February 3,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 91 
the United Kingdom, it is proposed to give a series of annual 
prizes, extending oyer a period of seven years. These prizes will 
be given in London, Dublin, Edinburgh, and the north, south, and 
west of England in different years. The first Exhibition will be 
held in the south-eastern counties and in Kent, at Tunbridge 
Wells, in the horticultural tent of the Exhibition of the Bath 
and West of England Agricultural Society, which opens on the 
6th day of June, 1881. The following prizes are offered for the 
first year’s Exhibition, and are opem to growers in any part of the 
United Kingdom :— Prizes for Gardeners in Private Places .— 
For the best bundle of Asparagus grown by the exhibitor—first 
prize, £L; second, £2 10s.; third, £1 10s.; fourth, £1. The 
bundle of Asparagus is to consist of sixty heads. The prizes will 
be given to the largest Asparagus, provided it be in all other 
respects unobjectionable. Prizes will not be given where, in the 
opinion of the Judges, there is no merit. The Asparagus must be 
free of earth, and the bundles will be opened by the Judges in 
all cases where they think it well to do so. No imperfect or 
double heads will count. Prizes for Amateurs not Employing 
any Regular Gardener. —For the best fifty heads, £2 10s.; second 
prize, £1 10s.; third prize, 15s. Grown by the exhibitor. Prizes 
for Cottagers. —For the best twenty-five heads grown by the 
exhibitor, £1 10s. ; second, £1 ; third, 10s. ; fourth, 5s. Prizes 
for Market Growers. —For the market grower who shall exhibit 
the best three bundles, each containing one hundred heads, £5 5s. 
This prize is offered by the Bath and West of England Society, 
and is open to growers in any part of the United Kingdom. For 
the market grower in the county of Kent who shall exhibit the 
two best bundles of Asparagus, each containing one hundred 
heads :—First prize, £3 3s.; second, £2 2s. These prizes are 
offered by Mr. Samuel Spalding. 
FLORISTS’ AND POPULAR FLOWERS. 
Auriculas. —The cold frames containing our plants have been 
covered with mats for more than a fortnight, but the plants have 
sustained no injury. They will be looked over now, and have all 
decayed leaves removed and the surface of the soil stirred as 
needed. The plants generally commence fresh growth during 
February, and more water will be required; still it must be 
applied cautiously, but never in driblets to moisten the surface 
and leave the roots dry below. Towards the end of the month an 
inch or so of the surface soil must be removed from the pots and 
a fresh and richer compost added. A compost of half turfy loam 
and the remaining half decayed cow dung and leaf soil is suitable ; 
and rooted suckers may also be removed at the same time and 
potted. If the surface dressing is delayed until the roots from 
the collars of the plants have penetrated the soil they do not 
readily take possession of the richer compost. The work should 
therefore be done in good time, and water must be carefully 
supplied afterwards. 
Carnations (Perpetual). —In order to have a good display 
of these valuable plants for autumn or winter decoration, cuttings 
or pipings should be inserted in pots of light soil, and placed in 
a temperature of 60° to 65°. In bottom heat the cuttings will 
root more quickly. If there is any scarcity of cuttings of any 
variety place the old plants in heat, which will assist the growth. 
The small side growths are the best, but stronger will also strike 
freely if the lower pair of leaves are carefully removed. Miss 
Joliffe, Covent Garden Scarlet, La Belle, A. Alegatiere, Celestial, 
Guelder Rose, Proserpine, Prince of Orange, and White Swan are 
all good varieties. 
Cinerarias. —Plants flowering or approaching that condition 
will need a temperature of 40° to 50°^n,nd should be well exposed 
to light to improve the colour. TI$jse producing their flower 
heads may be assisted by liquid manure, and if the plants are in 
comparatively small pots it may be used every time they require 
water, being careful to give it in a weak state. Shift later plants 
into the flowering pots, employing good loam with about a fourth 
of thoroughly reduced leaf soil or manure, which is suitable for 
most quick-growing plants. Fumigate moderately upon the first 
appearance of aphides. 
Calceolarias. —These require similar treatment to Cinerarias, 
both delighting in a tolerably cool atmosphere and little fire heat; 
at the same time frost is injurious to them. Calceolarias thrive 
well if placed on a shelf near the glass ; and where the best strains 
of these are grown they give a display during the early spring 
months scarcely equalled by any other plant, and form a good 
succession to the Cineraria. Aphides are often very troublesome, 
and require frequent attention to destroy them. 
Cyclamens. —These are amongst the most useful winter- 
flowering plants, being general favourites from the length of time 
they remain in bloom and their suitability for cutting. A small 
house or pit, where they can be near the glass and have an inter¬ 
mediate temperature, is most suitable for them, and they then well 
repay any attention bestowed upon them ; but where they must be 
grown with other plants a good light position should be afforded 
them, and they must receive every attention in watering, alter¬ 
nately supplying weak liquid manure. Some of the hardy Cycla¬ 
mens grown in pots and removed to the greenhouse in autumn 
are very pretty. C. neapolitanum, C. Coum, and C. ibericum so 
treated are now in flower. 
Dahlias. —Where it is desired to obtain a good supply of any 
variety the roots must be placed in heat. To effect that increase 
take the cuttings which will soon be produced if the roots are 
in a warm position, and insert them in a little bottom heat, a 
temperature of 50° to 65° being suitable. They will quickly strike, 
and may then be potted off. Most of the Pompon varieties are 
so useful for decorative purposes in the autumn months that 
gardeners would do well to give attention to them. The varieties 
White Aster and Little Dear are very beautiful. We grew a large 
collection of them last year, and they were admired by all who 
saw them. The Cactus Dahlia (D. Juarezi) has attracted much 
attention during the past two years ; the peculiar spreading form 
of the florets combined with their brilliant colour will soon cause 
it to become a general favourite. Paragon, lutea, coccinea, and 
other single varieties will also be much sought after this season. 
Gloxinias. —Seed of these favourites may be sown now, and if 
the young plants produced are grown rapidly on they will, in the 
majority of cases, afford a good late autumn display. Formerly 
this plant was looked upon only as a summer-blooming plant, but 
now the season of its flowering is very much prolonged by raising 
a collection from seed and by resting the old plants at different 
periods of the year. The seeds are very small, and cannot endure 
heavy and careless watering. Sow them on the surface of some 
finely sifted soil in pots about three parts filled, placing a piece of 
glass over the pot to prevent rapid evaporation ; or a little moss 
over the seed answers the same purpose, only it must be lifted 
before the seedlings become drawn. 
Fuchsias. —Plants of these in heated structures will soon com¬ 
mence growing. When they have grown about an inch the 
greater part of the old soil should be shaken from the roots, 
placing the plants in smaller pots, employing a moderately light 
soil to which leaf soil and silver sand have been added. Early 
vineries or Peach houses are well suited for starting Fuchsias. 
The young growths afford excellent cuttings for a healthy stock 
of young plants for autumn blooming. Old exhausted plants may 
be destroyed after furnishing a sufficient stock of cuttings, or all 
the side growths may be cut away and the top growths encouraged 
to form standards, in which form they are very suitable for arrang¬ 
ing with other plants when in bloom. Syringe them freely while 
growing. 
Liliums. —Some of the earliest-flowered plants of L. auratum 
and L. longiflorum will be starting into growth, and must occupy 
light positions to insure a sturdy growth. If any have been 
placed beneath stages they must not be allowed to become very 
dry, as the roots are always more or less active, and should have 
sufficient water to keep the soil moderately moist. If they were 
not potted as soon as the foliage fell, which is the best time, the 
whole of the soil above the bulbs should be carefully removed as 
far down as can be done without disturbing the roots, and some 
good fresh loam and about a third of leaf soil with a sprinkling of 
sand supplied instead, giving as much water only as is needed to 
render the soil moist. 
Pelargoniums. —Plants of Show and Fancy varieties that have 
rooted freely will now require a shift into larger pots, but by 
no means overpot them, which is too frequently the case, and 
causes them to produce more foliage than flowers. An 8-inch pot 
is the largest size employed for exhibition specimens ; therefore 
a 6-inch pot is large enough for all ordinary decorative plants. 
A compost of good yellow loam, silver sand, and decayed hotbed 
manure is suitable for them, and they should be potted firmly. 
With the outside shoots pegged down to the soil, plenty of light, and 
ajminimum temperature of 45°, good healthy plants will be procured. 
Primulas. —Keep these plants near the glass, and be careful 
in watering, giving when necessary a thorough [supply, alternat¬ 
ing with liquid manure. To insure the trusses coming up well 
above the foliage afford a temperature of 45° to 50°, ventilating 
upon every favourable opportunity. Some of the hardy kinds 
introduced to this structure from frames are welcome in spring. 
P. cortusoides and vars.; P. nivalis, P. denticulata, P. intermedia, 
P. purpurea, and P. verticillata are useful employed in that way. 
Seed of Primula sinensis should now be sown; a frame on a hot¬ 
bed or the shelf of a stove is a suitable position for them. There 
are now several good strains in cultivation, and it would be wise 
to procure those advertised by some respectable firm, as it is quite 
