16 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t July 5, 1877. 



germinating which are buried at great depths ; seeds thus 

 deposited, or similarly excluded from the air in the Egyptian 

 mummy cerements, will often retain their vegetative power for 

 an apparently unlimited time. Hence, earth taken from far 

 below the surface will often become covered with Charlock. 

 This is an oleaginous-seeded plant; and such, when thus ex- 

 cluded from the air, retain their vitality most pertinaciously 

 for reasons already assigned. — Eds.] 



KINGSTON AND SURBITON HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY'S SHOW.— June 27th. 



At The Cranes, Surbiton, this Society held its thirteenth 

 annual Show on the 27th inBt., which was an excellent oDe; 

 indeed not much inferior to the metropolitan shows. The 

 schedule comprised ninety classes, besides a long list of special 

 prizes. The exhibits were arranged in four marquees. Stove 

 and greenhouse plants were extensively shown, and formed a 

 grand feature in the largest tent; and the ladieB' tent was par- 

 ticularly attractive from the many admirably arranged examples 

 of dinner-table decorations. Dinner-table decorations are done 

 better and are always shown in larger numbers at Kingston 

 than at many local shows, and a good judge of the metropolitan 

 shows remarked that they were vastly superior to anything to 

 be met with in London. An arrangement of three decorations 

 set up iby Miss Fyfe, and composed of only wild flowers and 

 grasses, wasjexquisitely beautiful, so light and graceful — a most 

 pleasing arrangement, and n'ot, as might be imagined, having a 

 weedy appearance. Other successful exhibitors were Miss 

 Cavell, Misses Gould, Mrs. Clay, and Mrs. Wilson. 



Four classes were set apart for stove and greenhouse plants, 

 which brought together a grand lot. In the claBS for nine plants 

 thero were only two exhibitors — Mr. Watson, gardener to T. R. 

 Bryant, Esq., Glencarrn, Surbiton ; and Mr. Ellis, gardener to 

 J. Galsworthy, Esq., Kingston Hill, who were placed first and 

 second respectively. But the class for six plants brought to- 

 gether six collections, all remarkably well-grown plants. Mr. 

 Hinnell, gardener to F. Davis, Esq., Atiglesea House, Surbiton, 

 was first; Mr. Croxford, gardener to Mrs. DuDnaKe, Surbiton, 

 was secord ; Mr. Crafter, gardener to the Rev. J. Finch, third ; 

 and Mr. Attriil, gardener to J. Freake, Esq., fourth. A Bpecial 

 prize was offered for nine stove and greenhouse plants in flower 

 in 12-inch potB, brought out three good collections. The first 

 prize was awarded to Mr. J. W. Moorman, gardener to the 

 MisBes Christy; Becond to Mr. Ellis; and third to Mr. Hinnell 

 'for plants somewhat smaller-than the other two collections, but 

 very superior. 



Fioe-foliaged plants were also well shown, Messrs. Attriil, 

 Craf tfr, and King sharing the honours in the class for six plant', 

 and Messrs. Ellis, Fielder, and Gray in the class for three. 

 Exotic Ferns were also shown extensively, and in six Mr. 

 Hinnell was placed firBt, Mr. Attriil second, and Messrs. Watson 

 and Ellis equal third ; and for three Ferns Mr. Fielder, gardener 

 to R. B. Perkins, Esq., first ; Mr. J. Watson, gardener to Capt. 

 Cundy, second; and Mr. Gray, gardener to G. B. Windeler, 

 Esq., third. 



Fuchsias were not as numerously shown as is usual at Kings- 

 ton, Messrs. Moorman and Watson being the only exhibitors 

 for nine plants, and were placed in the order named, both col- 

 lections being very good ; and for Eix plants Mr. Attriil was the 

 only exhibitor, and received the first prize. Pelargoniums were 

 shown in large numbers. Mr. King, gardener to R. Few, Esq , 

 Wosely Grange, Esher, was first both in the nine large-flower- 

 in" and nine fancy Pelargoniums, and Mr. Croxford, second ; 

 and in the class for eix Mr. Kent, Mr. Hodgson, and Mr. J. 

 Watson were awarded prizes in the order named. Tricolor and 

 Bronze Geraniums were both well and largely shown; the 

 Bcarlet-flowering section was also well represented. Achimenes 

 and Gloxinias were very good and shown in large numbers. 

 Dinner-table pi nts brought together seven competitors. Mr. 

 R. Watson was placed first, Mr. Moorman second, and Mr. King 

 third, all with very neat and even-grown plants. 



Roses were shown by numerous exhibitors, but as a whole 

 not up to the average of iormer years. The season has sadly 

 affected them in this district. Mr. Moorman was placed first 

 for twenty-four varieties (distinct), closely followed by Mr. Ellis, 

 who waB a good second. There were also classes for twelve and 

 Bix both in the amateurs' and professional divisions, and amongst 

 the prizewinners were Messrs. Vicary, Crafter, Leech, Clay, and 



Gains. »'■»..„ 



Fruit was not largely shown, but was very good, Mr. Crox- 

 ford being placed first for a collection of six dishes. White 

 Grapes camefrom Mr. R. Watson, Mr. Bailey, and Mr. King, who 

 ■were awarded first, second, and third prizes respectively. Black 

 Grapes were also shown well by Mr. Hinnell, Mr. Watson, and 

 Mr. Croxford. Melons from Mr. Child and Mr. Gregory, Mr. Child 

 wincing the two first and Mr. Gregory the two second prizes. 

 Strawberries in pots were well done, and brought eigbt compe- 

 titors ; Mr. Ellis firBt, Mr, King second, and Mr. Attriil third. 



For a collection of vegetables, twelve sorts, Mr. Moorman was 

 placed first, Mr. Ellis second, and Mr. Croxford third; atid for 

 six sorts Mr. Watson and Mr. Kent were first and second. 

 Cucumbers were shown in large numbers by Mr. Child, Mr. 

 Mills, and Mr. Eaton, who were awarded in the order named for 

 well-grown examples. 



For Sir Trevor Lawrence, M.P., the President's, special prize 

 for groups of plants there were six competitors. Mr. Croxford 

 was placed first, Mr. Watson 6eeond, and Mr. King third, most 

 of them displaying superior taste, notably the first-prize collec- 

 tion. Messrs. Veitch & Sons staged an excellent group of Acers 

 and Roses in pots, as well as several boxes of cut Roses in first- 

 rate condition, and found numerous admirers. Messrs. Jackson 

 and Sons contributed a group of stove and greenhouse plants at 

 the other entrance, which was also very attractive. The weather 

 was fine, and the Show was undoubtedly a success financially, 

 and reflected credit on Mr. McMillan the Secretary. 



FEBNS IN COMMON SOIL. 



Feeling persuaded that the day must come when Ferns 

 will be generally grown in manure and soil id stead of peat 

 and sand, I sent you some fronds to show that mine do grow 

 luxuriantly, and will now state exactly how they are treated. 

 The seedlings are pricked-out into a small frame that stands 

 on slates placed on the hot-water pipes, and four or five weeks 

 afterwards they are potted and again placed in the frame for a 

 few hours, then placed on beds of soil in the Fern house. If 

 any manure is used in the pans or frames in which the seed- 

 lings are raised, a black fungus growth soon covers and de- 

 stroys the young Ferns. As soon, however, as they are large 

 enough to pot there is no danger to be apprehended from this 

 cause, and then every Fern is potted in about two parts of 

 garden soil (I should prefer decayed turf), and one part manure. 



My Adiantum Farleyenses are very large and seed freely. 

 They cannot be more healthy or grow faster, I believe. They 

 were potted the second week in March in soil brought in a 

 barrow out of an orchard quite wet and cold. One was potted 

 in two parts of the soil and one part of cow manure brought 

 direct from the field. A second was potted in two parts of 

 that cold wet soil and one part horse manure brought direct 

 from the stable. A third was potted in two parts of the soil 

 and one part of an old Cucumber bed. The three are all now 

 standing together, and perhaps the one with the cow manure 

 is not quite as strong as the others, but they are all in perfect 

 health and have seed fronds. 



Now I do not want to suggest that it is necessary or wise to 

 pot Ferns in wet soil from an orchard, but I do say that all 

 the labour bestowed on growing them is a waste of energy. 

 They will give no trouble in rich soil without peat and sand, 

 provided that they are kept moist and warm, and that the 

 hole at the bottom of the pot is enlarged. If, however, it is 

 not very large with my treatment the Ferns will die ; and if it 

 is very large they will grow, not like Cabbages, for it requires 

 a good gardener to grow a good Cabbage, but they will grow 

 as they cannot in peat and sand. 



One fact and I have done. The fronds I sent were cut in a 

 house about 50 feet by 30 feet. The only person who attends 

 to that house is the daughter of one of the farm servants. She 

 does not know the name or nature of any Fern, but simply 



with the rose of a great watering-pot keeps them very wet 



almost muddy, and when she sees an inseot or a weed she 

 destroys it. — H. L. 



[The fronds sent were extremely fine. — Eds.] 



THE ROSE TEAR. 



We gather from many letters which we have received from 

 various districts that 1877 is not a good year for Roses, and 

 that cut-back plants have suffered more severely from incle- 

 ment weather than maidens, and that as a rule Roses in the 

 south have suffered greater injury to their early growth than 

 Roses in the north. We are only able to publish a few extracts 

 from these letters, commencing with those from diBtriots 

 " near home." 



Subkey. — "Seldom, I imagine, have May frosts done more 

 mischief. The wall fruits almost all gone— Peaoh trees with 

 me have perished, Pears hopeless even in sheltered places. 

 All this might have been borne but for the burned-up state of 

 the first blooms of most Roses. I have broken off dozens of 

 blighted buds. However, bright sunshine has repaired many 

 misohiefs, and I incline to think our exhibitions about here 

 will not be muoh below the average. The rains have come 

 most seasonal, and probably the great National Show of 



