214 
JOURNAL OF H0RTICUL1URE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 6, 1883. 
several trees and many bushes in their circumference. Such rings, I 
suppose, are the dancing places of the Dryads, nymphs who also danced 
and frolicked to the pipe of Pan. As far as I know, Fungi which grow 
in circles have never been catalogued and distinguished from those which 
grow in an irregular or sporadic manner. Some certainly can grow in a 
line, for I once noted a number of specimens of Helvella crispa which 
grew in a line for several years. Such a catalogue if made would be 
very valuable, and if members of this Club will note and measure rings 
and determine the Fungi growing upon them they will be doing good 
service and new work. Why some Fungi grow in rings and others in a 
straight or an irregularly branching line it is difficult to say, but if 
Fungi have been evolved from other Fungus forms, and Fungi as we now 
see them have descended from one or more common ancestors, then those 
ancient precursors may have taken up with different habits which are still 
retained by their descendants. Fungi growing in rings or branched lines 
appear to me to be comparable with regular flowers, alternate and 
opposite leaves, and similar phenomena seen amongst flowering plants. 
It is known that the flora of the inside of a ring itself will support plants 
that neither grow outside nor inside the ring. A most useful piece of work 
would be the making of lists of Grasses and other plants seen outside and 
inside the ring. During the present summer I noticed a profuse flowering 
of the Common Rock Rose, Helianthemum vulgare, amongst the luxuriant 
grass of fairy rings. The plant occurred elsewhere, but it only flowered 
well on the rings. To such an extent was this the case that I could 
distinctly see the rings as yellow circles from a long distance. The 
change of the flora is caused by the Fungi exhausting the ground and then 
remanuring it with highly nitrogenous manure. This manure causes 
luxuriant vegetable growth for one year, which exhausts the circle to a 
still greater extent. The soil inside the ring is thorefore different from 
the outside, and supports different plants. Another point that requires 
investigation is the source of the nitrogen so abundant in fairy ring 
Fungi. These Fungi only grow in bare pastures and other places where 
nitrogen is rare, yet they acquire so much nitrogen in themselves that 
when they perish they deposit so much of this material and potash on 
the soil that the manured circle resembles rather the grass of the richest 
meadow than an upland pasture. It has not yet been decided whether 
Fungi are capable of acquiring their large store of nitrogen direct from 
the air or from material in the soil. 
SANDY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The annual Exhibition of this progressing Society was held in the pretty 
and conveniently located grounds of J. N. Foster, Esq., Sandy Place, on 
Friday last, the gardens attached to which and those of the Rev. J. Richard¬ 
son of the Rectory adjoining were both opened to the public; and as each of 
these gardens is admirably kept and just now at its best, a more attractive 
and suitable spot for a show could hardly be found, the distance from Sandy 
station being within a quarter of a mile. This was the fifteenth annual 
Exhibition the Society has held in the same place ; and from a small beginning 
Sandy, favoured by its pretty situation and convenient railway facilities, has 
become a popular and important Show, and now that the Society has emerged 
from its leading strings it would hardly be detrimental to its future prosperity 
nor a reflection upon the management to suggest the desirability of a few 
additions to and alterations in the schedule, which has remained with little 
change for some years, but is nevertheless a liberal one. In the meantime, how¬ 
ever, the public taste in horticulture has in some respects altered if not advanced. 
The open classes might with advantage be extended and a slight re-arrange¬ 
ment of the others effected without a material increase in the gross amount 
offered in prizes. For ten stove and greenhouse plants in flower three 
collections were staged, the first prize being awarded to Mr. E. Tudgey of 
the Exotic Nurseries, Waltham Cross, for a well-flowered and well-matched 
lot, his finest plants being Clerodendron Balfourianum, Allamandas nobilis 
and Hendersoni, Anthurium Schertzerianum, Erica Uhria, Bougainvillea 
glabra, and Ixora coccinea. Mr. Rabbitt, gardener to General Pearson, The 
Hazells, Sandy, was second with Yallota purpurea (very brilliant and densely 
flowered), Ixora Fraseri, Lasiandra macrantha, Allamanda Hendersoni and 
floribunda amongst his best; Mr. D. Bloodworth of Kingswood Hill, Bristol, 
running him very close with a very creditable collection. For the collection 
of six plants in flower, open to all except nurserymen, Mr. G. Redman, gar¬ 
dener to J. H. Goodgames, Esq., Eynesbury, St. Neots, was first with Bou¬ 
gainvillea glabra, Justicia carnea, Stephanotis floribunda, Statice profusa, 
Clerodendron fallax and Balfourianum, all well-grown specimens in good 
bloom. For six foliage plants Mr. Rabbitt was first and Mr. White, gar¬ 
dener to Capt. Sidney Stanley of Longstowe Hall, Cambs. (the President of 
the Society), second, both staging very healthy and well-grown collections. 
For six Coleus Mr. Rabbitt was first and Mr. J. Meyer of Orwell second, but 
the colours were not intense, although the specimens were well grown. For 
six stove and greenhouse Ferns Mr. Tillbrook, gardener to Bateman Brown, 
Esq., Houghton, Hunts, was first with a grand plant of Cyathea dealbata, 
Adiantums concinnum, concinnum latum, and farleyense, and Platycerium 
alcicorne. Mrs. Tindall Lucas of Foxholes, Hitchiu, who staged smaller but 
well-conditioned specimens, was deservedly second. For six Zonal Geraniums 
Mr. Redman was first with fine bushy plants full of colour, the best being 
Colonel Holden, Henry Jacoby, and A. F. Barron (fiery scarlet); Mr. Rabbitt 
was a good second. For a specimen stove or greenhouse plant Mr. Redman 
came in with Bougainvillea glabra. 
In cut flowers Roses were a prominent feature. For the forty-eight single 
trusses in ^he open class Messrs. Paul & Son, of the Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 
had a first-rate stand, and were well to the front, their best blooms being 
Baronne de Medeni (a good autumnal Rose, not often seen, of a purplish 
carmine with darker centre), May Quennell, Mrs. Jowitt, Senateur Vaisse, 
La Rosiere, Alba Rosea, Etienne Levet, Paul Neyron, A. K. Williams, Emilie 
Hausberg, and Madame Willermoz. Mr. J. House, of the Eastgate Nurseries, 
Peterboro’, had second place with a stand of very fresh but smaller blooms, 
including Helen Paul, a good tinted light flower in the way of Hippolyte 
Jamain, but more incurved ; Merveille de Lyon, as white as Mabel Morrison 
and larger, but as shown somewhat thin. Mr. House had also fine blooms 
of Alfred Colornb, Marie Rady, Camille Bernardin, and Baroness Rothschild. 
For the twenty-four blooms in the amateurs’ class the Rev. W. H. Jackson 
of Stagsden Vicarage, Bedford, was well first with blooms little inferior to- 
those shown in the previous class, a grand and almost perfect flower of 
Charles Lefebvre being very conspicuous. Duke of Connaught, Star of 
Waltham, A. K. Williams, Belle Lyonnaise, Xavier Olibo, and Pierre Notting 
were also very fine. The Rev. E. L. Fellowes of Wimpole Rectory, Roystor, 
was second with a stand of older blooms, containing a great many Teai. 
Mr. Fellowes also took first honours with some grand Dahlias, his stand of 
twelve containing a promising new variety named Gwendoline, of a distinct 
mauve colour, a sport from the dark claret-coloured Burgundy, and forming 
a singular contrast to that variety ; also Mrs. Keynes, a fine flower, approach¬ 
ing mandarin red, but slightly shaded maroon ; Jas. Ashby, F. Burbank, 
Emperor, F.Tiffany, Ovid, J.C. Quennell,and Jas. Cocker, all in first-rate form. 
Mr. Fellowes also showed some remarkably fine Asters, and Mr. P. 
Meyer of Orwell twelve African Marigolds—in size, form, and colour rarely 
approached. Mr. J. House showed thirty-six spikes of Gladiolus in fine 
condition, and also a stand of single Dahlias, including blooms of the lovely 
little mauve repens ; Messrs. Paul & Son thirty-six Dahlias, all masterly 
blooms ; and Mr. Laxton of Bedford a very attractive stand of herbaceous 
and hardy cut flowers, amongst which were noticeable Dahlias Juarezii, 
Constance, Pantaloon, Zulu, White Queen, and Christine ; Lobelia cardinally; 
Helianthus globulosus fistulosus and argyrophyllus ; Rudbeckia Newmannii, 
Nicotiana affinis, Lathyrus latifolius in several, from pure white to deep 
rose ; and Anemone japonica Honorine Jobert. 
Fruit was largely shown, but probably Grapes, which are usually a feature 
at Sandy, have in some former years been seen better. Mr. Allis, gardener 
to Major Shuttleworth, Old Warden, had, however, two superbly finished 
bunches of Buckland Sweetwater ; and Mr. J. Shephard, gardener to 
J. Murfin, Esq., Great Staughton, Hunts, two well-ripened and highly 
coloured bunches of Black Hamburgh, each taking first honours. For two 
bunches of any other variety of black Grapes Mr. Tillbrook, gardener to 
Bateman Brown, Esq., Huntingdon, was first with very fine Gros Maroc, and 
for two bunches of Muscat of Alexandria Mr. Allis was to the front. For 
the basket of six varieties of fruit, Pines excluded, five collections were set 
up. Mr. Tillbrook was first with good Black Hamburgh Grapes, a handsome 
netted Melon, Peaches, &c. Mr. Allis, who had Black Hamburgh and Foster’s 
Seedling Grapes in good condition, and William Tillery Melon very fine, was 
placed second ; and Mr. J. Vines, gardener to Harry Thornton, Esq., Kemp- 
ston Grange, Bedford, was third. For a scarlet-flesh Melon Mr. J. Cook, 
gardener to Col. Stuart, Tempsford Hall, was first; and for a green-flesh 
Melon Mr, R. Carter of Waresley Park Gardens was also first. Apples, 
Pears, and Plums were largely shown in all classes. Mr. Allis had a superb 
dish of Tomatoes of a variety selected from Trophy, the fruits being perfect 
in colour, ripeness, and form, and all evenly sized—a better dish is rarely 
met with. Vegetables, as usual at Sandy, were in great force. Potatoes and 
Onions, being the staple of the district, were especially well represented, the 
usual show varieties of the former mostly coming to the front: International 
in the white kidney class, Schoolmaster in the white rounds, Mr. Bresee.r 
the coloured kidneys, and Reading Russet in the coloured rounds. Amongst 
attractive and newer varieties white Beauty of Hebron, a selection from the 
coloured form of this now well-known and largely grown market Potato ; 
Snowdrop, a very handsome white kidney of good quality ; Carters’ Eight- 
weeks, a very fine rough-skinned white round ; and Beauty of Kent, a hand¬ 
some round purple-flaked variety, were noticeable as advances in their 
respective classes. In the market gardeners’ class for white kidneys a very 
rough, dirty, and not well-ripened sample of Magnum Bonum was selected 
for honours. For the basket of eight varieiies of vegetables Mr. C. Ellis, 
gardener to Mrs. Orr, Pemberby House, Bedford, was first with good Tomatoes, 
Snowdrop Potatoes, and Omega Peas in his collection, and Mr. G. Vyne3 
second with fine John Bull Peas, Tomatoes, and Cauliflowers as the cream 
of his lot. In the various competitions for Peas the Ne Plus Ultra and 
Omega types were in nearly all cases preferred to those of the Telegraph 
race. Mr. Laxton showed (not for competition) giand samples in the straw 
and in the pod of his new Pea Evolution, showing the great size and pro¬ 
ductiveness and beautiful colour. These with other specimens, the property 
of various exhibitors, seem to have been appreciated at the close of the Show, 
as they were removed without the consent of the owners. Unfortunately 
too, such depredations were not confined to vegetable productions, as a large 
number of valuable watches and purses were reported missing. Probably 
the management and the police experienced some extra difficulty from the 
downpour of rain which occurred just at clearing time, when a rush was 
made for the tents by the large concourse present, and which was on this 
occasion swelled by the despatch of a special cheap train from Moorgate. 
The Exhibition was a very comprehensive and extensive one, and was 
comprised in about a dozen large tents, poultry, farm produce, honey, and 
cage birds being included. Amongst these, perhaps, the fine glass super of 
honey, weighing 9^ tbs., shown by the Rev. H. Wood of Biddenbam, from a 
swarm on the Gth of June last, the glass put on on the 20th of that month 
and taken off on the 12th of July, is worth noting as winning the leading 
prize in that department. The Society was last year, from bad weather on 
the show day, debtor to its Treasurer, but continued prosperity is now 
assured, as the weather on the late occasion was until the close all that 
could be desired, and the receipts satisfactory. 
ft 
1 
fj 
IlX 
WHKjorthe' WEEK.. 
J1 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Brancli-twisting .—The coming of September heralds the swift 
approach of colder weather, and all possible means should be adopted to 
