May 27, 1893. 
615 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
pared with A. japonica alba, the flowers are of 
medium size, and the plant is about 12 in. high. 
Those who undertake its cultivation should give it 
plenty of soil, as the underground stems are some¬ 
what inclined to ramble in the same way as. A. 
japonica alba, and therefore like plenty of space and 
friable soil in which to grow and extend. A space 
could easily be prepared for it on the upper reaches 
of the rockery, where it would not interfere with its 
neighbours. A little peat could be mixed with the 
soil where it happens to be heavy and retentive. 
DISEASES OF POTATOS. 
Professor Boehm, lecturing recently on the Potato 
disease, formulated the results of his experiments of 
many years in the following sentences :—(1) Actual 
damp-rot is caused by the closing up of the lenticels, 
thus hindering respiration. The rottenness then 
caused by bacteria is a secondary phenomenon. A 
complete stoppage of the access of air is followed by 
butyric acid fermentation. (2) In Potato disease of 
a milder form the tissue is killed by Phytophthora 
infestans. The further changes which the Potato 
undergoes depend upon the intensity of the infection, 
the size of the Potato, the temperature and mcisture 
of the surrounding atmosphere. (3) Under con¬ 
ditions favourable to the development of aerobic 
bacteria the Potatos putrify : they die away slowly, 
and the addition of oxygen closes up the cells. 
This is dry rot ; the closing of the cells takes place 
from the outside, inwards. (4) Infection never 
follows through the unbruised skin, but is brought 
about by insects and snails. When stored the sound 
tubers are never infected by unsound ones. (5) An 
unsound Potato either develops no plant at all or a 
sound one. The assertion that the Phytophthora 
winters in the tubers and is carried into the field, is 
incorrect; the form and manner in which the fungus 
goes through the winter is totally unknown. (6) 
The fungus not only ceases to develop at zero, but 
it dies away ; the Potato then rots or dries up.— 
Mark Lane Express. 
-- 
SOCIETIES. 
Manchester Botanical and Horticultural.—The 
annual great Whitsuntide Horticultural Exhibition 
opened at Old Trafford, on Friday of last week, had 
been looked forward to by old exhibitors with more 
than usual interest, inasmuch as in consequence of a 
falling off in the quality of the shows of the previous 
year or two, the Council and their able secretary and 
curator, Mr. Bruce Findlay, had determined on a 
new departure, and in issuing a schedule primarily 
intended to make Orchids the great and special feature 
of this year’s annual display, had set “ old horticul¬ 
tural hands,” wondering as to what the result would 
be. Well, we are glad to be able to congratulate Mr. 
Findlay and the Council on the complete success of 
their efforts from a plantsman's point of view, for a 
show of Orchids, or a more beautiful exhibition all 
round has certainly never before been seen at Old 
Trafford, and not often anywhere else. We hope 
also that financially the results may be all that the 
.Society could desire, bnt unfortunately on Friday and 
Saturday heavy showers of rain fell, keeping many 
visitors away, and the attendance was consequently 
not what it would have been under brighter meteoro¬ 
logical conditions. 
The truly splendid exhibition of Orchids was con¬ 
fined mainljfcto the large exhibition house, and par¬ 
took somewhat of an international character, inasmuch 
as the Messrs. Linden of Brussels brought over a 
beautiful collection, for which they were awarded 
the Society’s Gold Medal. Our home trade growers 
were represented by Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., and Messrs. W. J. Lewis 
& Co., of London, Messrs. F. Sanders & Co., of St. 
Albans, Messrs. Charlesworth, Shuttleworth & Co., 
of Bradford, and Mr. Cypher, and Messrs. Heath, 
of Cheltenham, and their united contributions would 
have made a most creditable exhibition alone. The 
amateurs’ contributions came almost exclusively from 
local growers, but they were of a magnificent order 
of merit, indeed than many of Mr. George Hardy's 
specimens, their equals are not to be seen anywhere. 
The competition in the amateurs’ class for a 
collection of Orchids in bloom was confined to Mr. 
George Hardy, Pickering Lodge, Timperley, and his 
son, Mr. F. Hardy, Tynesfield, Ashton-on-Mersey. 
Mr. G. Hardy's collection, which was awarded the 
first prize, filled the east end of the exhibition house. 
There was a rich background of foliage plants, and 
in front was arranged with great skill and marked 
success a garden of Orchids. All round, forming 
the background, was a raised bank of Vandas, 
Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Odontoglossums, Onci- 
diums, and many others, in great profusion and 
beauty; and then, as forming the foreground, two 
mimic dells, divided by a bank, having carpets of 
brilliant flowers to all appearance growing out of 
natural mossy banks with an undergrowth of Fern. 
On the north side Mr. F. Hardy had arranged his 
collection; Orchids of tall growth, similar in 
character to those in the previous one, were seen 
mingled with Palms, Ferns, Coleus, etc., forming an 
attractive mass. Needless to say the awards 
followed in the order named. The winners in a 
similar class confined to nurserymen were Mr. J. 
Cypher, of Cheltenham, and Messrs. Heath & Son, 
of the same town. Mr. Cypher's group had a back¬ 
ground of Palms, with the rich leaves of Caladiums 
standing in a carpet of Ferns, and from these rose 
up a fine collection of Orchids, the fine Laelia pur- 
purata largely preponderating, one named Hardyana 
being remarkable for the breadth of its broad white 
petals and its rich wine crimson and violet lip. There 
were Cattleyas also, the fine white Dendrobium 
Jamesianum, Dendrobium thyrsiflorum, with its 
pendent spikes of white and golden flowers ; and 
crimson and purple hue supplied by the curious 
Masdevallias, Orchids which do well in a cool house; 
Odontoglossum nebulosum, with its large circular 
shell-like flowers, spotted with pinkish-lilac, and 
many others of great beauty. Messrs. Heath & Son 
made a conspicuous feature by having a plant of a 
lady’s slipper carrying more than 100 flowers. This 
group was prettily arranged, but it lacked the power 
of Mr. Cypher’s. In the class for thirty Orchids, 
the first prize was a Silver Cup, value twenty guineas, 
offered by the late president of the society, the Earl 
of Derby, there was but one compel itor, Mr. Thomas 
Statter, Stand Hall, Whitefield, who had finely 
bloomed plants of Odontoglossum hastilabium, O. 
Pescatorei, O. Alexandrae, O. superbiens, and O. 
triumphans ; Laelias purpurata and majalis ; Cattle¬ 
yas, Schroderii, Mossiae, and Mendeli, and some 
fine Cypripediums, etc.—a very beautiful group. 
The next class was for a collection of Cypripediums, 
the first prize, a Silver Cup, given by Mr. O. O. 
Wrigley, Bury. This was also won by Mr. G. 
Hardy with a really unique collection, illustrating 
not only the large variety among the ladies’ slippers, 
but the superb quality in which they can be bloomed. 
The finest in Mr. Hardy’s collection are Dominii 
Sedeni, candidulum, caudatum, Wallisi, Albo-pur- 
pureum, laevigatum, niveum, ciliolare, bellatulum, 
with its large shell-like flowers, grande atratus, 
etc., in all tw'enty-one plants. Mr. J. Cypher came 
in second with a smaller but decidedly interesting 
collection. The succeeding class in the schedule 
was for ten specimen Orchids, the first prize, a 
Silver Cup, value £10 10s., given by Mr. Joseph 
Broome, J.P., the chairman of the Council. This 
was also won by Mr. G. Hardy, who staged very fine 
specimens of Dendrobiums Wardianum, nobile 
giganteum, fimbriatum occulatum, and thyrsiflorum ; 
Cattleya mossiae, Laelia purpurata, two fine varieties, 
one with a very rich crimson-purple lip; Odonto¬ 
glossum vexillarium ; Cymbidium Lowianum, etc. 
Mrs. Hodgkinson, Haigh Hall. Bowdon, who had 
the bold and striking Sobralia macrantha, Vanda 
suavis, V. suavis Veitchii, Dendrobium Devonianum, 
D. splendidissimum Leeanum, etc, secured the 
second award. 
Mr. George Hardy also won the silver cup given 
by Mr. William Tattershall,-J.P., Vice-President of 
the Society, with a collection of Cattleyas in bloom, 
among which were remarkably attractive plants of 
Mendeli, Mossiae, Schroederi, Arnoldiana, Warneri, 
Wagneri, Schilleriana, about thirty plants in all. 
Mr. H. Shaw, Ashton-on-Mersey, took the second 
prize with some very fine varieties of much the same 
type. A silver cup, given by Mr. G. Hardy, for the 
best collection of Odontoglossums,was won by Mr. W. 
Thompson, Walton Grange, Stone, with a finecollec- 
tion, which included such good things as O. 
Harryana, O. Ruckerianum, O. sceptrum, O. 
Alexandrae, O. Cervantesii, O. pardinum, O. vexillar¬ 
ium, O. Andersonianum, O. triumphans, O. corona- 
rium, &.c. Mr. F. Hardy took the second prize with 
a more showy lot, but not so completely meeting the 
terms of the schedule. Mr. Staffer's silver cup for 
a collection of Dendrobiums was also taken by Mr 
G. Hardy, who had examples of Wardanum, 
splendidissimum, moschatum calceolaria, nobile, and 
two or three varieties of it; thyrsiflorum, Bensoniae, 
Dearei, Dominii, very fine; crassinode, &c. Second, 
Mr. J. Cypher, who staged several of the foregoing in 
smaller plants. 
The best new Orchid in flower sent out by Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co. since 1887 was Odontoglossum 
mulus (var. Statterianum), sulphur ground, blotched, 
and spotted with deep reddish-chocolate, the sulphur 
lip also blotched. The prize, a Silver Cup, value 
fifteen guineas, given by Messrs. F. Sander & Co, 
was won by Mr. T. Statter. The Veitch Memorial 
Medal and £j, offered for the best new hybrid Orch'd 
in bloom, already in commerce, was also awarded 
to Mr. Statter for Cypripedium Aylingi, a distinct 
hybrid raised from a cross between C. niveum and 
ciliolare, and a most interesting form. In the class 
for the best hybrid Orchid in bloom, not in com¬ 
merce, no award was made. Mr. G. Hardy staged 
Cypripedium Wattianum, Hardy's variety, but 
the judges held it to be the same as Cypri¬ 
pedium macrochilum. The best bona-fide speci¬ 
men Orchid in the show (the prize being the B. S. 
Williams’ Memorial Medal and £fi) was an example of 
Cattleya Reineckiana, with large broad petals and 
sepals, and handsomely coloured labellum, exhibited 
by Mr. George Hardy. The Orchid exhibition was 
considerably enhanced by large groups from Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co., St. Albans; by Messrs. B. S. 
Williams & Son, Holloway; by Messrs. Linden, of 
Brussels; by Messrs. Charlesworth, Shuttleworth 
& Co , of Bradford ; Messrs. Lewis & Co , of South- 
gate, to all of whom extra prizes were awarded. 
The best group of miscellaneous plants in or out 
of bloom was shown by Messrs. R. P. Kerr & Co., 
Liverpool, and which was one of the most beautiful 
ever set up even by those masters of the decorative 
art. Mr. Elkins, gardener to Mr. Agnew, Fairhope, 
Eccles, also secured a premier award for a 300 ft. 
group, which was deservedly admired. Mr. A. J. 
Bruce, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, took the second prize. 
In the amateurs' class the first prize is taken by Mrs. 
Hodgkinson, Bowdon. Mr. R. P. Gill, Ashton-on- 
Mersey, is second. All these groups are very fine 
and effective, and show what can be done with small 
plants in securing pictorial effects. The best collec¬ 
tion of Ferns arranged for effect, and a singularly 
pleasing arrangement too, was contributed by the 
Messrs. Birkenhead, of Sale. 
Fruit was but sparingly represented by collections 
of six bunches of grapes, the first prize for which 
was by Mr. Edmonds, gardener to the Duke of St. 
Albans, Bestwood. These were the ripest and best 
coloured, and consisted of four bunches of Black 
Hamburg, a|lLone each of Buckland Sweet Water, 
and Foster's. Seedling. Mr. Bannerman, gardener to 
Lord Bagot,’ Blithfield, was second, with Madres- 
field Court, Black Hamburg, and Foster’s Seedling. 
Extra prizes were awarded to Mr. J. Cypher, 
Cheltenham, for a collection of specimen stove and 
greenhouse plants ; to Messrs. John Waterer& Sons, 
Bagshot, for Rhododendrons ; to Messrs R. Smith & 
Co., Worcester, for Clematis and other plants ; to Mr. 
Mason, Manchester, for a very fine circular group 
of plants; to Messrs. Dicksons (Limited), Chester, 
for a collection of hardy flowers ; to Messrs. Hark- 
ness & Sons, Bedale, for hardy flowers, and to 
Miss Lord, Timperley, for a collection of 
Calceolarias. 
Royal Botanic, May lyth .—The summer show of 
this society was held in the large marquee where the 
plants were stood upon the sloping grass terraces as 
usual. There was a fairly large concourse of visitors, 
notwithstanding the occasional heavy showers of 
rain. Mr. J. F. Mould, Pewsey, Wilts, was the 
only exhibitor of twelve stove and greenhouse plants 
in the nurserymen's class, and had fine specimens of 
Erica Cavendishii, Statice profusa, Erica ventricosa 
magnifica, and Darwinia macrostachya. He was 
also first in the class for six plants, having good pieces 
of Erica tricolor Wilsoni, E. depressa, and Ixora 
Dixiana. Mr. H. James, Castle Nursery, West 
Norwood, was second in this case. Mr. A. Offer, 
gardener fo John Warren, Esq., Handcross Park, 
Crawley, was the only exhibitor of six stove and 
greenhouse plants in the amateurs’ class, showing 
fine pieces of Aphlexis humilis purpurea, Anthurium 
Scherzerianum, and Statice profusa. He also had 
the best six Cape Heaths, in moderate sized speci- 
