220 
JOURNAL OF HORTICUL1URE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 10, 1885. 
Sf I When the plantation is made after Potatoes are lifted the 
ground should he well manured, digging it in the same as if 
the plot was clear. This will not hurt the Cauliflowers or 
Broccoli growing between, the space upon which they are 
growing being manured directly they are removed. Straw¬ 
berries will do on the same ground for years in succession, 
one of our flats not having been changed for ten years, 
neither has the ground been trenched during that period, 
and for how long before I have no means of ascertaining. 
It will thus be seen that our system of culture is runners the 
first season, a crop of fruit the following, and then the plan¬ 
tation is renewed. —Wm. Bardney. 
CYPRIPEDIUM STONEI. 
This Orchid Slipper is worth a place in all gardens where 
these popular flowers are appreciated and the requisite heat can 
be provided. Imported and small partly-established plants are 
cheap, and therefore within the reach of all. The scape carries 
two or three flowers, according to the strength of the plant. 
These rise well above the dark green foliage, and last a long 
time, either cut or upon the plant. The flowers are much more 
useful for cutting than is the case with many kinds of a heavier 
nature, of which C. Parishi may be noted as an example. 
C. Stonei does well, in fact grows luxuriantly, in a stove 
where a general collection of plants is accommodated. The 
amount of heat, shade, air, and moisture usually given to these 
plants where properly grown, appears to suit this Cypripedium 
exactly. It should be grown in a pot or pan liberally drained, 
and in a compost of fibry peat and sphagnum moss in equal 
proportions, with charcoal in lumps freely intermixed. It will 
also grow freely in fibrous loam, sand, and charcoal, but this 
compost is only safe in the hands of skilful cultivators, for it is 
liable to become sour quickly. Good peat fibre from which the 
particles of soil have been removed will last in good condition for 
at least two years. The system of potting that will be recom¬ 
mended may be safely followed with certainty that the compost 
used is in a perfectly sweet condition about the roots of the 
plant. 
The secret of growing not only this, but all Cypripediums, is 
to retain the mi dium in which their roots are working sweet and 
healthy. The pots or pans used should be at least three parts 
full of drainage, carefully arranged with the hollow side down¬ 
wards. and over these a thin layer of living sphagnum moss. 
Peat fibre will answer the same pupose, and this is preferable on 
account of its lasting qualities The pot, almost level to its rim, 
should be filled entirely with peat fibre and charcoal, carefully 
worked amongst the roots, no moss being used. The remaining 
portion, or all that is placed above the rim of the pot, should 
consist of the peat fibre, sphagnum moss in a living state, aDd 
charcoal, mixed together, with a good layer of the moss on the 
surface, which should be induced to grow freely. By this method 
of potting, the moss, which decomposes in a season, can be 
picked out every spring just as growth commences and new 
supplied. The moss need only be removed the first season after 
potting, and the fibre as well the following season—that is, the 
whole above the rim of the pot. This will insure the roots, or at 
the least the majority of them, being in perfectly fresh sweet 
material until the plants require repotting, or larger pots, which 
will be the case after the second year if they grow and do well. 
When repotting them every particle of the compost used should 
be removed from amongst the roots and replaced with new, 
which will insure the plants remaining perfectly healthy provided 
the other treatment is satisfactory. 
While growing, this plant requires abundance of water both 
over the foliage and at the roots; in fact at no season of the 
year should the material about the roots be allowed to become 
dry. Great care should be exercised not to apply cold water 
direct from the main, either to the foliage or the roots, or the 
foliage of this variety will spot, which disfigures them. 
The foliage should be kept perfectly free from insects, and 
grown in a winter temperature of 60° to 65° by night, with a 
rise of 5“ or 10° by day. During summer the night temperature 
should range from 70° to 75°, with a corresponding rise of 
10° or 15°, or even more by sun heat after the house has been 
closed.—S. A. 
JUDGING AT EXHIBITIONS. 
[A paper read before the Dundee Horticultural Society by Mr. W. Williamson, 
Tar ret House Gardens, Cupar, Fifeshire.] 
Before proceeding to the chief object of this paper it may not be con¬ 
sidered out of place if we glance at a few facts concerning exhibitions in 
general, in order, if possible, to ascertain if they are productive of the 
good expected from them. To consider any means by which their popu¬ 
larity might be enhanced, to notice some objections urged against them, 
and see if any of them are well founded, to make plain to employers the 
benefit they derive from granting to their gardeners the liberty of a 
reasonable amount of competition, and above all to clear away as far as we 
can any misunderstanding or difference existing between judges and 
exhibitors. 
As to the principle of exhibitions, there can scarcely be two opinions. 
Everyone must admit they have been the means of increasing not only the 
quantity but the quality of every art and industry which by their agency 
has been placed in public competition. Through the same influence the 
minds of men have been so exercised in trying ways to excel as to call 
forth their highest intellectual powers to aid them, the benefits accruing 
not only to themselves, but to all. Exhibitions have indeed done much to 
advance the social and intellectual benefit of the community. Our 
attention at the present time shall be directed to horticultural exhibitions, 
a careful inspection of one of those of average importance being to most 
people not only a certain pleasure, but a great source of instruction. The 
greatest benefit is derived from a survey of the productions of others, to 
which the energy and skill of brother craftsmen have been unsparingly 
applied, producing results which if we cannot exceed we try our best to 
imitate. The outcome of all this effort and acquisition of knowledge 
must be to increase production, enhance the value, and give a fair return 
for the labour. 
Let us notice some objections put forward against exhibiting ; happily 
there are few, but they are important. In the case of fruit, so-called 
undereropping is the principal complaint. If we change the word to 
moderate cropping we arrive at the true description. Every gardener of 
any intelligence at all knows quite well that to take less fruit from a tree 
than what it can bear and bring to perfection is very unwise and useless. 
If we take the case of the Vine, it is well known a strong healthy plant 
will produce and mature with good management a given quantity of fruit 
as well as half that quantity—that is to say, if a Vine has a crop of 
30 lbs. of well-finished fruit it would have been a gross mistake to have 
allowed 13 lbs. only to remain upon it. The same rule applies to flowers 
and all divisions of the vegetable kingdom. It is quite clear, however, 
that cropping Vines or fruit trees at what we might call the exhibition 
standard, instead of being detrimental, is actually healthful and econo¬ 
mical. Another objection adduced is that men who exhibit give their 
time and best attention to those plants, fruit, or flowers on which they are 
to stake their reputation at the next exhibition. This may be well 
founded in some ca°es, but we always find exhibitors enthusiasts in the 
profession, and if they have strength suited to the requirements of the 
garden, there is seldom any cause for complaint. The last of the 
objections to exhibiting I would notice is a very formidable one—namely, 
proprietors who take a little pride in their gardens, and who naturally sup¬ 
pose the produce from them ought to be as good as their neighbours, on 
finding their exhibits placed second or third in the prize list resolve to give 
it up altogether rather than risk the chance of defeat again. They do not 
seem to take into consideration the means employed, the facilities given 
for production, or the obvious fact that all cannot be first. Gardeners 
ought to exercise critical observation on what they are to exhibit, and see 
that they are worthy of the space allotted to them. The practice of com¬ 
peting in a great number of classes with the expectation that “ they 
will come in somewhere ” should be discouraged, as it lowers the standard 
of general excellency and causes dissatisfaction to everyone. It is not 
within the reach of an individual to give the necessary attention to so 
much, and to try to do so would interfere with the legitimate requirements 
of any establishment, giving rise to some of the objections previously 
alluded to. 
Having said so much on the benefits derived from and objections taken 
to exhibitions I would now refer to the judges. They ought to possess 
the necessary qualifications to enable them to adjudicate correctly upon 
the exhibits placed before them. They should be able to make a quick 
comparison, to detect at once the weak and strong points, should have a 
clear understanding of the different points of excellence in the varieties. 
The selection of judges is a matter of special importance as bearing on 
the success of an exhibition. The general assumption is that men occu¬ 
pying the position of head gardener in large establishments are qualified 
to adjudicate at any show. Such men are generally excellent gardeners, 
but that does not imply that they will be equally good judges. The best 
judges are to be found where certain classes of plants, fruits, and flowers 
are specially grown ; where the highest state of perfection is reached, and 
the essential points of quality obtained. But men from such positions 
can only be said to be competent as judges in the department to which 
they have devoted attention, and should be appointed to adjudicate in 
that section of the show. By this arrangement in selection fewer judges 
would be necessary. This rule can only be adopted by societies in large 
centres, where the show is extensive and a number of judges requisite. 
Judges should receive no pay for their work except expenses ; in fact, it 
ought to be considered a labour of love and a privilege to have the 
opportunity of doing a little service in promoting a taste for the cultiva¬ 
tion of fruits and flowers. The officials of a society having obtained 
men qualified for the work, it becomes the competitors to acquiesce in the 
decisions, and submit with the best grace possible. 
In offering the following suggestions and criticisms on judging it is 
strictly with the purpose of endeavouring to bring into conformity much 
controversial matter and disputed points which invariably arise during 
the labours of judges, and to seek to bring into harmony the view's of 
exhibitors and judges to the characteristic points of merit in the different 
genera and varieties of plants, fruit and vegetables. I intend discussing 
