884 THE GARDENING WORLD. August s>o, is9i. 
position. They are beautifully arranged on a two- 
ranked spike, and being of a uniform yellow resemble 
filigree work. In addition to this they are like the rest 
of the species; deliciously scented, and coming into 
bloom as they do about the middle or end of the 
summer, should act as an inducement for every 
Orchid grower to possess it. The species is usually 
considered more difficult to grow satisfactorily than 
P. glumacea or P. Cobbiana f but evidently there is 
no leason why it should be so. 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural, August 25^.—The leading 
features of the meeting on Tuesday last were Dahlias 
In their various forms, Gladioli, Liliums, fruit and 
other subjects. A Silver-gilt Flora Medal was 
awarded to Messrs. KeKvay eft Son, Langport, for a 
large and showy collection of Gladioli and some 
Marigolds. A collection of Pompon, Cactus, exhibi¬ 
tion and single Dahlias in great variety' was shown 
by Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, as well as soma 
plants in pots, for which a Silver Banksian Medal 
was awarded. Mr. S. Mortimer, Rowledge, Farn- 
ham, was accorded a Bronze Banksian Medal for a 
collection of show Dahlias in fine condition. A 
similar award was made to Mr. W. H. Divers, 
gardener to J. T. Hopwood, Esq., Ketton Hall, 
Stamford, for cut flowers of border Carnations and 
also plants in pots. Messrs. H. Cannell& Sons, Swan- 
ley, exhibited Cactus Dahlias and double flowers of 
tuberous Begonias, for which a Bronze Banksian 
Medal was awarded. A similar award was made to 
Messrs. Wallace & Co., Colchester, for a fine exhibit 
of varieties of Lilium longiflorum. A Silver Bank¬ 
sian Medal was awarded to Messrs. Keynes, Williams 
& Co., Salisbury, for a fine lot of Pompon, Cactus 
and show Dahlias in variety. A Silver Flora Medal 
was awarded to Mr. G. Phippen, Reading, for Cactus 
Dahlias set up in wire stands with Moss. A Silver 
Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. H. Low & 
Co., Clapton, for a fine stand of Lilium Wallichianum 
superbum. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, showed 
some Conifers and flowering shrubs. Asters and 
perennial Sunflowers were brought up from the 
Society’s gardens at Chiswick. Liliums, Dahlias, 
and Carnations were shown by Mr. T. S.- Ware, 
Tottenham. A Bronze Banksian Medal was awarded 
to Mr. Quarterman, gardener to C. E. Smith, 
Esq., Silvermere, Cobham, for a collection 
of thirty-six species and varieties of Oaks. Some 
stands of Dahlias were shown by Mr. Arthur Raw¬ 
lings, Romford, and Mr. J. Walker, Thame. Orchids 
were by no means numerously represented, Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co. having a few plants; Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons a few; cut flowers or plants were 
shown by T. Statter, Esq., Stand Hall, Manchester, 
by Mr. J. Quarterman, by C. J. Lucas, Esq., Horsham, 
by Mr. J. Douglas, by Mr. J. Prewett, Hammer¬ 
smith, (by F. Wigan, Esq. (gardener, Mr. W. H. 
Young), Clare Lawn, East Sheen, by R. J. Measures, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. H. Simpkins), Camberwell, and 
by M. S. Cook, Esq. (gardener, Mr. D. Cullimore), 
Kingston Hill. The Wedding Flower (Iris Robin- 
soniana) Avas brought up from Kew. Some prizes 
were offered for Gladioli grown by amateurs, and 
the Rev. H. H. Dombrain, Westwell Vicarage, 
Ashford, was awarded a First Prize for nine varieties 
of Gandavensis. Mr. W. Herbert Fowler, Clare¬ 
mont, Taunton, received a First for eighteen varieties 
and likewise for twelve. 
At a meeting of the Fruit Committee, a collection 
of Peaches was shown by Messrs. T. Burton & Son, 
Bexley Heath. Some baskets of early Apples were 
shown by W. Roupell, Esq..Harvey Lodge, Roupell 
Park. Melons were shown by Mr. G. Wythes, Syon 
House, by Miss Sullivan (gardener, Mr, Wilson), 
Fulham, and by Mr. A. Bishop, gardener to R. 
Burrell, Esq., Westly Hall, Bury' St. Edmunds, 
Some dwarf and Runner Beans were shown by 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading. Fruits of Prunus 
Pisardi were shown by Sir Trevor Lawrence. 
Devon and Exeter Horticultural. —No matter what 
date is fixed for this meeting, the day is almost cer¬ 
tain to be wet. This year the rain held off during 
the day, but towards evening the usual weather pre¬ 
vailed, and as a consequence the receipts suffered, 
the returns being about /50 behind last year's. This 
for a cathedral city means much more serious a 
deficit than in some of the midland or northern 
manufacturing centres, where a matter of a £iod 
more or less doesn't affect them. From the main 
point of view, however, the show was an unqualified 
success, far surpassing in quality, all round, any 
former effort. There have been larger entries for 
specimen plants, and when Mr. James Lawless and 
Mr. Ben Cleave used to show there was many a sharp 
tussle for the victory; but this show, which excelled 
in all other (respects, was not behind in specimens, 
for Mr. Brocks’ first prize lot was a most creditable 
collection. More especially was this the case 
because, practically, the identical plants had been 
shown at Taunton the week before. One or two of 
his specimens, notably his Bougainvillea, were not 
in the pink of perfection. In foliage'plants, in which 
he was again first, his position was much stronger, 
for in this class he won handsomely with a very fine 
lot indeed. The Rev. Hamilton-Gell was second to 
Mr. Brock both in flowering and foliage plants, and 
showed a very useful lot of specimens. Perhaps 
the most attractive features in the show were the 
groups for effect, which, besides being a long way 
ahead of anything of the kind seen in Exeter before, 
were, in almost every case, particularly effective and 
brilliant. In the first prize group, Mr. Brock's 
again, the groundwork was, to some extent, covered 
with Gloxinias, Begonias, Adiantums, dwarf Calad- 
iums, and such like, while standing out were Humea 
elegans, Hyacinthus candicans, Tuberoses, Gladiolus 
of the Gandavensis varieties, and some fine spray 
flowering plants, the centre and crown being com¬ 
posed of Bamboos, Cocos Wedelliana, and some 
other light Palms. It was a most artistic production, 
and was really the best thing of the kind that has 
ever been seen at this show. The Rev. Hamilton- 
Gell’s second prize lot was good, but failed in not 
being bright enough ; but for the want of colour it 
was a very fine group. Colonel Pepper’s was too 
squat altogether and not well balanced ; in fact it 
was but an indifferent third. In the smaller groups, 
Mr. W. C. Sims was as good as could be wished, the 
arrangement being light and easy. Mr. W. F. 
Richards came in a good second with an exceedingly 
pretty group. 
The competition for Messrs. Robert Veitch & Son’s 
Silver Cup for a collection of vegetables brought out 
a strong array of talent, and it is very questionable 
if the winning collection would have been second at 
any competition in England or Scotland, Duke of 
Albany Peas, Autumn Giant Cauliflower, Perfection 
Tomato, Satisfaction Potato, Lyon Leek, New Inter¬ 
mediate Carrot, and so on, were his stand-by’s, all 
fine varieties, well grown, well finished, and well 
shown. The winner was Mr. W. S. Erie Drax, of 
Sherborne, and it is noteworthy that this is the third 
time in succession he has been the victor in this class. 
Sir J. W. Kelk, of Marlborough, was second, and 
received an extra prize for the best arrangement of 
the collection. Lady Theodora Guest, of Blandford, 
was third. Potatos were a keenly contested class, 
and some wonderfully fine tubers were shown. Con¬ 
spicuous among the Potatos was a dish of a new 
variety, named " Prodigious,” to be sent out next 
year by Messrs. Robert Veitch & Son, of Exeter. 
It certainly must be an extraordinary cropper, for it 
seems that in order to show that dish one of five 
rows planted was dug, and while five pounds seeded 
the five rows—a pound to a row—a single row 
yielded 105 lbs. of sound potatos. 
m — 
QaesTions sud aoshjgra 
Grapes Shanking.— West: The Vines are starving 
for the want of water—hence the shanking. Accord¬ 
ing to your own showing you have not given them 
half enough. The remedy is obvious. Your border 
should not be wanting in potash yet, but when it 
does wood ashes will supply it. 
Foreign Seeds. — A. C. : The packet No. 1 con¬ 
tained one unopened flower bud of a species of 
Eucalyptus, probably E. globulus. It is useless 
therefore to expect seedlings from it. The other two 
are evidently the same thing. The seeds in No. 3 
being best ripened are therefore fit for sowing. If 
the two are not identical they are closely allied 
species of the natural order of Asclepiadeas, to which 
the well known Stephanotis belongs. Nos. 2 and 3 
should be sown at once in a stove temperature. 
They might possibly keep good till spring, but you 
need not wait till then, providing you have a stove or 
pit with a good command of fire heat. 
Eranthemum pulchellum and Insects.— Gifford: 
The leaves of Eranthemum you sent us were 
swarming with a small colourless mite which we have 
frequently found on many different plants in hot¬ 
houses. They are most frequent on the under side 
of the leaves, but may occasionally be found on the 
upper surface. They are very destructive, producing 
a different effect on various plants, but most fre¬ 
quently causing both surfaces of the leaf to become 
brown, and often curled up at the margin as if 
scorched with heat. Badly affected plants should 
be separated from the rest and burned unless the 
specimens be scarce, when it might be advisable to 
clean them in order to get cuttings for propagation. 
The plants you wish to clean and preserve should 
be laid on their sides and thoroughly syringed with 
a strong solution of Gishurst Compound, or soft 
soap with which a quantity of flour of sulphur has 
been mixed. Some growers also succeed in curing 
their plants by syringing with soot water. Put the 
soot in a bag and drop it in a pail of water to be used. 
After allowing to steep for twelve or twenty-four 
hours, syringe the plants with the clear water. A 
second syringing may be necessary after a few days, 
if any of the mites are still alive. 
Melons Dying.— Gifford: We examined what loam 
we could find, and it presented nothing to find’fault 
with. The paper in which it was enclosed had 
become undone in passing through the post, making 
the specimens you sent us very dirty. The seedling 
melon was rather dried up, and when this is the case, 
any insects that might have been upon them had 
mostly dropped off. As we suspected, however, there 
were some mites upon them similar to those on Eran¬ 
themum pulchellum, and we do not doubt they areone 
and the same thing. As you packed both specimens 
in the box, it is just possible that the mites could 
have travelled from one to the other. There can be 
little doubt, however, that they are destroying both 
the plants named. We also found some pupa cases 
of a fly upon the leaves of the Melon, and which 
were probably those of an Aleyrodes. Your houses 
are, no doubt, infested with the mite, and the best 
thing you can do, is to use the insecticides above 
mentioned until the enemy is eradicated. It is ex¬ 
tremely troublesome, and attacks numerous species 
of plants, doing them great harm. 
Tomatos Diseased.— Wm. Duncan: We have 
carefully examined the specimens, both leaves and 
stems, which you have sent us, and find very little, if 
anything, of the nature of a disease about them. 
Two small spots on the leaves were all that had any 
appearance of- disease. The box having been 
smashed in coming through the post, the leaves 
were considerably bruised, but the withered 
patches on them were simply the result of natural 
decay. The patches were subtransparent, and conse¬ 
quently gave evidence that there was no fungus in 
them. The stems were also clean and healthy. The 
thinness and softness of the leaves indicate a close, 
moist atmosphere with insuffleiee/ ventilation, lead¬ 
ing us to suspect that they have peen unfruitful for 
that simple reason. Tomatos like a dry atmosphere 
and plenty of ventilation, when tue leaves assume a 
firm texture with great thickness, rough w'ith bristly 
hairs. If they are really diseased they cannot be 
very bad, otherwise there would have been more 
evidence of it on the specimens sent. 
Names of Plants. — Omega : 1, The Field Thistle, 
Carduus arvensis ; 2, The Marsh Thistle, Carduus 
palustris ; 3, The Burr Thistle, Carduus lanceolatus, 
The latter is the Scotch Thistle according to the 
poet Burns. Gifford: 1, Monarda fistulosa rubra; 
2, Lonicera flexuosa; 3, Gaillardia aristata var. 
Catval: Abies Veitchii. 
Name of Pear.— W. Davey : Seckle. 
Hedge round a Tennis Lawn.—A. Russell: 
Much the most satisfactory plan w'ould be, grub up 
the old hedge, work in some new soil and well de¬ 
cayed manure, and plant something else. As you 
would like something out of the common, we w'ould 
suggest the broad-leaved golden Privet, Ligustrum 
ovalifolium aureum. It ought to do well and colour 
grandly in your climate. The Deodar would be 
very unsatisfactory. 
Insects.— R. C. : The common Dragon fly. 
Communications Received. —R. M.—S. & M.— 
G. P. I.—’W. D.—A. O.—C. L—G. M.—R. D.—R. 
G. W.—T. W. N. O.—J. Cliff—J. S. Reid—R. L.— 
G. I. M.—A, M.—W. G. S. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED, 
Dickson’s Limited, Chester.—Dutch and other 
Bulbous Flower Roots. 
E. H. Krelage & Son, Haarlem, Holland.—• 
Dutch Flower Bulbs, and Tuberous-rooted Plants. 
Wm. Clibran & Son, Oldfield Nurseries, 
Altrincham.—Dutch and other Bulbous Roots. 
John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, London, S.E.—• 
Dutch, French, and other Bulbous Roots. 
J. & R. Thyne, 83, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.—- 
Dutch Bulbs, Plants for Forcing, &c. 
LONDON SEED TRADE. 
August 24 th. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 132, Houndsditch, and 
39, Seed Market, Mark Lane, report moderate 
supplies of Trifolium incarnatum, which meet a ready 
sale at hardening prices. New Rape Seed is offering, 
but samples show that the quality is only medium. 
New Ryegrasses are being damaged by rain. 
