JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
276 
ance and of dissatisfaction ; they also leave more room than 
anything else for cavillers and for the exhibitor who “never gets 
his ain.” At a local show last year, where the term “collection 
of vegetables of eight sorts ” was used, much dissatisfaction was 
expressed because of the winning collection being of no better 
quality than some of the others in any other respect save that 
of containing a dish each of Tomatoes and Globe Artichokes, 
which the judges, very properly I think, considered a better class 
of vegetables than Carrots or Turnips. This year the Committee, 
to obviate the difficulty, have inserted a clause prohibiting Toma¬ 
toes and Artichokes ; at the same time they show their appreci¬ 
ation of the Tomato by offering a prize for six, of the same value 
as the prize for two heads of Celery. If some authority could 
lay down any rules by which the relative values of fruits and 
vegetables could be easily understood, such blunders as the one 
just referred to would be easily avoided. Of course the value of 
different vegetables or fruits would depend greatly on the season 
or time of year at which they were exhibited. In the same prize 
list alluded to the prize for one pint of Gooseberries is equal to 
the prize offered for six dessert Pears, while double the amount is 
offered for one Melon as against six Peaches. The same absurdity 
[ April T, 1881. 
of arrangement and apportioning of prizes is seen through the 
whole of the schedules of the shows in this neighbourhood. 
Fruits and vegetables are not alone in the extraordinary manner 
in which they are valued by flower-show committees. The remarks 
apply equally to cut flowers and plants. Here is one specimen : 
For six exotic Ferns (varieties) exactly the same money is offered 
as for six Zonal Geraniums. Cut Flowers.—Twelve French Mari¬ 
golds and six Hollyhocks are upon equal terms. Such is the state 
of things with us ; and if Mr. Witherspoon will once more give 
us some of his ideas gained by a lengthened experience in these 
matters some good may be obtained. Surely gardeners and ex¬ 
hibitors will not allow such absurdities to exist in prize lists for 
ever. Let us have some standard authority whereby we can 
measure the relative value of each subject in each month of the 
year. There ought not to be any more difficulty in this matter 
than there is in deciding what should be the “ weight for age ” in 
horseflesh.— Peter Ferguson, Mere Knolls, Monk Wearmmdh. 
FICUS STIPULATA. 
Every gardener is acquainted with Ficus stipulata under its 
Fig. G4.— Ficrs STirULATA (FRUITING AND BARREN BRANCHES). 
more common but less correct, name of Ficus repens. In many 
gardens it is largely used as a neat and effective shrub for cover¬ 
ing moist and shady walls or rockwork, a purpose for which it is 
unusually well adapted ; but not the least interesting feature 
connected with the plant is its dimorphous character as occa¬ 
sionally shown under cultivation. If I mistake not, this may be 
seen in both its large and small-leaved phases in one of the plant 
houses in the Chelsea Botanical Garden, but I am not aware that 
fruit is produced there ; indeed the fruiting of this plant in culti¬ 
vation is a very rare occurrence. A few weeks ago, however, 
Mr. Bewley of Blackrock, near Dublin, very kindly brought me 
fresh specimens of the fruiting branches, one of which is shown 
in the accompanying illustration, along with a twig showing its 
small-leaved and usual growth. Both branches and fruit are 
shown of the natural size, and so distinct are the fruit-bearing 
branches from the creeping slender-growing ones that we might 
be excused for doubting their specific identity, the large-leaved 
fruit-bearing branches being more like those of Ficus barbata 
in general appearance than those of the species to which it really 
and truly belongs. Wonderful as the dimorphous characters 
undoubtedly are in the plant we now figure, there are analogous 
if not precisely similar instances of it in other genera, the common 
creeping and the sub-shrubby or erect-growing forms of the common 
Ivy for example. Among aquatic plants Pontederia (Eichornia) 
azurea and Banunculus aquaticus both exhibit dimorphism in an 
unusual degree, nor must we omit to notice one or two species of 
Potbos and the allied Marcgravias. Again, the first leaves of 
the Bagittaria are simply strap-shaped and floating, and quite 
unlike the erect arrow-head-like leaves produced by the same 
plant later in the season. Some Acacias and the Australian Gum 
Tree (Eucalyptus) also have dimorphous leaves ; but of all the 
cases of dimorphism known to me, none is more striking or more 
interesting than that of Ficus stipulata as here eDgraved.— 
Dublinensis. 
GYMNOGRAMMA SCHIZOPHYLLA. 
Ferns are now so largely represented in most gardens, and their 
gracefulness so generally admired, that the demand both for the old 
well-known species and for novelties is very extensive. In conse¬ 
quence immense numbers of Ferns are grown for sale, and there is 
a corresponding influx of rare or previously unknown forms which 
collectors in various parts of the world are constantly finding and 
despatching to this country. To such an extent indeed is the dis- 
