Anp;nst 5, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
119 
“pointed” it was found that they were exactly the same. He had fine 
samples of White Elephant Onions, Perfection Tomatoes, Moore’s Cream 
Vegetable Marrow, Canadian Wonder Beans, Lapstone Kidney Potatoes, 
Sutton’s Gem Carrots, Early London Cauliflowers, Green Globe Artichokes, 
Snowball Turnips, Pragnell’s Exhibition Beet, Duke of Albany Peas, and 
Vicar of Lalehara Potatoes. Mr. W. Sanders was third, having Perfection 
Tomatoes fine, Mr. J. Amys being fourth. For nine dishes of vegetables 
Mr. Molyneux took the lead w.th excellent samples, very similar to those 
shown bv Mr. Cox in character and quality—Daniel’s White Elephant 
Onions, Trophy Tomatoes, and Duke of Albany PeaB being very fine, fol¬ 
lowed by Messrs. Allen and Axford. 
Miscellaneous non-competing exhibits were not very abundant in the 
tents, but outside the local tradesmen showed garden implements and appli¬ 
ances very numerously. Messrs. J. Laing & Co., Forest Hill, had collections 
of Tuberous Begonia and Hollyhock blooms, both fine and rich in colours, 
the former well representing the excellent varieties for which the firm is 
noted. The collections were very highly commended. Messrs. W. H. 
Rogers, Southampton, contributed a beautiful group of Humeas and Conifers, 
witu variegated Euonymus and Coprosma Baueriana, Hydrangea paniculata 
grandiflora, and other plants tastefully arranged. This was also very 
highly commended. Mr. F. Webber, Tunbridge, Kent, showed a handsome 
bouquet of the lovely yellow Carnation Pride of Penshurst. which was 
greatly admired and commended. Mr. W. Gilbert, Bishops Waltham, also 
had some Carnations, which were commended. 
PHAJUS HUMBLOTr. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., sent a plant of this distinct 
Orchid from his rich collection at Burford Lodge, Dorking, to the meeting 
ot the Royal Horticultural Society on July the 13th, when the Floral 
Committee awarded a first-class certificate for it, and to which it was 
indisputably entitled. 
We have several notable species of Phajus in cultivation, P. grandi- 
folius, for example, be ng one of the really useful Orchidp, easily grown, 
Fig. 17.—Phajus Humbloti. 
and though not so attractive as many other members of the family, its 
tall racemes of flowers have a good appearance and last well. It is an 
old gnrden plant, and was known many years ago as Bletia or Limodorum 
Tankervilliae, under which title it is found in most of the publications 
early in the century. Phajus Blumei is another old plant, which as 
Limodorum Incarvillei was grown by the earlier cultivators of Orchids. 
But one of the most beautiful is P. tuberculosus, which awakened the 
interest of Orchid growers when it first flowered in this country a year or 
two since. 
P. Humbloti bears the name of a traveller and collector who found the 
plant, and though the name has been given as Humboldti under the suppo¬ 
sition that it referred to the great traveller and writer, Humboldt. It is 
a handsome plant with long plaited leaves and stout globular pseudo¬ 
bulbs. The scapes rise well above the leaves, and bear six to eight flowers, 
which are about 2 inches in diameter (fig. 17), the sepals and petals of 
equal size, oval, and of a pale rose colour, the lip curiously winged at the 
base, contracted in the centre and bright rosy purple, white at the base 
and with yellow central crest, the column being slender, curved, and 
bright green. It is a valuable addition to the cultivated speciee. 
CHANGES IN FLOWERS. 
Enclosed herewith you hive a specimen flower of Hyacinthus non- 
scriptus. It is one of many similar forms. But what interests me most 
is a clump of a blue variety embosomed in a hedge, but exposed to the east. 
It has gradually changed from dark blue to light blue, then striped, then to 
nearly white. This year one spike has come pure white, but it is so near 
the original clump that I • anuot say whether it is a seedling or from a 
bulb of the original. Some six or seven years ago I transplanted, early in 
May, a lot of the Pheasant-eyed Narcissus, and they have gradually 
changed from single to double, being highly tinged with the red of the 
eye, while a yellowish colour is suffused throughout the petals, resembling 
a good deal the “ Butter and Egg ” Daffodil. 
Is the custom of growing many of these old-fashioned flowers in woods 
and shrubberies dying out ? I remember when I was a boy many flowers 
now to be seen only in gardens grew profusely in the woods, on the lawn, 
and in the shiubbery near mansions, but now few are setn. Most of the 
bulbous roots succeed in the woods, and basketfuls of flowers can be 
pulled therefrom wiihout baring the place too much or interfering with 
those in the garden. It was only the other day I was on a visit to a place 
a few miles from here. The lady with whom I am acquainted passed 
through the conservatory, all the other houses, and the garden. She then 
entered the wood, an 1 there the found and pulled a nosegay of Hyacinths 
and Narcissuses, more to her taste than all the other flowers in the houses 
and garden. She wafted it towards me, so that I felt and enjoyed the 
fragrance that is not easily surpassed. I entered into conversation with 
her as to (he desirability of extending the varieties and culture of these 
sweet and homely 7 flowers, to which she agreed, and orders were given to 
the gardener to carry her wish out. 
The times are changed now from what they were fifty years ago. Then 
fruit and flowers could be grown safely in situations where everything 
is destroyed now. A sample of home rule, I suppose. In Scotland we 
are told to grow fruit, but we get no protection from 'he police when we 
do so. I have caught the thieves over and over again, but the police 
have never as yet made a case. I used to sell £30 of fruit from my 
garden ; I do not sell £1 worth now. 
There is amongst a certain class a wholesale Vandalism—nothing of 
beauty can be let alone. I will only mention one case of hundreds that 
I could cite. Eight years ago a proprietor near me threw his house open 
to a trip. The fruit and e ther trees were in bloom at the time, which 
were completely destroyed, and so completely were the trees denuded of 
their branches that many of them yet stand as if they had been pollarded 
without any growth following. 
Your remarks to “Wilfrid” on wild flowers, page 520, brings me to 
another evil. Two years ago I was on a visit to a gentleman whose place 
is situated near an orphan’s home. When I went the wayside i were 
lovely with a profuse bloom of many varieties of wild flowers. Amongst 
these beauties I spotted a lovely white large Campanula which I intended 
to appropriate on my way hack, but to my disgust what was a carpet of 
flowers and loveliness in the morning was as bare and barren-looking as 
if a swarm of locusts had passed over the place—every flower and green 
thing destroyed, and my Campanula amongst them. A little way further 
on I met with the depredators, who were the orphans and nurses or 
teachers, and in the breast of one I spied my drooping white Harebell ; 
others carritd a few of the now languid and withered flowers, and the 
road was strewn with the remainder, and the place that would have been 
beautiful and pleasant lor others to see and admire for long was ruth¬ 
lessly destroyed by the very persons that should have taught otherwise. 
But this is not the woist. Boys from the same home entered private 
grounds and pulled the flowers. When the superintendent was spoken to 
on the subject he said his boys would not be guilty of such a thing ; but 
I saw them. 
Some years ago a liberal gentleman in England threw his garden 
open to the public, but so ungrateful were they for the privilege that 
instead of guard ng plants from harm, they wrought much destruction. 
At last a notice wa9 put up that the first depredator would be punished. 
A woman was caught pmlling a flower valued at a few pence. She was 
taken before a Judge. To him the case appeared a had one owing to so 
much previous destruction. lie gave her a severe sentence. A Glasgow 
paper commented upon it, and the strictures were severe upon the Judge. 
The edi'or of the paper rolled the ball so long, which be thought was a 
goo l one to get sympathy from those who do not respect property, and 
the result was that he managed to work upon the feelings of the Lord 
Advocate, who got an Act passed against punishing youths below a certain 
age, hence the canse of so much detraction in gardens and to private pro¬ 
perty by youths, and the habits of fiscals being against making a case 
against youths committing crime trains them to be oriminals. Whencrimeis 
allowed to go unpunished, it is safe to say that we live in troublesome 
times, and have great need of reform.—W. T., Blantyre. 
[The (lower enclosed in the letter of our correspondent was so dried 
and crushed in transit that all we can say of it is it was an extraordinary 
conglomeration of distorted petals and abortive stamens, the change from 
the normal condition being so great that we suspect no bitanist could 
have recognised the species. The change of the Narcissus recorded is 
a very interesting circumstance.] 
WORKJorthe WEEK.. 
IfPSL, 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Strawberries,— Early runners should be used for every purpose, in 
order that all the plants may be strong and have large full crowns when 
growth is practically over in autumn. In our note a fortnight ago we 
cnly mentioned the planting of new beds, early attention to which is of 
the utmost impoitance. It must not be forgotten that there are many 
gardens wherein space cannot be afforded for new bods at this season of 
the year. For such gardens spring planting is recommended, and pro¬ 
vision of plants should be made now by making nursery beds of strong 
runners. We have often had. to do this, and we find it convenient to use 
