482 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 9, 1893, 
A. H. Neve, W. K. Woodcock, J. Stanborough Dibben, and Bouquet des 
Dames. Mr, J. Copson was a good second, and Mr. Cole third. Mr. 
Cole was first for six Japanese, staging grand flowers of Etoile de Lyon, 
E. Molyneux, Colonel W. B. Smith, Mrs. E. W. Clarke, Sunflower, and 
Viviand Morel. Mr. J. Copson was a close second, and Mr. Alexander, 
gardener to Messrs. Westley & Sons, Blisworth, third. For six Japanese, 
one variety, Mr. J. Kightley was first with grand blooms of Sunflower, 
Mr. Tipler being second with the same variety, and Mr. Alexander third 
with Viviand Morel. 
In the amateurs’class for eighteen incurved in not less than twelve 
varieties Mr. W. Issitt, 84, Princess Street, Kettering, was a good first, 
Mr. Hemmings second, and Mr. Dunkley third. For twelve incurved, 
distinct, Mr. Hemmings was a good first, Mr. Issitt second, and Mr. 
Dunkley third. Mr. Issitt was first for twelve Japanese with very 
handsome blooms, Mr. Kirby being second, and Mr. Dunkley third. 
For six Japanese Mr. Issitt was first, Mr. Dunkley second, and Mr. 
Kirby third. 
Miscellaneous exhibits were not numerous, that of Messrs. T. Perkins 
and Sons, Drapery, Northampton, consisting of grandly coloured 
Apples and fine Pears, being by far the most prominent. The same 
firm also decorated the bandstand and platform with Chrysanthemums 
and other plants in an artistic and highly creditable manner. Mr. Cole, 
Althoip Gardens, showed six handsome blooms of Mrs, Alpheus 
Hardy ; and Mr. Colchester, Ipswich, arranged a stand of his Ichthemic 
guano. 
PUTNEY.— November 8th and 9th, 
The sixteenth Exhibition of the Putney and Wandsworth Chrys¬ 
anthemum Society was held in the Cromwell Hall, Putney, on the 
dates named. Five excellent groups were placed in competition, the 
first prize (silver cup) arrangement of Mr. S. Mynett, gardener to Col. 
Poe, C.B., Ashburton, Putney Heath, being remarkable for the superior 
quality of the blooms as well as tasteful association—one of the best 
groups of the season up to date. Mr. John French, Ambleside, Wimbledon 
Park, was a very strong second ; G. Allen, Esq , St. John’s, Putney Hill, 
a most creditable third ; and Mr. J. Williamson, gardener to Thos. Jay, 
Esq., Holmwood, Putney Hill, fourth ; an extra prize being awarded to 
Mr. W. Tew, gardener to Mrs. E. Gordon, Westcombe Lodge, Wimbledon 
Common. 
Altogether creditable groups of eighteen plants were staged by 
amateurs, the silver cup collection, exhibited by W. B. Rogers, Esq., 
19, Carlton Road, Putney, being of great excellence, as were the second 
prize plants of Alfred Lass, Esq., Sandown Lodge, Upper Richmond 
Road, Putney; G. W. Lambert, Esq., 6, Northumberland Avenue, 
Putney, being a most creditable third. 
The most successful exhibitors of specimen plants were Mr. J. Port- 
bury, gardener to W. N. Froy, Esq., Ripon House, Putney Heath ; and 
Mr. C. Bentley, gardener to Capt. V’’ J. Bos worth. Cedar Court, 
Roehampton, whose specimens displayed ’derable cultural skill. 
The incurved cut blooms were fresh ana neat, the Japanese full and 
bright. Mr. J. Dark, gardener to Jas. Hooker, Esq., Lomond House, 
Putney, was first in the class for twenty-four incurved, and Mr. 
Portbury second. Mr. S. Mynett was first with twelve good blooms, 
and Mr. W. J. Wright, Th Jrove, Wimbledon Park, third. Mr. Port¬ 
bury won the first position with twenty-four, and also twelve Japanese, 
Messrs. Wright and Mynett being second respectively in those classes. 
Mr. Wright was first with reflexed and second with Pompons, Mr. 
Bentley being first with the latter ; all very good. 
The prizes for miscellaneous groups of plants were won, first by Mr. 
J. Portbury with a charming arrangement, and second by Mr. 
Macgregor, gardener to the Dowager Lady Hay, North House, Putney 
Heath. 
Mr. J. F. McLeo\ gardener to J. P. Morgan, Esq., Dover House, 
Roehampton, exhibited a large and highly meritorious group of plants 
not for competition, which added materially to the interest of a bright 
and beautiful show. Fruit and vegetables were well represented, and 
the Show was admirably managed by Mr. J. Moore, Hon. Secretary and 
G, H. Pitt, Esq., the much respected Treasurer of the Society. 
Peaches and N'ectarlnes. —Earliest Houses ,—These may be of 
two descriptions, according to the varieties they are planted with, and 
the time the fruit is required to be ripe. 1. Very early house, planted 
with Alexander, Waterloo, Early Louise, and Early Leopold Peaches, 
and Advance (Early Rivers is a better variety). Nectarine to have fruit 
ripe in April. 2, Earliest house on the old system, or with second-early 
and midseason high flavoured varieties, as Hale’s Early, Early Alfred, 
Dymond, Stirling Castle, and Royal George Peaches, with Lord Napier 
and Elruge (sorne prefer Stanwick Elruge, but it casts its fruit in ripen¬ 
ing in light soils), Nectarines, to have ripe fruit in May. Alexander 
and Waterloo Peaches are very much alike ; some growers prefer one and 
some the other, but both are high coloured fruits of good size and fair 
quality. Their flowers are medium-sized, and set well on spurs or on 
the annual growths at their points and base, the intermediate buds 
between those parts being frequently cast. Early Louise and Early 
Leopold Peaches have small flowers, and laden with pollen are excellent 
for fertilizing other varieties. Early Leopold is, perhaps, the best setter 
of the early Peaches, and its fruits, also Early Louise’s, are better 
flavoured than either Alexander or Waterloo, both of which are cling¬ 
stones, but the other two are freestones. Colour, of course, is every¬ 
thing in a marketing early-forced Peach, but the distinction must be 
made between the fruits for safe guidance. All the others named are 
of superior quality, high colour, and good size. 
To have fruit ripe at the times named the houses maybe closed about 
the middle of this month, fire heat not being applied until the beginning 
of December. This will allow the trees plenty of time, and express 
forcing—having the fruit ripe in three months from starting—is not 
safe, and only possible with potted trees. The house may be kept close, 
but admitting air freely above 50°, employing fire heat only to prevent 
the temperature falling below 35°. Trees that have not been started 
before will grow gently and safely under this treatment, whilst those 
forced before will start freely at the usual time without any preliminary 
excitement. The more slowly the trees are excited the stronger will be 
blossoms and chances of a good set of fruit. The outside border should 
be protected with a few inches thickness of leaves, and a little litter over 
them to prevent their blowing about, so as to exclude frost. Inside 
borders should have a thorough soaking of water, but if the lights have 
been off and the soil has been well moistened through to the drainage 
water will not be required for several weeks. Where the roof lights 
have remained on it may be necessary to repeat the watering, and if the 
trees are weakly, the soil friable, and the drainage good a soaking of 
liquid manure not too strong will tend to a more vigorous start and 
growth afterwards. Sprinkle the trees occasionally in the morning and 
afternoon of bright days, but do not keep them dripping with water, 
damping the borders and floors being sufficient in dull weather, and 
only then when the surfaces become dry. 
Succession Houses .—All the leaves are off, except in the latest house, 
where they should not be forcibly removed, though the trellis may be 
sharply rapped or the trees brushed over with a light broom when they 
part readily from the trees. When they are all off unfasten the trees 
from the trellis, prune them, thoroughly cleanse them and the house, 
lime-washing the walls, and if need be paint the woodwork and trellis. 
Tie the trees to the trellis, leaving room for the branches to swell, tight 
tying being conducive of gum. Remove the surface soil without much 
disturbance of the roots, and supply fresh loam, sprinkling over it 
4 ozs. of the following mixture per square yard : Three parts steamed 
bonemeal and one part kainit, following with a good watering. The 
manorial elements will be held by the soil and be in a suitable form for 
taking up by the roots when the trees start into growth. The roof lights 
may be removed, and be kept off until the buds commence swelling and 
are showing colour in spring. This is the best practice with late houses, 
especially unheated, so as to retard the blossoms ; otherwise keep the 
houses as cool as possible. 
Fresh Trees, Lifting, and Root-pruning .—Trees for planting in 
houses are best two, three or four years trained to walls outdoors or 
trellises in cool houses, and prepared for lifting by digging round them 
a year previously. Such trees can be lifted with an abundance of fibres, 
and being carefully planted they force well the first season, not bring¬ 
ing them on too rapidly, and taking a moderate crop. This is better 
than selecting young trees unfurnished with bearing wood, as these 
cannot bear any fruit until the second year, and not much the first 
three years to do them justice, hence the advantage of planting trees in 
an already bearing state. Any lifting or root-pruning should be per¬ 
formed at once, as the trees will often push adventitious roots freely 
into the fresh or moved soil, and the roots cut form a callus and push 
new fibres quickly in spring. Lifting and root-pruning is unquestion¬ 
ably one of the best preventives of gumming, and bringing trees not 
setting and stoning their fruits properly into a satisfactory condition 
in those respects. Done carefully and early (as soon as the leaves have 
fallen or before) it does not interfere with the following season’s crop of 
fruit. 
Strawberries In Pots. —All plants intended for early forcing 
should now be in frames, with a view to protect them from heavy rains, 
snow and severe frosts only. They should be well raised up to the glass 
and have the pots plunged in ashes, from whence they can be 
drafted into the houses as required. It is a bad practice to stack the 
plants in sawdust or earth in a cone-like manner against walls or place 
them in Peach houses with open ventilators, where, from the passing 
currents of air, evaporation is constant and excessive, which only 
waste the energies of the plants and not unfrequently destroys the 
roots at the sides of the pots. Drought at the roots is the great bane 
of the Strawberry, therefore those in frames must never be neglected, 
the soil always being kept moist but not excessively wet. Plants for 
midseason and late forcing may be plunged in ashes in a sheltered 
situation, affording a light covering of bracken or straw in severe 
weather. 
Plants of La Grosse Sucree and Vicomtesse H6ricart de Thury must 
be started early in next month to afford ripe fruit in March either in 
the Peach house started then or in the Strawberry house. Some start 
the earliest plants in bottom heat, making up a bed of leaves about 
2 feet in height and place the plants in a frame upon it, packing the 
spaces between the pots with damp leaves. The bottom heat at the 
base of the pots is not allowed to exceed 65°, the top heat being kept 
cool, 50° not being exceeded, and when the weather is mild drawing off 
