JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
508 
[ June 23, 1881. 
runners to and fro after new things have been neglecting them. 
I believe in a few years we shall see more Pelargoniums grown 
than ever. I have tried many of the newer varieties, but have 
returned to the old kinds. Vesuvius is at present the only really 
fine scarlet bedding variety with me, but even it would be im¬ 
proved with a greener leaf. The large-trussing sorts always be¬ 
come dirty-looking here. I imagine it would repay anyone with 
the means to breed a strain of bedders after Vesuvius. Were not 
A. F. Barron and The Shah raised by Mr. George of Putney 
Heath ? I do not think the leaves of Sophia Dumaresque will do 
more than form roots. In raising stock of new varieties quickly 
I have occasionally struck leaves with eyes attached, and have 
found where the eye was absent at the base of the petiole that, 
although roots were formed, no growth was in any one instance 
ever made.—R. P. B. 
ROSE SHOW FIXTURES. 
Thebe has been but little alteration in the fixtures of our 
numerous Rose shows, and everything promises well for a success¬ 
ful season. It will be a matter of satisfaction that the lessees of 
the Alexandra Palace, yielding to the remonstrance of the Com¬ 
mittee of the National Rose Society, have restricted its exhibition 
to one day—a gracious act on their part, which will, I hope, lead 
to their having a very excellent show, and to the hearty support 
of those members of the Society who are exhibitors. 
June 28th.Royal Horticultural Society. 
June 29th.Farningham. 
June SOth.Canterbury. 
July 2nd.National Rose Society, Crystal Palace. 
July 4th.. .. .. Maidstone. 
July 6th.Reigate. 
July 6th.East Anglian, Ipswich. 
July 6th.Cardiff, 
July 6th.Norfolk and Norwich. 
July 6th.Hereford. 
July 7th.Horsham. 
July 7th ...Shrewsbury. 
July 8th.Oxford. 
July 9th.Alexandra Palace. 
July 9th ..Brighton Aquarium. 
July 9th.Brockham. 
July 12th.Ludlow. 
July 14th.National Rose Society, Sheffield. 
July 16 th.Wirral. 
July 19th.Leek. 
July 21st.Helensburgh. 
July 22nd.Newton Stewai-t. 
July 22nd.Sutton Coldfield. 
I am not quite sure as to Oxford or Newton Steivart, but think 
the list is correct.—D., Deal. 
We may remind our readers that on Tuesday and Wednesday 
next, the 28th and 29th inst., the Rose Show of the Royal 
Horticultural Society will be held in conjunction with the 
Pelargonium Society’s Show, the Evening Fete also taking 
place on Tuesday. A number of special prizes will be offered, in 
addition to the liberal provision in the schedule, by the General 
Horticultural Company for groups of plants, Messrs. Laing & Co. 
for Begonias, Messrs. Webb & Co. and Rivers & Son for fruit, 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Carter & Co., and Webb & Sons for 
vegetables. 
- The finances of the National Potato Exhibition 
appear to be in a satisfactory state, the balance in hand being 
more than twice the amount of that recorded in the audit account 
of the preceding year, and now exceeds £50. 
- Mr. Anthony Waterer’s Rhododendrons in the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Regent’s Park, are now in fine condition, 
and the display is, perhaps, the best that has been seen in the 
gardens. The shrubs are pleasingly arranged, the various colours 
being so associated as to show the varieties to the best advantage. 
Some of the specimens are extremely fine, and all densely flowered. 
Nearly all the best varieties in cultivation are represented, and 
the exhibition is in all respects highly satisfactory. 
- Many of our readers will be glad to learn that the 
Alexandra Palace Rose Show on July 9th will continue for 
one day only, not extending over two days as was originally 
proposed. The fixtures of some other of the Shows on Muswell 
Hill have been changed. The Rose Fair and Gooseberry Show 
will be held on July 16th, and the Lily Show and table decorations 
on August 6th. As stated last week the Strawberry and Cherry 
Exhibition will be held on July 1st and 2nd. 
- The “Prairie Farmer” publishes the following relative 
to Girdled Trees —“A Wisconsin correspondent writes that 
field mice or rabbits have girdled several choice Apple trees on 
his place, and wants to know how to save them. This can be 
done by bridging over the girdled space with twigs of the same 
wood connecting the bark above with that below. A sharp nar¬ 
row chisel is driven into the bark, and twigs cut the right length 
and sharpened at each end are inserted in the incisions thus made. 
The wounds should then be covered with grafting wax.” 
- For covering the back walls of plant stoves and pro¬ 
viding a face of dark green foliage as close almost as if glued to 
the wall, perhaps no plant can equal Ficus REPENS minima. A 
wall thus covered in the gardens of N. Clayton, Esq., East Cliffe 
House, Lincoln, is admired by all who see it. The house in which 
the Ficus is growing is kept at a high temperature for Crotons, 
Anthuriums, Nepenthes, &c., which are admirably grown. But fine 
as the plants are, the back: wall, instead of being as unsightly as 
such walls often are, is the finest feature of the house. The wall is 
lofty, and the Ficus after reaching the top and having nothing else 
to cling to hangs over the path gracefully, and by contrast enhances 
the appearance of the smooth portion of the wall. This Ficus 
will grow in greenhouses, and has even passed the winter in the 
open air ; but it evidently delights in heat and moisture, and in 
the house in question produces an effect as attractive as it is 
undoubtedly unique. 
- In one of the vineries of the same range of glass the Duke 
OF Buccleuch Grape is growing and fruiting as freely as the 
Black Hamburgh. The Yine is on its own roots, and is bearing 
seventeen bunches, principally on what may be termed very long 
spurs, Mr. Wipf finding that close pruning is not conducive to 
fruitfulness ; and he appears to work on the principle of pruning 
to the best bud, whether that is 2 or 6 inches from the main rod. 
Another Vine is growing well on the Muscat stock to which it has 
been attached ; it is bearing one bunch, and the influence, if any, 
of the stock on the fruit is being waited for with some interest. 
The fruit of the Duke is much esteemed at East Cliffe House. 
•- It is not often that a hedge of the Golden Elder (Sam- 
bucus NIGRA aurea) is seen in gardens, but when grown in 
that form and well coloured it is remarkably attractive. We 
recently observed a very fine example of this, a villa garden of 
moderate size having a dense brightly coloured hedge on three 
sides, 4 or 5 feet in height. The yellow tint was much better 
developed than is sometimes the case, and in consequence there 
was an absence of the sickly hue that occasionally characterises 
the shrub near towns. 
- In continuation of the second series of Letts's Popular 
Atlas we have received parts 14, 15, and 16, containing five 
maps each, representing in sections on an enlarged scale England 
and Wales, Ireland, Canada, and India. Excellent watershed 
maps of England are included, also one showing the geological 
characters of the environs of Edinburgh. The execution of the 
work continues as satisfactory as in the first series. 
- We have received the small but neat catalogue of the 
Diss Horticultural Society’s Show, which is to be held on 
July 12th, in which Roses have the post of honour, special prizes 
of substantial value being provided. In the open class of twenty- 
