1871.] 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
215 
a thin crop, best against walls ; the trees very much blighted. Strawberries, an abundant 
crop, where not cut by late frost, but damaged by excessive wet, and deficient in flavour. 
Dessert Cherries , scarce ; Morellos, abundant nearly everywhere. Peaches and Nectarines, for 
the most part plentiful, but the trees much injured through the cold weather in spring. Small 
Fruits, generally abundant; but Currants, red and black, have suffered fearfully from blight. 
Filberts and Cob Nuts, an extraordinary crop. Walnuts, scarce. The May frosts (12° below 
freezing-point on May 17, mentioned in more than one place), with their sequelae, constituted 
the main reason for the general deficiency. 
- ££he varieties of Zonal Pelargoniums have been wonderfully improved 
within the last year or two. Mr. Pearson, of Chilwell, has a splendid strain, 
mostly of the semi-nosegay class, with particularly large flowers, and immense 
trusses, freely produced on plants of stocky growth. Miss Saunders, a crimson with blue shade, 
resplendent in colour, is particularly rich; and Rose Peach, a deep bright rose, is highly 
attractive. Corsair, a rich scarlet, of faultless form, is so fine in habit, truss, and substance, 
as to leave Lord Derby far behind; and Amaranth, a free, plain-leaved, compact-trussed, deep 
blue-tinted rose, seems likely to take the lead as the highest colour in the Christine class. 
Rose Bradwardine, a lovely rose, is remarkable for the abundance of its cheerful-coloured 
flowers; and Thomas Adams, a large, bright carmine, has a noble truss. There are others of 
equal mei*it, perhaps, but these struck us as decided advances in the form of decorative plants. 
Amongst Golden Variegated Zonals, Lady Manvers is a particularly fine variety,-brilliant in 
colour, and very even in marking; another, called William Sandys, has not only high colour, 
but a remarkably free habit of growth. Of a different strain entirely, but equally good in their 
way, are those bred by Dr. Denny, and grown at Mr. W. Paul’s nurseries at Waltham Cross. They 
are specially distinguished amongst the hybrid nosegay race for the form and size of their 
flowers. Wellington is a magnificent crimson-scarlet, with immense trusses, and in every 
respect fine; Sir John Moore is a lighter scarlet, and very effective ; Iago is an orange-scarlet, 
of remarkable brilliancy ; while Ianthe is one of those beautifully rose-tinted varieties, in 
which the suffused blue comes out so charmingly. They are all of free-blooming habit, and 
take rank in one of the most advanced lines of the host of Zonal Pelargoniums by which we 
are surrounded. 
- ^Ender the name of JEchmea Marios Eegina , Mr. Wendland, of Hanover, 
has exhibited during the summer one of the most beautiful Bromeliaceous plants 
yet introduced, and which has gained First-class Certificates, both at the Regent’s 
Park and Kensington, besides a Silver Medal at the latter. It is of somewhat robust habit, 
with leaves 18 in. in length arranged vase-like, the flower-spike rising from the centre, and 
attaining a height of about 2 ft., half which length is clothed with large boat-shaped bracts, 
some 4 in. long, of an intensely rich rose-pink; the flowers, which are tipped with blue and 
change to salmon-colour with age, are arranged compactly upon the upper portion of the spike, 
and materially add to the beauty of this extremely grand plant. The bracts are very persist¬ 
ent, retaining their rich colour in full perfection for several months. This superb plant, 
which when known cannot but become a universal favourite, has passed into the hands of Mr. 
B. S. Williams. 
- fine new Peach , named Knight's MarTcley Admirable, has been shown 
this season by Mr. Knight, of the Floral Nursery, Hailsham. It was raised by 
G. Darby, Esq., Markley, Sussex, and is a freestone of the Teton de Venus type, 
of good size, slightly oval in shape, with a prominent nipple on the apex. It was grown in a 
cold house, and the fruit possessed a particularly rich flavour, so much superior to that of 
other early Peaches, that a First-class Certificate was awarded to it by the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s Fruit Committee. We intend to figure it in due course. 
- well-marked illustration of the Influence of Scion upon Stock in 
Inducing Variegation, has recently been noticed by us at Mr. Noble’s nursery at 
Sunningdale. The Golden-variegated Weeping Mountain Ash, two years grafted, 
standard high, on the common Mountain Ash (Pyrus Aucuparia), had in four separate cases 
thrown out from the stock variegated shoots—one from the very base close to the ground, and 
the others about half-way up, about 3 ft. or 4 ft. from the base. The variegation was whiter than 
that of the graft, and seemed to be first developed along the midrib of the leaflets, some leaves 
