September 3, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Q 
its pinna:. The characteristic feature of it is that 
the pinnules end in slender, sharp, bristle-like teeth. 
It was exhibited by Messrs. W. & J Birkenhead, 
Sale, near Manchester, and received an Award of 
Merit. 
Begonia Rex Bertha McGregor.— The leaves 
of this fine-foliaged variety are obliquely heart- 
shaped, deeply lobed and grey with an olive green 
centre and margin ; a striking feature of it is that 
the grey follows the outline of the lobes. The 
margin is often blotched and the under surface is 
variegated with red. Award of Merit. 
Begonia Picotee. —The flow'ers of this tuberous 
variety are of good average size and double. The 
sepals are creamy white or blush with a pink 
margin and neatly arranged round a common centre, 
as refined as a Picotee. Award of Merit. 
Begonia Lord Esher. —The huge double flowers 
of this variety are bright scarlet with their broad 
and rounded sepals arranged round a single centre. 
The leaves are moderate in size and rich green. 
Award of Merit. 
Begonia Lady Gertrude. —This is also a 
tuberous sort, with very large double flowers 
of a soft pink with a white centre ultimately deepen¬ 
ing to pink. The sepals are arranged round several 
centres. It is very choice, and the flowers backed 
up by half cordate, deep green leaves. Award of 
Merit. 
Begonia Earl Cranbrook. —Here the leaves are 
broad and of a rich green. The double flowers are 
large, deep scarlet, with the outer sepals large, the 
inner gradually smaller and all arranged round a 
single centre. Award of Merit. This and the pre¬ 
vious three tuberous varieties, as well as the variety 
of B. Rex, were exhibited by Messrs. J. Laing & 
Sons, Forest Hill. 
Carnation Mrs. Leopold Rothschild. —The 
stems of this border variety grow about 2 ft. high, 
branching towards the top. The leaves are narrow 
and glaucous. The flowers are late, freely produced, 
of medium size, double, soft pink, and fragrant, but 
the petals are slightly ragged or toothed at the edges, 
An Award of Merit was accorded it when shown by 
Mr. Geo. Reynolds, gardener to the Messrs, de 
Rothschild, Gunnersbury Park, Acton. 
Helenium grandiflorum striatum. —The stems 
of this variety grow to a height of 3 ft. to 4 ft., and 
come into bloom during August and September.’ The 
flower heads are of medium size, crimson, and ir¬ 
regularly striped with yellow. It is hardy and suit¬ 
able for the herbaceous border. An Award of Merit 
was accorded it when shown by Mr. T. S. Ware, 
Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. 
Gladiolus Private Secretary. —The flowers of 
this variety are of a soft salmon-scarlet, tinted with 
crimson at the edges, and having a large creamy- 
yellow blotch on one to three of the lower segments. 
Gladiolus Mr. Hobhouse.— The flowers of this 
variety are of large size and salmon coloured, with 
a crimson blotch on the lower segment. 
Gladiolus Mrs. MacAlister.— The soft sulphur 
hue of the flowers of this variety are very distinct. 
The lowest segment deepens to primrose with a 
crimion blotch b:low the middle, and there is also a 
crimson zone in the throat. AH three were ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, Somer¬ 
set, and received Awards of Merit. 
Phlox Eclaireur. —The flowers of this Phlox are 
of good average size and deep purple, tinted with 
violet and shaded with white in the centre. 
Phlox Mich/el Cervantes.— The medium-sized 
flowers here again are of medium size, but pure 
white with a deep purple centre. 
Phlox Soleil.— Here the flowers are of a deep 
rose-purple, shaded with white around the centre, 
which is purple. All the three received Awards of 
Merit when shown by Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt. 
Coleus Distinction.— Notwithstanding the num¬ 
berless varieties of Coleus in cultivation, this seems 
to merit its name. The leaves are ovate, of large 
size, and of a uniform blackish-purple. 
Veronica exaltata. —This Siberian species has 
the form of V. longifolia but the stature of the 
American V. virginica. The lanceolate, deeply 
serrate leaves are borne in whorls of three upon the 
stem ; and the latter grows to a height of 4 ft., ter¬ 
minating in a long raceme of pale blue flowers, while 
several other racemes arise a little lower down. The 
plant therefore is quite a stately object, and the 
wonder is it has not found its way into private 
gardens before this time. It ^perfectly hardy and 
easy to propagate. 
THE HOLLYHOCK. 
In a leading article in your issue of August 13th, a 
rather gloomy view is taken of the future of the 
Hollyhock. There is no doubt had it not been for 
the disease the Hollyhock would still have been one 
of our most favourite autumn flowers. However 
much it may have suffered from the disease in the 
south of England, in the north of Northumberland 
we have not been troubled with the fungus this sum¬ 
mer. If we are to see the Hollyhock restored to its 
old place among florists' flowers we must not depend 
too much upon seedlings, for as long as we have such 
noble varieties as Grace Darling, Robert Ryle, Alba 
Superba, Nettie Grieve, etc., it would be a mere 
waste of time raising seedlings. We may raise scores 
of seedlings yet not get one really good flower among 
them ; and it might be years before we could raise 
such varieties as we have already. Besides, in two 
or three years seedlings will be as liable to decima¬ 
tion by the disease as the named sorts. If we are to 
combat the disease successfully we must look to 
other means. It is observed that diseases always at¬ 
tack at first plants that are of weak growth ; so one 
of the main points in growing Hollyhocks is to give 
them very liberal treatment and keep them growing. 
It is also of great importance to procure plants from 
a district that is not affected with the disease. If 
the spores of the fungus are about the plants the dis¬ 
ease is sure to break out as soon as favourable con¬ 
ditions for their growth set in. It is to be hoped 
that the Hollyhock will again be taken in hand by 
some of our leading florists, and that it will soon be 
grown as largely in our gardens as it was a few years 
ago.— T. C. Steel, Cvjokliam, Northumberland. 
-—J*- 
WESTERHAM FLOWER 
SHOW. 
The annual exhibition organised by the Westerham 
Horticultural Society took place in the capacious 
covered building, kindly placed at the disposal of the 
committee by Norman Watney, Esq., and which is 
situated in the grounds of Dunsdale. The classes 
generally were well filled, and the exhibits excellent 
all round. For a miscellaneous group of plants 
arranged for effect, Mr. Rowe, gardener toLeut.-Col. 
Warde, Squerrys, was first; Mr. Heffenden, gardener 
to Norman Watney, Esq., Valance, second ; and Mr. 
A. Bolton, gardener to Earl Amherst, Sevenoaks, 
third. For six exotic Ferns Mr. Rowe was again 
first, with small but fresh specimens, Davallia 
Mooreana being his best; second, Mr. Haffenden ; 
third, Mr. A. Bolton. Fuchsias were well shown by 
Messrs. Rowe, Haffenden, and Hawker, who took the 
awards in the order named. 
It is not often that we see specimen plants of Coleus, 
but here there are always some very fine ones. Mr. 
Rowe had the best, followed by Mr. Haffenden and 
Mr. Howard. There were a few very good boxes of 
Roses considering that the season is over, the best 
coming from Mr. Blundell, gardener to — Cristy, 
Esq., Cudham ; second, Mr. Mist, Ightham ; third, 
Mr. Bolton. F'or an epergne or centre piece (ladies 
only), Mrs. Searing, Sevenoaks, was first with a very 
light and elegant arrangement, the top being done 
with Oncidium flexuosum and grasses, and the base 
with yellow Begonias and Coreopsis ; second, Mrs. 
Hatton, Sevenoaks, with a good stand, but a little bit 
over-done; third, Mrs. Bolton. In another class 
confined to gardeners Mr. S. Cooke, Sevenoaks, was 
first ; Mr. W. Searing, Sevenoaks, second ; and Mr. 
Bolton, Sevenoaks, third. The same order was main¬ 
tained in the class for a hand bouquet. 
F'ruit was fairly shown, and for a collection of four 
dishes Mr. Rowe led, Mr. S. Bolton, gardener, 
Brasted Park, being second. For white Grapes, Mr. 
Searing was first, Mr. Rowe second, and Mr. S. 
Bolton third ; and for black, Mr. Rowe was first, 
Mr. Blundell second, and Mr. S. Bolton third. 
Nectarines were well shown by Mr. Hatton, who 
was easily first, Mr. Haffenden, second, Mr. A. Bolton, 
third. For Peaches, Mr. Searing led, Mr. S. 
Bolton second, and Mr. Haffenden third. 
Vegetables, always a great feature here on account 
of their quantity and quality, were quite up to the 
average. Mr. Blundell was first with a grand basket, 
Mr. Rowe, second, Mr. Mist, third. The cottagers’ 
exhibits again were numerous and good, especially 
the vegetables. 
There was a fair attendance during the afternoon, 
notwithstanding the unfavourable weather which 
prevailed, and everyone seemed well satisfied with 
what they saw, and congratulated the secretary, Mr. 
Saxby, and the committee, on the success which 
attended their untiling efforts. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
Vanda cserulea. 
A tlant of this lovely species is just now putting 
forth its pale blue flowers in the plant stove at 
Wavertree,” Sevenoaks, the residence of Sir John 
Kirk. The plant in question is one of a consign¬ 
ment sent direct to Sir John by a friend, and which 
arrived during the very sharp weather experienced 
last spring. On being unpacked it was found that 
the best plants—of course, it always is the best 
plants—had been frozen ; but the smaller pieces did 
not suffer, and we are pleased to say are now doing 
wonderfully well. They are grown in baskets with a 
few crocks and live sphagnum, which suits them 
well evidently, for they have made plenty of roots 
and a corresponding amount of foliage, which speaks 
well for the treatment they receive. We also 
noticed Dendrobium infundibulum doing well by 
the side of the Vandas, and a dwarf-growing 
Sobralia which failed to grow when potted in peat, 
but when potted in loam it began to grow away, and 
will we hope soon grow into flowering size. There 
are several other things here to interest one, one in 
particular being a Cactaceous plant, which when 
potted in the ordinary way and watered, refused to 
grow and even began to rot away. It was shaken 
out, placed among crocks, and water withheld 
entirely, when it started to grow and is now doing well, 
but hardly ever gets any water given to it directly. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN, 
Clerodendron fallax.—Where a stock of this 
plant is kept it will now come in very serviceable for 
conservatory decoration. The flowers will last 
longer under the cool conditions if the atmosphere is 
kept dry. Plants from cuttings or seeds may produce 
only one head of bloom, but last year's plants if cut 
down after flowering and properly treated when 
making the r growth will produce several heads of 
bloom. The bright scarlet colour is by no means 
plentiful, if we exclude Ixoras at this season of the 
year. Give manure water until the flowers have ex¬ 
panded. 
Hymenocallis ovatum.—In gardens this is best 
known as Pancratium fragrans. The plants as they 
go out of flower will commence to make new growth. 
Repotting where necessary should be done at this 
time, taking off the small offsets and potting them 
separately so as to give the old bulbs the best chance 
of making good growth for next year’s flowering. 
Allamandas.—Whether grown in pots or planted 
out, Allamandas cannot be too freely exposed to 
light. Those which are trained up the rafters or 
along the roof of a house make shorter jointed wood 
than those grown in pots, it may be at some dis¬ 
tance from the glass. As the sun gets feebler the 
greater the necessity of keeping the plants near the 
light. 
Camellias.—Look over the stock of plants in pots 
and tubs, and where repotting is to be done have it 
effected now, as the roots will take strong hold of the 
fresh soil before winter and flower all the better for 
it in the coming winter and spring. Use a compost 
consisting of good fibrous loam, or the latter with an 
equal quantity of good peat with sufficient sand and 
some nodules of charcoal if obtainable. The two 
latter will keep the soil in an open and porous con¬ 
dition. Finely crushed bones would also prove very 
serviceable 1 , and encourage growth in the following 
season. 
Zonal Pelargoniums.—The stock of plants 
intended for winter flowering should receive every 
attention in the matter of watering and feeding with 
liquid manure as the pots get filled with roots. It 
will be all the better for the plants if the flowers are 
kept off them for the present. They may be 
required about the end of the month to keep the 
conservatory gay till the Chrysanthemums come 
into bloom. At present they must not suffer from 
crowding, whether they are kept in frames or on a 
bed of ashes out of doors. 
Peaches.—The trees from which the fruit was 
gathered in May should now be resting, with the 
sashes and doors wide open night and day. All 
useless wood not required for covering the allotted 
space should be removed if not already done to give 
the remainder the full benefit of light and air. The 
winter pruning should then be reduced to a mini¬ 
mum. If the sashes can be taken clean off so much 
