278 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Sep‘ ember 29, 1887 
variety, sepals a greenish orange, petals orange shaded mauve, lip a 
rich purple. The rare and pretty Cypripedium Fairrieanum is 
carrying three flowers. Cypripediums Godefroyas, cenanthum, 
and Spicerianum are also flowering and are all beautiful. Amongst 
other choice plants now in flower are Cattleya Gaskelliana, several 
very fine vars., Lcclia Dayana, Odontoglossums Uro-Skinneri and 
bictonense, Miltonia virginalis, anl Ccelogyne Massangeana, a 
plant of the latter in a basket, with three fine flower spikes, is very 
beautiful.—W. K. W. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
September 27th. 
Dahlias and Tomatoes were the two great features of this meet'ng, the 
former being represented by large collections from the principal nurserymen, 
and the latter by specimens of a large number of varieties from the Society’s 
Chiswick Garden. Particulars of these will be found in another page, but 
so many lists of Dahlias have been given this season that we have not 
named any of those shown beyond the varieties certificated. 
Fruit Committee. —John Lee, Esq., in the chair. Present:—Messrs. 
Blackmore, Woodbridge, Bunyard, Barr, Pearson, Miles, Crowley, Norman, 
Fitt, Lane, Ford, and Dr. Hogg. Mr. Howe, Benham Park Gardens, and 
Mr. Sanson, Selworthy Park, Honiton, sent seedling Melons, both of which 
were passed. Mr. Bowers, Castle Hill Gardens, Cerne, sent a dish of Nec¬ 
tarines to be named which were’’ Pitmaston Orange. Mr. G. Bunyard 
sent a seedling Apple, raised by Mr. Graham of Cranfo d, called Graham’s 
Royal Jubilee. It is a large good-looking cooking Apple, some specimens of 
which were baked for the use of the Committee, but it was not considered 
superior to other varieties in cultivation. Messrs. Cheal & Sons of Crawley 
exhibited fruit of the American Cut leaved Blackberry, which was large and 
ornamental, but devoid of flavour. Mr. Thomas Baines of Palmers Green 
sent a dish of Trumpington and Scotch Bridget Apples. Mr. Barron exhi¬ 
bited from the Society’s Garden at Chiswick a di-h of Chasselas Vib:rt 
Grape, and also one of Royal Muscadine, ehowing the greater earliness of 
the former, which when growing in the same house is a fortnight earlier than 
Royal Muscadine; also bunches of Foster’s Seedling, Miller’s Burgundy 
Esperen, Ferdinand de Lesseps, and Diamant Traube. 
At a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee held at Chiswick, 
September 21st—present: John Lee, Esq. (in the chair), Messrs. Barr, 
Miles, Burnett, Fitt, Bunyard, Pearson, Norman, and Lane—the Committee 
examined the collection of Potatoes growing in the gardens. The following 
varieties, selected as possessing good appearance and cropping qualities, 
were tested by cooking, and first class certificates awarded—viz., 
Lord Tennyson (Fletcher).—Round flattened, purple-flaked, rough skin, 
white flesh, good quality. 
Day’s Sunrise (Dayj.— Early White round, clear rough skin, white 
flesh, good cropper. 
Maincrop Kidney (Johnson).— White kidney, clear rough skin, white 
flesh, good cropper. 
Early White Beauty (Webber).—White round, clear rough skin, white 
flesh, good cropper. 
The Committee inspected the collection of Tomatoes grown in the open 
ground, the following varieties being selected as “ types,” and awarded 
three marks each—viz., 
Perfection. —Fruits large, smooth, round ; red. 
Horsford's Prelude. —Frui's medium, oblate, smooth, deep red, very 
freely produced. 
Open Air (Laxton).—F,uits medium, flattened, and somewhat corrugated, 
early and fri e bearing. 
King Humbert or Chiswick Red. —Fruit3 oblong, angular, red, great 
cropper. 
Golden Queen. —Fruits large, smooth, oran?e-y llow. 
For list of Tomatoes grown and classified (with synonyms) see list 
(page 276). 
Floral Committee. —Present: Shirley Hibberd, Esq., in the chair ; and 
Messrs. W. Goldring, H. Bennett, H. Herbst, G. DufSeld, G. Paul, J. Fraser, 
R. Dean, W. Holmes. C. Noble, H. Ballantine, J. Dominy, H. M. Pollett, 
A. F. Lendy, T. Baines, E. Hill, B. Wynne, J. Douglas, W. Wilks, J. 
Walker. Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, contributed twenty boxes of 
Dahlias, single, Pompon, Show, Fancy and Cactus varieties, a magnificent 
collection, for which a silver-gilt medal was awarded. Mr. T. S. Ware, 
Tottenham, sent a beautiful collection of Pompon and single Dahlias, very 
bright and varied in colours. A number of Cactus and bedding varieties 
waB also shown, and several bunches of hardy flowers. Mr. J. T. West, 
gardener to W. Keith, Esq., The Cornwal s, Brentwood, exhibited eight 
stands of Show and Fancy Dahlia b'ooms, exceedingly fine substantial 
blooms (vote of thanks). kLssrs H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, had sevtral 
handsome Cactus Dahlias and flowers of Tuberous Begonias. Mr. C. 
Turner, Slough, sent a stand of new Dahlias, comprising several 
good varieties, one of which, Plutarch, was certificated. Messrs. Raw¬ 
lings Bros., Romford, Essex, showed about 120 blooms of Show and Fancy 
Dahlias, representing a large number of varieties (bronze Banksian medal). 
Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, contributed a pretty collection of single 
Cactus and Pompon varieties of Dahlias, including large number of choice 
new varieties raised by this firm (bronze m dal). 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., Burford Lodge, Dorking (gardener, 
Mr. Bickerstaffe) s nt a small group of Orchids, compr sing Odontoglossum 
Reichenheimi(cultural commendation) with a panicle of over fifty flowers, 
the sepals and petals barred with deep brown, the lip purple at the base, 
white at the upper pa-t; Epidend um xanthinum, bright yellow ; Coeliopais 
hyacinthina, with small white flowers from base of the plant; Cattleya 
Gaskelliana superba (vote of thanks). F. G. Tautz, Esq., Studley House, 
Hammersmith (gardener, Mr. Cowley), exhibited several Orchids, including 
the green-flowered Catasetum costatum and Cypripedium marmorophyllum. 
H. S. Smith, Esq., Cobham (gardener, Mr. Quarterman), was awarded a 
cultural commendation for Dendrobium formosum giginteum, with a head 
of eleven larye flowers. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chehea, exhibited plants of the inteves ing 
and beautiful hybrid Begonia John Heal, for which a vote of thanks was 
awarded. The flowers are bright rose, p.oduced very freely, and last a loDg 
time. Mr. F. Perkins, The Nurs ries, Leamington, was awarded a vote of 
thanks for plants of Solanum capsicastrum elegans, dwarf and freely fruited. 
Mr. S. Allen, Norchenden Road, Sale, Caeshire, was adjudged a cultural 
commendation for a remarkably well grown Nephrolepis Dnffi, nearly 3 fetk 
in diameter. Mr. J. Goody, Bilcbamp, Suffolk, sent several seedling 
Dahlias, with flowers of Juarezi. Mr. A. Duncan, Kenda 1 , sent a plant of 
Adiantum cuneatum Hartleyanum, a variety with small pinnules. Mr. M. 
Smith, 12, Queen Street, Kilmarnock, showed sixteen spikes of Gladioli, very 
handsome (cultural commendation). Mr. J. Chambers, Spring Grove, 
Isleworth, was awarded a vote of thanks for plants of a white Viola, 
named Snowflake, of good size and free. Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, had a 
similar award for Dianthus Heddewigi Snowball, and Gaillardia picta 
Unique. 
PLANTS CERTIFICATED. 
Dahlia Canterbury Tales (Paul it Son).—A single variety, rich crim* 
son, shading to purple at the tips of the florets. 
Dahlia Mrs. Harry Whitfield (Paul & Son).—A sing’e variety, brilliant 
yel’ow, capital shape. 
Dahlia Frank Pearce (Rawlings Bros.).—A fancy variety of a light rosy 
crimson hue, with a few dark crimson streaks. 
Dah’ia Plutarch (C. Turner).—A fancy variety of got! form and d's- 
tinct c.lour, orange buff streaked crimson. 
SHOWING AND JUDGING FRUIT. 
An “Old Hand” contributes a very good letter on this subject on 
page 522, and adduces evidence in favour of the continuance of very 
large prizes for very large collections of fruit. I have not the Journal 
at hand to refer to, but believe I stated in the article that an “ Old 
Hand ” criticises so fairly, that when there was good and genuine competi¬ 
tion in classes of a sensational nature that was a sufficient justification 
for their provision and continuance. We are thus in accord on that 
subject. What I desire to mainly point out is this, that when extraor¬ 
dinary sums are offered for an extraordinary number of dishes the great 
bulk of the prizes in schedules must of necessity be disproportionately 
small, while many good cultivators can compete in these and only few in 
the former. When a prize of £50 brings three competitors only out 
of the thousands of good gardeners in Britain it is in my view a failure, 
except in so far that the sensation attracts the gaping crowd of sightseers. 
An amount like that prohibits free competition. In the Newcastle 
instance I suspect it ostracised a whole community—namely, of vegetable 
growers. There appears to have been nothing left for these, yet is it not 
as important to encourage the production of high-class vegetables as of 
fruit and flowers ? 
I hope I did not suggest that superior fruit is not staged in classes 
that are intended to be sensational. It is readily conceded that the best 
of examples may be found there ; but what rlo we find in addition ? 
We find plenty of dishes arranged to make up the requisite number that 
are not superior to the produce staged by cottagers at a good show. 
This is not adduced as derogatory to i reat exhibitors who cannot help 
themselves in the matter, and they do and must scrape together the 
best they can to meet the conditions imposed. 
It is most creditable to Scottish growers that they exhibit in such 
numbers in large classes, and that they exhibit well is admitted. My 
point is this. When the competition is so good it would be better to in¬ 
crease the number of prizes in those classes than to divide an excep¬ 
tionally large sum between two or three individuals whether the com¬ 
petition be keen or not. 
I daresay an “ Old Hand” knows as well as I do that a class of 
twelve dishes of fruit is easy to compete in, or the reverse, according to 
the stipulations. If every dish has to be of a distinct kind of fruit the 
competition will be limited, as the whole of the fruits will not be of 
high class quality, but if duplicates are allowed distinct in variety, such 
as black and white Grapes, dark and light Plums, and so on, the field of 
competition is widened and the collections generally improved. A 
collection of twelve dishes may be easier to compete in than one of 
eight dishes, and too much care cannot be exercised by the framers of 
schedules in distinguishing “ kinds ” and “ varieties,” so that intending 
exhibitors may know exactly what to do to make themselves safe against 
disqualifications.— Expeeientia docet. 
HILL HOUSE, LANGPORT. 
This, the residence of Vincent Stuckey, Esq., is situated close to 
Langport, and wtll above the large tracts of low-lying land that sur¬ 
rounds that quiet little town. No place that I have visited this season 
has suffered so much for want of rain, none having fallen, to any appre¬ 
ciable extent, from February till the end of August. As a consequence 
the lawns, flower gardens, and park were looking very brown indeed, 
this naturally marring the appearance of what is really a pretty well- 
kept place. Adjoining the house, and overlooking a flower garden, 
stands a commodious and well designed conservatory, which contains 
an aviary, and is kept constantly filled with a good selection of climb¬ 
ing fine-foliaged and flowering plants. A noble plant of the very 
ornamental or serviceable Kentia Fosteriana and good Dicksonias form 
admirable centres of groups, and about these are arranged plenty of 
Fuchsias, Marguerites, Achimenes, Coleuses, Pandanuses, dwarf Scabious, 
and Calliopsis. The two last named annuals are well adapted for pot 
culture, and remain in flower for a considerable length of time. The 
< double pink Ivy-leaf Pelargonium Madame Crousse is very effective for 
