46 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 19, 1393. 
the drudgery from commonplace 'work, replacing it with vivid 
interest in its possible results. The advantages of progressive 
education in gardening as outlined here are numerous. They will 
only be apparent, however, by steady perseverance in following up 
each point gained by attempting to conquer others, thus gaining 
knowledge on wide and liberal lines. 
Bacon, the great philosopher, had a sincere regard for the 
advantages to be reaped from gardening, as he spoke of it as “ the 
purest of human pleasures.” He would, no doubt, have a similar 
regard for the advantages of education in the art of gardening 
(which in his time were considerably less than now), or he would 
not have given expression to the following pithy sentence, which 
it may be helpful to quote on the value of intellectual exercises ; 
“ Speaking makes a ready man ; reading a full man ; and writing 
an exact man.”—E. D. Smith. 
[We deferred the publication of the concluding portion of this 
very good essay till a portrait of Mr. E. D. Smith could be obtained 
and prepared for insertion.] 
AnGR/ECUM sesquipedaee. 
Though known to botanists as long ago as 1822, this Orchid 
■was not introduced to cultivation till some twenty five or thirty 
years later. The credit of its introduction is due to the Rev. 
William Ellis, a distinguished traveller and historian of Madagascar, 
who, on his return from that island, brought with him living plants 
which he succeeded in flovvering. In general appearance the plant 
somewhat resembles an Aerides, and if treated as such succeeds 
perfectly well. It attains a height of about 2 feet. The stem is 
erect, and is densely clothed with the fleshy distichous leaves, which 
are broad, strap-shaped, recurved, about 1 foot in length, and of a 
deep green colour. The stout peduncles are axillary, and bear 
from two to four flowers of great substance G inches or more across, 
pure ivory white and very fragrant. The spur is greenish in 
colour, abmt the thickness of a goose quill and of great length. 
The plant is well figured in the “ B )tanical Magazine,” t. 5113. 
Specimens are now flowering in the warm Orchid house at Kew, 
where the extraordinary appearance of the flowers excite the 
wonder of all beholders. In the same house are splendid specimens 
of A. eburneum and its variety virens, flowering profusely and 
diffusing a delightful fragrance. 
Hybrid Masdevallia. 
The two best species of Masdevallia for garden purposes are 
undoubtedly M. tovarensis and M. Veitchi. A hybrid between 
these was exhibited before the Orchid Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at its last meeting, and was named 
M. X McVitise. It seems to possess a character intermediate 
between the parents. In general appearance it most closely 
resembles the seed parent M. tovarensis, but the leaves are not 
quite so thick. The scape is about 9 inches long and very stout. 
The flowers are of a delicate rose colour. Though it is difficult to 
judge of the merits of a plant from a single flower, we believe that 
this hybrid will prove an acquisition. It was raised in the gardens 
of W. Thompson, Esq., Walton Grange, Stone, from seeds sown 
twelve or fourteen years ago, and has now flowered for the first 
time.—A. B. 
SHOWING AND JUDGING HARDY FLOWERS. 
I NEED hardly say that I have followed this discussion with the 
keenest interest, and hope that some practical action may result. 
Mr. Shanks’ proposed wording for schedules on page 547 is, with 
your suggested amendments, the nearest to what we want of any¬ 
thing yet proposed. Is not a 1-inch tube too small? I do not 
think 2 inches would be found in practice too large for many 
things. At our small local show last year a spike of Eryngium 
was exhibited which would not have gone into a 1-inch tube. It 
was a fine specimen no doubt ; but why exclude good specimens of 
this kind ? Nor should I be averse to the inclusion of hardy 
annuals or even shrubs in some of the larger classes, say for thirty- 
six and uowards. Do I understand that the formation of a 
National Hardy Flower Society is contemplated ? If so (and 
unless such is done I fear any model wording of the rules for 
showing hardy flowers will meet with little acceptance) let it be 
clearly understood that it must be a truly “ national ” one, and, so 
far as possible, aiding the exhibitions of the Royal Horticultural 
Society. I am not a Fellow of the latter, but would rather add to 
its strength than weaken it. But the operations of the Society 
would require to be extended beyond this, and to include the 
United Kingdom, aiding say a certain number of selected shows in 
England, Scotland, and Ireland. Are the promoters prepared to 
face this?—S. Arnott. 
This is an interesting subject, and one that has caused much 
trouble where the word herbaceous has been regarded as the 
important point to study. Judges interpret this word in so many 
ways. Used as I am to country exhibitions and judges, I find 
many of the latter are so little versed in hardy plants, good men 
though they be in other respects, that mistakes do often occur. 
Being secretary of a society, I found the difficulty described when 
one class was worded in the usual way of “twelve varieties hardy 
herbaceous flowers.” We now word it thus, “ eighteen varieties 
hardy cut flowers grown out of doors.” The result is we get 
excellent stands of blooms, and seldom have any trouble with the 
exhibits. It is an.advantage, I think, to word it thus, because we 
get so many flowers otherwise not admissible. For instance, 
shrubby Spirseas, Philadelphus coronarius, and Magnolias are quite 
as admissible as herbaceous Phloxes and such like. Not only is 
there a chance to show such worthy hardy flowers as those named, 
but we get much more variety in our exhibits.—S. P. H. 
Yes, the name hardy flowers will do ; the next thing is. Will it 
stick? There is a story told of the late Mr. Jay, the noted dissent¬ 
ing minister of Bath. He had been listening with a friend to a 
sermon, and on leaving the place of worship his friend remarked it 
was a very powerful sermon. “ Yes,” said Mr. Jay, “very power¬ 
ful, but will it stick ? because it is not much use if it fails in this ; 
there is no good in pouring water on a duck’s back.” Just so, and 
unless we can get the name to stick in the minds of schedule 
framers we shall still be “as you were.” Supposing there be no 
explanatory note cutting out shrubs and annuals these could be 
shown, and vice versa. 
The word “ kinds ” is more likely to be understood than 
“ varieties,” but I confess I think a larger class may be expected 
where this is not insisted on. At most exhibitions the chief anxiety 
of the officials is to cover the boards. Nothing looks much worse 
than 10 or 12 yards of empty boarding even if green-baized. 
Committees want exhibitors, especially if there be any entry fee 
attached, and while “ varieties ” differ so greatly in form and 
colour they may make a stand as attractive and interesting as if 
“ kinds ” had been the rule. Mr. Shanks himself seems rather to 
lean towards this ; at any rate, he rather demurs to the Rev. F. 
Page Roberts’s view (page 520) that “ varieties ” should not be 
allowed full points. My idea is rather to judge the stands as to 
other points first, and if otherwise equal to let “ kinds ” have the 
casting vote over “ varieties.” 
Mr. Shanks and I are probably thinking of two classes of 
exhibitors as regards the tubes. He is fortunate, I fancy, in 
getting zinc tubes at the price he names on page 547 ; it might be 
borne by the generality of exhibitors. My experience leads me 
rather to suspect that many would sooner not go to even that 
expense. I arrive at this conclusion from the frequency with 
which I have been applied to in terms like this, when I have been 
urging friends to exhibit, “ Oh, well! I don’t mind showing if 
you will lend me a stand and tubes,” and to this day I am still 
minus one of these loans, never returned. I, however, had 
cottagers chiefly in my mind. Such rules as to size would be 
general, and would touch the cottager seriously. My experience is 
that it is very difficult to get up any enthusiasm as to exhibiting 
in some persons, who nevertheless grow flowers most successfully. 
There are many persons both amongst the better class amateurs 
and cottagers who want everything done for them. The remarks 
on this subject already show what diversity of opinion there would 
be on the size of the tube, “ A. D.” suggesting 2 inches diameter, 
whilst Mr. Shanks is content with those 1 inch in diameter. So far 
as my experience goes these rules are carried out with a certain 
amount of latitude, and if the tubes, or even the box or stand, is 
not quite correct as to inches, there is rarely a disqualificatibn on 
this account ; much in the same way as to the times of receiving 
exhibits and the readiness for the judges.—Y. B. A. Z. 
[If making a great “ show” is to be the chief object, then the 
word “ varieties,” twelve or twenty-four, or whatever the number 
may be, will tend to that result; but several distinct varieties, say 
of Pinks or Carnations, may then be included in a stand. If kinds 
are stipulated for there would be greater diversity, and the displays 
would be more instructive. It would be perfectly easy if desired 
to stipulate that, say, two (or more) distinct varieties are admissible 
