492 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 31, 1900.' ! 
reserve fund to fall back upon. The rules and regu¬ 
lations of shows should be concise and not easy to 
misunderstand ; to convict an exhibitor and rule his 
products out of competition owing to imperfect word¬ 
ing of rules is fining him for faults which really 
should rest on the framers of such rules. Passing 
various judicious comments, and finding out the weak 
spots of committees, secretaries and stewards of 
shows, Mr. Ingamells then hinted that exhibitors 
often gave trouble by making entries and failing to 
fill them, or worse, making no entries at all, or making 
them too late, and then bringing loads of produce, 
and clamouring for space when every inch has been 
alloted. Exhibitors are also very remiss in the 
matter of staging late. 
Groups. 
There is no more important class at shows than 
this. About the year 1868 these first came into the 
schedules, Mr. Leslie Melville starting them at the 
Lincoln Horticultural Society. At Shrewsbury in 
1898, there were no less than eight groups, each 
covering a space of 400 ft. sq. Many groups are 
too formal, flat and over packed, and need light, 
grace, and no artificial rustic work, bridges, arches 
and such like adornments. 
Judging. 
Owing to keenness in competition, a good judge, 
besides a good temper, must have more than a know¬ 
ledge of the value and rarity of exhibits placed 
before [him, be familiar with the best of everything 
in the domain of gardening, and appreciate the skill 
displayed in its production, and has a requisite sense 
to make up his mind at the right moment, never 
giving a thought as to whom he will please or 
offend. 
Winning and Losing. 
If bearing honours meekly is a virtue, surely endur¬ 
ing losses bravely is a greater virtue. Exhibitors 
who fail to win should patiently search for the cause 
of failure. More is really learnt from failure than 
success. The losers of to day who profit by exper¬ 
ience and persevere are the winners of to-morrow. 
It is the importance of attending to small matters by 
committees, secretaries, stewards, exhibitors and 
judges that make our exhibitions. 
“ Think nought of a trifle though it small appears, 
Sands make the mountains, moments make the 
years, and trifles life." 
— J.W.S. 
-«*•- 
EARLY FLOWERING SHRUBS. 
Ps’RUS japonica. —This member of the Apple tree 
family is in a few respects one of the finest orna¬ 
mental members of its class. Even so far south as 
London it can be relied upon to flower freely when 
grown in the open grounds as a bushy stirub ; but 
even to the borders of the northern Highlands it 
succeeds capitally when a suitable place on a warm 
wall is chosen for it. The flowers are rich ruby 
coloured and freely borne from the axils of the young 
wood and also the old spurs. When trained to a 
wall the pruning and root attention are quite as 
necessary matters for consideration as they are in 
the case of pruning and the care of fruit tree roots. 
We grow the Pyrus japonica for the feast of its 
flowers; we grow the Apples to eat their fruits. 
Some amount of attention will be found necessary 
to furnish a properly regulated wall specimen. When 
grown as a bush, P. japonica is most tortuous and 
spreading in growth. It retains much of this nature 
even under the severe regulations evolving from 
pruning—knife and hammer—in its growth on a wall 
so that outward growing branches required for 
filling in must not be allowed to go too far ahead 
before being trained in. The pruning resolves itself 
into the thinning of superfluous growth, the selection 
of properly disposed and suitable shoots, and the 
spurring back of the lateral shoots arising from the 
secondary stems forming the outline or framework of 
the subject. Any good garden soil is suitable for it, 
and a little cramping of the roots is helpful rather 
than pernicious. 
Crab Apples. —Although not to be classed with 
spring decorative shrubs but rather with those of 
late summer, I should like to plead for the pretty 
fruiting Crabs. It is by no means too late, even a 
month from now, to plant a few, provided extra care 
is expended in the planting. The new varieties of 
ornamental Crabs will shortly become very popular, 
or I wrongly conceive what suits our British taste. 
Erica carnea and E. c. alba. —The placing of 
such lowly shrubs among tall and conspicuous ones 
might cause a questioning thought to run through 
the minds of some readers. Ericas are oftener 
treated of by themselves but " all the same for that," 
as the colloquialist would say, they are still shrubby 
plants, and they are flowering now, and now is 
early ! 
So useful are these two subjects, the rosy-pink one 
and the white, that wherever there is a rockery or 
space on a bank for a few plants there they 
should be placed. Even the smaller gardens should 
be able to boast of a bed of Ericas and E. carnea, 
with E. c. alba, is as pretty as any. 
The Alders.— From shrubs of pigmy size a step 
is taken to trees of respectable proportions. But 
only for a passing reference. When the Alders 
(Alnus glutinosa, A. cordifolia, Sec) are heavily 
laden with their long drooping •• tails ’’ or catkins, 
generally of a greenish-yellow colour, their presence 
by the side of still water is uncommonly beautiful. 
Or again showering down from the steep sides of a 
gullet among the hills—country hills—with a rushing 
mountain stream foaming below—what is prettier? 
The male-flowered Willows are likewise extremely 
attractive.— H. D. 
-- < 1 - —- 
Hardening ||iscellany. 
WHITLOEF CHICORY. 
As most gardeners are aware the fleshy roots of this 
plant are grown for the purpose of forcing in winter. 
When brought into heat the roots are easily induced 
to throw to develop leaves, which may be retained in 
the blanched condition merely by covering them from 
the light when brought into the forcing house, that 
is, provided it is lighted. Many gardeners now have 
the convenience of a forcing house that is perfectly 
dark when the door is closed ; others make a tem¬ 
porary one. Some eminent connoisseurs tell us that 
the best way to serve the forced leaves is to use them 
raw as a salad dressed with oil and a little vinegar. 
One uses it sometimes as a French salad and at other 
times as a German salad. In any case it is a very 
accommodating and agreeable vegetable that may be 
used in various ways; while its culture is of the 
easiest. 
ESC H SC HOLTZ I AS. 
Nothing in the garden during summer possesses 
more charmingly brillianc flowers than do the 
Californian Poppies. E. californica has a tremend¬ 
ous depth of colour, a colour which really glows. 
Strangely enough, the Esohscholtzias only open 
fully under the influence of sunshine. This is to be 
regretted, for half, or even three-quarters, of their 
beauty lies in the finely curved cup and its inner 
ruddiness. They seem to favour a dry sandy border, 
and are much used in public parks and private 
gardens for the edges of beds, and such like. A 
pinch of seed need only be sown in May to supply 
these welcome blooms by midsummer. The average 
height is 1 ft. 
ACACIA UROPHYLLA. 
Among the many Acacias now in bloom or soon to 
be, the above stands out as a very handsome subject. 
It throws up tall slender stems bearing crowds of 
little flower heads of a pale yellow colour, similar in 
form to A. armata. The foliage is irregular and ob¬ 
long. The flowers are slightly fragrant, the bushes 
being conspicuous and pretty. 
-■ » ■ 
SOCIETIES. 
TORQUAY. —March 21 st. 
The spring show, as usual, was held in the Bath 
Saloon, in glorious weather, the sun shining the 
greatest part of the day,in fact,Queen’s weather at the 
queen of watering places down west. This conse¬ 
quently favoured the attendance, which generally has 
the most to do with shaping the balance sheet. The 
number of entries was slighly below that of previous 
years, but the quality of the exhibits maintained the 
show’s reputation. Huge Palms and Tree Ferns, 
stood on tall iron stands, greatly added to the exhi¬ 
bits staged below, reducing to a minimum the other¬ 
wise flatness of the arrangement. 
There were forty-six classes in all, the first being 
for six flowering plants in 8 in. pots, distinct species. 
Dr. F. Edgelow came first, and Mrs. Hassall second. 
For six foliage plants, distinct species, Mrs. Hassall 
and Miss Lavers came in the order named. For 
three plants, flowering or foliage, Dr. F. Edgelow 
led; while for six Ferns, Miss Lavers came first. 
With one specimen Azalea, Mrs. Hassall was first 
Dr. Edgelow, second; Mr. P. Bushby, third. These 
were all grandly flowered, and a sharp race ensued 
as to which should have the blue. For the specimen 
plant in bloom, Dr. Edgelow won with a nice plant 
of Imantophyllum, and for a Dice Orchid, Miss 
Lavers was the only exhibitor, but for three Orchids, 
Dr. Edgelow came first with good Dendrobium 
nobile, well flowered. Miss Lavers was second, 
with Angraecum, Coelogyne, and Cymbidium, 
There was only one exhibitor for six Gloxinias, and 
these were really splendid for so early a period, from 
Mrs. Hassall’s garden. Double Primulas were poor, 
but the siogles quite the reverse, Mr. Wingate 
taking first for three ; Mr. Quick second. For three 
Spiraeas, Dr. Edgelow was well ahead with fair 
pots; Mr. Bushby next. A prize for three Diutzias 
only brought one entry, and this from Mrs. Hassall, 
but they were good specimens, full of flower. 
Dr. Edgelow took first for six table plants in 
flower; Mr. Quick, second; while for six foliage 
plants, Mr. Bushby was first; Dr. Edgelow second. 
Mr. Quick was first for a dozen distinct Hyacinths; 
Dr. Edgelow, second; and for six, Mr. Wingate led 
the way. For six pots of Polyanthus Narcissi, Dr. 
Edgelow was first; and in six pots trumpet varie¬ 
ties, Mr. Wingate came first, with Dr. Edgelow 
second. Only two lots of Freezias were staged. 
The first prize lot was very good, and came from 
Mrs. Hassall. Lilies of the Valley were very poor. 
Miss Lavers was also first for six hybrid Primroses, 
and Dr. Edgelow again scored for six pots of Tulips, 
as well as for three. Cinerarias call for no comment 
except that they were poor and scarce. In the cut 
flower, Mrs. Hassall led for six varieties Narcissi, 
not Polyanthus. Mr. Bushby took first for an 
epergne of flowers and foliage. Mr Minifie was first 
for dinner table decoration, done entirely with single 
Daffodils. Special prizes were given by the presi¬ 
dent, Dr. Hamilton Ramsey. For a basket of 
flowers grown in the open air, Mr. Bushby was first. 
Messrs. Veitch & Son, Exeter, offered prizes for six 
pots of Hyacinths. The first was taken by Mr, 
Wingate. Mr. Smale gave prizes for six pots Hya¬ 
cinths, six pots Tulips, and three pots of trumpet 
Narcissi. Mr. Bushby took honours. 
The honorary exhibitors included Messrs. Curtis, 
Sandford & Co , who had a fine display, consisting 
of white Lilacs, Hyacinths, Lily of the Valley, 
Freezias, Spiraeas, Genistas, Mignonette. Ferns, 
Acacias, and two large boxes containing dozens of 
bunches of Violets in variety, and four boxes of bud 
Roses, W. A. Richardson and Niphetos showing up 
well. Altogether this was a showy group. Mr. 
Heath, King’s Rerswell, had a fine display of 
gathered and pots of Violets, La France showing up 
well amongst many other novelties. Mr. B. Smale, 
nurseryman, also had a showy bank of Azaleas, 
Hyacinths, Cyclamen, Primulas, Palms, Ferns, &c. 
Messrs. R. Veitch & Son, Exeter, had miniature 
rockeries, Richardia compacta, Amaryllis sports, 
Cerasus Watereri, cut blooms of Narcissi, &c. 
Miss Lavers staged a nice collection of Orchids. 
J. Snelgtove, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Bale), put up a 
meritorious collection of flowering stuff. Amongst 
it I noticed Magnolia stellata, Hyacinths, Eucharis, 
Acacias, fine Orchids, Palms, &c. The awarding of 
prizes was in the hands of Messrs. Franklin 
(Streatham Hall), Mayne (Bicton), and Gale (Home 
Park). 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL .—March 27 th. 
The meeting on Tuesday last was brightened very 
largely by means of forced stuff, the continued cold 
winds having the effect of retarding growth to such 
an extent that hardy flowers are yet comparatively 
scarce. Forced flowering trees and shrubs in a great 
wealth of variety brightened the tables. Other 
subjects were: Cyclamen, Tulips, Clivias, Hippeas- 
trums, Daffodils, and other plants of that type. 
Orchids were also fairly well represented, the small 
exhibits and new plants being the most numerous. 
A group of Orchids was set up by H. T. Pitt, Esq , 
(gardener, Mr. Thurgood), Rosslyn, Stamford Hill, 
who had fine pieces of Dendrobium aggregatum 
majus, D. nobile, Vanda tricolor, Oncidium sarcodes, 
Phaius Norman aureus, Odontoglossum Rossii majus,. 
O. Adrianae, Rosslyn var., and many others. Several 
