88 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 8, 1892, 
A STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL. 
As I lingered to admire the picturesque rapids in the 
brook, a slight movement drew my attention to a 
little projection on a stone not six feet from me, 
where a small chipmuck sat pertly up, holding in his 
two hands and eagerly nibbling—was it, could it be, 
a Strawberry, in this rocky place ? Of course I 
stopped instantly to look at this pretty sight. I 
judged him to be a youngster, partly because of his 
evident fearlessness of his hereditary enemy a human 
being ; more on account of the saucy way in which 
he returned my stare ; and most, perhaps, from the 
absorbing delight, in which there was a suggestion of 
the unexpected, with which he discussed that sweet 
morsel. Closely I watched him as he turned the 
treasure round and round in his deft little paws, and 
at last dropped the rifled hull. Would he go for 
another, and where ? In an instant, with a parting 
glance at me to make sure that I had not moved, he 
scrambled down his rocky throne, and bounded in 
great leaps over the path to a crumpled paper, which 
I saw at once was one of the bags with which tourists 
sow the earth. But its presence there did not arouse 
in my furry friend the indignation it excited in me. 
To him it was a treasure-trove, for into it he disap¬ 
peared without a moment’s hesitation; and almost 
before I had jumped to the conclusion that it con¬ 
tained the remains of somebody's luncheon he reap¬ 
peared, holding in his mouth another Strawberry, 
bounded over the ground to his former seat, and pro 
ceeded to dispose of that one also. The scene was 
so charming and his pleasure so genuine, that I for¬ 
gave the careless traveller on the spot, and only 
wished I had a kodak to secure a permanent picture 
of this unique Strawberry festival .—From a paper on 
"The Cliff Dwellers in the Canon,” in "The Atlantic 
Monthly.” 
YUCCA FI LAM ENTOSA VARIEGATA. 
As a greenhouse plant this is of great decorative 
value, especially when well grown so that the plant 
is well furnished with leaves. The variegated form 
seems, however, to be somewhat tender compared 
with the typical green form which is hardy in the 
southern counties. It seems probable, however, 
that the variegated form is sometimes injured by too 
close treatment. Gardeners in their anxiety to foster 
its growth, keep it under a bell glass, and moisture 
often condenses and lodges in the crown or centre of 
young leaves, causing them to decay. No such pro¬ 
tection is given the plant at Falkland Park, South 
Norwood Hill, where it is grown in association with 
other greenhouse plants, and seems very happy. The 
leaves are thready at the margin as the specific name 
implies, and have in the variegated form a broad 
silvery white margin. Most, if not all, of the other 
species of Yucca in cultivation ultimately have the 
leaves elevated on a stem, but no stem is developed 
in this case, and the species is therefore regarded, as 
herbaceous. The flower stem rises to' a height of 
2 ft. or 3 ft., bearing large, pendulous, Lily-like 
flowers, and it is matter for surprise that the plant is 
not more often cultivated on rockeries in the open 
garden, that is, the green form. 
-- 
SOCIETIES. 
Rcyal Horticultural, Oct. 4.—The chief features of 
the meeting on Tuesday last were Orchids, hardy 
herbaceous flowers, and fruit, all of which were 
wonderfully well represented. The exhibits brought 
up in competition for the prizes offered for hardy 
flowers produced a cheerful and effective display. ■ 
A Silver Flora Medal was awarded to Messrs. 
B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, for a nice 
group of Palms, Orchids, and Maidenhair Ferns. 
The group included fine pieces of Dendrobium super- 
biens, D. Phalaenopsis, Miltonia Candida grandi- 
flora, Odontoglossum grande, and numerous Cypri- 
pediums. A Silver Banksian Medal was awarded to 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton, for a smaller 
group of Orchids set on a groundwork of Maidenhair 
Ferns, numerous pieces of Vanda Kimballiana, 
some pieces ofV. coerulea, Trichopilia rostrata, and 
several Cypripediums. A similar award was made 
to Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, for a small 
group of Orchids, including two pieces of Houlletia 
Brocklehurstiana, with their curiously striking 
flowers, also Paphinia grandis, Zygopetalum rostra- 
tum, and numerous varieties of Dendrobium Phalaen¬ 
opsis Schroderianum. A small group of Orchids 
was also shown by Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, Hex- 
table, Swanley, including Oncidium tigrinum, Cypri- 
pedium Arthurianum, and a considerable number of 
others, either species or hybrids. A very singular 
and curious variety of Cattleya bicolor with a slaty 
blue lip, and named C. b. coerulea, as well as 
Laelia elegans chelsiensis and Cattleya granulosa 
splendens, was exhibited by Thomas Statter, Esq. 
(gr. Mr. R. Johnston), Stand Hall, Manchester. A 
fine flower of Cattleya Hardyana var. Massaiana was 
shown by W. Wells, Esq. (gr. Mr. R. Hinde), Broom¬ 
field, Sale. A fine piece of Stanhopea aurea in a 
basket was exhibited by C. K. Wild, Esq. (gr. Mr. 
R. Pallant), Hampstead. A large and floriferous 
plant of Oncidium ornithorhynchium was exhibited 
by Wilberforce Bryant, Esq., J.P. (gr. Mr. David 
Kemp), Stoke Park, Slough. 
A Silver Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. 
Barr & Sons, Covent Garden, for a collection of 
hardy herbaceous plants, chiefly perennial Asters in 
all the leading and best types. A Bronze Banksian 
Medal was awarded to Messrs. E. D. Shuttleworth 
& Co., Fleet, Hants, for a collection of perennial 
Asters and other hardy subjects. A collection of 
Asters was also sent by Henry Southall, Esq., The 
Graig, Ross. Many of them were out of flower and 
the rest were rather withered, evidently having 
travelled a long distance. Some Dracaenas were 
shown by Mr. H. Elliott, F.R.H.S., Stourvale 
Nursery, Christchurch. They were all in excellent 
condition, and one of them received a First-class 
Certificate. D. australis aurea striata was also 
distinct. He also showed a boxful of different 
varieties of Nerines in bloom. Flowers of Tacsonia 
Smythiana were shown by Mr. W. Smythe, 
Basing Park, Alton. Two large plants of the 
Colorado Blue Spruce and two baskets of Pernettyas 
were shown by Mr. Anthony Waterer, Knap Hill, 
Woking, and a Silver Banksian Medal was awarded 
the group. 
A yellow Carnation named Fry’s Button 
Hole was shown by Mr. Geo. Fry, Lewisham. 
Some perennial Asters were shown by the Rev. 
W. Wilks, Shirley Vicarage, Croydon, as well as 
Geranium Shirley Blue to show that it flowers till 
frost puts a stop to growth. Some Chrysanthemums 
were shown by Mr. R. Owen, Castle Hill, Maiden¬ 
head, and two of them received certificates. Mr. A. 
Rawling, Romford, Essex, showed flowers of a new 
Dahlia named Mrs. Vagg. An attractive lot of 
winter-flowering Carnations, numerous varieties of 
Nerine, and four plants of the beautiful Iris alata, 
were exhibited by Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm 
Nurseries, Tottenham. Some fine pieces of 
Hymenanthera crassifolia and Caryopteris Masta- 
canthus from the open ground, as well as a large 
boxful of the new varieties of Streptocarpus 
were shown by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chel¬ 
sea. 
A Cultural Commendation was also awarded them 
for some handsomely grown plants of Amasonia 
calycina, otherwise known as A. punicea. A group 
or batch of well-grown Mignonette was staged by 
Mr. C. Leach, Albury Park. He also had some 
finely berried pieces of Rosa rugosa, Hippophae 
rhamnoides, and Rosa polyantha japonica. A Bronze 
Banksian Medal was awarded to Mr. W. Wells, 
Earlswood Station, Surrey, for a collection of 
Japanese and early flowering Chrysanthemums, 
Asters, Sweet Peas, Pompon Chrysanthemums, and 
other subjects were shown by Mr. John Crook, 
gardener to W. Evans, Esq., Forde Abbey, Chard. 
A beautiful stand of Saxifraga sarmentosa tricolor 
superba was exhibited by Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, 
Forest Hill. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, 
Kent, had a stand of Zonal Pelargoniums set up in 
bunches, and another of Begonia Rosebud. 
The prizes offered to amateurs for hardy perennials 
brought out some fine exhibits. The first award for 
eighteen bunches was deservedly awarded to Mr. 
G. H. Sage, gardener to the Earl of Dysart, Ham 
House, Richmond, who had some grand bunches of 
perennial Asters, Sunflowers, Phloxes, etc. The 
first prize for twelve bunches was awarded to 
W. E. Hall, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Hidley), Coker 
Court, Yeovil, who had some nice bunches of Asters, 
Sunflowers, Phygelius capensis, etc. The second 
prize in this class went to Mr. James Gibson, The 
Oaks Gardens, Carshalton. The first award for 
eight bunches was taken by Mr. Jas. Hudson, 
gardener to the Messrs, de Rothschild, Gunnersbury 
House, Acton. Miss Debenham, St. Peter’s, St. 
Albans, took the second place in this class. 
At a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Com¬ 
mittee, a Silver-gilt Knightian Medal was awarded 
to Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, for a very ex¬ 
tensive collection of Apples, many of which were 
handsomely coloured, including Worcester Pearmain, 
Hollandbury, Wealthy Scarlet Tiffin, Brabant Belle- 
fleur, and others. They also had a fine lot of Pears, 
of good size. A Silver Knightian Medal was awarded 
to A. H. Smee, Esq. (gardener, Mr. G. W. Cummins), 
The Grange, Carshalton, for a smaller collection of 
Apples, in grand condition and size. A similar 
award was made to the Dowager Lady Freak (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. Rickwood), Fulwell Park, Twickenham, 
for a collection of Apples and Pears. Smaller lots 
of Apples were shown by Mr. John Crook; by Mr. 
Chas. Ross, gardener to Col. Archer, Welford Park, 
Newbury; by Mr. Geo. Edmonds, The Grange, Gil¬ 
lingham ; by Mr. A. J. Brown, the School of Handi¬ 
craft, Chertsey, and by Messrs. Stephen Spooner & 
Sons, Hounslow Nurseries. Some Tomatos that had 
been grown amongst ashes, were exhibited by Mr. 
Jas. Hudson ; Mr. R. Owen also show r ed Maincrop 
and Perfection Tomatos. Some new Grapes and 
Apple King Harry were brought up from the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s gardens at Chiswick. The 
Grapes included the White Gros Colmar, Chasselas 
Vibert, both white varieties, and some others. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
Varieties of Cattleya Hardyana. 
Not only do we find a variability amongst the 
Cattleyas that may be classified under C. Dowiana, 
and C. D. aurea, but there is now a considerable 
amount of variation in C. Hardyana. Amongst 
them is one named C. Hardyana Massaiana which 
was exhibited at the Drill Hall, on Tuesda} 7 last, by 
Mr. Hinde, gardener to W. Wells, Esq., Sale, 
Manchester. The sepals of this were very pale, 
but the petals were heavily netted with dull rose on 
a white ground, the latter merely showdng itself in 
the form of spots giving the whole a tessellated 
appearance. The lip was the main feature of the 
flower however, and may be described as taking after 
C. Dowiana aurea in the lamina being of a rich 
crimson, with large, oblong bright yellow blotches 
extending from the throat down the sides towards 
the apex. The lip of C. Hardyana Young’s var. 
shown at the same time and place by Reginald 
Young, Esq., Fringilla, Linnet Lane, Liverpool, was 
of great size and more after the style of C. gigas 
both in size and also in colour. The base of the 
lamina and the interior of the tube was richly lined 
and netted with yellow alternating with dark crimson; 
the upper portion of the lamina itself was of a rich 
crimson purple but not maroon as in C. Hardyana 
Massaiana, and the yellow blotches were more 
strictly confined to the throat, yet edged with white 
just inside the rich purple margin. The large petals 
were reflexed longitudinally along the middle, and of 
a warm rose, lined and netted with white veins. The 
sepals were suffused and tesserated with rose on a 
white ground especially along the edges, the centre 
being very pale. A painting of Mr. Reginald 
Young’s variety was also shown, and which was 
done from the plant when it had about a dozen 
flowers upon it. 
Grammangis Ellisii. 
Occasionally this is seen in British gardens under 
the name of Grammatophyllum Ellisii, and proves a 
much more satisfactory plant to grow and flower 
than G. speciosum. The short, stout pseudo-bulbs 
are fusiform, angled, rather distinct in appearance, 
and bear numerous, narrowly strap-shaped leaves 
along their sides and tops. The flower scape bears 
a dense raceme of flowers, and assumes an ascending 
direction from the plant, while the flower bearing 
portion is drooping, and the whole is therefore sur¬ 
mounted or overtopped by the leaves. The flowers 
are of great substance with a waxy look about them, 
although the sepals and petals are green. The 
middle lobe of the lip is yellow spotted with crimson 
on the lower portion, and tipped with that colour. 
The interior and the side lobes are white and marked 
or striped with violet. It is a native of Madagascar, 
where it was discovered by the Rev. William Ellis, 
who made three visits to that island in 1833, 1854, 
and 1856. There is a coloured illustration of it in 
the Lindenia, pi. 33S. 
