368 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  28,  1904 
Park),  were  beautifully  flowered ;  the  prominent  varieties  were 
Rose  Luisante,  white  Joost  Van  Vondel,  White  Pottebakker, 
Duchess  of  Parma,  T.  Mooi’v,  Vermilion  Brillant,  and  Mons. 
Tresor.  Mr.  J.  Williams,  in  class  for  doubles,  had  the  Tour- 
nesol  family,  and  Mr.  H.  Osborne,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Woodsend, 
grand  Narcissi.  For  plants  in  -bin  pots  Mrs.  Stevenson  was 
succe.ssf  ul. 
Messrs.  R.  P.  Iver  and  Sons,  Aigburth,  had  as  usual  their 
.super!)  Amaryllis  (gold  medal).  Silver  medals  went  to  *>lessrs. 
T.  Davies  and  Co.,  Wavertree,  for  Anemones,  Lilies,  Deutzias, 
Cinerarias,  Ac.  Messrs.  Dicksons,  JAd.,  Chester,  had  a  very 
line  array  of  Narcissi,  hand.somely  staged  and  very  attractive. 
Me.ssrs.  Hogg  and  Robertson  had  Tulips  and  Narcissi,  Ac. 
Messrs.  J.  Cowan  and  Co.,  Gateacre,  had  orchids  of  all  the  well 
known  varieties,  abundantly  flowered  and  most  interesting. 
Messrs.  Hewitt  and  Co.,  of  Solihull,  Warwickshire,  had  a  quiet 
little  corner  filled  with  lovely  Carnations. 
Dublin  Spring  Show,  April  15  and  16. 
The  council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  of  Ireland 
some  time  back  conceived  the  idea  of  bestirring  the  latent  love 
of  our  own  particular  public,  and  its  lethargic  purse  as  well, 
with  a  two  days’  floral  fete,  which  project  was  happily  carried 
out  in  “elegant”  weather.  The  spacious  halls  of  the  Royal 
University  w'ere  well  adapted  to  the  various  sections  and 
addenda  comprising  what  was  termed  “  La  Floralie,”  which 
went  beyond  the  strictly  legitimate  exhibition  by  the  introduc¬ 
tion  of  concerts,  children’s  dances,  tea  gardens,  and  sundry  side 
shows.  Ifut  the  spring  floral  di.splay,  which  in  Dublin,  unfor¬ 
tunately,  seems  to  require  this  side  propping,  was,  par  excel¬ 
lence,  probably  the  fine.st  ever  held  by  the  venerable  societj' 
during  its  long  life  of  threescore  j’ears  and  ten. 
The  Daffodil  itself,  in  all  its  varieties  and  phases  of  culture, 
formed  a  remarkable  exposition  of  the  popular  flower.  First 
must  be  mentioned  four  stalls  representing  the  four  Irish  pro¬ 
vinces,  presided  over  by  Lady  Ardilaun,  the  Countess  of 
Leitrim,  Lady  Castlerosse,  and  I.ady  Ashtown,  where  these 
ladies,  wdth  a  staff  of  assistants,  sold  plants  and  cut  flowers, 
contributed  by  generous  helpers.  In  the  flower  show  section 
proper  competition  was  keen,  and  exhibits  of  high  class,  repre¬ 
sented  by  fine  ferns,  grand  Cinerarias,  good  pot  Roses,  magni¬ 
ficent  Mignonette,  Spiraeas,  Azaleas,  and  others  of  that  ilk, 
which,  having  mentioned,  we  will  go  for  the  liilies  of  Lent. 
“  Holland  in  Ireland  ”  was,  of  course,  in  strong  force,  and 
the  strongest  of  the  strong  in  this  stand  of  Messrs.  Hogg  and 
Robertson  was  the  new  Narcissus,  Sir  Francis  Drake,  raised  in 
Cornwall  by  Mr.  Kendall.  It  is  a  glorious  flower,  something  in 
the  way  of  King  Alfred,  but  more  truly  regal  in  size  and  sub¬ 
stance.  Miss  Currey’s  great  collection  had  striking  examples  of 
Lucifer,  and  (with  apologies  to  Bryant  and  May)  matchless  in 
its  way.  It  is  a  daring  Daffodil.  These,  with  the  Sligo  group 
of  Sir  J.  Gore-Booth,  showed  what  Ireland  can  do  ■with  the 
nodding  Daffodil,  and  for  this  show  it  can,  and  did,  do  a  great 
deal . 
In  the  competing  classes  C.  M.  Doyne,  Esq.,  of  Gorey,  "Wex¬ 
ford,  carried  off  the  president’s  (Lord  Ardilaun)  cup  for  fifty 
varieties  of  Narcissi,  as  he  did  four  other  first  prizes  for 
other  classes  of  Daffodils.  Our  great  Irish  Rose  raisers,  Alex. 
Dicksons,  with  seventeen  gold  medals  to  their  record,  put  up 
stands  of  faultle.ss  blooms,  over  which  visitors  hung  lovingly. 
This  section  of  their  comprehensive  exhibit  of  spring  flowers  was 
a  treat,  and,  if  one  dare  say  it,  a  palliative  to  the  Daffodil  fever 
which  raged  in  the  Royal  University.  However,  “  Holland  in 
Ireland,”  as  exemplified  at  Rush,  Co.  Dublin,  is  now  an  impor¬ 
tant  factor  in  the  economic  industries  of  the  “  di.stressful  ” 
country,  and  its  acres  and  acres  of  high  quality  bulbs  are 
drawn  upon  from  far  and  wide ;  whilst  the  Irish  Dicksons,  as  is 
well  known,  is  a  name  to  conjure  with  in  the  Rose  world, 
within,  and  far  bej'ond,  our  own  verdant  shores. — K,  Dublin. 
Bristol  Gardeners. 
A  meeting  was  held  on  April  14,  when  Mr.  P.  J.  "Worsley 
favoured  the  Bristol  gardeners  by  giving  them  a  lecture  on 
“  Daffodils,”  illustrated  by  several  diagrams,  kindly  prepared 
by  the  Misses  AVorsley.  A  feature  of  the  evening  was  the 
magnificent  display  of  cut  Daffodils,  Mr.  Worsley  showing  some 
beautiful  blooms.  Mr.  C.  H.  Cave  also  brought  a  number  of  his 
valuable  and  beautiful  seedlings,  which  wei’e  greatly  admired. 
Collections  were  also  sent  from  Messrs.  Garaway  and  Co.  and 
Messi’s.  Barr  and  Sons.  Messrs.  Garaway  also  staged  some 
beautiful  bloorns  of  zonal  Geraniums.  The  competition  for  the 
prizes  kindly  given  by  Mr.  C.  H.  Cave  proved  very  keen.  Mr. 
Worsley  and  Mr.  Cave  kindly  acted  as  judges,  and  gave  awards 
as  follows: — 1st,  Mr.  AV.  A.  F.  Powell  (gardener,  Mr.  Raikes) ; 
2nd,  Mr.  F.  C.  J.  Fisher  (gardener,  Air.  Shelton) ;  and  equal  3rd 
to  Mr.  J.  Chetwood  Aiken  (gardener.  Mr.  Clarke),  and  Air.  A. 
Baker  (gardener,  Air.  Orchard),  the  class  being  for  six  varieties 
of  Daffodils.  A  certificate  of  merit  was  awarded  to  Air.  A. 
Baker  (gardener.  Air.  Orchard),  for  a  collection  of  Primroses. 
The  coveted  special  certificate  was  recommended  for  Air. 
A.  Shipley  (gaidener.  Air.  AA’akefield),  for  a  most  beautif))! 
seedling  Amaryllis. — H.  K. 
Birmingliam  Gardeners’  Association. 
A  very  instructive  and  comprehensive  paper  on  “  Pruning  of 
Hardy  Fruit  Trees”  was  read  before  the  members  on  April  11 
by  Air.  J.  C.  Tallack,  head  gardener  to  E.  Aliller  Alundy,  Esq., 
Shipley  Hall,  Derby.  Air.  AA'alter  Jones  presided,  and  intro¬ 
duced  Mr.  Tallack  as  a  well  known  cultivator  of  hardy  fruits,, 
also  as  a  horticultural  writer.  His  thoroughly  practical  remarks, 
more  especially  upon  the  extension  system  of  pruning  the 
Apple  and  Pear,  were  illustrated  by  examples  of  branches  of  only 
four  or  five  years’  growth,  totalling  eight  or  nine  feet  in  length, 
and  thickly  furnished  with  fruit  buds  almost  from  base  to  top, 
and  the  successive  leading  shoots  had  never  been  shortened  by 
the  knife  after  the  initial  formation  of  the  trees.  The  demon¬ 
stration  was  altogether  much  appreciated  by  members,  and  it 
also  gave  rise  to  an  interesting  discussion,  generally  consonant 
with  Air.  Tallack’s  opinions  and  practice.  Responding  to  a 
hearty  vote  of  appreciation,  he  cordially  expressed  his  gratifica¬ 
tion  of  the  attention  to,  and  the  discussion  induced  by,  his  essay. 
Leeds  Paxton. 
The  Leeds  Paxton  Society  varied  its  customary  weekly  pro¬ 
gramme  on  Saturday,  April  23rd,  by  a  happy  combination  of 
music  and  flowers.  The  members  took  advantage  of  the  privi¬ 
lege  on  this  occasion  of  introducing  musical  and  other  friends 
to  the  meeting,  and  the  result  was  a  great  musical  treat.  The 
floral  display  consisted  of  a  magnificent  collection  of  Narcissi 
and  Tulips,  kindly  sent  by  Alessrs.  Barr  and  Sons,  Alessrs.  Hogg 
and  Robertson,  and  Air.  AAh  Baylor  Hartland.  It  seems  a  pity 
that  such  a  splendid  display  of  these  popular  spring  flowers 
should  have  been  seen  by  only  a  comparatively  small  number  of 
people,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  it  may  eventually  lead  to  the 
forming  of  a  spring  exhibition  in  Leeds. 
Reading  and  District  Gardeners. 
The  fortnightly  meeting  of  this  association  was  held  in  the 
clubroom,  and  was  attended  by  upwards  of  100  members.  The 
subject  lor  the  evening  was  “  Present-day  Orchid  Culture,”  and 
was  introduced  by  Air.  AAh  Bound,  Gatton  Park  Gardens. 
AA'ithout  doubt  many  of  the  ideas  put  forward  with  regard  to 
culture  were  entirely  new  to  the  majority  of  the  growers,  yet 
it  added  interest  to  the  discussion  which  followed,  and  brought 
out  many  points  which  were  of  great  benefit  to  those  present. 
There  were  some  excellent  exhibits,  consisting  of  a  group  of 
Cineraria  stellata,  containing  many  new  and  beautiful  colours, 
by  Air.  F,  Lever,  Hillside  Gardens  ;  three  pots  of  Alignonette, 
the  plants  being  of  excellent  growth,  and  bearing  some  extra¬ 
ordinary  spikes,  from  Air.  J.  A.  Hall,  Shiplake  Court  Gardens; 
a  basket  of  seedling  Polyanthuses,  the  plants  carrying  masses  of 
bloom,  from  Air.  D.  Harris,  Alapledurham  House  Gardens ; 
a  brace  of  Sutton’s  Everyday  (Cucumber  cut  from  pot  plants,  by 
Air.  F.  AV.  Exler,  East  Thorpe  Gardens;  Alicante  Grapes,  from 
Air.  J.  Crook,  Forde  Abbey  Gardens;  a  splendid  plant  of  Den- 
drobium  nobile,  from  Air.  H.  Wynn,  Cressingham  Gardens. 
The  orchid  was  entered  for  the  association’s  certificate  of  cul¬ 
tural  merit,  and  the  judges  awarded  the  same.  Five  new 
members  -n’ere  elected. 
Hull:— A  Rock  Garden. 
A  .most  interesting  paper  on  a  very  important  subject— th'e 
arrangement  of  a  rock  garden — was  read  before  this  society  by 
Air.  Clarke,  of  York,  on  April  12.  To  summarise  the  speaker’s 
remarks,  the  wrong  way  to  make  a  rockery  is  to  make  a  mound 
of  soil  and  to  dot  some  large  stones  on  it ;  another  extreme  is  1o 
make  a  heap  by  piling  rock  on  rock,  and  then  endeavour  to  put 
soil  in.  Through  such  a  construction  wind  will  freely  blow,  with 
the  most  disastrous  results.  AVhere  the  space  is  large  enough, 
a  path  should  lead  to  the  rock  garden  so  as  to  come  to  it  as  a 
surprise.  It  needs  to  be  isolated  and  well  sheltered  from  winds, 
without  excluding  all  sunshine.  The  chief  essential  in  the  rock- 
■work  is  to  get  deep  root  room.  A  provision  should  be  made  for 
the  accommodation  of  shade-loving  plants.  Arrange  the  pockets 
so  as  to  prevent  the  soil  being  washed  away  by  falling  from  rocks 
above.  Firmness  is  another  essential,  and  it  should  be  possible 
to  tread  on  any  of  the  stones  wuthout  displacing  them.  The  soil 
suiting  the  majority  of  the  plants  would  be  a  good  loam,  leaf  soil 
and  sand,  using  peat  in  those  parts  allotted  to  peat-loving 
plants,  so  as  to  get  the  best  out  of  all  subjects.  A  series  of  lan¬ 
tern  slides  were  shown.  Air.  Clarke  describing  the  plants,  their 
suitability  for  various  positions,  A:c.,  the  while. — AV.  R. 
