April 26, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
339 
Subsequent annual dressings of the rich fertile compost have brought 
the beds into a full bearing condition and maintain them in perfect 
health and vigour. 
Let me repeat here that the culture of Asparagus is a simple and 
easy matter, beset with few difficulties under any circumstances, and 
with none in the most exceptional case that may not he overcome 
by the exercise of a due amount of caution and watchfulness. No 
special nostrums are wanted nor extraordinary expenditure called 
for to insure success. Sea sand, seaweed, salt, are all good, but 
neither of them is indispensable. I once knew a worthy gentle¬ 
man who attributed his fine Asparagus to an annual bargeload of 
seaweed, which he was at some trouble in having brought from the 
sea up the river near which he lived, yet part of the bed which, un¬ 
known to him, had manure instead of seaweed was decidedly superior 
to the remainder. 
The French system of Asparagus culture has been exalted to the 
skies; why I know not, for in what is it superior to ours ? Certainly 
neither in economy of labour or time. The comparative degree of 
excellence to which it is possible to bring the Asparagus under either 
system may be said to be the best test, and the palm for size may 
certainly he awarded them, but for flavour, delicacy, and abundance 
English-grown Asparagus certainly hears favourable comparison 
with the somewhat more showy produce of our sensational neigh¬ 
bours. To tell the owner of a small garden that, in order to grow 
good Asparagus, he must plant it singly, keep 16 square feet of 
surface sacred to the roots of each plant, and that only after five 
years’ careful culture his plants will be in full bearing, is enough to 
debar him from having anything to do with it, nor is space in our 
largest gardens so abundant as to be thus thrown away. 
One word to amateurs about forcing Asparagus. Many would 
like to have a supply early in the year who do not attempt to get it, 
from a mistaken idea that it is an expensive affair quite beyond the 
scope of their means. But it is not so. A lively hotbed of leaves 
or dung, or, better still, of both mixed together, just large enough for 
a single-light garden frame, is all that is required. Put on the box 
directly the bed is made, insert a trial stick, and when the most 
violent heat begins to subside, at once cover the surface of the bed 
with 4 inches of your most tenacious soil, tread it firmly, then cover 
lighly with 6 inches of rich soil, upon which pack strong 
Asparagus roots as thickly as possible, cover with soil, protect the 
glass at night with mats, and you will soon have a rich supply. 
Boots thus forced are worthless afterwards, but by sowing an annual 
bed and using three-year-old roots in succession all outlay is 
avoided.— Edward Luckhurst. 
LILY OF THE VALLEY FOR FORCING. 
The culture of Lilies for this purpose is so simple that a very 
few lines will suffice to point out the main features to be observed 
in order to secure the results longed for by Mr. Sanders with 
regard to quantity of spikes in a given potful, or to obtain size of 
foliage and spikes as noted in your last issue (page 314). Even 
people who ought to know better begin at the wrong end. They 
seem to think if the plants are well treated until forcing com¬ 
mences the foliage and spikes will be ready to respond to the 
treatment, no matter how neglected the plants may have been 
during the previous summer. But in my experience (which with¬ 
out any boasting may be termed a pretty large one) the crop of 
one season depends entirely on the growth of the year preceding. 
For some time I have been well assured of an early crop for 
next year, both flowers and foliage being in a forward state of 
development. Later batches are receiving every attention in 
order to secure like success with them. Keeping the above in 
view as a primary principle, it may be stated that the only means 
of securing a large number of spikes in a pot is to have the roots 
in the same pot for at least a couple of years. Further, if an 
8 -inch pot is the size aimed at, it ought to have been filled by trans¬ 
planting from a well-filled 6-inch pot. It then only requires 
sufficient heat, light, and abundance of liquid manure during the 
season of growth (which commences with the shooting of the buds) 
in order to get every leaf to form a bud containing a spike. This 
treatment also secures large foliage and spikes with numerous 
bells. The soil to grow them in should be a strong loam enriched 
with a third part of cow manure.—R. T. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Will you kindly allow me to say in reply 
to “ W. J. M.” (page 300) that the remarks on the culture of Zonal 
Pelargoniums to which he takes exception are founded on somewhat 
over ten years’ experience ?—that the writer had tried various plans, 
and found that recommended to give the best results, whether as 
regards the quality of the flowers, the quantity of trusses produced, 
jor continued production through the winter months. As to varieties, 
your correspondent must surely be ignorant of those named in my 
article. I think it very doubtful if such kinds as Lady Sheffield, 
Earl Manvers, Aida, and White Vesuvius will ever be superseded as 
winter bloomers. I may say that these and others named have more 
than once been thrust aside for new comers, and always to our loss. 
I may again note that there is no difficulty in producing blooms up 
to Christmas ; it is during January and the first half of February that 
the break occurs. If “ W. J. M.” wants simplicity let me introduce 
to him a plan of striking cuttings in May and June much simpler 
than a frame heated with dung. It is simply to insert the cuttings 
in an open border out of doors. Of course I do not recommend that 
as a good way of getting up stock for blooming in winter ; but for 
those who want to do the thing simply without regard to after results 
no better way can be obtained.— R. P. Brotherston. 
NATIONAL AURICULA SOCIETY. 
SOUTHERN SHOW. 
On Tuesday last the annual Exhibition of the National Auricula 
Society was held in the conservatory at South Kensington, in 
conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Promenade Show. 
Competitors were numerous, and though a few classes were weak, in 
the majority the entries were very satisfactory, and, more important 
than all, the health of the plants and the quality of the blooms in 
the leading classes was all that could be expected. A few rough 
flowers were observable, and some northerners appeared a little back¬ 
ward, but these were exceptions. As usual, the chief interest centred 
in the class for twelve Show Auriculas, the two champion growers, 
the Rev. F. D. Horner and Mr. J. Douglas sharing the honours 
equally, both contributing most praiseworthy plants ; but the premier, 
selected from Mr. J. Douglas's stand—viz., Conservative, was de¬ 
servedly admired by all, the substance, symmetry, and freshness of 
the blooms being most pleasing. 
The single specimen classes were remarkably well filled, and the 
Judges had a very difficult task to select the best where so many were 
good. Green, grey, and white-edged varieties occupied considerable 
space, and included amongst them many plants of great beauty in 
every respect. As stated below, the number of plants in these three 
classes was about 150. Selfs were also abundant and good, but 
though several very meritorious collections of Alpines were con¬ 
tributed, we have seen a large display of these varieties at some 
previous shows. Polyanthuses were well shown, the competition 
being close, and the plants both vigorous and freely flowered. 
SHOW AURICULAS. 
Twelve Varieties. —Equal first prizes were awarded in this class to 
Mr. James Douglas, gardener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., Great Gearies, 
Ilford, and to the Rev. F. D. Horner, Kirby Malzeard. In Mr. 
Douglas’s collection were the following :—Douglas’s Conservative with 
six fine clean pips, which was selected as the premier Auricula in the 
Show ; Trail’s Prince of Greens, Spalding’s Blackbird, Heap’s Smiling 
Beauty, Headly’s George Lightbody, Campbell’s Pizarro, Douglas’s 
Mabel, Simonite’s John Simonite, Turner’s C. J. Perry, and several 
seedlings. The Rev. Horner’s plants included Page’s Champion, 
Walker’s John Simonite, Read’s Acme, Horner’s Green Linnet, Head¬ 
ly’s George Lightbody, Simonite’s Mrs. Douglas, Horner’s Beatrice, 
Horner’s Monarch, Horner’s Heroine, Lightbody’s R. Headly, Spald¬ 
ing’s Blackbird, and Kay’s Meiklejobn. Mr. Pohlman, Halifax, was 
third, and J. T. D. Llewelyn, Esq., Penllergare, Swansea, was fourth. 
Six Varieties. —The premier award was secured by Mr. E. Pohlman, 
Halifax, for vigorous plants of Horner’s Ajax, Headly’s George 
Lightbody, Trail’s Prince of Greens, Poblman’s Brunette, Trail’s 
Beauty, and Read’s Acme. Mr. J. Douglas was a close second with 
smaller plants but neat clean flowers, Douglas’s Conservative, Duke 
of Albany, and several seedlings being the varieties. These were 
the only entries in this class. 
Four Varieties. —Mr. J. Collier, gardener to R. K. Penson, Esq., 
Durham House, Ludlow, was first with Read’s Acme, Headly’s 
George Lightbody, Trail’s Prince of Greens, and Kay’s Topsy, fresh 
and neat, but of moderate size. S. Barlow, Esq., Stakehill House, 
Castleton, Manchester, was a close second ; . Brockbank, Esq., 
Didsbury, Manchester, third ; Mr. W. Bolton, 84, Wilderspool Road, 
Warrington, fourth ; Mr. F. Fife, Southern Hill, Reading, fifth ; and 
Mr. R. Dean, Ranelag'n Road, Ealing, sixth, that being the number of 
entries. 
Two Varieties. —Mr. S. Barlow was first with Lee’s Colonel Taylor 
and Barlow’s Carbuncle. R. K. Penson, Esq., Ludlow, was second 
with Headly’s George Lightbody and Trail’s Prince of Greens. Mr. 
W. Brockbank third with Mellor’s Reliance and a seedling. Mr. C. 
Turner fourth with Topsy and Beauty. M. Rowan, Esq., 36, Manor 
Street, Clapham, fifth with Lovely Ann and Pizarro, and Mr. W. 
Bolton sixth with Simonite’s Frank Simonite and Trail’s Prince of 
Greens. 
Fifty Plants , not less than Twenty Varieties. —Mr. J. Douglas took 
the lead in this class with a handsome collection of healthy plants, 
the blooms fresh, even, and clean. The best varieties were Simonite’s 
Frank Simonite, Turner’s Charles J. Perry, Sim’s Eliza, Campbell’s 
Pizarro, Trail’s Beauty, Campbell’s Admiral Napier, Cunningham’s 
John Waterston, Kay’s Alexander Meiklejohn, Douglas’s Dr. Kidd ; 
