458 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 18, 1880 
Nord, Bouquet Bait, Sultan, and Mr. Delaux ; Mr. Millican was a very 
close second, and Mr. Polley third. A handsome collection of twenty- 
four was exhibited by Mr. Burns, who deservedly secured the chief 
award. The blooms were large and particularly bright in colour. 
Garnet, La Nymphe. The Daimio, Yellow Dragon, and Nuit d’Hiver 
were extraordinary. Mr. Reynolds was second also with fine speci¬ 
mens, Mr. Cornhill taking the third prize with smaller but neat blooms. 
Mr. Reynolds was awarded first for a handsome collection comprising 
Lady Margaret, King of Anemones, George Sands, Gluck, and Sun¬ 
flower, all fine. Messrs. Cornhill and Millican followed in the order 
named with smaller but fresh even blooms. In Anemone Pompons 
Messrs. Cornhill, Polley, and Millican contributed beautiful blooms ; 
Messrs. Lavey and Reynolds being similarly strong in the ordinary 
Pompons. The competition for the table decorations and bouquets 
was close, and considerable taste was displayed by the exhibitors ; 
Messrs. Reynolds, Strong, Lavey, and Cornhill securing the chief 
prizes. 
PLYMOUTH. 
A handsome collection of Chrysanthemums, plants, fruit, and 
flowers under the auspices of the Western Chrysanthemum Society, 
were displayed in the New Guildhall, Plymouth, on the 10th and 11th 
inst., the first that the Society has yet held. Mr. James Garraway, 
Bristol, competed in several classes for cut blooms, and in each case 
was awarded first prize. His incurved varieties, Prince Alfred, Lord 
Derby, Mrs. Dixon, and Aurea Multiflora, were especially fine; and 
Fair Maid of Guernsey, Gloire de Toulouse, and Nuit d’Hiver amongst 
the Japanese. Mr. G. H. E. Bundle, the pioneer of Chrysanthemum 
growing in the west, indeed we may almost say in England, also came 
well to the front, exhibiting largely both in the plant and cut bloom 
classes, and won several prizes. For the best group of Chrysan¬ 
themums, Mr. Brighton, gardener to the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, 
was deservedly awarded the first prize with a collection that was well 
finished both with regard to foliage and flowers. Mr. G.H. E. Bundle 
was placed second, and the Rev. T. A. Bewes third. There were five 
competitors in this class. Mr. W. Radmore, Admiral Lowe, Messrs. T. 
Mills, Moist, Hamilton, Whiteford, W. Symons, H. D. Guy, and S. 
Elliott were all successful exhibitors in the cut bloom classes. 
Ferns, Primulas, berried plants, Zonal Geraniums, ornamental 
shrubs were largely represented, and added greatly to the effect that 
can be made in such a spacious building as this Society is fortunate 
in obtaining. Fruit and Potatoes were also exhibited well and nume¬ 
rously. The attendance was more than before another instance of 
the rising popularity of this fine autumnal flower. 
The arrangements of the Exhibition were most ably conducted by 
Mr. Cooper, the Honorary Secretary, and Messrs. Walling, Pepperell, 
and Merry of the Executive. 
COCOA-NUT FIBRE REFUSE. 
Permit me to thank your correspondent, “A Nurseryman” 
(pages 365, 366), for his able remarks on the value and uses of 
cocoa-nut fibre. I can fully endorse all he has said on its good 
qualities. I wish, however, that he had said a little more on its 
merits for propagating purposes. My remarks are not intended 
for old practitioners, as doubtless they have ascertained the value 
of the material, but I am now writing for amateurs. Cocoa-nut 
fibre refuse for propagating is unrivalled. I know of no sub¬ 
stance to equal it for that purpose, and as “A Nurseryman” 
stated in his remarks that it was cheap, I should strongly recom¬ 
mend amateurs to give it a trial. Silver sand is employed ex¬ 
tensively for propagating purposes, and it will be admitted by all 
that many plants, such as New Holland plants, Ericas, Epacrises, 
&c., cannot be propagated successfully without it; but we will 
exclude that section of plants, and leave the nurserymen to pro¬ 
pagate them for us. Silver sand is also rather expensive in some 
parts, and I have seen it used with as great care and economy as 
if it had been so much gold dust. The fibre is admirably adapted 
for the propagation of bedding plants in spring, and anyone 
possessing a small propagating bouse or pit with bottom heat 
could not do better than give it a trial. Insert the cuttings into 
the fibre, and they will be rooted and ready to be potted in a few 
days. 
I have an old bed of fibre that is used for plunging sickly 
store plants in to recruit their health, starting Achimenes in the 
spring, &c., and it is surprising how soon cuttings take root by 
merely inserting them in the fibre. I have seen cuttings of plants 
that were considered difficult to propagate in an ordinary way, 
strike freely without any further trouble than making and insert¬ 
ing them in the bed. Such plants as Stqpbanotises, Hoyas, 
Dracaenas, Allamandas, and Clerodendrons readily strike in this 
way. It was by this means that one of the most clever pro¬ 
pagators around London discovered the method of propagating 
Aralia Yeitchii and A. Yeitchii gracillima. It was thought that 
these fine decorative plants would not strike roots from cuttings, 
hence the mode of grafting them on A. Guilfoylii was resorted 
to ; but now they are propagated from cuttings by inserting them 
in fibre in bottom heat. Nothing could possibly be better than a 
bed of cocoa-nut fibre for striking flowering and fine-foliage 
Begonias. For the latter take suitable leaves ; cut through the 
most prominent ribs, and peg them down on to the fibre. In a 
short time there will be a batch of young plants formed from 
each leaf, which when sufficiently large can be potted, with a 
good admixture of the fibre in the soil. It is also invaluable for 
propagating winter-flowering plants in spring, such as Goldfussias, 
Erantbemums, Scutellarias, Linums, and a host of others too 
numerous to mention here. Its uses are manifold, and it only 
requires to be tested to prove its capabilities.— W. K. 
RASPBERRIES. 
A note of my thirty years’ experience in the cultivation of 
this fruit, which I believe pays more for the ground which it 
occupies than any other fruiting plant, may possibly be useful to 
some readers. About thirty years ago I was convinced that the 
general plan of tying the canes in a bunch was a mistake, so I 
experimentalised and put up some posts and wires, to which I 
tied the canes, but I found that the action of the wind cut them 
and they broke off in contact with the wire. I then had 
some hazel rods and also ribs of wood, to which I tied the young 
canes and had good crops. But to what I now desire to draw the 
attention of your readers is, Do not allow anyone to cut anything 
off the shoots of your Raspberry canes—not an inch. When the 
Raspberries throw up the young shoots have all of them pulled 
up except four or five at each stool. Allow those to grow, and 
you may have them as mine are 8 feet to 10 feet long and five- 
eighths of an inch thick ; then train by tying them to the fence in 
the form of a bow, the highest part of the arched cane being a 
little above the top of the fence, the end of the cane pointing to 
the ground. The canes then will produce shoots and fruit from 
every eye, and keep bearing fruit until the frost cuts them down. 
The Raspberry grows best in a moist, rich, deep soil, where its 
roots are not exposed to the action of the sun, and is greatly 
benefited by copious supplies of liquid manure during the fruiting 
season. My rows are 4 feet apart, and the shoots touching each 
other.—G. 0. S. 
NEW AND CHOICE PLANTS.—No. 3. 
Continuing my notes from page 46 upon plants that are 
remarkable for their novelty, beauty, scarcity, or peculiarity of 
structure, I wish to draw attention to the following, all of which 
possess more than ordinary merit, entitling them to the considera¬ 
tion of plant-growers, particularly for large collections, though at 
least one of them may rank among the plants of general deco¬ 
rative value—namely, the Fairy Rose. 
Croton Stewarti (Williams).—Crotons, like Dracaenas and 
Coleuses, are now represented by so many forms that the number 
of really distinct and handsome novelties brought out every year 
are comparatively few, and they must possess some valuable and 
clearly marked characters to ensure even a moderate degree of 
public favour. Croton Stewarti appears to me to be one of those 
meritorious few, and is likely to gain a high place in the estima¬ 
tion of all who admire richly coloured foliage plants. The finest 
and most characteristic specimen I have yet seen was shown by 
Mr. B. S. Williams at the October meeting of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society, when it was greatly admired for the bright clear 
oraDge and yellow-coloured bands and margin in contrast with 
the deep green central portions of the foliage, and relieved by the 
deep crimson petioles and midribs. The leaves are broad, inversely 
egg or lance-shaped, and the plant is dwarf in habit, the latter 
beiDg an important recommendation. Another point, too, is the 
early stage in which young plants commence showing colour, as 
that eminently suits them for decorative purposes. It was obtained 
by Mr. Williams from New Guinea, but whether it be entitled to 
rank as a species or merely as a variety I am unable to determine, 
though the latter is the more probable view. 
Rose Little White Pet (Henderson).—This charmiDg little 
Rose has been several times approvingly noted in the Journal, so 
that it cannot be strange, in name at least, to the majority of your 
readers. However, my admiration of the plant will perhaps afford 
some excuse for this reference to it. One of the chief difficulties 
that amateurs and others whose means of accommodation is 
limited have to contend with, is the selection of ornamental, easily 
grown, and generally useful plants out of the multitudes offered 
for sale, and among which there must necessarily be many totally 
unfitted to their requirements. It is for this reason that the 
specially useful plants cannot well be too frequently brought under 
the notice of the public. Among them the Fairy Rose sent out 
by Messrs. Henderson & Son is in my opinion worthy of being 
placed, for its delicate elegance is most pleasing. The common 
red Fairy Rose is too well known and appreciated to need descrip- 
