288 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 25, 1684. 
compact habit of the plants, and with such recommendations it may he 
confidently expected to become a favourite. 
POTS AND SOFTSOAP FOR PINES. 
In reply to “ Thinher’s ” observations (see page 264) in reference to 
two points in an article of mine on “ Pine Apple Culture ” at page 207, I 
desire to say that I prefer 12-inch to 10-inch pots for fruiting plants— 
assuming that the latter are vigorous and well established in S-inch pots— 
inasmuch as they afford more, and, in my opinion, none too much, scope 
for that amount of healthy root-action which is necessary to the proper 
development of large sturdy plants. These by the middle of October will 
have filled their pots with roots, and in due time produce and ripen larger 
fruit than would have resulted from the same plants had they been in 10-inch 
pots, and in every other respect treated alike. But unless the 12-inch 
pots are filled with roots by the time the plants have completed their 
growth—say the middle of October—they had much better been placed in 
the 10-inch pots when being potted. 
As regards “ Thinker’s ” second stumbling block, which fortunately for 
himself was not a very hard one—namely, 8 ozs. of softsoap to a gallon of 
water—I may be permitted to say in reference to this figure that neither 
the writer nor the printer has made any mistake, and that instead of 8 ozs. 
of softsoap to a gallon of water nearly making a jelly it would take a very 
keen observer to detect any great difference between the thickness of the 
4 ozs. and 8 ozs. gallon fluids placed side by side in different vessels. My 
experience warrants me in pronouncing in favour of the eight-ounce dose 
being used as an insecticide on Pines and plants of similar texture of 
leaves. The 8 ozs. fluid being, as a matter of course, thicker than the 
same quantity having 4 ozs. of softsoap dissolved in it, it must necessarily 
adhere more to the leaves of the plants than the latter would, and there¬ 
fore, in connection with the petroleum, prove more destructive and dis¬ 
tasteful to insects. Why does “ Thinker ” think half the quantity of soft- 
soap ample and why 8 ozs. too much ?—H. W. Waed. 
CINERARIAS PLANTED OUT. 
This method of growing Cinerarias has heen tried at Moncreiffe, Perth, 
and answers so well that a few lines in the Journal might not be out of 
place. Where large numbers of this useful plant are needed much labour 
can be saved by adopting this method of culture. Tbe results, too, are better 
than that obtained from those grown in pots in the usual way. Instead 
of potting the seedlings they are pricked off into boxes and allowed to 
remain there till they are of good size, when they are taken and 
planted in a cool shady border in moderately good soil. Should the 
weather prove dry they will require to be attended to with water; but 
if a suitable position is chosen very little of this will be needed. Keeping 
them free from weeds is all the attention they require during the summer. 
Early in September the most forward plants may be lifted and potted, and 
the rest left till there is a danger of frost setting in, when all should be 
carefully lifted and put in suitable sized pots. This year some were 
grown in pots and others planted out, and those that were planted out 
are certainly much superior to those grown in pots. Similar results were 
also obtained last year.— Caledonian. 
WIRKSWORTH HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The fourth annual Exhibition of this vigorous and rising Society was 
held on Thursday last in the well-kept grounds of C. Wright, Esq. (the 
President of the Society), Tokescliffe, Wirksworth, from which, on a clear 
day, is obtained a view of the loveliest part of the Peak of Derbyshire, pro¬ 
bably unparalleled as a typical piece of verdant English scenery, extending 
for nearly twenty miles, but unfortunately the fog following a heavy rain 
the previous evening did not thoroughly clear away, and the distant hills 
were only dimly perceptible at intervals, although sufficiently to captivate 
the attention of visitors from the well-filled tents of the Exhibition. The 
quaint and substantial little town of Wirksworth, which has a venerable air 
about it not possessed by its modern rival and neighbour, Matlock Bath. 
The jerry-builder has not yet ventured to pile up his cardboard villas beside 
the massive stone and oak erections of our forefathers, and of which is chiefly 
constituted this quondam mining metropolis of Derbyshire, wffiere, in the 
Moot Hall, for ages past have been held the mineral assizes for the district. 
Wirksworth is reached by rail direct, as well as by the beautiful drive from 
Matlock Bath station, and a large number of visitors from the locality and 
from Derby and Nottingham attended the Show, the town of Wirkswork 
being present almost in a body, the day being devoted after twelve, when 
the shops are closed, entirely to horticulture—a holiday. The Show was a 
large one. Upwards of 1000 entries were lodged with the Secretaries, most 
of which were represented in the tents. 
In the open class for twelve stove and greenhouse plants, five collections, 
comprising some good specimens, were staged, the first prize falling to 
E. Wildgoose, Esq., Wirksworth ; Mr. Bolas, gardener to H. C. Pole Gell, 
Esq., Hopton Hal], being second, C. Wright, Esq., third, and Mr. Spencer, 
gardener to A. Arkwright, Esq., fourth. This was a well-contested class, 
but the tout ensemble was marred by a deficiency of flowering plants. For a 
collection of six varieties Mr. Wildgoose was again first, T. Clay, Esq., second, 
and Mr. Bolas third. Several good lots of Coleus were staged, Mr. Bolas 
having well-grown and fairly coloured specimens, was placed first, H. W. Wal¬ 
thall, Esq., second, and J. B. Wood, Esq., third. Ferns, Begonias, Fuchsias, 
and Pelargoniums were also shown in good force in this class, Messrs. 
Walthall, Clay, Spencer, and Bolas being the chief prizetakers. Cut Eeses, 
for which there were numerous classes, were fairly well shown, C. Prescott, 
Esq., leading with a good stand of twelve, the Eev. T. 0. Grady, second. 
Cut flowers, stove and greenhouse, injudiciously mixed with hardy herbaceous, 
were attractive, and but for the unhappy mixture would have been a satis¬ 
factory class. Asters and Marigolds were small; Dahlias, double. Pompon, 
and single, were well represented, Mr. C. Carlisle of Old Basford, Nottingham, 
having a pretty stand of thirty-two Pompons, gems in shape and colour, the 
largest being little more than an inch in diameter—Isabel, Jupiter, Lady 
Blanche, Eayiere-Chauviere, Little Arthur, Nemesis, and Little Beauty 
were most perfect and striking blooms. For a centrepiece stand of cut 
flowers Mr. Bolas set up a very tastefully arranged design, and obtained the 
special prize offered by Mr. Marsden. With this exception the designs were 
not of great merit. Bouquets and buttonholes were also not of a high 
standard in taste. 
Fruits were largely shown. Apples being a feature, many of the specimens 
consisting of fine local varieties suitable to the district, and good Grapes, 
four varieties, two bunches of black and two of white, shown by Mr. Bolas, 
were fine examples of good cultivation, the bunches being all handsome and 
well finished, consisting of Black Hamburgh, Alicante, Golden Hamburgh, 
and Golden Champion. In the cottagers’ department were some good sound 
and not over-ripe Gooseberries, but in the vegetable classes the zeal and skill 
of the local growers was well set forth, and better Potatoes in a cottagers’ 
class have hardly been seen this season. In the amateurs’ department some 
good Hollyhocks, Gladioli, Zinnias, single Dahlias, and Marigolds were shown 
by Mr. T. Atkinson ; vegetables by Mr. Abell and Mr. Allen, Preston Evans, 
and others ; but the vegetable competition for the special prizes offered by 
Messrs. James Carter & Co., High Holborn, London, and Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons, seed merchants, Reading, were well contested. In Messrs. Carter’s 
competition, Mr. Bolas had the first prize for a very fine collection, Mr. 
Stevenson, gardener to H. W. Wallthall, Esq., running him very close for 
second place, and Mr. Yates, gardener to R. Wildgoose, Esq., third. For 
Messrs. Sutton’s prizes Mr. Stevenson was first, Mr. Bolas second, and Mr. 
Spencer third. For the best three varieties of cooking Potatoes, cooked and 
uncooked, the first prize was awarded to Mr. Spencer for Schoolmaster, 
Covent Garden Perfection, and Pride of America. For a collection of 
Potatoes, eight varieties, Mr. Stevenson was first with Adirondach, School¬ 
master, Queen of the Valley, International, Magnum Bonum, Ashleaf, 
Sharpe’s Victor, and Beauty of Hebron ; Mr. Bolas second, and Mr. Spencer 
third. For the special prize offered by Messrs. Daniels Bros., Norwich, for 
six tubers of their Purple and Gold Potato, Mr. Sheppard was the winner. 
The following Potatoes were also striking and well shown—viz.. Beauty of 
Hanworth (blood-red round), Webb’s Surprise (white round), Pearson’s 
Sunday’s Seedling (Lapstone style). White Elephant (enormous),Life Guards¬ 
man (purplish mottled kidney), and President Garfield (long white kidney). 
Mr. Laxton of Bedford showed some marvellous specimens of his Girtford 
Giant Runner Bean, not for competition. The pluck and perseverance of 
the Committee appear to have been amply rewarded by fine w'eather, a large 
attendance, and a first-rate show, which can hardly fail when repeated to 
attract both exhibitors and visitors in increasing numbers. 
LILIPUTIAN POTATO. 
Whilst thanking you for the interesting paragraph in the last issue of 
the Journal of Horticulture upon our seedling Potato, we would ask you 
to correct a slight inaccuracy. We hardly hope to *■ fix ” this novelty in 
its present character—that is, the miniature size of the tubers, because 
from our observation of previous seedlings the variety in question is 
likely to develope into large tubers another year. We do hope, however, 
to find the extraordinary produce maintained, and we shall further be 
greatly surprised if any or all keep their present distinctive form. 
In our opinion, not the least remarkable feature is the number of 
distinct haulms that spring from the surface of the ground, there being 
upwards of one dozen. These may be more or less connected with a 
centre base beneath the soil, and we shall have an opportunity of investi¬ 
gating this when we break up the plant, which we propose to do after 
the International Potato Show at the Crystal Palace.— James Caexer 
AND Co. 
SHOW AND FANCY DAHLIAS AT THE NATIONAL 
DAHLIA SHOWS. 
It is very interesting and satisfactory to find these beautiful autumn 
flowers coming once again into favour, as they are now evidently doing ; 
for, besides their general usefulness and easy culture, what grand florists’ 
flowers are these double Dahlias ! what perfection of form, what singular 
purity and often brilliancy of colour ! and then, again, what an endless 
variety of tints and diversity of markings and shadings do they not dis¬ 
play ! Well may certain colours be designated as belonging to the 
“ Dahlia shades,” for in the Dahlia alone are many of these clear delicate 
tints to be found. 
The following lists are intended to show, not only how many times 
each of the different varieties named in them were exhibited in competi¬ 
tion at the recent Show of the National Dahlia Society, and at this 
Society’s first exhibition, but also, and more particularly, at the two ex¬ 
hibitions taken together ; for in analyses like these the greater the 
number of flowers dealt with the more likely of course are the different 
sorts to fall into their true relative positions. It may be some few years 
before any large number of flowers are properly placed ; nevertheless, I 
am pleased to find how satisfactory this method of analysis has proved 
so far as it has yet gone. Taking, for instance, the two lists given last 
year, and comparing these with the same lists this year, it will be seen 
that only six of the Show varieties and two of the Fancies which were 
tabulated in 1883 are absent from the tables given this year. And, no 
doubt but for the great difference in the two seasons the figures in the 
first two columns of this year’s lists would have come out much more 
uniformly even than they do. The following varieties have decidedly 
