452 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 3, 1905. 
a widening interest has been created, due un¬ 
questionably to the impartial and cosmopo¬ 
litan policy pursued and the admirable exhibi¬ 
tions which have been provided. 
“ I was persuaded,” observed Mr. Lewendon, 
“ as were those who were associated with me, 
that though several local societies were m 
existence, the town and district of Sheffield 
was able to run an exhibition with open 
classes, those of the already established 
societies which held shows confining then 
attention to purely local and circumscribed 
areas. Results have, I think, proved our 
premises. Another factor that has made for 
success is that although the regulations 
Governing the exhibitions provide that m case 
of failure 10 per cent, may be deducted from 
the prize money, the society has always 
adopted the wise and generous policy of pay¬ 
ing everything in full. 
“ Another idea, which has been amply justi¬ 
fied in the sequel, was that monthly meetings 
at which exhibits should be made and essays 
read would be appreciated and prove of dis¬ 
tinctive educational value and a means of 
bringing together and holding together those 
interested in horticulture. We have about 
eighty members, and the society has, I have 
reason to know, been specially useful to 
amateurs. We are, I might mention affi¬ 
liated to the R.H.S. and the National Rose 
Society. r 
I may add, by the way, went on Mr. 
Lewendon, “ that we regret we were not in a 
position to accept the overtures of the 
National Rose Society to hold their northern 
show this year in conjunction with ours, but 
we hope to be able to co-operate m this way 
in the near future, being assured that,a really 
good exhibition would be the result.” , 
C “ Your date is rather late for Roses, isn t 
it?” 
“Well, yes; but you see in July Rose- 
growers have lots of shows on hand, and fail ly 
food prizes in August attract them. Besides, 
there are plenty of good blooms even then 
The exhibits entered last year were declared 
by noted growers and competent judges to be 
equal to any seen during the season. ’ 
“ I note * you have increased your Rose 
prizes.” 
“ That is so. We have done this every year. 
For the forthcoming show we offer £32 and a 
cup for Roses, and we are confident of, being 
able to augment these prizes next year.” 
“ And how about subscribers P ” I asked. 
Do you retain their confidence? ” 
“ I am happy to say we do,” came the 
pleased response. “ Very few of the first sub¬ 
scribers to the society have deserted us. We 
have kept faith with subscribers and exhi¬ 
bitors, and both have expressed their satisfac¬ 
tion at what has been done, and their inten¬ 
tion of standing by us.” 
This is all eminently satisfactory ; and 1 
left the enthusiastic secretary of the Sheffield 
Floral and Horticultural Society with the im¬ 
pression that the society for which he has 
laboured so untiringly is destined to achieve 
still greater successes, and to prove of incal¬ 
culable benefit and inspiration to the garden¬ 
ing interests of the wide district which its 
energies embrace. 
The Scarlet Thorn, at the present time, 
is one of the most handsome objects in the 
hedges, shrubberies, and pleasure grounds. 
Owing to the intense rose-red of its flowers, 
however, the effect is most pronounced in the 
near rather than the far distance. The 
single variety is brighter than the double. 
The White Thorn, whether single or double, 
remains the most effective, and may be seen 
from afar. 
Cultural Notes on Sweet Peas. 
It may be said of many flowers that the 
treatment needed to produce exhibition 
blooms differs very much from the treatment 
required to produce large quantities of blos¬ 
soms for ordinary purposes. Of the Sweet 
Pea, however, this cannot be said, for if 
properly treated plants which produce exhibi¬ 
tion blossoms in June will continue to supply 
an abundance of excellent blooms until cut 
down by frost. This being so, these notes, 
although intended primarily for the exhibitor, 
will also prove to be equally helpful to the 
grower whose aim is to provide decorative 
objects for the garden or to produce a large 
quantity of flowers for cutting. 
We may assume that by this time plants 
which have been raised under glass have been 
planted in their permanent positions. Wher¬ 
ever sown they should very soon be making 
rapid progress. If the plants are too nume¬ 
rous it is not yet too late to thin them out. 
Those grown in rows should be at least 6 in. 
apart, and if required for exhibition the 
plants should have even more room than that. 
Many growers leave them 1 ft. apart, and 
there can be little doubt that they are re¬ 
warded with superior blossoms. No intending 
exhibitor should leave less than 9 in. between 
each plant. If two or more rows are grown 
parallel to one another, they should be at 
least 6 ft. apart. 
Sweet Peas are now very often grown in 
clumps, and some growers say that this 
method gives results superior to those given 
by the older method of growing in rows. On 
this point opinions are divided. Personally, 
I think that, so long as a proportionate 
amount of space is allowed, and so long as 
other treatment is similar, there is little to 
choose between the two methods. It may 
perhaps be said, however, that clumps make 
better decorative objects than do rows. 
Staking. —It is well known that every year 
acres of Sweet Peas are grown for seed, with¬ 
out anything for them to cling to. For the 
gardener, however, such a course would be 
exceedingly foolish. It is true that a few 
flowers would be obtained, but their stems 
would be short and bent, and the plants 
themselves would look very ungraceful. In¬ 
deed, the provision of support is one of the 
chief branches of Sweet Pea culture. After 
the plants have grown 5 in. high it is un¬ 
wise to leave them without something to cling 
to ; not that 6-ft. stakes are to be given at 
this early stage of their growth—this, indeed, 
is inadvisable—but twigs about a foot long 
should be supplied, so that every little plant 
has something to support it. If necessary 
the plants should be tied to the twigs, but if 
a little care is taken they will generally cling 
of their own accord. Before the plants have 
outgrown the twigs the final staking should 
be made. Hazel boughs cannot be beaten for 
this purpose, although boughs of birch or of 
many other trees can also be used. Some 
growers may not be able to obtain ordinary 
stakes, but there are various substitutes. 
Wire netting is very often used, and it gives 
good results. Tanned netting is also excel¬ 
lent, being very cheap and serviceable. There 
are now on the market several supports 
specially suitable for Sweet Peas when grown 
in clumps. It is probable that some of them 
may be almost as good as stakes; they are 
certainly worthy of trial. 
Whatever method of supporting the plants 
is adopted, care must be taken that the sup¬ 
port is quite firm, and able to •withstand the 
fiercest winds which may blow. When net¬ 
ting is used very great attention must be paid 
to this point. It is also exceedingly im¬ 
portant that the support provided should be 
high enough to meet all requirements. Under 
favourable conditions Sweet Peas frequently 
grow 10 ft. high; and although, if the plants 
are judiciously pruned, they may be kept 
more within bounds than this, yet it is neces¬ 
sary to provide support at least 8 ft. high. 
(To be continued.) 
A Fine Tree Paeony. 
It often happens that an amateur is able to 
reap more signal success with certain plants 
than the professional gardener. While I was 
journeying in the neighbourhood of Wisley 
and Ockham Commons, which a Scotchman 
recently pronounced to be a great deal of 
waste land, I came upon two magnificent 
examples of tree Paeonies in a cottage garden 
near Pointers, at the opposite side of the wide 
stretch of woodland from where the new 
gardens of the R.H.S. are situated. These 
Paeonies were of a rich Rose colour, and more 
fully double than usually occurs in tree 
Paeonies. One plant was established on either 
side of the walk facing the roadway, and 
formed huge bushes which at a short distance 
might have been taken for ordinary Roses in 
such a position. Each bush carried about 100 
or more of these massive blooms, and the 
effect can be more readily imagined than 
described. 
In accounting for the remarkable success of 
the plants it might be well to consider the 
situation and surroundings. Although for all 
practical purposes on the edge of the woods, 
it was more immediately sheltered by the 
house and hedges, while the woods were at a 
greater distance. The soil in this neighbour¬ 
hood consists of Bagshot sand, which is as fine 
as dust, and liable to blow about with the 
wind during gales if the ground is not covered 
with some sort of vegetation. In this ease 
not sufficient of the soil is exposed to blow 
about with the wind, but the point at issue if 
that the Paeonies must ripen up their wood 
well before going to rest in autumn. 
In gardens of good soil the probability if 
that the plants are inclined to make coarse 
growth that continues till late in the season 
for the ripening of the wood and plumping 
up of the buds. The light soil here evidently 
contributes to the success of the plants, as I 
have not seen better for many years. 
P. G. 
Rosa sericea, a single white Rose or wilt 
Brier, is one of the earliest to bloom in tin 
open air. Flowers are produced in tin 
greatest profusion on large, well-establishei 
plants. It should find a place in every Ros 
garden. 
* * * 
Wanted, More Support and Less Criti 
cism. — The complaint is made that tin 
National Fruit Growers’ Federation does no 
receive the support from fruit-growers whic 
it deserves. The federation has unquestion 
ably done good work, and it could prove it 
usefulness to a far greater extent if fruil 
growers generally would join it and urge o 
the work which is desirable in the interests c 
the industry, Criticisms by those who remai 
outside the association, complaining that 
should do more than it does, are unreasonabk 
Instead of their criticisms their membershi 
and their ideas are needed. The alliance wit 
the Royal Horticultural Society may help 1 
enlarge the scope of usefulness of the feder; 
tion, but fruit-growers and gardeners are vei 
much like the farmers in their blindness 1 
the advantages which may be achieved 1 
combination. 
