THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September 4, 1860. 
a white spot on the purple of every petal. When the flower is 
fully expanded, a five-shilling-piece might be placed inside the 
flower. And in our estimation we believe that Gazania splendens 
is the same as Gazania rigens. — An Under- Gabdenee. 
[Take another example of the pleasure of directing the young 
volunteers to shoot in the right direction, to keep them from 
harming themselves, or hurting others, or lead them astray. 
In the time of the Georges there was a nice Cape composite 
flower called Gazania rigens, which bloomed freely enough in 
pots, and as tuft or patch plants, by fits and starts all the 
summer through ; and there was another Gazania called uniflora, 
with the flower more yellow and less orange than rigens—rigens 
was an upright stumpy grower, and unijlora was a prostrate 
trailing plant, which would run too fast and too soon out of 
bounds when allowed its own way in free soil. And so it was 
till about thirty years back, when the two crossed spontaneously, 
and produced the kind now called splendens. The seedling took 
to the flower of one parent and the habit of the other parent, 
as many cross seedlings do; splendens therefore unites in one 
new plant the best properties of two old plants ; and when the 
weather goes right again you will see the difference between rigens 
and splendens. 
In the “Botanical Register” of about 1834, or 5, or 6, Dr. 
Lindley mentioned an improvement on Gazania rigens as being 
then to be seen at Knight’s nursery, or in the garden of the 
Horticultural Society at Chiswick, w'e forget which; but two or 
three and twenty years back we well recollect Mr. Munro pointing 
out the superior “properties” of the improved Gazania to us 
foi decorative purposes : that was, however, before we were 
led into the region of “ Namby Pamby,” and we took little heed 
of such things. Our kith and kindred did the same at that 
period, and the improved Gazania was lost for twenty years. It 
strayed across the kingdom into Wales, where the sea stopped it 
from getting out of the country altogether; and there it was 
sure as trumps, till one of those flying scouts who scour the 
country for cash and orders for the London trade found it and 
bound it, procured and secured, for the respectable firm of E. G. 
Henderson & Son, of the Wellington Road Nursery, St. John’s 
Wood, London, W. And if any of you will ask Mr. W. Wood, 
who does the new things there/he will certainly not deny that 
he heard every word of this Btory fourteen months back, for he 
is not the man to turn his back on any one.—D. B.] 
BISHOP AUCKLAND FLOWER SHOW. 
The above Society held their eighth exhibition on the 21st 
ult. Perhaps no other provincial Society can boast of more 
extended patronage, 30,000 persons being present, and above 
£800 taken at the gates—which would have been much larger 
had not one of the Committee taken upon himself to admit all 
rifle volunteers free. 
We doubt whether any other local Society can afford to expend 
£1000 on an exhibition of the kind. The prizes and payment of 
the band and other expenses amounted up to this sum. 
The morning amusement consisted of an open-air concert given 
by tlie royal artillery band (69 performers), who, as usual, gave 
great satisfaction. At 1 o’clock the tents were opened to the public. 
The exhibition of stove and greenhouse plants in flower was, as 
we expected, not so numerous as in former years. The collection 
of six shown by Mr. Richardson, gardener to G. Pease, Esq., 
were large plants; but we have seen them shown three or four 
years back in much better condition. 
Ornamental and variegated-foliaged plants came out in splendid 
condition. Mr. Shortt, gardener to the Duke of Cleveland, far 
outstripped all competitors. In his stand of six we noticed 
Oyanophyllum magnificum, 7 feet high, with leaves 29 inches long 
and 16 inches broad—the finest plant we have yet seen. In the 
same class was Caladium Bellymerii, decidedly the best of Chan- 
tin’s new ones ; C. argyrites and C. Chantinii, and fine plants of 
Aralia papyraeea and Campylobotris argyroneura. 
Ferns and Lycopods were largely exhibited and in good con¬ 
dition. In exotic Ferns Mr. Shortt came out with beautiful 
plants of Pteris tricolor, P. argyrcea, Dictyoglossum crinitum, 
Todea pellucida, Dynaria coronans, and Aspidium molle corymbi- 
ferum. British Ferns were shown in excellent condition by Mr. 
Simpson, of Bedale. 
We noticed a curious and beautiful Lycopodium, named 
serotina, quite new to us. On inquiry we found it to be a New 
Zealand species imported by Mr. Shortt. 
Owing to the lateness of the season, the only exhibitor of 
Hollyhocks was Mr. Chater, who, of course, took'the first prize. 
Amonghis lot we particularly noticed atro-sanguinea&nA narcissus. 
We heartily wish success to the Bishop Auckland Society.—R. C. 
[We heartily join our correspondent in his wish ; and have 
diverged from our rule not to admit reports of local flower shows, 
because we think that of Bishop Auckland might be accepted as 
a model by many others.— Eds. C. G.] 
FIG TREES UNDER GRAPE VINES. 
The writer has a large Fig tree of the Brown TurTcey variety, 
on the back wall of a vinery, covering a space of the wall thirty 
feet long and fifteen feet high, which has been planted four 
years, and grown most luxuriantly, but borne little fruit. Can 
you give me any information what means I might adopt to get a 
crop of Figs ? I may add that the tree is by no means too much 
shaded by the Vines. They were planted at the same time as 
the Fig, and are grown on the spur system ; three feet between 
each stem. Two years ago I had the Fig trees root-pruned, and 
paved under the roots, and built in with stone and lime, con¬ 
fining it to a space of seven feet long by three feet wide, with the 
intention of checking the strong growth, but no difference is per¬ 
ceptible in the crop. The vinery is never earlier started than the 
first week in March.—A Constant Subscriber. 
[You have done what we should have recommended you to do 
with your Fig tree ; but as even that does not answer, we have 
no doubt that the shading from the Vines is the cause of failure. 
If we read your writing right, the Vines are three feet apart, and 
we presume that they cover the roof. Now, though spurred, 
very few direct rays of light will reach the back wall after the 
Vines are fully in leaf. If Figs are a principal object, we would 
advise you, in addition to keeping the Fig soil rather dry in 
winter, to take away a Vine or two, so that at one end of the 
house, or any part of it, the Vines shall stand five or six feet 
apart. The Figs there will have so much forelight, that in the 
season following the experiment we prophesy you will have 
plenty of Figs. The Fig will grow but not fruit if much shaded.] 
NATIONAL HOLLYHOCK SHOW AT THE 
CRYSTAL PALACE. 
The Great National Hollyhock Show was opened at the 
Crystal Palace on Saturday; but in consequence of the late un- 
genial weather the exhibition was not what might have been 
expected, and what it certainly would have been in ordinary 
seasons. There were, however, several splendid exhibitions; 
among which we must not fail to notice those of Messrs. Chater, 
Paul, and Bragg among nurserymen, and Rev. S. W. King, Mr. 
W. Plestred, and Mr. Thomas Roake among amateurs. 'I here 
were 3601 visitors present. The prizes were as follow :— 
Class I.— To Amateurs, 
A.— For Nine spikes, dissimilar varieties.— First, Rev. S. W. King-, Sax- ! 
lingham, Norwich. Second, Mr. W. Plestred, Elsenhain, Bishop’s Stortford. ! 
R.— For Seven spikes, dissimilar varieties. —Prize, Mr. Thomas Roake, ! 
Clewer, Windsor. 
C. — For Five spikes, dissimilar varieties. —Prize, Mr. Alfred Chater, : 
Cambridge. 
D. —For Twenty-four cut blooms, dissimilar, not more than two of a 1 
sort.— First, Rev. S. W. King, Saxlingham, Norwich. Second, Mr. \V. 
Plestred, Elsenham, Bishop’s Stortford. 
E. — For Twelve cut blooms, dissimilar, not more than two of a sort. — 
Prize, Mr. Thomas Roake, Clewer, Windsor. 
Class II.—To Nurserymen. 
F. —For Fifty spikes, not less than twenty varieties. —First, Mr. W. 
Chater, Saffron Walden. Second, Messrs. A. Paul and Son, Cheshuut. 
G. — For III even spikes, dissimilar varieties. —Prize, Mr. W. Chater, ! 
Saffron Walden. 
H. —For Nine spikes, dissimilar varieties. —First, Messrs. A. Paul and 
Son, Cheshunt. Second not awarded. Third, Mr. Bragg, Slough, Bucks, j 
I. —For Forty-eight blooms, dissimilar, not more than two of a sort .— 
First, Mr. W. Chater, Saffron Walden. Second, Messrs. A. Paul and Son, 
Cheshunt. 
K.— For Twenty-four blooms, dissimilar, not more than two of a sort ,— 
Prize, Mr. Bragg, Slough, Bucks. 
Certificates of Merit for Seedlings. 
Mr. W. Chater, Saffron Walden, First-class Certificate, “Prince Albert.” ' 
Mr. W. Chater, Saffron Walden, Second-class Certificate, “Regina.” 
Mr. Bragg, Slough, First-class Certificate, “ Lord Taunton.” 
VARIETIES. 
The Gardens oe London. —The Middle Temple boasts its 
noble avenue of Limes. The Inner Temple possesses an extensive 
garden and promenade. The Temple Garden will always be 
