JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 25, 1882. ] 
423 
being of moderate size, but well grown. Mr. Burgess followed with 
fair specimens, the best being Hibiscus Cooperi brightly coloured. 
Ferns. —All the exhibits in these classes were characterised by a 
most pleasing freshness and vigour such as too frequently are want¬ 
ing in the Ferns shown on many occasions at other provincial towns. 
Mr. Mortimer’s premier collection of six in the open class was espe¬ 
cially deserving of praise in this respect ; Davallia Mooreana, D. 
bullata, Adiantum gracillimum, and A. pentadactylon being in admir¬ 
able condition. Mr. Tudgey followed with a less satisfactory collec¬ 
tion, though it included good examples of Hymenophyllum demissum 
and H. nitens. Mr. Bezant was third with Phlebodium aureum and 
Gymnogramma chrysophylla good amongst others. In the amateurs’ 
class for four Mr. Bennett was the most successful exhibitor, gaining 
the chief award with Davallia bullata, Gleichenia flabellata, Adian¬ 
tum farleyense, and Leucostegia immersa, all very fresh and healthy, 
Mr. Hope following closely with neat plants. 
Lycopods .—In very few shows are better specimens of Selaginellas 
staged than at Reading. Mr. Mortimer is especially skilled in the 
culture of these, and for several years his plants have attracted much 
admiration both at the spring and summer shows. The plants are 
trained in a conical shape 2 feet or more high, the chief varieties 
being S. Martensi variegata, S. caesia, S. apus, and Lycopodium 
squarrosum. Mr. Hope was a close second with specimens very 
similar in character and merit; S. stolonifera, S. Kraussiana aurea, 
S. apus, and S. formosa being the most noticeable. 
Pelargoniums .—Several fairly good collections of these were staged, 
some of which would doubtless have taken a high position in the 
competition at the Royal Botanic Society’s Show on the previous day. 
For nine Show varieties in 8-inch pots Mr. Ashby won chief honours 
with freely flowered specimens of Triomphe de St. Mande, Crimson 
King, Empress, and Virgin Queen ; the second-prize collection from 
Mr. Mortimer being healthy, but not remarkable for the abundance 
of their flowers ; some, too, were not quite sufficiently advanced, Dr. 
Masters and Duchess of Edinburgh were the best. The leading 
amateurs’ collection of four Show varieties was from Mr. Burgess, 
Messrs. Hope, and Mayne, gardener to Miss Moon, Reading, following, 
all being rather small but healthy plants. The Fancy varieties were 
not largely represented. 
Cut flowers were abundantly shown and were generally of very 
satisfactory quality, the collection including manv choice stove 
flowers, Orchids, &c. The principal prizetakers were Messrs. Burgess, 
G. Phippen, Hope, Ross, gardener to C. Eyre, Esq., Welford Park; 
C. Turner, Lockie, and Tranter. M'. C. Turner of Slough gained the 
chief prize for cut Roses for exceedingly handsome flowers, of rich 
colour, good form and substance. Messrs. Kelway &. Son, Langport, 
Somerset, had a magnificent collection of single and double Pyrethrum 
blooms, three boxes of each, including a large number of choice varie¬ 
ties that attracted much admiration. Vases of flowers were also nume¬ 
rous, two long tables being filled with the exhibits in these classes. 
Mr. G. Phippen and Miss K. L. Phippen weie the chief prizetakers for 
vases, wreaths, and buttonhole bouquets, all the arrangements being 
extremely tasteful. One bridal wreath of choice white flowers com¬ 
prising double Tuberoses, Gardenias, Lilies of the Valley, white 
Azaleas, Roses, &c., was charmingly arranged. 
Fruit .—Though early in the season for fruit-exhibiting, Grapes, 
Strawberries, and Melons were fairly represented. Mr. Ashby had the 
best black Grapes—two bunches of Black Hamburgh well coloured. 
Mr. Atkins followed with moderately good bunches of Madresfield 
Court. The same exhibitors took the prizes in a reversed order for 
white Grapes, Foster’s Seedling being the variety shown. Strawberries 
were well shown by Mr. Mortimer and Mr. Bowie, gardener to C. J. 
Andrewes, Esq., Reading, who were first and second respectively, both 
showing President; but the first-named collection was superb, the 
fruit large and richly coloured. Mr. Mortimer also had a tray of 
eighty handsome fruits of the same variety equally as good as those 
competing, Mr. Bowie having fine examples of James Veitch, both 
being highly commended by the Judges. Several good Melons were 
shown. Mr. Atkins was awarded a certificate for a variety named 
Lockinge Conqueror, said to be a cross between Hero of Bath and 
Hero of Lockinge. It is a well-netted globular yellow-fleshed fruit 
with deep flesh and rich flavour. The same exhibitor had a large 
oval-fruited variety named Buscat Seedling, which was highly com¬ 
mended, a similar recognition being accorded to fruit of Hero of 
Lockinge shown by Mr. Howe, gardener to Sir R. Sutton, Benharn 
Park ; and Mr. Wells, Foxhill. 
Vegetables .—In the class for collections not limited as to number 
Messrs. Lockie, Read, gardener to F. Wilder, Esq., Purley Hall, and 
Burbidge were the successful exhibitors, gaining the prizes in that 
order with clean, fresh, well-grown samples. Cauliflowers, Mush¬ 
rooms, Peas, Potatoes, Rhubarb, Lettuces, were all well shown, chiefly 
by Messrs. Millen, Lockie, Bowrie, Turton, and Atkins. The compe¬ 
tition for Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ prizes for a brace of Cucumbers was 
extremely keen, twelve lots being staged. Mr. Lockie gained the 
chief position with two even and neat examples of Model; Mr. Millen 
followed with Suttons’ Improved Telegraph, and Mr. Mortimer was 
third with Model, the three exhibits being very close in quality. Mr. 
Bowie and Mr. Heaman, gardener to J. Skurray, Esq., were fourth 
and fifth respectively. 
The general management of the Show was very satisfactory, much 
credit being due to the Honorary Secretaries, Messrs. R. D. Catch- 
pool and G. W. Webb, for their efforts to render the Exhibition 
a success. 
ABOUT WASPS. 
Ml?. Taylor, in his letter on page 363 of your issue of the 
4th inst., has furnished us with a history of his wasp account for 
eight years, which, as far as it goes, would show that there was 
no immediate connection between the abundance or scarcity of 
spring and summer wasps. For example, the year of the smallest 
number of queens coincides with the largest number but one of 
nests, 408 to 169, or one nest for about 2‘4 queens ; while the 
smallest number of nests coincides with the largest number but 
one of queens, 71 to 3184, or about l - 45 ; while the year of the 
greatest spring abundance (enormously so) stands third in the 
list of nests; and the four years of greatest spring abundance 
produced 12,327 queens and 440 nests, and the four years of 
spring scarcity 3381 queens and 475 nests. 
My own experience of very old date certainly gave a different 
result, and I presume I did not carry on my observations long 
enough, for though the general result of Mr. Taylor’s figures is 
“more queens fewer nests,” 1875 and 1876 are exceptions. 
I began to note the facts in consequence of a letter of Dr. 
Bree’s in the “Zoologist” of 1849 (page 2614), which is too long 
for transcription, and as long as I cared to continue to observe 
the result was as I stated ; this is a fact, and more than a shadow 
of a proof. Now, as I said before, I hear now and then of the 
sums which my neighbour (not near enough to afEect my supply) 
has paid, and I never remember to have been told of his having 
paid a large sum without finding a scanty supply in the autumn, 
though it is possible such a matter may have escaped my memory. 
But “ Y. B. A Z.” asks my opinion of wasp economy. Before 
I reply I must ask his meaning. Will he also be good enough to 
interpret the following sentence ?—“ I must agree with Mr. Taylor 
that every wasp appearing in spring is a fertilised queen ; with 
the additional proviso that the smaller queens are probably un¬ 
fertilised.” Does he mean that the smaller queens do not appear 
in spring ? This would contradict the subsequent paragraph, but 
what else does it mean ? 1 cannot believe that the four thousand 
queens which he destroyed caused the scarcity of workers, unless 
I believe also that the 2500 destroyed by my neighbour cleared 
the country for miles round.— Duckwing. 
The remarkable Aristolochia Goldieana is now open¬ 
ing two fine blooms in the Royal Botanic Society’s gardens, 
Regent’s Park ; also Gardenia Stanleyana is in bloom, and both 
are worthy of inspection. 
- Ix is said that in Australia the district of Victoria is 
suffering from a prolonged DROUGHT. Only 2^ inches of rain 
have fallen during the present year ; the effect on the crops is 
reported as being disastrous. 
- “A Thirty-years Subscriber” is anxious to know if 
the old DOUBLE YELLOW AND DOUBLE BLOOD-RED WALL¬ 
FLOWERS are still in cultivation. He remarks they used to be 
plentiful years ago, but he never sees them now, and he thinks 
there are others beside himself who would be glad to obtain these 
old favourites. 
- We are informed that Mr. Francis George Heath has 
accepted the editorship of the Journal of Forestry^, the new 
volume of which, just commencing, will give considerable space 
to all subjects interesting to all lovers of the country. 
- We learn that the entire stock of the new Melon Wil¬ 
liam I., for which Mr. Howe of Benharn Park obtained a first- 
class certificate at Kensington on Tuesday last, and a similar 
award at Reading Autumn Show last year, has passed into the 
hands of Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, for distribution. 
- A Preston correspondent states that a severe frost on 
