C. niveum, or the hardy C. spectabile. Here, too, we made flora. Leaving this house, we notice in the adjoining border outside a fine specimen in flower of that interesting botanical curiosity Megacarpaa polyandra, recently alluded to in these columns, and pass on to the long curvilinear range. In the stove division we were fortunate in seeing in flower two species of the noble genus Brownea—viz., B. grandiceps and B. coccinea. The first-named is here quite a tree, and bears its marvellous floral tassels, each as large as a child's head, in profusion; the second is not so robust a grower, neither are the pendulous flower heads so large, but the colour is more vivid and brilliant. This compartment was further gay with a number of other plants in flower, which we need not enumerate. so another day. Before parting with the Sarracenias, and ALTERNANTHERAS AND COLEUS IN THE I SHOULD much like to know how far north Alternantheras THE FORTHCOMING MIDLAND SHOW. ALTHOUGH the announcement has been made that probably after all the Royal Horticultural Society may hold a provincial show at Wigan, yet as that is still in nubibus, and the preliminaries for the Great Midland Show are all settled, I thought it might interest the readers of our Journal if I turned aside on my way to Manchester to revisit the scene of the most successful provincial show the Royal Horticultural Society has as yet held, to ascertain a few facts connected with it, and at the same time to see the spring gardening which Mr. Quilter carries out on such a grand scale. Among the stately plants domiciled under the central vated dome of this fine range we noticed a fine specimen of the Chinese Palm, Chamaerops sinensis, in flower. The adjoining or greenhouse division was quite in holiday trim with the quantity both of hard and soft-wooded greenhouse stuff in flower. Of these, one of the most striking and noteworthy was Abutilon magapotamicum, trained up one of the pillars, spreading freely above, and hanging its remarkably large striated bells in rich profusion. This, we think, is the largest-flowered and most striking of the genus. Observing to the foreman of the houses that this species was very striking from the comparatively great size of its flower. "Yes," he added," and for being always in flower." The collection of succulents in this compartment is most extensive and varied, and wonderful are the quaint forms which it comprises. We must leave them, however, and hasten to the Victoria house, where were temporarily located the immediate objects of our present visit-been divided off, heated with hot water, and has been made into namely, the curious Sarracenias or American Pitcher-plants, of which there were just then several species displaying their singular flowers. No private enterprise at all equal to this has ever been ele-entered upon in the way of flower shows. The great provincial Shows of York, Leeds, Manchester, and other places, the Exhibitions at the Regent's Park, South Kensington, the Crystal Palace, and Alexandra Park are the efforts of societies and companies; but this Great Midland Show is the effort of one individual, who asks no guarantee fund, seeks no aid from others, but can say with Coriolanus, "Alone I did it!" And not only has he issued a liberal prize list of £1000, but he has already secured the co-operation of most of our leading exhi bitors, while the arrangements he has made will show that the comfort and pleasure of all concerned have been carefully studied. 66 Among those in flower were Sarracenia rubra, S. flava, S. flava var. Catesbæi, and, showing flower, an unique variety, which Glasnevin alone can boast of, and with regard to which we may, perhaps, devote a special article by-and-bye. Though not in flower, we were particularly taken with one of this remarkable collection, as in respect of its pitchers it is to our mind the one most to be prized of any. They are particularly graceful, and the operculum or lid far and away more elegant in form than that of any of its fellows. We could not make out the specific name on the label, and time then did not admit of making further inquiry; we hope, however, to do When the Royal Horticultural Society had concluded their Show, instead of allowing the large tent which formed the chief attraction of the Exhibition to be taken down, Mr. Quilter purchased it and converted it to his own use. One half of it has an attractive conservatory; while the other half has been planted with Rhododendrons from the nurseries of Messrs. Standish and Co., at Ascot, somewhat in the style of those we are in the habit of seeing in the metropolis planted by the Messrs. Waterer. It will therefore not be difficult to again convert them into an exhibition tent, while the cricket field adjoining will afford ample space for the various supplementary tents that will be required, and also for the display of horticultural implements and necessaries. A room will be provided for those who may wish to write, meet their friends, &c., and everything done that Mr. Quilter's great experience and enterprise may lead him to consider needful. Two years ago, when on a similar journey, I visited the grounds at Lower Aston and attempted to give, what is a very "When wife could not, through sickness got, Then thought I best, from toil to rest, Apparently not a reasonable selection, for it is as "nigh seaside" as Catawade. However, he had friends there. "So was I glad, much friendship had, A time to lie." It did not restore his wife, and there she died. Even her one line difficult task, some idea of the wonderful extent and beauty Ill-success and his wife's ill-health hastened his departure— of the spring gardening. I was enabled to contrast it this year with the recollection of it then. It has been, let me say, a most unfavourable season for it. The spring frosts have very much checked the growth of plants; and anyone who has watched the perfectly stand-still character of many things in their own gardens will not be surprised to hear that the Golden Feather Pyrethrum and some of the Pansies have considerably suffered. One defect I noticed last time has been remedied. The beds were too light-too much yellow and white; this year a great deal more of the dark purple Pansy has been used in the centre panelling, and had the other plants not so much failed I think the effect would have been grand in the extreme. Even as it is, seen at a little distance nothing can be more charming than the jewelled appearance of the beds. It is only when you come closer that you see the gaps the frosts and unkindly weather have made. The beds being on the slant instead of flat, greatly enhances their beauty, although at the same time it makes the difficulty of keeping them in order the greater. The purple Aubrietia makes the best blue of that colour, the Forget-me-not being too delicate in shade and also too tall. Although Mr. Quilter has had these disadvantages to deal with, it is very doubtful whether any spring gardening at all equal in extent to this is to be anywhere met with. It remains but to say that as far as the Exhibition is concerned five challenge cups have been added to the liberal list of prizes, value £25 each, and when won twice (not of necessity in successive years) become the property of the winner. One is for stove and greenhouse plants; two for cut Roses (one for amateurs and one for growers for sale); one for fruit, and one for vegetables. There will be a national lawn-mower contest, and the Birmingham Rose Show will be incorporated with the Exhibition, so that every element of success seems to have been attained.-D., Deal. NOTES AND GLEANINGS. ALTHOUGH all growers of POTATOES have had some experience of the loss caused by the disease, yet it has seldom impressed them with the consequences which follow when it occurs where Potatoes are cultivated very extensively. Those consequences were demonstrated during a recent trial in the Court of Queen's Bench. The defendant, Mr. Coupland, a Lincolnshire farmer, had entered into a contract with the plaintiff, Mr. Havell, in March to sell him "two hundred tons of Potatoes, grown on his land at Whaplode," at the price of £3 6s. 8d. per ton, to be delivered in September. Two hundred and fifty acres were actually planted at Whaplode, and it appeared that they would produce seven tons an acre, so that there was abundant land planted to raise the quantity contracted for. In August, however, the Potato disease attacked the crop and destroyed it, so that the farmer was unable to complete his contract. Therefore, although the farmer ought to have obtained 1750 tons, the disease rendered him incapable of supplying 200 tons. The question was whether he was excused in law. The Court gave judgment in favour of the defendant, the farmer, because the Potatoes to be delivered were to be Potatoes grown upon the particular farm, and no others could have been supplied; so that when that became impossible in consequence of the Potato disease the performance of the contract became impossible, and there was no default on the part of the farmer. THE Constabulary returns, based upon information obtained from farmers and others, and revised by Boards of Guardians, show that it may be estimated that Ireland produced in the year 1873, 2,683,060 tons of Potatoes. The acreage under Potatoes has been decreasing for the last two years, but the produce in 1873 showed a large increase over 1872. THOMAS TUSSER.-No. 3. TUSSER was at Braham Hall in 1557, and could not have remained there long, for at the end of eleven years he was in Essex, and in the intermediate years had lived at Ipswich, farmed in Norfolk, and resided at Norwich, buried one wife and married another. It is certain that his farming at Braham Hall was a failure, and he attributes that failure to the high rent, for he says "With loss and pain, to little gain, With shifts to save, to cram Sir Knave, What life it is!" We hoped to have found a record of her burial, but in this we have been disappointed; the incumbent of each parish in Ipswich has kindly searched its register, but without finding the wished-for entry. "There left good wife, this present life." During his residence at Ipswich he seems to have composed his poetical notes on "Huswiffry," for in the address "To the Reader " he says "Then bear with a widower's pen as ye may." And he was only a widower whilst there residing. The first notice of the composition is in the register of the Stationers' Company, where in the year 1561 Thomas Hacket had license for "A Dyalogue of Wynynge and Thrynnge of Tussher's, with lessons for olde and yonge," and it seems to have been published the following year by his first publisher, Richard Totell, under the title, also in the Stationers' Company register, "One hundredth good poyntes of Husbandry lately maryed unto a hundreth good poyntes of huswiffry, newly corrected and amplyfyed." 66 The dedicatory epistle of the "huswiffry" is to his "especiall good lady and mistress, the Lady Paget," who was one of 'the Lancashire witches" when Anne Prestin. Only one more edition of this volume was published, and that was in 1570, and it is there stated to be "set foorth by Thomas Tusser, gentleman, servant to the right honorable lorde Paget of Beudesert." Lord Molesworth thought that "The Points of Huswifry" should be reprinted, and a copy kept in every farm house, and so far as a sentiment of religion and an enforcement of thriftiness pervades the tract, it deserves commendation; but in its details of the employments and management of a household it is totally inapplicable to our time and usages. No wonder that neither Tusser nor his wife could "more toile abide," for they, according to "The Points," were slaves and the drivers of slaves. All had to be up at first cockcrow; hemp had to be peeled for home-spinning; malt had to be made, ground, and brewed; the wife was to carve for all the servants, men and maids; the latter, if not cleanly, were to be made to "cry creak," for the wife was to carry "a Holly wand" for the purpose of beating them, but Tusser advises that "Such servants are oftenest painfull and good, That sing in their labour, as birds in the wood." Bread had to be baked, dairying pursued in all its details, scouring and washing were daily tasks, men came to dinner whilst the plough-horses were baiting, "Good sempsters be sewing of fine pretty knacks, Good huswives be mending and piecing their sacks." Candles had to be made, hogs fed, cows milked, logs to be brought in at night, herb-medicines had to be made, and finally "Declare after supper-take heed thereuntoWhat work in the morning each servant shall do." for in those days master, mistress, and all servants on the farm had their meals together. Such drudgery we have said would not now be applicable here, but we have just received some "points of housewifry," now enforced in America, and in verse too, that are not discordant with those of Tusser; "Up in the early morning, Just at the peep of day, "Brushing the crumbs from the pantry, Spreading the snow-white linen Down on the bushes below, Where the red Strawberries grow. "Starching their cottons for Sunday, Churning the snowy cream, Whilst residing at Ipswich Tusser married a Norfolk woman, Amy Moon. She was seemingly much his junior, at all events she survived him. He plays upon her name by saying that she would always shine "And never change, a thing most strange." She was young, "a wife in youth;" expenses increased. "The child at nurse, to rob the purse," so he again betook to farming. His wife seems to have objected to leaving her native county. "For Norfolk wiles, so full of guiles, Have caught my toe, by wiving so, He became the tenant of West Dereham Abbey about the year 1564. The Abbey had but recently been suppressed, and its last Abbot was living in Tusser's youth time, dying in 1548. The Abbey lands, manors, &c., were granted to Thomas Derham, Esq., of Crimplesham, in 32 Henry VIII., and he died possessed of them in 1554, but they remained to his descendants, but disputes arose and Tusser fled from the tenancy. "Then left I all, because such brawl, I list not bide." There seems to have been some temptation thus readily to leave a farm, which he admits was such "as heart could wish;" and the tempter was Sir Richard Southwell. He is described as a great favourite of Henry VIII.; was one of the visitors appointed by him of the monasteries in Norfolk on their suppression; was of the privy council to that king, Edward VI., and Queen Mary; was master of the ordnance and armoury, and one of the executors to Henry VIII.; he was also high steward of the Duchy of Lancaster. He possessed thirty-two manors in Norfolk, and profited, as one might expect, from the dissolution of the monasteries. It is not improbable that he offered a stewardship to Tusser; but whatever the temptation was, Tusser did not benefit by it, for Sir Richard died at the time, and is thus deplored : "O, Southwell! what, meanst thou by that, Sir Richard had no legitimate son, and his seven executors seem to have not carried out his intentions for Tusser, so he avoided "the ravens " and sought a "safer port." That port was Norwich. The reasons why Sir Richard Southwell came "to crave" for Tusser was probably because he was patronised and commended by Thomas Lord Paget, who was married to Sir Richard's greatniece, bearing the very unusual name of Nazareth, and who benefited by some of his property; for in 1572 Lord Paget nominated one John Poley to the rectory of Wood Rising, which had belonged to Sir Richard. We hoped to publish a view of Tusser's residence at West Dereham, but the rector of the parish, the Rev. J. H. Clarke, writes to us that "there is nothing in the old abbey remaining which could be associated with his memory, as a fragment of the comparatively modern mansion, turned into a shepherd's cottage and laundry, is all which now presents itself without the old moated inclosure. The church, which is about a mile from the site of the Abbey, still presents very nearly the same aspect it would have in Tusser's time." Of that church, dedicated to St. Andrew, we publish a view from a photograph taken by the Rev. Canon Beechey, and for which we are further indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Clarke. THE HOLLYHOCK DISEASE. (PUCCINIA MALVACEARUM, Mont.) IT is to be sincerely hoped that the fungus which causes the Hollyhock disease will confine itself to the tribe Malves of the natural order Malvaceae, and that it will not extend itself to the other tribes of this natural order, so many members of which are cultivated for ornament in this country. If we form a judgment of the fungus from the habits of other species of A. Hollyhock leaf infected with the disease (natural size). PUCCINIA MALVACEARUM, Mont. B. Pustules bursting through cuticle, with epidermal hairs, on which some of the spores are scattered. Enlarged 40 diameters. c. Section through pustule (or sorus), showing the clusters of uni-septate spores in situ. Enlarged 40 diameters. tremely destructive to the Hollyhock (Althea rosea, a native of China). Last June it was recorded from France, whilst at the beginning of July it had reached this country, where it immediately commenced its ravages on our Hollyhocks with great virulence, and completely killed to the ground all the plants it attacked, both in private gardens and in nurseries. From the south of England it rapidly spread to the north, and during the early spring of this year in certain districts near London nearly every leaf of Malva sylvestris was blackened by this new pest. It has also been recently common in France, attacking the indigenous Malvacea. The Hollyhock disease is remarkable for its extreme virulence, for on affected plants a black spot is not merely seen here and there as in common with many species of Puccinia, but the affected plants have every leaf blackened by these D. Group of uni-septate spores, seated on the distinct stems, or peduncles Enlarged 800 diameters. E. Hairs from Hollyhock leaf, to show proportion between the hairs and the fungus. Enlarged 300 diameters. All the figures enlarged with the camera lucida. obnoxious pustules or sori, which are entirely composed of uni-septate spores seated on stems as seen in section at c, magnified forty diameters. Every sorus contains more than ten thousand spores, and in the specimens sent for identification I counted more than a thousand soli on each leaf, therefore each individual leaf was capable of producing [ten million perfect plants of the Puccinia. Figures altogether fail to give any idea of the enormous reproductive powers of this mischievous fungus, and as for a cure none is known or likely to be known. The only method of stamping it out appears to rest in at once taking up and burning root and branch of every infected plant. The accompanying illustration with description, drawn from Nature with a camera lucida, will serve to give the readers of this Journal a good idea of the plant as seen under the micro 428 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. scope, and the smallness of the pest and its spores when compared with the hairs and breathing pores of the Hollyhock leaf itself.-W. G. SMITH. MANCHESTER HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION. THOSE who are accustomed only to think of Manchester in connection with huge warehouses, smoky chimneys, dirty streets, and an impenetrable atmosphere of smoke, would be not a little surprised if they were to drop in as I did last week on one of their grand horticultural fêtes, and would be still more astonished were they to hear that the greater portion by far of the productions were sent from the neighbourhood-nay more, that exhibitors from Manchester can enter the lists with the most experienced plantsmen in the kingdom, and beat them, as Mr. C. Cole did Mr. Baines at Bath last year; and therefore in recording this Show I feel that I am not recording a mere provincial exhibition, but one that has an interest for all horticulturists, and at which it is as great an honour to gain a prize as at any metropolitan exhibition. Whitsuntide being kept almost universally as a holiday in the manufacturing districts, it was a happy thought of the Manchester Botanical Society to inaugurate an exhibition what should remain open for the whole week, and so afford the operatives an opportunity of enjoying a rational and elevating amusement when so many of a questionable character are presented to them. It is well known how enthusiastic were the Manchester operatives of former days in their cultivation of the Auricula, Tulip, &c., and to awaken or foster the taste the Society has now for seven years held these exhibitions. I have been pretty well used-up in exhibitions, but I can say that in some points the Show that is now being held at Manchester is far beyond anything that I have seen of late in London; while under the courteous yet firm administration of Mr. Findlay everything goes on as smoothly as possible, and Judges, exhibitors, and the general public testify to the excellence of arrangements, seconded as he is by an able Secretary and an efficient staff, with a thoroughly good working Committee. The foremost place in the Exhibition must be given, I think, to the Orchids, a class which we have seen in the metropolis to have wofully fallen off, but which in and about Manchester is cultivated with great zeal and success. The class for nurserymen was well filled, Mr. Yates, of Manchester, taking equal honours with Mr. Williams, while that for amateurs was repreIn the first-prize lot of sented by some noble specimens. Mr. Oswald Wrigley, of Bridge Hall, Bury, are some grand plants, such as Phalaenopsis amabilis, Vanda suavis, Odontoglossum Alexandre, Cattleya Mendelii, Anguloa Clowesii, Calanthe veratrifolia, and a grand mass of Odontoglossum Phalanopsis. In Dr. Ainsworth's were some notable plants of Vanda suavis, Aerides nobilis, and a Masdevallia Harryana. Mr. E. Wrigley had fine plants of Sobralia macrantha and the lovely and rare Odontoglossum vexillarium; and Mr. Broome had grand plants of Oncidium sphacelatum, Cattleya lobata, and Aërides Lobbii. In the nurserymen's class, to which contributions came from Mr. Yates, Mr. Williams, Messrs. Rollisson, and Mr. Spence, were fine plants of Cypripepium barbatum and caudatum, Dendrobium densiflorum, Vanda tricolor, Lælia purpurata, Oncidium sphacelatum, Odontoglossum citrosmum, Vanda suavis and tricolor, &c.; while Mr. Spence had a large quantity of the lovely Cattleya Mossie of various shades of colour and in excellent condition. In the same large conservatory were arranged the grand stove and greenhouse plants contributed by Messrs. Cole & Son, Jackson & Son, and others. The former had magnificent plants of Anthurium Scherzerianum, Aphelexis humilis rosea, Erica Cavendishii, Azaleas Magnificent and Conqueror, Ixora coccinea, and Cycas revoluta. They had also the very best box of cut blooms of stove and greenhouse plants I ever remember to have seen. There was the lovely and pure Nymphæa dentata with its snow-white petals, the gorgeous and glowing Musa coccinea, beautiful bunches of Vanda teres and Vanda tricolor, the rich yellow of Allamanda grandiflora; and for rarity of bloom and variety of colour it would have been impossible to excel and difficult to equal this box. Amongst those contributed by amateurs were some excellent boxes, that shown by Mr. Wrigley containing nine Orchids out of the twelve blooms exhibited. Nor must I omit my meed of praise to the hand bouquets. This is a subject I have much studied, and I hope know a little about; and I willingly testify that the very best, taking them altogether, I have ever seen (taking into account their number) were exhibited here, especially those contributed by Messrs. Yates, of Manchester, Mr. Wrigley, and the Messrs. Turner, of Liverpool and West Derby. There was a lightness and elegance about them that was positively charming; all vulgarisms were absent, and the flowers employed were rare and beautiful, The greenhouse plants, tree Ferns, hardy shrubs, Roses, &c., There were some excellent hardy shrubs contributed by Messrs. Caldwell & Sons, and Mr. Shaw. Those of the former were especially fine, and contained Retinospora plumosa aurea, Buxus variegata, Thujopsis borealis, Golden Queen Holly, Broad-leaved Holly, &c. The far end of the tent was occupied with collections of hardy Rhododendrons, exhibited by Mr. Yates, of Manchester; Mr. R. S. Yates, Messrs. Lane & Sons, and Messrs. Waterer, of Bagshot. They proved a grand feature of the Show; their varied colours and rich glossy foliage make them very attractive. Amongst the better kinds were John Walter, Richard Waterer, Exquisite, Titian, Mrs. John Clutton, Magnificum, &c. For new plants there were some valuable prizes offered, and the first prize was gained by Mr. Shuttleworth, amongst whose exhibits were the beautiful Pandanus Veitchii, Vriesia reticulata, Encelophartos villosus, and Dracaena metallica. There were also nice collections of Palms, plants for dinner-table decoration, &c. I have thus enumerated the most salient points of this excellent Exhibition, but there were many other matters of interest-collections of succulents and herbaceous plants, Palms, Ericas, Crotons, &c.; some beautiful vases of skeletonised leaves prepared by Mr. Ray and some pupils who have managed by the directions given in his book to approach somewhat to the beauty he has attained; but it would not be possible in the space allotted me to notice more than I have done, and I hope it will be sufficient to show how very successful is this Whitsuntide Exhibition of the Manchester Society. Long may it flourish! -D., Deal. SKELETONISING LEAVES. ON looking over the gardens of the well-known Squire of Blankney the other day, my attention was drawn to a piece of work by Mr. Robert Frisby, son of the able and popular gardener. This was a case of skeletonised foliage, on which the young gardener has devoted his spare evening hours over a period of several months. The way in which he has thus far accomplished his work is in the highest degree creditable to his patience, perseverance, and manipulative skill. The foliage the venation of which is of sounder texture than tropical plants, is almost entirely composed of different kinds of evergreens, |