266 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. r March so, isss. 
The best specimen Orchid, a well-flowered Dendrobium Wardianum, 
was staged by Mr. Perry, and the same exhibitor secured the premier 
award for four flowering stove or greenhouse plants, staging in this 
instance medium-sized well-flowered specimens of Genetyllis tulipi- 
fera, Azalea triumphans, Erica Cavendishii, and a freely-flowered 
example of a poor variety of Dendrobium nobile. Mr. E. S. Cole, 
gardener to W. Pethick, Esq., occupied second position with very 
creditable examples of Eucharis amazonica, Pimelea spectabile, an 
Azalea, and Chorozema illicifolia. Messrs. W. Eye, C. Bush, and 
W. Perry were worthily awarded the prizes as named for four speci¬ 
men fine-foliaged plants, and Messrs. Maule & Sons took the first 
prize for forced hardy hardwooded plants, and also for Rhododen¬ 
drons. The varieties of the latter were The Queen, French White, 
Coronaria, and Water’s Victoria, all alike well flowered and hand¬ 
some. W. Edwards George, Esq., offered prizes for four ornamental 
foliage plants, and these were well won by Mr. W. Rye, Mr. T. Bush, 
and Mr. W. H. Bannister, gardener to St. V. Ames, Esq., in the 
order named ; and the two prizes for exotic Ferns were won by 
Mr. Bannister and Mr. W. Rye. The competition for the prizes 
offered by Mrs. W. H. Budgett for six Ferns suitable for table deco¬ 
ration, and by Mrs. G. Ames for six table plants, was close, the prizes 
in the first going to Messrs. J. Loosemore, gardener to W. Cooper, 
Esq., G. Howe, and W. H. Webb, as named ; and in the latter, Messrs. 
H. Stevens, gardener to S. Budgett, Esq., E. S. Cole, and G. Howe. 
Such Ferns as Adiantum gracillimum, A. Farleyense, A. cuneatum, 
Lomaria gibba, Pteris serrulata, and variety polydactala were most 
popular, while in the latter class were many examples of Croton 
Weismannii, C. pictum, C. Disraeli, C. irregulare, Pandanus Veitchii, 
Areca lutescens, Cocos Weddelliana, Japanese Maples, Dracaena 
Cooperii, D. congesta, and D. australis. 
Messrs. H. K. Ward, H. Spry, and W. Rye were the winners of the 
prizes offered by R. Hassel, Esq., for two Azaleas suitable for table 
decoration, the glass generally being particularly good. Mr. C. 
Taggett was the winner of first prize for four and also three Azaleas, 
Mr. T. Bush being second in one class and Mr. W. Perry in the other, 
the prizes in both instances being provided by the Victoria Rooms 
Committee. Mr. G. Howe secured the first of the prizes offered by 
G. W. Edwards, Esq., for a single specimen Azalea, the remaining 
prizes going to Messrs. Bush and C. Taggett. Great interest was 
taken in the well-filled class for six window plants in flower, for 
which prizes were provided. G. Brittain, Esq., Messrs. G. Howe, 
W. Rye, and W. Fox, were the successful competitors; and parti¬ 
cularly good were the pots of Lachenalia tricolor, Dielytra spectabilis, 
Pimeleas, Azaleas, Spiraeas, Cyclamens, and Primulas. Mr. G. Brittain 
provided a prize for a specimen Rose in pot, this going to Mr. E. S. 
Cole for a finely flowered plant of La France. The Cyclamens staged 
in competition for the prizes offered by Mr. J.Bastin were poor. Messrs. 
Maule & Sons took the first prize with freely-flowered specimens 
of an old strain. The Primulas were very fine, and were staged in 
good numbers in response to the offer of prizes by Mr. J. Prestidge. 
The prizewinners were Messrs. W. Rye, H. Webb, and W. Fox. 
Cinerarias were well grown, but the strains were rather poor, Mr. H. 
K. Ward taking the first prize. Mr. Webley, the Hon Sec., offered 
prizes for four tricolor Pelargoniums, and Mr. C. Taggett secured the 
first with creditable examples; and the same exhibitor was successful, 
followed by Mr. G. F. Owen, in a class for flowering Zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums, for which the prize was provided by John Hobbs, Esq. 
The vases of cut flowers were all lightly and tastefully filled, but 
the hand bouquets were much too heavy and closely packed, and 
most of the button-hole bouquets had too much Fern about them. 
Prizes for vases of flowers were offered by Mrs. G. W. Edwards, 
Mrs. C. W. Cope Proctor, and the Society also provided prizes for 
them. Messrs. E. S. Cole, T. Meakin, T. Pease, were the prizewinners 
in one instance, and E. S. Cole and T. Pease in the other. Mr. W. 
Cooper and Mr. E. S. Cole each won first prizes for bouquets. Mr. C. 
Fisher won the only prize offered for cut Roses with admirable blooms 
of Devoniensis, Rubens, Cheshunt Hybrid, Madame Falcot, Catherine 
Mermet, Madame Sertot, Mrs. Bosanquet, Niphetos, and the same 
gentleman also exhibited several excellent stands of Roses not for 
competition. 
Little fruit was shown, but the first-prize dish of Pears, variety 
Easter Beurre, staged by Mr. M. Whitwell, was particularly good. 
Mr. C. Fisher easily won the first prize for Apples, and Mr. J. Gibson 
was awarded the first prize for both Grapes and Cucumbers. The 
local nurserymen kindly contributed plants for disposition in different 
parts of the building, and nothing was wanting to insure success on 
the part of the management. Unfortunately the sudden change to 
cold weather militated against the attendance on the first day, and 
the receipts did not equal reasonable anticipations. 
THE PINK. 
ITS CULTURE AND VARIETIES. 
It is very gratifying to an old lover of this charming flower to 
see convincing evidence that it will ere long be again as great a 
favourite as it was twenty or twenty-five years ago. Growers can 
now have numerous and improved varieties to start with, or from 
which to select additions. The efforts of Pink-fanciers, culminat¬ 
ing in the triumphs of that enthusiastic florist the last William 
Paul of Crossflat Nursery, Paisley, the outcome of a devotion to 
the improvement of this flower extending unremittingly over 
nearly forty years, have reached a point which even Mr. Glenny 
would have pronounced almost perfect. At his death twelve 
months ago Mr. Paul left a collection probably unequalled in 
Britain in extent and excellence. He distributed upwards of 
twenty thousand annually over the three kingdoms, and the 
resources of Crossflat have to cope with demands increasing every 
year. As a hardy border plant, affording for three or four months 
with but little care a profusion of blooms of extreme loveliness 
and delightful perfume, unsurpassed for bouquets or glasses when 
cut, the Pink has no superior and but few rivals, while on the 
exhibition table nothing can excel in chaste beauty a stand of 
well-grown Pinks. 
The appreciatory remarks of your correspondent, “ A Northern 
Amateur,” in his notice of Crossfiat, and my own subsequent 
contribution to your columns on the origin and development of 
the Pink in this district, have elicited gratifying inquiries as to its 
culture. These, presumably from readers of the Journal, may be 
most conveniently answered in its pages, and a very long expe¬ 
rience ought to enable me to afford reliable information to those 
wishing to begin or to extend its successful cultivation. While 
giving directions as to the most approved mode of procedure I 
may premise that, thriving as it does in any good garden soil, 
gratifying results may be obtained from less elaborate treatment. 
The Pink is perfectly hardy, and cuttings placed in boxes or in 
a shady border in the garden and covered with a handlight will 
strike freely; but the application of a little bottom heat is the 
most certain and expeditious method. Secure cuttings in June 
or early in July as soon as the young shoots can be had sufficiently 
strong. Use a spent hotbed with a very mild heat, and cover to 
the depth of 3 or 4 inches with a compost of two parts perfectly 
decomposed leaf mould, one part sand, and one part loam. In 
preparing the cuttings, all that is necessary is to remove the 
lowest pair of healthy leaves and to cut close to the joint with a 
sharp knife. Insert them firmly to the depth of an inch, give 
them a liberal watering from a fine rose, place the lights over 
them, and shade from the sun, which may be done most conve¬ 
niently by brushing the glass with a mixture of whiting and water. 
Nothing more will then be required but keeping the frame close 
for eight or ten days, ventilating a little afterwards, and sprinkling 
occasionally in the mornings with clear tepid water. When the 
cuttings are rooted the sashes may be removed, and after ten 
days’ or a fortnight’s exposure the young plants may be placed 
out in rows 4 or 5 inches apart in a sheltered position till they 
are ready to be removed to the beds, which may be done any time 
in September or October. 
In preparing the beds mix a quantity of fresh loamy soil with 
an equal quantity of very old cowdung, and after having removed 
the old soil to the depth of or 2 feet fill up with the compost, 
raising the beds somewhat above the surrounding surface, and 
making them rather higher in the centre to carry off superfluous 
water. Lift the Pinks with a good ball of roots, and plant in 
rows 12 inches apart and 14 inches between the plants, taking 
care to press them firmly down, as the winter frosts and thaws are 
apt to lift them out of the ground. It will be necessary in early 
spring to examine the beds and firm any plants that have been 
thus loosened. About the middle of March examine the beds 
again and fork the soil between the plants. In April give a 
mulching of old well-decayed cowdung. 
During dry weather they require a liberal supply of water—not 
merely a surface watering, which does harm rather than good, but 
one that will reach the roots. The beds must be well drained, for 
although the Pink does not bear drought well, it does not agree 
with stagnant moisture at the root; but if the foregoing instruc ¬ 
tions be followed there will be little danger from this source. A 
little soot mixed with the water is very beneficial and helps to 
make them lace better. As it is difficult to mix the soot with the 
water put some in a-bag and place it in the water barrel or a tub. 
Give also an occasional supply of other liquid manure. 
Do not allow more than three, and on strong-growing varieties 
above four, flower stems to each plant. Tie these to neat stakes. 
The flower buds must be thinned out, leaving three or four on 
each stem. Some varieties are likely to burst the calyx. To pre¬ 
vent this obtain some small elastic bands, and place them round 
the middle or tie with a piece of matting or string. Shade the 
blooms from strong sunshine, which draws the colour out of the 
flower, also protect them from rain. I speak of treating them 
thus to obtain flowers in perfection of form and beauty. 
No doubt it is best to plant out in autumn. Still, spring-planted 
Pinks as a rule do well. They may, perhaps, not be so strong, but 
in the case of robust-growing sorts I question if this be a disad¬ 
vantage. The finest Pinks I ever saw in flower were planted in the 
end of March. 
