August 30, 18S3. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
189 
Carnations, Marguerites, Phloxes, and many others too numerous to 
mention.— Suburbanus. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
August 28th. 
The conservatory was again devoted to the exhibits before the two 
Committees, but comparatively small space sufficed to contain the plants, 
flowers, and fruits staged. 
Fruit Committee. —L. A. Killick, Esq., in the chair. The following 
members were also present:—Messrs. W. Denning, J. Roberts, H. Howcroft,- 
G. Bunyard, J. Lee, R. D. Blackmore, and Dr. R. Hogg. Mr. Taylor, gar¬ 
dener to J. McIntosh, Esq., Duneevan, Weybridge, was awarded a cultural 
commendation for three fine well-ripened bunches of Foster’s Seedling Grapes. 
Several Melons were sent from Messrs. R. T. Yeitch & Son, Exeter ; Mr. 
Cross, The Gardens, Hotham House, Yorkshire ; and Mr. J. George, Victoria 
Road, Putney. Mr. L. A. Killick, Mount Pleasant, Langley, Maidstone, was 
awarded a letter of thanks for a collection of early Apples—Duchess of 
Oldenburg, Red Joanneting, Worcester Pearmain, Irish Peach, Yorkshire 
Beauty, and Ecklinville Seedling. Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, 
showed specimens of their Purple-top Yellow Dutch Turnip, which is of 
moderate size and very even. From the Society’s garden at Chiswick a 
collection of thirty-six Tomatoes in pots was sent, representing a large 
number of varieties from different firms. The plants were in excellent con¬ 
dition, and mostly bearing good crops of fine fruits. A cultural commenda¬ 
tion was awarded for them. Mr. Eckford showed samples of the new large- 
podding and free Peas—Victory, Progress, and Magnificent. Mr. C. H. 
Pearse, Grey’s Court, Henley-on-Thames, also sent samples of Reading Giant 
and Latest of All Peas. 
Floral Committee. —G. F. Wilson, Esq., in the chair. The following 
members were present:—Messrs. J. McIntosh, H. Cannell, H. Bennett, J. 
Wills, W. Bealby, H. Ballantine, J. Dominy, W. B. Kellock, Shirley Hib- 
berd, and George Duffield. Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, showed 
a group of 140 Asters, mostly dwarf, compact, and floriferous, some having as 
many as a dozen flowers in 48-sized pots, and six or seven in small GO-sized 
pots. The chief sections or varieties were the dwarf Chrysanthemum- 
flowered, the Dwarf Bouquet, New Crown or Cockade, Pyramidal German, 
French Pmony-flowered, New Globe German, Quilled German and Victoria. 
A bronze Banksian medal was awarded. A silver-gilt Banksian medal was 
awarded to Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, for a large and choice collec¬ 
tion of Gladiolus spikes, including a great number of varieties, richly, 
brightly, and diversely coloured ; the flowers large, and the spikes massive. 
G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., Weybridge, exhibited a choice collection of Lilies 
representing several very beautiful varieties of L. auratum, rubro-villatum 
being especially noteworthy, having broad dark red bands down the centre 
of each petal, L. Leichtlini and L. tigrinum splendens were also shown from 
the open air, with L. speciosum rubrum very richly coloured from an orchard 
house. A medal was recommended for these flowers. 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, London, was awarded a silver Banksian 
medal for an extensive and beautiful collection of single Dahlias, including 
some scores of fine varieties. A few of the most distinct and effective were 
the following :—Rosalind, rose edge, white at base ; Mauve Queen Improved, 
rosy mauve ; Victory, white ; Buffalo, orange buff ; Francis Fell, crimson ; 
Darkness, maroon, very dark ; Rachael, orange scarlet; Lutea grandiflora, 
large yellow ; and Christine, bright pink. Mr. Eckford, gardener to 
Dr.Sankey, Boreatton Park, Shrewsbury, sent flowers of several pretty 
varieties of Sweet Peas—Blue Beauty, blue and purple ; Grandeur, scarlet; 
Princess, blush ; Meteor, scarlet; Blue King, rich blue; and Fascination 
were the chief varieties, the last-named having a pink standard and blue 
wings and keel. Mr. C. Turner, Slough, showed a stand of two dozen hand¬ 
some blooms of Show and Fancy Dahlias, the following being of excellent 
quality :—Cecilia, bright yellow ; Mr. Harris, dark scarlet; Flag of Truce, 
pure white ; Clara, bright pink ; George Rawlings, maroon; and Drake 
Lewis, rich scarlet. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, were awarded a vote of thanks for 
a box of handsome double Zinnia blooms, scarlet, orange, yellow, rose, and 
crimson. A pretty stand of single Dahlias was also shown, including a 
small white Cedo Nulli, Crimson Star, Yellow Boy, and Nora, dark maroon. 
Mr. Heims, gardener to F. A. Philbrick, Esq., Q.C., Oldfield, Bickley, was 
awarded a cultural commendation for a small plant of Angraecum Ellisi in 
a basket, with a raceme about 18 inches long, bearing twenty-one fine white 
flowers with long spurs. A similar award was also granted to Mr. J. Bar¬ 
nard, gardener to W. Vanner, Esq., Camden Wood, Chislehurst, for a plant of 
Dendrobium secundum with about fourteen spikes of small rosy flowers. Mr. 
C. Bennett, Shepperton, Middlesex, was awarded a vote of thanks for a small 
but pretty collection of Gloxinias, all unnamed seedling varieties, ranging in 
colour from pure white through blush, rose, crimson, scarlet, and purple. 
Some, too, had a central bright colour margined with white, or, vice versa , 
with the throat dotted. The flowers were large and of good form. A vote 
of thanks was accorded to Mr. Cummins, gardener to A. Smee, Esq., The 
Grange, Wallington, for a plant of Lycaste Smeeana, a charming species, 
with flowers rather smaller than L. Skinneri, the sepals white, petals white 
dotted with purple, and the lip of similar colour. A vote of thanks was 
accorded to Mr. E. Noble, Bagshot, for flowers of Clematis Jackmanni alba, 
which were very faintly tinted with purple. 
First-class certificates were awarded for the following plants :— 
Zygopetalum maxillare (Heims).—An old and well-known species with a 
rounded dark blue-purple lip, with a toothed projection at the base, bearing 
a fancied resemblance to the jaws of an animal. The sepals and petals are 
greenish with brown blotches. The flowers are borne in racemes of six to 
eight, and Mr. Heims’ plant had about a dozen racemes. 
Tuberous Begonia Madame Grody (Bealby).—Flower very double, large 
and full, white with a yellow streak in the centre of the petals. Very 
delicate and distinct in appearance. 
Gladiolus Lady Cavendish (Kelway).—Very handsome ; large flower and 
spike, bright rosy mauve with darker streaks. 
Gladiolus Duke of Edinburgh (Kelway).—Distinct and effective; warm 
scarlet, centre of lower petals white. 
Gladiolus Sir Trevor Lawrence (Kelway).— Massive spike and large 
flowers, brilliant clear scarlet with a dash of pdrple in the lowest petal. 
Dahlia Bedding Gem (Ware).—One of the star-shaped single type, orange- 
scarlet, and very free. 
Dahlia Negress (Ware).—Also a single variety, with large deep maroon 
flowers, the centre rich yellow. 
Candytuft Empress (Biddle & Co., Loughborough).—A grand variety, with 
spikes 3 or 4 inches long, the flowers of great size, and pure white. 
Double Marguerite Aurora (Cannell).—A form of the Chrysanthemum 
coronarium type, with rich yellow double flowers and finely divided leaves. 
Dahlia Midget (Cannell).—A diminutive single scarlet variety, rich colour.. 
Small, but free and effective. 
Gloxinia Alabaster (Bennett).—A variety with large, well-formed, pure 
white flowers. Very clear and good. 
Meeting at Chiswick. —At a meeting of the Floral Committee held in 
the Society’s Gardens, Chiswick, on Thursday, August 23rd, 1883, G. F. Wil¬ 
son, Esq., in the chair, the following first-class certificates were awarded :— 
VERBENAS. 
Swanley Gem (Cannell).—Fine compact habit; the trusses and pips very 
large ; white, shaded and edged with pale blue. Very effective. 
R. F. Schule (Cannell).—Good dwarf habit, very free-flowering ; trusses 
and individual flowers large, of a fine, warm, rosy pink with white eye. 
Marion Baker (Cannell).—Close compact growth ; the trusses of medium 
size, the pips large with white eye, light rosy carmine—a very pretty shade 
of colour. 
Faust (Cannell).—Habit very close, very free-flowering; the trusses large,, 
individual flowers large, of a very rich fiery carmine. Very pretty. 
Beethoven (Cannell).—Dwarf habit, remarkably free-flowering; trusses- 
and pips of large size, of a deep rosy lake colour. An excellent bedding- 
variety. 
PELARGONIUM AS A BEDDING VARIETY. 
Dr. Orton (Pearson).—Very close and compact habit, free-flowering j 
the trusses large, holding on well; individual flowers large, of good form, 
intense crimson scarlet. A good bedding variety. 
PELARGONIUM AS A POT PLANT. 
White Perfection (Eckford).—Plant of vigorous growth ; the trusses of 
medium size, freely produced ; individual flowers large, of fine rounded form, 
pure white. 
SWEET PEAS. 
Orange Prince (Eckford).—Flowers very large, of a beautiful shade of 
salmon pink. Very distinct and pretty. 
Invincible Carmine (Laxton).—A very fine self-coloured carmine variety ; 
flowers very large and of good substance. 
Invincible Striqied (Carter & Co.).—A very distinct and pretty variety 
very lively carmine, boldly striped. 
Blue Edge (Carter & Co.).—Very showy variety, having the standards- 
very light rose ; the wings white with distinct edge of blue. Very showy 
an d effective. 
New Carmine Bose (Hurst & Son).—This variety in the cut state was 
certificated at South Kensington on August 14th, and the Committee on 
seeing it growing unanimously confirmed the certificate then awarded. True 
is a very pleasing and distinct variety both as regards growth and colour of 
flowers, and is well worth cultivation. 
TYDiEAS. 
Venosa. —Plant of tall habit, the tubes bright carmine-magenta shaded, 
beautifully veined and dotted with purple. 
Robert le Diable .—Flowers very large, freely produced, of a most intense, 
almost black, crimson. Distinct and showy. 
Harlequin. —Plant of somewhat tall habit; the flowers large, the tube- 
shaded with magenta and veined and dotted with purple. 
Podalyre .—Flowers of medium size, the tubes of a pleasing cherry red 
veined and soeckled with purple. Showy. _ 
FEsculap .—Flowers of medium size, the tubes bright scarlet,richly spotted, 
and veined. 
Imratiens Sultani. —A first-class certificate was also awarded to this- 
now 'well-known Balsam. 
In regard to the Sweet Peas the Committee considered the variety Bronze- 
Prince (Eckford) to be superior to Invincible Black. Those named together 
in the following list were considered identical :— 
Princess (Eckford), Butterfly (Benary), and Butterfly (Carter & Co.). 
Duchess of Albany (Eckford) and Captain Clark (Benary). 
Purple Striped (Carter) and Black Purple (Benary). 
Red and White (Benary) and Painted Lady (Carter). 
Scarlet Striped (Carter)’ and Bed Striped (Benary). 
Emperor (Eckford) and Grandeur (Eckford). 
Dark Bed (Benary), Scarlet (Carter), and Invincible Scarlet (Benary and 
Carter) 
Black Purple (Benary), Purple (Carter), and Light Blue and Purple 
(Benary). 
HISTORICAL JOTTINGS ON VEGETABLES—No. 7. 
THE ONION. 
Says a modern author concerning the Onion, “There is .supposed 
to be a prejudice against this vegetable. I rather think it is a cow¬ 
ardice with regard to it. I doubt not all men and women love the 
Onion, but few confess their love—affection for it is concealed. 
Happy is said to be the family which can eat Onions together : they 
have a harmony of aspiration. There is a hint here for the reformers. 
In the Onion lies the hope of universal brotherhood. Let them 
become apostles of the Onion ; let them eat and preach it. to their 
fellows, and circulate tracts of it in the form of seeds.” It is a well- 
known fact that even the lovers of Onions seldom care to have the 
