March 34, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
235 
the first. The first fruits were ripe the second week in August, quite a 
fortnight earlier than Blenheim Orange and Hero of Bath, which were 
planted at the same time, and the flavour was better than either of 
these varieties. The fruit was of medium size, but this was probably 
owing to the number left on the plants.” 
- Brighton and Hove Chrysanthemum Society.—T his 
flourishing Society has issued their schedule of prizes for their fifth 
annual Exhibition, which is to take place in the Dome and Corn Ex¬ 
change on Tuesday and Wednesday, 8th and 9th November. The prize 
list is an excellent one, and will no doubt be the means of “drawing” 
some of the best growers to Brighton on the occasion. By the balance- 
sheet we see that over £ 100 was paid in prizes at their last Show, and 
that they have added £16 to the balance. The Secretary is Mr. Long- 
hurst (W. Miles’ Conservatory), 18, Church Road, Hove. 
- Leeds Paxton Society. —The following is the programme of 
essays, &c., to be read in the first quarter ending June, 1887. Meetings 
are held weekly at the Society’s room, “ Greyhound Hotel,” Vicar Lane , 
every Saturday evening, commencing at 7.30 p.m. Exhibitions of cut 
flowers and other products are held every alternate Saturday. April 
9th .—“ Culture of the Cyclamen,” Mr. Richard Walker, gardener to E. 
Calverley, Esq., Oulton Hall. April 23rd.—“ The Planting and Forma¬ 
tion of the Lawn, Shrubbery, and Terrace,” Mr. Lewis Twigge, nursery¬ 
man, Wakefield. May 7th.—“ The Vine,” Mr. E. H. Bradley, gardener 
to Angus Holden, Esq., Woodlands, Bradford. May 21st.—“ The Phalae- 
nopsis,” Mr. J. Collier, gardener to J. Firth, Esq., Manningham Thorpe, 
Bradford. June 4th.—“ Notes on Gardening—some of its Difficulties,” 
Mr. James Newman, gardener to Mrs. F. W. Kitson, Burley Hill. June 
18th.—“ The Carnation and Picotee,” ,Mr. Geo. Armitage, Churwell. 
Mr. George Hemming is the Hon. Sec. 
- The Wimbledon and District Royal Horticultural 
Society will hold their fifteenth annual Exhibition in the grounds of 
Woodhays on Wednesday, July 6th, this year. 
- Mr. J. Udale writes that “ Lachenalia tricolor is well 
grown at Broom Leasoe, where plants bearing twenty to twenty-two 
spikes of flowers are to be seen, and when grown so well as this they 
are truly objects of beauty. I attribute a considerable amount of Mrs. 
Inge’s success in plant culture to the use of unfermented leaf mould ; 
but of course the best soils, unless accompanied by loving care and 
attention, will not produce the most satisfactory results, consequently 
Mrs. Inge is to be congratulated on the possession and cultivation of 
such fine specimens of Lachenalias, &c. Mrs. Inge is a successful 
grower and propagator of Azaleas, and from now onwards the green¬ 
house will be very gay with them.” 
- The reports of the Botanist to the New York Agricultural Ex¬ 
periment Station, Geneva, N.Y., Mr. J. C. Arthur, for 1885 and 1886> 
furnish an admirable illustration of the value of such State appointments > 
A large portion of both reports is occupied with an exhaustive history of 
the Pear-blight (Micrococcus amylovorus), which is exceedingly 
destructive to Pear trees in the Northern United States ; proofs that the 
mischief is caused by the specific bacterium; and suggestions for a remedy. 
In addition to this, much information is given with regard to the follow¬ 
ing diseases, among others :—The Strawberry mildew (Sphaerotheca 
Castagnei), the Plum-leaf fungus (Septoria cerasina), the Lettuce rust 
(Septoria Lactucae), and the Lettuce mildew (Peronospora ganglifo rmis). 
Woodcuts are given of these various fungoid parasites, and a very 
useful summary is appended of the literature of the Pear blight.— 
( Nature.) 
- W. A. Cook writes :—“ I can sympathise with Mr. Goodaerc 
respecting the Parsley. I have found that these most elegant curled 
Parsleys are only of summer and autumn duration. I had several varie¬ 
ties last year, notably Veitch’s Prize Curled, a very handsome Parsley ; 
in fact I never saw any equal to it. I cut down a portion of that sown 
in March for the summer supply to get young growth, but to no pur¬ 
pose ; all has failed. The July and August sowing has also succumbed, 
even one patch protected with frames. As regards the plain-leaved, 
that has stood the winter well; it was doomed last summer. I ordered 
it to be dug in, but the operator pleaded for this little patch (which 
had stood there several years) on account of it standing the winter so 
well ; so for the future I shall grow a small patch for winter and spring 
supply.” 
- At a meeting of the Birmingham Gardeners’ Society on Wed¬ 
nesday, March 16th, Mr. Horton, gardener to Richard Chamberlain, 
Esq., M.P., read an excellent practical paper on the Chinese 
Primula, giving very full details of culture from the sowing of the 
seed to the blooming time, as well as after treatment. Mr. Horton is a 
very successful cultivator, devoting a good sized span-roof house to their 
culture, and his plants of Emperor, The Queen, Princess Louise, Marquis 
of Lome, and other varieties, showed plainly that he thoroughly under¬ 
stands the cultivation of this valuable winter-blooming plant. Speaking 
of the early history of the plant, Mr. Horton alluded to an illustration 
in the “Botanical Register” (plate 539), taken from a plant in bloom 
in March, 1821, in the garden of a lady residing at Bromley. Illustra¬ 
tions also appeared in other botanical works. To a Captain Rowe belongs 
the honour of its introduction from Canton in 1800, where it was found 
in a cultivated state only. Mr. Horton advocates sowing seeds in well- 
drained pots or pans, using a little sphagnum over good drainage, and in 
a mixture of three parts thoroughly decomposed cowdung, previously 
well baked in order to destroy any living organisms it may contain, and 
one part sifted cocoa-nut fibre, plunging the pot to the rim in a 
temperature of from 65° to 70°, covering the pots or pans with 
paper until the seed vegetates. The after treatment of the plants was 
thoroughly detailed as to repotting and general treatment, and the 
mixture used by Mr. Horton for the final potting consists of turfy loam 
one bushel, leaf mould half a bushel, marl (which has been exposed to 
the action of ah and frost) one-third of a bushel, coarse gritty sand 
one-third of a bushel, with a 36-size potful of Clay’s fertiliser, and the same 
quantity of powdered oyster-shells. To this a 48-potful of soot, the 
same quantity of lime, and a 9-inch potful of roughly broken charcoal 
issued, well mixing the whole. 
- The schedule is just issued of the Scottish Primula and 
Auricula Society’s first Show, to be held in the Calton Convening 
Rooms, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, on Wednesday, May 4th, 1887. 
Nineteen classes are provided, arranged similarly to those in the National 
Auricula Society’s schedule, the prizes ranging from 20s. to 2s. Show 
and Alpine Auriculas, Polyanthuses, and Primula species are provided 
for, and certificates will be awarded for meritorious seedlings. A special 
prize, consisting of a silver medal, is offered by Messrs. Wm. Wood and 
Son, Wood Green, London, for the best specimen Auricula plant in the 
Show. The Hon. Sec. and Treasurer is Mr. W. Stratton, Annfield, 
Broughty Ferry, and the Assistant Secretary is Mr. James Grieve, Pilrig 
Nursery, Edinburgh. We are pleased to be able to record that the efforts 
of the promoters of this Society have met with so much success. We 
learn that there are now seventy members in all parts of Scotland, and 
including some of the leading amateur and professional horticulturists. 
Ample funds are guaranteed, and all that is now required is a satisfac¬ 
tory show in May next, which we have no doubt will be provided. 
HARDY FUCHSIAS. 
As it is well known, most Fuchsias will thrive out of doors in the 
summer, and they are often used in flower beds, for which they arc 
admirably adapted. The drooping habit of most varieties, with their bright 
flowers, give them a peculiar grace. But the hardier class are much 
neglected, and not grown so much as they should be in many parts of 
the country. As a rule, it is only in southern England and near the 
coast that the Fuchsia is seen doing well; but if a little precaution were 
taken they may be successfully grown in the north. It is the rule with 
many gardeners to cut them down in the autumn, thus leaving them 
without any protection whatever during the severe weather. When cut 
down in the autumn a few coal ashes should be sprinkled over the 
plants, which will afford sufficient protection ; but I find it is a good 
plan not to cut down until the end of April, for by leaving the thick 
bushes the frost does not injure the young growths if they start in the 
early spring, for on many occasions when cut down in the autumn the 
plant commences to grow early in the spring, and is then injured by 
late frosts. 
We have F. globosa growing as a shrub. It is over 8 feet high, 
and with a stem 12 inches in circumference. It does not appear to be 
in the least damaged by the late severe weather, and during the whole 
summer it is a mass of richly coloured blooms. 
F. corallina is a tall and slender variety, with large red flowers, suit¬ 
able for training on walls or pillars. 
F. coccinea is a well-known Fuchsia of great beauty with crimson 
flowers, which are produced in profusion during the summer months. 
F. gracilis, a very distinct species, with long slender growths covered 
with red flowers borne on remarkably long stalks. In mild districts it 
grows to an enormous size. 
F. lliccartoni is one of the hardiest species known. It will grow in 
any part of the country, and is worthy of culture, being a plant of 
compact growth, and covered with bright flowers. 
