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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 24,1891. 
only spirit. The sweet fragrant scent sold as “ Lavender water ” is 
really a compound composed of these things : oil of Lavender, mixed 
with the rectified spirit of wine, and then these essences added to it— 
rosemary, jessamine, bergamot, otto of roses, orange flowers, and musk. 
But as most chemists make a speciality of it each one has his own pet 
formula, in the preparation of which he has always to bring to bear 
very much chemical knowledge. The scent has a great sale everywhere, 
it being a general favourite, but the largest sale effected in it is for that 
made by Sainsbury in the Strand and by Lunn in Worcester. In this 
part of the country a Lavender water is “ made ” by the cottagers, who 
each season send their cuttings, mixed with Rosemary, red Rose leaves, 
Musk, and Thyme, to be distilled in their market town, where it is duly 
made and bottled ; the old dames, by the sale of it, helping out their 
“posies” to make up their rent. This year, though, has been a bad 
one for them, as also for the “ Lavender girls.” Let us hope, however, 
that this first time will be the last time that we shall have to wait till 
September before our ears are greeted daily with the cry of “ Lavender, 
fresh Lavender, sweet blooming Lavender.” 
Lavender is a native of those mountainous districts which border 
the western half of the Mediterranean, and extend from the eastern coast 
of Spain to Calabria and Northern Africa ; where, so hardy is the plant, 
that in some places it grows at a height of 4500 feet above sea level; 
and it is cultivated as far north as Norway and Livonia. Its leaves and 
flowers were used by the ancients to perfume their baths, and hence, as 
supposed, its name from lavare. to wash. The earliest mention of it was 
in the twelfth century, by the Abbess Hildegard, who lived near Bingen 
on the Rhine ; and in the thirteenth century it was used as a medicine 
by the herbalists in Wales, under the name of “ Llafantly.” Culti¬ 
vated in England chiefly for its oil, there is also a large export trade for 
its flowers, which are sent to America, the Barbary States, and Turkey. 
Lavender is so influenced by the weather that the quantity of oil to be 
obtained from it varies from 12 to 30 lbs. to the acre, as when, as in this 
year, the weather in June and July is cold and wet the yield is but half 
as much as when it has been bright and sunny. As oil made from the 
flowers only is so high priced, the bulk of it is from both stalks and 
flowers. Mellowed by keeping it corked tightly for two or three years 
it then, to prevent deterioration, is mixed with alcohol. The best French 
oil fetches but one-sixth the price of the English, as it is chiefly made 
from the wild plant, which is collected in Piedmont and the south of 
France, especially in the villages about Mont Ventoux, near Avignon, 
where it grows profusely, and in those some leagues west of Montpellier. 
In olden times a spirit of Lavender was used under the name of “ palsy 
drops,” as it was credited with being of service in affections of the 
nervous system ; and at the present day we also use Lavender in the 
shape of spirit, nine parts of spirit to one of oil; but more often in the 
form of a compound tincture, composed of Lavender, Rosemary, Nutmeg, 
and Cinnamon macerated in spirits of wine, and coloured red with red 
Sandal Wood, or Red Sandars, as it is called, when it is given in conjunc¬ 
tion with ammonia and cardamons as a stimulant in nervous affections. 
In New York Lavender will not flourish freely, but in Philadelphia 
large tracts of it are grown, the dried flowers being used mainly for 
scent bags, as is the case with Sweet Basil in America. In Provence 
Lavender is called Vespic, and hence the oil made there, from stalk and 
blossom, is in England called “ oil of spike,” which at one time was 
used in porcelain painting, as also in veterinary medicine. There are 
many varieties of Lavender—about twenty species if we do not err, 
some of which extend as far east as India. A very fragrant one is a 
native of Spain, and another the Stoechas, its growth extending from the 
Canaries to Asia Minor, is still used by the Arabs for coughs and spasms ; 
and the Stoechades, near Toulon, now called the Isles of Hyeres, owed 
their name to the abundance of the plant which grew there. “ The Sea 
Lavender,” which grows in salt marshes and has fine spikes of bloom, is, 
strange to say, wholly scentless, and the “ Lavender Cotton,” an ever¬ 
green undershrub, has yellow instead of blue flowers. Some of the 
varieties, as those with divided leaves, are with us grown in greenhouses. 
Lavender, with our poet’s love of flowers, has, needless to say, not 
been overlooked by them, and many of them touch upon it; though, as 
space presses, we can here but allude to a few of them. Thus Spenser 
mentions “ the wholesome Sage and Lavender still gray,” and Shen- 
stone, “ Lavender, whose spikes of azure blue shall be, ere w T hile, in arid 
bundles bound.” Drayton, too, deals with it largely, though mainly in 
reference to herb-strewing. “ Some Lavender, with Rosemary and Bays, 
amongst these strewing kinds,” and he elsewhere has this verse on it 
concerning strewing: — 
“ With Basil then will I begin, whose scent is wondrous pleasing. 
This Eglantine I’ll next put in, the sense with sweetness seizing. 
Then in my Lavender I’ll lay, Muscado put among it, 
And here and there a leaf of Bay which still shall run along it.” 
— Shelsley Beauchamp (in the Worcester Herald ). 
CHELTENHAM SHOW. 
September IGth and 17th. 
This Society held their usual Exhibition on the above dates, and in 
spite of the unfavourable season the display of plants, cut flowers, fruit, 
and vegetables was first-class. Probably plants were never shown better 
at Cheltenham, Mr. J. Cypher, Messrs. Heath & Son, and Mr. 
J. F. Mould of Pewsey exhibiting well. The prizes in none of the 
classes are large, but the competition is usually very keen, and reflects 
great credit on the Committee and their energetic Secretary, Mr. 
T. H. Packer, in working up and organising such a good Show. 
For six stove and greenhouse plants Mr. J. Cypher was first for Erica 
Marnockiana, very fine ; E. Eweriana, Allamanda nobilis, &c., all good ; 
Mr. J. F. Mould occupying second place, Erica Eweriana 6uperba being 
especially well grown and flowered. For a collection of thirty plants, in 
or out of bloom, Mr. J. Cypher was first for splendid specimens, some of 
the most conspicuous being Croton Sunset, C. angustifolius, Kentia 
Belmoreana, a magnificent plant; Caryota sobolifera, Latania borbonica, 
Erica Turnbulli, E. Marnockiana and E. Eweriana, Messrs. Heath and 
Son being a good second with much smaller but well grown plants ; and 
Mr. J. F. Mould a moderate third. With eight Zonal Pelargoniums H. 
Chapman, Esq. (gardener, Mr. II. Sparkes), was first ; Mrs. Lingwood 
(gardener, Mr. T. Lewis) second ; and Mrs. Gillilan (gardener, Mr. A. 
Mansfield) third. All the plants were well flowered, but too formally 
trained. Eight Fuchsias.—First, Messrs. Heath & Son; second, H. 
Chapman, Esq.; third, Mrs. Gillilan ; the plants in each case being pro¬ 
fusely bloomed. Achimenes brought only one exhibitor, Mrs. Lingwood, 
who was awarded the first prize, an honour well deserved. Begonias 
were not of any particular merit, having the appearance of having 
suffered in transit. 
Dahlias were very good, and the competition very close. For thirty- 
six varieties, distinct, Mr. T. Hobbs, Bristol, was first ; Messrs. Heath 
and Son second; Mr. G. Humphries, Chippenham, third. Dahlias, 
twelve verieties.—Mr. F. Harris first ; Mr. T. Hobbs second. German. 
Asters, twenty-four blooms in twelve varieties.—Mr. S. Cooper, Chippen¬ 
ham, first. Mr. S. P. Budd, Bath, was a very close second. Mr. 
T. Evry, Bathiston, third. French Asters, twenty-four varieties.—In this 
class Mr. S. P. Budd was first, Mr. T. Evry second, and Mr. J. Towns¬ 
end, Lower Broadheath, third. Roses, twelve varieties, cut in loose 
bunches.—Mr. J. Mattock, Oxford, first with beautiful blooms, and Mr. 
P. Rudd second ; Messrs. Heath & Son third. 
For black Grapes, two dishes, distinct, C. Lee Campbell, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. S. T. Wright), Glewston Court, Ross, was first with fine 
bunches of Alicante and Lady Downe’s; Canon Coventry (gardener, 
Mr. C. Froud) second with fine Gros Colman and Black Hamburgh ; 
and Rev. G. Coventry (gardener, Mr. A. James) third. White Grapes, 
two dishes distinct, Canon Coventry first with well-finished Muscats 
and Buckland Sweetwater; Mrs. South wood (gardener, Mr. F. Rea) 
second ; Rev. G. Coventry third. In the other Grape classes Messrs. 
Hall, Butt, Campbell, Coventry, Cook, and Lawry were the principal 
prizetakers. 
Collection of fruit, eight dishes.—H. C. Moffatt, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 
T. Spencer), Goodrich Court, was first with Muscat of Alexandria, 
Madresfield Court well finished, Queen Pine, Williams’ Bon Chretien 
Pears, Moorpark Apricots, Princess of Wales Peaches, Hero of Lockinge 
Melon, and Jefferson Plums; the Earl of Coventry (gardener, Mr. W. 
Child) second with a very good collection ; W. A. H. Martin, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. J. Bailey) third. Collection of four dishes.—Mrs. Lingwood 
first, Col. Rogers second, Mr. Greaves third. Plums, Apples, Pears, and 
Cherries were well shown, Earl of Coventry, Messrs. Moorman, Cypher, 
Campbell, Cook, Turk, Martin, Daubeney, &c., winning the chief 
honours. Melons were only fair, also Nectarines. Peaches, however, 
were well represented, Col. Rogers being the most successful in the two 
latter c’asses, and Canon Coventry with Melons. 
Vegetables are always a great feature at Cheltenham, and they were 
up to the usual standard of excellence again this year. For nine varieties 
Mr. A. Cook was first with all-round good specimens, Mr. W. Evry 
coming second. For s.x varieties Rev. G. Coventry was first; Colonel 
Rogers second. Messrs. Sutton’s prize for six dishes, Lord Sudeley first ^ 
Colonel Rogers second; Earl of Coventry third. The other vegetable 
classes were all well filled, and the competition close ; Messrs. Webb’s 
prizes for six dishes going to the Rev. G. Coventry, and Mr. J. G. 
Hitching, Burton-on-Trent. The weather was fairly favourable, the 
attendance appeared large, and it is to be hoped the Show was as great 
a success financially as it was in other respects. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Gathering Fruit.— This is one of the most important operations 
connected with hardy fruit culture, especially with Apples and Pears 
that have to be kept a considerable time in the store room. If these 
get damaged before storing many of them will decay afterwards. It is 
also important that they should not be gathered before they are perfectly 
ripe. In order to ascertain when this is the case one or two fruits 
from each tree should be cut open to see if the pips are brown, and if 
so the fruit may be gathered at once without any danger of shrivelling 
afterwards, provided other precautions are properly observed in the 
fruit room. With Apples anti Pears of the latest kinds, such for instance 
as Alfriston, Wellington, and French Crab among the former, and 
Easter Beurr^, Bergamot d’Esperen, and Nec plus Meuris among the 
latter, it is not always possible to leave the fruit on the trees long 
