THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
JULY 28. 
314 
On the 6th of July took place the annual letting of 
Mr. Jonas Webb’s Tups, at Babraham. Although the 
attendance was not larger than usual, the prices realised 
were much higher. One Tup was hired by Mr. Roche, 
an American agriculturist, for the unprecedented sum 
of one-hundred-and-thirty guineas. The number of 
Tups let were 71, and they netted F1580, being an 
average of £22 5s. Previously to the commencement 
of the sale, Mr. Webb put a reserved price upon each 
lot; and it is an honourable testimony to his judgment 
and moderation, that in every instance, high as were 
the reserved prices, the biddings exceeded them. 
COYENT GARDEN. 
It has no doubt been observed in other markets, as 
in this, the very inferior quality of the summer fruits, 
particularly Cherries and Strawberries, which have been 
produced this season. The want of sun, and the heavy 
and continued rains, have contributed towards such a 
state of matters. Notwithstanding the large crop of 
Cherries, and the abundant supplies, there are very 
few of them that are worth eating. They also come in 
very bad condition—being so much exposed to wet 
before being gathered they are very much damaged 
in the carriage. The sorts that are most abundant are 
Bigarreau, Mayduke, and Kentish. There is also 
another variety called the Flemish, which is so similar 
to the Kentish in the fruit that they cannot be told 
apart; but the habits of the trees are quite distinct— 
the Kentish being nearly twice as large, when fully 
grown, as the Flemish, and the fruit being fully a week 
or ten days earlier. It is by some supposed that the 
Flemish is the same as a continental variety called Oros 
Gobet, but no two varieties can be more different. The 
prices Cherries are now making in the market are 6d. 
per pound, but where the finest fruit are picked out, as 
is generally done, and made into a different sample, 
they make as high as Is. and Is. Gd. per pound. Straw¬ 
berries still continue a good supply at the former 
quotations. The Elton Pine, which is one of the latest 
varieties, is now plentiful. Ripe Gooseberries are also 
plentiful, at from 4d. to 6d. per quart. Currants, both 
of Red, White, and Black varieties are very plentiful, 
the latter not so much so as the two others ; they make 
from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per half-sieve. Peaches and Nec¬ 
tarines are very fine, at from 10s. to 20s. per dozen. 
Foreign Pine Apples are common, and of good quality; 
they make Is. 6d., 2s. 6d., and 3s. 6d each. Grapes 
of home growth are excellent, at 5s. per pound. Some, 
however, of inferior qualities, may be had at 2s. and 3s. 
Vegetables are abundant, and of good quality. 
Cabbages make Gd. to Is. per dozen. Kidney Beans are 
Is. for a two-quart measure. Cauliflowers, 2s. per dozen. 
Breen Peas, 2s. 6d. per bushel. Potatoes, 8s. per cwt. 
Lettuces, 8d. to Is. per score. 
The Potato disease has appeared with as much if not 
greater virulence than for several years past. We have 
seen, in Essex, Cambridgeshire, and Kent, hundreds of 
acres completely gone, and poisoning the atmosphere 
for several miles along the roads. We never recollect, 
at such an early period of the season, meeting with it 
so bad as it appears to be now. H. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S EXHIBITION.— 
July 9th. 
Now for the more common things that were shown, 
and what reflections, observations, and suggestions they 
drew forth from tis this time ; for I had the assistance 
of some of the highest heads on the turf that day. 
Collections of African, or ivild species of Geraniums, 
have had a short life of it, only one collection being 
exhibited this season, but by a new competitor, Mr. 
Bragg, of Slough, who sent G. Mpinnatifldum, fulgens, 
Blandfordianum, ardens major, glaucum, and glauci- 
folium, the poorest of the lot—black petals edged with 
greenish yellow, a very common form and colour at 
the Cape. The contrast between glaucum and Mr. Hen¬ 
derson’s seedling from it by the old grandiflorum, now 
called Glaucum grandiflorum, shows the wisdom of per¬ 
severing with the wild species to get new strains. This 
new cross will give an entire new class of bedding Gera¬ 
niums, for I saw Glaucum grandiflorum in seed, and 
with abundance of pollen, and I have said already that 
Countess is the best to cross with it. There is now a 
better chance with these two than any other two Gera¬ 
niums whatever; and I would recommend every cross¬ 
breeder to get the two this season, and I would also 
recommend neither of them to be touched with the 
pollen of a large-leaved Geranium. Countess is the 
work of years, by these very fingers, to get into a small 
leaf strain for beds; and the flower is all but white. 
The grandmother of Countess (Flora), I think, is at Kew 
Gardens, for I sent it there ; and it is as near the flower 
of Glaucum grandiflorum as can be. When a perfectly 
white flower is established in this strain, and all the 
dark colours are bleached out by three successive gene¬ 
rations of seifs, or white seedlings not crossed, is the 
proper time to turn to Africa for a long lost strain on 
the part of the florist—I mean fulgens. Set fulgens on 
to the pure white seedlings, and the first cross will be 
a new strain that has never yet been seen in Geraniums, 
and which no other two plants in the whole family are 
so likely to produce as the issue of Glaucum grandi¬ 
florum and Countess. As individual flowers, the two 
are of very little account, compared to what they are 
capable of doing between them under judicious manage¬ 
ment. Mr. Fleming, one of our best authorities in 
flower gardening, is of the same mind with me about 
these crosses, and also about Mr. Jackson’s new white 
Pelargonium, which ought to be called the White 
Oleander Geranium; and he also agrees about Mr. 
Salter’s way of growing and training Fuchsias —three of 
the best hits which the medals have brought out these 
three years, always excepting new plants, and Mr. 
Appleby’s standards of Deutzia gracilis, which, although 
too weak in the stems yet for some of the judges, will 
soon become not only great favourites with terrace- 
garden people, but the very patterns which many 
growers will have to imitate with many more plants 
that are now caricatured among specimen plants. 
There was a new dwarf Pitcher plant, called Hookeri- 
ana, with eleven large brown pitchers, apparently a 
very good thing; also a new white Brassavola, with 
narrow sepals, and a large cupped lip. The large Vanda 
Batemanii had eleven flow'ers open, and Pliaius albus 
with eighteen flower spikes. This plant may be win¬ 
tered as dry as Achimenes, and in the same way; and 
if the stems are cut into joints in the spring they will 
