443 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 2, 18S7. 
or two French Pelargoniums, and Saxifraga pyramidalis. The front edge 
was tastefully formed with Pansies, Myosotis, Coleus, small Caladiums, 
Sempervivums, and other Btnall miscellaneous plants. 
The next group in this tent was one contributed by Messrs. George Paul 
and Sons, for which a first-class medal w<s awarded. The central ground¬ 
work was formed of dwa’f Roses in pots in capital condition of various sizes, 
and rising out of them were a number of standards with moderate sized 
heads. This group was margined with pans of Phlox Nelsoni, P. plenus, 
P. Vivid, Tiarella cordifolia, Ranunculus aconitifolius fl.-pl., pans of 
various Saxifragas, and other alpine plants in flower. At each corner of this 
group were several p'ants of tree Pseonies in pots carrying one or two fine 
blooms each. The material which compo3id this group is not generally 
seen associated together, but the effect was very pleasing. A pan of 
Astilbe japonica folib purpureis was very striking, and wa3 awarded a 
first-class certificate. This may be termed a purple-foliaged form of the 
old Spiraea japonica. A second class medal was awarded John Harley, Esq., 
Stockport, for a group of Dracaenas, Palms, Ericas, Zonals, Hydrangeas, 
Lilies, Ferns, and a general assortment of plants. 
Roses were seen in several handsome groups, and in each instance the 
plants were well grown, clean, and carrying fine flowers. A first-class 
medal was deservedly awarded to James Brown, Esq., Manchester, for an 
excellent collection, including plants with fine flowers of Souvenir d’un 
Ami, Perle de Jardin, Jeanne Ducher, Sunset, Madame Willermoz, Marie 
Van Houtte, La France, Marguerite de Romans, Madame H. Jamain, Marie 
Baumann, Ulrich Brunner, and others. A second class medal was given to 
W. J. AVilliams, Esq., Stockport, for thirty-five Hybrid and Tea varieties in 
pots. 
Ferns were numerous and in splendid condition. A first-class medal 
was awarded to Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, Sa’e, Manchester, for a 
remarkably fine collection of hardy and exotic species, mostly small and 
moderate-sized plants, relieved by smal'-growing Tree Ferns. A. Birly, 
Esq., was given the same award for a collection of hardy Ferns, mostly of 
large size and in grand condition. 
Pelargoniums, both French, Fancy, and Zonals, were good, but only one 
collection was staged by Mr. C. Rylance, Ormskirk, for which the first- 
class medal was given. The back of the group contained a choice selection 
of hardy Ferns, shown in his usual style, while to the font was staged the 
Pelargoniums. All were good, but the most striking were Venus, Queen 
Bess, Kingston Beauty, Pi ince Leopold, Digby Grand, Evening Star, and 
Duchesse de Morney. Zonals : Lord Wellington, Softness, Mrs. Jacoby, 
Louisa, Mrs. Whitley, and Queen of Beauties. Messrs. Fisher, Son, and 
Sibray was granted a first-class certificate for Pelargonium Duchess of 
Teck, a handsome dwarf compact form. 
Calceolarias and Pansies were staged in remarkably fine condition, for 
which third-class medals were principally awarded. For the former Mr. G. 
Ireland, Ashton-on-Mersey, H. Stevenson, Esq., Whalley Range, and H. D. 
Leake, Esq., were successful. For Pansies, Mrs. Mellor, Chorlton-cum- 
Hardy, Mr. John Blower, Pendlebury, and S. Robinson, Sale. 
Cut flowers were represented by three or four tastefully arranged col¬ 
lections. For trusses of Zonal Pelargoniums Messrs. J. R. Pearson & Sons, 
Chilwell, Notts, was granted a third-class medal. The same award was 
granted to Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, for a collection of Pseonies, which 
were very showy and much admired. Mr. James Mason, Manchester, was 
awarded a first-class medal for cut flowers arranged in bouquets, baskets, 
and wreaths, associated with Ferbs, Palms, and Dracsenas. A very pretty 
basket was formed of crimson Roses and white Lilac ; a pretty bouquet 
was made of the same materials, others of Roses and Lily of the Valley, 
and others of Carnations, red and pink. A first-class medal was accorded 
A. Heine, Eiq , for a collection of cut flowers of Orchids, arranged very 
tastefully in glasses with Adiantum cuneatum. The bunches of flowers 
were large, and not confined to one species or variety, which added 
materially to their effect. Mr. Wm. Owen, Hurtford, had a third-class 
medal for a collection of Orchid blooms; these were shown in single 
flowers or trusses, and were principally Cattleyas. 
Alpine and herbaceous plants were one of the features of this fine Exhibi¬ 
tion. The group contributed by Messrs. Jame3 Dickson it Sons, Newton 
Nurseries, Chester, and for which a first-class medal was awarded, filled a 
moderate-sized tent—in fact, the group was 20 yards long and about 5 yards 
wide. It is indeed questionable if a finer group from any firm has ever 
before bean staged. The whole of the plants were well grown, not drawn 
out weakly, and they had been arranged tastefully and with care. A few of 
the most prominent may with advantage bs enumerated:—Cypripedium 
spectabile, C. Calceolus, C. pubescens, all good specimens; Gladiolus Blush¬ 
ing Bride, Rosy Gem, and The Bride, very fine; Liliums candidum, Harrisi, 
Szovitzianum, Trillium grandiflorum, Spiraea Aruncus, Campanula Burghalti. 
C. Van Houttei, Narcissus bicolor, Phlox Nelsoni, P. Vivid, and atropur- 
purea; Carnation Crimson Clove; Violas of sorts, Delphiniums of sorts, 
and many others. 
Messrs. F. & A. Dickson & Sons, Chester, also exhibited a similar group, 
and although not so large it was well arranged and very effective; in fact, 
it contained only a choice selection of hardy species and varieties. Although 
not so large, therefore less imposing, it was no less beautiful or worthy of 
the high commendation that was accorded it in the form of a first-clas 3 
medal the same as the group described above. The tree Paeonies in this 
collection was conspicuous, and amongst them P. Comtesse de Tudei, a large 
full rose form, was most noticeable. P. Baron d’Ales was also very fine, 
Iris iberica was beautiful, and the same may be said of Iris Susiana, Lilium 
Harrisi, large plants, were well done; Gentiana acaulis was fine, also 
Gladiolus The Bride, G. delicatissimus, G. Ne plus Ultra, Ixias in variety, 
and Narcissus Bulbocoiium were very good. A third-class medal was given 
to R. P. Gill, Esq. (gardener, Mr. W. Plant), for a choice collection of Aquile- 
gias, the following being granted first-class certificates:—Pearl, Purity, 
and Eleanor, all light and pure white forms, which were strikingly beautiful. 
Fruit was more numerous and of much better quality than has before 
been the case at the Whit-week Exhibition. For a collection of fruit Mr. 
Mclndoe, gardener to Sir Joseph Pease, Bart., Hutton Hall, gained the first- 
class medal. The collection comprised—Melons, Best of All, Her Lady¬ 
ship’s Favourite, and Scarlet Premier; Grapes, Madresfield Court, very 
good for the season; Peaches, B-llegarde, Early Beatrice, rather small; 
Hale’s Early and Lord Napier Nectarines; Exquisite Orang s, Imperial 
Lemons, very large ; Black Tartarian, May Duke, Early Bigarreau Cherries 
Brown Turkey Fig, Pearson’s Plate Apple, and Catillac Pears, the two 
latter in capital condition for this season of the year. A third-class medal 
was awarded H. S. Woodcock, Esq., for twelve pots of Strawberries, which 
were in fair condition. A first-class certificate to Mr. Davies, gardener to 
Mrs. M. Ingram for a seedling Melon, a cross between Hero of Lockinge and 
Read’s Scarlet flesh. A second class medal to J. F. Campbell, Esq., Woodseat, 
for three good well-finished bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes, two of 
Foster’s Seedling, and one of Buckland Sweetwater, the two latter being 
very good. A basket of Melons were also shown by the same competitor. 
A firBt-class certificate was awarded Mr. Blair, gardener to the Duke of 
Sutherland, for a dish of Cherries and Sir Harry Strawberries, both being 
very fine. The same award to Mr. Thomas Hare, Grantham, for dishes of 
Elton Strawberry and Black Tartarian Cherries ; Mr. Upjohn, gardener to 
the Earl of E lesmere for twenty-four pots of Strawberries, Melons, and 
Peaches, the exhibits being good in each case. A third-class medal was 
given to Mr. Wallis, gardener to Rev. Walter Sneyd Keele Hall, for Black 
Hamburgh Grapes and Buckland Sweetwater, both good, and Lady Downe’s 
and Gros Colman, the two latter cut on the 29th of December last and which 
were in a good state of preservation. A third-class medal was deservedly 
given to T. Earnshaw, Esq., Totley Grange, for Black Hamburgh and Muscat 
of Alexandria Grapes, very good and fairly well coloured considering the 
earliness of the season for Muscats. 
It will be observed from the brief outline of the Exhibition that has just 
been brought to a close that it proved even superior to those held in the 
Gardens at Old Trafford, and this, too, without issuing a schedule. The 
Council and Mr. Bruce Findlay deserve every congratulation. 
RICHARDIAS FROM CHRISTMAS TO EASTER. 
Amongst the many attractive plants employed in church decora¬ 
tion none surpasses the Richardias. It is impossible to misplace them, 
and their usefulness does not end here, as they are admirably adapted 
for wreath and cross making, and there is no kind of floral decora¬ 
tion of a social description which is not very much enhanced by the 
addition of massive creamy white Richardia spathes. Plants which 
will bloom at Christmas and Easter will also produce spathes before 
Christmas and after Easter, in fact from October until May ; but we 
give those periods as being times when choice flowers are always in 
demand, and those who grow Richardias to flower then will be de¬ 
lighted with the result. 
Some years ago we rather neglected our plants, and they flowered late 
in spring or summer when they were of no special value, but in con¬ 
sidering how very useful they would be during the shortest days we 
resolved to grow them to flower then, and they have succeeded well. 
Our largest plant under the old style was a huge mass and planted out 
in a bed in the conservatory, but we had little or no control over it 
there. The plant in question was lifted in May, divided into two 
dozen pieces, and planted in a border in the kitchen garden. Each 
piece had a root and several long straggling leaves attached. As soon 
as planted a stake was put to these, but they soon withered, and be¬ 
fore they had been out a fortnight every leaf was dead. The roots, 
however, were sound, and new leaves soon began to appear above 
ground. These were quite different to the old ones, as they were very 
dwarf, dark green, and robust. By September they were capital 
bushy plants. About the end of September, 1885, they were lifted, 
placed into 8-inch pots, and transferred to a close house for a short time 
until they began to root afresh, and by November they were estab¬ 
lished. They were then in a temperature of G0°, and began to throw up 
their spathes. By Christmas many of them were expanded, and others 
continued to open until the summer of 1886. 
As they were still dwarf robust plants we did not place them out 
last year, but transferred them to wooden boxes 1 foot square and 1 foot 
in depth. They were placed in the open air in June, and grown in the 
sun all summer, but they were brought in under cover in October, and 
from then until now they have been constantly in bloom. There were 
many spathes out at Christmas, indeed they were so plentiful that we 
feared they would soon cease flowering, but they did not, as a tempera¬ 
ture of 65° and plenty of liquid manure induced them to flower all 
winter. They have proved so satisfactory that we intend to follow 
this practice always, and wc advise others to give it a trial. If those 
in possession of large plants in pots or boxes would begin to harden 
them a little at once, divide them and plant them out, they would 
secure a flue stock of plants by the autumn. 
When planting them out they should be placed into good rich soil, 
and in a warm, sheltered, but sunny position. The soil should not be 
light as they prefer a stiff mixture to form clusters of roots in, and 
copious supplies of moisture must be given them in dry weather. 
Make no attempt to retain the old foliage, as it is useless compared 
with the dwarf stroug leaves which are produced in the open air. In 
lifting them preserve the roots as much as possible, and place them 
in roomy pots or boxes in rich soil. If this is carefully done no leaves- 
will be lost, nor will they change colour by it. Dwarf plants in small 
pots should be repotted or boxed early in May, and as soon as they are 
rooting in the new soil they should be placed in the open air and 
fully in the sun. The greatest mistake that can be made with them is 
to grow them in a close atmosphere in the shade, or pampered in any 
way. They may lose their large leaves when placed out at first, but 
this is an advantage. If no other position can be devoted to them 
place them in a frame with the lights off constantly. If the stock 
be small many little sucker-like growths will be found growing close 
to the old roots. These may be removed, planted in the open, and 
the old plants repotted or boxed. It is astonishing how long Richardia 
, spathes will remain fresh when cut. We kept a group of them in ft 
