260 
I September 2<t, 1389. 
JOURNAL CF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
The following are the Committees for examination and 
selection in the respective classes, though some of the members 
were unable to attend, and others were substituted. 
A. Green Vegetables.—W. Nutting, J. Muir, J. Walker. 
B. Fruits and Pulse.—P. Barr, W. Iggulden, J. Burnett, It. W. 
Ker. 
C. 1, Potatoes.—C. Fidler, G. T. Miles, J. Smith, P. McKinlay. 
C. 2, Tubers, Bulbs, &c.—A. Watkins, C. J. Waite, J. Willard, 
M. Dunn. 
D. Tap roots.—A. Moss, F. Ross, G. Breese. 
E. and F.—Saladings and Miscellaneous.—W. Poupart, W. 
Wildsmith, E. Molyneux. 
Referees.—A. W. Sutton, C. H. Sharman, J. Harrison, T. 
Laxton, W. Ingram, C. Silverlock, J. Douglas. Chairman, Dr. 
Hogg, F.L.S. 
The members of the Special Committee act as stewards on the 
occasion. 
MANDEVILLA SUAVEOLENS. 
Large, pure white, sweet-scented flowers always secure appre¬ 
ciation. They are valued more particularly when forthcoming at 
a time of comparative scarcity, when other flowers of the desired 
character are not in season. Of this description is Mandevilla 
suaveolens. It flowers in late summer and autumn, producing its 
pearly white deliciously scented flowers profusely and succession- 
ally over a lengthened period. It is, indeed, a very handsome 
greenhouse climber, or rather twiner ; native of Buenos Ayres. 
Flowers sub-corymbose or in a simple raceme ; corolla salver shaped, 
with naked throat and tube, pure white, large, very fragrant, and 
profusely produced ; leaves opposite, oblong, dark green. It is of 
free and rapid growth, vigorous shoots extending over a large space 
—20 to 30 or more feet in a season under favourable circumstances, 
which are rarely accorded, consequently this very desirable plant is 
seldom seen in a flourishing condition. We may occasionally see a 
plant thriving fairly well under pot treatment, but such are excep¬ 
tions to the general rule. In brief, my experience accords with 
that given in Johnson’s “Gardeners’ Dictionary”—viz., “Does 
little good as a pot plant, but is splendid when placed out and 
allowed room in a greenhouse or conservatory, where fine climbers 
are prized.” I have tried to grow and flower it in pots but with 
little success, as the plants, whether from seed or cuttings, afforded 
only a few flowers, and after a time were the most unsatisfactory 
of any plant I have ever attempted to grow, for the foliage 
invariably became a prey to red spider, or was irretrievably injured 
by the steps taken to expel the pests. The plants grew freely 
enough for a time, advancing promisingly up to the flowering stage, 
when they seemed to lack force. Feeding only accelerated the 
collapse of the plants. I have recollection of a well-flowered plant 
grown in a pot and trained to the roof on an intermediate house at 
the nurseries of Messrs. Backhouse, York, some thirty years ago, 
and it was the only well-flowered plant of it I have seen grow-ing 
in a pot. Others I have seen before and since were failures, and 
clearly through ill-health. Seedling and cutting plants alike grew 
freely enough for a time, but only to sicken and die. Why ? The 
only analogies that occur to me are in Luculia gratissima and 
Rogiera gratissima, both of which are miserable objects grown in 
pots compared with the magnificent heads of flowers produced 
when planted out. 
Whatever causes the difference is beyond “ ken,” but there is 
this in relation to Mandevilla suaveolens that a plant was never 
seen flourishing for any length of time in the compost advised by 
the authorities. All to which I have access recommend a compost 
of “ good peat and turfy loam in equal parts, to which may be 
added plenty of silver sand.” All I have seen succeeding were 
growing in soil of which peat formed no component ; in fact a 
light porous and non-phosphatic soil seems fatal to the health’ a 
sturdy growth and floriferous habit. In available potash salts, 
phosphoric acid ? and soluble silica lies the secret of success. Potash 
salts and phosphoric acid are rarely found in peat, and the loam if 
it be light, often does not contain a measurable quantity of either 
Lime is not largely present in peat or turfy loam. This, however" 
may not be a necessity, yet strong loams contain phosphatic matter 
much more abundantly than peat and turfy loam. The plants 
may find sufficient phosphatic and potassic matter in the leaf 
soil or well-decayed manure, which usually occur in compost of 
peat and loam, but those being speedily exhausted the plants 
collapse. r 
Light soil, no matter how rich, will not keep Mandevilla suaveo- 
!ens healthy and floriferous. It requires a strong loam, and prefer¬ 
ably off chalk. Nothing is better than the top 2 or 3 inches of a 
pasture taken off with its turf. Such requires no admixture 
merely needing to be chopped up and put 24 inches deep over a foot 
depth of efficient drainage, secured with a 3-inch thickness of old 
mortar rubbish. A border 2 feet wide is amp’e. The plant wilt 
grow and have stems, many issuing from the base, and nothing will 
prevent its flowering every year from August onwards to late 
autumn, only train the growths 6 to 9 inches from the glass- 
unshaded. We have, however, a little shade of whitening this 
year, and the plants are flowering as freely as before, but the 
clusters are not so large as where the growth is better solidified. 
The growths require to be trained rather thinly —i e., they must 
not be allowed to become an entangled mass. We have two planted 
out which have not a tenth the room they require and deserve,, 
consequently the growths become crowded. The plants this year 
have made growth outside, some shoots having come through the^ 
top light apertures, and are rambling over the roof outside, the 
foliage having a distinct coppery hue, and flowers are produced as 
freely as inside. It is said to be half-hardy. Who has tried it in a- 
cold house or ageinst a wall ? It requires water in summer to keep- 
it growing—a good supply whenever the soil becomes dry. Whern 
in full foliage and showing bloom liquid manure may be given, but 
we do not find it necessary, as our plants grow too freely for their 
limited space, and we never syringe them. 
When the main leaves have fallen the growths may be cut well 
back, which admits light to the wood retained and to the plants' 
beneath, both being benefited by the thorough exposure. We 
cut hard back to a joint or two of the old wood any time before 
March. When extension is required the well-ripened growths of’ 
the previous season may be left as long as desired, but it is no use- 
relying on soft growths, as only the well-ripened wood can be relied 
upon to furnish vigorous free-flowering growths. It is, however, as- 
amenable to spur or extension pruning as a Vine, and as satisfactory 
in results, and the roots have favourable material for ramification 
and deriving aliment. During winter the soil should be kept dry - 
but a moderate amount of moisture is necessary to keep the wood 
plump. 
The summer treatment consists in merely regulating the growths- 
as they advance, disposing them equally over the trellis, each 
having space for the exposure of its foliage to light, thinning out 
where likely to become too crowded, as when the shoots become 
entangled it is most difficult to separate them. Judging from what 
our plants seem capable of I would strongly advise no niggardly- 
allowance of space. Either of them would cover 1000 square 
feet of space, and give a wealth of flowers in the late summer- 
months. 
Propagation is effected by cuttings of small, sturdy shoots 3 or 
4 inches long inserted in sandy soil in a propagating frame or under 
a bellglass. It may also be readily raised from seed in heat. 
—G. Abbey. 
tomatoes. 
Tomatoes have now become a necessity in most households, 
and are consumed by artisans in as great a degree as by the 
wealthier classes, which alone formerly indulged in them. This- 
being the case the spirit of inquiry and trial is abroad, and where 
a grower was formerly content to have one variety alone he now 
gives a trial to several. The same thing can be seen in the seed 
lists, for the varieties multiply exceedingly, each novelty being 
supposed to be a great improvement on all olders. Having some¬ 
what of a mania like the Athenians of old for some new thing, 
especially in Tomatoes, I gave a trial to several novelties, and I 
now give my experience of them. 
Prelude must lead the way, for its name entitles it to such a 
position, and it earned its name by being the first to ripen fruit- 
Our distinguished gold medalist, Mr. J. Wright (whom I heartily 
congratulate on his recent success) very kindly provided me with 
the seed of Prelude, and I am very pleased with it, for it is very 
early, a wonderfully free setter, and the fruit of exceptional quality. 
The only drawback being that it is small, an attempt to give it 
more size was requisite, and I note that this has been done at 
Chiswick by crossing with Perfection. If the productiveness and 
earliness of Prelude have been preserved with the gain of the 
Perfection size, then the new variety can fitly be named “ Ne Plus- 
Ultra,” for improvement can go no further. When obtainable I 
shall certainly give this new Tomato a trial. 
Mr. Peter Henderson of New York very liberally and kindly 
provided me with several of his novelties, amongst which were 
Tomatoes Golden Sunrise, Lorillard, and Volunteer. Golden Sun¬ 
rise is, as its name implies, a yellow variety, and may be termed a 
Golden Perfection, for it is very similar in growth, size, and shape 
of fruit and bearing. It is magnificent in appearance, and a dish of 
its fruit, weighing from G ozs. to half-a-pound each, would grace any 
table. It has a beautiful transparent appearance with perfect shape 
and in some examples with a warm red blush like that of an 
Apricot, but bright not dull in colour. The skin is so thin it is 
