Kovember 16,1894 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
449 
form of a well known Orchid, a deep margin of white being conspicuous 
on the dorsal sepal (award of merit), 
CypripccLium Cyris (N. Cookson).—This is an attractive hybrid, the 
result of a cross between C. villosum Boxalli atratum and C. Argus. 
The dorsal sepal and petals are large, white and green, heavily spotted 
with dark brown. The lip is brown and green (first-class certificate). 
Bendrobium Phalcenopsis Highburycnsis (B, A. Burberry).—Cut 
blooms of two forms of Dendrobium Phalmnopsis were exhibited. One 
was nearly white, and the other very dark (award of merit). 
Epilalia Uardyana (F. Sander & Co.).—This is the result of a cross 
between Laslia anceps and Epidendrum ciliare, the latter being the 
pollen parent. The sepals and petals are blush pink, the lip being 
rich crimson (award of merit), 
Oncidiuin Wheatleyamim (F. Wheatley).—A beautiful Oncidium of 
a dark reddish-brown colour, the lip being very bright yellow (award of 
merit), 
Odontoglossum crisgniin Frantz Masereel (Vervaet & Co.).—A richly 
spotted form of great merit, the flowers being exceedingly attractive. 
The sepals and petals are white covered with chocolate coloured blotches, 
the lip lemon yellow (first-class certificate). 
Eteris cretica cristata Forvanci (Stroud Bros,).—A dwarf-growing 
plant with heavily crested fronds (award of merit). 
STERNBERGIA MACRANTHA. 
Through the kindness of Mr. Edward Whittall of Smyrna I have 
bad the opportunity of flowering this beautiful Amaryllid, which is new 
to cultivation. Mr. J. Gay is the authority for the specific name of 
macrantha, and Mr. J. G. Baker gives S. latifolia and S. stipitata as 
Boissier’s names, and also S. Clusiana of Boissier, non Ker, From a 
contemporary I observe that bulbs sent by Mr. Whittall have also 
flowered at Kew. It is a very beautiful Sternbergia, and the specific 
name of macrantha is quite worthily applied to this species, the blooms 
being large in addition to having good form, and being of a fine bright 
yellow. 
It is to be hoped that S. macrantha will be more complaisant in our 
northern gardens than its congener S. lutea. The latter is not a free 
flowerer with us, only giving us flowers occasionally ; and if S. macrantha 
will bloom regularly it will be a great acquisition, its flowers being as 
large as almost any of the Colchicums. It is thus described by Mr. 
Baker in the “ Handbook of Amaryllidete : ”—“ Bulb globose, 1 to 
IJ inch diameter, with a neck 4 to 6 inches long ; tunics pale or brown. 
Leaves lorate, obtuse, glaucescent, f inch broad, fully developed in June. 
Peduncle as long as the bulb-neck ; spathe, 3 to 4 inches long, mem¬ 
branous, cylindrical in the lower half. Flowers bright yellow, produced 
in autumn ; tube cylindrical, 2 inches long ; segments oblong, 1 to 
1^ inch broad ; stamens more than half as long as the limb; stigma not 
lobed.” Its habitats are said to be “ Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, 
West Persia, and Sinaitic Peninsula.” Mr, Whittall in his note to me 
calls it the ” Giant Sternbergia.”—S. Aenott. 
THE CAUSE OF APPLE FAILURES. 
I FEEL interested in the remarks of “ A Judge ” (page 422) on the 
subject of the severe frost of May 20th, and the comparative general 
failure of the Apple crop. I am inclined to think that the “ frost ” gets 
more than a fair share of abuse for the failure, and believe more in his 
remark of “ exhaustive trees,” or to put it another way, dryness at the 
roots from the excessively dry hot spring we experienced, and conse¬ 
quently weakly bloom unable to set, I remember at the time urging 
classes, where I was engaged on technical instruction, to feed the roots 
after such exhaustive crops of the previous season, coupled with the 
dry earth for want of a soaking February, such as we had the previous 
spring, and where this was carried out there was little, if any, failure 
from the May frosts. I had the pleasure of judging at four local 
shows this autumn, and was struck with quality and quantity of Apples 
shown. 
I am a thorough believer in liquid manure for winter feeding, and 
where this is not obtainable in sufficient quantity even water alone, 
especially if trees are on dry positions, such as hedgerow banks. Last 
March we had one storm which I turned to account by diverting a 
stream some 200 yards by irrigation to a row of Apple trees, and I have 
never seen a better crop on the whole of the trees, therefore the frost 
theory in my case drops out of the reckoning ; while other trees not 
available for irrigation bore little, if any, fruit, and the wood ripening 
or otherwise had no effect on the crops, although wood ripened 
thoroughly as a rule. I notice the bloom buds on both Apples and 
Pears appear to be unusually plump, and promise well for next season, 
—J. Hiam. 
AJUGA EEPTANS. 
This old and easily grown herbaceous perennial is well adapted for 
forming edgings to flower beds and herbaceous borders. Among light 
foliaged plants we have ample material to select from suitable for the 
same purpose ; but as it is often necessary to provide dark as well as light 
coloured edgings, it is not always easy to bring to memory a plant 
possessing all the good qualities required. Among dark foliaged plants 
I know of nothing so well adapted for permanent edgings as this Ajuga. 
Its deep purplish crimson leaves are at all times attractive, and its 
purple flowers produced in such profusion during May invariably attract 
a considerable amount of attention. 
Like many other useful edging plants it is easily propagated, and 
gives but little trouble when once established. When growth commences 
short creeping shoots are sent out in all directions ; these root freely in 
the soil, and if taken up and replanted quickly develop into plants. 
When a suflficient stock of these have been prepared, a double row 
planted in zig-zag fashion, the plants being set about 4 inches apart 
each way, will form a thickly packed interlacing edging of rooted 
runners in one year. The only annual attention necessary for at least 
half a dozen years after will be that of removing weeds and flowers after 
they have faded, and a yearly edging with line and edging iron. At the 
present time when spring bedding is being planted as quickly as 
possible, it is well to bear the good qualities of this ijuga in mind, and I 
think in many instances it will supply the very shade of colour wanted 
to complete well thought out bedding arrangements. 
Those who already have an edging of it, and desire to plant an 
additional one, will obtain sufficient for the purpose by thinning out 
the rooted runners from the established edging. If the interstices 
thus made are filled with soil, the old plants will be improved, rather 
than otherwise, by this timely thinning.—H. Dukkin. 
CCJjRX^glTHEMU^ 
Chrysanthemum Shows. 
The following is a list of Chrysanthemum shows that have been 
advertised in our columns up to date, and which yet remain to be held 
during the ensuing week. We append the names and addresses of the 
respective secretaries. 
Nov. 15th.— Birkenhead and Wireal. —W. Bassett, 23, Grove Road, 
Rock Ferry, 
„ 15th and 16th.— Winchester. — Chaloner Shenton, Westgate 
Chambers, Winchester. 
„ 16th and 17th.— Bolton. —James Hicks, Markland Hill Lane, 
Heaton, Bolton. 
„ 16th and 17ch.— Chesterfield. — A. H. Johnson, New Square, 
Chesterfield. 
„ 16th and 17th.— Egcles, Patrigroft, Pendleton and District. 
—H. Huber, Hazeldene, Winton, Patricroft. 
„ 16th and 17th.— Bradford and District. —H. R. Barraclough, 
383, Bowling Old Lane, Bradford. 
,, 16th and 17th.— Sheffield —W. Houseley, 177, Cemetery Road. 
„ 20th and 2l8t.— WoKiNG. — H. W. Robertson, Somerset Villa, 
Woking. 
,, 20th and 2l8t.—T wickenham. —Edward F. Green, Lincoln Lodge, 
East Twickenham. 
A New American Chrysanthemum, “Philadelphia.” 
It is an unusual thing to see blooms at an exhibition of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums grown 3000 miles away, yet we think that Messrs. Cannell & Sons 
once staged some American blooms of Louis Boehmer at an Aquarium 
show just prior to its distribution in England. At any rate, to Mr. 
Hugh Graham of Philadelphia, belongs the credit of repeating the 
experiment with a marvellously fine Japanese incurved raised by him. 
The flower, which he has named Philadelphia, is a solid, massive looking 
globular flower, as round as a ball, very large in size, and has deep, 
incurved grooved florets of good breadth, which are ribbed or veined 
on the outer face. The tips of the florets are rather sharply pointed, 
and the colour is a clear white, slightly tinted primrose at the tips. 
Philadelphia has already received a first-class certificate from the 
American National Chrysanthemum Society, and the flower arriving 
too late for the Floral Committee of the English N.C.S. to see it was 
awarded a silver-gilt medal by the Arbitration Committee. We con¬ 
gratulate Mr. Hugh Graham on being the first American grower to 
obtain this distinction. 
Chrysanthemum Mrs. C. E. Shea. 
In your report of the proceedings of the Floral Committee of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society on the 7th inst. you say of the above 
variety (page 428) that “ Chief among the varieties passed over must 
be mentioned Mrs. Chas. Shea, which will probably be the largest white 
Chrysanthemum in existence.” The expression, “ passed over,” might 
lead to the conclusion that the variety in question was regularly sub¬ 
mitted to the Floral Committee for certificate and failed to obtain one. 
This was not the case. To obtain a certificate of the N.C.S. two blooms 
must be submitted, whereas I had but one of this new variety—in fact, 
