July 19, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
51 
engagement with Mr. Alderman James Chaffin, J.P., ex-Mayor of Bath. 
The last named gentleman is an enthusiastic horticulturist, who fre¬ 
quently takes the first place at the local competitions. He has invented 
and patented a simple and excellent system of glazing, which he is 
anxious to put to a much larger and more thoroughly practical test than 
he has hitherto done, and for this purpose will immediately build some 
large new houses. Mr. W. Pratt, who has been for seven years gardener 
to Lord Hill at Hawkstone, succeeds Mr. Taylor at Longleat, and as he is 
an excellent gardener we have every reason to hope that Longleat will 
not suffer by the change of management. Singularly enough, though 
personally unknown to each other, this is the second time Mr. Pratt has 
succeeded Mr. Taylor, they having both at different times acted as foremen 
in the gardens of Lord Derby at Knowsley. We believe Mr. Pratt is 
succeeded at Hawkstone by his foreman. 
- Mr. Isaac Bunting of Yokohama, Japan, in forwarding his 
list of Japanese Lilies and Orchids, states that “ News has just come 
to hand that freight will not exceed one halfpenny per pound frem 
Yokhama to London, and perhaps less on large shipments.” 
- Mr. John Boyd, Balbriggan, Dublin, sends us a handsome truss 
•of the Double Zonal Pelargonium Marie Tallandier, which con¬ 
tained over fifty very full flowers. He remarks :—“ The above variety 
is worthy of a notice in the Journal, as it bears a remarkably compact 
truss and of great size. In a situation near the glass the foliage comes 
of a light green colour. It is of spreading habit.” 
- We rarely remember seeing anything more striking in the way 
of hardy flowering shrubs than that presented by arborescent specimens 
of Abutilon yitifolium in full flower in the shrubbery at Old Conna 
Hill, Ireland, the residence of Mr. Biall, D.L. A background of lofty 
trees and thick foliage served to bring out into more pronounced relief 
the soft, pale, Yine-like leaves and the marvellous clusters of almost pure 
white bells which hung from every branchlet, as many as two dozen of 
these elegant bells being numbered in a single cluster. Except the 
faintest tinge of azure, the hells mimicked those of the favourite Abutilon 
Boule de Neige, and might be mistaken for them. The flowers of the 
latter are borne singly, while, as will be perceived from what is said 
Above, its hardy relative bears them in clusters. — ( Irish Farmers' 
Gazette .) 
- Gardening Appointment.— Mr. George Penning, late fore 
man in the gardens of the Dowager Countess of Ellesmere, Burwood 
House, Cobham, Surrey, has been appointed head gardener to Captain 
Parker, R.N., Ware Park. 
- The handsome collection of hardy flowers staged by Mr. 
T. S. Ware at South Kensington last week, was, we learn, subsequently 
awarded a silver medal, which was well merited. The Liliums were 
■exceedingly fine, and a large number of species was represented, the 
charming bloom certificated, L. Bloomerianum ocellatum, being especi¬ 
ally notable. The collections that have been recently staged by Mr. Ware 
are undoubtedly the best of the kind ever exhibited, and have done much 
good in attracting attention to the most beautiful hardy plants. 
- Mr. G. Thompson, The Gardens, Croxby House, Hounslow, 
Tefering to the American Blackberry mentioned by Mr. J. Muir, 
•observes—“ We have here a variety named Lawton ; it is planted in the 
kitchen garden in the same way as Raspberry, but not cut back. The 
fruit come very large like Mulberries, come in directly after Raspberries 
are over ; it proves very useful ; it is very handsome when it is in bloom 
with its large white flowers, but it does not produce suckers very freely.’’ 
- In reference to a recent query concerning the Heaviest Bunch 
of Grapes, the following quotation from Mr. A. F. Barron’s work may 
be interesting:—“ 1. Trebbiano : the largest hunch on record was that 
grown hy Mr. Curror of Eskhank on a Vine of this variety; its weight was 
■26 lbs. 4 ozs. 2. 'White Nice : bunches reputedly of this sort have been 
shown from Arkleton weighing 25 lbs. 15 ozs. and 19 lbs. 5 ozs.; and 
from Castle Kennedy weighing 17 lbs. 2 ozs. 3. Gros Guillaume: Mr. 
Roberts, Charleville Forest, Ireland, has grown the largest bunches of 
this variety, one of which weighed 23 lbs. 5 ozs. 4. Syrian: Speechly’s 
famous bunch of this variety, grown at Welbeck, weighed 19 lbs. 5. 
Black Hamburgh: Mr. Hunter of Lambton exhibited one bunch of this 
weighing 21 lbs. 2 ozs., and another weighing 13 lbs. 2 ozs.” 
- Part 84 of the English Botany, by Dr. T. J. Boswell, is now 
issued by the publishers, Messrs. G. Bell & Son, York Street, Covent 
Garden, and commences with the flowerless plants, giving the Marsileacea?, 
Isoetacefc, Selaginaceie, Lycopodiacefe, and Ophioglossacese. Each 
species is represented by a most faithfully executed coloured plate, the 
descriptive matter being very full and correct. This series will conclude 
a most beautiful work on English Botany, and will no doubt be welcomed 
by many interested in the subject. 
- Mr. Gilbert McDougall recently read before the Stirling 
Horticultural Society a long and interesting paper on the rare 
native plants of the district. He referred at length to a large 
number of plants, mentioning their chief peculiarities and the situa¬ 
tions in which they are principally found. 
- A correspondent writes :—“ Thunbergia alata in mixed 
colours forms an appropriate edging to a stage full of Gloxinias. 
Large vases in conservatories are also very effective when filled with 
Gloxinias and edged with Thunbergias, the pendent growths of the 
latter bearing a profusion of their striking flowers produce a very 
pleasing effect.” 
- Visitors to the National Rose Society’s Exhibition, South 
Kensington, recently greatly admired Mr. H. Bennett’s handsome new 
Rose Her Majesty, which obtained the high, but well-deserved, honour 
of the Society’s gold medal. Amongst light varieties this is likely to 
obtain a most prominent position, rivalling that of La France, and 
growers will eagerly look forward to its being sent out. As far as we 
could ascertain there was only one opinion respecting it—namely, that it 
was a-most charming Rose, and further experience of its merits appears 
likely to strengthen this favourable impression. As will be seen from 
the report of the Sheffield Rose Show on another page, still further 
success was there achieved by this variety. 
- Mr. G. Allis states that the Amateur Strawberry has 
proved a very superior variety for forcing : it is a free bearer and of a good 
colour (a very important point) ; the fruits are of good size, many of 
those forced this season weighed over an ounce each, and another point 
in favour is it bears carriage well. 
- The nineteenth annual Exhibition of the Ealing, Acton, and 
Hanwell Horticultural Society was held on the 11th inst. in the 
garden of the Royal India Asylum, Elm Grove, Ealing, and as usual 
proved a great success. There were over 1000 entries in the numerous 
classes provided ; and though the prizes were not large, the competition 
was very keen in the majority, plants, flowers, fruit, and vegetables 
being alike well shown. The cottagers’ produce was uncommonly 
good, some of the exhibits being most creditable—quite as good as is 
seen in open classes at many shows. The two chief features were the 
handsome specimen plants staged by Mr. Hudson, gardener to H. J. 
Atkinson, Esq., Gunnersbury House, Acton, which secured for him 
the leading prizes, the magnificent Gleichenia flabellata and Alocasia 
metallica being without doubt two of the finest examples in cultivation. 
The other most notable exhibits being in the fruit classes—namely, 
the superb bunches of Duke of Buccleuch and Buckland Sweetwater 
Grapes from Mr. Baird, which were previously shown at Chiswick, 
and the grandly finished bunches of Madresfield Court Grapes from 
Mr. Hudson. The general management of the Show was most satis¬ 
factory and creditable to the Honorary Secretary, Mr. R. Dean, who 
has worked most energetically on the behalf of the Society. 
DOUBLE-FLOWERING PELARGONIUMS. 
Not many years ago double-flowering Pelargoniums were 
considered by me as the most worthless of all our show flower¬ 
ing Pelargoniums, but now I regard them as the most valuable. 
In Dast times, withiu the recollection of most of your readers, 
the'double-flowering varieties commonly cultivated were more 
noted for producing a dense mass of foliage than a profusion of 
blooms; but this character has been completely changed, as many 
of the recently introduced sorts grow and bloom with as much 
freedom as any Zonal. The finest doubles I have ever seen were 
at Chiswick twelve months ago, and there the plants were so 
fine, the flower heads so abundant, and the colours so rich and 
varied, that -I decided at once to grow some. From cuttings 
last autumn they have become good-sized bushes in 8-inch pots, 
and the blooms we cut from them in one week would pay for 
twelve months’ cultural attention; and much as they are valued 
for home decoration, they are doubly valuable for sending away 
for short or long distances. For some time we have given up 
