60 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 27, 1890. 
varietal distinction, nana, is not very appropriate, 
seeing that the stems vary from 2 ft. to 3 ft. in height. 
This may be due in part to the wet summer that is 
just passed ; but at the same time it is as large as C. t. 
grandiflora, which differs only in the greater size of its 
flower heads. C. t. atrosanguinea has rather larger and 
brighter crimson flowers than C. t. Burridgei, but 
otherwise differs very little. All have been very 
floriferous during the past season. 
CEscliynanthus speciosus. 
The tubular and gaping flowers of this species are of a 
rich orange and yellow, and have a very effective 
appearance from the way they are arranged in dense 
clusters terminating the branches, the latter being 
more robust and woody than is the case with most 
species in cultivation, and will therefore be found more 
suitable for pot culture. The slender-stemmed 
kinds are most useful as basket plants, or as climbers 
for the moist back walls of stoves. The plant flowers 
at various times according to the treatment it receives, 
lasting for some time in perfection. The species is a 
native of Java, from whence it was introduced in 1845, 
but is not so widely distributed in gardens as its merits 
deserve. We noted it flowering in the gardens at 
Tower House, Chiswick. 
Polygonum sachalinense. 
The flowers of this species are greenish yellow, and 
comparatively of no importance for garden decoration 
independently of the foliage. The stems die down 
annually after having attained a length of 6 ft. to 8 ft., 
and appear as long, arching rods well clothed with 
leaves. The latter are oblong heart-shaped, from 6 ins. 
to 12 ins. long, and proportionately wide. The sub¬ 
tropical or even the wild garden is the most suitable 
place for it, as plenty of space can be given for its 
accommodation and development. A bed of soil of 
considerable depth should be prepared for it, and heavy 
supplies of water during the growing season. 
-->X<~- 
ORCHID ROT ES AND G LEANINGS. 
MlLTONIA SPECTAB1L1S MORELIANA. 
It seldom happens that the lip of an Orchid is the 
palest part of the flower—indeed, the reverse is very 
often the case. M. spectabilis is, moreover, a variable 
species, and the type has pure white sepals and petals, 
tinted with rose at the base, while the lip is rosy violet, 
with a white margin. The flowers of M. s. bicolor are 
pure white with a violet blotch on'the lip. The variety 
under notice is the most remarkable and the finest, 
seeing that the sepals are of a dark purple or violet- 
purple ; the petals are similarly coloured, with the 
exception of a pale rosy white blotch at the base. The 
lip is somewhat variable in this particular variety, 
and that of a specimen sent us by Mr. F. Excell, 
gardener to E. H. Leatham, Esq., Misarden Park, 
Cirencester, was of a warm rosy purple, traversed longi¬ 
tudinally by eleven more or less wavy purple veins. 
The column was white with a yellow blotch in front, 
and the wings were purple, continued round the 
back of the column, forming a collar to the anther. 
Vanda ccerulea. 
As autumn comes round this handsome old introduction 
produces its large, blue-tinted flowers in comparative 
profusion. The broad sepals and petals are copiously 
reticulated with strong veins, almost in squares, and 
add much to the general appearance of the whole. The 
sky-blue shade tinting the sepals and petals varies 
much in depth in different plants, or even in the same 
ones, according to treatment. -The lip is generally of a 
deep blue, but being small does not add greatly to the 
beauty of the flowers. The stems vary from 18 ins. to 
2 ft. in height, and are therefore not so difficult to 
accommodate as Y. suavis or V. tricolor. A fine inflor¬ 
escence of it has been sent us by Mr. F. Excell, 
gardener to E. H. Leatham, Esq., Misarden Park, 
Cirencester. It bore seven large flowers, and tw T o 
others had dropped. The plants had been in flower 
for nine weeks before the flowers were sent us, and 
consequently the lower ones had lost much of the blue 
tints pervading the lip and the sepals and petals, but 
more especially on the under-side of the latter sets of 
organs. 
Stenoglottis fimbriata. 
The genus Stenoglottis consists of the above species 
only, a terrestrial Orchid, a native of South Africa. 
It differs botanically in the absence of a spur chiefly 
from Habenaria, which includes the well-known 
British H. bifolia and H. b. chlorantha, the Butterfly 
Orchid, as well as the Military Orchid (H. militaris), 
with its bright red or scarlet lip. The sepals and 
petals of Stenoglottis fimbriata are ovate and lilac, the 
latter connivent and forming a hood over the column. 
The lip is oblong and 3—5 lobed or fringed, and white 
spotted with purple, adding much to the effect of the 
plant. The flowers are borne on a scape about 10 ins. 
or 12 ins. in height, forming a one-sided spike. The 
leaves are confined to the base, and mostly spread on 
the ground, forming a tuft, from the centre of which 
the scape arises. They are lanceolate, wavy at the 
margins, and often beautifully spotted with purple. 
When growth is being made a plentiful supply of water 
must be given, as in the case of Habenaria, Disa and 
other terrestrial subjects. Propagation may be effected 
by the separation of the offsets. It has been flowering 
for some time past in the cool division of the Orchid 
house at Kew. 
-- 
ALLOA HORTICULTURAL 
EXHIBITION. 
The season for provincial exhibitions is now drawing 
to a close. It has stirred up enthusiasts to make 
strenuous efforts to maintain their position as 
cultivators, and as far as I have seen, the most of 
them have not been disappointed. From information 
which has reached me, the late exhibitions have been 
of fair average, but not so those held earlier in the 
season, and no wonder when w T e remember the sunless, 
cold, and rainy weather of June, July, and August, 
which, on heavy soils especially, caused so much 
labour to be expended in keeping weeds from smothering 
the crops. The almost tropical weather, however, 
which has prevailed during a good part of September, 
has cheered cultivators of every grade. Taking the 
Alloa exhibition as being representative of the smaller 
class of shows, I think that exhibitors need not be 
discouraged in the future, neither need they give too 
much heed to pessimists, whose forebodings are always 
the same. The splendid weather we now enjoy has 
already changed matters very remarkably, and we may 
reasonably expect fine crops of hardy fruit next yeai. 
The finest and certainly most attractive exhibit at 
Alloa was the splendid collection of Roses from 
Aberdeen, which proclaimed the Messrs. Cocker as being 
masteis of the art of managing them, for finer examplis 
could not be looked for at this season of the year. 
They were not backed by novelty, but most of the 
names are familiar to all Rose growers. The premier 
prize bloom was Alfred Colomb, but all being so fine, 
it was difficult to choose the best. In the gardeners’ 
classes there were many fair examples ; the tables of 
plants placed for effect were very attractive, and the 
first prize was j ustly awarded to Mr. Kirk’s collection 
from Norwood, which contained beautifully coloured 
Crotons, Pancratiums, Gloxinias, Palms, variegated 
India-rubber Plants, and Ferns ; an edging of Panicum 
variegatum intermixed with Adiantums made a 
charming finish to the whole. Some of the other tables 
were somewhat crowded, as indeed most of such tables 
are at exhibitions. 
In the'fruit classes there were not many exhibits 
which called forth special notice. Black Hamburgh 
Grapes were good, but we seldom see these on any show 
table now of such quality as we were once accustomed 
to ; but now and again good examples do make their 
appearance at provincial shows, and that kind should be 
more abundant than any other Grape during September. 
It is seldom that any of the keeping classes of Grapes 
are fit to eat at this time of year. Muscats, black and 
white, were fairly good at Alloa ; and the kinds 
enumerated here are the choicest of all Grapes, and 
should be grown for the main supply to the end of the 
year at least. 
The classes for vegetables were well represented. 
Leeks, Celery, Cauliflower (Sutton’s Magnum Bonum 
was extra fine), Onions and Potatos were worthy of 
note. Mr. Kirk, gardener to T. Paton, Esq, was 
ahead of his compeers with a choice collection, and 
was justly awarded the first prize. The splendid 
hall at Alloa (the gift of Mr. Thomson Paton to the 
town) is one of the best provincial buildings we have 
seen for holding an exhibition in, and it must afford 
the liberal and much esteemed donor great satisfaction 
to observe how much the public value his kindness, 
and to note the varied usefulness of such a grand 
erection. The fine organ—also the gift of Mr. Paton— 
being played with great taste, was also a source of 
attraction to the Hall. Stirling. 
THE DAHLIA AND GRAPE CON¬ 
FERENCE AT CHISWICK. 
Dahlias and Other Flowers. 
As far as quantity and variety are concerned, the 
exhibition of Dahlias at Chiswick, on Tuesday and 
"Wednesday, might be declared the most complete that 
has ever been held. The number of varieties in each 
collection was very great, and there was less repetition 
than there would have been in an ordinary exhibition, 
from the fact, no doubt, that every exhibitor strove to 
make his collection as complete as possible. The 
morning opened fine, but before midday there was an 
indication of rain, which, moreover, did come, raining 
in torrents, and between 4 and 5 p.m. there was a 
sharp thunderstorm, so that the number of visitors was 
much smaller than otherwise would have been. Most 
of the Dahlias were staged in a large tent upon the 
lawn, and there was a considerable number of exhibitors 
in class I. for a general collection, in which the different 
races were mostly kept separate, with the exception of 
fancy varieties, which were in most cases more or less 
mixed with the show Dahlia proper, as is usually the case 
at ordinary exhibitions. One of the largest collections 
in this class, and for quality the most meritorious, was 
that shown by Mr. Charles Turner, Slough, who 
received a Silver-gilt Banksian Medal. He had a large 
number of show Dahlias, including fine samples of 
Prince of Denmark, John Standish, James Cocker, 
R. T. Rawlings, Lorina (a fine buff-orange variety), 
Harry Keith, Queen of the Belgians, Excellent, 
Diadem, Hugh Austin, and others. Amongst fancy 
kinds he had Gaiety, Grand Sultan, Hon. Mrs. Wynd- 
ham, Hy. Walton, Pelican, Mrs. John Downie, Sailor 
Prince, and Matthew Campbell. Prominent amongst 
the Cactus kinds were Juarezi, Professor Baldwin, King 
of Cactus, Amphion, Empress of India, Panthea, Zulu, 
and Henry Patrick. His Pompon varieties included 
many very pretty kinds, such as Little Duchess, Mabel, 
Isabel, White Aster, E. F. Jungker, Cupid, Adonis, 
Whisper, Golden Gem, The Khedive, and others. A 
smaller but most interesting collection, consisting of 
show and fancy kinds, raised by the exhibitor’s firm, 
was shown by Mr. Arthur Rawlings, Old Church, 
Romford, Essex, for which a Silver Flora Medal was 
awarded. Show varieties were represented by Mrs. 
Geo. Rawlings, Oscar, John Henshaw, R. T. Rawlings, 
Mr. Glasscock, T. S. Ware, Wm. Dodds, Queen of the 
Belgians, and Geo. Rawlings, mostly shown in quantity 
of a kind. Fancy varieties were Mr. J. T. West, 
Harry Eckford, Mrs. N. Halls, Charles Turner, and 
others. A Silver-gilt Banksian Medal was awarded to 
Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., Salisbury, for a very 
extensive and beautiful collection. Good show kinds 
were Harry Keith, Herbert Turner, R. Dean, Crimson 
Globe, Clara, Nellie Cramond, James Service, Gloire 
de Lyon (a fine white), and Mrs Foreman. The 
striped and spotted fancies were represented by Gaiety, 
Buffalo Bill, Duchess of Albany, Dandy, Hercules, 
Rev. J. B. M. Camm, and Prince Henry. Good and 
showy Cactus kinds were Lady Brassey, G. Reid, 
Panthea, Juarezii, Henry Patrick, Honoria (a fine 
yellow), and Professor Baldwin (scarlet). Pompon 
varieties were in good form in Leila (white and orange), 
Dora, Whisper, Fairy Tales, Janet (orange), White 
Aster, Admiration, and Phcebe. A similar award was 
made’ to Messrs. Paul & Son, who had amongst fancy 
kinds Glowworm, Richard Dean, Ronald, Champion 
Rollo, Ovid, Excellent, Purple Prince, Gloire de Lyon, 
and Miss Henshaw. Good fancy kinds were Lady 
G. Herbert, Royal Queen, Gaiety, Grand Sultan, 
Matthew Campbell, and Rev. J. B. M. Camm. Showy 
Cactus varieties are W. T. Abery, Red Cockatoo, 
Amphion, Juarezii, Charming Bride, Honoria, and 
Mr. A. W. Tait. Of single kinds they had Beauty of 
Uplands, Paragon, Yictoria, Crimson King, Duchess of 
Albany, Amethyst, Alba magna, Chilwell Beauty, and 
Miss Linnaker. Beautiful Pompons were Mignon, 
H. E. Searle, German Favourite, Royalty, White Aster, 
Nymph, lolanthe, Karl, Goldfinder, Janet, Lady Jane, 
Fair Helen, and Whisper. A Silver Banksian Medal was 
awarded to Messrs. Saltmarsh & Son, Chelmsford, for 
a collection in which show and fancy kinds were the 
most numerous and dominant. Conspicuous amongst 
show kinds were Prince of Denmark, Nellie Garret, 
Shirley Hibberd, Lord Chelmsford, Burgundy, Wm. 
Keith, J. Standish, Mr. Glasscock, R. T. Rawlings, 
W. Rawlings, and J. Yick. Duchess of Albany, Mrs. 
Saunders (yellow with white tip and fine), Florence 
Stark, Salamander, Rev. J. B. M. Camm and 
Plutarch were good fancies. They also showed Cactus 
and Pompon varieties. A Silver Banksian Medal was 
