588 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 15, 1886. 
Masdevallias were well shown by two exhibitors—Mr. 
C. Winn and Mr. Fellowes, the former having 
chiefly varieties of the Harryana type, but very fine ; 
the latter having a more diversified collection, hut in¬ 
cluded several small-flowered species. The collections 
of cut flowers were good from Mr. C. Winn and the 
Eight Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, who followed Mr. 
Cypher in the prize list. 
The miscellaneous non-competing exhibits were not 
numerous, but Mr. E. H. Yertegans had a collection of 
Alpine plants, and Mr. C. Winn contributed a pretty 
group of Orchids, for which he received special recog¬ 
nition. 
-->X<-- 
FLORICULTURE. 
Gold-laced Polyanthuses. —I was glad to see a 
notice in The Gardening World for May 1st of the 
Gold-laced Polyanthus, by “Plorist.” With much that 
the writer says I entirely agree, especially as regards 
his cultural and potting instructions, which are admir¬ 
able and cannot be improved upon. To them I may 
add that during the heat of summer the plants should 
be kept cool, shaded, syringed freely to prevent thrip, 
and fairly well watered. In winter, if in frames, grow 
them near the glass and give plenty of air, and enough 
water to keep the roots well moistened. Do not be 
afraid of a few degrees of frost, as it will do them no 
harm. The Polyanthus requires considerably more 
water than the Auricula, both in summer and winter. 
Although, I admit there is a certain degree of same¬ 
ness in a collection of Gold-laced Polyanthuses, yet there 
is more room for development in perfecting the flower 
than “Florist’’seems to think, and especially in form, 
by attaining a greater width of each segment and there¬ 
by securing a circular flower. Kingfisher came nearer 
to this than any of the old varieties that I ever knew. 
I have a red ground seedling, Model, which has this 
attribute in a higher degree even than Kingfisher had; 
and, indeed, it is very much like that old variety, hut 
is not so refined or clearly cut in its lacing. I have 
raised other seedlings, both black grounds and red 
grounds, which possessed this improved form in a 
higher degree than any of the varieties named by 
“Florist” ; notably, a black ground, named Criterion, 
which I exhibited at South Kensington a few years ago, 
when I won the 1st prize for six dissimilar varieties of 
Gold-laced Polyanthuses—three black grounds and 
three red grounds—all with seedlings of my own 
raising. Unfortunately, I lost Criterion after its second 
year of bloom. John Bright has scarcely any pretension 
to rank as a florists’ Polyanthus, its qualities are a 
strong and robust constitution, very free habit of 
flowering during a long season, the first to come into 
bloom and the last to go out, and above all its delicious 
fragrance. I have raised many much better black 
grounds than John Bright, but, unfortunately, they 
are all lost. 
“ Florist” will be glad to know that Sunrise has not 
quite become sunset.; I lost my stock, but had lent a 
plant to a friend to grow for me, and now there are 
three or four plants of it; it has bloomed, I believe, in 
fine character this season, and I trust will be again seen 
on the stage. There is no possibility of improving the 
Gold-laced Polyanthus except by very careful hybri¬ 
dization. I have a grand border of some hundreds of 
plants of gold-laced seedlings, raised from seed gathered 
from a choice collection of kinds, but of promiscuous 
parentage, and there is scarcely a coarse flower 
amongst them, but, alas, there is not one sufficiently 
good to select for special culture ; the general effect is, 
however, very fine and would please “Florist” if he saw 
them. I have also a very large collection of fancy or 
border Polyanthuses of the finest quality, raised from 
choice seed given to me by my friend, Mr. Richard 
Dean, of Ealing, and with these I have been equally 
delighted. The word “rivals” is objectionable as 
applied to flowers. There is no more rivalry between 
the gold-laced and the fancy Polyanthuses than there 
is between the Eose and the Carnation, and happy 
ought the florist to be who has room enough in his gar¬ 
den for many good things, and warmth enough in his 
heart to be thankful for them all. —Samuel Barlow, 
Stalcehill House, Castleton, near Manchester .— [ We have 
received from Mr. Barlow, some blooms of “Model,” 
and also of what he calls miscellaneous seedlings, 
which are indeed good, but not good enough for the 
Florists’standard. We have sent them to “Florist.” 
—Ed.] 
ORCHID NO TES AND GLEANINGS, 
Chysis bractescens.— This Orchid is generally 
grown in the hottest house, where I used to grow it 
myself, but two years since one of our plants was later 
in flowering than the rest, and as I had them in the 
Cattleya-house whilst in flower, the others were removed 
to the cool end of the East Indian-house on going out 
of flower, and the one that was late was left in the 
Cattleya-house all the season. When the growths of 
all were completed I removed them into a cooler and at 
the same time more airy-house, and theimprovementwas 
very marked in favour of the plant grown in the Cattleya- 
house, so that last year I grew them all in the Cattleya- 
house with the same favourable results. The flowers 
of this Orchid are particularly solid-looking, always 
reminding one of a statue in appearance ; some of them 
have the sepals and petals white, whilst others have 
the tips of both sepals and petals shaded yellow, the 
lip being yellow, with irregular brown lines running 
lengthways of the lip. The flowers, which are about 
3 ins. in width, are produced in racemes, from two to 
six flowers on each, and last about a fortnight in good 
condition. This is a deliciously perfumed Orchid, but 
at the same time not over powerful, which is the case 
with some, for one frequently hears the exclamation, 
1 ‘ I don’t care for that, it is too strong !” Basket culture 
with peat and moss suits this well.— E. Bumper. 
Dendrobium Wardianum. —Sometime since 
I sent a flower of this Orchid which you commented on, 
asking for the opinion of your readers on the lasting 
properties of large flowers of this Orchid. Your able 
correspondent, Mr. Simcoe, advanced reasons from which 
I must beg to differ. The flowering growth of the 
variety sent was a stout medium-length one, and the 
largest flowers on some were barely 4^ ins. across. 
It was lately purchased on a large block, on which 
there are more than a dozen pieces. How this was the 
only gigantic form, although the others were good ones, 
and I think it had a fair test to prove its lasting 
properties, as the ordinary forms alluded to lasted fully 
a fortnight longer in good condition. I have since 
top-dressed the block, when I found it was the best 
rooted of all, and the only reason I can account for its 
not lasting so long is, that it may have been injured 
in transit; then why not the flowers on the other 
growths, which were in the same condition when 
received, i.c., just plumping up the flower-buds?—' 
E. Dumper. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural. —May 11th. — Though, as 
a consequence of the opening of the Indian and Colonial 
Exhibition, the number of visitors to see the display in 
the conservatory was far in excess of what we have been 
used to lately, the show itself was not so extensive or so 
interesting as those which immediately preceded it. 
The leading exhibitors were Mr. T. S.AVare, Messrs. 
H. Lane & Son, and Messrs. William Paul & Son, who 
were awarded silver-gilt hanksian medals. Mr. Ware’s 
extensive group was rich in varieties of Primula Sie- 
boldi, Moutan Pseonies, Daffodils, and other spring¬ 
flowering plants ; while Messrs. William Paul & So°n 
staged the brightest and best flowered collection of Half¬ 
specimen Roses that we have seen turned out of Waltham 
Cross ; and the Messrs. Lane’s contribution included 
two fine groups of forced Rhododendrons and Ghent 
Azaleas. Messrs. Barr & Son received a silver bank- 
sian medal for a collection of Daffodils, Irises, Scillas, 
Tulips, &c.; and bronze hanksian medals were awarded 
to Mr. W. Rumsey, Joyning’s nursery, Waltham Cross, 
for an attractive group of standard and half-specimen 
Roses in pots, and a variety of cut blooms. To Messrs. 
Paul k Son, Cheshunt, for a small group of white- 
flowered Rhododendrons, such as Lady Alice Fitzwilliam, 
R. Edgeworthii, and R. Fortunei ; and a flowering 
plant of the new H. P. rose, Pride of Reigate, a white 
striped red rose of great promise ; and to H. M. Pollett, 
Esq., for a group of six plants of remarkably fine 
Odontoglots, and cut blooms of a splendid large variety 
of O. citrosmum roseum ; the plants included 0. 
sceptrum splendens, Wilckeanum pallens, one of the 
finest forms of 0. Andersonianum, an unnamed variety 
apparently a hybrid from the same species, 0. guttatum 
roseum, and 0. preenitens. Mr. J. Walker, Thame, 
showed a well flowered mass of Gentiana acaulis ; and 
Messrs. Y ills & Segar some superbly bloomed little 
plants of Erica Cavendishiana. Messrs. James Yeitch 
& Sons showed examples of several very fine flowering 
shrubs, including Cydonia Maulei, Spartium prsecox, 
Rubus arcticus, Philadelphus monophyllus, &c. Mr. 
G. F. Wilson showed Potentilla argyrophylla, a species 
with salver-shaped yellow flowers, received from Saha- 
ranpore. Mr. John E. Bonny, 88, Down’s Park Road, 
Hackney, contributed a little gem in Phalsenopsis 
Parishii, a rare species of the diminutive order, with 
small white flowers and rosy purple lip. Mr. F. 
Bridger, Penshurst Place, had “a good variety of Den¬ 
drobium thyrsiflorum ; and Mr. Bradshaw, gardener to 
Baron F. de Rothschild, Waddesdon Manor, a well- 
flowered L;elia purpurata in a basket. The old Dendro¬ 
bium speciosum was well represented by a specimen 
with twelve spikes, from Mr. Howes, gardener to Mrs. 
F. Bennett, Tulse Hill. 
The new plants certificated were Pseony Eeine Eliza¬ 
beth, a very fine Moutan variety with large well-formed 
pale carmine flowers ; and Adonis pyrenaicus, a large 
yellow-flowered. species from Air. Tl S. Ware ; and 
Phoenix hybrida, a useful decorative Palm from Messrs. 
James Yeitch & Sons. 
The Fruit Committee had more to do than usual, 
having before them most interesting collections of fruit 
from South Australia, Canada, &c. The South Aus¬ 
tralian Apples were something to remember, being 
remarkably fine in size, without blemish of any kind, 
and most beautifully coloured. The samples of Reinette 
du Canada, Wellington and Lane’s Prince Albert we 
have never seen surpassed ; while few, if any, better 
samples of Worcester Pearmain, Scarlet Nonpareil and 
Stone’s Apple are seldom seen. From the same colony 
also came dried Apples, Pears and Apricots, Sultana 
Raisins, Prunes, Black Currants, &c., of very fine 
quality. The Canadian Commission sent fine examples 
of King of Tomkins County, Northern Spy, Canada 
Red, Rosebury Russett, and Seek-no-further, a very 
pretty sample. For the Yeitch Memorial Medal, 
offered for the best collection of salad plants, there was 
no competition, only one exhibitor, Air. G. Bolas, gar¬ 
dener, AVirksworth Hall, Derby, entering the lists, 
and he, staging about eighteen varieties, took the 
Medal and £5. 
Preston and Pul wood Horticultural.— 
May 1st. —A meeting of this society was held on the 
above date at the old Legs of Alan for the purpose of 
discussing the best means to be adopted for giving a 
series of readings, for the considerations of suggestions 
on the culture of plants and flowers, and for bringing 
together more frequently all lovers of horticulture. 
Air. William Swan, gardener, Howick House, Preston, 
presided, and there was a good attendance. The chair¬ 
man spoke in favour of an enlargement of the Preston and 
Fulwood Horticultural Society by the members forming 
themselves into an association for their intellectual im¬ 
provement by listening to papers on horticultural sub¬ 
jects. He had been connected with societies of that 
description, and had thereby considerably increased his 
store of knowledge. Air. Atherton said their treasurer, 
;Mr. J. B. Dixon, wished to say through him that if an 
' association of the kind suggested were formed, it should 
be united with the parent society. His idea was to let 
the members of the Preston and Fulwood Horticultural 
Society be full members of the proposed association 
without any increased fee. They should strengthen the 
present society as far as possible by having readings 
given in connection therewith. Alessrs. Payne, Walters, 
T. AIoss, and Waters approved of the suggestion thrown 
out by Air. Dixon, but expressed a fear that the cost of 
the meetings would be too much to be taken out of the 
funds. Air. Atherton reminded them that readings had 
been given on various subjects at the society’s expense. 
The cost would be a mere trifle, and he could assure them 
that it would be willingly defrayed by their treasurer. 
Their society required all the sympathy and encourage¬ 
ment it could get, all the strength that could be given 
to it, and he had no doubt that it would be ere loug 
second to none in Lancashire, if it had not already at¬ 
tained that position. Air. Ashworth, president of the 
Cottagers and Amateurs’ Society, promised to do all he 
could to cause interest to be taken in the meetings at 
which readings were to be given. The Chairman said 
that as the officers of the present society were willing to 
accept the responsibilities of their meetings they could 
not do better than further its interests by every means 
in their power. Their object was the advancement of 
horticulture by the improvement of each other, for the 
better a man understood his business the more successful 
was he likely to be in his calling, to the advantage of 
himself and his employer. After a desultory conver¬ 
sation, it was decided that the payment of 2s. 6 d. yearly 
should constitute membership, the subscriber of that 
amount to receive tickets of admission to the exhi¬ 
bition ; and that Is. per annum should admit to all the 
meetings at which readings were to be given. It was 
also resolved that the meetings be held on the first 
Saturday evening in each month. Air. Atherton quoted 
from the financial statement just issued by the treasurer, 
Air. Dixon, on the exhibition held in Alareh. It showed 
that the year commenced with a balance in hand of 
£4 19s., the admission money came to £48 14s., the 
subscriptions were £93 5s., and other sundries made the 
total income £156 18s. The disbursements included 
prize money £64 12s., concerts £17 17s., and other items 
brought the expenditure to £150 4s., thus leaving in 
hand a balance of £6 14s. Air. Atherton stated that 
subscriptions to come in would make their balance £10. 
A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting. 
