83 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ July 29, 1886. 
removed. The sepals End petals are oval, nearly equal in size, pure 
white, and depressed over the lip, which is proportionately large, scoop¬ 
shaped, and of a beautiful rich violet purple hue, with a prominent 
central ridge of a similar colour. It appears that the plant is somewhat 
shy of flowering, but now it has at last revealed its beauties it may be 
hoped that its peculiar requirement has been discovered, and that we shall 
not have so long to wait for the re-appearance of the flowers. 
The annual Exhibition of the National Carnation and 
Picotee Society (Northern Section) will be held in the Royal Botanic 
Garden, Manchester, on Saturday, August the 18th. 
- A CURIOUS typographical error occurred in the report of th e 
Hull Show on page 73 last week. It is stated in the third paragraph 
that the “ Secretary is still young.” If the sentence had been accurately 
printed it would have read, the “ Society ” is still young. The Secre¬ 
taries are in the vigour of manhood, and it will not he through their 
shortcomings if the Society does not have a vigorous career. Mr. 
McMahon sends us a card showing the plan adopted three years ago of 
affixing the exhibitors’ names in the manner practised at most large shows, 
hut local prejudice was too powerful for the continuance of the practice. 
In this case small numbered cards might be provided for judging, and the 
larger, with the exhibitors’ names and addresses previously written, 
placed in position, with prize tablets, immediately the awards were made. 
A show, minus the prize cards, is shorn of half its interest to visitors. 
- The Cucumber house in Messrs, Veitch & Sons’ seed grounds at 
Turnham Green, presents a remarkable appearance at the present time . 
250 fine fruits are now ripening, for, it is perhaps almost needless to add 
the Cucumbers are grown solely for seed. The variety is a selected strain 
of Telegraph, and we have never seen a better. The fine crop reflects much 
credit on the grower, Mr. Hickman. 
- The ANNUALS in these seed grounds look very pretty now. They 
are not grown in large quantities to provide seed for sale—the seed farm 
proper is at Langley near Slough—but in small beds for trial and com¬ 
parison. The diversity is great, however, if the quantity is not, and col¬ 
lectively they are very gay. Some very fine double Zinnias especially 
attract attention, and beds of handsome Stocks, of which several selected 
strains are being grown for trial, were admired. 
- The second annual Show of the Sheffield and West 
Riding Chrysanthemum Society will beheld in the Corn Exchange, 
Sieffield, on Friday and Saturday, November 19th and 20th. There are 
nine open classes, in which the chief prizes are £5 to £2 and £1 in two 
separate classes for twenty-four incurved blooms and twenty-four 
Japanese in eighteen varieties respectively. The National Chrysan¬ 
themum Society’s certificate will be awarded to the premier plant in the 
Exhibition. 
Mr. James Strachan, Oakbank, Comrie, Perthshire, writes :— 
Last season I observed in the Journal of Horticulture some notes re¬ 
garding James Veitch Strawberry. A sample I now send per parcels 
p>tt. If I remember rightly the article in question stated this Straw¬ 
berry would only do in the sunny south. H- re it does remarkably well 
is a fair cropper, and of good colour. The ground on which they are 
grown is a light loam resting on gravel, and ihe sample sent is from three- 
year-old plants. This place nestles within a rifle shot of that range of 
mountains which extends from Crieff to Lochearn-head. President does 
favourably here, and compass favourably with those I have grown when 
living in Noifolk and Kent (Sevenoaks). This place is much frequented 
by tourists and summer visitors, and all have been of opinion the size and 
qu dity here have been as good as any in the south of England or Scot¬ 
land.” The fruits sent were exi-e>dingly fine, the largest being 2f inches 
and 3 inches in their longest diameter. They were also of good colour, 
and though slightly damaged in transit were of good flavour. 
- Taking Chrysanthemum Buds. —In reading Mr. Molyneux’s 
rrticle_on this, subject in, the Journal, it apptars to me that the time he 
names is quite too late to enable growers in the north to have their 
flowers in form in time for the exhibitions, say from 15th to 25th November- 
I do not pretend to sufficient experience to advise on the point, but if such 
well-known northern growers as Mr. Lindsay, Mr. Mease, or Mr. Tun- 
nmgton would give their opinions on the point, I am sure it would be 
greatly appreciated.— North Lincoln. 
- “ S. C.” writes as follows on Loxford Hall Seedling 
Strawberry :—“ I little thought there was a Strawberry that could 
surpass the old British Queen in quality, but so it is. Sir Joseph Paxton 
is very good, also President, and a much heavier cropper ; then grow a 
large batch of British Queen for main late consumption, but Loxford Hall 
surpasses them all. What will make Loxford Hall more valuable as a 
late fruit is the fact of its ripening and colouring so thoroughly. With 
me British Queen, unless the fruits are off the ground, colours badly at the 
tips and is inclined to be hard. Lcxford Hall has a fine aromatic flavour, 
and it appears to be strong in constitution.” 
-On Tuesday, July 20Ih, favoured with glorious weather, the 
twelve Belgian, French, and Dutch Horticulturists, including 
Messrs. H. Van Hulle, E. Lemoine, Besson, Delaux, C. Havenith, and 
L. Walthery-HalkiD, now in England on an excursion to seek information 
and instruction from the various establishments, paid a visit to Messrs. 
Cannell & Sons, Swanley. On arrival the nursery and greenhouses were 
thrown open, and they were allowed to ramble at their leisure and remain 
as long as they chose over any special object wbieh interested them. The 
construction of houses, heating apparatus, &c., came in for their share of 
in-pection. Dishes of Strawberries were placed in a central position, and 
as the visitors passed in and out of the several houses they freely indulged 
in the fruit, with which the neighbourhood abounds. Having passed 
through the various departments, luncheon was served at the Lullington 
Castle Hotel, after which the fruit-growing portion of the locality was 
inspected (at present in full pick) and the quantities now being dispatched 
to every large town in the north of England appeared to astonish them. 
Finishing with a run through Mr. Ladd’s immense fruit-growing establish¬ 
ment they returned to London highly delighted with the day’s outing, 
several asking permission to come again to glean further information. 
- A correspondent states that “ the annual Lichfield Horti¬ 
cultural Exhibition was held in the Museum grounds on Wednesday, 
21st inst., and proved to be one of the best ever held by the Society. The 
day was fine and the attendance numerous. There were many entries in 
the principal classes, and most of the exhibits were of excellent quality. 
Plants were well represented by Messrs, Chapman of Hawkesyaid (not 
for competition), and G. Meakin, Esq., of Burton-on-Trent. Flowers by 
Messrs. Perkins of Coventry, and Trevor of Lichfield ; fruit by Messrs. 
Gilman of Ingestrie, Udale of Eiford, and Sir G. Wilmot, Horton. Mr. 
Gilman, gardener to the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot, taking the lead 
with vegetables. The leading prizes in classes for plants were awarded as 
follows :—Fi r four stove plants, four greenhouse plants, and six Fuchsias, 
first G. Meakin, Esq. For six Gold and Silver Tricolor and six Bronze 
Pelargoniums, first A. Hinckley, Esq. Six Ferns.—First G. Meakin, Esq- 
Six Selaginellas.—First G. Scckham, Esq. For a collection fruit, six 
dishes, distinct.—First Mr. Gilman, second Sir G. Wilmot. Grapes, two 
bunches, black.—First Mr. J. Udale, with large and well finished bunches 
of Hamburghs. Second Sir G. Wilmot. Grapes, two bunches, white.—First 
Mr. J. Udale, large and well coloured berries of Muscat of Alexandria. 
Second Sir G. Wilmot. Best flavoured Melon.—First Mr. Gilman. Dish 
of six Peaches —First Sir G. Wilmot; second Mr. J. Udale. Dish of six 
Nectarines.—First Sir G. Wilmot, Horton; second Mr. J. Udale, highly 
coloured, but scarcely ripe. C llection.—Vegetables, six distinct kinds. 
First Mr. Gilman with splendid Tomatoes, Mushrooms, and Turnips, &c. 
- “We regret to learn,” says Nature, “of the probable early 
recall of the Commissioner of the Philippine Forest Department, and 
the practical suspension of the work in which he is engaged. The step 
is mucR to be regretted on many grounds, and it is to be hoped the 
Spaui-h Government will reconsider its decision in the matter. Until 
recently our knowledge of Philippine vegetation was extremely scanty, 
n twitbstandiog the collections made by the late Mr. Hugh Cuming. 
Even these it remained for Don Sebastian Vidal, Commissioner of Forests 
tbere, to place in accessible form, the materials for his recently published 
‘ Pbanerogamae Cumingianse Philippinarum ’ having been collected 
whilst engaged in working up his collections at Kew some two or three 
years ago. The extensive ci'flections recently made by the Forest Depart¬ 
ment, a portion of which has been transmitted to Kew for determination, 
