JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 3, 1882. ] 
109 
Mr. W. Jenkins, gardener to W. Brodie Cochrane, Esq., Durham, 
was first with superior fruit unnamed ; Mr. Black second with Elruge. 
Figs, Cherries, Strawberries, and Tomatoes were also well shown. 
Miscellaneous .—Amongst the exhibits not in competition were a 
stand of Gladiolus and Dahlias, both of which were good, exhibited 
by Messrs. Harkness ife Sons, Bedale, Yorkshire. These were gene¬ 
rally admired, as in the north such fine blooms are rarely seen so 
early. Messrs. Thompson & Son, Newcastle, showed a fine stand of 
named Phloxes. Messrs. Stuart & Mein exhibited some fine Petu¬ 
nias. Messrs. Little & Ballantyne, Carlisle, contributed Roses. Mr. 
Sibbald, nurseryman, Bishop Auckland, had a fine stand of cut blooms 
of seedling Begonias. Mr. William Joseph Watson had a fine collec¬ 
tion of Coniferre and alpine plants. Messrs. Fell & Co., Hexham, 
Wentworth Nurseries, contributed a similar collection. The centre 
of attraction, however, was the group from Mr. B. S. Williams, 
Upper Holloway, London, which comprised a superb collection of 
new plants that were much admired by the visitors each day. 
The Committee, along with the Secretary, were indefatigable in 
securing the comfort of visitors and exhibitors. 
ERODIUMS (Heron's Bills). 
This interesting group of plants belongs to the family Gera- 
niacete, and the common appellation of Heron’s Bill is a precise 
rendering of the scientific name, which is not so frequently the 
case as one would wish. Erodium is taken from erodios, a 
heron, on account of the carpels when united to the column re¬ 
sembling the head and beak of that creature. Superficially there 
is much similarity between them and the Geraniums ; they are 
rather different in the mode of growth in most instances, but still 
there is a great family likeness, and structurally there is much 
resemblance between the two genera. The distinctive character¬ 
istics of the Erodiums are the sterility of five out of the ten 
stamens, the hairiness of the inside of the carpel tails, and the 
spiral manner in which the latter coil up when separated from 
the column—a characteristic which is very striking in E. roma- 
num. In Geraniums the carpel tails merely recurve when split 
away. They are numerous and very widely distributed, consisting 
of annual and perennial species, the majority of them perennial. 
Southern Europe and the countries bordering on each side of 
the Mediterranean are their headquarters. Three species are 
British, all of annual duration, while about the same number are 
found in Asiatic Russia, and one or two occur at the Cape which 
are not hardy in this country. They are mostly mountain plants, 
found at moderate elevations, and for the majority of them the 
rock garden is the only place to cultivate them successfully, about 
which, however, there is no difficulty. They are dwarf and com¬ 
pact growers, and by no means disposed to require a large amount 
of space until they are thoroughly established and two or three 
years old, by which time they will prove themselves worthy of it. 
E. Manescaviis an exception, as it is a much stronger grower than 
any of the others, but it is a plant worthy of a position of any 
extent, as it is very showy and perfectly hardy. They possess the 
advantage of not overrunning all their neighbours, as many 
alpines are wont to do ; but they are neat in appearance, ever¬ 
green, with elegant foliage and pretty flowers, enjoying a sunny 
and dry position but plenty of moisture during the growing 
season, although they do not suffer so quickly from drought as 
some plants. They are not particular as to soil, thriving in ordi¬ 
nary garden soil, a rich loamy sandy compost suiting them well. 
For the choicer kinds I have employed a mixture of loam, leaf 
soil, sand, and pieces of brick or limestone broken up finely, and 
found them do remarkably well in it, and any little trouble taken 
in this way with plants deserving it is not lost, but amply re¬ 
warded in the extra progress they make and their greater 
floriferousness. 
They are increased in various ways. Some of them will divide, 
but this is not a very quick method of securing stock, as in the 
case of one group the rootstock is large and fleshy, and in the 
other there are woody stems or branches. To successfully divide 
the latter they should be planted deeply, so that the branches may 
root, when it can be accomplished without any fear of loss. Well- 
ripened cuttings inserted in pots placed in a cold frame, adding a 
liberal amount of coarse sand with the soil, will nearly all root, 
although they are rather slow. They are also easily raised from 
seed, which most of them produce in the southern counties, also 
in the neighbourhood of London. The seed may either be sown 
as soon as it ripens or be kept until the following spring, April 
being a good month to sow in pots, which may be placed in a 
cold frame or a cool greenhouse, keeping the soil fairly moist and 
have the pots well drained, and in three or four weeks the young 
plants will appear, which should be potted singly into small pots, 
when they can be handled and kept in them until they are well 
established, when they should be planted out, with the exception 
of two or three plants, which should be kept in reserve in the 
event of loss from any cause. Especially is this commendable in 
the case of the rarer kinds. I should imagine they would readily 
increase by means of root-cuttings made from the principal roots, 
cut into lengths about an inch long ; and although I have not tried 
this method, most likely the end of summer would be the best 
time to make the experiment, and those interested might try it 
in a small way. The cuttings should be dibbled in pots of sandy 
soil and placed in a cold frame. 
The species enumerated below are all hardy, and there are 
other very pretty kinds in cultivation, which, however, will 
not endure our winters outside. I well remember seeing one 
such in the collection of the late Mr. Joad of Wimbledon Park 
under the name of E. pelargonifolium, which was very showy, 
flowering all the summer in one of his alpine houses, which had 
not any artificial heat. E. mauritanicum, which I have lost in 
ordinary winters, flourished remarkably in the same house. It 
has occurred to me that some of the brilliant colours of the Gera¬ 
niums might be infused into some of the species by cross-breeding 
without the issue being too tender to withstand our winters, and I 
made a limited number of experiments in this direction, but 
through unfortunate circumstances they were not carried through. 
Perhaps some of our enthusiastic amateur cultivators will think 
the matter worthy of consideration. 
E. ahsinthoidcs. —A very dwarf close-growing species, not more 
than 4 inches high, with very finely divided light green foliage, 
oblong in outline. Flowers in umbels on stalks raised slightly 
above the foliage, half to three-quarters of an inch across ; the two 
upper petals rosy purple with blackish blotches, the lower ones 
rather light rosy purple distinctly veined. It flowers very freely 
through all the summer months from May. It is a native of 
Spain, and is apparently very scarce in cultivation. I have 
noticed it at Kew and one or two other places. 
E. oheilanthifolium .—A recently introduced species from the 
mountains of Spain, with silvery grey foliage, very finely divided 
and Fern-like ; taller-growing than the last. Flowers in umbels 
most freely produced, nearly an inch across, rather deeper in 
colour than those of the last, and but slightly blotched. This is a 
very rare and lovely species sent out by Frcebel & Go. of Zurich, 
and it requires a dry position in light sandy soil. It is very 
free-fl rwering, continuing from June through all the summer 
months. 
E. chrysanthum. —This is also an extremely scarce species, 
native of the mountains of Greece, and sent out about three years 
since by Froebel & Co. It grows about 6 inches high, with finely 
divided foliage of a silvery grey colour, the blade portion shorter and 
narrower than that of the last. Flowers in umbels borne on erect 
stalks just above the foliage, about 1 inch across, of a soft yellow 
colour ; most distinct and charming. It requires the same treat¬ 
ment as the last, and to insure against the loss of such a gem it 
would be commendable to afford it some protection during the 
winter until a sufficient stock is secured, so that one or more 
plants might be risked. This applies to our colder counties. In 
the south it is quite hardy, and I have kept it near London. In 
flower from June to August. 
E. hymen odes. —Quite distinct from all the species here de¬ 
scribed. It has a short gouty stem. Leaves simple, roundish- 
cordate, conspicuously lobed or serrated. Flowers in three to 
six-flowered umbels ; the two upper petals light rose marked with 
crimson blotches, the lower ones lighter in colour, pale rose. The 
flowers measure half an inch or rather more across. It is a pretty 
little plant, resembling a miniature Pelargonium in appearance, 
and it thrives well in a sunny dry situation, flowering in July and 
August. It is a native of Northern Africa, and the same precau¬ 
tion is necessary as advised for the last. 
E. Manescavi. —A much more robust-grown species, forming 
large tufts of pleasing green foliage a foot or more high. Leaves 
9 to 12 inches long, alternately pinnate the greater portion of 
their length ; leaflets deeply cut. Flowers numerous, in large 
umbels borne well above the foliage, 1 to 1J inch across, of a 
bright purplish red colour freely veined with crimson. It is a 
most conspicuous plant when in flower, which is during the 
greater part of the summer—from June to October—very free, 
and is suited either for the embellishment of the rockery or the 
border. Plenty of space is necessary for it, but on the rockery it 
is a very telling plant, and in the border it makes a grand show. 
It produces seeds freely. 
E. macrodeniutn (E. glandulosum).—A dwarf species, forming 
tufts of elegant finely divided foliage, similar to E. absinthoides, 
but the leaves are longer and not so freely divided as those of 
that species. Flower stems about 6 inches high, umbellate. 
Flowers three-quarters of an inch across ; upper petals pale rose 
with black blotches, lower ones flesh-coloured and conspicuously 
