September 4, 1890. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
£01 
to be when potting, but little water need be given to the plants for a day 
or two.—E. M. 
Peach Sea Eagle. 
It is not often this variety is had ripe so ear’y as the beginning of 
August. At the Southampton Show, held the 2nd of the month, Mr. 
Iggulden staged two capital dishes of it there, both being highly coloured 
fruits of large size and excellent flavour for the variety, which is not 
looked upon as being one of the most noteworthy kinds in that respect, 
although it has a commanding appearance, and well worth attention as 
a late variety.—E. 
Peach Barrington. 
So fine was this Peach exhibited at Southampton Show August 2nd, 
that many gardeners doubted its being that variety. The fruit shown 
there by Mr. Allen were large, round, and of magnificent colour, and 
easily secured leading position in the class for one dish of Peaches. 
Given plenty of light this variety does colour well, and in that manner 
is one of the best Peaches we have for midseason use.—M. 
Events of the Week. —On Friday and Saturday, September 5th 
and Cth, the Fruit Show and the National Dahlia Society’s Show will be 
held in the Crystal Palace, Sydenham. The British Fruit Growers’ 
Association will hold a Conference in the south saloon of the Crystal 
Palace on Friday, September 5th, at 3.30 p.m., when the subjects for 
discussion will be “ Fruit in Ireland,” “ Peaches and Nectarines,” 
“ Plums and Cherries for Market,” On Tuesday, September 9th, the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Committees 
will meet in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster. The early 
Show of the National Chrysanthemum Society will take place on 
Wednesday and Thursday, September 10th and 11th, at the Royal 
Aquarium, Westminster, early Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, and Gladioli 
being the chief features. The Floral Committee will also meet at 
12.30 p.m. The Brighton Horticultural Society’s Show will also be held 
on Wednesday and Thursday, September 10th and 11th, in the Royal 
Pavilion; and on the second day (September 11th) the Biitish Fruit 
Growers’ Association have arranged for a Conference in the King’s 
Room at 4 p.m. 
- The Weather has given some earnest indications of approach¬ 
ing autumn. On several mornings frosts have been experienced in the 
metropolitan district, Dahlias and Vegetable Marrows being much 
njured in low and exposed situations. 
-A Deputation of the National Chrysanthemum Society 
met Lord Brooke, M.P., President of the Society, at Anderton’s Hote^ 
Fleet Street, at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday last, September 3rd, to discuss 
the arrangements for the Centenary Exhibition Conferences and ban¬ 
quet, to be held at Westminster on November llth, 12th, 13th, and 14th> 
1S90. Mr. R. Ballantine was in the chair, and the members present 
were Messrs. W. Holmes (Hon. Sec.), J. Laing, Lewis Castle, G- 
Gordon, and Briscoe Ironsides. A full and interesting programme was 
adopted for recommendation to the General Committee. It was 
thought advisable to have an opening ceremony and a conference on 
the first day ; the second conference and banquet on Nov. 13th. A 
conversazione, with distribution of prizes and closing ceremony, on 
Nov. llth. The programme will be considered in all its details at the 
Committee meeting in Anderton’s Hotel on Monday next at 7 p.m. 
_ Royal Horticultural Society. —Questions having been 
asked as to whether fresh fruits may be shown at the forthcoming Exhi¬ 
bition of Preserved Fruits, Jams, &c., to be held by the R.I1.S. in the Drill 
Hall on Oct. llth, loth, 16th next, it may be as well to call the atten¬ 
tion of intending exhibitors to the following decision of the Council : - 
“ Any new or rare fruits submitted to the Fruit Committee will be 
heartily welcomed, but there will not be room for general collections of 
fresh fruit. The Show will be exclusively of preserved fruits, with the 
exception of novelties in flowers and fruits sent for the judgment of the 
Committee.” The jams and other preserves are to be as far as possible 
in glass vessels or packages,” although other materials are not abso¬ 
lutely prohibited. At the Grape Show at Chiswick a silver-gilt cup will 
be awarded in Class X. for the best examples of packing Grapes, 4 to 
6 lbs., for private use, to be sent by post or rail. 
-Posoqueria longiflora, though not very useful in a decorative 
point of view, is very fragrant. A plant iu a stove or a warm Orchid 
house fills it with fragrance in the same way that the Boronia 
megastigma does in the greenhouse, but of course the perfume is 
different.—O. U. 
- Heliconia aureo-striata is out of the run of ordinary varie¬ 
gated stove plants, but nevertheless it is still worthy of cultivation in 
the best garden where stove plants are grown for decoration. We 
grow it in equal parts of loam and peat, and well exposed to the light, 
but not direct sunshine.—Y. G. 
- Apple Stirling Castle.— In a scarce Apple year like the 
present it is as well to notice which varieties have come through the 
ordeal the best. Stirling Castle is laden, whilst other varieties are 
almost bare. This Apple should be planted on the Crab stock, as on this 
it fruits most profusely, too much so in fact. It is useless to plant it on 
dwarfing stocks, as the trees grow so scrubbily.—Y. 
- Like many other old plants Gloriosa superba is coming to 
the fore, but why it should have been banished I am at a loss to under¬ 
stand, as what trailing stove plant could be more beautiful during the 
summer months ? We grow it along the light iron supports in the 
Cattleya house. There are evidently good and poor varieties even 
of the variety superba. The variety we have is the best I have 
seen.—A. 
_ Hymenocallis macrostephana somewhat resembles 
Pancratium fragrans, but is far preferable in every way. The flowers 
are delightfully fragrant, and more massive than the Pancratium. I 
believe it is scarce ; at least it is very seldom seen. It is of the easiest 
culture, but thrives better in a rather high temperature and moist 
atmosphere, and must also be heavily shaded. When exposed to the 
sun the foliage gets scorched. It will also thrive under the shade of 
other plants.—O. 
_ The handsome New Cucumber which attracted so much 
attention at the Reading Horticultural Society’s Show on August 27th 
was awarded a first class certificate of merit in addition to the first 
prize for the best brace of Cucumbers. It has had first class certificates 
at the Royal Horticultural and Royal Aquarium Shows this season, and 
we learn that Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, have purchased the 
entire stock of seed of the raiser, Mr. Mortimer, and will distribute it 
during the coming spring. 
_ Platycodon Mariesi. —This somewhat scarce plant is now 
flowering well in this district. Considering its distinct character and 
unique buds and flowers, it is remarkable it is so seldom seen. Its- 
requirements appear to be few. Here it is simply growing in ordinary 
soil on a sloping bed on a lawn, and with great freedom. It is about 
18 inches in height, the leaves and stems intensely glaucous, and the 
flowers of a deep purplish blue, and of some substance, and altogether a 
desirable plant for the hardy flower garden.—S. 
_ A Timely Hint. —Having had early frosts the last two or 
three years it will be wise for northern growers of Chrysanthemums to 
be on their guard this year, and as some perhaps have not convenience 
for protection without housing, which in the latter part of September is 
rather early (for certain purposes), I would suggest pieces of old news¬ 
papers, made in the form of small cones, and drop one over each bud at 
night. If there is any indication of frost, of course, it would not be 
practicable for bush plants, but for those grown to produce large 
blooms.—J. T. P. 
_ I CONSIDER Gesnera exoniensis is the most useful of all the 
Gesneras, as it is admirably adapted for winter decoration, especially 
when it can be shown in the dining or drawing-room by either gas 
or lamp light, as then its beauty is fully brought out. The details of 
culture are simple, yet these must be rigorously carried out, or poorly 
grown and badly coloured plants will be the result. The best position is in 
a close, warm, and moist pit or stove, where they may be shaded from sun. 
Water must not be allowed to fall upon the foliage, but it can be ficely 
supplied about the stage amongst the pots and on the floor. The com¬ 
post I have found most suitable consists of equal parts of loam, peat, 
and leaf soil, with a good addition of sand and charcoal broken fine. 
Whilst in free growth care must be taken not to allow the soil to become 
dry. As the foliage decays, dry and store the roots similar to Gloxinias. 
In our case the roots were started a month since ; these were removed 
carefully from the old soil, and arranged in a box of soil. They soon 
started into growth ; they are now potted into large 60’s, and will even- 
