October 17, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
109 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Boyal Horticultural Society.— October 13th 
and 14th. —The remarkably fine display of Apples and 
Pears made in the large conservatory, on Tuesday and 
Wednesday, left but little room for flowering plants, 
and, as a matter of fact, but few of the latter were sent. 
Of new plants, Messrs. James Veitch & Sons were the 
largest contributors ; but Mr. T. S. Ware, with a fine 
seasonable display of hardy plants, and Mr. Campbell, of 
Cove Gardens, Gouroek, with a most remarkable collec¬ 
tion of Gladioli, shared the honours between them of 
contributing the greatest number of flowers. One of the 
most conspicuous of the new plants from Messrs. Veitch 
was that very distinct and beautiful-flowering shrub, 
Amasonia punicea, an introduction from British Guiana, 
and, therefore, requiring stove treatment. Its flowers, 
which are borne on stiff erect racemes, are remarkable 
for their rich crimson spreading bracts, from the base 
of which the pendulous tubular creamy yellow flowers 
are produced. It is a very attractive plant, an orna¬ 
ment to any stove at this season. Begonia, John 
Heal, is a novelty, a garden hybrid raised between the 
somewhat new Begonia Socotrana, and one of the 
tuberous-rooted section. It has an erect habit of 
growth, and produces numerous branching panicles of 
medium-sized flowers, of a bright shade of rose, suffused 
with crimson. It was awarded a First Class Certificate. 
Of several fine new hybrid greenhouse Rhododendons, 
two were selected for the award of First Class Certificates, 
viz., Minerva, a variety producing large trusses of 
finely-shaped flowers, of a novel shade of lemon-yellow ; 
and Apollo, a very fine salmon-red. A most conspicu¬ 
ous plant in the same group, was a remarkably well-. 
berried specimen of that most useful winter decorative 
stove plant, Callicarpa purpurea, to which a cultural 
commendation was voted. 
Mr. William Bull, among other new plants, had an 
excellent specimen of the new Eueharis Mastersii, the 
medium-sized, stout, waxy white flowers and deep green 
foliage of which were much admired. It seems to be a 
free grower and bloomer, and for bouquet work is, we 
think, destined to supersede the old favourite, E. ama- 
zonica. Heedless to say, it gained the distinguishing 
award for merit. Mr. W. Bealby, Roeliampton, who 
always seems to have some good novelties to show us, 
brought up a plant of Ivy-leaved Pelargonium Alice 
Crousse, a charming variety with large trusses of large 
semi-double flowers, of a rich shade of magenta tinted 
with violet, and which also received a First Class Certifi¬ 
cate. Mr. Hill, gardener to Lord Rothschild, Tring 
Park, exhibited a healthy specimen, with four flowers, 
of the lovely new Vanda Hookeriana, which received a 
cultural commendation. Mr. T. Sadler, gardener to C. 
Lambert, Esq., Oak Hill Place, Leigliam Court Road, 
Streatham, showed a stand of a dozen of the most 
perfect blooms of Chrysanthemum Elaine that we have 
ever seen, and which, being shown so early, were a 
great attraction. The same exhibitor had also fine 
single blooms of the following Japanese varieties :— 
Peter the Great, yellow ; Mons. Taurin, Madame Le 
Cervus, white ; Margot, lilac aud white ; Flamme dc 
Punch, crimson on the upper side, sulphur coloured 
beneath ; and Comte de Germiny, nankeen-yellow—a 
very nice lot. 
Mr. Forbes, The Gardens, Dover House, Roehampton, 
sent an attractive stand of Japanese Chrysanthemums, 
which included the showy M. Moussillax, deep crimson 
with a yellow centre ; Brise du Matin, a rich rosy peach 
colour; and L’lledes Plaisirs, reddish crimson striped and 
tipped with golden yellow, a large, compact and very fine 
flower, which gained a First Class Certificate. Messrs. 
Cannell aud Sons, from their floral treasure house at 
Swanley, sent some fine cut blooms of Zonal Pelargo¬ 
niums ; single and double Begonias, the latter including 
a large double scarlet of fine quality, and named Leon 
de St. Jean ; while of the former section the firm 
showed a variety named Earl of Bessborough, a flower 
of laTge size, bright orange with a faint shade of rose, 
which gained a First Class Certificate. Messrs. Hooper 
& Co., Covent Garden, in a small group of tree-flowering 
Carnations, had two pretty varieties in Chevalier, pale 
sulphur, with the tips of the petals striped with crim¬ 
son ; and Jean Naturelle, pale buff, shaded with dark 
red. Mr. Maurice Young, Milford Nurseries, Godai¬ 
ming, exhibited a very neat little erect-growing Ivy, 
under the name of Hedera Helix minima. 
Mr. C. Edmonds, Hayes, Hillingdon, sent some 
plants of Tricolor Pelargonium, Mr. George Bryson, a 
robust growing and brightly coloured variety of the 
Mrs. Pollock type. From Dr. Duke, The Glen, Lewis¬ 
ham (Mr. Noakes gardener), came a specimen of 
Barkeria Lindleyana center®, the flowers of which arc 
of a lovely rosy violet hue, with the lip a rich shade of 
purple; a cultural commendation was awarded. Mr. 
Cummings, gardener to A. H. Smee, Esq., had the 
pretty Cattleya speciosissima Ernstii. Mr. W. E. Boyce, 
Yerbury Road, Holloway, showed one of the new early 
flowering Japanese Chrysanthemums, Mandarin, a fine 
full flower, creamy white at first, but changing to pure 
white, and a new summer flowering variety, Pom- 
ponium, a neat and very compact flower, deep yellow, 
with a shade of reddish bronze. 
Mr. T. S. Ware’s showy group included, of early 
flowering Chrysanthemums, the superb Madame Des- 
grange, White St. Crouts, white, a good bushy-liabited 
variety ; Inimitable, an orange shade of bronze ; 
Madame Jolivart, a good white ; Albion, very pretty 
and a good-sized flower ; Mr. Cullingford, a fine white ; 
Fred. Pele, deep crimson ; and Le Luxemburg, bronzy 
red. Dahlia Mrs. Hawkins, the new lemon-yellow 
coloured Cactus variety was also in fine condition for 
the season. For the lovers of autumnal Crocuses, Mr. 
Ware provided a pretty group, consisting of Colchicum 
autumnale, C. autumnale flore-plenum, C. autumnale 
album flore-plenum, and C. speciosum. Mr. Heims, 
gardener to F. A. Philbriek, Esq., Q.C., showed a 
vigorous healthy specimen of Oncidium tigrinum, with 
four large branching spikes of flowers, for which he 
received a cultural commendation. Mr. H. B. May, 
Dyson’s Lane, Edmonton, was awarded a Silver Bank- 
sian Medal for a very pretty group of small Ferns, 
admirably-coloured little Crotons, Dracienas, and other 
fine-foliaged plants of a character suitable for table and 
other decorations. Mr. Campbell’s magnificent display 
of Gladioli consisted of fourteen dozen spikes of the 
highest quality, some of them having as many as 
fourteen perfect flowers open on a spike ; they were all 
as clean, bright, and fresh as at any shows earlier in the 
season. 
At the meeting of the Fruit Committee, Mr. R. 
Gilbert, Burghley, exhibited specimens of his new Chou 
de Gilbert, which, as we mentioned a week or two ago, 
is the result of crossing Chou de Burghley with the 
Brussels Sprout, and as shown is a large Cabbage, with 
a number of smaller Cabbages or exaggerated Brussels 
Sprouts springing from the axils of the lower leaves. 
It is an undoubtedly good new vegetable, and the Com¬ 
mittee awarded it a First Class Certificate. If Mr. 
Gilbert can fix it to the type of the specimens shown, 
before sending it out, there is a good future before it. 
The same exhibitor also sent a new Melon, a round, 
handsomely-netted, green-fleshed variety, which he has 
called “Her Ladyship’s Favourite.” 
Mr. Thomas Laxton, amongst other fruits, showed 
some nice specimens of his pretty September Beauty 
Apple, which also gained a First Class Certificate. We 
have not tasted it, but If appearance goes for anything, 
it should become a popular table variety. Mr. 
Pettigrew, gardener to the Marquis of Bute, Cardiff 
Castle, showed a large, handsome, well-swelled fruit of 
the Charlotte Rothschild Pine, the weight of which 
was not stated. Mr. C. Herrin, Chalfont Park Gardens, 
again showed some good bunches of the Chalfont Black 
Grape, a seedling from the Madresfield Court, with long 
oval berries ; Late Prolific Raspberries, and very fine 
Cob Nuts. Mr. Howe, gardener to W. Tate Esq., Park 
Hill, Streatham Common, showed three bunches of 
Black Alicante Grapes, weighing in the aggregate 
18^ lbs., cut from a vine bearing seventy bunches, of the 
average weight of 4 lbs. each. 
Apples and Pears. —It was admitted on all 
hands that the show of these fruits was an unusually 
good one, and if we may judge from the amount of in¬ 
terest taken in the various exhibits by the visitors to 
the “ Inventions,” other than the regular habitues, the 
exhibition was a most useful and attractive one. Taking 
the Apples first, it may be noted that in the compe¬ 
tition with collections not exceeding a hundred varieties, 
and confined to nurserymen, the Crystal Palace judg¬ 
ment was here reversed, the first prize going to Messrs. 
Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, the winners last week, 
Messrs. J. and G. Lane, St. Mary’s Cray, taking second 
honours, and Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, the third, 
all showing very fine samples for the season. In the 
amateurs’ competition for a collection not exceeding 
fifty varieties, Mr. Ford, gardener, Leonardslee, Hor¬ 
sham, came in first, beating Mr. D. C. Powell, gardener, 
Powderliam Castle, Exeter, and Sir. Waterman, gar¬ 
dener, Preston Hall, Aylesford, all staging admirable 
collections. For a dozen culinary varieties, Mr. C. 
Ross, gardener, Wolford Park, Newbury, was well first, 
showing excellent specimens of Tower of Glamis, Mere 
de Menage, Annie Elizabeth, Cox’s Pomona, Warner’s 
King, Stirling Castle, Brabant Bellefleur, Lane’s Prince 
Albert, Peck’s Pleasant, Peasgood’s Nonsuch, Hoary 
Morning, and Lord Derby. Mr. Powell was a good 
second, and Mr. Gray, gardener, Norman ton Park, an 
equally good third. With six varieties, Mr. Miller, 
gardener, Northdown, Margate, came in first, and Mr. 
Rutland, Goodwood, second. I 11 the class for a dozen 
dessert varieties, Mr. Rutland was well first with a 
highly-coloured lot especially fine being his Blenheim 
Oranges, Ribstons, and King of the Pippins, his other- 
varieties being Nonpareil Russett, Melon Apple, Cockle 
Pippin, Brownless Russett, Cox’s Orange Pippin, 
Adams’s Pearmain, Mannington’s Pearmain, and the 
Sussex Nanny Apple. Mr. Jacob, of Petworth, a 
cottager, had the best six varieties, fine specimens of 
Lady Sudeley, Ribston Pippin, Cox’s Orange Pippin, 
Nanny, and Incomparabile. 
The single dish classes, perhaps the most interesting 
and useful of all, brought out, generally, good com¬ 
petitions, and certainly a most admirable lot of produce. 
The Blenheim Oranges were a very good class, all the 
samples being good, and specially so those shown by 
Mr. Rutland, Mr. Goldsmith, and Mr. Gilmour, gar¬ 
dener, Seaeox Heath, Hawkhurst, who secured the 
awards in the order named. Next in order came the 
delicious flavoured Cox’s Orange Pippin, with which 
Messrs. Bunyard & Co. came in first with a remarkably 
handsome sample, the fruits being large and beautifully 
coloured. The next best examples came from Mr. J. 
Burnett, The Deepdene, Dorking, and Mr. A. J. 
Thomas, Sittingbourne, and good they were. The 
specimens exhibited in this class showed a considerable 
range of variation, both as to size and colour. There was 
also considerable diversity in these respects among the 
Ribstons, but no exception could be taken to the quality 
of the first prize specimens, from Mr. Folkes, gardener 
to T. F. Halsey, Esq., Gaddesden Place, Hemel Hemp¬ 
stead, or those from Mr. A. Smith, gardener, Warren 
Hill, Loughton, who came in second. Perhaps the 
greatest amount of variation was to be seen in the class 
for King of the Pippins, in which Messrs. Bunyard & 
Co. secured the first prize with large and finely coloured 
fruits ; Mr. J. Bolton, The Gardens, Combe Bank, 
Sevenoaks, and Mr. G. Thompson, Croxby House, 
Hounslow, securing the other awards with exceedingly 
fine specimens. Of that admirable sauce Apple, Dume- 
low’s Seedling, the finest examples came from Mr. 
Richards, gardener to the Earl of Normauton, Somerley 
Park, large fruits richly coloured on the sunny side ; 
and the other prize-winning dishes from Mr. G. Thomp¬ 
son, and Mr. W. Dance, gardener, Gosfield Hall, Essex, 
were exceedingly good. Of Mere de Menage there were 
only six dishes, but all good samples. Here the awards 
went to Mr. C. Ross, Mr. G. Richards, aud Mr. S. 
F'ord, in the order named. In the competition 
with Golden Noble or Waltham Abbey Seedling, 
all the prizes went to Golden Noble, which is 
distinguishable from the latter in its smoother and 
more globular shape, and pure golden colour, devoid of 
any traces of russett. Mr. Hudson, gardener, Gunners- 
bury House, Acton, who was first, had the variety in 
perfection, a very richly coloured sample. Messrs. Bun¬ 
yard and Mr. Goldsmith were respectively second and 
third, the samples from the last named being a little 
greener. The best Cockle Pippiirs, an excellent little 
dessert Apple, came from Mr. Rutland, and in an 
excellent competition with Court Pendu Plat, the 
same exhibitor again came to the front with fruits of 
fine size and colour. The popularity of Warner’s King 
as a culinary variety, was apparent in the thirteen 
admirable dishes of this variety which were staged. 
The first prize went to a grand sample from Messrs. 
Bunyard, which were not only large, but mellower 
looking than the others ; Mr. J. Fincliam, the Gardens, 
Nacton House, near Ipswich, and Mr. A. J. Thomas 
were respectively second and third. The best of six good 
lots of Alfriston came from Mr. Neighbour, of Bicklev; 
and Mr. Rutland had the finest of three good samples 
of Gloria Mundi. That handsome variety, Peasgood’s 
Nonsuch, was represented by eight splendid samples, 
and it must have been tough work for the Judges to 
