48 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 19, 1833. 
for a flower sliow, and when the weather is favourable visitors usually 
assemble in great numbers. 
CULTURE OF CALCEOLARIAS. 
That the Calceolaria is an effective and most useful green¬ 
house flowering plant, everyone having a knowledge of it will 
readily admit. It makes a good succession to the Cineraria, 
its time of flowering being April, May, and June; and, if neces¬ 
sary, the flowering period may be extended by sowing a pinch 
of seed at intervals of a week or ten days from the middle of 
July to the middle of August, and also by retarding the flower¬ 
ing of the plants raised from the last sowing. Although the 
Calceolaria is of easy culture it not unfrequently happens that 
amateurs, and gardeners too, experience difficulty in the matter 
of raising a sufficient number of young plants from seed to 
satisfy the demands. Therefore, as I have hitherto been suc¬ 
cessful in raising and growing the Calceolaria, and with a view 
to render assistance to those of your readers who may have 
been less fortunate, I will briefly detail the particulars of the 
treatment. 
Obtain a packet of seed from a good strain, and sow part of 
it now and the remainder a week or two hence in a pan, having 
a couple of inches of crocks in the bottom, and over them a 
little dry moss to render the drainage perfect, and filled to the 
rim with light fine soil, the same being rammed firmly together 
and watered through a fine rose about twenty minutes before 
the seed is sown, which should be covered with a dust of silver 
sand, over which place a piece of glass and damp moss, and then 
stand the pan on coal ashes in a frame occupying a north 
aspect. As soon as the seedlings appear through the soil, 
which, if all goes well, will be in a fortnight or three weeks from 
the time of sowing, remove the moss gradually until they are 
inured to the light. Water, not having been applied in the 
meantime, should be given sparingly through a fine rose as soon 
as the soil in the pan becomes a little dry ; and when the seed¬ 
lings are large enough to handle they should be pricked out in 
pans and returned to the frame, watered, shaded from bright 
sunshine until their roots have taken to the soil, and protected 
against the attacks of slugs by encircling the pans with a mixture 
of new soot and lime, repeating the application as a pre¬ 
cautionary measure twice a week, and dew the plants overhead 
with the syringe in the afternoon, closing the frame at the same 
time. 
Potting .—Before the seedlings become crowded in the pans 
into which they have been transplanted they should be taken 
up carefully with as much soil as possible adhering to their roots, 
and placed singly in small 60-pots in a compost consisting of 
three parts light loam and one of leaf soil, with a good dash of 
sharp silve’r sand, which should be pressed moderately firm, 
keeping the stems of the plants the same height out of the soil 
as they were before; and this is a point that should be rigidly 
observed every time the plants are potted. The plants when 
potted should be stood on sifted coal ashes in a frame near the 
glass, watered through a fine rose to settle the soil among the 
roots, shaded for four or five hours on bright days, and damped 
with the syringe when the shading is removed; thus, in adiition 
to immediately refreshing the plants, producing a moist and 
cool atmosphere for the night—conditions under which the Cal¬ 
ceolaria flourishes in every stage of its growth, excepting, per¬ 
haps, its flowering period, when a cool and somewhat dry atmo¬ 
sphere would be more congenial. As soon as the plants have 
partly filled the 3-inch pots with roots they should be shifted 
into 5-inch pots, ramming the soil between the sides of the pot 
and the ball of the plant with a flat stick, and when the plants 
have partly filled these pots with roots they will require to be 
shifted into 7-inch pots, and again, if larger specimens are 
required, into 9-inch pots, using coarser and richer soil in potting, 
and take care that the drainage is both ample and perfect, as 
the welfare of the plants in a great measure depends upon the 
manner in which this is performed. Therefore a large piece of 
potsherd should be placed over the hole in the bottom of the 
pot, then several pieces of smaller ones, and finish off by filling- 
in the cliioks with pieces which have been through a small sieve, 
altogether a little less than one-third the depth of the pots, 
and over all place a handful of sphagnum moss, thus securing 
a perfect drainage. 
Supplying Water .—The plants having been thoroughly watered 
a few hours before being shifted into larger pots wiil require 
very little water at the roots for some time afterwards—not 
until they have pushed well into the new soil; but they should 
be damped with the syringe late in the afternoons of bright days, 
so that the foliage may remain covered with moisture the night 
through. As the plants fill their largest pots with roots they 
should be watered alternately with diluted liquid manure, which 
will greatly assist the plants in the foi’mation and development 
of sturdy flower-spikes. According to the judgment exercised 
in the application of water to the plants so also will be the flori- 
ferous result thereof. Bearing this in mind there should be no 
indiscriminate waterings; but when the pot produces a hollow 
sound in reponse to a sharp knock water should be given two or 
three times, then allow the soil to become moderately dry before 
watering again. 
Ventilation and Situation .—The Calceolaria, like the Cineraria, 
may in every stage of its growth be termed a fresh-air-loving 
plant, but, like them, does not like it when admitted in currents. 
Pits from which frost and excessive damp can be excluded are 
suitable. A minimum temperature ranging from 35° to 50° 
during the winter and spring months wiil be congenial to the 
plants, which, if subjected to a high temperature and close atmo¬ 
sphere, especially during their flowering period, become infested 
with aphides, to destroy which the plants should be fumigated 
with tobacco paper two nights in succession. Ventilate freely 
the following days, weather permitting. When the plants are 
in flower the flower-spikes should be supported with sticks and 
matting. The Calceolaria is not a good plant to cut from, as 
the flowers do not keep well; but as a decorative plant which 
comes within the reach of everyone possessing garden frames 
and a greenhouse it has few equals.— H. W. Ward, Longford 
Castle , Salisbury. 
HULL FLOAVER SHOW. 
There are probably few places in the kingdom more suitable for an 
exhibition of garden produce than the Botanic Gardens are at Kingston- 
upon-Hull, and the district surrounding being fertile, with good gardens 
scattered everywhere, owned by wealthy proprietors and managed by 
competent gardeners, there should be little difficulty in providing annual 
gatherings of the kind under notice which would rank amongst the best 
in the provinces. The present Exhibition was the first that has been held 
in the new gardens, and as regards the products was most encouraging. 
The opening day was unfortunately showery, yet as two others followed 
it is hoped the attendance of visitors would result in a financial success. 
The Show was inaugurated by the skilled and energetic Curator of the 
gardens, Mr. P. McMa’hon, who, in conjunction with his co-Secretaries, 
Messrs. James Dixon, E. T. Sharp, and the members of the Committee, 
laboured indefatigably in the commendable work which they voluntarily 
undertook to accomplish. 
The schedule, without being extravagant, was sufficiently liberal to 
induce Mr. Cypher of Cheltenham to put forth his strength, and con¬ 
sequently some of the finest examples of plant culture to be found in any 
country were placed in competition. This great exhibitor, though he 
achieved a splendid success, did not quite carry everything before him, a 
fact which shows conclusively that there are first-rate local cultivators— 
such, for instance, as Mr. Lawton, gardener to Col. Broadley, M.P., Welton 
House, Brough ; Mr. Cartwright, gardener to A. AVilson, Esq., Iranby 
Croft, Hull; and Mr. Jarvis, gardener to B. AVhittaker, Esq., who were the 
most successful exhibitors in the plant classes. 
In the class for sixteen plants, ten to be in flower, Mr. Cypher won chief 
honours with a noble group, including Erica Parmentieri rosea, 6 feet in 
diameter, magnificent ; E. obbata, E. Dennisoniana, E. ventricosa tricolor, 
Allamandas, Ixoras, with a Dracocephalum, Anthurium, and Clerodendron. 
The foliage plants were also fine. Mr. Lawton was a most creditable second, 
his noteworthy plants being a splendid Stephanotis, the good old Pleroma 
elegans, and Erica Paxtoni. Mr. Cypher was also first with ten fine-foliaged 
plants, very remarkable being Lomatia filicifolia, Crotons Sunset and Victoria, 
Cycas circinalis, and C. revoluta. Arthur Wilson, Esq., was an excellent 
second, staging among others a grand Latania, and capital examples of 
Kentia australis and Cordyline indivisa. Mr. J. C. Padman, Boston Spa, 
Tadcaster, secured the third prize, his most striking plant being a fresh and 
vigorous Stevensonia grandifolia. In the class for ten plants, six at least to 
be in bloom, Mr. Cypher was in his accustomed position, staging amongst 
others a Stephanotis densely covered with waxy flowers, excellent Ericas 
Bothwelliana and Aitoniana, with a beautiful but not large plant of Croton 
Warreni. B. AVhittachew, Esq. (Mr. Jarvis, gardener), Cliffe House, Hessle, 
was worthily awarded the second prize for large well-grown specimens. In 
the class for four plants in bloom Mr. Cypher was first with not large but 
superbly finished examples of Ixora Williamsii, Erica Parmentieriana rosea, 
Aphelexes macrantha rosea, and Anthurium Andreanum with twenty fine 
spathes. Mr. Jarvis was again second with Clerodendron Balfourianum, 
very fine indeed; Statice Holfordi, Anthurium Schertzerianum, and a 
Hydrangea about 5 feet in diameter. In the single-specimen class Mr. 
Cypher sustained his first defeat, being se.cond with a very fine plant of 
Erica Shannoni 4 feet in diameter, Mr. Lawton winning the first place with 
a wonderfully fine, fresh, and free example of Phoenocoma prolifera Barnesii 
5 to 6 feet in diameter. 
In the class for four Palms the competition was extremely good and 
close, Mr. Lawton securing the first position with Verschaffeltia melano- 
chaetes, Cocos AVeddelliana, Pritchardia filamentosa, and a splendid specimen 
of Kentia Balmoreana. Mr. Cartwright was second with a grand Latania 
borbonica., Thrinax elegans, Pritchardia pacifica. and a Kentia. Mr. 
Cypher had the third prize. Perns were of striking excellence, Mr. Lawton 
securing the first position in the class for six with Gleichenia speluncse, 
5 feet in diameter; G. rupestris glaucescens, C feet; Pteris scaberula, 
5 feet; P. Tyermani, 3 feet; and Leucostegia immersa, 5 feet, all splendid. 
Mr. Cartwright, who followed, had Davallia Mooreana and Adiantum 
cardiochlsena, each 8 feet across. In the class for three ornamental-foliaged 
plants Mr. Lawton, who was the chief exhibitor, staged a fine example of 
