92 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 31, 188 *. 
with a faint shade of blue, giving the peari-like appearance which 
suggested the name. 
Holborn Carmine (round leaf).—Free, of stronger habit than most 
of the others ; flowers large, of good substance and shape. 
Ilolborn White (round leaf).—Flowers large, of excellent form, pure 
white. A free and useful variety. 
Holborn Vermillion (round leaf).—Intensely brilliant colour, re¬ 
lieved by a light eye. An excellent and somewhat later flowering 
variety. There is also a form of this of the Fern-leaf group, the flowers 
rather larger and equally good in colour. 
Holborn Fawn (round leaf).—A peculiar shade of colour, which is 
partially expressed in the name, a shade of pink running through the 
flowers, which are laced with white, and the edge of the petals. It is 
very distinct and graceful in habit. 
Holborn Queen (Fern leaf).—This is one of the few Fern-leaf 
varieties with white stems and stalks, the flower pure white, of good 
substance and shape, with a pentagonal eye. 
Holborn Venus (round leaf).—The flower in this is curiously 
splashed and streaked with crimson on a white ground, an improve¬ 
ment on Village Maid. 
Holborn Blue. —This is represented by single and double varieties 
with round and Fern leaves, the colour clear, decided, and well fixed. 
Holborn Salmon (round leaf).—A particularly rich salmon tinted 
variety, with fine flowers, but it requires a little more heat than most of 
the others, as also do the “ blue ” varieties, and this being a point in 
culture that is not always recognised. 
DOUBLE VARIETIES. 
Snowflake (round leaf).—White or faint blush, wonderfully free, 
extremely graceful. Very useful. , 
Double Blue. —Already mentioned; it is quite in the single style, 
except that the flowers are full, and the colour is perhaps a little darker 
Carmine Empress (round leaf).—Somewhat later than the general 
stock, rich deep crimson carmine. Very handsome. 
Prince of Wales (round leaf.—Rosy salmon, the flowers neatly 
fringed ; free and of good habit. 
In addition to these there are many novelties not yet fully proved, 
such as oculata, with a large yellow eye, giving promise of a possible 
yellow variety. Holborn Gold Leaf is well proved as regards the fixity 
of colour in the pale gold foliage ; but efforts are being made to improve 
the flowers. A variety with a Picotee edge to the flowers is notable; 
another has curiously Parsley-like foliage ; and a third, named provision¬ 
ally, has exceedingly dark reddish leaves and stems. These will give 
some idea of what has already been obtained and what may be expected 
in the future. —Visitok. 
At the approaching general meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, to be held on February 12th, the resignation of the following 
members of the Council will be announced—namely, W. T. Thistelton 
Dyer, Professor M. Foster, Dr. Robert Hogg, Sir E. C. Loder, Bart., 
H. J. Veitch, and G. F. Wilson. To fill the vacancies thus caused, the 
undermentioned Fellows are recommended for election on the Council :— 
J. R. Bourne, W. Coleman, S. Courtauld, H. J. Pearson, T. F. Rivers, and 
Sir Charles Strickland, Bart. The officers recommended to be appointed 
are—President, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart.; Treasurer, D. Morris, M.A.; 
Secretary, Rev. W. Wilks, M.A. ; and Auditors, George Deal, W. Richards, 
and Harry Turner. 
- The schedule has just been issued of the Richmond (Surrey) 
Spring Show, which has already been announced to be held on 
Thursday and Friday, March 21st and 22nd next. It enumerates thirty- 
six classes for bulbous plants, Azaleas, Primulas, Cyclamens, Orchids, 
Dielytras, Deutzias, Cinerarias, Spiraeas, Rhododendrons, Palms, table 
plants, and other forced plants, with special prizes for groups of plants, 
bouquets, cut flowers, Apples, and Strawberries. This programme 
should provide an exhibition of varied interest, and it is to be hoped 
that competitors will endeavour to support the Society in its effort. The 
Hon. Secretary is Mr. J. H. Ford, 22, George Street, Richmond. 
- The Sheffield Floral and Horticultural Society 
announce the following meetings and subjects of essays for the first half 
of 1889 :—February 6th—“ Different Methods of Heating Greenhouses,” 
by Mr. J. W. Ellis ; March 6th, The Deutzia,” by Mr. E. D. Smith ; 
April 3rd, “ The Azalea,” by Mr. C. Cooke ; May 1st, “ The Sportive 
Character of British Ferns,” by Mr. J. G. Newsham ; and June 6th, 
“ The Fuchsia,” by Mr. J. Farrow. Small exhibitions of popular plants 
will be held on each of the dates named, prizes of 3s. and 2s. being 
offered. The past year's proceedings seem to have been very satisfactory, 
as there is a balance in the Society’s favour of £10. 
- Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, send us some flowers of 
Primula sinensis varieties, representing their choicest strains. 
These comprise The Queen, Chelsea Crimson, White, Carmine, Blue, 
Rose, and Scarlet, with Double Crimson, Albo magnifica, Veitch’s White, 
Veitch’s Red, Double White, and two new crosses from The Queen. All 
are distinguished by purity, softness or richness of colour, great substance 
of blooms, and in most cases by exceptional size, some of the blooms 
exceeding 2J inches in diameter. They are amongst the best we have 
seen this year. 
- A few days since the fourth annual soiree in connection with 
the Royal Berkshire Seed Stores was celebrated at Mr. Sherval’s 
restaurant, King’s Road, Reading. By the kindness of Mr. C. Fidler 
(the proprietor) the party, numbering between forty and fifty, sat down 
to a substantial meal, but the most distinguishing feature of the even¬ 
ing took place upon the removal of the cloth. Mr. Fidler recognises in 
a substantial manner the interest and energy of his assistants in suc¬ 
cessfully carrying out his instructions, as each person who remains in 
his employ not less than nine months of the year is entitled to a per¬ 
centage of the actual nett profits realised during the year. In the 
course of a short speech Mr. Fidler expressed himself well satisfied with 
the result of his experiment. 
- Gaining Knowledge.—I have read with interest for some 
time past the “ Notes on Grapes,” published in the Journal ; but while 
reading Mr. G. Hilton’s remarks on page 63, January 21th, I could not 
easily pass over the sentence— !l Gardeners coming from the south to 
the north have much to learn, and something to unlearn.” That is 
quite true, as I have found by experience. I was brought up in the 
south near Mr. E. Molyneux, and have had many pleasant strolls 
through the Swanmore Park Gardens. The last occasion was four years 
last September, I paid him a very early visit as my time was short. I was 
at the gardens long before either the foreman or any of his men were 
there, but Mr. Molyneux was there amongst his Chrysanthemums. 
Previously I was on the east coast, at Shrubland, where I gained 
considerable experience under Mr. Blair, thence I extended my journey 
northwards as far as the Irish coast, where I found I had still much to 
learn. However, the short lesson I learned at Swanmore was that those 
who win must work early in the morning.—W. SPENCER. 
- Plants of Garrya elliptica do not appear to be flowering 
so freely this season as usual, owing probably to the bad summer for 
ripening the growth, but the catkins are both longer and stouter in 
nature. Plants treated as wall climbers that have become too big for 
their position, the front branches growing out too far, should be shortly 
pruned in. Although the new growths may not flower next season, it 
is better to cut in hard at once and do without flowers for one year, 
as a neater growth will be the result and a more even crop of flowers 
next season. The plants may be spurred in to two or three eyes, to 
assist new growth springing from the remaining eyes. Vigorously 
syringe the plants every day at the time when the shoots show signs of 
breaking into new life. If a hot and dry summer, the plants will be 
much benefited by thorough drenchings overhead in the evening suc¬ 
ceeding a hot day, the growth will be more vigorous, and consequently 
more likely to produce a rich crop of catkins the following season, 
while the appearance of the foliage will be improved.—E. M. 
- The Wakefield Paxton Society.—A t the ordinary weekly 
meeting of the members of the above Society, Mr. W. H. Milnes, the 
President, was in the chair, and Mr. J. G. Brown of Stanley occupied 
the vice-chair. An excellent paper on “ The Primula ” had been pre¬ 
pared by Mr. E. Fenner, gardener to Mr. Joe Shaw, The Woodlands, 
Sandal, which was read by Mr. T. Garnett, one of the Honorary Secre¬ 
taries. There was a good display of choice blooms of this pretty winter 
flowering plant, and also a collection of beautiful imitations of the 
natural flower. A long and interesting discussion ensued on the paper, 
in the course of which Mr. G. Parkin, photographer, exhibited speci¬ 
mens of insects which are sometimes found to infest the Primula. Mr. 
W. Hudson of Sandal proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Fenner for pre¬ 
paring the paper, to Mr. Parkin for his trouble in preserving and ex¬ 
hibiting the insects, and to Mr. G, W. Ramsden, the librarian, for 
arranging the coloured illustrations. The motion was seconded by Mr. 
Elliott of Huddersfield, supported by Messrs. B. Whiteley and A. Gold- 
thorpe, and heartily carried. 
- Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—A t the Committee meeting of 
this Charity held on Friday evening last, there was a large attendance, 
the Chairman, Mr. G. Deal, presiding. After the reading of the minutes 
