August 5 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 117 
-A correspondent writing from Brockham in Surrey upon 
the rainfall during the past week, states that between 9 a.m. 
on July the 29th and 9 A.M. July the 30th T7 inch of rain was 
registered, or above H inch in twenty-four hours. 
- In the suburbs of Reading there are many picturesque 
residences, which in several instances are situated in very orna¬ 
mental and well-kept grounds. One of the best places in this 
respect is that owned by Mr. Martin Sutton, senr. This gentleman, 
although still one of the senior partners of the well-known firm 
of seedsmen, the Messrs. Sutton & Sons, really takes no active 
part in the business, but being in good health naturally takes a 
keen interest in what is going on, notably in the nursery and trial 
grounds, and horticultural pursuits generally. He has every 
reason to rest contented with his past labours and achievements, 
and also with what is still being done by the junior members of 
the families of the Brothers Sutton. 
-We are informed that the Alexandra Palace Fruit 
Snow will be held on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th of September, 
when liberal prizes will be offered for collections of fruit. 
- We have received from Mr. E. P. Dixon, Queen Street, 
Hull, fruits of a New Raspberry which are very large, of 
good form, and fine flavour. Mr. Dixon states, “It originated 
from the Northumberland Fillbasket, but is ten days earlier, of 
more robust growth, frequently bearing fruit in the autumn from 
the same season’s canes, and the fruits are larger, of deeper colour 
and better quality than its parent.” 
- We learn that the autumn Exhibition of the Reading 
Horticultural Society will be held August 19th in its usual 
picturesque position—namely, the Abbey Ruins, Forbury. In 
addition to the large number of classes provided in the schedule 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons will offer a silver cup, value £5 5.?., for a 
collection of fruits, comprising eight dishes of distinct kinds. 
- Not only are Orchards in many parts of the country 
almost destitute of fruit, but many of the Apple trees appear to 
have received considerable injury by the wet autumns and severe 
winters of the past few years. In the case of hundreds of trees 
that we have seen both in the northern and southern counties 
nearly all the growth made last year appears to be killed, and the 
trees present a most unsatisfactory appearance, while the foliage 
has a sickly hue, the fruit is small, and a large proportion is 
dropping off. 
-We learn that the West of Scotland Pansy Society’s 
Exhibition held on the 28th ult, in the City Hall, Glasgow, 
proved very successful notwithstanding the unfavourable weather 
that prevailed. There were upwards of four hundred entries, 
about two hundred varieties of Pansies-being represented in very 
fine condition generally. Roses and Pinks were also exhibited, 
and miscellaneous collections of plants were provided by Messrs. 
R. Bullen, Botanic Gardens, Glasgow ; G. Russell, gardener to 
Lord Dean of Guild ; Merrilees, Glasgow ; McKenzie, Paisley ; 
J. Anderson, Meadowbank ; J. Dobie, Rothesay ; W. Paul, Paisley ; 
Downie & Laird, Edinburgh ; J. Bryson, Helensburgh; and 
W. Campbell, Dunoon. 
- On the 27th ult. St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, was 
formally opened as a public park or recreation ground. It com¬ 
prises about twenty-two acres, and was presented to the City 
by Lord Ardilaun, who, it is stated, had previously expended 
upwards of £20,000 upon the place. It is pleasantly laid out, 
and will no doubt prove a great boon to the inhabitants. 
- The thirteenth annual Exhibition of the CheAdle Hor¬ 
ticultural Society will be held on the 27th and 28th inst. 
in the grounds of Dr. Dodson. Prizes to the amount of £140 
will be offered. 
- Messrs. Kelway & Son, Pangport, Somerset, inform us 
that they have a new and magnificent display of HyACINTHUS 
CANDICANS, comprising about one thousand plants in full bloom. 
“ Some of the spikes measure from 2 to 3 feet in length, with from 
fifteen to twenty-five pure white blooms each. The individual 
flowers are about 2 inches in diameter, and supported on foot¬ 
stalks of similar length.” The value for decorative purposes of 
this handsome plant in such exceptionally fine condition cannot 
be over-estimated either for culture in the borders or in pots. 
- On the 2nd instant the Beckenham Horticultural 
Society held their annual Exhibition, by the kind permission 
of F. Thirkell, Esq., in the grounds of The Hall, Beckenham Road. 
The exhibits were numerous and generally fresh and vigorous, 
Potatoes being staged in superior condition. The following were 
the principal exhibitors: — F. Thirkell, Esq. (Mr. Poffley), J. 
Moore, Esq. (Mr. S. Nash), J. Goddard, Esq. (Mr. Reed), P. 
McKinlay, Esq., Croydon Road (Mr. G. Townsend), F. P. Alliston, 
Esq. (Mr. E. Braybon), H. Wood, Esq. (Mr. J. Braybon), R. Reid, 
Esq. (Mr. G. A. Steer), and J. Cameron, Esq. (Mr. W. White- 
house). Messrs. Laing & Co., Forest Hill, sent a large group of 
plants, and Mr. H. Cannell, Swanley, exhibited cut flowers of 
Zonal Pelargoniums and Verbenas, which attracted much atten¬ 
tion. All the arrangements were very satisfactory, and creditable 
to the Society’s officials. 
- An American contemporary has the following remarks on 
the beautiful diminutive shrub Epig^ea repens :—“ Epigsea, 
Trailing Arbutus, May Flower, and Ground Laurel. This flower 
is known by these various names in different sections of our 
country. The plant is supposed to be indigenous to North 
America, and refuses to be nurtured, preferring the wild fastnesses 
of Nature. It abounds in luxuriance in the lake region, and also 
in Plymouth, Mass., where it was the first flower that gladdened 
the Pilgrim Fathers in their new home. It is still gathered there 
in great beauty, and large supplies are sent to the Boston market, 
where it is sold in small bunches during its season, which lasts 
from ten days to a fortnight.” This plant, however, notwith¬ 
standing the supposed difficulty attending its culture, succeeds 
admirably in Mr. G. F. Wilson’s garden at Weybridge, as was 
recently noted in thejxiges of this Journal; we have also seen it 
growing luxuriantly m moist peat soil in a garden in the south of 
Scotland. 
LINARIAS. 
The genus Linaria comprises many both weedy and ornamental 
species, and the difference between many of the forms are not very 
well marked. HdR’ever, as a rule, this is but of minor importance 
to the floriculturist. 1 have never been fortunate enough to meet 
with a large living collection, therefore I only intend to bring to 
notice such as I have grown, excluding the more inconspicuous 
forms. Many of the perennial forms produce long straggling 
branches, therefore it is advisable that they should be secured to 
stakes, as it adds much to the beauty of the plant. I purpose 
starting with the perennial forms. L. triornithophora is a tall- 
growing species with purple flowers solitary in the axil of each 
leaf, which are placed in whorls. The flowers are large, but the 
inflorescence is too lax, hence it is more curious than pretty. It is 
a very desirable species, but is only half-hardy. L. repens has very 
small flowers with bluish veins on a white ground, and attains a 
height of 2 to 3 feet. L. purpurea is very similar in all respects, 
except that the flowers are purple. L. genistasfolia is a small 
yellow-flowered species, and varies in height from 18 inches to 
2 feet. It is not so hardy as the last two species, and is much 
less common. L. vulgaris, though one of the commonest, is beyond 
all doubt one of the most handsome, the orange palate of its 
flower contrasting admirably with the pale yellow. As a weed it 
is about equally as troublesome as L. repens, but it might be kept 
within bounds to a great extent if planted in pots plunged so as 
to hide the rim. This would also result in producing a denser 
mass of flowers. The variety Peloria, which has regular flowers 
with five spurs in place of one, is very interesting. Two years 
ago I had from Herefordshire a specimen which had one half the 
