14 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Joly 5, 1877. 



flowers, which are scarlet. They are not large, and are borne 

 on straggling branches nearly 3 feet high. It has short spurs. 

 The plant is hardy and easily grown ia pots. 



A. pyrenaica is a very desirable species. The flowers are 

 purple, drooping, very large, and abundantly produced on 

 slender Btems a foot in height. The rich purple flowers afford 

 a pleasing contrast to the pala blue, deep yellow, and scarlet 

 of the other species. 



In 1875 I was tempted to hybridise a few of the species, in 

 each case taking parents very distinct in character from each 

 other, and the result has been very satisfactory. Of one 

 variety I flowered this year about 130 plants, and there is 

 scarcely any difference amongst them. One plant had flowers 

 a little larger than the others, but in no other respect did 

 they differ, and they were exactly intermediate between the 

 parents. This variety has as its female parent A. leptocera 

 aurea ; the pollen was taken from A. californica. The flowers 

 are scarlet as in A. californica, but the centre is golden, like 

 the variety from which the seed was saved. It has also the 

 long spurs of that variety, and the flowerB, though not so large 

 as the female parent, are very much larger than the male. It 

 was named A. californica hybrida, and received a first-class 

 certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society, and also 

 a certificate of th6 highest merit from the Royal Botanio 

 Society. 



A. cajrnlea hybrida, the variety that has been so faithfully 

 delineated in the excellent wood engraving accompanying this 

 article, was raised by crossing A. leptocera aurea with A. cseru- 

 lea. The flowers are pale blue and as large as A. crerulea; but 

 instead of the white centre, as in that sort, the centre is yellow. 

 The plant also grows taller than A. cserulea, but not so tall as 

 its female parent. It also bears a larger number of flowers. 

 As in the case of the other hybrid, all the flowers are alike, 

 and the bunches exhibited both at South Kensington and at 

 the Royal Botanic contained flowers taken from several plantB. 

 This variety also received first-class certificates from the Royal 

 Horticultural and Royal Botanic Societies. 



No garden should be without these fine flowers. They are 

 excellent border plants, have a fine effect in the greenhouse 

 or conservatory, and are invaluable for cutting to place in 

 vases for the drawing-room or for making-up dinner-table 

 decorations. Even when not in flower their glaucous finely- 

 divided leaves have a pleasing effect. In hot weather red 

 spider attacks the leaves, but not to an injurious extent, and 

 it is easily destroyed by syringing.— J. Douglas. 



RICHMOND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S 

 SHOW.— June 28th. 

 Suburban horticultural exhibitions havenowbecome numerous, 

 and it must be admitted they are doing much good for the en- 

 couragement of horticulture in their immediate neighbour- 

 hoods. There are many good horticulturists who cannot con- 

 veniently exhibit at the metropolitan Bhows, but who are none 

 tbe lesa hardworking and able cultivators, and it is at these local 

 meetings that they are able to meet in friendly rivalry and test 

 their horticultural abilities with their neighbours. 



_ Richmond Show occupies a high position as a suburban show, 

 situated as it is in a very wealthy and fashionable neighbour- 

 hood, where plenty of support is provided of funds and exhibitB. 

 It ha9 also a good, practical, working Committee and a Secretary 

 with great zeal and energy. It is, therefore, not surprising that 

 their third annual Exhibition should have proved a good one. 

 The arrangements were ample and excellent, five marquees 

 being set apart for the various entries, which numbered about 

 five hundred. The groups, stove, greenhouse, and plants in 

 general, were staged in the largest tent; cut flowers and dinner- 

 table decorations in a second; fruit and vegetables in the third; 

 the fourth was set apart for all productions responding to the 

 long list of special prizes ; and the fifth for cottagers' productions. 

 The weather for the occasion was extremely hot, and the fine 

 old treeB surrounding the deer park formed a grateful shelter to 

 the influx of visitors — the rank and fashion of the neighbour- 

 hood — from the fierce sun's rays. 



The centre of the large tent was devoted to specimen plants, 

 the groups being arranged around the sides with just a few 

 tableB at large iutervals, on which were placed the hardy Ferns, 

 Orchids, Gloxinias, and Geraniums. Six competitors tried their 

 Bkill for the groups of plants arranged for effect. These groups, 

 which occupied a space of 100 square feet, were semicircularly 

 arranged on the grass. Mr. Bowel], gardener to Sir H. W. 

 Parker, Stawell House, Richmond, was placed first with a very 

 light and effective group. The front edging was composed prin- 

 cipally of Panicum variegatum, interspersed with small Pelar- 

 goniums, Adiantum cuneatum, and other Ferns, small Palms, 



&c, the whole backed-up with larger Palms, Crotons, and such- 

 lrke plantB. Mr. Kraghorn, Richmond, who must have been a 

 very close second, had a very graceful and elegant group of well- 

 grown plants. Mes3rB. Jackson & Sons were third, but this col- 

 lection though rich was overcrowded. An extra prize was 

 awarded to Messrs. Hooper & Co., The Nurseries, Twickenham, 

 m this class. 



In the open class for nine fine-foliage plants Mr. Kinghorn 

 was placed first with good plants of Dracaena indivisa. Pandanus 

 Vertchn, Dicksoma antarctica, Chama?rops Fortunei, Yucca aloi- 

 folia vanegata, Croton Weismanni, and others. Mr W Bates 

 gardener to W. H. Punchard, Esq., was a good second ; and Mr! 

 Cornhill, gardener to J. S. Virtue, Esq., third. Messrs. Jackson 

 and Sons were the only exhibitors in the class for nine stove and 

 greenhouse plants (open), and were deservedly awarded the first 

 prize. Exotic FernB were well shown, and were a grand feature. 

 In the class for eight plants Mr. D. East, gardener to J. Wigan, 

 Esq., Clare Lawn, East Sheen, staged fine examples of Dick- 

 sonia antarctica, Adiantum formosum, A. coneinnum latnm, A. 

 cuneatum, Asplenium bulbiferum, Cibotium Scbiedei, Cyathea 

 dealbata, and Gleicheniaflabellata, and received the first prize. 

 Mr. Cornhill was placed second; and Mr. Wells, gardener to 

 the Hon. J. Vivian, Selwyn Court, third. The above class, to- 

 gether with three classes for Roses and three for fruit, were 

 open classes, the remainder being limited to subscribers. It 

 will be convenient to first take note of all the Roses, and then 

 the whole of the fruit, whether in the open or other classes. 



Roses.— TheBe were shown both in great numbers and of good 

 quality by Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, and Mr. Turner of 

 Slough. Mr. Paul remarked that he never in his experience 

 staged such a stand of thirty-six trebles. Sultan of Zanzibar, 

 Monsieur Noman, Louis Van Hontte, Abel Grand, Reynolds 

 Hole, Marchioness of Exeter, Madame Tbejrese Levet. John 

 Hopper, Cheshunt Hybrid, Mrs. George Paul, Madame Nachury, 

 Camilla Bernardin, Marquise de Gibot, Miss Poole, Duke of 

 Edinburgh, Annie Laxton, La Rosiere (a fine new dark) Mdlle. 

 Eugenie Verdier, Mons. E. Y. Teas, Victor Verdier, Ferdinand 

 deLesseps, La France, Horace Vernet, Edouard Morren, Fran- 

 cois Miehelon, Madame Marie Finger, Marguerite de St. Amand, 

 Xavier Oiibo, Henri Ledechaux, Elie More), Dr. Andry, Etienne 

 Levet, Monsieur Boncenne, and PrincesB Beatrice were grand, 

 and were deservedly awarded the first prize. Mr. Turner 

 was placed second, in whose stands there were good blooms cf 

 Francois Miehelon, Reynolds Hole, Xavier Olib.., GeLeial Jac- 

 queminot, Baronne de RothEchild, and others. Messrs. Dobson 

 and Sons, I B lewortb, were placed third. In the class for twenty- 

 four threes (nurserymen) Messrs. Paul & Son were again first. 

 In this collection Mdlle. Marie Cointet was good. Mr. Turnert 

 second; Mr. Master, Oatlands Park, third; and Messrs. Dobson. 

 fourth. 



For twenty-four single truseos (amateurs) there were eight 

 competitors. Captain Eaetwick, TeddiDgton, was placed first 

 with large but somewhat rough blooms. Mr. Moorman, gar- 

 dener to the Misses Christy, Coombe, second wirh a very fresh 

 but smaller lot; and Mr. James, gardener to F. Watson, Esq., 

 Isleworth, third. In the class for twenty-four single trusses in 

 the Society's district Mr. James waB first, Mr. W. Bates second, 

 and MesBrs. Dobson & Sons third. For eighteen and twelve 

 blooms Messrs. Marlow, Smith, and Roberts shared the honours 

 between them ; and for the special prizes offered by H. G. Bohn, 

 Esq., Twickenham, Messrs. Marlow, James, and Smith were 

 awarded the prizeB in the order named. 



Fruit.— There was a large display of fruit of excellent quality, 

 the best we have witnessed this year. The first-prize collection 

 of six dishes came from Mr. Fry, gardener to L. Baker, Esq 

 Haydon Hall, Pinner. He bad Early Lyons Cherries, Violelte 

 Eative Peaches, Brown Turkey Figs, Colston Basset Melon. 

 Charlotte Rothschild Pine, and good Black Hamburgh Grapes. 

 Mr. Cornhill was second with a very fair lot. Black Grapes 

 were shown by ten exhibitors. Mr. East was placed first, Mr. 

 Bates second, and Mr. Edwards, gardener to the Misses Tristram, 

 third, all showing Black HamburgbB of excellent quality, large 

 in berry, fair-sized bunches, and of an intense black colour. 

 White Grapes were contributed by Mr. Bates, Mr. Edwards, and 

 Mr. Fry, and the prizes were awarded in the order named, Mr. 

 Bates winning the first prize with grand examples of Foster's 

 Seedling. There was also a strong competition for the classes 

 set apart for fruit in Division B, which was confined to the Rich- 

 mond district, Messrs. Bates, East, Bowell, Child, Sallows, 

 Morrell, Lake, Wells, James, and Smith shared the principal 

 honours, and the majority of the productions were very fine. 



Orchids were not extensively shown, there being only three 

 competitors, Mr. W. Bates winning first honours with Oncidium 

 flexuosum, Aerides Dayanum, Saccolabium retusum, Odonto- 

 glossum Alexandra?, Cattleya Mossias, and others. Messrs. 

 JackBon & Sen were placed second, and Mr. Williams, gardener 

 to J. Bridgeman, Esq., Twickenham, third, who all staged ex- 

 cellent examples. Hardy Ferns were shown by Mr. James, Mr. 

 Crafter, and Mr. Morrell, the prizeB going in the order named ; 

 and exotic Ferns from the Society's district were contributed 



