4 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ January 5, 1893. 
obtained it by crossing R. albo-maculata and R. hastata. He quotes 
the notices of R. Elliottiana, and then states that “un Anglais bien 
connu ” who saw his hybrid in flower said it was identical with 
Captain Elliott’s plant. I am told that this “ well-known English¬ 
man ” is a young lady from Kensington. It is possible that M. 
Deleuil’s plant is all that he says it is, but he is certainly unwar¬ 
ranted in declaring it to be the same as R. Elliottiana on the mere 
testimony of a young lady. I venture to advise would-be possessors 
of the yellow Richardia Elliottj^to be careful of hasty conclusions, 
and to remember the consequences of “ buying pigs in pokes.” If 
M. Deleuil’s plant is so good how is it that we never heard of it 
until he had a quantity of large tubers of it for sale ? Has any 
known horticulturist seen it ? 
“ Boscobel ” thinks Deleuil’s plant will probably turn out to be 
“either identical with C. Elliottiana or will closely resemble it.” 
What has become of the belief that the latter was a hybrid between 
R. hastata and R. africana (asthiopica) ? Then “ Boscobel ” 
attacks R. Pentlandii ; he says, “ undoubtedly its true and correct 
designation should be C. aethiopica aurea, as it is admitted by all 
who have seen it to be merely a very fine bright golden form of 
the type.” Permit me to say that after having carefully examined 
R. Pentlandii, and ascertaining its history, I feel quite certain that 
it has nothing whatever to do with R. africana (sethiopica) beyond 
belonging to the same genus. I cannot understand how even 
“ Boscobel ” can be so venturesome as to say “ that the plants 
recently sold by auction as ‘ Pride of the Congo ’ will prove to 
he what is known as R. Pentlandiana.” I call this kind of jumping 
“flat burglary.” Possibly such a guess may prove the correct 
card, but at present it is worth nothing to anyone except, perhaps, 
“Boscobel ” and tbe vendor of “ Pride of the Congo.” 
This is briefly how we stand with regard to the genus Richardia. 
There are five good properly described species in cultivation, 
namely—R. africana, spathes white ; R. albo-maculata, spathes 
creamy white with a purplish blotch at the base, the leaves being 
spotted with white ; K. hastata, spathes dull yellow with a blotch 
of crimson at the base, leaves unspotted ; R. melanoleuca, spathes 
rather small, not folded trumpet-like, pale yellow, purple at the 
base, leaves spotted ; this species differs from R. albo-maculata in 
having shorter leafstalks with a few setiferous hairs at the base. 
R. Rehmanni has small white spathes in form like those of 
R. africana, and lanceolate instead of hastate leaves. In addition 
to these we have the new ones, namely—R. Elliottiana. raised from 
seeds imported from Africa six years ago as “ Red Arums^” I am 
informed that the Kafiirs have only one word for red and yellow. 
If this is correct we have the seeming mistake explained. It was 
shown at a meeting of the R.H.S. in the spring of 1890 and 
again in 1891 and 1892. It reproduces itself from seeds. The 
plants were distributed by auction sale in June last. It has 
hastate spotted leaves and large clear yellow spathes. 
R. Pentlandi was flowered this year by Mr. Whyte, who obtained 
it from a tuber presented to him along with five others. It is a 
very handsome plant, distinct from and superior to R. Elliottiana, 
equalling almost in stature and size of spathes the common Arum 
Lily. It differs from this species, however, in the texture of its 
leaves, in the colour of its spathes, and in its truly deciduous habit 
of growth, R. africana not being really deciduous. R. aurata I 
have already dealt with ; its spathes have not been seen, except in 
M. Deleuil’s nursery. “ Calla nilotica” is advertised as having 
white and red spathes, and as having been collected on the banks of 
the Nile ; and “ Pride of the Congo ” I suppose we are to believe 
comes from the region of the Congo. I know nothing of these two 
plants, and the only criticism I shall offer with regard to them is 
this. Richardias are all natives of South Africa ; at any rate, 
no plants have yet been found north of the Transvaal. I therefore 
venture to doubt what the namer of these two plants would have 
us believe— i e., that one is from the Congo, and the other from 
the Nile. The popular name for R. africana—viz., “ Lily of 
the Nile is misleading, this species not occurring wild within 
1000 miles or so of the Nile. It is a native of the Cape. 
It is evident, I think, from what I have shown that some of us 
are a little mixed with regard to these plants.—W. 
TOMATOES AND MUSHROOMS. 
I WAS very much Interested in a communication which appeared in 
the Journal a few weeks ago (page 178, December 1st, 1892) from Mr 
Buchanan, respecting “ Tomatoes and Mushrooms.” He said : “ We took 
out two trenches 1 foot deep and 1 foot broad in the spring, spread in a 
small quantity of old Mushroom bed, planted the Tomatoes in rows in 
the usual way, giving round each plant a good dressing of the fertiliser, 
Thomson’s manure. The result has been good crops of Tomatoes and as 
fine Mushrooms as ever were grown.” 
^ According to this statement, the border was spawned simply by using 
a small quantity of old Mushroom bed, no other manure being used 
except the dressings referred to. Now I should like to know whether 
the insertion of the ordinary brick spawn would have an equally good 
if not better effect in producing Mushrooms, using, of course, Thomson’s 
manure in the way Mr. B. recommends ; because if so it would be 
a very useful way of raising Mushrooms without the agency of horse 
manure, which, with those who do not keep horses, is somewhat difficult 
to obtain of the right character for that purpose. 
As Mr. Buchanan made his border up in spring, it would appear as if 
the spawn was somewhat slow in permeating the soil, as he did not 
begin to gather Mushrooms till August. I suppose this would be partly 
accounted for by the layer of old Mushroom bed being placed at the 
bottom of the trenches 1 foot deep. Moreover, the temperature of the 
border would, I presume, have something to do with retarding their 
appearance. Will Mr. Buchanan or other readers oblige with opinions 
and suggestions ?— J. F. Cranswick. 
The National Rose Society. 
The annual general meeting of the Society was well attended, and 
got through a good amount of business, one important reform being 
carried, and two others lost. It is, I take it, a healthy sign of vigorous 
life that these meetings are now occasions for debate and decision on 
important points as well as for mere matters of routine, and now that 
this is so, such a capable Chairman as Mr. Wilks was a distinct boon to 
the progress of business. The report speaks of the Crystal Palace Show 
as the largest the Society has ever held, and “ E. M.’' and Mr. Grahame 
have told us in the Journal “ what a success ” it was. No doubt they 
are right if success depends entirely upon the number of classes and 
entries ; but I should have thought smoothness of arrangement and 
quality of exhibits were also necessary elements in the making of a 
successful show ; and, beside the generally lamented absence of fourth 
prizes, it seems to me that it would be possible to find something 
wanting in these particulars. 
Space for Exhibitors. 
It is a busy time that two or three hours of setting up before judging; 
and if anyone is showing in several classes, with a good many large boxes 
requiring two persons to carry them (and thereby contributing, I sup¬ 
pose, to the success of the show), it is very difficult to arrange them 
unless he has all his boxes together in one of those charming side spots 
with which the Palace abounds. It is, moreover, very trying, when all 
at last is ready, to find there is no room to be had in those classes where 
entry has been duly made some days before. 1892 is not the first year 
that the boxes of myself and others have had to go on the floor, or be 
piled up somewhere where they could not be seen ; and I would simply 
like to ask whether the management would not hear of it, if this was to 
occur at a small provincial show. 
At my own little cottagers’ vegetable show, 1 should be ashamed if 
the labourer who had paid his pence and made his entry had not room 
provided for his Potatoes and other produce ; and when all entries are 
rigorously made several days beforehand, I cannot see what is the 
difficulty in providing sufficient space. 1 am told the C.P. authorities 
were to blame, and I make my grumble, hoping it will reach them, for 
there was certainly a want of “ success ” in this matter. I am getting 
too old to fight for a place myself, and, having lost my assistant, fear I 
shall have to drop out in favour of more vigorous members; but I should 
be very glad to see theN.R.S. set a good example instead of a bad one in 
this important respect to country shows. 
The financial statement could hardly be called very flourishing, and 
the complaint of the Treasurer as to the difficulty of getting members to 
pay their subscriptions is much to be regretted. 1 think the recom¬ 
mendation of the Society that all members should as far as possible 
give orders to their bankers to make these payments should be more 
strongly urged and that this would have a good effect in punctuality and 
the saving of labour. 
I much regret that it has been found impracticable to arrange for the 
holding of the Provincial Show in Bast Anglia. This portion of the 
kingdom has, on all accounts, a strong claim for consideration in the 
matter ; but, alas I we have no money, and must go north, “ where 
money is.” _ 
The important question of the date of the Metropolitan Show was 
again fully debated, and now that it is settled for the year it may not be 
desirable to reopen it at present. Perhaps I do not look upon the 
question impartially, but it seemed to me that the arguments of the 
opponents of Mr, Pemberton’s motion consisted principally of “J should 
not be able to show at my best,” while his supporters were so full of 
argument of all sorts that the time would noc suffice for them. A 
notable division of opinion on the matter exists throughout the 
Society ; opposite sides are taken by my neighbour, whose portrait 
