396 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 19, 1881. 
more. Our crops of early Potatoes are promising. Those at 
Scilly are quite three weeks behind their usual time this year, 
owing to the severe frosts in early spring. An excellent sample 
was produced out of doors at Galval, which were dug about three 
weeks ago—remarkably early. Hyacinths and Tulips have been 
finer this year than for many previous seasons, owing, I presume, 
partly to the excellent bulbs imported last year.—W. Roberts, 
Penzance. 
The Royal Horticultural and Agricultural Society of Antwerp 
announce that on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the 
Independence of Belgium an International Exhibition will 
be held in Antwerp on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of August of the 
present year. The schedule enumerates 142 classes in eight 
divisions devoted to the following exhibits :—First, new plnnts, 
ten classes ; second, flowering plants, sixty classes ; third, fine- 
foliage plants, forty classes ; fourth, specimen plants, fourteen 
classes ; fifth, bouquets, &c., five clases ; sixth, fruits and vege¬ 
tables, nine classes ; seventh, pictures of plants, fruits, or flowers ; 
and eighth, garden instruments. The most important prizes are 
the following :—The King’s large gold medal offered for a group 
of plants ; the Queen’s large gold medal for the best collection of 
Orchids ; a gold medal, value 500 francs, offered by Le Federation 
des Societes d’Horticulture de Belgique for a group of ornamental 
plants and specimens ; with gold medals of honour, value each 
200 francs, offered by M. le Baron de Caters, President of the 
Society, by M. Le Baron Osy de Wychen, Vice-President of the 
Society, and by the members of the Council. Many other gold 
medals of similar value are also offered in various classes, and 
judging by the provision made a highly satisfactory exhibition 
should be the result. M. Charles Van der Linden is the Secretary 
of the Society. 
- It is announced that the International Potato Ex¬ 
hibition for the present year will be held on September the 20th 
and 21st. The schedule enumerates nineteen classes, in the majority 
of which the prizes have been considerably increased in value, 
and many additional prizes are offered. For instance, in eight 
classes four prizes are now offered in which there were only three 
last year. Class C, for twelve dishes, is especially devoted to English 
Potatoes ; Class D, for nine dishes, being reserved for American 
varieties, and several other alterations are notable. Four classes 
are devoted to new Potatoes, accompanied with the following 
stipulation, that “ as the granting of certificates will be conditional 
upon the approval by the Judges of the seedlings when cooked, a 
dish of not less than six additional tubers of the same variety 
must be provided for the purpose.” 
-The extensive collection of Cycads at Kew is now in 
admirable condition, and we have never seen the plants growing 
so vigorously as they are at the present time. The majority of 
the specimens are arranged to form a large group at the south 
end of the Palm house, and the numerous crowns of light green 
leaves now arising contrast strikingly with the older darker 
leaves. In some instances over thirty leaves are being produced 
from one crown. Several handsome specimens of Encephalartos 
Frederici Gulielmi are particularly noteworthy, and Dion edule 
with many others are similarly vigorous. Admirers of this class 
of plants would do well to visit the Kew collection during the 
present month. 
- A correspondent, “ Rus,” desires to recommend sweet 
oil As AN insecticide, as he finds “it kills both bug and scale, 
and does not injure the young shoots of plants.” We advise tha^ 
it be applied with caution, as we apprehend its frequent use 
would be injurious to vegetation. 
- There is now a beautiful display of Orchids at Wim¬ 
bledon House, and the collection has been formed and the 
plants grown in a remarkably short space of time. Particularly 
noteworthy are some excellent forms of Odontoglossum Alexandra; 
and O. Roezlii, also several Dendrobiums, including D. Devoni- 
anum, D. tortile, with some fine examples of D. primulinum on 
the eve of expansion. The growths made in small pots and 
saucers are wonderful, and they show beyond doubt that Orchids 
may easily be, as they often are, overpotted. In the same small 
pots Pleiones are growing luxuriantly, as also are Odontoglossum 
vexillarium and Phalasnopsids. Aerides Fieldingi is producing 
fine spikes ; indeed the entire collection is in most excellent 
order. Pitcher-plants, too, are making great progress, and many 
valuable specimens are established. The Vines, about fifty years 
old, in the same garden have never looked so well as at present, 
and they show what can be effected by a judicious system of 
renovation. The Peach trees and crops grown in the manner 
described by Mr. Pettigrew on page 327 are remarkably fine, and 
could not be surpassed in appearance nor excelled in productive¬ 
ness by trees grown on the extension form pure and simple. 
- In the outside department of the same establishment 
the unpruned Pear trees are such as would gladden the 
eyes of Mr. Simpson. For some years the pruning of the trees 
has been limited to the thinning-out of superfluous branches, no 
shortening having been done ; indeed several trees have not been 
touched with the knife since they were quite young. Many of 
the Pears are now about 15 feet high and half as much in diameter 
at the base, and are handsome well-formed pyramids. The Apples 
of bush form are such as it would be difficult to find fault with, 
as they are of agreeable form and laden with blossom. They 
have borne good crops during the last few years, and this year 
a full yield is expected. In passing through the gardens so well 
stocked, and the pleasure grounds so diversified and beautiful, 
the visitor cannot suppress a feeling of regret that this picturesque 
estate is not long expected to remain in its present form. It 
will, however, afford scope for the erection of many attractive if 
smaller houses after the proprietor, Sir Henry Peek, Bart., has 
removed to his new mansion and estate in Devonshire. 
- We are sorry to learn that the frost on Thursday morning 
last destroyed a great portion of the blossom on the Apples at 
Chiswick, the smaller trees most severely ; even the unexpanded 
flowers were nipped, and Pears were slightly injured. 
- We understand that a Strawberry Fete is proposed to 
be held in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens at Chiswick 
this year, and that a circular is being sent to the Fellows of the 
Society on this subject. 
- In one of the houses at the Royal Botanic Society’s 
Gardens, Regent's Park, a plant of the peculiar Aristolochia 
Goldieana, which was figured in this Journal, vol. xxxviii, page 
456, is now bearing several flower buds ; so there is a possibility 
that lovers of the curious forms of vegetation may shortly have 
an opportunity of seeing the extraordinary flowers of Goldie’s 
Birthwort. 
- Writing from the West of England a correspondent 
states, “ The bloom on all kinds of fruit trees has been un¬ 
usually abundant this season. Unfortunately on the night of the 
10th the temperature fell to 25°. This severe frost has much in¬ 
jured the Apple blossom both expanded and in a bud state, and 
has also affected the crops of Gooseberries, Red and Black Cur¬ 
rants. The majority of the Pears, Plums, and Cherries had set 
good crops, and are apparently uninjured. All the early Straw- 
