May  21,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
465 
Odontoglossum  expansum  (Jules  Hye-Leysen). — Densely  spotted  on 
a  white  ground  is  the  description  of  this  Orchid  (award  of  merit). 
Oncidium  Rogersi  giganteum  (W.  H.  Young). — Both  size  and  colour 
are  splendidly  accentuated  in  this  Orchid  (award  of  merit). 
Philodendron  Devansayanum  (L.  Linden), — A  handsome  foliage 
plant,  the  leaves  of  which  are  of  a  peculiar  metallic  green  hue  (first- 
class  certificate). 
Phoenix  Roebelini  (Sander  &  Co.).— One  of  the  finest  of  Messrs. 
Sander’s  introductions,  and  a  superb  decorative  Palm  of  elegant  droop¬ 
ing  habit  (first-class  certificate). 
Phyllocactus  Ena  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons).  —  Orange  scarlet,  flushed 
occasionally  with  bright  purple  is  the  colour  here  (award  of  merit). 
Phyllocactus  ovis  (J.  Yeitch  &  Sons). — This  is  a  large-flowered 
variety,  of  a  rich  rose  hue  (award  of  merit). 
Phyllocactus  elntior  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — Very  intense  crimson 
scarlet  is  the  colour  of  this  Phyllocactus.  The  flower  is  of  fine  shape 
(award  of  merit). 
Phyllocactus  Eurasian  (Veitch  &  Son). — A  large-flowered  variety, 
deep  orange  scarlet  in  colour,  (lushed  with  bright  purple  (award  of 
merit). 
Platy  cerium  Veit  chi  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — A  Stag’s-horn  Fern  of 
much  beauty.  The  fronds  have  a  silvery  appearance,  owing  to  the 
down  with  which  they  are  covered  (first-class  certificate). 
Pteris  Boultoni  (T.  S.  Boulton).— A  charming  decorative  Fern  of 
sturdy  habit,  with  long  erectly  growing  fronds  (award  of  merit). 
Pyrethrum  Golconde  (Kelway  &  Son).  —  This  is  a  single  variety. 
The  colour  is  rich  scarlet  crimson  (award  of  merit). 
Rhododendron  H.  M.  Arderne  (Paul  &  Son). — A  fine  hybrid  seedling 
Rhododendron  from  Fortunei,  with  large  truss  and  flowers  of  rose 
crimson  (award  ot  merit). 
Rhododendron  Helen  Raul  (Paul  &  Son). — A  light  rose  coloured 
hybrid  with  substantial  truss  and  large  flowers  (award  of  merit). 
Rose  Grand  Due  de  Luxembourg  (W.  Paul  &  Son). — A  Hybrid  Tea 
of  great  utility  for  garden  decoration.  The  colour  is  rose  on  the  outer, 
and  white  on  the  inner  side  of  the  petals.  In  the  bud  state  the  colour 
is  rosy  carmine  (award  of  merit). 
Sonerila  Silver  Queen  (F.  Sander  &  Co.). — The  name  describes  the 
colour  of  this  plant.  The  reticulations  are  green  (award  of  merit). 
Trollius  caucasicvs  Orange  Globe  (M.  Prichard). — A  grand  variety, 
often  growing  3  or  4  feet  high.  The  colour  is  rich  orange,  and  the 
flowers  are  very  freely  produced  (award  of  merit). 
Fruit  and  Vegetables. 
While  plants  and  flowers  were  overwhelming  in  numbers,  variety, 
and  richness  at  this  great  show,  yet  both  fruit  and  vegetables  were 
represented  in  a  manner  that  commanded  attention,  and  evoked  in  more 
than  one  instance  surprise  and  admiration.  As  some  exhibits  were  com¬ 
posed  of  both  fruits  and  vegetables,  and  in  one  notable  case  flowers  also, 
the  different  groups  can  only  be  alluded  to  as  they  were  found,  making 
reference  to  their  predominating  features. 
Prominent  in  the  large  tent,  even  amidst  a  gorgeous  display  of 
Orchids,  Roses,  and  Clematises — yes,  prominent  and  enforcing  attention 
even  there — was  the  unrivalled  group  of  Nectarine  trees  in  pots,  laden 
with  crimson  scailet  fruits,  from  Sawbridgeworth.  Messrs.  Rivers’ 
collection  consisted  of  twenty-nine  trees  in  only  two  varieties,  and  it  is 
safe  to  say  that  no  other  varieties  in  the  world  could  have  produced  an 
equal  effect  at  this  season  of  the  year,  if  at  any  season.  These  varieties 
were  Early  Rivers,  certificated  a  few  years  ago  at  the  Temple,  and 
Cardinal ,  certificated  on  the  present  occasion  as  an  early  forcing 
variety. 
Early  Rivers  is  becoming  well  known  by  its  large,  brilliant,  and 
superior  fruit,  not  only  as  grown  under  glass,  but  against  walls  in  the 
open,  and  has  established  its  fame  as  the  best  early  Nectarine  up  to  date 
for  general  culture.  Cardinal  is  not  likely  to  become  of  anything  like 
the  same  general  utility,  but  for  its  special  purpose — forcing — it  is  the 
first  of  all,  the  fruits  ripening  ten  days  earlier  even  than  Early  Rivers. 
They  are  not  large,  but  of  good  medium  size,  yet  large  enough  to  sell 
for  30s.  a  dozen  in  Covent  Garden,  as  did  1000  fruits  last  week.  The 
trees  carry  a  greater  number  than  if  the  fruits  were  very  large,  three  of 
the  pyramids  in  the  group  bearing  100  fruits,  one  bush  tree  in  a  pot  forty 
fruits,  and  it  has  borne  a  similar  crop  during  seven  consecutive  years. 
Cardinal  was  raised  by  Mr.  Rivers  from  Advance  Nectarine,  but  has 
not  hitherto  been  “sent  out”  because  of  its  lack  of  robustness  for 
outdoor  culture,  and  trees  will  only  be  distributed  (in  the  autumn)  for 
the  particular  purpose  indicated — forcing  and  affording  the  earliest 
Nectarines  obtainable  under  glass. 
We  now  pass  to  a  remarkable  collection  of  Apples,  arranged  by 
Mr.  George  Bunyard,  and  associated  with  them  two-year-old  pyramid 
trees  in  pots,  laden  with  fruits  of  Early  Rivers  Nectarine,  these  pyramids 
having  been  grown  entirely  in  the  open  air,  the  pots  plunged  in  the 
nursery.  The  Apples  consisted  of  a  hundred  dishes  or  more,  in  eighty 
distinct  varieties.  Many  of  the  fruits  were  as  firm  and  bright  as  at  a 
Crystal  Palace  show  in  October,  and  all  of  the  first  Bize.  Specially 
notable  were  Cox’s  Pomona,  Annie  Elizabeth,  Belle  Pontoise,  High 
Canons,  Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Newton  Wonder,  Alfriston,  Striped  Beef¬ 
ing,  Lord  Derby,  Hormead  Pearmain,  Sturmer  Pippin,  Bramley’s 
Seedling,  King  of  Tomkins  County,  and  Reinette  du  Canada,  while 
many  others  were  of  marked  excellence.  Such  an  exhibit  would  have 
been  considered  impossible  a  few  years  ago,  and  it  is  only  fair  to  say 
that  its  equal  has  not  been  seen  after  the  middle  of  May. 
Messrs.  James  Veitch  &  Sons  arranged  about  sixty  dishes  of  Apples, 
gome  of  the  firmest  being  Alfriston,  Hormead  Pearmaiu,  Peck’s 
Pleasant,  Annie  Elizabeth,  Buckingham,  Bismarck,  Gooseberry  Pippin, 
Landsberger  Reinette,  and  Pine  Golden  Pippin.  Mr.  George  Mount, 
Canterbury,  arranged  a  collection  of  Apples,  mostly  small,  yet  firm  and 
well  preserved. 
Messrs.  Laxton  Brothers  exhibited  fruiting  plants  and  ripe  fruits  of 
their  new  Strawberry  Leader,  fruits  ripen  as  early  as  Noble,  bright,  very 
firm  and  excellent,  plant  having  the  character  of  Latest  of  All.  Royal 
Sovereign  Strawberries  were  exhibited  in  good  form  and  well  packed  by 
Graham  Powell,  Esq  ,  Horticultural  College,  Swanley. 
Mr.  Irving,  Leigh  House  Gardens,  Datchet,  exhibited  Strawberry 
Duke  of  York,  very  large  fruits,  also  a  plant  in  a  pot,  showing  the  pro¬ 
ductive  character  of  the  variety.  Mr.  S.  Mortimer,  Rowledge, 
Farnbam,  had  quite  an  unusual  display  of  Cucumbers,  effectively 
shown  in  sloping  trays,  three  dozen  fruits  each  of  Sensation,  dark,  and 
Mortimer’s  Approved,  paler  in  colour,  and  not  a  faulty  fruit  to  be 
found. 
Messrs.  James  Carter  &  Co.  had  not  a  few  small  dishes,  but  huge 
piles.  Long  Sword  French  Bean,  Telephone  Pea,  First  Crop  Potato, 
Duke  of  York  Tomato,  Extra  Forcing  Radishes,  also  Melons,  Cucumbers, 
and  sturdy  plants  of  the  Carter  Spinach.  Of  the  Tomato  mentioned, 
Messrs.  Fellows  &  Ryder,  Orpington,  exhibited  beautifully  fruited  plants 
in  10  and  12-inch  pots. 
Mr.  George  Featherlev,  The  Vineries,  Gillingham,  had  a  compact  and 
meritorious  display  of  Black  Hamburgh  Grapes,  Alexander  Peaches, 
Gillingham  Perfection  Tomatoes,  Cucumbers,  and  first-class  French 
Beans. 
Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons,  Royal  Berks  Seed  Establishment,  Reading, 
had  a  really  extraordinary  display  of  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables, 
mostly  growing.  They  filled  the  whole  of  the  centre  of  No.  2  tent,  or 
a  table  run  of  120  feet.  Along  the  centre  were  groups  of  Tomatoes  in 
pots,  and  trained  in  a  novel  fashion  over  circular  hoops  and  the  like, 
with  a  view  to  demonstrating  their  value  as  adjuncts  to  the  dinner  or 
dessert  table.  Golden  Gem,  a  novelty  to  be  sent  out  in  1S97,  a  marked 
improvement  on  Sutton’s  Golden  Nugget,  promises  to  become  most 
popular,  the  plants  carrying  extra  heavy  crops  of  rich  golden  yellow 
fruit  of  medium  size  and  superior  quality.  Sunbeam,  another  yellow 
novelty,  is  also  very  productive,  the  fruit  in  this  case  being  plum 
shaped.  Sutton’s  Favourite  is  the  name  given  to  another  promising 
novelty,  the  result  of  a  cross  between  Perfection  and  Peach,  and 
apparently  possessing  some  of  the  best  qualities  of  both  parents.  Vesuvius 
was  particularly  well  shown,  and  may  be  briefly  described  as  a  smooth 
round  Earliest  of  All,  than  which  no  better  recommendation  can  well  be 
given.  Empress  and  Best  of  All  also  found  many  admirers,  and  Messrs. 
Sutton  may  be  congratulated  upon  their  success  both  in  raising  such 
sterling  novelties  and  in  showing  them  so  well  in  pots. 
New  running  Kidney  Beans  were  another  feature  in  the  display. 
Tender  and  True  was  Bhown  in  good  condition,  the  plants  trained  over 
trellising  having  abundance  of  long,  straight  pods  good  enough  to  take 
prizes  at  a  show.  Earliest  of  All  (Sutton’s),  a  distinct  variety,  is,  how¬ 
ever,  considerably  earlier  ;  and  though  the  pods  are  not  so  handsome 
they  are  plentiful,  succulent,  and  said  to  cook  admirably.  Sutton’s 
Eclipse  is  white  seeded,  and  as  shown  was  carrying  grand  crops  of  long, 
straight,  tender  pods. 
Melons  in  pots  were  also  arranged  along  the  raised  centre,  and  most 
of  Messrs.  Sutton’s  best  early,  new,  and  old  varieties  were  represented. 
Hero  of  Lockinge,  still  one  of  the  most  popular  varieties  in  cultivation, 
was  well  shown,  and  this  now  has  its  counterpart  in  a  scarlet-fleshed 
variety,  Eureka.  Superior  varieties  of  Cucumbers  were  also  represented. 
Foremost  among  these  must  be  placed  Sutton’s  Magnum  Bonum,  a  heavy 
cropping  variety,  and  the  fruit  long,  and  of  good  form.  Matchless  is 
equally  good,  and  is  one  of  the  best  for  exhibition  purposes. 
Peas  in  pots  and  boxes  were  never  seen  to  greater  advantage,  and  the 
display  made  cannot  but  draw  attention  to  the  great  superiority  of  the 
newer  varieties  of  garden  Peas  over  the  old  stocks.  Sutton’s  Forcing,  a 
dwarf  extra  early  variety,  produces  a  very  heavy  crop  of  pods  well  filled 
with  wrinkled  peas  of  the  bes'  quality.  This  should  become  a  favourite 
for  growing  in  pots  and  boxes.  May  Queen  is  also  an  extra  early 
dwarf  robust  wrinkled -seeded  variety.  Empress  of  India,  obtained  by 
crossing  Ringleader  with  Telephone,  is  a  first  early,  attaining  a  height  of 
3  feet,  pods  abundant,  long,  and  densely  filled  with  marrow  peas. 
Excelsior,  the  result  of  a  cross  between  American  Wonder  and  Royal 
Jubilee,  is  another  novelty  of  great  promise,  the  quality  of  this  and 
Sutton’s  Seedling  Marrowfat  being  extra  good.  Sutton’s  Al,  of  which 
a  fine  group  was  also  showD,  is  described  as  a  first  early  wrinkled- 
seeded  variety,  and  the  pods  are  extra  large  and  well  filled.  Early 
Giant,  a  3  feet  Duke  of  Albany,  must  become  a  favourite. 
In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  Messrs.  Suttons  also  had  graud  masses 
of  perfectly  flowered  plants  of  their  well-known  strain  of  Gloxinias, 
together  with  Streptocarpuses,  Liliums,  Azalea  mollis,  Coleuses  (prize 
strain),  and  masses  of  border  Tulips,  Ranunculuses,  and  superior  Lily 
of  the  Valley, 
Three  remarkable  collections  of  vegetables  were  staged  by  Mr. 
H.  W.  Ward,  Longford  Castle  ;  Mr.  G.  Wythes,  Syon  House  ;  and  Mr. 
W.  Empson,  Ampthill  House,  occupying  a  length  of  about  GO  feet  of 
tabling. 
Mr.  Ward  had  enormous  Leeks,  very  fine  Asparagus,  Broccoli,  and 
Lettuce,  with  White  Emperor  Onions,  forcing  Carrots,  Peas,  Beans, 
Tomatoes,  Potatoes,  Cucumbers,  and  Radishes. 
Mr.  Wythes’  display  was  great  in  extent,  variety,  and  excellence, 
the  vegetables  being  brightened  with  baskets  of  good  Grapes,  as  well  as 
a  Melon  and  Strawberries.  Potatoes  were  remarkably  fine  in  this  collec¬ 
tion,  as  indeed  were  Broccoli,  Lettuce,  Asparagus,  Mushrooms,  Turnips, 
