18 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July o, 1877. 



friends with good wholesome bunches to decorate their tables. 

 — L. H., Bromley, Kent. 



I think it is generally asserted that ants do not destroy 

 Roses. "Well, bees do not eat fruit if they can procure their 

 usual food, but will do so rather than starve : so ants, if 

 numerous and food scarce, will be found a great nuisance. 

 Previous to the summer of 1875 I looked upon ants on Roses 

 as merely indicating where a little extra attention was needed 

 in washing to keep down the aphides ; then, however, I found 

 to my cost that under certain circumstances they were flower- 

 eaters. 



As the case is perhaps exceptional I may state that, having 

 had to form a new rosery the previous autumn, and being close 

 on the rock with only about 6 inches of soil, it was necessary 

 to look around for loam suitable for bringing in ; this I pro- 

 cured from a piece of waste land covered with ant hills. Half 

 the ground was made up, and the Roaes planted. The ground 

 being well mulched with stable manure, nothing was seen of 

 the ants till, in the course of the summer, the buds began to 

 show colour at the points. Then the work of destruction began : 

 the ants began at the apex of the buds and gradually ate all 

 down as level almost as though cut across with a knife. At 

 first I removed the injured buds, but finding the ants only 

 took to the next branch to recommence operations, the injured 

 buds were afterwards left as traps, from which swarms (I can- 

 not find a fitter word, as they resembled nothing so much as 

 miniature swarms of bees) were pinched off and killed many 

 times a day. There could be no mistake about the depredators, 

 for they were there by thousands, and were watched and 

 destroyed constantly, as my employer required boxes of Roses 

 twice a-week in London, and without constant attention I 

 believe the ants would have claimed all. The same thing 

 occurred again, but in a less degree, last summer to fresh- 

 planted Roses, the remaining ground having been made up 

 from the same source in the autumn. This year there is no 

 injury done, although the ants are pretty numerous, but owing 

 to the numbers destroyed the supply of food is equal to the 

 requirements of those left. Therefore I infer that only in 

 exceptional cases are ants destructive to Roses. — R. C, 

 Castle Gardens, St. Fagan's. 



EOYAL HOBTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 July 3hd. 



Veet interesting plants and cut flowers were arranged in the 

 conservatory on this occasion — interesting at least to horticul- 

 turists ; but as a " show," as commonly understood by the 

 public, the display had no claim. As a meeting it was a good 

 one; and it is submitted that it is a mistake to announce the 

 ordinary fortnightly gatherings as more than horticultural meet- 

 ings ; to refer to them as " exhibitions " can only mislead the 

 public, and almoBt certainly result in disappointment. 



Fkuit Committee. — H. Webb, Esq., V.P., in the chair. Only 

 a small amount of fruit was exhibited, and no awards were made 

 by the Committee. Mr. Ollerhead exhibited two well-grown 

 and perfectly ripened fruits weighing nearly i lbs. each of 

 Queen Pine Apples; also a Melon the remit of a cross between 

 Colston Basset and Cox's Golden Gem, but it was not so good 

 as it looked. Mr. Gilbert exhibited a fruit of Kasgar Melon, 

 and although it was of good flavour it was not considered superior 

 to other varieties in cultivation. The same exhibitor also sub- 

 mitted a very fine example of Criterion Peas growing on the 

 haulm, and also a separate dish of the same good variety. Mr. 

 Bull exhibited a brace of very large Cucumbers. A dish of a 

 new Strawberry was sent from Messrs. G. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, 

 and twenty- five dishes of Strawberries in as many varieties were 

 sent from the Society's garden at Chiswick. 



Flokai, Committee. — G. F. Wilson, Esq., in the chair. Messrs. 

 James Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, exhibited a small group of very 

 choice plants, and first-class certificates were awarded for 

 Cypripedium albo-purpureum, the result of a cross between 

 C. Dominii and C. Schlimii. It is a most beautiful variety with 

 handsome bright green recurved leaves, and a charming flower, 

 somewhat of the colour of the hardy C. spectabile but richer, 

 the throat being finely spotted. Also f >r Rhododendron Countess 

 of Derby, one of the javanico-jasmimflorum type. The colour 

 of the flower is rich pink suffused with orange, very fine, and 

 rendered further attractive by the contrasting dark stamens — a 

 valuable addition to a valuable class of plants. A similar award 

 was made for Alocasia Thibautiana from Borneo, one of the 

 grandest Alocasias that has ever been introduced. The plant is 

 of stately habit, has very large deep green leaves with a dis- 

 tinct midrib and prominent grey veins. It will be indispensable 

 as an exhibition plant. Also to Aerides crassifolia with very 



large rosy purple flower3, very fine. A certificate was also 

 awarded to the fine rare Orchid Vanda Parishi. Messrs. Veitch 

 also exhibited some curious Masdevallias and other plants. 



A valuable collection of Liliums, Calochortuses, Alliums, 

 Oruithogalums, and other bulbous plants, also Irises, &c, were 

 staged by J. T. Elwes, Esq., Preston, Cirencester. These were 

 both choice, rare, and beautiful. AmoBgst them we noticed a 

 striking variety of Lilium auratum var. Wittei, with long pointed 

 waxy-white segments banded with yellow. Xiphion lusitani- 

 cum var. sordidum was very rich; and extremely beautiful were 

 Lilium parvum, L. Szovitzianum, L. Washingtonianum pnr- 

 pureum, a crimson variety of L. elegans ; also L. elegans var. 

 alutacenm, orange-yellow. Calochortus spleodens and C. ve- 

 nusta were particularly striking. The collection was highly 

 commended, and a vote of thanks was awarded to Mr. ElweB. 



Messrs. Barr & Sugden also arranged a varied and most 

 attractive collection of Liliums in about forty sorts, also twelve 

 splendid varieties of Iris Kasmpferii, which were as striking as 

 Cattleyas. To two of these Irises — RoberS Parker, silvery-grey, 

 heavily veined with violet; and Mrs. Barr, pale lavender, veined 

 with lilac — first-class certificates were awarded. G.-Maw, Esq., 

 Benthall Hall, Broseley, Salop, also exhibited cut blooms of 

 Liliums. L. Chaixii from the Maritime Alps — a striking form of 

 L. croceum, the fine orange-yellow flowers suffused with crim- 

 son being borne in umbels and not in whorls like those of the 

 species — was awarded a first-class certificate. L. elegans var. 

 Maweii received a similar award. It is a very striking flower, 

 large and richly spotted. L. pomponiam verum, with small 

 much-recurved crimson-scarlet flowers and very slender foliage, 

 was highly attractive. L. canadense from Heavesville, Canada, 

 had large and finely spotted flowers. Mr. Maw also exhibited 

 I flowers of the old Salvia interrupta from Morocco, and other old 

 rarities. 



G. F. Wilson, Esq., Weybridge, staged Lilium japonicum 

 ' (Krameri) in variety, L. callosum, L. Coiumbeanum, and L. ave- 

 naceum from his choice collection. They were very attractive. 



Mr. Turner, Slough, exhibited cut blooms of Show Pelargo- 

 I niums in nearly seventy varieties, these were highly efiec- 

 ! tive; a Tree Carnation, Lady Avenel, pure white, smooth, and 

 i fine; and a new seedling Rose, Penelope Mayo, a fine, full, ex- 

 | cellently formed flower and bold foliage ; it somewhat resembles 

 Marie Baumann, and is fragrant. Cut Roses were also sent 

 by Messrs. George Paul & Sons, Cheshunt, to one of which, 

 MarchioneBS of Exeter, a first-class certificate was awarded— 

 a fine Rose with recurved petals; colour rosy pink, deepening 

 to salmon in the centre ; also fragrant. A new crimson Rose, 

 Duke of Teok, was also exhibited, but it was too fullv expanded; 

 also John Bright, rich velvety crimson. Messrs. William Paul 

 and Son, Waltham Cross, also exhibited some seedling Roses, 

 to one of which, May Quennell, a fir=t-class certificate was 

 awarded. This is a grand Rose, of fine form and with great 

 substance of petal. The colour is warm rosy crimson, shading to 

 magenta in the outer petals. The foliage appears also to possess 

 the Bame stout texture of the flowers. We think a finer Rose than 

 this has not appeared from Waltham. Another RoBe exhibited 

 in the same stai d we thought deserving of honour — a Moss Rose 

 named Little Gem, which will make its way as a garden Rose, 

 and be in request for cutting. It is very small, very free, and 

 very mossy. Some other Roses exhibited from the same nursery 

 will be heard <"'f again. A Rose named Burghley Yellow was 

 exhibited by Mr. Gilbert, Burghley, and for which the exhibitor 

 was awarded a vote of thanks. It was considered to be a very 

 old Rose which was cultivated years ago as the "Old Yellow." 

 The foliage is small, glaucous, and singularly formed. The 

 blooms submitted were also well formed and of a bright Cal- 

 ceolaria-yellow colour. Is it a good grower, Mr. Gilbert? If so 

 increase it, for it is a most distinct and attractive Rose. 



Messrs. James Carter & Co., 237, High Holbom, exhibited a 

 collection of Sweet Peas, including a new variety, very at- 

 tractive from the curious mixture of purple and scarlet in the 

 flowers ; also some new Eschscholtzias, to which first-class cer- 

 tificates were awarded. One, a double bright yellow variety. 

 E. crocea flore-pleno, and the other E. crocea (aureo-coccinea\ 

 Mandarin, the buds and exterior of the flowers being scarlet 

 and the interior orange. It is the greatest advance in Esch- 

 scholtzias that has been yet seen, and will prove one of the 

 most gorgeous of hardy annuals. 



Mr. Caunell, Swanley, exhibited twenty-four very fine varie- 

 ties of Verbenas, also cut blooms of S weet Williams of an ex- 

 cellent strain, and received a vote of thanks. 



Mr. Parker, Tooting, exhibited flowering sprays of Free- 

 montia californica from a shrub which has not been protected 

 for two years, and received a vote of thanks. It is a deciduous 

 Californian Bhrnh, with handsome yellow flowers as large as 

 those of Eschscholtzias. Messrs. F. & A. Smith, Dalwich, ex- 

 hibited new decorative show Pelargoniums, also a fine double 

 crimson-and-white fimbriated Petunia. 



Amongst other exhibits to which awards were not made we 

 noticed flowering sprays of an Andromeda named A. crassini- 

 folia from Mr. Ollerhead, The Gardens, Wimbledon House 



