6 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 4, 1897. 
other plants, vary more or less from year to 
year, according to the character of the 
season, so that if a selection is made from 
results, it could only apply to that parti¬ 
cular season. This fact has been well 
illustrated by the lists of Roses which 
annually turn out to be the best during any 
one season. 
Our attention has been directed more 
particularly to varieties for some given 
purpose, or to some particular phases of 
gardening in which bulbs are employed, 
and their culture extended with ad¬ 
vantage to all concerned. Space 
compels us to omit many beautiful 
bulbous plants at the command of the 
cultivator, which are requirements of 
modern establishments, more or less. 
Some things succeed admirably in most 
gardens, while others flower indifferently in 
any part of the British Isles. This would 
apply more particularly to half-hardy or 
tender subjects ; but there is a deal of 
romance, and sometimes delightful sur¬ 
prise, in discovering what bulbs will 
succeed in the open garden in certain 
localties, especially in the case of those 
which prove refractory, or altogether fail in 
most gardens. Juno or Spanish Irises are 
easily grown in certain soils, whereas in 
other gardens they flower well as a rule the 
first year and afterwards degenerate till 
they cease to exist. In cold clay soils this 
is particularly the case, whereas in warmer 
and lighter soils we have seen what was a 
single row of bulbs, when planted, grow 
into practically a broad band of plants in 
the course of two or three years. This is a 
point for every gardener to solve for him¬ 
self, either in the case of Spanish Rises, or 
any other subject which may happen to be 
his own or his employer’s favourites. We 
have seen English Irises behave in the 
same way, yet the old-fashioned blue or 
typical form was a common perennial in 
cottage gardens thirty or forty years ago. 
The question arises whether modern varie¬ 
ties are weaker in constitution owing to 
much artificial crossing in order to obtain 
variety, or whether the constitution has 
become altered through long continued 
cultivation in the sandy soils of Holland. 
From the latter point of view it might be 
worth while giving their cultivation in this 
country a good trial in different soils with 
the object of supplying the demand with 
home-grown bulbs. There has been an 
immense increase in the demand for Spanish 
and English Irises during the past few 
years, but particularly for the former. 
There is little room for surprise at this, see¬ 
ing how many exquisitely beautiful varie¬ 
ties there are amongst them, and the 
ease with which they may be grown in pots 
for decoration or boxes for cut flowers in 
the early part of summer. Those who 
grow for market even go further, and having 
placed soil on the benches of some of their 
glasshouses plant Spanish Irises and urge 
them into bloom in a gentle heat for the 
purpose of getting cut flowers in advance of 
those in the open air. 
New varieties of bulbs there have been 
since last year, and some of them 
announced for sale are already several years 
old. It is astonishing how many years it 
takes to get a good stock of a new bulb, 
sufficient to enable the same to be sold at a 
rate Within reach of the general public. 
Even some of those which have been in 
commerce for several years are yet com¬ 
paratively rare. The Daffodils Madame de 
Graaf, Glory of Leiden, Monarch, and 
M'eardale Perfection are instances of what 
we mean. How many years will elapse be¬ 
fore it will be practicable to naturalise these 
on grass, as well as Hodsock’s Pride, 
Golden Bell, and Ellen Willmott ? Novel¬ 
ties amongst Hyacinths include several of 
various colours. A real yellow is yet a 
desideratum, as it is amongst Sweet Peas 
and Stocks. A Dutch variety named Cit- 
roenboom is said to be a first-rate improve¬ 
ment amongst yellow Hyacinths. We hope 
it will prove to be so when it finds its way 
into British gardens. The translation of 
the name means Lemon Tree. Trilby is 
described as a new orange-yellow coloured 
variety. Both are single. The pure white La 
Grandesse is well known. Now a double 
sport from it has arisen, which, retaining 
all the good qualities of its parent, is 
declared to be the best pure white, double 
Hyacinth ever introduced. Several Tulips 
are also offered as novelties which will have 
to be seen and tried before any definite 
conclusions concerning them can be come 
to. Amongst single early varieties Grace 
Darling is a promising large scarlet one. 
Golden King is said to be the best double 
yellow Tulip, and Ptinsvan Oranje (Prince 
of Orange) is dark orange. Lilium elegans 
citrinum (verum) is said to be one of the 
very best of the Thunbergianum type, with 
nankeen, unspotted flowers. A new name 
has been given to Lilium roseum, namely, 
Fritillaria macrophylla, and it may in the 
near future come before the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society seeking for fresh favour. 
» i — 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, September 7th, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, 1 
to 5p.m. A lecture on "Pitcher plants’ 1 will be 
given by Mr. H. J. Veitch, F.L.S., at 3 o'clock. 
Flower Show at Candie, Guernsey.—At the Summer 
Exhibition held here on August nth, Mr. W. J. 
Taylor was awarded first for six Begonias, and also 
fjr Ferns. Colonel Carey contributed the best 
Black Hamburgh Grapes, and Mr. F. Le Poidevin 
the best dish of dessert Apples. Mr. William Col¬ 
chester, Ipswich, had a stand of Icbthemic Guano 
and agricultural manures. 
Tropaeolum speciosum.—This plant may be grown 
from seed or from its fleshy rhizomes. If from seed 
it probably will not flower till the third year, but 
from a rhizome bloom may be expected in the year 
of planting. I have never seen it growing more 
luxuriantly than at Kingsteignton on the slope to the 
River Teign in Devon, twining among the Rhodo¬ 
dendrons and the shrubs in a garden there, with a 
full south a pect. It grows very well also in Mr. 
Shaw’s garden at New Place, Lingfield, on a 
southern wall, though he thinks that it may be 
grown as well with an eastern or western aspect. 
Put plenty of manure around, mixed with cocoa- 
nut fibre, that its roots may run into, is his rule for 
growing it. It seems, however, to exhaust the soil, 
and to run year after year along the wall, not coming 
up again where it has already Dlossomed.— J. C. 
Stogdon. 
Medals at Shrewsbury. —At this great commemora¬ 
tive exhibition and fete on the 18th and 19th ult. 
Gold Medals were awarded to Mr. James Cypher for 
the most meritorious plant not in commerce, who 
showed Bougainvillea Cypheri; to Messrs. Debbie & 
Co., Rothesay, for Dahlias; Mr. R. B. Davis, 
Yeovil, for Begonias; Messrs. J, Carter & Co., 
London, for Gloxinias, and other plants and flowers ; 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, for a magnificent 
group of plants; they also had a set of china ; Mr. 
James Hudson, Gunnersbury House, for Water 
Lilies ; Messrs. R. P. Ker & Sons, for flowers ; Messrs. 
Cowan, Liverpool, for plants ; Mr. T. S Ware, for 
Begonias and cut flowers ; and Messrs. Smith & Co , 
Worcester, for plants and flowers. Silver Medals 
were awarded to Messrs. Webb & Sons, Stourbridge, 
for cut flowers; Mr. A. Myers, Shrewsbury, for 
plants and flowers; Messrs. Dicksons, Chester, for 
plants and flowers; Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, 
Sale, Manchester, for Ferns; Mr. Murrell, Shrews¬ 
bury, for Roses ; Messrs. White & Sons, Worcester, 
for cut flowers ; Messrs. Wallace & Co., Colchester, 
for Lilies, &c. ; Mr. W. F. Gunn, for cut flowers ; 
Messrs. Balcbin & Sons, Hassocks, for alpine 
plants; Mr. S. Mortimer, Farnham, Surrey, for 
Dahlias; and Messrs. Wallace & Co. also received a 
certificate. 
Correction.—By some means or other we were led 
into error concerning the Grape classes at Aberdeen 
on the 19th, 20th, and 21st ult. Mr. Andrew Hut¬ 
ton, The Gardens, Usan House, Montrose, N.B., took 
the first award for Muscat of Alexandria and Ham¬ 
burgh in the single entries. Mr. Steward, Eden 
House, Banff, took the second place, not the first as 
stated last week. Mr. Andrew Hutton also secured 
the premier honours for four bunches of Grapes, dis¬ 
tinct. 
Bute National Rose and Horticultural Srciety—This 
society held a most successful show on the 26th and 
27th August, at the new public hall. The opening 
ceremony was performed by Ex Provost Millory in 
the absence of the President, The Most Hon. The 
Marquess of Bute. The cLsses for competition 
numbered 126, and for these 500 entries were made. 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., showed a fine display of 
Dahlia blooms interspersed with blooms of herbace¬ 
ous flowers, for which the judges awarded them a 
Gold Medal. Mr. M. Cuthbertson of Rothesay, a 
well known figure at this show, staged a splendid 
array of pot plants, consisting of Coleus, Cockscombs, 
Fuchsias, Geraniums, and various other fo’iage 
plants. Mr. Cuthbertson’s name is usually associ¬ 
ated with herbaceous flowers,for which he has a wide 
reputation, but recent shows had taken up his 
herbaceous blooms. Mr. Cutbbertson also staged an 
exhibit of Pure Ichthemic Guano, a very widely 
known fertiliser which has attained great success 
in the Land o’ Cakes. 
Resignation of Mr. G. W. Cummins.—We regret 
to learn that Mr. Cummins, gardener to A. H. Smee, 
Esq., "My Garden,’’ The Grange, Carshalton, 
Surrey, has found it necessary to resign his position 
as head gardener, after having seen sixteen years of 
faithful service. From what we can gather he is 
suffering from pressure of work and ill-health. Nor 
do we forget the loss he sustained by the death of his 
wife about fourteen months ago. The garden in 
which he has laboured for the last sixteen years 
consists of a shallow layer of soil beneath which 
comes water, the garden being bounded on one side 
by the River Wandle, and traversed by a stream. 
The difficulty in cultivating fruit trees has been 
great on this account. Besides his home work Mr. 
Cummins has had a deal to do in connection with 
various societies, and has done it cheerfully, without 
hope of reward, as we have had ample opportunity 
of witnessing for many years past. We hope he will 
soon find another situation more congenial to health, 
for he should still have many years of useful life 
before him. 
Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution.—The 
committee, treasurer, and trustees, acting on behalf 
of the members and subscribers of the above institu¬ 
tion, with the concurrence of its president, the Duke 
oE Westminster, recently forwarded through the 
Home Secretary a loyal and dutiful address to the 
Queen, for forty-six years the gracious Patroness of 
the Charity, congratulating her Majesty on the com¬ 
pletion of the sixtieth year of her beneficent reign, 
and the undermentioned reply has been received 
from the Right Hon. Sir Matthew White Ridley, 
M.P., which may interest our readers, especially 
those of them who are identified with the Institu¬ 
tion. 
Secretary of State, 
Home Departmen 1 . 
Whitehall, S.W. 
August 24th, 1897. 
Sir, —I have had the honour to lay before the 
Queen the loyal and dutiful address of the 
Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution, congratu¬ 
lating her Majesty on the completion of the sixtieth 
year of her reign, and I have to inform you that her 
Majesty was pleased to receive the same very 
graciously. With reference to the application for 
permission to make use of the words : " Victorian 
Era, ' in connection with the title of a fund now 
being raised by the Institution, I have to acquaint 
you that her Majesty graciously approves of the 
desired permission being granted. 
\ I am, Sir, 
Your obedient servant, 
{signed) M. W. Ridley. 
G. J. Ingram, Esq., Secretary to the Gardeners' 
Royal Benevolent Institution, 50, Parliament Street, 
S.W. 
