G 
JOURNAL OF EORIIGULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 3, 1884. 
Messrs. Paul & Son ■were again first with six blooms of any yellow 
Pose, showing Marie Van Houtte, beautiful, fresh, even specimens. Mr. 
B. E. Cant was second with Marechal Niel of rich colom-; and Mr. P. 
Mattock, Oxford, was tliird with Marie Van Houtte, very even and clean. 
For six blooms of any white Pose equal first prizes were secured by Mr. 
B. E. Cant for Devoniensis, very handsome; and Messrs. Curtis, Sanford, 
and Co., for Merveille de Lyon, large handsome blooms, but slightly too full; 
Messrs. Paul & Son being third with Niphetos. Six lots were staged. 
Niue stands of crimson Poses were contributed, Messrs. Curtis, Sanford, 
and Co. leading v/ith Marie Baumann, extremely handsome, fine in form 
and colour. Mr. J. House, Eastgate Nursery, Peterborough, was second 
with A. K. Williams, very bright and fresh. 
Nineteen competitors staged in the class for twelve trusses of any Kose, 
Mr. A. Evans, Marston, O.xford, being first with La France, very fine, and 
Messi's. Paul & Son second with Capitaine Christy. Highly commended, 
Mr. F. Cant’s box of Catherine Mermet; and Mr. C. Turner’s box of Caroline 
Kuster being highly commended. 
Miscellaneous exhibits were not very numerous. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, 
Chelsea, had six boxes of handsome Rose blooms, representing a great number 
of the best varieties. Messrs. C. Lee & Son, Hammersmith, had a similar 
collection. Messrs. J. Cocker & Son, Aberdeen, showed some fine Pansies, 
Violas, and Pyrethrums ; Mr. R. B. Porter, Maidenhead, sent a collection of 
Canterbury Bells ; Mr. Walker of Thame exhibited some handsome blooms 
of the old Mule Pink, which were greatly admired ; and Mr. House of 
Peterborough had a stand of the bronzy orange-coloured Rose W. Allen 
Richardson. 
MELONS CANKERED. 
I HAVE tried several remedies for this dreaded disease, and now con¬ 
sider that Portland cement is the best, next to this being grated quick¬ 
lime. The affected part is carefully scraped, and then a small quantity 
of cement or lime frequently rubbed in. It apparently absorbs the 
gummy matter and heals the wound shfficiently to enable the crop to be 
matured. Slaked lime is of no use, neither is sulphur or sand. Alum I 
have not tried. Can anyone explain why whole branches of healthy 
Melons sometimes suddenly collapse and become quite rotten in a few 
hours ?—W. IGGULDEN. 
Melons cankered or diseased in the stem can be cured in very bad 
cases with alum and sulphur in equal parts. I am growing some plants 
in 8-inch pots in pits. Some were badly diseased before the fruit was 
set, but these are now a pound in weight and looking well, and I have no 
doubt they will ripen well in due time. The causes of canker are planting 
too deep, injury to the leaves, too much water, and not sufficient air. 
Avoid these, and use a little of the above when stopping the shoots, and 
there will be no disease.—J. E. Waiting. 
HAEDY FLOWERS. 
At this time of year the lover of hardy flowers is in full 
enjoyment of all the beauty a large collection can afford. The 
borders are full of interest, and we have only to look around 
to find .abundance to charm us. 
Onosma taueica.— a most handsome rock or border plant. 
With Mr. Ewbank of Ryde it used to grow into a large tuft in 
his rich rather stiff loam, and I have elsewhere seen it in grand 
condition in the open border. My plants are, however, planted 
at the foot of the rockery, and they are doing well, at the present 
time covered with the tubular bright yellow flowers, other spikes 
coming on to succeed the rest. There is only one satisfactory 
method of increasing it, unless we could get seed—viz., by young 
cuttings, and it is much better to select the small soft cuttings 
from the centre of the plant; strong cuttings almost invariably 
damp off, whereas the majority of the others root. Of eight 
inserted in April I have now seven plants in small pots. No alpine 
collection should be without it. Native of Tauria. Introduced 
about 1801, and well figured in the “ Bot. Mug.” t. 889. 
Campanula Van Houttei. —One of the finest of the large- 
flowered section, producing very large rich purple bells from the 
leaf axils; these hanging down present an appearance only ob¬ 
tained by the others mentioned herewith. I cannot say why, but 
Van Houtte’s Bellflower is not half so frequently met with as it 
should be. It is showy, easily grown, and easily increased. Take 
off the young shoots in spring when about 2 inches long, and 
insert them in sandy soil placed in a cold frame, and they will 
strike readily. We have what may be considered the counterpart 
of this in one named 0. Burghalti, which produces flowers of the 
same form, and perhaps rather lai’gei', of a very pale lilac colour, 
sometimes nearly white, and it has been called Van Houttei alba; 
but this term alba is deceptive, because the flowers in their 
nearest approach are many shades from white; nevertheless, it is 
one of those plants which I should be vmry sorry to miss from 
the border, as it not only forms a good companion to C. Van 
Houttei, but is independent of that variety—a very meritricious 
plant—very vigorous in growth, easily increased by cuttings or 
division, and in every way adapted for extended culture. 
Antirehinum asaeina.— A curious Snapdragon truly—but 
there is no mistaking it. Of dwmrf procumbent habit, the shoots 
trailing a good distance in a season, with light green reniform 
freely notched leaves, both surfaces thereof covered with short 
soft hairs, on which account one may assume it is sometimes 
called A. molle, as I have several times met with it under that 
name. The flowers are solitary or in pairs in the leaf axils, 
fi’om H to 2 inches long; the tube and lip are pale sulphur, and 
there is a tuft of yellow hairs at the mouth which extends all 
down the inside of the tube. It is quite hardy if planted in the 
proper position, which should be a warm corner of the rcckwork 
in a stony sandy soil, when it will show itself yearly. I know a 
iratch a yard square, which has been in the same position for 
over twenty years. It is easily increased by young cuttings. It 
is a native of Italy, and a good figure of it appears in the 
“ Bot. Mag.” t. 902. 
Campanula glomeeata and varieties. —Vei-y showy 
plants are these. The typical plant is not so effective as one 
named C. speciosa dahurica; it is deeper in colour, and the 
flower heads are larger, while the individual blooms are increased 
in size. There is also a form named pallida which is by no 
means so showy. Alba is very desirable with its pure white 
heads. Free in growth and blooming, it should not be outside 
any collection of hardy border flowers; and in addition to these 
we have a double-flowered variety which I like much, because it 
is more lasting than the single ones, but perhaps not quite so 
elegant. They all prefer rich soil, with good drainage and plenty 
of rotten manure when planting, and good results will follow. 
Lychnis vespeetina el.-pl. —This is frequently met with 
under the name of L. dioica, fl.-pL, a totally different plant, and 
much inferior to the one under consideration. This, under good 
cultivation, produces a profusion of double white flowers from 
June to October from 1| to 2 inches across, most serviceable in 
a cut state. Its value for general garden decoration is patent to 
anyone with an eye to the “ goodies,” and it is certainly one of 
those hardy perennials which are far from weedy. Many have 
expressed their opinion as to the difficulty of increasing it, but 
really there is none if the right means are adopted. Proceed as 
follows ;—In February take up an old stool, pot it, and place in 
a cool greenhouse and stimulate growth. When the young 
shoots are about 2 inches long take them off as low down as 
possible, and put them in sandy soil in yots stood in the same 
house, and, all other things being equal, they will surely, though 
perhaps slowly, produce roots. Presently another batch of 
smaller shoots will be sent up, and these will even make better 
cuttings—the point is to secure young soft cuttings, and then 
the difficulty vanishes. By this means I succeeded in raising a 
good batch both last year and this, and the same plants are now 
a mass of bloom, and will be for months to come. 
Alsteomeria chilensis. —One of the best in the genus for 
outside culture, free-growing, very florifei’ous and pretty, useful 
for cutting ; each stem is terminated with large lax corymbs of 
flowers, each one on a very useful-sized stalk. The three outer 
divisions of the perianth are broader than the three inner, light 
cream, buff shaded and tipped with purple; the two upper inner 
ones are yellow, striped with crimson and purple-tipped, so that 
a very pretty combination of colours exists in the flowers, and 
I can heartily recommend it to lovers of hardy flowers, and as 
it is so cheap it should be planted in masses. The best position 
is a warm sunny border well drained. In such a place I have 
now a mass with five and twenty heads, each with not less than 
twenty flowers thereon. 
Dictamnus giganteus. —One of the finest hardy plants now 
in flower, and it is the first time I have seen it in bloom, although 
it has been planted where it stands now three years, but like 
D. Fraxinella it grows slowly. It is more vigorous than that 
species, with large pinnate leaves. The stems are about 2 feet 
high, terminated with a large panicle of red-pink deeply veined 
flowers, measuring li inch across, and lasting a long time. It is 
now very striking, and I am doing my utmost to ti-y and secure 
seed from it. I know nothing of its history or habitat, but it was 
purchased from Messrs. Haage et Schmidt of Ei-furt. All lovers 
of hardy flowers should secure it, for it is quite hardy, and 
however much we may esteem the old Fraxinella, this will be 
preferrel. 
Lathyeus Drummondii. —The best surely of all the Ever¬ 
lasting Peas—I say a long way ahead of any one of them— 
very free-flowering ; not so rampant as the latifolius series, with 
good racemes of bright red flowers about the size of those of 
latifolius; but imagine how much more effective it is, and how 
useful in a cut state. There is no doubt it is far too scarce in 
the country, and when seen must be loved; but as yet it is com¬ 
paratively rare. I have seen it in but few gardens. I hope it 
may seed freely this year. Some young cuttings taken off when 
3 or 4 inches long have rooted nicely, and by this means a true 
