THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 30. 
288 
However well our continental neighbours may supply 
us with other articles, they cannot satisfy us with fruits 
of such tender substance as these. Grapeg are very 
fine, at from 5s. to 10s. per lb. Peaches and Nectarines, 
12s. to 18s. per dozen. 
Of Flowers there is an abundance, botli in pots and 
cut for bouquets. The former consist of Scarlet Gera¬ 
niums, Sweet Peas, Fuchsias, Verbenas, Hydrangeas as 
large as the crown of a hat, Pinks of the Anne Boleyn 
variety, Yellow Noisette Boses, and Gape Heaths of the 
most -choice description. We must not omit to men¬ 
tion the little Musk Plant, a favourite with every 
lady who has a window, whether it be in a drawing¬ 
room, an attic, or a cellar. It is, in fact, the poor man’s 
summer pet. It may not he generally known, that a 
great, if not the greater, proportion of the Musk plants 
that are sold on the costermongers’ trucks in the streets 
are produced by the old pensioners of Chelsea Hospital. 
There are a certain number of these old worthies who 
have garden allotments, which they hold during “ the 
term of their natural life;” and of late years they have 
found it to be a business speculation of such a remu¬ 
nerative kind that most of their gardens are devoted to 
the cultivation of this plant for sale. If any of our 
country friends have time to spare during their summer 
visit to London, and are disposed to avail themselves of 
the treat, they may have an opportunity of seeing the 
old warriors thus employed. H. 
HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY’S GARDEN AND 
FETE.— 11th June. 
I have never been so convinced, as on the present 
occasion, that seedlings, which are exhibited for the 
first time at a great show like this, are ushered into the 
world under serious disadvantages. No one cares to 
look at small plants in little pots on such occasions, 
however nice the flowers may be, or how much soever 
they may be improvements on the old kinds, except, 
perhaps, some few gardeners and dealers, who may be 
personally interested in seedlings. I recollect the time, 
however, when ladies used to crowd the seedling tents, 
and note down the names of the best seedlings, but 
that was when the Messrs. Garth, Foster, and Beck, 
produced novelties, and Mr. Hoyle got his head up 
through “ Mount Etna,”* without an eruption ; but 
these days are gone, and we cannot be improving for¬ 
ever in the same strains, that is quite certain. Twenty 
Basilisks, as marry Princes of Orange, and double the 
number of Magnets, will not, and cannot, raise that class 
of old favourites one more degree in public estimation; 
and it does not appear that if the names of all pthe 
ladies in the peerage were transferred to fancy gera¬ 
niums, that they either can be pushed much farther for 
general attraction in a show. New mines must also be 
searched for seedlings in other classes of popular flowers 
No florist has yet subdued Sidonia, but Sidonia is now 
a grandmother in the hands of a scientific cross-breeder, 
and a new strain is very likely to be brought into 
existence through her. The grand-daughter has been 
shown to me, and her very looks encourage me to urge 
on young ardent minds, at this particular season, in all 
sorts of experimental crossing, otherwise our shows will 
come to the finis sooner than they ought. 
* It is understood that Hoyle’s 21 lount Etna Pelargonium was bought 
for £S0. 
I was reminded of a prophecy of 1847, on seeing Epi- 
phyllum (Cactus) crenatum in flower in a fine collection 
of tall Cacti, by Mr. Green, which was then said w-ould 
change the whole face of the showy Cactuses in seven 
years; and, if this prophecy turns out to be true, those 
who live to see next summer’s shows will see something 
worth going to see. As it is, the best seedling Cactus 
that has appeared, since Comcay's Giant, was at this 
show, and a very pretty Cactus it is, but, having had 
only a flower or two on, no one seemed to care anything 
about it. Let me advise, however, such of my readers 
as adm ire tese gorgeous flowers to make a memo¬ 
randum of it; it is called Epiphyllum cceruleinn —not a 
descriptive name, certainly, but no matter. The flower 
is most beautiful, and was exhibited by a Mr. Pamplin, 
and, I believe, a nurseryman at Hornsey, near London. 
There was a cut flower of another seedling Cactus called 
Brayii, or some such name. No wonder that these 
Cactuses move so slow, when we consider that the seeds 
of most of them take ten, eleven, or twelve months to 
ripen, and that the seedlings take from five to fifteen 
years in proving them. I had a cross-seedling Cactus 
myself that was thirteen years old before it flowered, 
but I believe an amateur could flower the plant in half 
the time. Early readers of The Cottage Gardener 
will recollect the anecdote about Jenny Lind visiting 
the nurseryman who furnished her flowers, in his last 
illness; his widow, Mrs. Conway, Earl’s Court, Bromp- 
ton, had a beautiful pink seedling Rhododendron ex¬ 
hibited here, called Lady Bridport, which is well worth 
having when it comes out. The new Tree Lily, from 
India ( Lilium giganteum), was here again from Mr. 
Veitcli, of the Exotic Nursery, King’s Road, but not 
the same plant as was shown in May last. 
Fruit.—I never saw the Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Grapes, in better order, particularly the Grapes; and 
the Strawberries in pots were better than were ever ex¬ 
hibited at Chiswick before; and although everybody 
was amazed at one dish of British Queen Strawberries, 
by the same grower, Mr. Smith, of Twickenham, I can 
say, in truth, that my next-door neighbour, Mr. Jackson, 
had lots and lots of just as good this very spring from 
his forcing ground at Hampton Court. Some one, but 
I missed the name, has at last shown ripe Grapes in 
pots, with the leaves in perfect health ; and if they 
could always be brought out so, they would not make 
such unfavourable impressions on people who expect to 
see everything at a first-rate Show in first-rate condi¬ 
tion. I was particularly pleased to see Suffolk coming 
out at last so effectually on the London boards. Nothing 
so hold has come up from hence, since Margaret Catch¬ 
poll rode the stolen horse, as Mr. Peto’s Muscat Grapes: 
they astonished the Londoners. I know Mr. Bradley, 
who grew those Grapes; and we all know Mr. Peto, who 
put down the first fifty thousand pounds to set the 
Crystal Palace in the air in 1851; and between the 
two, and Suffolk to the bargain, these Londoners need 
to look to their laurels. There was a new-looking, 
round Melon, called Golden Queen, which had the second 
prize for flavour, and I notice it for giving a variety in 
that dish in first-rate desserts. It is customary, in all 
large places, for the gardener to see all his fruit dished, 
and to help in the work, and also to place it, or see it 
placed, on the side tables; and of all the fruits he has 
to deal with, Melons are the most monotonous; but this 
Golden Queen, Fleming's Hybrid, and the Old Egyptian 
Green Flesh, will make three good changes with well- 
flavoured Melons—that is, three night’s dessert, and it is 
not fashionable for visiting parties to remain longer 
than three nights, neither is it fashionable to cut a 
Melon at all at a first-rate party, only it must be there, 
and if there should be a mortal round the table who has 
the misfortune of being a good judge of fruits, he must 
taste, and all the rest are satisfied with his verdict, 
