428 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION, March 24, 1857. 
VARNISH FOR RUSTIC GARDEN SEATS. 
A lady writes to us as follows :—■“ First wash the woodwork 
with soap and water, and when dry do it over on a hot, sunny 
day with common boiled linseed oil; leave that to dry for 
I a day or two, and then varnish it once or twice with what is 
! commonly termed ‘ hard varnish.’ If well done it will last 
for years, and will prevent any annoyance from insects." 
I 
! 
RIIAMNUS CROCE US. 
Raised from seeds received from Mr. Hartweg in J anuary, 
1848, and marked “ a dwarf evergreen shrub, near the sea¬ 
shore, Monterey.” 
A small evergreen bush, first described by Mr. Nuttall, 
who found it on busby hills and in thickets near Monterey, 
and who describes it as “ a much-branched thorny shrub, 
with yellow wood; the whole plant imparted a yellow colour 
: to water. Leaves about half an inch long, lucid, when dry 
of a bright yellowish brown beneath; petioles about one line 
long. Fascicles 2 (i -flowered; pedicels as long as the pe¬ 
tioles. Sepals ovate, with one middle and two marginal 
nerves. Stamens nearly as long as the sepals. Ovary ovate. 
Styles often distinct below the middle. Fruit greenish or 
yellowish, usually (by abortion) one-seeded. Seed with a 
longitudinal furrow on one side." 
j In the garden it proves to be a neat small-leaved ever- 
S green, which, if hardy, would be a useful shrubbery plant; 
J but near London it is tender. It flowers in June.—( Horti- 
! cultural Society's Journal.) 
I ~ ‘ 
HYACINTH SHOW AT EDINBURGH. 
The first grand Exhibition, open to the United Kingdom, 
for the improvement of those harbingers of spring, was held 
in the Music Hall, George Street, on Tuesday, the 10th 
instant, and surpassed all expectation, by the number of 
flowers brought forward and the excellence of their culti¬ 
vation. 
It is only a few months since the first idea of getting up 
a Show oi this kind was contemplated by C. R. Sevewright, 
Esq., and the successful result promises to be the opening ! 
up of a new era in our floricultural prospects. Never before 
was such a display of Hyacinths in this country. Tables 
encircling the immense area of the Hall were crowded four 
or five deep, intermixed with specimens of Azaleas and 
other plants, presenting a perfect galaxy of beauty. The 
very atmosphere was saturated with the perfume of Hya- ! 
cinths; and although all the attractions of these gay, | 
decorative plants had hitherto failed to beguile our fancy, 
owing to their want of natural gracefulness, we confess we ; 
| felt on this occasion no small admiration, and forgot the i 
J defects of stiffness and formality so peculiar to the Dutch 
i taste and character. 
i Mr. Gutbush, from Ilighgate, the successful exhibitor at 
i the London Meetings, kindly honoured us with his presence; 
and, although his plants were somewhat inferior to those of 
his northern rivals in point of cultivation, he surpassed 
them by a well-cliosen selection of varied colours, and great 
praise is due to him for the interest he has manifested in 
carrying out the objects of the Society. 
The first prize for eighteen varieties grown by nursery¬ 
men was gained by Messrs. James Dickson and Sons, Edin¬ 
burgh, the sorts being Charles Dickens, single blue; Lord 
Wellington, single rose; Grand Lilas, single light blue; 
Prince of Waterloo, double white ; Nimrod, fine single light 
blue; Laurens Roster, double dark blue, one of the finest of ; 
its class; Alba Superbissima, single white ; Miss Ainsworth, j 
single rose; Norma, single, rose; Porcelaine Sceptre, single ! 
light blue; Grandeur a Merveille, single white; Orondatus, 
single light blue; Triomphe Blundina, single white; Lord \ 
Wellington, double pink ; Voltaire, fine single white ; Ghrandc ! 
Vidette, single blue, always good; Prince Albert, single j 
crimson maroon, almost black, a very distinct variety; and I 
Emicus, single white. 
The second prize was gained by Messrs. W. Gutbush and ! 
Son, of Ilighgate, in whose collection were the following 
beautiful sorts not included in the last list:— Solfaterre, fine 
single red, distinct; Circe, shaded scarlet, finely shaped; 
La Joycisi, single white ; La Tour d'Auvergne, fine double 
white; Cavaignac, single red; Blocksberg, very fine single 
blue; Queen Victoria, single white; Baron Von Tuyll, 
splendid single dark blue; Maria Stuart, single white; 
Robert Steiger, crimson scarlet; Waterloo, single red ; and 
Mrs. B. Stowe, single red. 
The above varieties, particularly those gaining the first 
prize, were very generally distributed, and seemed to us as a 
fair criterion of the best sorts exhibited. 
Prizes were also given for “ladies’ hand-bouquets," the 
best of which came from Mr. Buck, of Covent Garden, show¬ 
ing his admirable taste in this fine art, the colours being 
harmoniously arranged, soft, and delicately blended. 
Numerous articles were sent for exhibition, amongst 
which was a magnificent collection of stove plants, mostly 
with variegated or singular foliage, furnished by Mr. Thomp¬ 
son from the gardens at Dalkeith Palace. From Mr. 
Lockhart, gardener, Arniston, came a noble specimen of 
Pultencea subumbellata, measuring fully three feet in 
diameter, and clothed with a perfect sheet of blossoms. Dr. 
Knapp exhibited very fine pots of the lovely little Iris 
reticulata, one of the prettiest plants of early spring (see 
Cottage Gardener of last week), Erythronium dens-canis 
fore albo, and Scilla Sibirica. A remarkably fine specimen 
of Epacris Cliristonsi was sent by Mr. Sevewright, which we 
are told is the original plant raised some years ago in this 
neighbourhood. It resembles E. hyacinthiflora in form; 
the flowers are large, brilliant crimson scarlet. A beautiful 
stand of Rhododendrons (cut blooms) was sent from Mr. 
Laing, gardener to the Earl of Roslin, Dysart House, 
amongst which we noticed 21. Javanicum and several early- j 
flowering hybrids well suited for forcing that have been 
raised under his care. 
The tables to the right and loft of the entrance-hall were 
occupied by nurserymen for exhibiting improved horticultural : 
implements, seeds, fruits, &c., and amongst the novelties 
Mr. Henderson, gardener to his Grace the Duke of Athol, I 
Dunkeld, showed numerous patterns of his patent brooms 
for cleaning grass lawns, carriage-drives, &c. These were 
composed of birch, wire, cocoa-nut fibre, &c., varying in form 
from round to broad fan-shaped, and are highly commended 
for their lightness and the facility with which the materials i 
