THE HARDENING WORLD 
July 8, 1905. 
55(1 
ii Ims boon exterminated by tho encroach¬ 
ments of the sea. Iaist, but not least, among 
(bo varieties- so far an general distribution 
goes tho Cornish Moneywort, Sibthorpia 
curopaoa, is one of tbo most delicate and 
('banning of moisture-loving plants. If is 
common on tbo banks of most streams (in val¬ 
leys) throughout Cornwall and some parts of 
Devon. I' is also a native of tho Channel 
Islands and of I lie western cons I ol Europe. 
E. W. 
♦- 
Plants Certificated 
AT THE TEMPLE SHOW 
Dy the Royal Horticultural Society. 
[Concluded /row p. MO.) 
Floral Committee. 
Phlox canadensis Perry’s var. 
The leaves of this variety have a broad 
base clasping (In' stem, and gradually nar¬ 
rowed upwards. They are also of a soft and 
downy character. Tho flowers are produced 
in groat abundance, and are of a soft lavender 
blue. It is supposed to be a natural hybrid 
Is'lween P. divaricate, canadensis and P. 
pilosa. It was raised from seed brought, from 
the Hooky Mountains. Award of Merit to 
.Mr. Amos Perry, Hardy Plant Farm, Winch 
more llill, London, N. 
Roso Lady Gay. 
While this may be described as a rambler 
Hose, it lias ‘been derived from Itosa violin 
raiana, and not from R. multiflora, tho parent 
of the Crimson Humbler. Tho Mowers are 
very large for this type, and produced in 
branching trusses on long drooping branches. 
The petals are very numerous, reversely heart 
shaped and rose, fading to pink. It is a 
grand acquisition to the group of rambler 
Hoses, and would make a splendid weeping 
Hose. Award of Merit to Messrs. William 
Paul and Son, Waltham Cross, 
Begonia Mine. Granby. 
Here we have a large tuberous Begonia with 
double primrose yellow flowers, The petals 
are all deeply (luted or goffered, cut or lobed, 
and arranged round a single centre, so that 
it is remarkably distinct in its class. Award 
of Merit to Messrs. T. S. Ware, Ltd., Ware's 
Nurseries, Felt ham, Middlesex. 
Eremurns Elwcsii albnp. 1 
Tho spikes of this variety have the same 
robust and densely flowered form as the type, 
but the segments are white, with a fine green 
rib on (lie back of each. The leaf is chan¬ 
nelled, keeled on tho back, of great substance, 
and 5 in. wide. It is an acquisition to this 
group of stately herbaceous plants. Award of 
Merit to Mr. (!. Routhe, Foxliill Hardy Plant 
Nursery, Keston, Kent. 
Roso Philadelphia Rambler. 
The flowers of Ibis Humbler have narrower 
petals than those of the Crimson Rambler, 
giving the flowers a very neat upponrnne*. 
The flowers are of a deep crimson red, being 
much darker than when we described the 
variety in autumn. Award of Merit to 
Hobbies, Ltd., Dereham, Norfolk. 
Pelargonium Mons. Rosaleur. 
Though described as a Zonal Pelargonium, 
the leaves of this variety are green without a 
zone. The flowers are largo, semi-double, 
rose pink, and measure 2 in. to 2\ in. across 
each pip. Award of Merit tq Mr. W. J. God¬ 
frey, Exmouth, Devon. 
Fruit and Vegetable Committee. 
Peach Peregrine. 
The fruits of this variety are of large size, 
and spotted or splashed with crimson on a 
paler red ground over the whole surface that 
has been exposed to sunlight. The fruits take 
on this line colour some time before they are 
ripe. The llosh is highly flavoured, and parts 
readily from the stone, ft is a very fruitful 
variety, and is a seedling from the Spenser 
Nectarine. It. is also well adapted for forcing, 
as some fin© t rees of it wore shown 'by M.ssrs 
T. Rivers and Son, Sawbridgeworl 1 1 , Herts, 
who were accorded a First Class Certificate. 
Cucumber Delicacy. 
An Award of Merit was granted to this 
Cucumber on May 23rd, ami wo gave a de¬ 
scription and origin of the variety on p. 442. 
Some fruits of it. wore again brought up in 
better condition, and the committee, being 
highly satisfied with its appearance, gave il a 
first ( lass Certificate, Mr. S, Mortimer, 
Swiss Nursery, Rowledgo, Farnhnm, Surrey. 
A Letter 
TO THE 
Editor. 
Soils and Plant Life. 
Dear Sir, With regard to a poem entitled 
A IMeloneliolly ITile," which appeared in the 
issue for tile 101b nil. of Tin Caiuimninu 
Wi'in.ii, if lias occurred to I lie writer to point 
out to readers of your excellent journal Unit 
then* is much more of sound scientifically 
verified tact in the theory amusingly vent.i 
luted by tho imaginary 11 Jones-Smythe” 
than .. people, even experienced gardeners, 
would suppose. 
A very strong argument against tho notion 
that the carbon of vegetation is derived 
directly from organic Hinder in the soil is 
affoide.il by flie wcH-cstablishcd fact that, 
crops have boon frequently grown upon soils 
to all intent s and purposes free from organic 
vegetable matter. Experiments, for example, 
were made by a French chemist, Bonssingault, 
who raised plants from seeds in soils which 
had previously been subjected to red hot heat , 
and 1 rom which all organic carbonaceous 
vegetable matter bad been t tins removed and 
burned away, and yet the plants not only 
grew, hut. Thrived upon such soil. 
Then, again, according to that most careful 
of observers, Ihc late Mr. C. Darwin, rich har¬ 
vests of Maize are grown in the interior of 
Chili and I’eru upon soils consisting of tho 
merest, quicksand, never enriched bv manures. 
Another writer, Colonel Campbell, points out 
that the soil of the Cinnamon gardens in Cey¬ 
lon is pure quartz sand, white as snow. Many 
other instances could be cited in proof of this. 
One can even go further. Observation lias 
shown that when plants are grown upon soils 
containing organic vegetable matter, so far 
from this vegetable matter in the soi 1 being 
used up or decreased by any feeding of plants 
upon it, it is very much increased. 
I suppose that nearly all the readers of 
Tin O Aiimxixi; Would are aware that 
plants derive nourishment from the air by 
under the influence of sunlight absorbing 
carbonic acid gas from the atmosphere, and 
retaining the carbon, one of its constituents, 
in their tissues. "While (his is so, 1 am of 
opinion that very few but thought “the part 
played l>v the soil ” was the important one, 
and the soil supplied far more of the nourish¬ 
ment than the atmosphere. It is an interest¬ 
ing subject, and an illustrated article on 
“How Plants Feed” would, 1 am sure, b 
welcomed by many readers, if written by on 
more competent, to handle the subject in u 
illuminative and instructive manner than a 
Northkrn Gardener. 
TRADE NOTICES. 
Guernsey Bulbs. 
Til© wholesale catalogue of bulbs issued b 
Messrs. W. Manger and Sons, Guernsey, ij 
now on our table, and the great variety o 
subjects lisle I certainly exceeds what w. 
ahould have anticipated from such a mm.i1 
island. The bulbs grown include Daffodils ii 
great variety, early, single, and double Tulips 
Parrot Tulips, May-flowering Tulips, an, 
species of Darwin Tulips, Freesias, Ixias 
Sparaxias, early ami late-flowering Gladioli ii 
great- variety. Amaryllis and various otlu- 
Gape bulbs- are represented by many of 1 lie bes 
species and varieties. Irises are represent!- 
not only by bulbous species, but by Ha; 
Irises (if the German and Japanese types 
Montbrotias, Lilies, and others of that clas- 
arc represented by some of the best <d then 
kind. Toi the above various Phloxes, I’ve 
thrums-, l’aeonics, and other herbaewne 
plants have been added. The catalogin' i 
illustrated by full-page and.other pictures n 
many of tho plants offered. 
Kelway’s Manual. 
The above, sent out by Messrs. Kelway an 
Son, Langport, Somerset, is indeed a manna 
of horticulture, as it not only describes tli 
plants offered, but also gives a deal of in 
formation relating to tho cultivation of tli 
different subjects. The manual runs t 
3b0 pp., ami therefore contains a vast nmoun 
of information dealing with the art of garden 
ing. Numerous illustrations adorn its page* 
amongst, which we may single out a ('(dome 
picture of Kelway’s Imperial Paeonies, a 
well as large photographic, illustrations < 
perennial borders, Delphiniums in gi'on 
variety, I’aeouics, (!ai I lard ias, l’yrctliruim 
Phloxes, Roses, Chrysanthemums, Petunia.' 
and many other flowers. Each of these suT 
jects is usually represented by a number " 
illustrations, showing the use of such plant 
in beds, fields, and borders in associatioi 
with dwelling-houses in private establish 
ments. The latter half of the manual i 
devoted to vegetables, also well illustrate 
with good varieties of each respective typ> 
Flower seeds are also dealt with in the latt* 
part of the manual, and amongst them w 
note seeds of large numbers of choice aiinm 
and perennial herbaceous plants. Severs 
pictures show as many varieties of late-flowe 
ing Gladioli, for which Messrs. Kelway ha\ 
made themselves famous during tho Ion 
period of years of attention to the cultivatio 
and improvement of Ibis class of plant- 
Daffodils and Tulips so recently with us wi, 
in a relatively short time be before us agan 
and attention is called to them, by means , 
numerous pictures of choice and usef 
varieties. 
- o - 
London City Mission at East Bvknha 
Park. On Tuesday, June -7th. some C 
London City missionaries enjoyed a day 
Hast Burnham Park, near Slough, at t' 
invitation of Mr. and Mrs. II. J. \ citch. 
* * * 
Teaching the Boys. — The boys at the Pac¬ 
ha m National Schools cultivate plots of lad 
ifi (he school grounds. The work is done 
their spare time, and several of them are 
no means indifferent gardeners. 
