284 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 10, 1884. 
forty noble trusses of its magnificent blooms in whorls of from five to 
seven. Each of its large bell-shaped flowers would hold half a pint of 
water. We believe there is some difficulty in flowering this variety, but 
it is known to have flowered at Daylesford abundantly every spring. 
It makes a grand conservatory plant, and ought to be in every 
collection.” 
- The Orchard Houses in Mr. Rivers’ nursery at Sawbridge- 
worth are now extremely beautiful, fruit trees of all kinds, that are so 
successfully grown, being densely covered with blossom ; fine crops of 
fruit will follow in due time, failures being practically unknown at 
Sawbridge worth. 
- Two fine specimens of the beautiful Rhododendron Auck- 
LAndi are now flowering in Mr. Major’s collection at Cromwell House x 
Croydon. Several trusses are expanded, each consisting of six large 
fragrant campanulate flowers, one before us beiDg 5 inches in diameter 
and exceedingly handsome. 
- Amongst the numerous handbooks announced by the Committee 
of the International Health Exhibition Committee is one entitled the 
“Fruits of all Countries,” by Mr. W. T. Thiselton Dyer, M.A., 
which is likely to possess considerable interest. 
- Ciiionodoxa NANA and C. SARDENSIS, though pretty, will not 
bear comparison with the true “ Snow Glory,” C. Lucilire, for the flowers 
are much smaller and less showy. C. sardensis appears to differ very 
slightly from the better known species, except in the flowers being 
smaller and the blue colour running through the petals to th 9 centre 
of the flower. C. nana is similar, but it is probable that under good 
cultivation both will improve. 
- Gardening Appointments.— Mr. William Cooper, late fore¬ 
man at Sandbeck Park, Rotherham, has been appointed gardener to the 
Earl of Meath, Kilruddery, Bray; Mr. Edwin Beckett, late gardener to 
J. P. Currie, Esq., Sandown House, Esher, Surrey, has been appointed 
gardener to H. Hucks Gibbs, Esq., Aldenham Park, Elstree, Herts. 
- — The Ealing, Acton, and Hanwell Horticultural Society’s 
twentieth Annual Show will be held in the grounds of the Manor 
House, Ealing, on Wednesday, July 9th, and the seventh Autumn 
Show at the Drill Hall, Ealing Dean, on November 5th. At both 
Exhibitions, in addition to the numerous prizes offered by the Society, 
many valuable special prizes are contributed by friends of the Society 
in the neighbourhood. 
- All admire the charming Primula rosea, but some cultivators 
have experienced a difficulty in growing it successfully, and this is gene¬ 
rally due to keeping it too dry. Upon the rockwork it will grow and 
flower, but how great a difference there is between plants in such 
positions and those in a semi-marsh, but where there is no offensive 
stagnation. This indeed is the main secret of its culture—keeping the 
roots cool and moist; the growth is then much more vigorous, the foliage 
of a fresh healthy green colour, the flowers are larger, and the rosy hue 
richer. 
- “E. R.” writes “ Permit me to give a word of praise to the 
beautiful Hyacinth L’Obelisque, which of a large collection has 
pleased me more than all. The colour of the well-formed bells is a 
delicate creamy yellow, very pure; the fragrance is quite distinct and 
most agreeable ; the spike massive and well-proportioned. One very 
fine bulb has now four spikes expanded, one of great size, and the others 
but slightly smaller, and the plant has been the admiration of all my 
friends. Can any of your readers tell me anything as to the origin of 
the variety ? ” 
-— Before us are a number of Fancy Primroses grown by Mr. 
Cannell at Swanley, which for size, substance, and diversity of colour 
we have not seen excelled. All the colours usually seen in self flowers 
appear to be represented, while many of the blooms are beautifully 
mottled, flaked, and marbled with white on a crimson ground. We 
also find the quaint Galligaskins amongst them, and a laced Polyanthus 
remarkably bright and with clearly defined margins. Such Primroses 
as these referred to could not fail to be appreciated in gardens in which 
these favourite flowers are cherished. 
- At the Daffodil Conference last week two of the most distinct 
and beautiful varieties were Narcissus incomparabilis albus Mil- 
Ktsiii, and yoLU'rus J. G. Baker, The first is a particularly handsome 
flower, well-proportioned, the petals broad, rounded, and pale creamy 
white in colour; the crown is much expanded, of a rich orange shade, 
but lighter at the base. The other is one of the Pseudo-Narcissus type, 
of a clear delicate lemon tint, the crown large, even, with the margin 
slightly reflexed, the petals being of equal length and the same colour. 
Another very effective variety that is worth growing extensively is 
N. incomparabilis pallidus aurantiacus, which has neatly formed flowers, 
the petals pure white, the crown of moderate size, but of a particularly 
bright orange colour, which contrasts very markedly with the other 
portion of the flower. For cutting and decorative purposes generally 
it would be most useful. Amongst the varieties of N. poeticus none 
excels the beautifully formed ornatus, the flowers being most symmetrical. 
- “The Science Monthly” for April contains a very interesting 
article upon “ The Odour of Plants,” in which the subject is exhaustively 
treated, special reference being made to the nature of the odours and 
their services to the plants. 
- We have received from Mr. B. S. Williams, Holloway, a box 
of Laced Polyanthuses, the produce, we presume, of flowers raised 
from seed. As such they are excellent, and although some of them may 
be faulty, as judged by the exacting rules of the florist, they are as 
good as can be desired for garden decoration, and for one Polyanthus 
specialist there are five hundred growers and admirers of these flowers 
which render beds and borders bright and cheerful at this period of the 
year. 
- At the ordinary meeting of the Royal Meteorological 
Society, to be held at 25, Great George Street, Westminster, on 
Wednesday, the lGth instant, at 7 p.m., the following papers will be 
read :—“ On the Origin and Course of the Squall which capsized 
H.M.S. EurxycLice , March 21th, 1S78 ; ” by the Hon. Ralph Abercromby, 
F.R.Met.Soc. “ Waterspouts and their Formation ; ” by Capt. J. W. C. 
Martyr. “ The Weather Forecasts for October, November, and December, 
1883;” by Cuthbert E. Peek, M.A., F.R.Met.Soc. “On certain Effects 
which may have been produced in the Atmosphere by Floating Particles 
of Volcanic Matter from the Eruptions of Krakatoa and Mount St. 
Augustin by William F. Stanley, F.R.Met.Soc., F.G.S, 
- The Shropshire Horticultural Society still holds a 
foremost rank amongst provincial organisations. By the balance 
sheet of last year we find that the income of the Society for 1883 
was £2200, and the expenditure £1000, leaving a profit on the year 
of £600. The Society has spent over £1000 in town improvements, 
such as new gates, handsome band stand, &c., and still has a reserve 
fund of nearly £2000. This is the work of only nine years. As an 
instance of the popularity of this Show, we note that in addition to 
cheap tickets sold previous to the day amounting to £396, no less a 
sum than £1055 was taken at the turnstiles on the second day alone. 
Nearly 45,000 persons were present both days. The Show this year will 
be held on August 20th and 21st. 
- A correspondent sends the following cutting :—“ In certain 
portions of the south-west United States is a shrub which grows 
abundantly, and particularly on the borders of the Colorado Desert, 
where it is so luxuriant that it acts as a barrier to the drifting sand. 
This is the Creosote Plant (Larrea mexicana), and is a sure sign 
of a barren soil, for it flourishes where nothing else will, and although 
it gives the scenery a beautiful verdant appearance it has such a strong 
repulsive odour of creosote that no animal will touch it. Even for fuel 
it is almost useless, as it can scarcely be made to burn. The odour is 
due to a resinous matter, of the value of which the Pimos Indians have 
long been aware, as they collect and form it into balls, which they kick 
before them as they journey from one point to the other of the trail. 
This exudation has been shown by Mr. Stillman of California to be 
identical with the gum-lac of India, and he believes that the lac is 
secreted by the insect found in it, and that it is not, as usually supposed, 
the result of an exudation of the plant caused by the punctures of the 
insect. The Entomologist of the Bureau of Agriculture does not 
consider that the insect itself is the same as the Carteria lacca, the 
incrustations of lac on the creosote plant not being so thick as that 
produced by C. lacca; but as it presents a similar system of large and 
complicated excreting organs he has named it C. larrm,” 
-The schedule of the National Chrysanthemum Society 
for 1884 is now issued, and in addition to full particulars as to the 
classes and prizes at the thirty-eighth Exhibition, to be held in the 
