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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  16,  1898. 
BUTLEY  TULIP  SOCIETY. 
The  seventj'-third  annual  Show  was  held  at  Butley,  near  Macclesfield, 
on  Saturday,  June  2nd.  There  were  not  as  many  flowers  exhibited  as 
last  year,  owing  to  the  unfavourable  weather  experienced  during  the  last 
month.  As  at  the  National  Show,  Mr,  C.  W.  Needham  was  in  great 
form,  and  took  the  lion’s  share  of  the  prizes.  The  flowers  shown  were 
very  good  in  quality  except  the  breeders,  which  were  not  up  to  the  usual 
standard.  The  principal  prize  at  Butley  is  a  silver  cup  given  for  the  best 
stand  of  six  rectified  flowers.  It  was  won  by  Mr.  Needham  with  well 
grown  examples  of  Sir  J.  Paxton,  Mabel,  Talisman,  flamed  ;  William 
Annibal,  Heroine,  and  Mary,  feathered.  Mr.  J.  W.  Bentley  was  second 
with  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  Annie  M'Gregor,  King  of  the  Universe,  flamed  ; 
William  Wilson,  Mrs.  Atkin,  and  Guido,  feathered.  The  Judges  were 
Messrs.  H.  and  J.  Housley  of  Stockport,  and  the  following  is  a  list  of  the 
awards  : — 
Feathered  Bizarres. 
1  Mr.  Needham,  with  Attraction 
2  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Charles  H. 
Hopwood 
3  Mr.  Jones,  with  Sir  Joseph  Paxton 
4  Mr.  Needham,  with  Typo 
5  Mr.  Needham,  with  Attraction 
6  Mr.  Dymock,  with  Sulphur 
7  Mr.  Needham,  with  William 
Wilson 
8  Mr.  Needham,  with  James 
MTntosh 
“9  Mr.  Needham,  with  Luke  Ashmole 
Feathered  Roses. 
1  Mr.  Needham,  with  Heroine 
2  Mr  Needham,  with  Mrs.  Atkin 
3  Mr.  Needham,  with  Annie 
M'Gregor 
4  Mr.  Needham,  with  Comte  de 
Verg-ennes 
6  Mr.  Needham,  with  Lizzie 
6  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Alice 
7  Mr.  Needham,  with  Heroine 
8  Mr.  Needham,  with  Julia  Farnese 
9  Mr.  Needham,  with  Mrs.  Collier 
Feathered  Byhlcemens. 
1  Mr.  Needham,  with  Trip  to  Stock- 
port 
2  Mr.  Needham,  with  Trip  to  Stock- 
port 
3  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Guido 
4  Mr.  Needham,  with  Elizabeth 
Pegg  X. 
5  Mr.  Needham,  with  Bessie 
6  Mr.  Needham,  with  Nellie  Hughes 
7  Mr.  Needham,  with  May  Queen 
8  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Mrs.  Jackson 
9  Mr.  Hague,  with  Lady  Denman 
Flamed  Bizarres. 
1  Mr.  Needham,  with  Samuel  Barlow 
2  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Sir  Joseph 
Paxton 
3  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Samuel  Barlow 
4  Mr.  Needham,  with  Orion 
5  Mr.  Needham,  with  Dr.  Hardy 
6  Mr.  Needham,  with  Wm.  Lea 
7  Mr.  Bentley,  with  San  Josd 
8  Mr.  Hague,  with  Wm.  Wilson 
9  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Sulphur 
Flamed  Byhlcemens. 
1  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Talisman 
•2  Mr.  Bentley,  with  King  of  the 
Universe 
3  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Talisman 
4  Mr.  Needham,  with  Adonis 
5  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Duchess  of 
Sutherland 
'  6  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Chancellor 
7  Mr.  Dymock,  with  Lord  Denman 
8  Mr.  Hague,  with  Queen  of  the  May 
9  Mr.  Dymock,  with  Beauty  of  Lit- 
church 
Flamed  Roses.  —"w 
1  Mr.  Needham,  with  Triomphe 
Royale 
2  Mr.'Needham,  with  Aglaia 
3  Mr.  Needham,  with  Mabel 
4  Mr.  Bentley,  with  A.  M’Gregor 
5  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Triomphe  Royale 
6  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Sarah  Headly 
7  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Bertha 
8  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Rose  Hill 
9  Mr.  Jones,  with  Martin’s  2 
Three  breeder  Tulips,  one  of  each  class. — First,  Mr.  Hague,  with  John 
Wilkinson,  Mrs.  Barlow,  and  Alice  Grey.  Second,  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Gold- 
finder,  Mabel,  and  Glory  of  Stakehill.  Third,  Mr.  Needham,  with  Sir  Joseph 
Paxton,  Mabel,  and  Beauty  of  Litchurch. 
Bizarre  Breeders. 
1  Mr.  Needham,  with  Sir  Joseph 
Paxton 
2  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Goldfinder 
3  Mr.  Jones,  with  Sulphur 
4  Mr.  Hague,  with  Wm.  Wilson 
5  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Lloyd’s  47 
Bybloemen  Breeders. 
1  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Alice  Grey 
2  Mr.  Jones,  with  Beauty  of  Lit- 
church 
3  Mr.  Jones,  with  Martin’s  117 
4  Mr.  Jones,  with  Bridesmaid 
5  Mr.  Jones,  with  Seedling 
Rose  Breeders. 
1  Mr.  Needham,  with  Annie  M‘Gregor 
2  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Mabel 
3  Mr.  Needham,  with  Rose  Hill 
4  Mr.  Bentley,  with  Mrs.  Barlow 
5  Mr.  Hague,  wild  Lady  Grosvenor 
Mr.  Needham  won  the  prizes  for  premier  feather  and  flame  with  Trip  to 
'Stockport  and  Samuel  Barlow,  and  Mr.  Hague  the  premier  breeder  with  John 
Wilkinson. — J.  W.  B. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Clean  versus  Dirty  Pots. 
I  HAVE  no  desire  to  either  advocate  lazy  ways  or  dirty  habits,  but 
during  my  short  career  I  have  found  that  clean  pots,  however  preferable, 
are  not  absolutely  essential  to  the  well-being  or  healthy  growth  of  a  plant. 
I  well  remember  my  old  copybook  phrase.  Cleanliness  is  next  to  godliness, 
and  admit  of  its  being  applicable  to  both  plants  and  people.  Mr.  Buchanan 
will  doubtless  be  able  to  defend  his  own  assertions,  not  requiring  any 
assistance  from  me  ;  but  I  notice  that  (page  340)  he  says,  “  Begin  early 
to  practise  your  brain  in  scheming  and  planning  the  easiest,  the  quickest, 
and  the  cheapest  way  to  do  a  given  piece  of  work.”  I  am  of  the  opinion 
that  the  quickest  and  cheapest  way  is  not  in  fetching  a  man  from  a  more 
important  job,  on  a  busy  spring  morning,  to  wash  6-inch  pots  to  shift 
Tomato  plants  into,  I  have  noticed,  too,  the  ease  with  which  some  plants 
turnout  of  their  pots  with  roots  intact,  and  the  difficulty  in  knocking  out 
others,  and  attribute  the  latter,  in  many  cases,  to  the  plants  having  been 
placed  in  pots  that  were  not  properly  dry,  after  washing.  When  the  pots 
had  been  rubbed  round  inside  with  an  old  dry  brush  before  crocking 
■rarely  have  I  found  any  difficulty  in  turning  out  the  plants. 
A  worthy  man  under  whom  I  formerly  served  used  often  to  give  me 
an  injunction — viz.,  to  regard  the  plants  under  my  charge  as  little 
children,  and  minister  to  their  requirements  accordingly.  Place  before  a 
hungry  but  dirty  boy  some  soap  and  a  penny  bun,  and  I  fancy  all  will 
agree  that  it  is  the  latter  he  will  operate  upon  first,  I  am  afraid  when  I 
have  complete  charge  I  shall  choose  the  lesser  evil,  and  not  let  my  plants 
go  hungry  because  I  have  not  the  requisite  number  of  clean  pots  to  give 
them  additional  food  in.  In  conclusion,  I  may  say  that  I  have  had  a  taste 
of  pot-washing  this  last  week,  but  it  is  not  while  writhing  under  the  back* 
ache  that  I  am  penning  these,  my  first  few  lines,  to  the  “  Domain.’*— 
A  Young  Boy,  Cheshire. 
Campanula  pyramidalis. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  usefuPand  stately  plants  for  the  decoration  of 
the  conservatory  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  To  bring  it  to  perfection 
I  recommend  it  to  be  grown  in  the  following  manner  ; — Sow  the  seeds 
thinly  in  well-drained  pans  filled  with  light  sandy  soil  the  first  week  in 
June,  placing  the  pans  in  gentle  heat.  When  the  seedlings  are  large 
enough  place  them  singly  in  thumb  pots,  using  similar  compost,  and 
arrange  them  on  a  shelf  near  the  glass  in  a  cool  house.  Admit  abundance 
of  air,  and  shade  during  bright  sunshine.  When  the  soil  has  become 
permeated  with  roots  repot,  and  keep  the  plants  somewhat  close  in  a  cold 
frame  for  about  ten  days,  after  which  the  lights  should  be  used  only  as  a 
protection  against  heavy  rains. 
By  September  the  plants  will  require  6-inch  pots,  these  being  suit¬ 
able  in  which  to  winter  them.  Assign  them  a  position  in  the  reserve 
garden,  plunging  the  pots,  just  cover  the  rims  with  coal  ashes  as  a 
protection  against  severe  frosts.  In  February  of  the  following  year  give 
the  plants  a  final  shift  into  10-inch  pots,  using  a  rough  compost,  consist¬ 
ing  of  rich  turfy  loam  with  a  little  Mushroom  bed  refuse  added,  and 
enough  sand  to  keep  the  whole  porous.  Care  must  be  exercised  in 
potting,  in  order  to  avoid  breaking  the  lower  leaves,  which  are  very 
brittle.  At  this  stage  a  few  of  the  plants  may  be  housed  at  once,  but  the 
major  portion  will  be  best  removed  to  a  cold  frame  for  about  three  weeks, 
admitting  abundance  of  air,  and  finally  placing  the  plants  in  lines  in  an 
open  position  out  of  doors  on  a  thick  bed  of  ashes.  Stake  the  plants 
with  neat  bamboos,  fixing  them  to  a  stout  wire  attached  to  uprights  at 
each  end  of  the  row. 
Apply  water  carefully  at  first,  and  syringe  during  bright  afternoons 
to  keep  down  red  spider.  Weak  liquid  manure,  after  the  pots  are  filled 
with  roots,  will  assist  in  building  up  strong  spikes  of  bloom.  As  the 
flower  buds  appear  remove  the  plants  to  a  cool  house  to  develop  their 
flowers  before  placing  them  in  the  conservatory  or  mansion.  By  adopting 
cool  treatment  from  the  first,  strong  healthy  specimens  will  be  insured, 
that  will  produce  from  three  to  six  spikes  of  flowers,  each  4  to  6  feet  in 
height.  These  will  be  a  mass  of  bloom  from  July  to  September,  provided 
the  old  flowers  be  removed  as  soon  as  they  have  passed  their  best.  From 
their  pyramidal  habit  of  growth  (as  the  name  implies)  these  plants  form 
useful  objects  for  dotting  among  groups  of  flowering  plants  or  Palms, 
and  in  such  a  position  their  beauty,  especially  that  of  the  white  form, 
C.  p.  alba,  is  seen  to  advantage. — T.  P. 
The  Culture  of  Mushrooms. 
Considering  the  number  of  gardens  in  which  Mushrooms  are  poorly 
grown,  no  one  need  be  surprised  that  many  young  craftsmen  have  hazy 
ideas  on  their  culture.  To  those  of  the  “  Young  Gardeners’  Domain  ” 
who  have  not  the  opportunity  of  gaining  good  practical  knowledge  on  the 
subject  I  hope  the  following  notes  will  be  of  service. 
There  is  no  production  of  the  garden  which  is  more  highly  valued  in 
most  establishments  than  Mushrooms.  To  obtain  them  all  the  year  round 
artificial  heat  must  be  employed  from  the  beginning  of  October  until  the 
end  of  April,  but  through  the  summer  they  can  be  successfully  grown 
outside  or  in  a  cool  shed.  Material  for  making  the  beds  is  of  much  less 
importance  than  the  structure.  The  ideal  Mushroom  house,  in  my 
opinion,  is  one  having  a  central  pathway,  and  a  bed  on  each  side  about 
4  feet  wide  and  3  feet  6  inches  deep.  About  4  feet  above  a  second  can  be 
^  built  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  lower  one  ;  in  this  way  two  rows  of 
beds  on  each  side  of  the  pathway  can  be  arranged.  The  house  must  be 
heated  with  hot-water  pipes  suitably  arranged,  and  the  temperature  must 
be  about  60°,  never  much  less,  or  more. 
The  next  item  to  be  considered  is  the  material  and  the  proper  way 
to  form  a  bed.  I  have  heard  of  men  growing  Mushrooms  in  a  mixture 
of  turf,  leaves,  and  horse  droppings,  with  excellent  results.  But  where 
droppings  can  be  obtained  there  is  nothing  to  excel  them  for  producing 
large  crops.  They  should  be  moderately  dry  before  being  used,  but  not 
too  dry,  or  a  large  proportion  of  their  valuable  matter  will  be  lost. 
Experience  will  recognise  when  they  are  in  proper  condition,  and  also 
the  time  to  make  them  into  a  bed.  Firmness  is  one  condition  of  success 
both  inside  and  out.  If  the  material  is  put  together  loosely  the  heat  will 
soon  escape,  and  Mushrooms  will  not  be  produced  long  after  it  has  left 
the  bed.  All  the  material  should  be  placed  in  the  bed  at  once  and 
rammed  and  trodden  down  firmly.  In  a  short  time  the  temperature  will 
rise  perhaps  to  100°  or  more,  but  the  spawn  should  not  be  inserted  until 
it  falls  to  about  80°. 
It  is  most  important  that  good  spawn  be  selected,  as  if  it  is  poor 
no  amount  of  after  skill  will  produce  first-class  Mushrooms.  The 
ordinary  sized  bricks  should  be  broken  into  about  a  doze.i  pieces,  and 
these  placed  singly,  3  inches  deep,  about  9  inches  apart  all  over  the  bed. 
The  holes  mnde  in  doing  this  will  let  out  some  heat,  thus  bringing  the 
temperature  to  the  proper  level ;  but  they  must  not  be  allowed  to  remain 
open  or  heat  will  rapidly  escape,  and  the  spawn  will  not  run  if  the  bed  is 
at  all  cold.  As  soon  as  the  bed  is  spawned  it  should  be  cased  with 
