July 5, 1877. 1 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



grand style of last year, so attracting all-England prizetakers 

 that Maidstone was voted the best Show of the season — a 

 grand style of scheduling that I fear must have proved rather 

 costly to the Committee. This year the Show was confined to 

 members only. The competition for the challenge cup was 

 spirited, and some good Roses were shown, as also especially in 

 the olass of twelve triplets of any kind. Owing to a liberal gift 

 from Mr. George Paul of Cheshunt, four prizes were offered 

 both for twelve and six Teas, and the show of them was very 

 fine. Maidstone in its happy valley must be a paradise of Tea 

 Roses, judging from those exhibited, and is likely, I think, to 

 make these famous before long beyond its own borders. 



Reynolds Hole was, perhaps, the best H.P. in the room. 

 The Cheshunt Hybrid was also shown in great perfection. The 

 Briar stock is the favourite in their strong soil. But I do not 

 think tha state of Rose-growing altogether satisfactory. 



That is a very grave subject which has been started respect- 

 ing breeding in-and-in by budding, and I incline to think 

 threatens a serious deterioration. It might be discussed with 

 great advantage. — A. C. 



EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS.— No. 2. 



Collectors of every species and variety of hardy Rhodo- 

 dendrons tell us that there is hardly a month in the whole 

 year when some species or other is not in bloom. Admitting 

 this highly important fact, it must still be granted that it is 

 in early summer that most varieties appear in the full splendour 

 of their regal beauty, giving us such rich masses of colour as 

 we obtain from no other shrub. With all this richness there 

 is nothing glaring, nothing oppressive, when a little pains is 

 given in the first instanoe to arrange the various colours in 

 graceful combinations — softening the brilliancy of the scarlet- 

 tinged Alarm with the rich purple of Sir Thomas Sebright ; 

 relieving this in turn with the delicate white of Mrs. John 

 Clutton, and thence onward through an infinite gradation of 

 shades of white, pink, scarlet, crimson and purple — never in 

 any case affording an unbroken mass of colour, for we find in 

 such mixed beds that every sort does not yield blossom in 

 equal abundance, some answering best in one season and some 

 in another, Borne plants of a foot or two in height being laden 

 with flowers, while others do not blossom freely till taey 

 become large plants. Nor is this want of uniformity to be re- 

 gretted, the dark green patches of foliage interspersed among 

 the flowers imparting relief and repose in the most agreeable 

 manner. Nature's own foil is always the best. 



Some valuable lessons have been had this season in making 

 a study of the effects of the different colours ; and I may use- 

 fully note here that the most distinct and striking shades are 

 moat telling when well placed in the margin and centre of a 

 group, either singly, as is best in small groups, or clumps of 

 three or four in large bold ones. Lists of such sorts are more 

 useful in the autumn than now ; but I cannot refrain from 

 pointing out the great value of the dark crimson John Waterer, 

 the rosy crimson Blandyanum, the rich purple Barclayanum, 

 a somewhat shy-flowering variety when the Bhrubs are young, 

 but growing more and more lovely as they increase in size, 

 many of them this season being one mass of flowers ; and such 

 kinds of lighter hue as the old Queen of the WeBt, Minnie, 

 Purity, and Delicatissimum. Much caution should be nxeroised 

 in discarding any old sorts, many of them possessing some 

 property of earliness, lateness, or continuity of flowering not 

 always found in newer kinds. 



The hardy Azaleas are again very beautiful. I only wish 

 the flowers were a little more durable. Many of them were 

 originally planted as a fringe to some clumpa of Rhododen- 

 drons. This proved a mistake, and last winter they were 

 arranged in separate beds alternating with others of Kalmia 

 latifolia, some beds consisting solely of the various shades of 

 Azalea pontica, and others having a mixture of more choice 

 named varieties. These beds have been very telling, the effect 

 being much enhanced by the proximity of large maeses of 

 Rhododendrons. Considerable difference is found among these 

 hardy Azaleas not only in colour but in habit of growth. The 

 dwarf compact growth of the brilliant orange-coloured Majestica 

 renders it very valuable for many a nook and corner as well 

 as for the margin of shrubbery borders. The rich yellow of 

 Nancy Waterer is never more effective than when placed near 

 maeses of crimson and purple Rhododendrons ; while Buch 

 lovely sorts as the pink-flowered Monteri, Amoena of a lighter 

 Bhade ; Straminea, delicate straw colour ; Mirabilis, another 

 pink kind ; YiBCocephala, white ; with the lovely old sulphury 



white Pontica alba, the deep crimson Geant des Batailles, 

 Gloria Mundi, and Ne Plus Ultra with deep rich orange flowers, 

 all tell well in whatever position may be assigned them. 



So many shrubs are in flower just now, and all are so beau- 

 tiful that one hardly knows which to select, or rather which 

 to leave unmentioned. Of the Kalmias, glauca, in full beauty 

 a month or more ago, is a distinct and valuable early sort ; 

 angustifolia rosea, rubra, and nana are all now in full beauty ; 

 while the flowers of the queenly latifolia are only just begin- 

 ning to expand. Nothing can be more lovely than a plant of 

 Kalmia latifolia just bursting into flower : the thousands of 

 clustering pink-tipped buds springing out of the dark green 

 glossy foliage impart to the plant a sprightly air most pleasant 

 to behold, while not less enjoyable is the sight of the cloud of 

 bloom into which they soon expand. 



The pendant golden flowers of the Laburnum just fading 

 away have imparted their peculiar charm of grace and bright- 

 ness to the shrubs among which they grow. Lilacs, pink 

 Thorns, Guelder Rose, Magnolias, Snowy Mespilns, Berberis, 

 Daphne, Ribes, Philadelphus, and some of the Spiraeas have 

 all lent their charms, not singly but in many varieties, all 

 being good ; but especial attention should be given to Phila- 

 delphus grandifiorus with very large white flowers, an immense 

 improvement upon the old small-flowered sort. The very dark 

 scarlet Ribes atro-sanguineum proves a most valuable and 

 effective variety, as does also the double- flowered variety, 

 coming into bloom so late as to form a succession to the single- 

 flowering shrubs. — Edward Luckhdest. 



PORTER'S EXCELSIOR POTATO. 

 Although not an extensive grower of novelties I yet like to 

 try, in a Bmall way, some of the new Potatoes as they come 

 out; and amongst others laBt spring I prooured 1 lb. of 

 Porter's Exoelsior for trial. One tuber was decayed and 

 worthless ; the others were cut into nine sets to suit the 

 length of drill, as they were simply for comparative trial and 

 not for special increase. This row is between Fenn's Early 

 Market and Lye's Favourite, and is very diBtinot from these 

 varieties ; but unfortunately the plants are distinct from each 

 other, although a casual observer might not detect the dif- 

 ference. As I never before saw the sort growing I must apply 

 to head quarters for information. One variety of four sets 

 has a smooth and shining leaf ; the lower and first-formed 

 leaves being rounded like an Ashleaf Kidney, but of much 

 lighter colour; whereas the other variety of five sets has 

 longer, darker, and more corrugated leaves, which are shaded 

 off from a light centre at the shoot, while none of the lower 

 leaves are so round as an Ashleaf. Which is the true Excel- 

 sior ? It may be stated that these Potatoes were supplied by a 

 firm of high standing. — N. 



EXHIBITION ROSES. 



Mr. Geobge Paul's catalogue is divided into three parts : 

 the first part contains a list of Roses suitable for exhibition, 

 the second of Roses suited for garden decoration, and the 

 third part consists of new Roses, Teas, and Noisettes. 



Now this is a very useful division, as is evident when we 

 remember how many cultivators of the queen of flowers re- 

 gard it as principally an exhibition flower, while a still larger 

 number care not the least for exhibitions, but wish to have 

 their gardens full of free-blooming and good growing sorts 

 of fair form and colour, while they pay great attention to the 

 fragrance of the various varieties. Of course this division is 

 a help to young beginners who wish to go in for exhibiting, 

 but at the same time it is not strictly and solely to be relied 

 on, and must not be too closely followed. There are an im- 

 mense number of Roses in the first division which, while not 

 unworthy altogether of their position, would in my opinion be 

 best relegated to the second division, and every year I notice 

 that some old favourites are thus reduced in position, notably 

 Comtesse Cecile de Chabrillant. This old variety has perfect 

 form, but so rarely has sufficient Bize for a prize Btand that 

 Mr. Paul, while no doubt fully recognising its value as a Rose 

 for all other purposes, hardly deems it worthy of a place in his 

 Belect list. But I would humbly offer my opinion to him and 

 others that the list as it at present stands is far too large and 

 requires much revision. There are so many which I may call 

 duplicates that had far better not be in it. Take, for ex- 

 ample, these three Roses, all good in their way, but all so 

 much alike that you might often cut three blooms from the 



