September  9,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
Mr.  J.  Walker,  Thame,  carried  off  the  blue  ribbon  for  forty-eight 
Show  and  Fancy  Ilahlias  with  a  very  even  set.  The  best  blooms  were 
Shirley  Hibberd,  T.  W.  Girdlestone,  .Joseph  Ashby,  Victor,  Harry 
Keith,  Harry  Walton,  and  Wm.  Keith.  Mr.  S.  Mortimer,  Farnham, 
followed  with  a  very  bright  stand,  but  visibly  weaker,  while  Messrs. 
Keynes,  Williams,  Salisbury,  were  third.  Mr.  S.  Mortimer  was  well  ahead 
for  thirty-six  blooms,  distinct,  showing  .John  Hickling,  Perfection,  Mrs. 
Mortimer,  Florence  Tranter,  and  .las.  Huntley  in  fine  style.  Mr. 
.1.  Walker  proved  to  be  a  capital  second  with  a  good  variety  of  colours. 
Mr.  F.  W.  Seale,  Sevenoaks,  third.  A  very  strong  competition  came  out 
in  the  class  for  twent3'-four  distinct  varieties,  Mr.  (J.  Humphries,  Ghippen- 
ham,  securing  first  honours  with  verj'  even  blooms,  Mr.  T.  .1.  West, 
Brentwood,  being  dangerously  close  ;  Mr.  J.  K.  Tranter, 
Henley-on-Thames,  third. 
The  section  devoted  to  the  popular  Cactus  varieties 
proved,  as  on  former  occasions,  to  be  an  unusually  good 
one.  Messrs.  .1.  Burrell  &  Co.,  Cambridge,  were  the 
victors  for  eighteen  bunches.  The  stand  was  remark¬ 
ably  fresh  and  well  provided  with  colours.  The  best 
bunches  were  Mrs.  Wilson  Noble,  Casilda,  Cycle,  Mrs. 
A.  Beck,  F'alka,  and  Starfisb.  Messrs.  Keynes,  Williams 
and  Co.,  Salisbury,  took  second  honours  with  smaller 
blooms,  though  they  were  very  bright  and  fresh,  con¬ 
taining’  many  seedlings  of  high  merit.  Alfred  Vasey, 
Britannia,  Fusilier,  Arachne,  Fireman,  and  Mary  Service 
were  the  strongest  bunches.  Mr.  C.  Turner,  Slough,  was 
third,  being  very  little  in  arrear  of  the  former  winners.  The  honours  ■ 
for  twelve  bunches  Cactus  Dahlias  were  keenly  contested,  the  class 
making  a  very  fine  exhibit.  Mr.  T.  ,T.  West,  Brentwood,  secured 
the  premier  honours.  Fusilier,  True  Friend,  Eileen  Palissier,  Island 
Queen,  and  Oaklands  being  especially  good.  Mr.  Jas.  Stredwick,  St. 
Leonards,  came  second  with  a  very  creditable  display,  while  Mr.  G. 
Humphries  was  placed  third. 
The  Pompon  classes  proved  very  popular  with  exhibitors,  and  a  strong 
display  was  the  result.  Messrs.  Keynes,  Williafns,  &  Co.  were  first,  showing 
a  fine  even  lot  with  plenty  of  variety ;  Mr.  Chas.  Turner  second,  Mr.  Seale 
third.  In  the  classes  provided  for  single  Dahlias  the  falling  off  so  dis-  i 
cernible  at  the  Palace  was  equally  api)arent  here,  there  being  but  two  | 
entries  for  twelve  bunches,  distinct,  Mr.  E.  F,  Such  being  placed  first  j 
for  a  very  fine  exhibit.  ! 
Mr.  H.  J.  Jones,  Ryecroft  Nursery,  Lewisbam,  had  one  of  his  well-  j 
known  groups  of  early  flowering  Chrysanthemums  and  Begonias,  | 
artistically  arranged  with  Palms,  Ferns,  foliage  Begonias,  and  Grasses. 
The  Chrysanthemums  were  well  grown,  and  comprised  Emily  Silsbury, 
the  well-known  white  ;  Madame  Desgrange,  G.  Wermig,  and  Machet 
White ;  the  Begonias,  both  double  and  single,  fully  maintaining  the 
reputation  of  the  firm  (silver-gilt  medal).  From  Mr.  .John  Green  of  ! 
Dereham  came  aii  attractive  exhibit  of  Cactus  and  Pompon  Dahlias. 
Mrs.  Wilson  Noble,  Beatrice,  Crimson  King,  Mrs.  Francis  Fell,  Sunshine, 
Fusilier,  Norfolk  Hero,  Endymion,  and  Royal  George  were  most  showy 
in  the  former  section,  while  Dolly  Keith,  Nerissa,  Douglas,  Bacchus,  and  , 
Jjady  Blanche  were  most  conspicuous  in  the  latter  (silver-gilt  medal).  | 
A  fine  exhibit  of  early  flowering  Chrysanthemums  was  staged  ' 
by  Mr.  W.  Wells,  Earlswood  Nurseries,  Redhill.  The  bunches  of 
Madame  Marie  Masse,  Rose  Wells,  Flora,  Longfellow,  Harvest  Home, 
and  Louis  Lemaire  were  very  fine.  Gigantic  blooms  of  Madame  Gustave  j 
Henry  were  also  staged,  showing  that  the  good  opinion  of  this  variety  : 
formed  last  season  has  not  been  misplaced  (silver  medal).  Mr.  E.  G.  ^ 
Reid,  Reid’s  Nursery,  Beckenham  Hill,  exhibited  an  attractive  group  of  ! 
Cannas  (bronze  medal).  Messrs.  H.  Cannell  &  Sons  staged  a  very 
showy  group  of  cut  Chrysanthemums.  The  blooms  were  all  fresh  and 
bright,  the  new  white  sport  from  Hustave  Grunerwald  being  very 
fine.  Others  most  notable  were  Edith  Syrat,  Madame  C.  Perier,  Mrs. 
Hawkins,  Queen  of  Earlies,  and  Madame  Carmens  (silver  medal).  j 
jMr.  Eric  Such,  Maidenhead,  had  a  large  exhibit  of  hardy  plants  and  ; 
Dahlias  very  well  arranged.  Fruit  was  represented  by  a  tine  display  ' 
from  Messrs.  S.  Spooner  .V  Sons,  consisting  principally  of  Apples  and 
Pears ;  there  were  fine  baskets  of  Grenadier,  Lord  Suffield,  Councillor, 
Manx  Codlin,  Stone’s,  and  Bismarck  represented  in  the  former  section 
(silver-gilt  medal).  Mr.  T.  H.  Witty,  Nunhead  Cemetery,  exhibited  a 
very  fine  exhibit  of  early  -  flowering  Chrysanthemums  beautifully  ' 
arranged  with  Ferns  (silver-gilt  medal). 
liONDELETIA  ANOMALA. 
Persons  who  are  possessors  of  a  warm  glass  structure  in  their 
gardens  might  advantageously  grow  one  or  two  of  these  handsome 
plants,  the  Rondeletias.  They  are  free-flowering  and  attractive,  and 
cultivated  without  difficulty  in  a  warm  temperature.  Fifty  degrees  at 
night  in  winter  should  be  the  lowest  the  plants  are  subjected  to,  and  a 
few  degrees  higher  would  be  better.  One  of  the  most  beautiful  species 
is  R.  anomala,  which  is,  however,  somewhat  scarce.  A  spray  is  shown 
in  the  engraving.  It  was  cut  from  a  specimen  suspended  on  the  roof  of 
an  intermediate  house,  and  the  plant  was  bearing  numerous  clusters  of 
rich  coral  red  or  deep  scarlet  flowers.  It  was  grown  in  a  shallow  pot  or 
pan  ;  a  compost  of  peat,  light  turfy  loam  and  sand  being  found  to  suit  it 
admirably. 
THE  YOUNG  GAllDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Malmaison  Carnations. 
_  Although  for  market  purposes  these  flowers  do  not  fetch  the  fancy 
prices  they  did  a  few  years  ago  they  are  still  greatly  admired  by  most 
I)eople.  The  varieties  I  have  had  to  deal  with  are  the  Pink,  Blush 
White,  Arthur  Warocque,  and  Lady  Middleton.  For  general  purposes 
the  Pink  variety  is  the  best  to  grow.  It  flowers  freely,  is  of  good 
size,  and  the  scent  is  delightful.  Ihe  Blush  AVhite  variety  merits 
next  place.  Arthur  Waroc(|ue  has  smaller  flowers,  is  very  prolific,  and 
the  colour  is  also  good.  Lady  Middleton  is  a  striped  variety,  but  I  have 
never  seen  it  worth j"  of  extensive  cultivation. 
Fig.  35  -Rondelbtia  anomala. 
Young  plants  carry  the  better  flowers  ;  but  with  a  number  of  old 
plants  a  few  blooms  are  to  be  had  nearly'  all  the  year  round.  For  j'oung 
stock  layering  ought  to  be  commenced  as  soon  as  the  plants  are  out  of 
flower.  It  is  advisable  to  have  the  layers  clear  of  green  fly  at  this  stage. 
If  they  are  clean  now  they  take  far  less  keeping  clean  afterwards.  They 
root  readily  in  a  cold  frame,  where  they  can  be  shaded  and  kept  slightly 
moist  till  rooted.  They  ai‘e  the  better  for  a  slight  shade  from  bright 
sunshine.  I  think  it  advisable  to  leave  the  young  plants  in  the  bed  till 
they  can  be  lifted  with  large  balls.  They  may'  be  potted  into  6-inch  pots, 
in  which  they  will  flower.  After  potting  they  may  again  be  placed  in  a 
frame  on  a  bed  of  coal  ashes  to  raise  them  near  the  glass. 
By  the  latter  end  of  September  the  plants  ought  to  be  growing  freely, 
and  should  then  be  removed  to  their  winter  quarters.  A  cool  house  free 
from  drip,  with  stages  covered  with  ashes,  is  an  ideal  place  for  them. 
Provision  ought  to  be  made  for  both  top  and  side  air,  also  hot-water 
pipes  provided,  so  that  in  dull  weather  a  little  heat  may  be  turned  on. 
The  plants  en  oy  a  little  heat  at  any  time  during  the  winter  with  jdenty 
of  air.  I  have  never  seen  syringing  of  the  plants  practised,  and  always 
found  the  reverse  successful.  The  ash  stage  has  a  tendency  to  keep  the 
air  about  the  plants  cool  and  fresh.  Soil  for  these  plants  ought  to  be  of 
the  simplest.  Good  fibrous  loam  and  rough  sea  sand,  two-thirds  of  the 
bulk  being  loam,  with  a  little  bonemeal  or  other  standard  fertiliser,  are 
all  that  is  necessary.  A  dusting  of  soot  over  the  drainage  helps  to  keep 
away  worms.  The  pots  ought  to  be  well  drained,  and  in  potting  the  soil 
must  be  made  firm. 
The  most  particular  point,  however,  in  successful  cultivation  is  in  the 
