May 12, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
379 
London parks, not only many of the comparatively hardy edging 
plants having been put out, but also several Pelargoniums. 
We note, however, they look the reverse of comfortable, both the 
soil and air being very dry, and the wind brisk and cold. Rain is 
much needed, and until it comes the plaoiDg-out of tender plants 
cannot be recommended as a safe course to pursue. Those who 
can adopt a waiting policy in a matter of this kind will probably 
be gainers in the end, as to nothing does the old adage of “ more 
haste worse speed ” apply than to the work of placing tender plants 
in flower beds, thousands of which will be so treated during the 
present month. 
- A gardener writes as follows upon planting Cauli¬ 
flowers :—“A useful plan I have adopted in planting Cauli¬ 
flowers and all the Brassicas is to draw a deep drill or trench, and 
plant them in that, as it affords great protection to them, and 
they receive more benefit from the rains. The soil may be drawn 
round the plants, and the quarters look much neater ; besides, the 
plants succeed better than when planted on the level and the old- 
fashioned system of earthing them up like Potatoes is adopted.” 
- The extent to which flowers are employed has been 
recently strikingly exemplified by two occurrences—one sad, the 
other jubilant. For placing on the bier of a late distinguished 
statesman, the Earl of Beaconsfield, as many wreaths as would 
fill a waggon were stated to have been sent to Hughenden ; and 
the correspondent of a daily paper has stated that the marriage 
offerings of the public of Brussels to Princess Stephanie, 
daughter of the King of the Belgians, took the graceful form of 
bouquets, of which so many were offered to the Princess on the 
occasion of her departure from that city that no less than four 
waggons were required to remove them to the Palace ; and we are 
also informed that the flower merchants of Vienna could not 
possibly execute half the orders they received for the decoration 
of that city during the wedding festivities. 
-The value of Zonal Pelargoniums as Cut Flowers 
is admirably shown by Mr. James McIntosh, whose bulb beds were 
recently alluded to in this Journal. Ever since last autumn a 
large round table in his sitting-room has contained about six 
dozen small Alexandra glasses, each containing one truss of 
flowers, the stalks inserted through bits of paper containing the 
names, which, resting just inside the glass tube, can be read through 
it. These variedly coloured trusses arranged in concentric circles 
produce a beautiful effect, and an excellent estimate can be 
formed of the relative merits of the varieties. Among the most 
striking scarlets were Ferdinand de Lesseps, Remus, and Corsair ; 
Circulator, paler in colour, being highly attractive. Brutus was 
perhaps the best crimson ; Sybil Holden and Lady Emily fine 
among the pinks ; Miss Hamilton a splendid delicate peach colour ; 
Fairest of the Fair, Miss Gladstone, and Evening Star excellent 
oculated varieties, blush with salmon centre ; and White Clipper, 
a fine if old pure white. These are all worth growing, but it 
might be that others equal to them would be seen after a re¬ 
arrangement, for the number of varieties grown is very large. 
- A correspondent writing to us on the beauty of Tulip 
beds in London, after referring approvingly to those in the 
parks and Temple Gardens, states the finest beds he has seen 
were those of Captain Patton at Langford Place, N.W., which, 
he says, “ a week ago were gorgeous, the blooms of Keysers 
Kroon being 18 inches in circumference, white Pottebakker being 
nearly equally fine ; Pourpre Kroon, with variegated foliage, ex¬ 
tremely rich ; and the doubles La Candeur, Rex Rubrorum, and 
Tournesol of great excellence. The beds were first planted all 
over with Crocuses, and just as these faded the Tulips commenced 
expanding, thus rendering the garden gay for many weeks. The 
latter were planted about 6 inches apart among the Crocuses, the 
foliage of which does not in any way mar the effect of the Tulips. 
A thick layer of manure was placed a few inches below the bulbs, 
and to this the very large and fine flowers is attributed.” 
- The third portion of Mr. Day’s Orchids was sold on the 
4th and 5 th inst. by Mr. J. C. Stevens, the following being some 
of the principal prices realised. Cypripedium Stonei var. platy- 
tcenium, one strong growth with seven leaves and a young shoot 
with four leaves, 120 guineas. The only other specimen of this 
fine variety, it will be remembered, has been previously sold for 
140 guineas, Sir Trevor Lawrence being the purchaser ; and it 
was recently stated in the “ Gardener ” that this price was £42 
higher than has been ever obtained for any single Orchid. Cattleya 
labiata, a fine plant of an autumn-flowering variety, with a seed- 
pod said to have been fertilised with pollen from Cattleya exoni- 
ensis, 40 guineas. Masdevallia chimmra, the true species imported 
by Mr. Sander in April, 1880, 15 guineas. M. bella, very good 
specimen of excellent variety, 16 guineas. M. radiosa, rare, 
12 guineas. Saccolabium guttatum var. Holfordianum, 21 guineas. 
Vanda insignis, the true species of Veitch’s importation, 34 guineas. 
Aerides Fieldingi, handsome plant with twenty-six leaves, 
22 guineas. Phalsenopsis Wightiana, rare, 16 guineas. Saccola¬ 
bium Turneri, strong plant, 2i guineas. Cypripedium Spiceri- 
anum, fine plant, three growths, 42 guineas. Oncidium ornitho- 
rhynchum album, 36 guineas. Lmlia elegans var. Wolstenholmse, 
28 guineas ; and Angrsecum Ellisi, a strong plant, 15 guineas. 
Several Nepenthes were also sold, one fine specimen of N. san- 
guinea realising 21 guineas. The total amount obtained for the 
659 lots was £1888—higher by £40 than was yielded by either of 
the preceding sales. The fourth portion will be sold on May the 
23rd and 24th. 
- Particulars of the following Gardening Appoint¬ 
ments have been forwarded to us :—Mr. G. Radford, late gardener 
to Col. Lambton, Streatham Hill, succeeds Mr. Millard as gardener 
to Mrs. Gebhardt, Highcroft, Husbands Bosworth, Rugby; Mr. 
W. Millard having been appointed gardener to Win. Soper, Esq., 
Caterham Valley. Mr. Henry King has succeeded Mr. Whorten 
as gardener to Mrs. Carter, Ospringe House, Faversham, Kent. 
Mr. F. Southam, recently gardener to the Rev. T. JefEcoutt, 
Farthinghoe Rectory, Northamptonshire, now holds a similar posi¬ 
tion in the service of J. C. Harter, Esq., The Cedars, Leamington. 
Mr. W. Manning, late gardener to the Rev. Sir E. G. Moon, Bart., 
Fetcham Rectory, Leatherhead, succeeds Mr. C. Millard, as gar¬ 
dener to Geo. Taylor, Esq., Hazle Hall, near Epsom ; and Mr. J. 
Paul, recently in the service of C. Weldon, Esq., Morden Hill, 
Lewisham, has been appointed gardener to George Beer, Esq., 
Elmwood, Bickley. 
- Sweet Nancy. —A correspondent, “J. T.,” desires to 
know the botanical name of a plant that is popularly known in 
some districts by the above name, and also where he can obtain 
plants. _ 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
May 10th. 
Exhibits on Tuesday last were not very numerous, though both 
the Council-room and the conservatory contained some groups of 
interest and several promising new plants. 
Fruit Committee. —Harry Veitch, Esq., in the chair. Messrs. 
C. Lee & Son, Hammersmith, sent three plants of an alpine Straw¬ 
berry named Duru, with long conical bright scarlet fruits, which the 
Committee desired to see again. Mr. Woodbridge, The Gardens, Syon 
House, exhibited a dish of Suttons’ Scarlet Globe Radish, neat in 
form and bright in colour, but considered to closely resemble a 
variety certificated at Chiswick last year as Round Rose Hatif. Mr. 
A. Mann, St. Vincent’s, Grantham, sent a fruit of a new Melon named 
Sir Garnet Wolseley, of medium size, about 5 inches in diameter, 
with yellow flesh and well netted, but deficient in flavour. It was 
stated by the exhibitor to be three weeks earlier than Read’s Hybrid, 
having been in use since the 18th of April. Mr. Mann also sent 
fruits of Rollisson’s Telegraph Cucumber and one named Excelsior, 
