I 
November 9,1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 429 
for next year has been issued ; the shows being fixed for May 2nd 
and 3rd, and July 25th, 26th, and 27th, the usual liberal prizes 
being offered. 
- Mr, Hudson, gardener to H. J. Atkinson, Esq., Gunners- 
bury House, Acton, grows that old but useful plant Sparmannia 
Apricana exceedingly well, and a method he has now adopted 
deserves notice. He is training some young plants a3 standards 
with clear stems about 5 or 6 feet high, at which height they are 
stopped and allowed to branch freely, so as to form a compact 
head. For conservatory decoration such plants will be extremely 
useful, as the flowers will be seen to much better advantage than 
on taller specimens. As an example of the rapid growth made 
by this plant, it may be remarked that cuttings struck last March 
are now vigorous specimens 5 to 7 feet high ; and an older plant 
that was cut down has made even stronger growth in the same 
period. 
- A correspondent writes “ I find Suttons’ Giant 
Shallot the largest, best, and most prolific I have ever grown. 
It cannot fail to prove a boon to our large market growers gene¬ 
rally, as in it we have what is needed—quality and quantity com¬ 
bined. It is also admirably adapted for exhibition, the bulbs 
being large and handsome. In the spring I purchased 2 lbs. of 
seed direct from Messrs. Sutton & Sons, and no especial care 
was taken in the preparation of the ground, it being simply 
manured and dug in the ordinary way, and the produce has far 
exceeded my expectations.” 
- preference to Messrs. Carters’ Crown Jewel Begonias 
noticed last week, we omitted to state that the flowers had been 
cut from plants in the open ground on October 25th. This fact 
affords evidence of the great value of Tuberous Begonias for 
affording a late and bright display in beds, as suggested by Mr. 
Young in another column. 
- Mr. C. Waring, Prince’s Park, writes :—“I do not think 
it is generally known what a useful plant Chrysanthemum La 
Nymphe makes. I find it far more useful than many of the 
Pompons for house or conservatory decoration. Cuttings taken 
about the end of February or early in March and pinched once or 
twice will make dwarf compact plants requiring no stakes. The 
flowers, when the plants are allowed to grow naturally, reflex, but 
when pinched they grow erect.” 
- Amongst the novelties announced for the ensuing year 
by a Marseilles nurseryman the two following are especially note¬ 
worthy—viz., Pellionia Rodocanachiana and Begonia sem- 
perplorens massiliensis. The former is said to be superior to 
P. Daveauana, having larger leaves, covered with a fine brown¬ 
ish down, striped and spotted with white. The Begonia is a 
hybrid between B. semperflorens and B. Schmidti, and appears to 
be very similar to the hybrid of the same parentage shown by Mr. 
Smith, gardener to Mrs. Joad, Oakfield, Wimbledon, at the last 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, under the name of 
B. Smithi. It is of stronger habit than B. Schmidti, but dwarfer 
than B. semperflorens, the stems being of a reddish tinge, and the 
flowers pure white, of medium size, but very freely produced. 
- Amongst the Cypripediums now flowering in Messrs. 
Veitch’s great collection of these plants at Chelsea, C. selligerum 
majus commands attention by the great size of the flower and the 
extreme vigour of the plant. The dorsal sepal alone is 3 inches 
in diamater, and its longitudinal markings of ivory white and 
bronzy brown render it a conspicuous object. The leaves are 
2 inches broad and 18 long, dark glossy green, and arching grace¬ 
fully. This imposing variety is the result of a cross between 
C. barbatum and C. laevigatum, and must be increased largely, as 
assuredly it will be in great demand when its merits become fully 
known. The chaste C. cardinale is also flowering ; the flowers 
combine the chief characteristics of C. Sedeni and C. Schlimi in a 
remarkable manner. It is very chaste. A free and very fine 
variety now in beauty is C. calurum, raised from C, Sedeni and 
C. longifolium. It bears a somewhat close resemblance to the 
former useful variety, but is larger and deeper in colour. The 
distinct and attractive C. Fairrieanum that was recently certi¬ 
ficated at South Kensington is still flowering, and there are several 
blooms of the species, which all who see long to possess—namely, 
C. Spicerianum, with its pure white corona-like upper sepal. In 
striking contrast is the dark C. purpureum, a very dwarf free- 
flowering species from Hong Kong ; while C. insigne and its 
much-improved variety Maulei are numerous and effective. With 
so many valuble additions to this fine genus of plants it is not 
difficult to have beautiful flowers during every week in the year. 
- Reference has been occasionally made during past 
seasons to the value for decorative purposes of Chrysanthemum 
Sceur Melanie. The merits of this variety for conservatory 
adornment, and for yielding flowers abundantly for bouquets and 
vases, is well exemplified by a number of plants now arranged in 
the great vinery at Chiswick. The collection there is large, but 
the most useful of all the varieties, for the last-named purpose 
especially, is the one above named. The flowers are white, small 
to medium-sized, the petals reflexed, and the blooms and buds 
borne in the greatest profusion. It may be remarked that the 
plants at Chiswick were planted out during the summer, and 
have recently been taken up and placed in round baskets about 
a foot deep and wide, such as are obtained at a cheap rate from 
Covent Garden. A few leaves were placed round the sides 
before filling-in the soil, and the plants appear to be thriving 
quite as well as if established in pots. 
- The Chrysanthemums in the Victoria Park are now 
fast approaching their best condition, and intending visitors 
should take the first opportunity of inspecting them. Mr. 
McIntyre has an erection about 250 feet long and 9 feet wide 
devoted to the plants, which are healthy vigorous specimens and 
flowering profusely. A large number of varieties are represented 
—Japanese, incurved, reflexed, and Pompons, the last-named 
forming a margin to the taller varieties ; such old favourites as 
Mrs. G. Rundell, Mrs. Dixon, George Glenny, Dr. Sharpe, and 
James Salter being very numerous. The tent, or whatever it 
might be termed, which is reserved for the plants, is evidently 
unsuited for the purpose, and it is regretable that a more con¬ 
venient structure cannot be provided for them, especially as in 
other public parks and gardens such well-directed liberality has 
been displayed in this respect. It may be added, for the con¬ 
venience of visitors, that the exhibition is near the main entrance 
at the south-west side of the park. 
- The Finsbury Park Chrysanthemums are now ex¬ 
tremely fine, the blooms being large, richly coloured, and many 
up to the exhibition standard in quality. As might be expected 
they have attracted large numbers of visitors, and will continue 
to do for several weeks yet. In addition to a good collection of 
the older varieties several of the most promising novelties are 
included, especially amongst the Japanese, which are generally of 
excellent quality. Both Mr. Cochrane and his foreman Mr. Mars- 
den have gained a most satisfactory success in their efforts to 
render this exhibition one of the best of its kind around London. 
- The show of Chrysanthemums in the Middle 
Temple Gardens was opened to the public last week and is 
now in very good condition, the flowers being very abundant. 
The plants are rather later than those in the Inner Temple, but 
Mr. Snelling has grown them very well, and his exhibition is 
improving every year. They are arranged to form a sloping 
