JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 27, 1885 
distinct enough to merit an award. Mr. W. Bull, Chelsea, had some fine 
Caladiums, Ibis Rose and Perle du Bresil with that certificated being the best. 
A vote of thanks was also accorded for Dion edule lanatum, a woolly-leaved 
form, which, we believe, has been previously honoured. Cattleya crispa 
venusta, from the same establishment, with white flowers and a crimson 
fringed lip, was also noteworthy. Messrs. J. Yeitch ifc Sons, Chelsea, had a 
pretty collection of Salpiglossis in many varieties, crimson, purple, yellow, 
and parti-coloured. They also had several handsome G-ladioli of the 
Lemoinei type, which have been previously noted, and plants of their mag¬ 
nificent Rhododendrons Dyak and Gloria Mundi, the former orange and the 
latter rosy salmon. 
A silver-gilt Banksian medal was awarded to Messrs. Kelway & Sons, 
Langport, for their grand collection of 140 spikes of Gladioli, most varied in 
colours, and representing the most distinct of the very numerous varieties 
now grown. Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, was adjudged a similar award for 
his superb and extensive collections of hardy flowers which invariably 
attract a crowd of admirers. The New Plant and Bulb Company were 
awarded a bronze Banksian medal for a large collection of Lilium auratum in 
many varieties, arranged with a few Orchids and other plants. 
PLANTS CERTIFICATED. 
Dahlia Mrs. John Walker (Rawlings Bros.).—A handsome, compact, 
well-built bloom, the florets white tipped with purple; distinct and 
attractive. 
Androsace lanuginosa Leiclitlini (Max L;ichtlin).—A white variety of 
this well-known plant, the flowers having a red centre ; pretty, but not 
more so than the ordinary type. 
Dahlia Germania nova (H. Cannell & Sons).—An exceedingly distinct 
Dahlia with acute closely packed florets of a bright rose colour, the blooms 
of medium size and neatly formed. 
Lcelia elegans Littleana (H. Little, Esq.).—A handsome variety, sugges¬ 
tive of L. elegans Tumeri; sepals and petals tinted with purple to the base, 
the lip being an intensely rich crimson, except in the throat, which is pure 
white, contrasting well with the deep neighbouring colour. 
Angrcecum Leoni.— Certificates were awarded for this plant to Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P.,; Mr. W. Bull, Chelsea; R. H. Measures, Esq., 
The Woodlands, Streatham; C. Dorman, Esq., The Firs, Laurie Park, 
Sydenham ; and W. Yanner, Esq., Camden Wood, Chislehurst. It is a 
pretty species, but has been somewhat over-estimated, and its comparison 
to A. sesquipedale is certainly not justified. The leaves are thick, curved, 
and placed vertically. The flowers are pure white, 2) inches in diameter, 
the lip 1^ inch long, and three-quarters of an inch wide, of an ovate form, 
the sepals and petals being narrow, and the greenish-white spur several 
inches long. The plants had two or three spurs of four to five flowers each 
clustered rather closely on the foliage. 
Gastronema hybrida (Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P.).—An extremely 
interesting plant, a hybrid between G. sanguinea flammea and Vallota pur¬ 
purea, with narrow deep green leaves, and flowers resembling the Yallota 
in form, but slightly smaller, and of a light orange-scarlet hue. 
Blandjordiaflammea (Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P.).—A very hand¬ 
some bulbous plant, with a head of twenty flowers and buds, the former 
belt-shaped 3 inches long, scarlet, with a yellow throat and green-tipped 
lobes. 
Caladium Comtesse de Maille (W. Bull).—Leaves semi-transparent, with 
a green margin and red veins; a very pretty and delicate variety. 
Odontoglossum Insleayi splendens (W. Bull).—Flower of great size, the 
sepals and petals brown, the lip yellow, spotted with bright red. 
Rhododendron Pearl (J. Veitch & Sons).—A supposed hybrid between 
R. Princess Royal and R. Aucklandi, though the influence of the latter 
parent cannot be traced. It is, however, very distinct, with neat white and 
faintly rose-tinted flowers, with small closely set leaves. 
Gladiolus Masque de Fer (J. Veitch & Sons).—One of the G. Lemoinei 
type, scarlet, with the two lower petals deep maroon. A distinct and hand¬ 
some variety. 
Dcelia Sedeni (Baron Schroder).—A magnificent Orchid, with narrow 
crimson sepals and petals, the lip nearly 1 j inch broad, intense crimson, 
with a white throat. The colour of the lip is exceedingly rich, and renders 
it one of the best of its type. 
Aganisia casrulea (H. J. Buchan, Esq., Southampton).—A botanical 
certificate was awarded for this curious but not very attractive Orchid. 
The sepals and petals pale purplish, and curving over the hollowed purple- 
veined lip. 
Nero Gladioli (Kelway &Son).— Princess Olga, flowers white, beautifully 
streaked with rose, large and borne in a massive spike ; a grand variety. 
Prince Albert Victor, scarlet, with a white central blotch in the lower 
petals, spike very compact. Viscount Cranbrooh, salmon scarlet, crimson 
throat, spike long and dense ; very handsome. Princess Irene, flower large, 
white margined with rose, of fine substance, and borne in a noble spike ; a 
lovely variety. Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, brilliant scarlet, with a crim¬ 
son blotch in the lower petals; very effective. Prince Henry, purple streaked 
with white, and central blotch. 
The Cottagers’ Show. —As the largest exhibition of the kind that the 
Royal Horticultural Society has yet held, this merits a word or two of notice. 
Between 600 and 700 entries were received in the thirty classes provided, 
and throughout the quality of the productions was highly creditable to the 
exhibitors. The collections of six kinds of vegetables were especially good, 
and that the competition was keen may be judged from the fact that thirty- 
two collections were staged, five prizes being awarded, two collections 
highly commended and two commended. The first-prize vegetables from 
Mr. C. Beckett, Tyler’s Green, Penn, Bucks, were extremely good, and would 
not have disgraced a professional gardener. They included Excelsior 
Tomatoes, Woodstock Kidney Potatoes, Veitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflowers, 
Carter’s Champion Beans, Long Red Surrey Carrots, and Giant Rocca 
Onions, all neatly arranged on dishes with Parsley. Potatoes were well 
shown, there being 112 entries in the four classes. Both Runner and 
Kidney Beans were also strongly represented, the former by thirty-six and 
the latter by twenty-four dishes. Onions were fine, Turnips, Carrots, Beet, 
Vegetable Marrows, and Tomatoes being equally deserving of commendation. 
Apples were mostly of fair Bize and numerous, Gooseberries being large, and 
Currants good. As a whole the Show was most satisfactory, and proved eon- 
lusively that the working classes are making substantial progress in the 
c ultivation of the useful garden crops. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Late Summer Pruning. —Now is the time when much good or much 
harm may be done to fruit trees by pruning. Good, if we shorten the 
midsummer growth sufficiently to give free admission of light and air to 
the spurs and every part of the branches ; harm, if we shorten so much 
as to induce basal buds to start into growth now when the time remaining 
during which growth can advance, is so short, that the full development of 
shoot and bud is impossible. In five weeks from this time October will 
be here ; we may then expect a fall in temperature that will at once check 
growth. It requires very little calculation, therefore, to see that if by 
injudicious pruning now we induce buds to start into growth, that growth 
will prove abortive and worthless. Instead, therefore, of close pruning, 
leave the wood from 4 to 6 inches in length according as the buds are 
thick set or otherwise, and then while the outer buds start into growth, 
the inner or basal buds will become full and plump without bursting, so 
that we can prune down to them after the fall of the leaves, and so leave 
them in the best possible condition for an early strong growth in spring. 
At one time it was our practice at this season of the year to twist and 
bend down the midsummer growth to render the lower buds plump, and 
not to prune at all till winter ; but the hanging shoots proved so serious 
an obstruction to the passage of light and air that shortening of the shoots 
was adopted with the best results. Why, when, and how to prune is net 
half so well understood as it ought to be. These hints apply solely to- 
trees cultivated on the spur system, the free growth of orchard trees only 
requiring some slight regulation and thinning in winter. As we prune now 
it will be well to mark bairen trees of gross rampant growth for root- 
prunirg to be done in September, bolh to arrest the flow of sap as early as 
is safe, and to ioduce the roots to put forth some rootlets this autumn. It 
may safely be laid down that the best time for root-pruning is early in 
September, and there can be no reasonable objection to the pruning being 
thorough in its application to young trees, provided they are prevented by 
stays from becoming subsequently loosened in the soil. Old trees, on the 
contrary', should have only half the roots shortened this autumn, leaving 
the remainder for next year, but we must take especial care to go fully 
half way under the tree so as to sever tap roots running downwards into 
the subsoil. The length of roots left on the tree should be about 2 feet 
for young trees up to 6 feet for old trees according to size : the greater 
length being only necessary for very large old trees. After pruning we 
like to fill the trench with sound, rich, mellow loam for the young roots 
to lay hold of, and to give a top-dressing of rich manure from the stem 
outwards to the trench. Do not root-prune trees indiscriminately; it is 
to trees of rampant growth that we must apply it, fruit-bearing and not 
mere wood growth beiDg our end and aim in the culture of fruit trees ; and 
when we see a fruit tree with robust growth of branch and stem, sturdy, 
stout, and strong, yet bearing no fruit year after year, we know that there 
is also excessive vigour of root-growth, which must be checked if we would 
have fruit. 
Fruit-growers generally have recently had a severe lesson about the 
importance of shelter for orchards and fruit gardens. High winds pre¬ 
vailed so generally just as the fruit was half grown, that even from Ireland 
came the sad plaint of the fruit being swept off every tree, and many a 
fruit-grower on this side the Irish Channel has repeated the cry. To 
plant standards at all is to run much risk of such losses, but to plant them 
in exposed situations adds considerably to the risk. To know how to 
plant and what to plant, we must live much among fiuit trees during the 
season of growth, and we must be eager to learn and quick to apply the 
lessons of the seasons in our practice. Let no young man suppose that 
because it has been his privilege to serve for a time under some famous 
fruit-grower, and among a large collection of fruit trees, that he is pro¬ 
ficient in fruit culture. If he is intelligent, earnest, teachable, and there¬ 
fore humble, he may have gained much useful knowledge, but it is only 
the costly teaching of experience that can render him a past-master of the 
art—costly because of the penalty of some of the best years of our life 
which we have to pay for its acquisition. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Early House .—The trees in the early 
house have completed their growth, ena the resting period may be said to 
extend through September, October, and November, though when very 
early forcing is practised the trees a>re started by the middle of November, 
therefore to give them the full benefit of the intervening ten weeks or so 
measures should be taken to keep them as cool as possible. If the trees 
are trained to trellises under fixed roofs all the doors and ventilators 
should be kept constantly open, but these forms of roofs are not suitable 
for early-forced trees, as the difficulty is to prevent premature development 
of the buds ; hence if the roof-ligbts are fixed, and there is the least sign 
of the buds becoming too prominent, the removal of some of the squares 
from the central pait of the roof will increase the current of air, and tend 
