340 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 27, 1882. 
own before stopping the supplies. I agree with much that is 
said on page 298, but the practice might mislead those placed as 
I am. Indeed, the published directions to would-be rosarians, 
helpful no doubt to those similarly situated, have put others 
under greatly different conditions wrong. Shall I confess it ? 
It was that very excellent “ Book about Roses ” that made me 
so long persist in applying manure so heavily, so mischievously. 
My neighbour possesses that book and stands by its teachings 
to his injury. The successful man has to alter his practice to 
suit altered conditions. Let a score of those in cold or northern 
localities try my plan and state the result two or three years 
hence. I will abide by their decision, or, rather, I will gua¬ 
rantee that if they are not more successful they will fail to 
carry out the mode laid down. Before now I have advised people 
to do certain things, and when failure came the blame was laid 
on my devoted head ; and yet when all the facts became known 
I have been astounded to find that other things had been done 
that made success an impossibility, so I will only answer for what 
I am answerable for.— Single-handed. 
THE BIRMINGHAM SPRING FLOWER SHOW 
SOCIETY. 
The second annual Exhibition of the above Society was held in the 
Birmingham Town Hall on Wednesday and Thursday, April 19th 
and 20th, and horticulturally speaking was a success in every way, 
the exhibits being numerous and generally of high merit. The centre 
stage was occupied chiefly with the collections of stove and green¬ 
house plants, Palms, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Ferns, &c., for compe¬ 
tition. These formed a very important feature ®f the Show. Among 
these was one of the best bloomed plants of Medinilla magnifica we 
ever saw ; it was shown by Mr. Jinks, gardener to J. E. Wilson, Esq., 
of Edgbaston, who we noticed was one of the chief prizewinners in the 
Show. A portion of this stage was also made bright by contributions 
from Messrs. Cranston and Cannell. The former had beautiful cut 
blooms of Tea Roses, and the latter a choice assortment of Auriculas, 
bright trusses of Zonal Pelargoniums, and a variety of Tulips well 
bloomed; but the most conspicuous object, and one which deservedly 
attracted the greatest attention, on this stage, was a select and beau¬ 
tiful collection of Orchids kindly lent by the Right Hon. Joseph 
Chamberlain, whose gardener, Mr. Cooper, evidently excels in 
the cultivation of these popular and interesting plants. These 
received an extra prize. On each side of the Orchid group were 
arranged the bouquets and buttonholes, all without exception being 
good in point of arrangement and quality of flowers, Messrs. Pope 
and Sons being first for bridal bouquets in the nurserymen’s class. 
The three groups of plants arranged for effect under the orchestra 
by Messrs. Hewitt, Yertegans, and HansNiemand added much beauty 
to the Show. The latter showed a good plant of the new Adiantum 
Lathomi, which received a certificate. 
Florists’ flowers were well represented in Cinerarias, Auriculas, 
Pansies, Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissus, drc. Mr. Yertegans had a good 
selection of his now famous double Cinerarias in various shades of 
colour. His Hyacinths were also very fine considering the lateness 
of the season. Mr. Turner of Slough contributed a few select Auri¬ 
culas, which were perfect gems, as well as a box of the Golden 
Tricolor Pelargonium Henry Cox, which surpasses most other varie¬ 
ties by its superior merit in all respects. A basket of the new violet- 
coloured double Cineraria named Thomas Lloyd, sent by Messrs. 
Veitch, was much admired. This is certainly a most distinct and 
beautiful variety of dwarf compact habit and most free bloomer, and 
promises to become popular with both private and market growers. 
The Committee must be congratulated upon the results of their 
labours, which have been attained in the face of some difficulties— 
not the least being the non-success financially of their last year’s 
meeting, and the apathy apparently displayed by the influential 
inhabitants of Birmingham in the establishment of the Show. If his 
Worship the Mayor and his lady, for instance, could be induced to 
grace the opening of the Show by their presence, supplemented by a 
few remarks, as is done at flower shows generally in our large towns, 
we venture it is not improbable that for every half-crown ticket sold 
now a score would be sold then. Under the leadership of the able 
and courteous Curator of the Botanic Gardens, Mr. Latham, we have 
no doubt the Committee in a few years will make this one of the best 
spring shows in the country. Mr. Turner of Slough and Mr. O. 
Thomas of Drayton Manor were the Judges, and the Exhibition was 
well managed by the officials, who were courteous and attentive to 
all. The following is the official list of awards :— 
Eighteen Hyacinths, not less than nine varieties—First, J. E. Wilson ; second, 
J. Jaffray ; third, L. Hayman. Six Hyacinths, dissimilar varieties—First, It. P. 
Yates. Six pots of single Tulips—First, D. Hayman; second, J. E. Wilson ; 
third, W. Matthews. Six pots of double Tulips—First, L. Hayman ; second, 
W. Mathews ; third, J. E. Wilson. Three pots of Polyanthus Narcissus—First, 
H. L. Hayman ; second, J. E. Wilson ; third, L. Hayman Six pots of various 
spring-flowering bulbs, excluding Hyacinths, Tulips, and Polyanthus Narcissus 
—No competition. Six pots of Lily of the Valley—First, R. P. Yates ; second, 
J. E. Wilson ; third, H. L. Hayman. Three pots ditto—First, J. E. Wilson; 
second, H. L. Hayman. Three Dielytra spectabilis—First, J. E. Wilson; second, 
L. Hayman ; third, J. Jaffray. Six Spiraea japonica—First, J. E. Wilson ; second, 
J. Jaffray; third, L. Hayman Three Deutzia gracilis—First, J. E. Wilson ; 
second, C. E. Mathews ; third, W. Mathews. Three Roses in pots—First, Right 
Hon. J. Chamberlain. Six Azaleas, dissimilar—First, C. E. Mathews ; second, 
J. E. Wilson ; third, J. Jaffray. One ditto—First, J. Jaffray. Three Azalea 
mollis—First, H. L. Hayman. Six Cinerarias, dissimilar—First, W. Mathews ; 
second, J. Jaffray ; third, C. E. Mathews. Three Cinerarias, dissimilar—First, 
L. Hayman ; second, C. E. Mathews ; third, W. Mathews. Six stove or green¬ 
house plants in flower, dissimilar—First, J. E. Wilson ; second, J. Jaffrey ; third, 
C. E. Mathews. Three ditto—First, J. E. Wilson; second, C. E. Mathews; third, 
L. Hayman. Three ornamental foliage plants—First, J. E. Wilson; second, C. E. 
Mathews; third, Right Hon. J. Chamberlain. Three Ferns, dissimilar—First, 
W. Mathews ; second, J. C. Bent; third, L. Hayman. Three Palms, dissimilar— 
First, .T. E. Wilson ; second, C. E. Mathews ; third, J. Jaffray. Six Orchids, dissimi¬ 
lar—First, Rt. Hon. J. Chamberlain; second, J. E. Wilson. Six Auriculas—First, 
J. P. Sharp; second, J. Clements. Twelve Pansies, cut blooms, Fancy varieties 
—First, M. Hughes. Six Rose blooms—First, J. Jaffray. Vase or epergne of 
flowers—First, C. E. Mathews ; second, H. L. Hayman. Ball-room bouquet— 
First, C. E. Mathews; second, H. L. Hayman ; third, L. Hayman. Bridal 
bouquet—First, J. E. Wilson; second, J. Jaffray; third. L. Hayman. Three 
button-hole bouquets—First, J. E. Wilson ; second, J. Jaffray; third H. L. 
Hayman. Collection of twelve varieties of cut flowers, not including more than 
three varieties of Orchids—First, R. P. Y"ates; second, J. Jaffray. Twelve 
Auriculas, Alpines excluded—First, J. P. Sharp; second, J. Clements; third, 
Messrs. Pope & Sons. Six Auriculas—First, S. Brown. Six ditto, Alpines— 
First, J. Clements; second, S. Brown. Six Gold-laced Polyanthus—First, 
Messrs. Pope & Sons. Twelve Pansies in Pots—Messrs. Pope <fc Sons. Bridal 
bouquets—Messrs. Pope & Sons. 
Special Prizes.— Mr. T. Thomson’s prize for twelve Hyacinths—First, J. 
Jaffray ; third, C. Mathews,. Mr. Hans Niemand’s prize for twelve herbaceous 
plants—First, J. L. Hayman. Messrs. Morley, E. Tonks, and Jenkins’s prizes 
for twelve Saxifraga—First, J. E. Wilson. Messrs. Spinks & Redfern’s prizes 
for bouquets—First, C.E. Mathews ; second, H. L. Hayman ; third, J. E. Wilson, 
Extra prizes for six Gloxinias—R. P. Yates. Extra prize for collection of Orchids 
—Right Hon. J, Chamberlain. 
THE APPLE TOM PUTT AND OTHER NOTES. 
“ A Surrey Physician ” in the number for April 6th asks me 
about the above Apple—a query which I regret to see I have not 
yet answered. Although Dr. Hogg has not inserted an account of 
this Apple in his “Fruit Manual,” it is well known to him. Thus 
some years since he wrote thus to me :—“ I know Tom Putt well. 
There is an immense number of sorts I kept out of the ‘ Manual ’ 
because of their being local varieties and not to swell the size of 
the book. There are a great many of these good and bad, but 
Tom Putt is not one of the latter, and I shall have him and many 
others in the next edition.” Also if “A Surrey Physician” 
refers to the number of the Journal of Horticulture for March 9th, 
1876, he will find there Dr. Hogg’s “ New Classification of Apples,” 
which, if my Surrey friend has not read, he should get a copy of 
by all means. It is singularly instructive and valuable, and the 
Royal Horticultural Society showed its appreciation of its merits 
by awarding the author of it the gold medal of the Society. In it 
the Doctor has twice mentioned Tom Putt in Class I., “ Eye open, 
cells open, and calyx tube conicaland again in the same class 
among “ fruit, round, roundish, or oblate.” Hence Tom Putt has 
appeared in print among all the great Apples. I can assure “ A 
Surrey Physician ” that it would be well to grow it where the 
soil does not suit that best of all cooking Apples, Dumelow’s 
Seedling, and doubtless Messrs. Smith of Worcester could get it 
for him. 
My trees are looking well and will bloom splendidly, and I am 
more and more satisfied with my letting-alone system of pruning. 
What grieves me is to see the amount of canker in so many varie¬ 
ties, Red Astrachan and Cellini dying of it and ceasing to bear ; 
Old Hawthornden, Striped Beefin, Beauty of Kent, Bedfordshire 
Foundling, and Cox’s Pomona cankering and yet bearing ; so 
also the Gooseberry Apple. How very few Apple trees are per¬ 
fectly healthy, good bearers, and of first-rate quality in fruit! I 
can name only a very small number. Let fruit-lovers make a 
note of their own experiences during the coming year. I feel 
quite sad to have so much use for my large pruning scissors in 
cutting away branch after branch of cankered wood. 
I notice that Mr. Luckhurst, whose papers I always read with 
interest, combining as they do professional knowledge with good 
sense, says in a past number, “ Pyramids are so decidedly supe¬ 
rior in appearance that I shall plant no more bush-trained Apple 
trees.” This is a remark to be remembered. I would ask in con¬ 
clusion, Has any reader had much practical experience with the 
Apple Gloria Mundi ? Its fruit has been sent me, but I want to 
know its habit, and whether it produces many or only a few of its 
large-sized Apples, for few and large do not satisfy me. Its 
flavour is hardly first-class, but it is an excellent cooking Apple 
without doubt.— Wiltshire Rector. 
BERBERIS DARWINII. 
Those who wish to plant a bush as a memorial of the great 
man who has just passed away would do well to select Darwin’s 
Barberry for the purpose, as it is one of the most hardy, free- 
growing, and beautiful of all our spring-flowering shrubs. It is 
of dwarf bushy habit, and the little clusters of deep double golden 
