46 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
Sept. 20th, 1884. 
EXHIBITORS AND JUDGES. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Respecting the remarks on dissatisfied exhibitors 
in the first number of The Gardening World, 
with which I agree to a great extent, permit me to 
say as an exhibitor that when beaten I have always 
made up my mind to increase my exertions ; but 
when one sees inferior productions placed in the 
foremost position, I would like to ask, Are we to coolly 
look on and accept the decision as the judgment of 
unbiassed and ripe experience ? I for one emphati¬ 
cally say “No.” You will understand that I only 
mean this to apply when the awards are not judici¬ 
ously given. I am prepared to allow that some judges 
consider that one plant well grown is preferable to 
another equally well cultivated, while perhaps their 
companions would give the award to the latter, and 
Map.ik Louise Pear. —James Burns .—This grand Pear, 
named in honour of the Empress Marie Louise of Austria, was 
raised by the Abbe Duquesne in 1809, and some seven years 
later was sent to this country by Dr. Van Mons of Louvain. 
It is believed to have been first received by Mr. Braddick (the 
raiser of Braddiek’s Nonpariel Apple), who grew it as a 
standard, hence the name it was once popularly known by— 
Braddick’s Field Standard. 
Skeleton Leaves.— Itubus.—The Chemical News for 1865 
contains the following directions for making skeleton leaves. 
“The leaves are boiled for two minutes, then transferred to a 
strong solution of permanganate of potash and gently heated. 
In an hour or two the laxer tissues may easily be removed by 
means of a brush. Sulphurous acid, or a solution of chloride 
of lime, may be used for bleaching them. The stains of per¬ 
manganate of potash upon the fingers are easily washed oil by 
dilute sulphuric acid.” 
M asps’ Nests. — Fruit-grower .—Put some turpentine into 
where such is the case the decision must be accepted. 
But apart from this I have often seen glaring errors in 
judgment. How few judges, comparatively speaking, 
give the same number of marks ? Take Roses for 
example. One judge likes half-blown flowers— i.e. 
Roses that are fresh but not fully opened out, with 
the centre still compact; and with his dictum I agree. 
Others again go for size, regardless of colour. I was 
once exhibiting in a fashionable watering-place, and 
staged Roses of the first description, but was beaten 
on account of size, and eight out of the twenty-four 
staged by the exhibitor who got the first prize had 
yellow eyes before the judges saw them. On another 
occasion, at a place some twenty miles from the show 
last alluded to, a friend of mine exhibited Coleuses, 
and four out of his six plants were new varieties, but 
not fit for exhibiting, having been only tied out and 
stopped once. He was, however, much to his 
surprise, awarded the first prize, though the third 
prize lot was better than the first. I think that for 
local shows at least one of the judges should be fresh 
each year. Having the privilege of sitting on a 
committee myself, I know something of the jealous 
feeling shown towards those who are generally 
successful. Let it not be thought that the two 
instances quoted are the only ones that come under 
my notice, I could give many.— Fair Play. 
AN AMERICAN SEED FIRM. 
One of the principal objeetsof interest inRochester, 
U.S.A., is Mr. James Vick’s seed-growing establish¬ 
ment, situated in East Avenue. The principal seed- 
house is a brick structure, 50 by 150 feet, four storeys 
in height. The firm deals in vegetable, flower and 
grass seeds, flowering bulbs and plants, everlasting 
and dried grasses, small fruits and hardy shrubs. The 
first floor of the seed-house contains a printing-office, 
hook-binding, and machine shop, the machinery being 
used in connection with the binding, and for the 
manufacture of paper bags and boxes used in packing 
the seeds, &c. On the next floor is the main office, 
with large fire-proof and burglar-proof rooms, express- 
room, post-office, and store-room for seeds for imme¬ 
diate use. On the next floor is a large packing-room, 
and the order-room, where the orders are filled and 
directed to their destination. The upper floor has 
rooms appropriated to the storage of everlasting 
flowers and grasses, and to their manufacture into 
bouquets and all kinds of floral ornaments ; also rooms 
for the storage of tender bulbs, artists’ and engravers’ 
rooms, and editorial office. 
Most of the shipping is done between January 1 
and June 1 in each year; in September, October, and 
November there is a trade in bulbs and hardy plants. 
The daily mail during the busy season averages about 
1800 letters, the number sometimes rising to 3000. 
The system for opening this large mail is very com¬ 
plete. Every letter is registered on leaving the room 
where it is opened. The orders are filled, packed, 
wrapped, and addressed in the order-room and each 
package undergoes strict scrutiny to ascertain that it 
is properly filled and correctly directed before passing 
it into the express office or post-office on the premises. 
In the post-office the packages are tied and weighed, 
the postage-stamps attached and cancelled, and then 
distributed and packed in Government sacks, which 
are sealed and sent direct to the trains. Besides the 
mail shipments, large quantities of packages are sent 
daily by the various express companies, and as freight. 
About 40,000 dollars (£8,000) worth of postage-stamps 
are used yearly in this business. The Floral Guide 
(catalogue) is issued annually to the extent of more 
than 200,000 copies; Vick’s Illustrated Monthly 
Magazine, a horticultural publication, with at least 
one coloured plate every month, edited by Charles W. 
Seelye, circulates in all parts of America.— A. IT. B. 
in The Gardener's Chronicle . 
a large bottle, and shake it about until the whole of the 
inside surface is wetted by it: then fix the neck of the bottle 
in the nests’ entrance, and place a large llower-pot over it. By 
replenishing the bottle once or twice with turpentine, the 
whole of the wasps will be destroyed by the fumes. If the 
nest should be in such a position that the bottle cannot be 
employed, inject the spirit with the syringe and cover up the 
nest’s mouth. 
"Wardian Cases. — C. Williams. —Mr. Ward’s own descrip¬ 
tion of the cases he invented, was published many years ago 
in a little 8 vo. volume. Mr. Van Voorst was the publisher, but 
it has long been out of print. 
Large Mushrooms. — Quip .— A mushroom measuring 2 ft. 
61 in. in circumference, and weighing If lb., was grown by 
Mr. Reid, a gardener at Roehampton, in March, 1S46. This is 
the largest we ever heard of. 
Woodlice in a Mushroom Bed.— C. JB.—An old-fashioned 
but none the less effective method of trapping woodlice, is to 
place a boiled potato in some dry hay in a flower-pot. Examine 
the pot every morning, and kill all that may be found in it. 
Boiling water poured round the sides of the beds will help to 
reduce the number. 
Pelargonium Tom Thumb— IT. Higgins.—It was raised 
by Mr. Wilson, gardener to W. Pigott, Esq., Dullingham 
House, Newmarket, about forty years ago, but it can hardly, as 
you surmise, have been the progenitor of many other varieties, 
as we believe it very seldom bore perfect seeds. 
Masdevallias.— B. B., Ockbrook .—The Masdevallias you 
refer to are all called the “ chimaeroid ” section, but it would 
be saying too much to state that they are all varieties of M. 
chimacra, as there are easily recognized structural differences 
between them. They are not safely to be distinguished by the 
leaves. M. ehimsera, true, has generally ascending flowers, 
the others going downward. The best are M. chimsera, and 
its varieties, M. Backhousiana and M. bella, but there are 
others acceptable and pretty, such as M. radiosa. They are 
all best grown in baskets. We will write on Masdevallias 
generally shortly. 
— y ' -- j — 
I rade Catalogues Received. 
William Bull, 536, King’s Road, Chelsea, S.W.—Retail 
list of Bulbs, and tuberous-rooted plants. 
W. P. Laird & Sinclair, Dundee.— Dutch Flower Roots. 
George White, Carriagehill House, Paisley. — Florists’ 
Flowers, Herbaceous, and Bedding-out Plants. 
James Yates, Underbank, Stockport.—Bulbs and other 
flowering Roots. 
Keynes, Williams & Co., Salisbury.— Descriptive Cata¬ 
logue of Roses and Grape Vines. 
Thomas S. Ware, Tottenham, N.—Bulb Guide, and 
Special Catalogue of Daffodils and Lilies. 
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
The Editor tegs to inform his readers that 
special attention will he paid in the columns of 
The Gardening "World, to the answering of questions 
on all subjects connected with practical horticulture, in 
which department he will have the assistance of several 
gardeners of great experience and known ability. To 
save time, however, as far as possible, correspondents 
are specially requested to icrite only on one side of the 
paper; to write their questions in as few words as 
possible consistent with clearness; and where two or 
more questions are asked on widely different subjects, to bg 
good enough to put them on separate pieces of paper. 
It is also particularly requested that correspondents 
will favour us with their communications as early in 
the week as possible, and that they address them only to 
“ Tee Editor.” 
Correspondents who may require their communica¬ 
tions, if not accepted, to be returned, must in all cases 
enclose stamps for the return postage. The name and 
address of every writer must be given, not necessarily 
for publication, if that is not desired, but simply as a 
guarantee of the writer’s bona fides. No notice ivliat- 
will be taken of anonymous letters. 
Secretaries of Horticultural Societies and Nursery¬ 
men and Seedsmen will greatly oblige The Editor by 
sending him their Schedules and Catalogues as soon as 
published. 
LONDON SEED TRADE, 
September 17 th. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditeh, and 39, 
Seed Market, Mark Lane, report that there is still a 
good inquiry for seeds for present sowing. Trifolium 
keeps steady. Winter Tares are in short supply and 
have advanced fully 2s. per qr. Bye is steady, and 
Bape is in small request at last week’s prices. New 
"White Mustard is selling freely to crushers at 4s. per 
qr. under last week’s quotations. There is no change 
in the value of this article for sowing. Samples of 
New English Clover are now being offered at very 
moderate prices, but the seed is too small to suit 
present buyers. Blue Peas are steady. Canary Seed 
is unchanged; a shipment of New Dutch shows fine 
quality and price moderate. Hemp Seed is easier, and 
Millet firm. 
COVENT CARDEN MARKET. 
September ISth. 
Fruit.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s. d. s. d. 
Apples, i-sieve. 16-40 
Figs, jier dozen . 0 6-0 9 
Grapes, per lb. 0 0- 2 6 
Kent Filberts and 
Cobbs, per 100 lb. 50 0-60 0 
,_ , s.d. s.d. 
Melons, each. 0 6-16 
Pine-apples, Eng., lb. 4 0-50 
Peaches, per dozen... 1 0- S 0 
Pears, Trench, p. doz. 10-19 
Plums, 4-sieve . 4 0 - 9 0 
Vegetables.—Average Retail Prices. 
Artichokes, Globe,per 
dozen . 2 0 - 4 0 
Beans, French, lb. ... 0 4 - 
Beet, per dozen . 2 0- 3 0 
Cabbages, per dozen 2 0 - ... 
Carrots, per bunch... 0 8 - 
Cauliflo wers, English, 
dozen . 3 0-40 
Celery, per bundle ... 1 6 - 2 6 
Cucumbers, each ... 0 6 - 0 S 
Endive, French, per 
dozen . 2 6-36 
Garlic, per lb. 0 6 - 
Herbs per bunch ... 0 2 - 0 4 
Horse Radish, bundle 3 0-40 
s. d. s. d. 
Lettuces, Cabbage, 
per dozen . 1 6 - 
— Cos, each . o 2 - 
Marrows, each. 0 3 - 
Mint,green, bunch... 0 4 - 
Mushrooms, p. basket 10-20 
Onions, per bunch ... 0 6 - 
Parsley, per bunch... 0 8- A 
Radishes, per dozen... 1 6 - 
Small salading, per 
punnet. o 4 - 
Spinach, per strike... 2 0 -”] 
Tomatos, per lb. 0 9 - 
Turnips, bunch . 0 S- 
Cut Flowers.—Average Wholesale Prices 
o. t*. a. u. 
Abutilon, 12 bunches 2 0-40 
Asters, 12 bunches ... 3 0-60 
Bourvardias, per bim. 0 9-10 
Calceolaria, 12 sprays 0 4-06 
Carnations, 12 bun.... 0 6-10 
Chrysanthemums, 12 
bunches . 3 0-6 0 
— large, 12 blooms ... 2 0 - 6 0 
Cornflower, 12 bun. 2 0-40 
Dahlias, 12 bunches 3 0-60 
Eucharis, per dozen 4 0-80 
Gardenias, 12 blms. 3 0-60 
Gladiolus, various, 12 
bunches . 6 0-12 0 
Heliotropes, 12 sp. ... 0 6 - 1 0 
Lapageria, white, 12 
blooms. 2 0-30 
— red, 12 blooms. 10-20 
s. d. s. d. 
Lavender, 12 bun. ... 6 0- S 6 
Marguerites, 12 bun. 3 0-60 
Pelargoniums, per 12 
sprays. 06-10 
Pinks, various, 12 
bunches .- 
Primula, double bun. 10 - 16 
Pyrethrum, 12 bun. 2 0-60 
Rhodanthes, 12 bun. 4 0-60 
Roses, outdoor, 12 
bunches . 2 0 - 6 0 
Stephanotis, 12 spr. 4 0-60 
Stocks, 12 bunches... 3 0 - 6 0 
Sweet Peas, 12 bun. 16-40 
Sweet Sultan, 12 bun. 2 0-40 
Tuberoses, per dozen 0 6-10 
White Jasmine, bun. 0 6-10 
Plants in Pots.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
. s.d. s.d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, per 
dozen . 6 0-24 0 
Asters, per dozen ... 30-60 
Begonias, per dozen 4 0-12 0 
Bouvardias, dozen ... 9 0-18 0 
Chrysanth., dozen ...4 0-6 0 
Cockscombs, dozen 2 6-40 
Coleus, various, doz. 2 0-40 
Cyperus, per dozen 4 0-12 0 
Dracaena term. doz. 30 0-60 0 
— viridis, per dozen 12 0-24 0 
Evergreens, in var., 
per dozen . 6 0-24 0 
Perns, in var., dozen 4 0-18 0 
Ficus elastic^, each... 16-70 
Foliage Plants, vari¬ 
ous, each . 2 0-10 0 
Fuschias, per dozen 3 0-60 
Heliotrope, dozen ...3 0-6 0 
Lilium longiflorum, 
per dozen . 6 0-1S 0 
— speciosum, p. doz. 6 0-1S 0 
Marguerites, per doz. 8 0-12 0 
Palms in variety, each 2 6-21 0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet 
per dozen . 2 0- 6 0 
Petunias, per dozen 3 0-60 
Rhodanthes, per doz. 4 0-60 
Solanums, dozen. 9 0-15 0 
CONT 
Allotment Gardens. 35 
Amateur’s Garden, the ... 40 
Anemone japonica . 35 
Apples, English, in Nor¬ 
mandy. 36 
Beans, Experiments with 45 
Begonias, tuberous . 37 
Bentham, Mr., the late ... 35 
“ Botanical Magazine,” 
the. 
Cabbage planting. 43 
Calceolarias. 42 
Cattleya Eldorado. 44 
,, Gaskelliana. 44 
Cauliflowers . 43 
Celery .]” 43 
Clirysanthemums. 85 
„ disbudding . 42 
Clematises,double-flowered 36 
Dahlias. 45 
,, single .35 
exhibitors and Judges 40 
Ferns. British . 33 
Fern Herbarium, the. 39 
Fire and Frost Detector] 
illustrated . 45 
Floriculture .] " 45 
Flowers .42 
Fruits .42 
Fuchsias, hardy . 40 
NTS, 
Fumigating Orchids . 44 
Gardening Miscellany. 36 
Garden Pests... 37 
Gloneria jasminiflora . 43 
Horse Chestnut, the, illus¬ 
trated . 40 
Oncidium Lanceanum ... 41 
Odontoglossum crispum 
VeitcTiianum, illustrated 37 
Onions, Autumn sown ... 43 
Onion Fly, the . 39 
Orchids at Kew. 44 
Orchid growers’ calendar 4-1 
Peas . 43 
Pelargoniums, Ivy-leaved 36 
Plant culture in Moss. 44 
Pleasures of gardening ... 40 
Potato Show, Interna¬ 
tional. 35 
Primula japonica . 42 
Raspberries.• 42 
Scarlet Runners . 43 
Seed Firm, an American 46 
Soma plant, the. 43 
Stocks. East Lothian . 39 
Strawberries . 42 
Tomatos . 35 
Vegetables . 43 
Violets . 39 
M inter flowering plants,,, 39 
