292 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September 28, 1882, 
factory when grown under warm conditions to ripen the fruit and 
wood ; but from what I can gather it is not a very reliable variety 
on wails outside, or even in cool late houses. I am acquainted with 
an able cultivator who formed a very good opinion of this variety 
last year, when the fruit swelled to a large size and coloured well. 
This season I tasted fruit from his tree, the crop only being thin, 
which was flavourless and not swelling satisfactorily. This he 
attributes to the heavy rainfall in the northern locality in which 
he lives and the cold sunless season. If this Nectarine, which 
promises so well for early forcing, proves unreliable outside or in 
late houses in this changeable climate, no time should be lost in 
discussing its merits or defects. The planting sea on is at hand, 
and if those who have grown it under cool conditions would 
record their experience in this Journal much valuable time and 
labour might be saved those intending to plant it in such positions. 
To grow a tree to a fruiting size and then have a failure is rather 
annoying, but this may be prevented by the records of experience. 
—Lancastbian. 
SEEDLING POTATO EXHIBITION. 
The first Exhibition of the kind was held at Northampton on 
Thursday and Friday last, within the enclosure for the Northampton¬ 
shire Agricultural Society and in connection therewith. The seedling 
Potato Exhibition originated through a suggestion of Lady Knightly 
of Fawsley Park, and the arrangements were undertaken by Mr. Farr 
of Fawsley Park Gardens, assisted by an energetic Committee ; and 
although from the novelty of the attempt the working was somewhat 
crude and not altogether free from difficulty, yet from the material 
success which has attended their well-directed efforts on this occasion 
it is probable that the Show will become an annual one in connection 
with the agricultural meeting, when doubtless the experience gained 
this season will enable the Committee to remove or prevent a recur¬ 
rence of any difficulties which may have occurred in the practical 
details of the Show. Sixteen prizes varying from £1 10s. to 5s. each 
in four classes for bond fide seedlings not in commerce were offered, 
and for these there were forty-six entries from various parts of Great 
Britain, a majority of the entries being in the popular class for white 
kidneys. The schedule required that, where practicable, the parentage 
should be stated ; but this wholesome regulation was not, unfor¬ 
tunately, in several instances carried out, nor any explanation given 
as to the origin, or to enable identification of the variety. The speci¬ 
mens were judged after cooking, which would appear to have been 
defectively carried out, as none of the tubers tried were in really 
eatable condition, the excess of moisture not having been removed, 
and a test under such circumstances could hardly be thoroughly 
satisfactory. 
The prizes were awarded as follows :—In Class A, for the best white 
kidney, Mr. J. Hughes, Eydon, Byfield, was first for a handsome 
longish white variety, described as a seedling from Paterson’s Vic¬ 
toria, but it was not stated whether the variety was early, medium, or 
late, and the appearance indicated no connection with the parent 
variety. Messrs. F. & C. Myatt, Offenham, Evesham, were awarded 
second for King Offa, a seedling from Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf, but 
shorter and flatter than that variety. Mr. Cole, gardener to Earl 
Spencer, came third with Cole’s Prolific, a good-looking kidney, but 
information as to its origin was altogether wanting. The fourth 
prize went to Mr. C. Boss, Welford Park, Newbury, for Welford Park 
Seedling, raised from Woodstock Kidney. 
In Class B, for coloured kidneys, Mr. B. Fenn, Sulhamstead, Bead¬ 
ing, was first for a long pink seedling from Snowflake ; Mr. W. Kerr 
of Dargavil, N.B., being second for Sir Garnet, a longish-pointed red 
variety, broadly marked with white. The third prize went to Mr. 
Hughes for a handsome long flattish tuber, origin unknown. For the 
fourth prize no award was made. 
In Class C, for white rounds, Mr. Fenn was again first with a variety 
of good quality, but hardly falling within the definition of a bond fide 
seedling nor a white round, as the tubers were marked with purple 
and said to be from a sport of Woodstock Kidney. Mr. W. Horley, 
Toddington, Dunstable, was second with a seedling from Giant King, 
but in appearance this variety was not much different from nor in 
advance of its parent. The third prize went to Mr. T. W. Hill, Dur- 
wards, Witham, Essex, for a deep-eyed seedling of the Champion 
type, but with whiter flesh, said to have been raised from a packet of 
mixed seed. Mr. Boss was fourth with his Sir Walter Baleigh, a 
seedling from American Excelsior. 
In Class D, for coloured rounds, Mr. John Waugh, Castle Hill, 
Lochmaben, N.B., obtained the first prize with a pale red flattish 
round seedling, its cooking properties being above the average of the 
others exhibited. Mr. B. Boe of High Street, Northampton, was 
third, and Mr. Edward Simons of Harlestone, Norhampton, third with 
a small round red. Fourth, no award. 
Several good-looking tubers did not appear to find favour with the 
Judges, amongst them being two good-sized oval rough-skinned sorts 
from Mr. Hughes, stated to be crosses between Beauty of Hebron and 
Myatt’s Prolific. A flat round seedling from Mr. Fenn, described as 
very early and possessing the dwarfest foliage of any known variety, 
appeared promising. Defective cooking is undoubtedly a serious 
draw'back to a satisfactory test, and in future it would be well to have 
cooked some of the standard varieties and the parents of the seedlings, 
where practicable, for comparison, due allowance being made for the 
size of the tubers and the period of ripening of the varieties, which 
should be given by the exhibitors. 
ERYTHRONIUMS. 
The Dog’s-tooth Violets form an extremely pretty genus be¬ 
longing to the great Lily family, very distinct in appearance and 
easily grown. The majority of them are generally cultivated, as 
they are special favourites with most lovers of hardy bulbs. 
They are perfectly hardy, and, what is equally desirable, they 
appear to disregard the irregularities of our climate, which is not 
the case with a great many of our introduced bulbous plants, 
especially with those from North America. The common E. Dens- 
canis and some of its varieties are European, all the rest are 
American. There appears to be a considerable amount of con¬ 
fusion amongst amateurs as to the correct nomenclature of the 
species, many confounding the varieties of E. Dens-canis with 
the true species of similar names ; for instance, the variety albi- 
dum, which is a European form, is frequently mistaken for E. 
albidum of Nuttall, and vice versa. I have frequently been asked, 
What is the distinction between the two plants ? and the latter- 
named has even been regarded only as a synonym of the former. 
Such, however, is not the case, as the plants are distinct in bulb 
and foliage as well as floral arrangement. There are but few 
species, with some distinct varieties, and they are naturally divi¬ 
sible into two groups—viz., those with solitary flowers and those 
with from one to eight flowers. The former group include E. 
Dens-canis, and varieties E. albidum and E. propullans, while 
the latter is represented by E. grandiflorum and its varieties E. 
Hartwegi and E. purpurascens. 
There is no difficulty attending the cultivation of these plants, 
neither are they very fastidious as to soil, as I have known them 
thrive in almost any soil and position with the exception of very 
stiff and clayey soil. A considerable number has just been raised, 
and the soil in which they have been grown during the last 
three years is very light and sandy, moderately rich and well- 
drained, while the position is quite open and exposed. I should 
not recommend a very exposed position, as owing to their early 
flowering they are very liable to be destroyed by strong cutting 
spring winds. To say the least, it is more than probable that the 
period of beauty may be materially shortened. But certainly 
they thrive admirably in light sandy rich soil, and if the position 
is sheltered they are extremely showy, and most interesting as a 
group of hardy flowers. It is not well to disturb them very often, 
as they will not be nearly so attractive if but half established. 
Allow them to remain undisturbed for some three or four years 
until the bulbs are overcrowded. There are a number of positions 
most suitable for them beside the ordinary border or bed, for it 
must be borne in mind that during the greater part of the summer 
they are dormant, and consequently there is only bare soil where 
they are planted. It is just as well to arrange them in such a 
position so that some half-hardy plants could be planted near 
them, and the barrenness would be reduced to a minimum. 
This could be very easily managed either on the rockery or in 
borders ; but care should be taken to have the exact position of 
the Erythroniums marked, so they would not be disturbed when 
the summer-flowering plants are removed in the autumn. 
Numerous chinks in the rockery could be filled with the bulbs 
which are frequently unoccupied, and they would be very charm¬ 
ing when there are but few showy things in flower on the rockery. 
The various species of Croci are very pretty in such positions, 
and for naturalising in meadows, woodlands, by the margins of 
lakes they are admirably adapted. For this purpose the forms 
of E. Dens-canis are to be highly recommended, because they are 
very hardy and robust, and, what is equally important in such a 
matter, they are very cheap, costing but a nominal price per thou¬ 
sand, while the effect in association with Daffodils, Primroses, 
Oxlips, Croci, and a host of other plants would be very pleasing. 
They should be planted as early as possible after September in 
clumps to have the best effect. Most of the rarer species will 
probably be imported, but it is advisable to get home-grown 
bulbs if possible. In the event of having imported specimens 
it is desirable at first to pot them in light sandy soil (leaf soil, 
loam, and sand in equal parts) in small pots, and place them in 
a cold frame, just keeping them damp until root-action has tho¬ 
roughly commenced, when they may without hesitation be planted 
out. This is merely ad vised as a prevention against possible loss 
and consequent disappointment. 
E. albidum, Nutt.—A similar plant to the next species. Leaves 
oblong-lanceolate, not mottled or dotted. Flowers solitary, bluish- 
white, with the segments entire at the base. The flowers are 
rarely quite white. It is widely distributed, occurring from New 
