JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
455 
June  1,  1899. 
INCARVILLEA  DELAVAYI. 
Aiioux  a  week  ago  I  paid  my  first  visit  to  the  gardens  of  Gunnersbui  y 
House,  and.  under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  James  Hudson,  saw  many  plant?, 
flowers,  and  fruits  of  interest.  Foremost  amongst  them  must  be  placed 
Incarvillea  Delavayi,  ot  which  a  couple  of  plants  in  one  of  the  cool  houses 
were  flowering  splendidly.  Its  Gloxinia  like  flower8(fig.  101)  were  singu¬ 
larly  attractive,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  surprise  to  me  that  it  is  not  far  more 
generally  grown,  especially  when  the  tact  that  it  is  almost  hardy  in  our 
gardens  is  taken  into  consideration.  The  colour  is  rose  to  rose  pink,  the 
throat  being  soft  yellow.  In  the  latest  edition  of  Ilobinson’s  ‘'Flower 
Garden  ’’  the  author  says  ; — “Incarvillea  Delavayi  has  lately  come  from 
China,  and  has  proved  hardy,  Mr.  Thompson,  of  Ipswich,  writing  that  it 
has  been  a  year  or  more  in  the  open  border,  having  stood  the  full  brunt 
of  a  zero  temperature.  .  .  .  Where  it  is  not  happy  out  of  doors  it  is 
worth  growing  in  the  greenhouse.” — Wanderer. 
RATH  AND  WEST,  AND  SOUTHERN  COUNTIES 
SHOW,  EXETER,  May  24th. 
Perhaps  the  unhappy  Londoner  went  home  on  WhitXIonday  (if  he 
went  out)  thoroughly  convinced  that  no  joys  remained  for  him  !  Had  he 
come  down  to  green  Devon  he  would  have  enjoyed  lovely  weather — that 
is,  if  he  had  not  stayed  until  this  great  show.  Those  who  ventured  out 
on  Wednesday  morning  ought  to  be  credited  with  good-will  to  the  success 
of  this  useful  show.  All  Wednesdiy  morning  rain  fell  heavil}-,  com¬ 
pletely  saturating  the  beautiful  park-like  meadows  in  which  the  show 
was  held.  Thin  shoes  and  thick  shoes  alike  seemed  to  get  thoroughly 
sodden.  Towards  tea-time  things  began  to  look  a  little  better,  but  not 
very  much. 
I  found  that  the  best  place  of  refuge  was  within  the  magnificent  tent 
devoted  to  the  horticultural  section.  Just  inside,  on  the  right  (under  the 
ridge  of  the  tent),  was  a  well  arranged  collection  of  plants  from  Messrs. 
Wra.  Cutbush  «k  Son  of  Ilighgatc.  Carnations  were  specially  repre¬ 
sented,  among  others  being  Duchess  of  Fife,  G.  B.  Bryant,  Gen.  Stewart. 
Leonard  (new).  La  Vilette,  and  Germania.  A  long  stretch  of  ground 
next  to  Messrs.  Cutbush’s  collection  was  occupied  with  well  grown  plants 
from  B.  H.  Hill,  Esq..  Newcombe.s,  Crediton,  whoso  gardener,  Mr.  G. 
Lock,  filled  the  space  allotted  to  him  with  excellent  judgment.  Acalypha 
hispida  (Sanderi)  was  well  shown  by  Messrs.  R.  Veitch  &  Son,  Exeter, 
and  Messrs.  Cutbush  &  Son.  The  next  stage  was  filled  with  plants  from 
Messrs.  Paul  &  Son,  Cheshunt,  including  some  choice  Hippeastrums 
and  Roses,  comprising  R.  G.  S.  Crawford,  the  now  Teas  Sunrise  and 
Dawn,  the  latter  a  very  showy  Rose,  single  or  semi- double  flowered. 
At  the  other  end  of  these  groups  .“tood  the  splendid  plants  from 
Parker’s  Well,  Exeter,  belonging  to  W.  Brock,  Esq.,  whose  gardener 
(an  Eastern  Counties  man),  Mr  W.  Rowlands,  has  been  so  successful  as 
a  prizetaker  in  arranging  plants  for  effect.  He  had  done  his  best,  on  this 
depressing  occasion,  to  make  visitors  appreciate  the  beauty  of  the  choice 
stove  and  greenhouse  flowering  plants.  Coming  round  the  south  end  of  the 
middle  of  the  tent,  on  the  west  side,  visitors  soon  found  that  Exmoutb,  the 
place  of  grand  sunsets  and  health  restoration,  was  represented  by 
Mr.  W.  J.  Godfrey.  Pelargonium  Regina  Victoria  is  one  of  the  finest 
whites  ever  introduced,  with  a  light  crim.-on  feather  on  the  upper  petals  ; 
the  flower  is  large,  of  perfect  form,  and  beautifully  fringed  at  the  margin; 
Emanuel  Tias,  a  Regal,  somewhat  like  Madame  Thibaut,  but  double  the 
size,  both  in  bloom  and  truss,  whilst  the  flower  is  fuller,  better  frilled,  and 
of  much  richer  colour  ;  and  Duchess  of  York,  silver  tricolor,  a  dwarf, 
prettily  marked  variety,  that  will  be  sought  after.  Not  only  at  this  stand, 
but  on  others,  were  some  fine  double  Lilacs.  There  were  also  Oriental 
Poppies,  including  Exmouth  Gem,  deep  crimsen  grey,  and  A.  W.  Chiltery, 
palest  flesh,  a  large  handsome  bloom. 
At  the  extreme  south  end  of  the  tent  Messrs.  R.  Veitch  &  Son,  Royal 
Nurseries,  Exeter,  had  laid  out  one  of  their  now  well-known  waterfall 
gardens,  arranged  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Meyer,  the  firm’s  landscape  gardener. 
■“  A  very  clever  man,”  was  the  remark  that  we  heard  a  gentleman 
make  (and  he  has  travelled  a  good  deal),  as  he  turned  away  from 
the  sight  of  this  “rock  garden” — natural-looking  rock  jutting  out 
among  grass-covered  banks.  The  water  trickled  down  among  the  plants, 
making  them  happy  and  prosperous,  and  led  to  another  pond  containing 
plants  of  a  different  class,  then  disappeared  under  the  rock.s.  The 
charming  golden  Arum,  Richardia  Elliottiana,  was,  to  some  persons,  the 
most  pleasing,  while  the  Transvaal  Daisy,  Dimorphotheca  Eckloui 
(lately  introduced),  with  flowers  white  inside  and  blue  without,  gave  a 
fine  appearance  to  the  arrangement. 
Messrs.  John  Laing  &  Sons  showed  well  grown  plants,  as  usual,  and 
filled  about  30  feet  by  8  feet.  Messrs.  B.  Brown  iSc  Sons,  St.  Thomas, 
Exeter,  had  a  very  gay  stand,  but  rather  crowded;  but  Miss  Brown 
minimised  this  little  oversight  by  her  very  choice  bouquets,  baskets  of 
flowers,  wreaths  and  crosses,  Messrs.  G.  Cooling  <fe  Sons,  Bath,  showed 
some  choice  Clematis  plants  in  pots,  and  also  cut  Roses. 
Some  well  constructed  span-roof  portable  greenhouses  and  frames, 
glazed  with  Harding’s  patent  zinc  bar,  and  fitted  with  simultaneous 
openings,  were  on  the  ground,  as  well  as  many  fancy  pots,  tiles,  summer¬ 
houses.  But  alas  1  who  could  take  orders  on  such  a  day  ?  While  this 
is  being  written  (25th)  the  wind  is  blowing  from  N.E.,  and  we  are  looking 
for  fine  weather,  although  we  have  no  sunshine.  Those  who  love  rock- 
work  would  do  well  to  visit  this  charming  county,  in  many  parts  of 
which  rockwork  is  seen  in  all  its  beauty,  and  in  some  places  in  all  its 
ruggedness. — A  Looker  On. 
TAMWORTH  PANSY  AND  VIOLA  SHOW. 
May  24th. 
On  the  present  occasion  this  popular  show  was  held  in  Tamworth 
Castle  grounds,  the  idea  being  that  ihe  show  would  lo  rendered 
additionally  attractive  by  selecting  the  venue  in  question,  on  account  of 
its  haviner  been  recently  (May  22nd)  opened,  and  dedicated  to  the  public 
by  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Staffordshire.  This 
historic  and  picturesque  ancient  castle  was  acquired  in  1897  by  the 
Corporation  from  the  Maujuis  of  Townshend.  in  commemoration  of 
the  Queen’s  Diamond  .lubilce.  Tradition  says  that  the  town  and  castle 
were  burnt  by  the  Danes  in  911,  and  rebuilt  in  913  by  Ethelfreda, 
daughter  of  Alfreil  the  Great,  and  last  of  the  Slercian  Qiicens.  It  was 
a  castle  of  the  Saxon  king'>,  and  was  afterwards  held  by  the  Marmions, 
Frevilles,  Ferrers,  and  ottier  families. 
The  ediflee  crowns  a  knoll — the  latter  supposed  to  be  of  artificial  con¬ 
struction  130  feet  high — and  in  its  noble  round  keep  is  a  room  where 
Alary  Queen  of  Scots  was  a  prisoner.  The  walls  and  fireplaces  of  its 
prii  cipal  apartments  are  enriched  by  very  old  oak  panellings  and  carvings, 
amongst  which  exists  an  interesting  chimney-piece  in  oak,  said  to  have 
been  carved  by  French  soldiers  during  the  time  of  their  imprisonment. 
The  Castle  and  its  grounds  occupy  about  three  acres  of  ground,  and 
the  tall  trees  surrounding  a  portion  of  the  Castle  mound  are  laid  under 
contribution  by  a  colony  of  rooks.  A  few  very  old  and  decaying  English 
Elms  are  still  existent  in  the  grounds,  and  it  was  near  the  chief  entrance 
that  the  Pansy  Show  was  held,  and  notwithstanding  the  unpropitious 
weather  a  satisfactory  ‘  gate”  receipt  rewarded  the  Committee  for  their 
selection  of  the  site.  Tne  exhibits  were  numerically  considerably  below 
those  of  previous  shows,  ow  ing  partly  to  the  comparatively  adverse  season. 
Lack  of  quantity,  however,  was  compensated  for  by  quality,  more  especially 
in  the  Viola  classes. 
The  chief  exhibitor  of  Farcy  Pansies  was  Mr.  T.  Naden,  Derby,  and 
he  was  worthily  awarded  the  first  prize  for  twenty-four  blooms,  dissimilar 
(open  to  all,  including  trade  growers),  comprising  such  varieties  as 
Col.  AI.  R.  G.  Buchanan,  Airs.  C.  Lambie,  Alaggie  Watson  (excellent), 
R.  C.  Allan,  David  Gold  AInckay.  Felicia,  Attraction,  Victoria  (very 
fine),  Provost  White,  Alaggie  Bell,  W.  H.  Clarke,  Mrs.  Bond,  Airs.  R.  G. 
Aloir,  John  Alackie,  Tamworth  Yellow,  Tom  Watters,  George  Stuart, 
Airs.  W.  Steele,  Alice  Russell,  Airs.  D.  Johnstone,  Alathew  Alexander, 
Mrs,  Proben,  and  Tamworth  Herald,  In  the  class  of  twelve  varieties  the 
same  exhibitor  again  enjoyed  a  “  walk  over  ”  with  a  selection  from  the 
foregoing  varieties.  In  the  classes  for  amateur.?  residing  south  of  the 
Humber,  for  twenty-four  Fancy  Pansies,  dissimilar,  Mr,  Naden  again 
claimed  first  honours  as  the  only  exhibitor. 
Councillor  Waters  was  well  to  the  front  with  six  sprays  of  rayless 
Violas,  including  Alaud,  Hiberniai  Alary  Stuart,  Airs.  C.  F.  Gordon, 
Formidable,  and  Dorothy  Tennant.  The  same  grower  secured  the  premier 
