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THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 15, 1898. 
arising from the subsoil, extending deeper and deeper 
as the drought continues and the moisture is exhaled. 
This upward circulation of the water in the earth, 
the reverse of what takes place in wet weather, 
brings along with it all that the water holds in 
solution, or whatever fertilising properties the 
subsoil may contain. On reaching the surface the 
water is evaporated, but leaves behind its lime and 
potash, its phosphates, silicates, carbonates, and 
salts, all indispensable to the growth of the vegetable 
products of the farm. These are brought from the 
depths of the earth, where else they would have 
remained for ever unemployed, to be used as food 
for future harvests. From this standpoint certainly 
these periodical droughts may be viewed as bless¬ 
ings in disguise.— Z. 
SPIR/CA BULLATA. 
Few of the shrubby species of Spiraea are dwarfer 
than that under notice. Some of the forms of S. 
japonica (not Astilbe japonica), but particularly S. j. 
alba, come near this in stature, but it is a more 
widely spreading flat-topped bush. S. bullata is 
very compact, with small crumpled leaves of a dark 
green colour, brightened all over with moderate 
sized clusters of flower that are deep red in the bud 
state, and change to a rosy hue as they expand. 
The shrub grows very slowly, and does not appear to 
produce suckers to a great extent, if any. It may be 
propagated, however, by means of half ripened 
cuttings of the summer shoots, put in sandy soil 
under a handlight. 
COLEUS DISTINCTION. 
This new Coleus received some F'irst-class Certifi¬ 
cates not many months ago ; but has been grown 
sufficiently long to be tested as a bedding plant. It 
may be seen in the nursery of Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons, Chelsea, occupying a small bed beside the 
Carnations. When certificated the foliage was 
notable for its dark colour, but gave no evidence of 
its capacity to withstand our climate in the open, 
air. Just now, however, the leaves are of a blackish 
purple, ovate, revolute at the sides, and of a sturdy 
healthy appearance, notwithstanding the great heat 
and long-continued drought. The leaves are also 
finely wrinkled and have a noble appearance by the 
side of other bedding plants. For bedding purposes 
it promises to be the best of all the Coleus. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Oncidium palumbinum candidum. 
The white dove Oncid is a rare species in collections, 
and consequently but seldom seen. We noted a 
flowering plant of it the other day in the nursery of 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. It has only two 
sepals to each flower, the lateral pair being united in 
one piece and lying under the lip. They are oblong, 
and, like the obovate petals at right angles to them, 
are white. The lip is of the same colour, oblong- 
lanceolate, obtuse, and furnished with a small yellow 
spot in front of the curious little crest, which is of a 
deeper yellow and spotted with crimson. The 
pseudo-Jgulbs are small and oblong. The whole 
plant is not bulky, but constitutes an interesting 
ittle subject for suspending from the roof in pots, 
baskets, or pans. 
Oncidium phymatochilum. 
A large number of the species of Oncidium has 
small flowers but frequently a great number of them, 
and are acceptable because they flower at seasons 
when Orchids generally are not over-numerous. 
That under notice has medium sized flowers and 
gracefully elegant, both on account of the length and 
slenderness of their segments, and by reason of the 
much branched character of the flower stem. The 
latter is 3 ft. to 4 ft. long, arching and gracefully 
panicled for the greater part of their length. The 
sepals and petals are linear, reflexed, and pale yellow 
or primrose, with a few brown blotches. The lip, 
on the contrary, is white and spotted with brown 
round the yellow disc. A plant now to be seen in 
the nursery of Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, 
is grown in a basket suspended in the house devoted 
to Orchids and rockwork, and bears two handsome 
panicles as above described. 
Cattleya labiata Warneri. 
A very fine variety of this comparatively old, but by 
no means common, Cattleya has been flowering for 
-some time past in the nursery of Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons, Chelsea. The flowers are very large and of a 
warm rose colour, shaded with darker veins. Large 
as are the petals, the lip is the finest feature of the 
flower, with a large, finely crisped lamina of a rich 
purple with darker veins, and somewhat paler at the 
extreme margins ; the throat is orange and lined with 
pale lilac. This latter hue may be seen shading the 
large blotch on each side of the throat, overlying a 
white ground. The variety was originally introduced 
from Southern Brazil, not far from where C. labiata 
was originally found and first flowered in this 
country in i860. 
--*•- 
SOCIETIES. 
Croydon Horticultural— The twenty-sixth sum¬ 
mer show of this society was held in the 
grounds of Brickwood House by kind per¬ 
mission of G. W. Prince, Esq., on Wednesday, 
5th July. The weather was all that could be desired, 
and the fine old Elm trees in the park where the 
show was held afforded the necessary shade to 
enable the visitors to listen with pleasure and con¬ 
tentment to the music discoursed by the band of the 
Scots Guards, " pipers an’ a.” The show was one of 
the finest ever held by the society, and filled three 
marquees to overflowing. The roses, on account of 
the hot dry weather we have experienced this year, 
were not equal in numbers or quality to what they 
have been in former years. F'or forty-eight Roses, 
distinct, Messrs. Paul & Sons, Cheshunt, were first ; 
and for twenty four Roses, three trusses of each, Mr. 
B R. Cant, Colchester, came to the front. For 
twenty-four distinct, Mr. Geo. Mount, The Rose 
Nurseries, Canterbury, was first; and for eighteen 
Tea or Noisette Roses, Mr. B. R. Cant came in 
first, and Mr. G. Mount, second ; and for twelve 
Roses, one variety, Mr. G. Mount was first with 
Mrs. J. Laing. With twelve Teas or Noisettes, 
Messrs. D. Prior & Sons, Colchester, were first with 
Marcchal Niel. In the amateur and gardeners’ 
classes, the challenge cup for thirty-six Roses, 
distinct, went to E. B. Lindsell, Esq., Bearton, 
Hitchin ; Mr. James Brown, gardener to Mrs. 
Waterlow, Great Doods, Reigate, being second. 
For twenty-four Roses, distinct, first, Mr. W. 
Blundell, gardener to G. Christ}-, Esq., Buckhurst 
Lodge, Westerham Hill. In the local Rose classes, 
C. J. Grahame, Esq., Coombe Road, Croydon, was 
the winner of the challenge cup for twelve Roses, 
distinct, and in his stand was found the best H.P. 
in Classes 19 to 22, in Mrs. J. Laing. 
In the Rose tent were also exhibited the cut 
flowers, vegetables; and table decorations, which in 
quality were quite up to former years. For the 
most tastefully arranged dinner table decoration, 
Mr. C. Cooper, Sydenham Road Nurseries, Croydon, 
was first, and Mr. J. R. Box, Nurseryman, Croydon, 
second. For the best hand bouquet, Mr. C. H. Chaff, 
Park Hill Nursery, was first. For twelve table 
plants, Mr. C. Lane, gardener to E. H. Coles, Esq., 
Brentwood, Caterham, was first with good stuff, 
amongst which was Croton Countess, C. Golden 
Ring, C. Picturata, C. Aigburthensis, C. Gordoni, 
Cocus Weddeliana Aralia Veitchii, A. V. gracillimum, 
&c. For twenty-four bunches of hardy cut flowers, 
Mr. J. Gibson, gardener to Mrs. Berkley James, 
The Oaks, Carshalton, took premier honours, and 
he was also first for a collection of nine varieties of 
vegetables of high quality and well staged. 
The plant-tent was, however, the centre of attrac¬ 
tion, the large specimens being arranged along the 
centre, with groups of plants along the sides. In 
the open classes for nine stove and greenhouse plants 
in flower, Mr. W. Hallam, gardener to G. Warren, 
Esq., Handcross Park, Crawley, was first with small 
but fresh specimens, Mr. W. Carr, gardener to Mrs. 
Stephenson Clarke, Croydon Lodge being second. 
For nine ornamental foliage plants, Mr. W. Hallam 
was again to the front, with large and well-coloured 
Crotons, Cycas revoluta, &c., Mr. W. King, gar¬ 
dener to P. Crowley, Esq , Wadden House, this 
time coming in second, his three plants of Anthur- 
iums—Veitchii, crystallinum, and Warocqueanum 
-—being fine specimens. For a group of plants 
arranged for effect, not exceeding 100 square feet, 
Mr. W. King was first with a light arrangement, in 
which Orchids were the chief flowering plants ; 
second, Mr. C. Lane, with a neat arrangement, but 
somewhat heavier than the first-prize group. 
In the smaller group class, open to gardeners and 
amateurs, Mr. F. Scott, gardener to J. Aste, Esq , 
Ross Road, South Norwood, was first. For six 
Caladiums Mr. C. Simmonds, gardener to —. 
Mayhew, Esq , South Norwood Hill, was well to 
the front, and H. C. Filbey, Esq., was first for six 
Orchids. Mr. W. King was first for a specimen 
foliage plant, and Mr. Carr first for specimen 
flowering. 
The miscellaneous groups were a numerous and 
interesting lot. Messrs. J. Laing and Sons, Forest 
Hill, had a magnificent group of tuberous-rooted 
Begonias, single and double, arranged in a ground-. 
work of Asparagus and Ferns, and a graceful back¬ 
ground of Palms for which they were awarded a 
Silver Medal. The same firm had also another 
group of bright-coloured Caladiums. Messrs. Peed 
& Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries, had a most effective 
group of Caladiums, Palms, Gloxinias, &c. Mr. 
Box, Nurseryman, Croydon, had a beautiful group 
of double and single Begonias, arranged with Cala¬ 
diums and Ferns, and the front of Gloxinias, and C. 
argyrites; this group was very much admired. 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Holloway, had also 
an effectively arranged group of plants, amongst 
which Orchid and pitcher plants were prominent. 
Messrs. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, sent some boxes of 
Carnations, Gillardias, &c. 
The cottagers’ produce in another tent was remark¬ 
ably fine considering the dry season they have had 
to contend against. 
Royal Horticultural, July nth. —The meeting on 
Tuesday last was held in the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, Chiswick, in connection with 
the Chiswick local show and that of the National 
Carnation and Picotee Society. The exhibits were 
located in two large tents, and those for the inspec¬ 
tion of the Committees were scattered through both. 
A group of Palms, Dracaenas, Crotons, Caladiums, 
Ferns, and some Orchids, including a piece of 
Brassavola Digbyana, Cypripedium superbiens 
(Demmidoff’s variety), Epidendrum nemorale, and 
others were exhibited by Messrs. B. S. Williams & 
Son, Upper Holloway. A large and very attractive 
group of Begonias of the bedding class, and varieties 
chiefly of Begonia semperfiorens were exhibited by 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading. Very handsome 
and floriferous were Crimson Gem, with crimson 
red flowers ; Reading Snowflake, white ; Duchess of 
Edinburgh, white edged pink ; Duchess of York, rose 
flushed scarlet; Compacla rosea, dwarfer ; Coral 
Gem pink, as well as some bedding Stocks and 
Achimenes. The Begonias were only six months old 
from seed. An extensive collection of Ferns neatly 
arranged was exhibited by Mr. H. B. May, Dyson's 
Lane Nursery, Upper Edmonton. Amongst them 
we noted Davallias, Nephrolepis davallioides multi- 
ceps, Pteris tricolor, Gymnogamme schizophylla 
gloriosa, and many others interspersed with Palms, 
Crotons, Caladiums, and others. A very floriferous 
group of Gloxinias in various sized pots was ex¬ 
hibited by E. Hyde, Esq. (gardener, Mr. A Jones), 
Hillcrest, Castle Bar, Ealing. In several cases the 
flowers w'ere simply aggregated in a dense mass 
covering the top of the plants, and the leaves were 
also of large size. A small collection of new hybrid 
Begonias was exhibited by M. V. Lemoine, Nancy. 
A group of plants, including Strobilanthes Dyeri- 
anus, Begonia decora, Lilium Ukeyuri, Ferraria 
antherosa, &c., was exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch 
& Sons, Chelsea. A new plant named Nicotiana 
colossea variegata was exhibited by 1 M. J. 
Sallier fils, Neuilly, Paris. A small group 
of new seedling tuberous Begonias was ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. H. Canned & Sons, Swanley, 
Kent. Some of the flowers were of fine 
types. A Silver Banksian Medal was awarded to 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nursery, Tottenham, 
for a collection of border Carnations, exhibiting a 
great variety of colour. Two of the finest white 
varieties were Lady Wantage and Florence Emily 
Thoday. A Silver Flora Medal was accorded to 
Martin R. Smith, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Blick), Hayes 
Common, for a collection of border Carnations, 
exhibiting a great amount of variation, and set up 
with their own foliage. A new Lily named Lilium 
Alexandra; was exhibited by Messrs. Wallace & Co., 
St. John Street, Colchester. Spiraea Bumalda 
variegata was shown by Mr. A. Waterer, Knap Hill. 
Begonia Sunbeam, B. Lady Balfour of Burleigh, 
some Caladiums and Dracaena indivisa aurea 
variegata were exhibited by Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, 
Forest Hill. A fine new Lily named Lilium Lowii 
