. Dodwell, Mrs. Norman, and William Summers 

 may be set down as excellent ; while in light-edged red Agnes, 

 Miss Holbeck, Mrs. Kelk, and Penelope are equally good. In 

 heavy purple-edged, Lord Nelson, Prince Arthur, Duke of 

 Devonshire ; and in light purple-edged, Amy Robsart, Brides- 

 maid, Mary (a very beautiful flower), and Lady Elcho are 

 flowers of first-rate excellence. No class is a greater favourite 

 with me than the rose and scarlet-edged Picotees, and Mr. 

 Turner's collection was especially rich in them. Miss Meeking, 

 Queen Victoria, Princess Royal, Rosalind, and Unexpected are 

 very fine ; while amongst light-edged varieties Lucy, Miss 

 Sewell.Miss Paxley, and Rosy Circle are exceedingly beautiful. 

 I have in these marked only those which seemed to be not only 

 beautiful but good growers ; for in all flowers, no matter what 

 they may be— Roses, Auriculas, Carnations, or Picotees — unless 

 we have good constitution beauty is of little moment. They 

 only tantalise us by their beauty which we enjoy but for a little 

 while ere it perishes. 



Amongt the recently raised Carnations the following may be 

 regarded as valuable varieties : — Annihilator, a good scarlet 

 flake, good white ground and bright marking ; Eccentric Jack, 

 large and well-marked crimson bizarre, good shape with broad 

 petals ; James Merryweather, rose flake, a fine variety, good 

 habit ; Rifleman, crimson bizarre, very large bold flower, will 

 be probably a great favourite in the north ; William Cowper, 

 a fine flower, scarlet flake, and very constant; and Graceless 



Tom, a fine fall-sized crimson bizarre, well-marked and con- 

 stant. Amongst scarlet bizarres of older date the following were 

 good : — Flambeau, Lord Rancliffe, William Pitt, and Brutus. Of 

 crimson bizarres, Jenny Lind, Paul Pry, Queen Victoria, and 

 Lord Milton are fine varieties. Probably the best of the purple 

 flakes were Ascendant, Earl Stamford, Mayor of Oldham, and 

 Mayor of Nottingham. In scarlet flakes Christopher Sly, Justice 

 Shallow, Lydia, and Illuminator are good ; and in that charm- 

 ing clasB rose flakes Flora's Garland (a difficult flower to grow), 

 Lady Ely, Princess Royal, Rose of Castile, and Samuel Moreton 

 are very fine. 



In mentioning these I have only selected a very small portion 

 of what I saw, as they seemed to me to be amongst the finest ; 

 but in so extensive and varied a selection there was such an 

 embarras de richesses that one was fairly confounded by it. 

 Let those who may think of growing them put themselves into 

 the hands of an experienced grower like Mr. Turner, and they 

 will not fail to make a good start. — D., Deal. 



PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 



Dr. Hogg's " Fruit Manual " is a very useful book. It, by 

 giving the synonymeB, and describing the shapes of the fruits, 

 the forms of the stones, and the size of the flowers and the 

 glands, has enabled me to find out deceptions, and to deter- 

 mine the varieties of misnamed Peaches and Nectarines. I 

 hope we shall soon have another edition, describing the latest 

 seedlings, and also distinguishing the colours of fruits grown 

 under glass from those grown out of doors, as they are very 

 different. By the help of this excellent work I found out that 

 I had the Grosse Mignonne under three synonymes — namely, 

 Royal Kensington, Padley's Early Purple, and Smooth-leaved 

 Royal George. These four synonymeB, of course, quadruple 

 the chances of sale ; but the act is dishonest. I advise pur- 

 chasers of the above fruit trees to try the sorts sent out by 

 means of the flowers, the glands, the shape of the fruit, and 

 the serration of the leaves. A powerful glass is necessary to 

 examine the glands, which are either kidney-shaped or round. 

 The glands are sometimes so small that the unassisted eye 

 cannot always determine their shape. It is said that glandless 

 leaves are subject to mildew ; under glass it may be so, but I 

 never saw mildew on the leaves of my Peaches and Nectarines 

 out of doors. 



As soon as the Peach and Nectarine season is over, I think 

 of referring to the fruits, especially to those of later origin. In 

 the meantime I express my gratitude for such a magnificent 

 crop of fine fruits. I have cut in half the leaves of all the 

 trees that have done fruiting. It is a good plan, practised here 

 successfully for two years, as it enables the sun and air to 

 mature the wood of the current year, upon the ripening of 

 which future success greatly depends. The skin should be 

 blood red, and not of a pale sickly green. — W. F. Radclyffe. 



THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S 

 HYACINTH SHOW. 



I should very much like to call the attention of the Council 

 of the Royal Horticultural Society to two points in connection 

 with the show of Hyacinths, See., annually held by the Society. 



Firstly, the low value of prizes offered, and, consequently, 

 the little encouragement given to the flowering of these bulbs. 

 I believe the number of exhibitors at this Show decreases year 

 by year, and I think the principal reason is because the prizes 

 offered are not of sufficient value. I have been a successful 

 exhibitor of Dutch bulbs for three years, and I can confidently 

 state I have barely covered my expenses. I do not mean to 

 say I want to make a profit of these exhibitions, but I do mean 

 to say that if more adequate prizes were offered more persons 

 would be induced to enter the field, and the Society would 

 benefit by the results. I certainly am of opinion that the 

 growth of these spring flowers cannot be too much encouraged, 

 coming, as they do, at a time when the first days of warmth 

 occur, and when flowers are so highly prized. 



Secondly, I think if the Committee were to issue a spring 

 schedule distinct from the summer one, and at an earlier date 

 than usual, both the Society and exhibitors would derive a 

 great benefit. Dutch bulbs are not like plants which a man 

 has in his possession, it is necessary to procure fresh ones 

 every year, and the growers recommend an early purchase ; 

 but how is an intending exhibitor to know what to purchase if 



