JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t August si,m2 
part in the prosecution of horticulture, and was ever ready to pro¬ 
mote its best interests. 
- Messes. Christy & Co., 155, Fenchurch Street, London, 
E.C., hare issued No. 6 of their work entitled “ New Commercial 
Plants and Drugs,” which is divided into two parts, one being 
devoted to “ Fibres : their Botanical Sources, the Methods of 
Examining Them under the Microscope, and their Treatment by 
the Ekman Process, with six Coloured Plates and the other to 
“New Plants and Drugs, their Cultivation and Uses.” In the 
first part much information is given concerning the relative 
merits of the different fibres, amongst which those of the follow¬ 
ing plants are represented by magnified dissections, accompanied 
by full description—Flax, Hemp, Jute, Cotton, China Grass, New 
Zealand Flax, Mudar Bark, Paper Mulberry, Nepal Paper Plant, 
Esparto, Pita, Manila Hemp, Tricum Palm, Bowstring Hemp, 
Pineapple and White Fir. In addition to these the chief fibre- 
yielding plants are referred to under their several natural orders, 
the mode of preparation, &c., being fully considered, and in some 
cases particulars of cultivation are also given. 
- In the part of the same work devoted to New Drugs 
elaborate descriptive notes are given respecting the Papaw, Lyco¬ 
podium clavatum, Carnauba, White Quebracho Bark, Kava Kava, 
Goa Powder, Coca, and many others. In reference to the culture 
of the last-named the following particulars are given :— 
“ The seeds of the Coca are sown on the surface of the soil as soon 
as the rainy season commences, and begin to sprout in a fortnight 
being carefully watered, and protected from the sun by a thatched 
roof - The following year the seedlings are transplanted in a soil 
carefully broken up and freed from weeds. The ancient custom was 
to raise the plants in terraces on the hillsides, but now plantations on 
the level ground are resorted to, although Indians aver that plants 
raised under the former conditions yield a much superior quality of 
leaf. At the end of eighteen months the first harvest is ready, and 
the picking of the leaves, performed by women and children, is ’very 
carefully proceeded with, so as not to injure the young and still 
tender shoots. As soon as one crop of leaves is removed, if well 
watered, and the ground carefully weeded, another crop is ready in 
about forty days. A plant continues to yield for about forty years 
and Dr. Poeppig gives the profit of a Coca plantation as about 45 per 
cent. Each picker carries a piece of cloth, in which the leaves, plucked 
one by one, are placed. These leaves are then taken to the drying 
yard, formed of slate flags. Here the leaves are spread out in thin 
layers, and carefully dried in the sun. Too much exposure to the 
sun spoils the flavour of the leaf, and if heaped too much together 
the leaves ferment and become foetid. As soon as dried the leaves 
are packed in bags made of Banana leaves with an outside covering 
of cloth, or packed tightly in large parcels of about 50 tbs. each.” ° 
It should be remarked that the book is printed upon paper of 
excellent quality prepared entirely from wood reduced to pulp 
by the Ekman patent process. 
READING SHOW. 
August 17th. 
The second Exhibition of the year held by the above Society 
proved a very satisfactory one both in the number and quality of the 
contributions staged by nurserymen, gardeners, and amateurs, all 
sections of the schedule being well represented, and in some of the 
classes the competition was very keen. Owing to the gale on Wed¬ 
nesday night, which greatly damaged the large marquee erected in 
the Forbury Gardens, a new site had to be chosen at the last moment: 
and though the exhibitors suffered much unavoidable inconvenience 
in consequence, yet the selection of the new and old Town Halls for 
the purpose ultimately proved fortunate, as the unfavourable weather 
would have deterred many from visiting the Gardens. The new 
hall is particularly suitable for an autumn exhibition, being very 
spacious, light, and handsome, affording a striking contrast *to the 
old hall in all respects. Both were well filled with exhibits, the 
former containing the groups of plants arranged for effect, the stove 
and greenhouse plants, Ferns, and miscellaneous plants; the other 
chiefly was devoted to fruit, cut flowers, and a few collections of 
plants not for competition, while the corridors contained the vege¬ 
tables. _ The general arrangements were highly satisfactory, the 
display in the new hall being especially effective. 
Stove and Greenhouse Plants .—The most important class for these 
was that for nine specimens, of which two very creditable collections 
were staged. Mr. Mould of Pewsey secured the leading position with 
even, well-grown, and well-flowered examples of Ixora Reginse, Lan- 
tana Don Calmet 4 feet in diameter and flowering freely ; Clerodendron 
Balfourianum, Erica cerinthoides coronata, neat and healthy ; Alla¬ 
manda Hendersoni, vigorous and finely flowered ; Ixora Williamsi, 
Statice Butcheri, and Dipladenia Brearleyana. Second honours were 
accorded to Mr. Lees, gardener to Mrs. Marsland, The Wilderness, for 
a similarly praiseworthy collection, comprising an exceedingly good 
Bougainvillea glabra of globular form, about 4 feet in diameter, and 
well flowered ; Tabernremontana coronaria fl.-pl., healthy and fresh ; 
and Rondeletia speciosa trained in globular form, and bearing abun¬ 
dant heads of large brightly coloured flowers. In the amateurs’ class 
for six specimens Mr. Mortimer, gardener to Major Storer, Purley 
Park, took the lead with neat well-grown examples of Allamanda 
Wardleyana, Stephanotis floribunda, Bougainvillea glabra, and Ixora 
Williamsi. Mr. Hope, gardener to the Hon. R. Boyle, Purley, followed 
closely with a good Tabernaemontaua coronaria, Allamanda Schotti, 
and Plumbago capensis. Several admirable single specimens were 
shown, the one selected for premier honours being a globularly 
trained freely flowered Erica Irbyana from Mr. Bennett, gardener to 
M. Lonergan, Esq., Cressingham. Mr. Hope took the second prize 
with Allamanda Hendersoni healthy and good, extra prizes being 
adjudged to Mr. Ashby, gardener to W. Fanning, Esq., Whitchurch, 
for a specimen of Fanny Catlin Pelargonium of considerable size and 
profusely flowered ; and to Mr. Lees for a plant of Stigmaphyllon 
auriculatum, evenly trained, healthy, and bearing numbers of its 
bright yellow flowers. 
Fine-foliage Plants. —Three beautiful collections were contributed 
in the class for six variegated or fine-foliage plants, Mr. Ross, gar¬ 
dener to C. Eyre, Esq., Welford Park, securing chief honours with 
handsome examples of the following :—Cyperus alternifolius varie- 
gatus, about 4 feet high and as much in diameter, very healthy, and 
the variegation well marked; Maranta zebrina, of considerable size 
and good colour ; Alocasia metallica, fresh and healthy ; Alocasia 
macrorhiza variegata, vigorous; Croton Weismanni, bright; and 
Bonapartea gracilis, very healthy. Mr. Mortimer followed with a 
collection of slightly smaller plants, but similarly well grown ; Croton 
majesticus, C. Weismanni, Yucca aloil'olia, and Alocasia macrorhiza 
variegata were especially good. Mr. Mould was a third with fair 
examples. The best four foliage plants were staged by Mr. Bezant, 
and comprised Alocasia metallica, Maranta zebrina, Croton majesticus, 
and C. variegatus, all very well coloured. Mr. Lees was a close 
second, his best plant being Alocasia metallica in fine condition. For 
one new or rare plant Mr. Howe, gardener to Sir R. Sutton, Bart., 
Benham Park, was placed first with a large, healthy, well-coloured 
specimen of Croton Truffautianus; Mr. Ross being placed second 
with.Cycas circinalis very healthy and fine, but why it was admitted 
in this class is by no means clear, as it can be scarcely considered as 
rare, and it is certainly not new. 
For six Ferns Mr. Mortimer carried off the leading award for an 
extremely handsome collection of healthy, vigorous, but neat speci¬ 
mens of Davallia bullata, Cibotium australis of great size, Dicksonia 
antarctica, Adiantum cardiochlaena, Davallia Mooreana, and Adian- 
tum pentadactylon. Mr. Ross, ■who obtained second honours, also had 
a praiseworthy collection, comprising Phlebodium sporodocarpum, 
Pteris argyraea, Platycerium alcicorne, Davallia Tyermanni, Pteris 
umbrosa, and Davallia bullata. Mr. Lees had the best four Ferns— 
very well-grown examples of Gymnogramma pulchella, G. chryso- 
phylla, Adiantum gracillimum, and A. farleyense. As usual Mr. 
Mortimer had six handsome Selaginellas of conical form, and gained 
the first prize, an equal award being granted to Mr. Hope for a 
similar collection. 
Table Plants. —A class was provided for six plants in 6-inch pots 
suitable for table decoration, and three excellently representative 
collections were staged. Mr. Ross won premier honours with neat 
little specimens in admirable condition, and just of the right size for 
such a purpose. They were Caladium argyrites, a well-known 
favourite; Dracaenas Guilfoylei and elegantissima, both narrow¬ 
leaved forms of good colour ; two pretty seedling Crotons, one with 
narrow slightly drooping leaves, and the other with spirally twisted 
leaves; and Pandanus Veitchii, the variegated Screw Pine. Mr. 
Burgess took the second position with rather larger plants, chiefly 
Crotons and Dracaenas, an extra prize being deservedly awarded to 
Mr. Howe for good plants, the best being the far from common, 
though elegant, Pandanus gracilis and Reidia glaucescens. 
Of the smaller classes the most noteworthy were those for six and 
three Liliums respectively, in both of which Mr. Bridge, gardener to 
J. T. Hall, Esq., gained the first prize. The specimens comprised 
some admirable examples of L. speciosum very well flowered, and 
L. auratum similarly good. Mr. Burgess had the best six Coleuses, 
small pyramidal specimens fairly well coloured. Mr. Uphill, gardener 
to R. Garrard, Esq., Wokingham, was the chief exhibitor of Dahlias 
in pots, having four healthy freely flowered specimens of good varie¬ 
ties. Mr. Ashby won the chief prize for six bedding Pelargoniums 
with profusely flowered specimens of Mrs. Moore, Lady Sheffield, 
Mrs. Storey, Leviathan, Lizzie Brooks, and Sophie Barkin, several of 
which were 5 feet in diameter. 
Groups. —The centre of the new hall was devoted to these, and a 
very pretty effect they produced, especially when viewed from the 
gallery. The class provided for a group of plants arranged effec¬ 
tively in a space of 12 feet by 10 feet, about half a dozen exhibitors 
entering the competition. Although not displaying any remarkable 
originality most of the groups were tasteful, flowering plants being 
freely employed, but with sufficient Palms, Ferns, &c., to avoid an 
