Jnly 19, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



51 



down, as when they are too fall of moisture the branches fre- 

 quently snap off at the jointB. The layers are prepared by 

 cutting off their lower leaves, and an inciBion is made by 

 entering a quarter of an inch below the joint, and passing the 

 knife up through the centre of it. It is then placed on the 

 eaith, which should be first stirred up, and after it is properly 

 pegged down the branch should be covered with a good light 

 but rioh earth, about half an inoh in depth. 



" Pipings. — Where shoots are too short for layering, or 

 where they become broken by accident, it is necessary to have 

 recourse to piping, and for this purpose it is necessary to have 

 a slight hotbed, and cover it 4 or 5 inches deep with fine light 

 Boil, laid very regular and even. The cuttings intended to be 

 piped are to have two complete joints — that is to say, they are 

 to be cut off horizontally close under the second joint. The 

 pipings are then to be firmly inserted in the soil, but not more 

 than half an inoh deep ; they are to be very gently watered, in 

 order that the earth may adhere more closely to them, and 

 thereby keep out the air. After this watering they are to 

 remain open, but not exposed to a hot sun, till their leaves 

 become perfectly dry, after which the glass is to be placed over 

 the same mark that was made by it upon the surface of the 

 soil. The soil should be kept regularly moist till they have 

 formed their fibres ; but too muoh moisture is as prejudicial 

 as too little. The pipings should have a little of the morning 

 sun, but must be shaded from it when the heat beoomes con- 

 siderable." 



The characteristics of a Carnation are, says one of our con- 

 tributors, best seen by the figure, which is, however, not more 

 than half the size to which modern floricultural skill has 

 brought this flower. The pod (as the oalyx is technically 

 called) should be long, as then the flower is not liable to burst 

 it, as is the case when it is short. The flower should be quite 

 circular, and rising up gradually towards the centre, so as to 

 form half a ball. The outer or guard petals should be large 

 and few in number, and the other petals should be regularly 

 disposed on them, and diminish in size towards the oentre. 

 In saying this he begs it to be borne distinctly in mind that 

 such a flower as is represented in the drawing is what is called 

 a dressed flower. The texture of the petals should be thick 

 and waxlike, and the markings distinct and clear ; the ground 

 a pure white, any flushing or running of the oolour being a 

 decided disqualification. 



In the case of the Picotee the same rules hold good in refer- 

 ence to shape and substanoe ; while the colour should be con- 

 fined to the edge, and not run down the petals in bars. 



BOYAL HOKTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



July 17th. 



Fob several months past the meetings, which have often 

 been exhibitions of considerable magnitude, have been held in 

 the conservatory, but on this occasion the Council-room waB 

 occupied by the Committees and exhibits, and it must be added 

 was occupied well. The tables surrounding the room were 

 quite filled with Vines in pots, flowering and fioe-foliaged plants, 

 cut flowerB suoh as Roses, Pansies, Pelargoniums, &c., several 

 dishes of fruit, and good examples of vegetables. There was 

 aho a good attendance of horticulturists. 



Fruit Committee. — John Lee, Esq., in the chair. Messrs. 

 Lane & Son of Berkhampstead sent six Vines in pots of extra- 

 ordinary growth, whioh were considered by the Committee to 

 be the finest that had ever been exhibitod at any meeting of the 

 Society. The Committee recommend them for the award of a 

 silver medal. There were four Black Hamburghs and two 

 Foster's Seedlings. Some of the bunches on the former would 

 exceed 3 lbs. in weight, and on one of the latter we counted 

 twenty bunches averaging a pound each. Mr. Ollerhead, gar- 

 dener to Sir Henry Peek, Wimbledon House, sent a well-grown 

 Queen Pine weighing 4 lbs. 12 ozs., to which a letter of thanks 

 Was awarded. Mr. Miles of Wycombe Abbey exhibited a re- 

 markably fine diBh of Bigarreau Napoleon Cherry, to which a 

 cultural commendation was awarded. Mr. Burnett, The Deep- 

 dene, Dorking, sent two fine dishes of Peaches and one of 

 NeetarineB, which received a cultural commendation. Mr. W. 

 Bull, King's Road, ChelBea, sent a brace of Cucumber Excel- 

 sior, fruit of which was exhibited at the last meeting. It is a 

 handsome Cucumber of the old-fashioned White-spine class, to 

 which a letter of thanks was awarded. Mr. J. Geary, Moreton 

 Gardensnear Bideford, sent a Beedling Cucumber which was 

 not an improvement on other varieties in cultivation. Mr. 

 Charles Turner, Slough, sent a dish of Schoolmaster Potato 

 and Dandie Dinmont Peas, and as both of these are growing 

 at Chiswick the decision of the Committee was reserved for a 

 meeting at the garden. Mr. I. Collett, gardener to W. J. J ; 



Higgins, Esq., Hambledon, Hants, sent a dish of Peas, which is 

 no improvement on ordinary Peaa. Messrs. Carter & Co. sent 

 plants of a fine-looking Pea named Little Wonder, of which 

 they entertained a high opinion, and recommended that it be 

 tried at the garden. Mr. H. J. Hardy, Bures,Easex, sent plants 

 of a new Pea called Sequel, and it waB recommended to try it 

 at ChiBwick. 



Floral Committee.— W. B. Kellock, Esq., in the chair. 

 MesBrs. James Veitch & Sons, ChelBea, exhibited a collection of 

 extremely fine tuberouB Begonias. First-class certificates were 

 awarded to Monarch— a real monarch in its class — of robust 

 stately habit, and with fine vermilion flowers ; also to Charles 

 Scorer, the finest and richest of all the varieties yet raised. 

 This variety possesses a combination of good qualities — namely, 

 dwarf habit, great freedom of flowering, good-shaped flowers, 

 and colour of such a rich velvety crimson scarlet as is seldom 

 seen in any flower. B. Davisii, a dwarf species, in this group 

 was clear, bright, and dazzling ; and B. roBreflora, another dwarf 

 species, was very distinct and pleasing. The collection also in- 

 cluded the double varieties Gloire de Nancy and Lemoinei. 

 MesBrs. Veitch also exhibited dwarf examples of the valuable 

 conservatory decorative plant Lisianthus Russellianus ; its fine, 

 purple, Tulip shaped flowers were highly effective. The same 

 firm also exhibited the new white Hydrangea Thomas Hogg, 

 and owing to its distinctness, also, we presume, to its good keep- 

 ing property, a first-class certificate was awarded. A few other 

 plants were also exhibited by the same firm. 



Mr. Pithers, The Gardens, Munster House, Fulham, also ex- 

 hibited some seedling tuberous Begonias, one of which, Illumi- 

 nator, was extremely brilliant and had fine flowers, but the 

 plant was somewhat drawn and shaken. This class of Begonias 

 especially, were they are not grown in too much heat, are in- 

 valuable for summer decoration. 



Mr. B. S. Williams, Holloway, exhibited a small group of 

 plants. Croton Queen Victoria was in splendid condition and 

 waB awarded a first-class certificate; it must rank as one of the 

 finest of the genus. C. Fasciatus had very large Magnolia-like 

 foliage clearly veined with yellow. Lobelia Lilac Queen, a 

 variety of the Pumila section, is a charming decorative plant, 

 distinct in colour, close in habit, and pleaBing. Adiantum pal- 

 matum and Woodwardia radicans oristata, two distinct Ferns, 

 were included in thiB group. 



Laslia Brysiana, with four spikes and seventeen grand flowers, 

 was exhibited by Mr. Spyers, Orchid grower to Sir Trevor 

 Laurence, Bart., MP., Burford Lodge, Dorking, and for which 

 a cultural certificate was awarded ; also a fine plant of the re- 

 markable Brassavola Digbyana, for which a medal was recom- 

 mended ; and the equally singular Dendrobium Jerdenianum. 

 Mr. Selwood, gardener to the Duke of Westminster, Eaton Hall, 

 exhibited a fine plant, like a fountain of gold, of Dendrobium 

 filiforme. This plant was growing in a basket, and was a fine 

 example of superior cultivation. A medal was recommended 

 to be awarded to Mr. Selwood. 



Mr. Mill, gardener to Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Hall, 

 Suffolk, was awarded a firat-olass certificate for Odontoglossum 

 miniatum, a splendid Odontoglot, resembling in colour a fine 

 variety of Oncidium crispum. The spike had eighteen fine 

 flowers, and was muoh admired. 



G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., exhibited cut blooms of Liliums 

 eximium, Robinsoni, Pardalinum, Krameri, Martagon album, 

 &c, all very beautiful; also flowering spray of the hardy Tro- 

 pjeolum specioBum, which is so brilliant in Scotland, but which 

 Mr. Wilson has proved will flourish in England if a cool place 

 is selected for the plant. A vote of thanks was awarded. 

 Messrs. Barr & Sugden, Covent Garden, staged a very gay col- 

 lection of LiliumB in about thirty sorts ; also richly-coloured 

 Irises, including I. Esempferi General Grant. H. J. Elwes, 

 Esq., Preston, Cirenoester, exhibited a very richly-coloured 

 variety of Lilium elegans ; also a spike of Pentstemon Cobcea, a 

 pale purple Bpecies from Texas, which is seldom seen, and a vote 

 of thanks was awarded. 



Mr. Woodbridge, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, 

 Syon House, sent flowering sprays of Stuartia (Stewartia) vir- 

 ginica, a beautiful North American shrub with large white 

 flowers resembling those of Clematises, and foliage very like 

 that of Syringa ; also Cerasus ilicifolia, and received a vote of 

 thanks. 



Messrs. William Paul & Son exhibited a collection of Roses 

 raised at or first introduced to commerce from the Waltham 

 CroBB Nurseries — the finest collection of the kind that we have 

 seen staged. Twenty of the varieties were named and six 

 numbered. Amongst the former May Quennell was pre-eminent. 

 It has the same stout petals as Star of Waltham, but is far 

 superior to that good Rose, and indeed to all others of its colour 

 — orimson suffuBed with magenta. It was certificated at a pre- 

 vious meeting. Some other Roses in this collection will be 

 heard of again. The colour of one approaches to violet. Mr. 

 Turner exhibited Penelope Mayo, a fine Rose of the Marie 

 Baumann type ; also a white Clove Carnation Mrs. Matthews, 



