THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 17, 1892. 
39 
and their stand of over 200 varieties of hardy herba¬ 
ceous flowers was greatly admired. Messrs. D.&W 
Croall, Dundee, were very good seconds in the Rose 
classes, and the Messrs. Smith, of Stranraer, showed- 
some six dozen grand blooms of Mrs. John Laing, for 
which they awarded a certificate. Eor single 
Dahlias Messrs. R B. Laird & Sons were first with 
a very brilliant collection. This firm also secured 
highest honours for 12 trusses of stove or greenhouse 
flowers and 24 trusses of Chrysanthemums. Messrs. 
T. Methven & Sons had a beautiful table, on which 
Liliums, Crotons, and Dracaenas were conspicuous ; 
also a charming display on a second table of 
Begonias, whose fine colours were greatly admired. 
Messrs. Dicksons & Co., Waterloo Place, had a 
varied table of fruits and flowers and fine foliaged 
plants from their nurseries; and Mr. David W. 
Thomson a nice group of ornamental plants. Messrs. 
W. & J. Birkenhead, Sale, near Manchester, contri¬ 
buted a capital table of Ferns; Mr. John Forbes, 
Hawick, Hollyhocks, Begonias, Pinks, and herbaceous 
plants ; Messrs. James Dickson & Sons, Inverleith 
Row, Conifers in tubs ; Messrs. Storrie, Dundee, a 
well-filled table of herbaceous flowers; Messrs. 
Laing & Mather, a charming collection of Carnations 
of various kinds; Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm 
Nurseries, Tottenham, about 100 varieties of 
Begonias; and Messrs. J. & A. Glass, George Street, 
a table on which examples of Araucaria excelsa and 
tall Palms were conspicuous. 
The Glasgow and West of Scotland Horti¬ 
cultural Society has, we are glad to learn, taken 
on a new lease of life, and on the 7th inst. held its 
annual autumn show, which for extent and quality 
has never been surpassed. As on former occasions 
when the society’s shows have been held in St. An¬ 
drew’s Halls, the vegetables were set out in the Kent 
Hall, and the cut flowers in the Berkeley Hall, whilst 
the exhibits of fruit, pot plants, and decorative table 
displays were arranged in the main hall. One of the 
chief attractions in the main hall were the specimen 
tables set for dessert. In this competition, Mr. David 
Cross, Glasgow, who entered last year for the first 
time and carried off the first prize, again secured the 
leading award. In the nursery classes the awards 
were widely distributed. Mr. Campbell, Blantyre, an 
old exhibitor, was placed 1st in each of the three com¬ 
petitions for Dahlias and Carnations. Messrs. 
Cocker & Son, Aberdeen, repeated their success of 
last year in the class for Roses ; and Messrs. J. & R. 
Thyne, Kelvinside, with the best coloured and most 
varied exhibit, carried oft the first prize for a col¬ 
lection of stove and greenhouse plants to fill a space 
of iSft. by 6 ft. Mr. John Sutherland, Lenzie, was 
first for plants for table decoration; and the chief 
premiums of Gladioli and Pansies fell respectively to 
Mr. George Mair, Prestwick, and Mr. A. Irvine 
Tighnabruaich. 
In the classes restricted to gardeners and amateurs 
Mr. H. M’Ginlay received the principal award for 
pot plants, whilst for collections of fruit and vege¬ 
tables the chief prizes went respectively to Mr. 
James M'Connachie, gardener at Cameron House, 
Alexandria, and Mr. D. M’Bean, gardener at 
Craigends, Johnstone. Cut flowers were an excep¬ 
tionally fine show, and the first places in the Pansy 
competitions fell to Mr. A. S. Glass, Dalmellington, 
who stood second last year. The amateur sections 
were largely contested. The show was specially 
rich in collections of plants sent for exhibition. One 
of particular note was a bank of tuberous-rooted 
Begonias, in beautiful bloom, from the Hale Farm 
Nurseries of Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, London, 
and this exhibit received from the judges a card of 
the highest merit. Messrs. Smith & Simons, 
Kennishead Nurseries, had forward a very choice 
collection of foliage and flowering plants ; and First- 
class Certificates were given to a seedling Viola 
shown in a collection of flowers by Messrs. Dobbie 
& Co., nurserymen, Rothesay, and to a seedling 
Pansy exhibited by Mr. John Smellie, Busby. Some 
beautiful Orchids were shown by Mr. J. Sutherland, 
Lenzie, along with a collection of stove and green¬ 
house plants. 
All the arrangements in connection with the show 
were excellently carried out under the superinten¬ 
dence of the new secretary and treasurer, Mr. Charles 
Macdonald Williamson. 
The Carnation : its History, Properties, and Management, 
with a descriptive list of the best varieties in cultivation. By 
E. S .Dodwell. Third edition, with supplementary chapter on 
the yellow ground. London: Gardening World Office, i, 
Clement’s Inn, Strand, W.C. is. 6 d.; post free, is.yd. — [Advt. 
Hardening §Tiscellany. 
BEGONIAS. 
I was sorry to see in your paper that the exhibition 
of Begonias at the recent Chiswick Conference was 
not a success. I had thought of exhibiting myself, 
but after being defeated at one of our large northern 
shows by taller plants and older varieties in larger 
pots than I staged myself, I thought I had best keep 
my plants at home, especially as travelling does so 
much damage to them. For my part I think that 
dwarf erect flowering plants with the foliage well 
down to the pots, and displaying plenty of blooms, 
large in size and of good form and colour, are more 
what is wanted. Are not 7 in. or 8 in. pots large 
enough ? My own experience tells me that they are, 
as I can get dwarfer arid more compact plants- in 
them by using liquid manure than lean in larger ones. 
Every judge at flower shows who has to deal with 
Begonias should read your valuable book on this 
flower. I grow little else but Begonias and the best 
Zonal Pelargoniums in the summer, and there is 
nothing equal to them for making a display. I have 
Begonias also growing out-of-doors, and they do well. 
The Begonia is, as you say, " The flower of the 
future.” I send you a few blooms, but they are run¬ 
ning out now, and not so large as they were some time 
ago. The two singles are from home sown seed, and 
several of the doubles also, but you will recognise 
Rosebud, Rose Laing, Duchess of Teck, Duchess of 
Fife, and Mrs. French.— Chris. Leeson, Melton Road, 
Wvawby, Brigg. 
FRUITING OF COBEA SCANDENS 
VARIEGATA. 
The note on the fruiting of Cobea scandens variegata 
recalls a large specimen that some twenty-five years 
ago was in the Greenhouse No. 4 at Kew. It used 
every year to bear a quantity of fruit and ripen 
seeds, but though numerous attempts were made by 
various people to raise young plants in this way they 
never succeeded. The seed germinated readily 
enough, but the seedlings always perished before the 
second pair of leaves were fully developed. The 
plant in question has now been done away with for 
many years.— P. 
HELENIUM TENUIFOLIUM. 
The leaves of this species are channelled, carinate, and 
very small as the specific name indicates. The yellow 
flower heads are also small as might be expected, 
seeing that the plant only grows about 9 in. or 10 in. 
high, and therefore suitable either for the front line 
of the herbaceous border or the rockery. The neat¬ 
ness of it, however, may be a recommendation to 
those who like variety and whose space is limited. 
The florets are broad and three toothed, like those 
of other species of Helenium. The plant may be 
propagated from seeds or cuttings. 
HELIANTHUS MULTIFLORUS PLENUS 
MAJUS. 
The stems of this variety grow about 4 ft. high, and 
are therefore taller than those of the type, which 
usually do not succeed 2J ft. or 3 ft. The flower 
heads are large and bright yellow with a golden disc. 
For ordinary garden decoration few plants are more 
effective for late summer and autumn than the Sun¬ 
flowers, whether single or double, but to be seen at 
their best they should be grown in clumps or masses 
of a kind as they are in the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at Chiswick, where some of 
the best of them have a bed to themselves. Then 
again to allow the plants to occupy the same position 
without shifting or disturbance for a number of years, 
means bad cultivation, for the plants and flowers 
dwindle in size by crowding and exhaustion of the 
soil. Herbaceous plants, and particularly those of a 
strong growing nature, enjoy liberal treatment, and 
young crowns should be planted at least every two 
years in rich, well-prepared soil. 
PRUNUS MARITIMA. 
There were plenty of trees of the seaside Plum in 
British gardens in Loudon’s days, but none of them 
had ever set fruit. In its native country it inhabits 
the sandy soil of the sea coast from New Jersey to 
Carolina, where the fruits attain the size of a pigeon’s 
egg and are good to eat. A tree in the pleasure 
grounds at Kew has this year produced a consider¬ 
able quantity of fruit, whether it ripens or not. A 
large number of them have, however, dropped from 
some cause or other, while about an inch in length 
and getting red. When properly matured they are 
dark purple. The soil in which the tree is gro.wn is 
of a light sandy nature, and should suit it unless it 
requires to be in the vicinity of the sea. Many truly 
seaside plants do not succeed well inland while others 
do. The tree blooms in April and May, bearing 
white flowers. 
VENIDIUM FUG AX. 
This South African Composite finds its way into 
gardens under various synonyms. Although peren¬ 
nial it may be grown and flowered as an annual from 
seeds, coming into bloom in July and lasting till 
October. It produces the finest effect however in 
the warmer months of the year, as like most of the 
Cape plants it enjoys plenty of bright sunshine. The 
stems are procumbent and, like the under side of the 
leaves, are more or less cottony. The large flower 
heads have golden yellow rays that fade to yellow 
at the base, forming a pale zone round a brown disc. 
CYCLAMEN NEAPOLITAN UM. 
As the cooler days of September come round, the 
first signs of life from the old corms of this species 
are the flowers which arise somewhat in advance of 
the slightly lobed and beautifully marbelled foliage. 
The flowers of the typical form are pink with a white 
edge and a bifid purple blotch at the base. The 
auricles of the flowers are also white. The species 
has become naturalised in some parts of the south of 
England, and is more often spoken of under the 
name of C. hederaefolium than C. neapolitanum, 
although that may also be met with. There are 
several varieties differing chiefly in colour in cultiva¬ 
tion, and there seems no reason why it should not 
submit to considerable improvement under the hands 
of enthusiastic growers. It may be seen upon the 
rockery in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural 
Society at Chiswick. 
ERODIUM GUTTATUM. 
The dwarf perennial species of Erodium are gener¬ 
ally very interesting and pretty owing to the neatness 
of their flowers and the finely cut foliage. That 
under notice is a native of Spain and is very dwarf, 
with three times divided leaves just surmounted by 
the flowers, which are borne on peduncles about 3 in. 
or 4 in. long. They are white, with a purple blotch 
at the base of the two upper petals, which have pur¬ 
ple veins radiating from the blotch. Generally 
speaking it may be compared with E. macradenium 
or E. trichomanasfolium, but the habit is much less 
dense than the latter. It may be seen on the rock¬ 
ery at Kew. 
QUEER JUDGING. 
A correspondent sends us the following cutting 
from the Haddington Advertiser. The incident took 
place at the recent Haddington show :—The Silver 
Medal for the ten sorts of vegetables has been made 
the subject of a protest, and that the decision of the 
judges should have been disputed in this instance is 
not at all wonderful, in fact, their action is somewhat 
inexplicable. In a competition for ten vegetables, 
they give the first prize to a basket of fourteen, and 
the second prize to a basket of eleven. On their atten¬ 
tion being called to the matter they transposed their 
award to a basket containing the proper number of 
vegetables and had the prize list altered. Then they 
discovered that there was Parsley in the ten basket 
and that made eleven specimens, and they disqualified 
this basket also, and reverted to their original awards. 
It now remains to be decided whether or not Parsley 
is an exhibit or a garnishing, and under what circum¬ 
stances these judges can award a Silver Medal to a 
basket not according to specification. Truly it seems 
that the ten basket, if the Parsley be not counted, 
should have the medal or else there should be no 
medal awarded at all. This is a matter that should 
receive the earliest and earnest attention of the 
society. 
PLANTS CERTIFICATED IN HOLLAND. 
At the meetings of the Floral Committee of the Dutch 
Horticultural and Botanical Society, held in August, 
the committee awarded First-class Certificates to 
Messrs. E. H. Krelage&Son, Haarlem, for Gladiolus 
hybr. nanceianus A. de la Devansaye.W.Watson,Pro- 
