Jay 12, 1861. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



23 



making that growth, stiff or long-jointed, fruitful or barren, 

 in proportion as they are judiciously or carelessly admin- 

 istered, — so is it desirable to have the soil in a healthy moist 

 condition when the plants are in flower ; at the same time, 

 as is well known, the surface of the soil, at any rate the 

 atmosphere, should be dry at the time of setting, otherwise 

 the blooms set very indifferently. Though a rather drier 

 state of the atmosphere assists in the process of fecundation, 

 yet I am certain that the real cause of Melons being so 

 uncertain in setting is not the moisture of the atmosphere, 

 but a sluggish root-action owing to the bottom heat being 

 slack ; and in many cases the soil is dust dry, and can 

 scarcely keep the leaves green, much less support a flower 

 and swell the fruit. Keeping the frame close at the time 

 of setting also prevents the pollen from being properly aired, 

 which is a certain cause of not setting. I am not quite 

 sure, but am inclined to think, that Melons and all other 

 plants require quite as much moisture at the root at the 

 time of flowering as at any other time ; and though the 

 pollen of any plant may be more freely distributed during 

 dry weather, I am certain that a moderate degree of mois- 

 ture is necessary to insure its perfection and consequent 

 fertility. Eor a sure method of making Melons set, I know 

 of nothing better than giving a good watering a day or 

 two before the flowers are likely to open, to have the 

 bottom heat brisk, and to admit abundance of fresh air, 

 which cannot be given to Melons on dung-beds in dull 

 weather unless the bottom heat be brisk. It is to want of 

 air and active root-action that I attribute the difficulty ex- 

 perienced in getting Melons to set in frames. I may, how- 

 ever, be wrong; but I never experienced any difficulty in 

 this respect in pits heated by tanks and hot-water pipes. 

 While the fruit is setting uo water should be given so as to 

 wet the surface of the soil much ; but if any be needed it 

 should be supplied through drain-pipes with one end inserted 

 in the soil to the depth of an inch. These, distributed 

 18 inches apart, will enable any one to water the bed with- 

 out wetting the surface, for it is only necessary to fill the 

 drain-pipes with water and leave it to sink into the soil. 

 This is not a bad method of applying water to the roots 

 after the vines fill the frame, especially in dull weather, 

 when water on the stems is certain to cause " gout," if I 

 may coin an expression, or a gummy exudation from the 



branches. ._ , ,. , . G. Abbey. 



(To be continued.) 



EOYAL HOKTICTJLTUKAL SOCIETY'S SHOW. 

 July 6th. 



This, the last of the great summer shows, was well at- 

 tended by exhibitors, by visitors interested in horticulture, 

 and by many more belonging to neither class, who were 

 drawn to it by the presence of their Royal Highnesses the 

 Prince and Princess of Wales. Notwithstanding the large 

 numbers who visited the Exhibition, at no time were the 

 Exhibition tables overcrowded — a circumstance which can 

 only be accounted for by the preponderance of the non-hor- 

 ticultural element, and the superior attractions for such of 

 the fresh air and military bands. It must, however, be 

 admitted that but for the flowers there was little to induce 

 a prolonged stay in the arcades ; for the dust was swept up 

 by the ladies' dresses, and the stages for the plants were 

 remarkable for their ugliness. They consisted of bare boards 

 which had once been green, but had become of a nondescript 

 hue between green and earth colour. How different this 

 from the fresh green turf banks of the Regent's Park ! 



Stove and Greenhouse Plants. — These' were for the 

 most part the same as at the Royal Botanic Show on the 

 previous Saturday. Among them were fine examples of 

 Ixoras alba and salicifolia, Kalosanths, Aphelexes, Vincas, 

 Ericas, Hedaromas, Dracophyllum gracile, AUamandas, 

 Dipladenias, &e. Pleroma elegans was shown in fine con- 

 dition in several collections. Sollya linearis with drooping 

 blue flowers, and Musssenda frondosa with its large white 

 calyx and small yellow flowers, were also very attractive. For 

 twelve Mr. Fraser was first, Messrs. Lee second, Mr. Williams 

 third ; for nine, Mr. Peed first, Mr. Chilman second, Mr. 

 May third, extra Mr. Wheeler ; for six, Mr. Page second ; for 

 six (Nurserymen), Mr. Rhodes first, Messrs. A. Henderson 

 second. 



FlNE-FOLIAGED AND VARIEGATED PLANTS. Mr. BaineS, 



gardener to H. Micholls, Esq., Bowden, took the first prize 

 with a remarkably fine collection, of which the narrow-leaved 

 variegated Croton, Theophrasta imperialis, a very large and 

 fine Gleichenia speluncfe, and Alocasia metallica with mag- 

 nificent leaves, were the most noticeable. Messrs. Lee were 

 second, having their large Cordyline, and fine specimens of 

 Neottopteris australasica, Cibotium princeps, Rhopala mag- 

 nifica, and other plants which have been noticed in previous 

 reports. Variegated plants were confined to Caladiums and 

 Ferns. Of the former, Mr. J. Veitch, of Chelsea, had the 

 finest collection. It contained magnificent plants of argy- 

 rites, Baraquini, Houlletti, Troubetskoi, Belleyinei, Lowii, 

 Chantini, and regale. Messrs. A. Henderson were second, 

 their plants being also very large and fine. Their collection 

 contained of kinds not already named, pffieile, mirabile, 

 Wighti (very pretty), and bicolor magniSca. In variegated 

 Ferns, Mr. Bull was first with Pteris tricolor, argyrsa 

 sublobata, and albo-lineata angusta. Mr. Young was second 

 with Pteris tricolor, argyrsa, and cretica albo-lineata. 



Ferns and Lycopods. — For twelve exotic species, Mr. 

 Bull took the first prize with a fine collection, consisting of 

 Cyatheas, Dicksonias, Gleichenias, Cibotium princeps, Ma- 

 rattia, elegans, Microlepia platyphylla, &c. Mr. Martin, 

 gardener to J. Taylor, Esq., Woodberry Down, was second ; 

 and Mr. Young third. For British Ferns, Messrs. Ivery 

 had first and third prizes, and Mr. Salter, of Hammersmith, 

 the second, the collections of both containing many pretty 

 forms. Hymenophyllums and Trichomanes were shown in 

 good condition, especially demissum, by Mr. Watson, St. 

 Albans ; Lycopods by Messrs. Higgs, Young, and Ingram, 

 each of whom took a prize. Among the pans exhibited were 

 fine examples of Galeotti, Martensii, dumosa, umbrosa, mi- 

 crophylla, csesia, and apoda. 



Orchids chiefly consisted of Cattleyas, Vandas, Lsslias, 

 iErides, Saccolabiums, and Oncidiums, many of them large 

 specimens and in excellent bloom. Most of them, however, 

 have been noticed in previous reports. Of iErides Larpentse 

 two or three fine examples were shown. Vanda teres came 

 from Mr. Williams ; and from others Oncidium divaricatum 

 with showy yellow, orange, and brown flowers, Epidendrurn 

 crassifolium, Phajus albus, very fresh and pretty, and iErides 

 affme superbum with seventeen spikes of bloom, large and 

 small. Among Anasctochils, Lowii and macodes petola were 

 well shown by Mr. A. Ingram, of Highgrove, who had first 

 prize in that class. 



The prizes awarded were : — For iErides, &c, Mr. Baker 

 first, Mr. Milford second ; for Cattleyas and Lajlias, Mr. Mil- 

 ford first, Mr. Baker second; for nine Orchids (Amateurs), 

 Mr. Baker first, Mr. Milford second, Mr. Penny thi d; fcr 

 nine (Nurserymen), Mr. Williams first, Mr. Parker second, 

 Mr. Woolley third; for six, Mr. Wiggins first, Mr. Baker 

 second, Mr. Page third. 



Pelargoniums. — Mr. Bailey, Shardeloes, was, as usual, 

 first in the Amateurs' Class. His plants consisted of Lady 

 Canning, very fine ; Lord Clyde ; Sir C. Campbell, very large 

 and profusely covered with bloom ; Desdemona; Etna; and 

 John Leech. Mr. Wiggins was second, Maid of Honour, 

 Kettledrum, and Regina formosa being the best. In the 

 Nurserymen's Class, Messrs. Dobson & Son were first, Carac- 

 tacus, Queen of England, and Lord Clyde were the most 

 noticeable ; and Mr. Fraser second. In Fancies, Mr. Bailey 

 was again first with fine plants, but not equal to those 

 exhibited a month ago. The varieties were Madame Rougiere, 

 EUen Beck, Edith, Delicatum, Princess Royal, and Queen of 

 the Valley. Mr. Shrimpton, gardener to Mis. Doxat, Putney 

 Heath, was second ; his Roi des Fantaisies, Cloth of Silver, 

 and Lady Craven were very good. 



Scarlet Pelargoniums, for which there were several classes, 

 were a new feature, and one which promised to become very 

 interesting and instructive. When further experience shall 

 have been gained in the exhibition of these plants improve- 

 ments will no doubt suggest themselves from time to time. 

 For twelve distinct kinds, of any colour, zonale or plain- 

 leaved, Mr. Fraser was first. Among the best were Virgo 

 Marie, a beautiful white ; Leoni, salmon ; Comte de Morny, 

 Woodwardiana, rosy carmine; Madame Vaueher, and Rose 

 Rendatler, bright rose. Mr. Salter was second; Helen 

 Lindsay, Amelina Griseau, and Merrimac, the latter with an 

 immense truss, being particularly good. Rubens, a fine 



