604 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 23, 1896. 
before The opening day. That must repre¬ 
sent a considerable number of disappointed 
exhibitors. How different are the times 
to-day, compared to those when Plantagenet 
plucked his white Rose and Somerset his 
red one, causing Warwick to utter his 
prophecy about “ This brawl to-day, grown 
to this faction, in the Temple Garden, etc.” 
The great annual assemblage in the Temple 
Gardens of our day makes for wholesome 
rivalry, but peace. 
It is not our intention here, and, indeed, 
space forbids a notice of all the exhibits 
brought and sent from all parts of the 
country for the delectation of the public ; 
but a more detailed and fuller report will 
be found dispersed through our pages. In 
the way of vegetables the most novel and 
unique exhibit was that of Messrs. Sutton 
& Sons, both on account of extent at this 
early period of the year and the quality of 
the material. The Reading firm completely 
monopolised the central staging of Tent 
No. 2. Passing into No. 3 we found 
Messrs. Veitch & Sons, with a finer exhibit 
than ever of their splendid strains of 
Streptocarpus, brilliant and varied Gloxinias 
and Phyllocacti. The first-named included 
a most floriferous lot of the new strain 
known as Streptocarpus gratus. Their 
Caladiums and other subjects we also notice 
elsewhere. The votaries of the noble and 
aristocratic Orchids found no lack of their 
favourite flowers ; and if sensational novel¬ 
ties -were in any way lacking, the deficit, if 
any, was more than compensated by the 
extreme floriferousness of the plants and 
collections shown. The central staging of 
the large Tent No. 5, was literally a bank 
of Orchids of the most gorgeous colours 
that this or any other season can supply. 
We need only refer to such names as 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Messrs. F. 
Sander & Co., Sir F. Wigan, J. Gurney 
Fowler, Esq., W. S. Ellis, Esq., Messrs. 
B. S Williams & Son, Earl Percy, Messrs. 
Charlesworth & Co., Major Joicey, M. 
S Cooke, Esq., and H. S. Leon, Esq., as a 
guarantee that this class of plants was 
handsomely represented. Equally notice¬ 
able were the collections of Messrs Hugh 
Low & Co., Mr. James Cypher, Messrs. 
W. L. Lewis & Co., and Messrs. J. 
Backhouse & Son, in Tent No. 4. 
Tuberous Begonias were again in great 
force, and full of that charm with which the 
first exhibits of the season inspire us. The 
chief exponents of this popular race of gar¬ 
den plants were Messrs-. J. Laing & Sons, 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Mr. H. J. 
Jones, and Mr. J. R. Box. Tuberous 
Begonias have still a great and important 
future before them in the embellishment of 
gardens. Messrs. Richard Smith & Co., 
Worcester, were again to the fore with their 
magnificent specimens of Clematis, which 
were more splendidly flowered than ever. 
They had eighteen plants, literally masses 
of blossom, and the individual flowers were, 
in some cases, 10^ in. in diameter. Messrs. 
Wm. Cutbush & Son also surpassed them¬ 
selves with Malmaison and other Carna¬ 
tions, Palms, Heaths, Azaleas, etc. The 
show, decorative, and regal Pelargoniums 
exhibited by Mr. H. J. Jones, showed what 
may be done with this showy class of 
plants. Messrs. Peed & Sons’ Caladiums 
surpassed all previous exhibits by this firm, 
both in extent and quality. Mr. C. Turner 
had a most attractive exhibit of Roses 
occupying 600 square feet of space, and 
including Crimson Rambler in the form of 
bushes, standards, and as climbers on 
arches. Herbaceous and alpine plants 
were splendidly represented by Mr. T. S. 
Ware, Messrs. Barr & Son, Messrs. J. 
Backhouse (whose rockery was charming), 
and various others. 
Rice, it is asserted, constitutes the greater portion 
of the food of half the human race. 
At the Building Trades’ Exhibition held in St. 
James’s Hall, Manchester, Messrs. Messenger & Co., 
horticultural builders, Loughboro’ and London, were 
last week awarded a Silver Medal for their glass¬ 
house exhibit. 
Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased 
to convey a command to Messrs. Sutton & Sons, of 
Reading, for the whole supply of Peas in growth 
which this firm exhibited at the Inner Temple 
Gardens Show on the 19th, 20th, and 21st inst. 
The Prince and Princess of Wales, the two Princesses 
and Prince Karl of Denmark, accompanied by 
Capt. Holford, F.R.H.S., visited the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society’s three days Great Flower Show in 
the Inner Temple Gardens on Tuesday last. They 
were conducted over the show by Mr. Geo. Bunyard. 
Cricket; Hurst & Son C.C. f Crouch End.— A match 
was played at Crouch End, Saturday, 16th inst., and 
won by H. & S. by 41 runs. Swinfen and Portch 
played well for Hurst & Son and Cuthbush for 
Crouch End. Scores : Hurst & Son, 104 ; Crouch 
End, 63. 
National Pink Society (Midland Section).—Thesixth 
exhibition of this society will be held in connection 
with the Wolverhampton Floral Fete, in the Public 
Park, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, July 
7th, 8th, and 9th. We know from the Statement of 
Accounts that the society has a balance in hand of 
£7 2s. sd. Prizes are offered in ten classes for 
collections and single blooms of laced Pinks. The 
hon. secretary of the society is Mr. Chas. F. Thur- 
stan, Penn Fields, Wolverhampton. 
Lambeth Field Club.—Mr. W. B. Baskerville took 
the chair at the meeting held at St. Mary's, Newing¬ 
ton Schools, S.E., on May 4th. A variety of the 
purple dead nettle having variegated leaves was 
shown by Mr. Wilson. Specimens of an " ink 
mushroom ” (Coprinus atramentarius) obtained from 
Battersea Park were also exhibited by Mr. Perks. 
A very instructive lecture on the " Classification and 
Geographical Distribution of the Helicidae” was 
delivered by Mr. G. K. Gude, F.Z.S. Various 
groups of land snails were described, and their 
distribution dealt with. The lecture was illustrated 
by a large collection of shells. 
The Royal Botanic Society.—At a meeting of the 
Fellows of the above society, held in the museum of 
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Regent's Park, on May 
9th, at which Mr. Andrew Clark presided, four new 
Fellows and one member were elected. A vote of 
thanks was passed to Mrs. Norton, of Norbiton, for a 
portfolio of drawings of interesting Brazilian plants 
presented by her to the society. It was announced 
that the council had decided not to hold the musical 
promenades which it had been suggested should be 
held on Saturday and Monday afternoons and 
evenings. It is intended to open the gardens to the 
public on Whit-Monday upon the payment of six¬ 
pence. A military band has been engaged to 
discourse music on that occasion. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association.—The 
committee have fixed the third Wednesday in July 
(15th) as the date of the summer outing for the year. 
The following is the programme as arranged To 
meet at Bedford Circus at 8 o'clock, and proceed in 
four-horse breaks (supplied by Mrs. Leach) via 
Countess Weir, to Powderham. Passing through 
the Castle gardens, the American garden, and 
pleasure grounds, the party will rejoin the breaks and 
proceed via Starcross and Dawlish, to Teignmouth 
At Powderham, our friend, Mr. Powell, will conduct 
us over the park and gardens—the consent of Mr. 
Octavius Bradshaw and Mr. J. G. Drew having been 
obtained. At Teignmouth a visit will be paid to the 
Jadoo Factory at the Quay, and to the gardens and 
conservatories of Col. Halford Thompson, where 
many interesting experiments with Jadoo are now in 
progress. The party will then be entertained to 
luncheon by Col. Thompson, at Eastcliffe. Leaving 
by way of Shaldon Bridge, the drive will be 
continued to Torquay, where a meat tea will be 
served at the Torbay Hotel, at 5 o’clock. The public 
gardens will be visited after tea. The return journey 
will be made from Torquay for Exeter direct, via 
Newton Abbot, Chudleigh, and Kennford, leaving 
the “ Torbay " at 7 o’clock. Tickets :—To members, 
5s. 6d. each, inclusive of tea, carriage, &c. (or 2s. for 
tea and 4s. for carriage, &c.); to non-members 
(friends of members) 8s. each; but by payment of 
10s. 6d. a full ticket for the outing will be secured 
and honorary membership for the ensuing session. 
No tickets can be obtained after Friday, 10th July, 
Early application is requested.— Andrew Hope, Hon. 
Sec. 
The English Paradise is the best stock for Apples 
where the soil consists of a cold clay and the amount 
of sunshine below the average. The roots feel the 
influence of the sun sooner than if the Crab stock 
was used. 
Ferns in California.—The climate of California is 
very dry for two-thirds of the year, so that one could 
hardly expect to find many of this class of plants 
whose leading requisite, generally speaking, is 
moisture. Yet there are about fifty species, not 
hidden in shady, moist nooks, but exposed to full 
sunshine, often high up on the face of rocks. The 
strange anomaly is explained by the fact that all of 
these species are adapted for the positions which 
they occupy, either by having a very much thickened 
epidermis, or by being covered with scales or a 
dense cottony covering of hairs by which the moisture 
in the fronds is economised and its loss prevented, or 
rather regulated, according to the peculiar circum¬ 
stances of each specific case. 
“ Nord-Horticole."—This is the name of a new 
monthly bulletin of arboriculture, floriculture and 
kitchen gardening, the first number of which is before 
us. It is the organ of the Chrysanthemum Society 
of the North of France, and of the syndicate of the 
producers of forced fruits, See. Amongst the con¬ 
tributors we notice several familiar names, including 
that of Mr. C. Harman Payne, the hon. foreign 
corresponding secretary, as is well known to lovers 
and exhibitors of Chrysanthemums. The journal is 
well printed on small octavo size paper, and the first 
number runs to thirty-two pages of text. It deals 
very largely with Chrysanthemums, and gives wood- 
cuts illustrative of the earlier stages of the plants 
and the method of pinching them. We note that 
a second edition of M. Anatole Cordonnier's book on 
the Chrysanthemum is in the press. 
The trial of Violas at the gardens of the Royal 
Botanic Society.—The writer of the article on The 
Viola (p. 594) makes it appear that the extensive trial 
of Violas being carried out in the above gardens, 
is the work of the so-called National Viola Society. 
This trial is being carried out by the executive of the 
Viola Conference, which originated with my brother 
the late Mr. William Dean, and which was held at 
Birmingham in 1894 and again in 1895. This year, 
in addition to a conference meeting, a considerable 
trial of beddiDg Violas is taking place; and the main 
object of the trial is to test the suitability of the 
newer varieties for flower garden purposes ; and a 
carefully chosen committee of inspection will be 
appointed to examine the Violas, and their report 
will be presented at the Conference meeting to take 
place in August.— Richard Dean, Secretary, Viola 
Conference. 
The Brussels Society of Orchid lovers.— At the 
sixty-eighth meetingof L’Orchideenne, in the Centra 
Pavilion of L'Horticulture Internationale Diplomas of 
Honour of the First-class were awarded to MM. 
Lucien Linden & Cie, Brussels, for Cattleya 
Trianaei Imperator; to M. Moens for a hybrid 
Cypripedium; to M. Madoux for Cypripedium 
tonkinense album ; to M. Linden for Dendrochilum 
lyratum: to M. Madoux for Cattleya Mossiae alba 
and Odontoglossum Wilckeanum var.; and to M. 
Miteau for Cypripedium Pauli var. eximium. 
Certificates of Merit of the first-class were awarded 
to M. Miteau for Odontoglossum crispum, Laelia 
purpurata and for some varieties of Cypripedium ; to 
M. Madoux for Cattleya Mossiae, C. M. marmorata, 
C. Mossiae var. C. Mendelii, and for Miltonia 
vexillaria; to tVI. Linden for Cattleya Mendelii, 
Miltonia vexillaria candidula, C. Mendelii virginalis, 
C. M. eximia, Cypripedium Waliisii, Laeliocattleya 
gratissima, and for Laelia purpurata; to M. 
Warocque for Cattleya Mossiae var., and Laelia 
purpurata; to M. Barbier for Odontoglossum 
crispum ; to M. de Moerloose for Odontoglossum 
crispum var. ; to M. Knight, director of the Royal 
Gardens for Cattleya Mossiae var. ; to Dr. Capart 
for Odontoglossum Wilckeanum var., and Cattleya 
Mendelii var.; to M. Miteau for three seperate forms 
of Odontoglossum crispum ; and to M. de Lombaerde 
for a variety of Odontoglossum crispum. 
