July 8. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
227 
and if the councils were to be as strict in their rules as 
the judges are in applying them, we should, in a few 
years, see twice the number of species or varieties at 
each of the shows, both at Chiswick and at the Regent’s 
Park; or, if the “collections” cannot be disturbed, in 
the names of Ray, Linnaeus, and Jussieu, let us have 
a new prize altogether, and let everybody try to win it 
without distinction. The prize must be amongst the 
highest, if not the very highest—say for ten plants 
from the stove and greenhouse, which any three gar¬ 
deners and three nurserymen would decide from time to 
time to be the most difficult to manage in England. 
Why is Petrcea volubilis not seen at exhibitions ? It is 
the next best to Amherstia nobilis, and grows as easily 
as an Alemanda. Mrs. Withers made a fine drawing 
of it in my parlour, for a coloured work at Birmingham, 
many years since. It was then the subject of remark 
with everybody, but being very difficult to flower, and 
no encouragement given for blooming such things, I 
believe the plant is now lost to the country, and an 
inferior sort called Stapelia is generally substituted for 
it in collections. This is only one instance out of a 
score, but it will explain my meaning; and I do hope 
the two great societies will step in and do something or 
other for the higher branches of cultivation; and if 
they do not, depend upon it Sir Joseph Paxton will do 
it for them at the Crystal Palace, and gardeners will go 
there in preference, to learn more about their business 
than they can now do at the old shows. 
Pelargoniums. —There were five plants placed side by 
side, and whether their positions were determined by 
high artistic rule, or by mere chance, I could not make 
out, but I never saw five plants of any kind, or five beds 
in a flower-garden, so well put together; every one of 
them helped to set off the other, and very likely, if one 
of them was changed to the other side the effect of the 
whole was lost. Their names are Bertlia, Star, Cen¬ 
turion, Rosamond, and Gulielma. I could look at them 
as they stood for hours; and I regret that I did not take 
the name of the exhibitor. The best geranium at this 
exhibition, according to my fancy, is one called Magni¬ 
ficent. It stood in Mr. Dobson’s collection, and was 
probably raised by him and Mr. Beck between them, 
when Mr. Dobson was foreman, but now be is first man 
and master, and certainly his plants lost nothing by 
his rise in the world. I must get an introduction, 
and call on him some day. The flowers of Magnificent 
have the two back petals nearly black, with a white 
edging ; the eye or bottom of the flower is white, and 
the front petals are of a fiery red colour, and slightly 
streaked. Optimum is also a very bold and capital new 
sort; very large, very dark at the back, high coloured, 
and streaky in front. Queen of May is another I should 
like to grow if I had a bouse of my own; orange- 
scarlet in front, dark back, with scarlet edges. Carlotta 
Grisi in the way of Ocellatum, but not so distinctly 
marked in the front petals, and marked down as a breeder 
for fancy bedders; and, on comparing the mulberry- 
coloured sorts, as Statuislci, with all the other selections 
at this great gathering, 1 could see plainer than ever 
why ladies call them “ such frights." Some of them 
look like half-drowned witches brought on the stage to 
take your attention from the real thing, and still giving 
you the shivers to look at them. Ajax, Loveliness, Pur¬ 
purea, and Diadem are the next best on my list of the 
most conspicuous ones, without any reference to their 
circularity. Diadem is a particularly striking flower; 
dark back, white eye, and a fiery red front. 
Euchsias. —The Fuchsias seem to have had their day, 
and disappear like moths and butterflies ; and there is 
not the slightest question but this is entirely owing to 
the “ trade ” and the florists; for go into whatever large 
place you please in the country, you will find them by 
the scores; and they are the chief props of the •con¬ 
servatories, all over the country, and deservedly so— 
from the end of May to November; and for winter 
flowering there is no plant more serviceable than 
Fuchsia serratifolia, when properly managed; so that 
their own intrinsic merits keep fusbias afloat in the 
country, after being swamped in London by stupid rules I 
and exorbitant prices. I marked three as good ones at 
this show, and I think one of them will turn out the 
very best we have yet seen for the flower-garden; it is 
called Perfection, and, if it was not in flower, no one 
could distinguish it from the old Gracilis, indeed it is 
Gracilis all over, with flowers four times the size of the 
old one, rather a brighter red, and a better purple, it also 
reflexes very much; and if the habit is equal to that of 
Gracilis, this one fuchsia will make up for much of the 
disappointments we have had with them. The next is 
called Model (Banks’). This is in the way of Carolina, 
but a much better flower which reflexes much, and I 
think a better habit of growth for planting out. Grandis 
is the third, just intermediate between the other two in j 
flower and habit, but does not reflex so much as they do. 
Fancy Geraniums. — Gipsy Queen is the best of the 
newest exhibited here; it is a very near match for Ocel¬ 
latum. This strain should be encouraged as much as 
possible. Advancer is the next best, and is from a 
different type. The old Jehu blood is strongly marked 
in it; but a much better seedling, in exactly the same 
strain, is at Shrubland Park — the beautiful bedder 
called, by permission, if not by request, Sir William 
Middleton; and whoever knows him knows the best 
judge of a bedding geranium in England. Mr. Ayres, 
of Blackheath, was the fortunate raiser of these, and of 
a lot more nearly as good, which he sold last year, and 
offered an independent prize for him who could grow 
them best for this season’s exhibitions; and Mr. Robin¬ 
son, a distinguished grower of all the family, won the 
cup at this show most triumphantly. The others in 
this collection are called Conspicuum, Formosissimum, 
Caliban, and Mirandum. With the exception of an 
author publishing a book on his own account, and at his 
risk, there is nothing that I know of which gives so much 
confidence to a purchaser as a man offering a prize for 
his own seedlings. Conspicuum is my next favourite after 
the strain of Triumphans. 
There was a good bedding Calceolaria called Golden 
chain, the nearest to Corymbosa, the best bedder of them 
I had at Shrubland Park; and in a large flower-bed in 
this garden I saw an entire new species of Calceolaria, 
called Chelidonifolium, said to come to us from the Con¬ 
tinent. I shall look closely after this new bedder, for 
at first sight it promises to be a first-rate thing, very 
dwarf, and plain yellow, but quite a different-shaped 
flower from all we have. I have no room to-day to tell 
of the best bedding plant at this show, but two years’ 
since I would give ten guineas for a dozen of it. 
D. Beaton. 
WARM GREENHOUSES. 
“Why do you not give us something now and then 
upon things in general, a sort of running commentary 
of what should be done and avoided?” is a question 
oftener put than it is easily answered. If we refer to 
the monthly calendar, we are told that is neither lengthy 
nor pithy enough. Speak of a companion to the calen¬ 
dar ! “ No, not exactly that; it is such a plummet-and- 
line, such a regular-succession A, B, C, affair, but a 
something between a calendar and a sober-sided article, 
a compromise, especially as that is so much in vogue— 
in fact, a romping gossip about things in general.” 
Would that I could oblige; but the task, I fear, would 
have to be intrusted to other hands than mine. I should 
neither know where to begin nor where to end. Writing 
here, after all, is just conversing with our friends—sit- 
