THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 14. 
i 
284 
La Jeune Heine, Duchess tie Montpensier, Climene, 
! Charles Duval, Paul Terras, Heine des Fleurs. 
White. —Comtess Marinais (a moss), Madame Hardy, 
Comtess de Lacepede, Princess Lamballe, Etoile de 
Malmaison, Madame Soetman, Count Plater, Princess 
Clementine (globe, white hip). 
Yellow. —Cloth of Gold (shown in great perfection), 
Narcisse, Solfaterre, Tea Queen Victoria. 
Pinks. —The cut collections of this elegant flower were 
numerous, and in fine condition. I noted the following 
as being particularly good:—Reubens, Lord C. Wellesley, 
Sarah, Criterion, Beauty of Salt Hill, Ada, Hector, Per¬ 
fection, Harry, Narborough Buck, Mrs. Maclean, Con- 
stan, Lord Valentia, Glory, Duke of Wellington, Her¬ 
cules, Queen (very fine), President, Jenny Lind. 
Pansies. —There were several collections in good con¬ 
dition, but nothing new or different from those noted on 
former occasions. 
Calceolahias. —There was only one collection, but 
they were exceedingly well grown and finely bloomed. 
It came from Mr. Constantine, gardener to C. Mills, 
Esq., of Hillingdon. Mr. Constantino has outstripped 
everybody this year in Calceolaria growing. He has 
taken the first prize at every show so far this season. 
Orchids. —Though not quite so numerous as at the 
last meeting, these singularly beautiful and deliciously- 
scented flowers were in splendid condition. The follow¬ 
ing were shown for the first time at these gardens this 
year:— Aerules quinquevulnerum, five spikes. Aerides 
Schroderi, new and line. A. larpcntce, A. virens ; Gale- 
andra Bauerii, a fine plant, well bloomed. Saccolabium 
Bliimei major, with very long spikes. Phaius (dims, ' 
twenty spikes. The rare Anguloa uniflora, with pure : 
white flowers, six blooms. Cycnoclies ventricosci. Cyc- 
noches, sp., very rare, producing a very long, drooping 
spike, thickly clothed with curious flowers. Odonto- 1 
glossum hastatum, many spikes. Myanthus, sp., with ! 
dark flowers; the lip fringed with white hairs. Epiden - 
drum macrochilum, many spikes. Oncidium lanceanum, | 
with twelve spikes, a very fine plant. Dendrohium 
moschatum, seven spikes. Vanda Roxburghii ccerulea, a 
very dwarf variety. Oymbidium pendulum, very fine, 
eight spikes. Miltonia spectabilis colorata and several 
species of Stanhopea. 
Miscellaneous Collections of Stove and Greenhouse | 
Plants. Of these there were a goodly number, con- j 
sisting mostly of the usual species. I observed the j 
following as being seen for the first time this year :— ; 
Gardenia Fortunii, a large plant, 3 ft. by 2 ft., with : 
numerous large white flowers. Ediites atropurpurea ; ' 
this rarely-seen plant was shown by Mr. Green, well J 
grown, and finely-flowered. Polygala cordifolia, densely 
flowered, 2-$ ft. by 2-^- ft. Kalosanthes miniata, 2£ ft. by 
2 ft. K. coccinea, 3 ft. by 2-£- ft. Ixora alba, 3 ft. by 
2b ft. Meclinilla Sieboldii, 2 1't. by 2 ft. Glerodendron 
! afline, with many spikes of fine scarlet flowers. Indigo- 
! fern dtcora, 2 ft. by 2 ft. Roella ciliata, 2b ft. by 2b ft. 
I Cyrtoceras reflexa. Gompholobium splenclens, a large 
j bush covered with bright yellow blossoms. Phcmocoma 
prolifera, 3 ft. by 2b ft. Sollya Drummondii, with many 
blue flowers; S. linearis, both trained to globular 
trellises, and had a pretty effect. Dracopliyllum gracile, 
with ils pretty heads of pure white flowers. Leschenaultia 
biloba superha, with many deep blue flowers. 
Heaths were in better condition than usual. Every 
plant was well grown and covered with bloom. 
Generally speaking, they consisted of species I have 
already noted, except the following:— Erica jasmini- 
Jlora alba, 3 ft. by 3 ft. Tricolor elegans, 2b ft. by 2b ft. 
Aitoniana, 2 ft. by 2 ft. Halicoeaba, 2b ft. by 2b ft. 
Jubata, a rare species, 2 ft. by 2 ft. Parmentiera rosea, 
very beautiful, 3 ft. by 3 ft. Savillea, 21ft. by 2b ft. 
Inflata, 2 it. by 2 ft. Perspicua rosea, very distinct, 
2 it. by 2 it., aud Ampullacea. These are all very line 
Heaths, and worthy of every care and attention. Where- 
ever there is convenience to grow Heaths the above 
ought to be in every collection. 
Miscellaneous. —Under this head was placed stove 
and hardy Ferns, Lycopodiums, Variegated Plants, 
and Alpine Plants. Of all these, there were collections 
in fine condition, very creditable to the parties who ex¬ 
hibited them. 
Fruit. —The exhibition of various kinds of fruit was 
greatly superior to the last, as the following summary 
will show :—There were forty-six Pine Apples, all very 
respectable, and perfectly ripe; the heaviest weighed 
9 lb. 10 oz. Eleven baskets of Blade Grapes, .12 lbs. 
in each, all ripe and well-coloured. Twenty-one dishes 
of Blade Grapes, three bunches in each, many oi them 
finer than I ever saw grapes before. Fourteen dishes of 
White Grapes, three bunches in each. Fifty-two Mdons, 
all very fine. Fourteen dishes of Peaches; thirteen of 
Nectarines —these were particularly fine. Twenty-three 
dishes of Strawberries. Five dishes oi Cherries; and two 
of Figs; besides three collections ot various kinds ol 
fruit. There was also a collection ot Exotic fruits, con¬ 
sisting of fruit of Gamboge, Allspice, Nutmeg, Vanilla, 
and Bose Apples (Eugenia jambos.) These came Irom 
Mr. lvison, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, 
Sion House, and attracted much attention. T ines in 
Pots, with several bunches on each ; of these there were 
two collections. T. Abpleby. 
ON THE FORMATION AND KEEPING OF 
LAWNS. 
When we consider the extent of surface, and the large 
share a piece of well-kept turf contributes to the general 
appearance of the pleasure ground, it affords no surprise 
that its being kept in the best possible condition has 
been insisted on from time immemorial by all writers 
on horticultural subjects. As this good keeping is cer¬ 
tainly more the result of labour than of skill, it may, at 
first sight, appear superfluous to make it the subject of a 
chapter in this publication; but as there are points in 
many cases open to improvements, and some erroneous 
opinions abroad respecting “ well-kept turf,” and but 
few instructions given regarding making it so, beyond 
that of “ rolling and mowing,” a few observations may 
not be out of place here. 
I confess not to have been the most successful in 
every effort made to secure a good carpety lawn, but as 
unsuccessful measures are scarcely less instructive than 
those having a more fortunate issue, I have the less re¬ 
luctance at reporting them. 
It is no unusual thing for any one, on passing over 
their lawn, and stamping their foot on it, to exclaim 
against it looking bad, in spite of all the mowing that 
can be given to it, while that of a neighbour, only a 
short distance off, is as soft as a Turkey carpet, ancl as 
i beautiful a green as esm be wished for, either on taking 
a horizontal view of it, or the more close inspection 
of looking down upon it; each blade of grass seems 
green and fresh to the tip, and there appears but little 
there except grass, or such plants as are equally 
agreeable to look upon—as Yarrow, Clover, Trefoil, &c.; 
there being no plantain, and the period for daisies we 
suppose, to have, in a manner, gone by. Now, this 
view of the matter we shall suppose to have been taken 
at the present time, the middle of July ; let us wait a 
while longer, and take another look, and then see what 
this piece of line, well-kept turf looks like then ; and, to 
complete our picture, we will sujipose our visits of in¬ 
spection to be repeated until the rains of October bad 
set in, aud supposing our friend’s turf not to have had 
anything done to it for about a week or so. The first 
impression, on discovering it, is one of dislike and dis- 
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