JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 9, 1881. ] 
457 
by Benjamin Fayle, Esq., I noticed the curious circumstance of 
a Sycamore growing out of the centre of a Laburnum. There 
was no soil nor vegetable matter nor any other feeding material 
visible to support it, and there seemed no tangible explanation, 
except that the seed (“key”) fell there, grew, and that the roots 
are now indebted to the sap circulation of the stock for existence. 
It may be worth the notice of Dr. Hogg and the Rev. G. Henslow. 
Cases of parasitic growth on tree-decay are common, but this is 
different.—W. J. M., Clonmel. 
[We suspect this is not a true parasitic growth.] 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
GREAT SUMMER SHOW, JUNE 3RD TO 7TH. 
Presumably with the view of embracing the Whitsuntide holi¬ 
days, and affording the great populace of London and its environs an 
opportunity to visit the Show, the opening day was changed from 
Tuesday to Friday, the Exhibition continuing over Sunday till 
Tuesday night. Whether the change has proved as advantageous as 
was anticipated we are not able to say ; but it may be said that five 
days appeared to be considered too long by some of the trade exhi¬ 
bitors, for Messrs. Yeitch & Son did not show at all, Mr. W. Bull 
only staged two collections of twelve plants each, and Mr. B. S. 
Williams Orchids, Ferns, and a miscellaneous group, not includ¬ 
ing his choicest examples, which were either at Holloway or Man¬ 
chester. Under these circumstances other nurserymen and floral 
decorators were the more prominent, and they have shown that they 
possess great and varied collections of popular and valuable plants— 
even sufficiently so, with the amateurs’ collections in competition, to 
fill the huge marquee and a great portion of a tent 200 yards long. 
The General Horticultural Company sent a collection of great magni¬ 
tude and merit; Messrs. Laing and Cutbush large and varied groups, 
thelatterincludingsplendidly grown examples of Erica Cavendishiana ; 
and the former, with Mr. Coppin, also staging gorgeous groups of 
Tuberous Begonias ; Messrs. Jackson of Kingston and Peed of Nor¬ 
wood sent magnificent stove and greenhouse plants; Mr. George Paul 
contributed gigantic Roses, and Messrs. Osborn, Barr, and Ware sent 
fine herbaceous and alpine groups, while Messrs. Dick Radclyffe & Co. 
and Mr. Aldous contributed materially to the effect of the Exhibition. 
Amongst cut flowers Mr. Turner exhibited very fine stands of Roses, 
Messrs. Yeitch of Exeter a grandbox of the old Devoniensis,and Messrs. 
Kelway and Ware Pyrethrums, the single varieties almost causing a 
sensation, and kept the atttendants busy booking orders. Among the 
amateurs’ collections Mrs. Ton’s Azaleas were of remarkable merit, 
Mr. Warren’s Gleichenias were superb, and Mr. Whitbourn’s Orchids 
finer than ever. Thus were the tents filled, and they were even 
brighter than usual, flowering plants predominating where before fine- 
foliaged plants have often been in overpowering numbers j in fact, 
on this occasion more of large Palms and Ferns were almost needed 
as a foil to the dense masses of colour. Fruit—except some of the 
prize collections of Grapes, Lord Brownlow’s Bananas, Lord Fortes- 
cue’s Pines, Lord Carrington’s Cherries, the Marquis of Salisbury’s 
Strawberries, and the Melons and Cucumbers in competition for 
Messrs. Sutton & Son’s prizes—was not remarkable. Yegetables 
were good, the winning collections fine, and the display of imple¬ 
ments, ifcc., outside was the most extensive that has ever been seen 
in the gardens. The weather on the first two days was brilliant— 
hot, and the company, on Friday especially, was brilliant too. On 
Monday heavy showers fell at intervals, and Tuesday was dull and 
wet generally. This sudden change must have materially limited 
the attendance ; but the rain has been of far more benefit than all 
the shows to a parched land. 
STOYE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
The liberal encouragement given to growers and exhibitors of these 
plants was cordially and freely responded to by gardeners and nur¬ 
serymen, and as a result visitors were gratified by a large and 
satisfactory display of well-grown specimens, representing all the 
chief species and varieties usually included in such collections. In 
the three classes provided a total sum of about £90 was offered in 
nine prizes, for which there appeared ten competitors, who staged 
nearly one hundred specimens, mostly characterised by admirable 
freshness, symmetrical training, and abundance of flowers. The 
principal class was for twelve plants in flower, and was open to all 
exhibitors. Messrs. T. Jackson & Son, Kingston, Surrey, had a 
particularly strong and meritorious collection, easily securing the 
coveted premier award. The Kingston specimens are well known at 
the early summer shows, but the most noteworthy may be briefly 
indicated for the advantage of those who have not had the pleasure 
of seeing them. That almost indispensable plant in such classes, 
Dracophyllum gracile, was represented by a specimen 4 or 5 feet 
across, very evenly trained in a globular form, and flowering pro¬ 
fusely : Pimelea mirabilis 'was of similiar dimensions, and equally 
excellent in other respects ; a large example of Azalea Grand Crim¬ 
son had a great number of fine brilliantly coloured flowers ; Heda- 
roma tulipifera, a symmetrical glope-shaped plant bearing numerous 
blooms; H. fuchsioides, not so large but very neat; Clerodendron 
Balfourianum, Aphelexis macrantha purpurea ; Azaleas Criterion and 
Model, with three handsome Heaths—Erica ampullacea, E. Caven¬ 
dishiana, and E. Lindleyana, completed the collection. The excel¬ 
lent even training of these plants was especially noteworthy and 
merited the admiration they received. The second prize was 
adjudged to Mr. E. Tudgey, gardener to J. F. G. Williams, Esq., 
Henwick Grange, Worcester, for plants of considerably more than 
ordinary merit generally, but perhaps a little deficient in the sym¬ 
metry which formed such an important feature in the preceding 
group. Anthurium Schertzerianum, 5 or 6 feet in diameter, had 
about forty spathes very large and brightly coloured, the health of 
the plant also being remarkable?* An Erica Cavendishiana of extra¬ 
ordinary size was in excellent condition and bearing very large 
flowers. Erica ventricosa was alsojrepresented by a beautiful speci¬ 
men, and several other good examples of cultural skill were contri¬ 
buted. Messrs. B. Peed & Son, Lower Streatham, were third with 
rather rough and small plants compared with the others, but Alla- 
manda grandifiora was well shown, both foliage and flowers being fine. 
For eight plants from nurserymen the last-named exhibitors were 
placed in the chief position with a satisfactory collection, including 
several handsome plants, of which the best were Statice profusa, 5 or 
C feet in diameter, unusually vigorous, and bearing numerous trusses 
of the rich blue flowers distinguishing the species. Erica affine was 
another notable plant, compact in habit, the light yellow flowers 
contrasting strikingly with the dark green foliage. Allamanda gran- 
diflora, Aphelexis macrantha purpurea, and Azalea Juliana formed 
the other chief features of the group. Messrs. Jackson & Son fol¬ 
lowed closely with neat specimens, similar to those in the previous 
class, but smaller and scarcely so well flowered ; while Messrs. J. 
Peed & Son, Roupell Park, were third, staging among others a well- 
grown Franciscea calycina major with abundance of its large rich 
purple flowers. In the class corresponding to the last, but appro¬ 
priated to amateurs, the principal honours were adjudged to Mr. J. 
Child, gardener to Mrs. Torr, Garbrand Hall, Ewell, who staged some 
good examples of the most popular exhibition plants, such as Bougain¬ 
villea glabra, very large, and trained in a globular style ; Erica Caven- 
dishii, healthy; E. depressa, vigorous and informal ; Hedaroma 
tulipifera, even; and Aphelexis macrantha, neat, besides others but 
little inferior to those named. Mr. Tudgey was a good second, his 
plants though small being very neat; and Mr. Watson, gardener to 
D. Martineau, Esq., Clapham Park, was third with clean specimens. 
AZALEAS. 
Three classes were also devoted to greenhouse Azaleas, which 
formed an important portion of the display in the large tent, as in 
two of the classes the competition was fairly close and interesting, 
the specimens shown in the winning collections being especially 
remarkable for the profusion of their flowers and the brightness of the 
colours ; indeed, such glowing masses of colour were contributed that 
in some portions of the tent a few additional fine-foliage plants would 
have added considerably to the effect by toning the brilliancy of the 
Azaleas ; but though the former were not forthcoming in sufficient 
numbers very great care was taken in their arrangement, and with 
admirable results. In the class for eight distinct Azaleas from 
nurserymen there were four entries, but only two exhibitors appeared 
—namely, Messrs. T. Jackson & Son and B. Peed & Son, who were 
respectively awarded the first and third prizes. The premier collec¬ 
tion included very neat examples, the varieties best represented being 
Bernhard Andreas and the well-known exhibition kinds Souvenir de 
Prince Albert and Due de Nassau, all flowering freely. In the other 
group the plants were mostly small and of irregular form, but in 
moderately good condition as regards flowers. Tne corresponding 
class for amateurs was well filled, four competitors appearing. Mr. 
J. Child followed up the success he has this year attained at several 
other exhibitions by securing the chief honours for the large hand¬ 
some Ewell specimens, which were in excellent form, and were greatly 
admired. The varieties Cedo Nulli, Barclayana, Reine des Beiges, 
Model, and Sir Charles Napier were first-rate, not only in general 
health, but also in the size and numbers of their flowers. Following 
closely came Mr. Ratty, gardener to R. Thornton, Esq., The Hoo, 
Sydenham, who staged his tall pyramidal plants in fair condition, 
but some were slightly rough and deficient in flowers. Juliana and 
Giganteaflora were, however, noteworthy, and produced a telling 
effect in the group. Mr. G. Wheeler, gardener to Lady Louisa Gold- 
smid, Regent’s Park, was third, but with the exception of Apollo, 
which was uncommonly bright, the plants do not call for special com¬ 
ment. The competition in the open class for fifteen plants in pots 
not exceeding 12 inches in diameter was keen, five exhibitors enter¬ 
ing the lists. The much-desired first position was adjudged to 
Messrs. T. Jackson it Sons for even, healthy, globular-trained speci¬ 
mens of well-selected varieties, among which the following were 
notable :—Comte Baudauin, with bright rose-coloured spotted flowers ; 
Antoinette Thelemann, a rich red-flowered variety ; the deep red 
Mons. Keteleer, the pink-striped double Mdlle. Marie Van Houtte, 
with Bernhard Andreas, Jean Verschaffelt, and Souvenir de Prince 
Albert. Mr. C. Turner of Slough was second with small but beauti¬ 
ful plants, as usual bearing remarkably fine flowers, richly or deli¬ 
cately coloured according to the character of the variety. Many 
excellent varieties were represented, such as Souvenir de M. R. Abel, 
Mons. Thibaut, Roi d’Holland, Cordon Bleu, and Mdlle. Marie, le 
Febvre, the latter a handsome form, with very large pure white 
