JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 31, 1883. ] 
449 
a vinery border taken to pieces, and had a lesson in draining 
not likely to be forgotten. It was a real orthodox border—down 
to the 6 inches of brick rubble, which the maker had fondly 
hoped would provide for the removal of surplus water. He 
might as well have provided a layer of puddled clay. In 
Epite of drains and rubble the border was sour—and why? 
Because, instead of the rubble proving the means of ready escape 
for water, it had only afforded space for the worms to deposit 
their impervious castings, effectually choking up the drainage, 
for the very tiles were full. It would seem, then, that borders 
may be made watertight either by puddling with clay or pro¬ 
viding space for the worms to do so ! ” 
- The hardy Azaleas in the pleasure grounds at Kew 
are now flowering profusely, and are well worth a visit. The 
American ground, which is known to comparatively few besides 
the frequenters of these gardens, is situated to the right of the 
Sion house vista, going towards the river from the Palm house ; 
and those who are unfamiliar with the beauty of these Azaleas 
when grown in large beds out of doors would be greatly surprised 
at the gay and diversified effect produced. The colours are very 
rich, ranging through bright yellow, orange, red, crimson, and 
rose to soft pink and pure white. The flowers, moreover, possess 
a powerful and agreeable fragrance, which perfumes the air for 
a considerable distance around them. The pontica varieties 
predominate, but the larger-flowered mollis type is also well 
represented. 
- Amongst flowering trees at the present time, notwith¬ 
standing the attractions of the Horse Chestnut, the Manna Ash 
(Fraxinus ORNUS) is unsurpassed for gracefulness and beauty. 
Specimens of moderate size are extremely handsome on lawns, 
the large plume-like heads of flowers and the elegant pinnate 
foliage having a fine effect. The Service (Pyrus Sorbus) is also 
flowering abundantly now, and is similarly useful for shrubberies 
or lawns. 
- An Exhibition of plants, fruit, and vegetables is to be 
held in connection with the Worcestershire Agricultural Society 
in the Show ground at Worcester, June 19th, 20th, and 21st. 
The prizes are numerous and valuable, the principal plant classes 
being that for ten stove and greenhouse plants in flower and six 
fine-foliage plants, three prizes being offered, value £20, £15, and 
£10. For twelve fine-foliage plants £10, £G, and £4 are offered, 
and similar amounts for a group of plants arranged for effect in 
a space of 200 square feet. In the fruit and vegetable classes 
also there are some good prizes, which may be expected to bring 
numerous competitors. 
- In the stove at Leigham Court, Streatham Hill, the 
residence of Mrs. Treadwell, is a remarkably fine specimen of 
the Night-flowering Cereus (C. grandiflorus) which is now 
producing its magnificent blooms every evening. The plant is 
trained over a lattice trellis, covering a space 30 feet long by 
4 feet wide, and, strangely enough, has no main stem or roots, 
being quite unconnected with the soil, the plant existing upon 
the trellis, the space between which and the wall is packed with 
moss and occasionally syringed. Some dozens of flower buds are 
showing, and on Monday evening ten handsome flowers opened, 
the powerful Vanilla-like fragrance filling the house. They com¬ 
menced expanding between 6 and 7 p.m., and some that were 
cut and placed in water continued open until about the same 
time the next morning, when they rapidly faded. There are, 
however, numbers of successional buds that will doubtless yield 
displays for several nights. It is regretable that this grand 
Cereus lasts such a short time in beauty, for it is one of the 
best of the genus. The blooms average 8 or 9 inches in diameter 
when fully open ; the thirty or forty yellow sepals are about 
a quarter of an inch in diameter, 4 to 5 inches long, tapering and 
spreading, forming a fine fringe round the pure white petals, 
which are broader and shorter, in broad cup-like shape. This 
fine species is a native of the West Indies, and is said to have 
been in cultivation at Hampton Court before the year 1700, 
- The season for the use of the lawn mower has again 
come round, and those who take pride in their lawns and delight 
in the tidiness of their gardens must necessarily provide them¬ 
selves with this indispensable implement. The designs and the 
modes of working of these are various. Some of them are de¬ 
cidedly objectionable, and ought to be avoided ; but there are 
also many, such as those that are advertised in our pages, upon 
which reliance can be placed. Among the latter we must call 
especial attention to one sent us by Mr. Thomas Clarke of Upper 
Thames Street, London, who is agent for the Excelsior lawn 
mower. The one sent us has a cutting width of 14 inches, and 
it is so easily worked that a lady or a lad would have no difficulty 
in using it without any over-exertion. The work is very efficiently 
executed, and the implement is neat, elegant, and very well made. 
We can strongly recommend it. 
- A correspondent sends the following on a novel 
arbour, which he thinks worth noting:—“ It was formed of 
Laburnum and Honeysuckle. Some years ago a wooden eight¬ 
sided erection had been put up. To each post was planted a 
young Laburnum, and with Honeysuckles between them. 
These were regularly trained up the sides and tacked down to 
the roof, the smaller twigs being interlaced like basketwork. 
The Laburnum had become posts and roof ; the Honeysuckle 
covered the sides. The wood was then removed, leaving a hand¬ 
some arbour that could not have very easily formed otherwise. 
To many such a plan may not be new ; to others the hint may 
be worth something.” 
- The anniversary meeting of The Linn^ean Society was 
held on Thursday last at the Society’s rooms, Burlington House, 
Piccadilly. Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., presided, and there 
was a good attendance. The following appointments were unani¬ 
mously made by ballot for the ensuing year :—President, Sir John 
Lubbock ; Treasurer, Mr. Frank Crisp, LL.B. ; Secretaries, Mr. 
B. Daydon Jackson and Mr. George J. Romanes, F.R.S. In room 
of the retiring members of the outgoing Council the following 
were appointed—Mr. Thomas Christy, Mr. Henry E, Dresser, Mr. 
George Murray, Mr. Howard Saunders, and Mr, Henry J. 
Stainton, F.R.S. 
- The following is a list of the Orchids in Mr. J. T. Peacock’s 
group at the great Summer Show, Kensington, last week, for 
which a silver-gilt medal was awarded :—Brassia verrucosa, Bur- 
lingtonia venusta, Cattleya citrina, C. Mendelli, C. Mossire, Cypri- 
pedium niveum, C. laivigatum, Dendrobium chrysotoxum, D. 
Pierardii, D. suavissimum, D. tortile roseum, Epidendrum vitel- 
linum majus, Laclia majalis purpurata, Lycaste Skinneri, L. aro- 
matica, Masdevallia Harryana, M. Houtteana, Nanodes Medusae, 
Odontoglossum Alexandras, O. Andersonianum, O. Cervantesii, 
O. citrosmum, 0. cordatum, O. cordatum superbum, 0. Coradinei, 
0. gloriosum, O. hebraicum, 0. Hallii, O. maculatum, 0. nebu- 
losum, O. Pescatorei, 0. Phalasnopsis, 0. polyxanthum, 0. Roezlii, 
O. Rossii, 0. triumphans, 0. tripudians, 0. vexillarium, Oncidium 
ampliatum, O. Kramerii, O. Marshallianum, 0. cucullatum, 0. 
phymatochilum, and Phajus Wallichii. 
- The Calceolarias at Bedford Hill House, Balhah, the 
residence of J. Brand, Esq., are now at their best, and, as usual, 
are highly creditable to Mr. Rapley, who has for several years 
paid so much attention to these plants that he has succeeded in 
obtaining a strain of unsurpassed merit. The richness and diver¬ 
sity of the colours, the size, substance, and good form of the 
flowers, are all that could be desired, particularly in combination 
