May 1, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
557 
Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, N. 
Trillium grandiflorum, and the purple X- erectum, 
Arabis albida foliis variegatis. Iris pumila, I. 
tingitana, Primula Sieboldii, in variety, Cypripe- 
dium Calceolus, Lilium Browni, Sanguinaria cana¬ 
densis were conspicuous here, and in conjunction 
with otljer Irises, cut Tulips, etc., made a fine dis¬ 
play. (Silver Flora Medal.) 
Messrs. Frank Cant & Co. had a very nice group 
of pot Roses, which were very noteworthy for their 
dwarfness, healthiness and vigour. There were in¬ 
cluded some grand samples of individual blooms of 
such varieties as Mrs. Paul, Marie Baumann, Mrs. 
R. G. Sharman Crawford, and Camille Bernardin. 
(Silver Flora Medal.) 
Messrs. Barr & Son, King Street, Covent Garden, 
contributed a very showy collection of cut blooms of 
late Daffodils, chief amongst which were fine batches 
of the new Victoria, and Glory of Leiden. By the 
side of the Daffodils were staged panfuls of Iris 
pumila Count Andrassy, I. albiensis grandiflora, and 
I. a. g. purpurea. (Silver Flora Medal). 
From the same firm came a magnificent show of 
cut blooms of earlier Tulips. These included T. 
acuminata, T. retroflexa, T. fulgens, and such grand 
varieties as Thos Moore, White Swan, Couleur 
Cardinal, Prince of Austria, Koh-i-noor, and Silver 
Standard. The colours throughout were excellent, 
and both form and size were good. (Silver Flora 
Medal.) 
Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, S.E., 
were responsible for a very showy group of flowering 
and foliage plants, for which they were awarded a 
Silver Banksian Medal. 
Roses in excellent condition came from Mr. W. 
Rumsey, Joynings Nurseries, Waltham Cross. The 
cut blooms contained good samples of Niphetos, 
Marechal Neil, Ella Gordon, and Catharine Mermet. 
Plants of crimson Rambler, Mrs. Sharman Crawford, 
Madame Montel, etc., formed a back-ground. (Silver 
Banksian Medal.) 
Messrs. Paul & Son, the Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 
had some excellent pot Roses. Such varieties as 
Celine Forestier, Ulrich Brunner, and Elsie Fugier 
appeared to great advantage. In front of the Roses 
were several pans filled with Geum montanum, 
Adonis vernalis, Saxifragas, and Aubrietias. (Silver 
Flora Medal.) 
Messrs. James Veitch& Sons, Limited, received a 
Silver Flora Medal for a very comprehensive collec¬ 
tion of cut blooms of Daffodils. The Ajax.Leedsii, and 
incomparabilis sections were all well represented and 
the somewhat heavy double flowers were not for¬ 
gotten. The same firm also sent baskets full of the 
showyCydonia Maulei,Exochorda grandiflora, andAn- 
dromeda speciosa cassiniaefolia in full flower, whilst 
a noble specimen of Cytisus scoparius praecox with 
a clean stem fully 4 ft. high attracted a deal of atten¬ 
tion. A Silver Banksian Medal also fell to the lot of 
Mr. J. W. Wilson, Drewton Dray, South Cave, 
R.S.O., Yorkshire, for a very nice collection of cut 
Narcissi. Varieties of Leedsii were very strong here 
and N. poeticus ornatus was well shown. 
Mr. George Mount, Canterbury, sent some superb 
cut Roses. The samples of General Jacqueminot, 
Ulrich Brunner, Captain Hayward, The Bride, 
Catharine Mermet, and Star of Waltham, especially, 
were in magnificent condition with regard to size, 
colour and form. (Silver Gilt Flora Medal.) 
A Silver Flora Medal was awarded to Mr. Charles 
Turner, Slough, for a collection of named varieties 
of the beautiful Primula Sieboldii. Mr. Turner also 
submitted a nice group of Alpine Auriculas, which 
were up to the best florists' standard. 
Mr. H. B. May, Dyson’s Lane Nurseries, Upper 
Edmonton, had a miscellaneous group. Some well 
grown and coloured Coleuses, in 48-sized pots were 
the feature here, and as these were bedded in the soft 
green of Maidenhair Ferns their bright colours 
showed up to advantage. Some larger Pterises, 
Davallias, and Nephrolepis formed the background. 
(Bronze Banksian Medal.) 
Messrs. James & Sons, Farnham Royal, made an 
interesting exhibit of crosses between Cineraria 
cruenta, and the garden Cineraria. The progeny had 
been re-crossed with C. Heritieri and the influence 
of the last named species was very evident through¬ 
out. 
Mr. Downs, gardener to J. T. Bennett-Poe, Esq., 
Holmewood, Cheshunt, submitted three fine plants 
of Arctotis aureola. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, had 
samples of Carnation Winter Cheer. Mr. Chas. 
Turner received a Bronze Flora Medal for a bunch 
of first-rate blooms of Malmaifon Carnation 
Princess May. The Rev. G. H. Engleheart, Apple- 
shaw, Andover, Hants, sent a few seedling Narcissus. 
At a meeting of the fruit and vegetable committee 
Mr George Wythes, gardener to Earl Percy, Syon 
House, Brentford, received a Silver Banksian Medal 
for a splendid array of vegetables and fruit. The 
former included Tomatos, new Potatos, Broccoli, 
Seakale, and Cabbage ; whilst among the fruits were 
Figs, Strawberries, and Grapes. The two baskets 
of the latter were most interesting, for one contained 
Lady Downes kept from the 1896 crop, and the 
other Black Hambro cut this season. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, Houndsditch, E.C,, sent 
some grand heads of their new Broccoli, Hurst’s 
Early April. 
Mr. Owen Thomas, the Royal Gardens, Frogmore, 
sent dishes of the yellow Tomato, Royal Windsor, 
and some fruited plants of the new Strawberry, 
Russell's Early Giant. 
In the Veitch classes for the best flavoured Apple 
Mr. Herrin, Dropmore, was placed first with 
Sturmer Pippin ; and Mr. J. C. Tallack, Bury St. 
Edmunds, seco®d with Brandy Apple. No Pears 
were forthcoming. 
Important Notice to Exhibitors. 
The Council of the R.H.S. wish to remind exhibitors 
that the object for which the various committees of 
the society were constituted, and the bi-monthly 
meetings held, was to allow of any new or rare flower 
or fruit, which might be in perfection at a time when 
no exhibition was being held, being submitted to a 
body of experts for adjudication. 
By degrees a practice has grown up of groups of 
plants and collectious of fruits being also sent by 
exhibitors, such plants and fruits being frequently 
neither new nor rare, and these groups and collec¬ 
tions have become so large and frequently so 
numerous that there is danger of the more important 
work of the committees being lost sight of. 
The Council, whilst grateful for the consistent 
support the society has received from exhibitors and 
desirous of offering every encouragement to them 
and of seeing the Drill Hall always well filled, feel 
that the time has arrived when some limit must be 
put to the size of the groups and collections. They 
have therefore drawn up the following rules which 
they have directed the superintendent to strictly 
adhere to :— 
I. —Exhibitors at the Drill Hall, of groups and 
collections, must give notice to the Secretary, 
R.H.S., 117, Victoria Street, Westminster, not later 
than the Friday before, of their desire to exhibit, and 
must, at the same time, state the nature of their 
proposed exhibit and how much space it will occupy ; 
this must in no case exceed 100 sq. ft. 
II. —Exhibits entered separately for the separate 
committees will be considered distinct, but not more 
than 100 sq. ft. of table space can be allowed for 
each ; that is to say, an exhibitor may stage 100 ft. 
of fruit, 100 ft. of Orchids, and 100 ft. of floral 
committee plants and flowers ; but each group must 
be separately staged and consist exclusively of fruit, 
Orchids, and hardy or tender plants or flowers 
respectively—not mixed together ; excepting only 
that small decorative foliage plants may be used 
amongst Orchids and fruit, if desired. 
III. —The limit of 100 sq. ft. does not apply to 
large plants placed on the floor ; special arrange¬ 
ments should be made beforehand for such plants 
with the Superintendent. 
IV. — No alteration is proposed in the existing rules 
with reference to the exhibition of new or rare plants, 
flowers or fruits for the society’s Ceitificates and 
Awards of Merit. 
N.B.—Should, at any time, the entries of groups 
be so numerous as not to allow of all being staged in 
their entirety, the exhibitors will be informed how 
much less space than that they have applied for can 
be placed at their disposal. 
By Order of Council, W. Wilks, Secretary, 117, Victoria 
Street, Westminster. 
-- 
Queen Wasps are now on the hunt for suitable 
nesting places. Bearing in mind the fact that so 
many queens mean so many wasps’ nests presently, 
gardeners and fruit growers generally are anxious to 
kill all the queens they can find. Wasps may be 
scavengers, but they destroy many a ton of good 
fruit in the year. 
Questions add AnsojeKS 
*.* 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. 
[ 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.'] 
Bog Plants in Pots. — Sigma : We consider it 
necessary that such plants as Drotera, Campanula 
hederacea and Mosses should have drainage when 
subjected to such artificial conditions as cultivation 
in pots. We doubt if they would thrive very long in 
pots, the bottom of which is stopped up for the 
purpose of maintaining the soil in a boggy condition. 
In a state of nature, more or less of a change or 
movement of the moisture is going on and bringing 
fresh food withia reach of the plants as well as 
securing other conditions which would not be present 
in pots. Even when found in bogs, Droseras and 
Campanula hederacea are benefited by the com¬ 
panionship of the roots and stems of other plants 
which assist in keeping the soil in a suitable condi¬ 
tion, besides furnishing plant food by the decay of 
the older portions. You might succeed in growing 
these plants without drainage, but we believe you 
would be more successful by a judicious use of the 
same. 
Best form of Yinery.— Omega : Good Grapes can 
be grown in lean-to, three quarter span, span-roofed, 
and curvilinear vineries ; but we think the lean-to 
facing the south or south-east, and the span-roof 
running north and south the two best. For early 
work a lean-to is much more easily kept warm than 
any other form, unless it be a sunk pit, because the 
back wall shelters the house from the cold north, 
north east, and north-west winds. The value of a 
three-quarter span would lie in the fact that you 
would get a longer rod in a house of any given 
height ; and provided you do not commence to force 
very early, it would probably prove as easy to 
manage as a lean-to. The shape of a vinery is very 
often a matter of convenience ; but you should bear 
in mind whether you want an early house or other¬ 
wise. In any case the vines must be well exposed 
to sunlight, and not overhung nor shaded by trees, 
though the house should otherwise be well-sheltered. 
Moss on lawns.— Anxious Enquirer : If you had 
dressed the lawns with nitrate of soda as well as 
with basic slag and kainit, or with the nitrate alone, 
you would have got a more vigorous growth and a 
greener hue in the grass. The specimens you sent 
us were lichens, showing that the soil is poor and 
probably overhung by trees. In any case a remedy 
is wanted that will encourage the growth of grass. 
The most you can do at present is to give the lawns 
a sprinkling of nitrate of soda, and possibly a 
watering with the drainings of the stables if you 
have the appliances to do so. Then in autumn or 
any time in winter you should give the lawns a top¬ 
dressing of rich material, and another about the 
beginning of March. This compost may consist of 
rich soil from under the potting benches or any 
waste heap, and well-decayed cow or stable manure. 
Even if you mix it with clay it will be all-tbe better, 
and serve to give your gravelly soil more holding 
power. Spread this on the grass as a top-dressing, 
and scatter it about with a broom. Repeated 
dressings of this kind will be more permanent than 
artificial manures ; and when you get good growth 
into the grass the moss and lichens are bound to 
disappear. 
Poplar with a Strong Aromatic Smell.— Sigma : 
We have never heard ot a tree called the Friar’s 
Balsam, and probably the name is chiefly known 
locally. In any case the tree to which you refer 
would be Populus balsamifera, or the broad leaved 
variety known as P. balsamifera candicans, for both 
of them have a strong but agreeable balsamic odour, 
particularly when the leaves are unfolding in spring, 
This fragrance is most readily discernible in dewy 
mornings and evenings, and emanates from a viscid 
gum with which the scales and the joung leaves are 
besmeared. P. balsamifera candicans is the more 
common of the two forms, and possibly is the one 
to which you refer. 
Primroses from Seed— S. Burnett : We think it 
would be more satisfactory in every way to collect 
seed from the wild plants as soon as it is ripe, and 
sow at once in a box or boxes placed in a cold frame 
than to dig up and transplant the old roots. You 
could raise seedlings in quantity with a minimum of 
trouble, and have them ready to transplant into their 
permanent positions in autumn, say about the end of 
October or sooner, provided the soil is suitably 
moist. By sowing the seed in boxes you could bring 
on the seedlings rapidly under the shelter of a cold 
frame. Then prepare a suitable compost consisting 
of old potting bench soil, sand, and plenty of leaf 
mould. Place 4 in. of this in a cold frame, make it 
fairly firm, and transplant the seedlings 2 in. or 3 in. 
apart in lines 5 in. to 6 in. apart. Keep the seedlings 
watered and they will grow sufficiently rapidly to be 
able to flower next spring. The frames can be 
emptied in readiness for other bedding plants, by 
transferring the Primroses to where they are intended 
to bloom. 
