November 29, 1877. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND C3TTAGE GARDENER. 



425 



two years old transplant them where they are to remain, and 

 they will flower the third season. They prefer a deep rich 

 border on a dry bottom, and all flower in Jane." 



Carex rlparla fol. aur. varlegata is both elegant and 

 sprightly in its long, slender, Sedge-like growth, and its varie- 

 gated foliage was pleasantly conspicuous among the flowers 

 around it. 



Hemerocallis fulva fol. argenteo-variegata is another plant 

 which impressed me favourably from the beauty of its varie- 

 gated foliage, which was long, elegant, and flag-like, beauti- 

 fully striped with white. 



Geranium pratense ftore-pleno had a profusion of charming 

 purple flowers of fine form — just so many miniature rosettes, 

 and the foliage, too, was much serrated and of elegant form. 

 This is quite a gem, and once established it requires little sub- 

 sequent care. It is a native of Scotland. 



Anemone japoniea Honorine Jobert.— This was in great 

 beauty with its bold spikes of lovely white flowers. It is a 

 general favourite so well known that I need not dilate upon its 

 many merits here. 



Anemone japoniea is the original pink-flowered species from 

 Japan, whence it was brought some thirty years ago. It is 

 well known, but is not so generally grown as it deserves. It is 

 true its flowers lack the elegance and precision of form so 

 lemarkable in the white variety, but they have a sprightly 

 ■cheerful air pleasant to behold, and, moreover, continue in 

 beauty late in autumn. It is readily increased by division. 

 iFrom a tuft or two which I procured from an old cottage 

 garden two years ago I have now a stock of several dozens. 



Bocconia jeddoensis. — A remarkably bold and striking plant, 

 which was full 7 feet high, with long loose spikes of white 

 feathery flowers, having orange-coloured stems with a soft 

 tpearly-grey bloom overlaying the orange colour. The foliage 

 was much lobed, serrated, and was broad and handsome. 



Eumex vesicarius. — A curious and very pretty plant about a 

 foot in height, with dense clusters of seed- pods covered with a 

 beautiful piuk veining like regular network. 



Liatris spicata iB another desirable plant which had lovely 

 anauve-coloured flower spikes about a foot in height. It comes 

 well from seed, and has been known in this country upwards 

 of a century. 



Spirica palinata was in great beauty, is deservedly a general 

 favourite, and I cannot do better than append Dr. Hooker's 

 description of it : — " By far the handsomest species of the 

 genus hitherto imported, and certainly one of the most beauti- 

 ful hardy plants in cultivation. The deep purple red of the 

 stems and branches, passing into the crimson purple of the 

 -glorious broad corymbs of flowers, contrasts most exquisitely 

 with the foliage, which in autumn assumes beautiful tints of 

 brown and golden yellow." 



Aconitum bicolor variegatum was prettily variegated ; it has 

 oompaot spikes of curious hooded flowers, white with a deep 

 blue margin. 



Allium scorodoprassum was conspicuous among several others 

 of this genus on account of its very dark crimson flower 

 heads. 



Iris fatidissima.- — Although this was not growing among the 

 plants of which I took notes, it is worthy of a place, for its 

 elegant, flax-like, deep green foliage is always ornamental, and 

 its pendant pods of bright scarlet berries just now in full 

 beauty brighten a border wonderfully in winter, besides being 

 (useful for a variety of decorative purposes. 



Acanthus latifolius was flourishing and elegant. It is a 

 fine plant, which comes well from seed and is well worthy of 

 a place. 



Phlox decussata M. de la Deansaye had large bold heads of 

 finely-formed deep crimson flowers. Triomphe du Pare du 

 Neuilly was another fine variety with slender heads of hand- 

 some flowers of a deep roey-salmon hue. M. Rafarin was a 

 much brighter shade of salmon with bolder flower clusters. 

 P. Gratry with flowers of elegant form, white in colour with 

 pink centres in large bold clusters, must conclude my selection. 



There are two other classes of plants worthy of places in 

 such a choice selection, and these are the herbaceous Peonies 

 and the Pyrsthrums, both having numerous and beautiful 

 Tarieties. — Edwaed Luckhubst. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We have reoeived the sohedule of the tenth quinquennial 

 Intebnational Exhibition, which opens at Ghent on March 

 31st and closes April 7th, 1878. The programme is very com- 



prehensive. It is divided into three sections — namely, plants, 

 for which 274 classes are provided ; arboriculture and the 

 culture of market plants and fruit ; also arts and industries, 

 making a total of 321 classes. The prizes consist of objects 

 of art, gold, silver-gilt, and silver medals. The gold medals 

 alone number 117. We can only notice a few of the chief 

 prizes. A gold medal is provided by the King for fifty Azalea 

 indicas, the Queen being the donor of a similar prize for twelve 

 Tree Ferns. A gold medal value five hundred francs is pro- 

 vided by the federation of the Belgian horticultural societies 

 for forty Palms, and an object of art of the same value is 

 offered by the President of the Society, the Comte de Kerchove, 

 for seventy-five plants in and out of flower, the contribution 

 of the Comtesse de Kerchove being an object of art value three 

 hundred francs for 150 Hyacinths. Gold medals of the value 

 of 250 francs are offered by the members of the Council of Ad- 

 ministration to nurserymen and amateurs for twenty Orchids, 

 also for thirty Dracaenas and fifty Rhododendrons. We note 

 also that the English Van Houtte Memorial Committee pro- 

 vide two prizes for Belgian exhibitors of six stove and green- 

 house plants of distinct genera, in the form of objects of art of 

 the respective value of 250 and 125 francs. Mr. William Bull 

 also offers three silver cups value fifteen guineas, ten guineas, 

 and six guineas to Belgian exhibitors of twelve diBtinot species 

 or varieties of plants introduced into commerce by Mr. Bull 

 since 1S73. We trust the promoters of this great Exhibition 

 will be well supported at home and abroad, and that the 

 response of horticulturists will be commensurate with the 

 efforts made to ensure their countenance and co-operation. 



Our readers will have noticed in our advertising 



columns an announcement of a new Pea Criterion, which is 

 being introduced by Messrs. Veitch & Sons of Chelsea. It is 

 always interesting to know the origin of names. A corre- 

 spondent informs us how the name was given to this new Pea, 

 which, when known as well as it undoubtedly will be in a year 

 or two's time, will be deservedly familiar to every gardener. 

 The late Mr. John Standish devoted much attention duriDg 

 several of the closing years of his life to the raising of improved 

 varieties of Peas. His principal object was to produce hardy 

 early Marrowfats of fine quality. It was his custom annually 

 to gather his horticultural friends around his hospitable table 

 at Ascot, when Peas were at the best, to taste the new seedlings. 

 On the occasion of the last of these gatherings a gentleman 

 connected with Messrs. Spiers & Pond's " Criterion," in 

 Piccadilly was present. The Peas submitted for critical 

 opinion having been tasted at dinner and warmly approved of, 

 Mr. Standish invited his gueBts to go into the grounds and see 

 the Peas growing. Pointing out some rowB of the kind which 

 was considered the very best of all, he was asked if he had 

 named it. "No," said he, " but I want a very good name 

 for it, as I consider it the best Pea in cultivation ; " whereupon 

 one of the company (our correspondent) suggested the name 

 " Criterion," which, being thought very appropriate, was at 

 once adopted. It is described as an early Ne Plus Ultra, a 

 description it deserves, and which says volumes in its favour. 

 Having seen the Pea growing side by side with many other 

 kinds, we can say it is very hardy and of excellent quality. 



The Geranium house in Mr. Cannell's nursery at 



Swanley is in great beauty, and affords evidence of the value 

 of the newer varieties of zonal Geraniums for winter decora- 

 tion. Some of the varieties are finer in winter than in sum- 

 mer ; David Thomson, for instance, which is now very striking. 

 Others which are highly effective are Seraph, Alonzo, Lizzie 

 Brooks, Miss Gladstone, G. Morlet, Fairest of the Fair, Cir- 

 culator, Dr. J. Denny, Mrs. Lancaster, Livingstone, Jean 

 d'Arc, Mrs. Leavers, Mrs. Wright, Corsair, Jealousy, Louisa, 

 Gertrude, Mr. Chandler, Imogene, The Shah, and Ivanhoe. 



The first prosecution under the Adulteration of Seeds 



Act, 1869, came before the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House 

 on the 26th inst., when Mr. Thomas Strangeways, a seed 

 merchant in Mile End, was fined £5 for the offence of killing 

 seed, and £5 for that of selling the killed seed, and £5 5s. 

 costs, or £15 5s. in all. Mr. Alexander Francis stated that he 

 purchased sufficient of killed Beed which if mixed in the pro- 

 portion of half-and-half would sow about 1700 acres. Mr. 

 Charles Sharp of Sleaford deposed that he, with Mr. Burnell, 

 promoted the " Adulteration of Seeds Act," and he employed 

 the last witness to make the purchases in question. 



■ We have letters bearing testimony to the excellence of 



Yeitch's Autumn Giant Cauliflower. Mr. Wilson, Claydon 

 House, Winslow, states that he had 150 plants, and the heads 



