August 26,1898. THE GARDENING WORLD. 
823 
and many of them may now be described as stately 
and handsome objects. The flowers hang with their 
face downwards, and the segments are strongly 
revolnte, closely resembling those of L. speciosum in 
form, but entirely different in colour, being of a 
beautiful orange-apricot, spotted with crimson on the 
lower half, and more or less distinctly tuberculate. 
It is a more vigorous Lily evidently than L. speci¬ 
osum ; but if the two are planted together in a bed. 
L. Henryi should be planted in the centre. It is a 
native of Western China, and would increase all the 
more readily, probably, if the Chinese would take up 
its culture, and then send importations of it to this 
country in the same way as other Ljlies from that 
part of the world. The species is also now flowering 
in the nursery of Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, who 
holds, perhaps, the largest trade stock in Europe. 
BIG GOOSEBERRIES. 
Your correspondent "A. D.” respecting these is 
going rather out of the track, as records were not re¬ 
ferred to further than noting current events. But even 
if beating the record of the “Fruit Manual” were 
tried for, I do not doubt but it would be found, as 
some of the finest fruits burst before they can be 
shown. It is just possible that there is a little 
vanity in growing large Gosseberries, but it is also 
possible that an artisan who finds a hobby in grow¬ 
ing large Gooseberries has as much pleasure in doing 
so as the late Mr. Barlow had in growing large 
Apples, or a florist may have in producing a fine 
Dahlia bloom. A good bush of the variety 
Catherine, bearing fine ripe fruit, is, I can say in its 
way a very interesting object. Your correspondent 
is right respecting the error in the figures on p. 
788. Instead of 22 dwts. 17 grs., it should be 29 
dwts. 17 grs., and what read 29 dwts. 26 grs. 
should be 29 dwts. 6 grs. A Gooseberry grower 
tells me that London has been grown or shown in 
the neighbourhood of Congleton, not far from here, 
weighing 34 dwts. Regarding the white Warring¬ 
ton sport, it would be easy to fix it; but as it is not 
such a good variety as the red, we have simply tied 
a string on the branch to mark it so that it is not 
pruned off in winter. As a curiosity to visitors, it is 
always interesting noticing the white and red fruit 
growingupon the same bush.— Robt. 'Mackellar, Abney, 
Cheadle. 
TOM TITS IN THE GARDEN. 
There are loud complaints occasionally against Tom 
Tits but at the same time we must not forget that 
they do an immense amount of good in destroying 
insect pests, in the pursuit of which they will come 
close to open windows at which some one may be 
sitting, and I have at times noticed the rapidity with 
which they will clear young growths of Roses from 
aphis. Living now in the heart of a town and en¬ 
closed in with houses I was much surprised the other 
day to see ten or a dozen of them on a Laburnum 
tree close to the window. How they should have 
found it out seemed rather strange, and what were 
they after ? Well, the caterpillars of one of the roller 
moths. The way they go about their work is most 
interesting, sometimes even suspended head down¬ 
wards. When they take to clearing a tree of insects, 
if undisturbed they will usually make a pretty clean 
job of it.— G. 
SUCCESSFUL PEACH CULTURE. 
Calling at a market nursery the other day I saw a 
Peach house about 80 ft. by 15 ft. from which 2,000 
fruits, of the first quality have been taken. The 
house was planted in 1891 with fair, but not extra- 
sized trees which have now completely covered the 
roof with wood of a sturdy growth. The foliage is 
now, after the fruit has been gathered, quite free 
from spider, and is of the richest hue imaginable. 
As only about one-third of the roof was covered with 
bearing wood this year there is a fair prospect of the 
cropbeing doubled next season. I think this an instance 
of successful culture which is deserving of record, 
especially as I know that those upon whom the work 
of accomplishing this result has fallen had no 
previous experience of Peach growing. In the-same 
establishment they are good hands at Tomatos, 
Cucumbers, Grapes, and Chrysanthemums, of which 
more anon. — IF. B. Glasscock. 
PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS. 
Having come across this old favourite under two 
very diverse circumstances, in both of which it 
presents at the present time a most attractive 
appearance, and is, I think, of a richer hue than 
usual, I should like to draw attention to its value as 
a conservatory climber and window plant. At the 
back of a conservatory I saw the other day the 
finest mass of it that I have ever met with, and its 
value for this purpose is pretty generally known, 
but to find what looked like a splendid bouquet of 
it in a cottage window was to me at least a novel 
experience. It formed a superb blind and a striking 
contrast to the general run of plants used for the 
purpose. The plant was growing in a 12-in. pot, 
and would do credit to any professional gardener.— 
W. B. Glasscock. 
TROP/EOLU M SPECIOSUM. 
It is generally considered that drought and heat are 
the great enemies of this species in the South of 
England, and if that were entirely the case, the 
flowering of the plant in the south would have been 
a failure this season. We have seen moderate-sized 
clumps of it, however, both in Middlesex and Surrey 
flowering with comparative freedom, that is, as far 
plants in the south are concerned. The fleshy, 
rhizomatous roots have been slowly establishing 
themselves for some years past amongst some 
shrubbery at Falkland Park, South Norwood Hill. 
The stems have been allowed to ramble over a low 
tree of Abies Pinsapo, and they are now flowering 
freely. The soil is gravelly and open, but enriched 
to some extent by a natural deposit of vegetable 
humis, while the aspect is north-west. Being on 
the side of the hill the ground has a considerable 
slope general ly, but in the position where the plant 
is located the slope is less, just as if there had been 
a slip at one time, or the soil washed down by rains, 
so that the situation would appear to be naturally 
favourable to the well-being of the plant. 
THE NATIONAL CO¬ 
OPERATIVE FLOWER SHOW. 
The Eighth Annual Co-operative Flower Show, 
organised by the Agricultural and Horticultural 
Association, Limited, and the Sixth Annual National 
Co-operative Festival, which was founded by Mr. 
Edward Owen Greening, were held in conjunction 
at the Crystal Palace on Friday and Saturday of 
last week, and the result was a most gratifying 
success, notwithstanding that the number of visitors 
on the second day was not so large as on the corres¬ 
ponding day of last year. Still, 30,000 people 
assembled in one place makes a great crowd, and 
unquestionably proclaims the success of the move¬ 
ment which has for its object the promotion of the 
higher ideals of co-operation. The festival was 
favoured with glorious weather, and the attractions 
of the show, the music, the sports, the various 
meetings and demonstrations, and finally the 
excellent display of fireworks provided abundant 
sources of amusement and enjoyment, and appeared 
to give great satisfaction to all. 
The flower show, at which some /300 was distri¬ 
buted in prizes, was of a most excellent and 
inspirating character, and the raising of the 
standard of quality all round to a higher level 
than heretofore, proves that as an object lesson to 
the working classes these annual shows are doing a 
good work, and deserve our warmest support and 
encouragement. We remember well the first two 
shows of the kind held in the great conservatory at 
South Kensington, and those which preceded the 
last one at the Crystal Palace, and difficult indeed 
is it to make any comparison between the first and 
the last, so great is the difference between them. 
At the first show at South Kensington less than 300 
exhibits were staged by working co-operators, and 
with some few exceptions the quality was very poor. 
On the present occasion the number of entries was 
4,077, an advance of about 40 on last year, but the 
difference in these figures gives no adequate idea of 
the greater extent of this year's exhibition, which 
will be best explained by a reference to the amount 
of tabling called into requisition. Last year the 
total length of the tables was about half a mile, and 
this year it was nearly 200 yards longer. Both 
transepts were used this year, and the disposing of 
the subjects exhibited over a greater area was a very 
welcome improvement, inasmuch as it prevented 
undue crowding at any time and allowed of a more 
favourable examination of the admirable products 
staged to be made. 
In the workmen’s section there were 1,202 entries 
of vegetables, 744 of cut flowers, 240 of fruit, 224 of 
plants in pots, and 129 by women and children; and 
in the section confined to members of the Agri¬ 
cultural and Horticultural Associations the numbers 
were also in an ascending scale. In the cottagers’ 
section the entries showed an increase of flowers and 
fruit at the expense of vegetables, while there was no 
falling off in regard to the latter among the 
gardeners employed by members of the association. 
The inference was drawn from the figures given that 
the drought had told more severely on the ordinary 
working men exhibitors than it had done on the 
more favourably circumstanced competitors. But 
the drought served rich and poor alike, and selected 
no particular class for adverse treatment, so that we 
must look in another direction for the explanation, 
and we believe it is to be found in the question of 
expense. For the first time it was arranged that the 
show should be of two days’ duration, the vegetables 
being judged on the first day, and the flowers and 
fruit on the second, and we believe it was the 
increased expenditure of time and money which 
this arrangement involved to the poorer man which 
was the cause of the shortcoming, and not the 
drought. In any case, with some notable exceptions, 
such as in the case of Peas, Broad Beans, and Cauli¬ 
flowers, which were poor all round, there was no 
falling off in quality, and we hope ere another year 
Mr. Greening will find a means of obviating the 
increased expenditure to which we have referred. 
Turning to the products staged, it may be said that 
the most marked advance noted was to be seen in 
the plant and cut flower classes, which showed an 
immense improvement all round and gave much 
promise of future excellence. In plants the Ferns 
and Fuchsias were really admirable, and the Pelar¬ 
goniums, Balsams, Begonias, Musk, Lobelia, etc , 
much better than usual, though still showing room 
for improvement. The cut flowers in all sections 
were better, and notably so the bouquets and baskets 
of flowers which generally showed a welcome 
departure from the lumpy style of former days. 
The addition of some very neatly decorated tables 
to this section was a decided acquisition to the show. 
With the exception of Peas, Broad Beans, and Cauli¬ 
flowers, as before explained, the vegetables were 
remarkably good, indeed, of the very best quality, 
and the fruit classes were in all respects admirably 
represented. The organising secretary, Mr. Brom- 
hall, and the flower show manager, Mr. Waugh, 
worked hard to ensure the success of the festival, 
and deserve all praise for their admirable arrange¬ 
ments. 
VICTORIA PARK. 
Wherever the visitor goes just now he will find 
that where the soil of park or g irden is naturally 
moist or has been kept so by watering, the 
Pelargoniums have done remarkably well; indeed 
they revel in dry sunny weather if the roots are in a 
tolerably moist medium. As a class, Pelargoniums 
are largely used in Victoria Park, and the visitor that 
enters by the Victoria Park Road gate will soon find 
himself confronted with beds of this class of plants 
right and left, but if he pursues the path to the left 
he will soon arrive on the chief bedding centres. 
Along this path the beds occupy the border on the 
right pretty closely. There are two or three beds of 
Pelargonium Henry Jacoby flowering profusely and 
edged with Pelargonium Flower of Spring. There 
are some beds of a rose variety edged with Pelar¬ 
gonium Robert Fish ; and a bed or two of the latter 
mixed with Iresine Lindeni, and edged with Amar- 
anthus melancholicus ruber and Gnaphalium lanatum, 
producing a fine effect by contrast. Flower of Spring 
mixed with a blue Viola and edged with Iresine 
Lindeni and Golden Feather also tell by contrast. 
At the east end of this border is a pretty bed of the 
bronze Pelargonium Golden Harry Hieover edged 
with Flower of Spring and blue Lobelias. 
The familiar half circular area closely laid out with 
beds next claims attention, as some bold and effective 
bedding is usually attempted here. Along the front 
of this area and next the walks are four neatly 
designed carpet beds of different designs, but they are 
practically in pairs. One of these has an octagonal 
figure in the centre of Alternanthera aurea and A. 
versicolor lined off with Pachyphyton bracteosum. 
Arranged concentrically round this are eight crosses 
of two different kinds alternating one with the other 
and corresponding in position to the faces of the 
octagon. They consist of Alternantheras on a ground- 
