444 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 5, 1884. 
and well merited the vote of thanks that was accorded for them, as they 
were extremely beautiful and much admired. 
- Tiie first Show of the Bedfordshire Horticultural Society 
is announced to be held at Bedford on July 16th. As we have not 
received a schedule we are uDable to refer to the prizes, but we are 
informed that “ those for the Roses are open to all England.” 
- We are informed that the Vines at Longleat, which became 
celebrated under the superintendence of Mr. William Taylor, are not 
likely to degenerate under the charge of his successor, Mr. Pratt, but, on 
the contrary, the crop this year is of unusual promise, the Vines being 
laden with splendid bunches, quite equal if not superior to the fine 
examples of previous years. 
- Mr. Stephen Castle writes to us as follows on Single 
Dahlia Scarlet Gem —“Among my small collection I had a few of 
the above, and though only in 60-size pots the plants showed flower 
buds, so I planted two in a cool vinery. A gem it is, and 1 believe 
for culture in pots is likely to be very useful. I cannot speak too 
highly of this variety for its early flowering and splendid colour, and 
should imagine there would be no difficulty in having a blaze of bloom 
in May.” 
- The same correspondent also observes :—“ I regret to say that 
from six dozen pyramid Pears which were a weahh of bloom we shall 
not have a Pear, the frost coming just when the trees were in their 
beauty. We had 10° of frost one morning, which completely crippled 
them. Apples also on the north-west sides of trees are bare of fruit; 
Cherries also are very thin ; Gooseberries very plentiful.” 
- Dr. Paterson, Bridge of Allan, N.B., sends us flowers of an 
extremely fine Cypripedium caudatum, with petals 2 feet 3 inches 
long, one of the best we have seen. A wonderful branching spike of 
Aerides Fieldingi was also sent, bearing a large number of highly 
coloured flowers. The main branch was 1 foot 9 inches long, another 
1 foot, and a third 9 inches. 
- The Late Mr. James Davenport.—W e regret to announce 
the death, on the 28th ult., of Mr. James Davenport of Droylsden, one 
of the oldest of the Lancashire artisan botanists. In another month he 
would have attained his eighty-fifth birthday. For about forty years he 
had been connected with the Manchester Botanists’ Association, of which 
he was the oldest member. A correspondent who was a pupil and friend 
of Mr. Davenport informs us that “ he worked for upwards of three- 
quarters of a century, spent it in the cause of horticulture, having been 
apprenticed at a very early age with a firm of nurserymen at Liverpool. 
In his younger days he was most enthusiastic as a Pine and Cucumber 
grower. Thus has passed away at an honourable age one of the best 
gardeners of his day, a thorough botanist, and one of the chief originators 
of the popularity of Fern-growing in this country, he being known in 
the Manchester district as the ‘ father of Fern-growers.’—J. W. M.” 
- We have received the schedule of prizes of the Louth Flower 
Show, which is to be held in the grounds of Joseph Bennett, Esq., Louth, 
Lincolnshire, on July 17th and 18th ; and observe that in the open 
classes for Roses that three prizes—namely, £10 10s, £3 3s., and £2 2s., 
are offered for forty-eight varieties, but subject to the conditions that 
“ unless there are five competitors no second or third prize will be given, 
and unless there are seven competitors no third prize will be given.” 
The schedule contains 168 classes. Poultry and bee shows will be held 
in connection with the Exhibition. 
- Fruit Prospects in Co. Meath.— “J. P.” writes :— “Although 
the winter has been exceptionally warm we have a very late spring, 
consequently the fruit should have a good chance. Apple trees are just 
blooming ; the flower is very healthy, strong, and plentiful. Pears are 
not quite so good, but a fair sprinkling has set on most kinds. Plums 
are plentiful. Bush fruits are abundant, especially Gooseberries. Straw¬ 
berries are now white with flower. Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots 
are out of the question here ; however, we have good crops inside. With 
a continuation of fine weather I trust we shall have a good supply.” 
- Messrs. Ant. Roozen & Son, Overveen, Haarlem, send us 
some extremely handsome blooms of double Anemone coronaria, 
representing numerous distinct and prettily coloured varieties. A few 
of the best are the following :—Beauty, white, with mauve streaks ; 
Mary Stuart, scarlet and white, purple centre ; Reine des Beautds, white, 
with red streaks; Dame d’Honneur, white, with red streaks, very 
pretty ; Jeannette, bright scarlet, very rich ; President Grant, scarlet, 
white centre ; Lord High Admiral, scarlet, white centre ; La Delicatess*’, 
white or yellowish, with a few streaks; Le Yesuve, rich scarlet, very 
bright, lighter centre ; Prince Oscar, blue-mauve, darker centre ; Duchesse 
de Lorraine, rosy crimson, centre white ; Duke of Buccleugh, bright red, 
white centre ; Columbine, white, streaked with pink ; La Fiddle, white, 
with blue streaks ; L’Incomparable Rubens, deep crimson, white centre ; 
Rosette, white, with pink centre ; and Goethe, white and rose. All were 
very pretty, and the contrast of colours most pleasing. 
- The finest Brompton Stocks that we have seen for many 
years were exhibited by Messrs. Veitch & Sons at South Kensingtou 
last week. They were arranged in a group of cut flowers in which 
bunches of Aquilegias, Pyrethrums, &c., were prominent, and in 
recognition of their merit and the effectiveness of the arrangement a 
silver Banksian medal was awarded. Though all the flowers were 
superior, the Stocks were especially commanding by the massiveness of 
the spikes and the large double crimson-scarlet flowers. Brompton 
Stocks appear to have been too much neglected of late, and it is 
gratifying to see that the old strain, plants of which were the pride of 
so many gardens thirty years ago, is not extinct. This variety has no 
superior, if an equal, in the family to which it belongs. It is one of 
the finest ornaments for gardens during the early summer months, and 
well-grown plants in pots are also splendid for conservatory decoration 
earlier in the season. 
- The Postmaster-General has issued instructions for packing 
articles for transmission by parcel post. The following refers to Pack¬ 
ing Fruit —“ It is indispensable that fruit, especially as the sea c on 
advances, should be packed securely in tin boxes with tightly fitting lid, 
and in such a manner that the juice may not exude. Much damage is 
done to the contents of mails from neglect of this precaution, and much 
disappointment to both the senders and recipients of fruit parcels is 
occasioned with a little care and forethought would prevent.” He 
further reminds the public on packing generally that the main object of 
careful packing is to prevent the article packed moving to and fro in its 
box or other receptacle during transit. 
- From a series of remarkable articles by Professor Leone Levi in 
the “ Leisure Hour,” on the income and expenditure of the British people 
on the Consumption of Potatoes. “ Next to bread, the Potato is 
most largely used as farinaceous food, especially in Ireland. The home 
growth of Potatoes was estimated by Sir James Caird at 111,000,000 cwt. 
According to the agricultural statistics for 1880, the number of acres 
under cultivation in the United Kingdom was 1,380,578. Estimating the 
produce at 3 tons per acre, the total produce would be 82,835,000 cwt., 
and at 6s. per cwt., the cost would be £21,850,000. Add 9.750,000 cwt. 
imported, at an average price of 5-84.?. per cwt., value £2,847,000, we 
have a total quantity of 10,000,000,000 lbs. of the value of £27,697,000, 
and with 20 per cenL for distribution, £33,238,000.” 
- Gardening Appointment. —We are informed that Mr. Divers, 
the experienced foreman at Burghley Gardens, Stamford, has been 
appointed gardener and estate superintendent to J. J. Hopewood, Esq, 
Ketton Hall, Rutlandshire, * whose garden is reputed to contain the 
finest Peach houses and the best collection of Peaches in England. 
- A Fasciated Hyacinth —A Challenge. —A sheet of printed 
correspondence has been sent us on the subject of exhibiting Hyacinths 
with double spikes, and which has resulted in Messrs. Wm. Cutbush 
and Son of Higbgate issuing a challenge to Messrs. Dickson, Brown, 
and Tait of Manchester to show twenty-four varieties of Hyacinths, 
single spikes, at Manchester any time between the 15th and 25th of 
March, 1885, the loser to pay in the name of the winner the sum of £10 10s. 
to the funds of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. It appears 
that Messrs.’ Cutbush staged Hyacinths with twin spikes, “ not for 
competition,” at Manchester on March 18th of the present year, and on 
a protest being lodged the Council of the Manchester Royal Botanical 
Society passed a resolution very much regretting the occurrence, and 
inviting an explanation. The “explanation” tendered was in the form 
of letters from Messrs. Yeitch, Williams, and Baines, which sustained 
Messrs. Cutbush in what is undoubtedly a general custom in non¬ 
competitive groups, and in which the exhibitor has the right to stage 
plants with twin or fasciated spikes when his bulbs produce them. 
If such spikes are objected te it is for the framers of schedules to 
