JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
516 
[ June 22, 1882. 
rhinums, Foxgloves, Pinks, and all tall-growing plants are either 
totally destroyed or very much disfigured. Bedding plants 
had not “got hold,” and have suffered, as might be expected. 
The kitchen garden is not any better served. Everything above 
ground is bruised and battered in a most remarkable manner, 
and all walks and roads are strewed with broken branches 
of trees and heaps of lacerated leaves meeting the eye at every 
turn. 
Farmers must have suffered from the ill effects of the continued 
storm. Potatoes are battered about until they are almost a com¬ 
plete wreck. Turnips, which are all sown on ridges in the north, 
are almost blown out of their places. From farms to fish is a 
transition in this seacoast district, and I only wish to point out 
that an old fisherman told me that he never remembered seeing 
the sea so high at this time of the year, and never saw it so high 
for so long. 
Whatever may be the result, I am of opinion that vegetation 
will need all its recuperative powers to recover from the injury 
it has received. The weather considerably improved at the time 
of writing (June 16th), but the air is still cold and ungenial.— 
Petek Ferguson, Mere Knolls, Monk Wearmouth. 
SOUTH ESSEX HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION. 
June 14th. 
When a society is accorded such liberal patronage as that at 
Leytonstone is favoured with, and the management is energetic, 
success may be most confidently expected, the surest advance being 
made when the local support is general and earnest. This certainly 
appears to be eminently the case at the eastern metropolitan suburb 
in question, for not only are excellent displays of plants, flowers, and 
fruits annually produced which attract visitors in large numbers, but 
the subscriptions are so liberal that even with adverse weather on 
the day of the Show the Society has little to fear as regards their 
ability to close accounts with the prizewinners and discharge their 
other expenses for the year. One great reason that they continue 
prosperous is, no doubt, due to the valuable assistance given by the 
President, J. G. Barclay, Esq., of Knott’s Green, who, besides placing 
a large meadow at the disposal of the Society for the Exhibition, also 
throws his beautiful garden open to all visitors. The latter in itself 
is almost as great an attraction as the Show, and gentlemen who 
thus so freely endeavour to forward the interests of a Society deserve 
great praise. 
The Exhibition held last week well maintained the credit of the 
horticulturists of the district, for all the productions shown were 
distinguished by their satisfactory quality, though, perhaps, the 
competition has been keener in some of the classes in previous years. 
As usual, plants formed a large portion of the display—clean healthy 
specimens, mostly of moderate size, being shown in all the classes. 
Stove and greenhouse plants were well represented, the best eight 
specimens being those staged by Mr. Donald, gardener to J. G. Bar¬ 
clay, Esq., Knott’s Green, Leytonstone, who was worthily adjudged 
the leading prize for beautiful examples of Adenandra fragrans 4 feet 
in diameter and profusely flowered, Statice profusa of very rich 
colour, Erica Easoniana in fine condition, 5 feet in diameter, fresh 
and healthy ; Ixora Williamsi, Stephanotis floribunda, and others of 
similar quality. Mr. J. Douglas, gardener to J. F. Whitbourn, Esq., 
Loxford Hall, Ilford, was a close second, having a fine variety of 
Anthurium Schertzerianum bearing ten large richly coloured spathes, 
Dendrobium nobile well flowered, Ixora Williamsi in grand form 
with enormous trusses of its bright rosy orange flowers, Boronia 
elatior, and Dendrobium thyrsiflorum very healthy. Mr. Monk, gar¬ 
dener to W. Fowler, Esq., Leytonstone, took the third position with 
creditable plants, his best specimen being Kalosanthes Phoenix 
flowering profusely. For one specimen flowering plant Mr. Douglas 
gained the chief honours with a magnificent Anthurium Schertzer¬ 
ianum having over four dozen spathes. Mr. Donald followed with 
Dracophyllum gracile 4 feet in diameter trained in globular form and 
freely flowered, Mr. Monk also securing an equal second prize for 
Clerodendron Balfourianum of considerable size and vigour. 
Orchids were admirably shown by several exhibitors, the collection 
of eight plants staged by Mr. J. Douglas, for which the premier prize 
was awarded, being especially interesting. Dendrobium Dalhousianum 
was in grand condition, having fourteen fine spikes. D. Devonianum 
had six growths loaded with flowers, one having over two dozen. 
Lmlia purpurata had twenty richly coloured blooms, Calanthe vera- 
trifolia and Anguloa uniflora being similarly well grown. Mr. Gilks, 
gardener to A. Borwick, Esq., Walthamstow, took the second position 
with smaller but neat healthy plants, Oncidium leucochilum, Masde- 
vallia Harryana, and Oncidium macranthum being noteworthy. For 
four Orchids Mr. Monk was first, his specimen of Aerides odoratum 
majus with five spikes being particularly fine. Mr. B. Ship, gardener 
to J. R. Scott, Esq., was a close second ; and Mr. R. B. Ashby, Wal¬ 
thamstow, secured the third position, both showing well. Mr. Gilks 
had the best single specimen (Lselia purpurata), having twelve large 
deeply coloured flowers. Mr. Douglas followed with Cattleya War- 
neri bearing nine flowers ; equal third prizes being secured by Mr. 
Foster (gardener to R. Johnson, Esq.) and Mr. Monk. 
Ferns were well shown, the leading collection of six exotic forms 
being from Mr. J. Douglas, comprising healthy examples of Adiantum 
cuneatum, A. formosum, Gleichenia speluncae, Dicksonia antarctica, 
and Dicksonia fibrosa. Mr. Barton, gardener to H. Carter, Esq., was 
a close second ; and Mr. Donald third. In the smaller class for four 
Messrs. Monk and Peters (gardener to W. Pearce, Esq.) were the prize¬ 
winners in that order. Beautiful specimens of choice British Ferns 
were staged by Messrs. Gilks, Donald, and Merritt, the first two having 
particularly pleasing collections. 
For four fine-foliage plants Mr. Fisher, Snaresbrook, took the chief 
position with Alocasia metallica, Pandanus Yeitchii, Croton Weis- 
manni, and Cocos Weddelliana in excellent health. Mr. Donald 
secured the second position, his best plants being Theophrasta impe- 
rialis and Dieffenbachia Bausei. Coleuses were mostly of moderate 
size, but admirably coloured ; Messrs. Monk, Fisher, and Fitch (gar¬ 
dener to G. Blackburn, Esq., Wanstead) taking the prizes in that order. 
Caladiums were also fairly represented. 
In several other classes, such as those for groups, cut flowers, fruit, 
and vegetables, the competition was good, most of the exhibitors 
already enumerated taking prizes in some of the classes. All the ex¬ 
hibits were well arranged, and the Secretary, Mr. G. E. Cox, deserves 
much praise for his efforts to render the Exhibition a success. 
THE VARIEGATED AMERICAN ALOE. 
(AGAVE AMERICANA VARIEGATA.) 
I see it complained of this plant that it is one of very slow 
growth, and as it is one that makes a pretty contrast among other 
plants wholly different, and is worth growing for that purpose 
even where no other succulents are grown, some account of my 
experience with it may be of service. 
In the first place, when in a greenhouse or window (it is a good 
window plant) it appears to do better where the sun does not 
shine much upon it. Although a succulent it grows faster in a 
north window than in a south one, but it grows fastest of all out 
in the open air during the warm months stood on a slate or tile 
exposed only to the morning sun. Secondly, it will not bear 
being shaken out when repotting ; the roots must be left undis¬ 
turbed. The young offsets, which are produced abundantly, make 
the greatest progress if planted out in June in warm well-drained 
ground. They should, of course, be taken up and potted before 
frost comes, and should then be kept in the shade for a while or 
they will turn yellow. Good fresh loam, pounded bricks, and 
sand, without any admixture of manure, suits them. 
A curious circumstance happened in the case of a large old 
plant which from neglect had lost its lower leaves and become 
scraggy. It was broken off by accident close above the soil, and 
then, merely to have it out of the way, was placed in a pot only 
partially filled with soil, so that while the broken part rested on 
the earth the leaves above did the same on the sides of the pot and 
kept the plant upright. Nothing more was thought about it till 
some time after it was found to have rooted into the soil it rested 
on, and it eventually made a handsome plant.—A. Boyle. 
WORTON GARDENS, ISLEWORTH. 
A parson’s fortnight of holiday a year, whiqh really means only 
ten days of available sight-seeing, for the journey up and the journey 
down cut off two days, and Sunday is a no-day, as in law, so in plea¬ 
sure-seeing. This one holiday a year, how much he tries to see in 
London during its few days of real and most welcome change to a 
country clergyman ! What an enlivener ! What a fillip to the mind 
it is ! What a time for storing up knowledge for future use and 
gratification 1 
But though only ten days I must try and get one for a fruit garden. 
I want to see what I never saw before—a metropolitan market garden. 
Private gardens by the hundred, nurseries by the dozen I have visited, 
but a London market garden never. Where amid the many can and 
shall I choose ? The abundance is puzzling. But a friend settles the 
matter thus : “ Go to Isleworth ; inquire for Mr. Warren. He will, 
lam sure, give “Wiltshire Rector” a warm welcome. He has 
a large and capital market garden ; he has poultry and bees as well 
as fruit. Just the place to suit you. Go.” A fine morning, early 
summer, with a warm sun shining and a pleasant breeze going ; a day 
—would there were more of them—when it is a luxury to exist. 
But what of Isleworth itself ? It lies on the great plain of Middle¬ 
sex in the valley of the Thames. By its name we might suppose it 
to be, or have been, an island in former days, but not so. The most 
apparent derivation of a name is usually the furthest from the true 
one. Such is the case with Isleworth. There never was an isle con¬ 
nected with it, but three hundred years ago it was called Thistle- 
worth, then Istleworth, and then Isleworth ; indeed it was called 
Thistleworth by the native poor almost in our own day. The best 
way to get to and from Worton Gardens is from Twickenham, as 
there are more trains than from the rather nearer Spring Grove station 
on the loop line. Flat and woody and market gardening is the 
country, with, away from the Thames, no feature noticeable. Worton 
was a royal manor in old, very old days. Royalty gave place to 
nuns, they to porcelain works, and they to market gardens, in which 
