376 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 9, 1389. 
prizes are also offered in the other classes. The Hon. Secretary is Mr. 
G. Woodgate, Warren House Gardens, Kingston Hill, Surrey. 
POLYANTHUSES. 
IN your interesting report of the Auricula Exhibition at Manchester 
we are told that gold-laced Polyanthuses were shown in much greater 
beauty and force than was the case in London a week previous. I fear 
we shall never see gold-laced Polyanthuses in really good form here in 
the south, because the climatic conditions are not so favourable as 
they are in the north, where if the spring temperature be lower, at 
least it is more equable than with us, and the gold-laced Polyanthus 
seems to thrive best in a comparatively cool temperature, but especially 
to produce its floral features in purer form than where sudden bursts of 
sunshine and warmth, such as was experienced on Good Friday last, 
demoralise flowers. The points of a gold-laced Polyanthus of the best 
order are very acutely defined, and only culture of the highest kind, 
associated with essential climatic conditions, can produce them as seen 
in Lancashire flowers. Those who have never seen perfect pips of 
Exile, Cheshire Favourite, or Lancer cannot comprehend the minute¬ 
ness of marking and colouring which enters into such flowers. I doubt 
whether in all floriculture there is to be found a flower which exhibits 
art as applied to Nature more fully developed in flowers than is a perfect 
gold-laced Polyanthus. So very perfect are the pips of the varieties 
named that so far they seem to be unbeatable. We have had a long 
period of depression in the pioduction of good seedling forms, as is evi¬ 
denced by the fact that real good new varieties are indeed rare ; but 
there are evidences that the spell is being broken at last, and in a few 
years we may see some first-class varieties introduced. Very fortunate 
indeed seems to have been that well-known florist, Mr. J. James of 
Farnham Royal, who brought to the Drill Hall, Westminster, on the 
23rd ult. a box of blooms from seedling Polyanthuses, which showed 
quality far beyond what has been seen in any similar series of plants 
for years. That is very hopeful. Some of the flowers showed first-rate 
quality, and if next year the same perfection of points should be main¬ 
tained we may hope to see them the progenitors of several fine ex¬ 
hibition varieties. Perhaps raisers have in the past hitherto been 
breeding too much from the most high-bred or perfect flowers. As a 
result they have found the fate which so often befals breeders of 
thoroughbred horses after a few years, whilst those who hark back to 
stouter parentage presently became more fortunate. Mr. James has 
been working on his old good strain, using some flowers of choicer 
blood for pollen parents with excellent results. As border plants gold- 
laced Polyanthuses, however good or robust, make a poor show, especially 
when compared with the effective beauty and wonderful variety of 
colour found in the self or Fancy strains. Of these the whites, yellows, 
and other light-coloured flowers show up with striking effect at remote 
distances, but gold-laced, or similar marked flowers, are even when near 
almost inconspicuous. Those who grow gold-laced flowers for exhibition 
must do so chiefly in pots and in frames, and find some little trouble in 
warm seasons in keeping off thrips and spider, whilst those who want 
garden flowers will find a wondrous wealth of beauty and richness of 
colouring in border varieties.—A. D. 
Events of the Week. — On Saturday next, May 11th, the 
usual Summer Exhibition of Plants and Flowers will be held at the 
Crystal Palace, Sydenham. Special provision is made for specimen 
stove and greenhouse plants, Orchids, Pelargoniums, fine-foliaged plants, 
Roses, Calceolarias, bouquets, and floral decorations. The manager is 
Mr. W. G. Head. The Royal Horticultural Society’s Fruit, Floral, and 
Orchid Committees will meet in the Drill Hall, James Street, Victoria 
Steeet, on Tuesday, May 14th, at 11 a.m., and the Royal Botanic 
Society’s first Summer Show of the season will be held on Wednesday, 
May 15th. 
- The annual Exhibition of the Royal National Tulip 
Society will take place in connection with the great Whitsun Show of 
the Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society at the Botanical 
Gardens on June 7th and following days. The Tulips will be staged on 
the 7th and remain until the evening of June 8th. 
- The Weather in the south of England, and especially in the 
metropolitan district, has been fine and spring-like during the past week. 
Upon several days the temperature has risen high, and on Saturday, 
Sunday, and Monday mornings, in the neighbourhood of London, the 
thermometer registered 66° in the shade at 8 A.M. In some districts 
heavy rain and thunderstorms occurred on Sunday, but they were by no 
means general. Fruit trees are flowering well, and look most promising. 
_ National Co-operative Festival.—W e are requested to 
state that this national gathering of working men co-operators will be 
held at the Crystal Palace, on Saturdajq August 17th. The flower show 
to be organised by the Agricultural and Horticultural Association has a 
prize list already of £300, for vegetables, flowers, and fruit. 
-In reading the report of the National Auricula Society s 
Show (Northern Section) held at Manchester on April 30th I was 
surprised to find some mistakes. For instance, in the class for maiaen 
growers you mention the third prizewinner as name unknown. It 
should have been Mr. J. Clements, Harborne, and in the class for seifs 
the premier prize was won by Mr. J. Clements, not by Mr. W. Clements ; 
also in the gold-centred Alpines, single plants, the first prize was 
awarded to Mr. J. Clements, Harborne, not Mr. T. Clements. As a 
reader of your paper since the year 1867, I shall feel obliged if you will 
kindly correct the same in your next week’s issue.— John Clements. 
_ The Auricula Show at Manchester.— All admirers of 
the Auricula not able to go to the Manchester Show would doubtless be 
pleased to see that the description “seedling” crops up frequently 
among the winners of honours ; but the query comes iff, V hose seed¬ 
lings are they, or are we to conclude the exhibitor is also the raiser of 
that variety ? Many people present at that Show could not refrain 
from giving expression to the opinion that some shaded Alpines 
described as seedlings had an uncommon resemblance to the flowers 
produced from the labours of our late respected friend, Mr. Pohlman 
of Halifax, but already honoured with a name.— Cheltenham. 
- The Weather of the Past Month.— April was very 
showery and dull here ; good growing weather on the whole, but 
bad for seed sowing, &c., the land being wet all through the 
month. Rain was recorded on twenty-two days, the total fall being 
2-88 inches ; the greatest amount in twenty-four hours was 0'63 inch 
on 10th. Barometer ranged from 29T5 inches at noon on the 4th to 
30'20 inches at 9 A.M. on the 19th. Highest shade temperature, 67° 
on the 18th ; lowest ditto, 31° on the 1st and 23rd ; lowest on grass, 26° 
on 16th. Heavy hailstorm with thunder on the 23rd and 24th. There 
were only two bright sunny days during the month. Wind was in a 
westward direction fifteen days, and eastward thirteen days , garden 
spring running 254 gallons per minute on 30th. Horse Chestnuts 
commenced leafing on 20th. Cuckoo first heard on 26th. V . H. Di\ ers, 
Kettun Hall, Stamford. 
- Gardening Appointment.— Mr. John Crook, late of Farn- 
boro’ Grange Gardens, Hants, has recently been appointed to the charge 
of the gardens at Forde Abbey, Chard, Dorsetshire, 
-Reading Horticultural Society.—W e are requested to 
state that the summer Show of this Society will take place on May 29tln 
and the band of H.M. Scots Guards has been engaged to play under the 
direction of Mr. E. Holland. 
- The Rainfall at Cuckfield, Mid-Sussex, during the 
past month amounted to 2'38 inches, being 0'70 inches above the 
average. The heaviest fall was 0'24 inches on the 26th, rain falling 
on twenty-two days. Highest temperature 70° on 19th; lowest, ditto, 
31° on 16th. Mean day temperature, 57-2° ; mean night ditto, 37-2°; 
mean temperature, 47 2°, being 1-5° above the average.— R. Inglis. 
--- Marigolds. —The first or second week in May is quite early 
enough to sow the seed of African and French Marigolds, as it germinates 
quickly in gentle heat, and the plants soon attain a serviceable size. 
Sown thinly in boxes and hardened before they become tall they can be 
transplanted readily, and soon become effective. The yellow-flowering 
dwarf or miniature French Marigold is suitable for edging beds, and are 
sometimes grown as a substitute for shrubby Calceolarias. So also is 
the Marigokl-like Tagetes signata pumila, the seed of which may be 
sown now.—W. I. 
- At the ordinary meeting of the' Royal Meteorological 
Society, to be held at 25, Great George Street, Westminster, on Wed¬ 
nesday, the 15th inst., at 7 p.m., the following papers will be read 
“ Account of some Experiments made to Investigate the Connection 
between the Pressure and Velocity of the Wind,” by W. H. Dines, 
B.A., F.R.Met.Soc. ; “ On an Improved Method of Preparing Ozone 
Paper and other Forms of the Test with Starch and Potassium Iodide,” 
by C. H. Blackley, M.D., F.R.Met.Soc.; “On the Climate of Akassa, 
Niger Territory,” by Frank Russell, F.R.G.S. 
-Mr. J. Mallender sends a Summary of Meteoro¬ 
logical Observations at Hodsock Priory, Wohksop, Notts, 
