1880. ]

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grow freely, retain their dwarf habit, and blossom regularly. If the specimens have been brought fresh from the mountains, Alpine plants. like all others, require special treatment. They must be placed in suitable pots, and planted in a soil mixed with lime, sand, or leaves, according to their species, watered moderately, placed in a shady spot, and sprinkled several times a day in fine, warm weather. When they have once taken root, they can be transplanted into the open ground, or still grown in pots.

HARDY DOUBLE AZALEAS.
[PLATE 516.]

GE believe these beautiful flowers originated in Belgium; and as the history of the origin of any of the choicer races of our garden flowers is of interest to lovers of flowers, we shall be glad if any of our Belgian readers can furnish us with the particulars. One of the varieties best known in this country is that called Van Houttei, which produces bright red and very showy flowers; but these double-flowered sorts have not with us received any very marked attention until a year or two since, when Messrs. Veitch and Sons obtained from the Knap Hill Nursery, where they had been grown in some quantity for several seasons, plants of Narcissiflora and one or two others, which, being slightly forced and shown at some of the early summer shows, were highly attractive, and proved at least that they were capable of taking a very high position amongst the hardy ornamental shrubs adapted for forcing, since the doubleness of the flowers renders them much more persistent than the single ones, without in the least degree detracting from their chaste and pleasing form.

The materials which were the foundation of our illustration are from the same source—— Knap Hill, where sundry others will be found blooming at this season of the year. Those we have figured are called Narcissiflora, Graaf von Meran, and Sappho, the latter a fine seedling of Mr. Waterer's, not yet sent out. The group serves to show in a small degree the variety which is to be found amongst these highly attractive and useful plants.

Fig. 1 represents NARCISSIFLORA, a variety in which the flowers are of a bright primroseyellow, produced in large showy heads, which, when grown under normal conditions, are very

showy, but when brought out under glass not only delicately beautiful, but highly fascinating. hardy Azaleas of mixed parentage to which the The habit of the plant is quite that of the other race known as Ghent hybrids belongs; consequently, they are of free growth, and abundantly floriferous under genial conditions of weather during the late spring-time, when they come into blossom. This is of Belgian origin.

Fig. 2, GRAAF VON MERAN, is also a Belgian variety, remarkable for the bright but delicate rosy-pink hue of its well-formed and sprightlylooking flowers. It is a variety well adapted for early work, and has a charmingly soft appearance, when grown under the gentle régime of a mild forcing house.

Fig. 3 represents SAPPHO, a Knap Hill variety of great beauty, and one whose colour contrasts well with the primrose and pinkish hues of the companion flowers. The colour is a kind of buff-orange, deeper towards the centre, and dashed with red on the outer surface. The flowers are remarkably telling, as seen on the plant, and are amongst the largest and best formed which have yet been obtained; the variety will, consequently, take a high place amongst its compeers. Whether it will be adapted for forcing or not we are unable to say, as it has not been tried, but as these double varieties generally prove amenable to this mode of treatment, there is no reason to expect that Sappho will be more obstinate than her fellows.

The

novelties from the Knap Hill collection, where We may soon look for some other meritorious the Hardy Azaleas, double and single, have always been held in high estimation. results of years of careful crossing are now becoming evident in a marked degree amongst the singles, and flowers far in advance of any of the named sorts, and showing a rich variety of colours, have been obtained; while amongst the doubles considerable additions to the range of colour formerly known have been made, so that double Hardy Azaleas will henceforth be a highly varied as well as a highly ornamental race of garden ornaments.-T. MOORE.

NATIONAL AURICULA SOCIETY.

NORTHERN SECTION.

HE Northern Section of the National Auricula Society held its annual show on the 27th ult. in the Town Hall, Manchester, in conjunction with one of the spring exhibitions of the Botanical and Horticultural Society. The season has not been remarkable for yielding blooms of high quality, and owing to the fact that it has proved also to be an early one, some of the flowers were already past their best, but as a whole, the quality of the bloom

was superior to that of the Southern show held the week previous; and though the display was less extensive, owing to the absence of the larger classes of twelves and fifties which were invited in the South, and which at the least excited increased interest in the exhibition in the eyes of the public, by serving to make a more comprehensive display, the show may be fairly considered as a satisfactory one. Thus the season of 1880 has not witnessed any falling back in the spread of Auricula culture. Some differences of taste between North and South are, no doubt, entertained, but they are not of a nature to check the confluence of the currents of popular favour which have lately been setting in towards these flowers, or to raise difficulties between the growers, North and South, the friendly communion of whom at these floral gatherings is amongst the most gratifying of the results already realised. As an instance of these differences, it may be mentioned that in the North the Alpine Auriculas are divided into two classes according as the colour of the centre is white or yellow, and shaded flowers only are admitted. The display in this section was thus not so effective as in the South, the rule which excludes other than shaded flowers keeping away the brilliant Selfs that here are so much admired; but at Northern shows of course northern rules prevail, and the results, if different, are practically unimportant. Polyanthuses were vastly superior at the Northern show, and formed a distinct and attractive feature, as was indeed to be expected, since not only the growers but the flowers had till quite recently all but died out in the South.

The following report records the results of the exhibition, which we are glad to hear was well attended by the residents in Manchester, and proved a source of much interest to those who honoured the show with a visit, a result which must have been highly gratifying to the assiduous and energetic Honorary Secretary, the Rev. F. D. Horner, and to the members of the committee:

AURICULAS.

Class A. 6 dissimilar (Alpines excluded).---1st, Mr. H. Wilson, Halifax, with Colonel Taylor (Leigh), Geo. Lightbody (Headly), John Simonite (Walker), one of the finest of the white-edged class, a splendid truss of eight pips, Alexander Meiklejohn (Kay), C. J. Perry (Turner), and Prince of Greens (Trail) -a superb lot, bold without coarseness, the pips perfect in finish; 2nd, Mr. T. Mellor, Ashton-underLyne, with Alexander Meiklejohn (Kay), an exceptionally fine truss of eight pips, Lovely Ann

(Oliver), and four seedlings, a green-edge, grey-edge, white-edge, and a maroon self, the latter a promising flower; 3rd, Mr. E. Pohlman, Halifax, with Earl Grosvenor (Lee), Acme (Read), Colonel Taylor (Leigh), George Lightbody (Headly), Mazzini (Pohlman), and New Green (Headly)—a highly finished collection; 4th, Mr. W. F. Bateman, Low Moor, Bradford, with Confidence (Campbell), Lord Palmerston (Campbell), Lovely Ann (Oliver), Catherina, (Summerscales), Conqueror of Europe (Waterhouse), Onwards (Campbell), a lovely violet self in the way of C. J. Perry, but a few shades lighter; 5th, W. Brockbank, Esq., Didsbury, with Ellen Lancaster

(Pohlman), Maggie Lauder (Lowe), Lancashire Hero (Lancashire), Alexander Meiklejohn (Kay), Metropolitan (Spalding), and Richard Headly (Lightbody); 6th, Miss Steward, York, with Alderman Wisbey (Headly), Meteor Flag (Lightbody), Beauty (Trail), George Lightbody (Headly), Colonel Champneys (Turner), and a white-edged seedling; 7th, Mr. J. Goodier, Stakehill, with Lancashire Hero (Lanca

shire), Pizarro (Campbell), George Lightbody (Headly), Privateer (Grimes), C. J. Perry (Turner), and Catherina (Summerscales).

Class B. 4 dissimilar (Alpines excluded).—1st, Mr. E. Pohlman, with Confidence (Campbell), Mazzini (Pohlman), Earl Grosvenor (Lee), and Imperator (Litton); 2nd, Mr. Wilson, Halifax, with Acme (Read), Lancashire Hero (Lancashire), Garibaldi (Pohlman), and Prince of Greens (Trail); 3rd, Mr. T. Mellor, with Lovely Ann (Oliver), Lancashire Hero, Metropolitan (Spalding), and a white-edged seedling; 4th, Mr. W. F. Bateman, with Prince of Wales (Ashworth), Confidence (Campbell), Conqueror of Europe (Waterhouse), and Lord of Lorne (Campbell); 5th, Mr. James Bentley, Stakehill, with Lancashire Hero, Ne Plus Ultra (Smith), Pizarro (Campbell), and Lovely Ann (Oliver); 6th, Miss Steward, with Ne Plus Ultra (Smith), Lord Clyde (Campbell), Lovely Ann (Oliver), and a white-edged seedling; 7th, R. Gorton, Esq., Eccles, with Lancashire Hero, Glory (Taylor), Lovely Ann (Oliver), and C. J. Perry (Turner).

Class C. 2 dissimilar in variety and class.-1st, Mr. A. Shaw, Bury, Lancashire, with Alexander Meiklejohn (Kay) and Lovely Ann (Oliver); 2nd, Mr. W. Beswick, Middleton, with Lovely Ann (Oliver) and a dark seedling self in the way of Vulcan (Sims); 3rd, Mr. H. Wilson, with George Lightbody (Headly) and Prince of Greens (Trail); 4th, Mr. J. Goodier, with George Lightbody (Headly) and Blackbird (Spalding); 5th, Mr. T. Mellor, with Lovely Ann (Oliver) and a grey-edged seedling; 6th, Mr. Ben. Simonite, with George Lightbody (Headly) and Mrs. Douglas (Simonite); 7th, Mr. James Bentley, with George Lightbody and Leigh's Colonel Taylor.

Class D. 2 dissimilar in variety and class (open only to maiden growers).-1st, Mr. A. Shaw, Bury, with C. J. Perry (Turner) and Alderman C. E. Brown (Headly); 2nd, Mr. J. Goodier, with George Lightbody and Blackbird; 3rd, Mr. William Bolton, Warrington, with Beauty (Trail) and Lovely Ann (Oliver); 4th, Mr. James Bentley, with George Lightbody and Colonel Taylor (Leigh).

Class F. Specimen Green-edged.-Premium, Mr. E. Pohlman, with Lancashire Hero, a very neat truss of six pips. 1st, Mr. H. Wilson, with Colonel Taylor (Leigh); 2nd, Mr. Ben. Simonite, with a seedling, a good bright green; 3rd, Miss Steward, with Lovely Ann (Oliver); 4th, Mr. E. Pohlman, with Imperator (Litton) and, 5th, New Green (Headly); 6th, Mr. Ben. Simonite, with Talisman (Simonite); and 7th, Mr. T. Mellor, with Lord Palmerston (Campbell).

Class G. Specimen Grey-edged.-Premium, Mr. T. Mellor, with Richard Headly (Lightbody). 1st,

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Miss Steward, with Alma (Lightbody); 2nd, W. Brockbank, Esq., with Alexander Meiklejohn (Kay); 3rd, Mr. A. Shaw, with Richard Headly (Lightbody) and, 4th, Lancashire Hero (Lancashire); 5th, Mr. E. Pohlman, with General Bolivar (Smith) and, 6th, Beauty (Trail); 7th, Mr. H. Wilson, with George Levick (Walker).

Class H. Specimen White-edged.-Premium, Mr. J. Booth, Failsworth, with Acme (Read). 1st, Mr. Pohlman, with Catherina (Summerscales) and, 2nd, with Earl Grosvenor (Lee); 3rd, W. Brockbank, Esq., with Acme (Read); 4th, Mr. T. Mellor, with Richard Headly (Lightbody); 5th, with Beauty (Trail), and 6th, Smiling Beauty (Heap); 7th, W. Brockbank, Esq., with Bright Venus (Lee); 8th, Mr. Pohlman, with John Waterston (Cunningham).

Class I. Specimen Self.-Premium, Mr. A. Shaw, with W. E. Gladstone, a dark maroon seedling, effective, and of good quality. 1st, Mr. T. Mellor, with a very dark seedling; 2nd, Mr. H. Wilson, with Sapphire (Horner), a lovely violet; 3rd, Mr. A. Shaw, with Ellen Lancaster (Pohlman); 4th, Mr. Pohlman, with Blackbird (Spalding); 5th, Mr. T. Mellor, with a dark maroon seedling; 6th, Mr. T. L. Cater, with C. J. Perry (Turner); 7th, Mr. J. Beswick, with a very dark seedling; 8th, Mr. Ben. Simonite, with Mrs. Douglas (Simonite).

ALPINE AURICULAS.

Class E. 4 dissimilar.-1st, Mr. A. Shaw, Bury, with Fair Rosamond, Elcho, Diadem, and John Leech; 2nd, Mr. John Beswick, with Dolly Varden, James Douglas, Diadem, and Goliath; 3rd, R. Gorton, Esq., with Stirling Castle, Marion, Evening Star, George Lightbody; 4th, Miss Steward, with four seedlings; 5th, W. Brockbank, Esq., with John Leech, Ovid, Diadem, and Diana.

Class K. Specimen Yellow-centred.-Premium, Mr. A. Shaw, with John Leech (Turner). 1st, Mr. Pohlman, with Pioneer (Pohlman), a very distinct flower, shaded orange-buff; 2nd, Mr. J. Beswick, with Diadem (Gorton), and 3rd, with Queen of England; 4th, R. Gorton, Esq., with Queen Victoria; and 5th, with Evening Star.

Class L. Specimen White-centred.-Premium, Miss Steward, with a lilac-mauve shaded seedling. 1st, Mr. A. Shaw, with Elcho (Turner); 2nd, Mr. T. Mellor, with Conspicua; 3rd, Miss Steward, with a dark violet-purple shaded seedling; 4th, Mr. J. Beswick, with Goliath; 5th, S. Barlow, Esq., with Miss Read.

Class P. 12 Fancy Auriculas, dissimilar.-1st, S. Barlow, Esq.; 2nd, Mr. W. Bolton; 3rd, Mr. Bateman.

POLYANTHUSES.

Class M. 3 dissimilar, black ground.-1st, Mr. J. Beswick, with Earl of Lincoln (Hufton), Cheshire Favourite (Saunders), and Exile (Crownshaw); 2nd, William Brockbank, Esq., with Exile, Cheshire Favourite, and Beauty of England (Maud); 3rd, S. Barlow, Esq., with President, Exile, and Cheshire Favourite.

Class N. 3 dissimilar, red ground.-1st, Mr. J. Beswick, with President (Hilton), George IV. (Buck), and Lancer; 2nd, W. Brockbank, Esq., with George IV., President, and Prince Regent (Cox); 3rd, S. Barlow, Esq., with Sunrise (Barlow), Lancer, and George IV.; 4th, Mr. W. Bolton, with three unnamed varieties.

Class O. Single Specimen.- Premium, Mr. J. Beswick, with Buck's George IV. 1st, Mr. J. Beswick, with George IV., and 2nd, with Exile; 3rd, Mr. W. Whittaker, Salford, with a black ground seedling. 4th, Mr. J. Beswick, with Earl of Lincoln; 5th, Mr. T. Mellor, with a red ground seedling; 6th, Mr. J. Beswick, with Cheshire Favourite.

Seedling. Mr. W. Bolton's special prize for the best red ground seedling was won by Mr. Mellor,

with a flower of fair quality. That for the best black ground was taken by Mr. Whittaker, of Salford, with a grand flower of very high quality.

Class Q. 12 Fancy Polyanthuses, dissimilar.—1st, W. Brockbank, Esq.

Class R. 12 Primroses, dissimilar.-1st, W. Brockbank, Esq.; 2nd, S. Barlow, Esq.

The single specimens were numerous, and mostly of high quality. The best Auricula in the show was Walker's John Simonite, a grand truss of eight pips, shown by Mr. H. Wilson, of Halifax, in his 1st prize group of six. The best grey-edged Auricula was Kay's Alexander Meiklejohn, with eight very fine pips, shown by Mr. T. Mellor, in his 2nd prize group of six. The best green-edged flower, a very neat truss of six pips of Lancashire Hero,* was shown by Mr. E. Pohlman.-W.

SUBURBAN GARDENING. UNE.-Though there are clear skies overhead, and the sun shines gaily and warmly, May flowers have an unhappy

look, for drying east winds abound, and the parched earth sadly needs the rain so long delayed.

Kitchen Garden.-There should have been little difficulty in keeping the garden clean during May. Thinning-out, hoeing, and handweeding are all of great importance to growing crops. Some more dwarf French Beans should be sown for a late crop, but only on early ground, and in a favourable position. If the dry weather has delayed the planting-out of Brussels Sprouts, it should be done directly rain comes and Broccoli, Savoys, and Borecoles should also be planted for late crops. Carrots need thinning-out, and as

far as it can be done the soil should be kept loose on the surface. Those who have water at command should apply it freely to all young crops needing it. Cauliflowers should be planted out, and an old gardener recommends watering them, as soon as planted, with weak, clarified soot-water, to keep off attacks of what is known as the white maggot. The trenches for Celery should be dug, and some plants put out as soon as they are strong enough. If this dry weather lasts, plenty of water must be given, and occasional doses of weak liquid manure. Parsley beds or drills should be thinned-out, leaving only the best curled plants; and if the bed be thinned, some of the best quality of plants pulled out should be transplanted into good ground. A little Lettuce can still be sown for succession, and growing Peas should be stuck, and where space allows, a few more be sown for succession. Parsnips and Onions

*This is a grey-edge by class, but sometimes blooming a green edge, is of course entitled to show in the class it blooms in, the flower being judged by its blooming rather than by its catalogue form.-F. D. H.

require thinning-out, the former to nine inches apart, to give them room to swell into size. The hoe must be freely used among Potatos, loosening the soil in the rows, and earthing-up the growing lines. A little Turnip can be sown; the American White Strapleaf is one of the best.

Fruit Garden.-Wall Trees, such as Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, Plums, and Pears, will require frequently looking over, as the effect of the dry weather is to induce curl and blister, or at least to aggravate the latter, if it does not produce it. In addition, all ill-placed and very strong shoots need to be removed, at the same time nailing or tying-in those that are sufficiently advanced in growth, but carefully avoiding over-crowding, or the wood is likely to be insufficiently matured. We fear that generally the crops of fruit are so thin that thinning-out will not be necessary, but if it needs to be done, now is the time. The trees should also be plentifully syringed in the afternoon of the day, when the sun has ceased to shine on them.

are

All newly-planted Fruit trees and Strawberry plants must be mulched and watered while the dry weather lasts. Late-planted trees having a rather bad time of it, and require attention owing to the drought. Vines upon walls need attention now; some gardeners recommend that the tendrils be picked off; the fruit-bearing shoots should be stopped at one joint beyond the bunch, excepting the leading shoots, some of which, for future service, can be kept at full length. The shoots need to be thinned out carefully, not injuring or checking the foliage in doing so.

Flower Garden.-It is time " bedding out should be got on with and completed. It is unsafe to put out tender plants while the wind is in the east, for there is no knowing when frosts may come, but such things as Calceolarias, Verbenas, Pelargoniums, Centaureas, &c., may be bedded out without fear of risk. If the weather continues dry, the plants must be watered. Pelargoniums for training against pillars, also Lophospermums, Maurandyas, and other creepers can be placed in position also. Vases, if nicely filled, form pleasing objects: the graceful Humea elegans is suitable for a centre plant, and Fuchsias, Abutilons, Iryleaved Pelargoniums, &c., can go round it. The vases look best when filled as full as possible, with some trailing plants hanging over the sides. Annuals need to be carefully thinned out, and some transplanted in showery weather; fresh sowings of a few of the quicker-growing ones can be made, to bloom in autumn. tall-growing Perennials should have stakes to support them, the shoots being neatly tied thereto. Such useful things as Aubrietias, Iberis, Cheiranthus, Alyssum saxatile, and Arabis can be propagated by dividing the

All

treading them firmly into the soil. Dahlias should be planted out so soon as convenient, in order that the plants may get established as quickly as possible.

Cold Frames.-Those who grow hardy Primulas of all kinds will find their cold frames very acceptable for stowing them away, now that the bedding plants are being placed in the beds. It is found by experience that the earlier these can be repotted the better, as they make new roots freely at this time of the year, and the fresher and sweeter the soil, the better for the plants. All Polyanthuses and Primroses, and indeed such things as Primula denticulata, rosea, intermedia, villosa, nivea, and others, may be planted out in the open ground with great advantage; it is a change that does the plants much good. When they are thus planted out, the soil should be pressed firmly about the roots, and the plants put a little deep in the soil. Saxifraga granulata flore-pleno is a capital plant for growing in pots in a cold frame; the pure white double flowers are very useful in a cut state, and highly valuable for bouquets. Many spring-flowering things in pots can be placed out-of-doors on a coal-ash bed, in a shady, cool place; and if they can be plunged in cocoa-nut fibre or ashes, so much the better.

Greenhouse.-All plants in flower need to have frequent supplies of water during the bright drying weather, and shading is also necessary to prolong the bloom. It is a good plan to whitewash over the outside of a greenhouse, where no shading can be given. Air must be given freely, and in the case of plants that dry quickly, it is a saving of labour to stand the pots into others a size or two larger, placing moss or cocoa-fibre between the inner and outer one. Such useful things as Cytisus, Deutzia, &c., that have gone out of bloom, should be removed to a shady place out-ofdoors, but not allowed to perish from drought, It is best to stand the plants on slates, boards, &c., so as to prevent as far as possible the ingress of worms. The ordinary greenhouse plants for summer decoration, such as Fuchsias, Balsams, Petunias, and the like, should be kept growing on freely, so that they may be in good condition for blooming presently. Harrison's Musk, Kalosanthes coccinea, climbing Tropaolums, and things of this character are good plants for summer work in the conservatory, and do much towards securing a pleasing display.—SUBURBANUS.

PANAX PLUMATUM. HERE are in our gardens two or three species referred to Panar, in which the evergreen leaves are very much divided,