180 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f August 27, 1885. 
■which the varieties are established, and nearly if not in every instance the 
superiority of the Doucin is apparent. The trees are planted 3 feet apart 
in rows, say a dozen trees on one stock and a similar number on the other 
in the same row, all having been grafted on the same day. The crop of 
the valuable Stirling Castle Apple is prodigious, but while the trees on 
the Doucin are twice the size of those on the Paradise and equally fruitful, 
it is evident thoBe on the latter stock will not continue healthy and produc¬ 
tive for many years. Of Cellini there is a splendid crop of excellent fruit, 
the trees on the Paradise being 2 to 3 feet high, those on the Doucin 
4 to 5 feet, the larger bearing fruit as freely as the smaller. Yellow 
logestrie on the Doucin is laden with its small golden fruit, and it is 
'dear the stock suits th s favourite market dessert Apple. Cox’s Orange 
Pippin is excellent on both stocks, if anything the fruit being a trifle finer 
on the Paradise, but it is only a trifle, and the larger, healthier, yet fruit¬ 
ful trees on the Doucin show this to be the more serviceable stock. On 
the fame stock the valuable and almost certain bearing Apple, Small’s 
Admirable, is healthy, though the branches are wreathed with fruit, which 
is finer than on the smaller trees on the Paradise. New Hawthornden is 
very fine and colouring well on the Doucin, good, but not so well coloured 
on the Paradise. Van Mons Reinette, on the Doucin, is free and upright 
in growth, and bearing an excellent crop of attractive fruit. Baumann’s 
Red Winter Reinette is bearing large beautifully coloured fruit, red all 
over, and would be tempting in the market in winter. Young trees of 
Lane's Prince Albert on the Paradise are healthy and bearing well, and it 
is evidently an excellent variety for fruiting in a small state. Stone’s 
Apple or Loddington Seedling is not well adapted for bushes, being loose 
and irregular in habit. The crop is light, but fruit fine. Lord Suffield is 
very fine indeed, but no Apple in the collection attracts more notice than 
the Duchess of Oldenburg, which must be regarded as one of the most 
handsome and useful of early Apples. The fruit is large, pale yellowish 
green, marked all over with distinct red streaks. It is quite ripe now 
(August 24th), and is unsurpassed for culinary purposes, and not to he 
despised for dessert. It is a thoroughly good Apple, and the tree grows 
well and bears freely. This experimental quarter of Apples is both attrac¬ 
tive and instructive, and is worthy of inspection by all who can visit the 
Gardens at the present time. 
The Plum crop is variable. Samples were being gathered for the 
exhibition at Sonth Kensington, but only a few were quite ripe. Oullins 
Early, however, was over, and Mr. Barron regards it as one of the best 
early yellow Plums. Angelina Burdelt is one of the most delicious purple 
Plums ; Bradshaw is one of the largest dark varieties ; and the most pro¬ 
ductive of all, regardless of colour, is the well-known and very service¬ 
able Denyer’s Victoria. 
Under glass there are plenty of Grapes. The large vinery is well 
furnished as usual with useful bunches, and as some persons take an 
interest in Vine vagaries, it may be noted that a Vine of the Gros Guil¬ 
laume, trained horizontally with reds taken upright at intervals, appears 
as if bearing a succession of fruit, the fruit on the rod most distant from 
ihe root being black, that on the rod directly over the root green and 
small, while on the intervening rods the bunches are more or less coloured 
according to the position of the rods, the colour deepening according to 
their distance from the main upright stem or root of the Vine. 
But the Vines most deserving of mention are the Gros Colmans with 
a few Alnwick Seedlings in the long corridor-like house. They are in first- 
rate condition this year, far better than usual, with thick healthy 
foliage and large rapidly swelling fruit. The border was thickly covered 
with rich manure some weeks since, and this having been kept constantly 
moist—not with mere sprinklings, but heavy supplies of water—has been 
taken possession of by a mass of feeding roots, which are bristling 
ihrough the surface and doing good work for the Vines and crop. If this 
plan of mulching were adopted more generally, instead of having the 
surface of Vine borders loose and dry, there would he fewer complaints 
about failing Vines and inferior Grapes.—A Visitor. 
NATIONAL CARNATION AND PICOTEE SOCIETY. 
(NORTHERN SECTION.) 
This Show was held as usual in tbe Town Hall, Manchester, and with 
the prize list a correspondent sends the following remarks :— 
“ The Show was as a whole very bright in bloom, but short in quantity 
of flowers. Only eighteen exhibitors were able to come up. The date was 
too eirly for some of the cold north districts. Mr. Lord’s flowers were the 
best in general condition and splendid examples of sound culture.” 
The following is the list of awards :— 
Eor twelve Carnations all dissimilar.—First, Mr. R. Lord with Curzon, 
John Harland, Banger Johnson, Hextall, Sybil, E. S. Dodwell, James 
Douglas, Clipper, Mrs. Dodwell, E. Adams, Unexpected, Mercury ; second, 
Mr. B. Simor.ite with Sybil, Sarah Payne, Florence Nigutingale, A. Med- 
hurst, H. Cannell, Master Fred, J. Douglas, seedling (Simonite), seedling 
(Horner's No. 6 rose flake), Joseph Crossland, Sportsman, and a seedling; 
third, Mr. G. Geggie, whose best flowers were Master Fred, W. Skirving, 
Sybil, and J. Douglas; fourth, Mr. F. Law, whose best flowers were Squire 
Meyne 1, J. D. Hextall, Sybil, and J. Douglas. 
For twelve Picotees all dissimilar.—First, Mr. R. Lord with Mrs. Lord, 
John Smith, Ann Lord, Thomas William, Clara Penson, Master Norman, 
L ddington Favourite, Miss Wood, Mrs. Niven, Zerlina, R. Scott, and Elise ; 
second, Mr. B. Simonite with Constance Heron, Mrs. Gorton, Brunette, two 
seedlings, John Smith, Princess of Wale s, Dr. Horner, Mrs. Nevin, Muiiel, 
J. B. Bryant, and Mary ; third, Mr. G. Gegg’e, whose best flower was Clara 
Penson ; fourth, Mr. F. Law, whose best flowers were Clara Penson and 
Mrs. Gorton. 
For tvelve Carnations, nine to be dissimilar.—First, R. Gorton, lEsq., 
with E. S. Dodwell, Skirving, Merryweather, Foster, R. Johnson, Master 
Fred, Harrison Weir, G. Adams, and F. Nightingale; second, Mr. J. 
Bleackley, with Master Fred, J. Douglas, Sybil, Sportsman, Falconbridgo 
Curzon, Clipper, Keats, Lord Napier, Squire Llewelyn, and M. Nottingham . 
For twelve Picotees, nine to be dissimilar.—First, Mr. J. Bleackley, with 
Brunette, Zsrlina, Thomas William, Edith Dombrain, Alliance, Her Majesty, 
Liddington Favourite, Miss Wood, and another; second, Mr. J. Whittam, 
with Zerlina, J. B. Bryant, Cla r a Penson, MiS3 Horner, Thomas. William, 
Miss Wood, Brunette, John Smith, Ann Lord, and Edith Dombrain; third, 
R. Gorton, E'q. ; and fourth, Mr. W. Slack. 
For six Carnations, all dissimilar.—First, Mr. J. Whitham, with E. S. 
Dodwell, Lord Raglan, Tim Bobbin, Curzon, J. Douglas, and H. Cannell; 
and second, Mr. G. Thornley, with Curzon, Raglan, Squire Trow, J. Douglas, 
Clipper, and Keats. 
Six Picotees, all dissimilar.—First, Mr. E. Shaw, with Daisy, Clara 
Penson, Alice, Her Majesty, Miss Horner, and Miss Wood; second, Mr. G. 
Thornley, with Mrs. Rudd, Nymph, Miss Horner, Mrs. Prescott, Burdeto 
Coutts, and Norfolk Beauty. 
Extra class for twelve fancies.—First, Mr. R. Lord ; and second, Mr. F. 
Law. 
Premier Carnation.—Curzon from Mr. R. Lord. 
Premier Picotee.—Zerlina from Mr. J. Bleackley. 
SINGLE SPECIMENS. 
Scarlet Bizarre Carnation. —Mr. R. Lord, all the prizes with Curzon. 
Crimson Bizarre Carnation. —First, R. Gorton with Harrison Weir ; se¬ 
cond, G. Geggie with Master Fred; third, J. Bleackley, with E. 8. Dodwell; 
fourth, G. Gsggie with Master Fred ; fifth, R. Lord with Master Fred. 
Purple Bizarre Carnation. —First, J. Whitham with E. Dodwell; se¬ 
cond, S. Barlow with Sir G. Wolseley ; third, J. Whitham with H. Weir; 
fourth and fifth, R. Gorton with H. Weir and W. Skirving. 
Scarlet Flake Carnation. —First, G. Geggie with H. Cannell; second, B. 
Simonite with Tom Powell, third, J. Bleackley with Sportsman ; fourth, J. 
Chadwick with Ivanhoe ; fifth, B. Simonite with seedling. 
Bose Flake Carnation. —First, R. Lord with J. Keats ; second, W. Taylor 
with Crista Galli; third, G. Geggie with Crista Galli; fourth and fifth, W. 
Taylor withCiista Galli. 
Purple Flake Carnation. —First, B. Simonite with J. Douglas; second, 
G. Geggie with M. Nottingham ; third, F. Law with J. Douglas ; fourth, J. 
Bleackley with M. Nottingham; fifth, G. Thornley with Squire Trow. 
Heavy Bed Picotee. —First, G. Geggie with Master Norman ; second, R. 
Gorton with John Smith ; third, W. Taylor with John Smith ; fourth, W. 
Taylor with Brunette; fifth, G. Geggie with Haversley. 
Light Bed Picotee. —First, second, third, fourth, and fifth, R. Lord with 
Thomas William. 
Heavy Purple Picotee. —First, R. Lord with Mrs. Nevin; second, J. 
Whitham with Zerlina; third, J. Bleackley with Mrs. Nevin; fourth, R. 
Gorton ; fifth, J. Bleackley with Zerlina. 
Light Purple Picotee. —First, J. Whitham with Ann Lord; second, G. 
Geggie with Clara Penson ; third, R. Lord with Alice ; fourth, J. Bleackley ; 
and fifth, E. Shaw, with Clara Penson. 
Heavy Rose Picotee. —First, second, and third, R. Lord with Mrs. Lord ; 
fourth, G. Geggie, and fifth, F. Law, with Miss Horner. 
Light Bose Picotee. —First, third, fourth, and fifth, R. Lord with Miss 
Wood, Elegant, and Miss Horner; second, J. Whitham with Miss Wood. 
HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 
I AM too fond of these plants to find fault needlessly with those who 
advocate their culture, and if therefore I have to dissent from your 
correspondent, “ N. R.,” he may rest assured that it is in no captious 
spirit that I do so, but with as earnest a desire as he himself has that 
their culture should be extended. 
I have long concluded that service, and good service too, would be 
done to the cause, if not only plants that were good should be recom¬ 
mended, but that those of inferior merit should be pointed nut, that they 
might be avoided, and I fear your correspondent will think me a “gone 
coon” when I say that long ago I tabooed Liatris spicata, and turned it 
out of my garden, and that too for the very reason that he praises it. 
It does commence to bloom at the top, and the consequence is that as 
the spike progresses in flowering you have a collection of dirty-looking 
dead flowers at the top, and a Tery few at a time in flower below that. 
Nor is to me the colour a taking one, being of a very dull purple—so do 
tastes differ ! As to massing it, I cannot conceive, for the reasons I have 
stated, a more undesirable plant ; but what perplexes me above all is his 
praising Inula glandulosa as one of the most beautiful blues we possess 
A lovely and most desirable plant it is, but it is of the richest orange 
yellow, soft and exquisite in its form, falling over like tassels of brilliant- 
coloured silk. Wbat plant can he mean? I have not gone on my own 
knowledge only of ihe plant, but I have consulted various catalogues, 
and all give the same description. The plant at this season for blue is 
Platycodon grandiflorum, a plant allied to Campanula, with large open 
flowers of a beautiful blue colour. It seems to be rare, for I do not find 
it under that name in either Paul’s, Ware’s, or Backhouse’s lists. There 
is a dwarf variety of it which I have not seen.—D., Beal. 
SPECIALTIES AT THE ANTWERP SHOW. 
NOTABLE PLANTS. 
Bobus Australis. —The set lers in the great southern continents 
have bestowed a very characteristic name upon a plant which grows 
rather plentifully in some part*, and which probably proved an un¬ 
pleasant acquaintance when clearing fresh ground became necessary. 
The plant is Rubus australis, and the popular title is “ Lawyers,” wbch 
is said to have been given to it because, owing to the large number 
of small curved spines that clothe the stems and leafstalks, it holds fast 
those who come in contact with it, and few manage to release themselves 
without suffering personal damage. Whether the name is appropriate or 
