February 5, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
residing in the hundred of Wirral, and ten miles round the Liverpool 
Exchange only. 
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—*r.n ahp B great family of Cactaceous Plants includes the most 
curious forms in the vegetable world, while not a few of them are 
remarkable by the beauty of their flowers. These plants have been 
neglected of late, but they yet have many admirers, and will possibly 
have more. Mr. Lewis Castle’s treatise, which is now being issued, will 
be welcomed by many, not because it is the only work of its kind published 
in this country, but because it is good. It affords evidence of much 
research, and is replete with historical, botanical, and practical matter 
throughout the ninety pages. It is illustrated with examples of the 
different genera, and contains a tabulated list indicating the works in 
which between 200 or 300 species are figured. Whether readers of garden 
literature are specially interested in Cactaceous plants or not, we shall 
be surprised if this neat shilling volume does not meet with general 
acceptance, and find a place in most garden libraries. 
- Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, send us the following 
letter upon Gardening at the Antipodes, which they have received 
from a correspondent in Brighton, Tasmania. 
“ December 2nd, 1884. 
“We a e having another terrible season; no rain at all; everything 
dried up, so that gardening is a toil, especially when the water holes (four) 
are dried up, and one has to go half a mile for creek water, and the water 
there is as hard as iron and alum can make it. With regard to the seeds 
you sent me they are doing admirably, a great contrast to those obtained 
here. The Golden Tripoli seems to be a first-class Onion, a very rapid 
grower, and a pretty plant in shape of bulb and delicate green of stalk. On 
referring to my diary I find that my colonial Onion seed was sown latter 
end of May, and again on July 7th, whilst the Golden Tripoli was sown on 
August 29th, and the Golden Tropoli is now a long way ahead of either the 
other two, although no more attention has been given it. The Dedham 
Favourite Tomato is a splendid plant, very hardy, more so than the sort we 
get here ; it stands both the sun and frost, and we had three very severe 
frosts only a fortnight ago, two days after I planted them out. I fully 
expected to find them cut down, as they had no protection save a few 
“ sags ” strewn over them. The Asters and Balsams are looking very 
healthy, with the exception of the White Aster, which were upset during 
my absence and destroyed. I hope to be ready in time for the summer 
show, as I intend to exhibit the Golden Tomato, Dedham Favourite, 
and Grapeshot, which has very pretty foliage, the latter two both in pots, 
as fruits, with Asters and Balsams. Another friend of mine is going to join 
me in Bending out for all our next season’s supply.” 
- We have received a prospectus of the Society of American 
Florists, which is being formed in the United States with the support 
of some of the leading horticulturists, and under the presidentship of 
Mr. John Thorpe, Queens, New York. The general plan is to have a 
yearly meeting and exhibition, at which papers will be read upon 
practical subject*, medals and certificates being awarded for meritorious 
exhibits and new plants. It is also intended to form a “ Hail Insurance 
Fund” to secure members against losses occasioned by storms. The 
Secrttary is Mr. E. G. Hill, Richmond, Indiana. 
- The district of Manchester has lost one of its most notable 
horticulturists by the death of Mr. John Stevenson, which took place 
at his residence, Timperley, Cheshire, on January 23rd, aged 62, after 
a lingering illness of nearly twelve months. The late Mr. Stephenson 
will best be remembered as a constant exhibitor of large stove and green¬ 
house plants, Ferns, and Orchids, at most of the leading exhibitions in 
the kingdom, when he had such growers as Mr. Tbos. Baines and Mr. Cole 
to compete against. He was liked by all who knew him, and has often 
visited young gardeners, upon their first taking situations, to give valuable 
advice and encouragement. His good-humoured face will long be missed 
at the shows round Manchester, for although not an exhibitor of late 
years, he was a constant attendant, very often in the capacity of judge. 
- “ M.” writes as follows respecting Rhododendron Countess 
of Haddington “ This is one of the best of the greenhouse Rhododen„ 
drons. There are some brighter, but none that I know which bloom so 
freely in small pots. Of late we have had some plan's of it in flower in 
G-inch pots. They are from 12 inches to 18 inches in height, and very 
bushy. They made their growths in a cool sunny house near the glass, 
and we put them into a gentle forcing p't to induce them to bloom in 
the end of December. There was a flower bud at the end of every shoot ( 
and these developed four, five, and six blooms each. They are massive, 
tube-shaped, blush white, and very fragrant. They are capital for 
placing in stands in rooms, and when the blooms are cut and wired they 
are very effective in bouquets or any cut-flower arrangement. We find 
them as useful and as much appreciated as any plants we have in flower 
at this season, and a few plants would be of great service in all gardens. 
They grow best in a mixture of pure peat and silver sand. The best time 
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to pot them is just after flowering. When the growth is young and 
tender they should be kept in rather a close warm place, but in summer, 
and especially in autumn, theyjshould be freely exposed to the air and 
fully to the sun.” 
- “Vectis” sends the following query respecting Pruning the 
Duke of Buccleuch Grape —“ In the Gardener of November, 1882, the 
Editor says in reference to the Duke of Buccleuch, ‘not to prune too 
closely, or crop it on young rods.’ Mr. Thomson, if he should read this, 
will perhaps kindly state if his meaning is that a young rod of last year’s 
growth should be allowed to form spurs this year, and all bunches that 
show be taken off, the rod being cropped next year. I have no doubt 
Mr. Mclndoe, Mr. Witherspoon, and others could give very valuable 
hints respecting the pruning and treatment of this grand Grape that 
would be much appreciated by many of your readers as well as myself.” 
- Mr. Gladstone at Norris Green. —On his recent visit to Mrs. 
Pemberton Heywocd on the 30th ult., the Premier planted a purple 
Beech tree in the grounds at Norris Green. Mr. Bardney was introduced 
to Mr. Gladstone, and after a hearty handshaking and a few pleasant 
words, handed a new polished spade to the Right Honourable gentleman, 
who used it in a workmanlike manner, planting the tree thoroughly well. 
This is Mr. Gladstone’s third visit to Norris Green, but on previous 
occasions he took exercise in felling some of the trees that were too crowded 
in the pleasure grounds. Mr. Bardney understood Mr. Gladstone to say 
he is in possession of a new system for making lawn tennis grounds 
but its precise nature did not transpire. 
- A Wicklow correspondent writes—“Ihave read with attention 
the various letters on Trenching Ground which have recently appeared 
in your paper. How to reconci'e the various opinions I know not, but 
this I believe all will agree in, that a deep rich soil will produce better 
crops than a shallow soil, due care being taken as to rotation of crops. 
I observed last summer that only on deep soils were there goed crops of 
vegetables, or, indeed, of farm produce. I quite agree that much can be 
done in gardening by timely mulching.” 
- International Exhibition at Buenos Ayres. —The Argentine 
Rural Society are making arrangements to hold an extensive Rural 
Exhibition in Buenos Ayres in 1886, which will be opened on April 25th 
of that year, and continue until the following 24th of May. The prizes 
will consist of gold, silver, and bronze medals, which are offered for 
cattle, vegetable, and miscellaneous food products, machinery, and 
models of buildings employed in farming. A total of 421 classes are 
enumerated in the schedules now being issued. 
- Dr. Alexander Paterson, Fernfield, Bridge of Allen, N.B., 
sends us an extremely fine spike of Lsslia superbiens from a plant 
bearing four similar spikes. The flower stem itself is 6 feet in length, 
and bears near its apex a dozen large and richly coloured flowers, 
giving ample indication of the vigour of the plant and the good 
culture it receives. This Lselia is remarkable for the length of its flower 
spike; but though it is usually described as from 4 to 5 feet, it occasion¬ 
ally exceeds that, as in the example mentioned. There are few Orchids ) 
except some of the Oncidiums, which produce spikes of such great leDgtb, 
and in the case of the Oncidiums is slightly different, as the flowers are 
scattered along the stem from near the base to the apex ; whereas in 
Laelia superbiens the flowers are clustered at the point. What special 
advantage the latter character is to the plant it would not be ea=y to 
determine, but we might surmise that it is connected in some way with 
the fertilisation. 
- Mr. J. Reid states that “ Grape Muscat Hamburgh is a great 
bearer, and has produced a large crop with me. Its usual fault is shank¬ 
ing, which has induced many excellent Grape-growers to remove it from 
the vinery, as where other sorts proved successful this one has failed. 
It has often been supposed that the borders being overcharged with 
moisture was the cause of failure. However, experience has proved that 
opinion to be wrong, for Vines planted in outside borders without pro¬ 
tection succeeded better than those planted inside the vinery ; heie this 
Grape fertilises itself perfectly without assistance, and produces very 
large bunches, which require to be well thinned to allow of the 
large pointed berries coming to full size. I believe this Vine to be more 
hardy than any of the Muscat Vines, and it might succeed in the warm 
end of an ordinary vinery. It is best suited for early summer use.” 
- An Australian Fern Paradise. —The Blue Mountain range in 
New South Wales is much frequented by Fern-hunters, especially in the 
