414 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  12,  1898. 
ROYAL  BOTANIC  SOCIETY. 
May  11th. 
The  exhibition  at  Regent’s  Park  was  decidedly  superior  to  its 
immediate  predecessors.  The  exhibits  were  charmingly  arranged  in  the 
big  tent,  and  made  a  very  effective  display.  As  is  customary,  almost  all  the 
groups  came  from  trade  growers  ;  indeed  private  gardeners  were  perhaps 
fewer  in  number  than  is  generally  the  case.  We  give  a  brief  reference  to 
the  majority  of  the  exhibits.  The  southern  show  of  the  National  Tulip 
Society  was  held  in  conjunction  with  the  Botanic,  but  as  we  received  no 
notification  of  the  fact  we  could  not  arrange  for  a  report  to  appear  in  the 
current  issue. 
Mr.  H.  B.  IVIay,  Upper  Edmonton,  arranged  a  charming  group  of 
Crimson  Rambler  Roses,  Spiraeas,  and  Perns.  All  the  plants  were  well 
grown,  and  capitally  shown.  IMessrs.  .J.  Laing  &  Sons,  Forest  Hill,  were 
represented  by  a  group  of  miscellaneous  flowering  and  foliage  plants, 
arranged  in  semicircular  form  on  a  sloping  bank.  The  plants  were  well 
diversified,  and  represented  excellent  culture.  Caladiums,  Dracaenas, 
Crotons,  Boronias,  Ericas,  Begonias,  Gloxinias,  various  Orchids,  and 
Crimson  Rambler  Roses  were  particularly  effective.  The  Forest  Hill 
firm  also  exhibited  tioral  decorations.  The  arrangement  of  the  flowers  in 
baskets,  bouquets,  and  other  forms  was  graceful  and  light. 
Cut  Roses  and  plants  in  pots  were  staged  by  Messrs.  W.  Paul  &  Son, 
Waltham  Cross.  Amongst  the  best  of  the  varieties  were  La  France, 
IMarechal  Niel,  Violette  Bowyer,  Madame  Montet,  Queen  Mab,  Medea, 
Duchess  of  Albany,  Enchantress,  and  William  Warden.  The  bank  of 
Tulips  sent  by  Messrs.  Barr  &  Son,  Covent  Garden,  made  a  bright 
display.  The  varieties  comprised  many  of  the  Darwin  section,  some 
species  and  a  few  Parrot  Tulips.  Very  good  were  May  Queen,  Rose 
Pompon,  Nabob,  Goldflake,  elegans,  Picotee,  Buenoventura,  Striped 
Beauty,  retroflexa.  The  Sultan,  and  Zephyr.  The  same  firm  also  sent 
Alpine  plants.  Irises  and  Narcissi  in  variety. 
Messrs.  J.  Peed  &  Son,  Norwood,  made  an  imposing  display  with 
groups  of  Caladiums  and  Dracaenas.  Splendidly  grown  specimens  of 
many  of  the  leading  varieties  were  observed,  but  space  does  not  permit  of 
their  enumeration.  Alpine  flowers  in  variety  were  staged  by  Mr.  T.  S. 
Ware,  Hale  Farm  Nurseries,  Tottenham.  The  assortment  was  good,  and 
the  plants  were  of  an  interesting  character.  Trilliums,  Alyssums, 
Ranunculuses.  Primulas,  and  others  were  conspicuous.  Messrs.  W.  Cut- 
bush  &  Son,  Highgate,  sent  a  varied  assortment  of  greenhouse  plants, 
such  as  Ericas,  Oranges,  Indian  and  mollis  Azaleas,  Boronias,  Carnations, 
Palms,  and  Ferns. 
A  most  interesting  table  was  occupied  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Empson,  gardener 
to  Mrs.  Wingfield  of  Ampthill,  with  vegetables  and  fruit.  This  grower’s 
ability  is  well  known,  and  the  exhibit  here  referred  to  well  maintained  his 
reputation.  The  vegetables  included  Leeks,  Rhubarb,  Seakale,  Potatoes, 
Tomatoes,  Mushrooms,  Cabbages,  Broccoli,  Asparagus,  Beans,  Radishes, 
Onions,  and  others,  while  the  fruits  comprised  Apples  and  Bananas. 
Messrs.  J.  Waterer  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Bagshot,  staged  a  collection  of  Japanese 
Maples  in  small  pots. 
Mr.  W.  Rumsey,  Waltham  Cross,  staged  Roses  in  pots  and  in  boxes  in 
good  variety  and  condition.  Mrs.  Rumsey.  Crimson  Rambler,  Magna 
Charta,  Niphetos,  Souvenir  d’un  Ami,  Madame  Montet,  and  Senateur 
Vaisse  were  all  well  shown.  Messrs.  T.  Rivers  &  Son,  Sawbridgeworth, 
exhibited  Cardinal  Nectarines  in  pots  carrying  handsome  fruits.  Mr.  C. 
Turner’s  Azaleas  from  Slough  were  grand.  All  alike,  large  and  small, 
were  symmetrical  and  profusely  flowered.  The  Slough  firm  also  sent 
Carnation  Princess  May  and  Rambler  Rose  Thalia. 
A  superb  group  of  Orchids  was  shown  by  Messrs.  B.  S.  Williams  and 
Son,  Upper  Holloway.  The  clean,  healthy  Odontoglossums,  Cattleyas, 
Laelias,  Oncidiums,  Vandas,  and  C3'pripediums  were  producing  flowers  of 
high  quality.  Included  in  the  group  were  fine  Anthuriums,  Clivias, 
Ericas,  mollis  Azaleas,  Cannas,  Lilacs,  and  others.  Messrs.  B.  S. 
Williams  also  sent  floral  devices,  mainly  composed  of  Roses,  Irises, 
Anthuriums,  Odontoglossums,  and  scarlet  Zonal  Pelargoniums.  The 
flowers  were  arranged  with  excellent  taste.  Mr.  J.  Prewett,  Bayswater, 
arranged  a  table  with  Spanish  Irises  and  other  flowers. 
Mr.  G.  Cragg,  gardener  to  W.  Walker,  Esq ,  Winchmore  Hill,  sent  a 
good  group  of  Orchids  of  various  kinds  and  varieties.  Mr.  Keif,  gardener 
to  Mrs.  Abbot,  Regent’s  Park,  arranged  a  group  of  plants,  such  as 
Liliums,  Crotons.  Caladiums,  Palms,  Ferns,  Gloxinias,  and  others.  Mr.* 
G.  Mount,  Canterbury,  sent  cut  Roses  in  his  well  known  excellent  stvle 
and  variety.  The  flowers  were  fresh,  bright,  and  fragrant.  Mr.  A. 
Smith,  High  Wycombe,  showed  Mar^chal  Niel  Roses  in  good  form,  and 
Messrs.  A.  Young  &  Co.,  Stevenage,  hardy  flowers  and  Zonal 
Pelargonium  King  of  Denmark. 
Improving  Taste. — It  is  a  favourable  sign  that  the  taste  for  such 
noble  flowers  as  Pseonies,  Crown  Imperials,  Asters,  Hollyhocks,  and 
others  of  their  classes  is  again  rapidly  coming  to  the  front.  Some  years 
ago  there  was  such  a  rush  for  “  Geraniums,”  Coleus,  and  other  tender 
bedding  plants  to  be  used  in  the  flower  garden,  that  it  began  to  look  as 
if  the  grand  old  plants  of  quieter  bearing  might  be  crowded  aside. 
Happily  such  was  not  to  be  the  case.  The  bright  rivals  of  the  greenhouses 
found  wide  popularity — much  of,  it  deserved — but  at  last  they  have  found 
their  proper  place  even  in  the  best  of  gardens — namely,  they  are  factors, 
but  not  the  whole  thing,  in  tioral  adornment.  There  is,  says  “  Vick’s 
Magazine,”  a  degree  of  monotony  and  lack  of  expression  in  a  bed  of 
“  Geraniums  ”  or  Coleus  that  quite  unfits  them  for  being  a  really 
satisfying  element  for  large  use  in  the  garden. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Buddlea  globosa. 
The  effect  of  this  hardy  deciduous  shrub  is  very  telling  just  now.  We 
have  it  on  pillars  on  a  north  wall.  In  matters  of  pruning  the  same  applies 
to  Buddlea  globosa  as  to  a  Rose — viz.,  the  removal  of  old  wood  and^the 
laying-in  of  healthy  young  shoots.  Buddlea  globosa  produces  its  flowers 
(deep  yellow  in  colour,  and  globular  in  form,  as  its  name  implies),  singly, 
as  a  rule,  on  the  wood  of  the  previous  season’s  growth.  This  is  the  kind 
of  shrub  which  should  be  much  sought  after  in  the  near  future,  as  it  pro¬ 
duces  a  pleasing  contrast  to  the  rich  wealth  of  blossom  on  the  more 
important  occupants  of  the  wall — the  Cherry  trees — at  this  season  of  the 
year. — T.  P. 
Azalea  indica. 
Now  that  the  most  important  time  has  come  amongst  Azaleas  I  think 
a  few  notes  on  their  culture  might  prove  useful  to  fellow  readers.  About 
this  time  the  majority  of  Azaleas  have  finished  blooming,  or  at  any  rate 
the  early  varieties  have,  and  it  is  about  these  I  am  writing.  The  first 
thing  to  be  done  after  they  are  brought  from  the  conservatory,  or  wher¬ 
ever  they  have  bloomed,  is  to  go  over  them  and  remove  the  old  flower 
stalks,  so  that  they  will  not  prevent  the  new  growth  from  pushing.  After 
that  has  been  done  those  which  were  not  potted  last  year  should  have 
attention  now,  and  the  others  top-dressed.  - 
The  compost  for  potting  should  be  five  parts  of  peat  with  all  the 
rubbish  picked  out  and  one  part  of  silver  sand.  Take  care,  before  they 
are  potted,  to  have  them  moist,  and  also,  it  there  are  any  strong  shoots, 
to  cut  them  back.  In  repotting  pick  all  the  outside  and  sour  soil  off 
them,  give  a  slight  shift,  and  ram  the  compost  hard.  As  for  top-dressing, 
remove  a  little  of  the  top  soil  and  fill  up  with  the  above  compost.  The 
next  thing  is  to  give  water  and  place  them  in  a  warm  and  moist  atmo¬ 
sphere,  such  as  a  fernery  or  vinery  that  has  just  been  started,  where  they 
can  be  syringed  morning  and  evening  to  encourage  new  growth.  Leave 
them  there  till  about  the  middle  of  June,  when  they  may  be  placed 
outside  under  a  north  wall  on  a  bed  of  ashes.  Afford  abundance  of 
water,  especially  in  the  growing  season,  as  nothing  checks  the  young  roots 
more  than  drought.  It  is  advisable  also,  while  they  are  outside,  to 
syringe  them  every  afternoon,  as  it  not  only  freshens  them,  but  prevents 
thrips  and  red  spider. — A.  U. 
Lachenalias. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  the  various  methods  of  culture  of  the  same 
plant  by  different  growers.  For  instance,  two  writers  in  the  Journal  of 
Horticulture  a  few  weeks  past  described  their  way  of  growing  Centaurea 
candidissima.  One  rooted  the  cuttings  in  a  cool  frame,  and  the  other  in 
a  propagating  pit,  in  a  temperature  of  70°,  and  both  methods  were 
successful. 
On  page  356  “  S.  S.”  describes  his  plan  of  growing  Lachenalias,  which 
is  different,  hut  not  so  widely  as  in  the  Centaurea  case,  to  that  adopted 
at  my  last  place,  with  very  good  results,  and  is  as  follows  : — Place  the 
bulbs  at  the  end  of  July  in  5-inch  pots,  using  the  same  compost  as 
described  by  “  S.  S.,”  and  plunge  them  in  a  bed  of  leaf  soil  in  a  cool 
frame.  When  started  well  into  growth  remove  the  plants  to  a  shelf  in  a 
greenhouse,  with  a  temperature  of  45°  to  55°.  Supply  water  very  care¬ 
fully,  and  when  the  pots  are  full  of  roots  give  weak  liquid  manure  at 
each  watering.  After  flowering  place  the  plants  in  a  warmer  atmosphere, 
to  finish  their  growth  and  form  next  season’s  flower  spikes.  When 
this  is  complete  place  the  pots  containing  the  bulbs  on  a  shelf  or  stage 
close  to  the  glass  in  the  full  blaze  of  the  sun,  thoroughly  ripening  the 
bulbs.  There  they  remain  dry  till  wanted  for  potting  again.  Nerines  and 
Freesias  were  treated  in  the  same  way. 
Lachenalias  are  increased  by  seeds  or  by  offsets,  these  latter  being’ 
taken  off  at  the  potting  period.  There  are  many  varieties,  but  I  consider 
L.  Nelsoni  by  far  the  best.  A  few  pots  of  seven  spikes,  each  with  about 
thirty  fl  wers,  are  very  effective  among  other  plants  in  the  green¬ 
house. — L.  F. 
Mealy  Bug  on  Vines. 
In  the  whole  course  of  gardening  there  is  nothing  which  is  so 
annoying,  and  which  takes  up  so  much  valuable  time  to  exterminate,  as 
mealy  bug.  It  is  one  of  the  easiest  of  pests  to  find  its  way  into  a  vinery,  and 
there  is  hardly  any  task  so  difficult  as  clearing  it  out  of  a  house.  Still 
there  are  ways  and  means,  and  no  expense  of  time  or  labour  should  be 
considered  too  great  to  keep  such  a  filthy  insect  from  our  Vines. 
Paraflfln  has  been  recommended  by  some  people,  but  I  have  seen  it 
most  injurious.  I  am  acquainted  with  a  gardener  who,  going  to  a  new 
situation,  found  that  all  the  Vines  were  infested  with  mealy  bug.  He 
first  scraped  off  as  closely  as  possible  all  the  bark  that  could  be  safely 
removed  from  his  Vines,  and  then  dressed  with  paraffin  and  water.  The 
result  was  the  Vines  were  so  badly  injured  that  they  had  to  be  rooted 
out  ;  the  bug,  however,  was  left  intact.  After  the  bark  has  been  removed 
almost  to  the  quick  paraffin  is  extremely  dangerous,  as  the  Vine  is  so 
porous  and  the  oil  so  penetrating  that  disastrous  effects  are  almost  sure  to 
follow. 
The  treatment  I  would  recommend  is  to  scrape  the  rods  as  thoroughly 
as  possible  during  the  winter,  to  dress  the  Vines  well  with  Bentley’s 
insecticide,  and  then  to  effectually  fill  all  the  holes  and  crevices  with 
styptic.  Make  a  point  of  burning  all  the  scrapings,  to  destroy  as  many  of 
the  insects  as  possible.  The  dressing  will  not  injure  the  Vines,  and  will 
destroy  all  the  insects  that  can  be  reached.  The  vinery  itself  should  also 
be  thoroughly  cleansed,  and  when  possible  painted.  As  soon  as  fire  heat 
is  applied  to  the  Vines  the  rods  should  be  carefully  examined  not  less 
than  once  a  week,  and  what  insects  are  found  killed  immediately.  They 
