490 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane IX, 1885. 
Scientific Committee.— Mr. Loder in the chair. 
Dendrobiums, malformed. —Dr. Masters reported upon, the specimens 
sent last time. They had two supernumerary labella in place of the two 
extra usually suppressed stamens of the outer row. He also showed 
various malformed flowers of Catfcleya Moss'se and Lselia purpurata with 
more or less regular flowers, some being binary in arrangement. 
Lycoperdon, sp. —Mr. Murray pronounced the sp. sent to the last 
meeting to be L. cretatum. 
Cucumber , diseased. —He also reported on the Cucumbers sent to the last 
meeting. No trace of fungus or other cause could be detected. 
Lily of the Valley, diseased. —He also reported on these, but the fungus 
was in too immature a state to pronounce upon it. He proposed cultivating 
it, and would report later. 
Cocci on Apple Baric. —Mr. McLxchlan showed specimens, and raised the 
question as to how these insects, normally sap-loving, could live on dead 
bark. Mr. Pascoe remarked on the long periods many would exist and 
thrive though deprived of food. 
Scilla, monstrous. —Mr. Boulger exhibited a specimen'of Scilla having 
flower buds in the axils of the perianth leaves. 
Mercurialis, monoecious. —He also showed specimens in which female 
flowers grew on the lower part and male peduncles on the upper. 
Flowers Exhibited. —Dr. Lowe showed a fine spray of Melianthus major, 
Libertia grandiflora, Caccinia glauca, Grevillea sulphurea, Lychnis alpestris, 
Achillea rupestris, Sclerophyllum asphodeloides. Mr. Loder exhibited five 
species of Allium, white and green-flowered. They were referred to Ivew 
for names ; also A. Murrayanum. 
_ Aquilegia, cross. —Mr. A. Dean sent a flowering branch of a seedling 
raised from A. chrysantha crossed by a white garden var. It was pink in 
colour and quite spurless. 
Tulip, Pistillody of Perianth. —Rev. G. Henslow showed a specimen in 
which all the leaves of the perianth had coalesced, forming a thick green 
pistillate structure open on one side, the free margins alone being petaloid. 
The proper pistil and stamens were included, but more or less degenerate in 
character, the former being open down one side with abortive ovules. This 
monstrosity is described by Dr. Masters (“ Teratology,” p. 302). 
Peas , disease and non-germination of. —The following communication was 
received from Mr. W. G. Smith :—“Everyone familiar with garden literature 
must have noticed reports of extensive failures of garden Peas owing to non- 
germination. The failure is often laid to the weather, and sometimes to the 
depredations of birds. The seed merchant, too, is often seriously blamed 
for selling old or dead seeds. All that the planters appear to observe is 
that apparently sound Peas are planted and very few or none come up. 
“ I have many times pointed out that parasitic and other fungi often grow 
inside the pods of Peas and upon the Peas themselves when within the pods. 
I am convinced that the same fungi commonly invade the Peas and destroy 
the embryo by gaining an entrance to the interior of the seed by the 
micropyle. The fungi commonly grow with greater luxuriance round the 
edge of the micropyle, and on making careful sections the fungoid 
growths may be easily traced to the radicle and plumule of the germ 
within the Pea.” Drawings accompanying the above showed the relative 
sizes of the large micropyle and the minute size of the spores and threads. 
Morelia sp. —Mr. Smith also sent drawings of two species. The one was 
from Blaydon, near Bristol, and was an enormous specimen of M. Smithiana. 
The other was a small example of M. gigas from West Deeping, near Market 
Deeping. He adds that the species has only once before bean found in 
Britain, and that it sometimes attains dimensions almost equal to M. 
Smithiana—viz., a foot or more high. 
Linaria ? —Mr. Yeitch sent a pot with curiously formed flowers with long 
spurs growing single on scapes about 4 inches long from the centre of 
tufts of small sphathulate leaves. They were from small bulbs found in 
the soil sent with Cephalotus follicularis. It was sent to Kew for 
examination. 
EUPHORBIA JACQUINLEFLORA AND POINSETTIA 
PULCHERRIMA. 
Those plants that bloom in winter are very much appreciated, as 
then good flowers are scarce, and the above two are amongst the most 
beautiful. I have classed them together, as they both require similar 
treatment. They are generally seen with rather tall stems, and they are 
then not so well adapted for decorative purposes. The best time I have 
found to insert the cuttings is the middle of July ; if the old plants are 
started about three weeks previous, they will have abundance of shoots 
suitable for cuttings, which should be taken off with a piece of the old 
wood attached. Insert the Poinsettias singly, and the Euphorbias three 
in a small 60-pot. Place them under a handlight in a close moist heat. 
When rooted place them in the house, and repot rather firmly into 48-sized 
pots, employing two parts fibry loam, one of leaf soil, and one of peat, 
with enough leaf soil and sand to keep the compost open. Place a little 
charcoal over the drainage, as I find they are rather partial to it. Keep 
them close till they are established, then harden them off and transfer 
them to a cold frame close to the glass ; remove the lights in the evening, 
as the plants delight in the night dews. Ventilate the frame freely in 
the day, and shade from bright sunshine. About the end of September 
or beginning of October place the plants in a warm, light, airy house, and 
when the Poinsettias commence showing their bracts give a little liquid 
manure.—A. Y. 
BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY’S SHOW, 
BRIGHTON.— June 8th to 12th. 
THE HORTICULTURAL TENT AND IMPLEMENTS. 
For many years the Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen has been Steward of the 
horticultural department at the .provincial exhibitions of the above Society, 
and the taste he has displayed in the arrangement of the contributions has 
alw iys rendered it one of the most attractive portions to the general visitors. 
At Preston Park this year a similarly pleasing effect wa3 produced, and was 
gre itly admired by large numbers of persons. The tent was oblong in form, 
of the usual size, and in the centre contained two elliptical stages with 
straight stages at each side, except where Messrs. Smith & Co.’s beautiful 
Clematises were placed. The stages were appropriately draped with a grey 
cloth, the neutral tint of which served only to show the bright hues of the 
flowers and the rich green foliage to better advantage. 
The first of the groups that attract attention upon entering the tent is 
that from Mr. W. Balchin, Brighton, which is both extensive and handsome, 
being composed of a due proportion of flowering and foliage plants most 
effectively disposed. Large Palma, Crotons, and Ferns formed the centre, 
in front being a huge healthy and most freely flowered Statice profusa; on 
each side are smaller groups of Lilium longifolium and Harrisi that are 
especially well grown at Mr. Balchin’s, Cliftonville Nursery. Acalyphas, 
which are another speciality, are similarly conspicuous; A. musaicus, A. 
marginata, and A. Macafeeanus being the chief favourites, and these are 
richly coloured. In the opinion of many the numerous plants of Lesche- 
naultia biloba major in this group constitutes one of its principal features, 
and certainly the brilliant blue of the abundant flowers is unequalled by 
any other plant in the tent. This is a charming greenhouse plant, and it 
is surprising that it should be so much neglected in gardens, for it is rarely 
seen. Pimeleas, Orchids, Adiantums, .with many other plants, all well 
grown, are also shown m this group. 
At the left-hand side when entering is seen a row of about a dozen 
specimen Clematises from Messrs. Smith & Co., Worcester, and which, 
although only of moderate size—namely. 4 feet in diameter—they are evenly 
trained in globular form, and so freely flowered that better examples could 
not be desired. The varieties were carefully selected, the most distinct 
being represented, including several of exceptional beauty, amongst which 
may be mentioned two handsome double forms—Enchantress (white) and 
Venus Victrix (delicate lavender tint). Both have full, large, and finely 
formed flowers. Other notable varieties are Grand Duchess (white, rose 
tinted), Sensation (rich mauve), Lady Caroline Nevill (blush white, with 
lilac bars), Fairy Queen (blush, with a pink bar, flowers large), William 
Kennett (lavender blue), Gloire de St. Julien (white, mauve tinted), and 
Anderson-Henryi (cream white). With the exception of the two doubles 
named first, which belong to the Florida group, these Clematises are all of 
the lanuginosa section, and are distinguished by the great size of their 
flowers. 
The magnificent group of Rhododendrons, which forms an imposing bank 
at the end of the tent, is contributed by Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley. 
The plants are vigorous, and bearing handsome compact heads of variously 
coloured flowers, some being exceedingly bright. The well-known John 
Waterer is very prominent amongst them ; but one of the brightest is John 
Walters, a rich rose red, the flowers of moderate size, but in very neat heads. 
A distinct and beautiful variety is Sigismund Rucker, of a rose-crimson 
colour, with a black blotch on the upper petals, and numbers of others 
could be similarly mentioned. A very careful selection of the best varieties 
has been made by Messrs. Cheal it Sons. Smaller groups of hardy Azaleas 
from the same firm brightened the corners of the tent. 
J. Warren, Esq., Handcross Park (Mr. Rann), brought a number of 
the large specimen plants that have gained him so many honours at exhibi¬ 
tions around London. Azaleas, Crotons, Palms, and miscellaneous stove 
and greenhouse plants, which we have frequently had occasion to notice, 
constituted a highly effective bank in the centre of the tent upon the second 
stage, corresponding to that occupied with Mr. Balchin’s plants. 
Messrs. John Laing & Co., Forest Hill, had on the earlier days of the 
Show a bright and pleasing group of Tuberous Begonias, representing some 
of the superb varieties raised by this firm in recent years. Particularly 
good were the following singles :—Her Majesty, white, pink edged ; Mar¬ 
chioness of Bute, white centre with a rose margin; Torey Laing, orange 
yellow ; and White Perfection, very pure and beautiful. All these have the 
broad rounded petals characteristic of the improved type that has rendered 
this firm so famed for Tuberous Begonias. Two distinct double varieties 
were Lady Halse, white and crimson, very free ; and Fireball, deep glowing 
red, exceedingly profuse. The brilliant scarlets and yellows of this collec¬ 
tion imparted a welcome brightness to the tent that was much appreciated. 
Outside but near the large tent is a most interesting exhibit from Messrs. 
J. Cheal & Sons that has received much attention from the horticultural 
visitors. This is a collection of cordon fruit trees, showing the oblique, 
diamond, and vertical mode of training, and proving how well adapted such 
trees are for small gardens. A contrivance was also shown for protecting 
such trees from spring frosts. The rows of trees are about 2 feet apart, and 
are trained to wires stretched between two posts. The upper parts are 
connected by bars of wood, over which can be rolled tiffany or other suit¬ 
able material, and this can be similarly allowed to fall over the sides. 
Protection is thus afforded from frosts or birds, as may be desired. 
Liberal prizes were offered for collections of fruit, Strawberries, and 
groups of Orchids, but the exhibits arrived late, and we have only received 
the following intimation as to the winners just as we were going to press. 
Collection of fruit—First, Mr. Waterman, gardener to H. A. Brassey, Esq., 
Preston Hall, Maidstone; second, Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, Sawbridge- 
worth; third, Mr. R. Miller, Shoreham. For two dishes of Strawberries— 
First, Mr. Vert, gardener to Lord Braybrook, Audley End, with James 
Veitch very fine ; second, Mr. Waterman. 
For Orchids the first prize was taken by Mr. Meachem, gardener to 
.T. Armstrong, Esq., Withdeane, Brighton; second, Mr. Martin, Blackstone, 
Hurstpierpoint, Sussex; and third, Mr. Townshend, gardener to Capt. 
Townshend, Dyke Road, Brighton. 
APPLIANCE3, IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
A number of the leading horticultural builders exhibit houses and 
samples of glazing, ventilating apparatus, and various appliances. Messrs. 
Foster & Pearson, Beeston, Notts, show several handsome useful houses 
constructed in their best style, and fitted with simple and effective modes 
of ventilating. Some examples of their silver medal frames, the merits of 
which are now so generally recognised. Messrs. Wright di Holmes, Moseley 
Road, Birmingham, have samples of houses, glaring, and ventilation, 
