Deoambcr  17,  18a6, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
593 
prown  plants  of  double  Prfmulaa  with  flowers  of  single  varieties  and 
Oannas  alio  came  from  this  source  (silver-gilt  Banksian  medal),  Mr. 
T.  S.  Ware,  Tottenham,  staged  Irises  and  Narcissi  ;  and  Messrs.  H. 
Low  &  Co..  Upper  Clapton,  plants  of  Cyclamen  persicum  (silver 
Banksian  medal). 
A  group  of  plants,  mainly  composed  of  Crotons  suitable  for  table 
decoration  came  from  Mr  Empson,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Wingfield, 
Ampthill  House,  Beds.  The  specimens  were  all  remnrkably  healthy. 
Pandanus,  Beidias  Aralias,  and  Dracsenas  were  also  represented,  as  was 
a  well-flowered  specimen  of  Lselia  anceps  (silver  Banksian  medal), 
Dracmnas  and  Palms,  with  one  or  two  Cypripediums,  formed  the  bulk 
of  the  exhibit  from  Messrs.  J.  Peed  &  Sons,  Norwich  (bronze  Banksian 
medal).  A  small  circular  group  of  Poinsettias,  with  a  Palm  in  the 
centre,  looked  very  bright.  The  plants  staged  by  Mr.  W.  Farr,  gardener 
to  A.  F.  Pears,  Esq.,  Isleworth,  were  dwarf  and  admirably  grown  (silver 
Flora  medal). 
Mr.  W.  Bain,  gardener  to  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  Burford 
Lodge,  Dorking,  sent  a  splendid  collection  of  Anthurium  spathes,  com¬ 
prising  aeveral  seedlings,  besides  named  varieties  of  excellent  quality 
(silver  Flora  medal).  Mr.  Bain  also  sent  plants  of  Primula  obconica 
graudiflora.  Rhododendrons  of  the  first  merit  came  from  Messrs.  J. 
Veitch  &  Sons,  Chelsea,  and  comprised  nobilius,  Little  Beauty,  and 
many  other  varieties.  Messrs.  F.  Sander  &  Co.,  St.  Albans,  sent  Begonia 
Winter  Favourite ;  Mr.  J.  Kitley,  Bath,  Pteris  tremula  petroeelina  ; 
Mr.  W.  J.  Godfrey,  Eimouth.  Chrysanthemum  H.  W,  Reeman  ;  Messrs. 
Crane  &  Clarke,  March,  and  Mr.  J.  Douglas,  Bookham,  Carnations  in 
variety, 
Mr.  W.  Wells,  Earlswood.  Redbill,  exhibited  a  small  collectir>n  of 
Chrysanthemums  (bronze  Banksian  medal) ;  as  did  Mr.  R.  Owen, 
Maidenhead,  both  staging  several  attractive  and  meritorious  varieties. 
Orctiid  Committer,— Present :  H.  J.  Veitch,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ; 
with  Messrs.  J.  O’Brien,  D.  B.  Crawsbay,  R.  Brooman  White,  F.  Hardy, 
H.  Ballantine,  B.  Ashworth,  T.  W.  Bond.  W.  H.  White,  H.  J.  Chapman, 
0,  Winn,  T.  Statter,  B.  Hill.  J,  Douglas,  J.  Gurney  Fowler,  S.  Comitauld, 
W.  H.  Protheroe,  and  C.  J.  Lucas. 
Mr  Downes,  gardener  to  J  T  Bennett- Poe.  Esq.,  Cbeshunt,  arranged 
a  handsome  group  of  Orchids,  in  which  Oalanthes,  Lsebas,  and  Cypri- 
pedinms  were  most  conspicuous  (silver  Flora  medal).  Messrs.  H.  Low 
and  Co.  sent  a  few  Orchids  ;  while  Mr.  Ballantine,  gardener  to  Baron 
Schrilder,  The  Dell,  Egham,  sent  spikes  of  Orchids  of  superb  quality. 
There  were  Lselias,  Cypripediums,  Odontoglossums,  and  others, 
Mr.  W.  H.  White,  Orchid  grower  to  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  staged  a 
splendid  group  of  Calanthes,  the  plants  all  being  finely  flowered.  Other 
Orchids,  anch  as  Cypripediums  and  Masdevallias.  came  from  the  same 
source  (small  gold  medal).  Messrs.  F.  Sander  &  Co.,  St.  Albans,  sent  a 
few  Orchids  of  good  quality. 
Cypripediums  from  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons  were  magnificent. 
There  were  large  numbers  of  hybrids  and  varieties,  all  of  very  fine 
quality  ;  besides  these  there  were  Lselio-Cattleyas,  Odontoglossums, 
Oncldiuras  and  others  (silver  Flora  medal),  Mr.  F.  J.  Thorne,  gardener  to 
J.  Joicey,  Esq.,  Sunningdale  Park,  sent  two  wonderfully  healthy  plants 
of  Dendrobium  Johnsonse,  both  carrying  splendid  spikes  of  flowers. 
Small  exhibits  of  Orchids,  which  we  cannot  particularise,  also  came 
from  several  other  sources,  and  included  Laelia  pisestans  alba  from 
Mr.  IT.  Holbrook,  gardener  to  E.  Ashworth,  Bgq.  Mr.  J.  George,  Putney, 
sent  samples  of  West’s  Patent  Orchid  basket. 
Certificates  anb  Awards  of  Merit. 
Carnation  W.  Rohimon  (Crane  &  Clarke). — This  is  a  rich  scarlet 
variety  with  flowers  of  medium  size  (award  of  merit). 
Carnation  Jnlian  (J.  Douglas).  —  A  very  deep  crimson-black 
perpetual  flowering  variety  with  a  faint  clove  scent  (award  of  merit). 
Chrysanthemum  Christmas  Gold  (P.  Ladds). — An  incurved  Japanese 
of  a  peculiarly  rich  yellow  colour  (award  of  merit), 
Laliaprcestans  alba  (H.  Holbrook). — The  type  of  this  is  well  known, 
the  variety  being  identical,  save  that  it  is  pure  white  in  colour  (first- 
class  certificate); 
Lodio-Caitleya  Rosalind  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — The  parents  of  this 
bigeneric  hybrid  were  L;  Domini  and  C.  Trianas.  The  narrow  petals 
are  white,  and  the  broad  sepals  have  a  margin  of  white  with  very 
delicate  purplish  rose  as  a  central  shade.  The  lip  is  purplish  crimson, 
with  abnndant  shadings  of  blue,  and  a  gold-veined  throat  (first-class 
certificate). 
Rhododendron  nobilius  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — This  is  a  fine  variety 
hybrid  between  Teysmanni  and  javanicum.  The  flowers,  of  good  size, 
arc  a  deep  ciiiome  yellow  in  hue  (award  of  merit). 
Rhododendron  Little  Beauty  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — A  small-flowered 
hybrid  resulting  from  a  cross  between  Monarch  and  malayanum.  The 
colour  is  a  peculiar  shade  of  scarlet  (award  of  merit). 
New  York  Temperature.  —  A  temperature  in  the  seventies  is 
unusual  the  last  week  in  November,  and  therefore  it  is  not  surprising 
that  the  trees  started ‘into  leaf,  that  the  lawns  hereabout  were  starred 
with  Dandelions  and  other  spring  flowers,  and  that  many  early  flowering 
shrubs  showed  abundant  bloom.  This  was  especially  true  of  the  Bash 
Honeysuckles,  Lonicera  fragrantissima  and  L.  Standishi,  whose  white 
flowers  appear  before  the  leaves  in  spring.  Many  of  these  bushes  in 
Central  Park  displayed  a  fairly  good  cropof  fragrant  flowers. — (“Garden 
and  Forest.’’) 
POTATOES. 
The  pages  of  the  Journal  have  from  time  to  time  contained  so  many 
excellent  articles  on  the  cultivation  of  this  valuable  vegetable,  that  the 
few  remarks  I  am  about  to  make  will,  doubtless,  to  many  readers,  contain 
nothing  new.  But  it  is  rather  to  the  younger  memliers  of  our  calling 
that  I  am  about  to  relate  my  experience  in  the  cultivation  of  the  Potato 
both  for  exhibition  and  general  purposes. 
That  the  soil  in  many  localities  differs  widely  in  its  mechanical 
constituents  is  well  known  by  all  practical  men.  Heavy  crops  may  be 
lifted  from  soils  of  a  tenacious  character,  but,  and  especially  in  dry 
seasons,  few  of  the  tubers  would  be  such  as  to  figure  prominently  on  the 
exhibition  table.  Now  that  a  good  dish  of  Potatoes  constitutes  a  leading 
feature  in  a  collection  of  vegetables,  no  matter  at  what  season,  we  can 
forgive  any  man  for  deviating  from  the  usual  course  in  order  that  he 
may  produce  a  few  specimens  as  it  were  under  artificial  treatment,  I 
find  it  an  excellent  method  to  sift  a  heap  of  old  potting  soil  and  mix 
with  it  a  good  portion  of  burnt  wood  ashes,  also  a  little  dry  lime,  turning 
the  whole  over  several  times. 
The  sets  having  been  carefnUy  disbudded  during  the  early  spring 
months,  allowing  one  sprout — or,  at  the  most  two — to  each  tuber, 
will  have  stout  shoots  at  the  time  of  planting  about  1  inch  in 
length,  strong  through  having  been  exposed  to  light  as  much  as  possible. 
The  first  week  in  April  is  quite  early  enough  to  commence  planting. 
Proceed  by  opening  out  a  drill  about  1  foot  wide,  and  in  the  centre 
place  the  tubers,  covering  to  a  depth  of’  .5  inchps  with  the  mixture  pre- 
vii>u8!y  referred  to,  allowing  a  distance  of  3  feet  between  each  row  and 
18  inches  in  the  rows. 
In  sandy  ground,  also  those  of  a  peaty  nature,  the  above  process 
would  only  be  so  muf'h  time  wasted,  as  the  tubers  would  doubtless  turn 
out  as  clear  skinned  from  the  natural  soil.  In  choosing  the  ground  for 
planting  second  early  and  main  crop  varieties  select  that  which  was 
given  s  moderately  good  dressing  of  farmyard  manure  in  the  preceding 
year,  and  if  the  plants  need  support  during  their  early  stages  of  growth 
a  light  aprinkling  of  some  of  the  special  Potato  manures  or  a  mixture 
of  potash,  phosphates,  and  nitrate  of  soda  may  be  given  to  advantage. 
Potatoes  of  a  large  size  are  not  required  for  a  gentleman’s  table,  a  good 
crop  of  medium-sized  tubers  that  can  be  cooked  whole  being  far  prefer¬ 
able.  Anyone  having  had  Potatoes  cooked  of  the  size  mentioned  and 
those  grown  with  fresh  manure  to  a  large  size  would,  1  am  sure,  decide 
in  favour  of  the  former. 
I  may  state  that  all  Potatoes  planted  here  are  disbudded  and  usually 
planted  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  April.  Some  readers  may  say. 
Is  not  this  disbudding  conducive  to  the  production  of  large  tubers  ? 
My  experience  says  that  its  tendency  is  to  produce  a  maximum  number 
of  tubers  of  a  useful  size  for  eating  purposes.  Another  advantage  may 
also  be  claimed  by  having  the  tubers  sprouted  at  planting  time — they  are 
al  ways  ready  for  lifting  earlier  than  those  that  have  not  been  subjected 
to  this  process. 
It  is  a  very  difficult  matter  to  say  which  varieties  are  best,  as  most 
gardeners  have  favourites  even  in  Potatoes.  But  for  exhibition  purposes 
Sutton's  Satisfaction  holds  its  own,  closely  followed  by  Windsor  Castle 
and  Supreme,  the  quality  of  the  two  last  named  being  splendid  ; 
others  of  the  first  merit  are  Reading  Russet,  The  Dean,  Bdgecote 
Purple,  Yicar  of  Lalebam,  Schoolmaster,  Sutton’s  Seedling,  Perfection, 
Lord  Tennyson,  Sutton’s  Prizetaker,  Snowdrop,  Chancellor,  Abundance, 
Pink  Perfection,  Jeanie  Deans,  Lady  Truscott  and  Cole’s  Favourite. 
We  also  grow  largely  of  Triumph,  which  is  a  fine  cropper  with  good 
quality,  the  Sutton’s  Flourball,  and  Sutton’s  Selected  Magnum  Bonum. 
Each  of  the  latter  turned  out  splendidly  after  the  heavy  rain  this 
season,  being  quite  free  from  disease,  while  Abundance  growing  by  the 
side  of  them  were  50  per  cent,  diseased, —  C,  Foster,  Aberpergwm 
Gardens,  Glyn  Neath. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Wateeinh. 
One  of  the  most  important  duties  which  the  young  gardener  has 
to  discharge  is  that  of  watering.  How  often  do  we  see  the  leaves  of  our 
choice  plants  turning  yellow,  and  dropping  or  hanging  over  the  sides  of 
the  pots  for  want  or  through  an  excess  of  water ;  yet  we  cannot  always 
blame  the  young  operator,  simply  because  he  has  never  been  taught  how 
to  water  plants  correctly.  One  way  to  tell  whether  a  plant  requires 
wacer  or  not  is  to  give  the  pot  a  smart  rap.  If  it  emits  a  ringing  sound 
water  is  needed  ;  if  a  dull  thud  it  should  be  left  till  another  day;  At 
this  season  of  the  year  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  watering  be 
properly  and  carefully  done.  The  operator  should  endeavour  to  gain  a 
knowledge  of  the  requirements  of  individual  plants,  and  then,  bearing 
in  mind  the  season,  he  may  contribute  to  their  health  and  his  own 
reputation.  We  are  now  at  the  beginning  of  the  resting  season,  that  of 
short  dull  days  and  long  nights,  and  all  watering  ought  to  be  done  early 
enough  to  give  the  houses  time  to  dry,  for  it  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  damp  is  more  disastrous  than  cold  ;  neither  should  all  the  plants  be 
watered  at  the  same  time,  and  only  those  which  actually  need  it  should 
receive  a  supply.  Special  care  must  be  taken  that  water  is  not  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  centres  of  such  plants  as  Primulas  and  Cyclamens,  or 
it  will  prove  detrimental.  I  think  if  every  gardener  were  to  teach  hia 
young  men  the  proper  use  of  the  water  pot  there  would  be  not  quite  so 
many  failnres  as  there  are  now. 
Labelbing, 
The  present  is  a  good  time  to  do  this  important  work.  Nothing  is 
more  helpful  to  young  gardeners  than  a  neat,  distinctly,  and  correctly 
