August 1, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
771 
NATIONAL CARNATION AND PICOTEE 
SOCIETY. 
The southern section of this society held its annual 
show at the Crystal Palace on the 22nd ult. As in 
the case of the recent Rose show held there, the 
southern growers did not have it all their own way. 
"With all appliances and means to boot," the 
weather was against them, and the Midlands carried 
off the premier honours. The frequent succession 
of warm, early and droughty seasons is making itself 
felt, and the idea is gaining ground that the show 
should be held a week earlier to meet the require¬ 
ments of the sunny south. The average quality of 
the exhibits was below that of last year as might 
have been expected. 
Mr. Robert Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham, 
carried off the premier honour for twenty-four Car¬ 
nation blooms, half of which were required to be 
distinct varieties. He had fine blooms of Thalia, 
Lord Salisbury, Gordon Lewis, Geo. Melville, 
Guardsman, Mrs. Burgess, Robert Lord, Agricola, 
Mrs. Rowan, Robert Houlgrave, and J. D. Hextall. 
The second prize was taken by Messrs. Thomson & 
Co., Sparkhill, Birmingham, with fine blooms of 
Sportsman, Barline, Flamingo, James Douglas, &c. 
Mr. Martin Rowan, Clapham, took the third position. 
In the class for twelve blooms, Mr. J. Edwards, 
Blackley, Manchester, took the lead with five 
blooms of Othello, Harmony, Mrs. Rowan, Evan 
Edwards, Gordon Lewis, and others. He was 
followed by Mr. A. R. Brown, Handsworth, 
Birmingham, and Mr. J. Brocklehurst, Moston, 
Manchester, respective-y. Mr. A. Greenfield, 
Sutton, Surrey, had the best six blooms with good 
samples of Robert Lord, Sportsman, Charles 
Henwood, &c. Mr. T. E. Henwood, Reading, took 
the second place, and Mr. T. Anstiss, Brill, took the 
third position. 
The self Carnations seem to take the public fancy 
more than the flakes nnd bizarres, for their flowers 
are generally larger, more natural and pleasing than 
the last named types. The public is not particularly 
taken with bizarre colours, even though they may 
be regarded as variations of a quaint kind. Here 
Martin R. Smith, Esq. (gardener, Mr. C. Blick) 
The Warren, Hayes Common, came to the front 
with twenty-four blooms, mostly of his own raising, 
amongst which Prince Charlie, Salisbury, Regalia, 
Sappho, Cinnamon, Her Grace, Abney, Roma, 
Beacon, Lady Ridley, and Winifred, were con¬ 
spicuous by their varied and pleasing colours. Mr. 
James Douglas, Edenside, Great Bookham, Surrey, 
was a good second with beautiful blooms of Mrs. 
Eric Hambro, Diane, Eudoxia, Zadok, and several 
unnamed seedlings. Mr. J. Walker, Thame, Oxon, 
came in third. Mr. A. R. Brown came to the front 
with twelve blooms of self-coloured sorts. He had 
several fine blooms of Mr. M. R. Smith's raising, &c. 
Mr. J. Edwards took the second place with older 
varieties; and was followed by Mr. Robert Sydenham. 
The last named had the best stands containing 
twenty-four Picotees, and well sustained his reputa¬ 
tion by showing fine blooms of Ganymede, Lady 
Louisa, Little Phil, Lena, Thomas William, Nellie, 
Mrs. Gorton, Esther, Mrs. Openshaw, and other 
well tried sorts. He was followed by Mr. A. W. 
Jones, Handsworth, Birmingham, who had several 
of the same varieties, as well as Brunette, Norman 
Carr, &c. The third position was adjudicated to 
Messrs. Thomson & Co. Mr. J. Edwards came to 
the front with twelve Picotees, showing John Smith, 
Edith Dombrain, Muriel, Favourite, Mrs. Sharpe, 
&c. He was followed by Mr. A. R. Brown, and Mr. 
B. Simonite, Brill, respectively. Mr. C. Hardcoa, 
Sandwich, Mr. T. E. Henwood, and Mr. T. Anstiss, 
took the prizes for six blooms, in the order named. 
Within recent years the fancy Carnation has quite 
been revolutionised by the magnificent varieties 
raised by Martin R. Smith, Esq., and the free and 
easy character of the markings and their consequent 
great variation in colour have taken the public fancy 
immensely. It was right therefore that Mr. Smith 
should take the leading award for twenty-four 
blooms, including such grand things as Perseus, 
Lorna Doone, Flamma, El Dorado, Roland, Khedive, 
Naseby, Hidalgo, and others having a yellow ground 
colour, though sometimes obscured by the overlying 
colours of such as Flamma. Mr. J. Douglas again 
exhibited some of his seedlings as well as Cardinal 
Wolsey, Romulus, Old Coin, &c. Mr. J. Walker 
was again third as in the large class for seifs. Well 
tried varieties, mostly, were shown by Messrs. 
Thomson & Co., in the class for twelve fancies ; they 
were followed by Mr. A. J. Sanders, who had a large 
number of unnamed sorts. Mr. J. Edwards, Mr. A. 
R. Brown, and Mr. C. Harden, secured the prizes 
for six fancies, in the order given. 
Martin R. Smith, Esq., had to give way to Mr. 
Robert Sydenham in the class for twelve yellow 
ground Picotees. The latter showed Mrs. Douglas, 
Agnes Chambers, Ladas, Countess of Jersey, and 
other well known varieties. Martin R. Smith, Esq., 
showed Fortune, May Queen, Golden Eagle, 
Voltaire, Mohican and other grand varieties of his 
own raising. The third award went to Messrs. 
Thomson & Co. Mr. A. W. Jones had the best six 
blooms in Countess of Jersey, Mrs. R. Sydenham, 
&c. He was followed by Mr. A. R. Brown, and Mr. 
H. W, Weguelin, Teignmouth, respectively. 
The prizes for single blooms of Carnations, 
brought a large number of exhibits as usual, and 
they were generally very fine. The premier bizarre 
was J. S. Hedderley, shown by Mr. J. Edwards. 
Martin R. Smith, Esq., had the best fancy in 
Hidalgo. Messrs. Thomson & Co. had the best 
scarlet flake in Sportsman. The size and perfection 
to which the yellow ground Picotees have been 
brought, make them popular with the general public. 
The table decorations excited considerable 
interest, the prizes having brought out eight exhibits. 
Martin R. Smith, Esq. (gardener Mr C. Blick) had 
the best table, with an arrangement of a central and 
two side pieces, as well as numerous small glasses. 
Self and yellow ground Picotees were largely used ; 
and Aparagus and Myrsiphyllum were utilised as 
greenery. Miss Jackson, Upper Norwood, and Mr. 
F. W. Seale, Sevenoaks, were placed second and 
third reepectively, Mr. J. Douglas had the best 
vase of Carnations. Martin R. Smith, Esq., had 
the best sprays of Carnations. The prizes he offered 
for the best border Carnation brought a good com¬ 
petition, but the leading honour was secured by Mr. 
H. G. Smyth, 21, Goldsmith Street, Drury Lane, 
with a handsome bunch of the glowing scarlet 
variety, Jim Smyth. 
Martin R. Smith, Esq , easily held the premier 
position for a large group of Carnations in pots show¬ 
ing numerous grand varieties of his own raising, and 
described in another column. He was followed by 
Mr. C. Turner, Slough. Mr. Douglas took the first 
award for a smaller group, showing fine specimens 
of Braw Lass, President Carnot, Mephisto, The Dey, 
Sadek, &c. E. Charrington, Esq., Mayfield, 
Chislehurst, was a good second. For twelve speci¬ 
mens in pots the order of merit was Martin R. 
Smith, Esq., Mr. C. Turner, and Mr. J. Douglas. 
Martin R. Smith, Esq , had the best specimen plant. 
In the miscellaneous class, Mr. T. S. Ware, Totten¬ 
ham, had a bold and effective group of Carnations 
set up in bunches, and these were supplemented with 
Pentstemons and various other herbaceous subjects 
now in season. Mr. J. Douglas exhibited a table of 
new varieties of Carnations, including Mrs. Eric 
Hambro, the best white in cultivation, Paradox, 
bright scarlet, The Hunter, apricot, Miss Ellen 
Terry, white. Golden Eagle, Voltaire, and other 
yellow grounds of first-class quality. Many new 
varieties from different exhibitors received First- 
class Certificates. 
THE BRITISH GERANIUMS. 
At p. 718, "Sigma" gives a review of the British 
Geraniaceae as he has found them or otherwise. In 
my experience Geranium molle is the commonest 
and most widely distributed member of the order in 
Britain. The white variety I have also picked up. 
G. robertianum requires hedges and shady places in 
a wild state, and would for that reason take a second 
place to G. molle. As to frequency in their native 
habitats I would place G. pyrenaicum, G. sylvati- 
cum, G. sanguineum, and G. dissectum on a par. 
The first and last are most frequent in the southern 
counties of England. In hilly districts of Kincar¬ 
dineshire, G. sylvaticum is a very common plant, or 
at least very plentiful in isolated localities. Perhaps 
I cught to say that G. sanguineum is the 
commonest and most widely distributed of the four ; 
but it is a maritime plant, very common on the 
rocky coast of Kincardine. I have also gathered it 
along the coast between Southgate and Crawley 
Woods, Gower, Glamorgan, amongst the sand dunes. 
G. pratense is not so common in my experience, 
though I have gathered it in Berks and Kincardine, 
but never in meadows. A follower of Isaak Walton, 
but who loves his garden too, picked it up in West¬ 
moreland, and is now growing it in a pot as a rare 
and beautiful thing which ought to be cultivated in 
gardens; but I can assure its admirers that it is 
more common in gardens throughout both halves of 
our little island, than in a wild state. There is the 
single purple-blue form, as well as white, pale 
lavender, splashed, and double varieties which 
gardeners admire once a year when they come in 
bloom and then forget all about them, till the 
flowers again remind them of the beauty of this 
Crane's-bill. G. sanguineum is almost equally 
common in gardens. 
The glossy-leaved G. lucidum is local. I have 
met with it upon old walls near Chudleigh, Devon. 
In the garden I have seen it maintaining an equal 
race with G. robertianum and G. r. album, to earn 
a reputation as a weed. This was upon a rockery. 
G. pusillum and G. rotundifolium, have not come 
under my observation in a wild state. G.columbinum 
occurs near Orpington, in Kent, flowering and fruit¬ 
ing freely. G. Phaeum is a naturalised plant, and 
as such I have picked it by the waywide near Box- 
hill, Surrey. G. striatum comes into the same cate¬ 
gory, and I have gathered it at Wootton, Isle of 
Wight, and at Loose, near Maidstone, Kent. G. 
nodosum occasionally tries to escape in shrubberies. 
Of the species of Stork's-bill, I find Erodium cicu- 
tarium to be by far the most common. E. mocsha- 
tum is plentiful on the sands of Saumarez Bay, 
Jersey, and occasional in fields near Eltham, Kent. 
E. maritimum is a sporadic weed in some gardens, 
and fairly plentiful on the sand dunes at Southgate, 
Gower, Glamorgan. Here also pale varieties of 
E. cicutarium occur, with a purple blotch on each 
petal; and also the white variety. The fact must 
not be overlooked that there are one native and two 
naturalised species of Wood-sorrel (Oxalis), and one 
native and two naturalised species of Balsam 
(Impatiens) included in the British flora, and now 
included in the Geraniaceae. Oxalis corniculata, O, 
c. rubra and Impatiens fulva are more or less 
frequently cultivated in gardens, all three unmiti¬ 
gated weeds, especially the red-leaved O. c. rubra.—- 
Collector. 
--- 
HAMMERSMITH FLOWER SHOW. 
The annual summer show of the Hammersmith and 
District Horticultural Society was held in St. Peter's 
Schoolroom, Hammersmith, on the 24th inst. 
Prizes were offered for plants, flowers, and vegetables 
in thirty-nine classes, the competition being open to 
gardeners, amateurs and cottagers, in separate 
divisions. The plants were the ruling feature of the 
show, for vegetables were relatively few. Cottagers, 
and amateurs were the most frequent exhibitors, 
gardeners being in a minority. The amateurs really 
made the display in the large room of the school, 
which was by far too small for the show, which, 
taken altogether was very creditable, considering the 
extraordidary conditions under which many of the 
plants were grown, owing to the lack of garden space 
in such a crowded and populous neighbourhood. 
This really explains the paucity of the vegetables. 
The first prize for a group of plants in the amateurs' 
division, was taken by Mr. L Woodhouse, 43, St. 
Peter's Grove, who had Lilium auratum, L. 
speciosum, night scented Tobacco, Palms, Fuchsias, 
Begonias, Pelargoniums, and Plumbago capensis, all 
well-flowered. He was followed by Mr. J. F. 
Bromley, 17, Miles Street, W., with a very neat 
arrangement. Mr. G. Tolton, 25 Albion Gardens, 
W., took the leading place for s table group of plants; 
and Mr. James Hillier, 91, Black Lion Lane, W , was 
a good second. The latter came to the front for 
three decorative plants, showing large specimens of 
Begonia weltoniensis, Aspidistra lurida and Chloro- 
phytum elatum variegatum. Ha was followed by 
Mr. T. Nelson, 21, St. Peter’s Road, W., and Mr. L. 
Woodhouse, respectively. Mr. A. Wilson, 334,. 
King Sreet, W., had the best Fuchsias, well- 
flowered ; and Mr. G. Tolton was second. The 
latter came to the front for zonal Pelargoniums, and 
was followed by Mr. J. Chapman, 64, Black Lion 
Lane, W. 
Mr. James Hillier had the best Ferns in three fresh 
specimens of Alhyrium; Mr. J. Chapman showed the 
best three Coleus. Mr. W. Thompson, 23, Albion 
Gardens, W., staged the best tuberous Begonias, 
Mr. G. Tolton being a good second. Mr. L. Wood- 
house took the lead in the class for the best arranged 
window box. Mr. J. Chapman and Mr. G. Tolton,- 
