418 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 15,1883. 
stove. There is no doubt, however, that they are greatly benefited if 
transferred to a shelf near the glass in the warmest stove from the time 
their pseudo-bulbs are half swelled until they are fully developed, after 
which they should be gradually inured to a cooler temperature until their 
blooms begin to develope, still keeping them close to the glass, as these 
bright little gems appear to revel in the full sunshine if they receive 
plenty of water. When the bloom buds appear I find they open more 
regularly if they are again transferred to a rather warmer house than the 
one they have been resting in. As cut flowers they are very useful. 
I would also claim a place for them in the drawing-room as small vase 
plants. By pricking into the pans or pots a few pieces of variegated 
Panicum and Adiantum gracillimum as a substitute for their own absent 
foliage at this period, they have a very delicate and chaste appearance, 
and will not suffer the least injury in a dry room for a few days. I find 
P. humilis, although later to bloom, succeeds well by potting precisely as 
recommended by Mr. Plant, save the cowdung and the addition of a 
little more sphagnum. I also water it even more freely while growing 
than the others, and keep it in a more even temperature.—C. W. 
The first meeting of the Royal Botanic Society, Regent’s Park, 
since the recess, was held at the Gardens on Saturday last, the 
Hon. H. M. Best in the chair. The Secretary called the attention of the 
Fellows to a large plant of Aralia papyrifera (Chinese rice paper) now in 
flower in the conservatory, and to the very flourishing condition of the 
Mangrove tree9 presented to the Gardens by the Duke of Buckingham, 
Vice-President. For many years past they had endeavoured to cultivate 
■them, but without Euccess, the plants invariably dying after a year or 
two. At the suggestion of the Duke of Buckingham these plants are 
now watered with sea water, the change proving most beneficial. 
- The Trade Exhibitions of Chrysanthemums are now very 
attractive. Messrs. Mahood &. Son, and Mr. Stevens, Putney, have large 
and choice collections, including several novelties. Messrs. H. Cannell and 
Sons, Swanley, also have an extensive display, and Messrs. Carter & Co 
have a large number of plants in flower at their Forest Hill nurseries 
Messrs. Laing and Co., Forest Hill, and E. G. Henderson, Maida Vale 
“have similar displays. 
-The first meeting of the Manchester Horticultural 
Mutual Improvement Society was held on the 8th inst., when 
Mr. Leo H. Grindon read an interesting paper on medicinal and 
poisonous plants. This Society has been formed under the presidentship 
of Mr. Bruce Findlay for the mutual improvement of gardeners in the 
district, and the terms of membership are 2s. 6d. per season. The 
meetings will be held fortnightly during the months of November, 
December, January, and February in the Old Town Hall, King Street, 
Manchester, at 7.30 each evening, at which meetings papers will be read 
and discussions held. Mr. R. Tait is Treasurer, and Mr. W. Swan of 
Oakley, Fallow field, Honorary Secretary. 
- We learn from the Jersey Gardener that at the recent Fruit 
Show held in that island the following were the heaviest Pears, with 
their weights:—Belle de Jersey, 30ozs.; Beurre Diel, 16 ozs.; Beurre 
Bachelier, 15 | ozs. ; Calebasse Grosse, 22 ozs.; Catillac, 22£ ozs. ; 
Doyenne du Comice, 17 ozs.; Duchesse d’Angouleme, 18 ozs.; General 
Todtleben, 17£ ozs ; King Edward, 20 ozs.; and Van Mons Leon le 
Olerc, 15f ozs. 
- Mr. N. Campany, Thedden Grange, Alton, Hants, writes:— 
“ With me Lilium longiflorum has flowered very freely twice this year. 
The plants flowered the first time in April and May. After flowering they 
were gradually hardened off and placed outside with the Chrysanthemums, 
and they were not dried, but kept supplied with water the same as the 
Chrysanthemums, and by the middle of July they commenced producing 
strong growths, and when they had attained the height of 3 or 4 inches 
were repotted into two sizes larger pots and placed in cold pits 
kept rather close, and by the end of September they commenced opening 
their lovely white flowers, and will continue attractive for some time to 
come yet. The last batch I have placed in a plant stove. Some of 
the strongest growths had from three to five large flowers on one 
stem, and I find them very useful associated with other plants in 
jardinettes and vases, and they have been much admired here by visitors. 
- There is a possibility of large fortunes being made in New 
Guinea (remarks the Pioneer Mail) by the cultivation of the Nutmeg. 
The Nutmeg tree is found in great abundance in that island, and gives 
its name to one of the finest pigeons in the world, a bird as large as 
the hen turkey. Since the collapse of the Nutmeg at Singapore we 
have been indebted for the most part to our old rivals, the Dutch, 
for Nutmeg and Mace. But the Nutmeg trees of Singapore were 
importations ; the tree was not so indigenous to the place in New 
Guinea. The cultivation is, or was, the most profitable of anything 
we know of, surpassing Cinchona and Coffee in their best days. 
Singapore owners of Nutmeg plantations—mere compounds planted 
with the handsome tree—used to realise their £4000 or £5000 a year; 
but in one dark and memorable year the trees were all stricken with 
a blight, and numbers of planters enjoying large incomes were reduced 
to poverty. The tree became white and leafless, a vegetable skeleton ; 
and no attempt to revive the cultivation of the Nutmeg at Singapore 
has ever proved successful. 
- Mr. George Murray, of the Natural History department of 
the British Museum, will deliver a lecture on the Potato Disease 
at the Parkes Museum of Hygiene, 74 a, Margaret Street, Regent Street; 
on Thursday, the 22nd inst,, at 8 p.m. Price of admission, 6d. 
-The Borough of Hackney’s Thirty-seventh Annual 
Exhibition of Chrysanthemums, Fruit, and Vegetables was 
held as usual in the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, on the 14th and 15th 
inst., and proved a great success, exhibits in all the classes being very 
numerous. The brief time elapsing between the notification of the 
awards and our going to press permits only a brief note of the winners 
in the leading classes. Blooms were exceedingly well shown, the com¬ 
petition being most keen in all the classes. With incurved the premier 
exhibitor was, for twenty-four and eighteen, E. Sanderson, Esq., St. Mary s 
Road, Harlesden, who won the silver cup, being first in both classes. For 
twelve seventeen collections were staged, Mr. J. Udale, Shirecliffe Hall, 
Sheffield, taking the lead with handsome blooms. The best twenty- 
four Japanese were from Mr. J. Ridout, gardener to T. B. Hay¬ 
wood, Esq., Reigate—a grand collection, Anemone varieties being 
well shown by Mr. Butcher, Barnet, and Mr. Berry, Roehampton, 
In the principal class, “however, that for forty-eight blooms, twenty- 
four Japanese and twenty-four incurved, only three collections were 
staged ; the first and second from Messrs. S. Dixon & Co., Hackney, and 
Mr. C. Herrin, Chalfort Park Gardens, Gerrard’s Cross, respectively, 
being very close in quality, including grand blooms of the best varieties. 
The smaller classes were all well filled, and presented a fine display. 
Three collections of twelve new Japanese varieties were entered for 
Messrs. Dixon’s silver cup, Mr. J. J. Hillier, Bow, taking the first place 
with a good collection. Specimen plants and groups were not very 
numerous, but fairly good. The principal class for the latter was that 
in which the Royal Aquarium Company offered a silver cup value £5 as 
the first prize. Messrs. Mahood Sc Sons, Putney, obtained this honour 
with an effective group, closely followed by Mr. G. Stevens. 
- Fruit at the same Show was also largely and well represented, 
the Grapes being particularly fine. The leading class was for twelve 
bunches, the first prize, value £10, being won by Mr. J. Roberts, The 
Gardens, Gunnersbury Park, Acton, with handsome even bunches of 
eight varieties ; the majority being well ripened and coloured. The 
second prize was secured by Mr. Austen, The Gardens, Ashton Court; 
Bristol, with fine bunches of fewer varieties. In several classes for 
Grapes the exhibits were very good. Apples and Pears were a show in 
themselves, about 300 dishes being staged ; the majority of the specimens 
extremely fine. Vegetables were extensively shown, the collection in 
competition for the special prizes being of admirable quality. Potatoes 
were strongly represented. 
- The first sharp frost of the season in the metropolitan 
district occurred on the morning of the 13th inst., when Dahlias and 
similar tender plants were blackened ; until that date they had been 
growing and flowering freely. 
- Mr. Wm. Dean writes :— “Fancy Pansy Buccleuch is one of 
the finest and most distinct we have yet seen, flowers of which have been 
sent at various times for our opinion by Messrs. Thos. McDougal and 
