December 17, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
•253 
was also a notably dark one. Others were C. versi¬ 
color, large and white with a pink eye ; C. ama- 
bilis, rosy-pink ; and C. jucunda, pink. The whole 
produced a most attractive display. He also had 
several well-grown and flowered Cypripediums of 
the C. leeanum type, having large and richly 
coloured flowers. (Silver Flora Medal) 
R. I. Measures, Esq. (gardener, Mr. H. J. Chap¬ 
man), Cambridge Lodge, Camberwell, exhibited a 
comprehensive collection of Gypripediums, including 
such fine things as C. Wottonii, a hybrid of C. cal¬ 
losum x leucochilum, C. insigne Emestii, C. Zeus, 
and C. behrensianum, as well as several grand forms 
of C. insigne of the montaoum type, and C. lee¬ 
anum. Several other useful and interesting things 
were noticeable in this group, such as Oncidium 
cheirophorum, Masdevallia Heathii, M. hinksiana, 
&c. For such a smoky part of London the display 
was very creditable indeed. (Silver Flora Medal). 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill Park, 
Enfield, staged an interesting group of Orchid-', in¬ 
cluding the beautiful Cymbidium traceyanum 
superbum, Cypripedium insigne Laura Kimball, 
Oncidium tigrinum, O. varicosum Rogersii, and 
numerous other forms of Cypripedium. (Silver 
Banksian Medal.) 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, exhibited a 
group of Orchids, mostly forms of Cypripedium 
leeanum, including C. 1 . superbum, C. 1 . giganteum, 
and C. 1 . magnificum. They also staged plants of 
C. Albert Hye, C. nitens superbum, and C. Tityus 
Sander's var., Oncidium varicosum Rogersii, and 
others. 
Henry Little, Esq. (grower, Mr. A. Howard), 
Baron’s Hall, Twickenham, staged a group of Cypri¬ 
pediums and other Orchids, the former being 
numerous and varied. Other subjects were Vanda 
caerulea, Laelia autumnalis and Epidendrum cilic- 
lare. (Bronze Banksian Medal.) 
Captain Holford (gardener, Mr. Chapman), 
Westonbirt, Gloucester, exhibited a collection of cut 
flowers of Cypripediums. There were bunches of 
C. insigne, C. leeanum superbum, C. Charlesworthii, 
C. chamberlainianum, C. insigne montanum in 
variety, a fine spike of Cymbidium traceyanum, 
Laelia anceps, and a beautiful Cypripedium named 
Dorothy. 
E. Ashworth, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Holbrook), 
Harefield Hall, Wilmslow, Cheshire, exhibited a 
large plant of Cypr pedium insigne var. Harefield 
Hall, carrying six magnificent flowers, which for 
size have probably never been surpassed. (Cultural 
Commendation.) Walter C. Walker, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. Geo. Cragg), Percy Lodge, Winchmore Hill, 
staged a large piece of Dendrobium heterocarpum, 
for which he received a Cultural Commendation. 
Mr. A. Burberry, King's Heath, Birmingham, ex¬ 
hibited a large and dark flowered variety of Laelia 
anceps, named L. a. burberryanum. (Cultural Com¬ 
mendation.) De B. Crawshay, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 
5 Cooke), Rcsefield, Sevenoaks, exhibited Odonto- 
glossum ruckerianum platychilum, notable for ihe 
great breadth of its lip. Several new things were 
exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., amongst 
which we noticed the beautiful Laelio digbyana- 
purpurata, Laeliocattleya Semiramis, Lc. Agnes 
andreaoum, Lc. Frederick Boyle, and others. Cym¬ 
bidium winnianum was shown by G. C. Robertson, 
Esq., Widmerpool, Nottingham. 
The special feature of the day's exhibition was 
undoubtedly a superb array of Begonia Gloire de 
Lorraine, contributed by Mr. H. B. May, Dyson's 
Lane Nurseries, Edmonton. The remarkably free- 
flowering character and high decorative qualities of 
this charming Begonia have been well demonstrated 
from time to time, and Mr. May has been one of the 
chief exponents of them. On this occasion he had 
upwards of forty magnificent specimens in 32’s and 
24’s. Some of the plants in the latter size of pot 
were veritable giants, clcthed with leaves and flowers 
right to the rims of the pots, and yet they all origin¬ 
ated from cuttings struck last April. A grand piece 
of Asparagus Sprengeri in a basket, lifted about 4 ft. 
above the table, was another noticeable feature, : s 
was also the seedling A. S. compacta, a promising 
and very handscme plant. Ferns of various farms 
were scattered about among the Begonias to the 
advantage of all the elements of this notable group 
(Silver Gilt Banksian Medal.) 
An exhibit of new plants sent by Messrs. F. Sander 
6 Co., St. Albans, comprised a number of very fine 
specimens of Acalyjha hispida, or A. sanderiana, as 
it is popularly called. The long crimson-scarlet 
spikes of flower showed up with lurid effect amidst 
the surrounding gloom and fog, and illustrated a 
particular quality of the plant that has been, to a 
certain extent, overlooked. Dracaena godseffiaDa, 
D. sanderiana, and the new Linospadix petrickiina 
were represented by shapely plants. (Silver Banksian 
Medal.) 
A pretty little group of miscellaneous plants, in 
which Erica hyemalis, and Begonia Gloire de Lor¬ 
raine figured conspicuously, came from Mr. W. J. 
Prewett, gardener to C. A. PearsoD, Esq., Fensham 
Place, Farnham. (Silver Banksian Medal.) 
The cut zonal Pelargoniums staged by Messrs. H. 
Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent, comprised forty 
bunches in as many distinct varieties of this glorious 
flower which the Swanley firm has done so much to 
improve. The bunches were pyramidal in form, the 
spaces between them being filled with small plants 
of Maidenhair Ferns. Amongst specially noteworthy 
varieties, the new ones. Khalifa, Mikado, Sirdar, and 
Menelik, represented the highest type of modern 
flower. Of standard sorts, Hall Caine, Mrs. Simp¬ 
son, Crabbe, Lady Carlisle, Mrs. P. Routh, Mrs. 
Tudway, and Nicholas II. were all in fine form. 
(Silver Gilt Banksian Medal). 
An exhibit of cut, late Chrysanthemums that came 
from Mr. W. Wells, of Earlswood, Surrey, was 
deserving of very high commendation, for the 
flowers were clean, bright, and fresh. Those splen¬ 
did late white varieties, Mrs. C. Brown, and Mme. 
Pbillippe Rivoire, were particularly fine. The hand¬ 
some yellow Redhill Beauty, the spidery Mrs. W. 
Butters, and the light green Mme. H. de la Roche- 
teire, were all first rate. (Silver Banksian Medal.) 
A Silver Flora Medal was awarded to Messrs. Jas. 
Veitch & Sons, Ltd., for a handsome table of winter¬ 
flowering Begonias. The varieties Ensign, Winter 
Cheer, and Myra, were shown in some quantity, and 
were highly effective. 
Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmoutb, DevoD, sent 
bunches of the late Chrysanthemums, Favourite, 
white; and Queen of Pinks, rosj-pink. 
Mr. Henry Eckford, Wem, Shropshire, sent a few 
named Chinese Primulas, including Lottie Eckford, 
Aurea Magnifica, Isa Eckford, and Emily Eckford. 
There was very little material brought up for the 
consideration cf the fruit and vegetable committee. 
A vote of thanks was given to Mr. C. Herrin, Drop- 
more, Maidenhead, for a basketful of tubers of 
Oxalis crenata. M ss Breton, Forest End, Sand¬ 
hurst, sent three sticks of Cardoons. Several dishes 
of Apples were submitted, but they did not call for 
special mention. 
-—*-- 
HOW ONIONS ARE PRESERVED 
IN ZEELAND. 
The method of preserving Onions in the Dutch 
province of Zeeland, says M. Denaiffe, in " Chasse 
et peche," of June 12th, 1898, is interesting. The 
growers leave all the crop of their farm, often very 
great, in a heap on the ground ; they lay it out in 
elongated piles of parallelopicedic form, of which 
the vertical sides are supported by Osier hurdles 
fastened in the ground; the top of the heap is 
covered with straw. 
If you question an Onion grower regarding his 
method of work he will tell you that the sale of 
Oaions in England involves waiting for favourable 
epochs, which often are only found long after the 
crops are mature; and as bulb silos, like those for 
Potatos and Beetroot, are out of the question, since 
they cause rot of the Onions, this new method has 
had to be adopted, and perfect preservation is thus 
obtained. There is a second method. Trenches are 
dug from a little more than a yard to 2^ yds. deep, 
16 yds. to 19 yds. long and 2§ yds. to 4 yds. wide; 
the inside is then lined with boards covered with a 
thin layer of long straw and filled with Onions. 
To economise space a rather thick palisade 
can be built above ground, above the first. This 
palisade, which may be the height of a man, is 
supported by stakes driven into the ground. It then 
suffices to spread a thin lay er of straw on the first 
heap and fill with Onions. If necessary, a third 
palisade can be built on the two others and filled 
with Onions. Thus the Onions are kept for the 
winter. If there is a sharp frost they must not be 
stirred until the frost has quite disappeared. This 
precaution is necessary, for if the pits are opened and 
the Onions touched before quite free from frost they 
are all lost. But if the frozen Onions are left undis¬ 
turbed they remain fit for consumption and also, 
strange to say, as good for planting as though they 
had never been frozen. 
At the end of spring, when the stores kept in 
baskets or lofts are becoming exhausted, and the heat 
of the sun awakens vegetative power in the bulbs, 
they must be conveyed into a cold cellar, which can 
be done without too much expense ; thus growth will 
be delayed for a long time and the Onions can be 
kept healthy and eatable until a new crop is ready, 
instead of importing them from the South at exor¬ 
bitant cost.— Cosmos, September 24 th, 1898. 
Questions add mshjers. 
*** Will our friends who send us newspapers be so good 
as to mark the paragraphs or articles they wish us to see. 
We shall be greatly obliged bv their so doing. 
[1 Correspondents , please note that we cannot undertake to 
name florists' flowers such as Carnations, Pelargoniums, 
Chrysanthemums, Roses, nor such as are mere garden 
varieties, differing only in the colour of the flower. 
Florists' flowers, as a rule, can only be named by those who 
grow collections of them.] 
Plan of Tomato House.— Bulbs : Under the cir¬ 
cumstances we think the plan of putting a hip on the 
top of the 11 ft. wall a very good one. If the wall 
is on the eastern side of the garden it follows that 
the aspect of the house would be to the west. 
If the glass of a lean-to were to rest on the top of 
the wall it would be afternoon before the sun would 
shine fully upon it. The mere fact of its shining on 
the southern end of the house by mid-day would 
not raise the temperature very quickly nor give the 
Tomatos direct sunshine till late in the day. A 
span-roofed house, running north and south, would 
have been the best, thereby ensuring the full advan¬ 
tage of the morning and afternoon sun. If, however, 
you are tied to the situation above-mentioned for the 
house, tbeD, by all means, have a hip to the house, 
for you will thereby ensure a greater amount of 
direct light, much earlier in the day than you would 
from a lean-to. For summer culture an abundance 
of light and air is of mope advantage than a high 
temperature, which is, indeed, undesirable for main- 
crops, that is, the sunshine itself should maintain 
the necessary temperature even when the house is 
fully ventilated. Light and air make the plants 
sturdy and short-jointed, cause the fruit to set better, 
and harden the tissue of the foliage and stems, 
thereby guarding them against disease far more 
effectually than spraying with insecticides. We do 
not see the use of the 3 ft. brick wall in front, 
because the plants close to it would have to grow 
that height almost before they were able to set and 
bring any fruit to perfection. The front might well 
consist of glass, 3 ft. to 4 ft. high. 
Horticultural Examination. — Alfred A. Self: 
County councils, lecturers, mutual improvement 
associations, &c , encourage others besides pro¬ 
fessional gardeners, including cottageis and amateur 
gaideners ; and as tar as has come under our notice 
all may avail themselves of lectures, us well as the 
examination that follows. Of course, where scholar¬ 
ships are concerned, we presume they would always 
be given for a certain class of people only, such as 
professional gardeners, or, in some cases, teachers. 
Any student may avail him- or herself of the advan¬ 
tages of a public examination. It depends upon the 
students themselves as to what use they may turn 
their knowledge in after life. Consult the remainder 
of the particulars concerning the horticultural ex¬ 
amination in another column of this week’s issue. 
The elementary principles mentioned in the syllabus 
include botany, and you would do well to study some 
modern book on the subject, not necessarily those 
mentioned under paragraph 4 of the syllabus, as 
they are merely given as instances. Your experience 
in growing ordinary vegetables and flowers will 
stand you in good stead, and you can improve upon 
that by reading some of the books on gardening 
mentioned. The books will help you to put your 
practical knowledge into readable form, that is, in 
the most suitable language pertaining to the special 
art of gardening. Any good modern book on botany 
should be studied in its various branches, so that 
you may get a general knowledge of the structure of 
plants, their various organs and the functions they 
perform. Study Articles 5, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 in 
the syllabus printed in this and last week's issue 
concerning the examination. Then apply to the 
Secretary, Royal Horticultural Society, 117, Victoria 
Street, London, S.W., and ask for the form to be 
filled up. If you desire further particulars about 
books tell us what you have got, if any, and we can 
further advise you. It is not necessary that you 
should have a teacher, nor that a class should be 
held in your neighbourhood. Arrange with some 
responsible person in your neighbourhood to super¬ 
vise an examination. 
