August lo, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
131 
Veronica), this Zonal Pelargonium well maintains its character as one 
of the best of the dark-flowered varieties ; Chrysanthemum Precocity, 
the early yellow variety, but not yet in flower, associated with Tagetes, 
and edged with Lobelia Swaniey Blue ; Calceolaria Bijou, small dark 
bronzy red flower, free, but rather dull, edge Lobelia ; Fuchsia Tower of 
London on bed of Viola Beauty of Chipping Norton, edge Fuchsia Cloth 
of Gold—an effective bed, the margin being good. 
Next to these is an oblong carpet bed, with centre crosses of Alter- 
nanthera versicolor,-edged with Pachyphytum ; a scroll of A. magnifica 
and panels of A. amcena, edged with A. paronychioides aurea, edged with 
small plants of Sempervivum tabulfeforme, the whole being on a ground 
of Herniaria glabra. This bed was well coloured and the design pleas¬ 
ing, without being too elaborate or formal. There were also a few 
others to which these remarks equally apply, but it is evident carpet 
beds are not so much in favour as they were. A large circle of the dark 
bronze-leaved Canna Adrien Eobini had a bold appearance, but four 
small circles of Alternanthera paronychioides major, in which was 
planted scarlet Tuberous Begonias edged with Alternanthera nana 
aurea, were not very pleasing, the two shades of red together rather 
spoiling each other. 
Upon the lefthand side one of the most showy beds contained the 
dazzling scarlet Pelargonium C. Schwind, which possesses as many good 
qualities as Henry Jacoby for bedding purposes, edged with the golden- 
leaved Pel. Robert Fish and Lobelias. A mixed bed of the following 
plants was also interesting though a trifle crowded :—Verbesina 
gigantea, with large deeply cut leaves and winged stems ; Wigandia 
caracasana, with its bold broad foliage; Nicotiana affinis, Verbena 
venosa, and the curious Amicia zygomeris, which is rarely seen in 
bedding arrangements. Mixed beds like these chiefly of foliage plants 
with a few flowering plants have a good effect. Beyond these there are 
two other series of beds, one on each side of the walk, and representing 
most of the plants that have already been noted, with the exception 
of Carnation Eaby Castle, which occupies a large circle, and has some 
fine rose-coloured flowers. This probably is the same as that which 
has been for some years so successfully bedded out in the gardens at 
Eaby Castle under the charge of Mr. Westcott, and where a year or 
two since were some admirable examples of the variety. 
With so large a number of beds to fill and such enormous quantities 
of plants to raise annually it is surprising that so much diversity can 
be introduced, but the work is well done and thoroughly creditable 
to the superintendent (Mr. W. Browne) and his assistants. 
MR. ROBERT SYDENHAM’S CARNATIONS AND 
PltiOTEES. 
This collection is well worthy of notice, for it is not only a very 
extensive one, but the plants are also noticeable for excellent cultivation. 
"These are grown in Mr. Sydenham’s private garden at hi3 residence in 
the fSristol Road. Birmingham. Three span-roof houses are devoted to 
Carnations and Picotees, one for the former, another for the laced or 
edged section of Picotees, and another for Fancy and self Picotees and 
'Carnations. These houses are about 33 feet long, 5 feet high at the 
sides, 7 feet 6 inches in the centre, with a 6-feet high door at each end ; 
sliding glass lights at the sides, removable at will, with removable lights 
at the top ; glass ends and doors, the glass at the sides and ends to 
within a foot or so of the ground. There is also ample top ventilation 
on each side of the apex. The pots rest on blue tiles. The shading of 
the houses is arranged on Mr. Dodwell’s plan, and is both efficacious 
and easily worked. Each house holds about 175 pots. Mr. Sydenham 
does not overpot, pots firmly, and uses freely inverted oyster shells on 
the surface of the soil. 
CARNATIONS. 
Scarlet Flakes. —Alisemonde (Douglas) and Matador were very fine 
indeed, and Harry Carswell, John Ball, and Sportsman were good. 
Scarlet Bizarres. —Robert Iloulgrave, very bright; Arthur Med- 
nurst and J. Crossland were very noticeable and striking. 
Rose Flakes. —Rob Roy, very bright and clear white ground colour; 
Miss E. Wemyss, Thalia, and Sybil were particularly handsome ; and 
Dorothy’s Sister, delicate and lovely. 
Crimson Bizarres. —Master Fred, extra fine ; Due d’Aumale, clear 
in the white and fine; J. D. Hextall, Joseph Lakin, and Edward 
Rowan all good ; John Harrison was washy in colour. 
Purple Flakes. —Jamc3 Douglas was excellent, and George Melville 
is one of the best ; Gordon Lewis has a good clear white ground, a 
pleasing shade of purple ; Florence Nightingale and Mayor of Notting¬ 
ham both good. 
Pink and Purple Bizarres .—Mrs. Gorton and Sarah Payne stood out 
■ prominently as excellent varieties. 
PICOTEES. 
Mr. Sydenham is strong in these. Heavy Red-edged varieties.— 
"Brunette was pure in the white and well marked ; John Smith, Dr. Epps, 
•and J. B. Bryant all admirable. Light Red-edge. —Emily, Violet 
Douglas, Thomas Williams, and Mrs. Bower particularly fine. 
Heavy Purple-edge. —Muriel, very fine generally ; Juliette, Zerlina, 
■and Mrs. Chancellor. Light Purple-edged. —Several very fine hlooms of 
Mer Majesty, s, refined flower of great merit, and Clara Penson very 
•good-; Alice, a handsome flower; Nymph, and Sylvia, pure, with fine 
petal and bloom. 
Heavy Rose-edge.— Edith D’Ombrain, rather thin, but lovely in 
colour; Daisy, a refined lovely flower, and Lady Holmesdale, a very 
beautiful flower, good everywhere ; a seedling of Mr. Lakin’s, marked 
in Mr. Sydenham’s list 109, is a promising flower with a well formed 
petal. Light Rose-edge .—Orlando is a grand flower, and Amy Lakin good. 
Heavy Scarlet-edge .—Constance Heron, a fine flower, but with a 
tendency to “ bar "—i.e., to show colour beyond the edge ; Mrs. Rudd 
and Mrs. Sharp both good ; also Juliana. Light Scarlet-edge .— 
Lyddington’s Favourite in capital form, some grand flowers. The 
varieties enumerated are but a portion of the collection. 
Like many other growers of the Carnation and Picotee, Mr. Sydenham 
is fully alive to the claims of our surperb Fancies and seifs, of which he 
already has a fine collection. In Fancies there is to be seen such flowers 
as Agnes Chambers, Annie Douglas, Germania (grandest of all yellows), 
Colonial Beauty, Mrs. Reynolds Hole, Almira, Dorothy, Countess of 
Bective, Dodwell’s 197, pale yellow and very fine, all flowers of great 
beauty and sterling merit, which should be in every, garden. A full 
collection of the Kilmurray seedlings are here, some of novel and lovely 
tints of colour. Then there are the seifs and Fancy Carnations, many 
seedlings, and some new flowers. Mr. Sydenham has a very beautiful 
rose self sport from Thalia, several plants and all true seifs, and a very 
superb rich deep scarlet and maroon sport from Arthur Medhurst, superb 
petal and form; then another brighter scarlet and maroon sport 
from Joseph Crossland. On all the plants from each sport the blooms 
were true. There is a dark ruby self of great promise, Beauty of 
Whitby, a salmon scarlet, with fine petals and form ; Virgo, a lovely 
pure white ; The Bride, another good white ; Florence, buff yellow, all 
good. Another very fine white is to be found in Emma Lakin, a superb 
flower of fine form. These glorious seifs and Fancies are coming 
rapidly to the front, and must no longer be ignored, as they have been 
by old florists in the past. Such is also the opinion of Mr. Dodwell, 
who gives them every encouragement and carefully hybridises to obtain 
sterling new varieties.— An Old Hand. 
Events of the Week. —The annual Show at Maidenhead will be 
held to-day (Thursday), and the Co-operative Show will take place at 
the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, on Saturday next, August 17th. 
- Royal Horticultural Society. —At a General Meeting of 
the Society held last Tuesday in the Drill Hall, London Scottish R.V., 
James Street, Victoria Street, S.W., Rev. Wm. Wilks, M.A., Secretary, 
in the chair, the following candidates were duly elected Fellows of the 
Society—namely, Hon. Mrs. Barton, Henry Thomas Bird, Jonathan 
Thomas Carr, William Cuthbertson, Robert Moses Dawson, William 
Day, Sami. Fellows, William Gaymer, Arthur W. Hutton, William B. 
Morle, Henry Pain, Rev. Canon Phillpots, G. W. Riley, and Henry Tate. 
- Gardeners' Orphan Fund. —The Gardens at Ketton Hall, 
Stamford, were opened to the public, by the kind permission of Mr. and 
Mrs. Hopwood, on Monday, August 5th (Bank Holiday), in aid of the 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. Sixpence each was charged for admission, 
and Gd. more for tea, the materials for which were kindly given by Mrs. 
Hopwood for the benefit of the Fund. The sum of £3 16s. 3d. was 
taken for admission and tea, 12s. for fruit and flowers sold, Is. 10d* 
by collecting boxes—total, £i 10s. Id. After paying expenses of 
printing and advertising, which amount to £1 18s., this leaves a balance 
of £2 12s. Id. in favour of the Fund. The morning was showery, 
with thunder also, which prevented numbers of people from attending. 
We may add that the conditions of Mr. H. J. Veitch’s generous offer at the 
anniversary dinner in London having been fulfilled, two more children 
have been appointed annuitants of the Fund—namely, Robert James 
Todd, Chester; and Olive Chapelow, Willingham, Cambridgeshire; the 
non-successf ul candidates who received the highest number of votes at the 
recent election. This method of p’acing children on the Fund as soon 
as sufficient money is procured for their support, is very suggestive. 
-The Vegetable Conference at Chiswick.—A t a meeting 
of the Committee appointed to carry out this project, held on Tuesday 
last in the Council room of the Royal Horticultural Society, Mr. H. J. 
Veitch in the chair, the revised schedule was presented and will be 
forthwith distributed. The only alteration from the schedule issued in 
January is in classification, the vegetables to be represented being the 
same as originally announced. Mr. Shirley Hibberd was appointed 
Deputy-Chairman of the Committee, in view of Mr. Veitch’s absence 
during the next few weeks, and a Sub-Committee was nominated, 
consisting of Messrs. A. Dean, H. Herbst, J. Hudson, J. Wright, 
G. Wythes, with the Deputy-Chairman and Secretary, Mr. A. F. Barron, 
