508 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 18, 1885. 
pying nearly the whole of one side. Many of the specimen plants were 
extremely well grown, fresh, healthy, and profusely flowered, the weakest 
portions of the Show being the foliage plants, Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, 
and similar classes. Cockscombs were very poor, and at least two collections 
were quite unfit for exhibition. The vegetables were not numerous but 
good, and the stands of flowers were in several instances remarkably tasteful. 
In the general arrangement of the Exhibition and the conduct of the business 
connected with it, Mr. G. E. Cox, the Secretary, well merited the praise 
accorded him by the Committee and the visitors. 
Stove and Greenhouse Plants. —It was at one time feared that there 
would be a considerable diminution of the exhibits in the classes for these 
plants, but happily these alarms proved unfounded, and the display was 
equally as good if not better than usual. Particularly notable in the 
leading classes were the admirably grown specimens from Mr. Donald, 
gardener to J. G. Barclay, Esq., Knotts Green, which were so good at 
Waltham Abbey the previous week. They did not appear to have suffered 
in the least for their journey and were as fresh as could be desired. With 
eight plants Mr. Donald was easily first, showing Clerodendron Balfourianum 
5 feet high by 4 feet in diameter and profusely flowered; Ixora Fraseri 
3 feet by 4, extremely well flowered; Genetyllis tulipifera of globular form, 
4 feet by 4; Hedaroma fuchsioides, about the same size, both excellent in 
all respects, and as good specimens of the kind as are seen at shows ; 
Erica Cavendishiana, 6 feet high, was also in good form. Erica Kings- 
cottiana, Statice profusa, and Aphelexis purpurea, all of similar size 
to the Hedaroma already named and superbly flowered. The second place 
was gained by Mr. J. Young, gardener to 0. E. Coope, Esq., Brentwood, 
whose most notable plants were Alonsoa incisifolia 4 feet in diameter, 
Bougainvillea glabra, and Stephanotis floribunda. For six miscellaneous 
plants Mr. Donald again secured first honours, his specimens comprising 
Dracophyllum gracile, globular, 3 feet by 3 ; Diplacus glutinosus, 4 by 4, very 
handsome, and flowering exceedingly freely; Pimelea mirabilis, Croton 
majesticus, Erica Kingscottiana, and Boronia pinnata, all of similar size, 
fresh healthy little plants of a type by no means too common. Another 
class was provided for four stove and greenhouse plants, in which Mr. 
Monk, gardener to W. Fowler, Esq., Leytonstone, gained the leading prize 
with even and neat specimens of about the same size as Mr. Donald’s, those 
represented being Stephanotis floribunda, Bougainvillea glabra, Statice 
profusa flowering freely, and Azalea Souvenir de Prince Albert. Mr. 
Drummond, gardener to D. McLean, Esq., followed with two fairly good 
pyramidal Azaleas and a rather poor Anthurium Schertzerianum. Mr. 
Barton, gardener to H. W. Carter, Esq., Walthamstow, was third, his best 
plant being a large Hydrangea. There were several competitors with single 
specimens, but three of them were far ahead of the others. Mr. Donald was 
first with a very handsome Ixora Fraseri 5 feet high, nearly as much in 
diameter, and bearing a number of large trusses of its bright flowers. Next 
to this was placed a superb plant of Statice profusa from Mr. J. Young, 
which was nearly G feet in diameter, in most vigorous health, and grandly 
flowered. The third honours was taken by Mr. Monk, who staged a remark¬ 
ably fine Clerodendron Balfourianum, large, healthy, and flowering pro¬ 
fusely. With four Heaths, Mr. Donald was again the premier exhibitor, his 
superb specimen of Erica semula being in capital condition and loaded with 
flowers ; E. Cavendishiana was larger and almost as well flowered, E. tricolor 
Wilsoni and E. elegans being the other two varieties. 
Orchids. —An uncommonly good display of Orchids was provided for a 
local show, and there are many large provincial exhibitions where less ex¬ 
tensive and interesting collections are obtained, yet the prizes at Leyton 
were small, none exceeding £2, and for the group £1 was the leading prize. 
We have seen collections of much inferior merit gain prizes three or four 
times the amount. There were no huge specimens, but the plants were all 
healthy, and in most cases well flowered, and such are more creditable to 
the cultivator than those formed by massing a dozen together in one pot. 
A class was provided for eight Orchids, Mr. Gilks, gardener to A. Borwick, 
Esq., Higham Hill, Walthamstow, securing the chief honours with excellent 
examples of Cypripedium barbatum, twenty flowers ; Dendrobium thyrsi- 
florum, three spikes; Lycaste Skinneri, extremely good, a very pretty 
variety, with twenty-eight flowers and buds ; Masdevallia Lindeni, Odonto- 
glossum Halli, three long spikes; Cattleya Mendeli, Lselia purpurata, and 
Oncidium macranthum. Both these and other plants shown by Mr. Gilks 
are supplied with a fish manure, to which reference was made at the Orchid 
Conference recently, and it is only fair to state that they are remarkably 
strong, but, as with other manures, it requires to be used with care, as it is 
easy to injure a plant by too great a liberality. Mr. Ebbage, gardener to 
W. Houghton. Esq., Walthamstow, was a close second, his most notable 
plants being Maxillaria tenuifolia, with scores of flowers ; Lycaste Deppei, 
eighteen flowers; Cypripedium villosum, twenty-four flowers; C. Parishi, 
six flowers ; and Oncidium macranthum, sixteen flowers. Mr. Merritt, gar¬ 
dener to R. B. Ashby, Esq., Walthamstow, took the third place, showing 
Cattleya Mossise with fourteen flowers ; Cypripedium barbatum, twenty- 
four flowers ; Dendrobium Pierardi major, Odontoglossum cirrhosum, and 
Brassia verrucosa. An extra prize was awarded to Mr. Drummond, who 
had two plants of Brassia verrucosa with six to eight spikes each, and 
several healthy Cattleyas. Mr. W. Jones, gardener to E. Tidswell, Esq., 
Chigwell, won first honours with four Orchids, having Laslia purpurata with 
seventeen flowers, a good variety ; Cattleya Mossiae with thirty-six flowers ; 
Phaltenopsis grandiflora, and a Cattleya named Horacii. Mr. Foster, gar¬ 
dener to R. Johnson, Esq. ; Walthamstow, followed, staging several good 
plants, the best being Cypripedium barbatum superbum with fifteen flowers, 
Mr. Donald was third with Dendrobium Bensonise, admirably flowered, and 
Mr. Monk was adjudged an extra prize, Brassia verrucosa and Dendrobium 
Dalhousianum being especially good. The plants entered in the class for 
three Orchids were small, but all were flowering, and they were quite satis¬ 
factory as regards health. Mr. Short, Walthamstow, led with Lselia 
purpurata, Cattleya Mendeli, and Masdevallia Harryana. Mr. G. E. Cox 
was a close second with Sophronitis grandiflora, Odontoglossum Alexandras, 
and Cattleya Skinneri; Mr. Pether3, Walthamstow, following with Cypri¬ 
pedium Lawrenciarsum, Odontoglossum Pescatorei, and 0. Alexandrae. 
The best group of Orchids was contributed by Mr. Ebbage, who had a 
large number of healthy plants tastefully arranged with Ferns. Odonto- 
glossums, Masdevallias, Cypripediums and Cattieyas predominated, other 
notable plants being Maxillaria venusta, white ; M. nigrescens, brown ; Cypri¬ 
pedium Dominianum,D.ciliolare,Burlingtonia Candida,Oncidium divaricatum, 
and Cryptochilus sanguineus, a rare and curious little Orchid with red flowers, 
the sepals forming a close tube terminating in three points enclosing and 
concealing the petals, lip, and column. Mr. Gilks was adjudged the second 
prize for a similarly good group, containing larger plants, but not quite so 
many rarities. There was, however, a good specimen of the curious 
British Orchid, Aceras anthropophora, with six spikes of greenish flowers ; 
Odontoglossum angustatum with narrow sepals and petals, yellow barred 
with brown. The best single specimen was Mr. Monk’s Vanda suavis, which 
had three spikes of eleven flowers each, and was clothed with good foliage 
to the pot. Mr. Gilks was second with Cymbidium Lowianum bearing two 
strong spikes, one 5^ feet long and having thirty-one flowers. Mr. Ebbage 
was third with Cypripedium Lawrencianum in good condition. 
Foliage Plants. —These were not quite so numerous as at some previou- 
shows, but there were sufficient to avoid an undue preponderance of flowers 
ing plants. For six specimens Mr. Donald secured the chief award, of 
which the best plants were Croton variegatus, Dasylirion acrotrichum, and 
Dtemonorops palembanicus. The second place was taken by Mr. Young, 
who had an uncommonly handsome example of Croton angustifolius 6 feet 
high and beautifully coloured. Mr. Monk was third, showing Alocasia 
metallica and Kentia Belmoreana healthy and fresh. Mr. Young w r as first 
with one specimen, Croton Weismanni over G feet high, handsome in shape, 
and finely coloured. Mr. Donald was second with an immense Croton 
angustifolius 7 feet high and nearly as much in diameter, a grand healthy 
specimen, but rather deficient in colour. 
The Ferns were as usual very satisfactory, and the British or hardy Ferns 
were especially so. Mr. Donald, who scored so many successes throughout 
the Show, was again the premier exhibitor of six exotic Ferns, contributing 
Dicksonia antarctica, Cyathea princeps, Adiantum cardiochlsena, Gleichenia 
Mendeli, Cyathea spectabilis, and Adiantum gracillimum of moderate sire, 
but very fresh. Mr. Barton was second, his best plants being Adiantum 
Sanctas Catherine and Davallia Mooreana. Mr. Drum mond followed 
showing Adiantum farleyense and Asplenium bulbiferum in capital con¬ 
dition. Mr. W. Jones had the best four Ferns, Adiantum cuneatum, 
A. Sanctffi Catherine, A. formosum, and Gymnogramma chrysophylla, 3 to 
4 feet each in diameter, and extremely vigorous. Mr. Gilks leading with 
half-dozen British Ferns, were exceedingly good, and well deserved their 
position. The vaieties represented were Athyrium Filix-foemina plumosum, 
A. F.-f. Victorias, Lastrea Filix-mas thelypteris, L. F.-f. cristata, L. F.-f. 
crispa, and Polystichum angulare proliferum Holeanum. 
Fuchsias, Calceolarias, Pleargoniums, and other plants added more or 
less to the attractions of the Show, but of these the Fuchsias were decidedly 
the best; Messrs. Winter, Young, Barton, and Monk having well-flowered 
plants. 
Cut flowers were numerously shown, most of the prizes being won by 
exhibitors already named, but three extremely graceful stands of flowers 
from Mrs. Young deserve special mention, as they were most tastefully 
arranged. The flowers employed for the upper part of the vases were Corn¬ 
flowers, Rhodanthes, Gloriosas, Oncidiums, Brizas, white Pinks, and 
Fuchsias, the last named forming with Isolepis a charming fringe round the 
edge of the uppermost trumpet of the stand. At the base were Paeonies, 
Lilies, Gladiolus Colvilli albus, Fuchsias, and Ferns. The Gloriosas had a 
particularly good appearance, and altogether the arrangement and material 
employed were as satisfactory as any we have seen, partaking of the 
lightness and grace distinguishing Miss Cypher’s stands of a similar 
description. 
Vegetables were not so numerous, but clean and good, Mr. Donald’s 
first-prize collection of eight sorts being the best and most neatly put up 
we have seen this season. 
METHODS OF POTTING. 
Although the putting a plant in a pot appears at first sight a very 
simple process, and, indeed, is so with regard to plants of no very particular 
value, yet to many plants or families of plants it is doubtless of the first 
importance. Of what use would it be providing the best of garden struc¬ 
tures, securing a sweet and wholesome atmosphere, &c., if our most delicate 
and choice plants were badly potted and their soils in cons^qi ence become 
sour and stagnant ? And, to ask further, what was it in former days that 
caused garden pots in greenhouses to be so liable to a coating of green 
scum, and the plants so particularly liable to the depredation of insects ? 
Bad soils and bad pottings, doubtless, as predisposing causes. 
One of the first improvements that took place in modern potting pro¬ 
cesses was the use of coarse and turfy materials instead of the finely riddled 
composts of former days. About the period of this advance people began 
to turn their attention to the make of garden pots also, and it was speedily 
discovered that the pots which had been so long in use were anything but 
faultless. Thorough drainage as a principle in potting was speedily a 
growing question, and received the utmost consideration from practical 
men in all quarters who were well up in their profession. 
These great improvements doubtless received an extra impetus through 
the introduction of so many choice plants, many of which, especially some 
of the finer-rooted, commonly called New Holland plants, showed evident 
signs that theywould not thrive under the old system. The commencement 
of the exhibition era also much facilitated progress of the kind, and now it 
may be saiditliat British gardeners can grow, in the very highest perfection 
of which it is capable, almost every plant placed in their hands, from what¬ 
ever clime or under whatever conditions in its own locality. 
The first thing I would direct attention to is two modes of potting quite 
distinct. I do not say that there are but two ways, but, for the sake of 
simplicity in the affair, we may at once reduce them to two modes : all 
others are in the main modifications of them. One may be characterised as 
loose potting, the other as firm or close potting. The loose mode is applic¬ 
able in the main to annuals and softwooded plants, and, I may add, to 
most plants of what may be called ephemeral character. The latter class 
are required to make their growth as speedily as possible, in conformity 
with their habits and the services they are qualified to render ; the former 
class requires durability in the texture of the soil rather than rapid excite¬ 
ment. 
