September 6, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
211 
of the specialities, both in flowers and vegetables, they cultivate so 
successfully in the early part of the year. During the month of May 
grand displays of Eoses, Azaleas, Orchids, Pelargoniums, stove, green¬ 
house, foliage plants, Ferns, Palms, &c., our own countrymen know 
so well how to cultivate. About this time one of the finest displays ever 
seen might be made by the market growers, which would be highly 
attractive to foreign exhibitors as well as the general public. In 
June the finest display of Ehododendrons could be sent up from Knap 
Hill, Bagshot, and elsewhere, to be followed in July and August with 
Pelargoniums, Carnations, and many other well-known favourites. 
September would furnish a glorious display of Dahlias, Gladiolus, Phlox, 
Pentstemons, and many other other well-known gems so plentiful at 
that period. October and November, fruits, vegetables, and Chrys¬ 
anthemums would make an exceedingly attractive display. I have 
only mentioned a few of the leading objects for exhibition ; hundreds 
of others will naturally occur to the minds of those who may have the 
compiling of the schedules. I think I have sufficiently indicated what 
may be done, and have shown in as concise a form as possible how such 
an Exhibition might be brought to a satisfactory issue by the amalga¬ 
mation, to some extent, of horticulture, floriculture, and forestry with 
agriculture. 
In order to make the Exhibition still more attractive, and to give 
greater variety, the aquarium part of the present Exhibition might 
remain with advantage. 
1 trust all will join heartily in endeavouring to make this Exhibition 
worthy of the age we live in, and dispel the opinion too firmly taking 
root in the minds of continental horticulturists, that Englishmen could 
not organise and develope a grand international horticultural exhibition, 
although we have greater means and more facilities than any other nation 
in the world. 
Now that the opportunity is opened to us, with everything pointing 
to success, we have only to organise our forces and pull together, when 
success will be assured.— John Wills. 
PROPAGATING BEDDING PLANTS. 
As my practice differs slightly in some respects from that recorded by 
Mr. Ward recently I will briefly refer to the chief points, for the 
time has now arrived when the propagation of plants for next year’s 
requirements must be taken in hand, at least so far as regards the 
majority of half-hardy plants. Late-propagated plants, owing to the 
fact of their not being well established and their growths insufficiently 
ripened, are generally a source of trouble and disappointment, and are 
apt to die during the cold, damp, sunless days of midwinter ; moreover, 
they require a certain amount of coddling and more heat than plants 
which have rooted earlier. It need hardly be said that of some kinds of 
bedding plants, say a Pelargonium, an early autumn or late summer- 
propagated plant is worth half a dozen of spring-rooted ones. 
Before a cutting is taken the arrangements or plans for next season 
should as far as possible, and where practicable, be taken into consider¬ 
ation and fully matured. By exercising a little forethought in this 
respect, and estimating carefully the number of each likely to be re¬ 
quired, much space, time, and trouble may be saved. Where work of 
this kind is done in an unmethodical way there is sure to be confusion. 
For many years now Pelargoniums have held the first place amongst 
plants for the flower garden, and with these I will enter into the more 
practical part of the subject. Having prepared a good supply of com¬ 
post, which should consist of three parts finely sifted soil, one part leaf 
mould, one part sharp sand, and one of dung from an old Mushroom bed, 
the whole being turned over two or three times, a beginning should be 
made with the variegated section, taking the tricolors first. These I 
prefer inserting singly in small pots, giving them a shift into larger ones 
in the spring. Select cuttings which are fairly well ripened and 3 or 
4 inches long, take off the bottom leaves, make a clean cut just below the 
bottom joint, and press the cutting down in the pot quite firmly. The 
commoner varieties of bicolors of the silvery and bronzed-leaved sections 
may be put into 6-inch pots, but for the green-leaved and Zonals I find 
boxes 18 inches by 14 inches the most convenient to root and winter 
them in. Stand them outside in the full glare of the sun, and water 
them overhead occasionally if the weather is very dry and warm when 
they are first inserted. Each box should be stood on a couple of 3-inch 
pots to keep them off the ground, which will be a preventive against 
worms entering the soil, as well as tending to keep the soil in a better 
condition than would otherwise be the case. In about three weeks or a 
month they will be rooted and growing, and towards the end of Septem¬ 
ber or the first week in October should be moved to their winter quarters. 
Coleuses, Iresines, Verbenas, Ageratums, and Lobelias, with such 
carpet-bedding plants as Alternantheras and Mesembryanthemums, 
should be taken in hand next. For these and sundry other tender 
plants a frame over a half-spent hotbed will be found a convenient 
place to root them in, and if cold wet nights set in it must not be for¬ 
gotten to add linings thereto. Much the best plan with these will be to 
insert them in 6-inch pots, always bearing in mind to use plenty of 
drainage. Fill the pots with the above-mentioned compost, with a layer 
of sand on the surface, to within an inch of the top, press it down 
firmly. Water it, insert the cuttings, and sprinkle them sufficient to 
settle the sand round them. Until rooted the cuttings must be shaded 
with mats from bright sunshine, and be daily syringed and ventilated 
according to the state of the weather. When rooted they must be 
gradually inured to more air and sun to harden them, thereby better 
enabling them to pass safely through the winter. 
Many other plants used} for bedding may be propagated in cold 
frames; such, for instance, as Gnaphalium lanatum, Leucophyton 
Brownii, and Calceolarias. The latter should not be inserted before the 
first week in October. Turf pits or frames 18 inches high at the back 
and 12 inches in the front are admirable contrivances to root and winter 
them in ; of course they must be covered with ordinary frame lights. 
Fill the frames nearly half full with partially decayed leaves and litter, 
tread it down quite firm, and put about 3 inches of soil on the top, 
finishing off with a layer of sand. In this insert the cuttings 2 inches 
apart each way, and after having watered them through a fine-rose pot 
keep the lights close till rooted, when little or no shading will be re¬ 
quired. When struck air must be freely admitted on all favourable 
occasions, at the same time not forgetting to protect with straw or mats 
in severe weather. Herniaria glabra, with most of the Sedums and 
other hardy plants, should be divided and planted in rows on south 
borders. Violas are now very popular, and deservedly so, for spring and 
summer bedding, and may be increased either by cuttings on warm 
sheltered borders outside or by sowing seed. With some of those men¬ 
tioned in this paper it is the practice with many gardeners to pot old 
plants and propagate from them in the spring ; and although I have 
nothing to say in condemnation of this plan, I much prefer propagating 
again in the spring from autumn-rooted young plants. The latter have 
certainly in some instances a great advantage over the former, inasmuch 
as they not unfrequently pass safely through the winter where old plants 
will not. This is frequently the case with Alternantheras and other 
tender plants.—H. J. H. 
NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW. 
The expectations of the projectors that exhibitors would again come' 
forward to assist in establishing an annual exhibition of Dahlias were 
fully realised at the Crystal Palace on Saturday last, for the majority of 
the classes were well filled, the blooms of excellent quality, and the general 
effect admirable. A pleasing break to the long, necessarily formal, lines of 
Show and Fancy varieties, was furnished by the stands of Pompon and single 
blooms, which were most elegantly and gracefully displayed, in many instances 
being freely grouped with foliage as cut from the plant. The miscellaneous 
collections of Gladiolus and Dahlias not for competition, with many other 
plants and flowers, also furnished an important addition to the Show, while- 
the Palms, Ferns, and similar fine-foliage plants arranged in the centre of the 
table between the lines of stands still further helped to diversify the effect. 
NURSERYMEN’S CLASSES. 
Shota Varieties .—Three classes were devoted to these, for forty-eight 
twenty-four, and twelve blooms, distinct varieties, the prizes ranging from 
£7 to 10s. The largest class attracted much attention, all the collections 
being of great merit. Mr. C. Turner, Slough, secured the first prize with 
forty-eight even blooms, of great symmetry and very rich in colours. The 
varieties were as follows—Prince Bismarck, Constance, George Smith, Ethel 
Britten, W. H. Williams, Cream of the Valley, Muriel, Alexander Cramond, 
J. Stephen, Drake Lewis, Chas. Lidgard, Michael Saunders, Eoyal Queen,, 
Cardinal, Clara, Canary, Wm. Rawlings, Hugh Austen, H. Walton, J. Wyatt, 
Cecilia, Champion Rollo, Herbert Turner, T. Godwin, Lizzie Leicester, Pioneer, 
J. Green, Rosetta, Lady Gladys Herbert, Bessie, Julia Wyatt, Lord Chelms¬ 
ford, Flag of Truce, Rev. J. Godday, J. N. Keynes, Prince of Denmark, Lily 
Ward, Ovid, Lady Antrobus, J. Cocker, Hon. Mrs. P. Wyndham, J. B. Service 
Harriet Fetterill, J. Standish, H. W. Ward, G. Barnes, Georgiana, and J. Vick. 
Messrs. Keynes & Co., Salisbury, followed very closely; indeed, it was only by 
a most careful comparison of the blooms that their position could be deter¬ 
mined. Many of the varieties were similar to those in the first collection, 
and equally good in colour. Messrs. Harkness & Sons, Belleby Grange 
Nurseries, Yorkshire, and H. Clarke, Rodley, near Leeds, were respectively 
third and fourth, each showing fine blooms. The five collections entered in 
this class occupied considerable space, and constituted the main features of 
the Show classes. 
The stands of twenty-four blooms were similarly good in all the leading- 
characters, but as the varieties were mostly the same as in the forty-eight 
class they need not be repeated. Messrs. Rawlings Bros., Romford, took the 
lead with blooms of moderate size, very even and symmetrical, and of good 
colour. Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, Saltmarsh & Son, and J. Cheal it Son, 
Crawley, Sussex, were the other prizetakers, five collections being staged. 
Eight pretty collections of twelve were entered, but in these there was a. 
great diversity of quality. Mr. J. Walker, Thame, Oxon, won chief honours- 
in this class with beautiful blooms of Prince Bismarck, Hon. Mrs. P. Wyndham, 
Joseph Green, Emily Edwards, Duke of Connaught, Prince Arthur, James-. 
Cocker, Alexander Cramond, Shirley Hibberd, John Standish, Goldfinder, and 
James Vick. Messrs. J. Gilbert & Son, Ipswich, were second ; Mr. W. Burbury 
Crew Farm, Kennilworth, third ; and Mr. J. Humphries, Kingston Langley 
Chippenham, fourth. 
Fancy Varieties .—Only two classes were appropriated to these—namely, 
for twenty-four and twelve blooms. In the former Messrs. Keynes & Co. 
won chief honours, staging large but compact, deep, and handsome examples 
of the following varieties : Rebecca, Sport from Gaiety, Mandarin, Gaiety 
Hugh Austen, Professor Fawcett, Hercules, Mrs. N. Hall, Seedling, James 
O’Brien, George Barnes, Oracle, Mrs. Saunders, Henry Glasscock, John 
Lamont, Florence Wyatt, Madame Lonbeyne, John Forbes, Fanny Sturt, 
Charles Wyatt, Annie Pritchard. Mr. C. Turner was second with blooms 
but few points behind the leading ones. Mr. H. Clarke was third, and Messrs. 
H. Cannell & Son, Swanley, fourth. The stands of twelve included some 
fine blooms of the leading varieties. Messrs. Saltmarsh & Sons were placed 
first with the following:—Egyptian Prince, Gaiety, Mrs. N. Hall, Mrs. 
Saunders, J. Lamont, Enchantress, Peacock, Flag of Truce, Octoroon, Grand 
Sultan, Fanny Sturt, and Florence Stark. Messrs. Rawlings Bros, secured 
the second position, their stand containing good examples of Egyptian Prince, 
Hercules, Professor Fawcett, Mrs, Saunders, George Barnes, John Forbes, 
Barnaby Rudge, Galatea, H. Glasscock, and Mrs. N. Hall. Mr. J. Walker 
followed with a neat collection, some of his best blooms being Mrs. Brown- 
