July 6 , 1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 15 
front of the borders and is very useful for pot culture. It varies 
considerably in colour, including white, yellow, and various shades 
of violet and blue. 
Spiraeas should be extensively grown, for they are grand subjects 
for the borders ; they are not only very showy when growing, but 
extremely useful for cutting purposes. S. japonica should have 
good prominent positions, and this season they are exceptionally 
fine. S. Filipendula and the var. flore-pleno should certainly find 
a place ; it is a tuberous-rooted plant, and grows from 1 to 2 feet 
high. S. Aruncus is another species that should not be overlooked ; 
it produces large spikes of feathery flowers which nod and bend 
in the breeze. S. palmata is one of the most striking and effective 
in cultivation ; the flowers are brilliant crimson. It is a native of 
Japan, and of recent introduction. S. digitata and S. fulvescens 
are both worth growing. The Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber) 
cannot be over-estimated, the long spikes of dark pink flowers 
make it quite conspicuous. The above are amongst some of the 
most showy that are in flower at the present time.—C. W. 
FARNINGHAM SHOW. 
The pretty village of Farningham, dear to all lovers of the gentle 
craft, was in a state of unusual bustle and excitement on Thursday 
last, on the occasion of the annual Exhibition of the Farningham 
Horticultural and Rose Society, and the collection of plants and cut 
flowers then brought together were of no ordinary interest; while to 
the lovtrs of the Rose especially, the excellent prizes offered and the 
cups and medals to be contenJed for made it one of those shows 
w’hich all desire to hear something of, and it is therefore to those that 
I must first refer. The Kentish growers were undoubtedly strong, and 
the amateurs’ classes were decidedly better than the nurserymen’s ; 
while the competition was very good, seven or eight boxes being 
staged in each class. 
In the nurserymen’s class for thirty-six blooms the first prize was 
awarded to Mr. Cant of Colchester, who had some excellent blooms, 
although on the whole they were not equal to his usual form. The 
following were good—Madame Ducher, A. K. Williams, a fine bloom ; 
Comtesse d'Oxford, Dr. Andre, Hippolyte Jamain, La France, Capi- 
taine Christy, R. Wallace, Marquise de Gibot, Devoniensis, a beautiful 
bloom ; Mrs. Laxton, Baronne de Rothschild, and Duchesse of Val- 
lombrosa. Messrs. George Bunyard & Sons of Maidstone were a good 
second, and Messrs. Kinmont tfc Kidd of Canterbury third. In the 
class for twelve Teas Mr. Cant was again first with a very pretty box 
of Devoniensis, Jean Ducher, Marechal Niel, Souvenir d’un Ami, 
Catherine Mermet, Moire, Madame Bravy, Jules Finger, Souvenir 
d’Elise, a lovely bloom ; Marie Van Houtte, and Rubens. Messrs. 
Bunyard & Co. were again second. In the amateurs’ class for twenty- 
four Mr. John Hollingworth of Turkey Court, Maidstone, was first 
with a good box containing amongst others good blooms of Marie 
Baumann, Mrs. Baker, Hippolyte Jamain, Star of Waltham, Mons. 
Noman, Marie Finger, Charles Lefebvre, and Duke of Edinburgh. 
In the class for twelve the Rev. H. B. Biron was first with a very 
beautiful box containing Marie Baumann, an exquisite bloom, which 
also obtained the silver-gilt medal of the National Rose Society for 
the best bloom in the Show ; Eugene FLirst, Baronne de Rothschild, 
Etienne Levet, Madame Gabriel Luizet, La Rosiere, John Bright, 
Frangois Michelon, and Camille Bernardin. The Rev. V. M. Fuller was 
second with a very nearly equal stand. In the class for nine blooms 
Mr. George Mount of Harbledon was first with excellent blooms of 
Duke of Edinburgh, Marquise de Castellane, Baronne de Rothschild, 
Eugene Fiirst, La France, Hippolyte Jamain, Madame Gabriel Luizet, 
Louis Van Houtte, and Marie Baumann. The Rev. H. B. Biron was 
second, and Mr. Wakeley third. In the class for six blooms Mr. Mount 
was first, Mr. John Wakeley second, and Mr. Burnside third. In the 
class for six varieties of Teas Mr. Mount was first with Homere, 
Souvenir d’un Ami, Marie Van Houtte, Catherine Mermet, Jean Ducher, 
a very fine bloom ; and Souvenir de Paul Neyron. In Class 9, for six 
blooms of one variety, Mr. Biron was first with good blooms of Marie 
Baumann, and Mr. Mount second with Madame Gabriel Luizet. Class 
10 was a silver cup value seven guineas, subscribed for by amateurs and 
to be competed for by them. It was won by Mr. Mount with an excel¬ 
lent box containing Baronne de Rothschild, Charles Lefebvre, A. K. 
Williams, Capitaine Christy, Duke of Edinburgh, Frangois Michelon, 
Marie Baumann, Fisher Holmes, Abel Carriere, a most wonderful 
bloom, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Star of Waltham, and A. Colomb. The 
five-guinea cup for the best box in the Show, given by the Members 
for West Kent (the winner of the seven-guinea cup not being allowed 
to compete), was awarded to Mr. W. Wakeley for La France, Frangois 
Michelon, Camille Bernardin, Capitaine Christy, Duke of Connaught, 
Marie Rady, Baroness Rothschild, Duke of Edinburgh, Marie Bau¬ 
mann, Madame Gabriel Luizet, and Alfred Colomb. 
The dinner-table stands and decorations were unusually good, the 
stands by Miss Hasell, Miss Dalton, Miss Burnside, &c., being excel¬ 
lent, and I have seldom seen stands of wild flowers more gracefully 
or effectively arranged. The table arranged with flowers for dinner 
as exhibited by Mr. Spottiswoode was light and excellent, Mrs. Seale 
not being up to her usual form, exhibiting two large baskets at either 
end and a tall stand in the centre. 
Coming now to the general exhibits, which at Farningham are 
always good, as several large places are in the neighbourhood, the 
arrangements for decoration were exceedingly well managed. The 
plants were carefully chosen, were not overlarge, and bright in 
colour ; there was no overcrowding, and yet the space was well filled 
up. In the stove and greenhouse plants Mr. Spottiswoode was first 
with a very excellent lot of six well-grown plants : Anthurium 
Schertzerianum, Statice profusa, Tabernaemontana coronaria fl.-pl. 
not enough in flower, Clerodendron fallax, Ixora Williamsi, and 
Clerodendron Balfourianum. Mr. J. F. Burnaby-Atkins was second 
with two good plants of Dipladenia Brearleyana and D. Regina, Cle¬ 
rodendron Balfourianum, Statice profusa small, Stephanotis flori- 
bunda well flowered, and an Ixora. In six foliage plants Mr. Mild- 
may was first with a beautiful plant of Anthurium crystallinum, 
Yucca variegata, Croton Weismanni, Dracaena Baptistii, and others. 
The Ferns were well shown, and there was the usual assortment of 
Fuchsias, Begonias, &c., and the cottagers’ productions were very 
creditable. Amongst them, as a bee-master, I could not fail to notice 
the admirable lot of supers filled with pure comb exhibited by Mr. 
Skinner, a cottager at Eynsford. They were of first-rate quality, and 
showed that the exhibitor kept bees intelligently and well. 
The whole arrangements of the Show were excellent; the day was 
fine; Mr. Burnside, the able and active Secretary, carried out the 
arrangements in perfect order; and I should hope, financially as in 
other respects, the Show was a success.—D., Deal. 
GENTIANAS. 
( Continued from page 537, last volume.') 
The usual method of securing a stock is to raise seed, which is 
easily procured from Mr. William Thompson of Ipswich or from 
Froebel & Co. of Zurich, who have perhaps a greater variety. Large 
quantities are also yearly collected and find their way to our nur¬ 
serymen, and in commencing the wisest plan to adopt is to purchase 
well-established plants. In reference to seed, it is best when it 
can be obtained to sow it as soon as fully ripe, when it will readily 
germinate. If kept for any length of time it is slow in germina¬ 
tion. As the seeds are very small it is prejudicial to cover them 
deeply. A little sand sprinkled upon it will be quite sufficient, and 
attention must be paid to the watering. I have been very suc¬ 
cessful in raising seeds in pots or pans by placing the seeds on the 
surface of the soil after giving the latter a good watering, and 
cover it lightly with sphagnum moss, which retains the moisture 
about the seed and lessens the necessity of watering, while it 
affords a shade. It is necessary to watch the seed in germinating 
and remove the moss before the young plantlets are drawn. If 
the seed pans are placed in a cold frame in a sunny position, 
shading when necessary, there is no doubt about the result. Seed 
may be sown at any time from March to August; the earlier the 
better, as the young plants will make good growth if proper atten¬ 
tion is given in pricking-off and finally planting out or potting 
them. 
Some kinds are, however, readily increased by division of the 
roots—such as the common Gentianella (G. acaulis) and others 
which produce numerous underground stems. This should be done 
soon after flowering, and when planting it is essential to press the 
soil very firmly about them, otherwise they will suffer considerably 
before the summer is past, especially if very dry weather ensues. 
Close and rather strong soils suit such kinds well. It is difficult 
to increase a large number by division, as they only produce one 
central axis, from the crown of which the flowering stems are 
periodically sent up, and if these are indiscriminately divided the 
plant sickens and dies. I have seen Gentians in good order at 
Mr. T. S. Ware’s at Tottenham, and in a private collection it would 
have been difficult to find a better group than that existing at 
Oakfield, Wimbledon Park, the residence of the late J. G. Joad, 
Esq., whose enthusiastic love for hardy flowers caused his garden 
to become a home for all the rarest and best. In Mr. Whitehead’s 
grand collection at Bickley they muster strongly, and I have a 
lively recollection of a fine clump of the charming little G. bavarica 
in a little bog bed, which would seem to be the proper place for it. 
The scarce and lovely Polemonium confertum from the Rocky 
Mountains in the same position was also healthy. Continuing the 
species from last week we note the following for completing a 
good collection :— 
G. cruciata .—A vigorous-growing South European species, G to 
9 inches high, with lance-shaped shining leaves, and terminal and 
axillary flower clusters. Flowers very numerous, 1 inch long, 
sub-campanulate, deep blue, appearing during the midsummer 
months. It is a very hardy and easily grown plant, thriving in 
almost any position. 
G. decumbens .—A very scarce and elegant species from Asiatic 
Russia, re-introduced by Dr. Regel. It produces slender erect 
stems about a foot high, with narrow lanceolate leaves and ter¬ 
minal flower clusters. Flower globose, of a bright azure blue 
colour and very distinct. This lovely plant was for a long period 
