April 22, 1899.fl 
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542 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Watkin, Victoria and Mdme. Plemp, &c. (Silver 
Banksian Medal.) 
Mr. H. B. May, Upper Edmonton, had a magni¬ 
ficent and large group of Crimson Rambler Roses in 
pots. Vitis heteropbylla, trained to stakes and 
making a fine show, while at the back Acer Negundo 
variegata, enlivened the depth of colour. 
Hydrangea Dr. Hogg dotted around also added 
variety, as likewise Spiraea astilboide floribunda. 
Hydrangea hortensis was so lovely as to be beyond 
recognition. Mr. May had a numerous batch of the 
Ferns he so well grows, arranged around the outside 
of the semi-circular group (Silver Flora Medal.) 
Messrs. Barr & Sons, Covent Garden, London, 
showed a splendid and very brilliant group of the 
Daffodils they are so famed for. N. Barrii Flora 
Wilson, a distinct yellow disced variety with pale 
coloured perianth ; N. Barrii Sensation, resembling 
the former, but having reflexed perianth and larger ; 
N. Incomp. Queen Sophia, N. Barriiconspicuus, and 
N. Incomp. Sulphur Phoenix, a nice double, were 
among the dozen more of great merit. (Silver Gilt 
Flora Medal). 
Messrs. J. R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell Nurseries, 
Notts, had also Daffodils. N. Horsefieldii, N. Mrs. 
Goldring, of a pale colour and drooping form, N. in- 
comparabilis Stella, and N. i. Emperor were choice 
and very nice. 
Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, S.W., 
exhibited a very large group of grand Narcissi, which 
included very fine bicolors and all the best and most 
worthy varieties in cultivation. N. poeticus ornatus, 
Glory of Leiden, C. J. Backhouse, Robin Hood, &c., 
&c., were extra fine. This group was well set up, 
Adiantums being freely used between the vases. 
They also exhibited Anthuriums in fine condition, 
A. sherzerianum, Triumphans, A- s. parisense, A. 
Palmeri, A. rothschidianum maximum, and A. r. 
giganteum, a form with suffused pink and vermilion 
spathes. (Silver Flora Medal.) 
Messrs. Thos. S. Ware, Limited, Tottenham, 
London, likewise staged a nice group of Daffodils. 
N. nanus, John Bain, Albicans, were very beautiful. 
Dog-tooth Violets were shown in variety. 
Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, put up a 
table of Apples which to say the least, was simply 
wonderful at this time of year. Such an array would 
come as a revelation to many and show what can be 
done when high-class methods of culture and storing 
of fruits are adopted. The largest and showiest 
varieties were :—Twenty Ounce ; Lane's Prince 
Albert; Wagner, Murfitt’s Seedling; Cavillo Mal- 
dngre ; Sandringham ; Bismarck ; Bramley’s Seedling; 
Newton Wonder; Lord Derby ; Calville Rouge; Cox's 
Pomona and Mere de Menage were A I. They were 
large and sound ; bright and high-coloured. (Silver 
Knightian Medal). 
A very sweet and greatly admired couple of vases 
with Tea Rose Sunrise arranged like an epergne, 
came from Mr. G. W. Piper, The Nurseries, Uckfield, 
Sussex. This Rose is of good form and peculiar pinky- 
salmon colour on the outside of the petals, while 
inside they are creamy-primrose. 
Fortune's Yellow Rose was exhibited by Lord 
Wantage, Lockinge Gardens. There must have 
been close on 400 blooms shown,arranged with plenty 
of room in glass vases. The scent is delightful and 
in bulk they look like opening Paeonies, the colour, 
creamy-pink. 
Messrs. J. Peed & Sons, Norwood Road, London, 
had a varied group of plants, Caladiums, Begonias for 
flower and foliage ; Dracaenas ; Oranges in fruit; 
Ferns; Lilium Harrisii; Crotons and Cocos. 
Mr. S. Mortimer, Rowledge, Farnham, Surrey, 
exhibited his new Tomato, Winter Beauty, a seed¬ 
ling from Conqueror, and which he recommends as 
a free setter for winter culture. The fruits are cer¬ 
tainly very even, firm, and often medium size. 
(Award of Merit.) 
A basket of Dianthera illustris came from Sander 
& Co., St. Albans, The flowers of this plant are 
more curious than pretty. 
Dr. Stuart, Hillside, Cbirnside, N.B., sent a pure 
deep rayless tufted Pansy. 
Bougainvillea speciosa came from the Duchess of 
Cleveland, Battle Abbey. The bracts of “ flowers ” 
of a red-brown hue. 
Hybrid and seedling Narcissi came from the Rev. 
G. H. Engleheart, Appleshaw, Andover. This was a 
highly interesting table, there being quite a gallery 
of new and improved Narcissi. Minstrel was an im¬ 
proved form of Poeticus; Juliet was much like 
but having a tendency to creamy hue. Eyebright is 
after the likeness of F. Backhouse, and so on, and so 
on. 
NATIONAL AURICULA AND PRIMULA — 
April 18 th. 
In the class for fifty Auriculas, not less than thirty 
varieties, Mr. James Douglas, Edenside, Surrey, 
took first place with a very even and varied batch. 
Geo. Rudd, Marmion, Prince of Greens, Persever¬ 
ance, Lady Richardson, Venus, Black Bess, and 
Ariel were the sweet among those staged. Mr. C. 
Phillips, Bracknell, second. A beautiful yellow 
self was very fine ; Miss Barnett, Myra, and Richard 
Headley in this stand were the best plants. Again, 
for twelve Auriculas, dissimilar, Mr. Douglas was 
first. In this lot Rev. F. D. Horner, Terresias, 
Acme, and Geo. Rudd were conspicuous. Mr. 
Phillips, Bracknell, was second; Mrs. Phillips, 
Mrs. Henwood, Rachael, Black Bess, and Mr. Pott 
were fine. Wm. Smith, Bishop’s Stortford, was 
third ; Mr. P. Parnell, Streath Hill, fourth ; Mr. 
Philip Worsley, Clifton, Bristol, fifth. 
For six dissimilar Auriculas Mr. C. Phillips here 
stood first with a sweet little batch ; Mr. J. Sargeant, 
Cobbam, second; and Mr. Wm. Smith, Bishop’s 
Stortford, third. 
In Class C, for four Auriculas, Mrs. Francis 
Whitbourn (gardener, Mr. Easton), Great Gearies.led 
the way; Mr. A. K. Brown, Birmingham, second; 
and Mr. J. Bennett Poe, Ashby Place, London, 
third. For two Auriculas, dissimilar, first, A. R. 
Brown, Birmingham; second, Mrs. F. Whitbourn; 
third, Mr. J. T. Bennett Poe; fourth, Mr. R. 
Holding, Birmingham. 
For twelve Alpine Auriculas, first, C. Phillips, 
Bracknell; second, The Guilford Hardy Plant Nur¬ 
sery. The pick from the two groups was—Edith 
Lodge, J. Gilbert, Amy Maylor, Dean Hole, Cassan¬ 
dra, and Evelyn Phillips. For six Alpine Auriculas, 
first, C. Phillips, with Topsy, Myra, &c. ; second, 
Mrs. Whitbourn ; third, James Douglas. 
In the class for four Alpine Auriculas, Mr. A. R. 
Brown,Birmingham,and Mrs. Whitbourn were equal 
first. Mr. Purnell, Streatham Hill, second; and 
Mr. R. Holding, Birmingham, third. 
In Class P., for twelve fancy Auriculas, The Guild¬ 
ford Hardy Plant Nursery here took the lead with a 
stand of very fine and sweet flowered plants. Inno¬ 
cence, a pale lavender with a white centre, a yellow 
seedling with a pure white centre were very bright; 
Russett, and Furlight were the pick of the group. 
Mr. Jas. Douglas, Great Bookham, Surrey, came 
second. He had a very fine tricolored variety, Rolts 
Green; Belle was another very curious and pretty 
specimen Third, Mrs. F. Whitbourn, Great Gearies. 
For twelve fancy Polyanthus, Mr. Jas. Douglas, 
Gt. Bookham, Surrey, first, and likewise so for 
twelve Primroses in pots. 
In the class for twelve Primulas, distinct kinds, 
first, Mr. P. Purnell, Streatham Hill; with P. 
floribunda, P. viscosa, P. nivalis, P. denticulata, P. 
frondosa, P. obconica, P. sinensis, and P. Sieboldii, 
and the sweet iittle P. verticillata. 
For a basket of Primroses and Polyanthus, Miss 
Jekyll, Munstead Wood, Godaiming, was first; her 
lot being chiefly of yellow, primrose, and white 
colours. James Douglas, Great Bookham, third. 
The first prize for a group of Primulas or 
Auriculas went to Mr. P Purnell, Streatham Hill, 
who showed a very complete and varied collection. 
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QQSSC10D3 ADD SOWERS- 
*,* 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. 
Cause of Fermentation in Manure Heaps.— F. G. 
Breiver: Some people would describe the termenta- 
tion of a manure heap as the first process of decay, 
or rather of rotting. Well, that is one way of put¬ 
ting it, but nothing decays without a cause, and so 
with a heap of any kind of manure, having plenty of 
litter in it or similarly decayable matter, or with a 
heap of green vegetable matter. The air is full of 
germs or micro-organisms that settle upon living or 
dead matter, and in this particular case the microbes 
are able to feed or live upon matter that is no longer 
capable of growing, such as a manure heap,or green 
vegetable matter that has been cut or uprooted. If the 
heap is of some size there is a considerable rise of 
temperature, which favours the more rapid growth 
and multiplication of the microbes. Their feeding 
upon the vegetable matter has the effect of setting; 
up chemical changes, with the liberation of heat, 
which accumulates in proportion to the size of the 
heap. The same process goes on in small heaps, but 
the heat is proportionally so much less that we do 
not notice it; but the process of change and libera¬ 
tion of heat being greater in huge heaps we do 
notice, and speak of it as fermentation. The fermen¬ 
tation of beer and wine is also due to the agency of 
microbes, Sacharomyces cerevisiae being the name 
of the well-known organism, and also active agent in 
yeast or " barm " as it is called in the North. The 
rising of dough in bread-making is also due to one of 
these microscopic organisms. 
Why are Mosses excluded from British Botany? 
-.-Chemist ;—All of the manuals on the British flora 
omit Mosses. This could be-explained in many ways. 
It would double the size of the book or nearly so. 
and increase the cost of the book in the same pro¬ 
portion. Both of these would be needless as a rule, 
for the simple reason that most students of botany 
confine themselves to flowering plants; and only a 
few go in for the study of cryptogams or flowerless 
plants; therefore it is better to keep the books, 
separate. British floras generally include the vas¬ 
cular cryptogams (such as Ferns and Club Mosses) 
on account of the interest that is taken in them. On 
the other hand if the floras admitted Mosses they 
would also have to admit Liverworts, Mushrooms, 
and a whole host of other Fungi, as well as Algae in 
great numbsrs. Such a book would have to go into 
several volumes, which few would want and still 
fewer care to buy. From our point of view the 
Mosses and all below them are not garden plants, 
with very few exceptions, notable ones being Mush¬ 
rooms and Truffles. 
Daffodils without Flowers.— Veld'. The causes 
which have determined the behaviour of your 
Tulips may also be the cause of the Daffodils not 
flowering, but without specimens or other informa¬ 
tion it is difficult to come to a satisfactory conclu¬ 
sion. Daffodils are perfectly hardy, and we should 
never plant them more than 3 in. below the surface, 
whatever people may say. We have seen them 
flower splendidly with the bulbs close to the surface, 
and the tops of many of them bare. Again, some 
varieties of Daffodils positively dislike manure,and the 
Tenby Daffodil is one of them ; but probably many 
others would come in the same category. For this 
reason we should not use manure in the ground, but 
mulch the surface of the soil if thin and sandy. 
Even then there are several Daffodils to which we 
should not apply manure for a twelvemonth or more 
previous to planting. 
Tulip Leaves 5 inches Wide.— Veld : Tulip leaves 
are very often wide when the bulbs are not strong 
enough to flower, and in such cases the leaf is usually 
solitary and spoken of by florists as a widow. In 
your case, however, some other reason will have to 
be found. You may have planted the bulbs too late 
in the autumn, or too deep. Another supposition is 
that the bulbs might have been affected with the 
bulb mite, which often weakens the bulbs greatly or 
even destroys them. Then again, we do not believe 
in rank or rich farmyard manure being dug into the 
soil in which Tulips, or indeed, most other bulbs are 
planted. We cannot say if any of these agencies 
are actually the cause of your bulbs behaving so 
badly ; but if you favour us with a bulb, roots and 
all, showing the conditions you mention, we shall 
give them a close inspection to discover the cause 
of their behaviour. 
Late Daffodils.— T, Jurd\ Amongst the Ajax or 
long trumpet section late flowers would be furnished 
by P. R. Barr, Queen of Spain, Narcissus muticus 
and N. bicolor grandis, the latter being a fortnight 
later than Horsfieldi. Late flowers would also be 
produced by several of the varieties of N. Burbidgei, 
and by most of the varieties of N poeticus, excluding 
such as N. p praecox grandiflorus and N. p. ornatus. 
Names of Plants.— W. B. G.\ Tmnea aethiopica. 
—A. C. : x, Viburnum Tinus; 2, Spiraea prunifolia; 
3, Prunus spinosa, the Sloe ; 4, Prunus triloba; 5, 
Ornphalodes verna; 6, Vinca major variegata.—IF. 
H. : 1, Pteris Wimsettii; 2, Pteris serrulata cristata; 
3, Begonia Rex var.; 4, Erica carnea; 5, Euphorbia 
palustiis, probably; send when in flower.— S. Warner : 
I. Boronia megastigma; 2, Acacia riceana ; 3, Acacia 
grandis—T. B. : 1, Primula Auricula var. ; 2, 
Primula marginata ; 3, Cardamine trifolia ; 4, 
Lamium maculatum aureum.— C. J. W. ; 1, Odonto- 
glossum Pescatorei var.; 2, Odontoglossum odora- 
tum; 3, Masdevallia ignea; 4, Cypripedium law- 
renceanum; 5, Ruellia Portellae. — Veld'. The short 
stems with crowded leaves are Sedum Rhodiola; the 
other is an Oxalis, possibly Oxalis acetosella, but 
send when in bloom .—Omega : Forsytbia viridissima. 
—Chemist ; 1, Draba (prophila) verna ; 2, Valerian- 
ella olitoria ; 3, Stellaria media ; 4, Fumaria offici- 
nalis. 
Communications Received.—A. P.—A. McD — 
J. Mayne.—John Miller.—W. B. Tegetmeier.—G. 
W. Cummins.—R. B—A. L.—D.W.—J.L.—Mars. 
_H. W.—T. M.—A. G. B.—M. B. 
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TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 
Toogood & Sons, Southampton.—Pocket List of 
Toogood’s Royal Farm Seeds. 
