Apkil 17.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
GARDENING GOSSIP. 
The King of the Dahlias, which has been represented 
as the best crimson self in cultivation, and was not 
intended to be let out, but grown and shown everywhere 
all the next season, has, nevertheless, in consequence of 
the demand, been sent out partly in dry roots, but we 
hope will not be spoiled by hard working. We would 
much rather send to the fountain head for plants on the 
first of May, than order them of anybody who makes 
a hundred plants from a dry root. In fact, it has ruined 
many a good dahlia to drive it along at railroad pace 
for the sake of numbers. 
1 he Eagle Gardens, in the City Road, several times 
the arena of extensive and effective flower-shows, have 
passed into new hands, and it is intended to make them 
always conspicuous for flowers of some character. 
The new proprietor intends that the place shall be liberally 
furnished with the finest plants that can be had, adapted for 
the situation, and to keep them constantly renewed. The 
place is convenient for metropolitan exhibitions, because 
there is no expense called for on account of tents. There 
are covered ways, and extensive light rooms, equal to the 
accommodation of an immense numberof plants and flowers, 
and we are not sorry that the gardens will, at the commence¬ 
ment of the season, assume quite a floral character. A 
regular gardener will be engaged. The neighbourhood is 
associated with the names of some of the oldest florists; 
Gabel, Drinkwater, Franklin, and others, all raisers of 
florists’ flowers, were located where the ground is now 
covered with densely crowded houses. 
I lie prevailing evil, and one which is very discouraging 
to amateur florists, is the multiplication of named flowers, 
far beyond the number that deserve such distinction. 
Our friends in Holland will undertake to supply fifty 
varieties of named Crocuses, a hundred named Ranun¬ 
culuses, the same number of Anemones, and so we go on 
through all sorts of flowers. Now we have tested these 
little matters, and we find that from the hundred named 
Anemones, or Ranunculuses, we could not select ten; 
many we could not tell one from the other, so nearly were 
they alike ; many were not worth garden room, so infe¬ 
rior were they to even common sorts on borders; and 
really amateurs must shut their pockets against these 
wholesale demands, for it is the only check the system 
can receive. 
So long as buyers are found for twenty bad things to one 
that is good, or a hundred varieties to fish out five good 
ones with difficulty, so long will the bags of a hundred come, 
with flaming names for all, as unlike each other as the 
flowers are alike. It is a legal way, perhaps, of obtaining 
money, but not a moral method; and it is the duty of 
florists to resist all such temptations, and not to be such 
easy dupes. This may seem to come rather oddly from one 
who confesses that he fell into the trap himself; but the 
fact is, we buy everything, that we may be able to speak of 
them of our own knowledge; and our readers may make up 
their minds, that when things are sold by the fifty or hun¬ 
dred varieties, three-fourths, if not in some cases nine- 
tenths, will be found of no service whatever. It is the same 
with many of our own florists. A man sends out a dozen 
Dahlias, or Geraniums, or Fuchsias, or Verbenas, where he 
ought at most to send out three or four; and he loses many 
a customer, who cannot afford to buy all, and so has none, 
until he sees them in other people’s hands for a year. In 
resisting these wholesale demands, therefore, the florist con¬ 
fers a benefit on his brother cultivators; and for all the cus¬ 
tom we would recommend, trie Dutch may keep their bags 
of named Anemones, Ranunculuses, Crocuses, Irises, and 
other similarly mis-described things to themselves. The 
31 
Dutch have hitherto found the English florists very trac¬ 
table. It is time this was done with, and that even our 
young beginners should be wiser. 
The South Devon Horticultural Society, which bolds 
its shows in the New Horticultural Gardens at Ply¬ 
mouth, lias elected Mr. Ayres, Mr. Beck, Dr. Lindley, 
Sir J. Hooker, Mr. Marnock, G. W. Johnson, Esq., Mr. 
Paxton, Mr. Wood, Mr. Neville, Mr. Glenny, Mr. Her¬ 
rington, and some other known prominent florists and 
amateurs, honorary members of the society. 
At the last meeting, Mr. Rendle observed that if the 
society continued to progress as it had done up to that time, 
and lie received the encouragement he anticipated, he 
should erect on the grounds a Paxtonian Palace of Glass, 
one hundred and fifty feet by fifty, which would occupy three 
times the area of the great assembly room at the Royal 
Hotel. Tbe shows are to take place in May, July, and Sep¬ 
tember. 
The Trowbridge Horticultural Society lias fixed its 
show for the 27th of August, as nothing will interfere 
with that day so far as shows are at present fixed. 
In a paper on tbe culture of Weigela Rosea, read at 
one of the societies in town, it was recommended to treat 
the plant precisely the same as a rose; to cut all the 
shoots in to two eyes; and it was remarked that the 
similarity of the habit would be found most striking 
between this much abused plant and roses generally. 
Among the most popular and lasting flowers that are 
best supplied at Covent Garden Market (which is of 
itself equal to any Horticultural Show), we may mention 
the Euphorbia splendens, which is one of the very best 
flowers in cultivation for bouquets. As good plants, 
well grown, are a perfect blaze of bloom, we know 
not how to account for its scarcity. 
Orchidaceous flowers are now as commonly supplied as 
any ordinary subjects. The entire middle row is set out 
with such a display of cut flowers, as we never saw equalled 
at a show. 
Societies for the Improvement of particular Flowers are 
greatly on the increase, and the service they render is 
incalculable. They show but once a year. Every mem¬ 
ber is bound to exhibit the best he can, and no matter 
what flower it be. The meeting is considered a holiday. 
The Dahlia, Tulip, Ranunculus, and Pansey, are the 
greatest favourites round Loudon. The Chrysanthemum is 
coming rapidly into favour, and societies devoted to it are 
forming in imitation of the “Stoke Newington,” which was 
the original. One at Highgate has acquired great strength. 
The Pansey Society at Hammersmith keeps the lead with 
that flower. There is a talk of establishing Auricula and 
Polyanthus shows at the same house; Mr. Lidgard, the 
owner, being an old and enthusiastic florist, and known to 
all the circle round London. 
We have a new Rose Nursery at Ealing. Mr. Wilkin¬ 
son, late partner with Mr. Curtis, of Glazenwood fame, 
has planted many thousands of roses, and the addition 
to what may be called our London nurseries, has 
excited considerable notice. 
In a monthly publication of deserved eminence, we } 
lately observed some remarks on individuals alleged to | 
be good judges on particular points, but most uncere- ^ 
mouiously condemned as no judges of others. 
We thought at the time it was stepping out of the way, 
and endangering the good opinion which might have been 
formed of the article, as a whole. It is almost too much to ! 
say that Mr. A. is a first-rate judge of soft florists’ flowers, j 
