August 22, 1896, 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
821 
twelve Carnations and twelve Picotees, Mr. Alex. 
Lister, and Mr. Charles Freeland, Larkhall, being 
first and second respectively. Mr. John M’Farlane 
had the best six Carnations; and Mr. Chas Freeland 
was first for six Picotees. 
Mr. Jas. Taylor, Blackdales, Largs, had the best 
twelve table plants and the best six stove or green¬ 
house plants. Mr. A. Thompson, Ascog, was second 
in the latter case, but first for three fine foliaged 
plants and eight table plants. 
Mr. Wm. White, Largs, had the best black Grapes, 
and was followed by Mr. A. Thompson ; the order 
was reversed for white Grapes. Mr. A. Thompson 
had also the best bunch of Grapes in the show, 
Vegetables were an exceptionally strong feature of 
the show, particularly Leeks, in which section Mr. 
M. Cuthbertson’s strain was very successful. Mr. 
Wm. Black, Rothesay, took the lead for a collection 
of vegetables; and Mr. Alex. Steward was first in 
another class for a collection ; Mr. J. Nisbet, Ascog, 
being second in both classes. A handsome electro¬ 
plated teapot was offered by Mr. Wm. Colchester, 
Ipswich, for a collection of vegetables grown with 
pure Ichthemic Guano, and the prize taken by Mr. 
Jas. Taylor. 
Amongst trade exhibits Messrs. Dobbie & Co., 
Rothesay, had a fine exhibit of Fuchsias and Sweet 
Peas. Mr. M. Cuthbertson, Rothesay, had a large 
and varied collection of herbaceous flowers, including 
Pentstemons, Globe Thistles, Delphiniums, Phloxes, 
Montbretias, Trumpet Liiies, &c. Mr. A. Lister 
had a meritorious exhibit, including a fine display of 
Sidalcea malvaeflora Listeri. Two fine flowers of 
the Pelican Plant (Aristolochia gigas) were shown 
by Mr. J. Lornie, gardener to Mr. Spencer, South- 
park. Mr. Andrew Irvine, Tighnabruaich, had 
forty-eight sprays of new seedling Pansies, some of 
which were of great merit. 
—--- 5 -- 
DERIVATION OF SCUTELLARIA. 
A good deal of interest still appears to centre in the 
term scutella. What does it mean ? Does it stand in 
the place of a "little dish or saucer." or a little 
"salver or waiter”? Authorities differ; so that 
common mortals may well give up the quest in 
despair, and leave the disputation to be carried on 
by those who love to participate in that peculiar 
warfare known as " logomarchy.” But as I have 
been impugned, I must offer some defence: there¬ 
fore, t state again that all the authorities I have 
been able to consult, with the exception of Smith, 
render scutella as dish, saucer, cup, plate, or platter. 
Deakin’s “ Florigraphia Britannica’’gives it as a 
" dish or platter ” ; the " English Cyclopaedia ” says 
"a little saucer”; the Rev. C. A. Johns, B.A., 
F.L S., in his ” Flowers of the Field,” calls it a 
" little cup ” ; Paxton’s “ Botanical Dictionary,” as 
a "little saucer,” which Johnson’s "Gardener's 
Dictionary ” (new edition), simply perpetuates. 
Ainsworth's “Latin Lexicon” is in accord, for it 
renders the word as a “little dish or saucer”; 
Vine's " School Dictionary " says ditto ; and Riddle, 
whom I have previously quoted, takes the same line 
of thought. The edition referred to, and the only 
one to which I have access, is dated 1849 —surely 
not particularly antiquated where Latin is con¬ 
cerned. Moreover, a friend of mine, a Latin scholar, 
abides by the same author, and has been good 
enough to give me a translation from the original 
passage in Cicero, viz :—“ Demus scuttellam dulciculae 
potionis," which may be interpreted as “ Let us give 
a bowl of sweetish liquor.” Therefore, in this con¬ 
nection, the term " bowl ” may be considered as 
more or less synonymous with “ dish ” or “ saucer,” 
certainly not with "salver” or "waiter.” But 
Riddle—in the ’49 edition—goes further than this, 
for he says "hence, French, ecuelle." Now, ecuelle, 
according to Spiers, is equal to " porringer ” ; while 
porringer, in the diction of Webster, is a "porridge- 
dish.” In French we have again the phrase “ laver 
les ecuelles," i.e., to wash up the dishes; so that both 
in its primary and secondary significations the term 
scutella may fairly be said to represent a little dish or 
saucer, the meaning I have attributed to it all along. 
It is, of course, just possible that all my authorities 
are wrong, as " error ” dies hard ; but if 1 err, I err 
in goodly company, and so am well content. But 
the difference after all is not vital, and therefore, 
perhaps, not worth contending for. Let us then 
agree to differ,—doctors do. 
There is, however, one thing in Mr. Stogdon's last 
communication (p, 804) that I must take exception 
to, and that is in reference to Mr. Nicholson's 
*• Encyclopaedia of Gardening.” In that most 
excellent w®rk scutella is given as “a dish or platter” ; 
but for the sake of argument, Mr. Stogdon says " He 
(Mr. Nicholson), no doubt, will correct it when a 
new edition is published.” This appears to me a 
little premature; for unless he (Mr. Stogdon) has it 
on the ipse dixit of Mr. Nicholson himself, I think it 
is somewhat unfair to assume a condition that may 
not exist.— C. B. G., Acton, W. 
ARDEN1NG ISlSCELLANY. 
PETUNIAS. 
These have stood the drought as well as any 
class of bedding plants, and better than a great 
many. They hold their own when Pelargoniums 
from the sunny Cape are getting played out. It is 
believed that the viscid glands with which the plants 
are thickly covered, are able to absorb moisture from 
the dewfall of night, and are thus able to make up 
for what they lose during the day. They come into 
bloom very quickly when raised from seed, and con¬ 
tinue to bloom until cut down by frost. After this 
month they grow so rampantly, especially if the 
weather is warm and wet, that the vegetative vigour 
limits the number of flowers they produce. 
ZONAL PELAPGONIUMS AT LEYLAND. 
We have had occasion to refer in previous issues to 
hardy flowers, including Carnations, grown by Mr. 
Charles Walker, F.R.H.S., at the Leyland 
Nurseries. Zonal Pelargoniums are also among this 
cultivator’s specialities. Of the single varieties the 
well-known H. Jacoby is conspicuous alike for size 
of truss and richness of colouring. Launcelot bears 
medium sized trusses of fiery scarlet flowers, the 
individual pips measuring over two inches in 
diameter. A small white eye is an additional 
attraction. Sappho is after Launcelot, but a little 
lighter in hue, and not such a good flower. The 
double varieties are in better condition than the 
singles! Erasme is a really charming light rose 
variety with large and well formed pips. Dante has 
an extra large truss, but the blooms in this case are 
a rich salmon in hue. Rabelais exhibits a shade of 
crimson scarlet that is both bright and showy. Of 
the six varieties submitted to us, our selection would 
be, Launcelot, single; and Erasme and Dante, 
doubles. 
THE WINTER MOTH. 
Our experience of some years at Oakwood of greased 
bands on fruit trees against the Winter Moth is that 
they thoroughly answer the purpose. We have had 
more than our share of moths, perhaps owing to wood 
and water, and the trees have had their leaves eaten. 
Since using the bands we have been very little 
troubled. The bands should be in their places early in 
October .—George F. Wilson. 
AILANTUS GLANDULOSA. 
Whenever this tree is mentioned as a suitable 
subject for town planting there is an outcry about 
the odour of the flowers, but really the inconvenience 
is more imaginary than real. Some of the streets 
are planted with it in Paris, and there seems no 
disposition to root out the trees which frequently 
flower and fruit very heavily, and very ornamental 
they are. In this country the tree flowers only 
occasionally, according to the nature of the season. 
In 1893 isolated trees flowered and fruited abundantly 
in the suburbs of London, and at other places in the 
southern counties. Large trees generally fruit best, 
but we have seen some relatively small ones bearing 
freely. The drought and sunny season has again 
favoured the tree, and a magnificent specimen, 35 ft, 
to 40 ft. in height, may be seen in Kew Gardens, 
near King William's Temple, and which has been a 
picture of beauty for some time past. It is simply 
loaded with its samaroid fruits from the top almost 
as far down as the branches come, and it is moreover 
well furnished. The individual fruits are not unlike 
the keys of the Ash, and are produced in large 
branching panicles at the end of the shoots, almost 
clear of the foliage. At present they are of various 
shades of colour, such as greenish-yellow, deep 
amber, buff and cinnamon-red. They will probably 
yet get darker. The foliage is always handsome, 
whether the tree is fruiting or not. Being deciduous 
it is well suited for town planting. 
FUCHSIA TRIPHYLLA. 
Several specimens of this pretty Fuchsia have 
lately been conspicuous occupants of the Heath 
House at Kew. As far as decorative value goes this 
species would take a lot of beating by any of the 
latest florists’ varieties. The flowers are about 
ij in. in length, glowing cinnabar-red in hue, and 
disposed in terminal, sub-pendant racemes. The 
leaves are small, purplish on the lower surface, and 
traversed by a number of prominent lateral veins 
that anastomose near the margin. We owe this 
plant to the West Indies. 
GALEGA OFFICINALIS COMPACTA. 
The common Goat’s Rue, Galega officinalis, is a 
vastly pretty plant for the herbaceous border, but 
the form of it under notice is a decided improvement 
upon the type. Not only is the plant of more vigor¬ 
ous habit, but the racemes of flowers are much 
larger, and stand well out from the foliage. The 
individual flowers are of extra large size, and pure 
white. Taking it altogether it is a superb subject 
for growing in bold conspicuous clumps, when it can 
scarcely fail to give complete satisfaction. It has 
been doing exceedingly well this season with Messrs. 
Barr & Son, at Long Ditton, and despite the fact 
that the weather has been so dry, and that the 
plants have not been watered, they look well and 
vigorous. 
CARNATION WM. ROBINSON. 
The ranks of the perpetual flowering or tree Car¬ 
nations have received a notable addition in this new 
scarlet self, which is one of the very best of its class. 
It is a seedling from Winter Cheer, and inherits the 
free blooming qualities, and robust constitution of 
the parent. It should prove very useful for bloom¬ 
ing during the dull months, when any flower is 
acceptable, and received with favour. We recently 
observed some strong plants of it with Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, at the Chelsea Nurseries. 
FUCHSIAS AT CHISWICK. 
For some weeks past one of the cooler plant-houses 
at Chiswick has been exceedingly gay with a nice 
batch of Fuchsias. The plants, which are only of 
medium size, are growing for the most part in 7-in. 
and 8-in. pots, and are really exceptionally full of 
flower. A great number of varieties are represented, 
and the well-known Rose of Castle Hill is by no 
means the least conspicuous. The magenta and 
white of Lady Heytsburg are also very striking, and 
well-flowered plants are an acquisition to any collec¬ 
tion of greenhouse plants. Letty Lye, Harry Brooks, 
and General Roberts are all good likewise. The 
last named variety is of pronounced sub-pendant 
habit, and the blooms, which are freely produced, are 
of unusual length. 
DATURA NEW BUFF. 
A small circular bed, close to the council chamber 
in the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens at 
Chiswick, is filled with neat plants of this showy 
Datura. The plants are very dwarf, being not more 
than 10 in. in height, and the flowers are large, very 
double, and buff-yellow in hue. A small bed or so 
of the Datura might well find a place in any flower 
gardeD, if only for the sake of variety, for it is 
distinctly out of the usual run of plants dedicated to 
this purpose. 
■» » «-— 
SHREWSBURY FETE. 
SPECIAL REPORT. 
[From our own Correspondent). 
The twenty-second great annual Floral Fete of the 
Shrewsbury Horticultural Society was opened on 
Wednesday in the picturesque gardens known as the 
Quarry, adjoining the river Severn at Shrewsbury. 
The flower tents were arranged as usual in the space 
above the Dingle, the large marquee usually used for 
the groups and specimen plants being this year 
replaced by a temporary pavilion, erected for the 
Church Congress to be held here next month. This 
gives some additional space for the exhibits in these 
classes, and being more lofty enables them to be 
shown to greater advantage. The exhibits 
this year in the open classes occupy more space than 
