JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
444 
[ Juno 1, 1882. 
but “ at home ” the Tree Ferns, the Palms, the Orchids, and other 
plants are free, waving their feathery plumes beneath a cloudless 
sky, or their flowers are kissed by the gentle breeze, and dangle 
from branch or fallen trunk in variety seemingly infinite. 
At 9000 feet trees are sparsely distributed, and here and there 
are rocky patches of two or three acres in extent covered with 
coarse Sedges, Dianellas, and the singular alpine form of Dipteris 
Horsefieldii. Here, in stiff red loam surfaced with grit of sand¬ 
stone and decomposed granite washed from above, grew the 
king of the Nepenthes, N. Rajah. The plants were of all sizes, 
broad of leaf and sturdy of habit, reminding us of a thinly 
planted and irregular crop of Cabbages. The large urns, some 
capable of holding two quarts of water, are not apparent at first 
sight, as they rest on the surface of the ground, buried for the 
most part in debris of dead Sedges and fallen leaves washed 
around them by the rains. It is a singular fact that the pitchers 
of all Nepenthes have far brighter colours when thus buried and 
shaded by moss and other forest debris than when fully exposed 
to the light and sunshine. This fact should be of service to all 
who grow these singular plants. Indeed, I often wondered whether 
the pitchers might not absorb nutriment from the decaying 
vegetation around them, as well as from the animal and vege¬ 
table debris and water which half fills their urns. Here on this 
cool moist mountain are thousands of Nepenthes Rajah in all 
sizes, seedlings in all stages of development. Now and then old 
patriarchs are met with 6 feet in height and flowering freely. 
Male plants are abundant, females rare. I was lucky to get 
plenty of good seed. Having seen all the treasures of Kew and 
Chelsea, the sight of these wonderful Pitcher-plants wild seemed 
like a dream. All troubles and fatigues vanished as these wondrous 
productions of Nature displayed themselves. Here and there 
among the pitchers were three or four kinds of terrestrial Coelo- 
gynes and other Orchids. The Coelogynes were especially in¬ 
teresting and in full flower ; white and yellow, orange and brown, 
white and brown, and green and white being the prevailing 
colours. 
Highest of all in what may be called the Nepenthes zone on the 
mountain comes N. villosa, a distinct species with rounded pitchers, 
very downy, and coloured like a fine Royal George Peach. The 
pitchers are 5 inches long by 3 inches broad, and have a frill to the 
rim as in N. Edwardsiaua, these two being in this particular quite 
distinct from all other species if we except a singularly beautiful 
natural hybrid between the two, named N. Harryaua after Mr. 
Harry Veitch. Near where the large Pitcher-plants are found, and 
not far from the great waterfall, is a little cave in the face of an 
overhanging sandstone rock. This cave formed our head-quarters 
while we stayed on the mountain. Ten thousand feet below us 
the thermometer never descends below 70° in the shade. Here 
it descends to 36°, and rain and mists are constant every day in 
the year. Every leaf and mossy trunk is dripping with moisture 
even in the sunshine at mid-day, and I never had the “ hot ache ” in 
my fingers so bad as when packing up Nepenthes plants in wet 
moss on this mountain in the tropics. Our Malays, and even the 
guides from Kiau, 7000 feet below, were fairly paralysed with the 
wet and cold. Good fires and woollen shirts threefold were accep¬ 
table, and even then I found myself huddling up close to the 
glowing embers, and anxious to keep my rugs and blankets over 
my shoulders. No actual frost is felt here, but radiation is great. 
Oh ! thought I, how I should like to plant a few Odontoglots and 
Masdevallias here, feeling sure the climate would naturally suit 
them. 
It is rare to obtain good views owing to the cloud and mist. 
Once we had a peep of Laya Bay and the sea, and saw Tilong 
towering up into the blue sky to the south-east. This journey 
to Kina Balu takes fully a month to accomplish, and is always an 
adventurous one to make even in the dry season. When the 
streams are high in wet times it is absolutely dangerous. I often 
look back to having twice accomplished it without the loss of a 
man or a beast, for sights and scenes “ flash upon the inward eye,” 
and dangers are pleasures when distance lends enchantment.—D. 
THE NATIONAL TULIP SOCIETY. 
The annual show of this Society was held in the Botanical Gardens, 
Old Trafford, on Saturday, May 27th, when blooms were numerously 
shown, but not in quite such fine condition as in some previous years. 
They were mostly rather small, though the majority were as fresh 
and clean as could be desired. 
For twelve dissimilar varieties Mr. S. Barlow was first with Sir 
Joseph Paxton, Heroine, Adonis, Dr. Hardy, Garibaldi, Talisman, 
David Jackson, Mabel, Annie McGregor, Friar Tuck, Ashmole, and 
Modesty, bright, even, and clean. Mr. D. Wolley was second with 
a pretty collection, including good blooms of Aglaia, Wm. Bentley, 
and Triumph Royal. Messrs. H. Travis was third, and R. Sharpley 
fourth. For six dissimilar Mr. T. Parkinson was first with Triumph 
Royal; Mrs. Pickeral, Sir Joseph Paxton, Charmer, Talisman, and 
Dr. Hardy being fine blooms. Mr. S. Barlow followed closely. Messrs. 
H. Travis, R. Sharpley, Thurston, D. Wolley, and John Wood taking 
the remaining prizes. 
For three feathered varieties Mr. H. Housley was first with Miss 
Pickeral, Royal Sovereign, and Mabel—neat, even, and fresh blooms. 
Messrs. T. Parkinson, E. H. Schofield, H. Travis, and D. Wolley were 
the other prizetakers, all with good blooms. The best feathered 
bloom was Royal Sovereign (shown by Mr. H. Housley), a large 
brightly coloured specimen. For three flamed varieties Mr. D. 
Wolley was first with Triumph Royal, Paxton, and Princess Royal— 
very handsome examples of beautiful varieties. Messrs. Thurston, 
H. Housley, J. Marten, S. Barlow, and E. H. Schofield followed in 
that order. The best flamed variety was Paxton, shown by Mr. T. 
Parkinson. 
A large number of single specimens was shown, the leading exhi¬ 
bitors in each class being the following :—Mr. Parkinson, a feathered 
bizarre ; fine flower, name of variety unknown. The same exhibitor 
had the best feathered bybloemen—Mrs. Pickeral. Mr. H. Housley 
had the first prize for Paxton in the flamed bizarre class. For a 
flamed bybloemen Mr. D. Wolley won first with Lord Denman of ex¬ 
cellent form. Mr. Thurston had a beautiful bloom of Mabel, which 
was placed first in the flamed rose class, Mr. Parkinson being first in 
the feathered rose class with Charmer. 
For six dissimilar breeder Tulips Mr. S. Barlow was first with Sir 
Joseph Paxton, Lucretius, Excelsior, Lady Grosvenor, Martins, and a 
seedling. Messrs. H. Wood, B. Simonite, R. Sharpley, T. Thurston, 
and T. Morris followed. For three breeder varieties Mr. Simonite 
was first with three pretty seedlings ; Messrs. Housley, Barlow, Wood, 
E. H. Schofield, Woolley, R. Sharpley, and Thurston taking the 
other prizes. The best breeder was Paxton, shown by Mr. J. Wood. 
For a bizarre breeder Mr. J. H. Wood was first with Paxton. Mr. 
H. Housley had the best rose breeder, Lord Derby, and the best 
bybloemen breeder, Philip I. 
TIIE FLOWER GARDEN IN SPRING. 
Tpe graphic description of the noted flower garden at Bel voir 
on page 402, and the practical hints conveyed under the above 
beading by Mr. Bardney on page 406, may not unlikely result 
in others commencing to raise a stock of winter bedding plants. 
For my part I heartily wish employers would decide upon having 
more of these hardy plants grown. If at the same time they con¬ 
siderably reduced the number of beds requiring to be filled with 
summer bedding plants, not only would they greatly relieve 
their houses and frames during the winter and spring months, 
but their gardeners’ minds as well, and in return they would be 
amply recompensed by, among other benefits, a display in the 
spring, which Mr. Bardney truly says can compare for beauty 
with any other style of bedding. It may be said, “ Why should a 
spring display interfere with the summer bedding arrangements ?” 
It does not, perhaps, to any material extent in some places, Bel- 
voir or Cliveden for instance ; but where labour and space are 
inadequate, to attempt both styles simply means eventual failure 
in doing justice to either. It is very well to say such and such a 
plant “ claims immediate attention,” and “ are readily obtained 
from seed or cuttings,” when perhaps the whole of the time and 
space has to be devoted to the proper preparation and planting 
of the summer kinds. Again, it not unfrequently happens some 
of the hardy plants are at their best in May, and the gardener 
receives orders not to interfere with them till they are becoming 
shabby. This often does not happen till the beds are deprived of 
all moisture and fertility, and are, therefore, in anything but a 
fit state for the reception of the summer plants. If beds are 
filled with spring-flowering plants in the autumn, and again with 
summer bedding plants the following May or June, they ought to 
be well manured at least once a year, and the preference should 
be given to the summer preparation, as such kiuds as Violas, Cal¬ 
ceolarias, and Verbenas especially require a moist and fertile soil 
to maintain a lengthened display of bloom. I am a great admirer 
of winter or spring bedding plants, and, having had experience 
with them, am in a position to offer an opinion both on their 
merits and the labour consequent upon their extended culture. 
Many gardeners are already overworked, and for employers 
to request them to raise a stock of plants to succeed the 
summer kinds is simply a case of overriding a willing horse. 
What I am always pleased to hear is the fact of gardeners 
receiving orders to turf over a certain number of beds, or, 
better still—and which I am bound to state is a very rare 
occurrence—orders to completely level an elaborate design, and 
to form a few simple beds at different places where they can 
be disposed without spoiling a good expanse of turf. Fewer 
beds may easily insure superior planting in both styles if re¬ 
quisite. What I object to is attempting both styles when perhaps 
one, as at present conducted, is too much for those responsible. 
