570 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t December si. mbs, 
oversight ; by my system, in addition to this guarantee, we would 
secure to each exhibitor really what was each judge's opinion. More 
I dare promise : this opinion within the reach of all, as the judging 
cards would continue to lie on the exhibit, would be an attrac¬ 
tion and a boon highly appreciated. To follow judges about 
the show requesting their reasons for their award is at all times a 
most unpleasant proceeding, yet I think it is but fair that an ex¬ 
hibitor should be reasonably satisfied when he, and probably 
friends, fail to discover the reason why other exhibits are placed 
in a higher position. My pleasure at witnessing this grand Show 
had much of its lustre obscured by my coming into contact with 
gardeners who stand high in their profession who were making 
loud complaints regarding the judging. My cards undoubtedly 
would tend to mitigate this most regretable state of things, as 
judges would then not only have to give their opinion on every 
separate dish or plant, but leave such opinion to a following 
searching criticism.— Joseph Witherspoon. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM HALLI. 
In reply to the letter signed “ Single-handed,” as to whether 
his plant of Odontoglossum Halli has attained its full strength, 
I may say I have two plants of that Odontoglot three years old. 
One has one lead, the bulb measures 64 inches long and 5 inches 
in circumference, the leaves 24£ inches loDg by H inch broad. 
This measurement is from the last growth, which is considerably 
stronger than any previous growth made. The plant is grown in 
a 7-inch pot in a compost of broken crocks, peat, sphagnum, and 
charcoal. It has an abundant supply of water all the year round, 
and is showing a flower spike as thick as a goose quill. The 
pseudo-bulbs are glossy, vigorous, and healthy, and though the 
plant is grown in a low temperature all the year round nothing 
could look healthier. The other plant has two leads and is show¬ 
ing spikes, and is almost as strong as the first. I have some 
plants of O. cirrhosum almost as good, but the pseudo-bulbs in¬ 
stead of being long are rounder or obtuse.—A. J., Leeli. 
In accordance with a frequently repeated request for an elec¬ 
tion of Chrysanthemums we have taken steps to procure re¬ 
turns from the chief growers and exhibitors throughout Great 
Britain. The incurved varieties have been selected first, and all 
who wish to take part in the election should apply to the Editor 
at once for a form, which has been prepared to aid in carrying out 
the object in a convenient and systematic manner. 
- Mr. F. C. Pawle, Northcotes, Reigate, desires us to notify 
that the Reigate Rose Association have fixed their Show next year 
for Saturday, June 30th. 
- Relative to the poisonous nature of Laburnum 
seeds “ P. L.” writes :—“ During the time I was journeyman at 
Harewood House, the Earl of Harewood’s near Leeds, several 
swans were poisoned by eating ripe Laburnum seeds falling into 
the lake. That was either in 1868 or 18G9, and his lordship then 
had all the Laburnum trees cut down that were near the lake.” 
- Mr. Brown of Great Doods recommends the following 
as late white Chrysanthemums Princess of Teck, very 
good ; Mrs. Kaims, creamy white ; Blonde Beauty, blush white. 
The above are incurved varieties. The following are Japanese 
—Meg Merrilees, lemon white, very useful ; Sarnia, pinkish 
changing to white, very good and late ; Ethel, very fine late 
white ; Bouquet Nationale, beautiful fringed white. The above 
varieties are all good if well grown, and will flower until the 
middle of February if grown naturally and not thinned for show 
blooms.” 
- Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons of Swanley exhibited 
several plants of the new double Bouvardia President 
Garfield at the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
and though the Floral Committee did not honour the variety 
with a certificate, such a recognition would have been well 
merited. The flowers are double and similar to Alfred Neuner 
in form, but they are of a pale rosy shade, varying slightly in 
depth of tint, though perfectly distinct from the pure white of 
the other double variety. 
- There appears to be considerable room for the employ¬ 
ment of ELECTRIC LIGHTING IN CONSERVATORIES ; and though 
at present only occasional public experiments have been made in 
this direction, there is no doubt that it will become more general. 
As an example of trade enterprise in this direction we recently 
observed that a florist at Brixton is lighting his show house, a 
conservatory of moderate dimensions, with a large electric lamp, 
which shows the groups of plants to excellent advantage. With 
Palms, Ferns, Dracaenas, and Crotons are associated Poinsettias, 
Euphorbias, Cyclamens, Primulas, Tulips, and other bulbs, a 
tasteful display is produced that is much more effective at night 
than in the day during such dull weather as has recently prevailed. 
-A correspondent writes that “ Chrysanthemum Rosa 
Bonheur is one of the most useful grown. It does not exceed 
a height of 2 feet, and is therefore useful for stages. It is one of 
the Japanese kinds, and the colour is a bright pinkish lilac. 
Ethel is again useful as a very late white, though perhaps a 
cross with Elaine might produce something much better. These 
have flowered with a number of other good kinds in the Cam¬ 
bridge Botanic Garden. In that establishment a plan has been 
adopted this year by which a good display has been made with¬ 
out trouble or much labour. Instead of growing in pots some 
good clumps were carefully lifted of the Pompon kinds and 
placed on the floor of a greenhouse, where by a few stones the 
soil was kept together in a bed, so that no check was sustained 
by the plants, the result being a larger quantity of flowers for 
cutting, in addition to the extra display obtained. This plan is 
one that might often be adopted with advantage.” 
- “R. L.” writes:—“T he value of winter-flowering 
Begonias is well exemplified in one of the houses at Orsett Hall, 
Essex, where numerous plants of the most useful varieties are 
flowering profusely, and Mr. R. Castle, the gardener, states that 
he finds them indispensable. B. semperflorens and its variety 
rosea are especially good ; the large white blooms of the former 
and the rosy-tipped flowers of the latter variety are produced very 
freely, even by small plants in 60-size pots. These young speci¬ 
mens are very useful for decorative purposes, either in a warm 
conservatory or a stove. B. fuchsioides, with its pendant brilliant 
scarlet flowers, is similarly attractive, while B. Ingramii has been 
in excellent condition for two months and more, and plants 
are still loaded with blooms. B. Froebeli is also well grown, and 
when bearing its deep scarlet flowers as freely as it is now it is 
unsurpassed amongst its allies. Good turfy loam forms the basis 
of the soil employed, and the healthy growth of the plants amply 
testifies that they appreciate their treatment. 
- “ In the same gardens a comparatively rare plant is now 
flowering—namely, The Violet-scented Tinnh:a (T. aethiopica), 
of which you gave an engraving in the Journal some time ago 
(February 3rd, 1881, page 94). This is not so remarkable for 
the beauty of its flowers as for its fragrance, which strongly re¬ 
sembles Violets, and in a warm bouse of moderate size one plant 
is quite sufficient to perfume the air most agreeably. The corollas 
are two-lipped, deep maroon, almost black, the calyx being large 
and light green, inclining to white. The chief defect of the plant 
is that it is liable to become straggling unless the growths are 
pinched-in to induce a sturdy and compact habit. It delights in 
a stove temperature and a moist atmosphere, with a compost of 
light loam, sand, and leaf soil.” 
-Writing on the weather in the south of Scotland 
