July 15, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
7‘27 
THE EARL’S COURT 
ROSE SHOW. 
The third Rose show of the season at Earl’s Court 
was held in the large tent in the western gardens on 
the 12th inst. The Roses were considerably smaller 
in some cases than on former occasions, as might 
have been expected, but the cooler weather they 
have enjoyed for some days past has enabled them 
to recover somewhat and appear in fresh condition. 
In view of the earliness of the season prizes were 
offered in seven classes for Carnations and Picotees, 
and this had the effect of adding somewhat to the 
variety and effectiveness of the show. Fruit was 
shown in considerable quantity, in fact more than 
was the case last-year at shows which were obviously 
more pretentious. The miscellaneous exhibits 
arranged round the sides and ends of the tent were 
also additional features to what would otherwise 
have been merely a display of low tables with cut 
flowers and fruit. 
In the class for forty-eight varieties of Roses, in 
trebles, Mr. C. Turner, Slough, was the only com¬ 
petitor. Some of his best blooms were Baroness 
Rothschild, Pride of Waltham, Mrs. John Laing, 
Charles Lefebvre, Prince Arthur, Suzanne Marie 
Rodocanachi, Merville de Lyon, Marie Van Houtte, 
etc. Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, had the first 
prize for forty-eight blooms. The first award for 
twenty-four Roses in trebles was taken by Messrs. 
D. Prior & Son, Myland Nurseries, Colchester. The 
exhibit included fine blooms of Anna Olivier, Jean 
Ducher, Marechal Niel, Black Prince, La France, 
Mrs. J. Laing, Baroness Rothschild, Gustave Piga- 
neau, and others. Mr. Geo. Mount, Canterbury, 
took the second place with good blooms of Niphetos, 
Marie Verdier, Alfred Colomb, Mrs. John Laing, 
Madame Eugenie Verdier,and others. Messrs.D. Prior 
& Son again took the lead for twenty-four blooms, 
showing fine examples of Mrs. John Laing, Marechal 
Niel, Charles Lefebvre, La Rosiere, Marquise de 
Castellane, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, and others- 
Mr G. Mount again took the second place with 
blooms that were very little inferior in point of merit 
to those of the first prize lot. Messrs. D. 
Prior & Son were the only exhibitors of twenty- 
four Tea or Noisette Roses, and had very 
tolerable blooms of Catherine Mermet, Julius 
Finger, Jean Ducher, Marie Guillot, and Marechal 
Niel. Mr. G. Mount had the first prize 
for eighteen blooms of Tea and Noisettes, showing 
good blooms of Hon. Edith Gifford, Catherine 
Mermet, and Madame Charles. Messrs. Paul & 
Son, Cheshunt, were the only exhibitors of garden 
Roses, and the exhibit, in addition to the first prize, 
was highly commended. The bunches of L’ldeal, 
Gustave Regis, Camoens and others were sweet and 
handsome. So close was the competition in the 
class for twelve bunches of stove and greenhouse 
flowers that equal first prizes were awarded to Mr. 
J. Prewett, Swiss Nursery, Hammersmith, and Mr. 
G. Wythes, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, 
Syon House, Brentford. Eucharis, Hymenocallis, 
Cattleyas, Heaths, Statices, &c., were very prominent. 
Mr. A. Gibson, gardener to T. T. Burnaby Atkins, 
Esq., Halstead Place, Sevenoaks, was placed third 
with a splend-id exhibit likewise. 
An extra prize was awarded to the last exhibitor 
in the amateurs’ classes for twelve bunches of garden 
Roses, which were large, but not what is generally 
understood as garden Roses. He had the first award 
for twelve hybrid perpetual Roses. Mr. James 
Parker, Oakfield Hitchin, Herts, was second, and 
Miss E. Bailey Denton, Orchard Court, Stevenage, 
Herts, was third. Mr. John Parker was first for 
twelve Teas and Noisettes. 
The first award for twenty-four Carnations was 
taken by Mr. M. Rowan, Chelsea, with fine blooms 
of Robert Houlgrave, Alfred, Rob Roy, Joe 
Edwards, Gordon Lewis, Fred, and others. Mr. C. 
Turner took the second place with a very fine 
exhibit, and many large blooms. Mr. J. Douglas, 
gardener to Mrs. Whitbourn, Great Gearies, Ilford, 
was third. Mr. Geo. Chaundy, New Marston, 
Oxford, had the best twelve Carnations, with rich 
and distinct markings. Mr. F. Hooper, Bath, was 
second; and Mr. A. J. Sanders, gardener to Vis¬ 
countess Chewton, Cobham, was third. The first 
award for twenty-four Picotees was taken by Mr. C. 
Turner, with fine blooms of Favourite, Mrs. Sharp, 
Lady Holmesdale, Lady E. Vander-Weyer, Dr, 
Epps, Mrs. S. Beal, John Archer, etc. Mr. J. 
Douglas took the second place ; and Mr. M. Rowan 
was third. Mr. F. Hooper, Bath, had the best 
twelve Picotees; Mr. G. Chaundy was second ; and 
Mr, A. J. Sanders was third. Mr. C. Turner had 
the best twenty-four self and fancy Carnations in 
blooms of large size and richly coloured. Mr. J. 
Douglas again followed; while Mr. A. Smith, 
Downly, High Wycombe, Bucks, was third, with 
considerably inferior blooms. Mr. J. Walker, 
Thame, had the best twelve seifs and fancies; and 
was followed by Mr. Rowan, 36, Manor Street, 
Clapham; and Mr. G. Chaundy took the third 
place. There was great competition in this class. 
Mr. J. Douglas had the best twelve yellow ground 
Carnations; Mr. C. Turner was second; and Mr. 
G. Chaundy took the third place. All three were 
good exhibits. 
The entries for fruit were numerous, and made a 
good display. Black Grapes numbered nine 
entries, and the first award was taken by Mr. A. 
Maxim, gardener to the Hon. Miss Shaw-Lefevre, 
Heckfield Place, Winchfield ; Mr. T. Osman, Otter- 
shaw Park, Chertsey, was-second; Mr. F. Jordon, 
gardener to Birkett Foster, Esq., Witley, Surrey, 
was third, and an extra award went to Mr. W. 
Shingler, East Dereham. Mr. W. Lane, King’s 
Ride, Ascot, had the best white Grapes; Mr. W. 
Tidy, Stanmore Hall, Middlesex, was second ; and 
Mr. T. Osman came in third. The first award for 
three Melons was taken by Mr. E. Little, gardener 
to L. M. Wright, Esq., Milton Court, Dorking. 
Mr. T.'Elisha, Old Windsor, had the best Melon. 
Mr. W. Chuck, gardener to P. Thellusson, Esq., 
Brodsworth, Doncaster, was the only exhibitor of 
three dishes of Strawberries, taking the first prize, 
as well as for one dish. The first award for Peaches 
was taken by Mr. F. Billings, gardener to R. W. 
Hanbury, Esq., 11 am Hall, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. 
He also had the best dish of Nectarines. Mr. S. 
Mortimer, Swiss Nursery, Farnham, Surrey, was 
the only exhibitor of a dish of Cherries, and was 
accorded the first prize. 
Amongst the miscellaneous exhibits a very fine 
group of Ferns was exhibited by Mr. H. B. May, 
Dyson’s Lane Nurseries, Upper Edmonton. They 
were very effectively arranged on a flat table extend¬ 
ing round the end of the tent and along part of one 
side. Graceful Palms occupied the back ground 
along with Dracaenas, Crotons, Azalias, and the 
taller Ferns such as Nephrolepis rufescens tripinna- 
tifida. The varieties of Ferns were numerous and 
well grown, as everybody knows who has seen 
this exhibitor's work. The front of the staging 
was draped with Isolepis and a beautiful 
grass, Stenotaphrum glabium variegatum. A very 
effective lot of cut flowers of herbaceous plants 
was. exhibited by Mr. G. H. Sage, gardener to 
Earl Dysart, Ham House, Richmond. He had fine 
masses of Eryngium Oliverianum, Chrysanthsmum 
maximum, Gypsophila paniculata, Phloxes. Del¬ 
phiniums, Coreopsis lanceolata, and some beautiful 
border Carnations, including G. H. Sage and Jim 
Smyth. The opposite end of the tent was occupied 
by Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, with cut 
flowers of herbaceous plants, including Lilies, 
Gladioli, Phloxes, Pentstemons, Sweet Peas, 
Godetias, Shirley Poppies, Eschscholtzias, and other 
annuals. The back ground was occupied with 
Palms and some of the taller herbaceous perennials. 
A miscellaneous lot of hardy flowers was shown by 
Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Lowfield Nursery, 
Crawley, including sprays of Violas on velvet 
covered stand, Phloxes, Sweet Peas in great variety, 
and all named, also border Carnations, Gaillardias, 
and other herbaceous plants, and fine foliage trees and 
shrubs. Four large stands of Roses, including one 
of Rose Mrs. J. Laing, were staged by Messrs. Geo. 
Jackman & Son, Woking, Surrey. Another box con¬ 
sisted of blooms set up in bud state, and very pretty. 
A collection of Carnations and Picotees, cut with long 
stalks and foliage, was set up by Mr. J. Walker, and, 
because natural, were very attractive. Messrs. Barr 
& Son showed a miniature rockery on a frame which 
could be moved about as desired. It showed a great 
amount of variety, both in plants and the positions in 
which they could be planted. Some plants of 
Anthurium Andreanum Thellussoni were shown by 
Mr. W. Chuck. 
A Silver Gilt Medal was awarded to Messrs. T. 
Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth, for a collection of 
Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, &c., which 
were notable for their large size and fine finish. 
§ARDENING fflSCELLANY. 
AQUILEGIA CHRYSANTHA. 
A coloured illustration of five varieties of this 
Columbine is given in the Revue de VHorticulture Beige 
for July. Although all classed under A. chrysantha, 
some of them would be attributed to A. caerulea, or 
even to A. canadensis in this country. The flowers 
of the typical A. chrysantha are clear yellow with 
long spurs. Of those figured, one has vermilion 
sepals and golden-yellow petals; another is lilac 
with longer, pale yellow petals; a third has rose 
sepals and creamy petals ; a fourth is white ; and a 
fifth has dark blue sepals and white petals. There is 
a dwarf variety of the species named A. c. nana. A 
variety is being put into commerce by Messrs. 
Vilmorin-Andriex & Co., Paris, under the name of 
A. cseruleh flore luteo. This would seem to be 
closely allied to A. chrysantha, but is said to possess 
an advantage over other species of Aquilegias with 
yellow flowers by commencing to bloom in April, 
and continuing thence onward to the end of June. 
These Aquilegias are handsome both for garden 
decoration, for cut flowers, and for pot culture. 
SOLANUM WENDLANDI. 
For tall-roofed, warm conservatories or stoves where 
plenty of top room is at command, this is certainly 
one of the most gorgeous of climbers. Both leaves 
and flowers are handsome. The former are deeply 
pinnatifid with a large triparted terminal lobe, and 
in general aspect may be compared to those of the 
Potato, which belongs to the same genus, but they 
are more leathery, smooth, and refined, as might be 
expected. The flowers are produced in large pendent 
cymes from the ends of the branches, and individually 
are of great size, and pale blue or lilac with a paler 
or nearly white band along the centre of each 
segment. The species is a native of Costa Rica, and 
is one of the comparatively few species of Solanum 
that are cultivated under glass for the sake of their 
flowers. Comparatively small plants may be 
flowered in pots, but they never have the gorgeous 
effect that large plants produce when trained to the 
rafters or other supports of the roof and the branches 
allowed to hang down loosely, as in the Water Lily 
house at Kew. 
ALLIUM PEDEMONTANUM. 
Only a few of the species of Allium are received 
with any degree of favour in gardens. The smell of 
many of them may be objectionable when bruised or 
when used as cut flowers, but as subjects for border 
decoration, or more particularly for culture on the 
rockwork of the smaller kinds, they are certainly 
pretty and attractive. As an instance of the ground¬ 
less objection which people may have to them may 
be mentioned the starry white-flowered A. neapolita- 
num which is grown in ever increasing numbers by 
the market gardeners in winter. Probably not a 
tithe of the British public who buy the flowers have 
any idea how closely related they are to those of the 
Onion. The flowers of A. pedemontanum are boll¬ 
shaped, produced in drooping umbels, and deep rose 
purple, fading to pale rose at the tips and also pale 
internally. The interior of the flowers presents a 
curiously triangular appearance, owing to the way in 
which the segments are disposed in threes. The 
linear leaves are glaucous, and the flower scapes 
12 in. to 16 in. high. 
THE INFLUENCE OF DROUGHT ON 
THE SOIL. 
A good deal of discussion is going on in the Press 
anent the influence of drought on the soil. It is 
assumed by one Cornish writer that the prolonged 
drought will be the means of increasing the fertility 
of the soil for the growth of future crops by storing 
up an abundant supply of nitrogen, and he assumes 
the White Clover plant to be the chief factor in 
obtaining that supply. Some writers contend, very 
correctly, however, that the larger the plant the 
deeper it strikes its root in search for food, and 
therefore the more luxuriant is the vegetation the 
greater the amount of nitrogen extracted from the 
lower portions of the soil and stored up in the roots 
of the" Clover plant for future use. We think that 
during dry weather a continual evaporation takes 
place from the surface soil, more than that supplied 
by any rain or dew which may happen to fall. This 
creates a vacuum that is at once filled up by water 
