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THE

FLOKIST, FEUITIST,

GAKDEN MISCELLANY.

1859.

LIBRARY

^EW YORK

BQTANICAn

GARDjEfsj

LONDON :
"FLOKIST" OFFICE, 28, HENKIETTA STREET,

COVENT GARDEN.

INDEX TO COLOURED PLATES.

Auricula, Chapman's Maria, 161
Camellia Valtevaredo, 129

„ Countess of Derby, 321
Chrysanthemum, Golden Queen, 65
„ Prince Albert, 65

Fuchsias, Eclat, 33

„ Sir C. Campbell, 33
Gladiolus, Berthe Rabourdin, 97
Lselia Schilleriana, 193

Pelargoniums, 353
Phlox, Julia Roussel, 257

„ Souvenir d'un Ami, 257

„ La Volupte, 257
Picotees, Rev. A. Matthews, 289

„ Rival Purple, 289
Plocostemma lasianthum, 1
Rose, Eugene Appert, 225

INDEX TO WOODCUTS.

American garden, geometrical, 347
Currant bush, trained, 154

Fern classification, diagrams illustrative of, 88, 39, 40, 41,42,
43, 44, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 211, 212, 213

Fruit tree protector, 145
Pear, Beurre Aguste Benoist, 7 1
„ Fladberg, 72

London: Printed by S. WHITWELL, 10, Northumberland Terrace, Bagnigge Wells Road.

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Plocostemma Lasiantkum.
Plate 14-7.

JPruited h

THE

FLORIST, FRUITIST, AND GARDEN
MISCELLANY.

PLOCOSTEMMA LASIANTHUM.

(Plate 147.)

We this month furnish our readers with a coloured representa-
tion of this remarkable Asclepiadaceous plant, for an oppor-
tunity of figuring which we are indebted to Messrs. Low, of
the Clapton Nursery, who imported it from Borneo. It is
evidently a genus of the family allied to Hoya ; its flowers,
which are produced in July, are not unlike those of Cyrtoceras
reflexum. It may be termed a long-stemmed climbing shrub,
with quite the habit of a Hoya. The leaves are opposite,
oval, or rather ovate — thick, fleshy, and deep green, especially
above, with occasionally a few pale blotches scattered over
' their surface. The flowers, as will be seen, are numerous,
pendent, and of a tawny orange colour. In a warm green-
house or intermediate house it will doubtless flower freely, and
be highly ornamental.

NEW PLUM.
In the collection of Plums exhibited at St. James's Hall we noticed a
round purple Plum, remarkably fresh in appearance for the season of
the year, and by no means of a bad flavour — certainly not so rich as
either the Imperatrice or Golden Drop ; but still a valuable fruit for
the season. This Plum was shown by Mr. William Ingram, of
Belvoir Castle, to whom, however, it was unknown, and who, for want
of some other name, called it the Belvoir Plum. From inquiry made
of Mr. Powell, of Frogmore, whose knowledge of fruits is so well known,'
we learn he thinks it is not an English seedling, but probably one of the
late French sorts. Can any one of our pomological friends throw any
light on this question ? The Plum will make a valuable acquisition
to our lists, if its other properties are at all equal to its appearance.

VOL. XIT., NO. CXXXIII. B

THE FLORIST.

ROSES.

A Hull correspondent, unknown to me but by correspondence,
encourages me to address another letter to the lovers of Roses, by
telling me that I have stirred up his neighbourhood, and caused him
to purchase 50 Roses, instead of six or twelve at the most. Though
he styles himself " A Poor Railway Clerk," he has had the spirit to
send to Mr. Cranston for 36. It is much so here. The nobility,
gentry, some of the clergy, and many of the farmers (the best Rose
cultivators in the county), are budding and buying. Even the poor
get briars and bud. The two largest Roses I saw last year — Baronne
Prevot and Mrs. Elliott — were grown in my parish by two cottagers.
These are steps — if not strides — in the right direction. The Rose
cause is a growing cause. We shall soon want Cremorne Gardens or
Hyde Park for the National Show. Mr. Hole has lighted a fire with
Rivers's faggots, and I am proud to act stoker, and to fan and feed it.

1 hope the " boiler won't burst." My longing eyes have been looking
in vain for the last summer's revelation of the " oft-told tale," so well
told by Mr. Rivers and Mr. Paul in times past. In purchasing, I have
depended chiefly on " Experientia docet," which means that you pay
for your education, and partly on the " Marchands'" better judgment ;
and, whenever I have done so, I have not been deceived. Both old
and young amateurs would do well to adopt the latter dependence. I
have bought altogether, with 60 that I have given away as " tolers,"
or " decoy ducks," about 350. This little zeal is derived from
the National, and is periphrastic praise of Mr. Hole, whose 24 Roses,
"the little boys in the street" say, were the best Amateur's lot in the
show. One thing is certain, that, according to the bud rule, they were
one of the few lots that were not positively discpiahfied, It was gene-
rally a show of most noble single flowers, the buds having been removed
in early life. I removed nothing ; but, no more will I be " Peter
Simple," no more " Peter Flat." I will, in spite of bud or Buddhist,
administer early the Jewish rite upon Protestant principles, reserving
to myself the right of private judgment.

As regards novelties, I have entirely depended on the "Marchands"
(I use the term in distinction from the provincial nurserymen and
smaller country importers). The following have been sent : —

2 Eveque de Nismes by Mr. Davis, of Newbury ; by Cranston,
Gloire de Lyons, 2 Lselias, Duchesse de Polignac, Mmlle. Godard,
M. Montigny, M. Jard, Maria Portemer, Lord Palmerston, Due
de Cambridge. There was a fine bud on Laelia ; she must be
good. The wood of Jard was the best. Of Roses new, but not
novelties, the chief are Vidot, Pririce Imperial, A. Fontaine, M.
Schmidt, M. Heraud, Dr. Lepestre (I doubt its being better than
D. Thouars), Lady Franklin, 2 of Cardinal Patrizzi, 2 of Rebecca,

3 of Ravel, St. Remy (a bold, most fragrant, and good-habited Rose ;
she is the finest scented Perpetual next to M. Laffay), Triomphe de
1' Exposition, M. Regnier (both admirable Roses, and I think the two
best of the " seven that were to hold their ground for some time.")
These two, with Ravel, will not easily be superseded ; at least, they

JANUARY. 6

will not leave the catalogues in a hurry. Rebecca broke very late, and
bloomed only once ; but, as I said before, she is a " stunner ;" I
have ordered six of La Ville de St. Denis. When I wrote my last article
I had only bloomed it once, and very well, and I wished before writing
about it to see it again ; and I must now pronounce it to be the best Rose,
in the line of rose colour, that I have ever seen or bloomed. I cannot
always speak of the habit of a Rose on one year's trial ; it requires
often two years to be certain : but, as far as the flower goes, it is
perfection, comparatively. Absolute perfection, of course, is absolute
nonsense ; but it answers to the following description : — Fine decided
colour ; petals large, deep, thick, round, smooth ; opens freely, and
stands the sun well. Tiley's Lady Franklin was in her first bloom
when La Ville was in the second, and I never saw (except La Reine,
when she has bloomed out her vulgarity), two more splendid Roses, of
which La Ville was the more perfect, but not the more superb. I cut
them with several others, and gave them to Mr. Ingram, of Blandford.
He admitted that La Ville was the most perfect, but said — " Lady
Franklin is splendid." I think, if Lady Franklin is good in constitution
she will be called for. Lady Franklin was in poor soil highly
manured, and La Ville in good soil. It is necessary to state all these
tedious things when comparisons are drawn. Toujours Fleuri I have
not reordered. The wood is bad, but as a flower it is one of the
best of the newer Roses ; quite first quality, and a good and constant
bloomer. It will need no pruning. I should like to put the constitu-
tion of Ravel (the famous French comic actor) or Jules into this Rose,
and also into the twin gems Leon and Dupuy. Symmetry and per-
fection are, throughout nature, more annexed to small things than
great. There is more symmetry in an ant than in an elephant. The
only dwarf-habited and delicate Roses that I have ordered (knowingly)
are Madame Masson and Paul Joseph. " Robust" is the word for me.
I generally get from one to four hurricanes a year. The one on the
7th of May damaged me greatly ; as soon as the sun came out the
leaves looked like fried Parsley — a garniture for eels.

I will not bore you with a list of the older sorts ; but as we lack
yellow and white Roses I will speak of them.

I. Yellow. I have received 2 Sulphurea, 3 Persian Yellow, 2 Har-
.risonii, 2 Triomphe de Rennes, Narcisse, Louise de Savoie, and

Madame Maurin. My Cloths of Gold are — one, " mortuus ; " the
other, " moriturus" — both on Manetti. As long as we move this Rose
we shall have difficulty in preserving it. But put it on a stock esta-
blished in loco, and once get it to age, and there is no danger of its
dying ; though in our valley it requires spring covering, as the slightest
frost nips the succulent tendrils. The Rev. Mr. Austin, of Keynstone
(close here), has two noble trees against Ins house, which he says have cast
from 1000 to 1500 blooms this year. Upon his saying it was so tender,
I advised him to use my wall fruit receipt. He has two equally fine
Solfaterres, quite as good bloomers, and also a splendid Ophirie, between
the two, which looks like sliced salmon in goblets of Norman cream.

II. White or delicate coloured Roses : Without white, or yellow, or
both, no pan (especially a pan of six Roses) can be perfect. The best
I know are Clementine, Hardy, Acidalie (minus the edge), Blanchfleur,

THE FLOIU.ST.

M. Bravy. I have replenished my stock of these. Magnan I won't
have ; she is delicate, I hear. Henon is just come. The other Teas
just come are mixed and delicate colours : Willermoz, Mansais, Comte
de Paris, Sombreuil, and Bardlet des Champs, and (H. P.) Madame
de Manoel, a beautiful silvery blush, not strong on a briar, but very
strong on Manetti.

I have put the Teas and also pot Roses under tents. The place
looks like Aldershot. I have no faith in Teas here, except Dijon,
which blooms magnificently in any place, as a dwarf or standard. 1
have it also on Manetti untried ; and here I may say, that where Roses
suit Manetti, it will in middling soil or indifferent, beat the same Rose
on a Dog Briar, and give it a year's establishment. I speak only of
one year's experience. How Manetti may go on I cannot say. See
Rivers' excellent book (quite a charm), page 186, last edition. My
experience this year tallies with what he says. Schmidt, Rebecca,
Reveil (B.), Laffay, Victoria, Duchess of Norfolk, Bonaparte, Suther-
land, have done well here on it this summer. Laffay and Norfolk revel
upon it. The former is my oldest love, but will do nothing here as a
standard ; she does well on her own roots. Bacchus also does better
on his own roots than either on Manetti or Briar. It is quite a first
class Rose.

At Mr. Gill's, nurseryman, of Blandford, T saw on the 19th of
October, the following Roses blooming sumptuous blooms on Manetti :
The Geant, Bonaparte, Jesse, Prevost, Duchesse d'Orleans, Comte de
Nanteuil (both first class Roses, but delicate here on a Briar), Norfolk,
Jacqueminot, Dupuy, Victoria, and C. Sansal. Auguste Mie was out
on a briar, very splendid. She is one of England's greatest beauties.
How beautiful has this Rose bloomed here this summer ! The Duchess
of Sutherland, which has done nothing here for two years, has bloomed
splendidly on both stocks. When she so blooms there is nothing better.
You must keep your eye on Manetti sports. I have lost one Rose by
this neglect.

I have a volume to say, but must consider your space, and cast the
blame of this lengthy article on several of your readers, who have urged
me into this indiscretion.

I will now say, away with the cautious maxim, " Medio tutissimus
ibis;" and dash in " Medias Rosas," as I have done, and order the ^
novelties ; for I know they are getting scarce, having seen a letter from
one best known, saying, " I am out of the novelties, but I have plenty
of the old stuff." Haste, therefore, haste, and buy Lselia, and wait
for the time when you shall use Charles Mackay's words, on the
beauties of his Primrose : —

" Stand back, my joyous people, you shall see her every one,
You shall see, but not touch her, when I place her in the sun.
She will smile on you serenely,
And fairy -like, and queenly,
And pour upon your hearts, like the dew from Heaven's own dome,
The feelings, and revealings, and the pleasures of our home."

W. Radcltfpe.

Rushton Rectory, December 5.

Dec. 24.— P.S. I thank " S. R. H." and " Prince Leon." Louis
Chaix is not so good in paint as Raglan.

JANUARY.

CHRONICLES OP A SMALL GARDEN.— No. XII.

Amongst other flowers, which I mentioned as forming part of the
stock of my small plot, were Carnations and Picotees, — flowers which,
for gorgeousness of colouring, delicacy of marking, and fulness of
perfume, are hardly excelled by any florists' flowers ; at the same time,
however, requiring, as all florists' flowers do, considerable care and
attention. I remember one grower used to say, he had eleven months
and a week's bother for three weeks' bloom. I hardly think it is
quite that ; but still, what with potting, tying, blooming, shading,
layering, and housing for the winter, they are not amongst the flowers
that can be described as taking good care of themselves ; and it is
certainly very provoking to find, after all your care, that a nasty ear-
wig has (like a thief that he is) come in the night, ensconced himself
in the calyx of your opening beauty, and spoiled your long expected
bloom ; or else that your fine new Carnation, from which you were
expecting such a treat, has run, and become again a degenerate self.
It may be thought, then, that I have no business attempting them, yet
I know nothing more attractive than a good bloom of Carnations and
Picotees. I this year had finer ones than I ever recollect having, and
sending a box of them to a tradesman to put into his window, they
created quite a sensation, people hardly being able to believe that they
were natural flowers — so waxlike were the petals, and so delicate and
regular the marking. It may be, some one similarly situated to
myself would like to attempt them, and for their benefit I will mention
what I believe to be a treatment that will ensure success. And —

1. Soil. — Here I would again urge that which I contended for in
my paper on Auriculas, — good common sense — no quackery, no
messes, but just such good plain food as plants will ever delight and
thrive in. For these, as for most florist's flowers, the basis must' be
good loam, and it is one of the difficulties I have to contend with, that
it is a very rare commodity in this neigbourhood ; this, with well
rotted manure from a Cucumber frame, and a portion of road grit to
keep all open, will make an excellent compost for Carnations, and you
may perhaps add some leaf-mould for your Picotees. It is desirable to
have your compost heap turned over frequently in frosty weather, but
shelter it from heavy rain and snow, for two reasons, — firstly, because
you will have the fertilising salts washed out of it ; and secondly, you
will not have it in good working order when you come to the potting
season. The proportions of each will vary according to the ideas of the
grower, but I think one barrow of loam, one of manure, half of leaf-
mould, and a couple of gallons of road grit, a very good mixture. If
you have taken care of this during the winter, it will in early spring
be in a good condition for handling, and my plan is, on the first of
March, to take out each day as much as will suffice for two pots, and
regularly and carefully handpick it, taking out all worms, especially
those " monstra horrenda," wireworms (the larva of a kind of beetle),
eggs of snails, or, in fact, any living thing ; by this means, by the end
of the month, enough to fill four dozen of pots (the amount of my

(j THE FLORIST.

collection) will have gone under my own hands. I am then generally-
spared the miserable disappointment of turning out into the blooming-
pot a fine healthy plant, and of seeing it a month afterwards hang down
its head and die.

2. Potting. — This I generally perform at the latter end of March
and beginning of April, for it is very little use exposing the plants,
before they have taken hold of the ground, to the cold biting winds of
March. The pots that I use are those usually sold at 6s. a dozen
(about nine inches across the top) ; into the bottom of these I put a
considerable quantity of broken pots, and over them a thin layer of dry
Moss, and on this the compost above mentioned, " not riddled; " into
each of these I put a pair of plants ; give them a gentle watering, and
stand them out in an open place, in fact, on the garden walks, until
they begin to manifest signs of growth, having first tied them to small
sticks to prevent them from being blown about : when they begin to
"spindle," I then put a stake about 3-| feet long into the centre of the
pot, and tie each of the flower stems to it, and they are then placed in
their quarters for —

3. Blooming. — It is desirable to have a blooming stage if possible ;
this should be a light framework about five feet high at the sides, rising
to seven in the centre ; on this may either be drawn an awning, or
light frames covered with tiffany be put ; under this the pots are
arranged so as to afford easy access ; as the plants grow they are to
be tied to the stakes, allowed all the air and rain they can get, and on
no account to be shaded until the colour begins to show in the bud ;
they should be thinned of these buds, not more than three being
allowed to each plant, and it will be desirable to suspend each bud tu
the stake by a piece of thin copper wire ; as they swell, tie round the
centre of each a piece of bass mat, to prevent bursting, and open the
segments of the calyx with a blunt piece of ivory ; cards (those sold
by Meek are the neatest) should be slipped over the bud, and as the
petals expand they should be laid by a pair of Carnation tweezers on
the card. I, of course, only presume that this will be done when a
first-rate bloom is wanted ; they will expand, and look pretty enough
without it, but they will not be A 1. But when you have done all
this, you may, with a good deal of safety, ask any of your friends to
beat that if they can. And now —

4. Layering, &c. — This process is so well known to all florists that it
seems useless to describe it ; the gardener that I employ cuts the top
instead of the underneath side of the shoot, and then gives it a twist
round, a plan which ensures the non-closing of the wound again ; the
time for doing it depends on the state of the plants : mine are ready the
end of July, and are done a few at a time during that and the following
month. In September they are ready to take off; I pot them singly
into 48's, using the stuff they have been growing in, with the addition
of a little fresh loam ; they are then put into a frame, and kept close
for a few days ; after this, put into a pit, and left exposed, though I do
not allow them to have any heavy rains ; all dead leaves are to be cut
off, and green fly carefully watched.

5. Wintering, — Here I believe great mistakes are often com-

JANUARY.

mitted, as the plants are coddled too much. If persons would only
recollect that it is not frost so much as damp that they dread, they
would act more sensibly. Let them be set on coal ashes, in a frame,
or even under a wooden shutter against a south wall, have all the air
possible, be kept tolerably dry, and you will not lose any of your plants.
Some growers have a treacherous plan, I believe, of putting them after
they are taken off the plants, into a gentle bottom heat, to encourage
root growth. This I call treacherous, for the plants are thereby made
delicate, and then, when they come to receive more hardy treatment,
like many a fair human flower, the heated room has made them so
susceptible of cold, that the seeds of consumption are sown, and they
wither and die.

I add the names of a few really good ones in each class.

Scarlet Bizarres.
Admiral Curzon
Captain Thompson
Grand Monarch
Oliver Goldsmith
Silistria
Lord Raglan

Crimson Bizarres.
Chancellor
Premier
Orestes
Rainbow

Sir George Brown
Tenby Rival

Pink and Purple Bizarres.*
Falconbridge
Lady of the Lake
Sir Colin Campbell

Purple Flakes.
Ascendant
Earl Stamford
Touchstone
Beauty of Woodhouse
Squire Trow
Poins

Scarlet Flakes.
African a
Christopher Sly
Defiance
Sportsman
Justice Shallow
King of Scarlets

Rose Flakes.
Flora's Garland
King John
Lord Belper
Poor Tom
Lady Gardener
Lovely Ann

Red Edged Picotees. — Heavy edged.
Cedo Nulli
Dr. Pitman
Mrs. Lochner

Ditto. — Light Edged.
Eugenie

Duke of Wellington
Charles Turner

Purple Edged. — Heavy Edged.
Countess

Duke of Devonshire
Lady H. Moore

Ditto. — Light Edged.
Exquisite
Finis

Mrs. Hobbs
National

Rose and Scarlet Edged. — Heavy Edged.
Helen
Alice

Lady Grenville
Queen Victoria

Ditto.— Light Edged.
Mrs. Barnard
Mrs. Turner
Ariel

Deal.

* This is a very limited class

D.

THE FLORIST.

THE NEW PLANTS OF 1858.

We offer with the new year our usual summary of the novelties of the
past season. In doing this we wish it to be understood that it is the
most prominent of those which have appeared in public, or have been
figured or noticed in the various botanical and horticultural publications,
that we here bring together for ready reference. There are, no doubt,
others, which have found their way into gardens, which have not taken
so prominent a position, or which we shall hear of hereafter. Our
notes are necessarily brief, on account of the space they would otherwise
have occupied, but we trust sufficient to give some general idea of the
several plants. We have thought it useful, moreover, to record the
accessible figures of the plants which have been issued. Florists' flowers
are excluded from our plan, and we have arranged our notes under the
heads of Orchids, Stove Plants, and Greenhouse and Hardy
Plants, for the purpose of greater distinctness.

GREENHOUSE AND HARDY PLANTS.

As ornaments to the conservatory and greenhouse, we have several
very choice kinds of Indian Azaleas, offering variety and advance ; one
or two very nice new Camellias ; and some of the new Indian Rhododen-
drons, of which R. Nuttalli carries the palm over all previously known ;
R. Boothianum is interesting on account of its colour — a clear primrose
yellow ; while the dwarf R. virgatum is a little gem. Of another
character, but possessed of considerable merit, are the Clianthus Dampieri,
with its oddly-shaped richly-coloured flowers ; Cynoglossum nobile, the
Forget-me-not of the Chatham Isles ; Solanum capsicastrum, a dwarf
bush studded with vermilion-coloured fruit about the size of nuts ;
Lobelia trigonocaulis, a dwarf blue-flowered plant likely to be useful for
bedding ; and Darlingtonia californica, a singular and novel kind of
Pitcher-plant.

To the class of hardy trees and shrubs we add — JEsculus californica,
Amygdalus persica v. caryophylleseflora, and Rhododendron Bylsianum,
all charming showy flowering plants ; and Ilex cornuta, I. Fortuni,
Olea ilicifolia, and Torreya grandis.

The out-door flower garden has received as acquisitions the blue
Pentstemon Jaffrayanum, the purple Saxifraga purpurascens, the striped
Phlox Triomphe de Twickel, and a rose-coloured Solomon's Seal, among
perennials ; and Cosmanthus grandiflorus, Oenothera bistorta v.
Veitchiana, and Tropseolum majus, a dwarf scarlet variety called Tom
Thumb.

jEsculus californica. (Bot. Mag. t. 5077-) The Californian Horse Ches-
nut forms a low spreading deciduous tree, probably hardy, the leaves palmate,
the flowers (produced on young plants) white, crowded, forming dense terminal
thyrses often a foot in length. The flowers are said to be rose-coloured in the
wild plants, so that it probably varies. California. Messrs. Veitch ^ Son.

Amygdalus (persica) caryophylle^eflora. (Florist, t. 144.) The

Carnation-flowered Peach. A charming variety of the Peach introduced from

China, the blossoms large, nearly full, double, pink, flaked with rose colour.

Mr. Glendinning.

Apteranthes Gussoniana. (Bot. Mag. t. 5087.) One of the curious

JANUARY. 9

succulent plants related to Stapelia. It has quadrangular toothed stems, and
near their apices hear umbels of small star-shaped flowers, on short stalks ; they
are pale yellow transversely banded with dingy purple. It is a greenhouse
perennial. Algeria. Kew Botanic Garden.

Aralia Sxeboldii. A fine greenhouse shrub, with large bright green glossy
leaves. Japan. Messrs. Veitch Sc Son.

Azalea indica, var. Alexander II. (Flore des Serres, t. 1243.) A
beautiful novel variety, having large white wavy flowers, as in crispiflora, marked
with few broad streaks of bright red. A Belgian variety. M. Van Houtte.

Azalea indica, var. Distinction. (Florist, 1. 143.) A beautiful vigorous-
growing variety of excellent properties, said to have been raised from Barclayana,
fertilised with Criterion ; flowers rich salmon, margined irregularly with white,
and occasionally striped with carmine, the upper segments densely spotted with
•crimson. A garden variety. Messrs. Ivery § Son.

Azalea indica, var. Due de Brabant. (Illust. Bouq. t. 23.) Flowers
large, of a light rosy salmon, with rich crimson spots on all the lobes, and a tuft
of petaloid stamens in the centre. A Belgian variety. Messrs. E. G. Henderson
$ Son.

Azalea indica, var. Etoile de Gand. (Illust. Bouq. t. 23.) Flowers
large, round lobed, white, with a delicate rose coloured markiD the centre of each
lobe, forming an elegant star-like centre, and having lines of carmine spots on
the upper segments. A Belgian variety. 3Iessrs. E. G. Henderson <Sf Son.

Azalea indica, var. Leopold I. (Illust. Bouq. t. 23.) A Belgian variety,
flowers large, rich rose colour, the upper lobe spotted with crimson ; a tuft of
petaloid stamens in the centre. Messrs. E. G. Henderson § Son.

Azalea indica, var. Perfection. (Florist, t. 143.) A robust-habited
variety, with large flowers of excellent form, and of a lively rose colour, thickly
spotted on the upper segments. A garden variety. Mr. Frost.

Azalea indica, var. Reine des Panachees. (Illust. Bouq. t. 23.) Flowers
large, white, striped and spotted all over with rose colour. A Belgian variety.
Messrs. E. G. Henderson £c Son.

Azalea ovata. (Bot. Mag. t. 5064.) A pretty and scarce half hardy dwarf
shrub, with small ovate leaves, and comparatively large and abundant pale
purple flowers. North of China. Introduced some years since by the Horti-
cultural Society.

Barklata syring^flora. A fine greenhouse shrub, with orange yellow
flowers in the way of a Persian Lilac, only of an orange yellow colour. More-
ton Bay. Messrs. Low $■ Son.

Callicarpa purpurea. A hardy greenhouse shrub, with sharply serrated
leaves, in the axils of which appear bunches of insignificant flowers succeeded by
small shiny purple berries resembling glass beads, which are very ornamental,
and remain all the winter on the plant. China. Mr. Standtsh.

Camellia japonica, var. Cup of Beauty. (Florist, t. 141.) A handsome
Chinese variety, with something the character of the old double white ; pure
ground colour, with an occasional streak of pink, the centre well filled. Mr.
Glend'inning.

Camellia japonica, var. Princess Frederick William. (Florist, t. 139.)
A very handsome variety of the striped class, with imbricated close flowers ; the
ground colour blush, with stripes and varied markings of pale rose colour, in
the way of Alberti or Prince Albert. China. Mr. Glendinning.

Camellia japonica, var. Vergine di Colle Beati. (Flore des Serres,
t. 1245.) A curious white imbricated variety, in which the petals are ranged
in seven curving or spiral lines, instead of alternating throughout in the usual
way. An Italian variety.

Camellia ros.efloha (Bot. Mag. t. 5044.) A single flowered Camellia,
the flowers of a rose pink, and small ; cultivated as C. euryoides (incorrectly)
for many years at Kew Botanic Garden.

Campanula strigosa. (Bot. Mag. t. 5068.) A dwarf hairy annual,
4-5 inches high, scarcely branched, with oblong-ovate leaves, and largish bell-
shaped deep violet blue flowers, with a yellowish white tuber. Syria. Kew
Botanic Garden.

Clianthus Dampieri. (Bot. Mag. t. 5051.) A splendid flowered green-

10 THE FLORIST.

house soft-wooded subshrub, of rather difficult management. It has grayish hairy-
pinnate leaves, and racemes of large rich crimson-scarlet Papilionaceous flowers, of
which the standard is bent back and the keel elongated ; the standard has a
large blackish purple boss on its face just above where it reflexes ; very showy.
Australia. Messrs. Veitch Sf Son, and others.

Colletia cruciata. (Bot. Mag. t. 5033.) This is the plant known as
C. Bictonensis. It is a singular shrub, half hardy or hardy in the most favoured
localities, producing creamy-white bell-shaped flowers. The stems consist of
thick spine-pointed triangular lobes, in pairs, set alternately in opposite
directions. Bauda Oriental.

Cosjianthus grandiflorus. (Bot. Mag. t. 5029.) A fine hardy annual
plant, belonging to the Hydrophyllacese. It has the habit and foliage of Eutoca
viscida, but much larger flowers, which are of a pale purple colour. Sometimes
called Eutoca grandiflora. California. Messrs. Veitch Sf Son.

Cynoglossum nobile. (Gard. Chron. 1853, 240.) A very remarkable and
handsome dwarf greenhouse perennial herb, with very broad thick cordate
furrowed leaves, having 5-7 strong parallel nerves. The flowers, which are like
those of Forget-me-not, but larger, grow on scorpioid scapes, about a foot high,
and are blue edged with white. Chatham Island. Mr. Watson.

Darlingtonia californica. A curious two-horned side-saddle flower, or
Sarracenia, one of the plants forming pitcher-like leaves. California. Messrs.
Jackson § Son.

Dasylirium acrotrichum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5030.) An Asparagineous green-
house Yucca-like plant, forming a spreading crown of long slender thickish
leaves, and producing from the centre an erect flower-stem, about 16 feet high,
three or four feet of the upper part of which consists of a crowded series of
spikelets, bearing insignificant green flowers. The beauty of these plants lies
entirely in their habit. Mexico. Kew Botanic Garden.

Dasylirion glaucophyllum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5041.) Another fine Aspa-
ragineous greenhouse plant, with a large spreading head of narrow glaucous rigid
leaves of Yucca-like habit. The flowers are in crowded spikelets, collected into
a long compound spike at the top of the tall central erect flower-stem, 10-12
feet high. Mexico. Kew Botanic Garden.

Digitalis purpurea, var. gloxinioides. A fine variety of the common
Foxglove, the flowers white or flesh-colour, with deep blotches of crimson,
resembling a Gloxinia.

Erica amabilis floribunda. A distinct variety of the retorta set ; flowers
large, profuse, delicate rose, produced in the late summer and autumn months.
A garden variety. Messrs. Rollisson.

Erica Fairrieana. A striking variety, of free growth, raised between
ampullacea and aristata, partaking of the former in the size and of the latter in
the colour of the flowers. A garden variety. Messrs. Rollisson.

Eugenia Luma. (Bot. Mag. t. 5040.) The Eugenia apiculata of gardens.
It is a line Myrtaceous and Myrtle-like hardy or half-hardy evergreen shrub,
with oval oblong sharp-pointed leaves, the branches loaded during summer with
its white blossoms. Chili. 31essrs. Veitch $ Son.

Fieldia australis. (Bot. Mag. t. 5089.) A straggling greenhouse shrub,
with opposite ovate-lanceolate acuminate leaves, and pendulous pale greenish-
yellow tubular flowers for their axils. Australia. Kew Botanic Garden.

Fritillaria gr^ca. (Bot. Mag. t. 5052.) A neat, hardy, bulbous per-
ennial, with short, slender, erect stems, linear-lanceolate leaves, and nodding
flowers, borne singly or two together, pale reddish brown, with a green border.
Mount Hymettus. Kew Botanic Garden.

Gardenia citriodora. (Ulust. Bouq., t. 17-) A fine representation of
this profuse-blooming fragrant warm greenhouse shrub is given in the above
plate.

Gardenia radicans, var. major. (Illust. Bouq. t. 24.) A most desirable
variety of a highly popular plant. It is distinguished by its more robust growth,
its more oval and less lanceolate deep green leaves, and its larger blossoms,
which, like the parent, are pure white and fragrant. A garden variety.

Gaultheria discolor. (Bot. Mag. t. 5034.) A small hardy Ericaccous
shrub, with obovate-Ianceolate leaves, longitudinally ribbed and silvery beneath,

January-. II

and short axillary racemes of white pitcher-shaped flowers, w ith small pink lobes
Bhotan. T. Nuttall, Esq.

Gb.ammatqcab.pus volubilis. (Bot. Mag. t. 5020.) A slender half hardy
climber of the Loasa family, having opposite bipinnatifid leaves and curiously
formed yellow flowers from the forkings of the stem. It is sometimes known as
Scyphanthus elegans.

Hydrangea cyanema. (Bot. Mag. t. 5038.) A half hardy under shrub,
with broad ovate toothed leaves, and corymbs of white (the neuter) flowers
streaked with red. Not equal to the two common kinds. Bhotan. T. Nuttall, Esq.
Ilex aqtjifolium, var. pendulum foliis variegatis. A fine weeping
variety of Holly, with prettily variegated leaves A garden variety. Messrs.
Perry.

Ilex cornuta. (Bot. Mag. t. 5059.) This fine evergreen shrub seems to
be quite hardy. Its leaves are remarkable iu form, having one or two marginal
spines and the apes dilated with usually three spiny spreading horn-like points;
flowers small white, axillary. China. Mr. Standish.

Ilex Fortuni. (Gard. Chron. 1857, 868.) A handsome evergreen shrub,
resembling I. cornuta when young, but having, when more mature, broad
entire leaves. It becomes very ornamental when loaded with its red berries,
which come in in umbels from the axils of the leaves. North of China. Mr.
Glendinning .

Indigofera decora. (Bot. Mag. t. 5063.) This is a good figure of this
charming greenhouse shrub, which is not so common as it deserves to be.

Ismelia Broussonetii. (Bot. Mag. t. 5067.) The old-fashioned Chrysan-
themum Broussonetii, probably lost till now re-introduced. A free-growing
greenhouse shrub, with bipinnatifid leaves, and large lilac tinted white flowers
with a dark eye, not unlike the common Ox-eye Daisy. Madeira. Kew Botanic
Garden.

Ligustrum sinense. (Gard. Chron. 1858, 621 with fig.) A deciduous
and apparently hardy species of Privet, with slender downy branches, oval-
obtuse leaves, and panicles of small white flowers, somewhat resembling those
of the common kind. China. Mr. Glendinning.

Lobelia trigonocaulis. (Bot. Mag. t. 5088.) A handsome decumbent
half hardy or greenhouse perennial, having laciniate subpinuatifid leaves and
large axillary flowers, blue with a white centre, resembling those of L. ramosa,
but paler. It is a free-flowering plant, and will probably be useful for bedding
out. Moreton Bay. Messrs. Low and Son.

Lomatia Bidwillii. A handsome-leaved evergreen greenhouse shrub, the
leaves pinnate, 18 inches long, the leaflets surrounded with spines. New
Caledonia. Messrs. Rollisson.

Lomatia elegantissima. An extremely elegant evergreen greenhouse
shrub, with Fern-like foliage. New Caledonia. Messrs Rollisson.

Lupinus Hartwegii, var. co;lestinus. A very distinct variety of this
ornamental ?nnual ; the flowers of a delicate pale blue, pink at the edges. A
garden variety. Messrs. Carter and Co.

Nolana paradoxa, var. violacea. A variety with larger flowers, of a
distinct rosy violet colour. A garden variety. Messrs. Carter and Co.

CEnothera Drummondii, var. nana. A dwarf annual variety of this showy
border plant ; flowers large, bright yellow, and blooming long in succession.
Texas. Messrs. Carter and Co.

Oenothera bistorta, var. Veitchianum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5078.) A showy
hardy annual pubescent subdecumbent species, having ovate-lanceolate or ovate
toothed leaves, and axillary deep yellow flowers with small blood-red spots at
the base of the petals. Probably useful for garden decoration. South Cali-
fornia. Messrs. Veitch and Son.

Olea ilicifolia. A hardy evergreen shrub, with large handsome foliage;
flowers pure white, twice the size of Olea fragrans, and as finely scented.
Japan. Messrs. Veitch and Son.

Pentstkmon Jaffrayanus. (Bot. Mag. t. 5045.) A fine hardy or half
hardy herbaceous perennial allied to P. speciosus. The leaves are glaucous,
entire, the lower ones spathulate ; the flowers in long terminal panicles, large
bright blue, stained with deep red at the base of the tubes. It is a charming
plant. California. Messrs. Veitch and Son.

12 THE FLORIST.

Pinus Bonapartea. (Gard. Chron. 1858, 358.) A distinct species of the
Weymouth section ; the leaves in fives, slender, 2-4 inches long ; the cones a
foot long. P. Duraugensis seems to be a smaller state of the same plant.
Mexico. M. Roezl.

Pinus Don Pedro. {Gard. Chron. 1858, 240.) A splendid tree, 35-45
yards high, with long flexible branches ; the leaves fine, five in a sheath, six
inches long, glaucous; cones very large, 14 inches long 5 inches in diameter.
A Pine of the Weymouth section. Mexico. 8-9000 feet elevation. M. Roezl.
Several other new Pines have been introduced from the same source, but there
are strong doubts of their distinctness.

Phlox decdssata, var. Triomphe de Twickel.. (Flore des Serres,
t. 1248.) An extremely beautiful Belgian variety of the hardy herbaceous
section of the family, remarkable for having its abundant flowers of a light rose
purple with a broad distinct margin of white down each side of the segments of
the limb.

Polygonatum punctatum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5061.) A hardy herbaceous
tuberous perennial, related to Convallaria, with ovate lanceolate leaves, and two-
flowered axillary peduncles, the flowers being small, erect, whitish, tipped with
green. Bhotan. T. Nuttall, Esq.

Polygonatum roseum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5049.) A pretty hardy herbaceous
tuberous perennial. It has oblong lanceolate leaves, frequently growing in
threes, and from their axils the pretty pale rose bell-shaped flowers spreading or
often decurved appear, frequently in pairs. Siberia. Kew Botanic Garden.

Prostanthera cuneata. A dwarf greenhouse shrub, with small obtuse
leaves and lavender coloured flowers prettily spotted with blue. Australia.
Messrs. Rollisson.

Rhododendron argenteum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5054.) A fine hardy or half
hardy shrub, with large oblong-obovate leaves silvery beneath, and deuse heads
of flowers, pale rose colour in the bud, changing to cream colour and white.
Sikkim Himalaya. Kew Botanic Garden.

Rhododendron Boothii. (Illust. Bouq. t. 174.) A desirable neat-growing
shrub, with ovate-lanceolate leaves, more or less hairy, and heads of moderate
sized primrose coloured flowers. Bhotan. M. A. Verschaffelt.

Rhododendron Bylsianum. (Illust. Bouq. t. 18.) A charming hardy
evergreen shrub, producing large heads of brilliant flowers, in which the centre
is white and the border lively rose colour. A Belgian variety. Messrs. Byls.

Rhododendron calophyllum. (Illust. Bouq. t. 19.) A fine compact
growing evergreen greenhouse shrub, the flowers large, white, fragrant. Bhotan.
Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son.

Rhododendron Griffithianum, var. Aucklandii. (Bot. Mag. t. 5065.)
This Indian plant, known as R. Aucklandi, is among the very finest of the
genus, having bold oblong acute leaves, and fine heads of large white blossoms,
each sometimes six or seven inches across ; they are five lobed, with a short tube
and open limb. Sikkim. Mr. Gaines.

Rhododendron Ncttalli. (Illust. Bouq. t. 21.) The most magnificent
of the Indian Rhododendrons, as far as yet known. It forms an evergreen
shrub with large broad veiny leaves, the stems terminating in a colossal
corymb of large white blossoms, which are about six inches in diameter, and
nearly as much in length, stained at the base of the cup with pale orange, very
fragraut. Bhotan. Herr Forster, Augsburg.

Rhododendron virgatum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5060.) A dwarf slender twiggy
Rhododendron with small oblong acute leaves, glaucous and scaly beneath ;
flowers of moderate size, delicate rosy pink, remarkable for growing singly (or
sometimes two together) in the axils of the upper leaves, not in terminal bunches,
as is usually the case, although being closely placed, they form something of a
terminal head. It is extremely pretty, and will probably prove useful, both as
a forcing plant and a breeder. Sikkim and Bhotan. T. Nuttall, Esq., and
Messrs. Low and Son.

Rhodoleia Championi has been bloomed for the first time in England,
during the spring of 1858, by Mr. Fleming, of Trentham. The flowers, however,
were not so handsome as was expected.

Salvia tricolor. (Flore des Serres, t. 1257) A pretty slender sub-
shrubby greenhouse plant, with small ovate leaves and long spikes of white

JANUARY. 13

flowers, having the upper lip faintly tipped with light purple and the lower half
or apex of the lower lip bright rose colour. Mexico. M. A. Verschaffelt.

Saxifraga purpurascens. (Bot. Mag. t. 5066.) A beautiful hardy per-
ennial, with large broad, rounded obovate leaves, and scapes six or eight inches
high, supporting a dense branched subcorymbose panicle of drooping flowers of
a deep red purple. Sikkim Himalaya. Kew Botanic Garden.

Senecio Mikani^e. A fast-growing greenhouse climber, with light green
smooth fleshy ivy-like leaves, and axillary corymbs of yellow sweet-scented
flowers, seldom produced. It is a very useful summer plant for various purposes
in the flower garden. Also known as Delairea odorata.

Solandm capsicastrum. (Flore des Serres, t. 1242.) A pretty greenhouse
dwarf sub-shrub with small oblong lanceolate leaves and small flowers, succeeded
by globular vermilion coloured berries, which are extremely ornamental. Brazil.

Statice Bondwellii. A neat half hardy biennial, with spreading sinuated
leaves and branching flower stems bearing yellow flowers. Algiers. Mr. W.
Thompson.

Thunbergia natalensis. (Bot. Mag. t. 5082.) A fine greenhouse ever-
green subshrub, with opposite ovate acute sessile largish leaves, and stalked
axillary horizontally-placed flowers, which are large and showy, with the curved
tube yellow and the spreading limb of a pale blue. Natal. Messrs. Veitch
and Son.

Torreta grakdis. (Gard. Chron. 1858, 588.) A noble evergreen tree,
perfectly hardy. It has some resemblance to Cephalotaxus. Mountains of
Northern China. Mr. Glendinning.

Tritoma uvaria. (Illust. Bi.uq. t. 22.) A fine plate of this well-known
stately and brilliant herbaceous plant.

TropjEOLUM majus, var. nanum. (Tom Thumb.) A remarkably dwarf and
compact variety, not running, and bearing a profusion of bright scarlet flowers.
It will form a very handsome summer plant for beds or pots or vases. A garden
variety. Messrs. Carter and Co.

Veronica decussata, var. azurea. A hybrid raised between decussataand
speciosa, much resembling the former, but the colour of the flowers different.
A garden variety. J. Luscombe, Esq.

Orchids and Stove Plants will be given in our next.

LACHENALIA QUADRICOLOR, &c.
This beautiful genus of plants, or in other words bulbs, when properly-
cultivated, deserves the attention of every true florist, for so various are
their colours, that they may be said to vie with the hues of the rain-
bow. Some of the species are almost hardy, requiring but little pro-
tection during the winter. In spring and summer, their purple and
yellow flowers greatly enhance the beauty of the flower border or
parterre. As has been asserted by some writers, if we examine the
bulbs of L. glauca, we shall find, upon close inspection, that an extra
coating of thick scales envelops them, showing a timely provision of
Nature, to protect the lovely gems that stud our mother earth. Having
headed this article with my old favourite, L. quadricolor, perhaps a
few remarks on its culture may not be unacceptable to the readers of
the Florist.

It is the ambition of most gardeners, when their employers require
flowering plants in the winter for decorating the drawing room and
conservatory, to have a good succession of bulbs at this season. The
Lachenalia is admirably adapted for that purpose, as this bulb may
be had to flower at any time. Its scarlet and yellow tints blend

14 THE FLORIST.

strikingly amongst Hyacinths, Tulips, &c, forming a pleasing effect.
The balls containing the bulbs of this plant should be turned out and
repotted about the beginning of September, carefully removing all the
youn<T or weak bulbs, which must be potted by themselves, as they
require to be grown one season before the flowers come good. Having
selected the best bulbs, and having the pots well cleaned and drained, fill
them with the following compost, to within an inch and a half of their
rims : two parts peat to one of yellow loam, well mixed together, adding
at the same time a good supply of sand. Some prefer peat and sand
only ; this I think is apt to weaken the bulb ; consequently the flowers
cannot be so fine ; neither do they turn out so clean when potted.
The pots being filled to the height required, press the soil gently down,
making it level ; then place the bulbs thickly in the pot, as they are
small, to make them adhere to the soil ; then fill the pot with the same
compost to the rim, pressing it down, and the work is finished. About
two dozen pots (48's and 32's) will be enough filled at one time ;
about the end of the month, pot off the same number, which will be
quite sufficient to keep up a good succession during the winter. On
removing the pots from the potting shed, place them in a cool frame or
pit, giving just enough water to moisten the soil. The roots will shortly
begin to push vigorously, filling the pots ; and as soon as the top of the
plant is seen to appear remove them to a shelf, near the glass, in
the greenhouse (which is preferable to a forcing pit, as they are apt to
grow fast, and produce abortive flowers), when they should be well
supplied with water, and occasionally a little liquid manure. In this
situation the plants will show for bloom ; then they may be placed in
the conservatory, or where flowers may be required.

These plants, if well treated, will continue for some time in flower ;
when on the wane, water must be gradually withheld ; when done
flowering, place them in a warm pit, to gently ripen them off, and
finally remove to a dry shed, when the pots may be stacked on their
sides till required again next season. Each batch of pots should be
carefully labelled when stowed away, to prevent mistakes, as it is
necessary to use them in proper rotation.

C.

MONSIEUR FERDINAND GLOEDE ON STRAWBERRIES.
A Letter addressed to the Rev. W. F. Radclyffe.

Les Sablons, near Moret-sur-loing, France.
Rev. and Dear Sir, — Although not having the honour of being
known to you, still on the strength of certain sympathies existing
between us, I take the liberty of addressing to you these lines . From
various highly interesting articles in the Florist, and, if I mistake not,
in the Midland Florist also — for which the horticultural world is
indebted to you — 1 learned that the Strawberry is one of your plants
of predilection. Being myself a most enthusiastic lover of this
delicious fruit, it struck me that it might be mutually agreeable for us
to communicate to each other occasionally our experience and ideas on
this subject. I possess the most complete collection in the worid ;

JANUARY. 15

upwards of 200 sorts ; the most popular of which I have described in my
new catalogue, which I beg leave to send you by this mail. Through
my numerous relations in all parts of the world, I endeavour to procure
for myself every year the novelties raised by eminent growers — in <he
first instance, with a view to satisfy my curiosity, and also with the
object of supplying plants to the most important seed merchants of
Paris and abroad.

I notice that the Keen's Seedling, Trollope's Victoria and Black
Prince [I do not keep it, but spoke of it as a forcer. — W. F. R.] are
favourites with you. The first named is, in fact, a good sort, but now
superseded by Sir Harry. In France, Keens is not generally liked,
because it produces but few fruits of a fair size, and the rest are so
small that they are scarcely worth gathering. [It is not so here —
W. F. Pi.] Victoria is one of my favourites, although a little soft, and
deficient in flavour ; nevertheless it is a noble fruit, and of very easy
culture. [In all this I concur. — W. F. R.] Black Prince is indeed
very early, but it is a bad setter, and of middling quality, and when
forced, subject to mildew. Nicholson's May Queen, will, I think, be a
dangerous rival to it in every respect. You justly praise the old Haut-
bois, as regards flavour. I grow about half-a-dozen varieties of the
same, the best of which are the Black Hautbois, the Improved Haut-
bois, and Belle Bourdelaise ; the latter yields regularly a second crop in
the autumn, [I doubt its doing so here. — W. F. R.], and forces well.
It is said to be a cross between the old Hautbois and the Alpine. As
regards the Rival Queen, I must tell you that it has thus far by no
means warranted the high character Mr. Tiley gave it. I got fifty plants
from him, two years ago, and have now a very large bed of it, with
remarkably strong plants ; but, as yet, have not seen one single perfect
fruit upon it, but only a few ill- shaped fruit. I should like to know
whether you have been more succesful. [He has stated my case ; the
fruit of this and the Queen were much like a cancerous nose ; most of
the berries came to " nil," but such as came to anything at all
were firm and excellent in flavour. — W. F. R.] The British Queen is
certainly a standard of perfection, when it finds a suitable soil ; but
unfortunately it is very particular in this respect. My soil is a good
light loam, and it thrives pretty well in it ; but, still the leaves soon
get yellowish [mine are a mat brown. — W. F. R.], and the fruit attains
rarely to perfection. Last spring, I planted some in old turf, where
they seem to delight [the drainage I trow. — W. F. R.] ; but it remains
to be seen how the fruit will turn out next season. I grow some
sorts of the same race, namely, Barratt's Magnum Bonum, and
Hendries' Seedling, that are more hardy and fruitful ; but Kitley's
" Carolina superba," will, I think, supersede them all. Sir Harry is
a splendid sort, and cannot be praised too highly, both for forcing and
out-door culture. [I like Sir Harry, but it is not so hardy as Keens,
though it is hardy ; its fault is, that it casts more fruit than ordinary
good culture can bring to perfection ; and like ninety-nine out of a
hundred Strawberrries,- old or new, it lacks " musk." — W. F. R.]
Goliath is a capital bearer, fine fruit, but deficient in flavour. [It is
excellent in flavour here, but short of the Queen, its fault is that its

16 THE FLORIST.

shape is " obtuse " and " snubby " at the tips, and short of colour on
the tips. The way to colour a Strawberry is to tie up the leaves, and
let in the sun. The plants came to me in pots like a barrister's
wi£. The runners from them are strong, and show no effect of frost.
— W. F. R.] Princess Alice Maude is good ; but, here, quite distinct
from Keens ; it is of a pale scarlet colour, and conical shape, and a little
earlier than Keens [except in foliage, it is exactly like the old Carolina
here. — W. F. R.] Of late sorts, Eleanor is by far superior to Elton
Pine, in colour and flavour. The former does also very well as a late
forcer. Two years old plants give me fruit of astounding size and
beauty. Adair is no great things. Madame Vilmorin, of the Chili
race, and a seedling from it, is first-rate in flavour. [1 have her, and
will report next year. She is M. Gloede's child. — W. F. R.] Of
English Strawberries, I advise you to try Sir. C. Napier, Omar Pacha,
Filbert Pine, Ruby, Sir W. Scott, C. Superba, Prince of Wales
(Stewart and Neilson), Bicton White Pine, Eliza Rivers, Fillbasket,
Ladies' Fingers [must be good. — W. F. R.] ; and, on account of its
size and beauty, Salter's Jucunda; these will give satisfaction. Permit
me now to say a word about others than English Strawberries. Thus
far, it seems impossible to get the good English folks to try French and
Belgian varieties. Surely they are wrong in pretending that there are
no Strawberries good for anything but what are raised in the United
Kingdom. My own twelve years' experience has proved the contrary,
and my opinion has been confirmed by my good friend, Mr. Nicholson,
of Egglescliffe, in Yorkshire, who cultivates with great success some
French and Belgian seedlings. It must, therefore, be considered preju-
dice, when English growers generally exclude them from their culture.

Of French sorts I highly recommend the following : — Comte de
Paris [my brother gardener likes it much. — W. F. R.], Marquise de
Latour Maubourg, Princesse Royale, Cremont (not Perpetual, as stated
by some), Belle de Paris, Gelineau, La Chalonaise, Prince Imperial.
Belgian : Excellente, Ne Plus Ultra, La Reine, a white sort distinct
from the Bicton Pine, and of finer flavour ; Triomphe de Liege, La
Delicieuse, La Constante (new). American : Baron, Triumph, and
Hovey's Seedling.

Do you know the Alpine Strawberry without runners — red and
white ? They make beautiful borders or edges in a kitchen garden,
and fruit throughout the season. I was so happy as to raise a seedling
from Sir Harry, without runners, producing large fruit, which will of
course be difficult to propagate, but must finally prove a great acquisition.
In case you should like to try some of our continental sorts, I shall be
happy to place them at your disposal. [I have asked him to send me
Bicton White Pine, La Reine, Belle Bordelaise, Hooper's, Hovey's, and
Hendrie's Seedlings, Black Hautbois and Viridis (fraise verte), a curi-
osity, I trow. I told him ray ideas of a Strawberry were — firm flesh,
juicy, sweet, and musky. — W. F. R ] Do you know any one that has
got the old black Strawberry, called by some " Mulberry, or Black
Canterbury ? " If so, you might render me a service by procuring me
some plants. I fear, however, that this old treasure, said to be the
finest flavour of all, is lost altogether. [I never heard of it. — W. F. R.]

JANUARY. 17

At any rate, it is much to be regretted that the Horticultural
Society in London abandoned its culture, owing to the delicacy of the
plant.

I shall be delighted if you will kindly favour me with an answer
[I wrote by return of post. — W. P. R.], and if I can be of service to
you in this country, please communicate with me freely.
I am, reverend and dear Sir,

Yours very respectfully,

Ferdinand Gloede.
I make no apology for sending you the above interesting and friendly
letter. Mr. May, of Blandford, read it, and said, " I cordially agree
with him. It is evident to me he knows what he is writing about."

W. F. Radclyffe.
R us hi 'on.

LONICERA FRAGRANTISSIMA.

Many of your readers who are enabled to secure to themselves the
gratification of flowers during the summer, must feel it a great depri-
vation to be suddenly robbed of the objects of their joy and care, by
the ungenial influences which winter brings ; and those amateurs
who have no conservatory, and who are unaware of the existence of
hardy winter blooming plants, have, I presume, to content themselves
with the recollections of the gay things of summer, or at best to seek
some solace in the care of pet plants, cherished in some tiny glazed box
or window frame. I can quite imagine that mariy of your fair readers,
who were wont to fill their vases daily with flowers, find after the
decay of the Chrysanthemum, and the few lingering Rosebuds (a
legacy which the Queen of flowers still leaves us), that further attempts
at floral ornamentation are futile, and, with a sigh, relinquish the
task. To such, I am sure the plant which I wish to recommend to
their notice will be a boon indeed. The hardy winter blooming Honey-
suckle, Lonicera fragrantissima, has not the beauty of some of its
compeers, but then it has all and more of their sweetness, and it
blossoms in December, when large gay exposed flowers would be
rent and torn by the blasts of winter. Its flowers come out coyly in
pairs. Four pairs of flowers are commonly produced from the axil of
every leaf ; and the pairs of blooms are seated on slender little stalks,
just long enough to enable each little flower to expand. The flower
has not a long tube, like the common Honeysuckle, but blooms within
the protection of the leaf, which remains green and strong during the
winter. When nearly all the other flowers have perished and gone
from the parterre, and winter reigns, this little plant begins to bud and
bloom, and to make merry ; it does not expand its delicate waxy
white little blooms all at once, like its gay flaunting, but still hand-
some friend, Jasminum nudiflorum ; but from November it is never
without its charmingly fragrant blossoms. The sweetness of the
common Honeysuckle, combined with the subdued odour of Orange
blossom, is the nearest approach to a description of its fragrance that I
VOL. XII., no. cxxxiii. c

18 THE FLORIST.

can give One plant of this, however, which I have trained to a south
wall affords me thousands of blossoms, and I am assured by the men
who make up bouquets, that it is the most useful flower they have for
the purpose. This Honeysuckle is admirably adapted for training
against a house, and it will do on any aspect but the north.

Belvoir, December 27. W. I.

FRUIT CULTURE.— No. XII.
BY MR. POWELL, FROGMORE.

{Continued from page 231.)
Smalt, Fkuits.

The Strawberry. — It may be truly said that among all small fruits
that occupy our gardens none are so universally esteemed as the Straw-
berry. It is most delicious and grateful to the palate, and is considered
to be the most wholesome of all fruit, and extremely useful for various
domestic purposes; to the confectioner it is invaluable for preserves
and ices, and I believe it is not generally known that it possesses
excellent qualities for making wine, and may add that Strawberry
wine is not surpassed by any other of home make ; a pleasant cool-
ing summer drink may also be made by pouring boiling water on the
fruit, with the addition of a little sugar and lemon juice.

It is indeed a fortunate thing that such a useful and delicious fruit
is of easy cultivation, and, farther, it does not require a great space to
have a good supply of it ; therefore, it is within the reach of all who
possess a garden, and the cottager who has only a small plot of ground
may have his Strawberry beds and fruit in abundance for his enjoy-
ment, without much trouble or expense. The Strawberry has
undergone such vast improvement of late years, and passed into so
many semi-varieties through the sporting of hybrids, that its original
character in the class from which it sprung is scarcely distinguishable.
It is usually divided into seven classes, viz., the Pine, scarlets,
black, green, Chili, Hautbois, and Alpine ; but the object of these
papers being principally the cultivation of fruit, all these classes are
useless here. Therefore, the division will be only according to the
difference in the culture of the sorts, viz., the Pine Strawberries, such
as the British Queen, Filbert, Elton, and similar varieties ; the scarlet
Strawberries, and kindred sorts ; and the Alpine, Hautbois, &c, thus
including all under three heads.

The best soil for the cultivation of the Strawberry is a strong deep
rich loam, but there is no soil in which some of the varieties may not be
grown. Choose an open situation, and avoid planting under the shade
of large trees ; in such places they seldom produce much fruit. In all
cases the ground must be well prepared by trenching and manuring
previous to forming new plantations, and avoid, as far as circumstances
will admit, planting where Strawberries grew before until, the ground
has been used for other crops. When the trenching is being done, and

JANUARY. 19

the subsoil is of inferior quality, which is often the case, it should not
be brought to the surface, but broken up and left at the bottom of each
trench, placing a good layer of manure over it previous to turning in
the surface spit of the following trench ; but if the soil is good to the
depth of two feet it may be brought to the surface, and layers of
manure placed between the soil as the work proceeds, and previous to
planting the whole should be forked over and well pulverised, and, if a
clayey or wet soil, great advantage will be derived from a surface
dressing of lime or burnt earth ; leaf-mould should be avoided, except
as a top dressing for old plantations, otherwise it is liable to breed Fungi
about the roots of the plants.

The Strawberry propagates itself very rapidly from runners springing
annually from the parent plant, and as young plants are the best for
firming new beds, it is a good practice to lay the first runners by placing
stones or clots of earth on each joint, after which they will soon make
strong plants, and if planted out in August they will produce a good
crop of fruit the following season. Strawberries may be planted all
through the autumn, or in April or May. Avoid using old plants or
divisions of old stools, except it is for the purpose of increasing the
stock of any choice kind.

The Pine Strawberries are the largest and the best. This class
includes a large portion of the varieties ; they are mostly of strong
habit, and therefore require plenty of room ; and if fine fruit is desired
it is advisable to keep the plants clear of each other, and the runners
cut away during the summer, and to attain this object it is best to plant
them in rows 2h feet wide, and 18 inches from plant to plant. And
for the convenience of working among the plants it is a good practice to
lay out the Strawberry quarter in beds sufficiently wide to plant two
or three rows with an alley between each, broad enough to walk to
prevent treading on the beds when gathering the fruit, &c. In wet soil
it is an excellent plan to round the beds, so as to admit of the surface
water passing into the alleys during winter.

In planting, choose young plants, as before stated, and keep the
ground free from weeds, and the surface moved about the plants by
frequent hoeings during the spring months. As soon as the fruit is
set cover the ground about the plants with fresh manure ; it serves to
keep the ground moist, and otherwise materially assists the growth of
the plants, and prevents the fruit being splashed by drenching rains.

Immediately after the crop of fruit is gathered clear the beds from all
runners and dead leaves, and fork over the surface of the soil to
encourage a healthy growth in the plants before the autumn frost sets
in. Plants thus treated usually remain fruitful three or four years ;
after that time it is better to destroy them and make new beds. Of
the kinds to be recommended in this class, the following are among the
best : — Sir C. Napier, Ingram's Prince of Wales, British Queen, and
Carolina superba. The Filbert Pine and Elton are the best for cool
situations, and both are late kinds. For light soils, or in gardens shaded
by large trees, the Keens' Seedling, Ajax, and Victoria are well adapted,
and will do very well grown thickly together, which is a good plan in
gardens where birds are troublesome.

c 2

20

THE I 'I.' • K ik I

The icarlel in a olfl ot Btrawberriei with imall light rod loft Bruil i,
which are mo i\\ u i d for preserving, All the varieties are ver\ prolific

and easy of cultivation. A g I way to grow them ii to trench a piece

oi ! 1 1 pi .1 before advised, and plant them in bedi four feel broad, and

allow tin' young planti i" cover tin- g rid, in the ipring "i the year

ill. n iii> bed from all looie runneri and dead leavi and pul on a
1 ing "i rotten manure In thu waj immense quantitiei of fruit
may be had, and the beds will remain in b fruitful condition for lome
■. ii , by giving a top dreuing every ipring, The best icarlel Straw
borriei are the old Scarlet, American Scarlet, and Grove End.

The Alpine and wood Btrawberriei are perpetual beareri, and are
oxecodingly uieful, being late in leaion, when other iorti are pait.

Those require lighl ricl 1, and will grow in shady situation! They

are quite diitincl from other kindi, and will reproduce themielvei from

ii ill with l 'i 1 1 trifling variation R the original In the cultivation ol

thu kind, ii n the beil method always t" runic the planti from teed,

which il Id I"- town in b lighl bed of earth, <>r in a frame early in

March, ^ < ■ >• I ai toon ai the young planti are sufficiently itrong, plan!

the i in bedi whore they are to remain, allowing b fool between the

planti Give plenty ofwatei aftei planting ifthe weather ii dry, and
they will (Vuil well through the autumn month , theie bedi will produce
good in 1 1 1 for three yean if they are top dreuod every ipring, and the
early flowers re ved to itrengthen the planti for autumn.

The Hautboii Strawberry ii limilar in habil to the above; it
require! rich lighl ioil and b cool lituation, and the planti grown thickly
together, thai the fruit may be partially shaded by the foliage, otherwise
the fruit in liable to dry up in hoi weather. Myatt'i Fertilised Hautboii
i the largeil and boat, nn<l not ho Ktorilc us other kindi.

All Strawberries require plenty of water while the fruit ii swelling,
therefore copioui wateringi are neceiian at thai itage, ihould the weathei
be 1 1 "i and dry ; and if ilugi are I roubleiome it ii a good plan to tie up
the large ihooti to imall iticki, which will greatly Improve the colour
inn! flavour of the fruit.

( /'.I hi- oontinutd, )

LIST OP THE BEST SIKKIM AND BHOTAN RHODODEN
DRONS, wrni now TO GROW AND TREAT THEM.

Al.HO \ I'I'W HINTS i)N MAMNU A M | It II 'A N (MISI'INS.

Although theSikkim and Bhotan Rhododendron! are the moit beau
lii'nl and the greateil novelties of their olass, that have been introduoed
Pox many years, still there are but few of them that will do fbi out

■ I lulture, mi account of their propensity to flower ion sunn in early

spring) and although the Bhotan kinds, suoh as R. Jenkinsi, n,
Maddeni, R. calophyllum, and It. Nuttalli, are later to grow and
bloom than the others, and were not injured by frost last winter,
still, iliin autumn we have had -'*'' of frost before the plants
had done growing, and the consequence Is thai all the young leaves

.1 \NU \H\ .

21

have been out by it; but, I think, that if these sorts were oroned by
iome ol "Hi hardy hybrids, the roiult would be a very beautiful and
totally distind class of planta, and many ol them probably would be
icented. tn Devonshire, Cornwall, South Wol . and various other
|i.ni . ip .11 iii, ,;i ooait, hi sheltered nooks, where there Is very little
spring frost, I think thai the Sikkim, and especially the Bhotan llho

dodond . maj be cultivated with suooess, and treated in every way

the same as American plants, Bui inland, where we are subjected i>»
tevere spring frost, they must i»- planted oul in a conservatory , "i
wii.ii ii vetting very fashionable now, ft glass promenade , "i any plaoe
where thej oan be protected In spring from the very sharp frost The
Huii oan be in every way the same as for American plants. The i"i
lowing is a list of the i»':*i that have already flowered; H argon teum,
tiificeni foliage, covered on the underside with white do n
and bearing large tru les of beautiful white Rowers, well adapted foi -i
conservatory! it. Aucklandi, large pale green leaves, much ribbed,
;iiii the young shoots are covered with beautiful red bracts, The
flowers are large and very thiok, re embling large white Lilies, finely

toented, and al I five inches aorosi j very flue variety < 11, Dalhou lie

Some of the varieties of this ore very good, having large lemon ooloured
trumpet*likc blooms; sweet scented, but there is nothing remarkable

al i the foliage, it Edgeworthi is a charming species, blooming most

abundantly, and the most exquisitely soented ol them all, having large
flowers, about l ! inches across , and when in bloom perfumes the whole
house or room that it may be In, with its deliciou i fVagranoa , foliage

not ven pretty, Rhododend Boothi is very dwarf, in the way

of oiliatum j rather larger leaves, and quits yellow, ft, c b

i in i in ii I- .1 1 1 1 1 curious orange tube like fiower i, unlike a lihoden
dron, forming a pretty evergreen bush, and quite hardy, ft fulgens

a beautiful orimson [flower, but the heads ofbl are only small, it.

Pale ii i Is one of the very best in point of foliage, having largi leavi i,

twelve to fourteen Inches long, and si across. The underside ol
the leavi are covered with ferrogineous down, which has a very
curious and striking appearance, ii beat large heads ol beautiful
primrose-coloured flowers, marked with red in the base ol thi tubes,
each flower being beautifully cupped, with edgi refU ed, in the
form "i b vase . remains in bloom b very long time, and I » one ol the
very best for a conservatory ft, Maddeni and ft, Jenkins! are much
alike, having very beautiful pale green shining leaves) both ore free
growers, and at all times fine looking plants) bul when In bloom, they
are particularly so, bearing quantities "f i-ily like sweet soented
flowers, about the end of Mayj lit for any place, and amongst the most
useful of all the Bhotan species R Nuttalli is the king ol all fthodo
dendrons, bearing immense heads of bloom, with ten or eleven Ho eri
in a truss, each flower being upwards of six Inchei across, tipped with
rose ooloui ll he al oven lai g< ii b i i, and 1 1 altog< thai a magnifii i nl

plant for the c rvatory, It. Thomson! is b finely cupped deep

■ in ipecies, with six oi eight flowers in a truss, and instead of

the flowers standing erect, like other sorts, they are drooping)
therefore, to see the beauty of the blossoms, the plant should be woi lei ■ !

22 THE FLORIST.

on standards, after which, when in full bloom, the appearance
would be very curious and beautiful. R. Wighti is a very handsome
variety, having large heads of primrose-coloured flowers, with crimson
spots in the bottom of them; scented, like Hawthorn.

Having described a number of good hybrids, and how they were
produced, in a former paper, with a list of the best Indian ones, I shall
now give a short paper on the cultivation of what are called American
plants, viz., Rhododendrons, Kalmias, Azaleas, &c. The two most
essential things in their cultivation are vegetable soil and plenty of
moisture. As I have said many years since, they may be culti-
vated in any part of Great Britain, no matter what the soil may be, as
an artificial one may be easily made. When I state that they live on
vegetable mould and moisture, the soil must not be sour, nor the water
stagnant. The soil that suits them best, and in which they grow naturally,
is decomposed Moss, Sphagnum, Fern, Heath-leaves, Grass, rotten
wood, &c. ; but it is not at all essential that it should be this soil, as
they will grow well in any other decayed vegetable matter, such as
Grass, Hay, straw, chaff, no matter what, provided it be vegetable.
One of my customers writes to me from Scotland, that he has taken
from a mill stream decayed mould, made from oat husks, which when
mixed with sand, suits them first-rate. I have seen as fine Rhodo-
dendrons as I could wish to see grown in cow-dung and sand, that had
been put together twelve months before using, and turned over
several times. If the vegetable mould is pure, it will require quite half
sand to form drainage, and nothing can be better for renovating old
beds, where the vegetable soil is nearly exhausted. One thing to guard
against is lime, of which there should not he a particle, as they will
not grow where there is any in the soil. The next thing requisite for
growing them is moisture. In the north of England, the west coast of
Scotland and Wales, and various other places on or near the western
coast, where there is so much moisture and not much heat, it does
not much matter how the beds are made, whether concave or convex,
provided they are drained. But with us in the South, it is quite another
thing, especially after such dry seasons as we have had these last two
years. I have formerly stated that the best site for an American
garden is in a bog, or where there is plenty of moisture in the subsoil,
in the absence of which, the next best plan is to throw up a bank all
round the American garden, which acts as a shelter, and form the beds
and walks in the interior, so that all superabundant water might run
into the beds ; but what would be best of all, if water could be had,
would be to form the necessary walks in the garden quite level, with
Grass verges to them and sunk Grass banks, the beds rising from the
botttom of them, from 1 to 1J foot above the level of the walks,
forming a moat round each bed, with power to flood every bed. When
the plants are coming into bloom, or after a continuance of dry weather,
it is of great benefit to the plants to give them occasionally a good
soaking. Such a garden would be independent of the weather, and the
plants would luxuriate in an extraordinary manner on sand or gravelly
soils. Not only would this be a good plan for American plants, but
it would suit Roses equally well. Lately, I have seen a Rose garden

JANUARY. 23

at Captain Hawksley's, at Englefield Green, made something in this
way. He has thrown the soil up, forming a bank round the garden,
the walks and beds being nearly level, so that all the water that runs
off the banks runs into the beds ; and for us in the south, we rarely
ever get too much rain in the summer for Roses. A garden made after
this fashion looks very beautiful, especially one with sunk Grass banks.

Bagshot, Surrey. Jno. Standish.

AN ARTICLE WITHOUT A NAME.

" But how the subject theme may gang
Let time and chance determine ;
Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon."

Burns, in a poetical epistle to a young friend, concludes the opening
stanza with these lines, expressive of his doubt as to what the exact
nature of the epistle may be in its complete form. Now in this pre-
dicament am I, the writer of this paper. I sit down to write it under
the combined and invigorating influences of tooth-ache, swelled face,
mutton broth, &c, so that I may fairly calculate on the indulgence of
the reader, if my ideas, as here expressed, should appear somewhat con-
fused and ill-arranged. And, moreover, I have been urged and incited
to perpetrate a paper for this month's Florist by a gentleman connected
with that admirable periodical, upon whcse head, therefore, oh, indig-
nant reader ! pour out the vials of your wrath.

I have always had a partiality for a book or an article beginning with
an anecdote, even though it should, as is often the case, have little ox-
no connection with the subject matter of the book itself. It always
creates an interest at the outset, a desideratum by no means to be
despised ; for a work well begun — as the old adage hath it — is half
accomplished.

Well, then ; one evening in the last century a number of friends
were assembled at a country house in the west of England. The topics
of conversation were landscape gardening and the then popular artist,
Brown, who was expected on the morrow, to advise on improving the
grounds and remodelling the garden. A gentleman of the party, a
heretic to the Brownonian philosophy, offered to wager (for wagers
were by no means uncommon in drawing-rooms in those days), that he
would immediately, and upon the spot, sketch a design that should, in
all essential particulars, be identical with the plan which Brown would
send in after his visit. The wager was laid, the designs made and
compared, and so nearly did they resemble each other, that the carrying
out of one would have been literally to execute the other.*

To those familiar with Brown's designs this will appear by no means
improbable, for most assuredly did he copy himself ad nauseam, great
artist as he was. His first great work, flooding the valley and appro-
priating the gigantic bridge at Blenheim, made him famous. If he had

* For the authority for this see " Price on the Picturesque."

24 THE FLORIST.

done nothing more, his name would have gone down to a late posterity
as that of a bold and comprehensive genius. Walk up to the close
gates of the Woodstock entrance to Blenheim, enter suddenly, and a
scene at once bursts upon you unequalled of its kind in any park in
Europe. Nature has of course done much, but art has, though imper-
ceptibly, appropriated the whole. If the triumph of art is to conceal
art, you have here a superlative example. During the past summer I
spent a portion of two days in strolling upon the banks of this lake, and
in studying the various combinations of wood, water, and undulating
ground, with the palace, bridge, and monument. If I could have
induced the conductors to admit some of those views as ornaments to
this article I should have wanted no apology for its shortcomings in
other respects.

Of course I drank from Fair Rosamond's Well, and it occurred to
me as I did. so, that if a few of the shillings demanded for admission to
the palace and garden (a shilling each, entrance), were expended on
clearing the mud from her bath, they would not be unworthily bestowed.*

I have mentioned the close entrances at Woodstock. I know not
from whom these originated ; but the principle of their application is a
most happy one, and would by no means disgrace the genius that
designed the lake. The high walls and gates effectually conceal the
whole till you are face to face with the principal views. Nothing is
frittered away piecemeal ; the magnificent composition of wood, water,
and the towers of Blenheim bursts upon the eye at once — a combination
of the highest excellence.

But we must return to our anecdote for its application. Although the
present great diversity of style and mode of arrangement is altogether
antagonistic to any such similarity of design in our gardens, yet in the
mode of planting them there is a sameness and monotony which
demands some innovation on established practice. For most assuredly
would the description of this particular feature of any one garden
be equally applicable to nine-tenths of the gardens of Great Britain,
and anyone well acquainted with our ordinary gardens may safely
lay a wager that he would write a description of the mode of planting
in any other without ever stepping foot in it. The following is
something like what his description would be : — " The main shrub-
beries are composed of the usual evergreen and deciduous trees and
shrubs indiscriminately mixed, great care being had that two of the
same kind should never come together. Thus we have Holly, Labur-
num, Bay, Gueldres Rose, Cedar, Juniper, Arbutus, Aucuba, Thorn,
Azalea, Kalmia, Cornus (then repeat with variations, and Da Capo).
In the front, or interspersed among these shrubs, which are separated
from the walks with ribbons of Grass of uniform width, are various
herbaceous plants and weedy annuals, struggling for light and life,
overtopped by their more robust and vigorous neighbours, the attention
to which greatly augments the gardener's labours, with the very satis-
factory result of disfiguring the garden.

* The park of Blenheim is open free ; hut if time is of value in visiting the
gardens, hire a hoy at Woodstock, and give him a shilling to ring at the gate for
half-an-hour before you wish to gain admittance there ; you will find this a
good investment.

JANUARY.

25

" On the lawn, too, wherever a space large enough to accommodate a
tree can be found there is one stuck in, regardless alike of its ultimate
development or its relation to its fellows. Thus are the breadth of lawn
and general repose of the garden scenery alike destroyed, and that which
is falsely supposed to be variety is really nothing more than the veriest
monotony — variety, in fact, defeating itself."

Now I do not seek to claim any originality for the remedy I propose
to offer to this state of things. Often, by various writers, has the
same been urged ; for which see all gardening periodicals, from the
" Gardeners' Magazine" downwards to this paper passim. But it is
only fair that I should offer the remedy in my own words, which I
herewith proceed to do. In the first place, then — " If you please, sir
to-morrow is Christmas-day and the ' Florist ' must be in type
to-night ; it is now nine o'clock, and we shall be glad of the remainder
of the copy." Thus speaks the printer's devil. The remedy proposed
must therefore be given in my next. L.

(To be continued.)

%
HINTS ON BEDDING PLANTS.

Having paid a visit to some of our most celebrated gardens this
autumn, and looked over the different flower beds and ribbon borders,
&c, I find there is much to be learned yet as regards arrangement ot
colours, in order to give them a soft and pleasing appearance. I am
inclined to think that there is nothing that can interest a flower gardener
more than a few hints on the arrangement of bedding plants ; I there-
fore beg your permission for a small space to illustrate a few of the best
arranged flower-beds I have seen this season. I wish in the first place
to impress on the minds of those who have the management of flower-
gardens, whether small or great, that the chief object to be kept in
view in ' mixing colours should be to make them harmonise one with
the other ; for if they are nicely arranged and softened down with the
more delicate colours, it will add much to their general appearance
and the beauty of the garden.

The first thing I shall take in hand is the Verbena venosa, a plant
I am more than ever in favour of, having used it in so many ways and
found it to stand all sorts of weather, rain, and sunshine without injury.
The easy way in which it is managed makes it invaluable. I will
here describe my method of propagating it. I take up all my old
plants and pit them like Potatoes, and in the month of March they are
taken out, the long Mint-like roots cut into lengths and planted in
the beds where they are to flower during the summer. They soon
make their appearance above ground, and if too thick they can easily
be pulled up and planted elsewhere.

I will now give you a list of a few beds which have been very
beautiful this summer, planted as follows : A large bed of Lord Raglan
Verbena and Verbena venosa mixed with a broad band of Golden Chain
Geranium round the outside. Another bed of Brilliant Geranium and
Verbena venosa mixed, with a broad band of Golden Chain Geranium

26 THE FLORIST.

round, outside. Another bed of Alma Geranium and Verbena venosa,
mixed. Another of Mangles' Geranium and Verbena venosa, mixed.
Another of Flower of the Day Geranium and Verbena venosa,
mixed. Another of Buchnera biflora and Verbena venosa, mixed.
This has a pleasing effect, and for small beds nothing can surpass it in
point of beauty. Respecting the Buchnera it should not be planted in
very rich soil, otherwise it will grow too freely, and not flower so well ;
but if planted in poor gravelly soil it will flower abundantly, and its
little Jasmine-like white flowers, with the Verbena venosa planted
regularly over the bed, produce a charming appearance. The next bed
is equally good ; the white Alyssum (Koniga) and Verbena venosa,
mixed ; those who have not seen this cannot imagine what a striking
thing it is. Another bed, (Enothera macrocarpa and Verbena venosa,
was very good. An easy way of propagating the CEnothera, in spring,
is to take the young shoots when about three inches long ; slip them
off and plant them in the bed where they are to flower, and in the
course of three weeks they will be rooted and will flower freely all the
autumn. Another bed with Lee's old scarlet and a purplish one of the
same class (variegated Geraniums), with Verbena venosa, was very
good. Another of Cineraria maritima and Venbena venosa, mixed,
made a greyish looking bed. A good one contained Verbena venosa
edged with a broad band of Mangles's Geranium.

There is another little plant I cannot omit mentioning, the Lobelia
Erinus speciosa, the best of all the Lobelias I have seen, which comes
as true as from seed Mignonette. This spring I purchased a small
packet of seed, which was sown in March. I then placed it in a gentle
heat, and in the course of three or four weeks the plants were strong
enough to prick out. I then collected a few shallow pans, and filled
them with light sandy loam, dibbled them in thickly, and placed them
on a shelf near the glass in the greenhouse, and in the month of May
I had a host of little gems in full flower, anxiously waiting to be
separated and planted where they were to remain during the summer.
I have above 2000 plants grown from seed in great beauty at this
moment (Oct. 1*2). I find they are much better from seed than
cuttings, as I have proved them both ways ; from cuttings they will
flower a little sooner, but they do not continue so long in bloom in the
autumn. I shall now mention a few beds planted with Lobelia
speciosa and other plants, mixed. For small beds nothing can surpass
Golden Chain Geranium and Lobelia (a bed of Lobelia speciosa with
the Golden Chain Geranium dotted down the centre is very rich).
Another bed, centre Golden Chain Geranium, next a broad band of
Lobelia speciosa, with an edging of Lady Plymouth Geranium ; this is
very effective, as is also a bed of Lobelia speciosa, with the pink
Latereps variegated Geranium, regularly mixed over the bed, with an
edging of Cerastium tomentosum. Another good bed was made with
Mountain of Snow Geranium and Lobelia speciosa mixed. Another
had, centre Lobelia speciosa, next Etoile de Vaise Geranium edged with
Golden Chain. A very pretty border may be made by planting Ceras-
tium tomentosum and Lobelia speciosa mixed together. I beg to say
that there is no plant more worthy of cultivation than this little gem

JANUARY. 27

for small parterres and edgings. For small or pincushion beds, or
round Rose trees, the following answer admirably : Cerastium tomen-
tosum and Miss Trotter Verbena, mixed ; Imperatrice Elizabeth Ver-
bena and an edging of Lady Plymouth. Miss Trotter Verbena and an
edging of Lady Plymouth Geranium is very good. Crimson Ivy-leaf
Geranium edged with Buchnera biflora ; Purple King Verbena edged
with Silver Queen Geranium. Another, Harkaway and Princess
Geranium, mixed, edged with Golden Chain. Another bed, Brilliant
Geranium for centre, with a broad band of Mangles' Geranium and
Verbena venosa mixed together. I have seen some beautiful beds of
French Aster this season which looked well ; the way in which they
were arranged, beginning with the dark purple in the centre and
gradually shading them down to the edge, ending with a broad band of
white, had a good effect. A ribbon of French Asters mixed and pegged
down is very beautiful.

The beds I have described above I can strongly recommend, and if
you should think it would be interesting to the readers of the Florist,
I will some day give a few hints on ribbon borders and chain beds and
shaded beds of Calceolarias, &c, as I have seen some very good things
in this way, which may interest some of your readers.

[Pray do.— Ed.]

Charles Hathrell.

Stanton Rectory.

REVIEW.

The Amateur s Guide for 1859. Sutton and Sons, Royal Berkshire
Seed Establishment, Reading.

The " Amateur's Guide," we are glad to notice, keeps steadily pro-
gressing in useful matter and classification, while the descriptions
appended to the various articles offered for sale appear correct, without
any attempt to exaggerate or mislead, and their selections appear to
us equally judicious and sound. Of the general excellence of the seeds
sent out by this firm we can certify, as well as to the punctuality and
business-like manner of all their transactions. The space which we
can devote to these notices precludes our saying more than recommending
the work itself to our readers as a valuable assistant and guide to
purchasers.

ROYAL EXOTIC NURSERY, KING'S ROAD, CHELSEA.

[Second Notice. J

To the right and left of the grand show house are the structures
devoted to the most important of the Ferns. I noticed many
remarkable specimens of very rare kinds. In the cool Fern-house I
particularly remarked some beautiful specimens of Odontoglossum
grande and several other Orchids. I learned that the temperature
of this cooler department did not exceed 50°, and at night 45° ; the

28 THE FLORIST.

Odontoglossums were in beautiful condition and quite a mass of flower,
a very convincing fact that many of the Orchids will succeed in a
cooler house than is generally devoted to their culture.

In the principal Orchid houses I found everything in splendid order,
and vast quantities of very recent importation. I noted some few
of the most striking specimens of well-known kinds, such as Dendro-
bium Dalhousieanum, D. aggregatum majus, D. albo-sanguineum,
D. Devonianum, D. onosmum, D. Pierardi latifolium, &c. ; also
quantities of Cattleya in all their varieties, rare and valuable. In
the East Indian department are magnificent plants of Aerides, Vandas,
Phaloenopsis, Angnecum, Saccolabium, &c. The Pitcher-house was
not less interesting, and the plants were in excellent condition.
Among the Pitcher-plants we observed an interesting collection of
Lycopodiums in great variety ; these, I was informed, were mostly
new kinds, the introduction of the Rev. Mr. Ellis.

Among stove plants I found an endless assortment, the " foliaged
plants" particularly fine. Some new plants were pointed out to me ;
among these I particularly observed a new Dracaena, from New
Zealand, with golden -laced foliage : this plant I believe to be a great
acquisition. 1 also noted many new Marantas, and a second variety
of Sonerila margaritacea ; this variety had stronger marked leaves, and
I ascertained was a more luxuriant grower — it is named splendens.
Palms are extensively cultivated in this establishment ; a lofty struc-
ture contains some of the most valuable varieties to be met with. For
effective display these plants are invaluable, and have a grand appear-
ance in lofty conservatories or houses specially devoted to them.

In the Aquarium I observed many interesting plants; a few things
in flower are associated with the occupants of this department, among
them some interesting species of Bilbergia, &c. In the hard-wooded
departments everything evinces the same high order of cultivation,
spirit of improvement, and novelty ; the Camellias were in great variety,
healthy, and fine m every respect. I noted many new plants in
every department of this establishment, which will come before the
public in due course.

The propagating houses I viewed with much interest. These have
been extended, and every improvement adopted which experience has
proved to be necessary.

R. G. F.

CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS.

Auriculas. — The old foliage will now continue gradually to deca}',
and should be removed as quickly as possible, when once the leaves
turn yellow ; care must be taken not to injure the plants whilst so
doing. At this season the Auricula has nothing very interesting in its
appearance, being almost devoid of foliage. Water sparingly, and do
not excite the plants to cause growth before February, at which time
water may be given freely.

Azaleas. — These, when in flower, are beautiful at any season, but

JANUARY.

29

at no time are they so much appreciated as they are during the dull
winter months, when everything out of doors wears a cold and cheer-
less aspect. Keep plants in flower rather warm, say a night tempera-
ture of about 50°. Retard plants fur late blooming, the night tempera-
ture should not fall below 40°. Ventilate carefully whenever the state
of the weather permits. Water when necessary.

Camellias. — Plants in bloom should have a temperature of from 45°
to 50° by night, and from 55° to 60° by day. Give them plenty of
water when they require it. Keep plants for late flowering cool. Give
air freely on all favourable occasions.

Carnations and Picotees. — The soil intended to bloom these in
should be kept frequently turned and exposed to the action of the
weather, especially frost. The plants should be kept dry, and the dead
foliage cleaned off as required.

Cinerarias — Many of these will have thrown up their flower-stems ;
look over and select a few of the fbrwardest, and place in an intermediate
house for early flowers. A few of the later plants may yet be repotted fol-
iate flowering. Look over and remove all decaying leaves, and sulphur
such as are affected by mildew. Fumigating now and then is necessary,
to prevent green-fly. Thin out all small shoots and leaves of specimen
plants, and peg down or tie out the stronger, to throw out the middle
as much as possible. Keep as near the glass as possible, to prevent
their drawing. It is advisable, where large plants are required, to stop
them once or twice, which will make the head of flower more dense.

Cold Frames. — After the late fine autumn everything here should
be in a state of perfect rest. Give little or no water during the month,
if possible ; take advantage of every favourable opportunity to give all
the air possible. Take care to have everything well covered up in
frosty weather.

Conservatory and Show-housed — As very little fire heat has been
required here up to the present time, and the weather during the
autumn just passed has been everything we could wish for, plants
ought now to be in good condition ; they should show, not present
growth, but the season's growth thoroughly matured ; if, in this state
we may confidently look forward for a brilliant display of bloom the
coming season. Camellias, Acacias, and other plants in flower, or
advancing into bloom, will require to be attended to in watering.
Tulips, Hyacinths, and other bulbs, also forced shrubs, should be placed
at the warmest end of the house ; Heaths, Epacrises, and other hard-
wooded plants in flower, should be placed at the coolest end. The
Amaryllis is a charming tribe, and with a little management easily got
to flower at this season. The Luculia gratissima is a beautiful thing
for the conservatory ; it should be grown at the warmest end of the
house. Epiphyllums, Bletias, Justicias, Euphorbias, Poinsettias, and
other stove plants, should be kept at the warmest end. Introduce a
good many Primulas, some Cinerarias, a few pots of Mignonette,
Violet, and Lily of the Valley. Endeavour to have as many flowers as
possible. Have everything staged to the best advantage, and keep
every plant and place scrupulously clean and neat. If frosty weather
makes much fire heat necessary, take care to keep the atmosphere

30 THE FLORIST.

moist, not wet— the flowers will last longer than in a dry atmosphere.
Maintain a temperature of about 45° by night, and from 55° to 60°
by day. The watering must be regularly attended to. Ventilate daily,
if possible, but avoid cold draughts.

Cucumbers. — Plants in bearing will require considerable care and
skill for the next six weeks. Water occasionally with liquid manure.
Keep the glass clean, so that they may receive all the light possible at
this season. Pick off all the male blossoms. Maintain a moist atmo-
sphere. Ventilate daily, if possible, but avoid cold frosty draughts.
Keep a temperature of about 65° by night, and 70° to 75° by day,
with an increase by sun heat. Sow for a spring crop ; attend carefully
to the young plants as soon as they are " up." It is a good plan, at
this season, to sow the seeds singly in pots.

Dahlias require much attention. Carefully examine the roots, par-
ticularly those from the open ground, to see they are not decaying at
the crown ; if they appear to be rotting downwards set them at work at
once in a gentle heat, that they may not be entirely lost. Roots from
those that have been grown in pots, or, as they are generally termed,
pot-roots, will keep sound longer than those from the ground, and are
consequently better adapted for exportation or transmission to a distance,
and if not required for use, to produce cuttings for the purpose of propa-
gation, make excellent early strong plants, by starting them in gentle
heat the beginning of April.

Flower Garden.— In favourable weather forward all alterations that
are in progress, so as to get them completed before the busy time of
spring arrives ; this is a good time to make new walks, dig turf, and
plant edgings. Protect everything requiring it. Dig all beds and
borders, and let the soil remain in a rough state for the frost to act on
it. Sweep and roll when necessary.

Forcing Hardy Shrubs.— Ventilate freely whenever the state of the
weather permits ; maintain a moist atmosphere, and keep a steady
bottom heat. Syringe in the forenoon on fine days. Introduce plenty
of Kalmias, Rhododendrons, and Azaleas, than which there is nothing
more beautiful ; also some Roses, and a few plants of Lilac, Weigela,
&c. Keep a temperature of about 50° by night in severe weather,
and 60° by day, with an increase by sun heat.

Forcing Ground.— In severe frosty weather the linings will require
to be frequently attended to, otherwise the heat soon declines in hot-
beds. Make and plant fresh beds, to succeed those at present in use.
Put some roots of Mint and Tarragon into a little heat, to force. Sow
Mustard and Cress weekly. Make a slight hotbed and sow on it some
Early Horn Carrots and Radishes.

Fruit (hardi/.)— Prune and regulate fruit trees generally. Prune
and nail wall-trees in favourable weather. Scrape moss, and thoroughly
clean the stems and branches of standard Pear and Apple-trees. Wheel
some manure, and spread it around the trees and fork it in. Plant in
mild weather.

Greenhouse (hard-wooded plants.)— As the plants are For the most
part at a stand-still, the only attention necessary at present is in care-
fully ventilating, watering, and keeping the plants safe from irost.

JANUARY.

31

Every plant requiring to be trained and tied out should now be trained.
Prepare now for the busy spring time : get plenty of stakes made and
tied up in small bundles of different lengths ; get pots cleaned, some
crocks broken, and some turf chopped. (Soft-wooded plants.) — Venti-
late freely whenever the state of the weather permits. Water carefully.
Fumigate for green-fly.

Hollyhocks. — Roots potted from the ground in autumn for the pur-
pose of producing cuttings may be excited with a little heat ; it should,
however, be gentle at first. When the shoots have obtained the length
of about three inches, cut them off similar to the method adopted in
propagating Dahlias. The cuttings should be put into thumb pots,
using sandy soil, and placed in mild bottom heat. The plants struck
now will flower well in September. Seeds sown in heat, and the
plants grown under glass until late in May, will flower in the autumn.

Kitchen Garden. — All wheelbarrow operations should be done in
frosty weather, when the ground is hard and frozen. Look carefully
over Lettuce plants in frames, also over Cauliflower plants under glasses
and in frames ; pick off the decaying leaves, and dust with lime or soot
to prevent the attacks of slugs. When the ground is in a nice working
state sow some Early Beans and Peas on a warm sheltered border.

Melons. — Sow for a first crop a few seeds of some good, hardy, early
sort ; they are best sown singly in pots at this season. Give them a
nice bottom heat ; when " up," attend carefully to the young plants.

Pansies. — Prepare the soil, and keep it dry for repotting those
intended for blooming in pots, which operation should be performed
towards the beginning of February, if the weather is mild. Seedlings
should be looked after, pressing the soil and roots of those that may
have been loosened by worms, &c. Should severe frost set in a little
covering will be necessary, but grow Fansies as hardy as possible.

Peach-forcing. — The artificial heat in the early house may, after
the middle of the month, be increased six or eight degrees in the day,
but not quite so much at night ; the night temperature should not rise
above nor fall much below 50° whilst the Peach-trees are in flower.
Keep the atmosphere dry whilst they are in bloom, and ventilate at all
times as freely as the state of the weather permits. Start successional
houses. Begin with a night temperature of 40° for the first fortnight,
and then rise 5°. Syringe two or three times daily. Water inside
borders and keep the atmosphere moist.

Pelargoniums. — This is a convenient and proper time for tying out
the shoots of plants intended for specimens, so as to admit air and light
— precaution should be taken not to allow the shoots to become drawn.
Give plenty of room, and air freely on every favourable opportunity.
Water carefully, giving only to those that thoroughly require it, and
avoid wetting the foliage as much as possible. The temperature of the
house, by night, should range about 42°. Attend to cleanliness.
Watch narrowly for green-fly, and fumigate directly it is observed.
Keep the soil in a good state for repotting the July plants, which should
be done towards the end of the month. Let everything be done to keep
the plants in a healthy and vigorous state.

Pinery. — Plants that are intended to fruit during the next summer

32 THE FLORIST.

should have the temperature raised gradually to about from 65° to 70°
by night, and 70° to 75° by day, with an increase by sun heat. Give
them a good watering with tepid water. See they have a steady bottom
heat of from 85° to 90°. Give some air when the state of the weather
permits.

Pinks. — But little will have to be done this month. If the frost
should loosen the plants, press them firmly in the ground after a thaw,
and prepare rich soil for top dressing in March.

'Pleasure Grounds. — Sweep and roll walks and lawns in open
weather. Do everything that possibly can be done at the present time,
so that routine matters may not be interfered with by-and-by. Plant
trees in mild weather. Mulch well round the roots of choice and
valuable specimens. Forward with all possible dispatch all alterations
— such as the changing of walks, the formation of new ones, the levelling
of ground, laying down of turf, &c.

Stove. — Seize spare time to look carefully over the plants for insects ;
plants are easily cleared of them, if well looked over at this season. Keep
the night temperature as low as is consistent with the safety of the
plants ; in very severe frosty weather 55° will be quite high enough at
night. Do not let the atmosphere get too dry from fire heat. Attend
very carefully to the watering. Give air on all fine days.

Strawberries. — Though the plant is more easily managed later in the
season, still, at this time of the year, a little management is required to
ensure a good crop. Have the plants near the glass. Give them all
the air possible, according to the state of the weather, and water care-
fully when necessary. Introduce a fresh batch of plants every two or
three weeks.

Verbenas. — Now is an excellent time to excite into growth any kinds
required to be largely increased, so as to produce young cuttings, which
strike freely in sand and gentle heat, and make the best plants.

Vinery. — The early house will now be in flower, and care should be
taken to keep up a steady temperature and a genial atmosphere. The
night temperature should on no account fall below 60°. Look to the
covering on the outside borders, and see that the heat does not decline.
Attend to the stopping and tying down of the shoots. Thin the berries
as soon after they are formed as possible. Start the second house ;
commence with a night temperature of 45°. Keep the atmosphere
moist. Water inside border.

wAnJrn: •

1, Ecla.1

2, Sir Colin Campbell (Wheeler,

FEBRUARY. 33

FUCHSIAS.

ECLAT (G. SMITH) AND SIR COLIN CAMPBELL (WHEELER).

(Plate 148).
The two beautiful varieties. Eclat and Sir Colin Campbell, of
which we have this month given coloured illustrations, we
need not say will be found indispensable additions to every
collection of this showy and most useful class of flowers. They
are in all respects first-class kinds, worthy of the raisers whose
names are attached to them. Of their particular merits, how-
ever, little need be said here, as We have been favoured with
the following remarks on the subject by our excellent corre-
spondent at Deal. Of the conditions under which they are to
be " let out " information will be found in our advertising
pages.

Although precluded by want of space and means from attempting
even to grow a Fuchsia, I live in a neighbourhood which is classic
ground to an admirer of them ; for who is there that grows even the
most select collection of them that does not acknowledge that the gems
of his stock have come from Mr. Banks, of Sholden. His house I can
see from my back windows ; and as I have access to his garden at all
times, am not likely to be quite an ignoramus in such matters. These
seedlings we have all talked over together, admired or questioned as
the case may be, and I am afraid have often been privy to a case of
" horrible infanticide," for this goes on there at a rate which would be
especially pleasing to any fat old Chinese mandarin, who might deplore
the too rapid increase of population ; 4500 children are produced every
year, and of these " dear innocents " I have seen hundreds and
thousands lying out ignominiously on the dunghill to die, and for no
other reason than because they were not pretty enough \ for out of this
large number only about 50 or 60 are saved ; and some of these only
get a short respite, poor things. They are potted up, coaxed, and
petted, get quite rosy and fresh ; but it is only adorning the sacrifice,
for the next year sees probably between 40 and 50 doomed, as not up
to the mark, and of all the vast numbers perhaps only eight or ten
ever enter the market, and this never till after they have had a second
year's trial ; and then what a fuss they make. . They have hitherto
been simply 1-58, 2-58, and so on ; but now comes down a nursery-
man from London, and takes off these darlings, to bring them out.
The names they get are quite astonishing ; and as it would never do
in the great world of London to come out under disadvantageous cir-
cumstances, their character goes before them ; all their good points are
set off to advantage, and a very delicate veil of gentle charity is thrown
over their blemishes, for my friend has never either named or described
one of his Fuchsias. Messrs. Henderson, Smith, and Turner have
been their godfathers. And then, I grieve to state, this is not all

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXIV. D

34 THE FLORIST.

these do very well for a year or two, but if after that time you ask
about some fair beauty that then pleased you, my friend will, reply,
with all the coolness of an -eastern sultan, when you might ask about
some fair Circassian (if ever you had a chance of seeing her), " Oh !
I have discarded her ; there are much prettier ones in the market."
Alas ! for man's constancy.

" The lovely toy so fiercely sought,

Hath lost each charm by being caught."

A.nd so even those four very beautiful varieties figured in the " Illus-
trated Bouquet," will perhaps next year be nowhere. The two figured
in the present number of the "Florist" are, however, not of his
raising, and belong to a comparatively new section of these popular
flowers — but more of them anon, for the word section induces me to
say something on the history of the plant as at present cultivated.

Few flowers owe their present state of excellence so much to what
are called " sports " of lusus naturce as the Fuchsia. Some — oh ! I
cannot say how many years ago — a plant of one of the old kinds
sported in the garden of Mr. Cripps, of Tonbridge Wells, and produced
white sepals instead of red ; this became the parent, as Venus victrix,
of the many very beautiful white and flesh-coloured varieties Tiow in
existence. Again, some of the red varieties began to turn up their
sepals a little, and immediately the breeders set to work to get
them so thoroughly reflexed, that they should be like a Turn-cap
Lily, and in this they have succeeded ; though I am not sure
whether the style of the old Fuchsia gracilis is not more elegant.
After this, I believe in the hands of the late Mr. Storey, one with
a white corolla made its appearance ; this was judiciously seeded,
and the plate shows that it is a class which is evidently improving,
perhaps destined to make as great a noise as the others. And
again, they have appeared with double corollas, and Mr. Wheeler,
of Warminster, is evidently trying to introduce to us some that,
although monstrosities, shall yet by their beauty persuade us into
admiration of them ; thus from the Mexican varieties alone, with-
out crossing with fulgens, corymbiflora, serratifolia, or any other
of the long-tubed species, we have now four distinct classes, and
these, in a great measure owing to the caprices of Nature rather than
to the wisdom of hybridisers. What further changes we may see it is
impossible to foretell.

Their growth is not a matter of much difficulty, if space be at your
command, and any one who has large conservatories to keep stocked
with flowers cannot- do without them, as they succeed the Geraniums,
&c, and continue in bloom until the earlier flowering Chrysanthemums
are advanced enough. The sod in which they delight is one com-
posed of good strong loam, hotbed manure, well rotted, and leaf-mould
in the proportion of one-half of the former and one-fourth of the two
latter. They should be potted in the spring, and the endeavour should
be to keep them constantly growing, and to get them into the form of
a pyramid ; they require for these purposes a nice moderate heat of
about 50°, and syringing should be resorted to frequently. The
tips may be nipped off, to encourage the lower branches to shoot out,

FEBRUARY. 35

though some grow them " right on end." They must be repotted in
from four to eight-inch and then from eight to twelve-inch pots.
Judicious stopping and tying will gradually bring them to the desired
form ; and if you are an exhibitor, and have given them plenty of
room, you may with some confidence hope to be successful ; they,
however, require very careful porterage, as few plants suffer more from
carriage than they do. It is never worth while to grow them a third
year, as you cannot get the soft and juicy wood that a two-year-old
plant gives.

As to sorts, discard all that do not come up to the following marks.
Sepals stout, broad, and well reflexed ; corolla large, bold, round, stout
and bell-shaped ; flower-stalk about three inches long ; the flowers
abundant and of good size ; foliage not large or coarse, and the colour
clear and decided ; if light, sepals pure white, and corolla purple ; if
dark, sepals brilliant glowing scarlet or crimson, and the corolla purple,
violet, or blue. I think you will find the following list by no means a
bad one.

Section No. 1. Crimson with dark corolla.

Prince Frederick William of Prussia (B), Loch Katrine (B), Etoile du
Nord (B), Catherine Hayes, Governor-General (S), Souvenir de
Chiswick (B).
Section No. 2. White with scarlet and crimson and violet corollas.

Queen of Hanover (B), Guiding Star (B), Rose of Castille (B), Fairest of
the Fair (B), Maid of Kent (B), England's Glory (H).
Section No. 3. Red with double corolla.

Hendersonii (H), Reflexa plena (L), and the new Sir Colin Campbell (W).
Section No. 4. Red with white corolla.

Princess of Prussia (Sh.), Mrs. Story (S), Princess Royal (V), and the

new one, Eclat (Sb).
B raised by Mr. Banks, of Sholden; Sh by Mr. Smith, of Eornsey ;
H, Mr. Henderson; S, Mr. Storey; W, Mr. Wheeler; V,Mr. Veitch.
The figures represent, 1, Eclat, raised by Mr. G. Smith, of Hornsey,
and is a decided advance not only on those previously raised by the
same eminent grower, but on all others of the same class, the flowers
being stouter, of finer form, and the plant of good habit and free
blooming ; 2 is raised by Mr. Wheeler, of Warminster, is very hand-
some, and a decided acquisition for those who admire this class ; as
also is the white corolla one. Both are to be let out this spring, and
will doubtless find their way to most collections of this beautiful and
popular flower in the country.

Deal, Jan. 18. D-

ON RASPBERRIES:
Addressed by Monsieur Ferdinand Gloede to the Rev. W. F. Radcltffe.

Dear Sir, — On perusing the April number of the Florist, I find your
questions about Raspberries. I am myself very fond of this fruit, but
not to the same degree as of Strawberries ; nevertheless, I will commu-
nicate to you the result of my experience. The sorts I grow are
Fastolff (Youell's), producing only once a year, but it is the largest and
finest of all reds ; Merveille des 4 saisons, red, double bearing, of very
good flavour and fine colour ; and Merveille des quatre saisons, white or

d 2

36 THE FLORIST.

yellow, the finest of this colour. To these, I think, may be added the
Red and White Antwerp, and a new American double bearing sort
called Caterina, which 1 introduced last year from Boston. This
produces fruit of the same size and quality as Fastolff, but which has
the advantage of yielding a second crop in September.

As to the best manure for Raspberries, I think Peruvian guano to
be very good, but it should be applied in a liquid state, and only about
a handful in a bucket of water, well stirred twice, and then decanted.
My Fastolffs are now in their fourth year upon the same place, and may
with proper care continue very well for three or four more years.
Others I used to plant early about six inches deep and five feet apart
in rows, and as soon as the canes got strong I trained them to sticks
or poles placed in the middle of two, half the number of canes to the
left and half to the right, leaving the young shoots growing upright for
the following year. In spring, as soon as they show their first leaves,
I prune at three or four feet from the ground, according to the strength
of the canes. The double-bearing sorts are to be cut down much
shorter, in order to insure a good autumnal crop. All my Strawberries
are planted in rows four feet apart, and one-and-a-half in the line; in
this way they produce fruit in the highest degree of perfection. I let
them stand three years, at the expiration of which they are destroyed,
and renewed in rows in the centre of the old ones, thus continuing the
plantation in the same plot.

Yours, dear Sir,

Very respectfully,

F. Gloede.

I gave my Raspberries a leetle too much Peruvian, solid ; those,
however, which survived the shock have borne grandly this year, and
the canes are of extra strength. Monsieur F. G. has promised to come
and see the Rector of Rushton. I hope he will do so. — W. F. R.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
I remember once reading in your pages a rather satirical remark,
that horticulture was flourishing everywhere except at head quarters,
meaning, I suppose, by what followed, Chiswick. From all I hear of
that establishment at the present time I fear matters are not at all
satisfactory there now. I am told one-half the men have been dis-
charged, and that a gloomy uncertainty hangs over its paralysing
action, inducing a belief that its days are numbered. As you are
supposed to know something of state secrets, and if not a cabinet
minister, I dare say now and then get a peep behind the scenes, and
can see how the horticultural pendulum wags — or, like Mr. Wellington
Guernsey, may get hold of a stray dispatch — I hope you will say some-
thing about it, because I remember how hopefully you wrote a twelve-
month back pf the prospects of the society. How soon it was then
expected to emerge from beneath the clouds of adversity into the full
blaze of favour and patronage, and what a prosperous career of use-
fulness you marked out for it. Now, Mr. Editor, have your predictions

FEBRUARY.

37

been fulfilled or not? Pray tell us, or let me answer the question by-
asking whether the Society has not sunk deeper into difficulties, and
that its means of extrication are less. I fear, moreover, there is but
little chance of another "stimulant " in the shape of a three thousand
pound contribution to afford it temporary relief. I am an P.H.S., and
hear nothing about the position of the Society, but what is sad to
repeat and to reflect on. I should despair of horticultural societies
altogether did I not know many local institutions prosperous ; and, above
all, the Pomological progresses rapidly, and appears destined to do a
large amount of good at little cost or noise — no small proof of its
usefulness.

Herts. P. H, S.

[We publish our correspondent's rather inquisitorial letter, and in
reply merely remind him that we do not consider ourselves as exponents
of the Horticultural Society, which, however, has our best wishes at all
times. We certainly, as the writer informs us, wrote hopefully of the
Society some time ago, nor do we now despair of seeing it become a
a great and useful institution. Chisvvick may have lost its prestige, and
its distance from London may make it a drawback rather than a help to
the Society's operations ; and, if so, the sooner it is given up and a new
site near town selected the better. Whatever may become of Chisvvick,
our correspondent need be under no fear that horticulture or the
Horticultural Society will decline. Let the Fellows of the Society hold
together, and we doubt not the Council will suggest some plan to rein-
state it on a basis both popular and useful. The Pomological Society
progresses certainly, and answers every expectation formed of it by its
promoters. This society, as our correspondents may perhaps remember,
was first ushered into the world through our pages, and we therefore feel
personally interested in its welfare. — Ed. Florist.']

FERN CLASSIFICATION.— No. IV.

That group of Pobjpodiacem which forms the tribe Polypodinece, and
which, as already intimated, comprises the greater number of the
species of known Ferns, requires to be broken up into several minor
groups, in order to facilitate the classification of the genera. We adopt
twenty-three of these lesser divisions, called sections, lor the group
now under notice.

The first broad distinctions are founded upon the nature of the
receptacles. In the greater number of the species they are local and
circumscribed, definite in form, and confined to determinate parts of
the veins, giving rise to the punctiform oblong linear or reticulated
forms of sori already referred to. Then comes a small group in which
the receptacles are compound, always occupying a crowded mass of
reticulated veinlets, from which the spore-cases become effuse, usually
forming one or more large shapeless masses or patches, generally placed
towards the apex of the frond (sometimes entirely occupying distinct
fertile lobes), in some few instances, however, much smaller in size

38

THE FLORIST.

and more numerous as well as definite in form and arrangement. The
characteristics of this group are sometimes simulated by species referred
to the former, in which the definite reticulate sori happen to be crowded,
and when mature effused, so as to appear to form one mass ; but in
such cases the removal of the spore-cases will generally reveal the distinct
nature of the receptacles. The remaining group consists of Ferns in
which the spore-cases occupy the entire under surface (sometimes both
upper and under surface) of the frond, growing both from the veins and
the spaces intervening, in which cases the receptacles are said to be
universal. In this group it is usual for a portion of the fronds to be
spore-bearing, and these more or less contracted, while the remainder
are entirely destitute of spore-cases, and not contracted. In a few
kinds it is the upper parts of the frond instead of distinct fronds
which are spore bearing, while the lower parts are sterile. When
this distinct mode of growth occurs, namely, the one portion of
the fronds spore-bearing and contracted, and the other not so, the
fronds are said to be dimorphous, that is to say, of two forms,
and the one form is referred to as the sterile the other as the fertile
frond. This distinction in the mode of growth, which is more or less
marked throughout the whole of the group now under notice, occurs here
and there among the Ferns referred to the other divisions.

The foregoing remarks will have indicated the three primary
divisions of this rather unwieldy group, and our further enquiries will
have been thus facilitated.

Those Ferns, . then, which have the receptacles universal, form the
first division or section, the Acrostic hece. They are placed first in the
series, because, having the whole surface of their fertile fronds spore-
bearing, both veins and parenchyma being alike affected, they are
regarded as those in which the fertile principle is most thoroughly
developed. Those genera in which the receptacles form a compound mass
of crowded reticulations (so much crowded, indeed, that in the fertile
portions there is hardly any vacant space between the delicate veinlets
of which they are formed), and bearing large effused masses of spore-
cases, form a second distinct section, the Platycerice. These two groups
may be dismissed with a few further particulars.

The Acrostichece comprise fourteen genera, whose connecting character
is, of course, the universal receptacles. They range conveniently in

two divisions, the first having the
fronds, that is, the fertile ones,
wholly fructiferous ; and the
second having the upper pinnae
wholly fertile. The first division
includes Polybotrya, Rh ipidopteris,
Elaphoglossum, and Lomariopsis,
with free veins ; Stenochlcena and
Olfersia with combined veins ;
Soromanes, with connivent veins ;
21.ACROSHCHE*: Elaphoglossum conforme. and ^feurocallis, Hpnenodium,

Stenosemia, Pcecilopteris, and Anapausia, with the veins reticulated.
The second division consists of Acrostic/ntm and Photinopteris, both

FEBRUARY. 39

of which have reticulated veins. Such of these genera as exist in
gardens will be more fully described when we come to treat of the
species in cultivation.

The Platyceriece consist of three genera, of which the first and
typical one has generally been associated with the Acrostichece. It is,
however, materially different, and we have proposed to separate it.
The other genera have, in their aspect and general habit, some affinity
the former of them with the Polypodiece and the latter with the
Acrostichece, but they are brought here on account of the compound

§2. Platycerie.£ : Platycerium Stemmaria.

condition of their receptacles. The three genera are separated by
their sori, which in Platycerium are few, very large, and amorphous
or shapeless — that is, of no definite or constant form ; in Dryostachyum
much smaller and more numerous, and quadrate in outline ; and in Jen-
kinsia forming linear submarginal patches along each side of the costa.
We may sum up the foregoing in a brief contrasted form, thus : —

a]. Receptacles universal . . . . . . §1. Acrostichece.

b]. Receptacles compound effuse crowded indefinite . |2. Platyceriece.

c]. Receptacles local determinate definite [see forward) .

The remaining larger portion of the Polypodinece, in which the
receptacle is local, circumscribed, confined to determinate parts of the
veins, and of definite form, have still to be subdivided. The most
convenient characters for this purpose seem to be those derived from
the form and position of the sorus in relation to the vein on which it
is placed. There is of course a considerable amount of variety in
respect to the form and position of the sori to be observed among the
plants which we have now under consideration, but they may with
tolerable exactitude be reduced under three heads. These it will be
convenient to state in a distinct and brief form, so as to admit of ready
comparison, and the actual structure intended should be well under-
stood, which it may be by the careful study of a few common species as
illustrations. We have then —

Receptacles local determinate definite —

(1). Sori transverse to the veins, parallel or sub-parallel with the costa or
margin, usually elongated.

(2). Sori parallel with the veins, oblique to the costa, more or less elongated,
sometimes reticulated.

(3). Sori punctiform, rarely suboblong, or by confluence elongated.

40

THE FLORIST.

In the first group (1), with sori transverse to the veins, parallel
with the costa or margin, it is to be remarked, that in the few cases
where the fronds have no veins, the plants may be recognised as
belonging here, by the circumstance of the sori being parallel with the
midrib. The sorus is usually linear or considerably elongated, but it is
occasionally oblong or lunately curved, or, in one or two groups, sometimes
punctiform. In the first of these exceptional conditions, the fact of its
having the same general direction as the costa or margin indicates at
once the group to which it belongs ; and in the second, the sori being
marginal with a transverse indusium, there is no difficulty in ascer-
taining that they belong to the type of structure in which the sorus is
transverse to the veins.

Irrespective of these somewhat aberrant and exceptional forms, which,
however, rightly viewed, find their place in the series without difficulty,
the group now before us is again divided into three parts, by means
of secondary characters derived from the receptacles. These characters
are found in the form of the receptacle, which is linear, oblong, trans-
versely-arcuate, or rarely punctiform, or in its position with respect to
the midrib or margin. In this way we mark out three groups of
moderate extent, as follows : —

Sori transverse to the veins, &c.

(a) Receptacles linear or oblong, costal or subcostal (often at the same time
submarginal by the contraction of the frond) .

(6). Receptacles linear (sometimes oblong or punctiform) marginal or sub-
marginal (rarely medial), always remote from the costa.

(c) . Receptacles short arcuately-transverse on the venules, subparallel with
the costa or margin.

The first group (a) with linear costal receptacles embraces two
sections, as follows : —

(a). Receptacles costal, &c.

Sori indusiate linear superficial . . . §3. Lomariece.
Sori nonindusiate, linear or oblong, superficial or
immersed §4. Pleurogrammece.

The Lomariece consist of four genera, whose common character is

the continuous line of spore-
cases situated near to the
costa, and furnished with
an indusium. Of these
Lomaria and Blechnum
have the veins free ; and
Salpichkena and Sadleria
have them combined.
Neither of the latter genera
are in cultivation, but they
are interesting, the first as
being scandent, and the
second arborescent.

The Pleurogrammece

(a) Lomaria callosa ; (4) Blechnum differ obviously fl'Om the

onentaie. Lomariece in wanting an

indusium, while they agree with them in the costal line of spore-cases.

FEBRUARY.

41

The number of genera referred here is six : — Monogramma, a minute

plant, in which there are no veins beyond the costa ; Dicliclopteris, in

which there is only a costa and the receptacle

distinct from but parallel with it ; Pleuro-

gramma and Xiphopteris with free veins from

a central costa ; and Hymenolepis and Gym-

nopteris, in which the veins are compound

reticulated.

The second group (£), with linear marginal
receptacles, embraces a larger number of sec-
tions, which may be set forth thus : —

. %i. Plkokogp.a.mmk^e :

(6). Receptacles marginal, &C. Pleurogramnia linearis.

Sori non-indusiate, linear, mostly immersed in a groove
or furrow of the frond, sometimes superficial —

— submarginal, usually occupying a shallow dorsal

furrow (rarely oblong) ..... |5. Tcenitidcce.

— marginal, always occupying an extrorse-marginal

furrow §6. Vittariece.

Sori indusiate, superficial, linear, oblong, or rotundate —

Indusium bursting along the outer edge . . • \7 • Lindsceece.
Indusium bursting along the inner edge —
Receptacles resupinate, i.e., the spore-cases attached
to the under surface of the indusium itself .

Receptacles normal, i.e., the spore-cases attached to
the frond —

— punctiform (transverse-marginal) .

— linear (transverse marginal) . . . .

§8. Adiantece.

. §9. Cheilanthece.
. . §10. Pteridece.

The Tcenitidece, remarkable for the furrow in which the submarginal

spore-cases are in almost all cases
inserted, embrace several genera. In
Scoliosorus and Holcosorus the veins
are reduced to an obscure costa ; in
Tcenitis, Sckizokpton, and Loma-
gramma, they are uniform-reticulated ;
in Drymoglossum, Diblemma, and
Paragramma they are compound-
reticulated ; in Dicranoglossum the
veins form simple arcs, each one
meeting the next, along both sides of
the costa; and in Tceniopsis the
veins are free, except where combined

§5. tamBU : T*niopsis lineata. by th(J marginal re^eptacle.

The Vittariece very much resemble the genus Tceniopsis in the
last section, only in Tceniopsis the sori mostly occupy a furrow (they are
usually immersed, but not always) along the back of the grass-like
frond near each margin ; while in the present section, consisting only
of Vittaria, the furrow is along the extreme edge, its opening being
turned outwards, so that the spore -cases seem to lie in the split margin.

42

THE FLORIST.

The Lindsceece are an elegant group, with the sori long, continuous,
(rarely short and broken up), placed either quite at or very near to the
margin of the frond, and covered by an indusium which opens along its

?6. Vittarie^e : Vittaria zosteraefolia. §7. Likbs^ee^e : Lindsaea trapeziformis.

outer and remains attached by its inner edge. They comprise three
genera : — Lindscea with free veins ; and Sckizoloma and Dicty-
oxiphium with reticulated veins ; the latter having simple fronds.

The Adiantece a good deal resemble the Lindsceece, but they have a
very distinct structure. The chief peculiarity consists in the indusium,
which is turned inwards from the margin, and though looking like that
of Cheilanthes or Pteris, is not, as in them, a simple membrane
covering the sori, but the spore-cases are actually inserted on it, so
that if the indusium is turned up, the spore-cases are turned over with
it. These spore-cases are inserted in short parallel lines across the

Adianteje: Aiiiantum Capillus veneris. g9. Cheilanthes: Hypolepis anthriscifolia.

indusium (which is sometimes nearly round, sometimes quite linear)
and might perhaps be placed in the next group (2), in company with
the Platylomece. In this section are Adiantum, with free veins, and
Hewardia, with the veins reticulated.

The Cheilanthece, as a group, come very near the Pteridece, but we
think they are well kept asunder, if only to facilitate the means of
separating some species of the typical genera, which have sometimes a

FEBRUARY.

43

resemblance to one sometimes to the other, so that they get refeired to
either. The point which distinguishes the Cheilantkece is the puncti-
form receptacle, and this seldom fails ; while the common continuous

§10. Pteride-e : Pteris repandula.

indusium which in some cases covers several of these punctiform sori,
from its similarity to Pteris, often misleads. The group comprises five
genera : Adiantopsis, Cheilanthes, Hypolepis, and Cassebeera, with sori
terminal on the veins, the latter genus having them more within the
margin than the rest ; and Plecosorus, with sori medial on the veins,
placed towards the centre of the lobes.

The Pteridece are separated from the foregoing by having their
receptacles linear, continuous and marginal, that is, transverse to the
veins. They comprise eight genera, namely : — Onychium, Ochropteris,
Haplopteris, and Pteris, with free veins ; Campteria, with combined
transverse-costal veins ; and Loncltitis, Litobrochia, and Amphiblestra,
in which the veins are reticulated, — in the last compound-reticulated.

The third group (c), with the receptacles arcuately-transverse on
the venules, falls into this place, on account of its sori, though short
compared with most of the preceding groups, and curved, being yet
parallel in its general direction with the midrib and margin. It gives
rise to two sections, as follows : —

(c). Receptacles short, arcuately transverse, costal or medial —

Sori indusiate §11. Woodwardiew.

Sori non-indusiate |l2. Menisciece.

?ll. WoodwardiEjE : Woodwardia radicans.

44

THE FLORIST.

The Woodwardiece are a small group, consisting of the single genus
Woodwardia, which latter, however, includes the plants sometimes
placed under Doodia. It produces one row (sometimes more) of short
or shortish lunate sori near the costa, the sori having an indusium,
which is either nearly flat, or arched.

The Menisciece differ in having their short lunately-curved sori
naked, that is, without any indusia. To this section we refer three
genera : — Brainea, which has combined ] transverse-costal veins ;
Meniscium, which has the venules uniting in transverse subangular

§12. Menisciece: Meniscium dentatum.

arcs between the pinnate veins ; and Dryomenis, in which the veins
are reticulated. Of these Brainea has doubtless a general affinity
with the Woodwardiece, as Dryomenis has with the Polypodiece, but
they are brought here by their short naked transverse sori.

The remaining groups of Polypodinece must be reserved for another
paper.

Thomas Moore.

Chelsea.

ON PRUNING.
Pruning is the art of controlling or appropriating the energies of a
plant for a specific purpose ; it may be for the production of flowers and
fruit, or of wood. There is no art in the whole practice of gardening
which requires so much knowledge and tact ; for while the operator
should be an adept in the use of the knife, he should foresee the effects
which each cut will produce, and see the tree as it will be after his
operations are completed. Every labourer who sports a blue apron,
and goes a "jobbing," would feel his dignity assailed if he were told
that he did not understand pruning, and had not pruned Mr. A.'s trees
as they should be. But I think no one can be an fait in this science
who has not learned something of elementary physiology, and who has
not also had a good share of practice to acquire tact and skill. Vast
mistakes are made for want of attention to summer pruning (I mean that
effected by finger and thumb). In the case of fruit trees, if a strong
shoot is allowed to run without stopping, it will soon become a gour-
mand, and require ultimate removal with the knife ; while, if stopped,
it will result in three or four moderate fruitful shoots, which leave
nothing for the knife to do ; and it is amazing how much labour proper

FEBRUARY. 45

attention to this " preventive pruning " saves. The late celebrated
gardener, Mr. McEwen, told me that he pruned his Peach trees scarcely
at all in winter, making his arrangement of the wood in the summer
— most judicious practice this, and worthy of all imitation.

In the case of cutting coverts, it is different, the object being to
ensure luxuriant and quick growth, therefore, the plant is cut down to
the ground ; from its collar issues a thick circle of shoots, which choke
one another, a few only of the strongest getting away. I have often
thought it would be judicious to thin these shoots as soon as formed,
and gain in the size of those produced. Trees which are planted for
effect should receive little attention from the hand of the primer, but
after getting a sufficient bole, may be left to Nature. Trees in the
interior of a wood may be denuded of branches, straight and poly, in
fact, fine timber; but those on the exterior should develope their
natural features and habits ; this is too little appreciated. Root pruning
is a most serviceable operation ; it should be performed in early
autumn, so as to give the trees the chance of forming fresh spongioles
before the spring. A circle should be dug round the tree, all the roots
selected, and portions only of the strongest removed, leaving the small
fibres uncut. A few general rules may be laid down, but much must
be left to the experience of the operator ; he only who has grown up
with plants, and strengthened with their strength, can adapt his
practice to their ever varying requirements, and assign to every case its
remedy.

January 20. Henry Bailey.

THE NEW PLANTS OP 1858.

[Continued from page 13.)

The additions to this family have not been very numerous, nor of
great importance. The Vandas take, of course, the highest place. The
fine Indian V. Cathcarti has, it would seem, at length reached Europe
in a living state. V. gigantea does not equal the expectations formed
of it ; but V. Lowii proves a desirable, though second-rate, species. The
variety of Dendrobium Falconeri is a very ornamental plant.

Bolbophyllum neilgherrense. (Bot. Mag. t. 5050 ) An insignificant
epiphytal Orchid ; flowers green and brown. Neilgherries. Kew Botanic Garden.

Calanthe Dominii. (Bot. Mag. t. 5042.) A highly curious and interesting
terrestrial Orchid, a hybrid between C. furcata and C. Masuca, and having
much of the habit and form of the former combined with the purple colours of
the latter. A garden hybrid. Messrs. Veitch $■ So?i.

Cattleya Aclandi^e. (Bot Mag. t. 5039.) A fine figure of this beautiful
plant is here given.

Cattleya granulosa. (Bot. Mag. t. 5048.) An excellent figure of a fine
old Orchid, from specimens grown at the Liverpool Botanic Garden.

Cattleya luteola. (Bot. Mag. t. 5032.) A dwarf interesting epiphytal
Orchid, with elliptical leaves on short compressed pseudo-bulbs, and compara-
tively large primrose-coloured flowers, four or five together. Brazil. Messrs.
Rollisson.

Ccelogyne cinnamomea. (Gard. Chron. 1858, 37.) A stove epiphyte, with
two-leaved pseudo-bulbs, and 6-8 flowered drooping racemes of pale yellowish-
green flowers ; the sides of the lip stained with cinnamon colour. Probably a
native of India. The Lord Bishop of Winchester.

46 THE FLORIST.

Ccelogyne pandurata. (Bot. Mag. t. 5084.) A fine and remarkable
epiphytal stove Orchid. It has large pseudo-bulbs, broad ribbed leaves, and
long pendent racemes of large flowers, which are pale yellowish green; the base
of the panduriform lip warted and marked with broad black veins and stains.
Borneo. T. Butler, Esq.

Ccelogyne Schilleriana. (Bot. Mag. t. 5072.) A pretty little epiphytal
Orchid of the Pleione group of Ccelogyne. The pseudo-bulbs are small bottle-
shaped, the leaves two, the flowers large tawny yellow, the lip broad, somewhat
lyre-shaped, wavy and toothed, and prettily blotched with brown irregular
markings. Moulmein. Messrs. Veitch <j- Son.

Dendrobium chrysotoxum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5053.) A charming epiphytal
Orchid, bearing splendid racemes of golden yellow flowers, having the lip beauti-
fully fringed. It has been some time in cultivation. India.

Dendrobium Falconeri, var. obtusum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5058.) A beautiful
epiphytal species with long pendent stems, bearing in clusters from their joints,
the charming flowers, of which the sepals are blush, the petals creamy, both
tipped with purple, the lip rich yellow, pubescent, with a deep red spot at the
base and a small purple one at the tip. Khasya. Messrs. Jackson and Son.

Dendrobium primulinum. (Gard. Chron. 1858,400.) This plant, figured
in the Bot. Mag. (t. 5003) as D. nobile, v. pallidiflorum, has since been distin-
guished under the above name. It is a very fine stove epiphyte, the flowers
white tipped with pink, smelling like Cowslips. The stems are pendulous, as in
D. cucullatum. India. Messrs. Parker Jf Williams.

Dendrobium pulchellum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5037.) The fine old epiphytal
Orchid cultivated under the above name, is here figured. The name, it is
intimated, does not properly belong to it, but no other is substituted.

Epiphora pubescens. (Gard. Chron.1858, 43?.) A stove epiphytal Orchid,
having small tapering pseudo-bulbs in masses ; the flowers are golden yellow
richly striped with crimson, two or three together on a scape five or six inches
high; their fragrance equals that of the sweetest Lilies-of-the- Valley. Mada-
gascar, Algoa Bay, &c. Rev. Mr. Ellis.

Keferstenia graminea. (Bot. Mag. t. 5046.) Also Zygopetalum gra-
miueum and Huntleya fimbriata. A curious dwarf Orchid, without pseudo-
bulbs, having longish equitant leaves and radical peduncles, bearing the yellow-
green spotted moderate-sized flowers, of which the lip is edged with rose and
spotted with rich brown, on a yellowish ground. Caraccas. Kew Botanic
Garden.

Oberonia acaulis. (Bot. Mag. t. 5056.) A singular epiphytal stove
Orchid, not pseudo-bulbous, with ensiform leaves, and a long cylindrical crowded
raceme of minute orange coloured flowers. India. Kew Botanic Garden.

Orchis foliosa. (Bot. Mag. t. 5074.) A fine terrestrial Orchid, with pal-
mated tubers, broad oblong lanceolate leaves, and a long spike of spotted purple
flowers terminating the tallish erect stem. Madeira. Kew Botanic Garden.

Pilumna fragrans. (Bot. Mag. t. 5035.) This is the Trichopilia albida of
gardens. An epiphytal Orchid, whose flowers have narrow greenish sepals and
petals and a broad white lip, and are deliciously scented ; it has long subtsrete
pseudo-bulbs and pendent flower racemes. Guatemala. Kew Botanic Garden.

Pogonia discolor and P. Neryilia. Two charming little plants of the
Orchidaceous family, bearing considerable resemblance to the well-knowD
species of Ansectochilus. Java. M. Willinck.

Vanda Cathcarti. (Flore des Serres, t. 1251.) A beautiful epiphytal
stove Orchid with tall leafy stems, bearing linear-oblong leaves rounded and
obliquely bilobed at the ends, and lax few-flowered racemes of large flowers, the
sepals and petals nearly equal, white behind, rich cinnamon brown in front
transversely lined with deeper brown ; the lip is very curiously formed, its larger
middle lobe having an elevated border, of which the recurved rim is yellow.
India. French Gardens.

Vanda gigantea. (Gard Chron. 1858, 312.) A fine stove epiphytal Orchid,
called V. Lindleyana by Griffith. The flowers large, nearly three inches in dia-
meter, leathery, opening cream colour, changing to deep yellow with a reddish
brown stain at the back, and irregular roundish blotches of cinnamon colour on
the inner face. India, Burmah. R. Warner, Esq.

FEBRUARY. 47

Vanda Jenkinsi. A stove epiphytal Orchid. The small scentless flowers
are of little beauty. Assam. Messrs. Jackson $■ Son.

Vanda Lowii. (Gard. Chron. 1858, 175.) A fine stove epiphyte producing
a long drooping spike nearly three feet long, set with large blossoms, yellow
mottled with brown. Borneo. The native plants are said to have spikes ten to
twelve feet long. Messrs. Veitch § Son.

STOVE PLANTS.
Here we have a second species of Lattice-plant or Lace-leaf, in the
curious and elegant OuvirandraBerneriana, whose strap shaped perforated
leaves are extremely elegant, as seen floating in pure water. Nepenthes
villosa is one of the finest Pitcher-plants yet known, and is very remark-
able for the form and colour of the rim to its pitchers. The Ges-
neras are all valuable additions for decorative purposes ; while Cyano-
phyllum magnificum and the new Caladiums are charming additions to
the now favourite class of fine-foliaged plants.

JEschynanthus tricolor. (Bot. Mag. t. 5031.) A beautiful Cyrtan-
draceous stove shrub, with slender branches, adapted for suspending ; it has
short ovate leaves, and small umbels of flowers either axillary or terminal, richly
coloured, being scarlet with broad distinct longitudinal stripes of yellow and
black. Borneo. Messrs. Low $ Son.

Begonia Wageneriana. (Bot. Mag. t. 5047.) A small-flowered narrow-
petalled species of the sub-shrubby section, quite distinct from one figured a
few months previously under the same name, in the same work. Venezuela.
Kew Botanic Garden.

Billbergia Liboniana. (Bot. Mag. t. 5090.) A handsome stove Brome-
liaceous perennial, with Pine-apple-like leaves and loose erect spikes of flowers,
which are two inches long — the lower half, or sepals, rich orange-scarlet — the
upper half, or projecting petals, violet-blue. Brazil. Kew Botanic Garden.
Caladium Cantrini, ~i Fine additions to stove variegated leaved plants,

Caladium argyrites, especially the three first. Like most of the spe-

Caladium argyrospilum, cies, they are extremely handsome. One, appa-
Caladium Newmanni, rently quite new, has triangular, or, rather,

Caladium Houlleti, arrow-shaped leaves, ten inches long, seven inches

Caladium tiolaceum. J broad at the base, with 20-30 well defined crim-
son spots, extremely brilliant and effective, spread over their surface. Another
is similar, but more obtuse in the form of the leaves. On one small kind, a
perfect gem, the leaves are three inches long and one and a half inch wide, their
surface handsomely mottled with white. In another, the leaves are nearly
heart-shaped, deep green, with white spots set at regular intervals. In another,
they are arrow-shaped, seven and a half inches long, prettily blotched with flesh
colour. {Gard. Chron. 1858, 314.) Amazon River. M. Chantin. Messrs.
Low $ Son.

Cordia ipom(E;EFlora. (Bot. Mag. t. 5027) A fine stove shrub, or small
tree of the Boraginaceous family, having obovate-Ianceolate leaves a foot or
more in length, and lax terminal panicles of large white Convolvulus-like
flowers. Native country unknown ; probably West Indian. Kew Botanic Garden.
Cyanophyllum magnificum. A Melastomaceous plant, splendid as regards
its foliage. The leaves are two feet long, deep velvety green, with ivory-like
veins above and tinted bluish purple beneath. Tropical America. M. Linden.
Fagr^ea morind^folia. A fine stove plant, with large Magnolia-like leaves
and terminal spikes of trumpet-shaped rosy flowers, having a white mouth.
Java. Messrs. Rollisson.

Gesnera cinnabarina. (Bot. Mag. t. 5036.) This fine stove tuberous
perennial has been figured again as above quoted. Its richly variegated leaves
and brilliant vermilion flowers render it one of the most ornamental of its family.
Its habit is that of G. zebrina, and like that it belongs to the group Naegelia.
It was first published in the Illustrated Bouquet (t. 6) of Messrs. E. G. Henderson.
Gesnera Donkelaari (Bot. Mag. t. 5(170.) A beautiful dwarf stove plant,

48 THE FLORIST.

one of the most ornamental in cultivation. The leaves velvety, orbicular-cordate,
purple beneath, the terminal panicle bearing drooping tubular flowers with a
spreading limb of a peculiar tint of rosy red, and having a yellow throat. A
Belgian hybrid.

Gksnera multiplora. (Bot. Mag. t. 5083.) Also known as Nzegelia
multiflora and Achimenes amabilis. It is a fine stove perennial, with broad,
hairy leaves, and long pyramidal racemes of white drooping flowers, having a
curved tube and expanded limb. Mexico. Kew Botanic Garden.

Gustavia insignis. (Bot. Mag. t. 5069.) A tine tropical tree or large shrub,
producing dark green obovate-lanceolate leaves of large size, and very large
spreading six-petalled concave flowers 5-G inches broad, creamy blush within,
pale rose without, with a beautifully incurved thick ring of purple and yellow
stamens. Tropical America. Kew Botanic Garden.

Inqa macrophylla. (Bot. Mag. t. 5075.) A stove shrub, with curious
winged pinnate leaves, and axillary balls of yellow filaments forming silky heads
on long stalks. Tropical America. Kew Botanic Garden.

Monstera Adansonii. (Bot. Mag. t. 5086.) Known as Dracontium
pertusum. A fine scrambling aroideous plant, with very large leaves, remark-
able from their being perforated with large linear or oblong openings. The great
boat-shaped spathes are cream coloured, the spadix white, Tropical America.
Kew Botanic Garden.

Nepenthes villosa.. (Bot. Mag., t. 5080.) One of the finest species of
this interesting group. It is very hairy, especially when young. The pitcher
is cylindrical, nine inches in circumference, somewhat ventricose, rather suddenly
tapering into the prolonged costa; they are furnished down the front with two
membranaceous wings cut at the edges into long fringe-like segments often bifid
or trifid ; these wings are purplish brown, and the pitcher is spotted with the
same colour. The mouth or rim is oblique, much extended upwards, broad,
orange-purple, and beautifully plaited on the surface. The lid is green, margined
and blotched with red. Borneo. Messrs. Veitch § Son.

Niphtea albo-lineata, var. reticulata. (Bot. Mag. t. 5043.) An erect
Gesneraceous stove herb, with the ovate leaves white-veined, several pale lilac
flowers springing from their axils. South America. Kew Botanic Garden.

Osbeckia aspera. (Bot. Mag., t. 5085.) A rather handsome stove sub-
shrub, with oval acute ribbed leaves, and large rose purple flowers. India and
Ceylon. Kew Botanic Garden.

Ouvirandra Berneriana. (Bot. Mag. t. 5076.) A new kind of Lattice
plant, in which the open-work leaves are longer and narrower than in O. fenes-
tra'is, being almost strap shaped ; the small pinkish flower grows in 3-5 spikes
clustered at the top of the common stalk. Madagascar. Messrs. Jackson $
Son.

Philodendron erubescens. (Bot. Mag. t. 5071.) A scandent aroideous
stove plant beariug large sagittately-cordate leaves, and dark purple boat-shaped
spathes, crimson within, surrounding the white columnar spadices. Like the rest
of the family this is very ornamental in a collection where the grouping of foliage
is desired. Probably a native of South America. Kew Botanic Garden.

Plocostemma lasianthum. (Bot. Mag. t. 5081.) Also Hoya lasiantha.
A curious climbing stove shrub, with very large ovate leaves and pendent umbels
of orange yellow flowers, furnished with a hairy globular cushion-like mass (the
disc) beneath the staminal crown. Also recently figured in our own plate 147.
Borneo. Messrs. Low § Son.

Polyqala Hilairiana. (Bot. Mag. t. 5057.) A stove shrub, with broad
oblong-ovate leaves, and axillary or terminal spikes of dirty white rose-tinted
flowers of no beauty. Brazil. Kew Botanic Garden.

Sonerila speciosa. (Bot. Mag. t. 5026). A showy Melastomaceous stove
sub-shrub, with herbaceous stems, bright green cordate-ovate leaves, and terminal
two-forked scorpioid racemes of rich deep rose coloured three-petalled flowers with
yellow anthers. Neilgherry Mountains, where it grows on the sides of moist
ravines. Messrs. Veitch § Son.

Tacsonia ignea, which has been advertised during the past season, appears
to be T. manicata.

Thyrsacanthus indicus. (Bot. Mag. t. 5062.) A neat stove Acanthaceous

FEBRUARY. 49

racemes of white flowers marked with a few slender purple longitudinal lines.
Khasya. T. Nuttall, Esq.

Torenia pulcherrima. (Illust. Bouq. t. 24.) A superb variety of T-
asiatica, different in being pubescent all over, with broad ovate leaves, and the
flowers intensely rich in colour — violet, with deep maroou spots and a white patch
on the lower lobe ; it far excels the older kind. India. Messrs. J. and C. Lee.

Tradescantia discolor, var. variegata. (Bot. Mag. t. 5079.) A
beautiful form of a fine old-fashioned stove perennial, remarkable for the deep
purple of the under surface of the leaves. In this variety they are at the same
time striped ou the upper side with yellowish lines. The flowers are small
white, in curious boat-shaped bracts.

XlPHlDIUM FLORIBUNDUJI, var. ALBIFLORUM. (Bot Mag. t. 5055.) An
Iris-like stove herb, with equitant leaves, and long raceme-like compound
thyrses of white star-shaped flowers. Tropical America. Kew Botanic Garden.

HINTS TO LADY AMATEURS.

Greenhouse. — The great secret of greenhouse management during
winter is abundance of air ; this may seem strange to those who
imagine greenhouse plants want coddling up, by keeping them close and
warm ; tires by night, and the house kept close all day, would ruin all
the greenhouse plants in Britain in a couple of months. Let the house,
then, be freely aired, every mild morning, from 10 to 12 or 1 o'clock,
and if at all damp, light a fire the first thing in the morning, and an
hour afterwards give air ; this will dry the atmosphere and keep the air
healthy. In frosty weather the house need not stand higher than 40°
by night, but let everything be as dry as possible ; all waterings should
be done in the mornings, that the paths and plants may get dry before
night, and if the frost becomes very severe, cover the roof with some
protecting material, as frigi domo, or even tiffany, sooner than keep
strong fires ; frequently change the plants about, remove decayed
leaves, and clean the surface soil in the pots.

Floicer Garden. — All the autumn struck cuttings should be
examined, to see that they are free from drip or damp of any kind ;
these plants will stand a low temperature, if kept dry and free from
damp, so that the pits or frames should be kept as dry as is possible ;
give air every day except during severe frost. Chrysanthemums will
be cut down and placed in frames for shelter.

There is nothing to be done out of doors, except keeping the Grass
clean, and to see that mice or sparrows do not eat up all your Crocuses.
Prepare, also, labels, clean pots, and get ready soil and sand for the
commencement of work in February, until which period let us defer
the rest.

NEW PALACE FOR THE PEOPLE.

An influential company is in course of formation, with the object of
erecting a second Crystal Palace under the above title at Musvvell Hill
— a delightful situation between Hornsey and Highgate, where an
estate of 450 acres, admirably adapted as a site for the proposed

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXIV. E

50 THE FLORIST.

building and grounds, has, we hear, been purchased for that purpose.
The proposed building, which, like its great precursors in Hyde Park
and Sydenham, is to be a magnificent structure of iron and glass, is
from the designs of Mr. Owen Jones, who has, however, introduced very
considerable alterations both in the elevation and interior arrangements,
and which, in our opinion, constitute great improvements, and will
make the building much superior, in many respects, to the Sydenham
Palace. The centre of the proposed building, which altogether is
upwards of 1200 feet long and 400 feet wide, consists of an immense
circular dome of 200 feet span, and 136 feet high, completely divided
from the rest of the building, and intended as a winter garden or
tropical conservatory, beneath whose capacious and lofty roof Palms and
other types of the magnificent vegetation of the tropics will find room
enough to attain their utmost development. The great advantage of'having
this compartment devoted to a conservatory divided from the naves will
be to prevent the humid atmosphere necessary for the growth of plants
penetrating the rest of the building ; and thereby to preserve many
fine art productions and delicate manufactures which are found to suffer
where the least dampness prevails. One nave is to be devoted to works
of practical utility, manufactures, &c, and the other to the fine arts and
scientific objects. Besides, there are proposed minor sub-divisions, to
include museums, class rooms, show rooms, &c. A grand concert room
or theatre is also provided, which forms a circular projection to the
building on the north front ; this will contain sitting room for 10,000
spectators, and yet is so arranged that it does not interfere with the
other interior arrangements.

It is proposed to surround the palace with terrace gardens on a magnifi-
cent scale in the early English, Italian, Dutch, and French styles, as well
as modern English, to represent the progression of this department of
ornamental gardening. An experimental horticultural establishment is
also one of the objects contemplated by the promoters, as well as the culti-
vation of those plants which enter into the arts and manufactures ; their
object being to make the Palace an educational establishment, as well as to
afford amusement and recreation. Useful or economic botany, as well
as horticulture, arboriculture, and agriculture, will be introduced in a
popular manner, so as to convey a clear view of the principles of culti-
vation included under each head.

As we stated above, the whole estate comprises about 450 acres,
beautifully undulated, and well furnished with timber. The site of the
proposed Palace will be at an elevation of 200 feet above the general
level, and the view from the building and adjoining terraces will
embrace a wide circle, extending over the metropolis to the Surrey hills,
and the Sydenham Palace ; Kent, Middlesex, and Essex. The situation
is, in fact, one of the most picturesque to be met with, and remarkably
so, considering its close proximity to London, and the ease with which
it may be reached from the metropolitan districts north of the Thames.
The extent of ground intended for the gardens and park will be about
200 acres ; the soil is a sandy loam, varying to that in which clay
predominates, and very suitable for the growth of trees, as is evidenced
by those growing on the spot, and the luxuriance of the shrubs and

FEBRUARY. 51

exotic trees in the neighbouring gardens growing in similar soil. In
addition to the grand architectural terrace gardens, which will enclose
the palace on all sides, the rest of the grounds are to be laid out in the
natural style, and will include some 40 or 50 acres laid out as a park, to
be stocked with deer and other animals, and also ample spaces of ground
for every species of recreation. A broad carriage drive is to be carried
entirely round the grounds, which will be a great boon to invalids and
equestrians. A lake of 30 acres will occupy the low ground facing the
terrace front of the Palace, and will prove a great feature, as seen from
the higher grounds. The introduction of ornamental trees and shrubs
is intended to be on a most extensive scale, and it is expected will
add greatly to the interest and novelty of the gardens, admirably
adapted as the features of the ground already are for carrying out the
natural style of landscape gardening. The above are the principal
features connected with English gardening which the promoters of this
undertaking contemplate introducing into their scheme. There can be no
question that the idea of making British gardening popular as well as
instructive is a step in the right direction ; and that there is no reason
why the highest attainment of the landscape gardener's art, and the most
successful examples of cultivation, may not be made subservient for
imparting a knowledge of plants under every form of employment and
combination, — a beautiful and suggestive idea, worthy of the age.
Notwithstanding the great popularity of Kew — maintained by national
resources — we think much remains to be accomplished before all the
instructive lessons which may be taught through the medium of the
vegetable kingdom, and the various uses and objects to which plants
can be applied, are fully comprehended by the masses. We can
therefore most heartily wish success to a company who, it appears,
are endeavouring to carry out such ideas, and who seem desirous of
making the grounds belonging to the " Palace for the People " not only
as interesting and beautiful as Art can make them, but, by embodying
the educational principle in their scheme, they will create thereby a
school for studying an important department of natural history, as well
as the principles of cultivation applicable to the garden and the farm.

BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

At a late meeting of this society, R. Hogg, Esq., in the chair, a
large collection of Apples, Pears, and Grapes, was exhibited.

Grapes. — Mr. Wighton, of Cossey Hall, Norfolk, again sent his
seedling, observing, that he had cut the first bunch from the same
Vine on August 5, when the crop was first ripe, showing that the
bunch now sent had been kept over four months. He also stated, that
he began forcing the house in which they had grown in December last,
and that it had stood open for some time past, and, in two instances,
exposed to several degrees of frost. On the former occasion, the
meeting expressed a very favourable opinion of it, desiring to see it
again at this season, to test its keeping properties. Doubts, however,

e 2

52 THE FLORIST.

were felt as to its being perfectly distinct from some varieties of the
St. Peter section, evident affinity thereto being proved by its foliage ;
and on this occasion it was not considered quite so juicy as West's
St. Peter's. The meeting were of opinion that Mr. Wighton should
be invited to send it again next year, on the days specially appointed
for the examination of collections of Grapes, and that the final opinion
of the society regarding it should be reserved until then. — Mr. Melville
(Dalmeny Park, near Edinburgh) again sent his Seedling Muscat
Grape, which had been laid before previous meetings (August 19 and
September 9) ; and being then considered promising, was invited to be
exhibited in a higher state of development next year. In this instance,
a small bunch was sent, upon a third lateral shoot, to evince the
prolific habit of the variety.

FRUIT EXHIBITED AT THIS MEETING FOR PREMIUMS.
Class A. — Premiums of 1/. and 10s. for the best and second best
six fruits of Glou Morceau Pear (growers in the Channel Islands
excluded from competing in this class). Nine very excellent dishes
were exhibited, from different parts of the country, and so nearly did
they approach each other, that it was not an easy matter to decide
upon their respective merits. The following, however, is the order in
which they were placed : — The first prize was awarded to a dish
exhibited by Mr. J. Hall, (gardener to T. Lucas, Esq., Lower Grove
House, Roehampton), from west wall, free stock; soil light and sandy,
over very porous and drained subsoil. Fruit medium sized for the
variety, very handsome and perfect, deliciously juicy and melting,
with very rich sugary flavour. Considered one of the finest dishes of
Pears which had been exhibited at the society's rooms this year. —
The second prize, to a dish by Mr. Tiley, Abbey Churchyard, Bath,
from an espalier, on Pear stock ; soil stiff loam, over strong clay.
Fruit small, compared with those from walls, very juicy, melting, and
sugary. The comparative quality of the remaining dishes was
according to the order in which they are described : —

By Mr. Wighton, Cossey, Norfolk, from east wall, on light soil, artificially
enriched, over brown sand and gravel. Fruit medium sized ; most buttery, and
richly flavoured. Very highly commended. Reported to be a shy bearer, and
apt to crack, in this case.

By F. J . Graham, Esq., Cranford, Middlesex, from west wall, Pear stock ;
soil sandy loam, over stony clay, naturally wet, but drained. Fruit small, but
juicy, melting, vinous, and sugary. Reported to be fine flavoured on south
wall, but subject to be spotted and cracked.

By Mr. Whiting, the Deepdene, Dorking, from east wall; old tree; soil
sandy. Fruit medium sized; buttery, melting, and sugary; but slightly
astringent. Reported not to succeed on pyramids in this garden.

By Mr. Duncan (gardener to J. Malcolm, Esq., Lamb Abbey, Eltham,
Kent), from a south-west wall. Fruit medium sized, melting, and sweet, but
not high flavoured, in comparison with other dishes.

By Mr. Cox (gardener to W. Wells, Esq., Redleaf, Penshurst, Kent), from
west wall, regrafted twelve years back on an old Pear tree; soil rich garden
mould, over yellow argillaceous clay, rather damp, recently drained. Fruit
very large, pale coloured, buttery, and sweet.

By Mr. Stoddart (gardener to J. Gurdon Rebow, Esq., M.P., Wivenhoe
Park, near Colchester), from south-west wall, Pear stock; soil rich garden
mould, over stony loamy clay, damp, but drained. Fruit very large and green,
juicy, and buttery, but not high flavoured.

FEBRUARY. 53

Another dish, grown on a standard (No. 4) in the same garden, were much
smaller, melting, and juicy, but astringent.

By Mr. Smith (gardener to T. W. Tatton, Esq., Wythenshaw, Cheshire),
from south wall ; young tree, on Pear stock, planted on prepared stations ;
soil strong loam, over clay. Fruit very large and green, buttery, and melting,
but rather watery, and deficient in saccharine flavour.

From the above facts concerning aspect, district, soil, &c, the fol-
lowing deductions may be gleaned : — -1st. That it is generally a variety
requiring a wall, although succeeding well on espaliers in the south-
western counties. 2nd. That the quality of the fruit graduates very
nearly as the soil passes from light sandy loam, over porous subsoils,
to strong loam ovef retentive clays. 3rd. That size increases, but
flavour diminishes when the trees grow on rich garden mould. 4th.
That the more favourable aspects on which the trees are grown, in
Essex ami Cheshire, are insufficient to compensate for the stronger soil,
combined with the difference in latitude. 5th. That, in the south-
western district, the difference of climate is sufficient to compensate
for that between wall and espalier, and between strong soil and light.
This synopsis of the comparison between the merits of the different
examples and the circumstances under which they have been grown, is
given as an instance of the manner in which it is proposed to collate,
analyse, and classify the information gathered, concerning different
varieties, so soon as a sufficient body thereof is obtained, to admit of its
being done in a reliable manner. No comment is necessary to explain
the great usefulness of such information when made public. It is also
given to show to members and others the great aid they may render by
sending specimens of all fruits in season, accompanied by forms care-
fully filled up. It is proper to mention, that in the above deduction the
leading features only of the information furnished have been made use
of; there are many other points — such as shelter and exposure, altitude,
inclination of surface, &c. — which modify the effect of the more im-
portant conditions and circumstances, and which will be useful in
more extended analyses, by explaining results which would otherwise
appear discrepant.

Class B. — Premiums of 1/. and 10s. for the best and second best
six fruits of Winter Nelis Pear. Nine dishes also were exhibited ;
but their general quality, either in appearance or flavour, was not pro-
portionately equal to those in the previous class. The finest dish, in
every respect, was one placed, " not for competition," by Messrs. M.
Webber and Co. The first prize was awarded to a dish exhibited by
Mr. Cox, from a south wall (soil, see Glou Morceau). They were
large, very juicy and melting, vinous, and sugary in flavour. — The
second prize, to a dish by Mr. Wighton, from an espalier. Fruit
small, somewhat shrivelled and spotted, but deliciously juicy, melting,
and fine flavoured. Reported to be much subject to mildew. The
quality of the remaining dishes was according to the order in which
they are described : —

Exhibited by Mr. Tiley, from an espalier. Medium sized, melting, and
sugary.

. By Mr. M'Laren (gardener to J. C. Whitbread, Esq., Cardington, near Bed-
ford), from east wall, on light, black, gravelly soil, over very porous subsoil.
Fruit medium sized, very melting and sweet, but slightly astringent.

54 TIIE FLORIST.

By Mr. Holder, of Reading, from standard ; soil very rich, over sandy loam.
Very large and fine in appearance, promising to be equally so in flavour, but
not ripe enough to compare with others.

By Mr. Melville (gardener to the Earl of Rosebury, of Dalmeny Park,
Edinburgh), from a south wall, regrafted on an old Crassaue tree. The latter
variety is a shy bearer in this garden ; but the Winter Nelis is reported to be
one of their best December Pears. Soil deep light loam, over rather gravelly
rock. Fruit medium sized, clear, and healthy, but very green texture, very
buttery and melting, but deficient in flavour. Good, however, for the latitude.

By Mr. Newton (gardener to G. J. Graham, Esq., East Lodge, Enfield
Chase), from a wall, on quince stock; soil rich garden mould, over Loudon clay.
Fruit large and handsome, melting, but watery in flavour.

By Mr. Smith, Cheshire, from a pyramid, Pear stock; planted on a prepared
station. Very similar in appearance and quality to the last.

By Mr. Elliott (gardener to the Marquis of Stafford, Lilleshall), from a south
wall, with the ground much shaded by very massive projecting buttresses; soil
strong clayey loam ; subsoil clay, over old red sandstone ; very high and exposed.
Fruit small, and indifferent in appearance ; dry in texture, compared with the
previous varieties ; and watery in flavour. This exhibition is one of a class
which the council are anxious to have more frequently laid before the meetings,
as they are equally serviceable to the purposes of the society in adding important
items of information. The council wdl be glad if contributors will bear in mind,
that it is desirable to ascertain and disseminate information, not only regarding
the kinds which are suitable for given localities, but also as to those which are
unsuitable.

Class C. — Premiums of 11. and 10s. for the best and second best
six of any other kind of Dessert Pear in season, excepting Glou
Morceau and Winter Nelis. The first prize was awarded to dish of
Marie Louise, exhibited by Mr. Shoesmith (gardener to J. Morman,
Esq., Bexhill, Sussex), from south-west wall ; soil medium loam,
over stiff clay. Fruit in very fine condition, large, clouded with
russet, very buttery and melting ; flavour rich and sugary. — The
second prize, to a dish of Van Mons (Leon le Clerc), also by Mr.
Shoesmith, from espalier ; very large, russety, buttery, and melting ;
rich, aromatic, and very sugary. This dish was scarcely ripe, or it
would have been first instead of second : —

Comte de Lamy was exhibited by Mr. Holder, from a standard. Fruit
very juicy, but rather rough and gritty in texture; good aroma; flavour rich,
vinous, but rather sharp.

Bergamotte Cauette, or Beurre Beauchamp, by Mr. Whiting, of the
Deepdene, from a pyramid, on Quince stock (soil, see Glou Morceau). This is
a little known, small roundish-obovate Pear. Average size — 2, 3-16 inches
greatest length, by 2, 5-1G inches greatest diameter. Colour bright lemon.,
with patches of light russet, and very dark irregular spots ; calyx open and
perfect; texture juicy and melting ; aroma slight; flavour sweet, but not rich.
Mr. Whiting reports, that this variety possesses, in a greater degree than any
other variety he knows, the quality of ripening so as to furnish a long succession
from the same tree.

Beurre d'Aremberg, by Mr. Shoesmith, from south-east wall, in nice
condition. Juicy and melting, but rather gritty ; flavour rather acid but pleasant.

Old Colmar, by Mr. Underwood, from an old tree, on south wall. Very
juicy and melting, but not rich.

Matthews' Eliza, by Mr. Matthews, of Clapham Rise. This variety was
brought as a seedling before the society, on December 3rd, 1U57, and then
highly commended. It was not, however, on this occasion found to be so fine
in flavour, though very juicy and melting.

Passe Colmar, by Mr. M'Laren, from dwarf standard, on Quince stock.
Unripe.— By Mr. Smith, Cheshire, from south wall. Large handsome, but dry
and deficient in flavour.— By Mr. Wighton, from south wall. Sugary and

FEBRUARY. 55

juicy, but not melting. — By Mr. Melville, also from south wall. Juicy and
half melting, but deficient in flavour. Good for the locality. — And by Mr.
SSpivcy, gardener to J. A. Houblong, Esq., Hallingbury Place, Essex), from
pyramid, on Quince stock; soil rich garden mould, over strong but well-drained
subsoil. Earge, handsome, and ripe; melting and juicy; sweet, but not high
flavoured, although the best dish exhibited in this variety.

Forelle, by Mr. Morris (gardener to T. White, Esq., Manor House,
Wethersheld), from espalier Fear stock; soil sandy, over very dry sandy sub-
soil. Fruit very handsome, juicy, and half melting, but deficient in flavour.

Belle de ^Noel, by Mr. Morris, from a pyramid, on Quince stock. Fruit
very juicy, but only half melting ; not high flavoured.

Urpheline d'Engheim, by Mr. Morris, from an espalier, on Quince stock.
Fruit very good in size and appearance, but indifferent in texture and flavour.

Beurhe Diel, by Mr. fStoddart (No. 3), from an east wall. — Beurre
Rance, by Mr. Wighton, from south wall. — And Easter Beurre, by Mr.
Grieve (gardener to the Rev. E. R. Benyon, Culford, Bury it. Edmunds) ; and
by Mr. Wighton, from west wall ; — were unripe.

Etewood, by Mr. Shoesmith. Fruit in good condition, very juicy and
melting; flavour pleasant, but acid.

Vicar of Winkfield, by G. Wolsey, Esq., St. Andrew's, Guernsey. Good
in appearance, juicy, and half melting, but deficient in flavour.

Susette de Bavay, by Mr. Wighton, from a south wall, regrafted on Cras-
sane. Good in appearance, but rather dry, soft in texture, and, though sweet,
not high flavoured. Reported to be a free bearing and useful kind in the
district, and that last year it was excellent in March.

Class D. —Premiums of 1/. and 10.?. for the best and second best
six fruits of Old Nonpareil Apple. The first prize was awarded to
Mr. Swinerd (gardener to John Swinford, Esq., Minster Abbey, Isle
of Thanet), who sent two dishes — one from a dwarf, growing in hazel
loam, over brick earth ; tree subject to canker. Fruit small, very
juicy and sharp, and possessing the true Nonpareil flavour. The
second dish was from an espalier, in rich garden mould, and less
subject to canker. Fruit large, very juicy and sweet, but not so true
in flavour. — The second prize to Mr. Holder, of Reading, for a dish,
from a standard (soil, see next class). Fruit juicy, acid, and with a
slight, but not high Nonpareil flavour. Mr. Short (gardener to the
Duke of Cleveland, Raby Castle, Durham), sent a dish from a very
old tree, on a south wall ; situation low and damp. Fruit large, very
juicy, and subacid ; deficient in Nonpareil flavour ; their merit was,
moreover, much injured by having been packed or laid in straw or
some material which had spoiled their flavour. Mr. Short reports that
his predecessor, Mr. Roberts, was in the habit of painting the trees
with a mixture of cowdung, soot, and a little soap, previous to which
they had been in a cankered and dying state, covered with scale and
American blight, but that now they are healthy, vigorous, and pro-
ductive.— Mr. Wright (gardener to Sir H. Cotterell, Bart., M.F.,
Garnon's, near Hereford), sent a dish from an old standard; soil
strong loam, over marl, naturally dry. Fruit dry, acid, and effected
by subcutaneous disease.

Class E. — Premiums of 1/. and ]0*\ for the best and second best
six of any other dessert Apple in season, excepting old Nonpareil. The
first prize was awarded to Mr. James Holder, of Reading, for Golden
Harvey, from a standard ; soil very rich, subsoil sandy loam, over
gravel. Fruit fine coloured, very richly vinous, and sugary in flavour,

56 THE FLORIST.

and, but for being somewhat shrivelled, — probably owing to having
been somewhat too early gathered, — they would have been, in every
respect, one of the best dishes ever laid before the society. — The same
variety was also sent by Mr. Simpson (gardener to Lady Molyneux,
Stoke Farm, near Slough). Very plump and juicy, but small and
slightly astringent. The second prize, to Mr. Robt. Duncan (gardener
to J. Malcolm, Esq., Lamb Abbey, Kent), for Lamb Abbey Pear-
main, from a tree seventy years old ; soil loam and gravel, over chalk.
In very fine condition, well coloured, juicy, rich and sugary.

Of Scarlet Nonpareil, five dishes were sent, none of high merit, but in
consecutive value as follows : — By Mr. M'Laren, under the name of Old
Nonpareil, from standards. Medium sized, juicy, but acid, and over-ripe, —
and from espaliers, much smaller in size, with rather more sugary flavour. — By
Mr. Elliott, Lilleshall, from an arched trellis. Fruit large, sweet, and juicy,
but over-ripe. — By Mr. Newton, from standard. Very large, and in fine condi-
tion, but rather dry, and not high flavoured. — And by Mr. Short, from old tree,
on a south wall (see Nonpareil). Fruit small, but tender fleshed, juicy, and
sweet.

Sweeney Nonpareil was again sent by Mr. Whiting. In good condition,
very juicy, thin skinned, and sugary flavour. This was one of the best eight
dishes selected by the Committee for final adjudication.

Autumn Nonpareil, by Mr. Swinerd, from standard. This was an Apple
of considerable merit, one of the best eight, and apparently very little known,
the name not appearing in catalogues, although, probably, recognised under some
other name (said to be obtained from Mr. Kennett's nursery). Fruit oblate,
slightly conoid ; average greatest diameter — transversely, two inches and a half ;
longitudinally, two inches. Stalk medium length, slender, deeply inserted, eye
puckered ; colour pale yellowish green, almost entirely covered with pale russet;
flesh tender, very juicy; nice Nonpareil flavour.

Aromatic Russet, by Mr. Swinerd from standard, one of the best eight.
Very juicy, with rich vinous flavour.

Cornish Gilliflower, by Mr. Ferguson, of Stowe, in very fine condition,
one of the best eight. Juicy, rich, and sugary. — By Mr. Newton. Fine in
appearance and juiciness, but not equal in condition to those exhibited at previous
meetings, and injured by having been in contact with some material which had
given its flavour to the fruit. — A variety very much resembling the above, but
hardier, heavier, and later, was sent by Mark Shepherd, Esq., Howard Lodge,
Upper Tulse Hill. It was asked for again, with more information regarding it.

Old Golden Pippin, by the same gentleman, and also by Mr. Newton, from
standards. Both very fine in appearance, plump, juicy, and possessing the true
flavour in as fine a degree as it is usually found. They were of the best eight.
— Under this name, also, was sent a variety, evidently nearly related, but not
quite true, by Mr. Short ; not equal to the above in texture or flavour, sweet
but dry.

Russet Nonpareil, by Mr. Swinerd (without name, No. 4), from a standard.
In good condition, externally, but dry and deficient in flavour.

Golden Russet, by Mr. Newton, from a standard. This was another
variety not known in catalogues. Fruit oblate : average diameter — transversely,
2 1 -flinches; longitudinally, 1 7-1 6 inches ; eye slightly depressed, calyx perfect ;
stalk long, slender, deeply inserted; skin thick, pale green, very russety, with
large dark excoriations: texture juicy ; flavour very rich and sweet. This, how-
ever, with several others of Mr. Newton's fruits, were much injured in flavour
by having been laid on hay or something similar.

Screveton's Golden Pippin, by Mr. Newton, from a standard. Fruit
apparently gathered too soon, tough, and not juicy.

Ribston Pippin, by Mr. Elliott, grown in the gardens of the Marquis of
Stafford, Tarbot House, Ross-shire, on a wall ; soil light, over sand, about 400
yards from the sea ; trees old, reported to be vigorous. The fruit had suffered
in flavour from packing, but was very juicy and sweet, quite equal to another
dish of the same kind, by Mr. Wright (Gamon's, Hereford), from a standard,

FEBRUARY.

57

and which had been good flavoured, though rather dry and slightly over-ripe.
Old trees, are reported to be healthy in this case also. Soil strong loam, over
marl, naturally dry. — Another dish, but not true, was sent by Mr. Short.

Golden Drop, by Mr. Swinerd, in good condition, from a dwarf bush. Flesh
tender, very juicy, sweet, and vinous.

Blenheim Pippin, by Mr. Elliott, Lilleshall. Very fine in size and appear-
ance, but dry and deficient in flavour. — By' Mr. Wright. Very large, but not
good enough for dessert.*

Cox's Orange Pippin was sent by Mr. Simpson. Very juicy and good, but
damaged in flavour, by having been in contact with straw. — And by Mr. Holder,
from a pyramid. Tender and juicy, sweet, but not richly flavoured.

Newtown Pippin, by Mr. Holder. Evidently true, by the peculiar taste
and aroma ; but so small, and otherwise out of character, as is usually the case
whfn grown in this country, that it would scarcely be recognised.

Of fruit not quite ripe : — Downton Nonpareil, by Mr. Spivey. In fine
condition, otherwise; large, very juicy, but acid. — Braddick's Nonpareil, by
Mr. M'Laren, from espalier. Flesh tender, but very juicy, aud acid. — Court
of Wick, under the name of Old Nonpareil, by Mr. Smith, Cheshire, from
a standard. Very acid and unpromising, as regards flavour. — A handsome,
russety variety, called Welsh Apple, by Mark Shepherd, Esq. — Court-pendu
Plat, from Mr. Elliott, Lilleshall, dry and acid; — and from Mr. Wright, under
its known synonyme (Garnon's), very juicy, and promising to be sugary aud
good. — And a sweet, juicy, oblate, dessert Apple, of some merit, under the name
of Easter Pippin, by Mr. Smith.

GENE HAL DESSERT APPLES— Exhibited in Small Quantities.

Coronation Pippin, by Mr. Swinerd. A variety not hitherto described.
Oblate, slightly turbinate, somewhat ribbed. Average diameter — transversely,
2 3-16 inches; longitudinally, 2 1-16 inches. Pale greenish yellow, slightly
striped, scattered over with small, round, dark spots ; very pale russet round the
stalk, which is of medium length, slender, and deeply inserted; depressed at
apes; flesh tender, very juicy ; flavour brisk sub-acid.

Spring Ribston Pippin, or Baddow Pippin, by Mr. Lane, of Berkhamp-
stead. This is a very little-known variety, but one deserving of more general
growth. Fruit roundish, irregular. Average diameter — transversely, 2| inches ;
longitudinally, 2£ inches. Rind thick ; colour pale green, much clouded by
small patches of russet, and spots of darker colour ; eye puckered ; cavity within
calyx deep and hollow ; stalk short, thick, inserted deeply ; flesh tender, very
juicy, sweet, with a slight Nonpareil flavour. The specimens exhibited had,
unfortunately, been gathered before they were ripe, and were rather shrivelled ;
but it is geuerally reported to be an useful late-keeping variety.

KITCHEN APPLES.

Riplin, by Mr. Sendall, of Burningham Hall, Aylsham, Norfolk. Reported
to be a great bearer, and was considered likely to be an useful cottager's Apple ;
medium -sized, green, codlin-shaped. Fruit juicy, tender flesh (producing, when
baked, a soft, pale brown pulp, sub-acid.

Colonel Vaughan, or Lady's Finger, by Mr. Smith. An old and very
beautiful, striped, wax-like, conical-shaped Apple, very juicy, and, in some
districts, a favourite variety for ^mincemeat and cider. The same variety was
sent from John Ferme, Esq., of Haddington, to be named.

Pomme de Cire, by G. Wolsey, Esq., St. Andrew's. Reported to be much
esteemed in the island for dessert or kitchen use; Fruit medium-sized, pale
yellow, tender; flesh juicy, and sub-acid, but not calculated for dessert (wnen
baked producing a delicious, soft, syrupy pulp, having a rich syrupy flavour, and
requiring no sugar).

Violet Apple, by Mr. Ferguson. A handsome, striped, conical, medium-
sized, but soft fruit, said to be very productive and useful (when baked, producing
soft and sub-acid but not syrupy pulp, requiring sugar ; probably most suitable

* It may be useful to remark, that when not good enough for dessert, this is an excellent
kitchen variety, as it bakes down to a sweet, juicy, soft light brown pulp,requiiing little orno
sugar.

58 THE FLORIST.

as a sauce Apple.) — A very similar Apple in every respect, saving that it was
more solid, and likely to keep longer, was sent by Air. Swiuerd, under the name
of Scarlet Nonpareil.

SEEDLING APPLES.

G. Wolsey, Esq., of St. Andrews, Guernsey, sent a Seedling, supposed to be a
cross between Golden Pippin and Nonpareil, and was considered to possess con-
siderable merit. Fruit small, oblong, slightly conical ; average diameter, 2 1-0
inches each way ; eye puckered, slightly depressed ; stalk medium length, stout ;
skin thin, pale green, yellowish on the sunward side, much flaked, and covered
with pale brown russet; texture very tender and juicy; flavour rich, very
sugary, rich, and aromatic. It was hoped that Mr. Wolsey would send it again,
with information concerning the age of the tree, &c.

Mr. Ferguson sent a Seedling Apple, called the Cottager's Ribston Pippin,
lleported to be a vigorous grower, great bearer, and excellent for paddings,
requiring no sugar. Fruit very large and sweet (Tested by the secretary, and
found to be exceedingly sweet and-sugary, when boiled or baked, and whitish
coloured, but not breaking down into a nice sott pulp).

A Seedling was also sent by Mr. W. Craw, of We;tbury Manor, which was a
solid sugary Apple, promising to be a good late-keeping dessert fruit.

Also to a Seedling sent by Henry Boothby, Esq., Holme Cottage, reported to
be a most prolific bearer, and which was a nice-looking Apple, sweet and tender
fleshed, but much like many in cultivation.

Messrs. Chater, of Haverhill, sent a Seedling of a variety said to keep till
March. Fruit not ripe on arrival, and subsequently appeared to have suffered
from keeping, but still pleasant flavoured and tender fleshed.

SUGGESTIONS ON MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL
DAHLIA SHOW.

The exhibition held in St. James's Hall in September last was without
doubt the greatest and best Dahlia show on record — a fact which
plainly shows that with a little energy and skill an exhibition worthy
the name of " National " may take place every year, alike creditable
to both amateur and dealer. To make the National Dahlia show what
it really should be, I would suggest that a committee be at once
formed of those most interested in the cultivation of that noble flower,
say six amateurs and six dealers, with Messrs. Turner and Keynes for
secretaries, to whom all praise is due for the spirited manner in which
the opening exhibition was carried out. I feel sure that both these
gentlemen will again do all in their power to make future meetings
successful ; but it is not fair to allow all the responsibility to fall on
their shoulders, the committee as a body should be responsible. The
want of a permanent committee is a great drawback to the success of
the National Tulip and Carnation shows, these societies only existing
in name for a considerable portion of the year, no one during that time
being responsible. I would further propose that a meeting of the com-
mittee be summoned early in the season, to take place in London, when
the period and place for the exhibition should be decided. In my
opinion London is by no means a suitable locality for a Dahlia show,
the Dahlia being in perfection at a period of the year when nearly all
the supporters of floricultural meetings are enjoying the beauties of the
country, a fact that must have been patent to all who attended the last
exhibition in St. James's Hall. In some nobleman's or gentleman's

FEBRUARY. 59

grounds adjacent to a largo provincial town a National Dahlia show
would he appreciated, and would he supported by all lovers of flowers
within miles of the spot, a fine day only being wanted to raise a per-
manent fund.

While on this subject an idea has struck me, that if successful
raisers of new flowers would each year draw their pursestrings a little
open, and give a guinea or two for the best six blooms of any one
variety of a somewhat similar colour to their : pet seedling, what
interest would be excited, and what information would he imparted,
respecting the merits or demerits of the new flowers. To illustrate my
meaning, I will observe that Cherub is acknowledged by all to be
a fine Dahlia. A seedling was exhibited at St. James's Hall and
elsewhere something similar in colour (and which I expect will be in
the hands of most growers this season) named Chairman. Now if the
raiser of this variety were to give any sum he thought proper for the
best six blooms of a buff variety, himself and all others being eligible
to compete, it would not only decide which was the best Dahlia, Cherub
or Chairman, but would in all probability benefit the dealer by causing
an increased sale of that particular sort. I am so convinced of the
necessity of some such test, that I will willingly give my two guineas
for the best six blooms of a light ground variety, to carry out my
proposition, although I have no new Dahlia coining out this season.
Many worthless kinds would not be catalogued, but an increased value
would be given to really good varieties , if such a test could be fully
carried out.

Charles James Perry.

The Cedars, Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham.

[Mr. Perry's proposition is a good one. Let us, however, invite the
opinion of others interested in the matter.]

REPORT OP THE GREAT AUTUMN FRUIT SHOW OP
THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY,

HELD IN ST. JAMES'S HALL, NOV. 17 and 18, 1858.

We feel no hesitation in stating our opinion that the autumn exhibitions
of fruit held by the Horticultural Society in 1857 and 1858 have done
more towards making the cultivation of hardy fruits popular than all the
summer exhibitions of Chiswick and the Regent's Park put together.
It was therefore no small satisfaction to us to know that the Fruit
Committee of the Society had deputed Messrs. Hogg and Moore,
assisted by their Secretary, Mr. Thompson, to draw up a report thereon,
for the information of the Fellows of the Society. The report, which
has been very carefully got up, and forms an 8vo. pamphlet of thirty-
two pages ; notwithstanding its great length, however, and that
two entire days were devoted to their work, so great was the number
of articles they had to examine, that they were compelled to leave the
character and respective merit of the Apples unnoticed. We regret this
unavoidable circumstance, for the information which their notes would

(JO THE FLORIST.

have conveyed on the merits and properties of the Apples exhibited would
have increased the value of their report (great as it is in its present
form) to fruit growers, and would have left nothing more to be desired in
reference to the fruits of 1859, excepting that local information relating
to soil, climate, and situation, which, when sent with fruit for exhi-
bition, assists Pomologists very materially in getting at facts illustrative
of the effects particular soils and localities are known to produce on
fruits — a point of vast importance, and which we hope will in time,
through the agency of the Fruit Committee of the Horticultural Society
and the Pomological Society, be attained.

Some discussion has taken place in the pages of our contemporaries,
respecting the comparative merits of the Ribston and Cox's Orange Pippin
Apples, We can add our testimony as to the superiority of the latter
in 1857, having tasted the respective fruits under comparison ; nor do
we see that it at all detracts from the long recognized merits of the Ribston,
if in time a better fruit is produced — or put it on a par as regards
flavour — of a more productive habit, or one less liable to disease, than
the Ribston. For certain, the Orange Pippin is a very first class pro-
duction, and, without premising that each individual fruit will at all
times be superior to the Ribston (which would be a bold assertion to
mak^ in reference to any kind of fruit, comparatively), we may take it
for granted that it has lew — if any — equals, taking all its qualities into
consideration.

It will afford no small encouragement to English hybridists and
pomologists to know that the palm of excellence for dessert Pears was
unanimously awarded to a British raised fruit — " Monarch " — a seed-
ling of that prince of horticulturists, the late Mr. Andrew Knight,
who also originated the Eyewood, Broompark, Althorp Crassane, and
other Pears. Compared with the flavour of Monarch, many of the
large fruits exhibited from the continent were worthless, though
wonderfully fine looking in appearance. Will none of our pomologists
take up the mantel of Mr. Knight, and try what can again be effected
with fruits, by a careful system of crossing? Surely we have not yet
reached that perfection, that we can afford to dispense with further
improvement. The fact of an English raised seedling beating the
choicest continental productions is suggestive as to what may yet be
effected, both in Pears and other hardy fruits, through hybridisation.
It is impossible to read the notes appended to the different collections of
Pears, without being forcibly struck with the difference in regard to
flavour, between specimens of the same kind from different localities ;
although we think it will always be impossible to generalise very closely
as to the cause of this difference, a careful statement of the particulars
named in the schedule, which should be applied for and filled up by
each contributor, would do much to solve the question. The different
conditions under which fruits ripen, as to temperature, and the degree
of ripeness under which they are tasted, produces a great difference on
their respective qualities. In repect to soils, so far as our own
experience leads us to form an opinion, calcareous loams and soils of a
clayey or marly texture, containing lime and potash, invariably produce
Apples and Pears more melting and higher flavoured than soils of an

FEBRUARY. 61

opposite character ; but the effect of different soils and degrees of ripe-
ness as influencing the flavour of fruits is not confined to Pears and
Apples. Among the exhibition of Muscat Grapes we noticed a much
wider difference as regards the flavour of some of the collections than a
mere outward inspection would have led us to believe ; even Mr.
Drewett's magnificent Muscats were much less piquant and high
flavoured than some of the others ; this leads us to the conviction that
there is a limit to the period when the peculiar vinous principle, which
characterises the flavour of Grapes when in their highest perfection,
passes into a more saccharine state. Grapes hanging long after they
are ripe, and particularly if exposed to a strong light, lose the vinous
piquancy and aroma which they possess when newly ripened ; and
when Grapes have to be kept long after being ripe, we advise their being
well shaded during the day ; indeed, the darker they are kept, the
longer will they retain their briskness and flavour.

We were much disappointed at not seeing much larger collections of
foreign Grapes, knowing how many dessert varieties, new to English
growers, are cultivated in some districts of France ; let us hope
Monsieur Deynoot will not be the only exhibitor in this class the next
occasion. We very strongly recommend this report to the consideration
of fruit growers, who may gather from its perusal much that will
instruct them on the peculiarities of fruits for the season just passed
away. These reports should be kept and compared hereafter with those
which we hope will follow in due course. We beg to give entire the
following observations of the reporters on the non compliance of exhi-
bitors with the wishes of the Fruit Committee: —

" The reporters regret that the responses made to the schedules
issued by the committee were so few. The object of these schedules
was to ascertain particulars respecting the climate, soil, and subsoil of
the locality where the respective fruits were grown, and the circum-
stances under which they were produced. Such of these schedules as
were returned filled up have been incorporated in the report ; and,
where such is the case, it will at once be seen how desirable it would
have been if similar information could have been given in every
instance."

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Azaleas and Camellias. — We class these together, for although
there are several points of variance in their culture, they do well
enough together for the present. Camellias, if at all forward, will now
be coming into bloom ; to retain these in perfection for some time, keep
the air of the house as dry as possible, and shaded from bright sun,
as the least damp or drip will soon spoil the blooms of the light-coloured
varieties. Camellias at this season, if full of flower buds, should be
watered with weak guano water, alternately with common soft water ;
this will much improve the size of the blooms, and induce the plants to
break stronger when their annual growth commences. Azaleas for
blooming in May and June should be retarded as much as possible ;
bring on a succession in the forcing house by introducing a few free

62 THE FLORIST.

blooming varieties evary fortnight. The common white, Triumphans,
Optima, Rosea punctata, Speciosissima, Vivieans, Duke of Devonshire,
Murrayana, we find among the best for forcing, while the Variegata
class are more difficult. Azaleas, like Camellias, are benefited by
weak guano water when very prolific of bloom.

Auriculas. — There has of late been sufficient moisture in the atmo-
sphere for these plants, but, as the days lengthen, more water will be
required. Towards the end of the month they may be placed on the
blooming stage, if not wintered there ; our plan being to keep them cool
during the two first months of the year, that the plants may swell
gradually, and not be brought prematurely into bloom. Top dress,
and keep clean of insects and dead foliage.

Carnations and Picotees. — These are also on the move, from the
mildness of the season. However, be sparing with water for a time ;
but towards the end of the month let them have a good washing, should
there be a mild ram. The frames should be kept open as much as
possible. As potting time is at hand, and the soil prepared, care
should be taken not to let it get too wet. Early potting is preferable,
but planting in beds must be deferred till March. Old pots should be
washed before using.

Calceolaria*, shrubby or half shrubby, will now propagate freely
from old stock plants. Those intended for specimens should be struck
in autumn, stopped now, and receive a liberal shift as soon as they have
broken. Herbaceous seedlings should now be repotted.

Cinerarias. — Continue to thin out all superfluous leaves and small
suckers from show plants, and peg down or tie out, so as to admit the
light and air freely to the centre of the plants ; keep them on a nice
cool bottom in a pit that is heated, as near the glass as possible, or if
the pit is too deep, place them on inverted pots, so that the air may
have free access to the foliage. Fumigate occasionally and with great
care, as the young shoots and flowers are tender at this season.
Sulphur immediately on the appearance of mildew. A little weak
liquid manure may now be given to such as are full of roots. Ihrow
the lights open every favourable opportunity.

Conservator// and Show-house. — The extreme mildness of the
season, as noticed last month, has continued up to the present time,
and has produced the best effects on winter flowering and forced plants,
which are blooming freely, owing to the large amount of air which the
season has permitted to the conservatory and forcing house. Guard
against damp and cold cutting winds, but in other respects keep down
the night temperature to 45°, unless you have a mixture of stove plants
in the house, when 5° more may be allowed.

Cold Frames. — Now will commence a busy time for the propagator
of bedding stuffs, which at present we presume are wintering in frames.
The stock should be looked over, and of any kinds likely to prove short
of the expected demand, remove to where there is a gentle heat,
to f tree them into growth for cuttings ; this will more immediately
be the case with Verbenas, Petunias, Ageratums, and Lobelias.

Dahlias. — Roots, particularly ground roots, have kept very badly this
season ; but as the propagation will now have very generally com-

FEBRUARY. 63

menced, the extent of the losses will have been ascertained. Cuttings
will now strike readily, but should the roots be secured by being
started, the forcing should be moderate, not to exhaust the root, as
March is the best time for making healthy plants easily ; some make
sufficient by dividing the root only. Pot roots should not be started
for a month to come, or seed sown.

Forcing Ground, — No better plan of procuring forced Asparagus
economically exists than by taking up three or four years old plants and
placing them in pits or frames over a gentle bottom heat. Where beds
are arranged to admit of linings being applied to the roots, and the
surface protected, now is a good time to begin to have the Grass early in
March. Bring forward successions of Seakale and Rhubarb, and plant
a quantity of good forcing kinds of early Potatoes in a little heat, to
sprout ready for transferring to frames towards the end of the month.

Flower Garden. — A fine time now for carrying out any alterations
in this department. Prepare soils for the beds, to be ready for digging
in in March. Take care of Crocuses and other early bulbs, of which
mice are very fond.

Forcing Shrubs. — There is nothing in this way half so beautiful
as forced Roses, which are universally admired. If you wish to succeed
well, strike the plants yourselves from cuttings, or at any rate buy plauts
on their own roots. Our plan is to grow these in a good.open situation
for two or three years, till they get to a good size, and then take up
and pot in very rich soil. If this is done in October, and the pots are
plunged in a frame, with a little bottom heat for the roots, they
will answer admirably the first season, if not worked too hard. Add
Honeysuckles, the common and scarlet Thorn, Sweet Briar, and Mock
Orange. The hardy Chinese Azalea amcena, and seedlings from it,
are among the prettiest and freest to flower of all forced shrubs.

Fruit (hardy). — Filberts may be pruned towards the end of the
month, when the blossoms appear. Cut out all very weak and unpro-
ductive wood, allowing a good share of the male catkins to stay on.
Where new fruit trees are wanted, lose no time in procuring and
planting them. Our pages contain much valuable information on
making borders, &c, and also of lists of the most suitable kinds for
various parts of Britain. Pruning and nailing should be forwarded
at once. Bush fruits, after pruning, should have good dressings of
manure spread over the surface, to allow the rains to wash it in.

Fuchsias. — (See article in the present number).

Greenhouse (hard-wooded*). — Winter flowering Heaths and
Epacrises should have a light situation. Hiemalis, Wilmoreana,
rubra calyx, mutabilis, vernix, are valuable at this season. Look well
over New Holland and Cape plants, to prevent damp. Keep the
surface soil free from Moss and Lichens, which prevent evaporation,
and ultimately ruin the plants. Water only when dry, and then
effectively. Keep the house cool and rather dry, and don't allow the
plants to get excited into growth for some time. Soft-wooded Plants.
— Guard against the attacks of green-fly by timely fumigating. Shift
Cinerarias, Calceolarias, and Pelargoniums, for late blooming; these
plants should be kept rather warmer than the above.

64 THE FLORIST.

Kitchen Garden. — A busy time is approaching, and it will much
facilitate the operation of sowing and planting, and benefit the future
growth of the crops, if the ground has been previously well prepared
by deep cultivation. All ground for spring cropping, if not already
dug, should at once be dug or trenched, as requisite, adding the
necessary manure for incorporating with the soil during the operation.
Cabbage and Lettuce may be planted out on warm borders, if
not done in the autumn. Sow also Peas and Beans, Radish, and
Horn Carrot, in sheltered situations. When the quarters are clear,
trap all the slugs you can, by laying down a few leaves here and there,
or half a shovelful of fresh grains, to entice them ; this step will save
much trouble and annoyance hereafter. Plant Rhubarb, Seakale, and
Artichokes, on deep-trenched and well-manured soil. As these are plants
intended to remain for some time on the same ground, a good prepara-
tion is necessary.

Pansies. — Plant into large pots, from those they have been wintered
in, such as are intended to bloom in pots. A month hence will do for
planting beds.

Pelargoniums. — The specimens intended to flower early, if not
already done, should be tied out to their proper shape. Increase the
temperature a little as the season advances, and water more freely ; be
careful that enough is given at a time to penetrate the ball. Air
should be admitted daily, the state of the weather permitting. Take
care to close early in the afternoon, with a little sun-heat if possible.
Plants that have been wintered in small pots should now have their
final repotting ; and, if convenient, a little fire-heat will greatly assist
the bad growing sorts, and especially the fancies, in giving them a
gentle start in the fresh soil. Also this is a good time for stopping plants,
to flower late, that are established in their blooming pots. Seedlings
should be well looked to, giving them sufficient room, not to draw each
other up weakly.

Peach-forcing. — Disbud the early house when forward enough,
doing a little at a time. Fumigate if green-fly appear. After the
fruit is fairly set, the trees may be syringed with tepid water daily.

Pinery. — A brisk heat must be maintained to fruiting plants to get
them up, say 70° night temperature, and rising 10° or 15° during the
day. Pines in bloom should have a very dry temperature at this
season, to cause the blooms to open regularly and form handsome fruit
hereafter. Keep succession plants in a mild growing temperature, that
they may start into growth as slowly as possible. Give as much air as
you can every opportunity, and don't allow the bottom heat to decline, or
the plants will get a check, which may throw them into fruit in April.

Strawberries. — The first batch will bloom this month ; as they show
their trusses, increase the heat slightly, to draw the flower stems out
from the foliage. Keep the plants near the glass, and free from green-
fly. As the blooms open, raise the temperature to 60° by night, and
give air on all occasions. Water sparingly when in bloom, but as the
fruit sets, increase the supply. Manure water will not be needed till
later. Bring on successional crops in pits or frames as gently as
possible, and remove them to more heat and air when the trusses
appear.

^

V-

f*{

m a

Chry s anth emam .

ildew Qween< of 'Englxruh Z. Prince Albert?.

J*?jbidrsws,Zc;

MARCH. 65

CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

(Plate 149).

Here's a dainty dish, not to set before a king, but set by the
sovereign of all the Chrysanthemums before his good friend
the public. Carry your mind, my good reader (a fair one I
could never think of putting into such a predicament), 20
years back ; do you recollect the long thin-petalled semi-
double things that people used to call Chrysanthemums ; and
then put them along side of Golden Queen of England, and
you will doubtless say, "Is it possible that they can be the same
flowers?" And then those charming little Pompones and Hybrids
were unknown, while now, with some, they put the large
flowered varieties out of the field. In truth, it has become a
popular flower, and deservedly so ; it blooms late, gives us
colour and beauty when other flowers have done their work ;
and then it is everybody's flower; it will survive, nay luxuriate
in the smoke of London ; it adorns the poor man's garden,
and will even stand the coddling which too many flowers, alas !
get from those fair ones, who " love them not wisely, but too
well." The consequence of this popularity has been their
great advance in every respect; and now, on every side, we
hear large encomiums on this very beautiful and accommodating
flower. To no one are the lovers of flowers so much indebted
as to Mr. Salter, for his continued care in bringing before the
public the best varieties — while, perhaps, Mr. Broome, of the
Temple Gardens, has most tended to popularise, by showing
people what may be done with them under the most dis-
advantageous circumstances. A great deal of bother and fuss
was made about the dressing of the flowers, and the distorting
of the plants, at the last autumnal shows ; with regard to the
first, the outcry is, I think, ridiculous ; for there is not a
florist's flower exhibited that does not undergo some dressing,
and as that is well known, who is wronged by it ? Certainly
not the exhibitor ; no, but the public. Well, but my good
public, if you want to grow these flowers, go to some respect-
able nurseryman — Mr. Salter, for instance; tell Mm what
flowers struck you, ask him if they are good, he will tell you
all about them, and rely on it will inform you that you must
not expect to equal the blooms you have seen, unless you
bestow a considerable amount of care, time, and expense, on
them.

As to the one-stem system of growing, it has been indeed
pronounced " squat," " absurd," " vulgar," and " Chinese,"
&c. ; but yet, after all, it is a matter of taste. Byron hated a

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXV. F

66 THE FLORIST.

dumpy woman ; yet many disagree and tell us that not so did
the ancient sculptor think, when he formed the Venus de
Medici. I must own that some of Mr. Broome's plants thus
grown struck me as heing very heautit'ul ; my great objection
to them heing that they take up so much room ; and after all,
who grows a plant naturally ? There must he staking, tying
out, nipping, &c, and the extent to which this is to go must
depend on the tastes and wishes of the grower. As a general
rule, I should prefer plants as natural as possible, though I see
no real objection to a few heing thus twisted out of their
natural position — however, he careful my good reader, this can
only he clone at a considerable expenditure of time and trouble.
I do not think that we have gained much in the way of cul-
tivation. The best time for striking cuttings is by many said
to be November ; but some of the finest plants at the last
shows were, I believe, from those taken off April and even May.
There can be but little advantage in autumn struck cuttings,
unless they are to be kept growing all the winter — as some
advise. It cannot be too strongly impressed on growers
that the Chrysanthemum is a very gross feeder, and that
consequently, if you grow it in a small pot, you must supply con-
tinued fresh nourishment — not only watering it well every day,
but giving it considerable doses of liquid manure. One great
object should be to have the foliage clean and fresh to the very
pot, and this will never be done if they are ever allowed to flag
for want of water. And now as to sorts ; if you have not any,
go to a good nurseryman — Mr. Salter, of Hammersmith ; Mr.
Henderson, of St. John's Wood ; and Mr. Turner, of Slough ;
may be relied on ; tell them your wants, and leave yourself in
their hands. If, however, you have a good number of varieties,
you will, I dare say, want some new ones. Let me refer you
then to the list at the close of this paper, which has been
supplied by one of the above eminent growers, and which we
have very little doubt can be fully relied on ; but before doing
so, I would again ask you to look at the plate, and when you
hear that the superb yellow there figured is a " sport," you will
doubtless cry out — Oh ! fortunate Mr. Salter; for he is the
originator of it. It bloomed last season at the Versailles
Nursery, from whence so many fine varieties have emanated. It
sported from Mr. S.'s own Queen of England, in 1857. The
colour is a golden canary, with a rosy shade when fully
incurved. As a show flower for cut blooms, it will, we believe,
stand unrivalled, both for form and size among yellows, even
as all blush flowers are eclipsed by Queen of England, of which it
is the exact counterpart, except in colour. To those who
visited the winter garden last November, any description will
be superfluous, inasmuch as all were unanimous in its praise ;

MARCH. 67

but its beauty will be more fully developed at tbe autumn
exhibitions, as special prizes will be offered for single blooms
at most of tbe London and country sbows. Prince Albert
will, we are assured, become one of tbe most attractive among
dark-coloured varieties, especially as a specimen plant. Its
fine dwarf habit, large double flowers, brilliant colour, and
general good properties, will give it rank second to none as a
conservatory plant. It is well knowTn that Mr. Salter does
not growT Chrysanthemums for public exhibition, all those at
his nursery being in their natural state ; we therefore
anticipate that both these flowers will be shown at the next
exhibitions, very much larger and more perfect than they have
been yet seen. They will be sent out from the Versailles
Nursery, Hammersmith, by the end of April, and may also be
obtained from all the principal nurseries.

The following is the list alluded to above : —

LARGE FLOWERS.

Aimee Feriere, incurved, white tipped, bright rose, late bloomer, but very beau-
tiful

* Aurora, yellow ochre, form of "Ruth," but lighter aud more double
Baron Scalebert, very large, rosy lilac

*C'assandra, large incurved blush, dwarf aud very free bloomer

Curtius Quintus, incurved, rosy chestnut

Duchesse de Montebello, delicate peach, finely incurved

*Excelsior, dark crimson, very double and fine, but blooms late

Fabius, bright orange salmon

Fortune's Two-Coloured Incurved, bright chestnut, and yellow, very much finer

colour than the old " Two-Coloured Incurved," and very attractive as a late

blooming variety
Glory, or Sarnian Glory, fine light rose lilac, in the style of "Nonpareil"
Globe White, large pure white
*Julie Lagravere, dark brown crimson, dwarf and free bloomer, much finer

colour than " Bob," and is without doubt one of the best conservatory plants

ever sent out
*Jardin des Plantes, very bright golden yellow, incurved
*Louisa, paper white, rather late, but free and good

* Louis Bonamy, large rose, lilac anemone

Madame de Puymirol, red and orange, incurved, in the way of " Dupont de

l'Eure "
*Madame Clos, mottled rose and lilac, remarkably double, almost a ball, and

very beautiful
Madame Leo, white or ivory, blooms late, but very double and fine
*Mademoiselle Elizabeth Voisins, pure white, early, and very free
*Mount Vesuvius, large fiery red, much brighter and more double than "Mount

Etna "
Orange Brilliant, fine brilliant orange

Progne, dark amaranth or carmine, late bloomer, but very fine colour
Raymond, incurved, orange buff

*Sulphurea superba, clear sulphur, fine double, and very distinct
Virgo Marie, large blush white

POMPONES.

*Andromeda, blush yellow, with brown points

Ariel, lilac blush, late bloomer, but very double and fine

*Baron d'Adswaerd, blush, tipped rose lilac

*Elisa Coute,^rose and white centre

* Esmeralda, red salmon and orange, very double and free

r 2

IIS Tin; FLORIST.

Eugene Laujaulefc, anemone, yellow and orange centre

*Goldeu Cedo Nulli, golden yellow, and brown points, very fine, a sport from

»Cedo Nulli"
*Madame Fould, cream, of splendid form

Madame Miellez, dark rosy violet, late, but very fine

; Madame Molinie, anemone, rose and gold centre, very distinct
Madame Sentir, anemone, pure white, very fine, but rather lato
*Maid of Saragossa, rose, ami blush centre
Madame Villefranche, blush and rose
Marinette, orange and yellow
Marmonset, chestnut and orange
Miss Julia, dark crimson chestnut, very double
*Miss Talfourd, line whito
.Mrs Dix, blush bordered rose, very full, and by far the finest flower in this
colour
*Mr. Astie, anemone, bright golden yellow, of perfect form
*Mr. Shirley Mibbert, hybrid anemone, very bright rose pink and gold centre,

free bloomer, ami very fine and distinct
*Nanon, dark orange, quilled, but very line
*Polycarp, light chestnut and orange, dwarf, and very double
""'Salomon, rosy carmine, very free bloomer, and fine

PS. — Those with a * are most suitable for specimen plants.
Deal, February 18. D.

"YELLOW HOSES, AND ROSES OF YELLOW TENDENCY."

SlNOE you kindly published my last Rose article, 1 have received letters
about Roses, and especially about yellow Roses. Though I cannot
speak authoritatively abouttbem,yet a few words derived from experience,
observation, reading, and common sense, may not altogether be unac-
ceptable at a time when the song is everywhere heard —
" She meets you with a smile at morn ;
She lulls you to repose ;
The flower for peer and peasant born —
The everlasting Rjse ! "

I deeply regret that we have so few yellow Roses, or Roses of
yellow tendency, fit for show purposes, or general out-door cultivation.
We sadly want a hardy II. P. yellow. I have no hopes of Englishmen ;
but 1 still have hopes that French rai?ers, with their more genial
climate and greater enterprise, will use Harrisoni for such a purpose.
It is hardy, a true yellow, and opens freely. Whether it could be used
to originate a Perpetual, I am not learned enough to know. The Cloth
of Gold, Lanarque, and Solfaterre, are not strictly yellow Roses, but of
yellow tendency. Others are canary, or pale, or dirty cream.
Sulphurea BUperba, Isabella Cray, the Persian, and Harrisoni, are, I
believe, the best true yellows. Except Harrisoni and the Persian, I
fear, these require to be grown under glass, or with great and careful
protection. Certain it is, that yellow Roses, as a class, require age,
good rich drained soil, room to grow where and how they like, little
knife, and winter, spring, and in some cases, summer protection, before
they will succeed. Much has been said about Sulphurea not opening ;

MARCH. ()!>

the reason is, people have tried to bloom her before sbe has come to
maturity of wood. When she attains age (and this she will never
attain without the greatest protection) she will force her buds open ;
and no human " nostrum" will cause her to do so, before her consti-
tution is established. On an alien stock, she may, probably, be
hastened a little ; but even on this, she must have time to form linn
main wood. The same may he said of the Cloth of Gold. The diffi-
culty is to get it to age ; after that, spring protection is all it wants. I
have seen the Cloth of Gold, which was budded in 1847, by the Rev.
C. Onslow, of Wimborne — on a standard brier, blooming beautifully in
1843, in the centre of his courtyard, at the west of bis house, sur-
rounded by the house and walls on all sides. How came it to do this''?
Why, it was budded on an established brier. The Cloth of Gold does
not like removal, till the wood is two or three years old. I have
planted a very good dog brier under my south wall, which I shall bud
with the above Rose ; and glass-crate it over head, and on the east and
west sides, leaving it open to the south. I have two Sulphureas come,
and they must be served the same, or I can see that they will never do
here. Under this crating they must be fostered into age. With
regard to Sulphurea — called when I was a boy, the Yellow Cabbage —
I have never seen it in bloom for forty-three years. There was an old
tree, very old, in my native place, belonging to a very old woman,
named Eleanor Ricketts, at that time accounted to be a " witch," but
a great favourite of mine, because she gave me " yellow Roses of great
beauty, honey, and brown-shell nuts " Apples. From that time to
this, 1 have never seen Sulphurea, nor have 1 ever since seen such a
yellow Rose. The tree was against the house, which bad a south
aspect, and was surrounded by high hedges — in a word, the house was
in a hot lane. The difficulty of course with these tender Roses is to
get them to age. Maturity of age for bearing is different in different
Roses, according to their origin, or native clime and position.

1 should imagine that an orchard house would be a good place for
them, trained against a wire trellis, This is the place lor Smitbi (he
died in six weeks here, covered with a ridge tile, and glassed at his feet),
which is fine in bud, but bad when opened.

With regard to Roses of yellow tendency, I would observe that both
Lamarque and Solfaterre may be grown compact and full ; for I have
seen them both so ; usually they are of the loose order, and should be
cut for show before fully ripe. I saw Lamarque last year, round and
compact as Alexandrine Bacbmeteff ; it was grown by Mr. Burgess, of
Lansta Farm, close here.

Let me say a word about Solfaterre as a south wall Rose : — How
easy is it to grow — how defiant of aphis — how quickly does she cover
your house — how glorious and numerous are her clusters — how beau-
tiful are her red stems, lizard-green calyx, and fine buds and foliage —
how sweet is her tea scent — how early does she bloom — how careless
of frost — how faithfully does she bloom a second time — how well does
she mature and bloom every bud, without the slightest failure ! I have
spoken of this Rose before — I will speak of her again. She was two
or three years old, when I bought her of Mr. Gill, of Blandford, for

70 THE FLORIST.

Is. 6d. She had on her, when I first saw these, a cluster, with one
larger, more sulphured, and more compact rose than I have ever been
able to grow on her here. She is now about eight years old — is on a
dwarf brier, and planted against the south frontage of my house, with
nothing on her western side but a wood trellis porch, to stop the wind
between her and Gibraltar. She is as high as the house, and covers
twenty-four feet in space, and would have covered as much again, if I
had been able to allow her room. She has had on her first bloom this
year between two and three hundred clusters, with from three to five
buds each. Imagine, then, this space covered from day to day with
fresh blooms of great magnitude and good form. I thought of Mr.
Rivers, and his note on her in his admirable book. Well, I cannot
tell the exact number of her blooms ; but this I know, she gave a
second series of twenty clusters of sixty Roses, as large and sweet as in
her first blooming. Where, then, is the Rose of yellow tendency, that
will do all this ? And how came she to do it ? The answer is, manage-
ment and high feeding. I fed her once a week all through the season ;
and when her first bloom was over (about a week before the National),
and last bud was unfolded, I cut off, to two eyes, all her side wood,
like a Vine in winter. She looked dead — I fed her still — she moves
not, except at her terminals — Nature asserts her claim — she rests for a
month or more — a heavy rain comes, and soaks her through and through
— she lives again — her eyes peep and start, form buds, and bloom again !
Is not that a Rose, and a good Rose too ? In the last week in May,
this great sight may be seen, and I hope some one will come and see
her. Depend upon it, for general and easy cultivation, Solfaterre is
the best wall Rose, of yellow tendency, in England. Remember, then,
the keys to yellow Roses ; and remember that while age is the key to
blooming, protection is the key to age.

February 5. W. P. Radclypfe.

THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S PRIZES FOR STEWED

PEARS.
Can you, Mr. Editor, or can any of your readers inform me on what
principle the awards to stewed Pears were made at the Horticultural
Society's Show, in St. James's Hall, in November last? The object
proposed in the schedule, was to ascertain what were the best Pears for
stewing ; but the awards appear to have been made as if the object
had been to ascertain who was the best confectioner — colouring, sugar,
lemon peel, spices, &c, &c, used ad libitum, were not considered at all
a barrier in deciding which were the best Pears. The affair was cer-
tainly a great mistake, and it is easy to believe that some clever artiste
might have carried the prizes, without in fact using any Pears at all.
It reminds one of the cook, who, for a wager, produced an exquisite
soup, the basis of which was white kid gloves.

Q.

MARCH.

71

PEARS.

1. BEURRE AGUSTE BENOIST.
This valuable Beurre Pear is of recent introduction, and, according to a
report in the Revue Horticole, it is a chance seedling of French origin,
stated to have been discovered " growing in a hedge near Maine et
Loire," and named after the nurseryman by whom it was first propa-
gated. A short time ago we received fruit of this Pear from Mr.
Nicholson, of Egglescliffe, near Yarm, Yorkshire, from which the
accompanying outline and description were taken. We are informed
that Mr. Nicholson " received it from France inl848 ; and that the tree
is hardy and a free bearer when grown as a pyramid ; he considers it
the best anions all the varieties he cultivates." The fruit is of the

first size, and even in outline ; skin pale yellowish green, overspread
with numerous grey specks, and flakes of cinnamon russet near the stalk
and apex ; and tinged with rich brownish red on the side exposed to
the sun ; altogether a very handsome fruit ; stalk three-fourths of an

72

THE FLORIST.

inch long, stout, and inserted without much depression ; eye small and
slightly sunk in a narrow cavity. The flesh is yellowish white, fine
grained, perfectly melting, saccharine and rich, with a strong musky
flavour, not unlike that of the Gansel's Bergamot ; it usually ripens
through November and December. The tree is of medium growth arid
fruitful habit, and has small dark green glossy foliage ; and, judging
from the fine appearance and quality of the fruit sent us by Mr.
Nicholson, it cannot fail to be a very desirable variety for growing in
the northern counties.

FLADBERG.
This Pear is not exactly of recent date, but it is not so well known
as it deserves, as it is of excellent quality, and one of the hardiest and
most prolific of Pears when grown as an open standard. It partakes
a good deal of the character of the Swan Egg, and appears to be a
great improvement on that fine old variety. We owe the origin of this
Pear to the late Mr. Williams, of Pitmaston — a gentleman who devoted

a large portion of his life to raising seedlings, and did much towards
improving our hardy fruit. The Pear in question is of medium size,
and uneven in outline ; skin rough, of a brownish red on the exposed
sid e, the other portion intermixed with yellow and green, and thickly

MARCH. 73

sprinkled with brown specks ; eye small, and set in a small even
cavity, and has a long reflexed calyx. Stalk an inch long, and set
without depression, and usually reclining to one side ; flesh yellowish
and melting, and possesses a very refreshing juice, with a flavour
resembling that of the Swan Egg, and usually ripens through November
and December. The tree is of strong growth and upright habit, and
bears freely in a young state, producing fruit from the points of the
previous year's growth. It is a very suitable kind for the .orchard or
for pyramid culture.

J. Powell.

THE ARTICLE WITHOUT A NAME.

[Concluded from page 25.)

I was sitting to-day, Mr. Editor, in a very tranquil state of mind —
so tranquil, indeed, as to approach that Elysium of forgetfulness
attained by a certain celebrity, who —

" Went along thinking of nothing at all ;"
when that dusky Mercury from Bagnigge Wells Road alighted, not
like his renowned ancestor of Shakesperian memory, "upon a heaven-
kissing hill," but from the top of a two-penny omnibus, and came
thundering at my door for a " remedy." Having a lively recollection
of the circumstances under which I had made his impship's acquaint-
ance, I was about to despatch him to my friend the chemist over the
way for a dental application, when, happening to turn to your last
Florist, which lay on my table, I found that the first part of this
article closed with the promise of a "remedy " in a future paper. The
true state of the matter was at once apparent. " God bless me," I
exclaimed, " Why, it's the conclusion of the article without a name the
boy is waiting for." " Yes," interposed he, " and I am not to go back
without it ; and here is the 24th of the month again, and not a line
written." Propitiating the imp with a shilling for the pantomime
(there was a morning performance), and instructions to call again at
four o'clock, I seized a pen, made an effort, and here, my dear Sir, is
the result.

" Variety, in some instances," observes Shenstone, in his Uncon-
nected Thoughts, " may be carried to such excess as to lose its whole
effect," and this is exactly what results from our usual mode of shrub-
bery planting. Extremes meet, says the old adage, and here we have
practical exemplification. Variety there may be if you select merely a
square rod or two in any one part, but the same features are repeated
so continuously that the dullest monotony is the combined effect.

Now, wrhy cannot we discard this tedious antiquated sameness for
something better. I have a profound respect — nay, veneration — for old
and time-honoured customs, but when their adoption only defeats the
end in view, as in this instance, they should be permitted to pass
quietly away. Writers on gardening are fond of believing themselves,
and persuading their readers, that Nature is their great fount of

74 THE FLORIST.

inspiration ; and that, with her precepts to guide them, they cannot go
wrong. There is, doubtless, a large grain of truth is the bushel of
chair which usually hides it; but were it not sacrilege to parody a well-
known exclamation, we might say with much truth, "0, Nature!
what monstrosities have men committed in thy name."

But we must descend. Can anything be more tediously assigned
than the ordinary shrubberies in a garden, or more opposite to what
we are persuaded to believe they represent —

"Nature to advantage dressed."

A natural shrubbery has breadth, massiveness, and repose ; its prime
elements are few, but the effect is an harmonious whole. An artificial
one, on the contrary, is in ninety-nine cases out of every hundred a
mixture of heterogeneous and discordant parts — variety run wild —
breadth, massiveness, and repose murdered.

It will be understood that I am not in any way alluding to collections
of shrubs and trees viewed simply as collections, but to the main or
principal features of a garden to which other matters must be subser-
vient.

Instead of distributing the same kinds of plants throughout the
garden, why not concentrate particular kinds in given positions, varying
them as regards soil, situation, or aspect, or in accordance with any
local circumstances that may present themselves, so that, in making
a circuit of such a garden, some new feature may be constantly
presented. In some parts, particular kinds may be grouped in con-
siderable masses, while others may be more or less detached, yet still
preserving a massiveness and breadth of effect. Here Hollies may
prevail ; there Arbutus ; in another, Phillyreas ; in a fourth, Rhodo-
dendrons ; and so on. Deciduous plants will, of course, be employed to
a considerable extent, but it will be found the better mode, whenever
practicable, to confine the undergrowths in the principal shrubberies to
evergreens, using a preponderance of deciduous things to break and vary
the sky outline.

In common with every commendable garden practice, this grouping
system has been in some degree adopted in the irregular parts of the
grounds of the Crystal Palace. The effect is patent to everybody with
time and a shilling to spend.

But there is one other circumstance so utterly destructive of all
breadth and repose in a shrubbery, that these observations, incomplete
as they ai-e, would be still more so if I did not venture on a few
condemnatory remarks thereon. I allude to the harsh band of bare
earth which is so studiously preserved around and in front of shrubberies
in general. It is much to be regretted that gardeners usually cannot
or will not see that a garden is made for something more than to " bed
out " flowers in. They will persist in sacrificing everything to this one
feature. As a body, they cannot imagine a garden in which the fronts
of the shrubberies are not ornamented (?) with gimcracks in the way of
Petunias, Geraniums, Fuchsias, and weedy annuals. And to carry out
this, their pet desideratum, the edging iron and the rake year after
year destroy or neutralise those harmonious features which Nature, if

MARCH. 75

allowed her way, would produce. A mass of shrubs, the boughs of
which gracefully sweep the lawn, compared with a similar one bordered
with bare earth or weedy abominations, do not admit of comparison.

L.

FRANCIS'S BRITISH FERNS.

Last year I ordered from London your Florist, with which I am
greatly pleased, and shall continue to take it in. In the volume for
1851 is a critique on my A nalysis of British Ferns, edit. iv. I beg
to say, that I had nothing to do with that work after the second
edition, neither have I seen a copy of any later edition ; hence the
errors you point out, and the not keeping pace with the improved
knowledge of the time, which you complain of. My last edition, the
second, was published in 1842, I believe soon after the venation
as a characteristic of genera was first promulgated by my friend,
Mr. Smith. On that matter I have much modified my views ;
I think it much more valuable as a diagnosis than at that distant
time. Your other censurable remarks certainly have much founda-
tion, as far as I can judge of them without seeing the edition referred
to. I do not even know if the same plates are continued, so that
I must beg to be exonerated from all blame on this matter ; and, even
at this distance of time (seven years) I trust you will find room in
your Florist for this note, written from the Antipodes, as I am now
Director of the Botanic Garden, Adelaide, South Australia. In your
volume for 1851 is a letter, entitled, " News from Mount Barker."
The writer I am not acquainted with, but his letter is very correct
altogether, and applies almost as well to the present day as then.
When I have time, I will send you a paper or two on Australian
Gardens. George W. Francis, F.H.S.

Adelaide, December 8, 1858.

[We very readily give insertion to the above letter from Mr.
Francis, as affording an explanation of his views at the present time
on the question commented on by the reviewer in the Florist so long
ago as 1851. Mr. Francis was among the very first British botanists
who directed attention to the Ferns and their allies ; and, as such, is
entitled to our respect ; and doubtless the errors complained of would
long since have been rectified had Mr. Francis continued his labours
in this country. The letter shows rather curiously how booksellers
make up new editions, with improvements, &c, and affords a hint to
authors to see that their names are not made use of without their
consent, or their having the chance of correcting their first impressions.
We shall be very pleased to hear again from Mr. Francis. — Ed. Fl.]

76 THE FLORIST.

SOUTH METROPOLITAN CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY.

We have much pleasure in laying before our readers the following
account of the progress of this Society. At a meeting held on the
14th ult, Dr. Bushell in the chair, nearly fifty new members were
proposed and elected, increasing the strength of the Society to upwards
of 100 members. The Chairman, in opening the business of the
evening, mentioned the kindly feeling which existed in the immediate
neighbourhood, and, as an instance, informed the gentlemen present
that Mr. Tichener, of the Grosvenor Arms, Grosvenor Park, had insti-
tuted a respect board, on which should be placed the names of Annual
Subscribers. Mr. Tichener expressed himself very gratified that his
endeavours had met with the approbation of the Society, ahd hoped
that the South Metropolitan would stand second to none in the Flori-
cultural world ; but take its place in the foremost rank.

The Chairman then stated that the meeting had been specially con-
vened to hear a short discourse or lecture from Mr. Broome, of the
Temple Gardens, as to his mode of cultivating this very favourite
London flower. Mr. Broome was then introduced by Mr. Hayhow.
He commenced by stating that he had not come to lay before his audi-
ence a long dry wordy statement ; but to show, in a practical point of
view, how the plant may be brought to that perfection which has been
so admirably exemplified at our late London exhibitions, and directed
his advice more especially to young beginners than those who were
better skilled in their culture, and that he never felt happier than when
he was giving nis experience to those whom he thought would benefit
by it, and which he had only been able to gain by great perseverance
and travel. We must mention, by-the-by, that this lecture was illus-
trated, and that Mr. Broome here took up an old root of the sort
Queen of England and dissected it, showing how varieties are propa-
gated by means of suckers, taking off the best and those of good
constitution for his use. He showed how necessary was good drainage
to the habit of the plant, and illustrated the best soils, having brought
with him specimens ; also cautioned all against the two frequent fault
of giving them too much water when young, thus causing what is
technically called "damp," and impressed upon all the necessity that
when the pots were getting too full of roots a change should take place.
The next subject he wished to draw attention to was the " disbudding,"
which consisted of taking the centre eye out, and causing the plant to
throw out laterals and branches to an almost incredible extent, after
which it should be supplied with a little liquid manure, and allowed
plenty of water, keeping it cool during the hot summer months, which
prevented the soil caking round the pot, and the plant assuming a
rugged and distasteful appearance. "Stopping" or "disbudding"
must not be practised after August. Mr. Broome concluded his enter-
taining skefsh by requesting all who were desirous of gaining any
information on the subject before them to come to him, and he would
feel very great pleasure in giving it ; adding that as the time was now
approaching for planting, all making purchases would find a list of

MARCH. 77

choice sorts, with their colours attached, for inspection at the Society's
place of meeting in the Lorrimore Road.

A short discussion ensued; several questions being put and answered
in a very practical manner, the lecturer showing that a very prevalent
idea of growing from the old wood was a mistaken one, as when the
July sun came upon the plant, it soon occasioned abortion; and as
an illustration, he instanced Mr. Holland, of Hounslow, who kept an
old plant, which grew well, "broke" well, until about the middle of
July it went off, and there was an end of it, thus showing that the
Chrysanthemum must be propagated by suckers or cuttings only.
Questions were alse asked concerning the combination of charcoal with
the soil, the cure of that pest the greenfly, and the practice of potting,
which were all admirably answered by the lecturer.

We must not forget to mention that Mr. Morgan, of Lincoln's-inn-
fields, explained his method of treatment in the way of growing Pom-
pones as standards, in a manner similar to the Rose, and which have a
very handsome appearance, differing very materially from tho bushy
plants of Mr. Broome.

The interest which was exhibited throughout the discourse, and the
crowded state of the assembly, showed with what enthusiasm the cause
has been taken us. The Societies on the north side of London must
bestir themselves, or they may find a formidable body of competitors
in the amateurs south.

Before concluding our report we must beg to mention that the Society
has received the patronage of W. Roupell, Esq., M.P., who has kindly
volunteered a Silver Cup for a prize, and which will no doubt be stre-
nuously sontended for. We must also intimate that, as this lecture was
delivered with a view to encourage those who were exhibitors, Mr.
Broome, assisted by Mr. Morgan, will, next monthly night, proceed to
show those who have small gardens how they may best decorate them
when all else is dreary. After a vote of thanks to the chairman, vice-
chairman, and the secretary, the meeting separated.

STRAWBERRIES.
LETTER II.

Addsessed by Monsieur Ferdinand Gloede to the Rev. W. F. Radclyffe,
Rector of Rushton, Dorset.

Les Sablons, Jan. 10th, 1859.
Rev. and Dear Sir, — I beg to apologize for not having written to
you ere this, in answer to your very kind and welcome letter of the
15th of December, which has been followed by another not less inte-
resting, received yesterday morning. You may depend upon a visit of
mine, on my next trip to England, as I feel most anxious to make your
personal acquaintance ; and I beg to thank you in advance for your
kindness inoffering me hospitality.

I notice with much pleasure in the January Florist the letter which
I addressed to you, and which I trust may prove useful to the public.

78 THE FLORIST.

I shall always feel it to be my duty, whenever I have something of
interest to say, to let others profit by it. The few sorts of Strawberries,
which you name, will be forwarded to you in February, weather per-
mitting ; and I trust you will kindly accept a few other varieties which
I may deem interesting ; as, for instance, La Constante, a plant ot
very dwarf habit, and of first-rate excellence in every respect. Of
the May Queen I have plenty, and shall add this also. It is the best
early sort in cultivation. Mr. Nicholson, its raiser, had fruit of it ripe
on the 28th of May, in the open ground. [The earliest pick here is
about the 18th of June generally; last year the 14th, under my south
wall. They are ten days later in the centre of the garden. I refer to
Sir Harry in all the above instances. — W. F. R.] La Chaloneuse is
one of the finest flavoured fruit known, and if it succeed well at your
place it will give you satisfaction. It appears that you like musk in
the flavour of Strawberries. I shall send you Cuthill's Princesse
Royale, which here is a shy bearer, but of very fine flavour. Then
La Baron, by Prince of New York, a very good early sort, very rich,
though of middle size only. Excellente (Belgian), first rate, and very
aromatic. Ne plus ultra (Belgian), very large, sweet, and extremely
dark in colour (nearly black, when fully ripe). If you like, I shall
send you the white Alpine, also a little seed of the bush Alpine, red
and white, for border edges. [I should think they would be good sub-
stitutes for box. W. F. R ] There will of course be Vindis, a curious
sort, of good vinous flavour, but rather small. Do you know Mr.
Rivers' Eliza ? [I have ordered it from Mr. R. W. F. R.] It is a
very good sort, and I can send it along with the others. Mr. Powell,
in his Strawberry article, praises the fertilized Hautbois, of Myatt.
[So did Mr. Tiley, who sent it to me ; but, owing to its being planted
in the depth of winter, it bore no fruit this last year. W. F. R.] It
is good, but I do not consider it so much so as the improved Hautbois,
large flat Hautbois, the black Hautbois, Belle Bourdelaise, and Marquise
de Latour Maubourg. There is still a very old sort, Myatt's Pine
Apple [I wish Mr. Myatt would send me his direction. W. F. R.],
perhaps the best of all, but a very shy bearer ; still worth a place in
the garden.

1 shall accept with thanks the few plants of Cinquefolia [Myatt's,
and said by a very good judge, Mr. Hecter, to be first-rate. W. P. R.j
you kindly offer me, and also a few of what you call Old Carolina.
[I saved no young plants last year ; they are in lines a foot apart, alter-
nately two and three years old next July. The three years old have
been cropped once, and the two years old were purposely disfruited last
year. W. F. R.] There are so many Strawberries called Old Carolina
that I should like to find out the true sort. The Carolina Superba
here is not delicate at all. [Tiley told me it was ; but under the
eaves of my south wall it looks exceedingly well. It was, however,
planted this last January twelvemonth, and totally disfruited last year.
I never fruit a weak plant. W. F. R.] I fear that you have not got
the true C. S. If you like, I will send you the true C. S. [I believe
mine to be perfectly true ; Monsieur Gloede is not aware of the differ-
ence between a French and Engliah winter. As regards my situation,

MARCH. 79

a delicate Strawberry is hopeless ; six weeks ago the wind swept oft* the
cowl from the top of my kitchen chimney, and on Sunday last, 23rd of
January, it swept oft* a 10-feet tin rarifier (a sure cure for a smoky
chimney) off my bed-room chimney. I heard the bits of mortar
come down bit by bit, then a brick or two, and at last a heavy toppling
fall of a 10-feet tin tunnel on terra firma. I am so used to it, that 1
never moved a muscle ; but think what chance a delicate Rose or
Strawberry can have here. W. F. R.] Your plan of top-dressing is
certainly first rate, as it supplies manure to the roots, without disturbing
them [As long as you allow your man to dig or fork among your
Strawberries and Raspberries, so long will you have neither. W. F. R.],
thus keeping them in excellent condition for several years. [I have
grown large crops of Victorias and Keens, four years old plants, the
ground being purposely trodden as hard as a turnpike road the whole
of the time, the fruit when formed never by any chance fails ; of course
they are enormously dressed with surface solid manure, directly after
they have done bearing, and runners carefully kept off. My soil is
friable loam. W. F. R.] Your suggestion, that Sir Harry may be
best as an Annual, strikes me. [I have no doubt that an early July
runner of Sir Harry, planted under a hot south wall, chopped, and then
replaced with new plants, and a little fresh maiden earth, or old mud
wall, in the very same place, will do as well with others as it has done
with me. It will give you on an average 40 fine berries per plant
(being 14 inches distant from each other), and 20 good enough for
jam. Under my south wall it bore ecmally well the second year.
Give it a year's run at two feet distance, and feed and water it
from May till the May following, and you will have a high stand-
ing bush, covered with flowers, ultimately producing from 200 to 300
Strawberries per plant. You will then have some idea of what Sir
Harry can do. Exposed in the open, and fall planted, it is not so
hardy as Keen ; but plant it in May, and it will defy the most rigorous
winter. As an annual it will beat any other for crop, if you plant it
June or early in July. W. F. R.] This sort being a heavy cropper,
it becomes easily exhausted after the first crop. Annual culture may,
perhaps, be adopted with many sorts, provided you can get early run-
ners ; plant them in nursery beds as soon as their roots touch the
ground [their roots cannot be too short when planted. W. F. R.],
water them abundantly, and finally plant them with a ball, where they
are to fruit. [You must not scmeeze the earth into a clayey knot.
W. F. R.] I am glad to see that you intend paying a visit to my
friend, Mr. Nicholson, in case you should go to the north. You will
see Strawberries grown in a first rate manner, and make an acquaintance
with a man of the right sort.

Wood ashes, soot, and peat charcoal with me also are favourite
manures [I told him that I planted many of my Strawberries with
peat charcoal, that I thought wood ashes good, and that I soot all my
Strawberries heavily once every year at least ; and that for that reason
I am never troubled with May bug, or red spider, and very little with
slugs. W. F. R.], especially for pot culture. We have had fine
open weather, with frequent rains up to the 31st ultimo, and since

80 THE FLORIST.

then a pretty sharp frost. [We have had here dense fogs and ice in
the roads. Keen is a little burnt in its droopy leaves ; Victoria and
Carolina S. are hardly affected ; Ananias Lecoq is not at all affected,
its leaves are thick, well formed, and of a beautiful lively green ; its
crowns are fine, and it is altogether the best plant I ever saw. From
its fine constitution, it must' be a forcer. W. F. R.]

I am now busy in placing my first Strawberries in pots for forcing.
I shall tell you something about them hereafter. The Florist is read
by many persons in France ; and our French horticultural papers
frequently give extracts of the same, namely, the Journal of our Paris
Society. 1 intend writing a little pamphlet on the cultivation of Straw-
berries, both out of doors and forced ; but I doubt whether I shall have
leisure to do so before next winter. I should like to give in the same a
description of all known sorts ; but I want to test many of them next
season, in order to be sure of what I write. Unfortunately, the two
last seasons cannot be counted, as regards Strawberries, owing to the
extreme drought and heat [1 put on about (500 buckets per week.
W. F. R.], the greatest enemies to Strawberries. The grub of the
common May bug besides did sad havoc. [Give the plant soot in
February. W. F. R.] This year, however, we shall be free of that
plague, and my plants, having grown strong, I shall be able to study
their respective merits at ease. I shall give myself the pleasure to
send you, in due time, a descriptive catalogue of all the sorts. A.nd
you are at liberty to make any use you like of it ; and also to ask me
freely for any sort you may consider of interest to you.

In my next letter I shall give you an exact description of the new
California, with my views as to the future utility of this extraordinary
sort. You may depend upon getting some plants of the same.
[Monsieur Gloede is, like Mr. N., a man of the right sort. W. F. R.]
I shall have some trees from Mr. Rivers, when you may send, by this
opportunity, the plants you kindly offer me.

I remain, Rev. and dear Sir, yours, most respectfully,

Ferdinand Gloede.

Without my interpolations, I think this letter will much interest
Fragrarians. W. F. R.

SPERGULA PILIFERA— A SUBSTITUTE FOR GRASS.

Spergtjla pilifera, in its style of growth, is a neat dwarf hardy
perennial tufted alpine plant, forming close compact wiry Grass-like
stems, from a quarter to half an inch in height, at first erect, after-
wards decumbent, clothed with closely set green bristle-like leaves,
which, by permanent growth and occasional rolling, forms an unbroken
level velvet-like surface of the richest conceivable verdure, remaining
uninjured in severe drought or intense cold, and assumes the same
beautiful verdurous tint during the winter months as in summer. The
seedling plant of this highly interesting object starts into growth with
a single unbranched perpendicular radicle or root, and afterwards

MARCH. 81

manifests a remarkable power of extension in its ramifying hair-like
roots, penetrating to the depth of one to two feet — a fact quite
sufficient to account for its enduring the opposite extremes of severe
heaf. and cold. In addition to its hardiness under the vicissitudes of
an English climate, its value is considerably enhanced in its adaptation to
all the varieties of common garden soil, requiring but a thin firm surface
stratum of one inch ordinary sifted or broken loam. Maintaining its
verdant freshness alike beneath storm and sunshine, it combines every
needful feature of adaptation with economy, and an uniform aspect of
neatness with the least possible care or attention. Its fertility in bloom
during the month of July is equally beautiful, being at that period
studded over with myriads of low compact salver-shaped snow-white
blossoms, appearing not as in fancy, but in reality, the living picture
of an emerald velvet green carpet, spangled with innumerable silver
stars. From the preceding remarks, it will be seen, that the established
growth of this plant maintains a dwarf close web of green verdure, and
entirely dispenses with the extra toil and expense of mowing, its
numerous small brittle flower scapes being removed by the gentlest
movement of a wing or brush over the surface of the lawn, either whilst
in bloom or afterwards ; and these constitute the only surface growth,
or tokens of its beauty, which require this operation but once a year.
For small or medium-sized lawns, terraces, verges, mounds, &c, this
remarkably interesting and beautiful little plant offers an object of great
interest to every lover of gardening pursuits, and every lady amateur
cultivator may superintend and personally manage the slight attentions
required to preserve the terrace margins or velvet lawn in the highest
condition. The permanent and uniform condition of dense growth, with
the penetrative power of its roots, preserves it from all risks of being
parched by extreme exposure in sultry weather, and the progressive
accumulation of its Moss-like growth, gives an elastic pressure to the
foot, much softer than the finest Turkey carpet. The seeds may
be sown either in or out of pots, in the usual method observed fur fine
seeds, with a slight but uniform covering of soil, a.d placed within
either a frame, cool pit, or greenhouse, using the usual precaution of
shading the seed pans from intense sunlight, daily for a few hours,
until well germinated ; after which it may either be replanted in
stores of ten to fifty plants, within dishes or large pots, or otherwise
planted out in a rather shady border of the open ground, for a few
weeks, and ultimately transplanted upon the prepared lawn surface in
two or three plants, within one inch or more of each other ; and such
little plant groups may be formed at a distance of six, nine, or twelve
inches apart ; in such positions, the growths will progressively ^ meet,
and form the rich and beautiful surface now described. It is also
adnrrably adapted for picturesque green tufts and edgings on avenue
lines and borders, for grouping the front spaces of massive rock-work,
and surfacing partially raised mounds around classic fountains and
basins or artistic columns, where Grass is unavailable for mowing, and
equally telling for cultivation in larger vases, in alternate effect with
the silvery sheen of the beautiful Cerastium tomentosum, on terrace
verges, and architectural approaches.

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXV. G

82 THE FLORIST.

A practical proof of the success of Spergula pilifera for the objects
above stated, may be seen in the gardens of A. Mongredien, Esq., at
Forest Hill, Sydenham, Kent; where a rich and verdant plot or lawn
has been established four years by Mr. Summers, the intelligent
gardener there, and is now in fine condition. In the same gardens, a
considerable space is allotted for further illustration of its perfect
adaptation, which may be seen on application. — E. G. Henderson and
Sons Catalogue of Flower Seeds, &c.

[We have seen this plant, and have little doubt that it will make
a compact and excellent lawn — soft and elastic to the tread, and even in
surface. Its not requiring any mowing is a great point in its favour].

LIFTING AND RE-PLANTING OLD FRUIT TREES— CON-
SIDERED DEGENERATING.

Allow me to give the results of my experience, with twenty old Apple
trees and five Pears, that were considered by my employer and others
to be wearing out. When I commenced my service — June, 1855 — I
found all the trees in a horrible plight — gum. canker, and American
blight being the order of the day ; and my employer, on going through
the grounds with me, a few days after, remarked that he did not know
what was the matter with them. He said he got but little fruit from
them ; and what he did get, was spotted, cracked, and gritty. He had
not an Apple or Pear fit for use by November, and that his Peaches,
Nectarines, and Apricots, were still worse. Every five or six years
he had to replant young trees, for they died off, half at a time, and the
little fruit they bore was watery. This was the account given of the
trees, and I began to fancy that I had got my head in a hornet's nest.
I, however, at once discovered the cause of complaint, and I am happy
to say have successfully removed it. My Peaches are now excellent,
with no appearance of degeneracy ; and I may say that my Nectarines
and Apricots have been equally fine and abundant. So much for
wearing out.

The Apples and Pears had been planted thirty years ; they were
thirteen feet high, and had been trained goblet fashion. When I pro-
posed to lift and replant them in some other part of the garden, I was
laughed at. However, I at last got consent, and they have since
surpassed my employer's most sanguine expectations. At this time they
are in good health, and are literally covered with blossom buds. The
following is the the way in which they were managed: — About
the end of October, 1855, I was fortunate enough to have three
weeks' fine weather. I commenced operations in good earnest. In
the case of Apples and Pears, I had all old Moss removed, and
all old loose bark around cankered branches ; this done, I had
holes taken out, about fourteen feet apart, and the same from row to
row ; the soil was removed about one foot deep, and then I had these
holes filled up, to within three inches of the ground level, with coal
ashes and stones, or any old rubbish that I could get, that would act as
drainage : this finished, I had the holes filled with a part of the soil

MAncn. 83

that was taken out. I then had the trees removed with as a good ball
as I could get to them ; and as each tree was removed, it was brought
as expeditiously as possible, and placed in the centre of the places that
had been prepared for its reception. The remaining soil that was thrown
out of the holes was carefully placed over all the roots ; but all roots
were first pruned with a sharp knife, and nicely laid out in their places,
and each tree was well secured against wind. The weather still
continued fine after they were removed, for about ten days ; and the
shoots they made that summer measured three feet long, and were growing
very fast at the time ; the tops of these shoots beginning to droop,
I thought it advisable to give them a dewing all over with the garden
engine, every morning, till rain set in, and after that, it was discontinued
altogether. By the end of November, the leaves were all off the trees ;
they had made long shoots, which appeared well ripened, except just
the tops. I therefore thought it advisable to commence the necessary
pruning at once ; these long shoots that were produced from the tops of
the trees were pruned back half of their length ; the others produced
from the spurs, which were not quite so long, were pruned back to within
three inches from where they started. At the same time, all old dead
spurs, or such branches as were badly cankered, were carefully removed ;
but every wound made, no matter how small, got a good coating of
white -lead and oil, mixed and well rubbed into the cuts ; this was done
to keep the air out. I was careful, however, not to remove more large
branches than absolutely necessary ; and all the old cankered branches
that remained, had a good lump of equal parts cowdung and clay,
well tempered, pressed, into and around all the cankered parts. A
piece of stout canvas was now placed around the clay and cowdung, and
a couple of ties were passed round, to guard against future accident ;
this clay and cowdung, I had placed around the cankered branches, to
keep out air from the diseased parts, and also to induce the bark to heal
over them, which it has done, to my entire satisfaction ; after this,
each tree had a good coating all over, as opportunities offered, with the
following mixture — all being finished before Christmas : — To three
parts clay, I added one of lime, and a little water, sufficient to give it
the consistency of a very thick paint. I then added a pint of train oil to
over two gallons of this mixture, and a quarter of a pint of turpentine
to four gallons of the above. I then well mixed up all together, and a
little water was then added to thicken it ; every crevice was well
searched out, and this mixture applied ; I found nothing better for
applying it with than a painter's brush. After this was completed, I
had about six inches of equal parts dung and leaves placed all over
their roots. The dung and leaves were about three parts rotten ; and
over this I placed a little soil to keep birds from scratching it about.
Notwithstanding the very severe winter that followed, I had but three
deaths among them — two Apples and one Pear, out of twenty-five
trees. The following season, 1856, as soon as the blossoms made their
appearance, I had them all removed, with some sharp-pointed scissors,
and they had no more attention beyond giving a little water to their
roots and branches in dry weather, applied with the garden engine.
They broke into leaf weakly at first, but as the season advanced, they

o 2

84 THE FLORIST.

showed signs of more vigour. By th? beginning of November, ihey
had ripened what little wood they made, well, and were full of blossom
buds ; they then got what little pruning was necessary, and at the same
time I had all the dung and leaves removed that had been placed on
the top of the roots the year before. Under this covering, I found the
soil literally matted wiih fibrous healthy yellow-looking roots, on the
top of which I placed two or three inches of charred refuse, and on
the top of that about six inches of good sound loam. The next season,

1857, they bloomed well, and set an immense crop, but they got well
thinned, no more being left than I thought they could bring to per-
fection, which they did, and for size and flavour they could not well be
surpassed, not a crack or spot being about them. The last season,

1858, they again produced a very heavy crop — eighteen bushels
of Apples and four of Pears — all fine rosy cheeked shiny fruit, as any
one could wish to see, with not the least signs of degeneracy about
them. My employer tells me he has now more fruit than he ever had
from all the trees in his garden. This is the result of my experiments
with degenerate trees. But if people still persist in planting, and what
is still worse, going to the trouble of making up borders, which when
done, are only fit to grow gourds in, then we shall have disease in all
its forms, attacking our trees, and nothing but disappointment can
follow. Let them replant in pure loam, and we shall soon have
different results. I must now tell you what I intend doing with these
trees. If they should show the least signs of over luxuriance, I shall
root prune, and fill up the trench with pure loam ; but if, on the contrary,
they should show signs of weakness, I shall top dress with pure loam,
and apply copious draughts of liquid manure. Through the summer
months, in this way, I can regulate their growth at pleasure, and
supply fresh food when they require it,

c. w. c.

NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW.

With Mr. Perry's remarks relating to the management of the National
Dahlia Show, I quite agree, and I think that one reason why it should
not be held in London is, that London is not, by a long way, the
central town of England. No doubt, southern growers would prefer St.
James's Hall to any other place, on account of its easy accessibility ;
but the northern and midland growers, on the same ground, have good
reason to object to it ; and I see, by your list of subscribers, that many
have contributed, who, from the great distance they reside from the
metropolis, could not be expected to visit the show. Mr. Perry's
proposition respecting prizes for seedling Dahlias cannot fail to give
satisfaction — and will, if carried out, be of great surface to many situated
like myself, who cannot afford to buy all the new Dahlias advertised
each year ; and from not knowing which are the best and most constant
varieties, usually leave my orders until the second year, when better
opportunities are afforded of judging what will best suit. Now, if six
blooms of any seedling should be shown, and beat a known variety of

MARCH.

85

the same colour, already out, every grower would be sure to purchase
it, as both its constancy and qualities would have been thoroughly
tested. I am at present so situated, that I rarely see a London show,
and am obliged to gain my information from published reports. I
should be pleased to give half-a-guinea for a plant of any new Dahlia,
that I knew would beat the old ones ; and should be fully satisfied with
such a test as the one proposed.

A Provincial Exhibitob.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Fruit Committee. — At a late metting, Mr. Edmonds in the chair,
the commmittee resolved that prizes sof 20s. and 10s. be offered
on this occasion for the best Winter Nelis Pears, in dishes of six
specimens, to be accompanied with a schedule of particulars relating to
the circumstances under which the fruits were produced, and the
announcement of their intention having been responded to, the prizes
were accordingly awarded.

First prize to Mr. Cox, gardener to W. Wells, Esq., Redleaf;
second to Mr. A. Ingram, gardener to J. J. Blandy, Esq., Reading.

In Mr. Cox's schedule it was stated that the locality where the
fruit exhibited by him was grown is in West Kent, about forty miles
from the sea in a direct line ; climate generally humid ; exposed to
south-west winds, but sheltered from east, north, and south ; the soil
rich garden earth, eighteen inches deep, on a subsoil of yellow clay,
inclining to marl, with veins of iron and fine sand, many feet deep ;
the ground slopes to the south-west, at an angle of about 8°. The
fruit was produced on a tree trained horizontally against a south wall,
about twelve feet high ; the tree, about thirty years old, and in good
healthy condition, is on the Pear stock ; the only pruning it requires is,
to break off all the breast-wood when in a young state. The fruit
exhibited was produced on branches which were grafted up the side of
the main stem twelve years ago, and have not failed during the last
ten years to bear a good fair crop. Mr. A. Ingram, the next successful
competitor, stated that High Grove, near Reading, is considerably
elevated ; the soil stiff, inclined to clay ; subsoil gravel. The tree,
planted in a border sloping a little to the north, is fan-trained against a
north wall, about thirteen feet high ; but, a peculiarity deserving of
notice is, that after reaching the top of the wall on the north side, the
branches are trained downwards in a perpendicular direction on the
south side, and from the portion of branches trained in this aspect the
Pears exhibited were gathered on the 19th of October. Mr. Ingram
further mentioned that the fruit produced on the south side is always
larger than that on the north side, but that the quality of the latter is
also good. The tree is old, but healthy and vigorous, and always bears
well ; it is trained on the spur system.

Messrs. Webber and Co., Covent Garden, exhibited Winter Nelis
Pears, but not for competition. They were remarkably fine, large for
the sort, and of excellent flavour. From the schedule accompanying

8(5 THE FLORIST.

them, it appeared that they were grown at Isleworth, the situation
rather humid, and sheltered from the north and north-east. The soil
is rich mould, two to three feet deep, gravelly sand below, and well
drained ; the surface flat. The tree is on the Quince stock, and is fan-
trained against a south wall, eleven feet high, or nearly so ; it has been
nearly ten years in bearing, is vigorous, and has produced excellent
crops during several years. By the same firm, and from the same
locality, were exhibited large specimens of Ne Plus Meuris Pears, from
a south-west wall. The tree, nearly eight years in bearing, is on the
Quince stock, and trained horizontally. It is healthy, and a moderate
bearer.

A communication was read from Mr. Spary, of Brighton, detailing
his mode of grafting Vines. It was intended to have accompanied a
bunch of Muscat Grapes produced by the graft, and exhibited at a
previous meeting, but arrived too late. The Grapery in which the
Vine is growing was built in 1855, and planted on the 18th of April
with Black Hamburgh and one Trebbiana. After two years' growth
they produced an excellent crop ; but the owner wishing to have a
Muscat substituted for the Trebbiana, Mr. Spary grafted its stem with
that and the Golden Hamburgh, the wood of the latter being much the
smaller in size, in consequence of the scarceness of that sort. He stated
that on the 1st of April, 1818, the existing Vine or stock, being at
that time in full leaf, was cut two feet four inches from the ground, and
a cleft made in the top, according to the usual mode of cleft grafting.
The Muscat scion was inserted on the east side, and on the west a
small graft of the Golden Hamburgh, the former being three inches
long, and having one eye, and the latter two inches. The junction was
bound over with matting, then covered with grafting wax, and over
that was put a coating of grafting clay, and a covering of Moss.
Proper attention was paid to syringing twice a day with the other
Vines. In this state the grafts remained for three weeks, at the end
of which time the Muscat began to grow ; and in the first week from
that time it grew four inches, in the second twelve, in the third twenty-
four, and in the fourth thirty-six. At this stage it was found requisite
to remove the Moss, clay, and wax ; and a slack bandage coated with
clay and covered with Moss, to retain proper moisture, was substituted ;
all which were taken off a fortnight later. The fifth week the scion
grew thirty-six inches, the sixth week thirty, and the two following
weeks five feet nine inches ; the whole length of the cane being eighteen
feet one inch. In addition to this growth, it threw out two or three feet
of lateral shoot at the top. The girth of the cane is as follows : — At 1
inch from the graft 3 \ inches, in the centre 2|, at the top If inch ; the
whole of the wood is well ripened. In addition to this extraordinary
growth, Mr. Spary stated that the laterals showed fruit as high as the
tenth or twelfth eye from the graft, but all were taken off except
two bunches on the ninth eye, those being left as an experiment.

The cane of the Golden Hamburgh grew with the same rapidity as
its neighbour, but in conseepjenee of the smallness of the graft it did
not reach the same size, the following being its dimensions : — Length
14 feet 6 inches, girth at one inch from the graft 2^ inches, in the

MARCH. 87

centre 1| inch, at the top 1J inch, the wood throughout being well
ripened. The operation having been very successful, proving that great
advantages may be derived from grafting where Vines are established,
but a substitution of other sorts is desired, Mr. Spary thought a report
of it might be interesting.

VERBENAS.

What Mr. Ruskin is to painting, or the Times to politics, is a certain
canny Scotchman who writes for the Cottage Gardener to floriculture,
very shrewd, very original, but at the same time very crotchety, and
what is called at college very "bumptious." You must not, if you
pretend to know anything, differ from any of these gentlemen. So
long as you adore Preraphaelitism, think perspective of very little
matter, and can admire the painting of a mouse's whisker as something
very precious, Mr. R. is your man ; if you write to the Times of their
world-wide circulation, immense influence, &c, &c, you may, per-
chance, get your letter in ; and so, if you consider our Scotch friend's
experimental garden, and plans and directions, the very acme of
gardening, you may possibly be allowed to know something of flowers,
and not worthy of being gibbeted as an ignoramus ; but woe betide
you if you differ from them. And yet, with this before one's eyes, I am
about to do so. Mr. Ruskin I must leave to the tender mercies of
" Maga; " the Times is able to fight its own battles ; while I, a poor
obscure scribe, any one of whose plants would be pronounced by the
coryphoeus of the Cottage Gardener as rubbish, must undertake to
find fault with him, and enter the lists with a combatant who will, I
doubt not, if ever he sees this, think of me, as Prince Hal did, —
" that poor creature, small beer." But, having had a little experience
in the matter I write about, as well as having had access to some
of the best growers of Verbenas in England, I venture to give a few
remarks on them, even though in so doing I find myself in opposition
to the statement at p. 411 of the last volume of the periodical
referred to. In so doing, I must be brief. I have not the knack of
giving a homoeopathic globule of information in ten gallons of water,
but wish to go to the point at once. But first, let me say what I
believe constitutes a good Verbena in these days. In so doing, I
must only repeat what I have before advanced : the plant ought to be
vigorous, the foliage not inclined to mildew, the truss ought to be
large and well filled up, the individual pips should be as nearly
round as possible, the colour should be decided, and, if striped or
variegated, the variegation should be clean and well marked. I do
not think that novelty or anything else ought to induce one to
tolerate a Verbena deficient in any of these qualities. Time was
when we might have borne with them ; but the number of seedlings
now raised completely takes away any excuse for harbouring such
*' varment," As a great number of the new seedlings come from
France, and they find their way to various growers, it is some time

bo THE FLOKIST.

before one is able to ascertain what they really are ; thus, last year, it
was not till late in the season that an eminent grower had introduced into
his stock, one of the very best in growth, which had been in another
grower's hands for two seasons — in the | aper to which I refer a list, and
a tolerably long one, is given, which, though not from Mr. B. himself,
3'et as it is endorsed by him, and as the giver of it is one who defers
to his opinion, it must be right ; and yet from that list, I find some of
the very best Verbenas entirely omitted, while some there I should
be very sorry to recommend any one to try. During the very hot
weather of last August I paid a visit to some large growers of Ver-
benas, besides having access at all times to the garden referred to in
the last number of the Florist ; and, as the result of my observation
would recommend any who wish really to improve their collection to
add to it, the following ; I say nothing about older sorts, for I see no
reason to alter my opinion with regard to the list which I gave in the
Florist some time ago, and in mentioning thes ', do not wish to consider
myself by any means an infallible guide.
Leviathan, a large free grower of the Standard Bearer habit, a very decided

colour, approaching to blue; but a blue Verbena, though often advertised,

we have not yet; truss very large and well filled up.
Euterpe, bright crimson, very pure in colour, aud large.
Cleopatre, brilliant maroon, or amaranth, as it is called, very distinct, a colour

much wanted.
Calliope, orange scarlet, yellow eye, one I think likely to please.
Lady Seymour, rosy lilac, large yellow eye, very good even in hot weather.
Beauty of Castile, a rich rose, with white eye, a brilliant and effective flower,

one of Mr. Breeze's seedlings.
Cherub, scarlet vermilion colour, yellow eye, an excellent grower.
Miss Breeze, line crimson, brilliant, effective, yellow eye.
Topsy, rich maroon, a good colour, aud not inclined to burn.
Emperor, bright crimson, deep plum coloured centre, a distinct variety.
Pactole, lilac, of a deep shade, with light crimson or carmine centre.
Cardinalis, dwarf, dark scarlet, a good bedder, to be planted near the edge.
Souvenir, in the way of Attraction, but larger and finer altogether.
Lady Havelock, a beautiful bright rose, with a lemon eye, and stands scorching

well.
Eastern Beauty, another of Mr. Edmond's yellow-eyed beauties, of a deeper

shade of colour than the preceding, and likely to be a favourite.
Madame Matras, a French kind, introduced by Mr. E. G. Henderson, something

in the way of Souvenir de l'Expositiou, but larger and finer, most free

flowering, and a very excellent bedder. I think it the best of the light

varieties with dark eye.

I might add a few more, but these will, I think, be a sure gain to
whoever has them. Of course season may have something to do with
it ; but Verbenas always do well in a tolerably moist summer, and us
these stood the trying season of last year, I have very little doubt of
their bearing any other kind of weather. I believe that Mr. Edmonds
is again in the field with some new seedlings of a striking character,
among which are some remarkable scarlets, with clear white eyes.
Should they in other respects equal those he has already sent out, they
will be a decided acquisition. I hope next month to be able to say
something on new bedding Geraniums, more especially that class so
rapidly increasing in estimation — the variegated varieties.

Deal, Feb. 10. D.

march. S9

BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

At a late fleeting of this Society, Mr. Hogg in the Chair, six gentlemen
were elected members. Mr. Davidson, the Secretary, gave notice that
he desired to resign his office at the next annual meeting, when the
Society could, according to the rules, appoint a successor. His resig-
nation was accepted.

Some diseased Apples having been sent to Mr. Graham, of Cran-
ford, for examination, his report was read to the meeting.

Of fruit exhibited much was below mediocrity; it was therefore re-
solved : — " That in all future competitions, when quality is the point
intended to be rewarded, the premiums will be withheld, if one-third of
the fruit be considered of decidedly inferior merit,"

Two guineas and one guinea, for the best and second-best collections
of six varieties of Late Dessert Pears. Open to growers only.

Three collections were exhibited in this class. — J. Moorman, Esq.,
sent from his garden at Bexhill, Sussex, situate half a mile from the
sea, much exposed to south-west gales ; soil, light loam, three feet deep,
over undrained clay; the following kinds from healthy young trees, on
Pear stocks, growing against a south-west wall : — Winter Nelis, large
and well grown, very juicy and melting, sweet and generally excellent
in flavour ;— Knight's Monarch, juicy, melting, rich, and aromatic, but
but somewhat depreciated by too early gathering ;— and Old Cohnar,
very sugary, promising to be delicious, but scarcely ripe. Also, from
his garden, in Portland Place, Clapham Road ; ground, flat and shel-
tered ; soil, strong rich mould, over undrained gravel, the following
kinds : — Jean de Witte, from a south-west wall; large for the kind, and
in excellent condition, very juicy, melting, sweet, and fine-flavoured ;
Beurre dAremberg, from, an espalier ; melting, but small and bitter in
flavour ; and Ne Plus Meuris, from Espalier. Melting, but only
moderately juicy, and not high-flavoured. The first premium was
awarded to this collection.

Mr. Cox (gardener to W. Wells, Esq.), Redleaf, sent a collection
from a garden exposed to south-west; climate, damp ; soil, twenty inches
of rich garden mould, over yeilow-marly clay containing veins of fine
ferruginous sand, damp, but drained. The fruit of all the kinds were
large, healthy, and good in appearance and colour ; in other respects they
were as follows : — Winter Nelis, from south wall, juicy, melting, and
excellent ; Easter Beurre, from south wall, half melting, but mealy; —
Chaumontel, from west wall, over ripe and bitter. — Passe Colmar, from
south wall ; juicy, but thin and watery in flavour, deficient in sugar;
scarcely ripe. Old Colmar, from west wall ; past appeared to have been
good and melting, but not juicy; Vicar of Winkfield, under the name
of Leon le Gere, from a standard ; juicy, but not at all melting,
To this collection was awarded the second prize.

Mr. Wighton (gardener to Lord Stafford), Cossey Hall, Norfolk, sent
a collection containing Knight's Monarch, from wall and espalier, very
juicy and rich-flavoured, but shrivelled from having been gathered pre-
maturely ; — Winter Crassane, not juicy; Easter Beurre, large, but
flavourless ; Beurre Ranee, unripe, but sweet and promising ; — Susette

90 THE FLORIST.

de Bavay, half-melting, but harsh in flavour ; also, a variety called
Winter Bergamot, small and juicy, but of no particular merit; reported
to be common amongst market gardeners ; but not recognized by the
members present ; and a variety without name, which had every ap-
pearance of being Swan's Egg, although so much out of season.

Of other Pears sent for examination, the following were the most
interesting : —

Beurre Ranee, by Henry Webb, Esq , Reigate, from a standard, on
loamy soil, over fullers' earth. Fruit medium-sized for the variety,
melting, juicy, very sweet, and high-flavoured.

Easter Beurre. by Mr. John Brown, gardener at Bentworth Rectory,
Alton, Hants, from a south-east wall ; soil, strong loam, over tenacious
clay. The fruit was very fine in appearance, half-melting, but not
high-flavoured. Mr. Brown attributed this to his not having thinned
the fruit to the same extent as he had usually done, — mentioning that,
in the previous season, they were very excellent, and lasted in use from
the end of December to the first week in May.

Josephine de Malines, by Mr. Thomas Rivers, from a pyramid on
quince stock. Medium-sized, very juicy, melting, rich, delicious, and
aromatic.

Grapes. — Mr. Thomson (gardener to the Duke of Buccleuch),
Dalkeith Palace, Edinburgh, sent a dish of Lady Downe's Seedlings, a
variety not much known, but considered by the meeting to be worthy of
more extended cultivation. It is evidently of the St. Peter section.
Bunch about eight inches long ; shouldered ; appears to be a very fine
setter, and to require much thinning ; berry medium-sized, nearly
round ; skin moderately thick ; flesh very juicy, sweet, and vinous.
Mr. Thomson reported, that the bunch sent, which did not exhibit the
slightest appearance of long keeping, by loss of bloom, or shrivelling in
either berry or stalk, " was ripe in August last," and adds that, " he
finds no Grape hang so long and combine so many good qualities."

Messrs. Webber and Co., of Covent Garden, exhibited good examples
of retarded Black Hamburgh, which had been ripe since September
last ; the berries of which were still plump, although their stalks gave
evidence of the long time they had been kept.

Seedling Apples. — Mr. G. Wolsep, of St. Andrew's, Guernsey, again
sent specimens of his Seedling. Though past its best, it was considered
to have maintained the opinion formerly expressed regarding it ; its
general character approaching that of the Golden Harvey. Mr. Wolsey
reports, that the original tree is twenty years old, moderate in habit of
growth, shape of head rather globose, and thinks it will prove a good
dwarf prolific kind for small gardens.

Mr. Oxley (gardener to Miss Sitwell), Spondon, near Derby, sent a
Seedling, called Pretty Apple, apparently possessing the properties of a
good late Kitchen Apple, being large, small cored, and acid. Reported
also to be a great bearer, of healthy constitution, and compact habit.
(On being baked without sugar, they are found to be pale brown in
colour ; tender, but not breaking into pulp ; not syrupy; sweetish
subacid in taste. The fruit had, however, been gathered before they
were ripe, as stated by the sender, and were not in condition.

MARCH. 91

Dr. Davies, of Pershore, brought again his seedling, Taleisin.
(reported on last year) ; and promised again to send a bundle of scions
for distribution,

Mr. Annandale (gardener to J. R. S. Carnegie, Esq., Seaton House,
Forfar), sent a Seedling, raised by Mr. John Gowans, market-gardener,
Arbroath. This was considered a very fine and promising late Kitchen
Apple. Sound, acid, and heavy, much resembling Minchall Crab.
Mr. Annandale is requested to send it again next meeting, and, if
possible, with the variety referred to from the same district.

NOTES ON THE MONTH.

After one of the finest autumns and winters ever remembered, we
are now on the eve of March without even a snow-storm in this
district, and, with the exception of the rather sharp frost at the end of
November, without frost. The winter has, in fact, been most remark-
ably mild, and the quantity of rain which has fallen since February
commenced very great. There are, at the present time, indications of
a clearer sky, prognostic of frost. Apricots, and in some places
Peaches, are in bloom, and some deciduous trees, as the Elm,
Willow, Birch, and Poplar, show that the sap is on the move ; the
buds are becoming turgid, and would very soon burst their casements,
should the present mild weather continue. Garden shrubs, as Lilacs,
Ribes, Roses, &c, have commenced their growth. What the coming
six weeks may produce, no one can foresee ; but, to all appearance,
the fruit crop will be in a perilous position, unless the wind veres
round to the east, and we get a good month's easterly wind and cloudy
sky, which may keep fruit trees back, and perhaps save the crop,
which, notwithstanding the fruitfulness of last season, again gives
promise of being abundant.

The oft repeated remark that a good crop of hedge-row fruit
indicates a hard winter, turns out to be a " popular fallacy," judging
from the season just past ; for never were there a finer show of hips
and haws, nuts, and acorns ; and yet we have had perhaps the
mildest winter on record. The winter has been a favourable one
for the poor labourers, who, however, by what I see in the papers,
have had their wages in places unduly lowered, a short-sighted policy,
' but which is not a subject to discuss here. All kinds of garden
vegetables are unusually abundant, and Potatoes quite a drug, good
Potatoes here being worth only 5s. per sack of 240 lbs., at which price
they must entail heavy loss on the grower. We hear of distilleries
for Mangolds and Beets ; can no one try what the Potato can
produce ? I should say, that at the price quoted, several products may
be obtained by distilling the roots, which would be profitable, and open
up a new field of demand for this useful root.

The demand for a vegetable substance capable of being converted
into paper is engrossing public attention. What is wanted is, an
article which can be obtained, when cut and dried, at a cost not
exceeding £4 per ton. It is now well known that paper can be

92 THE FLORIST.

manufactured from a great variety of products. But vegetable fibre,
in one shape or other, is almost universally employed ; cannot the
half-drained bogs of Ireland, and many waste grounds in England, be
turned to account to supply the fast increasing demand ? Rushes, and
indeed any cpiick-growing plant, with not too fleshy foliage, will
answer ; and it remains to be proved whether the fallen leaves of
autumn may not yet be made conducive to this end.

Having looked over many of the Catalogues and Lists of the present
spring, I observe how rapidly novelties increase. Surely, we shall
this season see some new colours imported into our parterres and
flower gardens. What seems most wanting are, delicate blues,
oranges, and pinks, to soften down the ever recurring blues, reds, and
yellows. G. F.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Auriculas. — These will now be much more tender, from the amount
of young growth they bave made. Protect from frost, and water more
frequently, as well as more liberally; weak liquid manure once a week
will strengthen the trusses now being thrown up. Give plenty of air,
and fumigate occasionally; greenfly generally appears with the young
growth.

Azaleas and Camellias. — Forced Azaleas, which have done blooming,
should have all the decayed flowers picked off; and if thrips or scale
infest the plants, let them be well cleaned by washing them with diluted
tobacco-water, to which, in case of scale, may be added a small quan-
tity of soft soap. The roots should be next examined, and if the pots
are either very full of them or these not in a satisfactory state, let all
the old soil be first shaken from the roots, and then wash away the rest
by working the ball backwards and forwards in a pail of water. When
the remaining soil about the roots has dried a little, pot in smallish
sized pots comparatively, in fresh sweet compost (see back articles on
Azaleas), and place the plants where a slight fire-heat is kept — as a
fresh started Vinery or Peach-house — and they will quickly commence
growing, and ripen their wood early for forcing another season. The
above remarks as to root treatment apply equally to Camellias, or indeed
to any kind of shrubby greenhouse plants, when their roots are not in a
healthy state, or where it is desirable the size of the pots should not be
increased at potting time. Keep Azaleas for late blooming as shaded
and cool as possible, or the present unprecedentedly mild season will
bring them into bloom before they are wanted. Cultivators will find
north houses fully as useful as south ones, for the purpose of retarding,
which is as often wanted as forwarding into bloom, Let the whole stock
of Azaleas, old and young, be well cleaned from insects before growth
commences. Stocky old plants of bad kinds should be headed back, to
make young wood for grafting by-and-by ; these make fine specimen
plants in quick time, when properly done.

Calceolarias. — Any plants struck during the winter should be re-
potted into four-inch pots to succeed the first plants. If not so large

MARCH. 93

they will make compact handsome bushes for decorating the conserva-
tory or greenhouse — for bedding out it is not too late to strike cuttings
of the best shrubby kinds for the pnrpose ; such as Aurea floribunda,
Prince of Orange, Yellow Prince of Orange, Pallida, Beauty of Mon-
treal, Kayii, amplexicaulis, viscosissima, and coccinea minor.

Carnations and Picotees. — The season has been such that, early as
it may appear, the strong growing varieties should now be potted, as
such will be getting pot-bound in the small pots, and the sooner they
have an opportunity of getting established permanently in the soil they
are to bloom in, the finer it may be expected, as well as a larger increase
of stock. Pot firmly and secure any long plants with small sticks ;
if there is any greenfly on the plants, give them a good smoking with
tobacco or tobacco-paper before taking them from the pit. The latter
end of the month will be soon enough for planting out in borders. We
advise expedition, as being in favour of large blooms.

Cinerarias. — As the spring is now advancing, great care must be
taken with large specimen plants, to see that they do not suffer for want
of water, for much will depend on this, in keeping good foliage round
the pot. Tie out as wide as possible, keeping the shoots as near the
surface of the pot as convenient without a risk of breaking them.
Keep them as thin and as near the glass as possible, and syringe until
in flower every favourable opportunity, as this will tend to assist the
foliage, and develop the young bud. Give weak liquid manure occa-
sionally. Look to seedlings as they come into bloom, and select the
brightest colours for the ensuing season. Sow in a shady situation for
early autumn flowering, and as soon as large enough transplant and
keep in a cool shady situation through the summer. Prepare compost
by throwing up into a heap good turfy loam and partly decomposed
stable manure.

Conservatory and Show-house. — We remember nothing like the
mildness of the season, up to the time we write. Plants not usually
blooming till March and April are now in full beauty, and the conserva-
tory will be gay with Acacias, Camellias, Azaleas (Chinese and forced),
and all the plants mentioned under the head of forced shrubs in our last
notice, to which may be added bulls, Mignonette, Violets, stove plants,
and Ferns. Do not, however, overcrowd the house, or you will mate-
rially damage the permanent plants by overdrawing them, and inducing
the sides and lower parts of the plants to make weak growth, or perhaps
die altogether. Temperature as last month.

Cold Frames. — Push on with all kinds of propagating, so as to have
plants established somewhat by the beginning of May, that they may
be hardened before finally planting them. Pot off what autumn struck
cuttings yet remain in store-pans, particularly Geraniums and the like.
Sow seeds of Stocks, Lobelias, Neirembergias, Maurandyas, and other
greenhouse plants for turning out ; also of the many varieties of Canna
or Indian Shot, which as foliaged plants make admirable beds, and for
mixing with other things. Consult the many catalogues ; for among
the things advertised as new many are worthy a trial. And who is not
ambitious to have a new bed in his garden ? Attend particularly to
fine-foliaged plants and ornamental Grasses, which make interesting

04 TI1E FLORIST.

additions to ordinary flower gardens, by infusing variety. Propagate
Dahlias, Salvias, Bouvardias, tall Lobelias, and other similar plants by
the young shoots thrown up from the roots, or by making cuttings of
the roots themselves.

Dahlias. — March is the best month for propagating the Dahlia ;
cuttings struck now have time to make fine plants, yet are not too early
to become stunted; therefore propagate freely, and when sufficient cut-
tings have been taken, divide the roots, to make a few strong early
plants. Sow seed towards the end of the month, in a brisk heat.

Forcing Ground. — Potatoes, of well known early kinds, as the Early
Oxford, Ashleaf, and Royal Dwarf, may now be planted freely in frames,
over a gentle heat, as the disease will not affect them at this season to
the extent it often does earlier ; let the soil be sandy and free from
manure. Thin out Carrots and Radishes sown in frames ; and prick
out into low pits or frames spring raised Cauliflowers, Lettuce, and
Celery, for future transplanting. Keep up a succession of forced Kale,
Asparagus, and Rhubarb. It will save a great deal of trouble
and risk from the attacks of insects, if a pit or two could be devoted
to the culture of the French Bean, instead of growing them in vineries,
&c. The pits, however, must be provided with some means of heating.
The best forcing varieties are the Newington Wonder, and Early
Mohawk.

Flower Garden. — A good time this (if not done in autumn), for
taking up and dividing the roots of perennial herbaceous plants. Per-
manent bulbs must on no account be touched now, as they will be
commencing to grow. Phloxes, Asters, Delphiniums, and other plants
of this class, when the roots have grown too large should be divided and
the best portions planted again in fresh soil ; due regard should be paid
to the height and colour of each at planting, that they mix well as
regards colour ; and where the beds can be seen from all sides, the tallest
should be arranged in the centre, falling gradually to the edge. Mark some
of the best Polyanthus and Auriculas for seed ; these and Hepaticas
when done blooming, may be divided and replanted for increasing the
stock, and in the same way Russian Violets and common Violets may
be treated. A few hardy annuals may be sown for an early bloom, and
those sown in autumn should be well thinned out, to allow them to stand
singly, when the bloom will be much finer.* Finish the pruning of
Roses, except the Tea and China sections, and a few of the Gallicas,
Provins, and Alba classes, which may be left unpruned till April, to
run the chance of a very late bloom. Rose beds on poor soil should be
well manured.

Fruit (Jiardtf). — The remarkable mildness of the season has brought
the Apricot, and in some places the Peach, into bloom. This is an
unfortunate state of things, for in all probability we shall have a winter
of more or less intensity, when the coming crop will be placed in the
greatest jeopardy. The only plan to adopt is to keep off the covering
while the mild weather lasts, but have your protection, in ample quan-
tities, ready for use when wanted. Wash Apple and Pear trees, whose
stems have become mossy, with hot lime and water, to which add a
little salt.

MARcn. 95

Greenhouse (hard-wooded plants). — These must now have more air
and be set tolerably wide apart, to prevent drawing. Before the spring
growth commences will be a good time to repot any plants requiring it.
Mind in potting that the old ball is tolerably moist, and let the compost
used be moderately dry, that the plants may be potted firm, arranging
the surface of the soil so as to allow the water to pass through the old
ball. Soft-wooded plants. — Any Calceolarias, Cinerarias, or other soft-
wooded plants not yet in their blooming pots, should at once be shifted
into them ; also late-struck Pelargoniums or Geraniums for a late bloom.
Japan Lilies, Tritonias, &c, now commencing to grow should have a
little water. Frames are now the best place for this class of plants.
Sow Balsams, Cannas, Cockscombs, and the autumn-blooming Tro-
paiolums, &c, in a little heat for decorating the greenhouse after July.

Kitchen Garden. — Every means must now be taxed to keep pace
with the season. All crops of summer vegetables may now be either
sown or planted ; a succession of Peas and Broad Beans should be put
in about every fortnight, sowing two sorts at each time, This will
produce an uninterrupted supply, allotting the quantity sown to the
demand. It would be useless recommending sorts, seeing seedsmens'
catalogues contain such descriptive notices of each, that each may select
for himself. Sow Onions on well prepared ground, made tolerably firm
if at all light. Spinach, Radishes, and Lettuce should be sown every
fortnight in small gardens. Horn Carrots do well mixed with the
Radishes, as these may be drawn out, and the Carrots follow. Lettuce
delights in rich and rather heavy land ; the autumn planting should
have the soil stirred between them, and get a dressing of soot. Plant
out autumn Cauliflowers on a warm rich border ; also a good piece of
Cabbage for a main crop ; and give plenty of air to Cauliflowers under
glasses, and water with liquid manure. The main crop of Potatoes
should now be planted in select dry soils and open situations, and avoid
fresh or rank manure.

Melons and Cucumbers. — These latter should now have every atten-
tion, as they will be growing and bearing freely, if grown in Pine stoves
in pots. They will require liquid manure occasionally, and frequent
surfacing to encourage the roots. Thin out the vines, and do not allow
too many fruit to swell off at the same time. Cucumbers in frames must
have the required heat maintained by linings of warm dung. Earth up
the hills as the roots advance, and train the vines over the surface, stop-
ping them at a joint beyond the fruit. Ridge out succession crops.
The night temperature should not be less than 68°, with a rise of 12°
by day, giving air on all opportunities. The bottom heat should be kept
steady, at from 80° to 90°. Melons require a heavy loam, or rich marly
soil, on which they thrive fast, and escape many evils they are always
subject to on lighter soils ; therefore this description of soil should be
selected if possible.

Peach-house. — Look at last month's directions. When the shoots
are long enough for tying in let it be done at once. Night temperature
58°, day 75° to 80°.

Pelargoniums. — Under the increasing influence of solar light they
will require a more liberal supply of water, particularly the plants

96 THE FLORIST.

intended for the early exhibitions, and also those that are well
established in their blooming pots. Now they should occasionally have
some liquid manure water. As the days lengthen an increase of tem-
perature may be allowed, and air should be given early on fine bright
mornings ; but the house should be closed early in the afternoon.
Attend to the training of the shoots, to admit the light and air. The
young stock should have every attention to training, the stopping back
of any strong shoots, being kept entirely free of insects, and encouraged
by every possible means to make a vigorous and healthy growth. Keep
the plants clean of dead foliage, and especially the fancy varieties, for
if they are allowed to remain long on the shoots, they often cause them
to damp, and spoil the shape of the plant. The June and late flowering
plants, as they progress in growth, should be kept well tied out, according
to instructions previously given.

Pinery. — Fruit ripening should be well exposed to get it a good
colour, and a rather drier atmosphere kept ; succession plants, if active
; Uhe roots, may have a shift towards the end of the month. Use pure
ioam, or loam and peat, with a little bone dust mixed with it ; but be
sure that the roots are on the move before you pot, or if not give them
a little extra bottom heat to forward them.

Pinks. — Top-dress without loss of time, if not already done, using
half-rotten manure mixed with rich loamy soil. Particularly mild as
the weather has been of late, those planted early, as recommended by
us last autumn, look very strong and healthy. From the remarkable
season we have experienced, a fine bloom is very probable.

Tulips. — Protect the bed with 'canvas, frigi-domo, or mats, whenever
there is severe frost, or excessive rain ; but, as a rule, keep it covered
as little as possible, as doing so obviously excites a weakly growth.
Stir the surface of the soil between the bulbs as soon as it is in the best
state for the operation, i. e., between wet and dry. All the beds we
have seen, and they are not a few, promise a good bloom, the appear-
ance above ground being very regular. An early bloom is all but
certain however. In our next we shall give full particulars, as well as
day of meeting, for the great National Exhibition to be held at Slough.

Vineries. — Early Grapes, which have been thinned, should be kept
growing by a uniform temperature of about 60° by night, and ranging
to 80° under bright sun by day. Sprinkle the paths, walls, &c, fre-
quently, to maintain a certain degree of humidity in the atmosphere,
and let the admission of air be attended to early each morning ; indeed,
if a little is allowed all night it will be to the advantage of the crop.
Grapes in pots will require constant watching to supply them with
water. Outside borders should be watched, to see the protective mate-
rials keep off the wet, and if they give a slight heat at the same time
the roots will derive an additional benefit ; but, if heat has been applied,
it must not be allowed to decline. Bring on succession houses, and
stop down shoots as they advance. The latest houses where fruit
is cut may be pruned and washed, and the vines shaded from the sun to
keep them from breaking till late. Now is a good time to pot a lot of
vines for fruiting next season in pots.

i sDebt.&Zmcc

Gladiolus .

Berths Haboicrduv.

H-mted 5y C. Ckabi

APRIL. 97

THE GLADIOLUS.

(Plate 150).

If we, of " Perfide Albion," and they of " La Belle France,''
do fondly cherish certain little political animosities toward
each other, and if we are otherwise slightly at cross pur-
poses upon minor moralities and social ethics, we at least atone
for all these and other differences, as members in common of
the great floral republic. There we all, with one consent,
fling our animosities to the winds, and rush into each others
arms like men and brothers. Though the cup we pledge each
other in may be that of a Tulip, and instead of greetings across
the table (though we often supplement our meetings in that
pleasing manner), we exchange a bunch of Gilliflowers or a
root or two of Polyanthus, we are none the less friends ; and
as such are always ready to rally round the standard of our
common faith — horticulture. And if our good confreres across
the Channel in heralding a new candidate (a plant, be it
understood) for popular favour, do sometimes a leetle too highly
colour the good qualities and pretensions of such candidates,
we who are in these matters as immaculate as arctic snows,
know very well how to excuse, or at least to palliate, the
exuberance of a playful fancy, warmed by a southern sun.
We who have never been guilty of any shortcomings (or rather
overdoings), in that way, know what is due to an erring friend,
and can generously forgive if not forget. There are, thank
the gods, no floricultural Barnums among us. Humbug is
not known in the English horticultural vocabulary. We can,
every mother's son of us, to any such insinuation, lay our
hands upon our hearts, cast up our eyes, and exclaim, without
as much as causing a flutter in our respectable bosoms,

" Let the galled jade wince, our whithers are unwrung."

But, exclaims the gentle reader (query, why are readers
always gentle ?), " What has this to do with the Gladiolus ? "
Nothing, good Sir, nothing ; we are coming to that. But the
bare subject would be as dry as one of its own corms (we
believe that is the correct term), in a pot of sand in December,
and we must perforce liquify it a little. And moreover,
although we admit the desirableness of the qualification in a
writer, we never can plunge in media res, which we believe
means that we never can begin writing about what we intended
to say, without saying a good deal of what we didn't intend
to say.

This ordeal over, then, here we are ; and, like 'cute M'Quade,
when he woke up with his feet in the stocks, where his respect-

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXVI. H

98 THE FLORIST.

able uncle the beadle had put him, in a slightly oblivious state
of whiskey, the result of a family wake, we can only wonder
how we got here. But, between Mr. M'Quade and ourselves
there is this slight difference — he could only remain and
wonder where he was ; we must as surely go on from where
we are.

Yes, Gladiolus is the theme ; the rich, the bright, the
beautiful ; and very desirable plants they are for late summer
and autumn decoration, as that counterfeit presentment of the
fine variety facing page 1 of this present month's Florist,
done by Andrews in his best style, tells plainly enough.

Bertha Eabourdin's the name ; and know, O gentle reader,
that her birthplace was France. When men can forget Water-
loo and Sebastopol, and interchange such gentle courtesies as
always accompany flowers, what may we not hope for.

We singled out the subject of our present plate from a
number of other equally beautiful Gladioli sent to the Crystal
Palace Flower Show last autumn by Mr. Standish, of Bagshot,
who, we believe, grows them largely. The collection as a
whole was gorgeous, and attracted much attention.

For border decoration they are admirably adapted, especially
if placed where they can be backed by and mixed with ever-
greens. As cut flowers, too, they have much to recommend
them. If a spike, the lower flowers of which are just beginning
to open, be cut, and placed in water, the whole will expand
successively, equally well with those remaining on the plant.
Their culture, too, is very easy, A light sandy soil and leaf-
mould suits them best.

With a list of some good varieties at the end of this article,
we print an extract from Mr. Standish's Catalogue, giving
hints for their out-door treatment. If required to bloom
earlier, they may be potted in February, sheltered in a cold
frame, and planted out when the frost is gone. They also may
be grown wholly in pots, and very handsome they are so
treated. Mr. Standish says : —

" To grow these very handsome plants in perfection, the
bulbs should be planted in a light sandy soil ; if very poor a
little leaf-mould may be added, but no dung. If the above
cannot be had, and the soil is a stiff loam, one-half should be
burnt and thoroughly broken to pieces, and mixed with the
other, which will grow them well. The bulbs should be planted
not earlier than the middle of April, nor later than the last week
in May ; and when ripe, which will be from the beginning to
the end of October, they should be taken up and dried off
rather quickly (or, like Onions, they are apt to turn mouldy
at the roots), after which place them in thoroughly dry sand
in a cool dry situation, away from frost, until plantiDg time."

APETL. 99

The following is the list above alluded to : —

Adonis, pale reddish salmon, lower petals yellowish, marked with carmine

Amabilis, brilliant vermilion

Antiope, cerife, striped with deeper colour

Aurautia, nankeen, yellow throat

Bicolor, bright red, with yellow markings

Berenice, hue rosy salmon, striped with orange red

Bertha Rabourdin, pure white, lower petals richly marked with violet

carmine
Brenchleyensis, vermilion scarlet, one of the brightest and best
Clemence, very pale lilac rose, shaded and spotted with deeper rose
Couranti fulgens, brilliant crimson
Don Juan, bright orange red, lower petals yellow
Dr. Andry, very bright orange red
Edith, lilac rose, striped with a deeper colonr
Fanny Rouget, carnation rose, the lower petals carmine rose
Florian, bright salmon rose, mottled
Hebe, pale flesh, mottled with carmine
Imperatrice, pale carnation, mottled with carmine
Janire, clear bright orange- red

Keteleeri, bright vermilion red, mottled with brilliant carmine
La Chamois, nankeen buff, purple stripe
Louis Van Houtte, bright scarlet

Madame Binder, white, the lower petals striped with carmine
Madame Place, very delicate salmon rose, lower petals nearly white
Mathilde de Landevoisin, white, or very pale flesh, striped with carmine
Miniatus, salmon red
Mr. Coudere, carmine shaded
Ninon de l'Enclos, flesh colour, striped with rose
Pegasus, carnation, mottled with purplish red
Penelope, pale flesh, mottled, lower petals tinted yellow
Rachel, blush lightly striped with rose
Sulphureus, sulphur, yellow and purple throat
Trioniphe d'Engheim, very dark crimson, yellow throat
Vesta, delicate sulphur colour, lower petals buff, marked with carmine
Wellington, rosy carmine, mottled

JASMINUM NUDIFLORUM.

This admirable plant was introduced by the Horticultural Society
from Nankin, in the year 1844, through their eminent collector, Mr.
Fortune ; and has been described by Dr. Lindley in vol. i., page 143,
of the new series of the Transactions of that body. It is a shrub with
angular deep green trailing branches. Its leaves are shining deep
green, and each consists of three sessile leaflets of an ovate form, which
fall off early in the autumn, and are succeeded by large yellow scent-
less flowers, which grow singly from the buds formed in the axils of
the leaves which have previously dropped. It was considered at the
time of its introduction that it would be an excellent addition to our
greenhouse plants, by reason of its being a free winter bloomer, and
continuing in flower for a length of time : and so it has proved, for
plants growing in pots, and trained either with long stems and pendent
branches, or in pyramidal form, have for years been objects of attraction
in many gardens — nor is its beauty less conspicuous when allowed a
more extensive range in the conservatory, with its roots growing in the
free soil. It is, however, as an open-air plant that I would direct
attention to its merits. On the face of a bleak hill, on the highest

H _

100 THE FLORIST.

cultivated land in the county of Southampton, and much exposed to
the south-west winds, this plant has literally been in flower for
months past ; whether as growing in the common garden soil, trained
on a trellis in front of the mansion, or in that part of a colonnade
with a considerable roof protection, or rambling at will over beds of
American plants, the effect produced has been of the most charming
and beautiful kind; the flowers, too, have been most useful in
bouquets and in the adornment of epergnes, vases, &c. ; the large
bright yellow flowers contrast admirably with Camellias, Hyacinths,
Primulas, and such like, and to these they add a peculiar grace
when the stems and flowers are allowed to protrude outwards. The
time is not distant, when not only every garden, but the sunny side
of every cottage in these kingdoms, will be enlivened and beautified,
during the dull months of winter, with the golden flowers of this
charming plant. D- B.

FERN CLASSIFICATION.— No. V.

We resume our sketch of the subdivision of the Poli/podinece, the first
group of which, having transverse sori, formed the subject of the pre-
ceding paper (p. 44).

In the second group (2) in which the sori are parallel with the veins
and oblique to the midrib or costa, there are scarcely any cases suffi-
ciently anomalous to cause difficulty in the way of classification.
The sori, generally forming a line of some length — oblong simple linear,
or continuous in reticulated lines, here take the same course as the
veins ; whereas, in the former group, they were ranged across them,
and in that which follows, are normally punctiform or dot-like, one of
the dot-like clusters only occurring on one vein. It may, however, be
useful to mention, that although the sorus is here normally and really
oblique to the costa, in some cases the obliquity is so trifling that it
appears to be subparallel therewith ; but then it is to be observed that
it is not placed across the veins, but follows their course, so that there is
no real deviation from the characteristics of the group, and no real
difficulty in classifying the plants. The same feature, that namely of
the sori lying parallel with the veins, also serves to prevent misappre-
hension in the case of some of the much divided Aspleniece (which
form part of the group) where the segments are so narrow as to
contain only a single vein, with a sorus lying along it.

This second group breaks into two lesser divisions ; of these the first
again separates into two sections in continuation of the series already
explained, and the remaining one breaks up into three other sections.
The divisions are these : —
Sori parallel with the veins, &c. —

(a). Sori iudusiate —

— lateral on the veins, the indusium attached by

its base g 13. Aspleniece.

— dorsal on the veins on an oblong cristseform

receptacle, to which the indusium is attached

by its centre §14. Didymochlceneae.

(b). Sori naked or spuriously indusiate (dorsal) . . (see forward).

APRIL.

101

The Aspleniece comprise fourteen genera, separable into three sets in
the following order : — With the indusia single and distinct — Actini-
opteris, Asplenium, Athyrium,
with free veins ; T/iamnopteris,
with the veins combined ; He-
midictyon, Allantodia, and
Ceterach, with the veins re-
ticulated. With the indusia
connivent in pairs face to face —
Scolopmdrium, with free veins ;
Antigramma, Schaffneria, and
Camptosorus, with the veins
reticulated. With the indusia
connate in pairs, back to back —
Diplazium, with free veins ;
CaWpteris, with connivent
veins ; and Oxygonium, with
the veins semi-reticulated.

The Didymochlcenece com-
prise two genera. One of these
is the singular genus Didtf-
mochlcena, in which a peculiar
fructification occurs ; the sorus is short elliptic-oblong, and the vein is
elevated into a crest-like ridge with which the indusium is united along
its centre, both the sides and rounded ends being free ; this genus has
free veins. The other is Mesochlcena, in which the veins are connivent.

§13. Asplenik^ : Asplenium obtusatura.

§14. DIDYMOCHL-ENE.E : Didymochlaena lunulata.

The remaining group (b) has naked or spuriously -indusiate sori.
This term, spuriously -indusiate, though easily enough defined, is not
quite so readily applied, in consequence of the many transition states
between it and what may be called true indusia. What is meant,
however, is that whereas the true indusium consists of a membrane

102

THE FLORIST.

obviously distinguishable in texture from the frond itself, there is here
no obvious membrane distinct from the substance of the frond covering
the sorus, but the margin of the frond is turned down over the spore-
cases, and is more or less, though very slightly, attenuated, and changed
in colour and appearance, the extreme edge sometimes becoming mem-
branous, but not usually so. Such are the covers in a portion of the
group now before us, which admits of being broken up into three
divisions, thus —
Sori naked or spuriously indusiate —

Receptacles linear, reticulate-anastomosed . . $15. Hemionitidece.
Receptacles linear, simple or forked, sometimes short-
linear, i.e., oblong . . . . . . $16. Gymnogrammece.

Receptacles oblong, parallel, contiguous, the spore-
cases becoming laterally confluent, so as to simu-
late a broad marginal sorus, which is spuriously-
indusiate $17- Platylomece.

The Hemionitidece consist of seven genera, whose sori are more or
less and variously reticulated. The veins are consequently reticulated

throughout this section.
In Polytcenium, how-
ever, they, and conse-
quently the sori, are very
sparingly united, the few
veins forming long pa-
rallel lines uniting here
and there only ; while in
Anetium, Antrophyum,
and Hemionitis, the veins
are uniform-reticulated ;
in Dictyocline they are
pinnate, with reticulated
venules between ; in
Syngranima they are

semi-reticulated ; and in
215. Hemionitidece : Hemionitis palmata. 7-, . . .,

Uiclyogramma they are
combined in the transverse-costal form, the intermediate venules
reticulated, and the marginal ones free.

The Gymnogrammece differ from the foregoing in having their naked
lines of spore-cases, not reticulated, but either simple or forking, the
simple lines being sometimes short, so as to be merely oblong, though
more commonly they are linear. They comprise nine genera, namely :
Pterozonium, Gymnogramma, Grammitis, and Calymmodon, with free
veins; Stegnogramma and Ampekplens, a somewhat doubtful genus,
with the veins connivent ; Digvammaria, with transverse-ccstal com-
bined veins ; and Loxogramma and Selliguea, with reticulated veins.

The Plalylomece have usually been associated with Pteridice, doubt-
less because their laterally confluent sori form a marginal line of spore-
cases, but the structure is wholly distinct. In Pteris the sori are
transverse to the veins, but the Plalylomece belong to the series in
which the sorus is parallel to the vein. The peculiar characteristic, is
that the forking and not very distant veins bear the sori along a portion

APRIL.

103

of their extremities, one being produced by each, variable in length in
different kinds, but when quite young becoming laterally confluent int0
a broadly linear mass, which
occupies continuously a position
near the edge of the frond, the
spuriously indusiate margin being
more or less inflected over its
outer edge. The group consists
of four genera, in all of which the
veins are free, so that the manner
of division in the fertile fronds
furnishes the most obvious dis-
tinctions. They are : — Platy-
loma, in which the fertile fronds
are not materially narrowed ; Pla-
giogyria, in which they are much
contracted, like those of Lomaria,
the fertile divisions (pinnse),
linear ; Llavea, in which the
fertile fronds are tripinnate, the

divisions (pinnules) siliquiform, Ji6. Gymnoqrammeje : (a) Gymnogramma rufa.

that is linear and podlike ; and (6) Grammitis totta-

Cryptogramma, in which the divisions (pinnules) of the tripinnate fertile
fronds are siliculiform, that is ovate, podlike. This latter genus differs
only in degree from Allosorus which is placed next it as the first
genus in the following series.

glT. Platylomk^e : Platyloma Brownii.

In the remaining group (3) the sori are normally punctiform, i. e.,
consisting of roundish dot-like clusters of spore-cases. This is their
typical character. Occasionally the dots become a little elongated,
forming a short oblong mass, and these instances doubtless indicate an
affinity with Grammitis in the section Gymnogrammece, but they are
not of common occurrence. Still more rarely the dot-like clusters
placed in a single row between pinnate veins have a tendency to
coalesce more or less completely into a line ; this particularly happens

104

THE FLORIST.

in Dryndria coronans, where, however, the sori are at other times, and
most frequently, normally punctiform. This latter abnormal condition
approaches very near to the normal condition of Selhyuea among the
Ggmnogrammece. These are exceptional instances which cannot readily
be reduced to rule, but fortunately they are few in number.

The entire group comprises three subdivisions, marked out in the
first instance by the absence or presence of an indusium or cover to the
sorus, and next, by the position of this cover when it is present. Even
when there is no indusium, however, the sorus is not always exposed,
for in some few instances the margin of the frond is turned over in the
manner which, it has already been explained, is described by the term
spuriously-indusiate, so as to hide the spore-cases ; the latter, however,
are usually exposed. The subdvisions resulting from these characters
are as follow : —
Sori punctiform, &c.

(a). Sori naked or spuriously-indusiate . . • §18. Polypodies.

(b). Sori indusiate, i. e., with superior indusia . . ,\ (see forward).

(c). Sori involucrate, i. e., with inferior indusia . • i

The Polypodiece comprise sixteen genera, most of which are familiar to
cultivators, dot-like naked sori being their characteristic mark. The first

group of genera, com-
prising those with spu-
riously-indusiate sori,
consists of : — Allosorus
(already mentioned to
have a close relation ■>
ship to Cryptogramma
among the Platylomece),
Struthiopteris, and

Jamesonia. The "other
group comprises the
genera with plane fronds
not indusioid at the
margins, and consists
of: — Nothochlcena and
j Polypodium with free
veins ; Goniopteris with
the veins connivent ;
and Dictyopteris, Phle-
bodium, Goniop/ikbium, Campy loneur urn, Niphobolus, Pleopeltis, Dry-
naria, Aglaomorpha, Dipteris, and Lecanopteris, having the veins
variously reticulated.

The group (b) with indusiate sori, are further divided by peculiarities
of the indusium in the manner following : —
Sori indusiate —

Indusium reniform or peltate, attached by the sinus or

centre, free at the margins . . . . . ^19. Aspidiece.

Indusium rotundate or ovate, cucullate, attached trans-
versely by its base, free at the margin . . . . §20. Cystopleridece.
Indusium roundish or oblong, adherent at the base and

margin, opening in front, i. e., exteriorly . . . §21. Davalliece.

§18. Polypodies : Goniophlebium neriifolium.

APRIL.

105

The Aspidiece, known by the attachment of the covers of their dot-
' ike sori, comprise twelve genera, one of which, Onoclea, is distinguished

by its having the fertile
fronds contracted, the
indusium being not
easily made out among
the crowded spore-cases.
The other genera are : —
With peltate indusia —
Aspidium and Cyrto-
mium, with reticulated
veins ; Cyclodium, with
connivent veins ; and
Polystichum, with the
veins free. With reni-
form indusia : — Fad-
yenia, Sagenia, and
Pleocnemia, with reti-
culated veins ; Nephro-
dium, with the veins
connivent ; and Lastrea, Oleandra, and Nephrolepis, with the veins
free.

The Cystopteridece are a small group comprising three genera, the
two latter of which have usually been associated with Davalliece. They
are separated by having their indusia attached at the base only trans-
versely on the vein behind the sorus and inflected over it. The genera

§19. Aspidie.e: Cyrtomium'falcatum.

Ctstoptkbide* : Cystopteris tenuis.

are : — Cystopteris, with medial sori ; Aerophones, with terminal (or
sometimes axillary) sori — these two having thin tender fronds ; and
Humata, with terminal sori and thick coriaceous fronds.

The Davalliece are distinguished by having an elongated tubulose
indusium, or else, if shorter and roundish in outline, it is adherent by
the margin as well as the base.. The genera here placed are : — Micro-

106

THE FLORIST.

lepia, with intramarginal sori ; Dacallia and Loxoscaphe with marginal
sori ; and Prosaptca, a curious genus, in which the sorus is set in a

§21. Davallte.e : Davallia bullata.

short marginal cavity, formed by the junction of a thick coriaceous
indusium with the substance of the frond, the two being nearly alike in
texture.

The group (e), with involucrate sori, need some explanation. The
sorus is here set within a round or two-valved indusium, which is
called an involucre from being placed beneath the sorus. There are
two sections ; in one the margin of the frond and the special indusium
coalesce to form an entire or two-valved cup, and hence the cup is
marginal ; in the other the cup is a distinct body entirely within the
margin, and formed of the indusioid substance. Thus we are enabled to
separate the following groups : —

Sori involucrate —

— in a marginal entire or two-valved cup . . . §22. DicTcsoniem.

— in a dorsal entire-lobed or fringed cup , . . §23. Peranemece.

The Dicksoniece, the
peculiar structure of
which has just been
briefly explained, com-
prise the following
genera : — Dicksonia,
Diclisodon, Cibotium,
and ? Pcesia, with
distinctly two-valved
indusia ; Dennstcedtia,
with cup-shaped de-
flexed indusia ; and
Deparia and Cioni-
dium, with cup-shaped
extrorse- marginal in-
dusia. Pcesia, which
long remained un-

\ 23. Pbrankme.e : (a) Woodsia ilvensis ; (A) Woodsia obtusa ;
(c) Woodsia mollis.

APRIL.

107

known except from books, proves to have the peculiar structure of
indusium found in our common Pteris aquilina, and it remains to be
decided whether Pteris should absorb Pcesia, or whether the structure
necessitates a separation, in which case the separated genus under the
name of Pcesia would come near the Lindsoeece, probably as a distinct
section.

The Peranemece afford some variety in the character of their indusia ;
indeed, the most fa- b a c

miliar genus, Woodsia,
shows three modifica-
tions of the cup form,
one almost entire and
nearly closed at the
mouth, another split
into a few broad divi-
sions, and a third re-
duced to a small scale
fringed with long in-
curved hair-like seg-
ments. They comprise
five genera : — Pera-
nema, Diaealpe, Arach-
niodes (a doubtful genus
probably belonging to
the Akophilece) , and
Woodsia, all with free
veins, the first having stalked sori ; and Hypoderris, with the veins
reticulated.

The subdivision of the remaining tribes must be reserved for another
paper.

Thomas Moore.

Chelsea.

§22. DicksomejE : (a), Dicksonia antarctica; (A), Cibotium
Barometz.

RABY CASTLE, DURHAM.

The seat of his Grace the Duke of Cleveland is situated about nine-
teen miles S. W. by S. from Durham, and is built upon the east side
of the park, which is very extensive and beautifully undulating. The
building is a noble Gothic pile, and the general effect, from its extent
and grandeur, is very imposing. The situation is also very fine, being
upon rising ground, and is enclosed with an embrasured wall and
parapet, which have seen good service during the border warfare ; but
for this we must refer our readers to history, as it is to the gardens we
are bound, and these we found situated upon the north side of the
Castle, but quite detached therefrom, the entrance being about 100
yards distant from the entrance gates to the castle. The gardens are
well situated upon a gentle rise, facing the south. Having heard,
especially of late, so much of Raby, we were certainly somewhat taken
aback at not finding more extensive garden grounds here ; pleasure
grounds there are none ; we should say seven acres include all the

108 THE FLORIST.

space within the fences. On entering the gardens from the castle,
among the first things that attracted attention were some vigorous
trees of the Ribston Pippin Apple, from grafts brought from the
original tree at Ribston some half a century since, by the late Duke.
These are upon a south wall, and we were informed that the annual
produce is extraordinarily fine and abundant. Further on, upon the
same wall, is a house erected over the original Raby Fig tree; this is
a magnificent tree still, although it had undergone very severe pruning
when we saw it (the 23rd February last), it having, during these last
few years, been allowed to become very wild ; it is a most delicious Fig,
and deserves a place in every garden ; it is a free cropper and early.
Behind this wall is the kitchen garden ; it is entered at the S. E.
corner ; and a broad walk, with flower borders on each side, takes the
visitor away to the south side of the garden, and on to the N. W.
corner, where the gardener's cottage is situated. The first object here,
in the way of houses, is a lean-to Peach house, with the trees planted
out in the centre of the house, and trained over a table-like trellis ;
these trees have a very old and contorted appearance ; they, however,
had tolerably good wood upon them, but Mr. Short (the gardener
here) intends cutting them out by degrees, and replanting the house ;
and instead of the present table-like supports, he is putting up flat
wall-like trellises from the underside of the rafter to the ground, so that
the trees are trained as upon a wall ; he misses every other rafter, but,
in the intervals between the trees, he proposes placing fruiting trees in
pots. He considers that by this plan he gains a very considerable
space : and those trees in pots, and those likewise upon the trellises,
will get the full advantage of the sun and air. Further on, is a very
ornamental span-roofed conservatory. This house was very gay
indeed with some splendid Azaleas, Camellias, Roses, very fine ;
Hyacinths, Tulips, Dielytras, Laburnums, Deutzias, Cytisus, Lilacs,
Oranges, Epacris, Ericas, Clianthus, &c. Further on, was an early
Peach house, with an excellent crop of fruit, just ready for stoning ;
and an old vinery here too had some most excellent old Vines in it,
very strong and well-ripened ; but we understood there was some
difficulty in ripening off the wood last autumn. We next came
to the garden cottage, upon the walls of which, on each side of the
door, were two splendid plants of Jasminum nudiflorum, which were
literally covered with their golden flowers, and we were told that they
had been so all the winter through. No garden (see page 99) ought to be
without this invaluable winter-flowering plant, especially where much cut
flower is required. Immediately in front of the gardener's cottage is
a piece of ground, planted with the original Raby Currants. These
are annually cut down to within a few inches of the ground, as this
sort will not break its buds except terminally, consequently, to keep it
within bounds, it has to be thus treated. Two very antique clipped
Yew hedges run across the garden, from north to south ; these
tend very much to break the winds, which are very violent here some-
times ; between these two hedges lies the only portion of flower garden
There are also two walls which run across this garden, upon
which are principally Pear trees ; these were undergoing a very severe

APRIL. 109

pruning and scraping ; some of the old spurs that we saw taken oft'
were at least six inches in diameter. The south walls were principally
filled with Apricots, this being a fruit his Grace is particularly fond of:
and to all appearance no expense had been spared in erecting protecting
apparatus, and materials, with flued walls, into the bargain ; but
we understand, withal, they had no fruit last year ; the trees,
when we saw them, were in good order, and just coming into bloom.
Upon the north walls, Morello Cherries are extensively grown, this
fruit being in great demand at the " Castle." Immediately at the
back of this garden is the framing ground, wherein were several pits
of Pines, in most excellent health. There were also some Asparagus
pits here for forcing, that vegetable only being forced every fourth
year. It is consequently very strong and good ; indeed, we never saw
any better in February anywhere. Mr. Short was getting out the
foundation for an extensive Cucumber pit for winter work, but of
this it would be premature to speak. There was also an excellent
house of Mushrooms, of which Mr. Short is a very successful culti-
vator. Further on, to the north of this ground, is another small
garden, wherein are placed the " model vineries," we have heard so
much about of late, with their "carrion borders," but we must say,
that their appearance upon approach gives anything but an idea of
a " model ; " the houses being very heavy and antiquated, and
glazed with very small glass, the ribs of the lights being only 6J-
inches apart]; this range we understood was 164 feet long and 18 feet
wide, divided into four divisions ; the borders are or were made 20
feet wide ; a portion of the old " carrion borders " had been removed,
and fresh soil introduced ; mould from the old borders was lying in the
garden, at one end of the houses, at the time of our visit, and oh! what
a sight, to which the burial pits of Waterloo can only be com-
pared. We should say, that during the time these borders were
making, dead horses and cattle must have been at a premium ; the
quantity of bones intermixed with the soil was immense, and of all
lengths and sizes. Immense stones also were intermixed, with a pasty
dark-looking tenacious soil, and although it 'had been some time
exposed, it emitted a most offensive effluvia. In taking up the old
Vines, they were found to be quite deficient of fibre, indeed, it is
extraordinary how they existed at all ; what living roots they had,
wrere found upon the surface. The best and likeliest plants were again
replanted in two of the houses, these were breaking very strongly ; and
well, and the young Vines that had been planted were also doing very
well ; some strong fruiting plants had been provided for this purpose.
Many of the old Vines Mr. Short had budded with newer kinds ;
the buds were just swelling, and were promising to do well ; the
remaining borders are intended to be examined next year. The
old Vines that had been untouched were certainly anything but what
they should be, and to all appearance the wood had not been ripened
upon them for years ; they had evidently grown very strongly at
some period, but this would undoubtedly be before the decomposition
of the animal substances in the borders. There were some very good
Strawberry plants forcing upon a shelf at the back of one of these

110 THE FLORIST.

houses. Also a quantity of Potatoes in pots, and in another were
some good stove plants, amongst which we noticed a magnificent speci-
men of Jonesia Asoca, in excellent health. There was also a quantity
of fine tree Ferns, just imported from New Zealand ; they were just
showing their new fronds. A few young Orchids were also growing
well. Amongst miscellaneous things, we noticed some very fine
fruit trees in pots, i.e., Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, Pears, &c, &c. ;
these had lately been brought in ; they were well set with blossom
buds. We also noticed a quantity of pyramidal Pear trees, that had
lately been planted along a wall border, in the hope of obtaining, in this
cold climate, some of the finer and better kinds of Pears. The whole
place was exceedingly neat and clean, and, from the forward state of
the operations, bespeaks much for the perseverance of Mr. Short. We
propose visiting this place again in summer, when we hope to give our
readers a short account of the progress made here.

CAMELLIAS.

I AM an old Double White Camellia, and with a small collection of my
family (forty in number), and many members of other families, live in
a small lean-to house, 30 feet by 15, about four miles from Derby.
Two drawing-room windows open into it, through one of which ladies
and gentlemen frequently come to visit us. I could tell you many
pleasant things we have heard them say about us, but that is not my
object. I regret to say that we have also heard them say some things
about us that make us all very unhappy ; such as these : " They are
very beautiful, but they never do well with me ; I believe they require
a hothouse in the spring." Another says, " I am passionately fond of
them, but I scarcely get any blooms, as they drop their buds so in
autumn." On these charges we have held a conference, and thereon
decided that I should take our case into court, with a plea of not guilty.
And in order that you may fairly plead our cause, I will acquaint you
with our circumstances in connection with the case. To prove that we
are not all plebeians, I append a few of our names. There is my sister,
Fimbriata, old Double Pink, old Variegata, Elegans, and myself, are all
old people, and have not been out of the house these seven years ;
indeed, to take such people as us through a doorway 3 feet by 6, would
certainly maim us, or break some of our limbs ; then there are her
Majesty Queen Victoria, the Archduchess Augusta, the Countess of
Ellesmere, the Countess of Orkney, Lady Hume's Blush, Mrs. Abbey
Wilder, Cavendishi, Beali, Mathotiana, Donkelaari, Imbricata alba,
Tricolor, &c. ; to prevent any ill-feeling in our family, I shall not enter
into details on our respective merits, but merely say that we all grow
freely, and that our blooms are abundant and fine, as many witnesses
can testify.

We generally commence flowering in November, and keep up a
succession till April or May, but the height of our blooming season is
in January and February ; there is no hothouse or hotbed on our

APRIL. Ill

premises at any season of the year, the only structures they have for
plants are our own house, another greenhouse 27 feet by 14 (kept
rather cool), a brick frame to keep bedding Geraniums in through the
winter, and four wooden (cold) frames ; our house has a double glass
roof, and is warmed by hot water in four-inch pipes. A self-registering
thermometer is kept in the house, and in November, when the tem-
perature falls below 45° Fahr., with air admitted, a fire is lighted to
maintain a temperature of 45° to 50° by day. It is lighted early in
the morning and let out in the afternoon, when there is no frost.
Night fires are used to maintain a temperature of from 40 to 45°. Air
is always admitted by day, if possible, the opportunity being watched
for ; but when the weather is such as to make it improper to admit it,
the house is kept at the minimum temperature. In January the heat
is increased five degrees by day, but not any at night ; this is continued
till the weather is warm enough to keep the house at from 55 to 60°
by day, and 45° by night. In spring and summer we receive proper
greenhouse treatment ; when our work is done (our buds formed) we are
not inhumanely turned out of doors, to the mercies of the wind and rain,
but take a quiet rest in the house, being liberally supplied with air by
day, and also by night as long as it is safe to admit it. We are inspected
every morning, and if we require it are supplied with water (rain or
pond water), at a temperature of 76° ; and when our buds begin to
swell off for blooming we are supplied with weak manure water, at a
temperature of from 80 to 82°, and we receive it every watering till our
bloom is over ; when that is the case our roots are examined, and such
as require it are repotted into pots two sizes larger.

The soil is composed of equal parts turfy loam and fibry peat, with a
little silver sand, and some bones and charcoal broken up and mixed
amongst it. Our leaves are sprinkled on fine spring mornings after the
watering is done ; and as the weather gets warmer we have a shower
from a syringe. Such as were not shifted in spring are examined in
August, and if they require it then are as carefully done as in spring.
We are not shaded, but a slight shade would be very acceptable during
very bright sunshine. That the water is given to us at the temperatures
named is carefully ascertained by thermometer, but this is usually and
easily done by the fingers. We regard it as the reason why we do not
cast our buds, and also as causing our blooms to last much longer.

In conclusion, I assert that our cause is a just one, and trust that
from this plain statement of facts our character will be fully vindicated,
and I hope it may prove the means of increasing the popularity and
numbers of our family.

0. D. W. C.

VARIEGATED GERANIUMS.

Some time since, when writing on the subject of bedding Geraniums,
I ventured to say, that, with reference to the variegated class, we
were still a good way from what was wanted, and expressed an opinion
that the enterprise, skill, and perseverance of our florists would 'ere
long provide for our want. That we are rapidly approaching what I

112 THE FLORIST.

then stated to be the desideratum, the variegation of the old " Man-
gles," with profusion of good scarlet flowers, must, I think, be clear to
any one who watches the progress of the class. I know nothing more
surprising than to mark the strides that flowers of all kinds have
made within the last few years. Look at any gardening periodical,
and see the plates of what was esteemed perfection a few years ago ;
and though the retrospect be dashed with the feeling of regret that
you could have been so " soft," yet surprise at the advance, and
admiration of the perseverance of those through whom it has been
made, will, I doubt not, be the predominant feeling ; and so with
variegated Geraniums. We remember well, when one never saw
them in a gentleman's garden or greenhouse, they were to be found in
cottage windows, and amongst those who loved the curious ; but the
professional men who undertook to keep Lord So-and-So's and Sir
Somebody Something's garden in order, never troubled their heads
about them. But, when the present system of gardening came into
fashion, and bedders of all kinds were eagerly sought for, these plants,
which, 'ere this, had " wasted their sweetness on the desert air," were
all at once called into requisition for decorative purposes. Unfortu-
nately, the kinds then in vogue were not the thing ; but the florists
soon set to work, and Silver Kings and Queens, Mountain of Light,
and all other wonderful names, were invented to mark the distinguished
visitors ; and no care, no attention, was considered too great to bestow
on these now petted darlings, and well they deserve it. To my mind,
a bed of them well managed is the very gem of the parterre. 1 will
not ask you to come out in the glaring sun, when the scarlets, crimsons
and other bright colours absorb the attention, but just when the
fine summer's evening is drawing to a close, and the bright colours
are darkening in the unceasing twilight ; and now, if the garden be a
well-kept one, look at that silvery bed, see how beautifully the white
edge softens off into the twilight shade, and tell me if there be one
in the garden to beat it ? Well, but what should the bed be composed
of? For a long time, Flower of the Day was the favourite, but it had a
sulphur tinge in the white that spoiled its effectiveness, and moreover
the flowers were scanty and dull in colour ; while Brilliant, though
deserving the name as concerning its flowers, is almost valueless as a
variegation, especially in damp or rich soils ; indeed, in damp situ-
ations this class hardly answers. Then came a decided improvement
as Alma, with foliage of a much purer character, and with scarlet
flowers rather abundantly produced. Still improvement was needed,
and still the florist went on. Last year saw several new ones pro-
duced, and, from a careful comparison of them all, I am strongly of
opinion that Bijou will be the favourite for some time. Its name is
rather unfortunate ; in fact, I believe it was given to it before the
character of its growth was well ascertained. We always ascociate the
name with something very tiny, but the variety is in reality a very
strong grower, while its variegation is very clear, and the colour of its
flowers decided. Perfection is very beautiful, but I question whether
it will be so useful. Hendersoni, also, is a strong free grower, very
similar in character to Bijou, though with a tinge of sulphur in its

APRIL. 113

white ; for there are two classes of these green and white variegations,
— those which throw back their leaves like Flower of the Day, and
those which cup them like Brilliant. What is wanted, and what 1
think we are getting, is, Jf at -leaved varieties, that would come between
the two ; for, again, there are new ones in the field, of which a word
or two. Jane is a decided move in the right direction ; the flowers are
intense vivid scarlet, the individual pip large and well-formed, and
the truss bold and striking, while the marking is fine, clear, and equal.

There is another class, which has not as yet become so effective as it
will doubtless be, but what is familiar to all who grow these plants,
those with pink or crimson horseshoes, such as Attraction, Hotel de
Cluny, &c. As pot plants, nothing can be more beautiful than they
are, but their habit has hitherto not been such as to make them
effective bedding plants ; in this respect they are improving. Picturata
is a very beautiful thing in this style ; the edge of the leaf is white ;
then comes a broad circle or horseshoe of crimson and pink, and inside
this again a green blotch. Of a similar character to this is a seedling
of Mr. Henderson's, No. 25, not yet named, with a pink horseshoe
and scarlet flowers, something in the style of Hotel de Cluny, but
improved. By and bye, we hope to see this class very effectively
used for bedding purposes. There is yet a third class of variegation,
the golden-edged ones. For many many years this was an utterly
neglected tribe ; but now they are much wanted and extensively used
for giving beauty to the flower garden. The only one hitherto used in
any quantity is Golden Chain ; in foliage it cannot well be beaten, but
the flowers are very poor ; and to give effect to it, it is better to pinch
them off. For a long time, it was considered extremely difficult
to grow. Persons used to make cuttings of it in autumn, as of the
scarlets, &c, and found great failure to be the consequence ; but now
the case is different. I saw a very effective bed of it in Norfolk last
year, composed of plants which had been taken up in the autumn,
potted, kept dry, and then turned out again ; this had been done
several years. The plants were consequently large, and the bed very
striking Cuttings to any ammount may now be made by taking them
off in the spring, and striking them in a cold frame or greenhouse (not
in heat).

As variegated Geraniums are not such large growers as the scarlets of
Tom Thumb, Attraction, &c, the beds, when planted, are gene-
rally filled in with other plants, such as Cerastium tomentosum, or
Alyssum variegatum. Being themselves variegated and free in
growth, they fill up the interstices, cover the ground, and greatly add
to the beauty of the bed ; while others use largely Verbena venosa for
the same purpose. I have not been able to use this myself in my
own little plot, and so cannot speak from personal knowledge ; but I
am told it answers uncommonly well, and that the contrast is as
pretty as the concord in the other case. It will be seen from the
above observations what are the sorts that I think peculiarly useful.
I shall, however, add here a list of those which, in each class, in my
humble judgment, are the best for small gardens, marking those that
are new by an asterisk.

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXVI. I

114 THE FLORIST.

1st Class. Plain Variegation, white and green, with scarlet flowers.
Alma (Turner), clear foliage, abundant bloomer, flowers scarlet.
Annie (Kinghorn), very white edge, flowers bright scarlet
Bijou (Wcstwood), a most beautiful variety, strong free grower, scarlet flowers
*Jane (Lennox), beautiful variegation, flowers bright scarlet, very freely

produced
Hendersoni, a scarlet-flowered " Flower of the Day."
Perfection, very handsome, not so free as " Bijou," but very white edge, and

green very dark.

2nd Class. White and Green Variegated, with Pink or Crimson Horseshoe.

Attraction (Kinghorn), edge good, horseshoe pink, habit not good.

Burning Bush (Halley), similar in foliage to above, but much dwarfer in habit,

very pretty
Hotel de Cluny, clear white, pink horseshoe

*No. 25 (Henderson), clear foliage, pink horseshoe, scarlet flowers
*Picturata, clear white edge, with pink or crimsou and pink horseshoe ; small

scarlet flowers, very striking

3rd Class. Golden Edged.
Golden Chain, foliage very clear and good, habit dwarf, flowers poor
*No. 50 (Henderson), a free grower, small scarlet flower.

I by no means wish to imply that my opinion is worth anything as
a guide to others ; I have certain ideas of what things ought to be,
and, judging them by that standard, so far the opinion is correct. Tbe
question is, is my standard the right one ; and now, before closing this
paper, I would add a few words respecting a misconception which, I
grieve to find, has been made relative to my article on Chrysanthe-
mums, in that I omitted the names of some of the largest growers
in the kingdom. When speaking of them, I did not of course mean
to infer that the nurserymen I named were the only or the largest
growers ; they were the ones whose plants I had seen. I believe, for
example, one of the largest is Mr. Bird, of Stoke Newington, the
peculiar home of the flower. He is, moreover, one of our most success-
ful exhibitors. D.

Deal, March 19.

CHISVVICK AS AN EXPERIMENTAL GARDEN.

We are glad to hear that the gardens of the Horticultural Society at
Chiswick (or at least a large portion of them), are to be converted into
experimental grounds, for the trial of vegetables on a large scale, to
assist which purpose we learn, through the Gardeners' Chronicle, that
contributions of seeds are being sent for trial by the principal seedsmen.
If tbe gardens are to be kept at all (which under all the circumstances
we now greatly question), we do not see that they could be devoted to
a more useful object. Much, however, indeed everything, will depend
on the kind of person whom the Society may be able to secure for their
new Superintendent, who should unquestionably be a man of sound
practical knowledge and acute powers of observation, to draw up the
reports with that degree of accuracy without which they will be compara-
tively valueless, and the time and expenditure of the Society will have

APRIL. 115

been thrown away. The number of new varieties of vegetables brought
out year after year by the trade, and offered for sale generally on the
sole recommendation of the vendors, only bewilders the majority of cul-
tivators, who have hitherto looked in vain for a tribunal to which they
could refer for an opinion sufficiently unbiassed to be considered an
authority as to their comparative value.

We do not by these remarks intend to question for a moment the
correctness of descriptions appended to new varieties of vegetables in
the seed lists annually published ; on the contrary, we know from our
own observations on new productions, carried over a number of years,
that the descriptive notices which have accompanied the novelties we
have tried have proved generally correct, and may therefore be relied on.
But it appears to us that an investigation into the comparative qualities
of vegetables in the same class, as to earliness, lateness, productiveness,
&c, is most wanted. For instance, as regards Peas, let us take a dozen
catalogues, and out of the class early Peas select a dozen varieties, all
recommended as the best, &c. ; of these every gardener well knows
that three or four kinds, perhaps, are better worth growing than the
others, owing to some particular property which stamps them with a
higher value. But how are isolated gardeners and amateurs, growing,
probably, only one kind of early Pea, to find out the best, with their
limited opportunities for comparing the different varieties when grown
side by side ? And if out of a dozen kinds three or four represent
all that is valuable in this particular class, why grow the other eight or
nine kinds, as is now done? simply because the public has no standard
of comparison to guide their judgment in the matter of selection ? We
might lengthen these observations by citing numerous classes of vege-
tables, where a similar cutting down might and certainly would be
effected, when once a series of fair trials, under the same conditions, had
established the respective merits of the kinds under trial, and this infor-
mation had been made public. We look forward, therefore, with some
interest to these class experiments as a means of settling the relative
value of cultivated vegetables, and bringing the information resulting
therefrom within the reach of everyone having a garden.

We have on more than one occasion pointed out the mistake the
Society made by going to a great expense in growing fruits for the
purpose of testing their merits, as the information obtained could
only be considered as marking the peculiarities and properties of fruits
within a very circumscribed area — the Thames valley — and that
one of the most favourable soils in Britain for fruits. To establish
anything like a general data as to the flavour, hardiness, and pro-
ductiveness of fruits, a much wider range of country, and all the
contingencies of varied exposures, altitude, and difference of soil,
have to be taken into consideration. These objects the Pomological
Society started with at their commencement, and the mass of useful
information, in the shape of Reports and Transactions, on these subjects
that Society is yearly amassing shows how valuable this information
will be to the Pomologist. More recently the Fruit Committee of the
Horticultural Society has taken up the same grounds of inquiry ; but
let us ask the question, how much more would have been known of

i 2

] 16 THE FLORIST.

fruits and fruit culture had these properly directed inquiries been made
30 or 40 years ago, and the culture at Chiswick, as regards fruit trees,
been confined to exhibiting the different forms of training, and deter-
mining nomenclature.

Besides the proposed experiments with vegetables, the Society might
very well undertake to prove the respective merits of Strawberries,
Raspberries, Gooseberries, and Currants, about which much confusion
exists. As these fruit quickly, their trial need not entail any great
expense.

As the Society has plenty of spare ground, and want support and
co-operation, could it not also carry out a series of experiments on
the value of agricultural products — Cereals, Grasses, Legumes, and
Roots — for the information of the Agricultural Society ? If the Royal
Agricultural Society could be induced to favour a proposal of this kind,
and would assist in carrying it out, the experiments would confer
mutual benefit on both societies.

CAMELLIAS.

Will any of your correspondents be kind enough to say if any in the
following list of Camellias, which I grow, are not worth keeping, and at
the same time give the names of a few that are superior or equal to the
best of those named, at a moderate price. I have weeded my stock
pretty freely ; but as I live in the country, and have no opportunity of
seeing any but my own collection, I cannot tell how far mine are equal
to those in general cultivation. They are as follows : —

Double White

Candidissima

Countess of Ellesmere

Carswelliana

Duchesse d'Orleans

Drysdali

Fordi

Fimbriata alba

Henri Favre

Jubilee

Imbricata

Jenny Lind

Landrethi

Mathotiana

Lady Hume's Blush

La Reine

Victoria

One word of advice I would offer to amateurs, and that is, if they
get a good variety to propagate from it at once. It answers two pur-
poses; viz., extra stock, and you are almost sure to see the bloom of it
earlier ; for instance, I have had a plant of Drysdali for three years,
upon which I have never seen a bloom, and never shall. The first
year I inarched a plant from it, and the young one bloomed the
second year. The mother plant had five branches on it, which were
rather long. Sooner than head it down I inarched three of the
branches into three separate plants ; they all grew well, and produced
two or three buds apiece. The old plant, though it looked very healthy
and grew well, yet as soon as the inarched branches were separated
from it, it immediately withered, and on examination I found the stem
at the bottom dead. It had gained its support from the plants on
which the three branches were inarched ; consequently, if I had not
propagated from it, I should have lost all. For grafting or inarching,

APRIL. ] 17

both indoors and out, I use common white tape, not too wide, or it
will not bind regularly. I simply damp and stretch it before using it ;
you can tie the plant together more easily, with no fear of breaking the
bandage, and it excludes the air better. You can use it over and over
again. I do nothing more to indoor plants than with my finger, cover
the tape over with a little clay, about the consistency of thick paste.
When I have a variety that I do not like, and it is a free grower, I
bottle graft it. I call it bottle grafting, as I do not know any other
term which would describe what I mean. The process is similar to
inarching, excepting that you cut the shoot off the plant, leaving it two
or three inches longer than where it is tied, which I put into a bottle,
kept full of water. Take away a portion of the head of the plant, and
gradually take it away altogether. If the piece that is to be united is
sufficiently strong, I prefer to tongue it together.

The only advice I will offer to nurserymen is, when they publish
their Camellia lists, to be as explicit with regard to the colour, form,
and price as they are with the threepenny packets of annuals.

Birkby, near Huddersfield. J. Kite.

EXHIBITION OP HYACINTHS.

Messrs. Cutbush & Son, of Highgate, have favoured the public for
the last fortnight with a charming display of the above much esteemed
flowers. They were finely grown, in the greatest variety, and most
effectively arranged, and have been gratuitously shown to a large
number of admirers. The following appeared to us very superior :—

Jenny Lind, double red, large bells, good spike, and very pretty

Napoleon III., double crimson, good spike, good

Laurens Koster, double bright indigo, large bells and spike, fine

Prins von Saxe Weimar, fine dark double blue, good bells, extra fine

Sir Colin Campbell, double blue shaded, fine bells, extra fine

Othello, very dark double black, large bells, very novel

Amy, fine bright single red, large bells and spike, fine

Cosmos, single pale pink, fine bells, large spike, pretty

Florence Nightingale, single shaded pink, large bells, very fine

Madame du Lac, single rosy pink, good bells, fine

Mdlle. Rachel, fine deep single red, good bells and spike, very fine

Robert Steiger, deep single crimson, large bells, good

Solfaterre, brilliant orange scarlet, large bells, novel and good

Prince of Wales, single lilac, new shade, fine

Argus, fine dark single blue, large bells, very novel and fine

Baron von Tuyll, single dark porcelain, large bells, good

Couronne de Celle, fine pale single blue, large bells and spike

Orondates, single porcelain blue, large bells, very fine

General Havelock, deep single black, large bells, always fine, the best

Anna Carolina, single pale straw, good bells and spike, fine and good

The exhibition took place in a lean -to greenhouse, the pots and soil
being covered with moss ; the stage of the house was filled with
various interesting spring-flowering plants, and, altogether, the display
did great credit to the spirit and enterprise of the Messrs. Cutbush.

118 THE FLORIST.

NATIONAL FL0RICUTU11AL SOCIETY.

We regret to have to record the decease, by atrophy, of a most
respectable member of the floricultural world, the National Floricultural
Society ; and the regret is somewhat increased by a knowledge of the
tact, that the disease under which it sunk was partly occasioned by
neglect, Nothing could have been more promising than the circum-
stances under which it was ushered into life. The most experienced
physicians (floricultural) were in attendance ; and a nurse of long
experience, who was well acquainted with all its little wants, kindly
undertook to superintend its progress. For a while, all went on well.
Being essentially a vegetarian, it was well supplied with an abundance
of sound and varied food — the newest and choicest delicacies were brought
before it ; and so particular had it become, that when once it had pro-
nounced anything to be very nice, people were always glad to get a bit
of it for themselves. But by degrees the supplies began to fall off, there
were some country cousins, on whose support it very much relied,
and these failed in forwarding the necessary means ; and so after
struggling for awhile against opposing interests, and lukewarm friends,
it has very steadily refused all further nourishment, and has departed.
In plain language, the country nurserymen did not sufficiently see
how manifestly it was in their interest to support it, for it gave to
them a guarantee that the new flowers were not all dependent on the
description for their worth — a certificate from the National Society being
of course much in its favour. The society has existed for years, has
held a large number of meetings, and done much good to floriculture ;
but as the Botanic Society has instituted spring shows, and offered
prizes for seedlings, the need of it is not now so apparent as it was ;
and unlike many societies, who when they are going down in the
world, still catch like "drowning men at straws," and get head over
ears into debt, and then call on a sympathising public to help them
out, the " National" has very wisely left off with a balance in hand,
and will transfer it to some benevolent purpose connected with gar-
dening. We must now bid it farewell ; plant a weeping Cypress over
its grave, and as we leave it, say Sic transit gloria.

TO AURICULA GROWERS.

The following letter has in some mysterious manner reached me, and
I hesitate not to lay it before you for your favourable consideration : —
Sir, — Some members of my family (which you are aware is not a
very large one, like those parvenus, the Verbenas, &c.) say that they
have had the pleasure of your accuiaintance for a very long period ;
indeed, respect for your feelings inclines me to hide from your eye the
figures which they have given me as marking the number of years ;
and they therefore think that I may, without fear of being considered
impertinent, say that they regard with much satisfaction the evident
interest you and others take in our welfare, and they feel this the

APRIL. 119

more from the great sympathy you expressed for us when some distant
connections of ours were so shamefully and cruelly put to death by that
dreadful old man. I can assure you our very frames shook, and
thoughts of the Black Hole of Calcutta and that dreadful well at
Cawnpore came rushing in upon us. 1 he consequence of the attention
drawn to us by your friends (I believe they are) lota, $, and yourself,
has been of a very cheering character ; and I am happy to be able to
tell you that we are rapidly advancing in public favour. Thus, our
excellent Scotch friend, whom you speak of so highly, Mr. Lightbody,
of Falkirk, has, so I learn, not only sold all the plants he had of his
own to spare, but has bought in from neighbouring growers all their
spare stock, and has since potting time sold upwards of 1000 plants.
Then, again, our kind friends, Messrs. Dodwell, Holland, and Co., had
prepared extensive quarters for us. They had doubled their stock, and
raised their blooming plants to 2000 ; but have had such a demand
that it does not now exceed one-half that ; and the only nurseryman
who pays us any attention in the south, Mr. Turner, had had his stock
so reduced that his foreman quite grieves to see all his fine plants
carried off, one after another. As this is the case, it has occurred to us
that we might possibly be able to come out in our best holiday colours
at an exhibition. You remember (for, though you are a clergyman, I
must bring it to your mind) when we used to see you, in poor John
Dickson's days, at " The Horns," at Kennington. I don't mean to
accuse you of putting in a night with us ; but you certainly did make
a good day now and then there ; now, why can't this be done again.
Miss Maria and Sophia Chapman say that their Papa is quite healthy,
and they fully expect some little sisters by and by, while Miss Aurora
Headly assures me her papa's love towards her and her brothers is by
no means lessened. I think, then, that, if those who are so anxious to
secure our services, were to put their heads together, we might rise
still higher in public esteem ; will you, then, Sir, be kind enough to
think over it. Perhaps the Botanic Society wonld allow us to hold an
exhibition at their April shows, or themselves give a little more
encouragement to class showing.

With much esteem,

Believe me,
For self and fellows,
Your humble servant,

G. E. Auricula.

Such is the letter ; what say you, brother growers, to it ? Can it be,
or can it not be ? We can't have a national Auricula show. We are
too aristocratic for the multitude, the "profanum vulgus." But even
though no prizes were to be given of money value, could we we not get
up something of the kind in London for our mutual encouragement.

Deal, March 19. D.

120 THE FLORIST.

SOUTH METROPOLITAN CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY.

A second general meeting of this society was held on Monday
evening, March 14, Mr. Mills in the chair. Mr. Morgan, gardener,
Lincoln's Inn Fields, introduced the subject of discussion. He said
that to show that he was not unmindful of the welfare of working men,
he begged to give them a little information concerning the growth of
the Chrysanthemum as a standard. He stated that the idea originated
with him of having a quantity planted out for the purpose of taking up
to pot, and that his attention was directed to a plant of Cedo Nulli,
which had a fine large head upon a single stem, somewhat about
seventeen or eighteen inches high. He took it up, potted it, and the
shoots being tied down, it formed a very compact top, producing about
sixty or seventy good blooms. This took place in August. Believing
that he could materially improve upon this in the following November,
he took off a lot of cuttings, taking the eyes carefully out, and potted
them singly in a cold frame until April. He then prepared a piece of
ground by dressing fully two spades deep, supplying a quantity of
stone and brick rubbish to the bottom, and covering the whole over to
the depth of two feet — the compost used being a mixture oi loam, road
sweepings, and a small quantity of sand ; then planting out two feet
asunder. As they grew, he took the eyes out as soon as they appeared,
letting the leaves remain upon the stem from the very bottom, watering
the foliage twice every day, and the roots as often as in his opinion they
required it. By the middle of June, they were nearly three feet high,
and the nature of the plant being to branch off at a certain height, care
must be taken to secure eyes sufficient to send out shoots to form the
head before it does so. He informed the meeting that he left from five
to six of the above, then carefully taking off the top of his plant, the
shoots soon made their appearance, and when about five or six inches
long were stopped : and that he then commenced forming the head by
placing a little bast matting round the stem, bringing down the shoots.
This process was practised — namely, stopping and tying — till the end
of July, when he began to study the best means of getting them into
pots. He took his spade, cut straight down about half-way round the
plant a little less than the size of the pot intended for its reception,
keeping it well watered. In about nine or ten days after, he cut
round the part remaining, taking it up, carefully potting, and abstaining
from injuring the roots. It was kept in the shade for a few days, when,
judging that it was going on well, he took off all the foliage from the
stem, and removed it to a brighter aspect, still regularly watering and
attending, and watching, and supplying liquid manure twice a day.
By management such as this, he had plants three feet high, with heads
perfectly flat, five feet in ciicumference, with fifty shoots full of buds,
and handsome green foliage. He then gave a list of some of the best
sorts for growing as standards, among which may be mentioned Cedo
Nulli, Modele, Bob, Mustapha, Helene, Drin Drin, General Canrobert,
Duruflet, and Argentine.

After some remarks from Mr. Broome, Mr. Taylor in moving a vote
of thanks observed thst he had a true love for the Chrysanthemum,

APRIL. 121

not because it had of late become so popular, but because it was adapted
for town culture, and no doubt kept many a man more at home amongst
his family, and tended in some degree to that moral improvement
which it is desirable to attain.

Mr. Andrews presented the society with some very prettily executed
coloured drawings of the principal varieties, framed and glazed, and
intimated his intention of giving more to decorate the rooms of the society.

In conclusion, it may be remarked that the success in the formation
of this society has been the means of establishing others in Peckham,
Mile End, and north London. An interesting paper was read by
the chairman (through the kindness of Mr. Broome) furnished by Mr.
Wiggins, gardener to Mr. Beck, of Isleworth. From this the following
are extracts : —

December. — Take the strongest cuttings from healthy plants, extract all bottom
eyes and foliage ; place each cutting in a 3-inch pot, the compost to consist
of rich loam and silver sand. Plunge the pot in a cold frame filled with
ashes and decayed leaves ; keep them in this state till they are well rooted.

January. — Plants in the same state.

February. — Remove out of 3-inch pots to 48 size. Add to the compost pounded
oyster shells. Water moderately, and place them in the frame as before..

March. — Plants in the same state as previous month. Stop or rather extract
the crown at the height of from 5 to 6 inches, leaving 3 inches clear stem.

April. — Repot into 32-sized pots. Compost composed of rich loam and rotten
dry cowdung, silver sand, and pounded oyster shells. Water occasionally
with weak liquid manure. Except invery cold weather, keep the plants well
exposed to the air and sun. Stop the laterals sufficiently grown, say to 3 or
4 inches, as in March.

May. — All well started plants with 7 or 8 of the best eyes should be selected
from each break, and the remainder taken off. Continue watering with weak
liquid manure, and pegging the shoots down regularly all round the pot.

June. — Shift into small 24-sized pots ; compost as before. Shoots grown from
3 to 4 inches stop again ; keep pegging down. Before stopping plunge the
pots in a sheltered place in the garden three parts down. Syringe night and
morning all over the foliage.

July. — Shift plants into 16-sized pots, being the last change. Compost a little
stronger by adding more decayed cowdung. Stop for the last time at the end
of the month. Bestow great attention to pegging each shoot regularly to fill
up all vacant places ; let the shoots that are pegged down be clear of mould
in case they strike root.

August. — Liquid manure to be made of equal portions of rabbit, sheep, and cow-
dung, with a little soot ; half a bushel of this mixture to 40 gallons of soft
water. Give plain water once a day, and this liquid night and morning.
Use the syringe freely, and if green fly shows itself, use tobacco water when
sprinkling the foliage.

September. — Attend strictly to pegging out the branches where they are required
to fill up. Keep the circular form as true as possible. Strictly attend to
watering and syringing.

October.— The plants are now at their full growth, and should be 5 feet across,
buds the size of a Pea. If weather cold and indicating frost, take them out
of open borders, and put them under glass or some temporary covering.
Damp the ground or house where they are, to create moisture. Syringe
under the foliage as well as the top. A little tobacco water may be used
occasionally, buds showing colour at the end of the month.

November.— Tie all plants at the beginning of this mouth into the form intended
for exhibition at least a fortnight before wanted, to allow the blooms to assume
their proper position. By thus growing, plants should be produced with
from 1000 to 1500 blooms, 4 to 5 feet across, 15 inches high, with good foliage.

After a vote of thanks to the chairman and others the meeting separated.

122 THE FLORIST.

BEGONIA SPLENDIDA.

In one of your numbers last summer, it was stated that this had not
up to that time been bloomed in the United Kingdom. Now, does this
Begonia still remain unbloomed in England, or, I should rather say,
Great Britain ? Perhaps some of your readers may be able to say ; my
reason for making the inquiry is the fact of my having a good plant
of splendida, with one fine panicle of bloom half expanded on it, and
a second panicle just developing itself. The petals are about the size
of those of picta Griffithi, but of a pinkish white colour, slightly
margined with a rosy tint. Some of the leaves are in extreme
length nine inches, and in width seven inches. And, although I have
heard many complaints in this neighbourhood of the difficulty
experienced in keeping the leaves on this plant, I must say that I have
not found any — and that my plant, with its noble and striking foliage,
rich crimson when young, and reddish green when matured, forms, in
all respects, a most healthy looking specimen.

7, Sidney Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin. L. G. W.

FORSYTHIA VIRIDISSIMA.

This fine free blooming deciduous shrub, with bright yellow flowers,
was introduced from the north of China, by Mr. Fortune, about the
year 1844. It is described by Dr. Lindley in vol. i., page 226, of
the new series of the Transactions of the Horticultural Society, and to
which is appended a copy of Mr. Fortune's notes in regard to it — m
which that gentleman states, that in England it is probable that it will
be nearly hardy ; but my object in the present communication is to
note its perfect hardiness in a situation of considerable altitude and
exposure, as a lawn shrub, growing in the common garden soil ; and
it is decidedly one of the most interesting plants at the present time
in a collection of considerable variety and extent. Its bright golden
flowers, produced from the axils of every fallen leaf, present in the
aggregate, a dense mass of blossom of the most charming kind. It is
described as being a great favourite with the Chinese, and is generally
grown in all the gardens of the rich in the north of China. It was also
discovered wild amongst the mountains of the interior, in the province
of Chekiang, producing an effect even more ornamental in its natural
state amongst the hedges, than when cultivated in the " fairy gardens
of the Mandarins."

The Forsythia expansa, another shrub of like character, is described
in the " Flora Japonica," vol. i., page 16, and is there stated to have
been obtained from China by the Japanese, who plant it along with
evergreens, for the sake of obtaining from the varied appearance pro-
duced in the spring by tins plant, a good background to the Peaches,
Apricots, and Camellias, that blossom at the same time. In this
country, something of the same kind may be effected by an admixture
with the Cydonia japonica, in its different beautiful varieties ; and these

APRIL. 123

may be disposed in masses, trained on walls or other description of
fence, or formed into hedges, and trained as taste or fancy may direct
in favourable situations. Almonds and double-flowering Peaches
would of course add beauty and variety to such an arrangement. As
a conservatory plant, the Forsythia contrasts admirably with Camellias
and multitudes of other flowers with which such houses are decorated
during the early months of spring. And when the successes of our
commercial gardeners have enabled them to render more common those
gorgeously coloured double-flowered Peaches, introduced by the same
fortunate collector from the same " flowery land," some of which have
recently been figured in the Florist, we shall doubtless use them as
profusely as do the Japanese, in the decoration of our conservatories
and gardens. D.

WINTER FLOWERING CARNATIONS.

This beautiful class of plants is not half so well known or cultivated as
their fragrance and easy culture entitle them to. I am, therefore,
induced to lay before your readers my system of culture. I have been
a successful grower of these flowers for many years ; they are, moreover,
great favourites of mine ; and as plants to cut from, for bouquets or
drawing-room decoration, they are indispensable ; for they last a long
time in bloom, and remain in beauty a great while after being cut ;
but this is not their only merit, they have other claims on our notice,
for they bloom at a season when Flora has generally but little to present
us with. With proper care, they will flower in pots from October
till May, and longer by giving a slight, shift in March or April ; and,
with a good collection, you can cut as many as you like ; for cutting
the flowers is rather beneficial to them than otherwise, inducing them
to throw out flower buds at the joints below. As regards varieties, I
shall not trouble you, as their name is legion. I cultivate about
thirty-eight, which are all very beautiful, and they produce an endless
variety of markings and colours, such as yellow blotch, rose and purple
blotch, and scarlet and crimson flakes ; white edged with pink, rose,
and crimson. Then we have selfs in great variety. All who wish to
cultivate this class of plants cannot commence at a better time than
now, for they are all very cheap, and are easily procured from any
good nurseryman. I propagate mine from cuttings every season. I
take them off about the beginning of October, choosing the best and
stoutest shoots ; they are made in the usual way by cutting to a joint,
and removing a small portion of the tops of the Grass ; they are then
inserted thickly around the sides of 4 or 5-inch pots, and made firm —
using for soil, equal parts leaf-mould, loam, and sand ; they are then
placed in the bottom part of some cold frames, along with bedding out
plants, and are always shaded when the sun shines strongly ; watering
as may be necessary. Here they strike slowly, and are all rooted by
the beginning of March ; they are then potted off into 3- inch pots, usinc
for them good sound mellow loam, with a good mixture of sand and
rotten dung ; they are then placed into a cold frame by themselves ;
they are kept shaded for a few days from the sun, and advantage taken

124

THE FLORIST.

of the sun's influence, by closing rather early in the afternoon ; and a
slight dewing with the syringe is given them for about a week or ten
days, to induce them to take to the fresh soil and make fresh roots
quickly ; after this, they get all the air possible by day.

By the beginning of April, the pots will be full of roots. At this
stage, I pinch cut the centre of each, which induces them to break well
all round ; and when they have made shoots about a inch or so long,
they are then put into 32s, or (j-inch pots, using for them three
parts sound loam, well chopped up, but not sifted ; the other part to
contain about equal sand and dung, well decomposed. Let me here
say that I think the cause why some fail to bloom this beautiful class of
flowers satisfactorily, is want of stopping at the proper time, and then
not waiting till broken properly, and planting them in much too large
pots — 8, 10, and 12 inch ones I have seen them infrequently. It is a
great mistake to use such large pots. After they are all potted, sticks
are placed in the pots, in readiness to tie the shoots to as they advance ;
and, at the same time, all the shoots are thinned out to four, which I
have found better than a larger number. The pots are now plunged
into the ground, up to their rims. The plants get a watering and a
tying up when necessary. By the beginning of September they will
begin to show bloom buds ; they then get lifted from the ground, and
a little weak liquid manure is given them about twice a week ; and,
if mildew makes its appearance, as it will some seasons, I dust with
sulphur ; but, if green-fly, which I have never got on mine, attacks
the young shoots, prepare some tobacco juice, and dip the young
shoots into it. The pots are all washed, and then removed to an
airy vinery for a week or two, or any. place at command. By the
middle of October, the earliest varieties will commence to bloom, and
others will quickly follow. If kept in a greenhouse, the heat of which
is kept up from 48° by night to 50 or 55° by day, from November till
the end of February, they will keep gay and interesting during that
period.

I take off cuttings, as before, in October, after they have finished
blooming, which will be about the end of April and May. My old
plants I transplant in the borders of the flower garden, where they
soon commence blooming again, and give me a second supply of beau-
tiful fragrant blossoms, which are at all times greatly prized.

C. W. C.

GARRYA ELLIPTICA.

This magnificent and highly interesting shrub was discovered by
Douglas, in northern Californian, about the year 1828 ; and was
named by him in compliment to the late Nicholas Garry, Esq., at that
time chairman of the Hudson's Bay Company, to whose assistance he
was much indebted during his travels ; it is said to be the greatest
botanical curiosity introduced into this country by that indefatigable
collector.

The plant attains considerable dimensions, and is irregular in its

APRIL.

125

form and outline. The foliage is evergreen, of an Ilex or Viburnum
character, and of the most charming kind ; a particularly handsome
specimen, which I have now in my eye, and which is growing in
common garden soil, on an exposed situation in one of the western
counties, at an elevation of 600 ieet above the level of the sea, has
been an obj ect of much attraction for several weeks past, being some-
what densely clothed with long massive tails of yellowish catkins,
which, hanging from its irregular branches, produce an effect of the
most singular and pleasing kind ; and its beauty is much enhanced by
being seen in contrast with other handsome forms of trees and shrubs
on a well-kept lawn.

It is also a charming subject with which to enrich bouquets or
flowers in glasses or other works of art ; the pendulous form and
delicate colour of the catkins produce an unusual and excellent effect,
contrasted with flowers of gayer hues, and which, under ordinary con-
ditions, are plentiful enough at this period of the year.

A sheltered and northern exposure is the most appropriate for its
growth, as the foliage and flowers are alike more perfect in such an
aspect.

The female of this plant was also introduced from northern Cali-
fornia, under the auspices of the Horticultural Society some years since,
by their no less eminent collector, Hartweg, and flowered for the first
time in Europe in March, 1850. In foliage it is like the male plant,
but the flowers are as destitute of beauty as the male is conspicuous for
its attractions. The catkins are short, green, and at a little distance
are scarcely to be observed. It is, however, stated that in North West
America the plant is loaded with long clusters of ornamental purple
berries.

March 15. L. N.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Azaleas and Camellias. — Any of these latter out of bloom, and
wanting more pot room, should be shifted at once, using a compost of
sandy loam and peat, in about equal proportions, with a little silver
sand where the loam is heavy, and very rotten cowdung for large
specimens. Keep them close after potting, and syringe frequently, to
induce the plants to break freely.

Auriculas. — These, like many other things this spring, are unusually
forward, many now being in bloom. Shade during bright sun, if
the plants are facing the south, or perhaps it would be best to place
them in a cool north situation, to prolong their bloom. Always
popular with a class, the Auricula is now becoming generally so, and
is now patronised by the Royal Botanic Society at their spring meetings.

Carnations and Picotees. — No time should be lost in completing the
potting of these for bloom, or planting them in beds or borders. We
never remember a finer spring for these plants ; their health and
strength is remarkable ; a fine but an early bloom is more than probable..

Cinerarias. — Little can be said more of these. The instructions
given last month may be continued. Many of the plants will now

126 THE PLOKIST.

be in full beauty, and will remain so for some time if removed to a
north house or other cool situation. The green-fly attacks the plants at
this season, but a slight fumigating will remove it, without injuring the
plant or flowers, Look well to large plants, and see that they
are tied out as wide as possible, and kept clear of all decaying leaves ;
keep them, too, as near the glass as possible, to prevent their drawing.
If not already done, prepare soil, by putting equal parts good turfy
loam and partly decomposed stable manure together ; throw these into
a heap, that they may ferment ; turn occasionally, to thoroughly
amalgamate.

Gold Frames. — See our last calendar ; and finish all the propagating
for the flower garden as quickly as possible, to enable them to get pro-
perly hardened off by planting time. Some of the hardiest things, as
Calceolarias, Lobelias, &c, may be removed to turf pits, to be protected
with canvas ; this will allow more room for more tender things
requiring glass. Soft-wooded plants may yet be propagated.

Conservatory and Show-house. — The training of conservatory
climbers is always a task of some difficulty, as they should, as far as is
practicable, be allowed to grow in a natural manner, to avoid the
appearance of formality. Tacsonias, Passifloras, Mandevillas, and
Jasminums, will now be breaking, and the young wood will require
tying in ; let this be done agreeably with the suggestion given above.
Kennedyas, Hardenbergias, and climbers of this clas?, when out of
bloom, should have a portion of the flowering wood cut away, which
will encourage a freer growth. No plants are more pleasing and
cheerful tor the conservatory than these when well managed. Rough
open turfy peat and sand, with plenty of water during the growing
season, and kept comparatively dry through the autumn, suits them
best. The very beautiful Lapageria rosea also bears similar treatment,
and should be in every greenhouse. Stove and other plants intended to
decorate the conservatory from July to September should now be
looked after. Allamandas, Clerodendions, Vincas, and even- Ixoras,
Dipladenias, and Justicias, will do well in the conservatory, during the
above season, if grown on well till May, and then gradually exposed,
so as to harden them by degrees. Balsams, Globe Amaranths, and
many other annuals may be also grown for this purpose. Brugmansia
suaveolens, if grown in pots, should now have the old soil shaken from
their roots, and repotted in very rich compost. There are now several
kinds of Daturas (belonging to the above class), which make capital
conservatory plants. Nor should we forget such things as Cannas,
Hedychiums, &c, all valuable when got forward in good time. Sow
also the autumn blooming Tropaeolums, as Triomphe de Gand, and
Ipomceas, which are splendid objects as conservatory climbers through
the autumn. Look to the present inmates. Remove plants on the
wane, and replenish with fresh introductions coming into bloom.
Roses should now predominate. Let every care be taken to keep the
house and plants in the best order as regards cleanness, and when
re-arranging, introduce as much variety in the general effect as
possible.

Dahlias. — Propagating freely now should be adopted. Plants struck

APRIL. 127

during the first three weeks in April, will be in ample time, yet not so
forward as to become stunted before planting out time. Pot off first
struck cuttings, and keep them growing, if but gently. Start old
roots in the bottom of vineries, or any spare place where no increase is
desired, but only the old plants, which will be forward and strong.
Seed should now be sown.

Flower Garden. — This month is quite as important to the flower
gardener as May, as he will now be busy preparing the soil in the
various beds for their forthcoming inmates, and he will also have to
sow and transplant many things hardy enough to stand the climate.
All vacant spaces in the herbaceous beds and shrubbery borders may
now be sown with hardy annuals, having first well broken up the soil,
and made it fine to receive the seed. Finish pruning Tea and China
Roses, also any others left at the general pruning. Prune and train
wall climbers, &c, and let the whole of the ornamental shrubs, requiring
cutting in, be done, that tne borders, &c, may be made tidy, after
which they will only require hoeing and raking occasionally. Provide
stakes for Hollyhocks, &c, and the proper supports for all tall plants.
The Grass in many places requires mowing ; don't let it grow too long,
if you wish for a close bottom.

Forcing Ground. — Earth up Potatoes in frames, and the spring
raised Cauliflowers. Lettuces, pricked out in frames, may be transferred
to4;he open ground, towards the middle of the month ; harden them
well before removing, by allowing the sashes to remain off day and
night for a week. Prick out the first crop of Celery on a slight bottom
heat. The soil should be rich and very shallow, and the plants kept
close to the glass, to have them stocky and well rooted by the first week
in May. Where Leeks are required early, it is a good plan to raise
them on a little heat under glass, and then transplant.

Fruit (hardy). — Hitherto the weather, though wet and stormy,
has been favourable. Apricots have set their fruit, and Peaches are in
full bloom. Finish pruning and nailing as quickly as you can.
Figs are generally the fiirst to be looked to. Have your protecting
materials ready. We don't know what April may require yet, but it
will be well to be forearmed. Raspberries may now be shortened
back if not done ; and if part are cut back to a foot from the ground
they will produce a succession, carrying on the supply from the main
crop till the double bearing ones come in.

Greenhouse (Mixed Plants). — Any things tolerably hardy, which
can be removed to some kind of shelter, may now be cleared out, to
make room for better things. Tie out Pelargoniums and other specimen
plants. Epacris, when out of bloom, should be well pruned in, and
kept at the warm end of the house for a time, to encourage them to
grow again. Heaths and similar plants should occupy the most airy
and lightest places. Give plenty of air, and towards the end of the
month a little may be left on all night, but only when the weather is
mild.

Kitchen Garden. — All the crops above ground will be benefited by
having the soil frequently stirred between the plants in dry weather,
nothing conducing so much to a vigorous growth as moving the surface.

128 THE FLORIST.

Keep up the required succession of vegetables, according to the demand.
Peas and Cauliflowers should have well trenched and richly manured
ground, or the produce will be indifferent — in dry weather particularly,
it' the land is at all poor; in fact, deep working of the soil, and frequent
stirrings of the surface, are the main points of success in growing nine-
tenths of our vegetable crops. Sow a crop of early French Beans on a
warm border, and Scarlet Runners may be sown towards the middle of
the month. Thin out Onions, Parsnips, Lettuces, Carrots, Parsley, and
Spinach, when large enough. Silver Beet may be sown towards the
end of the month, as also Salsafy, and Scorzonera, which run when
sown sooner. If you want your Rhubarb to grow as large in the stem
as a tidy builder's pole, water the roots two or three times a week with
guano water or other liquid manure.

Melons and Cucumbers. — Follow our last directions, and see that
the heat, both bottom and top, is at all times uniform, that no check
may occur — which, with Melons particularly, is most injurious.
Watch for green-fly and red spider ; frames and pits with these plants
may be kept pretty free from these pests by occasionally washing the
inside with tobacco water, with which mix a handful of sulphur.

Pelargoniums. — As the successful blooming of these plants depends
on the strength and vigour of the shoots, do not allow anything to check
their progress. As the branches increase in size, continue to tie thpm
out, so as to keep them free of each other ; and, also, do not permit
any of the plants to be crowded. Keep the foliage clean, if needful, by
thoroughly using the syringe and soft water. The time is nearly at
hand for the cultivation of this beautiful flower, and any care and
attention will be abundantly repaid. The early flowering plants will
especially demand even increased attention, as they will be fast coming
into bloom. Never allow them to get dry, as that state injures the
bloom, and causes the plants to lose their leaves. Do not forget to
well fumigate them, to keep the green-fly under, a pest which increases
rapidly at this season. In bright weather, a slight shade will, in the
heat of the day, be necessary ; and, if late flowering plants are required,
some must be removed now into a cold pit, to keep them back.

Tulips. — All appears promising for a good but early season of blooms.

Peach House. — In selecting the wood for next year's bearing, in
some degree be guided by the vigour of the tree. Strong growing trees
will require the wood to be laid in pretty thick, while weakly growing
ones must have it left in much thinner ; with the former, leave a large
crop to check too luxuriant a growth, while weakly trees should be
rather under cropped, till they gain strength. Keep down green-fly ;
and thin the last house, if the fruit has set too thickly. The night
temperature of the early house should not exceed 60°, allowing a rise
of 15° to 20° under bright sun. Syringe with tepid water once or
twice daily, according to the weather.

Pinery. — If not shifted last month, the succession plants will now
require repotting. Shake the soil clear away from plants at all
unhealthy, or when the soil is not in a suitable state, and repot the
plants in pure loam. The healthy plants should have a small shift,
liberating the roots before potting ; let the soil be moderately dry.

4ndrev/.}.Z>efc. &Zwjx

Camellia...

Plate. 151.

MAY. ]29

CAMELLIA VALTEVAREDO.

(Plate 151).

In former volumes have been recorded the results of different
growers' experience in the cultivation of this magnificent
flower, and various fine kinds have been figured by us ; we
are, however, of opinion that the subject of our present illus-
tration yields to none hitherto represented either in beauty
of foliage or flowers. The variety must necessarily be a
favourite ; for who does not admire a well grown and well .
blossomed Camellia, with glossy dark green leaves, and bold-
petalled richly coloured flowers ? There are pleasing asso-
ciations and peculiarities about this charming plant which
mark it out above most other flowers, and it seems to bid fair
to be as enduring as to its popularity as the Pelargonium or
the Rose. For although our continental neighbours have
poured their thousands of Camellias into the British market,
and although the Camellia has been planted against walls out
of doors, made to form undergrowth in plantations and shrub-
beries, and even employed to bedeck the greengrocer's stall,
yet nobody thinks a well bloomed Camellia commonplace in
character, or beneath their notice. For enlivening the dreary
winter or early spring months, we know nothing equal to it,
provided its culture is done justice to.

The grand display of this plant, open to the inspection of
everybody, this spring, at Messrs. Milne, Arnott, & Co.'s
Nursery, Vauxhall, and the wonderfully fine tree of C. reticu-
lata, loaded with its thousands of blooms, at Bank Grove, near
Kingston, have both tended greatly to bring the Camellia
especially under notice this season. Some account of the
beautiful variety, of which the accompanying is a very faithful
portrait, may therefore not be out of place at the present time.

It blossomed most beautifully this spring in the Royal
Exotic Nursery, King's Road, Chelsea, and to the spirited
proprietor, Mr. James Veitch, we are indebted for an oppor-
tunity of figuring it. It is, he believes, an Italian kind, with,
as will be seen, most exquisitely formed flowers of medium
size, cupped like a Rose, and full to the centre. The habit of
the plant is compact, never running into a lean lanky state if
properly cultivated ; foliage fine and round, and of medium
size. It must, we think, be confessed to be altogether a most
beautiful variety, free flowering, and holding its buds on well,
especially in a London atmosphere. The plant was, we
understand, originally obtained from Belgium. It is believed

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXVI. K

130 THE FLORIST.

to be, as stated, an Italian seedling, and the name favours
that supposition ; it is spelt differently by different people, but
Mr. Veitch believes the proper way to be " Valtevaredo."

The following are the names of a few first-rate Camellias,
which should occupy a place in every collection : —

Albertus, blush, striped with carmine.

Archduchess Augusta, crimson, veined with purple and tipped with

white.
Augustina superba, beautiful rose.
Beali, bright crimson.

Comte de Paris, salmon pink, edged with rose.
Countess of Ellesmere, fine rose.

Countess of Orkney, pure white, striped with carmine, extra fine.
Emelia Campioni, rosy carmine, fine and large.
Fra Arnoldo da Brescia, rose, fine form.
General Drouot, rose striped with white.
Giardino Franchetti, bright pink, slightly marbled, fine.
Halfida, beautiful rose.
II Cygno, pure white.

Jubilee, flesh colour, striped and spotted. ,
Mathotiana, bright crimson, large and fine.
Queen of Denmark, crimson, shaded and striped with rose.
Reine des Fleurs, carmine, striped with white.
Rubens, deep rose, fine and large.
Saccoi Nova, same as Halfida, fine.
Storyi, beautiful pink, extra fine shape.
Targioni, white, with carmine stripes.
Teutonia, delicate rose, striped in centre of each petal.
Valtevaredo, see plate.
Wilderi, fine rose.

To the above must be added a splendid new light- coloured
Camellia, named " Countess of Derby," which Mr. Veitch
intends offering to the public next season.

"THE THERMOMETER AT 20°, AND A FEW OTHER

THINGS."

We have had a very severe frost here, with the thermometer at 20°.
The effect of the frost, followed by intense heat, is disastrous. A
correspondent at Bromley Common speaks also of its malign effects on
his wall trees. I was at Critchill, yesterday (April 12), the palatial
residence of Mr. Sturt, and walked round the gardens with him, to
see the fruit. The orchard house and glass-cased south wall, 160 feet
in length, most beautifully done, groan with well-set fruit — but,
outside the glass, over a large expanse of 12 feet high walls, I could
not detect a single specimen. The head gardener, Mr. Newton, told
me, that all Lord Shaftesbury's wall fruit was destroyed. At my
friend and neighbour's garden, the Rev. Mr. Austen, who is one of
your subscribers, Peaches, Apricots, and Nectarines are totally gone.
One of my parishioners, who works at Langton Garden, for Mr.

MAY. 131

Farquharson, told my groom that everything was destroyed there also.
At Milton Abbey, the seat of Baron Hambro', except under glass, the
case is the same. Except in high cold situations, where blossoms are late,
I expect you will hear of disaster. I never saw trees more beautifully
bloomed than they were here ; but I have suffered greatly. My faithful
sheets, however, kept on by day, only during violent winds and any
rain, have saved me a tolerable sprinkling of Peaches. My Apricots
having been cut hard for new wood, had little or no bloom, but what
there was is gone The white Nectarine has only six or seven. The
red Apricot is replaced by a new tree, as its stock was old, gnarled,
and twisted. My three Peach trees, which last year yielded of good
fruit 196, 274, and 554, or altogether 1024, have this year 39, 97,
and 119, or 255 well-set fruit, which are so dispersed as to require
no thinning. I began covering on the 6th of March, which was ten or
twelve days earlier than last year. Say what people will against
sheets (removable), I will back them against rabbit nets or Fir
boughs. If ever I change them for anything, it will be for a glass
case. With regard to my white Nectarine tree, I may observe, that I
attribute the failure in some measure to its being more exposed to a
most violent wind, which tore even the sheets from the nails. A violent
wind is most injurious to blossoms ; moreover, the foliage by the sheets
is preserved, and beautifully luxuriant and green, and never suffers
from curl to any appreciable extent. I have no desire to open the
protection question at all ; let "necessity be the mother of invention."
Last year, Sir John Smith's gardener covered the trees with cheese-
cloth, tacked to three rafters — with a coping, very thick, of Fir boughs ;
and they had, in a very exposed garden, the best crop of wall fruit
which they have had for years. I am, however, myself disinclined to
any fixture, save that of glass casing. Reading over the other day, in
your Florist, the protection controversy, it gave me much pleasure to
see, that an old friend, Mr. Johnson, formerly head gardener to Mr.
Brouncker, of Boveridge, Dorset, and now head gardener to his Grace
the Duke of Wellington, at Strathfieldsaye, approves of wall fruit
protection. Of course, I cannot compare sheeting to glass casing.
The fruit is safer and earlier under the latter ; and I believe it would
never fail in such a situation, unless the trees were " stifled." What
is the cause of non-setting and dwindling of Strawberries in forcing
houses ? — Want of air. What is it that mildews Grapes ? — I firmly
believe that it is pent up damp, and want of dry air. The beauty of
the orchard house, forcing houses, greenhouses, and the glass-cased
wall at Critchill, is this, — that you can give them what air you please ;
the orchard house, and 160 feet of glass-cased wall can be aired to
any amount, in a moment, by machinery. It is quite a first-rate
performance, and, with the successful crop of fruit, is well worthy of
review. I saw among the forced Strawberries, a plant of Ananias
Lecoq, which I sent there, and it justified fully what I said in a
previous article, viz., that I thought it would make a good forcer. The
Keens were good, very good, but were not so sturdy in leaf or stem
— two things most important where supernatural heat is to be borne.
The leaves are of thick substance, good form, and the crowns bold ; and
k2

132 THE FLORIST.

never once, this winter, in my exposed garden, has it ever been other-
wise than a beautiful evergreen plant ; its flavour I know not.
Rushton, April 13. W. F. Radclyffe.

P.S. April 20. — Mr. Cranston gives me a melancholy account of the
frost in Herefordshire. He says " all " the wall fruit is gone. M. Gloede
says in a letter of the 18th of April — " The frost last night froze my
Kidney Potatoes under bell glasses. My early Strawberry blooms are
destroyed. [My old Carolinas are well bloomed, also Creinont's
Perpetual and Carolina superba, and are covered every night with
sheets. — W. F. R.] The frost last night did also a great deal of
mischief to the Vines — (April 17). Pears, Plums, Apricots, Peaches,
and Nectarines, look as if they were safe. Apples being in bloom may
suffer from such untoward state of things." He adds, " I followed
your advice, and potted a kw of Lecoq Pine (Ananias Lecoq) ; they
seem doing very well indeed, and have easily set their fruit. General
Havelock, under glass, seems to be good ; fruit large, well shaped, and
of good colour."

PANSIES.

The tide of civilisation has, we are told, flowed westwards. Assyria
and Egypt gave way to Greece, and Greece to Rome ; and now its seat
is not to be found in the city of the seven hills, but on the banks of the
Seine and of dear dirty Father Thames ; while already others are
pointing to the far-off shores of the Atlantic as the future seat of its
triumphs. Somewhat different has been the course of Pans// civilisa-
tion ; it seems to be rapidly retiring northwards, and our friends on
" t'other side of Tweed " must, I fear, now be looked upon as the
" leaders of progress," as far as it is concerned. Time was when its
historians, and it may be its poets, lived " down south ;" but alas, some
of those who thus chronicled its beauties and its victories have been
deserted by their own children ; they have transferred their affection,
and their presence too, to those who will certainly take care of them,
but who are not their own legitimate papas. In the north of England,
too, as well as Scotland, there are still eminent growers, but certainly
in the southern parts of the kingdom we have but little evidence of our
former attention to this beautiful spring flower.

As I stood opposite my small frame of four or five dozen plants (not
the worst sorts out, let me inform you, my good friend), and saw Lord
Derby, with his two black eyes (I suppose given him by his next
neighbour, little Lord John), and Sir Colin Campbell looking rather
whiter than I fear he does now, after his Oude campaign, and John
Gough, ready for a lecture on temperance, I wondered whether, as they
looked so hard at me, there was anything on their minds, for they are
a contemplative race, as their name Pansy (pensee) implies — and
whether they would enlighten me on the subject. I asked them whether
I had bestowed care enough on them, or whether they could point to
any neglect of which I had been guilty ? No, they gave me credit for

MAY. 133

being a very good master, that I had given them plenty of grub — no,
not grub, for that was vulgar, and, besides, might be interpreted to
mean maggot — food, then, and of the best quality. Were their
quarters comfortable ? Oh, nothing to complain of. What, then, was
the matter ? There was a little disputing and questioning about the
answer. I thought I could hear " Go on, speak" — until at last Her
Grace of Sutherland, apologising for assuming so prominent a position,
but saying that she had been requested to speak for the rest, replied,
" Our sorrows and troubles all arise from one cause — comprehended in
one word, heat. It is, I know, a delicate subject for a lady to touch
upon, but still I must do it ; it is not that there is any moist heat, for,
alas ! we are too shrivelled up for that. Why, Sir, I, who am regarded
as one of the most distinguished ladies of the court — I appeal to Her
Royal Highness the Princess Royal (Scholefield's) whether it is not so
— look like a shrivelled up old woman before the season is over. It
grieves and irritates me, I am sorry to say, excessively, to hear people
standing by us, and saying, ' What a splendid summer ! how gloriously
hot ! what a sunless sky !' Why, Sir, these are the very things which
kill us, and we may well echo the cry of the frogs of old, ' What is
play to you is death to us.' In fact, we have been so scorched and
dried up and withered, the last three years, that I am now determined
to forsake the south altogether, and take up my quarters at Dun-
robin, N.B." Pleased to find that I was not in fault, I thought it well
to write and ask some of those who grow the flower, whether this were
true, and from many quarters I got the same reply. Messrs. Dodwell,
Bayley, & Co. say they have great difficulty in keeping them, except in
very sheltered positions, where the sun cannot get at them. As to
Slough, the decadence is piteous ; it used to be worth a journey there,
to see them in early spring — fine splendid blooms. But, alas! now
" Ichabod " must be written on them; for, in truth, their glory has
departed — they no longer form part of Mr. Turner's stock, and are
struck out of his Catalogue altogether, while Mr. Salter says, " I have
been obliged to give them up, or rather they have given me up, for the
last two seasons. I have tried them in all situations — fully exposed to
the sun, half shaded, and full north, but all to no purpose. I had,
three years ago, a fine and very large collection of varieties of which I
was the originator, numbering about 100 varieties ; but I have since
that time (1856) lost all. I believe the very dry weather of the last
two years to be the cause. As we go further northward we hear
a different story. " We have no difficulty," say Messrs. Downie and
Laird, " with Pansies ; they thrive very well, and we have now
upwards of 5000 plants."

" Happy, happy pair,
None but the brave deserve the fair."

Yet I am not quite sure that this is all ; for Mr. Lightbody says,
" Our Pansies here go off in the most unaccountable way — whole beds
of them at one time." Ah ! thought I, that is something like us. But
can the heat affect them in the cold regions of Falkirk, where frosts
often occur in June. I suppose that other Scotch growers suffer, if I
may judge from the scrubbiest lot of plants I ever saw, which came from

134 THE FLORIST.

a nursery which shall be nameless. There may be exceptions to the
rule, but I am tolerably well persuaded that the intense heat of the
last few summers is at the bottom of our difficulties, and that to keep
them we must use our utmost ingenuity.

So much has been written, and so well, too, upon them, and separate
treatises certainly have said nearly all that can be said, that there is
little room to add more ; there are, however, one or two points con-
nected with the difficulty we have lately experienced, that I may as
well notice. I speak only as far as pot culture is concerned. Now,
unquestionably the only plants for this purpose are those that are struck
late — early struck ones being lanky, and apt to throw out a number of
stems ; but as the old plants are very likely, during the summer, to go
off" entirely, cuttings should be taken in the spring months when they
are fit, and these, planted out in a shady place, will make good plants
to take autumn cuttings from, while the old plants should be cut down
as soon as the blooming season is over, and also placed in a shady
situation. I am inclined to think that if they were plunged the
roots would be kept cooler, and they would be less likely to perish. I
am so dreadfully exposed to sun, that it is almost impossible to carry
out my own directions ; but if your plants are treated thus, they will
probably have thrown out, by the end of August, some fresh shoots ;
these are to be taken off, then, and put under a handglass, the glass
itself being filled up with mould nearly three-fourths of its length.
Each cutting must be firmly pressed in, so as to leave no cavity between
the bottom of the cutting and the soil, freely watered, and the top of the
glass only to be put on in severe weather. This is the plan adopted by
Mr. Banks' gardener, and the result is, that he generally has a nice lot
of well rooted, healthy plants by the first week in October ; these are
kept to one stem, and in the spring they make very handsome pot plants.

Surely, there is no need to say a word in praise of this beautiful
flower. It comes to us in early spring, like the swallow, a herald to us
that summer is coming on. As a friend and neighbour says, " they
wake one up," and tell us that all our watchfulness and toil during the
winter will be now repaid ; and although there is not that variety in
them that there is in many flowers, yet they are so exquisite in shape,
so velvety and rich in texture, that they are universal favourites ; and
were they more easily propagated, they would be more generally grown.

I subjoin a list, to which I am indebted to Messrs. Downie and
Laird. The varieties marked with an asterisk I have seen, and know
to be good : —

Selfs. Duchess of Wellington (D. & L.)

Admiral Dundas (Horsburgh) John Lofley (Oswald)

Cloth of Gold (Nairn), yellow *Sir John Cathcart (Turner)

.Airs. Hope (D. & L.)

Charles M'Intosh (D. & L ), dark
*Jeaune (D. & L.), shaded dark
*J. B. Gough (D. & L.), finedark
*Lady Belhaven (D. & L.), black

*Ventas (Turner), white *Colonel Wynham (Lang)

* Louisa (Read)
Yellow Ground.
Bacchus (Turner)
Cyclops (Bayliss)

Deal, April 20. D

White Ground.
*Countess of Roslin (Lang)

*Royal Standard (D. & L.)
*Sir C. Campbell (Paton & Small)
Miss Caroline Saddler

MAY. 135

HANGING BASKETS.
The employment of these at the Crystal Palace and other places with
such good effect has rendered them fashionable. They are often, how-
ever, used where they are entirely out of place, and the reason is
obvious. There are few baskets like those at the Crystal Palace ; the
latter, being large and capacious, contain sufficient soil to supply the
necessary requirements of their occupants for a length of time. And in
many instances the plants which ornament them are not grown in
them ; in fact, they are plants in pots arranged for effect. Widely
different from this are the baskets generally met with. They are
often small and fantastic in form, and are not of sufficient size to contain
a quart of earth. In these are placed a variety of plants, which, over-
hanging the occupants in airy conservatories, are unable to withstand
our summer's sun, perish by degrees, and, instead of becoming and
being ornamental in themselves, they detract greatly from the general
interest of the house they are intended to decorate. In a close shaded
stove, baskets may be judiciously employed, and of almost any size.
But under the circumstances just alluded to, it would be well to use a
little discretion in the selecting and placing of flower baskets, taking
care to see that they are replenished or removed when no longer
ornamental.

George Westland.
Kingston Hall, Nottinghamshire.

SEEDS AND SEED SOWING.

There are very few persons who will deny the importance of sowing
good sound seed. On the quality of the seed depends, in no small
degree, the quantity and quality of the future crop. If the seed sown
be sound and perfect, the crop will, all other conditions being
favourable, be good ; but if the seed be unsound and immature, no
other conditions, however favourable, will secure satisfactory results.
When, therefore, people purchase seed, they should see that they get
it good, and not rubbish.

Unfortunately, too many people now-a-days, acting on the penny-
wise and pound-foolish principle, are silly enough to buy any kind of
trash, because it happens to be cheap. They either do not know, or
they forget, that though they may get a great bulk for their
money, they have made a bad bargain. They do not know that 50 or
60 per cent., and sometimes considerably more, of their cheap trash
is mere dead matter, and the remainder very inferior seed ; so that in
reality good seed is always the cheapest, as 1 lb. of it sound will give
more satisfactory results than 6 lbs. of bad stuff. This catching at
cheap bargains is one of the great besetting sins of the age. There
can be no difficulty in procuring good seed, as nearly all the respect-
able seedsmen annually inform their " kind patrons and the public at
large," that " especial attention has been paid to the growth and

136 THE FLORIST.

selection of their stock." Those, therefore, who want cheap, because
good bargains, by applying to these, and paying a fair remunerative
price, will not be disappointed.

Having obtained good seeds, there are two or three points of essential
importance to be attended to ; the first is, that the soil is in a proper
condition to receive the seed ; the second is, that all seeds are properly
covered ; and the third is, that all seeds are sown in proper season.
With regard to the first point, we may remark that, before any soil is
in a condition fit to receive seed, it should be well drained, deeply dug,
well pulverised, and if at all poor, it should have plenty of well rotted
manure forked into it. We have oftentimes seen seed out of the
same bag sown — one portion on properly prepared land, and the other
part on land in a bad condition, and the results invariably were, —
that on the properly prepared land it produced most abundant crops ;
and that on the land in bad condition it either perished altogether, or
yielded badly. Inexperienced persons, when they sow good seed on
land in bad condition, and find it either fails altogether, or turns out
badly, are very apt to blame the seeds ; and the seedsman, as a matter
of course, is grumbled at, or gets the name of a dishonest tradesman,
when in reality the fault laid with the person who sowed on
badly prepared land. There are few practical men but have known
cases of this description ; we, ourselves, have often heard people say,
" How is it, Mr. So-and-So, that my seed, which I got from Mr. Some-
body, the seedsman, turned out badly ? some failed to grow altogether,
and the other part turned out badly ; I will not get my seeds any more
of that seedsman." We have sometimes inquired (but not always, for
this class of persons is frequently very knowing) if the soil was in
proper condition when the seed was sown ; and have always found,
that when good seed had been sown and perished, one of the causes
was owing to the land being in bad condition.

With regard to the second point, that all seeds should be properly
covered, we may remark, that this is a point which is very frequently
badly performed, either from ignorance or negligence. It is not
unusual to see small seed buried to so great a depth that it is impos-
sible for it to grow. All the smaller kinds of seeds cannot be covered
too lightly, if only the surface be kept uniformly moist and shaded ;
but most of the larger kinds of seeds do best when covered a moderate
depth — say one, two, three, or more inches, according to the kind.
Many failures arise from want of attention to these matters.

With regard to the third point, that all seeds should be sown in
proper season, we may remark that this is a matter of the utmost
importance. Of course, we would not insist on anything being sown
always at a stated time, as the weather and the state of the land will
more or less rule these matters. But, if the weather and the land be
favourable, not a day should be lost in sowing seed when the proper
season for doing so arrives. The above points are all within the con-
trol of man, and when properly attended to, and good seed is sown, the
results will in general be satisfactory, unless the seasons, which are
above the control of man, be very unfavourable.

Cold and wet are always injurious to seeds, and must be always

MAY. 137

guarded against as much as possible. In very dry weather small
seeds will occasionally require to be watered and kept shaded. Seed
culture is a subject of the greatest importance ; and a neglect of
attending to the conditions that are absolutely essential to success has
not unfrequently brought blame on many a respectable tradesman.

M. S.

ROYAL NATIONAL ANNUAL EXHIBITION OP TULIPS.

It will be seen on reference to the advertisement that this annual
treat to all lovers of the Tulip is to be held this year at the Royal
Nursery, Slough, on Friday, May 20. By this arrangement many
advantages will be secured not only to Tulipomaniacs, but also to all
lovers of flowers who can manage to get down there. The former will
have the opportunity of seeing one of the very finest beds of Tulips in
the kingdom, and which this year will be in prime order, owing to the
very favourable season through which we have passed. A sight of this
bed alone, independently of the blooms that will be staged, will be a
treat which all enthusiasts in this flower (and there is not one that
boasts of more ardent ones) must feel will well repay them. The general
lover of flowers will be enabled to see the very admirable collection
which Mr. Turner grows, and I can answer for it, that if they have
never seen his Pelargoniums " in situ," they have a rich treat. I was
there last year, and endeavoured to give my brother florists a slight
sketch of the treasures I there saw, but all description must fall far
short of the reality. The three kinds — fancy, florists', and French —
will be in excellent condition, for it will be the best time for seeing them :
they are so fresh, so full of bloom, and will not yet have experienced the
scorching sun sufficiently to spoil their beauty in any way. Then there
will be banks of Azaleas in their rich and varied colourings ; and what
can be more lovely than these, from the snowy whiteness of Gled-
stanesi on to the rich glowing crimson of Duke of Devonshire ? There
may be, too, a few Auriculas, but the bloom has been so early that it
can be but the remnant of a large collection that can be seen.

A stroll through the nurseries will show the visitors the perfect order
in which everything is kept, and there is a freshness and cleanliness
about a well kept country nursery that can never be attained in the
neighbourhood of London. As Mr. Turner annually throws open his
grounds for the exhibition of his own Tulip bed, and goes to the
expense and trouble of fitting up a large tent for the staging of his other
flowers, it will be no novelty to him, and visitors may be thereby
assured that everything that can administer to their comfort and
effect their wishes will be attended to. And let it not be forgotten that
in all this Mr. Turner acts without any reference to his own exhibition ;
he is honorary secretary, and does not stage a single flower of his own.
The expense consequent on such a show is not a trifling matter, and he
naturally looks for the increased support of his friends and the public,
and in this I believe he will not be disappointed.

Deal, April 25. D.

138 TUE FLORIST.

NEW ROSES.

The following extract from Mr. William Paul's admirable " Rose
Annual for 1858-59," will furnish our readers with that excellent
grower's opinion respecting the more valuable of our recent additions to
the " Queen of Flowers : " —

" On looking through the varieties which flowered for the first time
in England during the past season (1858), we find nothing very new
or striking in character, but many valuable improvements on existing
kinds. Among the Hybrid Provence we note Gracilis, one of those
pretty but somewhat rare flesh-coloured flowers of exquisite symmetry,
flowering most abundantly.

" Reine blanche is a new pure white Moss Rose, faultless in shape,
and of vigorous habit. It resembles Madame Hardy, both in form
and colour.

" Cimabue is of another race, belonging to the Hybrid Bourbon :
the flowers are large and full, of a velvety crimson, with a brighter
shade in their centres ; the colour is particularly rich, and the growth
vigorous.

" The group known as Hybrid Perpetuals furnishes us, as usual, with
the longest array of names : Duke of Cambridge is a large, close, crim-
son Rose, of good shape ; it approaches nearer to Baronne Hallez than
to any other, but is of a darker hue. The constitution of the plant is
unmistakeably good, and the foliage handsome. Eveque de Nimes is,
perhaps, the greatest novelty of the season, and unquestionably a gem.
The flowers are of the richest crimson, of average size, containing an
abundance of petals, which lie closely the one over the other, in the way
of Paul Dupuy, and many of the Gallica Roses. The foliage is
particularly stout and handsome. General MacMahon is a promising
Rose, with rosy-carmine flowers ; the shoots and leaves are of a dark
green, almost thornless. Gloire de Lyon is one of the numerous
progeny of Geant des Batailles. It appears to possess the constitution
of its parent, and flowers as freely ; the flowers are dark purplish red,
changing to blackish violet. This will probably prove a valuable dark
Rose for planting in masses. Laelia was exhibited in fine condition at
the National Rose Show. It is a very large flower, something in the
way of Louise Peyronny. Lord Palmerston is a plant of vigorous
growth, with a good deal of the Bourbon blood in it. The flowers are
cherry pink, very bright and beautiful, not large, but of good form, and
produced abundantly. Louis Chaix is a brilliant velvety crimson Rose
of vigorous growth, blooming freely, and producing flowers almost above
the average size. I find it marked in my diary ' a large and hand-
some edition of Geant des Batailles.' If Louise d'Autriche will but
expand its flowers, it will prove a great acquisition. It is a seedling
from La Reine, producing large full flowers of a violet red colour.
Madame Van Houtte is a very pretty Rose, producing flowers of a
delicate satin-like rose colour ; the flowers, although not large, are
pleasing, from the great regularity with which the petals are disposed.
Madame Vigneron is a very superior new Rose, and possesses some

MAY. 139

claim to the title of distinct. The flowers are of a delicate peach colour,
large, full, and of good shape, the petals are round, and of thick sub-
stance. Mademoiselle Godard is a large well-shaped flower, of a glossy
lilac rose colour ; the growth is vigorous. Mademoiselle Henriette
deserves a place in every collection. The style of growth resembles
that of Madame de Cambaceres ; the flowers are purplish crimson, of
globular and good form, large and full ; it flowers abundantly, and is
very sweet. Maria Portemer produces purplish crimson flowers, which
are large, full, and most exquisitely cupped ; the petals are also of
great substance. The flowers, which expanded here during the hottest
days of June, were singed at the edges by the sun, but this might have
been accidental, rather than constitutional. Marie Thierry is a good
flower, of a lilac rose colour, cupped, large and full. Maximilian II. is
also a good dark purplish crimson Rose. Monsieur de Montigny
resembles La Reine, from which it is a seedling : the flowers are of a
purplish rose, much darker in colour than its parent ; large, full, and of
fine shape. This is a splendid Rose, but probably a little uncertain.
Queen of Denmark is a very large, full, flesh-coloured Rose, of good
quality. The colour is much like that of the old Alba Rose of the
same name, but the build of the flower closely resembles that of
Baronne Prevost. Thomas Rivers, a seedling from Colonel Foissy, is of
a brighter and more cheerful colour than that variety ; the flowers are
larger, but scarcely full enough. Triomphe des Beaux-Arts, said to
surpass General Jacqueminot, from which it is a seedling, has become
an object of more than common interest. The flowers produced here
scarcely enable us to endorse this statement, although they have left
upon the mind a favourable impression. Triomphe de Montrouge is in
the style of Standard of Marengo, but apparently of larger size, more
double, and of hardier constitution : the form of the flower is cupped,
the colour crimson, the outside of the petals whitish.

" By those who are interested in Perpetual Moss Roses, Ma Ponctue
will no doubt be hailed with satisfaction : the flowers are rose colour,
covered with small white spots, very pretty in bud, and produced
abundantly. Madame de Stael is a promising variety, with soft, rosy,
flesh-coloured flowers, full, and of unexceptionable form. Valide
produces flowers of a bright rosy carmine, which grow paler soon after
expansion : the outline is good.

" Among Bourbon Roses, Caroline Riguet is an acquisition, on
account of the scarcity of good white autumnal Roses. The flowers
are pure white, not large, but of good form and full : the plant is of
vigorous habit, and flowers abundantly. Josephine Clermont is a very
pretty pink Rose. Madame Contesse, a seedling from Louise Odier, is
a peach-coloured flower, not large, but full and well formed : the plant
is of vigorous growth. Madame Elisa de Chenier, a variety much in
the way of Armosa, blooms most abundantly, and will probably prove
valuable for planting in masses : the flowers are bright pink, of fine
colour, but scarcely double enough ; the petals are smooth and round.
Monsieur Jard is a large, full, imbricated Bourbon Rose, with flowers
almost cherry colour.

" Claudia Augustin, belonging to the Noisette, is an addition to our

140 THE FLORIST.

climbing autumnal Roses. It is a seedling from Ophirie, which it
resembles in habit : the flowers are white, with yellowish centres."

Let us add, that the work from which the foregoing extract is taken is
intended to be published once a year, virtually as a continuation of
the " Rose Garden and Supplement," which brought down the informa-
tion on Roses, descriptive and cultural, to the year 1853.

The present number contains charming illustrations of Louis Chaix
(of which a representation was given in our pages for December last) ;
Madame William, a yellow tea-scented Rose, which was much admired
when shown in St. James's Hall last spring ; Lord Palmerston, a
Bourbon Perpetual, whose habit and constitution is stated to resemble
Louise Odier, but the colour distinct and more striking ; and last, but
not least, a small Perpetual Moss, called Empress Eugenie. " There
are no fewer," says Mr. Paul, " than three different Roses named in
compliment to the Empress Eugenie, so loyal and gallant are our Rose-
loving neighbours, the French. Those who admire this kind must
take care that they obtain the right one. Unlike the preceding kinds,
the present does not belong to the showy and effective, but it is one of
those perfect little gems which the close observer of nature would be
content to dwell upon. The plant is of dwarf growth, but not delicate :
it deligh's in a rich soil, requires close pruning, and is even more
beautiful in the forcing-house than when grown out of doors. It was
raised from seed by Monsieur Guillot, of Lyons, some two or three
years since, but is still scarce, both in France and England."

THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S "GRAND" SHOWS IN
ST. JAMES'S HALL.

Mr. Editor, — I implore you to hear my plaint and to plead my cause.
I am a deeply injured, highly respectable, and numerous section of the
iamily of Flora, and for many years have been, and still am, a great
favourite with the ladies, and have always, until this present year, been
invited to assist at the horticultural fetes, which used to be so much
admired at Chiswick ; and, indeed, I never before heard that any one
in any place had for a moment thought that a show could be a show
unless I was present ; but, alas ! a change has come over the " spirit
of my dreams," I mean, over the spirit of the " powers that be ;" and
in the schedule which the Society sent forth for the grand spring
and summer shows, it has entirely left me without invitation or
place ; and, indeed, it has done the same shabby and ungrateful
thing to my esteemed friends the stove and greenhouse plants, which
I always used to meet and admire on those occasions with so much joy
and pleasure. Wishing to put as charitable a construction as possible
upon this slight, I thought perhaps the Society could not find room for
all. But surely that cannot be ; it must be this, and nothing else — the
Council have got their greengrocer to prepare the schedule, and he, to
suit his own trade, has left us out, and put in our place seven classes of
Greens, and offered fifty guineas prizes for them. Thus, at the grand

MAY. 141

summer show (the Green show), there are only three flowers invited
(except cut flowers). Is not this cutting with a vengeance? Orchids,
some French and fancy relatives of mine, and Roses — all highly
respectable, certainly, but not enough to constitute a " grand show."
It is too bad, Mr. Editor ; it is enough to make the " blood boil" in
every petal of us. It is too bad of the Council to let the greengrocer do
it ; and I'll tell you what I and the stove and greenhouse plants think
would be the right course, and a wise one — and that is, for the L.H.S.
to hand over the whole business of flower shows to the R.B.S. They
could and they would do this business as it ought to be done, with
justice — aye, and with kindness to all; and we should not any longer
be subject to such " misdeeds."

Yours, much injured,

Pelargonium.

ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, REGENT'S PARK.

April 6. — The second of the three spring exhibitions took place on this
occasion. In the class of New Plants Messrs. Fraser sent the hand-
some Madeira Musschia Wollastoni, not however yet in bloom ; Messrs.
E. G. Henderson had Gastrolobium spectabile, a neat shrub, with good
foliage, and gay orange and crimson flowers ; the same exhibitors like-
wise sent Aucuba himalaica, a distinct hardy shrub, with shining green
leaves, having distinct white-tipped teeth ; Messrs. A. Henderson and
Co. furnished Griffinia Liboniana, a rare plant, with prettily spotted
leaves and flowers tipped with blueish lilac ; Messrs. Ivery and Son, of
Dorking, exhibited a small blue-flowered Hardenbergia ; Messrs. E. G.
Henderson also had Rhododendron Blumei, a species with small
creamy-yellow flowers ; and Pentapterygium flavum, with axillary
racemes of white Vacciniaceous flowers. Of Miscellaneous Plants Mr.
Cutbush, of Barnet, had a collection in which a fine mass of Begonia
Rex was conspicuous ; Messrs. Fraser, Cutbush, of Highgate, and
Messrs. A. Henderson, also showed in this class. Cinerarias came
from Messrs. Dobson and Turner, and the latter also sent Roses in
pots. Of Amaryllises Messrs. E. G. Henderson had a collection which
contained one kind (No. 64) of a rich light scarlet, with a white
central star, and of superior form ; it was shown without name.
Messrs. E. G. Henderson contributed a mixed collection of plants, both
in and out of flower, containing many novelties, some of which were
reported on at the meeting on March 23. Of the more striking, not
already noticed, were Camellia De La Reine, a fine large delicate rose-
coloured flower of excellent form and slightly cupped ; Rhododendron
jasminiflorum ; Lomatia siliafolia and heteromorpha, two extremely
elegant Fern-leaved plants ; Araucaria glauca, &c. Mr. Turner had a
well-grown collection .of 12 Auriculas, among which was a fine old
kind called Imperator, a green-edged variety of first-rate properties.
Messrs. E. G. Henderson received an award for three standard Azalea
indicas ; and Mr. Turner for Seedling Cineraria Brilliant, a free-
blooming variety of medium quality, remarkable for its rich dark

142 THE FLORIST.

purple-crimson flower heads ; also for the following : — Seedling Cine-
raria Duchess of Sutherland, a large bold variety, the florets white in
the lower half, rose purple in the upper ; for Seedling Cineraria
Highland Mary, pure white, bold florets, purple disk ; for Seedling
Camellia Eleanor, a fine bold cupped, smooth-petalled, bright rose-
coloured variety; and for 12 Hyacinths, shown in good variety and
well grown. Mr. G. Macintosh furnished a collection of Tulips in con-
siderable variety of form and colour. To Messrs. Paul a prize was
given for two plants of Madame William, a Tea scented Rose, with
beautiful yellow flowers. This, it will be remembered, was shown in
excellent condition at a meeting of the Horticultural Society, in St.
James's Hall last year, where it was greatly admired. Mr. Bragg
had a stand of Pansies, as had also Mr. James of Isleworth; and
Messrs. A. Henderson sent a dish of their new Australian Cress.
From Messrs. Smith of Dulwich came Seedling Cineraria Lord Clyde,
a dwarf free-blooming variety, with bold nicely cupped florets of a
deep purple crimson. Cineraria Acme of Perfection from Messrs.
Smith, previously shown, proved to keep its good character, as did
another variety named Hilax, shown by Mr. Holland of Hounslow. In
addition to the foregoing, Messrs. Milne, Arnott, and Co., of Vauxhall,
had Azalea Duchess of Wellington, a loose white ; Mr. Turner varie-
gated Pelargonium picturatum, a white-edged, grey-blotched kind with
a broad pink horse-shoe mark, and Seedling Camellia Lady Mary
Labouchere, a veiny light rose with a tendency to be blotched, a
cupped variety but with ragged petals as shown ; and Mr. W. Ivery
of Peckham, Azalea Queen Victoria, a free-flowering kind, white
striped with purple. Some other seedling Cinerarias, Fuchsias, Pelar-
goniums, &c, of inferior quality were exhibited.

April 20. — This, the third and last of the spring meetings, was
extremely gay with Cinerarias, Azaleas, Pelargoniums, Auriculas, and
numerous other early flowering plants. In new plants Messrs. E. G.
Henderson received the first prize for Fremontia californica, a shrub
with large open yellow flowers. Its habit appeared to be a little
straggling, but as it is hardy it will become a useful plant. Bejaria mi-
crophylla, from the same firm, a small plant with pretty pink flowers, to
which a certificate was awarded. The following also received certifi-
cates : — Azalea Perfection, rosy lilac, finely marked, and of the most
approved shape. This plant was the most admired of the exhibition.
Cineraria Incomparable, bright crimson, with white ring and dark disc;
Slough Rival, white with rich violet purple edges, black disc, both of
excellent shape. These were from Mr. Turner. Mr. Cutbush
sent variegated Geranium Beauty, with pink flowers. Mr. Ivery a
semi-double Azalea, Leviathan ; Messrs. A. Henderson and Co.,
Cyanophyllum magnificum, a species of Datura from Australia, with
large straw-coloured blooms ; Messrs. E. G. Henderson also had certifi-
cates for Todea hymenophyllum, Arthrotaxus Doniana, Lomatia
Bidwilli. Mr. Standish, of Bagshot, sent cut branches of a pretty
hardy shrub, with a profusion of white flowers, named Exochordia
(Spiraea) grandiflora. There were a^o Clematis lanuginosa and pallida,

MAY.

143

Sikkim Rhododendrons, and Azalea Roi Leopold, a good kind. In
collections of 12 stove and greenhouse plants, Messrs. Fraser were
first with a well bloomed group, the best of which were Azalea
sinensis, Medinilla magnifica, and Erica Syndriana. Mr. Cutbush,
of Barnet, was second. The same was first for 6 Azaleas, Messrs. Fraser
second ; both were poor. Cinerarias from Messrs. Turner, Dobson, and
Holland, formed a bank the entire side of a table. Mr. Turner's, all
new, were Beauty, Brilliant, Duchess of Sutherland, Lady Seymour,
Perfection, and Eclat. Messrs. Dobson's plant of Mrs. Hoyle was very
fine ; the others good, namely, Mrs. Colman, Lidyard's Brilliant,
Baroness Rothschild, Admiral Dundas, and Picturata. Mr. Turner
also received first prizes for 12 Auriculas, 6 Pelargoniums, and French
spotted Pelargoniums. Cut Pansies, with Broccoli, Asparagus, and Arti-
chokes from France, were remarkably fine both in size and freshness.
We are pleased to notice the good these meetings are likely to accom-
plish, and to add that three similar meetings, one in August and two
in September, are likely to be held.

CLIMATE IN RESPECT TO FRUIT GROWING.

The extraordinary vicissitudes of our English climate have never within
our memory been so grievously realised as in the present season. After
the frosts which occurred at the end of November we have had no
winter to speak of; indeed December, January, February, and March
were remarkable for unusual mildness, and this too accompanied with a
high barometer and the absence of rain in many localities. Our last
English winter, in fact, might have answered for the south of Italy, by
its immunity from frost, and generally clear bright weather. Very
early in February a number of shrubs were fast breaking into leaf,
and Apricots opening their blooms ; during March all went on
unchecked, so much so, that by the beginning of April, notwithstand-
ing the severe frost of March 30 and 31, the woodlands and pasture
grounds presented all the appearances usually shown by the first week
in May, and every description of garden produce partook also of the
general earliness of the season. On the 31st of March we had 10° of
frost, which, following after a snow the previous evening, did a vast
amount of mischief to such fruit trees in bloom, besides destroying in
several places the crop of Apricots, which were then of considerable size.
Peaches had partly set, and suffered more or less throughout the country ;
and early Pears and Plums also. The weather became warmer, and
the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th of April were remarkable for their great heat,
the day temperature having been 82° in this neighbourhood on the 7th,
and between 70° and 80° the greater part of the former three days,
an extraordinary temperature for the first week of April, and exceeding
by a few degrees the two or three hot days occurring later in the month
of April, 1858. The weather next became sensibly colder, and on
the 14th and following days indications of winter made their appear-
ance, followed by snow storms, cold north-west winds, and frosty
nights. On the morning of the 20th we had 8° of frost, accompanied

144 THE FLORIST.

by an easterly wind ; this frost has almost completed the ruin of our
crops of Pears, Plums, and Cherries, excepting perhaps those in some
favoured locality, or which had ample protection, a thing almost impos-
sible to effect within the means of an ordinary garden expenditure, to
say nothing of orchards and open garden fruits.

We have so frequently advocated orchard-houses in the Florist, as
an almost indispensable auxiliary to a fruit garden, that we need not
go further in that direction, excepting to remind those of our readers
who doubted their ever becoming a substitute for brick walls, that
their manifest increase throughout the country affords the best evidence
of their utility, and that our recommendation for their being adopted
was sound advice, borne out by the experience of all who have tried
them on rational principles. We therefore leave orchard-houses out of
our present calculations, to see how far it is practicable to ensure crops
of fruit, during such weather as the present, without the assistance of
glass.

A well-arranged garden, surrounded with walls, with its quarters
well furnished with bush or pyramid- shaped Pears,*&c, and its divi-
sional and surrounding walks margined with choice espaliers, is a thing
to admire, more especially when the trees are in bloom, and give
hopeful promise of an abundant return for all the trouble and anxiety
they cost. But how often, after witnessing the beautiful display of
bloom, are we doomed to disappointment. One or more frosts, such as
we have lately experienced, come on us without much warning ; and,
if warning was given, how could we entirely prevent the conse-
quences ? All is then over for the season, and the gardeners' motto of
Nil desperandum scarcely keeps him progressing under disappoint-
ments such as these. It strikes us, we must alter our garden arrange-
ment for fruit trees ; true, we may continue to intersect our kitchen
garden quarters with fruit trees, in whatever form we may fancy to
train ; and so we may continue to line our walks to the right and left
with espalier Pears, Plums, &c. ; but are we wise in spending so much
money and time for such uncertain results ? We think not, allowing
for all the contingencies which intervene between planting and the
realisation of returns commensurate with the outlay. Still, when
there are means, we say, let the thing be done as now, — and, some-
thing else besides. Looking at most kitchen gardens, we shall find them
surrounded with walls, from ten to sixteen feet high, which are accom-
panied by borders of a similar width, or perhaps wider, on which are
grown different kinds of vegetables. The south borders must, as a
matter of course, be reserved for the first crop of Peas, or hand-glass
Cauliflowers, or early Potatoes, and so with all the rest ; they are
generally the gardener's choice bits of ground, on which to foster and
grow up anything he wishes to do better than ordinary. We need
not add that this cropping is now universally condemned as inimical
to the well-doing of wall trees, which are frequently injured by the
system to an extent, in comparison of which any crop of vegetables
that may be raised is a sorry equivalent. We say, then, avoid all
vegetable cropping on the wall borders, and prepare them for growing
what fruit you may require, with a view of protecting the trees when

MAY.

145

in bloom, as noticed hereafter. The kitchen garden walks may be
margined as now, with Currants, &c, or even with espalier or bush
Pears, &c, to stand their chance.

To render our meaning more clear, we will take a south wall,
cropped, say with Peaches and Apricots ; take the wall fourteen feet
high, and the border as fourteen feet wide. Let the soil the whole
width be duly prepared for fruit trees, as it generally is near the wall for
thePeaches. We would then throw an arched trellis, springing two feet
from the ground at front over the border, to within five or six feet of
the wall, under which we would plant other kinds of fruit trees for
covering the trellis, say the best kinds of Pears and Plums on south
aspects ; Cherries, Plums, and Pears on east and west borders ; and
Warrington Gooseberries and late Currants on north aspects. The
accompanying diagram represents the wall and trellis, and will help
to show the plan of protection recommended. When it is wished to
put on the protecting material, the upright (<?), which, however, may
be permanent, should be set up, to hold the front horizontal bar, and

a. Garden wall, with trees.

b. Back support to trellis, iron or wood.

c. Front ditto.

d. Arched wire trellis.

e. Iron or wood upright every 12 feet, to receive a horizontal iron bar,

or spar.
/. Wood strips or bar iron, fastened to the horizontal bar at front, and

to a similar bar (g), under coping.
h. Tie from rod/, to post b, to keep it steady.
VOL. XII., NO. CXXXVII. L

146 THE FLORIST.

strips of wood, iron bars, or even cordage, run up every eight or ten
feet from the front horizontal bar to the one under the coping (g).
If the strips are not considered sufficiently strong to sustain the
covering, wooden uprights may be substituted as a support for the tie (Ji).

The whole of the frame and supports (e,f\ h) can be easily put up
and removed, and may be used when the fruit wants protection in the
autumn, equally as when the bloom requires it in the spring. It now
remains to notice the best material for protecting the bloom ; this should
be so arranged on rollers as to draw up to the coping (g) when not
wanted. Woollen netting is perhaps the best known protection against
frost ; but, as it is necessary that the bloom be kept dry if possible, a
thin waterproof material is yet wanted, manufactured sufficiently thin
and light, not to be inconvenient in drawing up and letting down, and
yet impervious to rain. We hope manufacturers will try what can be
done towards supplying this deficiency in horticultural shadings. In
the mean time Shaw's tiffany, or Brown's shading, dipped in oil and
dried, would answer the purpose of excluding damp and a great deal
of rain, and would last for a number of years, substituting netting for
the autumn, when birds, wasps, &c, only are to be kept from the fruit.

That these, our thoughts on this subject, very hastily thrown
together, may require some modification in carrying them out in old
gardens, we are free to admit. When new gardens or new walls are
in course of formation, we see no difficulty in the matter ; and we are
very strongly impressed with the conviction, that a concentration of all
our best varieties of fruit trees, so as to admit of an entire covering
when necessary, will be found as sound in practice as it will in the end
prove to be economical when glass cannot be afforded.

MODE OF SHOWING CUT ROSES.
I perceive, from your reports of exhibitions, that Roses are described
as being shown in trusses — trusses of three, and single trusses ; if by
this is meant that a Rose truss consists of a full bloomed Rose, a bud
or two and a leaf or two, as upon one stalk, it must be a great improve-
ment upon the plan adopted at our flower shows in the country, where
they compel us to exhibit single blooms stuck into a stand. To my
mind no exhibition of this glorious flower can be more wretched than
thus severing it from its beautiful natural appendage. The first
bloomed Rose in a truss is generally the finest, and the accompanying
buds and leaf go as far as the bloom itself in declaring what the culture
has been. I do hope our country shows will adopt this mode, which
must be regarded as a point in advance ; but hitherto all protests on
the subject have been ineffectual.

The most beautiful box of Roses I ever saw were shown eight or ten
years ago, in trusses, and in small bouquets, bedded upon damp moss.
There is a degree of repose and a charm given to the flower in such a
position, so much more pleasing than a single bloom stuck in a tube upon
a stand ; and I think he must be a dull censor indeed who could not
judge merit more easily.

W. M.

MAY. 147

BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

At a recent spring meeting of this Society, held at St. James's Hall,
several new members were elected, and there was a fine display of
fruit. It was announced that Mr. Newton, of Enfield Chase, desired
to offer a prize of half a guinea for the best dish of six Cornish Gilli-
flower Apples, to be competed for at the meeting of November 17-
Mr. Newton, at the same time, announced, as a matter of course, that
he should not himself compete. Concerning the merits of this Apple
nothing need be said ; they are universally acknowledged. Upwards of
200 dishes of Apples and Pears were sent to the meeting on the present
occasion, and some of them were accompanied by such descriptions of
the manner in which they had been kept, as satisfied the meeting that
the experiment (originally suggested by Mr. Busby at the committee
meeting on the 19th August) was a very successful one. The largest
and most interesting collection, sent by Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth,
contained 15 varieties, all good and sound, — not over-kept, as was the
case with some of the other collections. The Apples were stated to have
been grown on bushes in the nursery at Sawbridgeworth in a clayey
loam mixed with calcareous sand resting on hard white clay, with
numerous chalk stones. Site. — About 60 feet above the level of the
Stort, a tributary of the sea. Pruning. — Very slight summer pinching
in June and July, and shortening leading shoots towards the end of
August. Management. — Taking up the trees biennially in November,
and replanting them ; cutting off the ends of straggling roots. Manure. —
A quarter of a peck of soot is given to each tree in March, on the
surface, in a circle three feet in diameter. As regards the Pears, in
replanting, some leaf-mould or rotten manure, and the calcareous sand
common to the district, are given to each tree ; two shovelsful of the
former, and one of the latter, well mixed. In March the same quantity
of soot, as to Apples, is given in the same manner. The Pears are all
on the Quince stock, and the Apples on the English Paradise. The
Apples had been kept in a very old, dry, arched cellar, under a packing
shed, the average winter temperature of which is about 50°. Air was
constantly admitted at one end, through a wire grating, and flows
gently through by the crevices in a very old ill-fitting door at the end
opposite to the wire grating. In this way Mr. Rivers has kept Haw-
thornden Apples quite sound till May. The fruit is gathered, and,
without any preparation, placed in small wooden compartments, in
double and single layers, and never touched till wanted. The Pears
were kept in a greenhouse (with Camellias) in new flower-pots, covered
with pieces of slate. Mr. Cox, Redleaf, Kent, sent some fine Pears
and Apples. The Pears were generally from walls, and the Apples
from standards of from 15 to 30 years old, very little pruned, save by
occasionally thinning the branches ; great attention, however, being paid
to keeping the trees free from Moss, by the use of quicklime in spring.
With regard to their mode of keeping, the following information
accompanied the fruit : —

" The Pears were laid out singly on the floor of an upper chamber, when
gathered, and the windows kept open, so as to afford a thorough ventilation for

l2

148 THE FLORIST.

two months ; they were then sorted over, the best selected, and wrapped sepa-
rately in paper, and placed in layers, in deep boxes, the lids of which were laid
on, but not fastened. The layers were separated from each other by very old dry
Brakes (Pteris aquilina). Tbey were not disturbed until required for use, and
kept better thau on the shelves of the fruit room.

" The Apples were laid in heaps on the shelves of the fruit room, and venti-
lation, to which great importance is ascribed, secured by leaving the door open,
as well as a window at the opposite end, until the sweating process was over,
■when both were partially closed. Nothing more is done except sorting them
over frequently, and picking out such as showed signs of decay. The fruit room
is a mere shed at the back of a greenhouse, but its coolness is very much increased
by a strong growth of Ivy all over the roof."

Mr, M'Laren, gardener to S. C. Whitbread, Esq., Cardington, near
Bedford, had a collection containing two varieties of Pears and 23 of
Apples. No particular pains had been taken with the keeping, the
fruit having been thinly spread in a loft, with a little Wheat-straw
under some of the best of them. (It may here be mentioned that it
was quite easylo distinguish which kinds had been kept on the straw.
Fruit-growers do not appear to be generally aware that choice fruit
absorbs the flavour of straw, Moss, hay, or any strong-smelling vege-
table matters which it is laid upon, or even packed in for a very short
time). Mr. Holder, of Reading, contributed a large and interesting
collection, containing upwards of 30 varieties, generally in very good
preservation. They had been kept in round hampers, in an open airy
barn, and covered over with sacks, or a little straw, in cold weather.

Mr. Newton, gardener to G. J. Graham, Esq., brought a collection
of 15 varieties of Apples, which exhibited the results of some experi-
ments he had made in different methods of keeping. Most of the
examples were remarkably plump and fresh, and even such varieties as
Golden Pippin and Ribston Pippin were barely past condition. Mr.
Newton stated that, after gathering, the fruit was laid on shelves in the
fruit room for about a month, to allow of a partial evaporation, and
then the best were selected and packed in layers, with Reigate sand
amongst them, in old butter-tubs. Some of the kinds were packed in
sand just as it was dug out of the pit, and containing its natural
moisture ; others were packed in similar sand from which the moisture
had been expelled by baking. Those in the naturally damp sand had
kept in excellent condition and flavour, and were rich and juicy ; but
those in the dried sand had lost all their flavour and part of their juici-
ness. Mr. Newton mentioned, however, that last year he made a
similar experiment with dried sand, but enclosed each fruit in a similar
piece of thin tissue paper, and that they had kept their flavour much
better. He proposes, however, next season to take equal samples of
fruit of the certain kinds, and preserve them in each of the three ways
above mentioned, that the Society may estimate exactly the results of
each. Mr. Swinerd, Isle of Thanet, Kent, sent an interesting collec-
tion, and along with it the following particulars concerning the mode in
which it had been kept : —

" The room that the Apples and Pears have been kept in is part of the old
Abbey, the walls of which are two feet thick, aud 14 feet from the ground. The
north and east walls are exposed, and the south and west are built against with
other buildings. The window is on the east wall, and has got an air-tight
shutter to keep the frost out. The top is covered in with a tank that holds 1(5

MAY. 149

butts of water, so that it is impossible for the frost to come through at the top.
The room is eutered by a trap-hatch, which is shut down air-tight. The room
is fitted all round with shelves, and I never use anything but old newspapers to
lay the fruit on.

" A stoke-hole and boiler for Vinery are fitted up under the room, and by
opening the trap-door of the Apple room, and shutting the door of the stoke-
hole, the frost can be kept out, and the room at what temperature it may be
desired."

Mr. Divers sent a collection of 20 dishes of Apples, all kept in a fruit
room on wooden shelves, covered with paper, and generally in good
condition.

Of Grapes, Mr. Cooper, the Palace, Armagh, Ireland, sent two
bunches of a black variety, very plump, fresh, and good flavoured, but
without name. It was considered very closely to resemble Lady
Downs' Seedling, but was thicker-skinned, and more oval in berry.

FUCHSIAS FROM SEED.

The majority of Fuchsias ripen seed freely ; but, unless they are
hybridised, it is almost waste of time to sow it, for the flowers so
produced are seldom equal, and more frequently inferior, to the parent
plant. The operation of fertilising is easily performed on the Fuchsia,
the pistil being prominent, and the pollen plentiful. In selecting plants
for hybridising, it is necessary to bear in mind that those bearing the
seed will communicate their habit to the seedlings, although the plants
from which the pollen is taken may be of indifferent habits, provided
the flowers have good properties. Having selected the flowers intended
to be fertilised, cut out their stamens as soon as they open, and, when
they are fully expanded, apply the pollen from their flowers, the
properties of which you wish to impart : tie something round them to
distinguish them from the others, and, when they are ripe, the seeds
may be separated from the pulp by washing them out in clear water ;
the good seed will sink to the bottom.

The seed may be sown in spring, in a pot of light soil, and placed in
a greenhouse ; they do not require much heat to vegetate them ; at
least I have found them come up quite as well, if not better, without
it, and the plants so produced are much stronger than those raised in a
higher temperature. As soon as they are of size to handle nicely, pot
them singly in small pots, and place them in a light airy situation ; if
they are grown in a close atmosphere, it tends to draw them out weak
and lanky, so that the true habit of the plant is not seen ; shift them
into larger pots when necessary ; a 4 or 6- inch pot will be large enough,
as large shifts only tend to keep them growing, and retard their
flowering ; they should never be topped or pruned until they flower.
The principal object is to mature their growth quickly, so that the
flowers may be seen as soon as possible. Many of them will bloom the
same season ; after they have done growing, and the foliage drops off,
they should be sparingly watered, and be kept almost dry all winter.
The following spring, water them freely, and, when they show signs of

150 THE FLORIST.

growth, place them where they will have plenty of air and light, but do
not shift them until they flower, for reasons before mentioned. I
prefer flowering seedlings out of doors, after all danger of frost is past,
as I have invariably found that the colours come brighter and more
distinct than when kept in the house. It is desirable, however, to choose
a situation where they will be somewhat shaded from the sun in the
hottest part of the day.

The Fuchsia is not very particular as to soil ; any good garden
mould will suit the plants well enough, provided it is of a free porous
texture, and the pots well drained. Many of the strong growing sorts
are frequently destroyed by being put into large pots in a rich soil.
This is often the reason why serratifolia, fulgens, corymbiflora, and
some of these sorts are shy in flowering. I once potted two plants of
serratifolia, the one in rich turfy loam and dung, the other in a poor
worn-out soil, mixed with a few pieces of broken bricks ; the conse-
quence was, that the former grew most luxuriantly, and showed no
flowers at all till late in the fall, whereas the other made a very short
growth, and flowered profusely the greater part of the season. The
less robust varieties, do better when planted in good loam, with about
a third part of well decomposed manure. W. S

RASPBERRIES.

The Raspberry is so generally and deservedly esteemed, so easily and
consequently so commonly grown, that a few remarks relating to a very
successful treatment of culture (even though following several able
articles on the Raspberry which have appeared in the Florist), may
not be altogether unacceptable to your readers. It is an object with
most of us to get as much produce from a limited space of ground,
and with as little trouble as possible ; and when I say that I do not
prune or stake, or take half so much trouble with my Raspberry
plants as most people do, and get twice as much fruit as I ever did, by
the old pruning and staking practice, I advance inducements not
unlikely to influence a good many Raspberry growers.

As a rule, I say do not prune, or, perhaps, to be more explict, I do
not remove the canes which a vigorous plant produces during the
summer, and from which (in the case of the common Raspberry) the
crop is produced the next season. My plants produce from 10 to 15
shoots annually, as no derangement in the relation between root and
shoot is allowed to exist from injudicious pruning, I get annually
short, fruitful, well-matured canes, instead of strong, succulent,
straggling shoots that require stakes to sustain them. All these 10 or
15 canes are suffered to remain, and each cane is fruitful almost to the
ground.

It may be asked, will not this excessive fruitfulness impair the vigour
of the stock? I can only say, that I have pursued this system of
management for the last four years, with increasing success ; and what
especially induces me to recommend the plan is the former failure of
the Raspberry crop on the same ground under the pruning system.

MAY.

151

I am so well aware that varying soils and climates influence the
habits of plants, and makes it necessary to modify and adapt the
system of management to the peculiar circumstances of the place, and
that a system that may be successfully pursued in one garden is not of
necessity the best for another, that I do not advise an unconsidered
adoption of the plan I find to answer so well ; but I hope at any rate
my remarks will suggest an inquiry as to the general propriety of the
common practice. It is worth while to consider whether it is right
and reasonable to induce, by high cultivation, the abundant develop-
ment of canes during the summer, half of which are removed by the
winter pruning. Has not this the effect of disturbing the balance of
power between roots and branches, and of impairing the fruitfulness of
the canes allowed to remain ? Is not this habit of excessive pruning
the cause of the gross, succulent shoots which are too often seen in
Raspberry quarters ? and does it not lead to the expense and trouble
of staking and otherwise securing the canes ?

The soil in which the Raspberry succeeds under the treatment I
have indicated as so successful, is a modified clay, considerably enriched
on the surface. The ground is lightly forked over in the spring, but
care is taken not to injure the roots.

In saying that I do not prune, I must be understood to mean,
according to the approved practice. I do not, except in particular
cases, remove any canes. It is always necessary to take off the
attenuated points of the canes, which are seldom well ripened.

Behoir, April 25. W. I.

ALPINE STRAWBERRIES.

Nothing attracted my attention more, during a visit I paid to Paris,
than the great quantities of these offered for sale in the markets.
Passing through the Marche St. Honore, I noticed hundreds of baskets
of them ; and indeed at all the fruit shops, and at the windows
of the principal cafes and restaurants, quantities of them were to
be seen. The price in the market, where I occasionally inquired, was
only a few pence, more or less, according to their size and freshness,
the basket containing a quart or more ; some of them were remark-
ably fine. Anxious to learn the best method of cultivating this Straw-
berry, so desirable from its continued productiveness, I made inquiry
of several cultivators, in whose gardens I saw it bearing abundantly,
and picked many superior specimens of the fruit. It is, I found, easily
increased by runners, when once there is a stock to commence with,
which may be obtained from seed.

I shall only now notice their cultivation by means of runners.
September is considered the best month to plant out new beds. As the
plants are not of so vigorous a habit as the large varieties, perhaps
earlier planting might not be attended with unfavourable results. The
ground being prepared, the best and strongest runners should be
selected and planted out in rows, about six inches apart, the rows being
about one foot from each other. A cool and half shady situation, or a

152 THE FLORIST.

terraced bank facing the north, is a good place for them, or even in the
shade of trees, though not immediately under them, would be better,
perhaps, than fully exposed. In the garden of one cultivator, I found
them bearing abundantly thus situated, under the partial shade of Pear
trees, trained en quenouille, on the borders of the walks. In the
gardens of the Luxembourg, I saw nearly a quarter of an acre planted
out in rows, three feet apart, and a row of Dahlias between every other
row, the alternate spaces answering for walks. The Dahlias afforded
some shade, and the plants were loaded with fruit. Would it not be
worth while to introduce this Strawberry into cultivation for the supply
of our markets in autumn ? At all events it might prove to be worthy
the attention of all private growers who are fond of this wholesome
fruit, coming in as it does when ordinary varieties are unobtainable,
and thus keeping up a succession nearly the entire year round. A
moderately rich soil will be most certain to produce the best crop ;
occasional waterings would also be requisite, using, at times, guano
water.

To the zealous cultivator, the Alpine Strawberry, both white and red,
offers the chance of great improvement : perhaps, by fertilisation with
the large sorts, greater size may be obtained and its successive bearing
retained : the experiment might at least be tried, even if success should
not attend it. A small packet of seed would produce a large number
of plants. S. F.

FRUIT CULTURE.— No. XIII.
BY MR. POWELL, FROG MORE.

{Continued from page 20.)
Small Fruits.

Currant. — This fruit is a native of Britain and the northern parts
of Europe ; it therefore is one of our hardiest fruit-bearing shrubs ;
indeed, a failure in the crop of this fruit is of rare occurrence. Its
culture is extremely easy, and the many uses in cookery and
confectionery to which it may be applied, also in the manufacture of
wine, render it a fruit of considerable importance.

The Currant, like other small fruit, is vastly improved by cultivation.
The original wild species from whence it sprung, produces only small
and sour fruit. Our large garden varieties, we now cultivate, is the
result of raising seedlings, for which we are partly indebted to the
Dutch gardeners. The Dutch varieties are among the best, and some
excellent kinds have also been raised in this country. As before stated,
nothing is easier to cultivate, or more readily increased than this fruit ;
it will thrive and bear well in any common garden soil, which led to
the common practice of planting Currants, as well as other small bush
fruit, by the side of the principal walks in small kitchen gardens, a
plan not to be advised in any way, as it greatly interferes with the
kitchen cropping, and the trees often meet with rough usage when so
situated. Therefore, it is the best plan to select a separate piece of

MAY. 153

ground or quarter in the garden, if ever so small, and well trench and
manure the soil before planting the young trees, for all Currants
delight in a deep soil, well enriched with strong manure ; and except
the trees are always in a vigorous and healthy condition, fine fruit in
quantity cannot be expected.

Currants strike freely from cuttings, for which, see directions in
previous chapters, under the head of propagation ; and in planting this
fruit, if intended for bush culture in the open quarter, choose healthy
young trees, with stems about a foot high. Plant in rows five feet
apart, and the same distance in the rows ; and, while the trees are
small, any light crops, such as Lettuce, Onions, &c, or Strawberries,
between the rows for the first two or three years, may be grown. The
trees should be planted in October, but not pruned till the following
March, when the young shoots must be shortened to form the future
head ; this is managed by selecting five or six well placed shoots, to
furnish the main branches, keeping the centre open in the form of a
goblet. The short-spur system is the best mode of pruning the red
and white Currants, therefore, after the trees are formed, all the side
shoots are annually cut back, leaving a bud or two at the base of
each shoot ; the leading branches of course are to be left longer till the
trees fill their allotted space. Currant trees usually last and produce
good fruit from ten to twelve years, after which time it is better to
make a new plantation in a different part of the garden, and destroy
the old trees as soon as the young plantation comes into bearing.

The summer treatment consists in removing all superfluous shoots
and suckers ; stop or pinch out the ends of the remaining shoots ;
by so doing, it will tend to check the ravages of the green-fly ; and, by
removing all useless shoots and suckers, sun and air are admitted through
the trees ; this operation should be done towards the end of June, or
before the fruit begins to colour, the object being to force the strength
of the tree to the enlargement of the fruit, instead of wasting its energy
in useless growth. Keep the soil about the plants well stirred, by
frequent hoeings during summer, which will maintain moisture, and
free the ground from weeds ; and, if any of the trees show signs of
weakness, it is a good plan to cover the ground about the roots with
rotten manure, or a soaking of manure water will answer the same
end. Currants may be had for use from July to November with little
trouble. To prolong their season in the open quarter, some of the
trees should be covered with mats or canvas. After the fruit is
perfectly ripe, and when shaded from the sun, it will keep fresh for use
for a long time, and will be succeeded by that from a north wall, which
will keep fit for use till the end of November, and, at that late
period, it is a novelty at table. The trees for training should be planted
from three to six feet apart, according to the height of the wall, and
the shoots trained vertically, about nine inches apart ; the leadinw
shoots should not be shortened till they reach the top of the wall, and,
during the summer, pinch out the points of all side shoots ; and, at the
winter pruning, cut them into one or two buds ; give a liberal supply
of liquid manure during their growth, and do not disturb the roots by
deep digging.

154 THE FLORIST.

There are many fancy ways of growing Currants, and some form
very pleasing objects in small gardens, such as high standards,
pyramidal, and the goblet form ; the latter, perhaps, is the best. A
small hoop is placed inside the branches, which should be six or eight
in number, and tied to the hoop at top, as represented in the accom-
panying woodcut. As the tree grows up-
wards, the hoop must be moved to the top,
and tied as before ; spur the side shoots
as before recommended. There are many
varieties of Currants, but the common
sorts are scarcely worthy of cultivation,
compared with the large kinds of later date,
such as the Gloucester or Wilmot's Red,
and the Cherry Currants, which are the
largest ; to these add the red and white
Dutch, which are best for b'ush culture. The
red Grape, Warner's Grape and Raby
Castle, are nearly identical, and all are good
kinds, especially for growing against north
walls for late use ; the bunches are very long, and will hang on the
trees a long time without shrivelling. The white Grape is also a good
variety for walls.

The black Currant is a useful fruit, and distinct from other kinds,
both in the fruit and habit of the tree. It delights in a cool moist
situation and light soil, and requires different treatment to other kinds.
The finest fruit is always produced upon the young shoots ; therefore,
it is best to maintain a vigorous growth in the trees, by liberal
dressings of manure in a liquid state, applied in the summer time,
when the trees are growing. In pruning (which may be done any
time between November and March) remove annually all the old wood
that can be replaced by young shoots, which should be left entire for
fruiting, and moderately thin. It is best not to encourage a single
stem in young trees, as is done with the red and white Currants,
for they are very liable to die off; but allow the trees to form a stool
with many suckers springing from the root ; this plan offers every
facility of replacing the old wood with vigorous young shoots. The
Black Naples and Black Grape are the largest and best kinds to culti-
vate. The Bronze Currant possesses the same properties as the Black,
but the fruit is a dull brownish colour, and only worth a place as a
variety,

(To be continued.)

CULTURE OF ACHIMENES.

Few plants are more beautiful than these, or better repay careful
attention and management. In order to obtain fine bushy specimens,
the following treatment has been found useful : — A box or cutting-pan
is prepared by filling three parts of it with a compost of equal parts of
loam and leaf-mould, on which the roots are laid, and covered two

MAY. 155

inches in depth with the same compost. These startings are in
January for May and June blooming, in March for July, August, and
September blooming, and in the latter end of May A. coccinea, A.
rosea, and A. pedunculata for December and January. Until the
shoots have appeared above the surface they must be kept moderately
dry. When the plants are about two inches high, raise them from the
box or pan in which they were started, and put them in their flowering
pans, leaving a space of two inches between each plant, and using the
same compost as recommended above, enriched by the addition of one-
fourth part of old Mushroom-bed dung, which will help to meet the
great demand on the soil while the plants are in bloom, and by
increasing the porosity of the soil, will prevent water from stagnating
in the pans in the early stage of growth. Too much care cannot be
exercised in watering when the plants are in their infancy ; if the
morning's sunshine catch a leaf in a moist state, either from vapour
or careless use of the watering-pot, in a few minutes it will become
brown and crumple up, and be materially injured, if not destroyed.
I have frequently had to carry the plants from the front to some shady
place in the back of the Pine pits, when the atmosphere of the pit was
loaded with moisture. Later in the season there is little danger of
their suffering. A gentle syringing in the afternoon, with copious
waterings of weak liquid manure at least twice a week, when they
show bloom, will add to their vigour, enrich the colour of the blooms,
and prolong the flowering season. When the plants have taken to
their new quarters, pinch the centres out of each leader ; they will then
break out with a fine array of moderately strong laterals. One pinching
I find sufficient for A. coccinea and species of a similar habit ; twice
for A. grandiflora, longiflora, and those of like habit, whilst the straggling
nature of A. pedunculata requires three or four pinchings to form a
dwarf bushy plant. Let staking be proceeded with early ; for if the
shoots once get out of order, half their number will be disjointed in
raising them to their proper position. The stakes should be left at least
nine inches above the plant, to tack the stems to, in their upward
flowering progress. Cultor.

CULTURE OF THE NEAPOLITAN VIOLET.

From the middle to the latter end of April I have always found a good
time for commencing the culture of this. For the autumn supply I
select the strong runners (the side crowns), and plant them out 15
inches apart each way in a piece of open ground free from shade. The
ground should have been well forked over during winter, and before
planting I fork into it two or three inches of well decayed leaf-mould.
After planting, I carefully water till the plants are well established, and
attend carefully in hoeing, not to bury the crown with mould. I
sprinkle them well with water from the engine in the evenings during
July and August, while the weather is dry. In summer I go over the
plants and remove all superfluous runners (leaving the strong ones,
however, which make as good crowns as the centre) ; thus each plant

156 THE FLORIST.

has from five to six good crowns, when they are removed to the pits,
and bloom as freely as the centre one.

I grow my plants in brick pits (not heated), from which I have the
mould taken out and well turned several times during the summer. In
this way I have used the same mould for years with very little addition.
I refill the pits about the middle of September, allowing the soil time
to settle. I then lift the plants very carefully with a fork, with good
balls adhering to them, being careful of both roots and side crowns. I
then plant them in the pits about six inches from the glass, allowing
the plants to be just clear of each other, and taking care always to have
the soil in the pit moderately dry when the plants are put into it. I
then water with weak manure water to settle the mould, which I moisten
well to the base of the roots, but not so as to sodden the soil. I keep
the plants fully exposed until frosty nights occur, when I cover up with
mats, &c, according to the severity of the weather. I give air on every
favourable occasion. As the plants are subject to damp, they must be
well looked after, and all decayed leaves removed as soon as they make
their appearance.

I stir the soil frequently during winter with a small stick, as it dries
it, and helps to prevent damp. During sharp weather, if the- plants get
frozen, I never uncover till they are thawed, but give air with the mats
on, and I have never known them to take harm. The plan I pursue
is that which my father followed before me for 21 years with perfect
success; and during 14 years my practice has been equally satisfactory.
My pit holds about 160 plants.

James Shrimpton,
Gardener to A. J. Doxat, Esq., Putney Heath.

CULTURE OP THE ANEMONE.

TnE cultivation of this beautiful spring flower approaches closely to
that of the Ranunculus. If grown as an ordinary garden plant,
seedlings will be found the most desirable, as they will ultimately
prove of the least trouble, and most certain to produce an abundance of
bloom — the only drawback being a deficiency of double flowers, which,
in my opinion, is more than made up by the greater certainty, and
immense supply of bloom. The named double varieties require more
attention. The soil should be prepared with some degree of care, both
as regards the quality and proper preparation before planting. A fresh
rich loamy soil, inclined to a sandy quality, is the best suited for the
purpose. The bed should be dug full eighteen inches deep, being
frequently turned, that it may be thoroughly sweet and fit to receive
the roots. This is a most important point, and should be particularly
attended to ; for if the soil is not in proper condition, a failure will
surely be the consequence. It is far better to defer planting for a
week, or even a fortnight, than risk planting in unsuitable soil. When
the latter is in a proper state for use, it should be levelled, and about
five or six inches being thrown off the top, add a layer of decomposed

MAY. 157

cow-manure, of about four inches, and stir the latter in with the
sweetened soil four or five inches in depth. This done, cover it with
the soil thrown off, and leave it to settle for a day or two, when it may
be raked. Draw off stones and the coarser part of the soil, and reduce
the bed to an even surface, ready for planting ; first marking it out in
rows, about five or six inches distance each way, Proceed by planting
the roots two inches deep, taking care that the eyes are placed upwards,
which by a little careful examination will easily be discovered, for there
are generally a few of the small fibres left on the underside of the roots,
which will prove a guide to the inexperienced. When the roots are
all planted, carefully draw the earth over them with the back of a
rake, and be sure they are all safely covered. The time of planting for
an early bloom, is about the middle of September. These will flower
at the beginning of April, and will continue in flower for three weeks
and upwards. If the season be favourable for a second course of
bloom, a plantation should be made near the middle of October, or
towards the latter end. These will succeed the former ; and if some
roots be kept in reserve, and be planted in January or February, takino-
the opportunity of fine weather in either month, as it may happen,
they will succeed the second plantation, and thus afford a continuance
of flowers for nearly two months.

Eugenia.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Auriculas. — These, before being placed out of doors to rest as it
were after their blooms, should be well fumigated, and care taken to
eradicate all dead foliage and aphides. Moderate rain will be beneficial
to them, but by all means avoid wet in excess. Pit lights might be
placed over the plants during heavy rains.

Azaleas and Camellias. — Look at our former directions, respecting
the treatment of these plants. Camellias will now be out of bloom,
and should be encouraged to make wood, by keeping the house rather
closer and more humid, shading by day, and syringing the plants
well overhead ; this will induce them to grow freely. Where the plants
are grown with others, they will be benefited by being placed in a
Peach-house or vinery, with a moderate heat. When the blooms of
Azaleas are fully expanded, they should be removed to a cool shady
situation, to prolong their beauty. If exposed to the sun, many kinds
soon fade.

Carnations and Picotees. — The time will have arrived for staking
these ; it is best to do this early, as the roots will not be so liable
to be injured during the operation, besides the advantage of securing
the flowering shoots as they grow, leaving no chance of their being
destroyed by wind. Nothing can be finer or in more vigorous
health than these plants at present ; the cold has not in the least
injured them. When we get a change, however, as we may, to great
heat, they at once become of a yellow tinge, but, to prevent this, care
must be taken to water them as often as they are dry, even if twice a

158 THE FLORIST.

day. The old foliage will be dying off, which should be cut away with
a light hand. Top dress towards the end of the month.

Cinerarias. — Little can now be done with these, other than keeping
the plants that are in bloom in a cool shady situation. Select from the
best named and seedling flowers for seed for the ensuing season, which
sow as soon as ready if early plants are required. Place such as have
gone out of flower in a north or cool situation for early cuttings. Prick
off seedlings as soon as large enough to handle and place and keep them
in a moist cool situation, until large enough to place in single pots.
Prepare soil by putting equal parts turfy loam and well decomposed
manure in a heap, which turn occasionally, until required.

Cold Frames. — Calceolarias, Scarlet Geraniums, Lobelias,
Pentstemons, &c, may now be shifted to situations where they can
have temporary protection if needed ; this will make room for tenderer
plants, requiring a gradual exposure to harden them for final planting,
towards the middle of the month ; indeed, the great success of an early
start with bedding-out plants will mainly depend on their being well
hardened off, previously to planting. Continue to prick into small pots
the recently struck cuttings of Verbenas, Salvias, Heliotropes, and
Petunias, to follow the early plants. Spring-raised annuals, as Stocks,
Asters, Zinnias, &c, may now be fully exposed, and finally planted
when the weather will permit. Where the frames are cleared of
flower-garden plants, towards the end of the month, their place may
be occupied by Balsams, Japan Lilies, Cape Bulbs, and Gladioluses,
&c, for decorating the greenhouse in August and September.

Conservatory. — It will be very desirable at this season to lessen the
number of extra plants in this house, introduced for furnishing a supply
of bloom, that the permanent plants may not be overcrowded, now
they are commencing their growth. Such plants as are growing in the
open border must be well attended to with water, and the plants should
be frequently syringed overhead ; doing this early in the morning, for
the house to get dry before visitors enter. The display of bloom should
be kept up by Pelargoniums, Azaleas (greenhouse and forced), Rhodo-
dendrons, Roses, &c. ; and don't forget to introduce sweet scented plants,
as Orange trees, Heliotropes, and the good old Franciscea uniflora.
Although shading must necessarily be practised, it should not be
carried to excess, or to cause the young shoots of the permanent plants
to draw. Let the show-house be kept as gay as your stock permits,
and look to the successional plants to follow those now in bloom.

Dahlias. — Prepare the quarters or borders for these, or any ground
that it is proposed to grow them on. The time is fast approaching for
planting them out, yet, if the weather is cold or unfavourable, it will be
best to delay this operation, particularly if the plants have pot room,
and can be kept growing. To accomplish this, repot the plants as soon
as they are received from the nursery, or, if home propagated, from the
small pots to others a size or two larger, keeping growing but gently ;
by no means draw the plants, on the contrary, give all the air possible
on favourable occasions. The fourth week in May is ample time for
planting, particularly if the soil and plant have been prepared, as they
should be. Seedlings may be put out a little sooner if they stand

MAY. 159

thick, to prevent their drawing up weakly, but a quiet dull day should
be chosen for this.

Floicer Garden. — May is a busy month with the flower gardener,
as the final arrangement and planting of the beds for the season's
display will have to be carried out. Very much of the harmony and
effect of a modern flower garden will depend on the tasteful distiibution
of colour, provided by suitable plants over its area, for it should be
borne in mind that so much of every garden, comprised within the
area of vision from the principal point of inspection — whether the
garden be large or small, or in one or more compartments — should have
the primary colours so placed that they may balance each other, and
that the subordinate and complimentary colours should be added
agreeably with their position on the chromatic scale ; to carry this out
correctly, requires a plan with the beds arranged and coloured, and
then selecting the plants of the desirable colour to fill them ; in this,
the habit of the plants will have to be studied as to height, time of
flowering, &c. ; begin with planting the hardiest kinds first, and as they
may yet suffer from cold cutting winds, small branches of evergreens,
stuck between them, will form a good shelter, as they are easily
removed when the warm weather arrives ; above all, let the soil be
well pulverised, by frequent turnings over before planting. As a rule,
Scarlet Geraniums and their allies grow dwarfer and bloom more
profusely in poor shallow soils ; the variegated class like peat or rotten
leaf soil, mixed with the compost. Calceolarias, with us, do best in
sandy loam, without mixtures, as do Petunias ; Verbenas are not
particular, but like light rich soil.

Fruit (hardy). — We noticed in our last calendar that Apricots had
then set their fruit, and Peaches were in full bloom ; alas ! how soon
all the gardener's care and trouble have been frustrated by the severity
of the frosts of the two last days in March. In many situations, the
Apricot crop has been totally destroyed ; in others partially ; and all
have suffered more or less. Peaches, we believe, are in a still worse
plight, from the effects of frosts, and the attacks of green-fly which
followed the frosts, in countless myriads. The check given to the
trees by the above, and the cold weather of the present week, will
go far to ruin the Peach crop of 1859. Plums, Pears, and Cherries,
have also suffered. Disbudding must be proceeded with as the growth
advances, and insects kept down ; tobacco water, well diluted, is by far
the safest remedy for the fly. Strawberry beds should be cleaned,
and the space between the rows filled with stable litter ; the rain will
wash the surface clean by the time the fruit begins to swell, while the
litter will act as mulching, and assist the fruit in swelling.

Kitchen Garden. — The principal work here will be a routine of
thinning out, hoeing, &c, between the advancing crops. Sow on well
prepared beds the main crops of Borecole, Cottager's Kale, Broccoli,
Savoys, &c, for the main autumn and spring crops. Cauliflowers and
Walcheren Broccoli may also be sown twice during the month. Prick
out Cauliflowers and early Broccolis from the seed beds, as also Celery.
The main crops of French Beans and Scarlet Runners should be sown.
Peas and Broad Beans sow every fortnight for succession. Stick

160 THE FLORIST.

advancing crops of Peas. We anticipate tall Peas will soon be given
up, as dwarf ones fully equal in point of flavour and productiveness
are now obtainable. Water should be given to newly-planted crops,
and mulch if required. Plant out Artichokes in well-manured
trenches ; they like a deep and rich soil. Lettuce, Cos and Cabbage,
sow a pinch every ten days, and on the best ground you have.
Ridge Cucumbers may be sown towards the middle of the month,
under handglasses.

Pelargoniums will now be fast coming into bloom. Continue tying
and watering, according to instructions given last month. The blooms
as they expand should be well shaded from the midday sun. Bees
must likewise be excluded, as they cause the flowers to drop. The
blooms on plants intended for exhibition should be tied a few days
prior to being wanted, to give them a concise and neat appearance.
The late flowering plants will now require much attention. A cool
atmosphere, with thorough ventilation, is indispensable. Cleanliness
likewise must be looked to, and continue tying as required.

Peach-house. — After the crops are fairly stoned, if the fruit is
wanted in quickly, a slight increase of temperature may be permitted,
accompanied with more water to the roots. The trees also should be
well washed once or twice daily, according to the weather. Tie in the
shoots of the succession houses, and attend to former directions.

Pinks. — If large flowers are required, thin out the blooming shoots ;
also remove the small side buds. If dry weather continues, liquid
manure may be used advantageously. Pinks promise to be fine this
season.

Strawberries. — If there is the convenience of a spare pit or frame,
very fine Strawberries may be obtained by taking the plants, after
having set their fruit, and plunging them in pits, in old Melon soil ; if
over a slight bed of leaves, so much the better. The fruit will swell
off to a large size, with little trouble, by this plan, and it will keep the
houses clear of spider, which is sure to get introduced with the late
Strawberries, when hot weather intervenes.

Tulips. — Give the beds a good watering, before they show much
colour, if it continues dry. When in bloom, much water is liable to
flush the white, thereby destroying their beauty. Protect as before
described.

Vinery. — As the crop in the early house ripens, keep the air dry
and cool, to improve the colour and flavour. The protecting materials
on the outside border should now be removed, and the border slightly
forked, finishing by laying a thin coat of very rotten manure over the
surface. The latest Vines will now be swelling their buds, and may
therefore be tied up to the trellis. Syringe them several times daily, to
induce a free break, but fire heat (excepting with Muscats) had better
not be applied until the bloom is about opening ; mind, that at no
season will Muscats set well without fire heat and a dry temperature
of 70° or 75°, and St. Peter's and other late Grapes will set very much
better if assisted with fire heat, to get the night temperature up to 70°
during the time of blooming. After the berries are set, fire-heat,
except for Muscats, need only be applied in cold wet weather.

J^Andrews.Delt. & Zmco.

Auricula.

Qvxpmxxnjs Manco.

Plate 152.

JPrmteA hv C. Ovxbot

JUNE. 161

THE AURICULA.

WITH A REPRESENTATION OF CHAPMAN'S "MARIA."

(Plate 152.)

Having been blest with a tolerable supply of arrows to one's
quiver, I have never been obliged, save floriculturally, to adopt
children of another person, and never having been successful
enough to raise a seedling flower that was worth anything,
I am not at all sensible of that ecstatic happiness which arises
from such a process ; but, I suppose, to be a successful raiser,
must excite the same sort of pride as kindles the bosom of
" paterfamilias " when some knowing canvasser, who, wishing
to secure the vote of the said paterfamilias for the forthcoming
election of the town of Bubble-cum-squeak, incontinently begins
to praise the dear children ; be that as it may be, I own I
should like to be the raiser of such a flower as " Maria," not
that it is by any means a perfect Auricula, but there is some-
thing so very refined in it, and the colour is of such an inde-
scribable character that it must take a high position amongst
the lovers of this exquisite flower, and Mr. Chapman may
consider himself a fortunate man in being its papa ; and this I
say without having any ulterior designs upon Mr. C.'s vote and
interest. I might say a great deal about it, might take a leaf
out of the book — no, the catalogue of a firm (it shall be name-
less, but) which certainly may be styled the George Robins of
floriculture ; for, as that well-known auctioneer once arrived
(in the puffing of some place he had to sell) at the grand
climax, that there were only two disadvantages, the incessant
singing of the nightingales and the too powerful odour of the
Rose-leaves, so really I should almost be afraid to grow the
things which they advertise as novelties, for fear my friends
should be so dazzled" as to get an attack of ophthalmia,
or be so tempted that I should have continually to be bringing
them into the county court for theft. I will not copy the
example, for I believe English people do not like this Yankee
style of " tall talking," but simply say look at the drawing
— though Mr. Andrews, clever artist though he be, can never
do justice to the exquisite colouring of the flower. What may
be the constitution of the flower, I know not, as I have but
the one plant sent me this year by Mr. G. Lightbody ; it seems
healthy, though not inclined to produce stock.

As far as I can judge, the season has been a favourable one
for the Auricula, and if such be the case generally, it is evident
that a mild winter suits them, and that the directions I

VOL. XIT., NO. CXXXVIII. M

162 THE FLORIST.

ventured to give about covering up from frost are correct.
I can safely say that I have never had finer blooms than
this season, or never saw flowers come truer to character,
and that, in such a winter as this has been, the autumn
flowering does not hinder the spring bloom. I had but half a
dozen in all that served me this trick, but from those very
plants I had quite as fine bloom as from any ; in fact, they
grew through the winter so vigorously that the plant was
sufficiently strengthened to enable it to throw out a fresh
bloom. That this would not be the case in a severe winter, I
think highly probable. I am confirmed in my opinion, too,
that overpotting is injurious, and that if you give a fresh
supply of food entirely to the plant once in the year, and
nearly a half at the top-dressing time, that you may keep them
in much smaller pots than they are generally grown in. I have
not seen many collections this year in bloom, but I hope those
of your readers who grow them (and I trust they will increase
in number) will tell us how theirs have prospered. Some of
the blooms in my little collection were perfect. There was
one small plant of Waterhouse's Conqueror which for the first
time threw up a truss of seven ; and of these seven, one was
If inch across, three l£ inch, and four If inch. These do not
equal the marvellous tales of trusses 10 inches across, to which
my friend $ refers in this month's " Gossip," but they certainly
formed a very fine truss. With regard to the statements there
alluded to, there must be some mistake ; but whatever be the
exact size, I have no hesitation in saying that I never saw any
grower that was, to use a homely expression, " fit to hold a
candle " to Dr. Plant, and a few hints from him would indeed
be " golden counsels " to the growers of Auriculas ; though I
have but little doubt that the fine climate of Ireland, so free
from the extremes of heat and cold, has something to do with
it. In the lists given of Auriculas there is generally a fault,
I think, in that the several points of the flower are not sejm-
rately noticed. I have endeavoured to remedy this in the list
printed at page 182. I have taken as my standard that which
Glenny recommends in his " Properties of Flowers." Viewed
by this it will be seen that there is hardly a perfect Auricula
grown, and that some of the most celebrated flowers have great
defects ; but this does not at all imply that they ought not to
be grown, or that they are not show flowers. I beg to be
understood as only describing the flowers from my bloom of
them, but so far they are faithful. I have not in any instance
trusted to memory, but have had the flowers before me when
writing the description. They may be different to those given
by others, but I believe it is only by obtaining the combined
experiences of various growers that we snail arrive at a good

JUNE. 163

knowledge of the flower. If the weather has been favourable
for Auriculas, what shall we say of Roses ? Oh, Mr. Hole, I
fear very much that Flora's Queen will not show off so well this
year as last. I have never seen the damage done by the east
wind anything equal to what it is this year.

Deal, May 24. D.

CRYSTAL PALACE FIRST EXHIBITION for 1859.

The first grand Horticultural Exhibition of the Crystal Palace Com-
pany took place on the 18th ult. The day was unfortunately gloomy
and wet, and prevented that full attendance which we should have liked
to have seen ; for certainly the exhibition was all that could be desired.
Pot Roses, collections of stove and greenhouse plants, and Orchids, were
remarkable for freshness and vigour of growth and abundance of bloom
— qualities not so predominant later in the season. Of the Roses in
pots, it is not too much to say they have never been surpassed, if at all
equalled. Many of the specimens were fully five feet high and four feet
through, literally loaded with blooms to the edge of the pot, to which
the health and freshness of the foliage contributed not a little, and
made them the gem of the exhibition. In collections of stove and
greenhouse plants were many remarkable instances of good cultivation,
and an absence of anything like inferior specimens. Indeed, the col-
lections, taken as a whole, were very evenly balanced, both as regards
size of plants and good cultivation. Mr. Dods carried off the first prize
in the large class, but was closely followed by others, all excellent in
their way. We have seen Azaleas, taken as a whole, finer in bloom ;
some of the exhibitors yet adhere to the close formal style of training,
of which Mr. Green's large double red afforded an example ; and we
observed a grand Gloire de Dijon Rose in, we think, Mr. Paul's twelve,
spoiled by training it in an oval shape ; the thinly bloomed Azaleas,
however, were the exception, for Messrs. Carson, Green, Dods, and
others had plants faultless in all respects.

Mr. Green's ten plants were very remarkable, being large, fresh, and
covered with full-sized well-coloured blossoms. They consisted of
Sinensis, very fine ; Iveryana, Sir C. Napier, Perryana, and Varie-
gata, little less beautiful, and Coronata, Semi-duplex, Maculata, Sym-
metry, and Triumphans. Mr. Carson had an equal first prize, for
remarkable plants, but had not the quality of bloom. Those dissimilar
to the first-named lot were Alba superba, Carnea, Lateritia, Mur-
rayana, Broughtoni, and Exquisita. In six plants, Mr. Peed was first,
with very nice plants, which contained nothing new. In the nursery-
men's class, Mr. Ivery, Dorking, sent the best eight kinds, consisting
of a fine Iveryana, Magnifica, good, Harlequin, Glory of Sunning- hill,
Delicata, Rubra pleno, Criterion, very fine, and Duke of Devonshire.
Mr. C. Turner, Slough, stood next with well-bloomed specimens of
Perryana, Variegata, Gledstanesi, Lateritia, Devonshire, Alba lutescens,
Symmetry, and Purpurea arborea. Mr. Clark, of Streatham, and
Messrs. Fraser, of Lea Bridge, also obtained prizes in this class.

M 2

164 THE FLORIST.

In ten new Azaleas, open class, there were five collections. Mr.
Turner was first, with Sir J. Outram, fine rich colour, and well marked ;
Advance, purple ; Sir H. Havelock, salmon ; Miltoni, large rosy purple,
dense spot ; Model, Prince Jerome, Admiration, Criterion, Petuniseflora,
and Patricki. Mr. Ivery stood next, with a fine plant of Admiration,
Criterion, Crispiflora, Stanleyana, Model, Model of Perfection, Duchesse
de Nassau, Gem, Juliana, and Beauty of Europe, Mr. Green also
sent a nice lot, the best of which were Stanleyana, Gem, Juliana,
and Eulalie. Among novelties we noticed Rosy Circle, a neat
light purple ; Frosti, a bold flower, of a new colour ; Duchesse Ade-
laide de Nassau, rather coarse but finely spotted (both these have
something of the old indica colour in them) ; Model, very good ;
Standard of Perfection, a bold well shaped flower, free, of a rosy
purple, and dark spots; Advancer, very good; Sir James Outram,
large flowered, well spotted, but rather coarse ; Prince Jerome, well
formed flower ; Petuniseflora (rather old this to show as a new variety),
distinct ; Miltoni, Dilecta, Halfordi, Queen Victoria, Roi Leopold, and
Empress Eugenie (poor), are useful kinds, older than those first noticed.

In the class of new plants, in or out of flower, the most striking
novelty appeared to us to be Mr. Veitch's new Maple, Acer japonicum
polymorphum, with deeply cut palmate leaves, of a dull red colour,
and which in the autumn will doubtless prove highly attractive, said to
be quite hardy. The same gentleman also exhibited a fine-looking
evergreen shrub from Japan, named Olea ilicifolia, which will form u
valuable addition to English gardens. The Messrs. Lee had Barbareu
prsecox, a variegated leaved herbaceous plant, allied to the Cresses, and
which will make a useful plant for edging flower-beds. The same firm
also exhibited Centaurea candidissima, with silvery foliage, well adapted
for a like purpose ; and the variegated form of the common Coltsfoot,
which we have noticed before. We must also notice Mr. Veitch's
batch of fine foliaged Begonias, and a seedling Rhododendron Dal-
housieanum, with greenish yellow flowers, from Mr. Paul. Mr. Carson
sent the bright orange Aphelandra Porteana and Burlingtonia Farmeri.

Heaths and tall Cacti were both good, but contained nothing new.

Pot Roses, as stated, were grand — blossoms fresh, and in to the
day. The judges must have had some trouble ; the collections of
Messrs. Lane, Francis, and Paul were very evenly matched, and placed
as named. A. Rowland, Esq., and Mr. Terry, gr. to C. W. Puller,
Esq., Youngbury, Herts, were good in the amateur class. Among
them the following names will be familiar to our readers, viz., Baronne
Prevost, Blairi, Paul Perras, Paul Ricaut, Niphetos, Souvenir d'un
Ami, one of the finest of all Tea Roses; Coupe d'Hebe, Souvenir de
Malmaison, Jules Margottin, Gloire de Dijon, Madame Masson, Auber-
non, Louis Bonaparte, Louis Odier, Chenedole, Lion des Combats,
Louis Peyronney, Madame Willermoz, and Devoniensis. Coupe d'Hebe,
General Jacqueminot, Triomphe de Paris, Vicomte de Cazes, and
Aubernon formed one box of cut Roses.

Pelargoniums were as a whole scarcely so fine as we have seen them
in former years. Mr. Turner's, however, formed an exception. His
collection of 12 plants was all that could be desired. Conspicuous among

JUNE. 165

them were Symmetry, Empress Eugenie, Sanspareil, Review, Rose
Celestial, Mazeppa, Governor-General, Mr. Marnock, Etna, Viola, and
Candidate. Among Mr. Dobson's plants we remarked Fairest of the
Fair, Sanspareil, Vestal, Wonderful, Governor-General, and Satirist.
Messrs. Windsor, Fraser, and Gaines also showed in this class.

In the Amateur's class the best plants came from Mr. Wiggins,
gardener to E. Beck, Esq., of Isleworth. These were well grown and
finely flowered. Among the kinds were Bride, Fanny, Sanspareil,
Fairest of the Fail-, Vestal, Hesperis, Governor-General, Wonderful, and
Fair Ellen. Mr. Weir, gardener to Mrs. Hodgson, Hampstead, had
the next best.

Of Fancy varieties Mr. Turner's plants were very large and well
bloomed, namely, Madame Rougiere, Madame Sontag, Acme, Rosabella,
Madame Van de Weyer, and Attraction. Mr. Gaines, Mr. James, of
Isleworth, Mr. Holland, Mr. Windsor, and Mr. Weir also sent Fancies.

There was one collection each of Tulips and Verbenas — the latter
were very good — and some Pansies.

Of Spergula pilifera, the new substitute for lawn Grasses, Mr.
Summers, gardener to A. Mongredien, Esq., sent a large panful, which
seemed to excite considerable interest. It was deep green and in
excellent condition. In its style of growth, it is a neat dwarf hardy
perennial tufted alpine plant, forming close compact wiry Grass-like
stems, from a quarter to half an inch in height, at first erect, after-
wards decumbent, clothed with closely set green bristle-like leaves,
which, by permanent growth and occasional rolling, forms an unbroken
level velvet-like surface of the richest conceivable verdure, remaining
uninjured in severe drought or intense cold, and assumes the same
beautiful verdurous tint during the winter months as in summer.

Ferns were not so plentiful as might have been expected. Mr.
Summers, gardener to A. Mongredien, Esq., Forest Hill, contributed a
good collection of exotic kinds ; and from Mr. Savey, gardener to E. A.
de Grave, Esq., Fetcham, near Leatherhead, was a very good set of
British kinds, all well grown plants.

Of Fuchsias we observed one middling collection, the plants in which
stood from eight to ten feet in height at least, and were tolerably well
flowered. They were all trained to single stems. All old kinds.

Cinerarias were exhibited in beautiful condition by Mr. Turner, who
sent Slough Rival, Incomparable, Brilliant (Smith's), crimson, Brilliant
(Lidgard's), white, tipped with blue ; Eclipse, Perfection, and Regulator,
the last a good blue. Some fine plants were also furnished by Mr.
Shrimpton, gardener to A. J. Doxat, Esq., among which we noticed
Optima, Loveliness, Mrs. Hoyle, Admiral Dundas, Lady Paxton, and
Prince of Blues. Messrs. Dobson had Perfection, Mrs. Livingstone,
and others, the names of most of which were the same as those just
mentioned.

Auriculas Ne Plus Ultra and Lancashire Hero, both fine kinds, were
shown by Mr. Turner.

Calceolarias, herbaceous kinds, came from Messrs. Dobson. Among
them were Ruby Queen, Yellow Model, King of Yellows, Edith, and
others, all finely spotted varieties, and well grown.

166 THE FLORIST.

The show of fruit was limited, but contained some superb pro-
ductions. We have particularly to mention the Black Hamburgh
Grapes of Messrs. Hill and Frost, to whom the judges gave equal first
prizes ; a third dish, exhibited by Mr. Bell, from Devonshire, followed
very closely. White Grapes were only ordinary. The most remark-
able Pine was a Queen, 5| lbs., exhibited by Mr. Page, of Streatham.
There were also a few good Black Jamaica Pines. But the most
remarkable dish of fruit in the exhibition was Mr. Smith's Sir Charles
Napier Strawberries ; these were immensely large and of the finest
colour, and, taken altogether, unequalled. Mr. Shuter had a good dish
of Cherries, and Mr. Constantine very fine Figs and Peaches. There
were a few nice-looking Melons for the season, by Messrs. Peed, Con-
stantine, and others. In the miscellaneous class were some only ordinary
pot Vines in fruit, a dish of extra fine fruit of Musa sapientum, grown
in the Palace ; Orange trees in fruit, and a remarkably prolific kind of
Cucumber, exhibited by Mr. Munro. This appears a very useful
market variety, and, to show its prolific properties, a Vine was exhibited
•with some ten or a dozen fine fruit growing on it — the shoot, probably,
not more than two feet long.

We must now notice Mr. Spary's Patent Mildew Annihilator, a model
of which was exhibited in the building. This is a portable apparatus
for throwing off fumes of sulphur, &c, into houses infested with mildew
or insects, and a most ingenious invention it appears. We hope soon
to see its practical efficacy put to the test, when we shall have more to
say on its merits. It is, however, only fair to add that Mr. Spary has
had it at work for some years on his own premises, and speaks most
decidedly on its safety and power in keeping down mildew.

"THE NATIONAL ROSE SHOW TO BE HELD IN THE
HANOVER SQUARE ROOMS, ON JUNE 23, 1859."

How quickly time flies ! How speedily have the dull wet winter
and spring frosts passed away ! And, now, —
" A happier smile illumes each brew,

With quicker spread each heart uncloses,
And, all is ecstacy — for, now

The valley holds its feast of Roses."

Moore.

The 23rd of June is the day, and an unlucky appointment for me,
as the 22nd is our county show at Wimborne, to which I have pledged
myself previously to take all the Roses I have, in return for the
increase of prizes from two to eight, in compliance with my request.
Moreover, I shall be prevented this great anticipated pleasure by a
long engagement to receive a Rose amateur from the north, and also
my friend Monsieur Ferdinand Gloede, who is coming from France
to see me. This leads me to hope that another year the day will be
fixed earlier. Indeed, I see no reason why it should not be an annual
fixture, or at any rate why the day should not be announced at the
fall, which would give Rose growers an opportunity of deciding whether

JUNE. 167

it was desirable or not to " lift " or " remove " their plants. I have
bought 500 Roses, including the novelties of 1858 and 1859, and
have caused to be bought over 200 more, with a view to distinguish
Dorsetshire at the National ; and, great is my disappointment at the
clashing of show days. Nevertheless, I have done what I could to
obtain lady patronesses, in accordance with the wishes of our reverend
and indefatigable honorary secretary. Her Grace the Duchess of
Beaufort, Lady Charlotte Sturt, Lady Rivers, and the Countesses of
Granville and Digby, have kindly, at my request, allowed their names
to be put down as lady patronesses. I have also received authority
to-day to add the names of Viscountess Curzon, Lady Burghersh, and
the Lady Augusta Sturt, to the distinguished list ; and I hope that
others will follow the example of these bright specimens. If, however,
I am prevented going, or taking any Roses for the above reasons, I do
not see why I should not do something which may be of benefit to
exhibitors. I will, therefore, give a few hints that may be available,
and I will throw aside that unworthy selfishness, too prevalent, which
withholds information which ought to be made public, and contents
itself with writing learned articles, which no one can understand or
avail themselves of.

The first hint I will give is, mind and put a strap round your show
box. The following anecdote will illustrate its necessity : — Last year,
in travelling to the National, all went well with me till I got to
Kingston, when about 4 o'clock, a thin-faced looking costermonger,
with an upturned nose, like Mappin's pruning knife reversed, and his
son, a " shrubby Calceolaria," shoved in their bundles, and got in.
The thrusts unhinged the cover of my box, which goes on slides ; and
before we had gone a few hundred yards, Mr. Spooner, my surgeon,
of Blandford, who got into a second-class carriage (never, except on
show days, will I get into a second class on the narrow gauge ; alas !
my skin and bones) for company with me, exclaimed " Why, here are
your Roses all over the place ; " this I did not see, as the box was
under my feet. I looked, and, alas ! Madame Zoutman, Countess
Lacepede, Blanchefleur, Brennus, Kean, and other glories, were
scattered over the place. I said, " Sir, you have ruined me," to which
he growled, " Not much harm after all," and said no more. I had
not courage to test his accuracy, and, having slided on the cover, I
waited till I got to London (half an hour), and then I found the
immense damage done ; for, out of 39, I could but just make up 24,
with a small inferior M. Fremion. Moreover, the delicate colours,
so indispensable in showing 24, were gone. Mind, therefore, the
strap, and always take more Roses than you mean to show. The
vibration of a second class will unloose hasps alone.

Before, however, you come to the strap, there is much to be done.
You ought to have five trees of every show sort, to be sure of the day,
and each tree ought to have five buds (the corollaries being taken off
as soon as you see the main bud safe), and these buds should be of
different sizes, so that you will have twenty-five chances, provided
the trees are planted in different situations, and cut back wholly, or by
instalments at different times. I have for instance, 30 Geant des

168 THE FLORIST.

Batailles,* which, as above, will give 150 chances, as they are planted
in every possible diversity of situation, and cut back at different periods.

If your ground is not aluminous, you must cover the surface with
black manure and Grass, in a radius of at least 18 inches, unless
the Rose is just planted, and then one foot will do for the first year ;
and, in sultry weather, you must water freely, but slowly, the tree and
roots, so as to copy a thunderstorm, without its violence, once a week.
Each tree should have two buckets, and, instead of pouring on all at
one time, put on half a bucket, and return four times. In lawn holes,
if the surface is hard, out of two buckets put on at once, three parts
will go down the sides ; tedious as it is, you must pour with a fine
copper spout, and allow time for absorption. If the weather is as
sultry as. last year in June, I shall have to put on Roses and
Strawberries at least 2000 stable buckets per week. Money, beef, and
beer, dispel all difficulties here. My groom and a labourer, by the
help of the above steam, would drown Deucalion in a week. When
the buds are swollen and about to expand, liquid manure (not too
strong) will give brilliancy to the flowers, and wood ashes will help to
stiffen the petals. The buds should be shaded a few days before
expansion, but uncovered at night. If you wish to " hold on " the
bloom for a few days, pin French Ivy round the bud, to keep the air
from getting too rapidly between the petals ; but this must not be done
too tight, as the Rose will stew or bleach. If the Rose has bloomed,
you may still " hold it on " a day or so by sheeting overhead, and by
tying down the bloom from the sun ; but you must not put the
canvass too near, but let the Rose have all the air you can ; and be sure
and set up its head, to be refreshed by the night dew. I may mention
by the wayside that I cut my Roses daily as they bloom, and put
them under high trees in tin water cups, where they gratify me, and
also anyone who likes to walk in and see them. Here they last at
least two days, and such Roses as P. Leon, Rebecca? and Montijo, a
week.

It is probable that cut Roses kept in a stone jar in a dark cellar
would last a week, especially if a little spirits of camphor were added
to the water, and the leaves washed with gum water. I shall try these
experiments this summer. I am persuaded that distance to the show
and cutting over night ought not to be a hindrance under a workman's

* I never saw this Rose, unrivalled when properly grown, first rate but
once in my life; and never good except when planted against a south wall
or near its radiating heat. I saw it at the rectory of Gussage, St. Michael's,
Dorset, some three years ago — quite first rate, large, brilliant, circular, and full.
I have never seen a Rose more beautiful than it was ; indeed, there were
several. It was grown on a two-feet Briar, on the south frontage of the house,
close to the wall, and trained up a four-feet stake. A poor woman, in one of
my cottages here, grows it in a similar situation, and much better than I have
been able to do ; indeed, in seven years, I have never grown but two good blooms,
and they were under the radiating heat of the wall, close in front of lovely
Solfaterre. It is, however, everywhere a continuous bloomer ; and from my great
respect for it, as the first of all Rose parents, I have added to six on Dog Briers
twenty-four Manetti ones, and planted against walls in every possible aspect,
as well as in the open. La Reine and this Rose, as parents, deserve tho
praise of amateurs, and the first place in the rosarium.

JUNE. 169

hand. My own Roses last year at the National, though the refuse of
the first bloom, were in as good condition as any in the show, and
were travelled seven miles in a vehicle without springs, and 107 by a
shaking second-class train, on 6-inch stalks, and showed not the
slightest change as to form and colour, so far as I could see.

The way that they were carried was this : — Around each Rose a
French Ivy-leaf was pinned to keep it together, and three or four
Roses were tied close together, up to their blooms, and put into the
tin cups, which, being filled with stalks, the water could not splash
out so well. If the train stops long enough, replenish with water ; for
this you must have a long-spouted tin cup ; a shilling will soon produce
the water. What chance can a Rose have in a second-class train
without some such appliances, when it is to compete against a Rose
cut the same morning ? None but tight Roses, such as Paul Ricaut,
Bachmeteff, Dupuy, Leon, Rebecca, and Ravel, can ride it out. If the
Rose is a little gone over (and many at the National last year were
much gone over, even in prize lots), these hints may enable you to
convey it. I think condition last year was not attended to enough, and
that size and match bore down symmetry, elegance, and colour. Size
and similarity of sizes, ought not, for one moment, to defeat Roses of
different sizes (where the difference of size arises from their nature),
if the smaller are good in other respects. I am sure that, unless
more time is allowed the judges, or more judges appointed to adju-
dicate on different classes, it is impossible that they can judge each
Rosejiw se. They can but have bare time to cast an eye over the
whole mass, and award the prize to the largest, best matched, and
most blazing Roses. This may obtain with the public, but it will
never do so with amateurs, who have critical eyes and refined tastes.
Let us hope, then, that more time will be allowed the judges, and
more judges appointed, and that they will have nerve to undeceive the
public by correcting this gross taste for everything large without
reference to other qualifications. What Roses can be more beautiful
or worthy of a show-box than Mesdames Place, Phelip, Lamoriciere,
and the Emperor Napoleon ? Admire Madame Domage and Baronne
Prevost, but still appreciate these, and put them into the same box,
although no match in size. Look at Madame Place, and you will
break forth in admiration —

" She comes ! make way, my people, stand reverently aside,
She comes ! the gentle traveller, in purity and pride ;

Shower welcomes on her,

To show befitting honour,
And give her love and homage from hearts and kindling eyes,
And believe her and receive her with a thousand sympathies."

With regard to the gems at the National, I shall be surprised if
Due de Cambridge, Patrizzi, and Gloire de Lyons, are not in front of
the novelties. Perhaps Palmerston, Francis Arago, and Francis I.,
may " star it." Virginale, pure white, H.P., is said to be good.
Among Bourbon novelties, I will back (if they are shown) Dr. Berthet
and Monsieur Jard.

Finally, the bud worm was never more busy, and it must be picked.

170 TIIE FLORIST.

Aphides also will be " in " soon ; use black and yellow sulphurs, or
bitter aloes and water, or quassia. I have sooted all my trees (25th
April) under a dripping rain, but I shall soon begin the syringe and
sulphurs. Every aphis produces 100, and there are 10 generations in
a year, amounting to 100 billions ; therefore, catch the first aphis, and
you may say —

" Oh ! the rosy month of June I hail as summer's queen ;
The hills and valleys sing in joy, and all the woods are green ;
The streamlets flow in gladsome song, the birds are all in tune ;
And Nature smiles in summer's pride, in the rosy month of June ;
There is music in the laughing sky, and balm upon the air ;
The earth is stamped with loveliness, and all around is fair;
There is glory in the mountain top, aud gladness in the plain ;
The Roses wake from their wintry bed, and blush and bloom again ;
Oh ! the rosy month of June ! my heart is bounding, wild, and free;
As with a fond and longing look, I gaze once more on thee ;
With all thy thousand spangling gems — a bright and blessed boon —
That comes to cheer and welcome in the rosy month of June."

And now, brother amateurs (there is a fraternity among all Rose
growers ; we know each other by intuition and sympathy), under the
distinguished patronage of England's " greatest gems," may you enjoy
and profit by the National Rose Show, " in the rosy month of June."

Rushton, April 26. W. F. Radclyffe.

P.S., May 14. — Cardinal Patrizzi has given me two beautiful
blooms. It is quite an " acquisition," or, to use a new term, it is
" sumptuous ; " it is a fine claret red, very bright, and well formed ;
it is in the line of Madame Masson's colour (a sad winterer, yet most
beautiful), but brighter, and of a lighter colour. I have two others on
good half-standard Briers. The above Rose is in a pot on Manetti.
M. Masson has wintered well on a Brier, but badly on Manetti, and
on her own roots ; she must be kept off the ground, as she stains in
her rind.

A USEFUL HINT.

Allow me to suggest an addition to your very useful periodical, which
is now almost indispensable to every lover of a garden, whether he be
an amateur or a professional gardener, and most of all to those who,
like your reverend correspondent at Deal, are obliged to study economy
in the pursuit of their tastes. It strikes me that a page might very
usefully be devoted to short notices from correspondents, who have not
time for a regular article, but yet might furnish occasionally very
useful hints, or suggest inquiries that might be profitably pursued.
This idea has occurred to me, in looking over the volume for 1858,
and, with your permission, I will illustrate my view by a few short
notes, which I made as I turned over the pages.

P. 122. The Verbena pots described by Mr. Deam would have been
noted by me as a desideratum a few months since, but I have recently
met with them at Halifax, where they maybe had — of common clay —
for 4s. a dozen, of more elegant form than the one you figured. The

JUNE. 171

same manufacturers also make a large vase for specimen Geraniums at
6s. per dozen. This latter might be much improved, if the maker
would be content with a simple flowing outline, and not, as such men
perversely do, attempt an elaborate series of curves, that result in a
much less beautiful object.

P. 152. Perennials. I, for one, should be glad to see your corre-
spondent's list, believing that this beautiful class of flowers has been
too much neglected, to make way for their more showy rivals, the
bedding plants. One reason for this is doubtless the brilliant display
of colour produced, but I suspect that the real reason is, that to produce
a general effect by herbaceous plants requires much more thought and
care.

P. 197- The very useful caution about the non-ventilation of span-
roofed houses is scarcely intelligible without a sketch.

Thomas Wilson.

Crimbles House, Leeds, May 23.

[Many thanks for your useful hint, to which every encouragement
shall be afforded. — Ed.]

EEVIEW.

The Gardener s Assistant. By Robert Thompson. Blackie & Son.

Royal 8vo. In twelve parts.
This is a work which we can heartily recommend. Its object is to
convey to its readers a knowledge of the fundamental principles of
horticulture in a simple and practical manner, and to furnish details of
the most approved modes of managing the kitchen and fruit gardens and
forcing houses, as well as the more important of the plants cultivated in
the flower garden and pleasure grounds, greenhouse and stove — in
short, to be what its title implies, emphatically, a " Gardener's Assistant "
in every sense of the word. For the proper carrying out of such a work,
few men could be found better qualified than Mr. Thompson. His
world-wide reputation as a skilful pomologist, his equally well-known
scientific attainments, and his long connection with the Horticultural
Society of London, in whose grounds at Chiswick all kinds of experimental
gardening have been carefully conducted under his superintendence for
years ; these all eminently fit him for the task he has undertaken, and
with some reason led us to expect in his " Gardener's Assistant " some-
thing more than ordinary routine information. In this, we have not
been disappointed. The work before us has already reached its tenth
part, and is replete with most valuable instruction, not only as regards
improved modes of culture, but also as respects the origin, growth, and
nutrition of plants, the nature and properties of soils and manures,
formation of gardens, erection and heating of hothouses, levelling and
management of groundwork, garden implements, together with select
lists of fruit, vegetables, and flowers, and a full and extremely useful
monthly calendar of operations. A work of so great utility, therefore,
the price of which is not beyond the means of every cultivator of a
garden, cannot, we should think, fail to meet with that encourage-

172 THE FLORIST.

ment which it deserves. Some idea of the way in which the different
subjects are treated may be gleaned from the following extract : —

" The Raspberry (Rub us Idoeus, L. — Icosandria Polygynia, L. ;
Rosacese, D. C. ; Rosaceae, Lind.) is a deciduous shrub, with perennial
roots and a biennial stem, a native of Britain and most of the temperate
parts of Europe. The fruit, being possessed of a fine aroma, is largely
employed in tarts, jams, and similar preparations, as well as for the
dessert. It is likewise used for making a delicious ice, Raspberry
vinegar, Raspberry brandy, and Raspberry wine.

" Varieties. — These are numerous, the plant reproducing itself freely
from seed with more or less variation. The following is a selection of
the best : —

"1. Red Antwerp — syn. Burley, Knevett's Antwerp, Late-
bearing Antwerp, Framboisier rouge a gros fruit. — Canes strong and
long, yellowish green, slightly glaucous, occasionally tinged with purple,
covered with dark brown bristles, especially towards the base. Fruit
large, conical, dull red, sweet, and rich in flavour. It bears carriage
well, and is therefore much cultivated by the market gardeners. A
second crop is sometimes borne in autumn, but the fruit produced is
both scanty and small. This was the first improvement on the wild
Raspberry of the woods, and is still surpassed by none.

" 2. Barnet — syn. Cornwall's Prolific, Cornwall's Red. Cornwall's
Seedling, Large Red, Lord Exmouth. — Canes long, yellowish green,
frequently tinged with purple, much inclined to branch, covered with
long slender prickles of a reddish colour. Fruit large, globular, inclined
to conical, of a bright purplish red, and of excellent flavour. It ripens
early, but does not bear carriage well ; it is therefore only grown in
private gardens. The plant is a very abundant bearer.

" 3. Rivers' Large-fruited Monthly. — Canes moderately
tall, very hispid, with reddish prickles. Fruit tolerably large, roundish
or obtusely conical, of a deep purplish red, in the second crop of a
brighter red. It ripens about the usual time, and again during autumn
till frost.

" 4. Yellow Antwerp — syn. White Antwerp, Double-bearing
Yellow. — Canes with numerous small prickles. Fruit middle-sized,
ovate, pale yellow, rich, and sweet. A good bearer, but not so strong-
growing as the Red Antwerp.

"5. Cox's Honey. — Canes strong, hispid. Fruit produced in
succession, and in clusters along the stem. It resembles that of the
Yellow Antwerp, being very sweet and rich.

" Propagation. — The Raspberry is propagated by seeds, and occa-
sionally by cuttings, but the usual mode is by suckers or offsets. The
seeds should be taken from perfectly ripe fruit, washed from the pulp,
and then dried moderately, in order to prevent mouldiness. They may
then be sown in rich sandy soil, or in pans, in sandy peat and well-
decomposed leaf- mould. They will vegetate in the following spring,
and in autumn they will be fit for transplanting into nursery rows, the
first shoot being then shortened to a few eyes. In propagating by
suckers or offsets, care should be taken to injure as little as possible the
plants from which they are separated. The best time for removal, so

JUNE. 173

as to be least injurious to the old stools, is October, which is likewise
the best time for making the plantation. Although this may be done
any time when the weather is favourable during winter, or early in
spring, yet it is not well to disturb the roots by taking off suckers late
in spring, or after vegetation has commenced. Root-suckers are often
thrown up at a considerable distance from the plant, and can be
removed without materially affecting it ; but frequently the suckers
come out like offsets. When this is the case, they ought to be
detached with a sharp sucker ing iron, and, at the same time, care should
be taken not to injure the bud or buds which will be found on the part
of the root just below the ground, at the base of the shoots made in the
course of the current season ; for these buds give rise to the shoots
which become the canes for bearing in the following year. Propagation
by cuttings is not a sure method, and is seldom resorted to, as the
preceding mode affords so much facility ; but any particular sort may
be more rapidly increased by both cuttings and suckers than by suckers
alone. The cuttings should be inserted in light, rich, rather moist soil,
and in a somewhat shaded situation, at least one not exposed to the
direct rays of the sun in the hottest parts of the day.

" Soil and Situation. — The Raspberry succeeds in any rich garden
soil that is not too stiff, but prefers one that is rich and rather moist.
It grows exceedingly well in sandy alluvial ground, also in peat and
soils that are mixed with peat ; but those which are heavy and compact,
becoming hard in dry weather, do not suit it. In all cases, abundance
of decomposed manure should be supplied when the ground is trenched
before planting, and afterwards every autumn, as a top-dressing. The
ground should be trenched at least two feet deep, and if to the depth of
three feet, so much the better. Plenty of manure must be introduced,
especially about one foot below the surface, for the roots near the latter
can be fed by the annual manuring.

" Planting. — Raspberries are usually planted in rows, and their
bearing shoots tied to stakes. In this way, the distance allowed
between the rows may be five feet, and that between the plants in the
row three feet. In very rich soil, six feet between the rows, and three
or four feet between the plants in the row, would be preferable distances ;
or the rows may be eight feet apart, in which case, certain kitchen
garden crops may be grown between ; but, if so, care should be taken
that the soil be kept well manured and always sufficiently moist.
Raspberries are sometimes planted, for arched training, in rows four feet
asunder, and the same distance between the plants in the row. When
planted to be trained against an espalier, the plants may be two feet
apart. Mr. Whiting states (Gardeners' Chronicle, 1849, p. 149) that,
in poor soil, he finds planting one foot apart, in five feet rows, and
leaving one, or occasionally two canes to each root, is preferable to
planting at greater distances, and allowing three or four canes to each root.

" Mode of Bearing. — The Raspberry sends up shoots from which the
leaves drop in autumn, and, from the buds on these shoots, or canes
as they are are called by some, branchlets push in spring, on which
fruit is produced in the course of the summer, and sometimes till
autumn. The branchlets diverge in all directions from the shoots from

174 THE FLORIST.

which they "spring, so that in the natural state they cannot be over-
crowded. Whilst these are bearing the fruit, young shoots arise from
the main stock or base of the stem, and suckers frequently spring from
the roots, at a distance from the plant. These bear in the following
season, forming a succession to those which are bearing, and which die
back to the ground before winter.

" Pruning and Training. — When the plants are intended to be
trained to stakes in the usual way, the pruning and training are very
simple. We shall commence with a new plantation. One, two, or
three canes may be planted for the purpose of being tied to a single
stake. If two are planted, they may be six inches apart, and in the
direction of the row ; if three, they may be at the same distance from
each other, and placed so as to form an equilateral angle, in the centre
of which the stake may be inserted. Stakes, however, will not be
necessary in the first season ; for the canes, when planted, should be
cut down to within six inches or one foot from the ground, especially if
they are weak ; or, if strong, and fruit be desired the first season, they
should be shortened more than the bearing shoots of an established
plantation, so that, in either case, staking will not be necessary. The
object of cutting back the year-old canes is to invigorate the young
shoots. When these push, three, four, or five of the strongest of them
should be encouraged ; the others ought to be rubbed off, or destroyed
by means of the suckering iron. Towards autumn, stakes must be
prepared. Their lower end should be tapered to a sharp point, but
without leaving angles on the taper, for when smooth, they can be
introduced between the roots without breaking them. In October or
November the plantation should be pruned, in order that the ground
may be manured and forked over. Some think that the canes are
injured by frost and rain when pruned before winter. Having much
pith, injury from such causes may take place for some distance below
the cut, or as far as the first joint. The plant is not susceptible of
injury from frost, except so far as the pith may get too much
soaked with wet, which will be only a little way, especially if the canes
are cut slanting. In proceeding to prune, the two-year old canes, now
dead, should, in the first place, be cleared away, and three or four of
the strongest young canes ought to be selected for bearing in the
following season. They should be shortened where they exhibit signs
of weakness and begin to twist or bend. If there are more canes than
the number considered proper for being tied up for bearing, they should
also be cut away. After hoeing away the surface soil, and clearing all
weeds from the base of the stem, the stakes should be driven in cor-
rectly in line, and their tops cut to a regular height. The canes should
then be tied to the stakes with osier twigs, or with the golden Willow,
than which nothing is better for the purpose, if it can be had, and if not,
tar-twine may be substituted. This operation completes the first year's
pruning and training. Objections have been made to the above mode
of training to stakes, on account of the canes being brought too closely
together, but it must be recollected that the canes do not require light ;
the buds of course do, but when pushing, they are not shaded, and the
shoots from them extend outwards, so that the longer they grow the

JUNE. 175

more space there is for the foliage. There is, therefore, less danger of
the fruit-bearing branchlets crowding each other than there is of the
interference of the young shoots which spring from the root for
succession. In the second season the tied-up canes will require no
further attention. Lateral shoots will push from them ; and these, as
already remarked, bear the fruit. At the same time, shoots for
succession spring up, and frequently in too great abundance. When
such is the case, they must be thinned out more or less, as in the
preceding season ; only, as the plants are now established, from four to
six shoots may be allowed to grow. In autumn three, or, if strong
enough enough, four, from each stool should be pruned and tied as
already directed. When Raspberries are intended to be trained to a
rail, the latter may be constructed of stakes and strips of deal about one
inch thick. The stakes should be driven in line at every five or six
feet, and the strips of deal nailed along their tops, which may be three
or four feet from the ground, according to the length of the canes ; and
other strips may run along at eighteen inches or two feet from the
surface, or a wire may be stretched at that height. To these horizon-
tals the canes should be trained, so as to leave room for a succession
shoot between each. The weak points of the bearing canes ought to be
cut off, and superfluous shoots removed at an early stage of their growth.
Dr. Neill, in his ' Fruit and Kitchen Garden,' suggests a modification
of training to a rail, which deserves to be noticed. He says, ' Perhaps
the best support is obtained by fastening the points of the shoots to a
slight horizontal rail or bar, about 4 feet high, and placed 1| foot on
the south side of the rows. By this means the bearing shoots are
deflected from the perpendicular to the sunny side of the row, and are
not shaded by the annual wood.' Raspberries are sometimes trained
by arching, and for this mode they are planted about four feet apart in
the rows. A stake is driven in midway between the plants ; half the
canes belonging to one plant and half of those of the adjoining plant are
bent towards each other, and their ends are tied together, so as to form
an arch, which is secured to the stake in the centre. There are some
varieties of Raspberry, such as Rivers' Large Fruited Monthly, which
naturally produce fruit late in autumn ; but other varieties may be
induced to do so by cutting down the canes to within one foot of the
ground. The shoots which push from these shortened canes grow
vigorously, and usually produce fruit late in the season. Another mode
is to shorten the canes rather more than usual ; then, when the laterals
push, and before they flower, they are cut back nearly to their bases,
and from these fresh shoots are produced, which fruit late in the season.
In order to obtain very large fruit, so far as this depends on pruning
and training, few bearing shoots should be left to each plant, or, in
particular cases, some plants, or a row or two, may be sacrificed by
permitting no suckers to grow. Of course, no fruit can be obtained in
the following season from plants so treated, the formation of shoots for
future bearing being prevented, but in consequence of this the fruiting
canes will be better nourished and the fruit larger.

" Other Culture. — This consists in keeping the surface stirred and free
of weeds. Manure should be applied in autumn, and ought to be

176 THE FLORIST.

worked into the surface of the soil with a fork, without disturbing the
soil to the depth of more than four or five inches, but to this depth it
should be regularly turned over every year. If the operation is
neglected one year, it cannot afterwards be performed without destroying
the roots which have formed near the surface in the interval, and,
consequently, ruining the plantation. Suckers not required for future
bearing, or for a new plantation, should never be allowed to appear
much above the surface ; and in forking over the ground, they should
be traced and eradicated as near to their origin as it is possible to do
without injuring the root from which they spring.

" Diseases and Insects. — The Raspberry, when planted in a suitable
soil and situation, and otherwise properly managed, is not liable to be
attacked by diseases ; and it rarely suffers any material injury from
insects. The grub of the Raspberry-bud (Tinea corticella, L.) occa-
sionally proves injurious to the crop by consuming the interior of the
flower-buds and the footstalk of the fruit, causing them to wither up
and die. About the end of May, the caterpillar enters into the pupa
state, and in a fortnight re- appears as a moth, which deposits its eggs
on the stems, but whether on the young or old wood is not known.
The larvae are produced early in August, and feed upon the leaves till
winter, when they conceal themselves, and in spring again attack the
young buds. The crop from the buds attacked being lost at any rate,
all that can be done is to prevent the recurrence of the evil, by pinching
the flower-buds in which the presence of the insect is indicated by their
withered appearance. The Raspberry-leaf miner (Foenusa pumila)
occasionally injures the plants by consuming the cellular tissue
contained between the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf, which, when
thus attacked, presents a blotched appearance, by which the presence
of the caterpillar is made apparent. Collecting and burning the leaves
affected is the most effectual remedy. The grub of another insect
(Byturus tomentosus) is very frequently found in the fruit, which it
does not attack till nearly ripe. No remedy is known."

Let us add that the work is illustrated by coloured plates and
woodcuts, and when complete will form a very handsome volume.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION, ST. JAMES'S

HALL.
May 12 and 13. — Opinions will vary as to this show, but if one
may judge from the small number of visitors, public opinion is decidedly
against it ; and notwithstanding the oracular approbation of certain
very knowing parties, I think public opinion is right in this instance,
though I am very far from subscribing to the motto, " Vox populi, vox
Dei." When one compared the rush and crush at the same Hall on
the 1st of July last year, at the National Rose Show, the eagerness
with which Lords and Ladies, peers and commoners, amateurs and
gardeners, crowded round the tables then, with the very sparse scattering
of very aristocratic looking people, and their laissez /aire sort of way
of looking at the collection, one could not help feeling that the Horti-

JUNE. 177

cultural Society had not hit upon the true way of making itself popular ;
and, after all, in these days, that is the point. To be select, and please
a few of the noble and wealthy, may be quite desirable ; but to bring
" grist to the mill," you must interest the great body of the community.
Nineteen out of twenty of the lovers of flowers in England could have
had but just this interest in the above show — " It was very pretty,"
" Some very fine fruit," " What curious-looking plants ! " But where
were the note-books taken out, names taken down, nurserymen looked
after, and orders given ? Echo answers, Where ? I for one did not
see it ; and just for this simple reason, that the plants exhibited
were not within reach of the " nineteen." They were stove or large
greenhouse plants, or forced fruits from Pineries and hothouses, all of
which, of course, the " upper ten thousand" can boast of, but which the
majority of the real lovers of flowers cannot touch.

The Society seems to have made two great mistakes in this show.
First and foremost, the most preposterous regulation of making it a two
days' exhibition — cruel in the extreme to the poor plants, and very
hard upon the exhibitors. Imagine delicate stove plants, Caladiums,
Cattleyas, Vandas, &c, exposed to the gas, dust, and confinement of
St. James's Hall for two whole days ! One would not subject much
hardier plants to such treatment, and the sooner an alteration is made
in this the better. Then, again, the prizes offered clearly exclude those
things which are within the reach, as I have said, of the great majority.
If Pelargoniums and such like plants had been encouraged, it would
have increased the popularity of the show.

Taking these things into account, one is, however, bound to say that
the arrangement reflected the greatest credit on Mr. Edmonds, gardener
to the Duke of Devonshire, at Chiswick, to whom, I believe, it was
committed ; and the effect on entering the room was not so much that
you were entering an exhibition, with its stiff and formal accompani-
ments, but a well and carefully arranged conservatory. At the far end,
in front of the orchestra, were placed six magnificent plants of Roses,
from Mr. Lane, of Great Berkhampstead, testifying to the skill and
energy of that enterprising grower. It has seldom fallen to my lot to
see such pot Roses before. They were, of course (for bushes six feet
high must be so), old sorts, but they were the very perfection of growth.
Triomphe de Paris, H.P., Paul Perras, H.B., Jules Margottin, H.P.,
Duchess of Sutherland, H.P. ; Souvenir d'un Ami, T. ; and Baronne
Prevost, H.P. In front of these were some small plants of new variegated
Geraniums, from Messrs. Henderson, sufficiently striking to be worth
looking after. In the centre of the room the fruit was displayed, with
some standard Chinese Azaleas in the middle of the long table, and
underneath them some pot Roses, from Mr. Francis, of Hertford; the
most taking (alas ! there was none of that), well, then, the most
tempting dish of said fruit being, I think, the Sir Charles Napier
Strawberries of Mr. Smith, of Twickenham ; the berries large, fine-
shaped, and of a most brilliant scarlet. Its flavour — alas ! my friends,
you know as much of that as I do, for " Noli me tangere " was plainly
written upon all. New and striking foliaged plants were in great
abundance. The very beautiful Clianthus Dampieri (figured some time

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXVII. N

178 THE FLORIST.

since in the Florist) was there, in Mr. Veitch's very fine group. Far-
fugium grande, too, was well grown, and some of the Begonias, wiih
their very peculiar markings, attracted a good deal of attention. Myo-
sotis nobilis, though very pretty, would not put out of favour (in my
eyes, at any rate) its little native congener, whose bright blue flowers
cluster in our ditches — the " Forget-me-not " so dear to spooney young
gentlemen and young ladies fresh from their boarding schools. Amongst
plants likely to be of general interest, if the character given of them be
correct, viz., that they are hardy, are Aucuba Himalaica and Olea
ilicifolia the former from the Wellington lload Nursery, the latter from
Mr. Veitch.

Deal, May 23. D.

FARNHAM CASTLE, NEAR CAVAN, IRELAND.

This, the seat of Lord Farnham, is situated two miles north-west of
Cavan. On each side of the carriage drive, leading to the house, stand
some fine " ancestral trees." The mansion itself is entered by a portico
supported by Corinthian pillars, which are of themselves striking features
of the erection. In front is a fine green lawn, many acres in extent,
interspersed with trees and shrubs, both single and in groups. The
pleasure-grounds lie south-west of the mansion. In front of the house
is a range of plant houses 80 yards in length, divided into four
divisions by glass partitions. Next the house is a greenhouse, gay with
Cinerarias and Geraniums, the latter show and fancy kinds, grown in
9-inch pots, many of them measuring from 2 to 2| feet through, and
literally covered with flowers. Azaleas in bloom consisted of Beauty of
Europe, Criterion, Duke of Devonshire, Gledstanesi formosa, Glory of
Sunninghill, Holfordiana, Iveryana, Semi-duplex maculata, and
Perryana. There were also Ericas and Epacris, Rhododendrons,
Carnations, Pinks, &c, intermixed with variegated Geraniums, such as
Emperor (Lee's), Lady Plymouth, &c. Centaurea argentea, is also used
for the same purpose. The two centre houses in this range contained
a fine collection of stove plants, Orchids, Palms, Ferns, and Lycopods.
The Palms were planted out in a bed in the centre, and looked remark-
ably healthy. In front were some large Crinums, Strelitzia Reginse,
and other large growing stove plants and Ferns. Another compart-
ment was particularly gay with Gloxinias, Tydseas, Meyenia erecta,
Euphorbias, iEschynanthus, Dendrobiums, &c. Among the flowering
plants were arranged variegated and fine-foliaged plants, with good
effect, such as Begonia Rex, Aphelandra Leopoldi, Caladium bicolor
splendens, Sonerila Margaritacea, Cissus discolor, Dioscorea discolor,
Goodyeras, Crotons, Dracaenas, and Marantas. This house also
contained a goodly collection of Ferns ; here were some fine Gym-
nogrammas and others. Associated with these was a beautiful new
Torenia named pulcherrima, an improvement on asiatica. The last
house in this range was filled with orange trees, both planted out and
in tubs. The conservatory is about 50 yards long, with the centre
divided into two compartments (beds) ; one of the divisions was filled
with Acacias, &c, and the other chiefly with Tea Roses. The following

JUNE. 179

were trained up pillars, and festooned from the roof: Gloire de Dijon,
yellow shaded with salmon, very fine ; the yellow Devoniensis, and
Souvenir de Malmaison, one of the best of its class. These were
planted out in a prepared bed of rich soil. On the back wall was a
large Luculia gratissima.

On my way to the forcing department I passed through the flower
garden, the beds in which are planted on the ribbon system. Rhodo-
dendrons, Ghent Azaleas and Kalmias I found well set with flower-
buds. To the west of the American garden is a fountain surrounded
with rockwork, planted with rock plants, Ferns, &c.

In the kitchen garden the glass erections consist of four Vineries,
two Peach-houses, Pine stove, succession Pine pits, propagating house,
and Melon and Cucumber pits. In the earliest Vinery was fruit nearly
ripe — Hamburghs and Sweetwaters ; Muscats also promised well. The
next Vinery, a Hamburgh house, was filled with Camellias, the pots
of which were plunged in a dung bed, which runs up the centre of the
house. The plants were making fine young wood, the Vines acting as
shading for the tender foliage. The following twelve were really good
varieties, viz., Adrien Lebrun, Archduchess Augusta Maria, Duchess
of Northumberland (Lee's), Florence Nightingale, Jacksoni, Jenny
Lind, Mrs. Cope, Optima, Storeyi, Donkelaari, Chandleri, Fimbriata, &c.
The latest Vinery is planted with Black Hamburghs, West's St. Peter's,
and Barbarossa. Early Peaches were in a forward state, and a splendid
crop of both early and late ones was coming on in-doors. In the Pine
stove the fruiting plants were showing well. In front of the Pines, pot
Vines were growing ; succession Pines looked remarkably healthy.
Melons and Cucumbers are grown here in dung pits ; for late use they
are trained on trellis-work. By this plan fruit is obtained much later
than otherwise could be in dung pits.

Parallel with the Vineries is a series of flower beds, laid out on
gravel, edged with Box. In summer, when in full bloom, these cannot
fail to be very effective. As a great quantity of bedding plants is
required here every season, all the old plants of Geraniums are lifted in
autumn, and kept during winter in cold " sod" pits. They are found
to bloom more freely and not to grow so strongly as young plants.
Calceolarias and Verbenas, previously to being planted out, are pricked
out in beds made for the purpose, and protected during cold nights ; by
this plan the plants do not suffer from the shift they get to their summer
quarters. Fewer plants answer the purpose, and they come earlier
into bloom.

The wall fruit hts suffered very much from the late spring frost, also
many of the more tender shrubs in the pleasure grounds. The
following figures will show the amount of frost registered here during
the week ending April 23:— April 18th, 7°; 19th, 5°; 20th, 7° ;
21st, 12°; 22nd, 12°; 23rd, 9°. The above would indicate the
necessity of erecting glass walls, or walls covered with glass, which are
indispensable to every good garden establishment.

A short distance from the mansion is a Rose garden, which has
undergone considerable improvement during last winter, and a great
quantity of new Roses has been added to the superb collection which

N2

180 THE FLORIST.

this garden already contained. This, as well as all other things, reflected
credit on Mr. Honeywill, who is gardener here. In fact, everything
on the domain denoted wealth, taste, and intelligence.

D.

NATIONAL TULIP SOCIETY.

The eleventh annual exhibition of this Society took place at Slough,
on the 20th ult. Late as it was for many collections in the south,
yet there was a good show, some of the specimens being of remarkable
beauty, particularly those shown by R. H. Betteridge, Esq., and R.
Headley, &c. The latter gentleman exhibited some very fine new
flowers of his own raising — Adonis, John Linton, and Sarah Headley
were particularly striking. We, however, merely give the awards on
this occasion ; our critical remarks will be given in next number.

In the first class, 12 blooms, four of each colour, there were 14
collections staged. The first prize was awarded to R. H. Betteridge,
Esq., Milton Hill, Abingdon, for finely grown flowers, and exceedingly
well marked. They consisted of Marcellus, Thalia, Lord Denman,
Madame Catalani, Alcon, Countess of Wilton, Spencer's First-rate,
George Hayward, Royal Sovereign, Heroine, Triomphe Royale, and
Polyphemus ; 2nd, Mr. W. Lawrence, Hampton, with Lady Wilder,
Jupiter, Brown's Ulysses, Maid of Orleans, Blcemart, Madonna,
Aglaia, Duke of Northumberland, Queen of Hampton, Charles Brown,
Madame Vestris, and George Hayward ; 3rd, Mr. Thomas Westbrook,
Abingdon, with Isabella, Koyal Sovereign, General Barnoveldt, Bion,
Everard, Blcemart, Polyphemus, Madame Catalani, Maid of Orleans,
Rose Tryall, Vivid, and Thalia ; 4th, Mr. Joseph Godfrey, Chellaston,
near Derby, with Duke of Devonshire, Mrs. Pickerill, Rose Aglaia,
Royal Sovereign, Vivid, Triomphe Royale, Merit, Miss Grace, Queen
Charlotte, Lady Franklin, Heroine, and Abbott's Gem ; 5th, Mr. J.
Hepworth, Hendrie's Gardens, Lea Bridge, Essex, with Heroine,
Seedling No. HI, Plat off, Princess Royal, President, Aglaia, Seedling
No. 40, Vivid, Aglaia flamed, Ulysses, Seedling 210, and Seedling 80 ;
6th, C. Williams, Esq., Clarence Cottage, West Green Road, Totten-
ham, with Willison's King, Walker's Duchess of Sutherland, Sander's
Louis Philippe, Don Fedro, Violet Quarto, Headley's Helena, Salvator
Rosa, Mayor of Manchester, Anastasia, Dr. Horner, Heroine, and La
Tendresse. Mr. Headley exhibited a superb stand, but was disqualified,
one of the flowers having seven petals. #

Class B. Six Tulips, one feathered and one flamed in each class : —
1st prize, R. H. Betteridge, Esq., with Triomphe Royale, Incompar-
able, Heroine, Willison's King flamed, Seedling No. 74, and Willison's
King feathered ; 2nd, Mr. Joseph Godfrey, with Lady Franklin, Royal
Sovereign, Merit, Heroine, Triomphe Royale, and Mrs. Pickerill ; 3rd,
Mr. Thomas Allestree, Draycott, near Derby, with Aglaia, Lorenzo,
Masterpiece, Merit, Kate Connor, and Chellaston Beauty ; 4th, Mr.
J. Hepworth, with Heroine, Blcemart, Platoff, President, Seedling 210,
and Aglaia ; 5th, Joseph Hunt, Esq., High Wycombe, with George

JUNE. . 181

Hayward, Lord Denman, Lady Denman, Triomphe Royale, Heroine,
and Delaforce's King ; 6th, H. Steward, Esq., York, with Charles X.,
Brown's Salvator Rosa, Violet Quarto, Sarah Headley, Pilot, and
Triomphe Koyale.

Class C. Three Feathered Tulips, one in each class : — 1st prize, Mr.
Joseph Godfrey, with Royal Sovereign, Victoria Regina, and Heroine ;
2nd, Mr. J. Hepworth, with Seedling 210, Heroine, and Surpass
Catafalque ; 3rd, Rev. S. Cresswell, Radford Vicarage, Nottingham,
with Gem, Cotterill's Elizabeth, and Heroine ; 4th, R. Headley, Esq.,
Stapleford, Cambridge, with La Belle Mannette, Vivid, and Duchess of
Cambridge ; 5th, ditto, with Aglaia, Pactolus, and Surpass Fanny.

Class D. Three Flamed Tulips, one in each class, 23 collections : —
1st prize, Charles Williams, Esq.? with Walker's Duchess of Suther-
land, Groom's Orpheus, and Triomphe Royale ; 2nd, R. H% Betteridge,
Esq., with Incomparable, Triomphe Royale, and Glory of Abingdon;
3rd, Mr. Joseph Godfrey, with La Beine Amia, Colonel Windham,
and Triomphe Royale; 4th, R. H. Betteridge, Esq., with Mountain
Sylph, Polyphemus, and Triomphe du Monde ; 5th, Charles Williams,
Esq., with Sir J. Paxton, Lady Exeter, and Crook's Alice.

Class E. Six Breeder Tulips, two in each class, dissimilar : — 1st
prize, R. H. Betteridge, Esq., with Battersby's Sobraon, Seedling,
Groom's Polonius, Seedling No. 38, Groom's Henry Fusili, and Slater's
Earl of Warwick; 2nd, H. Steward, Esq., with Pilot, Princess Royal,
Anastasia, Sable Monarque, Juliet, and King ; 3rd, Mr. Thomas
Allestree, with Sobraon, Adonis, Juliet, Seedling, Earl of Warwick,
and Queen of England ; 4th, Mr. J. Hepworth.

Class F. Three Breeders, one in each class :— 1st prize, R. H.
Betteridge, Esq., with Sir Joseph Paxton, Seedling No 38, and Sarah
Ann; 2nd, H. Steward, Esq., with Anastasia, Willison's Sir J. Paxton,
and Princess Royal ; 3rd, Joseph Hunt, Esq., with Willison's Queen,
Sarah Arm, and Pilot ; 4th, Mr. J. Hepworth.

The premier prize was awarded to R. Headley, Esq., for Headley 's
Adonis, a charming feathered Bybloemen.

DUCHESS OF NORFOLK ROSE.

This Rose is a remarkable instance of the gradual improvement of
some Hybrid Perpetual Roses. It was raised from seed by M. Mar-
gottin some eight or ten or twelve years since, and presented, with one
or two other seedling Roses to his customers, Mr. Rivers and Messrs.
Wood. The former, knowing very well the usual value of the seedlings
given to their clients by the French florists, neglected his plants, and
ultimately lost them. Messrs. Wood cultivated those in their possession
carefully, and were rewarded by one of them proving worthy of being
named the Duchess of Norfolk, which, although scarcely more than a
mediocre Rose when first sent out, has improved annually, and was last
season among the most beautiful of Roses. R.

182

THE FLORIST.

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18-1 TIIE FLORIST.

VIOLETS.

With me, Violets are held in great esteem. I was therefore quite
delighted to see Mr. Shrimpton's excellent paper on the Neapolitan
sort in your last number. In " Weeds and Wild Flowers " Lady-
Wilkinson has the following pleasant gossip about this my favourite
flower, which may not be uninteresting to your readers : —

"'Violets,' says Gerarde, ' haue a great prerogative aboue others,
not only because the mind conceiueth a certain pleasure and recreation
by smelling and handling those more odoriferous floures, but also for
that verie manie of these Violets receiue ornament and comely grace,
for there be made of them garlands for the head, nosegaies, and posies,
which are delightful to look upon, and to smel to ; speaking nothing of
their appropriat virtues ; yea gardens themselves receiue by these the
greatest ornament of all, chiefest beauty, and most excellent grace, and
the recreation of the mind which is taken hereby cannot be but very
good and honest.'

" Vitru\ius tells us that the flowers were not only used to adulterate
or counterfeit the celebrated blue of Athens, but were also employed to
' moderate anger,' to cure ague and inflammation of the lungs, to allay
thirst, procure sleep, and ' comfort and strengthen the heart, as well as
for cooling plasters ; ' besides being worn as a charm against the
' falling sickness,' and headaches ; and Pliny gives a long catalogue of
their virtues ; affirming that they are cooling, good for inflammation,
weak eyes, quinsey, swellings, &c, &c, and recommending garlands of
the blossoms to be worn for the preservation of the head. The seeds
were formerly believed to counteract the effects of a scorpion's sting.
The peasant mother — though she no longer uses the Violet in her
' pottage ' — administers its syrup to her infant as a medicine suited to
its tender age ; the Moslem quaffs a similar preparation as one of his
favourite sherbets ; and the chemist employs it as his most delicate
test for acids or alkalis ; the former giving it a red tinge, and the
latter one of green. The French make the greatest use of the flowers
in their • confitures ' and household remedies ; and on turning over
Machet's ' Confiseur Moderne,' and works of a similar character, we
are surprised to find the frequency of receipts for conserve de violettes,
(/laces a la violelte, marmalade de violettes, Pains souffles a la violette
(in which, however, Prussian blue and carmine usually do duty for the
hue of the flower, while ' iris de Florence enpoudre ' represents its scent
and flavour) , Pastille a la violette, pates des violettes, gomme de violettes,
sirop de violettes, and numberless confections of a similar character.

" The root of the sweet Violet, V. odorata, acts as a powerful emetic,
and is frequently used to adulterate ipecacuanha, and in fact the whole
of the Violacese are thus, though in various degrees, distinguished ; the
active principle of their roots, which is called violene, closely resembling
emetin. Sir William Hooker has satifactorily ascertained the Viola
Ipecacuanha, or the Ionidium parviflorum, to be the celebrated
' Cuychunchulle ' of Dr. Bancroft. Pliny describes a liniment of Violet
roots and vinegar for gout and ' disorders of the spleen.'

JUNE. 185

" Thus the uses of the plant, as well as its exquisite beauty, have
attracted attention wherever it occurs — and it is by no means sparingly
distributed. Aboo Rumi, the eastern poet, exclaims ; ' It is not a
flower — it is an emerald bearing a purple gem ! ' And it has been
said that the Arabs expressively describe the eye of a beautiful woman
by comparing it to a Violet. The ancient Greeks attributed to the
goddess of beauty, ' Violet-like eyelids,' and Shakespeare speaks of —
" ' Violets dim,
But sweeter thau the lids of Juno's eyes.'

Comparisons which we may refer rather to the delicate tinting of
purple which gives so great a charm to some eyelids, especially to those
of little babies, rather than to the ancient practice of imitating this
tinge by colouring the eyelids with powder of antimony, to which some
commentators have attributed it : since the black kohl or antimony
cannot well be compared in colour to the Violet.

" Shakespeare alludes to a very old belief, and one which we find
frequently and variously expressed, when he says :

* * " ' Lay her i' the earth,

And from her fair and unpolluted flesh

May Violets spring.'

" Or, as Herrick has it —

" ' From her happy spark, here let
Spring the purple Violet.'

" Partly perhaps for this reason the Violet, supreme in its sweetness,
finds its place with these and other sweet-smelling herbs in the grave-
vards of Wales ; and the Romans called the days set apart for decking
their graves with flowers ' Dies violaris.y In allusion to this use of
the flower, Shelley says : —

" ' Lilies for a bridal bed,

Roses for the matron's head,
Violets for a maiden dead.'
" And, again, —

" ' His head was bound with Pansies overblown,
And faded Violets, white, pied, and blue.'

" The Violet was a great favourite with the Greeks, claiming,
according to Theocritus, the earliest place in the flowers chosen for the
wreath ; and Homer, as translated by Cowper, says : —

* " ' Everywhere appeared

Meadows of softest verdure, purpled o'er
With Violets ; it was a scene to fill
A god from heaven with wonder and delight.'

" Athens was noted for its love of Violets. Aristophanes (Knights)
?ays, ' he lives in the ancient Violet-crowned Athens ; ' and (Acharn),
' first they called you (Athenians) Violet-crowned.' The same epithet
was applied to the Muses, and Homer even calls Venus 'crowned
with Violets.'

" Athenseus, like other ancient writers, speaks of the use of Violets for
chaplets ; but in another place, he pretends that they were excluded
from banquets because they affected the head by their scent. In this,
however, he is contradicted by Plmy ; and Plutarch more distinctly says

186 THE FLORIST.

' its exhalations greatly assist in removing the affections of the head
caused by wine.' Athenaeus states that at Cyrene the scent of the
Violet is ' especially strong and divine, as is that of other flowers there,
excepting the Crocus ; ' a statement probably borrowed from Theophrastus.
He also assigns to ' the black Violet the most agreeable scent.'

" The old Greek poets, in their admiration of the Violet, prettily
feigned that when Io was changed into a cow, the earth ' honouring her,'
brought forth the Violet for her to feed upon ; and Jane Taylor, in her
delightful ' Nursery Rhymes,' as prettily, though quite unintentionally,
re-echoes the idea of its being a favourite food of the cow : —

" ' Where the purple Violet blows,
Pretty cow go there and dine.'

" Nicander, however, ignores this fable, and substitutes for it the
legend already mentioned.

" There is, probably, no land in which the Violet grows — and it
abounds in every part of Europe, in Barbary, Palestine, Japan, China,
and America — in whose language its praises have not been sung. The
Welsh poet says : —

" ' Beautiful are Violets on the broken bank
When starting into sudden bloom ;
All trustfully they smile upon the snow
That coldly shrouds the hills above.

They are beautiful !

Ob, they are beautiful ! "

"The American bard says : —

" ' When its long rings uncurls the Fern,
The Violet nestling low,
Casts back the white lid of its urn,

Its purple streaks to shew.
Beautiful blossom ! first to rise
And smile beneath spring's wakening skies,

The courier of a band
Of coming flowers, what feelings sweet
Gush, as the silvery gem we greet
Upon its slender wand.'

" Robert Storey, the Northumbrian poet, thus alludes to the
emblematic meaning attached to the Violet in common with other blue
flowers : —

* * " ' Telling me in every wreath I made,
Not to omit the Violet, which meant truth.'

"The Violet was the appropriate May-day prize bestowed on the
troubadour, or the minnie-singer of the olden time. Its place was
afterwards taken by a golden Violet; and a remembrance of the
custom survived in the Toulouse Academy cf Floral Games.

"The words of Shakespeare —

" ' To gild refined gold,'
are familiar to every one, but we seldom recollect that the illustration
is, to the full, as apt when he pronounces it an equally —

" ' Wasteful and ridiculous excess
To throw a perfume on the Violet.'

" This perfume, according to Lord Bacon, may be preserved for a
year or more by repeatedly infusing the petals in vinegar.

JUNE. 187

" Most persons must have felt the extraordinary power of scents in
recalling the memory of long-past years ; before the following lines
were written—

" ' The smell of Violets hidden in the Grass

Poured back into my empty soul and frame
The times when I remember to have been
Joyful and free from blame.'

" Milton, who is usually most accurate in his observation of nature,
makes the remark that —

" ' In the Violet-embroidered vale
The love-lorn nightingale,
Nightly her sad song mourneth ■well.'

And it certainly is a curious circumstance that the broad band,
extending across England, which rejoices in the possession of the sweet-
scented Viola odorata, is, I believe, also frequented by this bird. Does
the plant nourish any peculiar insect on which the nightingale habitually
feeds ?

" The sweet Violet is not the only one used by the rustic practitioner.
The Dog- Violet (V. canina) — which, in spite of all our predilections,
has really a prettier blossom than its more valued and favoured sister
— is used to cure cutaneous disorders, and mixed with milk, it forms a
highly-prized cosmetic. In mountainous and sunny districts the flowers
of this Violet are of great size and of a brilliant colour, though the plant
becomes proportionately dwarfed ; while, in barren and sandy ' dunes,'
there is satifactory reason to believe that it dwindles into the V.
flavicornis of some botanists. This plant, with the three following,
belongs to the subdivision of the Violets which are furnished with an
evident stem ; the remaining three British species being stemless, or
nearly so.

" The so-called cream-coloured Violet (V. lactea) is a rare species,
occurring on high and heathy land, and bearing some resemblance to
the V. montana of Linnaeus, but it is now generally considered to be a
distinct plant.

" The yellow mountain Violet (V. lutea) occurs in the wilder districts
of Wales, Scotland, the north of England, and also, I believe, in Corn-
wall. At a first view it bears some resemblance to the Pansy (V.
tricolor), though, in reality, quite distinct from it.

" This last is the ' Hearts-ease,' the ' Herb-trinity,' the ' Love-in-
idleness ; ' the plant with many other pleasant names. Who does not
know how Cupid, ' in idleness,' shot his shaft at the fair queen of the
' throned west,' who passed on —

" ' In maiden meditation, fancy free ? '
and how the winged arrow —

" ' Fell upon a little western flower,

Before milk-white ; now purple with love's wound,
And maidens call it Love-in-idleness.'

" And who knows not, upon the same authority, that —

" ' The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid,
Will make a man or woman madly dote,
Upon the next live creature that it sees ? '

188 THE FLORIST.

" Besides the sweet Violet the stemless sub-division includes the
hairy Violet (V. hirta), which grows in such well-marked distinctness
on calcareous soils only ; and the pretty little marsh Violet (V. palustris),
with its delicately-streaked and roundish blossoms, and its fine glossy
leaves. The latter grows in the damp parts of the hilly regions of
Scotland and Wales, mingling prettily with its companion flower, the
bog Pimpernel." Eugenia.

ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, REGENT'S PARK.

May 25. — This was one of the most brilliant exhibitions we have
witnessed for many a day. Azaleas and Pelargoniums were numerous
and very fine. Roses were also grand, and there was a fine display of
stove and greenhouse plants. The day was all that could be wished,
and there was a large attendance.

In Stove and Greenhouse plants (large collections) there was a keen
contest between Mr. Dods, gardener to Sir J. Cathcart, Bart., and Mr.
Whitbread, gardener to H. Collyer, Esq., of Dartford. The first had
plants equally fine as those shown by him at the Crystal Palace. Mr.
Collyer's were also in excellent condition, and nearly equal in merit.
The first prize was, however, awarded to Mr. Dods. Of other Stove
and Greenhouse plants, Mr. May, gardener to J. Spode, Esq., sent a
finely-grown collection all the way from Staffordshire ; and among
nurserymen, Messrs. Cutbush, Fraser, and Epps also furnished hand-
some groups. Orchids, we thought, scarcely so fine or so attractive as
we have seen them in former years. Azaleas were in great perfection.
Mr. Carson's plants, especially, were very fine, Mr. Green's were a
little past their best. Of new varieties, Messrs. Ivery had a pretty
white, pink-flaked sort, called Flower of the Day ; and from Mr.
Turner came Advance, also a promising kind. It is a light purple,
strongly marked, and very handsome. Miltoni and Chameleon were
also good flowers. A. elegantissima, a striped kind, was also promising.
Heaths and Roses in pots were again in beautiful condition, and had, as
they deserved, many admirers.

New plants were scarce — a Cattleya, somewhat resembling Aclandise,
was shown by Messrs. Veitch, and Messrs. Parker & Williams also sent
two or three kinds of Cattleya allied to intermedia. From the former firm
were likewise shown their handsome Begonias and Pothos formerly
noticed, and a yellow-blossomed Blandfordia. Mr. Williams, nursery-
man, Herdon, had the pretty Caladium argyrites, with small leaves,
charmingly blotched with white. Tydsea Duchesse de Brabant and
Leopoldi came from Messrs. Parker & Williams, the former purple and
the latter scarlet, large and showy, both beautifully marked and very
handsome. The last-named firm also sent a pretty little Vanda, with
straw-coloured sepals and petals and violet lip. We also noticed one
or two fine-foliaged plants, none of them very hew, from Messrs. E. G.
Henderson.

Pelargoniums, like Azaleas and Roses, looked very much better under

JUNE. 189

canvas than they did at the Crystal Palace ; as shown on Wednesday
they were all that could be desired. In the Nurserymen's class, Mr.
Turner was first with a finely coloured Etna, the large orange- blossomed
Festus, Empress Eugenie, Carlos, Mazeppa, Admirable, Governor-
General, Lord Raglan, Sanspareil, delicatum, Fair Ellen, and Matilda.
Messrs. Dobson had Evelyn, Rosamond, Vestal, Governor-General,
Fairest of the Fair, Rosalie, Bride, Admirable, Sanspareil, Starlight,
Carlos, Eugenie Duval. Messrs. Fraser sent Clara, Governor-General,
Una, delicatum, Admirable, Rosamond, Lucy, Sanspareil, Pallas, Gem
of the West, Mr. Hoyle, Eclipse. Mr. Windsor and Mr. Gaines, of
Battersea, also showed in this class. Of Fancies, Mr. C. Turner sent
large well-bloomed plants in good variety, several of which were new.
Of the latter were Crimson Pet, Rosabella, Bridesmaid, Princess Royal,
Madame Rougiere, and Comminution. Messrs. Frazer had Richard
Cobden, Celestial, Conspicuum, Formosissimum, Madame Sontag, and
Delicatum. Mr. Windsor furnished Electra, Duchesse d'Aumale,
Delicatum, Perfection, Lady Hume Campbell, and Cassandra. Mr.
Gaines also contributed a collection. In the Amateur's Class, Mr."
Nye, gardener to E. Foster, Esq., furnished a fine plant of Carlos, Fair
Ellen, Sanspareil, Saracen, Governor- General, Pallas, Wonderful, Una,
Admirable, and Rose Celestial. Mr. Wiggins, gardener to E. Beck, Esq.,
Isleworth, had Bride, Admirable, Fanny, Laura, Governor-General,
Vestal, Wonderful, Sanspareil, and Symmetry. Mr. Bailey, gardener
to T. T. Drake, Esq., Amersham, had some well-grown plants, con-
sisting of Conspicuum, Gem of the West, Admirable, Carlos, Governor-
General, Floribundum, Fair Ellen, and Mr. Marnock. In Fancies,
the best six came from Mr. Bailey, whose sorts were Madame Sontag,
Cloth of Silver, Formosum, Celestial, Evening Star, and Lady of the
Lake. Mr. James and Mr. Holland, both from Isleworth, exhibited
well in this class, in which Mr. Weir and Mr. Turnbull were also com-
petitors.

A nice bank of Seedlings appeared greatly to interest growers of
this popular flower, as well as the public. The best were Autocrat
(Foster), white centre, dark top, and richly painted lower petals ; King
of Purples (Turner), rosy purple, spotted on the lower petals; Czar,
(Hoyle), similar in character to Autocrat ; Angelina (Hoyle), a smooth
flower, light lower petals, very dark top ; Hero (Turner), salmon
spotted ; Spark (Turner), a small but vivid scarlet, much the brightest
of its class. Fancy Arabella Goddard (Turner), soft rose, white eye
and edge, fine form. The Judges selected the above for prizes. There
were also Juno (Beck), bright crimson; Apollo (Beck), scarlet, dark
* top ; Eastern Beauty (Hoyle), rose, fine form ; Inez (Hoyle), dark
top, lower petals light; Jessica (Hoyle), orange, very bright; Light-
ning (Foster), Favourite (Turner), Mammoth (Turner), Hesperus
(Beck), Bridesmaid (Beck), white, resembling The Bride. All the
above possess some merit, and many of them at some future time may
possibly be found in winning collections. In Fancies, Negress, multi-
florum, Symmetry, and Miss Turner appeared to be dissimilar in
colour, and were of the finest form. A pretty seedling variegated
Geranium, Magnet, appeared dwarf and of good colour, but not new in
foliage.

190 TIIE FLORIST.

Although the season for Cinerarias is nearly over, nevertheless the
two first collections were very good. They came from Mr. Turner, of
Slough, and Mr. Shritnpton, of Putney. Messrs. Dobson also had
some good plants. The best were Slough Rival, Perfection, Baroness
Rothschild, Mrs. Colman, Brilliant (Lidyard), ditto (Smith), and Mr.
Hoyle.

Of Tulips some good blooms were shown by J. Hunt, Esq., Wy-
combe, and Mr. Turner. The best were Eliza, Sarah Headley, Mary
Headley, Bloemart, Magnum Bonum, Maid of Orleans, King, Victoria,
and Heroine.

Of Verbenas, Mr. Turner had a beautiful boxful of cut blooms,
among which the most conspicuous were perhaps Rosalind, large and
showy scarlet ; Mrs. Pennington, rosy pink, large and fine; and Lord
Elgin, deep plum with a white eye.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Auriculas. — Place these in a cool shady situation, taking the
precaution not to allow the drips from trees or buildings to fall upon
them. Green-fly will be troublesome, but must be kept under ; if
infected, remove the plants to a pit, that they may be effectually
fumigated.

Azaleas and Camellias. — Keep the latter close and with humid
atmosphere until their growth is completed, when more air and less
moisture should be given, to cause them to form flower buds. Clean
the decayed petals from Azaleas as they go out of bloom, and well wash
the foliage. The plants, after blooming, should be induced to grow by
a nice moist atmosphere. Any plants getting naked at bottom may
be laid on their sides, to encourage the bare stems to break. Those
intended for early forcing will have made their growth, and may now
have more light and air, to get them to set well for next season's bloom.

Carnations and Picotees. — The main shoots should now be carefully
tied to nice green stakes. Remove any dead foliage, and likewise any
surface soil that may have become green and sour — replacing with fresh.
These also are frequently attacked with green-fly at this season, which
should be brushed from the points of the shoots as they appear, and
occasionally wash them with tobacco water.

Cinerarias. — Little can now be done with these other than advised
last month. Cut down such as are out of flower to within two or three
inches of the surface. Stir the surface slightly, and top dress with light
soil. A north aspect is the best at this season. Take cuttings as soon
as ready for early flowering plants. Sow seeds in a cool frame or north
border, which prick off as soon as liirge enough to handle. Soil may
now be prepared by putting together equal parts good turfy loam, leaf-
mould, and stable manure. Thoroughly amalgamate, and turn occa-
sionally until required.

JUNE. 191

Cold Frames. — As these are now clear, fill with Balsams, Lilies,
Cape Bulbs, or, indeed, anything in the way of greenhouse plants, to
forward for blooming in the autumn.

Conservatory. — As the beauty and gaiety of the out-door gardens
increase, less may be expected here, and it will afford a good opportunity
of attending to the permanent occupants. Stove and greenhouse Ferns,
Palms, and other fmefoliaged plants from the stoves, maybe introduced
now for two or three months with good effect ; these should be mixed
with Pelargoniums and other plants producing colour, and a pleasing
variety will be imparted.

Dahlias. — Complete planting as soon as possible. The soil having
been well prepared during winter, a little rotten manure to each plant
is all that will be required unless the soil is very stiff, when a little leaf-
mould may be advantageously applied to give the plant a fair start.
Keep them regularly and well watered, and secure them to stakes at
the time of planting.

Flower Garden. — Everything in the planting-out way should be
brought to a close as quickly as possible. Plants of straggling habit
should be at once secured by pegging or tying, as the wind may break
them. We are no advocates for much watering, but when the ground
becomes dry, give a good soaking, and allow the soil to again get dry
before repeating. On many soils, daily slight waterings do more
mischief than good. As the plants progress, let them be properly trained,
to cover the surface of the bed. Plants in ribbon borders must have
their lines well defined, to be effective. Stake Hollyhocks and all tall
growing plants. Herbaceous plants, as Asters, Phloxes, Delphiniums,
when too thick, may have their shoots thinned out. The new
herbaceous Phloxes are fine things for autumn decoration, and equally
useful for cutting, and should be well encouraged. Sow Brompton
Stocks for next season's flowering. Hardy annuals may be sown for
late blooming, and tender annuals transferred to borders. Attend to
keeping close Grass verges and lawns. When the planting out is done,
will be a good time to fresh gravel the walks, as they will then keep a
fresh appearance through the season. Tie out plants in vases or baskets,
so as to present a natural appearance ; and look well to tying in Roses
and climbing plants generally on walls, trellises, &c.

Fruit (hardy). — Let the wall trees have every attention. Peaches
which have been crippled with the cold weather will require much care
to get into good wood for another season. Continue to watch for and
keep down insects. Let disbudding and nailing in proceed whenever
the year's wood is sufficiently advanced. Newly planted trees may
require to be mulched should the weather become hot or dry (it is any-
thing hut that now). We say nothing about thinning; those who have
a superabundance may do so ; we have not.

Hollyhocks. — Mulch these, after which give them a thorough good
watering, and continue to give them a good soaking once or twice a
week, according to the weather. Secure the plants to strong stakes
firmly placed in the ground.

Kitchen Garden. — Preparations for keeping up successional crops of
vegetables will go hand in hand with cultural operations to growing

192 THE FLORIST.

crops, bearing in mind that by frequently stirring the earth between
and around growing crops, you assist vegetable growth immensely, and
add two-fold to the productive powers of the soil. In dry soils, mulching
is the sheet anchor of the gardener for getting quick-growing crisp vege-
tables, and we cannot too strongly recommend the practice, having
previously well loosened the surface. Half-decayed dung, leaves, or in
fact any litter which will cover the surface soil without blowing about
will do good. Peas, Beans, French Beans, Cauliflowers, Lettuces,
Spinach, &c, should be sown at intervals through the month. We find
a good early Pea, as Goliath or Sangster's, makes a good late one, but
the Mammoth is our favourite. Plant out Celery and Cardoons in
well-manured trenches, and on this plan the best crops of late Peas are
to be obtained. Tomatoes should be planted against south walls, or
on a warm border, to cover the soil.

Melons. — The last crop of Melons may now be sown. Succession
crops earthed up. Reduce the quantity of water as the crop changes
colour, and increase the amount of air, to improve the quality of the
fruit.

Pansies. — These must be propagated as often as fresh cuttings can
be obtained. They strike best on a shady border under small hand-
glasses.

Pelargoniums. — The plants in flower will require to be carefully
shaded according to instructions given last month. Water freely every
morning, and give as much air as possible to keep away any moisture
that may arise at night and during dull weather. Stake and neatly tie
the later flowering plants as they advance in growth, keeping them clear
from insects. As soon as the early plants have done blooming, they
may be removed to a sheltered situation out of doors. Be sparing with
water, to enable the wood to become nicely matured before cutting
down. Seedlings should now be selected, discarding any which are not
decided advances on known kinds.

Peach-house. — The ripening crop should have as much air as
possible, to give colour and flavour to the fruit. Fruit swelling may,
now there is plenty of light, have a more warm and humid atmosphere,
which Peaches delight in. When swelling off, be careful, however, to
keep the night temperature down.

Pinery. — Fruit swelling off cannot well have too humid an atmo-
sphere, if attended with light. Tie up the fruit, to keep them upright.
Water may be given now liberally if the soil in the pots is in good
condition. Successions should be potted on and kept close to the glass
as they get full of roots.

Tulips. — Beds that have been covered should now be uncovered, and
allowed all the weather, unless we get very heavy rains. Too much
moisture would be injurious.

Vinery. — Ripe Grapes require plenty of air. The houses for
ripening Grapes for winter should have fire-heat when the weather is
cool. Keep down spider and mildew by free ventilation and applying
sulphur, mixed with lime, to the walls and heating apparatus.

Plate 153.

T>r,„+*,a. z,. r

JULY.

193

L.ELIA SPECIES.

[Plate 153.]

We have much pleasure in presenting our readers with a plate
of this charming plant, which has recently flowered in the
fine collection of Mr. Veitch, of the Exotic Nursery, King's
Road, Chelsea, and which will prove a valnahle addition to
this genus of plants, already well known as the most beautiful
even among Orchids. To our artist the name Cattleya was
given; but it is doubtless a Laslia, and probably L. Scbil-
leriana of Reichenbach. Mr. Veitch informs us that it is one
among many other things which he imported from the Con-
tinent without a name. It is, as will be seen, a really fine
thing, and will doubtless soon find its way into collections. We
had intended giving our readers an article on the cultivation
of Orchids generally ; but we find that as every large cultivator
has something in practice peculiar to himself, it will be more
advisable to wait until we have further information on a subject
so full of importance to Orchid growers. We, however, furnish
the following list of a few very select sorts, which comprise all
the more valuable kinds to grow, and which will prove a
useful guide to purchasers in making selections.

SELECT LIST OF ORCHIDS.

Aerides affine, long racemes of rosy
pink and white
„ crispum, branching spikes,

pink labellum, blush sepals
„ Fieldingi, or " Fox's brush,''
pendulous racemes of purple
and white
„ Larpentae, pendulous racemes

of lilac and white
,, Lindleyanum, the finest va-
riety of A. crispum
„ Lobbi, bright pink and white,

spotted
„ maculosum, racemes of pink

and white, fine lip
„ odoratum, white with lilac
tinge ; an old and cheap kind,
but very sweet
„ quinquevulnera, long ra-
cemes of crimson and white,
spotted, fine
„ virens, pink and white spotted,
long racemes
Barkeria spectabilis, white spotted
with lilac ; does best on a
block, in a cool damp stove

Cattleya Aclandice, fine crimson lip
„ amethystina, blush sepals, fine

puce lip
„ crispa superba, light sepals,

purple lip

,, elegans, ditto ditto, fine throat

„ labiata, fine blush sepals, large

dark piuk lip, one of the

finest autumn Orchids

„ Mossise, an old but very

showy useful kind
,, Skinneri, fine crimson purple
Chysis bractescens, clusters of white

and yellow
Ccelogyne cristata, beautiful clear

white, with yellow throat
Cymbidium eburneum, pure white,

scented
Cypripedium barbatum majus, dark
purple, spotted
,, „ superbum, very line
„ caudatum, ditto

,, villosum, ditto

Dendrobium Cambridgeanum
,, Dalhousieanum

„ densiflorum

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXVIII.

194

THE FLORIST.

Dendrobiurn Devonianum
,, Farmeri

,, formosum

„ macrophyllum

,, oiiosmum

Lselia anceps
,, autuinualis
,, purpurata
Lycaste Skinneri
Millonia Morelliana
Odontoglossum citrosmum
,, grande

,, na?vium

„ Pescatorei

„ pulchellum

Oucidium Lanceanuni
,, sarcodes
And many other good kinds.

Phalamopsis amabilis

,, grandiflora

Saccolabium IBlumei

„ „ majus

,, curvifolium

., guttatum

,, miniatum

,, prsemorsum

Sopbronitis grandiflora
Trichopilia suavis ; and others.
Vauda coarulea
,, Lowei
,, gigantea
,, Roxburgbi
„ suavis
„ teres
„ tricolor

And many others.

CRYSTAL PALACE HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION.

June 8. — A fine day and an excellent exhibition brought together on
this occasion a considerable assemblage of visitors.

Stove and greenhouse plants were again furnished in great quantities,
and in beautiful condition. Indeed, nothing in their way could possibly
be finer than the magnificent plants which covered the stag-js of the
large round table in the centre of the principal transept. These were
contributed chiefly by Mr. Dods, gardener to Sir J. Cathcart, Bart ,
and Mr. Whitbread, gardener to H. Collyer, Esq., of Dartford, between
whom the struggle for mastery in this class of plants now principally lies.
This time, their merits were regarded by the judges to be equal. In
Mr. Dods' group were noble examples of Allamandas, blue Leschenaultia,
Everlastings, among which Aphelexis macrantha rosea was conspicuous ;
Azalea variegata and lateritia, both still in admirable condition as regards
bloom ; the fine variety of Cape Heath called Erica tricolor Wilsoni,
Coleonema rubrum, Ericstemons, Adenandras, Boronia serrulata, and
some very fine Ixoras, more especially a plant of the Wiilow-leaved
variety, on which were such heads of bloom as one rarely sees on this
kind. It had been grafted on I. coccinea, which appears to be an
excellent stock for it. In Mr. Collyer's group were equally fine
specimens of nearly the same kind of plants, collections of which were
also contributed by Messrs. Peed, Green, Page, and Baxendine.
Smaller exhibitions came from Messrs. Rhodes, Cutbush, Kail, Chil-
man, Smith, Carson, Tegg, and Hamp. Among these were nice
specimens of Stephanotis floribunda, Pimelea Hendersoni, Polygalas,
Dracocephalum gracile, blue Leschenaultias, Cyrtoceras reflexum,
Allamandas, Boronias, Abelia floribunda, Ixoras, Combretium coccineum
finely in flower, Everlastings, Cape Heaths, and Azaleas.

Of plants remarkable for fine foliage there was a large collection from
Messrs. Veitch, who contributed among other things beautiful plants of
Dieffenbachia picta, Dracsenas, Palms, variegated Screw Pines, Maranta

JULY. • 195

vittata and zebrina, Crotons, and the handsome Theophrasta imperialis,
and some tree Ferns. Messrs. Jackson and Cutbush also furnished
good collections, as did likewise Messrs. Dods, Colgate, Young,
Summers, Oubridge, Rhodes, and Hamp. Among these were the
handsome Maranta capitata, formerly noticed by us ; Caladiums of
different kinds, Cissus discolor, Palms, Ferns, among which was a
magnificent example of Platycerium grande from Mr. Dods ; Aralias,
of different sorts, Farfugium grande, Begonias, Rhopalas, Musas, and
Calatheas.

Orchids were produced on this occasion in better condition than we have
seen them at any exhibition this year. Messrs. Veitch had a splendid
group, which contained among other things beautiful specimens of
White Butterfly plants (Pbaltenopsis), Cattleya Mossise, one of the
handsomest varieties of Cypripedium barbatum ; various Aerides, among
which the Fielding Fox-brush was conspicuous ; Saccolabium guttatum,
Vanda suavis, the charming purple -lipped white-blossomed Lselia
purpurata, the showy clear yellow blossomed Oncidium ampliatum
majus, and others. The next group in point of merit came from Mr.
Gedney, gardener to the Rev. Mr. Ellis, of Hoddesdon. It contained
Cypripedium villosum, finely in flower ; Phaltenopsis, the beautiful
Dendrobium Devonianum, the yellow Tulip-like Anguloa Clowesi, Lselia
purpurata, Dendrobiums of different kinds, Aerides, and Saccolabiums.
From Mr. Bullen, gardener to J. Butler, Esq., of Woolwich, came the
handsome Dendrobium Farmeri, with numerous racemes of cream-
coloured flowers blotched with rich orange ; Cattleya Loddigesi, with
deep lilac blossoms ; the showy Sobralia macrantha, Anguloa Clowesi
with six flowers, all in perfection ; and Trichopilia coccinea. Mr.
Woolley had a good group, as had also Messrs. Dods, Carson, Rhodes,
Page, and Green. In these we remarked the Orange Saccolabium
curviflorum, Camarotis purpurea, Dendrobium aggregatum, Lasliacinna-
barina, Lycaste Skinneri, Stanhopea oculata, and Calanthe veratrifolia.

Azaleas were greatly past their best, and made but little display.
Tall Cacti, of which two collections were produced — one from Mr. Green,
the other from Mr. Bunn, gardener to R. S. Scott, Esq., of Hornsey —
were however better, if possible, in flower than they were in May, and
were for their number, which was small, very effective. A handsome
seedling Epiphyllum, rich violet and crimson in colour, was shown by
Messrs. Frazer.

Cape Heaths were again furnished in great quantities and in good
condition : but still deficient in novelty. They, however, had their
admirers.

Roses in pots showed unmistakeably the ill effects of the late bright
weather. With the exception of those from Messrs. Lane, which were
good, the rest were very much past their best. Among them were
Baronne Prevost, Madame Plantier, Coupe d'Hebe, Paul Perras, General
Jacqueminot, and other well-known kinds. Of yellows, we noticed
a fine plant of the Persian, from Mr. Terry, gardener to C. W. G.
Puller, Esq., of Youngsbury, Herts. Cut blooms, very good for the
season, were shown by Messrs. Paul. Among them Jules Margottin
and Coupe d'Hebe were remarkably fine.

o 2

196 THE FLORIST.

Ferns, both exotic and British, were in unusually good condition and
formed one of the principal features of the show. Of the former the
best collection came from Messrs. Veitch, who sent among others splendid
examples of Gleichenia flabellata, Speluncse, dichotoma, and hecistophylla ;
Angiopteris evecta, Cyathea dealbata, Alsophila guianensis, Dicksonia
antarctica, Balantium culcita, Todea Fraseri, Cibotium Schiedei, and
Davallia polyantha. Messrs. Woolley and H alley also showed good
groups, as did also Mr. Baillie, gardener to C. Carbonell, Esq., and Mr.
Summers, gardener to A. Mongredien, Esq. The former sent Todea
pellucida, quite a gem ; four species of Gleichenia, one, microphylla,
very large and fine ; Alsophila aculeata, a beautiful Microlepia platy-
phylla, and Davallia oculata, the last a charming species. Mr. Summers
sent Microlepia polypodioides, Adiantum trapeziforme, a very good
Cheilanthes elegans, the Bird's Nest Fern, the rare Gymnogramma
hybrida, and a good plant of Lygodium scandens. Among British sorts
was nothing remarkable.

Of new plants, Messrs. Veitch sent as usual the largest number.
Among them were the Californian Torreya myristica, and Thuja Lobbi ;
various fine Begonias, the best of which have been noticed by us on
former occasions ; a cut specimen of Ceanothus too withered to judge of
its merits, Farfugium grande, the lilac and white-flowered annual
Fenzlia dianthiflora, Chamasbatia foliolosa, a hardy flowering shrub
from California, with handsome Mimosa-like foliage ; Clianthus
Dampieri, a charming variety of Cattleya in the way of C. elegans, and
a new variety of Gymnogramma Messrs. Jackson sent some hand-
some Caladiums and Genetyllis macrostegia. From Mr. Standish came
a white-blossomed Viburnum from the north of China ; Mr. Carson,
Cyanophyllum magnificum ; Mr. Williams, the North American Good-
yera pubescens, a pretty kind, which will succeed in a greenhouse ; Mr.
Gedney, a handsome large rich Orange-flowered Hemerocallis from
Natal, with semi-double flowers, and Tachiadenus carinatus, a Gentian-
like plant with pretty violet blossoms. Mr. Barnes, of Southampton
Street, Camberwell, had some Begonias, the best of which was Queen
of England, a kind with large and showy leaves. The same eminent
cultivator also sent of Prince of Wales, Princess Alice, Minnie, and
Water Witch, all pretty, but perhaps a little too much alike. From
the neighbourhood of Windermere, Mr. Binder sent a good specimen of
the Holly-like Desfontainia spinosa, well furnished with bright crimson
flowers tipped with orange yellow. And we also noticed from another
exhibitor the orange scarlet Embothrium coccineum, also one of Messrs.
Veitch's valuable introductions to this country.

Of pitcher plants Messrs. Veitch and Gedney exhibited splendid
collections, in which were noble examples of lanata, Hookeri, laevis,
Rafflesiana, distillatoria, ampullacea, vittata, and others, all of which
excited much interest.

At the end of a long bank of Pelargoniums were the seedlings, to
which eight prizes were awarded. In large varieties Lord Clyde was
selected as the best. It is a bright free-flowering scarlet, of fine form
and substance, with very dark blotch on the top, having a narrow
margin of vivid crimson. This and Bijou, which was third, a curious

JULY. 197

shade of bluish purple, were raised by Mr. Nye, gardener to E. Foster,
Esq., Clewer Manor. Bacchus, Ajax, and Unique, also of superior
form, were from the same raiser. Angelina (Hoyle),an improved Fair
Ellen, and very fine, was second. Of large spotted kinds, known as
French, there were considerable numbers. King of Purples is a large
"flower of good quality ; Bracelet, rose ground, finely marked with
maroon spots, full size, and good habit ; Magpie, white and maroon
with black in centre of the spots. Rifleman, Beadsman, flowers in the
style of Sanspareil, much better, and as free. These all came from Mr.
Turner, of Slough, the three first named being selected by the judges for
prizes. In Fancies were Sarah Turner, bright crimson, with white
centre and edge, and free good habit; and Omega, a rosy crimson,
suffused with purple, and of the finest possible form ; Amy Sedgwick,
fine Rose, Louisa Pyne, light, and Lady Craven, crimson Rose, were
each and all good and new. These were raised and exhibited by Mr.
Turner. The judges selected the two first.

In bedding Geraniums, Messrs. Veitch received a first prize for Mrs.
Ponsonby Moore, a spotted kind, of dwarf free blooming habit, colour
bright crimson, each petal being ornamented with distinct maroon spots.
This was greatly admired. Christina (Kinghorn) also received a prize ;
it appeared to be a good free blooming bedding kind of a lively pink
colour.

Collections of Pelargoniums were numerous and generally good. Mr.
Nye had some fine plants, the best and most effective of which were
Flora, Prince of Wales, Saracen, Meteor, Fair Ellen, Viola, Wonderful,
and Carlos. Mr. Thos. Bailey, gardener to T. J. Drake, Esq., Amer-
sham, sent the next best collection, which contained a good Carlos, Miss
Foster, Meteora, Mr. Marnock, Governor-General, and Spotted Gem.
Mr. Bailey was first with fancies in the amateur class, his plants being
nicely bloomed, but not large — Acme, Celestial, Lady of the Lake,
Evening Star, Princess Royal, and formosissimum were the kinds. Mr.
James and Mr. Oubridge also contributed collections. In the Nursery-
man's class Mr. Turner, Messrs. Dobson, Mr. Windsor, and Messrs.
Fraser were placed in the order in which their names appear. The
best in Mr. Turner's collection were Candidate, Cynthia, Viola, Governor-
General, Fair Ellen, and Saracen. Messrs. Dobson's contained good
plants of Evelyn, Fairest of the Fair, the Bride, Miss Foster, and Rose-
leaf.

In the class of fancies were some remarkable specimens. Mr.
Turner's plants were Celestial, delieatum, Evening Star, Madame
Sontag, Madame Rougiere, and Cassandra. These were of immense
size and of unequalled beauty, every leaf being hid by the mass of
blossoms, which in some cases were so crowded together as to prevent
many opening. Mr. Windsor and Messrs. Fraser also sent well
bloomed collections.

Of Fuchsias there were some beautiful exhibitions, consisting of
pyramidal plants six and eight feet high, and loaded with flowers from
bottom to top. The sorts were not different from those shown before
this year. One plant, Souvenir de Chiswick, is however well worthy of
notice. It was a fine specimen of a good kind, and was literally loaded

198 THE FLORIST.

with large and showy blossoms, whose charming violet-coloured corollas
and deep crimson sepals and petals rendered them objects of general
admiration. This is a kind well worth possessing.

Calceolarias, both herbaceous and shrubby, were shown ; but we did
not observe among them anything new. Of the former the best came
from Mr. Cross, gardener to Lord Ashburton, at Addiscombe. They
consisted of yellow and buff grounds dotted all over with minute spots,
with the exception of one, which was blotched, a class to which too
little attention has lately been paid.

Verbenas were shown in fine variety in a cut state by Mr. Turner.
We have before named the best kinds. Mrs. Maclean was very
beautiful.

Pinks were shown by Mr. "Turner and Mr. Bragg. Mr. Turner's
kinds were : Unanimity, Napoleon, Gem, Godfrey Seedling No. 3,
Seedling Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Weedon, Winchester Rival, Sovereign,
Prince of Wales, optimus, Adonis, Koh-i-noor, Invincible, Helen, Lady
Blandford, New Criterion, Colchester Cardinal, Seedling No. 6, Hebe,
Sultan, Seedling Little Gem. These were finely laced, and larger than
the average.

Of fruit a considerable quantity was produced, but much of it was
not above mediocrity. A Providence Pine Apple, weighing 1 1 lbs.
4 oz., came from Mr. Floud, gardener to R. Fothergill, Esq., of Aber-
dare, and some good fruit of the same variety also came from Mr.
Bailey, gardener to T. Drake, Esq., Shardeloes ; Mr. Young, gardener
to C. Bailey, Esq., likewise sent a good Providence. The best Queen
came from Mr. Young, gardener to W. H. Stone, Esq., of Dulwich.
Mr. Bailey also had a good fruit, and a third came from Mr. Davis, of
Starch Green, Hammersmith. Mr. Scott, of Leigh Park, sent a very
good Black Prince. We also noticed one or two Black Jamaicas.

Black Hamburg Grapes were again furnished in admirable condi-
tion— large and black, both in bunch and berry — by Mr. Hill, Keele
Hall, Staffordshire ; by Mr. Frost, gardener to E. L. Betts, Esq. ;
Mr. Tillyard, gardener to Viscount Eversley ; and Mr. Thomas,
gardener to J. Baxendine, Esq., of Whetstone. The best basket of
J 2 lbs. came from Mr. Thurston, of Leicester. Messrs. Alderson and
Smith also showed well in this class. White Grapes were not good.
The best Muscats were exhibited by Mr. Embry, gardener to A. Moss,
Esq., of Chadwell Heath ; and Mr. Richards and Mr. Baker also sent
exhibitions. Exhibitions of Grapes in pots were not good. The bunches
were small, and in some cases unripe.

Peaches were not very plentiful. The best Royal George were
contributed by Mr. Sage, of Ashridge. Mr. Frost also sent the same
variety, as did also Mr. Hill and Mr. Masters, gardener at Sher-
burn Castle, Oxon. Elruge Nectarines, large and fine, were furnished
by Mr. Frost, of Preston Hall, and an equally fine dish of Violet
Hative came from Mr. Hill, gardener to R. Sneyd, Esq. Mr. Page
and Mr. Masters also both showed good dishes.

Of Apricots, a dish of small but well ripened fruit came from Mr.
Ferguson, of Stowe.

Melons were present in considerable numbers. The best in point of

july1. 199

flavour in the opinion of the judges were Bailey's Green-fleshed and
the Bromham Hall. Of scarlet-fleshed sorts the best was one called
Scarlet Gem, a small kind from Mr. Tegg, gardener to Baron Hambro',
at Boehampton.

Of Figs, Mr. Snow, gardener to Earl de Grey, sent a beautiful dish
of the Brown Turkey, large and finely ripened. Some good fruit of this
kind also came from Mr. Frost and Mr. Richards of Tadcaster.

Of Cherries, by far the best were two dishes, one of Black Circassian,
the other Elton, from Mr. Henderson, gardener to the Duke of Suther-
land at Trentham. These we were informed had been grown in
the kind of glass structure known as the "Trentham case," and were
certainly very fine. Others came from Mr. Ferguson, of Stowe.

Plums were shown by Mr. Ingram, gardener to J. J. Blandy, Esq.,
who sent good fruit of Denyer's Victoria.

Strawberries were not remarkable either for quantity or excellence.
The best were dishes of Sir Charles Napier, British Queen, and Keens'
Seedling from Mr. Smith, of Twickenham. Mr. Clarke, of Twickenham,
and Mr. Stoddart, of Colchester, also both had good fruit of the kinds
just named.

Among miscellaneous exhibitions we noticed a bunch of unripe
Bananas and some very good Cucumbers.

CAMELLIAS.

In your April number, Mr. Kite asked a question about Camellias,
which appears to be only indirectly answered in the " leading article "
of the next month, as the question itself is not there alluded to. The
variety figured is very beautiful, but it is not new, as it occurs in a list
I made with great care six years ago, for practical purposes, and which
1 append to these remarks, as an additional answer to the above
question. In an eminent grower's catalogue of that year, the name
was spelt with two slight differences from your orthography of it, but
those differences made the name beyond question a Flemish one, which,
however, might have been given it in Belgium, though the plant were
raised in Italy; just as Wood's Duchess of Norfolk Rose is of French
origin, though it has an English name.

As my purposes were not carried out, and a long period has since
intervened, my list must, in some degree, be obsolete ; and, therefore,
I shall be as much obliged as your April querist if you or some expe-
rienced correspondent would revise and correct it, and bring it down to
the present time. Mr. Kite's list appears, as far as it goes, to be a
good one, but it omits what I think the most perfect of Camellias, and
the only white that surpasses the old Double White or Alba Plena,
namely Montironi. This variety may have too little depth for some,
for it lies most evenly flat; but its exquisite form, its perfect imbrication,
and the semi-transparent ethereal white of its complexion, render it
more like a carved ivory brooch than a real living flower ; and as the
plant blooms very freely, and is of hardy constitution, though of stiff

200

THE FLORIST.

erect habit, it is worth a place in every collection, if that collection
consists but of two.

In forming the subjoined list, I was much indebted to a correspondent
of the Florist in 1853 (the same year by the bye that Mr. Powell
described and gave a figure of Cox's Orange Pippin, and anticipated all
that has been said of that Apple in the last two years.) The writer I
speak of signed himself " Mediterraneus ; " and I would advise every
amateur Camellia grower to consult that article, though, for myself, I
should also like to consult the writer's collection. It divided the colours
into classes — a convenient method, and worth following, though I have
not exactly copied his, nor do I entirely agree with the colours to which
he assigned some varieties — reticulata for instance. It will no doubt
surprise you that I have omitted that now celebrated name, reticulata,
from the list ; but it was purposely omitted, for I possessed the variety
at its first introduction, near thirty years ago, when it was ten guineas
a plant, and know its habit. In a large specimen, it is extremely
effective, but it is of awkward growth, many leaves having no bud in
the axil, and so it rarely forms a small bush well. It should be spread
against an expanse of wall, as at Mr. Byam Martin's. By the way,
Martini, raised by the late Mr. Jackson, of Kingston, and named after
that gentleman, should, by this time, be added to the list in class IV.

Class I. — White.

1. Alba Plena, old Double White

2. „ ,, di Casoretti

3. ,, Imbricata (Low)

4. „ Insignis

5. Mrs. Gunnell
C. Montiroui

7 Ochroleuca.

II. — Blush.

8. Americana (Dunlop)

9. Prince Albert (Chandler)

III. — Pink, Bose.

10. Beali rosea

1 1 . Chandleri elegans

12. Clowesiana

13. Due de Bretagne

14. Henri Favre

15. Imbricata (Dunlop)

16. Marchioness of Exeter

17. Miniata (Low)

18. Mazeppa

19. Sacchoiana

20. Storyi

21. Triumphans

22. Valtevrede

23. Vexillo de Flore

24. Wilderi

IV. — Carmine, Crimson, Bed.

25. Beali

26. Bruceana

IV. — continued.

27. Imbricata

28. Gretry

29. Mathotiana

30. Melloni

31. Monarch

32. Beine des Fleurs

33. Beine Louise

V. — White Grounds.

34. Countess of Orkney

35. Feasti

36. Jubilee (Low)

37. La Beine

38. Madonna

39. Mrs. Abbey (Wilder)

40. Teutonia

VI. — Coloured Grounds.

41. Arioste

42. Comte de Paris

43. Jacksoni

44. Maddalena

45. Marguerite Guillon

46. Mazachelli

47. Beine des Beiges

48. Thomasini

Semi-double.

49. Donkelaari

50. Tricolor

To Me Unknown.

51. Counestabili

52. General Lafayette

Iota.

JULY.

201

SALVIA GESNEILEFLORA.

I PROPAGATE and cultivate this without heat. I take cuttings in
March or April ; good plants always push from the base or the roots
in March ; as these are useless for flowering, I cut them off, and select
cuttings from them — strong short bits, with three joints. I take the
leaves from the bottom joint only, and insert the cuttings singly in the
middle of thumb pots filled with loam, silver sand, and charcoal,
sprinkling them with water, and covering with bell glasses. 1 then
place them in the shade in the greenhouse, sprinkle the leaves, and
wipe the damp from the glasses once a day ; and thus managed, they soon
strike. I inure them to the air of the house, harden them gradually,
then place them in a cold frame ; when the pot is filled with roots, I
shift into a pint pot, when that is filled into a two-quart pot, and when
that is full of fibres give the final shift into eleven-inch pots. They
must not be allowed to get pot-bound till they have had the last shift,
or they will be stunted. Each plant requires one stick to keep it
upright. I never stop the leader, nor any shoot, but let them take
their own natural form, which is pyramidal. The frame will preserve
them from injury by wind, for I never put the lights on, except to
preserve the inmates from frost and excessive wet, and I always tilt
them during rain. I introduce the plants to the greenhouse in October,
let them have plenty of room and light, and water when necessary.
As the pots are very full of roots, I give water till it runs through the
hole at the bottom. When the flower buds show colour I give weak
manure water every watering. If the house requires smoking while
they are in bud or bloom, they should be removed to some other place
for the night, or they will lose their flowers and forward buds. The
soil I use is light loam, mixed with a little old cow-dung and silver
sand, and a liberal quantity of broken charcoal.

T. 0.

SCOTTISH PANSY SOCIETY.

The fifteenth annual competition of this Society was held in connection
with the Edinburgh Horticultural Society, in the Victoria Hall, Royal
Zoological Gardens, on Saturday, the 4th ult.

The long continuance of hot and dry weather during the month of
May prevented members from being able to bring forward as great a
number of stands as we have seen on former occasions. Notwith-
standing these adverse circumstances, however, the competition was
extensive and well contested. The censors, after a most careful and
laborious scrutiny, awarded the prizes as follows, viz. : —

Nurserymen's Prize, for the best 24 dissimilar blooms: 1, Messrs.
Downie & Laird, West Coates, with Royal Standard, Miss Hill, Miss
Talbot, General Vernon, Duchess of Wellington, Mary Lamb, Mrs.
Hope, Countess of Rosslyn, Mr. J. Graham, Lord Cardigan, Lady
Matheson, Nepaulese Chief, Mrs. Laird, Leviathan, Colonel Windham,

202 THE FLORIST.

Mr. J. White, Princess Royal, Seedling No. 26, Lady Napier, Charles
M'Intosh, Mrs. Mill, Una, and General Young ; 2, Messrs. Dicksons
& Co., Leith Walk, Royal Standard, Mrs. Hope, J. B. Gough, Seedling
1859, Sir J. Cathcart, Mrs. Laird, Jeannie, Princess Royal, Refine-
ment, Mary Lamb, Seedling 1859, Mr. A. Murray, Col. Windham,
Earl of Derby, Eugenie, Seedling '59, Ariadne, Seedling '59, Per-
fection, Lizzy, Seedling '59, Charles M'Intosh, and two other Seedlings
of 1S59 ; 3, Mr. J. H. Douglas, Rosebank, Edinburgh; 4, Messrs.
Robertson, Paul, & Co., Paisley.

Practical Gardeners and Amateurs : For the best 18 dissimilar
blooms : 1, Mr. M'Farlane, gardener, Barn ton, Edinburgh, with
Titian, Mrs. Hope, Royal Standard, Royal Albert, Mary Lamb, Mrs.
Dodwell, Mrs. Laird, Lady Belhaven, Sir J. Cathcart, Beauty, Chris-
tina, C. M'Intosh, James White, C W. R. Ramsay, Eugenie, Jeannie,
Lord J. Russell, and Countess of Rosslyn ; 2, Mr. J. Fraser, Belmont,
Edinburgh, with Duchess of Wellington, Jeannie, Colonel Windham,
Mrs. Hope, Titian, Indian Chief, Royal Standard, Sir J. Cathcart,
Mrs. Laird, St. Andrew, Miss Talbot, Lord J. Russell, Alice, Mr. J.
White, Una, Captain Vickers, C. M'Intosh, and Venus ; 3, Mr.
Niven, gardener, Keir, Dunblane ; 4, Mr. Dunlop, gardener, Inglis,
Green, Slateford.

For the best 12 dissimilar blooms: 1, Mr. M'Farlane, gardener,
Barnton, with Mrs. Dodwell, Mary Lamb, Mrs. Hope, Mr. A. Murray,
Alice, Sir J. Cathcart, Mr. J. White, C. W. R. Ramsey, Earl of Derby,
Christina, Lord Dunfermline, and Royal Standard ; 2, Mr. Dunlop,
gardener, Inglis Green, with Topee (a dark self seedling), Mrs. Laird,
Rev. H. Gosset, Jeannie, Eugenie, Mr. J. Graham, Countess of Ross-
lyn, Blink Bonny, Royal White, Sir C. Campbell, Gold Stud (a yellow
self seedling), and Venus; 3, Mr. Niven, gardener, Keir; 4, Mr.
James Gibson, gardener, Cathcart, Glasgow.

For the best 6 dissimilar blooms : 1, Dr. Stuart, Chirnside, Berwick,
with Duke of Sutherland, Countess of Rosslyn, Ariadne, Blue Beauty,
Duchess of Wellington, and Una ; 2, Mr. J. Hampton, Newport, Fife,
with Sir Colin Campbell, Col. Windham, Jessie (Hampton's), Indian
Chief, Garibaldi (Hampton's), and Princess ; 3, Mr. Niven, gardener,
Keir.

Amateurs, exclusively, who cultivate their own plants : For the best
6 dissimilar blooms: 1, Dr. Stuart, Chirnside, with Mrs. Hope, Una,
Georgey, Blue Beauty, Countess of Rosslyn, and Ariadne ; 2, Mr. J.
Hampton, with Col. Windham, Jessie, Cyrus, Countess, Indian Chief,
and Countess of Rosslyn ; 3, Mr. Charles Watson, Dunse. For the
best dark self, Mr. J. Hampton, with Indian Chief. For the best
yellow self, Mr. Wilson, Old Cathcart, Glasgow, with Yellow Model.
For the best white ground : Dr. Stuart, Chirnside, with Countess of
Rosslyn. For the best yellow ground : Mr. Wilson, Old Cathcart,
with Sir C. Napier.

Open to all, for the best 12 blooms, classed, viz., 4 selfs, 4, light
grounds, and 4 yellow grounds : 1, Mr. M'Farlane, gardener, Barnton,
with Mrs. Hope, Titian, Eugenie, Christina, Mrs. Laird, Alice, Royal
Albert, Countess of Rosslyn, Mr. J. White, Mary Lamb, C. W. R.

3 I LY. 203

Ramsey, and Blue MoJel ; 2, Messrs. Dicksons & Co., with Royal
Standard, Mary Lamb, Col. Windham, Countess of Rosslyn, Mrs.
Hope, Sir J. Cathcart, Seedling of 1859, J. B. Gough, Ariadne,
Jeannie, and Charles MTntosh ; 3, Mr. Niven, gr., Keir, Dunblane.

Open to all, and selected from all the blooms in the room : For the
best self in the room, Mr. Taylor, Blaydon Burn, Newcastle, with
Royal Purple. For the best yellow ground in the room: Mr. M'Far-
lane, Barnton, with C. W. R. Ramsay. For the best white ground in the
room : Messrs. Dicksons & Co., with Countess of Rosslyn. For the
best Pansy in the room: Mr. Taylor, Blaydon Burn, with Royal
Purple. Sweepstakes for the best 12 dissimilar blooms,, open to all, the
prize was awarded to Mr. J. H. Douglas, Nurseryman, Kosebank ;
there was, however, no competition Jbr this prize.

New flowers were on this occasion produced in considerable numbers,
some of which contested very severely with older favourites for the
pre-eminence, as will be sufficiently evident by a glance at the winning
stands. Mr. M'Farlane's new yellow ground flower, " C. W. R.
Ramsay," figured in each of his first prize stands, took the prize for the
best yellow ground in the room, and was awarded a certificate of merit ;
another flower shown by Mr. M'Farlane " Titian " (a dark self) very
nearly beat Mr. Taylor's Royal Purple. There was a good white ground
flower, " Mar)''," in Mr. Douglas's stand from Rosebank, to which a
certificate of merit was awarded; the " Countess of Rosslyn " was the
only check to this flower coming in for the prizes for the best white
ground in the room. These facts are sufficient to prove the increasing
interest taken in the improvement of this interesting little flower by the
members of the Scottish Pansy Society ; and the great care in not
granting first-class certificates to any but superior flowers, is an
encouragement to those who are disposed to give their support to the
Society. The next annual competition of the Society will be held in
Glasgow in June 1860.

CLOTH OF GOLD AND ISABELLA GRAY ROSES.

As might naturally be expected (says the Wiltshire Independent) the
controversy about the merits of these two Roses has commenced with
the blooming season. The Gardeners' Chronicle of May 28 has a
notice of the two Roses, accompanied by reports from two correspondents,
one of whom has been blessed with so slight a modicum of success with
the fair Isabella, that he must, indeed, be thankful for small mercies,
to chronicle it ; one expanded bloom, pinched by the cold, but showing
unmistakeable indications of beauty, and an opening bud, being the
crop of a vigorous specimen, planted in 1857 ! The other correspondent,
a lady, has more cause for joy ; her Isabella (at Torquay), in its third
year, and which grew immensely last year, having now above 90 buds
on it, most of which are rapidly expanding. The specimen sent to the
editor of the paper just alluded to is described by him as a " nice " one
— not a very glowing description of a selected bloom, sent by a lady !
However, 90 buds, opening into even nice blooms, is something

20 i THE FLORIST.

encouraging. In each case the fact that no pruning has been allowed
is dwelt on with great force, and to that circumstance is attributed the
success. One of the correspondents, he whose Isabella Gray has
produced one pinched bloom, and a second about to open, has also a
Cloth of Gold, which has been treated in the same way as the Isabella.
It, also, was planted in 1857, " grew rapidly in 1858, no pruning
being allowed, and is now, in 1859, making vigorous, healthy, dark
purple shoots, and will doubtless be covered with Roses by the month
of July ! " May it be so ! But those " vigorous, healthy, dark purple
shoots " are sad deceivers, too often finishing their career with blind
ends, to the disgust of the disappointed grower, whether professional or
amateur. The inference to be drawn from the remarks of the Gar-
deners Chronicle itself, as well as those of its correspondents, is that
"protection from the pruning knife" (coupled with age and suitable
aspect) is the grand secret in getting Cloth of Gold blooms, and pro-
bably those of Isabella Grey and other yellow varieties. Perhaps it
may be in the recollection of the readers of this paper that on the 10th
of June, last year, a description was given of a Cloth of Gold Rose
growing at the Rev. R. M. Atkinson's, on the Rectory House at Great
Cheverell, on which there were two or three hundred blooms fully
expanded, and a far greater number of buds ready to expand, the tree
itself (worked on a yellow Banksia) being in the highest health. Now
this tree, which is covered with blooms every year, having at this time
(although it has suffered much, both in foliage and bloom, from the
severe blight), upwards of 100 fully expanded blooms of deep yellow
colour and great beauty, with twice or thrice that number ready to
burst forth, is, and always has been, regularly pruned, every shoot
being cut back to two or three eyes, except when it is necessary
to lead in long shoots, to fill up any blank space on the wall. Another
constantly blooming Cloth of Gold, in this neighbourhood, has also been
always subjected to close pruning. In other cases, whether pruned or
unpruned, the rule is, no blooms — the exception, a few stragglers ; so
that pruning no more seems to prevent free blooming than non-pruning
seems to promote it. It may be recollected, too, that the account of
Mr. Atkinson's Cloth of Gold, above alluded to, caused a long corre-
spondence in this paper, on the subject, and that it was suggested by
Mr. Ayres, of Orchardleigh Park, near Frome, that the most likely way
to insure a free-blooming Cloth of Gold, would be to take the bud for
working from immediately below a bloom. We should be glad if any
correspondent who has tried the experiment will favour us with the
result. And now a word about the Isabella Grey. Mr. Mould, the
well-known gardener and florist, of Devizes, has this year succeeded in
producing a very fine and highly coloured bloom, under glass ; the
bloom was of good size, perfect shape, and of exquisite fragrance. That
plant had been pruned. On the other hand, on a very warm sunny
wall, with south aspect, we have seen upwards of 30 strong shoots of
Isabella Grey (budded on a Banksia), from one to four feet in length,
unpruned, both wood and foliage a deep red, and showing the highest
health, and not a single blossom bud to be seen ; each one of these
shoots going off" with blind ends ! Thus it would seem that pruning
has really nothing to do with it,

JULY. 205

BRISTOL, CLIFTON, AND WEST OF ENGLAND
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

This society gave their first floral fete, June 2, in the grounds of the
society, Clifton. There was a very large display of horticultural
productions staged. The collections of stove and greenhouse plants
contained many superb specimens, as did the fine foliaged plants
contributed by Mr. Bassett, the Messrs. Maule & Sons, &c. The
Orchids shown by this latter firm were beautifully grown and bloomed.
Azaleas, Pelargoniums, and Fuchsias, were in great profusion, and
generally very creditable to the growers. The show of fruit, though
not large, contained some things very superior, and we noticed a very
interesting collection of cut flowers, from British plants growing in the
neighbourhood, containing many rare species. Local societies would do
well to encourage these exhibitions, as they promote a taste for botany
(and gardening generally), and induce young people to turn collectors.
The committee of this society are most anxious to do all in their power
to promote and extend the usefulness of their society by liberality, and
we can only hope that their efforts to promote the good of horticulture
will be responded to.

ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, REGENT'S PARK.

June 15. — This was an excellent show, and was very well attended.
Stove and Greenhouse plants were in great perfection, and so were
Cape Heaths and Pelargoniums. The only weak points were Roses in
pots and Azaleas, the season for both of which was evidently over. There
were, however, some charming boxfuls of cut Roses. The fruit show
was an improvement on that held last week at the Crystal Palace.

Stove and Greenhouse plants were contributed by the usual exhibitors ;
but this time considerably the finest large collection was produced by
Mr. May,, gardener to J. Spode, Esq., of Hawkesyard, near Rugely.
These, although they had travelled nearly 150 miles, were in excellent
condition. Among them were admirable samples of Dracophyllum
gracile loaded with compact heads of small snow-white blossoms, which
are well suited for bouquets ; Allamandas, Dipladenia splendens beauti-
fully flowered, Ixora coccinea, Phamocoma proliferum unusually well
furnished with showy heads of very fine blossoms, Stephanotis flori-
bunda, and Pleroma elegans, the last one of the very handsomest of
Melastomads, its flowers being of the most beautiful Tynan purple, and
each of them larger than a five shilling piece. They are also more
persistent than those of most of the class to which they belong. Mr.
Dods, gardener to Sir J. Cathcart, Bart., and Mr. Whitbread, gardener
to H. Collyer, Esq., were placed equal in point of merit. In these
groups were fine specimens of the well-known Mahernia incisa, Alla-
mandas, Ixoras, including the fine example of the Willow-leaved kind,
to which attention was directed in our report of the Crystal Palace.
This may safely be asserted to be one of the best of the genus. Its
great heads of showy flowers of a brilliant orange colour stand well up

206 THE FLORIST.

above the leaves, which are long and pendent, thus giving to the
former an individuality and artistic beauty not possessed by other
species of the genus. Smaller collections were furnished by Messrs.
Cutbusli, Fraser, Green, Rhodes, Baxendine, Peed, Chilman, Carson,
and Tegg. These for the most part consisted of plants that were shown
at Sydenham the previous week.

Orchids were furnished in beautiful condition ; in general, however,
they were very much the same as those produced at the Crystal Palace.
In the Rev. Mr. Ellis's group were the handsome Cattleya superba,
and the singular looking rather than beautiful Uropedium Lindeni.
Mr. Bullen, gardener to J. Butler, Esq., had a splendidly flowered
Brassia and Anguloa Clowesi, with no fewer than five blossoms on it,
all in the greatest possible perfection. Two Sobralias (macrantha and
Galeotti) from Mr. Woolley were admired ; Mr. Dods sent a very fine
Phalaenopsis ; Mr. Carson the elegant green tailed Dendrochilum fili-
forme and Stanhopea tigrina ; and Mr. Ivison, gardener to the Duke of
Northumberland at Sion, Acineta Humboldti with a remarkably fine
spike of pale watery looking yellow blossoms.

Among Cape Heaths, several collections of which were exhibited,
were some beautiful specimens of mutabilis, tricolor Wilsoni, one of the
best of of its class ; obbata, a fine old Heath ; Massoni, small but very
handsome ; and different seedlings of Hartnelli and aristata.

Conspicuous among Azaleas were Ivery's Gem, a sort remarkable for
fine form ; and Extrani, the latter a lovely rosy pink kind, still finely
in flower.

Of real novelty there was little. Though not absolutely new, perhaps
the most striking was a charming specimen of Coelogyne pandurata from
Mr. Lawrence, gardener to the Bishop of Winchester. This had a fine
spike of pale green flowers stained on the lip with jet black, a contrast
of colours not less remarkable than pleasing. Messrs. Parker &
Williams sent a white variety of Meyenia erecta, which promises to be
a useful plant : Mr. Parsons a hybrid Achimenes called Dazzle, with
brilliant red flowers in the way of Meteor. From Messrs E. G. Hender-
son came Aucuba himalai'ca, a velvety crimson-flowered variety of
Dianthus sinensis called Hedwidgii, and Amphicome Emodi, with lilac
flowers stained in the throat with yellow. The Dianthus, to which we
have just alluded, promises to be a fine thing ; its blossoms measure
at least two inches across. We hope, however, to see it again in better
condition.

Of Miscellaneous articles, Messrs. Veitch sent Oreopanax hypagyreum,
a noble plant with palmate leaves ; Blandfordia grandiflora in flower,
Rhopala glaucophylla, the violet Tradescantia odoratissima, and Tacca
integrifolia, a well known plant, whose singular dark looking leafy inflo-
rescence takes a form not unlike that of some Orchids. A fine specimen
of Eucharis amazonica was shown by Mr. Davis, of St. John's Wood.

Ferns were shown in considerable quantity, and served to fill up odd
nooks and corners with excellent effect. Among those from Mr. Car-
bonell were the New Zealand Todea hymenophylloides, the Jamaica
Hymenophyllum hirtellum, the handsome Gleichenia flabellata, dicho-
toma, and a wonderfully fine G. microphylla.

JULY. 207

Roses in pots, as has been stated, were much past their best. Among
them, however, one — Charles Lavvson — deserves notice. It is very
double, something like Coupe d'Hebe, and altogether a very fine kind.
Among those shown in boxes in a cut state were many fine blooms of
most of the leading sorts. The best came from Mr. Mitchell, of Pilt-
down, Sussex. Messrs. Paul & Francis also showed fine blooms.
Conspicuous among the latter were Madame Vidot, Paul Ricaut,
General Jacqueminot, Lord Raglan, Madame Willermoz, and Gloire de
Dijon .

The Pelargoniums from Mr. Turner, of Slough, both fancies and
ordinary kinds, were all that could be possibly wished for, both as
regarded good cultivation and profusion of bloom. Mr. Dobson's were
also good, as were likewise the collections from amateur growers. Of
the latter the best came from Mr. Foster. Messrs. E, G. Henderson
sent Imperial Crimson, a bright kind, but without what florists call
form. The same firm also sent two pretty kinds suitable for bedding
purposes, allied to Golden Chain. Messrs. Veitch had the very hand-
some spotted dwarf kind that was shown at the Crystal Palace, and
from Mr. Turner and others was a fine bank of seedling florists'
varieties.

Fruit was tolerably plentiful. Providence Pines weighing between 8
and 10 lbs. each came from Messrs. Young, Bailey, and Floud. The
last sent the best Queen, whose weight was about 6 lbs. 5 ozs. It was
well ripened and finely grown. From Messrs. Young, Bray, and Bailey
also came fine fruit of this variety. An Enville, 6 lbs. 10 ozs. weight,
came from Mr. Fothergill, and we noticed one or two small Jamaicas.

Grapes were good, especially black kinds. The best Black Ham-
burgh came from Messrs. Thomas and Hill. The three bunches
from the latter weighed together 6 lbs. Others from Messrs. Hen-
derson, Wood, and Drewett were nearly equally good. West's St.
Peter's and Black Prince, fine bunches, were furnished by Messrs.
Allport, Fullerton, Turner, and Miller. Ot white sorts Mr. Bailey sent
excellent examples of Muscadine, and exhibitions of the same kind also
came from Messrs. Jackson, Wood, Frost, and Alderson. Frontignans
came from Messrs. Drewett, Bond, Parr, Standish, and Allport.
Muscats were not at all good, and many of them were unripe. An
exhibition marked StillweR's Sweetwater, from Mr. Allport/appeared to
be White Frontignan, and very good of its kind. Grizzly Frontignan
came from Mr. Richards. " Masque Frontignan," exhibited on this
occasion, was evidently the Chasselas M usque. It was very fine and
not cracked, the only fault belonging to this Grape. The specimens in
question proved, however, that under proper management it may be
obtained without this defect. Vines in pots, well fruited, were shown
by Mr. Hutt.

Peaches, beautiful fruit of the Violet Hutive sort, came from Mr.
Gorton and Mr. Sage ; Mr. Oats sent Bellegarde ; and fine fruit was
also contributed by Messrs. Peacock, Miller, and Hill. The best
Nectarines, Violet Hative, came from Messrs. Peacock and Frost.
Messrs. Carmichael, Forbes, Robinson, Cox, and Hill also showed fine
dishes, consisting of Elruge, Violet Hative, and Pitmaston Orange.

208 THE FLORIST.

Of Cherries, both black and white, the best were again furnished by
Mr. Henderson, gardener to the Duke of Sutherland, at Trentham.
The sorts were Black Circassian and Elton, both large and in every way
perfect. Messrs. Peacham, Marcham, and others also showed good
fruit. Messrs. Lane had some finely fruited trees in pots.

Strawberries were scarcely so good as might have been expected.
The best were furnished by Messrs. Clarke, Wood, and Widdowson.
Among the varieties were British Queen, Sir C. Napier, Keens' Seed-
ling, Myatt's Surprise, and Sir Harry, the last very dark coloured,
which it should be when fully ripe. A new kind, named Oscar, of fine
colour, received a medal.

Of Melons a great many were exhibited. The best green-fleshed
sorts were Bailey's and Snow's. Mr. Bailey also sent the best scarlet-
fleshed variety, Scarlet Gem.

Of Figs we noticed some good examples of Lee's Perpetual and Brown
Turkey.

Among Miscellaneous Fruit were some Bananas and Apples of the
French Crab variety, the latter fine specimens, as sound as the day
they were gathered.

ON PERENNIAL FLOWERING PLANTS.
The very mention of herbaceous plants reminds us of a much esteemed
friend we once had, who for fifty years or more was gardener to an
amiable nobleman in Dorsetshire, and who was the most successful
grower of this class of plants we can call to mind. This was some
fifteen years since, when the collection of plants, in a garden appro-
priated entirely to them, was an object of great pride to our old
friend, who considered the whole race of Yel'henas, Petunias, &c, as
mere kickshaws, compared with his noble Campanulas and Larkspurs.
The noble proprietor was much attached- to horticultural pursuits, as
well as to his gardener, and was therefore always anxious that he should
be well informed with what was going on elsewhere, especially was he
solicitous that once a year he should visit the great gardens near London
and the exhibitions. Furnished by his kind-hearted employer with a
skeleton plan of the environs of London, with all the principal gardens
and nurseries clearly marked out on it, our worthy veteran wended his
way from one sight to another, till Kew and Hampton Court, Chiswick
and Ealing, the Royal Exotic and Henderson's nurseries, had all been
well looked over and their contents noted (there was no Crystal Palace
in those days) ; and therefore, when the series of visits came to an end,
down again went our friend into Dorsetshire, with (it was supposed)
a bag full of notes, comprising all he had seen, and all that he was to
put in practice on his return home, to bring him up to the London
standard of excellence. On this head, however, there was a hitch, for,
in the opinion of my good neighbour (privately given me by the way),
he did not- consider there was so much to be picked up or learned about
London as people talked of, and, after all, //is things were quite as good
as what he saw there, nay, better in some respects ; for I well remember

JULY.

209

one year, in July, I think it was in 1844, his taking me to the garden
before mentioned, filled with herbaceous plants, and posting me on one
particular spot, by the corner of a greenhouse, from whence the whole
could be viewed at a glance; "There," says he, with an air of well
merited triumph, " Did you ever see anything better than that?" — I
replied, " No ! " " Nor I either, and 1 do say there is nothing near
London like it ; that is all I have got to say about London gardens ; Mrs.
Lawrence's plants are fine, and so they are at Kew, but there's nothing
out o ' doors but Geraniums and Verbenas, Verbenas and Calceolarias, in
every garden I went to, and I've a mind never to go so far again to see
so many places all just alike."

I forget the size of this garden, but it was considerable, and filled
entirely with herbaceous plants, and I know that from early spring to
near Christmas there was always an interesting display ; from June to
October, a splendid one ; and, taking variety of outline, habit and
colour, into consideration, and the way they were arranged, it was
certainly the best managed garden 1 ever saw of the kind. 1 could
mention half-a-dozen other gardens, which, twenty years back, were
resplendent with herbaceous plants, were it ot any use. But this long
digression must end, and take me to the subject I started with — a list
of the best herbaceous plants.

LIST OF SOME OF THE MOST SHOWY GENERA OF HERBACEOUS

PLANTS.

Genera. Principal Species.

Achillea . . Millefolium rubra,
Ptarraica flore pleno, and tomen-
tosa
Aconitum . bicolor and japonicum
Adonis . . vernalis
Ajuga . . . geneveusis
Alstrcemeria . aurea, pulchella, chi-
lensis,and many others
Alysum . . gemonense and saxatiJe
Auchusa . . paniculata
Anemone. . japonica and all thesps.
Authericum . liliago and ramosum
Aquilegia . glandulosa, canadensis,

and vulgaris
Arabis . . . albida-aud lucida
Armeria . . formosa
Asclepias . . tuberosa and others, fine

for beds
Asphodelus . luteus and ramosus
Aster . . . amellus, cyaneus, mul-
liflorus, elegaus, ramosus, and
( thers
Astrantia . . major
Aubrietia . deltoidea
Bellis . . . perennis, all the varieties
Bapthalium . salicifolium
Calystegia . sepium iucarnatum
Campanula . persicifolia, glomerata,

speciosa, and all the species
Catananche . bicolor and ccerulea

Genera. Principal Species.
Centaurea . leucantha, macrocephala,

and montana
Cheiranthus Marshalli and ochroleucus
Chelone . . barbata, glabra, Lyoni
Helonias . . bullatus
Hemerocallis flava and rutilans

Hepatica .

. all the species and vars.

Hesperis .

matronalis, flore pleno,

and crimson

Hieracium

aurautiacum

Iberis . .

sempervirens, tenorhma

Iris . .

all the species

Jasione . .

perennis

Lamium .

maculatum

Lathyrus .

granditlorus, latifolius,

and rotundifolius

Liatris

. spicata

Linaria. .

. Dalmatica

Linum

. flavum, perenne, and

flore pleno

Lobelia . .

. all the tall species

Lotus . .

corniculatus, flore pleno

Lupinus .

. giandiflovus,poIyphyllus

and variety

Lychnis .

. chalcedonica, flore pleno,

coronata, diurna ilore pleno,

iulgens,

and viscaria flore pleno

Lysimachia

. verticillata

Lythrum .

. roseum superbum and

virgatum

Macrotys .

. racemosa

VOL. XII., NO. CXXXIX.

210

THE FLORIST.

Genera. Principal Species.

Matricaria . grandiflora

Meconopsis . simplicifolia (very hand-
some)

Oenothera . macrocarpa, missouri-
ensis, speciosa superba, taraxi-
folia, and Frazeri

Omphalodes . verna

Onosma . . taurica

Pseonia . . . all the species and va-
rieties, including the Moutan and
new varieties

Papaver . . bracteatum and orientale

Pentstemon . argutum, purpureum,
azureum, magnificum, ovatum,
Scculeri, &c.

Phlox . . . varieties too numerous
to name ; the most useful of all
herbaceous plants ; the dwarf
species make pretty edgings

Physostegia . speciosa

Polemonium cceruleum, variegatum

Phyteuma . orbiculare

Potentilla . formosa, Garneriana,
Hopwoodiana, &c.

Primula . . cortusoides, vulgaris,
auricula, &c.

Ranunculus . aconitifolius fl. pi., am-
plexicaulis, acris fl. pi.

Rudbeckia . Newmani, hirsuta

Saponaria . . ocymoides

Genera. Principal Species.
Saxifraga . granulata pIeno,hirsutn,
pyramidalis ; the low-growing
species suitable for rockwork
Scabiosa . . caucasica
Sedum . . aizoon ; the other species
best suited for rockwork
Sempervivum ditto
Silene . . . ruaritimum flore pleno
Sisyrinchium anceps, grandiflorum

Solidago
Spigelia.
Spiraea

Stachys
Statice

Stenactis .
Teucrium
Tritoma .
Trollius .
Verbascum
Valeriana
Veronica .

Verbena .
Vinca .
Viola . .
Wahlenbergia grandiflora
Yucca . . .all the species

virgata

marylandica

filipendula plena, ve-
nusta, barbata

speciosa

elata, latifolia, pseud-
armeria

speciosa
, multiflorum

Uvaria, media, Burchelli
, europaus, giganteus
, multiflorum
, rubra

gentianoides, incarnata,

incisa, latifolia
. venosa
. all the species
. ditto

Hardy bulbs for borders, &c, in your next number.

G. F.

HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS.
The spring exhibition of the Hanoverian Band and Floral Fete
Committee was held at Sydney Gardens, Bath, on May 11. We have
so often had to speak in praise of the public spirit and liberality of this
Committee, that, on the present occasion, we can only repeat that their
arrangements were all that could be wished for, and their liberal list of
prizes was responded to by a magnificent display of plants, filling
several large tents. The Azaleas were certainly as fine specimens and
as well done as any we have seen at the London exhibitions, and, with
few exceptions, the stove and greenhouse plants were the same, while
the miscellaneous classes were all most creditably represented (and in
many cases could not be surpassed). The day was fine, and a large
number of visitors as usual attended the fete. This society merits the
good wishes of every horticulturist for the spirited manner in which it
conducts its exhibitions. To Mr. Smith, the secretary our thanks
are doubly due. We regret we could not find room for this last month.

JULY.

211

FERN CLASSIFICATION.— No. VI.

The tribe Cyatheinece includes three lesser sectional groups, which
are distinguished in the manner following : first, by characters derived
from the covering, or absence of covering, to the sorus, and next by the
£_""rr.ngement of the fructification. The receptacles, it will be remem-
bered, are always elevated, in the plants referred to this tribe.
Sori involucrate, i. e. with inferior cup-like indusia —

Fructifications thyrsiform . . . . . §1. Thyrsopteridece.

Fructifications dorsal . . . . . . |2. Cyathece.

Sori naked, i. e. without indusia . . . . • |3. Alsophilece.

The T/iyrsopferidece are a very small group, consisting of a single
genus and species, as far as
yet known. This genus is
Thyrsopteris. It is a large-
growing Fern, with a short
thick decumbent rhizome,
and very ample much divided
fronds, of which a portion, the
basal pinnules of the lower
pinna?, are fertile, while the
rest is sterile. In the sterile
parts the ultimate divisions^
are small, while the fertile
parts consist solely of thyr-
siform collections of stalked
cup-shaped involucres, con-
taining the spore-cases, no &• Thyrsofterideje : Thyrsopteria elegans.

leafy portion being produced. As in the other Cyatheineous plants,
the spore-cases are more or less oblique laterally compressed.

The Cyathece are more normal-like than the foregoing, the fronds
being all in the usual leafy condition, and bearing the sori on their

under surface. These sori are
in cup-like involucres, more
or less perfectly formed. The
involucres are much like some
of those of the JPeranemece,
but the distinguishing feature
of the Cyathece is, that in
addition, the receptacles are
elevated. There are but three
genera referred to the present
section : — Cyathea, in which
the involucre forms a complete
cup ; and Hemilelia and Am-
phicosmia, in which the invo-
lucres are half cup-shaped, the
anterior side of the cup being
deficient. The two latter are
distinguished by their venation,

\i, LVATne^s : Hemitelia speciosa.

212

THE FLORIST.

Hemitelia having the veins uniting in costal arcs, while those of
Amphicosmia are free. This is one of the principal groups of Tree
Ferns,

The Alsophilece embrace only two genera — Ahophila and Amphi-
desmium, not perhaps very well distinguished, except by habit. The
distinctions chiefly depended on are these, that in Ahophila the venules
are unisoriferous (bearing one sorus), whilst in Amphidesmium the
veins frequently bear each two or three sori. These, too, are mostly
Tree Ferns, with much the aspect of the Cyathecc, from which they are

22. Ctathe/E : Cyathea elegans.

§3. Alsophile^: Alsophila sp.

separated by the naked sori. The sori, being round naked heaps of
spore-cases, have much resemblance to those of Polypodium. The
distinguishing mark relied on, between these two families, is the
elevated receptacle of the Alsophilce, but there are cases in which
this is less decidedly developed than usual, and in such cases the
differences between the two groups are not to be very satisfactorily
made out.

The Schizceinece, those singular Ferns with the apex of the spore-
case radiate-striate, are separated into two sectional groups, which
contain plants of very different appearance. These are — the Lygodieae,
a race of scandent Ferns, and the Schizceece, which are dwarf herba-
ceous species. The technical differences which are adopted to distin-
guish them, are these : —

Spore-cases crowned by the convergent striae of the ring, i. e., radiate-striate
at the apex —

Striae united at the apex, without vacant space ; spore-
cases attached laterally §1. Lygodiece.

Striae disjointed, forming an orbicular apical vacuity ;

spore-cases attached basally $2. Schizceece.

The Lygodiece consist entirely of climbing species, very unlike other
Ferns in aspect, and therefore extremely valuable in cultivation, not

JULY.

213

only for the variety they offer, but for their beauty. There

are two genera, both represented in our gardens, and of equal

equal interest, namely, Lygo-

dium, in which the veins are

all free ; and Hydroglossum,

in which they are reticulated.

The lateral attachment of the

spore-cases in this group is

very curious.

The Schizceece, which in-
clude several genera, are very
remarkable plants, quite dis-
similar to other ■ Ferns. In
Sckizaa, whose fronds can
scarcely be said to have any
leafy portion, but rather to con-
sist of dichotomously branched
ribs, the spore-cases occupy
curious contracted pinnasform
appendages, which terminate

-iJL n c i.u u u gl. Lygodie-e: Hydroglossum heterodoxum.

some or all of the branches. K 3 6

branches. Another group, consisting of Anemia and Anemidicti/on,

distinguished by the former having
free and the latter reticulated
veins, have the fructifications
paniculate, borne on distinct fronds
or distinct branches, and producing
the appearance of a flowering
Fern. Mokria has the apical-
ringed spore-cases scattered near
the margin of the scarcely con-
tracted plane segments of the
frond ; while in Trochopteris, a
little rosulate plant, an inch or two
only in diameter, and looking
more like a small flattened Lichen
than a Fern, the spore-cases are
similarly disposed on the basal
pair of lobes of the minute fronds.
The foregoing descriptions and observations, embracing all the groups
— Orders, Tribes, and Sections — into which Ferns are divided for the
purposes of classification, aided as they are by ample illustrations,
should enable intelligent students of Ferns to ascertain the group to
which any particular species under examination should be referred.
The further discrimination of genera, and the distinctions of species,
are the next steps in following out the classification of Ferns to a
practical issue.

Chelsea. ■ Thomas Moore.

22. Schiz^ejE: Auemia collina.

Note. — The references to the engravings on pp. 10G, 107, numbered 22 and 23,
require to be transposed.

214 THE FLORIST.

NOTES AND QUERIES.
Our correspondent, Mr. Wilson, suggests a sketch, to illustrate the plan
of ventilating the upper angle of span-roofed houses, in the manner
recommended by our correspondent in his article on fruit houses, pub-
lished last year. Unavoidable reasons have delayed our publishing
wood engravings of cheap sashes and glazing, when the subject of venti-
lation would have been explained. We hope soon to fulfil our promise.
The article on perennials has attention this month ; in the meantime,
as these useful though neglected plants are now in full glory, collectors
should examine the London and other nurseries, to see what is in
bloom, and make their notes of time of blooming, colour of flower and
height, when they will be prepared for a basis for arrangement when
planting time comes. Kew should also be visited.

SECOND GRAND NATIONAL ROSE SHOW.
If ever the Queen of Flowers should hold a court, and require a
champion to proclaim her dignities, and to maintain the rightful position
which she holds against all comers, there can be no doubt that she
would select for that purpose — parson though he be — the Rev. Reynolds
Hole, of Caunton Manor ; for to him she is indebted for the proud
position which she has occupied these last two seasons, and to him,
mainly do the knights and esquires of her floral majesty owe the
magnificent display which was brought together on the 23rd ult., at
Hanover Square Rooms ; and, in truth, I for one should be very sorry
to have to meet the weight of that brawny arm of his ; though after
the glorious assemblage that greeted one's optic and olfactory nerves
there, he would be a daring man who would put forward the claims of
any other flower to usurp her position. As one's eye rested on the
long lines of cut flowers, relieved by the pot Roses of Messrs. Paul and
Mr. Francis, one felt how nobly the Rose had claimed and held her
pre-eminence, while an insight into the individual flowers clearly pro-
claimed that its cultivation was progressing more rapidly than one could
have imagined. All misgivings, too, which I suppose most of us felt
in the month of May, as we looked on the scorched and crumpled
shoots of our trees, were banished, and the conclusion must be arrived
at, that no matter what the season, so many and so ardent are the
growers of the flower, that we are sure of a good exhibition.

That the season was a most unfavourable one up to the period of
which I speak, all would agree ; and though in some places the
recovery during the last three weeks has been something extraordinary,
yet the fact was evidenced by the absence from the show of Mr.
Rivers entirely, as a non-competitor, and of Mr. Cranston, who so
nobly won his spurs last year, as an exhibitor ; probably another week
would have made a great difference ; but when the day was fixed this
year, everything being in so forward a state, the arrangers of the show
were justified in making it a week earlier, although perhaps, on the
whole, the 1st of July is a better day. We get few such hot seasons as
last in this country, and the later day enables those who live in cold
and exposed situations to be more on a level with their more favoured
brethren of Hertfordshire and the south.

JULY. 215

Some idea of the general character of the show may be gathered
from the fact that there were 68 stands of cut blooms, besides the two
collections of pot Roses mentioned above, some of these stands containing
100 sorts, and none less than 12. As at last year's, also, these were
brought from all parts of the country — the home counties, however,
furnishing the chief supply ; but Oxford, Nottingham, Devonshire,
and Somersetshire were amongst the counties ably represented, and no
difference could be seen (so well had they been taken care of) , as far
as freshness was concerned, between those from a "distance and those
near at hand ; in fact, 200 miles of rail is not (if ordinary care, be
taken) more telling on a stand of Roses than would be 14 or 15 miles
in a spring cart or coach. These stands were arranged on each side of
two long tables, which went down the centre of the room ; and on
another, which was placed the entire length under the windows, Mr.
Paul's collection of large pot Roses, being arranged in groups on one
table, and Mr. Francis' collection of smaller ones being placed the whole
way down the centre of the other. The post of honour, around the
semicircle formed by the orchestra, was allotted to Mr. Cranston, of
Hereford, whose Roses showed unmistakeably what he might have
done, had the show been a little later ; while the orchestra was relieved
at the back by some fine exotic plants from Mr. Veitch, of Chelsea ;
and the rather sombre appearance of the room (as contrasted at least
with St. James's Hall) was, to my mind at least, rather in favour of
the blooms. On the whole the Roses were admirably set up — the
Moss in one exhibitor's stand was the most perfect thing possible, while
a few still were slovenly and untidy. As the list of awards will be
appended to this notice, I shall not, except incidentally, notice the
separate stands, but say what I think upon particular Roses, both old
and new. At last year's show I said that the two Roses were Madame
Vidot and Prince Leon ; and it is a striking commentary on the effect
of season upon this flower, that there were hardly any good blooms of
either in the room, while General Jacqueminot, which last year was
little better than a semi-double Gloire de Rosamene, was this year in
every stand, very double and very brilliant. Mr. Cranston's box of it
was fine ; but had all Mr. Sladden, of Ash's, flowers equalled his bloom
of this fine sort, he would have taken " first honours." In equally good
order in all the stands was Jules Margottin, lovely in colour, good in
shape, and exquisite in perfume. Colonel de Rougemont, a younger
brother of Baronne Prevost, has completely put his nose out of joint,
being larger and brighter in tint, though similar in colour and shape.
Madame Knorr, a Perpetual Blairi No. 2, at least so it seemed in
some stands, was very large and fine, the one in Mr. Cant's especially
so. General Simpson in Mr. Turner's stand was very bright, and is a
beautifully shaped flower. Madame Masson was good, and so was
Mathurin Regnier, an improved William Griffith, brighter in colour,
and if possible better shaped ; Victor Trouillard, though very good,
was not so much so as last year ; Louise Peyronney, though in few
stands, was, as it ever will be, good and striking ; Triomphe de Paris,
a bright crimson, was also very lovely ; while Paul Dupuy will not
give way to his rivals ; Fauline Lanzezeur was very fine crimson with
a purple shade. Among the darker colours Cardinal Patrizzi seemed

216 THE FLORIST.

to hold the palm ; though the three Prince de la Moskowas in Mr.
Cant's 50 were such as I do not believe any Rose grower ever saw
before ; Prince Noir was also good, as was Emperor Napoleon ; but
the first of the four is better in shape and fuller than the other three ;
and in some stands was nearly black — indeed, in Hybrid Perpetuals
we are fast getting to the shade of the old Tuscan Piose. Amongst
Bourbons there was nothing very remarkable ; Dr. Leprestre was
very fine; and Souvenir de la Malmaison of course good as usual. In
Teas there was nothing particularly new ; Devoniensis was as usual
beautiful ; and Gloire de Dijon, good. A Noisette in Mr. Standish's
stand, named Ledia, was very fine, the centre being a very bright
yellow. In Hybrid Bourbons Charles Lawson takes almost first place,
and is a magnificent flower, of the true rose colour ; and Coupe d'Hebe
still lays claim to being one of the most beautiful of Roses. In the
Gallica class, Boula de Nanteuil was exhibited in great perfection, as
was that old and fine flower Kean ; a truss of Baron de Wassenaer,
in Mr. Hilyer's stand was perfectly grand, having in buds or blossoms
14 or 15 in one head. So much for old Roses. New ones were of
course well looked after ; and there are some claimants for favour
which will, I fancy, find their place in every Rose grower's hands.
First and foremost stands Eugene Appert, of which 23 blooms were
exhibited by Mr. Standish, of Bagshot ; it was raised amongst others
by Mons. Trouillard, Rose foreman to Mons. Leroy, of Angers, about
the largest nurseryman in the world, and was named by him after
M. Appert, M. Leroy 's son-in-law ; it is of the Geant class, and I am
inclined to stake my Rose reputation on it, that it will be a general
favourite ; in colour it combines the rich velvety appearance of
Victor Trouillard with the bright scarlet of Geant, very thick in
the petal, while its shape is good ; some of the blooms (Mr. S. said)
had been out a week, and yet there was no appearance of that
slatiness with which the Geant and others die. Mr. S. says it is a
model of growth, and I can only say, if it be so with every one, it is
the finest and best Rose yet raised ; it will not be let out until the
autumn, and though I do not often venture so far, I would advise no
one to begrudge the half guinea at which it will be sold ; its constancy
there can be no doubt of, for no one could exhibit 23 blooms of a seed-
ling, and all good ones, without its being so. I hope and believe it
will soon be figured in the Florist. Eveque de Nimes is a gem,
brilliant crimson, beautiful rosette shape, but I rather fancy delicate in
growth ; Duke of Cambridge is a large rose, of bright red colour, very
fine in shape ; Triomphe des Beaux Arts (how these French names
break the teeth of our honest John Bull gardeners) is a very fine thing,
of the General Jacqueminot shade, but more double than that noble
flower generally is — if, however, it comes always as this season, we
shall have no reason to complain ; Louis Chaix was in one or two
stands, very beautiful indeed, a rich bright rose colour. I do not think
that any one will by and bye call me a deceiver if I recommend them
to add these Roses to their collection. There was a Rose in Mr.
Tiley's stand, Cecile de Chabrillard, but it seemed to me a pale
Mathurin Regnier.

I have thus fulfilled my task of giving some guide to Rose growers,

JULY. 217

as to the excellence of the kinds exhibited. Perhaps one may be able
to add a few observations at another time, about the sorts most shown.
A report of the show would be, however, incomplete, were one not to
acknowledge the great services rendered by Mr. Edwards to its success.
His perfect knowledge of the whole business ; his activity, energy, and
extreme good nature, made him a most capital master of the cere-
monies. Ah ! that reminds me — there was a band ! Purely this is
not needed. Will not people come to look at the flowers without it ?
It is all very well out of doors, but such a crash and a clamour as this
made was enough to break any one's tympanum. We saw on gen-
tleman rushing about after the committee, or Mr. Hole, or any one he
could get to put a stop to the row. Surely we might set the good
example of doing away with it, or at any rate of having one of much
less tormenting power. As Mr. Hole takes for his motto, " Floreat
regina riorum," let all Rose growers heartily thank him for the
amount of time, labour, and energy he has spent on this project.
Rejoice with him on the success of his plans, and give him the more
homely but expressive oriental wish, " May his shadow never be less."
Deal, June 24. D.

The following is the list of prizes above alluded to : —
Class I., Letter A. 1st Prize, Messrs. Paul and Son, of Cheshunt, with Paul
Perras, Devoniensis, Jules Margottin, Pierre Jaussens, Crested Moss, Lamarque,
Dr. Leprestre, Madame Laffay, Madame Place, Blairi, Triomphe d'Avranches,
Solfaterre, Madeline, Souvenir d'un Ami, Madame de Manual, Transon Goubault,
Raphael, Madame Pauline Laboute, Cardinal Patrizzi, Panache d'Orleans, Ohl
Narcisse, Triomphe en Beaute, Cynthia, Victor Trouillard, Brennus, Cabbage
Moss, Lord Palmerston, Madame Vidot, Mrs. Rivers, Prince Leon, General
Pelissier, Colonel de Rougemont, Madame Duchere, Madame Masson, Louis
Peyronny, Souvenir de Leveson Gower, Duchess of Norfolk, Comtesse de Segur,
Gloire de Dijon, Pauline Lanzezeur, Charles Duval, Joan of Arc, Madame Hardy,
Comte Bourbet, Triomphe de Beaux Arts, Latour d'Auvergne, Paul Ricaut,
Mdlle. Therese Appert, Kean, Bougere, Triomphe de Paris, Laura Ramond,
William Jesse, Baronue Prevost, Telemarque, Eveque de Nimes, Paul Dupuy,
Adam, Bath White Moss, Cabbage Provence, Boula de Nanteuil, Baronne de
Wassenaer, Madame Hector Jacquin, Duke of Cambridge, Alba, Queen of
Denmark, Auguste Guinuoiseau, Lord Raglan, Gloire de Parthenay, Chenedole,
Caroline de Sansal, Madame Zoutman, Madame Domage, Alba Felicite
Parmentier, Gloire de Mosseuses, Souchet, Mrs. Elliott, Madame Cambaceres,
Madame Willermoz, Mathuriu Re^nier, General Jacqueminot, Noemi, Triomphe
de 1' Exposition, Charles Lawson, William Griffiths, Geant des Batailles, Madame
Hitz, Je me Mainteudrai, Lafontaiue, Louis Chaix, General Simpson, Madame
Knorr, Dr. Dielthem, Dr. Juillard, General Castellane, Leon des Combats,
Coupe de Hebe, Duchess of Sutherland, Souvenir de Malmaison. 2nd prize to
Mr. E. P. Francis, Hertford.

Class I., Letter B. Equal 1st. Mr. Cant, Colchester — Joan of Arc, Boula
de Nanteuil, La Ville de Bruxelles, Louise Chaix, Victor Trouillard, Gloire de
Dijon, Prince Regent, Comte de Nanteuil, Triomphe de l'Exposition, Mathurin
Reguier, Souvenir d'un Ami, Chenedole, Etendard des Amateurs, Mrs. Rivers,
Gloire de Mosseuses, General Castellane, Triomphe de Paris, Ariel, Bacchus
Madame Cambaceres, Comte de Paris, Kean, Prince Leon, Pauline Lanzezeur,
Madame Stolz, Paul Ricaut, Madame Bravy, Charles Lawson, Sir J. Franklin,
General Jacqueminot, William Griffiths, Devoniensis, Emperor Napoleon,
Colonel de Rougemont, Lafontaine, Julie, Duke of Cambridge, Madame Vidot
Prince de la Moskowa, William Jesse, Souvenir des Braves, Solfaterre, Souvenir
de Leveson Gower, Caroline de Sansal, Lord Raglan, Madame Knorr, Madame
Masson, Alphonse de Lamartin, Madame Heraud. — Class I., letter B. Equal

218 '-"IE ELQEIST.

1st. Mr. Tiley, Bath — William Jesse, Madame de Cambaceres, Dupetit Thouars,
P us IX., Comte de Nanteuil, Mrs. Rivers, Jacques Lafitte. William Griffiths,
Madame Knorr, Devoniensis, Gloire de Vitry, Souvenir de Leveson Gower,
Baronne Prevost, Reiue des Fleurs, Triomphe de Paris, Geant des Batailles,
General Jacqueminot, Vicomtesse de Gazes, Caroline de Sansal, Madame Fhelip,
General Simpson, Pauline Lanzezeur, Eveque de Nimes, Cuintesse Cecile de
Chabrillan, Sydonie, Jules Margottiu, Souvenir de Malmaison, Madame Domage,
Alexandrine Bachmeteff, Louise Odier, Mere de St. Louis, Gloire de Dijon,
Noemi, Lord Raglan, Louise Peyronny, Madame Masson, Acidalie, Duchess of
Sutherland, Solfaterre, Prince Leon, Mathurin Regnier, Paul Ricaut, Auguste
Mie, Mrs Bosanquet, Lady Franklin, Cardinal Patrizzi, Triomphe de l'Expo-
sition, Augustine Mouchelet, Madame Laffay, Madame Vidot : 2nd prize to Mr.
C. Turner, Slough — Auguste Mie, Bacchus, Baronne Prevost, Cardinal Patrizzi,
Caroline de Sansal, Duchess of Norfolk, Gloire de Dijou, Duchess of Sutherland,
Emperor Napoleon, General Castellaue, General Jacqueminot, General Pelissier,
General Simpson, Glory of France, Imperatrice des Francais, Jacques Lafitte,
Jules Margottin, La Reiue, Lord Raglan, Leon des Combats, Madame de
Cambaceres, Madame Domage, Madame Hector Jacquin, Madame Knorr,
Madame Laffay, Madame Marsel, Madame Masson, Madame Vidot, Mdlle. Alice
Leroy, Mathurin Regnier, Maxime, Paul Dupuy, Pauline Lanzezeur, Prince
Leon, Queen Victoria, Robin Hood, Souvenir de Leveson Gower, Triomphe de
l'Fxposition, William Griffiths, William Jesse, Triomphe de Paris, Baronne
Larray, Charles Lawson, Coupe d' Hebe, Paul Ricaut, Souvenir de Malmaison,
Juno, Charles Duval, Geant des Batailles, Chenedole ; 3rd prize to Mr. Hollamby,
Tunbridge Wells.

Class I., letter C. 1st prize to Mr. Fraser, Lea Bridge Road, with General
Jacqueminot, Jules Margottin, Lord Raglan, General Castellane, Duchess of
Norfolk, Louis Chaix, Colonel de Rougemont, Souvenir de Leveson Gower,
Pauline Lanzezeur, Madame Heraud, William Griffiths, Madame Recamier,
Devoniensis, Madame Vidot, Triomphe des Beaux Arts, Duke of Cambridge,
Prince Leon, Souvenir des Braves, Mdlle. Alice Leroy, Mdlle. Therese Appert,
Victor Trouillard, Anna Alexieff, Triomphe de 1' Exposition, Due de Os.-ana ; 2nd
prize to Mr. Laing, Twickenham ; 3rd, Messrs. Veitch aud Son, Exeter.

Class II., letter D. 1st prize to C. M. Worthingon, Esq., Caversham, near
Reading — Berenice, Cynthia, Dr. Dielthem, Transou Goubault, Colonel Coombes,
Dido, Auguste Mie, Triomphe de Paris, Madame Hector Jacquin, Madame
Masson, Triomphe de Beaux Arts, Madame Knorr, Madame Edward Ory,
Lawrence Moutmorence, Paul Ricaut, Solfaterre, Polomeu, Madame Willermoz,
La Quintiuie, Moiret, Ophirie, Prince Leon, Triomphe de l'Exposition,
Devoniensis, Coupe de Hebe, Narcisse, Leopoldine d'Beauffremont, Cornet, Jules
Margottin, Belle Marie, Boula de Nanteuil, Chenedole, William Jesse, Duchess
of Sutherland, Caroline de Sansal, Colonel de Rougemont, CEillet Parfait, Baronne
Hallez, Comte de Paris, Pauline Lanzezeur, Gloire de Dijon, Julie d'Etanges,
La Ville de Bruxelles, Passhot, Madame Breon, Emperor Napokon, Mrs.
Bosanquet, Cloth of Gold; 2nd prize to Mr. Holliiigworth, Maidstone. 3rd
prize to J. T. Hedge, Esq., Colchester ; 4th prize to Mr. Terry, and W. G.
Puller, Fsq., Youngsbury, Herts.

Class II., letter E. 1st prize to Mr. Moffet, gardener to Viscount Maynard,
Easter Lodge, Dunmow, Fssex— Lady Stuart, Pauline Lanzezeur, Madame Vidot,
Madame Domage, Paul Dupuy, William Jesse, Baronne Prevost, Madame
Masson, Comtesse d'Orleaus, Chenedole, Cynthia, Jules Margottin, General
Jacqueminot, Duchess of Sutherland, Triomphe de Paris, Mrs. Rivers, Colonel
de Rougemont, Prince Leon, Madame Place, Paul Ricaut, William Griffiths,
Souvenir de Malmaison, Baronne Hallez ; 2nd prize to Mr. Thomas Blake,
Ware, Herts ; 3rd prize to J. T. Hedge, Esq., Colchester ; -1th prize to Miss
Crawshay, Caversham Park, Reading.

Class II., letter F. 1st prize to C. M. Worthingtou, Esq., Caversham,
Reading — Duchess of Sutherland, Jules Margottin, Baronne Hallez, Colonel de
Rougemont, Madame Masson, Madame Domage, Lord Raglan, Emperor Napoleon,
Paul Ricaut, Cloth of Gold, Madame William, Prince Leon ; 2nd prize to Mr.
Plester, gardener to Mrs. Rush, Eleseham Hall ; 3rd prize to the Rev. H. Helyar,
Pendomer, Yeovil.

JULY. 219

Class III., letter G. 1st prize to W. Cant, Esq., Mile End Lodge, Colchester
— Boula de Nanteuil, Madame Schmidt, Prince Imperial, Caroline de Sansal,
Jules Margottin, Madame Knorr, Paul Ricant, Charles Lawson, General
Jacqueminot, Gloire de Dijon, Souvenir de Malmaison, Prince Leon, Etendard
des Amateurs, Souvenir d'uu Ami, William Jesse, Geant des Batailles, Kean,
Devoniensis, Eveque de Nimes, Pauline Lauzezeur, Lord Raglan, Solfaterre,
Coupe d' Hebe, General Jacqueminot ; 2nd prize to Mr. Thomas Mallett,
Nottingham; 3rd prize to Mr. Thomas Walker, Oxford.

Class III., letter H. 1st prize to W. Cant, Esq., Mile End Lodge, Col-
chester—Jules Margottin, Madame Masson, Baronne Prevost, Comte de Nantueil,
Lord Raglan, Boula de Nanteuil, Solfaterre, Coupe d' Hebe, Devoniensis,
Charles Lawson, Kean, Souchet: 2nd prize to Mr. Thomas Walker, Oxford;
3rd prize to Mr. Thomas Mallet, Nottingham ; 4th prize to Mr. Thirland, Oxford.

Class IV., letter I. Roses in pots. 1st prize to Messrs. Paul and Son,
Cheshunt ; 2nd prize to Mr. E. Francis, Hertford.

BROCCOLI.
The following notes on this useful vegetable are taken from " Thomp-
son's Gardener's Assistant." My own experience of the few sorts I
grow shall be given in your next : —

" Early Purple Cape. — This grows from a foot to eighteen inches
high. Leaves nearly entire, erect, waved ; veins and midrib stained
purple. Heads middle-sized, compact, purplish green, the whole
becoming green when boiled. Sow first and third week in May, for
use in September and October. A longer succession — namely, till
January — may be obtained, if required, from a sowing in the second
week in June.

" Green Gape. — Leaves long, narrow, veins and mid-ribs green.
Head greenish, generally covered by the leaves ; comes into use in
October and November, from sowings in the middle of May, and in
December if sown in the second week in June.

" Sprouting. — A strong-growing hardy sort, from two to three feet
high. Leaves spreading, much indented, of a purplish green. The
head is of a deep purple ; the first one close, others smaller sprout from
the axils of the upper leaves. If sown in April it produces heads or
sprouts fit for use in November. After the first head is cut out a
succession of sprouts is produced through the winter. Near London the
principal sowing is, however, made in the first or second week of May ;
but if the ground intended to be planted is not likely to be cleared of
the previous crop in time to receive the Broccoli plants sown in the
beginning of May, before they get too old in the bed, the sowing must
be deferred till the end of May or beginning of June ; and from these
late sowings, heads or flower sprouts will come in for use in April.

" Green Close- Headed. — The plants are dwarf and hardy, leaves
large, waved, veins white. Heads middle-sized, growing exposed, of
a greenish colour. Sown in the third week of May, it produces a
succession of compact heads from November till the end of February.

" Late Dwarf Purple . — Very dwarf and hardy. Leaves short,
dark green, deeply indented. Heads small, conical, deep purple,
becoming fit for use in May. Sow in the second or third week in May.

" Danish or Late Green. — Leaves long, narrow, much undulated.

220 THE FLORIST.

Heads tolerably large, compact, exposed, and of a greenish colour ; fit
for use in April and May. The hardiest and best for withstanding
severe winters. Sow in the second week of May.

" Dwarf Brown. — Leaves dark green with white veins. Heads
exposed, yellowish brown. Sown about the middle of April, it comes
in for use from March till May.

" ChappeWs Large Cream- Coloured, — A very large sort, which comes
in earlier than the Portsmouth, and continues to produce throughout.
the winter. Sow about the middle of April and first week in May.

" Portsmouth. — Leaves large, broad, with white veins, spreading,
but the centre ones partially cover the flower or head, which is very
large, and of a buff or cream colour. It is fit for use in March and
April. A hardy sort for its size, and requires to be sown in the first
or second week in May.

" Sulphur. — Leaves with long stalks. Heads large, compact, some-
what conical, sulphur-coloured, sometimes tinged with purple. A hardy
sort, in use in April and May. Sow in second or third week in May.
" Mitchell's Ne Plus Ultra. — Hardy and of dwarf habit. Leaves
smooth, glaucous, protecting the head, which is large, compact, cream-
coloured. Sow middle of March and middle of April.

" Grange's Early Cauliflower Broccoli. — This is the earliest of the
white kinds, forming a succession to the late crop of Cauliflowers.
Sown in the first and third weeks of May, beautiful heads will be
produced in October, November, and December. In the southern part
of the kingdom it may be sown in June for use in January ; but it is
better to trust to a hardier sort for a supply at that period of the season.
" Cock's Pari// White. — This is a very excellent sort for autumn use.
A small sowing should be made about the 1st of May, and the prin-
cipal sowing about the 10th of that month.

" Gillespie's White. — A fine early autumn sort. Sow first week of
May and June.

" Early White. — Plants tall, with erect dark green leaves, which
are nearly entire. Heads close in texture, and of a very white colour.
Season — November, December, and January.

" Hammond's White Cape. — This is a fine white autumn sort, but
may be obtained in long succession if sown in April, and monthly till
June ; or it may be had at all seasons if treated the same as the
Walcheren Cauliflower.

" Steward's Early White. — A sort much esteemed about Edinburgh.
Sow first week in May, or, in the north, in the third week in April,
for produce in December and January.

"Adams' Superb Early White. — A good autumn sort. Sow middle
of April and first week in May.

" Snow's Superb White Winter Broccoli. — Dwarf habit ; leaves
broad, with short petioles. Heads rather large, very compact, well
protected with leaves, white and equal in quality to those of the
Cauliflower. Sow early in March, first week in May, and middle of
June ; the produce will be fit for use in November, December, January,
and March. If sown in the middle of August, protected if the weather
should be severe, and planted out early in spring, they will come in

JULY. 221

to succeed the spring Cauliflowers. Many prefer this sort to Grange's
Early Cauliflower Broccoli.

" White Cape. — This forms compact heads of medium size. If
sown in April and May, it is in season throughout January and February.

" Spring While. — Leaves large, with thick white veins, encompassing
the head so as to render it invisible when fit to cut. The head is of
medium size, very white, and is fit for use in April and May. Sow
third week in April.

" Cock's Late White. — A fine close-headed late sort, coming in for
use in February and March. The leaf-stalks are somewhat twisted,
like those of Knight s Protecting, and, consequently, protect the head.
Sow first week in May.

" Knight % Protecting. — Amongst the hardiest of the white sorts, and
excellent when it can be obtained true ; but it is apt to degenerate.
The leaf-stalks are peculiarly twisted, so as to encompass and protect
the head, which is very large and white. Sow in the third week in
April and second week in May.

" Melville's Superior Late White is a good hardy late sort. The
writer of the calendar in the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1847, p. 471,
states, that it was the only kind he saved the previous severe winter
without losing a single plant.

" Elletson's Gigantic Late White. — Stem short ; head very large and
fine ; fit for use in May and June. Sow middle or end of April.

" Miller's Late White. — This is an old variety ; but is considered
by some to be the best late sort, if it can be obtained true. It is hardy,
and requires to be planted early. Sow middle of April.

" Willcove Broccoli. — This is a good very late dwarf, and compara-
tively hardy variety, affording a supply till Cauliflowers come in. It
derives its name from a small village near Devonport, noted for the last
forty years for producing the latest Broccoli, and where this variety is
said to be grown in great perfection.

" Ward's Superb Late Whde. — A new sort, stated to be as large
and as white as a Cauliflower. Sow in the end of April.

" The varieties above noticed are too numerous ; but some may wish
to try different sorts, in order to ascertain which best suits their soil,
climate, and demand."

Putney Heath. J. S.

BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

June 23. — The prize offered by this society for the best collection of
Strawberries, with foliage and flowers, was awarded to Mr. C. Turner,
Slough, for a well-arranged collection of 24 varieties, namely : — Oscar,
large, rich deep colour, a firm fruit, of excellent flavour ; British Queen
and Carolina superba, these two kinds maintained their position as
first-class varieties, for delicious flavour; Sir Charles Napier, very large
and handsome fruit, a little acid, and yet a most desirable Strawberry ;
Wonderful, a long large fruit, of average flavour, rich colour, said to be
a great cropper ; Adair and Nimrod, handsome deep-coloured fruit,

222 THE FLORIST.

poor flavour, and considered to be alike — the same was considered by
the meeting to be the case with Omar Pacha and Rival Queen, but both
much inferior to British Queen ; Filbert Pine, not large, but fine
quality and flavour — the same may be said of Prince of Wales ;
Doubleday's No. 2 and 3 possessed considerable merit, but not suffi-
ciently good or distinct — No. 3 is very large and showy ; Elton Pine,
Keens' Seedling, Rivers' Eliza, Cinquefolia, Hooper's Seedling, and
Sir Harry, fine ; Surprise and Admiral Dundas, both large, but of
indifferent flavour ; Black Prince, Incomparable, and Nicholson's May
Queen, comprised the collection ; the two last by far the worst, and of
no value. The four best would be British Queen, Oscar, Carolina
superba, and Sir Charles Napier.

Three varieties were exhibited for the prize offered for the best
seedling. It was awarded to Mr. S. Bradley, Elton Manor, Notts, for
Oscar, above described ; it was stated to be an excellent grower, and
one of the very best kinds for travelling.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Azaleas and Camellias. — All the early started plants in this class
will have made their growth, and have formed their bloom buds for
next year. More light and air will be necessary, and less water to
free growing plants, to ensure a good set. A portion of the earliest
plants may be placed out of doors, choosing a rather shady situation,
and one protected from the wind. Young plants growing on for
specimens may now be shifted again, and kept close in frames, to make
them start afresh.

Carnations and Picotees. — There promises to be this season a very
fine show of bloom, and likewise early. Careful watering must be
observed, as it tends to prolong the duration of the bloom. Protect
the flowers from the scorching sun and from wet. Should the method
of piping be adopted as a means of increasing stock, the sooner it is
attended to the better, otherwise, layering will be a better plan.

Cinerarias. — Let us suppose Cinerarias to be now cut down and
placed in a cool shady situation, where they will shortly break up, and give
sucker?, which may be taken off as soon as they attain the length of an
inch. Prepare the cuttings, and place them round the edges of pots or
pans, in a nice sandy compost ; keeping them close for a few days will
insure their rooting. Give air gradually, and pot off as ready into a
nice loose compost, composed of turfy loam and leaf-mould. Sow seeds
in a cool frame or shady situation. Prick off as soon as large enough
to handle into pans or small pots, according to convenience. Prepare
soils as advised last month, and turn occasionally, to sweeten, which is
indispensable for the health of the plants.

Cold Frames. — See our last notice, to which add Achimenes, which
may be brought forward nicely in frames, as also Lycopods and Ferns,
if kept shaded and damp.

Conservatory. — The roof, unless well covered with climbing plants,
will require shading each sunny day ; this, however, should be removed

july. 223

early in the afternoon, and as much air given as is possible, to induce
a sturdy growth in the permanent plants. Well wash the trees over-
head frequently, and also attend well to the inside borders. Air will
be given all night, except during high winds, or any stormy weather.

Cucumbers, &c. — During very hot weather, Cucumbers should be
kept shaded from the midday sun, to prevent the fruit from becoming
bitter, which is apt to he the case during the hot season, particularly
should the border get dry. Tomatoes should be trained to walls, and
stopped when they have shown fruit enough. Water freely ridge
Cucumbers and Vegetable Marrows during dry weather.

Dalilias. — Watering, mulching, and keeping down insects, will all
help to make these grow luxuriantly. The first and great point towards
success is to grow a fine plant, after which skill and judgment in
thinning must be brought to bear ; and nothing but close observation
will accomplish this, as scarcely two varieties require precisely the same
treatment.

Flower Garden. — The principal work to be done in this department
will be merely of a routine character — tying, pegging, pruning, and
training, everything in its way. As the edging of flower beds is now
very geneially adopted, these, to be effective, should be kept very
neat and regular. Watering will be required to most things until they
have covered the ground. Pinch off the blooms when you don't want a
very early display, until the plants are well established, when the
bloom will be more uniform and regular. Hardy Biennials and
Perennials sown this spring may now be pricked out into nursery beds,
to remain for the present. Keep hedges neatly cut, and the Grass and
gravel in good order ; then an air of high keeping may pervade the
whole.

Fruit (hardy). — Nothing more can be done to wall trees, beyond
what we stated in our last. Protect Strawberries and bush fruit from
birds. Strawberry runners should at once be laid into small pots for
forcing and after planting. Strawberries will require very liberal
waterings ; and, on dry soils, Raspberries and bush fruits will be much
benefited by mulching over the surface, between the plants, and a
portion of the summer's wood cut away immediately after gathering the
fruit, if not before.

Kitchen Garden. — The crops of autumn Greens and Broccoli should
be planted as quickly as the ground can be got ready. All the Kales
(including of course the Cottager's), Brussels Sprouts, and Savoys,
require to be in early. As these crops will generally follow early Peas
or Potatoes, and supposing the ground manured for them, no further
preparation will be necessary, beyond digging the land over. A good
breadth of Endive may now be sown, and also successional crops of
Lettuces, Spinach, Radishes, and Carrots, to draw young. The main
crop of winter Turnips should now be sown. Snowball and Early
Mousetail and Stone are the best garden varieties. The last crop of
Peas may now be sown, using any good early sorts, and also French
Beans, and a row or two of the Mazagan or Dwarf Bush, and Broad
Beans for the chance of a few in October. Celery planting should be
followed up at every opportunity. Cauliflowers and Walcheren Broccoli

224 THE FLORIST.

may also be planted, and the last sowing to come in this year should
be sown at once ; we prefer the VValcheren Broccoli and Stadtholder
Cauliflower for this sowing. Water must be given liberally whenever
the ground becomes dry, or make use of irrigation when practicable,
on which a very excellent paper was published in the Florist last year.
Melons. — The more light and air Melons can be supplied with during
the period of ripening, the higher will be their flavour. Shading such
plants as the Melon is decidedly bad practice, but constant attention to
a uniform root action, by keeping a moderate bottom heat, is indispen-
sable. The soil in which they grow should be moist, but not wet.
Give water " a little and often," to avoid the extremes of wet and
dryness, which would be fatal to the crop. Should red spider attack
the foliage, wash the interior sides of the pit or frame with a little sulphur.
There is still time to plant for the latest crop.

Peach-house. — As the fruit is cleared, go over the trees, and remove
any useless wood not required for bearing next year. The trees should
be kept well washed every morning, to keep down insects, and have a
large supply of air, to assist in ripening the wood. If the trees are
young, or are making too strong wood, keep the border quite dry ;
on the contrary, weak trees, or which have been overcropped, should
have waterings of manure water applied two or three times during the
next two months.

Pelargoniums. — After flowering, let the plants be exposed to the
sun and air, to cause the wood to well ripen before being cut down.
Fumigate freely to destroy aphis, which adheres strongly to them.
Cuttings put in now will strike freely out of doors in a sheltered situ-
ation, in a mixture of light sandy soil. The fancy varieties should be
struck in pots, and kept in a cool house for a time, giving a little fire-
heat. Compost should now be prepared for autumn use.

Pinery. — The plants for producing winter fruit should now be
showing fruit, and will require plenty of air, to get the shows up strong.
The first batch of plants to fruit next season early should now be suffi-
ciently advanced to be potted into fruiting pots. Pot on successions as
they require it ; also the suckers taken from the present season's stools.
Pinks andPansies. — Propagate these by the usual method of pipings ;
the latter will require a shady border, but Pinks do best on a slight hot-
bed.

Vinery. — When the fruit is all cleared from the early house, let the
foliage be kept well washed daily, and every means taken to keep the
leaves healthy, as long as possible, to invigorate the Vines for another
season. The inside borders, if become dry, should also be watered,
taking proper care of the foliage.^ Vines, though early forced, may be
kept in a good productive state for many years. We, last season, took
up the Vines in a house which had produced ripe Grapes the first week
in May, for twenty consecutive years. Attend to late Grapes, by thinning
those not yet set, and other points of treatment. Outside borders, after
the late dry weather, may require water, but all will depend on the
composition.

J^jbidreH-s.Delt & Zinco.

Eugene Appert.
Plate 154.

PrmtecL by C. Chi

AUGUST. 225

ROSE, EUGENE APPERT.

[Plate 154.]

For the following account of this beautiful Rose, prefaced by
a few well-timed remarks on the late great National exhibition
of this Queen of flowers in the Hanover Square Rooms, we are
indebted to our excellent correspondent, " S. R. H." He
says : —

It may interest some readers of the Florist to have details of the
development of a " National Rose Show " from one who has watched
it " behind the scenes." Well then, when even Regent Street is still,
and all its costly stores are barred and shuttered, there comes at sun-
rise, to the Square of Hanover, a hansom cab, which, stopping at " the
rooms," sets down, to the especial gladness of its horse, a " Geant "
secretary, a gardener " of robust habit," Rose-boxes and carpet bags
galore. The bell is answered by a porter, who, doubtless, wishes the
exhibition at Jerusalem, and murmurs to himself " The Rose be
blowed," as he pilots the secretary through the dark passages, where
forms are standing upon each other without any ceremony, and up the
darker staircase to the room. There the new light of day reveals to the
rejoicing Rose-grower that his stanch and faithful ally, Mr. Edwards,
has all in readiness the lists set out for the tournament, and the course in
excellent order for the race, and that he has, in consequence, nothing to
do but to unpack his stationery in the room appropriated to him, to take
a look at his Roses (a very brief one, for the day is too early for his
midland garden), and then to await the arrival of his friends. They do
not keep him long in suspense. Before six o'clock, two tilted waggons,
which have travelled through the summer's night from the grand
gardens of Hertfordshire, stand at the portals, ready to unload ; and as
the covering, which has screened those dainty passengers from wind and
dust, is opened, you may see two such collections of Roses in pots, as
make the eyes sparkle and the nose rejoice. To what shall we compare
them ? They might be a bevy of beautiful Sabine girls, decked in their
festival attire, and hiding in a corner from the Romans ; but the latter,
you see, have discovered them at last, and bear them away ruthlessly.

And, now, light wain and cart and cab arrive in quick succession.
The cry is still they come. Enthusiastic amateurs, who have been up
all night, heavy of eye, and hairy of lip, longing for bath and razor, but
longing still more to see how their Roses have travelled, and as anxious
about each individual bloom as though it were their first-born babe.
And, smiling at their earnestness, " old hands " and men of business,
taught by defeat as well as by victory, and by the vicissitudes of a
hundred fights, not to be over confident or over careful. Yes, they
smile, well pleased to see in others the zeal which they have known and
lost, and I verily believe would give up all their experience, all their
medals and their cups, to feel once more in their fulness the first
ambitions of youth.

But there is no time now for scrutiny of others, or surmise as to their
thoughts, for the boxes are unlocked, or unhooked (as the rase may be),

VOL. XII., no. cxc. Q

22G THE FLORIST.

and all are bending anxiously and fondly over their treasures. Alas !
that " Gallica" so large in form, so resplendent in colour, when we
placed it carefully in its tube, and said, with a sigh, "if it will but
carry." Behold it quantum mutata I What a restless, feverish night
it must have had, staring about it with that great green " eye," and
tossing off its clothes, its loliage I mean, all over the box. Don't talk
to me about " Kean," or " Shakspere" no Rose with either name
would ever show itself in such undress when just about to be " staged."
Ah, here's another disappointment ! That beautiful bud of some
delicate Noisette or Tea, which we trusted would expand en roule to
the show, looks more hard-headed than ever, and though we blew into
it for a fortnight, would not display its charms. There, you have broken
two petals with that ivory implement, and have spoilt your Rose. You
may play tricks, my friends, with some of her subjects, but not with
the Queen of flowers, so keep your breath for wiser purposes than the
attempt to amplify her beauty, and look among your spare Roses for a
successor to that unhappy piece of immaturity.

And, now, all is arranged. .The Rose-grower, with an artist's eye,
and with a lady's finger (for those large sunburnt hands of his ever
touch a Rose with reverent care and tenderness), has made the most of
his flowers, and, stepping back a pace or two, surveys them, well
content. Nothing now remains but to "stage" them, and he has long
since selected a delightful place, cool, but with a good light upon it.
Away he goes, bearing his Roses before him, and meets about a score
of his brethren, who have made the same judicious choice of a suitable
site for their flowers. It is plain that all cannot have it, unless the
boxes are piled one upon the other, and as this might take from the
beauty of the exhibition, away they go to the secretary. Behold them
crowding around him, carrying their Roses in front, as though they
were jewellers, bringing their choicest cases for inspection. And
assuredly in his, the secretary's, eyes never were gems so bright and
beautiful. A glorious display, but — " What will he do with it? " All
is confusion, and yet, in a quarter of an hour, the censors will be here.
The tall official, beset by the exhibitors, like a Giraffe run down by
bloodhounds, is just beginning to despair, when his trusty knight, Sir
John, makes a sharp sally to the rescue, and lo! the disputants disperse
— letter H. no longer insists on showing his 12 varieties with letter A's
100, but goes quietly off to the place assigned to him, and all ere long is
peace.

Peace, and order, and perfect beauty ! Ofttimes has that spacious
room, roused from its normal dreariness (and it is not a cheery
chamber, I can tell you, to tread alone at four in the morning), but
transformed into a scene of life and brilliance, but never saw such
loveliness as this ; for

" Never yet since, high in Paradise,
O'er the four rivers the first Roses blew,"

has the Queen of the Flowers held such a Court. The Pope himself,
Pius IX., H.P., attended by Cardinal Patrizzi and the Bishops of
Nimes and of Meaux; the {>ld Queen of Denmark, blushing with
righteous anger to hear that one of the new Perpetuals has coolly

AUGUST.

227

usurped her title ; the Queen of the Belgians ; our own dear sovereign
Lady, Queen Victoria; the Empress Eugenie (bright red, fine form,
and full, according to the catalogues), and near her, of course, the
Emperw Napoleon, very sanguinary in aspect, but still looking rather
small in the society of Charlemagne and Frederic the 2nd ; and all
around Princesses and Princes, Marshals, Dukes, and Duchesses,
Generals, and Poets, and Painters — the beauty and the brains of the
world ! Yet here hath pride no place : Homer and Shakspere converse
with William Lobb ; and the Mother of St. Louis shrinks not from the
side of Bacchus.

Now, what must have been the feelings of a bashful young Rose
suddenly introduced into such an august society ? Young ladies at
their first ball, young gentlemen in their first tailed-coat, may form
some feeble conjecture — feeble, because they have had some previous
knowledge of the world ; but in the case to which I refer there existed
no such experience. No, it is a fact that Master Eugene Appert had
actually never left the nursery until his worthy guardian, Mr. Standish,
introduced him, with many a kind word of praise and encouragement,
into the midst of this dazzling scene, this glorious assemblage des
Beautes. Well might he petition for that place in an obscure corner
of the room, from which he never stirred throughout the day, blushing
vividly in his nervous excitement, and longing but not daring to speak
to those lovely ladies in white* close to him, resting gracefully upon
their mossy couch, after their long journey from pleasant Devon.

And who shall attempt to describe his painful state of trepidation,
when, wishing that, if it were possible, he might sink into his tube of
zinc, and be for ever hidden, he saw the censors draw near to
scrutinise ? Or who, on the other hand, shall essay to tell of all his
pride and ecstasy, when kindly words of recognition and of praise were
spoken pleasantly to his listening ear, when he heard the judges say
that they knew his papa, the celebrated Geanf des Batailles : that they
were intimately acquainted with his dear old French master, M. Victor
Trouillard, and had recently seen his near relations, his sisters, Alice
Leroy, Rebecca, and Stephanie Beauharnais ; his brothers Patrizzi,
Francois Arago and Francois Premier, and his uncle, Doctor Bre-
tonneau. How must his delight have culminated and overflowed, when
they expressed their positive opinion that he would prove himself " a
better man than his father ;" declared him to be " a decided addition
to the Rosarium," and finally inscribed upon a card above him, " Much
admired and approved by the censors."

Eugene Appert (to leave off mcta;»hor) is a very beautiful new Rose,
raised by M. Victor Trouillard, and having much of the gorgeous
colouring which enriches the flower of that name. ' To those who saw
the three blooms of Victor Trouillard, in the collection of Mr. Cant, of
Colchester, at the National Rose Show, this resemblance will sound as
no mean compliment ; but we may, I think, indulge in still higher
eulogy, and assert, that both in arrangement of its petals, in the beauty
of its foliage, and the robust healthfulness of its vigorous growth, the
Rose Eugene Appert is superior to Victor Trouillard. This combina-

* Mr. Veitch's box of Devouieusis.

228 THE FLORIST.

tion of strength and beauty is to be especially commended at a time
when so many of our new Roses are sadly defective in constitution —
like dolls, beautiful in lace, but with nothing to support their bodies of
bran but those thin, distorted rickety legs, which cannot be induced to
stand at any price. But Eugene Appert is hale as handsome, not
glowing with that hectic flush which foretells a rapid decline, but with
the enduring bloom of perfect health — health which keeps the flowers
beautiful for some days after they have been severed from the tree, and
this makes the Rose especially valuable to those who grow for exhibition.

S. R. H.

STRAWBERRIES.

The Strawberry crop here has been abundant, and the fruit generally
has been fine. Of the new Strawberries, the following is a true
description, and may be depended upon.

Belle Bordelaise, raised from the old Hautbois, and like it in leaf,
fruit, and flavour, is quite excellent. The plants were sent to me on
the 26th of April, by Mons. F. Gloede, arriving here some days later ;
and though planted in a discourteous spring, the fruit was ripe, under
a south wall, in the first week in June. I think it will supersede the
old Hautbois, of which I have had a good crop of fair sized and delicious
fruit. The Bicton Pine, called also Barnes' Large White, of amber
colour, is an acquisition, and of nice flavour. This, though sent at the
same time, ripened a fortnight later, in the centre of the garden . The
Black Hautbois, sent at the same time, has also produced a few berries
of very dark hue, and of good flavour. Of Rivers' Eliza, sent to me
by Mr. Rivers, and also by Mons. P. Gloede, I saved a few berries,
and I think it will, when known, become a great favourite. Its form,
habit, flavour, and quality are very good. The plant is vigorous, and
when deeply rooted, will be a great cropper. Ananias Lecoq Pine, of
a peculiar flavour, is a robust plant, and heavy cropper. The fruit is
large, and the flesh solid ; it is the best winterer of any here. I had a
fine dish of it at my annual Strawberry entertainment on Friday, the
8th July, which was much admired for its size and deep red colour.
Madame Vilmorin (Gloede), of the Queen race and flavour, is a
vigorous plant, but shy bearer. Her fruit is very large and delicious,
yet softer than the Queen. The dense green colour of the foliage is
very strifcng. These Strawberries I shall increase, and cast off Adair
and Cremont's Perpetual, both heavy croppers and both good forcers.

The other twenty -five varieties sent me by Monsieur F. Gloede I
disfruited, and shall not be able to speak of them till this time next year.

Filbert Pine I tasted at Mr. May's at Blandford, and I considered it
of excellent flavour. Cinquefolia I saw during his absence, but did not
taste it ; he and Mr. Hector say it is very good ; the berries of it were
very large, and of an oblong-round form. Nimrod I tasted there, and
thought it better than many. The British Queen (leaving out the'
Hautbois tribes) is still the best. I have had good crops on my two
and three years old plants, and the fruit was of large size. Mr. May's

AUGUST. 229

crop of her on two years old plants, both for size and quantity, was
wonderful. The leaves of the plants were tied back to let in the sun,
and the heavy crop of fruit was suspended on lines of string, which is
the best way to colour her to her tips. Bricks, slates, and glass burn
the stems and calyx. Evidently the Queen, where properly cultivated,
is one of the best croppers. She likes strong and highly manured land,
deeply trenched. Mr. Tatchell Bullen, who lives below Bridport, told
me, that in his strong ground, the British Queen grew into large
bushes, and cropped wonderfully. I have had one of my large plants
photographed by Mr. Rogers of Blandford. The plant had 278 berries,
the greater part of which were ripe, and some over ripe. I believe it
to be Keens' Seedling, though, from the pubescence of its stems and the
height and size of the plant, Mr. Ingram thinks it is not. I have
fifteen ranks of it, two feet apart, and, when Viscount Curzon was here
to see my Roses, he counted the stems of one plant, and found it had
twenty-five. The plants are two years old, and were planted with
peat charcoal. The portrait of the plant was taken by the expressed
wish of my kind friend, Monsieur F. Gloede, for whom it is designed,
on his arrival at Rushton.

W. F. Radclyfpe.

NOTES, QUERIES, AND ANSWERS.
In reply to " Grape Grower " — Budding Vines is no modern practice ;
our recollection of its being practised goes back 25 years. Vines may
be budded from this season to March next, with the almost certainty
of their producing fruit from the same buds next season, provided the
buds are sufficiently ripened when inserted, and the stock is headed
back, to give them a fair chance. The operation requires great nicety,
as you must insert a part of the wood with the eye, and cut a corre-
sponding piecS of the bark of the stock to insert^he bud, taking great
care that the eye inserted fits very closely the incision made to receive
it. Our plan is to take a piece of the wood containing the eye to be
budded, with about a quarter of an inch of wood above and below the
eye, split the wood down the middle, make the cut smooth, and square
the ends. We then cut a corresponding piece out of the bark of the
stock, which must be done very cleanly, so as not to rupture the bark ;
then fit in the eye, and bind up closely with gummed tape or matting,
using a little clay or not, as you please. If the stock at the time of
budding can be partly cut back it will assist the buds taking, which in
ordinary cases, and on young stocks, will soon he the case. We have
found the best stocks to be the West's St. Peter's, Hamburgh, Black
Damascus, Barbarossa, or, indeed, any strong vigorous growing Vine,
excepting the Cannon Hall, on which we could never make buds take
well. Budding Vines in a similar manner to Roses we never saw
practised, nor do we think it practicable, but the plan detailed is
simple and safe. We should say a well ripened bud, inserted now or
in September, on a healthy stock, and the top cut down to the eyes
next winter, would produce fruit next autumn to a certainty.

230 TUE FLORIST.

Raspberries. — My Raspberry canes last year died back fully one-
third, and I have a very inferior crop. What am I to do? R. —
Your Raspberries, like many others, were attacked by mildew ; as a
preventive for another season, thin out the old wood at once, and wash
the present year's canes with the Gishurst Compound advertised in
our columns, dissolving 2 «z. to the gallon of water, and syringe them
over two or three times at intervals of a week between ; a strong solution
of soapsuds mixed with sulphur would do — the former is preferable.
The disease has been very general this year.

Broccoli. — I should very much reduce the list of Broccolies in your
last. Had I the privilege of recommending I should say the following
would answer every purpose : — Purple, white, and pink Cape. Sow in
May and June where they are to stand ; season, October to Christmas.
Snow's Winter. Sow in April and May, earlier north of the Trent ; will
last from November to February, and even March, and is unequalled.
Frogmore Protecting (true). Sow as above ; lasts from February to
April ; the best of its season. Dalmeny. The largest and most
compact Broccoli for the season ; March, April, and May. Mitchell's
hardy Cauliflower will succeed this in May.

Cloth of Gold Rose. — In reference to the pruning or non -pruning of
this Rose producing blooms, I may observe that la^t year I budded a
strong-growing Bourbon Rose, which had been planted at the end of
my house by mistake, with a score of buds of this Rose, every one of
which has produced a truss of bloom. on shoots not more than five or
six inches long, Whether this is to be attributed to the kind of stock
or the warm aspect (south-east), or the dry nature of the soil, your
readers must decide. I have the same results with Lamarque.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS HORTICUTURAL FETE.
This exhibition, which took place in July, was honoured by the
presence of the ex-Queen of the French, and other members of the late
royal family of France, including the Due d'Aumale, the Comte d'Eu,
&c. ; and, the day being remarkably fine, was attended by between
4000 and 5000 visitors. The plants were staged in a large tent in the
grounds of the Calverley Park Hotel ; the band of the Royal Artlillery
attended, and the scene was a very gay one. At eleven o'clock the
tents were cleared, and the adjudication began, the judges being the
Rev. H. H. Dombrain of Deal, and Mr. Cox, gardener to W. Wells,
Esq., Redleaf.

The plants exhibited on the occasion would, we hesitate not to say,
not have disgraced the exhibitions at the Crystal Palace, or the Regent's
Park. In floricultural language, nothing could have been better
"done" than some of those which obtained the chief prize, in Mr.
McMurdo's collection, especially the Allamanda cathartica, and Stepha-
notis floribunda, which were very fine, while the Vincas of Mr. Reed
were a model of good growth. In the collection of six greenhouse and
stove plants there was in those which obtained the first prize a beau-
tifully bloomed plant of Ixora coccinea, while the Medinilla of Alderman

AUGUST. 231

Salomons was greatly and deservedly admired. It was too late in the
season for Pelargoniums, but the winning lot, both of florist and fancy
varieties, was exceedingly well bloomed, and the smallness of the pots in
which they were grown fully entitled them to the place of honour which
they held. The variegated and handsome foliaged plants were all that
could be desired, and those who had the arrangement of the tent did
well to place them In the position which they occupied. Besides those
exhibited for competition, a very large number of plants were forwarded
by Mr. Reed, Mr. Alderman Salomons, and the Rev. Geo. Goldney :
the Balsams of the latter were fine, as were the Verbenas, among which
was a promising seedling. A very large collection of cut Roses was
exhibited by Mr. Hollamby, and a smaller one by Mr. Mitchell ;
amongst them were excellent blooms of General Jacqueminot, Prince
Leon, Cardinal Patrizzi, Triomphe des Beaux Arts, and indeed most of
the leading varieties. The fruit was decidedly poor, and the offer of a
five guinea prize for a collection of six varieties ought to have brought
together a much larger and better selection.

We would venture to suggest to those gentlemen who have the
management of the show that they do not give quite encouragement
enough to amateurs and owners of small gardens and greenhouses.
Very few people can get together such plants as Mr. Reed or McMurdo
exhibited, and therefore we think that if prizes were awarded for
Balsams, cut Roses, Verbenas, &c, &c, they would have many more
exhibitors, and a wider interest taken in the success of the society. As
it is, it seems to rest on the exertions of some eight or nine persons, as
far as the exhibition of plants is concerned. In such a neighbourhood
as Tunbridge Wells this ought not to be. Let there be a wider basis
(a more liberal one there cannot be), and we venture to say success
will attend the effort. To the Rev. Geo. Goldney we feel the thanks ot
all interested in it are greatly due ; to his indefatigable industry and
zeal the immense success which was achieved was in a great measure
due. Those who know nothing of these things are little aware what a
tax it is upon the time and means of any one who undertakes it ; so
" palmam qui meruit, fer at"

ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, REGENT'S PARK.

July 6. — This, the society's last exhibition for the present season,
took place under the most favourable circumstances — the weather was
fine, plants fresh for July, and fruit in abundance. The company,
including royalty, was both numerous and fashionable. The society has
just concluded the most successful season it has experienced, with the
exception of 1851. It is also the first year since the establishment of
this society that the three annual exhibitions have taken place without
even a passing shower.

Mr. Whitbread, gardener to H. Colly er, Esq., showed as usual a
beautiful collection of 16 stove and greenhouse plants, all large, and for
the most part well flowered. Among them were Rondeletia speciosa,

232 THE FLORIST.

Dracophyllum gracile, Phamocoma proliferum, immense bushes of
Ixora javanica and coccinea, Dipladenia crassinoda, Pleroma elegans,
one of the very handsomest of autumn blooming greenhouse plants, its
beautiful deep purple blossoms, each as large and round as a five-
shilling piece, being very conspicuous. The same exhibitor also sent
handsome plants of Erica obbata, Leschenaultias, Vincas, and Roella
ciliata, whose flowers though pretty are ill set off by the foliage, which
is rusty and dead looking. Mr. May,, gardener to J. Spode, Esq.,
again showed a charming group of 16 plants, some of which had, how-
ever, this time suffered a little from travelling ; nevertheless, others as
Ixora crocata and javanica, Dipladenia splendens and crassinoda,
Pleroma elegans, Phoenocoma proliferum, Aphelexis sesamoides, some
Cape Heaths, and Statice imbricata, were all that could be desired. The
same excellent cultivator also sent a charming specimen of the white-
flowered Ixora, quite a cone of blossoms from top to bottom. Among
plants from Mr. Peed, who also showed in this class, were admirable
examples of Erica mutabilis, Dipladenia crassinoda, Vincas, yellow and
white -flowered Cape Heaths, an Azalea still in good condition, Ever-
lastings, the white and Java Ixoras, Cyrtoceras reflexum, and the white
Dracophyllum gracile. In a group of 16 from Mr. Rhodes, chiefly
small plants, were pretty specimens of Pleroma, Kalosanthes, Cyrtoceras,
Allamandas, and the seldom seen Bartonia ericoides.

Smaller collections of stove and greenhouse plants were furnished by
Messrs. Cutbush, Fraser, Green, Page, Baxendine, and Chilman.
These consisted chiefly of Vincas. Everlastings, Clerodendrons, Stepha-
notis, Allamandas, Dipladenias, Rhynchospermums, Heaths, Tetratheca
verticillata, Kalosanthes, the seldom shown Lapageria rosea, Statice
Holfordi, Pavetta Caffra, and Phoenocoma proliferum. The last when
well grown and flowered, though somewhat Thistle-like in appearance,
is nevertheless a handsome plant.

Of plants remarkable for fine foliage, magnificent collections were
furnished by Messrs. Veitch, Jackson, Young, Cutbush, and Bunney.
Among them were Palms, Marantas of different kinds, Coleus Blumei
and pectinatus, Crotons, Rhopalas, Cissus, tree Ferns, Dieffenbachias,
Theophrasta imperialis, Calathea zebrina, Aspidistra lurida variegata,
Dion edule, Dioscoreas, Farfugium grande, Caladiums, one of the
handsomest of which is Chantini ; variegated Yuccas and Begonias.
Of the last named plants Mr. Barnes, of Camberwell, showed a fine
collection, in which were Rex, argentea splendens, Griffiths!, Queen,
Princess Alice, Water- witch, and Prince of Wales, all large-leaved and
handsomely variegated. Mr. Cole, of Manchester, also contributed a
fine kind called Marshalli, with large leaves strikingly variegated with
broad silvery markings.

Cape Heaths ■ were shown in admirable condition and tolerable
abundance Among them was nothing new. We observed, however,
beautiful plants of obbata, Jasminiflora alba, and Metuloeflora bicolor ;
the last a very handsome variety with rich rosy pink flowers tipped
with white. Of the Hartnelli ajid aristata breeds there were also some
good samples.

Orchids, though not plentiful, were for the most part well flowered

AUGUST. 233

Messrs. Gedney and Bullen again showed excellent collections, as did
also Messrs. Woolley, Carson, Rhodes, May, and Page. In the
different groups were fine plants of the handsome Cattleya superba,
Cypripedium villosum, White Butterfly -plant, the singular-looking
Coryanthes macrantha, White Phaius, the yellow Anguloa Clowesi,
Dendrobes of different sorts, Miltonia spectabilis, Epidendrum verru-
cosum, Odontoglossum hastilabium, the green-tailed Dendrochilum
filiforme, Saccolabium Blumei and guttatum, Aerides odoratum, and
others, Stanhopea tigrina, various Oncids, Sobralia macrantha, and one
or two varieties of Brassia.

Of new plants, Messrs. Veitch sent Fentstemon Jeffreyi, a pretty
blue -flowered kind from California, with a tinge of pink in it; a
Bilbergia, with a large branching spike of pale pink blossoms ;
Calanthe Dominii, with numerous spikes of pink flowers ; a small
canary-blossomed Calla, the singular Ceratodactylis Osmundoides ;
Pteris argyrsea, with large fronds striped with white ; Platycerium
Wallichii, from Moulmein ; two kinds of Blandfordia, Clianthus
Dampieri, Chamaebates foliolosa, Dichorozanclra vittata discolor, with
leaves striped with red ; Spraguea umbellata, a pink and white woolly-
flowered plant from California ; iEschynanthus tricolor, Boehmeria
argentea from South America, and Cyanophyllum magnificum. both
remarkable for the size and beauty of their leaves ; and Philesia
buxifolia. Messrs. Parker and Williams furnished the pretty white
and blue flowered Statice brassicaefolia, the double yellow Datura, a
variegated Tussilago, an Anaectochilus, Tydsea, and Begonia; also some
rare Ferns, Maranta fasciata, and others ; and a yellow-flowered grey-
leaved Centaurea. From Messrs. E. G. Henderson were the white
Portlandia platantha, Gazania splendens, a spreading silvery-leaved
plant with handsome orange flowers. Messrs. Low showed several
Bornean plants, some of which were without names ; others were a
variegated variety of Franciscea confertiflora, Myrsine picta, Gona-
tanthus cuprea (?) with metallic -like foliage, Pothos argyraea, the new
greenhouse shrub Chamaebates foliolosa, from California ; Plocostemma
lasianthum, an Asclepiad with bunches of tawny orange-coloured
flowers not unlike those of Cyrtoceras reflexum ; Spraguea umbellata,
and Gcethea strictiflora, whose naked stem was ornamented with flowers
enclosed within crimson bracts, in which the chief beauty of the plant
resides.

The display of cut Roses was excellent ; beautiful collections of 50
sorts were furnished by Messrs. Paul, Fraser, Francis, Lane, and
Mitchell. Among the varieties were Victor Trouillard, Comte de
Nanteuil, Queen Victoria, Mathurin Regnier, Charles Lawson, Madame
Hector Jacquin, Kean, Gloire de Dijon, William Griffiths, Madame
Vidot, General Simpson, Niphetos, Prince Leon, Paul Perras, Louis
Peyronney, Boule de Nanteuil, Crested Moss, Louise Magnan, Juno,
Madame William, Devoniensis, Jules Margottin, Augusta, Alphonse
Karr, Baronne Prevost, Felicite Parmentier, Auguste Mie, Pius the
Ninth, Duchess of Sutherland, Vicomtesse Decazes, Coupe d'Hebe,
Souvenir d'un Ami, Narcisse, Duchesse d'Orleans, Marie Thierry,
Souvenir de Malmaison, Eveque de Nimes, Mrs. Rivers, Joan of Arc,

234 IHE FLORIST.

Ohl, Duchess of Buecleuch, Souvenir dela Reine d'Angleterre, La Reine,
Duchess of Norfolk, Madame Knorr, I. Gray, Lord Raglan, Caroline
de Sansal, Triomphe de Rennes. Of single blooms, 24 varieties, Mr.
Turner, of slough, sent Devoniensis, Glory of France, La Reine, Gloire
de Dijon, Eveque de Nimes, Gloire de Vitry, Cloth of Gold, Louise
Peyronney, Madame Domage, Mrs. Rivers, Victor Trouillard, Madame
Willermoz, Salvator Rosa, Larnarque, Enfant du Mont Carmel,
Adelaide Fontaine, Niphetos, Prince Imperial, William Griffiths, Lord
Raglan, Madame Vidot, Ohl, General Jacqueminot, and Jules Margottin.
Of bunches, 24 kinds, from private growers, Mr. Wilcox, gardener to
Miss Crawshay, had Charles Lawson, Paul Perras, Gloire de Dijon,
Lord Raglan, Larnarque, Jules Margottin, Madame Hector Jacquin,
Madame E. Ory, Paul Ricaut, Duchess of Norfolk, Auguste Mie,
Moiret, Crested Moss, Salvator Rosa, Devoniensis, Great Western,
Solfaterre, H. General Jacqueminot, H. P. General Jacqueminot,
Madame de Cambaceres, Coupe de Hebe, Souvenir d'un Ami, Napoleon,
Baronne de Wassenaer, and Madame de Manoel. Of Cloth of Gold we
noticed a boxful from Pymms House, Edmonton. Mr* Standish had
also good blooms of Eugene Appert.

Pelargoniums in large numbers were contributed. Some were good,
others very inferior. The best came from Mr. Turner, Mr. Wmsor,
Messrs. Dobson and Son, Mr. Gaines, and Mr. Bragg. Private
growers were Mr. Bailey, Shardeloes ; Mr. Shrimpton, gardener to A.
J. Doxat, Esq., Putney Heath (the collections from these two very
fine); Mr. Weir, gardener to — Hodgson, Esq. ; Mr. Tandy, gardener
t E. Saunders, Esq., Putney Heath ; and Mr. Baillie, gardener to W.
C. Carbonell, Esq., Harrow Road. Varieties still in good colour, and
which evidently stand sunshine well, were Etna, Cynthia, R. Benyon,
Prince of Prussia, Monarch, Empress Eugenie, Sir Colin Campbell,
Guillaume Severyns, Madame Furlardo, Ariel, Bianca, King of Scarlets,
Fairest of the Fair, Marvellous, Flora, Meteora, and the Bride. These,
one and all, were good. Among fancies the following were the best : —
Bridesmaid, Acme, Mrs. Turner, Columbine, Rosabella, Zoe, delicatum,
Captivator, Cloth of Silver, Celestial, and Madame Sontag. Mr. King-
horn sent Christina and Sheen Rival, and Messrs. E. G. Henderson
their new kind called Imperial Crimson Nosegay.

Pinks and Pansies were getting over, but there were some remark-
ably fine Carnations and Picotees. Mr. Turner sent 24 varieties of
each, very large and bright, namely : Carnations. — Mayor of Notting-
ham, Poor Tom, Mr. Tugwell, Sir G. Brown, Prince Albert, Justice
Shallow, National, Mars, Christopher Sly, Seedling, Ascendant,
Seedling, Antinio, Juno, Exit, Earl Stamford, Seedling, Tenby Rival,
Sir H. Havelock, Garland, Mayor of Oldham, Friar Lawrence, Seed-
ling, Admiral Curzon. Picotees. — Charlemagne, Emma, Rival Purple,
Rev. A. Matthews, Mr. Hobbs, Cedo Nulli, Miss Holbeck, Prince
Arthur, Mrs. Norman, Amy Robsart, Countess Alice, Mary, Mrs. May,
Mrs. Drake, Eliza, Miss Charlotte, Prince of Wales, Duke of Devon-
shire, Mrs. Strachan, Prince Albert, Finis, Ne Plus Ultra seedling.
Mr. Norman, of Woolwich, also sent a stand of each, in collections of
12 varieties, very pretty, but much less in size. Mr. Bragg sent 24

AUGUST. 235

Carnations and the same number of Picotees, the latter included some
pretty yellow kinds. A certificate was awarded to a fine scarlet flake,
named Sir H. Havelock (Puxley) ; the Rev. A. Matthews and Rival
Purple, two heavy-edged Picotees, were very fine.

Verbenas were shown only in a cut state ; several collections were
shown. The only prize awarded was to Mr. Turner, for Nostradamus,
Mrs. Pennington, Fairy, conspicua, Gem, Lord Elgin, Ajax, Lady Peto,
Lord Raglan, Comet, Leviathan, Earl of Shaftesbury, Novelty, Venus,
Satanella, Matilda, Catherine, Lord Clyde, Verdi, Sir J. Outrain,
Monsieur Hardy, La Magicienne, Charles Dickens, Mrs. Maclean.
Mr. C. J. Perry, of Birmingham, received a certificate for Clara, a rose
Verbena. A pretty seedling, blue with white eye, named Lady Dover,
was shown in a growing state, and promises to be fine.

Fuchsias wire largely contributed and in finer condition than usual.
The fault was that too great a proportion of the kinds was dark. The
best came from Mr. Oubridge, gardener to — Foster, Esq., Stamford
Hill, Mr. Bray, of Regent's Park, being second. The best kinds were
Little Bopeep, Clio, Fairest of the Fair, Venus de Medici, Gen. Williams,
Souvenir de Chiswick, Peer of England, Queen of Hanover, Honeyball,
Wonderful, Guiding Star, and Rose of Castile.

Of Ferns two or three collections were shown. The best came from
Messrs. Baillie, Bunney, and Gedney. They contained fine plants of
Gleichenias, and other favourite sorts, the names of which have been
given in former reports.

Of miscellaneous subjects Mr. Ivison, gardener to the Duke of
Northumberland at Sion, showed immense leaves of Victoria Regia in
shallow tanks ; also the pink Nympha^a Devoniana, together with
examples of the white and blue kinds, and of Nelumbium speciosum.
We also noticed finely flowered specimens of Lisianthus Russellianus,
a plant now rarely to be met with, and the handsome Vallota purpurea.

Calceolarias were shown in good condition by Mr. Cole, of St.
Alban's. Of shrubby kinds the best were Magnet, rosy crimson ;
Orion, yellow; aurea floribunda, Amazon, and Queen of Yellows.

Of Phloxes two handsome sorts were shown by Mr. Turner ; one, a
white kind, was named Blanche, the other was lilac and named Model.

Petunias, both double and striped, were exhibited by Messrs. E. G.
Henderson. Among them the most striking were M. Henry Jacotot,
purple blotched with white ; Coquette, and Ernest Benary, the last a
Carnation striped sort; M. F. Beosl, semi-double crimson ; Madame
de Pruins, and Virgo Maria, pale rose, very double. The last-named
firm also contributed some extremely showy varieties of Dianthus
sinensis giganteus. They were of various colours, varying from deep
crimson to pale pink striped or blotched, or mottled with white, each
Sower measuring not less than 2^ inches in diameter ! The effect
produced by a mass of such blossoms as we have just described may
therefore be easily conceived.

Of fruit there was a large display. Pine Apples especially were
excellent, beautiful examples of this fruit being shown by Messrs.
Davies, Floud, Young, and Page. Mr. Floud's Pines in particular
have been very fine. A Providence, weighing 11 lbs. 4 oz., was shown

236 THE FLORIST.

by that grower at the Crystal Palace on the 8th ult., and at the exhi-
bition held here on the 15th ult. he furnished a Queen weighing 6 lbs.
5 oz., an Enville 6 lbs. 10 oz., and a Providence 11 lbs. 9 oz. Nor
were his fruit inferior on this occasion. Messrs. Povey, Davies, Young,
and Oates also showed fine fruit of the last named variety. Queens
came from Messrs. Dalrymple, Fryer, Page, Halliday, and Temple ;
and a Prickly Cayenne, an extra fine specimen, weighing 8-Jlbs., came
from Mr. Bailey, Shardeloes. We also noticed two very fine specimens
of Enville.

Of Grapes, Mr. Drewitt, gardener to Mrs. Cubitt, the Denbies, near
Dorking, sent admirable bunches of Black Hamburgh, and Grizzly and
White Frontignan. These were each perfect of their kinds, and fully
maintained the reputation for good Grape growing which this excellent
grower has already attained. Not less remarkable were three bunches
from Mr. Allport, gardener to H. Ackroyd, Esq., Doddington Hall,
Cheshire. These were Black Hamburgh, West's St. Peters, and Golden
Hamburgh. The latter was stated to have been from a bud inserted
in a very old Vine on the 18th Feb. last year. The fruit exhibited
was ripe on the 10th ult., and was larger than that of the sort on
which it was budded. Messrs. Wortley, Frost, Page, Bousie, Wood,
and Turnbull also showed well in this class. Of Black Hamburgh the
best dishes came from Messrs. Young, Henderson, Little, Hill,
Sawkins, Page, Harrison, Simpson, and Perkins. Beautiful bunches
of West's St. Peters came from Mr. Allport, and fine fruit of this variety
also came from Messrs. Williamson, Turner, Turnbull, and Tillyard.
Of Muscats the ripest and most perfect, though by no means the largest,
were shown by Mr. Ingram, gardener to J. J. Blandy, Esq. Mr.
Allport and Mr. Turnbull also showed very fine Muscats. Fine bunches
of the Bowood variety came from Mr. Thomson of Dalkeith, but
generally the Muscats were not ripe. The best basket of 12 lbs. was
contributed by Mr. Hill, gardener to R. Sneyd, Esq., Keele Hall,
Staffordshire. Messrs. Hodson, Bailey, Thomson, and Jackson also
furnished good baskets, chiefly of Black Hamburgh. Of White
Hamburgh, Mr. Bailey showed three very fine bunches ; of Golden
Hamburgh we noticed several exhibitions, but none so good as Mr.
Allport's. A remarkable fact connected with this Grape is that those
from budded Vines were much rounder in the berry than others from
plants on their own roots. Of pot Vines there were exhibitions from
Messrs. Standish, Alderson, Ivison, and others. Mr. Standish's, both
Muscats and Black Hamburghs, were extremely good, the bunches
being large, and the Muscats especially well ripened, though the only
places they had to grow in were, as we understood, low pits heated
with dung and leaves.

Of Peaches and Nectarines beautiful exhibitions of four dishes each
came from Messrs. Miller, Henderson, Thomas, Turnbull, Little, and
Allen. The sorts were chiefly Royal George, Bellegarde, and Noblesse
Peaches, and Violet Hative, Elruge, and Pitmaston Orange Nectarines.
Of two dishes, the best came from Messrs. Dawson, Judd, Rutland,
Sawkins, and Miller. Grosse Mignonne Peaches, large and fine, came
from Mr. Taylor and Mr. Widdowson.

AUGUST.

23

Of Apricots only one dish was shown. They came from Mr.
Cameron, gardener to the Duke of Richmond at Goodwood.

Figs : Brown Turkey and Lee's Perpetual were contributed by
Messrs. Page, Snow, Ruffet, Hutt, and Bousie. We also noticed a
dish of the Violet Fig, the fruit of which was nearly black.

Cherries came from Messrs. Bousie, Wood, Snow, and Widdowson.
The sorts were Elton, May and Late Duke, and Morello.

Strawberries were furnished by Messrs. Bailey, Sage, Turner,
Kimberley, and Tillyard. Among the sorts were Bicton White,
British Queen, Myatt's Eleanor and Surprise, Admiral Dundas, Sir
C. Napier, Stirling Castle Pine, Carolina Superb, Filbert Pine, Crimson
Queen (large deeply-furrowed late kind), Adair (a large dark kind),
and Nimrod. Of seedlings the best was Oscar, the merits of which
may now be considered established. It is certainly the best flavoured
of large kinds, and being a great cropper must soon find a place in
every garden. This was shown by Mr. Turner, of Slough.

Melons were numerous. The best, however, were Scarlet Gem and
Orion, the latter green-fleshed. The former has been successful at
every show this season.

Of Apples a dish of the variety called French Crab was again exhi-
bited, still in an excellent state of preservation.

Miscellaneous collections of fruit came from Messrs. Turnbull,
Dawson, Thomas, Ruffet, and Davies, the names being put down in
the order in which the prizes were awarded. In the first lot were
Pine Apples, Strawberries, West's St. Peters and Muscat Grapes,
Royal George Peaches and Elruge Nectarines, Bousie's Incomparable
Melon, a handsomely netted sort ; Violet Figs and May Duke Cherries.
The second group consisted of Providence and Queen Pine Apples,
Black Hamburgh and Chasselas Musque Grapes, Myatt's Surprise and
Sir Harry Strawberries, Melons, Royal George Peaches, and Violet
Hative Nectarines and Cherries. In the third lot were Queen Pines,
Muscadine and Black Hamburgh Grapes, British Queen Strawberries,
Violet Hative and Royal George Peaches, and Golden Perfection Melon.
In the other two collections were Queen Pines, Black Hamburgh
Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, Strawberries, and Cherries.

REV. MR. RADCLYFFE'S ROSES
The following particulars of a visit, which I made by invitation to Mr.
Radclyffe's residence at Rushton Rectory, one of the most enthusiastic
and extensive Rose amateurs in this country, may not peihaps be
uninteresting.

In your June number of this year you will observe that my
approaching visit to the rectory was mentioned, and, as I have been
for many years an ardent admirer and cultivator of the Queen of
flowers, I hailed with gladness the birth of the day which was to bear
me to the south-west. After a wearisome journey of above three
hundred miles, lightened however by the pleasure which I enjoyed by

238 THE FLORIST.

anticipation, I arrived at my destination, and received as hospitable a
welcome as possibly could be desired. After a few hours' rest, in
company with my host I sallied forth into his garden, and can truly
say that such a glorious and dazzling floral sight I never witnessed
before. To me, who had never seen the national flower cultivated by
an amateur to such an extent, the first effect was overwhelming, and
it was enhanced when I found that they were with rare exception in
prime condition. The foliage in particular was splendid, so healthy,
large, and clean, and the blooms so perfect and of so large a size, as
could only have been produced by superior management and incessant
attention. These, my first impressions, were strengthened by a minute
examination, which spread over several days. The following summer
Roses especially arrested my attention and admiration : — Paul Ricaut,
General Jacqueminot, Chenedole, Princess Clementine, Madeline,
Charles Lawson, La Ville de Bruxelles, Adele Prevost, Kean, General
Lamoriciere, Triomphe de Jaussens, and Cynthia ; these were fine,
exquisite, and fit for exhibition. The autumnal Roses were numerous
and most beautiful ; among those in bloom, the following especially
attracted my notice by their superiority in the qualities which
render the Rose so seductive to its admirers : — Prince Leon, Jules
Margottin, Triomphe de l'Exposition, Triomphe de Paris, General
Simpson, Pauline Lanzezeur, Comte de Montego, Comte de Nanteuil,
William Griffiths (fine form), Ornament des Jardins (lovely), Mathurin
Regnier, Caroline de Sansal, Souvenir cle Leveson Gower, Dupetit
Thouars, Henri Lecoq, Durment de Urville, Colonel de Rougemont
(very large and fine), Louis Peyronney (most lovely), Madame de
Cambaceres, Madame Phelip, Madame Place, Geant des Batailles,
Duchess of Norfolk (in fine bloom and most beautiful), General Jacque-
minot, Prince Noir, Deuil de F. Willermoz, and Emperor Napoleon ;
the last is a brilliant gem, and the two preceding are nearly black
flowers of great attraction. Moskowa was not yet in bloom.

Among the novelties or newer Roses, I had the pleasure to see
Rebecca, Monsieur Ravel, Eveque de Nimes, Lord Palmerston,
Cardinal Patrizzi (a beautiful and dark crimson, very darkly shaded),
Lord Raglan, and Toujours Fleuri. I confess that among these beau-
tiful Roses, Madame Vidot, Prince Leon, Jules Margottin, Kean, Paul
Ricaut, Simpson, Comte de Nanteuil, Montego, Triomphe de Paris,
General Jacqueminot, H.C., Lord Raglan (the best of the Geant race),
Triomphe de l'Exposition, Mathurin Regnier, William Griffiths, Eveque
de Nimes, Monsieur Ravel, Henri Lecoq, and Caroline de Sansal, won
my affections; but the Rose which, par excellence, enchanted me was
Madame Vidot ; it is pre-eminently beautiful — a perfect gem, replete
with floral grace. The most remarkable Rose which I saw in point of
prodigality of bloom was Solfaterre — upon a single tree of this Rose I
counted no fewer than 406 blooms, and, though this fact may appear
incredible to some, your readers may rely upon the accuracy of my
statement, for I was at great pains to ascertain the correct number for
curiosity sake.

In confirmation of the above statements, I may mention that on the
22nd of June, Mr. Radclyffe exhibited at Wimborne over 100 Roses,

AUGUST. 239

winning the first prizes for six, twelve, and twenty-four, and also a
second prize for a collection. I think that the day before the show, and
eavly in the morning of the exhibition day, we must have cut at least
170 Roses of varied hues, including yellow, white, black, purpled
crimsons, and fiery centred, with purple and slate edges ; of the latter
class, I saw General Jacqueminot, H.C , and consider it one of the
finest, most beautiful, and perfectly shaped of the summer Roses, and
worthy to cope with the best autumnals. But. in my admiration of my
favourite flower, I must not overlook the Peach trees and Strawberry
plants which adorn my worthy host's garden ; considering the bad spring
which has prevailed all over France and England, the fair quantity of
the former, and 4he size, variety, and quantity of the latter delicious
fruit, are quite surprising.

I am afraid I have already trespassed too much upon your space, but,
before I part from you, I have no hesitation in saying that I would
gladly travel twice the distance, between six and seven hundred miles,
though it be to enjoy such a feast again. I am an enthusiast in the
Rose cause, and have seen many fine collections of this flower, but that
was such a sight as no lover of the Rose can realise by mere contempla-
tion. To the rev. gentleman, therefore, whose kindness afforded me
such a treat, I beg to tender my most sincere thanks.

Jno. Milne.

Derringham, Spring Bank, Hull, July 8.

THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The proposed scheme for making a grand ornamental garden at Ken-
sington Gore will have been read by every Fellow of the Society with
the deepest interest, and in fact by all interested in maintaining so
important an establishment as a National Horticultural Society,
which, as representing Great Britain, and her almost unlimited
dependencies ; ought to be conducted on a scale commensurate with
the great objects it has to fulfil. That the Society has not been in a
healthy state for several years is well known, and the Council have long
been anxiously watching for opportunities which might relieve them
from their embarrassment. We could perhaps point out where mistakes
have been made, even by the reforming Council, which increased rather
than diminished their difficulties ; but we are willing to let bygones be
byegones, and enter on the, to us, far more agreeable task of pointing
out to our readers what is proposed to be done, in respect to which we
wish individually to say, that the scheme, if it can be carried out satisfac-
torily to the minds of those embarking their capital in the undertaking,
has our warmest wishes for its success.

The site of the proposed garden is the centre of a block of ground
opposite^ Hyde Park, and lying between the Kensington-road and the
Cromwell- road, leading to Old Brompton. This ground was purchased
by the Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851 from their
surplus funds, with the idea of its forming a suitable site for public
buildings connected with science and the fine arts. The situation, fo

240 THE FLORIST.

far, is unexceptionable, and if carried out agreeably with the plans
laid down, will no doubt make a highly attractive place of resort, well
adapted for holding horticultural exhibitions, concerts, &c, as well as
exhibiting what can be effected in the way of town gardening, a point
we have long advocated as being much wanted in Hyde and St. James's
Parks, which, notwithstanding all that irir Joseph Raxton said to the
contrary the other day in the House of Commons we consider would be
greatly improved by mors floral embellishment.

The fum required to carry these works to completion is estimated
at £100,000, of which the Royal Commissioners are willing to expend
£50,000 on the arcades and ground -work which are to surround the
gardens, by the Horticultural Society undertaking to»expend an equal
sum in finishing the terraces and erecting a winter garden and colonnade
on the north side of the ground ; the Commissioners stipulating that all
expenses contingent on the maintenance of the gardens at Kensington
Gore, and also for keeping up the experimental garden at Chiswick, shall
be a first charge on the profits ; next, that the interest of the £50,00,
to be borrowed by the Horticultural Society shall be paid ; and lastly
the debenture interest on the £50,000 to be expended by the Royal
Commissioners. After providing for these sums, should there be any
surplus remaining, it is to be divided between the Royal Commissioners
and the Horticultural Society. So far the terms are favourable, as,
according to a statement submitted to the meeting of the Horticultural
Society convened to discuss these proposals, a profit is shown on the
estimates of receipts and expenditure of £8075, from which deducting
rent and interest on debentures, say £5000, will leave a handsome
sum to be divided, supposing the foregoing calculations prove correct,
or nearly so. It is presumed, however, that the profits will far exceed
the amount stated.

We must beg our readers to bear in mind that a portion only of
Chiswick is to be retained for the purpose of carrying out experimental
gardening ; and, we presume, also for acting as a nursery for furnishing
the houses and gardens at Kensington Gore with plants for decoration.

The Society, then, is in this position. It has the offer of 20 acres
of ground most advantageously situated for show grounds, on
which an expenditure of £50,000 has to be incurred to form an orna-
mental town garden, the expenses for keeping up which, we may take
it for granted, will be secured to it, as also the interest of the money
it will have to borrow to carry out its agreement ; and it is
also secured the maintenance of keeping up its experimental garden
at Chiswick. At least we think all this may fairly be inferred, from
the popularity the gardens at Kensington will doubtless attain. And
further, it has the chance, through a right to a mo'ety of any surplus
profits which may accrue after paying interest on their loans and
£2000 for rent to the Royal Commissioners, of benefiting horticulture
generally, and of promoting the more legitimate objects for which, as a
Society for the encouragement of horticulture, it obtained its charter
of incorporation, and which, we beg to impress on the Council, should
be still the great object and aim of the Society to pursue.

The means proposed by the Society for raising the necessary capital

AUGUST. 241

are the issuing of debenture bonds, life membership, &c. Of this latter
mode the present Fellows of the Society will doubtless avail themselves
more generally than they have hitherto done. Respecting the deben-
tures, we should have liked to have heard something more explicit
stated ; the lease is for 31 years only, and we are not told what security
can be given for the repayment of these bonds when due, as it is con-
sidered by many that the proposal to pay them off by surplus income
and life subscriptions is too vague a statement on which to borrow so
large a sum as is required. We hope, therefore, the Council will be
enabled to announce at the next meeting that some arrangement has
been effected with the Royal Commissioners whereby they should take
up the existing obligations at the expiration of the lease, supposing it
not renewed. This would give confidence to the undertaking, and
would only be fair and equitable towards the debenture holders.

Her Majesty and the Prince Consort have most graciously set an
example of liberality and patronage towards the Society of which the
horticultural world have good reason to be proud, and its effect on the
future welfare of the Society can hardly be over-rated.

The last point to which on this occasion we shall advert is as to the
management of Chisvvick, and especially to the distribution of those
funds which may hereafter be specially devoted to horticulture proper,
and which of course would include the collecting and distributing of new
plants, as well as carrying on a large series of experimental trials on
culture, training, and proving new things. When the proper time
arrives we shall be prepared to urge the necessity of a separate com-
mittee of practical and scientific men to manage this department ; but
as there is time enough yet for this, we only direct attention to its
importance.

Since the above was written, we learn from the Gardeners' Chronicle
of July 23, that the arrangements with the Commissioners are fully
settled, as the following extract will show : — " Nor is there any sign
of serious difficulty in completing the fund of £50,000, by the issue of
debentures, which, under the new arrangement proposed by the Royal
Commissioners, will afford as safe an investment as can ever be obtained
in operations of this kind. Each debenture is to be of the value of
£100, carrying, until paid off, 5 per cent, interest, payable half yearly,
and giving the holder free admission, either in person or by transferable
nomination to the garden at all times whatsoever. The Royal Com-
missioners are to guarantee a sum not exceeding £20,000 to all deben-
ture holders remaining unpaid at the end of the first term of 31 years,
or else to renew the lease for 31 years more."

We should have been more satisfied with this arrangement had the
Royal Commissioners guaranteed to have taken all the unpaid debentures
at the expiration of the 31 years, should they not renew the lease sup-
posing they did not exceed £50,000, the sum now authorised to be raised
by the Horticultural Society, as the contingency may arise that the
liabilities might exceed the £20,000 guaranteed to be paid by the
Commissioners, which in such case would leave a deficit unprovided for.

VOL. XII., no. cxxxix.

242 THE FLORIST.

HOMES OP THE FLORIST.— No. I.

STAPLEFORD.

As the sun was declining in the west, on a fine evening in the month
of May, in the year of grace eighteen hundred and fifty nine, a traveller
might have been seen wending his way along the high road that leads
from Cambridge to Stapleford. He was about the prime (?) of life,
and of average stature ; while the snow that had begun to whiten his
whiskers betokened that he was perhaps on the shady side of the said
prime ; from the fact that he was without attendant of any kind, and
unencumbered with luggage, you might have guessed him (i. e. if you
were an ignoramus) to be a traveller who lived upon his wits and the
inexperience of others ; but a closer inspection would have, notwith-
standing his dusty and soilworn appearance, detected that he belonged
to the ecclesiastical order. He was evidently a stranger, for each little
ragged urchin he passed was pressed into his service, to inquire the way
to a house, at the door of which he soon found himself. In such a way
— in G. P. R. James' style — I might go on to describe what I will,
however, attempt in a less enigmatical way, my visit to one of the first
florists in the kingdom, R. Headly, Esq., of Stapleford. Tulipomaniacs,
moonstruck Auricula growers, Carnation fanciers, you all know Richard
Headly. Let me tell you what sort of a man he is, and how he treated
a poor brother florist, and how he will treat you, if you ever go near him.
It was just as I had said I had ccme round by Bury St. Edmonds,
and seen its glorious church and ruins, had wandered through the
shady groves of Cambridge, and not liking the prices of mine host of

the — , I thought, 1 will take my bag, go to Stapleford, put up at

a nice clean country inn there, and ask permission to see Mr. Headly 's
flowers. So I carried this plan into execution. Leaving the railway
station at Cambridge (which is by the bye one of the most delicious
puzzles of a station), a few minutes brought me to Sheldford, where,
depositing my bag, I walked on boldly to Mr. Headly 's. I was utterly
unknown to him, save by two or three foolish letters I had sent to
but I sent in my name, and in a fewr minutes Mr. H. came in ;
he received me with the utmost cordiality as a brother florist, insisted
on sending for my bag, made me take up my quarters with him, and
took me round his garden. Of course, as everybody tells you when
you go to see their garden, or look over their house, it is a very bad
time to come ; they are all muddle and confusion, and that if you could
only come a little later it would be very different. So said Mr. Headly ;
he had been burnt up by the long drought, scorched with the east
winds, and his gardener was ill, all which were unhappily too true, but
they did not seem to have exerted much influence on the state of his
garden, which was very different to what the common notion of a
florist's garden would induce people to expect. They say you must
never look for it to be tidy, there are so many awnings and contrivances
for shading, traps for insects, &c, that it is never to look well ; all which,
though true of some, is not true of Mr. Headly. The house stands in
the centre of a very pretty plot, in which are Roses, shrubs, and some

AUGUST. 243

nice specimens of Deodar and other Pines ; beyond it is the garden,
where so much has been done to advance the love of and taste for
flowers. Mr. H., as it is well known, is a very large Tulip grower, and
his beds of this flower are very large and numerous ; they were not,
however, in their usual order. The season, which had at first promised
favourably, changed early in April, and from the middle of the month
a succession ot blasting scorching east winds prevailed, which, despite
of Mr. Kingsley, the inhabitants of these islands will proclaim to be
" good neither for man nor beast," and certainly not good for florists
and gardeners. There were both here, and also in another garden
which he has a little further off, a large quantity of breeders, some
of which were breaking in good style, and we may still expect some
toppers from the same strain as Sarah Headly. I am not a Tulip
fancier, and, I fear, sunk some degrees in Mr. Headly 's estimation,
when I announced a fact, so derogatory to one's position as a florist.
Of Carnations and Picotees there was a large army in pots, which
were then standing on the walks, but would by and bye be staged
under the Tulip awning ; while a long bed of the very best Ranun-
culus, in vigorous health, promised a treat, which I should have been
glad to have seen, and which, Mr. H. afterwards wxote to me, he was
not disappointed in ; it reminded me of a bed I saw, now about 28
years ago, and which first made me a florist. I have no doubt the
sorts were inferior to those now grown, but there was such exquisite
variety of beauty of them, at least to my then boyish eyes, that I have
never forgotten it, and have ever regarded it as one of those sights
which I am not to see again. The stock of Auriculas was smaller than
I had been led to anticipate, but, Alexander-like, Mr. H. had beaten
every one he came in contact with, and then he began to grow careless,
because he had not a worthy competitor. He still, however, grows a
nice collection, which looked well and healthy (but out of bloom), among
which was Geo. Lightbody, a seedling named after his friend, the
famous Auricula wizard of the north ; and which is said, as a grey edge,
to possess qualities which will place it at the top of the list. I should
have been glad had my visit been a week later, that I might have seen
the original G. L., who was coming on a visit to Mr. Headly. Pinks,
and indeed all the florist flowers, looked well ; but, let it not be thought
that these are the only objects of Mr. Headly's care. He has an
extensive range of greenhouses, stoves, &c, and in them were plants
preparing for the Cambridge show, in the following week, which would
have taken a good place at a metropolitan show — Cinerarias, greenhouse
and stove plants, and some idea of the manner in which they were
" done," may be estimated from the fact that 20 prizes were awarded to
their owner at the exhibition. Vegetables and fruit are equally well
cared for, but some of the Peach trees were in a sad state, from the
effect of the " Gishurst Compound," of which so much has been said ;
whether it was an over dose or not I cannot say — Mr. H. seemed to
think not. Like a true florist, Mr. Headly is a liberal man ; he sent
me away with a goodly half-dozen of Auriculas, and a promise of a
young Geo. Lightbody, as well as some self-coloured Ranunculus, to add
to my stock. Mrs. Headley, too, ably seconds him in all his plans ; she

244

THE FLORIST.

does know a Rose from a Cabbage, and I was amused at her anxiety
to see a package of plants from London unpacked. I could not help
observing to myself, when I left their hospitable roof in the morning,
we often talk of Irish hospitality as a thing sui generis. I have known
Ireland for many years, have received oftentimes its cead milleafealtha,
but I can safely say I never experienced a more true and hearty hos-
pitality than that which was accorded to me at Stapleford, and which,
as entirely a stranger, I had no right to expect ; and what is more, I
am quite sure that any brother of the craft, who might be attracted by
the fame of Stapleford to visit it, would find the same. All honour to
such florists, they tend to roll away the reproach, which is often brought
against us, of selfishness, though I cannot understand how any one can
care to grow things merely for their own sake, and not be ready to help
those around them ; and I hope that we shall yet see, in Auriculas,
Carnations, and Tulips, more Splendours, George Lightbodys, Auroras,
King James, Sarah Headly, Adonis, &c, to raise, if possible, still
higher the fame of the excellent grower.

The following list of seedlings raised by Mr. Headly, will be the best
proof of his title to be a successful raiser.

CARNATIONS.

AURICULAS.

Green-edged.
Defiance
Rifleman
Conductor
Mary Headly
Magnificent

Grey-Edged.
Superb

Geo. Lightbody
Sir Charles Napier
Stapleford Hero

White.
Conqueror

Selfs.
Pastorella
Royal Purple
Aurora
Adonis
Sylph

Achilles (S. B.)
Wm. Cobbett
Victoria Regina

PICOTEES.

Sarah

King James
Mrs. Headly
Prince Albert
Captivation
Cedo Nulli
Ne Plus Ultra
Mrs. Brown

Besides other unnamed seedlings.
D.

BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Mat 5. — Mr. Hogg in the chair. This was the day appointed for
competing for the prize of one guinea, offered by Mr. Spencer, of
Bowood, for the best Seedling Late Kitchen Apple. That to which the
prize was awarded was raised by Mr. Bradley, gardener to W. F. N.
Norton, Esq., Elton Manor, near Nottingham, and was raised from seed
of Dumelow's Seedling in 1850, since which time it has been allowed
to grow naturally without grafting. The variety has been named Baron
Ward. It is below medium size, and of an ovate shape ; the skin is
of a fine golden yellow colour, quite smooth and shining ; eye slightly
open, and stalk short ; flesh very tender, crisp, and fine-grained, with

AUGUST. 245

a nice, subdued and very agreeable acid, not unlike in flavour that of
the Gooseberry Apple. Its acid is less rough and severe than the
Dumelow's Seedling, against which it was tested ; and it is considered
a very valuable culinary Apple for this late season of the year, as it
appears to keep well without shrivelling, having been gathered in
October. It is reported to be growing on strong adhesive loam, over
the lias, in the Vale of Belvoir. The habit of the tree is described as
vigorous and healthy ; inclined to spread horizontally ; and retaining
the foliage at the point of the shoots until late in the winter, although
ripening its wood perfectly ; the young wood is not speckled like
Dumelow's Seedling.

Rev. J. Bramhall, of St. John's near Lynn, again sent specimens of
Clissold's Seedling, or Lodgemore Nonpareil, a seedling which he sub-
mitted to the society at the meeting of May 6th last year. A very high
opinion was then expressed regarding it, and which, this year, was fully
sustained. It is a most valuable dessert Apple at this late season.

Mr. Horton, Post Office, Toddington, Bedfordshire, sent a seedling
Apple (raised by a friend), and also a variety which had been sent in
1857, on which occasion the meeting desired to see it again. This
year the sender considered the crop inferior to last, when it was reported
to have kept sound until the new crop was gathered. The fruit is about
the medium size, greenish yellow on the shaded side, and dull red next
the sun. A month ago it would have been in good condition, as it had
the remains of a good flavoured Apple, something like that of London
Pippin, but it had now become mealy. Mr. E. Simpson, gardener to
Lord Wrottesly, Wrottesly Hall, Wolverhampton, sent a dish of very
beautiful Dumelow's Seedling, large, firm, and heavy. They have
been beautifully kept. The Rev. H. Manton, of Sleaford, sent a dish
of Scarlet Nonpareil, which were considerably shrivelled, but well
flavoured, and were also well kept for that variety. The Rev. Adam
Fitch, Thornton Stewart, Bedale, sent a dish of Aromatic Russet, still
good in flavour although shrivelled.

June 23. — Mr. Hogg in the chair. The premiums offered at this
meeting were a guinea, and half-a-guinea, for the best collections of
Strawberries, the object being to draw together as many as possible of
the varieties in cultivation, that the society might compare them, test
them, and decide upon their respective merits and corrections of
nomenclature. Only one collection came within their intentions, and
was exhibited by Mr. Turner, of Slough ; the first premium was
unanimously awarded it. The most remarkable variety in the collection
was Oscar, a seedling exhibited for the first time last year, when high
encomiums were passed on it ; and this year's examination has fully
borne out the former impression. For further particulars see notes on
seedlings below.

In the following remarks the varieties are arranged according to
size ; and those nearly allied are brought together. Oscar (Bradley)
is after the way of Sir Harry (Underhill), which was also exhibited
very ripe and good-flavoured. The last-mentioned variety has not
found universal favour ; probably because it is not generally known
that the fruit requires to be very ripe, and its great firmness permits it

24G THE FLORIST.

to be gathered, packed, and carried long distances without injury.
Hooper's Seedling is another of this class, very highly coloured, but
inferior to either of the above in flavour. Sir Charles Napier (Smith),
bright scarlet, pectinate, and very handsome ; very refreshing and
juicy, brisk, but not richly flavoured. Doubleday's No. 3, or Crimson
Queen (Myatt), is large, coarse, irregular, very pectinate, and deeply
furrowed. Colour bright cerise-scarlet. Flesh red throughout, brisk,
acid, not rich. It is reported to be a great cropper. British Queen
(Myatt) needs no description ; as it is always good where it succeeds,
which is generally on strong soils ; as also on light soils, or in dry
localities, is its near relative Carolina superba (Kitley), which is now
equally well known. Very nearly allied to British Queen is Double-
day's No. 2 (Myatt), both in colour and flavour, but scarcely equal in
the latter. It does not, therefore, appear in what point this variety is
desirable. Omar Pacha (Ward), was not distinguishable from Rival
Queen (Tiley), large, regular, and handsome, pale scarlet, general
conoid, somewhat cristate, refreshing flavour, after the way of British
Queen. Reported to be a good cropper. Surprise (Myatt), pale
scarlet, very cristate, very soft, acid, and deficient in flavour.
Wonderful (Jeyes), similar to the above, but longer in form, very
corrugate, seeds more numerous, firmer in flesh, juicy, and briskly acid,
with a medium flavour. Adair (Elphinstone) is handsome and highly
coloured, brisk, but not highly flavoured ; reported to be a strong
grower and medium cropper. Nimrod (Pince) was so nearly like
Adair both in fruit and foliage, that the meeting were unable to dis-
tinguish them. Admiral Dundas (Myatt) is large, conoid, somewhat
cristate, very rugged, and irregular ; colour pale red ; flesh white, very
juicy, brisk, and fine flavoured. Prince of Wales (Ingram) ; this
kind, now well known, is a favourite for forcing purposes ; it was
exhibited in good condition ; flavour rich and juicy. Elton Pine
(Myatt) ; this was scarcely ripe, but well grown. Filbert Pine
(Myatt); this variety deserves to be more known; pale-coloured,
very regular in form, medium size, conical, and handsome ; flesh pale,
with a pink core, firm and solid, with a rich nutty flavour. Eliza
(Rivers) was small, and not equal to its average quality. Incom-
parable (Continental). Mr. Turner reported that he had selected this
as the best out of a large number of continental varieties ; it was pale
in colour, regular in form, and distinct, but soft in flesh, and worthless
in flavour. Quinquefoiia ("Myatt), is a medium sized, elongated fruit ;
not a good grower, nor first-class in flavour. Black Prince (Cuthill),
not any better in quality than when reported on last year ; the only
merit this variety possesses is earliness, and a slightly perpetual habit,
which makes it also a late variety, May Queen (Nicholson), a small,
round, and coarse variety, very acid, utterly worthless. Mr. Jones,
gr. to E. Rosher, Esq., of Hamilton Terrace, St. John's Wood, exhi-
bited a remarkably fine dish of British Queen, as evidence of what may
be done within London in the way of Strawberry growing ; they were
large, well coloured, and very fine flavoured.

For Seedling Strawberries the premium of One Guinea, offered by
Mr. Turner, was awarded to a dish of Oscar, exhibited by Mr. Bradley,

AUGUST. 247

gr. to W. P. N. Norton, Esq., of* Elton Manor, near Nottingham, in
very fine condition. The fruit is very large, ovate, angular, and
frequently cristate, but rarely flat, or wedge-shaped ; seeds rather
large and deeply imbedded ; colour very dark, becoming deep mulberry
when fully matured ; flesh red throughout, solid, firm, and juicy ;
flavour very rich and fine when quite ripe, apparently near in affinity
to Sir Harry, on which it was considered an improvement. Particular
notice was taken of its firm and solid qualities, which augured well for
its powers of enduring package and carriage. The above dish afforded
good evidence of this, as the fruit itself was firm, plump, and uninjured,
although it had travelled from Nottinghamshire ; and, in consequence,
the footstalks and calices were dry and withered. It was reported to
be a great cropper, next in earliness to Cuthill's Black Prince, and
some days earlier than Keens' Seedling.

July 7- — Mr. Hogg in the chair. An interesting dish of Double-
day's No. 3, or Crimson Queen (Myatt), was exhibited by Mr. Turner,
to show its qualities as a late Strawberry. The fruit was even finer
'than those in the collection last meeting; but the meeting did not
attribute to it a higher place amongst mid-season varieties than would
accrue to it from the opinion above expressed ; its continuing to produce
large fruit later than other kinds may be a point in its favour, but this
will be more satisfactorily seen a fortnight hence.

PALACE OF THE PEOPLE, MUSWELL HILL.

On Saturday July 16, the inauguration of a site for the proposed
Palace of the People, was performed by Lord Brougham, in presence of
a numerous company, comprising the patrons and patronesses of the
proposed institution.

We have before noticed in our pages this proposed institution,
designed for the purpose of supplying to the inhabitants of the northern
parts of the great metropolis the same amount of physical recreation
and intellectual improvement as the Crystal Palace affords to the south
of London ; and we are glad to learn that the Palace of the People is
projected in no spirit of opposition to the Sydenham Palace. Granted
that institutions like the Crystal Palace, founded on the most com-
prehensive basis for affording relaxation and instruction of a strictly
moral and intellectual character to the masses of population are
necessary* — and according to so high an authority as Lord Brougham
they are imperatively so — it then becomes a question how far two
grand institutions, having similar objects in view, may best conduce to
the desired object, without injury to themselves ; and we hope that
nothing but the most liberal feeling towards each other will exist
between them. It will not in fact be a case of Crystal Palace v.
Palace of the People, but instruction, enjoyment, and physical recrea-
tion, obtained in the midst of beautiful objects and scenery, and the
attractions (such as they are) of Tavern, tea-gardens, and less
questionable places of resort in the suburbs of London. The growing

248 THE FLORIST.

disposition on the part of the people for visiting highly kept gardens
and parks is clearly demonstrated by the large annual increase of
visitors to the Royal Gardens at Kew. In 1841 it appears 9174
persons only visited the gardens, (a less number than attended one of
the Chiswick fetes for that year ;) but this number has steadily
increased to 405,376, the number of visitors to the Kew gardens in
1858. It also appears that no less a number than 1,058,206 persons
visited the Crystal Palace and grounds during the 0 months ending
Oct. SO, 1858 ; and it must be a most satisfactory fact to all interested
in this subject, that the present season will show a large increase in the
number of visitors over that of 1858.

These are facts which clearly prove that the projectors of the Palace
of the People have rightly defined the bent of popular feeling in this
direction ; and in projecting a Palace and grounds which shall combine
every requisite for promoting the enjoyment and instruction of all
classes of their fellow men, they merit the support of all interested in
the momentous question of improving the moral, and intellectual con-
dition of the lower classes, and by making the finest productions of
nature and art subservient to educational purposes, will do all that can
be done to improve the national taste, and confer a boon on the public
which can scarcely be over estimated. Of the stimulus the Palace of
the People will give to horticulture, we shall say but little now ; here
after, when the details are more complete, we hope we shall be able to
show that this important subject has received due consideration, and
will be suitably represented by an experimental garden on the one
hand, and every feature of scientific application on the other.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

July 12. — Mr. Jas. Veitch's prize of £5, offered for the best exhi-
bition of Stockwood Golden Hamburgh Grape, was awarded on this
occasion to Mr. Sparey, of Brighton, for three fine bunches of that
variety. Two other exhibitions were also entered for the prize, one
from Mr, Allport, gardener to H. Ackroyd, Esq., of Doddington Park,
!Nantwich, and the other from Mr. Crambe, gardener to the Earl of
Ducie, at Tortworth Court, Gloucestershire. The bunches exhibited by
Mr. Sparey were produced from a shoot grown from a graft of the
Golden Hamburgh, which was put on in April 1858, and which, Mr.
Sparey stated, bore this season in all 13 bunches. The three, exhibited
were remarkably well grown, both as regards form of bunch and size
of berries, all of which were well and equally swelled. The bunches
exhibited by Mr. Crambe were likewise very fine ; they were longer
than those which gained the prize, but the berries were not quite so
large. The specimens exhibited by Mr. Allport were over-ripe. It
was stated that the fruit was ripe on the 10th of June, and was larger
than that of a very old Black Hamburgh on which it was worked.

AUGUST. 249

NOTES ON THE MONTH.

The present month has perhaps been the hottest on record, taken alto-
gether— remarkable, too, for the constant repetition of thunderstorms,
attended with violent storms of rain and hail, which in many districts
have done great damage to crops of all descriptions, and will seriously
affect the Wheat returns. The connection between the Potato disease
and electrical storms has been verified this present season. Early in
the month a district near where I write was visited by a thunderstorm,
accompanied with rain and hail, confined to a small district. Within
a day or two the disease made its appearance, and increased most
rapidly, while in those fields which the storm did not reach they have
continued without being attacked, until they, in their turn, were visited
by a storm, since which they, too, have gone. Of the former, most of
them are now quite rotten, and are now being dug up, to be replaced
by Turnips. We may remark that the crop, taken altogether, has a
worse appearance than for the last ten years, the appearance of the
disease having been much earlier than of late years, and is almost
universal over the whole country. In many places forcing houses and
flower gardens have been converted into a complete wreck by hail-
storms, as have also many hundred acres of field crops by the same
means and the floods.

A writer some time since in the Gardeners Chronicle astonished
English planters by affirming that French planters entirely denuded
unhealthy trees of the whole of their bark, as a way of recovering them.
Surely such absurd nonsense required no confutation. It is now dis-
covered that the outer or rough portion only is taken away before
planting. There was a very good description of the French mode of
transplanting the large trees employed to replace the dead Elms in the
Champs Elysees and the Boulevards, I think, in the September number
of last year's Florist ; and having seen the process carried out myself
this season, I beg to say I saw nothing like barking the trees. A few
of them had the loose bark shaved off, before enveloping the stems in
their mossy bandage. I could not help noticing the care with which
the minutest details were conducted as to planting the trees and
attending to them afterwards. Those noticed by your correspondent
last year, as being then planted near the Palais de l'lndustrie, are
growing well and look healthy ; indeed it is marvellous to see how they
grow at all in some situations where they are planted. The trans-
planting of large evergreen and deciduous trees in spring, notwithstanding
all that has been said to the contrary, is yet far too prevalent ; probably
as regards old places, from the fact that during the autumn the " family "
are generally located at their country seats, and much work of this
description would be inconvenient, and all is postponed till the removal
of the family to town the following spring. If we could impress on the
minds of those having planting to do what trouble and annoyance they
would save themselves and their employers by planting during Sep-
tember and October (or even August), we should do a good service to
all ; but we despair. However, let those who can do so prepare at
once. G. F.

250

THE FLORIST.

EUGENE APPERT ROSE.

I have already given my opinion about this splendid new Rose, in last
month's Florist, and have but little to add to what I then stated. Mr.
Andrews has endeavoured to give the readers of the Florist a life-like
representation of it ; but it is difficult to pourtray so exquisite a Rose.
Will it bear out all the good opinions that have been expressed about
it? This it is impossible to answer. Many Roses are promising as
seedlings, which do not afterwards bear out their character ; but I, for
one, do not think that there is any likelihood of Eugene Appert beincr
one of these ; there is an evident constancy about it that I think will
remove all doubts on this point. If I may judge from the plant now
before me, its growth will be all that is required — short, yet vigorous
and freely blooming. I shall look for him anxiously next season,
to see if he be true to his youthful promises.

Deal, Jali/ 25. D.

PLANTING STANDARD ROSES.

By the time I became settled in life, 1 had succeeded in propagating
a large stock of Roses, embracing upwards of one hundred varieties.
With these I have decorated my house and lawns, not only to my
own gratification, but, whilst they are in bloom, to the admiration
of visitors and passers-by. I am convinced that parents cannot do
better than supply their growing-up families with such works as
the Florist, and also to encourage them in growing any class of
flowers for which they may have a partiality. I persevered in grow-
ing the Rose amidst many discouragements ; in fact, my straight
sticks for stocks were the butt of all my friends and neighbours ; but
as soon as they began to put on their rosy heads, one of those who
made the most sport planted some stocks himself.

It is my opinion that " the trade " would do well to assist and
encourage young amateurs in their endeavours to cultivate and pro-
pagate the different florists' flowers, as I believe an amateur who
could successfully propagate as well as grow flowers would be in-
clined to purchase to a larger extent than an unsuccessful cultivator ;
at least, it is the case with myself, for ever since I have cultivated
the Rose satisfactorily, I have spent more pounds than I should
shillings in flowers had I been less successful. In regard to the
varieties of Roses to be grown, the various characteristics of the
different divisions or families, and the varieties in each family, I
cannot do better than refer the amateur to the " Rose Amateur's
Guide," by Rivers, or " Paul's Rose Garden," as a larger work, in
conjunction with the catalogues published annually by Mr. Rivers and
other eminent Rose -growers. I will now proceed to make a few
observations on planting.

In passing through the country, I am often sorry to see neat
cottages, villas, and even mansions, with some half-dozen or more
stunted standard Rose-trees planted in the turf, neither dead nor

AUGUST. 251

alive, forming no ornament; whereas had more care and attention
been bestowed on them when they were planted, the case would
have been quite the reverse. Their owners have no notion of the
true cause of their failure, but cast all blame upon the nurseryman
from whom the plants were obtained. I have seen young plants
just taken from the nursery, where they had been attended with the
greatest care, planted in a hole scarcely large enough to contain
their roots, in a very poor lawn, with the turf laid close up to
their stems, and without any manure. How, therefore, can they be
expected to thrive ? Should you venture to give a hint to a person
who is planting in this manner, it is more than probable your remark
would be answered by, " I don't understand it myself; but I believe
my man (a kind of nondescript between a gardener and groom) does."
Such a person under the skilful direction of a master or mistress
would be useful ; but when the operation of transplanting is entirely
left to his discretion, it is too often performed in an improper,
slovenly manner, and the beauty, health, and even life of the plants
are sacrificed. Where it is desirable to plant Standard Roses singly
in grass lawns (and what can be more ornamental than a well-grown
healthy plant covered with bloom ?), a circle of turf should be
removed not less than five or six feet in diameter. If the first spit
of soil be moderately rich, it may be placed on one side, and the
whole of the subsoil, to the depth of three feet, entirely removed,
and replaced with a mixture of good rich loam, good strong stable
manure, or old night-soil, and the top spit next the turf well mixed
with them. If the top soil is rather light, a good proportion of the
subsoil, if heavy, may be added to it, in order to make the compost
heavier, as I find Roses budded on stocks of the Dog- Rose flourish
best in a moderately heavy soil. Tread the mixture in the hole, to
prevent it from sinking, till nearly full, place the plant in the centre,
spreading the roots and fibres in an horizontal direction, and cover
them with rich garden-mould. Especially avoid planting too deeply.
On the top spread a layer of subsoil, poor sand, or road earth, one or
two inches thick, to prevent the turf from growing more luxuriantly
than the rest of the lawn. In replacing the turf, leave a circle not
less than eighteen inches or two feet in diameter around the stem.
This should be filled, instead of subsoil or poor sand, with a rich
compost, which will be washed down to the roots by the rain. To
ensure the future health and vigour of the plants, one or two gallons
of good liquid manure should be poured on this circle two or three
times every succeeding winter.

The same remarks are applicable to Roses in beds or borders ;
but the whole of the beds or borders should be dug three feet deep,
mixing the top soil, the subsoil, and a good quantity of manure
together ; and each winter succeeding the planting, a layer of manure
may be spread on the surface of the beds or borders, to be washed
down to the roots by the rains : in order to obviate its unsightly ap-
pearance, cover with a little earth. Amateurs should not neglect to pro-
vide themselves with stocks (for budding during the ensuing summer)
in October and November ; this should not be delayed later ; plant

252 THE FLORIST.

them in an airy, open situation, but sheltered from the wind. Strong
healthy stocks should be obtained about the thickness of a man's
thumb ; the common dog- Rose can be taken up from the hedges ;
and I suppose the Boursault, or any other stock preferred, may be
obtained from any nurseryman. They should be cut off, with a
clean slanting cut, just above an eye or bud, any height the grower
wishes to have his plants ; but if worked much above four feet, the
wind has a very powerful effect on them when they have large heads.
As the young shoots, in which to insert the buds, generally break
from where the side-shoots have been cut, the latter should be re-
moved close to the stock, smoothly and nicely, but not too close.

J. B.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF TRANSPLANTING.

What is the secret of successful planting ? Why do some trees live,
and some die under the operation ? Why do they not all live ? Why
do any of them die ?

Though comprising some of the simplest questions, and affording as
simple answers, who has ever heard a satisfactory one given ? Jupiter,
when he undertook to receive the complainings of the sons of men,
could not be more struck with the opposite nature of their wants and
wishes, than a new beginner in the planting line must be at the
varying and contradictory advice he is constantly receiving. — " Don't
plant in autumn," " Don't plant in spring," " Prune severely," " Don't
prune," "Water at planting," " Don't water ; " but we may as well
stop. As to reasoning on the matter, who attempts it ? Some few do ;
but how do they do it ? " Dogmatically and dictatorially."

Now, if we can only demonstrate why a transplanted tree dies at
all, all the questions about the time and season and manner of planting
may be compressed into a small paragraph. It needs no reasoning to
tell us an umbrella is useful in rainy weather, or that a well-corked
bottle will keep the liquid safely inside for an indefinite period, and yet
these simple facts might be so confused by words, and obscured by
scientific verbiage, that a score of opinions might be conscientiously
entertained of them. This is the way errors arise in the idea of tree
planting. We read learned disquisitions on the functions of the leaves,
and their relation to the roots — of the cells and tissues, and of crude
sap, and sap elaborated — and after all the terms in physiology have
been exhausted to show the cause of the death of a transplanted tree, it
all amounts to this matter-of-fact conclusion : that it died through
being dried up.

Through being dried up ! You may as well tell us an animal dies
for want of breath. And if it does, we may not be able to give the
breath, but we may give the necessary moisture to the tree. To make
the matter plain, if we take up one of two trees, and leave it exposed
for a few days, it dies, — it withers and shrinks away ; but the other
lives on as ever. Evaporation is continually going on from the branches

AUGUST. 253

of trees. In the exposed tree the roots are prevented from supplying
the waste ; in the other they maintain the balance ; so that the one
dies and the other lives.

Shall we now say that every case of death from transplanting is only
a modification of this simple process ? Indeed, it is from no other
cause. The tree has dried up.

It is a remarkable circumstance that our physiological writers have
nearly, we may say quite, overlooked this matter of evaporation. Only
a few days ago, we read a very learned disquisition, showing that trees
should never be pruned at transplanting, because the speedy production
of roots was a great object ; and as the elaborated sap in the branches
was the matter from which roots were formed, why the more branches
the better for the roots. All true enough, my good friend, if you could
prevent the moisture from drying out in the mean time ; but there's
the rub, — the more surface the more waste.

Instead of allowing the tree to lie neglected on the ground, we will
say that it is actually planted. The roots are more .or less mutilated —
that is a necessary result of removal — and many not mutilated are not,
even with the best care, so closely imbedded or surrounded by soil as
to be able to obtain the same amount of moisture from the earth they
could before transplanting. And now immediately follows a bitter cold
windy day, or a hot and dry time, when the very skies seem like brass,
and all nature seems languid and debilitated ; the sap is exhausted
faster than the roots, so circumstanced, can supply, and just the same
as in the totally neglected tree, it dies — dries up.

But the result is not often so palpable. No cold winds or hot days
perhaps follow for a long time, but the soil is cold, and unfavourable to
the production of new roots, and so the tree stays in a state of rest —
laying up no treasures, taking no thought of to-morrow — and when the
adverse time does come, its sandy foundation is discovered. It dies —
it dries up. So we may go on through a score of illustrations. Still
the same explanation, the same reasoning, the same result : it dies —
it dries up.

From all this it follows, that to succeed in transplanting, all that is
necessary is to have control of the evaporating power of the tree — to
prevent, in plain language, the sap from drying out of the tree, until
the roots have made new fibres, and thus able to supply whatever
demands the branches may make on them for moisture.

There are, then, two periods when it is good to plant trees ; one is
when there is very little evaporation going on from the top of the tree ;
the other when the roots are active, and the fibres are pushing with
freedom and vigor, and the best time is when we can get the two to
work together. This is not easy. When the thermometer ranges
between 35° and 45°, little or no evaporation is going on — the air is
saturated with moisture, and a tree might be dug up, and suffered to
lie for a week with its roots exposed, without experiencing material
injury. Such times we often find in September and October,
February and March, and at certain times at other seasons. But the
opposite objection arises ; the ground is cold, and the roots, though not
perhaps entirely dormant, are but little active. Again in the spring

254 THE FLORIST.

the roots are very active, and are ready to draw water almost as soon
as the tree is transplanted ; but — again that implacable but — the wood
has become more soft and spongy, and the atmosphere warm and
drying, and evaporation goes on so very very fast, that the advantages
of the newly pushing roots is more than balanced.

In whatever way we look at the subject, this conclusion is apparent :
that to be successful with tree-planting, evaporation from the branches
must be checked until the new fibres push. Let this be a recognised
principle.

What will our readers say to the doctrine that deciduous trees can
be removed more successfully in May and June than at any other
season ? But it is a fact. It must be done in the usual way. The
leaves have to be stripped off, and the young growth shortened-in ;
evaporation is arrested, and the young roots, rejoicing in their newly-
found liberty, push forth in all directions, and sustain the tree at once.
New buds and leaves start immediately, and the tree goes on apparently
with very little check. [We would certainly prefer September. — Ed ]
Over and over again have we seen, during the past few seasons,
trees taken up in May and June, and in August and September, and
with the most complete success.

It is more trouble, to be sure, to prune and strip the leaves from the
trees, and the whole care required to control this evaporation costs
more than trees planted in the usual time and way ; but to many a
man, labour is worth more in April, when everything has to be done at
once, than it is in June, when nearly all is finished up.

Without making this chapter much too long, it is impossible to go
into the details of this idea as we would like to do. The reader must
apply the principle for himself. He must check evaporation till new
roots are produced, either by syringing, or shading, or pruning, or dis-
leafing ; he must do all he can to insure a rapid formation of new
fibres. He must, in fact, experiment and observe a little for himself;
and when he, as he soon will be, becomes master of the idea, he may
remove things at any time of the year when he has the most leisure
and inclination. G. W.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Azaleas and Camellias will now occupy sheltered places out-of-doors.
Do not allow the sun to shine on the pots, as it quickly absorbs all the
moisture from the ball, and frequently kills the plants in a few hours.
Attend well to keeping them supplied with water, washing the plants
overhead occasionally on the evenings of hot days.

Auriculas. — These plants must now receive attention, after lying
dry and comparatively dormant for the last two months. The plants
will now require to be shaken out of the old soil, and repotted, using
moderately rich but well sweetened soil, to ensure a good growth during
autumn, and bloom next spring. After repotting, keep the plants
rather close in a frame or pit for some little time ; give air by degrees,
and in proportion as they draw root until they can be entirely exposed

AUGUST.

255

to the air, excepting to heavy rains, to which they should never be
subjected. Aphides must not be allowed to infest them, or dead foliage
to remain on the plants.

Carnations and Picotees. — These being unprecedentedly early, a
great advantage is gained this season, by the layering being completed
in good time. The unusually early blooming was over here by the
15th of July. Watering must be carefully attended to; this and
cutting away dead foliage are the only requisites this month.

Conservatory may now be all but cleared of surplus plants, to allow
the proper inmates a full share of light and air. Now, also, is a good
time for repairing and painting, if required. A few Ferns, Palms,
stove plants, and Achimenes may be introduced as wanted.

Cucumbers. — A crop for the autumn and winter supply should now
be sown ; when up, keep the plants as hardy as you can, as they will
withstand mildew much better if grown hardy when young, and will
make much longer-lived plants.

Dahlias. — Water freely during dry weather, and in addition give the
plants a good sprinkling overhead every evening, after the sun has left
them. Go over the plants regularly twice a week, and remove all
superfluous small shoots and buds ; this must be done with care and
judgment, only cutting away a little at a time, leaving large varieties
full for a time. Secure the side shoots by tying them to stakes, in
doing which draw them away from the centre, to prevent weakness by
overcrowding of the shoots. Earwigs should be got under as much as
possible, to prevent the annoyance generally occasioned by their dis-
figuring the finest blooms.

Flower Garden. — The flower garden will now be in full beauty,
and, as great attention is now paid to arrangement of colour, any defects
in composition, or the substitution of newer and better plants should be
carefully noted, and stock procured for next season. Variety is often
more pleasing than the mere display of colour ; we cannot therefore too
strongly insist on the employment of herbaceous plants, as well as of
the different shades of scarlet, blue, and yellow. For certain situations
the primary colours are indispensable, as, for instance, when there are
large spaces of Grass adjoining the beds, to counteract the effects of
which warm colours are decidedly required ; but for a general garden,
containing a number of beds, and especially if on gravel, more variety
than is usually seen will prove more agreeable to the majority of persons.
The great beauty and order of a flower garden depend much on the
training and management of the various plants, whether growing in
beds, or on walls, trellis, vases, &c. Let everything be kept, therefore,
to its proper limits as to training, the Grass kept close, and the gravel
free from weeds and frequently rolled, and you will go far towards
making your garden perfect. The propagation of plants for another
year should commence as soon as the cuttings can be spared. There is
no better plan for all the scarlet and variegated Geranium class than
putting the cuttings in on well prepared sandy soil on a south border,
or indeed in any open place, fully exposed. Verbenas strike equally
well the same way, with the addition of a handglass over them.

Kitchen Garden. — The main breadth of Cabbages should be sown at

256 THE FLORIST.

once on well prepared* soil ; the old dates used to be about the 1 2th,
but any time from the 1st to that date will secure you good plants, not
liable to run to seed. A supply of Cauliflowers for standing over the
winter in frames and handglasses should be sown between the 20th
and the end of the month, and the true Bath Cos, and some good hardy
Cabbage Lettuce, at the same time. As the summer crops of Peas,
Beans, Cauliflowers, and Potatoes, are cleared off, fill up every avail-
able space with Coleworts, Winter Greens, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli,
&c, the Potato disease is making great havoc this season. Greens of
all kinds will be more than useful next spring. Turnips, for winter,
may be sown up to the middle of the month ; also Spinach and a few
Horn Carrots. Earth up the forwardest Celery.

Peach-house. — As the wood becomes ripened, which may be known
by its assuming a reddish brown tinge and leaves becoming yellow, take
off the sashes and fully expose the trees. The late houses should have
their foliage attended to to keep down insects and assist the ripening
process, until the trees, as above, will bear exposure.

Pelargoniums. — As soon as the plants have broken sufficiently, they
should be shaken out of the old soil, and, after having been disrooted,
put into as small pots as they will conveniently go into. Drain care-
fully, and place some vegetable fibre over the drainage, so as to prevent
stoppage. After the plants are potted they should be placed in a frame
or pit, and be kept close for a time, and be well shaded during the day.
Watering is an operation at this time requiring very great care. The
mould must be kept moist but not sodden ; still it is necessary when
the plants are watered that they have a quantity sufficient to go quite
through the pots. When the plants have taken root give air, but use
shading only in the middle of the day, or when the sun is very powerful,
say for a week or so, when it may be kept off entirely, and air given
more freely.

Pinery. — The best grown plants should now be potted into fruiting
pots, if not done, for the earliest supply next spring; use pure loam,
and well drain the pots ; they will then take water often without its
injuring the soil. A portion of the stock may remain for two or three
weeks longer to keep up a succession. Suckers and succession plants
will also require potting, and may have, at this season, a good shift, as
they will grow freely from now to the end of October, and should not
be potted again.

Pinks. — These should be planted into beds that have been prepared
for them, as soon as sufficiently rooted. The beds should have been
trenched and mixed with good rotten manure, and some loam if the
soil is light. By early planting, Pinks winter better and produce
larger flowers. The remainder of the stock should be planted out in
spare beds much nearer together. Look well after the grubs, so
very destructive to the young plants at this season.

Vinery. — The late crops should be kept growing by a moist atmo-
sphere. Keep down insects, and apply fires to Muscats on wet days.
The sashes may now be taken from the earliest forced houses, as the
wood, by this time, will be well ripened, and the foliage beginning to
decay, and of no further use for supplying nutrition.

indrews If

Phlox.

1 Juho/Rousseb. _ 2 Saia'emr dim-Ami:
$ La Vohupte/.

Tnnted /;%

SEPTEMBER. 257

PHLOXES.

[Plate 155.]

In many classes of flowers we are almost entirely indebted to
our continental neighbours for new varieties ; the climate
is so much more favourable to the ripening of the seed, that
they are able to effect that which we find impossible. All the
new Roses, without exception, are French ; for though some
one has said that Devoniensis was an English raised Eose, it
is a mistake ; the variety was raised in France, bought by
Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, & Co., and by them given its name.
Hyacinths are all Dutchmen, Asters principally German or
French, Verbenas and Chrysanthemums largely so, and the
varieties of Phlox which have for the last few years been intro-
duced, are " furriners " also — much to the discomfort of our
gardeners, whom the names confound very much. It would
really be a much more sensible plan, when things are intro-
duced by any English grower for him to have a rechristening ;
for what can a plain John Bull make of such names as
" Souvenir de la Heine dAngleterre," or " Souvenir de l'Expo-
sition ?" Why, our old man thinks he's no end of a scholar
because he can talk of " Chany Austens" and " Cranthins" (a
free way of rendering China Asters and Chrysanthemums) ;
imagine, then, his attempting such names as these. If the
great growers, or rather introducers of French productions
were to do this, they would greatly add to the comfort of many
a gardener, and, we may add, to many a master, too, whose ears
are horribly jarred and his risibility often excited by the
marvellous attempts his man makes at getting to windward of
these French words. This is a digression, and yet we must
make another. What a curious thing it is that the odd bizarre
coloured things seem all to be French ; fancy Dahlias, striped
Verbenas, spotted and odd coloured Pelargoniums, are all of
French extraction ; they are a very " bizarre " people, but this
cannot affect theirhybridising ; but we suppose they are fond of
such things, and so try to obtain, by a system of crossing
likely to produce it, these odd and striking things. Be the
reason what it may, the fact is there, and when in any class of
flower you see something peculiar in its markings, you may
give a tolerably shrewd guess that it is French.

But " revenons a nous moutons," the " moutons " in this
case being Phloxes. If any of the readers of the Florist are
possessed of its back volumes, they may see something of the
rapid strides that this flower has made, by referring to the
volumes for 1848 and 1854. In the former year Coelestis and

VOL. XII., no. cxli. s

258 THE FLORIST.

Nitens were figured, and considered then to be a great addition,
and in 1854 Countess of Home was figured in Mr. Andrews'
usual style, and most persons were struck with the vast im-
provement made in the six years. At that time a list of 41
varieties was given, comprising all the best sorts in culti-
vation. Of these very few are now grown, our continental
neighbours having succeeded in vastly improving them in the
five years that have elapsed since then, a fact which we saw
ourselves, when last month we paid a visit to the Royal Nursery
at Slough. A very fine collection was just then coming into
bloom, showing great variety in colour, beautiful shape, thick
waxy-looking petals, and dwarf habit. Of some of these we
took notes at the time, and among them are those in the plate
now presented to the patrons of the Florist. Julia Boussel
is dwarf in habit, very round, thick petalled, with a crimson
eye. La Volupte is quite a new shade of colour, and forms a
striking contrast, in its richness of colour, to the white ones.
Souvenir d'un Ami, though not so bright, is still of a very
pleasing tint. Quite as good were Vicomte Adalbert de
Beaumont, bright rose ; Augustine Lierval, white with cerise
eye ; Model, bright lilac ; Madame Suer, very like Julia
Boussel ; Blanche, new, pure white, about 2 feet high ; Boi
Leopold, white and lilac striped, very pretty ; Madame
Bougiere, pure white, crimson eye, of very dwarf habit, and
only 12 inches high. We must, for a description of the others,
refer our readers to the accompanying list, which contains nearly
every good variety in cultivation. It is, however, only fair to
add that owing to a desire to give as many varieties on the
plate as possible, it has not been found practicable to give
anything like a correct idea of the size and beauty of the
spike. It were needless to say anything as to the method of
growing so hardy a perennial ; they are easily increased by
cuttings, struck in the summer, or division of the roots ; while
for their aftergrowth, they require nothing more than the
ordinary treatment of herbaceous perennials. Like everything
else they will repay good treatment and careful management ;
but, unlike a good many, they will bear much hardship. Our
lady friends will bear us out in saying that they form a very
attractive feature in a well put together bouquet. While they
will live in any part of the garden, we think a shady border
will bring out their tints better, and is perhaps more in accord-
ance with their original habitat, North America. We are sure
that any lover of this tribe may very safely add to their stock
those we have mentioned, while if there are others who do not
grow them, an order to any respectable nurseryman for a good
dozen, will be found money well laid out.

Deal, Aug. 22. D.

SEPTEMBER. 259

HERBACEOUS PHLOXES.

Augustine Lierval, pure white, crimson centre, dwarf compact habit, large

spike, very distinct. 18 inches.
Admiral Linois, bright rose, crimson centre, free, extra fine. 30 inches.
Beauty of Milrig, white, small flower, very compact. 2 feet.
Blanche (new), pure white, compact habit, fine form. 2 feet.
Cristine Marjette, soft lilac, free, good habit. 3 feet.

Countess of Haddington, purple lake, dark crimson centre, small flower. 2 ft.
Claytoni, white, lavender centre, very distinct, fine form, good habit. 1^ ft.
Comte de Chambord, white, very compact flower. 2\ feet.
Countess of Morton, pure white, good habit, large flower, and free. 2\ feet.
Countess of Ellesmere, white, lilac centre, good habit, fine form, very free.

3 feet.
De Lardenella, white, lavender centre, compact habit and free. \\ foot.
Eliza, mottled rose, good habit, very free. 2\ feet.
Enchantress, French white, rose centre, very free. 3 feet.
Empereur de Tons les Russias, dark rosy purple, very distinct, good habit

and free. 2 feet.
General Brea, rosy lilac, good habit and free. 3 feet.
Genevieve, lilac, compact habit, very free, good form. 2 feet.
Julia Roussel, white, large crimson centre, fine form, large flower, good

habit, the finest of its class. 2 feet.
L'Ami Georgin, soft lilac, fine habit, large spike and free. 3 feet.
L'Enfant Prodigue, rosy lilac, large spike, good habit, free. 3 feet.
La Volupte, soft rosy carmine, very fine, good habit. 3 feet.
Louis Guerard, bright ruby, compact habit, large spike, the finest of its

class, l^foot.
Louis Noisette, rosy lilac, crimson centre, extra large spike, very fine. 3 ft.
Louis Germain, lilac, crimson centre, dwarf compact habit, free. 1 foot.
Le Gamin de Paris, carmine, crimson centre, extra large spike, compact

habit, free. 1^ foot.
Madame Sueur, French white, crimson centre, compact habit, very distinct.

15 inches.
Madame Rendatler, white, lilac centre, very free, good habit. 2f feet.
Madame de Vatray, dark rich rosy purple, large spike, very free. 2\ feet.
Madame E. Lamble, white, dark lilac centre, small flower, very pretty. 3 ft.
Madame Rougiere, pure white, carmine centre, dwarf habit, large spike,

ex. ex. fine. 1 foot.
Madame de St. Innocent, dark rose, very large spike, good habit, free. 3 ft.
Madame Jolly, mottled lilac, very compact habit, large spike, very fine, ex.

fine. \\ foot.
Mons. Forrest, rich crimson, compact habit, free and very fine. \\ foot.
Marie Cubertier, French white, crimson centre, compact habit, extra large

spike, very fine. 15 inches.
Maria Lamarcq, white lilac, centre very distinct, good habit, free. 2 feet.
M. Vatray, French white, rose centre, small neat flower, good. 2 feet.
Omniflora compacta, white, very dwarf, and free. 1 foot.
Princess, lilac, large spike, good habit, free. 3 feet.
Rigoli, mottled rose, crimson centre, very free, very fine. \\ foot.
Rubens, rosy lilac, crimson centre, compact habit, large spike, ex. fine. 2 ft.
Rubra, purplish crimson, strong habit, very free. 3 feet.
Roi Leopold, white and lilac striped, very pretty. 3 feet.
Surpasse Maria Bellanger, rosy carmine, crimson centre, good habit, very

free, ex. fine. \\ foot.
Surpasse Madame Rendatler, white, crimson centre, very compact, large
spike, and free. 3 feet,

260 THE FLORIST.

Salliere, rosy purple, large spike, very free. 3 feet.

Souvenir de Madame Poivre, white, carmine centre, good habit, very free. 3 ft.
Souvenir d'un Ami, rose, crimson centre, compact habit, very free. 1 \ foot.
Veronique, lilac, very robust habit, large spike. 3 feet.
Vicomte Adalbert de Beaumont, bright rose, crimson centre, large flower,
very free. 2£ feet.

ECONOMICAL CULTURE OF FRUIT TREES.

It is a question of importance as to the precise form of fruit-tree most
profitable to grow — whether standards, half-standards, or dwarfs ; and
again, whether trained or untrained. For small gardens, the dwarf
bush form of Apples and Pears has long superseded the standards for-
merly planted, and we have now to consider whether any economy can
be introduced into the system by training. If dwarf trees are prefer-
able, on the score of economy, to standards on a small scale, they must
be equally so on a large one, and we therefore must look at the question
as to its bearing on fruit culture in a general point of view. For exten-
sive orchards tall standard trees will still be planted, as such orchards
are generally laid down to Grass, and require but little care afterwards ;
and the same may be said as to planting Apples and Pears in hedge-
rows or banks. Rut where the finest fruits are required there will be
little difficulty in proving, that the same quantity of fruit can be obtained
on a smaller space of ground than is required to produce the same
quantity in orchards ; and even with the market- gardeners' orchards,
where the ground between the trees is filled up with Gooseberries and
Currants, or vegetables, we shall have to show that by proper manage-
ment more can be obtained from the ground by cultivating one kind of
fruit only, than by attempting the mixed plan.

But, to obtain the greatest produce from a given space of ground, the
usual plan of confining Apples and Pears to the height of five or six feet
must be abandoned. As Dean Swift once satirically remarked to an
overcrowded mob, who were crying out for more room — " Why, you
have it ; there is plenty upwards." So the remark may apply to fruit
growers with a limited space only — you must look upwards ; that is to
say, you must carry your trees up to fourteen or fifteen feet in height,
to enable them to carry crops to repay for the cost of planting and alter
management. To explain our views more fully, let us take an acre of
ground, which is to be planted with Apples by themselves. We should
select untrained dwarf trees, and plant them in rows from twelve to
fourteen feet apart, in the direction of north-east and south-west, or
north and south, as near as the ground would admit, planting the trees
from eight to ten feet apart ; but in this respect some allowance must be
made for the size the trees will hereafter attain, some kinds growing
much stronger than others. The first season some training will be
necessary, as two shoots from each tree should be tied out to stakes in
the direction the rows run, and as wide as three or four feet apart.

{To be continued.)

SEPTEMBER. 261

LAYING OUT SMALL GARDENS.

The following common -sense observations on this subject are abridged
from an American publication devoted to gardening ; they may not be
without interest to possessors of villa gardens in this country : —

" Persons who have small places are often puzzled as to the best way
to lay them out. A too common error is to attempt too much. Having
read of fine specimens of taste, or imbibed a love of the art from some
superior work on landscape gardening, or some friend's extensive country
seat, it is quite natural to wish to make the most of a limited plot. And
this making the most of the thing implies a good deal, while it leads into
many errors. The relation of the means to the end should never be
lost sight of, and nothing attempted that has not some well-defined
object.

" When a house is built, the first object is to connect it with the
public road, with the stable, and with the offices. In laying out these
roads convenience and beauty must be consulted. The first suggests to
go ; straight on ;' the last whispers, ' curve gracefully round.' Con-
venience being the chief object, must be respected ; and whatever
deviations from the straight line are allowed to the importunities of
beauty, should be done from a seeming compulsion. Hence the curve
should have its salient point filled with a heap of roots or rocks, or a
thick mass of shrubbery ; or, what is still better, the soil should be
raised to form a rise or knoll, as if the road had been taken around to
avoid the obstruction. Much may be done for a small plot by this plan
of making the surface irregular. A dead level or a regular plane look3
smaller than it really is. Around the house it should be so, as a sudden
transition from the delicacies of art in the building to the roughness of
nature in the grounds is offensive ; but at a little distance off very
lively effects may be obtained by taking off a little soil here and adding
there, so as to make the surface broken and irregular. The effect may
still further be increased by planting the rises and leaving the lower
surfaces bare. To still further give the idea of extent, shrubbery should
be planted in irregular masses to conceal the fences and boundaries, and
many objects on the place itself may be partially concealed by planting
all with a view of exciting the curiosity to know ' how much more is
beyond.' Besides the mere purposes of shade from the sun and screen
from winds, large growing trees should not be employed in decorating
the property, as all large objects lessen the apparent size of the place.
Besides, small and medium growing trees afford a greater variety.

" The walks being decided on with a view to convenience and beauty,
and the general idea of giving the plot the appearance of as much extent
as possible being kept in view, it may be useful to give some details
respecting the preparation of the grounds. It should be remembered
that Grass and trees are not only required to grow therein, but that
they must grow well. The top soil is often covered by refuse from
the excavations, trusting to heavy manuring to promote fertility. But
this is a too slow and expensive process. The surface soil should in all
cases be saved, and replaced. Also, where it is necessary to lower a

262 THE FLORIST.

piece of ground, the top spit should be saved to be used again. The
depth of the soil is an important matter, both for the trees and the
lawn. It should be at least eighteen inches deep. In shallow soils
Grass will burn out under a hot sun. In a soil eighteen inches deep
a lawn will be green except in the very hottest weather. For the sake
of the trees, also, the ground should be not only deep but rich. Life is
too short for it to be an object to wait too long for trees to grow, and
planting large ones is an expensive as well as unsatisfactory business.
A tree in a rich and deep soil will grow as much in one year as in five
in a poor one. So, in preparing a lawn, it is fortunate that, while
aiming at the best effects, we are helping our trees also.

" While on the subject of improvements, we may add that the latter
end of August is one of the best seasons of the year to transplant ever-
greens. The young growth of the past season has got pretty well
hardened, so as to permit of but very little evaporation, and the earth
being warm new roots push with great rapidity, and the tree becomes
established in the ground before the cold autumn winds begin."

AN ANALYSIS OF ROSES, OLD, NEW, AND NOVELTIES,
FIT FOR SHOW PURPOSES.

Several amateurs and gardeners in different parts of England, and
one nurseryman in America, having addressed questions on this subject,
or on some particular Rose or Roses, I am reluctantly obliged, with
great apologies, to request so soon a place in your much read and highly
valuable pages. I may here say, before 1 begin about Roses, how
much I am indebted to your Florist for Raspberry information. I have
had a noble crop this year, and the canes are now seven feet high, and
of the greatest substance. The avidity with which your work is read,
and the eagerness with which it is looked for, on the first of each month,
confirm me in the belief, that, in time, the number of copies published
will be very great. »

I will now speak first of summer Roses (all of which here are on the
Brier) fit for show purposes, and some of which are absolutely essential.
Pure white : Clementine — Blush, Adele Prevost, a fine Rose, Cynthia,
not so strong in habit, but is of a very fine Hollyhock shape, Juno, very
large — Rose coloured, Charles Duval, Charles Lawson, Paul Perras,
are fine bold Roses of the most robust habit ; Volupte is large and
perfect and refined; Dometille Bear is very fine — Pink, Coupe d'Hebe,
Sanchette, Bruxelles, are all beautiful Roses — Purple, Frederick II. is
large and of a splendid colour. Who will raise a Hybrid Perpetual of
the same colour and of the shape as Comte de Nanteuif ? Under shade
or a north wall is the place to preserve its fine colour. The sun soon
slates a purple Rose. Different shades of crimson and purple crimson,
Paul Ricaut, Ohl, Boula de Nanteuil, Kean, Triomphe de Jaussens,
General Jacqueminot (H.C.), DAguesseau, are a noble lot of Roses,
and all valuable for their colours — Variegated Roses, Bizarre Masbree,
Tricolor des Flandres, Madeline, a very curious Rose, essential at Bath

SEPTEMBER. 263

for ball bouquets for the young ladies — Pure slate, Schismaker, another
curiosity, useful in large collections to diversify eternal rose colours, but
it is not equal in shape to any of the former— r-Carmine, Brennus —
Yellow, Persian, Harrisonii, both too small, except where shown in a
collection — Moss: White Bath and Crested are very beautiful,
Wassenaer is a fine light crimson, Mosseuses is the largest of all
Mosses, blush, and is fine. The two first are delicate but the best, and
the two last are the most robust. Crested, when expanded, shows its
family more plainly than any other Moss Rose. Madame Audot,
Felicite Parmentier, La Seduisante, are highly beautiful flesh Roses,
but they have not this, their first year, been large enough to cope in size
with the large and noble Roses above, and therefore amateurs must use
their own mind in buying them. Felicite won several times at the
National Show in 1858. The Persian Yellow and Harrisonii bloom
well, and abundantly on both stocks. These, the Moss Roses and
Damask, must live extra well, and be kept well watered.

I will now speak secondly of autumnal Roses for show purposes.
Moss Roses, Ory, rose coloured — Damask, Mogador, Rose du Roi,
both crimson ; they require the highest cultivation — Hybrid Perpetuals,
Salmon pink, M. Regnier, William Griffiths, Auguste Mie, all good on
both stocks — Rose coloured, good here only on Manetti, La Ville de St.
Denis, Comte de Nanteuil, two magnificent and perfect show flowers ;
M. de Manoel, Jacques Lafitte, Duchess of Sutherland, Elegante
JNouvelle, medium sized, but perfect in shape, Louise Peyronney.
Good here on both stocks, Cambaceres, Angleterre, Rougemont,
Baronne Prevost. Good on Briers, M. Domage, Lselia, Prince Imperial,
Adelaide Fontaine. Lselia and Peyronney are best, when cut before
ripe, and shown as incurved Roses ; the colours and class of petal are
the same as Auguste Mie's. The whole of the above are most noble
Roses. The two first and Adelaide Fontaine are grand Roses, perfect
in shape. Crimson and its shades on a Brier : Raglan is in all respects
the best ; Sir John Franklin. Good on both stocks, Geant des Batailles
(best on Manetti), Triomphe de TExposition, Jules Margottin, Prince
Leon, this Rose is not strong enough in habit on either stock, but it is
thoroughly first class. -Good here on Manetti only, Laffay, Norfolk, Paul
Dupuy, this last Rose also wants freedom of growth. Good on a Brier
here, Triomphe de Paris. Red or shades of red, good on both stocks :
Gloire de France, Bachmeteff — on a Brier: Pius IX. — on Manetti only,
Lion des Combats, a fine dark colour, much like Beaux Arts ; its shape
is not so good as that of many others, but you must have it for its size
and colour. White outer petals and blush or flesh centres, Madame
Vidot is the most perfect, Duchesse d'Orleans, Paul's Victoria : these
bloom beautifully on Manetti. On a Brier, Madame Rivers, uncertain,
but lovely ; Madame Phelip, hardy and lovely. On both stocks, Caro-
line de Sansal, Madame Knorr, both are excellent and fine : Victoria
blooms freely and finely here on Manetti. Scarlet, on a Brier, Monsieur
Ravel. On Manetti, General Jacqueminot : Eveque de Nimes is a
first-class medium-sized micropetalous scarlet Rose ; I have two plants
on a Brier, but cannot speak at present with certainty of its habit ; it
appears to be of the habit of Rebecca, which latter Rose is not free

264 THE FLORIST.

enough to please me, though highly beautiful and thick in petal. I
have not included Simpson and Place in their class of colours, because
they are not large enough to put with huge Poses : they are perfect in
form, and bloom beautifully here on Manetti only. Dark Roses, or
radiant and dark ; all are on Briers except Willermoz, and all are small
or medium sized, but very beautiful : Patrizzi, Arthur de Sansal, Noir,
Moskowa (the largest but hollow), Napoleon : they are useful for
showing in large collections.

With regard to Bourbons, I will observe two or three things.
They are best on low stocks, and better fall than summer bloomers.
The dark and purpureous Roses, such as Reveil, Paul Joseph, Montijo,
Proserpine, Dupetit Thouars, have bloomed here well all summer,
close under a north wall. Paul Joseph and Proserpine are old on their
own roots, and bloom continually ; they are first-class medium-sized
Roses of great substance and good form. The first, I think, is the
best of all dark Roses. Leprestre, brilliant, is not equal in habit to
Dupetit Thouars; Reveil is the most superb; Montijo is lovely, and
thicker than any Rose in petal ; Louise Odier, Paxton, Lecoq, Acidalie,
Vicomte de Cussy, are good free bloomers, early in summer, in
scorching situations. None are equal in size to the above Hybrid
Perpetuals, except Malmaison, blush, which is the finest of all, and
good.

China : Mrs. Bosanquet, wax-like flesh, a good and useful Rose.
Teas : Gloire de Dijon, orange and buff, is good on both stocks every-
where, and at all times ; Devoniensis, good on Manetti, but better here
old on her own roots. Noisettes : Cloth of Gold and Isabella Gray are
best if you can grow them : mine look like Italian greyhounds on the
rocks of Labrador, and have gone blind : Solfaterre and Lamarque are
easier managed and beautiful : Triomphe de Rennes, a smaller and
more perfect Dijon, orange and canary or buff, is really a gem.

New Roses : Beaux Arts is a large dark Rose, free bloomer, of a
plum purple colour ; its habit is apparently not equal to the size of its
flowers ; perhaps, on stronger stocks, it may be more likely to bear such
large and abundant blooms. Marie Portemer, red, is good habited,
and excellent : I hope she will supplant those tender Roses Chipetouzikof
and Madame Masson. Reine de Denmark, blush, is the finest I have
yet bloomed of the novelties : she is splendid. Gloire de Lyons is a great
favourite, fiery centre, and plum purple, excellent in habit These
three, and the two Bourbons, Monsieur Jard and Dr. Berthet, a rich
crimson, are all that I have seen sufficient of to bear the responsibility
of recommending. The others have been making nice little bushes,
and doubtless will, one day, give me as great pleasure as the above have
done. If any of the numerous novelties not yet bloomed should do well,
as far as I am concerned, the public shall not be kept in the dark.

All of the above Roses, summer and autumnal, if highly manured
and supplied with water, will give you great satisfaction. I have left
out some beautiful Roses, either because I have not sufficiently proved
them, or because they are weather Roses, and are only occasionally
good, or because they are dwarf habited. With the exception of summer
Roses, Roses do better here, on the whole, on Manetti stocks. It is fair,

SEPTEMBER. 265

however, to observe, that the Manetti stocks sent to me are strong,
young, and good, but the Briers are not always so. Some are dry-
rinded ; others are like knob-sticks, with two thin roots, like the
" feelers of a lobster." Before, therefore, you can draw a just com-
parison, you must look into this. In my rich, friable garden, so highly
manured, the Roses on Manetti have bloomed beautifully. They began
their second series about the 24th of July, and are now (the 8th of
August), full of large and beautiful blooms. After their first bloom,
all Roses here were supplied with a shovelful of black manure. The
earth was scraped away, the manure put in over the earth on the roots,
and then, having been drowned with water, the earth scraped away
was replaced. The Manetti Roses are earthed up, like Potatoes, over
the bud union, a thing most essential to be done. Manetti Roses
require a deal of manure to supply the immense exhaustion ; and, to
prevent them going blind, you must not cut too hard. I cut them all
about one foot high the Saturday after Good Friday, to meet the 22nd
of June, and I thank Mr. Milne for the account he has given. The
present bloom, however, of autumnals, is far superior. The Roses are
larger, brighter, and more numerous. The manures which I use are
abundance of wood ashes (retainers of moisture), and decayed horse and
pig manure mixed with road scrapings. With plenty of this, and careful
summer pruning and watering, I get a quick and prolonged succession
of these glorious flowers.

Allow me to thank Messrs. Cranston, Rivers, Gill (of Blandford),
and Davis (of Newbury), for the superb materials sent to me this
year.

Aug. 8. W. F. Radclyffe.

P.S. August 24. — Portemer and Eveque de Nimes, budded on a
brier two months ago, have fine buds, clean foliage, and appear to be
of good habit.

AURICULAS AND THEIR CLASSES.

A notice which I inserted in " Gossip for the Garden," having elicited
some letters on the subject of which I wrote, I am desirous of putting
the same* matter before the readers of the Florist, the sole object for
which I contend being the best means of advancing the cultivation of
this lovely flower, the chief point at issue being whether the system of
showing in the north of England, and the rules by which the judges
seem to be regulated, are those likely to effect this object. Anyone who
has grown them is, of course, aware that few flowers have made less
advance, and that in no tribe of florists' flowers are there so few additions
by seedlings ; and it is a matter of some importance to determine
whether the acknowledged difficulty of raising seedlings, and propagating
them when raised, is the only cause of this. If a good seedling Verbena
or Geranium is produced, in two or three years' time not a garden but
what possesses it ; an Auricula raised at the same time is still in the
raiser's hands, and will not probably leave them for a year or two

266 THE FLORIST.

longer. But it would appear from reports of shows held in Lancashire,
which is looked upon as the home of the Aurjeula, that the system of
showing turns upon two points — the quality of the edges, and the size
of the individual pip ; the character of the plant and the beauty of the
truss are left out of sight, and hence a long-legged flower like imperator,
and faulty in many other respects, takes the lead over many a better
flower, while to effect this a truss is often reduced to two or three pips.
They, on the contrary, accuse us in the south of sacrificing every-
thing to colour, and ridicule the idea of our new flowers coming into
competition with the older varieties. Florists know that this is not the
only point on which " North and South" disagree. Pinks with two
rows of petals, little better than a single Dianthus, were in favour with
one ; while mops with no regularity were said to be the thing in the
south. Again, Tulips, in the north, were once only looked at for colour,
and a stained bottom was not thought fit for rejection. Intercourse (so
facilitated by railways) has led to juster views on these points ; and so
I cannot but think if we were able to bring north and south together
on an Auricula stage, we should do good service to the cause. I do not
by any means wish to lower the taste, but I do want to see somewhat
more liberal views taken, and specially in this matter of the edges.
Very similar is the division amongst Dahlias into show flowers and
fancies ; it is only the dealers in them that can rightly determine which
is which. I do not desire therefore to see such a flower as Lancashire
Hero or Chapman's Maria despised as a "Mongrel" or a " Chaney"
nor do I want bad-shaped, or thrum-eyed, or dirty-eyed flowers
recognised as leading varieties. Some growers say those flowers I have
named are only fit for the dung-heap, while others laud them up as the
perfection of an Auricula. I am not, however, without allies who take
my view of the question, and I should be very glad to have the matter
talked over and entered into practically. I have, therefore, a proposition
to make — that an Auricula Exhibition be held in London in April next,
somewhere about the 20th ; and that, as it would be desirable to avoid
expense as much as possible, the Royal Botanic Society be solicited to
allow it to take place at one of their spring shows, the rules, &c, to be
determined on as soon as we can see our way clear into the matter.
The circle of growers is of course circumscribed (though I am in great
hopes that it is widely increasing), and therefore we do not expect to
offer very great prizes ; this will, however, be entirely regulated by the
number of subscribers and amount subscribed. I should be glad,
therefore, if any who are interested in the growth of this lovely flower
would be good enough to communicate with me, to the office of the
Florist, addressed as " D.," and I would feel obliged if, at the same time,
they would give their opinion on the following points : —

1 . Whether the time and place are considered desirable.

2. What should be the style of showing.

3. (Important !) What amount they would subscribe for the purpose.

My own stock is so small, and my time so limited, that I shall not
(most likely) be able to exhibit, but I shall be very glad to take any
trouble in the matter that I can ; if it outgrows my capabilities, I must

SEPTEMBER. 2(37

give it up to other hands. I am glad to be able to say, that already
we may count on the support of two of* the largest public growers in the
kingdom. Rose shows are a great success ; Dahlia shows thrive, and
Carnation shows are prosperous. Why not an Auricula show? Let
the lovers of the flower manifest their zeal, and the thing will be done.

D.
Deal, August.

WHY DO GRAPES SHANK?
Much as has been written on this subject, we venture to again moot
the question, having had the above query addressed to us for the
hundredth time a short time back.

Why, then, do Grapes shank ? Let us carry the question further,
and ask why do Peaches and other wall-fruit fall off? — why do Figs
turn yellow and shrink away ? — and why, in a hundred other cases, do
fruits of all kinds fail in reaching maturity? — all of which causes of
failure, in some degree or other, are attributable to the inability of
plants to carry onwards their crop of fruit to perfection, through causes
weakening or obstructing their powers of vitality, and preventing the
proper functions of those organs which supply the fruit with nourish-
ment.

Again, let us go back to our first question, why do Grapes shank ?
One gardener states that the borders are too wet ; another, that they are
too dry ; a third says it is for want of a reciprocal action between the
roots and stem, the former being often in a very cold medium, while the
stem and foliage are luxuriating (?) in a tropical climate; another main-
tains the cause to be ill-drained borders and want of bottom-heat (!) to
the roots. Then it is stated to be caused only by house treatment ; —
want of air, too much night-firing or too little, or the house too damp,
or insufficient light, or too heavy cropping : these are a few of the reasons
which, from time to time, have been given as the cause of Grapes
shanking.

Now we have seen Grapes shank under very different and opposite
circumstances. They will shank when growing in pots, with their roots,
of course, in the same temperature as the top. Indeed, we have seen
shanking take place under each and all of the circumstances mentioned,
and therefore we must not look at one cause in particular as doing the
mischief, and overlook the others. To be brief; Grapes will shank
whenever the general health of the Vines is disturbed, and whether
caused by one or more of the reasons so frequently given as causing the
mischief.

To ensure Grapes from shanking the Vine must be healthy, and
there must be no interruption of the healthy action of all its parts.
The supply of sap from the roots must be uniform, and equal at all
times to the demand called into action by the leaves ; this infers that
the roots must be kept in a congenial medium, where their extension
can go on progressively and they can take up their supply of food
without intermission : this bespeaks a well-drained and properly

268 THE FLORIST.

constituted soil as the medium for the roots to grow in, in which, and
under ordinary circumstances, the temperature may be left to take care
of itself. Next, the proper assimilation and distribution of the sap,
supplying food to the plant and fruit, will depend on the leaves having
the power of exercising their functions ; this is the most important
point to be considered in the cultivation of the Vine, as regards treat-
ment. The leaves must grow in an atmosphere where their peculiar
functions of elaboration and exhalation can be properly performed. To
this end, supposing them grown under glass, the house must admit
sufficient light to enable the leaves to act freely ; the air, too, of the
house must not be too moist to prevent them from parting with a portion
of their natural moisture by perspiration, or you interfere with an
important function of these organs, and on which health mainly
depends — (What have the advocates of continually syringing, damping
down, and shutting vineries up damp and close, got to say to this ?) —
nor must it be too dry, to cause the leaves to part with their water
too rapidly, thereby diminishing them in size and substance, and inducing
the attacks of insects. The air, moreover, must circulate freely and
continuously through the foliage, so that each leaf, and all parts of
its surface may be exposed to its influence in motion, and this by
night as well as during the day. (What about close glazing and close
shutting up by night ?) The night temperature must by no means
equal that of the day. The temperature of fruit-houses should be many
degrees lower by night than by day, and rather dry than moist. Next,
you must not over-crop ; for if it does not induce shanking, through
overtaxing the vitality of the Vine, you get an inferior production.
In ripening fruits, take nature as your guide. In Grape countries, the
Vines flower during the hottest months of the year, and the fruit ripens
when the day temperature has sensibly declined and the night tem-
perature more so. Comparatively, does not this teach us the proper
treatment to follow ? We have never known forced fruit of any kind
but what was always greatly improved in size, colour, and flavour by
ripening slowly, and in a moderate temperature.

We have said nothing about the temperature of the soil for Vine
roots beyond giving it as an opinion that, with properly constituted
borders, the temperature might be left to take care of itself. But, for
Grapes ripening before June, means should be taken to keep the borders
(if outside) dry — (They will be naturally damp enough, from the effects
of the preceding autumn's rains) — by covering them with leaves or
Fern — (not with a mass of materials in a state of rapid fermentation,
as is sometimes done, which produces more mischief than if the borders
had no covering at all) — or by the application of hot-water pipes. We
have stated enough to show what is required for the roots and Vine
generally to prevent shanking ; the precise application must rest with
those concerned.

G. F.

[We fully endorse these assertions. — Ed. F.]

SEPTEMBER. 269

CROM CASTLE, NEAR LISNASKEA, CO. FERMANAGH,
IRELAND.
This the residence of Lord Erne is situated five miles west of Lisnaskea.
The present building is of modern erection ; the castle and grounds
are partly surrounded by Lough Erne ; the pleasure grounds and parterre
lie north-west of the mansion. In front of the castle is a geometrical
flower-garden laid out on gravel edged with Box ; the centre is a raised
flower-bed bordered with a bold edging of stone, and planted with tall-
growing Geraniums ; the corresponding beds are planted to form a
contrast in height and colour, and looked very effective. On each side
of this garden is an arcade covered with Roses, and noble vases filled
with large Geraniums (scarlet), and light Fuchsias are freely inter-
spersed in suitable positions. From the bottom of the flower-garden
broad gravel walks lead to the old castle and lake respectively ; the
view from this part is extremely grand. Following a long avenue, each
side of which has a row of Hollyhocks, we reach the old castle, situate
on the margin of the lake, and a considerable distance from the modern
residence. This castle is a place of great historical interest, the wars
which Irish history relates having so frequently converted these chieftain
residences into besieged forts. The lake or Lough Erne is here of
great size and highly picturesque, and, as it partly surrounds the
grounds, the view of it, from all points in the neighbourhood, is grand
and striking. In the grounds adjoining is one of the finest Yew trees
perhaps in the three kingdoms, the age of which is unknown. The
most remarkable thing about this fine old tree is, that the branches
grow through and through each other, as if grafted so* The branches
measure in circumference 90 yards ; associated with this are some
grand specimens of Lime and other trees, of apparently great antiquity.
Returning to the pleasure grounds, we were next shown a fine specimen
of Lrugmansia sanguinea. Mr. Dowling, the intelligent gardener here,
gave us the following particulars relating to this tree : — In May, 1845,
it was planted in the conservatory, and was then three feet high;
notwithstanding the annual pruning it got, it grew too large in a few
years for its then situation. In May, 1851, it was planted out in the
open ground, having the previous autumn had its roots cut in to within
three feet from the stem. The tree now girths at the ground three feet
and a half, and is 20 feet high, covering an area of 170 square feet ; it
was planted out in a mixed soil, composed of loam, bog earth, a good
portion of charred matter, rotten dung and leaves, perfect drainage, &c.
Each year, in October, the tree is covered by sticking poles in the
ground, five inches apart, the places between being stuffed tight with
packing Moss. A span-roof is then put on, one side of which is
thatched, the other covered with sashes, which have an additional
covering in severe frosts. The protection is gradually taken away in
March and April, and altogether in May. It is surprising the immense
size this tree would have grown had it not been subjected to severe

We shall be glad to know further particulars of this remarkable tree from our
correspondent or Mr. Dowling.

270 THE FLORIST.

annual pruning. When we visited the place, some hundreds of blooms
were nearly expanded, and, when in full flower, it has a very remark-
able appearance, from the singular shape of the blooms, and is altogether
a very striking plant. We gathered a berry or seed pod of it nearly
ripe ; is this not a rare thing. The pleasure grounds also contain
many other fine specimens of trees and shrubs, dotted about. Among
these were some choice Coniferae, which are doing well, and produce a
good effect.

The conservatory, a large spar.-roofed building, with a conical-shaped
projecting end, adjoins the mansion, and contains a mixed collection of
greenhouse plants, chiefly intended for autumn and winter display.
We noted a fine healthy specimen of Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria
excelsa), 20 feet high. The kitchen garden stands on an island,
in the lough, opposite the grounds, and is reached by a bridge, thrown
over the lake. The glass erections here consist of four vineries, two
Peach-houses, Pine-stove, orchard-house, plant-stove, succession Pine-
pits, Melon and Cucumber-pits. The first house of Vines consists of
Hamburgh and Sweetwater, which were carrying a fine crop, and well
coloured ; second, planted with Hamburgh and White Nice ; third, with
Muscats of Alexandria ; fourth, with Hamburgh, West's St. Peter's, &c.
The Muscats were remarkably fine, in fact, all the Grapes were in
excellent condition. The trees in the Peach-houses were loaded with
fine fruit. The Pine-stove, a span-roof, is about 20 yards long, divided
in the centre by a glass partition. The fruiting plants were planted
out on the open-bed system, in 18 inches of soil, over hot-water pipes,
so that any amount of bottom heat can be kept as required. Mr.
Dowling prefers his plants showing fruit prior to planting out. We
noted some fine Providence, Queens, &c, in fruit. The orchard-house
is a new erection, and, when well established, we have no fear as to its
giving every satisfaction. The young trees, both planted out and in
pots, were promising well. Not alone are orchard-houses useful for
growing fruits ; they form an excellent auxiliary for keeping bedding-
out plants secure during winter. The plant-stove contains a goodly
collection of mixed stove plants, Ferns, and Lycopods. Planted out in
the centre bed were some fine plants of the Musa Cavendishii, which
we believe annually produces a fine crop of excellently flavoured fruit.
Arranged with good effect were variegated and fine foliaged plants, such
as Crotons, Dracaenas, Rhopalas, &c. Melons and Cucumbers are
grown largely here in dung pits for summer use ; the Melons were
superb. The kitchen -garden is divided into four compartments by two
centre walks, intersecting in the middle of the garden ; one square was
filled chiefly with Currants and other bush fruit, bearing a good crop.
The most prolific kind of red Currant we ever saw was here, under the
name of the Mallow-leaved Currant. A row of dwarf bush Apple
trees surrounds each square. Next the walk is a border filled with
flowering plants. When we visited the place; the bedding-out plants
were just coming into flower, the whole presenting a very gay appear-
ance, fully entitling it to the rank of being called a " dress garden."
Wall fruit were scarce here as everywhere else this season. As some
thousands of bedding-out plants are annually required here, Mr.

SEPTEMBER. 271

Bowling's system may not be unacceptable to the readers of the Florisl • —
In spring, he prepares " sods " of turfy loam, say three inches broad,
and about the same in depth, the length according to convenience.
Cutting off the grassy surface, he then shakes over the top a little sand ;
the cuttings are then put in a single row up the centre of each strip of
turf, which is then removed to the cutting-pits. When struck they
can be cut or torn apart, and planted out without any trouble or expense
of potting, and it answers the purpose equally well. Nothing could be
more simple when the modus operandi is understood. This plan is not
alone restricted here to bedding-out plants, but we noticed a great
quantity of greenhouse plants struck in the same way. From the
perfect neatness and order which were everywhere apparent on those
extensive grounds and gardens, we are irresistibly led to form a high
opinion of Mr. Dowling's assiduity, professional skill, and taste.
Ireland, July. D.

NATIONAL CARNATION AND PICOTEE SOCIETY.
Why call it National? say I; for this year I take up the list I
have made, and find there were thirty-one prizes, independent of the
class-showing. Of these there were thirteen taken by Yorkshire
growers, twelve by those of Lancashire, four by those of Warwickshire,
and two by the north part of Derbyshire. Are these the only counties
where Carnations and Picotees are grown? or has there been a
mistake? And has the Northern Counties' Carnation and Picotee
exhibition been held instead of the National ? I could find no Mr.
Turner — no southern growers at all. The midlands, too, were absent.
The reason was obvious ; the exhibition was fixed much too late ; and I
hold, as I have done before, and as I have done publicly in print this
year, that the National Show — if it is really to be a National Show —
must be held in July. The National Society headed their circulars,
that the proposed amalgamation of the two societies (viz., the Northern
Counties and the National) was not acceptable to the great majority of
cultivators ; but I think it is hardly fair that the southern and midland
counties should have no chance to represent their various localities. The
blooms with me had been over nearly three weeks — that is, the best of
the bloom ; and on the day of exhibition I don't think a pan could have
been cut from the whole of the county. I do not make these remarks
with any ill feeling at all, but s'mply to prevent a recurrence of the
same, for it must of necessity damage the Society, because the mid-
landers and the southern men will undoubtedly withhold their support,
if debarred from showing. The management of the whole reflected
credit on the secretaries and committee. In the analysis it will be
found that the greatest number of flowers were old faces. In the
crimson bizarre class of Carnations Black Diamond and Warrior are
most frequent, which is about the same position occupied by them last
season. In scarlet bizarres Admiral Curzon maintains its old position,
while Dreadnought, a flower remarkably like it and a new competitor,
comes second. In rose flakes Lovely Ann is, as last year, first ; while

272 THE FLORIST.

Queen Boadicea is second. In scarlet flakes Splendour stands first and
Sportsman second, while in purples Squire Meynell and Premier occupy
positions as before.

Picotees : In heavy purples Mrs. Bayley and Lord Nelson maintain
their ground, and stand first, as last season. In light purples Amy
Robsart and Haidee are again as before ; while in heavy reds, Mrs.
Dodwell takes the lead, and is followed by Sultana and Mrs. Norman,
the last being the leader previously. In light reds Ada Mary is again
favourite, while Miss Holbeck recedes and Sultana is prominent. In
heavy roses Aurora rises to the first position, and Venus maintains
about her old place. In light Roses Mrs. Turner is again leader, and
Crystal takes the place of Bertha.

Carnations: Black Diamond (11J), Warrior (10), Jenny Lind (9),
Lord Milton (8), Sarah Payne (7), Lord Goderich (2), Falconbridge (1),
King of Carnations (1). Scarlet Bizarres : Admiral Curzon (21),
Dreadnought (10), Paladin (3), Lord Rancliffe (2), Mr. Ainsworth (2),
Sir J. Paxton (1), Lord Lincoln (1). Scarlet Flake: Splendour (9),
Sportsman (6), Lady Curzon (4), William IV. (4), Firebrand (3),
John Bayley (2), Christopher Sly (1), Ivanhoe (1), Cradley Pet (1).
Rose Flakes : Lovely Ann (10), Queen Boadicea (5), Rose Castille (3),
King John (3), Poor Tom (3), Lady Ely (2), Maid of Athens (1),
Ariel (1), Rosy Queen (1), Lovely Mary (1). Purple Flakes : Squire
Meynell (5), Premier (3), Beauty of Woodhouse (2), Earl Wilton (2),
Esther (2), Favourite (1), Squire Trow (1), Earl Spencer (1), Napier(l).

Picotees — Heavy Purple: Mr. Bayley (14), Lord Nelson (11),
Alfred (5), Countess (1), Mrs. May (1). Light Purple : Amy Rob-
sart (15), Haidee (4), Mrs. Eyre (3). Heavy Rose: Aurora (8),
Venus (6), Queen (4), Mrs. Drake (2), Alice (2), Helen (1). Light
Rose: Mrs. Turner (15), Crystal (9), Bertha (4), Eva (4), Mrs. Bar-
nard (3). Heavy Red : Mrs. Dodwell (12), Sultana (9), Mrs. Norman
(7), Dr. Pitman (5), Mrs. Hoyle (5), Lauretta (4), Mrs. Lochner (2),
Prince of Wales (I). Light Red : Ada Mary (11), Eugenie (5),
Miss Holbeck (4), Charles Turner (1).

Alfred G. Sutton, F.H.S.

Grove Cottage, Radford, Nottingham.

PERPETUAL STRAWBERRIES.
Almost every season, says the American " Gardeners' Monthly," brings
advertisements of new perpetual Strawberries. Like the comet, they take
us very much by surprise, and their course to our gardens is marked by
much the same train, and received with the same admiration, as we
see follow on the comet's wondrous tail. No sooner, however, do they
come near enough for us to get a fair glimpse of them, than, like the
great celestial luminary, they recede from our view more rapidly than
they came, and are soon forgotten and lost to us. for ever.

Once we had faith in that horticultural astronomy which predicted
the advent of some perpetual Strawberry star. The savans learned in
the science assured us positively that a new body had been discovered

SEPTEMBER. 273

in the constellation " New Orleans." It was considered a genuine
planet of the first magnitude, and named "Crescent Seedling Perpetual,"
from its connection with that city of the moon. Patiently we waited
its appearance in our own grounds, and made every preparation to
observe the distinguished stranger in his best aspects when he appeared ;
but, behold ! " he came, we saw, and he vanished." The solidity of
his planetship was but a myth, — a mere cometary nebulosity, — and he
was as quick gathered to his fathers as his ancestors had been before
him. Still the race continues to appear, — some with more brilliancy
than others, — sometimes a mere second crop in some cottager's garden ;
at others a " Delices d'Automne."

Now, are these " celestial visitors" to be considered something like
meteoric forms, — called into existence for the purpose of mere " blaze,"
perfect when they have once made a "dazzling show" in "horticul-
tural space," then to burst and disappear? or are they the nuclei of
" new wcrlds," like all new beginners, imperfect and incomplete, — fore-
shadowing to us star-gazers how glorious they will be when their
destiny is complete ? Will " Perpetual Strawberries" ever be more
than a "wandering" idea, and become a real " planetary," substantial
fact?

Why should it not ? The improvements in many of our fruits and
vegetables have become so extensive, that we can scarcely discern the
sources of their origin, and the early history of many of them is nearly
lost in obscurity.

Even the Strawberry itself is scarcely able to produce a clean record
to its title as a British fruit. The first knowledge we have of its culti-
vation in history is that, about the year 1600, an English gardener
saw a plant growing in a poor woman's garden in the south of England,
the fruit little larger than peas, said to have been found in the woods by
the good lady's daughter ; but it is well known that they were culti-
vated by those good friends of horticulture in those days, the monks, in
the monastic gardens, long before that time, and they may as likely
have escaped from them, and become wild and deteriorated, as to have
been truly indigenous to the wood where the young lady found it.

But to return to perpetual Strawberries. We have early Strawberries,
and succession Strawberries, and late Strawberries. We have them in
May, and if the reports of a new Californian Strawberry are not fabulous,
we have them in September. Now, why, by a judicious system of
crossing, may we not have a kind which will unite all the seasons in
one individual ? We all know how Mr. Knight's experiments in hybri-
dising the kinds already supposed to be of European origin with kinds
of American birth gave to the horticultural world a race of fruit, from
which all we know the most prizes have been obtained. What may not
yet be done by similar experiments ? And this is our great want —
experiment and experimenters, — men like Knight and others, with the
leisure and the taste to patiently investigate, and test, and originate
new ideas and practices. It is the great want of our age ; affording a
fine chance for any lover of his fellows to distinguish and immortalise
himself.

Depend upon it, we are to have perpetual Strawberries ; and the

VOL. XII., NO. CXLI. T

274 THE FLORIST.

man who deliberately goes to work to turn them up, will reap a great
reward, — one well worth trying for, and calculated to excite the envy
of us poor hacks of editors who sit patiently waiting for the good fruit
to come. The French already have a kind that bears for four months,
— a poor miserable thing, 'tis true, grown merely as a curiosity for
edging borders, as it throws all its energies into flowers instead of
runners ; but no matter about the quality, — that is, perhaps, better
than the grand aborigines of our present Strawberry-beds.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we must have perpetual Strawberries.
All that we have yet had have been myths, — all that we now have
may be no more than that ; but who will be the man to show us a real
genuine article — one that will stand the test like an English Elton or an
American Hovey? He is not far in the future.

NATIONAL CARNATION AND PICOTEE SOCIETY,
CHESTERFIELD, 1859.

We are the flowers

Born of sunny hours.
Think, whenever you see us, what our beauty saith :

Utterance mute and bright

Of some unknown delight,
We fill the air with pleasure by our simple breath.

All who see us love us,

We fit all places ;
Unto sorrow we give smiles, and unto graces, graces.

Thursday, August 4. — A fine bright morning. We journeyed with
a train, not of florists from Nottingham, but of visitors who, attracted
by the cheap trains, availed themselves of the opportunity. Indeed, we
must say that it was with pain we saw so few of the Carnation and
Picotee growers with us ; but whatever was the reason — whether the
exhibition being too late, or otherwise — so it was, there were but few
present. When we arrived, too, we must say we were disappointed ;
for spite of the earliness of the season, we had hoped that some of the
southern growers — at all events, Mr. Turner — would have been there.
But no. Take a map, and make your furthest point south Chesterfield,
and, drawing a line, you would find all your exhibitors come northward
of that line. The flowers on the whole, considering the season, were
better than we had anticipated. Dreadnought, a new flower, vastly
like Admiral Curzon, in many instances occupied a prominent position
in the stands, it being exhibited no less than nine times, and standing
in point of numbers second in its class. Nurserymen wrere represented
by Messrs. Dodwell & Co., Mr. R. R. Oswald, &c. ; while amateurs
were well represented by the Lancashire and Yorkshire growers. In
Mr. Openshaw's pan of Twelve Carnations an exceedingly fine bloom of
Lord Milton was shown ; while in Mr. Baildon's pan of Carnations a
very fine seedling in the style of Lady Ely attracted much attention.
The premier Carnation at the meeting was a bloom of Dreadnought,
exhibited by Messrs. Dodwell & Co. ; while the same honour was
awarded to Mr. E. Wood, of York, for Mrs. Bayley, in the Picotee class.

SEPTEMBER. 275

We shall not enter into the merits and demerits of the various stands.
The decision of the judges seemed to give universal satisfaction ; the
amateurs judging the dealers' classes, while the dealers served the same
office for the amateurs. The Hollyhocks exhibited by Mr. Chater, of
Saffron Walden, were remarkably good. A new seedling, tipped with
blush, and which Mr. Chater, jun., kindly informed us was the first
bloom opened, will, if we mistake not, be a first-rate variety. Celestial,
Memnon, Harriet, Exhibitor, Mary Ann, Sceptre d'Or, Seedling
(blush), and J. Clarke, were also flowers after our own heart. The
season was so unfavourable that the roses were really good for nothing.
A nice collection of plants from Fisher, Holmes, & Co. His Grace the
Duke of Devonshire's, though not large, were very beautiful ; they
principally consisted of Begonias, Farfugium grande, Venus' Flytrap,
"Jug-plants," Pitcher-plants, Orchid Miltoniaspectabilis, Cotton, Ginger,
Coffee, and Arrow-root plants. Some fine Potatoes and Black Grapes
were also to be found in the Amateurs' tent ; while a collection of
Potatoes from Wingerworth gardens were in first-rate order. The
following were the awards of the judges : —

Class A. For Nurserymen — Premier prize for the best Twelve
Carnations, and the best Twelve white-ground Picotees, dissimilar
varieties, a silver-plated Tea and Coffee Service : Messrs. Dodwell and
Bayley. Carnations : Lord Milton, Rose of Castille, Dreadnought,
Premier, Lovely Ann, Admiral Curzon, Squire Meynell, Sarah Payne,
John Bayley, Queen Boadicea, Jenny Lind. Picotees : Prince of
Wales, Mrs. Bayley, Mrs. Turner, Sultana, Aurora, Lord Nelson, Ada
Mary, Amy Robsart, Seedling (light purple), Seedling (rose), Mrs.
Barnard, Venus.

Class B. For Private Growers — Premier prize for the best Twelve
Carnations, to contain not less than nine dissimilar varieties, and the
best Twelve white-ground Picotees, not to contain less than nine dis-
similar varieties, a silver-plated Tea and Coffee Service ; Mr. H.
Steward, York. Carnations : Jenny Lind, King John, Lord Rancliffe,
Jenny Lind, Beauty of Woodhouse, Warrior (Slater), Christopher
Sly, Uncle Tom, Dreadnought, Uncle Tom, Falconbridge, Warrior.
Picotees : Mr. Bayley, Mrs. Turner, Amy Robsart, Dr. Pitman, Ada
Mary, Mrs. Hoyle, Mr. Bayley, Aurora, Mrs. Dodwell, Lord Nelson,
Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Dodwell.

Class C. Premier prize (open to cultivators whose stock shall not
exceed 150 pairs), for the best Six Carnations and the best Six white-
ground Picotees, dissimilar varieties, a silver-plated Tea and Coffee
Service : Mr. W. M. Hewitt, Chesterfield. Carnations : Friar Law-
rence, Squire Meynell, Dreadnought, Admiral Curzon, Lord Milton,
John Bayley. Picotees: Crystal, Ada Mary, Aurora, Queen, Amy
Kobsart, Mrs. Norman.

Class D. For Nurserymen — Twelve distinct varieties of Carnations :
1st prize, Messrs. Dodwell & Bayley, for Rose of Castille, Admiral
Curzon, Sarah Payne, Dreadnought, Lord Milton, Squire Meynell,
Ivanhoe, Queen Boadicea, Sportsman, Lovely Ann, Earl Wilton ; 2nd,
Mr. Walmsley, Oldham, for Dreadnought, Squire Meynell, Uncle Tom,
Mr. Ainsworth, Lovely Ann, Splendour, Curzon, Lady Ely, Seedling,

276 THE FLORIST.

Lord Milton, Mr. Holland, King of Carnations ; 3rd, Mr. R. R. Oswald,
Adderley Gardens, Birmingham, for Jenny Lind, Admiral Curzon, Black
Diamond, Dreadnought, Lady Curzon (very like Sportsman), Warrior,
Lady Gardiner, Favourite, Florence Nightingale, Lovely Ann, Sir J.
Paxton, Cradley Pet.

Class E. For Nurserymen — Twelve distinct varieties of white-
ground Picotees : 1st, Mr. Walmsley, Oldham, for Mrs. Norman, Seed-
ling, Crystal, Mrs. Bayley, Bertha, Green's Queen, Lauretta, Mrs.
Drake, Countess, Miss Holbeck, Lord Nelson, Sultana ; 2nd, Messrs.
Dodwell & Bayley, for Mrs. Dodwell, Mrs. Turner, Lord Nelson,
Sultana, Mrs. Bayley, Seedling, Crystal, Amy Robsart, Venus, Seed-
ling, Alfred; 3rd, Mr. R. R Oswald, Adderley Gardens, Birmingham,
for Ada Mary, Alfred, Lady Alice Peel, Sultana, Mrs. Turner, Seedling,
Lavinia, Mrs. Barnard, Mrs. Bayley, Dr. Pitman, Amy Robsart, Mrs.
Hoyle.

Class F. For Private Cultivators — Twelve Blooms of Carnations, not
less than nine dissimilar varieties : 1st, J. J. Openshaw, Esq., Bury,
Lancashire, for Lord Milton (very fine), Seedling, Black Diamond,
Dreadnought, Lovely Ann, Splendour, Lord Rancliffe, Squire Meynell,
Squire Trow, Lady Gardiner, Admiral Curzon, Warrior ; 2nd, Mr.
Samuel Yardley, Oldham, for Dreadnought, Splendour, Warrior, Admiral
Curzon, William IV. (Wilson), Mr. Ainsworth, Sportsman, Uncle Tom,
Ariel, Black Diamond, Lady Ely, Premier ; 3rd, Mr. Samuel Brown,
Handsworth, for Jenny Lind, Lord Lewisham, King John, Jenny Lind,
Florence Nightingale, Admiral Curzon, Black Diamond, Lady Rhodes,
Admiral Curzon, Warrior, Lady Curzon, Premier ; 4th, Mr. J.
Cheetham, Rochdale, for Dreadnought, Earl Wilton, William IV.,
Jenny Lind, Black Diamond, Lady Gardiner, Lord Goderich, Splendour,
Lovely Ann, Queen Boadicea, Magnet, Admiral Curzon ; 5th, Mr. E.
Elliott, Rochdale, for Poor Tom, Paladin, Premier, Admiral Curzon,
Firebrand, Beauty of Woodhouse, William IV., Earl Spencer, Admiral
Curzon, Poor Tom, Lady Curzon, Lord Goderich ; 6th, Mr. Baildon,
Halifax, for Admiral Curzon, Lovely Ann, Admiral Curzon, Seedling,
Paladin, Juno, Queen Boadicea, Firebrand, Premier, Seedling (good —
in style of Lady Ely), Black Diamond.

Class G. For Private Cultivators — Twelve Blooms of white -ground
Picotees, not less than nine dissimilar varieties : 1st, J. J. Openshaw,
Esq., Bury, for Mrs. Bayley, Crystal, Haidee, Dr. Pitman, Amy Robsart,
Seedling, Lord Nelson, Aurora, Alfred, Mrs. Norman, Amy Robsart,
Ada Mary ; 2nd, Mr. Jos. Cheetham, Rochdale, for Haidee, Crystal,
Lauretta, Amy Robsart, Lord Nelson, Mrs. Turner, Eugenie, Bertha,
Eva, Sultana, Mrs. Eyre (good), Dr. Pitman ; 3rd, Mr. W. Baildon,
Halifax, for Amy Robsart, Crystal, Mrs. Holbeck, Mrs. Norman, Mrs.
Dodwell, Alfred, Mrs. Turner, Amy Robsart, Lord Nelson, Mr. Drake,
Lauretta, Mrs. Bayley ; 4th, Mr. Samuel Brown, Handsworth, Eva,
Sultana, Ada Mary, Aurora, Mrs. Lochner, Lady Alice Peel, Mrs. Hoyle,
Alfred, Mrs. May, Lavinia, Mrs. Bayley, Sultana; 5th, Mr. H. Steward,
York, for Mrs. Lochner, Mrs. Eyre, Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Hoyle, Ada
Mary, Aurora, Lord Nelson, Ada Mary, Dr. Pitman, Mrs. Turner, Alice
(Hoyle), Mrs. Dodwell ; 6th, Mr. W. M. Hewitt, Chesterfield, for

SEPTEMBER. 277

Seedling (good), Bertha, Mrs. Dodwell, Mrs. Turner, Bertha, Queen,
Crystal, Mr. Dodwell, Lauretta, Lady Grenville, Ada Mary, Victoria.

Class H. For Private Growers — Six Blooms of Carnations, dissimilar
varieties, open to growers whose stock does not exceed 150 varieties :
1st, Mr. E. Wood, York, for Grand Monarch, Jenny Lind, King John,
Lovely Ann, Warrior, Comet ; 2nd, Mr. Biierley, Chadderton, for
Lady Curzon, Lovely Ann, Sportsman, Warrior, Admiral Curzon,
Black Diamond ; 3rd, Mr. Mellor, Ashton, for Warrior, Seedling, Queen
Boadicea, Black Diamond, Esther, Admiral Curzon ; 4, Mr. Bardsley,
Oldham, for Admiral Curzon, Splendour, Sportsman, Esther, Lord
Milton, Rosy Queen ; 5th, Mr. H. Williamson, Oldham, for Admiral
Curzon, Splendour, Warrior, Black Diamond, Sportsman, Lovely Mary.

Class I. For Private Growers, Six Blooms, white-ground Picotees,
dissimilar varieties, open to cultivators whose stock shall not exceed
150 pairs : 1st, Mr. E. Wood, York : Ada (Barnett's, a very pretty
thing), Seedling, Mr. Hoyle, Aurora, Eva, Mrs. Bailey ; 2nd, Mr.
Brierly, Chadderton : Amy Robsart, Mrs. Turner, Seedling, Mrs.
Norman, Venus, Lord Nelson ; 3rd, Mr. Weller, Ashton : Mrs.
Dodwell, Mrs. Turner, Crystal, Sultana, Mrs. Barnard, Eugenia,
4th, Mr. Badsley, Oldham : Mrs. Dodwell, Lord Nelson, Miss Holbeck,
Haidee, Helen, Ada Mary ; 5th, Mr. H. Williamson, Oldham : Amy
Robsart, Ada Mary, Mrs. Norman, Picco, Eva, Mrs. Dodwell.

CLASS SHOWING.

Carnations. — Scarlet Bizarre : 1, Admiral Curzon, J. J. Open-
shaw, Esq. ; 2, do., Dodwell and Bayley ; 3, Dreadnought, do ; 4,
Admiral Curzon, do. ; 5, Palladin, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. Crimson
Bizarre: 1, Black Diamond, J. .1. Openshaw, Esq.; 2, La Mullen,
do. ; 3, do., do. ; 4, Jenny Lind, do. ; 5, Black Diamond, do. Rose
Flakes : 1, Lovely Ann, Mr. Cheetham ; 2, Maid of Athens, J. J.
Openshaw, Esq. ; 3, Poor Tom, Mr. Elliott; 4, Rose of Castille, Dodwell
and Co. ; 5, Seedling, Mr. Baildon. Purple Flakes : 1, Seedling, Mr.
Baildon ; 2, do., J. J. Openshaw, Esq. ; 4, Napier, Mr. Cheetham ; 5,
Premier, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. Scarlet Flakes; Splendour, J. J. Open-
shaw, Esq. ; 2, do., do. ; 3, William IV., Mr. Cheetham ; 4, Fire-
brand, Baildon.

Picotees. — Heavy Purple : 1, Mrs. Bayley, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. ;
2, do., Mr. J. Walmesley ; 3, do., Mr. J. Yardley ; 4, do., Mr. J.
Walmesley; 5, Lord Nelson, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. Heavy Red:
1, Sultana, Dodwell and Co.; 2, Mrs. Dodwell, Mr. Steward; 3, Mrs.
Norman, Mr. Baildon ; 4, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. ; 5, Mrs. Dodwell,
Mr. Yardley. Heavy Rose ; 1, Aurora, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. ; 2,
Venus, Dodwell and Co.; 3, do., do.; 4, Alice, do.; 5, Venus, do.
Light Purple : 1, Amy Robsart, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. ; 2, do., do. , 3,
Haidee, do. ; 4, Amy Robsart, do. ; 5, Mrs. Eyre, do. Light Red' 1,
Eugenia, J. J. Openshaw, Esq. ; 2, do., do. ; 3, do., Mr. Mellor : 4,
Charles Turner, Mr. Steward ; 5, Miss Holbeck, J. J. Openshaw, Esq.

The company of Alvan's Coloured Opera Troupe, as well as a fine
regimental band, enlivened the whole, the former proving an almost
paramount attraction.

Grove Cottage, Radford. Alfred G. Sutton, F.H.S,

278 THE FLORIST.

CULTIVATION OF THE AMARYLLIS.
This has seldom received the attention it deserves. We find a few of
them here and there, but they are " wide and far between."

If you inquire how this class of plant should be managed, this is
generally the instruction given : " The plant must be potted in a small
pot in spring, in sandy soil. When it has bloomed then it requires no
further care or attention until next potting-time." But when a bulb
goes to rest in its natural state, after the production of leaves and flowers,
the decay is gradual. All the sap in the flower stem and leaves which
has not been actually assimilated returns to supply the bulb with some
of the original nourishment, and to replace and restore some of those
elements requisite for the future plumpness and continuous well being
of the plant. It will at once be seen that when a bulb is forced into
growth, and as soon as the flowers are over, the leaves pulled off and
thrown away, and then the plant placed on some dry shelf for months,
where the soil frequently becomes perfectly dry, this sort of rest, as it
is called, is very different from the natural rest of Nature.

Supposing that the general method of cultivation was not in strict
accordance with the theory of horticulture, some six years ago I deter-
mined on trying a method founded on a more rational view of nature,
and the result has been of the most satisfactory character. I used
large pots and light rich soil. I destroyed no leaf or flower stem until
it was thoroughly decayed, and when the bulbs would go to rest, I kept
them moderately warm and moist. I never force these plants to rest,
but try to keep them growing. When they show a disposition to rest,
then I remove them to a cooler and dryer house, where they gradually
become dormant. But some of the Amaryllis tribe will keep con-
stantly growing in size and substance, until they become immensely
large and are then capable of producing blooms of an extra size. I feel
satisfied that if gardeners in general were aware of the real worth of
these plants, they would become universal and indispensable.

When any of my bulbs have had rest, and show signs of growth, I
remove all the old soil and roots completely away from them. I then
give them a good large pot, drained thoroughly, generally by turning a
small thumb-pot upside down to cover the hole, and then quite cover
that over with broken pots, or charcoal lumps, or rough sods. I use
for compost rough sods of fibry loam, about the size of a hen's egg,
with about half the quantity of half-decayed leaves, also in a rough
state, with a little sand. I top-dress, for the sake of a neat finish, with
the fine soil shaken from the other mixture. When this is done, I
remove the plants to a Stove where the temperature ranges from 60° to
70° Fahrenheit. I give plenty of water daily when the plants are
growing freely, with an occasional syringing, to freshen and keep them
clean, for the thrips is liable to attack them if the atmosphere becomes
too dry. These keep constantly growing on, if possible. The Hippe-
astrum aulicum seems, in particular, a continuous grower on this
system. I put a bulb of this variety of about 8 inches circumference in
a 10-inch pot. In the course of a year this bulb will require a still
larger shift, and will have made several fine bulbs, which, if permitted

SEPTEMBER. 279

to remain until a second year, will flower finely. They generally
flower twice in the season. We have had as many as six spikes of
flowers from one pot, and as many as ten blooms open from one pot at a
time, presenting a magnificent sight. Some of our flower-stems have
been fully four feet high, and four inches in circumference. In one or
two cases, we have had four such stems from one bulb, with three
blooms on a stem. My largest bulb is 17 inches in circumference.
My largest plant is in a pot fifteen inches in diameter, and requires a
still larger shift. This season I have fertilised some of the finer
varieties, and have now a number of promising plants.

W. Payne.

BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
July 21. — Mr. Hogg in the chair. The Secretary read a letter from
Mr. W. J. Ward, of Headington Hill, near Oxford, concerning the
identity of his Strawberry Omar Pacha with Rival Queen and Eliza.
He affirmed his variety to have been raised from seed at Prospect Hill,
in 1851, from Caroline Pine impregnated with British Queen; sown in
a pan as soon as ripe, and planted out the following spring ; that his
late employer, W. Stephens, Esq., and he watched them with great
interest, and selected Omar Pacha for its superior flavour : that he had
sufficient stock in 185-4 to gather from and exhibit, which he did at
Regent's Park, Chiswick, Ashford, and Bath, sending fruit also to those
whom he considered the best authorities of the day. He accompanied
this letter by a copy of the circular which contained their opinions, to
show that it was not sent out without a character. He further stated
that he does not know Myatt's Eliza, being quite sure that it was never
cultivated at Prospect Hill during the fourteen years he was there.
Also that he knows nothing of Rival Queen, and that Mr. Tiley bought
Omar Pacha of him. It was further reported by a member present that
Omar Pacha had been carefully compared with Eliza in a private
garden at Winchester, where it had been obtained directly from
Mr. Ward. Mr. Ward's letter was considered by the meeting sufficient
to clear him from any knowledge of the mistake. Mr. Spary, of
Brighton, sent a good and well-ripened bunch of Golden Hamburgh
Grape, the fourth he had cut from a graft inserted on the young wood
last year.

Aug. 4. — Annual General Meeting. Mr. Hogg in the chair. The
accounts for the past year were laid before the meeting and unanimously
approved. They showed the receipts to have been 200/. Is. \\d., and
the expenditure 194/. 19s. 2d., which showed a balance to the credit of
the society of 5/. 2s. 9d. The secretary reported that, notwithstanding
the loss of four members by death and resignation during the past year,
the number now upon the list was 232, being 80 more than the cor-
rected number reported at the last annual meeting. With reference to
office-bearers, F. J. Graham, Esq., of Cranford, and H. Webb, Esq., of
Redstone Manor, Reigate, were elected new vice-presidents ; and the
following names were added to the Council, viz., E. W. Cox, A. Scrutton,
R. Frankum, R. Stains, and J. B. Haig, Esquires ; Messrs. J. Fraser,

280 THE FLORIST.

S. Mart, G. Paul, J. Spencer, J. Cutbush, W. Davidson, E. Spary,
G. Gordon, J. Ivison, J. Peel, and J. Milne. Messrs. J. Fraser,
W. Paul, and R. A. Amott, were elected auditors.

This being the meeting on which premiums were offered for collec-
tions of Grapes, a very large and interesting collection was contributed
by Mr. Newton, gardener to G. J. Graham, Esq., Enfield Chase, and
which was awarded the first premium of Three Guineas. In the
Muscat section the following varieties were contributed : — Muscat of
Alexandria, a good bunch, well ripened, which served for comparing
and testing other varieties : Muscat of Eschcolata : this variety in the
Horticultural Society's catalogue has been confounded with the former
one. It is, however, unquestionably distinct, as it appears to set better,
and evidently ripens in much lower temperature, a bunch of Merrick's
Victoria Hamburgh from the same house being scarcely so ripe ; in
every other respect the varieties are very similar: — a Seedling Muscat,
raised from White Syrian and Muscat of Alexandria, appeared very
similar to the last mentioned variety, and from the evidence adduced,
appeared suited to a cool house ; the berries were very sweet and good,
and the exhibitor affirmed it to be a better setter than the other kinds.
The meeting, however, desired more conclusive evidence before they
would express an opinion upon its merits. In this class should be men-
tioned Uva Troggin, a kind bearing some resemblance to Cornichon
Blanc, but in form of berry about halfway between that and Muscat.
It was a variety imported from Italy, and, although sweet, was thick-
skinned and of no value. Allied to the Muscats was a fine and well-
ripened bunch of the White or Genuine Tokay. This Grape is a free
grower, great bearer, good setter, hangs well, and is very hardy : as it
is also a sweet and thin-skinned Grape, it is worthy of being more
usually grown where an assortment is desired. In the Black Hamburgh
section there was a bunch of the usual variety ; also one called Coventan,
which was too nearly similar to be considered distinct. Wilmot's Black
Hamburgh, which is distinguished by the berries being more elongated,
and having the appearance commonly called hammered. It is generally
more compact in bunch than the original variety. And Meyrick's
Victoria Hamburgh, which is generally very large in berry, and more
round than the last mentioned, but is frequently less highly coloured.
It approaches very nearly, if it is not identical with, the Mill Hill
Hamburgh. A fine and well-set bunch of the Black Morocco included
in the collection was not quite ripe. Of the St. Peter's section was a
bunch of the original variety, quite ripe and very sweet ; and one of
Black Prince, in good condition but less ripe. A large bunch of that
peculiar variety, Gros Gromier du Cantal, partaking of the qualities of
Sweetwater and Hamburgh, with the colour of Grizzly Frontignan, had
been cut some days, but was ripe, sweet, and very juicy. Of the White
Frontignan, a bunch, remarkably large and handsome, though scarcely
ripe, was included in the collection. Of the Muscadine section were a
bunch of the true Royal, mis-named White Sweetwater ; also, one
called Griffin's Royal Muscadine, which was undistinguishable, save in
the bunch being smaller. In the Sweetwater section were a good bunch
of the Old Dutch, and one called Diamond Drop, which appeared to be

SEPTEMBER. 281

a better setter, but was thicker skinned and inferior in flavour. A
variety something like Esperione, but smaller and inferior, was not
recognised. A Black Seedling, said to have been raised between Black
Cluster and White Sweetwater, described as a great bearer, was
straggling in bunch, small in berry, full of seeds, very thick skinned,
and utterly worthless. Mr. Ivery exhibited a very fine bunch of his
Buckland Sweetwater. The meeting was much gratified to find that it
so fully maintained the high opinion which the society had previously
passed on it ; the only peculiarity noted regarding it, which differed
from the description given last year, was that the berries had reassumed
the bluntly ovate form under which it had first been presented.

PROTECTING AND PRESERVING BROCCOLI IN WINTER.

Although most of the varieties <5f Broccoli are hardy enough to resist
the cold of tolerably mild winters, and some kinds even withstand frosts
that are rather severe, yet we occasionally experience winters that cut
off nearly every kind. It is, therefore, advisable to adopt such means
as will insure at least a portion of the crop. This can be done most
effectually by taking up, on the approach of frost, those which have
either formed or are just beginning to form a head, and placing them
side by side on the floor of a cellar. They should be taken up on a dry
day. The temperature of an underground cellar is usually between 45°
and 50°, and this will be sufficient to push the plants in flower-heads,
the substance for the growth of which is derived from the stem. In
this way Broccoli is secure from frost, but the flavour is not so fine as
that of plants gi own in the open air. Another mode of protection is to
dig a trench at the end of a row, and then incline the plants one after
the other, so that the soil may come close up to the bases of the lower
leaves ; or, a trench adapted to the size of a transplanter may be dug
along the side of a row, and the plants taken up and dropped in, so that
their necks may be a few inches above the level of the quarter. When
thus transplanted, the soil should be drawn up and pressed close to the
necks of the plants, thus forming a slight ridge to throw off the rain.
Another mode consists in taking the plants carefully up with balls, and
replanting them tolerably close together, with their heads inclined
towards the north. All these transplantations should be done in October,
or in the end of September in the north, and whilst there is still heat
enough in the ground to encourage fresh roots. Means may also be
adopted for protecting the plants without removing them. To do this,
in planting, mark off two rows 18 inches apart ; then a space of 4 feet;
and again other two rows, 18 inches apart, and so on, having a 4-feet
space between every pair of rows. The plants may be only 15 or 18
inches apart in the rows, according as the sort is large or small, and
according to the richness of the soil. In these rows winter and spring
sorts should be planted ; but along the middle of each 4-feet space a
row of early Broccoli may be planted, such as will be cleared off before
protection is required for the winter kind ; or, till that time, it may be

282 THE FLORIST.

found convenient to occupy the space with some other crop. Before
frost becomes severe, each pair of rows can be hooped over and protected
by mats, straw covers, or any other protecting materials that can be
easily removed, either partially or entirely, during the day, and replaced
at night, according to the state of the weather. But now that glass is
cheap, boxes could be made so as to include rows, and with sloping
glazed lids that could be readily opened and shut ; and a protection of
this kind would doubtless prove cheaper in the long run than some other
modes less effective and requiring more labour.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S NEW GARDEN AT
KENSINGTON GORE.
We learn with much gratification, from a circular just issued by this
society to its members, that satisfactory modifications of the right of re-
entry, and terms of compensation at the termination of the lease, have
been conceded. The Council acting therefore on the power entrusted to
them by the General Meeting of the 20th of July, have passed the
following Resolution : — " That the terms of her Majesty's Commissioners
be accepted as the basis of a lease, and that the society's solicitors be
instructed to act for the society in its preparation."

A list which accompanied this circular shows that 1800/. is promised
as actual- donations, principally by her Majesty and H.R. H. the
President of the society, and that various Fellows and others have
agreed to propose different branches of their family and friends as Life
Members to the extent of 5660/. (in number 197 to this day — Aug.26),
and also to lend 20,000/. on debentures. Altogether, it may be
assumed that above 29,000/. out of the 50,000/. is already subscribed.

COBHAM HALL, THE SEAT OF THE RIGHT HON. THE
EARL OF DARNLEY.

This noble demesne is situated about five miles south-east of Graves-
end, in the heart of the beautiful county of Kent. The approach to
the mansion and gardens lies through extensive woods and park. In
the former Rhododendrons are largely planted, and come up abun-
dantly from self-sown seeds. They appear to grow here with extra-
ordinary luxuriance. The gardens, which are extensive, are situated
close to the ancient and beautiful hall, which is an interesting specimen
of old English architecture. On the north side a long flower garden,
with beds on grass, was exceedingly gay ; extending along one side of
the walk is a row of slender pillars, connected by a chain running through
their tops ; over these are trained a variety of climbing Roses, and round
the base of each pillar is a circular flower-bed. A large circular bed
planted as follows had a most pleasing effect. In the centre was a

SEPTEMBER. 283

large pyramidal scarlet Fuchsia, then a circle of yellow Calceolarias,
after that one of scarlet Geraniums, then Purple King Verbena, and an
edging of variegated Alyssum. Another bed formed of Agapanthus
umbellatus, interspersed with Mangles' Variegated Geranium, and
edged with Lobelia speciosa, was novel and effective. Backing this
garden are some noble specimens of Sophora japonica, Cedars of
Lebanon, Magnolias, Sequoia sempervirens, Taxodiums, and one of the
finest evergreen Oaks we have ever seen. Passing from this flower-
garden a terrace walk is reached, terminated by an open balustrade,
from which a magnificent view of the park is obtained.

On the south front of the mansion is another flower-garden, which
has recently been much enlarged, and to which further additions are
contemplated. A border here was particularly striking and effective.
It is close to the mansion, against the walls of which various plants are
trained. The back row consisted of scarlet, white, and purple Dahlias,
of dwarf habit ; then came a row of white, scarlet, and rose Geraniums ;
after that a row of yellow Calceolarias, and the outer row Mangles'
Variegated Geranium : this border had a very rich effect. A pretty
bed was also formed of Flower of the Day Geranium, edged with
Lobelia speciosa. Asters were just being planted out in many of the
beds ; they are retarded till this time, as Mr. Clarke, who is gardener
here, finds that by keeping them back till now he ensures a fine display
of bloom late in the season, when flowers are scarce.

In the kitchen garden is a Vinery 54 feet long, filled with a single
black Hamburgh Vine, which was loaded with fruit. In another'
house were fine bunches of Chasselas Musque. One or two bunches of
Black Hamburgh were attacked by mildew some little time since, and
Mr. Clarke found that dipping them into a solution of 2 oz. of Gishurst
Compound to a gallon of water effectually destroyed the disease without
injuring the fruit. Muscats were in fine condition, and beautifully set.
Pines were excellent ; among them were some splendid fruit. Of
Plums, Reine Claude de Bavay seems a most prolific sort, being loaded
with fruit ; Tay Bank is also a fine sort, producing immense fruit.
Strawberries are fruited here from February ; two-thirds of the stock
consists of Keens' Seedling, which is found to be the best variety for
early work. In the Pinetum are some nice specimens of Wellingtonia
gigantea, one of which has made a shoot this year of the astonishing
length of 2 feet 9 inches.

Everything was exceedingly neat and clean, not an insect was per-
ceptible in any of the houses, and the whole keeping of the place
certainly reflects great credit upon Mr. Clarke.

W. H.

284 THE FLORIST.

SIKKIM RHODODENDRONS.
Two specimens of the Sikkim Rhododendron Thomsoni blossomed
baautifully this spring in the Stamvell Nurseries, Edinburgh ; one of
these had ten trusses on it, with from seven to 12 florets in each. The
blooms are of a brilliant crimson colour with a few dark spots in the
throat, and have a remarkably stiff and waxy appearance, resembling
in form those of R. Dalhousieanum ; that is, tubular or trumpet-
shaped, gradually widening out to the edge, which is neatly reflexed.

This plant is a standard, five feet high, with a fine bushy top, grafted
on a common ponticum stock, and when in flower had a most striking
appearance, more than realising all that has been expected of it from
Dr. Hooker's drawing, and from the single truss which the same plant
produced two years ago, the florets being much larger, and more of them
in the truss. Indeed, it can hardly be surpassed as an effective spring-
flowering conservatory plant, and needs but to be seen, covered with its
beautiful flowers, to ensure for it a prominent position in every collection.
A plant of the Bhotan R. Windsori also produced two trusses of flowers
in this nursery. It proves to be a decided acquisition, and possesses the
very desirable quality of flowering in a very small state, the plant in
question being only about 18 inches high.

SEA-SIDE PLANTATION.
Situation. — West coast of Guernsey, but sheltered from the south-
west by a hill. Soil. — Sandy peat mixed with vegetable mould, on a
granite formation.

About sixteen years ago we commenced the first attempt to raise a
plantation. The following trees and shrubs had been recommended for
it, viz : — Arbutus, Holly, common Laurel, Laurestinus, Portugal Laurel,
Scotch Fir. Repeated failures of these so-called hardy plants had nearly
led to despair of ever raising a stick with a green leaf on it. Whatever
shoots these plants made during summer were literally cut off by the
winter storms, and the leaves of the shrubs became shrivelled and
bronzed after every gale, as if a blast of lightning had passed over them.
After four years' repeated trials there remained not a tenth part of the
above plants alive, and all were sickly and withering.

Then commenced a fresh struggle for a little green shade, which was
at last attended with success. First of all tried was the Tamarisk.
This plant grew rapidly, and soon raised sufficient shelter for further
hopes. The next shrub was the Pittosporum. This shrub thrived
admirably. The more violent the gale of wind, the brighter the green
leaves appear after. Then were planted with success the following : —
The Ilex, the Turkey Oak, the Euonymus japonica, the New Zealand
Flax, the Pampas Grass, the Camellia japonica, and lastly, the Arau-
caria imbricata. There now exists a respectable shrubbery, covering
the bare land. The Tamarisk and Pittosporum have attained the
height of upwards of twelve feet, and the Araucaria seems to court the
breeze.

SEPTEMBER. 285

To give an idea of the proximity of the place to the sea, its waves
dash against a wall built to protect the land from the sea's encroachment
to the north-west. On the north side of this wall the sea, in a gale,
chafes with Atlantic fury ; while on the south side of the same — not
five yards from the sea — Camellias blossom in profusion from Christmas
to May.

T. P.

THE HYACINTH.

We extract the following from Butler and McCulloch's Catalogue
of Dutch and other bulbs just published. It may be acceptable to our
readers at the present season : —

Culture of the Hyacinth in Moss and Sand. — Of the very many
interesting ways of growing the Hyacinth, the following is exceedingly
elegant and worthy of special attention. Fill with silver sand a china
bowl, glass dish, vase, or anything of an ornamental character, capable
of containing moisture, bring the sand to a point in the centre, and
place three or more Hyacinths at equal distances, filling up the space
between them with Crocuses, Snowdrops, Tulips, or Jonquils, or a
mixture of all. Cover the whole with sand, or push them into it as
may be most convenient, allowing the top of the bulb alone to be seen ;
then immerse the vessel into a bucket of water for ten minutes, to
settle the sand, and fix the bulbs in their position, put them in a dark
cool place for three weeks, afterwards keep them on a table near to the
window, where they can have plenty of light and air ; at no period
should the sand be allowed to get dry, which will be prevented by the
vessel, once a week at least, being immersed in water for five minutes
in the manner previously directed. Hyacinths, &c, when grown in
suspended wire baskets planted in moss, and treated as recommended
for those grown in sand, are strikingly ornamental.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Auriculas. — Those that have not been repotted should be done so at
once. Little attention will be required for some time to come. The
plants should be placed in a nice cool frame, fixed on a well-drained
border, giving as much air as possible, and a moderate supply of water.
Protect from rains, and pick off all dead foliage, and look carefully after
the green-fly. If any start for bloom, pinch off the buds only when
above the foliage.

Azaleas and Camellias. — Plants out of doors, if the weather is stormy
and wet, should be placed in the house towards the end of the month.
See to the drainage before housing the plants, and let the pots be washed
and the surface soil loosened, adding a little fresh compost, to give
a neat appearance. Where the buds of Camellias are set too thickly,
they should be thinned out, having regard to the strength of the plants.

Carnations and Pico/ees. — The soil required for wintering the plants
in small pots should be kept well turned and tolerably dry. The prin-

286 THE FLORIST.

cipal attention required will be to eradicate all dead foliage from the
layers. Water regularly and carefully. Pot the young stock from the
stools any time after the 15th of the month, if sufficiently rooted.

Cinerarias. — Those that have been struck early will now require
every attention. Pot off into small pots, say small 60's, using a nice
turfy loam, with an admixture of well decomposed manure and leaf-
mould, a little silver sand being necessary to drain the soil. Shift into
a size larger pot such seedlings as are ready, and prick off the second
crop; as soon as established, give all the air possible, to prevent mildew.
Select from the first struck plants for specimens ; take care that these
have good strong stems, as they will require stopping in due season.
Shift into larger pots as soon as they reach the outside of the pots. When
about three or four inches long, pinch out their centres, and as soon as
broken sufficiently, pot deep into flowering pots. Fumigate occasion-
ally, to prevent the green-fly, and sulphur whenever mildew makes its
appearance.

Conservatory. — This house should be got ready for receiving plants
by the end of the month. Let any repairs which may be requisite for
the roof or heating apparatus be completed at once, that every prepara-
tion may be made for arranging the pot plants, now standing out, when
bad weather arrives. Attend to the creepers on the roof, which at this
season are growing fast, and require frequent attention. Avoid
formality, and do not overcrowd the roof, to obstruct too much light.

Cucumbers. — Attend to last directions. The best road to success in
growing winter Cucumbers is to get the plants sown early and kept
hardy by a cool temperature and abundance of light. When the plants
have good foliage and a hardy constitution, they withstand the attacks
of mildew and other diseases much better than weakly overforced plants,
and will produce fruit through the dark days of winter much better.
Plants in dung frames, exhausted by long bearing, may be well cut in,
and six inches of fresh compost spread over the roots. The renewal of
the linings will also give a stimulus to the roots, and induce a fresh
growth, which will keep the plants in bearing for some time to come.

Dahlias. — Protecting the blooms for exhibition, if grown for show or
enjoying their gay colours and noble form, if cultivated for decorative
purposes only, will be the principal work of this month. In shading
for exhibition, avoid doing so more than six or seven days before time
required, as it spoils the richness of the colour, and causes many varieties
to quill. When confined from the air in too young a state, they do not
so freely develope or grow into their true character. Seedlings will
require constant attention, particularly if they have not proper distance
afforded them in growing, or some of the finest flowers may be over-
looked. Dahlias are coming fine this season ; many of the new varieties
are great improvements on existing kinds of the same colour. Of
seedlings, it is too soon to speak, yet there has been some promising
kinds sent to the Floral Committee of the Horticultural Society. Before
this is in the hands of our readers, the result of the seedling competition
at Salisbury and Reading will be known. The third great meeting for
seedlings will be at Birmingham on the 20th, when a great meeting of
Dahlia growers is expected.

SEPTEMBER.

287

Flower Garden. — The work of propagation will now require much
attention, as, on the early striking of the stock for next year, the health
and hardiness of the plants will mainly depend. For all kinds of
Geraniums, no better plan can be adopted than what we advised in our
last, in sticking the cuttings in the open ground (at any rate for the
middle and south of England) : a south border, over which spread a few
inches in depth of light soil mixed with sand, is all that is necessary ;
it will assist some of the tender kinds, as Mountain of Light, Golden
Chain, and Lady Plymouth ; to put a sprinkling of white sand at the
bottom of the drill, for the base of the cuttings to rest on, make the
cuttings firm. When a large stock of soft things is required, as
Petunias, Verbenas, Senecios, Ageratums, Lobelias, Anagallis, &c, a
cheap way is to make a slight hotbed, two or three feet high, to hold a
number of handglasses ; cover over with two or three inches of sandy
soil, and then, when the soil gets slightly warmed, insert the cuttings in
squares, and cover them with the glasses. Shade in bright sunshine, and,
when the plants commence growing, give air gradually, and, when fully
rooted, remove the glasses altogether. Plants struck in this way are
remarkably strong and stocky. As we winter this class in shallow
propagating pans, we have only to lift the plants in bunches sufficient to
fill a pan, when they are rooted, place them in a sheltered place, to
harden off for the winter. All the above may likewise be struck by
inserting the cuttings in shallow pots, and placing them in an empty
frame. Take care of the seed of choice annuals as it ripens, and mark
all good seedling plants, for further trial. For routine, see our last, as
to keeping all clean, &c.

Hard-icooded Plants. — Heaths, Epacrises, and New Holland plants
are very impatient of too much wet, and therefore should heavy rains
occur, some means of protecting them should be resorted to, such as by
making a slight frame of wood over them, on which to throw some
waterproof material during heavy rains. These plants grow much more
freely out, from July to the commencement of October, if protected as
described. From this season, we should prefer their having the full
sun, and to be placed sufficiently wide apart for the plants to grow
equally on all sides. Use sulphur over parts infested with mildew,
and see that worms do not gain admittance into the pots.

Hollyhocks. — Continue to put in cuttings or plant them out in beds ;
by these means, a large stock of plants may be procured if diligently
attended to. If the seed is sown as soon as ripe, and pricked off into
thumb-pots, one in a pot, they will be ready to plant out in April, and
will flower well the following August and September.

Kitchen Garden. — The sowing of vegetable crops will be nearly over.
A few Radishes, Lettuces, Cauliflowers, and Spinach, may be sown
early in the month ; to stand a chance, should anything occur
to the regular crops, for it is always well to be provided against con-
tingencies ; and, therefore, all that remains in this way is to see well
to the growing crops, and more especially to fill up all vacant ground
with Greens, Broccoli, &c. ; thin out winter Spinach, Lettuce, Tur-
nips, and prick out the winter Cauliflowers and Cabbage, &c,
hoe and keep clean all advancing crops, earthing up Celery and

288 THE FLORIST.

Cardoons, and blanching Lettuce and Endive as they advance.
Tomatoes against walls should be stopped, and have a few of the leaves
taken from before the fruit, to assist to ripen it. The Potato crop may
be taken up as soon as the tops are ripened off; the disease has not
made so much progress with the late crop as it did with the early ones,
but the produce will be small.

Orchard-houses. — Orchard houses are showing their real value this
season, where the garden walls present foliage only. The trees in
these structures are loaded with fruit — Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots,
Plums, and Figs. As it is very desirable to keep these, let the house
be kept cool and dry, as the fruit ripens ; and the admission of wasps
and flies prevented by " Nottingham netting." These orchard-houses
are invaluable.

Peach-house. — Remove the sashes from the late houses, and fully
expose the trees.

Pelargoniums. — All will have been shaken out by this time ; if not,
it should be no longer delayed. Those first done for May blooming
will have filled their pots with roots, and should receive their final
repotting towards the end of the month. The following will be found
a very valuable composition : — Two- thirds maiden loam, and one-third
sheep or deer dung, all well decomposed ; a little silver sand, to assist
in keeping it porous. Let the pots be well drained, to allow the water
to pass freely, The first struck cuttings should be stopped to make
strong bushy plants, and the young stock in general will require much
care and attention. Let all plants be well housed and kept warm and
dry. Give plenty of air while the weather remains open. Geraniums,
to flower well, should make their principal growth before Christmas.
Seedlings should be repotted.

Pinks. — Plant out into beds, towards the end of the month, for next
season's blooming ; should the weather be wet, defer it for a little.
Pinks thrive best in a good rich soil, and should be planted about six
inches apart.

Pinery. — Finish potting the plants to fruit next year, as the
succession pits are cleared, to fill up the fruiting houses ; set the young
plants wider apart. Fruit swelling should be kept moderately moist,
and will require a little fire-heat when the night temperature falls
below 60°. Renew the linings to plants grown by dung-heat, so as to
keep the night temperature 60°, as above. The largest fruiting plants
required to produce fruit next March, April, and May, should now be
kept comparatively dry, and have a large share of air, to throw them
into a state of rest.

Tulips. — The soil should now be prepared for blooming these in.
Look carefully after the roots, the green-fly being so apt to attack them.
Fumigate if necessary. Finally, arrange the roots preparatory for
planting.

Vinery. — Late Muscats should at once have fire-heat applied, to
assist their ripening ; and this will also apply to the St. Peters, if not
likely to ripen without artificial assistance. Let the air of the houses
be kept dry, with as much air as can be admitted safely. Now is the
best time to prepare composts for new borders.

J^AtAvm,Det I Zmcv.

Picotees.

1. RevdA.Maffiews. f&rilandj
2.Bzval']?urpl&. (Headly)

Bate 156.

Printed, ty C. ChcCbot.

OCTOBER. 289

PICOTEES.

(Plate 156.)

One consequence of the utter absurdity of having the National
Carnation and Picotee Show at the time it has been held the
last two years, is, that there is no good opportunity afforded
of testing the comparative value of the new flowers which
North and South are respectively bringing before the public.
I was at Mr. Turner's about a week before the said show took
place, and there was not a single bloom left on all his plants,
nor had there been one for a week previous. If anybody
could by management keep back plants for the show, he could;
his immense stock giving him an advantage over most other
growers, and this was fully borne out by the fact that not one
southern grower entered the lists. Might I not ask whether it
would not be possible for the southerns to band together and
have an exhibition to themselves, at a time suitable to them,
for the present state of things is most unsatisfactory ? But,
whatever may be the opinion of the public in this matter, there
can be no doubt of the value of the two flowers of which we
give a portrait in our present number. The purple-edged
Picotee was raised by that veteran grower and hybridiser,
Mr. Headly, of Stapleford, the originator of King James,
which has been the parent of very many of the heavy flowers.
When I was with him the other day, we had a talk over these
flowers, and, notwithstanding the multifarious objects of his
attention (for I really do not know what he does not grow),
Carnations and Picotees claim still a little of his affection.
Besides the one figured he has another purple, and I saw the
old stool layered of a red-edged heavy flower, which will not
be let out this season, but which he believes to be the best
flower ever yet raised. The one now figured — a child of John
Linton crossed with King James — is large in size, the colour
bright and confined to the edge, and the habit and constitution
of the plant excellent ; this I can vouch for, having seen the
entire stock at Slough. The heavy-edged rose is a seedling of
Mr. Kirtland, already well known for many excellent flowers,
and is said to have been raised from Marris's Unexpected.
Here, too, we have quality ; the habit of the plant is good,
though not so strong as the purple ; indeed, growers of
Picotees know that this is generally the habit of the rose-
edged varieties, and yet there is no class more attractive,
whether we take the heavy or light-edged varieties. I am
glad to find these new ones coming out, for the retirement and

VOL. XIII., no. cxli. u

290

THE FLORIST.

death of some of our most celebrated raisers of seedlings —
May, Puxley, and others — made me rather fear that we should
not see novelties. Notwithstanding the unfavourable nature
of the season, the stocks that I have seen look healthy ; and,
as far as my own little number is concerned, I never had better
or more healthy increase. Will not some energetic friend of
this flower endeavour, without injuring the National Show, to
get up one for the southern counties of England, to be held in
July ? Mr. Turner has too much on hands to do it. Can no
one else be induced to do it ?

I herewith subjoin a fuller description of the two flowers,
with a list of first-rate varieties in each class.

Rev. A. Matthews, heavy-edged, colour a soft rose, much
like Unexpected, but flower much larger and more full; strong
grower. It was highly commended by the Floral Committee
of the Horticultural Society, in July last. This variety was
raised by Mr. George Kirtland, of Bletchington, a successful
raiser and grower.

Rival Purple, a heavy-edged flower, colour very rich purple,
good white, without spot or bar; it is large and full, and a fine
healthy grower. This was likewise highly commended by the
Floral Committee of the Horticultural Society, in July. This
variety produces flowers much larger than is indicated in our
representation, and is a very great addition to existing kinds
of this class, as well as the rose, and is one more of the gems
produced by that veteran florist, R. Headly, Esq., of Stapleford.

Our former representations of Picotees were —

| Florist, 1849.

Duchess of Sutherland

Loriiia

Alfred .

Mrs. Norman .

Mrs. Drake .

(Burroughes)
(Burroughes)

(Dodwell) | j.W, 1851.
(Norman) J
(Turner) Florist, 1855.

I subjoin a list of the best varieties in each class : —

HEAVY RED.

Dr. Pitman
Mrs. Hoyle
Mrs. Dodwell
Mrs. Norman
Prince Albert
Sultana

LIOHT BED.

Ada Mary-
Charles Turner
Eugenie.
Lauretta
Lavinia
Miss Holbeck

HEAVY PURPLE.

HEAVY ROSE.

Countess

Alice

Lord Nelson

Helen

Mrs. Bayley

Mrs. Drake

Mrs. May

Queen Victoria

Rival Purple

ltev. A. Matthews

John Linton

Venus

LIGHT PURPLE.

LIGHT ROSE.

Amy Robsart

Ariel

Eliza

Bertha

Finis

Crystal

Mrs. Hobbs

Mrs. Turner

Mrs. Eyre

Mrs. Barnard

National

Miss Puxley

Deal, Sept. 24.

I).

OCTOBER. 291

THE AURICULA.

The Parthians of old used to hit hardest as they retreated ; and I
cannot but hope that " D. " of Deal will be found to have made a
successful hit in retreating from his untenable position as an opponent
of the present system that obtains among Auricula growers. His
notion of a National show I like well, for the very reason that I dissent
from him on the subject of the fusion of classes. If a National show
can be organized, we may hope to see an advance in the prevailing
notions respecting that flower, as we have in all others that have been
subjected to that ordeal, whereas fusion is by its nature retrograde.

1 think it most probable that I shall not be able to compete for a
prize, except the chief of all, namely, the show itself. But I willingly
put my name down as a subscriber for a guinea towards the objects in
view. With an expressed hope, however, that the day may not be, as
unintentionally suggested, so early as to suit southern growers only.
Should the proposition take, and the funds admit of it, I think it would
tend to show the comparative merits and demerits of Lancashire and
London ideas respectively, if besides class showing, and prizes for
premier trusses, and perhaps also pips, prizes were also given for
collections, say of twelve or twenty-four. It seems to me that for want
perhaps of mutual contact, the two systems are diverging farther
asunder instead of assimilating, and each to its loss. London is growing
more careless of " properties," Lancashire more exclusive. If Lanca-
shire makes a pet of the " long-legged " Imperator, London at least
has no right to laugh at it, while it strides into the lists with Duke
of Wellington for its cognizance. Surely Imperator is better than that.
Let both these be seen in company, with better flowers in the same
stand, with Booth's Freedom from Dr. Plant's stages, and with some
more of his "Cauliflowers ;" and the discussion on comparative merits,
with picked specimens under the eyes of the disputants, will speedily
work a change for the better in all our notions, perhaps including those
who think the Auricula a tame and uninteresting flower.

Regarding the proposal for fusion, I have called it a retrograde
movement. I will explain what I mean. Precision and definite ideas
are just what we most, and most evidently, want. Now, we are taught
that the first step to precision is to arrange and classify; to disentangle
from the rest, and to separate into groups whatever are distinguishable
from other groups by natural marks common to themselves and wanting
in others, is the legitimate province of scientific classification. Growers
have come to the conclusion that four such classes may be distinguished
in the cultivated Auricula. Are these distinctions existing in nature,
or are they not ? If they are, to throw them together again is to
confuse, and to go backward instead of forward. Now, I think no one
will deny that there are pure examples of each of the four classes ; and,
if so, it is no answer to say that many of the best flowers are not pure
examples of any of them. As well may you scratch out of your
vocabulary the words " child, boy, youth," because many good specimens
of human nature are in a transition state between two of these conditions,

292 THE FLORIST.

and not exclusively referable to either. Neither do I wish to see a
large and heterogeneous class compounded of the nondescripts of all
classes. The very notion savours of the slovenly ; of the attempt to
avoid trouble, which is the natural inheritance of those who live in a
world in which there are no hard outlines, in which even the animal
and the vegetable kingdoms are interlaced, and much more green-edged
Auriculas and grey. At present, cultivation has elicited from the
original species Primula Auricula no more than four legitimate classes
of varieties, but it has established those. And admitting, as I do, the
necessary imperfection of all classification, I shall be perfectly satisfied
when 1 exhibit Duke of Cambridge, Lancashire, Sir John Moore, True
Briton, and other borderers, to leave it to the appointed judges to
apportion the items of compensation, and to settle how much must be
detracted from the merit of any of these on account of an undecided
edge, and yet leave it an ornament to the stand, and a promising
candidate for a prize. " D." is quite right in saying a grey with a
dash of green in it is often the most attractive condition of an edged
Auricula. It is so, and yet the condition itself may be an inferior one,
and allowance ought to be made accordingly in deciding on the claim to
a prize. It is a defect, but not a disqualification. It is a defect, though
in some specimens, and under certain circumstances, it adds to the
beauty ; this is not uncommon. Angularity in any of the zones is an
analogous case ; in the abstract, and generally, it deteriorates. In
Imperator, Fletcher's Ne Plus Ultra, and some others, it adds positively
to the effect. Yet it also must be allowed for, though not to the
same extent, in apportioning a prize.

It is the more important now to settle the principles that are to guide
our estimate of the properties of this flower, because we are getting to
greater variety in the newer seedlings than heretofore ; and it is
unworthy of men of sense to cling to old landmarks, which were good
in their time, but which nature itself has now made obsolete. It may
move a smile in the possessor of Chapman's Mowers, to hear them
derided by nicknames, but it will be a smile of satisfaction at conscious
possession.

Populus me sibilat ; at mihi plaudo ipse domi. Such treatment
will not retard for a day the growing desire in others to possess them
also when they see them. 01 course it will not. We are not children ;
we trust our own eyes, not the ipse dixit of self-constituted authorities.
The colours of these varieties are unequalled, of one of them
unapproached ; and, if they have faults, they share that property with
every Auricula grown, while they are confessedly the greatest ornaments
of our stages. Let those faults therefore be carefully estimated in
demerit, as their beauties for merit, and the fair balance struck. One
of the benefits of a National show, and of large stands, will be the
bringing together well -grown examples of the best of Dickson's, Chap-
man's, Lightbody's, Headly's, and other modern raisers, with the
Colonel Taylors, Freedoms, and Privateers, of more established
repute ; and I for one have no doubt that the modems will have no
reason to regret the comparison, even though some recent ones of high
name and price, will, I think, be consigned to a more modest position
than they now hold in the catalogues.

OCTOBER. 293

"D." has announced that " $ " has given up Auricula growing;
and while all who know him, personally or by the pen, will share with
me the regret that his health has made this sacrifice advisable, I think
I may take the opportunity of expressing a hope that his singular
power of discrimination and comparison may aid " D." in his project,
if it comes to maturity. I never yet saw his accuracy of eye, both for
foliage and flower, at fault, when a variety either unnamed or wrongly
named was before him. He has sometimes reminded me of the
marvellous but well-attested feat of the late Mr. Capel, by the sense
of taste, who correctly named each of a series of samples of tea, sub-
mitted to him for examination as if unknown, but which were only
selected on purpose to test, without his being conscious of it, his
unrivalled powers as a tea taster. I think " $ " has something like a
similar power of vision.

Iota.

GLADIOLUS FOR AUTUMN DISPLAY.

Tins class cannot be too strongly recommended to all lovers of gay
flowers. Nothing can be more gorgeous than their colours, nothing more
easy than their culture ; and their price (excepting with very recently
raised kinds), places them within the reach of the many, and, besides,
they may very readily be raised from seeds. G. gandavensis hybrids
are the most showy and most generally useful. Nothing can well
exceed the beauty of many of the varieties, as**Brenchleyensis, amabilis,
Comtesse de Bresson, Daphne, and many others ; these may be planted
in April and May. Any common sandy soil will suit them, if enriched
by digging in a little rotten leaf-soil, but the soil should be moderately
deep and open, to allow the roots to descend, and at the same time well
drained. We advise the bulbs to be potted soon after Christmas,
and plunged under some dry material behind a north wall, so as not
to excite them beyond making roots, and in April they may be planted
to form the first show of bloom. Bulbs of the same kind planted at
the same time, which have not been potted, will bloom a month later,
and by selecting the kinds which succeed each other, a succession may
be had from July to November.

When planted in groups by themselves, as they are deficient in
foliage, to make a good bottom, they should always be mixed with
other things, to fill up. On the Continent, young Asparagus is largely
used, but this would hardly be considered dressy enough for a first-rate
English parterre. Cineraria maritima and Verbena venosa, mixed,
and the bed filled up with hybrid G. gandavensis, produces a mass of
colour quite magnificent. The different species of Indian Shot, which
are easily propagated, and grow well during the summer in the open
ground, form an admirable bottom ; their fine foliage forming a suit-
able base for the grand scapes of the Gladiolus, which afe strikingly
beautiful, rising above them. Some of the strong growing hardy
Ferns, if their culture could be attended to, would be extremely
suitable, and the combination would be unique. When Arundinaria

294 THE FLORIST.

falcata becomes common enough to plant extensively, a bed of it, filled
in with Gladioluses, would form one of the most beautiful objects possible
to imagine, treating the Arundinaria as the subordinate plant. All the
sections — that is, the hybrids from gandavensis, ramosus, and cardinalis
— are well adapted for planting among American plants, or among any
low growing shrubs, where the blooms can rise above the mass of
foliage. In these situations the ground should be well loosened, and a
little decayed leaf-soil and sand added on heavy soils. The effective
show Gladioli make during autumn in any of these situations, is
such that, when once seen, they will become, as they deserve to be,
universal favourites, and we cannot too strongly recommend them.

ECONOMICAL CULTURE OF FRUIT TREES.

(Continued from page 200.)

At the conclusion of our former article, we stated that two shoots from
each tree should be tied out to stakes in the direction the rows are to
run, and as wide as three or four feet apart ; it ought to have been,
tie>o shoots from each side of the tree. It the tree at planting has more
than four good branches the rest may be cut away, and the trained
shoots should be cut back one-third of their length ; this will induce
the trees to break vigorously the following spring, and from the wood
thus produced eight, ten, or twelve of the best placed shoots will have
to be selected, during the*summer, for forming the skeleton of the future
tree, cutting away the rest. At the end of the first season after
planting, the trees will have four primary branches, trained two or three
feet from the ground, in the direction of the row, and slightly elevated
towards the extremities ; and each branch furnished with two or three
upright shoots to form the tree. As the habit of the Apple varies con-
siderably— some growing upright, others horizontally, and a few pen-
dulous— this will have to be taken into account ; and a few stakes,
and some training, will be required with a few kinds before the
proper form has been gained. It must, however, be borne in mind,
that I by no means intend to introduce a system of training to effect my
object beyond that of a very elementary character. I simply recom-
mend that the trees should form a continuous kind of Apple hedge (if I
may so term it), each tree filling up a space of from 7 to 10 feet in
length, and 6 or 7 feet in width ; the height of the rows should .be kept
at from 12 to 15 feet, according to the variety. Anyone at all
acquainted with the habit of the Apple will soon get them in this form
by attention in selecting the wood to remain permanently, and summer
pruning. More care will be required with those of weeping habit ; but
even with these a small amount of training will suffice to form the out-
line of the tree, when short cutting-in will effect the rest.

If the orchard is extensive it will be well to keep the strong-growing
kinds by themselves, allowing them a larger space each way than need
be given to the weaker growing kinds, which, again, should be planted
towards the middle of the ground for additional shelter. When the

OCTOBER. 295

trees are full-grown the orchard will present the appearance of a series
of hedges, from 12 to 15 feet high and (5 to 7 feet through, leaving a
clear space between the trees of from 7 to 8 feet, which, while the trees
are young, may be occupied by Gooseberries, Currants, &c, all of which
must be cleared away as the roots of the Apple-trees extend them-
selves, and also to admit the sun and air between the rows.

By a well-arranged system of summer pruning, the main branches
of the trees, as well as the subsidiary ones, will be furnished with fruit-
bearing spurs from within 2 or 3 feet of the ground to their summit, but
this will only follow after close attention to summer pruning, from the
time the tree is planted. After the number of shoots to form the tree
is decided upon, everything else must be pinched out with the thumb
and finger ; and so, each season, no summer wood, except what is
required to fill up the tree, should be allowed to grow beyond 5 or 6
inches, when it should have its end pinched off; no doubt it will throw
out wood again from the uppermost eyes, which must be again stopped
when 2 or 3 inches long, and the shoot finally cut down to within
two eyes of the base in September ; but this process, while it entails
some trouble, will also act powerfully in inducing the production of fruit-
bearing spurs at the base of the stopped shoots, after cutting back ;
and these when once formed, and exposed to light and air, will remain
permanently fruitful for many years ; whereas, had the shoots remained
unstopped till winter, and then been pruned in the ordinary manner,
the main branches in the middle of the tree would soon grow naked,
and become irrecoverably barren of fruit-spurs. By following up the
practice of disbudding and stopping, it is quite practicable, not only to
induce so moderate a growth in trees of even the strongest habit, that
they may be kept for many years within the bounds we have allotted
them ; but the main branches may also be kept clothed from bottom to top
with productive fruit-spurs by the same system, presenting in the
aggregate a larger number of spurs capable of bearing fruit than
orchard trees three or four times their size, under the ordinary system
of management ; and if we take into account the close arrangement
of the trees in our plan, we shall not be far wrong in saying that
during an average of years, fully three times the quantity of fruit
will be the result of the hedgerow plan, as compared with standard
planting. We might carry the comparison further and ask the
question, how far fruit is superior grown on trees, all whose energies
are carefully directed to its growth and maturation, than on those
produced on unpruned standard trees, generally overcrowded with old
wood ; and invariably so with the same season's growth. We know
that the magnificent fruit exhibited by Messrs. Snow, Whiting, Breadley,
Frost, Harrison, and many others of our best gardeners, are the
result of careful pruning ; and it is for such reasons we maintain, both
on the score of economy and profit, that well-managed dwarf trees will
prove more profitable than large ones, and that a larger quantity of fruit
can be obtained from a given space of ground by dwarf trees than by
standards, when systematically managed.

The hedge Apple system has, however, other advantages, which should
not be lost sight of by fruit-growers. By following the arrangement

296 THE FLORIST.

described, the trees protect each other in the spring from cold cutting
winds, and if protected on the outside to the north, and east, by the
shelter of a plantation or high ground, would most effectually screen
each other. The same rule follows when laden with fruit in autumn,
as the fruit will not be so liable to be blown down as from standards,
or even from dwarfs, when the wind is allowed to play all round them.
The space between the rows should on no account be cropped when the
trees are fully grown, but as soon as the roots have extended them-
selves across the space just named a mulching of half decayed dung,
leaves, or, indeed, any kind of litter, two or three inches thick, will
materially help them, if spread between the rows in May, and
allowed to remain all the summer. We do not advise either digging or
forking up the ground, unless it becomes very hard and baked, as
the mulching will encourage the roots to the surface, and digging the
ground will only destroy them. Weeds must be kept down, and the
sun allowed to have free access between the rows, the action of which
on the roots of the trees, brought near the surface by mulching, and
exposed to its influence, will greatly assist the trees in becoming fruitful
and keeping them so. We cannot conclude without noticing that this
method of planting presents great facilities for preventing the mischief
often caused by the caterpillars of the different species of Bombyx and
Geometra, which, during the months of May and June, when the cater-
pillars infest the trees, commit great ravages on the flowers and foliage ;
to stop this slow-burning fires should be lighted between the rows, the
smoke from which will spread through the trees and keep in check
these pests to orchards. The fires may be kept supplied with any
rubbish not too dry, that the smoke may be dense enough to be effective.
A writer in your periodical, a few years since, described an orchard,
which had a fine crop of Apples, preserved solely by lighting slow-
burning fires under the trees during the continuance of a frost which
destroyed the fruit crop in adjoining orchards. I am not going to say
that the effects of frost may be prevented altogether by this plan, but
that smoking the trees by fires of rubbish will prevent the ravages of
caterpillars, I know from experience, and where the materials exist, the
trial might be made as a preventive against frosts.

G. P.

THE NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW FOR 1859.

This exhibition took place at Aston Hall, Birmingham, on September 20.
The holding the meeting in the midland counties enabled growers from
all parts to attend, including Dublin, which was represented by Mr.
Campbell. Late as the day was, the flowers were very large, and in
many instances very fine, and they also exhibited great variety.

The nurserymen's classes consisted of 50 and 24 varieties, exhibitors
in the former not being allowed to show in the latter. In the fifties, the
first prize was awarded to Mr. C. Turner, Slough, for Commander, Lady
Mildmay, Mrs. Huntley, Lord Bath, Sir R. Bruce, John Dorey, Lord
Palmerston, Pandora, Chairman, Rosebud, Duchess of Kent, Sir

OCTOBER. 297

Henry Havelock, Dr. Gully, Daughter of the Morning, Peerless,
Disraeli, Goldfinder, Midnight, Emperor, Flower of the Day,
J. Franklin, Sir Charles Napier, Mrs. Church, Mentor, Conqueror,
Lord Cardigan, Hon. Mrs. Trotter, Triomphe de Pecq, Lord Eversley,
Miss Pressley, Pluto, Merveille, Rachel Rawlings, Eclipse, Lollipop,
Touchstone, Sidney Herbert, Beauty, Standard Bearer, Cherub,
Pre-eminent, Miss Watts, Perfection, Lady Taunton, and six seed-
lings ; 2nd, Mr. J. Keynes, Salisbury ; 3rd, Mr. Kimberley, Coven-
try; 4th, Mr. J. Harrison, Darlington. In 24 varieties, the first was
awarded to Mr. Walker, Thame, Oxon, with Empress, Colonel Wind-
ham, Miss Pressley, King, Marmion, Triomphe de Pecq, Sidney
Herbert, Chairman, Miss Chetwode, Sir J. Paxton, Venus, Grand
Sultan, Touchstone, Satirist, Mrs. Wheeler, Fanny Keynes, Goldfinder,
Admiral Dundas, Annie Rawlings, Honourable Mrs. Trotter, Lollipop ;
2nd, Messrs. Wood & Ingram, Huntingdon ; 3rek, Mr. Legge, London ;
4th, Mr. Sealey, Bristol ; 5th, Mr. Baylis, Wolverhampton ; 6th, Mr.
Heath, Chelteuham. Fancy varieties, 24 blooms: 1st, Mr. Keynes,
Salisbury, with Baron Alderson, Countess of Derby, Zebra, Charles
Perry, Cleopatra, Oliver Twist, Leopard, Flirt, Triomphe de Roubaix,
Madame Alboni, Favourite, Marc Antony, Bayadere, Duchess of Kent,
Lady Paxton, Conqueror, Sportsman, Miss Frampton, Jessie, Pretty
Polly, Rev. Joshua Dix ; 2nd, Mr. C. Turner ; 3rd, Mr. Kimberley.

In 12 Fancies for Nurserymen not exhibiting in the class for 24,
the first prize was awarded to Mr. Legge, for Marc Antony, Lady
Paxton, Miss Herbert, Triomphe de Roubaix, Papilio, Pigeon, Baron
Alderson, Cleopatra, Tiger, Duchess of Kent, Comus, Butterfly ; 2nd,
Messrs. Wood & Ingram; 3rd, Mr. Walker; 4th, Mr. Campbell,
Dublin.

If nurserymen were represented by such growers as Turner, Keynes,
Kimberley, Harrison, Wood & Ingrain, Walker, Legge, Campbell,
Baylis, Heath, and Sealey, amateur growers were equally strong by
being represented by the Revs. C. Fellowes and C. Roe ; Perry, Hop-
kins, Cook, Lofley, and Thornycroft. The first prize for 24 varieties
was awarded to the Rev. C. Fellowes, for Pre-eminent, Venus, Mentor,
Chairman, Touchstone, Peerless, Fanny Keynes, Sir J. Paxton, Miss
Pressley, Triomphe de Pecq, Pioneer, Satirist, Sir Robert Bruce, Miss
Caroline, Commander, Lord Cardigan, Lemonade, Knight of the Bath,
Golden Drop, Rosebud, Lady Popham, Wallace, LordPalmerston, Mrs.
Church ; 2nd, Mr. C. J. Perry, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham ; 3rd,
Mr. Thornycroft, Floore ; 4th, Mr. Brown, York; 5th, Mr. Horton,
Coughton Court. In 12 varieties, the first prize was awarded to Mr.
J. Lofley, Brigg, Lincolnshire, for Pandora, Admiral Dundas, Miss
Watts, Mrs. Church, Lord Cardigan, Gold Drop, Commander, Chair-
man, Lord Palmerston, Fanny Keynes, Sir H. Havelock, Venus ; 2nd,
R. Hopkins, Esq., Brentford; 3rd, Mr. Hobbs, Bristol; 4th, Mr.
Thos. Goodwin, Holdgate House, York; 5th, Mr. Cooper, Castle
Bromwich ; 6th, Rev. C. Roe, Ipswich ; 7th, J. Cooke, Esq.,
London ; 8th, Mr. Woodward, Coventry. In fancy varieties the
first prize was awarded to Mr. C. J. Perry, who exhibited Lady Paxton,
Countess of Derby, Cleopatra, Charles Perry, Flirt, Duchess of Kent,

298 THE FLORIST.

Miss Frampton, Favourite, Butterfly, Oliver Twist, Inimitable, Countess
of Bective ; 2nd, Rev. C. Fellowes ; 3rd, Mr. Thornycroft ; 4th, Rev.
C. Boe. Six fancies : 1st prize, Mr. Hobbs, with Baron Alderson,
C. Perry, Lady Granville, Lady Paxton, Gloire de Kain, Jupiter; 2nd,
Mr. Cooper; 3rd, Mr. Woodward; 4th, Mr. Goodwin.

Seedlings formed a great feature ; they were both numerous and
good ; many of the kinds will be found in our best collections for many
years to come. Not less than three blooms each were shown. First
class certificates were awarded to Harlequin (Grant), a striped fancy,
yellow ground, with bright red marking, the colour most evenly and
beautifully distributed, and of fine form ; Lilac Queen (Grant), pale
lilac, finest form ; Lady Taunton (Turner), white edged with bright
crimson, full size, great depth, and new ; Sir J. Badcliffe (Grant),
maroon ; Pluto (Turner), dark fancy, maroon tipped with white, of great
depth; Alba multiflora (Turner), a pure white kind for bedding; Queen
Mab (Turner), fancy, scarlet and white, large and fine ; Mrs. H.
Vyse (Church), white edged with purple. The two latter received
second class certificates. The above were contributed by Mr. C. Turner.
Mr. Keynes also sent a large number of seedlings. First class
certificates were awarded to Lady Pennant (Keynes), pale yellow ; Mrs.
Wellesley Piggot (Keynes), pure white, very fine flower ; William
Dodds (Keynes), deep yellow ; Sir Geo. Douglass (Dodds), yellow
tipped and veined with red ; — and second class certificates to Leopard
(Keynes), striped fancy; Mr. Boshel (Rawlings), buff; and Jenny
Austin (Keynes), lilac. Mr. C. J. Perry received a first class certificate
for Acme, a pleasing light flower, of good form ; and Earl of Shaftesbury,
a light mottled purple, of good size and form. Mr. S. Hodges, Chelten-
ham, received a first class certificate for Model, a small buff flower, of
good outline. The same award was made to Mr. Addis, Gospel End,
Wolverhampton, for Oscar, a red flower, with fine petal and outline.

In addition to the certificates just enumerated, eight money prizes were
awarded for seedlings, six blooms of a kind. These were awarded as
follows : — 1, Lady Taunton (Turner) ; 2, Acme (Perry) ; 3, Lady D.
Pennant (Keynes) ; 4, Jenny Austin (Keynes) ; 5, Mrs. W. Piggot
(Keynes) ; 6, William Dodds (Keynes) ; 7, Miss Chetwode (Walker) ;
8, Sir G. Douglass (Dodds).

THE ROYAL GARDENS, FROGMORE.
As an account of these gardens has appeared more than once in the
Florist, I do not hope or expect to give any very fresh information
about them ; in fact, my simple object is to state the impression they
made upon me, and wherein I consider their excellences or defects to be.
It is more than twelve years since I had visited them before, and they
were then, comparatively speaking, new ; the trees were young, and all
about it had the appearance of a place not yet formed. Twelve years,
under the management of such an experienced hand as Mr. Ingram,
must needs have made a vast difference, but I was certainly hardly
prepared for such rapid progress as had evidently been male. It may

OCTOBER. 299

be as well to say that Frogmore is a sort of compensating garden, in lieu
of two or three other royal gardens, which, being formerly each under
a separate head, were very expensive ; and as each did not know what
the other was growing, the royal household was never properly supplied.
Frogmore was bought and enclosed, and a most perfect system of supply
carried out, so that the immense establishment is always provided with
the rarest and most costly fruits and vegetables. The extent covered by
them is somewhere about 34 acres, and the wall presents a surface of
upwards of two miles ; the iron trellis for Pears and Apples being
upwards of a mile long, while the houses for forcing fruit are of immense
length — that they must needs be so will be gathered from the fact, that
between two and three tons of Grapes, and £00 dozens of Apricots, and
the same of Peaches and Nectarines, have been supplied from these
gardens, in the course of one year, for the royal household — and I have
no doubt that the royal " Jeameses" and " Abigails" do not come in
for the worst, or the least share of them ; — that Grapes are to be found
on the royal table nearly every week in the year, and that French
Beans and Cucumbers are always in abundance. Although it is not
celebrated as a flower-garden, Mr. Ingram has been successful in raising
some excellent Geraniums and other flowers, and takes a great deal of
interest in the whole subject of hybridizing.

I was conducted through the fruit-houses by Mr. Powell, under
whose management the hardy fruit department is, and who is well
known to the readers of the Florist by his valuable contributions to its
pages on fruit culture ; and the great object is to save both time and
labour. The plan of growing the Pines in pits, planted out, is an
immense saving of trouble, and so effectively is it done that only
eighteen months elapse from the time the sucker is taken off the old
plant till the delicious and fragrant Pine is ready for table. Of this the
queen of fruits, all the more celebrated kinds — Cayennes, Providence,
Queens, Sic. — were in growth, and looking remarkably healthy, the
handsomest fruit being, probably, the smooth Cayenne. Why this
plan, saving so much expense and trouble, is not more generally
adopted, is a puzzle, save that we English are very slow to adopt
improvements, however desirable. In sad contrast with this was the
Pinery of a friend I saw the other day, 1 have no doubt costing him a
mint of money, but nothing in it worth looking at, and no prospect of
any fruit. The early Grapes were of course over, and late ones were in
a state of forwardness ; — these, which are West's St. Peter's, will begin
to fruit about January, and will supply the royal table until nearly the
end of March, about which time the early ones will be coming on, and
thus the succession is kept up. In the same way, the Peaches and
Nectarines were now drawing to a close in the houses and were coming
in on the walls ; but before these are used, there are some trees which
simply have a glass case before them, without any heat, and these will
just supply the break where the house fruit ends and the wall fruit
begins. All the trees which had been forced had had the top lights
taken off, and were receiving the full benefit of sun and air for the
ripening of the wood. I noticed, too, that the young shoots are allowed
to grow on the wall-trees, and were just being cut and laid in when I

300 THE FLORIST.

was there ; by this means protection is given to the young fruit, and
the wood has a better chance than if nailed in earlier ; nothing could be
more vigorous, even in this unfavourable year, than the appearance of
the trees. The same abundance was noticeable in the smaller fruits ;
houses for forcing Cherries ; others in which Plums were coming in fast,
among them two very fine trees of Jefferson — a favourite Plum here.
In the same way, Strawberries are largely cultivated, both forced and
in the open air ; they were now nearly over, save the Alpine, which
was in large quantities, and is a great favourite with H.R.H. the Prince
Consort. Apples and Pears were, as everywhere, a failure, though last
year the trellis was covered with fruit, and must have been a beautiful
sight. I must not omit to mention here the ingenious plans that are
adopted for the purpose of economising time and labour in the ventilation
of the houses ; by a very simple contrivance, one man can open all the
front sashes of a house 150 feet long, by simply turning a crank, and
the top lights are let up and down by another simple plan, which effects
the object with very little effort.

The vegetable garden, which is under the able superintendence of
Mr. Marr, was, of course, well stocked. Here all the new and valuable
sorts of esculents are tried, and many of them originated, the latest
being the Frogmore Protecting Broccoli, which promises to be a valuable
sort. I learned that Dioscorea Batatas, like a good many other things
greatly puffed up, was a failure— that it strikes its roots so low, that a
man's labour in digging it would never repay the trouble, even were it
a much better thing than it is ; as to its being a substitute for the
Potato, soft people may believe it, but that it will never be — a few
years, and it will probably be amongst the things that have been.
Frames are of course largely used for forcing vegetables, Potatoes and
Carrots, and salading of all sorts, being brought forward in this way —
three crops in the year being generally taken out of them.

Nor would I be supposed as saying that flowers are neglected.
Far from it ; both in the houses and in the grounds there were many
things of interest — among them two seedling bedding Geraniums, which
I think are likely to prove of interest — but it is not the feature of the
garden, nor that for which it is so celebrated. And was there nothing
to find fault with ? — was I so lubricated by the spirit of loyalty as to
become a floricultural " Oily Gammon?" No — not so ; but my fault-
finding has nothing in it that can reflect on those in whose hands it is,
but to whomsoever (I believe it is " the country," and we are safe in
abusing it) the providing for it depends on. When the gardens were
originally formed there was a staff of about 33 or 34 men, a man to an
acre. The trees were young — the ground not filled — and possibly they
could at that time have compassed the work ; but is it not absurd to
suppose, that while everything else has increased, the houses been
added to, the requirements of the royal household been greater, that the
same number of persons is sufficient for the work ? Nor is this mistake
uncommon ; I noticed it at Dropmore and other places, and the result
consequently is that weeds cannot be kept down, and the extreme
neatness that ought to mark a royal garden is not attained ; the wonder
to me is, that with so limited a staff so much is done. Mr. Thomas

OCTOBER. 301

Ingram, jun., ably cultivates the large succession of blooming plants
required throughout the year ; and Mr. Murray superintends the
forcing department with great ability. D.

Deal, Sept. 24.

PTERIS ARGYRJEA.

This new Fern proved to be a beautiful object of an entirely distinct
character, being the first well-marked variegated Fern introduced to
cultivation. The Floral Committee of the Horticultural Society unani-
mously awarded it a first- class certificate, as being an entirely novel
ornamental plant. It has been introduced from Central India by
Messrs, Veitch. Habit vigorous ; fronds five feet long, including the
stout stipes, which is scaly below, and occupies about half of the entire
length ; ovate in outline, about two and a half feet wide at the base ;
pedately bipinnatifid, the two lower pairs of pinna? usually, sometimes
the third also, having a posterior basal branch ; segments of the pinnae
obtusely linear subfalcate, 1^ inch long, somewhat wavy, spinulose on
the upper rachis, the terminal one caudate. The peculiar beauty of
the Fern is owing to the base of each segment, for a quarter of an inch
or more of its length, being of a silver-grey colour, so as to produce a
broad silvery stripe about three-quarters of an inch in breadth down the
centre of each of the pinnae and of their branches. It is a most valuable
addition to our garden Ferns.

PLANTING AND PLANTATIONS.

" When are we to reform our planting?" said a gentleman to us the
other day — a man of taste and a large planter himself. " I am tired
of witnessing the ever-recurring mixed shrubbery, and the bad taste
and worse economy of modern plantations. Do write something about
it, for since the death of Loudon no one has ever mentioned the subject,
and I believe planters themselves have become quite indifferent to the
subject."

We have long felt the force of the remarks addressed to us. The
subject of planting is a national one ; not, perhaps, imperatively so, as
was once considered, but a very important one even yet to land pro-
prietors. As, however, a dissertation on planting generally would be
out of the question in our pages, we shall confine our observations solely
to the subject of ornamental planting.

As a matter of taste, ornamental planting in Britain ought to be far
in advance of that in all other countries, for nowhere besides can such
materials be obtained ; in no other country does the climate agree with
so large a number of plants ; and nowhere else do the means exist, or
the opportunities occur, for carrying out ornamental planting on a lar<?e
scale. On these grounds, many foreigners of taste have expressed to us
their surprise at the trifling attempts which have been made to arrange
the extensive collections of ornamental plants, evergreen and deciduous,

302 THE FLORIST.

with which our nurseries aud private gardens abound, under some
combination which should show their capability for producing artistic
effects vastly superior to anything our shrubberies or park plantings
can produce. In Germany, where there are only a lew evergreens
which will stand the severity of their winters, German gardeners
have the art of massing their deciduous shrubs most admirably in
reference to their habit and colour, and by such means produce striking
combinations and contrasts, even with the most common flowering shrubs.
Let us ask the question whether, if the same attention, and the same
amount of thought and discussion, had been bestowed on planting, as
an art, as has been given to the designing and planting of modern
flower-gardens, British plantations would not take a much higher
position, as artistic creations, than can now be awarded them ? We
think so. But the modern mania for flower-gardens with stripes and
ribands and edgings, ad infinitum, has diverted attention from a most
important point of gardening. Gay- coloured flower-gardens are all
very well when not overdone, as we so frequently see is the case ; but we
must remind our readers, that ornamental planting is capable of pro-
ducing effects far more pleasing and lasting than even the beautiful
productions of the flower-garden, however well disposed.

Let us look, for example, at what is called a shrubbery, or garden
plantation, and which may be met with almost anywhere, and we shall
find a pretty regular mixture of evergreens and deciduous shrubs, the
latter represented largely by Laburnums, Sumachs, Lilacs, Syringas,
Spirteas, &c. ; while of the former, Portugal and common Laurel,
Laurestinus, Mahonias, Phillyreas, Arbutus, and Hollies, will form
the greater portion. Plant the tallest plants at the back, if it is a belt,
or in the centre, if a group, and the lowest at the front, and divide the
evergreens and deciduous plants regularly throughout, and you have a
good idea of ornamental planting, as generally witnessed, and of orna-
mental plants, exclusive of Conifers and American plants.

To us it appears that planting, whether intended to form a decorative
feature in dressed grounds, or simply as blinds to block out the
objectionable parts, should be considered in a two- fold character:
First, as furnishing or clothing the surface of the ground, so as to give
it a certain character or expression, as well as to back up and support
any architectural features which may be present ; and, secondly, as
showing the individuality of trees and shrubs as to habit and outline,
and their capability for producing a certain effect, either through massing
individual or different species together, as the case may require, to form
the whole or parts only of the scenery. And so with colour, in which
both deciduous and evergreen trees present an almost endless variety of
shades, which, when arranged with the hand of taste, may be worked
up, either in combination or contrast, so as to complete the pictorial effect
of the whole.

It must be obvious to the most casual observer that there is a some-
thing in the habit and appearance of deciduous plants — indefinable,
perhaps — but which prevents their harmonising with evergreens, when
planted together ; and that the want of this harmony should teach us
that, to produce the most powerful effects with each class, in forming
landscape scenery, each should be planted separately.
{To be continued.)

OCTOBER. 303

THE HYACINTH.

We extract the following from Butler and McCulloch's Interesting
Catalogue of Dutch and other Bulbs, just published : —

The Hyacinth, like the Rose, is a universal favourite ; for although
diversity of taste occurs in floral matters, as in all others, the Hyacinth
is never questioned. Every body loves it for its beauty and frag-
rance ; and it may, with justice, be termed a "household flower." It
will thrive almost in any soil or medium capable of retaining moisture ;
and will flower almost as finely when grown in water, or moist sand,
as when planted in the richest compost.

Culture of the Hyacinth in Glasses. — Of all the plants with which
we are acquainted, the Hyacinth is the most suitable for this elegant,
although somewhat unnatural, system of culture. Its roots, like those
of other plants, shun the light with instinctive care ; therefore, dark-
coloured glasses should be selected. Place the bulbs on the glasses,
and fill with pure rain water to within a quarter of an inch of the bulb ;
and set them in a cellar, or any other dark, cool situation. When the
glasses are moderately filled with roots, which will be the case in the
course of three or four weeks, remove to where the plants will receive
moderate light ; and as soon as the leaves assume a healthy green
colour, place the plants in the lightest possible situation, and where they
can have abundance of fresh air. A close, heated atmosphere is very
unfavourable to the development of handsome spikes of bloom. When
in actual growth, keep them as near the glass as convenient, and turn
them occasionally to prevent long, weakly, ill-shaped stems ; the water
should not be changed so long as it remains fresh ; merely add a little
as may be required to replace what is taken up by the roots or removed
by evaporation ; in short, the less Hyacinths are handled the better.
Should the water become offensive, however, not only is a change
necessary, but ■ all superfluous or decaying matters that may have
collected about the base of the bulbs or roots must also be removed. In
all instances rain water must be employed, and at the same tempera-
ture as that already in the glasses. As an artificial stimulant, we
know of nothing better than to dissolve, in a quart of rain water, an
ounce of guano, and to pour one teaspoonful of that into each glass
once a fortnight after the flowers begin to appear. Tye's glasses
of new and elegant design, with supports, are the most perfect yet
introduced. Bulbs grown in* glasses, if to be of any use the following
season, should, as soon as the beauty of the flower is over, be removed
to a bed of rich soil, in a frame, or very sheltered situation, and be
carefully planted and properly tended until the leaves die off. If bright
sunshine or frost occur before they become accustomed to their fresh
situation, afford them the protection of a slight covering. If well cared
for till ripe, they will be worth planting in open borders the following
season ; but, with the best management, will not bloom so finely as
imported bulbs.

Culture of the Hyacinth in Pots. — For this purpose, the Hyacinth
is remarkably well adapted; and, with the assistance of a garden

304 THE FLORIST.

frame, with some stable manure, or tan, to furnish a gentle heat, it
may be had in flower at Christmas ; and with a good stock of bulbs,
the display may be kept up till April or May. For early flowering,
the bulbs should be planted early in September ; those to flower in
spring should be planted during the months of October, November, and
December. The best pots are 5 -inch (forty-eights) for one bulb,
and 6 or 7-inch (thirty-twos or twenty-fours) for three bulbs. It
may be well to add, that three roots grown together in one pot produce
a much finer effect than single bulbs. If smaller pots than the above
be used, greater care will be necessary in watering. The soil used for
potting should be as rich as possible ; such as one half fresh loam, cut
from a pasture, with the turf decayed in it, and well decomposed cow
or horse manure, with a small portion of clean sand, well intermixed.
If, however, this cannot be obtained, then the lightest and richest at
command must be employed instead, mixing freely with it well-decayed
cow dung. Fill the pots lightly with the prepared compost, and place
the bulb upon the surface, slightly pressing it into the soil. After
giving the newly-planted bulbs a liberal watering, set the pots out of
doors on a place where perfect drainage is secured, and cover them with
about a foot of old tan, ashes, saw-dust, leaf-soil, or any other light
material. After remaining there for a month or five weeks, the bulbs
will be sufficiently rooted to render it safe to remove them to a gentle
bottom heat of about 55°, introducing the pots, in numbers propor-
tionate to the demand, at intervals of about a fortnight ; a succession
of flowers will then be secured, until those in the open air come into
bloom. We would caution the amateur, when forcing the Hyacinth,
to be careful that the roots are not allowed to penetrate the fermented
material. Persons possessing no better accommodation than a room
window, will, with ordinary management, be able to grow and flower
the Hyacinth as well, if not to have it in bloom as early, as those who
can command a gentle heat. We need hardly observe, that plants
growing during the dark days of winter, should be placed near the
glass, and be freely supplied with air, when this can be given with
safety ; and those grown in windows will draw towards the light, unless
the pots are frequently turned. A sitting-room window forms a suit-
able situation for Hyacinths while in bloom, and their beauty will be
longer in fading here than in most situations : in no instance should
they be removed from a close atmosphere, and suddenly exposed in a
sitting-room window, until they have been previously hardened in a
suitable temperature to withstand cold drying currents. We warn the
inexperienced to guard against this common error, and to avoid sub-
jecting the plants to sudden changes at any period of their growth.

Culture of the Hyacinth in the Floioer Border or Bed. — Much has
been written respecting the culture of this lovely plant, the greater
portion of which has, unfortunately, been calculated to deter persons
dependent upon such sources of information, from attempting its
growth. It is usual with writers on the culture of the Hyacinth, to
state, that to grow it successfully, a very rich soil is absolutely neces-
sary ; but we know, from experience, that any well-drained garden
soil is easily rendered suitable for the growth of the Hyacinth. If the

OCTOBER. 305

s >;1 is of a strong adhesive nature, add two inches of sharp sand, and
as much well-decayed manure ; then dig the soil two feet deep with a
steel fork, taking care to nicely mix the sand and manure with the soil
as the work proceeds. Friable loamy soils will require merely a liberal
dressing of manure, and deep digging ; and it will be found that the
Hyacinth will produce equally fine spikes of blossom grown in soil
prepared thus, as when planted in more expensive compost. The
season for planting Hyacinths in beds, in the open air, is from Septem-
ber onwards. Select a dry day for putting in the bulbs ; and if the
same can be chosen for the preparation of the soil, it will be in much
better condition for tho growth of the plant than if worked when wet.
Plant in lines, nine inches by twelve inches apart, which will afford
space between the plants, when up, to work a hoe, for the destruction
of weeds, and keeping the surface friable, to prevent the escape of mois-
ture in dry weather. The crowns of the bulbs should be four inches
under the surface of the soil ; and, lest a severe winter should occur, it
is well to cover the bed with a few inches of old tan, litter, or any light
substance, to exclude frost. This should be removed, however, when
the plants begin to grow through it.

CRYSTAL PALACE HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION.

Sept. 7 and 8. — This, the autumn show of this Company, was chiefly
remarkable for cut flowers, fruit, and fine foliaged plants. The col-
lections of mixed plants, as a matter of course, had a weedy look about
them, though containing many fine specimens of good cultivation. But
the past season has told its tale with this kind of plants. Of fruit a
very large quantity was staged, but, with some exceptions, there was
nothing calling for special remark. Grapes, taken as a whole, were
decidedly inferior ; the exceptions were, Mr. Drewett's fine Cannon
Hall and Mr. Frost's Muscats, the Golden Hamburghs, shown by Mr.
Scott (which were very fine), and the Black Hamburgh and Prince
Grapes shown by Messrs. Hill and Frost. The Pine Apple class only
produced very moderate fruit. Some fine dishes of Peaches were
evidently orchard-house productions. Late Admirable, Bellegarde, and
Walburton Admirable may be classed as the finest dishes. We also
noticed some good Grosse Mignonne and Royal George Peaches, wall
fruit, and also some admirable Murray and Elruge Nectarines. The
class for Plums produced no fruit very remarkable ; but then the season
has made Plums a scarce article in most gardens. Some n'ce dishes of
Jefferson, Reine Claude de Bavay, and Washington were among the
collections. Pears were numerous and good ; the kitchen Apples
generally, and the collection of dessert kinds shown by Mr. Whiting
and Mr. Mortimore were excellent. Pears, fit for the table, consisted of
Williams and Beurre d'Amanlis, the latter a good useful fruit at this
season. There was a row of Melons, containing eighty or more fruits ;
the greater part, we were told, worthless, but the few selected for prizes
good. Fruit trees in pots were scarce ; some fruit-bearing Vines in pots

VOL. XII., NO. CXLII. X

306 THE FLORIST.

were very inferior. Orange trees in fruit very good. Morello and Car-
nation Cherries, fine, and a few dishes of good Figs, conclude the fruit.

Of new plants, Messrs. Veitch had a batch of seedling Cattleyas, very
interesting productions, but hardly so bright in colour as some of the
species. This enterprising firm also exhibited the new hardy shrub
Chamrebatia foliolosa, whose evergreen foliage is very beautiful. 1'othos
argyrsea and Pteris argyrsea, the latter a variegated Fern, and both
good additions to variegated plants ; and two Selaginellas, charming
plants, from Borneo.

Ferns were generally good as well as plentiful. Exotic kinds were
contributed by Messrs. Baillie, Lavey, Summers, and Oubridge ; and
in the nurserymen's class, by Messrs. Bunney, Woolley, Milne, Arnott
& Co., and Hally. Among these were beautiful plants of different
sorts of Gleichenia, Cyathea medullaris and microlepis, Dicksonia
antarctica, Nephrolepis davalloides, some good Cheilanthes, Aspleniums,
Davallias, Adiantums, Gymnogrammas, Csenopteris fabiana, Hypo-
lepis Dicksonioides, and others. British Ferns came from Messrs.
Sim, Lavey, and Baillie. Among them were some charming varieties
but little different from what has been recorded by us in former reports.
The remark just made also applies to Lycopods, among which there
were, however, several splendidly grown specimens, measuring not
less than 3 feet across. The best came from Mr. Higgs, gardener to
Mrs. Barchard.

Of new Hybrid Achimenes Messrs. Milne, Arnott & Co. sent an
interesting collection, chiefly with rosy pink coloured flowers charmingly
spotted with brilliant crimson.

Fuchsias were contributed in excellent condition by several growers.
The best came from Messrs. Cannell, Elliott, Oubridge, and Rhodes.
They were for the most part in the form of pyramids and beautifully
covered with bloom.

Scarlet Geraniums were exhibited in considerable numbers from the
neighbourhood of Sydenham, Croydon, Dulwich, and Hampstead.
Among them there was nothing new. They consisted of Brilliant,
Punch, Tom Thumb, Cerise Unique, Trentham Hybrid, Lady Mid-
dleton, Kingsbury Pet, and one or two other pink and salmon sorts.

Of Balsams there was an extensive display. They were generally
well grown, with flowers large and double, and of all shades of colour.
The best came from Mr. Brown, of Dulwich.

■ Of Japan Lilies there was a noble bank ; but owing to want of variety
among them they made but little display. They were, however, all
fine plants, and tolerably well matched as to height.

Some handsome varieties of Gladioli and Phloxes came from Mr.
Standish, of Bagshot.

Dahlias, both from amateurs and professional growers, were excellent.
The three first stands in each class contained blooms above the average
in size and general merit. Fancies were also good and in great variety.
Of 50 blooms the best came from Mr. Turner, Royal Nursery, Slough.
They consisted of Robert Bruce, Seedling, Flower of the Day, Pioneer,
Commander, Sir Joseph Paxton, Sidney Herbert, Midnight, Mrs.
Church, The Flirt, Constancy, Seedling, Deutsche, Duchess of Kent,

oct< i 307

Mentor, Chairman, Triomphe de Pecq, three very pretty seedlings,
Pre-eminent, Hon. Mrs. Trotter, Emperor, Col. Wyndham, Enchan-
tress, Seedling, Miss Watts, Bravo, Goldfinder, Mr. Charles Waters,
Seedling, Disraeli, Lady Popham, King, Standard Bearer, Cherub,
Adam Bode, Yellow Beauty, Purple Standard, Mrs. H. Vyse, Lollipop,
Lord Palmerston, Lady Franklin, Miss Pressley, Touchstone, Seedling,
Lord Eversley, Seedling, Lady Taunton, George Elliott, Mr. Kim-
berley, of Stoke, Coventry, and Mr. J. Keynes, of Salisbury, also
showed in this class. Of "24 Dahlias, the best came from the Rev. C.
Fellowes, of Shottesham, near Norwich. They consisted of Wallace,
Pre-eminent, Miss Caroline, Touchstone, Miss Watts, Satirist, Lord
Palmerston, Rosebud, Pandora, Chairman, Duchess of Marlborough,
Fanny Keynes, Deutsche Wurde, Mentor, Golden Drop, Robert Bruce,
Standard Bearer, Lady Franklin, Goldfinder, Emperor, Dr. Gully,
Lady Popham, Mr. Critchett, Purple Standard. From Mr. W. Dodds,
of Salisbury, came Duke of Roxburgh, Pandora, Chairman, Lord Bath,
Royal Lilac, Lord Clyde, Golden Drop, Cherub, Dr. Simpson, Mrs.
Church, Emperor, Sidney Herbert, King, Lord Derby,' Hon. Mrs.
Trotter, Sir H. Havelock, Venus, Miss Pressley, Lord Palmerston,
Seedling, Sir G. Douglas, Touchstone, Lady Franklin, Mr. Critchett.

In the class of Fancy Dahlias the best came from Mr. C. Turner,
of Slough. The sorts were Ethel, Tiger, Elizabeth, Pluto, Butterfly,
Madame Alboni, Comus, Jessie, Flirt, Duchesse de Brabant, Queen
Mali, Charles Perry. From the Rev. Charles Fellowes came Souter
Johnny, Madame Alboni, Charles Perry, Triomphe de Roubaix, the
Flirt, Countess of Bective, Jupiter, Oliver Twist, Jessie, Conqueror,
Mark Antony, Elizabeth. Mr. J. Keynes and others also showed in
this class.

Of Seedling Dahlias there was a large collection, and in most instances
several blooms of each variety were shown. The judges selected 11
kinds for certificates, namely, George Elliott, light purple, of fine build ;
Mrs. Howard Vyse, white, with rosy purple edge or tip ; Beauty, pale
cream, shaded ; Queen Mab, a fancy, scarlet and white ; Pluto, a dark
fancy, of great depth and fine form; and Harlequin, a large striped
fancy. These were shown by Mr. C. Turner. Mr. Keynes had Win.
Dodds, a deep yellow of good shape ; Lady Douglass Pennant, prim-
rose ; Wellesley Piggot, fine white ; Neville Keynes, pale yellow,
edged with purple, fine ; and Sir Geo. Douglass, yellow, deeply tipped
with red, very showy. There were some promising kinds, however, to
which no awards were made, viz., Miss Boyce, white, tipped with
crimson purple ; Purple Standard, deep, finely formed purple ; Mr.
Boshel, salmon ; and Lady Taunton, white edged with crimson.

Among cut flowers, in addition to Dahlias, were Roses, Hollyhocks,
Verbenas, and Asters. Of the latter, both German and French, there
were some fine blooms.

Among vegetables, Onions especially were large and fine ; they were
chiefly White Lisbon and Spanish. Cabbages were not very remarkable.
Of Savoys there were good specimens of Early Ulm, and we noticed
some very fine large Musselburgh Flag Leek. Among Potatoes was a
large fine-looking kind called Stafford Hall. This is reported to be one
of the best Potatoes grown. Also very fine Lapstones.

308 THE FLORIST.

ROSA DEVONIENSIS.

Your correspondent, " D.," has fallen into an error, when he states, as
he does at page 257 of your September number, that this Rose was
raised in France, and introduced into this country by Messrs. Lucombe,
Pince, and Co.

Now, I will endeavour to give your readers some little account of
this Rose, so far as I am concerned in the matter, and in doing this I
will be as brief as I possibly can. In the year 1840, I was in the
employment of Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., in the plant depart-
ment of their nursery. In August of that year, that firm was solicited
to send some plants to a horticultural show at Devonport, which was
accordingly done. Mr. Nott, the foreman, took me with him as an
assistant. Devonport being about 40 miles and upwards from Exeter,
we started with a van-load of plants on Wednesday afternoon, and
arrived in Devonport on the Thursday. After the plants were put in
their proper places, two or three hours were given me to see Devonport ;
and as I had never before seen a man-of-war, and a great many other
things connected with a Royal arsenal, I very much enjoyed myself. A
young man, of the name of Short, from Messrs. Pontey's of Plymouth,
was my companion. I returned to the Town Hall (in which the exhi-
bition was held) at the time appointed for me to be there. I had not
been there long, before an elderly gentleman came to Mr. Nott, with a
Rose in his hand, and asked him his opinion of it, which was given
favourably, and I was immediately despatched to see the plant from
which the flower was cut. As I write from memory, I cannot recollect
the name of the place, but I rather think it was Stoke Dammerell ; be
that as it may, I had a good long walk. Mr. Foster, for that was the
gentleman's name, sent a lad with me, to show me the place ; I believe
it was his own son ; and in a small garden, and growing by the side of
a wall, I saw the original seedling plant. According to my instructions,
I noted down in a pocket book the number of branches and the length
of them, and cut some fresh flowers, to take to Exeter. On my
arriving at the place of exhibition, we repacked our plants, and started
again for Exeter, where we arrived on Friday. The first person I met
in the nursery was Mr. Pince. I presented the flowers to him, and
never shall I forget the smile that came over him, when he exclaimed
— " Willcocks, 1 never saw such a beautiful Rose before; what's the
the history of it?" That I left Mr. Nott to explain. Mr. Pince
immediately put himself in communication with Mr. Foster, and, the
first letter that was written was read by Mr. Pince to Mr. Nott and
me, and I then went and posted it. The correspondence was of short
duration, for, in a few days, I provided a hamper, and all things requisite
for packing ; and saw Mr. Nott start by the coach for Devonport, to
bring away the seedling Rose, from the place that gave it birth. The
next day, Mr. Nott returned with his darling child, as he called it. The
plant was unpacked by Mr. Pince, Mr. Nott, and myself — Mr. Pince
counting the branches, to see if they tallied with my statement, and

OCTOBER. 309

they were found correct. The plant was "cut up for cutttings, and I
had the pleasure of putting in the first of them in the Exeter nursery.
I, however, left a few clays after that, to go as foreman to Mr. Duns-
ford, then gardener to Baron Dimsdale, in Hertfordshire, and I heard
no more of the Rose, till I saw by the papers that it had been exhibited
at one of the horticultural meetings in Regent Street, under the name
of Devoniensis.

•Now, as regards the origin of this Rose, I was given to understand
at the time, that as Mr. Fqster, who was a retired naval officer, was
passing through the market one day, he became enamoured with a Rose
in a small pot, and carried it home, and put it in his window. After
the flower had dropped, a seed pod succeeded it, which ripened in the
window, and for curiosity it was sown under the window, and that was
the seedling plant which I saw, for it was growing under a window.
As it is now 19 years since this occurred, and as I have stated before I
write from memory alone, should there be any inaccuracies ; and if this
should meet the eye of Mr. Pince, no doubt that gentleman will most
readily put me right. This, therefore, 1 trust will prove to the readers
of the Florist that Rosa Devoniensis is a true English Rose.

William Richard Willcocks,

Gardener to John Murray Aynsleg, Esq., Underdown,
Ledbury, Herefordshire.

CADLANDS, THE SEAT OF MR. DRUMMOND.

Some account of what the difference of climate can do for plants may
perhaps not be uninteresting to your readers. Cadlands is pleasantly
situate on one of the many undulating hills on the west shore of South-
ampton Bay. Entering by a lodge from the New Forest, some two
miles from the house, the drive leads through plantations of Firs,
Holly, evergreen Oak, and some fine old trees in the open places, and
terminates at the south side of the house, which is the chief entrance ;
from the portico is a fine view of the Isle of Wight, through a vista
of trees, commencing with large Cedars of Lebanon on each side.

The house is a large plain structure of white brick, with Portland
stone corners ; and thence, entering from this front, we come to the
east and north, the latter being the main or principal flower garden
front. At the east side the house is surrounded by broad gravel walks,
and from this, all round the two fronts, are beautiful views across the
bay, Southampton, in the distance, looking bright with the setting sun,
and the bay between covered with numerous steamers, yachts, and
smaller craft of all descriptions, their white sails glittering in the sun,
and their movements adding life and interest to the view ; further up
the shore is Netley Abbey, nestling among the trees, the Royal
Military Hospital, and the shore as far as the eye can reach, is studded
with fine villas and trees. Every care has evidently been bestowed upon

310 THE FLORIST.

the cutting and keeping of these views, as the trees below rise suffi-
ciently high to render this necessary The lawn is extensive, and almost
completely covered in both fronts with beds ; and lower down the lawn
are various designs with rustic baskets and rustic edgings to the beds,
and such other variations as this easy style admits of; among others
a small Rosery, where we found mildew quite covering the plants :
Mr. Arnott, the gardener, told us it was occasioned by hot dry weather,
and that the common kinds of Roses were always the greatest sufferers.

The beds near the house are large and mostly filled with Geraniums,
with edgings, as generally used ; but no person who has not seen
Geraniums round here, or at the Isle of Wight, can credit the difference :
they are one intense blaze of colour, with scarcely a leaf to be seen. In
the lower and mixed beds we saw fine Myrtle bushes, Coronilla, Plum-
bago, Veronica Lindleyana, Hydrangea — fine bushes on the Grass,
which take the form of shrubs, and other varieties, standing the winter
and blooming abundantly — the old sweet-scented Lemon Aloysia, and
several others also winter here. Among the mixture in these beds
we saw quantities of the old-fashioned herbaceous plants, as the Golden
Rod, tall Phloxes, &c, making quite a show ; in some of the beds
round the baskets the dwarf French Asters, not more than six inches
in height, made good compact beds. On the lawn are some fine
Cedars, Platanus, &c, one of the former terminating the broad front
walk where it branches into two, one leading to the forest and the other
to the park in front of the lawn, which suddenly terminates here on
the west side, at the top of a deep dell. The sudden contrast from gay
and dressy to Nature's wildest forms of heath, with Furze up the oppo-
site hill mixed with stunted Firs, &c, is quite startling. In returning
to the house, on the right hand is a good sized garden in front of a
temple, laid out in stone, with a large fountain in the centre ; the beds
full and fine. A back border here was filled with conservatory plants
in pots, and mossed to the level of the pots — a good plan.

On the west side of the house there is a conservatory of large dimen-
sions in communication with the rooms of the house. A fine plant of
Mandevilla suaveolens in full bloom completely scented the air with its
beautiful fragrance. Some large plants of the old Brugmansia suaveolens
also aided ; this is a fine plant for large conservatories, of which we will
have something to say another day ; Fuchsias, trained mushroom shape,
looked novel and well. This house is principally for Orange trees, of
which there is a fine lot of clean stemmed young trees, set at present
round the house, and covered with fruit ; Mr. Arnott told us they were
used for dessert and greatly prized ; we tasted one, and found little
difference, except a little milder in flavour from those imported.

The kitchen garden is some distance from the house on a slope to
the south, nearer the shore, and divided into sections, with good high
walls. At the entrance are two large fish ponds, with a walk all
round. A fine border of shrubs, with Apple, Pear, Medlar and other
standard fruit trees, for a backing, divides this from the park. In this
border are fine trees of the Magnolia grandiflora, 25 feet high, and
most of them, as is the habit of this plant, with a k\v flowers in
different stages ; these, from the flower, I thought were the Exmouth

OCTOBER. 311

variety ; some of the stems at the ground were like a good aged forest
tree. At the top of this pond is a fine specimen of the deciduous
Cypress, 60 feet high and 12 feet round the stem above a seat. In the
houses we found plenty of Grapes in different stages. The first Vinery
Mr. Arnott had taken a leaf out of the hints of the Gardeners'' Chronicle
in spring, and lifted, putting a bed of heating material over the roots
of the new border ; only one Vine, a Muscat, had shown any signs of
llagcring.

In a small stove we found, planted out and covered with bloom, Alla-
manda, Stephanotis, and other stove plants in good condition. Apricots
had been nearly a failure ; Peaches and Nectarines plentiful ; a fair
sprinkling of Pears and Plums ; and fine crops of Apples. Figs grow
and ripen their fruit as standards anywhere in the garden. We also
saw Raspberries in great quantities ; Mr. Arnott said they keep bearinn
until frost comes.

In most of the cottage gardens we saw Myrtle bushes. In the
village of Hythe, close by, one or two were completely covered with the
broad- leaved variety, forming low hedges in front similar to the ever-
green Privet, even in exposed situations open to the sea.

BRIGHTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

This, the sixth annual autumn exhibition, was held as usual at the
Royal Pavilion, on the 14th and 15th ult. The arrangement of the
productions was exceedingly good, and reflects the highest credit on Mr.
Spary, the superintendent. To speak of the effect produced, we must
remind our readers how well adapted is the entire suite of rooms at
the Royal Pavilion for an exhibition of this description. In the
banqueting room, and both drawing rooms, the plants are reflected
and re-reflected by the large pier glasses, whilst in the music room,
the effect produced by the pier glass at the north side of the room was
magnificent.

Under the" glass was a large platform of several tiers ; at the top
were tall Fuchsias, all of superb growth ; the centre one a specimen
(Surprise) by Mr. Kemsley, gardener to C. Catt, Esq., Brighton, was
more than 10 feet in height, beautifully grown and in magnificent
bloom. Immediately under these were the stove and greenhouse plants
in the county division, all of which were beautiful specimens.

To give a proper idea of this excellent show, we will accompany the
visitor through the rooms devoted to the exhibition.

In the entrance hall, on the right, was a valuable collection of tropical
plants by Mr. H. Smythe, gardener to the Rev. T. R. Rooper, Wick,
including some interesting productions. On the left was a magnificent
collection of variegated-leaved plants by Mr. J. Miles, gardener to C.
S. Hannington, Esq., Hurst, including two species of Canna or Indian
Shot, Croton angustifolium, Dioscorea discolor, Solanum purpureum,
and Dracsena ferrea, which were highly attractive.

312 TriE FLORIST.

On entering the banqueting room was a grand display of stove
and greenhouse plants on raised platforms. Those shown by Mr. J.
Miles, gardener to C. S. Hannington, Esq., took the first prize.
Amongst them were Allamanda Schottii, with its large yellow blossoms,
Rondeletia speciosa major, with beautiful corymbs of* scarlet flowers,
Meyenia erecta, with dark green foliage, deep blue purple blossoms
with yellow throat, and Clerodendron fallax.

The variegated-leaved plants, a most attractive feature in this room,
were placed on platforms at each end. To convey a proper idea of the
lovely foliage of these favourites would be difficult. Each collection
had excellent specimens, and all were greatly and deservedly admired.
At the window was a magnificent specimen of Begonia fuchsioides.
It was quite six feet high, and one mass of bloom. Mr. C. Green,
gardener to Wra. Borrer, Esq., Henfield, had an exceedingly beautiful
specimen of Selaginella Martensii. This beautiful moss-like plant was
much admired, not only for its lovely green, imbricated, leafy branching
stems, but also for its immense size, for it must have been nearly eight
feet in circumference. Mr. McKenzie, Bristol Nurseries, presented a
beautiful specimen of Phoenocoma proliferum, and Mr. Hudson exhibited
a fine plant of Solanum atropurpureum. Turning from these to the
centre platform, the display was most exquisite, for there were lovely
Achimenes, Gloxinias, cut flowers, Verbenas, and Asters. All the
Asters were good, and more beautiful varieties or finer specimens could
scarcely be exhibited. We cannot leave this platform without giving
a passing notice to the exquisite collection of stove and greenhouse cut
flowers, exhibited by Mr. Cameron, Goodwood, and Mr. Hudson,
Horsted. Passing from the banqueting room into the yellow drawing
room, the visitor was struck by the exhibition of Dahlias, arranged
on a double tier of platforms throughout the whole length of the room.
Those shown by Mr. Turner, Slough, were exceedingly large, and in
the greatest perfection ; so were those by Mr. J. Keynes, Salisbury ;
very beautiful also were the fancy varieties, particularly those shown
by Mr. J. Keynes, and Mr. C. J. Perry, Birmingham. Mr. Kimberley,
Stoke Nursery, near Coventry, and Mr. Legge, of Edmonton, had also
splendid collections ; indeed, so beautiful was the exhibition of Dahlias,
that the room was crowded with admirers throughout both days. The
centre of attraction, however, was the railway cup. This cup is given
for the best 24 dissimilar Dahlia blooms, and was obtained by Mr.
Dodds, gardener to Colonel Baker, Salisbury. The following seedlings
were shown in good condition, viz., Conqueror, Flower of the Day,
Pluto, Queen Mab, Sir George Douglass, Dr. Boshel, Delicata, Earl of
Shaftesbury, Mrs. W. Piggott, J. Edwards, Neville Keynes, Win.
Dodds, Mrs. P. Bailhache, Lady Douglass Pennant, Salamander,
Leopard, and the Rev. J. Dix. Of most of these descriptions have already
appeared, and we were glad to see the good character formerly given
them fully maintained on the present occasion. In the drawing room
was a beautiful plant of Cyanophyllum magnificum, whose foliage is
most lovely ; it was admired by all. This beautiful gem was shown
by Mr. J. Miles, gardener to C. S. Hannington, Esq.

On entering this room, the rich fragrance of the Roses first directed

OCTOBER. 313

attention to the immense collection displayed. It extended the whole
length of the room in double tiers, with splendid grown Fuchsias at the
back, except in the centre, which was occupied with some beautiful
ornamental plants by Mr. G. Young, Dulwich. But as we are to speak
of the Roses, we must injustice begin with Mr. Jas. Mitchell, Piltdown
Nurseries, Maresfield, who obtained the 1st prize for the best 36 varieties
in three bunches, and an extra prize for an immense display of upwards
of one hundred varieties. They were exceedingly beautiful and in the
finest condition. Those shown by Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt,
Herts ; Mr. Parsons, florist, Brighton ; Mr. Knight, nurseryman,
Hailsham ; and Mr. Wm. Mitchell, Tower Nursery, Heathfield, were
also exquisite productions. Amongst the most lovely were Hybrid
Perpetuals : Auguste Mie, Cardinal Patrizzi, Conrte de Nanteuil, Com-
tesse de Chabrillan, Eveque de Nimes, General Jacqueminot, Gustave
Coraux, Jacques Lafitte, Jules Margottin, La Reine, Lord Raglan,
Louise Odier, Madame Domage, Madame Knorr, Madame Rivers,
Madame Vidot, Mathurin Regnier, M. Montigny, Pauline Lansezeur,
Prince Leon, Souvenir de la Reine d'Angleterre, Triomphe de l'Expo-
sition, Victor Trouillard, William Griffiths. Tea-scented : Auguste
Vacher, Comte de Paris, Gloire de Dijon, Louise de Savoie, Madame
de Vitry, Souvenir de Elise. Noisettes : Cloth of Gold, Lamarque,
Miss Gray, Narcisse, Solfaterre, and Triomphe de Rennes.

On entering the Music-room the display was truly excellent. We
have in the earlier part of this notice mentioned the beautiful effect of
the Fuchsias, and the magnificent stove and greenhouse plants in front
of the large pier glass ; equally effective was the arrangement on the
platform under the organ, which was devoted principally to specimens
of Begonias, Gloxinias, and Achimenes, at the foot of which were cut
flowers. Most of the plants in this room were in the county division.
Ere we leave for the lawn, we cannot pass unnoticed the Cotton Plant, or
Gossypium herbaceum, shown by Mr. W. Martin, Shermanbury. It
was in every stage from the bud to the ripe fruit, passing from the
blossom and the green fruit to the fruit just bursting, showing the
cotton.

The lawn was fitted up with marquees. At the north end was one
in which were Scarlet Geraniums, of which there was a very fine dis-
play. The prizes offered for designs for flower-gardens produced some
five or six model gardens, some of them on a tolerably large scale.
That to which the first prize was awarded consisted of beds on gravel
arranged in a parallelogram. The second, in addition to the usual
flower-garden, had in connection with it miniature lakes, brido-es,
fountains, and rockery work. The third was what is termed a sunk
panel, octagonal in shape, with Grassy sides, and having flower-beds on
gravel in the bottom, which was reached by flights of stone steps in the
banks. About the rest there was nothing worthy of remark. Hung
up against the walls we noticed a tastefully executed plan of a terrace-
garden from Mr. Sanders, of Tedvvorth, who had also a perspective
view of the interior of the fine conservatory at that place.

The weather was cold, but, with the exception of one or two slio-ht
showers, fine. The assembly on both days was large. On Wednesday,

314 THE FtOBIST.

the 14th, 2570 were admitted, exclusive of the exhibitors and officials,
and on the second day nearly 5000. The shillings taken for admission
were 3893.

Fruit, both from the county of Sussex and from other quarters, was
good. Pine-apples were however scarce ; the best was a Queen,
weighing 4 lbs., finely swelled and ripened, from Mr Cameron, of
Goodwood. Of Grapes there was a fair display. A beautiful basket of
12 lbs. of Black Hamburgh came from Messrs. Balchin & Nell, and
Messrs. Lucas & Parsons also showed fine fruit of the same variety.
Mr. Gilbert produced three beautiful bunches of Black Hamburgh, and
the same kind of Grape was also shown in good condition by Mr.
Fillery. The best Muscats were furnished by Mr. Gilbert, and we also
noted some fair fruit of this description from others. On the whole,
however, the best were very inferior to those shown the other day at the
Crystal Palace by Messrs. Drewett and Frost. Of Royal Muscadine
good bunches came from Mr. Fowler, and of Barbarossa there were
three good bunches.

Peaches were good for the season. Among them were fair examples
of Kirke's and Walburton Admirable, Barrington, and Noblesse. Of
the first-named sort beautiful specimens were shown by Messrs. Lambert
and Daniels. Nectarines were scarce ; the best was Pitmaston Orange.

Of Plums, good fruit of Coe's Golden Drop came from Mr. Lambert,
and we also noticed Green-gage, Jefferson, and Magnum Bonum in fine
condition from other growers.

Cherries were wholly confined to the Morello, of which several fine
dishes were shown.

Figs, for which Brighton and its neighbourhood are celebrated, were
but scantily shown ; but what were produced were really fine.
Unusually large and fine fruit of the Brown Turkey came from
Messrs. Dennis & Sharpe.

Melons were plentiful. Among them the best were Golden Perfection,
Bromham Hall, and Beechwood.

Of Miscellaneous collections of fruit there were four. They came
from Messrs. Kaile, Young, Burnett, and Gadd & Son. Mr. Kaile
sent Coe's Golden Drop Plum, Walburton Admirable and Barrington
Peaches, Black Hamburgh and Muscat Grapes, the latter umipe;
Imperial Scarlet Melon, a Queen Pine Apple, and Williams's Bon
Chretien Pears. From Mr. Young came Late Admirable Peaches,
Coe's Golden Drop Plum, Muscat and Black Hamburgh Grapes, a
Queen Pine-apple, Brown Ishcia Figs, Golden Perfection Melon, and
Gansell's Bergamot Pear. In the other collections were Black Jamaica
and Queen Pine-apples, Muscat and Black Hamburgh Grapes, Late
Admirable Peaches, Golden Drop and Beechwood Melons, Morello
Cherries, Blue Imperatrice Plums, Williams's Bon Chretien Pears,
and Brown Turkey Figs.

Of out- door fruit considerably the best were some Ribston Pippin
Apples from Mr. Cameron, of Goodwood. These were unusually large
and fine. Other fruit of this variety, with a beautiful warm yellow
ground colour suffused with red, were shown by Mr. Starr, of Brighton.
Among kitchen Apples the best was a dish of Knight's Grange, a large

OCTOBER. 315

and fine-looking variety, from Mr. Cameron. Others consisted princi-
pally of Alfriston, Hawthorn den, and Emperor Alexander.

Pears were chiefly Williams's Bon Chretien, of which we observed
some fine fruit. Marie Louise was likewise shown in good condition,
as was also Louise Bonne of Jersey.

Bed and white Currants were furnished in excellent condition by
Messrs. Lambert and Evans, and we also noticed a few Warrington
Gooseberries. From Mr. Cameron came a dish of Guavas.

REVIEW.

The Peach and Nectarine. By the late G. M'Ewen. Edited by

J. Cox, F.H.S., Redleaf. 8vo. Groombridge. pp. 52.
This is the second, and unfortunately the last, of the late Mr.
M'Ewen's projected series of works on the culture of fruits, that on the
Strawberry being the first. Of its value to the cultivator of the two
kinds of fruits on which it treats, the two names recorded at the head
of this notice are a sufficient guarantee. To the M.S. left by Mr.
M'Ewen at his death, Mr. Cox has made numerous additions, and
altogether the work is one which we can heartily recommend.

The following extract will give some idea of the kind of useful
information it contains, and at the same time will prove, we hope,
acceptable to our readers : —

" PEACHES.— EARLY SORTS.

"1. Acton Scott. — This is a very excellent early sort, and the best
adapted of them for house culture.

" 2. — Early Anne. — A very good early sort for the walls, chiefly
valuable for its ripening about ten days before the earliest of the mid-
season Peaches.

" 3. — Red Nutmeg. — This and also the white variety are both of
very indifferent flavour, and are only valuable as being the earliest,
generally ripening early in August. These as well as the Early Anne,
will most probably be superseded by the Early York, a recently intro-
duced American Peach. (See Mr. Rivers' List.)
"MIDSEASON PEACHES.

" 4. Barrington. — A very excellent Peach, not subject to mildew,
and an abundant bearer.

" 5. Bellegarde. — A first-rate Peach, either for the open wall or for
house culture. The Violette Hative and the Galande are synonyms.

" 6. Malta. — A very estimable sort, not so extensively cultivated as
it deserves. It bears carriage well and is a good keeper.

"7- Grosse Mignonne. — One cf the very best sorts grown : forces
well, is not subject to mildew, and its excellence is sufficiently attested
by its having, in the catalogue of the Horticultural Society, no less than
thirty-nine synonyms.

" 8. Noblesse. — This fine old sort is too well known generally to
need any panegyric. It is well adapted either for forcing or wall
culture.

316 THE FLORIST.

" 9* Pourpree Hative. — This is an excellent Peach, of large size,
and good quality.

" 10. Royal Charlotte. — A very fine melting Peach, an excellent
bearer, forces well, but, like the following, is subject to mildew.

"11. Royal George. — The flavour of this variety is one of the most
exquisite of any sort grown ; it is much cultivated, and deservedly so,
being very handsome when full grown.

"LATE SORTS.

"12. Late Admirable. — This is one of the very best late sorts in
cultivation, and should be classed A 1, in a selection. It is well adapted
for house culture, where it ripens well, after the earlier sorts ; on the
wall it is indispensable.

" 13. Late Catharine. — This is a good old late clingstone, of a large
size, and very handsome appearance ; in favourable autumns it is full
of a rich sugary juice ; keeps a long time. A very useful sort.

" 14- Old Newington. — A handsome clingstone Peach, of tolerable
quality ; may be planted in a large collection, but the two preceding
varieties will answer every useful purpose, in a small collection.

"15. Walburton Admirable. — This is a variety supposed to be a
seedling from Noblesse, which it much resembles ; it ripens about the
same time as the last, and is of great excellence.

"16. Salway Peach. — This variety, which was raised in the garden
of Colonel Salway, from a stone brought from Italy, is one of the latest
varieties known. It has received a very high character from Mr. Ingram,
of the Royal Gardens at Frogmore ; also from the British Pomological
Society, and the Fruit Committee of the Horticultural Society ; and
Mr. Turner, of Slough, informs me, that it in noways loses its high
character on a further acquaintance with its many estimable properties,
but that it may be very confidently recommended as an acquisition of
great worth.

"NECTARINE.— EARLY SORTS.

" 1. Fab-child's Early. — A small red Nectarine, of medium quality,
only valuable for its earliness, for which purpose, when only one is
required, the next is preferable.

" 2. Hunt's Tawny. — This is a medium sized early Nectarine, of
first-rate quality, and well worthy of cultivation.

"MIDSEASON DITTO.

" 3. Boston. — A fine handsome Nectarine, good for forcing, but
requiring the best situation on a south wall, out of doors.

" 4. Elruge. — One of the best in cultivation, good for either walls or
forcing, a great bearer, and a general favourite.

" 5. Old Newington. — This is also a good bearer, of a fine red colour,
and first-rate both in size and quality.

" 6. Early Newington. — Rather earlier and deeper in colour than
the last, and by many preferred to it, but both are good.

" 7- Red Roman. — An old sort, good quality, and an abundant
bearer.

" 8. Brugnon. — A very good second early Nectarine, requires to be
eaten soon after being gathered, as it soon loses flavour.

OCTOBER. S!7

" 9. Violette Hative. — One of first-rate excellence, both for wall and
forcing-house ; a good bearer, and ranks high in point of flavour and
size.

" 10. Pitmaston Orange. — The best of the yellow-fleshed varieties,
good bearer, and first-rate in flavour, size, and quality.

"LATE DITTO.

"11. Vermash. — A fine late Nectarine, of a greenish 'colour,
inclined to red on the side next the sun. Medium size, good quality.

"12. Peterborough. — Similar to the last, but later.

" 13. Staniciek. — There is no doubt but this variety, when its
cultivation is better understood, will prove to be one of the finest late
varieties ; the flavour, as described by Dr. Lindley, is ' as far beyond
all other Nectarines as the Green-gage Plum is beyond all other Plums.'
Mr. M'Ewen observes, in a note, ' The Stanvvick suits well to be grown
in a house with such sorts as the Late and Walburton Admirable,
because a dish of Nectarines with late Peaches is rare, and the treat-
ment agrees.' "

The work is well printed and neatly got up. It opens with a good
representation of the Late Admirable Peach, by Andrews, and wherever
the subject required it, woodcuts have been added by way of illustration.

BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Sept. 1. — Mr. Hogg in the chair. For a collection of fruit, comprising
not less than two dishes, to be exhibited by the grower, a prize was
awarded to Mr. Whiting, of the Deepdene, for a collection comprising
Trebbiana and Raisin de Calabre Grapes ; Bellegarde and Noblesse
Peaches ; Violet Hative and Elruge Nectarines ; Belgian Purple,
Cooper's Large Red, and Imperial Diadem Plums. A second premium
was awarded to Mr. Newton, of East Lodge, Enfield Chase, for a
collection containing Black Hamburgh and Black Morocco Grapes ;
Grosse Mignonne Peaches ; Violette Hative Nectarine ; Williams's
Bon Chretien Pears ; Kirke's and Jefferson Plums ; Red Quarrenden
and Kerry Pippin Apples ; and Red Dutch Currants.

Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, again brought the Seedling Peach he
exhibited last year, and which he at present distinguishes as No. 6 ; it
was raised from the largest of all the Pavies — namely, the Pavie de
Pompone, a late clingstone variety. The flowers (large) and leaves
(with small round glands) are like the parent, but the flesh is red near
the stone, from which it parts freely, and is melting and delicious ; its
season being intermediate between the Royal George series and the later
October kinds. Mr. Rivers reported that it ripens about a fortnight
after the Grosse Mignonne, a tree of which stood beside it in the same
house. Last year it was pronounced promising, and at this examina-
tion it was considered to have sustained the favourable impression formed
of it ; Mr. Rivers, however, expressed his determination to give it a
further trial, and bring it again before the Society. Mr. Rivers also
brought a seedling Peach raised from the Pitmaston Orange Nectarine ;

318 THE FLORIST.

the fruit was very juicy, and possessed in a great degree the flavour of
the parent.

On the subject of Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, Mr. Bye desired
to call attention to an old but almost forgotten method by which he had
retarded and protected the blossoms of the trees on walls for several
years past. About the middle or end of January, he selected the
longest of the untrimmed brushwood intended for Pea-sticks, such as
Hazel or Elm ; the thick end thereof being sharpened the same as if
intended for Peas ; he had them fixed in the ground in front of the
trees, about eighteen inches from the bottom of the wall, and leaning
against it at top ; affording a partial shade to the trees, preventing the
blossoms from expanding too early in spring, and remaining until the
fruit begins to swell. Under such treatment the blossom is about three
weeks later than if uncovered, and during and after flowering a slight
protection is afforded ; and by these means he had secured this year a
fair average crop, while his neighbours had lost all.

Of Grapes, Mr. Whiting exhibited Trebbiana, a variety of the Syrian
or Tokay section, not much known, but worthy of cultivation, as it
produces a large, handsome, well-shouldered, and compact bunch, is
moderately hardy, sets well, and keeps good without shrivelling or
becoming spotted until March. The berry is of full medium size, and
oval; colour pale amber; skin rather thick ; flesh melting, very juicy,
and sweet ; seeds very few, frequently none.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Auriculas. — These may be removed to a southern or western situation
for the winter ; the latter is preferable. Cleanse the frames and glass,
that when necessary to cover the plants they may have the full benefit
of the light. Continue to keep the soil moist through the month, and
open the surface as often as it appears closed. Look well after insects.

Azaleas and Came/lias. — These will now be housed. Pick off
decayed leaves, and keep the plants rather dry and give plenty of air,
that the wood may become thoroughly ripened, which will make the
blooms finer next season.

Carnations and Picotees. — Potting for winter should now be com-
pleted. Never take the layers from the stools when in a wet state.
Remove dead foliage, and grow them as hardy as possible.

Cinerarias — This is the month for progression with this plant. We
suppose that now there are plants in abundance from the early struck
cuttings. Every encouragement should now be given to aid a free
growth. Shift such of the early potted plants as are ready into a size
larger pots, in a compost of ecpjal parts turfy loam and well decomposed
stable manure ; leaf mould will answer the same purpose should this
not be at hand. Keep them as near the glass as possible, and ventilate
freely. As frosts may now be expected, it would not be advisable to
expose them at night. Look well to mildew, and sulphur such as have
it. A slight fumigating now and then with tobacco will be found the

OCTOBER. 319

best preventative against the green -fly, which is a great pest in the
cultivation of this plant. Should compost not be prepared, it should be
attended to forthwith. Give the final shifting to such as are required
for winter flowering.

Conservatory. — From this time the conservatory will be used as a
promenade, and probably as a working room for the ladies in bad
weather; care should therefore be taken to have everything kept as
neat as possible. Avoid crowding the house for the present, as many
things may be kept under temporary shelter ; but keep up a good
stock of sweet plants, with enough of plants in bloom to make it
attractive.

Dahlias. — Seed should be saved as often as it can be gathered ripe
and dry. Remove all dead petals, otherwise the seed will rot in the
pods, there being so much moisture at this time ; a long piece of the
footstalk should be gathered with it. See that all are correctly named
before the frost arrives. Also mark promising seedlings.

Flower Garden. — All the one-year-old Scarlet Geraniums, including
too the variegated class, which it is practicable to winter in any shape,
should be taken up on the approach of frost, and either potted or packed
in boxes, in dry sandy soil. These plants will bloom much earlier and
more profusely the second year than the first, however well they are
prepared ; indeed, we are in the habit of keeping some kinds as long as
we can, as we find them much more telling for certain purposes than
young plants. Some of our vase Geraniums have six or seven hundred
heads of bloom open at one time, and these in very small vases. When
the above are potted, they should be placed under glass for a short time
to enable them to recover themselves, after which their wintering will
depend on what accommodation exists. Salvias, Fuchsias, tall Lobelias,
&c, may also be lifted, and, if clone with care, they will soon rally, and
become very ornamental for mixing with greenhouse and conservatory
plants. Now is a good time to put in cuttings of Calceolarias. Get the
rest of the propagating finished quickly, and harden off those already
struck. Pay attention to order and neatness by picking off decayed
blooms and leaves and keeping the Grass and gravel clean.

Forcing Ground. — Rhubarb and Sea-kale may be started towards
the end of the month, and the empty Melon and Cucumber pits should
have the soil turned up and watered, and the pits filled with French
Beans (which may have been sprouted for the purpose in heat), Lettuce,
Endive, Parsley, and other things required for winter. Plant the Beans,
if you have the room to spare, in pits heated so that you can give them
a little fire heat by and bye ; they will frequently continue bearing till
Christmas, or even later. We prefer the Newington Wonder.

Hard-wooded Plants. — These will require placing under protection of
glass at once. Allow them plenty of room and all the air you can, to
get the wood properly ripened before winter. Before placing them in
their winter quarters look to the drainage, and have the outsides of the
pots well washed ; no plant can thrive well when the surface soil and
outside of the not are covered with vegetation.

Hardy Fruit. — Many kinds of Apples and Pears should be gathered
at once, where not already done ; a few late-ripening kinds may remain

S20 THE FLORIST.

longer on the trees. In keeping the fruit, let all the finest specimens
be laid separately in the fruit room, and handled as slightly as possible,
even when being gathered ; those intended for long keeping should on
no account be tumbled together.

Hollyhocks. — The stools of choice kinds may be potted up, to produce
cuttings during the winter. Cuttings will now strike readily if a little
bottom heat is used ; repot those first struck in nice light rich soil.

Kitchen Garden. — Plant a good breadth of Cabbage for early spring
use ; also, Cauliflowers sown last month should be pricked out on well-
enriched soil, five or six together, to be covered hereafter with hand-
glasses. Another portion of the plants should be pricked into cold
irames, to be protected by glass during severe weather, and a portion
also may be pricked on a warm south border, to take their chance. A
portion of the true Bath Cos Lettuce may also be treated the same, and
fill up the bases of walls and other sheltered places with good hardy
varieties of Cabbage Lettuce, to stand the winter. Broccoli, Borecule,
&c, should be frequently hoed between, and finally earthed up before
frosts come on. Continue earthing up Celery and Cardoons, and tying
up Lettuce and Endive, as the weather permits, and have the ground well
stirred between every growing crop. Potatoes and Carrots may now be
taken up and stored away ; take especial care the latter are quite dry
when put away. Piemove all kinds of litter, decayed vegetables, &c,
from the ground, and spread quicklime over the newly cleared ground ;
this will kill slugs, and save you much trouble in the spring.

Pelargoniums. — These should all be housed without delay, if not
already done ; and, after they are all got in, a good fumigation is
necessary, to clean them thoroughly of green- fly. Those plants that
are intended to flower early, and have not received their final shift,
more especially the specimens that are selected for the early exhibitions,
must not be delayed. Repot young plants as needed. Water carefully
when they require it, and shut the house up soon in the afternoon ; and
towards the end of the month, if the weather is damp and cold, slight
fires will be required at night, so as to keep a dry atmosphere ; and
when the weather is fine, an abundance of air should be given.

Pinks. — If not already done, finish planting out into their blooming
beds, to enable them to get thoroughly established before winter.
Great care should be taken after planting to keep the surface in a
pliable state by stirring or hoeing on a dry day, as this will tend to
facilitate their growth. The taller growing varieties should be secured
by small sticks, to preserve them against strong winds. At the end of
the month, pot up such varieties as are required for wintering in pots.

Tulips. — Examine the bulbs, and if not previously done, let them
now be arranged for planting, making any alterations and improvements
noted down in blooming time. New varieties should now be procured,
and then rearrange them. The bed should now be prepared, that they
may be got in about the 1st of November.

Vinery. — The earliest house of Vines, if Grapes are required next
April, should be pruned at once, the Vines dressed, and the sashes put
on towards the end of the month, previously covering the border, if out-
side, with a good coat of leaves or Fern.

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NOVEMBER. 321

CAMELLIA " COUNTESS OF DERBY."

(Plate 157.)

This truly fine Camellia, like many others of our best varieties,
is of Italian origin, Mr. Veitch having imported it from Italy
during the autumn of 1856. Having seen the plants when in
bloom last spring, we can answer for the following description,
taken from Mr. Veitch's catalogue just published, being strictly
correct : — " The flowers are of immense size, and of a clear
white, broadly and distinctly flaked with deep rose; the
individual petals are of fine form and great substance, and
most beautifully reflexed, which gives the flowers an effect
second to no other in cultivation. It is of vigorous habit, with
foliage of a peculiarly rich green." Our own impression when
looking at the plants last spring was that it was the finest
Camellia in cultivation, and which opinion we think will be
borne out by all who take it into cultivation when it comes to
bloom.

In our May number we gave a list of a few sterling new
varieties which all growers of Camellias should have. Quite
as much has been done by way of improving the form and
properties of the Camellia as with the Azalea, Rhododendron,
and other favourite flowers of the florist, though this is a fact
not generally known. Take a few kinds, as the Double White,
Eimbriata, Chandlerii, Imbricata, Colvillii, Beali, and one or
two others from the old collections, and the rest will stand no
comparison whatever with the magnificent kinds now to be had
at ordinary prices. The new kinds being principally European
hybrids are also of much more vigorous habit than the
originally imported species, and sooner make specimen plants.
We have before alluded to the great value of the Camellia
to country residences as a conservatory plant for the winter,
and also for decorating corridors, halls, &c, it has no com-
petitor ; and we hope the day is not far distant when the same
care and attention will be bestowed on it as is now done in
many places on the continent, when we feel satisfied it will be
as highly prized. A cool shady house for its summer growth,
and protection from frost during winter, are all this noble tribe
requires to form those magnificent sjjecimens which they are
capable of becoming when otherwise suitably grown.

In a note on this Camellia, Mr. Veitch, jun., informs us
that it is at present profusely covered with buds, and that as
he has propagated it extensively he hopes soon to be able to
send it out.

VOL. XII., NO. CXLIII.

322 THE FLORIST.

STRAWBERRIES— ELEANOR, NIMROD, ADAIR.

I see in Strawberry catalogues, as well as in the accounts of the
British Pomological Society in your August number, some things
which I think are incorrect. Nimrod is said to be like Eleanor, and
" difficult to be distinguished from it." " Nimrod (Pince), was so like
Adair, both in fruit and foliage, that the meeting were unable to dis-
tinguish them." Permit me to observe, that, as these Strawberries
grow here, they are, in both cases, as unlike as " horses and hens."
Eleanor is a very large, flatfish, wedge-coned Strawberry — something
like a wedge that you split wood with, a little rounded — with seeds
deeply imbedded and far distant : its colour is, when properly ripened,
deep red, and its flesh nearly red throughout. Its flavour is sharp, and
with a little sugar it is a very good Strawberry, and, to my taste, the
noblest that I have yet seen. No garden should be without it. The
leaf-stalks, here, appear to be more furry or pubescent at the base than
those of Nimrod. The growth also of the plant is more dwarf and
bushy, and the leaves, though like those of Nimrod, are more taper,
and of less substance than those of Nimrod. Mr. May and Mr. Ingram
of Blandford, who have grown both Strawberries for some years, laugh
at the assertion that Nimrod is ITeanor. I see, moreover, that my
Eleanor and Nimrod, coming from a totally different locality, agree
with theirs, both as to plant and fruit. Mr. Gill, nurseryman, of
Blandford, gave me my Nimrod, unsolicited ; and Mr. Tiley gave me
Eleanor, Lecoq, Vilmorin, and Adair, unsolicited.

Let me now proceed to describe Nimrod, as it is here. Nimrod is
Queen-flavoured and sweet, roundish, long-coned, and of a pale orange
red. It is a very excellent Strawberry, and more like Carolina
superba, as they grew under last summer's sun under the same hot
wall, than any other, the leaves of the two being very different, and
Nimrod being much hardier. I sent some fine plants of it to Mr.
Nicholson, with the earth on; and Mr. F. Gloede has also taken some
similar ones, fine uncropped plants, to France with him, as well as other
Strawberries, one of which you may hear of another day. I must
here say, that I do not dispute the correctness of the decision of the
Botanic or Pomological Society, as to the fruits and plants presented
to them under the names of Nimrod and Adair, but I mean to
assert that Nimrod is a totally distinct Strawberry from Eleanor and
Adair.

Now let us come to Adair. Adair is as unlike Nimrod, in foliage
and fruit, as a " pump is unlike a wheelbarrow." Adair is a roundish
heart-shaped Strawberry, with long stems and vigorous leaves, some-
what cupped ; but the leaves of Nimrod are perfectly flat. There is
no Queen flavour in Adair, nor any peculiar flavour. I parted with it,
though a heavy cropping, excellent second-class Strawberry, because I
prefer Trollope's Victoria, hardly so firm, but good in every other
respect. With regard to the colour of Adair ; a little shaded on south
side by a tree, it was pale reddish blush, and not " dark red." Soil,
situation, and different suns greatly alter the colour and also the flavour

NOVEMBER.

323

of the same fruit. Moreover, the same plant, placed under a north
wall or south, assumes a different character* The high characters of
Messrs. Pince, Myatt, and Henderson need no defence from me ; but
it is due to them to issue these observations in relation to Eleanor,
Nimrod, and Adair, three most distinct Strawberries.

I will now say a word about the Rival Queen, which I bought of
Mr. Tiley in 1857, I believe after forcing, but I am not sure. They
did well in plant, but fruited badly, in 1858 ; but this year they have
flowered and fruited nobly. The flavour is first-rate, and so like the
Queen that it would probably deceive you with your eyes shut. I had
two fine picked dishes at my " Entertainment," and all who tasted it
pronounced it to be delicious. I did not mention it in my last, because
one visitor here said he did not think the plants were true ; but now
M. Gloede has been here, and cleared up that point, I have great
pleasure in recommending this elegant and beautiful coned Strawberry,
second to the Queen only in size and firmness, but superior in shape
and the constitution of the plant. I like it better than Carolina superba,
which is very good and first-rate ; but the plant has hitherto assumed
those canary tints which show its near relationship to the noble British
Queen, which is, praecipue and pre-eminens, the best Strawberry as
yet known to me. Her Majesty, here, as usual, is of all colours
— dense green, canary, and Farfugium grande. Hendrie's seedling,
raised from her, is exactly like her in plant and leaf, but a much better
doer, and, if good, and of Queen flavour, will be greatly increased here.
In August next I shall be able to report on several new white seedlings,
and also on Leopold and some others, sent to me, most kindly, by
Mr. Nicholson, accompanied by a desire that I will give him, after
fruiting, a candid opinion. As the old Hautbois and Queen are my
touchstones of flavour, they will have to pass a severe ordeal, but I
promise to be candid. My friend, M. Gloede, most kindly brought
me the white Brittany Pine, Ambrosia, Malakoff, and others ; these,
in due time, I shall be able to speak of. I will only say now, in
conclusion, that I hope that what I have said will not be taken
amiss ; and that, if I am wrong in the above remarks, some one
who has had more experience will be kind enough to correct me.
M. F. Gloede, whose visit was too short, has kindly promised to come
in the fruiting season for a week, which implies a compliment more
than I deserve. He is a talented linguist and fragrarian.

Rushton, Oct. 16. W. F. Radclyffe.

BRUGMANSIA SUAVEOLENS.
Parties having large conservatories or entrance halls to decorate in the
autumn, will find this one of the most useful plants, treated as under,
If commencing with a young plant it must be grown on as much as
possible the first year, keeping it to one stem ; and if anything like
justice has been done.it will attain a considerable height, so that the
next season's routine may be taken as the annual one. In March or

324 THE FLORIST.

April cut this back to (say) 5 or 6 feet, according to the height required,
allowing from 3 to 4 ftr the growth of the young shoots before
branching out. Shake it out, and repot it in a proportionate sized pot,
giving it nothing but well-decayed .Melon ground dung, in lumps, and
a little sand ; if convenient to the parties, give a little bottom heat, that
by having a stock it gives earlier bloom, but this is by no means
necessary to success ; when it begins to break all the shoots must be
rubbed off but one — in this and the dung, I consider, lies the secret.
For three months, I have seen from twenty to eighty blooms out
every morning on this young shoot, filling the air with perfume.
The older the plant the more certain the success as to large blooms and
rich dark leaves.

J. F.

LEASOWES, THE RESIDENCE OF THE POET SHENSTONE.

This place is famous in the history of modern landscape gardening, but
very little is known of its details. The following from the pen of Whately
may be worth preserving : —

" Near the entrance into the ground this walk suddenly plunges into
a dark narrow dell, filled with small trees which grow upon abrupt
and broken steeps, and watered by a brook, which falls among roots
and stones down a natural cascade into the hollow. The stream at
first is rapid and open ; it is afterwards concealed by thickets, and can
be traced only by its murmurs ; and gliding then between little groups
of trees, loses itself at last in a piece of water just below. The end of
this sequestered spot opens to a pretty landscape, which is very simple ;
for the parts are but few, and all the objects are familiar ; they are
only the piece of water, some fields on an easy ascent beyond it, and the
steeple of a church above them.

" The next scene is more solitary ; it is confined within itself, a rude
neglected bottom, the sides of which are over-run with bushes and
Fern, interspersed with several trees. A rill also runs through this
little valley, issuing from a wood which hangs on one of the declivities ;
the stream winds through the wood in a succession of cascades down a
quick descent of a hundred and fifty yards in continuance ; Alders and
Hornbeam grow in the midst of its bed ; they shoot up in several
stems from the same root, and the current trickles amongst them. On
the banks are some considerable trees, which spread but a chequered
shade, and let in here and there a sunbeam to play upon the water ;
beyond them is a slight coppice, just sufficient to screen the spot from
open view ; but it casts no gloom, and the space within is all an animated
scene ; the stream has a peculiar vivacity, and the singular appearance
of the upper falls, high in the trees, and seen through the boughs, is
equally romantic, beautiful, and lively. The walk having passed through
this wood, returns into the same valley, but into another part of it,
similar in itself to the former ; and yet they appear to be very different
scenes, from the conduct only of the path ; for, in the one, it is open,

NOVEMBER. 325

in the bottom, and perfectly retired ; in the other, it is on the brow ; it
is shaded, and it overlooks not only the little, wild below, but some corn
fields also on the opposite side, which, by their cheerfulness and their
proximity, dissipate every idea of solitude.

" At the extremity of the vale is a grove of large forest trees, inclining
down a steep declivity ; and near it are two fields, both irregular, both
beautiful, but distinguished in every particular ; the variety of Leasowes
is wonderful ; all the enclosures are totally different ; there is seldom a
single circumstance in which they agree. Of these near the grove,
the lower field comprehends both the sides of a deep dip ; the upper is
one large knoll ; the former is encompassed with thick wood ; the latter
is open ; a slight hedge, and a serpentine river, are all its boundaries.
Several trees, single or in groups, are scattered over the swells of the
ground ; not a tree is to be seen on all the steeps of the hollow. The
path creeps under a hedge round the one, and catches here and there
only peeps of the country. It runs directly across the other to the
highest eminence, and bursts at once upon the view.

"This prospect is also a source of endless variety ; it is cheerful and
extensive, over a fine hilly country, richly cultivated, and full of
objects and inhabitants ; Hales Owen, a large town, is near ; and the
Wrekin, at 30 miles distance, is distinctly visible in the horizon.
From the knoll, which has been mentioned, it is seen altogether, and
the beautiful farm of the Leasowes is included in the landscape. In
other spots, plantations have been raised, or openings cut, on purpose
to shut out, or let in, parts of it, at certain points of view. Just below
the principal eminence, which commands the whole, is a seat, where all
the striking objects being hid by a few trees, the scene is simply a range
of enclosed country. This at other seats is excluded, and only the town,
or the church, or the steeple without the church, appears. A village,
a farm house, or a cottage, which had been unobserved in the confusion
of the general prospect, becomes principal in more contracted views ;
and the same object which at one place seemed exposed and solitary, is
accompanied at another with a foreground of wood, or backed by a
beautiful hill. The attention to every circumstance which could diver-
sify the scene has been indefatigable ; but the art of the contrivance can
never be perceived — the effect always seems accidental.

" The transitions also are generally very sudden ; from this elevated
and gay situation, the change is immediate to sober and quiet home
views. The first is a pasture, elegant as a polished lawn, in size not
diminutive, and enriched with several fine trees, scattered over ground
which lies delightfully. Just below it is a little waste, shut up by rude
steeps and wild hanging coppices, on one side of which is a wood, full of
large timber trees, and thick with underwood. This receives into its
bosom a small irregular piece of water, the other end of which is open ;
and the light there breaking in enlivens all the rest, even where trees
overhang, or thickets border upon the banks, though the reflection of
the shadows, the stillness of the water, and the depth of the wood,
spread a composure over the whole scene ; yet the coolness of it strikes no
chill ; the shade spreads no gloom ; the retreat is peaceful and silent,
but not solemn — a refreshing shelter from the scorching heat of noon,

326 THE FLORIST.

without suggesting the most distant idea of the damp and the darkness
of night.

" A rill much more gentle than any of the former runs from this
piece of water through a coppice of considerable length, dropping here
and there down a shallow fall, or winding about little pits, in which
some groups of small trees are growing. The path is conducted along
the bank to the foot of a hill, which it climbs in an awkward zig-zag ;
and on the top it enters a straight walk, over-arched with trees ; but
though the ascent and terrace command charming prospects, they are
both too artificial for the character of the Leasowes. The path, how-
ever, as soon as it is freed from this restraint, recovers its former
simplicity, and descends through several fields, from which are many
pretty views of the farm, distinguished by the varieties of the ground,
the different enclosures, the hedges, the hedge-rows, and the thickets,
which divide them ; or the clumps, the single trees, and now and then
a haystack, which sometimes break the lines of the boundaries, and
sometimes stand out in the midst of the pastures.

" At the end of the descent an enchanting grove overspreads a small
valley, the abrupt sides of which form the banks of a lovely rivulet,
which winds along the bottom ; the stream rushes into the dell by a
very precipitate cascade, which is seen through openings in the trees,
glimmering at a distance among the shades which overhang it ; the
current, as it proceeds, drops down several falls, but between them it
is placid and smooth ; it is everywhere clear, and sometimes dappled
by gleams of light ; while the shadow of every single leaf is marked on
the water, and the verdure of the foliage above, of the moss, and the
grass, and the wild plants, on the brink, seems brightened in the
reflection ; various pretty clusters of open coppice wood are dispersed
about the banks ; stately forest trees rise in beautiful groups upon fine
swelling knolls above them ; and often one or two detached from the
rest, incline down the slopes, or slant across the stream. As the valley
descends, it grows more gloomy ; the rivulet is lost in a pool, which is
dull, encompassed and darkened by large trees ; and just before the
stream enters it, in the midst of a plantation of Yews, is a bridge of
one arch, built of a dusky coloured stone, and simple even to rudeness ;
but this gloom is not a black spot, ill-united with the rest ; it is only a
deeper cast of shade ; no part of the fence is lightsome; a solemnity
prevails over the whole, and it receives an additional dignity from an
inscription on a small obelisk, dedicating the grove to the genius of
Virgil. Near to this delightful spot is the first entrance into the
grounds, and thither the walk tends, along the side of a rill.

" But it would be injustice to quit the Leasowes without mentioning
one or two circumstances, which, in following the course of the walk,
could not well be taken notice of. The art with which the divisions
between the fields are diversified is one of them ; even the hedges are
distinguished from each other ; a common quickset fence is in one
place the separation ; in another, it is a lofty hedge-row, thick from the
top to the bottom; in a third, it is a continued range of trees, with
all their stems clear, and the light appearing in the intervals between
their boughs and the bushes beneath them ; in others, these lines of

NOVEMBER. 327

trees are broken, a few groups only being left at different distances ;
and sometimes a wood, a grove, a coppice, or a thicket, is the apparent
boundary, and by them both the shape and the style of the enclosure
are varied.

"The inscriptions which abound in the place are another striking
peculiarity ; they are well known and justly admired ; and the elegance
of the poetry, and the aptness of the quotations, atone for their length
and number ; but, in general, inscriptions please no more than once ;
the utmost they can pretend to, except when their allusions are emble-
matical, is to point out the beauties, or describe the effects, of the spots
they belong to ; but those beauties and those effects must be very faint,
which stand in need of the assistance. Inscriptions, however, to com-
memorate a departed friend are evidently exempt from this censure ;
the monuments would be unintelligible without them ; and an urn, in
a lonely grove, or in the midst of a field, is a favourite embellishment
at the Leasowes. They are, indeed, amongst the principal ornaments
of the place, for the buildings are mostly mere seats, or little root-
houses ; a ruin of a priory is the largest, and that has no peculiar
beauty to recommend it ; but a multiplicity of objects are unnecessary
in the farm ; the country it commands is full of them, and every natural
advantage of the place within itself has been discovered, applied, con-
trasted, and carried to the ucmost perfection, in the purest taste, and
with inexhaustible fancy."

THE CAMELLIA.
Within the last thirty years or so, Camellias have been planted in the
open air, some against walls, and others as bushes ; and provided they
are protected a little after planting, till their roots become firmly esta-
blished in the soil, they stand as well as the common Laurel, in the
climate of London. In Devonshire, Camellias have grown to immense
bushes without any protection, and have also ripened seeds, from which
young plants have been raised. Camellias, however, succeed best when
treated as conservatory plants ; that is, when planted in an open border,
under glass, just protected from frost, and freely exposed to light and
air ; they then grow to large evergreen bushes, covered with dense
foliage, upon which, as on a lovely background, their fine flowers are
beautifully relieved : they are then far handsomer objects than when
their roots are confined within the limits of a garden pot or box.^

The most successful and generally applied method of increasing this
family, is by grafting or inarching ; and by these means each variety
is extended and perpetuated : the most suitable season for performing
the operation is in spring, when the plants have done flowering, and
show an inclination to grow ; the re-action of the vital powers does not
however take place in all, at any one particular time, on account of
Camellias being forced into bloom at different periods ; this point, there-
fore, I consider it best to leave to the good judgment and practical
experience of the cultivator ; yet those that are done in the latter _ end
of March and beginning of April will be most successful. Sometimes

328 THE FLORIST.

they are increased by cuttings, but this is both a tedious and precarious
method of obtaining them, especially the double varieties. It is only
from seeds that we can expect new varieties, and of these, the single
red is most prolific : they should be sown as soon as they are ripe, in a
compost of one part loam, one part leaf mould, one part heath mould,
and one part silver sand ; after sowing, plunge the pots in a hot-bed,
and the seeds will vegetate in a month or six weeks : if, on the other
hand, the seeds are kept long, they will seldom vegetate in less than a
year, and the greater number not at all. Stocks raised from seed are
the best, but as these latter are seldom produced in any quantity in this
country, and are seldom imported in a fit state to vegetate, recourse is
had to some other source for the almost unlimited number annually
required. Layering may be considered as the best means of meeting
the demand, and it is accordingly much resorted to ; for this purpose
stools are planted, of the common red variety, or any of the common
sorts, in a cold frame or pit, and layers are made of the young wood of
the previous year, which will root freely, and make good stocks the
following season.

On preparing soil for the Camellia, various opinions have been enter-
tained, and two growers of this tribe of plant can scarcely be found who
entirely agree in the preparation of their compost. The soil used by
nurserymen, and that used by gardeners, ought to be two very different
compositions : the nurseryman is looking to bulk of plant, and increase
of young wood ; while, on the other hand, the gardener's object is to
increase the proportion of blossoms. The soil most suitable for growing
the Camellia, and producing flowers, is two parts good loam from a
pasture, and two parts heath mould, which ought to be brought to the
compost yard at least twelve months previous to its being used, during
which time it should be freely exposed to the action of the atmosphere,
which is of great importance. The soil ought to be mixed, and broken
with the spade, never resorting to the detestable and often-practised
plan of sifting, which carries away and abstracts the decomposing
fibrous matter, which is the principal support of plants cultivated in
pots.

The soil used by nurserymen ought to be that recommended above,
for seed sowing, which if used with the addition of a small portion of
wTell-decomposed cow-dung, will have every tendency to produce young
wood, which is their chief object.

In potting Camellias, great attention should be paid to secure a free
drainage, a circumstance of infinite importance to their welfare : also,
so to place the potsherds as to defy the entrance of the earthworm,
having for a second course a quantity of burnt clay, or potsherds, broken
about the size of horse beans ; and finally, a layer of dry sphagnum or
turf not decomposed, the quantity of each to be regula.ed by the size of
the pots.

When the plants become rather large they may be placed in tubs, in
preference to large pots, if there is not the convenience of a conservatory
border for them. It may here be remarked with what apparent
pleasure the roots cling to the sides of a tub and receive refreshment,
and on the other hand how speedily they return whence they came,

NOVEMBER. 329

namely, into the exhausted ball of earth, whenever they come in contact
with the sides of a pot.

Various opinions are also held as to what season of the year is fittest
for repotting Camellias, but this, I think, ought also to range under two
heads : the one, with a view to the increase of wood, and the other that
of blossoms ; for, be it remembered, the production of wood, and of
flowers, are two very different affairs. It is the opinion of some of our
most practical men that potting should be performed as soon as they
begin to grow ; this is, I think, most applicable to the nurseryman's
course of treatment, his object being to obtain luxuriant plants. The
best season to repot them, to obtain a profusion of bloom, is, as soon as
the young wood is ripe, or nearly so, when the flower buds can be
observed. It is a good rule never to set in action a new series of fibres,
until the flower buds are actually formed, but if the plants are potted
at the period when re-action takes place, an abundance of wood and few
flower buds must be expected. If the roots are matted, be particular in
leasing them out at the bottom with the hand, and apply the knife as
seldom as possible ; it has a great tendency to make them canker and
short-lived. After this is completed, the plants may be placed in a
north aspect, beside a wall, or they may be placed in a greenhouse,
according to the season they are wanted in flower. If placed in a house,
a free current of air is indispensable. At all times, attention should be
paid to the watering of them properly, more particularly during the
swelling of the buds ; likewise in their growing season they ought to be
plentifully supplied with that element.

They should be frequently watered overhead, with a moderately fine
syringe, so as to wash away the dust from their leaves, which to all
plants is extremely injurious, as by falling on the surface it stops the
pores through which they are supposed to breathe, which must conse-
quently be highly detrimental to them.

E. P.

ROSA DEVONIENSIS IN PARTICULAR, AND OTHER
ROSES IN GENERAL.

Those who have frequented the picture galleries of Italy must have
often remarked a very favourite subject of the Italian masters — an
unfortunate man tied to a stake, and exhibiting much the same sort of
appearance that a target, on some crack archery tete day does, arrows
sticking out all over his body, making him look more like the " fretful
porcupine," than would be consistent with comfort. Such a St.
Sebastian (for that is the name of this poor martyr, and if I recollect
aright there is one in the Dulwich Gallery, whose existence perhaps is
about as authentic as our own St. George, or many other of the saint-
ships, which have emanated from the same mint) it seems floriculturally
I am to be. Your correspondent, Mr. Willcocks, takes me to task for a
wrong done to that splendid rose " Devoniensis," by giving it a French
instead of an English parentage; then comes my friend "Iota," who
turns me over completely — philosophizes on my errors, and then calls

330 THE FLORIST.

me a " Parthian " (I suppose his arrows are to take me flying, and to
stamp me as a runaway); while, when I turn to the "Gossip of the
Garden," I find another friend (save me from my friends!) "<£," gives
me a tremendous castigation on the same score, because forsooth I am
desirous of attempting a change in the way of judging Auriculas — more
of this by and bye.

But now let me say a word on the subject of your correspondent's
letter about Devoniensis. I am afraid, though a very good gardener,
he is not a lawyer ; he has never had to hunt up a pedigree, or prove
a case before a court ; he has never experienced the delightful sensation
of being cross-examined by a " 'cute" lawyer, and after being spitted
and gibbeted — been told, " no hearsay, if you please, Sir, speak as to
facts, not what you think." Let him imagine then a sharp practitioner,
who wishes to obtain a decent little property for a client, and who to do
that has to consult various registers, and obtain certificates of births,
deaths, &c. He has been very successful in his search, has got a nice
bundle of them, and thinks all is in a fair train, when he is thrown off
the scent, by the difficulty of obtaining one marriage certificate ; he
consults all sorts of people, they tell him "Oh yes! they know all about
it, they believe the parties were married in Bubbleton Church ; " off he
goes, no such thing — the clerk thinks it was the next parish, there
again he fails ; and at last nonplussed he returns to his chief, and says
he hears and understands and thinks. " Ah ! my good friend, that won't
do ; we must have the proof, or our case fails." Now, when I began to
read Mr. Willcocks' letter, I soliloquized — " Well, clearly I am wrong,
nothing can be more circumstantial than this, and I shall have to
apologize in the next number of the t lorist ;" but, as I went on, just
where the interest of the paper was greatest, and where one expected
the evidence most conclusively to overthrow me, a gleam of hope shot
across me. Ah ! he knows all about the pleasure he had — he tells very
prettily his share in it ; but, when he comes to the point, happily for
me he fails, he understood, he says, that it was raised from seed. Now,
when I say happily, I do not by any means wish to take away from
us the credit of having reared such a Rose, but one does not like to find
one's self in the wrong, and, until Mr. W. can give better evidence than
what he heard, I must be content to say " non proven." I have
certainly seen somewhere, whether in Mr. Kivers's " Rose Guide " or
not, I cannot say — statements to the effect that it is of French origin,
the presumption is in favour of that ; the very thickness of the petal
would be against the probability of such a flower being raised in this
country ; and I think it quite as likely as not, that the brave lieutenant
picked it up in his wanderings, for it was at a time when the Rose was
not so much thought of as now, when English growers did not visit the
Continent as they do now — seize on everything they could, and then
bring home a Rose and call it after their own name. This I call a
take-in ; the general public are led to believe that it was raised by the
person whose name it bears, and perhaps are soft enough to think that
they too may become raisers of seedlings that are to bear their names.
I am glad to find that Mr. Standish does not claim Eugene Appert as
his, but acknowledges its parentage. Little is to be gained by sailing

NOVEMBER. 331

under false colours, even at the time, and by and bye one may get a
sharp blow, which would have been avoided if strict truth had been
adhered to ; and, while upon the subject of Roses, I may take the
opportunity of answering the questions of several correspondents as to
the best Roses — as in every list of the kind that I may give I do not
pledge myself that they will please everybody, but they are what have
pleased me. I take now the Hybrid Perpetual class : —

Alexandrine Bachmeteff, bright red, a free blooming and good growing rose,

inclined to show the eye.
Alice Leroy, a very bright pink, full, and prettily shaped rose, with me delicate

in growth, and therefore better as a dwarf than a standard.
Baronne Prevost, an old and fine rose, true rose colour, but eclipsed by Colonel

de Rougemont, in the same style.
Duchess of Norfolk, rich lively crimson, a very bright flower.
Colonel de Rougemont, an improved Baronne Prevost.
Cardinal Patrizzi, a bright crimson approaching scarlet, excellent.
Comte de Nanteuil, rose, a cupped Coupe d'Hebe style of flower, excellent habit.
Duke of Cambridge, brilliant red, large-sized flower.
Eveque de Nimes, brilliant crimson, a beautiful rosette style of flower, but I fear

the habit of the plant is not good.
Geaut des Batailles, still an indispensable rose, though faulty in its dying off

slaty, and with me inclined to die out.
General Bedeau, bright red; a very beautiful rose.

„ Brea, bright pink, with a good deal of the habit of the Bourbons in it.
,, Jacqueminot, you may rind fault with it if you like, but you must have it.
„ Simpson, a very beautifully shaped carmine-coloured rose.
J ules Margottiu, large, bright crimson, a free grower, and most abundant bloomer.
Lord Palmerston, bright carmiue; as jaunty as his namesake, but of his habit I

know nothing.
Lord Raglan, a well-shaped crimson rose, but I do not think it deserves to be

called vivid, as there is a dulness about it, as far as my experience goes.
Eugene Appert, I shall be disappointed if this rose do not eclipse Geaut and

others of the same stock.
Louise Peyronney, a splendid bright rose, shy in flowering, but grand in the

Madame Knorr, bright rose, the guard petals lighter than the centre, giving it
sometimes the appearance of Blairii No. 2.
„ Laffay, a fine old rose.

„ Massou, crimson rose, a large and striking flower.
„ Rivers, in some catalogues marked as a pillar rose, with me very delicate,

but a pretty flesh-coloured rose.
„ Vidot, a very beautifully shaped flesh-coloured rose.
Mathurin Regnier, an improved William Griffiths.
Paul Dupuy, a charming rose, rather delicate in growth.
Prince Leon, a lovely flower, too well known to need a word in its favour.
Souvenir de la Reine d'Angleterre, a vigorous growing, large, but somewhat

coarse rose.
Triomphe de Paris, dark crimson ; a fine free-growing variety.

l'Exposition, brilliant crimson, flower cupped, habit of plant excellent
',' des Beaux Arts, a bright crimson and warm-looking flower.
Victor Trouillard, a very dark well-filled crimson flower.
William Griffiths, a good old and indispensable flower.
Arthur de Sansal, deep purplish crimson, a well-shaped rose.
Prince de la Moskowa, the darkest Hybrid Perpetual grown, very striking.
Emperor Napoleon, nearly scarlet, and very beautiful.

I do not think that any of these 36 Roses would disappoint a grower,
most of them I have in growth, and all but two or three I have seen in
various places, and I think they can be with confidence recommended.
Deal, October IS. D-

332 THE FLORIST.

CHINESE YAM.
Messrs. Ivery & Son, Dorking, exhibited to the Horticultural Society,
last year, som^ fine tubers of the Dioscorea Batatas, accompanied by
the following letter : —

" We have sent nine roots of Dioscorea Batatas. The three largest
were obtained from whole roots planted the first week in April,
and then weighed about 1 lb. each. The other six roots were obtained
from cut sets planted at the same time, and side by side. The ground
was trenched to the depth of 3 feet, and had a good coat of hot-bed
manure ; they were planted 1 foot apart in the row, and 2| feet
between the rows (there being only two roots). When they began to
grow we had them sticked with pea-sticks, but for these the plants soon
got too strong, and we then had placed between the two rows some fir-
poles, to which the plants soon clung, as the points of the shoots twist
round the pole, in the same manner as those of the hop. The foliage
of the plant is very ornamental ; and the bloom, though small, is very
fragrant."

The largest of the tubers weighed 4 lb., and when taken up 4 lb. 6 oz.
The above mode of cultivation may therefore be recommended. It is
reasonable to suppose, that, as the plant is adapted for twining, its
foliage will be in a more natural position, and better exposed to light,
when elevated, than if left to trail on the damp soil, and that it will
consequently the better elaborate the sap for the production of roots of
large size, and superior quality.

PLANTING AND PLANTATIONS.

{Continued from page 302.)

The result of mixing deciduous and evergreen trees in the same planting
is to mar the effect of the whole, more especially in winter; for, when
viewed from a distance, the naked stems of the deciduous plants give the
appearance of so many blanks between the evergreens, and destroy the
massiveness which groups of evergreens should present at that season ;
and which, viewing them as component parts of landscape scenery,
should by all means be kept unbroken. The great beauty and utility
of evergreens is best studied and appreciated in winter ; not only do
they afford shelter and retreats from the cold winds of our climate at
that season, but they enliven the scenery by their cheerful expression,
and on bright sunny days give animation to the landscape by the play
of light on their foliage, caused by the reflection of the sun's rays from
the surface of their leaves, and which, when put in motion by a breeze,
afford a striking contrast to the general torpor of vegetation around.
What is more beautiful in the depth of winter and early spring than to
view large masses of evergreens, even of the commonest kinds, such as we
now and then see surrounding some old-fashioned residence, bestowing
a warmth and tone about the place which no other kind of embellish-
ment can give, and forcing the idea upon us of the agreeable shelter

NOVEMBER. 333

they afford to the mansion they embower, as well as improving the
general scenery of the locality. Under almost every arrangement of
ornamental planting we would keep each class separate. Groups of
flowering shrubs and ornamental leaved plants may be introduced under
certain restrictions in the foreground of planting intended to be backed
by evergreens ; but they should not interfere with any landscape feature
it is desirable the evergreens should assume, so that, while adding
to the interest of the whole during summer, they will not detract from
it in the winter, when their own powers of pleasing are over. What
more effectual means (where a certain amount of colour is required at
particular seasons) is there of showing to advantage the glowing tints
of the Azalea, or the graceful forms of some species of Spiraea, or the
rich scarlet pervading the dying leaves of the Sumach, than a deep
background of evergreens, provided these latter are planted so as to employ
the foreground ot deciduous shrubs to assist merely in giving the
colour wanted, without weakening the effect of the evergreen masses
behind them in winter.

But there are very few places or situations where the massing or
planting of deciduous trees and shrubs by themselves cannot be carried
out, and then it is we see how completely they are suited for producing
the most striking display of flowers and foliage in their season. Such
combinations should not be introduced in sight of the principal windows
of the mansion, for the reason, that groups of this character will have a
cold and somewhat formal appearance during winter, owing to the naked
ground which would be visible on the margin of their foreground.
But in their proper situation, as an ornament to the pleasure grounds
or shrubbery, what a rich glow of colour may be produced by selecting
the most showy species of Azalea, Spiraea, Hibiscus, Syringa, Cytisus,
Genista, Cistus, Amygdalus, Ribes, Wistaria, Weigela, Lonicera,
Magnolias, &c, and grouping them with Acers, Acacias, Cercis,
Aralias, the Leycesteria, Rhus, Quercus, Liriodendrons, Edwardsias,
Koelreuteria, &c, with aforeground of Hypericums, tree and common
Pseonies, Helianthemums, dwarf Cistus, and Clematis (pegged down),
with occasional patches of Roses. We have never seen this tried on
the large scale the plan deserves, but groups of this character would
unquestionably produce during summer and autumn a grand effect ;
while by careful attention to the time of flowering, and the height and
habit of each species, the utmost harmony might be kept up, and
the groups made to assume any particular outline called for by the
natural or artificial character of the surrounding scenery.

To carry out this system to its highest limits, as regards the pro-
duction of bloom, good culture would be necessary. Many of the
species, to grow them well, require liberal manurings ; others, as the
Azaleas, a particular soil; and some, annual prunings. These are
points which are, however, easily managed, and common to all kinds of
gardening.

While the above system would constitute a principal feature of the
summer garden, evergreens alone would furnish the winter and early
spring scenery with the grandest exhibition, and one giving more
characteristic expression to the grounds ; for, by studying the outline

334 THE FLORIST.

and shade of colour of each species, the planter might fairly reckon on
producing a scenic effect which, although perfectly distinct from that
produced by deciduous trees, would be equally, perhaps more really
beautiful than the former, with the advantage of even a larger field of
materials to work with, for we may select from evergreens every shade
of green, including the sombre hue of Pinus pichta, the Irish Yew, and
Garrya elliptica, and the softest shades of silver grey, as witnessed in
Abies Menziesi, the Swedish Juniper, Sabine's Pine, and Abies Bruno-
niana ; then there is the warm green of Pinus insignis and P. tuber-
culata, the peculiar glaucous hue of many varieties of Cedar, the full
deep green of Abies grandis and Nordmanniana. We might carry
these remarks much further, but conclude by pointing to the warm
yellow tints of the dwarf Corsican Pine, the gold-striped Yew, and
variegated White Cedar, to the many beautiful forms of variegation
met with in the Holly, the Euonymus, and some other evergreen
plants, as affording the planter every gradation of tint, from the deepest
green to a rich golden yellow and silver grey, and leaving him the
power to employ each as judgment may direct for producing pictorial
effect of the highest class — an effect totally lost by the indiscriminate
principle of modern planting.

Then, as regards habit, what variety of form and outline do not
evergreens give us. The spiral form of the upright Cypress holds the
same position among evergreens as the Lombardy Poplar among
deciduous trees ; while the sharp outline of the Irish Yew and giant
Cephalotaxus, with the more graceful and perhaps more beautiful
Swedish Juniper, make them indispensable accompaniments to archi-
tectural gardening ; and also for breaking up, and contrasting with
round-headed trees and shrubs, for which, on a large scale, the large
Californian Cypress (C. Lambertiana) will equally apply. Abies grandis,
pichta, and Nordmanniana are admirably adapted, from their dense
habit and dark foliage, for forming the back ground of plantations ; each
belongs to what may be termed the pyramidal section, and their repre-
sentatives among the round-headed Pines will be Pinus Benthamiana,
austriaca, Montezuma?, and the Pinaster and Stone Pines, P. insignis
and radiata holding an intermediate place. The Cedars may occasionally
be grouped, but their characteristic habit is best developed when planted
singly ; they may be sparingly admitted in the foreground of large masses
and plantations, more especially the Deodar and Mount Atlas Cedar ;
but the Cedar of Lebanon harmonises completely with no other
vegetable form, and requires the ground to itself, unless when planted
where it can be said to ally itself with the simple but grand forms of
the classic school of architecture, for which it is admirably adapted.

By a rather singular coincidence, the Coniferous tribe, while fur-
nishing the most gigantic forms of vegetation to be met with on the
surface of the globe, and as such adapted for the grandest situations
where trees will grow, supply us also with specimens equally suited for
the villa, the parsonage, and the ferme ornee. Pinus Mugho rarely
attains 20 feet in height, with all the characteristics of an old tree ;
Pinus pumilio is yet dwarfer ; Abies orientalis is a dwarf and elegant
form of the common Spruce, and there are many other dwarf varieties

NOVEMBER, 335

of the same species. A. pinsapo and cephalonica are both invaluable
for specimens on small lawns, as well as for working in with others.
Juniperus recurva and caucasica are beautiful weeping plants of mode-
rate growth, and Juniperus phcenicea and thurifera are equally striking
for situations where room is an object.

The length of our remarks on Coniferce must prevent our noticing at
length the many handsome varieties of Holly, Yew, Box, Berberry,
Mahonia, Euonymus, Phillyrea, and others ; and also of that im-
portant class called American plants, of which, however, only the
hardier kinds, which grow freely and mass well together, can the
planter notice, these form round-headed groups with a dense habit,
valuable for working in with other plants, independent of their flowers,
which constitute them a great feature in May and June. In thus
bringing forward what we consider would be an improvement in much of
our present mode of making plantations and shrubberies, we feel we
have only entered on the threshold of a most important subject, and one
which we shall be glad to hear is taken up by those who have the spirit
to break through the old rules of planting, and to substitute a more
rational and higher class style of art in its stead.

PRUNING AND TRAINING THE VINE.

To several inquiries which have reached us on this subject, the fol-
lowing will be found a satisfactory reply. It is from Thompson's
" Gardener's Assistant," an excellent work just completed, and of
which we have spoken favourably in former numbers.

" The mode of bearing in the Vine is very different from that of
many other kinds of fruit-trees. In the Peach, for example, no fruit is
borne on the young shoots of the current year, but on these blossom-buds
are formed for fruiting in the following season ; and it can be perceived in
winter where fruit will be situated in the summer, provided no accident
occur. Such is not the case with the Vine ; a shoot may push from an
unseen latent eye in the old wood, and on this shoot as it grows, whilst
young and tender, the rudiments of a bunch may be seen ; and
frequently, as the same shoot proceeds in growth, a second bunch, or
more, will sometimes be formed. A young shoot may this year grow
to the length of 15 or 20 feet, and having been shortened to 10 or 12
feet by cutting off the more recently formed, and consequently least
matured portion, an eye or bud will be found in the axil of every leaf
on that which remains. Next season it is possible that on this shoot,
or rod, as it is termed, every eye may develop a young shoot which will
bear one or two bunches of Grapes. Thus, any young shoot of a Vine,
whether proceeding from a bud on the last year's shoot, or from older
wood, is eligible for bearing fruit. Therefore, whether we leave the
last year's shoots long, or short, or cut them back to within a few eyes
of their bases, or even to the lowest eye, still on the shoot or shoots
which push there may be fruit. It is necessary to bear in mind, that
if the sap finds plenty of eyes on young rods of the preceding season's

336 THE FLORIST.

growth, it will not readily push latent eyes from old wood. Some
principally depend on the last year's shoots for bearing the crop, leaving
a few at considerable length for that purpose ; others do the same,
cutting them back, however, to shorter lengths and leaving more of
them ; whilst many adopt the system of cutting back all the last year's
wood nearly close to the stem. Accordingly there are three systems in
use, termed the long-rod, the short-rod, and the spur systems, and
there are various intermediate modifications of these. It must be
admitted that good crops have been obtained for several years in suc-
cession by each of the above methods ; and that being the case, it is
evident that productiveness does not absolutely depend on the adoption
of any particular mode of training. Whatever this may be, the pro-
duction of foliage, and its maintenance in an efficient state, should be
the primary consideration. As regards the culture of the Vine under
glass, some that get credit for being goo& fruit growers are not in all
cases good leaf growers. A person may obtain large crops of fruit for
a few years if he have strong well- conditioned Vines to commence with ;
but if the quantity of foliage he maintains be not equal to supply the
roots with a due share of elaborated sap, a general weakness will
ensue. Roots under certain circumstances will continue to grow for a
time, although there be no leaves on the plant ; but the growth of
roots cannot be long carried on independent of the leaves. If the
foliage is scanty, the roots will be few ; if unhealthy, the roots will
soon become unhealthy too. The amount of foliage should be as much
as can possibly be well exposed to light, of course more or less according
to the surface of glass. So far then as regards the essential principle of
maintaining the Vine in a healthy vigorous state, that mode of pruning
and training is the best which admits of the greatest amount of foliage
being exposed to light. In order to turn the structure to the best
account, as great an amount as possible of the light transmitted through
the glass should act upon the foliage. We do not, of course, mean that
the leaves should form a close green canopy under the glass through
which no direct solar rays could penetrate, and below which all would
be darkness ; on the contrary, there ought to be numerous openings
clear of foliage, so that the whole of the interior of the house may be
light. Under one sash the leaves should not be crowded, whilst below
others there are none. Whatever mode of training we may choose to
adopt, these observations should be borne in mind ; for, by acting in
accordance with them, Vines will be kept long in good health and
bearing, instead of being ruined, as is frequently the case when, in
training, the importance of the foliage is overlooked.

" Long '-rod System. — By this it is generally admitted that larger
bunches are obtained than by the spur system ; but for a greater
weight of fruit under the same extent of glass the latter is preferred.
In long-rod pruning the principle is to train a shoot of the last year's
growth for producing shoots to bear fruit in the current year, shortening
it more or less according to its strength. From the buds formed on it
last season, young shoots will push and bear fruit in the present.
After bearing, this rod is cut away ; thus all the two-years old wood is
dispensed with, provided it is not required to furnish the upper, part of

NOVEMBER. 337

the house. As by this system the two-years old rods have to be cut
away in the autumn, young shoots must be trained up during the
summer, in order to be ready to replace them ; and these, in their turn,
are cut out in the autumn of the following season, and are then replaced
by shoots of that summer's growth. Long-rod training in its simplest
form is accomplished as follows : —

" Plant the Vine, train up one shoot, and when the leaves have fallen
prune it back to the bottom of the rafter. In the next season train up
only two of the best shoots, and when they have completed that season's
growth cut one of them back to two eyes at the base. The shoot left
at greatest length will likely bear some fruit ; the other, cut back to
two eyes, will produce two shoots. In autumn the one which bore the
fruit should be cut out ; one of the two young shoots cut back according
to its strength, will supply its place, and the other young shoot must be
cut back to two eyes. ' This mode of pruning and training is appli-
cable principally to those houses where the rafters only are to be
occupied by the Vine, as over the Pine-pit, or where other crops are
cultivated in the body of the house ; but when it is intended to occupy
the whole roof, this system may still be adopted, by extending the Vine
on each side of the rafter, till it meets that from the adjoining one ; or,
the Vine may be divided at the bottom of the rafter, on its first
training, and formed with two principals on each side, making four
principals to each Vine. If, however, the Vines should consist of the
larger fruited class, such as Muscat of Alexandria, Black Hamburgh,
or Syrian, &c, one principal on the rafter, and one on each side will be
much better than more- It may likewise be necessary to extend this
system still further, where the house is large, and has a great length of
rafter, which may be done by forming a second series one- half the way
up the rafter.' — Lindleys Guide, p. 224.

" In carrying up a stem, to furnish shoots for the upper part of the
house, that stem will be naked between the parts where shoots proceed
to furnish the lower part. To these naked portions of stem the young
wood of the lower series may be closely trained, for naked wood does
not require light.

" Short-rod System. — Instead of training rods at considerable length
for bearing, some prefer short rods, treating them on the same system
of cutting out the shoots which have borne, and supplying their places
with young shoots trained up for that purpose.

" Mr. Roberts' selects buds for the origin of spurs alternately on
each side of a shoot which is allowed to progress to the top of the house,
and he removes the other buds on each side, but so that those retained
on one side may be situated about half-way between those left on the
other. About two-thirds of the buds are thus removed ; those retained
being situated alternately on the right and left sides of the shoot. The
operation of disbudding is performed when the wood is nearly mature,
by cutting out the bud in the axil of the leaf, taking care not to injure
the latter. The buds left push, and generally bear in the following
season ; in summer they are stopped one joint beyond the fruit, and in
autumn are cut back to two eyes. These produce two shoots, one of
which is allowed to bear fruit, and the other is not. At the autumn

VOL. XIII., NO. CXLIII. Z

333 THE FLORIST.

pruning the shoot which bore fruit is cut back to one eye at its base ;
the other is shortened to two, three, or four eyes, cutting above a bold
prominent bud for fruiting, and those below are cut clean out, with the
exception of one at the base, which is allowed to grow for succession,
but not to bear fruit. There are left then, on the shortened shoot, only
one bud at top to bear fruit, and one at the base for a succession shoot.

" Spur System. — This is becoming the most general. The Vines
are usually planted so that one can be trained up each rafter ; but some
train them up the middle of the sash, and this we believe to be the
preferable mode, because in spur training the shoots are cut back to
buds close to the stem, and for the sake of the buds the leaves next the
stem should be well exposed to light. Under the rafter the stem is
partially shaded, whereas, in the middle of the sash, it is in the best
position for the shoots proceeding from it being immediately acted upon
by the light. A Vine may therefore be introduced at that point, and
trained in an upward direction ; and care should be taken that shoots
are encouraged alternately, by removing two buds and leaving one, or,
in some cases, by retaining every other bud.

" When the young shoots push let them be gently brought to a hori-
zontal position, by bending them a little at a time, but so as not to
break them. Frequently, opposite the fourth leaf, the rudiments of a
bunch will be developed. The leaf directly opposite the bunch must
always be preserved. Some stop the young shoot at one joint or leaf
beyond the fruit, and some at two joints. It seems to be of little
importance, as regards the swelling of the bunch, at which it is done,
and hence, many good gardeners are not very particular whether they
stop at one or two joints. Where there is plenty of room for the
foliage to expand fully, we would say stop at two joints ; for the sap
elaborated by the additional leaf will go to strengthen the Vine, and
increase its roots. On the other hand, if stopping above the second leaf
beyond the fruit would render the foliage crowded, then, by all means
stop at one leaf. After stopping, laterals will push ; they may be
stopped above their first or second joints.

" Thinning. — This is sometimes necessary as regards the bunches ;
and in all cases the berries ought to be properly thinned out and regu-
lated. When more bunches are formed than the Vine can bring to
perfection, those which are superabundant should be reduced in an
early stage of their growth, at all events before they come into bloom.
Sorts that produce large bunches should have fewer of them than those
which naturally bear comparatively small bunches. The weight of fruit
ought to correspond with the amount of good foliage ; we have frequently
seen it out of all proportion, in fact, so much so that there have been
nearly as many bunches as leaves. Naturally the young shoots push
a few leaves, then a bunch or a tendril appears, and this is always
opposite a leaf. As the shoot proceeds other bunches may form at
greater or less intervals, but still in the natural state the number of
leaves far exceeds the number of bunches.

" The thinning of the berries should also take place as soon as they
are well set, which will be soon after blooming. The general form of
the bunches of some sorts of Grapes is that of an inverted cone, of

NOVEMBER. 3o0

which the stalk is the axis ; in others the main stalk subdivides and
forms shoulders. At the upper part of the bunch branchlets- diverge
from the axis, and often these again throw out stalks bearing frequently
three berries, namely, two side ones and one terminal. - Towards the
lower extremity of the bunch the footstalks of 4he individual berries
proceed directly from the axis, which terininatesyn a single berry. In
thinning, the berries which proceed directly fro'ni the axis should be
first removed, then each ramification should be Successively inspected,
and the berries thinned out where they would otherwise be too thick,
taking care to cut off those nearest the axis or central stalk. The
reason of this is obvious, for if we cut off, say, two-thirds of the outmost
berries, those left would still be crowded ; but by reversing the process
the berries occupy a wider space, just as a number of persons forming
a small circle may be overcrowded, but by each withdrawing from the
centre, all soon rind plenty of room. In proceeding up the bunch,
peduncles from the main axis, bearing three berries, as already men-
tioned, will be met with. Mr. Roberts recommends {Culture of the
Vine, p. 52) the terminal one to be left, and the two side ones removed.
Where there are shoulders, they should be thinned on the same
principle, and also tied away from the main part of the bunch by
slender pieces of matting. The thinning should be modified according
to the varieties, and the space their berries require when full-grown ;
and in avoiding overcrowding, the berries should not be made too thin
and straggling.

" In thinning, the berries should not be touched either with head or
hands that are perspiring ; and as they increase in size after the first
thinning, the bunches should be looked over, and regulated by a second
thinning when necessary.

" Pot Culture. — The cultivation of Vines in pots is not new, for it
was practised by Speechly at Welbeck in the end of the last century,
but chiefly with a view of proving varieties forming part of a collection
too extensive for being all planted in the vineries. Recently, however,
this mode of culture is found very advantageous in other respects,
especially as regards a very early supply ; for by it such can be obtained
without forcing the permanent Vines so much in winter, and conse-
quently they are enabled to bear larger and finer crops for many years
consecutively.

" Plants for fruiting in pots should be raised from eyes, and grown
as strong as possible in rich turfy loam mixed with about one-third of
horse dung, and a little bone-dust. The temperature should be gradu-
ally increased from 60° to 80° or 90° by sun heat, and a bottom heat
always a few degrees higher must be maintained. As the root3 require
more room, the plants ought to be shifted from 3-inch pots into those of
6, 9, 13, or 15 inches in diameter, and in either of the latter two
sizes they may be fruited in the following season. As growth proceeds
it should be determined how the plant is to be trained for fruiting in
the ensuing season, whether upright, arched spirally, or umbrella-
shaped ; and then from what part of the shoot it would be desirable
that buds to push shoots for fruiting next year should be situated.
The lowest of these buds having been fixed upon, the leader ought to be

340 THE FLORIST.

stopped at five or six joints above it by pinching out the growing point.
From the axil of the leaf, immediately below the point of stopping, a
lateral will readily push, and a bud by its side in the same axil will not
likely do so till next season if the lateral is allowed to grow ; the latter
should therefore be entirely removed as soon as it can be laid hold of.
The bud will then start and take the lead, making a much stronger
shoot than the lateral would have done. This stopping will concentrate
the sap in the buds below, and tend to ensure their breaking into fruitful
shoots in the following season. When the new leader has formed buds
as high as will be required for fruit shoots, it should be also stopped and
the lateral displaced, so as to stimulate the latent bud to take the lead
as before. It may be allowed to grow to the length of 7 fret, and then
be finally stopped. A few laterals near the top may be permitted to
push several joints ; those situated lower should be pinched at an early
stage of their growth, and entirely removed when the wood of the prin-
cipal shoot begins to turn brown. In the beginning or middle of July
the wood ought to be ripe along the whole 7 feet of rod, and any
laterals remaining should be cleared off; the pots must then be removed
to the south side of a wall, or any convenient shelter, and mulched with
some substance which will protect the roots from the vicissitudes of cold
and heat. Prune the plants in October, top-dress with a compost of
rich turfy loam in November, wash them with sulphur and soft soap,
and they will then be ready for forcing. About the middle of November,
earlier or later according to the urgency of the demand for early
Grapes, the plants should be introduced into the forcing house or pit.
To ensure the greatest success, the pots should be plunged in a heat of
65° or 70° ; the atmospheric temperature may follow that in the table
already given ; and the bottom heat ought always to be as high as the
mean top heat. Train six or eight shoots for fruiting ; but in order to
have the bunches fine, only one bunch should be left on each. The
shoot ought to be stopped at one joint beyond the bunch. Keep the
air rather dry when the plants are in flower ; and supply manure
water alternately with pure water. By these means 6 or 8 lbs. of
well-ripened Grapes may be obtained from each pot, in April, sixteen
months after striking the plant from the eye.

" The above may be considered one of the best modes where bottom
heat can be afforded ; but, instead of raising plants from eyes in one
season and fruiting them in the next, plants may be reared with less
heat and fruited after two seasons' growth. In the autumn after pro-
pagation they may be cut down to two or three eyes. In February,
the best shoot from these should be trained as directed for those of
plants forced in the winter following the first season's growth from the
eye. Some place the pots on rich compost, or in other pots nearly filled
with such, in order that the roots of the Vines whilst being forced
may penetrate into it on passing through the hole in the bottom of
the pot.

" It is necessary to observe, that Vines and other fruit-trees in pots
are frequently treated when at rest as if they were certain kinds of
bulbs, which, having a store of moisture in themselves, do not require
to be supplied with any whilst vegetation is inactive. But such is not

NOVEMBER. 34]

the case with Vines, and unless it can be proved that the soil in which
Vines have lived out of doors for hundreds of years is drier in winter
than in summer, we must conclude that keeping the roots of pot Vines
in winter in a soil as dry as dust must be very injurious to the plants."

WINTERING OF AURICULAS.

" Put your frames in a southerly or westerly aspect," says the Florist:
" Let your frames face the north-east during the winter," says the
" Gossip for the Garden:" " Turn your frames to the north," says a
contributor to the Florist. Now, here are differences of opinion with a
vengeance, and when doctors differ, who is to decide? Let us ask
common sense what it says, and I think that it will decide against the
westerly view of the case ; the inevitable result of that must be a con-
stant succession of freezing and thawing, which must be injurious to the
plants, and moreover the hurrying of them on into a premature bloom ;
and should, by any neglect, the plants, when in this forward state, be
left uncovered during a frosty night, you will have a crumpled bloom.
The Auricula naturally, we know, is an Alpine plant, lying warm under
its snow covering for months ; but high cultivation has made it tender,
and therefore we cannot with impunity allow it to be frozen much,
especially after the bloom has shown itself. My own opinion then, is,
to let them have an aspect in winter where they will not get much sun,
and not to remove them to a more sunny one until frost is pretty well
over, if at all ; yes, if at all — for I am not sure whether a north-east
aspect would not suit them in early spring, if you could break off the
wind. I shall try one frame this way this season, and report on the
result ; if I recollect right, this is the position of Dr. Plant's blooming
stage. And now, when one's pen goes off on the subject of Auriculas,
there is no knowing where it is to stop. I fear very much there is but
little prospect of a good bloom this spring ; from correspondents in all
directions — Scotland, Yorkshire, Cheltenham, &c. — there is the one
cry, " I never knew such a quantity of autumn trusses ;" and I can
add to the testimony. Last year it was confined, as far as I was con-
cerned, to two or three kinds ; now, it has spread like an epidemic all
over the frame, and no sort seems to be determined to be out of the
fashion. Mr. Lightbody says, " I have had great difficulty in supplying
even a dozen plants, nearly the whole of my stock having sent up
autumn blooms. I never experienced the like before." Were there a
probability of a mild winter this would not so much matter, but see
what an October we have — what a climax to one of the most extra-
ordinary seasons on record — on the 23rd of the month four degrees of
frost, all out-of-doors things blackened and dead, Chrysanthemums and
Pompones even looking miserable ; at least in the neighbourhood of
Brighton, Arundel, &c, where I have been, for what will be the state
of my own I do not exactly know. I am sorry for this, as far as my
favourite Auriculas are concerned ; there are so many who are now
growing them for the first time — so many, too, whose love of them has

342 THE FLORIST.

revived, that it will be rather disappointing to have a bad bloom.
However, let us hope for better things. Next month I may have a
word more to say upon the subject, for it is now so late in the month I
am afraid the editor will cry out.

Deal, Oct. 26. D.

HOW TO MAKE A MUSHROOM BED.

Previous to making beds (for they may be made at any season of the
year), collect a quantity of fresh horse dung that has not been exposed
to wet or fermentation ; clear it of loner straw, so as to leave all the
short that has been trodden into the wet interstices of the stable floor,
partially dry it, either in a shed or under a tree ; turn it over once or
twice, till it is half dry ; to this add one-fourth of light turf, cut fresh
from a pasture field, chopped small with the spade, but not sifted ; a few
decaying Oak or Beech leaves, and a small portion of sheep or deer's
dung ; mix the whole well together, and throw them in aheap till they
begin to sweat, then take and spread a layer of the mixture four inches
thick, on the place where they are intended to be grown, and beat it
down firmly with a mallet, and continue this till the bed is not less
than a foot thick ; should it heat so that there is danger of rotting, make
a few holes in the bed with a dibble ; of this, however, there is little
fear, if the dung and soil have been properly dried. After the heat
begins to subside the spawn is to be put in, making holes about nine
inches apart, and putting pieces of the spawn about three or four inches
square in them, leaving the holes open at the top, to allow the steam, if
any, to escape ; about a fortnight after the spawn has been put in the
holes should be again spawned, in case the first should have received
any injury, and also to prolong the bearing of the bed ; close them
firmly up as soon as the spawn has run through the bed, which can
easily be known by examination ; the bed is to be covered over with
dry soil from a pasture field or common, and firmly pressed down, but
not beaten, as that would break the threads of spawn, which are fast
approaching the state of Mushrooms.

Mushrooms are impatient of wet, therefore, wherever they are grown,
it is indispensable that they should have a dry bottom ; when the beds
are in want of water, the best plan is to give them a moderate watering
at once, in preference to many light waterings ; the water should be
warm, and though the crop should be destroyed, they will spring up
in a few days with renewed vigour. Mushrooms may be grown in any
place that is dry — in a shed, or a stable, in a box, or a drawer ; and in
either case the process is the same. Covering the beds is injurious, and
should not be adopted except in severe weather, or in old beds where
the heat is decayed.

Mushrooms are impatient of the extremes either of heat or cold ; the
proper temperature is from 55° to 60°, and where this cannot be
steadily maintained, by some means or other, the cultivation of them in
the winter season should not be attempted.

NOVEMBER. 343

The beds, made in the manner herein described, will be firm, yet
elastic, and if the dung has been properly dried there will be little fear
of its overheating; at the same time its decomposition will be prevented,
and that mild heat, so congenial to the Mushroom, will be prolonged.
The plentiful use of earth, moreover, will tend to give it that firmness
of flesh and fineness of flavour which we seek for in vain in Mushrooms
grown in the dark, or on a bed of rancid dung.

The principal requisites for the successful culture of the Mushroom
may be thus defined : — never allow the dung to get wet or to ferment,
keep a regular heat, and avoid all damp ; these, with a moderate share
of attention, will ensure a moderate crop of good Mushrooms.

C. M. D.

NOTES ON THE MONTH.

"The extraordinary mildness of the season" which has lately given the
country newspapers a vast amount of trouble to chronicle all the proofs
which wondering countrymen like to have recorded — of Apple trees
blooming in September, of ripe Strawberries picked in October, and a
whole budget of similar extraor -dinar -ies — was brought to a close by the
sudden appearance of winter on the 21st, and which has continued up
to the day we write (the 24th), on the morning of which our thermo-
meter registered 10° of frost, the nights of the 22nd and 23rd having
shown 7° and 8°. There was a fall of snow on the morning of the 23rd
in some places two inches thick, and up to the present time there is
every appearance of a continuance of cold weather. The effect of this
has been to kill all the tender plants of the flower gardens, and many
kinds of vegetables. A frost of such severity, so early in the
season, has not occurred for many years ; and without wishing to speak
in the spirit of a prediction, we incline to the opinion, formed on
observations of our own, that we shall have an early winter.

The unusual warmth of September and the early portion of October,
attended with the drenching showers which have frequently fallen, has
had a wonderful effect on all kinds of green crops, both field and garden.
Swedes and Turnips were never better, notwithstanding that here and
there the Black Jack has committed devastations with the latter.
Potatoes have been a total failure in some localities, but much better in
others. As the cause of failure can now be clearly traced to the effect
of electrical storms, we hope some of our scientific men will further
investigate this important subject, if only to show the connexion between
the cause and effect. The fruit crop taken generally has been a very
short one. Apples in certain situations have partially succeeded, and
in others are a total failure ; we hear that on the south-west coast,
that is from Brighton to Cornwall, the crops are good, particularly in
South Devon, where the yield of cyder is stated to be a very large one.
Pears are a very short crop, and are ripening early, so that the fruit-
rooms will soon be clear of all but the very latest kinds ; Plums were

344 TI1E FLORIST.

thin, and so was the crop of Damsons. Looking at the result of the
past summer, on fruit trees, there is good hope for another season, if it
proves propitious when the trees are in bloom. The wood on wall fruit
trees has so far ripened well, and as the present frost will stop all further
growth, we may expect to get the ripening process completed early, and
of course the wood well matured — the same rule will apply to orchard
and open garden trees ; so, with our present prospects, we may look
forward hopefully to 1860.

I see by the Gardeners' Chronicle that a garden superintendent for
the Horticultural Society is advertised for at a liberal salary, to
commence with the new gardens at Kensington Gore, the subscription
ist for which, it appears, from the same source, is nearly filled up. We
hope he best things from this successful move towards resuscitating the
society. But whether the garden committee (who have the appoint-
ment of the superintendent) will succeed in obtaining a person possessing
the many qualifications which the Gardeners' Chronicle states are
indispensable to any one filling the office, is very doubtful ; it is an
extraordinary opening, and certainly the qualifications required are no
less extraordinary : we shall see !

G. F.

THE ORANGE.

The Orange (says Sutton in his work on the Grape and the Orange)
has generally been found to succeed in countries most favourable to the
cultivation of the Vine, though it requires a very different soil ; and a
lower latitude would also seem congenial to it. It is not indigenous to
Persia, though it is now much cultivated there. The China Orange,
like the Grape, is the better for a little frost. In Australia* I have
noticed that the fruit begins to ripen and acquires the highest flavour
after the frost has checked the growth of the trees, which there make
strong autumnal shoots, and in some cases produce abundance of flowers
at that season. The fruit on the top of the tree is the best, has the
thinnest rind, and the highest flavour. There are several varieties in
the colony, but soil and situation make a considerable difference in the
growth and quality of the fruit, as the tree is very choice in its soil, and
will not thrive in such as are not suited to its nature.

It is curious to notice the changes which have been made in
the names of the Orange, since I can remember. In London, more
than sixty years ago, they were then generally known as the China
Oranges. " Here's your sweet China Oranges ! " was then the cry :
now it is the " Real St. Michaels ! " the fine Lisbon, the Malta, the
Mandarin, the Tangier, &c, all of which, I believe, are varieties
from the China Oranges. Time makes great changes in the names of
things. Certain it is, also, that climate, soil, and cultivation work
wonderful changes in plants and fruits, so that they can hardly be
known again by the skilful botanist. The varieties of the Orange, like

* Fruit of the "Navel" Orange from Australia, was exhibited in Webber's
window, in Covent Garden, last spring.

NOVEMBER. 345

the Apple, the Peach, &c, are brought to a maturity and a high
saccharine quality by great pains, labour, and long cultivation, with a
suitable soil and climate ; and thence old names and sorts become
extinct, and new ones prevail.

The best stocks for working the Orange on, I have found by
experience to be those of the Spanish Lemon. I have been informed
by persons of high respectability, who have resided at Malta, that the
best Oranges there are grafted on the Pomegranate. I have tried this
in my Orangery, but I never could get them to grow. I believe it is
a mere fiction to say that the Orange unites with the Pomegranate :
indeed I have been well informed that Sir Joseph Banks ascertained
that the blood-red Orange of Malta has its peculiarity from the nature
of the soil, on a part of that island where scoria abounds, and red
ochre : these causes have given to the Orange of Malta the colour which
distinguishes it as the blood-red Orange, and it does not proceed, as has
been reported, from being worked on the citron. Of Citri I reckon five
species: — 1, the Orange (Aurantium) ; 2, the Citron; 3, the Lime ;
4, the Lemon ; 5, the Shaddock. Their respective varieties consist of
hybrids innumerable, many of which intermix. Some of the species,
we learn, were well known in Europe, and cultivated ; one has its
name from Spain ; but whether it is indigenous, or was introduced
there from Africa by the Moors, I am not able to tell, or from whence
it came, — I mean the Seville or bitter Orange. There is a great variety
of Oranges now in the London market, and other markets of Europe,
differing very little (except two or three of them) from each other ; yet
an experienced dealer can tell you from which country they came.
The Saint Michael's are the best. The modern Lemon, I think, differs
much from what was sold in my younger days ; it is more mixed with
the perfumed hard citron, and, in my opinion, is improved in its acid,
though it has not so much juice. It is, I believe, the Lisbon Lemon,
and is cultivated at the Azores and in Australia ; it is a good keeping
Lemon. The Lime and Shaddock are tropical plants, or best suited to
a tropical climate, being common in the East and West Indies. At the
Cape of Good Hope, in South America, the Brazils, and new South
Wales, the China Orange is extensively cultivated. At Rio Janeiro
I have seen them very large, and they are there very sweet, but not of
so lively a taste as at Sydney ; the heat of the climate seems to injure
the acidous flavour. It is very curious that the Portugal Lemon should
lose its fine acid in America, and become so extremely bitter, that it is
useless as a Lemon ; while the Lime there possesses a fine sharp acid.
When in South America, I was told that they had not a good Lemon
in any part of America. Colonel Paterson, on his voyage to Sydney,
in 1799, touched at Saint Salvador, at the time the Oranges were ripe,
and he told me they were the best he had ever met with. He
succeeded in taking six of the plants to Sydney, and in 1801 presented
me with three of them ; they were the originals of those now in my
Orangery. I have obtained some good varieties from them by working
on the stocks of the Spanish Lemon, and again other varieties from
the seeds of these worked trees ; more varieties may be gained by
working the China Orange on the stocks of the Seville. The Lime does

340 TIIE FLORIST.

not succeed at Paramatta ; it cannot endure any frost, which, though
not sufficient there to produce ice but very rarely, or to injure the
Orange, would kill the Lime. All the Limes that I have seen are of
low growth ; while the Orange and the Lemon rise to a good height, —
twenty-five feet or more. The culture of what I call the hardy sorts
of the Citrus genus is much the same ; they all require a sheltered
situation, a rather dry, strong soil, on a gentle slope : though moisture
is not disagreeable to them, yet a wet or swampy ground is not suitable
for producing good fruit, or preserving the health of the trees ; it should
have a rich mould on the surface, with a deep, tenacious subsoil, into
which their fangs, or strong, deep-holding roots can penetrate, so as to
support the tree in hot and dry seasons.

•The sweetest fruit is produced after hot summers. A sandy or
porous rocky ground is not fit for them. Indeed the Orange may be
said to be very fastidious in its choice of situations, soils, &c, and is
very sensible to injury, which it does not soon overcome, nor does it
bear much pruning ; it is, I think, the better for having its branches
near the ground, so as to shade its roots.

GEOMETRICAL ARRANGEMENT FOR AN AMERICAN

GARDEN.
References to Plan.

a. — General turf level of great panel.

b. — Easy turf sloping descents into panel, angle 22£ degrees.

c. — General turf slope bounding panel, angle 30 degrees.

D. — Middle level of turf, with beds cut out thereon.

e. — Gravel walks round the entire garden, with large circles at the angles.

f. — Gravel slope of easy gradient — 1 in 5, or angle of 9 degrees ; the broad sloping
banks on each side are formed at the same angle.

o. — Stone steps in mitres of the sloping banks, with side blockings, and termi-
nating piers and vases.

n. — Upper level broad turf promenade.

I. — Circular recesses in angles, each containing a seat forming three-fourths of a
circle.

K. — Winding gravel approaches.

l. — Architectural approaches on two sides, by which it is connected with a series
of geometrical arrangements.

m. — Stone fountain in the centre.

n. — Stone pedestals for large tazza vases or groups of statuary.

o. — Eight large compound beds formed and planted as follows : — the space
between the two outer lines is a slope of turf rising 18 inches above the
general level, a., between the second and third lines is flat turf; and the
remainder is to be filled up with shrubs. An Irish Yew is to be planted
in the centres of the terminating circles in each bed, each Yew being
surrounded by a different variety of dwarf Heath, planted sufficiently
close to cover the entire space within the circles. The main portions of
the clumps are to be filled each with a distinct choice variety of large-
flowering Rhododendron; and surrounded, as shown by dotted lines, each
with a line of some different dwarf species, as hirsutum, daphnoides, &c.

p. — Standard Rhododendrons, in pairs, of different choice kinds, carefully
selected as to size, habit, colour, &c.

q- — Large clumps, to be filled with Ghent Azaleas, and margined by a line of
Rhododendron ponticum variegatum, cut in well every year just before
making its new growth, that it may always be kept dwarf.

NOVEMBER.

347

r. — Sixteen small round beds, containing an Irish Juniper in the centre of each,
the remainder being filled up -with difi'erent kinds of dwarf Heath. The
eight long narrow beds, on the same level, are each to be filled with two
kinds of shrub ; a marginal line being planted round each of a distinct
species of Ledum, Pernettya, Gaultheria, &c, and the centres filled each
with a distinct species of Andromeda, Vaccinium, Kalmia, &c.

s. — Single specimen of Siberian Arbor-vitai, planted on the sloping bank.

t. — Masses of Rhododendrons of the less choice varieties, mixed with Azaleas,
and margined all round with a single line of Mahonia aquifolium.

u. — Bank of ordinary mixed shrubs, margined towards the turt walk by a fringe
of Ivy, Cotoneaster, Savin, and similar dwarf evergreen shrubs, which will
cover the ground, and admit of being clipped to a straight line.
All the above shrubs within the Grass promenade, excepting the staudard and

fastigiate specimens, are intended to be kept within their prescribed limits by

pruning. This is to be done in every case immediately after the kind in question

has done flowering, that its shoots may have time to perfect their growth for the

ensuing season.

348 THE FLORIST.

REVIEW.

The Fern Collector s Album.

A handsome quarto portfolio bearing this title has just been published
by Mr. Hardvvicke of Piccadilly. It is tastefully bound " in scarlet
and gold, with blank leaves, on which dried specimens may be fastened
by the collector ; and short accounts of the structure, habitation, and
cultivation of each species on the opposite page." It therefore offers an
excellent inducement for us to turn our country rambles to a profitable
account. Ferns retain in a dried state their original beauty, both of
form and colour, better than most plants. A. portfolio like the one
now under notice, when filled, may therefore be made a source of real
delight, not only to the possessor, but to others.

In the preface we find the following useful instructions respecting
Fern drying, which we extract for the encouragement of beginners.

" To those who have not already made botanical collections, we would
give the following simple directions for their guidance : — Before you
leave home, get any carpenter to plane you two deal boards, about half
an inch thick, a foot wide, and a foot and a half long ; between these,
place one or two quires of Bentall's drying paper, which may be bought
at almost any stationer's, or, if unattainable, common blotting paper
and old newspapers will answer very well. Round the boards put two
narrow but strong leather straps, which cost about a shilling each ;
these must be drawn as tightly as possible, and will secure a great
amount of pressure on the plants inside; and the whole may be strapped
on the top of a box in travelling, so as not to take up much room. In
gathering the Ferns, cut them as low down the stem as possible, and,
in small specimens, get up the root if you can. In putting them to dry
in the blotting paper, have respect to the natural position of the Fern,
and also to the size of the sheet of paper on which they are to be finally
placed. When the fronds are long, or the specimens large, they may
be bent so as to lie in a smaller space than they otherwise could, and,
if dried in a certain position, will retain the form easily. It is best at
first to make the pressure lightly, so as to alter the form of the plant
if needful before it is completely dried ; then increase the pressure day
by day until the specimens are ready to remove. Ferns dry quickly
and easily, and may without injury be kept in the drying paper for
some time ; when, however, they are removed for putting down finally,
they should be secured by thin little strips of gummed paper, which is
best prepared beforehand by covering a sheet of note paper with a
strong solution of gum, which, when dry, may be kept for a long time
ready for use : the thinner the strips are cut the better, so as to hold
the parts of the plant in their right position. This plan is preferable
to gumming the whole plant or portions of it, as the little slips can at
any time be removed with a pen-knife, without injuring the paper or
book in which they are fixed, should there be occasion to remove the
specimens. In drying your Ferns, be careful to change the blotting
paper two or three times a week, so as to remove any dampness ; and
dry your paper in the sun, or before the fire, very often. It is best to

NOVEMBER. 349

have two sets of paper, so that one can be dried while the other is in
use. Any ordinary Fern will be fit to put in the folio in two or three
weeks at most."

The work itself we heartily recommend to the notice of our readers.
By lovers of Ferns, and who are not, we are sure it will be greatly
prized.

ROSES— OLD AND NEW.

The question of new and old Roses, I believe, is still unsettled, and
unsettled it will remain so long as the advocates of each side refuse to
look calmly on the reverse of the medal. Among old Roses, the few
leaps of the day remain, and will long remain, undimmed ; but the
many slight improvements, good in their time, are every year falling
farther and farther back before successive improvements. At the
London exhibitions this year, Boula de Nanteuil and Coupe d'Hebe —
the leaps of their day — were as beautiful as ever, but we missed many
old ones that we had been accustomed to see ; on the other hand,
Eveque de Nimes, Louise Chaix, and some other new ones lent a
brilliancy to the exhibitions which they never attained before. It
makes no little difference to a stand of 24 varieties of Roses, if we take
out the worst and replace it with one equal or superior to any one of
the remaining 23.

An Old Soldier.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Auriculas. — There is often trouble at this season in keeping these
plants sufficiently dry, to prevent damping of the foliage. Give all the
air possible without allowing them to have rain. If the plants are in
an elevated position, so much the better. Remove dead foliage as often
as it appears.

Azaleas and Camellias. — The buds of the Camellias, where set too
thickly, should be thinned out at once. During winter, the plants
intended for blooming late should be kept cool, but at the same
time well attended to with water, as the buds are now filling themselves,
weakly and underpotted plants will be benefited (even now) with
weak manure water occasionally. Place a few of the earliest rested
Camellias in a rather warmer house to bring them into bloom quicker.
Small plants are invaluable for rooms during the winter, and should be
brought on in succession. Azaleas, keep cool, and with a dryish atmo-
sphere. A few good forcing kinds may now be placed in a warmer
house to forward them.

Carnations and Picotees. — Treat these plants nearly similar to the
Auricula, so long as wet weather continues, and water but sparingly

c350 THE FLOEIST.

in clear weather. Cleanliness, with plenty of light and air, is the
principal thing to attend to, to ensure success. All should by this time
be in their winter quarters.

Cinerarias. — This and next month are the worst for the culture of this
plant, being subject to mildew ; great care must be taken to sulphur
such as are infected by it. Specimen plants will now require great
attention ; thin out all small and decaying leaves, and peg down the
strong, to admit the light and air. Such as are required for early
fluwering may now have their final shift ; stop, that is, pinch out, the
tops of their shoots as soon as thoroughly established. In potting, give
a light compost, viz., two parts good turfy loam, with a good admixture
of well decomposed stable manure, and leaf mould; use sand liberally.
In placing, keep as near the glass as possible.

Conservatory. — This department will now require every care to
maintain a display of bloom, and to preserve the necessary neatness
and order, that at the same time it may afford an enjoyable retreat in
bad weather, or during the evening if it is accessible from the
mansion. Heliotropes, Mignonette, Jasmines, Tea Roses, Daphne
indica, Violets, and other sweet scented plants, should be largely intro-
duced ; and more showy plants, as Chrysanthemums, Salvias, tall
Lobelias, Fuchsias, Gesneras, Belladonna and Guernsey Lilies, and
many kinds of Amaryllis, may also be added, to set off the permanent
occupants, and warm up the building by giving colour. A most useful
conservatory plant is the recently-introduced Heterocentrum roseum,
which, under good cultivation, flowers profusely at this season. A few
things may be added from the stove, as Hedychiums, Crinums, and
Begonias, as they come into bloom. Fires will now be necessary, and
should be stirred up briskly on damp mornings to dry the atmosphere
after watering and cleaning out, giving air at the same time. Night
temperature 45°.

Dahlias. — These should, if not already done, be taken up and stored
for wintering the first time the soil is tolerably dry; dry them thoroughly,
with some of the soil about them. Seed will require much attention to
prevent its rotting in the pod.

Flower Garden. — Continue to place under protection half hardy
plants taken up from the garden, as room can be found for them.
Those who have an orchard house will find it invaluable for wintering
many things in this way, which suffer more from damp than cold.
Give the recently struckcuttings as much light and air as you can, to get
them established and hardened off before winter, or they will most likely
fog off. Scarlet Geranium cuttings may yet be put in, placing the pots
with the cuttings on the shelves of any house where they can be kept
dry. Those who are deficient of room for wintering Scarlet Geraniums
may keep them in any dry out-house open to the south, that the plants
may get what sun there is till sharp frosts set in, when any place
secure from frost, but dry, will keep them for a long time uninjured ;
give them no water whatever, nor allow the rain to fall on them. The
great secret is getting the wood hard and well ripened ; and then when
kept dry they will break freely on the return of warm weather. The
beds of the flower garden, as the summer plants are cleared away,

NOVEMBER. 851

should either be neatly raked over or the beds filled with dwarf shrubs,
bulbs, early flowering herbaceous plants, and annuals previously sown
for this purpose ; to make a display in spring. A very nice arrange-
ment of colours may be made with Crocuses and early Tulips, followed
by Narcissus, later Tulips, Hyacinths, Scillas, and Anemones, &c.

Forcing Ground. — Mushroom beds should now be made for winter.
Where there is a large family to supply, Seakale and Rhubarb should
be started at once, that the forcing may be slow — always attended with
the best success. Where space is not an object, and there is plenty of
leaves or stable manure, we prefer the old plan of covering the crowns
with pots, and then forcing by covering with leaves, or litter and leaves
mixed. In other respects, Rhubarb roots may be taken up, potted, and
introduced wherever there is a slight heat ; and Kale may be success-
fully forced by packing the roots closely together in a common frame or
pit, and working them by linings ; the crowns should be covered with
a dry material to blanch them. Fill a pit or frame with Asparagus roots
(good three or four year old plants) over a gentle bottom heat, when
Grass is wanted in November.

Hard-icooded Plants will now be under glass; water only when
the soil in the pots becomes dry, and then thoroughly ; give air on all
opportunities both day and night in mild weather, and set the plants
sufficiently wide apart to prevent drawing, and also to preserve the
foliage healthy down to the edge of the pots. Any Heaths affected
with mildew should be dusted with sulphur, or washed with a weak
solution of the Gishurst compound.

Hardy Fruit. — Go over the Apples and Pears stored away, and
remove decayed specimens. Keep the room cool, and ventilate pretty
freely until the sweating process is over, after which a rather close, dry,
and cool atmosphere is best adapted for keeping fruit. Now is the best
time for planting fruit trees, and where additions are wanted, or new
borders made, no time should be lost in getting the materials together,
and the trees on the ground. Pruning may commence at once with
such trees as have lost their leaves ; and Peaches, Nectarines, and
Apricots should have their ripe leaves removed with a slight besom, to
admit the sun and air to the wood.

Hollyhocks. — A cold pit or frame is sufficient to winter well esta-
blished plants if kept near the glass, but they should have sufficient
pot-room, and not over watered. Those now striking will be liable to
damp off from over moisture, which must be guarded against.

Kitchen Garden. — Look to your Potatoes and other roots stored
away ; they are decaying very fast with us though pitted quite dry.
Take up Endive in quantities on the approach of frost, and fill empty
frames, sheds, or other places where you can keep it dry and preserve
it from frost. Lettuce must have the protection of glass to get it good
through the winter. Earth up Artichokes to preserve the crowns from
frost ; and Parsley should be hooped over to be ready for protecting when
required. Give plenty of air to Cauliflowers, Lettuces, and Radishes
under hand-glasses, and see that a quantity of the two former are
planted in sheltered places for further protection in severe frost. A
sowing of Peas for the first crop may be made towards the middle of

352 THE FLORIST.

the month, aud at the same time a few rows of Mazagan Beans may be
planted. Trench and ridge up vacant ground to take the weather.

Peach House. — The sashes may be placed on the earliest house when
Peaches are required in May. Dress over the trees and train them
regularly, and surface over the border with fresh loam. Fires need not
be applied for a fortnight, and then only by day, as artificial heat to a
small extent will be required.

Pelargoniums. — These will require much care to prevent their
getting drawn, as many of them are growing freely, and therefore will
want plenty of air at all favourable opportunities. Make fires only in
frosty and very damp weather, both of which may now be anticipated.
If previous directions have been attended to with early specimen plants,
little can be done this month, except with the training of the young
shoots ; let them be tied out carefully, as it will greatly benefit and
strengthen them. Avoid crowding the plants ; let them have all the
room that can possibly be spared. Be careful in watering at this
season ; only water those that are really dry, and avoid wetting the
foliage. Continue to repot any plants that require it, and also stop
young struck plants. Cuttings will strike freely now in heat, and
withal attend strictly to cleanliness.

Pinery. — Plants swelling their fruit should be supplied with a moist
warm atmosphere, more especially by day. When the sun is bright
close the house early, but allow air to be given freely soon in the
mornings when the weather is mild ; the night temperature may be
65°, with a steady bottom heat. Successions should now be kept drier,
but do not allow either the bottom or top heat to fall below the point
which would check the plants. 60° and 80° are safe points for the
night and day thermometers to range, and the bottom heat should not
be much less than 85°.

Pinks. — If not already done, a few pairs should be potted up, to fill
vacancies in beds that may occur during the winter, as well as some of
the more tender growing kinds, to ensure them against eventualities.
A small bed of such planted out in spring will be very useful, and will
in some seasons produce the finest flowers.

Tulips. — Complete planting without delay, the beds having been
prepared as previously recommended. The beds may remain open and
unprotected till after Christmas.

Vinery. — If, as directed last month, the Vines in the early house
have been dressed, border covered, &c, gentle fires may be lighted on
dull cold days, so as to keep the temperature to 45° by night and 60°
by day, with a pretty liberal admission of air. We prefer the border
being covered only with leaves, Fern, or dry straw, and afterwards
coated over with coarse mortar or concrete to exclude wet, to putting
fermenting dung on the borders. Keep a dry atmosphere to ripe
Grapes, and remove all superfluous leaves to admit the air to the
bunches. In wet weather let the fires be lighted in the morning to
dry the air of the house, and let go out in the evenings, air at all times
being admitted.

Geraniums

1. Lords Clyde. (Foster)

Z.KZTU} of -Purples. ( TzcrnerJ
J^Jn3rews,DA> & Zinco. Plate 158.

%

JPrmtecL ly C. Chaiot.

DECEMBER. 353

PELAKGONIUMS.

(Plate 158.)

Our present illustration consists of the two leading Pelar-
goniums of the season, hoth having heen first in their respective
classes at the Crystal Palace and other exhibitions. Our plate
faithfully represents their colour and form, hut to this we can
add the very satisfactory requisite to their becoming general
favourites, viz., that they are free bloomers, fine growers, and
of easy culture. The very noble flower, raised by E. Foster,
Esq., has that depth of rich colour so well known in many
of Mr. Foster's seedlings, but with lower petals such as were
never before produced at Clewer. It is without doubt the
finest Pelargonium of any class that has yet come under our
observation. King of Purples is also new in colour, and one
of the best of this popular class, the spotted varieties.

We have been favoured with the following observations from
a most successful grower, and an old and highly respected con-
tributor : —

It is some time since your readers were favoured with any remarks
upon the new Pelargoniums which have been annually sent forth into
the floricultural world, to be criticized and admired, and, as I do not
possess the data for a full detail of all the new flowers that have appeared
since your last remarks, I shall not therefore attempt a description cf
them, yet there are several that have been exhibited during the past
season that are so decidedly worthy of notice, and which must give satis-
facton to all who are fortunate enough to obtain them, that I believe your
readers will be glad to have their attention directed to them. I think I
am not far wrong, if wrong at all, in saying that at no period has the
improvement of the Pelargonium been more marked and decided than
in the new flowers of the last two or three years, and this improve-
ment has not been confined to one particular point, but has com-
prised general freedom of bloom, size and substance, form and
colour, all which are leading points. The new flowers are strikingly
fine, nor is their increased variety less remarkable. Some years ago
there was but one class of Pelargoniums (leaving out the Cape species),
and now we have three, with distinctions very strongly marked,
viz., the old style, the spotted, and the fancies, and each of these classes
contains numerous varieties.

The first flower that attracted my attention this season was Festus,
exhibited by Mr. Turner at Regent's Park, in May ; the individual
flowers and also the trusses are large, bold, smooth, and constant, and
the general habit excellent ; a most desirable exhibition plant, and
likely to be a favourite for some time.

VOL. XII., NO. CXLIV. A A

354 THE FLORIST.

Monarch, very large, fine in form, and constant ; a truly noble flower ; I think

second to none that I have seen
Leviathan, a purple crimson, with black top petals, large, very free and fine
Lady Canning, similar in colour to the old favourite Rosamond, but brighter •

and very much larger
Ariel, white, with rich rosy carmine top petals, good form, and fair size
Bride, white, with blotch of bright rose on the top petals, very pretty, very free

and lively, of medium si .e
Empress Eugenie, white, with carmine spot on the top petals, a dwarf habit,

free and beautiful, the white very pure
Candidate, in colouring similar to Wonderful, rather more orange, very fine

and free, remarkably smooth on the edge (not a strong grower)
Sir Colin Campbell, white centre, with remarkably rich deep colouring, profuse

bloomer, rather less in size than some in this list

These are almost dec'ded improvements in the old style of Pelar-
goniums, and the list might be much extended by the insertion of very
interesting flowers, such as Desdemona, The Belle, Etna, Richard
Benyon, Rajah, Brilliant, Sunset, &c.

In spotted varieties also there is a manifest advance, as in Peaeock,
Osiris, and others, and we are told that the old favourite, Sanspareil,
is to give place to Beadsman ; we shall see ; it must have many good
properties to drive that old favourite from the field. Many of the new
flowers in this class are striking and very effective in colouring, and
they are now sufficiently numerous to be shown as a distinct class, and
should be made ineligible for the other classes.

I have purposely been silent upon the new flowers going out for the
first time this autumn, not having seen sufficient of some of them to
speak decidedly, but, of some that I have seen, I have hopes that they
will be found on trial worthy to be placed besides those I have described.
It is perhaps hardly necessary to say anything as to the culture of this
favourite and easily managed flower, but I would just venture to
recommend any of your readers whose plants may be backward in the
spring, to water them once a week with a solution of sheep's dung ; they
will, I think, be benefited both as regards foliage and bloom.

Delta.

WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH TIFFANY?

It now and then happens that the gardening world is all at once startled
from its propriety by the exhibition of some marvellous invention, or
instances of culture which surprise everybody for the time, and afford
a fertile theme for praise or censure, as individuals feel disposed to go
for, or against the novelty. We well remember the time when
the late Mr. Wilmot, of Isleworth, was going to astonish Covent
Garden Market by sending there first-class Grapes in May, which he
was going to produce with the aid of " The Arnott Stove," at a cost
of somewhere about Is. 6d. per lb. ; then " Polmaise " was going to
revolutionise the entire system of heating forcing houses, and an atmo-
sphere unequalled by all the appliances of steam and hot water was to
be produced, wherein the finest fruits of the world might be grown to

DECEMBER. 355

perfection, with no more expensive materials than a " fifty shilling
stove, a hole in the wall, and a wet blanket ; " and even this was stated,
by a great authority at the time, to be costly for many descriptions of
forcing houses, "which," it was said, " might be very well warmed by
an old-fashioned brick oven, heated by faggots burnt in the inside ! "
Then followed the astounding information by " Mirubile Dictu" that
French gardeners were growing Queen Pines in poor sandy peat, from
8 to 10 lbs. each, in ordinary brick pits without fire-heat. We might
follow up the enumeration much further by alluding to the Bicton system
of growing Pines, "the most exquisite ever tasted," in the open ground!
or to the splendid Grapes grown at Isleworth, in clinkers and gravel,
as well as to other eccentricities of gardening, were we not reminded
of the notice which heads our article, " What can be done withTiftany."

We have raked up these now almost forgotten wonders with no
malevolent feeling, for without a certain amount of enthusiasm
gardening would sink below mediocrity. Arnott's stove answered well
for certain purposes, although it was a misapplication in forcing
houses ; Polmaise was a grand idea, scientifically correct, but imprac-
ticable to carry out ; the Meudon system of Pine growing has simplified
our practice, and has produced, at Frogmore, results even more
wonderful than the 8 lb. Queens at Meudon* In fact, these innova-
tions on the usual routine of gardening are strongly conducive to the
progress of the art, by way of showing what may be effected, and so
with the simple material called "Tiffany."

We now have to inform our readers, that during a late ramble
through the country, we " looked in" at Mr. Standish's nursery, at
Bagshot, a wonderful depot for Rhododendrons, Mahonias, Berberis,
Conifers, and the like, which are there raised by thousands, for the
future decoration of the scores of mansions and villas which are
springing into existence all over the country. On passing through the
home grounds, Mr. Standish introduced us to a novel erection which
he was pleased to call his " Tiffany -house" and which we must briefly
describe ; first let us premise that all who have gardens, and who wish
to preserve their fruit-blossoms from the frosts of spring, or their plants
under glass from being scorched by a July sun, have doubtless heard of
Mr. Shaw, of Manchester, and his famous " Tiffany," a new kind of
shading invented and introduced to the public by that gentleman.
This material Mr. Standish has applied to a most useful purpose in
his nursery, and as its application (so it appears to us), may be extended
to a great variety of objects in connexion with gardening, we very
gladly avail ourselves of his permission to publish his experience in
the matter.

The spring is always a critical period with those who are propa-
gating largely hardy and half hardy plants. The modern system of
striking, grafting, and inarching, does not, as of old, take several weeks
to accomplish. Heat and moisture are brought to bear very largely
on the operation, to produce a quick union between the scion and stock,
and, as a consequence, the plants are in a highly excited state. The

* We intend to give a notice of the extraordinary growth of the Pine in the
Royal Gardens in our next.

356 THE FLORIST.

process of hardening these plants off is the next step, which can only
be done under glass, and even when removed from this protection many-
plants do not bear well full exposure to the open air ; add to this the
number of seedling plants, which also require some degree of protection,
and we shall perceive that it was necessity which, in some measure,
compelled Mr. standish to bring this material into use.

The " Tiffany House'" has a framework of stout Larch poles, 10 ft.
high, which are placed at right angles 7 or 8 feet apart. The poles
stand about 7 feet out of the ground, and are unbarked, but with their
tops cut square and chiselled out with a gouge to receive the imposts,
which are formed of rather smaller poles sawn through the middle,
and nailed to the uprights round side downwards ; cross-pieces are also
introduced to form a stout frame, over which the Tiffany is stretched,
and nailed on with list. During the early part of the season the sides
are also covered with the same material, but as the weather becomes
warmer this is removed to admit more air underneath. The rain, as it
falls on the surface of the flat roof, of course finds its way inside,
but in no way to injure anything beneath, as it gradually filters
through. Mr. Standish's house, we should say, is 90 feet long,
about 60 feet wide, and 7 feet high ; and underneath, arranged in
beds, were a large number of choice plants, exhibiting a degree of
health and luxuriance never before attained by similar plants,
even under glass. Camellias, Rhododendrons of all kinds, Berberis
nepalensis, Bealii, and japonica, were growing most luxuriantly, as
well as the new Forget-me-not, and a host of other things Mr. Standish
had purposely placed under this protection, to try how far partial
shade would suit them. We were much surprised to find that Roses,
which proverbially delight in sunshine, were producing blooms of
immense size and of most intense colour, and the dark green aspect of
the leaves clearly indicated that the amount of light and atmospheric
conditions were entirely suited to the habit of the plants.

Mr. Standish is sanguine that he can grow Grapes and Peaches in a
house of this description, and next year intends trying the experiment
of fruit culture under Tiffany on a considerable scale. We shall watch
the experiment with great interest ; and whether he will succeed or not
with fruits will be recorded ; we have no hesitation in asserting, how-
ever, that it forms a superior medium to glass for growing many
kinds of plants under during the summer, and that its general applica-
tion for that purpose will soon follow. Camellias, Rhododendrons,
Azaleas, Epacris, Heaths, and hard-wooded plants generally, as well
as greenhouse Ferns, are a few genera which occur to us which would
grow luxuriantly under a Tiffany roof, and it will also form the best
roof material for retarding plants in bloom, in which case a double
roof would be preferable.

As regards the form of roof Mr. Standish has adopted, a ridge and
furrow one would perhaps in some respects be preferable ; but the
mode of construction is so simple, and ihe material so cheap, that the
shape of the roof is of but little importance, provided it is not carried
too high above the plants. We must defer noticing the application of
Tiffany as a fruit protector to our next number.

DECEMBER. 357

FINE WALL ROSE TREES IN DORSETSHIRE.
The following account may perhaps interest the readers of the Florist : —

First : Jaime of Smith or Yellow Tea Noisette ; this tree I saw two
years ago at my friend's, the Rev. C. Sawbridge, at Aimer Rectory ; it
was then in fine and abundant bloom. The following is his account of
it : — " My famous Rose tree is the Yellow Tea, styled Jaune of Smith ;
its blooms are pale yellow, and its buds are beautiful. I brought it
from my paternal home in Kent, some 25 years ago — a mere cutting
from a small Rose growing against the house ; and I soon found that
the offspring was likely to surpass its parent in every respect, and that
the removal to Dorsetshire was most beneficial. I called it the Magnolia
Rose, because its leaves were so large, and its buds almost rivalled the
blossoms of the Magnolia. For many years it continued to bloom and
be greatly admired by my neighbours when calling at the rectory, but,
of late years, it has fallen off in appearance, its buds have decreased,
there have been fewer of them, and the leaves are nothing to what they
once were. Last winter I had it cut about all over, so that only
straight branches remained, and therefore I could hardly expect that it
would have many blooms this summer, but it has put forth plenty of
young wood, and I hope it may do well again next year. The space
allotted to it is 8 feet wide and 9| feet high ; but what it would have
been, if allowed more space, I cannot say. It is evidently a delicate
Rose to manage. I have often given it away to different persons, but
it has never thrived." [My Smithii mentioned in the Florist was struck
from this tree, and which, though well rooted, lived here only six weeks.
W. F. R.]

Secondly : The Deans Court Lamarque. This fine old tree I have
not lately seen, but it is a noted tree. It is growing at Deans Court,
Wiinborne, now occupied by Major Portman, Lord Portman's brother ;
and the following account has been kindly sent to me by Mrs. Port-
man : — " It was planted in 1843 by Mr. John Hanham, before he
went to India ; it is therefore 16 years old ; it is 20 feet high and 9h
feet wide; it is a bud on a Briar; it blossoms twice a year luxuriantly,
but this year its promise of abundant blooms was checked by a severe
frost ; its autumn bloom was not so fine as usual, the reason is, I think,
that there is too much old wood ; it requires fresh training, cutting out
of the old wood, and replenishing with young shoots ; its blossoms are
lovely, and sometimes there are as many as ten on one stalk ; it is
slightly tinged with yellow inside, and is very sweet."

Thirdly: The Rev. H. Austen's five trees at Keynstone : — These
trees face the east (observe that), and are all on their own roots, except
Ophirie, which the gardener says, he thinks, is on Manetti. I have
reviewed and carefully measured these trees, and the following is the
account of them, as you face the house, built about 12 years ago.
They have only 15 inches width of friable soil, which is ed^ed with
6 inches of Grass, and then their roots run under a wide gravel walk. —
No. 1. The Cloth of Gold, six years old, on its own roots, struck from
No. 4, has seven stout main leaders at the base. Its height is 16 £ feet,

358 THE FLORIST.

its breadth is 6 feet. — No. 2. Ophirie, 12 years old, is 15 feet high
and 7| feet wide, with leaders so beautifully covered that I could not
count even the base leaders ; the gardener thinks there are about 10.
This is the best wall Rose I have ever seen, because its leaves and
branches cover the leaders from the top to the bottom of the tree ; for
these attributes Madame Plantier is the best pole Rose that I ever saw;
when properly managed, she presents to the eye nothing but foliage
and flowers. — No. 3. Solfaterre, 12 years old, the parent of No. 5, is
15 feet high and 6 feet wide, and has 9 stout leaders at the base. —
No. 4. The Cloth of Gold was planted by (Jill, of Blandford, 12 years
ago, is 17 feet high by 6 feet wide ; it is very stout in wood, and
luxuriant all over ; the measured circumference of the root, close to the
ground, is 17 inches ; this beautiful tree has, at the base, 18 main
leaders ; like Smithii, it requires more room ; this Cloth is, for training
and general appearance, though not for altitude and extensive range, as
you shall see presently, the best Cloth of Gold I ever yet saw. — No. 5.
Solfaterre, six years old, was struck from No. 3, and is 14 feet high by
6 feet wide, and has six main leaders at the base. — Thus there are
two Cloths of Gold and two Solfaterres on their own roots, while
Ophirie is on Manetti. I asked the gardener, " Do you cut these Cloths
of Gold and the other wall trees?" He said, " I cut them all hard
every year. I cut out of No. 4 faggots, last year, from the top of the
tree, but cut sparingly at the base and centre." You will hear presently
what Mrs. Fowler says on the subject of cutting. In the centre of the
house is a fine Magnolia, 24J feet high by 15J feet wide, whose
beautiful blooms I have seen. These six trees, with an Austrian
Briar and Persian Yellow, well trained, Red Currant fashion, decorate
the frontage of Keynstone Rectory ; and, glorious in the season, to use
Mr. Milne's words, is the display of " floral grace." At the back of the
house are two fine trees of Jaune Desprez and Bonaparte. There is
one tree there which, though not a wall tree, I cannot pass over. It is a
large standard of the Triumph of Milton, about 18 years old, measuring
in diameter over 14 feet ; in the season, it is a blaze of crimson glory.
Should any amateur, travelling this way, think it worth his while to
call on me, I will show him my neighbour's trees, my Solfaterre, which
is 13| feet high by 33 feet 5 inches wide, and also a fine tree of sweet-
scented Jaune Desprez. I need hardly say that there will be a bed
and knife and fork ; I now come to speak of three Cloths of Gold,
which, at Mr. Ingram's request, I went to see on the 10th of October,
and which I have now revisited, with a view to correct measurement ;
No. 3 is, I think, a most wonderful tree.

Fourthly, then, we proceed to describe Mr. and Mrs. Fowler's Cloths
of Gold, at Kingston, near Blandford. No. 1 Cloth of Gold, on a 4-feet
Briar, independent of a wall, planted by Mr. Gill, of Blandford, in
1849, was then a young tree, and has never since been moved. It is
trained down to hoop wire, umbrella fashion, and has thrown out this
year three branches, each of which is 10 feet long, and one 13 feet. —
No. 2 Cloth of Gold was planted four years ago, on a 4-feel Briar,
against the east gable end of the house, with a wall to the south of

DECEMBER. 359

it; its aspect is therefore north-east, in an inclosed garden. It has
much overswollen the Briar at the point of union. It is 5| inches in
girth at 7 feet high, and is 27 feet 7 inches in full height. It is in the
shape of a fan, and is a very pretty tree. Its top branch forms an
arcade with No. 3. Between these two is a Glou Morceau Pear, alias
Delices des Hardenpont, from which I have this day eaten some excel-
lent fruit. It is a pity that either No. 2 or 3 had not been planted
where this Pear stands. — No. 3 Cloth of Gold is a very fine tree, the
loftiest and most extensive of any Cloth of Gold that I have yet seen.
This tree is on a 1-foot Briar, which it has much overswollen, at the
north-east corner of the gable, opposite to No. 2. It was planted (a
very small plant), by Mr. Gill, in 1849. It is in an inclosed garden,
with a draughty door close to it. The tree has been trained with a view
to avoid Glou Morceau. It has two main stems, and out of one of these
is a long rider. The two stems are in girth, at 12 feet from the ground,
5 J inches ; the main body is (east aspect) 36 feet high. A long branch
runs west against the north side of the house, 31 feet in length, and
out of this branch another, 25 feet 2 inches, runs under the garden
wall thatch, northwards. The growth of the terminal shoot of this
branch, this year, is 9 feet 4 inches. On the 10th of October, at the
top of the 36-feet department, I saw sixty fine buds.

With regard to cutting the Cloth of Gold, Mrs. Fowler told me that
the effect was, that she got lots of long wood and less flowers. This I
believe to be the case with most Noisettes, Hybrid Chinas, and Hybrid
Bourbons. Finally, observe that four of these Cloths of Gold face the
east. These are the finest and best wall trees known to me.

As I am " in the prose line," I must leave it to " Punch," who is at
Rushton, to enliven the article with a little poetry, in which, it is
probable, he will express himself " rather freely" at some (! ! !) people's
expense.

" FIRST STAVE.

" Five glorious Cloths of Gold, three Solfaterres,
No amateur to visit long defers.
Ophirie, too, and Jaune both wanton here,
In Dorset, and Lamarque is very near,
With lengthen'd branches reaching to the skies,
A noble sight to gladden human eyes.
Punch is, as all know, a funny fellow,
Hates the Austrian, loves the Persian Yellow,
Loves best of all the glorious Cloth of Gold,
Whose gilded glory never can be told.

" SECOND STAVE.

" Come, then, to Rushton, ply your knife and fork;
'Twill amply pay you for your journey's work.
Gloede said, ' I ne'er felt bliss before'
(Forgetting nuptial bliss and wedding lore) ;
1 I '11 come in June, and visit here once more.'
R. hopes he will. He '11 gladden all our hearts,
And tuck in English beef and Raspb'ry tarts.
One thing he '11 see, which made Punch vacant stare,
Nimrod's not Eleanor, much less Adair.

360 THE FLORIST.

Pomologists who live in London smoke,
Sent through the floral world this cruel joke.
Where'er Punch goes, most popular of men,
Loud is the cry, ' Here's Niinrod come again ! '
If taking ship, Punch braves the mighty main,
The sailors cry, ' Here's Nimrod come again ! '

Tis Nimrod here, 'tis ISimrod there,

'Tis Nimrod always, everywhere!
No wonder the nations should at Punch stare,
Don't all these judges (connoisseur's the name)
See that a horse and hen are quite the same?
'Tween pumps and barrows Punch more likeness sees
Than is between distinctive Strawberries.
Punch thinks, the way t' improve a critic's taste,
Is with the " cat," his body well to baste.
This nostrum, well applied, will fill the air
With the quick cry that Nimrod 's not Adair !

" LAST STAVE.

" The ' Wizard of the North ' is come in Plate,
Who sent it, R., Punch really cannot state;
R. thanks the sender, hopes he'll see it here
In gilded frame as well as China ware ;
Here's Oscar, too, a noble plant and print,
Buy it at Slough, you'll bless Punch for the hint.
Good bye Fragrarians,
Adieu Rosarians.
The doctors cannot differ more,
You're all gone mad, I'm certain sure.
Thus writes shrewd Punch, despising words well known,
' Who lives in glass should never throw a stone;'
Asserts he still, asserts with living breath,
The British Queen has twice saved Punch from death ;
While his breath lasts he'll fill the London air,
In crying loudly, ' Nimrod 's not Adair ! ' "

W. F. Radclypfe.
Rushton, November 16.

NOTES ON THE MONTH.

The frost of the third week in October was followed by violent storms
and cold weather (the rains in this district having been very heavy),
indicating considerable electrical action in the atmosphere. On November
14, 15, and 16, sharp frosts again occurred, the thermometer in some
situations marking 12° of frost. Ice was abundant, and the effect on
vegetation, though not so striking as what resulted from the frosts of
October, has put the finishing stroke on many garden plants. Even
hardy Borecoles have suffered, to say nothing of Broccoli, Cabbages, and
Cauliflowers, which in many places have the appearance of having been
parboiled; while Lettuces, Endive, Parsley, &c, are killed entirely;
this destruction will cause much annoyance to gardeners, whose means
of supply have thus been unexpectedly cut short. Nurserymen have
not escaped. Many plants which the warmth of the season had
forced into a vigorous autumn growth have had their young wood

DECEMBER. 361

killed back, and, with the loss of the leaders, will be thrown back a
season, and in some cases very valuable plants, considered hardy, have
been much injured. These early frosts have brought down the iolmge of
trees rapidly, and during this autumn we have experienced none of 'those
delightful transitions of colour in the decaying foliage of the Beech,
Oak, and Maple, which in other seasons, when their decay has been
gradual, have beautified the landscape.

The rapid increase of the Pomological Society, and the interesting
reports of its proceedings, are exciting much interest. The exertions
of the committee in classifying and reporting on the fruits submitted to
them at their meetings merit the thanks of fruit growers, and have
already given great impulse to fruit growing. But they evidently want
local secretaries in each fruit-producing district, and more correspondence
on fruit matters ; and it is thought, even by some of their own members,
that a jury of some 20 or 30 individuals, some of whom are but
partially informed on the subject, is not the best medium for getting
at a right decision on the fruits submitted. Would it not be better to
elect proper censors, and let them award the prizes, instead of putting
the matter to the vote of the whole meeting ; and, as the number of
fruits to be adjudicated upon is now large, the censorship might take
place the day before, or on the morning previous tc the meeting, at
which a short lecture and discussion might take place on the suhjects
present. We name this with the most friendly feeling towards the
society. The fruit and floral committees of the Horticultural Society are
also proceeding with zeal and vigour. We shall expect much from
these committees, more especially now that their means of doing good
will be enlarged, through the general prosperity of the main body.
The publication of the monthly proceedings is a step in the right
direction, and we are glad to notice that experiments on vegetables have
not been given up.

G. F.

MR. McEWEN'S WORK ON THE PEACH.
Your favourable notice of this, at page 315, has surprised not only
myself but others of your readers, who, having read over the work,
fail to discover anything either new in practice or sound in prin-
ciple in its pages. To me, it appears most unfortunate for Mr. Cox,
that he should have made any additions at all to Mr. McEwen's
manuscript, for, on reading the work, we find that nearly in every
instance where the editor's notes are inserted, they contradict the
original matter. Mr. Cox's labour in the matter may have been one of
love (as he informs us in the preface was the case), and it was no doubt a
congenial one ; but the public now-a-days expect to get some informa-
tion when they buy a new work, particularly when two such practical
names as those of the author and editor are attached to it.

At page 7 we are told that all outside borders should be repeatedly
forked over in hot sunny weather; and at page 18 — "That when the
weather is dry, and evaporation excessive, I frequently tread over open

362 THE FLORIST.

soils, to give them a fixedness and prevent waterings. . . . This
treading in many cases is preferable to mulching, inasmuch as it does
not intercept the sun's rays from the border."

As regards soils for borders, rich unctuous loam, free of manure, is
very properly recommended by the author (page 5); but afterwards, at
page 9, in introducing the opinion of a "friend" on Peach culture, and
which the author endorses, it is stated, " But to return to the Peach ;
after pruning, cleaning, dressing, and tying the trees, and slightly
loosening the surface soil, I have, for the last few years, covered the
borders with fresh cow dung, to the depth of two or three inches, and
covered that with a thin coat of soil;" and then he goes on to say, "The
trees do not want this until the end of May, and by that time it is
sufficiently decayed for them to enter it freely." Now, what must be
the state of a Peach border, which has had an annual covering of two
or three inches of cow dung,"after half-a-dozen years ; we may imagine
pretty correctly, if the trees could stand the rich dressing so long without
dying of gum and canker. At page 12, in recommending standard
trees to dwarfs for walls, it is stated that, " The atmosphere, so near
the surface, is always some degrees colder than four feet up the wall;"
in my simplicity, I thought that the warmest part of the wall if
unshaded. I say nothing of whether dwarfs or standards are the most
preferable trees to plant, but merely differ from the reasons given why
dwarfs should be given up. I might quote other passages, which,
if not objectionable, yet produce no information satisfactory to the
reader ; and, in submitting the above to you, as you have recommended
the work, merely ask how you can reconcile such advice with the
contradictions contained in the work.

J. B.

[We are in duty bound to give publicity to our correspondent's
remarks. The work in question was reviewed by one of our contributors
without our having read it ourselves, and is certainly open to some of
the objections named by our correspondent ; but clever practical men
are not always clever writers, and such may be the case with the present
work. — Ed. Florist.']

ROSA DEVONIENSIS.

I AM so much a lover of my country as to be glad of the discussion
that has arisen on the origin of this Rose, because such points are only
settled satisfactorily where there is discussion, and that before it is too
late, before the facts are forgotten, or the actors passed from the scene.
Whether any more evidence will be forthcoming I cannot tell, nor am
I anxious that there should be, though I shall gladly receive it if there
is. The object of this communication is to show that, if not, the
common notion of its being an English Rose must be accepted as the
true one ; and that though no doubt it would be desirable that Mr.
Foster or his representative should state positively that the plant sold to
Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, & Co., was a seedling, and thus supply the

DECEMBER. 363

only missing link, even then the moral evidence would hardly be
stronger than it is now.

Accepting the illustration of a suit at law, it must be remembered
that when the best evidence on any point is not procurable, the next
best is admissible. Also that possession is nine points out of the ten,
and, where possession is sought to be disturbed, the onus probandi lies
on the plaintiff or disturber. And there will be no difficulty in showing
that Mr. Foster's evidence, if not procurable, is amply supplied by
what we have ; that nothing has been adduced to shake the current
belief that this fine Rose is a native of England. I at first intended to
carry on the similitude used, and imitate the practice of the courts, but
as it appeared on trial that the sifting of evidence necessarily led to the
exposure of weak points, which might unconsciously cause a wound, I
will confine myself to the strong ones, in favour of its English parentage.

Mr. Willcock's letter is accepted as true in its facts ; the allegation
is that the facts do not reach far enough, that they stop short at a
material point, which mars their value, and that the plant he brought
from Mr. Foster's might have been, and probably was, picked up
by that gentleman in his wanderings ; of which the thickness of the
petal affords presumptive evidence. This, I believe, is all, and it will
be,found to be insufficient — indeed, it will show that the facts already
obtained involve a moral certainty upon the point in which it has been
alleged to be deficient.

First, however, it may be as well to state that Mr. Rivers, in his
" Rose Amateur's Guide," page 138, 3rd edition, says nothing of its
supposed French origin ; for myself, I have never before heard any
other than an English one given to it, and it has been so described, if
I am not mistaken, in the pages of the Florist. And now let us
examine the objections made to it, and to the sufficiency of Mr. Will-
cock's statement.

The thickness of petal in Devoniensis is said to be presumptive
evidence against its English origin. Why? I know of no principle in
the physiology of plants that would lead to this conclusion. If England
were notorious for its dryness of climate, I could understand this, though
I might not assent to it, but the cause intended, I imagine to be, not
that, but its want of warmth. As this is the only Rose of note that
we can pretend to, there are not instances to judge by comparison ; but
in Camellias, at any rate, the rule does not hold good ; for in plants of
that tribe, raised from seed ripened in England, there are some with
petals as thick as any of those raised under the suns of France or
Italy. I cannot therefore admit this to be presumptive evidence, even
if there were room, as I contend there is not, for such presumptive
evidence at all.

For now look at the alternative, if Mr. Willcock's supposition be
judged erroneous, and the plant he took away were not a seedling
raised by Mr. Foster, as they all supposed. Either it was a (French)
seedling, or it was not ; if it was, then you have to account for a French
seedling Rose purchased at seedling price, and that in 1838 or there-
abouts, certainly not less than 20 guineas, growing in the open ground,
under a cottage window, till hawked for sale.

364 THE FLORIST.

If it were not a seedling, but an ordinary dealer's plant, then you
are in a greater difficulty still ; for if so, it must have been one of many
of the same sort. Of these many, this one only, the Lieutenant's
purchase, was named Devoniensis. Where, then, are all the others,
and under what alias is the Rose we called Devoniensis to be procured ?
There is no such alias in either France or England, or Mr. Rivers
would have known of it in the seventeen or eighteen years that have
elapsed since he first possessed it. No ! That which grew under the
cottage window at Stoke Dammerel is the parent plant of all of this
variety ; it was raised by Mr. Foster, and all honour to him for it ;
and Devoniensis is an English Rose.

Iota.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The Gardeners' Chronicle informs us that the £50,000 required to
be raised to carry out the intended new garden at Kensington Gore
have been subscribed, and that the lease of the ground, from the Royal
Commissioners to the Horticultural Society, is now being executed.
We may, therefore, presume that as soon as the council have possession
of the ground, proceedings for the necessary erections will at once
commence. On analysing the subscription list, we find that £39,000
are advanced by way of debentures, bearing interest at 5 per cent. ; that
£1936 are by donations (£1500 of which have been subscribed by Her
Majesty and the Prince Consort) ; and the remainder £9064 is made up
by sums advanced for life memberships, nearly 300 having paid the
compensation in lieu of annual subscriptions. Of course the greater
part of this sum is subscribed by existing fellows, and will so far cause
a deduction on the future annual revenue of the society.

We may now fairly conclude that the worst days of the society are
past, and that a brighter era is before it ; and as good luck, like mis-
fortunes, never comes alone, the society has had the good fortune to
appoint one of the very best men in the country for their superintendent,
Mr. George Eyles, the manager of the Crystal Palace and grounds at
Sydenham. Mr. Eyles is a gentleman so well known to the gardening
world, both as a practical man and successful manager of exhibitions,
that nothing short of getting possession of the grounds at Kensington
Gore could have happened so favourable to the society's future pro-
sperity as this appointment.

We hear that Mr. Nesfield is to give the designs for the grounds, by
request, but by "who or whom" we are not informed ; and we think the
council's first proposition to advertise for designs would have been
more complimentary to British landscape gardeners, and have given
the council more scope in selection, than leaving the matter in the hands
of one, however competent he may be. That Mr. Nesfield will produce
a first-rate geometrical garden no one doubts ; but as competition is now
generally admitted as a principle in designing public works, it appears
to us that it would have been more conducive to the progress of taste
in landscape gardening, had advantage been taken of the present

DECEMBER. 365

opportunity, by the council soliciting designs for laying-out the gardens
from all who might have been disposed to have contributed plans for
that object.

We are further informed that the " re-organization of the society
upon a scale commensurate with the importance of the position it is
now about to assume," is occupying the consideration of the council.
We shall look forward with some anxiety to see what their plans to
effect this are to be. That there is much more to be done than the
forming a grand town garden at Kensington Gore, if horticulture is to
be efficiently promoted, is a fact at once obvious to every practical mind ;
and believing, as we do, that the council are most anxious to give every
support and encouragement to the important objects entrusted to
their care, we can only hope that their deliberations may result
in some liberal and comprehensive scheme, which shall unite the
various sections of Pomology, Floriculture, and practical Horticulture
into one vigorous body, with the power and means to develope and
carry out each department of horticultural science and practice, in a
manner worthy of the age and the high position already occupied by
British gardening.

HOMES OF THE FLORIST.— No. II.

BROOKE.

I CHANCED the other day, while waiting in the drawing-room of a
friend, to take up a book entitled, I think, " The Floral Museum,"
published in the year 1837, and professing to give accurate figures of
some of the best and newest florists' flowers of that day, and I think few
things have impressed me more as to the rapid strides that in the last
twenty years nearly every flower has made, than a comparison of those
plates with the figures of the same classes of flowers in the last volume of
the Florist. You take leave of the companion of your boyish days ; he
is a long and gawky youth, full of angles, and evidently blessed with
appendages, in the shape of arms and legs, which are sadly in his way,
a miserable downy appearance disfigures his upper lip, making him
look rather like the callous brood of some unhappy bird — you pronounce
him decidedly queer looking. He comes back after ten years' absence.
How altered ! — strong in limb, brawny with muscle, and "bearded like
the pard." Can it possibly be the same ? Yea ! no mistake ; but time
and exercise and good feeding have made all the difference ; no greater,
however, than that between the florists' flowers of those days — " the
days when I was young" — and the present. There were Dahlias,
starry, reflexed, and formless ; Pansies without a bit of eye, but just
two or three eyelashes ; Pinks jagged in the edge, irregular in form, and
faint in colour ; and, as I pondered on the matter, the first thing that I
uttered, in a whisper, was — " Well, George Glenny was a courageous
and clever fellow ; when things were in this state he told us what they
ought to be, gave diagrams, and defined properties, which were sneered

366 THE FLORIST.

at and ridiculed, but an inch he would not budge. ' That is what they
ought to be ; nay, more, that is what they will be,' he said. And was
he not right ? He did well to make a high standard, and we must feel
that we, as florists, owe him much. But what has all this rigmarole
to say to Brooke ? Just this ; that there lives one of a class to whom
we are still more indebted, who saw what was wanted, and who worked
to obtain it. I mean the amateur florists ; who, taking up some
particular flower, have toiled earnestly to improve it, and well nigh
brought it to perfection ; and when I say that at Brooke resides George
Holmes, Esq., the raiser of Cherub, Lollipop, Lord Palmerston, Flirt,
and other Dahlias of first-rate quality, all who have grown that very
fine autumn flower will readily recognise him as one to whom they are
deeply indebted. I little imagined, when going to that parish to see my
old friend the vicar, that I should meet with one there who is so well
known in the floral world, or that I should have the pleasure of making
his acquaintance.

Brooke is a small village, most pleasantly situate, about seven miles
from Norwich, adjoining another well-known floral home, of which
more by-and-bye — Shottisham ; and is just one of those pretty bits
of English rural scenery that we in vain seek for in any other country.
Amongst the trees that enfold the village there is a plain old English
country-house, standing back a little from the high road, and this is
Brooke Lodge, the residence of Mr. Holmes. His garden is at the rear
of it, and by no means large ; the only florists' flowers that he culti-
vates are Dahlias and Roses. Of the former he does not at present
grow more than thirty plants, and yet from them he has taken first
prizes at the Crystal Palace, showing how well they must be done ; the
number, however, is too small to venture to exhibit from, and I believe
Mr. H. will not again attempt it. I should say that he does not grow
fancies, though, by one of those strange freaks which all seedling growers
have often noticed, Flirt appeared in his seedling bed. Amongst the
flowers which have had a trial this year, and which will be let out in
the spring, are two very fine self-coloured ones, Scout and Bravo. The
former is a crimson flower, two or three shades lighter than the Lord
Palmerston of the same grower, medium size, with a fine high centre,
and being of very dwarf habit and an extremely free bloomer,
will, doubtless, become very valuable as a bedder, as it is superior
in quality to anything in that class. The latter is a dark crimson
purple (somewhat of the colour of Lord Bath), well up in the centre,
and likely to be a constant flower. The seedling bed had been
gradually weeded of all inferior flowers, and only half a dozen left for
further trial. These will, next year, pass not only through the second
ordeal of Mr. H.'s critical eye, but will be grown at Slough and there
proved also, and by these means a tolerable amount of certainty as to
the goodness of Mr. H.'s flowers is obtained, though even then it is
impossible to be certain, some flowers will grow well in one situation
and not in another, even a few miles off; e.g., Fanny Keynes, which
few can do well, blooms most beautifully at Shottisham, while Mr. H.
cannot get it to succeed with him, although he has obtained plants from

DECEMBER. 367

the Shottisham roots, thinking perhaps there was something in the
strain ; while one sees in Roses, Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, and indeed
all florists' flowers, one particular sort which in some years will not do
well anywhere, but in others succeeds everywhere.

Mr. Holmes is a believer in summer Hoses, and I take it to be a
refreshing thing now and then to meet with a man who will not run
with the crowd, even though you differ from him. He is so because, he
says, the finest Roses are to be found amongst them, as Coupe d'Hebe,
Kean, Boule de Nanteuil, &c, and because he thinks the title of
Hybrid Perpetual all stuff. " You get," is his contemptuous way of
putting it, " a few Roses in the autumn, but they are all so much alike
that you cannot distinguish the sorts, as they are all so out of character."
It must be confessed that very often the prospect of an autumn bloom is
very disappointing, but one does get a second bloom in August, when
all the summer Roses are done, and if the year be fine, a third bloom
from some sorts in September and October; while the summer- flowering
varieties only give you their one bloom, fine though it be. Believing this,
he takes care that his Roses are very fine, and certainly there is this ad-
vantage in them, that one obtains much finer plants and a larger quantity
of bloom at once. Nothing can be more gorgeous while it lasts than a
large tree of Paul Ricaut ; and yet, with all this, I believe Mr. Rivers is
right, when he says that summer Roses will, ere long, be amongst the
things of the past ; certainly, it will be so, as far as small gardens are
concerned, and while our exhibitions show they are not discarded,
unquestionably nine- tenths of the flowers shown do not belong to them.
I saw here, for the first time, a new method of growing Peach trees,
which Mr. H. is determined to give a fair trial to. It is of French
• origin. The growers around Paris say, that the utmost that they can
obtain from Peach trees trained in the present fashion is 30 to the square
yard, while according to the new plan, they say, they can obtain 50.
It is this : — maiden trees are planted against the wall at about 16 to
18 inches apart, and are pruned to one shoot ; this is carried straight up
the wall, and when it reaches the top the tree is bent at an angle of 45°,
and in this position nailed to the wall, all the shoots having been previously
cut back to short spurs about 3 or 4 inches long ; on these the blossoms
appear and the fruit is produced. The advantage of bending them at
this angle is, that — 1st, a much greater length of stem is obtained than
if trained in a straight line ; and that, 2nd, it is likely to check a too
vigorous growth, and thus promote fruiting. Mr. Holmes kindly informs
me, that his knowledge of the plan was obtained from a friend who has
resided for the last three or four years in France, and who had taken
considerable pains, by visiting the gardens where the system was
adopted at different times of the year, to learn all he could about it.
Mr. H. slyly says, " It is only hearsay evidence, and therefore, perhaps,
not worth much." I think it questionable whether, in this climate, these
spurs will sufficiently ripen, or whether the fruit so produced will equal
that grown under the old system ; some of our most eminent fruit-
growers, including Mr. Rivers, are decidedly against the plan, but it
will be a matter of some satisfaction to know that it will be tried under
the hand and eye of so experienced a floriculturist as Mr. Holmes.

368 THE FLORIST.

All around Norwich there are many amateurs who devote a con-
siderable portion of their time to the cultivation of flowers, and this is
one of the advantages of having a good local flower-show ; it stimulates
persons in the neighbourhood, they try accordingly to outvie one
another, and thus the cause of floriculture is prospered ; and so a little
village, which but for it would never have been heard of in the flori-
cultural world, becomes celebrated as the home of an able and
accomplished florist.

Deal, November. D.

CULTURE OP THE GARDENIA OR CAPE JASMINE.
There is scarcely a flower so universally in demand as what used to
be called the Cape Jasmine, but now named popularly in Covent
Garden Market as Floridas, or, botanically speaking, Gardenia
florida. Not only are its blooms of the purest white, but they are
also most deliciously fragrant, and just the right size and form to make
up into bouquets ; so that whether as a pot plant laden with its sweet
scented flowers, or for cutting, either for glasses or bouquets, it is a
general favourite ; add to this, when in good health and well grown,
its dark glossy foliage is no mean accompaniment to its snow-white
blossoms. But the plant, though by no means difficult to grow when
once its treatment is understood, is but rarely seen in health or well
bloomed.

To attempt to grow either Gardenia florida, radicans, amoena, or
Fortuni as ordinary stove plants will end in failure ; they require, and
must have, special treatment to do them well. This special treatment
consists of a strong moist heat whilst they are growing and producing
blooms, which, if accompanied with bottom heat for their roots, and
plenty of ammoniacal vapour with the top heat, will grow them
vigorously. To be short with the matter, Gardenias prefer a dung pit
or pit with dung linings to an ordinary stove, and such being the case
I shall now describe my own practice in cultivating them.

My pit is a common brick one, with a hot-water pipe running along
he back ; a dung lining heats the front, the steam from which is
admitted through the pigeon-holed walls. The plants are grown in
pots, and are potted in three parts peat, and the rest sandy loam. The
plants are plunged in a bed well filled with tree leaves, which afford
them warmth during the 'growing season. Supposing the plants to
have made their growth during the preceding season, and to have been
kept comparatively cool and dry through the winter, we begin forcing
in February by applying a lining of hot dung to the front, and allow
the pipes to get warm behind them ; this soon excites them into
growth, and causes the embryo buds which terminate each shoot to
swell and develope themselves, and by April or May the blsoms
commence opening, and continue for three or four months to produce
a regular succession. The earliest formed shoots, which generally
proceed from the axils of those leaves below the terminal buds, will
have formed flower buds, which will open in July, and by these means

DECEMBER. .id!)

a succession of flowers is produced lasting from April till August or
September. During this period 1 keep the night temperature of the
pit at about 65°, and, as the plants are syringed and shut down early,
while the sun has any power, the temperature in the afternoon of
sunny days frequently rises to 90°. The dung lining is kept constantly
worked and renewed, so as to throw its steam into the pit. The
Gardenia appears to flourish best when supplied with dung steam, and
I have never found the strongest dung vapour hurt the plants ; on the
contrary, the leaves become almost black with health, and the blooms
produced are much larger when assisted by dung heat. Manure water
is supplied regularly to the plants whilst blooming, and the black
fly, when troublesome, is destroyed by fumigation. I now and then
syringe the plants with diluted tobacco water, and when brown scale
appears it is washed off with the same, with the addition of common
brown soap-suds. About September I stop firing ; the plants by this
time being pretty well exhausted, I now take them all out of the
pit, cut off the roots which have run through the holes of the pots, and,
supposing the plants already in full-sized pots — 15 or 18-inch — the old
soil is shaken from the roots, which are reduced a little, and then
potted afresh. The pit is next emptied and filled again with fresh
leaves, and the plants plunged, placing them on bricks to prevent the
roots again getting through. 1 now keep them close for a fortnight,
until the roots have got hold again, when the dry treatment is com-
menced, the night temperature b'0° and day 80°, with no more syringing
or vapour than will suffice to keep the plants free from red spider. By
these means the summer wood becomes matured and firm, new growths
are arrested, and each shoot terminates in a flower bud, which only
requires the application of heat in the spring to bring them out.

The winter treatment consists in keeping them rather dry, compara-
tively cool — 55° to 70° — with air on all occasions ; and, as detailed
above, when forcing commences, the bottom heat is turned up, and the
pots set entirely in the leaves, without bricks, for the summer's growth.
I allow them to root into the leaves as much as they please during the
summer, as it helps them to produce blooms in abundance. By this
plan hundreds of dozens of blooms are produced through the season, for
which the largest plants are best adapted, and the blossoms as a matter
of course are all cut. If the plants are intended to be used in bloom,
much smaller plants will be required : from 6 or 8 to 10-inch pots are
best, which will furnish nice sized plants. The treatment will be the
same as detailed above, but as the blooms expand the plants should be
removed from the pit to a damp stove for a few days, and then into
an intermediate house, to gradually harden them before placing them
in the conservatory or drawing room. As the blooms soon decay in a
dry heat, a good succession should be kept up, that the plants may be
frequently changed, as they only open a few flowers at a time. For
rooms, however, Gardenia radicans and amoena are best suited, as they
produce a good show of blossoms at one time, and as such are more
valuable for pot plants, but very inferior to florida for cutting. Their
treatment is precisely similar to what has been given for G. florida.

Delta.
vor-. xiir., no. cxuv. b b

370 THE FLORIST.

NOTES ON GRAPES FOR THE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

I see a discussion has taken place among members of this society, as to
an original St. Peter's Grape, the Black Prince being considered the
old St. Peter's by many. I beg to say I fully remember the old St.
Peter's Grape ; it had round, or nearly round, berries, a very thin skin,
and was of an intense blue black colour. The bunches set badly, and
the berries were very liable to crack, which may have led to its being
given up by growers ; indeed, the present St. Peter's is a much more
valuable Grape, and was very probably obtained from it. The Black
Morocco is a coarse Grape, with immense berries, and requires artificial
setting. Its synonyms are Wortley Hall Seedling and Le Coeur.
Has anyone seen the true Black Tripoli, as described by Speedily ?
This was grown in Leicestershire thirty years back : berries of a dull
black, very firm and sweet, and used to be the latest Grape to hang,
keeping till March ; the leaves were deeply cut, and the wood peculiar.
The present Black Tripoli is a mere variety of the Black Hamburgh,
with coarser flesh. Where, too, is the Flame-coloured Lombardy, with
bunches of immense size ; the Black Aleppo, with curiously striped
berries, and the Poonah, and several other old kinds not generally
known ? The Society should look these up, if they are going to re-classify
Grapes. The Damascus and Mogul are occasionally seen, but I have
not seen the others for years. Where are Mr. Duncan's late Black
Grapes, of which much was expected ?

B.

AMERICAN STRAWBERRIES.

Are American Strawberries worth growing ? is a question often asked
of us, and doubtless it is a question likely to interest many of our
readers, more especially now that the Strawberry is a fruit of especial
notice, which is manifest by the number of seedlings continually coming
before the public.

There are now a great many varieties of American origin, and we
may suppose that nine-tenths are worthless, judging from those we
have grown, such as Hovey's Seedling, Ross's Phoenix, &c, which are
considered by all American pomologists to be among the best in their
collections. Now, those varieties are quite inferior to our class of Pine
Strawberries, and Mr. Rivers, who is a good authority on the subject,
having imported and proved a great many varieties of American fruit,
says of the Strawberries, that they "do not seem to be adapted to
our climate," and "the best of them is Hovey's Seedling, which grows
most vigorously, but is a shy bearer, and of a brisk agreeable flavour,
but not at all rich." And Downing, in a work on American fruit, says,
" that Hovey's Seedling fe undoubtedly the finest of all varieties for
this country, and is well known throughout all the States, and has
everywhere proved superior for all general purposes to any other large
fruited kind." Although we have not grown or heard of an extra-
ordinary American Strawberry finding its way across the Atlantic, it

DECEMBER. 371

is no reasonwhy a good one should not some day come forth, that is
when they have passed through many stages of improvement like our
own, for, in all probability, our original stock, from whence all our
present excellent varieties sprang, were natives of America, viz., the
Old Scarlet and Carolina.

The Americans admit that some of the European varieties are superior
to their own in size and flavour; still they say, " it is impossible to
cultivate them with success, and that every recommendation of these
foreign hermaphrodites, as productive and valuable for market purposes,
is a gross imposition.'1'' They are also termed fancy varieties,
and Dr. Bayne, who is said to be a "highly intelligent cultivator,"
says, " All English varieties have proved with me icorthless trash."
Now, I think, we may return the compliment with a good grace ;
the only difference is, that we could grow the American varieties in
this country perhaps better than they can themselves, only for this
simple reason, that they are not worth growing in comparison with our
own kinds.

It seems evident that the climate of the States is not well suited
to the successful cultivation of the Strawberry, and that none of our
fine European varieties thrive so well as their own inferior strain of
seedlings, which are mostly of the Old Scarlet class, and which nearly
every grower in this country has ceased to cultivate, to give place to
other kinds of superior merit.

Lately, we have received a descriptive catalogue of American Straw-
berries grown by W. R. Prince & Co., of Long Island, N.Y., which
enumerates 153 varieties, among which number, 63 named kinds, and
said to be splendid, are their own seedlings, and sent out by themselves ;
now if all are as good as they are represented, we may suppose them
to be the most successful raisers of Strawberries in the world ; and in
all, their catalogue contains 109 varieties of American origin, and
mostly all the European kinds are rejected, among which are all
Hyatt's seedlings ; and, when we find that Nicholson's May Queen is
described as of fine flavour, Omar Pacha very large and beautiful, and
Sir C. Napier as a late kind, we cannot place much confidence in their
display of judgment, or the correctness of the description of other kinds.

We have also before us a circular respecting a new Strawberry, named
Downer's Prolific Seedling, from J. S. Downer, a nurseryman near
Elkton, Todd County, K.Y. This wonderful Strawberry is reported
to be " ten times as productive as any of the 100 varieties cultivated
in that vicinity, averaging 123 berries to each single plant, and of
course, in size and flavour, equal to any other variety in cultivation,
and not to be sent out till 25,000 plants are ordered;" so Mr. Downer
intends, if possible, to be on the safe side, as it is coming out at a very
high price, accompanied with a deal of puff; and all who may think
fit to favour Mr. Downer with an order will have to pay about £7
for 100 plants.

We must leave our readers to judge for themselves whether it is all
gospel that our American friends set forth ; as for ourselves, we think
no American varietv would improve our present collection.

J. P.

r

372 THE FLORIST.

ROSA DEVONIENSIS.

Prom the remarks that have appeared in recent numbers of the Florist,
respecting the above named Rose, and feeling very much interested in
the same, I am induced to give you a genuine account of its history.

It was raised from seed by George Foster, Esq., of Outland House,
about a mile distant from the towns of Devonport and Plymouth. It
flowered for the first time in the summer of" 1837, and was sold to
Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, & Co., in 1840. It was a seedling from the
Yellow China. Your Deal correspondent asserts that it was raised in
France, and is not an English Rose ; as has already been stated, I can
only say that the assertion is untrue and unfounded. I may here
remark that the raiser of this Rose was a gentleman well known to
Mr. Pontey, the proprietor of the Plymouth Nursery, and also to Mr.
Rendle, Plymouth, and it was Mr. Rendle who was in the habit of
purchasing seedlings of the gentleman I have named. The Glory of
Plymouth Dahlia was raised the same year as the Rose in question,
and by the same gentleman.

In Rivers' "Rose Guide," at page 118, 5th edition, are the following
remarks : — " Devoniensis, the only Tea-scented Rose ever raised in
England, is still unrivalled." I should have thought that such an
authority as Mr. Rivers would have been sufficient to have satisfied
any one as to its being an English Rose, unless they have strong proof
to the contrary.

John Conning,
Gardener, Royston, Herts.

ROSE RECOLLECTIONS.

If your readers have not already heard sufficient about Roses and their
management, perhaps it may interest some of them to know how this
pet of flowers will succeed under more than ordinary difficulties of culti-
vation. I may premise that, three years ago, having commenced the
formation of a new garden, I laid in a stock of Briars for budding in the
following season, with the intention of removing the worked plants to
their permanent places in the autumn of last year. Circumstances,
however, supervened to prevent that intention being carried into effect,
for, having to add several acres to the pleasure-ground, it became
impossible to plant the Roses until such time as the final arrangements
as to the shrubbery borders were complete. Now the order to "go
ahead " in the addition to the pleasure-ground was not given until the
10th of March, at which time Rose-growers will say the Roses ought
to have been planted and growing. I will grant that much, but at the
same time endeavour to show that success is not incompatible with
planting at a much later season ; or, if you like, planting and trans-
planting several times in the course of a few weeks, and that at the
worst end of the season for deciduous plants.

In anticipation of not being able to plant until very late, the Roses

DECEMBER. 873

were taken up in February, had their roots trimmed and the branches
shortened one-third, and were laid in again. Towards the end of
March they were growing freely, and hence a similar process had to be
gone through, cutting off the growing part of the branches, and returning
the roots to their temporary quarters. This, as was intended, was a
second severe check, and a third had to be inflicted upon them at the end
of April, at which time they were planted out for good. At this
transplanting the Roses had formed a considerable quantity of young
fibre ; hence, as they were lifted, each plant had its roots placed in
water, and so remained until the station was ready for it to be planted.
In planting, the roots of each plant were washed in ; that is, sufficient
water was given to form a puddle, and so soon as the puddle had dried
a little the soil was made firm and an inch or two of loose dry soil was
placed around each plant, to prevent evaporation. Thus managed, but
few of the plants sustained any material check at the final planting, and
a large majority of them never received a second watering.

Now this experiment was not confined to a few plants — or a few
dozens or hundreds — but extended to considerably over a thousand
plants, and in that quantity I can safely say I did not lose a dozen,
although the varieties comprised most of the finest Perpetuals in culti-
vation, and also Moss, Provence, and Hybrid Chinas. Of course the
plants were late coming into bloom, but the autumn bloom has been
very fine ; the flowers, both in size, colour, and substance, being much
finer than those exhibited by some of our crack west-country growers.

Few people, I think, transplant Roses, even in November, with
greater success, most of the plants having made fine heads, and some of
them — as Paxton, Madame de Trotter, Louise Peyronney, Chenedole,
&c. — having made shoots four to five feet long, and proportionately
strong. Now the rationale of this system of management may be
comprised in the following propositions : —

1. — A husbanding of the resources of the plant by gradual checks,
which had the effect of preventing growth at the top, yet at the same
time encouraged the formation of fibre.

2. — A prevention of the loss of the juices of the plant by depriving it
of all the young shoots that could possibly be spared, and reducing the
evaporating surface of those retained to the lower leaf only, all above
that being cut away.

3. — Planting so as to prevent the roots being injured, and at a time
when the soil was so warm that the fibres struck into it almost instantly.

I submit this as a system of planting which may be practised in
certain emergencies, and in studying which the young gardener may
find some facts that may aid him in subsequent experiments.

Orchardleigh Park, Frome. W. P. A.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS.
Exhibitions of these have been numerous this autumn. In short
Chrysanth emums have now become so popular, both among amateur
and gardeners, that few persons fond of flowers care to be without them

374 THE FLORIST.

They possess so many interesting qualities, both as plants for decoration
and as florist's flowers ; and are, withal, so cheap to purchase and so
easy of* cultivation, that it is not to be wondered at that they have
become favourites ; and with care they will last for years. They may
be made to produce blooms from the size of the wild Daisy to that of
the largest Dahlia. They can be grown in 8-inch pots on one stem, in
circles 5 feet across, and with from 2000 to 3000 well- shaped blooms,
all out at one time ; or in thumb pots, 6 inches in height, for windows ;
or they may be trained up on one stem, like standard Roses, pegged
down in borders like Verbenas, or trained to stakes from 1 foot to 8 teet
high. If the weather is mild, they will furnish the borders with blooms
from October to Christmas. They make an exhibition of themselves
with which few other flowers can compete. There is scarcely a town
of any importance in England that has not had its exhibition of them
this year, although this has been the most unfavourable autumn for
them these forty years. They will grow in the most smoky and con-
fined localities, where scarcely any other plant will exist ; consequently
they are, of all plants, deserving of notice. Having had some expe-
rience in cultivating them, and being an admirer of the plant from
its usefulness for town gardens, I have taken the liberty of giving you
my practical experience, together with that of many other successful
cultivators, on the mode of growing them. So fond are the London
amateurs of this flower, when they grow them for exhibition, that they
make temporary frames to put them in, to keep them from the frost and
cold, and get a quantity of rushlights and stick up all over the frames
to burn all night, to keep out frost, as a substitute for fire in severe
weather ; others get inch zinc pipes to construct a small boiler, and put
underneath it an oil lamp, to heat their little quart boiler ; in fact, they
try all kinds of cheap contrivances to prepare their little productions for
the show table, and in all cases succeed ; so much so, that they take the
public by surprise when their plants are exhibited.

For cut blooms, the most successful growers cultivate in 12-inch
pots. They take the old root, and, shaking off the mould, and selecting
three or four of the strongest suckers, put them in 5-inch pots in silver
sand and loam. In February they are placed in a cold frame till well
rooted ; they then give them another shift to a larger pot, with compost
consisting of forest loam and turf chopped up small but not sifted, well
decomposed cow-dung, and a little sand, with good drainage. When
the weather becomes mild they are placed in a sheltered sunny spot,
and each shoot secured to sticks, watered moderately, and when the
plants are well rooted they are repotted into the blooming pot, not over
watered through the summer, as they try to ripen the wood as soon as
they can. They select the strongest branch to take the flower bud
from, never selecting the first bud, but trust to the third where the
plant is very strong, which shows itself in August. All side shoots are
taken off after they are an inch long, except the two or three leaders
that are kept to take the flower buds from. When the bud is taken
all other laterals are removed, and a rough turfy top dressing is given
to keep the roots from being exposed to sun and air. Liquid manures

DECEMBER.

375

are then supplied freely and often, but not strong ; cow, sheep, horse,
rabbits', or fowls' dung are the principal manures. In October the
plants are taken into houses or placed under canvas to keep the cold
winds and wet off them. As the blooms begin to expand, they use
tweezers to take out any deformed petals, and extract all florets between
each petal ; if the bloom is too crowded the short petals are removed
by the tweezers to allow the others to strengthen and grow much longer.
If seediness shows in the centre it is eased by carefully taking out the
florets a little from the inside of the inner petals, but not touching the
centre, as that would be detected and called " taking out the eye."
When the blooms are nearly expanded they are turned down and the
wet kept from them; this preserves the outer petals, and keeps them
incurved, otherwise they would reflex with their own weight and length.
They are then cut and drawn tight into various sized wooden tubes and
placed on the show board, with a slight dressing of such petals as are
out of their places.

The varieties that are mostly grown for this purpose are the following,
viz., Themis, Nonpareil, Vesta, Anaxo, Beauty, Plutus, Yellow Perfec-
tion, Novelty, Arthur Wortley, Dupont de l'Eure, Golden Queen of
England, Queen of England, Alfred Salter, Stellaris globosa, Marshal
Duroc, Christopher Colomb, Goliath, Leon Leguay, Madame Audry,
White and Yellow Formosum, Cassy, Albin, Rosamystica, Etoile Polaire,
Hermione, Aimee Ferriere, and Phidias.

Large specimens in 11 -inch pots grown on one stem are started as
soon as possible ; they are put in 48-sized pots, and the leader taken
out when six inches high, to get six or seven breaks or laterals ; they
are kept in cold frames, repotted, tied out, and stopped up to the middle
of July* liquid manure is used three times a week through the
summer, and the shoots regularly tied out. The buds when formed are
thinned ont to obtain well-formed blooms, the foliage kept well sprinkled
in hot weather with water, and the soil watered occasionally with a
little soot mixed in the water to keep a fine dark leaf. They are housed
the first week in October or put under canvas.

The varieties grown are Annie Salter, Chevalier Domage, Queen of
England, Mount Etna, Hermione, Plutus, Pilot, General Havelock,
Vesta, Defiance, Dr. Maclean, Madame Camerson, Progne, Alfred
Salter, Christine, Auguste Mie, and Golden Clustered Yellow.

Pompones are grown in the same manner, and started immediately
suckers can be got long enough for potting. The only difference is,
many growers peg down instead of tying out; they stop them three
times, and in general repot at the same time ; they leave off stopping
the first week in August, and put them under cover the first week in
October, and carefully tie out and place every shoot in its blooming
place a month before exhibition. The centre bloom is usually taken
out to allow the later ones to come out altogether, as the centre bloom
often comes a week earlier than the later ones, and takes the strength
from the others. Great care should be exercised in using liquid manure,
as they often go off by employing it too strong when forming flower
buds, this being the critical time.

376 THE FLORIST.

The best sorts are Cedo Nulli, Golden Cedo Nulli, Mustapha, Saint
Thais, Bob, Brilliant, Helene, Borealis, Bijou de l'Horticulture, General
Canrobert, Drin Drin, Madame Rousselon, Duruflet, Requiqui, La
Vogue, Graziella, Solomon, and Adonis.

Temple Gardens. SAMUEL Broome.

CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH.

Auriculas. — These should be quiet at this season. Give them
sufficient water to keep them alive only, but keep them clear of all
dead foliage and aphides, and give plenty of air.

Azaleas and Camellias. — Both these, where not wanted to bloom
early, should be kept cool, with a rather dry atmosphere ; those which
are to bloom next month will require very slight artificial heat to bring
them on, the Camellias particularly. Azaleas will stand more heat, and
should be syringed daily in bright weather, keeping the plants of Azalea
near the glass.

Carnations and Picotees. — These will now require going over to
clear them of all dead foliage, and slightly stir the surface of the soil ;
give scarcely any water, but keep the lights off during fine weather, and
tilted at the back on all occasions, if the weather is at all open, when
the lights cannot be entirely removed.

Cinerarias. — Little can be done with these other than as advised
last month. All specimen plants should now have had their final shift.
Great care must be taken in watering and ventilating ; water early in
the morning, that the foliage may get dry before nightfall, or mildew-
may follow ; where such has made its appearance, a slight dre/sing of
sulphur is necessary to eradicate it. Peg out the leaves of specimen
plants, so as to let them have the full action of light and air. Remove
all small suckers and superfluous leaves, and be cautious not to allow
any frosty draughts, which will cause the foliage to curl. Keep as near
the glass as possible.

Conservatory. — The plants named in our last will mostly be over,
and their places will have to be filled with other stove plants and forced
things. Eranthemum pulchellum, Justicias, Luculia gratissima, stove
Jasmines, Euphorbia splendens, Epiphyllums, and other plants which
have been brought forward for the purpose, will now lend their
assistance. Forced Camellias and Orange trees will come in by the
end of the month, as well as early Tulips, Narcissus, and Hyacinths.
If the roof is occupied by climbers let them now be well thinned out, to
admit as much light to the interior as possible ; look to our last directions
as to firing and cleaning.

Dahlias. — Seed may be cleaned during this dull time, and wintered
in a tolerably dry place ; damp or very dry situations will be alike
injurious. Seed should be cleaned and stored in a dry, but not too dry
a place.

Flower Garden and Shrubbery. — Alterations in this department,
including earth work and turfing, may be proceeded with when the
weather suits. Deciduous trees and shrubs may also be planted, but

DECEMBER. 377

unless with the very hardiest evergreens (which may be planted almost
any time), we should defer the others till the spring. Where the
border soil of shrubberies is exhausted, a good dressing of dung should
be added ; now is a good time to thin out and prune deciduous shrubs.
Rose borders should be well dressed with manure and forked in, or
soaked with manure water. Keep the Grass free from leaves and
frequently rolled.

Forcing Ground. — The severe frosts of late will render forced
vegetables more necessary, for which reason French Beans, Seakale,
Asparagus, and Rhubarb will be in demand, and their production
should be attended to regularly, so as to keep up a succession. If our
previous advice was taken, to plant a pit or two of dwarf Beans when
there was the means of heating, they will now prove invaluable. Fill
a few lights with Asparagus every two or three weeks, to keep up a
succession during mid-winter; a hot-water pit is the best place for this
useful root. Parsley, Endive, and Lettuce, in frames, should have an
abundance of air daily, and the same rule applies to small Cauliflowers
and Lettuce for the spring. A slight hotbed should now be got ready
for a sowing of Horn Carrot and frame Radish, and a few early Potatoes
may be put in heat- to sprout.

Hard-wooded Plants. — These will require free admission of air on
all opportunities. Do not light the fires to any extent, beyond occasion-
ally drying the house and to keep out frost. On this point, we prefer
covering the glass in severe weather with some protective material to
making strong fires. Let the plants be kept clean, and free from dust.

Hardy Fruit. — Where wall fruit trees have been much infested with
insects, it is a good plan to unnail them at this season, pick off the
shreds, and to boil those that will come into use again, to destroy the
eggs of insects ; the best of the nails, too, after being heated in a shovel
over a hot fire, and well shaken to remove the dirt from them, should
be dropped into linseed oil ; the walls may then be washed over with a
wash composed of cement and Spanish red (for colouring), adding a
little sulphur vivum. Where walls are old and the trees much infested
with insects during the summer, we have found the above plan assist
materially to keep the trees clean afterwards. Pears and Plums
infested with scale should be dressed over with the Gishurst compound,
using from three- to four ounces per gallon ; and the same composition
may be applied to any trees on which insects have been troublesome
the past season. Continue the pruning and training of hardy fruit trees
as the weather permits, and protect Figs by tying the branches together
and wrapping haybands round them, or thatching the trees with Fern or
straw. Look to the fruit-room, and remove anything decaying before it
infects those adjoining, keeping the air and temperature uniform, as
advised in our last.

Kitchen Garden. — The frosts of October and November have com-
mitted sad havoc among vegetables, and, to judge of its severity by the
results, it has been the most destructive frost we have had for years.
Great care should be taken with all spring plants, as Cauliflowers,
Lettuce, Spinach, Cabbage, &c, as vegetables will be very scarce in

378 THE FLORIST.

the spring, as indeed they are now. If a sowing of the Sangster's
No. 1 Pea was not made last month, no time should now be lost,
planting them on a dry warm soil, not over-rich, but where they can
be protected from the cutting blasts of March. Look to them after
sowing, for mice, which very frequently spoil the crop unobserved. A
small crop of Mazagan Beans may also be planted.

Peach-house. — It will not be desirable to apply fire-heat by night,
unless the house falls below 40°, until the buds are well swollen and
ready to open ; but a little fire-heat may be given by day in dull cold
weather, so that it does not exceed 55°. When a sunny day occurs,
take advantage of it by closing the house early ; in other respects air
should be admitted daily, that the buds may break strong and produce
bold perfect blooms, when there will be no fear about their setting ; if
any part of the borders is outside the house, it should be protected
from wet and frost by a covering of leaves, and thatched. Dress and
train the next house, for bringing forward by the middle of the month.

Pelargoniums. — Any plants which require shifting should be done at
once. Keep them close for a few weeks, until they have struck root
into the new soil. Avoid keeping much fire at this season ; a mode-
rately dry heat, just excluding frost, will be sufficient ; however, the
fancy varieties do best in an intermediate house. Water in the morning '
for the house to become dry by the middle of the day. Look over fre-
quently and pick off any decayed foliage. Stand the plants as thin as
your room will allow, and also keep the shoots tied out frequently, so
that they may get a free circulation of air through them. Spare no
labour to keep the plants in a healthy vigorous state.

Pinery. — Where fruit is required to ripen in May, those plants
which have been longest rested should now have additional heat to
induce them to throw up ; the bottom heat, too, should be in-
creased, either by turning up the bed, or replunging the pots ; or, if
heated by hot-water pipes, putting on more heat. When the plants
are well supplied with bottom and top heat water should be given to the
roots ; this excitement to grow will most probably result in the greater
part of them showing ; the top heat should be as dry as is practicable.
We know a good grower who always at this season puts his plants in a
fiued pit to get them up, and it certainly produces the effect more quickly
than pipes. For other Pines, consult our last directions. The stock of
fruiting plants intended for summer should now be kept quiet at about
60° night, 75° day.

Vinery. — The Vines started last month will now soon break. Thin
out the buds as soon as the fruit is discernible, and stop these shoots
one joint above the fruit, when grown sufficiently long. The night
temperature may be raised by degrees to 60° night, increasing this to
65° and 6S° by the time the Vines get into bloom. To this may be
added 10° extra for the day temperature when the weather is bright,
but during dull weather work more slowly, that a suffiicient amount of
light may accompany the growth of the young wood. The second house
should be dressed, trained, and the heating apparatus got ready for
starting the Vines, so as to keep up the required succession.

GENERAL INDEX.

Achimenes, culture of, 154, 368
Amaryllis, culture of, 278
Amateur's Guide, Sutton's, 27

,, hints to lady, 49

American garden, plan of, 347
Anemone, culture of, 156
Auriculas, 161

„ wintering, 341

„ classes of, 265, 291

„ Headley's, 244

„ list of, 182

Auricula shows, 119
Baskets, hanging, 135
Bedding plants, 24
Begonia splendida, 122
Blenheim, 24
British Pomological Society, 51, 89, 147,

221, 244, 279, 317
Brighton exhibition, 311
Broccoli, list of, 219, 230
„ wintering, 281
Brugmausia suaveolens, 323
Cadlands, 309
Calendar for January, 28
,, February, 61

„ March, 93

April, 125
May, 157
June, 190
July, 222
,, August, 254

„ September, 285

„ October, 318

„ November, 349

„ December, 376

Camellias, 110

select, 116, 130, 199
„ Valtevaredo, 129
„ Countess of Derby, 321
„ culture of, 327
Carnations, winter, 123
Headly's, 244

Carnation Society, National, 271, 274
Chiswick Garden, 114
Chrysanthemums, 65, 373
Chrysanthemum Society, 76
„ shows, 120

Climate and fruit growing, 143
Cobham Hall, 282
Critchill, 130
Crom Castle, 269

Crystal Palace exhibitions, 163, 194, 305
Currants, 152

Dahlia show, National, 58, 84, 296
Farnham Castle, 178
Fern classification, 37, 100, 211
Ferns, Francis' British, 75
Fern drying, 348
Florist, homes of the, 242, 365
Forsythia viridissima, 122
Frograore Gardens, 298
Frost, spring, 130
Fruit culture, 18, 152

,, trees, economical culture of, 260,

294
„ „ replanting, 82
„ show, St. James's Hall, 59
,, growing and climate, 143
Fuchsias, new, 33

„ culture of, 33

,, from seed, 149
Garden, chronicles of a small, 5

„ laying-out, 201
Gardening, landscape, 23, 75
Gardeners' Assistant, 171
Gardenias, 368
Garrya elliptica, 124
Geraniums, variegated, 111
Gladiolus, 97

„ select, 99

„ autumn, 293

Grapes, various, 51, 370

„ Golden Hamburgh, 248

„ shanking, 267

380

INDEX.

Hansverian Band Floral F6te, 210
Headly, Mr., 242
Horticultural Society, 36, 85

,, „ Exhibition, St.

James's Hall, 170
,, ,, new garden,

239, 282, 364
Hyacinths, Cutbush's, 117
„ culture of, 303
„ in Moss and sand, 285
Jasminum nudiflorum, 99
Lachenalia quadricolor, 13
Lselia Schilleriaua, 193
Leasowes, account of, 324
Lonicera fragrantissima, 17
Mildew, cure for, 230
Month, notes on, 91, 249, 343, 360
Mushroom bed, 342
National Floricultural Society, 118
Notes and Queries, 214
Orange, the, 344
Orchids, select, 193
Palace of the People, 49, 247
Pansies, 132

„ select, 134
Pansy Society, Scottish, 201
Peaches and Nectarines, 315, 361
Pears, Beurre Aguste Benoist, 71
,, Fladberg, 72
„ stewed, 70
Pelargoniums, 353
Pelargonium showing, 140
Perennials, list of, 208
Picotees, 289

„ select, 290
Plants, new, of 1858, 8, 45

„ bedding, 24
Planting and plantations, 301, 332
Phloxes, 257

„ list of, 259
Plocostemrna lasianthum, 1
Plum, new, 1
Pruning, 44
Pteris argyrsea, 301
Raby Castle, 107

Raspberries, 35, 150, 172, 230
Rhododendrons, Sikkim, &c, 20, 284
Roses, remarks on, 2
„ new, 138
,, old and new, 348
,, Duchess of Norfolk, 181
„ Cloth of Gold, 203, 230
„ Isabella Gray, 203 ^
,, yellow, 68

„ Eugene Appert, 225, 250
„ Rev. Mr. Radclyffe's, 237
„ Devoniensis, 308, 329, 362, 372
,, analysis of, 262
„ select, 331
,, planting standard, 250
„ Dorset wall, 357
„ recollections, 372
Rose Show, National, 166, 214
Roses, showing cut, 146
Royal Botanic Society, 141, 188, 205,

231
Salvia gesneraflora, 201
Sea-side Plantations, 284
Seed Sowing, 135
Spergula pilifera, 80, 165
Strawberries, 14, 18, 228
„ French, 77

„ Alpine, 151

,, perpetual, 272

,, American, 370

,, various, 322

Tiffany, uses of, 354
Transplanting, philosophy of, 252
Tulips, national exhibition of, 137, 180
Tunbridge Wells exhibition, 230
Veitch's (Mr.) Nursery, 27
Verbenas, 87
Verbena pot, 1/0
Vines, budding, 229
„ to graft, 86
„ pruning and training, 335
Violets, 184

,, Neapolitan, 155
Yam, Chinese, 332
Zjological Society, Bristol, 205

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New York Botanical Garden Library

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