220 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September 7, 1882. 
compost to within about an inch of the top ; press it down quite 
firm, and insert the cuttings, standing the pots outside in the full 
sunshine. No watering will be necessary for a week or ten days 
unless the weather is very bright and warm, when, late in the 
afternoon, a slight watering with a rose pot occasionally would 
be suitable to keep the foliage fresh. 
For the propagation of most other kinds of bedding plants 
which have to be kept in a greenhouse through the winter a frame 
and hotbed will be necessary. Such admirable directions have 
recently appeared in your columns respecting the proper way of 
making up hotbeds that I need not dilate on the matter here 
further than to say, Let the rank steam subside before inserting 
the cuttings, or disastrous consequences may be the result. An 
immediate beginning may be made with the undermentioned, all 
of which will need the aid of frames—viz., Alternantheras,Verbenas, 
Ageratums, Coleus, Gazanias, Lobelias, Konigas, Mesembryanthe- 
mums, &c. In addition to cuttings of these it is advisable—in 
fact some people adopt the plan in preference to autumn propa¬ 
gating—to lift and pot a few plants of each of the above : these 
will furnish abundance of cuttings in the spring. More drainage 
in the pots will be required for these than for Pelargoniums ; 
indeed it might almost be said that half the success in striking 
the cuttings depends on good drainage. The pots ought, there¬ 
fore, to be nearly half filled with potsherds, on which should be 
placed a layer of common moss. I may also add that 6-inch pots 
are generally employed for these cuttings, to be filled to within 
an inch of the rim with the same compost as that used for Pelar¬ 
goniums, but with this difference—the pots must have a good layer 
of sharp silver sand on the top. 
We now come to another class of plants—viz., those which will 
stand a few degrees of frost, and which may be propagated some¬ 
what late in the season. Amongst these Calceolarias and Violas 
are perhaps the most important. The month of October will be 
quite early enough to begin with these. A cold frame, either turf 
or wood, is the best place to propagate them in. This should be 
filled to within 9 inches of the glass with half-decayed manure, 
being at the same time well trodden down, On the top of this 
place about 6 inches of the compost recommended previously, 
finished off with a good layer of sand, and smooth it with the 
back of a spade. Insert the cuttings in rows about 2 inches 
apart each way ; give a slight watering through a rose pot, put 
on the lights, and keep the frame close. Shade from bright sun 
until the cuttings are rooted, after which air should be given on 
all favourable occasions.—H. J. H. 
SOUND POTATOES AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 
My Potatoes have again turned out a very fine sound crop. The 
early sort, Improved Ashleaf, was lifted at the end of July. 
Suttons’ Reading Abbey, also a fine crop, lifted on August 14th. 
For main crop I have adhered to Suttons’ Magnum Bonum, lifted 
August 22nd, which, as usual, has proved an immense crop—about 
six sacks from a bushel of seed. No -sign of disease was detected 
in either variety. They were all planted during the first week in 
March, on ground which was cropped with green vegetables the 
previous year. I never use any manure in planting Potatoes; 
simply a good dressing of leaf soil, the ground having been well 
manured for green crops the previous year. I incline to the 
opinion, after many years’ experience, that the great secret of 
success is early planting without manure. The soil here is a very 
dry sandy loam, on which the rain never rests, but percolates 
through it at once. I have been reminded by gardeners that early 
planting can only be carried out on dry soils. I am not in a posi¬ 
tion to dispute or corroborate such statements. If, however, my 
dry soil grows large crops of sound Potatoes without manure, why 
do they use large quantities of the latter on wet soils ? The 
ground was so dry when my Potatoes were lifted that the tubers 
came out bright-skinned and clean. How seldom is this the case 
when they have been exposed to the heavy autumn rains.—W. G. 
Surrey. 
HARPENDEN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Three years of well-directed energy in the management of this 
Society have demonstrated that where all the promoters of an under¬ 
taking are zealous and work together with a good will, the ratio of 
success which can be achieved in a short time is not in proportion to 
the population of the district nor to the size of the town which may 
be the seat of their labours, but rather attends upon the organising 
powers of a few who are frequently in close association in public 
or private business; and to this must probably be attributed the 
prevalence and prosperity of so many of our good horticultural 
exhibitions in the smaller towns and even villages, when the larger 
cities and centres are often only able at best to make intermittent 
spurts. The Harpenden Society is fortunately in close alliance with 
Rothamstead, the park of which adjoins Harpenden, and is under 
the fostering influence of Sir J. B. Lawes, Bart., and the able staff of 
the renowned farm and laboratory, the good results attending their 
labours and experiments having in many respects impregnated with 
science the whole locality ; and at Harpenden almost every child, if 
not half a botanist at birth, soon receives his botanical baptism at 
school, where botany and horticulture are radically but perhaps in¬ 
sensibly engrafted with admirable results into the ordinary educa¬ 
tional routine of the district; and it is not uncommon at Harpenden 
to meet with children who are not only able to identify plants but 
also the grasses, their habitats and uses, an advantage not possessed 
by all advanced botanists or by few experienced agriculturists. 
The fourth Exhibition of the Society was held in Rothamstead 
Park on the 31st ult. The morning opening most auspiciously ; but 
the afternoon belied the barometer, and unfortunately an almost 
continuous downpour of rain greatly marred the success of the Show 
as a holiday. Horticulturally, however, little was left to be desired, so 
complete were the arrangements. The show of plants although good 
was not one of the strong features at Harpenden, but some well- 
grown specimens were shown by Mr. G. Underwood, gardener to 
C. R. Fenwick, Esq., High Firs, Harpenden, who was first for the 
collection of twelve miscellaneous plants, and for the group of 
plants arranged for effect. In the former exhibit Yinca ocellata, 
Dipladenia boliviensis, and Bougainvillea glabra were very fine and 
well flowered. For twelve plants in 6-inch pots Mr. C. Pollard, gar¬ 
dener to J. B. Maple, Esq., Childwick Bury, St. Albans, was first, 
having lovely little plants of Cyanophyllum magnificum and Pan- 
danus Veitchii. Ferns, especially the hardy varieties, were well 
shown ; Mr. J. Freeman, gardener to W. B. Greenfield, Esq., Beech- 
wood Park, Dunstable, being first for a collection of eight, containing 
a good plant of Scolopendrium vulgare crispum, and all being very 
clean and healthy. Zonal Pelargoniums and Fuchsias were both 
well grown and well flowered, although not large ; the first prize 
for the former going to J. S. Hill, Esq., Hawkswick, St. Albans, in 
whose collection was a fine scarlet with distinct white eye, named 
Mrs. Whitley. For the latter Mr. J. Elmer, gardener to Mrs. Warde, 
Harpenden, was first; Giantess, Enchantress, Rose of Castile, and 
Duchess of Lancaster being very good specimens. 
Cut flowers were largely and well shown, and were a striking 
attraction here. Roses came from Messrs. Paul & Son, The Old 
Nurseries, Cheshunt, and for the season were clean and in good colour. 
For forty-eight distinct blooms in the open class they were awarded the 
first prize. Amongst their best blooms were noticeable William Koelle, 
Charles Darwin, R. N. G. Baker, and Edouard Andre, all good new 
varieties; Marquise de Castellane, Marie Baumann, Madame Mar- 
gottin, and The Shah were also conspicuous. Messrs. E. P. Francis 
and Co. of the Hertford Nurseries were very creditably second. 
For twenty-four varieties in the open class the Rev. W. H. Jackson, 
Stagsden Yicarage, Bedford, was first, having Paul Neyron, Capitaine 
Christy, A. K. Williams, Marie Baumann, and Madame Lambard very 
fine, and it is no discredit to the great firm who took honours in the 
larger class to note that Mr. Jackson’s twenty-four were quite equal 
in merit to the best box of Messrs. Paul’s forty-eight which adjoined 
it; size, substance, colour, and form, all being good points present in 
Mr. Jackson’s stand. The same gentleman was also first for twelve 
and six varieties in the amateurs’ classes with equally meritorious 
flowers. The best bloom, however, in the Show was one of Senateur 
Vaisse in the stand of Messrs. W. Paul & Son of the Waltham Cross 
Nurseries, who had some very fine flowers, including six of Marie 
Baumann, which would not have shamed a July prize stand. They 
also staged some good herbaceous and hardy flowers, but not for com¬ 
petition, and in which a fine strain of French Marigold was noticeable. 
The great contest of the day was in Dahlias between Messrs. G. 
Paul & Son, who appear to be new exhibitors in this department, and 
the veteran Mr. H. Glasscock of Bishop’s Stortford, who had each 
magnificent stands of forty-eight varieties, and ultimately Messrs. 
Paul were placed first, and Mr. Glasscock second. In the first stand 
was a unique flower of Northern Spy, rich purple, tipped reddish pink, 
and fine blooms of Christopher Ridley, Lord Chelmsford, Henry 
Bond, and J. Wyatt. Amongst Mr. Glasscock’s best flowers were 
Mrs. Saunders, Prince of Denmark, and Lady Wimborne (mauve). 
Mr. C. Turner of the Royal Nurseries, Slough, also exhibited a very 
fine stand of twenty-four, but not for competition. For twenty-four 
Gladioluses Messrs. Kelway & Sons of Langport, Somerset, were the 
only exhibitors ; striking flowers in their collection being Pitys, 
bright vermilion with large clear white throat ; James Kelway, 
Egyptian King, and President. 
Herbaceous plants were well represented, Mr. J. Henshaw, an enthu¬ 
siastic amateur of Harpenden, staging in an effective manner very 
showy collections, and for which he was awarded first honours in the 
open and amateurs’ classes. In the former his flowers were Dahlias 
Juarezii (splendid) and coccinea, Campanula pyramidalis alba, Lilium 
tigrinum splendens, Galtonia (Hyacinthus) candicans, Oenothera 
macrocarpa, Achillea Ptarmicafl.-pl., Rudbeckia Neumanni, Coreopsis 
lanceolata, Tigridia pavonia, Gladiolus brenchleyensis, and Lobelia 
cardinalis. Messrs. G. Paul & Son were second with a fine stand 
containing Harpalium rigidum, Lathyrus latifolius splendens of the 
deepest crimson, and Stenactis speciosa. Miss Debenham, Ivy House, 
St. Albans, was awarded an extra prize in this class, Achillea rosea 
being very showy in her collection. We have rarely seen herbaceous 
plants better or more effectively shown. 
