676 
THE GAKDENING WORLD 
June 23,1888. 
The Wave of Cold.—During the present week a 
wave of cold has passed over the country, such as one 
might more reasonably expect in autumn than at mid¬ 
summer. Several mornings there has been actual frost, 
and on Monday it was so sharp as to blacken the tops 
of the unfolding fronds of the Bracken in some places. 
Coleus and other tender plants bedded out also suffered 
more or less in different places. 
Gardening Engagement.—Mr. McPhail, for many 
years gardener at Markree Castle, co. Sligo, has been 
appointed superintendent of the Queen’s Park, Longton, 
Staffordshire. 
The Cheadle Floral and Horticultural Society will 
celebrate its twenty-first anniversary on the 17 th and 
18th of August next, when the annual exhibition will 
be held. The special feature of the occasion will be an 
open competition for the valuable prizes of £21 and a 
Silver Medal, £15, and £10, offered for the best group 
of fifteen stove or greenhouse plants, distinct, not less 
than six flowering and six ornamental. Amateurs’ and 
gentlemen’s gardeners also have an opportunity of com¬ 
peting with ten stove and greenhouse plants, for the 
sums of £10, £7 and £4. 
Botanical Specimens.—The Council of the Royal 
Botanic Society have given a large Bronze Medal to 
be competed for at the National Co-operative Flower 
Show to be held at the Crystal-Palace, on August 18th. 
It will, we believe, be offered for the best collection of 
botanical specimens. 
A Large Scotcli Fir. — It is reported that in 
Lapland there has just been felled a Pine tree, which 
is described as one of the largest ever grown in Sweden. 
It was 120 ft. high, and at 2 ft. from the ground had 
a diameter of 12£ ft. These are large dimensions for 
a Scotch Fir. 
Early Potato Culture.—Early Potato-growing is 
much resorted to by farmers in the Girvan district of 
Ayrshire, which in some cases is the chief product of 
the farm. Farmers along the coast have great breadths 
of them, several as much 100 acres. During the past 
few days, says The North British Agriculturist, a great 
many of the first lots have been sold, at prices varying 
from £25 to £30 per acre. This is slightly under last 
years’s figures. 
Alexandra Palace Rose Show.—We have received 
a copy of the schedule of prizes to be awarded at the 
exhibition, to be held on Wednesday and Thursday 
next. The prizes range from £5 down to a few 
shillings, and there are eight open classes, four for 
nurserymen, and the same number for gardeners and 
amateurs, one for pot Roses, and special prizes offered 
by Messrs. W. Wood & Son, Wood Green, and Mr. W. 
Colchester, Ipswich. 
Trade Notes from “The Gazette.” — Partnerships 
dissolved : Messrs. Sutton k Sons, Reading, so far as 
concerns Mr. M. H. Sutton and Mr. A. Sutton. Messrs. 
Deane & Co., King William Street, London Bridge. 
Public examination of Bankrupts : Messrs. Kinmont & 
Kidd, nurserymen, Canterbury, on June 29th, at 
10.30 a.m. Receiving orders : Mr. Geo. Matthews, 
Seed Merchant, Tamworth. 
Plants Certificated in Ghent.—At the meeting of 
the Belgian Chamber of HorticultureYield on Monday, 
June 11th, Certificates of Merit were awarded to Mr. 
Desmet Duvivier for Draciena Desmetiana and D. 
Comtesse de Kerchove ; to Mr. Aug. Van Geert for 
Nidularium argenteum striatum and Lomaria platy- 
phvlla ; to Mr. James Bray, for Cattleya Reineckiana. 
Lselia species, and Cattleya Mossise alba ; to Mr. A. 
Peeters, for Cypripedium Mastersianum ; to Mr. Jules 
Hye, for Cattleya Schroderae and Cypripedium 
Godefroyae atratum superbum ; to Messrs. Jacob 
Mackoy & Co., for Cypripedium bellatulum and 
Anthurium Andreanum Madame Ed. Pynaert ; to Mr. 
Alex. Dalliere for Thuja gigantea aurea ; to Messrs. 
Vervaet k Co. for Odontoglossum crispum var. and 
Cattleya Mossise De Puydti. 
Rhododendrons at Shandon on the Gareloch.—A 
correspondent who has recently been staying at the 
Shandon Hydropathic Establishment,near Hellensburgh, 
and which is known as one of the most beautiful and 
interesting places in the west of Scotland, is loud in 
his praises of the magnificent display of Rhododendrons 
to be seen there just now, some of the plants being as 
much as 60 ft. in circumference and 14 ft. in height, 
and splendidly bloomed. The grounds of the establish¬ 
ment are delightfully picturesque, and abound in 
handsome specimens of all the leading Conifers. The 
Himalayan species of Rhododendron thrive with great 
luxuriance, and perhaps no finer examples in the open 
air are to be seen in this country. 
The Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—At a meeting of the 
executive committee held on June 16th, at which there 
were also present Mr. Asbee, Mr. Walker, Mr. H. B. 
May, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Dickson, Mr. Messer, Mr. 
Rochford, and others, representing the stand-holders 
in Covent Garden Market, the joint sub-committee 
appointed by both bodies reported that the recent fete 
held in the Flower Market (kindly lent for the occasion 
by His Grace the Duke of Bedford), under the patronage 
of H.R. H. Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck, 
proved a brilliant success. It was attended by the 
Marquis and Marchioness of Tavistock, Sir Julian 
Goldsmid (president) and Lady Goldsmid, the Right 
Hon. the Lord Advocate of Scotland, and many other 
members of the aristocracy, the total number of ladies 
and gentlemen present being nearly 7,COO. The 
Marquis and Marchioness of Tavistock and Sir Julian 
and Lady Goldsmid expressed themselves highly 
delighted with the extraordinary display of plants and 
flowers. The Marchioness of Tavistock and Lady 
Goldsmid were pleased to accept handsome bouquets 
kindly presented for the purpose by Mr. T. A. Dickson, 
of Covent Garden. The total expenses of the fete 
amounted to £74 8s. 7 d. The amount of money collected 
in the boxes presided over by twenty-eight young 
ladies was £127 7s. 10<L ; this, with the handsome 
donation of £100 from His Grace the Duke of Bedford 
and a few sums received subsequently, make up a total 
of £237 11s. 4 d., leaving a balance of £163 2s. 9d. 
to the credit of the fund. The committee desired 
especially to express their hearty thanks to the various 
officials and growers connected with the market for 
their liberal assistance so cheerfully rendered, and 
recommended that the best thanks of the meeting be 
accorded to them. Resolutions were then passed nem. 
con., embodying special and most cordial votes of 
thanks to His Grace the Duke of Bedford for the use 
of the market and for his generous donation ; to the 
stall-holders collectively and individually for their 
kind and hearty co- operation on the occasion ; to Mr. 
J. R. Bourne, Mr. Asbee, Mr. W. Howard, Mr. W. 
Richards, and the young ladies who had charge of the 
collecting boxes for the valuable assistance each had 
rendered in carrying out the fete to a successful issue. 
-- 
FUCHSIA, VENUS VIOTRIX. 
I was much pleased to see that this fine old Fuchsia is 
successfully cultivated in Mr. Cannell’s nursery, because 
some time ago there was reason to fear that it had been 
totally lost. It is a true gem, and when originally 
announced as the first white Fuchsia, it was admired 
and cultivated by every florist and amateur. As the 
readers of The Gardening World seem to take an 
interest in its history, I presume that a few remarks on 
the subject will not be unacceptable. 
This Fuchsia came into the trade first in May, 1842. 
It was first offered, as far as I can find, in March of 
that year by the late Thomas Cripps, florist, &c., Tun¬ 
bridge Wells. There is an advertisement about it in 
The Gardeners' Gazette of the 5th of March, 1842 (p. 
141), where it is announced as the new white Fuchsia, 
Venus Victrix, and Mr. Cripps informs his friends 
among amateurs and the trade “ that having purchased 
the entire stock of the above plant from Mr. Gulliver, 
gardener to the Rev. S. Marriott, of Horsmonden, in 
this county, he will have plants to dispose of in May at 
21s. each, with the usual discount to the trade if three 
or more are taken at once. The flowers of this unique 
variety are white, sepals delicately tipped with green, 
with a superb bright purple corolla ; the stamens are 
of a delicate rose, and the pistil white. The plant itself 
is of an excellent habit, with foliage about the size of 
Gracilis, of which it is believed to be an accidental 
variety.” From further advertisements, which were 
repeated almost every week for a long time, I see 
that this Fuchsia was described in the Floricultural 
Cabinet, of March, 1842, and on the front page of the 
Gardeners' Chronicle, of the 5th of March, 1842, but no 
other particulars are given. 
Among the Fuchsia growers and raisers of that time 
the firm of Youell & Co., of Great Yarmouth, was well 
known, and Venus Victrix, I find, was first quoted in 
their catalogue of 1843 at the price of 2s. 6d. In 1844 
it is quoted at Is., and in later catalogues of that firm it 
is not to be found named specially. On the Continent it 
was probably first offered by the late Louis Van Houtte, 
of Ghent. In a small list of novelties, dated the 15th 
of April, 1842, it was offered at 25 francs as Fuchsia 
Venus Victrix (alba); but in his 1845-46 catalogue it is 
quoted at from 50 centimes. Although the price, as is 
usual with such things, came down very soon, it was 
always considered one of the best sorts. It was figured 
in the Revue Horticole, Vol. V., No. 28, July, 1843, 
and at p. 349 of that journal it is stated that it was to be 
had from M. Thibaut, Rue Saint Maur du Temple, 45, 
Paris. Under the name of Fuchsia Venus Victorieuse, 
it is figured in the Annales de Flore et de Pomane 
Journal des Jardins et Deschamps, 2nd series, 1st year 
(1842-43), p. 371, and the text belonging to the plate 
is from Rousselon. The figure was taken from a 
drawing made in the nursery of Ry Kogel, Rue de 
Vaugirard, Paris. A minute description is given, and 
the plant is said to be a very free bloomer, with a very 
long flowering period, and 14 ins. to 16 ins. high.— 
J. E. Krelage, Haarlem, Holland, June 18 th, 1888. 
-o-2-o- 
HARDY FLOWERS AT BARROW 
POINT, PINNER. 
The making of a really satisfactory hardy plant garden 
is one of the most difficult matters in gardening, as 
well as one of the most pleasant and enjoyable when 
accomplished. Thanks to the skill of Mr. Odell, 
guided by his perfect knowledge of the subject, and 
aided by the unstinting co-operation of "William Barber, 
Esq., Q.C., the owner of the charming garden at 
Barrow Point, who is a great enthusiast in such matters, 
as near perfection as possible has been attained, and a 
natural garden of hardy herbaceous perennials and 
flowering shrubs—aided here and there by showy 
annuals—produced, which would put the most gorgeous 
example of a summer bedding garden to shame, and at 
the same time possessing the advantage of being showy 
and interesting from early spring until winter sets in 
in earnest. 
Too often do we see in gardens, where they say they 
go in for hardy plants, what is called an herbaceous 
plant border assigned to them—a straight, flat, unin¬ 
teresting spot, where the plants have the very least 
chance of showing themselves to advantage. "With Mr. 
Barber this course has been studiously avoided, and the 
garden planned for the hardy flowers so as to have 
beauty in itself, and afford proper advantages for the 
display of the plants according to their natural habits. 
To this end Mr. Odell has worked for seven years, and 
yet he has other and great improvements in contem¬ 
plation, although it would be difficult for a visitor to 
suggest much improvement. Most of the borders have 
curved edges, shrubs at the back, rockeries here and 
there to vary the surface line, and good spaces of 
smooth lawn in front. 
The Poppies now form striking objects with their 
large masses of brilliant flowers, and starting at the 
entrance of the garden, they first attract the eye with 
the brilliant scarlet and orange of P. orientale and 
P. bracteatum, the rich, red with black centres of 
P. umbrosum and P. pavonia, and the white, yellow 
and orange of P. alpinum, P. nudicaule, P. Icelandica, 
and P. pilosum. Next in point of showiness come the 
great sections of Iris, Ppeonies, Pyrethrums, &c., to be 
followed soon by the Hollyhocks, Delphiniums, Pent- 
stemons, and Antirrhinums. Columbines, too, are 
there in all colours, from the rich orange-scarlet to a 
noble-flowered pure white, which seems new as a 
variety, if not as a species. 
Leading up to the ornamental water, which has two 
little islands in it and a bridge across, prominent in 
flower are Cistus florentinus, planted here for shade ; 
Scabiosa caucasica, Lychnis visearia fl. pi., Primula 
japonica, and Geum montana in clumps ; and pretty 
specimens of Dianthus alpinus, Phlox canadense, 
Cypripedium spectabile, C. parvifiora, Lithospermum 
prostratum, Silene maritima fl. pi., and various 
Eryngiums. On the rocky edge of the ornamental 
water large patches of Sedum glaucum, Antennaria 
tomentosa, Limnanthes Douglasi, Saxifraga umbrosa, 
and similar plants make a fine show ; while on the 
little islands the handsome foliage of the common 
Petasites vulgaris and Heracleum giganteum rise noble 
objects above the Forget-me-nots and other plants with 
which the ground is covered, and among the ornamental 
shrubs and double Hawthorns above them. On one 
bank, and beneath the shade of the trees, is an elevated 
rockery with Ferns, among which Adiantum pedatum 
is flourishing ; and Fritillaria meleagris and the yellow 
Doronicum in large patches ; Melissa officinalis aurea, 
with yellow variegated leaves ; Geum coccineum, very 
showy ; and the Twayblade (Listera ovata) and Orchis 
maculata are thriving famously. 
On the other bank rise some noble examples. of 
Cupressus Lawsoniana, while on the neighbouring 
borders and rocks appear in great beauty Erigeron 
aurantiacum, a very fine orange flower ; E. speciosum, 
Senecio speciosa, Tiarella cordifolia, Iberis Tenoriana, 
