JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 467 
equally enthusiastic in their lone for this modest Alpine gem.— 
J. DOUGLAS, Loxford Hall, Ilford, E. 
SEASONABLE NOTES. 
ECONOMY IN LIFTING EARLY POTATOES. 
Plenty of new Cabbages at Easter, and abundance of early 
Potatoes from the open borders at Whitsuntide, are considered 
satisfactory in some establishments ; but now and for the next 
few weeks many of the Potatoes which will be lifted from 
the ground will be very small and useless for the table. This is 
a gieat loss, especially in small gardens where large quantities 
cannot be grown, but it need not occur to a great extent if a little 
extra labour be devoted to the digging. Anyone removing the 
soil near the Potato stems may observe some tubers of a good 
size and maDy small ones among them. To leave these until 
they become large is true economy, but the large tubers need 
not be left. When the soil is cleared from them they may be 
detached from the plant for use, replacing the soil over the small 
ones, and in a few weeks they may all be lifted, when they will 
be much larger in size and altogether more profitable. To lift 
some hundredweights at a time in thi3 way might not always 
be practicable, but for a small dish daily the advantages must be 
apparent. 
Cutting Asparagus. —When to stop this operation is an oft- 
asked question, and various answers might be given, as much 
depends upon the season and, above all, the condition of the 
roots. As a rule, and with everything in fairly good con¬ 
dition, cutting may begin early in April and be carried on 
until June. If the first growths are allowed to run up many of 
the buds then dormant will remain so, but by cutting the growths 
as they become large enough all are induced to start, the only care 
being to avoid cutting the last of the growths if there are no more 
buds. This may be guessed by considering the quantity that has 
been cut. 
Tomatoes Blind and Deformed. —In growing Tomatoes 
under glass many of the blooms which open never form fruit, and 
what might be expected to form great clusters only appear as 
small bunches. There are at least two causes for this, one being 
allowing the plants to become too dry at the roots when in bloom, 
and the other is having the atmosphere in which they are growing 
too damp. Many failures in Tomato-growing may be attributed 
to these conditions, and so many deformed fruits. Even specimens 
are those most in favour ; but many fruits, especially with some 
varieties, are the reverse of this, and I have always observed that 
those growing in low damp pits were more deformed than those 
in a dry warm atmosphere. This appears to me to be the secret 
of securing well-shaped Tomatoes. 
Planting out Celery. —Much of this will now no doubt be 
ready for the trenches, but if the weather is as dry everywhere as 
it is here planting will have to be done with the utmost care, and 
abundance of water must be applied immediately afterwards. 
Being able to secure much soil with the roots of all plants at such 
times as this is a great advantage. Has anyone used sawdust for 
earthing Celery, and with what results ?—J. Muir. 
KINGSTON AND SURBITON HORTICULTURAL 
SHOW.— May 31st and June 1st. 
Under distinguished patronage and judicious management the 
Kingston Society has gradually gained an important position amongst 
other similar institutions in the neighbourhood of London, and the 
eighteenth show, held last week, well maintained its prestige by pre¬ 
senting a varied and excellent display. The Drill Hall was this year 
selected for the purpose, owing to some difficulty in procuring a suit¬ 
able site for tents at a convenient distance from the town ; but 
although the arrangement was as good as could be desired, and the 
exhibits so numerous that some had to be refused, yet a summer 
flower show does not seem so attractive in a building of that charac¬ 
ter as in marquees out of doors, especially where a picturesque garden 
is generously placed at the disposal of a society. When this is the 
case and the weather proves fine visitors have a double attraction, 
and the receipts are proportionately increased. At Kingston, though 
the weather smiled upon them, the visitors did not assemble so 
numerously as such a beautiful show merited ; but in the evening of 
each day there was a fair attendance. Much praise is due to the 
Secretaries—W. Clay, Esq., and Mr. J. W. Moorman—for their exer¬ 
tions to render the Show successful, and also to Messrs. Puttock and 
Woodgate, who were entrusted with general arrangement of the 
exhibits, and performed their duties admirably. 
In the plant classes the chief was that for nine stove and green¬ 
house plants, in which three very creditable collections were staged. 
Messrs. B. Peed & Son, Norbury Nurseries, Streatham, gained the 
principal award with even, healthy, and well-flowered specimens of 
medium size. Mr. J. Child, gardener to Mrs. Torr, Garbrand Hall, 
Ewell, took the second place with very praiseworthy plants, amongst 
which his handsome examples of Cypripedium Stonei and Gleichenia 
dicarpa longipinnata were especially noteworthy. Mr. J. A. Hinnell, 
gardener to F. A. Davis, Esq., Anglesea House, Surbiton, was third. 
In the smaller class for six Mr. J. Child won first honours, followed 
closely by Messrs. Peed and Hinnell; while for four Messrs. J. Childs 
of Claygate ; Croxford, gardener to Mrs. Dunnage, Allbury House ; 
and Attrill, gardener to Sir J. C. Freake, Bart., Bank Grove, Kingston, 
were the prizetakers. 
Groups of plants arranged for effect also constituted an important 
feature, very bright, and in some cases extremely tasteful, but in the 
majority of the larger groups there was a prevailing deficiency that 
in a great measure destroyed their beauty—namely, a too evident 
thinness, all the pots being very conspicuous. In the first-prize group 
of 100 square feet, arranged by Mr. E. Beckett, gardener to J. P. 
Currie, Esq., Sandown House, Esher, this evil, however, was most 
carefully avoided, a foundation of vigorous Adiantums forming a 
pleasing groundwork, from which arose neat Palms, Crotons, and Dra- 
carnas amongst the fine-foliage plants, with Pelargoniums and Begonias 
predominating amongst the flowering specimens. A tasteful, free, 
and beautiful combination was effected, and well merited the leading 
award. Messrs. Peed & Son, and Stevens of Putney, followed in the 
larger class with well-grown healthy plants. The competitors in the 
other for a group occupying 50 square feet were Messrs. Brand, gar¬ 
dener to W. Clay, Esq., Lime Grove Road, Kingston ; Croxford ; and 
W. E. Clark, gardener to A. Nagle, Esq., Bijou Cottage, Kingston, 
who secured the prizes in that order with compact, neat, and bright 
groups. 
In the miscellaneous classes Fuchsias, Glox nias, Calceolarias, 
Achimenes, Pelargoniums, Tuberous Begonias, and Hydrangeas were 
all well shown, and contributed largely to the display. The leading 
collection of six Calceolarias was particularly good, the plants com¬ 
pact and healthy, with fine heads of flowers ; Mr. J. Buss, gardener 
to A. S. Price, Esq., Ewell, who followed, also had some satisfactory 
plants in that class. Hydrangeas were admirably shown by Mr. 
Attrill, his specimens being in 32-size pots, and having single glo¬ 
bular heads of flowers 1 to lg foot in diameter. Mr. Joshua Child 
took the second place with healthy plants, each bearing several small 
heads of fine flowers. The best Fuchsias were from Messrs. Beckett, 
J. Childs, Otley of Surbiton, and Watson, Norbury House, Kingston, 
the first-named having excellently flow r ered, tall pyramidal specimens, 
Forget-me-Not, Charming, and Rose of Castile being the most note¬ 
worthy varieties. The winning exhibitors of Begonias, Gloxinias, 
Pelargoniums, and Achimenes were Messrs. J. Sallows, gardener 
to J. J. Flack, Esq., Twickenham ; Beckett, J. Child, Buss, and 
McPherson, who maintained their credit admirably. Roses were not 
extensively represented, but were of fair quality. Mr. C. Orchard, 
gardener to J. Galsworthy, Esq., Coombe Leigh, Kingston, had the 
best plants, large and vigorous ; Mr. J. W. Moorman securing a 
similar position in the class for twenty-four cut blooms, which were 
neat and fresh. Ferns and Selaginellas were exhibited by Messrs. 
Hinnell, Stevens, Attrill, Watson, Waite, and Otley, who staged 
very healthy examples ; table plants being also largely and well 
shown by Messrs. Buss, Brand, and Stevens. 
Table decorations, bouquets, buttonholes, and cut flowers were 
abundantly shown, Messrs. Orchard and Brand, Mrs. Clay, Mrs. 
Hardy, and Miss A. Moorman being the chief prizewinners. 
Vegetables were most satisfactory, the premier collection from 
Mr. E. Beckett including very fresh and healthy samples of Globe 
Artichokes, Canadian Wonder Beans, Excelsior Tomatoes, Wood- 
stock Kidney Potatoes, and William I. Peas. Messrs. C. Waite and 
J. Starr, gardeners to W. E. Edgar, Esq., Coombe Warren, who 
secured the other prizes, also had good collections. Fruit was rather 
poorly represented. 
PLANTING OUT WINTER-FLOWERING PLANTS. 
The practice of planting out winter-flowering plants during 
the summer months has been proved after several years’ ex¬ 
perience to be a saving in labour to the gardener and beneficial 
to the plants. When I commenced this system ten years ago it 
was as much to save work as for any other reason ; now I 
w T ould insist on the practice because it is a thoroughly good one 
in itself. As the time is now at hand when plants may be ad¬ 
vantageously placed out, I send a few notes on the subject, with 
the hope that they may be useful to any who have not as yet 
tried this system. The plants which I have grown thus have 
been the following :—Richardia aethiopica, late-flowering Chrys¬ 
anthemums, Solanums, Eupatoriums, Bouvardias, Cyclamens, 
several kinds of Begonias, Primulas, Cinerarias, Zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums, Astilbe japonica, and Deutzias, while many others may 
be grown on the same system with equally good results. Eupa¬ 
toriums, Bouvardias, Begonias, and Cyclamens have been grown 
in frames, not necessarily under the protection of glass, but we 
found it of benefit to have the sashes to place over these at time 
that protection appeared of advantage. The Eupatoriums and 
Begonias are generally from spring-struck cuttings, the other 
two plants are of greater age. The frames are in use previously 
