210 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September 1, 1881. 
or D. macrophyllum was the other cannot be determined, as both 
crosses were made about the same time. The probability is, how¬ 
ever, in favour of the D. macrophyllum parentage, as will readily 
be perceived on careful examination of the plant when flowering. 
The habit of the plant is compact, and it flowers very freely, being 
remarkably handsome when in its best condition. The sepals and 
petals are creamy white tipped with purple, the lip being pale 
yellow, and the centre an intensely rich crimson hue. The contrast 
between the light and dark shades of colour is most pleasing, and 
renders the plant remarkably attractive. 
Some plants in the Chelsea Nursery were extremely handsome 
early in the present season, and one of these is pourtrayed in the 
engraving. It was growing in one of the shallow pans that have 
been so frequently mentioned, and with others was thriving 
grandly in one of the warm compartments of the Orchid range. 
CRYSTAL PALACE FRUIT SHOW. 
On Monday and Tuesday last the annual Fruit Show was held at 
Sydenham, proving satisfactory and successful in the number of 
exhibits and the quality of the fruit shown. Black Grapes and 
Peaches were admirably represented, some fruits of the latter 
being of great size and beautifully ripened. 
The chief interest, however, usually centres in the collections, 
and these were very creditable to their exhibitors. Mr. Goodacre, 
gardener to Earl Harrington, Elvaston Castle, Derby, won chief 
honours for twelve dishes with Muscat of Alexandria and Black 
Hamburgh Grapes, good bunches of each, especially the latter, 
which were remarkably well coloured. Violette Hative Necta¬ 
rines, Moorpark Apricots, and a Luscious-and-Melting Melon were, 
with handsome Smooth Cayenne and Queen Pir.es, the chief 
features in the collection. Mr. Roberts, gardener to the Baroness 
Rothschild, Gunnersbury, Acton, was a good second, his Queen and 
Smooth Cayenne Pines, Golden Perfection Melon, and Downton 
Nectarines being very fine. Mr. Mann, gardener to Mrs. R. 
Hornsby, St, Vincent’s, Grantham, held the third position with 
well-grown examples of Violette Hative Nectarine, Royal George 
Peaches, and a Smooth Cayenne Pine among others. The best 
collection of eight dishes was contributed by Mr. Oclee, gardener 
to the Marchioness of Lothian, Blickling Hall, Norfolk, who was 
followed by Mr. G. T. Miles, Wycombe Abbey Gardens, and 
Mr. C. J. Goldsmith, Sandhills, Bletchingley. 
The most important Grape class was that for ten kinds, and 
Mr. Goodacre was again the successful competitor with good 
bunches of Foster’s SeedliDg, Madresfield Court, and Black 
Alicante, and fair examples of Venn’s Muscat, Canon Hall 
Muscat, Muscat of Alexandria, Lady Downe’s, Gros Colman, 
Golden Queen, and Black Hamburgh. Messrs. Lane & Son, 
Berkhampstead, also had a fine collection, very close in merit to 
the preceding. Classes were also provided for Black Hamburgh, 
Muscat of Alexandria, Gros Colman, Madresfield Court, and Ali- 
cantes, in most of which the competition was keen and the fruit 
of good quality. The most numerous entries were, however, in 
the class for five kinds, two bunches of each, ten collections being 
staged. Mr. W. Nash, gardener to the Duke of Beaufort, Bad¬ 
minton, Chippenham, was adjudged chief honours for well- 
ripened bunches of good size of the following varieties—Muscat 
of Alexandria, Black Hamburgh, Black Alicante, Muscat Ham¬ 
burgh, aud Lady Downe’s. Mr. Miles was second, having fine 
bunches of Gros Maroc and Trebbiano ; Mr. Woodbridge, 
gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, Syon House, being 
third with Golden Champion, Madresfield Court, Alnwick Seed¬ 
ling, Foster’s Seedling, and Muscat of Alexandria of fair quality. 
Peaches and Nectarines were extremely fine in the classes for 
three dishes of distinct kinds. Mr. Goodacre’s Noblesse, Royal 
George, and Bellegarde Peaches, Elruge, Pitmaston Orange, and 
Lord Napier Nectarines, were grand in size and colour. Melons, 
Plums, and Pine Apples, were also numerous, especially the two 
former, the quality being quite up to the average. 
Cut flowers, bouquets, and table decorations were well repre¬ 
sented, some very tasteful arrangements being contributed in the 
last-named class. 
SCHIZANTHUSES. 
A short time ago a correspondent directed attention to the 
beauty of these plants when grown in pots for the greenhouse, 
the plants, if I remember rightly, being raised from seed sown in 
the spring. Let me advise him and all others to grow some plants 
in pots from autumn-sown seed, and in early summer of next 
year they will with good cultivation have something worth look¬ 
ing at. My plants are now an inch high and sturdy. They are 
in 4-inch pots, about five plants in each pot, in a frame with the 
Mignonette, the lights being removed whenever the weather is 
fine. There they will remain until November, when they will be 
placed close to the glass in a very light greenhouse. In the 
spring they will be repotted, and in May and June they will be 
flue bushes, covered with their gay butterfly-like flowers. Seed 
may still be sown, sprimding it thinly in small pots, and thinning 
the plants out quickly. Overcrowding them in a young state is 
fatal to success. The pots should be plunged in ashes and receive 
the same treatment as Mignonette, than which, however, they are 
much easier to manage, and equally certain to be admired when 
they are in good condition and flowering freely. The varieties 1 
grow are S. retusus and S. papilionaceus, both of which are ex¬ 
tremely gay and very beautiful. If kept sturdy the plants do not 
need stopping, as generously grown they branch naturally.—J. D. 
PLANTING HOLLIES AND RHODODENDRONS IN 
AUGUST. 
Mr. Bardxey has stated that the month of August is the best 
time of the whole year for removing Hollies, for he says that 
“ when large specimens have to be replanted there can be no 
doubt that ihe present month is preferable.” From many years’ 
experience in lifting trees and shrubs, I am far from being 
prejudiced against any month of the year provided climatical 
influences are favourable, and should not be afraid at any time 
or season to transplant evergreen shrubs that had been pre¬ 
viously prepared, as by judicious attention with the waterpot, &c., 
in dry weather, sufficient assistance can be given until new root¬ 
lets are formed, except when piercing east or north-east winds 
are blowing for days or sometimes weeks together, and this 
frequently happens during March ; then watering is very little 
use, as the winds dry up the sap after the manner of a fire. 
My object in writing is not so much to advocate any particular 
season for replanting, as that too frequently has to be regulated 
by circumstances, but to call attention to the great assistance 
rendered to large specimens by digging a trench around them 
and preparing them beforehand for the trial they are about to 
undergo, as well as to illustrate as clearly as I am able the differ¬ 
ence between specimens purchased from well-managed nurseries 
and those growing in the ordinary manner in gardens. The latter 
have possibly been left undisturbed for several years, the roots 
being sometimes intermixed with those of Elms and other de¬ 
ciduous forest trees. In such a case there is great risk in removing 
large specimens and transplanting them without any former pre¬ 
paration, whether it be August or any other month. In well- 
established nursery grounds where specimens of all kinds are 
being constantly sold and kept for sale, each shrub is dug around 
at least once in every two years and some rich light soil placed 
around the damaged roots, into which new white rootlets readily 
penetrate, so that in a little time there is a mass of small feeders 
which can be secured with sufficient soil to form a compact firm 
ball, and in this manner trees and shrubs are frequently removed 
long distances and transplanted. 
It is frequently the case that in laying out new gardens, especi¬ 
ally of limited extent, the shrubs, through too close or injudicious 
planting, in a few years form a crowded mass, or it may be that 
some valuable variety has been planted too close to a walk—a 
point to be always avoided—and requires removing. In cases of 
this kind, and they are numerous, I strongly advise that soon 
after their first growths have become tolerably firm a trench be 
dug around the shrubs, completely severing the roots both around 
and underneath, and filling in the trench with leaf soil or other 
light material. This will check any further growth, and in time 
they can be lifted even in the poorest of situations with good 
balls without scarcely any risk compared with specimens that 
are lifted under the same without preparation. 
Localities and circumstances must, however, always be con¬ 
sidered in connection with this work. I am writing from expe¬ 
rience gained on poor sandy and gravelly soil in Surrey. Mr. 
Bardney may have the benefit of better soil. But even in this 
poor sod it is surprising how shrubs will grow when the ground 
has been deeply broken up, mixing the better soilwdth the poorer. 
Rainfall, too, exerts a great influence on the work in question. 
In this locality the average yearly rainfall during the past ten 
years has only been 23 inches. Possibly with Mr. Bardney at 
Liverpool it has been twice that amount; if so, the extra rain a'l 
has been of great benefit to his early removals. 
I thoroughly endorse all that your correspondent has said in 
favour of Ilex Hodginsii. This variety has the grandest foliage 
of all Hollies. I would also advocate the planting of weeping 
Hollies as single specimens. There is a variegated kind called 
Perry’s Weeping, and a green variety somewhat similar to the 
common form, both of which are admirably adapted for single 
specimens. 
