444 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 1, lt'S3. 
preserved Peaches. About 128 kinds of cereal and other seeds were 
sent by Mr. Veitch, as also were some coloured illustrations of Chrys¬ 
anthemums as grown in Japan. This collection must be regarded as a 
valuable addition to the Veitch museum at Chelsea. 
CEBTIFICATEg AKD AWAEDS, 
Coelogyne Dayana (Baron Schroder).—A magnificent plant of this 
well-known Orchid was shown. It bore twenty pendulous racemes, 
each bearing on an average forty flowers, in all about 800 blooms (first 
class certificate and silver Flora medal). 
Lalia imryurea Niobe (J. Cypher & Son).—A charming form, with 
bright rosy mauve sepals and petals, the lip deep purplish red, paler 
margin (award of merit). 
Udontoglomnn vexillarium Princess May (F. Sander & Co.).—An 
exceedingly pretty form, having large white flowers with a tinge of 
pink and yellow in the centre (award of merit). 
Odontoglossum Wattianum Hardy's car. (F. Sander & Co.).—A showy 
form, with flowers borne on spikes about 2 feet in length. The sepals 
and petals are pale yellow, heavily blotched with chocolate. Lip 
whitish, also spotted brown (award of merit). 
Lreliapurpurata nobilis (F. Sander & Co.).—This is a grand variety. 
The flowers are large in size and richly coloured. The sepals and petals 
are rosy mauve on a white ground, the frontal portion of the lip being 
a deep crimson with a fainter edge. The throat is yellowish s'^riped 
with brown (award of merit). 
Cattleya hybrida Willia7>i Murray (N. C. Cookson, Esq.).—This is a 
charming plant, and is the result of a cross between C. Mendelli and 
C. Lawrenceanum. The sepals and petals are of a rosy mauve shade, 
the lip being a rich magenta crimson with a white and lemon throat 
(first-class certificate). 
Cypripedium Volonteannm giganteum (Hugh Low & Co.).—This is a 
massive form of C. Volonteanum. The dorsal sepal is green, as also is 
the centre of the petals, which are spotted brown and margined with 
pink (award of merit). 
Lrelia purpurata atro-purpurea (J. Cypher & Son).—This is a 
splendid form. The sepals and petals are pure white, the lip being of 
rich purplish crimson (award of merit). 
Cattleya Warneri formosa (Charlesworth, Shuttleworth, & Co.).— 
A very fine variety. The sepals and petals are pinkish mauve, the lip 
being rich crimson with a white fimbriated edge (award of merit). 
Anthuriuni crystallinum fol, var. (Pitcher & Manda).—This is a 
variegated foliage form of A. crystallinum. In a young condition half 
of each leaf is creamy white, the other portion being bright green 
blotched with cream. When well developed the leaf is more than a foot 
in length, and the variegation less conspicuous (first-class certificate). 
Anthurium Parisiente (Sir Trevor Lawrence).—The spathes of this 
species are medium sized and of a pale salmon-pink shade (award of 
merit). 
Alocasia Sanderiana nobilis (F. Sander k, Co.).—This is a grand 
plant with noble foliage. The leaves on the plant staged were about 
15 inches in length, and of a glaucous dark green shade, the whitish ribs 
and veins being most conspicuous. It will doubtless prove a useful 
addition to decorative stove plants, inasmuch as the foliage is of an 
attractive appearance. The illustration on page 439 depicts the character 
of the leaves (first-class certificate). 
Begonia Lady Broolio (J. Laing & Son).—A double variety with well 
formed flowers of a salmon pink shade (award of merit). 
Begonia Lord Brooke (J. Laing & Son).—A bright crimson double 
variety, the flowers being large and well formed (award of merit). 
Begonia Mrs. Regnarte (J. Laing & Son).—A double variety, with 
excellent flowers of rich yellow shade (award of merit). 
Begonia Lady Llanngattock (H. Cannell & Son).—This is a splendid 
double variety, with large flattish rich crimson flowers (award of merit). 
Begonia Bexley Gem (T. S. Ware).—A double variety, with pink 
flowers of a pretty tint (award of merit). 
Begonia elegans (T. S. Ware).—A charming variety, with double 
flowers, pinkish tinge, the petals having fimbriated edges (award of 
merit). 
Gloxinia Netted Queen (Sutton k Sons). — An exceedingly pretty 
variety. The flowers are large, upright, of a rich pink colour netted 
white (award of merit). 
Asplenium marginatum (H. B. May).—This is an attractive Fern 
with long fronds of a bright green colour and bold pinnae (first-class 
certificate). 
Cineraria maritima anrea variegata (H. B. May).—This is a showy 
plant with rich-coloured foliage and stems. The leaves are green covered 
with a silvery gloss, and yellow edges (award of merit). 
Cineraria maritima variegata (F. Sander & Co.).—This is appa¬ 
rently the same plant as was shown by Mr. May, and described above. 
Those exhibited by Messrs. F. Sander & Co. were, however, dwarfer in 
habit, and in this condition would be well adapted for bedding. The 
illustration on page 438 pourtrays the variegation on the foliage (award 
of merit). 
Nothochlcena mollis (W. k J. Birkenhead).—A new dwarf-growing 
Fern, with small fronds and minute pinnae (award of merit). 
Davallia Jijiensis elegans (W. k J. Birkenhead).—A graceful variety, 
with fronds about 18 inches in length, and small pinntE (award of 
merit). 
Athyrium sctigerum qrandiccps (W. k J. Birkenhead). — A pretty 
form with bright green cristated fronds (award of merit). 
Rhododendron Ariel (J. Veitch & Sons).—This is a charming green¬ 
house species with sulphur yellow flowers (award of merit). 
Hybrid Sioeet Briar Amy Roberts (Keynes, Williams & Co.).— A 
charming hybrid with pink flowers of a medium size (award of merit). 
Amaryllis Lord Roberts (B. S. Williams & Son).—A pretty variety 
with medium-sized flowers striped white and pink (award of merit). 
DraCcena Lord Wolseley (B. S. Williams k Son).—A useful decorative 
variety with bronzy leaves margined red (award of merit). 
Carnation Mrs. Seymour Boicverie (C. Blick).—A pretty variety, 
terra cotta shade, flushed carmine (award of merit). 
Carnation The Churchioarden (C. Blick).— This is a seedling 
from Souvenir de la Malmaison; the flowers are large, red, and clove 
scented (award of merit). 
Polyanthus Queen Victoria (J. Cocker k Sons). — This is a semi¬ 
double gold laced Polyanthus, with a rich orange centre (award of 
merit). 
yallota purpurea var. delicata (R. Veitch k Son). — A charming 
blush coloured variety of the well-known type V. purpurea. The 
flowers are medium in size (award of merit). 
Llemcrocallis Apricot (Gr. Yeld, Esq.). — This is a pretty variety 
with apricot yellow flowers. It appears to he a profuse bloomer, and 
should prove a welcome addition to these hardy plants (award of 
merit). 
Caladium Mrs. Harry Veitch (J. Laing & Son).—An attractive 
variety with large red leaves blotched with green and veined with dark 
red (award of merit). 
Caladium This Rouge (J. Laing k Sons).—A dull white ground with 
bright red veins (award of merit). 
Rose Carmine Rose (G. Paul & Son).—A new single variety with 
bright carmine flowers about 3^ inches in diameter, exceedingly pretty 
in the bud (award of merit). 
Croton Thomsofii (J. Laing k Son).—A useful decorative plant with 
yellow leaves blotched green, the young foliage having a very pale green 
shade (award of merit). 
Begonia Baron Sehrbder (J. Laing k Son).—A double variety with 
bright orange scarlet flowers of fine form (award of merit). 
Delphinium John Thorpe (Kelway k Son)—A double variety of 
exceptional merit; flowers rich purple shaded blue, inner petals white 
(award of merit). 
Primula Reidi((i. F. Wilson, Esq.).—This is one of the most charm¬ 
ing Primulas in cultivation, and by some growers is considered quite 
hardy. The plant exhibited, according to a statement shown with it, 
had been grown in the open border since 1886, and was taken up and 
put in a pan on the 23rd ult. The flowers are pure white, and delight¬ 
fully fragrant. This Primula is deserving of extended culture. The 
small engraving on page 442 illustrates the bloom and leaf (first-class 
certificate). 
THE SCOUNDREL SPARROW. 
I AM obliged to “ W. R. Raillem ” for his note on page 393. I was 
inclined to adopt a theory irequently advanced, that it was thirst which 
caused the sparrow to seek for moisture among the buds and blooms of 
flowers and trees, and that in search of this it unavoidably caused some 
damage. In view, however, of your correspondent’s statement that a 
stream of open water runs through his grounds I feel that we must 
abandon this theory, and fall back on the only possible one which occurs 
to me—viz., that the habits of the birds vary in different localities 
possibly from peculiarities of climate or food which we cannot properly 
understand. 
I hope the time may not come when I shall be compelled to destroy 
the sparrows. When I purchased my present house and garden these 
birds were “ in possession.” This is now rather over nine years ago, and 
I cannot say that I see any increase in their numbers. They must 
emigrate, and it is to be hoped they carry their orderly manners to the land 
of their adoption, and be as considerate to their hosts as they have hcen 
to me. I do not “ hold a brief ” for the sparrow, and must admit that in 
many cases he eats a great quantity of Oats, especially in fields sur¬ 
rounded by high or badly kept hedges. Whether he properly pays for 
his damage to the Oats by the destruction of pests and seeds or buds of 
weeds may, however, be a moot question. 
I do not in the slightest hint that “ W. R. Raillem” is wrong in 
his crusade against the sparrows, as if I were as satisfied as he is that 
they do damage I should likewise reduce their numbers. 1 have found 
domestic pigeons do a great deal of damage to flowers and also to young 
Peas, and some starlings which have been attempting to evict the 
sparrows from their nesting places in a neighbouring garden have been 
detected using Primroses and green haulm of Potatoes in their nesting 
materials.—S. Aenott. 
Will Mr. Witherspoon (page 393) kindly take notice that when he 
speaks of what he has seen himself, he says, “ These are stern unattack- 
able facts ; ” but in alluding to my statement that I had seen sparrows 
plucking off Apple blossom, and should therefore declare war upon them, 
he says, “ Whilst poking into the bloom truss to secure the snugly 
ensconsed caterpillar, the sparrow has been seen to drop a stray petal, 
and he is not only to b: censured, but he is to be utterly exterminated.”(?) 
And will he also say whether he considers this a courteous way of con¬ 
ducting correspondence ? My eyes have served me well in my observa¬ 
tions of birds for nearly half a century, and I feel bound to defend them 
against such unwarrantable imputations. 
Mr. Witherspoon uses the term “ birds ” several times in his letter ; 
but of course there are birds and birds. Anyone cognisant of the 
