272 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 23, 1886. 
business in the manner indicated. “ Fairplay ” has possibly been hunting 
after “ cheap ” goods, the “ culls ” or remnantR, and at remnant prices, then 
expecting to have the best in the catalogue. There are numbers of “never- 
satisfied” people in the world, and when some of these are seen to visit 
nurseries the attendants get out of their way in the best way they can ; but 
they act very differently with persons who are not known and notorious 
for their time-wapting and bantering proclivities, that are so repellant to 
straightforward business men. I hope “Farplay” is not one of these 
nurserymen’s tormentors, but that his extraordinary production on the page 
quoted was in'ended as a burlesque.— Fairdealer. 
We are informed that it has been arranged that the Annual 
Provincial Show op the National Rose Society shall take place at 
Edinburgh in 1887, in connection with the Koyal Caledonian Horticultural 
Society’s Show and Exhibition on July 13th, 
-At an ordinary meeting of the Wakefield Paxton Society, 
held on Saturday evening, the 18th inst., Mr. J. A. Mann, gardener to 
Dr. Kendell of Heath, gave a thoroughly practical essay on the cultivation 
of the Melon. The essayist is well known in the district as a Melon 
raiser and prizetaker, and his remarks on the subject were generally 
confirmed by most of the members. A good discussion ensued, having 
especial reference to the fertilisation and other details in the cultivation 
A hearty vote cf thanks was passed to the essayist on the motion of Mr 
B. WaleF, and seconded by Mr. H. Oxley. At the meeting preceding the 
above the subject for discussion was the Pea, when about twenty varieties 
were placed on the table, which, considering the late period, were in good 
condition. Of that number, Ponttfract Castle, Sutton’s Satisfaction, 
Walker’s Perpetual Bearer, Telephone, and Veitch’s Sturdy were amongst 
those most liked. It was generally agreed that the season had not been 
favourable for the Pea crop in this locality. The Society continues to 
hold meetings every week, when essays and lectures are given, and are 
generally well attended. Other towns also appear to be following in the 
lead of this Society, the latest formation being a Paxton Society at 
Bradford. 
- An extremely interesting Botanical Address was recently de¬ 
livered before the British Association in the biology section by Mr. 
William Carruthers, F.R.S. The principal object of this lecture was 
apparently to compare certain species of plants now known with the 
earliest preserved specimens or with fossils to prove that there has been 
less variation than might be expected. After giving a long list of plants 
Mr. Carruthers remarked :—“ The various physical conditions which 
necessarily affected these species in their diffusion over such large areas of 
the earth’s surface in the course of, say, 250,000 years, should have led to 
the production of many varieties, but the uniform testimony of the remains 
of this considerable pre-glacial flora, as far as the materials admit of com¬ 
parison, is that no appreciable change has taken place.” 
- Some experiments in Tobacco Cultivation have been 
undertaken by Sir Edward Birkbeck at Horsti ad in Norfolk. A 
number of varieties, the seeds of which were obtained from Kew, have 
been tried, and up to the present the Virginian variety seems to have 
given the most satisfaction. One plot is situated in the kitchen garden, 
alongside a bed of Asparagus; another plot is at the end of an open and 
exposed field on which Barley was growing. There had been no special 
cultivation of either plot for this particular plant, which had to take its 
chance in the kitchen garden with the vegetables for culinary use, and in 
the field with the Barley crop. But it may be inferred that the land in 
each case was in “good heart,” though not in such excel'ent condition as 
is necessary for Tobacco cultivation, which demands high farming. The 
seeds were sown in a hctbed, where the plants grew rapidly, and were pricked 
out in shallow wooden boxes, to be kept for a time in a 1 iwer temperature 
It was not till the middle of June, became of the cold nights, which 
would be fatal to them, that the plants could be set out in the open. It 
is intended to carry out the experiments on a more extensive scale another 
year, and it is proposed to employ an eDgine house for drying and 
“ curing ” the leaf. 
— Mr. W. B. Hartland of Cork sends us blooms of his “Old 
Dahlia,” which he terms “a remnant of past days in the garden of Ould 
Ireland.” It is one of the Cactus type, with rich scarlet maroon florets 
much reflexed. It was at first thought to be the same as Cochineal, but 
is evidently distinct, and remaiktble for its fine colour. 
- The Leeds Paxton Society have issued the following pro¬ 
gramme of essays for the third quarter, 1886. The meetings are held 
weekly at the Society’s rcom, Greyhound Inn, Vicar Lane, every Satur¬ 
day evening, commencing at 7.30 p.M. September 25th, half-yearly 
meeting, election of officers, &c.; October 2nd, “ The Maidenhair Fern 
and its Uses,” Mr. W. Grix, gardener to Sir Jas. Kitson, Bart., Gledhow ; 
October 16tb, “Notes on Gardening: Some of its Difficulties,” Mr. J. 
Newman, gardener to Mrs. F. W. Kitson, Burley Hill; October 30th, 
“ Cultivation of the Pleione,” Mr. P. Massey, gardener to T. A. Titley, 
E-q., Gledhow; November 13th, “General Principles of Gardening,” 
Mr. Jas. Inman, Chapel-Allerton ; November 27tb, “Mushroom Culture,” 
Mr. J. Bolton, gardener to — Walker, Esq., Hambleton House, Shadwell; 
December 11th, “ Critique on Molyneux’s Chrysanthemum Culture,” Mr. 
T. Garnett, gardener to Miss Mackie, St. John’s House, Wakefield. 
Mr. George Hemming is the Honorary Secretary. 
- “D., Beal'' writes—“As I have always maintained that 
Rose Madame Gabriel Luizet is a true Hybrid Perpetual, I am 
rejoiced that this season has so fully confirmed my view. Some time ago 
I mentioned to a very good rosarian that I had some autumn blooms. 
‘ Umpb,’ was his reply, ‘ I am glad of it,’ as much as t> say, ‘all a 
fluke,’ but now I have to add that no Rose in my garden has been so 
full cf bloom as this. Every shoot has flowered, and the blooms have 
been, owing to this lovely September, clean and beautiful. In a note 
I have just had from that good rosariaD, Mr. Geo. Mount of Canterbury, 
he says, ‘ I do not know if your Gabriel Luizet has been good this 
autumn ; mine have been very good indeed. I have cut several blooms 
from my garden at Harbledown fit for exhibition. I have thought, 
perhaps, you would like to know, as there is no doubt of its being a 
good autumn bloomer.’ I do not know whether the experience of others 
is the same as ours, but I think it is very satisfactory that this most 
lovely Rose has made good its claim to be thoroughly a Hybrid 
Perpetual.” 
-It is with unfeigned regret that we announce the death of a very 
old correspondent of this Journal who was well known to our readers 
under the signature of “ C. P. P.” The Rev. Charles Pierrepont 
Peach, vicar of Appleton-le-Street, in Yorkshire, died on the 17th inst., 
at the comparatively early age of fifty-seven, after protracted suffering. 
There was no one of our correspondents whose views on horticultural 
matters had more weight, for there was an originality and freshness about 
the way in which Mr. Peach presented them that they always attracted 
attention, and frequently produced lively and genial discussion. No one 
could be more ardent in the pursuit of his favourite recreation. It mattered 
not whether the subject was Rose3, herbaceous plants, fruit trees, Vines, 
or stove plants, he was ever in the front with them all, and as a horticul¬ 
tural engineer and chemist there were few to surpass him. He was a very 
estimable man, and greatly beloved. 
- September is not a month in which we expect to find many 
Orchids in Flower, and it is therefore surprising to see such a pretty 
display as that provided in the first house of the Orchid range in Messrs. 
J. Yeitch & Sons’ Chelsea nursery. The leading feature there is Odontc- 
glossum grande, a handsome old species that when well grown can be 
scarcely equalled in brightness, especially the finer varieties. About a 
dozen plant 0 , with from three to eighteen large flowers each, are arranged 
with numerous plants cf the bright purple-flowered Dendrobium bigibbum 
and the free yellow Oncidium tigrinum, the effect being very pleasing, as 
sufficient graceful foliage plants are employed. For a late summer 
display these Orchids are invaluable, particularly O. grande. In other 
houses there are several other beautiful species, varieties, and hybrids 
in flower, such as the well-known Dendrobium formesum, the golden 
D. chrysantkuro, a grandly coloured Lae’.ia elegans Turneri, a fine form 
of Cattleya Acklaud m. the distinct and beautiful Dendrobium Phalscnopsis 
which is seldom seen, with the valuable and handsome Aerides Lawrencia: 
and maDy others. 
- A distinct novelty, named Odontoolossum Harryanum, 
is also now in flower. It has undulated sepals and petals about half an 
inch broad, barred with brown, the petals with some purplish spots at 
the base. The lip is large, scoop-shaped, 1^ inch long, yellow, veined 
