December  21,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
553 
easy  to  err  in  watering  by  attempting  to  give  just  sufficient  and  no  more. 
This  often  results  in  their  getting  too  dry.  It  is  safer  to  give  a  little  too 
much  than  too  little.  At  the  same  time  the  soil  must  not  be  rendered 
sour  and  unsuitable  for  the  roots  to  work  in  by  saturating  it  with  too 
much  water,  or  the  buds  are  equally  certain  to  fall. 
Overfeeding  with  strong  stimulants  in  the  form  of  liquid  manure  will 
end  in  the  plants  throwing  their  buds.  Always  supply  liquid  manure  in 
a  weak  state,  and  soot  water  is  beneficial  if  given  clear,  not  muddy.  If 
less  liquid  manures  were  given,  and  some  reliable  artificial  manures 
applied  to  the  surface  of  the  soil  in  small  quantities,  at  intervals  of  three 
weeks  or  a  month,  fewer  failures  would  follow.  Camellias  must  have 
fertile  soil,  or  they  suffer  from  exhaustion,  and  the  buds  will  fall  the 
same  as  when  overfeeding  is  practised. 
Unripened  wood  is  a  certain  cause  of  the  buds  falling.  The  wood 
ought  to  be  brown  to  the  tip  by  the  time  the  buds  commence  forming, 
then  other  cultural  requirements  being  supplied,  the  plants  will  be  certain 
to  retain  them  Wood  that  is  green  part  of  its  length  instead  of  brown 
will  retain  the  buds  until  a  certain  period,  or  until  they  attain  a  certain 
size,  when  off  they  come.  Plants  that  make  their  growth  early  always 
set  a  greater  percentage  of  buds,  and  also  produce  finer  flowers  than  those 
that  make  their  growth  late  in  the  season,  conditions  of  health  and  the 
food  supply  being  equal  in  both  cases. 
Strong  insecticides  after  the  buds  are  formed  invariably  result  in  the 
plants  casting  them.  One  strong  application  might  result  in  the  buds 
tailing,  while  two  or  three  weaker  ones  could  be  given  without  the 
slightest  injury.  Plants  that  are  allowed  to  become  covered  with  insects 
are  liable  to  lose  their  buds,  however  well  they  may  be  treated  in  other 
respects.  If  insects  exist  sponge  them  off,  or  brush  them  from  the  old 
wood,  using  a  weak  solution  of  softsoap  and  water,  fir  tree  or  lemon  oil. 
After  flowering  they  may  be  washed  with  a  solution  of  petroleum  and 
water,  at  the  rate  of  1  oz.  of  the  former  to  each  gallon  of  water  ;  this  will 
destroy  scale  if  persisted  in  during  the  season  of  growth.  These  are 
some  of  the  chief  causes  of  Camellia  bud  falling,  but  any  check  or  a 
combination  of  causes  will  bring  about  the  same  unsatisfactory  results. — W. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
DRILL  HALL. — December  19th. 
The  exhibition  on  Tuesday  was  one  of  the  smallest  on  record. 
There  were  scarcely  any  exhibits  for  the  examination  of  the  Floral 
Committee,  while  Orchids,  too,  were  very  few  in  numbers  Fruit — 
particularly  Apples — was  good,  but  vegetables  were  conspicuous  by  their 
absence. 
Fruit  Committee.— Present :  J.  Cheal,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ;  and 
the  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  W.  Poupart,  M.  Gleeson,  A.  F.  Barron,  J.  H. 
Veitch,  A.  Dean,  S.  Mortimer,  W.  Bates,  R.  Fife,  J.  Willard,  F.  Q.  Lane, 
and  J.  Hudson. 
Messrs.  J.  Cheal  &  Sons,  Crawley,  staged  about  eighty  dishes  of 
Apples,  which  formed  the  chief  attraction  of  the  exhibition.  The  whole 
were  in  good  condition  and  well  coloured.  The  best  varieties  were 
Schoolmaster,  The  Queen,  Golden  Noble,  Adams’  Pearmain,  Peasgood’s 
Nonesuch,  Lord  Derby,  Paroquet,  in  capital  form  ;  Bismarck,  Emperor 
Alexander,  Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Wellington,  Beauty  of  Kent,  Hoary 
Morning,  Newton  Wonder,  a  grand  dish;  Chelmsford  Wonder,  Rymer, 
Mabbot’s  Pearmain,  and  Atalanta  (silver-gilt  Banksian  medal). 
A  collection  of  Potatoes  was  staged  by  Mr.  J.  Butler,  which  included 
Syon  House,  Triumph,  Windsor  Castle,  Sutton’s  Seedling,  Ideal,  and 
Early  Puritan.  Mr.  J.  Butler,  gardener  to  the  Earl  of  Ancaster,  Nor- 
manton  Gardens,  Stamford,  showed  a  collection  of  Apples  in  sixty-three 
varieties,  forming  a  good  display.  The  chief  varieties  were  Mere  de 
Menage,  Yorkshire  Greening,  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch,  Lord  Derby,  Beauty 
of  Kent,  Cox’ 8  Orange  Pippin,  Barnack  Beauty,  Wellington,  and  Newton 
Wonder  (silver  Banksian  medal). 
Mr.  W.  Taylor,  gardener  to  C.  Bayer,  Esq.,  Tewkesbury  Lodge, 
Forest  Hill,  staged  a  collection  of  Grapes,  which  included  bunches  of 
Lady  Downe’s  Seedling,  Gros  Guillaume,  Mrs.  Pince,  Muscat  of  Alexandria, 
Gros  Colman,  Mrs.  Pearson,  a  grand  bunch  of  good  colour  ;  Black 
Alicante,  and  Trebbiano  (silver-gilt  Knightian  medal).  Mr.  T.  Edington, 
gardener  to  Lord  Ducie,  exhibited  a  dish  of  Diospyros.  Mr.  C.  Ross, 
gardener  to  Captain  Carstairs,  Welford  Park,  Newbury,  three  seedling 
Apples  and  a  dish  of  the  Old  Northern  Greening. 
Floral  Committee.— Present :  G.  Gordon,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ; 
and  Messrs.  R.  Dean,  J,  F.  McLeod,  C.  R.  Fielder,  H.  J.  Cutbush,  E. 
Beckett,  E.  II.  Jenkins,  D.  B.  Crane,  C.  H.  Druery,  H,  J.  Jones,  H. 
Turner,  E.  Mawley,  J.  Fraser  (Kew),  and  E.  T.  Cook. 
Chrysanthemums  were  represented  by  a  group  from  Messrs.  W.  Wells 
and  Co.,  Ltd.,  Earlswood,  Redhill.  The  chief  attraction  was  a  group  of 
white  named  Letrier,  in  pots,  which  were  well  flowered,  a  broad  petalled 
variety  of  good  colour  ;  other  varieties  were  Bouquetiere,  Mrs.  C.  Bown, 
a  white  that  is  finding  favour  with  the  market  growers  ;  Golden  Good 
Gracious,  Mermaid,  Alice  Carter,  King  of  Plumes,  Mrs.  W.  Butters, 
Sun3et,  Sam  Carswell,  and  Cheveux  d’Or.  a  really  good  group  for  the 
season  (silver  Banksian  medal). 
A  box  of  bright  hybrid  Rhododendrons  came  from  Messrs.  Jas.  Yeitch 
and  Sons,  Chelsea,  which  were  particularly  attractive  at  this  season.  The 
best  varieties  were  R,  Malayanum,  Little  Beauty,  a  rosy  red  ;  Exquisite, 
a  bright  yellow  ;  President,  a  buff  fawn  ;  Apollo,  orange  red  ;  Minerva, 
a  large  flower,  pale  buff  ;  Numa,  a  warm  red  ;  and  Cloth  of  Gold,  a  pale 
yellow  of  good  substance. 
Orchid  Committee. — Present  :  II.  Little,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ;  and 
Messrs.  Jas.  O’Brien,  A.  H.  Smee,  R.  B.  White,  H.  J.  Chapman,  W.  H. 
Young,  F.  J.  Howe,  H,  F.  Pitt,  J.  Jacques,  E.  Hill,  W.  Cubb,  J.  Colman 
de  B.  Crawshay,  T.  W.  Bond,  and  J.  T.  Gabriel. 
Mr.  F.  J.  Thorne,  gardener  to  Major  J.  Joicey,  Sunningdale  Park, 
Ascot,  contributed  three  plants  of  Orchids,  which  comprised  Dendrobiums 
atroviolaceuro,  Johnsoniae,  and  spectabile.  The  latter  created  the 
greatest  interest,  as  it  was  the  first  time  it  had  been  exhibited  in  flower. 
The  scape  carried  four  flowers.  Mons.  Jules  Hye,  Leysen,  contributed 
Cypripedium  Mons.  Jules  Hye,  a  hybrid  from  C.  Spicerianum  and 
C.  tonsum.  Messrs.  Charlesworth  &  Co.,  Bradford,  showed  Cypripedium 
Lord  Roberts,  which  is  a  cross  from  C.  Charlesworth  and  C.  Creon.  The 
same  firm  sent  also  a  plant  of  C.  insigne  Sander®  carrying  six  magni¬ 
ficent  flowers. 
Cypripedium  Euryades  splendens,  from  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons, 
attracted  much  attention,  as  did  Laelio-Cattleya  Wellsiana  ignescens, 
which  is  from  Laelia  purpurata  and  Cattleya  Trianse.  Messrs.  F  Sander 
and  Co.  showed  from  St.  Albans  Zygoeolax  Amesianum,  while  Mr.  G.  W. 
Law  Schofield  staged  Cypripedium  conco-callosum.  Mr.  C.  Goodhart, 
Beckenham,  Kent  sent  Cypripedium  Antigone,  Padbury’s  variety  ;  while 
Messrs  H.  Low  &  Co.  showed  C.  Wm.  Lloyd  var,  giganteuro,  and  C.  Lord 
Rc  berts.  Mr.  J  Young,  Liverpool,  staged  a  few  blooms  of  Cypripediums, 
and  Mr.  J.  T.  Bennett-Poe  Laelia  anceps  and  a  splendid  spike  of  Oncidium 
tigrinum. 
Mr.  W.  M.  Appleton,  Weston-super-Mare,  exhibited  Laelio-Cattleya 
Golden  Queen,  Cypripedium  Oddity,  curious  in  the  fact  that  each  flower 
produced  three  pouches,  produced  with  other  Orchids  of  interest  (silver 
Banksian  medal). 
Certificates  and  Awards  of  Merit. 
Apple  Stainway  Seedling  (T.  H.  Kettle). — A  conical  fruit,  pale  yellow, 
with  a  half-closed  eye  and  a  short  stalk  (award  of  merit) 
Cypripedium  conco-callosum  (G.  W.  Law  Schofield). — A  chastely 
beautiful  nybrid.  The  petals  and  dorsal  sepal  are  cream  with  purple 
spots  and  suffusion.  The  pouch  is  pale  green  with  purple  flushing 
(award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  Elatior  (T.  W.  Bond). — This  is  a  cross  between  C.  Schilleriana 
and  C.  Mossise  Reineckiana.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  white  delicately 
suffused  with  purple,  and  the  lip  rose-purple,  lighter  at  the  front,  and  with 
yellow  side  lobes  (award  of  merit). 
Cypripedium  Euryades  splendens  (J .  Veitch  &  Sons). — A  superb  variety. 
The  grand  dorsal  sepal  is  white  with  a  green  suffusion  at  the  base, 
and  rose  markings  and  spots,  and  a  white  margin  (first-class  certificate). 
Cypripedium  Lord  Roberts  (Charlesworth  &  Co.).  —  This  is  a  hybrid 
from  C.  Cbarlesworthi  and  C.  Creon  The  very  broad  dorsal  sepal  is 
rosy  purple,  paling  to  white  at  the  upper  part.  The  sepals  are  of  a 
similar  colour  suffused  with  brown,  and  the  pouch  is  of  the  same  colour 
(first-class  certificate). 
Dendrobium  spectabile  (F.  J.  Thorne). — The  twisted  sepals  and  petals 
are  cream  with  crimson  brown  lines  and  spots.  The  long  peculiar  lip  is 
very  light  cream  with  madder  brown  markings  (first-class  certificate). 
Lcelio- Cattleya  Wellsiana  ignescens  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — This  is  a 
glorified  form  of  the  type  (award  of  merit). 
Zygoeolax  Amesiana  (F.  Sander  &  Co.). — A  bigeneric  hybrid  of  much 
beauty.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  green  with  profuse  brown  markings. 
The  lip  is  white  with  purple  lines  and  spots  (award  of  merit). 
A  NEW  ZEALAND  NARCISSUS  SHOW. 
Some  of  our  New  Zealand  horticultural  societies  have  of  late  years 
adopted  the  plan  of  holding  special  Narcissus  shows,  and  judging  from  the 
increasing  popularity  in  which  these  are  held  they  have  come  to  stay. 
The  Wellington  Society  held  its  third  annual  display  on  the  14th  Sep¬ 
tember,  1898,  and  although  several  of  the  amateur  growers  were  absent  it 
was  a  decided  success. 
A  silver  medal  was  offered  for  the  largest  collection  of  named 
varieties  of  Narcissi,  and  this  was  the  only  prize,  as  all  other  exhibits 
were  non-competitive.  Two  of  our  local  nurserymen  competed  for  the 
medal,  and  excellent  displays  were  made  in  both  cases.  The  winner 
staged  170  varieties,  a  teat  of  which  many  English  growers  would  no 
doubt  be  proud.  This  included  many  of  the  newer  and  rarer  varieties, 
and  also  a  number  of  pots,  showing  how  the  various  sorts  do  for  that 
purpose.  The  second  stand,  though  not  containing  so  many  varieties  by 
about  forty,  was  a  fine  display,  charmingly  arranged. 
Turning  to  the  varieties — of  course  such  universal  favourites  ss 
Horsefieldi,  Emperor,  Sir  Watkin,  Empress,  and  the  doubles  albus 
plenus  aurantius,  and  sulphureus  plenus  (Eggs  and  Bacon  and  Codlins 
and  Cream) — were  there  in  quantity,  great  masses  in  fact,  and  quality 
was  not  wanting  either,  for  our  climate  suits  these  remarkably  well.  It 
is  with  the  smaller  flowered  class,  such  as  triandrus  and  cyclamineus, 
that  the  trouble  is  found  in  acclimatising  hero.  In  the  prize  stand  I 
noticed  such  beautiful  and  interesting  varieties  as  capax  plenus,  Rev.  J.  M. 
Berkeley,  Mrs.  and  Mr.  J.  B.  M  Camm,  triandrus  albus  (with  its  chaste 
little  flowers),  Gloria  Mundi,  Madame  de  Graaffe,  and  Karoline  Kroons, 
and  it  speaks  volumes  for  the  climate  that  all  these  flower  well  in  the 
open  ground. 
In  the  non-competitive  exhibits  were  some  fine  Primulas  (including 
that  excellent  introduction  pyramidalis),  Freesias,  Cinerarias,  Tulips, 
and  Hyacinths,  and  a  well  flowered  plant  of  Clerodendron  Thompson). 
Altogether  it  was  an  excellent  display,  and  visitors  expressed  themselves 
as  surprised  and  delighted  at  the  improvements  made  of  late  years  in  this 
class  of  spring  flowers. — J.  G. 
