402 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  9,  1899. 
Cal  vat’s  last  set  Princess  Bassaraba  seems  to  be  one  of  the  best.  Of 
the  same  set  Zephoris  is  superior  to  Soleil  d’Octobre,  being  of  the  same 
tint  of  yellow,  but  fuller  in  form.  Some  rich  golden  yellow  blooms  of 
Le  Grand  Dragon  are  in  evidence,  and  this  variety  appears  likely  to 
become  equally  as  popular  as  Madame  Carnot.  Samuel  C.  Probin  is 
in  magnificent  form,  the  colour  being  cherry  red  shaded  with  buff  and 
pink. 
Wonderful,  a  colonial  variety,  is  of  grand  dimensions,  much  in  the 
way  of  a  glorified  Mrs.  Wheeler;  Corsair  is  a  rich  blood  red  of  fine 
globular  form,  and  should  become  popular.  Several  dozen  plants  of 
Eima  are  giving  some  nice  blooms  of  a  bright  golden  yellow,  the  form 
and  habit  of  growth  being  similar  to  Mutual  Friend.  R.  Hooper 
Pearson,  the  richest  yellow  in  the  house,  is  getting  past  its  best. 
Madame  B.  Fray  is  of  the  same  rich  colour  as  W.  Tricker,  and  should 
find  a  place  in  all  collections,  the  form  being  massive  and  handsome  ; 
I  was  assured  that  this  was  equally  good  last  year.  There  are  dozens 
of  other  promising  varieties,  but  space  forbids. 
Many  new  incurved  varieties  are  in  bloom,  three  of  the  very  best 
being  King  of  the  Yellows,  very  rich  colour;  Nellie  S.  Threlfell,  pure 
white  ;  and  Major  Matthew,  of  a  deep  rose  shade.  All  are  of  perfect 
shape. 
Decorative  varieties  seem  to  be  worth  growing  here,  if  we  may 
judge  by  the  4000  plants  now  housed  and  being  housed.  These  are 
principally  grown  for  trial  purposes,  and  I  was  assured  that  some  new 
late  whites  and  yellows  are  likely  to  prove  a  revelation  to  market 
growers.  A  late  crimson  seems  to  be  yet  unattainable.  It  was 
surprising  to  note  a  large  bed  of  Cactus  Dahlias  in  full  bloom,  which 
for  the  first  week  in  November  says  much  for  the  mild  climate. 
— Visitor. 
SCHEDULES  OF  SHOWS. 
YORK.— November  15th,  16th,  and  17th. 
The  twentieth  Chrysanthemum  Show  of  the  Ancient  Society  of 
York  Florists  will  be  held  in  the  Exhibition  Buildings  on  the  above 
dates,  and  intending  competitors  must  send  their  entries  to  the 
Secretary,  Mr.  G.  F,  W.  Oman,  38,  Petergate,  York,  by  Nov.  8th.  Many 
are  the  excellent  growers  that  congregate  at  York,  and  it  is  antici¬ 
pated  the  present  Show  will  be  well  up  to  the  average.  For  a  120  feet 
group  of  Chrysanthemums  and  foliage  plants,  a  15-guinea  challenge 
cup  and  8  guineas  cash  are  offered  as  the  premier  award.  The  second 
prize  is  a  5-guinea  cup  and  7  guineas  in  cash,  and  the  third  and  fourth 
prizes  are  5  and  3  guineas  respectively.  The  sum  of  £23  2s.  is  offered 
in  four  prizes  for  a  smaller  group,  and  these  two  classes  alone  ought 
to  make  a  splendid  display.  Then  there  are  several  classes  for  speci¬ 
men  plants  as  well  as  Primulas,  Dracaenas,  aud  others.  For  eighteen 
Japs  and  eighteen  incurved  the  prizes  are  £10,  £5,  £3,  and  £2 
respectively,  with  the  addition  to  the  best  stand  of  the  citizens’  chal¬ 
lenge  prize,  value  £20.  These  classes  are  open,  and  there  are  of  course 
many  with  necessary  restrictions,  in  which  excellent  encouragement  in 
the  form  of  prizes  is  given  to  growers,  but  full  particulars  must  be  got 
from  Mr.  Oman  as  above. 
Bradford.— November  17th  and  18th. 
Nearly  five  dozen  classes  find  a  place  in  the  schedule  of  this  well 
known  Yorkshire  Show,  and  these  are  carefully  distributed  among 
local  and  other  exhibitors  of  Chrysanthemums,  with  a  few  for  other 
types  of  cultural  skill.  Entries  must  reach  Mr.  R.  Eichel,  Eldwick, 
Bingley,  by  Friday,  November  10th.  The  most  important  open  class 
is  for  twenty-four  Japanese  in  not  less  than  eighteen  varieties,  and 
this  ought  to  bring  excellent  competition.  The  first  prize  consists  of  a 
10  guinea  challenge  cup  and  £5  in  cash,  the  second  of  £3,  and  the 
third  of  £2.  The  sum  of  £10  will  be  divided  amongst  the  first,  second, 
and  third  stands  of  twenty-four  incurved  ;  while  £6  are  allocated  to  a 
class  for  twenty-four  Japs  to  be  shown  in  vases.  For  a  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  group  we  find  a  silver  cup  value  5  guineas  with  three  money 
prizes  of  a  total  of  £5,  and  exactly  the  same  for  a  group  of  miscel¬ 
laneous  plants.  The  principal  local  class  is  for  twenty-four  cut  blooms, 
for  which  Lord  Masham  offers  a  10  guinea  cup  and  £2  as  the  first 
prize.  For  eighteen  Japanese  there  is  the  city  members’  cup,  and 
money  prizes  are  added  in  both  cases.  The  schedule  is  a  capital  one, 
and  the  display  ought  to  equal  any  of  its  predecessors. 
A  PLEA  FOR  THE  USE  OF  BRITISH  WILD 
FLOWERS  IN  THE  GARDEN. 
Among  the  Thistles  are  many  worth  a  position  in  gardens,  some 
for  foliage,  as  the  Carline  Thistle,  others  for  noble  growth,  and 
others  for  flowers.  All  can  be  readily  raised  from  seed,  and  if  care 
is  taken  to  remove  the  flower  heads  before  they  become  downy 
they  will  not  become  a  nuisance.  There  is  also  the  Musk  and 
Plume  Thistle.  Columbines  are  not  infrequent  on  our  chalk  hills, 
and  are  attributed  to  the  Romans,  who  esteemed  the  plant  because 
the  upturned  flower  resembled  eagles  nestling.  Among  maritime 
plants  the  Sea  Holly  and  the  Horned  Poppy  take  readily  to  gardens, 
and  are  distinct  both  in  foliage  and  flower;  while  Matthiola  incana  is 
lovely  with  its  lavender-pink  flowers,  The  Thrilt  is  well  known  as 
a  neat  border  edging,  and  the  white  Popweed,  Sileoe  inflata,  is  useful. 
For  hanging  vases  the  small  Bindweed  and  the  Creeping  Jenny  or 
Moneywort  are  worth  attention.  Among  the  low-growing  gems  of 
our  flora  the  yellow  Cistus  holds  a  first  place  for  arid  soils  and  rockery, 
and  the  various  coloured  forms  of  the  Milkwort  claim  our  attention. 
Hypericum  humifusum  is  also  a  small  pretty  subject.  The  Eyebright 
(Euphrasia)  is  interesting,  and  the  pink  Celandine  (Eythrea)  always 
strikes  me  as  a  good  garden  flower.  The  Sea  Campion  just  named, 
with  its  white  flowers,  is  not  averse  to  rock  garden  culture. 
For  stndy  soil  the  Rest  Harrow,  with  its  rosy  flowers,  is  worth 
culture,  undei  which  it  assumes  a  bush  form.  The  yellow  Anthyllis 
and  its  relatives  the  Hippocrepis,  with  Lotus  corniculatus  (Bird’s- 
foot  Trefoil),  and  Tormentilla  are  admirable  creeping  plants  for  chalky 
soils.  Saxifraga  granulata  is  one  of  our  best  subjects  for  dry  sandy 
banks.  Chlora  perfoliata  (yellow)  is  a  gem  on  the  chalk  in  August. 
The  Chicory  is  a  grand  blue  flower,  and  will  succeed  in  any  dry  soil. 
Campanula  aggregata  is  not  uncommon  on  downs,  while  for  old  walls 
the  common  Celandine  is  excellent,  its  apple-green  foliage  being 
light  and  elegant.  The  Harebell  is  always  a  welcome  flower,  and  the 
Ivy-leaved  Lettuce  (Lacfuca),  with  the  yellow  Wallflower,  and  some 
of  the  Stonecrops  and  native  Sedums,  all  make  an  old  wall  interesting  ; 
nor  must  we  forget  the  red  Valerian,  which  is  quite  at  home  where 
nothing  else  can  grow,  also  the  Cornish  Moneywort. 
The  wild  Roses,  either  the  Sweet  Briar  of  our  hills  or  the  small 
bushes  of  single  Burnet  Rose  (R.  spinosissima),  which  are  common 
on  all  our  chalk  hills,  are  well  worth  culture,  and  few  plants  in  our 
wild  garden  are  more  esteemed  than  our  Dog  Rose,  elegant  in  its 
simple  flowers,  and  striking  when  its  haws  become  ripe.  For  a 
climber,  few  plants  equal  the  Woodbine  or  wild  Clematis  (C.  vitalba). 
and  those  who  have  seen  the  way  it  grows  at  Belvoir  Castle  grounds 
over  the  gardener’s  house  and  surroundings  can  never  forget  the 
pleasing  effect  provided  ;  it  is  at  all  times  beautiful  in  leafage  and 
flower,  and  especially  when  set  with  its  silvery  grey  masses  of  feathery 
seed  vessels  in  autumn.  The  Honeysuckle,  Bryony,  aud  the  climbing 
Vetch  are  all  good  trailers,  while  the  white  Convolvulus  (Moonflower) 
is  fine  over  shrubs  and  low  trees. 
It  is,  however,  I  fancy,  when  we  come  to  our  natural  aquatics  and 
riparian  plants  that  we  find  many  especially  suitable  for  embellishing 
our  streams  and  pond  margins  and  the  damp  spots  in  our  gardens. 
The  glorious  Loosestrife  (Ly  thrum),  the  pink  Epilobium  hirsutum, 
with  its  pretty  but  evanescent  cup-shaped  flowers,  the  long  spikes  of 
Lysimachia  vulgare  (Moneywort),  the  Tansy,  with  its  handsome 
foliage  and  golden  umbels  of  flowers,  our  Water  Forget-me-not 
(Myosotis  palustris),  with  its  amethystine  umbels,  are  all  universal 
favourites.  There  are  also  the  yellow  Flag  (Iris),  Water  Plantain, 
Figwort,  the  flowering  Rush  (Butomus),  with  its  head  of  rosy  purple 
flowers,  the  Bog  Bean,  the  elegant  Arrow  Head,  and  the  glorious  Reed 
Mace  or  Bulrushes.  The  white  and  yellow  Water  Lilies,  the  Water 
Hyacinth  (Hottonia)  with  its  soft  blush  spikes  resembling  some  choice 
Orchid,  are  worth  care  to  establish.  The  white  Water  Ranunculus  is 
a  striking  floating  plant.  The  tall  masses  of  the  Meadow  Sweet  (our 
native  Spiraea),  the  King  Cup  (Caltha),  with  its  golden  masses  of 
intense  yellow  flowers  set  on  showy  green  heart-shaped  leaves,  are  all 
beautiful  for  water  gardens.  All  these  water-loving  plants  respond  to 
careful  treatment,  and  many  of  them  are  freely  used,  but  why  not 
more  ? 
In  autumn  Hypericum  perforatum,  with  its  foliage  and  golden 
flowers,  is  one  of  our  best  plants,  and  in  sandy  wastes  the  Ragwort  is 
quite  a  feature,  equal  to  many  cultivated  plants  of  its  colour. 
The  tall  Campanula  urticifolia  is  handsome,  and  the  rosy-bloomed 
Soapwort  (Saponaria  officinalis)  is  grand  for  masses  and  flowers  over  a 
long  period.  The  Mallows  are  also  striking,  and  the  tree  form  does 
well  near  the  sea,  while  the  Musk  Mallow  makes  a  grand  show,  and 
the  commoner  striped  M.  sylvestris  is  not  to  be  despised.  The  Marsh¬ 
mallow  is  also  suited  for  the  bog  garden.  Achillea  millefolia  (Milfoil) 
as  a  red  garden  plant  is  well  known,  and  the  wild  forms  range  from 
while  through  blush  to  roSe  colour.  The  Scabious  tribe  are  very 
good  border  plants,  and  affect  our  chalk  hills  in  the  species  S.  arvensis 
and  S.  columbaria ;  the  Devil’s-bit  Scabious  (S.  succisa)  is  a  feature 
with  its  tall  stems  and  blue  flowers.  The  Harebells  continue  to 
flower  until  October.  Spiraea  filipendula  is  often  found  on  upland 
pastures.  The  blue  Cornflower  (Cyanus  minor)  is  in  flower  all  the 
summer  and  autumn,  and  the  yellow  Corn  Marigold  is  a  showy  flower. 
Conyza  squamosa  (Shepherd’s  Spikenard)  is  very  striking  on  chalk  or 
clay  pastures,  and  rises  some  3  feet,  covered  with  pretty  yellow 
starry  flowers. 
All  these  come  to  us  annually,  and  we  welcome  them  as  old 
friends.  May^  we  not  hope  to  see  them  tended  and  cared  for  in  our 
flower  gardens,  where  they  will  respond  readily  to  loving  care  and 
attention. — ( Conclusion  of  paper  read  by  Mr.  G,  Bunyard,  V.M.H., 
at  the  Horticultural  Club.) 
