June 15, 1882, ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
489 
bouquets being of moderate size and well made. Mr. J. Curtis, Kew 
Road, Richmond, obtained the second place, Centaureas being so 
abundant and prominent in his bouquets that some dissatisfaction 
was expressed with the award. Mr. W. Brown was third with 
arrangements of Carnations, Stephanotis, Roses, and Forget-me-nots. 
But Miss Williams’ exhibit in this class, though not honoured with 
an award, was by many preferred to all the preceding ; one bouquet, 
in which Moss Rose buds were freely employed, being charming. 
For three ball bouquets Miss Stuart carried off the leading prize with 
very bright and effective combinations of red Bouvardias, Eucharises, 
Roses, Primulas, Tuberous Begonias, Lilies, and Gloxinias. Mr. 
Brown was a close second, having chiefly Oncidiums, Roses, Gardenias, 
and Carnations. Mr. J. Curtis secured the third position with neat 
arrangements of Chrysanthemum Etoile d’Or, Marshal Niel Rose 
buds, Tuberoses, white Campanulas, and Gloxinias. 
Buttonholes were very numerous, eleven collections of six being 
staged. Miss A. Williams followed up her success in the other 
classes by again taking leading honours with half a dozen very neat 
buttonholes chiefly composed of Orchids, with Bouvardias, Masde- 
vallia Lindeni, and Tabernsemontana being tastefully employed. 
Miss Sperling was second, having Epidendrum vitellinum, Tuberoses, 
Torrenias, and white Bouvardias in various combinations. Miss 
Baines, Fern Cottage, Palmer’s Green, Southgate, was a very good 
and close third, Hoya bella, red Bouvardias, and Dendrobiums being 
the principal flowers employed. Bouquets of wild flowers were shown 
by Miss Baines and Messrs. Buster and Prewitt; flower stands being 
contributed by Misses Sperling, Baines, and Cluse. 
The competition in the classes for Pelargoniums was not keen, 
being confined to two exhibitors. For six Fancy varieties Mr. 
Wiggins, gardener to H. Little, Esq., Uxbridge, gained the leading 
prize with well-flowered specimens of Duchess of Edinburgh, Miss 
Hart, Madame Sainton Dolby, and Goliath amongst others. The 
best nine Show varieties were also shown by the last-named ; healthy 
and fairly good examples of Blue Bell, Duchess of Bedford. Sultana, 
and Digby Grand being the most noteworthy. Mr. C. Hammond, 
York Lodge, Stamford Hill, was second with smaller but neat plants, 
Rob Roy, Maid of Honour, and Kingston Beauty being especially 
good. 
FERTILISERS AND POTATOES. 
CHLORIDE OF POTASSIUM. 
That chloride of potassium sometimes fails to give the suc¬ 
cessful results which are expected to follow its application is 
not, probably, disputed either by “AMATEUR, Cirencester," or 
by his “friend, who is a chemist and understands these things ” 
(see page 470 of the Journal) ; but surely we may reasonably 
look for more assistance (from the happy individual who under¬ 
stands that which Liebig, Yoelcker, and other chemico-agricul- 
tural writers have been unable to comprehend) than can be 
derived from being told that “there is no faith to be reposed in 
the formula put forth by Mr. Jamieson,” and “ that Mr. Jamieson 
must carry out his experiments on larger plots of ground before 
his results can be taken as settling the question.” I should have 
thought that a theory might be equally good or incorrect without 
any experiments at all, and I may mention that this same argu¬ 
ment of small plots was the principal one advanced against Mr. 
Jamieson’s theory on soluble and insoluble phosphates, which 
may now be taken as nearly, if not quite, proved to be correct. 
But is “Amateur’s” letter perfectly just either to Mr. Jamieson 
or even to myself i In allusion to the disastrous effects which 
the chloride of potassium occasioned in some of his experiments, 
Mr. Jamieson asks, at page 35 of his report, “ What is the expla¬ 
nation ?” “ This question,” he says, “ has been often before my 
mind since the injurious action was apparent, and I am not at 
all sure that the solution at which I have arrived will explain 
and agree with all the phenomenaand, for my own part, so 
little have I put Mr. Jamieson’s theory forward as an undoubted 
truth requiring no further discussion, that whilst admitting that 
it commends itself to my own mind, I called attention to it in your 
pages, because “ many of your correspondents must have had ex¬ 
periences tending to prove or disprove his theory.” I, therefore, 
assert that neither the author of the theory, or rather hypothesis, 
nor I, who have been the means of procuring for him (shall I 
say ?) this undeserved “ snub,” have given any grounds whatever 
for assuming that we maintain that “ his results can be taken as 
settling the question.” 
P.S.—In my letter, published last week at page 466, the word 
“tiuthfulness” has been printed instead of “hurtfulness,” which 
was intended.— Inquirer. 
Viola Blue Bell Improved. —This is decidedly the best of the 
blue section of Violas that I am acquainted with, and worth bringing 
before the notice of those of your readers who go in for spring and 
summer bedding. When planted in masses and seen from a distance 
it has a most charming and telling effect; so also it has when planted 
out in beds alternately with such things as Pelargoniums Bijou, 
Golden Harry Hieover, Dactylis glomerata, <tc. From spring till 
autumn it may be said to be a continuous bloomer and is exceedingly 
floriferous, the flowers being of a rich indigo blue in colour.—J. H. 
ORCHIDS IN JUNE. 
During the next two months the grower’s time will be taken 
up mostly with attention to the autumn and winter-blooming 
Cattleyas, such as C. crispa, C. Trianse, C. Warscewiczii, &c., giving 
them every encouragement and keeping them near the glass, so 
that they may form strong growths with sheaths which will insure 
a fine display of flowers in the dull season. 
The Dendrobium house looks well with the rich display of 
blooms afforded by D. aggregatum, D. albo-sanguineum, D. cre- 
taceum, D. Devonianum, D. dixanthum, D. densiflorum and album, 
D. fimbriatum oculatum, D. infundibulum, D. Jamesianum, D. 
Peirardi, D. Parishi, and D. thyrsiflorum, all of which are at 
present in perfection. 
Many of the Masdevallias are now 'in different stages. Those 
that have ceased flowering should be returned to their growing 
quarters, as they soon suffer if allowed to remain in a dry atmo¬ 
sphere, which causes them to lose their leaves. 
Ccelogynes will require to be closely looked to, and will require 
plenty of water, with an occasional supply of liquid manure, as 
will also Cypripedium Chantini, C. Harrisianum, C. insigne and 
varieties, C. Maulei, and C. villosum. 
Aerides crispum, with its lovely drooping spikes of fragrant 
flowers, which are pure white in colour with a crimson-tinted lip, 
is blooming well. It succeeds in the coolest end of the East 
Indian house with plenty of light, but protected from the direct 
rays of the sun. Aerides Larpentas, a scarce species, is bearing 
fine spikes of numerous creamy white flowers, shaded with rose 
at the extremities. Aerides Lobbii, an exceedingly showy Orchid, 
is producing its long elegant spikes of delicate rosy pink blossoms. 
Aerides odoratum is bearing in abundance its handsome pendent 
spikes of wax-like flowers, which are white tipped wdth rose, and 
most deliciously fragrant. 
Cattleya Warneri and its varieties, of which there are several, 
are now producing their large beautiful flowers, varying from 
delicate rose to deep lilac with a rich crimson lip. 
Coelogyne pandurata is a curious distinct Orchid with pale 
emerald green blossoms, having black-spotted lips, aud emitting 
a delicate perfume. It is now in fine condition. This may be 
called a sun-worshipping Orchid, the flowers following the sun in 
its course from east to west, and blooms which are turned towards 
the sunset in the evening will be found facing the sunrise in the 
morning. 
Dendrochilum filiforme is now sending up its graceful thread¬ 
like spikes of beautiful golden-yellow flowers from its small bulbs, 
with grass-like foliage. This requires to be grown in the warmest 
end of the Cattleya house, suspended near the glass, in good 
fibrous peat, moss, and potsherds, with a liberal supply of water. 
Epidendrum vitellinum is getting past its best, and if the flowers 
are not specially wanted the plants will be all the better if the 
flower spikes are rem )ved, by which process good stout pseudo¬ 
bulbs will be formed before winter. 
Odontoglossum Phalacnopsis is producing its numerous spikes 
of pure white flowers with purple-striped lip. 
Oncidium crispum is now charming with its long nodding 
spikes of from ten to twenty chocolate and amber-coloured 
flowers, which are elegantly crisped.— Orchidist. 
FRUIT CROPS IN SOUTH WILTS. 
With two exceptions, Apples and Pears, fruit crops of all kinds 
are all that one can desire, and the most promising we have had 
for years. Apricots, Teaches, and Nectarines will be abundant. 
Three-fourths of their number have had to be pulled off the trees 
—an operation which, whilst being agreeable enough, requires a 
certain amount of courage on the part of the individual to whose 
lot the work is cast. It is always better to err on the side of 
taking off plenty rather than leaving loo many, as then a full 
crop is more likely to be insured the following year. No hard- 
and-fast line can ever be drawn as to what might be considered 
a sufficient number of fruits for each tree to carry, as all depends 
od the vigour of each individual tree. It may, however, be safely 
stated that no tree is overcropped when, in addition to bearing 
its fruit, it makes a reasonable amount of wood and foliage, and 
vice versa. This point I may enlarge upon at some future time. 
Plums and Cherries are plentiful, so also are Figs, Quinces, and 
Medlars. Small fruits are in the highest degree satisfactory. 
Strawberries are a week or ten days earlier than usual, owing to 
the fact of our experiencing so few of those late frosts which 
