D4 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 31, 1890. 
Apples are Dutch Codlin (good), Ribston Pippin, Northern Greening, 
King of the Pippins, and Baldwin. Of Pears the best crops are on 
Jargonelle, Williams’ Bon Chretien, Lammas, Ne Plus Meuris, Beurrd 
Ranee, and Brown Beurre. Apricots and Plums are scarce ; of the latter 
‘Orleans and Victoria are the best, and those are on walls. Peaches and 
Nectarines are a fair crop. Nuts good. There was a plentiful supply 
of blossom on the standard pruned bush and wall trees, particularly 
Apricots and late Apples ; but with 10° of frost when the former were 
in bloom, and wet weather when the Apples were flowering, little fruit 
followed. The caterpillar has been prevalent amongst the Apple trees, 
but I have seen small birds (blackcaps) working amongst the trees, and 
doubtless destroying many of the pests.— \. Harding, Orton Ilall 
‘ Gardens , North Hants. 
- Kentish Fruit Growers and Foreign Competition.— 
'It has come to the knowledge of the Kent Fruit Growers’ Association 
that a large consignment of French Black Currants, packed in the 
almost purely English class of packages, the half sieve, upon which was 
painted in the usual way the name of a well-known London salesman, 
has been forwarded to London. There was nothing on the ha’f sieve to 
indicate the foreign origin, and the chief of the Customs at the port of 
arrival was asked to detain the fruit, which he did. Upon the Customs 
authorities being communicated with further, they replied that hitherto 
it had not been found necessary to detain any similar consignment, 
because the packages had not been considered to bear any marks to 
which exception could be taken. The case has been carefully con- 
-aidered by the Association, and the members are unanimously of opinion 
• that some steps should be taken to ascertain if the Customs authorities 
are correct in their view, as if so there can be no guarantee that the 
‘fruit so packed will not be sold by the salesmen in London or other 
markets as an English product. It is stated that the one consignment 
under notice depreciated the price of English Black Currants to the 
- extent of £3 per ton. Mr. W. W. Berry of Selling, a large fruit grower, 
said that he has been informed foreign fruit so packed, and in English 
baskets, has been imported, but with a small strip of cardboard labelled 
“ French fruit ” slipped under the sticks on the top of the baskets, for 
the purpose of complying with the terms of the Merchandise Marks Act- 
The Association has decided to take steps to bring the matter before 
’Parliament. 
THE FERN CONFERENCE. 
The following is the official list of awards made by the Judges at 
the Chiswick Fern Conference, July 22nd and 23rd. 
Medals. —Gold to Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, and to Messrs. J. Veitch 
and Sons. 
Silver-gilt Flora to Mr. H. B. May, to C. T. Druery, Esq., and a 
silver Flora to J. A. Whallett, Esq. 
Amateurs' Competition. —The silver challenge cup, offered by N. N. 
Sherwood, Esq., for the best collection of hardy Ferns, was awarded to 
E. J. Lowe, Esq. 
There was no competition for the cup offered by D. Morris, Esq., for 
-hardy Filmy Ferns grown without heat. 
Certificates of Merit. —Athyrium filix-foemina stellatum angustatum, 
A. f.-f. percristatum J. S. Cousins, A. f.-f. plumosum superbum, from 
‘-C. T. Druery, Esq. 
Blechnum spicant ramo-cristatum, B. s. concinnum, B. s. plumosum 
.(Airey), from C. T. Druery, Esq. 
Scolopendrium vulgare var. crispum (Wills), from C. T. Druery, Esq. 
Trichomanes radicans var. crispum cristatum, from E. J. Lowe, Esq., 
F. R.S. 
Adiantum Capillus-Veneris var. autumnale, from E. J. Lowe, Esq., 
F.R.S. 
Nephrodium paleaceutn pendens, N. p. cristatum globosum, from 
’E. J. Lowe, Esq., F.R.S. 
Aspidium angulare vars. plumosum foliosum, polydactylum varie- 
■ gatum, latifolium grandiceps, remoto-decurrens, divisi'obum plumosum, 
1 flabellipinnulum, decompositum frondosum, plumosum coronare, divisi- 
Jobum plumosum imbricatum ; aculeatum var. pulcherrimum, var. 
.Abbottae, from E. J. Lowe, Esq. 
A. a. d. p. Baldwinii, from J. L. Baldwin, Esq. 
Nephrodium spinulosum var. spectabile, from E. J. Lowe, Esq. 
Aspidium aculeatum hybridum and Nepos, from E. J. Lowe, Esq. 
Scolopendrium vulgare (undulatum) Synthesina, from E. J. Lowe, 
’Esq. 
Aspidium angulare (plumosum) plumosissimum, from E. J. Lowe. 
lEsq. 
Scolopendrium vulgare undulatum muricale spiral?, S. crispum re- 
"dexum, S. c. grandiceps, S. c. Cowburnii, S. c. robustum, S. c. augustum, 
•S. variegatum aureolum, S. v. luminare, S. projectum princeps, S. p. 
capitatum, S. peraforum rosetta, S. inaequale cristatum pericallis, 
'-S. ramosum Alexandras, from E. J. Lowe, Esq. 
Asplenium filix-feemina cruciatum columnare, A. calomelanos, 
A. Victoria, A. gracile, A. uncum cruciatum, A. cristatum magnificum, 
A., grandiceps coronare, from E. J. Lowe, Esq, 
Todea pellucida ferulaceum, from Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Pteris serrulata cristata parvula, from Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Scolopendrium crispum fimbriatum lutescens, S. grandiceps fim- 
briatum, S. crispum fimbriatum cristatum, from H. Stansfield & Co. 
Gymnogramma chrysophylla var. grandiceps superba, from Mr. 
H. B. May. 
Pteris aquilina depauperatum grandiceps pendens, from Messrs. 
W. & J. Birkenhead. 
Athyrium filix-feemina setigerum percristatum, and A. f.-f. Frizillim 
coronare, from Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead. 
Adiantum manuatum, from Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead. 
Polystichum angulare var. pulcherrimum (Wills), from C. T. Druery, 
Esq , F.L.S. 
Lastraea montana var. cristata gracile, from C. T. Druery, Esq., F.L.S. 
Dicksonia (hybrid) Lathami, from Mr. W. B. Latham. 
PACHIRA INSIGNIS. 
Flowers of this remarkable tree were shown at one of the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s meetings recently, and so seldom are 
they seen outside botanic gardens that they attracted much 
attention. The genus Pachira is a relative of the Baobab, 
Adansonia, and a member of the natural order Bombacem, by some 
ranked as a section of the Malvaceie. There are several species 
natives of tropical South America, and distinguished by great size 
of their flowers, with dense bunches of stamens with the long 
filaments deep red, and forming the most conspicuous portion of 
the flower. 
Pachira insignis, also known as Carolinea insignis, is a handsome 
tree with deeply divided leaves and pale red flowers, with long 
spreading divisions. The stamens bearing red filament and lighter, 
nearly white anther, contrasting well with the other portions of the 
flower. The tree is found in Martinique and some other West Indian 
islands. It also grows in the South American mainland in several 
districts. Under cultivation here it requires stove treatment and 
a spacious house to see to advantage. 
Other species of Pachira, such as P. alba, are valued for their 
inner bark, which is converted into cordage. 
THE LEICESTER ABBEY PARK. 
This fine park, embracing about seventy acres, is formed upon 
the site of what was formerly known as the “ Abbey Meadows,” a 
low-lying swampy piece of land adjoining the river Soar. It was 
laid out by the Corporation of Leicester from designs by Messrs. 
W. Barron & Son, and was opened to the public on the 29th day of 
May, 1882, by Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of 
Wales, Alderman H. T. Chambers being the then Mayor of 
Leicester. Mr. John Burns, the able Superintendent, was appointed 
to the position he now holds a considerable time before the park 
was opened, and during the eight years which have since then 
elapsed each successive season has seen additional alterations and 
improvements effected, until at the present time it is generally said 
by critics, well able to give an opinion on the subject, that there is 
no more beautiful park in the provinces, and that in its bedding 
arrangements and general keeping it is quite equal, if not superior, 
to the London parks. 
In the original formation of the park materials were obtained 
for raising the ground level, and for the formation of extensive 
mounds and sloping banks, by widening the river bed, forming 
thereby a fine breadth of ornamental water dotted with islands ; 
also by the formation in the centre of the park of a lake of con¬ 
siderable extent. The banks and mounds were thickly planted 
with shrubs, which for several seasons made little progress. During 
the last four or five years, however, the shrubs and trees have 
grown most luxuriantly owing to the depth and great fertility of 
the soil composing the banks, insomuch that although the park is 
near to the principal manufacturing portion of the town, and is 
bounded on three sides by large factories and lofty chimneys, these 
are almost entirely shut out from view, and visitors to the park 
unacquainted with the facts might readily suppose themselves to 
be a considerable distance from the town. One cause for this lies 
in the fact that Leicester is an essentially clean town, and that the 
principal manufactures carried on, not being of a nature requiring 
the consumption of large quantities of coal, like the heavier trades 
of other large towns, very little smoke is made, and the shrubs and 
trees have the bright and clean appearance which is usually only 
seen in country districts. 
In making our tour of the park we start from the main 
entrance on the Abbey Park Road, the gates of which are of 
wrought iron finely ornamented, those forming the carriage 
entrance bearing the arms and monogram of the Prince of Wales, 
ihe Borough, the Mayor, and others. On each side of this entrance 
are lodges in the Tudor style of architecture covered with climbers 
