510 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 26, 1884. 
the most costly ; but for cutting or decoration of any description the 
light forms are equally good, and can be obtained for considerably 
less money. It is a very useful Orchid, because the flowers last for 
a long time m a cut state in water, flhe plants may also with safety 
be used for room-decoration when in flower, providing positions are 
selected for them where gas is not employed. They may also be 
used with advantage in the. conservatory or any other structure kept 
ga\ with flowering plants, if shaded from strong sun and protected 
riom cold draughts. When used in these structures they should not 
be crowded amongst other flowering plants, but be associated with 
Adiantum cuneatum or any other similar Fern, and the effect is all 
iat can be desired. Those in search of useful flowering plants 
could not do better than obtain a number of small plants of this 
lovely Orchid.—B. 
Naming Orchids.— It is very undesirable that the popular style 
1 l amn:) g plants should be employed for Orchids, and I think that 
ie floral Committee ought to express some opinion upon this point 
t ien P, ai e exhibited with such names as Souvenir de Prince 
( y 0 ? 0 . M practice is followed up we shall soon have as many 
Souvenirs as there are amongst the Boses. Again, there is much 
unnecessary multiplication of varietal names, and this is especially 
_ie casevdh Masdevallias. The smallest character is seized upon 
“ * e namers, and a new variety is published, often misleading 
pm c aseis, who expect to find something really distinct, and perhaps 
a ' e ~ *? searc h over the leafstalk to find a small protuberance, or 
caie u y watch the flowers to perceive a delicate shade of colouring 
not. previously, observed. It is with these, as it was with a distin- 
mgmsbed florist who had named a variety of Narcissus, and sent it 
to a friend, who was unable to distinguish it from one already known, 
f. l or “edthe sender of the fact. The reply was, That when the 
lie ?-« 3 iia ix - a , s mai ?y years' experience as the raiser he would have 
no difficulty in detecting the difference. It may be, however, reason- 
sa ^gested that if so much training is needed to appreciate small 
Orchids— j r G n0t worth namin g, and the same applies to 
Cups for Orchids.— It has been suggested to the Com- 
imttee of the York Floral Fete that they should offer a silver cup for 
refnds at their next exhibition, and other societies might also take 
e bint. We have cups for Chrysanthemums in abundance, and 
also tor Boses, and why not for Orchids ? It would undoubtedly add 
greatly to the interest of an exhibition, and would also induce a 
fieener competition. A champion cup might be offered somewhat on 
tfie same lines as that at the Kingston Chrysanthemum Show, to 
become the property of the gentleman if won two or three times, 
a money prize to be given to the gardener. 
MULCHING AND TOP-DBESSING. 
At page 459 Mr. Iggulden contributes an extremely useful article on 
tbe advantages of top-dressing, and especially during such a season as 
the present It is needful to give all tfie assistance possible. While I 
agree with Mr. Iggulden that almost any loose material may be employed 
wUh benefit, I have noticed* that spent bark from the tanneries is "not 
included in the list ; whether it be from objection or that the writer has 
^ t Ied lt 1 wlthm M reach geDerall y. Mr. Iggulden, I feel sure, will 
not object to explain. My reason for asking this much of our practical 
™ d * hat v ® p y near t° , the gardens here spent bark is plentiful, can be 
tamed free of cost, and has for some years been freely used in various 
ways for mulching purposes for Strawberry crops, but most largely for 
shrubberies. The growth and colour of the foliage has greatly 
improved with its use, and also has a very neat appearance, is quite free 
1 % aaords a very agreeable change, and in no case can we trace 
mrkt „ Q J y fr Tr^ u S u ^ 1 ^withstanding all this there are two sides to 
’ +w 1 f haU be glad t0 have Mr - Iggulden’s opinion on the 
subject, or that of any other practical gardener who has tried it, which 
^ benedt to otl:iers besides myself.—E. Burton, Kirkby 
MELONS CANKEBED—ALUM 
, Your correspondent “G. S.” may with confidence apply powdered 
LrTf it wls M? n w n v m A 0ne ’ tW °’ °i t i iree Jears ag0 C 1 c, o no P t, remem¬ 
ber if it was Mr. \V aiting) recommended powdered alum and flowers of 
sulphur m equal portions, to be applied to the affected parts. Since 
then I have used it, and found nothing better. But it is like everythin g 
e se, it must be done in time, before the canker has too much hold^f the 
stem. It is also an excellent plan to put a little of this on the cuts when 
thinning the young growths.—E. 1. 
Aleyrodes vaporariorum. —I noticed a week or two ago a cor¬ 
respondent asking for a cure for the above-named insect pest. I give the 
following, which 1 have known to prove successfulFumigate the house 
™ to bacco for two or three nights consecutively, and when the house 
is niled with smoke go round and shake the infested plants. This will 
bring them out into the smoke, which will then have better effect upon 
them. It will also be found advantageous to have the floor well moistened. 
—JUSTITIA. 
KING OF THE EARLIES STRAW BERRY. 
A fortnight ago Mr. Gilbert of Burghley sent us the following 
note on this Strawberry :— 
“Laxton’s King of tiie Earlies Strawberry. —I have a few 
fruits of this exquisite Pine-like flavoured Strawberry now (June 10th) 
ripe to-day. J. C. Hopwood, Esq., called in, and I asked him to taste 
it; he pronounced it excellent, also Mr. Hubbard, gardener, Holywell 
Hall, who described it thus: ‘A very great novelty, ten days before 
any other, and much larger than Black Prince, with a Pine-like flavour 
quite its own.’ With these remarks I fully agree.”—R. Gilbert. 
As was stated last year, when we gave a figure of The Captain 
Strawberry, King of the Earlies was raised from Vicomtesse Hericart 
de Thury x Black Prince, a prolific sort, which comes earlier 
than either of its parents, and quite as early as May Queen ; but other¬ 
wise almost intermediate in character between those well-known and 
esteemed early market Strawberries. The fruit is of medium size, ovate 
even and angular ; skin bright red on the shaded side, and dark 
mahogany on the side exposed to the sun ; flesh white, with a tinge of 
red under the skin, solid, firm, and with a fine brisk and rich flavour. 
Mr. Laxton has sent us a plant with fruits of this variety, which is 
represented in the woodcut (fig. 118), and it need scarcely be added 
after what is stated by Mr. Gilbert, that a Strawberry possessing such 
characters as extreme earliness combined with an excellent flavour 
is most valuable. 
YORK FLORAL FETE. 
June 18th, 19th, and 20th. 
The twenty-sixth annual floral festival and gala was held on Wednesday 
Thursday, and Friday last week in the Bootham Fields, York, and in every 
respect well maintained the fame this northern Exhibition has gained in the 
horticultural world. Six huge tents radiated from a large central circular 
one—the same arrangement as that employed for several preceding years, 
and each one was an exhibition alone. The method of grouping exhibits of 
similar character together, such as the Ferns, Roses, Pelargoniums, fine- 
foliage plants, &c., does not admit of a very elaborate style of arrangement; 
but unless the ground were specially prepared this would be impossible, and 
in any case with so extensive a show it would be difficult to produce a general 
effect. As it is, the comparative merits of the exhibits are better seen, and 
the instructional value of the show is greater. 
The progress of the York Exhibition has been gradual but steady, and 
the advance has been proportionate to the increase in the prize money. At 
one of the earliest show's the total amount of prizes was £150, this year it 
is £000, besides a considerable amount expended on other attractions, which 
raised the total outlay to, something like £1000. This is a large investment, 
but with fairly favourable weather the Committee are assured of success, 
and this proved to be the case, for the numbers of visitors were even greater 
than usual. Exhibitors also were in strong force, and all the most important 
prizes were keenly competed for, the general quality of their productions 
being highly satisfactory. 
The courteous and energetic Secretary, Mr. Wilson, deserves the greatest 
praise for his long and able service in connection with this Show. Since the- 
establishment of the Show he has worked untiringly in its behalf, and there 
is no doubt that its success has been in a considerable degree due to his 
efforts, with the hearty and substantial support of an influential Committee. 
PELARGONIUMS. 
At nearly every show of importance throughout the kingdom there is one 
or more feature which is always of unusual merit, and which is maintained 1 
year after year as the great attraction of the exhibition. At Manchester the 
Orchids are par excellence, and in a similar degree the Pelargoniums at York 
are far in advance of all other shows. This year, however, some of the 
exhibitors have surpassed their previous efforts, and it is difficult to 
conceive in what way the magnificent specimens from Mr. Eastwood, 
gardener to Mrs. Tetley, Weetwood, Leeds, could be excelled. They were 
not, perhaps, so large as some that have been shown in other seasons, but 
in training, health, abundance and brilliance of blooms they were as 
nearly perfect as can be imagined. The large tent was filled to overflowing, 
with the exhibits in the several classes, the central stage being devoted to 
the Show, Fancy, and Zonal varieties, which produced a display of colours- 
that could only be excelled by Orchids. The side stages were occupied 
with the bronze and tricolor varieties, which have for many years received 
much attention in the neighbourhood, and are never seen so well grown and 
numerous elsewhere. The Pelargonium tent was indeed an exhibition in 
itself, of which any society might well be proud. 
The leading class was for twelve Show varieties, Mr. Eastwood ta*king 
the first place with even handsome specimens, models of good culture and 
training, deserving the highest commendation. They were 4 to 5 feet in 
diameter, bearing numerous trusses of large finely formed flowers. The 
varieties were Kingston Beauty, Conqueror, Duchess of Bedford, Madame 
Hillaire, a very distinct variety with peculiar purple-tinted flowers; Mary 
Hoyle, Duchess of Edinburgh, Triomphe de St. Mandd, Queen Bess, and 
AlbiDa. Mr. C. Rylance, Ormskirk, followed with creditable plants, but 
looser and' smaller, though flowers were of wonderful size and substance. 
