THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION.— May 20, 1850. 131 
the soil, and sis inches high, an eight-inch square of 
glass is best, and two inches of it will press in the earth, 
then there will be a spare pane to put over the three 
when it rains very heavily; and if the plants are late in 
seeding, I can lift the pot and bring it in-doors under 
glass; that is the very best mode which appears to me 
for managing this charming little plant. The other half 
of the seeds I shall put under various experiments, and if 
any of them succeed, or suggest to me a better way than 
the above, I shall not fail to record it; at all events, let us 
hear no more of Scarlet Linums till one is discovered 
somewhere; and as to Linum grandiflorum, let no one 
sow it in a hotbed, after reading this, till I have an 
opportunity of writing about my way from experience. 
There are a dozen of pretty little annuals which languish 
under a hotbed treatment, and who knows but this 
may make thirteen to the dozen. 
In the hurry of planting-out time one is apt to forget 
that the common blue Nemophila insignis, if sown from 
the 20th of May to the end of the month, flowers from the 
beginning of July till the middle of August, and that 
with another sowing, a month later, this pretty and 
favourite annual will be in bloom till the frost comes. 
Also, that this is the right time to propagate Heliotropes 
to stand over the winter, to cut from next spring. This 
is likewise the best course to pursue with the Anagallises 
and the American Grounsel. 
Plants of the different bedding Petunias should be 
now reserved in pots, with plenty of pot-room, to take 
cuttings from about the beginning of July for keeping 
over the winter; and now is the last chance for the 
season for laying in a good stock of Chrysanthemums 
and Pomp ones, particularly the latter. 
D. Beaton. 
THE CRYSTAL PALACE. —THE PEACE 
CELEBRATION.— May 9th. 
We do not usually admit to our pages anything 
which does not relate to gardening, or its allied pursuits; 
but the Crystal Palace is now so identified with horti¬ 
culture, that we make no apology for noticing the first 
of a series of noble fetes which are this season to amuse 
and delight many thousands of our fellow countrymen, 
and we make no doubt of a numerous portion of our 
own readers also. 
What doubts, misgivings, and idle rumours there 
have been about the Crystal Palace! Would it pay? 
Will they be able to keep up the excitement? and 
mauy other such questions have been asked, to which 
nobody, who ever answered, felt assured in his own 
mind that he was giving a right solution of them. 
These questions are now for ever set at rest. 
The inauguration of the season, on Friday week, was 
one of the most successful hits the Company have ever 
made. Long before eleven o’clock the roads leading to 
Sydenham Hill were thronged with all sorts of respect¬ 
able conveyances, and the railway brought down its 
heavy freights. The day, fortunately, though lowering, 
was fine, and though not quite up to the mark of “ a 
Queen’s day,” was such as to enable 12,000 visitors 
to go and return without any uneasiness or discomfort 
on their part, as to the consequences that might befall 
their toilets. 
On entering the Palace at eleven o’clock, we made 
our way without any difficulty to the position allotted 
us, and through the courtesy of the gentlemen who 
were in attendance, we were enabled to witness the im¬ 
posing scene which followed to the greatest advantage. 
On making a survey from our position, we found a 
dais about twelve feet square, and five feet high from 
the ground, at the south end of the great transept. This 
was approached by a flight of steps on either of two 
sides, covered with scarlet cloth, and set apart for the 
accommodation of Her Majesty, the Royal Family, and 
suite. On the dais were elegantly gilded chairs, two of | 
which were covered with whitesilk,andrichlyembroidered 
with the finest needlework; one being for the Queen, 
and the other for the Prince, who, however, did not I 
make use of it. Behind the dais an orchestra was j 
erected, and in front of it a semi-circular mass of most ! 
beautiful flowers and flowering shrubs added beauty 1 
and freshness to the scene. Then the whole area of 1 
that great transept, and extending on either side of it, i 
with the galleries, reaching far away overhead, there was ! 
one solid mass of human beings, which one could j 
compare to nothing else than to a monster parterre, i 
Oh! if Mr. Beaton had been there. Such flowers! 
such grouping, and such colours ! W hat new ideas we 
should have had of “ mixed beds,” “ shot-silk beds,” 
and “ ribbon gardening! ” 
During the time the company was assembling, the 
band of the Scotch Fusilier Guards “discoursed sweet 
music,” till was heard in the distance far away in 
the south transept, faint and indistinct strains of the 
“ British Grenadiers,” as they approached nearer and 
nearer, becoming more distinct, the Scotch Fusilier 
and Crystal Palace bands burst out with “ See the Con¬ 
quering Hero comes,” and presently appeared in sight, 
under the transept, a noble array of the Crimean heroes 
of the Artillery, headed by their excellent band. Then 
such cheering, waving of hats and handkerchiefs, as the 
Crystal Palace never knew before. By this time many 
of the Crimean officers had arrived and taken up their 
positions around the dais, where they lounged and 
sauntered about till Her Majesty’s arrival. 
The scene now became exciting. There were the very 
men who any day could make the world tremble; there 
they were, many of them shattered in health and 
limb, but still strong in the consciousness of their own 
power and their noble deeds. By-and-by the same 
faint strains of the “British Grenadiers” were again 
heard, and as they came nearer and nearer, the three 
bands already under the transept made the welkin 
resound with the “ Conquering Hero comes,” and then I 
came the Guards—the men of the Alma and Inkerman. j 
Again the cheering was vociferous. 
Punctual, as usual, Her Majesty entered the building j 
at half-past three, and, ascending the dais, preceded by I 
Sir Joseph Paxton, after bowing to the vast assembly, : 
took her seat on the chair provided for her. On Her - 
Majesty’s left were the Princess Royal, the Prince of i 
Wales, and Prince Alfred ; and on her right the Princess j 
Alice. Behind Her Majesty were the Prince Albert, the 
Duke of Cambridge, and the Duchess of Sutherland; 
and among the company present were the Marquis of j 
Bredalbane, Lord Panmure, the Duke of Wellington, 
Lord Grenville, Admiral Lyons, and mauy others of the 
Ministers and nobility. After the bands had played the 
National Anthem, and Madame Rudersdorff, Mr. and 
Mrs. Lockey, and Mr. Thomas, sang aquartett from the 
oratorio of “Eli,” the unveiling of Baron Maroclietti’s 
“ Scutari Monument” took place, and disclosed an obe¬ 
lisk of large proportions and beautiful design, placed on 
a pedestal, at each of the four corners of which was a 
colossal figure of an angel with sad and downcast coun¬ 
tenance, standing as if robed in its own folded wings. 
A burst of enthusiasm proceeded from the whole as- j 
sembly, and Her Majesty and Court appeared to take a : 
lively interest in the proceedings. This obelisk is a 
monument to the soldiers and sailors who fell in defence 
of Turkey. After a hymn had been sung, the unveil¬ 
ing of “The Peace Trophy ” was proceeded with. It 
represented a colossal figure of Peace, in silver, with a 
golden robe, holding in her hand a real olive branch, 
and standing on a sort of bride-cake looking pedestal. 
