July 15. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
24-1 
has a garden, whether looked upon either as a preventive 
or cure. M. Grisson, head gardener of the forcing 
houses at Versailles, is its author: already it has been 
recommended to bestow upon him a public reward. 
This is as it ought to be, immeasurably better than 
making a benefactor pay for the monopoly of a patent, 
which after all may be of no service to him. M. 
Grisson mixes together a pound of flowers of sulphur, 
and an equal quantity of fresh slaked lime. When well 
mixed, these are put into an iron or glazed earthenware 
pot containing five pints of water; the mixture is made 
to boil for ten minutes, and kept stirred all the time. 
The pot is then taken oil' the fire, and the mixture 
allowed to settle; when it has done so, about four pints 
of the clear liquid is bottled for use. Defore using it, 
to each part of the liquid is added 100 parts of water; 
so that one pint of the liquid may be made to cover 
sixty-eight square yards, or fifty-one feet along a wall 
twelve feet high. M. Grisson uses such a wash before 
the vines are in flower, again when the berries are set 
and growing, and a third time afterwards should there 
be any sign of the malady. 'The sulphur costs only J^d. 
per pound in i'rance ; as yet we pay much more in this 
country for it, but the writer of the article truly says, 
that with sulphur at the Paris price, and provided the 
composition is as effectual as it is represented to be, there 
is nothing in the way of expense to prevent its being 
extensively used in our gardens, and even in our fields. 
I have already shown that next to the fumes of sulphur 
from hot water pipes, or the sun beating fiercely against 
it on a wall, such a hydro-sulphuret of lime as is formed 
by mixing lime, sulphur and cold water, is very valuable. 
I can easily imagine that the boiling process will cause 
more of the sulphur to be absorbed; at any rate the 
new mode is worthy of a trial, either as respects insects 
or mildew, and if found effectual, it will not be long 
before the price of sulphur here will be near the Paris 
price. Were that the case, what I use now would be 
trifling in comparison of what I would do then. 
R. Fisir. 
Erratum. Page 214, 2 col., 6 line from bottom, instead of “six to 
sixteen,” read “ sixteen to sixty.” 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS AT THE REGENT’S 
PARK EXHIBITION.— June 30. 
A more glorious day for an exhibition of florists’ 
flowers and plants cannot be conceived; it more than 
compensated for the thorough soaking one on the 0th. 
More than seventeen thousand persons congregated 
together to view the beauties of Flora and Pomona 
displayed in the tents, with no niggard hands, for their 
gratification and instruction, it was, indeed, a gratify¬ 
ing spectacle to see such fine objects of horticultural 
skill, and such a numerous company of well and ele¬ 
gantly-dressed ladies and gentlemen drawn together. 
The tents were crowded during the whole afternoon, 
notwithstanding the heat therein was oppressive. We 
think it would have been a great relief if the sides of the 
tents had been thrown open; but we suppose the breeze 
would have been too strong for the plants. 
Florists Flowers, especially Pelargoniums, were ex¬ 
hibited in force. Indeed, the usual place or tent for this 
class of flowers was not large enough to contain them, 
and it is a pleasing fact to record that there was not an 
indifferent plant of pelargonium there. 'The judges must 
have had a difficult task to decide which were the best. 
There were but few additions of really good varieties to 
note, and we consider it is our duty only to record 
such as a guide to the readers of the Cottage Gar¬ 
dener what to procure for next year. In show varieties, 
Ambassador proves to be a fine variety worth growing, 
as also the following— Optimum, Enchantress (Foster’s), 
Mars, Ariadne, Little Nell, Exaotum, Star, Boule de 
Fen, Painter improved, and Camilla. The last was a 1 
perfect beauty. All these are worthy the attention of i 
the grower of these fine plants. In seedlings of this : 
class, Zaria, raised by Mr. Hoyle, obtained the highest 
prize—a first class certificate. It will be remembered 
that we predicted, in our report of the last show at the j 
Park, that this fine seedling would take a high rank, and 
of course wo are gratified that our judgment has been 
confirmed on this occasion. For the description we* 
refer our readers to that report. Every grower of Pelar¬ 
goniums ought to procure it as soon as possible. It is 
the most distinct variety that has been raised for many 
years. Mr. Turner, of Slough, also bad a prize of the 
same value for one named “ Novelty” a good deal in i 
the way of “ Painter improved ,” but of a better form; 
upper petal dark maroon, edged with rich crimson ; 
lower petals rose, with a dark blotch in the centre of 
each, and veins of the same colour branching from it, 
giving it a rich, pleasing appearance, form and sub¬ 
stance first-rate; not so novel as Zaria, but a fine 
variety. Mr. Gaines exhibited one named Nepatdese 
Prince, a variety much like Novelty, but the upper petals 
overlap too much. 
Fancy Varieties. —The collections of these were well 
grown, and finely bloomed—in fact, superior to any seen 
before, but they mostly comprised the varieties we have 
already noticed. There were a great number of seed¬ 
lings exhibited, but none of sufficient distinctiveness to 
warrant the judges in giving any a prize. Madame 
Sontag, however, is a well-formed, and distinctly-coloured 
variety; there are several old varieties that are inferior 
to it, but its trusses do not arrange themselves satis¬ 
factorily. The cut Roses were, as usual, very attractive, 
though rather deficient in numbers. Unfortunately wo 
did not get into the tent where they were until tho 
company arrived, and then it was impossible to take ob¬ 
servations upon the kinds; but we shall do so shortly, 
as a friend was, previous to the rush, taking notes loi¬ 
ns, and wo shall give the result. 
The exhibition of roses, planted out in beds, near the 
American gardens, were in excellent health. They are 
arranged in beds, with winding spacious walks around 
them, and surrounded with a wide border of tall standards 
behind, gradually lessening down to tho edge of the walk. 
The weather of late having been so unfavourable, there 
was not a very great display of bloom, though sufficiently 
so to relieve tho uniformity of the green leaves. In ten 
days or a fortnight they will be in fine flower, and will 
then be the finest show of roses near London. They 
are contributed by Messrs. Lane, of Berkhampstead, 
Messrs. Paul, of Cheshunt, and Mr. Rivers, of Saw- 
bridgworth. Not being intended to be permanent, they 
are thickly planted, which allows lor a great number of 
varieties in a comparatively small space. The late rains, 
though they have prevented their blooming so early as 
might have been expected, yet have been beneficial to 
them by inducing vigorous growth and robust health ; 
tlioy will be well worthy of a visit in a few days. There 
are thousands of strong healthy buds, and they are re¬ 
markably free from insects. 
Ruses in Pots. —There was only one collection exhi- : 
bited, from Messrs. Paul and Sons, and there was nothing 
new amongst them. 
Pansies. —Several stands were exhibited in very fair 
condition. Mr. Bragg, of Slough, sent a fine dark seed- | 
ling, which obtained a certificate, and Mr. Thomson, an 
old veteran in pansey culture, sent his beautiful seedling, 
the Pride of Iver; both have first-rate properties. Wo 
could not note anything new in the collections; they 
certainly are not so interesting shown in boxes of cut 
flowers as they are, or, rather, were, in pots at Chiswick. 
Pinks. —The stands of this favourite flower were nu¬ 
merous, and in fair condition. Mr. Turner showed 
several seedlings, the best of which was named Sarah, 
