408 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 22, 1884. 
But has he sufficient data for the assertion that an insufficient supply 
of water is the chief reason why Vines do not do well on back walls of 
vineries ? I know some Vines treated liberally to water, and yet they 
fail to give a good crop. Might we not look for a more weighty reason 
in the fact that light is at least partially excluded by the front Vines ? 
May I also ask your correspondent how he succeeded in getting Vines to 
bear, age, and to finish such a crop of Grapes so that from the roof to the 
floor the bunches were overlapping each other ? My credulity is not 
sufficiently great to allow me to accept that statement without some 
proof. I should very much like to see those Vines, and should I ever 
visit Grange-over-Sands I shall make it a point, if Mr. Waiting does not 
object, to visit him.— Justitia. 
COBCJRGIA 1NCARNATA. 
This member of the Amaryllis family I have recently grown, and 
found it to be a very handsome free-flowering plant. In general appear¬ 
ance it is much like the Imantopbyllums, especially as regards the 
foliage, and if grown as a companion plant to that it cannot fail to 
prove acceptable, the spikes with their umbels of rich flesh-coloured 
flowers showing, as they do, to much advantage in a collection of plants. 
A point, too, in favour of them is their duration, each umbel of blooms 
keeping fresh and beautiful quite a month. We have thus had 
Coburgias in bloom since November, and our two last plants are now 
in full beauty. I have seen them described as half-hardy plants, and 
doubtless they are much more hardy than the Imantophyllums, but 
grown under similar conditions to the latter I have found them thrive 
well. A strong rich loam, with abundance of water during the growing 
period, and firm potting, are requisite. I find that by occasionally 
turning the plants round after the flower-spikes have attained their 
full height the beauty of the bloom is enhanced, as it causes them to 
fall gracefully and regularly round the top of the spike, otherwise the 
blooms are apt to all lean to one side. These plants are readily pro¬ 
pagated by offsets, and grown as above will bloom the second season.— 
w. w. c. 
NOTES FROM A SCOTTISH GARDEN. 
The Bermuda Lily. —We have had some plants of this 
fine early-flowering Lily, the blossoms of which have lately 
unfolded their glistening petals. It is not well, perhaps, to 
estimate beauty by inches, but it is the only way by which some 
idea can be presented to the mind of those unacquainted with a 
flower like this, to give a statement of its size. The flowers are 
snowy white, with petals recurving and reflexed to the tubes, and 
measuring from tip to tip 7 inches across, the length of the tube 
being G inches. The perfume is rich and powerful. If such a 
plant does not become popular when once known, it must be 
because of some difficulty in its cultivation which has not as yet 
become apparent. I intend seeding the plants if possible and 
raising a stock of seedlings —a slow process, doubtless, but worth 
waiting for. The plants are amenable to forcing. 
Stage Auriculas. —How handsome these are just now! I 
have a sufficient number of flowering plants to make quite a show 
in the greenhouse ; and though they are not brilliant like Pelar¬ 
goniums or Azaleas, but only sober little folks, with a good deal of 
■“grey” in their composition, still they have an attractiveness 
about their puritanism, with such a pronounced perfume of 
Primrose banks floating over where they stand, that we cannot but 
love them. Gardeners seem to look at them askance and say, 
“ Good enough for people who have nothing else to do but to 
potter about; such things are of no use in a big garden.” 
Auriculas are quite as easy to manage as are Chrysanthemums, 
and there is less labour attached to their culti ation. If people 
place them in a hothouse from one end of the year to another, or 
consider they are doing their best for the plants if they repot 
them once in three years, perhaps relegating them to a corner 
of a cold frame, and there neglect the catering, it is not sur¬ 
prising if they fail. 
I append the names of afewgcod sorts, mostly strong growers 
and showy. Self-edged varieties are most admired by beginners, 
but with experience the other sections become the more attractive. 
Of seifs the best are C. J. Perry, Lord of Lome, Formosa, 
Eliza, Othello, Topsy. Pizarro, Mrs. Sturrock, and Blackbird. Of 
those with grey edges—Beauty, Robert Trail, George Lightbody 
(Headly), Atlas, Dr. Horner, Lancashire Hero, Alexander 
Meiklejohn, Richard Headly, and Confidence. Of white-edged 
sorts—Smiling Beauty, Acme, Smith’s Ne Plus Ultra, Glory, 
Mrs. Campbell. Sophia Dumaresque; and of sorts with green 
edges —Colonel Taylor, Imperator, Lovely Ann, Anna, Lycurgus, 
and Admiral Napier. 
Reine Marie Henriette Rose. —This almost crimson 
Rose may now be looked upon as taking a high standard position. 
Marcchal Niel, Niphetos, then our subject, after that Gloire de 
Dijon and Cheshunt Hybrid when well established is the order 
in which I would place these. It is a free and strong grower, 
flowers to a bud, and produces beautifully green and well- 
developed foliage. To those who have not as yet introduced 
this desirable kind into their gardens, no better advice could be 
offered than to procure it and plant at once.—X. 
READING SHOW, 
May 15th. 
When the large tent in the Abbey Ruins at Reading is well filled there 
are few provincial shows which surpass this in beauty and effect. The 
terraced banks on each side permit of a very striking disposition of the 
exhibits, and under Mr. Phippen’s able superintendence these are always 
displayed in the best possible manner. Unfortunately at the last autumn 
exhibition the competitors were not so numerous as might have been desired, 
and the show in consequence had a most unusual thin appearance. At the 
Exhibition held on Thursday last, however, ample compensation was made 
for past defects both in the number and quality of the exhibits. There was 
a due proportion of flowering and fine-foliage plants, though the groups 
arranged for effect were less numerous than usual, and rather less tasteful 
also ; the competition in most of the leading classes was fairly good. The 
one great feature of the Show was the magnificent group of plants not for 
competition, contributed by Mr. Lees, which, being arranged upon the large 
semicircular mound at the end of the tent, had a most imposing effect, and 
attracted the admiration of all visitors. 
Stove and Greenhouse Plants .—The principal class was that for twelve 
specimens, in which two well-known exhibitors entered—namely, _Mr. James 
of Lower Norwood and Mr. Tudgey of Waltham Cross, but the first-named 
secured the premier award with comparative ease, for Mr. Tudgey’s plants 
were not up to his usual high standard. On the other hand Mr. James’s 
specimens were all good, healthy, and fresh, some being exceedingly meri¬ 
torious. Erica Cavendishiana, for instance, 6 feet high and as much in 
diameter, well flowered, and thoroughly healthy, was a strong point in the 
collection. Anthurium Andreanum, too, was represented by what is pro¬ 
bably the finest plant in the country, in splendid health and bearing fourteen 
of its large brilliantly coloured spathes. Erica Lindleyana, 6 feet high and 
3 feet in diameter, very even, and profusely flowered, was also extremely 
attractive. Mr. Tudgey’s best specimen was a gigantic Erica Cavendishiana, 
G feet high by 7 feet in diameter; Clerodendron Balfourianum and Erica 
ventricosa were good, but several other plants w’ere weak. The best six 
specimens were from Mr. Mould, Pewsey, which were very neat and fresh, 
though not so large as the preceding. Erica Cavendishiana, 3 feet high ; 
Bougainvillea glabra, slightly larger; PimeleaNieppergiana, a very beautiful 
globular specimen 3 feet in diameter and profusely flowered ; Clerodendron 
Balfourianum, Pimelea Hendersoni, and Azalea Sir Charles Napier were also 
well flowered. Mr. Mortimer, gardener to Major Storer, Purley Park, fol¬ 
lowed very closely, his plants including a handsome example of Tabernse- 
montana coronaria 5 feet across, but though in the best possible condition 
as regards health, the flowers were not quite expanded, and a v r etk later the 
plant would have been much more effective. Bougainvillea glabra, Rhyn- 
chospermum jasminoides, and Medinilla magnifica 6 feet high, were the best 
of the other plants. Two collections of four specimens were staged. Mr 
Baskett, gardener to W. J. Palmer, Esq., Reading, won chief honours with 
neat examples of Anthurium Andreanum, Vinca alba, a Clerodendron, and 
Bougainvillea. Mr. Armitage, gardener to W. Clarke, Esq., Reading, took 
the second place, showing Begonia Snowflake, Chrysanthemum frutescens, 
and Chorozema Chandleri, very neat and fresh. For a single specimen Mr. 
Mould was first with Boronia pinnata, globular, 4 feet in diameter, well 
flowered, and extremely healthy. Mr. James followed very closely with 
Erica depressa 4 feet high, fresh and well flowered. 
Ferns .—Several particularly fine collections of these were shown, and rarely 
have Ferns been better represented at Reading than on this occasion. Mr. 
Mortimer’s premier exhibit of fifteen specimens was especially praiseworthy, 
the plants being all distinguished by a remarkable vigour that indicated the 
most careful culture. Adianturns were particularly fine, A. graciilimum, 
A. cuneatum, A. concinnum latum, and A. formosum being the largest and 
best. Gymnogramma peruviana argyrophylla was grandly shown ; other 
noteworthy plants being Selagiuella Galeottii, Platycerium alcicorne, and 
Lycopodium squarrosum. Mr. Mayne, gardener to Miss Moon, Reading, 
followed with much smaller plants, mostly in baskets, but very pretty. By 
far the largest plants were those staged in the class for six Ferns, in which 
Mr. Mortimer was again the most successful exhibitor, securing the chief 
position with exceedingly handsome specimens, including Davall’.a Mooreana 
6 feet across, Alsophila australis 7 feet high, Adiantum cultratum as much in 
diameter, Dicksonia antarctica nearly 8 feet high, Adiantum cardiochlmna 
7 feet across, and Davallia bullata 5 feet in diameter, extremely fresh and 
beautiful. This collection was one of the most meritorious in the whole Ex¬ 
hibition, considering the excellent condition of the plants, every one of which 
was fresh healthy. Mr. Mould took the second place, also with well-grown 
plants, his Gleichenias Mendelli and rupestris being in most praiseworthy 
condition. Mr. James secured the third position, and hi3 Ferns, like.tliose in 
the two preceding collections, deserved high commendation for their fresh¬ 
ness. These three exhibits contributed greatly to the beauty of the Show. 
In a smaller class Mr. Armitage was the chief prizetaker. 
Fine-foliage Plants .—Though less numerous than the Ferns, these held 
almost as imposing a position in the tent, owing to the great size of the 
plants entered. Mr. Mortimer, who was very successful in all the principal 
classes, was again first with six fine-foliage plants, staging admirable speci¬ 
mens of Pandanus Veitchi, Croton majesticus, and C. Weismanni beautifully 
coloured, Alocasia Thibautiana and A. metallica very handsome, and Yucca 
aloifolia variegata. Mr. Tudgey’s plants, which were placed second, were 
considerably larger, especially his well-known Pritchardia pacifica, which is 
upwards of 12 feet high. Two Cycads were also of great size, but they were 
not so fresh and even as in the winning group. Mr. James was third, his 
most notable plants being a veiy large Pandanus Veitchi and Theophrasta 
imperialis. 
Orchids .—Only two classes are provided for these—namely, one for three 
plants, and the other for a single specimen, but in both some excellent 
examples were staged. Mr. James won the first place with an admirably 
grown plant of Odontoglossum vexillarium bearing about forty flow-ers, 
LDelia purpurata with sixteen large and richly coloured flowers, and Dendro- 
