July 15, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
721 
itself to be a good traveller. After the Ghent Show 
it made its appearance at one of the Drill Hall 
meetings, where it obtained a First-class Certificate. 
Thence it was sent across the Atlantic to New York, 
from New York it went to Chicago, and from 
Chicago back to Boston, where it turned up "as 
fresh as paint,” and won a Silver Medal. As a mile¬ 
age record, this surely beats the experiences of that 
famous Erica Cavendishiana, of the Messrs. Cole, 
which some twenty years ago was said to be 
acquainted with half the railway porters in England, 
and to know its way about as well as the lively 
“ Billy ” himself ! 
The Manchester Rose Show, held on the 6th inst., 
again found the Southern Rose growers almost com¬ 
pletely out of the hunt, both in the trade and 
amateur competitions. In the open classes the 
Messrs. Harkness, of Bedale, were first for seventy- 
two singles ; Messrs. Mack & Son, Catterick, being 
second; and Mr. H. Merryweather, Southwell, 
third. The Bedale firm-were also first with thirty- 
six trebles, twelve Teas or Noisettes, and twelve 
trusses of any white Rose. For the best eighteen 
Tea or Noisettes, the premier award went to Messrs. 
D. & W. Croll, of Dundee, who also had the best 
dozen blooms of any yellow Rose. In the amateurs’ 
competition with thirty-six single trusses, the awards 
went to the Rev. J. H. Pemberton, Havering-atte- 
Bower, Essex ; Mrs. A. Whitton, Bedale ; Mr. W. 
Boyes, Derby; and Mr. E. B. Lindsell, Hitchin ; 
and Mr. H. V. Machin, Worksop, was well to the 
fore in other classes. The display of Roses all 
round, considering the season, was exceedingly good, 
and the attractiveness of the exhibition was enhanced 
by liberal contributions from Messrs. Dickson, 
Brown & Tait and Messrs. Dickson & Robinson, 
Manchester ; Messrs. Dicksons, Limited, Chester ; 
Messrs. Clibran & Son, Altrincham ; Mr. F. Law, 
and others. 
Seizure of Rotten Fruit.—With commendable 
promptitude the sanitary authorities have com¬ 
menced the seizure of unsound fruit, of which it 
appears considerable quantities have been consigned 
to London. With cholera and other epidemics 
threatening bur shores, and in the present sultry 
weather, this step has become a paramount necessity. 
At Worship Street the sanitary inspector of the 
Whitechapel Board of Works obtained the condem¬ 
nation of a consignment of Pineapples, which coster¬ 
mongers were hawking in the street at a halfpenny a 
slice. No fewer than 442 Pines were thus seized, 
and, acting on information obtained from the costers, 
the inspector went to a cellar in Spitalfields, where 
he found several casks of the same fruit, which 
were all unfit for human consumption. The magis^ 
trate order'ed the whole to be destroyed. 
Wakefield Paxton Society.—A most interesting and 
well-attended meeting was that of the 8th inst , when 
the Pelargonium was the subject of discussion. Mr. 
Corden, of Wakefield, opened the proceedings by 
reading a short paper on the methods by which he 
produces such good specimens. Mr. Corden is well 
known in the district as an enthusiastic and success¬ 
ful amateur grower. He has given a great deal of 
time and attention to the raising of improved forms 
of double and single zonals, and has been eminently 
successful, as was demonstrated on Saturday last, 
when he exhibited both plants and cut blooms. 
There are but a few of his varieties yet in commerce, 
but all are, almost without exception, worthy of 
forming part of any good collection. Mr. W. 
Hudson, of Sandal Grange, Wakefield, and Mr. G. 
Hudson, of Woolley Park Gardens, also exhibited 
cut blooms. The discussion chiefly related to the 
winter blooming qualities of zonals. Mr. Corden 
gave his experience as to culture of plants during 
the summer that would be in full beauty at Christ¬ 
mas. Messrs. A. V. Maher, W. Hudson, and Swales 
also took part. 
Vegetable) Products in Cornwall and the late Refresh¬ 
ing Showers.—The thirsty earth has at last drunk in 
refreshing showers, and the condition of vegetation 
is entirely changed. Even farmers and market gar¬ 
deners look brighter themselves, and well they may, 
for there is now a chance of getting in Turnips for 
autumn and winter use. Those who have had the 
labour of planting Cabbage and Brocoli will have 
the privilege of repeating the operation, for there 
was nothing but dried leaves to show that the ground 
had been at all occupied. Now, however, comes the 
chance. Tomatos, grown in the open, have come 
into marketable condition very rapidly during the 
last few days, and the crops will probably be very 
heavy. The excessive sunshine has done wonders 
for this vegetable this year. Grapes, too, are most 
abundant, and should be put into the market at a 
reasonable figure, for the profit to the grower, under 
the circumstances, will permit of it. Apples are 
abundant in most of the Cornish orchards, where 
blight has not taken the fruit and leaves wholesale, 
and many tons have been despatched within the last 
few days. The fruit is unusually large and early in 
ripening. Pears are scarcely as abundant, but 
Plums will realise well. Cherries never did very 
well in Cornwall, a fact which is rather remarkable, 
considering the nature of the soil. It is gratifying 
to learn that the various Technical Education Com¬ 
mittees are becoming more and more convinced of 
the necessity of extending their operations to impart¬ 
ing a scientific knowledge of gardening, especially to 
the younger branches of those occupied in the trade, 
and it is equally satisfactory to find that in every 
instance where classes have been established the 
success has been of a character that warrants con¬ 
tinuance. 
The Royal Wedding Decorations—Buckingham 
Palace has not for many years been made to assume 
such a gorgeous appearance. At every turn 
we were confronted by a display of the 
choicest flowers, and the atmosphere seemed heavily 
laden with the odour produced by many thousands 
of lovely Roses, the most predominating variety 
amongst‘which was the old White iProvence. The 
Royal Banquet on Wednesday was served in the 
State Dining-room. Here were displayed the unique 
and magnificent gold plate, interspersed with a great 
profusion of the choicest Exotics. The State 
Dining-room was used for the accommodation of 
Her Majesty’s Royal guests. A series of round 
tables were arranged in the centre of the room, with 
buffets on either side. At the back of these were 
displayed the magnificent service of gold plate, and 
arranged between the magnificent gold cups and 
vases were innumerable graceful Palms, and other 
pretty foliage plants. To accommodate the 
numerous guests invited by Her Majesty to the 
Royal Wedding, the spacious ball-room was set 
apart as an impromptu breakfast-room. Here some 
four to six hundred guests were provided with break¬ 
fast. This magnificent room was, like the spacious 
State dining-room, most elaborately decorated with 
Exotics, and as the State dining-room opens into the 
ball-room, the effect of the elaborate floral display 
could be more easily imagined than realised. The 
decorations at the Palace were as usual entrusted to 
Messrs Wills & Segar, of Onslow Crescent, South 
Kensington, and Messrs. J. W. Wimsett & Son, 
King's Road, Chelsea, and needless to say were 
faultlessly carried out. The wedding bouquets were 
by Royal command supplied by Messrs. Wills & 
Segar. H.S.H. The Princess Mary of Teck, carried 
a lovely shower bouquet, in which the predominant 
flower was the old White Provence Rose, interspersed 
with blooms of the new white Carnation, The Bride, 
beautiful Orchids, Orange Blossoms, Myrtle, and 
Lily of the Valley. The ten bridesmaids’ bouquets 
were composed of similar flowers with the addition 
of the pretty mauve Cattleya Mendelii. H.R.H. 
the Princess of Wales also carried a lovely bouquet of 
York Roses, White Carnations, and choice Orchids. 
In all, there were fourteen bouquets, carried by as 
many Princesses, an unprecedented occurrence in the 
history of Royal Weddings. 
Nymphaea Lotus Ortgiesiana.—The bright rosy- 
red colour of the flowers of this Nymphaea 
are very attractive when they expand in the 
morning sun or in response to the rising tempera¬ 
ture. They are also of large and handsome size, as 
is the case with most of the varieties of N. Lotus 
and allied forms. The leaves are also of wonderful 
proportions when plenty of space has been given the 
plant to make good growth and other conditions of 
good culture are attended to. They are orbicular 
with a slightly open sinus, wavy, and repandly 
toothed at the edges, so that as they lie upon the 
water they give it a crimped appearance. In the 
young state of these great shield like leaves they are 
of a beautiful bronz>-red hue, ultimately becoming 
dark green. The calyx is linewise coloured like the 
young leaves. Like several other of the noblest 
forms of Water Lilies, this one is now flowering 
finely in the house, or rather the tank, specially set 
apart for their culture at Kew. 
KINGSTON GARDENERS 
AT READING. 
On Wednesday of last week, just after a glorious rain 
and when the clouds tempered pleasantly the pre¬ 
valent hot sunshine, a large party of the gardeners 
of Kingston and Surbiton, in company with the 
members of the Gardeners' Cricket Club of the 
locality, journeyed to Reading for the primary object 
of enjoying a game of cricket with one of Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons’ fine teams, but also to see all that 
eminent firm had to show them. The party were 
under the leadership of Mr. A. Dean, who had 
arranged the details. They found compartments in 
the early train specially reserved for them, and 
reached the biscuit town, as it is popularly termed, at 
tena.m. Here they were met by Mr. Jones, the seed 
firm's well-known Potato department head, and in a 
couple of large breaks kindly provided by Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, drove to the offices and warehouses. 
Here on behalf of the firm they were heartily wel¬ 
comed by Mr. Leonard Sutton; then under the con¬ 
duct of that able cicerone, Mr. Caldwell, were all 
conducted over the immense range of buildings 
which comprise the firm's stores, etc. Then into the 
conveyances—Mr. Jones leading the way with Mr. 
Atter, head of the flower seed department, in com¬ 
pany—the party were driven out to the seed farm and 
trial ground, where, in spite of the adverse influences 
exercised by the drought, there were myriads of in¬ 
teresting, as well as beautiful, things to be seen and ap¬ 
preciated—lovely masses of annuals, on the one hand, 
extensive trials of Peas, Potatos, and other good 
vegetables on the other. Then the party remounted 
the vehicles, and were driven to the London Road 
Nurseries, where Mr. James Martin was in waiting to 
conduct them over his most attractive department. 
A fine break of summer Stocks first claimed attention, 
then Cannas, Celosias, Portulaccas, Carnations from 
seed; Petunias, Verbenas, Mignonette; lots of charm¬ 
ing things in great variety, affording abundant 
pleasure to the visitors. In the houses the party 
found a wealth of beauty that staggered them. First 
a large span house full of diverse varieties of 
Achimenes in bloom, and splendidly grown in 48- 
sized pots. Many of the varieties, especially 
Splendens, fiery scarlet ; Ambrose Verschaffelt, 
white, with dark veins; Celestial, lavender-blue; 
Longiflora, deep blue ; Rosy Queen, rose magenta ; 
Lady Lyttleton, ruddy carmine ; Harry Williams, 
deep, rich rosy carmine ; Masterpiece, purple, were 
very beautiful, and we could heartily wish to see this 
once popular flower again universally grown. From 
these the party passed into a similar house of young 
Gloxinias, plants just getting well into bloom from 
seed sown so recently as February last, a splendid 
lot truly, many of the flowers being of wonderful 
excellence. Then again into house after house full 
of other young and myriads of older plants, pre¬ 
senting a Gloxinia feast, such as could hardly be 
.equalled anywhere in the Kingdom. The grand 
nature of the strain now so wonderfully improved, 
and the most admirable culture shown, calls for the 
warmest admiration. Begonias again evoked the 
most profound surprise and admiration. They are 
at once so fine, grandly coloured, and so lovely. Not 
least are the products of the semperflorens strain, 
Crimson Gem, Princess Beatrice, Snow Flake, 
Duchess of Edinburgh, which seem to do as well 
out-of-doors as inside, and are as lovely for bedding 
as for pot work ; whilst also they are so valuable for 
winter decoration when the tuberous forms are at 
rest. 
Having here been satiated with floral beauty the 
party had, perhaps, become all the more physically 
hungry, for now they again mounted the breaks and 
gladly accepted the firm's generous invite to luncheon. 
This was found ready for them at the Abbey rooms, 
a splendid spread for some fifty persons being 
prepared. The luncheon party, presided over by 
Mr. Leonard Sutton, in the absence of his respected 
brother, included the whole of the visitors, the firm’s 
edeket team, that was that day to play, and several 
heads of departments 
Ample justice having been done to the meal, Mr. 
Dean, on behalf of the visitors, tendered to Mr. 
Sutton, and the distinguished firm he represented, the 
grateful thanks of himself and Kingston friends. 
He said their reception had been a royal one, and 
they had been splendidly welcomed, and most 
hospitably entertained. These remarks were 
enthusiastically cheered. Mr. Leonard Sutton, in 
