184 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t August 12 , isso. 
it forms a nice contrast with other plants, prefers a moist situation, 
and may be allowed to grow up and flower, as it produces ample 
foliage, the leaflets of which are large, cuneiform, trifid, acute, 
and dark green. It grows about 4 feet high, producing dense 
panicles of its yellow-stamened flowers. Europe (Britain). 
T. fcetidum .—A beautiful small-leaved species, which if allowed 
to flower becomes somewhat straggling on account of its simple 
stem, but if pinched and made to produce more shoots it is very 
handsome ; the leaves are compound, with small downy dentate 
segments. The elegance of its contour is very charming. Siberia. 
T. minus .—This plant so much resembles Adiantum cuneatnm 
in general outline that no garden should lack it; its merits cannot 
be too highly extolled as an ornamental-leaved hardy plant, as 
its foliage may be employed with advantage wherever that of 
the Fern is applicable, and that, too, without so speedily drooping. 
Strange to say it is a native weed, and yet no more elegant plant 
in its way can be found ; added to this it is by no means fasti¬ 
dious, but will thrive in almost any soil and any position. Europe 
(Britain). 
If the borders are extensive and more variety of these plants 
should be liked, there are such good species as the following to 
choose from :—T. purpurascens, T. glaucum, T. aquilegifolium, 
T. rugosum, and T. majus, all more or less beautiful.—H, G. 
AUTUMN TREATMENT OF FRUIT TREES. 
Probably there never was a year when fruit was such a general 
failure throughout the country as this, and in nine cases out of 
ten the cause is attributed to last year's badly ripened wood. 
Everyone who has observed the fruiting results of different grades 
of ripened fruit-tree wood know that the two extremes produce 
the two extremes—the one a full crop, the other scarcely any. 
Unripe wood produces few flowers, and these rarely form fruit. 
Last year the Peach and Nectarine trees which retained their 
leaves until January did not bear one single blossom this spring. 
They are now making much wood, and if our sunless humid 
weather lasts they might probably retain their leaves throughout 
the winter again, but w r e will treat them now as we treated others 
about this time last year with satisfactory results. This consists 
of cutting back, disbudding, and thinning-out all the w'eak shoots, 
and nailing-in only the best, about G inches or so apart, against 
the wall. ) 
No time should now be lost in doing this, and all kinds of fruit 
trees are benefited by this operation. Indeed in my opinion this 
is the only chance we now have of securing wood anything like 
ripe in autumn or a crop of fruit in spring. Bad although the 
w r eather may be during the next two months, the wood of all kinds 
of trees must certainly be benefited by being as well exposed as 
possible to both air and sun, and any labour spent in doing this 
now is sure to be well paid for by-and-by.—M. 
EXHIBITING ORCHIDS. 
A subject of peculiar importance to exhibitors, and one that 
urgently requires consideration, was introduced by Mr. Bardney 
on page 433 of the last volume under the title of “ Notes about 
Exhibiting.” He discussed in his customary practical and sen¬ 
sible manner the advisability of awarding prizes to so-called 
specimen Orchids, which really consist of several distinct plants, 
and cited as an instance the collection for which the first prize 
was awarded in the amateurs’ class for nine specimens at the 
Manchester Show. Those “specimens” were the most remark¬ 
able examples of packing, or rather of planting, that ever came 
under my notice, and it was not at all surprising that the judging 
was very closely criticised. Large boxes were employed, and in 
these the Orchids were planted out, some containing about a 
dozen plants, the Masdevallias being particularly notable from 
their being carefully arranged in lines. The plants were all small 
but generally in very good condition, the flowers also being large 
and the colours bright, but that is all that could be said in their 
favour. However such “specimens” may suit the projectors of 
exhibitions, their admission in competition with single plants is 
manifestly unfair to growers who have not large numbers of 
plants at their command or means of obtaining them, and yet 
maybe really better culturists than their more "fortunate neigh¬ 
bours. Certainly the collection Mr. Bardney referred to was an 
exceptional one, and in some cases it is by no means easy to 
decide whether the specimen is “made up” or not; but in the 
instance under notice there was no doubt whatever, and therefore 
it affords a good opportunity of pointing out the evil of the 
present system, and also of suggesting a remedy. That it is an 
evil is generally admitted, and I am aware that some of the most 
noted exhibitors of Orchids fully recognise it as such, and would 
most readily welcome an arrangement by which more justice 
could be done to the cultural skill of the exhibitors. 
The principal object of those who devise the schedule of a horti¬ 
cultural society is, or should be, to so frame the classes that the 
best possible display can be procured. This object would rarely 
be attained if “ packed specimens ” of Orchids were entirely ex¬ 
cluded, for they frequently contribute considerable attractions to 
the shows of the metropolitan and principal provincial societies ; 
therefore some plan must be adopted by which the customary dis¬ 
play will be produced without bringing single and “made up” 
specimens in competition in the same classes. It appears to me 
that there are two ways in which this might be effected—either 
by devoting one or more additional open classes to single plants, 
or by stipulating that the amateurs’ classes shall not contain any 
packed specimens. The former would perhaps exceed the means 
of many societies, and on that account the latter would probably 
prove more generally applicable, as the disadvantages of the 
present system fall more heavily upon amateurs than nurserymen. 
The prizes could be offered in the “packed ” classes, either for a 
group of Orchids to occupy a determinate space, or for a specified 
number of pots or pans of Orchids not to exceed a certain diameter. 
By this means every encouragement would be given to exhibitors 
of all kinds, and the display would be equally as good, or in some 
instances better, for many growers would be induced to compete 
when they knew that they had not to contend with numbers, but 
with size and merit only. 
Difficulties would probably occasionally arise in determining 
whether specimens were “ made up ” or not ; but these would be 
comparatively few, and with ordinary care, relying upon the 
honour which the majority of exhibitors possess, little incon¬ 
venience would be felt. At all events, lam persuaded the judges 
would be able to give more satisfaction than is possible at present, 
and that would be no inconsiderable gain. I offer these sugges¬ 
tions with the desire that some of the readers of the Journal will 
give the subject their consideration, and if any better course out of 
a difficulty can be proposed it will be most welcome.—N. 
SUTTONS’ SEED TRIAL GROUNDS. 
In Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ seed trial grounds at Reading there 
are at the present time a great number of annuals and perennials 
in bloom, which are both interesting and instructive to the visitor. 
The kinds sown are similar to those distributed to their customers. 
As a rule the strains are very good, and, what is of great import¬ 
ance to all concerned, are wonderfully true to name, a few 
“rogues” only being seen. All are well grown and allowed 
plenty of room, the result being very sturdy plants, which produce 
seed of the best description. As may be imagined, the masses of 
various colours produced by the earliest-flowering Stocks, Zinnias, 
Marigolds, Petunias, Lobelias, Verbenas, Violas, Phloxes, and 
others, are strikingly grand. The Stocks and Asters are sown 
where they are to flower, and none could be better than the plants 
thus grown. Lobelias are very true to name, some of the newest 
varieties being unusually compact. The strains of single Petunias, 
P. grandiflora in particular, are remarkably good, the flowers 
being large, of good substance, freely produced, and very rich and 
varied in colour ; many good doubles are also obtained from 
seed. The centres of two large beds are filled with a variety of 
Phlox Drummondii, designated Dwarf Chamois Rose, which is 
destined to play a very important part in the future flower garden 
arrangements. In habit it resembles Silene compacta ; the flowers 
are of a pleasing shade of rose colour, very freely produced from 
the commencement of June till late in October, it being really 
half-hardy. It comes perfectly true from seed, and this is sown 
during January, the seedlings being planted out early in May. 
The beds of seedling Verbenas are extremely beautiful. The 
growth is vigorous and clean, in marked contrast to what is usually 
the case with those plants propagated by cuttings. The seed 
germinates freely in heat, and one packet will give a number of 
handsome varieties. Great numbers of Dahlias are grown here, 
and these, too, may easily be obtained from seed, the same remarks 
applying to the varieties of the useful Delphiniums. All the best 
named varieties of the double Pyrethrums are grown, which, by 
being cut down immediately after flowering, bloom three times 
during a season. The above by no means exhausts the attractive 
plants to be seen either among the annuals, perennials, or 
herbaceous plants.— A Visitor. 
Transplanting Winter Broccoli. —The rich fresh soil left 
after digging early Potatoes I find excellent for winter Broccolis, 
and no time is better than the present for planting them. I have 
been planting some of Snow’s Winter White, which for an old 
variety I found during the last two severe winters much superior 
