November J2, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
167 
flowered specimensof Margot,MadameB. Randatler, 
&c. Mr. F. Gilks, gardener to W. E. Freir, Esq., 
Elm House, Walthamstow, was second ; and Mr. 
W. Davey was third. The first prize for four 
standards (all well bloomed) was also taken by the 
latter. Mr. F. Gilks was second; and Mr. W. 
Wesker, gardener to A. Heaver, Esq., Upper Tooting, 
was third. Mr. F. Gilks took the first prize for a 
single pyramidal specimen ; and Mr. W. Davey was 
second. Mr. F. Gilks was again successful in the class 
forsixtrained specimens of Pompons, taking the first 
prize. The first prize for six trained specimens of large 
flowering sorts was taken by Mr. D. Donald, gardener 
to J. G. Barclay, Esq., Leyton, who had the best 
flowered plants of this class in the show. Mr. J. 
Brooke, gardener to W. Reynolds, Esq., J.P., The 
Grove, Highgate, was a good second ; and Mr. W. 
Wesker was third. The first prize for six trained 
standard specimens was taken by Mr. D. Donald, 
whose plants were generally well flowered. In the 
classes for table decorations, etc., the first prize for 
three vases or epergnes was awarded to Mr. F. W. 
Seale, Sevenoaks ; the second prize went to Mrs. 
Walter Mole, High Street, Hemel Hempstead. Mr. 
R. Potter, gardener to Sir M. W. Collet, Bart., St. 
Clere, Sevenoaks, took the first place for three 
bouquets of Chrysanthemums; Mr. E. Chadwick, 
8, Dorset Gardens, Brighton, was second. Mr. J. R. 
Chard, Stoke Newington, took the first award for a 
table of bouquets, wreaths, sprays, etc., and which 
were tasteful. Messrs. Perkins & Sons, Coventry, 
were a good second, showing some novel designs. 
Mr. H. C. Garford, Stoke Newington Station, was 
third. 
Prizes were also offered for fruit and vegetables, 
bringing out a good show in themselves. The first 
prize for six dishes cf dessert Apples was taken by 
Mr. Thos. Turton, gardener to John Hargreaves, 
Esq., Maiden Erleigh, Reading. Mr. Thos. 
Bettesworth, gardener to R. Ewing, Esq., Burton 
Grange, Cheshunt, Herts, was second ; and Mr. Geo. 
Goldsmith, gardener to Sir E. Loder, Bart., Horsham, 
was third, as well as in the class for culinary Apples. 
Here Mr. Thos. Turton was again first; and Mr. 
John McKenzie, gardener to F. S. W. Cornwallis, 
Esq., Linton Park, Maidstone, was second. The 
competition was keen throughout, and the exhibits 
excellent. The first prize for six dishes of dessert 
Pears was awarded to Mr. Geo. Goldsmith ; and Mr. 
Wm. Allan, gardener to Lord Suffield, Gunton Park, 
Norwich, was second, both showing well. Mr. J. H. 
Ridgewell, Histon Road, Cambridge, had the best 
12 dishes of Potatos. He was followed by Mr. Wm. 
Pope, gardener to the Earl of Carnavon, Highclerc 
Castle, Newbury, Berks. Mr. R. Lye, gardener to 
W. H. Kingsmill, Esq., Sydmonton Court, Newbury, 
was third. The first prize for Gros Colmar Grapes 
was awarded to Mr. J. Edmonds, gardener to His 
Grace the Duke of St. Albans, Bestwood Lodge, 
Arnold, Notts. Mr. Geo. Elliott, gardener to P. N. 
Graham, Esq., Hurst Side, West Moulsey, Surrey, 
was second; and E. Tautz, Esq., i, Queen’s Walk, 
Ealing, was third. The first prize for three bunches of 
black Grapes was taken by Mr. Wm. Allan, with fine 
samples of Alicante. Mr. Arthur Ocock was second ; 
and Mr. W. Howes, gardener to Henry Tate, Esq., 
Park Hill, Streatham Common, was third. Mr. W. 
Harman, gardener to the Earl of Denbigh, Newn- 
ham Paddox, had the best white Grapes; Mr. E. 
Griffin, gardener to Alex. Christy, Esq., Coombe 
Bank,Kingston-on-Thames,being second ; and Mr. J. 
Bury, gardener to C. Bajer, Esq., Tewkesbury 
Lodge, Forest Hill, was third. Prizes were offered 
■ in three classes of vegetables by Messrs. Sutton & 
Sons, Reading. Here the first prize for g dishes of 
Potatos was taken by Mr. J. H. Ridgewell; Mr 
Wm. Pope was second; and Mr. S. J. Cook, gar¬ 
dener to J. B. Yule, Esq., Holme Wood, Hendon, 
was third. The first prize for 4 dishes of Potatos 
was taken by Mr. S. Haines, gardener to the Hon. 
D. P. Bouverie, Coleshill House, Highworth ; Mr. 
F. J. Hazell, Histon Road, Cambridge, was second : 
and Mr. Thos. Mills, Baxtergate, Loughborough, 
was third. The prizes for a collection of vegetables 
brought out some fine and attractive lots. The first 
prize was carried off by Mr. James Gibson, The 
Gardens, I he Oaks, Carshalton, Surrey, who had 
tastefully arranged lots of Cauliflower, Tomatos, 
Potatos, Onions, Celery, etc., on a groundwork of 
Parsley. The second award was taken by Mr. R. 
Lye, whose samples were very neat. Mr. C. J. 
Waite, gardener to the Hon. W. P. Talbot, Glen- 
hurst, Esher, was third. The fourth place was 
taken by Mr. Chas. Brown. There were altogether 
eleven entries. Messrs. Webb & Sons, Wordsley, 
Stourbridge, also offered prizes for a collection of 
vegetables. In this class the first prize was taken 
by Mr. C. J. Waite with some good samples; Mr. 
Wm. Pope was second, and Mr. R. Lye took the 
third place. 
In the miscellaneous class a large exhibit of Pelar¬ 
goniums and Chrysanthemums was staged by Messrs. 
H.Cannell & Sons, Swanley. The Pelargoniums were 
set up in bunches, and were notable for the size of the 
blooms, varied and rich colours. They also staged a 
group of Cyclamens. Amongst their Chrysanthe¬ 
mums were Col. W. B. Smith, Viviand Morel, 
Florence Davis, and others of large size. A table of 
Chrysanthemums was set up by Mr. H. J. Jones, 
who cut the flowers with leaves and set them up with 
ferns in pots. Very fine were Mademoiselle Marie 
Hoste, Viviand Morel, Mr. W. H. Atkinson, and 
others. A collection of Chrysanthemums was also 
exhibited by Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, Hextable, 
Swanley, including fine blooms of the Tribune, 
yellow; Mrs. A. G. Ramsay, crimson; Primrose 
League and Florence Boyd, pink. A collection 
of stove and greenhouse plants was exhibited by 
Messrs. Ed. Shuttleworth & Co., Albert Nursery, 
Peckham Rye, including Crotons, Dracaenas, Ferns, 
Heaths, etc. Some well-flowered zonal Pelargo¬ 
niums in pots scattered through the building were 
shown by Mr. G. Burnett, gardener to Mrs. Fenton, 
The Grange, Hillingdon. A group of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums in pots was shown by Messrs. Pitcher & 
Manda, including a fine lot of the yellow Ostrich 
Plume, W. A. Manda. Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth, 
Devon, had a stand of Chrysanthemum Beauty of 
Exmouth, and another of Duchess of Devonshire 
and Florence Davis. A small collection of Apples 
including fine samples of indoor culture was shown 
by Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth. A 
small collection of Chrysanthemums was shown by 
Mr. W. Beech, gardener to L. Seligman, Esq., 
Hereford House, South Kensington. Some stands 
of Chrysanthemums were shown by Messrs. Reid 
& Bornemann. A showy group of Orchids, par¬ 
ticularly Cattleyas, backed up by Crotons and 
Palms was exhibited by Messrs. B. S. Williams & 
Son, Upper Holloway. A collection of nicely- 
coloured Apples was shown by Messrs. Wm. Cut- 
bush & Son, Highgate, as well as a fine table of 
Heaths. Some Chrysanthemums were shown by 
Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn ; and also by 
Mr. J. Dibbens, Brockley. Finely-coloured Grapes 
were shown by Mr. Wm. Allen, gardener to Lord 
Suffield, Gunton Park, Norwich. Some pot plants 
of single varieties of Chrysanthemums were shown 
by Mr. J. Wright, Middle Temple Gardens. Mr. J. 
F. McLeod, gardener to J. P. Morgan, Esq., Dover 
House, Roehampton, occupied a table with 
well-grown and flowered Bouvardias. Another 
table was occupied with Capsicums and Crotons 
by Mr. A. Newell, gardener to Sir Edwin Saunders, 
Fairlawn, Wimbledon Common. A large exhibit of 
cider and cider Apples was shown by Messrs. Wm. 
Gaymer & Son, Banham, Attleborough, Norfolk. A 
large collection of Apples was shown by Messrs. J. 
Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, including all the leading 
varieties. Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Lowfield Nur¬ 
series, Crawley, occupied a similar space with Apples 
and Pears, the latter grown under glass. A collection 
of 65 dishes of Potatos was shown by Mr. J. H. 
Ridgewell. 
-.5—- 
(Hardening ||iscellany. 
FORMS OF APPLE TREES. 
I think for general garden purposes Apples grown 
on stems a few feet high and their heads stiff and 
round have the advantage in retaining their 
fruit much better during windy weather, than trees 
which are allowed to spread and grow loosely. 
Orchard trees may be differently manipulated, but 
when they have expanded their growth and become 
stiff and sturdy the crop is less likely to be blown off 
and damaged. I have grown Apples on every form 
of tree which I have seen, read of, or heard about, 
and I am decidedly in touch with Mr. Pragnell’s 
system of growing them' in gardens as described by 
“ A. D." at p. 97. I prefer to get them into their 
stiff habit by root manipulation, so that top pruning 
ultimately becomes merely nominal One can then 
top dress the roots, get large, healthy foliage with 
natural spurs, and fine crops of large fruit always 
follow.— Stirling. 
THE COCO DE MER. 
The plant which we figured on p. 117 has outgrown 
the pan in which it was originally allowed 10 root 
and has been transferred to a number one-size pot. 
The roots were found to be in splendid condition and 
to have made quite a mass of fibres, so that there 
seems little fear of its becoming firmly established. 
Each succeeding leaf gets larger, and so stiff and 
woody are they all that they have quite a metallic 
ring when tapped. The temperature of the Victoria 
house during the winter, when the water is let out 
of the tank, is considered to be too low for it, and conse¬ 
quently after the ceremony of repotting it was moved 
into the stove. Owing to the size and weight of the 
whole plant, together with the encumbrance caused 
by the large seed and the cotyledon attaching it to 
the plant, a considerable number of hands had to be 
called in to aid in the potting and removal of the 
monster baby Palm. 
COTONEASTER CONGESTA. 
At all times of the year this Cotoneaster maintains 
a neat and compact habit. The tiny leaves with 
which the plants are clothed, are of a dull, light 
green, and of quiet or unassuming appearance in the 
summer months, but towards autumn the whole 
bush assumes quite a lively appearance, owing to 
the numerous old leaves which are preparing to drop 
and change to a lively red or crimson and yellow. 
These are mixed pretty regularly with the green 
ones all over the plant, and at a short distance might 
be readily mistaken for fruit. Cuttings of the half- 
ripened wood strike readily during the latter part of 
summer, if inserted in sandy soil and kept close by 
means of a handlight. It grows slowly, and when 
planted at the upper end of projecting boulders of 
stone on the rockery, it gradually creeps down over 
them, forming almost a close, investing carpet. C. 
microphylla may be used in the same way, but it 
never forms so closely fitting and compact a mass. 
GLADIOLUS OPPOSITIFLORUS. 
The flowering stems of this species attain a height 
of 6 ft. or more, and the species may therefore be 
considered a giant amongst its kind. Dean Herbert, 
who spoke of it many years ago, believed that it was 
one of the parents of G. gandavensis, of which there 
are so many varieties in cultivation, but that idea 
has recently been disputed by Mr. Baker, of Kew. 
Some grand plants of it may be seen in the Cape 
house at Kew, where two or three distinct varieties 
may be noted. The tallest have spikes of flowers 
2 ft. long with the large white flowers arranged in 
two distinct ranks. They are blush white with a 
purple stripe along the centre of the three lower 
segments, and measure about 2J in. across. The 
great sword-shaped leaves are stiffish, glaucous 
green, and 2 ft. to 3 ft. long. Surely with material 
like this in hand an effort will be made to secure a 
new race of Gladioli, of strong and sturdy constitu¬ 
tion, with stately stems and leaves and large flowers. 
Of course size could be obtained by crossing with 
the large flowered types so common in cultivation. 
Only a few corms were sent home by Professor Mac 
Owan, and a few years must elapse before the plant 
becomes common. One of the varieties has dwarfer 
stems and narrower, more wavy, white or blush 
coloured segments having a purple line along the 
midribs. It is pretty, although not so striking as 
the tall one. 
ACHILLEA TOMENTOSA. 
When planted out in ordinary good garden soil, the 
quantity of flowers this composite will produce, as 
well as their continuity from midsummer till well into 
November,go along way to recommend the plant to the 
general cultivators. It is well adapted for rockwork 
on account of its dwarf habit, but when planted in 
situations, where the moisture is generally limited, it 
produces but a very moderate amount of bloom. 
The leaves closely resemble those of the common 
Milfoil, but they are narrower, more compact, and 
hoary. The stems closely hug the ground. We 
noted a large bed of it, consisting of some hundreds 
of plants, in the nursery of Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, 
Hextable, Swanley, where the red variety of the 
common Milfoil is still in perfection. 
