15s 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ August 23, 1877. 



nical collectors, he replied, " Though my country is at war 

 with England she is not at war with the labours of these men." 

 They pursued their course unmolested, visited the mountains 

 of Cuba, and discovered many new and valuable plants, among 

 which was Jatropha panduraBfolia. Having made his collections 

 they returned to America in 1802, and thence embarked for 

 England, but after being some time at sea the ship sprang a 

 leak, and was obliged to put into Port Masson in New Provi- 

 dence. On arriving in England a greater disappointment 

 awaited Mr. Fraser, for on landing he heard that the Emperor 

 Paul was dead, and the Emperor Alexander refused to sanction 

 the engagement entered into by his predecessor. In the 

 Dowager Empress Maria, however, he met with a friend, for 

 she fully discharged his account, and, in addition, presented 

 him with a handsome diamond ring. When in Russia in 1796 

 he prooured the Black and White Tartarian Cherries, which 

 are sometimes called Fraser's Black and Fraser's White Tar- 

 tarian Cherries, and introduced them for the first time into 

 this oountry. 



In 1807 he made his seventh and last voyage to America, 

 again accompanied by his son, and again he was successful in 

 many new discoveries, with whioh the son returned to Eng- 

 land, leaving the father to prosecute his discoveries. He again 

 visited Cuba, and in 1810 returned to England. During this 

 last journey he had the misfortune to fall from his horse near 

 Charleston, and broke several of his ribs. From this accident 

 he never fully reoovered, and, after forty years of unwearied 

 zeal and activity he died at Sloane Square, Chelsea, in April, 

 1811. 



After his second return to England from America Mr. 

 Fraser established the " American Nursery " in Chelsea, as a 

 rpceptaole for the plants which he discovered and introduced. 

 This nursery was situate on the east side of the present Boyal 

 Military School, and extended over twelve acres. 



Thus lived and thus died John Fraser, F.L.S., one of the 

 most zealous and disinterested, and at the same time most 

 successful, botanical collectors which this country has ever had. 



CLAYCEOSS (DERBYSHIRE) FLOWER SHOW. 



The twentieth annual Exhibition of the Claycross Floral and 

 Horticultural Society was held on the 14th inst. in the beautiful 

 park-like grounds adjoining the residence of Charles Binns, 

 Esq. This has now become one of the greatest exhibitions in 

 the midland counties, and the Show of the 14th inst. was quite 

 f qual to any of its predecessors. It was feared that the long- 

 continued depression of trade in the colliery districts would tell 

 against the success of the Show, and that there would be fewer 

 visitors, and consequently the money taken at the gates would 

 be less than usual. However, the state of trade did not affect 

 the Exhibition, for the numbers were on the increase. Last 

 year it was estimated that upwards of 14,000 people visited the 

 tents, and as the money taken at the gates this year exceeded 

 that of 1876, the number of visitors could not have been less 

 than 15,000. 



The Exhibition took place under three spaoious tents, which 

 formed three sides of a square. The side tents had tables 

 running down the centre, which were filled with plants of every 

 shape, Bize, and hue, and the benches down each side were 

 devoted to fruit, cut flowers, and vegetables. The end tent was 

 a circular one, and contained a fine collection of plants sent by 

 the Duke of Devonshire from hiB rich stores at Chatsworth, 

 end also the collections of twenty plants open to nurserymen 

 »nd gentlemen's gardeners. The exhibitors were divided into 

 five classes, the first, second, and third being chiefly cottagers 

 and farmers, the fourth amateurs residing within twelve miles 

 of Claycross, and the fifth was open to all subscribers of £1 and 

 upwards. Here liberal prizes were provided, for the amount 

 offered in this class alone was upwards of £167. 



In the collection of plants sent from Chatsworth, not for com- 

 petition, were Beveral Disa grandifloras, a fine Anthurium 

 Scherzeriauum, Dipladenias, Bougainvillea glabra, several fine 

 Ericas, and also some excellent Palms and Ferns, including a 

 very fine Adiantum farleyense, also the Ouvirandra fenestralis, 

 the singular Lattice Plant. 



For the collection of twenty plants, including eight stove or 

 greenhouse plants in bloom, six fine-foliage or variegated plants, 

 and six exotio Ferns, for whioh prizes of £25, £20, £15, £10, and 

 £5 were offered, there were only three competitors. Messrs. 

 E. Cole & Sons of Withington, near Manchester, Becured the 

 premier prize with some magnificent plants, including a fine 

 Statice profusa upwards of 3 feet in diameter, Ixora coccinea, 

 I. coccinea euperba, a remarkably well-grown plant ; Beveral 

 Ericas, some fine Palms, Crotons, Cycas revoluta, and noble 

 Tree Ferns. Mr. Tudgey, gardener to T. F. G. Williams, Esq., 

 of Handwick Grange, near Woroester, obtained the seoond prize 



with some fine Ericas, Tree Ferns, a very fine Pandanus 

 Veitchii, and aomB well-grown Ericas. Mr. J. House of Peter- 

 borough was placed third. He had some very excellent stove and 

 greenhouse plants, such as Clerodendron Balfourii, Stephanotis 

 floribunda, Phormium tenax variegatum, Croton irregulare, and 

 some good Ferns. 



For the collection of six stove or greenhouse plants in flower 

 Mr. Ward of Biddings House was first ; Mr. Reynolds of Ovston 

 Hall second; and Mr. Egglestone, Claycross, third. Mr. Ward 

 had some excellent plants in his collection, including Plumbago 

 capensis, a very fine Statice profusa, a capital Ixora Williamsii, 

 two fine Ericas, and a Dipladenia amabilis. Mr. Ward was also 

 first for ornamental or variegated-foliage plants, six distinct 

 species ; and in the group of not less than twenty plants arranged 

 for effect on a table 3 feet wide, Messrs. E. Cole & Sons were 

 first; Mr. Beard, nurseryman, Stonegravels, Chesterfield, Becond ; 

 Mr. Ward, Riddings House, third; Mr. John House, Peter- 

 borough, fourth; and Mr. Proctor, Chesterfield, fifth. In the 

 smaller collection of plants Mr. Ward had the lion's share of 

 prizes. 



Of hardy fruit there was a very creditable display, Goose- 

 berries and Currants being fine and abundant. Mr. Froggett, 

 gardener to the Hon. F. C. G. Hunlake of Wingerworth Hall, 

 won the firBt prize with a fine collection of hardy fruit, but the 

 crowd was so great that we could not get near the stand to ex- 

 amine the dishes. For the best collection of hothouse frait 

 Mr. Ward of Riddings House was first, and at the distance we 

 could see some fine bunches of Grapes on the tray. For black 

 and white Grapes Mr. Ward was the first with excellent 

 hunches of Muscat of Alexandria and Black Hamburgh, the 

 two latter bunches weighing about 9 lbs. No other Grapes were 

 worthy of notice. 



Of Roses there were some good 6tands. For eighteen distinct 

 varieties Mr. House of Peterborough came iu first with a mag- 

 nificent box, and Mr. Frettingham of Beeston was a tolerably 

 good second. There were also boxes of twelve and sixteen dis- 

 tinct sorts shown, which contained some noble specimens. Of 

 Dahlias there were some excellent stands, those sent by Mr. 

 Haslem of.Hardstof being specially noteworthy. Handbouquets 

 and dinner- table flower Bfands were well done. The flower- 

 garden designB came in for a large share of attention by the 

 visitors, but the barbarity of the arrangements almost gave us 

 the headache. Marigolds were specially well grown, as were 

 also the Hollyhocks. 



Of vegetables there was a grand assortment, PotatoeB heing 

 fine in quality and clear in the Bkin. Upon the whole the gene- 

 rality of the exhibits were good, and the Show in all respects 

 was a great Buccess. All praise is due to Mr. Stollard, the 

 Secretary, for his arduous labours in bringing about suoh satis- 

 factory results. 



WARDIE HOUSE, 



THE KESIDENCE OF MISS HOPE. 



This is situated on the seaside and about three miles from 

 Edinburgh. The house and pleasure ground cover a space of 

 two acres surrounded by a high wall. The view from the 

 house is beautiful. The Firth of Forth, and the Fife coast, 

 and the distant hills afford a fine subject for an artist. The 

 flower plots are laid out on the turf. Many borders are filled 

 with Roses and all sorts of spring, summer, and autumn- 

 flowering plants, and I may Bay there is not such another 

 choice collection in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. The 

 plots in the grass are chiefly filled with hardy plants. Some 

 of the figures are divided into patterns with dwarf Thyme, 

 Heaths, &c. ; some are filled with the scarlet Phlox Drum- 

 mondi, Cuphea platycentra, Lobelias, &o. One plot took me 

 very much by surprise : it waB a circle, and filled with Orchis 

 maculata superba and Spirasa Filipendula plena,and the con- 

 trast between the white and purple was very effective. Miss 

 Hope has between one and two hundred plants of that beauti- 

 ful Orchis. The spikes are very strong, and the flower part of 

 them is upwards of 6 inches high, and it is worth going a long 

 way to see. This plant is very scarce about Edinburgh.- I 

 never saw it till last year. The common O. maculata I have 

 seen forty years ago, and it is worth growing as a variety. I 

 saw at Wardie a fine spike of Yucca gloriosa, one of the best 

 I ever saw. From top to bottom of the flowers it is 4J feet 

 fully. Miss Hope grows a great quantity of Hellebores, some 

 of them very rare. Taking the place as a whole it is far more 

 interesting to me and many others than a modern flower 

 garden in all its glory. The latter comprises twenty to thirty 

 different varieties, the former hundreds. There are no forcing 

 houses, only a greenhouse for Geraniums, Sea. 



To persons interested in hardy flowers Wardie is worth 

 eeeing, and Miss Hope is mOBt courteous and affable to any 

 respectable person who is fond of flowers ; and I never met 



