518 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 21, 1888. 
were tricolor Wilsoni, ventricosa tricolor, and Candolleana. Pelargoniums 
in twelves were also invited, and Mr. C. Turner of Slough has generally 
shown in this class, but could not on this occasion. The first prize with¬ 
held, a second being awarded to Mr. J. Mattock, Headington Hill, 
Oxford, Fancy Pelargoniums were also invited, but none were forth¬ 
coming. 
Cut FUmers. —Mr. J. Mattock was the only exhibitor of twenty-four 
varieties of Koses, three trusses of each, his best blooms being Catherine 
Mermet, Souvenir d’Elise, Rubens, Perle desJardins,Niphetos, Mar4chal 
Niel, Devoniensis, Souvenir d’un Ami, Marie Van Houtte, Jean Ducher, 
Madame Lambard, and Grace Darling. Mr. Geo. Prince, nurseryman, 
Oxford, had the best twenty-four Roses in single trusses, staging capital 
blooms of Comtesse de Hadaillac, Mar^chal Niel, Madamede Watteville, 
Princess of Wales, Souvenir d’Elise, Grace Darling, Adam, Alba Rosea, 
Duke of Edinburgh, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Niphetos, and Madame 
Lambard. Second, Miss Watson Taylor, Manor House, Headington (the 
addresses of gardeners are not given at Oxford), with Marfichal Niel, 
Xavier Olibo, Rubens, Devoniensis, Souvenir d’Elise, Perle des Jardins, 
Madame Lambard, La France, and Catherine Mermet. Third, Mr. J. 
Walker, nurseryman, Thame. 
Jjinner Table Becoratiom. —With three stands Mr. J. Mattock was 
first, arranged after the usual pattern, but showing the common fault of 
being too heavily loaded ; J. S. Parker, Esq., Ifiiey, Oxford, being second. 
Mr. J. Johnson, Garsington, Oxford, had the best hand bouquet, a re¬ 
markably good one, composed wholly of white flowers ; Mr. Geo. Jacob, 
White Lane Nursery, AVitney, being second with one composed mainly 
of Orchids. The best single piece for table decoration came from Rev. 
H. A. Pickard, Canterbury Road, Oxford. 
Members' Plant Classes. —The best eight stove and greenhouse plants 
in flower came from G. H. Morrell, Esq., Headington Hill, who had 
Bougainvillea glabra, .Justicia carnea, with some fine spikes of bloom; 
Tabernffimontana coronaria flore' pleno, Impatiens Sultani, and Vincas 
alba and rosea. There were no other exhibitors. AVith six specimens, 
Mr. Geo. Jacob, Mill Lane Nursery, AVitney, was first with Olivia miniata, 
Cattleya Mendeli, Oncidium sphacelatum, Anthurium Scherzerianum, 
and Cypripedium barbatum. Mr. G. H. Morrell had the best six 
variegated and ornamental foliaged plants, having good specimens of 
-Croton AVarreni, Caladium Chantini, Dracaena Shepherdi, D. metallica, 
Cissus discolor, and Pandanus Veitchi. Second, Mr. Geo. .Jacob, AVitney. 
The best specimen stove plant was Cattleya Gaskelliana from Mr. Geo. 
Jacob ; Mr. G. H. Morrell being second with Ixora coccinea. The best 
specimen hardy plant was a fine piece of Cypripedium spectabile from 
Mr. R. Price, Headington ; Mr. R. H. Byass, Rousham Park, being second 
with Deutzia crenata fl. pi. The best ornamental foliage plant was a 
fine Chamserops excelsa from Mr. G. H. Morrell; Mr. Geo. Jacob coming 
second with Encephalartos villosus. 
Orchids. —The best four specimens came from Mr. G. Jacob, who had 
Cattleyas Mossire and Mendeli, Odontoglossum vexillarium, and Cypri¬ 
pedium barbatum. Second, C. A. Severs, Esq.,‘ Oxford, who had Odonto- 
glossus citrosmum, Dendrobium thyrsiflorum, Cattleya Mendeli, and C. 
Mossife. 
Miscellaneous Flowering Plants. —These were shown in good condi¬ 
tion by Messrs. Jacob and others. Achimenes were rather small, but 
nicely grown and bloomed. Some very good herbaceous Calceolarias 
were staged by Mr. J. AValker, Thame, and also by Mr. R. J. Johnson, 
the awards being made in the order of their names. Fuchsias were a 
good feature, some very nice free-growing and well-flowered plants from 
Mr. J. AValker being placed first, the varieties being Rose of Castille, 
Charming, Grand Duchess Marie, AVarrior, Mrs. Marshall, and Mrs. 
Bundle; all good exhibition sorts. Second, Mr. J. Johnson with 
smaller specimens. Some fine specimens were also shown in the class 
for three varieties. Begonias (Tuberous) were a good feature also. Mr. 
J. Mattock was first with some capital varieties ; Mr. R. Price of Head¬ 
ington being second. Pelargoniums in the members’ classes were some¬ 
what poor. Mr. J. Mattock had the best nine show varieties, Mr. 
Dallon, Norbury Gardens being second. Mr. C. Jacob had the best six 
varieties. Mr. Jacob also had the best six Zonals, showing fresh and 
well-bloomed specimens, Mr. J. Johnson being a good second. They 
were also shown in collections of four plants. Double varieties were 
shown in better form than the singles, Mr. Owen Grimbley, Summer- 
town, being first, and Mr. J. Jo^mson second. Tricolors were a good 
feature, well grown and coloured plants abounding. Mr.. J. Mattock 
was first with six, having Empress of India, Lady Cullum, Mr. H. Cox, 
Sophia Dumaresque, Elegans, and Diadem. Second Mr. C. Jacob with 
much the same varieties. Ivy-leaved varieties in sixes were equally 
good, nice, bushy, well grown, and flowered specimens. 
Exotic and Ilai dy Ferns. —These were well shown, but owing to the 
press of visitors it was impossible to glean particulars. The hardy 
Ferns were a remarkably good feature. 
Cut Flowers. —It is a practice at Oxford to show small bouquets in 
twenty-fours, and they, as might be expected, are generally of an 
inferior character. It would be much better to substitute for these 
bunches of stove and greenhouse flowers. The best came from Mr. J. 
Johnson, Garsington, "Mr. John AValker being second. Mr. T. Anstiss, 
Brill, Bucks, had the best nine bouquets, the Rev. H. A. Pickard, Canter¬ 
bury Road, being second. Bouquets for the hand and buttonholes did 
not call for special notice. Zonal Pelargoniums in bunches of nine were 
also well shown, the best coming from Mr. J. Mattock, Mr. John AA''alker 
being a good second. AA'e were pleased to see some of the florists’ 
Eanunculus, and though not in good condition it shows they are still 
cared for. The best came from Mr. P. Southby of Bamjjton, Oxon. 
Pansies of the fancy class were well shown by Mr. Joseph Lakin of 
Temple Cowley, who had the best twenty-four, Mr. John Akers of 
Stanton Harcourt taking the first prize for the best twelve. A dozen 
Pinks were shown by Dr. B. AA''ard, AVarneford Asylum, but they showed 
the effects of an unkind season. Evidently attempts are still made to 
grow some of the old florists’ flowers about Oxford. Pyrethrums in 
bunches of three blooms made a good feature, set up in nine varieties 
backed by their foliage ; but the finest feature of all was the stands of 
twelve bunches of hardy herbaceous cut flowers. Here Mr. J. Lakin 
was first with a very fine lot in large bunches well displayed, Mr. R. 
Price, Headington, being second. There were several classes for Roses 
also, but the best varieties shown have alread}’’ been given. 
Fruit were limited in quantity, but generally good ; the three best 
bunches of white Grapes were Foster’s Seedling from Col. Miller, Shot- 
over House, AA^heatley; Col. Lee, Aylesbury, being second with the 
same. Three good but unripe bunches of Duke of Buccleuch were 
staged in this class. Mr. Geo. Parker, Great Tew Park, had the best 
three bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes, R. N. Byass, Esq., being 
second. Col. Lee had the best dish of Peaches, showing Alexander ; 
Mr. P. Southey being second with Stirling Castle. The best Melon was 
Hero of Lockiuge. 
Vegetables were remarkably well shown, especially for the special 
prizes given by Messrs. Sutton & Sons of Reading, and Messrs. AVebb 
and Sons, Stourbridge. There wore several classes for these. Potatoes 
being perhaps the weakest display, which is not to be wondered at 
considering the late season. There %vas also a very good display of 
cottagers’ vegetables, the collections of cut flowers being particularly 
interesting. 
SOWING AND GROWING CABBAGE. 
Being asked by Messrs. Stuart & Mein to put on paper our mode of 
growing Cabbage, I have great pleasure in doing so ; but would here 
remark that our time of sowing will not suit all, and that each gardener 
or amateur ought to have his own calendar to suit his locaiity. The first 
thing to attend to is the purchasing of the seed, and also the variety, 
and from some reliable firm. I have grown Stuart & Mein’s No. 1 for 
some years, and find it our best early. 
The soil for the seed beds should be light, moderately rich, and well 
pulverised. AVe sow our seed as near as possible about the 17th July, in 
shallow drills, the full width of a draw hoe, from a foot to 14 inches 
apart, covering thinly with fine soil, and finishing by beating it lightly 
with the back of a rake. By sowing in drills the plants can be easily 
thinned, and kept stirred with a hoe. By these means fine plants can 
be reared, which must not be allowed to become crowded, which will 
enable them to form good plants with fine roots without pricking out; 
and if all goes well, the plants are ready for planting the first week in 
September, -which we always manage to do, on a piece of ground 
thoroughly prepared—trenched, if possible—as no one can grow good 
tender succulent Cabbages on the non-digging principle. 
Cabbages like to grow on ground of a good substantial nature, which 
has been heavily dunged for a number of years. AVe use enormous 
quantities of farmjard manure, not much decomposed, which we bury 
to the depth of one spit below the surface. AVe do not use any artificial 
manure, as we think the farmyard manure keeps the soil open and acts 
as a drainage, which enables the plants to grow better in winter and 
spring. In planting out advantage should be taken of moist weather, 
if possible; but should the weather be dry, we always plant towards 
evening, puddling the roots in a mixture of soot and lime, and by care¬ 
fully lifting the plants, planting firm, and giving a good watering, any¬ 
one can grow Cabbages to suit the most fastidious, and, if need be, “ Go 
in and win.”—D. INGLIS, Uowich Hall. Northumberland. 
[Mr. Inglis was the winner of the £5 prize for Cabbages offered by 
Messrs. Stuart & Mein last year.] 
EEVIEAN OF BOOK. 
Ilandbooh of the Amaryllidece, including the Alstrmineriece and 
Agavem. By J. G. Baker, F.R.S., F.L.S. London : George Bell and 
Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 
This useful work of reference is the outcome of a long experience 
and a close study of the plants on which it treats, for Mr. Baker states 
in the preface “ During the twenty-three years I have been at Kew I 
have made notes of the characters of all the Amaryllidese that have 
passed through my hands in a living state, and have had the opportunity 
of examining dried specimens of nearly all the species of the order. 
I have attempted in the present work to furnish cultivators and botanists 
with a compact working handbook, of which the main part consists of 
characters of the genera and species drawn up from actual specimens. 
I have not attempted to deal fully with the bibliography of the plants, 
or to trace out their pre-Linnean history, or to say anything about their 
cultivation, or to deal, except very briefly, with the garden hybrids, 
which are so numerous in this order.” 
The book comprises 216 closely printed pages of botanical descriptions 
in English of sixty-one genera and about 670 species, the principal 
references to authorities and figures being included, together with 
particulars of geographical distribution and many historical facts, 
especially in regard to the genera Narcissus, Hippeastrum. Though 
essentially a work of botanical importance, the descriptions are so clear 
and intelligible that the book will be interesting and useful to all horti- 
