664 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 15, 1889. 
The Gardeners' Calendar. 
THE STOVE. 
Winter-flowering* Plants. —With the warm and 
sunny weather we are now enjoying the stove may be 
relieved of a large quantity of the plants with which 
it is crowded. All such things as Thyrsacanthus, 
Sericographis Ghiesbreghtii, Peristrophe speciosa, 
Poinsettias that were struck early, Eranthemums, and 
similar subjects may be transferred to heated pits, 
where artificial heat may be given at night if necessary, 
or in the absence of heating apparatus a mild hot-bed 
of manure and leaves may be made up, and the pots 
plunged on the top of it in a little fermenting material. 
Care will have to be taken for a time until the plants 
take to the change. At first they may be kept rather 
close, but as growth proceeds they will enjoy free ven¬ 
tilation on all fine days. Syringe freely before shutting 
up in the afternoon of fine days. 
Overcrowding. —While growth is being made in 
summer it is all important that plenty of room should 
be afforded to every individual plant according to its 
wants. With this object in view a number of subjects 
may be removed to the conservatory, where the con¬ 
ditions would hardly be suitable for their welfare in 
winter. Amongst these may be included many Palms 
and Cyeads, which will give an additional charm to the 
ordinary occupants of that structure, and serve to 
relieve the monotony that would otherwise prevail 
when small plants alone are used. Several points will 
have to be observed in making the transfer. Speci¬ 
mens just making their growth—particularly Cyeads— 
should not be used until their tiers of leaves have com¬ 
pleted not only their growth in length, but have 
become somewhat firm. A little hardening off may be 
necessary, provided they have previously been kept in 
a very warm moist atmosphere, otherwise the leaves are 
liable to get checked, and present a scorched appear¬ 
ance, which is undesirable, seeing that no more leaves 
will be produced till after the first or second year. 
Many other kinds may be employed for the same 
purpose, always choosing those with leathery leaves in 
preference to those of a membraneous texture. Give 
them positions where they will be least likely to suffer 
from cold draughts, either from the door or ventilators. 
Watering will also have to be well attended to. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Staking Plants. —It is desirable that plants of all 
kinds in the show houses should present a neat appear¬ 
ance ; but at the same time excessive staking should be 
avoided. Exhibitors seem to encourage this sort of 
thing to such an extent that the beholder can discern 
little or nothing of the natural beauty of the plant on 
account of the hideous mass of stakes with which they 
are encumbered. Summer-flowering Heaths are very 
liable to be disfigured in this way as well as Darwinias, 
Pimelias, Dracophyllums, Lilies, and many more other¬ 
wise beautiful plants. No more staking should be 
given than is actually necessary to keep the stems in 
position, so as to maintain the symmetry of the 
specimens. - 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
The Vineries. —With the present warm weather it is 
more than ever necessary to minimise the cases of 
scorching as much as possible by judicious ventilation. 
Where main or late crops are now advancing, including 
Gros Colmar, Alicante and Lady Downes, a chink of air 
should be kept on all night for the next two months at 
least, so that superfluous moisture may escape, and to 
prevent a sudden rise of temperature early in the 
morning while the leaves and bunches are still wet. 
Peaches. —As the ripening period of the fruit in 
successional houses approaches, means should be taken 
to have it thoroughly exposed to light. It is the 
practice of some growers to tie up the leaves in bunches, 
so as to admit the full play of sunshine, which is ab¬ 
solutely necessary to highly-coloured fruit. A more 
preferable method, however, is to elevate the fruit 
above the foliage, even when grown close to the glass. 
This may be done by means of short stakes, or even 
ordinary wooden labels. The latter may even be 
placed underneath the fruit itself, and supported by 
the branches on either side. The tying of the foliage, 
which is injurious and unnecessary, is thus avoided. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Celery. —The main batches should now be got in 
readiness and planted out. The heavy showers with 
which we have been visited lately have so moistened 
the soil that the effects of drought cannot be felt for 
some time. After planting, however, it will be well to 
give a good watering, so as to settle the soil about the 
roots. Being semi-aquatic in its nature, Celery likes a 
liberal supply ; but the work of establishing the plants 
will be an easy matter, provided the seedlings in the 
frames have been well hardened off by full exposure 
both night and day for some time previous to the 
operation. The drawing of plants while in the frames 
by overcrowding and imperfect ventilation is at all 
times to be avoided, even should the plants be some¬ 
what smaller and later. 
-- 
HORTICUL TURAL S OCIETIES. 
Manchester Botanical and Horticultural. 
The grand annual Whitsuntide exhibition, which was 
opened in the delightful gardens at Old Trafford on the 
7th inst., and will not be closed ere these pages are in 
the hands of many of our readers, is without exception 
the finest and most enjoyable of the long series of 
admirable displays which have been held under the 
auspices of the society. We say the finest advisedly, 
because though in some departments we have seen here 
finer specimens—notably of stove and greenhouse 
flowering plants, stove and greenhouse Ferns, pot 
Roses, show Pelargoniums, and one or two other sub¬ 
jects—there is in other sections such a wealth of 
quality as to more than counterbalance any shortcomings 
in the direction indicated. The Orchids are, as of 
yore, grand, and in greater abundance than ever. The 
groups are marvellously good, every one of them, 
and the contest between Mr. S. Thacker, of Nottingham, 
and Mr. Heine’s gardener for the premier prize will 
not soon be forgotten, so absolutely distinct is the 
style of each man’s work, so strikingly beautiful the 
tout ensemble. That the show as a whole is most 
enjoyable goes without saying, because the whole is 
held under glass (indeed, in its abundant accommoda¬ 
tion under cover, its admirable suite of rooms for 
various purposes, the Old Trafford Garden is unrivalled 
at home or abroad), because there is a marked air of 
refinement throughout, because there was no hitch or 
confusion in the admirable arrangements made for the 
comfort of all by Mr. Bruce Findlay, and last, but not 
least, because the weather on Friday and Saturday was 
a perfect flower show sample. One disappointment there 
was, which was keenly felt by many—the absence, 
through indisposition, of Mr. B. S. Williams for the 
first time during twenty-three years. Mr. Broome, who 
presided at the dinner which followed the completion 
of the judges’ labours, spoke in the kindliest terms of 
this great “horticulturist and good old man,” and 
hearty good wishes were expressed on all sides for his 
speedy recovery. 
The Groups. 
From a decorative point of view these claim the pride 
of place. The three groups shown in the premier class 
for amateurs are arranged at one end of the large 
show house, Mr. A. Heine, Fallowfield (Mr. Cragg, 
gardener), having the best position, and showing a 
most artistic arrangement, in which Orchids play the 
most conspicuous part. These are grouped with 
other things in a light and elegant style, but they 
suffer somewhat from the too pale pea-green character 
of the Maiden-hair Fern used as a ground-work. Mr. 
Thacker, who is facile princeps at the business, reading 
the terms of the schedule more literally, employs only 
a few Orchids, relying more upon a wide variety of plants 
of an ornamental and useful character, and an abundance 
of dark bronze-green coloured wood moss, which he 
employs in a manner that we have never seen 
approached, but which we cannot attempt to describe. 
The group won—and deservedly—the premier award. 
Mr. T. Statter, Stand Hall, who shows the third 
group, has a very fine lot of Orchids, but made little 
attempt at effective grouping. In the other amateurs’ 
class there are no less than seven competitors, whose 
designs are placed in the grand avenue, and every 
one deserves recognition. In this competition Mr. G. 
"Williams, gardener to S. Barlein, Esq., Didsbury, 
carried off first honours with an exceedingly bright and 
effective combination, worked out with materials of the 
very best quality. If one found a fault at all it 
would be with the quantity used, which might well 
have been reduced. The second award went to Mr. T. 
Elkin, gardener to Mr. S. Thomas Agnew; and the third 
to Mr. Gurney Pease, Darlington (Mr. McIntyre, gar¬ 
dener), but there is little to choose between them in 
point of merit. In the trade competition Messrs. R. P. 
Ker & Son, Liverpool, are practically unchallenged, 
their truly magnificent display, so rich in Crotons and 
other fine-foliaged plants, being opposed only by a 
small, but still very nice group of Ferns, from the 
Messrs. Birkenhead, of Sale. 
Orchids. 
The leading exhibitors among amateurs are Mr. Heine 
and Mr. Joseph Broome, and between them they stage 
the finest cultivated specimens in the show. Mr. 
Broome’s plants, too, grown by Mr. A. Cole in the 
pure air of Llandudno, are very fully bloomed, and 
remarkable for the purity and brightness of their 
colours. Mr. Heine’s principal awards were for twelve, 
six, and ten Orchids in flower, and for three Yandas ; 
while Mr. Broome, besides being second in all the 
above classes, is first for ten Cattleyas. The trade 
class was for ten Orchids in flower, and here Mr. 
Cypher, of Cheltenham, well holds his own from Mr. 
J. James, of Norwood, the former showing well-flowered 
pieces of Dendrobium Jamesianum, Lielia purpurata, 
Cattleya Mossiae, &c. Mr. Cypher also won easily in 
the class for a group, with a very fine lot of Cattleyas, 
Laelias, Dendrobiums and Odontoglossums, well set up. 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, have an im¬ 
mense collection of Cattleyas and Odontoglots, among 
the latter being a fine lot of Miltonia (Odontoglossum) 
vexillaria. The society’s Gold Medal was awarded to 
the group. The Liverpool Horticultural Co. have also 
a large collection of miscellaneous Orchids, and Messrs. 
Hugh Low & Co., Clapton, sent a choice selection of 
Phakenopsis, Cypripediums, &c. 
Stove and Greenhouse Plants, &c. 
In this department, usually a good one here, Mr. 
Nicholas, gardener to the Earl of Zetland, Up- 
leatham, secured the principal award in the amateurs’ 
division. His first-prize group of ten fine-foliaged 
plants includes a grand example of Kentia Fosteriana, 
a magnificent Neottopteris australasica with an 
abundance of long rich deep green fronds, a superb 
Davallia Fijiensis plumosa from 6 ft. to 7 ft. through, 
and some noble specimens of Chamasrops Fortunei, 
Cordyline indivisa, &c. His eight plants in 
flower, too, are exceedingly fresh and good, and 
includes a grand bush of Boronia elatior, Ixora 
Williamsii, superb in flower and foliage, and one of the 
most meritorious plants in the show, a first-rate 
Anthurium Schertzerianum, Franciscea calycina, &c. 
In the first class Mr. McIntyre is second, and Mr. 
Barlein third ; and in the latter, Mr. G. Wilkes, 
Ashton-on-Mersey, is second. In the nurserymen’s 
classes Mr. Cypher is again invincible, being first 
for ten in flower, for eight fine-foliaged, and for six 
Ericas. The best of the Cheltenham flowering plants 
are large and profusely bloomed examples of Stepha- 
notis floribunda, Darwinia tulipifera, Franciscea eximea, 
Erica ventricosa magnifica, and Statice profusa. Mr. 
Barlein has the four best Palms, handsome specimens 
of Kentia australis, Cocos Weddelliana, Phcenix 
rupicola, and Kentia Bilmoreana ; and the best single 
specimen flowering plants are Ixora Pilgrimii, splen¬ 
didly bloomed and finished, from Mr. Nicholas, and I. 
Williamsii, also very good, from Mr. Barlein. The 
Fern classes call for little comment, being below the 
usual standard. Mr. McIntyre has the best eight. 
The Crotons of Messrs. R. P. Ker & Son, though not so 
large as they have shown, are wonderfully coloured 
and beautifully fresh. 
Hardy Plants. 
The Ferns in this division are exceedingly good in 
quality, and well represented in numbers. Mr. R. 
Tyldesley, of Worsley, easily beat Mrs. Hodgkinson, 
and Mr. Birley, of Pendlebury, with large and very 
perfect specimens ; and the Messrs. Stansfield, and 
Messrs. Birkenhead, of Sale, secure the leading awards 
in the order named in the trade competition. The 
hardy herbaceous and Alpine plants we have never seen 
represented either in such large numbers or of such 
good quality ; they are, indeed, a feature of first im¬ 
portance and great interest. A large and varied dis¬ 
play from the Chester Nurseries of Dickson’s Limited 
secured the leading award for a collection, the second 
being taken by a most meritorious lot from the Brothers 
Stansfield, of Southport. For sixty plants in or out of 
flower, the last named have secured the highest award, as 
they have also for forty Alpines—a very interesting lot. 
Of Japanese plants and hardy evergreen trees or shrubs, 
Messrs. J. Waterer & Sons, Bagshot, are the only 
exhibitors, and an admirable lot of both they have. 
The amateurs’ classes for Alpine and herbaceous plants 
are also well contested, Mr. R. P. Gill securing the 
leading awards. The display of Pansies in pots, always 
a good one here, is perhaps larger than usual, but the 
blooms are hardly up to their usual high standard. 
Mrs. E. Mellor, of Chorlton, secured all the first prizes 
