JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
212 
[ September 2, 1880. 
with leaves to the ground. Any ordinary garden soil seems to 
suit this species, which thrives admirably with me.—D., Surrey. 
THE SCOTCH CHAMPION POTATO. 
Had this much-praised Potato proved to be really “ disease- 
proof ” I might have retained it as a last resort when other 
varieties failed, and for cross-breeding, in view of raising seed¬ 
lings in which we might hope to combine freedom from disease 
with what I must venture to term the higher qualities of delicacy 
of flavour, mealiness, whiteness, and full plump eyes. Now we 
have plenty of varieties that, with the exception of the visionary 
freedom from disease, are known to possess not only all these 
good qualities, but the additional ones of haulm of medium 
vigour, and fitness of the tubers for table during eleven months of 
the year. With this indisputable fact before me am I to be con¬ 
sidered open to rebuke for refusing to continue the culture of a 
variety in which most of these points of excellence are conspicuous 
by their absence ? No doubt a keen sense of the existence of an 
urgent necessity for an immediate supply of seed of a Potato cal¬ 
culated to afford an abundant crop prompted the large orders which 
were given for this variety for Ireland last spring ; but that was a 
matter quite beside the mark, and should have no weight in this dis¬ 
cussion. Grown side by side with several other varieties it was 
compared with them and found wanting, just as White Rock and 
Redskin Flourball had been long ago.— Edward Luckh urst. 
J10TK-GLE® 
INKS. 
The National Fruit Exhibition, which opens at the 
Alexandra Palace on the 3rd inst. and continues for four days, 
is expected to be of considerable magnitude and excellence, as 
we are informed the entries are numerous. The schedule is a very 
liberal one, £15, £10, and £6 being offered for “twenty varieties 
of fruits,” and £6, £4, and £2 for “ ten varieties of fruit.” This is 
not sufficiently explicit, and it will be well if no misunderstanding 
arises in these classes. If “kinds ” of fruit are meant exhibitors 
ought to be made aware of it, and then there will be few com¬ 
petitors able to exhibit twenty kinds of fruit of their own growing. 
If twenty dishes are meant suitable for a dessert table, then it 
could be stated that black and white Grapes, green and scarlet- 
fleshed Melons, Queen and any other Pine, red and white 
Raspberries, and dark and light Plums, would (if so determined) 
be considered as distinct dishes, for facilitating competition. At 
present if six varieties of Grapes were included in a collection of 
twenty varieties of fruit, that collection could not be easily dis¬ 
qualified. Yet this can scarcely be what the managers mean. 
Greater precision in describing the classes is needed in many 
schedules, hence we allude to the subject now. The prizes in 
the Grape classes are good, and other fruits are well provided for 
in the schedule under notice. 
- A correspondent informs us that there is now flowering 
in the garden of Sir Henry Watson Parker, Stawell House, Rich¬ 
mond, a beautiful plant of the far-famed “ Scotch Trop^eolum ” 
(T. speciosum). It is quite established, and throws its slender 
growths covered -with flowers for a considerable distance. Any 
person may see the plant on application to Mr. Bowell, the gardener. 
- We learn that the York Floral Fete proved a great 
financial success this year. The profits from the Exhibition in 
June amounted to the handsome sum of £255, thus increasing the 
balance to £1500 to the credit of the Committee. The prizes 
paid to exhibitors amounted to £476, and another very important 
item in the expenditure was £148 for music. From the profits 
above mentioned £157 10s. were devoted to the various York 
charities—an admirable use to make of a surplus. We are 
glad to find that the Committee are so well supported. 
- The stand of Gladioli exhibited by the Rev. H. H. 
D’Ombrain at the Crystal Palace Show, which was so generally 
admired, contained the following varieties—Madame Desportes, 
Meyerbeer, Baroness Burdett Coutts, Archduchesse Marie Christina 
(to this a first-class certificate was awarded), Adolphe Brongniart, 
Lady Bridport (^Kelway), Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain (Kelway), very 
fine ; Leandre, Legouvd, De Mirbel, and two seedlings. 
- We are requested to remind intending competitors at the 
International Potato Exhibition that the 14th inst. is the 
last day that entries can be made for Messrs. Suttons’ valuable 
prizes for eighteen varieties of Potatoes, distinct, nine tubers of 
each, open to noblemen’s and gentlemen’s gardeners only. We also 
learn that Messrs. Sutton have arranged that their prizes shall be 
awarded by gentlemen’s gardeners. All entries should be made 
to J. A. McKenzie, Esq., Tower Chambers, Moorgate, London, E.C. 
- We have received from Mr. Cuthbertson, Rothesay, a 
bloom of his new dark self Pansy, David Malcolm, for which 
three first-class certificates have been awarded. It is a handsome 
flower of medium size, perfectly circular, with smooth over-lap¬ 
ping petals of great substance and a small orange eye with a halo 
of violet. The top petals are velvety black, the lower petal 
shading to rich purple. We think it deserves its honours. A 
spike of the new Snowflake Candytuft accompanying it, and 
which has also been certificated, is remarkable for its size and 
depth, and the purity of the flowers. 
- We learn that the twenty-fifth annual Exhibition of the 
Isle op Thanet Floral and Horticultural Society held 
last week was one of the best and most largely attended of the 
whole series. The excellent Committee—of whom Mr. G. E. 
Hannam, J.P., is Chairman ; Mr. W. Manser, Vice-Chairman ; 
and Messrs. C. D. Smith, Brook Terrace, Margate, and Mr. H. 
Austen, jun., Fairfield, St. Peter’s, the indefatigable Secretaries— 
had spared no pains to make every provision for a successful show, 
offering some 450 prizes for competition in the different classes, 
and their exertions were admirably seconded by the exhibitors. 
The various exhibits were, as a whole, up to the average, the 
foliage plants being especially varied and excellent. Plants in 
bloom, of various descriptions, were in capital condition ; but the 
best feature of the Show was the cut flowers—Roses, Dahlias, 
Asters, &c., being in large variety, and generally very fine. Mr. 
Cannell’s collection (not for competition), was particularly 
noticeable. The fruit was of very varied quality, none of the 
Grapes being well-shaped, though large and heavy bunches were 
shown in good numbers. Of Potatoes there was an immense 
number, and the tubers throughout were very fine. In the plant 
classes Mr. Friend, Northdown (Mr. Miller, gardener), was 
remarkably successful. Mr. S. Herepath, Westwood Cottage 
(Mr. Jarman), Mr. E. F. Davis, St. Peter’s Cottage (Mr. Johncock), 
also secured several prizes. In the cut flower classes Messrs. 
Kinmont & Kidd, Canterbury, and Mr. J. Bunyard, Ashford, were 
the premier exhibitors of Dahlias, Gladioli, and Roses; and 
Messrs. Jarman, Johncock, Clark, and Kimpton were amongst 
the most successful competitors in the principal classes for fruit. 
-The usual weekly Exhibition at the Alexandra Palace was 
on Saturday last devoted to Dahlias, which were contributed by 
Mr. C. Turner of Slough. Many hundreds of blooms were staged, 
representing all the different sections—viz., Show, Fancy, Bou¬ 
quet, and Bedding varieties, and comprising many handsome 
novelties. They were arranged on stands down the centre of the 
great hall, and formed a very bright and satisfactory display. 
- On the rockery at Chiswick that beautiful and interesting 
plant, AclenA microphylla, is now very attractive with its 
numerous heads of rosy-crimson spines and diminutive pinnate 
leaves. It is a species of very dwarf habit, being only a few 
inches high, and produces its small greenish flowers in close heads. 
