August 19,1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 161 
Speedwell and Red Valerian. It is almost impossible for small weak 
insects to pass the weels, but stronger insects have no difficulty in 
penetrating them ; in fact, the weels may often serve as path-pointers 
to direct the proboscis of the welcome visitor to the spot where the 
drop of nectar lies concealed. Weels are to be found in many Gen¬ 
tians, Dead Nettle, Motherwort, Woundwort, Horehound, Verbena, 
Borage, many Lilies and Mallows, Cranberry, and very many other 
flowers common in fields and gardens. 
We must not infer that the internal defences of flowers are always 
in the form of weels, otherwise we may be disappointed in looking 
for them where defences may be present under even more curious 
and interesting forms. 
Sometimes the bases of the stamens are surrounded by tufts 
of hairs looking like little woolly muffs, as in Cobsea scandens 
represented in fig. 35. 
In Campanula barbata the stamens are in the form of a figure of 5, 
the middle part being closely appressed round the pistil, and the 
bases of the filaments forming a receptacle for nectar, as shown in 
fig. 36. 
In one or more species of Pentstemon four stamens are complete, 
whilst the fifth stamen is transformed into a kind of drop-bar com¬ 
pletely excluding small insects from the nectar, which is, however, 
easily reached by the tongue of the bee. (See section of flower, 
> 
Pig. 37.—Pentstemon (Kerner). 
fig. 37.) Older botanists have called this beautiful modification an 
aborted stamen. Such terms will have to be banished as utterly 
misleading. 
(To be continued.) 
CLAY CROSS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
August 10th. 
The twenty-third annual Exhibition of this Society was held 
on the above date. The weather was all that could be desired, and 
large numbers of people came to see what may be called the best 
Show in the county. The finances of the Society are in a prosperous 
condition, showing a surplus of £586, and if we may judge from the 
number of visitors who flocked to the Show the Society will add 
considerably to that balance. I will confine my remarks to the com¬ 
petition in the principal classes. 
For a group of twenty plants, eight in bloom, six foliage plants 
and six Ferns, the prizes were as follows :—First prize £25, second £20, 
third £15, fourth £10, fifth £5. These liberal prizes brought out five 
competitors. The plants were arranged in the centre of a large 
circular tent 100 feet in diameter, each exhibitor having a section. 
They formed a very imposing group, the centre being filled with 
Palms and Tree Ferns on a raised platform, and the other plants 
sloped gradually to the margin. Messrs. E. Cole & Sons of Man¬ 
chester were first, having Erica Hartnellii, E. ampullacea vittata, 
E. Marnockiana, very good ; E. Fairrieana, Allamanda nobilis, Dipla- 
denia Brearleyana, small but good ; Ixora coccinea; Bougainvillea 
glabra, well bloomed; Crotons Weismannii and Disraeli, both well 
coloured ; Pritchardia pacifica, Latania borbonica, Kentia Fosteriana, 
Cycas revoluta, Cleichenia rupestris, C. Mendelli, G. flabellata, 
Cibotium regale, and Davallia Mooreana. T. H. Oakes, Esq., Biddings 
House, Alfreton (Mr. Ward, gardener), was a very close second, the 
Judges being long in deciding on the merits of the two collections, Mr. 
Oakes’ blooming plants being a long way ahead. They were Erica 
Thomsonii, E. Aitoniana and E. Turnbullii, very good; IxoraWilliamsii, 
Clerodendron Balfourianum, Statice profusa, Dipladenia amabilis ; a 
grand plant of Kalosanthes coccinea having upwards of four hundred 
trusses of bloom ; Croton Weismanii ; C. angustifolius, a large bush 
but deficient in colour; Kentia Fosteriana, Latania borbonica, Cor- 
dyline indivisa, Dasylirion glaucum, Dicksonia antarctica, very good ; 
Adiantum farleyense, Cleichenia rupestris glaucescens, G. dicho- 
toma, &c. Mr. Cypher of Cheltenham was a very good third, his best 
plants being Erica Irbyana, E. venosa, Anthunum Schertzerianum, 
Gloriosa superba, Hsemanthus magnificus, Thrinax elegans, Crotons 
Weismanii, Disraeli, and majesticus, all well coloured ; Gleichenia 
speluncte, Davallia Mooreana, Adiantum trapeziforme, (fee. Mr. Dore 
of Clay Cross was fourth, and Mr. Haslam of Hardstaff was fifth 
with small plants compared with the preceding, but very good for 
amateurs. 
In the class for six flowering plants Lady Ossington, Newark 
(Mr. Lyon, gardener), was first; and Mr. Reynolds, The Gardens, [ 
Ogston Hall, was first for three plants. For the corresponding class 
of foliage plants Mr. Lyon was again first for six, and Mr. Beard, 
nurseryman, Chesterfield, first for three. Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, 
Begonias, &c., were only fairly represented. There were about six 
lots of table plants staged, Mr. Ward being placed first with Crotons 
Weismanii and Lord Derby, Dracaena marginata, Pandanus Veitchii, 
Cocos Weddelliana, and Aralia Veitchii gracillima. Mr. Lyon was a 
good second, and Mr. Cypher third. Mr. Ward was also first for 
four Palms, Mr. Lyon second, and E. Cole & Sons third. In the 
group of plants arranged for effect Mr. Ward was first with a very 
bright lot composed of Palms, Dracaenas, Crotons, Ferns, Ixoras, 
Ericas, (fee. Mr. Webb, Kenham Hall, Newark, was second with very 
good plants, but arranged rather too thickly. Mr. Lyon third. 
I must not omit to mention the group of plants sent from Chats- 
worth not for competition, which was very attractive and interesting, 
composed of Peristeria elata, Disa grandifiora, Vanda tricolor insignis, 
Odontoglossum Alexandra, Masdevallia Veitchii, and other Orchids ; 
Ericas Fairrieana, Jacksonii, vestita, coccinea, Aitoniana, Turnbullii, 
and oblata ; Amaryllis in variety, Palms, Crotons, (fee. 
Cut Flowers .—There was not a very grand display in this class, 
Mr. Proctor taking first for eighteen and twelve Roses, Mr. Haslam 
for Dahlias, Mr. Ward for eighteen bunches of stove and greenhouse 
flowers. Bouquets were very good, Mr. Haslam being first, Mr. Dore 
second, and Mr. Cypher third. Mr. Cypher w T as first for wreath for 
ladies’ head-dress. 
Fruit was of good quality on the whole, Mr. Ward being first for 
a collection of eight dishes, Mr. Lyon second, and Mr. Webb third. 
Mr. Froggat, gardener, Wingeworth Hall, was first for black Grapes 
with small bunches of Gros Colman ; Mr. Ward second with good 
coloured Hamburghs ; and Mr. Lyon third. Mr. Ward and Mr. Frog- 
gatt were equal first for white Grapes, the former with good Muscats, 
and the latter with very good examples of Buckland Sweetwater. 
Mr. Ward was first for Pines, Mr. Lyon second, both showing Queens. 
The other fruit classes were fairly represented, Messrs. Lyon, Webb, 
Ward, and Reynolds being the principal prizetakers.—G. 
THE SHANKING OF GRAPES. 
I noticed a short time since that you gave an opinion that 
shanking proceeded from improper root-action. This is also, I 
believe, the generally received opinion. From this I differ entirely. 
A Vine may be in first-rate condition, the roots, the wood, and 
foliage right, and yet the fruit will shank. Shanking proceeds 
from a fungus, which lights on the stem of the bunch. At first a 
tiny speck, it quickly grows, and w T hen it surrounds the stem it 
cuts off all nutrition to the fruit below it, and it shrivels the stem 
and it dies. The upper part remains in full health and vigour, and 
the fruit grows and ripens as before. If it were from the roots 
being defective the whole bunch would go, which it does not. 
Stop mildew or fungus in your house, and there will be, I venture 
to say, no shanking. It is easy to verify what I advance by look¬ 
ing out sharply for the first appearance of the spot of fungus on 
the stem of the fruit bunch and watching its progress. When the 
shanking has taken place, cut off the bunch and magnify the part 
above the shanking. Now you will find the tissues are healthy 
and sound. If the damage came from the root this could not be 
the case, nor would the simple plan of cutting off the part that 
has shanked be of any avail, which it undoubtedly is. The best 
remedy for shanking in my opinion is sulphur on the pipes ; but 
deal gently with it.— Harrison Weir, Weirleigh. 
A Picturesque Grotto. —It may be interesting to those 
readers who take a lively interest in ferneries, to know that a 
fernery grotto of a very novel character has been completed at 
Park Royal near Bradford, the country residence of Henry 
Yendall, Esq. This curious but beautifully constructed Fern 
grotto is of a special character. The interior arrangements are 
indeed marvellous, and what with rugged rockwork, fairy fountain, 
rivulet, and cascade, together with the beautiful Ferns and 
Mosses, makes it a very pleasant retreat from the drawing-room 
and billiard room. The fernery grotto is erected on the north 
side of the mansion in a very shady aspect, and before entering 
you pass under several rustic archways leading from the drawing 
room, which also adds much to the beautifying of the outer 
grounds, and answers as a kind of surprise before approaching 
the grotto. In short the fernery has so many enrichments both 
