820 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 27, 1898. 
Water Lilies at Gunnersbury House—There is no 
more enthusiastic grower of the new hardy Water 
Lilies than Mr. James Hudson, gardener to Leopold 
de Rothschild, Esq , Gunnersbury House, Acton, W, 
On the occasion of the lecture on “ Water Lilies,' 1 
on the gth inst., at the Drill Hall meeting of the 
R.H.S , he made an exhibit of twenty-four species, 
varieties and hybrids, all of which are grown in the 
pond in the grounds of Gunnersbury House. On 
the above-mentioned occasion he exhibited Nym- 
phaea alba, N. a. rosea, N. tuberosa, N. odorata, N. 
o, rosacea, N. o. rubra, N. o. sulphurea, N. o. s. 
grandiflora, N. pygmea helvola (a gem in miniature), 
and N. stellata, the latter only being tender. He 
also had such hybrids as N. Aurora, N. ellisiana. N. 
gloriosa, N. Signouretii, N. andreana, N. lucida, N. 
Robinsonii, N. Laydekeri fulgens, L. L. rosea, N. 
marliacea chromatella, N. m. carnea, N. m. rosea, 
N. m. albida, and N. m. rubro-punctata. . He has 
since exhibited the hybrid N. Exquisita, and on 
Tuesday last he received an Award of Merit for N. 
odorata sulphurea grandiflora, a form measuring 
8 in. or more across, and bearing a not inapt resem¬ 
blance to a Cactus Dahlia. 
Ladywell and Lewisham Flower Show.—This event 
took place on the the ioth and nth inst., and seems 
to have been an all-round success. A feature of the 
day’s proceedings was the visit of the Tunbridge 
Wells Gardeners’ Association. The gardeners also 
visited the Ryecroft Nursery of Mr. H. J. Jones, 
after which they were entertained at luncheon at the 
“ Spotted Cow ” ; they then proceeded to visit the 
Crystal Palace, and Messrs. J Laing & Sons’ nursery 
The Ladywell and Lewisham seventeenth annual 
show was held in the grounds of Campshill House, 
Hither Green Lane, Lewisham, by the kind permis¬ 
sion of S. J. Gore, Esq. There were 450 entries, 
being an increase on all previous years, and the 
quality of the exhibits generally was excellent. 
When the society was founded there were 26 
members and one acre of allotment ground ; now 
the members number 300 and have 10 acres of 
allotment ground, while /50 is distributed in prizes 
at their show. Collections of flowering plants from 
Mr. H. J. Jones, Messrs. Laing & Sons, of Forest 
Hill, and Messrs. Mailer & Sons, Burnt Ash, added 
greatly to the beauty and interest of the show. A 
collection of Ferns was set up by S. W. Fryett, 
Esq., Holmhurst, Beacon Road, Lewisham. 
Foral Gala at Aberdeen. — A three days’ flower 
show and gala were opened in the Duthie Park, 
Aberdeen, on the 18th inst., by the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society of Aberdeen. The enterprising 
committee managed to carry out their programme in 
spite of the interference of the War Office at the last 
moment forbidding staff instructors from the Aider- 
shot Gymnasium from giving exercises there. The 
entries were not so numerous as last year but they 
were of higher quality. Mr. John Proctor, gardener 
to Sir Wm. Henderson, Devanha House, had the 
finest and most effective group of pot plants in the 
show, including Orchids, Palms and Crotons. Mr. 
J. M’Donald, gardener to Mrs. Crombie, Balgownie 
Lodge, secured the society’s Silver Medal for the 
best flowering specimen in the show. A similar 
honour was gained by Mr. A. Howie, gardener to the 
Rev. J. S. Gimmell, Drumtochty Castle, for a fine 
foliage specimen. Mr. Alex. Grigor, gardener to A. 
O. Gill, Esq., Fairfield, Aberdeen; Mr. W. Ogg, 
gardener to Miss J. F. Taylor, Morkeu, Aberdeen; 
and Mr. A. Robb, gardener,oGlenburnie Park, Aber¬ 
deen, were the most successful in the classes for 
Begonias, Pelargoniums and zonal Pelargoniums. In 
the class for a collection of nine dishes of different 
kinds of fruit, Mr. A. Hutton, gardener to George 
Keith, Esq., Usan, Montrose, was unfortunately dis¬ 
qualified owing to his having more than two dishes 
of Peaches. The first award then went to Mr.A.Reid, 
gardener to — Baird, Esq., Durris. Messrs. D. & 
W. Croll, Dundee, took the lead forH. P. Roses ; but 
Messrs. Adam & Craigmile, Rubislaw, made a very 
close second. They came to the front for Tea Roses, 
beating Messrs. D. & W. Croll. In the non-com¬ 
petitive class Messrs. James Cocker & Son, Union 
Street, Aberdeen, filled a whole tent with Roses, 
Carnations, Sweet Peas and other flowers. Messrs. 
W. Smith & Sons, Market Street, Aberdeen, 
exhibited floral decorations, hardy cut flowers, stove 
and greenhouse plants. Mr. John Smellie, Busby, 
took the leading prize for Cactus Dahlias. Goose¬ 
berries and Strawberries were particularly good. 
Daffodils Amongst Ripening Corn.—Surely the 
poet's licence is a far reaching one, since it allows 
him to sing of Daffodils amongst ripening Corn. 
Erratum.—Under the heading of “ People we have 
met ” in our last issue, when noticing Mr. Wm. B. 
Hartland, will our readers kindly read for “James 
Early, Esq., of Kingston, “James Earl of King¬ 
ston.’’ 
Marriage of Mr. George H. Barr.— On August ntb, 
at Marylebone Parish Church, by the Rev. Hawley 
Sharpe, George Hewlings, youngest son of Peter 
Barr, of King Street, Covent Garden, to Lizzie, only 
daughter of Thomas Rawnsley, of 39, York Street, 
Portman Square, W. A merry gathering sat to a 
most substantial dinner at the Holborn Restaurant, 
on Saturday evening, August 13th, at 6.30 precisely, 
on the occasion of Mr. George H. Barr’s marriage, 
one of the firm of Messrs. Barr & Sons, of Covent 
Garden and Long Ditton. Mr. Rudolph Barr acted 
as president with Mr. Wm. Barr as vice, and both 
filled the respective positions admirably. There was 
a goodly number of their employees present, 
including a few friends, who spent a most enjoyable 
evening. After dinner the toast of " The Queen ’’ 
was proposed from the chair, to whom reference was 
made as a great friend to all departments appertain¬ 
ing to gardens and gardening. All standing sang the 
National Anthem to the sweet strains from the 
piano. The vice-president proposed the health and 
safe return of Mr. Peter Barr who was now enjoying 
a well-earned holiday iu America and elsewhere, and 
probably will be away for two or three years. He 
dilated at length upon his father’s abilities in the 
various branches of horti- and floriculture, and 
sincerely hoped that all present would be with the 
firm and sit at the same table to welcome him when 
he returned, with him (Mr. Peter Barr) in the chair. 
Mr. T. Downes proposed the health of the ladies and 
Mr. Wm. Logan responded in a few well chosen and 
complimentary words. Mr. Rudolph Barr proposed 
the health of the employees and hoped that as many 
present had been in the firm for more years than he 
would care to say, yet he was delighted to say that 
they had been, and hoped that they would continue 
to work together in the future with the same love 
and spirit that they had in the past. Mr. J. de 
Gruchy (the oldest member of the staff) responded in 
very neat and respectful phraseology. Mr. George 
Leslie proposed the health of Mr. George Barr, 
coupling with it that of his bride, and expressed a 
wish that he and his co-workers hoped that an 
occasion similar to the present was in the near future. 
This was responded to by Mr. Rudolph Barr, who 
said that it certainly would come off, but he was not 
prepared to say when. The health of the “ Visitors 
and Friends ” was proposed by Mr. Tom Warburton, 
who dilated copiously on the number of strangers to 
England he had met in his travels abroad who had 
made “ Barr ” almost a household word. Mr. 
Rudolph Barr remarked in a very jocular manner 
how pleased he was to find that he did not have to 
go outside for Harry Randall's or Dan Leno’s, &c., 
for talent, as those of his staff were sufficient to pro¬ 
vide a most enjoyable evening according to the 
programme he had before him. The president gave 
the first on the programme “ The Speaker’s Eye” 
which was enthusiastically received and encored, 
with " Those Girls at the School.” Mr. W. Logan 
though nervous, gave the “ Bedouin Love Song ” in 
fine style, his voice filling the spacious hall. Mr. 
Wm. Barr followed by a 'cello solo, and nothing less 
than an encore would satisfy the attentive hearers. 
Mr. H. Harris gave the "Alabama Coon”; Mr. 
Wilks, “ The King's Own ” ; Mr. Tom Warburton, a 
recitation that completely carried the audience away 
with his dramatic rendering of the “ Actor’s Story ” ; 
Mr. W. Wilbraham came forward with a comic song, 
“ The Whitewasher ” which caused much laughter ; 
and as an encore the “ Green Grass Grew All Round ” 
equally amusing. Mr. Wm. Logan’s rendering of 
•' Queen of the Earth ” was cordially received, and 
nothing would suffice but an encore, with “ Mary of 
Argyll ” in clear voice. Mr. R. Barr followed with 
•* Sister Mary ” ; and Mr. W. Barr with a ’cello solo. 
Lady singers were few, Miss Rapp being the only 
one prepared, and who sang in sweet contralto 
“Sunshine Above” and "Coming thro’ the Rye.” 
After the usual vote of thanks a very pleasant 
evening came to a close. 
CBESTED BRACKEN. 
This is an actual reality, though not mentioned in 
the recent edition of the London Catalogue, nor by the 
late Mr. Thos. Moore,of Chelsea, in his British Ferns 
and their Allies, though he records the crested form 
of the Royal Fern. Mr. C. B. Green, Acton, W., 
who is an enthusiastic grower and collector of Ferns, 
sends us mounted specimens of pinnae cut from a 
frond about 6 ft. high, and which he gathered in St. 
Leonard's Forest, near Horsham, Sussex, on the 
13th inst. The apex of the frond was very fine, and 
is in the possession of Mr. C. T. Druery, the well- 
known enthusiastic pteridologist, who was travelling 
with Mr. Green at the time, and was sorry the find 
was not one of his own. Pteris aquilina cristata, he 
says, has only been found three times before, so that 
the present is the fourth time it has been collected in 
a wild state. The apex of the pinnae and every 
pinnule are bi-tri-furcate, with the divisions again 
more or less forked, giving each crest a distinctly 
tasselled appearance. The secondary pinnules or 
ultimate segments are entire and quite normal. We 
have not heard whether the variety is cultivated by 
anyone, or whether all or only some of the fronds on 
a rhizome are crested. This would be difficult, of 
course, to determine without digging up the entire 
plant. Mr. Green is trying to raise it from spores. 
If only single fronds occur in the crested condition 
the form in question must be a lusus Naturae. 
-« 1 - - 
LEITH FLOWER SHOW. 
Leith Horticultural Society arranged their fifteenth 
annual show in Victoria Park, Bonnington, on 
August 19th and 20th. Leith Town Council granted 
the park, which was a very suitable one. Hitherto 
the show has but lasted a day, but the addition of a 
day has been thought to increase the interest in the 
exhibition. Athleticism, as represented by races, &c., 
has been coupled with the calmer recreation got 
from horticulture. 
There were 660 entries, against 699 last year. The 
industrial and juvenile sections are a pet feature. 
Model yachts were largely displayed, also fretwork, 
wood carvings, and model engines. W omen’s work 
was shown in shawls and such like and bakery. The 
juveniles had an array of free and geometrical draw¬ 
ing designs. 
Regarded as a whole, the show was only of medium 
quality. Vegetables were of normal merit. Cauli¬ 
flowers were extremely poor. Mr. J. F. Nairn, 
Cramond, stood first. The prize-winning Turnips 
were fair, being of goodly form and clean. Potato 
classes were a very even lot, and well represented. 
Mr. J. F. Nairn won in the Celery exhibit. 
Amateurs’ greenhouse plants were, perhaps, fair for 
city folks, but their appearance evidenced no 
great care in cultural detail. 
Mr. Hugh Dickson’s stand from Belfast contained 
Roses of remarkably high colour and fine form. The 
cream of the batch were Mad. Eugene Verdier, 
Fisher Holmes, Gustave Piganeau and Sir Roland 
Hill, this latter an intensely deep blood-coloured 
variety. This was the only entry for Roses in the 
nurserymen’s class. 
For twenty-four herbaceous spikes or bunches, Mr. 
C. Irvine, Jedburgh, beat Mr. A. Brown, Piershill. 
Mr. Irvine also staged a host of Pentstemon spikes. 
He makes these a speciality, and though I did not 
measure the width of the mouth of the corolla, one 
feels sure in saying they would stretch an inch and 
a half. Everybody remarked them as " the best ever 
they saw.” 
Black Grapes were shown in nice condition. Mr. 
A. Clark, Trinity, was first ; and Mr. Hunt, Cold- 
bridge Hall, Murrayfield, was second. Other fruits 
were only second rate. Hardy Ferns were every¬ 
where about the tent, many being vigorous and 
pleasing. 
Messrs. M. S. & J. Gillespie, Leith, received a 
Gold Medal for a table of floral designs. Strikingly 
beautiful and novel was the model of a large bell. 
The outside was covered with crimson-scarlet 
Gladioli, while the inside was shown up by white 
Pinks and Gardenias. A single bloom of Lilium 
candidum answered superbly as the bell’s tongue. 
Smilax and the same Gladioli were arranged twinedly 
down the supporting frame. Shower bouquets, 
harps, and crosses were other designs. In the com¬ 
position of the harp, pink Asters formed a central 
band to the frame ; a thin white line ran on either 
side of the Asters, while delicate Smilax fringed the 
