THE GARDENING WORLD 
507 
gtApril 7, 1B00 
to the production of phosphoric acid in the soil. The 
phosphorus of the animal body, braiD, nerves, flesh, 
and bones, is contributed by plants. This shows us 
how great the demand on this substance really is, 
and affords us a lesson of the vigilance, as cultivators 
of the soil, we need always exercise in the matter.— 
Oxygen. 
(To be continued.) 
NOVELTIES AND POPULAR FLOWERS. 
Reading your interesting leader of the ioth ult., on 
“ Novelties and Popular Flowers," and your special 
remarks as to the raising of seedlings, brings vividly 
to my mind the inexpressible pleasure and delight I 
have experienced during the past fifty years in 
raising and cultivating seedlings from carefully 
selected and fertilised flowers of Pinks, florist's show 
Tulips, Polyanthus, Pansies, Delphiniums, Ranun¬ 
culus, Anemones, &c,, and can truly say with you 
that "No one who has ever engaged in the operation 
will deny the real pleasure derived from watching a 
bed or batch of seedlings coming into bloom for the 
first time, and anticipating something new and hand¬ 
some." Such pleasure, however, cannot be experi¬ 
enced without patience, perseverance, and labour. 
Neither must the same be anticipated without a firm 
resolution to battle with disappointment, which will 
always be intermingled with delight at the time 
when the seedling plants begin to develop their 
blooms, and when curiosity and impatience will not 
admit of nature taking its course without the assist¬ 
ance of fingers and tweezers in opening prema¬ 
turely the calyx of a flower which, from the forma¬ 
tion of the bud, &c., looks promising ! 
If disappointment presents itself in the first bloom 
hope clings to those which are to follow; but when 
it is taken into consideration that one plant out of a 
ioo seedlings, which may excel its parents in some 
form of perfection, would be a satisfactory average, 
although produced by careful fertilisation, it may 
easily be imagined how much nerve and persever¬ 
ance would be required should the one superior 
variety be cruel enough to be the last plant of the 
ioo to exhibit its grandeur ! If, however, such were 
to be the case, this single success would amply com- 
pansate the raiser for all his "ups and downs" 
experienced during the whole progress of his 
venture. If anyone were fortunate enough to raise a 
seedling, excelling in points of quality or perfection, 
he could easily picture to himself the pride he 
would feel by being awarded the premier prize for 
such a specimen. I would, therefore, urgently re¬ 
commend all amateur florists, whose ambition is to 
become prominent in the cultivation of florists’ 
flowers, to lose no time in embarking into the very 
enterprising and fascinating hobby of “ seedling 
raising ."—James Thurstan, Cannock, March 26 tli, 1900 . 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The awards mentioned hereunder were made by the 
Royal Horticultural Society on the 27th ult.: 
Orchid Committee. 
Dendrobium Melpomena (Hort).—In this we have 
a handsome, clear, but soft yellow Dendrobium, 
obtained by crossing D. signatum and D. splendid- 
issimum. The oblong sepals and broader petals 
have a waxy, shining lustre. The lip has a large, 
claret-coloured, shortly rayed blotch at the base. 
(First-class Certificate.) Sir Trevor Lawrence, 
Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. White), Burford Lodge, 
Dorking. 
Dendrobium Clio superbum.— The sepals and 
petals of this hybrid variety are white, tipped with 
purple. The lip is large with a broad, crimson 
blotch, surrounded with white and tipped with 
purple. It is a large and handsome flower. (Award 
of Merit.) Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Dendrobium nobile album. —Several varieties of 
D. nobile approach a white colour, but in this 
instance all the colouring has been washed out, 
leaving a chaste and handsome white flower. (First- 
class Certificate.) J. G. Fowler, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. J. Davies), Glebslands, South Woodford. 
Odontoglossum triumphans Raymond Craw- 
siiay. —The sepals of this splendid variety are nearly 
covered with intense chocolate colouring, except 
some yellow at the base and tip. There is less of 
this colour on the petals which have a central yellow 
bar, and a considerable amount of chocolate and 
yellow netting on the basal portion. The lip is 
white with a large, apical chocolate blotch. Seldom 
do we meet with such intense colouring and excel¬ 
lence in form as are presented by this variety. 
(Award of Merit.) De B. Crawshay, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. S. Cooke), Rosefield, Sevenoaks. 
Cattleya Trianaei Katie Wigan.— The sepals 
and petals of this chaste variety are of the faintest 
blush-lilac. The lip is solt rose, with a purple band 
across the base, between the rosy lamina and the 
orange throat. (Award of Merit.) Sir F. Wigan, 
Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. Young), Clare Lawn, East 
Sheen. 
Ada aurantiaca. —The rich orange flowers of 
this cool house Orchid have a black line along the 
middle of each petal. A large and well flowered 
piece was exhibited by J. T. Bennett Poe, Esq. (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. J. Downes), Holmewood, Cheshunt 
Dendrobium aggregatum. —A large piece of this 
species, generally seen in gardens, when seen at all, 
under the name of D. aggregatupi majus, was shown 
by H. T. Pitt, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Thurgood), 
RosslyD, Stamford Hill. It is a handsome species 
for growing upon rafts suspended near the glass, the 
pseudo-bulbs being 3 in. 10 4 in. long, and bearing 
near their apex drooping racemes of orange-yellow 
flowers. (Award of Merit.) 
Floral Committee. 
Rhododendron Dr. Stocker. —The flowers of this 
greenhouse Rhododendron are campanulate, of great 
size, and white, spotted with brownish yellow at the 
base of the upper segment. There is also a red zone 
at the very base of the flower. The oblong leaves 
are of large size, deep green above and paler beneath. 
(Award of Merit.) Dr. Stocker (gardener, Mr. G, 
Abbey), Avery Hill, Eltham. 
Violet La France.— The flowers of this variety 
are as large, it not larger, than those of any other 
variety. They are of good substance, carried on 
'oDg stalks, and of a dark violet with a white throat, 
marked with a few lines. The foliage is vigorous, 
but the blooms are not strongly scented. (Award of 
merit.) Messrs. Isaac House & Son, Westbury-on- 
Trym, Bristol. 
Pelargonium Miss G. Ashworth. —This new 
zonal variety is a great improvement upon Hermione, 
having a better form of flower, being flatter and 
more even in outline. The blooms are of large size, 
double, pure white, and borne abundantly upon 
large trusses. For this reason, possibly, it has also 
been given the name of " All Flower.” The habit 
of the plant is good, being dwarf, bushy, and well 
suited for winter flowering. There is a faint zone 
on the Pea green foliage. (Award of Merit.) 
Messrs. H. Cannell and Sons, Swanley, Kent. 
Cyclamen Fimbriatum. —The flowers of this 
garden strain are rosy, and more fimbriated even 
than the now well-known Papilio. More strikingly 
peculiar is the fimbriated character of the leaves 
which are first strongly undulated or wavy, and then 
deeply fringed at the margins. The outgrowths 
from the edges of the leaves are again cut or toothed 
on the sides, reminding us of those Ferns which are 
guilty of apospory. The public has a mixed opinion 
whether it likes the new development or otherwise. 
We shall see later on. (Award of Merit). St. 
George’s Nursery Company, Hanwell. 
Narcissus Committee. 
Narcissus Comet. —This pretty golden yellow 
Daffodil has been derived by crossing N. obvallaris 
(Tenby Daffodil) and N. cyclamineus. The seg¬ 
ments are slightly reflexed, and the narrow trumpet 
beautifully crisped at the month. It is quite in¬ 
termediate between the parents. (Award of Merit). 
Mrs. R. O. Backhouse, Sutton Court, Herefordshire. 
Fruit and Vegetable Committee. 
Rhubarb. Daw’s Champion. —The earliness of 
this variety was well attested by the exhibition of 
several varieties, all gathered from the open ground. 
The stalks of Daw's Champion were 6 in. long, very 
stout, and intense crimson, inclined to blackish 
crimson. The other varieties shown came in this 
order of earliness : (2) Hawke’s Champagne, (3) 
Albert, (4) Linnaeus, and (5) Victoria, the leaves of 
the latter being still in bud. Daw's Champion was 
therefore well worthy of the First-class Certificate 
it received. Mr. W. Poupart, Marsh Farm, Twicken¬ 
ham. 
Apple King of Tomkins County. —This is one 
of the few American Apples that give satisfaction 
when grown in this country. The fruits are of large 
size, subglobularand bright red on the exposed side 
when well coloured. It is a late keeper. We have 
seen it doing well in Kent and Devon. (Award 
of Merit). Duke of Richmond and Gordon (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. Parker) Goodwood, near Chichester. 
- * — *• 
EilinDurgU Flower siiow. 
April 4th and 5th. 
BY TELEGRAPH. 
Notwithstanding the fact of an undeniably back¬ 
ward and somewhat eccentric seasoD, the spring ex¬ 
hibition of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural 
Society is, from a horticulturist's point of view, 
satisfactory. There is a falling off among trade ex¬ 
hibitors, but the absentees are installed by others, 
who among them arrange groups or stands which 
sustain the excellence of this northern spring flower 
show. Of these new exhibitions we would draw 
attention to Dr. R. Stewart MacDougall’s stand of 
insect specimens. It may, at the same time, be well 
to refer to the fact that the Doctor kindly offers his 
services to members of the society, who care to send 
to him specimens of any insect pests which may be 
infesting their crops or gardens. For fuller mention 
we must direct those interested to the committee’s 
report contained in the schedule. Of Dr. Mac¬ 
Dougall’s collection of insects, details will be found 
in another part of this report. Questioning the secre¬ 
tary, Mr. P. Murray Thomson, S.S.C., upon the 
number of entries obtained, we find 532 against the 
570 of last year. The amateurs’ section, which 
brought forty entries for a start last year, has forty- 
four this season. The entries for Hyacinths and 
forced bulb classes are also greater. Prizes to the 
amount of £282 are being competed for. The show 
as it stands is extremely creditable to the officers of 
the “ Caledonian," and it is to be hoped the weather 
will permit visitors to venture out. Music is sup¬ 
plied by the band of the 5th Royal Scots, a volun¬ 
teer company under the direction of Mr. Dambman. 
The judges officiating are as follows:—Mr. Wilson, 
Glasgow ; Mr. McLennan, Dundas Castle ; Mr. 
Street, Floors Castle; Mr. Laing, Salisbuiy Green; 
Mr. Boyd, Bellisle, Ayr; Mr. Harvey, Morton Hall; 
Mr. Shillington, Prestonkirk; Mr. Pirrie, Valley- 
field, Penicuik ; Mr. Whytock, Dalkeith ; Mr. 
Buchanan, Penicuik House ; Mr. Greive, Redbraes 
Nursery; Mr. Bennet, Hanley Lodge, Gogar; Mr. 
Lindsay, Murrayfield; and Mr. Paterson, of Salton. 
COMPETITIVE CLASSES. 
The following enumerates the leading prize-takers in 
the various classes:— 
Class I. Plants. —For a table of Orchids, 5 ft. 
by 4 ft., arranged for effect, the piize goes to Mr. 
John Mitchell, gardener to James Wilson, Esq., 
Bantaskin, Falkirk. The collection includes some 
fine Odontoglossums and Dendrobes. Mr. Malcolm 
McIntyre, gardener to Sir Charles Tennant, The 
Glen, Innerleithen, comes second, with some fine 
pieces of Cypripediums and Dendrobiums. 
For the circular group of plants, 12 ft. in diameter, 
for effect, Mr. McIntyre comes in first, winning the 
piece of silver plate valued at 3 gs., which the 
Ichthemic Guano Co., Ipswich, offer. Mr. Wood, 
gardener to J. Buchanan, Esq., Oswald House, 
Edinburgh, is a very close second. Comparing the 
two groups the first prize one is the richer, although 
both are beautifully arranged. 
For three exotic Ferns, Mr. J. H. PearsoD, gar¬ 
dener to P. N. Fraser, Esq , Rockville, Murrayfield, 
beats Mr. Wood, of Oswald House; and 
third, Mr. J. McCartaey, gardener to 
David Croall, Esq., Southfield, Liberton. Some 
exceedingly fine Ferns are shown. Mr. J. Pearson, 
gardener to Lady Lucy Dundas, Murrayfield, wins 
for two Deutzia gracilis. Mr. McIntyre is second, 
and John McLaren, Polmont, third. The first two 
are well trained specimens, and very handsome. Mr. 
McIntyre again leads the van in the entry for six 
forced plants. His plants are always specimens in 
the true sense of the word, and are difficult to beat. 
He shows an Azalea indica, a Deutzia, Clivia, 
Genista andreana (extra fine), and two fine Rhodo¬ 
dendrons. Mr. Wm. Bennett, gardener to James- 
Walker, Esq., Hauley Lodge, Gogar, is second ; and 
J. Pearson, third. 
