JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 31, 1883. 
448 
fifteen years since. The tree was well managed and trained when 
young, suffered but little apparently by removal, and is at the 
present time very vigorous, filling the house completely in every 
part with clean and healthy young growths. I have had the tree 
under observation for ten years, during which time it has annually 
borne large crops of very fine fruit, and looks likely to continue 
doing so for an indefinite period. 
At the time the house was originally built and the tree planted 
a south wall 10 feet high and 40 yards long, built of stone, with 
a lining of brickwork, was planted entirely with the same variety 
(Moor Park). For a number of years these trees grew vigorously 
and carried fine crops of fruit: in fact, until the advent of the 
seven years of disastrous weather for fruit trees alluded to by 
Mr. Abbey. Since then the fruits produced by them have been 
small in size and in numbers, and in every way inferior in quality, 
whilst the trees have been gradually but surely losing branches, 
until they now are reduced to mere skeletons of what they once 
were. As unheated glass structures are so cheaply erected I feel 
quite convinced that for the successful cultivation of the Apricot 
in our northern counties they are much superior to an open south 
wall, whatever may be the variety selected for planting. I also 
find the house very useful in winter for the cultivation of Parsley 
and early salading. The requirements of the Apricot in such a 
house are very simple, and mainly consist of an abundant supply 
of water to its roots with free ventilation in all seasons. It will 
not endure a close atmosphere. The tree above spoken of has 
suffered but little from gumming, thus bearing out the truth of 
the modern idea that such is usually the result of cold.—W. K. W., 
The Gardens, Oahbrooh, Sheffield. 
The Manchester Whitsuntide Exhibition proved as 
great a success financially as horticulturally, and we are in¬ 
formed that a surplus of £1000 is the very satisfactory result. 
On Whit-Monday 17,000 persons visited the Show, and the total 
number of visitors on the six days was nearly 60,000. Such 
evidence of the continued popularity of these exhibitions in the 
great cotton city must be very gratifying to Mr. Bruce Findlay, 
who has worked so energetically to ensure their success. 
- Mr.^Sanders desires to correct a mistake in his article 
on Striking Roses on page 421. It reads, “ Plunge the pots of 
cuttings.” He intended it should read “ Plunge the pots after 
the plants are taken up and potted.” He is no advocate for 
striking Rose cuttings in heat, but when the plants are rooted 
and placedjn gentle heat it gives them the necessary start. Our 
correspondent states he is now cutting some fine Roses from 
plants on own roots. We shall publish other communications 
on this subject next week. 
- Messrs. Barnicott & Son of Taunton send us a 
copy of the “ Country Gentlemen’s Reference Catalogue 
for 1883,” which contains a full list of works on agriculture, 
gardening, botany, natural history, and similar subjects. It 
will be found very useful, as it gives a brief description of 
the character of each work, with the price and name of the 
publisher. 
- Dr.*^Mackenzie sends the following respecting the 
Honeysuckle in Italy “A friend residing at the Lago 
Maggiore informs me that the Honeysuckle they have there is 
beyond imagination sweeter scented than what grows in Britain. 
It is very common in Piedmont, and now in flower. Except that 
the leaf is brownish, it is not unlike British Honeysuckle ; but the 
flowers, instead of finishing the shoot as with us, come singly 
from the leaf axils, all along the sides of the shoot. Can any of 
your readers name the coveted plant, and state where it can be 
obtained in Britain?” 
- A “ Northern Grower ” sends us the following hint on 
repotting Auriculas:—“W hen shifting some plants lately I 
was struck with the advantage those in deep pots showed to 
have over those which had pots less deep to grow in. This is a 
point worth the attention of those who will soon be repotting 
their stock.” 
- We learn from the schedule of the the Shropshire 
Floral and Horticultural Society that their Summer Show 
will be held on August 15th and 16th, when prizes will be offered 
in 137 classes for plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables, a large 
number being open to all competitors. Stove and greenhouse 
plants are especially well provided for. In one class for twenty 
specimens, £25, £20, and £15 are offered ; while in another 
for nine specimens, £10, £6, and £4 are the prizes. For fruits 
the prizes range in value from £5 to £1, and other classes 
proportionately. 
- In the northern counties Lamium maculatum AUREUM 
is much used instead of Golden Feather by those who have not 
appliances for raising a stock of the latter early enough, and a 
very good substitute it is. It is easily propagated by division in 
spring or cuttings in autumn ; but, like Golden Feather, it comes 
true from seed. 
- The ranks of amateur Orchid growers have been 
lately increased by a useful recruit—namely, H. Little, Esq., of 
Hillingdon, Uxbridge ; and if he brings the same enthusiasm to 
bear upon these plants which has already distinguished his efforts 
with the Pelargoniums, Cyclamens, and Primulas, he will pro¬ 
bably soon have a large and interesting collection. His first 
exhibit was, we believe, that at South Kensington last week, when 
he was awarded the third prize in a very good class for healthy 
well-flowered plants of moderate size, but giving promise of future 
excellence. 
- The Copper and Purple Beeches have now assumed 
their richest colours, and are most effective where planted in con¬ 
trast with lighter-leaved trees or shrubs. There are several 
varieties of these, differing considerably in the depth of colour 
and brightness. Fagus sylvatica purpurea, atropurpurea, and 
nigra are very dark; F. s. cuprea is one of the brightest, and is 
very telling at this time of year. What a strange divergence of 
form and general appearance is afforded by the green-leaved 
varieties, cucullata, with its curiously contorted foliage, and 
comptonisefolia, with its narrow irregularly cut leaves. 
- The Wanstead and Leytonstone Floricultural 
Society will hold their seventeenth Show on Thursday, June 
28th, in the grounds of D. F. Morgan, Esq., Great Blake Hall, 
Wanstead, when prizes will be competed for in a large number of 
classes devoted to gardeners, amateurs, and cottagers. 
- In the Orchid House at Kew the most notable plants at 
the present time are the specimens of Epidendrum bicornutum, 
which are flowering superbly. The valuable quality of this 
species is the great time during which the flowers continue in 
good condition. Although they have been expanded several 
weeks, they look as fresh now as if they had but just expanded. 
The rich golden Dendrobium Cambridgeanum, and the soft 
purplish-blue D. Parishii, together with the white Thunia alba, 
or Phajus albus as it is there named, are blooming well, while 
amongst the cooler Orchids are several Odontoglossums in fine 
condition. Especially noteworthy is a grand variety of O. Pesca- 
torei, with large handsome flowers of excellent form, and equal 
to many forms of O. Alexandra. The flowers are white, and 
have not the rich spotting which distinguishes Veitchii, but it 
would form a beautiful companion for that. 
- “A few weeks ago,” writes “Single-handed,” “I saw 
