164 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 19, 1838. 
Foster’s Seedling Grapes, a good Smooth Cayenne Pine Apple, Hero of 
Lockinge Melon, Barrington Peaches, Victoria Nectarine, Moorpark 
Apricots, and Brown Turkey Figs, all in good condition. Mr. W. Nash, 
gardener to the Duke of Beaufort, Badminton, was second, being somewhat 
behind with Grapes, but who had very handsome dishes of Bellegarde 
Peaches, Black Tartarian Cherries, a good Smooth Cayenne Pine, Read’s 
Melon, and Brown Turkey Figs. Mr. H. W. Ward, gardener to the Earl of 
Radnor, Salisbury, was a good third, included in his collection being a very 
fine fruit of Blenheim Orange Melon, neat bunches of Madresfield Court 
and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, and good Queen Pine Apple. Mr. Ward 
was first for Muscat of Alexandria Grape ; Mr. G. Shelton, gardener to 
W. R. Waite, Esq., second; and Mr. Iggulden third, neither of the lots 
being fully ripe. In the class for any white kind Mr. A. Young, gardener 
to B. Thomas, Esq., was placed first for fine bunches of Buckland Sweet¬ 
water, but these were notripe, and the first prize might well have been 
given to the well finished Foster’s Seedling shown by Mr. J. Lloyd, 
gardener to Vincent Stuckey, Esq., Langport, who took second place, while 
the third went to Mr. Ward for small but well ripened bunches of Buckland 
Sweetwater. Black Hamburghs were scarcely so good as usual. Mr. W. G. 
Yard, gardener to the Rev. Canon Pratt, Wells, was first for loose, badly 
shown, though well coloured bunches; Mr. W. Moss, gardener to W. Hunt, 
Esq., was second, and Mr. F. Edwards, gardener to J. Lysaght, Esq., third. 
Any other black variety did not attract much competition. Mr. Nash was 
first for Alicante, [splendidly finished ; Mr. Duff urn, gardener to Mrs. Walker, 
Weston-super-Mare, was second, and Mr. Lloyd third, both having Madres¬ 
field Court in fairly good condition. Mr. C. Holland was first in the class 
for green-fleshed Melons, the variety being Sutton’s Horticultural Prize, and 
Mr. Shelton, gardener to the Rev. J. A. Yatman, was second. Mr. J. God- 
Hard, gardener to R. Cripps, E=q., had the best scarlet-fleshed variety, and 
Mr. C. Holland was second, both showing Read’s Scarlet. Mr. Duffurn was 
easily first for Peaches, having Grosse Mignonne, very fine ; Mr. F. Edwards 
was second. Mr. Duffurn was also first for Nectarines, staging a handsome 
dish of Elruge, the second prize going to Mr. Lloyd for a handsome dish of 
Oldenburgh. Mr. Silcox was first for Apricots : Mr. Matthews for Figs ; 
Mr. Tylee for Plums ; Dr. Wicksteed for dessert Apples ; Mr. Ward for 
Pears ; and Mr. Nash for Cherries. 
There were eight good collections of eight dishes of vegetables shown, 
Mr. T. Tilley, gardener to Col. Colgrave, taking first prize for capital 
samples, comprising Sutton’s Early Snowball, Golden Globe Onion, New 
Intermediate Carrot, Girtford Giant Runner Bean, Perfection Tomat"', 
Sulham Prize Celery, and Veitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflower. Mr. J. Hall, 
a Wells amateur, was a good second, and Mr. W. A. Han is third. The 
favourite round Potatoes were Reading Russet and Schoolmaster, and in 
this class Mr. J. Cole was first; Mr. J. Day being first for kidney Potatoes, 
having Woodstock Kidney in fine condition. Mr. R. Bow was a good 
second in both classes. Mr. Ward had the best Cauliflowers, Mr. J. Day the 
best Peas, Mr. Cook, Clevedon, the best Onions, Mr. W. A. Harris the best 
Carrots, Mr. J. Goddard the best Tomatoes, and Mr. G. Garraway, Bath, the 
best brace of Cucumbers. 
HARDY ANNUALS FOR SPRING FLOWERING. 
Bare beds are extremely cheerless even in winter, hence the 
practice of seeking to make them attractive with low shrubs; 
still these are monotonous at best, and never have the charm of 
plants that are raised from seed. Beds of bulbs, Pansies, and 
Violas with many o’her occupants of our borders are often too 
numerous, giving much sameness, which a free use of annuals 
that in an ordinary winter survive the rigour of our climate 
would remove. The idea that annuals are weedy-looking at best 
obtains only through the erroneous impression of their being 
of short duration, they after the first glow having a seedy ap¬ 
pearance, which, much as it may militate against them in the 
summer, cannot be advanced against them in the spring, as they 
have not to encounter the drought and heat of summer. Besides, 
flowers are not too plentiful in late spring and early summer; 
those that prevail being of a stiff formal character, very little 
varied in form or colour and contrast. Variety is particularly 
wanted to give grace and elegance to vases, &c., than which none 
contribute to cut up, relieve, and feather more than sprays— 
flowered, budding, and growing—of hardy annuals. We want 
more of the “ Ragged Robin ” style in our arrangement of 
flowers. 
Dwarf-growing Annuals for Beds.—T hese are for 
massing, having mostly a dwarf, bushy, or prostrate habit, and a 
profusion of flowers appearing on a level with or slightly raised 
above the foliage. 
Silene pendula compacta, pink. Nothing can surpass this in 
brightness: it is the scarlet Pelargonium of spring bedders. 
Seed best sown in early August. 
Silene pendula compacta alba, white. As lovely as the pre¬ 
ceding, and sown early in August. 
Saponaria calabrica, pink. Insignificant flowers, but so 
numerous as to be all colour in a mass. 
Saponaria calabrica alba, white. Equally effective with the 
pink in a mass. 
Limnanthes Dougla,si, white and yellow. Very fine and free. 
Limnanthes grandiflora. Larger flowers, otherwise not 
different. 
.Nemophila insignis, blue. Nothing is lovelier than a bed of 
this, but it is no use if there are cats, as they take a delight in 
pulling it about. 
Nemophila insignis alba, white. 
Venus’s Looking-glass (Specularia Speculum), blue. 
Venus’s Looking-glass White (Speculai-ia Speculum album). 
The preceding grow from 6 to 9 inches high, and are the only 
ones that are advised for bedding. Virginian Stock red, Vir¬ 
ginian Stock white, and Viscaria oculata nana are useful. 
For Large Masses, Clumps in Borders, &c.— Silene 
pendula pink, 12 to 15 inches. Fine in a mass. Sow early in 
August for beds. 
S. pendula alba, white. 
S. pendula ruberrima, rose, 15 to 18 inches. 
Collinsia verna, blue and white, 12 inches. This is the best 
of the Collinsias for spring flowering. 
C. bicolor, purple and white; C. candidissima, white; C. 
grandiflora, purple. All about 12 inches high, and are very free- 
flowering. 
Eschscholtzia crocea, orange, 12 to 15 inches; E. alba, white 
E californica, yellow. The Eschscholtzias are amongst the best 
for cutting from. 
Gilia tricolor, white, lilac, and purple, 12 to 18 inches; G. tri¬ 
color alba, white; G. tricolor rosea splendens, rose. The e are 
not very remarkable, but help to make a pleasing variety. 
Erysimum arkansanum, yellow, 18 to 24 inches. Pretty for 
cutting. 
Eucharidium grandillorum, red, 15 to 18 inches. 
Clarkia pulchella, dark rose, 18 inches. 
Clarkia pulchella alba, white, 18 inches. 
Asperula azurea setosa, blue, 12 to 18 inches. Pretty for 
cutting. 
Bartonia aurea. orange, 18 to 24 inches. Very showy. 
Candytufts.—White Rocket, Sweet-scented, White, Dark, 
Crimson or Purple, Carmine, and Lilac. All 15 to 18 inches, are 
very showy, blooming most profusely. 
Godetias rosea alba, rose and white, and The Bride, white, 
are good; also G. rubicunda, rosy crimson. They grow to a 
height of 18 to 24 inches. 
Lupinus nanus, blue and white, 12 to 18 inches; L. nanus 
albus, white, 12 to 18 inches. The spikes of these are useful for 
cutting. 
Kaulfussia amelloide3, blue, 12 to 15 inches. 
Lasthenia californica, yellow, 15 inches. 
Leptosiphon densiflorus, lilac, 12 to 15 inches. 
Leptosiphon densiflorus albus, white 
Platystemon californicum, yellow, 15 inches. 
Whitlavia grandiflora, purple or violet, 15 inches. 
Gypsophila elegans, white and pink, 2 to 3 feet. Good for 
cutting. 
Calliopsis tinctoiia, yellow and brown, 2 to 3 feet. 
Viscaria oculata, rose dark eye, 15 to 18 inches. 
Viscaria oculata cardinalis, scarlet, 18 inches. This is that 
shade of colour known as magenta, but I find colour very variable 
as to shade in different soils. 
There is no doubt respecting the beauty of annuals when 
sown sufficiently early to get good plants before winter. The 
middle of August is a good time to sow the seed for early (lower¬ 
ing, and it certainly ought not to be sown later than the first 
fortnight of September. The ground at neither time is vacant 
where the plants are intended to flower. If it be, the seed is 
best sown where the plants are to remain for flowering, sowing 
thinly on a fine surface, and covered with fine soil. I f dry, water 
before sowing, and use moist soil for covering the seed, keeping 
it moist. The seedlings should be guarded against slugs 
with dressings of quicklime or dry soot or wood ashes late 
in the evening or early morning, be kept free of weeds, and 
thinned out so that they stand about 3 inches apart in the 
clumps. 
If the seed cannot be sown where the plants are to remain, 
sow in rows in good rich light soil in an open situation 3 inches 
apart, drawing a drill with the finger or stick of about that 
thickness, or a rod may be pressed down so as to make an indent 
of about half an inch depth. Jn the drill sow the seed rather 
thinly, cover, and keep it moist. Keep the bed free from weeds, 
and guard against predatory vermin. When the plants can well 
be handled lift carefully and prick off, 2 inches apart for the 
upright or less spreading, and 3 inches for the spreading sorts, 
being careful not to bury any of them below the seed or first 
leaves. Water if dry, and continue the precautions against slugs 
and worms, the latter drawing the plants into their holes, but 
lime will expel them. 
From the beds they can be transfei - red to their flowering 
quarters with perfect safety, due care being paid to lifting and 
keeping the soil to the roots. The lifting may be performed any 
time from October to March inclusive in mild weather. Thin 
, sowing, thinning early, pricking cff and transplanting having a 
