LIBRARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE no..1 g.P_gO__ DATE..4_-r33ol_ souacE..G?JAe^...^.gcrLas... Tul^ -Dec l9oo December W, l!>0O.) THE 3lii GARDENERS' CHRONICLE g Wuklg Illustrate Journal OP Horticulture and Allied Subjects. (ESTABLISHED IN 1841.) i VOL. XXVIII.-THIRD SERIES. JULY TO DECEMBER, 1900. LONDON : 41, WELLINGTON STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. 1900. f I V < ," !v . rw . Grlfefc BRADBURY, AGNEW, AND CO. LIMD., PRINTERS, LONDON AND TONBRIDGE. I . .-• . The Gardeners' Chronicle.) [December 20, 190f>. INDEX OF CONTENTS. JULY TO DECEMBER, 1900. Aberdeen, a new winter-garden for. 131 ; now parks for. -loo Abies grandis near Roxburgh Castle, 167 Abutilon Sawitzii (Savitzii). 296, 379 Acalypha hispida, white - flowering variety of, 31 leer pseudo-platanus, variegated form. 142 Aconitum autunmalc. 372 idenostylis, the value of, for decora- tive purposes. 260 Adiantum eapillus - veneris bearing spoilt. 44.",, |sn Agapantbus nmbellatuBj 296 ; A. u. Mooreanus. 112 Agaricus albus, abnormal growth of. 336 Agave rigida sisalana and Sisal Hemp, 366 Agricultural council of the Yorkshire College, 72 ; education committee, 12 : statistics. Ireland, r.'l Agriculture in Grenada, 400 Almonds, price of. 460 Aloe, fasciation in mot oi. .'i Alpine gardens. 106, 142, 372 Alsophila Loubetiaua, 321 America, the commercial cultivation of plants under glass in. Ill America's export trade in plants, fee,. 226 American Grapes, 146 ; notes, 46. 146. 22!S, 256 Anemone blanda. 465 : A. japonica Lady Gilmour, 293; A. j. "Mont Rose," 229, 245 ; A. rivularis, 412 Anguloa unitlora. 102 Antirrhinum. 231 Ants in the orchard, 15 Apiary. 9, 49. 69, 96, 149, 225, 339, 397, 457 Apple-barrel, Canadian standard, 327 Apple Beauty of Bath. 145 ; A. Irish Peach, 145 ; proliferous, 261 Apple-tree attacked by caterpillars, 75 Apples in the United States. 171 : large shipment of, 438 : transparent, 410 Apricots, 55 Arachis hypogea, 111 Arctotis, new varieties of. 33G Ardisia Brandneriana, 321 Artichokes. Globe, 356 : Jerusalem, as shade plants. 394 Arundinaria japonica in Japan, 138 Asclepias Halli, 183 Ash, in Middlesex, decay of the, 15 Asparagus Duchesnei, 303 ; A. terni- folius, 142 : A. umbeUatus, 304, 378 Aster seedling, diseased. 75, 171 Asters, China, self-sown, 248 ; per- ennial, 287 Astrantia helleborifolia, 24 Aubergine, the, 194, 211, 231 Auricula, the, 453 Auriculas, woolly aphis on, 44 Australia, fruit industry in, 438 ; gar- deners in, 304 Australian irrigation farms, 68 Avenues, 125, 184, 320, 474 B Bacteria not hurt by exposure to liquid air (—183° C.),"l2 Bamboos, growth of, 195 Bamburanta Arnoldiana, 303 Banana cultivation in Fiji, 245 Banana-house at Paddockhurst, 410 Baptisia alba, ,32 Barham Court, fruit crop at, 206 Bark-cleaning, 171 Baxter, Jno., presentation to, 362 Bean-weevil, the, 77 Beans, sowing Broad, in autumn, 356 Beech hedge at Meiklour, 436 Beet, sugar-, 439 Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. 416; seeding after artificial pollination, 421. 464 : monstrous, 209, 260. 399 Begonias, seedling, 297 ; the Rev. E. Lascelles'. AiA Belgium, a new co-operative society formed in, 153 Belceuil Castle destroyed by fire. 459 Benevolent Institution. Garde Royal, 380 Berlin, new botanic garden at Dahlem, 327 Berne Botanical Gardi n, 240 Bipalium Kewense, 66, 101, 196. 326, 464 (see Leech). Birches fruiting. 71, 92. II i Birch-trees, diseased, 308 Birds and bush-fruit. 461 Blackberries, hybrid, 194, 231 Blanching Endive, ::7s Bletchley Park, 4o4 Bog-land, how to improve, lo4 Bog, moving, in Ireland, 145 Books. Notices of : A Contents- subject Index tollcneral and Periodic Literature (A. Cotgreave), 4 7t'> ; A Handy Book ofHorticulture.an Intro- duction to the Theory am 1 Practice of Gardening (/•'. C. Hayes Murray), 395 ; American Grasses (F. Lamson- Scritni /■), 131 ; An introduction to Vegetable Physiology (J. Rey- nolds Green, Sc.D.~), 376 : Annuain ■Beige de rHorticulture, &c. (.1/. Louis de Vriese), 293 ; Bluhende Kakteen (Prof. Schumann), 380 : Botanical Magazine, 111. 209,277. 341, 438 ; Bulletin Trimestriel (Women's Agri. and Hurt. Inter. Union), 380 ; Cyclopaedia of Ameri- can Horticulture (Bailey), 276 ; Das Pflanzen-Reieh (Prof.' Engler). 310 ; Dictionnaire Iconographique des Orchidees, 22, 286, 335, 410 ; Die Schonsten Stauden fur die Schnittblumen und Garten Kultur (plates of garden flowers) (Walter Mutter'), 330 ; Die Beerenstraucher (Bush fruits) (Here L. Maurer), 376 : Erythea. 9 ; Facts for Fruit Farmers (S. Morgan), 283 : Farn- ham and its Surroundings (Gordon. Holme). 277 ; Flora of Bourne- mouth (Ed. Linton. M.A.), 146 ; Floraof Tropical Africa,12, 477; Flore de la France, 51 ; Fdrstbotanisches Merkbuch (Trees and Shrubs in Prussia) (Dr. Conwentz), 31, 133 ; Gardening Chart (H. C. Davidson), 131 ; Grocery, 277 ; Handbook of British Rubi (W. Moyle), 133; Hardy Flowers (W. Robinson), 51 ; Hardy, the Library of the late Dr., 72 ; Hemp, &c. (S. S. Boyce), 260 ; Hooker's Icones Plantarum, 293 ; How the Garden Grew (Maud Maryon), 461; Icones Selectas Horti Thenensis, 293 ; Ideal Homes for the People, 294 ; Illustra- tions of the Royal Botanic Gar- dens, Kew (E. J. Wallis), 31 : Journal of the Irish Council of Agriculture, 293 ; Journal of the Royal Hort.' Society, 152, 438 ; Kew Bulletin. 130 ; La Semaine Horti- cole, 380 ; Le Chrysantbeme, Histoire et Culture (J Lochot), 470 ; Les Odontoglossuni (M. L. Duval), 420 ; Lc Soleil d'Au- tomne, 460 ; Lindenia, 62, 390 ; List of Plants and Vegetable Pro- ducts Certificated by the R. H. S. from 1859 to 1899 inclusive, 276 ; Live Stock Journal Almanac, 477; Nature's Garden (announcement) (Nieltje Blanohan), 58; Nicholson's Dictionary of Gardening (Supple- ment 1.276: i ipjanoeraphv of Plants (Dr. A'. Goebel), 146 ; Our Forests and Woodlands (John Nisbei), 330 ; Planta; Thonnerianie Congolenses (E. De Wildeman ,v Th. Durand), 51 ; Principles of Plant Culture (E. S. Goff), .'195: Publications Re- ceived',' 53. 72. 132, 172, 192, 209. 227. 245, 278. 294. 339, 381, 401, 420 ; Quick Fruit Culture (.7. -Si wy- tori), 459 ; Scottish Gardens (R. S. Lorimer), 112: Seven Gardens and a Palace (E. V. B.), 356 ; Statistics, History, and Resources of N. S. Wales, 130 : Studies in Fossil Botany (D. H. Scott), 330 ; Syl- vana's Letters to an Unknown Friend (E. V. B.), 460 ; The Attache at Pekin (Mr. Free man Mitford) 327; The Best Herbaceous Plants, &c. (Herdorjlee. Kohler.and Rudel), 470 ; The Chronicle of a Cornish Garden (Mr. Harry Ro- berts), 380; The Fruit Gardener (John Gibson:'), 17. 68; The immediate effect, of pollen in Maize (T~. S. Dept.qf Agric.), 286.; The Locust Plague and its suppres- sion (Dr. Monro), 376; The Year Book of Department of Agriculture (American), 285 ; Thompson's Gar- deners' Assistant, 359 ; 'Twixt town and country (Roma White), 310 ; Veitch's Manual of the Conifers? (A. H Kent). 358 ; Week-ends in Hopland (Duncan Moid), 149 ; Welwitsch's plants, 380 ; West Australian Tear-Book. 133. 400 ; West Indian Bulletin, 327 ; Woburn Experimental Fruit Farm Second Report (Spencer Pickering), 358 Books that belonged to Dr. Hardy, 72 Botanical Institute, proposed on site of Roy. Bot. Soc. Gardens, 261 Botany in relation to the garden, 201, 217 ; progress of scientific, 211 Bougainvilleas, 223 Bowhill, 416 Brambleberry, the new, 135 Brocchinia cordylinoides, 185 Broughtonia sanguinea, 42 Browallia speciosa major, 46 Brussels, 302 Brussels Botanic Gardens, 288, 358 Bulb garden, the. 14. 184, 256, 454 Bulimus Goodalli, 404 Burford, Dorking, 62 Burkill. J. H., appointed to Calcutta, 439 Butcher's Broom, 21. 55 Butterflies, rare, capture of, 172 Byblis gigantea. 351 Bye-laws of the R.H.S., 10, 35 Cabbages for spring use, 126 Cactacea? of the Galapagos Islands, 7 Cacti, applying water to, 382, 410 Calanthe madagascariensis and C. Warpuri; 335 Calathea crocata, 113 California, plantation doctors in, 192; Californian vegetables for London market, 261 Callipsyche mirabilis, 380 Cambridge Botanic Garden, plants and seeds sent out from, 31 Camellias in fruit, 404, 443 Campanula abietina, 24, 56, 74 ;. C. petaea, 32 ; C. sulphurea, 168 t lanadian tender fruits, 40 Canna, Baronne Clara de Hirsch, 105 Cannes, the gardeS of the Hotel du. l'arc at, 226 "Cant " memorial fund, the, 227, 294,. 359 Cape Gooseberry, the, 297 Carnation Beauty of Exmouth, 193 ;. C. Mrs. T. W. Lawson, 115, 174, 194, 231, 247, 265 : C. Raby Castle, 210,. Carnation disease. 71 ; leaves injured. 74 Carnations, 64 ; and Picotees, 44 ; border in Scotland, 106 : decaying,. 16 ; Marguerite, 186 : " Stigmonose'' in, 71 Carpenteria californica, 35 Carya tomentosa, 2'J."> Catkins on the Birch, 92 Cattleya Bowringiana, 430 ; C. x Hardyana, 303 ; C. Harrisoniana, 21 12 ; C. labiata, 390 ; C. 1. Cook, sonis, 335; C. 1. "Mrs. J. Brad- shaw," 370; C. intermedia var- ccerulea, 81 ; C. punctatissima, 303 ; C. X intricata maculata, 41 : C. Rex, 102 ; C. Warscevviezii saturata, 83 ; C. Wavriniana, 181 Cattleya flowers, abnormal, 270 Cauliflowers, early, 4, 15 ; autumn, 480 Oedrus atlantica, 210 Celery, 356 Century, the 1801—1900, 458 Cephalotaxus, the most ancient of Conifers, 7 Cercospora Bolleana, 5 Certificated Fruits and Vege- tables.— Apple Rival, 281 ; A. St. Everard, 214 ; Bean Early Favourite, 117 ; Cabbage Cannell's iJefiance, 214 ; C. Dobbie's Selected Winning- stadt, 384 ; Celeries Covent Garden Red, Ivery's Pink Standard Bearer,, and Veitch's' Rose, 447, 467 ; Filbert Early Prolific, 214 ; Grape Prince of Wales, 251 ; Lettuces All the Year . Round and Malta Cabbage, 16 ; Melon Free Chase Scarlet, 18, 281 ; M. Late Perfection, 347 ; M. Royalty,, 314 ; Nectarine Lockerley Hal.l, 18 ; Parsley Dobbie's Selected, 347 ; Pea Alderman, 36 ; P. Fascination, 36 ; P. Late Queen, 36 ; P. Sharpe's- Standard, 36 ; P. Sutton's Peerless,. 36 ; Peas Edwin Beckett, The Major,, and Monarch. 16, 18 ; Pear Beurre du Buisson, 384 ; P. Nouvelle Fulviev 424 ; P. Charles Ernest, 424 ; P.. Doyenne du Cornice, 359 ; P. Olivier de Serres, 467 ; P., the- Glastonbury, 314 ; Plum President, 281 ; Potato Beauty of Hebron,. ■ 117 ; P. Collyer's Glory, 155 ; P. Denby Castle, 117; P. Dumfries Model, 447, 467 ; P. Early Puritan, 155 ; P. General Roberts, 155 ; P. ■ Pioneer, 117 ; P. Sir J. Llewelyn, 155, 447 ; Potatos. Ringleader aud ■ Ninetyfold, 36 ; Sutton's Su- preme, Centenary, and Baden Powell, 197, 214 ; Strawberry St. Antoine de Padoue, 176 ; Tomatos Conference. Tit Bits. Eclipse. Comet, Cherry Ripe, King's Seedling, Golden Nugget, The Cropper, IV The Gardeners' Chronicle,] INDEX. [December 29, 1930. Teitch's Glory, Wonder o£ Italy, Kavenscroft Ked, Golden Drop, .Supreme, and Frogmore Selected, 197, 214 Certificated Plants :— Anemone japonica " Mont Rose," 214 ; An- graecum distichum, 384 ; A. fili- cornu, 58 ; Ansellia humilis, 346 ; Anthurium Bakeri, 214 ; Aster, per- ennial varieties of, 281 ; Begonia Mrs. Andrew Tweedie, 97 ; B. S. T. Wright, 97 ; Broughtonia sanguinea, IS ; Campanula carpatica Riverslea, 57 ; Carnation Alcinous, 76 ; C. America, 346 ; C. Beauty of Ex- mouth, 76 ; C. Benbow, 57 ; C. Bomba, 57 : C. Gertrude, 76 ; C. Lady St. Oswald, 76 ; C. Lauzan, 76 ; C. Lavinia, 76 ; C. Major Har- bord,57; C. Mrs. T. W.Lawson, 346 ; ■C. Mrs. Welbore K. Ellis, 346 ; C. Pantia Ealli, 57 ; Cattleya bicolor, 176; C. b. •' Glebelands variety," •214 ; C. Dowiana Bosita, 46*6 ; G. eldorado enfieldiensis, 137 : C. x F. W. Wigan, 97 ; C. x H. S. Leon, 384 ; C. x illuminata, 176 ; •C. x porphyrophlebia, 97 ; Chrys- anthemum Calvat 1899, 331 ; C. •Chas. Longley, 313 ; C. C. J. Salter, 346 ; C. Earl of Arran, 313 ; C. Frank Hammond, 388 ; C. •General Bui ler, 315 ; C. Glorious, 346: C. Golden Gem, 424 ; C. Golden Gloaming, 388 ; C. Jessica. 466 ; C.J. R. Upton, 313 ; C. Khaki, 346 ; C. Lady Esther, 316 ; C. Lady Windsor, 426 : C. Lily Mount- ford, 313, 315, 444 ; C. Lizzie Adcock. 346 ; C. Lord Ludlow, 346 ; C Loveliness, 346 ; C. Major Plumbe, 384 ; C. Master E. Seymour, 313, 315 ; C.May Bell, 426 ; C. Mme. Von Andre, 346 ; C. Matthew Russell, 313 ; C. Matthew Smith, 346 ; C. ■Miss Doris,315 ; C.Miss Evelyn Dou- glas, 331 : C.Miss Florence Southam, 346 ; C. Miss Jessie Cottee, 384 ; C. Miss Jessie Pilkington, 426 ; C.Miss Millicent Richardson, 331 ; C. Miss Roberts, 388 ; C. Mr. S. Fryett, 313 ; C. Mrs. Bagnall Wylde, 388 ; ■O. Mrs. Coombes, 313 ; C. Mrs. Emma Fox, 313 ; C. Mrs. F. Gray Smith, 313, 315 ; C. Mrs. George Mileham, 331 ; C. Mrs. J. Bryant, ■331, 384 ; C. Mrs. J. Williams, 281 ; 'C. Mrs. E. Darby, 346 ; C. Rev. Douglas, 315 ; C. Robert Morgan, 426 ; C. Scottish Chief, 331 ; C.The Princess, 315 ; C. Vicar of Leather- head, 315 : C. Wallace E. Vonder, 346 ; C. W. R. Church, 346 ; Cirro- petalum chinense, 58 ; C. maculo- •sum guttulatum, 281 ; Ccelogyne fimbriata, 384 ; Colax viridis, 18 ; Colchicum speciosum album, 251 ; Coleus thyrsoideus, 466 ; Cordyline >Offei'i, 281 : Coryanthes Mastersiana, 384 ; Cupressus Lawsoniana pygmaea argentea, 281 ; Cypripedium x Cob- biae, 384 ; C. x Dora Crawshaw, 346 ; "C. x Leeanum Prospero majus, 424 ; ■C. x Maudia?, 346 ; C. x Roths- •childo - Lawrenceanum, 58 ; C. x Priani. 384 ; C. x Vidor, 313 ; Cyrtopera plantaginea, 97 ; Dahlia Mrs. H. J. Allcroft, 281 ; Dahlias, varieties of, 214, 215, 251, 252 ; Delphinium Blanche Fitzmaurice, 1« ; D. Blue Butterfly, 59 ; Den- -drobium x Leeanum atropurpu- reum, 314 ; D. Moorei, 314 ; Gla- diolus Althea, 214 ; G. delicata, 214; G. Jules Toussaint, 176; G. Mrs. Wood, 137 ; G. Ocean, 176 ; ■G. Sir E. Wood, 176; Glyceria -aquatica foliis variegatis, 176 ; Gon- gora mgrita, 281 ; Gypsophila -Tepens monstrosa, 176 ; Hedy- -chium x F. W. Moore, 97 ; Helian- thus x H. G. Moon, 251 ; Heliotrope Dr. Jeclin, 214 ; H. Picciola, 18 ; Kalanchofe' marmorata, 482 ; Kleinia jpendula, 482 ; Kniphofia " Triumph," 281 ; Laelia x Mrs.M.Gratrixgrandis, 466 ; L. prajstans gloriosa, 346 ; L. pumila,Bush Hill var., 281 ; Lajlin- Cattleya x Cassiope major, 466 ; L.-C. xelegans, 176; L.-C. x Gottoiana " Mrs. Douglas," 384 ; L.-C. x Her- mione, 137 ; L.-C. x Henry Green- wood superba, 18 ; L. - C. x Lu- casiana, 466 : L. - C. x Mrs. Birkbeck, 384 : L.-C. x Remula, !I7 ; L.-C. x Wiganire, 18 ; Mag- nolia macrophylla, 18 ; Masdevallia x Bocking hybrid, 346 ; M. Bur- fordiensis, 346 ; M. deorsa, 59 ; Maxillaria Mooreana, 384 ; M. scurrilis, 58 ; Nematanthus lon- gipes, 482 ; Neobenthamia gra- cilis, 466 ; Nepenthes Chelsoni ex- cellens, 251 ; N. Sir W. T. Thisel- ton Dyer, 137 : Nerine Lady Louisa Longley,346 ; N. Purple Prince, 281 ; Nymphaja Leydekeri fulgens, 57 ; N. Marliacea rosea, 57 ; N. x Mar- liacea rubro-punctata, 97 ; N. stel- lata pulcherrima, 57 ; Odontoglos- sum x Adrian* Countess of Morley, 176 ; 0. coronarium, 58 ; O. cris- pum Maud Rochford, 314 ; 0. omen- tum, 97 ; 0. x Rolfeae meleagris, 424 ; Pentstemon strain, 97 ; Phaius bicolor, 97 ; P. x Oakwoodiensis, 58 ; Platycodon grandiflorum semi- duplex, 176 ; Pleurothallis steno- petala 384 ; Polvgonum orientale, 281 : Rose Lady Battersea, 313 ; R.Liberty, 346 ; R.Mrs. B. R. Cant, 251 ; R. Morning Glow, 281 ; R. Souv. de C. Guillot. 57 ; Sarcanthus peninsularis, 58 ; Scolopendrium vulgare, var. Stansfieldi, 313 ; Sophro-Laalia x Eros, 314 ; Stern- bergia macrantha, 251 ; Tacsonia militaris x , 384 ; Tainia speciosa, 58 ; Tamarix kashgarica, 251 ; Thalictrum Chelidonii, 137 ; Vero- nica " Diamant," 313 ; Zygo-Colax x Veitchi Kromeri, 346 Ceylon Garden, see Peradeniya. Chelsea Physic Garden, the, 150 Cherry, names and synonyms, 166 ; Noble, 91, 127, 154 ; Tradescant's Heart, 172 Cherries and Plums, the cultivation of, in pots, 97 Cherries in Paris Markets, 31 Cherries, late, 106, 136 ; the flower- ing, 414 Chervil, a new use for, 152 Chiswick, the gardens at, 132 ; the proposed abandonment of, 276 ; value of the trials at. 28 ; trials, the value of the, 283 Chlorophyll, weevils and, 73 Christmas fruits, 449 Chrysanthemum notes, see under Certi- ficated plants, 373 ; C. Lily Mount- ford, 444 ; C. Mrs. Bryant. 442, 464 Chrysanthemum Show at Hamburg, 425 ; sports, 410 ; support, William- son's, 331 : rust, the. 404 ; the, 340 ; C. Weeping Pioneer, 447 ; Chrysanthemums, 44, 115, 162; at Christmas, 480 ; at Dover House Gardens, 328 ; certificated, at Paris Exhibition, 467 ; Colonial, 374 ; culture of, 278 ; at Greenlands, 412 ; early, 322, 361 ; hints on the cultivation of, 328 ; in France, 373 ; late, 381, 452 ; manures for, 419 ; October flowering, 374 ; scale of judging, in America, 400 ; the cultivation of, 254 Cider Congress in Paris, 31 Cinerarias, 452 Cinnamon adulterated with Guava Bark, 226 Citrus trifoliata, 293 Clematis grewiaeflora, 420 Clematis montana as a verandah climber, 15 Clematis songarica, 442, 464 Clematis, the, 43 Climbing plants for cottage gardens, 55 Cloves and slavery, 171 Coffea robusta, 303 Coggleshall. root and {vegetable show at, 380 Colchicum Sibthorpi, 261, 272 ; C. speciosum purpureum, 293 Colewort, Rosette, 3 Collinsia verna, 56, 92 Colonial notes, 68, 126, 301 Conifers as rain gauges, 327 ; at Pam- pisford Hall, 319 ; notes about some fine, 167 Continental novelties. 402 Convolvulus, the field, 230 Co-operative festival at the Crystal Palace, 113, 150 Coronilla montana, 32 Coryanthes macrantha, 355 County Down garden, in a, 333 Covent Garden Market at Christmas. 462 Cowdray, the " Close Walks" at, 420 Crataegus, 15 ; C. crus-galli, 244, 321 ; C. flava, 73 ; C. oxyacantha var. praacox, 460 ; C. pyracantha, 402 ; C. salicifolia, 2 Crinumgiganteum, 184; C. rhodan- thum, 142 Crocus Aitchisoni, 293 ; C. biflorus, 454 ; C. niveus, 441 ; C. zonatus, 272 Cryptostemma lusitanicum, 444 Cucumber-Melon, the, 204, 248, 422 (perhaps Cucumis flexuosus) Cultivation of plants in America, 111 Curiosities of the glass-house and garden, 101 Currant-bud mite, the, 341, 347 Currant, the Red, as a cordon, 401 Currants from Victoria, 380 ; prices of, 245 Cyclamen, malformed, 430 Cyclamen Coum, 465 ; C. neapolita- 'num, 293 Cymbidium Huttoni, 54 ; C. Tracya- num, 451 Cynorchis purpurascens, 335 Cypella plumbea, 396 Cypripedium xabessa, 102 ; C.Charles- worthi, 319 ; C. x Dora Crawshaw, 375 ; C. insigne Chantini Lindeni, 409 ; C. insigne varieties, 472 ; mal- formed, 430 ; C. x Quirinus, 479 ; C. x Y'Mir var. Halli, 373 Cytisus recumbens, 124 ; C. schipka- ensis, 142 Dahlia, early history of the, 155 ; in America, the, 354 ; synanthic form, 75 Dahlias, Cactus, 297 Daisy, Snowdrift, 242 Daughters of the year, the, 1, 81, 161, 253, 317. 409 Delphinium Blue Butterfly, 133 ; D. Nuttalli, 32 Dendrobium densiflorum, 278 ; D. Phalienopsis, 335 ; D. Phalaenopsis Schroderianum, 240, 270 ; D. x Venus, 94 Dianthus hybridus " Beauty," 24 ; D. neglectus albus, 124 Dichorisandra Thysiana, 303 Dicksonia Youngia? in the bush, Queensland, 72 Digging as a recreation, 135 Dioscorea Fargesii, 293 Dipodium pandanum, 372 Disa Kewensis superba, 54 Doronicums, 46 Drosera longifolia, 194 Durham College of Science, 294 Earth-nuts in the U.S.A., Ill Education, horticultural, in Germany, 130 ; technical, in the U. States, 90 Elm, showing curious result of graft- ing, 123 Eremurus robustus in Scotland, 228 Erigeron mucronatus, 142 Eriogonum giganteum, 337 ; E. Wrightij, 203 Erysimum pulchellum, 412 Escallonia pterocladon, 32 Eucalyptus amygdalina. 278 Eucalypti in Scotland, 29s Eucharis grandiflora, 115, 299 Euonymus europaius, 321 Eurycles Cunninghami, 184 Evergreens, transplanted, 16 Examinations of the R.H.S.. 32 Exhibitions, horticultural, 308 Exotics, ''spontaneous" appearance of, 278 Falkland Park, 32 Farmer and his orchard, the, 381 Fasciation in root of Aloe, 3 Fences and foot-paths, 435 "Fenn" tribute, the, 1, 35, 53, 91, 152, 194 Fern, nectaries on the Brake, 184 ; spores, 196 ; varieties, associated wild, 322 Ferns, fossil, 67 ; latent variability in, 241 ; on brick, cultivating, 225 Fertilisation, double, 90 Ficus Eetveldiana, 303 Fig-disease, a, 4 Figs, dropping, 117 ; on the cultiva- tion of, in pots, 281 Finlay lawn-rake, 134 Fir, the Douglas, variations in seed- lings of, 12 Fire at M. Rains & Co., 328 ; how a Palm protects itself from, 372 Florists' flowers, 115, 162, 186, 322, 410, 452 Flower-garden, the, 8, 29, 48, 68. 95, 109, 128, 169. 188, 207, 224, 243, 259, 291, 307, 323, 339, 357, 377, 396, 417, 436, 457, 475 Flower notes from the south-west, 21, 45, 121, 274, 2S8, 306, 421, 430 Flower show groups, 170 Flowers, cut and have flowers, 163 ; foul weather, 232 ; in season, 32 ; out-door, in winter, 398 ; wild, in the garden, 101 Fly-trap, Perrin's, 154 Fogs, effects of, on climates in Scot- land, 75 Foreign correspondence, 7, 202, 255, 270, 288, 302, 354, 372, 410 Forest land, flooded, 442, 465 Forestry, 4, 22, J 25, 184, 320, 474 Fragrance of flowers, 227 Frost, the first severe, of season, 359 Fruit, crops, reports on the condition of the, 84, 9Q ; crops in Victoria, 327 ; cultivation at Wye College, 261 ; exhibition and conference at Worcester, 314 : gardener, the, 301 ; glut of, 192 ; cultivation, mistakes in, 384 ; export, Canadian, 327; exhibition in Paris, 310 ; farm, Woburn experimental, 358 ; farm- ing, profits on, 448 ; growing in Nineteenth Century, 483 ; growers in Nova Scotia, 326 ; harvest in the United States, 91 ; Indian, and the London market, 399 ; in Canada, 171 ; in Tasmania, 316 ; industry in West Australia, 438 ; market, Gloucester, 134 ; packing, 359, 381 ; preservation for women and girls, 192 ; protector, the Cloister, 92 ; stands for exhibiting, 423 ; stained culinary ware, 294 ; trees, selecting and planting, 353 ; unsound, 327 Fruits, Canadian tender, 71 ; Cana- dian at the Paris Exhibition. 130 ; hardy, in North Wales, 56 ; trans- parent, 342 ; tropical, for Christmas, 449, 480 Fruits under glass, 9, 29, 48, 68, 95, 109, 129, 149, 169,189,207,225, 242, 259, 275, 291, 307, 322, 339, 357, 377, 397, 417, 437, 456, 474 Fuchsias as pyramids, 122 Fuel for gardening purposes, 279 Funckia lancifolia var. tardiflora, 293 Tlie G»rden; Moorei. 142 Helenium Hoopesii, " hen - and - chicken " condition in, 32 Helichrysum Gulielmi, 381 Helonias bullata, 412 Hemp-growing, 260, 311 Hendre, Monmouth, the, 261 ; Peach- trellis at, 132 Herbaceous border, the, 24, 107, 124. 242, 412; selection of plants for the, 273 Herbaceous perennials, 455 Herbaceous plants, 349, 374, 390 ; at Kew, 353 Herbs in Surrey, the cultivation of. 296 Hidalgoa Wercklei, 83 Highbury, Birmingham, 193, 208 Hippeastrum roseum, 287 ; H. tereti- folium, 142 Hippeastrums and Orchids at Broom Hill, 363 Hooker, Sir Jos., elected foreign asso- ciate of French Academy of Sciences, 399 Horticultural education. 50 ; exhibi- tions, 30S Horticulture, 1801-1900, 458 Horticulture, specialisation in, 398 Hungary, horticulture in, 237 Hutchins, the Rev. W. T., 73 Hybrid characters, the dissociation of 391, 432 Hybrid forms or varieties, 483 Hybrids find a place in the Botanical Magazine, 170 Hydrangea arborea, 32; H. panicu- lata, fine plant of, 277 Hyophorbe indica, abnormal growth in, 105 Hyphsene ventricosa, how it protects itself from fire, 372 I Ilex Sieboldi, 322 Importation of plants from abroad, 51 Imports of fresh flowers, 132 ; of plants, bulbs, &c, 91 Incandescent gas-light, effect of on plant-growth, 389 Incarvillea Delavayi, 24 Insect foes of farmer and gardener, 204 Ipomrea Horsfallia'. 436 Ireland, notes from. 104, 462 Iris aurea var. intermedia. 22 : I., a wonderful, 438 ; I. ochro-aurea, 32, 55 ; I. stenophylla. 380 ; I. urmi- ensis (flowers primrose, not crimson), 373 Isatis glauca, 107 Italian gardens, 2. 42 Ivy eaten by caterpillars, 247 Japanese plants at the sale rooms, 359 Jasminum angulare, 361 Jersey horticultural shows (see Supple- ment, Sept. 29) K Kailyard, our, 469 Kale, Scotch, 3 Kales, 4 Kew, labels at. 442 Kew notes, 22, 54, 142, 287, 304, 322 Kew, the Old Deer Park at, 31 Kilrudderv, Bray, notes on trees at, 232 Kingston front flower gardens, 208 Kirkconnell, Newabbey, 141 Kitchen garden, 8, 28", 49, 69, 94, 108, 129, 149, 168,188, 207,224,243, 259, 275, 291, 307, 323, 339, 357, 377, 397, 416, 437, 456, 475 Kniphofia blooms, irritation of skin caused by, 310. 330 ; K. Macowani hybrida, 375 ; K. multiflora, 380 Kniphofias, planting and transplant- ing, 416 Krelage, Mr. J. H.. presentation to, 477 Lac industry of Assam, 244 Lrelia crispa, 161 ; L. Dayana. 220 ; L. Digbyana as seed-parent, 404 Lpelio-Cattleya x Aurora, 202 ; L.-C. Henry Greenwood superba, 47 ; L.-C. intermedia cinnabarina, 270 ; L.-C. x Vedasti, 270 Laing, the late John, 154 Lambeth, Archbishop's park at, 111 Lapageria, double-flowered, 359 ; L. rosea flowering freely, 310 Larch, the Siberian, 472 Larix occidentalis, 321 Lathyrus magellanicus, 135 Lathyrus magellanicus and L. pubes- cens, 114 Laurel-Cherries, 399 Laurence, A.M., Rev. John, 42 LAW NOTES : Burgh of Leith v. W. McRobbie (Mushroom - growing in cellars), 441 ; Carter v. Parker ( Recovery of testimonials, &c ), 1 53 ; Higgott, A. E. (Bankruptcy case), 211; Leeman v. Lovatt. & Stuart (Smoke nuisance), 404 ; l'ape v. Jowett (Dilapidation to garden), 134; Rigley r. Dronfiold Agri; and Hort. Soc. (Dispute about prize- money), 405 ; The Workman's Com- pensation Act, 260 Lawn-rake, the Finlay, 134 I h, the Penshurst, 102, 136, 442 I Ins ( Worms), f, iivi'_'ii.66. lol, 19ii. 329, 461 (see Bipalium) I.eptosyne gigantea, 319, 302 1 lettuce growing in Massachusetts, 393 Lettuce growing under glass, 124 Leucadendron, germination of, 447 Leucojum autumnale, 242 Library, a French horticultural, 73 Lilium auratum, 278; L. giganteum, 382 ; L. Martagon, 15 ; L. sul- phureum, 287 ; L. Wallichianum (sulphureum .') growing in a New Zealand garden, 11, 420, 145 Lilies at Wevbridge, 72 ; lecture on, 58 Lily-pond at Berkeswell, 173 Lily season, the past, 321 Linaria cymbalaria, white form of, 293 Linum Chamissonis, 223 Lithospermum prostratum, 273 Liverpool Botanical Gardens, 189 Lockinge, Vines at, 16 Loganberry, the, 130, 134, 308 Lonicera Hildebrandi, 132 Lotus siliquosus found in Thanet, 32 Luxembourg, 270 Lycaste, hybrid, 83 Lvchnis Corsica, 2L'3 ; L. grandiflora, '204, 280,298 Lythrum alatum, 412 Lythrums, the, 336 M MacGillivray, William, testimony to, in Aberdeen University, 399 Machine for filling bags with seeds, 153 Magnolia macrophylla, 326 Manetti and Briar-stocks for budding. 422 Manures for Chrysanthemums, 419 Marguerite Flor d'Or, 211 Marigolds, concerning, 183 Market, Covent Garden, at Christmas, 462 Market gardeners, amateur, 418 Market gardening, 7, 25, 126, 353 ; and commission salesmen, 464 Market packing, exhibits at the fruit show, 279 Market Strawberries, 44 " Martin " memorial fund, the, 328 Masdevallia deorsa, 395, 419 Meconopsis aculeata, 142 Meiklour, Beech hedge, at, 436 Melon, Buscot Park Hero, 15, 35 Melon fruits, large, 297 Melons, 114 ; in cold pits, 7 Mesembryanthemum, unusual growth of, 54 Metropolitan open spaces, 52, 307, 327 Michaelmas Daisy as a pot-plant, the, 422 Midland garden, a, 369, 454 Mimulus Burneti x , 124 Mimulus, the, 127 Montbrelias and Crocosmias, lecture on, 177 Montbretias mildewed, 264 Moonock Island, Vaccinium oxycoccos in, 195 Moths, the Ermine (Hyponomeuta), 205 Mulberry in Lombardy, 91 Mummy Wheat, 65 Musa Cavendishi, 464 ; M. japonica, 456, 480 N Narcissus in grass, 374 Nectaries on the Brake Fern, 184 Nectarine Early Rivers, fruiting in the open, 172 Neill prize, winner of the, 379 \ penthes " Sir William T. Thiselton Dver," 256 ; N. ventricosa, 288 Nerines at the Drill Hall, 359 New South Wales, the Royal Society of, 54, 126 New York botanical gardens, 111 '• Nicoticide," trial of, 209 North Mymms, Hatfield, 254 Nursery Notes.— Backhouse, Jas., & Son, Ltd., 6 ; Birkenhead, W. & J., Sale, 432 ; Bunvard, George & Co., 248 ; Cannell, H., &Sons, 165 ; Carter & Co., Jas., 92 ; Clibran, Wm., & Son. Altriucham, 220 ; Davis, B. R., Yeovil, 190 ; Harrison & Sons, Leicester, 143 ; Horticole Colonial, 302 ; Irvine, Charles, 279 ; Jack- man & Sons, G., 337 ; Ker & Sons, Robt. P., 352 ; McBean & Sons, J., 144 ; Mount, Geo., Canterbury, 5 ; Perry, Amos, 26 ; Pritchard, M., 305 ; Rochford, Thomas, 324 ; Smith, Rd., & Co., 290 ; Soupert& Notting, Luxembourg, 270 ; Sutton & Sons, 262 ; Veitch, Jas. & Sons, 51, 91, 370 ; Webb, E., & Sons, 134 Nut-walk, a, 350 Xymphasa gigantea, 77 ; N. Lotus delicata, 171 ; N. stellata var. pul- cherrima, 273 ; N. synanthic, 117 ; N. " William Falconer," 54 Oak, large bog, 195 Oak, labours of a single, 53 Oak, the Green Dale, 403 ; the scarlet, 394 Oaks, flooded, 442, 465 ; the trans- plantation of large, 203 ; differences between the sessile and pedunculate, 218, 278, 247, 264 Oaks, 295 ; sessile and pedunculate, 312, 341, 362, 363, 382 Obituary. — Ahles, Prof. W. von, 244 ; Barlow, Mrs., 99 ; Cant, Ben- jamin, 52, 79 ; Crowley, Philip, 480, 481 ; Davis, William, 343 ; Dean, J. D., 116 ; Davansaye, A. de la, 423 ; Bute, Marquis of, 276 ; Dodds, William, 179 ; Douglas, J., 423 ; Evans, W. H., 252 ; Gater, William Adam, 296 ; Harper, John, 343 ; Honess, Charles, fi/f'^Jpnes, John, 348 ; Laing, fioh%mporM Laing, Mrs., 343 ; Lawta F Bennet, 190 ; Lowe, 1-M 408 ; McLeod, A. K., 382 , caulay, William, 423 ; Mclntjre, John, 448 ; Maitland, James, 252 ; Maxwell, W. H., 139 ; Menand, Louis, 216 ; Morgan, F.L.S., Robt., 361 ; Morle, John, 331 ; Midler, Ernest, 179 ; Pynaert, Ed., 324, 460 ; Roze, Ernest. 12 ; Saunders, Wil- liam, 245 ; Schroder, Baroness, 439 ; Stocking, William, 361, 423 ; Sutton, Mrs. Leonard, 179 Odontoglossum aspidorhinum, 182 ; O. Hallio-crispumCrawshayanum, 102 ; O. crispum Luciani, 1 ; O. c. var. 62 ; O. x Rolfeie meleagris, 451 ; O. x Wattianum Crawshayanum, 287 Oenothera gigas, origin of, 208 ; 03. Lamarkiana, variations in, 392 Olives v. Wine in Italy, 152 Oncidium Forbesii, 390 ; varieties of, 202 Oncidiums for the cool-house, 41 Opuntia myriacantha, 220 ; O. pseudo- tuna, 64 Opuntias, eradicating, 477 Orange growing in California, 392 VI The Gardeners' Chronicle,] INDEX. [December 25; 1988>. Oranges from the Antipodes, 419 ; seedless, in California, 111, 459 Orchard management, mistakes in, 314 Orchards and small fruits, 341 Orchid-house at Messrs. Veitch's, Chelsea, 51 Orchid-houses, the, 8, 28, 48, 68, 94, 108, 128, 148, 168, 188, 206, 224, 243, 258, 274, 291, 306, 322, 338, 356, 376, 396. 416, 437, 456, 475 Orchid notes and gleanings, 1, 22, 41, 62, 102, 161, 181, 202, 220, 270, 319, 303, 335, 355, 370, 390, 409, 430,451 479 Orchids at Harefield Hall, 370 : at Kew, 370; at Southgate House, 355 ; at Sunningdale Park, 472 ; from seeds, the raising of, 350 ; hydrid, 268 ; mycorhizas of, 218 ; the sale of the Ashford collection of, 360 ; the price of, 410 Osage Apple, the. 327 Ostrowskia magnifica, 54 Paddockhuust, Sussex. 401 ; the Banana-house at, 419 Pasony in China in 1669, 99 Palermo, gardens at, 2 Palms flowering at Torquay, 297 Palms, hardy, 110 ; in Italian gardens, 42 ; in Santa Barbara, Cal., U.S.A. 354 Pampisford. Conifers at, 319 Panama or Jipi-japa hats, 169 Pancratiums, species of, 14 Paris Exhibition, IS. 75, 137, 197, 266, 292, 327, 331, 347, 467 (Supplement, Sept. 29) ; British horticulturists at, 216 ; Canadian fruits at the, 130 Paris, fruit exhibition in, 310 ; horti- cultural fete. 202 Passiflora galbana, 380 Patholog}', vegetable, 326 Pea Autocrat, 356 ; P. British Empire, 96 : P. Michaelmas, 293 ; V. Sutton's Royal Jubilee, 264 Peas, a quick crop of, 135 ; fertilisa- tion of. 135, 420, 442 ; P., late, 329, 363 Peach, crop in the. United States, 31 ; culture, 110 ; outdoor cultivation of the, 82 ;; the cultivation of the, 107 ; trellis, at the Hendre, Mon- mouth, 132 ; Waterloo, 74 ; and Nectarine, reserve, trees of the, 403, 44,4 , Peaches, diseased, 117 : outdoor, 128 Pear Double de Guerre, 459 ; P. Do- yenne du Cornice, 359, 399 Pears, Avocado, 294 ; at end of Decem- ber, 480; decayed, 117; Scottish, 464jj?9 Pem"a Stion in Ireland, 104 Tnmbriat,Ura-cuttinSf' 172 _ „ t olchio>i-ims' zonal> at Woodhatch olen--6' 393 Pefcisfemons at Jedburgh, 279 Peradeniya, Boyal Botanic Garden, 90 Perennial plants, herbaceous, 455 Pernettyas, 463,' 464 Peronospora in Greece, 12, 171 Perrin's fly-trap, 154 Phaius x Oakwoodiensis. 92 Phillyrea decora, 2 Phloxes, herbaceous, 124 Phyllocaetus crenatus, 105 Phyllostachys nigra, flowering of. at Abbotsbury. 264 Phylloxera in Switzerland, 260 Physalis peruviana in the open garden 311 Physic-garden, the Chelsea, 150 Pines from the Bahamas, 380 Pinks, 186 Plan of garden and grounds, Mr. Miller's. 14 Plant-breeding in the United States, progress of, 285 iHl V Plant-Portraits.— Acncia lineata, 9 : A. obliqna, 53 ; A. nipieola,, 9 ; Adesmia boronioides, 4iis ; ^Brides multiflorum var. Lobbi, 287; Al- drovanda vesiculosa, 363 ; Anoda lavaterioides, 294 ; Aotus gracillima, 294 ; Apple Kuhlan der Gulder- ling, 477; A. Leckerbissen, 172 ; Arachnanthe Lowii var. Warocque- ana, 22 ; Ardisia humilis, 0 : Aspa- ragus ternifolius, 111 ; A. umbella- tus, 209 ; Aster concolor, 401 ; Be- gonia Lafayette, 294 ; B. Lehm- bachi, 9 ; B. Rex x B. Diadema, 172 ; Bryophyllum crenatum, 53 ; Budd- leiaauriculata,9 ; Cattleya Eldorado, 335, 410 ; C. Gaskelliana var. ama- bilis, 390 ; C. G. var. Reine des Beiges, 390 ; C. granulosa var. Souvenir de Raymond Storms. 287 ; C. Patini, and C. P. var. alba, 2S6 ; C. Pryorianum inversa, 286 ; C. Trianaai var. excelsior, 62 ; C. T. var. Massangeana, 22 ; C. T. var. Regina?, 62 ; C. T. var. Rimestadi- ' ana, 287 ; C. Vulcan. 335, 410 ; C. Whitei, 111 ; Cavendishia pubescens, 53 ; Cestrumfasciculatum,9 ; Chaeno- meles japonica Maulei, 363 ; Chysis bractescens, 286 ; Ccelogyne pandu- rata, 363 ; Colocasia antiquorum var. Fontanesii, 209 ; Corethrogyne filaginifolia, 9 ; CorylopsispaucitiVn-a, 209 ; Crassula Schweinfurthi, 53 ; Crocus Alexandri, 277 ; Cymbidium giganteum, 62 ; C. Parishi, 390 ; Cypripedium Adrastus var. Hursti, 335,410; C.a. Maria?, 286; C.aureum, var. Cyrus, 335, 410 ; C. x Borch- graveanum, 390 : C. eardo-soanum, 335, 410; C. Elliottianum, 53; C. guttatum, 341 ; C. Helvetia, 22 ; C. nitens var. Sallieri, 22 ; C. villosum duplo-vittatum, 477 ; Cytisus canadensis, 294 ; Dasy- lirion quadrangulatum, 438 ; Da- vallia tenuifolia and D. t. var. chinensis, 363 ; Dendrobium cras- sinode, 62 ; D. devonianum, 22 ; D. Hodgkinsoni. 11 ; D. inaequale, 341 ; D. Jerdonianum, 277 ; D. spe- ciosum, 286 ; D. spectabile, 22, 438 ; Dioscorea Fargesii, 477 ; Dip- ladenia pastorum var. tenuifolia, 11; Echinocactus Anisitzii, 401; E. cinnabarina, 401 ; E. microsper- mus, 401 ; Echinocereus sub-inermis, 401 ; Epidendrum dichromum var. amabilis,62 ; E.elegantulum var. leu- cochila, 335,410; E. O'Brienianum, 286 ; Erica Wilmorei, 294 ; Erige- ron leiomerus, 341 : E. speciosus, 113; Escallonia viscosa, 9; Eulo- phiella Peetersiana, 2S6 : Gaillardia aristata.477 ; Gooseberry Whinham's lndustry.294; Grevilleaornithopoda, 277 ; Hamamelis japonica, 401 ; Hes- peraloe yucca^folia, 11 : Hippe- astrum Harrisoni, 277 ; Hoya impe- rialis, 363 ; Huernia somaliea, 111 ; Incarvillea compacta, 294 ; Iris stenophylla, 209 ; I. stylosa, 9 ; Laelia anceps var. alba, 22 ; L. grandis var-. pelargoni flora, 390 ; L. flava, 286 ; L. grandis var. tene- brosa, 390 ; L. Jongheana, 22 ; L. superbiens, 22, 287 ; Ligustrum Massalongianum,53 ; Lilium Browni var. leucantha, 11 : Lindenbergia grandiflora, 277 ; Magnolia 'Vulan " Alexandra," 294 ; Masdevallia bella, 22 ; Matthiola coronopi folia, 438 ; Maxillaria Sanderiana. 286 ; Michauxia Tchihatcheffi, 341 ; Mil- tonia cuneata, 286, 390 ; M. Reg- nelli var. Veitchiana, 335, 410°; M. vexillaria var. Ohelsoniensis, 2S7 ; Myothria punctata, 9 ; Nelum- bium luteum, 363 ; Odontoglossum Adriana?, 62 ; O. X A. var.'decora, 62 ; O. crispum var. Bethuneana, 287 ; O. c. var. Madame Emile Praet, 335, 410 ; O. coronarium, 335, 410 ; O. Hunnewellianum var! Madouxiana, 335. 410; O. luteo- purpureum var. Mulus tenebrosa, 335; O. 1.-]). var. Mulus sub. var. tenebrosa. 410 ; Olearia erubefcens, 53 ; Oncidium hrematochilum, 62 : O. incurvum, 22 ; O. nnbigennm, 335, 410 ; O. Phalamopsis, 22 ; O.Warscewiczii, 286 ; Paphiopedilum (Cypripedium) Chamberlainianum, 363 ; Passiflora capsularis, 438 ; Pear, Leon Reeq, 363 ; Pedicularis curvipes, 209 ; Persea gratissima (Avocado Pear). 294 ; Pescatorea Klabo- chorum, 22 ; Phceoneuron Moloneii, 111 ; Phalsenopsis Luddemanniana, 113; PothosLoureiri, 341 ; Pyrusves- tita, 436 ; Raphiolepis Delacourii x , 477; Robinia neo-mexicana, 11; Rose Exquisite, 172 ; R. Madame A. P. Strassheim, 53 ; R. Madame Arthur Oger. 9 ; R. Souvenir de Catherine Guillot, 53 ; R. Soleil d'Or, 53, 477 ; R. Souvenir du President Carnot, 53 ; Saccolabium japonicum, 363 ; Salvia splendens "Silver Spot," 53 ; Senecio auriculatissimus, 111 ; Sechium edule, 172 ; Sobralia xantholeuca, 390 ; Spathoglottis aureo-Viellardi, 335, 410 ; Stauropsis fasciata, 287 : Stigmatodactylis Sikonianus, 363 ; Thibaudia macrantha, 113 ; Tricho- pilia Galeottiana, 286 ; Vanda Cathcarti, 172 ; Vanda ccerulescens Regnieri, 401 Plant, sanitation, 471 Planting, garden, 472 Plants, New or Noteworthy :— Achillea clypeolata, 31S ; Agapetes Manni, 254 ; Aplopappus croceus, 318 ; Begonia Augustinei, 286 ; Centaurea rutifolia, 318 ; Crocus niveus, 335 : Cryptostemma lusi- tanicum, 390; Cypripedium insigne Sandene raised in home gardens, 302 ; Habenaria eolumbte, 390 ; Helichrysum Gulielmi, 333 ; Kni- phofia multiflora, 334 ; Ladio-Cat- tleya Binoti, 370 ; L.-C. x Col- maniana, 240 ; Lysionotus carnosa, 349 : Mormodes Oberlanderianum, 317 ; Passiflora Basing Park hybrid, 390 ; P. europhylla, 350 ; Spirsea Aitchisoni, 254 ; Stanhopea steno- chila, 369 ; Tagetes Lemmoni, 18 Plants under glass, 9, 29, 49, 69. 94. 109, 129, 148, 169, 1S8, 207,225, 243, 258. 275. 291. 306.323,339,357,377, 396, 417, 436, 457. 4 74 Platveodon grandiflorum semi-duplex, 223 Plumbago rosea, 396 Plums, packing of. 245 ; Servian, 359 Poblia platensis, 184 Poisons, sale of, for technical or trade purposes, 110, 154, 195,227,264,419 Polemonium pauciflcrum, 32 Pollen grains. 413 Pollen, the influence of, on mother plant, 292 Polvgonum Baldschuanicum as a gar- den plant, 227, 247, 248, 265 Polygonum scandens, 187 Pommelo, the, 450 Poplar planted by Peter the Great, 32 Poplars, the, Avenue Road, Regent's Park. London, 360 Potato blight in Ireland, 105, 222 ; crop, defective. 16. 56 Potato Early Puritan, 248, 265 ; plants, spraying, in Ireland. 46 : trials at Ch'iswick, 210, 231, 248, 278 Pratia angulata, 110 Primula rosea destroyed by a mildew rust, 174 Primulas, Chinese, 452 Prunes in California, in Prunus acida var. semperflorens, 414 : P. avium, 414; P. cerasus, 414 ; P. chamajcerasus, 415; P. domesiica foliis aureis. 142; P. japonica, 414; P. Lauro - cerasus Schipkaensis. 310, 399; P. L.-c. S. Mischianus. 399 ; P. L.-c. S. Zabelianus, 399 ; P. pendula, 414; P. piostiata, 415; P. pseudo- cerasus and its varieties, 414 ; P. serrulata, 414 ; P. triloba, fl. pi., 2 Pteridium aquilinurn, 230 Pyrus species, 2 Queecus coccinea, 394 Quince, the cultivation of the, 147" Quince preserve, recipe for, 460 Rail, garden-produce by, 83 Rainfall in Aberdeen during 1900, 4211 Rainfall, the, in Durham, 114 Rating glass-houses in market gar- dens, 15 Rauwolff, Leonard, 380 Regent's Park, gardening in, 55 " Retarding," the system of, 324 Rhododendrons at Tremough, 440 Rhipsalis Houllettiana, 480 Rhubarb seedlings, forcing, 427 Rhus Cotinus, with rich purple flower- stalks, 52 Ribes, hybrid, 17 Riviera and Italy, 459 Rock garden, the, 105, 124, 272 Rodriguezia fragrans, 182 Rome, garden note from, 3 Root, fasciation in, 3 Root rot, white (Rosellinia necatrix), 204 Rosary, the, 2, 24, 304, 351, 392, 451 Roscoea purpurea, 203 Rose Airnee Vibert, 202 Rose-garden, suggested design for a,. 297, 330 Rose-growers, International Congress, of, 380 Rose, Orange-rust on the, 160 : R. Pink Roamer,22 ; R. Society's classes toe large, 74 ; R. Souvenir de Pierre Notting, 340 : sports and seed- lings, 24 ; trees, standard, 136 -r variegated, 16 Roses, an easy method of propagating, 202 ; at the Birmingham show, 122 -r at Salisbury, 41 ; at the Salisbury show, 74 : "at the Crystal Palace,. 30, 61 ; at the three shows of the- N.R.S., 103; decayed, 117: flower- ing in autumn, 304 ; hybrid Tea, 392 ; in Canada, 419 ; judging, ia America, 341 ; new home-raised, 451 ; new varieties of. 1S1 ; on. their own roots, 305 ; the season of, 163 ; what varieties of, to plant, 351 Roupellia grata, 152 Royal Hort. Soc. examinations, 32 ;. proposed garden, 14 ; bye-laws; 10, 35 ; centenary, 26 Rudbeckia fulgida, 222, 329 ; R. gran- diflora, 362 Ruscus aculeatus, 21, 55, 92 ; R. Hypc- glossum, 54 Salt spray, effects of, on vegetatioD, 230 Salvia azurea grandiflora, 310, 329 Santa Barbara, California, Palms in, 354 Saxifraga umbrosa under trees. 481 Saxifrages of the Pyrenees, 402 Scale insects, 293 Schubertia grandiflora, 35 Scientific Committee. — Apple- shoot, proliferous, 363 ; Apple- trees attacked by caterpillars, 75 -r Asparagus diseased, 299 ; Aster seedling diseased, 75, 299 ; Begonia, venosa, 482 : Bonplandia gemmi- flora, 482 ; Cardamine chenododi- folia,482 ; Carnation-leaves injured, 74 ; Carnations, decaying, 16 ; Castanea vesca foliage with little laminar portion, 363 ; Ceropegia diehotoma, 482 : Chrysanthemum, weeping, Pioneer, 447 ; Cyclamen, double, 447. 4S2 : Cystopteris bulbi- fera, 299 ; Dahlia, synanthic form,, 75 ; diseased Peaches, 117 ; Elm trees dying, 482 ; Figs dropping, 117 ; germination of Leucadendron, - 447 ; Grapes, scalded, 16 ; He- liamphora nutans. 4S2 ; Kalanchoe marmorata, 482; Kleinia' pendula, Tlie Gardeners' CHranlcU.) INDEX. (December 29, 1D0O. Vll tsi> ; Leaf-cutter bees'-nest, 363 ; Lindenbergia grandiflora, 182 ; Ma- dura aurantiaca'fruit, 182; Melon - seed, Eruit from old, IS2; Nematan- tluis longipes, 182 : Nepenthes Veillardi, 182 : Nymphsea, synan- thie, 117; Oak-leaves, vritb great diversity in lobing, 405 ; with spangles, 299 ; Oaks in wood at .Shirley, 363 : Orchid, dimorphic, K)5 ; Ornihogalum laeteum, 4S2 ; Pea with a double plumule, 405 ; Peas, diseased, 405 ; Pears decayed. 117 ; l'hylica ercoides, 482 ; Po- tato-crop defective, It! ; Quercns sessirlora, 4S2 ; Rose, variegated, Hi ; Roses, decayed, 117; Senecio vul- garis x S. squalidus' hybrid, 482; seed-vessels, 446 ; Seakale, defec- tive, 4S2 ; Stanleya pinnatifida, 117 ; Strawberry - leaves diseased, 75 ; Tulips diseased, 75 ; Willows at- tacked by aphis, 299 Scilla autumnalis near Greenwich, 2B5 Scotland, Pears that thrive in, 464 Scutellaria altissima, 124 Seakale, retarding and forcing, 394, 444 Seaside garden, a. 1 1 Season, the flowerless, 472 Sedum spectabile roseum, 372 ; S. brevifoliura var. Pottsii, 142 Seed, diseased, 378 Seed-harvest, a review of the, 256 Seeds into bags, machine for putting, 153 Selection, a paper upon, by H. L. de Vibnorin, 163, 185. 229 Sempervivum hybrid, 51 ; S. x Thom- soni, 35 Senecio spatulata, 310 Sequoia gigantea, tall specimens of, 52 Seychelles, the, 477 Shrubs, flowering, choice, 2. 45 Sisal Hemp from Agave rigida or A. r. sisalana, 355 Sobralia Cattleya, 231 SOCIETIES :— Aberdeen Chrysanthe- mum, 426 : Aberdeen Natural His. tory and Antiquarian, 406 ; Ameri- can Florists, 228 ; Beckenhanr Horticultural. 277, 299, 331. 367, 406, 467 ; Bath Floral, 19S ; Battle Horticultural, 198 ; Birmingham Chrysanthemum, 365 ; Bishop's Stortford Horticultural, 177,385; Bolton Chrysanthemum, 387, 466 ; Boston Dahlia, 233 ; Bradford Chrys- anthemum, 387 ; Brighton and Sussex Horticultural, 178; Bristol Gardeners', 98 : Bristol Chrysan- themum, 386 ; British Association, the, 211, 227 ; British Pteridological, 138 ; Brixton, Streatham and Clap- ham Horticultural, 216, 364, 477 ; Cardiff Gardeners', 155, 245 ; Cardiff Horticultural, 75 ; Cambridge Horti- cultural, 363 ; Carlisle Horticultural, 98 ; Castle Ashby Horticultural, 138 ; Cheltenham Fruit and Chrys- anthemum, 3S5 ; Chester Paxton, 388,46-7-; Chislehurst Gardeners', 331; Cobham Chrysanthemum, 386 ; Col- chester Rose and Horticultural, 3S7 ; Croydon, 178, 283, 314, 367, 405 ; Darlington Chrysanthemum, 426 ; Derby Agricultural and Horticul- tural, 234 ; Devon and Exeter Gar- deners', 59, 117, 299, 364, 367,406, 426, 467 ; Devizes Chrysanthemum, 385 ; Durham, Northumberland and Newcastle Botanical and Horticul- tural, 76 ; Ebley, Cainscross, &c, Horticultural, 119 ; English Arbori- cultural, 155 ; Folkestone Chrysan- themum, 985 ; French Chrysanthe- mum, 277: Fruiterers' Company, 294 ; German Rosarians, 34 : Grhenl Chambre Syndicate, 12, 299, 367. 447 ; Gloucestershire Horticultural, 19; Hanley Horticultural, 19, 119 ; Harrow Horticultural, 58 ; Horti- cultural ( !lub, 292, 359 ; Hull Chrys- anthemum, 386; Isle of Thanel Chrysanthemum. 366 ; Kenilworth Horticultural, 179 ; Kent County Farm Fruit. 282 ; Kirkcudbright Horticultural, 138 ; Leicester Chrys- anthemum, 366; LeicesterHorticultu- ral, 138; Linnean, 18,308,365, 425,45s, 467,482: Loughborough Gardeners', 267, 405 : Maidenhead Chrysanthe- mum. 387 ; Manchester Orchid, 98, 282, 299, 331, 405, 482 ; Mid- land Counties Carnation and Picotee, 98, 118 ; Moffat and Upper Annandale Horticultural, 234 : Monmouth Chrysanthemum. 364 ; National Amateur Gardeners', 459 ; National Auricula, 483 ; National Carnation and Picotee, 75, 483 ; National Chrysanthemum, 98, 282. 314, 331, 340, 343, 388, 406, 426, 447 ; National Co-operative, 112, 150 ; National Dahlia, 214,467 ; National Rose, 19, 36, 41, 446 ; Newport and Monmouthshire Horti- cultural, 98 ; Northampton Chrys- anthemum. 365 ; Northampton Hor- ticultural, IIS ; Northern Associa- tion of Scientific Societies, 38 ; North Peckham Amateur Chrysan- themum, 308 ; Portsmouth Chrysan- themum. 447 : Potter's Bar Chrys- anthemum, 386 ; Putney and Wandsworth Chrysanthemum, 365 ; Reading and District Gardeners', 38 ; Reading Gardeners', 98, 283, 367, 331, 467 ; Reading Chrysanthe- mum, 406 : Royal Botanic, 359, 326; Royal Caledonian Horti- cultural, 2*16, 234 ; Royal Horticul- tural, 16, 36, 56, 96, 136, 155, 1 75, 197, 213, 250, 283, 266, 280, 312, 345, 382, 424. 466 ; R.H.S. fruit show at Palace (Supplement, Sept. 29) ; Royal Horticultural of Aberdeen. 155, 388 ; Royal Horticultural of Ireland, 197, 36*6, 462 ; Rugby Chrys- anthemum, 386 ; Scottish Arbori- cultural, 11 ; Scottish Horticultural, 119, 233. 282, 347. 367. 387. 447; Scotch Meteorological. 75 ; Shirley Gardeners', 77 ; Salisbury Horti- cultural,^ ; SandwichandDist. Mar- ket Growers, 459 ; Shropshire Horti- cultural, 156, 171 ; Smithfield Club,' 447 ; Southampton Horticultural, 19, 366 ; Southern Counties' Car- nation, 119 ; St. John's (Sevenoaks) Gardeners', 331 ; Stirling Horticul- tural, 199 ; Surveyors' Institution, 293 ; Swansea Horticultural, 3s ; Taunton Deane Horticultural, 177 ; Trowbridge Horticultural. 155 : LT1- ster Horticultural. 366 : United Horticultural Provident and Benefit, 282, 447 ; Wargrave Gardeners', 216, 283, 314, 367, 406, 482 ; Welling- borough Dahlia, 198 ; Weybridge Horticultural, 75 ; Winchester Chrysanthemum, 385 ; Windsor, Eton and District Chrysanthemum, 365 ; Woking Horticultural, 58 ; Wolverhampton Floral Fete. 38 -r Yorkshire Naturalists, 192, 245 Soil cultivation, 389, 432 Soils, some practical facts regarding, 244 Solanum capsicastrum diseased, 236 Solanum Tomatillo, 240 Solandra grandiflora, 287 Soot, value of, 111 South Villa, Regent's Park, 55 South-west, November notes from the, 421, 430 Specialisation in horticulture, 398 Species r. varieties, 422 Species, experimental origin of a new, 208 Spinach, New Zealand, 481 ; substitutes for summer and winter. 179 Spirsea Aitchisoni, 363 ; S. bullata, 106 ; S. Foxi. 32 Spiranthes Romanzoviana, 288 Sport in Hazel, 56 Spraying, 381 Spraying wholesale. 400 Stangeria paradoxa. anatomy of, 52 Stanleya pinnatifida. 117 Stapelia gigantea, 105, 311 Staphylea Coulombieri, 2 Sternbergia angustifolia, 293 ; S, macrantha, 277 Sternbergias, 256 Stocktaking, 52, 132, 209, 277, 360, 439 Stokesia cyanea, 231, 248, 265, 278, 298, 375 Storm, circumstances of the, 111, 114 Straffan, Ireland, 274 Strasburg Botanical Garden, 255 Strawberry, large fruits of Royal Soverign, 54 ; leaves diseased, 75 ; plants, blind, 74 ; wanted, a new, 73 Strawberries, 92 ; early, 174 ; flower- less. 56 : in 1900, 67 : in the market gardens, 25 ; late, 330 ; market, 44 ; old v. new, 174 Strelitzia, 35 Streptocarpus, 460 Styrax japonica, 32 Succulents, winter treatment of, 410 Sugar- Beet, 439 Sulphuring a vinery, 174 Summers, a classification of sixty, 231 ; wet and cold, 134 Sunflowers as a field crop, 362 Sunningdale Park, Orehids at. 472 Sunny Hill, Llandudno, 458 Surrey C. C. allotment competitions, 174 Sweet Pea celebration, the, 91 ; S. P. Cupid, 78 ; the hardiness of the, 190, 297 ; scent, 79 ; the history of the, 30 ; varieties, 92 Sweet Peas, 111 298; alone, why?, 135 ; fertilisation of the blossoms of, 195 ; for succession, 311 ; select, 115; selection of varieties of, 50 ; setting up, 141 ; the show and Con- ference upon, at the Crystal Palace, 71 Sweet William Elizabeth, 56 Sylviculture, British, paper upon, 212 TEA in China, 1669, 139 Texas, devastation in, 216 Thalictrum Chelidonii, 167 The Grove, Stanmore, 335 Thladiantha dubia, 278 Thorn, the Cock's Spur, 321 Timber growing in coppices, 4 Tobacco, cultivation of, in Victoria, 400 ; manufacturers, and the Butcher's Broom, 74 Tomatos, field, 7, 126 Tree, well of water in a, 195 Trees and shrubs, 142, 295, 321, 394, 414, 472; seeds of, 363 Trees and plants, fragrant, 381, 436 Trees, as season indicators, 363 ; at Kilruddery, Bray, 232 ; clipped, 292 ; pendulous, 477 Tremough, Rhododendrons at, 440 Trevoria chloris, 319 Trinidad Botanic Gardens, 126 Troeheta subviridis, 102 Tsuga canadensis var. pendula, 226 Tulipa Greigi, a giant, 285 Tulips, diseased, 75 Tupistra perakensis, 287 Turf, on lawns, a substitute for, 191 ; a substitute lor, 231 Turnips, winter and spring, 126 Typha minima, ''■-' U University College, London, 261 Vai.lota-A.maryli.1s. hybrid, 336 Vegetable pathology, 326 Vegetable-Marrows, the cooking of, 152, 195 Vegetables, 3, 356, 394, 427 ; Cali- fornian, for London, 261 ; failures with, 66 Veratrum californicum, 22 Vernonia scorpioides, 125 ; V. anomala, 32 ; V. decumbens, 32 ; V. Henry- ensis, 32 ; V. neglecta, 24 Versailles, a flower show at, 182 Vicia Orobus and V. sylvatir.a, 154 Vilmorin, H. L. de, on Selection, 163 Vinery, sulphuring a, 174 Vines, at Lockinge. 16 ; pedigree, old and new, 431 Vineyards, peronOspora in the Greek, 12' Vintage on the continent, the, 152 Violets, culture of, in pits, 223 ; Parma, 90 W Wages of farm labourers, 191 Wales, re-afforestation wanted in, 419 Wallflower, Harpur Crewe's double, 481 Wallflowers, clubbed, 236 Watercress, cooked, 477 Weather, the, in West Herts, 14, 34,' 53, 73, 83, 108,' 133, 148, 172,187, 227, 245, 263, 272, 294. 310, 328, 341, 361, 381, 402, 420, 441, 461, 479 Weather in N. Cornwall, 35, 264, 362, 421 Weather, recent, 74, 444, 464 Weevils and chlorophyll, 73 Welbeck Abbey, 269 Wellingtonia, seeding of, 444 • Wengern Alp, Switzerland, 217 West Indies, capital and enterprise wanted in the, 375 Wheat crop of 1900, 429 Wheat, mummy, 65 Whitehead's, Mr. Chas., retirement, 438 Williamson's Chrysanthemum support, 331 Willows for river bank, 200 Wine-Grapes, 394 Winns, The, Walthamstow, 61, 79 Wittmack, Professor, 310 Wood-pulp from Canada, 191 Workmen's Compensation Act, 260 Worms, foreign, in English gardens, , 66, 101, 196, 329, 464 ' Year, events of the, 476 Yerba mate, cultivation of, 294 Yucca baccata, 103 ; Y. gloriosa, 15, 74, 262, 278 Zauschneria californica, 105 Zizania aquatica, 304 . Vill The Gardeners' Chronicle,] INDEX. {December 29, 1900. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - „ Abbotsbury Castle, Yucca gloriosa in the gardens at, 263 Aberia caffra (Kei Apple), 462 Adiantumcapillus-venerisimbricatum, frond of, 429 Aparicus albas, abnormal growth of, 336 Aloe, fasciated root of, 3 Alsophila Loubetiana, 328 Anemone japonica " Mont Rose," 229 Anona cherimolia, 460 Apple Barnack Beauty, 251 ; A. Beauty of Bath, 145 ; A. Irish Peach, 145 ; A. Mrs. Phillimore, 249 Ardisia Brandnerian*, 321 Asclepias Halli, 183 ,, Asparagus , Duchesnei, 3.05; A. um- bellatus, 379 Aubergine, Early Dwarf Purple, 211 B Bag filling machine, a, 153 Bambnranta Arnoldiaina, 313 Bananas, a good home-grown bunch of, 461 Beech hedge at Meiklour, Perthshire, 442 Begonia Dorothy Hardwick, 344 ; B. Marchioness of Bath, 343 ; B. Mrs. Jno. Heal, 371 ' Brocchinia cordylinoides growing in Mr. Im Thurn's garden on the Barima River, 185 Bruchus granarius, 78 Bulimus Goodalli, 404 Byblis gigantea, 351 Calathea erdCata. 119 i Camellia spray with fruits, 443 Carnation Beauty of Exmouth, 193 Cedar, the old Lebanon, in the Physic Gardens, Chelsea, 147 Celery, fly and grub, the,' 268 Chelsea Physic Gardens, old Cedar of Lebanon in the, 147 Cherry "Noble," 127 Chrysanthemum indjcum, the wild form of, 342 Clematis Duchess of York, 43 Clibran's nursery, views taken in Messrs., 221 Coffea robusta, 311 Coryanthes maorantha, 355 Crocosmia. aurea, 175,: C. a., as grown in the Hyde' Park, Sydney, 176 ; C, a. maculata, 177 Crowley, portrait o'f the late Philip, 481 Cryptostemma lusitanicum, 391 Cucumber-Melon; (Gucumis flexuo- sus ?), a, 204 Cypripedium Dora Crawshaw, 375 ; C. insigne Chantini Lindeni, 411 Cypripediums, a group of, in the houses at the Horticole Colonial, Moortebeek, Brussels, 473 Dendrobium Phalsenopsis Schroderi- anum from Walton Grange gardens, 238 ; D. P. S., a new striped form of, 241 ; D. P. S. var. hololeuca, 239 ; D. Venus, 95 i Devansaye, A. de la, portrait of the late, 423 Dichorisandra Thysiana, 302 Easel and show board for exhibiting Grapes, 422 Eckford, Henry, portrait of, 79 Elm, common and Cornish, upon one shoot, 123 Eremurus robustus at Dundee, 228 Eriogonum giganteum growing in Santa Barbara, 337 Eucharis grandiflora growing out-of- doors, 115 Falkland Park, view of glasshouses at, 33 Fasciated root of Aloe, 3 Ficus Eetveldiana, 303 Fig disease, a (Cercospora Bolleana), 5 Finlay Lawn-rake, the, 135 Fly-trap, a new, 154 Fruit, exhibit of, at the Shrewsbury Show, 173 Gooseberries, American mildew on, 143 Gymnopsis uniserialis, 165 H Hailstones that fell at Abingdon, 27 Hazardia detonsa,: 470 Hazel, a purple and green, 51 Heather-thatched cottage and garden- hut, 246, 247 Helichrysum Gulielmi, 334. Hendre, Monmouth, Peach crop at the, 131 Hidalgoa Wercklei, 83 Hutchins, Rev. W. T., portrait of, 73 IRIS urmiensis, 372 Jasminum augulare, 360 ; J. a. as growing in South Devon, 361 K Kew, herbaceous border at, 353 L^elio-Cattleta x Henry Green- wood, 47 Larkspur, annual, Blue Butterfly; 133 Lawn-rake, the Finlay, 135 Leeches, foreign, 329 Leptosyne gigantea, 319 Linnsea, a view in the alpine garden, 107 Litchi, fruit of, 450 Loganberry, the, growing at Douglas, Isle of Man, 309 Lychnis grandiflora, 205 M . Machine for rilling bags with seeds. 153 Magnolia macrophylla, 325 Masdevallia debrsa, 395 Maxillaria sctfrrilis, 65 Mesembryanthemum, branch p'erfd- rated by a growth of Cyperus eScu- lentus, 55 .... . I • • Mormodes Oberlai)derianum,318 .,. N Nectarine and Peach in one fruit, 82 Nepenthes Sir William T. Thiselton Dyer, 257 Nymphsea gigantea, 77; N. stellata pulcherrima, 273 Oak, a transplanted, 203 Oaks, the pedunculate and sessile, from Mr. , Fisher's drawings, 219; growing at Bowood, 295 Odontoglossum Hallio-crispum Craw- shayanum, 102 ; O. x Rolfeae var. meleagris, 4,51 ; O. Wattianuin' Crawshayanum, 286 tf Oncidium luridum, 62 ■■ • -i. ■..-. Parsnip, CannelTs Defiance, 4'71 Pea British Empire, 97 :' ,'■'' Peach, a disbudded shoot of a, 82' Peach-trellis , i^t The Hendre, Mon- mouth, 131, 'I' ' Pear, Charles Ernest, 453 - . Pernettya ciliaris, 463 ; P. floribunda, 465 Perrin's fly-trap, 154 Phaius Oakwoodiensis x , 93 Plan of a garden, by Mr. W. Miller,. for the Paris Exhibition, 13 Platycerium angolense, 444 ; P_ grande, 433 ; P. Wallichii, 435 ; P. Willincki, 431 Platycodon grandiflorum semi-duplex,. 223 Pollen grains, illustrations of, 413, 415 Polygonum scandens, 187 Portrait of Henry Eckford, 79 ; o£ John Baxter, 362 ; of the late A. de la Devansaye, 423 ; of the Rev. W. T.j Hutchins, 73; of the late Jno. Laing, 117 Pyrus'(sinensis =) ussuriensis, 298. Rhododendron Pink Pearl, 63 Rhododendrons, hardy, at Tremough,. 439 Rose. garden, suggested, design for a 297, 330 Rose Pink Roamer, 23 ; R. Souvenis de Pierre Notting, 271 Roupellia grata, 151 Rubus phcenicolasius, 137 SA2JIFRAGA longifolia in the Jardin Alpin d'Acclimatation, Geneva, 402,. 403 Sechium edule, fruits of, 450 Smith, R., & Co., Worcester, views in. the nurseries of, 287, 289 "Sophora japonica peridural 479 Spirnea.Aitchisoni, 255 Spruce, a weeping, 478 Sternbergia macrantha, 265 Strawberry St. Antoine de Padoue, 67" Sundial in the garden of " Corycius senex," 163 Sunny Hill, Llandudno, view in the. gardens at, 454, 455 Sweet Pea Cupid as a pot-plant, 78 TACSONIA militaris x , 383 Thalictrum Chelidonii, 167 Thladiantha dubia, fruits of, 279 Tremough, views of house and Rhodo- , dendrons at, 439, 441 Vbrnonia scorpioides, 125 Yucca . baccata in Mr. Ewbank's garden, 103 ; Y. gloriosa at Abbots- bury, 263 SUPPLEMENTARY ILLUSTRATIONS. Cannes, View in the Garden at the Hotel du Parc, at (September 22). Crataegus Crus-gALLI at Streatham (September 29). Dicksonia Youngle: in the Bush, Queensland (July 28). Falkland Park, Si Norwood, View op House at (July 14). Friar Park, Topiary Work at (October 20). Group op Plants Exhibited by Mr. J. Cypher at the Wolver- hampton Show (September 1 and 15). Hendre, Monmouth, the Seat op Lord Llangattock (October 6 and 13). Highbury, Birmingham, the Residence op the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain (September 8). Lilium Wallichianum (Sulphureum ?) Growing in Mr. T. Cran- well's Garden at Mount Eden, Auckland, N.Z. (July 7). Oechid- house in Avenue Road, Regent's Park (L. Mond, Esq.) (November 17). Palms in Dr. Hamilton Ramsay's Garden at Torquay (Augist 11). Rose -culture in the Nursery of Messrs. Soupert & Notting, Luxemburg (November 10). . View; in the Banana-house at Paddockhurst, the Residence op Sir Weetman Pearson (December 8). View in the Gardens at Paddockhurst, (December 1). View in the Rockery Orchid-house at Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons,. Chelsea (July 21). View in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Ceylon (August 4). View in the Grounds 'at Highbury, Birmingham, the Seat ot the Right Hon. J. Chamberlain (September 15). View in the Grounds at the Hendre, Monmouth (October 13). View in the Gardens of Joseph Broomk, Esq., Llandudno- (December. 22).. Weeping Beech in the Nursery op R. Smith & Co., Worcester. (December 29). Jii.v 7, 1900.] THE GAXDENEBS' CHRONICLE. THE (Sarctwra' flfforomdi No. 706.— SATURDAY, JULY 7, 1900. CONTENTS. Agricultural Education Committee Ants in the orchard Ash. the decay of, in Middlesex Bacteria, experiments with Barr, Sir., in New Zea- land Botanical Magazine Bulb gaiden, the— Pancratiums Bye-laws, the new, of the Royal Horticultural So- ciety Cactaceus of the Galapagos Islands Cauliflowers, early Clematis montana as a verandah-climber Crata'gus daughters of the year, the Douglas Fir, the Estates, sales of Evergreens, transplanted Fasciation Forestry — Game coverts and sylvi- culture Timber-growing in cop- pices Fig disease, a Flowering shrubs Foreign correspondence- Hybrid Ribes Italian gardens Liilium Martagou Lilium Wallichianum in New Zealand Lockinge, Grape-vines at . Market gardening — Field Tomatos Melons in cold pits Melon, Buscot Park Hero Nursery Notes — Backhouse, Jas., & Son, Ltd Mount, J. Orchid Notes and Glean- ings Paris Exhibition, the ... Peronospora in Greek vineyards Plan of a garden, Mr. W. Miller's Plant portraits Rating glass - houses in market gardens Rose, M. Ernest, decease of Rose season, the beginning of the Royal Horticultural So- ciety's bye-laws, 10J; and gardens Seaside garden, a Shropshire Horticultural Society, the Societies — Ghent Chambre Syndi- cate Gloucester Rose Hartley Floral Fete ... Linnean National Rose at Salis- bury Royal Horticultural.. 10, Southampton Horti- cultural Strath tieldsaye, changes at Sweet Pea Celebration, the Vegetables— Early Cauliflowers Kales Rosette Colewort Weather in West Herts ... Week's Work, the — Apriary, the Flower garden, the Fruits under glass Hardy fruit garden Kitchen garden, the ... Orchid houses, the Plants under glass Yucca gloriosa 12 19 19 IS 19 14, It) 19 II 11 4 3, 4 3 14 ILLUSTRATIONS. Fasciated roots of Aloe 3 Fig disease, a (Cereospora Bolleana) ... 5 Garden Plan, prepared by Mr. Miller, for competition at the Paris Exhibition 13 Lilium Wallichianum in Mr. T. Cran well's garden iu Auckland, New Zealand (Supplement). THE DAUGHTERS OF THE YEAE. JUNE. fTIHE year loves its daughters, and they ■*- garland themselves to please their sire. Not to please us, as in our self-centring conse- quence we are apt to think. " For Thy pleasure they were created," was the confession of the adoring twenty-four. " The summer flower is to the summer sweet, Though to itself it only live and die ; " was Shakespeare's floral creed. Of its progeny, June is favourite, and she repays parental preference. No month is so flush in colouring, so varied in fecundity of production, so per- sistent in glory to the end. July has its specialties, of Sweet Peas, Carnations, Delphi- nium, Poppies, Lilies ; but its opening joys are June's bequests, and its close brings rueful hints from past and fallen bloom. Nor does my long Corycian experience recall a June like this. I do not mean in climate, for it opened miserably, and has been crossed by waves of cold ; but in the tropical vigour of its growth. Such tree blooms I never saw ; such Chestnut pyramids, Sycamore tassels, ropes of Hawthorn, foam-balls of Gueldres Rose, " Laburnum rich in streaming gold." So, too, with the shrubs : Weige'a, red and white ; Spiraja and Veronica, Philadelthu3 coronaria and grandiflora ; while not a few herbaceous plants, stunted and sparsely-flowering in former years, rise in this June ful , profuse, and tall. I own to an annual pang in discarding the exhausted double Wallflowers, so serviceable as they hove been, so noble in colouring and stature, so Triton-like among the minnows of May ; it seems impious to cast them out, like Jeremy Taylor's withered Rose, into the por- tion of weeds and worn-out faces. The best of them grew on either side our door in raised beds, from which two noble clipped Pyracanthi, just now in bloom, ascend to the upper windows. They went to the rubbish-heap in the month's first week, and in their place is a backing of early autumn Chrysanthemums, then stately water-loving Cardinals, rearing their cupreous foliage amid thickly - planted Pelargoniums, edged with blue Lobelias and ivy-leaved Pelar- goniums, falling over the sustaining cork-clad boards. It is the only approach to bedding-out which I permit, appropriate so near the house, and brilliant till October frost. It leaves a fortnight of comparative bareness, but that is overlooked in the splendour of the herbaceous border opposite. My charming contemporary, " E. V. B. ," used to anathematise the word — I know not why ; it tells the truth with me. My long, wide borders show only herbs, plants which die down in winter, go, as George Herbert says — To see their mother root when they have blown, Where they together All the hard weather, Dead to the world keep house alone. Each morning when I throw up my bedroom window I look down upon them with a cry of pleasure. The dominant colours are yellow, Doronicum and Hemerocallis ; purple, Gera- nium ibericum and Veronica amethystina ; coral-red, Centranthus ; orange, Papaver hir- sutum ; white, Pyrethrum, and tumbling masses of the common Pink. Intermediate tones are due to Dame's Violet, lingering ' Aubrietia, Limnanthes, pink Pyrethrum. From a Grindel- wald valley comes tall Pyren;ean Valerian, too soon o'erblown, but seeding freely ; hard by it is a squad of Oriental Poppies, their great scarlet and black blossoms leaning forward arrestingly to look us in the face. Flanking that again, dependent on daily watering in all but wettest weather, is a great bush of Spiraea Aruncus with flower-spikes 2 feet long. Scarlet Geums, and even lovelier Potentillas, yellow with- out and blood-red within, sparkle through the greenery ; while florally most interesting of all is Morina longifolia, with lustrous thistle leaves, Acanthus-like flower stem, spiny bracts and nearly fourscore protruding tubular florets, white on the day they open, changing then to crimson. From Cowper's Olney greenhouse- border, I have brought a profusion of his favourite " grass Pinks," which, as he tells William Dnwin on June 8, 1783, distracted his attention from the letter he was writing to his friend. Many of these are on the wane as June goes out, but there are plenty more to take up the wondrous tale and beautify the July record. In the side walks are the vivid Italian Alkanet, the curious Vincetoxicum, its small puce-coloured florets, so inconspicuous to the naked eye, so exquisite beneath a 3-inch lens ; Phytolacca from the Burgundy vineyards, where its black berries are crushed to colour the wine ; Buphthalmum, Grimm the Collier (Hieracium aurantiacum), Genista sagittalis, Campanala Trachelium and glomerata, phos- phorus-scented Dittany, "gold-dusted Snap- dragon," Devil-in-a-bush blue and white, lovely Bartonia aurea, all backed by Foxgloves, red, white, yellow, with at present only a single specimen of the Digitalis lutea. Supported by Rose-trees, dwarf and standard, is the Birth- wort, Aristolochia clematitis. I took it up at Godstow, where it is a weed, introduced cen- turies ago from Italy by the nuns, who used it medicinally. It is one of three or four plants — Bocconia is another — which insist on choosing their own corner in a garden. Plant them arbitrarily, they pine and die ; humour them where they come up unexpectedly, and they flourish like a green Bay-tree. Deference to this caprice has filled for me a most unlikely corner with a mass of Impatiens parviflora. I brought it forty years ago from the Oxford Physic Garden, where it abounded close to dear old Dr. Daubeny's door. Last year, to my surprise, I found it growing all along the banks of the little river Tyne, which washes the quaint Scottish town of Haddington. An "escape," say botanists undoubtingly. Whence and how escaped is often an insoluble puzzle. Under my study-window is a rock-bed, built with glacial erratics from the North of England, which fill our boulder clay. Here are Notting- ham Catch-fly, Dianthus cajsius, from Cheddar ; D. caryophyllus from Rochester Castle, London Pride, Asarum, with its hidden purple bells, the scentless but ever-blooming white Canadian violet, feathery racemes of Heuchera sanguinea, four kinds of Oxalis red and yellow. Here too is the not common Claytonia perfoliata, grown in clumps, among which I planted some purple mountain Pansy from Langdale — an inspired thought to judge from the " how lovely " of those who see them together. It fades early in June, when I remove all but a seeding remnant, and replace with Stocks. Here lastly, hiding a rough corner, is Senecio squalidus, a foreigner rarely seen in England. It grows thickly on the middle belt in the ascent of Etna, whence it was brought to Oxford by John Sibthorp, in 1784. Planted there, it spread over the town, covered and still covers, every buttress and coign of vantage. A plant sent to Cambridge established itself in all the college buildings there ; carried to Taunton in 1865, it clothed the ancient Gram- mar School and Castle. Many years ago, when Plancus was consul, showing Oxford to some 400 Birmingham artisans, I called their attention to it, and told its story. From a small piece of waste ground they eagerly dug up roots and took them home to plant. Months afterwards, haunting the poorer streets — not slums, for there are no slums in sanitary well-governed Birmingham, I found it flourishing in many a window-box and small back court. Its name they had all forgotten, but with a droll half-remembrance, had twisted my own name into a generic and specific title : they had called it , but I must not say what, or I shall reveal the insignificant identity of Corycius senex. Orchid Notes and Gleanings. ODONTOGLOSSUM CKISPUM LUCIANI. Mr. Warburton wishes us to say that the notice of the O. crispum Luciani, exhibited at the Man- chester and North of England Orchid Society's meet- ing on June 5, held at the Botanical Gardens, was misleading. It says the flowers of this crispum are likewise small ; the flower which I (Mr. Warburton) send you measures fully 3A inches across after being cut for over a week, and it was on the plant six weeks previous. And further it goes on to say, that it is the same plant as exhibited and figured in the THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1900. Gard. Chron. of Dec. 0, 1899, which is not so ; the one figured at this date was Lindeni, but through some mistake it got named Mortebeekiense, but was afterwards corrected in your later issue. Lindeni has dark chestnut-brown blotches, whilst those of Luciani are deep plum-purple, the difference being most remarkable and distinct in many ways. I also enclose you Macfarlane's paintings of both varieties for you to see and confirm. A. W. FLOWERING SHRUBS. Phillyrea decora, alias Vilmorineana. — This very distinct species of a long cultivated genus bids fair to become as useful as a flowering shrub as it is when considered as merely a foliage plant. During several weeks its stems have been wreathed thickly with its white, sweet-scented flowers, which, as well as being pretty while adorning the plant, are also very suitable for furnishing vases. I have treated P. decora somewhat differently from the other species with very small foliage, the chief beauty of which arises from their dense habit. The characteristic which distinguishes the species under discussion is its large and broad leaves, and to encourage size in these I have all along kept the bushes thin and open by means of cutting clean away all weakly shoots in the centres of growth. This has, I have no doubt, induced the plants to flower very profusely, as well as to produce ample and striking foliage, which, I may add, is rather better on plants growing in rich light soil than in that of a heavier nature. Pretnos triloba, double-flowered variety. Cherries and Plums yield feasts of beauty in their season, and one is in some perplexity in deciding as to which is the best. It is perhaps wise not to choose ! Of the small-growing kinds there is perhaps none more attractive than the one above - named. Its long, slender, flexile branches are at present studded with deep pink blossoms, which are most lovely. By a judicious use of the knife, the shoots may be caused to extend beyond the UBual length, and it is therefore worth while examining the trees after the bloom is past, in order to cut out all weakly growths, and decaying points that may have suffered from late frosts. It is a species that naturally makes but slight growth, and therefore while the trees are young they should be helped with fresh soil and manure at the root, and be carefully pruned as above recommended. Staphylea Coulombieri. This is obviously a variety of the well known S. colohica, from which it differs in not being so floriferous, and the racemes of flower are more lax and longer, while the flowers themselves are slightly smaller. S. Coulombieri also expands its flowers a little in advance of the other. Both are well worth a place in the select shrubbery. They require no special culture. Crataegus salicifolius. This is, perhaps, more a tree than a shrub, and it is only when it attains to good-sized dimensions such as the fine specimen in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, has arrived at, that its value in pleasure-grounds can be fully determined. It is however not to be lightly passed over even when young, its grey foliage, its drooping branches, and at this time of year the trusses of large flowers with which it adorns itself, rendering it a con- spicuous object. Pyrus species. Two allied plants deserve also a passing notice. The one, Pyrus Malus floribunda, being now smothered in red buds, or pretty piuk-tinted blossoms. I encourage the formation of long shoots, which clothe themselves from base to tip with little clusters of bloom. The tree is best grown as a standard, and its fruit is, I should imagine, the tiniest Apple in existence, being about the sias of the common Haw. The other is I'yrus Maulei, of which I with to remark only that the bushes should be pruned, so as to induce very long shoots which, if well ripened, are abundantly furnished with flowers, and are more useful than short stems. Cytistjs. AmoDg the shrubs that have for the first time experienced the rigour of a severe winter and emerged from it unscathed, I would like to mention Cytisus elongatus, on account of the distinct colour of its flowers. They are soft pink and yellow, produced very freely, and while I write, in course of expansion. B. The Rosary. THE BEGINNING OF THE ROSE SEASON. Atmospheric conditions have been eminently favourable to the growth and floral development of Roses in Scotland during the month of June. On the other hand, as if Nature wished in characteristic fashion to modify this advantage, the earlier blooms have been, unless in strongly protected situations, greatly mutilated by violent south-west winds, and heavy thunder-rains. The weather, in other words, has for several weeks past been dominated by electricity, with the usual resultB. We have had, at long intervals, exceptionally beautiful days, but they were dreams of beauty "too bright to last;" a suspicion confirmed by subsequent saddening experience. At the present date (June 25), many of my finest climbing Roses growing on the walls of the manse, and visible from the study-window at which I am writing, bear evidence of their long struggle with the winds and the rains. In the garden, which is entirely sheltered from the force of southern blasts, less damage has been experienced, unless in the persistent " damping off" of many precious blooms. Among the first to suffer from this special infliction of Nature (who sometimes resembles a cruel, intemperate parent in her treatment of her fairest offapring), was that loveliest of all the Hybrid Tea Ptoses, Clara WatsoD, whose colour is as exquisite as its fragrance is refined. A Scottish rosarian of considerable reputation, who has occa- sionally gained the Gold Medal of the National Rose Society, has frequently told me that he cannot grow Clara Watson to any advantage, a statement which, I confess, surprises me greatly, for I have frequently had it 6 inches in diameter, of superb form and colour. I have, indeed, no grander Rose in my garden. In the leading cata- logues its value is decidedly under estimated ; but perhaps it is less successful in England than in southern Scotland, where we have more coolness and moisture during the exacting summer season — atmospheric influences which in many instances are essential for commanding floral results. I find that during an exceptionally hot season, when the sun is an absolute tyrant, creating and consuming with that power, even such consummate Roses as Clara Watson and Margaret Dickson, not to speak of A. K. Williams, Duke of Edinburgh, and Charles Lefebvre, are too suddenly forced open in the centre, and do not last very long. A compara- tively cool season, according to my own experience, suits most Roses best. And though we may have occasionally too much rain for the conservation, even for a short period, of the beauty and almost perfect symmetry of the flowers, yet it cannot be questioned that this element is of primary import- ance, as I have already suggested, for what may be termed their adequate evolution. I am strongly of opinion that the formation of the flowers (often very imperfect, especially in the centre, in a sultry, showerless June), is much less dependent on the sunlight than the rain. I have been in former years impressed by the conviction that such varie- ties as the crimson Hybrid Perpetuals A. K. Williams, and others of similar character, to which I have referred, almost invariably come with hardened, abortive flower buds, on which a strong sun has no influence, unless in the direction of still farther hardening and blackening, till the beueficent rains of summer have come, dropping, like mercy, as depicted by Shakespeare, "upon the place beneath." Very often, therefore, in the beginning of the season, if showers are not forth- coming, and electric influences universally prevail, withering rather than inspiring the great sources of vegetation, the first flowers of the Rose, the queen of the gardeD, for which we have waited so patiently and looked so eagerly, are lamentable miscarriages ; a characteristic, however, much more expressive of the Hybrid Perpetuals, whose petals being closely compacted, are somewhat obdurate and arduous of expansion, than of the more freely flowering Hybrid Teas. Of the latter, many of the fairest forms, such, for example, as ViscouDtess Folkestone (raised like Clara Watson by the late Mr. Henry Bennet, though the latter was intro- duced and popularised by Mr. George Prince) ; also Grace Darling, Margaret Dickson — essentially a Hybrid Tea, White Lady and Papa Gontier ; the variety last mentioned being one of the finest of French introduction. Fiametta Nabonnand, one of whose parents was Niphetos, and Madame Pernet Ducher, already are in flower. These have opened with great facility since the advent of the rain : which however, as I have stated on the opening lines of this contribution, has during the last week been destructive of the blooms. But even as I write, the suu is bursting through the long earth- darkening clouds : the force of the wind, so desolating yesterday to my fairest climbing Roses, has gradually subsided : the garden and its green- environments of lawn and woodland are assuming another and brighter aspect ; the voice of the ring- dove, so emblematic of passion, yet so strangely tran- quillising, is heard in the woods. Ere long our hearts will echo instinctively the tenderly beautiful words of that almost forgotten, yet nobly-gifted singer, Alexander Smith : — " Daisies are white upon the churchyard sod, Sweet thoughts the clouds lean down and give; The world is very lovely, 0 my God, I thank Thee that I live ! " David B. Williamson. ITALIAN GARDENS. Palermo. — Anyone can see at a glance, looking round on the vegetation of Palermo, what a favouredr portion of the earth it is. Professor Borzi told me, when, as a stranger, I was walking round the garden- with him, that he had loDg wished that it could be- an international garden — that is to say, the climate and soil were so propitious for growing great varieties of trees and plants that it seemed the very spot to receive new species as they were dis- covered, and sent out to be started and established there, and from thence to be distributed to the- various gardens and stations of Europe, Asia, and America, where there was a likely chance of their thriving either in the open air or under glass. He- appeared to have at different times received con- signments from the Cape and other parts of AfrieE*, also from New Zealand, and the islands of the Southern Ocean, and a very great variety under his care. He said the pay allowed for the botanic garden was but small, and that the Italians were apathetic as to real gardening. They liked to stroll about and take pinches of seed, but had uu feeling for what we should call an interesting garden, such, for instance, as Mr. Hanbury's at La Mortola, and many far less pretentious ones- scattered over England. Signor Borzi is cer- tainly an enthusiast, and has his heart in his work; but neither the King nor the Queen of Italy appears to have visited the Botanic Gardens at Palermo during their visits there. Last year he asked the Prince of Naples to come and look over it, but lbe> Prince regretted he had not the time to do so. The KiDg of the Belgians seems to be the only fore'gi potentate who has taken an interest in it. It ma'e me sad and sorry toseaa person so desirour, of forwarding the true interests of horucultu e, July 7, 1900.] TEE GARDENERS' GERONICLE. both as to trees and plants, with his hands tied, as it were, and no means at his disposal for carry ing out his laudable project. One of the severest storms that has swept over Palermo lor some years occurred when I was there, and a very fine and uncommon Planera had been blown down. He was in great grief about it. I suppose its roots were of the treacherous sort that its relative the Elm has. He had devoted one corner of the garden to Mexican plants, and called it his "Mexico," and was very pleased when he found I had recently been there and recognised my daily surroundings in that interesting region. He talks German well, but I do not think he knows English. It is a good thing he does talk German fluently, I think, as Germans abound in Sicily, and are most likely next denizens of far off climates throve and flourished. One does not feel tempted to sit under Palms in hot weather as one does under Oaks, and such beautiful JapanoBe and Indian and American Oaks can flourish in south Italy. There is a Palm mania the e now, something like the Conifer mania half a century ago in England, when many of the beautiful new species were introduced by Douglas and others from India and America. I have seen a pamphlet written by a nobleman's gardener about the middle of the century actually saying that they meant to do away with such rubbish as Beech and Birch, and plant only Conifers. In a place not far from here, where the owner considered himself a great arboriculturist, his family complained to me that they had not a single tree, such as a good Lime, to sit under. FlG. 1. — FASCIATED EOOTS OF ALOE. (REDUCED TWO-THIKDS.) two young ones have had to succeed the original other two. The last of the giants is now in a ragged condition. I was glad to think I had secured formerly a photograph of them, when in better condition. The Eriobotrya has made a great change in the South Italian orchard landscapes. The trees are now a goodly size, and they are always crowded with the brilliant fruit. Never having happened to be in Rome before so late as the end of May or beginning of June, I had never seen the Bignonia Tweediana flourishing in *he open air before. It is as beautiful and rich in colour as an AUamanda, and covered with blossoms. It is well for people fond of their gardens to remain belated in the South occasionally, as otherwise they can hardly realise the wonderful beauty of the flowers, especially those banging over walls and arches. This summer there were refreshing rains, as well as brilliant sunshine, so garden scenery was at its very best. Besides the sheets of bloom in the Campagna of yellow, mauve, and pink — really acres of each hue— the old walls of the baths of Caracalla were decorated not only with green weeds, but also with lively blossoms. In the well known cemetery at Rome, with its graceful Willows, I was glad to see they had plentifully planted our familiar Foxgloves. They were very fine, and seemed so suitably placed near graves, which were the resting place of so many English. R. FASCIATION. Fasciation in herbaceous stems is common enough, so much so that one rarely passes an Asparagus-bed without seeing one or more examples ; but the same condition among roots is very rare. We have seen it in the aerial roots of some epiphytal Orchid— and now thanks to Mr. Justus Corderoy, we have had an opportunity of seeing it in a species of Aloe, which had long occupied its pot. The illustration (fig. 1) shows the appearance of the root, greatly reduced. to the English to take a keen interest in botanical specimens. He told me that the yellow Oxalis •cernua which now literally carpets all the fields and waysides of Sicily and parts of southern Italy, originally came by chance in a tiny piece from the Cape, along with a consignment of plants. I should suppose that now it must be a plague to the Sicilian farmers to eradicate. It is surely a great pity that the private gardens in Sicily, and southern Italy, and the Riviera, are sow being spoilt with planting far too many Palms. " Collections " of Palms are anything but beautiful altogether. One striking Palm here and there, and say three, or even five, now and then in a group tell happily and well ; but many of the most admired and vaunted private gardens of Palermo seemed to me manque as to pleasant garden effects, (though tbey certainly were, as the tourists said -'wonderful," I mean in the way in which these Rome. — In the beautiful garden plot within the cloisters of the Lateran, I was grieved to see the other day how it was changed from what I remember it formerly. Orange-trees and spicy shrubs have been replaced by Palms, a few of which would have added points of interest, but the fresh greenery has mostly and too much departed. Fortunately, in the new Museo Nazionale, where the extensive cloisters are the lovely ones designed by Michael Angelo, far better gardening has prevailed. In- deed, nothing could be lovelier. The old sarco- phagi scattered about the centre open part are wreathed with the luxuriant trailing branches of all manner of exquisite Roses and many suitable flowering shrubs with sweet scents, and backed by Box — so fragrant in a warm climate, are all that could be wished. Of the four celebrated Cypresses left of Michael Angelo's planting, one only remains, one was killed last year by lightning, and Vegetables. ROSETTE COLEWORT. It is somewhat strange that this delicious vege- table is so little cultivated in Scotland, while our neighbours in the sunny South make so much of it. From October till the New Year, I find it of great value, and it is always welcome at least once a day in the dining-room. I make two sowings, the first in the end of May, and the other ten days or a fortnight later. When the seedlings are large enough to transplant, they are put out at a foot apart each way in a bit of good soil, so that, with the exception of Little Pixie Cabbage, which is less useful, no vegetable of its class requires less room to produce a given crop. Scotch Kale. This hardy variety is valuable largely on account of its continuing to supply useful shoots later than any other of the Brassicas, with the single exception of Broccoli. There are varying methods of culti- vating this vegetable : some persons sowing in the autumn and transplanting in the spring, and others sow in the spring and plant out into quarters in June and July. By both of these methods a long occupation of the ground is entailed, and nothing more is gained than can be secured by sowing at the end of the month of May, when it becomes a catch- crop that follows an earlier one. This Kale requires a sharp frost to make it tender eating and give it a delicious flavour, and in any case it is not wanted until mid-winter, when Savoys and late Cabbages are getting scarce. Like most of the family, Kales delight in a rich soil, though it conduces to their power of resisting successive hard frosts and sudden thaws, which test to the utmost all kinds of winter stuff, if the manure is kept near the surface in digging, and the ground, after having been tho- roughly broken up, made firm by foot-trampling it. Moreover, in April, when the old plants come to be THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1800. lifted to make way for another crop, they move with nice balls of fibrous roots ; an operation which, when the plants are layered-in in a shaded position, delays the production of flowering growths for some weeks. There is a striking diversity in the appearance of different strains, and more particu- larly in the extent to which the leaves are crested or curled, some (bad strains) being nearly plain, and others (the best) nearly as finely subdivided as a good strain of Parsley. The latter should always be chosen as producing the greatest quantity of material, and also because of its superior quality when prepared for the table. I was very much struck with a strain of varie- gated Kale exhibited by Messrs. Storie of Dundee, in Edinburgh last spring, in which the greater part of the leaf was a dull white, with the crimpy edgings green. At one time variegated "greens" were somewhat popular. I have known them grown to supply material to set up fruit with during winter and spring, and the late Miss Frances Hope, of Trinity, cultivated a variety of kinds for filling up her beds and borders during the winter season. The different sorts were rigidly isolated while in flower by means of fine muslin covers, and the colours were in this way kept true to character. But none of Miss Hope's Kale were anything like so pretty as the "Albino" strain of Messrs. Storie & Storie, which have a some- thing about them that, if one may use the word in connection with a vegetable, may be termed refined. B. Early Cauliflowers. Rarely have early Cauliflowers been more appreciated at Syon than this year, owing to our losses in Broccolis and spring Cabbages. As regards the cultivation of Cauliflowers, it will suffice briefly to indicate the earliest varieties, and how best to grow them. The time to sow seedB of Cauliflowers to stand the winter will soon arrive, as with the best methods a period of some months is required before heads can be cut fit for the table. Whether pots, pits, cold frames, or temporary sashes be employed, does not matter much. No great amount of success results from forcing, for although it may be employed at the finish, the plants usually bolt or button if it be afforded before the heads are fairly formed. Still, there are varieties which may be slightly forced, viz., Veitch's Early Forcing, and Sutton's First Crop, capital varieties for growing in pots or otherwise ; which, when raised from seeds sown in the autumn, furnish heads in mild seasons early in the month of May. There can scarcely be any doubt about the superior quality of Cauliflowers raised from sowings made in the autumn over those raised early in the year, say January and February ; the heads are compact and firm, which is not always the case with the latter, which are afforded heat from start. Still whatever practice be followed, if heads are produced they are of value in the spring months. Some gardeners lacking frames and hand-glasses, must perforce depend on winter sowings for the supply of early Cauliflowers, and to such as these varieties that will bear a certain amount of forcing are of great service. For many years reliance was had at Syon on the old varieties Early London and Walcheren, for spring supplies ; but I now grow largely the two varieties above mentioned as well, there being a gain of ten to fourteen days thereby, a matter of importance to me and most gardeners. It may be of interest to readers of the Gardeners' Chronicle, if I give the dates of cutting the four varieties named. From plants grown in pots in rough structures made with spare frame sashes and turf or boarded sides, Early Forcing and First Crop produced heads fit for cutting on May 10. The same variety, wintered in pots and frames, and likewise planted out-of-doors, were three weeks behind these, no heads being fit till June 4, and those of Early Forcing planted at the foot of a south wall. If this date be not particularly early, it is still much earlier than heads could be cut from Early London, which was not fit for cutting till June 15. The season is unusually late, for although growth in April was fairly active, severe frosts in May crippled many kinds of plants, and made it one of the latest seasons on record. The worst of such a season is, that the plants come in altogether if only a variety or two be grown. Even with winter sowings to help us, heads were later than usual in turning in. I think gardeners should grow more of these dwarf and early varieties of Cauliflower. Sow the seeds in the middle of the month of August for affording the earliest heads, wintering the plants in cold pits, frames, or hand-glasses ; and in early spring planting them out in warm situations, and potting others for growing on under glass. In the case of those planted under hand-lights, it suffices to remove all but four per hand-light, which may remain to form heads, these being moulded up with soil from the alleys when they are about half-grown. TSome heads of the new varieties Mr. Wythes names accompanied this communication, of medium size, perfectly white and firm in the curd, and of fine mild flavour. Ed,]. In the extreme south of the country, about the 25th would be a more suitable date for sowing the seeds. The cooler the plants are grown the better they will stand the rigour of winter, and for this reason air should be afforded at all times when there is no frost, and to enable this to be done, the frames, hand-lights, &c, should face the south. I have potted the plants in C-inch pots in Novem- ber, and plunged them in beds of coal-ashes under glass. In this case only strong plants were taken, the small ones being put into 60's, and re-potted in the month of March following. It is prudent to prick out a number of the autumn-raised plants in frames 4 inches apart, and plant them out of- doors in February or March. Early London and Wal- cheren, if sown at the same date as the others, continue the supply. It is needless to say that, however cultivated, the soil must be rich in nitrogenous food, if the best results are to be looked for in the cultivation of the Cauliflower ; and in the case of those grown in pots, mild liquid-manure does a great deal of good. O. Wythes. Kales. The various Kales, which we grow in quan- tity, were particularly serviceable this year, Cabbage being late in becoming fit for use. The sprouting Broccoli is a homely and useful spring vegetable, very nice eating when properly cooked. The late Purple Sprouting is one of the best of spring vegetables, and the plant is very productive. But about the Kales, as gardeners know, prepara- tions must be made nearly twelve months in advance, and the seed of Kales is sown in May ; the practice of sowing earlier and leaving the plants to starve in the seed-beds, is not the way to obtain strong plants or good returns, for the plants, to do them justice, should be sturdy and strong, and therefore they must not be crowded in the seed- beds, as this leads to etiolation. As regards plant- ing, a good deal depends upon locality, kind of soil, and the varieties planted ; most Kales, if planted early, may be had fit for use in about six months, but to use them up before the end of the year is not a judicious practice, the hardest wea- ther being still ahead of us, and we may find them of more use in the early spring. Of late years the broad-leaved Kales, and the very hardy Ragged Jack, have been diseased badly, whilst the Scotch curled varieties have not suffered at all. Strange to relate, the best variety of Scotch Kale called Reed's Hearting is very hardy, and not injured by frost, as one would suppose a Kale with a compact heart would be ; and I do not know of a hardier curled variety. It is planted largely at Syon for consumption in the spring months, and is the last to run to flower. When the head is taken, side shoots push forth and lengthen the supply ; moreover, Reed's is one of the best in a wet or cold winter. Of Scotch Kales I prefer the dwarf variety, which having scarcely a stem exposed, survives a hard winter that is fatal to the talJ growing variety. Several types of the dwarf variety exist, but there is little trouble in getting the best one. The so called Extra Curled Scotch are handsome plants, and they are doubtless selec- tions from the best dwarf type. They are worthy of being generally planted for early spring use. No- note on Kales would be considered complete without- referring to the Drumhead Kales, which resemble- the Drumhead Cabbage. The leaves possess a large midrib, and which may be divested of the thin por- tion, and cooked and treated in the same manner as Asparagus. At Syon this Kale proved less- hardy than some others ; but a year's trial is not enough to allow me to speak definitely about it. I must give it another trial. It is nice-eating, and as a mid-winter vegetable it has its uses. Arctic Kale is a variety introduced a few years- ago, and few Kales have given better returns. Of the Purple and the Green Kales I prefer the latter, though it is merely a question of colour, both being equally good, and of remarkable hardi- ness, the purple being less injured by severe frosts than the green. Both varieties need a good deal of space, and an open situation. Whenever possible, all Kales should be planted in June, or early this- month, unless they have been pricked off into- nurse-beds at a good distance apart. O. Wythes. Forestry. • TIMBER-GROWING IN COPPICES. Seeing that clean, straight timber is alone in- demand at the present day, or at least that such. timber can alone fetch the top price, it is not diffi- cult to understand that a large proportion of the- standards grown amongst coppice do not produce- high-class timber, owing to their possessing wide and deep crowns, and comparatively short boles- It may be perfectly true that the very best Oak and Ash in the country have been, and are still, grown in coppice-woods ; for when once the boles- of these trees have been drawn up by side-shade, or pushed up by vigorous growth, the open order- in which the trees stand, and the shading of the ground by the underwood, provide the best possible- conditions for the rapid increase in diameter, growth-of-light-demanding species. But to obtain tall, straight boles of Oak or Ash in coppice-woods requires either the very best soil and situation, or an exercise of skill and care in raising them which cannot easily be given on many estates. When first planted, say, with Oik and Ash standards, and Hazel for underwood, the latter does not grow much, if at all, faster than the Oak, and not so fast as the Ash, and the first crop of standards has as good a chance of succeeding as in- an ordinary plantation. But later on, when the oldest standards shade the soil more or less be- tween them, and the Hazel stools throw out strong, vigorous shoots, seedlings or young plants have- little chance of growing into anything useful unless- carefully watched and tended for several years ; otherwise they become so weak and drawn that their value for timber is practically destroyed. Thus it is that the largest proportion of really good Oak timber produced in such woods originated with their formation, and only in good soils andt situations do we find young Oak standards of a promising character which enable a succession to- be kept up as it should be, and even on these a proper succession rarely exists. Game Coverts and Sylviculture. In the Gardeners' Chronicle of April 14, Professor Schlich gave a detailed description of a sylvicul- tural system ( " Coppice with Standards "), whichhe considers well adapted to meet the requirements of pheasant preserving in British woods. This question of combining economic sylviculture and game-covert is, however, far from being satisfac- torily answered by the recommendation of any particular system of sylviculture, for the simple reason that where game is preserved to any extent, Jolt 7, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. in nine out of every ten eases it takes precedence of the timber, and includes ground game asjwell as pheasants. Every estate forester knowsjperfectly well that whether proprietors favour the presence of rabbits iu their woods or not, that keeper cannot be found who will keep the rabbits down sufficiently well to allow woods to be worked on an economical system, Rabbits provide sport, and however much the proprietor may object to the damage these animals do in theory, a good day's sport covers a multitude of keeper's sins in this respect, and many keepers know perfectly well they can laugh in their sleeve at any complaints made by the forester on this score. •^Professor Schlich's opinion, that coppice with standards fullils all the conditions necessary for good pheasant cover is well founded, for many thousands of acres of game-covert in the south and west of England are worked on this principle, and providing a certain proportion is cut at proper intervals, keepers are well satisfied with it. shoots are any use for this purpose ; and seedlings seldom escape the rabbits, or being smothered by rubbish, or the quicker-growing underwood. Ash is better able to hold its own for several reasons. Unlike the acorn, Ash-seed is not devoured by pheasants, pigeons, mice, &c. (which clear off a crop of acorns the winter following their fall), and seed-years with the Ash being fairly frequent, any favourable opportunity for germination always results in a crop of seedlings. Being a better shade-bearer than the Oak, it is less easily ciushed out, and hence Ash saplings can always be found at each fall of underwood, -the best of which can be left for standards. It is quite an exception, how- ever, to find Oak standards much below the age of those originally planted, except such as have arisen from stool-shoots, or an occasional seedling which has escaped the dangers alluded to above. The usual character of the older standards is a short stem of 15 to '25 feet, with a wide, branching crown, tit for little else but firewood. X400 Fig. 2. — a fig disease : cercospora bolleana. A, Fig-leaf badly infested with "rust," caused by Cercospora Bolleana. B, Fruiting portion of the fungus emerging through a stoma of the leaf ; x 400. C, Conidia of fungus ; x 400. But the "coppice with standards" on most estates in this country, and that described by Pro- fessor Schlich, are two different things. In the latter, we have a proper succession of maiden standards or stems springing from young stools properly cut over ; in the former, a very different state of things usually exists. Let me sketch a typical wood of the kind found in this district. The underwood consists of Hazel, with a sprinkling of Ash and Alder in damp spots. This is cut on a rotation of nine or ten years, for Hazel deteriorates in value after that period when used for hurdles or crate-wood, and the Ash and Alder are usually too thin on the ground to be worth considering by them- selves. The standards are principally Oak and Ash, the former predominating in the older age classes, the latter in the younger. In many woods young Oak standards are almost entirely absent, and nearly all date from the planting of the wood. This is due to the fact that no standards are planted after the wood is first formed, the supply being simply kept up by leaving a few of the best stool-shoots, and any strong seedlings that have been able to get up. The Oak being cut in spring for barking, few stool- The value of the underwood varies from 20s. to 60s. per acre, sold standing ; but to make the latter sum, it must be fairly close to a good road, and the standards must be thin enough on the ground to allow it to grow straight and long. A. C. F. (To he continued.) A FIG DISEASE. Just half a century ago the celebrated German cryptogamist, Eabenhorst, described under the name of Ascoehyta caricte, a minute fungus parasitic on living Fig-leaves. Since Rabenhorst's time the fungus has received several additional names, the latest, and from the present stand-point of knowledge the correct one, being Cercospora Bolleana (fig. 2). The fungus appears to be widely distributed, and perhaps occurs wherever the Fig is grown. It is recorded from the entire Mediterranean region, Austria, has accompanied its host to the Argentine Republic, and is now said to be making itself far too prominent in this country, The leaf is the part most generally attacked, the fungus emerging through the stomata on the under surface of the leaf for the purpose of producing its conidia or reproductive bodies in the air, where they can be dispersed by wind. The fruiting branches form delicate olive-green patches on the under surface of the leaf ; these originally isolated patches soon grow into each other, until in bad cases the entire surface of the leaf is covered. Corresponding patches on the upper surface of the leaf assume a brown or rusty tinge, and eventu- ally the leaf turns yellow, and drops prematurely. When this loss of foliage occurs on a large scale, the fruit is arrested in its development, and also falls off at an early stage. In some instances, the young fruit is also attacked by the fungus. Preventive measures. — Although admittedly a very destructive parasite when present in quantity, no serious attempt has been made to arrest its progress beyond the advice to collect and burn all diseased fallen leaves. Probably spraying would prove to be of service in checking the spread of the fungus if taken in time. The genus Cerco- spora contains about 250 species, all parasites, and in many instances good has resulted from the use of dilute Bordeaux Mixture. Geo. JUassee. Nursery Notes. — • — The name of Mount is so much associated with Roses and with Canterbury, that it is diffi- cult to think of him in any other connection. Nevertheless, the visitor to the Kentish coast will find that Mr. Mount is somewhat ubiquitous. His nursery at Folkestone is on the gault plain at the foot of the range of chalk hills which form so prominent a feature of this delightful town. From a small fishing-town, Folkestone has grown in half-a-century to a large borough. The prin- cipal industry of the town is lodging-letting, and the quaint cottages of the fisher-folk are almost completely overshadowed by uninteresting rows of stucco erections, and palatial hotels of the first magnitude. There is not much gardening done, but these houses must be decorated by the florist, outside and in — outside, in the shape of window- boxes ; inside, in the form of cut flowers and pot plants. It was with a view of seeing where the supplies came from that we visited Mr. Mount's Folkestone Nursery. The day was not propitious, for a storm was ragiDg on and among the hills, giving them a magnificence of aspect beyond their wont, but rendering outdoor observations rather cursory. There are several ranges of low span- roofed pits, in which are grown Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Marguerites, Tuberoses, the Harris Lily, and other plants, which furnish the staple of the decorations of the town. The Pelargoniums which are most in favour are Vesuvius, H. Jacoby, Raspail, and the new double - white Hermione, which is a great acquisition that does well any- where, and when grown under glass, is excellent for cutting-purposes. The Ivy-leaf varieties are Madame Crousse, Souvenir de Charles Turner, and Bailey's Red, a very bright variety nearly the colour of Raspail. These, with Marguerites, render the numerous window-boxes of the town very gay. Retinosporas grown in pots form most elegant dinner-table decorations, their fine foliage and glaucous colour being particularly attractive. The variety most grown seems to be R. squarrosa, but the appearance of these plants when grown under glass makes it difficult to recog- nise their identity with certainty. Palms, in the shape of Kentias and Latanias, do not seem quite to relish the sea air. Tomatos are grown in some quantities to meet the local demand. The sort most favoured is a great cropper, but devoid of name. Out of doors are Roses — of course, dwarfs ; hybrid perpetuals, hybrid Teas, and Teas, making strong growth, with healthy foliage and plenty of bloom. The reader may be spared an enumeration of sorts, THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1900. as the thunder rattled along the cliffs, and the rain fell as it is in the habit of doing in thunder showers. Herbaceous perennials for cutting purposes com- prise Canterbury Bells, Spanish and English Irises, elegant, long-spurred, yellow Columbines (Aqui- legia), Gaillardias, Delphinium, Eryngium, Oriental Poppies, and various other plants whose flowers, as is customary by the sea-side, have a richness of colouring unknown inland. JAMES BACKHOUSE and SON, Ltd., YORK. A visitok to York, after spending some time in admiration of the I magnificent Minster, and in traversing the old city walls, finds but little display in the heart of the city. There are few squares, lofty buildings, or even [wide streets. York is an ancient city, and instead of seeking the display commonly ^made by more modern towns, has guarded its oldest fe\tures, and at present has "improved away" but very few of its narrow quaint-looking streets. From the Minster it is a rather long but inter- esting walk to the nurseries of Messrs. Jas. Back- house & Son, and few horticulturists visit York without making a call there, as did the present writer after representing the Gardeners' Chronicle at the Yorkshire Gala. Like the city itself, the firm of Backhouse is of long standing. It was established in York in 1S15 by the late James Backhouse, and in connection with the purchase of a business then belonging to Messrs. Telford, and more than a century old. The firm of Backhouse is represented at so many horticultural exhibitions by their well known displays of rockery and alpine plants, that one might suppose the greater part of the nurseries at York to be utilised in the cultivation of such-like species; this is not the case. Alpine plants are capitally represented there, the collection being one of remarkable comprehensiveness, and the rockeries are very pretty features of the nurseries, but they are not the only ones, for the area of 120 acres or so contains a most extensive collection of plants, indoors and out. The Orchids. There is a large and choice collection of Orchids, and in this department alone we saw many interesting plants. There are numerous glasshouses devoted to them, and they run left and right from a central passage, by which all in that block are connected with each other. How many Odonto- glossums there were we do not know, but there appeared to be many thousands. One of the prettiest varieties of O. crispum in bloom had a magnificent spike of fourteen flowers, each of them large and spreading, with wide sepals and petals, and prettily marked. Another variety with large brown spotting was also a valuable one, and suggestive of 0. c. Stevensii. Most of the other O. crispums in flower were of considerable merit ; they included none of the star- like type with narrow petals. 0. Pescatorei made quite a show, and amongst these were varieties with spotted flowers, some of which may be expected to vary very considerably another year. But upon one particular variety, the flowers have a less common type of spotting, the spots being very small and rather close together. Mr. Jas. Back- house has an idea that in this case the spotting may be more constant than it is generally in 0. Pescatorei, but this must be proved or disproved when the plant blooms a second time. We noticed a good Oncidium in 0. sarcodes pardalinum, capital in colour, with much spotted lip. Amongst a batch of plants of Cattleya citrina was remarked the wholly yellow form, the flowers haviDg no white upon the lip. Lselias and Cattleyas there were in abundance, in good health, and inclusive of valuable varieties and hybrids. Particularly choice was a hybrid between C. Mossise and Lselia tenebrosa, remarkable for its richly-coloured lip, with silvery fimbriated margins. Other hybrids rom L. tenebrosa were also of much merit. Some very fine forms of Cattleya Mossire and C. Mendeli were in flower, including a tinted variety of C. Mendeli, named grandiflora, with wide sepals and petals, the petals almost erect, aud therefore the more effective. There was quite a large group of plants of white flowering varieties of Ltelia anceps, and though not blooming at the moment they had every appearance of vigour. Cypripedium insigne Sanders: with eight growths, and of the true type, showing white at the extremes of the petals ; a hybrid Dendrobium from D. thyrsiflorum and D. nobile ; D. nobile album, or Amesife, as it has been known, and a considerable batch of Disa Veitchi, were some of the many Orchids that attracted attention — but the whole collection is an extensive one, and possesses'many'uncommon hybrids and varieties. The Ferneries. Before leaving one of the Orchid-houses, our attention was drawn to a magnificent plant of the Stag's Horn Fern (Platycerium grande), seldom seen in such a vigorous condition, and with fertile fronds. This was a kind of introduction to a large number of choice Ferns seen subsequently in several permanent ferneries, and in ordinary glass- houses. The almost cool fernery above-ground is a very pleasant retreat indeed, and is built inside in such a manner that little is seen at one time, whilst the waterfall of 10 feet deep is an unusually interesting one. There are fine plants of Dick- sonia antarctica and others ; also of Cyathea deal- bata and C. Smithi, with good heads ; and under- neath them Todeas superba, intermedia, hymeno- phylloides (pellucida), &c, and other less tall- growing species. The stonework is screened by various Adiantums and other Ferns, among them being the little bead-plant, Nertera depreesa, as well as some of the less tender species of filmy Ferns. It is in a pit, however, with a division through it, and therefore having warm and cool temperatures that the general collection of filmies may be seen, and it is a feature that very few nursery establish- ments possess in such degree. There are few collections of such beautiful and rare varieties. We cannot now give a list of the beautiful forms in- cluded there, even were it desirable, but lovers of oneof the most attracti vesections of Ferns would find a great deal to interest them. Trichomaaes radicans (Killarney Fern) was capitally represented, and by its best varieties, T. r. Luschnathianum and T. r. L. pulchrum and prielongum being particularly noticeable. The Hymenophyllums, too, were charm- ing, especially the H. lineare, of which there was an extra sized specimen, and of which with con- densed moisture upon it had used to be described by the late James Backhouse as "Golden Dew- drops." H. demissum and its variety nitens, and H. caudiculatum were also very pretty. In the cooler division were fine masses of Todeas inter- media, Fraseri, hymenophylloides, superba, and others ; also a very good Bpecimen of Trichomanes reniforme. A good stock of Gleichenias was observed in another house, in which most varieties of this beautiful but somewhat uncommon Fern were included. But to proceed to the underground fernery : what we said respecting that upon the ground-level might be said with double force in respect to this subterranean collection of Fern beauty. It would, indeed, be an interesting and delightful retreat from a hot summer's sun, and in our case it answered not less perfectly as a harbour from a most severe thunderstorm. The construction of this fernery has been done in a bold, free style, and use has been made of some stones of unusual size and weight. A series of projections upon one side of the paths, and of recesses upon the other side, cause them to appear to be impassable, but they wind around the forbidding-looking ob- structions, and between the drooping, arched fronds of the larger- growing Ferns, and something beautiful is revealed to the sight at each step the visitor takes. Trichomanes radicans and the variety dissectum were noticeable amongst a wealth of Filmies : Hymenophyllum caudiculatum was sweeping up the rocks, as was also H. cris- tatum, and upon the upper surfaces were good specimen-plants of Lomarias, and others, especially good being a plant of Todea superba, about 6 feet across. There is never any artificial heat needed in this fernery ; a little protective material is merely used during severe weather in winter. The Alpine Plants. The alpine plants at Messrs. Backhouse's Nur- sery are displayed in a natural manner, for most of them may be seen by the visitor growing and flowering upon what we may describe as a very artistic and naturally- constructed rockery, that has a height of 25 or 30 feet, and at the base of thi3 there is a small pool of water, the banks of which afford damp, comfortable nooks for some of the hardy Orchids, and a good number of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants. As we proceeded to the rockery, at the entrance thereto were freely bloom- ing several varieties of Rosa rugosa ; and at their foot, near to the water-edge, were Iberis, Papavers, Aubrietias, yellow Hymenocallis, Azjlea rosse- florum, Primula auricula marginata, &e. , the last- named growing finely without a particle of soil. Ramondia pyrenaica, too, was splendid, and when well attended to in the matter of supplying needful water, the plant will succeed in many aspects, as its violet-purple blossoms proved here ; but it does best, and needs least attention, on a slope facing the north. It is a glorious plant, and there is a white-flowering variety of it. Messrs. Backhouse have a fine stock of Orchis maculata, and a variety of this they call superba, with very deeply-coloured flowers and richly-marked foliage. Next was a new white flowering variety of the well-known Saponaria ocymoides ; and several oi the Dianthus as D. glacialis, one of the choicest species, and D. alpinus, a plant of no rarity, but probably the most popular of this genus. Some o£ the species of Myosotis do grandly, including the true M. rupicola, and the double-flowered orange- coloured Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica), that originated in these nurseries, and was figured in the Oard. Chron., May 30, 1890, p. 671, from a specimen exhibited at the Temple Show. There were excel- lent specimens of Lithospermum graminifolium ; they throw up stems nearly 6 inches high, and bear very beautiful bell-like flowers of deep blue colour. Campanula Allioni, an excellent species for the rockery, was growing as freely as could be desired, and Primula Allioni was represented in a stock of something like 500 plants ; it is one of the truest alpine Primulas, and flowers freely early in spring, the blooms being of rosy-purple colour. In pots was a number of plants of Asplenium fissum, that pretty but most difficult of hardy Ferns to cultivate. Near to the rockery is a number of beds that contain all sorts of choice alpines in pots, where they may be inspected con- veniently, and here were noticed some good-sized specimen plants of Saxifragas, Silenes, &c. Here was the white variety of the "Bird's-eye Prim- rose," P. fariuosa— a plant collected by the late Mr. Backhouse. Gentiana tenella [nana] too was growing as freely as the other species. The rather difficult Gentian seems to succeed best when given plenty of water ; and the surface of the ground should be well covered with white sand. We cannot enumerate more of the choice species of plants there were on the rockery and about it, nor to describe the ground where the herbaceous perennial plants— especially the Irises— were pro- ducing a great wealth of bloom ; but our notes show that a very good collection of these plants is cultivated. Greenhouse and Stove Plants. Almost all popular species of indoor flowering and foliage plants are cultivated in quantities more or less by Messrs. Backhouse. There were batches of Pelargoniums, Palms, Codireums, As- Jn.v 7, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. paragus scandens, plumosus, nanus, Sprengeri, and others ; C'ordylines, Rhododendrons, Araucarias, Scutellaria Mocciuiana, and a tine lot of climbing plants. Among the latter is a new variety of Dipladenia named Loid Deramore, resembling; D. profusa, but described as more free in dowering ; the racemes frequently producing six blooms or more upon each. A pretty seedling CodL-eum was seen also ; it had rather narrow leaves, the young ones rich yellow-coloured, and the older ones yellow in centre, the petioles being showy red- colour. In one of the houses there was a large vigorous plant of Luculia gratissima worthy of remark, because this fragrant species is not often seen in so good a specimen. Lasiandra macrantha and Magnolia fuscata were also represented by remarkable plants. There were from 400 to 500 pot Vines making rods for fruiting next year, and Figs also in pots. Trees and Shrubs. Of the ground out-of doors, about SO acres is devoted to the cultivation of treeB and shrubs. The trees include forest species, ornamental species, and the most popular Conifers. There are few trees remarkable for their size or age, either of deciduous or evergreen species, the land being covered with saleable specimens from one year to twenty years old. The shrubs are very mis- cellaneous, and include in addition to the common evergreens, collections of Rhododendrons and hardy Azaleas. About ten acres is covered with fruit trees, and a large proportion of these are trained specimens for planting against walls, espaliers, and in such like positions. Roses occupy another portion of the land. It is a satisfactory sign of progress that notwith- standing the 120 acres already possessed, the tirm is intending to acquire some more land further removed from the city, where additional fruit-tress may be cultivated. The Scientific Department. We have previously referred in these pages, to an experiment that Messrs. Backhouse are making, in establishing in connection with their nursery business, a department exclusively botanical. In an interview with Dr. A. H. Burt, who has charge of this work, a better knowledge was gained of the actual work that has already been commenced. Dr. Burt when demonstrator in botany at a provincial college, experienced con- siderable difficulty in obtaining at all seasons, the best material for study ; and so conceived the idea that an establishment where botani- cal students could at all times depend upon obtaining the particular speciments they might require, would be a boon to them. Said Dr. Burt, " We undertake to supply all specimens absolutely true to name, and although we supply a large quantity of fresh specimens from the nursery, we have also preserved specimens, microscopic material, and we shall prepare a large number of photo- graphic lantern-slides." It is satisfactory to Dr. Burt, that the work so far done has met with hearty appreciation, and there have been many applications for specimens. The Botanical Gardens, from the Royal Gardens, Kew, downwards, have given the movement every encouragement and assistance. It is recognised that students in large towns are not always able to study specimens, and in searching for particular ones, much time is spent that would otherwise be available for study. There are also excellent models in wax of seventy- six different types of fungi, poisonous and edible, and each is represented under conditions in which the species is most often found in Nature. We hope the experiment will be as successful as it now promises to become. Foreign Correspondence. HYBRID RIBES. In the valuable report of the Hybridisation Conference recently issued by the Royal Horticul- tural Society, I observe a paper by Dr. J. H. Wil- son on "The Structure of Certain New Hybrids." Dr. Wilson refers to my work on Ribes Culeervelli x , and quotes me as stating that several hybrid forms were sent me for examination, of which I chose for study the type that seemed most nearly inter- mediate between the two parents. He states that he has observed a similar variation, and that microscopic study showed an absence in the hybrid of the glandular hairs characteristic of the Blaok Currant. He then remarks : — " I am accordingly led to dissent from Dr. Macfarlane's opinion (loc. cit., p. 274), that any reproduction of the sessile glands of R. nigrum is found to occur in the hybrid." Had I made the simple statement with- out further evidence, my accuracy of observation might fairly have been called in question ; but had reference been made by Dr. Wilson to the figures illustrating my observations, he would have found that photo-micrographs were there reproduced of a glandular hair of the Black Currant ; and one of considerably reduced size, but similar structure, on the hybrid. I suppose no one will question the accuracy of photo-reproduction, and I accordingly adhere to my original statement as an accurate record of structural details. The oleo-resinous, greenish - yellow substance that fills the gland-cells, inter- feres with the delineation of fine details ; and it occurred to me that before the photographs were reproduced, a slight amount of detail might have been introduced by hand. This, however, was not done ; and in the present connection I am glad to be able to say that the illustrations stand as Nature drew them for us. Dr. Wilson similarly calls in question my statements regarding hairs on the ovarian-wall ; but I need only say that my original observation needs no correction. John M. Macjarlane, Philadelphia. Market Gardening, Cephalotaxus. — Mr. Worsdell, in the Annals of Botany, regards this as the most ancient of the coniferous genera, and forms a connecting link between the Cycadacere and the Conifers. FIELD TOMATOS. Those plants that were transplanted in May and early June from large sized 60's into rows 2 feet apart and 1 foot apart in the rows, will have made good progress if the soil was well enriched with a coating of decayed manure, and it had received deep ploughing. The Tomato is not over particular in regard to soil, and as proof of this I have seen remunerative crops of fruit produced on light and rather shallow soil in a high-lying, open situation. All the same, still better results are naturally expected from plants growing under more favour- able conditions — that is, in loamy soil having a southern to westward exposure, and protection from the north and east winds. On such land, properly hardened-off plants may be planted from the middle to the end of May with safety. And to afford shelter to the plants tall-growing Peas, such as Telephone or Telegraph, may be sown at intervals of about 40 feet, the rows of Peas running parallel with the Tomatos, north and south. The Peas should be staked before the Tomato-plants are planted. The distance between the rows of Peas may be reduced in very exposed situations. In this way the plants may be set out a few weeks earlier than would be otherwise advisable, and the larger crop of fruit would more than counter- balance the cost of the Pea-sticks and sticking, which the crop of Peas would in itself nearly defray. The best way to support the plants is to strain a single No. 14 galvanised wire to stoutish stakes driven into the soil, at about 2J feet from the ground line, thinner stakes being employed between these, sufficiently close to each other to maintain the wire in a fairly stable manner. The wires may be secured to the stakes by means of galvanised iron staples. Tomato-string (which is of a soft substance) should be cut into the required lengths, say 3 feet, twisting one end loosely round the stein of each plant, and the other round the wire, the plants being afterwards twined gently round the strings as they advance in growth until the wire is reached. Meantime all lateral shoots are removed. Recently a good deal has been said respecting the uncertainty and unprofitableness of Tomatos as afield crop. Still, the fact remains that the market cultivators continue to grow the Tomato in fields year after year. It is, therefore, only reasonable to assume that these men would not do so if the crop did not pay. Melons in Cold Pits. Pits hitherto occupied with other subjects may still be planted with Melons of a hardy constitution, such as Earls Favourite. I have grown this variety for several years in cold pits. As a matter of fact, the fruit which obtained the First-class Certificate at Chiswick in September, 1895, was grown in cold pits ; so that I have great confidence in recom- mending the variety for this sort of work. If the depth of soil permits, it may be removed to the depth of 1 foot, and about 1J ft. in width, along the middle of the pit, so as to leave a trench. Then mix short dung to the extent of one-third with it, and return as much of it as will form two hillocks 1 foot deep in the centre in each sash-light, and set out one plant on each. Let the pit be kept pretty close for a few days until the plants have pushed roots into the soil ; then admit air gradually, and damp the plants overhead every bright afternoon at 4.0 to 4.30 in July and August when shutting up the pits. Abundance of air may be afforded from the time the fruits begin to change colour until it is ripe, otherwise colour and flavour will be lacking ; and discontinue to wet the plants overhead at the ripening stage. B. W. Ward. CACTACE.E OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS. Since publishing my last notes on this subject (Gardeners' Chronicle, March 24, 1900, p. 177), some particulars have come under my notice which 1 had previously overlooked. Although I knew that David Douglas laoded on one or more of the islands, and collected some plants ten years before Darwin's visit, I believed that the latter was the first to call attention to the existence of Cactacea? in the islands ; but I find from published extracts from the Kew correspondence in the Companion to the Botanical Magazine, ii., p. 87, that Douglas anticipated Darwin in some respects. Douglas landed on James Island in 1825, and made con- siderable collections of plants aDd birds, most of which were utterly spoiled by damp, against which he had no protection on board ship. In a letter to. Sir William Hooker, published in the serial cited above, Douglas says :— " I have secured seeds in a good state of a very singular Cactus, which grows in the valley [in James Island] ; the trunk is 2 or 3 feet in diameter, and from 40 to 50 feet high. It belongs to the section Opuntia, and has large, bright yellow flowers, and very long flexible spines." This is a very interesting record, because it evi- dently refers to a species not observed by other travellers, or at least not described or commented on by other travellers ; and a species which has pro- bably since become extinct. In the first place, the size of the tree is nearly double that given by other travellers for any species in the islands ; and to this he adds that the flowers are large. Now Opuntia galapageia, the common species in the islands, is remarkable in the genus for the small - ness of its flowers, which are not more than J-inch in diameter. O. myriacantha (see Gardeners' Chronicle in the place cited) is also very different, and although it has flowers 2 inches in diameter, they are small for the genus. The late Dr. G, Baur, to whom we are indebted for much valuable THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1900. information on the flora of the Galapagos Islands, and more especially on the Cactacete (see Gardeners' Chronicle, October 8, 1898, p. 265), says nothing of Cactacete on James Island, nor, so far as I remember, does any other traveller. David Douglas was a trained observer, and so precise and circumstantial in his descriptions of what he saw, that we can hardly doubt the accuracy of his statements. W. Bottinrj Hemsley. The Week's Work. THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. By A. Ward, Gardener to F. A. Betas, Esq., Trent Park New Barnet The Thinning of Fruit. — The fruit of the Apricot having finished stoning, trees over-abundantly cropped should have the fruits reduced to due proportions. The Apricot is the most severely punished of all fruit-trees in the matter of cropping, owing to the fact that the crop is a rather pre- carious one, and that the cultivator is apt to take advantage of a good set to leave more than is good for the trees. The fruits may be left a trifle closer together than is advisable for Peaches, with the exception of Large Early and the Improved •form of the latter, which should stand 1 foot apart. Whenever possible, remove all fruits that are likely to come in contact with the wall, nails, or branches ; and when this cannot be done, loosen the branch and place something behind it, and pull out the nails. Peaches and Nectarines. — The early varieties having stoned, the thinning of the fruits should be carried out forthwith ; one well-placed fruit per square foot of wall-surface being left. The same care in thinning and in leaving the best situated fruits must be exercised as with Apricots. From now and onwards, strict attention should be paid to applying water to the border, and manure- water if very fine fruits are desired. In the metropolitan district, the soil is moist enough, but rain has not fallen, unfortunately, so plentifully everywhere. In order to make the most of the rainfall on sloping ground, a basin should be formed round each tree by drawing the loose soil in the alleys into a ridge some 2 or 3 feet distant from the stems. Plums on Walls. — If the crop of fruit on any tree is a heavy one, liquid or artificial manure may be afforded, such as muriate of potash, bone-meal, and phosphate of lime. Trees of dessert varieties that are heavily laden should have all the small and badly-placed fruits removed ; even kitchen varie- ties would be the better of a partial thinning when heavily cropped, the fruit being sent to the kitchen for consumption. Red and White Currants. — The fruit being nearly ripe in the south, the bushes should be netted. The market-gardener's practice of nipping back all lateral shoots to three or four leaves admits of the fruit situated in the inner parts of the bushes becoming thoroughly ripe and well coloured. This operation should be carried out before the nets are put over the bushes. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Toono, Orchid Grower to 8Lr Frederick Wigai- , Bart., Clare Lawn. Bast Sheen, S.W. Dendrobiums. — Plants of the nigro-hirsute sec- tion usually fail to survive for more than a few years under cultivation, in this reBpect being more remarkable than most of the other species. The reason for this is in many cases difficult to ascer- tain, so many things contributing to this loss of the plants, the chief being, doubtless, improper tempe- ratures, insufficient sunlight, and imperfect rest after growth has ceased. Those requiring a mode- rate temperature, viz., D. Jamesianum, D. infundi- bulum, and D. longicornu, are now growing anew, and repotting, where rooting-space is lacking, may be proceeded with forthwith. All of these species may be planted in small well-drained pans, or Orchid-pots, in the usual sort of mixture, and be placed in the cooler part of the Cattleya-house, where abundance of air and indirect sunlight may reach them. Water should be supplied abundantly whilst the plants are active at the root, affording rest when the pseudo-bulb growths approach com- pletion, continuing it for a long period, the plants being kept moderately dry. Throughout the summer the plants should be well syringed several times a day. D. formosum requires similar treat- ment, so far as air and sunshine, affording water, and syringing the foliage are concerned, but a higher temperature should be applied. This species succeeds in baskets hung near the upper ventilators of the East Indian-house ; and, excepting plants newly-imported, repotting should not be performed at this season if the growths are much advanced. Lcvlia harpophylla and cinnabarina. — The bright- coloured flowers of these species make their inclu- sion in collections very desirable ; and for this reason, they have been much employed by cross breeders. L. harpophylla is an inmate of the cool- house, succeeding under the same conditions as with Cypripedium insigne, whereas L. cinnabarina requires Cattleya-house treatment. If these plants require fresh materials, or greater rooting-space, they may receive attention, growth being on the move. Pots or pans, filled to about three-fourths of their depth with crocks may be used, together with a compost consisting of peat one-third, and sphagnum-moss one-third. Let water be sparingly applied till new roots have permeated the compost, and likewise when growth is finished, but during growth afford it liberally. Lcelia Jlava, L. longipes, and L. Lawrenceana succeed when placed in shallow baskets, or on rafts horizontally suspended with but very little mois- ture-holding material about their roots. Place them in the cooler part of the Cattleya-house, and afford water freely only when there is active growth at the root. These three species require a very long rest period. Oncidium tigrinum is an Orchid which makes its growth late in the season, but once started the pseudo-bulbs grow with rapidity. The plants may now be afforded new material at the root, and be placed in a light position in the intermediate house. Afford but little water before the roots begin to push, and afterwards keep the compost moist until the pseudo-bulbs reach their full size. 0. t. ungui- culatum is a plant scarcely worth growing, excepting for variety. It requires the same sort of treatment. Oncidium crispum. — This species and 0. Mar- shallianum, 0. prajtextum, 0. Forbesii, and 0. Gardnerianum, grow well together under conditions that suit Masdevallias. Well-drained baskets or Orchid-pans should be used for them, and they may be hung near the light. All of those species named require a very decided differentiation of the seasons of growth and of rest, the latter season is the one in which so much mischief is done by affording water unnecessarily. All through the growing season, however, too much water can scarcely be applied, providing there is a free outlet and evaporation is rapid, and ventilation freely afforded. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Holford, Westonblrt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Endive. — The first large sowing may now be made, and a larger one made about the end of the present month. The first sowing may con- sist of Green Curled, a variety much liked in the salad-bowl ; and if there are any pits or cold frames at command, a moderate sowing in them at the same time as the outdoor sowing. The broad-leaved Batavian is a perfectly hardy Endive, and on that account is very suitable for the late sowings, and a useful change as a cooked vegetable. Endive suc- ceeds when sown thinly on moderately rich soil, in rather shallow drills drawn 5 inches apart, the soil being kept moist till germination has taken place, the most effectual method of doing this being to lay mats on hoops bent over the beds, and to keep the mats wetted. The plants should be thinned to 4 inches apart, and when sufficiently large to handle conveniently, transplanted where they are to grow. The land should be moderately manured and deeply dug. This mode of culti- vation involves a considerable amount of labour, and some gardeners may prefer to sow the seeds where the plants are to grow without transplan- tation, and in this case rich manure should be well mixed with the soil in the course of digging it, and drills should be drawn at 1 foot apart for dwarf curled, and 1J ft. for broad-leaved varieties. The seed should be sown thinly, and thinning performed, if necessary, before the plants become crowded. The seeds should receive a sprinkling of fresh soot before filling in the drills, in order to deter slugs from attacking the plants. If any sowings were made in May, the plants may be removed to their permanent quarters, and planted at a distance of 1 foot apart. Spinach. — Seed may still be sown at intervals of three weeks. As has been mentioned, Spinach succeeds when sown between the rows of Beans and Peas, providing the soil is moderately rich, and a space of 6 feet is allowed between the rows ; but where this cannot be done, sowings may be made on a north border. The seeds should be sown in shallow drills, made at 18 inches apart. In view of the later sowings, the ground should now be got in readiness, as in cold districts the sowings should be made about the end of the month of August, the site for the Spinach beds being preferably on south or at the least well sheltered, warm borders or quarters. Quick and sturdy growth is alone capable of withstanding hard frosts. Peas. — Late sowings may now be made, and the plants resulting will, if given a fair amount of water, produce useable pods about the middle of the month of September, and onwards for a few weeks, providing no frosts occur. The ground should be good, but not freshly manured ; and at this season it is as well to sow in shallow trenches, thrown out at about 3 feet apart. This distance will be ample for dwarf varieties, which most gar- deners sow at this season. Before sowing, the soil should be afforded water copiously, and the seeds soaked for a few hours in water. The seeds must be thinly sown. Broccoli. — These plants should now be set out at the first favourable opportunity. In few gardens is it possible to reserve an exposed plot for Broc- coli ; moreover, planting has often to be deferred till other crops have been cleared off, such as Peas and Potatos, and rather than let the plants starve in the seed-beds, the ground should be levelled and made firm as the rows are dug up, and a few Broc- colis be planted at a time. The rows should be 2^ feet, and the plants 2 feet apart. Penzance Early White, Snow's Superb, Winter White, and Backhouse's Winter White, are suitable varieties for this planting. THE FLOWER GARDEN. By J. Benbow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilchester, Abbotabury Castle, Dorsetshire. Polyanthus and other Primroses, and Auriculas. — If seeds of these plants are saved from the best of the home-grown plants, it should be sown as soon as ripe. The old plants may be divided at this season, and in warm localities near the sea Auriculas should have a warm border prepared carefully for them before dividing them. The plants succeed in yellow loam and leaf-mould, together with rotten cow-dung, soot being employed as a deterrent to slugs, which are apt to gnaw the root-stock. Auriculas being the better for protection against excessive moisture iu winter, the border should slope towards the south, or in some other direction, 2 in 10 beiug a sufficient fall. Oiled canvas frames or glass sashes afford useful protection for covering at such times, preserving the powdery coating of the leaves of these plants. Palms, Chamcerops excdsa,andC. humilis. — When these species are planted in the open, they should be sturdy plants, 4 to 6 feet high, with clear stems, furnished with the natural fibre, such plants being full of vigour, which enables them to make progress forthwith if they are placed in a warm and favour- able situation. The ground should be well drained, naturally or otherwise, the plants requiring an abundant supply of water during growth, and not much at other seasons. Large specimens taken out of tubs or pots should have the foliage well cleansed with sponge and soapsuds made with soft- soap and rain-water, previously to being planted ; all dead leaf-stalks should be removed with a pair of scissors to within 3 inches of the stem, which if it be performed regularly afterwards gives the stems a neat appearance. The best kind of soil is a rich sandy, turfy-loam, with grassy-sods covering the drainage material, placed at the bottom if any be required. Coirse charcoal and crushed bones would keep the plants in health if added to the soil for a lengthened period. The fresh soil should not have a less depth than 2i feet. The planting of larger specimens than those of 6 feet high requires great care, and special appliances, and sometimes a sloping passage cut down into the hole, besides strong planks and rollers under the ball. The bottoms of tubs or boxes, if partly rolled, may be left under the plants. The thick roots may be July 7, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. spread out a little at various levels, if this can be done without breaking them. Finally the soil must be made firm round about the ball. The present date is suitable for planting Palms in the open air from tubs, pots, and indoor borders. Dahlias. — These plants should now have their shoots thinned, and all that spring from the base of the stem removed. In order to encourage a regular show of tlowers, many of the lateral shoots should be removed, leaving as many shoots as will form a symmetrical head. Let neat stakes of the required height be placed to the number of three to each plant. A twist of matting round each stake at the bottom supporting the branches, will keep them steady. Towards the top let each branch be fastened separately, so as to give space for the flowers, but avoid giving the plants a mop-headed appearance. Disbudding should be performed when the buds are distinguishable, and let a few more than are required be left, as some are sure to be injured by earwigs, &c. Pruning Deciduotis Shrubs. — Any of the recently- planted shrubs, such as Weigelas, Deutzias, Lilacs, Philadelphia, Spineas, &o , may have the more vigorous shoots cut back to about one - third of their length, thus adding to the compactness and shapeliness of the bushes, which, if left to them- selves, would become top-heavy, with but few flowers. In established bushes the flowering- shoots which have become weakened and drawn may be severely cut back or removed entirely, and likewise all useless sprays and shoots so as to let sun and air to the interior of the head. Hints on Operations in the Greenhouse and Cold Pits. — Now that the bedding plants are removed, no time should be lost in getting repairs executed, whitewashing, and general cleansing carried out. The heating apparatus should be overhauled, and everything about it put in a thorough Btate of repair. PLANTS UNDER GLASS. By T. Edwards, Foreman, Royal Plant Gardens, Frogmore. Tree and Souvenir de la Malmaison Carnations. — Those plants which have ceased to flower and are going to be kept for another year, should be moved into larger pots ; it being undesirable to keep them beyond the third year. Before repotting them, flower-stems and decayed leaves should be removed, and if aphides are noticed on them, they should be dipped in weak tobacco-water or suds made with soft-soap. Let clean pots be employed, into which a good portion of drainage material should be put. As a potting compost, make use of good turfy- loam free from wireworm in the proportion of three- quarters dry cow-dung, and leaf-mould one quarter, with sufficient silver-sand to ensure porosity. The soil should be made moderately firm, using a rammer, and the plants should be placed in a cold pit, using light shading until growth starts anew, and applying water sparingly, tilting the sashes top and bottom, or removing by day, excepting during periods of heavy rain. Layering should be carried out soon, for if deferred much after this date, the wood becoming too firm for rooting readily, and getting established before the beginning of winter. Spent hot-beds in frames and pits on which there is a good bed of light soil may be utilised for layering the plants, such being more suitable than the borders out-of-doors. Cleanse and afford the plants water before turning them out into the soil ; and in the case of large plants, plant them on their sides well below the surface. A quantity of sandy soil and layering-hooks being ready to hand, with a keen - edged knife carefully cut below a joint and pass the blade upward to the next joint above. Fix the hook over joint firmly in the bed, working the fine soil between the "tongue"' and the stem, covering all of the stems with fine mould about 2 inches deep, and press down carefully so as not to break the bent stems. Finally, afford the soil some water, and keep it moist afterwards. The frames should be lightly shaded from bright sunshine, more espe- cially Malmaison varieties, or the leaves may- become of a yellow tint. Cuttings or pipings of Pinks will root readily now if put on a gentle hot- bed, dibbling them in to the number of ten in a 5-inch pot filled with sandy soil, and keep moist ; when rooted and inured to the air, plant them out in beds at 1 foot apart. With due attention to afford- ing water and stirring the soil these will make nice plants for potting-up for forcing. Any sort of Pink will flower freely if properly prepared and started in an intermediate-house, but the smooth-petalled varieties are more suitable than the fringed ones for pot-culture. Herbaceous Calceolarias and Humcas. — Seeds may now be sown in well-drained pans filled with a compost consisting of loam one-half, leaf-mould one half, and plenty of silver-sand ; the surface should be made quite level and firm, and the pans afforded water before sowing the seeds. In sowing these and similar minute seeds, it is prudent to mix these with a small quantity of line dry silver- sand, so that their distribution may be uniform over the surface. The seeds should not be covered. Place the pans in hand-lights on the north side of a wall or building, and cover with a mat until germi- nation has taken place, which will be in about ten days, when gradual exposure to the light should take place, and air be afforded. If the seed-pans are placed on inverted llower-pots stood in large saucers, &c. , containing water, slugs cannot reach them. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop. Vines. — While the present unsettled weather continues, more than ordinary care will be required in maintaining a steady degree of warmth in the heating apparatus at all times, so as to be able to meet any sudden fall in the temperature outside, and avoidance of changes from dryness to satu- ration, which is capable of causing much harm to thin-skinned Grapes, unless sufficient heat is present in the pipes to produce a buoyant atmosphere when sudden depression occurs. But little damping down will be required, and this should take place in the early part of the day, simultaneously with the admission of air. Too much atmospheric moisture with but little ventila- tion during dull weather favours the spread of mildew, the worst enemy of the Vine in this country, and should therefore be carefully guarded against. The Early Vinery. — The Vines when cleared of the bunches should be thoroughly cleansed by repeatedly syringing them ; and if red-spider should have gained a footing, a washing with a weak concoction of carbolic soap and water will prove useful in destroying it. Every effort should be made now to maintain the old foliage healthy until the autumn, and then strengthen the buds that will afford next season's fruit. If the vinery is intended for early forcing next season, the growth of laterals should be checked, and growth allowed on the point of a few of the shoots. All laterals below the fifth or sixth leaf down to the base of the fruiting wood should be entirely removed, so as to let the sun reach the main shoots. Let the borders be kept in a moist state, and apply liquid - manure occasionally. Succession Vineries. — If the Grapes are in the earlier stages of colouring, the Vines should be afforded a fair amount of atmospheric moisture, so as to sustain the principal leaves throughout the ripening period. At this stage the berries swell rapidly, and liquid-manure, together with a light dressing of wood-ashes, should be applied, which will assist in giving colour and bloom to the fruit. A small amount of ventilation at night, and an increased volume by day, until the fruit is fully ripe, should be applied. The warmth at night should range from 00° to 65° for all varieties ripening at this season excepting Muscats, which should be afforded 70° to 75°. Late Vineries. — The bunches should be examined for stoneless berries, at the same time removing berries where there is overcrowding. These Vines are at the stage when scalding of the leaves gene- rally occurs, which is a mishap that maybe avoided by affording ventilation at night, in order to dispel moisture, and by increasing the amount in the morning as soon as an increase in the degree of warmth from sun-heat is noticed. The laterals should be closely stopped on the fruit-bearing shoots, but more freedom of growth should be allowed at the top and bottom of the Vines, so that root-action may not be arrested. Young Vines. — The aim of the gardener should be directed to obtaining short-jointed and firm wood by means of moderate temperatures and free ventilation during the day. At closing time on fine sunny days the plants may be freely syringed, and the temperature may fall to 60° during the night. The borders should be kept uniformly moist, and liquid-manure applied at times. Let all lateral growth be stopped at one leaf. THE APIARY. By Expert. Bee-keepers should now be on the watch for awarms, as the hot weather we are having causes the bees to come out very quickly, and if no one is at hand, are apt to settle for a short time ; others ri9e and My away. It is not only important that you secure your swarm, which now will be worth 10s., but in cases where sections are being raised, they should be returned, after destroying the queen or taking her away to replace another not so good. In catching your queen, care should be taken that you do not damage her wings ; this- is a very common thing to do. If her wings are injured she is worth very little. Always catch and hold her just behind the wings. The reason they should be returned is that your sections may be finished ; if not put back, you will have a lot of good sections unsaleable through not being properly sealed. The section crates should be secured, wrapped up to prevent the bees escaping either to- the left or right, and building behind the dummy- board, which not only means a lo°s of honey, but valuable time, which in our short seasons cannot be regained. The same thing applies to sections : as soon as they are filled up, replace with empty ones, or place another crate under the one which is full, or nearly so. It is not a good plan to place an empty section crate on the one nearly full, as it reduces the heat of the hive, and the bees will often swarm ratherthan go up to it. If a careful bee-keeper- has taken notice, he will have found that by placing the empty crate under the one which is nearly finished, the bees will travel up through the empty one to finish off their work above, and by using the empty one they become so familiar with it that they will commence on it after the other is finished. Care ninst be taken that a little smoke be blown into the crate, otherwise a number of bees- will be destroyed in placing on the section below. In taking away sections, one should be careful that the full sections are kept the same way up as the bees have worked them, there is then no danger of any cell which has not been properly sealed running out. It is as well to bear in mind that you not only get one section damaged, but. the honey running over others below causes a good deal of damage and annoyance. Honey Imports. — From a return furnished to the British Bee Journal, we find imported into this country £2.911 worth of honey. This seems a great deal, and it should not be, considering the honey is not so good, and ought and can be obtained in- England. " ERYTHEA." — This Califoruian journal, devoted to the botany of Western America, and edited by Professor Jepson, comes to an end with the present number. The botany of this country is so interest- ing that we cannot think botanists will be long, content to be unrepresented. PLANT PORTRAITS. Acacia lineata.— A species with small linear phyllodes, and small globose heads of yellow flowers. Rente de V Horti- culture, Beige, July. Acacia rupicola. - Spikes of yellow flowers. Revue cb- VHortlcole, Beige, June. Ardisia humilis, Vatal.— le. Hort. Thenens., t. xix. Begonia Lehmbachi, Warburg.— A species from the Came- roons, of much botanical, but little horticultural, interest. Garten Zeitung, t. 1476, June. Buddleia auetculata.— Icon. Eort. Thenens., t. xx. [Conf. Masters in Jour. Soc Linn., vol. xix., December 1, 18S1 :. Gardeners' Chronicle, November 9, 1889, lig. 73]. Cestrusi FAScicPLATOM.-iverac de VHortlcole, Beige, June. CORETHROGYNE FILAGINIFOLIA, Nuttall. — Icon. Hort. The- nensis, t. xvin. Escallonia viscosa. —Ieones Sclccla} Horti Thenensis, t. xvi. Iris stvlosa. — Revue Horticole, June 1. Myothria punctata, Cogniaux.— Icon. Hort. Thenensis, t. XVII. Pear Theophile Lacroix.— Medium or large size, regularly pyrifoi-m, with a short stalK set in a shallow basin, yellowish, with brown russeting. Ripe in December; rich flavour. Bulletin d' Arboriculture, £c., July. Pimelea spectabilis.— Revue de V Horticulture. Beige, uly. Rose Madame Arthur Oger.— A seedling from Madame- Isaac Pereire, sent out by MM. Letellier et flls of Caen. It is. of the type of Paul Neyron. Revue Horticole, June 16. 10 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1900. EDITORIAL NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be lent to the PUBLISHER. Letters fop Publication, as well as specimens and •plants for naming, should be addressed to the EDITOR, 4t, Welling- ton Street, Covent Garden, London. Communications Should be WRITTEN ON ONE SIDE ONLY OF THE PAPER, sent as early in the week as possible, and duly signed by the writer. IJ desired, the signature will not be printed, but kept as a guarantee of good faith. The Editor does not undertake topay for any contributions, or to return unused communications or illustrations, unless by special arrangement. Illustrations.— The Editor will thankfully receive and seleJ photographs or drawings, suitable for reproduction, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, &c; but he cannot be responsible for loss oxsinjury. Local News.— Correspondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence of local events likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of horticulturists. Newspapers. — Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the Editor to see. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. SATURDAY, TUESDAY, July 71 July 10 fWol VRosi [ National Rose Society's Show at tiie Crystal Palace, London. Wood Green Horticultural Society's Show at the Alexandra Palace. verhampton Horticultural Sh. days). Rose Show at Harrow. f Royal Caledonian Horticultural WEDNESDAY, Julv llJ ^^^^Sts^o^ at {_ Stevenage and Brockham. /Rose and Horticultural Shows at Tttiv i*>J Cambridge, Brentwood, Wimble- uulv i^. d00) EItbam( Salterhebble, and \_ Woodbridge, July 13— Rose Show at Ulverston. Rose and Horticultural Shows at Manchester and New Brighton. SALES. THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, H{ FRIDAY, July 13.— Imported and Established Orchids at Protheroe and Morris' Rooms. Average Temperature for the ensuing week, deduced from Observations of Forty-three Years, at Chiswick. — 63'33. Actual Temperatures: — London.— July 4 (6 p.m.) : Max. C9° ; Min. 54°. Ju'y 5 : Dull, showery. Provinces. — July 4 (6 p.m.) : Max. 67°, Eastern Counties ; Min., 50°. N.E. Scotland. The Royal The adjourned special general Horticultural meeting of the Fellows, called to Society's New adopt « with or wjth0ut altera- Bye-laws. c , , ,, , tion or amendment, the new bye-laws, was held in the Canteen at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on the afternoon of Tuesday last. It was apparent from the somewhat limited number of Fellows present, that the suggestions unofficially made by the society's secretary in the horticultural press last week, satisfied in some measure the almost universal dislike there exists to the principle of proxy voting. At the same time it was not absolutely certain that the Council would bring forward the proposed amendments in place of the objectionable clauses 45 to 48 inclusive. When the minutes of the last meeting had been confirmed, the President, Sir Trevor Lawrence, explained that it would be con- venient to take chapter by chapter, and amend- ments could be proposed to any bye-law in «ach chapter in cases where Fellows so desired. The first chapter was then accepted unani- mously, but in Chapter II. amendments were raised to Bye-laws C and 10. In respect to Number 6, Mr. J. Weathers proposed an amendment that would have had the effect of giving to the Fellows of the Society assembled at general meeting the sole right of election of new Fellows, whether the Council raised objections to any particular nomination or not. The amendment was seconded by Surg.- Maj. Ince, after which the President explained that it was advisable that the Council should be given the power to reject nominations of persons it might not be desirable to make Fellows. In the past there had been persons proposed as Fellows that it would have been to the interests of the Society to exclude. Sir Alex. Arbuthnot and Mr. Chas. E. Shea supported the view expressed by the President, the latter gentleman explaining that the rule was one followed in many similar societies, and it was particularly desirable that the Council should have the right of exclusion, because the reasons for taking objection to par- ticular nominations might be of a nature it would not be wise to make public. The amendment was lost. Bye-law 10 stated that "Ladies may be admitted Fellows or members of the Society, but shall not be eligible for election as officers of the Society, or as members of Council." Mr. A. Dean moved to omit this law altogether, as he thought that sex should not influence the Society in the least in relation to the status or privileges of its Fellows, and went to some little trouble to show what distinguished persons there are among the lady Fellows of the Society, who, in all, number about one thousand. Under the new law it would not be possible, said Mr. Dean, to employ even a female type- writer in the Society's offices. The President said the Council had no feeling in this matter whatever, and was quite prepared to accept the amendment, which was accordingly adopted. Ladies will be therefore eligible in future to serve as members of the Council. Chapter III. was passed after the words " men of science" had been substituted for the word "horticulturists" in Bye-law 10, on the proposition of Dr. Masters. Chapters IV., V., VI., and VII. were adopted without alteration ; and in Chapter VIII., beginning at Clause 45, the question of voting by proxy was reached. To clear the way, however, those bye-laws in Chapter VIII., that precede number 45, were passed without alteration. Then Sir Trevor Lawrence said that the Council were sensible of, and were desirous of meeting, the objections that had been taken to the bye-laws 45, 46, 47, and 48, and it was their intention to propose amendments in place of those bye-laws, on the lines suggested by the letter published in the horticultural press (see Gardeners' Chronicle, June 30, p. 418). Sir T. Lawrence urged that Fellows living in and near London enjoyed the whole of the privileges that the Society offers, including that of assisting in the manage- ment of the Society's work. It might happen that the Fellows present at a particular meeting might adopt a proposal that would have a very great influence and effect upon the Society's future, and he thought it but fair that the whole of the Fellows all over the Kingdom, should be given a voice in the ultimate issue. It was not intended to resort to this referendum, except upon questions that were considered by the Council to be most important ones. The only opportunity of voting that absent Fellows have had hitherto, has been upon the Council's suggestions each year in respect to the appoint- ment of new members of the Council, and cases where this opportunity had been made use of were so rare that he could not remember an instance. Mr. Arthur W. Sutton said he was sure it was the earnest wish of everyone present to accept as many of the new bye -laws as they could, for they recognised that much trouble and time had been taken in their compilation. Nevertheless, Mr. Sutton, quoting the words of the President respecting the little use that Fellows, living at a distance, had made in the past, of opportunities of recording votes, thought that no case had been made out for the very radical change now proposed. The Fellows assembled in general meeting had hitherto had power to finally settle any question brought before them, and the Society had prospered. But in the future, seeing that it was proposed to give the Council the right to refer any matter discussed at a general meeting to the Fellows at large, Mr. Sutton was of opinion that it would reduce the general meetings to a state of im- potence, because when the Fellows declared against the Council upon a question, the Council could at once describe the matter as an impor- tant one, and appeal to the rest of the Fellows. Mr. Sutton said that all of them trusted the present Council, who were doing very useful work, but he objected to give to all future Councils arbitrary power, because it was con- sidered that the present Council would not abuse it. Mr. Sutton thereupon moved an amendment to the effect that when there was a majority of not more than three-fifths upon a question dis- cussed at a general meeting, the minority shall have the power to refer the matter to a plebiscite. Dr. Masters seconded this resolu- tion, and after expressing appreciation of the present Council, said that there was no saying what Councils in the future may be like. In the past they had had Councils that they were very glad to get rid of. Sir Trevor Lawrence accepted the resolu- tion, and after a few remarks by Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn in favour of a referendum of some kind that may be used on extraordinary occa- sions, it was decided that Mr. Sutton's reso- lution should be embodied as a separate bye-law, to be numbered 48a or 49. The Secretary was then requested to read again the new clauses, which Mr. Wilks described as being practically the same as had been published, but which the President said he considered to be materially different. After they had been read, Mr. Arthur Sutton said that his purpose was not obtained by incor- porating his resolution and retaining those proposed by the Council. He thought the meeting understood that the only body which would be able to demand a referendum was the Fellows who found themselves in a minority at a general meeting, and that the Council should not be able to appeal from a general meeting of Fellows, to Fellows not present at at that meeting. Sir Trevor Lawrence, who apparently had thought Mr. Sutton's objection had been met, said that he could not consent to the taking of a power from the Council, that that meeting had decided to give to less than three-fifths of any general meeting that may be held. Sir Trevor said that in that case he was not sure what action his colleagues would take. But the meeting had evidently decided that the com- promise already obtained was sufficient, and when the President moved that the con- tentious clauses together with the new one of Mr. Sutton's be passed, the vote in favour was next to unanimous. The interest of the procaedings was now nearly over, but bye-law (IT in Chapter IX. was qualified, so that no member of the Council be dismissed on account of non-attendance, if the rest of the Council by resolution declare that his absence had not been due to pre- ventible causes. Thus if he were in South Africa at the present time, this would be Jci.\ 7, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 11 sufficient excuse. Chapter X. was passed with several minor alterations, proposed by Mr. A. H. Smee, respecting auditors. Chapters XI., XII., XIII., XIV., and XV., were then adopted, and also the Appendix, which consists of the several forms to be used by the society, including the new one, " D.," which was published on p. 410 in our last number. The principal alterations the meeting effected ■in the bye-laws as proposed by the council were — (I), ladies will be eligible to become members of council ; (2), when the council at a general meeting carries a resolution by a three-fifth's majority only, the minority will have the power to poll the whole of the Fellows at the expense of the society. When a question at a general meeting is decided against the council, the council will have the right to poll the Fellows, let the majority have been large or small. We have received various communications on ■the subject, which show that the decision of the aneeting does not meet with universal satisfac- tion. Some of these letters we may print in a future issue. The garden we allude to is in the Garden " heart of a seaside town under the shadow of the church-tower, grim and brown. In front, as we stand on the bank on which the garden is situated, is the quivering surface of the deep blue sea, flecked with scattered masses of white foam. Afar off in the distance may readily be seen on clear days the French coast, a veritable replica of our own. To the left is the beautiful sweep of Eastwear- bay, bounded at its two extremities by the gault and greensand of Copt Point, and by the noble range of cliffs, of which that which bears the name of Shakespeare forms the termina- tion eastward. Close at hand are the pictural habitations of the fisher-folk, and a stranded steamer, which seems too big for the little harbour — a triton among the minnows — the minnows, to explain the metaphor, being the aumerous fishing boats. Above all is the blue sky, azure blue, with a few drifting masses of white cloud. The bank at our feet is of greensand, with a capping of some much more juvenile whitish sand, wherein they do say elephant's bones have been found. It may be so, all we see now are sheets of yellow Charlock, contrasting with the glowing red of the Poppies ; or the intense blue of the Bugloss ; Smyrnium, a bold Umbellifer is in fruit; Mallows are in full bloom ; the deep green feathery leaves of the Fennel are pushing up amid the grass and the dead stalks of last year's growth ; Sea Pink Thrift is in full bloom, a plant once much used in place of Box edging. Tamarisk, light and feathery ; and Sea Buck- ihorn, grey and spiney, serve to keep the cliff together, and prevent the annihilation of the big hotel at the foot. But we must leave the further mention of this delightful bank till another opportunity. To turn to the garden itself, we may say that it comes as a surprise to many who have known the town for many years, but had not previously known or entered what we may appro- priately call the Priory-garden — appropriately, because the grey walls of the old monastic buildings are still in existence. The special feature about the garden is the ample protection to an otherwise much-exposed situation, afforded by skilful planting and judicious selection of shrubs. The outer boundary consists of belts of Euonymus and broad -leaved Privet, within which are clumps of trees and shrubs, con- sisting ot Tamarisk, Willows, Sycamores, Austrian Pines, Evergreen Oaks, Elders (in full flower), all of which serve to break the force of the south-westerly gales. These trees are not subjected to the barbarous clipping of which Folkestone gardeners seem so enamoured. In the foreground of the shrubberies are fine specimens of Escallonia macrantha, quite hardy in this locality, and Hodgen's Holly. Scattered on the lawns are fine Mulberries, Thorns, and other trees ; there, too, is a veteran Holly of large dimensions, to whom time has not been kind, for chains are now found necessary to bind its rifted limbs together. Cunningly devised walks leading now to sheltered shady nooks, now to gaps in the boundary, through which, on this glorious June day, the sea may be seen sparkling and flashing as only the sea can do. Beyond the skilfully- arranged shrubberies there is not much that calls for special notice in this garden. Just now it is gay with Oriental Poppies in full splendour, Roses not yet unfolding their petals, Lupines, Antirrhinums, White Pinks, Campa- nulas, Marigolds, and a variety of herbaceous plants. Bedding plants, few in number, consist of the ordinary Pelargoniums, and of a fine strain of Begonia. A veteran espalier Apple is well nigh killed by American-blight, a circum- stance we mention for the purpose of suggesting — if these lines should meet the eye of the owner — that it be removed and burnt forthwith, to save neighbouring trees from contamination. The gables and oriels of the house are covered with Roses and other creepers, and so that the garden, though of modest dimensions and desti- tute of any special gardening feature beyond that which we have mentioned, is very attractive albeit almost unknown to the inhabitants of what Charles Dickens called Pavilionstone. Lilium Wallichianum Growing in a New Zealand Garden (Supplementary Illustration). — The handsome species of Lily, the subject of our illustration, belongs to the Eulirion subsection of Liliums. The flowers white, fragrant, and the perianth narrow and funnel-shaped. The leaves are shining green and glabrous. In this country it must be afforded greenhouse treatment. In New Zealand, whence our photograph was received, the plant succeeds in the open ground, and it reaches a height of 5 to 6 feet ; whereas under glass culture here it reaches only 3 feet. We are indebted to the kindness of Mr. Thos. Cranwell, of Valley Road, Mount Eden, Auckland, for the photograph, and for a description of the plant. He writes that the soil in which it grows is of a light volcanic nature, which supplies perfect drainage ; and the bulbs do not push through the soil until the summer is well advanced. Botanical Magazine. —The July number contains coloured illustrations and descriptions of the following plants : — Lihum Broicni var. leucanthum, t. 7722. — Baker in Gardeners' Chronicle, 1891, ii., p. 180. Hesperaloe yuccccjolia, t. 7723. — A plant with tufted leaves like a filamentous Yucca, from whose centre springs a stalked branching panicle of rosy- pink, cylindric flowers, with a spreading limb of six broadly ovate, yellow lobes. Dendrobium Hodghinsoni, 7724. — A New Guinea species, with greenish flowers and white lip, traversed by purple lines. Introduced by Messrs. Sander & Co. Diplad'nia pastorum var. tenuifolia, t. 7725. — A twining plant with long linear leaves, very narrow flower-tubes, expanding into a broad flat limb of five, roundish, acute, rose-coloured lobes. A native of Brazil. liobinia neo-mexicana, t. 7726. — A Dative of the Rocky Mountains, with pendulous racemes of pink pea-shaped flowers. Kew. The Sweet Pea Celebration.— We are informed that the Exhibition and Conference meetings to be held at the Crystal Palace, Syden- ham, on the 20th and 21st inst., will be presided over by Alderman and Sheriff Sir W. P. Treloar. The whole of the eastern division of the nave from the Handel orchestra will be occupied by the competitive and miscellaneous exhibits. There will be an opening ceremonial on the completion of the judging, to be followed by a luncheon to the foreign visitors, judges, &c. ; a Conference meeting during the afternoon, and a banquet in the evening, together with Conference meetings on the second day. There is the promise of a very large exhi- bition. The Secretary and Treasurer is Mr. R. Dean, 42, Ranelagh Road, Ealing. Maiden Erlegh, near Reading, has been sold to Mr. Joel. Strathfieldsaye. — Id consequence of the death of the Duke of Wellington, great changes ia the garden establishment are contemplated. Mr. McHattie, the well-known head gardener, has to seek another situation. We trust he may soon find one suitable to his abilities. Leonard Barron. — We are pleased to see the portrait of our friend and former assistant in the pages of the Weekly Florists' Review (Chicago). Mr. Barron is Secretary to the American Rose Society. Mr. Barr.— New Zealand papers give details of the enterprising journey of Mr. Peter Barr. His pace is leisurely, and he sometimes visits the same place repeatedly. "Absolutely his own master, and without care or business worry, Mr. Barr devotes himself entirely to a studious and observing tour of the world, and wherever he goes he takes an enthusiastic interest in the horticulture of the place." He visits the public gardens, and freely dispenses his suggestions and the result of his experience. M. GEORGES MANTIN. — The well-known Parisian orchidist has been nominated Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Nos felicitations empressees. Presentation. — Mr. John Lobb was, on Thursday, June 21, presented with a portrait of his youngest daughter, Dorothy, aged seven years, at the Temple, Wanstead Park, by the Epping Forest Committee, in appreciation of his services as their Chairman during the year 1899. The painting is by Mr. Joseph Mordecai. Mrs. Lobb was also presented with a diamond ring. Scottish Arboricultural Society.— The Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society have issued a syllabus of subjects for competitive essays that may be submitted to them before June, 1901. These essays, reports, and articles bear relation to various branches of arboriculture and forestry, and a prize will be awarded to the best contribution in each class. A general meeting of this Society is to be held on August 7 next, at 5, St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, when, among the business to be trans- acted is a consideration of the damage done to woods and crops by sparks from railway-engines. A short Bill has been introduced into the House of Commons with the object of placing railway- engines on an equal footing with road locomotives as regards liability to pay compensation for damage from fire caused by the emission of sparks. As definite information on this subject is much wanted by those interested in the Bill, the Council of the Society invite members and others to prepare and send to the Secretary Mr. Galloway, address as above), full particulars of all fires caused by rail- way-engines, which, to their knowledge, have occurred in recent years, but for which no com- pensation has been received. 12 THE ~ GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Jdly 7, 1900. An Interesting Record.— On Monday next Mr. T. W. Bolam, the general superintendent of the Sunderland Cemeteries, will have completed twenty-five years' service, he having made his first appearance before the Sunderland Burial Board in 1875. There were 1S6 applicants for the position, and at a full meeting of the Board, Mr. Bolam was unanimously appointed. There is a great contrast between the cemeteries of 1875, and the beautiful grounds now controlled by the Sunderland Corpora- tion, and the change is a proof of the progress in cemetery management generally which has taken place during the last twenty-five years. The change in the appearance of the grounds in twenty- five years is marvellous, each of the three cemeteries being practically transformed into a park. Mr. Bolam, during his management, has taken great interest in the floral displays in these cemeteries. Mr. Bolam has been Chairman of the Sunderland and District Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Association since its formation nine years ago. The Douglas Fir.— Mr. Anthony Waterer sends us specimens of the cones of this species raised from the same batch of seed. The variation in colour is most remarkable, ranging from Apple- green to rich purple. The bracts also vary in degree to which they project beyond the scales ; they vary in form, some being broader than others, and especially in the length of the acumen or terminal point. In every case they are wedge- shaped at the base, two-lobed at the apex, with a long acumen between the lobes. "Chambre SYNDICALE" of Belgian nursery- men. The annual report for the past year is now before us. It contains a summary of the work of the year, together with a list of the members. What we effect by means of several different associations is at Ghent, carried on by one body, the Chambre Syndicale, which looks after the interests of its members in every direction. It is thus like a blending of the several Committees of the Royal Horticultural Society, with the Nursery and Seed Trade Protection Society, and the various other trade Societies. No doubt the work is done in a less wasteful and more business-like fashion. The Agricultural Education Committee. —On Friday, June 22, the Executive of this Com- mittee presented a report to the members of their first year's work. That the plight of gardeners is bad enough most will allow, but that of the labourer of a farm is still worse. The former often chooses his vocation, the latter generally is a boy who had not done well enough at school to become anything else. Neither is educated as a rule in a way that gives any taste he may have for country work or country things, a chance to help him on. The changes in rural education agitated for and obtained by the Agricultural Education Committee, should alter all this as time goes on, and our future horticulturists, as well as farm hands, will start work with some knowledge of the principles of their craft. Sharper lads too will be inclined to join their ranks, and the status of culturists should be raised. Those who have the care of plants or animals can never have the short week or day's labour possible to ordinary artisans. The mistake is for lads or lasses who are not thoroughly in love with their work to adopt such a walk in life. They must be prepared to let interest lighten long hours. To return, however, to the work of the Agricul- tural Educational Committee, it may be said that the readers they have in contemplation, the Nature study leaflets they are preparing, and the strenuous efforts they are making to ensure the provisions of the New Board of Education being made useful, should give a groundwork upon which Technical Instruction can worthily build. Lord Egerton of Tatton, who presided on Friday, spoke of the work of County Councils which is familiar to our readers. We might point out that to Sir William Hart- Dyke, who was re-elected President of the Com- mittee, must be given most of the credit for making such work possible ; he said that he felt every bit of his old zeal for education. He who begins to dabble with it, he continued, acquires a fascination for it which continually increases. Peronospora in the Greek Vineyards.— During the past spring we had, through the Foreign Office, some discouraging reports as to the commercial prospects of the Currant and Grape crops at the ensuing gathering season ; from Patras we have now to hand disquieting intelligence respecting the ravages of the Peronospora throughout the more extended district devoted to the cultivation of the above-noted crops. The pest appears to have been spreading and growing in activity since the early part of May, and when the news was sent on here the damage was estimated at 30 to 50 per cent, for the Currants, and 50 to 00 per cent, to the vintage. The weather continued to be favourable to the development of the pest, which is reported to be rapidly spreading. As both crops are liable to sustain damage from the malady until they obtain maturity towards the middle of next month, fears are naturally entertained that a very large propor- tion of both crops will be lost, unless some favour- able change in the weather suddenly arrests the progress of the disease. As to remedial measures, sulphate-of-copper and lime dissolved in water to the extent of 1 to 2 per cent., and then sprinkled over the plant, is considered a remedy or preventa- tive against the Peronospora ; but although this method has been largely adopted by most culti- vators, the result has only been partially suc- cessful. It may be noted that, as the welfare of most classes of the population in the Patras district is bound up in the success of the two crops mentioned, it will readily be understood what a calamity may ensue should the disease not be checked. It is reported from Nauplia to- day that the crops of Sultanas has also suffered severely. Meeting of the Ghent Chambre Syndi- cale.— At a recent meeting of the Belgian Chambre Syndicale of Ghent, Certificates of Merit for Novelty were awarded to — Seedling Rhododendron Madame Aug. Boelens, shown by M. Aug. Boelens ; R. M^moire de Dominique Vervaene, MM. Ver- vaene-Verraert et Cie. ; Lilac President Oswald de Kerchove, M. Alph. Moreels (par acclamation) ; to Cypripediums, shown by M. Florent Pauwels of Antwerp ; Dracjena The Sirdar, shown by M. Ed. Pynaert Van Geert ; Areca Baueri aurea striata, from M. V. Vandeweghe ; to Lobelia " Surpasse Admiration , from M. D. Vriesere-Remens (<) Vunani- mite) ; Phajus Cooksoni, M. G. Vincke-Dujardin of Bruges ; to Cattleya Mossia? Vinckeaua, also from M. Dujardin (par acclamation and avec felicitations du Jury) ; to La?lio-Cattleya Hippolyta, also from M. Dujardin ; to Odontoglossum crispum La Lys, from the Societe Anonyme Horticole La Lys of Peterghem-lez-Deynze ; to O. Andrian;e, shown by the Societe Anonyme Horticole Horticulture des Flandres (a Vunanimite) ; to O. Andriana? var. Etterbeckense, shown by M. Fl. Claes, of Etterbeck, Brussels ; to O. crispum var. Madame Fl. Claes from the last- named exhibitor, and for Pteris Rochfordi, sent by M. Ed. Pynaert Van Geert (par acclamation). Certificates for blooming plants were allotted for Lfelia grandis tenebrosa, from M. L. de Smet- Duvivier (it Vunanimite) ; for Cattleya Mosshe splendida, from M. Aug. Boelens ; varieties of Odontoglossum, from M. Fl. Claes (a Vunanimite) ; Cattleya Mendeli grandiflora, from M. G. Vincke- Dujardin ( his sixty-seventh year. Mr. Geo. Gordon, V.M.H., Editor of the- Gardeners' Magazine, has just sustained a bereave- ment in the death of his eldest son, Georue, onthe- 2Sth ult. , aged thirty-two. We have frequently met deceased at horticultural exhibitions, and our readers will feel with us much sympathy for Mr. Gordon in his trouble. Bacteria.— Dr. Macfadyen and Mr. S. Row- land have contributed to the Royal Society the- results of some researches tending to show that no appreciable influence was exerted on bacteria when exposed for 20 hours to the temperature of liquid air ( — 1S3° C. ). After exposure for seven days tc> — 190° C, not the slightest structural alteration was visible, and no impairment of vitality was perceptible. "Flora of Tropical Africa." — We are glad to announce the publication of the second part of Vol. 5 of this important work, the issue of which, after being suspended for several years, is- now being pushed on as rapidly as is consistent with accuracy. The present part contains the remainder of the Acanthacea?, by Mr. C. B. Clarke ; the Selagineie, by Mr. Rolfe ; the Verbenaceaa, by Mr. Baker and Dr. Staff ; and part of the; Labiatic, by Mr. Baker. Sales OF Estates. — Among recent sales, the* following may be of interest to horticulturists : — Messrs. Franklin, Gale, & Newton, brought to the Mart a picturesque residential and agricul- tural estate in Berkshire, known as Rush Court, on the Upper Thames, between Shillingford Bridge and Wallingford, containing an entire area of 384 acres, which sold for £17,500. Blenheim House, at Benson-on-Thames, sold for £1,500. The Homer Estate at Ipsden, ffic, Oxon, realised £1,000. Messrs. Wm. R. Nicholas & Co. placed Wick Court, an Elizabethan residence near Warmley,. Gloucestershire, and nine acres, for £2,500 ; but- other residential property — Winsley Chase, at Bradford on-Avon, Lymington House, at Medstead,. Hants — were returned to them. Messrs. Alex. H. Turner & Co.'s list con- tained some good houses in different districts, one> of which, Stratton House, a quaint, old-fashioned residence, and three acres at Biggleswade, was sold) for £2,000 ; but The Grange and 117 acres at- Lambourne and Yarlington, and two acres at Horsell, were bought in at £1,500 and £2,900* respectively. Ashurst Place, a freehold residential property within three miles of Tunbridge Wells, comprising a commodious house, stabling, farmery, lodge, ornamental and park laud, &c. , forty-one acres in all, of which about four acres are devoted to pleasure grounds. This was bought in at £20,000 by Messrs. E. & H. Lumley. Imber Court, at Thames Ditton, a favourite resort of Charles I., and the abode of several celebrated statesmen, was offered as a residence with posses- sion, with a prospective building value ; but neither the historical associations nor the allurement of nearly a mile of building frontages, saved it from withdrawal at £13,900. Bankfield, a freehold country residence at Charlwood, with four acres, was unsold at £2,745 : also Clevelands, and an acre of grounds, Wimbledon ; The Fishery, and twenty-six acres, Maidenhead. A freehold detached residence, at Shortlands, •d-LY 7, 1900 ] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 13 ■ -ffs *j«tnj * m .*■!( fc^***" * * ■ '*S* «fe ***** -•A. ►»%• "a '• V.'**- * V-. '• <* S3&S& 3? " "V J / gill •-■•;. - -X- 3 M ' "-'i-Vv '■» 2k .wet' . ft . , 14 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1900. known as Ellangowan, with groundsof nearly an acre, sold for £2,500 ; Sutton Lodge, at West Molesey, and nine and a half acres, freehold, for £2,400 ; a freehold paddock of nearly two acres, at Pinner, for £1,430. A freehold family residence known as Boldre- wood, Bycullah Park, and tastefully laid out grounds, of an acre, let at £130, which sold for £3,050. Included in Messrs. Sttmson & Sons' list of such properties were The Shrubberies, a bijou residence at Muswell-hill, term sixty years, ground rent £8, which fetched £1,250. At the Auction Mart, Tokenhouse Yard, E C. , the freehold estate known as The Moat, Rugby, with family residence, stabling, gardens, paddocks, &c, covering an area of about eight acres, realised £16,000; Mervil Hill, Witley, a freehold modern residence and six acres, was disposed of for £5,250. On Wednesday the freehold residential and building estate known as The Culvers, Car- shalton, Surrey, with pleasure-grounds and park of about 77.4. acres, the greater portion of which area is ripe for immediate building operations, was sub- mitted by order of the trustees and executors of the late owner, Mr. John Pjeter Gass>iot, and withdrawn at £23,700 ; whilst the estate adjoining, known as The Limes, 684. acres, freehold, was similarly dealt with at £7,800, or £120 per acre. MR. W. MILLEE'S PLAN OF A GARDEN AND GROUNDS. The plan, of which an illustration (see fig. 3, p. 13) is given in the present issue, is one that Mr. W. Miller, late gardener at Combe Abbey, Coventry, has sent in competition to the Inter- national Exhibition in Paris. Our continental neighbours are past-masters in the seductive art of landscape gardening, and doubtless Mr. Miller's plan will have to meet very keen competition ; all the more honour to him for his courageous challenge. Doubtless our readers will find, beyond the mere prettiness of the plan, several praiseworthy points, and others about which they will differ from the designer. The praiseworthy ones are the ample protection afforded by the wood to the N. and N.W. of the mansion, and the shelter belts on the W. and S.S.W. ; the position of the kitchen and fruit gardens, and forcing ground and glasshouses, the workshops of an establishment at a considerable distance from the dwelling ; and the various vistas opening out into the surrounding landscape. These are all good. THE WEATHEE IN WEST HEETS. For nearly a fortnight there has been only one warm day, and that was but moderately warm for the time of year. On the other hand, during that cool period, there was only one day which was exceptionally cold, and no really cold nights ; consequently the soil temperatures, both at 1 and 2 feet deep, are somewhat below their respective averages for the beginning of July. Rain has fallen during the past week on four days, but to the aggregate depth of less than half an inch. There has been lately a great lack of sunshine, the average daily record for the last nine days only amounting to about 3} hours, whereas a seasonable record would be about six hours a day. The hybrid perpetual Rose, Marie Baumaun, which may be regarded as a mid season variety, was first in bloom in my garden on the 1st, or five days later than its average date for the previous twelve years. June. Taken as a whole this waB rather a warm June, but only for a few days was the warmth in any way exceptional. Rain fell on fifteen days, to the total depth of about 2j inches, or very nearly the average quantity. But the ground had become so dry owing to the small rainfall of the three spring months, that it was only towards the end of June that any measureable quantity of rain-water came through the 24 feet of soil in the bare soil percola- tion gauge, and none whatever through the gauge on which short grass is growing. This was a dull June, the mean duration of sunshine falling short of the seasonable amount by more than half-an-hour a day. The winds were as a rule light, and came for sixteen days from some point between south and west. E. M., Berkhamsted, July 3. The Bulb Garden. PANCRATIUMS. Pancratiums are sometimes confused in gardens with Hymenocallis and allied genera having similar flowers, insomuch that such few notes as are published about them in gardening periodicals, without a description, however short, fail to impart trustworthy information. Pancratiums are distinct from [Hymenocallis in having small black seeds, and very glaucous linear leaves ; the seeds of Hymenocallis are fleshy, greenish, or ivory white, and are larger than a filbert nut, the leaves are green. A further distinction is to be found in the flowers : those of Pancratium have relatively short segments, short filaments, and large staminal cups : the reverse prevailing in Hymeno- cillis proper. Ismene, a subgenus of Hymenocallis, is obviously distinct from Pancratium in its acutely incurved filaments, and in the long necks of the bulbs formed by the sheathing bases of the leaves. The flowers of Pancratium are extremely beau- tiful, being pure white, of elegant form, membranous in texture, and exquisitely fragrant. All the varieties grow best in a light sort of soil, with a few handfuls of washed gravel or finely broken sand- stone surrounding the bulbs to preserve them from injury from stagnant water. Some are sufficiently hardy to grow well out of doors, others require greenhouse or stove temperature. All require to have the bulbs ripened thoroughly by exposing the pots or borders to full sunshine when growth is finished. A few species refuse to grow under cultivation, notably P. tortuosum, and one or two others from very dry regions. As they are never likely to prove useful garden plants, I propose to omit them here : other species which were recorded in Dean Herbert's time, are now practically lost to cultivation. P. cauariense is a greenhouse plant of consider- able merit, with handsome, very glaucous, leaves ; a tall peduncle, bearing a dozen pure white flowers, each measuring 2 inches in length and span. The segments are lanceolate, an inch long ; the staminal cup is under an inch long, very delicate in texture, and toothed between the fall ends of the short incurved filaments. The flowers appear in succession in early winter. I have a strong-grow- ing form in these gardens, which has proved to be superior to the type, both in the size of the entire plant and the individual flowers. Also, an hybrid between this species and P. maritimum, P. colhnum, a rare species from Algeria, growing fairly well with the protection of a heated frame. The leaves are slightly glaucous ; the flowers mea- sure 2 inches in length and span, and much resemble those of P. canariense, but with a wider staminal cup, shorter filaments, and linear seg- ments. The entire plant is much smaller. It is a pretty dwarf species, but rather difficult to grow well, and equally difficult to obtain in good condition. P. illyricum, a well-known inhabitant of our gar- dens for many years ; the leaves are glaucous, 1 to 2 inches broad. The star-like flowers are pro- duced in handsome umbels of from eight to ten, each measures 1\ to 3 inches in length and span, and has a greenish tube, and lanceolate segments, 1£ to 2 inches long. The staminal cup is very short and collar-like, and is furnished with long, cleft, flaccid teeth between the free ends of the filaments. It is a fine plant for the warm border and does fairly well among the roots of trees in a- dry situation, where little else will grow. The bulbs should be planted 4 inches deep, in order to- protect them from severe frosts, for though they will stand being frozen several times in the course of a winter, they are liable to injury if they have to endure a severe frost extending over several weeks without protection. There are two or three forms of this plant in cultivation, differing from the type chiefly in the size of the flowers and breadth- of the leaves ; the plant flowers at midsummer. It has been known to cultivation for nearly three- hundred years. P. maritimum. — Few plants are so handsome as this when in flower. The leaves are glaucous, 2 feet in length ; the flowers are borne in elegant umbels of eight or more, each measures 3 to 4 inches across, and consists of a funnel - shaped tube, 3 inches long ; linear segments, 1 4 in. long, and a staminal cup 1 inch long and wide, surmounted by very short stamens. The plants grow well on a- warm border, preferably under a heated wall, where they will thrive and flower profusely. The best batch of plants bearing the largest flowers B have ever seen are growing in front of the Orchid- range at Kew, where they grow like weeds, and form one of the chief features of the gardens in their season ; it is a plant everyone can grow, and few fail to appreciate. It has been known for ov-eir three centuries. P. Sickenburgeri. — A rare species most like P. maritimum in the flower, with spirally-twisted leaves. I have not seen it outside botanic gardens,, and only once in flower ; it requires greenhouse treatment. It comes from Egypt. P. verecundum. — This is another very old plant, now rarely met with. The leaves are numerous, 1 foot long, and 1 inch broad. The flowers are particularly fine, and average six to the umbel, each being 4} inches in length, and nearly as much, across. The staminal cup is as large as that of P. maritimum, being 1 inch in length and span. This plant is the only one of the large- flowered set re- maining in gardens, save P. tortuosum, which nobody seems able to grow. I have a potful of the latter plant from Aden, but the bulbs decrease yearly. P. verecundum is a stove-house plant. P. -eylanicum.—A. very neat, single - flowered species, requiring stove-house treatment. The leaves are lanceolate, glabrous, green in colour ; the peduncle is a span high, bearing one beautiful flower about 4 inches across, with lanceolate seg- ments, and a delicately plicate staminal cup 1J in. across, toothed with large, cleft, flaccid teeth between the filaments. The whole flower is semi- transparent, and a marvel of delicacy. It lasts only for a few days. The plants should be grown closely together (say six to a 6-inch pot), in a mixture of turfy loam and crushed sandstone, or similar material. It is a little difficult to keep in good health. The whole plant is very slender, requiring some care in its management. The plant ex- tends over tropical ABia. I have it also from Madagascar. Propagation. — Most Pancratiums produce seeds freely if carefully fertilised, mostly averaging twenty to thirty to the capsule. These should be sown as soon as they are ripe, in a porous compost, and very carefully watered till the resulting plants become strong. Many of the hardier species pro- duce offsets in some number, aud may be readily increased by this means. G7eo. B. Malktt, IslewortK Home Correspondence. THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S GAR- DEN.—Since the last General MeetiDg no official statement on the subject has been made, and it may not unreasonably be assumed that the strong and almost unanimous opinion expressed in the letters from Fellows which have appeared in the horticul- tural press in favour of retaining the Chiswick Gardens for such cultural operations as are Jri-v 7, 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHFONICLE. 15 really indispensable, may Lave had weight with the Council, and that that body will not press upon the Fellows a scheme which is repugnant to so many. Before any general meetiug is called to decide for or against any suggested site for a New Chiswick, it is certainly reasonable to ask that those who support the Society may be definitely informed : — {a) The reasons which appear to neces- sitate a removal from Chiswick. {b) The nature of the work the Council propose to undertake in a New Chiswick, and why they consider it essential that the Society should embark upon such work, (c) Detailed information as to operations necessary to transform any suggested site into a national horticultural garden worthy of the Royal Horti- cultural Society, remembering that to acquire any new garden, and to stop short of making it all it ought to be, would place the Society in a position few if any could desire to see it occupy ; and (olls was appealed against— should endea- vour to obtain a promise from the several par- liamentary candidates to introduce or support any Bill that may be introduced in the next Parliament to enable market gardeners in possession of glass- houses to benefit, as they were meant to, by the Agricultural Rates Act, 1S96. The said glass- houses used in raising and producing crops that the fickle climate of this country will not admit of being done satisfactorily in the open, being now taxed as buildings, press rather hard on Eng- lish growers, who have to compete with growers in the Channel Islands and France, who, having more favourable climatic conditions, are able to secure the same description of produce out-of-doors at a minimum cost. In conclusion, I would suggest that each market gardener — and the number is legion— be supplied by the Secretary to the Market Gardeners, Nurserymen, and Farmers Association, with one or two leaflets, giving full particulars of our grievance from the beginning, to be given to the respective candidates in each parliamentary district, thereby furnishing them with a brief. H. W. Ward, Lime House, Rayleigh, Junt 25, 19C0. CLEMATIS MONTANA AS A VERANDAH CLIMBER. — In the village of Bisham, in Berkshire, and near to its ancient ghost-haunted abbey, the Nepaulese mountain Clematis can be seen in its season in all its delicate beauty. In the case of one residence in particular, it has been permitted to spread itself over the verandah, and its white blossoms can be seen covering a very large space. Here and there some of its festoons have become intermingled with other subjects, thereby heighten- ing the effect. C. montana, when in a suitable position, rapidly covers spaces in need of being covered ; and then having attained a certain size, its marvellous freedom of bloom becomes apparent, and may be said to correct its growth. Probably some pruning is afforded this fine specimen, but it has the appearance of being left pretty much to itself. C. montana and its allies are not fastidious as to soil, but is found to do well in any good earth : though in order to maintain its vigour and wealth of bloom, some occasional enrichment is necessary. Planters should be careful when they plant to place it in a well-drained spot, where the soil is not likely to become water logged. R. D. YUCCA GLORIOSA. — Is it unusual for a shoot pro- duced last summer to flower thefollowing year? [No] This is what is happening in the case of a plant growing in the forecourt garden of a neighbour of mine. The specimen is strong, and from 5 to 6 feet in height ; it is in the middle of a well-manured flower-bed, and last year it threw a noble in- florescence. After flowering, two shoots were put forth from the centre, one of these was removed, the other allowed to remain. It made an amazing growth this season, and is now sending up a strong flower-stem in its turn. It would seem to appear that a certain degree of vigour influenced the plant in throwing up its inflorescence ; while the theory held by some that the plant flowers only after an interval of years is not borne out by experience. R. D. CRAT/EGUS. — After reading Mr. George Nichol- son's letter on the "Crataegus," I have sent you a specimen for identification (Crataegus crus-galli). There are several of this variety growing here in the hedgerows as standards. I should think they would make good hedges, as the heads of the standards are quite impenetrable, on account of the large spines. I might also mention that after seeing some of your correspondents remarking on the Ampelopsis fruiting, 1 gathered seeds and sowed them, I have now about three dozen young ones, from 1 to 2 feet in height : the seeds took about two months to germinate. /. S., Bath. ANTS IN THE ORCHARD.— Mr. Thos. Grunsell, of Goulburn, writes : — "I notice in several late numbers of the Gazette questions asking how to destroy ants. I would like to ask why people desire to destroy these insects. I have had over forty years' experience in gardening and fruit- growing, and find ants my best friend, and would be sorry to lose them. I never lose anything sound, either fruit or vegetable, by them, but find that they clean off many small, destructive insects from the trees. I notice one writer advising lime ; that he scattered lime under infected Peach-trees to keep away the ants, and the trees flourished after it. But I venture to tell the writer that the ants did more good to the trees than the lime, though lime does good if put on the trees." Of course, everyone is at liberty to hold his own opinion about questions of this kind. It must be remembered, however, that the mere presence of ants in large numbers upon a tree is a sign that there is some- thing wrong with it, and if the attraction be removed, the ants will not return. The Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales. lilium MARTAGON. — It may interest your correspondent to know that Lilium Martagon grows well in my garden, which is rather dry. The soil is a sandy-loam, formed chiefly from the Hythe beds (greensand). The plants grow in the shade, facing north, in a rather crowded border. The largest plant of the white variety is nearly 5 feet high, and has twenty- one flowers on it ; the smallest about 21 feet, with five flowers on it. The white variety is already in blossom, but the purple has not opened yet ; the white variety i3 quite glabrous, but the flowers, flower stalks, and flowering-stem of the purple have a greyish appear- ance from the presence of a number of hairs. I water the plants freely when the young stems appear if the weather is dry. E. AT. Holmes, Ruthven, Sevenoaki. EARLY CAULIFLOWERShiveturnedoutunuaually fine this year. The weather, owing to the alter- nating sunny and showery periods, encouraged a freedom of leaf growth. I generally depend upon Veitch's Early Forcing for my first cutting, sowing the seeds early in February under glass, pricking them thinly into shallow boxes, and planting them on an open sunny border early in the month of April. A sharp frost followed the planting this year, which gave the plants a check, giving the leaves a scorched appearance. An application of weak liquid-manure quickly caused a renewal of growth and extra good crop. IF. S. DECAY OF THE ASH IN MIDDLESEX.— When driving through the district of West Middlesex a few days ago, I noticed in the part of the county reaching from Ealing away to Hillingdon, symptoms of decay in many of the Ash-trees growing in the hedgerows. Some were quite dead, others partly so ; in some there could be seen at the tips of the branches the first beginnings of decay. Old and young trees alike were affected in this way ; and a few days later, when in the neighbourhood of Wendover, Bucks, I noticed the same indications, but not to such a perceptible degree. What is the probable cause of this decay ? Can it be traced to the dry summers of the past few years ? That many large trees have suffered severely during the past four years there can be no doubt ; but I do not know of any reason why the Ash, which Gilpin terms the "Venus of the Woods,'' should be so strik- ingly affected. It has been said of the Ash that by rapidly exhausting the soil of its organic materials, it does injury to the trees which grow in its neighbourhood, and in consequence few plants will ever thrive or grow very near it. Is this property of exhausting the soil the cause of the decay alluded to ? Gilpin says that " the leaf of the Ash is much tenderer than that of the Oak, and sooner receives impression from the winds and frost.'' Can the cold winds which were so prevalent in the spring, and the frosts which occasionally accompanied them, have so affected the young growths as to have caused the decay '! R. D. BUSCOT PARK HERO MELON. — The Melons which were exhibited at the Temple Show on May 23, 24, and 25, by Mr. Baston, of Buscot Park Gardens, and received an Award of Merit, consisted of a variety raised by me when I was Head Gardener at Buscot Park in 1S96. It was the result of crossing Hero of Lockinge and Suttons' Imperial Green. I had two good seedlings from the cross, and still hold the seeds of the same, and hope to present fruits of the best of my seedlings at the Drill Hall shortly. Wm. Meads, Free Chase, Haywards Heath. 16 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1900, GRAPE VINES AT LOCKINGE.— The magnificent bunches of Grapes exhibited from Lockinge at the Temple Show this year induced me to accept an invitation from Mr. Fyfe, the gardener, to visit Lockinge Gardens during the early days of this month. These gardens are extensive, and filled with interesting things, to do justice to which would take up several pages of the Gardeners' Chronicle. I was chiefly interested in the Vines. A fine range of glasshouses covers a south wall, and it includes five Vineries, two Peach-houses, one Fig-house, and one large Rose-house, in which has been planted largely the famous "Fortune's Yel- low," which has been so splendidly shown on many occasions at the meetings of the Royal Horticul- tural Society by Mr. Fyfe. The early vinery, in which the exhibited bunches had been grown, con- tains a mixed lot of Vines, viz., Black Hamburgh, Foster's Seedling, and Madresfield Court, and many of the bunches had been cut, but enough were left to show how good the Grapes had been, and that the crop was a heavy one. I counted on two Vines of Madresfield Court no fewer than fifty bunches, many of them of 3 lb. and upwards, and all splendidly finished. The second early vinery is planted with Muscats solely, each Vine carrying twenty-five bunches, mostly shapely, very large, and evenly set. The third vinery contained Black Hamburgh Vines, with an average of twenty-eight bunches per Vine. They are giving great pro- mise. Then we came to a mixed vinery — Black Alicante, Lady Downes, and Gros Colman, each Vine being well cropped with fine bunches. All the Vines are aged, but Mr. Fyfe, by his methods, has put new life into them ; for when he took charge of the gardens, they were in a very unsatis- factory state. The last vinery in the range was planted four years ago with Muscat of Alexandria and Madresfield Court, and this year these Vines are allowed to carry six bunches each : and should the fruit finish as it promises to do, Mr. Fyfe will be able to exhibit Grapes as good in every point as those shown at the Temple. Anyone interested in the cultivation of the Grape-vine would find much to instruct and interest him at Lockinge. Rover. TRANSPLANTED EVERGREENS. — The recent considerable rains have come too late to bring back to life the numerous late planted evergreens of various descriptions, that are now seen dead in so many directions. Very late planting of such things, especially during a dry spring, is always coupled with much uncertainty as to results, but it is specially so in the case of large specimens, or those which have been established a few years and have not been prepared for transplanting, as is the common rule in nurseries, where nearly everything intended for sale gets a shift at least once in two years. All evergreens are much more susceptible to harm through late transplanting than are deciduous shrubs. Still, in all cases it is best to transplant, if possible, in the early winter, especially when it is stuff that has had no previous prepara- tion. In dry seasons, thoroughly moistening the roots prior to replanting is too much neglected, where because some soil may be attached, it is not advisable to give the roots a good soaking, at least it should be done when set into the holes made to re- ceive them, a little fine soil being cast about the roots temporarily, until the filling in is completed. A. D. [With our experience of a hotter climate than that of these islands, we would advise those who must plant late, not only to apply a mulch to the soil, but to shade the tops of shrubs thinly with long straw or bracken, and keep it on till growth has fairly begun. It may be regarded as an eyesore in some places, but it is better than losing the plants ; and, after all, it is only temporary. We have sown Maize among late-planted trees and shrubs, and covered the ground with Gourds and Vegetable Marrows, with the result that the shade of the Maize-stems and leaves saved their lives, but that is not possible here. Sheep-hurdles are good shade- dispensers for small shrubs, &c. Ed.]. THE SHROPSHIRE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. — I am pleased Mr. Adnitt has satisfied us that in future the flowers in the great Grape classes will be judged separately. [This was made clear on p. 169, in March last. Ed.] This is admission suffi- cient that floral decorations counting points led to confusion. I did not make my remarks thereon without having experience of a previous precedent. This was at one of the Shropshire horticultural shows. We were judging collections of fruit, and I had for my colleague a man of high horticultural standing, and one for whom I have the greatest respect ; though, it must be admitted, that horti- cultural judges are no more infallible than South African Generals. In one of these groups flowers were in stronger evidence than in some of the others ; these seemed to have lured the eye of my colleague, and he remarked, "We must go here for the 1st." "Not so," I replied; "I am not sure if we can go there even for the 2nd. We are judging fruit, not the flowers." When ho had time to look round, we had no difficulty in agreeing. I believe I had a slight advantage over my col- league in this instance, for I had already taken the opportunity of a few leisure moments, and formed my own opinion of the respective merits of each group. Now, as to the table decorations. We saw in the outcome of the above that the laws and regulations of the Shropshire Horticultural Society are not like those of the ancient Medes and Per- sians, "that cannot be altered." I believe it is the continuous alteration and improvement of those from year to year that have brought about such un- equalled success and perfection to the Shropshire Horticultural Society. But might not the Society with advantage alter their regulations as regards these exhibits, and admit dinner-services of electro-plate, silver, or even gold ? The fruit and flowers are grown under the fostering care and best horticultural skill our country can pro- duce. Surely, then, the whole thing is deserving of being made artistically complete by being served up in the most elaborate forms of beauty and work- manship that the hand of either gold or silver- smith could produce. Nature and art would then be placed in such juxtaposition as to reflect a combination of beauty, grace, and dignity, the one upon the other. The Shropshire Horticultural Society, of whom Messrs. Adnitt and Naunton are the honorary working bees, is not in the habit of doing things by halves. W. Miller, Berksicell. SOCI ETI ES. EOTAL HORTICULTURAL, Scientific Committee. June 19: Rose-rust.— Some leaves sent by Rev. H. C. Brewster, of South Kelsey Rectory, were attacked by an ivcidiutu. Mr. Plowright reports that it is " The a?cidiospore of Phragmidium subcorticatum, formerly called Uredo effusa, or miniatum of older writers. These secidiospores are often preyed upon by some mites, as in the present case, which becomes tinged with the orange colour of the spores, which they eat. On some of the leaves the uredospores are beginning to appear." Potato crop defective.— Mr. F. H. Kettle, of King's Ford, Colchester, forwarded samples, of which he writes ;— " The Potato crop in this district is a very uneven one, and various reasons are suggested for it. ' ' The specimens sent are Bressee's Prolific, and they are typical of plenty of others iu the store room. The samples were forwarded to Mr. A. Sutton, who reports as follows : — "In reply to your inquiry, it is quite certain that Mr. F. H. Kettle is by no means singular in his experience of Potatos coming up very unevenly this season. We hear from all parts of the country that such is the case, and all varieties appear to be suffering more or less from the same cause. Professor Gordon, of the Cheshire Agricultural and Horti- cultural School, Holmes Chapel, wrote to us recently on the same subject, saying that many of his Potatos had only formed very weak spindly sprouts, no thicker than a knitting- needle, and there were a great many blanks in his crop ; and his experience is the same as ours, that many of the tubers are quite sound and hard in the ground where they have made the thin weak'y sprouts complained of. " It is remarkable that tubers which were * boxed,' and very carefully sprouted before being planted, are just as much affected as those which were planted before any sprouts were made by the sets. "Another interesting fact noticed on comparing the many hundreds of samples in our trial grounds is that the only case where Potatos have staited well, with strong and healthy growth, are those which were grown last year in Scotland, where the climate and soil are comparatively moister than in England. "The only conclusion I can arrive at is, that in consequence of the excessive drought last year the Potatos ripened prema- turely, and owing to this the sets are not able to develop a healthy and vigorous growth this year. We find this espe- cially the case with Potatos which wtre grown last year on hot gravelly soils. The tubers affected with us in many cases produced shoots at the crown of the set, but these died off, and the later growth is being made from weakly shoots put forth by the side buds or eyes near the stem-end of the set. "I can think of no possible remedy, and certainly in our experience we can remember no season when crops were similarly affected on so large a scale. "Mr. H. S. Daine, of Woolfall Hall, Huyton, Liverpool, mentioned at the York Show that his crop was suffering in the same manner, and he had sent tuber3 to Professor Marshall Ward for examination, and would let us know his reply." Carnations decaying.— Plants which had decayed at the base were received from Mr. R. Keeble, of The Pines, Horsall, Woking. Mr. Jas. Douglas reports upon them as follows : — " It is not an uncommon occurrence to find that Carnations grown under artificial conditions will die, as the example enclosed has done. There is no disease, the roots have died owing to over-watering, or else, probably, the plants were allowed to become overdry ; in this case the delicate root hairs are desiccated, and thus rendered useless. Too much water is then poured in, which makes matters worse. All plants suffer from tins, and some die. Moreover, the dried peaty soil is unsuitable for Carnations. In my own large collection we lose a few every year; the roots perish from some cause not always easily determinable, but I regard it as a matter of watering. The use of artificial manure in the soil will cause deaths in Carnations when grown in flower-pots. I dropped the use of it because of this." Grapes Scalded.— Hv. H. Pethick, TrewaTtha, Weston-super- Mare, sent samples, upon which Mr. Douglas reports as follows:— "The Grapes sent are scalded, caused by insuffi- cient ventilation, and probably too much moisture in the house. It occurs if the Grapes are entirely shaded by the leaves, and the Grape that surfers most from scalding is Lady Downe's Seedling. The Vine may be flourishing in every respect, but that does not matter ; and it always happens when the berries have just passed through the stoning period previous to colouring. While stoning is going on — that is, the hardening of the seeds, the berries do not increase in size ; they remain stationary for five or six weeks. At the end of that time the seeds have come to their full development, and the berries increase rapidly in size. This is the time that scalding will happen. It can easily be prevented by throwing open the ventilators to their full extent in hot weather ; ven- tilation to a less extent should also be given at night. I must also add that the berries will scald even if the sun does not touch them." Rose, Variegated. — Mr. G. Rawliugs sent specimens of Rose- leaves variously spotted with yellow, some leaflets being entirely yellow-orange in colour. He writes as follows : — "The leaves sent are from a tree of Baroness Rothschild, a portion of which came variegated last year. I budded a few buds on some named varieties, from which those sent have been cut. They are much more highly coloured than those on the original tree." Pears, Blackened.— Some fruit decayed, black, and attacked by fungi, were sent to Dr. W. G. Smith for examination. They were received from Rev. H. W. Fletcher, Bicker Vicarage, Boston. Fruit & Vegetable Committee at Chiswick. June 26.— A meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee was held at Chiswick on the above date, there being present — W. Marshall, Esq., in the chair ; Messrs. G. Wythes, J.Smith, G. Woodward, Geo. Keif, J. Willard, S. Mortimer, A. F. Barron, H. Esling, W. Gleeson, J. Basham, and A. Dean. The attention of the committee was first directed to a col- lection of Peas, some of which were early, and some late. The recent rains had produced better results on these products than usual ; hence, they were seen in their true character. The committee first carefully examined each row, some forty -five in number, of mostly new varieties. Ultimately, after subjecting each selected variety to close scrutiny, it was unanimously resolved to make Awards of Merit to Edwin Beckett, a Pea having a height of 3£ feet, and a heavy crop of fine green pods, the best of the whole batch, and very early ; The Major, 4 feet, a free cropping variety, pods not large, but the Peas of excellent quality, and produced successionally ; and Monarch, 4 feet high, a capital cropper, ^having large pods of excellent quality. Several varieties were noted for inspection at a later date. A collection of Lettuces raised from seed supplied by Messrs. Harrison & Sons, of Leicester, was inspected, the best of which consisted of a remarkably good stock of AH- the- Year- Round and Malta Cabbage varieties. To these, three marks were awarded, both being well-known old varieties. A good stock of a green Cos was left over till quite ready for use. A considerable trial of early Potatos will be fit for inspection shortly, and of late ones at a still later date. In some cases here, as elsewhere, Potato plants are irregular. Probably the primary cause oF irregularity is found in defec- tive prior storing to the tubers, by those who sent them. Elsewhere complaints are almost universal. Committees at the Drill Hall. July 3.— Roses.— The annual competitive show of Roses, which is held in connection with a meeting of the Royal Horti- cultural Society's Committees, took place on Tuesday last in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster. We are used to se the Hall very full on such occasions as this, and on Tuesday there was a very good show, but not so large a one as on June 27 last year, when the excessive number of exhibits forthcoming caused much inconvenience, and Mr. Wright" taBk of disposing of them was one of great difficulty. The Roses staged in the competitive classes on Tuesday were of exceeding good quality, being specially remarkable for large size and substance. Indeed, these characteristics July 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHBONICLE. 17 may be looked fov in most of the Roses to bo shown this season, as too weather having been cool, and rain plentiful, the plants have not suffered from exhaustion as they have done for several seasons past, and the blooms have not been hurried. The chief difficulty of exhibitors will no doubt be to obtain their Bowers freo from storm marks, There were eighteen classes, and most of them were well contested. Details of most of them are given below. Excepting the Roses, there was not a very large display of exhibits, nor were there many valuable novelties before the Committees. The Floral Committee recommended the award of a First- class Certificate to Magnolia macrophylla, an old plant, but a rather shy species to bloom : and Awards of Merit to a Delphinium, and a seedling Heliotrope. The Orchid Committee recommended a First class Certi- ficate to Lalio-Cattleya Wigauhc and to L.C. Henry Green- wood superba ; also Botanical Certificates to Colax viridis, and Broughtonia sanguinea. The Fruit and Vegetable Committee gave a First-class Certificate to a new Pea, Edwin Beckett ; and Awards of Merit to Nectarine Lockerlcy Hall, and to Melon Free Chase Scarlet. In the afternoon, Mr. Geo. Paul road a paper upon Roses, those garden varieties he cultivates so largely and so well. At four o'clock, a special general meeting of the Fellows of the Society was held to adopt the new bye-laws that have been prepared. The results of this meeting are detailed on p. 10. Floral Committee. Present: W. Marshall, Esq., Chairman; and Messrs. R. Dean, G. Reuthe, Jno. Jennings, Chas. E. Pearson, Jas. Walker, Chas. E. Shea, G. H. Jenkins, W. J. James, C. J. Salter, Jas. Hudson, H. B. May, and E. T. Cook. HARDY FLOWERS. Mr. M. Pritchard, Christchurch Nurseries, Hampshire, in a group of hardy flowers included a magnificent bouquet of flowers of a new late flowering herbaceous Paeony named Marie Lemoine. It has large double flowers, white or pale cream colour, a tinge of rose colour very occasionally showing itself. The white flowering variety of the Mnrtagon Lily, Hemero- callis Thunbergi, H. aurantiaca major, Eryngium alpinum, Coreopsis grandiflora, Lilium nmbellatum, Cloth of Gold, Clematis erecta, a herbaceous species, with numerous, rather small, white flowers ; varieties of Iris xiphioides, and blooms of Marliac's Water • Lilies were some of the good species included in this very fine group (Silver Flora Medal). Alpine plants in pots were shown by Messrs. T. S. Wake, Ltd., Felthatn. The Nierembergia rivularis, the intensely blue-flowered Lithospermum prostratum, Campanula G. F. Wilson, and another hybrid, C. turbinata hybrida, with pretty bluish-purple flowers, 5 inches high ; C. garganica alba; also larger-growing plants, as Liliums Humboldti, longiflorum, Gaillardias, Heuehera sanguinea, &c. (8ilver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport Nurseries, Somerset, again exhibited Delphiniums and Gaillardias, including very beautiful varieties of each. Of Delphiniums, the variety Beauty of Langport, with cream-coloured flowers, was the only one not purple or blue. Some of the most striking of the Delphiniums were Mrs. Toms (single), pale blue, with white centre ; Norah Green, deep blue, with white centre ; Eugene Sandow, deep purple ; Mrs. Tree, pale blue and mauve colour ; Delicacy, J. S. Sargent (single), deepest blue and purple ; Clovelly (double), mauve, &c. There were very large flowers of Gaillardia, also of Scabiosa caucasica alba, Gillenia trifoliata, Irises, &c. (Silver Flora Medal). Varieties of Lilium Thunbergianum were a feature in an interesting group of cut flowers from Messrs. Wallace & Co., Kilnfleld Nurseries, Colchester. The very deeply coloured Van Houttei, and the yellow-flowered Orange Queen, with small purple spots, offered a great contrast ; Alice Wilson is rather paler in colour than Orange Queen. Amongst some good Lilies well represented were L. Henryi, L. Hansoni, the mnch spotted L. pardalinum californicum, with petals recurved quite back ; L. japonicum, &c. Of Irises we noticed I. Monnieri, that gained an Award at the last meeting, I. aurea, &c. The beautiful Caloehorti were represented in a number of varieties of the large-flowered section (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C., had a group of cut hardy flowers, which included some pretty varieties of Iris xiphioides, the orange- yellow flowered Iris aurea, I. Monspurx and varieties, Eryn- giums, Calochorti, Campanula persicifolia alba grandifiora, & e. There were also plants in pots, including Lilium monadelphium Szovitzianum, with yellow flowers, spotted on either side of each petal with small brown spots (Silver Banksian Medal). A large group of hardy flowers was shown from the gardens of the Doke of Rutland, Belvoir Castle, Grantham (gr., Mr. W. H. Divers), which included a grand lot of herbaceous and other species. A flue spike of the yellow-flowered Verbaseum olympicum, of Tropaeolum polyphyllum, Gentiana lutea, &c. (Bronze Flora Medal). Mr. B. Ladhams, Shirley Nurseries, Southampton, made an exhibit of Gaillardias, and varieties of Campanula persicifolia. One of the latter, named Porcelain, had single blue flowers. Coreopsis Eldorado is a magnificent variety, having bright gold-coloured flowers of remarkable size (Bronze Flora Medal). Mr. A. Perry, Winchmore Hill, London, N., exhibited herbaceous Phlox glaberrima, with mauve coloured flowers ; Campanula puloides x , described as a cross between C. x G. F. Wilson and C. pulla. It has laigcr flowers than G. F. Wilson, and is of the same colour as that variety. Sedum Knius- chaticum with variegated leaves is a very effective hardy dwarf foliage plant. Anchusu italica, varieties superba and crelestina, were shown by J. B. Fortescue, Esq., Dropmore Gardens, Maiden- head (gr., Mr. J. A. Sogers). The variety superba has deeper coloured flowers than ccelestina. ROSES AND MISCELLANEOUS. Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross Nurseries, Herts, made a grand exhibit of cut Roses, in as many as ninety different varieties, most of which were shown in large showy bunches. A few new decorative sorts were charming, as Alexandra, salmon and rose colour ; sulphurea, pale clear yellow, bud firm and petals stiff; salmonea, salmon rose, and white, very free. The Tea Rose Corallina, given an Award of Merit last autumn, was well shown ; and a fine selection of Pillar Roses, of which robusta, with large double, crimson flowers, was very effective; Waltham Climber, of habit like Gloire de Dijon, with large crimson flowers, looked very pretty. The group was well put up, and it represented the more decorative see1 ion of Roses (Silver-gilt Banksian Medal). Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, had a beautiful decorative Rose, named Lady Battersea, of attractive form, excellent substance, and bright lose colour. Some single- flowered Roses and bunches of Pinks were shown by Mr. Laditams, Shirley Nurseries, Southampton. Mr. C. Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough, showed some beautiful varieties of the Damask Rose, Crimson Damask, and Lady Roberts (white), and Lady White (pink). Tuberous-rooted Begonias made a very bright and showy exhibit from Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent. There were single and double-flowered varieties of great merit ; some of the prettiest doubles were Rosebud, pink ; Colonel Plumer, scarlet ; Vivid, scarlet ; Lady Meath, white ; Lady Horatio Erskine, a beautifully tinted variety ; Lady Dundonald, orange-yelluw ; Lady Aline Beaumont, pink ; Khaki; Lord Stradbroke, crimson; and Lady Chermside, salmon-pink, with white centre, and very charming. Single ones included Captain Lambton, scarlet, with yellow centre, very large ; Chieveley, crimson, &c. (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, exhibited plants of the seedling Rose Electra, from R. multi- flora simplex and a Noisette variety ; also sprays of Escallonia Philippiana, described and figured in Gardeners' Chronicle, July 12 and 27, 1ST8 ; Cytisus Schipkaensis, Andromeda speeiosa cassimefolia ; Clematis erecta, a herbaceous species, with numerous white or cream-coloured flowers ; Deutzia californica, Rosa Wiehuriana variegata, with foliage variegated with white ; Polygonum chinense, a climbing species, with some purple haves and others green, with vivid red veins something like P. convolvulus ; also Magnolia macrophylla (see Awards). A pretty pink-flowered Sweet William, named Pink Beauty, was shown by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading. Trachelium cojruleum was shown in a group of well-grown plants by Messrs. W. & J. Brown, nurserymen, of Stamford and Peterborough. A fine mauve-coloured Ten-week Stock, named Mauve Beauty, was shown by Mr. R. Dean, Ranelagh Road, Ealing. Heliotropes in seedling varieties were shown by Mr. Hudson (see Awards), and Messrs. W. & J. Brown, Stamford, who hail a variety of some merit, named Lord Roberts. Carnation Lord Roberts, exhibited by Messrs. Geo. Boyes & Co., Aylestone Park Nurseries, Leicester, is a very flue yellow-flowered border variety. Pinks, in several varieties, were shown by Messrs. Young & Son, Windmill Lane, Cheshunt. Sweet Peas were grandly shown by Percy Waterer, Esq. Fawkham, Kent (Bronze Flora Medal), who had about a dozen varieties'; and by Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, who had a larger collection of very choice varieties. Retarded Lilies of the Valley were shown in strong bloom by Messrs. Laxton Bros., Bedford, the variety being " Fortin's." A collection of Lilies was shown by C. B. Powell, Tunbridge Wells. ROSES IN COMPETITION. In the case of the 1st and 2nd prize collections in the class for twenty-four single bunches, the names, not too distinctly written on small cards, were hidden by the leaves and spread- ing petals of the flowers, or buried in the moss. Rosarians who know the flowers do not trouble to read the names ; but the man in the street, who is quite capable of appreciating a good Rose, wants to know the name of it, that he may commit it to paper. We entirely agree with him that the present system of naming generally followed is about as bad as it can be. With twenty-four single trusses, Messrs. D. Prior & Son, Colchester, were 1st with finely developed blooms of Helen Keller, Captain Haywaid, Mrs. J. Laing, Ulrich Brunner Francois Michelon, A. K. Williams, Caroline Kuster, White Lady, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, Gustave Piganneau, Marie Baumann, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Ernest Metz, Fisher Holmes, Ka'serin Augusta Victoria, and others ; a generally well balanced box of blooms. The veteran, Mr. B. R. Cant, of the same town, was 2nd, with some very fine blooms, chief among them Ulrich Brunner, Caroline Testout, Marie Rady, La France, White Lady, Mrs. J. Laing, Marquise Litta, Alfred Colomb, A. K. Williams, Duke of Wellington, Mrs. W. J. Grant, &c. With eighteen distinct trusses, amateurs, Mr. C. J. Salter, the Gardens, Woodhatch, Reigate, was 1st, staging blooms characterised by high development, such as Marquise Litta, Marie Baumann, Etienne Levet, Caroline Testout, Mrs. J. Laing, Ulrich Brunner, Madame Gahrielle Luizet, Susanne M. Rodocanachi, Xavier Olibo, Francois Michelon, Captain Hayward, Duchesse de Moray, General Jacqueminot, Dupuy Jamain, and others ; 2nd, tho Rev. J. H. Pemberton, Haveriag-atte-Bower, whose leading blooms were Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, Caroline Testout, Ulrich Brunner, Comtesse de Ludre, Auguste Rigotard, Charles Lefebvro, Captain Hayward, &e. There were several exhibitors in this class. The 1st prize for eighteen single trusses, open, was won by Mr. Charles Turner, Royal Nu'sery, Slough, but in massivoness and finish the blooms fell behind those shown by amateurs. The leading blooms in this stand were Francois Michelon, Her Majesty, Ulrich Brunner, Mrs. J. Laing, Caroline Testout, A. K. Williams, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, Duke of Wellington, Ellen Drew, Horace Vernet, &c. Messrs. Geo. Cooling & Son, Bath, were 2nd ; their most attractive flowers were the Rev. Alan Cheales, Mar- chioness of Downshire, Bladud, Ulrich Brunner, Captain Hayward, Kaiserin Aug. Victoria, Marquise de Litta, Madame C. Wood, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, &c. The class for twelve single trusses shown by amateurs brought a brisk competition, and Mr. G. W. Cook, The Briars, Torrington Park, Finchley, was awarded the 1st prize, his leading blooms were Mrs. J. Laing, Duchess of Bedford, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, Marquise de Litta, Gustave Piganneau, La France, Captain Hayward, Mrs. W. J. Grant, and Carolite Testont. The Rev. A. Foster Melliar, Sprowston Rectory, Ipswich, was 2nd ; the most noticeable of his blooms were White Lady, Mrs. Paul (Bourbon), Gustave Piganneau, Helen Keller, Mrs. W. J. Grant, La France, Mrs. J. Laing, and Bessie Brown. And an equal 2nd prize was awarded to H. P. Landon, Esq., ShBiifield, Brentwood, who had good blooms of Mrs. J. Laing, Ma-garet Dickson, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, Comtesse de Ludre, Medea, White Maman Cochet, and Franc isca Kruger. There were nine exhibitors of six single trusses (amateurs),, and Miss B. H. Langton took the 1st prize with Mrs. W. J. Grant, Catherine Guillemot, A. K. Williams, La France, Captain Hayward, Marquise Litta, &c. Mr. R. Cook, Stone- bridge Park, Acton, was placed 2nd ; his best blooms were Caroline Testout, Victor Hugo (brilliant in colour), Mrs. J. Laing, Ulrich Brunner, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, Captain Hayward, &c. The next class for six single trusses of any one variety of hybrid perpetual, hybrid Tea, or hybrid Bourbon, Mr. C. J. Salter was 1st, with very line Mrs. J. Laing; Mr. R. G. C. Burnard, Hill Grange, Reigate, was 2nd, with Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford. Reference has been made to the Tea and Noisette Roses. The best eighteen single trusses, in not fewer than twelve varieties, came from Mr. O. G. Orfen, West Bergholt, Col- chester, who had The Bride, Anna Olivier, Amazone, Madame Hoste, Innocenta Pirola, Catherine Mermet, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, Medea, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Edith Gifford, and Rubens. The Rev. A. F. Melliar was 2nd ; he had Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, Marechal Niel, Golden Gate, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Catherine Mermet, Bridesmaid, Madame Cusin, The Bride, Sylph, and Cleopatra. We heard several opinions expressed that this collection was superior to the one awarded the 1st prize. With eighteen single trusses, open, Mr. George Prince, Oxford, was 1st, having fine blooms of Comtesse tie Nadaillac, Muriel Grahame, Marechal Niel, Maman Cochet, Souvenir d'un Ami, Golden Gate, Madame de Watteville, Medea, Sou- venir dc. S. A. Prince, Princess of Wales, Luciole, Innocente Pirola, Catherine Mermet, Amazone, &c. 2nd, Messrs. D. Prior & Son, whose leading varieties were Maman Cochet, Golden Gate, Catherine Mermet, Seuvenir d'Elise, Ernest Metz, Niphetos, Marie Van Houtte, Innocente Pirola, Mare- chal Niel, Alba rosea, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Caroline Kuster, &c. The next class was for amateurs, showing twelve single trusses, in not fewer than nine varieties ; here Mr. E. M. Bethune was placed 1st, with Innoeente Pirola, Madame Cusin, Golden Gate, Maman Cochet, Francisca Kruger, Marie Van Houtte, Catherine Mermet, Edith Gifford, Souvenir de Theiese Levet, a striking colour among the pale Tea scented, &c. ; 2nd, Mr. W. Mease, gr., to Mr. A. Tate, Downside, Leatherhead, whose b?st blooms were Madame Hoste, Marie Van Houtte, Madame Cusin, Maman Cochet, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Sylph, Cle epatra, and Golden Gate. In the amateur class for six single trusses in not less than four varieties, Mr. G. A. Hammond, Cambrian House, Burgess Hill, was placed 1st, having Maman Cochet (3), Catherine Mermet, The Bride, and Madame Hoste. Mr. H. P. Lindok was 2nd, he had Cleopatra, Maman Cochet, The Bride, and Catherine Mermet. With nine single trusses of any one variety, Mr. 0. G. Ori>en was 1st, With Souvenir de S. A. Prince ; Mr. F. W. Campion, Trumpets Hill Farm, Reigate, was 2nd, with Souvenir d'un Ami. Mr. E. M. Bethune was 1st with six trusses of any one variety, having Comtesse de Nadaillac ; Madame Cusia was 2nd from an exhibitor whose name was overlooked. GARDEN OR DECORATIVE VARIETIES. Messrs. Paul & Son, The Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, won in the larTe class for thirty-six distinct varieties. This was a grand lot, and among them were conspicuous such varieties as the' single pink-flowered Dawn, Rugosa varieties, l'Ideale, H. T. Gustave Regis, H. T. Marquise de Salisbury, The Garland, H. T. Camoens, &c. ; Messrs. Geo. Cooling & Sons were 2nd, and Messrs. F. Cant & Co. 3rd. For eighteen distinct varieties, in a class limited to amateurs, Alfred Tate, Esq., Downside, Leatheihead, was the best exhibitor. Larger flowered varieties largely pre- 18 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 7, 1900. dominated, but Mosses and Polyantkas were represented. 2nd, the Rev. J. H. Pemberton. Class Sixteen was for Dine distinct varieties shown in vases. Here,' Mr. B. R. Cant won, all of the flowers were very fine indeed, General Jacqueminot, Capt. Hay ward, Ulrich Brunner, Mis. Sharman Crawford, and Mrs. Paul especially. 2nd, Messrs, Pai of a delicate primrose tint with light rose shade, the front of the lip teing light rose; and the fine Ladio-Cattleya x Henry Greenwood superba. Jeremiah Colman, Esq., Gatton Park, Eeigate (gr., Mr W. P. Bound), showed Odontoglossum crispum "Gatton Park variety," a large and brcad-petalled forni,>hite>ith a purple tinge, and with one brown blotch on the lip in front of the yellow crest, all the segments being more or less fringed. J. Wilson Potter, Esq., Elmwood, Park Hill Road, Croydon, showed Odontoglossum crispum "Lady Jane" another singular variation in the direction of O. c Oakfield Sunrise. The sepals were white, the petals bore a numberof brown spots, and the yellow lip showed small brown-coloured spots insiie the margin. J. Gurney Fowler, Esq., Glebelands, South Woodford (gr., Mr. Davis), sent Cypiipedium x Curtiso praestans (Cur- tisn x pntstans), a singular variety, with the upper sepal greenish with purple lines ; the petals greenish-white with dotted lines of purple, and a whitish lip, having a tinge of dull rose. Dr. F. Pritchard Davis, County Asylum, Maidstone, sent Cattleya granulosa Buyssoniana, a pretty form, in which the sepals and petals are clear yellow and unspotted Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill Park, sent Cattleya Mossiai Reineckiana, and a better form of it, named C M Duke of Tec! ; also C. M. Disiplino, with lavender-veined petals, and a rich purplish-crimson lip with white mar-in De B. Crawshay, Esq., Rosefield, Sevenoaks [gr., Mr S Cooke, showed Cattleya Mendeli rosefieldiensis," a pretty form in which the petals are tipped with bright mauve ; and La?lia tenebrosa rosefieldiensis, a very large flower of nice colour. A. J. Hollington, Esq., Forty Hill, Enfield (gr., Mr. Ayling), showed Cypripedium x General French, said to be the result of crossing C. x Swanianum and C. bellatulum, ■which is the record of C. x William Lloyd. The present flower was white marked with rose-purple. Mr. A. J. Keeling, Cottingley, Bingley, Yorks, showed a fine variety of the old Dendrobium moschatum, in which the purple markings at the base of the lip were obscure. Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshutt, showed fine spikes of tba supposed natural hybrid Orchis x folioso maculata, and bunches of the species from which it resulted ; the rosy-like flowers of the hybrid being intermediate, resembling the O. foliosa of Madeira, but having spotted leaves like the British form. Mr. T. R. Cuckney, Cobham Hall, Gravesend, showed a quantity of spikes of Ophrys apifera. A. H. Smee, Esq., The Grange, Hackbridge (gr., Mr. Humphreys), showed Eulopbia euglossa, a Sierra Leone speci'S with erect spikes of green flowers, the front of the lip white, the disc purple. Awards. First-class Certificates were given to Leelio-Cattleya X Wiganise (L.-C. x GottoianaxC. Mossise), from Sir Frederick Wigan, Bart., Clare Lawn, East Sheen (gr., Mr. W. H. Young). A very handsome and remarkable hybrid, remark- able for rich and delicate colouring. The flowers in size and form are equal to those of Cattleya Mossire ; the sepals and petals having a delicate tint of light yellowish rose ; and the crimped lip shows maroon purple lines, starting from the base, and extending into the purplish rose-tinted front lobe. Lpelio- Cattleya x Henry Greenwood superba (L.-C. X Schilleriana x C. x Hardyana), from Sir Frederick Wigan, Bart., a fine improvement on the original form, which was illustrated in the Gardeners' Chronicle, November 26, 189S, p. 3S3. Flowers large, sepals and petals pale rose ; centre of lip primrose-yellow, the broad front lobe ruby-purple. Botanical Certificates. Broitghtonia sanguinea, from J. T. Bennett- Pofi, Esq. Holmwood, Cheshunt (gr., Mr. Downes). A rare old West Indian species, reputed to be difficult to cultivate, but as shown it was a healthy plant carrying two flower-spikes. Colax viridis, from Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons. Flowers wax-like, emerald-green, with violet markings on the lip. Fruit and Vegetable Committee. Present: H. Balderson, Esq., Chairman; and Messrs. H. Eslins, Jas. H. Veitch, W. Wilks, E. Shaw-Blaker, M. Gleeson, Geo. Keif, Alex. Dean, S. Mortimer, W. Bates, Thos. Coomber, E. Beckett, Geo. Wythes, F. Q. Lane, Jas. Smith, G. Reynolds, W. J. Empson, W. H. Divers, J. Willard, and Jos. Cheal. Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons exhibited a fine lot of fruits of Strawberry Veitch's Prolific, but the fruits, like most Straw- berries in such weather as we have had lately, were rather soft and watery. The variety has been Awarded a Certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society. From C. Bayer, Esq., Tewkesbury Lodge, Forest Hill, London, S.E. (gr., Mr. W. TayUr), were shown four dishes of Peaches, and three dishes of Nectarines. The Peaches were Dr. Hogg, Crimson Galande, Dagmar, and Early Albert; and the Nectarines, Dryden, Lord Napier, and Advance. The fruits were not large, but worthy of commendation as being grown so near the centre of London (Silver Banksian Medal). A grand collection of Queen Pine-apples was shown by Lord Llangattock, The Hendre, Monmouth (gr., Mr. T. Coomber). There were rather more than a dozen fruits shown, of good medium size, and they were in excellent con- dition. There are few gardens in this country where, at the present time, it would be possible to see a similar collection (Silver-gilt Knightian Medal). Messrs. Laxton Bros,, Bedford, exhibited Strawberry Laxton's Maincrop. It is from a cross between the varieties McMahon and Sir J. Paxton. Also their Strawberry Fill- basket, exhibited on previous occasions. Cherry Bigarreau de Schreken, from Mr. J. Hudson, Gun- nersbury House Gardens, Acton, W., was grand. The fruits had been gathered from an open wall, and forty-two of the fruits were said to weigh a pound. Mr. G. Reynolds, gr. to the Messrs. de Rothschild, Gunners- bury Park, Acton, W., exhibited twelve dishes of excellent Cherries from the orchard-house ; also good fruits of British Queen Strawberry (Silver Knightian Medal). A quantity of Peaches was shown by Mr. Keif, gr. to Miss Adamson, Regent's Park, only 2 miles from Charing Cross, and these were awarded a Silver Knightian Medal. Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth, exhibited ex- cellent Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums ; of Peaches there were Royal George (two dozen fruits), Dr. Hogg (one dozen fruits), Dymond, and Thomas Rivers. The Nectarines shown were the variety Victoria. Also Early Rivers' Cherries grown as pot trees twenty-five years old in cool orchard- house ; and Czar Plum from three years' old orchard-house trees (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden London, W.C., showed a c jllection of fifteen varieties of Peas, most of them popular ones. Also Barr's Early Best-of-All, Cauliflower. Awards. Melon, Xree Chase Scarlet.— A. seedling from a cross between Lockinge Hero and Sutton's Improved green. The fruit is large, yellow, and closely netted, flesh deep, scarlet; flavour good. From Sir Geo. Allen, Haywards Heath (Award of Merit). Nectarine, Lockerl&y Hall.— Of moderate size, and deeply coloured ; flavour good. From Mr. J. Budd, Romsey (Award of Merit). Pea, Edwin Beckett.— -This is a splendid new Marrowfat Pea that comes into condition at a very early date. The variety has been grown at Chiswick and an Award of Merit was given it there last week as described on p. 16, col. 3. The pods as shown at the Drill Hall, were about 5£ inches long. From Mr. E. Beckett, gr. to Lord Aldenham, Aldenham Hcuse, Elstree (Firsi-class Certificate). Lecture on Roses. In the afternoon Mr. Geo. Paul, V.M.H., gave a paper upon Roses, and spoke chiefly of varieties of Roses most suitable for bedding, or for the making of hedges, or furnishing of pillars. If anyone is capable of offering advice upon this subject it is surely Mr. Paul, and his listeners therefore heard competent opinion upon the merits of many varieties for use in such purposes, and upon the best methods of planting and pruning. The paper will have much value for Rose-growers present and prospective when it is published in the Royal Horticultural Society's Journal. THE PARIS EXHIBITION. At the Horticultural Congress held on June 27, the French house was well filled, and some of the groups of open-air plants were even placed on the terrace between the two houses. Most of the exhibits were such plants of the season as have been previously mentioned. The vegetables and fruit were fine and abundant. MM. Croux et Fils, of Chatenay, and Desire Bruneau, of Bourg-la-Reine, showed fine collections of plants and of pot fruit-trees. The fruits sent by MM. Parent of Rueil, Millet of Bourg-la-Reine, Fatzer, Lecolnte, Whih, and other exhibitors were worth notice. I would further mention the beautiful Roses from M. Leon Dobocs of Rouen, from the Societe d'Horticulture de l'Aube. from M. Boutigny of Rouen, and from MM. Defresne, Leveque, Rothbero, Boucher, and otheis. The Carnations from M. Beranek, M. Regnier, and M. De Digueres. The Hydrangeas from M. Paillet, and a fine group of Delphiniums, also from M. Paillet, were very beautiful ; as were also the tuberous Begonias from MM. Valerand, the Anthurium Andreanum, with very large spathes, sent by M. Robert Lebaudy of Bougival ; the Zin- nias, of vivid colouring, from M. Geraud ; the Carnations, Pelargoniums, and Petunias, from M. Nonin ; the flowering shrubs, from M. Desire Bruneau; a group ot Campanula Medium, from M. Noeff, nurseryman, of Moscow ; and the fine Cannas, from MM. Bailliard & Barre. Equally noticeable were the two fine trusses of forced Lilac, from M. Friche Metzer of Vitry-sur Seine ; the Carnations and Orchids of M. Magne of Boulogne; Pelargonium grandiflorum, from M. Boutreux (not zonal, as was previously stated) ; and the Orchids, from MM. Regnier, Beranek, and Dalle. M. Maron sent a fine group of Orchids, including Cattleya Gaskelliana alba ; C. Mossite alba, and some good hybrids, among them several Ladio-Cattleya x Martineti ; L. Lady Wigan ; also L. purpurato-Mossite x L. callistoglossa, very like the latter ; L. x Henry Greenwood var. Due de Marsa, a fine flower, with a large very dark blood red spot on the anterior lobe of the lip. MM. Vilmorin An- drieux et Cie. staged a fine lot of alpines, many annuals and biennials, and the handsome Iris Ktemp- feri. I would aUo mention the large collection of bulbous plants shown byM. E. TmERAUTand M. Thiebact-Legendre of Paris. G. T. Grignan. LINNEAN. June 21. —Dr. A. Gunther, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. The Chairman announced with deep regret the loss which the Society had sustained by the sudden death at Florence, on June 11, of Mr. Walter Percy Sladen, a former Vice- President of the Society, and Zoological Secretary from 1885 to 189 j. Mr. B. Daydon Jackson, for ten years his colleague, bore testimony to Mr. Sladen's untiring devotion to the interests of the Society, to his willing co-operation in all that concerned its welfare, and to his amiability of disposition which had endeared him to all. Prof. M. Hartoo, F.L.S., exhibited and made remarks on flowers of new Abutilon seedlings, recently raised by hirn, and pointed out the extreme variability shown in the form of many of the leaves. Dr. 0. Staff, A.L.S., exhibited fruits of various forms of- Trapa from Europe, China, and India, and discussed the differentiation of the genus into species. He was inclined to recognise five species which inhabit fairly well-defined geographical areas ; but as the discrimination of these depends chiefly on the armature and sculpture of the mature fruit (the flowers being in some cases unknown, and in others very poorly represented in herbaria), he found it at present impossible to define the species satisfactorily. Unpublished drawings of Indian and Chinese species in the collections at Kew rendered it probable that certain differences in the fruits would be found to be correlated with differences in the structure of the flowers. Mr. Clement Reid, F.R.S., F.L.S., exhibited a series of Plum-stones recently found in a drain of the Roman baths, and in a rubbish-pit, at Silchester. The species identified Jii.v 7, 1000.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 19 irew Cherry (Prunua avium), Damson (P. domestic*), Bullace (P. insltitla), Sloe (P. spiuosa), and Portuguese Laurel (P . Lauro-cerasus). Besides these, there was a large variety of l'luiii. and a very small Sloe, the species of which had not as yet been precisely determine.!. On behalf of Dr. O. St. Brodi , Mr. B. Tay'on Jai-ksou exhibited a small series of British Orchids dried by a new 38, by which the flexibility of the plant and the natural colours were in a great measure retained. Mr. R. MORTON Middleton, F.L.S., exhibited several rush- baskets, plaited ropes, and dredgers made from Rostkovia grandiflora, Hook. f. ; and a dab-catcher and limpet detacher made from Berberis ilLifolia, Fo~ster,all used by the Yabgans south of Beagle Channel, Ticrra del Fuego. A discussion followed, in which the zoological and botanical aspects of the exhibits were commented on by Dr. Giinther, Mr. J. E. Harting, and Dr. Rendle. Dr. A. B. Rendle, F.L.S , referring to bis recently published " Revision of the genus Najas," {Trans. Linn. Soc., 2nd sex., Bot., vol. v., part 12), read a supplementary paper on the same subject, in which be gave additional information gained from a recent examination of specimens in eleven continental herbaria, particu'arly those at Paris, Geneva, Vienna, and Berlin. Some new forms were described (notably a new species from Senegal), and some fresh notes were added on the geographical distribution of seveial imperfectly-known species. Since the publication of tie paper referred to, the author has had the advantage of examining a number of specimens which had been collected in Southeastern Russia and the Malay Archipelago, and were forwarded from the museum at St Petersburg. The next session of the Society will commence on Thursday, November 1 next, at 8 p.m., particulars of which will be duly announced. SOUTHAMPTON HORTICULTURAL. June 27 and 28. — A sucCESsful exhibition was held on the above dates on the Royal Pier. The various groups of miscellaneous plants arranged with an idea of producing effects must be characterised as praiseworthy. Mr. E. Cam gr. to W. A. Gillett, Esq., Fair Oak Lodge, Bisbopstoke, was 1st in this class, for an excellent group ia which Orchids figured largely. Mr. Peel, gr. to Miss Todd, Shirley, was 2nd. Specimen plants were not numerous, and the best were shown by Mr. T. Hall, g-, ti Sir S. Montague, Bart., South Stoneham House, who exhibited six diverse species ; and the 2nd prize fell to Mr. Peel. Gloxinias were well shown by Mr. Carr, who was 1st for six grandly grown plants. Roses were not numerous, but the blooms shown were of quite creditable quality. Mr. G. H. Bcrch, nurseryman, Peterborough, was 1st in all of the six classes, i.e., in the classes for thirty-six and for twelve blooms of distinct, in that for twelve triplets, and for twelve blooms of Tea or Noisette varieties, aDd for six blooms of any one variety, either dark or light coloured. Messrs. D. Prior & Sons, nurserymen oi Colchester, were 2nd. Amateurs showed Roses excellently well in all of the classes set apart for them ; Dr. Seaton winning for eighteen and.twelve varieties with good blooms of their respective varieties. Mr. Hall followed the doctor very closely in some of the classes. Baskets of Roses made a pretty show, and Miss L. Tyrell, of Dagmar Villa, Southampton, was an easy 1st, with a very charming collection of blossom ; Miss Wadmore, Basingstoke, being 2nd. Messrs. Perkins & Sons, nurserymen, &c, of Coventry, took the leading prizes for ball and bridal bouquets ; and Mr. F. Bailey, florist, of Southampton, was adjudged 2nd. In the hardy plant section, Mr. B. Ladhams, Shirley, near Southampton, was 1st for twelve bunches of hardy flowers, consisting of Campanulas persieifolia vare. Porcelain and Mont Blanc, Coreopsis, Eldorado, Gaillardia, Brilliant and Del- phinium nudicaule, all of which were in fine condition; and Mr. Isaac House, of Bristol, was 2nd. Fruit and vegetables formed a considerable feature of the exhibition. Mr. Bowerman,gr. to Mrs. C. Hoare, Hackwood Park, Basingstoke, securing the chief prizes ; being followed by Mr. Cheator, gr. to Sir W. Pink, of Cosham. SALISBURY HORTICULTURAL AND NATIONAL ROSE. June 27.— The annual show of the National Rose Society held in the provinces, was held this year in the grounds of the Bishop's Palace, an eminently appropriate site. Taking the showery, sunless weather into consideration, and the counter attraction of the show at Richmond, the display should be described as a creditable one. The garden or decorative varieties were finely displayed, and probably they will be seen nowhere else this season in finer condition ; the colouring individually being perfect, while the arrangement of the blooms left little to be desired. The schedule of prizes brought together a thoroughly repre- sentative lot of varieties, there being no fewer than twenty- eight classes. Taking the classes in the order of the prize list, thirteen were provided for nurserymen's exhibits. The principal class was one for forty-eight varieties, distinct, £6 being offered as 1st prize. Although there were but three competitors, they made a creditable display. Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons, nurserymen, Newtownards, Co. Down, were easily 1st, and the blooms that they staged, if not large of size, were well coloured and tastefully set up. Among the varieties were The Bride, Tom Wood, Margaret Dickson, Ernest Metz, Decaisne's White, M. Neil, La France, Mrs. W. J. Giant, Bessid Brown, Marchioness of Dull rin, Comtesse de Panisse, Florence Pemberton, Ulster, Rubens, Duke of Tec*, Marchioness of Downshire, Dupuy Jamain, Hon. E. Gilford, A. K. Williams, Souvenir d'un Ami, Gustave Piganueau, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Helen Keller, Alice Lindsell, Abd Oarricre, Catherine Mermet, Duke of Edinburgh, Marchioness of Londonderry, Mrs. Conway Jones, Souvenir du President Carnot, Gladys Harkness, M. Niel, Muriel Grahame, Lady Clanmorris, Sheila, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Mrs. Mawley, Madame Hoste, Madame Cusin, Ciroline Testout, Marie Verdier, Mrs. T. Sharman Crawford, Marquis Litta, Mildred Dickson, Alphonse Soupert, Mam an Cochet, Mr?. John Laing, Medea, and Lady Moira Beauclerk, a very line selection. Messrs. F. Cant & Co,, Braiswi^k Nurseries, Colchester, was 2nd, with smaller, but more richly coloured blossoms. In the class for twenty-four, distiLct, there were rive com- petitors, the 1st award falling to Mr. G, Prince, Oxford for a clean lotof blooms of moderate siza. Comtesse de Nadaillac, The Bride, Mis. G. W. Grant, M. Niel, Gustave Piganneau, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Prince Camille de Rohan, Medea, Catherine Mermet, Princess of Wales, Augaste Rigotard, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon. Captain Hayvvard, Ruben?, Souvenir d'un Ami, Cleopatra, Exposition de Brie, Amazon, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, L\ Fraic!-ieur, Marie Van Houtte, Dupuy Jamain, and Iunoceute Pirola were among the liner blooms. Messrs. J. Burrell fit Co, nur- serymen, of Cambridge, were a close 2nd. For twenty-four distinct trebles, Messrs. Dickson were again 1st, with an even lot of blooms, inclusive of Gustave Piganneau, Souvenir d'un Ami, The Bride, Medea, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Ulster, and Alice Linisell, were noteworthy. Messrs. Frink Cant was 2nd. For twelve blooms of any one variety except Tea or Noisette, Messrs. Dickson secured the leading p'ace, with beautifully formed blooms of Ulster, whose only blemish was in the outer petals, which were a little damaged by rain. Messrs. F. Cant & Co. followed with Mrs. W. J. Grant. Tea or Noisette Section. There were four competitors in the twenty-four class, and Mr. G. Prin-e won with blooms of moderate size, among which the more noticeable were Princess Beatrice, Niphetos, Alba Rosea, Cornelia Koch, Anna Olivier, Golden Gate, Innocente Pirola, La Boule d'Or, Madame Cusin, Souvenir d'un Ami, Rubens, Madame Furtado, Medea, Souvenir d' Elise Vardon, Princess of Wales, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Maman Cochet, Marie Van Houtte, and Comtesse de Nadaillac. Mr. F. Cant was 2nd. For twelve distinct varieties, Mr. J. Mattock, Kurseryman, of Oxford, was placed 1st with fresh, clean-looking varieties. "Garden" or Decorative Varieties. Although but two competed, viz., Messrs. Paul & Son of Cheshunt, and Messrs. G. Cooling & Sons of Bath, with thirty-six varieties, their stands made a fine feature. Messrs. Paul & Son won the 1st prize owiug to the superiority of their arrangement, and of such excellence was the stand, that we thought it worth while to supply an abridged list of the varieties :— W. A. Richardson, Marquis de Salisbury, Blanche de Coubsrt, Camoens, Gustave Regis, Souvenir de Cochet, Madame G Bruint, Morlette, Alba simplex, Claire Jacquier, Blush Gallica, Reine Olga de Wurtemberg, Una, Cirmine Pillar, Madame P. Ducher, Rosa mundi, Polyantha grandi- flora, Allister Stella Grey, Domeniel, Boccard, Amadis, Blanche Moreau, L'Ideale, Papa Gontier, Perle des Pauachees, Madame Charles, Rngosa fimbriata, Madame Falcot, Old Red Damask, Anne-Marie de Mootravd, Madame P. Cochet, Dawn, and Madame C. Guinoisseau. Messrs. Cooling staged bunches of Papa Gontier, Purity. Marquis ofSalisbury, and Dr. Rouges, which were very note- worthy. For eighteen distinct varieties, Mr. C. Turner, nurseryman, Slough, gained an easy victory. Particularly noteworthy were the varieties Crimson Damask, Souvenir de C. Guillot, Cecil Brunner, Madame Charles, Reiue Olga de Wurtemberg, Papa Gontier, and Princess Marie ; Mr. G. Prince was 2nd. Open Classes. For three trusses, any new SeedliDg Rose or distinct spoit, there were but two exhibitors, viz., Messrs. A. Dickson and Mr. G. Prince. The former showed Alice Lirdsell, a Tea, a well-built flower of a soft pink colour. To this was awarded the Gold Medal of the Soci ty. Mr. Prince stage I Bellefleur, a semi-double, rich colou el variety, to wrh;.ch was awarded a card of commendation. In the Tea and Noisette Classes, Messrs. F. Cant won with twelve blooms, distinct, and was closely followed by Messrs. D. Prior & Sons. For twelve bunches of Sweet Briar Roses in nine varieties, Mess s. Cooling secured the leading aw-rd with a fair exhibit, Lucy Bertram, Anna of Giersttin, and Green Mantle, being the most noteworthy varieties. Mr. F. Cant was Jnd. Amatecrs. For twelve blooms, distinct, The Rev. J. H. Pemberton. Haveriug-atte-Bower, Essex, easily secured the Guld Medal offered with full sized richly-coloured examples of Ulrieh Bmnner, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Caroline Testout, Capta.ia Hay- wood, The Bride, Mrs. 8. Crawford, Maman Cochet, Comtesse de Ludre, M. Niel, A. K. Williams, Comtesse de Naiai'.lac, and Duke of Edinburgh. Mr. A. H. Gray, Beau'.ieu, Newbridge, Bath, was 2nd. The Rev. J. H. Pemberton again followed up his previous success by winning 1st place lor twenty-four distinct varie-. ties with creditable examples. He was also 1st for six trebles. For th" p'i:e* off; red t> growers of not fewer than 1000 plants, Mr. G. W. CoOK, The Briars, North Finchley, u i , t b most successful. For fiose who grow not \ea than ■< U plants, Mr. R \V. ii iWYElt, Hadeybury College, II srtford, won for six distinct blooms; Mr. E. R. Smith, Malford LoJge Muswell Hill, was 2o 1. For the "Prince1' Memorial Cup, otTered for i igh( Lis- tinct varieties, Tea and Noisette, Mr A. H. Guv, Becured the coveted award with line blooms of popular varirtie> ; and the Rev. A. P^stur Melliar was 2nd. For six blooms any one variety, excepting Tea or Now stfce, the Rev. J. II. Pemberton won with thape'.y examp'es of Caroline Testout. The last-named also secured the premier Award for twelve "garden" or decorative varieties, with a capital exhibit. With six bunches, Mr. E. Mawlej', Rosebauk, Berkhamsted, was 1st, with a creditable exhibit. For twelve distinct Tea or Noisette, the Rev. J.H. PEMbERroN was easily 1st ; while for six blooms Mr. R. W. Bowveh was the winner of the 1st prize. For six of any one variety, Tea or Noisette, The Bride won for Mr. A. W. Gray the foremost place. Marechal Niel, belonging to Mr. Smith, being placed 2nd. To the Rev. J. H. Pemberton was awarded the National Rose Society's Silver Medal for the best H P. iu the show, Mrs. Sharmau Crawford. For H.T. the Rev. Foster Meluar secared the award for La France. Premier Blooms. In the nurserymen's section, Comtesse de Nadaillac was adjudged the best in Mr. G. Prince's stand ; Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, the best Hybrid Tea shown by Messrs. D. Prios & Sons. Messrs. Burrell & Co. securing a similar award for Duchess of Bedford as the exhibitors of the best H.P. In the amateurs' division, Maman Cochet, from Mr. A. Hill Gray, was adjudged the best Tea o: Noisette. Hybrid Tea La France, from Rev. Foster Melliar ; and H.P. Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, from Rev. J. H. Pemberton. GLOUCESTERSHIRE R03E. July 3. — The twelfth annual exhibition of Roses in con- nection with the ibove society was held in the Spa Cricket Field, Gloucester, on the above date. Owing to the back- wardness of the season, one or two well known exhibitors, notably Messrs. Jefferies & Son, Cirencester, did not compete ; but nurserymen were well represented by three of the largest growers in the kingdom. Messrs. Alex. Dickson A: Sons, Royal Nurseries, Newtownards, Co. Down, and Ledbury, Gloucestershire, led practically iu all the classes in which they exhibited ; and their forty-eight varieties would, have compared fa.vourab'y with any stand of Roses that could be exhibited ia the country. Their beht blooms included Bessie Brown, Alice Lindsell, Mrs. Mawley, Mildred Grant, and the Marchioness of Downshiie. Nineteen of the forty- eight were seedling Roses, sent into commence by Messrs. Dickson, eleven of the varieties being winners of the National Society's Gold Medal. These well known exhibitors also showed a new Rose, dedicated to Mrs. Conway Jones, the wife of the popular local amateur Rose-grower, judge at the C.-ystal Palace and other Rose-shows, and a successful exhibitor. " Mrs. Conway Jones " is a rich rosy-pink, with a very high pointed centre, and elegantly- shaped petals. For twelve varieties of light - coloured Roses, Messrs. Dickson won with a splendid box of Mildred GiaDt; and in dark Roses, Mr. Frank Cant, Colchester, took 1st prize with some perfect specimens of Victor Hugo. Mr. B. R. Cant, Colchester, was again well to the front iu the prize list ; some of his best blooms being Caroline Testout, Mrs. John Laing, Thomas Mills, and Mrs. W. J. Grant. The Colchester Roses well deserved the position- they he'.d, and all those who have followed the ever increasing love and interest taken in our national flower, will r^-joire to se3 success still followed these distinguished growers. Local amateurs held their own, their flowers being well up to the average quality of what may now ba justly expected of Gloucester. A Silver Medal for the best hybrid perpetual (Ulster), went to Mr. Conway Jones, whom one can hardly speak of as being simply a local amateur, when it is remembered that yeir alter year one sees his name well to the front ia exhibiting in open competition with the best growers and exhibitors in the country. The piece of plate given by the City High Sheriff to local amateurs, was wuu by the honorary secretary of the Society, Mr. T. A. Washdoiun, lor twelve varieties, as was also the Corporation Prize Jocal), for twelve varieties. The Gold Medal given by the Society for twelve varieties, open to Gloucestershire amateurs, was awarded to the Rev. F. J. Fl-i ford. There was a distinct advance in the number and quality of the Cottagers' exhibits - an encouraging feature surely. The Silver Meial awarded by Mr. W. J. Jef eries for these classes, being awarded to J. Middl^cjTE, ol Melson, for twelve varieties. HANL1Y HORI1COLTURAL. July 4 and 5 —The County Borough of Hanley Horticultiu1 1 Show was held on the above dates in the Public Park. Com- menced only a few years ago, on the same lines as the popular exhibitions ac Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, and York, the one at Hanley is biddiDg fair to become as great a success as most of them. Hanley has the advantage of a position in the very heart of the Staflbrishiri potteries, one of the most, densely populated areas in England. The show this week was a success. Th vi may not have been so many exhibits in the 20 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Joly 7, 1900. more important classes as last year, but the quality sliowu was everywhere beyond reproach. The exhibits in the class for groups of plants was igain a feature. Mr. Cypher, of Cheltenham, was beaten last year by Mr. Blair, gr. to the Duke of Sutherland. This year Mr. Cypher won with a magnificent group, in which quality of plants and beauty of arrangement were combined. Miss Wright, of Oswestry, the other exhibitor in Class 1, made a most effective display, and her group comprised some grand fioweriug and foliage plants. Mr. W. Thompson, of Walton Grange gardens, Stone, sent a display of Orchids ; and another Orchid exhibit was made by Mr. Cypher. Begonias in pots were shown by Messrs. John Peed & Son, of West Norwood. Quite a feature of No. 2 tent was an exhibition of Ferns by Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, Sale, Manchester. The Hoses were not very numerous, though their quality was distinctly superior. The table plants were a good feature, and in all departments of the cottager's exhibition there was a distinct advance. The children's tent contains decidedly the best display ever seen at Hanley. The Secretary is Mr. J. Kent, superintendent of Hanley Park. The Mayor of Hanley presided at a luncheon in one of the tents, and speeches were made by several gardeners who had acted in the capacity of judges, including Mr. Burns of Leicester, Mr. Bardney, Osmaston Manor, and Mr. P. Weathers, Manchester. The following are some of the chief prizes :— Plants (Open). Group of Plants Arranged for Effect.— 1st, J. Cypher, Cheltenham ; 2nd, W. Vause, Leamington Spa. Group of Orchids in Bloom, Arranged for Effect.— 1st, W. Thompson, Stone ; 2nd, J. Cypher, Cheltenham. Group of Malniaison and other Carnations, in pots, arranged for Effect.— 1st, Duke of Sutherland, Tientham; 2nd, Earl of Harrington. Six plants in flower, distinct; six fine foliage plants, distinct. — 1st, J. Cypher, Cheltenham ; 2nd, W. Vause, Leamington Spa. Eight exotic plants, distinct.— 1st, W. Thompson, Stone ; 2nd, J. Cypher, Cheltenham. Six Palms, distinct— 1st, J. Cypher, Cheltenham; 2nd, W. Vause, Leamington Spa. Twelve Caladiums.— 1st, R. G. Howson ; 2nd, J. Maddock, Alsager. Roses. The leading prizes in the classes for 48 distinct varieties, 36 distinct varieties (trebles), 24 distinct varieties, 12 distinct -varieties, and 12 distinct Teas, three blooms of each, were won by Messrs. Dickson & Sons, Newtownards. The best collection of hardy flowers was from Mr. H. Deverill, Banbury. Fruit and Vegetables. Collection of nine Dishes of Fruit, to exclude Black and White Grapes.— 1st, the Right Hon. Lady Beaumont, York ; . 2nd, Lord Bagot, Rugeley. Collection of six dishes, Pines excluded.— 1st, Mir J. W, Pease, Gnisborough ; 2nd, Earl of Harrington, Derby. Four Bunches of Grapes.— 1st, the Right Hon. Lady Beau- mont, York ; 2nd, T. Bolton, Oakamoor. Two Bunches Black Hamburgh Grapes.— 1st, the Right Hon. Lady Beaumont ; 2nd, Lord Bagot, Rugeley. Two Bunches White Muscat Grapes.— 1st, Sir J. W. Pease, M.P., Guisborough ; 2nd, Lord Bagot, Rugeley. Six Peaches.— The Duke of Sutherland, Trenthain ; 2nd, Lord Bagot, Rugeley. Six Nectarines.— 1st, the Earl of Carnarvon, Burton ; 2nd, the Right Hon. Lady Beaumont. For the best collection of vegetables, six distinct kinds, the produce of seeds by Messrs. Sutton, 1st, Earl of Carnarvon. For collection of vegetables, six distinct kinds, to two of Messrs. Webb's varieties, 1st, Earl of Carnarvon. Collection (nine dishes) of vegetables.— 1st, Earl of Car- narvon ; 2nd, Right Hon. Lady Beaumont. Special Prizes. Silver Medals were won by the tallowing for trade exhibits :— Messrs. Dixon & Sons, Chester ; Messrs. Webb & Sons, Wordsley ; R. Sydenham, Birmingham; Edwards & Son, Nottingham ; Hinton & Sons, Pattison & Sons, F. Foulkes, Hewitt, Birmingham ; Sydenham, Tamworth ; Mrs. Hodg- kins, Forbes, Peed & Sons, and W. J. Birkenhead. Messrs. Wiute and J. Hill & Sons were awarded Gold Medals. Answers to Correspondents. Ash Leaves: Sir C. S. — Your Ash leaves are affected by a dipterous larva— a species of Cecidomyia. Asters Damping Off : T. The Asters are attacked by a fungus which enters them below or near the surface of the soil, and passes upwards, causing discoloration and softening of the plants. It is a form of damping off, though the fungus which causes it is not the one which brings about moat cases of this trouble. Use the same pre- cautions as for all damping off, namely as much ventilation as possible, and careful watering. If the soil were top-drested with some fungicide like " Veltha," or sprinkled with finely-powdered iron, sulphate mixed with a large quantity of ashes and some quicklime, the early stages of the fungus would be checked. There is a useful article on treatment of Asters to prevent damp- ing, in Gardeners' Chronicle, June 11, 189S, which you would do well to consult. Bedding-out : J. B. We should plant in the central bed of the middle group for summer dis- play an Aralia papyrifera, 3 feet in height, and surround it with mixed tuberous-rooted Bego- nias, with aD edging of Dactylis glomerata. In the two other groups, the central bed might be furnished with a specimen Fuchsia, or dwarf Cannas, three or four together ; or Ricinus Gib- soni, or a small group of Plumbago capensis, or varieties of Grevillea, with zonal Pelargoniums or Begonias planted around, and some dwarf edging-plant to finish off with. If you wish to have masses of colour in the other beds, the best varieties of Petunias, zonal and variegated- leaved Pelagoniums, Calceolarias, dwarf Agera- tum, Lobelias (blue) ; Verbenas, true to name, and the like, should be employed. Very pretty beds are formed by using some of these plants, set out rather widely, so as to permit of all-round development, and employ ' ' dot "-plants of Fuchsia, Gladiolus, the best kinds of tall-growing French and German Asters, Tagetes Guinea Gold, Calendula Meteor, and others ; French Marigolds, dwarf, double, and single - flowered Dahlias ; green-leaved Dracaenas, Celosia pyramidalis, &c. We would recommend for the spring bedding a free use of Pansies and Violas, Wallflowers, Allysum saxatile, Phlox divaricata (lilac), and others of dwarf, compact habit of growth ; Primrose Polyanthus in mixed colours, MyoBotis dissitiflora, Arabia, Iberis sempervirens, with Honesty. Hyacinths, Narcissus, Tulips, planted about amongst these, to give variety, and relieve the otherwise too great flatness of the beds. Aubrietias are not exactly suitable plants for flat beds ; they look better on rockwork, and are not unsuitable for edgings, provided the plants are set out on a low rocky ridge. Daisies are very prim-looking plants, looking better as edgings to beds filled with other plants than when employed as filling for beds. It might be desirable to break away from these stereotyped methods, and plant the beds with hardy herbaceous perennials of suitable sizes, employing annuals hardy and tender, and biennials such as Wallflowers, Canterbury Bells, Evening Primroses, Honesty, &c, amongst them, so as to obtain a fair display for eight months in the year, and at the least expenditure of labour and money. Books ; G. Mills. Horticultural Buildings, by F. A. Fawkes ; with 123 illustrations. Swan, Sonnenschein & Co., Paternoster Square, London.— Heating by Hot Water, by Walter Jones ; with 96 illustrations. Crosby, Lock- wood & Son, 7, Stationers' Hall Court, London. — O. K., 110. Select Ferns and Lycopods, by B. S. Williams, published at Paradise N ursery, Upper Holloway, London, N. Bowling-green Mossy: A Bowling -green. The subsoil being sandy, no artificial drainage will be necessary. The grasses have died out from lack of nutriment, and allowed Moss to usurp the soil. Do nothing before early September, then dress heavily with heavy loam, wood-ashes, and rotten duDg from cow-sheds, or, failing that, from farm-stables, and dig one spit deep. Level and sow grass-seeds, or lay fine clean turf. Celery-leaf Miner : W . Fulford. Nip the grubs with the thumb-nail, and remove and burn the worst affected ones. Cucumber with Leaf-spot : R. F. A leaf- blight caused by a fungus of the Cladosporium type. The disease is more likely to be checked by preventive treatment than by attempting to cure it at this stage. Ventilation may check it, and Bordeaux Mixture or Strawsonite might be sprayed on at once. To prevent the disease in future, thoroughly cleanse the frames or houses with lime- wash before placing the plants in them. Young plants should also be sprayed with one of the above fungicides as a preventive measure. Cucumbers Turning from Green to Yellow : A. K., 110. The result probably of coldness in the bed. Fumigation will keep aphis in cheer, and syringing once or twice a day will do good to the plants, providing the night temperature is 65°— 70", and that of the day S0°— S5° or 90°. Hollyhocks : F. D. Affected with the Mallow fungus, Puccinia malvacearum ; spray with J-oz. of potassium sulphide in a gallon of water. Burn the affected leaves. Lily-buds Deformed : E. and F. B. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a minute fungus, is the main cause of the Lily disease, being aided by the presence of "green fly.'' Spray at once with a solution of potassium sulphide. The bulbs should be examined in the autumn, and all those having minute black bodies (sclerotia) about the size of a Turnip-seed imbedded in the scales of the bulb should be destroyed, as the mycelium of the fungus is in the tissues of such, and will start the disease next season. G. M. Midge Grubs in Water : Twenty-five years' Subscriber. If you could cover the tank with boards or corrugated sheet-iron, making it quite dark beneath, the grubs would die, and the water not be rendered unfit for laundry purposes. Names of Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number. — E. L. Embothrium coccineum. — S. A. B. Symphytum patens. — A. S. Medicago lupulina.— W. T. 1, Geranium pratense, L. ; 2, Papaver pilosum, Sibth. and Smith ; 3, Galega orientalis, Lam. — Nemo. Syringa Josika?a.— F. C. 4, Allium Moly ; 5, Scilla peruviana; 6, Polymonium creruleum. — /. D. A good variety of Dendrobium moschatum. — /. M. 1, Abutilon variegatum ; 2, Croton angustifolium ; 3, Maranta picta ; 4, Hibiscus Cooperi ; 5, Acalypha musaica ; 6, Glechoma hederacea variegata (variegated Ground Ivy). — C. S., Luton. The white form of Syringa Emodi. —Constant Reader. 1, Cassia corymbosa ; 2, Rhus Cotinus ; 3, Abelia rupestris ; 4, Philadel- phia microphyllus ; 5, Deutzia crenata flore-pleno ; 6, Colutea arborescens. — Norfolk. 1, Cypripe- dium Stonei ; 2, Thalictrum minus ; 3, Dielytra eximia (Dicentra) ; 4, Tradescantia virginica ; 5, Antherieum liliago. — W. A. 1, Stachys lanata ; 2, Ruscus aculeatus : 3, Cupressus Lawsoniana ; 4, send in flower , 5, Peperomia argyraa ; 6, Pulmonaria officinalis ; 7, Maranta zebrina. —/. T. 1, ^Erides odoratum ; 2, Phlomis fruticosa ; 3, Ligustrum vulgare ; 4, Ampelopsis quinquifolia. —A. M. 1, Carex pendula; 2, Lysimachia vulgaris ; 3 and 5, Veronica amethystina ; 4, (Enothera Youngi ; 5, Veronica ; 6, Tradescantia virginica. — W. T. Trapegopogon pratensis, Agaricus arvensis, used for Catsup. — W. D. 1, Orchis maculata ; 2, Habenaria bifolia. — B. C. 1, Cotoneaster nummularifolia ; 2, Cerastium tomentosum ; 3, Veronica Teucrium ; 4, Poly- gonum aflfine ; 5, Sedum reflexum ; 6, next week. —X. 1, .Erides maculosum ; 2, Rhododendron hirsutum ; 3, R. ferrugineum. — E. M. Orchis pyramidalis, Campanula glomerata. — T. T. Phlomis fruticosa, Chrysanthemum coronarium var.— F. H. Carduus Marianus, the Virgin's Thistle. — W. T. 1, Geranium pratense; 2, Adiantum capillus - veneris ; 3, Xylophylla lati- folia ; 4, Woodwardia radicans ; 5, Cyrtomium falcatum ; 6, Spanish Iris ; 7, Erigeron speciosus. —A'. Y. Z. Crinum longifolium (Thunb.); C. capense (Herb.). Peach Leaves : J. O. Affected by the shot-hole fungus. Spray with weak Bordeaux Mixture next spring. Burn all the affected leaves. Peas Diseased : Subscriber. A fungus called Ascochyta pisi is causing the damage to the Peas. No fungicide has up to the present been suc- cessful in checking the disease ; Bordeaux Mix- ture is the only substance at all likely to be of Bervice. Diseased plants should be removed, otherwise the infection will continue to extend. G. M. Poor Produce from Begonia Seed : H. L. The seed must have been saved from inferior varieties. Streptocarpus : E. T. Fine specimens, indicative of good culture. Vines : H. B. P. A bad case of spotting from a fungus— Glasosporium. Turn the Vines out, and burn them. Communications Received.— W. B. G.— J. J. W-—W. K.— L. 8. S. -Smith Bros.-J. J. W.-E. C.-B. W.-J. C & Op. -J. J. C.-S., Newry.-A. S., Reading. -W. G S.-W. E. — C S, Towyn. — E. M. — Editor G. M. — C. W. D.— 5. W. F.— E. 8.— W. 8.— 8. A.— Aylmer (uext weik)] (For Markets a whitish ground. Segments yellow ; flowers in racemes. Dendrobium devonianum, Paxt. — Flower-segments white tipped with violet-pink; lip fimbriate, rounded, with two- yellow spots at the base, and a violet blotch in front. L.ELI4 ANCEPS VAR. ALBA, Rchb. f. L^lia Jongheana, Rchb. f. — Flower-segments spreading, flat, lilac ; lip projecting, convolute at the base, with a frilled* lobe in front ; throat traversed by yellow raised lines. L.elia superbiens, Ldl. — Flower-segments narrow, spread- ing, rosy-lilac ; lip projecting, three-lobed, two basal lobes, rounded, erect ; anterior lobe much larger, with a yellow throat. Masdevallia bella, Rchb. f.— Flowers triangular, creamy- yellow, with purple spots ; segments prolonged into long tails ; lip much shorter, shell-like hyaline. Oncidium Phal-enopsis, Rchb. f. — Flowers racemose, seg- ments white with purple spot ; lip flat, three-lobed, white. Oncidjum incttrvum, Barker. — Flowers white, with narrow violet segments ; lip three-lobed, anterior lobe rounded. ■ Pescatorea Klabochorum, Rchb. f. — Flowers large,, segments oblong acute, white with violet tips, spreading ; petals smaller ; lip violet-purple veined, and with a raised transverse process at the base. KEW NOTES. Veratrum californicum. — Striking as are some of the Veratrums for their foliage and appearance, the subject of this note is the best of them all. As the name implies, it is a native of North - western America, where it is found growing among other places, in the region of the Wellingtonias. It is a stately plant from 5 to 6 feet high, with leaves 9 inches wide and 14 inches long, surmounted by a 2 feet panicle of greenish-white flowers. It has attained the above proportions in a border, but probably it would grow still larger on the edge of a lake or stream. Iris aurea var. intermedia. This plant ippeared amongst a batch of seedlings of Iris orientalis, the seed of which was received from Asia Minor. It is evidently intermediate between I. aurea and 1. orientalis. With the deep yellow colour of I. aurea, it has the narrow standards of I. orientalis. The limb of the fall is ovate, not long and elliptical as in I. aurea, but it shows its affinity to that species by having the same crisped margin. It flowers at the same time as the latter, just when the last flowers of I. orientalis are disappearing. It is a welcome addition to the number of late flowering Irises. W . I. Orchid Notes and Gleanings. DICTIONNAIRE ICONOGRAPHIQUE DE3 ORCHIDEES. The May number contains coloured illustrations of the following Orchids : — Arachnanthe Lowii var. Warocqueana. — One of the curious dimorphic Orchids. Cattleya Trian.ei var. Massanoeana, Rchb. f.— A variety having lilac stripes on a pale ground. Cypripedium nitens var Sallieri, Hansen. — A hybrid between C. villosum and C. insigne. Cypripedium Helvetia, O'Brien. — A hybrid 1 etween C. Chamberlainianum and C. Philippinense, describe! in our columns by Mr. O'Brien. Forestry. GAME COVERTS AND SYLVICULTURE. (Continued from p. 5.) Or course, soil and situation greatly affect both quality of timber and underwood, but unless on the very best ground, I have never seen the Oak make long, clean stems unless standing close enough to> render the underwood beneath of firewood value only, say 20s. to 30s. per acre. To bring woods of this kind into the condition pictured by Prof. Schlich, and te keep them in that condition on game-preserving estates, is not an easy matter. The first thing that requires doing iathe> taking out of as many wide-crowned trees as possible, even if patches of ground are entirely cleared in the process. This gives room for plant- ing clumps of Oak and Ash, which can be sur- rounded by wire netting for four or five years until out of danger, while stout Ash four or five feet high can be put in wherever room exists for tbem. To fence off every piece of underwood when cut in order to protect the newly-planted standards, is out of the question on most estates. The netting requires to be kept up for at least four or five years to be of any use, and with underwood cut every ten years, this would mean the netting-in of half the entire area, an extent which no pro- prietor who studied his shooting would allow. Even with planting at intervals of twenty years., one-fifth of the area would have to be enclosed in this way, and I think few proprietors, and certainly no keeper, would approve of even this proportion being partially removed from his unrestricted beat. But whatever plan be adopted for protecting the planted trees, their subsequent success practically depends upon the suppression of the underwood for 2 or 3 yards round about them, until they are out of danger of being overtopped, or drawn up too spindly. If planted at 6 or S feet apart, the whole of the intervening underwood must be cut back for three or four years, for head-room alone will not do when the surrounding underwood gets several feet ahead of them, as it does by about the third or fourth year if not cut back. To raise Oak standards under these conditions, and on the principle advocated by Prof. Schlich, therefore, three or four times the time and atten- tion now bestowed upon such woods would have td be expended ; and on estates where the forester's staff is reduced to a minimum, or he has other duties to perform outside the woods, this is not easy to arrange. It is very rarely that the more important covers are shot through before the end ot December; and whatever work of any importance has to be done must be carried out in the first four months of the year, or in early autumn, August or Sep- tember. During the nesting season, and the last three months of the year, all wood-work must be suspended, and in the r maining period at his July 14, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 23 disposal, the forester usually has his hands full, and tinds but little time for any but very necessary work. In old coppice woods, again, it is very rarely that the coupes and rides are so arranged that the former can be conveniently or economically netted round without crossing the latter ; aud in such cases gates have to be provided, and gates mean that rabbits soou gain an entrance to the enclosed area. In woods with tides laid out for shooting purposes only, and which run at right angles to each other, no great difficulty presents itself. number scattered over one or two hundred acres, as the case may be. With the grouping system, the area enclosed by netting need not amount to more than ."> per cent, in aDy case ; and in small woods, periods may elapse between the planting-years in which it can be removed altogether. The under- wood or coppice will be less valuable, perhaps, but in Professor Schlich's example this does not make more than 13 per cent, of the total yield, which will be more than balanced by the increased production of timber in the groups, and suffi- cient underwood can be grown to provide the patches of rough grass, &c. , will be included, for such growth is the most important element in all- round game covert, however objectionable it may be from a sylvicultural standpoint. If proprietors of woodlands would ignore keepers' fads, and be content with a reasonable head of game, forestry and game preserving might go hand- in-hand fairly well, but so long as the woods are valued more for the number of birds they will hold than the timber they can grow, it is in vain that we shall look for any marked improvement in their management. A. C. Forbes. Fig. 4. — rose pink roamer. With all due deference to Professor Schlich's opinions, therefore, I hold that in woods of the kind we have to deal with here, and under the existing conditions, «ven aged groups of standards, with Hazel and Ash underwood, are more easily raised and managed, and will produce cleaner and tetter timber than standards grown on the orthodox principle by mixing up all age classes together. As regards the question of cover, there is practically no difference between a fifteen or twenty years' growth of coppice and a young group of timber-trees of the same age or even older ; and as a question of economy, it is much simpler and cheaper to rai e a given number of standards on a compact area of four or five acres, than the same necessary cover, and protect the soil at the same time. So far as game covert alone is concerned, I am convinced that one system of forestry is as good as another, provided areas of suitable size are cleared and replanted at proper intervals. Three parts of the cry for artificial covert arises from the too uniform condition of entire woods or large areas, and if proprietors generally would only adopt a proper system of clearing and replanting, or its equivalent in sylvicultural language, British woods would soon show a marked improvement. Of course, some concessions must be made by the forester, and amongst these a reasonable toleration of surface vegetation in the shape of Brambles, ROSE PINK ROAMER. (See fig. 4.) This beautiful single-flowered Rose was exhibited by Messrs. W. Paul & Son of Waltham Cross, Herts, at the Royal Horticultural Society's meet- ing at the Drill Hall, Buckingham Gate, on June 5 last. The variety is a cross between Rosa Wichu- riana and another unknown variety or species. It is a rambling Rose, makiDg shoots of great length, and flowering with much freedom. The flowers measure from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and are of a rich rose-tint, and have a white centre. It received an Award of Merit when shown at the meeting. 24 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 14, 190O, Plant Notes. — ♦— CAMPANULA ABIETINA. Thjs distinct Campanula is not always satis- factory, and I rarely see a note about it to say how it does in other gardens. Flowers are borne freely at the beginning of July, not unlike those of C. patula, but larger ; but although the plants, when first flowering, show compact and dense tufts of radical leaves, the tufts soon get a straggling untidy habit, and do not flower well again. It seems to me to flower best in alternate years, but not in the same place. After flowering I cut it down, and when it has recovered, I take off the most vigorous parts of the tuft and transplant them, watering them well. These generally grow through the next summer without flowering, but flower well the second year. In this way, by a little manage- ment, flowering plants may be had every year ; but with me, if neglected, the stock is soon lost. I wonder whether it is more persistent in the same spot on other gardens if left to itself. C. Wolley Dod, Edge Hall, Malpas. The Herbaceous Border. ASTRANTIA HELLEBORIFOLIA. Inconspicuous in their colouring, the Astrantias or Masterworts are not held in high favour by those who like brightly-coloured flowers. At the present time the subject of this note, perhaps the best of the genus, is in bloom in my garden, which I can see by giving a turn of my chair. Although it is pretty as thus seen with its heads of flowers, which look pale pink a little distance away, ele- vated on stems some 3 feet high, it is much more pleasing when one walks up to it and studies the combination of colours these blooms give. The involucres which surround the little flowers, which in an umbel (for the Astrantias belong to the Umbellifem) makes up the centre, are pale pink, tipped with bright green on the under surface, and a deeper green on the points above. The flowers themselves show a pleasing harmony of palest sea- green and pale pink, through which one sees the deep crimson of the centre of the involucre whence the flowers spring. The leaves are pleasing with their three-lobed formation, and the whole plant is pretty to look at a little distance away. This species is of very easy culture, and is indeed a little apt to need restraint in some gardens, where it runs much at the root. In the light and dry soil of my garden it grows well, although theoretically it ought to have a moist position. Astrantia helleborifolia is a native of Carniola, and was introduced in 1804. It often passes under the name of A. maxima, but helleborifolia is now that generally accepted. It may be grown from seeds, or increased by division of the roots in spring or autumn. It begins to bloom in June, and lasts in flower for several months, especially if it be pre- vented from forming seed. Incabvillea Delavayi. We have had few introductions within recent years among hardy border flowers which will equal in point of beauty the fine Incarvillea Delavayi. Its handsome Gloxinia-like flowers, with their rich colour, are surpassed in beauty by any other hardy herbaceous perennial. It looks, however, to some to be a plant too tender for our climate, and those who have been disappointed with its congener, I. Olgie, were not to be blamed for fearing that Delavay's plant would not be reliable in our gar- dens. Fortunately, their fear has been groundless, and what I consider a somewhat severe test, makes me recommend this species more strongly. With a view to test it thoroughly, I planted it in what I consider the coldest and most unfavourable part of my garden for a plant whose hardiness may be doubtful or unproved, namely, a border facing almost north-east, and where scarcely half an hour's sunshine reaches it in the course of the day, and no shelter is afforded. H 're an old and two young plants of Incarvillea D lavayi have been grown for two years. The young ones have not reached flowering size, but the older plant has flowered twice, and has stood out two winters without any kind of protection. It is now in bloom, and the test has been severe enough to satisfy me. Last spring was very trying for plants in that aspect, and for the first time in my know- ledge even, a plant of Clematis Jackmanni, which was planted in the same border fifteen years ago, was killed after it had made some growth. At that time Incarvillea Delavayi was snug under the ground. So long was it in putting in an appear- ance, that I began to be afraid that it was fated to be numbered among the lost. Fortunately it came up all right. This plant ripened seed last year. DlANTHUS HYBRIDUS "BEAUTY." Recent years have given us many good plants which have originated in nurseries where these forms have appeared as the result of hybridisation or of natural variation. The Dianthi have been very prolific of such forms, to the lasting benefit of all those who admire these charming and generally deliciously-fragrant flowers. The increasing taste for single flowers has also led to the retention of seedlings which would some years ago have been destroyed because they were single, however beautiful they were in other respects. A striking and beautiful single Dianthus has been grown here for several years, and it is so effective just now that I feel it ought to be named for the benefit of others. It is called Beauty, and it receives uni- versal admiration from those who see it. It is a fine rock-garden plant, but is suited for the border as well, a position in which it cannot fail to be of use because of its upright habit and its free flowering. Even an old plant gives flowers at least 2h inches across ; these are of the purest white, perfectly circular, with a broad zone of dark maroon in the centre, and beautifully fringed. It reminds one of some of the Cyclops forms, but is prettier than any of those, besides making more "grass," having a neat habit of growth, and need- ing no support. S. Arnott, Carsethorn-by- Dum- fries, N.B. Veronica neglecta. There is a plant figured under this name in Sweet's English Flower Garden, tab. 55. It is one of those many garden forms of herbaceous Veronica which may puzzle the botanist, but I have no doubt it is V. incana x V. spicata, as it has at various times appeared in various places in my garden, always where these two assumed parents grew near one another, and the spontaneous seedlings were left. The form of V. spicata which suits the cross best is var. hybrida. The cross is better as an ornament than either parent, being very compact and flowery ; the flower-spike is long, and the glaucous leaf of V. incana being reproduced. The hardy herbaceous Veronicas are not, as a rule, first- class, but as they are very prone to form hybrids, a good one may now and then be picked out in this way, where chance seedlings are left till they flower. C. Wolley Dod, Edge Hall, Malpas. The Rosary. PvOSE SPORTS AND SEEDLINGS. It always seems to me that in our Rose lists and catalogues it should be most distinctly stated whether a new Rose is a sport (or what the French call un accident fixe), or a genuine seedling, and this for two or three reasons. In the first place, I do not think as much credit is due to the origi- nator of a new sport as to the raiser of a new seedling. A grower walking through his ground notices a Rose which is different from all the others on the same plant ; he at once sees that it is something that ought to be looked after, and as soon as he persuades himself that the new variety is likely to be a valuable one, he sets to work to propagate it. He has, however, had no- share in producing it, and therefore I do not think that much credit is due to him. In very many instances the sport refuses to be fixed, and I have known a case where for years the attempt has been made, and had at last to be abandoned. As a rule, the sport exhibits flowers of the same shape and substance as that from which it originated, and is in all respects its counterpart, except in the matter of colour. Another reason why sports ought to be espe- cially mentioned is, that some of them have an unpleasant way of reverting to the type ; a notable instance of this occurred in the case of that remarkably-coloured Rose, Sir Rowland Hill. A beautiful box of it was exhibited at the National Rose Society's exhibition at Edinburgh in 1887, and obtained a Gold Medal of the National Rose Society as a new Rose. The exhibitor did not state whether it was a seedling or a sport, and it was believed to be a seedling ; had it been stated that it was a sport, I think the judges would have asked that it might be shown again. Many were attracted by its beautiful claret colour,, and it was extensively sold (and so were those who bought it!), for the following season complaints came in from all quarters that it was nothing but Charles Lefebvre, and purchasers com- plained that their plants were nothing but that fine flower. Now had it been stated that it was a sport, I think purchasers would have held back until they could hear more about it. I do not think that there is any very jireat credit in sending out a Rose of this character. I once found in a friend's garden in the north, that very beautiful Sweet Briar Bport Janet's Pride, but I never claimed any credit for the discovery ; and when after a time I presented some plants of it to my good friend Mr. George Paul, who sent it out, I would not have my name in any way connected with it, as I was sure it would give a. false impression to Rose growers— and yet I think there are few flowers which have gained greater popularity than this has done. Another Rose which has gained the Gold MedaJ has been that very beautiful one of Mr. Piper's Sunrise ; this is a sport from Sunset, which is itself a sport from Perle des Jardins, and I think we may look upon this now as really fixed— a large number of plants have been distributed, but I have not heard complaints of any as reverting to the type. The Rose from which they both sprang is one which is very apt to divide ; but I do not think the same complaint is made of Sunrise, owing perhaps to its not being quite so full of petals. These sports, however much they may differ in colour, nearly all retain the form of the type. I say nearly all, because some doubt has been thrown, upon the origin of Merveille de Lyon, some saying thatit is a seedling from Baroness Rothschild, others that it is only a sport of that flower from which it so widely differs in form, that I think following the rule in such cases it must be a seedling, and not a sport. Several sports come to us froro America, but they are variable in their character. When I contrast seedlings with sports, I do not refer to those seedlings which in former days came from heps gathered at haphazard from the Rose- garden, but as always now-a-days (at any rate with our home-raised flowers), when they are the results of careful cross-breeding, and when a good deal of judgment has to be exercised as to what parents should be selected for the cross. If anybody wilt refer to the treatise on the Hybridisation of Roses by Mr. Walter Easlea, published by the National Rose Society, he will see how much judgment is necessary in this matter, and therefore he will see how much more credit is due to those who, proceeding on scientific principles, endeavour to give us the results of their judgment and experience. I believe I am not far wrong in saying that this artificial crossing was not exercised by any foreign Rose- grower until quite recently ; and yet it is some- what remarkable that since they have professed to carry it out, they have produced no flowers among the dark-coloured section comparable tc Joi.y 14, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 25 those which they sent us in former years. A. K. Williams, Alfred Colornb, Charles Lefebvre, Dr. Andry, Duke of Wellington, Fisher Holmes, General Jacqueminot, Horace Vernet, Louis Van Houtte, Marie Baumann, Prince Camille de Rohan, Reynolds Hole, Xavier Olibo, are Roses which were raised in what 1 might call the pre scientific period, many of them between thirty and forty years ago, and yet there has nothing been produced during recent years which cau at all equal them. 1 think this is a very remarkable fact, and I cannot but cease to wonder why it is now that we get none of these high-coloured Roses from the continent. It is the same way with the Teas ; the old vane- ties, such as Anna Olivier, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Catherine Mermet, Rubens, Devoniensis, Innocente Pirola, Jean Ducher, Madame Cuain, Marie Van Houtte, Niphetos, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, Souvenir dun Ami, still hold their place amongst the very best of the kind. In fact, although new Teas are every year advertised by the dozen, very few find their place in the front rank ; while in those that are announced, we find the parents nowadays very frequently put forward. The interest which is taken in Roses is evidenced in various ways : thus the other day I had a letter from a corre- spondent who wanted very much to know if there was any book published, either in England or abroad, which would enlighten her as to the parentage of our Roses. I answered that so far as I knew there was none, and in fact as regards some of our oldest and most valued varieties, it seemed to be impossible, because we knew nothing whatever concerning some of them. There is one other point in connection with these sports to which I have alluded, which is of some interest, namely, why it is that the Rose and the Chrysanthemum are the only florists' flowers (so far as I know) which are subject to this variation. I never knew, for instance, a sport of the Carnation or Piootee, the Dahlia, or the Auricula. [We have frequently seen sports from all of these, and have no doubt they are much more ■common than our correspondent suggests. Ed.]. And why these two flowers should be so sub- ject to them, is one of those mysteries which I suppose we cannot solve. The Rose is a flowering shrub, and the Chrysanthemum a herbaceous plant ; and though so unlike in character, are similar in their tendency to this accidental varia- tion. There is one Rose, a favourite everywhere, and unsurpassed in the brilliancy of its colour and its many excellent qualities, of which, I believe, "the parentage is not accurately known — I mean Marechal Niel. We had hoped ere this that some- thing might have arisen from it, but it still remains facile princeps amongst jellow Roses. Wild Rose. Market Gardening. ♦ STRAWBERRIES. That the cultivation of Strawberries for market 4ias become a large industry in some counties no one will deny, and in spite of the increased quantity grown, it is an industry well worth engaging in by those who possess the necessary knowledge and •capital. The matters of situation, suitability of soil, and railway facilities, must receive due consi- deration before making a beginning, otherwise the ■venture may turn out anything but a success. The fact of having a railway within easy distance •must not be thought a sufficient reason for ensur- ing that quick dispatch of the fruit that is neces- sary when picking is in full swing. The directors of the London & South- Western Railway does what may reasonably be expected of such an en- lightened company, it fits up vans for the carriage of the fruit, which it conveys in special trains at hours convenient for the market-growers. When dt is considered to what a high pitch the growing of Strawberries has arrived in some parts of the country, the subjoined startling figures will not appear so very startling to those persons who are ■acquainted with this industry. In the Sarisbury (Southampton) district there are more than 5,000 acres under Strawberries alone. From Swanwick and Botley stations, which are both in the district, no fewer than 61, ISO baskets, or 130 tons, of Strawberries left these two railway- stations on June 25. This represents but one day's picking. Figures like these go far to prove the vastness of the quantities of Strawberries gathered, and the great extent of land under this crop. I have seen as many as 2ij,000 baskets of fruit stand- ing on the railway platform at one time. Numbers such as these show the necessity of special facilities for coping with the transit to the great centres of population. The site of a Strawberry field should by preference be on a gentle Blope to the south, with shelter from north and easterly winds, usually prevalent in the months of April and May, more especially in the eastern counties. The quality and texture of the soil is of equal importance to the site, for although the Strawberry is a plant that will grow in a great variety of soils, there are certain kinds of soil which are fatal to its successful cultivation, for instance, one that is chalky or water-logged. Abundance of moisture at the roots is necessary at certain times, but there must not be a superabundance during the winter months. An ideal soil is a deep, sandy loam, because it is easily worked, retains moisture, is much warmer than any other, and therefore conduces to the early ripening of the fruit, a point that must not be lost sight of by the market cultivator. Indeed, it is one of the most important when the profitable side of the enterprise is considered. If the subsoil allows of the rapid percolation of moisture after heavy and continuous rains, and the soil does not contain any excess of lime through the presence of chalk, Strawberries will succeed if the cultivation is suitable. I know acres of land occupied with Strawberries that have the appearance of a field sown with pebbles, so numerous are they on the surface ; yet Strawberry-culture is a success. In soil in which culinary Peas thrive, Strawberries will flourish ; potash is the chief mineral food of the Strawberry, as it is of Peas. Peas do not thrive in chalk soils, the growth being stunted and the haulm of a pale tinge, as though it was deficient in chlorophyll. The preparation of the soil has an important bearing on the crop ; and an excellent preparatory crop is one of Potatos, especially an early variety. Clean cultivation and manure in quantity being necessary for the Potato, and the early digging of the crop of Potatos allows the grower to plant his Strawberries at an early date. If the soil is some- what heavy, and has never been cultivated 1 foot in depth, it will be necessary to trench it. A poor soil should be well manured at th3 rate of 25 tons of half-rotted farmyard-manure per acre, which should be mixed with the top spit, the roots of Strawberries not going deeply into the soil. The best time at which to plant is early in the month of August. September, as a rule, is not a favourable month, the weather being usually dry, so that rooting does not take place readily. The month of October is often favourable for planting, and all planting should be finished before the month is out. The object of early planting is to enable the plants to become established before the cold weather begins, to make early and strong orowth in the spring, and afford a quantity of handsome fruit the first year. Of plants put out in spring, it may be stated that they neither produce fruits, nor make vigorous growth the first year, and thus much time is lost. The preparation of the plants is a matter that does not receive proper attention in some instances. The commoner method is to take the runners from the plants after the crop is gathered, irrespective of how they may have been treated, or of the age of the plants. It will be obvious to most readers that plants four or five years old are unable to produce runners having the vigour of those taken from plants of one year old ; moreover, the ground not having been trampled upon so much, the runners are not injured to the same extent. Runners should whenever possible be taken from a young plantation ; and as soon as the runners form, a workman should be sent along the rows lightening the soil with a hand-fork directly beneath the runners, and make them secure in their places with a stone or a clod. If this operation be carried out in the months of June and July, strong, healthy plants, well furnished with roots, will be available early in August for forming new plantations. Some cultivators layer the runners in small pots, a system that answers very well when a small number is wanted ; but where thousands of plants are required, layering in pots is too laborious. Young plants dug up and planted without delay start into growth more readily than others grown in pots, more especially if the roots of the former cling to the pots closely. Under all circumstances, then, the preparation of the plants in the open ground is preferable to layering into pots. If there is one phase in Strawberry-culture on a large scale of more importance than another, it is that of variety. To the market man in a general way the question of flavour, or in other words quality, is of secondary importance as compared with early ripening. One week will lower the price from 10s; to 5s. per gallon, and that is a serious matter to the Strawberry cultivator. Of course, the customer demands reasonable size as well as earliness. For example, King of the Earlies is the first variety to mature, but the fruit is so small as to be practically unsaleable, at least with a reasonable return for the cost of production. It is a mistake to grow many varieties, unless in a small way for testing purposes. Cultivators of thirty or more acres generally confine themselves to four varieties. The following I can well recommend for cultivating on either small or large scale, for I have had many opportunities of seeing them under cultivation, and am able to speak with the greatest confidence of their merits. Placed in their order of ripening, Laxton's Noble comes first. It was awarded a First-class Certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society when shown at South Kensington in 1884, and received an Award of Merit two years later. Its exact parentage seems a little doubtful, but it was said to have been obtained from Forman's Excelsior, crossed probably with Sharpless, an American variety introduced thirty years ago. The plant is very productive, the fruit of large size, broadly conical in form, and of a bright crimson colour. The flesh is soft, and the flavour only moderately good. As a rule, it ripens four days before any other variety, and for that reason alone it deserves to be cultivated. Leader, another of Laxton's raising, is likely soon to take a high position as a market variety. It is the result of crossing Latest-of-All and Noble, and it received an Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1S9.3. The growth of the plant is moderate, the fruit very large, wedge-shaped, or bluntly conical. The flesh firm, of a deep scarlet colour, and excellent flavour, and borne in great abundance ; it ripens about four days later than Noble, and is, perhaps, the best market Strawberry in existence. Royal Sovereign, another of Messrs. Laxton's varieties, was obtained in 1892 from Noble crossed with King of the Eirlies ; it has an excellent con- stitution, growth vigorous, producing large obovate, or oval leaflets ; the fruit is extremely large, conical, or flattened in shape ; of a bright, glossy- scarlet tint, with white, rich, firm flesh. It ripens about the same time, as Leader, and should be grown wherever the plant succeeds. Sir Joseph Paxton is still the most generally cultivated of all varieties, but it is doubtless destined in course of time to make way for those which I have named. The more advanced cultiva- tors are now substituting Leader and Royal Sovereign for Sir Joseph. This old variety crops freely, the plant grows strongly, and the fruit is large, handsome, rich is colour, and of good flavour. Moreover, the fruit being firm, bears transit with- out injury. In recent years this variety has shown a tendency to "go blighty," as the growers say, during spells of wet weather, and the fruit a liability to be attacked by fungus at different 26 TEE GARDENERS' CERONICLE. [Joly 14, 1900, stages, which prevents its swelling. The sudden occurrence of low temperature appears to me to be responsible for the attack. The variety will con- tinue to produce fruit for a longer period of time than any other, and on that account alone it is a valued market Strawberry. When alluding to the planting, I omitted to say at what distance the plants should be arranged. The rows require to be 30 inches apart, and the plants in the row 15 inches. This width between the rows admits of the land being cultivated with a horse-hoe, which is a great advantage. As soon as the crop of fruit is cleared off, the preparation of the plants for another season's crop must be taken in hand. With an ordinary bagging- hook (a large, heavy sort of sickle), the leaves are cut from the plants, all runners cut off, and weeds cleared away. New leaves with short stalks soon form, which give good protection to the crowns in the winter. In sandy loams digging among the plants is not practised, and it remains undug for usually four years, and rarely five and six, the utmost age of a plantation. At no time should weeds be allowed to get ahead to any great extent, as they rob the soil to the detriment of the Strawberries. In the spring the surface- soil is stirred and freed from weeds before "bedding down" is done, i.e., just previously to the plants coming into flower, long strawy manure or Barley-straw being employed. The manuring of established plants receives much attention, and a variety of circumstances have to be taken into account in its application to the land. In some kinds of land the plants continue to fruit and grow satisfactorily after being well manured at the start without any additional manure whatever. A good guide to the grower in this matter is the quantity of leaves that the plants make annually. Too much foliage is detrimental to the production of a big fruit crop, and as also is too little. Farmyard manure is a valuable stimulant no doubt, but its application is costly, and it is at times and in some places difficult to obtain. More- over, where annual digging between the rows of plants is not practised, farmyard manure as a fertiliser is almost useless ; and chemical manures are employed in it stead. The usual dressing consists of basic slag and kainit, at the rate of 3 cwt. of the former to 4 cwt. of the latter per acre. As this dressing is slow in its action it should be applied early in the month of November, bo that the autumnal rains may assist in its assimilation by the plantB. Early in the spring a dressing of some quick acting manure should be afforded. A chemical manure known as the Manchester Manure is highly thought of by many of the cultivators in the district around Botley and Southampton, it is sprinkled on the surface at the rate of 7 cwt. per acre, and its action as noticed in the foliage is very rapid. Retarding the ripening of the fruit, so as to extend the season during which Strawberries may be enjoyed, even if it be only for a fortnight, is a point worthy of consideration. How this may be done I am not at the present moment quite prepared to say. Perhaps the prompt removal of the first flower-trusses might induce others to form, and the fruit thus delayed several weeks. An experiment of this nature is worth a trial on a large scale. E. Holyneux. ENORMOUS HAILSTONES. If anything would induce a market-gardener, or indeed any possessor of glasshouses, to insure against damage by hail by belonging to the Nur- serymen, Market Gardeners', and General In- surance Corporation, Limited, it would be a heavy bombardment from out of the blue with such missiles as those delineated of actual size on p. 27. The "stones " were photographed by Mr. Warland Andrews at Abingdon on June 12, and we are indebted to the kindness of Mr. A. J. Monro, the manager of the aforesaid Corporation, for the opportunity of reproducing the photograph. Nursery Notes. • MR. AMOS PERRY'S HARDY PLANT FARM AT WINCHMORE HILL. I paid a visit to this establishment late in the spring, but found, as I had feared, I was a month too earty, many of the best things being only just in evidence, and some yet dormant, and still under the soil. However, I made a few notes, making a mental resolve to come at a later date. The late May frosts had punished severely German and other Irises and Day Lilies, so that a display of these handsome flowers, ordinarily a feature here, was a poor one. On enquiry, I found that the greater number of the plants are raised from seed, these proving hardier and more lasting, while if the seed be saved (as it is) from the best examples only, which, as a rule, are the smallest seed producers, the result is almost always an advance on the parent, either in Bize, colour, or habit. This is not, however, the case in every instance ; for example, the seedlings of the Alpine and Appenine Phloxes show a tendency to excessive degeneration, and as yet we have nothing finer than Phlox setacea atro-purpurea as a rock plant. A few of the most striking things noted are as follows, taken down as seen, with no attempt to classify : — Arenaria grandiflora, the large Swiss Sand-wort, covered with multitudes of snow-white blossoms, which in its natural habitat appears like patches of snow ; this is an excellent plant for a dry bank or rockery. Erigeron salsuginosus, a very early flowering " Stenactis," as it used to be called, and \ery like Stenactis speciosa. Of Geums there were many fine hybrids between atrococcineum, miniatum, and the yellow mon- tanum ; the more noticeable being G. aurantiacum, of a brilliant orange-red colour, the flowers of large size, and another being notable from its large deeply cut radical leaves, which change in early autumn to a deep purplish-crimson hue, and remain in evidence for the greater part of the winter ; G. Heldreichi x montanum was carrying flowers quite 1J inch in diameter, of a brilliant orange hue, almost as pronounced as that of Fortune's variety of the Asiatic " Globeflower, " Trollius Fortune). Near this plant, Trillium grandiflorum and its black form, T. g. atro-purpureum, were remarked, just a little past their best, but still quite attrac- tive. In the vicinity, the handsome foliage of another North American plant called for notice, viz , Podophyllum peltatum, which furnishes the podophyllin so much used by homceopaths ; this plant, if only for the sake of its handsome foliage, should find a place in every border of hardy her- baceous perennial plants. In a receptacle made for holding water, I noted the Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia flore-pleno), flowers white, and remaining on the plant for a great length of time. The single and double- flowered forms of Orobus vernus were very pretty, the latter being quite an acquisition to the spring garden. A bright golden mass, which at first sight I took to be Alyssum saxatile, proved on near inspection to be one of the golden Spurges — Euphorbia polychroma, but why many-coloured I could not understand, as it was uniformly golden in hue. Near it were rows of Heuchera, H. san- guinea, and its white sport, but the finest of the genus is Heuchera rubescens, though it is later in flowering. Mertensia virginica and the Canadian Phlox (P. canadensis) were in full flower, the latter at first sight more resembling the common Soapwort in style and habit. Mr. Perry has glass for propagating purposes only, and for the raising seedlings ; and he has a moderate success with the difficult Romneya Coulteri, which, though the seed is of his own saving and quite fresh, takes at least two years to germinate, and the great difficulty is to keep the seed-pans free from weeds, and to remove the plants while yet very small, or the young minute seedlings of the Romneya get disturbed, or uprooted with them. In one range I saw the neat and useful Anemone sylvestria, fl.-pl. , bearing a number of perfectly double white flowers like a Persian Ranunculus, which promises to be a useful plant for cutting purposes. Next it were plants of the "Prophet- flower, Arnebia echioides, or Lithospermum erec- tum, a free-flowering and useful plant. A very novel plant from Turkestan is Incarvillea Delavayi, said to be quite hardy ; it has foliage not unlike that of Bignonia radicans, and flowers like those of a Negelia, of a rich reddish-purple, which varies greatly by culture. In the same house, were many tufts of a pretty variegated grasB named Arrhenatherum bulbosum, which may be useful as an edging plant, as it is neat and pretty. Experience. THE CENTENARY OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. In the discussion that has arisen in conse- quence of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society having decided to recommend to the Fellows of the Society the desirability of cele- brating the centenary of the society by relinquish ing Chiswick, there seems to me a danger of there appearing to be a want of sympathy with the Council in the general work and management of the society's business by those who cannot see " eye to eye " with them in their recommendation in this par- ticular instance. As one opposed to the views of the Council in this matter, no one could deplore more sincerely than I should that anything which may have been said or suggested should in any way be construed or interpreted as a reflection on the Council. I speak with knowledge when I say that every member of the Council is inspired only by the feeling and deBire how best to serve the interests of th9 society. When the history of the Royal Horticultural Society comes to be written years hence, no name having been associated with it during its long life will shine more brightly as having been its best friend and servant than that of Sir Trevor Law- rence. It cannot be too well and widely known amongst gardeners that when Sir Trevor succeeded to the Presidency, the society, in consequence of a variety of causes, was apparently on its last legs, and to him is chiefly due the credit for the splendid position as regards popularity and the state of its finances which it occupies at the present time. Neither ought it to be forgotten that the Rev. W. Wilks, the energetic secretary, has been associated with Sir Trevor in the building up of the prosperity of the society ; and that for many years, whilst the finances were in low water, he gave gratuitously but ungrudgingly and cheerfully his best services to the society. Having lately stated my opinions on the undesirability of the council launching out on a scheme of a new garden in an inaccessible part of the country where no one is ever likely to go and see it, excepting members of the council and committees occasionally, I need say little. With all due respect to the opinions of many writers who say that this fifty acres of rough, arable land can be bought and converted into a garden worthy to represent the best aspects and interests of British horticulture for the matter of about £10,000, all I can say is, that from my long experience in similar work, that you could not even lay the foundations of the garden for this, sum, let alone the superstructure and completion of the same ; and it must be remembered that the first expense will not be the greatest, as this garden, if it is ever formed, will entail a charge of not less than £3000 per annum on the revenue of the society for all time, with comparatively little or no return in income. If it could be shown that the Council were pro- posing to undertake some original or new develop- ment in horticulture likely to benefit the industry, either practically or scientifically, one could under- stand the anxiety apparent for a new garden. Let the Royal Horticultural Society spend what money it may on a new garden, it is hopeless for it to hope Jily 14, 1900.1 THE GARDENERS1 CHRONICLE. 27 3 a 28 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [July H, 1900. to attain to the perfection in any branch of horti- culture that is not already existent in our best private and commercial establishments throughout the kingdom, most of which, I think I may venture to say, are at the service of the society to show to any foreign or other friends interested in gardening. The Royal Agricultural Society of England does not spend its energies and income in trying to teach British farmers the art and practice of husbandry by occupying a farm of their own ; but it does so in a far more satisfactory and effective ■way by encouraging and stimulating agriculturists to greater efforts of perfection by bringing together in large exhibitions, the best produce of the whole country. This is what we should like the Royal Horticultural Society to do for gardening. The principle of having an expensive garden for the society is played out. It has had its chance and has fallen behind in the race, and it would be about as profitable to " work a dead horse," or to " plough the sands of the sea shore," as to think of establishing another. I have already said that the condition of the Society was at a low ebb when Sir Trevor Lawrence accepted the Presidency. What policy under his guidance did the Council then adopt which has brought about such happy results in the present ■success of the society ? Surely no one will say that Chiswick can lay claim to having helped to ■bring about this marked success. To what then is it due ? I respectfully say that in my opinion it is due almost entirely to the Policy of the Council in establishing the fortnightly and Temple shows in the heart of London. If then it be conceded that our success, both in the number of Fellows, and in the greater and wider influence the society is now exercising on 'behalf of Horticulture is due to this cause, may it •not be pertinently asked : Why do we not nourish -and make much of this "nest egg" — "this goose that lays the golden eggs " — by making a cordial and unanimous effort to Becure a proper hall of horticulture in London ? It would cost little more than the garden, and instead of being afterwards a drag on the resources of the society in the way of outgoings, as the garden would do, it is not too much to say that a handsome income would result from the services which the hall might be put to ; aud without particularising farther, it would be no ■hardship for the society to follow the example of the Royal Agricultural Society, by charging the trade for exhibits therein for advertising purposes ; this in itself would bring in a considerable revenue. The Drill Hall has always been considered a make-shift, and was never intended to be a per- maaent home of the socitty. Moreover, in view of the greater amount of time and attention likely to be given to military training in the future, we may any day find ourselves minus a home, as I under- stand we are only tenants at will. It is acknowledged freely that there are at least two difficult problems to solve, before the course is •open to the erection of a hall. The first is the ■necessary funds, and the second is where to find an eligible site. If the funds are forthcoming in sufficient volume, the second would, I hope, not prove so formidable, as there must be plenty of poor tenements around Westminster, which could be bought and pulled down to make room for the hall. If it is a fact as stated by some correspondents, that £27,000 was promised some years ago for this purpose, when the society was not by any means so popular as it is to-day, then it is not too sanguine a view to take that a like amount and probably much more would be forthcoming now. O. T. F. [The tendency now is to belittle Chiswick, but the conferences held there have been most service- able to horticulture ; and as we have the lease for another twenty years, we ought to make the best of it. We shall never again get such a garden at such a price, and if more encouragement and direc- tion were given, it might be rendered more valuable than it now is. Ed.] The Week's Work. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Young, Orchid Grower to Sir Frederick Wioa>. Bart., Glare Lawn. East Sheen, S.W. Oncidium sphacelation is a plant that soon dete- riorates in health whenever the potting material becomes dense and close from age and decay, and immense quantities of new roots form soon after the old is replaced with new material. Specimens may now be broken up and re-made, using well- drained pans and a mixture of equal parts of peat and sphagnum-moss. The plant grows well in a moderately light position in the warm-house, but a few degress leas heat, aud a freer circulation of air than is usually obtainable there, induces a more robust growth and stronger flower-spikes. Water is needed copiously during the growing season, but only sufficient to keep the pseudo-bulbs in a sound state is required when they have matured. Bolleas, Peseatoreas, Promenceas, a o ■>■ o ►3 > to ► o \ 34 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 14, 190& useful species of plants, was noticed Funkia cordata growing splendidly, at present possessed of numerous very strong spikes of its bluish flowers. The estate is terminated upon the south-west Bide by an Oak wood, the ground of which is more or less covered with the cheery bracken. This wood fortunately belongs to the estate, and some thousands of Primroses and flowering bulbs are being planted in it. On the same side, but a little nearer the house, is a small American garden and a Hose-garden ; and immediately under the residence, as already described, there is a kind of terrace-garden, pos- sessing a few simple beds, some of which are planted with Alternantheras and the like, and in which there are now placed a few large specimens of trimmed Laurels in tubs. The main carriage entrance to the estate ap- proaches the house from the north-east, and is, perhaps, 300 yards long. Near to this are several very beautiful Lebanon Cedars, also a tine Mul- berry-tree; and the general appearance of the scene, with its well-kept gravel paths and thickly studded greensward, is pretty. We have not yet alluded to a very important feature of the grounds, for so we must describe the water. There are several lakes, or rivulets, as the larger one may more fitly be described, and all are artificial. Two smaller ones at present are very attractive, they contain plenty of water, and its surface is bright with numerous flowers of the Nymphseas alba and sulphurea. But the longer one was made insufficiently well, and its sides too easily permit the water to filter through them ; consequently it is next to impossible to keep it filled with water during very dry weather. In its bed and around the sides are Typhas, Irises, and numerous other aquatic and bog plants ; but if such a scene is to be gratifying during summer, it is essential to maintain in it a sufficient quantity of water. Hymenocallis flava and the Irish Heaths were blooming splendidly. There is quite a number of such like species of plants in the beds near to the water, which at one point is spanned by a round, rustic, wooden bridge. Beds of Carnations promise splendidly. They succeed well in this garden. The principal houses consist of the range, illus- trated on p. 33, from a photograph taken by Mr. Gregory of Croydon from a point just below the larger rivulet. The step3 shown in the picture lead on to the centre of the terrace, which is shown but little in the photograph, but which consists of greensward and beds of ornamental plants. The raDge consists of seven span-roofed houses, running from north-west to south-east, one of which has not come into the focus of our photograph. Being in an ornamental part of the grounds, the houses themselves have been made attractive in appear- ance. They are about 25 feet long, 16 feet wide, and vary from 14 feet to 18 feet high. At the north - west end they all open into a delightful corridor, 80 feet long, in which at each end there are tempting recesses or ferneries built of " Pulhamite " stone. The corridor is just now a pretty picture, its walls and roofs being covered with Heliotropes, Jasmines, Bougainvilleas, Passifloras, Roses, Lapagerias, Pelargoniums, and the unique coloured Lasiandra macrantha, which succeeds here well. In house No. 1 there is grown a collection of hard-wooded plants, including Pimeleas, Acacias, Ericas, Epacris, Witsenia corymbosa, &c. , but its appearance is brightened by Celosias, Hydrangea Hortensia, and a lovely Solannm jasminoides, that, with a prodigal display of white blossoms, screens a rafter. No. 2 contains Cannas, Azaleas, Celosias, and Gloxinias, but it is intended to make this one a stove. All are very efficiently heated, and they can be made hot or cool divisions at desire. No. 3 is filled with Ferns in pots, and on the roof in flower are Bougainvillea and the lovely Begonia Gloire de Versailles. No. 4, which contains a collection of stove plants, at the present time looks very attractive. Nos. 5 and 6 are Orchid-houses. In the former are Cypri- pediums, Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, Thunias, &c. ; and in the latter a collection of Cattleyas, Sobralias, M iltonia vexillaria, and cooler growing Cypripeds. C. gigas, in many instances showing flower-spikes, succeeds splendidly. No. 7 is almost filled with Palms, and in the centre there is a fountain and basin. A large specimen of Brugmansia, 14 feet high, and planted out, gives a surprising number of blossoms. This range of houses is a most interesting one, and in few gardens have we seen a similar feature that was more pleasing. A little to the back of this range are three less pretending structures. One of them is filled with a collection of some hundreds of plants of Odonto- glossum crispum, many of which are now in bloom ; and the others contain Melons and Cucumbers respectively. There is also a nice light span-roofed Tomato-house, which just now contains a fine crop of fruits of an excellent variety, selected during some years by the present gardener. In the kitchen-garden to the north of the resi- dence there are several Peach-houses and vineries ; but most of the Vines are three-quarters of a cen- tury old at least, and will be renewed. One structure, however, contains Vines planted six years ago by Mr. A. Wright, who was then gar- dener here ; and in this house there is an excellent crop of fruit of Madresfield Court, Black Ham- burgh, and Foster's Seedling. The Foster's Seed- ling Grapes are really first-rate, there being fourteen bunches on each 15 feet long rod, and many of the bunches will weigh close upon 3 lb. In the fruit-garden there is a very extensive collection of Apples and Pears and Plums; but there are not many trees of each variety. There is a most satisfactory crop of Apricots in the case, where Peaches are also grown. The kitchen-garden crops are exceedingly pro- mising. The present gardener is Mr. W. J. Simp- son, who succeeded when Mr. Wright, about twelve months ago, took a similar position under Mr. Martin F. Sutton at Reading. P. THE WEATHEK IN WEST HERTS. A week of changeable but, on the whole, rather warm weather. On the 10th the temperature in shade rose to 84°, which has only once before been exceeded during the present summer. On the other hand, during the night preceding the 8th, the thermometer exposed on the surface of the lawn fell to within 4° of the freezing point— a very low reading for the midsummer month. Both at 1 foot and 2 feet deep the soil is at the present time slightly warmer than is seasonable. Rain fell on but two days of the week, the total measure- ment only amounting to about a tenth of an inch, and no rain-water at all has now passed through the bare soil percolation gauge for nearly eleven weekB. The winds were of about average strength, and came almost exclusively from some westerly point of the compass. The Greater Biudweed came first into flower on the 4th, or at a later date than in any year since 1891. E. M., Berkhamsted. EXHIBITION OF THE SOCIETY OF GERMAN ROSAR1ANS. Treves. — This large and prosperous Society, which with its bi-monthly journal and experimental garden is doing so much to encourage Rose-culture and the raising of new Roses in Germany, held its annual exhibition this year on June 27 and following days in the old imperial and archiepiscopal city of Treves on the Moselle, in the spacious grounds sur- rounding the Provincial Museum, and within sight of the imposing ruins of the ancient Roman palace. A more delightful setting for a Rose show it would be difficult to find ; the well-kept public grounds and promenades of the city were clothed in the brightest and freshest hues of their summer attire, whilst close at hand the red sandstone hills, bedecked with vineyards, villas, and forest, through which the river Moselle flows, met the eye whenever it wandered to the horizon. Everywhere around hovered the reposeful spirit of hoar antiquity, and when tired of admiring the newest and richest creations of the present day in the realm of the Queen of Flowers, the mind could turn to the memories of the glories of the past — Roman and mediaeval, imperial and ecclesiastical — which render the city one of the most attractive on this side of the Alps to the antiquarian. The district of Treves and Luxemburg has been for some years past noted for its Roses, and several large Rose nurseries have been formed in the towns and villages ; the taste thus created for this flower- is therefore much in evidence in the public and private gardens of Treves, and prepared the visitor for the wealth of beauty which awaited him in the grounds of the exhibition, and here everything was- in order for the opening ceremony in the forenoon of June 27. A large honorary committee of resi- dents of the city had interested themselves in the show ; whilst the general management was vested in an executive committee of twenty persons, the details being carried out by six sub-committees. In connection with the latter, it may be remarked that anticipating the presence of visitors from a. distance, who would be likely to make a short stay in the city, a sub-committee was appointed for arranging amusements and excursions to points of interest outside the exhibition. The respected and genial President of the Society, Herr Karl Druschki, of Gorlitz, Silesia, was present through- out the show, and was well supported by Mr. Peter Lambert, the head of the executive committee ;, Mr. Hoffmann, the superintendent of the Society's- experimental Rose-garden at Sangershausen, and others. Among the judges were Mr. Leon Simon, of Nancy ; Mr. W. Pfitzer, of Stuttgart ; Mr. F. Harms, of Hamburg ; Mr. Jensen, of Helsingborg, Sweden ; and other well known rosarians. England being represented by the writer ; and all can testify to the great kindness they received at the hands ofr the officials of the Society and the inhabitants of the city. The schedule was divided into two principal sections, viz , the classes for Rose plants (of all forms, from the tallest creepers down to the miniature bedding kinds), and those for cut Roses. The total number of claBses was 120, varying from 300 plants (or blooms) downwards ; of these, about seventy classes were open, the remainder being about equally divided between amateur and pro- fessional growers. There were also a few additional classes for implements and objects connected with Rose-culture. The Rose - plants, both standards and dwarfs, had been for the most part planted out in beds on sloping lawns in the early spring of this year, and in almost every case were growing and flowering finely. Indeed, considering the short time they had beeu planted, it was remarkable to- see such a result ; and when standing on the higher points of vantage and looking down over the masses of plants in full flower, the effect was exceedingly tine. This part of the exhibition will remain on view until the end of the summer. The cut Roses were exhibited in a handsome and tastefully-decorated tent ; they were for the most part set up in bottles and glasses on tables in the continental fashion. Although one missed the evenly dressed serried ranks of huge flowers which go to make up an English Rose show, still the quality of a large proportion of the flowers was exceptionally good, and the arrangement was very tasteful. Seedling Roses were an important feature, and several very promising novelties were exhibited by Dr. Midler of Weingarten, Mr. P. Lambert of Treves, Mr. N. Welter of Treves, and others, although the special prize of 1,000 marks (£50) was not awarded in this class, none of the seedlings- exhibited being considered worthy of this high honour. Among the best of the newer German varieties exhibited in the various classes were Grusa aus Teplitz (very fine, rivalling Marquise de Salisbury in colour, and of stronger growth) -y Jii.Y 14, 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. Eugenie Lamaroh aud Leonie Lamarob, two richly coloured dwarf Polyantha varieties ; BaldwiD, a good red Hybrid Tea iD the way of Exquisite ; Reichsgraf E. Kesselstatt, Tea, crimson, shaded with white ; Helene, climbing Polyantha, with pale pink flowers ; Oscar (Jordel, a line crimson H.P. ; and Fran Geheimrath von Boch, Tea, yellow tinted, and edged with red. Goldquells, yellow Tea, was fine in colour, but the plants were not growing vigorously. Other continental novelties well shown were Lucie Faure (Tea), Vicomtesse R. de Savigny (Tea), Monsieur Bunal (H.T.), Madame Louis Poucet (Tea), Flocon de Neige (white Polyantha), Georges Schwartz (deep yellow Tea), and Principessade Napoli (Tea). Hybrid Tea Aurora was also very finely shown. The principal prizea were awarded to Mr. Peter Lambert, of Treves (the Empress Frederick s Prize of Honour for novelties and seedlings, and the prize offered by the city of TreVeB for 250 standard plants) ; Messrs. I. Reiter & Sons, of Tn'ves (the prize offered by the Chamber of Commerce of Treves for standard plants, and the prize offered by the Horticultural Society of Darmstadt for dwarf autumn-blooming Roses) ; Mr. H. Rottmann, of Treves (the prize offered by the burghers of Treves for 100 standard plants) ; Dr. Muller, of Weingarten (the prize offered by the President of the Society for seedlings and novelties) ; Mr. I. B. Lamesch, of Luxemburg (Prizes of Honour for dwarf perpetuals, forcing Roses, and for bedding Roses) ; Messrs. Soupert & Notting, of Luxemburg (1st prize for 100 standard Tea Roses). For the most tasteful arrangement in the planting of groups, Mr. P. Lambert and Messrs. I. Reiter & Sons were equal lsta. Arthur William Paul, Waltham Cross. Home Correspondence. BYE- LAWS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. — When the Fellows see in print the bye- laws in Chapter VIII. which refer to voting by proxy, they will, 1 think, be as surprised aa I was myself when I heard these bye-laws read out before the Chairman put them to the vote at the close of last Tuesday's meeting. The amendment I pro- posed, and which had the support of the entire meeting, as also of the Chairman and the Council (as we supposed), was distinctly proposed aa an amendment to Bye-law 45, aa modified and pub- lished in the letter Mr. Wilks addressed to the horticultural papers last week. This was fully understood by the meeting, who were decidedly opposed to granting to the Council the power they asked for — a power they have not had for twenty - six years paat, and for granting which no sufficient reasons were adduced by the Chairman. When the bye-laws affected by this amendment were read out before the vote was taken, it was seen that the lawyer had retained the ob- jectionable features of No. 45, and had added my amendment as an additional bye-law. The position of the Fellows is undoubtedly strengthened by this new bye-law giving, aa it does, to any minority at a general meeting, which amounts to two-fifths of the total number of Fellows voting, the right to demand a poll of all the Fellows of the Society, but certainly the meeting intended that this right of appeal by such a minority should take the place in the bye-laws of Mr. Wilks' amended Bye-law No. 45, so that the Council should not have power to withdraw any question from the decision of a general meeting, unless two- fifths of the Fellows voting were in favour of their doing so. To declare, as our chair- man did, that such a decision on the part of the meeting would involve an entire want of confidence in the Council, was certainly not warranted by the facts of the case. But having taken this position, and further having intimated very clearly that if the meeting passed my amendment in the form in which it had been so unmistakeably approved, it might lead to the resignation of the Council, there was nothing for the Fellows to do but to vote aa desired by the Chairman. No one wishes to pass a vote of want of confidence in the Council ; but Sir Trevor Lawrence'a remarks certainly implied a want of confidence in the Fellows attending a general meeting, when suggesting resignation rather than acceptauce of an amendment which would give the Council all they asked for, provided only that two fifths of the Fellowa voting on any occasion were in sympathy with the Council. Absolute confidence between the Council and the Fellows ia most necessary in the best interests of the Society ; and by the passing of the amendment in the form in which it was submitted, giving power to the Council to appeal to all the Fellows when supported by any minority of two-fifths of those voting at a general meeting, would probably have prevented entirely any feeling of want of con- fidence. The result of the late meeting is, that the Council obtain the exceptional powers they asked for ; but it is scarcely to be anticipated that they will make use of it if, at any time, three-fifths of the Fellows voting at a general meeting are not in sympathy with any scheme submitted by the Council. Arthur W. Sutton. THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AND THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS.— The reflection made by " D ," on p. 15 of your issue of July 7, in reference to the apparent unsuccessful outcome for the Royal Botanic Society from Government smiles bestowed, should be rather judged as a discon- nected accident than a consequence, for in the contrary assumption and pronouncing a warning to the Royal Horticultural Society to beware of similar favours, it would come to signify, on common sense lines, that the latter Society, or its Council, would be capable to waste its opportu- nities under a Government grant— a condition not in evidence actually without such grant. Thus, the implication of failure with more means hypo- thetical^, is hardly to be commended as a view to take in thia connection, and not flattering to the Society and its Council. Mismanagement and how not to do it, is hardly a trap into which the Royal Horticultural Society would fall with reminiscences of its own, and example furnished of what to avoid. The raising of the question at all from this stand- point might deter Government from acciuiescing in a grant to the Royal Horticultural Society. The promotion of the Green Park into a home for the Utter Society would not clash with the Regent's Park possession, whatever became of it, and the Green Park is a better locality than Regent's Park for the purpose in view. What " D." really implies is on a par with Mr. Roupell's suggestion made at the April meeting when he reflected on the supposed inability of the Royal Horticultural Society to re-establish fertility in the soil at Chis- wick as a declaration of want of horticultural intel- lect— a view which would accord with common aense, and would find general adherence. H. H. Raseher, Sidcuy, Kent. CARPENTERIA CALIFORNICA. — We have plea sure in sending herewith flowers of Carpenteria californica ; they are gathered from a plant grown here on a south wall for five years, and which has now been in bloom three weeks or so. For the first two years we gave it a little protection in the winter, but for the last three winters it has not had any, although the last was of fully average severity, lasting four or five weeks, with 27° of frost more than once. It is satisfactory to find so beautiful a plant doing so well so far north. J. Backhouse & Son, Ltd., York. SEMPERVIVUM : THOMSONl. — I enclose here- with an interesting hybrid Sempervivum, now in flower with me for the first time. It is the result of a cross between S. arachnoideum ? andS.tectorum^, and was raised some twenty years ago by Mr. P. Murray Thomson, Secretary of the Royal Cale- donian Horticultural Society. It. Lindsay. BUSCOT PARK HERO MELON.— Concerning the statement made by Mr. W. Meads, that the Melons which I exhibited at the Temple Show in May, 1900, which gained an Award of Merit, I wish to correct his assertion that the variety is the result of his crossing. How could this have been the case when Mr. Meads in the latter part of his letter distinctly saya : "I had two good seedlings from the cross, and still hold the aeeds of the same.'' How, then, could the Melons which I exhibited have been grown from seed which, according to Mr. Mead, he still holds '( When I took charge of these gardens in July, 1897, there were only two varieties of Melons here, viz., Countess, and an unnamed white - fleshed variety, with partially smooth stem. The Melons which I exhibited, which gained the Award of Merit, were obtained from seeds the result of a crosa made by me in the spring of 1893. W. L.Bastin, Buscot Park Gardens, Birk). — When Mr. Meads left Biucot Park Gardens in 1S97, I was employed there, and I remained with Mr. Bastin who succeeded him until March, 1900. I saw Mr. Bastin make the cross early in 1898, which resulted in the Buscot Park Hero Melon. I watched with interest the care which he took with it. G. Grant, Foreman, Pen yre Gardens, Brecon. STRELITZIA. — I have the pleasure to enclose a photograph of the Strelitzia now flowering in my conservatory. It is a plant I have had for some years, and with which I am also well acquainted with in Algiers, but I have never before seen two flowers growing in opposite directions out of one stem as shown in the photograph. Each of the flowers are as good as the ordinary siogle one. I have a good water-colour drawing of the single flower. This picture ia quarter life sizj. The photograph was taken here by Mr. James, the florist, Farnham Common. F. C. Can- Gomm. SCHUBERTIAGRANDIFLORA.— This lovely climb- ing plant, if it be not a rival to Stephanotis grandi- flora, is a very useful one, whose white, sweet- scented flowers are liked, its peculiar refreshing fragrance, reminiscent of Cocoa nut, Almonds, aud others making it a great favourite in the making of bouquets. The flowers accompanying this note were taken from a plant that is growing in a con- fined bed, and whoae shoots ramble over the roof of a stove at Birdsall. The soil in which it is planted is such as is usually found suitable for Stephanotis. It is a free-growing plant, apparently deriving benefit from abundance of liquid-manure. It is always pruned at the end of the winter. Bailey Wadds, Birdsall, York, July 10. MR. ROBERT FENN. — Kindly permit me to make through your columns a brief appeal to all old friends (and especially Potato friends) and admirers of Mr. Robert Fenn, of Sulhampstead, and for- merly of Woodstock, on his behalf, now that in bis groat age (eighty-four years) a sad misfortune has befallen him. On June 26, whilst in his garden, he slipped down, and in doing so, broke one of his legs, thus rendering him quite helpless, and placing him on a bed of sickness, where, it is pleasant to learn, in spite of the misfortune, he is very cheerful and full of vitality. A singularly active, energetic man, whose soul seemed to be in his garden, to be thus thrown on his beam ends in the evening of his existence, is indeed a grave trouble. Rarely has there been found in all the world of hybridists one more intensely enthusiastic, one who laboured more earnestly or unselfishly to promote the deve- lopment and welfare of the Potato. Dependent for some years chiefly on his own labours, especially in discharging various parochial offices for which his fellow parishioners would not, even at so great an age,, be denied ; confronted by heavy expenditure for medical and nursing attendance, his aged wife an invalid, it does seem as if just now it were peculiarly a fitting time to offer to our old friend some little assistance in the form of a testimonial to his great services to horticulture. May I beg the editor of the Gardeners' Chronicle kindly to act as treasurer, and receive subscriptions ? Alex. Dean, 62, Richmond Road, Kingston-on-Thames. THE WEATHER IN NORTH CORNWALL.— June began well. The first four days were typical June weather, warm and sunny ; unfortunately this wea- ther culminated in a thunderstorm during the night of June 4, and was followed by cold showery weather, interspersed with an all too occasional sunny day, which lasted the remainder of the month. The maximum temperature, registered by a thermometer 3 feet from the ground, and facing due north, was 7S° Fah. on Monday, June 4, and the minimum 38° on the 1st, and on only four daya did the thermometer register more than 70°. The barometric pressure has been very steady, the highest reading was 3021 inches at S a.m. on the first day of the month, and the lowest 29 45 inches at 8 p.m. on the last day of the month. The rain- fall amounted to 3 30 inches; there were fifteen rainless days, and the greatest fall during twenty- four hours was "91 inch, measured at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 13. A. C. Bartlelt, Pencarrow Gardens. 36 THE GARDENERS' GHR ONI CLE. [July 14, 1900. SOCI ETI ES, ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. Fruit and Vegetable Committee, Chiswick. July 11.— A meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee was held here on the above date to complete inspection of Peas, &c. Present: Messrs. Balderson (in the Chair), W. Marshall, E. Beckett, A. F. Barron, G. Wythes, Gleeson, G. Keif, S. Mortimer, Esling, Bates, Markham, and A. Dean. The late Peas were found to be for Chiswick in very excellent form, better has seldom been seen there. Awards of Merit to Duke of York and Captain Cuttle were confirmed. A First-class Certificate was granted to Alderman, of which there was also a fine stock seen under the name of Royal Standard. Alderman is without doubt the finest 6* feet Pea in commerce. Awards of Merit were given to Sutton's Peerless, 3 ieet, very fine cropper; and Sharpe's Standard, 4 feet, very prolific. Also as late Peas, to Fascination, medium sized pod, green, and wonderfully free; and Late Queen, a fine podded variety, also seen under the name of Victoria. There were no fewer than four of Ne Plus Ultra, seen under diverse names. Three marks were given to Harrison's Stocks of Emerald, a capital green Cabbage-Lettuce ; and also to Harrison's King, a fine, good- standing, curled Cabbage- Lettuce. A few early Potatos.some .fifteen varieties, were lifted, and the best croppers, eight in all, were ordered to be cooked. Several, such as Ninety-fold, 3lay Queen, The Major, Ringleader, Bharpe's Very Early, and Pioneer, gave quite fine tubers. After cooking and tasting, the Committee awarded a First- class Certificate to Sharpe's Very Early, as having the best quality in that stage ; and gave Awards of Merit to Ring- leader and Ninety-fold as being the next best. But the trial was rather early, and several varieties will be tested again later on when riper. The trial of Potatos, early and late, is a very large one, this year showing new ones rather abundantly. NATIONAL ROSF. July 7.— This important show was held at the Crystal Palace on the above date. Its general features are alluded to on p. 30, but for fuller details, the reader may consult the following report. NURSERYMEN. Cevmty-two blooms, distinct varieties. — There were six com- petitors in this important class, which is exactly the same number as last year. The Challenge Trophy and 1st prize were won somewhat easily by Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons, Newtownards, Ireland. Their exhibit was composed of very good blooms nf considerable size and satisfactory substance. The varieties were:— Back row: Marquis of Londonderry, Captain Hay ward (very nice), Souvenir de Petite Amie, Chas. Lefebvre, Mrs. John Laing, Ulrich Brunner, Alice Lindsell, Janet Scott (new), Marie Verdier, Robert Scott (new), possibly a seedling from Her Majesty, which it re- sembles, but is paler in colour ; Merveille de Lyon, Gustave Piganneau, Marchioness of Dufferin, Star of Waltham, Mdlle. Hoste, Earl of Dufferin, Caroline Testout, Francois Michelon, Comtesse de Serenye, Susanne Marie Rodocanachi (Silver Medal), Maman Cochet, Helen Keller, Her Majesty, Etienne Levet. Second row : Mine. Eugenie Verdier, Horace Verne t Hon. Edith Gifford, Alfred Colomb, Souvenir d'Elise, Marie Rady, Mildred Grant, Mine. Hausmann Comtesse de Nadaillac, La France, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Marie Baumann, Florence Pemberton (new), Shandon, The Bride, Gladys Harkness, Margaret Dickson, G. H. Mackereth, Mrs. Ed. Mawley, Tom Wood, Bessie Brown, A. K. Williams, K. A, Victoria, and Duke of Fife. Front Row : Ernest Metz, J. S. Mills, Marchioness of Downshire, Dupuy Jamain, Avoca, Comte Raimbaud.WhiteLady, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Xavier Olibo, Auna Olivier, Duke of Edin- burgh, Niphetos, E.Y. Teas, Lady M. Fitzwilliam, Oscar Cordell, Marquise Litta, Baroness Rothschild, Dnchesse de Morny, Muriel Grahame, Prosper Langier, Daisy and Alice Grahame (new), and Madame de Watteville. Mr. B. R. Cant, Colchester, was 2nd, and in a commendable exhibit the following varieties were particularly attractive:— Duchesse de Morny, Cleopatra (very fine, worthy of a medal), Souvenir d'Elise, A. K. Prince, Dupuy Jamain, Marquise de Litta, Marie Finger, Camille Beruardin, Madame Hoste, Niphetos, and Madame Henri Percire; 3rd, Messrs. D Prior -& Son, Colchester. Forty distinct larieties {trebles).— This class produces a show in itself, and was won by Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons, who ■showed a very even collection, in which the following varieties ■were the more effective :— Janet Scott, a bright rose-coloured •seedling of Messrs. Dickson's, in colour suggestive of Mrs. W. J. Grant ; La Frauce, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Marchioness of Downshire, Ulrich Brunner, Earl of Dufferin, Mrs. R. G. S. Crawford, Marie Baumann, Horace Vernet, Mrs. John Laing, Marquise de Litta, Gustave Piganneau, Louis Van Houtte, arc. Avoca, Alice Lindsell, Robert Scott, and Lady M. Beau- clerk were also new varieties in this stand. Mr. B. R. Cant was 2nd, and in this stand we noticed fine trebles of Mrs Cocker, Dnchesse de Morny, and Cleopatra; Messrs. V, Cant & Co. were 3rd. There were two unsuccessful exhibitors, so that GOO blooms were exhibited in this class, just as was the case last season, when the 1st prize winners were Messrs. Prior & Son, Colchester. Forty-eight blooms distinct varieties.— The champion in this class was almost a new exhibitor at this show, Mr. Hugh Dickson, of Belfast. He had amongst others, excellent specimens of Gustave Pig vnneau, Mrs. Jno. Laing, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Susanne-Marie Rodocanachi, Capt. Hayward, Miss Jennie Dickson, and Souvenir dej Mme. Eugene Verdier. 2nd, Messrs. J. Burrell & Co., Cambridge, who had con- spicuous examples of Marechal Niel, Killarney, Gustave Piganneau, Prince Arthur, White Maman Cochet, &c. 3rd, Messrs. J. Townsend & Son, Worcester. There were five collections staged in this class. Twenty-four blooms distinct varieties'— The 1st prize was awarded to Mr. W. Tayi.er, Hampton, Middlesex, who showed the following varieties. Back row. Ulrich Brunner, Margaret Dickson, Victor Hugo, Jeannie Dickson, Susanne- Marie Rodocanachi, Mrs. Crawford, Countess of Pembroke, Mrs. John Laing. Centre row; Her Majesty, Duke of Teck, Pride of Waltham, Prince Arthur, Augustine Guinoisseau, Gustave Piganneau, Vicountess Folkestone, Horace Vernet. Front row: Duchess of Bedford, Ernest Metz, Duke of Connaught, Com- tesse de Nadaillac, Comtede Raimbaud, Madame Hoste, A. K. Williams, and Kaiserin Augusta Victoria. Mr. J. Mattock, Oxford, was 2nd, with brightly coloured but rather small blooms. The best were Comtesse de Nadaillac, Marquise Litta, Mrs. J. Laing, and Horace Vernet. 3rd, Mr. G. Prince, Oxford, who was strong in Teas : Catherine Mermet, Comtesse de Na- daillac, Caroline Testout, Captain Hay ward, K. A. Victoria, and Baronne de Billeroche, were capital. The judges awards in this class were severely and pretty generally criticised. Some thought the 1st prize should have been given to Mr. Prince's collection, and we agree with them. 2'wenty-four dhti.net varieties (treblei). — There were several more competitors in this class than there were last year. The winners of the 1st prize were Messrs. J. Townsend & Sons, Worcester. The following varieties were most effective : Victor Verdier, Marquise Litta, Marchioness of Londonderry, Alfred Colomb, Niphetos, Ulrich Brunner, MargaretJDickson, Fisher Holmes, Madame Cusin, A. K. Williams, &c. ; 2nd, Mr. J. Mattock, of Oxford. From five other exhibitors, the most successful for 3rd prize were Messrs. G. & W. H. Burch, Peterborough. Twelve distinct varieties, seven trusses of each — In this class the exhibits have to be staged in twelve vases, and the varie-j ties shown must not include any known to the National Rose Society as "garden" Roses. We do not regard this class as a very satisfactory one, and it is difficult to follow the judges in their distribution of Awards. Why limit the class to exhibition varieties, if small blooms be used, because they have a better appearance in the vases? Each group of seven blooms is judged as one unit, and individually those shown were not of conspicuous quality. Mr. B. R. Cant won 1st prize, his best specimens being Mrs. John Laing, Fisher Holmes, Margaret Dickson, Ulrich Brunner, Madame Gabriel, Captain Hayward, Mrs. W. J. Grant, General Jacque- minot, and Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford ; 2nd, Mr. Jno. Mattock, who had mostly Tea varieties, and who placed the vases over a black velvet cloth; 3rd, Mr. G. Prince. One exhibitor included specimens of Madame Abel Chatenay and M. Jules Grolez, and was accordingly disqualified. Nine Distinct Varieties, Seven Blooms of Each. — Any varie" ties could be shown in this class. The 1st prize was won by Mr. J. Prince, Oxford, whose collection was unnamed— a serious omission. They were mostly Tea varieties, including Madame de Watteville, Marie Van Houtte, and Souvenir de S. A. Prince ; Mr. J. Mattock was 2nd ; and Mr. B. R. Cant 3rd. TEAS AND NOISETTES. The lovely Roses that belong to these sections were not shown quite so well as the hybrid perpetuals or the decorative varieties, but at the same time we believe them to have been quite up to the average quality. Twenty-four blooms, distinct Varieties. — This class was won by Mr. Geo. Prince, who had a capital collection of the following varieties :— Back row: Comtesse de Nadaillac, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Maman Cochet (very fine), Innocente Pirola, Bridesmaid (Silver Medal), The Biide, Madame de Watteville, and Medea. Second row : Muriel Grahame, Catherine Mermet (very good), Rubens, Princess of Wales, Golden Gate, Maiechal Niel, White Maman Cochet, and Ernest Metz. Front row : Marie Van Houtte, Anna Olivier, Cleopatra, Madame Hoste, Madame Cusin, Alba Rosea, Souvenir d'uu Ami, and Souvenir d'Elise Vardon. 2nd, Mr. B. R. Cant, Colchester, whose best varieties were Ethel Brownlow, Madame Hoste, Madame de Watteville, and Niphetos. Messrs. Frank R. Cant & Co., Braiswick Nurseries, Colchester, beat one other exhibitor for the 3rd prize. Twelve blooms, distinct varieties. — A dozen blooms of excellent quality were shown by Mr. Jno. Mattock, who displayed the followiog varieties : — Back row : Souvenir d'Elise, Maman Cochet, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Souvenir de Petite Ami. Centre : Catherine Mermet, The Bride, Comtesse deNadaillac.andlnnoceutePirola. Frontrow: MissE. Gifford, Miss E. Brownlow, Medea, and Princess of Wales. 2nd, Messrs. J. Burrell & Co., who had praiseworthy specimens of Mrs. Ed. Mawley, Bridesmaid, Ernest Metz, Maman Cochet, and Muriel Grahame ;,3rd, Messrs. Harkness & Son, Bedale and Hitchin, whose, collection, though uneven, con- tained beautiful blooms of Niphetos, Catherine Mermet, and Souvenir d'Elise. Eighteen blooms, distinct {trebles).— The best trebles in Teas wore shown by Mr. Geo. Prince, but Teas are not so showy when grouped in trebles as are H.P.'s. Those most effective were Maman Cochet, Golden Gate, Mme. de Watteville, Comtesse de Nadaillac, and Mine. Cusin ; 2nd, Messrs. D. Prior & Sons, who had good trebles of Maman Cochet, Muriel Grahame, and Catherine Mermet ; 3rd, Mr. B. R. Cant. GARDEN OR DECORATIVE VARIETIES. The Roses that are most satisfactory in one's garden, because as a rule they grow stronger, and flower more freely than exhibition varieties, were grandly shown in the various collections. Thirty-six distinct varieties, not fewer than three trusses o each.— Messrs. Paul & Son, The Old Nurseries, Cheshunt won 1st prize ; and Messrs. Cooling & Son, Bath, 2nd. These firms obtained the same positions in the class last year. We will quote the whole of the varieties shown by Messrs. Paul, as they will constitute an excellent guide to those who wish to obtain a first-class collection of these useful varieties. Back row: H.T. Reine Olga de Wurtem- burg, H.T. Mme. P. Ducher, Rugosa, Mme. Chas. Worth, Polyantha grandiflora, P. Turner's Crimson Rambler, N. William Allen Richardson, Rugosa Souvenir de M. Cochet, and Rosa alba. Second row: N. Mme. P. Cochet, H.T. Marquise de Salisbury, T. Mme. Perney, H.T. Camoens, T. Mme. Falcot, Black Moss, Claire Jacquier, H.T. Bardon Job and Common China. Third row: N. Allister Stella Gray, Province Kakanlek, White Moss, Paul's Carmine Pillar (single), H.T. Gustave Regis, H.T. Dawn, a lovely single pink-flowered variety, introduced several years ago ; Rugosa finibriata, Rosa Mundi, and White Pet. Fourth row : H.P. Royal Scarlet (single), P. Auna M. de Montravel, N. L'Ideal, Una (single yellow), Old Red Damask, T. Mme. Chedane Guinoisseau, Tuscany, The Garland, T. Ma Capucire, and the new Noisette, Psyche. Messrs. G. Cooling &Son, Bath, included a grand bunch of Cooling's himalaica, with single white flowers, having showy yellow stamens ; 3rd, Mr. John Mattock. Eighteen distinct varieties, not fewer than three trusses of each —The only exhibitor in this class was Mr. Chas. Turner, of the Royal Nurseries, Slough, who had a nice collection. An extra class (open) for the same number of varieties, but not fewer thae three or more than seven trusses of each, was also won by Mr. Chas Turner. In this exhibit the following varieties were beautiful : Grussans Teplitz, Lady Sarah Wilson, large, single blush ; Crimson Rambler, Gustave Regis, Crimson Damask, W. A. Richardson, uncommonly richly coloured ; Rosa Mundi, Madame Pernet Ducher, Thoiesbyana. Ma Capuciue, Princess Marie, Reine Olga de Wurtemberg, Anna Marie de Montravel, Alister S. Gray, Souvenir de Guillot, Papa Gontier, Papillon, and Madame Falcot. Mr. Jas. Mattock was 2nd. OPEN CLASSES. Twelve blooms of hybrid Teas, distinct.— Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons were 1st, and exhibited these peculiarly attractive varieties very finely. There were the following:— Marquise Litta (very fine, full flower), White Lady, Mis. W. J. Grant, Caroline Testout; centre : Bessie Brown, La France, Charlotte Guillemot, and Rosa Marie. Front Roiv. — Alex. Fuguier, Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, Souvenir de Madame Eugenie Verdier, M. Jules Grolez, and Madame Cadeau Ramey. Mr. B. R. Cant, who was 2nd, had very nice blooms of Mrs. W. J. Grant, Marquise Litta. Messrs. Frank Cant & Co. were best of five other exhibitors. Twelve blooms of any Yellow Rose.— The best Rose in this class was Comtesse de Nadaillac, superb in form and colour, from Mr. Geo. Prince ; 2nd, Marechal Niel, from Messrs. Harkness & Sons ; and 3rd, Comtesse de Nadaillac, from Mr. J. Mattock. There were two other exhibits. Twelve blooms of any White Rose.— The best was Bessie Brown, from Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons ; 2nd, Merveille de Lyon, from Mr. B. R. Cant ; and 3rd, The Bride, from Messrs. Prior & Sons. Twelve blooms of any light or dark Crimson Rose.— The variety Captain Hayward was shown in splendid colour by Mr. Hugh Dickson, Royal Nurseries, Belfast; 2nd, Marquise de Litta, from Messrs. Alex. Dickson & Son ; 3rd, Marquise de Litta, from Messrs. J. Townsend & Sons. There were as many as eleven exhibits in this class, and among the varieties staged unsuccessfully were Victor Hugo, Ulrich Brunner, and Marie Baumann. Twelve Blooms of any Light Pink or Rose-coloured Rose.— The variety, Mrs. John Laing, usually 1st in this class, was beaten now by that of Mrs. W. J. Grant, as shown by Messrs. Dickson & Sons ; Mrs. John Laing was 2nd, from Messrs Harkness & Sons ; and the same from Messrs. Townsend & Son, was 3rd. There were eighteen exhibitors. Twelve Blooms of any Tea or Noisette Rose.— The best in this class was Bridesmaid, from Mr. B. R. Cant, who had a dozen blooms, possessing capital centres, and good in colour. The variety, Mrs. Ed. Mawley, from Messrs. Dickson & Sons, was 2nd ; and Souvenir d'Elise, 3rd, from Messrs. Harkness. Three Sprays of Roses, Suitable for Ladies' Wear.— The best sprays were shown by O. G. Orpen, Esq., who had a pretty one composed of flowers of the variety Allister Stella Grey and two others ; Mr. J. Mattock was 2nd ; and Miss B. H. Langton 3rd. NEW ROSES (Open). Nine Blooms of any New Rose.— The 1st prize was awarded to a variety named Alice Lindsell, from Messrs. Alex. DrcKSON & Sons ; it is a large Rose, of pale pink colour, with petals like those of Her Majesty ; but this Rose has a better centre than Her Majesty. 2nd, Mrs. Cocker, from Mr. B. R. Cant ; in colour this Rose is like Mrs. John Laing, but has a silvery sheen over it. 3rd, Mrs. Frank Cant, from Messrs: F. Cant & Co. July 14, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 37 rts, distin i i irieties, not Catalogued by N ' 1897. -The 1st prize in this class was awarded f ' Messrs. Dickson & Sons, who staged the following varie- ties:— Madame Cadeau Ramey, Mrs. Ed. Mawley, Bessie Brown, Rev. Alan Ckeales, Ada Carmody, White Maman Gocliet, Countess of Caledon, M. Jules Grolez, Madame Bug' Die Boullet, Killarney, Liberty (deep crimson, H.T.), and Lady Mary Cory. Messrs. F. Cant & Co., were 2nd, and showed tin- fo'lowing varieties, not included in the 1st prize collection : Ulster. Mrs. Frank Cant, Mrs. F. W. Sandford, Ethel Richardson, and Shandon. Mr. B. R. Cam was 3rd. I Roses, twelve distinct varieties. — The 1st prize in this class was won by Messrs. Paul & Son, The Old Nurseries, Choshunt. They had rugosa alba, raul's Carmine Pillar, Polyantha granditlora, Pink Roamcr, macrantha rubri- folia, Brinnus, rugosa x humilis (purplish - rose), Paul's Single White, WiehuriauaxGeneral Jacqueminot (bright rose colour), Andersoni, and Penzance Briar Brenda, a very protty pink-flowered variety: 2nd, Messrs. G. CoOLINO & Sons, Bath ; and 3rd, Messrs. Frank Cant & Co. Wine wi 'able for use in " Bultonnoles."— The best were from Mr John Mattock, and the following varieties may be accepted as well adapted for the purpose: Sou- venir de Cathorine Guillot, Safrano, Anna Ollivier, Gustave Regis, Ma Capucine, The Bride, Madame Chedane Guin- noisseau, Rubens, and Amazone. The 2nd prize was won by H. T. Machin, Esq., Gateford Hill, Worksop; 3rd, Mr. Geo. Prince. PREMIER BLOOMS. The best H. P. bloom shown in the nurserymen's classes was Susanne Marie Rodocanachi, in Messrs. Dli iceON'e 1st prize exhibit in the class for seventy-two blooms. The besl H. T. was Mildred Grant, shewn by Mr. W. Taylor ; and the best Tea Bridesmaid, shown by Mr. Geo. Prince in the class for twenty-four blooms. AMATEURS. There appeared to be no falling off in the number or quality of exhibits from amateur's gardens, a fact that should be very satisfactory to the National Rose Society. Thirty-six blooms, distinct varieties. — Again did the Rev. E. B. Lindsell, of Hitchin, assert his superiority as an amateur Rose-grower, by winning the Challenge Trophy and 1st prize in this class. His varieties were Mrs. John Laing (excellent), Marquise Litta. White Lady, Gustave Piganneau, Mrs. W. J. Graut, Francois Michelon, Her Majesty, Captain Hayward, Souvenird'Elise, Marie Baumann, Marchioness of Londonderry, Ulrica Brunncr. Centre row: Maurice Bernardin, Madame Cusin, Louis Van Houtte, Muriel Grahame(Silver Medal), Prince Arthur, The Bride, A. K. Williams, Innocente Pirola, Chas. Lefebvre, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Souvenir d'Elise, and Mrs. Mawley. Front row : K. A. Victoria, Dupuy Jamain, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, E. Y. Teas, Caroline Kuster, Duke ot Wellington, Catherine Mermet, Susanne Rodocanachi, La France, Helen Keller, Bessie Brown, and Madame J. Verdier. The 2nd prize was won by Mrs. Haywood, Woodhatch Lodge, Reigate (gr., Mr. C. J. Salter), whose best flowers were Uliich Brunner, Merveille de Lyon, Alfred Coloinb, Mrs. J. Laing, and Marie Baumann. 3rd, T. Hobbs, Esq., Bristol. There were five exhibitors. Twenty-four blooms, distinct. — Ten exhibitors competed for honours in this class, and the most successful of them wasO. G. Orpen, Esq., Hillside, West Bergholt, Colchester, who staged the following varieties :— Back row : Suzanne Rodocanachi, Marechal Niel, La France, White Lady, Mar- quise de Litta, Mrs. S. Crawford, Earl of Dufferin, Her Majesty. Centre row: Bridesmaid, Ulrich Brunner, Lady M. Fitzwilliam, Mrs. J. Laing, K. A. Victoria, Merveille de Lyon, and Maurice Verdier. Front row : Mrs. W. J. Grant, Anna Ollivier, Comtesse de Ludre, Mine. Hoste, Marie Finger, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, The Bride, and Ernest Metz. 2nd, A. Tate, Esq., Downside, Leatherhead, who included very nice blooms of Horace Vernet, White Lady, and Franjois Michelon ; 3rd, T. Hobbs, E q., Bristol. Twelve distinct varieties (t relies).— Mrs. Haywood beat three other exhibitors in this class, and showed nice even blooms of good colour. The best were Ulrich Brunner, Abel Carriere, A. K. Williams, Mrs. J. Laing, and Marie Eaumann ; 2nd, A. Tate, Esq. ; 3rd, Rev. J. H. Pemeertox, Havering-atte- Bower, Romford. For twelve trusses of any Rose, except Teas or Noisettes— The variety Mrs. John Laing, capitally shown by E. B. Lindsell, Esq., Hitchin, was placed 1st; and Mr. W. J. Grant, from' H. V. Machin, Esq., Worksop, 2nd; 3rd, Mrs. Laing again, from C. J. Grahame, Esq., Wrydelands, Leatherhead. RESTRICTED CLASSES. That its members may fight under fair conditions, the National Rose Society divides them into groups, and the large growers must compete among themselves, being excluded from others which are reserved for those having fewer plants from which to collect exhibition blooms. The classes immediately following were for growers of fewer than 2000 plants of exhibition varieties. Twenty-four blooms, distinct varieties.— The 1st prize exhibitor among five was E. M. Bf.thune, Esq., Denne Park, Horsham, who in a good exhibit had particularly nice flowers of Captain Hayward, The Bride, Mrs. John Laing, Madame Gabriel, Bridesmaid, and Duke of Edinburgh ; 2nd, F. Tattersall Esq., Morecombe (very good) ; 3rd, R. E. West, Esq., Reigate! Eighteen blooms, distinct 'varieties.— This class was won by Edward Mawley, Esq., Rose Bank, Berkhamsted, and Hon. Sec. of the National Rose Socifty. His best flowers were Caroline Testout, Bridesmaid, Margaret Dickson, 'and Madame G. Luizet; 2nd, P. Burnand, Esq.. Reigate; and 3rd, C. Jones, Esq., Gloucester. Eight distinct varieties (trebles).— O. Jones, Esq., Gloucester, was 1st, with the following varieties : — Mrs. W. J. Grant, Duchess of Bedford, Ulrich Brunner, Duke of Wellington, Helen Keller, A. K. Williams, and Caroline Testout; 2nd, Ed. Mawley, Esq. ; and 3rd, R. E. West, Esq. The best collection of nine blooms of any Rose other than a Tea or Noisette was from W. Burnand. Esq., Reigate, who showed Mrs. G. S. Crawford ; E. M. Betiiune, Esq., was 2nd, with Ulrich Brunner ; and C. Rohaine, Esq., 3rd, with Mrs. J. Laing. 1,1 plants.— There were thirteen exhibitors in the class for twelve blooms, distinct varieties, and R. S. Hubds, Esq., Worcester, showed really first class specimens. The varieties were Ulrich Brunner, Mareehal Nicl. Susanne M. Rodocanachi, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Mrs. John I. aing, A. K. Williams, Marchioness of Downshire, Souvenir d'Elise, Duke of Edinburgh (small), Killarney, Niphetos, and Fisher Holmes (small) ; Mrs. E. C. Murray, Hyde, was 2nd ; and the Rev. R. Powlet, Warminster, 3rd. Mrs. John Laing was the best shown variety in the class for six blooms of any Rose except Tea or Noisette ; and very fine blooms of it were from Mr. G. W. Cook, North Finchley, London ; 2nd, Mrs. Shannan Crawford, from J. Bateman, Esq., Rosevale, Archway Road, London, N. ; 3rd, La France, from Miss B. Langton, Heudon, N.W. Open only to Growers of 1 500 Plants. -The best collection of nine blooms, distinct varieties, was shown by E. R. Smith, Esq., Muswell Hill, London, his best blooms being Captain Hayward (excellent), Jeannie Dickson, Mrs. Sharman Crawford, Mamau Cochet, and Gustave Piganneau ; 2nd, R. W. Bowyer, Esq., Hertford ; and ::rd, Mrs. L. E. Times, Hitchin. Keppel H. Gifford, Esq., Sutton, Surrey, won a class for six blooms, distinct varieties, bis best being Mrs. John Laing, Captiin Hayward, and Francois Michelon ; R. Cook, Esq., Stonebridge Park, London, N.W., was 2nd ; and G. A. Hammond, Esq., Burgess Hill, London, 3rd. There were twelve exhibitors. The best Rose other than Tea or Noisette, shown in collec- tions of sixes, was that of Caroline Testout, shown grandly from E. Bewley, Esq., Ratbmines, Co. Dublin; 2nd, Mrs J. Laing, from K. H. Gifford, Esq. ; and 3rd, the same variety from R. W. Bowvfr, Esq. TheSilver Challenge Cupfor twelve blooms, distinct va presented by C. J. Grahame, Esq., was won by Rev. A. Cecil Johnson, Capel St. Mary Rectory, Ipswich. Particularly good in this collection were Souvenir d'Elise, Captain Hay- ward, Cleopatra, Horace Vernet, and Catherine Mermet ; 2nd, Geo. Moules, Esq., Hitchin ; and 3rd, H. P. Landon, Esq., Brentwood. There were twelve exhibitors. Four distinct trebles.— There were nine collections staged in this class, the 1st prize going to J. Bateman, Esq., Rosevale, Archway Road, London, N. ; the 2nd to the Rev. R. Powley ; and the 3rd toG. W. Cook, Esq., Finchley. For Exhibitors who have never won a 1st prize under the N. K. S. — P. C Burnand, Esq., Reigate, was 1st for twelve blooms, distinct varieties, his best being Mrs. G. S. Crawford, Louis Van Houtte, Mrs. W. J. Grant, Alfred Colomb ; 2nd, Rev. J. H. Pembertox ; 3rd, Col. Pitt, Maidstone. The 1st prize for six varieties was won by E. A. Moulsey, Esq., Stevenage. S. Morris, Esq., Leicester, won a class for six blooms in uot fewer than four varieties. Among members who have joined the Society during thc past year, R. Boswell, Esq., Hitchin, won a class for six blooms in distinct varieties. A Suburban Class. — The Langton Memorial Cup was won by Mr. G. W. Cook, North Finchley, with a collection of six Roses, grown within 8 miles of Charing Cross. These hardy varieties may be worth giving :— Mrs. John Laing, Francois Michelon, Ulrich Brunner, Mrs. S. Crawford, Marchioness of Londonderry, and Heinrich Schultheiss. Six Blooms of New Hoses.— F. Tattersall, Esq., Morecambe, was 1st in this class, showing varieties already noticed in a similar class for nurserymen ; Killarney and Ulster were best represented. C. Jones, Esq., was 2nd. Exhibition of Roses in vases, in nine distinct varieties, seven blooms of each, and not exceeding 5 feet by 4 feet in area of tabling.— H. V. Machin, Esq., Gatesford Hill, Worksop, was 1st with very good blooms of Mrs. J. Laing, Ulrich Brunner, Mrs. R. G. Sandford, and Mrs. W. J. Grant. Messrs. F. Cant & Co.'s piece of plate went with this prize. The Rev. J. H Pemberton, Havering-atte-Bower, was 2nd with some very good blooms of Mrs. J. Laing, A. K. Williams, Caroline Testout, Marquise Litta, and Helen Keller. F. H. Campion, Esq., Reigate, was 3rd, his best being Mrs. W. J. Grant, Maman Cochet, Mrs. Paul, a striking light pink- coloured, flat flower ; and La France. TEAS AND NOISETTES. The Challenge Trophy for eighteen blooms, distinct, was won by A. Hill Gray, Esq., Newbridge, Bath. His collection was a splendid one, and the following are the varieties : — Back row : Maman Cochet, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, Muriel Grahame, Bridesmaid, Medea, and White Maman Cochet (very good). Centre row : Innocente Pirola, Comtesse de Nadaillac, The Bride, Catherine Mermet, Madame Cusin, Cleopatra. Front row : Golden Gate, Madame C. Kuster, Ernest Metz, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Princess Beatrice, and Souvenir d'un Ami. The Rev. F. R. BuRNSLDE, St. Margaret's Bay, Dover, was second, and included very large specimens of Maman Cochet, Cleopatra, Sylph, Madame Cusin, Medea, and Catherine Mermet. O. G. Orpen, Esq., Colchester, who won this class last year, was 3rd. There were five exhibitors. A.Hill Gray, , Esq., Bath, also>on for twelve varietios, the best of which were Catherine Mermet, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, Muriel Grahame, The Bride, Bridesmaid, Comtesse de Nadaillac, &c. ; these were splendid specimens. A. Tate, Esq., Downside, Leatherhead, was 2nd ; and Rev. H. Berners, Ipswich, 3rd. Mr. A. Hill Gray was again 1st in a class for eight distinct varieties (trebles); Mr. E. M. Betiiune, 2nd; and Rev. Foster Melliar, Ipswich, 3rd. In a class for nine blooms of any one variety, The Bride was shown best by A. Hill Gray, Esq. Then came Catherine Mermet, from Mr. E. M. Bf.thune ; and Marechal Niel, from the Rev. A. Foster Melliar. Open only to growers of fewer tlueu 500 plants. — The Rev. R. Powley, Warminster, won a class for twelve blooms; and C. Jones, Esq., Gloucester, was 2nd. A class for nine blooms distinct, was won by R. F. Hobbs, Worcester, who had Maman Cochet in very good form. Mrs. E. C. Murray Ryde, was 2nd ; and Mr. E. Mawley, 3rd. Marechal Niel was the best in a class for six blooms of ono variety, and was shown by C. Jones, Esq., Gloucester ; 2nd^ Madame Hoste from the Rev. F. R. Burnside, Dover. Open only to growers of ft wcr than 2V0 plants.— Mr. Whittle, Belgrave, Leicestor, won a class for nine blooms, Maman Cochet and Comtesse de Nadaillac were the best ; 2nd, E. Bewlay, Esq. ; and 3rd, A. Munt, Esq., Slough. The best collection of six blooms was from Mr. C. F. Leslie, Hertford and Mr. J. C. Trueman, Swanley, had the best variety in the class for six blooms, showing Innocente Pirola. The competition with four distinct varieties, under the same conditions as those entitled to exhibit in Divisions III. and IV., was rather keen, eight contestants entering for the prizes. The 1st place fell to the Rev. R. Powley, Warminster, Wilts, whose stand consisted of even-sized flowers, fairly perfect in form, and cut from the plants at the right moment. The best varieties were C. Mermet, The Bride, and Bridesmaid. This stand took the Piece of Plate presented by R. E. West, Es [., for growers of fewer than 500 Teas and Noisettes ; R. F. Hobbs, Esq., of Wor- cester, was 2nd, with flowers of moderate size, viz., Souvenir d'un Ami, Jean Ducher, and S. A. Prince, &c, of a moderate degree of merit ; Rev. R. F. B urnside, St. Margaret's Bay, Dover, was 3rd with a nice stand, which included Medea, Cleopatra, and Sylph, all good. For six blooms, in not fewer than three varieties, W. Upton, Esq., Belgrave, Leicester, was 1st with flowers small and neat, but of equal size, the varieties being Innocente Pirola, Maman Cochet, Comtesse de Nadaillac, and Cleopatra. W. White, Esq., Wateringbury, Kent was 2nd with fair blooms in, some cases, weak ones in others ; Catherine Mermet and Medea were the finer flowers. W. Wakelev, Esq., Rainham, was 3rd. There were five competitors. In the class for six distinct varieties of Teas and Noisettes, seven blooms of each, O. G. Orpen, Esq., Colchester, secured the 1st prize and apiece of plate ; his stand containing some fine blooms, whilst others were decidedly weak. Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Souvenir d'un Ami, and Innocente Pirola were the superior blooms. Miss B. Langton, of Hendon, N. W., was 2nd, with flowers of moderate size, which showed traces of damage by rain. PREMIER BLOOMS. The three blooms awarded Silver Medals in the Amateur Classes were as follows : Ulrich Brunner, the best Rose other than than a Tea or Noisette, and shown by Mr. G. W. Cook in Ms "Metropolitan" exhibit; Mrs. W. G. Grant, the best H. T., and shown by Mr. E. Bewlay in a collection entered in class 36 for nine blooms, distinct varieties; and Muriel Grahame, the best Tea or Noisette, also exhibited by Mr. Bewlay. LADIES DECORATIVE CLASSES. A competition for the best vase of cut Roses arranged with any kind of foliage, Ferns, or grasses, brought several com- petitors, and some graceful exhibits. 1st, Mrs. J. Fearon, Birdhurst, Reigate, with a device of pale-tinted Teas, with Rose shoots and grasses as foils to the flowers. Miss West, of Forth Dene, Wray Park, Reigate, was awarded the 3rd prize ; here grass awns, Maidenhair Fern, and Asparagus foliage was used with the Roses, which consisted mostly of flowers of pink and crimson shades and no white. GARDEN OR DECORATIVE ROSES. For twelve distinct varieties, not fewer than three trusses 0} each, A. Tate, Esq., Downside, Leatherhead, was 1st, taking the Silver Cup presented by Miss E. A. Willmott, V.M.H. These were certainly the finest lot of these Roses show,u by an amateur on this occasion, and there were included Alister Stella Gray, Reine Olga de Wiirteuiberg, macrantha, W. A. Richardson, Augustine Guinoisseau, Marquis of Salisbury, Bardon Job, and Perle d'Or. O. G. Orpen, Esq., Colchester, was 2nd, his better flowers being L'Ideul, Moschata, Marquis of Salisbury, Hebe's Lip, Ma Capucine, Bardon Job, and Gustave Regis— a group that made a showy display ; and the 3rd place was taken by II. V. Machin, Esq., whose collection contained some very nice bunches. The best nine distinct varieties, in not fewer than three trusses cf each.— 1st, Mrs. A. F. Perkins, Oak Dene, Holm- wood, this lady also taking the Girdlestone Memorial Pr 38 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Jply 14, 1900. presented by the Girdlestone Memorial Fund. The exhibit consisted of massive bunches of fresh-looking flowers, includ- ing the variities W. A. Richardson, Gustave Regis, Marquis of Salisbury, Moschata, Madame Pernet Ducher, and Meg Merrilies. The 2nd place was taken by Miss D. A. Westfield, Speldhurst, with a brilliant lot, but which were far too much crowded into the glasses. Very good were Red Provence, Andersoni, Amy Robsart, Camoens, and Claire Jacquier. Miss B. Lanoton, of Hendon, was 3rd, Paul's White Pillar, The Garland, Laurette Messigny, and Camoens being her finest blooms. Tilt belt in the class for liz distinct varieties, open only to amateurs who have never won a prize for these Roses at a show of the National Rose Society.— In this competition G. W.Cook, Esq., N. Finchley, was 1st, with a showy exhibit consisting of big bunches of Roses with rose foliage, which took also the piece of plate presented by O. G. Orpen, Esq., for six bunches of garden Roses. E. Mawlev, Esq., Rosebank, Berkham- sted, was 2nd, with smaller bunches that were fresh and good. Nine distinct varieties, not fewer than three or more than seven trusses of each.— In this class H. V. Machin, Esq., Gateford Hill, Worksop, was 1st, with a neat lot of vases. We remarked the varieties Rosa Mundi, striped like York and Lancaster ; Gustave Regis, Paul's Single White, Madame P. Ducher, and the prettily fringed, light pink Rosa fimbriata. Rev. J. H. Pemberton. Havering-attc-Bower, was 2nd, having Laurette Messigny, Rosa Pissardi white, Rosa moschata, R. multiflora grandiflora, Red Damask, and Rosa alba. Mrs. A. F. Perkins, Oak Dene, Holmwood, was awarded 3rd prize, for a pretty stand containing fine blooms of Gustave Regis, Mignonette, Claire Jacquier, fawn and white ; and Madame Nutte, a pale flesh-coloured Rose, &c. i Six vases of Sweet Briars in as many distinct varieties. — ( F. W. Campion, Esq., Reigate, was 1st with an effective lot of brightly-tinted varieties, viz., Green Mantle, a vivid crimson ; . Jennie Deans, semi-double, and of a deep rose tint; Anne of Gierstein, Brenda, a lovely pink, globular flower, Lucy Bertram, and Lady Penzance. H. V. Machin, Esq., was 2nd with large bunches of Brenda, Flora Maclvor, Meg Merrijies, blight crimson ; Lady Penzance, Rose Bradwardine, and Anne of Gierstein. 3rd, G. H. Baxter, Esq., Brentwood, with close bunches of Brenda, Anne of Gierstein, a bright « pink ; C. Deyton, &c. MISCELLANEOUS EXHIBITS. Messrs. Jno. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill Nurseries, London, exhibited their " Multiflora," strain, of Streptocarpus ; also a grand lot of cut hardy flowers, a group of miscellaneous plants, and a group of tuberous-rooted Begonias. Messrs. R. Wallace & Co., Kilnfleld Nurseries, Colchester, had a group of hardy flowers, in which varieties of L. Thunber- gianuni, L. Dalhansoni, and L. pardalinum were conspicuous. Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Lowfield Nurseries, Crawley, exhi- bited hardy flowers ; Messrs. Geo. Jackman & Son, Woking, showed a quantity of exhibition varieties of Roses, Sweet Peas, and other hardy flowers; Mr. W. Rumsey, Joyning's Nursery, Waltham Cross, Herts, showed a collection of cut Roses. Messrs. Carter & Co., High Holhorn, London, had a nice exhibit of Gloxinias, double-flowered Petunias, and Davallia "Ferns in various shapes, over amirror which was intended to I represent water. Mr. M. Pritchard, Christchurch Nurseries, Hants, had a group of beautiful hardy flowers. Mr. F. G. Foster, Brock- • hampton Nurseries, Havant, showed a pretty group of Sweet 1 Peas. Messrs. J. Peed & Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries, West Norwood, S.E., showed a capital group of Caladiums, and flowers of varieties of Gloxinias. Mr. W. Spooner, Arthur's ' Bridge Nursery, Woking, showed Roses ; the more decorative varieties being very well represented. Messrs. Bark & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C., exhibited hardy flowers. NORTHERN ASSOCIATION OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. June 22.— The annual meeting of this Association was held in the Museum Buildings, Elgin, N.B., on the above date. The Banff Field Club, the Inverness Field Club, Nairn Asso- ciation, and the Elgin Scientific Association, were well repre- sented, some sixty members being present. The members were received by Colonel Culbard (President) and the Direc- tors of the Elgin Association in the Elgin Museum, and were accorded a hearty welcome, Colonel Culbard presiding. From the report, which was read by Mr. It. B. Gordon, it appeared that nearly twenty years have elapsed since the Northern Association met for the first time, and there were many new members who were not aware of the origin of the Association and its aims. The first meeting was held in Elgin in 1881 ; in 1SS7 the Northern Association was consti- tuted, and a meeting was held in Elgin. That was the first meeting the Transactions of which were published. Since then eleven meetings have been held, at which seventy papers were , read, forming two volumes of Transactions. Those who took . any interest in these publications, would agree that the money was well spent. Tl.ey had brought together sixty- four papers, which were all the result of original research ; together with four lists of plants, and two of birds. The Transactions of the present meeting would constitute the first p irt of the third volume. When these meetings began, and for . so :ne years afterwards, no fewer than ten different societies took part in sending delegates. Now they had only four societies represented in the Union. The decline was due, he said, not for want of work, but for want of workers. At that time, every village had its field club, which continued as long as the leading spirits remained in the district, but when they removed, the societies died for want of others to take up the work. This should teach them never to miss an opportunity of interesting the younger members of the community in the work. He hoped the four societies constituting the Associa- tion would continue vigorous for years to come. They had four botanical lists— Alford, Nairnshire, Ardclach, and Alness. He had succeeded in making a beginning among the birds, but what of the insects and fishes? He would suggest that this work be started in each Association, and that at least they would have one list in each of these departments by the time they met next year in Banff. He wou d specially urge upon the clergymen and schoolmasters to take up some part of the work in their districts. Gardeners and gamekeepers could render valuable assistance in the departments of botany and natural history. He had had the privilege of introducing several of these men to study, and more successful students no one could wish. Papers were read by Dr. Traquair, F.R.S., on "Recent Advances in our Knowledge of the Fish Fauna of the Upper Old Red Sandstone of the Moray Firth Area ; " Mr. John Home, F.R.8., of the Geological Survey of Scotland, on "The Bearing of Rfcent Pakeontological Discoveries on the Relations of the Upper and Middle Divisions of tho Old Red Sandstone North of the Grampians.'' Mr. W. Campbell Glen- glass, on "Plants in the Parish of Alness;'* Mr. R. Thomson, Ferness, on "Some Curiosities of our Local Insects," and several others. An interesting and instructive sederunt was brought to a close with the usual votes of thanks ; after which the members dined together' at the Grand Hotel, Elgin. READING & DISTRICT GARDENERS' MOTUAL. The July meeting of this body of gardeners was held in Messrs. Sutton & Sons' trial grounds on Monday evening last, when nearly 100 members assembled to hear a paper on the " Sweet Pea," by Mr. G. Stanton, of Park Place Gardens, and at the same time to inspect the 244 varieties of this popular annual Messrs. Sutton are growing this year. Mr. Stanton, in introducing the subject, remarked that Sicily is said to be the native home of the Sweet Pea, from whence it was introduced in 1700. We are now keeping its bi centenary, and therefore the year 1000 must be a very memorable one in the history of this, one of the most beautiful of all annuals. We hear little or nothing about the Sweet Pea from 1700 until 1731, when Philip Miller mentions it in his Gardeners' Dictionary. In Mawe's Gardener, published in 1800, five varieties are men- tioned ; this shows the position of the Sweet Pea at it centenary. A striped variety was mentioned by Page in 1817, bringing the number up to six, and as only six were known in 1S42, no addition was made for twenty-five years. In 1S60 nine varieties were recorded, and about 1S05 the Invincibles came out. Daring the year 1878 or 1S7!) the great improve- ment in Sweet Peas began ; whilst in 1S90 this flower was taken up in America, and soon became very popular. The lecturer briefly touched upon the culture, then passed on to note some of the peculiarities about Sweet Peas, such as are found amongst the blooms, seeds, &c, and also the adapt- ability of the flowers for the decoration of the house and table. Referring to varieties, it would be too great a task even to describe the best of them, but he would name the following as a few of the very best that would not disappoint any who may feel disposed to try them, viz., Blanche Burpee, Prince Edward of York, Black Knight, Lady Grisel Hamilton Prima Donna, Salopian, Navy Blue, Gorgeous, GalaBeauty, Mrs. Dugdale, Duke of Westminster, Duke of Edinburgh, and Emily Eckford. Mr. Stanton illustrated his lecture in a forcible manner by some splendid bunches of the varieties he referred to. On the proposition of Mr. Woolford, seconded by Mr. Neve, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Stanton for his interesting paper, and to Messrs. Sutton & Sons for so kindly allowing them to hold the meeting in their grounds, and for their hospitality. WOLVERHAMPTON FLORAL EETE. July 10. — The twelfth annual Horticultural Fete was held in the West Park on the above date in ideal weather. From the first year of the Wolverhampton Show, its pro- gress has been one of practically unbroken success. Under the management of a vigorous and prog-essive committee, of which Mr, S. Dickinson has been Chairman, the schedule of the show has been enlarged year after year, the prize money has been increased, until for the present show, the total amount of prize money in the horticultural section alone has reached the handsome sum of £700. Inducements have therefore been offered to the best growers to bring their finest productions. The Wolverhampton Show has not only become an established institution, but it is bidding vigorously for absolute pre-eminence. As in previous years, Mr. W. E. Barnett is the general secretary. Special features were made this year of Orchids, floral displays, and herbaceous flowers, and in each of these classes the resu't was quite satisfactory. Groups. The greatest feature at this as atmostother similar shows was the tent devoted chiefly to the class for open groups of plants arranged for effect. In this class, not only do the exhibitors bring out their best specimens of the horticulturist's art, but by the competition in skilful arrangement tie prettiest and most striking effects are produced. This year the groups were one short of the number shown last year, but though there was thus a slight falling off in number, the character of the three exhibits was of high quality. Mr. Cypher was 1st with a very fine group, most artistically arranged with fine Palms, and such Orchids as Cattleyas, Odontoglossums, Epidendrums, and other varieties intermixed with many species of fine- foliage plants, Ferns, &c, some nice plants of Humea elegans affording to the whole with striking effect. G. H. Kendrick, Esq., Edgbaston (gr., Mr. Macdonald), was 2nd with a very fine and beautifully-arranged group. Mr. Vause, Leamington, was 3rd, with a pleasing group of excellent plants. Some very nice groups were put up in the smaller classes by gentlemen's gardeners and amateurs. A very fine collection of Caladiums, Cannas, Ferns, tube- rous-rooted Begonias, &c., was shown by Mr. Webster, the superintendent of the Park, which deserved the Commenda- tion and the Gold Medal which were awarded. Stove and Greenhouse Plants. Mr. Cypher won 1st prize in the principal class, having undoubtedly the best collection of these plants, includ- ing Palms, good specimens of Codisums, Stephanotis, floribunda, a splendid plant of Phoi-nocoma prolifera Barnesii, &c. ; and some excellent Ixoras, Allamandas, Bougainvilleas, and Ericas ; Mr. Vadse was 2nd with a good collection ; and Mr. Finch 3rd. Roses. Cut blooms were well shown, and the Competition in most classes was close. Messrs. Dickson & Sons, Newtownards, Co. Down, were well 1st for seventy-two distinct varieties, including most of the best ones ; Messrs. B. R. Cant were 2nd. Messrs. Dickson were 1st for forty-eight varieties, distinct, with splendid blooms ; Messrs. Townsend, 2nd ; Messrs. D. Prior & Son, 3rd. Messrs. Dickson & Sons were 1st for eight varieties, three blooms of each ; Mr. John Mattock, Oxford, was 2nd; and Mr. B. R. Cant, Colchester, 3rd. : The best twelve bunches of Roses were shown by Mr. J. Mattock, 1st ; Messrs. Townsend & Sons, 2nd ; Mr. J. H. White, Worcester, 3rd. Miscellaneous. Messrs. Veitch & Sons exhibited a very fine group of plants, to which a Gold Medal was awarded. Mr. White, of Worcester, won the Wolverhampton Silver Challenge Casket, value £25, and £5 in cash, for the best floral displays ; Mr. 0 . C. Knicht, of Wolverhampton, was 2nd. Messrs. Dickson, of Chester, the winners at last year's show, did not compete, but had a very fine bank of hardy flowers. The 1st prizes for three classes of bouquets were awarded to Messrs. Jenkinson & Son of Newcastle-under-Lyne ; and Messrs. Perkins of Coventry were 2nd. Messrs. Jenkinson were 1st for dinner-table decoration. Mr. Jones of Sttrewsbury had a very fine exhibit of Sweet Peas, which easily won the Gold Medal offered for the best exhibit ; Messrs. Hinton Bros, showed a very fine collection of Sweet Peas, in which many new varieties were remarked ; and Mr. R. Sydenham contributed a good collection. A group of double-flowered tuberous-rooted Begonias, having the finest blooms ever seen at Wolverhampton, was sVown by Mr. Davis, of Pershore, which was worthy of the highest commendation, and to which a small Gold Medal was awarded. „ , . , , .... , Messrs. Were & Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge, exhibited Gloxinias and Begonias very finely, and their exhibit also in- cluded Sweet Peas and a collection of vegetables (Gold Medal) The exhibits in the Cottagers' classes, as a rule, were excellent! and the exhibits of wild flowers, in which rivalry was very keen indeed, were of much interest ; and the classes in which special prizes were given to school children for twelve named wild flowers were instructive. The difleient plants were correctly named in the vernacular and botanically ; and in some exhibits the natural order was appended. Fruit. The show of fruits in season was excellent, and the com- petition close. Among Grapes were fine bunches of Muscat of Alexandria, Madresneld Court, and Black Hamburgh. Some fine Peaches and Nectarines were shown, also Melons and Strawberries. The principal exhibitors were Lord Saville, Rufford Abbey, Notts ; The Earl of Lathom, Ormskirk, Lord Bagot, The Earl of Harrington, H. France Hayburst, Esq., and J. Corbet, Esq. Vegetables. Some very fine collections were exhibited for the prizes given by the Society, and also for those given by the different seed firms. /. W. SWANSEA HORTICULTURAL. On Thursday, July 5, the members of the Swansea Horti- cultural Society, to the number of forty, paid a visit to Margam Abbey, the residence of Miss Talbot, one of the most interesting in Wales. After a very enjoyable visit, the party returned to the Talbot Arms Hotel to tea, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. Newcombe. Votes of thanks were accorded to Miss Talbot for permission to visit the gardens, and to Mr. L. Milner, the head gardener at Margam, for his kindness in conducting the party round the gardens and pleasure-grounds. Jnv 14, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, ft 39 1 MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES. Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual Im- provement. — The monthly mettiug was held at the Society's Room at the Suultower Temperance Hotel, on Tuesday, June 10, Mr. \V. Harris occupying the Chair ; Mr. W. J. Simpson, the Vico-Chair. A large attendance of members was present, and six new members were nominated. The Chairman introduced Mr. W. J. Jarrnan, one of the younger members, who read a capital and instructive paper on " Carnations," dolling very lucidly with the classification, as bizarres, Hakes, Malmaisons, &c, soils, propagation by layers anil pipiugs. Cultivation in open borders, potting and indoor culture, and suitable structures, were next treated upon ; insect pests and diseases wero also dealt with. The subject was made interesting by the exhibition of some fine varieties of Carnations, sent to the meeting by Mr. H. T. Dixson, of Hailsham, and Mr. T. Butcher. A hearty Vote of Thanks was accorded Mr. Jarman for his paper. The Chairman then announced that at the next meeting in July an exhibition of Sweet Peas will be held, when ladies will be invit.d. Isle Of Wight.— The Isle of Wight Rose Society held their annual exhibition of Roses in the Esplanade Gardens, Ryde, on Thursday last, June 2S. The opening ceremony was per- formed by his Worship the Mayor of Ryde (J. James, Esq., J. P., C.C.). The most successful exhibitors in the oj-en classes were Messrs. B. R. Cant, F. Cant, and D. Prior ; in the Isle of Wight classes, Mrs. E. Croft-Murray almost swept the board, securing thj new Silver Challenge Cup, the Queen's Gold Medal, the Bronze Medal for the best H. P., and the Isle of Wight Hort. Imp. Assoc. Certificate, besides a large number of money-prizes. The othersuccessful exhibitors were Rev. J. E. Jeans, Rev. J. Shearme, Rev. A. T. Richard, son, Miss G. Carter, Mrs. Hutt, Mrs. Mainwaring, Mrs. Kent, Miss Miller, and Messrs. J. O. Brook, J. Lee-White, J. Williams, C. Pince, J. Leek, J. Attrill, and B. H. Bullock. The show was of exceptional merit, and was well patronised. The arrangement and management of the show reflect great credit to the abilities of the Hon. Secretaries, Rev. J. B. Jeans and Mr. E. V. Matthews. Svirley Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Asso- ciation—The monthly meeting of the above Society was held at the Parish Room, Shirley, Southampton, on Mon- day, Jjne IS, Mr. B. Ladhams, F.R.H.S., presiding over a very fair attendance. The lecturer for the evening was Mr. H. J. Jones, F.R.H.S., of the Ryecroft Nurseries, Hither Green, Lewisham, who gave an instructive lecture on the " Colture of Pelargoniums." There was a good exhibition of plants, iruit, and flowers. Bristol and District Mutual Improvement. -The monthly meeting was held at St. John's Parish Room, Red- land, on Thursday, June 28. A good attendance was presided over by Mr. A. J. Hancock. Mr. W. Staddon, of Cote House, read the paper on the cultivation of " Strawberries in Pots." A discussion followed, and Mr. Staddon was heartily thanked for his paper. Birmingham and Distrct Amateur Gardeners Association.— The members of the Birmingham and Distrirt Amateur Gardeners' Association had their eighth annual excursion on Saturday, June 30, when through the kind permission of Lord Leigh, the gardens and grounds of Stone- leigh Abbey, Kenilworth, were visited. Under the guidance of the head gardener, Mr. H. T. Martin, the party were con- ducted through the numerous Vineries, Peach-houses, and Greenhouses, Kitchen Garden, &c. Plants in Poth.— Average Wholesale Pbiceb. Markets. • — COVENT GARDEN, JULY 12. [We cannot accept any responsibility for the subjoined reports. They are furnished to us regularly every lhursday, by the kindness of several of the principal salesmen, who revise the list, and who are responsible for the quotations. It must be remembered that these quotations do not represent the prices on any particular day, but only the general averages for the week preceding ^.ti.tt M 0Ur re,port;v The Prices dePen. d. 0-18 0 0-7 0 0-36 0 0-86 0 0-10 6 0-30 0 0-10 0 0-30 0 0-18 0 0-86 0 0-18 0 «. rf. I. d. 4 0-60 16-76 Ferns, small, per 100 Plena elasbica, each Foliage plants, var., each 10-50 Genistas, per doz..., C 0-9 0 Lily of Valley, each 19-30 Lycopodinma, doz. 8 0-40 Marguerite Daisies, per dozen ... 8 0-12 0 Myrtles, per dozen 6 0-90 Palms, various, ea. 1 0-15 0 — specimens, each 21 0-63 0 Pelargoniums, scar- let, per dozeD 8 0-12 0 — Ivyleal, perdoz. S 0-10 0 Spiraeas, per dozen... 0 0-12 0 "Fern,' Arums Asparagna bunch Carnations, per do*. blooms Cattleyas, per dozen Eucharis, per dozen Gardenias, per dos. Gladiolus, scarlet, per dozen — white, per doz. Liliuin Harnnii, per dozen blooms ... Lilium lancifolium album, doz. blras. Lilium rubrura.doz. Lilinm longiflorum, per dozen Lily of Valley, per doz. bunches ... ,— Average Wholesale Prices. i. d. i. d. i. d. t. (• 16-26 Maidenhair Fern, per doz. bunches 4 0-80 2 0 2 6 Marguerites, p. dos. bunches 8 0- 6 0 1 0- 2 ii Mignonette, dozen 9 0-12 0 bunches 4 0-60 3 0-50 Odontoglossums, per 10-20 dozen 30 00 Roses, Red, per 3 0-50 dozen 10-40 3 0-50 — Tea, white, per dozen 2 6-40 2 0-30 — Safrano, perdoz. 20-30 — Marecbal Niel, 4 0-80 per doz. ... 40-80 4 0-80 — Catherine Mer- met, per dozen 2 0-50 2 0-30 Smilax, per bunch 40-50 Tuberoses, per doz. 6 0-18 0 blooms 0 9-10 Vegetables. — Avkraob Wholesale Prick. Artichokes, Globe, per doz. Beans, Channel Islands, per lb. — Broad , or home-grown, per bushel — English Dwf. perlb. Beetroots, New, per bunch Cabbage, tally — dozen Carrots, new, per dozen Cauliflowers, per dozen Cress, per dozen punnets Cacnmbers, doz. ... Endive, new French, per dozen Garlic, new, dozen bunches Horseradish, Eng- lish, bundle ... — foreign, per bundle — loose, per doz. Leeks, per dozen bunches Lettuce, English Cabbage, bush. — English Cos, per score Mint, new, p. doz. bunches i. d. i. d. 0 8-10 3 0 — 0 8-10 6 0 2 0- 0 6- 16-26 2 0-3 6 per 10-1 0 0 — C- 2 6 2 0 — Mushrooms, house, perlb — Outdoor, sieve OnionB, picklers per sieve — Egyptian, par cwt — Green, dozen ... Parsley, 12 bunches — per sieve Peas — English, bushel ... — in bags... Potatos, New Channel Is- lands, per cwt. — English, new, Bedfords, cwt. Radishes, dozen ... Salad, Bmall, pun- nets, per dozen Shallots, new, per dozen buoche3. — new, per lb. ... Spinach, Spring, per bushel Tomatos, English, new, per 12 ib. — Channel Islands, perlb Turnips, new, per dozen Vegetable Marrows, per dozen Watercress, p. doi. bunches «. d. $. d. 0 4-10 2 0 — 3 6 — 4 6 — 16-26 10-20 0 9-10 3 0-40 2 6-40 3 6-46 0-6 0 6 0- i 1 6 16-20 0 3-04 16-20 0 3-04 5 0-70 3 0-50 0 4-06 Remarks. — Foreign Apples are nearly over for the year, only a few Tasmanians being on sale. The influx of Straw- berries is now declining ; Pineapples are a very short supply ; Potatos are coming in of a very good quality, and prices have a downward tendency. Potatos. Cherbourg, 7s. per cwt. ; Bedfords, 5s. Gd. to 6s. Gd. per cwt. John. Bath, 32 £ 34, Wellington Street, Covent Garden. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Glasgow : July 11.— The following are the figures current since our last report :— Gooseberries, Dutch, £4 to £4 10s. per ton ; English do., £6 to £6 10s. do. ; Cherries, French 5s. to 7s. half-sieve ; do., case, 2s. Gd. to 2s. 9d. do. ; do., pads', 25. 9<2. to 3s. Gd. ; do., English, 4s. Gd. to 6s. 6d. half-sieve ; Strawberries, Cornwall, 2s. to 3s. 6d. per dozen punnets; do.,' Southampton, Is. Gd. to 2s. per basket ; Kent pecks, 3>. Gd. to &s. ; do, Scotch, 5s. to 6s. per dozen pounds ; Cucumbers, 3s. to 4s. per dozen ; Apricots, Ad. to bd. per pound, and Is. to Is. 3d. per box ; do., Italian, 3s. to 4s. per basket; Tomato?, Scotch, 8d. to lOd. per pound ; Guernsey, ordinary, 3Jd. to 4$d. do. ; do., smooth, 5£d. to 6£ do. ; do., French, 4s. Gd. to 5s. per crate ; Grapes, English, Is. 3i. to Is. 9d. per pound ; do., Belgian, 9i. to lOd, do. Liverpool : July 11. — Wholesale Vegetable Market. — Potatos, per cwt. : Early Regents, 5s. Gd. to Gs. 6d. ; Jerseys, 7s. ; Kidneys, 7s. Gd. to 10.,\ ; new. Is. 01 to Is. lOd. per 21 lb. ; Onions, foreign, 2s. 9d. to 3s. 6d. per cwt. ; Parsley, -id. to 8d. per dozen bunches ; Lettuce, 4d. to 9d. per dozen ; Cucumbers, Is. 3d. to 3s. per dozen ; Cauliflowers, Is. to 2s. do. ; Cabbages, Sd. to Is. 3d. do. ; Peas, 3s. to 3s. €d. per bushel. St. John's: Potatos, Is. 2d. per peck; do., new Ik/, perlb. ; Asparagus, Is. Gd. to 2s. 6d. per 100 ; Cucum- bers, 4d. to Gd. each ; Cherries, Gd. to Sd. per lb. ; Apricots, Is. Gd. per doz. ; Gooseberries, 2d. per lb. ; Peas, Is. 3d. to Is. Gd. per psck ; Currants, red, 6d. lb. ; do., black, 0d. do. ; Grapes, English, Is. €d. to 2s. per lb.; Pines, English, 4s. 6d. each ; Strawberries, 6d. to 8d. per lb. ; Mushrooms. Is. to Is. 2d. do. Birkenhead— Potatos, new, Id. per lb. ; Peas, 10i. to Is. 4d. per peck; Cucumbers, 2d. to Gd. each ; Strawberries, Gd. to 8d. perlb. ; Currants, black, Gd. to Sd. do. ; do., red, 4d. to 6d. do. ; Apricots, Is. per dozen ; Cherries, 4d. to Sd. per lb.; Goosberries, 13d. per quart; Grapes, English, Is. 6d. to 3s. per lb. ; Mushrooms, 8d. to Is. do. ; Peachis, 2d. each. CORN. Average Prices of British Corn (per imperial qr.), for the week ending July 7, and for the corresponding period of 1899, together with the difference in the quotations. These figures are based on the Official Weekly Return :— Description. 1899. 1900. Difference. Wheat Barley Oats s. d. 25 7 21 !l 18 1 8. d. 27 10 22 10 19 0 s. d. + 2 » + 1 1 + 1 4 METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS taken In the Royal' Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick, London, for the period July 1 to July 7, 1900. Height above sea- level 24 feet. 1900. g Tempera tore or the Air. Tempera- ture OF THE Soil at 9 a.m. o 1* (E, o o i H a Q § 3 D At 9 a.m. < a a l * o d 8 4 < a. $ ■o S S A m < a 3 < H to O *4 > o t* £ ^ ^ •"a i-3 •a « a n O 9 •s a deg. deg. deg. deg. ins. deg. deg. deg. deg. Sun. 1 w.s.w. 64-4 55-365-0 56-8 0-09 62-2 59-5 56-1 51-7 Mon. 2 S.S.E. 589 55-764-1 54-8 010 61-9 596 56-3 64-8 Tubs. 3 W.N.W. 61-5 54-767-2 53-4 0-22 61-5 59'6 56-4 51-4 Wed. 4 N.N.E. 60-7 55-069-9 49-5 61-9 69 8 56-5 41-8 Thu. 5 S.S.W. 60 4 58 0 75-0 489 635 60-2 56 6 48-5 Pm. 6 N.N.W. 60-5 52 9 6, '5 568 0-02 64-1 60-5 56-8 52 9 Bat. 7 N.N.E. 58-8 49-863-5 49-5 52-8 Tot. 0-49 62-7 62 5 60-8 56-9 41 0 Means... ... 60-7 54-5 67-3 1 600 56-5 48 9 Remarks.— The weather during the first part of the week was very unsettled, with a thunderstorm on the 3rd hist. The wind was very cold and strong every day. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending July 7, is furnished from the Meteorological Office :— "The wiather during this period varied greatly. Some rain fell almost daily in the west and north, but in the south and south-east it was generally confined to the earlier half of the period ; considerable intervals of sunshine were experienced in all parts of the kingdom. Thunderstorms, accompanied by hail, occurred over the south and south-east of England on Tuesday, and again in the east and south-east on Friday. "The temperature was again below the mean, the deficit Janging between 1° and 2°. The highest of the maxima were recorded on the 5th, when they varied from 75° in 'England, S ,' and 74' in ' England, E.' and the ' Midland Counties,', to 66' in 'Scotland, W.1 and the 'Channel Islands.' Duong the greater . part of the week the daily niaxima Were considerably below 70*, and. at some northern and north- western stations, they were sometimes below 60?. The lowest of the minima were registered as a rule on the 4th, and varied from 37° in 'Scotland, N. and E.' and 41» over the 'Midland Counties,' to 4SMn • England, E.,' and 53° in the 'Channel Islands.' " The rain/all exceeded the mean in ' Scotland, N.,' 'Eng- land, N.E.,' and the ' Channel Islands,' and just equalled it in •Scotland, E. and W.," England, E.,' and ' Ireland, S -'in the other districts it was less than the normal. " The bright sunshine was fairly abundant over the Kingdom as a whole, and in most districts exceeded the mean. The percentage of the possible duration ranged from 50 in ' Eng- land, S.W.,' and 43 in the 'Channel Islands ' to 34 in ' England N.E.,' and to 25 in 'Scotland, N.'" 40 THE GARDENERS' . CHRONICLE. [July 14, 1900. Canadian Tender Fruits. — There would appear to hare been some misunderstanding as to the cessation of shipment per cool storage, but an application to the Agricultural Department at Ottawa has put matters straight. Mr. J. AV. Robertson, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying, under date June 26, reports that it has not been decided to discontinue the shipment of tender fruits to Great Britain. The experience of the past three years has, he says, been such as to show that a very profitable business can be done in the shipment of tender varieties of Apples and also of Pears, when carried in cold storage on steamships. The Department undertook to take ■charge of trial shipments of tender fruit for three years — 1897 to 1899. Hereafter the growers and exporters of these fruits propose to continue the exportation themselves ; that is as it was at first intended. The Department guaranteed nett returns of the full value of the fruit at Grimsby, Ontario. Notwithstanding the fact that some of that fruit was of small size, aud did not strike a very good market, the bulk of the Pears was so excellent, and sold at such good prices, that the nett returns, after deducting all expenses, were only 3d. per case at Grimsby less than the price guaranteed by the Department. Production of Prunes in California.— From a governmental, and therefore trustworthy source, we learn that the Prune harvest of Cali- fornia last year was 110,000,000 1b. Of that crop some 7,000,000 lb. still remain on hand. The pre- liminary estimate points to a crop for the present year of about 125,000,000 lb. Answers to Correspondents. -Apple Shoots : J. M. Plymton. Unless the foliage has been injured by frost, we cannot suggest the cause. Books : H. J. B. The book from which Mr. Watson in his "Orchids aud their management" quoted, is entitled About Orchids, by Mr. Frederick Boyle ; published by Messrs. Chapman & Hall, Ltd., London, in 1893. The paragraph is to be found on p. 56.-6. R. M. Milner's Art ■and Practice of Landscape Gardening (Simpkin Marshall & Co., London).— /. W. S. We know of no work specially treating of the Auricula. Change op Occupation : /. T. O. Take service with a market cultivator for a couple of years or longer, if an insight into fruit cultivation is desired, before starting into business for yourself. Study all aspects of the business, and do not be in a hurry to launch out as a cultivator before a good knowledge of the business is acquired, as well as an acquaintance with the ways of market- salesmen, market-customs, and methods. Two years is but a short time in which to acquire the essentials of a fruit-grower or Tomato-cultivator. Correction : Hanley Show.— Messrs. J. Peed & Son's group of Begonias : for Silver Medal read Gold Medal. Cucumber : Anxious. The roots are badly attacked with eel- worm. Burn the plants. Turn out the soil, and get fresh loam which has been stacked for a year or two. Daffodils : Z. Unless you can mix a consider- able body of stiff loam with your sandy soil the bulbs will do no good. Daffodils like a compact, stiffish soil, and but little manure, and that in a, much' decayed state. Unless the land is water- logged it is useless labour to throw out deep alleys between the beds. Fairy Rings on the Lawn: A. B. Apply lime and potash to the patches, or rather to the outer ring of these, the central parts being no longer capable of supporting the toadstools, owing to the exhaustion of the nitrogen in the soil by previous crops of them. Ferns Injured : A. K., 110. Some varieties of market Pteris are very apt to turn brown in places on the fronds. Most of them may be so affected by strong sunlight, after a protracted dull period such as we have this year experienced. Fumigating with material containing chemicals may also cause similar damage. Usually the plants make good fronds later in the season. Figs : J. H. W. See the article in last week's issue. Grapes Spotted : Lane, H. Law, G. H., and Anxious. The injury is due to Glteosporium, very often mentioned lately in the Gardeners' Chronicle. The disease is due to a fungus marked by a depression in the skin of the fruit. For remedies see our issue for June 30, 1900, p. 419. Insects: W.B. Probably the grubs of a Cockchafer., Do not destroy your starlings, blackbirds, and similar insect-eating birds. It is the wanton destruction of these that disturbs the balance of Nature, and permits such insects to become more and more numerous. Lady Gardeners : E. K. There are several nurseries or rather market gardens managed by ladies, and we believe with satisfactory results to the proprietors. The results of inaugurating colleges for female students are likewise such as warrant their extension. Larch Diseased : R. P. The twigs are attacked by the Larch aphis (Chermes laricis), and at present many of the dark-coloured wingless young may be seen as dark specks on the foliage. Young trees suffer most, and of late complaints, become more and more frequent. The leaves and green twigs are pierced by the suckers of the young insects to extract nutriment. A characteristic symptom of the attack is that many leaves show a sharp elbow bend, and soon drop off; the bend is caused by the extraction of sap at the bent part of the leaf, which then dries up and falls. Miss Ormerod (Manual of Injurious Insects, 2nd edition, p. 220) suggests as remedies : dilute paraffin, a wineglassful in each watering-can full of water ; syringing with lime- water ; some of the washes used for hop-aphis. Leaf Mining Grub : A Subscriber. Nipping the grubs with the thumb nail and removing badly injured leaves and burning them, are the only remedies. No insecticide is of any use : perhaps Quassia-water sprinkled over the foliage would deter the fly, Tephritis onopordinis, from laying its eggs. Names of Plan ts : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number.— B. C. 6, Eriophyllum csespitosum, Dougl. A. B. R. — /. McK. Laelia purpurata. — G. L. M. Phacelia (or Eutoca) viscida. — Mr. & Mrs. M. G. Calycanthus floridus. — /. B. 1, Chrysanthemum lacustre (no flowers) ; 2, probably Sedum telephium (but it has no flowers) ; 3, Tanacetum (no flowers) ; 4, Cerastium tomentosum ; 5, Poletnonium cisruleum ; 6, Viburnum Lantana. — C. E. 1, Saxifraga hypnoides ; 2, Sedum rupestre ; 3, 5, spurium ; 4, S. recurvum ; 5, S. rupestre ; 6, S. Rhodiola. — Mrs. Burke. Rosa multiflora (Thunb.). W. T. 1, Campanula grandis (Fisch & Meyer), (=C. latiloba, D. C.) ; 2, Galactites tomentosa, Moench ; 3, Sidalcea malvaiflora ; 4, Geum rivale (Linn.); 5, Dianthus deltoides (Liun.) ; 6, Streptosolen Jamesoni. — A'. pots. It appears to flourish most in heat and drought. Cultivators in pots are rarely found complaining of any injurious effects produced by the insects, but its presence on the roots can do- no good. It also clusters about the stem just on. the surface of the soil. According to the experience of Mr. W. Badcock, of Reading, the woolly aphis ceases to exist if plants affected by it are turned out of their pots, and pliced in the open ground. Last year, having, reduced his collection of show varieties, and de- sirous of saving himself the trouble of re-potting them, Mr. Badcock planted them out in his garden, under a west wall, and though the aphis wa£> present on the roots at the time of planting, when he lifted them in September to repot, he noticed the aphis had all disappeared ; and when repotting the plants in May, there was not a trace of the aphis on any one of them. On the face of it, this looks as if the act of planting out infected plants in. the open is an effectual remedy. Some growers, no doubt, would look askance at the practice of planting out valuable show Auriculas in the open ground during the summer, and regard it as a very hazardous experiment. At the same .Uiv 21, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 45 time the culture of Auriculas altogether in pots does not keep them from decay ; they will die, as Auricula-growers know to their cost, and there are no published records of losses. The act of planting out is no doubt desirable at times, in the case of plants suffering from lack of constitutional vigour. As a matter of course, the position and the soil must be suitable, and there must be reasonable precautions against heavy storms. It is something to get rid of the aphis from plants by planting out, and if there be also a gain of constitutional vigour, planting out for a time is thereby justified. R. D. Dahlias. These plants are making good growth. Slugs are very partial to the succulent stems, and if let alone the pests soon spoil the best of them ; so the gardener must apply soot or quicklime in the even- ing, and stir the soil for the space of a foot round Che plants. Place a stout stake to each plant, and etick in others to support the side-shoots as these make growth, using broad strips of matting as ties. In dry weather apply water copiously. Carnations and Piuotkks. These plants, if growing in pots, should have their flower-stems made secure to neat sticks as the stems grow in height. Afford water regularly, never allowing the soil to remain dry for any length of time. Occasional applications of weak liquid- manure is of benefit to the plants. In dry weather let the plants be syringed late in the afternoon. Aphides are sure to infest the buds, and should be destroyed with tobacco powder, applied when the leaves are dry. The flower-buds should be thinned betimes, removing all but one on each spikelet ; the one in the centre generally affords the finest flower, but a succession may be obtained by retaining some of the side-buds, and nippiDg out the centre or crown-buds. Plants in beds now require liquid-manure to be applied in the evening, following the first applica- tion with a thin mulching of half-decayed horse- manure. If liquid-manure is not available, sprinkle bone-meal over the surface, and wash it into the soil with water, or apply it during showery weather. Hollyhocks should have a mulching of half-rotten manure, after having first cleared off the weeds. Keep a sharp Jook out for red-spider on the leaves, and vigorously syringe them if this pest be present. Chrysanthemums. The training of the shoots of plants intended to produce exhibition blooms, is an important detail at the present moment. When the plants are grown on the natural method, they are allowed to grow away uninterruptedly until they make their first break. This break is caused by the formation of a flower-bud at the apex of the stem, which causes a temporary check to growth, and forces other branches to start from the axils of the leaves below the point where the flower-bud formed. Although many of the newer varieties in the Japanese section require special treatment in order to induce flower- buds to form at the right time, many varie- ties succeed by the adoption of the natural break method. Take, for example, the varieties of the Madame Carnot family, three in number, which do best on the natural method. Phrrbus, still one of the best of yellows, and Mrs. J. Lewis, a charming white, are other examples, as is also the newer Mrs. Alfred Tate. When the plants make this break, the main thing is to know how to manipulate the extra shoots that present themselves. On some varieties as many as ten additional growths will spring from one stem, which would in time grow and produce flowers ; but where large specimen blooms are looked for, thinning of the shoots is a necessity. As a rule, the shoots are limited to three, which form after the first natural break. Present day gardeners confine the number even to two ; but in my opinion plants when properly grown from the cutting stage are able to produce three flowers. Select the three most promising shoots, which are generally those situated nearest the apex, and pinch out all other growths, thus concentrating the energies of the plant in three shoots and no more. Let these be tied loosely to the stakes, and con- tinue to pinch out all superfluous growth. About the end of June the leaf mining-maggot, Tephritis onorpordinis, gets troublesome, and if left alone quickly destroys the tissues, giving a check to growth. Persistent hand-picking is the best remedy, either squeezing the maggot with tho finger and thumb, or pick them out with a knife-point. If neglected, the foliage is quickly ruined, and the plant spoiled. The present affords a suitable season for ensuring suitable cuttings in December. Plants growing at the present time to produce specimen blooms often throw up suckers from the base, or strong lateral shoots ; and instead of throwing these away, insert them singly in small pots in sandy soil, and plunge them in a gentle bottom heat, keeping them close and shaded until rooted, then remove to a cold frame. As soon as the pots are filled with roots, shift the plants into 6-inch pots, using rich potting- soil, and pressing it firmly about the plants. Stand the plants out - of - doors in an open spot, and allow one stem only to grow. This will attain a height of from 2 feet to 4 feet according to variety, but some dwarf-growing varieties will not go beyond 1 foot. Such plants produce one bloom, and they are useful subjects for putting in the conservatory or dwelling. If cut down rather early after flowering, they will be certain to produce suckers. This is better than the constant removal of suckers during the summer from plants intended to throw large blooms, which weakens those plants. Aphides, both green and black, infest the points of the shoots, and an insecticide should be used weekly for their destruction. Mildew has already made its appearance owing to the continued moist weather, and flowers-of-sulphur should be sprinkled over the affected parts. E. Molyneux. NOTES FROM THE SOUTH-WEST. (Continued from page 22.) The Poppies, Oriental, Iceland, and Welsh, have provided brilliant colour-effects, but their fragile petals have been sadly battered by the inclement weather. I lately saw in an interesting garden a handsome form of the common Horn Poppy, with bright, orange-red flowers, each of the petals having a yellow blotch at the base. Primula sikkimensis has been graceful in a moist and shaded site in the rock-garden, and the double white Rockets have been unusually fine, the plants being very vigorous, and producing extra long bloom-spikes. No herba- ceous border should lack this handsome, sweetly- perfumed plant, which only needs annual division and replanting in fresh soil to keep it in the best of health ; while another subject of merit is Sidalcea Listeri, which bears spikes of flesh-pink flowers from 2 to 3 feet in height. During the month of May, Sparaxis and Ixias made an especially bright show in a sunny site almost overhanging the sea — a position they have occupied for three years with- out disturbance, in company with Vallotas and Belladonna Lilies. By the side of a streamlet Trollius Orange Globe has produced its deep yellow- coloured flowers, far eclipsing in their size and colour those of the type, but falling short of the glowing orange tints of T. Fortunei and T. Gibsoni. Roses are fine, though late. A splendid plant of Rosa laevigata, which covers a great portion of the front of a house at the entrance of the river Dart, has been covered through the months of May and June with snowy, single blossoms, 5 inches in diameter. No Rose could have made a finer dis- play than the one in question, as, in addition to the profusion with which the flowers were pro- duced, the individual blooms were marvels of chaste beauty, the pure white of the petals being set off by the golden stamens. Another single Rose, whose blossoms are as diminutive as those of the last named are large, is Rosa polyantha simplex. Trained up a 12-feet-high tree-stump, and allowed unrestricted growth, it develops a maze of long, drooping, flower-laden shoots, that form a veritable floral cascade. Early in May, that rather capricious Rose, Fortune's Yellow, was in bloom, a plant on a sheltered southern wall, bear- ing more than seven dozen delicately-tinted blos- soms. In climbing-plants, Solanum jasminoides commenced its blooming period early in May, and will continue to produce flower-clusters in in- creasing quantity until September, while it rarely becomes flowerless until Christmas, unless unusually severe weather sets in. Hydrangea scandens is now attractive when trained on the boles of trees ; and the new Polygonum balds- chuanicum has proved that its value was not over-estimated. The Ivy -leaved Pelargoniums, that drape many a cottage and house wall in the south- west, have fortunately survived the winter, and are already commencing to spread and flower. The Flame Nasturtium (Tropasolum speciosum) has flung its scarlet trails over the sombre evergreens, but is by no means easy to establish or common in the neighbourhood. T. pentaphyllum, though of easier culture than the last named, succeeding in porous soil in a sunny position, is rarely met with. Its Indian-red blossoms, with their long tubes, are produced in countless numbers, and the plant when in full bloom has a very decorative effect. Flowering Shrubs in the Socth-West. Abelia floribunda is a handsome flowering shrub, rarely seen in gardens, although its long rose- coloured blossoms are very ornamental. I have known cases where the commoner and far leas deco- rative A. rupestris has been sold under this name. Abutilon vitifolium forms an attractive feature in the south-west in mid-June, pyramidal specimens 10 feet to 20 feet in height, freely studded with large white or lavender flowers, when standing in isolated positions, and thrown into high relief by an evergreen back-ground, forming most artistic features. Unfortunately, the heavy rains and winds have this year Bhorn these lovely flowering shrubs of much of their beauty. Benthamia fragi- fera is to be found in most South Devon and Cornish gardens, many examples being over 40 feet in height. When in full bloom, and backed by tall trees, its wealth of pale sulphur - coloured flowers renders it a conspicuous and handsome object, while in late autumn, as its fruits (sometimes an inch in diameter) assume the crimson hue that has earned for this subject the title of Strawberry Tree, it enters upon a second period of attractiveness. Carpenteria californica is now in full flower, large bushes 7 feet in height, and as much in diameter being striking objects. Its white, golden-centred blossoms, not unlike the flowers of certain Cistuses, but with far greater substance of petal, are deliciously fragrant. The Cistuses are particularly decorative during their midsummer flowering period, C. laurifolius, varieties of C. ladaniferus and C. florentinus being exceptionally handsome shrubs ; but the gem of the family is C. formosus, which bears deep yellow flowers with a spot of maroon at the base of each petal. Citrus trifoliata is grown in several gardens, and in one that I know flowers and fruits freely. The Brooms are especially valuable for effect in the spring and early summer. Cytisus precox being the first to flower, followed by C. albus and C. Andreanus, which sometimes comes absolutely true from seed, and later on by the well-known yellow Broom, at its best towards the end of June ; while C. racemosus may be found bearing its scented flower-sprays during almost any month during the summer and autumn in sheltered gardens. Dracaenas of the australis type and allied forms are now blooming freely, their immense flower-pauicles, often 3 feet or 4 feet in length, haunted by innu- 46 THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. [July 21, 190O. merable bees attracted by the far- wafted perfume. Drymis Winteri is a handsome shrub wilh loose clusters of fragrant pale yellow flowers, specimens 15 feet in height, being very ornamental when in full bloom. Embothrium coccineum is the flowering tree par excellence of the south- west, and it would be difficult to imagine anything to excel the brilliancy of a large specimen, 25 feet or more in height, ablaze with its scarlet flower- trusses. This plant is comparatively common in Devon and Cornwall, and there are many splendid examples to be met with in these counties. Engenias and Leptosper- mums are also in flower, as is Hakea microphylla. The showy Hydrangea paniculata has been studded throughout the leugth of its arching shoots with its large white flower -heads. Phila- delphus hirsutus, P. Lemoinei, P. microphyllu", the charming but rather tender P. mexicanus, and P. speciosus, with snowy flowers 2$ iDches in diameter, form a representative selection. Rhapiolepis ovata is a charming flowering shrub, a large specimen, 7 feet in height by 8 feet in diameter, thrown into high relief by a setting of evergreens, forming a striking picture. Rhodoty pos kerrioides is also an attractive Bubject, its white blossoms being very similar in appearance to those of the Jew's Mallow (Kerria japonica), which, with its double form, is now in flower. Solanum crispum is bearing its yellow-centred blooms ; and Veronica Hulkeana has just gone out of flower, as has the handsome XanthoceraB sorbifolia — a large buBh of this, over 8 feet in height, bearing a profusion of long, white flower clusters amid its deeply-cut foliage, was a striking sight in May. S. W. F. market. The firmness of flesh and uniformity of texture, along with other good points, has made this variety supplant almost all others for this purpose. It is a well known fact that thousands of dozens of cans are filled with Kieff'ers every year and labelled "Bartlett." This is because Bartlett has the reputation in this country of being the best canning Pear. Kitffer is ieally a very good fruit when canned, especially if the canning is properly done. Besides the Kieffer, there are a few other very similar varieties for which the same origin is sup- posed. The most prominent of these are Le Conte and Garber, both of which are extensively planted. All these varieties do better in the southern States, though Kieffer succeeds fairly well as far north as New York and southern Ontario. The plantings of Kieffer, Garber, and Le Conte — especially of the first — have been excessive in the last three years. Areas beyond belief have been set with trees at almost any price. In fact, the nurserymen have been charging two to three times as much for trees of Kieffer as for Bartlett, though the former is much easier to propagate. There is no doubt in the minds of most pomologists that this planting of the hybrid PearB has been greatly over- done, and that soon there must come a serious reaction. Some of these hybrid varieties have been found to grow well from cuttings under favourable con- ditions, and are therefore used extensively as stocks for budding or grafting other varieties cf Pears. F. A. Wavgh. American Notes. UNITED STATES. Hybrid Pears in America. — The Pear has had a strange and interesting history in America — a history which we have not time now to recall. Suffice it to say, that though the greatest activity prevailed among our early horticulturists, like Manning, Wilder, Hovey, and many other notable ones, in the testing of varieties of Pears from Europe and those of American origin, yet this fruit has subsequently fallen into comparative disregard, the large majority of the old varieties have been forgotten, and the list of Pears known to the average American fruit-grower is reduced to a half-dozen, such as Bartlett, Flemish Beauty, Duchesse d'Angouleme, andSeckell. This has been largely because the American idea is to grow fruit in large orchards, by wholesale methods, and to market it in large packages. Pears do not take kindly to such treatment. Tbey demand more personal attention to the individual trees, more coddling, more care in marketing. The same condition explains the interest which has been taken in the new hybrid Pears recently introduced. The type and forerunner of them all has been the Kieffer, which is now very generally believed to be a hybrid of the common Pear (Pyrus communis), with the Japanese Sand Pear (Pyrus sinensis). The Kieffer first came into notice about ten yeare ago, and began to attract special attention some eight years since. Its characters are a strong, upright growing, very thrifty and healthy tree, coming early into bearing, often bearing the third year, with good crops the fourth ; with abundant, medium large, shapely, moderately well coloured fruit, which is hard, and therefore ships admirably, and keeps for a long time. The fruit is, however, of such inferior quality as to make it practically unavailable for table use at home, and fit only for the undiscriminating market. Of course the market is largely undiscriminating, and this haB made it possible year after year to dispose of great quan- tities of Kieffer Pears at remunerative prices, while other much better Pears would not bring enough to pay for handling. The Kieffer Pear, moreover, has proved well adapted to the needs of the large canning factories, where fruits are tinned in great quantities for the firmed those of his continental colleagues ; but one- important result achieved by him consisted of testing one of the common commercial powders for the prevention of blight, which are nearly all almost identical in composition. He found under the first shower that 4(i'60 ; under the second, 5'90, and the tjtal quantity washed off amounted to 52 57 — an analysis which betrays its ineffec- tiveness. In conclusion, he is under the opinion that, speaking for Ireland, "that dry hydroxide powders must be set aside as the most unsuitable of the preparations in use in Ireland." The choice rests between mixtures prepared by adding either milk- of lime or a solution of carbonate of soda to a solution of copper sulphate. If it could be really ascertained that the copper alone is the active con- stituent of the deposit produced by these mixtures, I should not hesitate to recommend the use of the soda preparation, on account of its superior ad- hesiveness, the great ease with which the mixture can be prepared, in a condition of perfect freedom from gritty matter, and in a state eminently adapted for use with spraying machines. It is, however, by no means certain that the lime in Bordeaux Mixture does not perform some useful function ; and for this reason I am of opinion that the lime mixture is the safest to use in our present condition of uncertainty on this point. He prefers to use good unslaked lime ; if this is not procurable it would be advantageous to use in its place sodium carbonate, and to always bear in mind to see that the copper preparation dries effectually on the foliage, and it is uniformly distributed. A. O'Neill. Ireland. SPRAYING POTATO PLANTS. Mr. Richard J. Mo s, F.I.C., F.C.S., of the Royal Dublin Society, has just published a pamphlet on The Adhesive and other Physical Pro- perties of Certain Copper Preparations Used for Spraying Plants, starting with the fact that " The precise nature of the efftct produced by spraying preparations on the fungus of Potato diseases is, I believe, unknown ; but that the action of copper as a deterrent to the advance of fungoid growths is an accepted fact, by increasing the resisting power of the plants, as well as to enable a stock of sound tubers to be got, it would follow that the best spraying-mixture to be adopted should possess the following advantages : it should cover the leaves with a uniform deposit, and should be adhesive, so that the effect of rain will not be sufficient to wash it off. In dealing with the factor of subsidence, he points out that the best course to adopt is to use for spraying purposes only those mixtures which have the solid matter always uniformly distributed ; as in other pre- parations, the danger of applying too much copper to part of the crop, and scarcely any to the remainder, has been very commonly observed, although this fault has been slightly amended by using a mechanical agitator in the sprayiDg utensils. When alluding to the experiment of M. Aimr Girard to test the action of the rain, he got twelve pots, and planted Potatos, &c, and submitted them to the action of rain (mechanical) in varying stages, torrential, heavy, and light showers ; after this process, he chemically treated the foliage to deter- mine the quantity of copper in the ash. The results showed that torrential rain removed the greatest quantity, and the heavy and light rains a much lower percentage. However, one of the solutions experimented with, namely, an ordinary Bordeaux Mixture, with a 2 per cent, of treacle added, had by far the best resisting power, only 11*2 was removed, neither the heavy nor light rain having much effect. The conclusion he arrived at was, that "The copper is removed more by the mechanical action of the rain than by its action as a solvent. It is also advised that carbonate of soda in combination, as this substance adds to the adhesive properties of the mixture more than does lime. The writer of this pamphlet likewise carried out a series of identical experiments, which con- Plant Notes. DORONICUMS. For making a bright display and as cut flowers, these hardy herbaceous perennials take a high place. The several species met with in gardens bear yellow flowers, and the only distinctive cha- racters are in the habit of growth and size of the flowers. D. plantagineum is perhaps the most stately species, D. p. excelsum is also excellent, and differs but little from the type, except in grow ing more robustly. The flower-stems of this species attain to a height of 4.J feet in good soil. D. aus- triacum is a dwarfer species, rarely exceeding 2 feti in height ; and D. caucasicum belongs to this group. D^ronicums may be lifted from the border, potted, and forced. The potting may take place late in October or in November, and the plants placed in cold frames until put into the forcing-house in January. They must be very gradually forced into growth, or the flowers will lick substance and will not last long after being removed from the plants and placed in water. Good flowers are produced in March, at which season they form a welcome addition to other forced flowers. Doronicums will thrive in almost any kind of soil ; and flowering is long continued if water be afforded plentifully in dry weather. If division of the clumps is practised annually, the stems are fewer, and the individual blooms larger than when the plants are left in the soil undisturbed for three or four years. H. T. Martin. Cultural Memoranda. ■»- BROW ALIA SPECIOSA MAJOR This plant is known to a good many gardeners. It thrives in an intermediate-house during the winter months, and cuttings struck in heat in April, when they strike freely, grow best during the summer months in the greenhouse or a cold- frame. The plant is liable to infestation by thrips when grown on dry stages, and at this season it should be frequently syringed, and the shoots topped. There are but few flowers which give us such bright blue colour in the winter season, and for this reason the plant is a useful one. A. J. L.s Wyjold Court Gardens. Ji'LY 21, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 47 L.ELIO- CATTLE YA x WIGANLE VAR. A UREA. Two of the most distinct hybrid Orchids of the year are Lrelio-Cattleya x Wiganhe, and its variety aurea, shown by Sir Frederick Wigan, Bart. , Clare Lawn, East Sheen (gr., Mr. H. W. Young), in the splendid group staged at the show of the Richmond Horticultural Society on June 27 ; and before the Orchid Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society on July ,'i, on which occasion the typical plant was awarded a First- class Certificate. Both forms represent varia- The Fernery. BRITISH FERNS FOR PUBLIC PARKS. To the British Fern lover, that is, one who knows something about the wonderful variety and decora- tive capacity which have been discovered or evolved from the common or normal forms by the Fern- hunter and the skilful selective raiser, it is a matter of intense surprise that no use is made of them in our public parks, and the minor open spaces, which in these later days are rendered so ornamental as to constitute ideal spots for their cultivation and his care. Many of our native Fern species aro common in other countries, and hunting the moun- tain-woods and hollows almost to the ABian borders of Europe, we shall find the bulk of them in pre- cisely the same types as with us ; in this respect, therefore, they may be termed rather European than British. In another respect, however, that is, in respect to those marvellous "sports" and their selected results, such as we see at Kew and in some of the few amateur collections, we have a number of purely " British " Ferns, which, in their varietal scope and diversity, utterly eclipse the Ferus of all the world besides, and so far surpass in delicate Fig. 8. — l. should bespread out regularly, and kept in position by means of stout wooden pegs. Unless for exhi- bition purposes, Vegetable - Marrows should be removed from the plaDts whilst still small ; that is, half grown or less. Plants growing in rich soil will need no extra feeding, merely mulching with, straw to prevent flagging. Backward plants may be afforded copious applications of manure-water. French Beans — Another sowing, the last for the season, may be made about July 24, sowing on a south or south-west border. The soil should be moderately rich, and the seeds should be steeped, in water for a few hours previously to sowing them. Sow thinly in rows, 2J to 3 ft. asunder, and sprinkle the soil, and subsequently the plants, with water every evening. Where indoor cultivation can be afforded, a sowing may be made in flower-pots- about the first week in the month of August. These may be stood out-of-doors till the middle of the month of September, about which date it is- advisable to house them. Canadian Wonder, Red Flageolet, and Perfection are tine varieties for sowing at this season. Tomatos. — Although much depends on the character of the season whether these plants yield well or poorly, the amount of attention bestowed, on them during the next few weeks has a great deal) to do with success. The plants should be afforded- manure-water in moderate quantities when the fruits are swelling, affording manurial mulchings if the soil is light and poor. The side shoots should, be removed a few at a time. The plants should be syringed daily in fine weather till the fruits are set, and a few of the leaves may be removed to expose the fruit if shade is too dense. Carrots.— A. sowing of Early Nantes, Scarlet Model, and Paris Forcing, may be made at this- date for drawing from, if the earlier sowings should, turn out coarse, but about which it is too early to- form a just opinion. If the soil be infested with, wireworms, it should be dressed with fresh soot, wood-ashes, and slaked lime, before digging; and- heavy soils should be dug, and road-scrapings and fine mould incorporated with the surface-soil. As. the roots of the Carrot do not grow to a large size from these late sowings, the seeds may be sown- moderately thick. The seed-drills should be about 10 inches apart, and li inch deep. THE APIARY. By Expert. The honey season so far has not been a success,. and we might call it a "swarming season." When, swarms have not been returned no honey has been, taken off, and the bee-keepers are not very welh pleased. It is a great pity where honey is required, not to return them ; as we have pointed out before, one cannot get swarms and returns in sections, or- in run honey as well. A general complaint again is- that the enormous amount of sections spoiled, through the queen getting into them and breeding, in them, rendering the sections useless. The cost of a sheet of "queen excluder zinc," placed on the top bars to prevent the queen and drones getting up, is soon repaid, if you reckon two sections spoilt and the cost of the excluder only 10d or Is. Another great advantage is, that you can take away the sections with little risk of damaging them, ands knowing at the same time that the queen- bee is in safety below. Taking sections. — Care should be taken not to- put the fingers through the top of the sections when taking them off, because all sections so- damaged are useless for sale ; and the sections- taken should in no case be laid down, but be kept up the same way they are taken from the hive, because honey in the cells which are not sealed' over will run down over the section and spoil it. Sale of Honey.— Owing to the bad weather, sections if good are sure to be dearer, so that any bee-keeper with a large stock of honey of goo* quality should be able to find a ready market, at a much better price than last year ; at the same time it is of no use to keep them for any length of time, but let them go when a good price is offered, particularly so when only an indifferent place ie> available in which to store them. 50 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 21, 1900. EDITORIAL NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be tent to the PUBLISHER. Letters for Publication, as well as specimens and plants for naming, should be addressed to the EDITOR, 41, Welling- ton Street, Covent Garden, London. Communications Should be WRITTEN ON ONE SIDE ONLY OP THE PAPER, sent as early in the week as possible, and duly signed by the writer. IJ desired, the signature will not be printed, but kept as a guarantee of good faith. The Editor does not undertake topay for any contributions, or to return unused communications or illustrations, unless by special arrangement. illustrations.— The Editor will thankfully receive and seled photographs or drawings, suitable for reproduction, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, <£c. ; but he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. Local News.— Correspondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence of local events likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of horticulturists. Newspapers — Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the Editor to see. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. — • — TUESDAY, July 24— Tibshelf Rose Show. (National CarDation and Picotee Society's Exhibition, at Crystal nPilace- „ „ ,. Durham, Northumberland, and Newcastle Horticultural Society's Show, at Newcastle (3 days). , f Rose and Horticultural Show at THURSDAY; July 2G t Bedale. 6ALE. YRIDAY, July 27— Imported and Established Orchids, at Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. Aybraoe Temperature for the ensuing week, deduced from Observations of Forty -three Years, at Chiswick.— 63'4\ Actual Temperatures : — London.— July IS (6 p.m.) : Mai. 85° ; Min. 58°. July 19 : Fine, hot. Provinces. — July IS (6 p.m.): Max. 81°, Ipswich- Min., 08°, Shetland. _ ,. ,. , The rqportj for the present year. Horticultural c ., . . r. . * ' Education. ot tlle examiners m horticulture appointed by the Royal Horti- cultural Society, is before us, as well as the syllabus of work at the Horticultural College, Swanley. It is pleasing to find much less objection raised to examinations than was once ■the case. Their true function and importance are becoming more evident, and people are ceasing to expect the immediate and direct results from them that once they did. In the list before us we find that Miss E. Welthiar- Winlo of the Horticultural College, Swanley, succeeded in attaining the full number of marks (300), that several obtained over 280, while no fewer than 141 out of 236, or nearly 60 per cent, obtained over 200 marks, and were placed in the first class. Only a few years ago any one of these 141 ■candidates would have been supposed by the thoughtless to have given evidence of their competence to undertake the charge of a garden. All that the examination really shows is that the students have been diligent in making use of their opportuities, that their attention has been directed into the proper courses, and that they have been generally well taught. This is all that we have a right to expect ; and when we find so large a proportion as 60 per cent, in the first class, we may be very well satisfied indeed. The examination-sylla- bus shows to what points attention should be specially directed, and the mental discipline entailed in systematically reading and working with a definite aim, even though that aim be •merely the passing of an examination, is of incalculable value. The examiners give a hint which, in our experience, we are sorry to say, is almost always necessary :— " Many [of the candidates] branched off into extraneous matters not re- quired in reply to the question at all. It is important that they should keep strictly to the text of the questions." We never knew an examination yet, and we have endured many, both as examinee and as examiner, in which this concentration of effort was not more or less deficient. Gene- rally it arises from inability to answer the question properly, the time it is thought must be occupied, the paper filled, and the candidate fills up his paper "somehow." He would do better to retire at an early stage, or better still, such a candidate should never have entered the examination-room. It would be a good thing if the tutors would institute a preliminary exami- nation of their pupils, and not suffer those who are clearly incompetent to answer questions properly to take up the time and exhaust the energies of the examiners. In this particular, the students who have had some training in colleges or schools have a very great advantage over those who have picked up their knowledge from books alone, or from such experience as they may have attained during the course of their every- day work. The connection between the tuition given and the examinations which the candidates are invited to undergo, and the practical work of the garden, is apt to be misunderstood. The real object is to explain and illustrate the work done by plants, and the manner in which the gardener utilises that work for his own purposes. It is no part of a horticultural college to send out botanists, or chemists, or geologists, but rather pupils whose intelligence has been so trained that they can apply practi- cally in the garden what they have learned in the class-room and laboratory. They thus become not garden labourers, but gardeners in the best sense of the term. The examinations supply a test whether the intelligence of the pupil has been trained in the manner we have indicated. Some would, at this stage, add to the written examination some practical tests of ability to perform the common operations of gardening. This practical test we think should come at a later period, when the candidate has had some practical experience. Then would be the time to ascertain how far he had profited alike by his experience, and his ability to apply the instruction he has received in the prin- ciples of the art. Experience alone is no doubt valuable to the individual, but unless it be associated with trained intelligence, it does not benefit the art, or contribute to its progress. We append the syllabus of practical work as carried out at Swanley, merely adding that it is associated with instructions in general principles : — First Year's Practical Work.— Use of garden tools. Levelling. Formation and care of paths, beds, and lawns. Preparation of soils, trenching, d'gg'og, hoeing and rakhig. Mowing, sweeping and rolling. Manures, their preparation, storing, and methods of application. Weeds, their dura- tion and means of eradication. Planting and growing vegetables, selection of varieties, gathering and storing. Fruit culture, planting, pruning, gathering and storing. Sowing Beeds and growing stocks of plants, &c. Budding and grafting. Root and branch pruning. Second Year's Practical Work. — Preparation of seed-beds and hot-beds, sowing seeds, transplanting and thinning. Propagating, growing and planting hardy, stove and greenhouse plants, ka. Prepara- tion of manures and composts. Potting, staking, tying and watering. Care of houses, frames, pits, &c. Ventilation, stoking, care of ferneries, herba- ceous borders, shrubberies, Rose - garden, and bedding-out, annuals, &c. Growing vegetables, salads, &c. Earthing, blanching, &c. Training fruit-trees, and hardy climbers on walls, &c. Saving seeds, &c. Market crops :— Propagation, growing, picking, packing, market-bunching and marketing. Forcing fruit and vegetables. Advanced pruning and propagating. Practical Instruction is also given in jam-making ; bottling and preserving fruits. Bouquet-making and table decoration, carpentry, repairing, painting and glazing glasshouses, &c. Third Year's Practical Work (in course oj arrangement). — Further specialisation in the fore- going. Growing special classes of plants. Hybri- disation, garden-design. Labelling, &c. Selection of varieties. Rotation of crops. Teaching and supervising the work of elementary students while in charge of glasshouses, &c. In our last issue we gave an out- Sweet Pea. line of the history of the Sweet Pea from its introduction to the present time. Messrs. Carter have circulated a similar document based on the same materials that were at our disposal, together with some details as to the share that the firm of James Carter have had in its improvement. The earliest date mentioned by Messrs. Carter is 1837, and in 1845 to 1849 the firm offered a new striped Sweet Pea, and a new large purple variety. From that time till 1860 little seems to have been done till the last-named year, when a blue-edged variety was brought out, and said to have been a true cross between the annual white Sweet Pea and the perennial Lord Anson's blue. Were it not that the name of Col. Trevor Clarke is mentioned as the raiser, we should not have attached much im- portance to the statement. It is not mentioned in Dr. Focke's standard book on Hybridisation. Scarlet Invincible was sent out by Messrs. Carter in 1865 ; Princess of Prussia, with rosy-lilac flowers, was distributed by Mr. C. Sharpe in 1871 ; then came Violet Queen, sent out by Messrs. Carter in 1878, with a coloured illustration, a forerunner of the large flowered types now common. No doubt other firms could add to the list supplied by Messrs. Carter. The develop- ment of the Sweet Pea in modern times is specially due to Mr. Eckford, at one time gardener to Dr. Sankey, a great florist, and the results of his labours are now everywhere manifest. The dwarf forms, of which Cupid was the first, hail from America. They are good for pot use, otherwise they have little or no advantage over the taller-growing sorts. In addition to the colour and size of the flowers there is some variation in the colour of the seeds, and Messrs. Carter tell us that Violet Queen has angular instead of round seeds. These variations are very interesting, as they occur in a plant which has not been hybridised by crossing with another species, unless the blue-edged variety was really the offspring of a cross. Another point we wish to emphasise is, that so far, no bud-sport has been produced ; indeed, we cannot trace any such sport in any annual plant whatever. We had an opportunity of testing this matter when examining lately the collection of varie- ties on Messrs. Hurst & Son's seed farm at Kelvedon. Here over 200 varieties were seen growing side by side, so as to enable some sort July 21, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 51 tif classification to be made, and to facilitate the estimation of the comparative merits of particular flowers. Among the best we may mention : — Or.ANGK COLOURED VARIETIES. Gorgeous is one of the best, although it has only two flowers in a spike, when a self-respecting Sweet Pea should have three ; the standard in this ■variety is nearly circular, clear orange pink, while the wiDgs are rose-pink. Lad if Mary Currie is very similar, but rather less orange, and the contrast between the colour of the standard and of the wings is more pleasing. Rose-coloured Varieties. Royal Rose is a fine bold Mower, with deep rose standards of good form, and wings pale rose. Triumph is a rose-coloured flower, the wings having a bluish shade. Countess of Lathom is a pale rose tlower ; the standard and wings slightly incurved. Coronet is a white flower, traversed by a network of rose-coloured veins ; standard circular, bold. Lovely deserves its name, for the beauty of its light pink flowers. Technically the standard is not of such good form as in some other varieties, but we doubt if the public will think any the worse of it for that. America has white flowers thickly striped with lines of pink ; if the stars are not visible, at least the stripes are clearly so. It will be useful for •variety sake. Earliest-of-All has rose-coloured standard, and white wings. A charming flower. Prince of Wales is of a deep rose colour. A very fine variety. Prince Edirard of York is Bimilar, but with more orange in the standard. Chancellor is a variety with pink veins travers- ing a white ground ; the standard is bold and circular. Deep Red or Maroon-Blues, &c. Mars is a very fine flower, glowing red with bold red standard, and purplish wings. Captivation is of a purplish tint, with rosy-purple standard, and violet wings. Navy Blue has bluish-purple standard, and violet wings. A very handsome variety. Othello is a dark maroon; its standard is not always technically correct, but personally we should not object to it on that score. It should be in every collection on account of its colour. Princess of Wales has a lilac network of veins on a white ground, giving a mottled appearance. Emily Ect ford is of a pale violet colour, very delicate. Lady Orizel Hamilton has light lilac flowers, of large size and much beauty. Yellow to White. Mrs. Eckford is a very pale primrose flower, of great beauty. Lottie Hutchins is a creamy- white, with a few pinkish blotches. Sir George White is a good example of the white- flowered class, but scarcely so fine as Sadie Burpee —a very fine white flower with the conventional standard, one of the finest of all the varieties. As the present issue will be published before the show opens, we must leave further details till next week, but some idea of its extent may be formed by the fact that up to Saturday last seventy-eight exhibitors had announced their intention of being present, that they had made 590 entries and requisitioned 3607 vases. We do not envy the judges, as the distinctions between many of the varieties are infinitesimal. If the Conference would kindly eliminate half or even three-fourths of the names they would render a very great service to horticulture. Rockery Orchid-house at the Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea (Supplementary Illustration). — Few visitors to Messrs. J. Veitcii & Sons' nursery at Chelsea, fail to inspect the Orchid rockery -house, which forms a kind of ante- room to several houses in which Orchids are culti- vated. The central mass consists of rockwork, which affords resting-places and pinnacles, on which Orchids in pots, pans, and baskets can be deposited in order to show the flowers to the most advantage. Around the sides are other rocky masses erected in a Bimilar manner, wooden staging not being much employed in the house. As the seasons change, so do the contents of this house change with them, plants in bloom being brought from other houses as fast as those in the rockery pass out of bloom. The floral effect is heightened by the introduction of foliage plants in variety, such as Begonia, Cissus discolor, l'othos argyraa, Ferns of dwarf growth, Philodendron in variety, Pellioneas, Tradescantias, and Calatheas, which are m most instances planted about on the rockery. "Hardy Flowers."— A sixth edition of this little volume has just been issued, and is pub- lished at Gardening Illustrated Office, 37, Southamp- ton Street, Strand, W.C. It was, we believe, in its original form, the first, or almost the first, of Mr. Robinson's books on similar subjects. The intro- duction should be read by every garden-lover. The text is an alphabetical and detailed catalogue of a selection of the most attractive herbaceous plants. Chionodoxa, Heucherasanguinea, the beautiful Incar- villea, and many handsome plants, are however omitted. The I'ampas-grass is still called Gynerium. The hardy Bamboos scarcely receive such attention as they deserve, nor are the hardy Nymphjeas of M. Marliac mentioned. The numerous selections of plants for various purposes form a valuable feature of this book. Although experience is the best teacher, yet hints like these save time, and render the acquisition of experience the more rapid. Importation of Plants from Abroad.— A complaint having been made, says the Times, by a correspondent that postal packets containing plants tendered at Swiss post-offices for transmission to England were being refused on the ground that the plants would not be permitted to enter England, the Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society of England placed himBelf in communication with the Board of Customs on the subject, and has now received the following reply : — "Custom House, London, June 30, 1900. " Sir,— I am directed by the Commissioners of Her Majesty *s Customs to inform you, in reply to your letter, dated the 25th inst., that, so far as this department is concerned, there is no objection to the importation of plants from Switzerland. "A representative of the Swiss Consulate who has been interviewed by an officer of this department ou the subject, states that there are no regulations governing the exportation of plants from Switzerland, adding that he had seen state- ments in the newspapers to the effect that the English Post Office was refusing to receive flowers from certain places abroad, and mentioning Cannes as one of the places coming under these restrictions. So far as the Swiss Government is concerned, there is no impediment to this traffic at the frontier. "From inquiries which have been made at the General Post Office, it appears that there are nj restrictions imposed by that department upon the transmission of plants and flowers from abroad, either through the parcel post or the letter post, but that fljwers are refused when tendered for transmission through the sample post. Some time since au arrangement was made, in the interests of growers in the South of France, under which flowers were admitted through the sample post ; but at the last Postal Convention it was agreed that this concession should not be continued. "The revised regulation has resulted in the refusal of a large number of packets presented for transmission as samples, and the impression seems to have been made on the public mind that the importation of flowers through the post is not allowed. — I am, sir, your obedient servant, " Sir Ernest Clarke." " R. Hendebson. "Flore de la France."— The Abbe Coste has just issued, through Paul Klincksieck, 3, Rue Corneille, Paris, the first part of a descriptive and illustrated Flora of France, which we hasten to bring under the notice of our readers, to whom a Flora of France is a desideratum. The clasBio work of Grenier and Godron is half a century old, and is now rarely to be met with. The present publication, then, clearly supplies a demand, and the more perfectly, that each species is illustrated by a small but particularly clear woodcut. The only objection to these cuts is, that there is no scale attached to them. In the text neither synonyms nor references are given, a circumstance that will in a measure detract from the value of the book in the eyes of professional botanists. What we have is a clear, well-drawn description of each species, with the distinctive characters marked with italic type. The localities, including those in Corsica and Savoy, are mentioned, as well as the general distri- bution of the plants, and in some cases an indication of the medicinal or other properties. The work will be indispensable to botanists studying the flora of France, and as so many of the species now find a place in gardens, the cultivator of hardy plants will find it requisite to possess it. Hybrid Sempervivum. — As we noted last week, Mr. Lindsay, of Murrayfield, has kindly sent us specimens of a hybrid between S. tectorum and S. arachnoideum. The general habit is that of S. tectorum, but the rosettes of leaves are not so large, and the tips of the individual leaves are matted together with a fine net-work of white hairs, as in S. arachnoideum. We have no flowers of S. tectorum at band to compare with those of the hybrid, but comparing them with those of S. arachnoideum they are larger, densely covered, both on sepals and petals, with glandular hairs. The petals are dull, cloudy pink, and the anthers yellowish-red on pink filaments. The filaments are glabrous, and the carpels nearly so. In S. arach- noideum the petals are clear rosy-pink, the anther lobes yellow, deeply edged with black, and the carpels Blightly glandular- villous. "Plant-c Thonnerian/e Congolenses." — Par E. de Wildeman et Th. Durand. (Brux- elles, Oscar Schepens et Cie. , 16, Rue Treurenberg). M. Franz Thonner, in a recent volume devoted to the results of his travels in Upper Congo, included in the form of an appendix the list of the plants that he collected on an excursion into the Bangalas dis- trict, and announced that a more complete account of the botany of the neighbourhood would be published later — it is comprised in the book above - named. Dr. De Wildeman, Assistant Naturalist at the Brussels Jardin Botaniqne, and Secretary of the Belgian Microscopic Society ; and M. Th. Durand, Keeper of the Jardin Botanique de l'Etat of Brussels, are already well known for their works in connection with the flora of the Congo, so that the contributions of M. Thonneb could not have been brought out more favourably ; and the Planloe Thonnerianm Congolenses forms an important text-book to the knowledge of the plants of the Congo and of their dispersion. As the authors remark, of the 120 plants that the collection includes, a fiftieth part have never been discovered within the limits of the independent state, and of these species twenty-three or twenty-four varieties are new to science. M. Thonner's success is not attributable to good fortune only, as besides being an undaunted explorer, he is also a skilled^botanist, and able to make from the plants before him a wise selection, rejecting well known Bpecies, and devoting himself to those that are rare. The preface of the book gives M. Thonner's itinerary, and is followed by a description of the writer's travels, and of the country visited. In the actual book, the joint authors enumerate systematically the names of the plants collected, and give numerous bibliographic references, and mention the distribu- tion of the species in districts other than the Congo. M. Thonner also gives figures of the new species brought borne by him ; many of these plants are, naturally, named after him. The illustrative plates are the work of M. D'Apreval, and show- many plants not merely of scientific interest, but of others that also might well be introduced into cultivation. 52 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 21, 1900. SEQUOIA GIGANTEA.— A paragraph is going the round of the papers referring to the height of the Wellingtonia in the Kerseley House estate, near Coventry. The tree is said to exceed in height the specimen at Chatsworth. Unfortunately, in the records of the Conifer Conference, no mention is made of the tree in either locality. A tree at Strathfieldsaye was measured by Mr. McHattie last autumn, and found to be 82 feet in height. The tallest specimen, out of eighty-six returns mentioned in the Conifer Conference Report (1892), is one at Shanballay, Tipperary ; but there is a dis- crepancy between the detailed statement on p. 561 and the summary at p. 5 71, which throws some doubt on the correctness of the measurements. Vines and Vine-Culture. — We are pleased to see a fourth edition of Mr. Barron's book on this subject— (12, Mitre Court, Fleet Street). A few additions have been made to the book which re- mains the best practical guide to Vine-growing that exists in the language. We regret to find Mr. Black- more's provisional name of " Diptheritis " retained for what the French call brunissure, or browning, and which is considered to be due to the presence of a slime fungus or Myxomycete. It is well figured in Viala's Maladies de la Vigne, a copy of which is in the Lindley Library. As to Mr. Barron's book, it is one which every gardener should make a point of possessing. "Ben Cant." — Rosarians especially will lament the decease of this eminent Rose- cultivator, who died at Colchester on July 17 in his seventy- fourth year. He was a great cultivator and exhi- bitor. More than 2000 prizes, including the National Rose Society's Trophy on no fewer than nine occasions, fell to his share. Three of the best Roses, Gloire de Dijon, General Jacqueminot, and Jules Margottin, were, according to a state- ment in the Rosarians' Year Book for 1886, dis- tributed in 1853 by Mr. Cant, and gave him his first start in life. Mr. Cant was almost exclu- sively a rosarian, and at one time grew them exclusively in the open air. We used to see him occasionally at the Rose Society, though he took little interest in horticultural affairs outside his business, but was greatly respected by Mb many friends, and no man enjoyed a better repute. The WiG Plant. — At this season we often get specimens of this plant, Rhus Cotinus, the senders being naturally struck with the feathery character of the flower-stalks, most of which are abortive. The colour is generally greenish with a pinkish tinge, but Mr. Anthony Waterer sends us a spray of a com- paratively deep purple colour. The bark of the shoots partakes of the same colour. The leaves too are smaller, and rounded not tapering at the base. The variety is eminently deserving of attention. Transference of Business. — Messrs. J. R. Pearson & Sons, who have been engaged for some years in establishing a new nursery at Lowdham, Notts, are now removing entirely from Chilwell, where the firm has carried on business for a century or more, to the new quarters. In order to allow of increased attention being given to fruit-trees and Roses, Messrs. Pearson propose to discontinue the cultivation of zonal Pelargoniums, and of all greenhouse plants, cut flowers, &c. The area included by the new nursery is 100 acres, and is situated in a purer, better atmosphere than obtains at Chilwell, since so many factories and other buildings have been erected in the locality. Metropolitan Open Spaces.— We under- stand that a member of the well-known Lloyd family in the suburbs of Walthamstow, has pre- sented the Walthamstow Urban District Council with the fine mansion called "The Winns," and 9J acres of land attached thereto. The estate will be used — the house as a museum, the land as recreation ground. These will be thrown open to the public some time in August. Stock-taking : June.— The Board of Trade returns for June show a continuance of the busy times previously recorded ; albeit the Chancellor of the Exchequer finds his calculations a good deal out of line with his latest Budget figures. The total value of last month's imports is £42,016,307, against £38,348,943 in June, 1899 ; an increase of £3,667,364. The decreases are £292,542 in articles of food, dutiable ; tobacco falling off by £23,037 ; manufactured articles figure at £78,504. The heaviest items of increase are £1,765,907 in articles of food and drink, duty free ; raw materials, £1,185,671 ; metals, increase by £530,856 ; and raw materials for textiles are in exceas by £391,672. The following are the usual extracts from the " summary " table : — Impobts. 1899. 1900. Difference. £ £ £ Total value 38,348,943 42,016,307 +3,667,364 (A.) Articles of food and drink — duty free 14,243,992 16,009,899 +1,765,907 (B.) Articles of food & drink — dutiable 1,673,868 1,381,316 —292,542 Raw materials for textile- manufac- tures ' 3,753,018 4,144,630 +391,612 Raw materials for sundry industries and manufactures 5,106,174 6,291,845 +1,185,671 (A.) Miscellaneous articles 1,083,896 1,378,167 +294,271 (B.) Parcel Post ... 78,647 82,574 +S.927 Coming now to the imports of fruits, roots, and vegetables, one may note that favourable accounts reach us as to the prices obtained for the past season's imports of fruit. Growers and salesmen being satisfied with their returns, and the pur- chaser with what he invested in. The following are the figures in the section alluded to, and the difference in value will be noted with interest : — Impobts. 1899. 1900. Difference. Fruits, raw :— Bushels. Cwt. Value. Apples 62,424 16,269 —6,742 Apricots and Peaches . 2,074 +4,752 Bananas... bunches 124,816 + 53,813 Cherries 129,655 113,891 +86,466 Currants , 6,663 + 16,152 Gooseberries 16,574 +8,735 Grapes 5,325 457 —8,034 Lemons 155,716 74.9S0 —13,992 Nuts— Almonds (cwt.) 2,657 2,019 +1,652 Others, used as fruit (value) £30,176 £31,503 +1,327 Oranges. 340,495 182,620 —12,503 Pears 56 345 —526 Plums 7,401 10 —5,222 Strawberries 39,062 + 61,104 Unenumerated 216,744 7,385 —112,319 Vegetables, raw :— Onions bush. 325,508 475,018 +15,053 Potatos cwt. 1,629,050 1,533,300 +3,234 Tomatoa ... „ 123,032 +123,960 Vegetables, raw, unenu- merated value £237,427 £80,927 —156,500 The total British imports for the past six months of the year are placed at £255,656,999, against £236,736,876 for the same period last year — an increase of £18,920,123. The Export side of the returns continue to compare favourably with the figures for last year. Thus, in the past month the value of these was £24,895,335, against £21,980,067— an increase of £2,915,268. The prin- cipal items of increase were in ships, new, £1,189,774; raw materials, £1,364,259; metals, and articles manufactured therefrom, £499,351 ; whilst apparel and articles for personal use foot up at £58,641, and so forth. The value for the six months just ended is £144,376,764, against £126,521,S94, for the same period last year— an increase of £17,854,870. Possibly the Cape may- take up the tale of exports from this date — the loss- in Chinese will leave much lee-way to make up. Wargrave Gardeners. — At the monthly meeting held on Wednesday evening, July 11,. Mr. W H. Scott, gr. to Captain Coleridge, Twyford, read a practical paper on "Gloxinias." He described the varieties, cultivation, soil, enemies, and different modes of treatment to secure the best results, and paid a high tribute to the late Mr. James Martin, to whose skill as a hybridist many of the improvements in the flower and plant were due. A long discussion took place, and a vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Scott for his useful and instructive paper. The exhibits- comprised Sweet Peas, and a tray of vegetables, by Mr. Finch ; Turnips, by Mi. Bobbins ; Petu- nias, by Mr. Fullbrook ; and a fine group of Caladiums, by Mr. Pope, for which he was awarded* a Cultural Certificate. Experiments with Grasses and Forage: Plants. — The Agrostology Division of the United States Department of Agriculture has published a Bulletin, by Dr. P. B. Kennedy, on the result oft co-operative experiments with grasses and forage plants. The object of these trials is "to introduce into cultivation native and foreign varieties oS grass and forage plants that are suitable for certain purposes or conditions. Some plants have been found to be excellent drought-resisters ; others, account of their strong creeping root stocks, are found to be well adapted to bind the drifting sands- of our coasts and lake shores ; while still others have the power to resist the trampling of stock, and are- valuable for reclaiming the cattle ranges of the- great West. Demands come from the South, where the land has become exhausted by continuous- growing of cotton, for forage plants that will restore the fertility of the soil. There are large tracts of land in the country where the soil is so alkaline, that the cultivated grasses will not grow on them. By the introduction of salt-bushes on these lands, a. nourishing forage can be produced which is liked by all kinds of stock. Other requests are made for trial packages of seed suitable for lawns, golf-links, fair-grounds, and parks, in all sections of the United States. The climate and soil conditions of the country are so varied that much study, observa- tion, and experimentation are necessary in order to meet the needs of the different sections, and tc- carry on a wise, useful, and economical distribution."' It is pleasant to hear how well this scheme was supported, and that farmers to the number of 1,713, in all parts of the United States, complied with the request for a report as to their success or failure with the seeds distributed to them. It must have- been no small task to classify and tabulate the results of such varying trials, as has been done in. the pages now before us. Stangeria paradoxa.— Mr. W. H. Lang, in? a paper in the Annals of Botany, shows that there is a close agreement between this plant and other- Cycads in the development of the ovule, pollination;,, fertilisation, and embryogeny. Two ciliated sper- matozoids are formed in the free end of the pollen- tube. Emigration to the Colonies. — We learo from the latest Circular issued by the Emigrants' Information Office, 31, Broadway, Westminster, S.W., that this is the best season of the year for emigration to Canada, where the chief demand is for farm and general labourers, skilled miners, and' female domestic servants. In New South Wales there is no demand for more emigrants, except female servants, com- petent men for farms and vineyards, and occa- sionally for a few blacksmiths and carpenters. In Victoria, the increase in the values of ex- ports and imports in 1899 shows the increasing prosperity of the colony. The Government is about to establish a Department of Labour. There is a good demand, which is likely to continue, for a limited number of thoroughly skilled plumbers on the Melbourne drainage-works ; otherwise, there is Julv 31, 1900.] THE GARDENERS1 CHRONICLE, 53 not much improvement either in Melbourne or throughout the colony in the general demand for labour. < General female servants are in good demand. In South Australia there is a good demand for agricultural labourers, for men able to work binders and strippers, for boundary riders, and ■for married couples without children for stations. la Queensland there is a good demand for farm- labourers and domestic servants, to whom free or reduced passages are being graDted. In Western Australia the chief demand is for oiiners, farm-labourers, and for female domestic ser- vants. It is difficult for clerks, accountants, book- keepers, and that class of labour to find employment. There is a marked scarcity of farm labour in many ■agricultural parts in the south-west of the colony, such as Perth, Nortbam, Newcastle, &c. ; and for some time to come there is likely to be a good opening for this class of labour. Employment, however, is not permanent in all parts, and in the ■extreme northern parts of the colony there is no demand. In Tasmania there is no demand for farm labourers, unless they have a little money of their own. In New Zealand, the building and engineering trades are almost everywhere busy, and there is also plenty of work to be had in the mines, aaw and flax mills, clothing factories, woollen mills, dour mills, freezing works, brickyards, &c. Dairying and agricultural pursuits are generally .prosperous, and occupy large numbers of persons ; and unskilled labourers can, if they want to, nearly always obtain employment at rabbit-poison- >ing, scrub-cutting, bridge-building, road-repairing, ■fencing, or general farm work. Persons are warned against going to South Africa in search of work so long as the war lasts. There ■are large numbers of persons there at the present ftime who are out of employment. Royal Purveyors in Ireland.— We are ^requested by Messrs. C. Ramsay & Son, nursery- men, seedsmen, and florists of the Ball's Bridge Nurseries, Dublin, to state that they have been appointed florists and nurserymen to Her Majesty the Queen in Ireland. Their nurseries in future will be known as the Royal Nurseries. " Nature's Garden."— Mr. William Heine- mann will publish immediately Nature's Garden, by Neltje Blanchan. This book, which is prac- tically a history of the life and habits of every ■well known wild flower, is superbly illustrated by J20 photographs of blossoms direct from Nature. Of these, fifty-six are beautifully reproduced in their natural tints, while the others are no less well done in black and white. The authoress treats lier subject from a somewhat original standpoint, dealing with the relationship which undoubtedly exists between all flowers and certain insects which they either attract or repel. The book is written >in vivid and untechnical language, and besides being an almost indispensable guide to the student -of wild flowers, affords highly interesting and .fascinating reading to every lover of Nature. Agricultural Bulletin of the Malay ■Peninsula.— The May Bulletin of the Gardens and Forest Departments, Straits Settlements, contains some valuable papers upon " Native Rubbers of the Malay Peninsula," "Insect Pests," "Bee-hawk Moth Caterpillars," "Para Rubber," "Kickxia africana,"and "Injurious Fungi." There is also a plate illustrating certain insects. "The Canadian Gardeners' and Florists' EXCHANGE." — This is a comparatively new publi- cation sent out from London, Canada. It contains plenty of useful notes and hints, and is a trade journal, principally ; quite up to date, and likely to prove a success if the bright style of the first few numbers is maintained in later issues. The Labour of a single Oak.— Some curious facts are set forth concerning trees in an -article by Mr. Fkank French in Scribner's. A single Oak of good size is said to lift 123 tons of water during the months it is in leaf. This mois- ture is evaporated and rises to form rain-clouds. All the trees are busy doing the same thing, and the rank Ferns and moBses and deep mould of the forest depths, acting as reservoirs for the rain which falls upon them, in their turn feed the springs and brooks. From this estimate of the labour of a single Oak, we can gain some idea of the immense force which the forests exert in equal- ising the evaporation and precipitation, and pre- venting periods of inundation and drought. Planting IN Tobago.— The Imperial De- partment of Agriculture for the West Indies has lately published some hints and suggestions for planting Cacao in Tobago. According to the preface, by Dr. Morris, these notes were prepared many years ago by Mr. Edward R. Smart, and were published in a Tobago journal that no longer exists. Mr. Smart, however, being still in the island, lately offered these notes for reproduction, and they have been revised by Mr. J. Hart, and issued in their present form. Other notes on other plants included in this little pamphlet were pre pared by Sir Robert Llewelyn, formerly adminis- trator of Tobago, at present Administrator of the Gambia, West Africa. Dropmore Gardens, Maidenhead. — We are informed by the new gardener at Dropmore, Mr. J. A. Rogers, that extensive alterations are being made in the gardens there. All the old glasshouses have been removed, and new ones are to be erected by Mr. James Gray, of Chelsea. In future the gardens and grounds will be open to the public on three days a week only, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, from 11 a.m , until 5 P.M. ROBT. Fenn. — The serious accident that has befallen Mr. Fenn, has pricked the consciences of some who seemed likely to ignore the disinterested services of one whose mission it has been, to use his own words, " to invent and grow Potatos." Now in his old age he has met with a disaster which will probably materially disable him, so that a little timely help will be of great service to him. Mr. Milligan Hogg, Mr. John Wright, Mr. Pollett, Mr. Pettigrew, Mr. Peed, and Mr. A. Dean, have already contributed ; and we shall be pleased to acknowledge and transmit any sums that may be sent to solace him in his disablement. Publications Received. — From the U.S. De- partment of A griculture, Division of Agrostology, Bulletin No. 22 : Co-operative Experiments with Grasses and Forage Plants, by P. Beveridge Kennedy. — From the University of Illinois, Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana, March, Bulletin No. 57 : The Smuts of Illinois' Agricultural Plants. — From the Ontario Department of Agriculture, Toronto, March : The San Jos6 and other Scale Insects, prepared for the use of fruit-growers and scale-inspectors, by Wm. Loch- head. This includes descriptions and illustrations of the San Jose, the Ostreseform, or Curtis Scale ; the Cherry, or Forbes Scale; the Putnam Scale, the English WalDut Scale, the Oyster-shell Bark louse, the Scurfy Bark-louse, and the New York Plum Scale.— Botanical Department, Trinidad : Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, April. Contains notes on the Cassava Fly, the Locust-disease Fungus, the Musk Melon, distance in planting, Sweet Cassava analysis, and West Indian and Guiana Ferns.— Annual Report on the Straits Sittlcments Botanic Gardens for 1S99, by H. N. Ridley, Director, chronicles a successful season. — Ceylon Royal Botanic Gardens, Adminis- tration Reports for 1899, Part IV. ; Miscellaneous Report of Mr. J. C. Willis, Director. We learn that the " general condition of the two principal gardens has been much im- proved duriDg the year, and that the extension of the scientific side of the department has also progressed steadily." — Bulletin of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, March, April, and May. Edited by W. Fawcett. This contains articles on Teaching Agricultural Principles in Schools, Ensilage without Pressure, Diseases of Trees, Japan Wax and Varnish, Pros- pects of Cinchona, Fertilisers for Pine - apples, Vanilla, Parasitic Enemies of Cultivated Plants, Nature Knowledge Teaching, and Rice Culture in the U.S — Suggestions for Ncv Industries. Report of a visit to Kadur by John Cameron, F.L.S., Superintendent of Government Gardens in Mysore. — West Indian Bulletin. The Journal of the Imperial Agricultural Department for the West Indies, vol. i., No. 3; Contents: Agricultural Conference Reports (continued), Teaching Agri- culture in High Schools, &c. ; and Food Crops, Bee-keeping, and Diseased Plants.— Imperial ^Department of Agriculture for the West Indies : Hints and Suggestions for the Treatment <>/ the Mnth-borer in Sugar-cane, bv H. Maxwell-Lefroy. Ac- cording to the preface, by Dr. D. Morris, the Moth-borer is the most widely distributed and most destructive of all enemies of the Sugar-cane, and if the hints given in this little book were fully carried out, the planters would, within a short period, save hundreds of tons of Canes, and possibly also assist in keeping in check the rind fungus and other diseases. The three remedies to be employed are : 1, collec- ting the eggs ; 2, destroying the moths ; and 3, cutting out affected Canes. — Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1899, part iii., October, November, December. — Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Juno, 19C0. Contributions from the Giay Herbarium of Harvard University ; uew stries, No. XIX. — Mexican, Plants, by M. L. Feruald — Nature Notes, June. — Bulletin de V Association des Anciens Stives de VEcole Nationale d'Horti- culture de Versailles, Anuee 1S;<9. This includes, among other papers, a contribution by M. A. Menissier, on l'En- seignement Horticole a Kew.— Publications from the Board of Agriculture : The Journal of the Board of Agriculture for June includes among its contents articles relating to Some Local Conditions of Forestry in England, Fungoid Diseases of Roots of Fruit-trees, Consumption of Miize, Manuring of Potatos, and Reports on Foreign Crops. — The Agricultural Returns for Great Britain for 1899, deal with the crops and live stock of the United Kingdom, British Possessions, and foreign countries. It is noteworthy that, as herein stated, "the acreage returned as under snull fruit shows an increase of nearly 2,000 acres on the last two years. As was pointed out in the Report on the returns for 1897, the corrections then found necessary, from various circumstances, hinder satisfactory comparison with earlier figures under this heading. The acreage retarnel as occupied by orchards, which includes to some extent land bearing fruit-trees, but also entered as under grass or crops, now covers a total of 229,000 acres in Great Britain — a slightly larger area than in 1898. Both in orchards and small fruit, the greatest increase took place in Kent and Worcester, where the extension of the fruit-growing areas suggests that the industry remains successful." PLANT PORTKAITS. Acacia obliqua, A. Cunn. — Ic. Select. Thenens, t. xxi. Bryophyllum crenatum.— Revue Horticole, July 1. Cavendishia pubescens, Hemsley. — Differing from Thibaudia in the presence of two large bracts at the base of the flower-stalk, and other bractlets which are deciduous. Ic. Select. Thenens, t. xxiv. Ckassula Schweinfurthi. —Hort. Davimann, Ic. Thenen$t t. xxii. Cypripedium Elliotianuu. — Wiener Illustrierte Garten* zeitung. June. Lioc'strum Massalongianum, Himalayas. — Ic. Select. Tkentns, t. xxv. Olearia erubescens. — Ic. Select. Thenens, t. xxiii. Rose Madame A. P. Strassheim.— Yellow. Rosenzeitung, June. Rose Soleil d'Or, T.— Moniteur a" Horticulture, June. Rose Souvenir de Catherine Guillot, T. -Copper flesh. Rosenzeitung, June. Rose Souvenir du President Carnot, H. T.— Blush. Rosenzeitung, June. Salvia splendens Silver-spot. — Moniteur d' Horticulturet May 20. THE WEATHER IN WEST HERTS. DtJEiNG the past week the weather has been ex- tremely hot, the shade temperature rising on Sve days above 80', and on the 16th reaching 86°. The reading last mentioned is the highest I have yet recorded at Berkhamsted in the month of July. The ground has become very wa'm, but owing to the coolness of some of the nights, is not so excep- tionally warm as might have been anticipated. The temperature at 2 feet deep is now 4° warmer, and at 1 foot deep 5° warmer than the July aver- ages for these depths. On the 16th there occurred the heaviest fall of rain that we have had here in any one day since October last. But the strange part about this otherwise welcome rain was that it all fell in IC minutes. The storm began shortly after 1.30 p.m., and when it ceased 16 minutes later the measurement amounted to 114 ins. — equivalent to a watering of 5i gallons on each square yard of surface in my garden. This is by far the heaviest downpour for the time that I have yet known. For four minutes the rain was coming down at the rate of 7 inches an hour, which is also in my own experience a record. But to show how exceeding dry the ground had previously become, I may state that less than one- eighth part of the rainfall referred to, has come through the two and a half feet of earth in the bare soil percolation gauge, and only a few drops through that covered with short grass. During this thunder-storm, although there was no 54 THE GABDENEES' CHRONICLE. [July 21, 1906. bail, the shade temperature fell as much as 21°, viz., from 86° to 65°. Throughout the whole day the atmosphere was not only very hot, but also oppressively humid. The sun shone during the week on an average for over ten hours a day. E. M., Berkhamsled, July 17. KEW NOTES. Disa kewensis supeeba. — Typical D. kewensis Was raised at Kew from D. grandiflora crossed with D. tripetaloides, and flowered in 1893. Two years ago it was crossed again with D. grandiflora, and the result is now in flower in the cool Orchid - house. As might be expected from the parents, this new cross has larger flowers and a sturdier habit than D. kewensis, the flower being nearly twice as large. There are four flowers on a spike 20 inches high ; the side sepals are 1 j by 1 inch, rosy-pink with a faint tinge of orange ; the odd Sepal or hood is 1 inch across, pale pink, con- spicuously spotted with darker pink ; petals green, with red spots. The name is a sufficient indication of the origin of the plant. There are three other Secondary hybrid Disas, viz , D. Diores, raised by Messrs. Veitch from D. Veitchi (racemosa x grandiflora), crossed with D. grandiflora. It would have been better had this been named D. Veitchi superba ; the other is D. Premier, the parentage of which is a little more complicated, its parents being D. LangleyenBis and D. Veitchi, so that its grandparents were racemosa (2) tripetaloides and grandiflora. Cymbidium Huttoni. To present-day Orchid fanciers this appeals as a new introduction, for although it was figured in the Botanical Magazine thirty-three years ago, and commemorates one of Messrs. Veitch 's collectors, Mr. H, Hutton, it does not appear to have become known. Messrs. Veitch do not even mention it in their Manual of Orchidaceous Plants, and yet it is a handsome species, if the flowers are wanting in brilliancy of colour. An example of it, lately im- ported from Java, has been in flower for some time at Kew. It has ovoid, angular pseudo-bulbs 4 ins. long, each bearing a pair of broad, leathery, dark- green leaves 8 inches long. The flower-spike is pendulous, and bears ten flowers 1J in. wide, the sepals and petals over-lapping, the former dull brown outside, yellow - green inside, heavily chequered with brown, the petals uniform choco- late-brown, and the triangular lip yellow, with brown spots. It is a plant for the collection of the enthusiast. Nymph^ea "William Falconer." This is one of three seedling hardy Water-Lilies distributed this year by Messrs. Dreer of Phila- delphia. It is now in flower in the aquatic-tank at Kew, along with a selection of M. Marliac's Seedlings, to which it is evidently very closely related ; indeed, it might be called a form of N. Marliacea ignea as grown at Kew, the only difference being, that in the new seedling the seg- ments are narrower, and their colour a shade deeper. Messrs. Dreer describe the flower as being "from 6 to 7 inches across, of an intense bright garnet colour, with a good ruby tone through it, intensified by the rich golden centre." The Kew flower is barely 4 inches wide, but the plant may produce larger flowers when it is stronger. I call it a first-rate Nymphiea, but it is a matter of opinion as to whether it is better than such sterling sorts as ignea and gloriosa. The other two, named "James Gurney "and "William Doogue," are also flowering at Kew, but they are not in a condition to be fairly judged. W. W. OSTROWSKIA MAGNIFICA. This plant is now flowering well in a sheltered corner of the herbaceous ground at Kew. It was discovered first by Albert Kegel, son of Dr. Regel, who found it growing at an elevation of 7000 feet in Turkestan. In structure it differs very little from the genua Campanula, the chief distinguishing characters being that Ostrowskia has its leaves arranged in whorls on the stem, and more numerous divisions to calyx and corolla. The plant appears to do best in a deep bed of good loam, and it requires very careful handling at the time of planting, the roots, which are tuberous and very brittle, being easily injured. It should be sheltered from excessive moisture during winter, when the plant is at rest. The Kew plant is about 4 feet in height, and has seven strong growths, each bearing four to seven blooms, broadly campanulate, 5 inches across, pale lilac, with darker veins. It is figured in Bot. Mag., t. 7472. A. H. New South Wales. A WARNING TO BRITISH SCIENTISTS. My only object in writing this letter and asking you the favour of publishing it in your widely- circulated journal, is to warn many scientific friends in Europe against being tempted to contri- bute original essays on scientific subjects for certain prizes offered by the Royal Society of New South Wales, Australia. The leading newspapers in this country have published several letters from doctors and others — amongst them may be men- tioned Dr. Andrew Ross, M.P., of New South Wales, and Dr. Jenkyns of Victoria — who have exposed the Council of the Royal Society for manipulating certain essays written by Australian original scientific writers. Dr. Ross, through the public press, asked the Council to put a stop to their proceedings, and to deal honourably with contributors' essays ; and Dr. Jenkyns and other writers followed in a similar strain. The result of this correspondence has been that only one essay was forwarded to the Council for some of the recently-offered prizes. Now, I am informed by a late member of the Royal Society, that original scientific workers in other countries are to be invited to contribute original essays — hence this letter of warning. The following, which is an extract from one of Dr. Jenkyns' published letters, will give your readers a good idea of the way some of the essayists have been treated by the Council of the Royal Society :— "I read the original circular (signed by two of the honorary secretaries) which was issued by the Royal Society, and I will, with your kind permission, give the title of the subject that original workers were invited to write about, and some facts in connection therewith, which came prominently under my notice. Title of the subject referred to — ' On the effect which settlement in Australia has produced upon Indigenous Vegeta- tion, especially the depasturing of sheep and cattle.' It was distinctly stated in the circular that the prize would not be awarded for a mere compilation, however meritorious in its way. In response to the circular, several essays were sent in from expe- rienced men, botanists and explorers, and one country doctor well known for his extensive know- ledge of Australian natural history. But you may judge of the great astonishment when it was announced that a school teacher had been awarded the prize, whose essay was not only a com- pilation from very numerous sources — which, indeed, the writer fully acknowledged, but waB published by the Royal Society under an altered title to that for which the medal and prize were offered. The words that were omitted from the title when the essay was published are in italics, as follows : 'Especially the depasturing oj sheep and cattle.' "I think your numerous readers will agree in saying that this omission materially affected the meaning of the subject which writers were asked to give their experience and observation upon. It is a well known fact that the leading Australian agrostologist named and described the forage plants and grasses for the writer, whose essay was awarded the prize, and that the latter largely compiled from the works of the former. I have not yet written a paper for any prize offered by the Royal Society, therefore I am in no way pre- judiced, but I think it is only right that the Council should give an assurance to the Australian public that for the future no essay will be awarded a prize that is published under an altered title to that for which a prize is offered. Those persons who do original work, and conscientiously write oa any particular subject, have very little chance with those who are allowed to largely compile and write under an easily-adjusted title. "At a recent annual meeting of the Royal Society of New South Wales, the retiring President bewailed the fact that seventeen members had with- drawn from the Society ; and that the New South Wales public had not feted the members of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science when they met in Sydney the preceding year, under the auspices of the Royal Society. I read this in Melbourne, and considerable comment was made ; but the Sydney public is evidently a wise and discriminating one." V. H. W. Fawcett, D.Sc, ct-c, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. GKOWTH of MESEMBEYANTHEMUM. I have never seen in any botanical book an illustration showing the curious growth of the little gems of the Sph;eroide£e group, nor even a description of this growth in Harvey and Sander's Flora Capensii. This is the subject of the following lines and sketch. Among a lot of a fine grey-coloured Mesembry- anthemum I found the subject of my sketch (see fig. 9, p. 55). A part of one branch is cut off in order to make the course of the Cyperus leaves, which perforated it, visible. It is Cyperus escu- lentus, of whose bulb all natives of this country are very fond. They are, indeed, when the leaves become dry, of a very pleasant taste, and as they contain a high percentage of starch, they are very nourishing. The development and growth of this Mesembryanthemum are most peculiar, and I sup- pose it is the same in all members of the Sphttroidea group. In a cavity of each of the two connate leaves, on the extremity of the stem, is placed generally one new branch, which grows through the whole dry Beason, and is so large that it falls out towards the end of the rainless season. The old leaves must be considered as the reserve storeB for the young branches, as the dry, woody root does not go deep enough to be able to add to the growth of the young branches during the dry season. At that time the old leaves, for- merly so fleshy, form only a dry, papery skin, which, as it is transparent, allows one to see the white vascular bundles that originally traversed the flesh of the leaveB. With the first rains in November, the large golden -yellow flowers of the now full-grown branches expand as well as the fruit of the original branch. The plant is sought by the baboons as food. Haage & Schmidt, Erfurt, have received a large quantity of it, as well as the interesting Anacampseros quinaria, about which I made a note in the Gardeners' Chronicle of Feb- ruary 24 of this year, without then being able to give the correct name. K. Dinter, Windhoek, German S. W. Africa. Home Correspondence. LARGE FRUITS OF ROYAL SOVEREIGN STRAW- BERRIES.— Having read in the Gardeners' Chronicle, of July 7, of Royal Sovereign Strawberry weighing 2j oz., I should like to inform readers of this journal that I have gathered fruits of Royal Sove- reign weighing 3 oz. good weight, from plants that were forced last year. J. Osborne, Gardener. RUSCUS HYPOGLOS8UM is largely used in South Italy as Asparagus. The bit I send came from a garden at the baths of Ischia, where I saw long and wide bordera of it. The proprietor called July 21, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 55 it Asparagus, and shook his head unbelievingly when 1 averred it was a Ruscus. But what puzzles me is the article in today's Gardeners' Chronicle : it speaks of JR. aculeatup, a British sort, as one of which the tips are used as Aspa- ragus. Of course, I grow all three sorts of Ruscus — aculeatus, racemosus, and hypoglossnm. The shoots of the latter will, 1 suppose, give a better dish of "Asparagus " than R. aculeatus ; but what 1 want to know is, if it be worth while trying it in our climate for that purpose (hardly). In South Italy it was a most vigorous crop. S. THE BUTCHER'S BROOM —Half a century and more ago, when I lived on the border of Hainault Forest, huge bundles of Butcher's Broom used to be collected by men from London, who sold it to tol a'' o manufacturers, by whom it was used to sprinkle and damp the tobacco in leaf for some purpose of their cratt — possibly, I think, snuff-making. What particular property this plant had that rendered it more suitable than any other I never kDew ; nor do I know if it is still used, or, aB is more likely, has been superseded by mechanical contrivances. ft. McLachlan. IRIS OCHROAUREA.— This plant is mentioned on p. 32 of the Gardeners' Chronicle amongst flowers received from Mr. Smith, of Newry. It is now in flower in my garden, having been 6ent three years ago by Mr. Smith. It has the habit of I. ochrolenca (Lin.), syn. I. orientalis (Miller), syn. I. gigantea (Carr. ). It is about 5 feet high, with bright golden flowers, similar in form to those of I. ochroleuca, but produced more freely. The last-named species flowers sparingly and irregularly in my garden. 1 understood from Mr. Smith that I. ochroaurea is a hybrid between I. ochroleuca (Lin.) from Asia Minor and I. aurea (Lindley) from the Himalayas. This seems to be the same hybrid as that mentioned on p. 22 by " W. I.," under the name of I. aurea var. intermedia, referred to I. aurea x I. orientalis. I may remark, however, that Index Kewensis gives the I. ochroleuca (Lin. ) preference to I. orientalis (Miller), as the authorised name. On first reading " W. l.'s" note, it seemed to me to say that the seed which produced the hybrid was collected wild; this could not easily have hap- pened, because the native districts of I. ochroleuca and I. aurea are quite distinct (see Boissier, Fl. Orient., vol. v., p. 129, and Hooker's PL of Brit. India, vol. vi. , p. 273), but on more careful reading I understand that the seed which produced the parent which produced the hybrid seed was col- lected wild, and that the two parents came in con- tact in Kew Gardens. C. Wolley Dod, Edge Hall, Malpas. SPECIES OF IRIS FOR PLANTING AT THE WATER'S EDGE. — The best species for this purpose are those of the rhizomatic group, namely, I. laevigata, I. sibirica, I. hexagona, and I. fulva. These species resenting disturbance at the root, should be planted in August and September, and allowed to become naturalised. H. T. M. COTTAGE CLIMBERS. — Cash prizes offered specially to encourage the planting of cottage fronts in a semi-rural district are, perhaps, somewhat novel ; but they have the merit of being badly needed. There is, perhaps, no department of gar- dening in which there is on the part of the amateur and cottager more neglect found than in thiB direc- tion. In towns and their suburbs the introduction of the close-growing Ampelopsis Veitchi has proved a great boon ; but even in such places it might be much more largely planted. In districts where the working-classes congregate, it is far too rare, and •we find street after street of cottages with hardly a green leaf to be seen on them. But when juBt here and there a front is found fully and pleasingly draped with climbers, then how great is the attrac- tioa presented ! 1 had just recently to award prizes generously offered by a Surrey gentleman for climber cottage fronts in his locality, but found very few to compensate for the trouble. In some cases advantage had been taken of the gentleman's liberal offer of suitable climbers through his gar- dener to obtain and plant them. Where but recently done, some two years must elapse ere any appreciable result can be seen. Still, it is a good form of beginning ; and there is in this locality eo much room for good effects. Amongst hardy climbers issued are Roses, Honeysuckles, Cle- matis, Ampelopsis, Ivies, Jasmins, &c. But it seems not to have occurred to the competitors that pending good growth on these hardy plants they might havo done much for the present year with the aid of Cobras, Ecremocarpus, Canary deeper , Nasturtiums, Convolvuluses, and such things ; or to employ only in a very limited way drooping plants in pots on brackets or hung on wires. Of these Ivy-leaf Pelargoniums, Petunias, Begonias, Violas, Creeping-Jasmines, Campanulas, and other such plants are very beautiful for such purposes. A. D. >. — MFSEMBRYANTHlMrjM BR1KCH PERFORATED I OROWTH OF CYPERl'S ESCHLENTCS. (NAT. SIZE.) Boot Stem Young branches d, Vascular bundles e, e, Leaves f, Fruit. (See p. 54.) APRICOTS. — In walking through the avenues of Covent Garden Market recently, and observing the presumably home-grown Apricots in the shops and stalls, I could not but be struck with the general poor- ness of the fruit, and the utter absence of grading, half ripe, and wholly ripe, small and large, were all mixed together. The price per lb. was 6d. or thereabouts, not an inordinate price certainly for the best fruit, but decidedly in excess of what the partially green and small fruits were worth. Knowing the amount of warm wall space going to waste, so to speak, on barns, farm-houses, ami buildings, cottage-frontB having south or weBtern aspects, and garden walls everywhere, it seems a matter for wonder that people do not grow Apricots by the hundred thousands of bushels. And no plant, excepting perhaps Ivy, furnishes a liner covering to an unsightly, or for that matter, to a sightly wall equalling the Apricot. It is handsome in bloom ; when its fruits show golden among the leaves ; and the foliage keeps of deep green c >lour till late in October. The skill required in manag;ng the tree makes no more calls on the knowledge of the ordinary gardener or gardeneress than do the Cherry, Apple, or Pear ; and given a warm site, a holding soil, and an occasional root-pruning when too much vigour is evolved, with a rich mulch in July and August, and not at any other time, there is no fear that success will not follow in aay county of Eogland and lowland Scotland. There are two mxin reasons for the neglect of this pha>e of fruit culture, as well as for poultry farming, bee-keeping, ODion raising, &c, namely, the lack of fixity of tenure, or in other words the fear of biiog ousted from house and land at some other man's option either with or without CDmpensation, as tie ca?e may be ; and ignorance of the wealth lyiog at our doors in various occupations and cultures i hat are within the compass of the farmer, cotter, smj.il owner, and allotment holder. South Wall. FlOWERLESS STRAWBERRIES. —Though not common, instances are not rare of this failure of outdoor Strawberries this year. In our gardens, the variety Sir Joseph Paxton is the worst offender, both one-year and older plants being affected. The varieties Gunton Park, Georges Leaeur, Monarch, and Alice Maude are otherB that have a number of barren plants. No doubt the drought of last summer contributed to this failing, June, July, and August having been comparatively dry months, and the summer heat exhaustive to Straw- berry growth. The total rainfall here for these months amounted to only 437 inches. Mr. Castle would have a much wider range of variety under his care than come within that of the average gar- dener, and constitutions very much in Strawber- ries. In a bed of some six sorts, the variety Latestof-AU comes out much the best from all that were planted in August, and is carrying a good crop of tine berries. Sir J. Paxton alongside, and treated exactly the same, is not carrying half a crop. The next best in point of fruiting is Leader, and this furnishes some very fine berries on young plants, and a heavier crop on a two-year old bed. A great many of the early flowers were cut off by frost, many of them unexpanded, and in youDg plants this has seriously reduced the prospect. This piucity of fruit has rendered leaf-growth iu older beds very free and fine, and strong run ner.s are thrown out in unusual numbers. On heavy soil I have seen Royal Sovereign very productive this season, on older more than on yearling plants. W. Strugnell, Rood Ashton. SOUTH VILLA, REGENT'S PARK.— The very fine examples of Dr. Hogg, Royal George, and Dymond Peaches, so richly coloured, which Mr. G. Keif showed at a recent Drill Hall meeting from South Villa, Regent's Park, were of them- selves admirable evidence of the capacity of London to produce good Peaches within two miles of Charing Cross. I called at South Villa a few days since, and Mr. Keif kindly showed me his Peach- trees, which are growing in a range of rather lofty lean-to houses, and chiefly on semi circular trellises, the trees in all cises doing finely, although it is, as elsewhere, needful to renovate both them and the borders from time to titre. Some other trees are also grown on the back walls, but these do not pro- duce such fine fruits as do the others, yet they fruit well. There is, of course, nothing whatever unusual in this Peach-culture under glass under ordinary conditions, but here the conditions are not ordinary. It is, indeed, doubtful whether what is here done would be possible were it not that the Regent's Park is a huge open space, and South Villa, with its grounds of some ten or twelve acres, greatly benefits thereby. Really, when once within the. finely wooded grounds of this charming place, it is so difficult to realise that one is in the midst of the great metropolis of London. It is far more like what is found in some retired garden and park in the country. There is a big area of short grass to 56 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 21, 1900. keep in order, and trees and shrubs are dense and luxuriant. There are nice flower-gardens and good vegetable and fruit - gardens, and glass- houses in abundance, the conservatory being one of exceptional dimensions, and finely furnished. Mr. Keif makes the very best of everything, and the place does him great credit. London fogs are his worst enemies, but these are rather less harmful here than they are more west and south. A. D. COLLINSIA VERNA.— This pretty little annual is not so widely known as its merits deserve. Either as a pot plant in the greenhouse or when planted in the borders, it always invites attention. For pot culture the seeds should be sown in the month of September in 2J-inch pots, and as soon as the seedlings are large enough to be readily handled, they should be thinned to three or four plants in a pot. When the roots have partially rilled the pots, the plants may be repotted in 5-inch pots, a size quite large enough in which to flower them. A suitable soil consists of loam, leaf soil, and sand, with a small portion of spent Mushroom-bed materials or artificial manure. The plants require support from neat stakes, and to be kept in a cold frame throughout the winter. In the month of February, bring the plants into a greenhouse, and they will soon come into flower. As a flowering plant for the border it would become a great favourite. The plant grows about 1 foot high, and has a compact habit ; the flowers are white, with the lower lip of a lovely blue. Seeds may be sown in the autumn for flowering the fol- lowing spring. E. H. [The plant was common enough in gardens not so very long ago. Ed. ] SWEET WILLIAM ELIZABETH.— When walking through the gardens of Wrotham Park, Barnet, a few evenings ago, in company with Mr Markham, the gardener, I came across a very striking mass of the new Sweet - William Elizabeth. This variety originated in the garden of Lady Enfield at Dancers Hill, and was exhibited by her ladyship at the Chiswick Hybrid Conference last year, when it received an Award of Merit. I have no doubt the warm salmon-pink colour of the flowers is attractive at any time of the day, but viewed in the soft evening light against a dark green back- ground, I thought it unique. The plants are about 1J ft. in height, of a branching habit, and free flowering. G. B. Fielder. THE CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUIT IN NORTH WALES. — According to present appearances the prospect of having good crops of hardy fruit is very satisfactory. In the south-western part of Merionethshire, and especially in this locality (Towyn), the crop of Apples promises to be excep- tional. Here, as in many other districts in North Wales, the soil, situation, and climate, seem spe- cially suitable to the successful cultivation of hardy fruit — Apples in particular. In many partB of Carnarvonshire, Denbighshire, and Merionethshire, I have seen Apples grown which, for size and form, would compare favourably with the produce of Hereford or Worcestershire, but unfortunately they often lack that brilliancy of colour so notice- able in the fruit grown in the counties mentioned above ; still, takingfthis into consideration, Apples grown in the Principality compare very favourably with those grown in the majority of English coun- ties. It is rather surprising that the generality of cultivators of North Wales are not more alive to the capabilities of their soil, the favourable climatic conditions, and to the advantages of having good markets near at hand, such as Aberystwith, Bar- mouth, Llandudno, Rhyl, and other fashionable seaside resorts, where good prices can be obtained for sound fruit. At the present time retailers obtain the bulk of tbeir supplies from the English counties, principally through the medium of the London and provincial salesmen, which fact, coupled with the railway company's charges for carriage, &c, greatly enhances the price to the consumer, so that from this point of view alone, the advantages of local-grown produce would be unquestionable. Unfortunately, fruitgrowing for profit does not claim the serious attention of many in the northern part of the Principality, which is surprising, considering the local advantages and possibilities. In many of the valleys of North Wales the cultivation of Apples could, I am sure, be made a profitable un- dertaking. Sites for the formation of orchards should be carefully selected, and planting done judiciously, planting only those varieties which are known to be good croppers, size in culinary, and flavour and colour in dessert varieties, being the more essential points in market Apples. Here, where the soil is of a light, gravelly nature, Apples do well ; and as we usually have long dry and sunny autumns, the trees thoroughly mature their fruits and shoots. The above remarks apply not only to Apples, but to other kinds of hardy fruit. Pears and stone-fruit do not, as a rule, reach a high standard of perfection, unless the trees are afforded the protection of a wall ; but Strawberries, Goose- berries and Currants, Raspberries, &c. , are suc- cessfully cultivated. In time, some cultivators, more enterprising than their fellows, will probably extend their operations, and by example, encourage their more dilatory brethren, and thus give a much-needed impetus to the fruitgrowing in- dustry of North Wales. C. S., Yuys-y-Maengioyn, Towyn, N. Wales. DEFECTIVE POTATO CROPS. — I was much interested in reading the report in the Gardeners' Chronicle of the scientific committee of the Royal Horticultural Society on the subject of defective Potato crops. I purchased this year Sutton's Al, Reliance, and Supreme. They were started in boxes, and they produced strong shoots. I planted them out on April 16, and they came very irregu- larly. As the season advanced some of them grew very strongly and made thick bold stems and fine healthy foliage, but tubers each side of them did not throw up stems any larger than a straw, and were smothered with green-fly. Eventually the majority died away altogether, but those that were so strong are now looking wonderfully well. Another variety that has behaved the same is Duke of York. Two or three plants in a row, and in one case the whole row were so affected, and are still smothered with green-fly. Duke of York recovered itself, but did not produce a crop worth mention- ing, aud the tubers were very much deeper in colour. I also noticed that the "sets" that were planted deeply were not affected. I plant early Potatos with a large dibber, and the holes were not made at an even depth, and possibly the late frosts destroyed the growth so much of any shallowly planted that the tubers were weakened. I stated in the Gardeners' Chronicle a few weeks ago the effects of the very sharp frosts. Sutton's Ring- leader and Sharpe's Victor were cut back to the starting point, the sets started again and threw abundance of shoots, and the border looked as if it had been planted with small plants. I did notdestroy them. The old shoots were worthless, but from each fresh shoot were produced one or two Potatos, of which I am sending a sample to the Editor. Potato crop this year is very deceptive ; some roots producing a quantity of tubers, and others a very few. In one case I had only one tuber. Sandpit Seedling was the variety, but I should think it weighed J lb. This is the first year I have tried it. H. Kempshall, Lamport Hall Gardens, Northampton. GREEN PEAS. — My attention has been called to a letter with this heading in your issue of June 30. The writer is evidently unacquainted with our London markets, or he would not say that Chelsea Gem, Wm. Hurst, Telephone, Veitch's, and York- shire Hero, and other first-class Peas, are not grown in bulk. The facts are just the opposite. The sorts named, and such others as Gradus, Prince of Wales, Duke of Albany, Exonian, Duke of York, Auto- crat, and other wrinkled sorts, are largely grown in the home counties, some growers sowing 40 or 50 bushels, or even more of some of them ; whilst Eclipse, and other round white and blue-seeded sorts are now hardly grown at all, except for very early sowing, and in much smaller quantities every year. C. INCARVILLEA DELAVAYl.— I am glad to see this plant is now so much appreciated. I have this year flowered the specimen figured in the Gardeners' Chronicle, vol. xxvi., No. 659, and about sixty of its seedlings, which came very true in every way. Beds of these have a fine effect. The parent plant was in winter covered with a cap glass as hereto- fore, and about half-a-dozen seedlings had glass placed 1 foot above them, but quite open at the sides. The remainder of the plants were entirely unprotected, and had various exposures, and they are more robust, and have bloomed better than those which had the trifling protection mentioned. I have many undowered seedlings as well, and I cannot discover any plant having failed to reappear this spring. Wm. T. Hindmarsh, Alnbank, Alnwick. PRIMULA FLORIBUNDA.— No one having a frame or greenhouse from which frost can be excluded should be without this free-flowering plant, which begins to flower early in the winter, and continues until late in the spring. I consider it to be superior to P. obconica, as the yellow colour makes it an excellent subject for mixing with other plants in the conservatory. A plant growing in a 5-inch pot will produce twelve to eighteen flower-spikes at one time. Another advantage it has over P. obconica is in its not causing skin irritation. The seeds are very minute, and require great care in sowing them. X. CAMPANULA ABIETINA. — In reference io Mr. Wolley Dod's note, I have had this plant for many years growing in a border facing the east, in poor soil exhausted by roots of climbers on a wall, so that it scarcely has a fair chance. I have never taken any trouble with it, but it flowers every year, and though it does not increase in size rapidly, it does not decrease. Wm. T. Hindmarsh, Alnbank, Alnwick. Mr. C. Wolley Dod in his reference on p. 24 in your last issue, echoes my sentiments in relation to this comparatively recent intro- duction. It has grown with me at Forest Hill on heavy loam with clay subsoil, as one among several dozen varieties of Campanula. It re- sulted in the formation of rather strong breadths of cushions without any flowers whatever during several years when none of the other varieties ever failed to flower. My removal to this part in the spring has somewhat prejudiced observation. Perhaps others have been successful, and their advice would be welcome. H. H. Baschen, Sidcup, Kent. HAILSTORMS. — A storm of unusual severity, accompanied by hail, passed over Bury St. Edmund's on Monday, July 16. Hailstones as large as Hazel-nuts fell, and doing considerable damage to crops. The Chrysanthemums have suffered very much, and many of the plants are ruined. Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, &c, are riddled with holes ; Runner Beans have lost most of their leads, and many of the blooms were found quite 4 feet away from the plants. I fear the Apple crop which was so promising is completely mined. H. Coster, Ickworth Gardens. We had in this part a very heavy storm accompanied by hail on the 1 1 th ult. The damage done by the hail was such as I have never before witnessed. We had 510 panes of glass broken, the sizes of which run from 18 by 12 inches ; and much damage was done to fruit. A. B., Brixworth, Northampton. SPOETS. Our illustration (fig. 10, p. 57) shows a shoot of the Purple Nut from which, as by reversion, a green shoot has proceeded. It is probable that the Purple Nut was in the first instance grafted on the common green species. SOCI ETI ES. ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. July 17.— An ordinary meeting of the Committees was held in the Drill Hall, Buckingham Gate, Westminster, on Tuesday last, when a very pretty show was made, in which hardy flowers were again richly represented. An exhibition of paintings of valuable Orchids that have from time to time been given awards by the Orchid Com- mittee, attracted considerable attention. Though there were notmany Orchids shown on the occasion under notice, several of them were very choice varieties, aud the Committee recom- mended the awards of two First-class Certificates, four Awards of Merit, and four Botanical Certificates. The Floral Committee recommended Awards of Merit in ten instances, three of which were to Nympha>as, and four to Carnations. The others included a Rose, a Delphinium, and a variety of Campanula carpatica. No Awards to novelties were recommended by the Fruit and Vegetable Committee. In the afternoon a Lecture upon ff Lilies " was given by Mr. Wallace. Jii.v 21, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 57 Floral Committee. Prwtnl: W. Marshall, Esq., Chairman ; anil Messrs. S. A. dc Graaf, Geo. Nicholson, U. B. May, R. Dean, J. H. Fitt, W. Howe, J. Jennings, J. F. McLeod, C. R. Fielder, H. Selfe- Lconard, J. W. Barr, G. Reuthe, George Gordon, Ohas. E. Pearson, E. H. Jenkins, Charles E. Shea, Geo. Paul, Chas. T. Druery, and J. Fraser. Two very fine exhibits were made by Lord Aldenham, Aldonham House, Elstree, Herts (gr., Mr. E. Beckett). The first of these was a large group of Codhiums, composed of excellently-cultivated plants of moderate size. Some ot the varieties we uoticed were Picturatum, Warreni, Reidi, Etna, Aigburthieese, Heathi elegans, &c. The other exhibit was one of hardy tlowers of hertaceoos plants. It was a very large group, and represented by magni- ficent specimens many of the best hardy plants now in tlower. Some of those we noticed were Astrantia rosea, Inula hirta, Lychnis chalcedonica, Scabiosa caucasica, Eryngium alpinus, Heliopsis Pitcheriana, Gypsophila pani- culata, Lathyrus latifolius, Phloxes, Lilies, Gladiolus The Bride, which was grand, and many others (Silver-gilt Flora Medal). Tuberous-rooted Begonias were grandly shown as cut tlowers by Mr. B. R. Davis, Yeovil Nurseries, Somerset. Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross Nurseries, Herts, showed a large collection of garden and decorative Roses, as well as exhibition varieties. The new tea-scented Corallina and Merveille de Lyon were capital, also the new Tennyson recently figured in the Gardcmrs' Chronicle; Marquise de Salisbury was also very good. A new Tea Rose Boadicea, with yollow petals, having rose-coloured margins, is very promising. The blooms are large in size, and the variety will be sure to be a good one for exhibition (Silver-gilt Banksian Medal). Mr. H. B. May, Dyson's Road Nurseries, Upper Edmonton, showed a group of stove and greenhouse foliage plants, in which a selection of Codia-ums was a feature. Cissus discolor, Acalyphas Macfeeana and nimaiea, Tradescantia regina*, Phrynium variegatum, Begonias Arthur Mallet and Naomi Mallet, Campanula isopliylla, and C. i. Mayi, figured in Gardeners' Chronicle, August 12, 1899, p. 127. Also Borne choice Ferns, and all the plants were shown in capital con- dition (Silver-gilt Banksian Medal). Carnation Mrs. Porter had scarlet-crimson flowers, and would make a good variety for the border. It was shown by A. W. Pouter, Esq., Prospect Villa, Holly Road, Waltham Cross. J. Key Allen, Esq., St. Aubins, Bitterne Park, South- ampton, exhibited fourteen varieties of Sweet Peas in bunches (Bronze Banksiun Medal). Fig. 10. — purple and green hazel, (see p. 56. There were 210 flowers, and almost all of them were double varieties. Some of the more noticeable of these fine flowers were — Mrs. Stothert, pale lemon ; Florence Nightingale white ; Orion, scarlet ; Mrs. Nichols, pink ; Hon. Miss Winn, very deep flower, rich pink colour ; Mr. H. J. Jones, salmon- scarlet, with whitish centre ; Madame La Baronne de St. Didier, pale yellow ; Mrs. Richmond, light pink, with deeper- coloured margins ; Orontes, bright scarlet ; Regina Victoria, crimson, a flower with several centres of development (Silver Banksian Medal). Carnations in pots were shown by Messrs. W. Cutbush & Son, Highgate Nurseries, London, N. , in a style of group this firm is becoming remarkable for. The varieties were chiefly those of the Souvenir de la Malmaison type, and included Nautilus, white, or nearly white ; Gemma, pink ; King Oscar, scarlet ; Thora, pale pink ; Mrs. Martin R. Smith, rich pink, very large ; Mrs. Trelawney, scarlet, &c. Excellent border varieties shown were Minerva, pure white ; Lady Mimi, salmon pink ; and the new scarlet-flowered Herbert J. Cut- bush (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Pal-l & Sons, The Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, made a considerable exhibit of cut Roses and Phloxes. Teas and hybrid Teas were shown in numerous varieties, and they were arranged in vases. There were nearly a score varieties of Phloxes, from pure white to deep purple and bright scarlet (Silver Banksian Medal). Mr. W. Rumset, Joyning's Nurseries, Waltham Cross, exhi- bited a group of cut Roses, including exhibition varieties and others, more particularly useful for decoration. The flowers were rather small and thin, owing probably to having been hurried by the great beat (Bronze Banksian Medal). Messrs. Jones & Son, Shrewsbury, made an exhibit of thirty-six varieties of Sweet Peas in vases, and were awarded a Silver Banksian Medal. The flowers were of good size, and brilliant colours. Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, N.B., and Orpington Kent, made a gay exhibit of Violas and Sweet Peas. Violas exhibited great variety of colour, and the flowers were of good size and fresh appearance. Some of the Sweet Peas were particularly attractive, as Countess of Powis, rosy pink ; Lady G. Hamilton, lavender-blue ; Blanche Burpee, white ; Eliza Eckford, pink and white ; Black Knight, Sunproof Salopian, crimson, &c (Silver Banksian Medal). Mr. Thos. S. Ware, Ltd., Feltham Nurseries, Middlesex, exhibited cut flowers of Carnations, and many hardy species ; also plants in pots of some pretty large-flowering Pentstemons. Messrs. I. House & Son, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, exhibited varieties of Chrysanthemum maximum, and C. latifolium. Messrs. Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C., exhibited a nice group of cut flowers, including varie- ties of Marliac's Nymph;cas, and a representative collection of hardy herbaceous and bulbous species (Silver Banksian Medal). Helenium pumilum niagnificum is a most beautiful hardy flowering plant, and has rich gold-coloured flowers 4 inches across. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Burford, Dorking (gr., Mr. Bain), exhibited cut blooms of this, and they were admired greatly. Mr. M. Pritchakd, Christchurch Nurseries, Hants, ex- hibited an erect-flowering variety of Oimicifuga americana, Centaurea rutbenica, Heliopsis scabra major, Lilium Browni, and a very fine plant of Astilbe Silver Sheaf. Mr. A. Perry, Hardy Plant Farm, Winohmore Hill, London, N., exhibited an imposing collection of hardy flowers, iu which a largo number of the best specie3 wete well represented (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Wallace & Co., Kilntield Gardens, Colchester, exhibited a group of flowers of hardy and bulbous species, in which there were some very interesting Lilies. L. Hum- boldti was particularly well shown, in very large sprays of fine flowers; L. Tlmnbergianuin, in many varieties; L. longiflorum, &c. L. auratum Crimson Queen is a most effective variety, the petals being marked with a broad, vivid band of crimson ; L. concolor, a slender-growing Lily, about 1 foot high, erect, and haviug scarlet flowers ; also a variety of this named Coridion, the flowers of which are orange- coloured, and are produced rather more freely than in the type (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nurseries, Chelsea, showed a numberof Marliac's Lilies in tubs, including N. Marliacea rosea, which was given an Award of Merit, and N. albida, which was shown grandly. Mr. J. Dodolas, Edcnside Nurseries, Great Bookham, Surrey, made an exhibit of a number of new varieties of border Carnations ; three of these are described under "Awards," and some of the others were very beautiful. Awards Campanula carpatica Rmrslea.—A variety of this well known Campanula having flowers 3 inches across, which open almost perfectly flat. The plants shown were exceptionally free flowered, and it is evidently a vigorous grower. From Mr. Pritchard, Christchurch Nurseries, Hampshire (Award of Merit). Carnation Benhow.—A reddish-buff-coloured flower of good form, and judging from the foliage shown.it is a good grower. From Mr. Jas. Douglas, The Nurseries, Gt. Bookham (Award of Merit). Carnation Bomba. -The flowers are very large in size, and clear rose in colour. The petals are extra good. From Mr. Jas. Douglas (Award of Merit). Carnation Major Haroord —The plants shown were about 3 feet high, and had yellow flowers of good size and form, and a non-splitiug calyx. From Lord Suffield, Gunton Park, Norwich, gr., Mr. Allan (Award of Merit). Carnntion randelli BaXli. -Flowers clear yellow ; a capital border variety. From Mr. James Douglas (Award of Merit). Delphinium Blue Butterfly.— An annual Delphinium growing a foot high, as shown. It has narrow, lanceolate leaves, and makes a very compact little plant. Flowers intense blue From James Carter & Co., High Holborn (Award of Merit). Nymphcea Leydekeri fulgent.— A dark red or crimson variety , shown by Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, King's Road, Chelsea (Award of Merit). Nymphoia Marliacea rosea.— A variety of Marliac's Lily, with rose-tinted petals, and deep orange-coloured stamens. From Leopold de Rothschild, Esq. (gr., Mr. J. Hudson (Award of Merit). Nymphcea stellatu pulclierrima.—A variety or the blue' flowered N. steUata, said to be more hardy than the type. It is a pretty shade of blue colour, the stamens as well ; the tase of the centre of the flower yellow. The exterior of the sepals, instead of being green, is much marked with purple. From Leopold de Rothschild, Esq. (Award of Merit). Rose Souvenir de C. GuiUot.—A new and very pretty Tea- scented variety, shown by Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross. The flowers are rose and salmon coloured, the combi nations of these tints varying much in the flowers (Award o Merit). . Orchid Committee. Present : Harry J. Veitch, Esq. , in the chair ; and Messrs. Jas. O'Brien (Hon. Sec.), De B. Crawshay, H. J. Chapman, W. H. Young, H. A. Tracy, W. H. White, E. Hill, T. W. Bond, H. T. Pitt, E. Ash worth, J . Douglas, and J. T. Gabriel. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Burford (gr., Mr. W. H. White), staged a group of remarkably interesting species, the most distinct of which are enumerated in the list of awards and for which a Silver Banksian Medal was awarded. In addition to the certificated plants were Oncidium X calo- glossum, a supposed natural hybrid of O. Marshallianum, and O. Forbesii ; the bright yellow O. Jamesoni ; the elegant Epidendrum gracile ; Geodorum pictum, Calanthe-like in habit, but with the upper part of the stout inflorescences ' turned downward, notwithstanding which the flowers appear in the ordinal y position, with the labellum at the bottom; Cypripedium X Rothschildo-superbiens, C. X Rothsehildo- tonsum, and C. X lievigato-purpuratum ; and a pretty little reddish hybrid Masdevallia, obtained between M. Wageneriana and M. Veitchiana. H. F. Simonds, Esq., Woodthorpe, Beckenham (gr., Mr. Geo." F. Day), was awarded a Silver Flora Medal for a very line "roup, made up of good forms of Odontoglossum crispum, Cattfeya Mendeli, Miltonia vexillaria, Oncidium sarcodes, Lfelia tenebrosa, Epidendrum vitellinum, Dendrobiunis, Cypripediums, &c. A ramarkable feature in the group was that it contained two fine plants of the handsome Madagascar Grassmiangis Ellioti, with very strong spikes of flowers. Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, had an effective "roup of their fine type of Dendrobium Phalrenopsis Schro- derianum, around which were arranged Cypripedium X Lady Maple, C. X Lord Derby, C. x Kioballiana, C.-x A. de Lairesse, aud C. x Haynaldo-Hookei-e, a singular hybrid. The greater part of the Socie'y s collection of paintings of 58 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 21, 1900. Orchids to which Awards of Merit or First-class Certificates have been given, and which now amount to over 400 pictures, forming a valuable and useful series of varieties of all the (Treat genera, and also some fine species and varieties of rare Orchids of botanical interest were set up for inspection, and at once disclosed the useful purpose for which they were intended. General approval of the work of the Society's arlist, Miss Roberts, 72, Loughborough Road, Brixton, S.W., and a majority of theOrchid Committee decided to recommend the Council to award to Miss Roberts a Silver Medal as a recognition of her good work. It was announced that a lull display of the pictures, includ- ing those for which room could not be found, should be made at the next meeting, July 31. Awards. First-class Certificates. ■Phaius x 0akwoodic7isis (x Cooksoni x Humbloti), from Norman C. Cookson, Esq., Oakwood, Wylam, Northumber- land (gr., Mr. Win. Murray). A new type of hybrid Phaius, and one of the showiest which has yet appeared. The habit of the plant and form of the flowers are near to P. Humbloti, but larger in all the parts and unique in colour. The broad sepals and petals are tinged with rose-pink on the face, and rose-purple on the reverse side, the midribs or keels at the back being white. The labellum is flatly displayed as in P. Humbloti, and broader across the side lobes than in all other Phaius; white at the base, and bearing a stout yellow callus in the centre, the remainder, and greater part of the lip being of a bright rose-claret, the side lobes having a glowing yellow line towards the inner part. Column pale yellow. MarAUaria scurrilis, Lehm., from Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Burford (gr., Mr. W. H. White). A most extraordinary speeieswith long riband like segments of quaint arrangement .and singular colour. The lateral sepals are extended and arched, and then curved down ; the petals narrower and carved forward and downward. The flower is white in the area round the column, with a Uw purple spots, the remainder being yellow, wiih conspicuous purplish-brown markings, and a purple tint on the tips of the sepals— a very remarkable flower. Habit of growth resembling M. grandiflora. Award of Merit. Matdemttia deor:a, Lehm., from F. W. Moore, Esq , Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.— A very singular species, discovered by Consul F. C. Lehmann, and stated by him to always grow head downwards. The leaves on Mr. Moore's plant are a foot or so in length, but the native specimens are often longer. The flowers equal in size the larger species of the Coriacea section ; the perianth segments b^ing long and tapering. The flowers are honey-yellow, heavily blotched at the backs with purple, which colour shows through on the face; the exterior base of the flower purple ; tails long and extended. Angrmcum JUico >•»».— Prom Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (gr., Mr. W. H. White). A singular and pretty species, with fleshy-channelled leaves and single snow-white flowers, with long greenish spurs. Cypripeditim x HotJnchihlo -Lawrenceanum,— A handsome hybrid, with some resemblance to C. x Lord Derby, but with the ivory-white purple - spotted petals horizontally extended. The large upper sepal was striped with purple, aud the face of the lip tinged with dark rose colour. Odontogtosswun coronavium (Glasnevin variety) — From F. W. Moore, Esq., Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin. An almost wholly yellow-coloured form, the usual brown markings being nearly suppressed. Award of Merit. Tainia spetioso.— From Sir Trevor Lawrence, Birt., a pretty Malayan species, with upright spikes of wnitish flowers with xmrple lines. Masdi'i-alUa macirfata, from Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. —Perianth narrowly arranged, yellow with purple markings. Girrhopetalum chiuense, from Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. — ISqual in size to C. picturatum, flowers yellowish-white, freckled with dark rose colour. Sarcanthus peninsvUnis, from Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. — A graceful species allied to S. pugioniformis, but much more slender and smaller in girth, the pyramidal plant about a foot high, bore a dozen drooping spikes of flowers. Cultural Commendation. Silver Banksian Medal to Mr. Powell, gr. to Col. W. E. Brvmer, Ilsington House, Dorchester, for a grand specimen of Coi-logyne Sanderiana, with a large number of spikes of its white flowers of good size. Fruit and Vegetable Committee. Present: Geo. Bunyard, Esq., Chairman; and Messrs. W. Wilks, Henry Esling, Jos. Cheal, A. F. Barron, Geo. Keif, S. Mortimer, G. T. Miles, W. J. Empson, Geo. Wythes, F. Q Lane, G. Norman, E. Beckett, and H. Balderson. Messrs. Cheal & Sons, nurserymen, Lowfield, Crawley, Sussex, made a striking exhibit of standard umbrella-shaped Gooseberry-bushes, and single and double cordons ; also La Fertile Red Currants as standards. The methods of training Gooseberries as umbrellas is very old, but it fell into abeyance, although not devoid of merit ; the fruit being kept clean, and easily gathered, besides being cheaply protected by hexagon netting from wasps and birds. The plants shown were very abundantly fruited, the summer pruning necessary with these methods of training tending greatly to the formation o:' fruit-spurs. Messrs. J. Charlton, High Church, Morpeth, showed a three-year-old Gooseberry - bush of the variety Victoria, evidently a very heavy cropper. H. E. Fry, Esq., Bickley Hall, Kent, showed a red-fleshed Melon, Bickley Hall Hero, of no particular merit. W. A. Clarke, Esq., Inglewood Gardens, Hungerford. Berks, showed a boxful of Tomato-fruits, of a cross obtained from Royal Sovereign. It is an orange-coloured fruit, smooth, and large. Messrs. Cross & Son, Daffodil Nursery, Wisbech, showed early Apple (Codlin) Victoria, fit for culinary use at this date. The fruits were of medium size and of a green colour. Rev. W. Wilks, Shirley, near Croydon (secretary of the society), showed fruit of the Loganberry, an acid fruit, fit for jam-making and other culinary uses. The fruits are longish- oval, and of a dull clouded purple tinge. It is said to be a cross between a Raspberry and one of the American Black- berries. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons showed Strawberry Lord Kitchener == British Queen x Waterloo, a fine bright- coloured fruit of fair flavour, said to be excellent as a preserving fruit, and not despicable as a dessert fruit. It is a good doer and a great cropper. Raspberry Yellow Superlative, Superlative (red) and Autumn Yellow, the fruit of a yellow tinge, with a faint trace of red. A good cropper. Mr. L. Pellv, Rusper, Sussex, exhibited twelve bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes, weighing from 2£ to 3£ lb. per bunch, excellent in every respect, and having the hammered appearance so indicative of high cultivation. R. J. Gifken Read, Esq., Cadlyric House, Ealing, showed a plateful of the Old Stone Pippin of 1S90 in a fair state of preservation. Mr. G. Wythes, gr. to the Duke of Northumberland, Syon House, Brentford, showed a seedling, yellow-fleshed Melon of good flavour, and having a thin, slightly netted rind. Lord Suffield, Gunton Park, Norwich (gr., Mr. Allan), showed three dishes of Strawberry Lady Suflield, a dark crimson-glazed fruit, with prominent seeds. The fruit is wedge-shaped or conical, but destitute of flavour. The Marquis of Salisbury, Hatfield House (gr., Mr. G. Norman), showed some sixteen fruits of Brown Turkey Figs of a large size, and just fit for eating. Messrs. W. W. Johnson & Son, Ltd., seed merchants, Boston, Lincolnshire, exhibited a very extensive collection of culinary Peas, in 150 dishes, distinct varieties, consisting of the best of those sent out by various raisers. It was a very fine exhibit of Peas at their best, only a few samples being too old. Messrs. Jas. Carter & Co., High Holborn, made a very fine show of Lettuces, chiefly of Cabbage varieties. Very superior among these varieties were Perpetual, Hanson's, Large Yellow, Victoria, Large Summer White, Malta Drum- head, All-the-Year-Round, Round-leaved, Buttercup, Per- pignan, Carter's Speckled Long Stander, Carter's Perpetual, a new, much crinkled variety, with a large solid heart ; and New York. The Cos varieties were Jumbo, Neapolitan, Bath White-seeded, Baldwin, Giant White, Paris Green, Paris White, Hardy Green, and Hardy White Winter. Awards. Silver-gilt Knightian Medal to Messrs. W. W. Johnson & Son, Boston, Lincolnshire, for 150 dishes of Peas. Silver Knightian Medal to Mr. L. Pelly, The Vineries, Rusper, for twelve bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes. Silver Knightian Medal to Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons Crawley, for standard and cordon Gooseberries and Currants. Silver Banksian Medal to Messrs. J Carter & Co., High Holborn, for forty varieties of Lettuces. Silver Banksian Medal to the Marquis of Salisbury, for Brown Turkey Figs. Lecture on Lilies. In the afternoon a lecture was given by Mr. R. Wallace, of Colchester, upon Lilies, and he had gone into his subject but very little before emphasising their hardy character. It was not generally known, said Mr. Wallace, that such hand- some species as L. giganteum, L. Browni, L. Henryi, and others, were perfectly hardy in this country, but such was the cise, and they were more liable to be injured by late spring frosts than by a severe winter. Mr. Baker's system of arranging the species into groups, which was published in the Gardeners' Chronicle, in 1875, was described, and tribute given to the value of Mr. Baker's work. Most Lilies, said Mr. Wallace, succeedlbest when given partial shade, and planted where they willj obtain a cool and moist atmosphere. They should not be planted where they will be subjected to cold, searching winds, nor directly under trees, or in cold, wet, or water-logged soil. Useful information was given in respect to the kind of soil required by the different species, and the best season at which to lift the bulbs. Reference was made to the cultiva- tion of Lilies in pots, and to the.forcing'of Lilies ; also to the practice of growing Lilies planted out in unheated glass- houses, as adopted by Mr. G. F. Wilson, of Weybridge. Mr. Wallace remarked that little has been done in the matter of hybridising Lilies ; there are several good hybrids, but perhaps not any of them are more beautiful than their parents. The species do not easily cross with [each other ; but Mr. Luther Burbank, of America, is said to have been employed for some time past in making experiments with them, and possibly he may have obtained some valuable results. Some interesting particulars were given in respect to the Lily trade in Europe, Japan, and America, which has grown into an industry of considerable magnitude. WOKING HORTICULTURAL. July 10. — This newly founded Society, which embraces the districts of Woking, Horsell, and Woodham, held its summer exhibition in the grounds of Woodham Hall, kindly lent by W. N. Stevens, Esq., the President. Three tents were required to hold the exhibits, which were numerous, and of a satisfactory character. The secretarial duties were ably carried out by Mr. Robertson, who has had considerable experience in such matters. Plants were largely shown, and their quality was above reproach. For four stove and greenhouse specimens, in flower, Mr. T. Osman, gr. to J. Baker, Esq., Ottershaw Park. Chertsey, had the finest exhibits, the plants being healthy and well flowered. The same exhibitor was the winner for the best six specimen foliage plants, the Codijeums and Palms being extra good. Mr. Tomlin, gr. to Mrs. Goldingham, Anningsley Park, Brox, was a good 2nd. Palms were numerously arranged down the centre of one of the tents, and addei to the display considerably. For two Palms Mr. Osman was placed 1st for specimens of Kentia Fosteriana and Areca lutescens, in faultless condition ; Mr. Tomlin was 2nd. Exotic Ferns and Caladiums were also well shown by Mr. Osman in their respective classes. Miscellaneous plants, arranged for effect, made a goodly dis- play. Mr. A. Seabrook, gr. to P. N. Stevens, Esq., Wood- ham Hall, secured the leading award, wilh a nicely-balanced arrangement of suitable plants, Orchids, Gloxinias, Palms, Codiasums, and Ferns. Mr. A. Sutton, gr. to Philip Water- low, Esq., Silverlands, Chertsey, was a good 2nd in this competition. Cuijloicers were plentiful, and formed a big display of them- selves. In the class for twenty-four Roses, distinct varieties, the exhibits, which would have taken the 1st and 2nd prizes were disqualified by reason of duplicate blooms being shown in each. The 1st prize fell in consequence to Mr. H. W. Sillem, The Pines, Horsell, for a stand of small but well- coloured blooms. This exhibitor also secured the leading award for twelve blooms, distinct varieties, with a stand of perfectly formed examples. Mr. J. Creswell, gr. to Miss Kennedv, Aldershot Park, was a good 2nd. Mr. Seabrook had the most meritorious stand of stove and greenhouse blooms in twelve varieties — a good exhibit ; Mr. Osman was 1st for twelve bunches of hardy flowers, staging a fresh, brightset ; Mr. Tomlin securing the 2nd place in a strong competition. Sweet Peas were a special feature, so numerous and good were they. In the class for twelve bunches, Mr. W. Sutton led with an effectively-arranged set of good blossoms ; Mr. Tomlin securing a like award in a special-prize class. Mrs. Se\brook in another class was placed 1st, with Sweet Peas nicely blended together ; Mrs. Sutton was 2nd. Fruit and Vegetables were well represented. Mr. Osman secured the leading award for a collection of six diihes and for two bunches of black Grapes, with really fine examples of Black Hamburgh. Mr. Basile, gr. to the Rev. President, took all of the leading awards for collections of vegetables, with very fine productions. The "not for competition" exhibits contributed to the attractiveness of the show. Mr. J. Douglas, Great Bookham, had a charming collec- tion of Carnations and Pmks, including the new yellow Cecilie. Messrs. G. Jackman & Sons, Woking, had Roses aud hardy flowers. Mr. W. Spooner, Woking, a like exhibit ; while Messrs. Fletcher Bros, contributed Roses in quantity, including many newer varieties. HARROW HORTICULTURAL. July 10. — Favoured by fine weather, and enlivened by the performances of the Highland Band of the Gordon Boys' Orphanage, Dover, and of the 5th Middlesex R.V.C., the show of the above society was held in the grounds of H. W. Kirby, Esq., The Crofts, Greenhill, and proved a great success, thanks chiefly to the efforts of Lewis S. Pawle, Esq., the Hon. Sec, and Dr. Williams, who take a great interest in the society. Roses have been steadily gaining favour around Harrow, and the open classes brought together a fine set of exhibits. For thirty-six Roses, Messrs. Frank Cant & Co., Col- chester, were 1st; and Mr. Geo. Prince, Oxford, 2nd; Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, and Messrs. D. Prior & Sons, Colchester, also showing well. For twelve Roses, Teas or Noisettes, Mr. G. Prince was 1st, Mr. B. R. Cant was 2nd, and Messrs. F. Cant & Co. 3rd. In the class for twelve bunches of garden Roses, Mr. Chas. Turner, Slough, secured the 1st prize with a splendid exhibit. In Mr. Chas. Turner's collection, the best Rose in the show— a grand flower of Mrs. John Laing— was found, securing for the exhibitor the National Rose Society's Silver- gilt Medal given by Dr. Williams. In the Amateurs' Open Class, the 1st prize for twenty-four Roses was taken by Mr. C. J. Salter, gr. to Mrs. Haywood, Reigate, whose stand also contained the flower which secured the National Rose Society's Medal, given by Mr. R. West, and which in this case also was a fine bloom of Mrs. John Laing; Mr. E. Mawley, Berkhamsted, 2nd; Mr. Cook, North Finchley, 3rd. In the members classes, Mr. J. R. Cater took 1st both for six and for eighteen Roses. Mr. L. S. Pawle was 1st in Class 7 ; and also secured the National Rose Society's Medal for the best Rose in the members classes with a fine La France. In the amateur members class for six Rose , Dr. Williams was 1st. Jn.v 21, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, There weio a very larne nuinlwr of entries, and Ihl sliow gave a Rood representation of the showy (lowers of the season, an. I espeolally the Sweet Peas, and hardy herbaceous plants, in which Mr. Lewis S. Pawle secured the 1st piizo for twelve bunches with a splendid collection. For a group of plants arranged for ertVct, Mr. J. T. Dins- mnre, gr. to T. 1''. Bi.ac kmkll, Esq., The Cellars, Harrow Weald, was 1st, with a very well-arrangtd collectiou of good things, comprising tine plants of Cattleya Uaskelliann, Odon- toglossum Halli, Disa racemosl, and other Orchids, sot up Willi Palms. Crotons, and other foliage and flowering plants. For six Cannas, A. S. Harureaves, Esq. for., Mr. Law- rence), was 1st, with a very line selection of richly-coloured flowers on very compact plants ; Dr. Williams 2nd. For six Begonias, Dr. Williams was 1st, and A. 8. Har- creaves, Esq., '2nd. Groups of plants and co lections of flowers were also staged by Messrs. W. Cutbush & Sons, Mr. Jas. Navlor, Mr. J. Lvon, Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross; Barr & Sons, Mr. Geo. Curk, of Dover ; Geo. Paol & Son, Cheshunt, and others. The ladies' classes, lable decorations, &c, had a tent to themselves, and it was the prettiest and most interesting part of the show ; all the exhibits being beyond the average order of merit, and some of them most artistically arranged, aud especially the table arranged by Mrs. Dbvitt, which took the 1st prize, and which was a clever arrangement of Yellow Broom and scarlet, orange, and yellow Iceland Poppies, set up with light foliage and Maidenhair Fern. Mrs. Horlev was 2nd, with a pretty arrangement of, white Sweet Peas, white Gladioli, Asparagus pluniosus, and Gypsophila paniculata ; Miss Ella Brown and Mrs. L. S. Pawle being equal 3rd. The Cottagers' classes were well filled, the entries being far in excess of former years. Vegetables were i*ood through- out. Pot plants in some classes not remarkable, and fru.ts scarce. LOUGHBOROUGH AND DISTRI T GAR- DENERS' MUTUAL, IMPROVEMENT. Joly 11. — The members and friends of this Association, about seventy in number, had their first annual excursion on the above date, Welbeck Abbey and Gardens being their destination. Mr. Roberts, the Duke of Portland's courteous head gardener, acted as cicerone, and conducted the members upon a tour through the fruit and plant houses, kitchen- gardens, and pleasure-grounds, &c. ; and a most enjoyable day was spent. DEVON AND EXETER GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL SUMMER OUTING. July 11.— This annual excursion of the members and honorary members took place on the above date. The party, numbering between fifty and sixty persons ; Lyme Re*\is being the objective. The historic old church with its tapestry and fine screen, its ancient lectern and chained Bible and Common Prayer Book, a Jacobiein pulpit, and much that was interesting. The Guildhall, suggestive of bygone greatness, a port without ships, and a sea view ranging from Start Point to Portland Bill. Luncheon over, the party proceeded to Pinhay, the seat f Wilton Allhusen, Esq., where Mr. Bloye, the head gardener, met the party and conducted it over the pleasure-grounds' and gardens. The estate, about 1400 acres in extent, in- cludes fine woods, an extensive sea-f, ont, and a well-equipped glrdening establishment. Some fine pieces of Abies grandis were noted, and a good spsciinen of Cephalotaxus drupicea. Effects of local landslips showed some picturesque rocks and limestone precipices, aud in one part of the woods near the shore was an Ash-tree which had been torn asunder by a sub- sidence, and left the tree rooted on both sides, and forming the figure a, with sufficient room to allow a tall man to stand within it. Subsequently Rousdon, the seat of Sir Cuthbert V. Peek, lart., was visited. Here the party were conducted by Mr. Grover (the scientific assistant of Sir Cuthbert Peek), to the bservatory, where through the great telescope the star Arcturus was observed. Arcturus, it may be remembered, was the star visible through the tail or nebula of Donati's comet of 1858. Mr. Bailey, gr., then took charge of the visitors, and showed them the range of glasshouses, 600 feet in length, in which Peaches, Nectarines, and Grapes (Lady Downes and Muscats chiefly), were doing well. The lengthy trellised-walks of Cotoneaster and Apple-trees, and tine hedges of Escallonia maerantha and Pyrus japonica, were also noted ; and much more besides. Mr. Hope (Hon. Secretary), and Mr. Mackay (Hon. T easurer) carried out the arrangements very satisfactorily. Enquiry. A Model Garden.— "A young Gardener" would be glad of a few hints from some readers of the Gardeners,' Chronicle with regard to the making of a model garden, 2 feet square, for exhibition U hat species of flowers or flowering plants should 1 S k SS' if ?d What edSiDgs and evergreens would The Weather. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS taken In the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick, London, for the period July 8 to July 14, 1900. Height above sea- level 24 feet. 1900. i Temperature of the Air. At 9 a.m. o a ■a •a n H fc a 1* Tempera- tore of THE Soil at 9 a.m. Son. S N.N.W. Hon. 9 W.N.W. Tom. 10 W.N.W. Wed. 11 8.S.W. Thd. 12 S.S.E. FRl. 13 E.S.E. Sat. 14 S.S.W. Means... deg. deg.(deg. deg. 68'6 55'0 65'2 422 63'4 50 l'72'4 55-2 6-7 1'7 73 8 71'4 57 3 82'7 51'8 til 9 83'9 51'5 64'9 78 2 67'2 60'3 54 9 57-3 60'5 77'1 I 53'3 Tot. deg. 61'5 62'6 63 2 65 9 69'2 67 9 67 9 653 deg.|deg. eO'556'9 60 S57-1 60'567'1 61 257'2 62-2 57 4 62-857 6 63 2 57-8 deg. 33-1 49 0 42 3 43-5 51-3 17-6 48-5 61-5 57 84 Remarks.— The weather has been bright and hot all the week. No rain has falhn since the 6th inst. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending July 14, is furnished from the Meteorological Office : — "The vnather dull and unsettled in the west and north of our islands, with rather heavy falls of rain at times in some parts of Scotland. Fair and cool elsewhere at first, but subsequently setting in exceedingly brightand hot. Thunder- storms occurred in many parts of England towards the close of the period, mostly over the northern districts. "The temperature was 4° above the average over th? Mid- land Counties, but only 1° in Ireland, S., England, S.W., and Scotland, W. The highest of the maxima occurred on the ltth over Ireland, and on the 11th or 12th over England and Scotland ; they ranged from 1)0° in Eng- land, E., S9° in the Midland Counties, 86° in England, s. andS.W., and 83° in England, N.W., to 74° in Scotland, W., and in Ireland, S. The lowest of the minima were regis- tered at the beginning of the week, and varied from 36° in England, S.W., to 38° in Scotland, N. and England, N.W., and 39° in the Midland Counties. " The rainfall was above the average over the northern and eastern parts of Scotland, but b^low it in all other localities. The deficit was rather large in England, E. "The bright sunshine, although in defect over Scotland, was largely in excess of anything recorded for many weeks past elsewhere ; and in nearly all parts of our islands it was considerably above the mean. The percentage of the possible duration ranged from 75 in the Channel Islands, 08 in England, S.W., 05 in England, S., and 64 in England, E., to 19 in Scotland, N., and 22 in Scotland, W." Markets. COVENT GARDEN, JULY 19. [We cannot accept any responsibility for the subjoined reports. They are furnished to us regularly every Thursday, by the kindness of several of the principal salesmen, who revise the list, and who are responsible for the quotations. It must be remembered that these quotations do not represent the prices on any particular clay, but only the general averages for the week preceding the date of our report. The prices depend upon the quality of the samples, the supply in the market, and the demand, and they may fluctuate, not only from day to day but often sever*! times in one day. Ed.] Out Flowers, Ac. — Average Wholesale Prices. s. d. $. d. "Fern," Arums Asparagus bunch Carnations, per doz. blooms ... Cattleyas, per dozen Eucharis, per dozen Gardenias, per doz. Gladiolus, scarlet, per dozen — white, per doz. Lilium Harrisii, per dozen blooms ... Lilium lancifoliuin album, doz. blms. Lilium rubrum/loz. .Lilium longiflorum, per dozen Lily of Valley, per doz. bunches.., 5. d. i. d, i b- 'i t> Maidenhair Fern, per doz. bunches 4 0-80 2 0 2 6 Marguerites, p. doz. bunches 8 0-00 1 0- 2 0 Mignonette, dozen 9 0-12 0 hutches 4 0-60 3 0-50" 10-20 dozen .., ... 30 60 per Odontoglossums, per dozen ... Roses, Red, 3 0-50 dozen 3 0-50 — Tea, white, per dozen 2 0-30 — Safrano. perdoz. — Marechal Niel, 4 0- S 0 per doz. 4 0-80 — Catherine Mer- met, per dozen 2 0-30 Smilai, per bunch Tuberoses, per doz. 6 0-18 0 I blooms 0 9-10 2 6-40 2 0-30 2 0-50 4 0-50 Plants in Pots.— Average Wholesale Prices. Acacias, per dozen 12 Ail, fill'. UIU8, p. dOZ. 6 Arbor- vitae, var. ,doz. 6 Aspidistras, p. doz. 18 — specimen, each 5 Crotons, per doz. ... 18 Cyclamen, per doz. 8 Dracaenas, var., per dozea 12 — viridis, perdos, 9 Ericas, var., per doz. 12 Eoonymus, various, per dozen ... 6 Evergreens, var., per dozen ... 4 Ferns, in variety, per dozen ... 4 d. a. d. 0-18 0 0-7 0 0-36 0 0-86 0 0-10 6 0-30 0 0-10 0 0-30 0 0-18 0 0-86 0 0-18 0 0-18 0 0-18 0 i. a. $. d. 4 <»- 6 0 16-70 Ferns^mall.per 100 KIcub elastlca, eacn Foliage plants, var. , each 10-50 Genistas, per doz.... 6 0-90 Lily of Valley, each 1 9- 3 u Lycopodinms, doz. 8 0-40 Marguerite Daisies, per dozen ... 8 0-12 0 Myrtles, per dozen 6 0-90 Palms, various, ea. 1 0-15 0 — specimens, each 21 0-63 9 Pelargoniums, scar- let, per dozen 8 0-12 0 — Ivyleal, perdoz. 8 0-10 0 Spiraeas, per dozen... 6 0-12 0 Apples, Tasmanian (various sorts) cases — English, Tuliens, and Keswicis, in sieves Apricots, box — sieve Bananas, bunch .. Cherries, English, per siive — Napoleon", fine, per sieve Currants, blk., sieve — red, sieve — white, in gils. Figs(New), perdoz. — in bkfcs. .Spanish Gooseberries, sieves Grapes, Hamburgh, new, per lb. ... — Alicante — Cu'.mar — Gro8 Maroc, per lb — Muscats, A., per lb Fauir. — Average Wholesale Pkioep. i. d. i. d. 10 0-12 0 2 0-30 10-16 7 0-80 6 0-10 0 4 0-66 13 0-14 0 6 0-66 2 6-40 16 — 10-30 16-26 2 0-30 0 10- 1 3 10-16 16-20 16-20 2 6-30 Grapes, Muscats, J?., per lb. — Belgian, per lb. Lemons, case Melons, each — Foreign rocks... Nectarines, per doz. Class A. Class B. Oranges, Murcia, p. ca>.e Peaches, per dozen Class A. Class B. French Pea s in sieves- Jargonelle Windsor Pines, each Plums in sieve — in baskets Raspberries, pun- nets, doz. — cwt Strawberries, 12 lb. — English, pecks — punnets, doz.... i. d. /. d. 1 0- 1 (i 0 8-10 10 0-15 0 10-20 2 0-30 8 0-12 0- 2 0-50 10 0-12 o S 0-15 0 2 0-50 7 0- 6 0 — 2 0-5 0- o 6- 4 <; 2 0 — 3 0-50 22 0-28 0 3 0- f> 0 2 0-20 6 0-12 0 Vegetables.— Average Wholesale Prices. Artichokes, Globe, per doz. Beans, Scarlet Runners, per lb. — — per sieva — Broad, or home-grown, per bushel ... — English Dwf. per sieve Beetroots, New, per bunch Cabbage, tally — dozen Carrots, new, per dozen Cauliflowers, per dozen Cress, per dozen punnets Cicumbers, doz. ... Bndive, new French, per dozen Garlic, new, dozen bunches Horseradish, Eng- lish, bundle ... — for ei gn, per bundle Leeks, per dozen bunches Lettuce, English Cabbage, bush. — English Cos per score Mint, new, p. doz. bunches f. d. J. d. 0 3-04 u 0 — 5 0 — 2 0-50 0 G- 1 0 1 C- 2 G 16-30 1 6 — -0-30 i e- 2 6 2 0 — 16 - 0 10-1 0 2 0- 1 0- 0 6- 2 0 — Mushrooms, house, per lb. .. Onions, picklers per sieve — Egyptian, per cwt — Green, dozen ... Parsley, 12 bunches — per sieve Peas — English, per bushel — in bags Potatos, New, per cwt. — English, new, Bedfords, cwt. Radishes, dozen ... Salad, small, pun* nets, per dozen Shallots, new, per dozen bunches. — new, per lb. ... Spinach, Spring, per bushel Tomatos, English, new, per 12 lb. — Channel Islands, per lb Turnips, new, pe: dozen — in bags.. Vegetable Marrows, per dozen Watercress, p. doi. bunches I. d. $. d. 3 0- 4 6 — 1 6-2 6 10-20 0 9-10 3 0-40 2 0- 3 6- 4 0 6 6 0-6 0 0-6 0 16-20 0 3-04 0 U 0 4£ 4 0 — 5 0- 1 0- 0 4- 6 U 2 0 0 6 Remarks.— English Apples of the present year's growth have now reached the market. Foreign Plums, and Pear.s including Jargonelle and Windsor, may be had in large quantities. Gooseberries are now in the early i>tage of ripeness. Some samples of Cherries are of very line quality. Potatos. Cherbourg, 6s. per cwt. ; Bedfords, 5s. to Gs. per cwt. John Bath, 32 £ 31, Wellington Street, Covent Garden. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Glasgow: July lS.-The following are the averages of the prices recorded since our last report :— Lisbon Apples, 12s. to 15s. per case; Oporto do., 8s. to 10s. 6d. do. ; Banana^ extra, Ss. to 9s. Oi. per bunch ; No. 1, 7s. to Ss. do. ; No. ij 5s. to Gs. do. ; Oranges, Valencia, ordinary 420's, IS*, to 20s. per case ; large and extra large 420's, 22s. to 26s. do. ; Lsmons Palermo, cases, 30O's, 13s. to 16s. ; 360's, 8s. 6d. to 10s. ; boxes, 200, 300, and 360, 5s. 6d, to 7s. Gd. ; Naples, cases of 300 and 300, 10s. 6d. to lis. Gd. ; Grapes, English, new, Is. to 2s. per lb.; Mushrooms, lOd. do.; Onion?, Egyptian, 3s. Gd. to 4s. 6d. per cwt. ; do., Oportu, cases, 4s. Gd. to 5s. per cwt. ; do., Maltese, baskets, 2s. 9d. to 3s. 3d. per cwt. ; Tomatos, Valencia, cases, 8s. to 10s.; Po- tatos, Maltese, 10s. to lis. per cwt. ; ParsJey, id. to Qd. per dozen bunches ; Lettuce, 4 o C/) w u H W > in in W c/) t3 O w w u o Pi u O Jolt 28, 1900.] THE GARDENERS1 CHRONICLE. 61 THE Partem' (^jxtaxaxk No. 709.— SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1900. CONTENTS. Bean-weevil, the 77 Rose Society's amateur Birch, fruiting of the ... 74 trophy 74 Books, old 712 1 Societies — Burford Lodge, Dorkfng . 62 Cardiff Horticultural ... 75 Butcher's Broom and 4, Durham, Northumber- Tobacco manufacturers 74 land, and Newcastle Campanula abietina 74 Bot. and Hort. 76 Canadian tender fruits ... 71 National Ca> nation and Carnation disease 71 Picotee (Southern sec- Carnations 64 tion) 75 Colonial notes — Royal Horticultural Australian iirigation (Scientific Committee) 74 farms 68 Scottish Meteorological 75 Crataegus flava 73 WeybridgeHorticultural 75 Dicksonia Youngue in the Strawberry, wanted, anew 73 Bush, Queensland 72 Strawberry plants, blind 74 Ferns, fossil 67 Strawberries in 1000 67 Florists aDd the war 72 Sweet Pea bi-centenary Hutchins, the Rev. W. T. 73 exhibition at the Crystal Library, a French horti- Palace 70 cultural 73 1 Sweet Pea Cupid 7S Lilies 72 1 Vegetables, failures with 66 Model gardens at horticul- Winus, the, Walthamstow 61 tural shows 74 Weather in West Herts, Mummy Wheat 65 the 73 Obituary- Weather, recent 74 Cant, B. B 79 Week's Work, the— Orchid notes and glean- Apiary, the 69 ings— Flower garden, the 6S Lindenia... 62 Fruits under glass 68 Odontoglossum crispum Hardy fruit garden 69 var. 62 ' Kitchen garden, the ... 69 Paris exhibition, the 75 Orchid houses, the 66 Peach, Waterloo 74 Plants under glass 69 Plant notes — Weevils and chorophyll... 73 , Gerbera Jamesoni at Worms, foreign, in Eng- Edinburgh C4 : lish gardens 66 Opuntia pseudo-tuna ... 64 Wrest Park, the " Useful- Publications received ... 72 ' machine " at 74 Rose exhibition at the Yorkshire College Agri- Crystal Palace, notes i cultural Council 72 on the 61 1 Yucca gloriosa 74 ILLUSTRATIONS. Bean Weevil, a 78 Dicksonia Youngia? in the bush, Queensland (Supplement). Maxillaria scurrilis 65 NymphEfa gigantea 77 Oncidium luridum 62 Portrait of Mr. H. Eckford 79 Portrait of the Rev. W. T. Hutchins 73 Rhododendron Pink Pearl 63 Strawberry St. Antoine de Padoue 67 Sweet Pea Cupid 7S THE WINNS, WALTHAMSTOW. IT seems a very curious instance of the irony of fate that Walthamstow, which, as re- cently as 1777, was practically part and parcel of Epping Forest, has only just escaped the reproach of being parkless. Thanks to the generosity of several members of the Lloyd family (the owners of the Daily Chronicle and other newspapers), Walthamstow can now boast of one of the most pleasant public gardens to be found anywhere in the suburbs of London. The gift is all the more noble seeing that Walthamstow has no claim whatever on the Lloyd family. The gift was announced in a letter written two years ago, and addressed to the District Council by Mr. Frank Lloyd. This letter runs as follows : — " I am writing on behalf of several members of the Lloyd family to state that they are willing to purchase from the executors of the late Mr. Lloyd the ornamental grounds sur- rounding the house known as The Winns, in Forest Road, consisting of about 9j acres, and convey them to the Council free of cost, provided the latter will undertake to maintain them as a recreation - ground for the use of the public for ever ; and provided the Council will purchase from the exe- cutors the adjoining piece of land, about 9| acres, to be used as public playing fields in connection with the recreation grounds, at a valuation to be made by an independent surveyor to be agreed upon by the council and the executors." It is scarcely necessary to say that this munificent offer was immediately accepted ; the adjoining piece of open land was purchased, and Mr. H. E. Tickner appointed superinten- dent, from about 150 candidates, in October last. Seeing that for many years the house has been uninhabited, and the grounds entirely neglected, the amount of work necessary to bring the place into anything like a presentable appearance has been enormous. Mr. Tickner has observed a very wise conservatism in his alterations. Nature is rarely improved by a faking-up policy ; and beyond a few new walks, The Winns will be pretty much the same as it was a century or more ago. The old green- houses, and an enornioiis kitchen and wash- house, have been completely cleared away, and the front entrance will, when finished, be a very handsome one, such as a public institution should be ; at the back of the house a sloping lawn has been transformed into two pleasant terraces. The fine cricket-ground has, like the terraces, been re-turfed, and matches have been played there for some months past. A tennis- court of about 1J acre has been formed, and will prove a great boon to the young ladies of the district. But the great charm of the place lies in the great age and magnificence of its trees. They are not the mere growth of the last hundred years or so, but of many centuries. The gar- dens are almost completely shaded by what the poets would call an "umbrageous growth." There are fine specimens of Chestnut, Lime, Copper-Beech, Hawthorn, Acacia, two or three magnificent specimens of the Spanish Oak, and perhaps one of the loveliest specimens of the Weeping Willows to be found in suburban London. In the front of the house there is a fine specimen of the Weeping Ash. Among the shrubs there is a fine clump of Rhododendrons. One of the glories of the place is a fine moat, a quarter of a mile in length ; this has been emptied and refilled, no less than 3000 yards of mud having been taken out. The island which the moat surrounds is approached by several rustic bridges. The Council have wisely decided not to allow of boating ; and instead, waterfowl have been introduced. There are two curious sun-dials in the garden ; one of these was formerly at old Woodford Hall, and the other comes from Shern Hall (for several years the residence of Cardinal Wise- man), Walthamstow, and is said to date from the time of Oliver Cromwell. The quaint little belfry of the mansion itself contains a bell which is dated 1754. Few London suburbs have grown with such rapidity as Walthamstow. Tymms's Family Topographer states that in 1821, the place con- sisted of 722 houses, and 4304 inhabitants. Just sixty years later, the population was quoted at 21,715 ; this year it is estimated at 95,000, and new houses are being erected at the rate of about 500 per annum. It is essentially a working-class district, the Great Eastern Railway running an excellent train service which is practically continuous during the whole twenty-four hours, workmen's tickets being 2\d. return. The Winns is almost in the heart of this busy community, so that this noble gift will be appreciated, is a theory that does not call for much proof. The Winns, like Walthamstow itself, cannot boast of much history. We know that Mr. Samuel Pepys visited Walthamstow, that Benjamin Disraeli for a time attended a school here, and that Dr. Cogan who, with Dr. Hawes, founded the Humane Society, died here in 1818. But beyond these three facts, Walthamstow has not much to boast of ia the shape of history — on the other hand, it has no chronicles to be ashamed of. The Winns is the old manor house ; it is solid and stately, but without any pretensions to architectural beauty. It is supposed to have been built about 1700, and was the birthplace of one of the greatest poets of the nineteenth century, William Morris, who was born here on March 24, 1834, and this fact alone gives the house a distinct interest. The late Mr. Edward Lloyd succeeded Mrs. Morris, and lived here for many years ; but the rapid growth of cottages on all sides deprived The Winns of much of its charm as a private residence, and it has been unoccupied for about fifteen years. The house, which has a magnifi- cent hall and staircase, and great rambling rooms, is to be used for concerts, meetings, and as a museum. It ought also to contain a library of reference and other books, dealing chiefly with the history and antiquities of the county in which it is situated— Essex. The Society of Arts might be approached with reference to affixing one of their circular tablets on the outside of the house communicating the fact that The Winns was the birthplace of William Morris, the gifted author of T)ie Earthly Paradise. W. Roberts. NOTES on the EOSE EXHIBITION AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE, July 7. It was anticipated by most Rose -growers that the character of the season through which we have passed would have a damaging effect on the great metropolitan exhibition, and these anticipations proved to be correct. There is often a tendency with some people to try and make things out better than they are ; while with some who have in their mind perhaps some very successful exhibition in the past, the tendency is in just the opposite direction. Exhibitors are more or less in- fluenced by their own personal success or failure in gauging the character of the exhibi- tion ; and as an outsider who has attended all the metropolitan exhibitions of the Society, and has watched their gradual development, I am bound to confess I have seen better exhi- bitions, but I have also seen worse. The weather, of course, has a great deal to do with this ; the cold we had at the end of May destroyed the hopes of many an amateur, while the drenching rains in June interfered most materially with the exhibitor's Tea Roses. The report given in the Gardeners' Chronicle on the 14th was so complete in its details that it leaves me the task only of taking up a few of the points which seemed to me most noticeable in the exhibition. The first thing that must strike any one who has visited these shows is the steady advance which has been made by Irish growers. I say Irish growers and not Irish Roses exclusively. The Challenge Trophy in the nurserymen's division, and the 1st prize for forty trebles were awarded to Messrs. Alex. Dickson & Sons, of Newtownards and Ledbury ; not one of these flowers was grown at Newtownards. Some years ago Messrs. Dickson became the tenants of the ground formerly used by Mr. W. J. Grant, as their climate and position in the North of Ireland were not propitious for the 62 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 28. 1900. proper development of the flowers, except in very exceptional seasons ; the present must have been one of those seasons, for Mr. Hugh Dickson, the brother of the head of the Newtownards firm, carried off the 1st prize for forty-eight distinct varieties, while two of the medals offered for the best Rose in the amateurs' division were won by Mr. Bewlay of Rathmines, near Dublin, with fine blooms of Mrs. W. J. Grant, H.T., and Muriel Grahame, T. It is just possible that these successes may revive the question that has been more than once mooted, " Why should not the National meet in Dublin as well as in Edin- burgh V The two cases are very different, and knowing as I do what the Irish Channel passage may be, I think it is simply impossible. There is one other point that struck me in looking at the exhibition, and I believe it is one on which the Society will have to come to a very decided judgment, I mean the dressing of Roses ; it has been before the committee of the Society, and it was then seen that there were difficulties surrounding the subject, and a compromise was resorted to, and the over-dressing ofj^Roses was prohibited. This, like most compromises, was ineffectual, and the practice has gone on quite as strongly as it did before. I do not think- that the practice is fair, it greatly increases the size of the flower, and as this is a point much looked after by judges, it gives those who prac- tice it an unfair advantage ; in other cases, by the turning down of the outside petals, the character of the flower is quite altered, but I cannot say I think improved. Another point which was very noticeable was the absence of any varieties exhibited for the Gold Medal. Last year, it will be remem bered, that no Award was made for any exhi- bition variety, and the Gold Medal was awarded for a garden Rose. This year no variety was put up for it ; whilst last year there were several, though they were not successful. I do not think that this a matter over which many tears need be shed. Such perfection has been attained amongst exhibition Roses, that it must be very difficult to bring forward one that is worthy to stand beside those we already possess. There is, however, always a desire for novelty, and there are many flowers which we should gladly welcome. A yellow hybrid perpetual would be a great boon, and so would a pure white A. K. Williams, or a good pure yel- low Tea (not a Noisette) ; but there does not seem to be any likelihood, either abroad or at home, of those treasures being found. Another remarkable feature of the exhibition was the display of garden Roses. These were, as usual, exhibited in great perfection by Messrs. Paul & Son and Messrs. Cooling & Son, who always run a very close race, though the victory mostly comes to the first named firm. There is one word of caution I think neces- sary on this subject : no one can admire these garden Roses more than I do, but 1 see that they are not generally adapted for small gar- dens. They are mostly rambling in habit, and require a considerable amount of room. I have found this out in my own small garden. There are a great many of them that I should like to have, but I can find no place wherein to put them, and unless they are allowed to ramble I think their beauty is considerably diminished. I do not lay much stress Lon the fugitive char- acter of some of them, and I think this is a point which most lovers of Roses will consider of little moment. A defect which most of them have is their non-perpetual character. We should like to have them continually in flower throughout the season, but this, alas ! we cannot get, although there is hope that Mr. Prince's new semi-double will be perpetual. There was one episode in the competition which greatly interested me, and that was the competition for a Tea Challenge Trophy, for which there were several competitors, although the contest really lay between two of these exhibitors, one of these was Mr. Alexander Hill Grey, and the other the Eev. F. R. Burnside. I was not far from the stand which the judges so carefully examined, they were quite half-an-hour in coming to a decision. I know the gardens from whence the flowers came, and nothing could be possibly more dissimilar than they are. One is situated in a beautiful and well shel- tered position in the neighbourhood of Bath. Mr. Hill Grey is well known as a most enthu- siastic lover of Tea Roses ; when some years ago he left the neighbourhood of Dunkeld, in Scot- land, and determined to find a place in the south of England where he could grow them as he wished, after going through most of the southern counties he fixed his home at Bath ; there in a sheltered position close to the city he laid out his model Tea Rose-garden, continued good will of those with whom I have been associated for so many years. There seems to me no diminution of interest on the part of our members, and as far as one could see, there is every prospect of the continued prosperity of our much valued and highly useful society. Wild Rose. FlO. 11. — ONC1D1UM LURIDUM. he planned various terraces, and was lavish in his expenditure to make his garden all that could be desired, and has shown his success by carrying off many of the chief prizes offered by the National at their several exhibitions. Mr. Burnside, on the other hand, occupies a garden on the south-east coast on high land, adjoining the South Foreland Lighthouse, and swept by the gales which are so frequent in the English Channel ; yet for more than half an hour, the judges were unable to decide which of these two should gain the coveted prize, ultimately, however, it fell to Mr. A. Hill Grey. Another and most pleasing feature of the exhibition was the large number of the members of the National Rose Society, who met together on the occasion. Our President was there, our new Treasurer, Mr. Charles E. Hayward ; Mr. Mawley was of course there, indefatigable as usual ; and our most successful amateurs, including such men as Messrs. Lindsell, Burnand, C. J. Grahame, G. O. Orpen, Whitwell (no longer an exhibitor, but still a lover of the flower), Revds. J. H. Pemberton, Page Roberts, Foster Melliar, H. A. Berners, F. R. Burnside, &c. ; and amongst professional growers, Messrs. Geo. Paul, Alex. Dickson, Geo. Bunyard, Piper, Harkness, Cecil Grant, Frank Cant, W. J. Jefferies, Geo. Cooling, and others. It was especially pleasant to me to receive so many hearty greetings, and to be assured of the Orchid Notes and Gleanings. — — ♦ — ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISPUM, VAR. A flower of an ordinary form of Odontoglossum crispum, but with a much developed crest, which some consider indicative of 0. x Wilckeanum, but of which variations in undoubted forms of O. crispum are constantly appearing, is kindly sent by M. Florent Claes, of Etterbeck, Brussels, who also sends the following interesting communication : — "I have much pleasure in forwarding you a flower of Odontoglossum crispum, and should be very glad to have your opinion whether this. because of its crest, should be classed with 0. x Wilckeanum. I have another plant with the same characteristics, and both came from the same locality where I found the 0. crispum Mme. FI. Claes, which I exhibited on June 19 at the Drill Hall, and which on account of its crest and its yellowish-white colour and peculiar spotting some thought a form of O. x Wilckeanum. But before that theory can be accepted, the presence of O, luteo-purpureum has to be proved ; and I must say that during the ten years I have collected in the region from whence my importations come, I have never met with a single plant of O. luteo- purpureum." LlNDE»fIA. The last published parts contain coloured illus- trations and notes od the following plants : — Cattleya Trian.ei, Lindl., var. excelsior, L. Lind., t. dcci.— Segments white; anterior lobe of lip very broad, roundish, deep purple, edged with white. Cattle\a Trian.ei var. Reg!N.e, t. dcxcvii.— Segments white, petals broad, crenulate, lip white, with a central orange blotch, and a purple spot on the front lobe. Cvmbidii'm oioANTEUM, Wallich, t. dco. — Segments yellow, with narrow purple stripe? ; lip yellow spotted. It is a native of tropical Himalaya, from Nepal to Bhotan, at considerable elevations. Dendrobium crassinode, Echb., var. albiflora, t. dcciii.— Segments white ; lip with a golden-yellow throat. Epidendrum dichromum var. amabilis, t. dcxcix. Flowers in racemes ; each flower about 2 inches in transverse diameter, sepals oblong, pale violet ; petals obovate slightly, stalked, pale lilac ; lip three-lobed, lateral lobes erect, purp'e striped ; anterior lobe rich purple. Odontoglossum Adrian.*:, L. Lind., var. Argus, L. Lind., t. dccii.— In this vanity tin segments and lip are thickly studded with irregular purplish spots. Odontoglossum x Adrian.*; var. decora, L. Lind. t. dcxcviii.— Flowers rounded, circular in outline, flattish segments, broadly ovate, short, with puiplish-brown blotches on a white ground. Oncidium h.ematochilum, Lindl., t. dcciv.— This old variety turns out now to be a hybrid between 0. Lanceanum and O. lmidum. It is said to be identical with a plant figured in our columns in 184S, p. 159, and reproduced in the present issue (see fig. 11). BURFORD, DORKING. The weather never seems to have much effect on Sir Trevor Lawrence's pretty garden. The hot weather has had no ill-effect on the gardens at Burford, although doubtless more than the usual pains have to be taken to preserve freshness of the plants. Indeed, some of the plants usually met with in greenhouses, but which are there either left out in suitable situations or planted out early in the summer, are in fine condition. Among the permanently planted we remarked a fine bush of Abelia rupestris hybrida, and a strong specimen of Solanum Wendlandianum, well furni i' ed with bud?, while the great beds of Crinum Powel i and C. Mooreanum would soon be a mass of bloom. Among those destined to pass the summer out- doors, Cassia corymbosa, Swainsonia galegifolia splendens, S. g. alba, Clianthus Dampieri, and many other tender plants, are covered with flowers ; and Aristolochia grandiflora, Oloriosa Jcly 28, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 63 >=) 64 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 28, 1900. superba, and other greenhouse climbers, doing far better than they would under glass. Many of these plants, Mr. W. Bain, the gardener, finds the culture in summer more satisfactory out-of-doors, especially such as are liable to infestation by red- spider and thrips under glass. The new Water-Lilies are most successful inno- vations at Burford, and a fine show is made with them in the basin and the lawns. The lobes around the fountain are filled with variously tinted, bright coloured Begonias, and the effect is very fine. In the sheltered plant-ground also the coloured Water- Lilies are successfully grown in tubs, and it is hoped also to introduce the Nelumbiums, by establishing them first in this way. Flowering Oannas are among the showiest and most ornamental plants, and both in the beds in the open ground and in the greenhouse, a fine display is made with these plants. Richardia Elliotiana and R. Pentlandi are in the open air at Burford, and are sending up their golden spathes profusely, while the plants are much more dwarf and compact than when grown under glass. In one bed the Mariposa Lilies are flowering well. The Roses are at their best, and Crimson Rambler one of the brightest plants in the garden ; Carna- tions are finer than usual this season, Isinglass being one of the best, and most profusely flowered ; some new forms of Iris K;empferi are fine, and among other specially noteworthy things remarked were Eremurus robustus Elwesii ; Itea virginica, a pretty bush, covered with flowers ; Incarvillea Delavayi, which had been in flower for a consider- able time ; some fine bushes of the white satin flower, Romneya Coulteri ; beds of the carmine Pentstemon barbatus, and P. Torreyi ; one of the dwarf blue Aster Thomsoni, which is a very desirable and distinct plant ; tufts of Helenium pumilum grand iflorum, dwarf, and covered with large yellow blooms ; and in the greenhouses a good show of Begonias, hybrid Streptocarpus, Anthuriums, and a large number of other fine and rare flowers. The Rhododendrons are, of course, over for the season, but visitors to the Drill Hall will remember the fine trusses of Pink Pearl, with its lovely pale rose-coloured flowers. Our illustration (fig. 12, p. 63) was taken from a specimen obligingly put at our disposal. This beautiful variety was sent out by Messrs. John Waterer & Son. The Orchids. Of late the culture of Orchids generally has been better understood than formerly, and many growers have succeeded in growing a few specialties, such as Odontoglossums, Cattleyas, and Lslias, to something approaching perfection ; but no one in the whole of Europe has ever got together anything like the collection of different species, and varieties, and hybrids of all kinds as has Sir Trevor Lawrence, and the few who have attempted extensive collec- tions, fail to attain the uniformly good results which he on a much larger scale secures. The present time is one in which the Orchids in flower are the least numerous, and yet the Burford collection has a good number of fine things in bloom, some of them combining both botanical and horticultural interest. Cattleya Warscewiczii, C. Gaskelliana, Lrelia tenebrosa, and a few other Lselias and Cattleyas are in bloom in more or less quantity ; the several cool Odontoglossum-houses, though having few flowers, contain such a perfectly vigorous and well- cultivated lot of plants, that the Orchid specialist would enjoy the sight of them, and especially of those contained in the last new structure arranged for them. The same remarks apply to the fine lot of Phalrenopsis and jErides, which are, perhaps, the two classes of Orchids which most growers fail to get satisfaction out of. A moderate degree of success is not sufficient at Burford, and much energy and skill are exercised in getting plants to do their best. For example, the Burford collection is noted for its many fine hybrid Calanthes, of which a uffic iently good display has been seen every year at the Royal Horticultural Society's meetings. But it was thought that they might be made to do better ; and this year the specimen-plants were placed singly on earthenware stands, the bottom pans of which contain water, the plants being on pedestals in the centre — and the result is, that they have attained gigantic proportions, and it is hoped that their flower-spikes may be propor- tionately strong. The Masdevallia-house has in bloom a few of the showy, and a larger number of the singular species, such as the mossy-stemmed M. muscosa, and the beetle-like M. triaristella, and M. trichste. Here also is a healthy plant of the new M. deorsa, which sends its long leaves of a purplish-green metallic tint downward, a peculiarity not before observed in any -.pedes. In flower also are Pleurothallis strupif iia, P. Grobyi, P. pieta, P. macroblepharis, and other species with insect-like flowers ; some Octomerias, Stelis, &c. In the large stove-house, Vanda x Miss Joaquim is flowering well in company with its parents, V. teres and V. Hookeriana, both of which it surpasses in beauty. Among a large number of hybrid Cypripediums in flower are C. x Rothschildo- Lawrenceanum, one of the showiest of the Rothschildianum hybrids ; C. x Rothschildo-super- biens, C. X Rothschildo-tonsum, the pretty C. x lajvigatopurpuratum, C. x Chamberlaino-insigne, C. x Clinkaberryanum, and others, both species and hybrids. Among the rare and interesting varieties was a noble plant of C. Stonei platyta;- nium, which Sir Trevor Lawrence remarks is a better grower than the old typical species. The house in which the centre stage is occupied by fine plants of different Sobralias, always con- tains a number of good species and varieties in flower. At present, the Sobralias in bloom are S. x Amesia?, S. Luca3iana, and S. macrantha ; in the same range in bloom being Acineta Humboldti, Epiphronitis Veitchi, Dendrobium Victoria Regina, well furnished with bunches of violet-blue flowers ; Epidendrum pristes, E. fragrans, E. gracile, and other Epidendrums. Seeing the success here attained with small- growing and delicate species, it is worthy of remark that Mr. W. H. White, the Orchid-grower at Burford Lodge, attributes much of the success in this direction to the plants being kept as near the glass of the roof as possible ; the very small species, which invariably perish if grown among other plants on the stages, being always suspended or placed on elevated staging, where a number of species of similar habit of growth can be placed well up to the light together. Among other rare plants in flower were noted the handsome Bulbophyllum longisepalum, the feather-lipped B. barbigerum, Cirrhopetalum chi- nense, Phalteuopsis Maria?, Quekettia Jenmani, Oncidium ;■: caloglossum, 0. hians, 0. Jamesoni, Tainia speciosa, Angrrecum filicornu, the remark- able Maxillaria scurrilis (illustrated in fig. 13, p. 65), Geodorum pictum, the showy Stanhopea Rodigasianum, Luisia zeylanica, Saccolabium Hen- dersonianum, Sarcanthus peninsularis, Dendrobium Hughi, D. x rhodostoma, and other Dendrobiums ; Odontoglossum navium, and a number of strong plants of new and rare hybrid Cattleyas, L.Tlias, and Laelio-Cattleyas in flower-sheath. Plant Notes. _ — « — OPUNTIA PSECDO-TUNA. This is the finest of all the hardy Opuntias, and most free in growth. It is now flowering in the Cambridge Botanic Garden for the first time. It has been cultivated for about eighteen years, but has never flowered until now. Even now it is probably due rather to the heat of last summer than to any final attainment of maturity. The flowers are about 3£ or 3| inches in diameter when naturally open in ordinary sunshine, but they have a possible spread of about oh inches. They are orange coloured, or they might be described as ruddy yellow. The two specimens, of nearly equal size, are magnificent, the larger of the two being 10 feet wide, 5 feet from front to back, and 4 feet high at the highest point. They have a decumbent habit, and the stems are distinctly glaucous, though less so than in the case of the most glaucous species. The spines are white. This is the plant that has been hitherto known and distributed as 0. Engelmanni, but by the courtesy of the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, it is now known that it is really 0. pseudo-tuna. Under the former name, the same plant apparently, is figured on p. 1 17 of the November number of the Cactus Journal for 1899. The free- flowering O. bicolor, now covered with buds, will shortly be very showy. The specimen measures 7 feet wide, 3 feet from front to back, and about 2 feet high. An account of the Cambridge hardy Cacti is given in the number of the Cactus Journal above quoted. R. Irwin Lynch. Geebera Jamesoni at Edinburgh. In view of the disappointments experienced by some in trying to grow Gerbera Jamesoni in the open, it may be of service to remark that it is to be seen flowering in one of the borders beside the houses at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. It has only had the protection of a glass-frame m the winter. With this covering it has thriven, and produced several of its beautiful intense scarlet blooms. It seems to be one of those plants which are just on the border-line between hardiness and tenderness in our climate, and which only requires a little protection. In mild districts this Gerbera ought to do well ; but though I am much farther south than Edinburgh, I have, up till now, failed in establishing it without covering in winter. I am, this year, trying G. Kunzeana and G. lanuginosa in the open. S. Arnott, Dumfries. CAENATIONS. While searching into the history of the Carna- tion I have been much struck with the part the yellow-ground varieties have had in the improve- ment of the bloom; "Master Tuggie, his Rose Gilloflower," for instance, is the earliest variety about which we have any account that had per- fectly smooth-edged petals, while the flower was imbricated in form, as all the others of this section, appear to have been ; and though the colour was a. deep red, we have Parkinson's authority that it was raised from a yellow Carnation. He was, indeed, so impressed with the distinctness of these " yellow or orange tawny Gilloflowers," that he formed them into a distinct section, naming the plant " Caryophyllus silesiacus flore-pleno miniato ; " and it is curious to observe that the flowers ranged in colour from a pale yel- lowish Carnation colour, through hues of orange and scarlet to deep red. The designation gives us a clue to the country whence the yellow Carnation originated, because it is identical with that em- ployed by Clusius for a section of Carnations which the latter saw for the first time at Vienna, and which were sent from Silesia. The colour of the flowers was quite distinct from that of all cultivated Car- nations, having been less red than that of Lychnis chalcedonica, and tending somewhat to flesh, not improbably the colour we now call apricot. The yellow Carnation which Mr. Nicholas Lete procured from Poland and presented to Gerarde, in all pro- bability was identical with these, and would be derived from the same source. The yellow Carnation possessed another charac- teristic, which in the nature of things was bound to exert an overwhelming influence on the future race of Carnations ; that was the freedom with which it seeded in comparison with the ordinary varieties, which seldom bore seeds at all. Along with this property it, however, possessed another of a less desirable nature, a weakly habit and spindly growth, which, considering the international inter- course of florists, may have had not a little to do with the generally poor growth of Carnations up to Joi.v 28, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 65 the time Mr. Martin Smith took them in hand and infused a previously unknown vigour into their constitution. In Rea's time all the best Carnations were imported from Holland and Flanders, and Kea attributed their inherent weakness to their having been raised from seeds, and he imagined strangely enough that older sorts had not been seedlings. Though he does not mention yellow Carnations, we must not assume that they were not cultivated, especially when we find his son-in-law Gilbert naming " tawny," of varying shades, and under "Scarlets " the varieties "Golden Fleece," "Golden the ordinary cultivated forms, and that not alone in this country, but perhaps even more largely in France, Flanders, and Germany, in each of which very lovely combinations of colouring are found in many of the yellow-ground or butf-ground varieties. U. P. Brotherston. MUMMY WHEAT. The ordinary specimens of so-called Mummy Wheat have no authenticity whatever, and the experiments hitherto made are discredited. M. Gain has recently examined several specimens of the cellular organisation of the albumen is not indispensable for germination. In grasses, indeed, the albumen is passive ; it is the embryo, or the enzyme within it, that attacks, dissolves, and digests it. For an ancient Wheat-grain to germinate, three conditions are essential : first, that the reserve materials should remain chemically intact ; this is the case with much of the Egyptian Wheat and Barley. Second, that the embryo should preserve such an organisation that the enzyme necessary for the digestion of the reserve materials may still be produced. Third, if the preceding condition is Fig. 13. — ^laxillaria scurrilis: from a flant in the gardens of sir trevor Lawrence, eart., (see p. 64.) BURFORD LODGE, DORKING. Grove," "Prince of Orange," and "Princess of Orange," are included ; while of the only " two kinds that are of three colours, " the one is Bedford-Tawny, Tawny scarlet, and white." I find therefore that to Silesia, either Polish, or Hungarian, or both, we are indebted for the yellow Carnation, which along with a regrettably weak constitution, produced seeds freely, was singularly sportive both as to form of petal and of flower, by which means an improvement on the rough old varieties was first rendered possible. That self- colours blush -rose, a crimson, &c, of improved types were procured from it, and that it was the earliest section to yield flowers with three colours, and it has all along and up to the present time con- tinued to provide remarkably beautiful breaks from varying ages, and shows that while the farinaceous matter may be unchanged, the embryo dies, and specially the ferment or enzyme, which causes the solution and digestion of the starch, is no longer capable of doing its duty, so that the embryo can no longer grow. To the number of the ComptesRendus del'Academie des Sciences for June 11, M. Edmond Gain con- tributes a paper dealing with this subject, in which he says that in such ancient seeds, when subjected to microscopical examination and other tests, the organisation of the albumen is found to be still such as to show that certain nutritive materials have varied little chemically, and are susceptible of being utilised by a living germ. Further, M. Van Tieghem has demonstrated that realised, it is necessary, further, that the embryo remain in contact with the reserves to ensure their digestion. Now examination shows that the adhe- sion of the germ to the albumen no longer exists, but that the embryo or germ is quite detached. The cells of the embryo have, moreover, undergone a chemical change. The conclusions arrived at by M. Gain are, on the whole, contrary to the opinions held by Alphonse de Candolle and other authorities who maintained that seed might germinate after cen- turies. He considers that these Egyptian cereals, although they appear to be in perfect preservation, no longer possess a cellular organisation compatible with germinating power. Their reserve materials are often chemically well preserved and suitable 66 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 28, 1900. for a living germ, but the embryo itself has under gone a very decided chemical alteration, and is no longer capable of manifesting life. This chemical alteration even indicates that the latent life of the seed has long since been obliterated. Vegetables. FAILURES WITH VEGETABLES. Gardeners might confer benefits on the craft if they would more frequently speak of their failures in vegetable culture, as a discussion in print would probably bring out the reasons for these mishaps, and the best methods for avoiding them. Most gardeners in large establishments know that if a failure is known by the cook to have occurred, it is not always an easy matter to tide over or make good the deficiency. Spinach, for instance, may be obtainable in such abundance in the spring and summer, and yet with the very best methods the supply will fail in July and August. I may be told that Spinach is not a necessity, then happy is the man who is in such a position and who gets the sympathy of his fellows when the beat intentions are thwarted by the weather. So far I have rarely met with such instances, and found the best remedy for deficiency of common Spinach was to have substitutes growing in quantity. Spinach is only one vegetable, and, of course, failures occur in summer ; and in justice to readers residing in the south it should be stated that Spinach fails more frequently in the south than the north, which may be accounted for by the smaller rainfall. At Syon we have two strings to our bow, and we have the New Zealand Spinach, Tetragonia expansa, to fall back upon, and this is quite happy with tropical weather, and its thick, fleshy, Mesembry- anthemum-like foliage, will continue to be fit for cooking for a long time if the plants are put out on good holding soil, and afforded water in dry weather. The colour of the leaves is all that could be desired, and their quality as a vegetable good. Another even more easily grown plant is Perpetual or Spinach-Beet, one of the most useful culinary plants all the year round, quite hardy, and the possession of a large root renders it more independent of the weather. If two sowings be made, one in early spring, and another in June, the produce of the plants will last till the frost comes, for immediately one crop of leaves is gathered from a plant, fresh leaves appear. Gathered in the young state it is a valuable substitute for a round- leaved Spinach, and differs but little in quality. Turnips seldom offer any difficulty early in the year, except that the plants will bolt in some soils if sown very early ; but that is not the sort of failure that I experienced this season, which was due to the Turnip-flea, which devoured them in the seed-leaf. To lose one's Turnips in the spring is a serious loss to the gardener, but at Syon we sow the long-rooting French varieties in frames, and we were in a measure independent of the out- of-doors sowing that was destroyed. A substitute for white Turnips may be found in the garden Swede, which if sown in August or early September in the south, will afford small, solid, sweet roots for the needs of the Scotch gardens, which continue good till the end of April. There are two excellent varieties in Sutton's Yellow and Sutton's White, both excellent. The top growth is small in both varieties, and they withstand almost any degree of cold. Another point worthy of note is that the two garden Swedes noticed above are valuable for sowing early in April, and never fail to afford a late summer supply — that is at a time when sowings are carried off by the Turnip-flea and the drought. Another disappointing vegetable in some kind of soils is Carrots ; and here one may also meet the difficulty by sowing the stump-rooted small varie- ties at short intervals during the year, for these small-rooted Carrots will grow where large, long- rooted ones fail ; and, moreover, these small Carrots, when sown in July, afford useable roots in winter and early spring. They are hardy enough to be left in the soil, and drawn when wanted. The land for this crop should be heavily dressed with soot or lime, and well worked, and be neither too wet nor heavy. The Onion in some gardens does badly, fails to form bulbs, and there are great losses from the Onion-fly. Better success follows the sowing of spring varieties in the autumn, as during the winter and spring the pest is not troublesome, and the bulbs mature early. The same remarks apply likewise to Parsley. I have frequently secured a crop of this plant by sowing the seeds in cold frames or pots, and planting out when the seed- lings were large enough to handle. Indeed, many vegetables can be raised thus when autumn sowings fail ; such plants as Spinach, Cauliflowers, and even Beet, do well with pot culture at the start the first two from start to finish if grown in cold frames. The best early Cauliflowers that I ever saw were grown in the north in pits with an ordinary turf wall, with thatched hurdles for a top covering in severe weather. Salads are, in our variable climate, more difficult plants, as the correspondence in these pages a year or two ago plainly showed. In spite of glass or frame protection they are never too plentiful in the early part of the year ; damp is equally fatal to them as cold, and I find it advisable to plant boxes and place these early in January in fruit-houses for a first supply of early Lettuce. There are other crops which fail sometimes, but these are of lesser moment, and I need not specify them here G. IFythes. FOEEIGN WOKMS IN ENGLISH GARDENS. It were strange if the intercourse which has gone on for ages between our own and other lands had not resulted in the introduction of a variety of curious life-forms which are different from our own. Perhaps the greater wonder is that so few of these foreign creatures have found our Boil, climate, vegetation, and general environment congenial. Who can tell of a single quadruped, insect, bird, or annelid, which has been introduced by accident or unintentionally, and yet has established itself among us ? It is a most exceptional thing ! We admit that many things have to be considered. Who is to decide whether a plant or animal is indigenous or not ? How can we tell by what means these representatives of plant or animal life came here ? Has the whole fauna and flora been exhaustively treated ? These questions, and many like them, may be answered. The flora, for example, has been exhaustively worked, and the comparative botanist has little hesitation in saying of any plant, " This is a native, and that is foreign." A few are still ranked as uncertain, but that is in most instances because the plant is so akin in type and character to our indigenes, that it has all the appearance of being a child of the soil. Our birds and insects are pretty generally known, and the naturalist seldom finds it difficult to decide whether or not a capture is a native or a foreigner. And if our annelids are among our least known forms of animal life, the expert can in most cases tell whether a new form which comes under his notice is or is not a native. If there is at present any difficulty on this score it relates chiefly to a group of small annelids which feed on vegetables, bulbs, flowers, and different forms of plant life, and may bs regarded regularly, or under certain conditions, as pests. If these worms are found among imported plants they may perhaps be generally looked upon as foreigners ; but as it often happens that native annelids prove a scourge to introduced plants, the expert has to decide each case on its own merits. Much work yet remains to be done in this department of practical horticulture. Our present study is intended to throw light upon a point which is not so critical. It has been known for a long time that curious creatures often turn up in greenhouses, hothouses, and similar places where useful or ornamental plants are grown from foreign stocks. Especially is this the case where trees, shrubs, bulbs, and roots have been imported from America, Africa, or the Ea^t. Per- haps the earliest record of a foreign worm to which we can point relates to the curious PerichaHa. It is well known that no English earthworm has more than eight bristles on each ring, while the body in each instance is soft and pliable. But many years ago a worm of a rigid character was found in a greenhouse, which had bristles in the form of a ring or circle, surrounding every body segment. As time went on, and foreign worms began to be better known, it was found that the group to which this stranger belonged was quite typical of Eastern lands, where our own type was very seldom found. Then it became apparent that annelids, like other things, fell into classes and orders, and while one genus or family predominated in one district, another prevailed elsewhere. The Perichtetfe, or worms with circlets of bristles, now bewilder us with their multiplicity, and form perhaps the largest group of worms in the world. Yet, though we are yearly having consignments of foreign plants from the East and other lands, I do- not believe the Perichreta has anywhere shown the least tendency to establish itself in England ; though we cannot doubt that plenty of ferti- lised cocoons reach us continually to make such an event possible. The English condi- tions do not seem to be congenial. I have found specimens in, or received them from several different parts of England, including Kendal in Westmoreland ; and Beddard says of Perichteta indica, Horst, that " this species is one of the commonest of the genus. It frequently occurs in hot-houBes in Europe, having been there met with, in Scotland by Service, and by Michaelsen in Berlin." Dr. Baird, years ago, received the same or a near ally, from Wales and two localities in the eastern counties. Rosa has also received it from Por- tugal and Antananarivo, and says "it is frequently met with in botanical gardens. " Another species (P. sinensis), which is a native of Foochow and other parts of China, has also been found in European gardens. We have no statistics to show whether they exist here for more than one season, but one thing is certain, that however frequently these worms may be imported, they have never yet found a permanent home amongst us. On the other hand, we are now in a position to show that there are a few species of foreign worms, which have quite established themselves in our gardens. So far as our present knowledge goes, they are annelids which live in or near water, where the conditions are more favourable. Some years ago attention was drawn to the fact that a new worm had been found in the Regent's Park Gardens, London, concerning which the late James Payn had some humorous remarks. Writing to the Illustrated London News of January 2, 1892, he says : — "That astute periodi- cal Nature has discovered a new kind of creature in the tank of the Botanical Gardens. It is de- scribed as ' an advance on the Medusa,' which seems hard upon the Medusa, for it is but a worm. Its peculiarity consists in its having gills on its back, which is not usual in the fresh-water forms. A scientific correspondent suggests that ' it came originally from some river like the Amazon, and gradually accustomed itself to a change from salt- water to fresh.'" It is known as the Branchiura, or gill-tailed worm. This curious and interesting worm was described by Beddard in the Quarterly Journal of the Micro- scopical Society for 1892, vol. xxxiii., p. 325; he having been the first to discover it in the London gardens. Like many other worms it can reproduce its tail. Beddard "cutoff the entire gill-bearing region of a specimen, and in nine days there were four pairs of gills, not on the regenerated tail, which had only one small gill, but on the stump left behind, which was unprovided with gills July 28, 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 67 before amputation." In 1897 specimens were dis- covered in Kew Gardens, where they are now thoroughly established. They were kindly sub- mitted to us firBt by Mr. Geo. Nicholson. It is a wonderfully interesting thing to watch the move- ments of this animal's tail as it obtrudes itself into tho water (while the head is buried in the mud beneath), and waves rhythmically to and fro, at the same time keeping the water oxygenated, and its own body healthy. It may here be mentioned that several small, microscopic water-worms have also been found at Kew and in London, which are undoubted impor- tations, and have apparently become quite estab- lished. Eisen also informs us that several European worms have made themselves quite at home in America. We have now to report one other worm which has become acclimatised in England, and bids fair to make a permanent addition to our annelid ilora. Last year, a flying visit was paid to the Kew botanical gardens, for which the writer had been making some identifications, in the hope that he might be able by personal research to gain some new light. The season was very dry, and it was lilishes moreover the curious fact that it is un- doubtedly to these Ferny glades of icons ago that the present world of commerce, art, and science, owes, through coal, its chief and most rapid deve- lopment ; and from this we are entitled to assume that the very similar Fern-forests of the Antipodes are doiog like work for the future, while in these days of appreciative humanity, affording the most delightful pictures of vegetative life in which the eye can revel. Although the specimens are naturally frag- mentary, and deprived by pressure of that grace which distinguishes the growing Fern-frond from the flattened out herbarium representative, there is abundant evidence of luxuriant growth and enormous size ; the stems of the Bide divisions or pinnas being, in some cases, as thick as one's thumb, which, from the habit of the adherent pinnules, always planned on similar lines to the entire frond, indicate a length of frond of 40 feet or more — a giant indeed. Many of the smaller speci- mens are presumably fragments, and as there is no definite character which differentiates a detached pinna, or even minor sub-division from a frond proper, we are not surprised to find in the admirable Fig. 14. — strawberry st. astoine de padoue. mpossible to do anything in the open. At last, however, he found a sheet of water. It was very low from the drought, and the margins were muddy. Diving among the oozy mud, he soon brought up some specimen?, which were instantly discovered to be new to Britain. The matter was duly notified to one of the officials, and has since been the sub- ject of further research, the official report of which has yet to be prepared. We can only state that the worm is in some respects similar to our native earth-worms, having eight seta; or bristles in each segment : but that it is, in all probability, a native of Brazil. We thus find a Geoscolex and a Branchiura settling down amongst us, and hope that further investigation may add other interesting forma. Rev. Hilderic Friend. FOSSIL FEENS. The wonderfully interesting series of photo- graphic reproductions of fossil Ferns found in the shales of various coal strata in the United States, given in the recent issue of the Fossil Flora of the Lower Coal Measures of Missouri, by David White, issued by the United States Geological Survey at Washington, bring before the mind's eye in almost as tangible a fashion as the fossils themselves the marvellous similarity of those Ferns of a distant past to our Ferns of the present day. It esta- descriptive text a (?) usually inserted where the class of sub-division is given. Naturally, in looking through the plates we kept an eye open for signs of variation, and it is interesting to note that in one Fern (Mariopteris sphenopteroides), the excurrent rhachides at the top of the frond and pinnae are almost precisely on the lines of several of our British varieties, such as Scol. v. peraferens, L. mon- tana truncata, A. f.-f. excurrens, and of a recent American find on the Potomac of Polypodium hexa- gonopterum truncatum, in all of which the divisions end somewhat abruptly, and the midrib continues as a thorn. In the fossil it appears to be a specific character, which points to the possibility of snch sports being reversions to old ancestral types. In this connection, therefore, it might be well for possessors of other collections similar to the one in question to study them carefully from the varietal point of view. Another of the fossils, unfortu- nately very imperfect, seems to have distinctly ramose fronds, though none of the specimens show the bifid tips which so often occur now-a-days. The percentage, or rather permillage, however, of sports, or even partial sports, as compared with normal forms, is extremely small, and of course the number of fossil types fairly exposed by split- ting of the shales containing them is relatively minute as compared with the mass of plants which grew, and died, and rotted completely away to form the coal proper, which it has been demon- strated often consists mainly of the less destruc- tible spores and spore-cases. The chance of a frond surviving in recognisable fossil form must be exceedingly remote, and collectors therefore are the more to be congratulated on their success in acquiring so much good material as to euable them to go a long way in classifying and identifying the very numerous species and genera of the Ferns of the Carboniferous age. It is abundantly evident that many of these shales are largely composed of or interstratified with the fronds of Ferns and Equiseta and their allies, and would probably expose fresh examples if repeatedly split up in the direction of their cleavage — a delicate and risky task in the case of good surface shows, but quite possibly well worth a trial in many instances. Chas. T. Dniery, F.L.S., V.M.H. STRAWBERRIES IN 1900. I am unable to describe the season as a good one. In the first place, the plants suffered severely from the protracted drought of last summer (1899), and the crowns were not so well developed as usual, but they passed through the winter unusually well ; not 1 per cent, of our newly-planted beds failed, and they made a vigorous start in the spring. Soon after the flowering season the days were cold and wet, and although no blossoms were frosted, their operations were so checked, that the only satisfac- tory crop has been that of Royal Sovereign, the early berries of which were remarkably fine, and the pickings were good to the last, with but very few small and imperfect berries ; a few rotted in the wet time at the end of June, but not a large number. Sir Joseph Paxton never gave a good picking all the season, and the late ones have not been up to their usual quality. I am writing so far of our own stock. But so far as the market farmers are concerned, I have not seen a satisfactory sample in Maidstone this season ; and in a chat with a very large and experienced grower, he remarked, " I never yet saw a good crop of Strawberries when the foliage stood up so bold before the fruit shows. " In other words, the vital energy of the plants was diverted to the leaves, and thus starved the fruit. As far as flavour is concerned, I retain my opinion that Dr. Hogg is the most delicious, while after that British Queen and Countess follow " a neck behind ; " and Queen of Denmark, which I consider a great gain, comes next. That esteemed connoisseur, the Rev. W. Wilks, tells me, " Coun- tess and Denmark are my best this year ; the latter such a cropper ! " I am quite converted to tub-culture by the results I have seen, and for amateurs with small gardens. It is a boon to be enabled to grow thirty-six or forty plants in 6 feet square space, and the barrel plants are ten to fourteen days earlier than the same kinds grown outside. New 'Varieties. In new varieties there have been no remarkable sorts to mention, which I have " tasted and tried.' Trafalgar should be good if it takes after its parents ; while Lord Kitchener, if a bit acid, is a grand bearer, and if not quite up to dessert quality, will be valuable for preserving and ices. At the present time I never saw the young plants more healthy and vigorous, and the old beds are the same. I would advise planters to increase their stocks of reliable sorts, trying a few of the newer kinds yearly. The Strawberry is such a fickle fruit, that a few sorts cannot be relied on to give a supply, and a variety may succeed grandly in one place, and utterly fail in another. I could name six recent introductions that are quite worthless here, but they shall be tried for three years before discarding them. We have now many autumnal-fruiting varieties, and I believe there is a great future before St. Antoine de Padoue (see fig. 14). It is a very vigorous, compact grower, and the fruit is by 68 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Joly 28, 1900. far the largest of the new hybrids. La Constante d'Automne (fecondee) will be the best of the St. Joseph race, and is a very finely flavoured berry in June, while it is a grand bearer in autumn, and the fruits are larger than St. Joseph. Of this " happy family," I fear we shall find many too closely related to retain as distinct sorts, but shall deter- mine this in October. George Bunyard, Maidstone. Colonial Notes. AUSTRALIAN IRRIGATION FARMS. Some irrigation experiments of an interesting and most remarkable character are at present being conducted in New South Wales. As is generally known, there is an immense inland region, used ex- clusively for pastoral purposes, embracing an area of several thousand square miles, and graphically described as a waterless country, the rainfall being slight, and the water supply extremely precarious. Yet it was not until within the last few years that it was definitely shown that abundance of water could be obtained, not only from the cretaceous formation, but also from other rocks underlying the soil in this part of the colony. Artesian boring in New South Wales commenced in 1879, in which year operations were begun at Kallara, a station lying between Bourke and Wilcannia. The supply was tapped at a depth of 140 ft. , and the effluent water rose to a height of 26 feet. In 1884 the colonial Department of Mines put down its first bore in search of water, a small supply of which was reached at 89 feet. Since then much work has been done, both by the Government and by private enterprise. On November 30, 1899, there were seventy-three completed Government bores, while twelve were in progress, and contracts bad been let for others. Of those completed, there are forty- eight flowing, yielding a supply of approximately 29, 000, 000 gallons per diem, and sixteen from which a supply of 750,000 gallons per diem can be pumped ; but in the remaining eight bores the search for water suitable for drinking purposes has been unsuccessful. The deepest bore sunk in the colony is that at Dolgelly, on the road from Moree to Boggabilla, which is down 4,086 feet, yielding a flow of 745,200 gallons per diem. The next in depth is the Bancanya bore on the Silverton- Cobham road, being 3,615 feet deep. The largest flow has been obtained at the Toolora bore, on the road from Wallgett to Coouamble, which yields approximately 3,000,000 gallons per diem. The water from the Government bores, over and above that required for travelling stock and domestic use, is being used for irrigation purposes, and much has already been accomplished in this direction. At the Pera bore, 8 miles from Bourke, on the Wanaar- ing Road, an area of GS§ acres has been reserved for an experimental farm. The remainder of the land has been cut up into 20-acre blocks, all of which have been let under the homestead selection provisions of the Crown Lands Act of 1S95. Good results have attended the -work of irrigation at this place, as well as at other bores, especially those on the Bourke to Barringun Road, but the work is still largely in the experimental stage. Should future results realise the anticipations formed by those who have carefully studied the question, it is possible that the vast expanse of treeless, water- less country, at present given up to sheep, and which is a source of heavy loss to pastoralists during pro- longed periods of drought, may become studded with richly fertile spots, each an oasis in the wilderness, and assisting in changing the whole face of the country. The primary idea was to encourage the cultivation of drying fruits, such as Apricots and Raisins, but a couple of years were lost in experi- menting with Californian methods of irrigation, which proved f utile, the periodical flooding of the land causing it to cake down to the subsoil. The system of soil aeration now adopted has proved successful in every respect, and where, only a few years ago, there was nothing but dry, burnt-up country, may now be found beautiful gardens, filled with the choicest flowers, growing in luxuriant profusion, and orchards filled with healthy trees giving the rich promise of future abundant crops. But there have been varying results on the irrigation farms. Several have been successful, ond others only partially so. This, how- ever, has been occasioned largely by the character of the tenants. Those possessing real agricultural ex- perience, and willing to turn it to the best account, have found irrigation-farming a remunerative enter- prise. Where such experience is lacking, there will inevitably be disappointment. Now that the principles on which irrigation-agriculture in the New South Wales dry country can be most effectually conducted are becoming better under- stood, it is probable that the number of irrigation farms will become considerably increased, and many million gallons of water at present unavoidably run- ning to waste, become utilised in a most advantage- ous manner. John Plummer, Sydney, JV. S. W. The Week's Work. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop. The Early Vineries. —The planted-out Vines which are cleared of their crop of bunches, and are now making free growth, should be checked by degrees. If the principal leaves are still fresh- looking — as they ought to be on well-managed Vines — the sublaterals may be removed, allowing one or two only to remain at the points of the shoots, to do away with the risk of the principal buds starting into growth. These "safety " shoots should be stopped at every fresh leaf made from now until growth ceases. To do this, allows the sun to fully mature the fruiting shoots. Should these be somewhat green for the time of year, the ventilators should be kept moderately open, and the hot water-pipes slightly warmed, which will promote evaporation night and day, and help in maturing the wood. Little damping-down will be required, but a good washing of the Vines once a week with the garden engine will be beneficial, and will keep down insect pests. Let the borders be kept in a moderately moist state at all times, so that the leaves may be kept healthy till a late period. It is far better to have to cut off the foliage at pruning time, provided the wood is matured, than to lose it prematurely. Late Vineries. — The tropical heat demands much attention, in order to prevent the overheating of the air, and the consequent excessive evaporation of moisture, which exhausts the foliage before it is matured. The greatest danger to the foliage of late Vines occurs mostly during the stoning period, but that stage will now be passed, and should the foliage show signs of exhaustion from great sun-heat, some light shading material should be laid on the roof. During the continuance of the great heat, vineries should not be closed until late in the afternoon. A good damping down at about 8 P.M., and a little air left on all night will help to refresh the Vines. Much of the scorching of Vines is due to the foliage being trained too near the glass, combined with a sluggish root action brought about by a close reten- tive soil. On the other hand, where the soil of the borders is free and open, the danger lies in not affording sufficient water during very hot weather ; as under the latter conditions the excessive heat permeates the border freely, and accelerates the manufacture of food at the root, much more rapidly in a well aerated border than in a close one. Advantage should be taken of this to supply a liberal amount of moisture, without which the process comes to a stand-still. Keep a close watch for the first appearance of red-spider, and sponge the foliage directly it is detected. THE FLOWER GARDEN. By J. Beneow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilchester, Abtotsbury Castle, Dorsetshire. Rock-garden. — Care and attention should now be given to this interesting part of the garden. When alpines are raised at home, seed-saving is an im- portant operation that requires constant attention being paid to the seed-bearers, cutting out dead and decayed flower-stems and foliage, and applying stakes to the taller and choicer plants. Rapid- spreading plants, which have a tendency to overrun their allotted space, should be restricted by neatly clipping or pinching back the shoots. The following are apt to do this, and it is a good method to pot-up rooted-pieces of these each year in rich sandy leaf- soil, viz : — Antennarias, Arenarias, Arabis, Artemi- sias, Cerastiums, Coronillas, Diotis, Erodiums, Dian- thus, Helianthemums, Iberis, Linarias, Polygonum vaccinifolium, Potentillas, Saponarias, Hypericum calycinum, Saxifragas, mossy Sedum, Sempervivums, and creeping species of Thymus, &c. A stock of these plants is readily obtained by division of the roots, and as such they are useful for replacing old and disfigured patches during the autumn or early spring. In times of drought, the rock-garden should receive occasionally water after dusk, affording it as a very fine spray. The Patent Umbrella Sprayer is useful, but the force of water should not be so strong as to wash away the soil about the more delicate plants. This method of applying moisture permits of the easy extraction of all weeds, and allows of a light pricking up of the soil, previous to mulching it with leaf-mould, coarse grit, or ballast. Sphagnum-moss, if placed roundabout Droseras, Sarracenias, andOrehises.suits the plants if it can be kept in a growing condition. The spots where these plants are cultivated, should be drained so that moisture does not stagnate in the soil. The propagation of Rock Plants.— A border or cool frame partially in the shade, should now be prepared as a propagating place. If the soil be stiff, remove it to the depth of 12 to 15 inches, and at the bottom place a layer of drainage materials, and then one of moss or coarse sittings from leaf, soil or loam, finishing with a compost consisting of one-third of yellow loam, finely sifted leaf-soil, grit- and charcoal, which, when made firm, should reach to within 4 inches of the top of the thin planks supporting the border or frame, and with sufficient fall to carry off moisture from the lights. If hand-lights are used, they should be kept clean. A good many of the creeping rock-plants, as Saxi- fragas and Thymus, may be taken as small tufts and planted with a small trowel 3 inches apart in the frame. Others as Cytisus, Helianthemums, Cheiranthus, Fuchsias, Antirrhinums, Astragalus, Dianthus, Diotis, Erica auBtralis, Globulanas, Iberis, Lithospermums, Myosotis, Onosmas, Pent- stemon, Phloxes, Plumbago Larpenta?, Primula, &c. ; Santolinas, Silenes, Veronicas, Aubnetias, and Campanulas, &c, may be increased by cut- tings of the side shoots taken with a heel, or the° mother plants may be divided at the ground level, or by seed. The cuttings should be neatly made, aud inserted carefully in the soil, and made firm. The seed should be sown in drills across the frame, and the soil well moistened with rain-water. If grub or worms get troublesome use lime-water, and pick them out as they come to the surface. General Remarks.— A sharp outlook must be kept for earwigs ; traps of Bean-stalk, Bamboo, or paper being inserted in likely places. Lawns will benefit now by being heavily watered, adding liquid- manure, or dressing with superphosphates. Vitis Coignetim, V. amurtn&is, V. heterophylla variegata, V. humulifolia var. purpurea, *«•— These are now making rapid growth, and after removing their laterals tie the Vine-sterna to their supports. V. Coignetire and V. amurensis grow to a considerable height, and should have plenty of space allowed them. If the soil or site be dry, apply a mulch of short stable-dung, and afterwards water liberally. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W H Yoono, Orchid Grower to Sir Frederick Wiqak, Bart., Glare Lawn. Bast Sheen, S.W. Dendrobiums. — The recent weather has been highly favourable to Orchids that require much solar heat, and more especially the warmth-loving species of Dendrobium. With abundance of natural heat and light, aided by atmospherical moisture and other artificially-created conditions, the members of the thyrsoid flowering group, such as D. thyrsi- florum, D. denBilloium, D. firabriatum, &c, make rapid progress, and, providing sufficient ventilation be given, will mature strong pseudo-bulbs. Plants of those species immediately related to D. thyrsi- florum, when their pseudo-bulbs have completed their growth, should be removed to a drier atmo- sphere, so that secondary growths will not be induced. As the plants are still rooting freely, they will need ample supplies of water until the autumn, when they may be removed to a cool and Jcly 28, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' 'CHRONICLE. 69 dry bttt light structure. The same treatment is required by a large number of Dendrobiums, such as D. nobile, D. crassinode, D. Wardianum, D. primulinum, D. crepidatum, and the various hybrids from those species. P. aureum, D. Find- layanum, D. Dalhousieanum, D. timbriatum, and D. moschatum, should be kept in their growing quarters permanently, and those that are still making growth must be afforded copious sup- plies of water ; but others that have commenced to mature will need less. Plants removed from the warm-house should not be subjected suddenly to direct draughts of air, or the tender foliage will "spot." Give an increased amount of ventilation as the plants become accustomed to their altered conditions. D. Brymerianum in the Cattleya- house rooting freely, needs much water. The leaves of most Dendrobiums are liable to attacks from insect-pests. Thrips and aphis may be kept under by fumigating frequently, but mildly. Red- spider is best treated by sponging the leaves with soapy water. Stanhopeas are not popular Orchids, but lovers of curiously-constructed flowers will find plenty to interest them in these. Their cultivation is simple, and their needs few. They should be sus- pended in the Cattleya-house, the conditions of which suit most of the species. Plants in receptacles that have become decayed, may now be divided, and made up anew. Fix them in teak- wood baskets, by first placing a few rods of char- coal at the bottom, at right angles to the bars, and then work in some lumpy peat, inserting a few heads of sphagnum- moss on thesurface. Very careful watering should follow such division, and thorough saturation of the sphagnum-moss should be avoided until the roots have well penetrated the new material. Water must not be permitted to remain very long in the young folded leaves, otherwise decay may set in. Owing to the flower-scapes generally growing downwards through the base of the basket, ordinary drainage should not be used. Undisturbed plants in a vigorous condition should be dipped frequently, and sprayed morning and afternoon to encourage free growth, and to prevent red-spider. When the pseudo-bulbs have matured, and root-action is decreasing, less water will be needed, and during the winter and spring months only when excessive shrivelling is apparent. Lcclia tenebrosa commences to grow almost imme- diately after flowering, but until root-action is free no increase in the supply of water is needed. This grand species requires a more constant supply of water than L. purpurata. and rather more shade, otherwise its requirements are the same. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. y A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Holford, Westonblrt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire. The Crops.— lu a season like the present, when spells of hot weather have alternated with long periods of cool wet weather, it is a difficult matter co maintain all kinds of vegetables in a good con- dition. In some gardens these variations of weather do little or no harm, but it is otherwise on those having a gravelly subsoil. No plant is more easily affected by drought than Celery, and the plants which have received their first moulding should not be allowed to suffer lack of moisture, but moderate applications of water afforded in the evening. The main crop of Celery will be bene- fited by alternate applications of liquid-manure and clear water weekly. Manure- water should not come into contact with the foliage. Agricultural salt, bone-meal, and guano, sprinkled slightly on the soil between the plants before affording water is especially helpful where liquid-manure is not available. The Celery-fly makes its appearance at about this date, and should be kept in check by weekly applications of soot, or by syringing the leaves with tobacco-water. Scarlet Runner and other climbing Beans will have reached the limits of the sticks, and should have the points of the bine stopped, and mulchings applied before the plants come into bearing. Shallots and Garlic —If the foliage shows that the roots are full grown, these should be lifted, and laid out thinly on the ground till they are dry. In northerly districts it may be advisable to allow the bulbs to remain in the ground for at the least a fortnight, as when lifted too soon they are apt to start into growth at an early date. Do not break up the clusters when lifting them, but dry just as they are, and when dried divide and lay them out in a cool, airy store-room. Parsley. — This herb may be easily obtained all the year round, if hand-light protection be afforded it in the winter. The last sowing should be made at the end of July, in a border that lays warm, and the soil of which is moderately rich. Let drills be drawn at 15 inches apart, and sow the seed thinly therein, and cover it with the finer par- ticles of the soil, making it firm over the seed. The plants that are affording leaves for use should be watered plentifully, so as to induce continued growth of foliage. Parsley-seed, when matured, should be removed from the plants, and laid on paper in the sun to dry, and afterwards put in air- tight bottles. Lettuces and Endive for autumn and winter use now call f the hold of a vessel as ordinary goods, to secure its safe arrival in Europe." Large consignments of stems sent as here described, now and then arrive in London to be sold at the auction rooms, and there are several gardens in the south of England where groups of this Fern are a conspicuous feature out-of-doors, which were started with stems freshly imported from Australia. It matures spores abundantly, and they vegetate freely with ordinary care. A five-year old plant has a stem a foot high, and a good bead of fronds a yard across. Miss North described {Recollections of a Happy Life, ii., 144) the Tree-Ferns she saw in a forest of Eucalyptus near Melbourne :—" The trees ran up like gigantic hop-poles (they were said to be 300 feet or more high), with thousands of Tree-Ferns under them, also straight, and 30 feet high, swelling much at the base of their stems ; a nice undergrowth of young Gums and other shrubs July 23, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 73 under them. . . . We walked under the Feru- trees to a fallen tree, of which I could not see the end, but which was being sawn up bit by bit to use in building some new rooms at the inn. We found our way under the lace-work roof of Fern- fronds to a small stream, which was also arched over by them. Their stems were green with moss and parasites, wire-grass, Ferns, and creepers. Over them was a lovely Tecoma jasminoides, with white flowers tipped with deep red-purple, hanging among its glossy green leaves. . . . The Tree-Ferns (chiefly Dicksonias) were unfolding their golden crowns of huge crooks." D. Youugia? is described as follows by Mr. Charles Moore in his Handbook of the Flora of New South Wales: "Trunk rarely above 12 feet high, slender, the upper part and the base of the frond-stalks densely covered with glossy brown or blackish hairs. Rachis of the frond often ferru- ginous-pubescent. It resembles the New Zealand D. squarrosa, which, however, has light brown spreading hairs on the stalks ; the fronds are Jiarsher in texture, and the sori are smaller." A healthy example of D. Youngia" may be seen grow- ing in the temperate-house at Kew, along with the following Tree-Ferns. The minimum temperature for these plants is 43d. Of course, during the •summer the house is kept as cool as is possible by means of ventilation. It follows, therefore, that any of the species here named would thrive in the ordinary conservatory : — Alsophila aspera Dicksonia antarctica ,, australis ,, arborescens „ excelsa ,, fibrosa „ procera „ Lathami ,, robusta „ squarrosa Cyatbea dealbata ,, Youngiie ,i Dregei Hemitelia capensis ,, sracilis ,, Smithi „ medullaris w. w. [Our Supplementary Illustration is from a photo- graph taken in the Bunya-Bunya mountains, and obligingly forwarded by the colonial botanist, Mr. F. Manton Bailey.] THE WEATHER IN WEST HERTS. The following particulars will show the very ■exceptional character of the present spell of hot weather. This hot spell has now lasted for over a fortnight, during which period the shade tempera- ture has on eleven days risen to or above SO3. On the hottest day of all (the 19th), the highest reading was 90'. Only twice previously in the iast fifteen years has such a high temperature as this been recorded here, viz., in August, 1S93, and September, 1898. The nights were not, as a rule, as exceptionally warm as the days ; however, during the night preceding the 23rd, the thermo- meter exposed on the surface of the lawn never fell lower than 61', making this the warmest night of the fifteen years. On the hottest •day, the difference between the lowest night and highest day temperatures in shade amounted to 40°. It is now thirteen years since such a great range as this has been registered in any one day. At 3 p.m. the air was not only hot and calm, but also remarkably dry, the difference between the readings of a dry and wet bulb ther- mometer being as much as 20'. As might have been expected, the ground has now become unusually warm, the temperature at 2 feet deep being 6° warmer, and at 1 foot deep as much as 9' warmer than is seasonable. The reading at 1 foot •deep is higher than any of which I have here any record. On seven of the hottest days the air was warmest about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and there was no marked decline in temperature until after <3 p.m. Whereas at 1 foot deep the soil was warmest at midnight, and coldest about noon. Xo rain has fallen since the sharp thunderstorm of the 16th. If we except the few drops which came through the turfed soil percolation gauge for three days after that storm, no rainwater has come through this gauge for nearly thirteen weeks. It is sur- prising how little my lawns benefited by the heavy rain which fell during the storm referred to, for they are now as parched up and dry as before. During the hot period above mentioned, the sun shone on an average for nine hours a day — by no means an unusual record for the time of year. E.M., Berkhamsted, July 24. THE REV. W. T. HUTCHINS Is an enthusiast in the matter of Sweet Peas, and the author of a book entitled, All Ahout Sweet Peas. At the recent Conference he read a paper on the "Sweet Pea in America," in which he alluded to the work of Eckford, and to the progress that had been made since his last visit to this country five years since. Rev. W. T. HUTCHINS, Author of "All About Sweet Peas." Home Correspondence. WANTED— A NEW STRAWBERRY. — That was the remark of one of the great Kentish Strawberry growers the other day at the Drill Hall, and he should know what are the needs of the market. Certainly the growers have "Sir Joseph " yet, and a splendid friend he has been to them, and to the nation at large. What vast quantities of that superb old variety have been on sale in every direction ! Even the poorest haviDg this season had a chance to taste Strawberries fairly well. But, said our Kentish man, we begin to want another variety that will supersede Sir Joseph ; we have a splendid variety in Boyal Sovereign, without doubt the most popular of all Strawberries just now, and grown everywhere for all sorts of purposes, but to find a satisfactory successor to Sir Joseph is no mean difficulty. Some growers like Leader, but many do not. Possibly it may have a great future, but more time is needed to exhibit its capacities fully. Generally the market grower does not require a variety that produces fruit in almost enormous quantities, for in such case too many of the fruits fail to mature, and these only detract from the size and finish of those fruits that do colour. Fruits must also be rich in colour, of good form, solid, and capable of resisting mildew. There seems to be just at present, certainly on stiff soils, hardly three better varieties than are Boyal Sovereign, Sir Joseph Paxton, and Latest-of-All, but the merits of this trioall round will, nodoubt, be vigor- ously disputed, because few varietieshave that general adaptability which Boyal Sovereign has, and will do well only here and there. We have seen scores of new varieties put into commerce during the past fifty years, and many of them good ; but they are not now amongst the few recognised best, not because they are not good, but rather because the few are better and are found to be much more widely accommodating. A. D. CRAT/EGUS FLAVA. — In the Gardeners' Olironicle for June 23, 1900, on p. 404, some refer- ence is made regarding the above-named plant. The one with us that goes under that name is present from Virginia, south to Florida, and west to Mississippi. A specimen in our herbarium, collected from the Campus, shows a striking like- ness to fig. 131. On the sandy soil of the Atlantic coast region, it makes a handsome shrub, often having a spherical head 3 to 6 metres in diameter, made so by the drooping twigs, and borne on a single trunk, holding the head 1 or 2 metres from the ground. At times the top grows into an umbrella shape. Fine specimens of this species are common in the earliest settled portion of Florida. The fruit is sold by the coloured people under the name of Summer Haws. With this class of our population it is a great favourite as a shade tree, especially in those sections where fruit-trees thrive only under diligent attention. It is a hardy, long-lived shrub, worthy of much more attention than it receives ; it yields kindly to pruning, making a hemispherical or conical-shaped bush where subjected to browsing. In woods and thickets it grows straggling, and gives no intima- tion of its possibilities under cultivation. P. H. Rolfs, Div. Bot., C. A. C, Clemson College, S. C, U.S.A., July 6, 1900. WEEVILS AND CHLOROPHYLL.— It would inte- rest me very much to know if any of your readers have remarked that the simple presence of the weevil (Otiorhyncus sulcatus) in the beetle form on plants causes an extensive bleaching, as it were, of the green colour in their vicinity. I have so frequently observed it in connection with my Ferns that I am practically certain of finding a weevil either on the frond or in the pot whenever the normal shade of green becomes perceptibly paler in an otherwise healthy plant. A day or two since I noticed one of two plants of A. f.-f. acrocladon in one pan ; the one was entirely bleached into a pale sea-green, the other the usual colour. I said at once, "There is a weevil, " and found the beetle hiding in the crown of the affected Fern — one of many cases. The weevil beetle's attack is appa- rently a simple gnawing of the fronds into holes, accompanied by biting off in so doing the pinna1 or pinnules of divided forms ; it affects the Hart's- tongues by preference, and the fronds often, but not always, become pale throughout when the beetle is present. I cannot find that this is due either to gnawing of the rachides, which might check sap flows, or to the deposit of their exudations ; it seems due to some other cause, but is undoubtedly the effect of the weevil's vicinity. The beetle removed, the plant recovers its normal verdure sometimes in a few hours, sometimes in a day or two ; but invariably does so in time — the chloro- phyll is only temporarily affected. Chas. T. Druery, F.L.S., V.M.H. A FRENCH HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY.— The National Horticultural Society of France has just issued for the use of its members a very comprehensive and well planned catalogue of its valuable library. Unlike the catalogue of the Lindley Library, which was published under the auspices of the Trustees of the Lindley Library, the new work now under notice is not a mere list of horticultural and botanical books, arranged under author's names in alphabetical order, but is something more. Briefly stated, the French catalogue consists of two main divisions, viz., books and pamphlets. The former are then arranged under certain leading or subject headings, of which the following may be taken as examples : — French periodical publications, foreign periodical publications, botany, general horticul- ture, kitchen gardening, dendrology, fruit-tree culture, floriculture, &c. These headings are again subdivided into sections, and taking that devoted to floriculture, we find that the books on that subject are arranged under such titles as general works, carpet-bedding, bulbous plants, ornamental foliaged plants, greenhouse plants, Cacti, Camellias, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Hyacinths, Lilies, Or- chids, and E.oses, to say nothing of many others. By this means, the reader's task of finding any book on subjects in which he is interested is greatly facilitated. In the Lindley Library catalogue, unless the authors' names are known it would be a 74 THE GARDENEES' CHRONICLE. [July 28, 1900. difficult task io find all the books on any given subject. The part devoted to pamphlets is simi- larly arranged. Then, if the reader should happen to wish for the list of works by any particular author without reference to any special subject, he has only to turn to the end of the book, and there in the alphabetical list of authors he will find firstly, the author's name, and secondly, a list following of all his works that are in the National Horticultural Society's Library, with a reference to the page on which each work can be found. The catalogue is therefore doubly valuable, for only those who have had any experience in searching for books on special subjects in library catalogues can have any idea of the waste of time that is caused by the omission of subject headings. To test the value of ths new French catalogue we were curious to see what English periodical publications were comprised in it, and turning to the heading of foreign periodicals, we have no difficulty in seeing at a glance that they include, Curtis' Botanical Magazine, Flora', Magazine, Floricultural Cabinet, Floritt and Pomologist, The Garden, Gardeners' Chronicle, Journal of Horticulture, Orchid Review, and Kew Bulletin, If we had wanted to find the Bame information in the Lindley Library Catalogue there would have been no other course before us than to have waded through about 160 pages of printed matter. The same systematic plan is adopted throughout, and it matters little what the subject may be, we have only to turn to the index to find the page on which the desired information is all grouped together. The work is an important addition to bibliographical knowledge, and likely to be very serviceable to the literary student of horti- culture, and we congratulate the National Horti- cultural Society of France on having produced at much expense and infinite labour a work that will often be consulted by those for whom such a book has been intended. We do not know whether it is intended for sale, but it has been supplied to members gratis. G. H. P. THE BUTCHER'S-BROOM AND TOBACCO MANU- FACTURERS.—Since writing the short note that appeared in the last number of the Gardeners' Chronicle, I have had the opportunity of interro- gating a gentleman who is a member of one of the largest tobacco manufacturing firms in London. He assures me that Butcher's-Broom is still used for damping the tobacco in cigar-making, and that no other plant or mechanical contrivance answers the same purpose so well. B. McLachlan. FRUITING OF THE BIRCH.— In my neighbour- hood (Surrey Heath) the Birch has flowered profusely, with the result that the leafage is poor. Has this been observed elsewhere ? H. SALISBURY ROSES AND SALISBURY SHOW. — "Wild Rose," in the article on the National Rose Society's show at Salisbury (see p. 41), states that Lord Penzance's Sweet Briars were sent out during Mr. W. H. Williams' lifetime. This is incorrect, for although he took a great interest in them, we did not place them in commerce till some time after his death. Climbing Niphetos we did send out during the period referred to, but the credit of securing the stock is in a great measure due to our Mr. C. G. Wyatt. The poor character of the local exhibits is quite easily explained. It was not through want of interest amongst local exhibitors, as "Wild Rose " infers, but from their inability to control that all-important factor in the case — the weather, which seemingly had prepared local exhibits for a class which the National Rose Society did not insert in their schedule, namely, for the hardest and heaviest Rose-buds not open. Keynes, Williams <£• Co., Salisbury. MODEL GARDENS AT HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. — These devices, unless they can be arranged on the ground and made on a large scale, are utterly unworthy the attention of societies, and no self- respecting young gardener should have anything to do with the construction of them. On a large scale, the relative sizes of trees, shrubs, and plants generally, can be preserved, and naturalness imparted to the design which is impossible in designs on a small scale. Well drawn plans, drawn to scale, and washed in with colour show far more convincingly the capabilities and knowledge of a competitor ; but this is a matter which is not to be "got out of his own head," and only to be acquired Under a competent master. Every young gardener should make a point of learning to draw plans, which after all is a severely mechanical art ; and of measuring laud, and working to scale on paper and on the ground. South Wall. If a young gardener wishes to present at some local exhibition a meritorious object under the common term "model garden," let him not devise some horrid and utterly im- possible thing from out of his head, but rather seek for a nice and not large, but well-planned real garden ; obtain a ground plan of it, which, with access to the garden, he should be able to produce for himself, take note of how it is planted and gene- rally furnished, then, according to scale, proceed so far as he can to reproduce it on his 2-feet square board for the exhibition. I have seen many of these so-called " model " gardens, and never yet have I seen one that has not been utterly absurd and contemptible. To laugh at them would be to honour them. They generally merited speedy removal to the rubbish - heap. Happily their absurd pretensions seem to have struck exhibition committees, as very few of these things are now invited in competitions. Apart from their bearing less resemblance to actual gardens than a duck does to an ostrich, the "taste" displayed in floral decoration is invariably so gross as to be pitiful. We see even now in some suburban villa-gardens that are planted for the summer by the ignorant jobber or local florist, somewhat analogous colour- ing in blazing scarlet, garish yellow, and intense blue, lavishly intermingled — very much of the school of coloration which characterises the "model" gardener. This being invariably in his models, despises the fruit and vegetable depart- ment of a garden, but revels in gaudy tints, vivid greenB, or golden sands. I can but again advise a young gardener if he wishes to present some object at a show that shall command respect, not to attempt a model at all, but rather let it be a good and faithful copy of some nice and not large garden. A. D. BLIND STRAWBERRY PLANTS.— In the "Home Correspondence " in the Gardeners' Chronicle for June 30, p. 420, a correspondent signing himself "L. C," refers to so many blind Strawberry plants being remarked this year, and he gives the names of several varieties. In these gardens the varieties Sovereign, Monarch, Veitch's Perfection, and Sir Joseph Paxton are similarly affected this season, which fruited well last year. A small caterpillar infested the plants last year, devouring the foliage, and this, together with the dry weather at the time, seemed to cripple the plants. The soil of the garden is light, and overlies ironstone. Royal Sovereign has always cropped well hitherto. A. Bateman, Brixworth Hall Gardens, Northampton. YUCCA GLORIOSA. — There is a Yucca in flower in the gardens here which has been growing out-of- doors for close on thirty years, and from what information I can gather, the plant is supposed to be fifty years old, and has never flowered before. The length of the flower-spike is 8 feet, and it is furnished with about a thousand flowers. The height of the plant is 6 feet. The flower-spike and plant together measure 14 feet, and each flower measures 5 inches across when fully expanded. John Buckley, Brockhurst Gardens, Norlhicich. WATERLOO PEACH.— The first fruits in this garden of the Waterloo Peach were gathered from a tree on the south wall on July 15, having ripened a few days in advance of Hale's Early and Early Rivers on the same wall. This variety is of a bright red colour on the sunny side, the base whitish-green. The flesh is firm, juicy, and of a fine flavour. The firmness of flesh, and fine appearance of the fruit when ripe, places it in the front rank of market varieties. The tree is hardy, a good cropper, and undoubtedly one of the best early Peaches for out-door cultivation. C. S., Ynys-y- Maengiryn, Toicyn, N. Wales. NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY.— The object of the National Rose Society being to encourage the cultivation of the Rose, let us ask ourselves whether their modus operandi is best calculated to achieve that end. The amateur trophy can only be won on a successful exhibition of thirty-six distinct varieties. How many amateurs can show this number? Four or five. Is this encouraging the cultivation of the Rose ? How many trees do these select four or five amateurs grow ? As many as all but the very largest nurserymen. Face to face with these few select amateurs, what chance has the average amateur who grows 250 or 500? Does the National Rose Society assume that a grower of 500 trees cannot grow Roses to such perfection as to deserve the Trophy ? Does the National Rose Society consider the stand which won the Amateur Trophy this year the perfection of Roses ? To restrict the Trophy to a mere half dozen competitors discourages many who,, if they cannot compete for the Trophy, will not compete at all. The championship is therefore con- fined to the few select amateurs who grow their thousands of trees, and trust to luck for a percentage of fine exhibition blooms. If the conditions of the Trophy were twenty -four distinct varieties, and the prizes now offered in the thirty-six were added to the twenty-four, making at least six prizes, with gold, silver, and bronze medals added for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, it would promote a keen and popular competition which in turn would promote increased and higher cultivation. A Would-be Competitor, July 24. CAMPANULA abietina. — I have grown this Campanula for a number of years, but although i* lives in my rather dry soil, it does not flower freely, and I have not considered it a very satis" factory plant in my garden. I have always attri" buted this to the light soil, and am this season trying it with a heavier kind of compost. In a number of the gardens of my acquaintances, the soil of which is heavier than mine, the plant thrives, and makes a very pleasing object when in bloom. I am thus at a loss to account for its shy- ness to bloom in Mr. Raschen's garden. When it flowers freely, it is one of the most showy of alpine Campanulas. S. Arnott, Carsethorn by Dum- fries, N.B. I have observed in your two last issues some remarks on the habit of this charming Cam- panula, and it may be of interest to your readers for me to state that I recently saw it flowering profusely in Messrs. Little & Ballantyne's Knowe- field Nurseries, Carlisle, along with C. Hosti and several others, and the appearance of the plants showed that they were quite at home there, although the soil is of a somewhat cold and retentive character ; indeed, the staple is a blackish loam overlying a strong red clay. J. A., Carlisle. THE "USEFUL MACHINE" AT WREST PARK. — Having known Wrest Park and the village of Silsoe for more than forty years, I have read with much pleasure "R. H. P.'s" description of the gardens in Gardeners' Chronicle for June 16. A cart for gathering up leaves from the lawn, fixed upon a roller instead of upon wheels, and which was mentioned by " R. H. P.," was used at Wrest during the whole time Mr. Ford was g^rdener there ; and the idea was one of Mr. Snow's, who preceded Mr. Ford. L. E. 0. RECENT WEATHER.— On July 19, I registered a maximum Bhade temperature of 97° in the screen, and on the following day 96°. The five days, July 16 to 20, gave a periodic average maximum shade temperature of nearly 93°. This great heat exceeds anything in my records which go back twenty years. In 1881, July 15, gave a shade reading of 97°, but this was a single very hot day. Some interesting results have been already noted in the garden. For instance, Cyphomandra betacea has set its fruit out of doors duriDg this spell of heat — a thing it has previously refused to do except under glass. Just then the bulk of outside Tomatos were in full flower, and an enormous set of fruit has resulted. In fact this promises to be a record season for Tomatos, and by the latter part of August and during September the markets may be glutted. A. Worsley, Isleicorlh. SOCIETI ES. ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. Scientific Committee. July 17 : Carnation-leaves injured. — Leaves were received from Scarborough, upon which Mr. Douglas reported as follows :— "The three leaves seem to be scalded, but this might not have happened if the leaves had been healthy. They are no\ The weather has been unfavourable to Carnations in some places. These may have been badly cultivated. Probably they had too much water, or insufficient ventilation. With ample ventilation, and the plants healthy, scalding does not tak"e place. The eruption or raised process on the single leaf Js similar to what occurs on Vine-leaves when the atmospherical July 28, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. conditions are bad— viz., too much moisture and too little ventilation. No plants suffer so much from insufficient ven- tilation us Carnations, and a moderately moist atmosphere is injurious. This may account for both the ailments in question," Apph -trt o attacked by caterpillars.— Specimens were received from Mr. Abbey, Avery Hill, Eltham, upon which Mr. McLachlan reports as follows : — 1 I only found one larva in the Apple shoots, and that appears to be some kind of Tmtrix. It is often hard to name these thiugs without seeing the iuEects they produce. Apple trees just now are infested with larvae of various kinds, and not the least destructive is that of the winter moth, but I do not see it in the box. Hand-picking is all very well in its way, tut I should strongly recommend spraying the trees, if not too large, with some of the insecticides recommended in the gardening papers. It is late, but even now it might do good. As a rule two or three applications at intervals of a fortnight or so are necessary, and it should be done in dry weather. The solutions used in spraying are generally poisonous, but they do no haim to the fruit when in a young state, and they render the foliage deadly to insects hatching up from eggs laid on the trees. It soon disappears, but has doae its work in the meantime. Spraying is used enormously in America ; kss so here. Of course, some ordinary common- sense care should be exercised, as with any poison." Strati-berry hares diseased.— Mr. G. Lee sent some leaves attacked by the fungus Spha>rella fragariffl, " Strawberry-leaf blight." It is a very destructive disease recorded from all parts of the United States (illustrated, in "Diseases of Plants," Tubeuf & Smith, p. 215). Dahlia synanthic sport. — Mr. Evan Da vies, Talsarn, Bromley, Kent, sent a remaikable specimen of twin Dahlia blossoms united back to back on coherent flower-stalks. One blossnm was yellow with crimson centre, the other entirely crimson. "Which was the sport was not stated, but probably the latter. Aster seedling diseased, — The following report was received from Dr. W. G. Smith, on samples sent by Mr. Basham, Fairoak Nurseries, Bassaleg, Newport, May 7th :— "This disease begins at the neck of the plant or below the ground, and travels upwards through the plant, producing as it goes discoloration and softening of the tissues. There is fungus growth en all discoloured parts, and I believe the mycelium is the cause of disease ; it can be observed at the limit between discoloured and still green parts. Spores are produced of an oval form anl colourless, a form which gives little assistance in identification. Nematode eelworms were also observed, but it is not easy to say what part they play ; I should say they lived on the decaying parts. It should be mentioned that the Rev. Hilderic Friend (Gardeners,' Chronicle, August 14, 1S97), ascribes the Aster disease to a type of parasitic worm, bnt I did not observe this form. The cause of this Aster disease has not yet been satisfactorily cleared up in any papers I know." Tulips diseased.— Bulbs received from Mr. Maine, Penhill Close, Cardiff, were forwarded to Dr. Smith, who now reports as follows upon them:— "The plants received are infected with the Tulip Botrytis disease. The black bodies embedded in the bulb scales and dead leaves are the resting stages of a fungus which in its active stage has the form of reproductive organs known as Botrytis. It is a common disease, and this year I have reported on several cases, especially on Narcissus. On June 2nd, in the Gardeners' Chronicle, I recommended a some- what similar treatment to that found successful by your correspondent— namely, to lift the bulbs after the flowering season, keep them in a dry place, or in some mixture of lime or sulphur, and to treat with sulphur before replanting. There seems to be no other way open to deal with this type of fungus. The disease evidently occurs on certain kinds of soil, but exactly what kind I cannot say yet." PARIS EXHIBITION. The Horticultural Show held in connection with the above Exhibition on July 18, was not greatly different from the two previous fortnightly meetings held in June. There was a good variety of Gladiolus, Dahlias, Fuchsias, and other seasonable plants ; and the vegetables and fruit were very tine ; notably the fruit-trees in pots staged by M. Paillet. To mention some among the best of the exhibits :— a set of early Chrysanthemum?, " Gustave Grunewald," with no exhibitors name attached ; a group of Phygelius capensis Francoa, Justicia, and Gloriosa, from M. Sallier, of Neuilly • seedling Phloxes, and Gladioli, from M. Victor Lemoine, of Naucy ; Cannas, from MM. Vilmorin, Billiard, and Barre ; Zonal Pelargoniums, var. Alliance franco-russe, from M. Boulanger, of Sevres ; Hydrangea Hortensia from MM. Boucher and Vilmorin ; and H. paniculata from M. Paillet ; hybrid Phloxes from the nurseries of Bowin, Louveciennes ; and Carnations from M. Ernst Benart, of Erfurt; and from MM. R. des Diguekes, Beranek, Nonin Payeux, and Le Clerc, Regnier, Leon, Hamel, and' Warguerin. There were also good Roses from MM. Ketten, Boucher, Deeresne, Rothberg, Boutigny, Soupert & Notting, Gemen, and Bourg ; and fine seedling Bromeliads from MM. Leon Ddval et fils, of Versailles; Godetias from M. Lemaire ; Cacti and Euphorbia, from M. Simon, who showed also some very young seedling Cacti ; a collection of Fuchsias and seedling Pelargoniums from M. Nonin; Phlox Drummondi, from MM. Yilmorin-Andrieux et Cie ; Gladioli, from M.Gui'leac ; Cactus Dahlias, from M. Nonin; Campanula fragilis, for hanging baskets from M. ThiKbaut, Senior : remarkable Orchids, from MM. CtU6. Maron of Brunoy, Dallemaonb et Cie. of Raiubouillet ; and less important collections from MM. Bert Duvax et FILS, Rehnier. Dalle, and Bkkanek. M. Cuantrier, showed a varied collection of indoor plants, including Curmeria, Dichorisandra, Stenandrium, Maranta, Dorstenia, Aglaonema, and Pellionia ; in the house arranged by M. A. Truffaut, we noticed a small clump of Clerodendron squamatum in flower, G. T. G. M EETING OF THE SCOTTISH METEOROLOGICAL. THE EFFECTS OF SEA FOGS ON LAND CLIMATES IN SCOTLAND. July IS.— Dr. Buchan made a statement on fogs round the Scottish coast. In 1864, he said, a heavy fog prevailed over the northern part of these islands during the harvest, which resulted in heavy loss to fishermen and farmers. Observations on fogs were begun in 1SS9. The object of the observation was to determine how fogs rose, the conditions under which they took place, and how far it was possible to forecast them. The result ot the investigation so far was this, that at each of the 65 lighthouses available, there occurred fogs for an average of 170 hours each year. The meau monthly number of hours was 14, and the first result worked out was that fog prevailed more on the east coast of Scotland, except the Moray Firth, than on the west. It was found that where an island or peninsula interposed between the direction of the wind which brought up the fog, and an inland water, theie was no fog on the in'and waters, unless there was a very dense one outside. In working out the details, lighthouses which had a great altitude were left out, as their height made them more subject to fogs. Sumburgh Head has a height of 300 teet, and there, instead of 170 hours of foga, there were 3=S ; Dunnet Head, 364 feet high, had 3SS hours of fog ; Barra Head, CS3 feet high, had 1,344 hours; and the Mull of Galloway, 325 feet high, had 421 hours. It was found that fog* were below the average from October to March, and above the average from April to September, the maximum being in June. Fogs on the east coast wer.- chiefly caused when there was hot weather in the north of Germany and Denmark, a highly saturated atmo- sphere and a high barometer. If there was a low barometer in the west, then that resulted in draining from the continent a strong wind upon the eastern shores of Britain, with accom- panying fog. Nearly all fogs came out of anti-cyclones, where the barometer was high, blowing into cyclonic areas with a lower barometer. On the west coast, fogs were generally accompanied by rain ; on the east coast, it was the exception for them to be so. " The Scotsman." CARDIFF AND COUNTY HORTICUL- TURAL. July 18, 19.— The twelfth annual show was held in the Sophia Gardens (lent by kind permission of the Marquess of Bute) on the above dates. The gardens are just now looking very pretty, and the shelter of the trees afforded abundance of cool shade. Cardiff is becoming more and more a centre for high culti- vation of flowers and fruit; the area from which exhibitors come is extending, and exhibitors themselves are on the increase. The recent exhibition afforded proof of this. The several marquees were well furnished, and the arrangements in the hands of Mr. Harry Gillett, secretary, were very satis- factorily carried oat. The dscoiativa tent, 300 feet long, was a new feature, and inside it was staged a magnificent lot of decorative plants, Rosss, exotics, &c. The display of fruit was not so good as formerly. Sweet Peas were represented extensively, and in infinite variety. The opening ceremony was performed early in the afternoon by the mayor, Coun- cillor S. A. Brain. In the afternoon luncheon was laid in a large marquee in the gardens. Mr. S. Medhurst presided, and he was supported by the Mayor, members of the committee, the judges, and others. The cottagers made a grand show of vegetables. In three classes for collections of vegetables, the total number of dishes reached ISO. The exhibits exceeded those of last year by more than 200, and this fact, combined with the general keentess of competition, lengthened the work of the judges far beyond the usual limits. A very noticeable feature was the mis* cellaneous exhibits not for competition. In this section the numerous Gloxinias, and other flowers in pots, sent by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, were a picture in them- selves. Messrs. Dickson, Ltd., Chester; Messrs. Garaway& Co., Clifton ; and Messrs. Clibran & Sons, Altrincham, sent fine collections of cut flowers. The two large gtoups of 159 feet space, put up by Mr. Cypher, Cheltenham, and Mr. Crossling, Penarth, were also much admired. Mr. A. Petti- grew, Castle Gardens, Cardiff, staged a well arranged group of ornamental plants, and was awarded a Gold Medal. The bouquets and floral exhibits were excellent. Such well known exhibitors were represented as Messrs. W. Treseder, Price {Queen Street), Ellis, and Shewring. Honours were about divided between Mr. A. E. Price and Mr. W. Treseder, the latter of whom won the medal for the best aggregate. The following are a few of the principal prizes:— Six stove and greenhouse Ferns, J. W. Buckley, Llanelly. Six stove or greenhouse plants in bloom, distinct: 1st, J. Ctphkr, Cheltenham ; 2nd, J. W. Buckley. Six fine foliagcd or variegated plants, distinct: 1st, J. Cypher ; 2nd, J. W. Buckley. Group of miscellaneous plants, in and out of bl >om, arranged to produce the best ell'dct, and occupying a space of 150 siuare feet: 1st, J. Cypher ; 2nd, It, Crossliso. Roses, twelve distinct varieties, three blooms of each- 1st. James Townsend & Sons, Worcester; 2nd, Ralph Cross- ling, Penaith. Roses, Teas or Noisettes, twelve distinct varieties, three blooms of each, 1st, James Townsend & Sons ; 2nd, Stephen Treseder, Cardiff. Roses, twenty-four blooms, distinct varieties, 1st, King's Acre Nurseries, Hereford ; 2nd, James Townsend & S«jns. Roses, Teas or Noisettes, eighteen blooms, distinct varieties, 1st, Jami:s Townsend & Sons ; 2nd, Stephes Treseder. Collection of Roses, space occupied by exhibit to measure 0 feet by 3 feet, to be shown with their own foliage and buds ; no other foliage admissible: 1st, R. Crossling; 2nd, G. Gar aw ay. Collection of hardy flowers, in varieties, 12 feet by 3 feet, shrubby plants and trees included, 1st, W. Treseder; 2nd, W. Walters, Bath ; 3rd, H. Deverill, Banbury. Non-competitive exhibits.— Sutton & Sons (Gold Medal), Dickson & Co., Chester (Gold Medal); Clibkan & Sons (Gold Medal), Garaway & Co. (Gold Medal). For a collection of zmal Pelargoniums, Mr. W. Tin ' was awarded a Silver Medal. James Townsend & Son, Worcester, won the Royal Horticultural Society's Silver Medal. WEYBRIDGrE HORTICULTURAL. July 10.— The annual summer exhibition was held at The Hollies, Weybridge, on the above date, and may be regarded as a successful one, for two large marquees were required to contain the various exhibits. Plants wen the chief feature, being both numerous and goo 1 specimens. For six specimens in flower, Mr. J. Lock, gr. to J. Swinjen Eady, Esq , Oitlands Lodge, Weybridge, was 1st. In this 1st prize collection occurred well-flowered examples of Ixora Williamsii and Allamanda Williamsii. Mr. W. Jinks, gr. to E. Bruce, Esq., The Beeches, Walton, was a good 2nd. Foliage plants were best shown by the last-named gardener, who was 1st for six. Mr. Lock being a close 2od ; and he had also the best exotic Ferns distinct. Plants arranged for effect, made a bright display, Mr. Lock easily winning with a group of an oval shape. The plant, were suitably chosen, well grown, and lightly disposed. Mr. E. Watford, gr. to J. Rhodes, Esq., Weybridge, who was 2nd, had a creditable lot of plants. Mr. W. C. Pagram, gr. to — Courtenay, Esq., Weybridce, was 1st in a smaller class, with a good exhibit. Cut flowers were numerous and good, Mr. Baynes winning for twelve benches of hardy cut flowers, with a handsome collection. Mr. H. Buckmaster, gr. to F. W. Smith, Esq., was 1st for eighteen bunches of Sweet Peas. Fruit and vegetables added considerably to the display. In the former section, Mr. Lock was the principal prizetaker, in all cases staging well. Mr. O. Basile, gr. to the Rev. The President, Woburn Park College, Weybridge, easily carried ott' the leading awards in the vegetable classes, with handsome produes. NATIONAL CARNATION & PICOTEE. 6 outhern Se c tion . July 25.— The annual Southern Show of the National Car- nation and Ficotee Society was held on Wednesday last at the Crystal Pal.ice. There had been a record number of entries made for this exhibition, but the sudden and unexpected change to tropical weather prevented a considerable number of growers from exhibit! ag who had intended to do so. The date origin illy thought of for the show was July 25, but this was subsequently altered to the 20th; and when the Crystal Palace authorities advised the committee that the latter date was not an open one, it was decided io late spring, while fur- coats were still being worn, that the 25th would be better than the 13th. As the enthusiastic President, Mr. Martin R. Smith, observed dm ing the day, no one could have foreseen that such b illiant weather as obtains at present would follow. But it lias, and tin result is this— that the flowers have been hurried to development prematurely, and the show would most likely have been luller had it been held en July IS. There was little, alter all, to regret, for there was excellent competition in most of the classes, and there were some lovely flowers. It is a matter for difference of opinion whether Carnation blooms are seen at their best upon the exhibiLion-boards, with their calices drawn bick.and their petals "dressed" out until the centre looks thin and exhausted, whilst each flower is almost throttled by baing drawn through a stiff white collar ! Our opinion is that they arc not most effective in this con- dition, and the blooms shown with stems and foliage in vases, and "undressed," were much more interesting, and certainly had more natural grace. But the fl )rist can .iudge of the merits of particular blooms best when shown in the stereotyped manner, and consequently exhibitors in the principal classes must subscriba to this fashion. TI12 Schedule is divi!ed into four divisions, and exhibitors 76 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [July 28, 1900. can only enter in one of tlie first three, but the fourth division for undressed blooms is open to the t xhibitors in Division III. Silver Cups are awarded to exhibitors who obtain the largest number of aggregate points in each division, those in the first three divisions being provided by the President. The winner of the Cup in Division I. was Mr. Martin R. Smith ; in Division H. Messrs. Thomson & Co., Birmingham; and in Divisions m. and IV., Mr. R. Chatwin Cartwright. Several new varieties were awarded the First-class Certificate of the Society. In Divisions II. and III., the classes are for smaller numbers of flowers of the tame character as shown in Division I. The fronts of the tables were again draped with scarlet, as was the case a few days previously at the Sweet Pea Exhibition, but the effect was not so bad upon this occasion, as the exhibits being dwarfer, one looked at the flowers directly from above. At the same time, it is a most unsuitable colour for use at auy floral exhibition. The arrangements of the various classes was good, and Mr. Hen- wood aud his Committee deserve thanks for this. CARNATIONS, BIZARRES, AND FLAKES. There were only four exhibits in the class for twenty-four blooms, and Mr. M. Rowan, 30, Manor Street, Clapham, beat such excellent cultivators as Mr. Martin R. Smith and Mr. J. Walker, of Thame. Of Flakes, there were Gordon Lewis, George Melville, Mrs. Rowan. Merlon, and Thalia, all very pretty, the two first flaked with mauve or purple, and the others with rose. Of Bizarres, among others there were Robert Lord, Admiral Curzon, J. S. Hedderly, Fred, Valkyrie and Robert Houlgrave. Mr. Martin R. Smith took 2nd p lace with flowers that for the greater part were exceedingly cl ean in ground colour, but some of (hem hardly so full as those on the exhibit already noticed. Most attractive of Flakes were Claudian, Geo. Melville, and Glinka ■ and of Bizarres Arthur Burton, Master Fred, and Autocrat. Mr J. Walker, Thame; and Mr. G. Chaundv, Oxford, followed in this order. The best collection of twelve blooms, bizarres and flakes, was shown by Messrs. Thomson & Co., Birmingham, and con. tamed the premier bizarre bloom in the show, viz , Robert Houlgrave ; Mr. F. Wellesley, Woking, was 2nd. A class for six blooms in Division III. was won by R C Cartwright, Esq., Selby Park, Birmingham, his varieties being Sarah Payne. Thalia, Gordon Lewis, Master Fred, John Wormald, and W. Skirving ; Mr. A. R. Brown, Birminnham was 2nd; and Mr. D. Walker, Kilmarnock, who won 8th prize in this class, had one of the best blooms of Robert Houlgrave in the show. SELF-COLOURED CARNATIONS. The principal class was one for Iwenty.four blooms, and Mr Martin R. Smith won the 1st place, showing Much-the- Miller, Mrs. Enc Hambro, and Ensign, all white varieties- Cecilia Almoner, Seymour Cockran, and Touche, yellow • Michelet and Benbow, buff; Sultan, Agnes Sorrel, and Sir Bevys, crimsons; Joan of Arc. rosy- mauve colour; Etna and Lyons, vinous red ; Anne Boleyn, deep pink, and a few others Mr C. Turner, of the Royal Nurseries, Slough, was 2nd, and included several varieties not represented in Mr Smith "s exhibit as Lightning, salmon-scarlet ; Tiiton, deep crimson ■ Keepsake, white; Goldfinch, yellow, and others. Mr m' Rowan was 3rd ; Mr. G. Chaundv 4th, and there were several other successful exhibitors in this class The best six blooms of a tingle variety were from Mr G Chaundt, who was 1st, with the lovely Germania; Mr' Tueneb 2nd, with Lady Hermione, pink. For twelve self Carnations, distinct (Division II ) there were numerous exhibitors, and as many as tight prizes awarded The winners of the 1st prize were Messrs. Thom- son & Co., Birmingham, who showed Exile, light rose • Britannia, yellow; The Imp, maroon; Seagull, very pale flesh colour ; Germania, yellow ; Mrs. J. Douglas, cberry-red ■ Mrs. K Hambro, white ; Percy, crimson ; Miss M. Sullivan! rose; Her Grace, almost white; Nabob, light orange; and SfcdGh, purpluh-rose. Mr. F. Wlllesley was 2nd, and S A Went, Esq., Thames Ditton, 3rd. Mr^F^l'i* bI,°°ma ./ 8Dy varitty JP-> the Chairman of the Urban District Council. Mr. Frank Lloyd and Mr. Arthur Lloyd will represent donors. CO VENT GARDEN, JULY 26. (We cannot accept any responsibility for the subjoined reports. They are furnished to us regularly every Thursday, by the kindness of several of the principal salesmen, who revise the list, and who are responsible for the quotations. It must be remembered that these quotations do not represent the prices on any particular day, but only the general averages for the week preceding the date of our report. The prices depend upon the quality of the samples, the supply in the market, and the demand, and they may fluctuate, not only from day to day but often several times in one day. Ed.] Out Flowers, &c.— Average Wholesale Prices. Arums Asparagus "Fern," bunch Carnations, per dot blooms ... .. Gattleyas, per dozen Eucharis, per dozen Gardenias, per dot. Gladiolus, scarlet, per dozen — white, per doz. Liliuin Harrisii, per dozen blooms ... Lilium lancifolium album, doz. blms. Lilium rubrura.doz. Liliuin longiflorum, per dozen Lily of Valley, per doz. bunches ... 8. d. i. d. 1 6- 2 6 Maidenhair Fern, per doz. bunches 2 0 2 6 Marguerites, p. dos. bunches 1 0- 2 0 Mignonette, dozen 9 0-12 0 bunches 3 0-5 0 Montbretias, bunch 10-20 Odoiitoglossums, per $.d.i 4 0- 4 0- 0 6 3 0-50 3 0-50 2 0-30 0- S 0 0-8 0 3 0 1 0- 2 6- 2 0- dozen ... Roses, Red. per ioz. — Tea, white, per dozen ... — Safrano, perdoz. — Marechal Niel, per doz. — Catherine Mer- met, per dozen 2 0- 2 0-30 8milax, per bunch 4 0- Tuberoses, per doz. blooms 0 ,j- .d. 8 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 4 0 4 0 8 0 4 0-80 5 0 5 0 0 0-18 0 1 0 Mr. HENRY ECKFORD, of WtM, Saljp, who, as we hive frequently stated, has for the past twenty- one years been more intimately associated with the development of the Sweet Pea than any other person. Fruit.— Average Wholesale Pricep. i. d. t. r\ Apples, English, Juliens, and Kes- wic^s, in sieves.. Apricots, box — sieve Bananas, bunch .. Cherries, English, per sieve — Napoleons, fine, per sieve Currants, blk., sieve — red, sieve — white, in gils. Figs ( New), per doz. Gooseberries, sieves Grapes, Hamburgh, new, per lb. ... — Alicante — Colmar — GrosMaroc.per lb — Muscats, A., per lb — Muscats, I?., per lb. — Belgian, per lb. 2 0-26 1 6- 3 0 5 0-10 0 3 0-10 0 4 0- V 6 9 0-11 0 6 6-70 2 6-36 16-26 10-30 2 0-30 0 9-13 10-13 16 — 16-10 2 0-30 10-10 0 S- 1 0 .. d. t. it Lemons, else 16 0-25 0 Melons, each 2 0-80 — Foreign rocks... 2 3-46 Nectarines, per doz Class A. 9;0-12 0 Class B. 3 0-60 Oranges, Murcia, p. case 9 0-18 0 Peaches, per dozen Class A. 9 0-12 0 Class B. 3 0-60 Pears, Californian, cases S 0-10 0 French Paars in sieves — Jargonelle fO-SO Windsor 6 0 — Pines, each 6 0-70 Plums in sieve 4 0-46 — in baskets o o Raspberries, pun- nets, doz. 3 0-60 — cwt. 22 0-24 0 Strawberries, 12 lb. 3 0-70 — English, pecks 2 0-36 — punnets, doz.... 4 0-60 Plants in Pots. t. Adiantnms, p. doz. 5 Arbor- vit*e, var., doz. 6 Aspidistras, p. doz. 18 — specimen, each 5 Cannas, per dozen 18 Crotons, per doz. ... 18 Cyclamen, per doz. 8 Dracaenas, var., per dozen 12 — viridis, per doz. 0 Ericas, var., per doz. 12 Euonymus, various, per dozen ... 0 Evergreens, var., per dozen ... 4 Ferns, in variety, per dozen ... 4 —Average Wholesale Prices. «'. s. d. ■. a. i. d. 0-7 0 Ferns, small, per 0-36 0 100 4 0-60 0-36 0 Ficus elastica, eacn 16-76 0-10 6 Foliage plants, var., 0 — each 10-50 0-30 0 Lily of Valley, each 19-30 0-10 0 Lycopodiums, doz. 8 0-40 Marguerite Daisies, 0-30 0 per dozen ... 8 0-12 0 0-18 0 Myrtles, per dozen 6 0-90 0-86 0 Palms, various, ea. 1 0-15 0 — specimens, each 21 0-63 0 0-18 0 Pelargoniums, scar- let, per dozen 8 0-12 0 0-18 0 — Ivyleaf.perdoz. 8 0-10 0 Spiraeas, per dozen... 0 0-12 0 0-18 0 Vegetables.— Average Wholesale Pricep. Aubergines, per. dz. Artichokes, (J lobe, per doz. Beans, Scarlet Runners, p.bus. — — per sieve — Broad, or home-grown, per bushel ... — English, p. bus. — — per sieve... Beetroots, New, per bunch Beet, per dozen .. Oabbage, tally — dozen Carrots, new, p. dz. Cauliflowers, per dz. Cress, per dozen punnets Cactunbers, doz. ... Endive, new French, per dozen Garlic, new, dozen bunches Horseradish, Eng- lish, bundle ... — forei gn, per bundle Lacks, per dozen bunches Lettuce, English Cabbage, bush. — English Cos, per score Mint, new, p. doz. bunches f. d. $. d. 16- 4 0 — 2 0 — 2 0-26 4 0 — 2 0 — 3 0-40 0 9-10 2 0-50 0 6-10 10-26 16-30 1 6 — 10-30 4 0 — 2 0 — 16 — 0 10-1 0 2 0 — 2 0-26 10-20 2 0 — MushroomB, hoQse, per lb Onions, picklers per sieve — Egyptian, per cwt — Green, dozen ... Parsley, 12 bunches — per sieve Peas — English, per bushel — in bags Potatos, New, per cwt. — English, new, Bedfords, cwt. Radishes, dozen ... Salad, small, pun- nets, per dozen Shallots, new, per dozen bunche3. — new, per lb. ... Spinach, persieve... — French, sieves per 24 lb. Tomatos, English, ■ new, per 12 lb. — Channel Islands per lb Turnips, new, per dozen — in bags.. Vegetable Marrows, per dozen Watercress, p. do*, bunch as *. J. i. d. 16 — 3 6 — 4 0-46 16-26 10-20 0 9-10 3 0-40 16-30 3 0-46 4 0-50 16 — 16-20 0 3 — 2 0-26 2 9-30 4 0-46 0 3 0 3j 3 0-50 3 0 — 10-30 0 4-06 Remarks.— The hot weather causes Lettuce to bolt quickly, and good samples are becoming short in supply. Peas also show the effects of the heat. Bananas ripen up so quickly that these may be purchased at very low prices in some cases. Marrows are coming in very fast, and the supply all round is good. ' Potatos. Cherbourg, 4s. Gd. per cwt. ; Bedfords, 81s. to 90s. per ton. John Bath, 32 t£3t, Wellington Street, Covent Garden. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Glasgow: July 25.— The following are the averages of the prices recorded since our last report :— Lisbon Apples, 16s. to l°s. per case; Oporto do., 8s. to 9s. do. ; Melons, Valencia. Ss. 6d. to 10s. do. ; Bananas, extra, lis. to 12s. per bunch ; No. 1, 9s. to 10s. do. ; No. 2, 7s. 6d. to 9j, do. ; 0-ang<>s, Valencia, ordinary 420s, ISs. to 20s. per case ; large and extra large do , 22s. to 26s. do. ; Lemons, Palermo, cases of 300, lis. to 14s. ; 360's, 8s. Gd. to 10s. ; boxes of 200, 300, and 360, 5s. 6d. to 7s. Gd. ; do., Naples, cases of 420, 16s. to 20s. ; 300 and 360, 13s. to 15s. ; Grapes, English, new, Is. to 2s. per lb. ; Tomatos, Valencia, Ss. to 10s. Gd. per case ; Onions, Oporto, 4s. to 4s. Gd. per cwt. ; Maltese, baskets, 2s. 9d. to 3s. Zd. per cwt. ; Egyptian, 3s. Gd. to 4s. do. ; Potatos, Maltese, 10s. per cwt. ; Mushrooms, lOrf.'per lb. ; Turnips, Scotch, 2s. 9J. to 3s. per cwt. ; Parsley, Gd. to Sd. per dozen bunches ; Lettuce, Ad. to Sd. per dozen ; Cucumbers, Is. 3d to 3^. do. ; Cauliflowers, Sd. to Is. 3d. do. ; Cabbages, Gd. to Is. Zd. do. ; Peas, Is. -id. to 3?. per bushel. Liverpool : July 25. — Wholesale Vegetable Market. — Potatos, per cwt. : Early Regents, 3s. to vs. ; Kidneys, 4s. 9d. to 6s. ; new, Is. to Is. Sd. per 21 lb. ; Turnips, Gd. to Sd. per 12 bunches; Swedes, 2s. 9d. to 3s. per cwt; Onions, foreign, 2s. 9d. to 3s. 6d. per cwt. ; Parsley, Gd. to Sd. per dozen bunches ; Lettuce, id. to Si. per dozen ; Cucumbers, Is. Zd. to 3s. per dozen ; Cauliflowers, Sd. to Is. id. do. ; Cabbages, Gd. to Is. Sd. do. ; Peas, Is. 4rf. to 2s. per bushel ; Beans, Is. to Is. 3d. do. St. John's: Potatos, new, Id. to l£tf. per lb. ; Grapes, English, 2s. Gd. to 3s. Gd. per lb. ; Pineapples, 5s. each ; Apples, Zd. to Gd. per lb. ; Tomatos, Gd. do. ; Currants, white, 4d. do., and black, 5d. do. ; Goose- berries, 2d. and Zd. per quart ; Peas, Sd, to Is. per p:ck ; Cherries, Gd. to Sd. per lb. ; Cucumbers, 4rf. each. SEEDS. London : July 25. — Messrs. John Shaw & Sons, Seed Merchants, of Great Maze Pond, Borough, London, S.E., report a poor attendance on to-day's seed market, with but little business passing. New Trifolium, both French and EDglish, although good and abundant, metis as yet with but 80 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [July 28, 1900. ittle inquiry. The samples of new home-grown Trefoil which have thus far appeared show unsatisfactory quality. Canary and Hemp-seed, with small and diminishing stocks, favour holders. Some offers of tins year's Thousand-headed Kale are now eomiDg to hand. Blue Peas and Haricot Beans move off slowly on last week's terms, The Weather. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS taken in the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick, London, for the period July 13 to July 21, 1900. Height above sea- level 24 feet. 1900. O 2 O s Temperature of the Air. TEMPERA- ture of the Soil at 9 a.m. * o H At 9 a.m. ■« a E4 U o 4 ■i £ P5 Q O ■s a 43 < a- o •a 43 cV 43 ID 43 44 S!sj a a H r-t c* > o •» B. = "3 PQ & a •3 n 43 ID 43 TO O Si a) n IB o It o ►J m H o deg. deg. deg. deg. ins. deg. deg. deg. deg. Sen. 15 S.S.E. 06-9 5!)-9 80-3 50-5 67-2 633 58-1 41-5 Mon. 16 W.N.W. 762 68 5 91-5 59-7 68-4 635 58-3 51-5 Tues. 17 S.8.W. 70-9 60 9 81-8 59-5 70-0 64-1 58-7 48- 8 Wed. IS S.S.E. 750 648 84-1 543 700 64 7 58-9 45-5 Thu. 19 E.S.E. 78 7 67 591-1 51-5 69-9 65-2 591 40-6 Frl 20 3.S.W. 79-2 68-7,89 8 60-2 71-8 65-5 59-4 57-5 Sat. 21 W.S.W. 06-7 62 8 765 58-7 Tot. 71-1 698 65-9 64-6 59-7 58-9 49-4 Means... 73-4 64-7,85-0 57-2 47 8 Remarks on the 16t maximum — A wee i being shade te kof Jie I ui per ■ery ighe atur hot ( st re ) beil iry fl giste ig91 eath red 1 >for 3r, tl his 1 each e ten rear • day. iperc and ture the GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of tho weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending July 21, is furnished from the Meteorological Office : — "The weather was dull and changeable in the western and northern parts of the United Kingdom, with occasioual falls of rain. In the eastern, central, and southern districts it was mostly fine and warm in the earlier half of the week, but with thunderstorms in many places on the 16th. During the latter half of the period thunderstorms occurred in most parts of England and Ireland, and in some instances they were accompanied by very heavy falls of rain and hail, " The temperature was above the mean, the excess ranging between 4° and 5° in all the more western and northern dis- tricts, but amounting to as much as 6° in the Midland Coun- ties, and 7° in England E. and- S. The highest readings occurred on very irregular dates. In Ireland and Scotland the thtrmemeter did not reach 80°, but in nearly all the Eng- lish districts it exceeded 85°, the highest readings of all being 95° in England, E. (at Cambridge on-the 20th), 92° in Eng- land, S. (in London on the 10th, and again on the 19th), and 90° in England, E., and the Midland Counties (at Hillingdon and Oxford on the 19th). The lowest readings, which occurred mostly during the earlier half of the week, ranged from 45° in Scotland, N., the Midland Counties, and England, S.W., to 52° in Bng'and, N.W., and to 57° in the Channel Islands. " The rainfall was less than the mean in all districts, excepting Scotland, W., and was extremely slight in England, S. In isolated parts of England heavy rains were, however, experienced during the thunderstorms of the 19th to •21st, the amount on the 20th being as large as 1-7 in. at East Dereham, and 1-1 in. at Loughborough. " The bright sunshine was less than the mean in Scotland, E. a»d W., and also in Ireland, S. In other districts it exceeded the mean, the excess being large in the Eastern, Midland, and Southern Counties of England." Jo 'orrecjporwkntr. Agatantbus umeellatus : W. J. O. The best time to divide these plants is at the re-commence- ment of growth in the spring, and the present is the next best season, the plants getting re-estab- blished before the winter. Employ very good drainage, as the plant requires much water whilst growing ; rich, stiffiah loam, decayed manure, an eighth of the whole, and three-quarters coarse river-sand. Pot firmly, and place in the shade at this season. Ampelopsis Veitchi : Constant Header. How can you expect us to decide as to the cause of the decline of health of the plant when you send no shoot, foliage, root, or soil, and afford us no information ? Books : Table Decorations. H. H. ftf. We know of no modern work. That by Miss Anne Hassard, published some twenty years ago, may sometimes be met with at the second-hand book- shops.— H. A. Dr. Focke's work, Die PJlanzen- Mischlinge, was published at Berlin in 1881. Messrs. Williams & Norgate, 14, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, will get it for you. Books on the Cultivation of Grapes and Peaches for Market : Jaelbois. We know of no such works, and would advise you to purchase Vines and Vine Culture, by A. F. Barron, new edition, just out, and published at the office of the Journal of Horticulture, 12, Mitre Court Chambers, Fleet Street, E.C. , also the Hardy fruit Book, by D. T. Fish, published at the Bazaar Office, 170, Strand, London, W.C. Cyanide of Potassium as a Fomigant in Vineries: W. J. L. It is a most effective killing agent, both for garden insects and gar- deners, and you must be very careful not to inhale the fumes. Fuchsia : S. H. Beyond being very light and sandy, the soil sent shows nothing injurious to plants. There may be chemical manures in dangerous quantity mixed with it, but their presence is not discoverable without analysis. Gooseberries : Pad. The fruits were in such a condition when unpacked, that we could do nothing but throw them away as soon as possible. Grapes : /. Benbow. The berries sent have many traces of mildew, which has been destroyed by the flowers-of- sulphur applird by the gardener. There are also indications of the spot fungus. In either case, the affected fruits are spoiled ; preventive measures should be taken as soon as the fruits are set another year, not waiting till mildew or "spot" declare themselves. The safest means is sulphide of potassium, J-oz. in 1 gallon of water. Green -flowered Roses, &c. : R. B. There are green-flowered Roses, but the monstrosity is not confined to any particular species of this very large family of plants. The petals of the flower assume the general appearance of leaves ; the calyx does not differ essentially from the calyces in other Roses. It goes under the name of Rosa viridiflora, and a plant producing green Roses may be depended upon to perpetuate the anomaly. The variety "Camoens," brought out by Schwartz in 1881, in the normal state has the fine rose colour of the China (Monthly Roses), with white rays. It flowers in umbels, and is very floriferous and fragrant. That the flowers should be "green, and slightly brown." shows that the variety is liable to colour, if not to other variations in the blooms. The variety is contained in the Dictionnaire des Hoses. Hawthorn : /. B. The Hawthorn-twigs are in- fested with the larva; of the common gall-making Midge (Cecidomyia). Clip your fences earlier, and burn the clippings. Names of Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number. — D. Bros, Norwich. 1, Brodiaja laxa ; 2, B. hyaeinthina var. lactea ; 3, B. ixioides. — C. B. Dracocephalumperegrinum, L. A. B. B. — W. E. O. Eryngium planum, L. — E. C. C. D. Phacelia congesta, Hook. — X. Y. Z. 1, Spiroea opulifolia ; 2, Tsuga canadensis, probably ; 3, Thuiopsis dolabrata ; 4, Thuya orientalis var. : 5, Cotoneaster nummu- larifolia ; 6, Thuya orientalis var. aurea. — Lover of Flowers. Why not address the editor, and save delay and confusion. Your plant is Limnanthes Douglasii. — Highlands. Strobi- lanthes Dyerianus, so far as we can tell from a single leaf. Why send such a poor scrap? — M. J. W. 1, Spirtea Lindleyana ; 2, Amelan- chier communis ; 3, Spirsea opulifolia : thank you for sending such good specimens and infor- mation— O, si sic omnes ! — W. A. S. 1, Vac- cinium myrtillis ; 2, probably Stachys Betonica ; 3, Lathyrus pratensis— all shrivelled to tinder. — W. M. Oakwood. 1, Melilotus officinalis (Me- lilota, forage-plant) ; 2, Circeia lutetiana, a pest in a garden-border : let it never transgress the limits of the wildest garden) ; 3, Sangui- sorba officinalis ; 4, Melampyrum sylvaticum ; 5, Galium uliginosum ; 6, Veronica offi- cinalis. — W. Trow. Heuchera sauguinea. — Amateur. Oncidium Gardneri ; it and the species you name grow together. — H. M. Asparagus decumbens and Colocasia anliquorum. — E. W. Empetrum nigrum. The Cu-logyne is a fine plant, but has often been figured. — Loofah, J. French. Luffa regyptica. — J. R. W. 1, Correct ; 2, Olearia Haasti ; 3, Doubtful ; 4, Tilia laciniata ; 5, Picea polita ; 6, P. Alcocki- ana ; 7, *Erides odoratum ; no number, Cupressus Lawsoniana. — R. W. 1, Staphylea pinnata, Bladder Nut ; 2, Euonymus europseus, Spindle- tree. — A. J. Keen. Senecio squalidus ; 1 and 2, seedling Veronicas, which we cannot name ; 3, next week.— H. B. B. The Wig-plant, Rhus Cotinus. — /. H. Syringa Josikea, or possibly 5. Emodi, Galega officinalis alba ; Orchid, next week. Nectarines Cracking : X. Y. Z. One of two things has happened. The disbudding has been too severe for a young, vigorous tree, conse- quently there has been no outlet in leaf and shoot- growth ; or, what is improbable, seeing that the fruits are very fine specimens, the border was flooded with water after being for some time in a dry condition. Alternations of dryness and wetness often bring about cracking of the flesh and the stone, both noticeable in your fruits. No disease — merely errors in treat- ment of particular tree. Number of Men Required to do the Work of a Given Number of Forcing-houses : Jaelbois. We fear that if your experience of market gar- dening is so deficient as it seems to be, you cannot succeed in the contemplated venture. Why not enquire of some market growers, or take service with one or two such, for a couple of years '! We cannot answer the query. Parsley : Anxious. The soil sent contains no wire-worms, but it is poor stuff, like that of many kitchen gardens which have been under cultivation for generations and have received no dressings of virgin soil or stiff turfy loam. Such soils seldom give satisfactory results, and animal manure does not help. Apply lime in an un- slaked state, trench deeply, and dress with loam. Apply basic slag and superphosphates. QriCK-sET Hedge: /. W. Chiefly the work of microfungi, but the curious moss-like growth also harbour the larv;e of a species of Cecidomyia, and the branches numerous, examples of the young puparia of the common Mussel-scale (Mytilaspis pomorum). Treat as for above. Quitting Service : Fletcher. In the absence of any written agreement to the contrary, a month's notice on either side is required to terminate an engagement. Squirrels and Fruit : P. B. These animals are often very destructive in fruit-gardens, to which they have access. There is nothing for it but to shoot them, and hang a few of the bodies in the trees. Sulphuric Acid and Tree Leaves, and Vege- table Refuse and Stable Manure : Selsdon. The action of the acid would be to check or entirely prevent fermentation in the substances to which it was applied, and hinder their con- version into plant food. Tomato Disease : C. R. S. Do you never read your Chronicle ? If you had, you would have seen numerous recent articles and illustrations on the subject. The fruits are attacked with a fungus for which you can do nothing this year. Read up the subject so as to be ready for action next year, or ask us for information early in the season. Vines : T. B. Specimens shrivelled, but evidently affected by fungus, probably mildew ; but the berries are not in a condition to judge. Vines: M.S. A case of "spot," often mentioned in the Gardeners' Chronicle. See recent answers to correspondents. Communications Received.— W. Hesketh.— W. G. S.— P. W. — H. T. M.— W. E. G.— W. R. (too late).-J. R. J.— W. T.— J. M. B.— J. H.— W. E. G— W. P.— A. R. S.— L. Hankiu Salmon.-E. M— A. O'N.— W. B. S.— W. M.— J L. W.— J. R. -Expert.— F. C. S., Wolfville, N.S.-A. D.-R. P. B. -S. A.-C. Sharpe & Co.— P.B.— T. C.-B. H.— A. Bateson. —J. Veitch & Sons.—" America."— W. T.— J. M. B.- J. H. — W. E. G.— W. P. o o 03 oo CN P J CO W SI D C* w t/3 ffl w W H B o o CO u i 4, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 81 THE No. 710.— SATURDAY, AUG. i, 1900. CONTENTS. Carnations at Messrs. Peach, the outdoor culti- Jas. Veitch rage DUMFRIESSHIRE . Under Under Average Over; good Under; good v Bad Over ; good Over Over ; very pood Over ; good Over Over ; very Average ; good STRAW- BERRIES. NUTS. NAME AND ADDRESS. Average ; good Average ; good M. H., Mount Stuart House Gardens, Rothesay Avernge;good Over; very Average; very Over; good George McKay, Balloeh Castle Over; very good Over; very good Over ; good Average Average good Over Over; very good Average ; good Average ; good good Average ; good Over; good Over ; good \ - ■ -' 1 ; Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; very good Average ; good Under; bad Average ; good Over; very good LANARKSHIRE Average; good Under; bad Average; good NAIRNSHIRE RENFREWSHIRE Average ; good Good Average Average ; good Under Under Under Under Under Over ; good Very good Under Average ; good Average STIRLINGSHIRE Over; good Average ; good WIGTONSHIRE Average ; good Average ; good Average ; ^ood Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good ENGLAND- 2, England, N.E. DURHAM NORTHUMBERLAND Average Over YORKSHIRE., Over ; very Average ; good good Average Under Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Under ; good Average ; good Average ; very good Average ; good Under ; good Good Under Over; good Under; bad Over ; good Average ; good Over; good Under ; good Over; good I Under Average ; good Average ; very Average ; good good Average Over ; very Over ; very good j 1 Under ; good Over ; extra Average ; bad good j Over; very [Average ; good good Over; good Average ; good Average Average ; good Average Average 3. England, E. CAMBRIDGESHIRE ... Average ; good ESSEX . Under ; good Over; good Over ; good Average Over Over Average Average good; Average ; good Under Under Average Under, good Over; good Over; good Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average LINCOLNSHIRE., NORFOLK . Over ; good Under; good Average ; good Average ; good Over; very good Over Average ; good Average Average Over ; good Average ; good Average ;good Under ; good Average ; good Over; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Average Over ; very good Under ; good Under Average Average ; good SUFFOLK 4. Midland Counties. BEDFORDSHIRE Over; good Over; very good Over Over ; good Average < 'v. st- over ; good Average Under Average Under Average ; good Average ; very good Average ; good Average Good Over ; very good Over; very good Average ; good Average Over ; good Average Average Average ; good Average ; very good Average ; good Over ; Over ; good good Average ; good Over; very good Average ; good Over Over; good Average Average Average Over ; very good Over; good Over; very good Over ; good Average Average ; good Average ; good Average Over; good Over ; very good Average Average ; good Under ; bad Good Under Under Average Over ; good Over ; very good Very good Average ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; very good Good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; very good Average ; good Over Over Average Average Under Average; very Over; very good good Average ; good ' Over ; very good Average Average Over Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Under Average Average ; very good Average ; good Under; good Over ; good Average Average ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Average; good Over ; good Over Average ; good Over ; very good Under ; good Average Average Under ; bad Under Under; bad Average ; good Average ; good. Under; bad Over Average Under Average Over ; very good Over ; good (Average ; very good Over ; good Average ; good Under ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Under Average ; good Average ; good Average; very good Average ; good Over ; good Under Under Under Over ; good O ver ; very good Under ; good Average Over Average ; very good Average Average Under ; bad Under Over ; very good Very good Over; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; good Average; very good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; very good Over; very good Over ; good Average Over ; very 5,ood Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Over Over; very good Over ; very good Average Over; good Over; very good Over ; good Very good Average Over; very good Average; very Over; good good Under ; good Good Over ; very Average ; good Under Average Gardens, Balloeh I). Stewart, Knockderry Castle, Cove David Inglis, Drumlanrig Castle, Thornhill, N.B. John Urquh»rt, Hoddom Castle Gardens. Ecclefechan Robert WiMiart, Burnfoot Gardens, Langholm John Mackinnon, Terregles, Gardens James McDonald, Driffholm Gardens, Lockerbie James Miller, Castlemilk Gar- dens, Rutherglen A. McMillan, Douglas Castle Gardens, Lanarkshire John Anderson, Holme Rose, Fort George Station John Methven, Blythswood, Renfrew Thomas Lunt, Ardgowan Gar- dens, near Greenock Wm. Hutchinson, Eastwood Park Gardens, Giffnock Alex. Crosbie, Buchanan Castle Gardens, Drymen John Bryden, Dunragit James Day, Galloway House Gardens, Wigtonshire R. Draper, Seaham Hall, Sea- ham Harbour James Noble, Woodburn Gar« dens, Darlington P. 8. F., Castle Gardens, Alnwick George H. Ackroyd, Howick Gardens, Lesburv, R.S.O. John McClelland, The Gardens, Ribston Hall, Wetherby Bailey Wadds.Birdsall Gardens, York Geo. Batley, Wentworth Castle Gardens, Barnsley J. Simpson, Studfield House, Sheffield John Snell, The Gardens, Farn- ley Hall, Otley John AUsop, Dalton Holme, Hull J. S. Upex, Wigganthorpe, York A. E. Sutton, Castle Howard Gardens, Welburn S. Keepence, Thirkleby Park Gardens, Thirsk Under Under Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Average Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Under Average ; good Under ; bad Average Average ; verj good Average Average; good Over ; very ' good Over ; very good Under ; good Over ; very good Average Under Over ; good Average Average Over Not many grown. Average Over ; very good Average Under Average Average J. Hill, Babvaham, Cambs. W. H. Gascoigne, Croxton Park Gardens, St. Neots Henry Lister, Easton Lodge, Dunmow, Essex E. Hill, Belmont Castle Gar- dens, Grays H. W. Ward, Lime House, Rayleigh W. R. Johnson, Stanway Hall Gardens, near Colchester C. W. Hodges, The Gardens, Havering Park, Romford James Machar,Bramwoods Gar- dens, Great Baddow, Chelms- ford H. Vinden, Harlaxton Manor Gardens, Grantham John Rowlands, Manor Gar- dens, Bardney Average ; good! Walter Barkham, The Gardens, Uppington House, Stamford J. Coward, The Gardens, Haverholme Priory, Sleaford E. C. Parslow, The Gardens, Shadwell Court, Thetford, Norfolk Wm. Allan, Gunton Park, Norwich John Wallis, Orwell Park, near Ipswich G. W. Eden, Henham Hall Gardens, Wangford H. Fisher, Flixton Hall Gar- dens, Bungay Average Average ; good Good H. Nimmo, Cranfield Court Gar- dens, Woburn Sands, R.S.O. H. W. Nutt, Flitwick, Ampt- hill Ricbard Calvert, Woburn Abbey Gardens, Woburn 88 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 4, 1900. CONDITION OF THE FRUIT CROPS— (Continued). COUNTY. APPLES. PEARS. PLUMS. CHERRIES. PEACHES and NEC- TARINES APRICOTS. ! SMALL , FRUITS. i STRAW- BERRIES. NUTS. NAME AND ADDRESS. 4, Midland Counties BEDFORDSHIRE Average Average Average Under Over ; very Very good Average Under Under George Mackinlay, The Gar- BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. Good Average Over Average good Very good Under Very good Good Average dens, Wrest Park, AmpthilF James Wood, Hedsor Parle, Bnurne End W. Walters, Bulstrode Gardens, Gerrard's Cross John Fleming, Wexham Park Average Average Under Very good Good Und ei- 1 Very good Good Very good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; very Over ; good Under ; very Average ; good Average ; good Under good ' good Gardens, Sloueh Over ; very Over ; very Average ; good Over ; very Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very Over ; very Average ; good J. A. Rogers, Dropmore Gar- good good good good good dens, Maidenhead Over ; good Over ; good Over; good Over ; good Over ; good Under ; bad Average ; good Under ; good Average ; good Geo. Thos. Miles, Wycombe Abbey Gardens Over; good Over; good Over ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; very good W. Hedley Warren, The Gar- Over ; much Over Over ; good Under Over Over ; good Over ; good Over Under J. Smith, Mentmore Gardens, damaged by Leighton Buzzard hail, .July 16 CHESHIRE Average ; good Under Under Average good Average Average ; good Average ; good W. C. B., Moreton Hall, Con- gleton Rpv. C. Wolley Dod, Edge Hall, Over ; good Average ; good Under Average Average ; very Average Average •jood Malpas Over Over Over Average Over Average Under W. Kipps, Walton Lea, War- Average; good Under ; good Over ; good Over Average Average Over ; very good Average ; good rington E. Severn, The Gardens, Com- bernier« Abbev, Whitchurch Over; good Under ; good Over ; good Average; good Average; good Under ; good Over ; good Average ; good Under Charles Flank, Cholmondeley Castle Gardens, Malpas Over ; good Under Under Under Average Average Robt Maekellar, The Gardens, Almev Hall, Cheadle Average ; very Under Under ; good Average Not groivn Under ; bad Over ; very Average ; very N. F. Barnes, Eaton Gardens, good outside good DERBY Average ; good Under ; fair Under ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good W. Chester, Chatsworth Gar- dens, Chesterfield J. C. Tallaek, Shipley Hall Average ; good Under Gardens, Derby Under Under Under Average Under Average; very good Average; very good Average Thomas Keetley, Darley Abbey Gardens, Derby Over ; good Average ; good Under ; bad Over good Over ; very Over ; very Under ; bad F. G. Mills, Glossop Hall Gar- HERTFORDSHIRE Average Average Average over Average ; good Average Under; bad Average good Average Average ; good dens, Glossop Chas. Deane, Cassiobury Ga?- dens, Watford Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Over good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average Thomas Hedley, The Gardens, t Lane House, King's Walden, ' Hitehin Over ; good Average ; good Over good Over ; good Average small Over ; very good Average Average ; good W. Garman. Frythesden Gar- dens, Berkhamsted Over ; good Average ; good Average Average ; very good Average Average ; good Over; very good Average ; good Average; good Edwin Beckett, Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree Over ; very Average ; good Average ; very Average ; good Average ; good Under ; good Over ; very Average ; good Average J. Turk, PonHeld Gardens good good goou Berkhamsted Over; very Average ; good Over; good Over ; good Average; very Under ; but Over ; Average; small Average C. E. Mar.in, TheHoo Gardens, good good good Gooseberries excellent Weiwyn Over Under Over Over Under Thomas Rivers & Son, Saw- bridge worth Average Average Under Over Over Average Under Average G. Norman, The Gardens, Hat- field House Average ; good Under ; good Under ; good Under ; good Average ; good Average ; good Under Edwin Hill, Tring Paik Gar- LEICESTERSHIRE ... Good Under Good Good Bad Very good Very good G. Milford, Egerton Lodge, Melton Mowbray Under ; good Under ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over; very good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Walnuts, under D. Roberts, The Garden s, Prpstwold Hall, Loughboro' Over ; very Over ; very Over ; very Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very Over ; very Over ; very Under ; good W. H. Divers, Belvoir Castle good good good good good good Gardens. Grantham Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Good W. Raines. Cold Overton NORTHAMPTON- Girdens, Oakham SHI RE Over ; good Average ; good Over; good Under ; good Average ; good Under ; good Over ; very good Average ; good W. Duncan, Bosworth Hall Gardens, Rugby Over; good Average ; very good Over ; good Over ; bad Over ; good Under ; very good Over ; very good Under; bad Average ; good H. Kempshall, The Gardens, Lamport Hall, Northampton Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Under ; bad Robert Johnston, Wakefield Lodge Gardens, Stony Strat- ford Mr. H. Turner, Fineshade Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over; bad Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Averaee ; Over ; good .'mall Abbey Gardens, Stamford •Over Aver a ge Over Average Average Over Under Average W. S. Miller, Whittlebury NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. Under ; good Under ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good Under ; good Average ; good' Amos Parr, Holme Pierrepont. Nottingham Over; very Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; Average ; good Under ; bad Under ; good John lyon, Home Farm, good very good Os»ingtnn, near Newark Over ; very Over ; very Average ; good Average ; good, Under ; very Average ; good Over ; good Average ; very Average ; very William Robertson, The Gar- good good good good good dens, Tuoresby Park, Oller- ton, Newark Over; good Average ; good Under ; good Average ; good Under; good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; very good Over ; good J. Roberts, Welbeek Gardens, Worksop Over Average Over Under Average Over Under ; bid Under A. H. P., Lowdham Good Under Under Average Under Good Good A. McCulloch, Newstead Abbey OXFORDSHIRE Over Average; goodi Average ; very good Over ; very j good Average ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Gardens P. O. Knowlfs, The Gardens, Friar Park, Henley-on- Thames Over ; very Average ; very Over ; very : Over ; very Over ; very Under; very Over ; very Average ; very Over ; very John A. Hall, Shiplake Court jfood good good good good good good good good Gardens, Henley-on-Thames Over Under Over ; good Average ; veiy good Average Average Over; good Average ; very good Average A. J. Lcng, Wyfoid Court Gar- dens, R-ading Over; small Average ; good Average Average Over ; good Average ; good Average i James A. Smith, Sarsden House Gardens, Chipping Norton SHROPSHIRE .. Over Under Under Average Average Under Under Ovei Average James Louden, The Quinta Gardens, Chirk Over ; very Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very Average ; good Under Average ; good Average ; good Over A. S. Kemp, Broadway, aood good Shifnal Over ; good Under ; good Average Guod Average; good Over ; good Over; good Average Wm. Weeks, The Gardens, Cheswardine House, Market Drayton Over Under Under Under Average ;good Good Average ; good Under ; good J. Hopwood, The Gardens, Hawkstone, Shrewsbury Average Under Average Average Average Under ; good Over Average ; good Under GL Pearson, Attingham Hall Gardens, Shrewsbury Ai OUST 4, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 87 CONDITION OF THE FRUIT CROPS— (Continued). rni'MY 4, Midland Counties STAFFORDSHIRE Over; very ■j. t Over ; good PEARS PLUMS. I Average ; Rood ( Over; good Under; bad I CHERRIES. WARWICKSHIRE Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over Under Over < Ivor ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good ' Under ; good Over ; very good Average ; very1 Average ; good Under; fair '- 1 Average Under Average Over average j Under ; good Under ; bad Average ; good Average ; good Under; bad Average ; good Over : very good Over: good 5, Southern Counties. BERKSHIRE Average ; good' Over ; good Average ; good ' Over ; very good Over; good [ Over; very good Over ; small Average ; good DORSETSHIRE HAMPSHIRE Average Over Over Average Over Over; very good Over ; veiy good Over ; good , Average Average ; good Under Average Average Average Average Over ; very good Over ; very good Average Average Under; very good Averag* Average Ove: Average Over ; very good Over Over ; very good Over ; very pood Over ; good Over ; very good Average; very good Over; very Over; very ; Over; good guod good Over; good ' Over; good Over; good MIDDLESEX . Over; good 'Average Very good Over ; good Over ; good Over; good Average good Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good ' Over ; good Aveiage ; very' Over ; good good Under Under Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good Over ; very ; Over ; very good good Over; good i Over; very good Over Average ; small Average ; good Over ; good Over Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Average Average Much over Over ; good Average Average ; good Average Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; very good Average Average ; good Over; very good Under ; good Under Morellos average Average Average Average Average Average Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; very tiood Under Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over Average ; good Average Average ; good Over ; good PEACHES and NEC- TARINES. APRICOTS. Average Average ; good Average ; good Umb1! ; bad Average ; good Average ; good Average; good Bad Over; very go^d Averagi . d Average Average Average Over Over ; good Over; good Average ; good Average Under; good SMALL FRUITS. Over ; very good Over ; good STRAW- BERRIES. Average ; good Average NUTS. Over; very Average ; very gocd good Over Average Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good Average Under ; good NAME AND ADDRESS. Gocd Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over; god Average Average Over ; gnod Average ; good Average ; good Over; very good Over ; good Over ; good ' Over ; good I Average Average Average ; good Very good Over ; good Average Over ; very good Over; bad Over ; very good Good Over Over ; good Over ; good Average ; very good Average Average Average Under ; very Under ; good Average ; good good Bad Good Average ; good Average Average ; very , good Good Over ; very eood Very good Over Average Over; very good Average ; very good Average ; good •Over Over ; very fcood Average Good Bad Over Average Over ; very good Over ; good Average ; very goon Average Average ; £ocd Average Over ; very good Over ; good Under Average ; good Under Average ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Over; very good Under Average; small Average ; good Average ; good Average Average ; good Over ; very good Average Average Average Ove- ; good Average ; good Under ; bad Average Average ; good Average ; good Under; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Under Under Average Over; posd Average ; good Under Average ; good Average; good Average ; good Aveiage Under ; good Average Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Average Under ; bad Average ; good Over; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over Over ; very good Average Over Over Over ; very good ! Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Over; good Over ; very good < iver Under ; bad Under ; bad Under ; bad Under; good Over ; very good Average ; good Under Over; good Over ; very good Under Under ; bad Average ; good Average Under Over ; very good Average Walnuts good Over Average ; very good Average Over; good Over ; good Average Under Under Over; very good Average Under Under Over ; vejy good Over; very Average ; good good Very good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Average Average ; good Average Over Over ; good Average Good Over ; good Good Over ; good Average Over ; very good Good Very good Average ; good Average Under ; good Average Under Average Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; very good Over ; good Average Average I Over; very good Over ; very Under ; very good good Under; good Over; good Over Over Average Under ; bad Under; very good Average Very good Average ; good Good Under Average Average Under ; good Average ; good Average ; good Under; bad Under Under Under Much over ; very good Under ; bad Under Under ; bad Average Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average Over; good Average ; good Average Bad Under ; good Average Good Average Under Over; very good Average Over ; very good Average Average Over Good Good Under ' Over ; very ' good Under ; bad ' Average ; very good Average Bad Good Average Average Average Over ; good Average ; good Over; good Over; good Good Good Good Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average Average ' Over ; very good Thos. Bannerman, Blithtield, Rugeley G. H. Green, Enville Gardens, Stourbridge Geo. Woodgate, Rolleston Hall Gardens, Burton-on-Trent J. Wallis, Woore, Newcastle Edwin Gilinan, Alton Towers Gardens, Sioke-on-Treut F. Clark, Teddesley Park Gar- dens, Penkridge Thos. Bridgwater, Middleton Hall Gardens, Tam worth W. Bennett, Rangemore Gar- dens, Burton-on-Trent James Rodger, The Gardens Charlecote Paik, Warwick H. T. Martin. Stoneleigh Abbey Gardens, Kenilworth A. D. Christie, Ragley Gardens, Alcester, R.S.O. W. Masters, Shuckburgh Gar- dens, Daventry J. Masterson, Weston House- Gardens, Shipstou-on-Stour J. Howard, Benham Park Gar- dens, Newbury Win. Fyfe, Lockinge Gardens, Wantage Owen .Tames Coombes, Engle- field Gardens Robe. Fenn, Sulhampstead, near Reading J. Strachan, Rosehill House Gardens, Henley-on-Thames W. Pope, Highclere Castle Gardens, Newbury 0. Thomas, Royal Gardens, Windsor Thos. Denny, Down House Gardens, Blandford John Powell, IlsingtoaGardens, Dorchester T. Turton, Castle Gardens, Sherborne Samuel Heaton, County Council Experimental Garden, New- port, Isle of Wight Arthur Lee, Palace Gardens, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst Wm. Sroythe. Ba&ing Park Gardens, Alton J. W. McHattie, Strathfield- saye, Hants J. Wasley, SherBeld Manor Gardens, Basingstoke J. Bowennan, Hack wood Park, Basingstoke Thos. Leith, Beauvepaire Park Gardens, Basingstoke Noah Kneller, MaUhanger Park Gardens, Basingstoke Walter Jaiman, Pre&ton Hall Gaidens, Aylesford Geo. Woodward, Barham Court Gardens, Maidstone Henry Elliott. The Gardens, Wildernesse Park, Sevennaks George Bun yard, Royal Nur- seiies, Maidstone Geo. Hutt, Lullingstone Castle Gardens, Dartford F. Moore, The Gardens, Blen- don Hall, Bexley Wm. Lewis, The Gardens, East Sutton Park, near Maidstone R. Cannell, Ejnsford Geo. Fennell, The Gardens, Fairlawn, Tonbridge B. Champion, Baron's Place, Merewoith, Maidstone George Lockyer, Mere worth, Maidstone Geo. Wythes, Syon House Gardens, Brentford. W. 3. T. Wright, Royal Horticul- tural Society's Gaidens, Chi s wick H. Markham, Wrotham Park, Barnet W. Bates, Cross Deep Gardens, Twickenham A. R. Allan, Hillingdon Court Gardens, Uxbiidge W. Watson, The Gardens, Hareneld Place, Uxbridge J. W. Miller, Ruxley Lodge, Esher William Bain, Burford Lodge, Dorking A. Dean, Kingston-on-Thsmes T. Osman, Ottershaw Park, Chertsey W. P. Bound, The Gardens, Gatton Park, near Reigate W. E. Humphreys, The Grange Gardens, Hackbiidge, Car- shalton 88 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [August 4, 1900. CONDITION OF THE FRUIT CBOPS— [Continued), COUNTY. 5, Southern Counties. SURREY SUSSEX WILTS . 7, England, N.W CUMBERLAND LANCASHIRE WESTMORELAND .. 8, England, S.W. CORNWALL DEVONSHIRE . GLOUCESTERSHIRE Over ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over Average Good Average Over; good Average Over; good Over ; good O ver ; good Over Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; good Over Average ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Over; good Average ; good Under Over ; good Over ; good Over Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; bad Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; very good Average ; very good Average ; good Over ; very good Average Over ; very good Over HEREFORDSHIRE MONMOUTHSHIRE .. SOMERSETSHIRE , Average , good Over very Average Average Average , good Over Over ; very 1 ;ood good PEARS. Average ; very good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; very good Under Over ; very good Average ; good Over Good Average Over ; very good Over Over Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Under ; fair Average ; good Over ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over Under ; good Average Under Average ; good Average ; good Under Under ; good Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Under ; very good Over ; good Average ; good Over Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; under Average ; good Average Average ; good Average Under Over ; good Good Average ; good Under ; good Average ; good Average ; very good Under ; good Average Over PLUMS. Over ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Over Over Very good Under Average ; good Over Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Under; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Average ; good over Over ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Over; good Over ; very good Over Under Over ; good Average ; good Over; good Over ; good Over ; very good Average Over ; very good Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; very good Over Under Over ; very good Over Average ; good Over ; good Under Over ; good Over ; good Over Over CHERRIES. PEACHES and NEC- TARINES. Over ; very Over ; good good Average ; good j Over ; good APRICOTS. SMALL FRUITS. Average ; imder Good Average Average Average ; good Average Average Under ; good Over ; good Over Under ; bad Average Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over Average ; good Average ; good Average ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Under Average Over ; good Morellos over Under; bad Under ; bad Over ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Average Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over; good Average; good Average ; good Average Average ; good Under Average Average ; good Over ; good Average Average Good Over; good Average Over; good Average ; very good Average ; good Average Under ; bad Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; very good Over ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average; very good Over; good Under ; good ( Over ; good Under; bad ' Over; very good Average ; good Over ; good Good Average Very good Over ; good Under Over ; good ; Over ; good Good i Average ; good : Average; good ! Over; very good Over ; good Over ; good STRAW- BERRIES. Average ; very good Over; very good Average ; very good Average Over ; good Under average Under Average ; good j Under ; very good Average Over ; very good Over ; very good Average Over; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; good good Over ; very ' good Average ; good Under Under; bad Average ; good Over; good Over; good Average ; good Average ; good NUTS. NAME AND ADDRESS. Over ; good i George Kent, Norbury Hall , Gardens, Dorking Average ; good C. W. Knowles, Bagshot Park Average Good Very good Average Over ; very good Average ; very good Over ; very good Over Over ; good Over ; very good Average ; very good Average ; good Under ; very- good Average ; good j Over; very good Average ; very good Average Over ; good Average ; Morellos under Average Average ; good Average ; good Average Over Over Average Under ; good Average Average ; good Over ; good Average Over ; very good Over ; very good Average Average ; very i good Over ; very | good Over Average ; good Over Average ; very good Average Over Average ; very good Average ; very good Average; good Average Under ; bad Average ; good Average Average Over ; good Over ; good Over Over ; good Average Average Over Average Average Average Average Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good . Average ; good Average ; good Average Under ; very good Average ; good Average ; very good Over; very guild Average ; good i Average ; good Over ; good Average Average; good Over Over ; good \ Average ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Average Over : very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; very good Under Over ; very good Over ; very good Average ; i Over ; very Average Over; very good Over; very good Over ; good under Over ; very good Under Under; good Under Under Under good Average ; good Average Average; very good Over ; good Over Average Average ; good Average ; good Under Over ; very- good Under , Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Under; good Average Average Over ; very good Average ; very Over ; good good Under ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over; good Average Over Over Over Over; good Average ; good Average ; good Under Average; good! Over Average; very Over ; good good Under Average ; good Under ; very good Over ; very good Under; bad Average ;good I Average ; good Under ; bad Under Average Under Over; good Under Average ; good Average ; good Average; good Over Over ; good Over Average ; good Over Over Over Average Walnuts over; Filberts under Average Average Filberts over ; i Walnuts under Over ; good Average G. J. Hunt, The Gardens, Ashtead Park, Epsom W. C. Leach, Albury Park Gar- dens, Guildford W. Wilks, Shirley Vicarage, Croydon J. M. Runnacles, Tandridge Court Gardens, Oxted C. J. Salter, Woodhatch Lodge Gardens, Reigate James Walker, Ham Common A. Wilson, Eridge Castle Gardens, Tunbridge Wells Alex. Reid, jun., Possingworth Gardens, Cross-in-Hand E. Burbury, Arundel Castle Gardens W. H. Smith, West Dean Paok Gardens, West Sussex W. BrunsdeD, Brambletye Gardens, East Grinstead Geo. Grigg, Ashburnham Place Gardens, Battle H. C. Prinsep, Buxted Park Gardens, Uckfield Josiah Trollope, Longleat Gar- dens, Warminster T. Challis, The Gardens, Wilton House, near Salisbury G. Brown, Bowood Gardens, Calne E. F. Hazelton, Longford Castle Gardens, Salisbury Alfred Rushiant, Savernake Forest Gardens, Marlborough W. Eatwell, Burderop Park Gardens, Swindon T. Hall, Charlton Park Gardens, Malmesbury A. C. Smith, Eden Hall Gdns., Langwathby, R.S.O. W. P. Roberts, Cuerdon Hall Gardens, Preston Wm. Ashton, Wrightington Hall Gardens, Wigan F. Clarke, Lowtber Castle Gardens, Penrith W. A. Miller, Underley Gar- dens, Kirkby Lonsdale W. H. Bennett, Menabilly Gardens, Par, R.S.O. A. Mitchell, Tehidy Park Gar- dens, Camborne Alfred Read, Port Eliot Gar- dens, St. Germans Charles Page, Boconnoc Gar- dene, Lostwithiel A. C. Bartlett, Pencarrow Gar- dens, Bodmin Andrew Hope, Prospect Park Gardens, Exeter George Baker, Membland Gar- dens, near Plymouth John Garland, Killerton Gar- dens, Exeter James Mayne, Bicton Gardens, Budleigh Salterton Richard Mairs, Shobrook Park Gardens, Crediton Geo. Foster, Glendaragh Gar- dens, Teignmouth C. W. Bloye, Pinhay Gardens, I Lvme Regis jT. H. Slale, Poltimore Gar- dens, Exeter Gei. W. Marsh, Arle Court Gardens, Cheltenham William Nash, Badminton Gar- dens, Chippenham T. Edington, Tortworth Court Gardens, Faltield W. Greenaway, Dodington Gar- dens, Chipping Sodbury W. Keen, BowdenHall Gardens J. Sowray, Highnam Court Gardens, Gloucester A. James, Woolstone Rectory, Cheltenham Geo. Milne, Titley Court Gar- dens, Titley, R.S.O. Thomas Spencer, Goodrich Court Gardens, Ross Thomas Plumb. Shobdon Court Gardens, Shobdon W. F. Woods, Llanfrechfa Grange Gardens, Caerleon Thos. Coomber, The Hendre Gardens, Monmouth H. Townsend, Maindiff Court Gardens, Abergavenny Kidley, Nynehead Court Gardens, Wellington August -t, 1900.] THE GARDENER Sf CHR ONI CLE, 80 CONDITION OF THE FRUIT CROPS— {Continued). COUNTY. 8, England, S.W. SOMERSETSHIRE .. . APPLES. WORCESTERSHIRE . i >vei ; good Under Over bad Average; good PEARS. Over ; good Under Over ; good Under ; very good < >\er ; very Average ; very good Average ; very good Average ; good Over ; good WALES- ANGLESEA BRECONSHIRE CARDIGANSHIRE CARMARTHENSHIRE CARNARVONSHIRE... FLINTSHIRE GLAMORGANSHIRE.. MERIONETHSHIRE . PEMBROKESHIRE . IR ELAND- 9, Ireland, N. CAY AN Average ; very good Average , very good Over : good Average Over ; good Average Average ; good Average Average Average ; good | Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Over DUBLIN . DERRY . GAL WAY. LONGFORD Over Average Over Average Average ; good Over ; good Over ; very good MAYO Average ; good MEATH I Over; good SLIGO Over; very good 1 Over ; good TYRONE Over ; very good Over ; good WEST MEATH WICKLOW 10, Ireland, S. Over ; good CLARE Over; good CORK KILDARE . KILKENNY Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; very good KING'S COUNTY Average ; good LIMERICK Over ; good ROSCOMMON Over; good WATERFORD Average ; good CHANNEL ISLANDS. GUERNSEY' Over; good JERSEY Average ;good Average ; good ISLE OF MAN . Average Average ; good good Over ; good Under; good Over; good Under ; good Average ; good Average ; good Under Average : very good Under Under Under Under Under Over ; very good Under Average ;good Good Over Under ; bad Over Under Under ; good Average ; very good Average Average ; under Under ; good Under ; good Under ; very good Average ; good Over ; very good Under Under Average Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good PLUMS. Over ; good Average Over ; good Average Over; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Under; good Average Over ; good Average Averege ; good Average Under Good Over Average Over; very good Average Average Over CHERRIES. PEACHES ant. NEC- TARINES. Average ; good Average ; good Over ; bad Morel 1 os ave -age ; good Average ; good Under ; good Average ; very good Over; very good Under ; bad Average Average ; good Average ; good Average; good Over ; good Over ; good SMALL FRUITS. STRAW- BERRIES. Over ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very Average ; very good good Average ; good Average Over ; good Under Average ; good Good Average Average ; bad Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Under Under Average Average ; good Over Over Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; very [ good Under ; good j Average ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Under ; good Over ; good Over Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; good Under Over Average Average ; good Over Average Average ; good Under Average Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Average ; good Over Over ; very good Over ; very Over ; good good Under ; bad Average ; good Average ; good [Average ; good Average ; good [Average ; good Under ; very good Under ; good Average ; good Under Over ; good Average Over ; good Average More 11 os average Average ; very good Average ; good Over; good Average; good Under; bad Under; bad Average .Average; good Over ; very Average ; good good Over ; good Over; good Over ; good Average Average Average Average Over ; bad Under Average ; good Over ; good Under ; good Over ; very good Under ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Over ; very good i Over ; good Under; poor Average ; good Average Over ; very good Under; good Over; good Average ; good Average ; good Under Average ; bad Bad Average Over; very good Under Average Over ; good Under; good Under Under Average Under Under ; bad Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Average Over ; very good Average Average ; very Good Average Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Average Over ; very good Over ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over; very good Over; good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Over ; very good Average ; very good Average ; good Average ; good Average Over ; very good Over; very good Over ; very good Very good Very good Average ; good Average Average Over ; very Over ; very good Over ; good Average ; good Over ; good Average Average ; good Over Over ; good Average ; good Over ; very good Over ; very good Average ; very good Under ; good Over ; very good Under; very good Average; very good Over ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Average ; good Over; good Over ; very good Average ; good Over ; very good NUTS. Average Average Under Over Average Over ; good Average Under Over ; very good Average Average ; good Average Average Average ; good Average Over ; very good Under Under ; bad Under ; bad NAME AND ADDRESS. Thos. Wilkins, The Gardens, Inwood House, Henstridge W. Hallett, Cheyne Cottage,. Cossington, Bridgwater John Crook, Forde Abbey Gar- dens, Chard H. Russell, Hindlip Hall Gar- dens, Worcester A. Young, Witley Court Gar- dens, Stourport F. Jordan, Impney Gardens, Droitwich Messrs. White & Tillson, Gt. Hampton Gardens, Vale of Evesham W. Crump, V.M.H., Madres- field Court Gardens, Malvern R. Parry, Llysdulas Gardens, Amlwich C. Hibbert, Craig-y-nos Castle Gardens, Swansea Valley G. Wright, Bronwydd Gardens, Maesllyn, Llandyssil Lewis Bowen, Edwinsford Gardens, Llandilo W. Parker, Neuaddfawr Gar- dens, Llandovery Allan Calder, Vaynol Park Gardens, Bangor Thomas Evans, Gwydyr Castle Gardens, Llanrwst J. Forsyth, Hawarden Castle Gardens, Hawarden A. Pettigrew, Cardiff Castle Gardens, Cardiff L. C, Dunraven Castle Gar- dens, Bridgend Richard Milner, Margam Park Gardens, Port Talbot J. Bennett, Estate Office, Rhug, Corwen W. B. Fisher, Stackpole Court Gardens, Pembroke Geo. Griffin, Slebeck Park Gar- dens, Haverfordwest Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good Over ; good | Over ; very j | good Average ; good Over ; good Average ; good Average ; very Average ; good good Under ; bad i Under ; good Over ; bad Over ; good ■ Average Average ' Over; good Over ; good Over; good Over ; good Under ; good Over ; very good Over ; good Edward Reilly, Castle Saun- derson Gardens, Belturbet John Christie, Lanesborough Lodge Gardens, Belturbet Doran, Clontarf Castle Gar- dens, Clontarf James Lindsay, Ballykelly Thos. Dunne, The Gardens, Lough Cutra Castle Gardens, Gort A. Porter, Woodlawn House Gardens, Woodlawn John Rafferty, Castle Forbes Gardens, Newtown Forbes Patrick Connolly, Cranmore House Gardens, Ballinrobe Moore, Summerhill House Gardens, Enrield Cyrus Moore, Markree Castle Gardens, Collooney James E. Dawson, Lissadell Gardens. Sligo Fred. W. Walker, Syon House Gardens, Syon Mills James Tricudall, Waterstown Gardens, Atblone Average ; good David Crombie, Powerscourt Gardens, Enniskerry Over ; good Wm. Clarke, Castle Crine Gar- dens, Six-mile-Bridge C. Price, Mitchelstown Castle Gardens. Mitchelstown Under F. Bedford, Straffan House | Gardens, Straffan Station Average ; good H. Carlton, Kilkenny Castle i Gardens, Kilkenny Average; good jT. J. Hart, Birr Castle Gar- | dens, Parsonstown Average ;good(W. A. Bowles, Adare Manor 1 Gardens, Adare Terence Rogers, Frenchpark [ House Gardens, Frenchpark ThomasDunii, Strancally Castle Gardens, Villierstown C. Smith & Son. Caledonia Nursery, Guernsey Edwin John Ashelford, Queen's Road, St. Helier J. C. Beeker, Five Oaks, St. Saviours James Murphy, Cronkbourne Gardens, Douglas James Inglis, The Nunnery Gardens, Douglas 90 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Augi'st 4, 1900. EDITORIAL NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be sent to the PUBLISHER. Local News. — Correspondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence of local events likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of horticulturists. Newspapers. — Coy-respondents sending newspapers should lg careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the Editor to see. APPOINTMENTS FOR AUGUST. TUESDAY, Aug. TUESDAY, Aug. WEDNESDAY, Aug THURSDAY, Aug TUESDAY, Auo. WEDNE3DAY Auo FRIDAY, Aug. SATURDAY, Aug. TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, Auc Aug Auc ( Leicester Horticultural Show. » J Paris Exhibition (temporary Show). I Kidderminster Horticultural So- t ciety's Show. 14 /Royal Horticultural Society's Com- ( mittees, Meeting. ,,, ( Eistbourne Horticultural Society's ls'( Show. -,,. T Swansea Horticultural Society's 10 \ Show. 21— Paris Exhibition (temporary Show). /"Shropshire Horticultural Society's 22/ Exhibition at Shrewsbury (two I daysj. „,( Bradford Horticultural Society's " \ Hiow (2 days). ("Upper Strathearn Horticultural So- o- I ciety's Show. " "j Worsley Agricultural and Horti- V cultural Society's Exhibition. 'Royal Horticultural Society's Com- mittees. 8 i Royal Horticultural Society of *" "i Ireland Exhibition. I Brighton and Sussex Horticultural I. Society's Show (2 days). 29 — Harpenden Horticultural Show. on ( Dundee Horticultural Society's su ( Show (3 days). SALE FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. FRIDAY, August 10.— Import:d and Established Orchids, at Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. Average Temperature for the ensuing week, deduced from Observations of Forty-three Years, at Chiswick.— 62 9°. Actual Temperatures: — London.— August 1 (6 p.m.) : Max. 67° ; Min. 59°. August 2 : Fine, warm. Provinces.— August 1 (6 p.m.) : Max. 6 °, Eastern Aun- ties ; Min., 0o", Shetland. _,, „ ., We have an exceptionally abun- The Fruit i j. ix -± rt a . Crops. dant iTuit Crop to report tins year, and the quality is as excep- tional as the amount. Whether this is due to a thorough ripening of the wood last autumn, to the absence of spring frost, or to the currents of the Gulf Stream having been turned more abundantly than usual in our direction, we cannot say. Perhaps, as we have often suggested, we should get at the reason why if some persevering investigator would search our back volumes and throw the information yearly given about the Fruit Crops into some statistical and comparative arrangement. Of course, the records are incomplete — some are purely local, whilst others include the sur- rounding districts accessible to the reporter. The particulars as to climate, altitude, shelter, and soil are not given, and they are so nume- rous and so varied, that accurate conclusions derived from those particular points could hardly be arrived at. Still, setting details apart, our records are now ample enough to allow of general inferences being drawn, and we should gladly help anyone with a taste for statistics who would endeavour to extract from the long series of reports some general conclu- sion. The number of the reports and the wide area (the whole of Great Britain and Ireland) from which they are collected, would serve to counterpoise the errors and imperfections, and enable a fair average to be arrived at. In the appended summary some of the main features are brought prominently under view ; thus, in the case of England and Wales, the details for Apples show 88 "average" crops, 118 cases in which the crop was "over" average, and 7 only in which the crop was deficient. Compare this with last year's figures, when 97 were recorded as "average," 17 as "over " average, and no fewer than 134 as "under " average. Taking Pears in England and Wales, we find 104 recorded as "average," 48 "over," while in 61 there was a deficiency. Last year, the corresponding figures were 47 "average," 5 "over"; while in no fewer than 194 cases the crop was reported deficient. The reports relating to Plums are 73 "average," 108 "over," and 31 "under;" whilst last year the " averages " were 37 ; only 2 were " over," and as many as 199 " under." The record for Cherries shows that 118 re- porters have noted an " average " crop ; 55 mention one above the average, and 30 below. Last year the figures were 100, 56, and 69 respectively, so that the difference between the two years is not great. Small fruits have been, and are, generally abundant ; and even Peaches have yielded a fair crop on walls outside. In the case of Strawberries, the crop has been generally bad, and the fruits were often damaged, and their flavour ruined by rain and unpropitious weather. We could not collect this information without the willing co-operation of our correspondents throughout the Kingdom. For the most part, the same observers have recorded the state of the fruit crops in our columns in each successive year over a long period, so that their infor- mation is the more valuable. To them, on be- half of ourselves and of our readers, we tende>' our hearty thanks. tl O > !2j a o > 3 c-: O >■ tzj c < < p. CD -1 0Q a 9 c CD O S3 a o o — CD ct> i B c CO o CD o o »■» p. ? a. CD i S 1 <§ I o P3 CD CD a. a a Cu B3 > LU CO (X to •_ oj 5* pa *3 9 t1 . CO •J~> CO n "to T-' P B > *— ' l-l '*■*' t> ? x o o o o M -5 o CO > CO OS CD u. CO '4 G "' > 2. 3 p l> ^5* CO -T o ■~ as y 03 -. tr" U2 to —i to * > a m > - — M N> w l*. c. Oi to OJ O V; i : O o *$W 1 OS ■2 to i-> I £.5 ^ S*«3 -I UO to — CJ1 Si *- tO en re Ellis, Hazelbourne, Dorking (gr., Mr. W. S. Barrell), There was a nice group of the plants, and they showed very successful cultivation (Silver Banksian Medal). Mr. Jas. Douglas, Edenside Nurseries, Gt. Bookham, Surrey, exhibited blooms of very choice border Carnations, including The Naiad, yellow ; Nox, crimson ; Monarch, yellow ground with heavy rose-flaked ; Daniel Defoe, yellow with pale rose edgings, &c. Mr. F. C. Fowle, Chrysanthemum Nursery, Teignmouth, S. Devon, showed blooms and plants of a border Carnation named May Stiles, with rose-coloured blooms ; also a yellow ground border variety named Mrs. Prince. Carnation Major Harbord was a fine yellow variety, shown by Mr. W. Allan, Gunton Park Gardens, Norwich. Awards. Begonia Mrs. Andrew Tuxedie.— A tuberous-rooted variety, having white Camellia-like flowers with delicate lemon shading in the centre. From Mr. T. S. Ware, Ltd., Feltham, Middlesex (Award of Merit). Begonia S. T, Wright.— A very beautiful double-flowered tuberous variety, orange colour or salmon-red. The blossoms have very fine petals. From Mr. T. S. Ware, Ltd., Feltham (Award of Merit). Hedychium F. W. Moore was shown by Mr. F. W. Moore, Glasnevin Botanic Gardens. It is a hybrid from H. cocciuea and H. coronaria, and the splendid truss shown bore very numerous large blossoms, with lemon ground colour, shaded buff (First-class Certificate). NympluvixMarliacearubro-punctata — A very showy variety, with large, intensely red coloured flowers. From L. de Roths- child, Esq., Gunnersbury House, Acton (gr., Mr. J. Hudson) (First-class Certificate). Ni/mphtcaxsanquinea.— Flowers large, and deep crimson in colour, and possessing numerous orange-coloured stamens. From Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., Gunnersbury House Gardens, Acton. Pentstcmon strain.— Messrs. Dobbie& Co., Orpington (Award of Merit). Orchid Committee. Present: Harry J. Veitch, Esq. (in the Chair) ; and Messrs. Jas. O'Brien (Hon. Sec), De B. Crawshay, H. M. Pollett, J. T. Gabriel, F. J. Thome, W. H. Young, H. A. Tracy, H. J. Chapman, E. Hill, T. Rochford, T. W. Bond, W. Cobb, J. Colman, C. Winn, and J. Gurney Fowler. An interesting feature at the meeting was a display of the coloured drawings of those Orchids which had received First- class Certificates or Awards of Merit since January, 18!)7, and which now amount to about 400. Sir Frederick Wig an, Bart., Clare Lawn, East Sheen (gr., Mr. W. H. Young), was awarded a Silver-gilt Flora Medal for a group of rare and splendidly grown Orchids, in which were the fine Cattleya x Whitei, Wigan's variety, with four flowers ; Lfelio - Cattleya x Pallas, with four fine flowers ; a grand plant and fine variety of L -C. x Atlanta, L.-C. x Aurora, Lielia x Olivie, Cattleya x Hardyana, C. Aclandhe nigrescens, and other showy Orchids. Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Victoria and Paradise Nur- series, Upper Holloway, staged a group made up of good plants of Cattleya Warscewiczii imperialis, C. Leopoldi, a fine example of Lrelio- Cattleya x Henry Greenwood, Cypripedium x Harrisianuni superbum, C. x Io superbum, C. x macro- pterum, C. X selligerum majus, and Platyclinis filiformis. Messrs. Thos. Cripps & Son, Tunbridge Wells, showed a group of very finely-grown Disa grandiflora, bearing about twenty-five spikes of fine scarlet flowers. De B. Crawshay, Esq., Rosefield, Sevenoaks, again showed his Odontoglossum x Hallio-crispum Crawshayanum, vary- ing from the original, which was raised and exhibited by Norman C. Cookson, Esq., in 1S96. H. T. Pitt, Esq., Rosslyn, Stamford Hill (gr., Mr. Thur- good), showed Cattleya x Hardyana, Rosslyn variety, a very handsome form, which on this occasion demonstrated the instability of the flowers of hybrids, the one flower having the orange-veined lip of C. aurea, aad the other exhibiting the yellow blotches on each side of the lip as in the other parent, C. Warscewiczii. Mr. Pitt also showed Cattleya Gaskelliana Lemoniana, a charming blush-white form, with a slight purple marking on the lip ; and Lselio-Cattleya x Broomfieldiensis. F. W. Moore, Esq., Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, sent an inflorescence of Angrrecum caudatum and other interesting Orchids. John T. Gabriel, Esq., Palace Road, Streatham Hill, sent a pretty form of Phaius bicolor with coppery-yellow sepals and petals, and white labellum marked with rose at the margin. A. H. Bwee, Esq., The Grange, Hackbridge (gr., Mr. Hum- phreys), showed the singular lUilbophyllum Sandcrianum. Mr. Wm. Riches, Stamford Hill, showed a good form of Liclio-Cattleya x elegans. Awards, Cattleya x F. II*. Wigan (Sehilleriana x aurea), from Sir Frederick Wic.an, Bart., Clare Lawn, East Sheen (gr., Mr. W. H. Young).— A very fine hybrid, of the general appearance of C. x Whitei, but exhibiting the characters of C. Schilleriana in a more marked degree. Sepals light rose, tinged with bronzy-yellow ; petals rose colour. Lip purple on the side lobes, yellow in the centre, the front rose, with purplish- crimson veins (First-class Certificate). Cattleya x porpkyrophlebia (intermedia X superba), from Sir Frederick Wusan, Bart, (gr., Mr. W. H. Young).— One of (&/-£* Fig. 25. — British empire pea: bright green, (see p. 96.) the hybrids raised by Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Son, and flowered in 1885. Sepals and petals white, tinged with lilac ; front of lip crimped, and veined with purple (Award of Merit). La:lio-CattleyaxRetnuIa (L. tenebrosao* C. Aclandiie $). — A very distinct hybrid of medium-size growth, from Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. Sepals and petals yellowish, tinged with brown. Lip white at the base and side lobes, front lobe broad, veined and tinged with dark rose ; the margin being nearly white (Award of Merit). Odontoglossum omentum, from F. W. Moore, Esq., Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin. — Flowers small, yellow and brown, and with some resemblance to those of O. cristatum (Botanical Certificate). Cyrtopera ]ilantaginea, from F. W. Moore, Esq., Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin.— Sepals greenish, petals white, forming a hood over the column ; lip white, with purple markings (Botanical Certificate). Phaius bicolor, from J. T. Gabriel, Esq., Streatham Hill. — • Sepals and petals bronzy -yellow, lip yellow at the base, the front white, with light rose markings at the edge (Botanical Certificate). Fruit and Vegetable Committee. Present; Philip Crowley, Esq., Chairman; Jos. Cheal, W. Poupart, A. H. Pearson, A. F. Barron, Geo. Keif, W. Wilks, A. Dean, S. Mortimer, W. Batos, Jas. H. Veitch, Geo. Wythes, F. Q. Lane, Jas. Smith, Ed. Beckett, J. Willard, Geo. Bunyard, E. Shaw Blaker, H. Somers Rivers, and H. Esling. Cherry "Noble" was given an Award bytho Fruit Committee last year, and on this occasion Messrs. W. Ray& Co. exhibited a fine lot of fruits, as well as branches bearing fruits showing exceptional free cropping qualities. The fruits are like those of the Morello, but larger, very firm, and perfectly sweet. It would make an excellent variety for supplying to market, as the quality is <;ood, the fruits large, attractive, and such as would travel well. Eleagnus longipes, branches bearing fruits, as well as a palatable preserve made from them, were shown by Messrs. R. Veitch & Son, Exeter. Early Victoria Apple, a green kitchen variety, was shown by Messrs. Cross & Son, Wisbech. Mr. W. Roupell, Harvey Lodge, showed fruits of Juneating, Mr. Gladstone, and Red Astrachan Apples, grown within a short radius of Charing Cross (Vote of Thanks). Fruits of Rubus leucodermis were shown by the Rev. W. Wilks, M.A., Shirley Vicarage, Croydon. Several seedling Melons were shown for Certificates, but none was successful. One fruit exhibited weighed 13 lb., and was generally considered to be larger than desirable. Mr. O. Thomas, Royal Gardens, Frogmore, showed six fruits of Melon Princess, a variety from Shamrock ? x Sutton's Pink Flesh 6 . The seedling had scarlet flesh and the fruits were of average size, and attractive in appearance. Tomato Waterloo was also shown from Frogmore ; it is a variety from Dwarf Champion? x Frog. Selected £. It appears to be a good cropper, and the deep red fruits, which are of consider- able size, are best perfection type in regard to form. Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nurseries, Chel- sea, made a grand exhibit of Gooseberries, inclusive of 100 varieties. Each of the two new varieties raised by this firm, and known as Langley Beauty, large yellow, and Langley Gage, small, pale-coloured fruits of exceptional flavour, were splendidly repiesented. There were also noticed amongst the yellow, green, or white-fruited varieties Prince Arthur, Early Sulphur, Mount Pleasant, Pretty Boy, Catherina, Pilot, Rumbullion, the richly.flavoured Whitesmith, London 'City, Langley Gage, Sir S. Brown, Bright Venus, Green Walnut, Pitmaston, Green Gage, and Golden Gem. The old Lanca- shire Lad, Lord Audley, London, Warrington, Highlander, Whinham's Industry, and others were conspicuous among the red-fruited varieties. Messrs. Veitch also showed a cross between the Raspberry and Blackberry ; it was named The Mahdi, and was from Raspberry Belle de Fontenay and the Blackberry. It is interesting, but possibly not more useful than either of its parents. Excellenc fruits of the Logan Berry were also exhibited, and of La Versaillaise Red Cur- rants, and of Black Currants, Black Grape, and Lee's Prolific ; also white Dutch Currants. Strawberry The Khedive, from Lord Suftield x British Queen, also from Messrs. Veitch, had a nice flavour, and the fruits, which were rather small, were much pointed in shape (Silver-gilt Knightian Medal). Lord Gerard, Eastwell Park, Kent (gr., Mr. Walters), exhibited a nice collection of fruits, including two fine Melons. Of Grapes there were eighteen bunches, representing the varieties Black Hamburgh, Muscat of Alexandria, Madresfield Court, and Foster's Seedling. There were also Peaches, Cherries, and dessert Tomatos. Of several dishes of Necta- rines, the variety Lord Napier was shown best, the others being small in size (Silver-gilt Knightian Medal). Lecture. ON CHERRIES AND PLUMS IN POTS. In the afternoon a lecture on the cultivation of Cherries and Plums in pots, was given by Mr. H. Somers Rivers, a son of the late Mr. T. F. Rivers, of the Sawbridgeworth Nurseries, Herts, and whom we are glad to see maintaining the traditions of his firm. After explaining the kind of house used for the cultivation of Cherries at Sawbridgeworth, Mr. Rivers went on to say that as soon as the fruits have been gathered, the trees are removed from the house to the open air, and plunged nearly to he rim of the pots. Water is given them when necessary, and they are occasionally syringed overhead. In October they are again removed to the orchard -house, to be prepared for forcing. They should be repotted if necessary into a compost of good loam and rotted manure, to which some old mortar- rubble should be added. Repotting is generally necessary only in alternate years, and when this has to be done, the trees are taken out of the pots, and the soil taken away from the ball of the plants, until the older roots are reached. Some of the younger roots are removed entirely, and the trees are then ready for transference to the new pots. When repotting is not done, the trees are top-dressed instead, previous to which as much of the old soil from the surface and sides as can be removed is taken away. Usually an 11-inch pot is sumcientin size for a tree three years old ; and, if necessary, a pot one size larger may be given each time it is repotted, but 18-inch pots should be the maximum size used. The trees will need but little water after they are re- potted, and none during November or December. In February the trees may be pruned, but some of the older ones having made next to no growth, will not require this attention ; but young shoots should be cut back to five or more eyes. The pots are plunged into the border of the houses, and under the base [of each pot is placed a bed of 98 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 4, 1900. cinders. The house should be fumigated as a prevention of aphis, &c. When the stoning stage has been passed, the fruits may be thinned, and finally the bunches may contain from six to sixteen or twenty fruits each. A single flow and return hot-water pipe will suffice to protect the trees from spring frosts. Water must lie given very carefully until the leaves are developed. When water- ing the roots of the trees, damp also the path, to induce a moist atmosphere. Liquid-manure will be needed twice a week after the fruits have commenced to swell, and two top-dressings with manure, or a very rich compost may be given ; the first when the fruits have finished stoning, and the second when they commence to colour. The thouts may be pinched back to eight or ten leaves. Black-fly must be combated, and even during the flowering stage the house could safely be fumigated with the XL-AU vaporiser. In giving a selection of varieties for culti- vation in pots, Mr. Rivers said that Early Rivers was an ideal Cherry. The fruits are black, very sweet, and will hang one month after ripening. As the audience were invited to taste this Cherry, they had an excellent opportunity to appreciate its delicious quality. Plums. The details in the cultivation of the Cherry in pots, said Mr. Rivers, were also those needful in the case of Plums. Indoors, where they are safe from the birds, Plums will hang very long, especially the late sorts, and when they shrivel they become bags of honey. A selection of varieties was quoted, .and their season of ripening given, commencing with Stint, Early Prolific, Czar, and Oullln's Golden Gage, and ending with Primate, and Rivers' Late Orange. Mr. Rivers added that the Japanese Plums had not yet proved themselves to be of much use for cultivation in English gardens. A few remarks were made by Mr. G. Bunyard of Maidstone, and Mr. Roupell. MANCHESTER AND NORTH OF ENGLAND ORCHID. July 19.— Present: Messrs. G. S. Bill, W. B. Upjohn, Chas. Parker, J. Robson, P. Weathers (Hon. Secretary). As is always the case at this time of the year, theie was a small meeting, and only a few plants were brought before the committee. Messrs. Charlesworth & Co. exhibited a very good form of Cattleya Eldorado, which received an Award of Merit. T. Baxter, Esq., Morecambe (gr., Mr. Robert-), staged a few Odontoglossums, two of which, viz., O. Coradinei var. pallida, and a good form of O. Pescatorei, Oakfield var , received Awards of Merit. Mrs. Brigos, Bury, Accrington (gr., Mr. Wilkinson), exlr- b'.ted Cypripedium Lawrenceanum Hyeauum, Bank House var., a very good form (First-class Certificate). John Cowan & Co., Ltd., Gateacre Nurseries, staged avery handsome lot of Dendrobium Phalrenopsis var. Sehroderae, for which a Silver Medal was awarded. At this time of year, a group as good as this one would be very hard to find. Mr. J. RoBson received a First-class Certificate for L;elio- Cattleya X Admiral Dewey, Robson's var., a very noble and handsome hybrid, with a rich velvety crimson lip. 1'. W. READING AND DISTRICT GAR- DENERS' MUXUAL IMPROVEMENT. July 24.— The annual outing of the above Association was held on the above date, and proved a great success. The outing took the form of a river-trip to Henley, when, by the kind permission of P. C. Crisp, Esq., and Mrs. Noble, visits were made to Friar Park aid Park Place. The party in- eluded the President (C. B. Stevens, Esq.), Messrs. Fry (Chairman), and Hinton (Vice-Chairman). A special privi- lege, which was great1}' appreciated, was the opportunity ot inspecting Mrs. Noble's wonderful collection of foreign birds. The ramble ended, ani tea partaken of, the boat started for Reading, which was reached about 0 p.m. The arrangements made by the Hon. Sec. left nothing to be desired. ROSE SHOW AT CARLISLE. July 24.— The Carlisle ard Cumbeiland Horticultural Society held an exhibition of Roses and other flowers and fruit in the Public Markets in that city on the above date. The show was strikingly pretty and successful, for it was helped not only by gardeners at mansions in various parts of Cumberland, but by displays from Messrs. Dickson & Sons, Dublin ; and Messrs. D. & W. Croll, Dundee : ani stands of Roses, plants, &c, on exhibition from Messrs. Little & Ballantyne, Knowefield ; Messrs. Clarke Bros., Scotch Street ; Messrs. E. F. Fatrbairx & Sons, Edentown ; Mr. Hugh Dickson, Chester; Messrs. Croll, jDundee ; Messrs. Kerr Bros., Dumfries; and Messrs. Laing & Mather, Kelso, added much to the appearance of the show. The finest twenty-four H.P., distinct, were shown by the Rev. J. H Pemberton, of Romford. Each Rose stood up clear and bright, without imperfection, each one a study in itself. There were remarked very fine blooms of Francois .Mi< helon, Comtesse de Ludre, ' armine-red, large ; Marie Rady, Ulrich Brunner, Caroline Teslout, Danmark, Kaiserin Augusta. V.cto.'ia, Cjinte Rairnbaua, Mrs. John Laing, ■Etiennc Levet, Ethel Richardson, Duchess of Bedford, Marie Ba.uma.nn, rich carmine crimson ; Charles Lefebvre, velvet, shaded crimson ; E. Y. Teas, Mrs. John Laing, Ulrich Brun- ner, and A. K. Williams. In his fifteens, twelves, and sixes, Mr. Pemberton was equally successful. Local gardeners were more to the fore in the herbaceous classes, and those for Carnations, Begonias, table plants, and in the fruit section. It can be imagined what a fine display of Roses the pro- fessional growers made when it is stated that there were five entries in the class for seventy-two hybrid perjjetuals, dis- tinct varieties, six in the class for thirty-six blooms, five in the class for twenty- fours, and so on. The collections of herbaceous plants were worthy of more than passing notice. In one class, for tables 0 feet by 3 feet, Judge Steavenson's gardener had arranged a charmingly varied table of Iris and other Lilies, Delphinium, blue and yellow Violas, &c. Numerous ladies entered the competition for baskets of Roses, and it was won by Miss Ada Bendle, who had made tasteful use of five varieties of blooms and buds ; the Misses Sale being 2nd and 3rd. NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM. July 25. — On the above date a party numbering 150 persons, composed of some of the office -s and members of the Society, paid a visit to Halton, Tring, on the invitation of Alfred C. de Rothschild, Esq., by whom they were most hospitably entertained. Leaving Baker Street station by special train, on the Metropolitan Railway, at 10.30 a.m., the party was conveyed to Wendover, where conveyances were waiting to proceed to Halton. Dinner was served in a spacious tent in the grounds, Mr. Percy Waterer in the chair. During the afternoon, visits were mad? to the Swiss Chalet and other parts of the grounds, then followed tea, and an inspection of the glasshouses and the gardens about the residence of Mr. R. C. Sanders, the gardener at Hilton. The return .journey was made at 8 o'clock, and Baker Street reached by half-past nine. It was one of the most successful outings held by the Society, and though the heat was greaf, there were pleasant and cooling currents of air on the high ground above tha mansion. BRISTOL AND DISTRICT GARDENERS' MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSO- CIATION. The monthly meeting of the Association was held at St. John's Parish Room, Redland, on Thursday, July 2->, when a large number of members was presided over by Mr. A. J. Hancock. The subject for the evening was "Sweet Peas," opened by Mr. J. C. House, of Coombs Nurseries, Westbury- on-Trym. In opening the subject he paid a tribute to the efforts of Mr. H. Eckford, of Weni Mr. House claimed for Sweet Peas an attractiveness and usefulness for all forms of H .ral decoration, to be found in hardly any other flower, and gave very clear details as to the methods of culcure likely to secure the best results, urging the need of planting thinly, firmly, and in well-manured giound. He also give many useful hints as to sticking, applying water, and shade, closing with a list of the varieties he thought the best tor ordinary aud exhibition culture. Mr. House's lecture was much appreciated, and a vote of thanks to him for his attendance was carried by acclamation. NEWPORT AND MONMOUTHSHIRE HORTICULTURAL. July 26. —This Society held its annual show in the King Hill Field, Newport, Monmouthshire, on the above date, and favoured by fine weather, plenty of exhibitors, and the efforts of an enthusiastic secretary and committee, it resulted in a great success. TLANTS. Flowering Plants 0} tlie Stove and Greenhouse were as usual excellently shown by Mi. J. Cypher, of Cheltenham, who was an easy 1st with six specimens, viz., Stephauotis floribunda, Bougainvillea glabra, Erica Irbyana, Altamanda nobilis, Static? profusa, and a Kalosantlies. W. J. Buckley, Esq. , Ten-y-far, Llanelly (gr, Mr. , Carpenter), who was L'ad, had smaller well-flowered plants of Ixora Barbidgei, FrancUcea calycina major, &c. In a class for four plants, Col. Wallace, Chesterholm, Newport '(gr., Mr. Powell), was a good 1st, with Euchaiis grandiflora, Clerodeniron Balfouriana, Allammda 'nobilis, and Rondeletaa speciosa major. J. Pickford, Esq. (gr., Mr. Taylor), wdio was 2nd, had excellent Authurium Schirzeri- anum, Allamanda nobilis, and Dipladenia splendens. Foliage Plants.— Tilr. Cypher was again 1st amongst four exhibitors for six ' ornamental foliage plants, with fine specimens of Codiaaums angustifoliura and Queen Victoria, Keutias Belmoreana and Fosteriana, Cycas undulata, and Latania borbonica ; W. J. Buckley, Esq, was again 2nd, .with good Codiaaums, Palms> &c. Eleven exhibitors staged in a class for six table plants, and competition was close. Dracaenas, Codiaaums, Palms, and Aralias, being the plants chiefly utilised. Dr. S. Thomas, Clytha Park, Newport (gr.,Mr. Lewis), was placed 1st; and C. H. Bailey, Esq , Stelvio, Newport, 2nd Classes were provided for Ferns, Gloxinias, Petunias, Orchids, zonal Geraniums, Caladiums, Achimenes, Begonias, and others ; and many excellent subjects of this description were staged. Groups.— These were splendidly exhibited, forming a fine feature of the show. For one placed within a circle 11 feet in diameter, W. J. Buckley, Esq., was deservedly 1st, with a light, graceful arraugeraent, consisting chiefly of Huineas, Palms, Codiaaums, Dracamas, Eulalias, and Ferns, Cattleyas, Cypripediums, Dendrobiums, and tuberous-rooted Begonias, edged with Fittonias and Oplisinenus Burmanni; C. H. Bailey, Esq , was 2nd, with a similar although slightly more heavy arrangement. For a group arranged in semicircular form, and covering 50 square feet, four contestants engaged, and here Col. Wallace was adjudged 1st, with a number of tastefully- arranged plants, including Palms, Codiaaums, Dracaenas, and Coleus, enlivened with Orchids, Lilies, and other flowering subjects, fringed with Adiantum capilhu-veneris, and blue Lobelia, and having a background of cork, draped with Lyco- podiums, Caladium argyrites, Ferns, &c. ; the 2nd prize fell to Mr. Ansalde, of Cardiff. TABLE DECORATIONS. A tent was davoted to these classes, which were open only to ladies. The tables were round, and laid for eight persons, and a very attractive display was made. Amongst seven competitors, Mrs. Firbank, of Glenlisk, with a pretty arrangement of Cattleyas and Yellow Iceland Popples, relieved by Gypsophila paniculata, and Myrsiphyllum, and lighted by fairy lamps under glass shades, was placed 1st; Mrs. Earle Marsh coming t-'ud, with a patriotic display of red, white, aud blue, the colours being found in scarlet Pelargoniums, white Sweet Sultan, and Sweet Peas and Delphiniums, Adiantum fronds being used as a foil to the blossoms ; Mrs. Woodcock was a good 3rd. COT FLOWERS. Roses, Hybrid Perpetuals, twenty-four distinct.— Mr. S. Tre- seder, Cardiff, showed excellently in this class, and was 1st, his best blooms were Her Majesty, Duke of Wellington, Duchess de Morny, M. E. Y. Teas, Marie Baumann, Auguste Rigotard, Earl of Dufferin, and Marchioness of Londonderry ; Mr. Croslino, fenarth, was a good 2nd, with Mrs. J. Laingi Her Majesty, Marchioness of Dawnshire, Ulrich Brunner, Alfred Colomb, Helen Keller, &c. Teas, twelve distinct.— Here again Mr. S. Treseder took the lead, with good blooms of Maman Cochet, The Bride, Mare- chal Neil, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Madame Hoste, Medea, &c. Mr. Crosi.inc was a close 2nd, with Hon. Edith Giffard, Ernest Mel z, Anna Olivier, Catherine Mermet, amongst his best blooms. Sweet Pels were effectively staged ina space 9 feet by 3 feet. Messrs. S. Treseder, R. Croslino, and Basham of Bas- saleg, being the successful exhibitors ; and with Carnations and Picotees, Mr. William Treseder, of Cardiff, was 1st, with splendid blooms, several fine seedlings bain* remarked amongst them. MisccUaneotu.— The classes devoted to fruit and vegetables were well filled with exhibits of average quility. The trade exhibits were amongst the best features of the show, and of these Mr. Basham, of Bassaleg, tilled the centre of a tent with heavily-fruited trees of Apples and Pears growing in pots, Cordon Gooseberries in much variety, and a miscellaneous collection of plmts. Mr. Heath, of Cheltenham, bad a collection of Orchids, and a group of choice tuberous rooted Begonias, certificates being awardei to Begonia Mrs. Pil- linger, a large double-flowerei white; Mrs. Percy H. Harris, a fine double-flowered Primrose ; and Mons. Fossatt, double- flowered blush-white. A large and splendid lot of border Carnations was shown by Mr. William Treseder, of Cardiff, who gained Certificates for Mrs. H. O. Fisher, tine scarlet self; Lady Morel, yellow, fine ; and Lady Hill, large apricot flake. T. C. MIDLAND COUNTIE3 CARNATION AND PICOTEE. August 1.— This exhibition was held in the Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston, Birmingham, and bright but refreshingly cool weather prevailed after mid-day. As usual, a large com- pany came to see the blooms. It was generally thought to be the best exhibition ever held by the Society. The entries were unusually numerous, and the blooms were of high quality. The white-ground bizarre and flaked Carnations lacked size and substance ; the fact that they are the earliest to bloom caused them to suffer severely from the high tem- perature which prevailed during the second and third weeks in July. The white-ground Picotees were decidedly supeiior, and the yellow-grounds and fancies, with the sel's, really superb. There was a large and keen competition in all the classes for cut blooms. The chief honours were taken by the Bir- mingham growers, Messrs. R. C. Cartwuioht ami A. c W. Jones, as representing the amateurs; and Messrs. Tomson ffl Co., A. R. Brown, and R. Sydenham, among the traders. The Sydenham Amateurrs' Challenge Cup was again won by the holder, Mr. R. C. Cartwright, and becomes his absolute property. Tne Midland Counties Challenge Cup competition for traders was won by Mr. A. W. Jones, and lie becomes the holder for tin next year. A fuller report w.ll appair in our next issue. Ai Ql ST 4, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 00 PEONY " lu the Province nf Suohue. near to Chungking, grow certain flowers called Meutang, in high esteem amongst them, anil therefore called the King of Flowers. It differs very little in fashion from the European Kose, but is much larger, and spreads its leaves further abroad. It far surpasses the Ris9 in beauty, but f ills short in richness of scent. It has no thorrs or prickles, is generally of a white colour, mingled with a little purple, yet there are some that are yellow and red. This flower grows upon a bush, and is carefully cherished and planted in all gardens belonging to the (irandees for one of their most choice flowers." An Embassy from the Eait-hulin. Company of the. United Provinces to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emptrour of China, 1CG9. ©bituarp. MRS. Barlow.— The death of this lady, at Shimdda-hir, Llandudno, on the 2/ith ult., at tho age of 73 years, is announced. Those who had the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with the late Samuel Barlow, formerly of Stakehill House, Middleton, and visited him iu his lifetime, will have kindly remembrances of the genial hospitality shown tbem by Mrs. Barlow, on the occasions of not a few memorable floricultural gatherings. The Weather. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS taken in the Royal Horticultural Society's OardenB at Chiswick, London, for the period July 22 to July "2i, 1900. Height above sea- level 24 feet. 1900. a n Temperature of the Air. Tempera- turk of tbe Soil at 9 am. o H is o. o o 5 H s a < 1 3 as E At 9 a.m. > < o r to a H n o * o p. at at •o a < «> £ < d a n •a at £ < < - -3 s a H at H * O A •3 a b a "3 03 fs deg. deg. [dog. dog. tns. deg. deg. deg. deg. SDK. 22 W.S.w. 60-6 62-S79-5 58 6 70-8 65-9 59-9 5S-3 Mon. 23 W.N.W. 72-4 66-0 84 0 67 3 71-5 65-9 60-1 65-5 TtJKa. 24 W.S.W. 780 69-587-2 59-S 72-3 66-3 60-3 52-7 Wed. 25 8S.W. SO 0 68-591-7 5S-4 727 66 7 60-5 51- 0 Tbd. 26 W.N.W. 73'1 62 5 79 8 59-2 73-5 67-2 60-7 580 Pri. 27 E.S.B. 73-7 62 3 77 8 61-8 0-53 72-5 67-3 61-0 52-3 8AT. 2S 8.S.W. 65-7 63 176-3 60-8 Tnti. 69-5 66-9 61-2 58-2 Means. .. 73-2 65-0 82-3 1 608 053 718 60-6 60-5 56 6 Remarks.— The very hot weather during the first part of the week culminated in a heavy thunderstorm on the 27th, when about one-half inch of rain fell ; it. has been much cooler since that date. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending July 28, is furnished from the Meteorological Office : — '• The weather during this week was again dull and rather rainy in the north-west of Ireland and over Scotland ■ el«e where it continued very fine and dry until Friday 'wheii severe thunderstorms occurred over England and some parts of Ireland. Very heavy rains and thunderstorms wire ex- penenced also at many of the Irish stations on Saturday. -The temperature was s'ill higher over the greater part of England than during the preceding week, and again ex- reeded the average in all districts. In England E the excess was as much as 9°, and in the Midland Counties and Engtand, 8., 8° j while it ranged from 6° in England, NE and 8. W., to 2° in Scotland, N. and E. The highest of the maxima were registered on the 25th in most parts ot England but on irregular dates over Ireland and Scotland Tliev were as high as 92' in England, E. (at Cambridge), 91= in England, 8. (in London), and 89" in the Midland Counties • they varied from 84' in England, N.E. and the Channel Islands, to 75° in Scotland, W. , and 72= in Scotland, N The lowest of the minima weie recorded, as a rule, on the 27tb and raDged from 60° in the Channel Islands, and 55' in England, 8., to -H in Ireland, N. The- minima orer El were unusually high, especially during the earlier part oi the week. " The rainfall exceeded the mean in Scotland, E and over Ireland, bit was less than it elsewhere. During the early morning of Saturday, the fall over Ireland was very heavy, amounting to 2 1 1 Inches at Phosaix Park, Dublin, lis" in. in Dublin City, and to more than au inch at some otloi stations. At Killani'-y, tho fall (which occurred later in the day) amounted to -t-23 inches. " The bright lunthlne was considerably iQ excess generally, but in defect over Bcotlanl and the north of Ireland. The percentage of the possible duration ranged from l in England, E . and .'!> in England, 8., to 3S in England, N.E., 34 in Ireland, S., and between 17 and 25 in Scotlaud." CATALOGUES RECEIVED. Ellwanoer x Od. crispum Cooksoni $ . The type being the progeny of two heavily-blotched forms, has much more marking than my variety, which, from having an unspotted crispum for the male parent, is to be expected. The yellow ground of Cattleya Rex. When Messrs. Linden originally introduced this pretty Cattleya, it was thought that it might pos- sibly be a form of Cattleya Oowiana, though in growth, and in the markings and arrangement of the flowers, it seemed Morally distinct. But little variation, however, has appeared from the type- plant ; and it is now generally admitted to be distinct. A tine form of it, bearing a four-flowered inflorescence, is in flower in the Right Hon. Lord Rothschild's gardens at Tring Park, Tring (gr. , Mr. E. Hill). In the general form of the flower there is a suggestion of Cattleya maxima, the labellum being more like that of C. maxima than C. Dow- iana. The sepals and petals are light yellow, the crimped-edged lip marked with rosy-crimson. Cypripedium x Abessa. An illustration and description y Mr. Oakes Ames of this hybrid Cypripedium, which was obtained by crossing C x Euryale with the p lien of C. barbatum var. illustre, is given in the issue of American Gardening for July 21. The cross i-i interesting, as C. x AbesBa shows in a marked degree indications of three specieB, viz , C. super August 11, 1900.] TILE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 103 biens and [C. Lawrenceanuin, the parents of ( '. X Euryalus ; and C. barbatum var. illustris, the polleu- parent in j_tliia instance. The author remarks : " The^cro«s recorded above was made about three years ago,' with an idea of ascertaining what effect the variety of C. barbatum used would have. The result' has 'proved | highly interesting and instruc- tive, and show that |in some cases varieties will transmit those qualities to'jwbich varietal terms are due." p. 291), from whom we borrow these particulars, makes two forms : the one of northern distribution with no proper stem, the other of southern habitat (Mexico), with a more or less tall stem and thinner leaves. It is found in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and California, where the fruits are eaten as Dates, and preserved by the Indians for winter consumption. The natives of Arizona are said also to stew the fl _>wer-buds,and rind them palatable and nourishing. Fig. 27. — yucca baccata in mk. ewbaxk's garden, ryde, isle of wight. YUCCA BACCATA. This species now or recently flowering in Mr. E-wbank's garden, near Ryde, Isle of Wight, belongs to the group founded by Engelmann on the fleshy character of the fruit. The leaves are spine- tipped,lthickan3 rough ; and the margin is broken up into fine threads. The panicled inflorescence has lanceolate, whitish bracts ; the stamens are spreading, and the purple fruit is ovate, about the size of a hen's egg. Engelmann (Botanical Works, The fibres of the leaves are used for cordage ; the trunks in the Mexican form are used for palings, and the tender top of the stem is roasted and eaten. Engelmann gives thefollowing arrange- ment of the species : — Sarco- Yucca : fruit succulent. Y. aloifolia, L., south-east and south. Y. yucatana, Engelmann, south. Y. guatemalensis, Baker, south. Y. Treculiana, Carriere, south-west. Clisto-Yucca : fruit dry, iudohisceut. 7. Y. brevifolia, Engelmann, south-west. S. Y. gloriosa, Linn., south-east. Ch.-eno-Yucca : fruit capsular, septicidal. n. Y. rnpicola, Sch., south-west. 1'). Y. augustifolia, Pursh, west and south-west. 11. Y. filamentosa, Linn. , south-east. Hespero-Yucca : fruit capsular, loculicidal. 1?. Y. Whipplei, Torrey, south-west. The terms west, south-west, &c, refer, of course, exclusively to the North American continent. The features which are relied on to distinguish the characters are mainly taken from theleavesand seeds. Yuccas are among the most decorative of plants ; their stout foliage and noble panicles of creamy- white flowers compelling admiration. Some of them, like the old gloriosa and Y. filifera, are hardy. Indeed, we have known tbem to grow and flower for years in one of the grimiest parts of East London. The structure of the leaves explains its powers of resistance. In some gardens it is the practice to tie up the old leaves in winter so as to protect the central bud ; but we have seen so much rotting of the base of the leaves in such cases that we cannot recommend the practice. Sometimes the flower-bud is formed too late in autumn to come to perfection ; iu that case, it may be protected by a little bracken thrown over it, when it will flower the next summer. Till Mr. Ewbank told us of the fact, we were not aware whether Y. baccata had flowered in this country or not. Our illustration (fig. 27) is taken from a photograph which was obligingly placed at our disposal by the Editor of the Garden. i. 5. Y. baccata, Torrey, south-west. G. Y. Schotti, Engelmann, south-west. THE THREE SHOWS OP THE NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY. The Rose season has been this year, in most parts of the country, a very trying and dis- appointing one. In the first place the frosts and cold winds at the end of April and in the middle of May, caused a large proportion of the shoots to become "blind." In fact, at the Temple Show, on May 23, I came across only one Rose-grower who did not take a more or less desponding view of his prospects for the coming season. A little later od, when the blind shoots had been removed, a sufficient number remained, at all events from an exhibitor's point of view, with satisfactory young buds at the ends of them. These young buds day by day improved, and as the plants continued healthy and strong, delightful dreams of magnificent flowers in time for " The National," as the leading exhibition of the National Rose Society is familiarly styled, were freely indulged in. But alas, those glorious visions were never to be realised, for cold weather set in and kept the buds almost at a standstill for at least a fortnight. This cold spell was im- mediately followed by such a burst of tropical heat as is seldom experienced in this country, with the result that the flower- buds were forced prematurely into bloom, and consequently came in most cases undersized and of poor substance. In spoiling the season, the Jane cold had, however, far more to answer for than the July heat. This preface respecting the weather conditions under which our Roses were grown this year is necessary, in order that the following notes on the National Rose Society's three exhibitions may be clearly understood. Salisbury. We will first consider the Salisbury show. Although the fixture was an unusually late one, June 27, the number of blooms of exhibition Roses n as smaller than at aDy previous southern show, vi 1160 blooms. That the backward season was almost entirely accountable for this small display is shown by the fact that no exhibitor came from any town further north than Cambridge. Added to this, the exhibitions held on the same day at Richmond and Southampton still further reduced the number of Roses staged. With very few exceptions, however, the exhibitors remained loyal to the National Rose Society ; even those who were 104 THE GABHENEBS' CHRONICLE. [August 11, 1900. showing elsewhere in moat cases came down them- selves with Eoses to Salisbury. The spot on which the show was held was one of the most charming that could have been selected — in a meadow at the back of the Bishop's palace, and under the very shadow, as it were, of Salisbury's splendid cathe- dral. The redeeming feature of the show, as regards exhibits, was the magnificent stands of " garden " Roses at one end of the new and spacious tent provided by the local committee. Although the weather was warm and bright, most of the flowers retained their freshness throughout the day. Crystal Palace. The Society's Metropolitan Exhibition took place as usual at the Crystal Palace, filling very nearly the whole of the north nave. It was a large show, the number of blooms of exhibition varieties ex- ceeding the average number for the five previous Crystal Palace Kose Shows by 540. It was also more extensive than either of the two preceding exhibitions. The actual number of exhibition blooms staged amounted to 6,500. There were some fine stands, but taken as a whole, the quality was not equal to what we expect to see at our National show ; this, however, as has been before explained, was entirely due to the backward and untoward character of the season. Judging by the exhibits, the most favoured parts of the country this year appear to have been such counties in the west of England as Hereford, Somerset, Gloucester, and Worcester. To give some idea of the extent of the show, I may state that there were no fewer than ninety-nine exhibitors who staged altogether 400 stands of flowers. Twenty-five English coun- ties were represented, the most northerly of these being Nottinghamshire. Three exhibitors came from Ireland, but the season was too backward to allow of any Scotch rosarians putting in an appear- ance. We do not ever remember a Crystal Palace Rose Show in which everything worked quite as smoothly, for this, great credit is due not only to Mr. Caselton, the garden superintendent of the Crystal Palace, but also to the Society's stewards who took charge of the various sec- tions of the exhibition. When we consider the number of exhibitors, the extent of the show, and that the whole of the judging was completed by the sixty-six judges engaged in less than an hour ; this may be regarded as highly creditable to all concerned— stewards, exhibitors, and judges alike. Birmingham. The Society's northern exhibition was held in the conservatory attached to the beautifully-situated gardens of the Birmingham Botanical and Horti- cultural Society at Edgbaston. But for the great heat which prevailed both before and at the time of the exhibition— for the show was held on July 19, one of the hottest days of the present summer, this would undoubtedly have been the best Rose Show of the year. As it was, the exhibition proved a fine and extensive one. The number of blooms of exhibition varieties staged amounted to 3,730, or 300 in excess of the average number for the previous five northern shows, but 500 less than at the largest provincial show ever held by the society, which took place in the same gardens in 1S90. The exhibit of ' ' garden " Roses was a note- worthy feature of this show. Only a few years ago these so-called "garden'' Eoses were only to be met with at our early exhibitions, but now that so many charming varieties other than summer- flowering kinds have been introduced, it appears they can be shown as late in the season, and as well, as the exhibition Roses. At both provincial shows the arrangements made by the local committee were as complete and satisfactory as could possibly be wished, and few are aware how much the success of an exhibition depends upon maDy small but important details being properly carried out. Regarded from the point of view of the number of visitors present, all three exhibi- tions must be considered as having been un usually successful. Indeed, as regards comfort, some of the 23,000 visitors at the Crystal Palace this year on the Eose Show day could well have been spared, for owing to the want of sufficient police in the afternoon to regulate the circulation of the crowd, the flowers could only be inspected with difficulty. At the Metropolitan exhibition, one of the most encouraging features was the number of new recruits to be found among the large army of exhibitors ; and considering the small experience of some of them, the general excellence of their exhibits was highly creditable. The leading honours of the year were, as has already been chronicled, thus distributed : the Amateur Champion Challenge Trophy was for the ninth time in eleven years carried off by that invincible competitor, Mr. E. B. Lindsell, of Hitchin ; the same exhibitor also again claimed the Jubilee Challenge Trophy. The Nursery- men's Challenge Trophy was for the first time secured by that well known Irish firm. Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons, of Newtownards and Ledbury ; while the Jubilee Challenge Trophy was for the ninth time in fourteen years won by Messrs. Harkness & Sons, of Bedale and Hitchin. The Amateur Tea and Noisette Trophy fell to Mr. A. Hill Gray, of Bath, who has now won it four times. M. M., Berkhamsled. RELAND. THE PEAT QUESTION. The peat question, with especial reference to this country, has received at the hands of Professor Johnson, D.Sc. , a very careful analysis. The result of his labours has been embodied in a pamphlet recently published. Prior to dealing with this question, the Professor undertook a continental journey, having forhis object the investigation of the management of bog-land, notably in Germany. Of special service was his experience at the Bernau expe- rimental Bog-statioD in Bavaria, the task of reclama- tion being entrusted to the hands of Professors Baumann and Tubeuf, where the practical advan- tages were keenly appreciated and noted in detail. The total area under bog in Ireland amounts to something like 1,861 square miles, the largest share being divided amongst the counties of Donegal, Mayo, and Galway. The thickness of the peat-beds of Continental Europe varies between 9 and '20 feet, whilst in this country bogs are met with with at the least 40 feet in thickness ; the average, however, is put down at 25 feet. Its principal use at the present day is for fuel, and the management of a bog can best be described as primitive. Owing to the many uses to which peat and its derivatives are now applied, it is strange that our owners of bogs do not try to improve their methods. Unfortunately, the want of an accurate termi- nology is earnestly desired, as the common term peat is applied to many different articles, such as peat-fibre, turf, and peat-litter. To quote from his pamphlet, "The surface of a bog consists of pure sphagnum or peat-moss of other mosses, e.g., Hypnum, of flowering plants, such as Heather (Erica), Vaccinium, Cotton-sedge (Erio- phorum), Beaked-sedge (Bhynchospora), Sedges, Rushes, certain grasses, Pines, &c. ; the nature of the flora being dependent on the kind of bog, whether high peat-bogs (Hochmoor), fens (Griin- landsmoor), or Morasses (Wiesenmoor). Sphagnum and Heather are characteristic of the high peat- bogs, and are absent from the morasses where the moss, Hypnum, rushes, and sedges, are the chief representatives of the flora ; " so that sphagnum- moss is the source of the best moss litter. It is needless to refer to the chief botanical character- istics, &c. ; underneath the strata of Sphagnum lies the fibrous or intermediate turf, which is the layer more in request than other varieties. To again quote : "This fibrous peat is now utilised in quite a number of ways, adding largely to the economic value of a bog ; it is in connection with the utili- sation of fibrous peat that so much has been done on the continent by a happy combination of chemist, engineer, and botanist. The machinery employed has been greatly improved, and skilled labour, so readily available abroad, has been largely utilised." I have often seen personally some specimens of peat in every way satisfactory to the needs of gardening ; though some slight advances to utilise this for this purpose have been made, an apathetic feeling is unfortunately too preva- lent. Another important feature of our bog- land is the abundance of Eriophorum ; as this cotton-sedge is largely used in peat- wool, a product very common on the continent ; it is also used in surgical dressings, being much more efficient than the old fashioned cotton-wool, besides its antiseptic qualities, it is also much lighter bulk for bulk ; whilst carpets, roofings, &o. , are some of the products which are manufactured from it. Though it may lack many qualities associated with such commodities, they however show how adaptable it iB, requiring only experience to allocate its true worth in the formation of this fibre. There is a residuum of peat-dust which, when combined with coal and saw-dust, is made into briquettes or fire- lighters ; it is also available for sanitary uses, and for packing fruit, &c. How to Improve Bog-land. The following is an outline of what is generally followed at Bernau, which is situated on the Chiemsee, a distance something like 80 miles south- east of Munich. We are again indebted to Professor Johnson's pamphlet : "The first object is to ascer- tain the cause of the water logging of the bog, and this discovered, the removal of the cause must be attempted. Causes of water logging : first, over- flow of water into bog from higher points ; secondly, overflow into bog from lower or deeper lying waters, through penning or flooding ; thirdly, springs or ground water in the bog itself ; fourthly, rainfall, and water-holding tendency of bog. One fact in connection to be borne in mind when a system of drainage is undertaken, the shrinkage of the bog which often amounts to 3 to 6 feet ; also the relation of the surrounding laud becomes materially altered by this bog shrinkage, so that, if the bog sinks materially below the surface of the land, it will be always liable to get water-logged from natural infiltation, compelling the following precautions to be observed : ' The depth of the layer, the shrink- age is the greater, the greater the layer ; secondly, the physical state of the turf, looser, little decom- posed turf shrinks more ; also pure turf shrinks more than turf mixed with mineral matter ; thirdly, in many cases the living plant-covering exercises an influence on the shrinkage of the bog. especially on meadow-bogs overgrown in parts with high moor plants, the Sphaguums, &c. ; fourthly, the bog substratum has also an important effect on the drainage. A bog with a readily permeable sandy substratum needs less drainage than one with an impermeable loamy or clayey substratum.' As this question of drainage is yet unsettled both regarding bogs, for example high or sphagnum-moss or meadow bogs, in presence of this lacuna of know- ledge, Professors Baumann and Tubeuf advise the following generalisations to be kept prominently in view when an effective system of drainage is contemplated : — First, local investigation of the relations of the natural drainage of water-flow, survey of the bog and its immediate surroundingB ; secondly, determination of the thickness of the bog in its different parts ; thirdly, investigation of the physical state of the turf, its degree of sponginess, state of decomposition, and in connection with these the water - holding and water -conducting power of the soil ; fourthly, observation of the vegetation ; fifthly, determination of the state of the bog substratum in its different parts." After the process of drainage is effected, they require a thorough manuring. Professor Baumann, in speaking on this aspect of the question, states "that during the past 100 years want and famine have given those living on bogs proof enough that the bog-soil requires an abundant supply of plant- ArcisT 11, 1900.] THE GA R DE NE R S ' CHR ONICL E. 105 food, such as lime, potash, phosphoric acid, and nitrogen ; " but, as many bogs are in some rich of these manurial agents, aud lamentably deficient in others, In order that the greatest results may accrue to their labours, Banmauu advisea every bog-owner or agriculturist to have a chemical analysis made of his property, thereby arming him with the requisite knowledge. Thus, in manuring, the necessary preliminary measures to be considered are: firstly, determination of the nature of the vegetation of the bog in its various parts, chart in hand (this is to enable the cultivator to know what kind of vegetation his land is comprised of, also to be able to gauge the quantity of fertilisers required) ; secondly : chemical analysis ; thirdly : volumetric weight determination of the surface layer (root layer), based on the chemical analysis ; fourthly : manure experiments by planting. When the above measures have reached complete- ness, it will be requisite to know the best form of ■cultivation, the one generally adopted is known as Rimpan's "bog ridge cultivation," this means that the bog is simply covered with a layer of sand several inches thick ; the general rule, however, varies between four and five inches, the whole being manured with dressing of potash and phosphoric acid. However, though success has followed this method, yet many disasters have likewise to be chronicled, the great error committed being that the fertilisers to be employed should vary with the chemical condition of the bog : also their colleagues at the "Beruau Experimental Station " proved by successive experiments that Rimpan's "bog ridge cultivation " was unsuited to raw high bogs. Although this method is rather an expensive one, it would be well before embarkiug on such a scheme to let the following facts be borne in mind: "The depth of the bog in all its parts ; secondly : the vegetation on its whole surface ; thirdly : the degree of decomposition in the upper bog layer ; fourthly : the fertility of the bog ; fifthly : the mineral soil in its substratum and in its neighbour- hood in reference to the adaptability of this as a covering material ; sixthly, the presence or not of plant poisons (iron sulphate, free sulphuric acid, and sulphide of iron). The annual rainfall must be taken into account, in some cases it is so high as to make the applicability of the covering process questionable." "The idea governing Rimpan's method is not that of cultivating the bog soil, but of building and working up a mineral soil laid on the bog soil to the depth of i to 0 inches. The water, lime, and nitrogen are to be supplied by the bog itself : the phosphoric acid and potash being supplied in the artificial manures." This method is much superior to the old way of mixing mineral soil with the bog, although it is by far the cheaper method ; yet it gives no protection against early and late frosts such as the ridge form of cultivation provides for. But want of knowledge is still requisite, as there may be many places admirably suited ; whilst if greater care was bestowed in making the prepared soil, the disadvantages which are levelled against it may possibly be amended. However, this aspect of the ease, especially towards Ireland, whether success or failure would result, demands experiments by public bodies — a field where the new Board can apply its energies with very profitable results. There should also be introduced a staff similar to those on continental lines, enabling those interested to encourage this -work. In dealing with the factor of harvesting peat, the method laid down by Pro- fessors Schlich and Fisher in the Manual of Forestry is recommended. Full details can be got from vol. v. of their work. Apart from the botanical and economic value of peat, his pamphlet contains a vast quantity of infor- mation, also diagrams of machinery to be employed : and to those interested, a perusal would be found highly suggestive. It is published by the Royal Dublin Society. Potato Blight. Reports are to hand that the well-known fungus 4ias made an appearance in county Limerick, the crop at present affected is the early one, which is not a very heavy one. The weather for some time past has been very moist, which has helped the spread of the disease. Although it is yet too early to speak as to its extent, it would be advisable for the new Board to enforce restrictive measures in order to narrow the infested areas, otherwise it may create much havoc with the later Potato crops. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevdt. The Water- Lilies, both inside, and in many of the lakes at Glasnevin, look remarkably well, thanks in part to the fine season ; the Victoria regia is represented by several plants which ane growing vigorously, and they are furnished with several flower-buds. In the adjoining lakelets Xelnmbiums, especially X. speciosum, look well, and are showing a great quantity of bloom. Cannas occupy the available spots, their leafage and flowers adds to the appearance of the whole. In the lakes outside, Xymphasa odorata forms a very effective sight. The Weather. The climatic conditions prevailing at the end of last month brought much rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, which has resulted in the ordinary Potato - disease attacking the haulm in the whole of the area encircling Dublin. Trees have been uprooted in the direction of Balbriggan. The rain fell in torrents' on^the "2nd inst., from the evening until the following day, and in many of the low - lying parts floods occurred, cereals were beaten down, and orchards suffered greatly, the ground being studdedjwith immature fruit, Apples, Pears, and Plums. The days were warm, but towards evening the temperature fell considerably ; the chilliness was very noticeable, A. O'Xeill. Plant Notes. ABNORMAL GROWTH IN HYOPHORBE INDICA. Palms are but little given to exhibiting abnormal growth, and instances come rarely under our notice. A singular variation in the arrange- ment of the pinna- on a leaf of Hyophorbe indica (Areca lutescens) is kindly sent by Mr. J. 0. Clarke, gr. to Ludwig Mond, Esq., The Poplars, Avenue Road, Regent's Park. Instead of the equal arrangement of the pinnae in two rows, one on each side of the stalk, the leaf-stalk is changed to an irregularly quadrangular form. At the base there are two rows of pinna; on the one side only ; then two rows on each side, presenting the pinna; all round the stem. The upper portion changes to the normal two-sided arrangement, but each of the pinna- is formed of two pinme joined together. Caxna "Baronne Clara de Hirsch." In this variety we have probably one of the most brilliant of the large- flowering Cannas. The plant is robust, and of easy cultivation. The spike is heavy, and consists of from twenty to thirty flowers of a vermilion colour ; paler, and with a few darker flecks in the centre, and with bright yellow edges. Many of the flowers measure 5 ins. across, and have very broad petals, which are nicely crimped at the edges. The flower-spike has the characteristic fault of Cannas raised in recent years, aud which breeders should strive to correct, and so enhance their usefulness as bedding-plants. It is too weak to uphold the flowers without sup- port from stakes, which in this instance are difficult to adjust, owing to the crowded state of the flowers. Cultivators may also do somethiug to remedy this defect, by growing the plants slowly, and with the fullest exposure to sunshine and air. Stapelia gigantea. This wonderful Asclepiad, though lacking any pre- tentions to beauty [?], is so remarkable in its way, that many would appreciate the interest it would afford them in growing it. It is a West African plant, with grey flowers 14 inches across, and marked with wavy, transverse, broken and forked bars of dull red, the inner surface of the flower being covered with long, silky violet and grey hairs. A figure was given in these columns, p. 093, vol. vii., 1877. The flowers have a f'^tid odour, which is however not noticeable, save at close quarters ; in fact, it is quite possible to enter a small house in which it is flowering and not notice this feature. The plant requires stove or warm temperate-house treatment during growth ; it thrives best in a compost of equal parts rough loam and sand, and when sus- pended near a ventilator. It flowers best when the growths are allowed to hang in ropes from the sides of the pot. The plant is easily raised from seeds, and the seedlings flower the second year. Small pieces of the plant also root freely if the severed parts are dried and then planted in pure sand. (See fig. in Gardeners' Chronicle, 1S77, vol. vii., p. 093.) PHYLLOCACTUS t'REXATrs. This species is one of the best of the large- flowered set for forming big specimens. A plant in the form of a stiff bush a yard or more high, has recently made a fine display of large white flowers in the conservatory at Mandeville House. The individual flowers were very large, being nearly a foot in length, and as much across ; they are really handsome, the delicate white petals and multi- tudinous stamens being thrown into high relief by the bronzy tint of the calyx segments. The flowers are devoid of scent, save a sappy odour when they first open, and they last for two days only. This plant has been used in evolving several of the garden forms of Phyllocacti we have to-day ; crossed with the scarlet and crimson-flowered species it gives progeny of a tawny colour, and with considerable breadth of petal. To secure tine, healthy plants of this and other Phyllocacti, it is necessary to prune away all weak growths, and any growths that have flowered heavily, thereby directing the energies of the plant towards the formation of a few strong leads. Geo. B. Mallett, Isleivorth. The Rock Garden. ZAUSCHNERIA CALIFORNICA. The later months of summer, and those of early autumn, are not those in which we can see the alpine-garden at its best. There is, indeed, a short- coming of flowers when we look at the beds and borders, and then at the rockeries. It thus becomes of importance to study and to find out the late-blooming plants which can be grown to make attractive and bright the collection of alpine flowers. Later we shall have the Colchicums, the Croci, and a few other bulbous plants ; but as yet these are not in bloom, and we have to look to other plants for the bloom we desire. One of the most desirable of our autumn plants is Zauschneria cali- fornica, whose scarlet blooms look so well, and give such a welcome bit of colour on the rockeries in August and September. For some years I have held pessimistic views regarding this plant in northern gardens. One has been struggling to per- suade it to flower; and, although it showed buds, all in vain, as these incipient blossoms never opened, even in the sunniest places at command. In time, however, one learned that more than one variety or species were in cultivation, and that one or more of these would bloom freely and success- fully every year. After some trouble, a plant of an early-blooming form was obtained, and this season one can better understand why it gave so much satisfaction soon after it came into cultivation in this country, and also why there seemed to be so much diversity of experience and opinion regarding the Zauschneria. It was evi- dent for a month or so before it bloomed that this plant was not the same as that which for years had proved so disappointing, by withholding from us its hoped-for blooms. The earlier variety is less pubescent than the other, and does not possess so stiff a habit of growth. The first flower opened with me this year on July 26, while even in the 106 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 11, 1900. warmest seasons of late years, the other did not give a single bloom. As this is written — in the beginning of August — it is giving a number of its bright red flowers, which are so welcome at this time. Both varieties have proved themselves perfectly hardy here, and one is gratified to be in possession at last of the form which flowers with freedom. [A beautiful plant in the north for cultivating near the coast in gardens. Ed.]. Gentiana linearis. One sees so little of this beautiful Gentian that it seems advisable to aBk that those who wish to have good alpine flowers should endeavour to secure it for their gardens. It has now been here for several years, and one has come to look forward with pleasurable anticipations to the time when it will give us its clustered heads of pretty deep blue flowers, lined with white. It reminds one much of that useful border Gentian, G. asclepiadea, but it is much better adapted for the rock-garden than its taller congener. Its dwarfer size and neater habit make it quite suited to the company of the smaller plants which usually appeal most to the cultivator of alpines. It is said to grow from 1 to 2 feet high, but an established plant here is only 9A inches in height, though one would have expected it to grow to a greater height in a season such as this, when those of us who are in S.W. Scotland have had no reason to complain of excessive heat or drought, but have had, on the contrary, more than an average amount of rain. Gentiana linearis is grown on a sunny rockery, and in a compost of peat and loam ; it presents a pretty picture, with its well- opened flowers. It comes from North America, and is said to be also known as G. pseudo-pneumonanthe. Possibly it might grow higher if planted in a bog, a position in which it is sometimes found in its native habitats. It is found from New Brunswick and Ontario to Mary- land, and grows at a height of 5000 feet on the Adiroudacks. One has every confidence in drawing the attention of growers to this pleasing member of a lovely class of plants. Spiraea bullata. We have few neater plants in bloom in the rock- garden in the end of July or the beginning of August than this little Japanese plant. Although fairly well known, and readily obtainable, either under the above name or that of S. crispifolia, it might yet be advantageously introduced into many more gardens. It is worthy of a prominen t position, its neat habit, pretty foliage, and its deep crimson flowers, deeper in tint than those of S. bumalda "Anthony Waterer," make it most pleasing. One is surprised to see that this little shrubby Spiraea is taken so little notice of in books devoted to plants suitable for the outdoor garden. It is quite hardy well to the north, and presents no diffi- culties in the way of cultivation io the rock-garden. It, however, appears to like a light soil, and a small plant will soon grow to a size which makes it quite ornamental. It grows here to little more than a foot high. S. Arnott. 8 C 0 TLA N D. BORDER CARNATIONS. With favourable weather during the blooming period, the present bids fair to be an exceptionally good Carnation year. Strong plants put out in the autumn received no appreciable check to growth, though the extreme drought in early summer seriously crippled spring - planted stuff which was not copiously watered. Through press of other work, I was this year somewhat later than usual in getting growths layered, it having been quite the middle of July before this important operation was overtaken ; but the grass was in first-rate condition, and they will, I hope, turn out well-rooted stuff by the third week of August. In Scotland we are obliged to be particular on the point of layering early, and it has become the recognised practice with those who wish to grow Carnations successfully in the open, to layer at the earliest moment, in order to havestrong plants to put out in the early part of September, so that they may become thoroughly established previous to the advent of winter. Such plants invariably pass through the trying spring months with little or no loss, and they are altogether superior as decorative subjects, on account of their largely increased flower production to later planted, as well as to spring-planted Carnations. There is another practice that has been recom- mended by such famed cultivators as Mr. Douglas and Mr. Martin Smith, which I should hesitate either to follow myself, or to recommend anyone to entertain. I refer to burying a layer of dung under the plants. Soils, of course, vary, and cultural treatment suitable to one soil may prove quite unsuitable to another, and perhaps also climate may have a qualifying effect on the capa- city of the plant to appropriate manures. But when one finds that the Carnation succeeds per fectly in ground in what we term "good heart," and which has borne one or more crops subsequent to the application of manure, the necessity of enriching the soil in a manner required by only a few rank-growing vegetables is not so apparent. A slight surface-dressing of sandy compost, about 2 inches in thickness, worked into the upper 4 inches of soil, is distinctly beneficial as a pro- moter of root-action in late autumn ; and the necessary manurial aid is safely applied in spring and early summer, when it is required, in the form of slight surface-dressings. It is by no means im- portant what the manure is, so long as it is cleanly and of fairly rapid action. The present year, for instance, our beds were dressed with a thin sprinkling of pigeon-manure applied early in April, and this was supplemented in June by a slight dressing of superphosphate, which was watered in, and more than that they certainly do not require. There is, too, the question of variety to be con- sidered in the open-air culture of the Carnation, many sorts being constitutionally unfitted for this treatment. Some years they may do well, once they have been well established, but there is no doubt that a section is best confined to pot-culture entirely, or if planted out, they ought to be perpetuated by means of layers taken off pot- plants, which produce, if less strong, more healthy layers. We may take the old Germania as an example of those varieties which cannot be culti- vated entirely out-of-doors. Some years, no matter how healthy the plants, the weather spoils the blooms, and in others the grass is rusted so badly that it is valueless for propagation. It must remain with every one individually to choose whether it is worth while to cultivate these unre- liable sorts in the open ; personally, I think it is better to confine them solely to pot-culture, and to grow in the open only rudely vigorous kinds, that are almost certain to succeed. Of these, there is now, in addition to old varieties, such as Ruby and Vivid, a large number of very tine sorts, constitutionally vigorous, free-flowering, and of a good stiff habit of growth, and embracing colours of all shades. But even the strongest-growing varieties are apt to deteriorate when grown for years on the same ground, and in such cases it is a good policy to introduce fresh plants from a distance, as layers from pot-plants though undoubtedly superior in many instances to out-of-door ones, cannot be depended on to give such good results as strong imported plants. There is yet the plan of growing the Carnation as a perennial, which, where it succeeds and proper attention given to thinning the grass, yields very good results. The plants are necessarily less strong than yearlings, and where the latter are well culti- vated, a less quantity of bloom is produced ; but in many soils, old plants may certainly be recom- mended as a useful method of culture. The varieties require, however, to be selected, and those which naturally produce grass low on the plant are the ones that succeed best. One of the greatest drawbacks to growing Carnations on, year after year, is the regrettable way plants turn yellow in summer and die off. As just noted, selection must be strict, and all weakly and too thickly growths cut out, in order that those left may have space to grow and ripen sufficiently for each to bloom the year succeeding. What manure they receive should be applied in April as a slight surface-dressing, and if water is required in summer, weak manure-water should be given in preference to pure water. But the application of manure to Carnations should always be made with caution, and it is better to- err in giving too little than to batten them with material that is certain to induce attacks of disease. S. P. Broth'.rston. East Lothian. Fruit Register. LATE CHERRIES. Having a lively recollection of the very fine sample of Cherries of the variety Noble shown the other day at the Drill Hall from Kent, I was rather surprised to find to-day (August 4), in our Kingston Market, large quantities of a blackish- red Sweet Cherry exactly like Noble in appear- ance, though not quite so fine as was the Kent sample. In form, colour, character of flesh, and indeed in every respect, except not quite so large, this market sample seemed to be an exact duplicate of the new variety. Now this capital late black Cherry could be purchased by bushels at id. per lb. — certainly very cheap. A better late black Cherry I could not wish. for. Now what Cherry is this ? I asked one vendor what it was known as, and he said Turks ; meaning thereby, no doubt, Turkey Heart. That variety, I observe, Mr. George Bunyard classes with Black Cluster, and refers to it as a prolific orchard variety, but that the fruit is small ; well, the fruit of my variety was not small, but of good size. Then I observe that in the Fruit Manual, Dr. Hogg has classed Turkey Heart with the Bigarreau, which is a light-coloured variety — who is right ? Can the Cherry I refer to be Tradescant's Heart, which Mr. Bunyard classes with St. Margarets, whilst Dr. Hogg regards the first name as the rightful one, classing St. Margarets with that? This is a fine late Cherry, ripening at the end of July and early in August : and it was said at the Drill Hall that Noble closely resembled it. But I do not know whether it is a good or popular orchard Cherry. But Kerr's Black Heart is a good late and fine variety also ; but Cherries have such close resem- blances in form and colour that they are difficult to distinguish. Still, really late sweet Cherries are few, and it should not be difficult to determine the market variety named. A fair-sized fruit, measured both ways exactly 2| inches ; that is not small. A. D. ALPINE GAEDENS. At this season many of our readers are visiting the High Alps, and among them a large proportion takes interest in the wild plants and their distri- bution. Some of these botanists have a prejudice against a ''garden," or against "cultivated" plants, in such a connection. We think that pre- judice would wear off, and things be seen in their true proportions, if they visited the alpine-garden established by M. Correvon and others on the slopes of the Great St. Bernard. Here may be seen alpine plants which are cultivated with difficulty at lower levels ; and not only are Swiss plants specially represented, but separate rock-borders are devoted to the plants of the Caucasus, the Hima- layas, and other ranges. By means of this garden, seeds and specimens may be obtained by subscribers ; and by their distribution, the risk of extinction is materially lessened. Our illustration (tig. 28, p. 107) shows one of many rock-borders, and will give an idea of the beauty aud interest of such constructions. August II, 1900.| THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 10^ The Herbaceous Border. ISATIS GLAUCA. AMONG the plants for which some of us were indebted several years ago to Mr. Edward Whittall, of .Smyrna, is Isatis glauca, a Cruciferous plant not generally known. Seeds of it received from Smyrna did not grow with me, but through the kindness of a correspondent, I became the pos- sessor of a plant this year. It is now in bloom, and bears out all that my good correspondent said in favour of it ; it is certainly very distinct from any other plant now in bloom here, or that one has seen elsewhere among large collections. It has been exhibited once or twice at York, I believe, THE CULTIVATION OF THE PEACH.* (Concluded from p. S3.) Varieties. — A good selection of Peaches to start with in their order of ripening, are : — Alexandra. — A large, handsome, and highly- coloured fruit, flesh juicy and sweet ; it ripens about the middle of July. Waterloo. — A fine American Peach of medium size, valuable on account of its earliness. I have not been altogether successful with it under glass, but it is a splendid out door Peach, ripening in the middle of July. Hale's E«rly is a great favourite of mine, both under glass and in the open, of medium sizs, and Dymoml. — An exceedingly line, large, and de- liciously flavoured variety. Tree, hardy and prolific. Fruit ripens iu the middle of September. Violettc HAlive. — Forces well, and is one of the hardiest Peaches grown. It is very prolific, the fruit being large and excellent. It ripens in the middle of September. Harrington. — A large and vigorous kind, ripening about the end of September ; vigorous grower, and a good bearer. Sea Eagle. — One of the best late Peaches, large, and highly flavoured fruit. Princess of Wales. — A valuable late Peach with very large fruit, which is ripe at the end of September. Fig. 2S. — a view in the alpine garden, "linn.ea." and probably elsewhere, and it was so much admired that the exhibitor had recently an offer for his stock from a hardy plant nurseryman, so that it will probably be in commerce very soon. It is, of course, a near relative of the biennial, I. tinctoria, the common Dyer's Woad ; but it is a true perennial, and a desirable border plant. This year it has grown to about 3 feet in height, but as it becomes established it will probably reach to 4 feet high. The stem is clothed with a number of lanceolate leaves of a glaucous greeD, with a white central rib. The light, yet bright yellow, small flowers are borne in a large, loose raceme, and produce a good effect at a season when we can well do with flowers of its character in the border ; it is, I understand, perfectly hardy. S. Arnott, Carsethom-by- Dumfries, X.B. handsome ; it is one of the best. It ripens at the beginning of August. Dr. Hogg. — Good both inside and out, a rich flavoured fruit ; it ripens at the beginning of August. Grosse Mignonne. — This is a splendid mid-season Peach, one of the best in cultivation, either for forcing or in the open, fruit large and highly coloured ; ripens the end of August. Noblesse. — A most valuable variety, fruit exceed- ingly juicy and rich. This tree is subject to mildew, it forces well, and is also a good out-door Peach ; ripens at the end of August. * Extracts from a lecture given by Mr. G. Carpenter, West Hall Gardens, Byfleet, Weybridge, before the Woking Horticultural Society, on May 7 last. More could be added, and other good varieties named, many perhaps which would be preferred to those I have mentioned. My endeavour has been, however, to give fruits which will ripen in turn from the middle of July to the end of September, and thus spread out the season as long as possible. Nectarines. Of Nectarines, or smooth skinned Peaches, I will name in order of ripening the following : — Lord Napier. — A large and handsome variety, ripening early in August ; the fruit is tender, rich, and of excellent flavour. This is one of the largest and best Nectarines. Sitters' Early Orange. — A splendid early Necta- rine ; ripens in the middle of August. 108 THE GABDENEBS} CHBONICLE. [August 11, 1900. Staiw.'ic.k Elruge. — A seedling, raised from Stan- wick and Elruge Nectarines ; ripens at the middle of August. Violelte Hdtive. — Ripens at the end of August ; a good variety for either outdoor culture or forcing. Humboldt. — A very highly-coloured and richly- flavoured fruit, a very free bearer, ripening early in September. Pine-apple. — Very rich and exqnisitelj liavoured, ■ripening about the middle of September. Victoria. — Ripens about the end of September, an excellent late variety. Other good varieties are Dryden, Elruge, Hard- wick Seedling, Pitmaston Orange, and Spencer. Tx.iECTS. The worst insect enemies of the Peach-tree are aphides, but now such good insecticides are pro- curable, no harm need be done by them. It will soon be seen if the tree is infected with fly of any kind ; the leaves will begin to curl, and if not attended to, will turn yellow and fall off. Among other injurious insects that attack the Peach-tree, are Anarsia lineatella, a small moth ; this, in spring or early summer, deposits its larva? on the tips of the shoots or branches, which it ■destroys by boring into them, and eating the pith, while the autumn brood eat into the fruit. Earwigs and ants are most destructive at times to ripe fruit. The former may be trapped by laying pieces of hollow bean-stalks about among the branches, and frequently looking over them and destroying those that shelter within. The ants may be greatly reduced by pouring hot water over them, or by ■dusting with soot ; chalk also they will not pass. Red-spider and thrip can also be kept down by occasional applications of XL-All, using one gallon to forty of water, and by frequent use of the syringe during the growing season. Mildew is sometimes ■destructive to the young growth : the immediate application of flowers-of-sulphur is the best remedy. Peach borders should never be allowed to get •dry, although at certain times, more water will be required than others. In making a border, old mortar rubbish is an excellent thing to mix with the soil, as it will help to keep the border sweet, and also assist the fruit at stoning time. I have only referred to the cultivation of the fruit under glass very briefly, as it would take up too much time, and tire you too much to describe it fully now. The chief object in reading this paper is to try and revive the out-door cultivation of the Peach, and secure its proper treatment. I am certain that anyone who has the convenience of any protection whatever, and will give it a fair trial, will be perfectly satisfied with the results. Nothing whatever can be grown successfully without care and attention. The Week's Work. THE WEATHEE IN WEST HEBTS. A week of cold and stormy weather. On no day did the temperature in shade exceed 70°, ■and on the 5th rose only to 59°, while all the nights were more or less cold for the time of year. The ground temperatures have consequently fallen considerably, the reading at 2 feet deep being at the present time of about seasonable warmth, but at 1 foot deep, about 3° colder than the average. Sain fell on five days of the week, and to the total depth of If inches. Of this amount, rather more than an inch (equivalent to about 5 gallons on each square yard of surface in my garden) has found its way through the 2h ft. of soil in the uncropped per- colation gauge, but none at all has as yet come through the gauge containing the same depth of soil on which short grass is growing. It is now nearly fifteen weeks since any rain water came through the latter gauge, with the exception of a few drops in the middle of July. The winds were, as a rule, very high during the week, and on two occasions reached the force of a moderate gale — direction west. The resord of bright sunshine proved poor, averaging only about 4 J hours a day. E. M.. Berk- hamstcad, Aug. 7. THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. By A. Ward, Gardener to F. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, New Barnet. The Planting of Strawberries. — The new-dug ground being now in good order for being planted, the operation may be carried out forthwith, as the sooner this is done, the greater the probability of a fine crop of fruit next season. In order to obtain Strawberries for as long a period as possible, the early varieties should be planted on south borders, and the second early and main crop varieties in the open quarters, and a portion of the late varieties on north and west borders. Assuming that the ground has been dug, and otherwise got in readi- ness, let it be levelled and raked to a tine tilth, and thtn trodden in two directions evenly and uniformly, .•Mid again raked smooth. For plants which will be destroyed after fruiting twice, the rows may be at 2 feet apart, and for a longer period 3 feet is not too much. The plants in the rows should be set out li ft. apart. Having finished the preparation of the beds, afford the plants water several hours previously to planting them. In planting, the trowel should be used, and each plant set sufficiently deep to cover the ball ; make the soil firm about the plants, and finish with a light trampling of the soil. If dry weather prevails, strict attention should be paid to affording water to the newly set-out plants. As a means of retaining moisture in the soil, a mulch with Mushroom-bed materials or hotbed manure may be placed alongside of the rows. This year's Grafted-trees. — The ligatures may now be removed, these doing more harm than good after this date ; but let the supporting sticks remain, and secure the growing shoots to these so as to prevent loss by wind. The shoots from grafts on wall-trees should be neatly tacked in. When shoots from grafts reach 3 to 4 feet in length, their points may be pinched out, and any later breaks should be pinched back to the lowermost leaf. An exception should be made in this case of trees intended for forming cordons, which should be permitted to extend without any stopping of the points at this season. Budding. — At the present time the budding of Stocks may be commenced. The rule is for one man (who should bean expert knifesman), to do the budding, and another or a lad to follow putting the necessary ligatures round the buds. The shoots from which the buds are taken should be always kept in a vessel of water. Early Fruits. — The early ripening Apples, as Juneating and Mr. Gladstone, and early Rivers Prolific Plum, should be netted in gardens where fruit-eating birds abound. Let supports, either as crutches or stout cords attached to a central pole placed in the middle of the head, be afforded to all heavily weighted branches. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Young, Orchid Grower to Sir Fredkrh k Wigan, Bart., Glare Lawn, Eaat Sheen, S.W. Lailia pumila and its varieties, L. p. Dayana and L. p. prozstans, are free - flowering, the flowers are handsome and brightly- coloured, and their habit is dwarf and compact, which renders them suitable for hanging in low houses. Since the early spring, the plants will have been kept in cool, airy structures, and afforded as much water as has prevented undue shrivelling. These plants are now making new growth, and more water should be applied at the roots ; before, however, doing this, let their condition be ascertained. Those having ample room which are in good condition may have a little of the surface materials picked off, and replaced with fresh peat and sphagnum- moss ; whilst those in an unsound state, or which are in need of more pot-room, should be repotted. Small pans with perforated sides, and having wires attached for suspending, are best for these ; these should be more than half filled with crocks, and be finished off with peat and moss mixed in about equal proportions. When a plant is repotted, afford water with a rose-can, and until they are re-established, an occasional sprinkling of the surface will supply sufficient moisture. The piants which are not disturbed should be afforded more liberal treatment. It is advisable, so far as L. pumila and the variety pnestans are concerned, to place them in a house that is kept closer than that in which they were previously placed ; but L. p. Dayana, on the contrary, may remain in an intermediate-house. Numerous hybrids, having one or the other of the above-named species as one of their parents, will need modifications of the treatment usually required by their respective parents, in accordance with their resemblances and chief affinities. One of the finest of this class is L.-c. x Ingrami, a cross between L. pumila and Cattleya aurea. The latter species is not an easy plant to cultivate, but influenced by L. pumila, the hybrid is readily amenable to ordinary treatment when placed in a warm part of a Cattleya-house, and water freely applied to it when it is growing (an almost perpetual condition), and kept moderately dry when inactive. Lcelia Jongheana may be said to be a form of L. pumila, so far as its cultural requirements are concerned, the only difference being, so far as my experience goes, that it will endure stronger sun- light and a higher temperature than are found desirable with L. pumila. Sophronitis grandiflora is now making a renewal of growth, after long period of rest. The materials at the roots should therefore be examined, all dead sphagnum-moss being removed, where possible, as well as decayed peat, and fresh materials afforded. Overgrown plants should be given larger pots or pans, carefully breaking the old ones, but not removing the pieces to which roots are adhering. Afford good drainage nearly to the rim. and a loose surfacing of peat and fresh-gathered sphagnum-moss. Plants which have to be dis- turbed in this manner, should have water carefully afforded afterwards ; and the remainder, from now until the tiny bulbs are fully grown, should not be allowed to get dry at the root. A cool, moist, airy house, rather densely shaded, is the most suitable place for them, if they can be brought within a few feet of the roof, the flowers being larger and of higher colour than on plants grown in a Cattleya- house. Sophronitis violaeea, a difficult plant to retain in a healthy condition, may be grown on a suspended piece of bark or board, with just a few beads of moss distributed about it, and placed in a light part of the Odontoglossum-house, and be afforded water frequently when making roots, but seldom when at rest. S. cernua is another refractory subject that requires similar treatment. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Holford, Westonblrt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Onions. — The crop of autumn-sown Onions, the tops which were laid down in June, being now ready for harvesting, the work should receive attention without unnecessary delay, as to leave them in the ground during rainy weather is apt to cause the decay of the base of the bulbs. When pulled, spread tbem out evenly, bottom upwards on hur- dles, boards, or if needs must on the soil. If only a small quantity is grown, the bulbs may be spread out in empty forcing-pits or in cold-frames. When the tops are dried, rope and suspend them in an airy shed, &c. Corn-salad, — Although this is not in much demand when Lettuces and Endives are obtainable, it is a valuable salad plant in places where much salad material is consumed, making up for defi- ciencies in other things and affording an agreeable change. Two sowings will suffice, viz., one in the course of the next week, and another at the begin- ning of the mODth of September. If Corn-salad be called for in the winter and spring, seeds may be sown at intervals of three weeks from this date till the beginning of November. The bed should be in the open quarter, and the soil well manured if necessary, and deeply dug. Sow thinly in drills at 9 inches apart, and afford the same water till the crop is ready for use. I am aware that some growers prefer the method of broadcasting the seeds, but the plants can be more easily thinned and the plot kept clean if sown in drills. When severe weather sets in, let the ground be covered with dry litter. Mushrooms. — Now that the outdoor supply has become nearly exhausted, indoor beds should be made up. As the different methods of constructing the beds were given in detail in the early part of the year, I need only add that the great point in Mushroom-culture is to keep the beds as much as August u, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 109 possible at an even temperature. If new spawn be used, less will be required, as it spreads more freely than that which is old. Before making new beds in the Mushroom - house, the place should be thoroughly cleaDsed and the walls white-washed, nothing being left in that will afford a harbour for woodlice, &c. Tomatos. — If fruit is required early in the spring, seed should now be sown, or cuttings taken and struck in heat. The latter method is perhaps more often adopted, as cuttings soon make roots if kept close in moderate heat, and the plants being less vigorous, require less space than seedlings. Large OOsized pots are suitable for striking the cuttings, and these should be tilled with a compost consisting of loam, leaf- mould, i-inch bones, and a small quantity of lime-rubble. Seed may be sown in the same sort of compost, the seeds being sown very thinly in seed-pans, &c. The young plants should be removed to a frame, and well ventilated in fine weather. Plants for furnishing the winter supply of fruits should now receive their last potting. As only strong plants repay the grower, all weakly and backward plants should be discarded. The most suitable size of pot is one of 9 inches, and these should be filled with a moderately rich com- post, which should be made very firm round the ball with the potting-stick. These plants should be placed in a sunny position out-of-doors, and by the end of the month of September they should be well set with fruit. The plants require strong stakes, to be kept to one stem. Precautions should be taken to prevent the plants being overturned, or otherwise damaged by wind. In hot weather the plants should be slightly damped in the cool of the evening, but should not be afforded much water at the root, or disease will attack them. Chervil. — It is rare that a supply of this pot- herb is needed throughout the winter and spring, but where such a demand exists, one or two sow- ings should be made at intervals of three weeks or a month, the first being made on a south border, and the later ones in a cold frame. The curled variety of Chervil is valuable for garnishing pur- poses when Parsley is scarce. To grow both varieties well, it is necessary to apply a good dressing of slaked lime before sowing the seed in shallow drills, drawn about S inches apart. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop. Pot-trees of the Peach and Nectarine. — Now that the cultivation of hardy fruits in pots is getting to be better understood, an increase in the numbers grown is taking place in many gardens. A comparison made with the yield from trained and pot-trees, in two houses of equal capacity, would be much in favour of the pot- trees, and although the labour of affording water is greater with trees in pots, training is much more quickly performed. Another point in its favour is, that the fruit - house is valuable as affordiog a place for successional crops. I would advise all who contemplate taking up the pot- culture of fruit-trees, to purchase the latter at the present time, in preference to later, so much depend- ing upon the right kind of treatment afforded them from this season until the fall of the leaf. The buyer is better enabled to judge of their condition, and of the prospects of a crop of fruit next year. The lower branches of a tree should be stronger than the upper ones, otherwise the tree will soon lose the pyranndform, and become a round-headed standard. Trees for early forcing should ere this have ceased to extend their shoots ; such ought to be the con- dition of trees early forced this year. Let such trees be placed in the shade out-of-doors to mature their shoots, being copiously syringed for a few days after removal from the house, in order to prevent a too rapid evaporation of moisture by the leaves ; and after a few days put them in a sunny spot for a period of about six weeks. Every pot fruit-tree should be repotted before the end of the month of October, the soil having been exhausted of plant food, which no amount of liquid-manure will restore, besides the drainage will need putting in order. Turfy-loam with crushed bones, charred soil and mortar-rubble, form the best potting mixture for fruit-trees. The addition ot some chalk makes it suitable for Pigs. In selecting trees for the first potting, choose only such as have forward buds, healthy foliage, and which are free from watery shoots. It is better not to use over- large pots, but they should be of sufficient capacity to take the ball without much reduction of its size, leading to a premature fall of the leaf, and weaken- ing of the buds. The trees should be frequently syringed, and also shaded from strong sunshine for a week or two after root disturbance, affording full exposure in a sheltered position afterwards. All pots and drainage should be clean, and the latter fairly abundant. Varieties for Pot Culture. — Peaches: Waterloo, Hale's Early, Early Alfred, Crimson Galande, and Bellegarde. Nectarines : Cardinal, Early Rivers, Lord Napier, Stanwick Elruge, and Victoria. Plums : Early Transparent Gage, Golden Esperen, Denniston's Superb, Kirke's, Jefferson's, and Bry- anston (!age. Pears : Clapp's Favourite, Beurre dAmanlis, Princess, Couseiller de la Cour, Doyenne du Cornice, and Mario Benoist. Apples : Mr. Gladstone, LadvSudeley, Cox's Orange Pippin, Kibston Pippin, Wealthy, White Calville, and Northern Spy. THE FLOWER GARDEN. By J. Benbow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilchester, Abbotsbury Castle, Dorsetshire. Ornamental Shrub". — The weather in most parts of the country has hitherto been favourable to the recovery of newly planted shrubs, and where the soil has been moved by the hoe and mulching applied, the plants have the look of health. The more recent rains will have rendered the application of water unnecessary this year, excepting in un- usually dry districts and soils. The stakes and ties of such shrubs should be examined to ascertain that they are secure, and good enough to last through the winter, and that no chafing of the bark is occurring. This is particularly necessary in sea- side gardens. Evergreen Shrubs. — The ground should now be prepared for planting, and recent rains will have rendered digging an easier matter than some weeks ago. Bastard trenching, that is one full spit, and top and bottom shovellings, is a good sort of prepara- tion, aerating the soil for 1 foot or more in depth. A square piece of coarse canvas with cords tied at the corners and crossing each other, through which a pole is passed, is useful in transplanting heavy balls not easily loaded on a hand-barrow or high truck, it being readily passed under a ball. Laurels should now be pruned, using a strong knife, and cutting out regularly the coarser shoots to one or two buds. Do not, however, cut the smaller shoots, or a wall-like appearance will be given these shrubs. The leaves must not be mutilated, which is one reason why shears should not be used. Box-edging may now be clipped, and should the paths consist of loose shell, beach or sand, this should be scraped back from the Box for 1 foot in width, in order to be enabled to gather up the clippings cleanly. Box-edging should be cut on dull days with a pair of hedging-shears kept well sharpened, so as not to bruise the shoots and foliage. Grass Verges. — These will require a weekly shearing at the sides. If the paths are mossy, draw a sharp toothed-rake or hard besom over them pre- viously to employing a weed-killer. This loosening of the surface prevents the weed-killer running to the sides and killing living edgings. Sub-tropical Plants. — Plants of Camellia, Indian Azalea, Pampas-grass, Eulalia, Himalayan Rhodo- dendron, Benthamia or Cornus fragifera, Aralia Sieboldi, Drac.-ena indivisa, and Cordyline australis, if newly planted, should be sprayed over during hot, dry weather in the evening or early morning, using diluted cow-shed drainings to any specimens showing signs of exhaustion. Pampas and Eulalias can scarcely be afforded too much manure-water of this kind when about to push up their in- florescences. Established plants here of both species often produce forty to fifty spikes. Draaaia indivisa plants are loaded with their thong-like risps of seed-vessels, which some kinds of birds devour readily, and like the Berberis, they should be kept from them by means of fine-meshed netting if the seed is wanted for any purpose. Dracaenas and Cordylines are handsome half-hardy plants, for which many sheltered nooks near the southern and western sea -coasts could be found where they would do well. Here, these species are invaluable, the leaves furnishing us with all that is required for tying plants. For this pur- pose the leaves are cut from the base annually, which if left would only turn brown as the speci- mens develop new growth. Even when killed by frost to the ground- level the large tooth-shaped roots soon send up off-sets, which grow fast, and may be planted in the shrubberies if so desired. Seeds should be sown when ripe, and placed in slight bottom- heat. Narcissus. — The early Polyanthus Narcissus should now be planted in well-prepared rich sandy- loam, with full exposure to the sun if early blossoms are desired. Warm banks suit these well if the soil be in good heart. Draw with a large hoe drills of sufficient depth to prevent the bulbs being disturbed by surface-hoeing. A useful succession of flowers for cutting is obtained from mixed plant- ings, but if masses of colour are wished for on the turf or elsewhere, varieties should be kept by themselves in groups, lines, clumps, &c. To follow the Polyanthus varieties, plant the double N. poeticus and N. biflorus in succession. If planted during the present month the blossoms come strong, the bulbs commencing to root forthwith. PLANTS UNDER GLASS. ByT. Edwards, Foreman, Royal Plant Gardens, Frogmore. Eucharis grandiftora. — Bulbs which have finished their growth, if required for early winter flowering, should be removed to an intermediate-house, and be afforded rest for a space of six or eight weeks. During that time no manure and much less water will be required, but they should not be dried off as is usual with many species of bulbs. Afford the plants shade from direct sunshine, and avoid sudden changes of temperature. The same kind of treat- ment will be found suitable for the different species of Hymenocallis. Pancratiums should be maintained in a growing state, and when this is the system, and there exists a good stock of plants, flowers are obtainable for the greater pirt of the year for decoration or for cutting and making up in bouquets or wreaths. No flowers are so chaste and beautiful as those above named, and, generally speaking, single flowers for wreaths are more effective than double ones ; though where colours are permitted, bronze and yellow Chrysanthemums with autumn- tinted foliage, or ithat of some of the Codiajums, harmonise admirably. Gardenias. — The final repotting should now be afforded to all of the spring-struck plants, putting them into 6-inch pots. Let the potting be done moderately firm, using a compost consisting of equal parts peat and loam, with a sprinkling of bone-meal and silver-sand. The plants should be kept close to the glass, syringed freely, and not shaded. Gesneras. — These plants being in a fit state to be placed in their flowering pots, using a potting mixture of peat, leaf-mould, and loam in equal parts, and plenty of sharp sand. When potting the plants, the gardener should be careful not to bruise or break the foliage ; space for affording a top-dressing later should be left. Place the plants when potted in the stove, or a low span-roofed pit, where they will not be far removed from the roof. Water should be sparingly applied for a time after repotting. The plants must not be syringed. Epiphyllums in variety having finished their growth, may be placed in a cold pit, fully exposed to the sun, the sashes beiDg removed during fine weather. Zonal Pelargoniums for Winter-flowering, — As soon as the roots of these plants have reached the sides of the pots, a sprinkling of some kind of arti- ficial fertiliser should be applied, and all the flowers removed, as well as the points of very strong shoots. Let the plants stand thinly, and free all round, turning them occasionally. The plants should be examined at least three times a day during hot weather, so that they do not suffer lack of water at the root. Crassula coccinea. — Cuttings inserted to the number of four or five in a large 60, in sandy soil, readily make roots if not afforded much water. A cold pit or frame placed in a shady position will be found suitable until rooted ; and when rooted, pot them in 48's, and place for the winter on shelves in the greenhouse. The Fenn Tribute. — We have to acknow- ledge the receipt of a cheque for £5 5s., from G. E. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., Wey bridge, on behalf of this fund. 110 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [August 11, 1900. EDIT ORIAL NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be sent to the PUBLISHER. Letters for Publication, as well as specimens and plants for naming, should be addressed to the EDITOR, 41, Welling- ton Street, Covent Garden, London. Communications Should be WRITTEN ON ONE SIDE ONLY OF THE PAPER, sent as early in the week as possible, and duly signed by the writer. IJ desired, the signature will not be printed, but kept as a guarantee of good faith. The Editor does not undertake topay for any contributions, or to return unused communications or illustrations, unleF* by special arrangement. Illustrations.— The Editor will thankfully receive and select photographs or drawings, suitable for reproduction, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, £c. ; but he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. Newspapers. — Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the Editor to see. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. TUESDAY Aug 14 / R°val Horticultural Society's Com- l_ mittees, Meeting. WEDNESDAY Ace. 15 / Eastbourne Horticultural Society's ( Show. THURSDAY Aug 16 / Swansea Horticultural Society's ' " \ Show. SALES. FRIDAY, August 17.— Imported and Established Orchid*, Lilium Harrisii, Roman Hyacinths, Palm Seeds, Nar- cissus, &c, at Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. Average Temperature for the ensuing week, deduced from Observations of Forty-three Years, at Chiswick.— 62 9°. Actual Temperatures :— London.— August 8 (6 p.m.) : Max. 64° ; Min. 54°. August 9 : Dull, rainy, cold. Provinces.— August 8 (6 p.m.) : Max. 03°, Sout era Coun- ties ; Min., 53", Shetland. Much has been written of the The Martyr- pleasures associated with the Gardening. pursuit of gardening ; but its penalties have been almost en- tirely ignored. Nothing can damp the en- thusiasm of its advocates ; there is no sorrow associated therewith that their remembrance can recall. It was Socrates, we think, who wrote of double blessedness : "If you marry, you will repent it ; and if you do not, you will repent it ; " and the same advice may be given to those about to •enter earnestly upon the horticultural life. It is a great responsibility to have charge of a large and (potentially) beautiful garden, which has many visitors during the season of flowers and fruit ; who, though they may not be too critical in your immediate presence, may yet be very emphatically so, when, disappointed with what they came to contemplate, they have retired from your view. They came, perhaps, with great expectations, for whose existence you were partly responsible, and which, saddening to relate, have not been fulfilled. But they do not consider that you are hardly to blame for the "washed-out" condition of your earthly para- dise in a season such as this. Nature, like that memorable creation of Dickens, viz., Captain Cuttle's landlady, Mrs. McStinger, has her great washing-days, somewhat trying to her constitution ; and her subjects, like the humble captain, have to suffer the consequences. After a visitation such as we have recently expe- rienced of the annual "Lammas floods,'' accompanied, in all probability, by fierce south- easterly winds, you go into your garden of an early autumn morning, and you find that your Roses, in a literal as well as a metaphorical sense, have "gone to the wall." Many of your finest climbers, suddenly suc- cumbing to the pressure of the storm, and the weight and violence of the rain, have been blown to the ground. The entire blooms of your garden, Roses, Lilies, Sweet Peas, Violas, Irises, Delphiniums, Gladioli, and Carnations, have been utterly destroyed ; and nothing remains to their fond cultivator, whose gaze only yesterday was riveted by their beauty, but to remove them from the parent plants as speedily and effectively as lies within his power. Even this, as most of us know from experience, is a serious operation, or at least a very tedious and irritating one ; making immense demands upon the divine faculty of patience, while at the same time it makes havoc of the fair element of hope. But Hope, as the optimistic poet has sung, ' ' springs eternal in the human breast ; " and though a thousand magnificent flowers have been swept to desola- tion on the wings of the shower-laden, remorse- less blasts, as many buds, full of embryonic life and potential loveliness, remain. But what of that, if these are destined by Nature to endure a similarly crucial experience, as soon as they have spread their silken petals to the air, and dedicated their beauty to the sun ? To preserve a garden in all its possible integrity and symmetry, under such atmo- spheric conditions as we have endeavoured to describe, is a perfect impossibility ; in many instances you feel almost paralysed by the sad destruction of your treasures which the elements have wrought. Nature, so long your sympa- thetic friend, and gentle inspirer, is now your enemy ; in her amiable moments, she had looked like the innocent flowers she was prepar- ing to destroy, but the serpent of deceit was lurking invisibly there. The great Wordsworth, indeed, has asserted of Nature (in all probability when he was experiencing on a calm evening her benignant influence during his famous visit to the regions of Tintern Abbey), that " she never did betray the heart that loved her " ; and there cm be no question that she usually, though not always, gives warning before she strikes. But what of all this, when she strikes so very hard ? Her fairest creations of the gardens, and of the fields ; the golden corn that is ruthlessly swept by her autumnal floods, and levelled to the ground ; her loftiest trees, which are pre- maturely divested of their large and lustrous leaves ; the fair fruits that are severed, un- ripened, from the pendulous boughs ; the flowers that too early anticipate their decay ; receive for the most part no mercy from Nature when she is suddenly seized with such impetuous moods. But even Nature, with all her unconscious cruelty, can repent ; though often for the horti- culturist her repentance comes too late. And then we experience the full significance of those Arnoldian words — " Sad Patience, too near neighbour to Despair ! " Sale of Poisons The action of the Pharmaceutical for Technical or Society in endeavouring to obtain Trade Purposes. & monopoly of the aale of poisons for horticultural and agricultural purposes is meeting with strenuous opposition, and rightly so, as we think, on the part of the gardening profession in this country, if due precautions and restrictions, such as are imposed upon the druggists, are observed in the case of the horti- cultural trader. Steps will be taken shortly to free the trade hitherto engaged in the sale ot these poisons and poisonous compounds from unnecessary restrictions. Her Majesty's Privy Council, as we learn from a report of a meeting of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, held on July 4, after many years of consideration, has at length decided to approve of carbolic acid being placed in Part II. of the Poisons Schedule, a reservation being made that " any preparation of the acid prepared for use as a sheep-wash, or for any other purpose in connection with agriculture or horticulture, and contained in a close vessel distinctly marked with the word 'Poisonous,' the name and address of the seller, and a notice of the agri- cultural or horticultural purpose for which the preparation has been prepared." The principal object of the authorities at Whitehall has been to give increased protection to the public in the ordinary purchase of small quantities, without at the same time injuring important commercial interests. In view of this decision of H.M. Privy Council in regard to carbolic acid, we think that the restrictions on the sale of nicotine, weed-killer, insecticides, and fly-papers, in the original packages, must, as a matter of justice and fairness, be removed, if all due precautions be henceforth adopted. Hardy Palms (see Supplementary Illustra- tration). — A discussion has been going on in our columns as to whether the planting of Palms in the Riviera is not being overdone. Without expressing an opinion on this point, we may at least say that no such fears need be entertained in this country. Palms are so stately, so full of character, and so few of them are really hardy, that we may well cherish what we have. The hardiest of all is Trachycarpus Fortunei, the Chusan Palm, of which specimens stand out all the year at Kew, and which may be seen in the Isle of Wight, at Swanage, and many other places. Our present illustration shows the villa of Dr. Ramsay, at Torquay, enshrouded with these handsome plants. We have before had occasion to mention the garden of this much esteemed "gardener." Royal Horticultural Society.— The next meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society's Floral and Fruit Committees will be held on Tuesday, August 14, in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, 1 to 5 p.m. A lecture on "Melons '' will be given by Mr. A. Pettigrew, at 3 o'clock. PRATIA ANGULATA.— It is questionable if any garden in the United Kingdom can show a finer specimen of this lovely creeping plant than the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. This plant is in a small bed in the botanical arrangement of plants, and attracts much attention by the freedom with which it grows and flowers. Roughly calculated, it must be from 10 to 12 feet in circumference, and it forms a nice mound in the centre with a broad margin which does not attain the same height. One can look upon a plant such as this with much enjoy- ment, because of the beauty of its little white flowers and the healthy appearance of the specimen. What surprises one is that it is grown in dry soil, and in an open position, conditions which would prevent it from growirjg in my own garden, where it will only thrive with a little moisture than generally obtains in the garden. It is found in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden that while it grows well in a moist place, it flowers with less freedom. I had an opportunity of seeing this for myself, and it considerably alters one's views to find that this is the case, even in a drier climate than we have in the south-west. Peach Culture.— We regret to find that in an article on this subject printed in our last issue, the writer has availed himself without acknow- ledgment of Mr. J. Simpson's book on the Extension system of cultivation. In some cases, Mr. Simp- son's words are repeated word for word. The law of copyright is in so involved a condition (see the recent decision of the House of Lords) that we cannot pretend to say what is lawful and what unlawful. Common sense and common justice, however, rank deliberate plagiarism as decidedly dishonourable. A.UGI ST 11, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. Ill Botanical Magazine.— The following plants are illustrated in the current number : — Oatlleya x IVhitei, Ilchb. f., t. 7727.— A natural hybrid between C. labiata and C. Sohilleriaua, pro- duced also artificially. The flower-segments are magenta-coloured, the two-lobed creuulate anterior .portion of the lip is of a deeper colour, with reddish stripes and a yellow blotch at the throat. Asparagus ttrnifolius, lfook. f. , t. 772S. — Cla- ■dodes linear or linear-lanceolate, nearly an inch long ; flowers numerous, pink, in lateral racemes •of about 2 inches in length. A native of Natal. See Gardeners' Chronicle, 1S72, p. 15SS, tig. 338. P/taoJieuron Moloneii, Stapf., t. 7729. — A Melas- tomaceous herb, with angular stems, stalked ovoid, oblong, acute, serrate leaves, and clusters of pink flowers. Dr. Stapf gives the distinguishing cha- racteristics between this species and Dicellandra. Huernia somalica, N. E. Brown. — A Stapelia- Jike plant, with pentagonal-grooved stems, sinuate, dentate along the edges of the grooves ; flowers globose, spreading into a flat tive-lobed purple-like limb. Native of Somaliland. Senecio auriculatissimus, Britten, t. 7731. — This ds a highly ornamental climbing shrub, with stalked, suborbicular, toothed leaves, whitish on the under surface ; the leaf-stalk is dilated at the base into a 'large leafy convex auricle ; flower-heads yellow, in 4oose, spreading panicles. Seeds were collected in British Central Africa by Mr. John Mahon. Special Societies. — We have a great many special societies connected with horticulture, but we have not as yet formed, as our American friends 'have, a "Society of Ornamental Horticulturists." Who would undertake to be a judge ? And who could gauge the disgust of the disappointed exhibitor "'. Sweet Peas.— We are glad to find that the (proposed classification of these popular flowers is to be based on colour rather than form. We know too well what the florists do when it is a question ■of form. A circular standard, flat as if ironed out with a flat-iron, would be a poor substitute for the undulating surface ; and corresponding play of light and shade and variety of colour in the old fashioned -Sweet Peas, nevertheless, improved substance oi petals, increased number of flowers on a stalk are desirable. In order to satisfy the different tastes of different sections of flower-lovers, it would be desirable to have separate classes in the schedules vfor natural and for conventionalised flowers. SOOT. — From a paragraph in our valued con- temporary, the Revue de V Horticulture Beige for August, we learn that a dressing of soot is fatal to the Phylloxera, and beneficial to the Vine. We have seen no Phylloxera now for some years in our vineries ; but should it occur again, we shall hope to try the effect of the soot, as if efficacious, it "would save much trouble and expense. The plan adopted is to dig in around each stock in winter- time H litre of soot (say 2 pints). Our contem- porary speaks of the root-form of the insect. Whether a dusting over the foliage with soot would be equally efficacious is not stated. Bulbs for the Whole of the London iParks and Open Spaces.— We understand that Wm. Cuteush & Son of Highgate have been favoured with the orders from the First Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works, Westminster, and the Xondon County Council, for the supply of the ■whole of the bulbs required this autumn for the Xondon parks and open spaces in the coming season. Earth-nuts, Peanuts (Arachis hypogea). — From an American journal we have the informa- tion that the last crop of this edible nut was reckoned at between four and four-and-a-half million buBhels. This is quite a favourite article of consumption in the United States, and would be more so here were heat applied to driving off the oily contents — as is the case, we believe, in the States. Mr. Theodoke Wood, a member of the .Executive Council of New Guinea, says that Pea- nuts are likely to prove a great success in that part of the world, certain portions of the "Possession" being eminently adapted for their cultivation. Samples sent to Brisbane would appear to be quite equal to the best of anywhere else. As far as can be judged at present, the class of land in British New Guinea upon which the Pea-nut will thrive should yield at least four tons to the acre, and in favourable reasons the planter may be expected to take two crops per annum. The cost of cultivation is very small, the labourer being easily satisfied with a very trifling remuneration. The New York Botanical Garden.— The completed conservatories will, says American Gar- dening, cover about one acre. The total length is about 525 feet. The central portion being 100 ft. in diameter and S7 ft. in height. The two curvi- linear wings are each about 120 ft. long by 30 ft. wide, and the corner houses aie 85 ft. square with- out the vestibules. The heating is effected by steam pipes placed in a subway 6 ft. high, con- necting the conservatories with the power-house 000 ft. distant. Seedless Oranges in California.— An American lady travelling in Babia some thirty years since "happened" upon some fruits of this now world-renowned variety, and got some trees home. Two of these found their way to the River- side estate in California, the proprietor of which is Mr. H. Tibbetts. They were then carrying some sixteen fruits — the average annual shipment from this place has now reached 1,600,000 boxes. Commercial Cultivation of Plants Under GLASS. — It is estimated that the retail value of cut flowers sold in the States annually is $12,500,000, the estimated apportionment of this sum being for — Roses S6>"03,000 Carnations 4,000,000 Violets 700,000 Chrysanthemums £00,000 Miscellaneous tloweis, including Lilies, &c. I,250,u00 Estimating the average retail value of Boses, Carna- tions, and Violets at $0, $4 and $1 per hundred, respectively, the total number of each sold annually based on the above values, would be, of — Roses 100,000,000 Carnations 100,000,001) Violets 75,000.000 275,000,000 The retail value of the plants sold is placed at 310,000,000. Taking the plant trade as a whole, and the country in the aggregate, the average-sized pot used is estimated to be 3 inches, and the average retail price 10 cents per pot. This means that there are no less than 100,000,000 plants sold every year. To handle this business in its entirety re- quires probably an average of not less than one man for every 1,500 square feet of glass, or 15,000 men in all. Fifteen hundred square feet of glass per man may seem like a low estimate, and such is the fact when considering commercial establish- ments of any size. The larger the area of glass, other things being equal, the more square feet one man can handle. As a matter of fact, some of the large Rose-growing establishments do not use more than one man for each 10,000 square feet. Large Carnation establishments will run about the same as Roses ; while Violets, owing to the great amount of work involved in cleaning the plants and picking the flowers, average higher. It is the many thou- sand small establishments that increase the amount of labour required. American Gardening. The Gale and the Fruit Crops— The severe gales that we have lately experienced will, we fear, very materially alter the conclusions at which we arrived from information from all the counties in Britain and Ireland. Already we hear of great losses. In the circumstances, we do not think it desirable to print the many comments on the state of the crop3, previous to the storm, with which our correspondents have obligingly favoured us. The Times and Copyright.— We see that the Times of August 7, says that "Mr. Lane would have obtained permission [to reprint a report published in the Times], had he asked for it." On one occasion we had to ask permission to copy the substance of a report of a law case of great interest to our readers. The reply was a curt refusal, and but for the fact that the Judge's notes were courteously placed at our disposal, we could not have given an adequate report of the case. Late Delivery of the "Chronicle."— We have again to apologise to many subscribers who did not get their copies in due time last week. They were no worse off than the Editor, who is supposed to get the first copy pulled on Friday morning by the first post, but who did not receive it till Saturday afternoon. Enquiries at the Post-office elicit the fact that their arrange- ments are not yet perfect. Allotment Gardening at Hornsey. — Bank Holiday was celebrated in Hornsey by the fifth annual exhibition of flowers, fruit, and vege- tables in connection with the Hornsey Horticultural and Allotments Association. Mr. H. C. Stephens, M.P. for the Hornsey Division, in opening the exhibition, congratulated the exhibitors upon the excellence of the display which they had made, and the Associatiou upon the progress it continued to make. Most people would allow that men who were good gardeners were generally also good men, fond of their families, steady, and quiet ; and therefore it was obvious that the provision of allotments in districts like Hornsey was a wise provision. He was sorry to hear that some o£ them were about to lose their allotments, and this was bound to happen when the allotments were only held on lease. He advised them to urge on their district council to acquire a freehold site for allotment purposes. They could do this now, but before long, with building operations going on all around, it would be an impossibility. The council had interested itself in technical education, and he thought it might well regard gardening as a branch of that education, for agriculture was the most important industry in the country, and yet less was known about it than about any other subject. The Archbishops Park. — The Lambeth Road entrance to the Archbishop's Park was opened a few days' since to the public. This will confer a great boon upon the people living in the thoroughfare. Hitherto they have been obliged to make a long detour round towards Westminster Bridge Road in order to get access to the park. Annual Excursion of Messrs. Wm. Fell & Co.'S Employes. — On the 2nd inst. the employes of Messrs. Wn Fell & Co., Royal Seedsmen and Nurserymen, Hexham, to the num- ber of nearly eighty, made their annual excursion. Scarborough was this year the selected place, the party spending a most enjoyable day. The Railway Companies and the coming National Co-operative Festival. — When a man sees a work into which he has put his heart, in danger of being crippled and spoiled, it is hard to be patient. That is my own position to-day. Over a dozen years ago I saw the opportunity of establishing annual National Co-operative Festivals of music and flowers on a grand scale, something which would excite enthusiasm, and set men and women to work to help in every corner of our land to develop higher tastes amongst our people. I need not say how great has been the success. It is sufficient to mention, that whereas in the first year we could only find 1,500 co-operative singers, we have now grown until we could, to-day, easily find 15,000 if we could make room for them. And the " One and All " flower show entries have grown from two or three hundred to five thousand per year. The development of this work has been aided in the past by the generous policy of the managers of the great railway companies, who were willing, when I first met them at the Railway Clearing House Meetings a dozen years ago, to look at such questions in the broadest light. This 112 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Augi'St 11, 190O. generous policy is now being reversed, the privi- leges to our singers are being suddenly withdrawn, excursion fares are raised all round, and Saturday excursions are curtailed. Since the new resolution of the railways was taken, there have been three or four popular musical festivals other than our own at the Crystal Palace. The first was the Noncon- formist Festival. This has usually had a full choir of 5,000 or 6,000 singers. This year the Handel Orchestra presented a melancholy spectacle of half -empty seats. I had a photograph taken, which I send you, side by side with one of our own choir of last year, when all seats were full. You will see what a beggarly array of empty seats now presents itself ; the shrinkage in the audience is also noticeable. Then came the Temperance Ft-te, aud that of the Tonic Sol-fa Association. The heads of these most excellent movements announce publicly that they have this year practically lost all their adult singers. Is it too late to make an earnest appeal to public opinion to press on the railway managers the re-consideration of their recent decision ? There must be many amongst them who still retain the traditions of statesman- like policy of recent years — a policy which has been good alike for the companies and for the travelling public. — Edwd. Owen Greening." Book Notice. Scottish Gardens. By E. S. Lorimer. From the Architectural Review, November, 1899. The praise of gardens we read (p. 5) is as old as history, but we may be pardoned by supposing that no generations enjoyed their gardens quite as keenly as we do ours ; for to-day, owing to the very eager life of most people, we get in the repose and seclusion of the garden the delight of a strong contrast. Your modern man of affairs can one evening eat his dinner in a corridor-train, the next morning he can spend ruminating in a garden that has been the same for centuries ; the same, and yet always changing, ever coming, and ever bidding adieu ; one week, one corner a perfect cascade of colour and beauty ; the next week gone, and a king's ransom could not bring it back. But still one feels the best is yet to be, and presently some other corner takes up the wondrous tale. The lover of the garden is inevitably and even- tually exclusive. He must be so, or the charm of his domain is gone. It may be a stately plea- saunce, walled in by clipped Yew and gay terraces, but it must be his alone — his to wander in, to cherish, to dream through undescribed. The garden is a little pleasaunce of the soul, by whose wicket the world can be shut out from us. In the garden something of the golden age still lingers in the warm alleys where the bees hum above the Limes, and the Stocks in the blue shadows ; where the azure butterflies look dark in the amber haze, where the Lime-leaves and the Acacia flowers wave joyously as the west wind passes. The true lover of a garden counts time and seasons by the flowers. This Calendar is the Shepherd's Calendar. We well remember all the events of his years by the trees or plants which were in bloom when they happened. The Acacias were in flower when we heard, or the Hawthorns were all out when we saw. He will say to him- self, if not to others, as Ouida so charmingly puts it in A Ghat about Gardens, ' ' There's nothing like a garden for cultivating the kindly social virtues. Its perfectness puts people on their good behaviour ; its nice refinement secures the mood for politeness. Its highland beauty produces the disposition that delights in what is beautiful in form and colour. Its queenly graciousness of mien inspires the reluc- tant loyalty of even the stoniest mind. Here, if anywhere will the human hedgehog unroll himself, and deign to be companionable. If a designer of his work is to have any freshness, he should live, move, and have his being in a garden, rememberiug the eager Sedding's aphorism, that ' a house in a garden, a stroll in the embroidered meadows, is better than a month of sixpenny days in a stuffy museum.' " Mr. Lorimer says, of gardening in Scotland of the olden times that there is little to tell. We credit Queen Mary with planting her Sycamore-tree at Craigmillar Park, and intro- ducing French Sorrel and Angelica near where the latter is still grown for the Edinburgh confectioners. Of Mary's garden at Loch Leven, not a vestige remains. Traces however of the Queen's garden, when a child, may be traced in the Island of Inchmahoane, in the Lake of Monteith. You wander through the ruins over-grown with Fern and Spanish filberts, and old fruit-trees ; aud at the corner of the old Monkish Garden you come upon one of the strangest and most touching things you ever saw — an oval space of about IS feet by 12, with the remains of a double row of Box all round about 14 feet high, S or 9 inches in diameter, healthy, but of great age — evidently the Queen's baby-garden left to itself for 300 years. As is well knowu, Mary was placed by her mother in the Isle of Best, where she paced with her four Marys, her child maids of honour, when she was about five years old, before sailing'from the Clyde to France. There is something that thrills the heart-strings as to the life, in standing] and looking on that living relic of that strange pathetic old time. This author, who ofj course writes more as an architect than a garden artist, yet holds a fairly even balance between the two as the few following sentences will show. " Close to the mansion the architect naturally'displayed his own art iu statues, vases, terraces, flights of steps, balustrades. The gardener forced thejvegetable^to correspond by cut- ting his evergreens into verdant walls with towers and battlements, and his'single trees into statuary." The fact that any of these old Scotch gardens remain is more due to luck than good grinding. Some of the Lairds were too poor, others too indifferent to the terraces round the house, sur- rounded it with coarse gravel ankle deep, leading to sloping banks, dotted with that arch abomination the specimen tree, or groups of monkey puzzles as at Hatton House, Midlothian. Traquair, Balcaskre, are briefly noticed, and then it is said : "Nothing more splendid could be imagined, the straight Beech avenue at such places as Donibristle and Fordel. Curve the approach by all means, if the ground suggests it, but when going through a level piece of park, avoid the meaningless sweep that is intended to be what the landscape-gardener calls "eye sweet." We all know the type of avenue, aud the country house, it leads to that tier a hun- dred yards from the road, but whose laird would fain have you imagine that he has a park of a thousand acres, so he curves his approach in endless winding round every hump and hillock, and Rhododendron bush, until you finally arrive at the doors gasping and exasperated. Mr. Lorimer has only less than a line on the biggest flower-garden in Scotland, Drummond Castle, and names it in contrast with one of the smallest over the Tay at Stobball. He also writes of Drumlanrig as immensely fine of its kind, but no longer seeming to sing in time with its own countryside. Of the Benaissance, he says " that its lesson was learnt all too well. The craftsman who, using his local materials in his right, rough, fanciful way, and with his few half French traditions, gave us such miracles of beauty as some of our old Scotch houses had to curl up ; while the man with the books and the cut-and-dried rules came along and gave us a piece of full-fledged grandiosity like Drumlanrig." The author quotes Edzell and Earleshall as- typical examples of Scotch houses and gardens before the Benaissance had much influence, and gives a charming illustration of Edzell : — " Here is a piece of ground as flat as a kitchen- table, but with such a garden-wall. The garden - wall of stone, that shut the flowers and trees up with the sky, and trebled all the beauty, divided into bays by pilasters, of which only the caps, bases, and bands remain between part of the wall, with the frieze-cheque of the Crawfords, the recesses scooped out into little pockets for flowers. .... For each alternate bay, a recess for a bee- skep, above a carved panel. On one side various deities of classic story — Apollo, Diana, Mercury; on- another the virtues and sciences — 'Charitas,' of many children ; Dialectica Arithmetica, busy over a sum ; Geonietrica, absorbed with the compasses. In the corner a charming summer-house, vaulted below and above, a room that had once a painted ceiling." In contrast to this venerable wall at Edzell, steeped in old-world memories, let us hear what Mr. Lorimer has to say on one more other garden : — " Barncluith is quite unlike anything else. Scott has described it in his famous essay on ' Frost-trees' :r a detailed description can convey but little idea oi its charm. It is the most romantic little garden in Scotland. Lying on one side of a great wooded valley, it is a veritable hanging garden. Four or five terraces one above the other sticking on to the- side of a cliff, the general angle of which is about 55°. Two little summer-houses, great trees of scented Box, and the flowers gathered here you. feel sure would be, not a bouquet, but a posy — such an atmosphere about the place. In the twilight, or the moonlight, destinies might be determined in this garden." Were architects generally inspired with such lofty ideals as these as to the legitimate place and, power of the garden in the every-day economy of our social and intellectual life, there would be less danger of our gardens being tucked into an out-of- the-way corner half a mile or more from the house. The most devoted lover of Nature and Art in the garden can hardly complain of the place he assigns near the end of his paper : — "The house and home should be dignified, but livable, spacious, lofty rooms, with chaste ceilings :_ the chief windows ever looking out over the gar- dens in tune with the house ; a garden that has quite a different charm from the park ; a garden- that is an intentional, deliberate piece of careful design ; a place that is guarded and matured with- the teuderest care, but that becomes less trim as it gets further from the house, and then naturally and gradually marries with the demesne beyond." Seldom have landscape artists and gardeners listened to a more cheerful sermon of conciliation, and peace from a distinguished architect. D. T. Fish, F.R.H.S. THE ONE - AND - ALL FLOWER SHOW AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE, (August 17 and IS, 1900.) This year of plenty on the farm and in the garden promises to produce the best shows. This, the fifteenth in succession, is to be opened at 3 p.m. on Friday, by the Countess of Warwick, who has- done so much for the education of women in horticulture. In the August number of the Agricultural Economist, E. O. Greening, Esq., the founder and projector of these great shows, gives on p. 251, in- two or three sentences, the rise and progress of these noble efforts to use the best music and most perfect fruit and flowers as the most effective means of sweetening the daily lives, and ennobling the pleasures of the masses. August 11, 1900.] THE GAB DENE US' CHRONICLE. 113 " Another very inspiring feature to hard- work- ing men, covering long distances, who may not yet have become perfect gardeners, is the breaking through the almost stereotyped three prize through- out the schedule, making a fourth almost as constant as the third, and adding frequently a fifth and a sixth in the more popular classes." The table decorations (p. .'19 | on the Saturday, August 18, and the other items I name from the same show and date, must indeed prove — I might truly say, have proved — a powerful means of culture, aud the best possible school of art for the Coiling million. Then the special classes (p. 45) for ladies and fruits, the most perfect bunch of Grapes, the Muscat of Alexandria, has ten points, the other ranging from nine to five, I suppose it would be little use to growers, that only ten points each can be awarded to those three features of the table that add greatly to its grace and beauty. Table plants, cut flowers and foliage, and tasteful arrangement : Surely the latter if deserved should have been allowed to reach to fifteen or twenty points. But the prizes for this educational collection are surely on a par with its high aims and conditions. " Mrs. Henslow, " an original water-colour drawing, value ten guineas ; '2nd prize, four guineas : .'!rd prize two guineas. A consolation prize of a guinea is Fig. 29. — calathea crocata. children. The six subjects are admirably chosen, and the prizes queenly. Then the best table of cut flowers, 12 feet by 4 feet, is most useful ; but I fear the table about 7 feet square arranged, for which the liberal prizes of £3, £2, and £1 are offered on p. 45, may come out rather heavy, as square tables are seldom graceful or effective. The table on p. 41, S feet long by 4J: feet, is far easier moulded into good taste and form. Educational Class and Collection of Garden Produce. This is to consist of seven dishes of fruit and seven of vegetables, to be judged by points in the usual way. As only one fruit, the queen of all promised to every exhibitor in the class whose collection possesses sufficient merit. Then there is an excellent class in which first, second, and third class certificates are for exceptional fine fruit, flowers, and vegetables. The certificates carry the following cash value : first class, £1 ; second class, 10s. ; third class, 5s. Several societies also give liberal prizes as usual ; and all the sports, children's fete, march past, cricket match, musical drill, juvenile and adult competitors, and a great popular concert of 5,000 voices alone. Brock's fireworks promise to be brighter, better than ever. But for the last few- months a cloud little bigger than a man's hand has been over-running some of our railway companies, and apparently bewildering them. I am sure no Society would be more ready to acknowledge their deep indebtedness to these for their past success. Directors seemed recently to have changed their mind about excursions and cheap fares. For years most of them know that it is the third-class fares that keep the "firsts ' ' running, and that generally the cheapest fares pay best in the railway world. But latterly not a few seem to think that popular tripping involves a loss. Like the landlady who declared she lost a halfpenny on every pint she sold, when asked how she lived, replied, she sold a good many ; so certain directors seem to think they can keep up their dividends and pay their extra coal-bill from weighing luggage and abolishing cheap fares to popular and charitable or other societies. Not a few commercials are already mooting to go back totheir old horse-traps or new motor-cars on the road ; and quite half, at the least, of those who go to great fetes and festhals, such as the One-and- All, are free to stay at home if they like, so that the abolition of liberal terms for such fetes will neither prove profitable to the railways nor render the most useful nor patriotic service to the com- pany. Surely the railways cannot venture to cripple or hinder the great work in hand by such societies as One-andAll, and other charitable, scientific, educational, and other gatherings. Were our Hon. Secretary aud Mr. \Vaugh to go, Agricultural Economist in hand, and bring the illustration from crowds from floor to roof in sharp contrast with the beggarly array of semi-empty benches under the new railway rates, surely it might retain the old ones for our exhibition and the half excursions for the singers in time to save the most ennobling and delightful of all the people's fcJtes, educational and other social gatherings of the year from injury and curtailment. CALATHEA CROCATA. The accompanying illustration (fig. 29) was prepared from a plant shown at the Drill Hall last spring ; it attracted attention by the bright yellow colour (crocata= saffron-yellow) of the leafy bracts surrounding the flowers. Like all true Calatheas, its leaves spring in a tuft direct from the rootstock, as in the common Primrose, and the flowers are aggregated in a spicate head, on which the bracts are usually most conspicuous, both as regards size and colour. The leaves are dark green above, purplish below, undu- lated, the blade being 6 to S inches long ; the scape is 6 inches high. The plant was first introduced from Brazd in 1S74 by Messrs. Jacob Makoy & Co., Liege, and flowered freely with them in February, when a figure of it was published in the Belgique Horticole, vol. xxv. This figure was reproduced in the Floral World in 1876. Much confusion prevails in gardens between the two genera. Maranta and Calathea. Many of the plants known as Marantas, such as illustris, prasina, priuceps, Sanderiana, and smaragdina, are true Calathea3, with tufted leaves and a capitate inflorescence, similar to that figured. On the other hand, the plants known in gardens as Calathea Kerchoveana, Makoyana, Massangeani, and Devosiana, are true Marantas, and merely varie- ties of M. bicolor, a Brazilian species, showing considerable variation in leaf-variegation. The Marantas have zigzag stems, and a loose, branching inflorescence, bearing few small flowers. W. W. PLANT PORTRAITS. Erigeeon speciosus. — A tall, herbaceous perennial, with lanceolate, sessile leaves, tapering at both ends ; and loose panicles of flower-heads, in which the rays are violet ; the disc yellow. Mcehans' Monthly, August. Phal.fnopsis Ltjdde.manniana. — Segments with pink, transverse bars on a yellow ground ; front looe of lip pink. Revue de V Horticulture Beige, August. Thibaudia macrantha. — A warm greenhouse plant, with purple stems, sessile, ovate, acute leaves, and terminal heads uf flowers; corollas cylindrical, distended in the centre, deep red, except near the shallow, live-parted, cream-coloured limD. ileouc ae V Horticulture Edge, August. 114 THE ' GABDEJYEBS' CHRONICLE. [August 11, 1900. LATHYEUS MAGELLANICUS AND L. PUBESCENS. The history of Lathyrus magellanicus (Lamarck) dates from the celebrated voyage round the world of Lord Anson with the ship Centurion, and others, a.d. 1/40 — 1744. The Centurion, with the crew in a dreadful condition from scurvy, reached the southeastern point of South America in the begin- ning of March, 1741 (equivalent in season to our September). The weather was then mild and bright, and it seems to have been at the entrance of Strait Le Maire that this Pea was first found. It is mentioned in the seventh edition of Miller's Dictionary, published soon after its discovery ; but I have only the ninth edition, by Martyn, pub- lished about 1S04, who says of it: "Mr. Miller has a perennial Pea, which he calls Pisum ameri- canum, or the Cape Horn Pea, from its having been brought by Lord Anson's cook when he passed that cape, where this Pea was a great relief to the sailors ; but it is not so good for eating as the worst sort cultivated in England." Then follows the botanical description. But the plant is best known to gardeners from a beautiful portrait in Sweet's British Flower Garden, Series II., tab. 344, under Lamarck's name, L. magellanicus. Sweet tells us that it was given to Miller by the cook of the Centurion on his return to England, and cultivated in the botanical garden of Chelsea, of which Miller was gardener, but that it was soon lost. We do not hear of it again in cultivation until Sweet's time, whose portrait, published in 1S3S, was taken from a living plant in the nurseries of Messrs. Osborn, at Fulham, flowering in June. After this, it was again lost sight of ; but the brilliant blue colour and fine habit of the plant, as represented by Sweet, made it a desideratum to gardeners, until recently re- introduced by a very enterprising amateur (Mr. A. Bulley), in whose garden in the Wirral of Cheshire I saw it flowering in July, 1S99. Sweet's is a faithful likeness except in colour, which in real life is dull purple. Seven seeds were given to me by Mr. Bulley in September, 1899, all of which came up at once. Two seedlings I gave away ; the other five, when a foot high, I planted out in various soils and aspects ; two flowered sparingly in June when a yard high, the others look more or less sickly, and though all send up a succession of blind shoots from the base, they show no sign of more flowers. I have tried some of the shoots as cuttings without success. Mr. Bulley tells me that his plants have not proved perennial, making no reappearance after winter, and that he is so much disappointed with the colour that he shall take no more trouble about the species. It certainly seems hardly worth much trouble, but Sweet makes a reasonable sug- gestion : that being a maritime plant, native of a very stormy coast, it may require sprinklings of salt to keep it in health. We know many British plants which require this. Another rather similar Pea of recent introduction to British gardens is L. pubescens (Hooker), native of Chili. This was illustrated two years ago in the Garden, having been grown out-of-doors by Mr. S. Arnott, near Dumfries. Mr. Arnott kindly gave me six seeds, all of which grew, as well as a cutting attached to a specimen flower which he pent me. The cutting flowered sparingly in June, 1S99, but none of the seedlings flowered, though they continued to irrow to 5 feet high, and threw out many slender branches till the end of summer, none of which had completed their growth when winter killed them all ; but cuttings taken in autumn flowered sparingly in June of this year, planted out against a south wall. The flowers are about half the size of those of L. magellanicus, which I omitted to say about match in size the common everlasting Pea. The colour is far more like blue than that of the Cape Horn Pea. L. pubescens may prove hardy in the mildest parts of our islands, but as it comes from the neighbourhood of Valparaiso, it is hardly likely to Bucceed as an outdoor perennial in ordinary gardens. C. Wolley Dod, Edge. Hall, Malpas. Home Correspondence. MELONS. — The various Melons exhibited at the last Drill Hall meeting were very indifferent. It speaks volumes for the quality or otherwise when Melon-flesh is eaten with gusto, or is immediately expelled from the mouth. No one seeing how tempting in appearance Melons look when ripe and well-netted, would imagine that such hand- some fruits could be even less pleasing to eat than a common Marrow. Sometimes they are positively nauseous. The best-flavoured Melon at the recent meeting, and it was but sweetish flesh, had a very common fault, in having one-third of the outer flesh quite hard, whilst the inner flesh was soft. That is a common defect when white or green-flesh Melons are crossed with scarlet-flesh varieties. It seems as if the flesh was of diverse quality from that of the middle of the fruit. The huge Melon, weighing 13 lb. , submitted to the committee, had no such defect, the flesh being very solid and smooth, but it was entirely devoid of taste. I have been credited with prejudice against Melons. That is not true. I dislike bad Melons very much, and it not infrequently happens that some placed before the committee are positively nauseous. Why it should be so is difficult to understand ; as also is it to understand why, with so many really superior Melons in commerce, anyone should labour to spoil them, as they so frequently do. There are many Melons that, with judicious culture, will hirdly be other than good ; hence, it would seem as if it were less varieties than culture that was the cause of so many of the newer ones proving to be so bad. Beally a first-rate, well -flavoured Melon is hailed with great satisfaction at the Drill Hall ; and all the more readily, because, like angels' visits, they are found so seldom. A. D. SEEDING OF THE BIRCH. — In regard to the query put by your correspondent in Gardeners' Chronicle, p. 74, I may state that the heavy crop of seed on the Birch has bad a marked effect on the foliage of many specimens that I have noticed in this district, East Gloucestershire, the leaves being very small on the branches that are so profusely laden with catkins ; the same effect is quite as evident in the Beech, the crop of mast being remarkable, and the foliage much smaller than usual. /. P., August 7. THE STORM. — Although we may expect one gale on an average each August, it is rarely so violent as the one we experienced on the 3rd inst. Deciduous trees, unaccustomed to be caught in full foliage by such a great storm, have suffered more than evergreens. Poplars have, in many cases, been torn up by the roots, or snapped in two. Among the "orchard" trees, Apples have, in many cases, been stripped absolutely bare of fruit, and I think 90 per cent, of the crop on an average is lost. Pears have lost over half the crop, and even Plums and Nuts have suffered severely. If such is the record in an enclosed garden, it is to be feared that there has been a complete loss of the crop on the " orchard " trees in more exposed situations. " Pruned " trees of all kinds have not lost more than 10 per cent, of their crop, which they could well afford to do, as they were well laden ; but we have yet to learn the quantity of bruised and damaged fruit. In any case, serious losses have fallen upon those who grow for market, and many Dahlia-growers are in despair. A. Worsley, Isleworth. THE RECENT RAINFALL IN THE COUNTY OF DURHAM. — I am sending you a record of the amount of rainfall measured here for the twenty- four hours ending Saturday, 4th inst., 9 A.M., thinking it may be of some interest to readers of the Gardeners' Chronicle, and also be the means of bringing to notice the rainfall in other parts of the country. So large a quantity in twenty-four hours is to me, quite unprecedented in this district, viz., 3'S5 inches between 9 a.m.. and 5 p.m. on Friday. When the storm was at its worst, the rain-gauge, showed exactly 2§ inches. I need hardly say that seeing the rain was accompanied by a N. E. gale of wind, and continued for twenty hours, the amount of damage done is almost indescribable. Nearly everything in the garden has suffered terribly, and the corn crops in this district are levelled to the ground. H. E. Gribble, Aynyard Park Gardens, dtocllon-on- Tees. SEVERE DAMAGE TO FRUIT CROPS IN MON- MOUTHSHIRE.—The abundant crops of Apples, Pears, and Plums shown in the reports published in the Gardeners' Chronicle last week have been, severely thinned in this district at least. On Friday, August 3, and again on Monday, storms of wind and rain have not only shaken an immense amount of fruit from the trees, but have also broken away large branches of the trees them- selves. In a few instances trees have been up- rooted. Apple, Walnut, Damson, and Plum-trees have fared worst. The wind has been more violent than old inhabitants declare is common in this district in winter. There are sacks of Apples strewn over even the smaller orchards. At a local flower-show which was held on Monday last, the tents were blown away, and the exhibits destroyed. R. H. P., Post-office, Llangattock, Lingoed, Abergavenny. THE GALE AND THE FRUIT CROPS.— The gale on Friday, August 3, was the most disastrous- experienced in this district during the past Bix years. Heavy rain preceded and accompanied the storm, and the trees having an abundant foliage, they felt the full force of the wind. Stakes were snapped like twigs, and strong pyramid Pears, 10 to 12 feet high, were in several cases broken off close to the ground ; while dwarf Apples were nearly torn up by the roots, and branches were stripped off standard Apples. Though much of" the fruit was blown off or damaged, Plums suffered less than other fruit-trees, except on the outside of plantations directly exposed to the wind. The Apple- crop has been effectively thinned in this neighbourhood, and except in the case of the earliest varieties, the fruit was not advanced enough to possess any saleable value. The repeti- tion of the gale on Monday was not nearly so- serious in its results, as there was less rain ; and wherever possible its effects had been minimised, by additional staking ; in fact, in one exposed, plantation of young trees prompt attention on Friday practically saved it from destruction. R. L. Castle, Ridgmont, Beds. THE WEATHER IN NORTH CORNWALL. —During the past month we have bad a goodly proportion of seasonable weather. On three days the thermo- meter registered over 80° Fah. in the shade, the maximum being SS° on Thursday the 19th, which day was extremely sultry ; the minimum tempera- ture for the month was 39° on July 8. The weather generally has been decidedly hot; on July 11 it was very oppressive, and followed by a thunder- storm duriDg the early hours of the 12th, which brought some welcome rain, and cooled the air to an appreciable extent. During the hottest weather the barometer was high, but never very high ; the highest reading for the month was 30 35 inches at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 2, and the lowest 2946 ins. at 8 a.m. on the 9th. The rainfall has been slight, the total being 1 -30 inches ; the greatest fall during twenty-four hours was 0 35 inches, measured at 9 a.m. on Sunday, July 29, and there were seventeen rainless days. A. C. Bartlett, Pencarrow Gardens. THE WEATHER IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND.— There has been too much wind and rain all over these islands in the middle of harvest. On Monday, August G. in many places, the down- pour exceeded an inch. Parsonstown (Kings County), 1-6 in. ; Leith, 13 in. ; Donaghadee, 1-2 in. ; Holyhead, DO in. At Parsonstown the fall for the twenty-four hours was 43 per cent., and at Leith 4S per cent, for the whole month. In Edinburgh we have several times had an inch of rain lately. Notes of rainfalls since 1854 only give three instances of greater rainfalls. Sept. 23, 1861, 2-10 inches; Oct. 20, 1864, 2 '43 inches;. July 13, 1879, 295 inches. In the period under review, the greatest August rainfall hitherto recorded was 1 94 inch on August 21, 1897, and again on August 12, 1S9S. The last rainfall for twenty-four hours here, equals 202 tons or 45,000 gallons per acre. This amounts, over the 8,804 ArousT li, 1900.] THE GARDENERS1 CHRONICLE 115 acres within the srja of the city, to 1,7"S,000 tons, <>r 896, 000,d00 gallons of water. Glasgow seems to have got off with less rain this time. The latest news giving the data up to ten o'olock yesterday morning, giving the rainfall for the last twenty-four hours 1 40 inch, the heaviest that has fallen for a long time, even more so than the notable one of November last. D. T. F., Aug. 8. Florists' Flowers. CARNATION MRS. T. W. LA.WSON. ' I had recently an opportunity of observing a plant ia bloom of this celebrated Carnation, and if I said that it is an acquisition, I should be doing it but scant justice. The variety seems to possess a good constitution, is free in growth, and has a promising habit. It is floriferous, and produces blooms of a large size, true pink in colour, deli- ciously perfumed, and furnished with stiff Btems. Top dressing ei on rages surface - rooting, and thus enables the plant to take up much more nutriment than would be the case were no top- dressings given. All suckers, moss, and weeds should be removed, the surface loosened, and the roots laid bare, before the new soil, . James Godfrey Dean.— We regret to an- nounce the death in his seventieth year of Mr. James Godfrey Dean, head gardener at Titsey Place, near Limpsfield, Surrey, which took place very suddenly on the 2nd inst. at Titsey from apoplexy. Mr. Dean had been in failing health since an attack of influenza which he had about four years ago. For forty-seven years he had been in the family of the Leveson-Gowersand their rela- tives, as will be seen by the following record. He was born at Stoke Farm, Slough, his father being the steward. His apprenticeship was served at General Howard Vyse's, Stoke Place, under Mr. Patrick, one of the greatest fruit growers of the day. He had a wish to become an artist, but was persuaded not to by Miss Vyse, and gardening, he then said, was the only other thing that he cared for. After serving his apprenticeship he went to Dropmore under Mr. P. Frost as an improver. He then took a foreman's place at Lord Boston's, at Hedsor. He next went to the Honourable Gran- ville Ryder's (a relative of the Leveson-Gower family) at Westbrook Hay, as gardener under the bailiff, Mr. Tranter, remaining there two years. At the end of that time, viz., in April, 1S55, he entered the service of Wm. Gresham Leveson- Gower, Esq., of Titsey Place, grandfather of the present owner of Titsey Place, Chas. Granville Gresham Leveson-Gower, Esq., as head gardener, staying there five years. After leaving Mr. Leveson-Gower's service, he went as head gardener to Joseph Ridgeway, Esq., brother-in-law of the before-mentioned Mr. Wm. G. Leveson-Gower, remaining there over six years. His next place was at Hams Hall, Birmingham, as head gardener to the Rt. Hon. Sir Chas. Adderley (now Lord Norton), brother-in-law of the late Granville Wm. Gresham Leveson-Gower, Esq., where he remained nine years. Owing to his wife's delicate health. Mr. Dean was compelled to leave there, and the head gardener's place at Titsey Place being vacant, he was invited by Mr. Granville W. G. Leveson- Gower to take it again, which he did in October, 1875, and has remained there ever since. Mr. Dean was always willing to help all young gardeners, and give them the best practical advice in his power. He had a wonderful memory for the names of the different kinds of fruit and flowers, and was an excellent cultivator of them, as also of vegetables and plants generally, and has won many prizes and certificates at local horticultural shows, and at Chiswick and the Crystal Palace. In 1887 he won a Bronze Medal of the One-and-AU Agri- cultural and Horticultural Association Show ; and in the same year the Sir Joseph Banks Bronze Medal of the Royal Horticultural Society at the National Co-operative Flower Show. The gardens and grounds under Mr. Dean's care \ -rll, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 117 were always kept in excellent order, and all who paid him a visit were always made welcome. He will be much missed by all who knew him ; his cheery manner, kindness of heart, and good-nature, having greatly endeared him to them. Much sympathy is shown to the widow and daughters (two) in their sudden bereavement, espe- cially by the family with whom he had been so long connected. The funeral took place at Titsey churchyard on Saturday last, the 4th inst. Mr. Dean was a life-member of, and had for many years been an annual subscriber to, the Gardeners' Benevolent Society. JOHN Laing. — We deeply regret to have to announce the death on the Sth inst., from apoplexy, of this distinguished and much esteemed horticulturist in his 77th year. Among nurserymen and hybridists he was in the foremost rank, and bis genial qualities endeared him to all that met him. In early life he devoted much attention to botany SOCI ETJ ES. ROYAL HOETICULTUEAL. Scientific Committee. Jolt 31. — Present : Dr. M. T. Masters, in the Chair; and Dr. Russell, Rev. W. Wilks, and Rev. G. Henslow (Hon. Secretary). Diseased Peaches.— Mr. Rogers, of Bridge Hall Gardens, Bury, sent samples attacked by the " Peach-mildew." The Peaches become arrested in patches, never ripening where the fungus is located. Sprinkling with sulphur is the best remedy. Decayed Ruses.— Mr. Kelly, Gardens, Greenwell Ford, Durban, forwarded shoots split and decayed. The appearance suggested their being cracked by frost, and subsequently- attacked by fangi. Synanihi Nympha f.— Mr. Hudson sent a specimen of twin dowers united, of the lavender-coloured Nymphiea stellata from South Africa. Startieya pvnnatijida. — Flowering sprays of this Crncifer were sent by Mr. Buxyard. It is remarkable for the long spreading lilainents and yellow sepals. It is a native of California, and figured in Gray's Gt ft. Jrlar. Aim r. bor.x pi. 65. The Late JOHN" LAING. in Edinburgh, his collection of Mosses being remarkable. At the moment we have no particulars of his early life, but when we first knew him he was a partner in the firm of Downie, Laird & Laing, of Edinburgh. Subsequently he represented that firm in London, but for many years past he was the head of the firm of John Laing & Sons, of Forest Hill. As a hybridist and a raiser of florists' flowers, Pentstemons, CJivias, Streptocarpus, Gloxinias, and the like, he did good service ; while his work with the tuberous BegoLias completely revolu- tionised that genus. For that alone, his memory will stand out prominently for generations to came. To the gardening charities he did yeoman service, and in all public horticultural affairs he was an active participator till declining health necessitated his partial retirement. Enquiry. A correspondent, " W. R.," would be glad to hear of the whereabouts of Mr. Thomas Reid, land- scape gardener, and at one time a contributor to the pages of this journal. Figs dropping. — Dr. Rus;-ell brought some Figs grown against a wall at Ringwood, Cornwall, which turned yellow, became shrivelled, and fell just before ripening. There was no fungus, but it was apparently due to want of water or nourishment. They were sent to Mr. Wright for examination, who reports as follows :— "There are several causes that will affect Figs like the examples just to hand ; such as too much or too little water, insufficient atmospheric moisture, and sudden checks in the atmosphere, also over-cropping. Any one of these will cause the fruit to drop prematurely. No fruit requires so much care and attention as the Fig.*' Pears decayed. — Dr. W. G. Smith sent the following report on Pears received from the Rev. H. W. Fletcher, Bicker Vicarage, Boston :— "The Pears received were quite dried up, and full of mycelium ; they had assumed the mummiGed condition which follows attacks by Monilia fructigena, the brown fruit rot of Apple, Pear, Peach, and other rosaceous fruits. Cultures in a moist chamber produced several forms of fungi, including the form of spores known as Monilia. There were some insect larvae in one of the fruits. Your correspondent men- tions that the check began during a south-east wind, and also that the very early sorts escaped attack. In view of this it may be safest to assume that the crop received a check by this wind, and that the fruit was thus rendered susceptible to attack by fungi, &c. ; the Monilia form producing the mummified condition of the fruits received. The earlier sorts escaped because the fruit was further advanced and more resistant. All the dried fruits left hanging on the tree should be gathered and burnt." Fruit Committee, Chiswick. Ai gust 3.— In wild, stormy weather there was but a small attendance at the meeting of the Fruit Committee convened here on the above date. It was mentioned that the First-class Certificate granted an early Potato at the previous meeting under the name of Sharped Early Kidney had been corrected, the proper name being Denby Castle. Some sixty varieties of Potatos were tried, chiefly of early and mid-season varieties, and there are several scores of later ones, old and new, to be seen at a future time. Nine varieties were cooked, amongst which the well-known Beauty of Hebron was one of the best. This was awarded three marks, and also was Pioneer (new), a very handsome free-cropping kidney. Awards of Merit previously made to Sutton's Harbinger (dwarf and free), Early Peter (very free cropper), and staarpe's Victor, now as a border variety, were confirmed. One or two others, very fine croppers, are to be seen again. A small trial of Dwarf Kidney Beans was next inspected, and three marks were given to Early Favourite (Veitch) as very early and free -cropping. A hybrid variety from the Dutch Runner and a dwarf, having white flowers, was of great promise, and is to be seen again at a later date. DEVON AND EXETER HORTI- CULTURAL. August 3.— This, the 191st exhibition of the Society, was held in the accustomed place, Northernhay Park, on the above date, and in rainy weather. The date was fourteen days earlier than usual, and as a consequence the exhibits were fewer, fruit was not fit, and specimen plants not sufficiently forward ; and taken as a whole the exhibition was below that which is customary. It seemed as if some of the exhibitors were holding back their exhibits for the Taunton show, which is held at the usual time in the second week of August, and where the prizes are of higlier value. The vegetable classes were as usual very well shown, and entries numerous. Cut Flowers, Open. The best twenty-four show and fancy Dahlias, and twenty- four Cactus varieties, were those shown by Mr. W. B. Smalb, nurseryman, Torquay; and Messrs. W. Tupli^i & Sons, nurserymen, Newton Abbott, were 2nd in each class. The best twenty-four Gladiolus, distinct, were shown by Mr. S. Dohree, "Wellington ; and Messrs. W. Tuplin & Sons were 2nd. The finest twelve blooms of Tea Roses were those exhi- bited by Messrs. Jarman & Co., of Chard. Iq these classes the competition was very limited. Table Decorations. There were four exhibits of these objects as compared with nine last year. The Silver Cup (value £5) went to Mr. Barnes, gr., Winslade, Exeter ; and the 2nd prize fell to Mr. F. Lock, gr., Newcombes, Crediton. The tables were prettily arranged, in all cases, and flowers of Orchids were largely used in the various devices. The table which was awarded the 1st prize was remarkable for the lightness of the arrangement; fronds of Adiantum gracillimuin were used throughout, and Onci- diums freely associated with Odontoglossums. Specimen Plants. The 1st prize for twelve stove and greenhouse plants, half to be flowering, fell to Mr. Rowland, gr. to W. Brock, Esq., Parker's Well, who showed the same plants he has shown for a number of years. The flowering specimens were rather late, and will be in Dette condition in a week There was really no competition. For six specimens, and for six stove and greenhouse plants, Mr. Brock's gardener was again 1st, there Leing no 2nd prlae awarded owing to lack of competition. In the class for six stove and greenhouse exotic Ferns there were several entries, and the competition was fairly lively. 1st prize went to Mr. Rowland; and 2nd to Mr J. Harding, gr. to J. H. Ley, Esq , Trehill. Groups. Miscellaneous plants arranged for effect in an oval 15 ft. by 11 ft., Mr. W. R. Baker, gr. to Lady Duckworth, Knightleys, was 1st; and Mr. Rowland 2nd. In this class the com- petition was keener, but although Mr. Bakers group was the more effective, it lacked brightness. For the smaller group, 11 ft. by 6 It., Mr. J. Harding was awarded the 1st prize, no 2nd being forthcoming. Hnmea elegans, Galtonia candieans, Tuberoses, Gladiolus, Codiseums, Adiantums, and Dracfenas were freely used in the groups. The Orchids failed to bring any competition. Plants in Bloom. Mr. Rowlands, gr. to W. Brock, Esq., was 1st for six well- grown Fuchsias ; and Mr. Cole, gr. to W. B. Heberden, C.B., Elmfield, was 1st for six Gloxinias, having flowers and fine colour and size— an exceptionally fine lot. Rev. S. P. Cole- ridge, Alphington, was a close 2nd. Mr. W. R. Baker, gr. , Knightleys, was 1st for six Cockcombs of the Glasgow Prize strain ; Sir John Shelley was 2nd. Tuberous-rooted Begonias and Caladiums, were well shown by Mr. W. R. Baker, who was 1st with both. Six zonal Pelargoniums, single-flowered, Mr. T. Stark, gr. to Mark Farrant, Esq., St. Thomas, was 1st, and Mr. Row- lands, 2nd, these awards changing places in the class for double-flowered varieties. ns THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [August 11, 1900. Cut-flowers. For twelve Gladioli distinct, Mr. S. Bird, gr. to S. Dobrkk, Esq., Wellington, was 1st. The blooms being good but the spikes rather short. Dahlias were very poor. For twelve Roses distinct, and for six bunches of Garden Roses, Mr. Fletcher, gr. to Col. Halford Thompson, Teignmonth, won a well-merited 1st in each class, Bardon Job, Marechal Kiel, Madame Berard, and Niphetos being his best blooms. Twelve Carnations, distinct, were well shown by Mr. Thos. Hainlyn, gr. to Mrs. E, Brookes-Smith, who was 1st, among them being fine blooms of Voltaire, Yellow Hammer, Atalanta, Lady Hindlip, Regatta, and Perseus. Fruit. OwiDg to the earliness of the show, fruit was rather weak in all the classes. For the collection, Mr. J. Lock, gr. to C. S. Eadv, Esq., Weybridge, was 1st; and Mr. J. Hill, gr. to V. Stuckey, Langport, was 2nd. Among the finer fruit were Grapes, Muscat of Alexandria, Madresfield Court, Spencer Nectarine, Czar Plum, Moor Park Apricot, Crimson Galande Peach, Sutton's Al Melon. In the smaller collection, which was won by Mr. W. R. Baker, gr. to Lady Duckworth, were fruits of Dymond Peach, Pine- apple Nectarine, Moor Park Apricot, Taunton Hem Melon, and Black Hamburgh Grapes. C. Swinton Eadv, Esq., was 1st for three bunches of Muscat of Alexandria ; good bunches, but not quite ripe. Mr. J. Lloyd, gr. to V. Stuckey, Esq., was 1st for three good bunches of MadresQeld Court Grapes. The 1st prize in the any other variety class was won by Mr. Barnes, gr. to Rev. A. H. Hamilton Gell, with Duke of Buc- cleuch ; and the Apricot class by Major Biddell, Duryard (gr., G. Ash), with Moor Paik. Vegetables. The Silver Cup, value £5, was handsomely won by Mr. J. Mairs, gr. to Sir John Shelley, Bart, Shobrook, his collec- tion cmtaining Sutton's Al Cucumber, Veitch's Large Red Tomato, Snowdrop Potato, Standard-bearer Celery, Monarch Leek, Veitch's New Intermediate Carrot, Cranston's Excelsior Onion, Sutton's Best-of-All Runners, Alderman Pea, and Autumn Giant Cauliflower. Mr. Wilkins, gr. to Lady Theodora Guest, was 2nd. Trade Collections. Messrs. R. Veitch & Son, nurserymen, Exeter, showed Nymphaaa gloriosa, N. Robinsoniana, N. Laydeckeri rosea, and N. chi omatella, very wfll amidst a gfneral collection of conservatory plants and cut flowers, and a pretty miniature rockery. Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmocth, had a nice display of Carna- tions, in which were the new Beauty of Exmouth and Mrs. George Foster, and a tine group of Cannas, Carnations, and Sweet Peas. Mr. J. Walters, Mount Radford, showed Roses ; Mr. F. C. Fowle, Teignmouth, and Mr. H. W. Weguelin, Dawlish, Carnations ; Messrs. Tuplin & Sons, Newton Abbot, Mr. W. B. Smale, Torquay, and Messrs. Jarman & Co., Chard, Dahlias, Roses, and other cut blooms. An attractive exhibit was that of the Beekeeper's Asso- 'Iaiimn, which filled one of the tents. TH E MIDLAND COUNTIES CARNATION. August 1 & 2.— As already stated by us, this was a successful exhibition, the entries numerous, and the quality of the bloom very fine throughout. Few places are so well adapted as ths show-house in the Edgbaston Botanical Gardens to show off cut blooms of Carnations to so ^reat advantage. There were festoons of Bougainvillea, Lapageria, and Coba;a overhead, and to all the blooms back-grounds of Fuchsias ; and Mr. Latham to drape the show tables in an effective manner. The weather was pleasant, and the flowers kept quite fresh until the close. The white ground Carnations and Picotees were not so numerous as usual, it being a trifle late for them, but that which was staged was good, especially the Picotees from north growers ; but it appears to be quite certain that the biilliant Sclfs and the diversified Yellow Grounds and Fancies hive become very much grown, specially for exhibition purposes Mr. Martin R. Smith has worked quite a revolution in Carnations, and his excellent work as a raiser was seen in the large number of varieties of his raiiiDg that were staged in competition. Carnations, Flakes and Bizarres. The best twelve dissimilar came from Mr. Thomas Lord, Hole Bottom, Todmorden, and comprised pure well-marked blooms of S. Bs. Robert Lord, Admiral Curzou, and Robert Houlgrave ; C. Bs., J. S. Hedderley, J. D. Hextall, and Master Fred, P. P. B., Arline ; P. F., George Melville and Gordon Lewis; S. F., John Wormald and Sportsman; R. F., Mrs. May. Messrs. Thomson & Co., nurserymen, Spark Hill, Birmingham, were 2nd, their chief flowers were P. F., Gordon Lewis and George Melville; C. B., J. S. Heddeiley; S. F., Sportsman ; and S. B., Robert Houlgrave. Mr. R. Sydenham! Bristol Road, Birmingham, was 3rd. There was a keen competition with six blooms, and Mr. R. C. Cartwright, Selly Park, was placed 1st with well- marked blooms of C B., J. S. Hedderley ; S. F., Guardsman ; P. P. B., William Skirving; P. F., Gordon Lewis ; R. F. , Rob Roy; and S. B., Admiral Curzou. Messrs. Sutcliffe & Utiley, florists, Hebden Bridge, were 2nd; their most pro- minent blooms were C. Bs., J. S. Hedderleyand Master Fred ; and S. B , Robert Houlgrave. 3rd, Mr. A. R. Brown, Hands- worth, Birmingham. Picotef.s, White Ground. The best twelve came from Mr. T. Lord, and they were characterised by great refinement. He had H. F. E. Gany- mede, Brunette, and John Smith ; H. P. E., Mrs. Openshaw and Muriel; L. P. E., Harry Kenyon and Mrs. Gorton; H. Rose E., Lady Louisa and Little Phil; and L. Rose E., Favourite, and Fortrose. Mr. R. C. Cartwright came a close 2nd ; his stand contained excellent illustrations of H. Rose E. Little Phil, L. P. E. Pride of Leyton, H. P. E. Amy Robsart, H. P. E. Mrs. Openshaw, H. Rose E. Isabel Lakin, and L. Rose E. Favourite. 3rd, Mr. R. Sydenham. There were twelve stands of six Picotees. Mr. A. Chatwin, Edgbaston, was 1st, having in good character H. Rose E. Mrs. Beswick, H. P. E. Polly Brazil, Amy Robsart, and Miriam; L. P. E. Pride of Leyton, aad H. Rose E. Clio. 2nd, Mr. T. W. Goodfellow, Walsall. 3rd, Mr. H. Smith. Self Carnations. These were as usu^l a most attractive feature; eight collec- tions competed. Mr. A. W. Jones, Handsworth, was 1st with flowers remarkable for their purity and brilliancy, regard being had to the locality in which they are grown, the size of his garden, and its surroundings. His varieties were Cecilia, with a rich depth of yellow ; Mrs. Eric Hambro, the best white ; Barras, Britannia, Mrs. McRae, Enchantress, Much the-Miller, Boreas, of a fine maroon shade ; Her Grace, Benbow, deep amber; Lady Hindlip, and The Briton. 2nd, Mr. R. Sydenham, who had Agnes Sore), crimson ; Benbow, Queen of Scots, Diane, yellow; Seagull, Boreas, and Rose- leigh G^m, a distinct rose and heliotrope variety, raised by the exhibitor. Mr. A. Chatwin, Edgbaston, was 3rd. There were sixteen stands of six selfs, and here Mr. R. C. Cartwrioht was 1st with superb blooms of Enchantress, Her Grace, Seagull, Gennania, Benbow, and Boreas. Mr. C. W. Kemp, Edgbaston, came 2nd; he had fine blooms of Germania, The Briton, Mrs. Eric Hambro, Seagull, Lady Hindlip, and Britannia. 3rd, Mr. W. Bellamy, Penkridge, Staffs. Picotees, Yellow Grounds. Some marvellous blooms of these were staged n most of the seven stands which competed in this class. The 1st priza went to Mr. A, W. Jones, who had highly developed blooms of Badminton, Lady Bristol, Onda Wanderer, Mohican, Duse of Alva, Empress Eugenie, Heather Bell, Mrs. Tremayne, Hygeria, Stanley Wrightson, and Hesperus, a very good selection indeed. Messr*. Thomson & Co. were 2nd, also with very fine blooms, particularly Hygeia, Miss Violet, May Queen, Mohican, Mrs. Tremayne, Mrs. Herbert, and Empress Eugenie. 3rd, Mr. A. Chatwin. There were ten stands of six varieties : Mr. R. C. Cart- wright was awarded the 1st prize, having refined blooms of Duke of Alva, Lady Bristol, Mrs. Tremayne, Etfie Deans, Mohican, and Stanley Wrightson. Mr. C. F. Thurstan, Wolverhampton, was 2nd, with only just inferior blooms of Lady Bristol, D rvish, Duke of Alva, May Queen, and two others. Mr. W. H. Parton, Jun., King's Heath, was 3rd. Fancy Carnations. Not less striking were the blooms of these ; they are among the largest and fullest of the Carnation? grown, nearly approaching the Malmaisons in size. Here Mr. A. W. Jones was again to the fore, taking the 1st prize with Queen Bess, Voltaire, Aglaia, Eldorado, The Gift, Brodrick, Perseus, Monarch, Galileo, Czarina, Heroine, and Guinevere. Messrs. Thomson & Co. were placed 2ud, with fine example* of Swallow, Voltaire. The Gilt, Emperor. Perseus, Faust, Thirl- staue, &c. Mr. A. R. Brows was 3rd. There were fourteen collections of six fancies. Mr. C. W. Kemp was placed 1st. with Perseus, Voltaire, The Gift, Monarch, Miss Mackenzie, and Brodrick. Mr. R. C. Cart- wright came 2nd, with Voltaire, The Gift, Hidalgo, Perseus, Pagan, and Goldvlocks. Mr. T. J. Harper, Aston, was 3rd. A maiden grower's class for six blooms of Carnations or Picotees brought a remarkable competition. Mr. C. Chatwin, Handsworth, was 1st; and Mr. D. Gillens, Lozells, 2nd. Undressed or Border Flowers. Then followed a dozen or so classes for these, but on referring to the conditions covering these classes, it is seen that although a little dressing of the petals may be permitted, any perceptible amount of dressing beyond this will lose points in judging. Iu these classes the flowers were set up in small vases, with a sprig or two of foliage to each. In not a few cases the flowtrs were not named. The best twelve selfs shown under such conditions came from Mr. Sydenham * Mr. C. F. Thorstan came 2nd. With six varieties, Mr. Cartwright was 1st ; and Mr. H. Smith 2nd. The varieties shown were in the main those given in the dressed classes. Mr. A. W. Jones had the best twelve Y. G. Picotees ; Messrs. Thomson & Co. were 2nd. With six blooms Mr. Cartwright was 1st, and Mr. Thurstan 2nd. Mr. T. Lord was 1st with twelve white-ground Picotees ; and Mr. A. Brown 2nd; while in the class for six varieties, Messrs. Cartwright and Thurstan were again 1st and 2nd. With twelve white-ground bizarres and flakes, Mr. Lord was 1st, and Messrs. Thomson & Co. 2nd ; while with six varieties. Messrs. Cartwhight and Thirstan took the leading prizes. In all the foregoing undressed classes there was a good com- petition, but the largest, fullest, and brightest flowers were selected by the judges. There were four classes fjr blooms staged in threes ; the best six varieties of selfs were from Mr. R. C. Cartwright, and consisted of Roseleigh Gem, Isinglass, Scarlet, Her Grace, white ; Cecilia, yellow ; Sea Gull, bluch ; and Nabob, salmon. Messrs. Thomson & Co., were 2nd ; and Mr. A. Chatwin, 3rd. Mr. A. W. Jones had the best six trebles of Yellow Grounds, staging in fine character, Mrs. Tremayne, Empress Eugenie, Hesperus, Mohican, Stanley Wrightson, and May Queen. Messrs. Thomson & Co., were 2nd ; and Mr. Chatwin, 3rd. The best six fancies in three came from Messrs. Thomson & Co., they had Irene Thomson, Voltaire, Perseus, Moonlight, Gossip, and Golden Eagle. Mr. A. Chatwin was 2nd, and Mr. Jones 3rd. An interesting class was found in that for three varieties of Clove-scented Carnations, also shown in trebles. Mr. R. C. Cartwright was placed 1st with Endy- mion self, Miss Mackenzie, Y. G. Fancy, and Golden Eagle, Y. G. Picotee. Messrs. Thomson & Co. were 2nd with Uriah Pike, Endyraion, and Helmsman, all selfs ; Mr. W. Barsey, Leicester, was 3rd. Single Blooms of Carnations. A very large number of blooms were staged, and the following was the selection of the judges:— S. B.'s Robert Houlgrave and Othello ; C. B.'s, Master Fred and J. S. Hed- derley ; P. P. B.'s, Wm. Skirving and Sarah Payne ; S. F.'s, Sportsman and Guardsman; R. F.'s, Mrs. T. Lord and Merton ; P. F.'s, Gordon Lewis and George Melville. Picotees : H. Red E. John Smith and Isabel Lakin ; L. RedE. Mrs. Gorton and Thos. Williams ; H. Purple E. Muriel and Mrs. Opeushaw; L. P. E. Pride of Leyton and Lavinia; H. Rose E. W. H. Johnson (new and very fine), Clio, and Scarlet Queen ; L. Rose E. Favourite and Fortrose ; Y. G. Empress Eugenie and Mrs. Douglas. Other Sections. Y. G. fancy Queen Bess and Golden Eagle, Fancy, sport from Monarch and Pelago, white self; Mrs. Eric Hambro, and Much-the-Miller; Blush self : Seagull and gentle Jackie ; Yellow self: Germania, which gained the four leading prizes ; Buff self: Benbow and Mrs. Palmer; Rose self: Exile and Sadek ; Salmon: Enchantress and Endymion ; Scarlet self: Isinglass and Mrs. Macrae; Dark crimson or maroon: Comet and Boreas ; and any other dark shade : Roseleigh Gem and Garville Gem. Seedlings A large number of these were staged, but two only received Certificates : one a heavy scarlet edged Picotee, named W. H. Johnson, edged with an unusually bright tint, on a solid white ground ; and Amphion, a yellow-ground Fancy, heavily edged with bright rosy-purple, with pencilled lines running down nearly to the centie of the flower. Sweet Peas. Bunches of these in twelves and sixes made a very pretty display. The twelve staged by Mr. A. W. Hulse, Birmingham, afforded an excellent object lesson in setting up, while they were singularly fine in quality, the varieties Royal Rose, Countess of Radnor, Prima Donna, Mars, Triumph, Stanley, Blanche Burpee, Captain of the Blues, Queen Victoria, Prince of Wales, Eliza Eckford, and Lady Nita Balfour. These deservedly won the first of Mr. Henry Eckford's special prizes. Mr. A. T. Simpson, Shipston-on-Stour, was 2nd. Mr. R. Sydenham's special prizes for nine bunches brought an excellent competition, Mr. A. Cryer, gr. to J. A. Kenrick, Esq., Edgbaston, was 1st, admirable bunches of Her Majesty, Gorgeous, Firefly, Emily Henderson, Lovely, Triumph, Lady Mary Currie, Lady G. Hamilton, and Queen Victoria, these also were admirably staged. Mr. W. Bellamy, Pinkridge, was 2nd, also with varieties of high quality. Floral decorations in Sweet Peas were somewhat lumpy, while bouquets, sprays, and button-holes fell below the usual level of Birmingham work. There was a class for twelve bunches of hardy perennials, which brought a fite lot from Mr. A. Cryer. Miscellaneous fxhibits included a very fine collection of Begonias from Mr. B. R. Davis, <~f Yeovil ; cut blooms of hardy flowers from Messrs. W. F. Gunn & Co., Olton ; from Messrs. Hewett & Co., Solihull; and Mr. J. H. White, of Worcester ; collections of Carnations from Messi s. Dickson & Co., Ltd., Chester ; and Watson, of Edgbaston ; and Sweet Peas from Mr. Simpson. In the evening Mr. R. Sydenham entertained a large party at supper iu the Botanical Gardens. NORTHAMPTON HORTICULTURAL. August 6. — The nineteenth annual show was held in the grounds of the President, J. Cooper, Esq., Delapre Park. The exhibition was quite up to the usual standard, but unfor- tunately marred by the ungenial weather, which is to be much regretted from a financial point of view. Groups and Plants. For a group of miscellaneous plants, Mr. Cypher was 1st, with a beautifully arranged lot of plants of the usual cha- racter in regard to material ; Mr. Vause, Leamington, was 2nd, the centre to his group being a Phosnix, with corner plants of Kentias, and the rest consisting of Cocos Wed- delliana. Mr. Cypher was lstfor twelve stove and greenhouse plants, having some magnificent specimens of Bougainvillea Sander- iana, Codneura, C. Queen Victoria, Chelsoni, Stephanotis floribunda, Erica Irbyaua, E. Altoni, Statice profusa, and other plants. Mr. Vause was 2nd, bis best plants being Coiia-um Johannis, Cycas revoluta, and Rondeletia speciosa. Ai ci ST 11, 1910.] THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 119 Mr. W. Woods, gr. to J. COOPER, Esq., Delapre Abbey, Northampton, was 1st for six specimen Ferns, with good pieces of Adianuim formosum, Davalia ffjiensis, Phlebodinm aureum, Asplenium bulbiferum, Adiantum cuneatum, and a Poly podium. Mr. Holland, gr. to F. Bostoi k. Esq., Spring- Held, Northampton, waa 2nd, having some good specimens ot GymnogramoQ sulphurea, and Neottopteria nidus-avis. Mr. Woods was 1st for six Stove and Greenhouse plants, having Pelargonium Chas. Turner, Plumlugoeapensis, Phoenix reclinata, &c. ; and Mr. Owen Soden, gr. to F. Adnitt, Esq., Northampton, was Jnd, having a good specimen of Trachilium coeruleum in his collection. Mr. Knightly, gr. to Sir Hereward Wake, Courtcnhall, Northampton, had the best Fuchsias, viz., Molesworth, and Rose of Castile Improved, were particularly good. Mr. Woods and Mr. Knigiitley were 1st and 2nd for six specimen Pelargoniums. For a smaller group of miscellaneous plants, Mr. Silas Cole, gr. to the Eari. Spencer, Althorp Park, was 1st with a beautiful collection, having Kentia Fosteriann in the centre, and the four corner plants of Cocos Weddelliana, nice clean plants, and the centre was filled up with Coleus, Lilies. Caladiums, Eulalias, Pandanus, &c. Mr. Woods took 2nd prize, the chief feature was the Raby Castle Carnation. Messrs. Coles, Holland, and Soden, were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for Table Plants. Fruit and Vegetables. In the open class for eight varieties of fruit, Mr. Goodacre, gi. to the Earl of Harrington, Elvaston Castle, was 1st, having good Black Hamburgh and Canon Hall Musca Grapes, Czar Plums, Barrington Peaches, Lady Sudeley Apples, Lord Napier Nectarines, Countess Melon, and Bay- maker Peaches; Mr. Cole was 2nd, his Peaches being particularly fine examples. The best three bunches of White Grapes came from Mr. A. Child, gr. to H. A. Attenborough, Esq., Catesby House, Daventry, the variety being Muscat of Alexandria ; Mr. Cole was 2nd. ForthreebunchesofBlackGrapes, Mr. Woods was ltd,, with Black Hamburghs, of good colour; and Mr. Child was 2nd, with large bunches of Madresfield Court, of a bad colour For the best twelve kinds of vegetables, Mr. Dyraock, gr. to Wentworth Vernon, Esq., Stoke Bourne Park, Towcester, was 1st with Eclipse Tomato, Best-of-All Bean, Lockie's Per- fection Cucumber, Ideal Potato, Paris-Green Artichok", Autf- crat Pea, Blood-red Beet, James' Intermediate Carrot, Moore's Vegetable Cream Marrow, Ailsa Craig Onion, Mammoth Cauliflower, and Snowball Turnip ; and Mr. Cole was 2nd, having some very fine Onions in his collection. For nine varieties, and also for Sutton's Prize, the same gardeners as took the prizes in the previous class, occupied the same positions in this one. Numerous single dishe3 of vegetables as well as of fruit were competed for, but being of minor importance we omit them, A pleasing feature of the show was the beautiful collection of Sweet Peas as cut flowers shown by Mr. Cole. H. K. CARNATION SHOW SOUTHAMPTON. AT The Southern Counties Carnation Society held an excellent show of Carnations and Picotees on the Royal Pier, South- ampton, on Fridiy, July 27. The show redounded to the credit of the local exhibitors, and to that of the capable and energetic secretary, Mr. W. Garton, jun., Roseland, Wool- stOLe. The Pavillion was capitally laid out and decorated, tables being placed in the centre for the principal exhibits, and the flowers were effectively displayed. In the Cup Competi- tion, Mr. Martin R. Smith, Hayes, Kent, won for the second year in succession the Silver Cup (open to nurserymen and amateurs) for twelve best self or fancy Carnations, the Cup becoming the property of the exhibitor. In the amateur class Mr. F. W. Flight won the Cup for the first time. Mr. J. Douglas, Great Bookham, showed a nice collection of varieties of Carnations, which attracted much attention. The best twelve blooms of Hike and bizarre Carnations were those shown by Messrs. Thomson & Co., Birmingham ; and the best six those of Mr. A. H. Brown, of that city.' Messrs. Tbosison & Co. had also the best twelve white ground Picotees; Mr. Martin R. Smith, Hayes, the best twelve yellow ground Picotees, and likewise the best twelve yellow ground and fancy Carnations. Messrs. Thomson & Co. had the finest twelve Carnations, selfs; and Mr. W. Garton, jun., the best six in the self class! The premier Carnation in the open class was shown by Messrs. Thomson & Co. with a flake variety, and by Mr. and Mrs. W. Garton with a self. Mr. C. Turner and Mr. C. Marte had the premier fancy bloom; and Mr. M. R. Smith and Mr. J. Dougl.s had the finest yellow ground Picotees. Mr. W. Garton, jun., showed the finest group of Carnations. Table decorations, objects of the florist's art, vases of Carnations and Picotees, formed pleasing featuies of the Show. EBLEY, CAINSCROSS, AND SELSLEY HORTICULTURAL. Jult 2S.— By the kind permission of the President, E. S. Godsell, Esq., the above show was held in the lovely grounds of Cainscross House on the above date. The exhibits were both numerous and creditable, beiog staged in two large tents erected just outside the picturesque gardens. The entries were more numerous than those of previous years, both in the gardeners' or open class and in the cottagers section of the show. The cottagers alone having 466 entries: 33S vegetables, 60 flowers, and 6S fruits. The vegetables were indeed worthy of special mention : the Potatos and Kidney Beans being exceptionally fine. Amongst the fruit there was orach to admire, Grapes occupying a prominent place in the exhibits. The stove and greenhouse plants were al?o much above the average. Mr. G. Godsell, Mr. Cypher of Chelten- ham, Messrs. Jekferies of Cirencester, and Messrs. Price of Byeford, sending non-competitive exhibits. Before passing from this section, the fine display of zonal Pelargoniums exhibited by Mr. E. S. Godsell must be men- tioned, as also the admirably arranged group of miscellaneous plants and Lilium lancifolium shown by Mrs. Blackwei.l, all of which easily gained 1st prizes. The table decorations all showed excellent taste; Miss Godsell obtaining 1st prize with exquisitely arranged Orchids and Maidenhair Ferns. Mrs. F. E. Sargeant's tasteful combination of pink Carnations and Qypsophilla was awarded 2nd ; while the 3rd prize fell to Miss Garraway, who had artistically arranged Sweet Peas, Carnations, and Gypsophila. HANLEY HORTICULTURAL FETE. A special meeting of the Town Council and those interested in the organisation of the horticultural fete was held in the Town Hall, Hanley, on Monday evening, when the Mayor (Mr. G. Ellis) presided. The report of the Finance Committee having been adopted, votes of thanks were accorded to Lady Angela Forbes, who opened the fete, the Mayor and Mayoress, the judges, and others who assisted in making the fete a success. Alderman Cooke presented details or expenses in connection with the iete. The income last year was £2,505 17s. 7ii., and the expenditure £1,876 6s. 2ci., leaving a profit of £629 11?. 5| English, Is. Sri; to Is. 6(7. per lb. ; do., Guernsey, 10(7, to llif! per lb.; Melons, 24's, 6s. Hd. to Ss. per case ; do , 36's, 9s. to 10s. 6(7. do. ; Greengages French, 31. to 5i. per lb. • Bananas, extra, 12,'. to 13s. par bunch; No. 1,9s. to lis do.' • No. 2, 7s. 6(7. to 9s. do. ; Lemons, Palermo, cases 300, lis. to 14s : 360's, Ss. 6i. to 10s. ; boxes of 200, 300, and 360, 5s. tid. t.. 7s. 6(7. do. ; do. Naples, cases of 42 J, 16s. to Ws. ; 300 and 360, ]?s. to 15s., do. ; Tomatos, Scotch, 6(7. to Sri. per lb. : do Guernsey, smooth, 3i7. to 4(7. do. ; do., French, 2s. to 2s. 6d. 120 THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. [August 11, 1900. per crate ; Cucumbers, 2s. 6d. (to 3s. pel- dozen ; Mushrooms, lOd. per lb. ; Onions, Valencia, 4's, 3s. 6d. to 4s. per case ; do., 5's, 4s. 9d. to 5s. 3d., do. ; do., Malta, baskets, 2s. 9d. to 3s. Sd. per cwt. ; Potatos, Maltese, 9s. per ewt. Answers to Correspondents. Liverpool : August 8. — Wholesale Vegetable Market. — Potatos, per ewt. : Early Repents, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 9d. ; Kidneys, 4s. Gd. to 5s. ; Turnips, 6d. to 8d. per 12 bunches ; Swedes, 2s. Gd. to 2s. 9d. per cwt ; Carrots, Gd. to Sd. per 12 bunches ; Onion**, foreign. 3?. Gd. to 4s. per cwt. ; Parsley, Ad. to 6d. per dozen bunches ; Lettuce, id. to Sd. per dozen; Cucum- bers, Is. 3d to 2s. 6d. do. ; Cauliflowers, 8<2. to 2s. do. ; Cab- bages, Gd. to lOrf. do. ; Peas, 2s. to 3s. $d. per bushel ; Beans, Is. Zd. to Is. 6d. do. ; do., Kidney Sd. tolOrf. per peck ; Scarlet Runners, Sd. to Is. do. St. John's : Potatos, Is. Gd. per peck ; Grapes, English, Is. Gd. to 3s. per lb. ; do., foreign, Ad. to Gd. do. ; Pines, English, 5s. to 7s. each ; Apples, 3d. to8d. per lb. ; Tomatos, id. to Sd. per lb. ; Currants, white, Gd. per lb. ; do., black, Sd. do. ; Peas, Is. id. per peck ; Cherries, 8d. to lOd. per lb. ; Cucumbers, 3d. to id. each ; Mushrooms, Is. per lb. Birkenhead : Potatos, Is. to Is. 2d. per peck ; Peas, lOd. to Is. do. ; Cucumbers, 2d. to 4d. each ; Currants, black, 7d. per lb.; do., red, id. do. ; Cherries, Gd. to 8d. do. ; Gooseberries, 2d. to 3d. per lb. ; Grapes, English. Is. Gd. to 2s. per lb. ; do., foreign, Gd. to Sd. do. ; Mushrooms, Is. do. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS taken in the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick, London, for the period July 29 to August 4, 1900. Height above sea-level 24 feet. 1900. N O Z o i 2 a Temperature of the Air. I < a Tempera- ture OF THE Soil at 9 a.m. x o i July 29 TO Auqust 4. At 9 a.m. < n o d B O •a £ < a. © ID £ d o ID •a "S •v S3 .d 3 n & a •3 m SO CD ■& s BO ID ft o 1 o deg. deg. deg. deg. ina. deg. deg. deg. deg. 8ui». 29 s.w. 65-7 60-5 73-2 57-4 0-09 67-9 66-2 61-2 50-4 Mon. 30 W.N.W. 66-1 57 6 73-4 56-7 67-4 65-7 61-3 51-8 Tubs. 31 W.N.W. 68 0 69-5 76-2 54-9 66-9 65-4 61-3 45-2 Wed. 1 S.W. 63 0 59 9 67-2 60- S 0-48 67-2 65-2 61-4 56-2 Thu. 2 W.S.W. 63-8 56-9:708 53-9 64-9 64-6 61-4 49-3 Pki. 3 8.S.E. 61-8 59 268-0 58-2 0-49 65-2 64-2 61-2 66-7 Sat. 4 W.N.W. 58-4 50-864-8 52-3 0-01 62-3 63-8 61-2 50-9 Means... 63-8 57-9,70-5 56-3 Tot. 1-07 66'0 65-0 61-3 51-5 Remarks.— The temperature during the past week has been much lower than that of the previous one, and dull, cold weather is again prevailing. A heavy gale raged for the greater part of the day and night of the 3rd inst. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending August 1, is furnished from the Meteorological Office : — 4 ' The weather during this week was very changeable, falls of rain alternating with intervals of clear or partially clear sky. Thunderstorms were rather general at the commencement of the week, and again at the more northern stations towards its close. The rain was uuusually heavy in many parts of Ireland on Thursday night, and over the N. and N.E. of England on Friday night. " The temperature did not differ much from the mean, but was slightly above it in most of the English districts. The highest of thei ma xima occurred, as a rule, on July 31, and Tanged from 78° in England, S.W., and S., 77° in England E., to 69° in Ireland N., and 67° in Scotland, W. At the close of the week the daily maxima were much lower than those .iust quoted, and at some of our E. coast statious were below 60° The lowest of the minima, which were mostly registered towards the end of the period, ranged from 39° in Scotland, N. and E., and 43° in Scotland W., to 51° in England S., and to 53° in the Channel Islands. "The rainfall was less than the infan, both in Scotland, E., and the Channel Islands, but more in all other districts. The excess was very large over northern and central England, and in the south of Ireland, and very considerable in most other localities. " The bright sunshine exceeded the mean in all districts, the percentage of the possible duration ranging from 60 in the Channel Islands, and 54 in England, S.W., to 33 in Ireland N., 32 in Scotland, E., and 24 in Scotland, N. Ampelopsis : Constant Header. Some of the branches you send have been strangled by twining around one another. Probably the death of a portion of the Vine is due to this cause. / Books : Laurels. — Frederick Braund. There is none that we know of. Cattleya aurea : T. F. With regard to your Cattleya Dowiana aurea not thriving as formerly, their roots being attacked by the Orchid-fly, necessitating the removal of a large proportion of them, will in some degree account for it. We have seen several instances lately, and especially iu C. Warscewiczii and C. aurea of a similar deterioration from the same cause. Even the removal of the roots does not thoroughly eradicate the pest. The mature insect should be searched for in the evening, and killed when caught. With regard to the best method of treating C. Dowiana and others of its section, they always stand a better chance of thriving and flowering well when basketed and suspended near the roof glass. Several of our correspondents who grow C. aurea very satisfactorily report that they succeed best by never attempting to rest the plants, but merely restrict the supply of water at the season when active growth does not appear ; at that season, giving less water than at other times. When growing they require abundance of rain-water at the roots. We should say that the stove-house in which they were formerly grown would be the most suitable. The Death's Head Moth, Caterpillar : J. Butler. Sphinx atropos. Chrysanthemums : R. S. D. Yes. Burn as many of the affected leaves as you can. Syringe with h oz. liver of sulphur to a gallon of water. Clerodendron with Mould : C. J. E. The brownish, velvety patches on the underside of the leaf are produced by a " sooty mould," a species of Fumago, forms of which are not uncommon on Clerodendron fallax and other indoor plants, e.g., Orange, Camellia, and Oleander. A form is troublesome on Hop, and the black crusts so often seen on Oranges are caused by these moulds. The fungus is generally believed to live not on the plant direct, but on honey-like secre- tions of green-fly, other aphides, and some other insects. You say nothing of insects in your letter. The remedy to use is one against the insect-pest ; remove this, and fungus will soon disappear. Some of the best remedies are a wash of soft-soap and paraffin, or resin and soda, or a fumigation with hydrocyanic acid vapour. W. G. S., Leeds. Currants and Gooseberries : W. Horton. It is quite true that a provisional pruning of the bushes is now practiced by some gardeners ; but it is questionable in a general way if any benefits are derived from the practice, and it is certainly an addition to the gardener's labours. To summer prune is desirable, however, in the case of cordon and wall Currants and Gooseberries, in >rder to save the shoots from destruction by wind and rain, which might tear them oft" the main branches. The summer pruning consists of shortening the stronger shoots to half their length, severely spurring in the weak ones, or removing them entirely from the centre of the uead. The shortened shoots are cut still further back in the winter, or where tomtits and bull finches are troublesome, in the spring. Forcing Suckers to crow from the roots op Fruit-trees : B. In the case of grafted and budded trees there is usually no difficulty in getting suckers to grow, but rather in preventing their growth and removing them. Laying bare the roots nearest the surface, and cutting deep notches in them a few inches apart, or heading back the trees, might have the desired effect. In the case of trees having diseased bark, it would not be prudent to run up any shoot as a future stem if it emerge from the latter. Goldbn Horseradish: A. B. A remarkable specimen. If all the leaves are as destitute of green matter as these, we should doubt if it can be propagated ; but we should certainly try, as your plant has behaved in this way two years running. If it can be perpetuated it would be very ornamental for beddiDg. Gros Maroc and Alicante : J. L. R. The first- named is much the better Grape in quality, and is fine in appearance and the Vine moderately fruitful ; a mid-season Grape. Alicante, on the contrary, is of third-rate quality, and a late Grape, fruiting freely and colouring well, and the Vine a good grower. The bunches have a good appearance, and weigh from 2 to (J lb. Illegitimate Commissions : A". We fully sym- pathise with your remarks, and at one time we thought that a determined line of action by the nurserymen and seedsmen as a body would stod the iniquity. But if we could abati, if not entirely stop this unknown percentage, we could not prevent our Dutch and Belgian friends from doing the "same thing, only worse!" A circular now before us from a Dutch house, which would not like to be thought disreputable, shows us what we might expect when we cleansed our own stables. The matter is surrounded with difficulty. Melon Stem Decaying : J. M. B., Banbury. The symptoms point to a fungus, probably a Cercospora such as that described by Dr. Cooke in the Gardeners' Chronicle, in 1896, vol. xx., p. 271. The great heat had caused the piece of stem sent to decay entirely. If you have similar instances of fungus infestation, you should employ flowers - of - sulphur in fine powder, or sulphide of potassium, J oz. in a gallon of water. Names of Fruits : Edgar. Mr. Gladstone. — W. B. Scott. Pear : Petit Muscat. Names of Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number. — T. A., Godalming. 1, Euphorbia jacquiniaeflora ; 2, Rhus Cotinus ; 3, Codneum, we cannot name varieties. — /. F. 1, Solidago elongata ; 2, Aster sibiricus. — A. C B. 1, Pinus laricio var. austriaca ; 2, Larix, probably sibirica ; 3, one of the Larches ; we cannot tell which without the cones ; 4, Larix Griflithi ; 5, Juniperus excelsa var. stricta ; 6, Castanea chry- sophylla ; 7, Athrotaxis laxifolia (see Gardeners' Chronicle, Nov. 7, 1885). — No name, cylindrical cardboard box. Gomphocarpus fruticosus. — Justus Corderoy. Hypericum hircinum, Cam- panula rapunculoides, Salvia splendens, variety. — H. T. Dendrobium Dalhousieanum. — H. P. Oxalis acetosella. — J. S. 1, Pavia macrostachya ; 2, Viburnum lantana ; 3, Virgilia lutea. Peaches : W. S. Peach-mildew. Destroy all affected fruits forthwith, and dust the entire tree with flowers-of-sulphur. Royal Horticultural Society : C. Edwards, Abergavenny. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 14, at the Drill Hall of the London Scottish Volunteers, James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster. The price of admission for non-Fellows is Is. No guide-book is necessary, but any information you may desire may be obtained at the Society's Office, 117, Victoria Street, close by. Six Kinds of Vegetables for Exhibition : /. L. R. Late summer and early autumn vege- tables might include : (1) Peas, French Beans, Cauliflowers, Potatos (round and kidney). Cabbages ; (2) Turnips, Onions, Scarlet-runner Beans, Beetroot, Potatos, and Cabbages. This being perhaps the better cottager's choice of kinds. Splitting of Melons : W. B. Caused by a large quantity of water being applied to the soil after being kept on the dry side for a time. The sudden accretion of sap causes the fruit to increase in size more quickly than the rind and outer layers of flesh. The obvious remedy is to maintain the Melon-bed regularly moist, erring, if at all, on the side of dryness. White Fly on Tomato Plants : Reynolds. Vapour of "XL-All " will effect their destruction. Communications Received. — S. A. Weeks, too late for insertion— W. Plester— J. Dunn.— S. 8.— D. R. W.— R. D. 8. J. McC— S. W. P.— D. T. ¥.— W. G. S.-J. P.-J. B — H. K.— J. E.— A. B. McD.— A. C F.— W. R.— J. J. W.— W. C— W. M.— W. W.— J. Deacon.— M. Cuthbertson.— W. C P.-W. W.— J. A. L.-W. 8.— W. G. 8.— W. G. 8., Leeds.-R. H. P. Advertisers are reminded that the "Chronicle" circulates among Country Gentlemen, and all Classes of Gap defers and Garden-lovers at home, that it has a specially large Foreign and Coloniai Circulation, and that it is preserved for reference in all thl principal Libraries. < o H w" o X u 5 P q Pd < o H i-l 70°, the air being kept moist in the usual manner. A slight amount of shade should be afforded the plants during bright sunshine. When the roots permeate every part of the soil, and no further repotting is going to be done, liquid-manure may be frequently afforded, and sometimes as a change a sprinkling of Clay's Fertiliser. From the com- mencement the leader should be secured to a stake as it extends, and never have the point pinched out, but all laterals should be stopped as tbey proceed, so as to ensure uniformity of growth. After flowering is past, the one-year-old plants- should be well ripened as regards the shoots, the amount of bloom the second year depending upon this taking place ; they should therefore be placed in a sunny position in the open air, removing them to shelter on the approach of frost. A fairly dry cellar, or the ground beneath the stage, are also good places in which to store them, taking care that they do not become too dry at the root, the greenhouse floor being the better place. Just sufficient water may be afforded to prevent shrivelling of the wood. When growth begins anew, let the plants be shaken out of most of the exhausted soil, and repotted, pruning the shoots to plump buds. Having potted and pruned the plants, stand them in an intermediate- house, and repeat the cultural methods pursued with yearling plants. I append a list of varieties that may be depended upon, and the flowers of which are of various, colours, viz, , Rose of Castile, Lucy Mills, Madame Jules Chretien, Lye's Queen, Avalanche, Beauty of Trowbridge, Improvement, Wave of Life, Venus Victrix, Lye's Excelsior, Mrs. Marshall, and Gazelle. Plants of two years' growth should attain to a height of 7 or S feet, and after the third or fourth year they should be thrown away, or used for out- of-door purposes. Should the plants be required to flower at a given date, eight weeks should be allowed, and pinching out the points of the shoots should cease, merely the forwardestflower-budsbeing- removed as they appear. H. T. M., StoneUigh. [In the warmer parts of the country the flowering of the Fuchsia may be retarded for several weeks by placing the plants on the north side of a high, wall. Ed.] EOSES AT BIEMINGHAM. Recollecting the great success of the National Society's Show in 1890, and knowing the great increase that had taken place in the number of our exhibitors and members, it was naturally to be expected that the exhibition of the present year should far exceed the former one. But there is one element that we always have to reckon with, and over which the best possible arrangements can have no control, but which has materially inter- fered with the Society's exhibitions this year — I mean the weather. The Southern Show at Salis- bury was interfered with by the cold and ungenial weather in the early part of the season. That at Birmingham was held in tropical » eather, such- as was enough to destroy the beauty of Koses any- where. Being held in a low-pitched glass bjilding, although carefully shaded, the freshness of he Roses was soon destroyed ; and anyone who went to see the Roses at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, must have been woefully disappointed— and yet thera Al Ql ST 18, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 123 were some features in it that doserve special notice. It is well known that this so -styled Northern exhibition was intended mainly to suit northern growers, and it is satisfactory to find that several of them came well to the front. The Amateurs' Challenge Trophy was again carried off by Mr. E. B. Lindsell, who seems to have a lien upon it, no matter where the show is held ; but the 2nd prize in the trophy class was gained by Mr. Conway mau is very remarkable and praiseworthy. He began as a very small grower, and has gradually worked his way up, so that not only did he occupy the enviable position of being 2nd for the Trophy, but he also obtained the 1st prize in all the classes in which he could exhibit, showing Teas equally well with Hybrid Perpetuals and Hybrid Teas. It was to be expected that Messrs. Harkness & Sons would come out strongly in their nurseries at Bedale ; they CH-E Fig. 32. — common and coenish elm. Jones, of Gloucester, who was only two points behind his successful competitor, and yet he grows under 2,000 plants, and he obtained the 1st prize for growers of that number. I see that it is mooted by a correspondent in your columns that some alteration ought to take place in this class, so as to give those who grow a smaller number a chance of obtaining the Trophy. It is possible, of course, that had Mr. Conway Jones had to contribute a smaller number he might have been able to gain the additional points required for winning. The success of this gentle- obtained the Jubilee Trophy, although they were run very close by Messrs. Alex. Dickson & Sons', who, however, vanquished them in the classes for seventy-two and thirty-six trebles ; besides obtain- ing first in a dozen blooms of new Roses, in which many flowers of their own raising figured, and 1st for twelve blooms of any pink or rose-coloured Rose. In the stand for twelve new Roses, the following were Mr. Dickson's own raising : Bessie Brown, Florence Pemberton, G. H. Mackereth, Ulster, Alice Grahame, Liberty, Mrs. Edward Mawley, and Duchess of Portland. Another exhibitor than whom there does not exist a more enthusiastic rosarian, is Mr. William Eoyes of Derby. The Society owes him a great debt for the trouble he took with the Derby Show, and I am sure all will be glad to see he has been so successful on this occasion. At an exhibition like this, when the general character of the blooms was below the mark, it was pleasant to see how well the Tea Roses came out of the ordeal of heat, which they stand so much better than high coloured Roses, for their tints are not so much affected by it. Mr. Prince, of Oxford, well maintained his high position among nurserymen, while Mr. Conway Jones again took up the leading position amongst amateurs. Of course, many of those who had exhibited in the earlier shows of the Society, were out of the running ; and yet it is a somewhat curious com- ment on the fickle character of exhibitions, that that well known exhibitor, Mr. A. Slaughter, of Steyning, in Sussex, exhibited here far better than he did at the earlier shows of the Society. The flowers which obtained the medals of the Society are, of course, eagerly sought after (by-the-by, they are medals, and not trophies, as stated by some). A Gold Medal was awarded to Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons for their new soft cream-coloured Rose, Duchees of Portland ; this Rose has very much the character of Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, but is deeper in colour than that flower, and with wider and rounder petals, which do not curl as that sometimes does, and so become rough. The flowers which obtained the Silver Medals in the amateurs' division were Bessie Brown (H.T.), shown in excellent form by Mr. W. Boyes, of Derby, who also obtained the similar award for the best H.P. Horace Vernet and Com- tesse de Nadaillac, a beautifully-coloured flower, exhibited by Mr. Moules, of Hitchin. In the nurserymen's division, the medals were won by Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons, with Horace Vernet (H.P), a well-coloured bloom, and Mildred Grant (H.T.), a flower of their own raising; and Mr. G. Prince, of Oxford, had the best Tea Rose, in a grand bloom of white Maman Cochet. The garden Roses were again a great feature, and were shown in a separate tent, where they attracted much admiration. Mr. H. V. Machin, of Gateford Hill, Worksop, had a grand collection, tastefully arranged, amongst them were Crimson Rambler, Macrantha, Bardon Job, Bennett's Seedling, Paul's Single White, Madame Pernet Ducher, Madame Pavie, Madame Falcot, Wm. A. Richardson, White Pet, Madame Chedane Guinoisseau, and Crested Moss. In the nurserymen's division the principal prizeB were taken by Mr. Mattock, of Headington, near Oxford ; Messrs. Cooling & Sons, of Bath ; and Messrs. F. Cant & Co. It is always difficult and trying in such weather to meet all the requirements of the exhibitors, but the combined efforts of Mr. Wallis, Professor Hillhouse, and Mr. Lathom, made everything go off smoothly, and the exhibitors felt deeply grateful for the attention that was paid to them, and the hope was strongly expressed that another ten years would not pass before the National appeared again in Birmingham. Wild Rose. GRAFTING. A correspondent obligingly sends us a speci- men which exemplifies some of the mysteries of grafting, or rather of budding. The stock employed was the ordinary English Elm ; the scion was the Cornish Elm. The bud marked b in the accom- panying drawing (fig. 32) did not take, but apparently died. That it did not really do so is seen by the fact that two shoots of the Cornish Elm, ch E, pushed from the top of the shield of the scion (of these only one is shown), and one from the base, whilst from between them sprang a shoot of the common Elm, CE. It would seem, then, that the central bud died, but that the margins of the shield retained their vitality, and produced Cornish shoots, ch e, after their kind. Whence, then, came the shoot CE? Is the shoot CE to be considered as a reversion ? 124 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 18, 1900. LETTUCE GROWING UNDER GLASS. In the 1 9th Report of this Station (Connecticut) for 1S95, pp. 93 — 95, is an account of some experiments in raising Lettuce under glass, which showed that : — 1. Lettuce of good quality was grown in soil made of coal-ashes and peat-moss dressed with fertiliser chemicals. 2. The Lettuce crop — roots and heads — took from such a soil the following quantities of the elements named, per 1,000 heads : Nitrogen, 282-6 gms., equivalent 3 lb. 15 oz. Nitrate-soda. Phosphoric acid, 87-7 gms. ,, 1 lb. 2oz. dissolved bone black. Potash, 6210 gms. „ 2 lb. 10 oz. Muriate. 3. To supply this plant-food to the soil, it was necessary to mix with the coal-aahes and peat the following quantities of fertilisers per 1000 plants, or per 387 square feet: Nitrate of soda, 9 lb. 13 oz. Dissolved bone black, 2 lb. 15 oz. Muriate of potash, 3 lb. S oz. Lettuce has been raised in the forcing-house every year since 1895, and a brief account of our observations follows :— In nearly all cases only the Boston Market varieties were planted. The seed was sown in flats, and when the plants were large enough to handle, they were pricked out in the benches, 4 inches apart each way. Later the plants were again transplanted, and then set 8 inches apart in the trial plots. In 1896, twenty plots on the centre bench of the newly- completed forcing- house were planted to White Tennis-ball Lettuce, each plot being 5J in. deep, and having an area of 14 5 square feet. Ten of these plots were filled with, a rich compost of rotted turf and horse-manure, and ten with coal-ashes, sifted through a sieve with four meshes to the inch, with which 5 per cent, of peat-moss, passed through the same sieve, had been carefully mixed. During the season, three crops of Lettuce were grown on each of the plots : 1. Sub-irrigation was practised in two plots of each kind of soil, but the yield of Lettuce was smaller than where surface irrigation was employed. 2. With the mixture of coal-ash and peat-moss, an application of 162-9 grams of nitrate of soda, containing 26 grams of nitrogen per plot, with 49 grams of dissolved bone-black— equivalent to 8-1 grams of phosphoric acid— and S8S grams of muriate of potash —equivalent to 44 grams of potash— gave as good results as any larger amounts of these ingredients. 3. The yield from plots of coal-ashes alone was decidedly less than from the mixture of ashes and peat-moss. 4. From the compost soils to which only small quantities of nitrate were added, no larger yields were got than from the corresponding ashes and peat plots ; but when to the compost were added the same amounts of fertilisers as to the ashes and peat, the yields were larger from the compost. In all cases more marketable heads were got from the compost plots. In the experiments of the next season, 1896-1897, a mixture of from 9 to 12 per cent, of peat-moss with coal-ashes proved to be a better soil medium for Lettuce than mixtures containing less than that amount. For these tests the following quantities of chemicals were mixed with the soil of each plot : Nitrate of soda ... 231 gms., equivalent Nitrogen ...32-5 Dissolved bone black 477 ,, „ Phosphoric acid 7'1 Muriate of potash ... 95-5 ,, „ Potash ...44-4 In soil containing 12 per cent, of peat-moss, 1,000 plantB — roots and heads — removed : Nitrogen, 443 grams, equivalent to 6£ lb. of Nitrate of soda. Phosphoric acid, 1S5 grams, equivalent to 3 lb. of dis. bone black. Potash, 697 grams, equivalent to 3TV lb. of Muriate of potash. In 1S97— 1S9S, the black swamp muck of this neighbourhood (Beaver Swamp), which contains no fibre, proved quite inferior to peat-moss as a soil medium. A number of comparisons were made of the growth of Lettuce on rich compost, and of its growth on the same kind of compost which had been " sterilised " by heating it for one hour with live steam, which raises the temperature of the soil to above 1001 C. Rawson's Hot-house and Grand Rapids were the varieties used, eighteen plants of each being set in each plot. In every case a better crop was grown on sterilised soil than on the corresponding plots untreated. Lettuce transplanted only once was much larger and heavier than that which was twice trans- planted. Fertiliser chemicals depressed the yield in each case, while the addition of lime did not greatly affect the weight or quality of the crop. The following table shows the results obtained from these cultures : — Connecticut Experiment Station Report, 1899. The Rock Garden. SCUTELLARIA ALTISSIMA. In the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh, there was in bloom the other day a rather nice Scutellaria named altissima. It is, I believe, grown in a few places as S. alpina, but it is quite a different plant from that species. It is a plant of moderate height, and very suitable either for the herbaceous border or for a rock- garden, where it could have behind it a large boulder or rock. This Helmet flower appears to grow to about 18 inches high, and has longish one- sided spikes of purple-blue and whitish flowers. The spikes arch over in quite a graceful way, and thus give an additional attraction to the plant. Although the colours are not very bright, the whole aspect of the plant is very pleasing indeed. DlANTHtJS NEGLECTUS ALBUS. The charming Dianthus neglectus is a general favourite with growers of alpine flowers, and there are few things in the rock-garden at any time prettier than a good plant of this Pink, covered with its bright and pleasing flowers. I was, however, un- aware that there was a white variety of it in exist- ence, until I paid a visit a short time ago to the grand collection of alpines in the nursery of Messrs. Backhouse & Son, Ltd., York. Although, as may be expected, it is not so showy as the typical plant ; white flowers are so generally admired, that it is likely to be acceptable to most alpine lovers. The blooms are of a good white, and the plant seems to flower with equal freedom to the type. It is a lovely Dianthus for a level place in the rock- garden, where it is neither kept too dry nor killed by a super-abundance of moisture. MlMULUS BURNETI X . I was delighted to find on the occasion of a recent visit to the rock-garden of Mr. Robert Lindsay, at Kaimes Lodge, Edinburgh, that this hybrid Mimulus maintains its character for hardiness and its accommodating ways. It is a hybrid between M. cupreus and the native [?] M. luteus. While it has some of the colour of the former, and much of its habit also, it is quite as hardy as its other parent, besides having the advantage of thriving where there is not enough moisture for that water- loving species, which is never so happy as by the side of a stream or a pood. A nice clump off M. Burneti x at Kaimes Lodge was very pleasing,, with itB coppery-coloured flowers in great numbers. It is grown at the base of a terraced rockery. Its raiser was, I understand, Mr. Burnet, of Aberdeen. Cytisus decumbens. This is one of those interesting little Brooms which prove so ornamental in the rock-garden, where we can hardly have too many of them. It has also been grown under the names of Genista Halleri, and G. prostrata. It forms a capital little plant for hanging over a ledge of rock, its neat leaves and yellow flowers looking particularly pleasing under such conditions. Although not a. rare plant, it is not a common one in gardens, and frequently the specimens are only small in size. One of the best I have seen was in the garden of Mr. Alex. Cowan, at Woodslee, Penicuik, N.B., where there is now an excellent collection of alpines. It was of greater size than one usually sees it, and experienced cultivators who have seem Mr. Cowan's plant are loud in their admiration of its beauty. S. Arnott. The Herbaceous Border. THE HERBACEOUS PHLOXES. It is gratifying to note that these showy plants are receiving much attention from gardeners and amateurs. These Phloxes flower during the latter part of July, in August, and into September, at which season flowers are apt on some light soils to- be scarce. If a soil be too light generally to grow Phloxes satisfactorily, the coolest, moistest place should be selected for them, the ground being dressed with heavy loam and rich manure (cow- manure for preference), and deeply dug— say, 2 to 3 spits deep. A mulch of old Mushroom-bed refuse during summer and autumn will be of use in retaining moisture in the soil. Although herbaceous Phloxes are hardy, it is- advisable to afford them some slight protection during the winter. This may take the form of a few handfuls of charred refuse or coarse sand j this will also prevent loss of young shoots from the ravages of slugs. The largest trusses of blooms are undoubtedly obtained from young plants, either raised from cuttings or small divisions of old plants. The stems should be reduced early to six or thereabouts, the weaker being taken. For planting in a group or border, the following varieties may be confidently recommended : — Flambeau, Coquelicot, Oscar Beyer, Avalanche, Pantheon, Berenger, W. Laing, Longchamps, Leon Say, Thomas Swanston, Aurora, Floreat, Adonis, John Forbes, Joconde, W. Veitch, and Cyrano. H. T. Martin. Aiv.i st 18, 1900.] THE GARDENERS1 CHRONICLE. 125 VEKXONIA SCORPIOIDES. (See fig. 33.) A greexhoise or stove under-shrub, long since introduced, but rarely seen. It is of tufted habit, 10 inches to '2 feet in height, with ovate leaves, and small heads of violet-coloured flowers in cymose panicles. It is a native of Brazil, and was exhibited in the spring of this year by Mr. Bennett-Por as a decorative plant ; pinched in to form a compact habit, it would be very useful. Forestry. * AVENUES. There are few nobler sights than a complete avenue of tall, well - shaped timber, leading up to some picturesque old mansion or castle. What constitutes an avenue is not altogether In many instances these avenueB or vistas radiated from the mansion in every possible direction, and the idea to which they owed their origin was quite distinct from that associated with the more modern type. With the introduction of the natural style of gardening, the planting of these avenues was dis- continued, and in many cases those already formed were partially destroyed or broken into. One of the sins laid at the door of " capability Brown " by his opponents was the breaking up and destruction of many fine old avenues, owing to their not con- forming to his ideas of natural scenery. As a matter of fact, avenues can never be anything but of an artificial character, but this is rather a feature than a fault, and they are certainly not more artificial than circular clumps dotted about at regular distances. Perhaps many of them were not wanted, but considering the great length of time required to bring them to maturity, more considera- tion is needed for removing than planting one, the perfect balance of the various parts which make up the scene. The centre consists of the mansion, entrance-gates, or whatever it may be, and the setting of two converging lines brought to a focus at the back of the objective. If by any means one of these lines is thinner, shorter, or less regular than the other, the difference can be detected, and we at once feel that a defect exists, which mars to a greater or less extent the scene before us. It will be thinner or shorter when the trees on one side are younger than those on the other, and its regularity will be in a great measure impaired when the trees on either side are of different heights and ages. The longer the a\'enue the less will this latter defect be observ- able, for distance reduces the relative differences in the height and sizes of the bases. So far, we have considered the avenue from a perspective point of view, its appearance from which determines in a great measure its success or omssh. Fig. 33. — vernonia scorpioides. clear, as the term is often applied to a straight •drive through a wood, or belt of trees, in such 'cases being completely arched over by the branches. In other instances, we find a grass margin between the trees and the drive, but with- out the timber being formally planted in lines. But the more usual form, and the one we shall deal with here, consists of one or more rows of trees planted in rows parallel to the road or drive which lies between them, and which more or less shut it and the grass margins in, or separate them from the ground on either side. The chief feature about such an avenue is that it should lead from one definite point to another, although it must be admitted one of these points is often missing, and we sometimes find avenues losing themselves in the middle of a park, without any very apparent reason. Bepton thought that the avenue first originated in the shape of a glade cut through the surrounding forest for the sake of a better current of air. The more modern type probably was planted during the seventeenth century, when the geometric style of landscape-gardening was the universal fashion. unless it has become an absolute eyesore from disease or bad health. The beauty of an avenue lies, in our opinion, in its symmetry, and the idea it conveys of uniformity throughout its length. Like all other formal styles of planting, it can only be termed a success in its entirety, and not when it consists of disjointed sections, or abrupt interruptions. An avenue, strictly speaking, is a piece of vege- table architecture, associated with the objective to which it leads, whether mansion, entrance-gates, or anything else, and it is quite as great an evil to have the former patchy and irregular as it would be to have the latter in a dilapidated condition. Perhaps many may think this is going rather too far ; but it must be remembered that an avenue is very much the same in a landscape as the setting of a picture on canvas. When we enter the end of an avenue, the eye at once rests upon the further point, and the impression we receive is much about the same, whether we gaze upon it for a minute or an hour. Whether that impression is pleasing or not depends in a great measure upon failure to please. But when walking or riding between an avenue its face or inner surface of stem and foliage also comes under observation. This is quite as important as the other, for being brought into close proximity to the eye, any defects are more easily observed. Here, again, a certain amount of uniformity is looked for, and this is pro- duced more by the density of the lower branches than by the actual height of the trees, that is, at least after they have reached a height of 20 feet, and are well above the level of the observer's eye. With some species, such as those which retain their lower branches to the last, Lime, Chestnut, Beech, &c, this condition is more easily obtained, than with light-demanders like the Elm and some of the Conifers, although the latter are not often used unless able to fulfil this condition. For the first 100 years or so in their life, little trouble is experienced in this connection, but when gaps begin to occur through wind or decay, the real trouble begins, for which no satisfactory remedy has yet been found. A. C. Forbes. {To be continued.) 126 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [August 18, 1900. arret Gardening. FIELD TOMATOS. Field Tomatos are looking remarkably well, and should the fine weather now prevailing con- tinue, the crop will prove a satisfactory one in every respect, the clusters consisting of from five to nine large well-Bhaped fruits. The change from wet to sunny weather has taken place at the critical moment, as some of the fruits evince a disposition to crack near the stems. For some reason or other the supply of Tomatos now and during the last fortnight is inadequate to the demand, with the natural result of better prices being secured. And these satisfactory prices, owing to the fact of the crops of fruit of several noted growers of Tomatos under glass, each of whom usually send tons of fruit daily to Covent Garden during the summer and early autumn months, being completely exhausted, are likely to obtain for out-door fruit. In order to give the clusters of fruit the full benefit of light and sunshine, all suckers and lateral growths should be persistently pinched, and the large compound leaves should also be cut back to two leaflets, the individual plants being kept in position on the wires stretched along each row of plants for their support ; the effect of the recent wind-storms caused a good deal of attention to be given in this direction. Winter and Spring Turnips. Good breadths of such varieties of the Turnip as Early Green Stone, Jersey Lily, and Manchester Market (mixed), should be sown forthwith for yielding supplies of this wholesome vegetable during the winter and early spring mouths. The Turnip prefers a fairly light soil, into which a good dressing of farmyard or staple manure had been ploughed for the previous crop. The ground having been ploughed, harrowed, and rolled, if lumpy, should have a surface-dressing of soot to ensure clean roots being secured. The application of soot stimulates root - growth, and preserves them from the attacks of the wireworm and other creatures which prey upon underground-growth. The seed may be drilled-in, or sown broadcast. In the latter case, harrowing and rolling, to cover and compress the seed and soil, are requisite. Cabbages for Spring Use. A good supply of sturdy, free growing plants of the Ellam's Early and Enfield Market type of Cabbage should be in readiness for planting in well- prepared enriched land, the middle of next month (September), so as to have good saleable heads in April and May next, when a good price may be realised. Ellam's Early may be planted in rows about 16 inches asunder, and at the same distance from plant to plant in the rows, giving the larger growing varieties a few inches more space every way. If fthe roots of the plants are dipped in a "puddle" made to the consistency of thick paint, and into which a few handfuls of soot have been stirred, before being transplanted, it will preserve them from the attacks of the wireworm and grub. A little precaution taken in this direction sometimes means a gain of some pounds sterling in the crop. H. W. Ward, August 11. Colonial Notes. ■» TEINIDAD BOTANIC GARDEN. The exclusively botanical and experimental work is henceforth to be carried out at the St. Clair experiment station. Nothing is removed from the old garden, but representatives are placed at St. Clair under more modern systems of classification. The old garden, in which the Governor's residence is situated, will be kept up as an ornamental garden. The Tobago experimental station is under the direction of Mr. Miller, and under the immediat control of the Superintendent of the Trinidad Botanical Garden. The work carried on by the Department by Mr. J. H. Hart at St. Clair, when all arrangements are completed, will be as follows : — 1. Agricultural and horticultural experiments and trials, including the raising and testing of seedling Sugar-canes. 2. The propagation and distribution of timber- trees, economic and decorative plants (by sale or otherwise). 3. The cultivation and trial of different classes of native and imported trees and plants of botanical interest. 4. The study of diseases of plants, occasioned by insects, fungi, &c. 5. The collection from forest and roadside of botanical specimens, in view of the preparation of a flora of the island of Trinidad, and for scientific reference. 6. Collecting, importing, and growing the best varieties of tropical fruits, to prove their value for Trinidad. 7. (a.) Training men and boys in agricultural and horticultural work; (6.) Training young men after leaving school who intend becoming planters ; (c.) Providing lectures for the school teachers of the educational department, who are to teach elementary agriculture in schools. S. Distributing information by bulletins, reports, and correspondence. 9. The importation and growing of newly-dis- covered plants from various countries. 10. The maintenance of exchanges of plants, seeds and specimens with botanical establishments — foreign and colonial. 11. Conducting agricultural examinations of men, boys, cadets, school teachers, &c. 12. Keeping and recording meteorological and seismographical observations. 13. Overlooking current foreign and colonial literature and exchanges, for articles on tropical cultures likely to be of use locally. 14. Inspection of railway - stations annually. Officialattendance at agricultural society's meetings, and other miscellaneous duties. Queensland Acclimatisation Society. This Society continues to do good work, and is turning its attention to the raising of new varieties of Sugar-cane with a larger percentage of Sugar than the old varieties. The workers must have faith, and be able to bear disappointment patiently ; with these requirements fulfilled, we should say the ultimate result will be satisfactory, and in Queens- land there are many things besides Sugar which could be grown. The Royal Society op New South Wales. I have only been a few days in England, and only a couple of days ago I obtained such of the Gardeners' Chronides as had appeared during my travels. I regret that, in your issue of the 21st ult., you have issued a " Warning to British Scientists," in regard to New South Wales. The writer, who signs himself "V. II. W. Fawcett," attacks the Royal Society of New South Wales in the matter of a prize essay award. No dates are given in the letter, but the prize (£25 and the Society's medal) was awarded several years ago, between the years 1S90 and 1892 (I cannot give you the exact date, as I am away from books). During the last nine years a letter, couched in almost the same terms as the one addressed to you, but not over the same name, has appeared in at least two Australian newspapers, but the Council, in possession of the facts, has treated the insinuations with the contempt they deserve. The Council has declined to take any public notice of these attacks. I happen to be one of the honorary secretaries of the Society (though not at the time the award was made), and on my own authority I take upon myself to address you on the subject, and only take this unusual step because of the universal respect in which the Gardeners' Chronicle is held in New South Wales. Owing to deaths, resignations in accordance with bye-laws and other causes, the personnel of the Council is different to what it was nearly a decade ago ; and there should be strong reasons for hold- ing up a public body as a shocking example for an act of their official predecessors of several years back. The Council of the Royal Society of New South Wales has always included some of the best names in the colony, and I am stating i truism when I say that the code of personal honour of the members will be found to be as high as that of any of the renowned British societies. Although we have the misfortune to live so far away from our mother country, we claim that, in our local Royal Society we conduct our business according to the best traditions of British gentlemen. The essays referred to were examined by a com- mittee of two, Mr. Charles Moore, my predecessor in the direction of the Botanic Gardens at Sydney (a member of the Council), and theRw. Dr. Woolls, a friend of Mutler for forty years, and a man uni- versally respected and beloved. When Dr. Woolls died in March, 1S93, it was everywhere conceded that our foremost New South Wales botanist had passed away. They awarded the prize to " the school teacher ' ' rather contemptuously alluded to, and who is one of the best naturalists in the Colony. The Council confirmed the award, and from that day to this one of the disappointed candi- dates has expressed dissatisfaction with the award. I may mention that neither Mr. Moore nor Dr. Woolls knew the names of the authors of the com- peting essays ; and, as regards the adjudication, it is impertinent to imply they were ignorant judges, and wicked to insinuate they were corrupt. As regards the slight alteration in the title of the essay, that was made after the award, and orb application by the successful candidate. The Council saw no objection, and it certainly does not affect the merits of the essay in any way. I have already trespassed unduly on your space, and would say that this is the first time I have heard of " V. H. W. Fawcett, D.Sc, &c, of Sydney. We are but a small community, and I have excep- tional means of obtaining information, owing to the various official positions I hold. The name is abso- lutely unknown to me ; nor have my fellow-colonists, whom I have been able to consult ever heard of the name. He may, of course, have resided in Sydney a week or two. but I respectfully protest against "V. H. W. Fawcett, D.Sc." (I wish he had added the name of his University) posing in the Gardeners' Chronicle as a New South Welsh- man, called upon by a sense of duty to warn British scientists against the corrupt methods of some of their brethren in the "Mother Colony of the Australias. " J". H. Maiden. GUTTA-PERCHA. It is one of the strangest facts in the evolu- tional history of man that the discovery of the insulating qualities of gutta-percha should have been so nearly coincident with the demand for such a material, when ocean telegraphy became a pressing need. India-rubber, a similar gum in many ways, forms no reliable substitute, especially because it has been found to deteriorate in sea-water, while gutta-percha not only improves under the enormous pressure of the deep - sea waters, but appears to be absolutely imperishable ; a material, indeed, of essential consideration when the cost of an ocean-cable may possibly exceed a million of money. India-rubber, too, presents many technical difficulties in its application ; pure it is useless, and vulcanised the sulphur comes in as an uncertain agent. Hence, it is very doubtful, if gutta- percha had not "turned up," that ocean telegraphy would even now have been practically useful. Here at once we appreciate what a debt we owe to the poking and prying investigator who saw this gum, tried it, and utilised it in other ways, and thus paved the road to the discovery of its insulating A i 1:1 ST IS, 1900.] THE GARDE NEBS' CHRONICLE, 12' capabilities, of which he certainly never dreamt, being an untutored and unknown native Malay. In 1S43 one Josr d'Almeida, a Portuguese engi- neer, first sent over specimens of native-manufac- tured whips, knives, hats, &c, to the Royal Asiatic Society. A little later l»r. Montgomerie, a surgeon in the service of the East India Company, noted the peculiar faculty it has of softening in hot-water, and subsequent hardening in the shape then given ; the idea of surgical splints was thus suggested to him. But it was not, according to some authorities, until 184S when l'rof. Faraday took the substance found to be marketable in savage countries, the utmost improvidence prevailed in its collection, the treeB being ruthlessly cut down and drained of their sap ; and as it takes twenty-five years for a tree to attain a size capable of yielding an appre- ciable supply, it is easy to see that even primeval forests, dotted only as they are with trees of the right description, are sure soon to be entirely depleted. In 18S1 alone, the export justified the belief that no fewer than 5,(100,000 trees were felled in Borneo, and as these are hewn down in the midst of younger ones without any consideration for the Fig. 34. — cherry " noble." in hand that its higher destiny began to dawn upon the world, though it is claimed on behalf of Dr. Werner Siemens that he had suggested it as an insulating medium in 1S46 to the Prussian Govern- ment. In any case it eventually proved to be precisely what was wanted, and curiously enough, though it is now approaching half a century since it began to be used, and the comparative scarcity and difficulty of supply has stimulated research in all directions for a substitute, it still remains master of the situation, since it only requires to be cleansed and purified to be available for the purpose in view. The gum is yielded by several trees of kindred species, but chiefly from Isonandra Gutta, now mainly met with in Borneo, though first recognised in Singapore. Like all native products latter, it has been estimated that five times as many were destroyed. Although few people can grasp the idea of the enormous number of trees which go to form wide- spread forests, the expert will gather from these figures that the waste is frightful, and would mean in time practical annihilation if it were permitted to continue. Fortunately, as in the case of the Cinchona trees which yield quinine, so soon as the value of these native products is established, and a constant demand begins to threaten exter- mination, the botanist lends his aid, first, by determining exactly the species best fitted to yield the supply ; secondly, by inducing its cultivation in other parts of the world which his study leads him to think are congenial. The practical col- lector, too, replaces the savage, and finds that a. partial draught from time to time upon the tree's resources can well be borne, so that the "goose with the golden eggs " is kept alive, and becomes a perennial source of profit. The Dutch have intro- duced the gutta-percha plants at Buitenzorg, and the French into Cochin China ; and thus, with a judicious check upon the extirpating native methods in the original forests of Borneo, Sumatra, and else- where, it is to be hoped that an adequate supply will be maintained, and that we shall not find our trans- oceanic nervous system paralysed some day for the want of its proper integuments. Chas. T. Druery, F.L.S., V.M.B. CHERRY "NOBLE." This fine-looking excellent Cherrj- (see fig. 34), shown last year at one of the meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society, receiving an Award of Merit on the occasion, and which was favourably com- mented upon in our issue for August 4 last, p. 91, was again shown by the raisers, Messrs. W. Ray & Co., of Mount Pleasant Nurseries, Teynham, Kent, at the Royal Horticultural Society's meeting on July 31 this year. It is an attractive-looking fruit, of large size, good flavour, and firm flesh, and shouldi become a valuable market variety. THE MIMULUS. Plants, and especially old ones in point of remoteness of introduction, undergo revivals, and though they may have to pass through a season of neglect, they yet at some time attract attention, and renew something of their old popularity. This appears to be true of the Mimulus. Some of us. are old enough to remember th; earlier improve- ments of M. luteus, which was introduced about 1820. Original forms can still be found in cottage and villa gardens, growing freely from perennial root-stocks year after year, and forming dense tufts of golden blossoms in June. Not long since I met with a sturdy -growing form in a Buckinghamshire cottage garden, the blossoms of a bright gold colour, without a trace, or scarcely a trace of spotting. In course of cultivation, M. luteus, which at its introduction had two dark marks in the mouth of the corolla, developed forms having spots on other parts of the segments ; these variations were noted, larger size and greater substance followed, then varietal names were given, and lists of named Mimulus appeared in catalogues of florist's flowers, and they are still to be found there, though to a limited extent. A great stride was made in the improvement of the Mimulus when Messrs. James Veitch k Sons- introduced from Chili, in 1861, the coppery M. cupreus, the name which was given to a dwarf- habited plant with blossoms of a bright coppery- red hue. Up to this time the large- flowered, spotted Mimulus, though varying in size, colour, and disposition of the markings, yet generally agreed in this, that either on each of the five seg- ments of the corolla, or on the lower segment only,, there was a large blood-coloured blotch, often, indeed, occupying the whole of its surface. Various irregular blotchings were at times super- added, and in the act of seeding and selecting, the size of the blossoms became very much increased. The new M. cupreus was quickly utilised by raisers, and crosses made between it and some of the large garden varieties. In time this led to the development of a maculated strain known as Maculosus, in which the large blotches of colour in the older type became broken, and dispersed over the surface of the corollas in much smaller and even minute spottings ; while the blood of M. cupreus gave coppery and orange tints, increasing the area of coloration, and even affecting the ground, the yellow becoming pale almost to cream. Varieties of Maculosus were named and distributed until the strain became common, and naming ceased. The tendency of late years has been for the blotches to. 128 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 18, 1900. enlarge rather' than diminish, but smaller spotted varieties appear among seedlings. Hosein-hose forms appeared among the Macu- losus strain, but it was found that seeds saved from them could not be depended upon to reproduce the type ; occasionally a hosein-hose form will appear, and they who attach a value to this characteristic, should perpetuate it by means of root division or cuttings. A double form or two has ^also been found in cultivation. Strains of large-flowered Mimulus are now so good, arid the blossoms produced by seedlings in their young stage so fine, that naming is now but rarely followed. The seeds germinate very quickly, the young plants grow rapidly, and the plants flower when quite small. Mimuluses are excellent plants grown in pots for house decoration ; they should be grown in rich soil, and need an abundance of water when the pots are filled with roots. If kept close and confined, the plants soon become affected by greenfly ; they should have ample room, with light above and around them, and a free circu- lation of air. A very showy bed can be made with •the Mimulus in the open ; if planted in rich soil, as a matter of precaution it is well to place a stake as a support to the main stem. If the blossoms are beaten down during a rain-storm, they come ■out again in plenty where bright sunshine -follows. R. D. OUTDOOR PEACHES. Few fruits give greater pleasure in growing than this, and few at the same time want more attention or repay it better. From the time of their blossoming in March, till the time the fruit is picked in late summer or autumn, they require some attention every month. The month of August is when the later sorts want special Attention in many ways. A number of fruits may still be picked off with advantage where the trees are cropping heavily. Even on strong shoots it is seldom advisable to leave more than two fruits, often not more than one. Nature needs a good deal of restraint here. Her object is to produce as many Btones (seeds in their hard cases) as possible to ensure the repro- duction of the species, even if there is little more flesh on them than on an Almond. Our object, on the contrary, is to get the maximum amount of flesh ; and ten Peaches, where they have been properly thinned, may easily produce a greater •quantity of luscious pulp than twenty or thirty where they have not been so thinned. Sometimes, when the fruit should be swelling •rapidly, there will be noticed a number of fruits with a brownish appearance and a stunted look. These should be picked off at once. It may be ■there has not been sufficient phosphate in the soil to enable the tree to accomplish its stoning properly — always a critical operation, and a time when the tree wants the greatest amount of solid matter from the soil ; or it may be that the tree, in the process of stoning, has so exhausted the available food supply that it is now starving. What the tree needs is a judicious application ■of liquid- manure, especially if the weather is hot. The best thing to use now is good guano, with an analysis of 8 to 10 per cent, of ammonia, and SO to 35 per cent, of phosphates. It may be used at the rate of a handful to a 2-gallon ■can of water, soft if possible, as that dissolves more of the phosphates. If this is administered twice a wetk, at the rate of five to ten cans to a tree, according to the dryness of the weather, the results will be simply marvellous. An important thing to be looked out for is that enemy of Peach-trees, the aphis. Not only do the aphides spoil the shoots which nourish them, but they exhaust the tree, as they suck the sap of the young shoots in such abundance, that they cannot assimilate all the sugary substances it contains, and ■consequently they exude it on minute horn-like protuberances on their backs, much to the delight of their friends the ants, who are there ready to relieve them of it. This forms a most serious drain on the tree, especially when it is wauting all this sugary matter for the swelling fruit. The leaves at the ends of the shoots are so curled that syringing does not dislodge the aphides entirely, and if a few are left they soon become many. The better way, or perhaps an additional precaution, iB to take each infected shoot and, holding it point downwards, dust it with tobacco-powder. Two applications of this, perhaps one, will be an effectual cure. A quarter of an hour will suffice to dust a big tree. If not already done, the young shoots should be nailed in at once, to give the fruit all the sun and air possible, those for which there is no room being taken off at the junction with the parent-stem, care being taken not to bark the latter more than necessary. The other strong-growing shoots should, when the fruit begins to ripen, be cut down to the length it is proposed to leave them for the next season, so that the strength which is running to waste in making lengthy shoots should be sent into the swelling fruit. These remarks, of course, apply to September and October Peaches, and not to the early sorts, which have by this time been gathered. Only those who have grown Peaches know the daily delight of seeing them get redder and bigger in the sunny weather we often get from the middle of August to the middle, and even sometimes to the end of September. P. A. The Week's Work. THE FLOWER GARDEN. By J. Benbow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilchester, Abbotsbury Castle, Dorsetshire. Rose Cuttings. — For light, warm soils, Roses on their own roots succeed far better than bndded plants. Cuttings of matured wood, 10 inches to 1 foot long, if taken now with a heel, will root readily if inserted in a rich sandy soil. The ground should be carefully prepared, levelled, and made fairly firm, and having prepared the cuttings and labels, put them in straight rows, 9 inches apart, in small holes or shallow trenches, the cuttings being inserted to half their length in the soil, which should be made firm ; they should stand upright. Autumn and xeinter -flowering bulbous plants. — The following are the names of bulbous plants which come into flower in the autumn and winter seasons. Preparations may shortly be made, and orders given to the bulb-dealer : Anemone fulgens, and A. stellata ; Chionodoxa Luciliaj, C. grandi- flora, C. sardensia ; Colchicum autumnale, and its varieties, with numerous hybrids ; Crocus autum- nalis, C. praicox, C. speciosus, and varieties ; Eran- this hyemalis, for massing on the turf or planting on banks, an ever-welcome early-flowering plant ; Erythroniums is great variety ; Oalanthus (Snow- drops), all are beautiful for naturalising on the turf ; Leucoj um vernum, L. carpaticum. L. autumnale ; Sternbergia lutea, and S. angustifolia, having deep, yellow- coloured flowers, and broad, Narcissus-like leaves. Narcissus odoms (Sweet Campernelle). — When planting any of these bulbs and tubers, the ground should be well manured with stable-dung broken up finely, deeply dug, so as to afford a tine tilth. Re- tentive soils may be dressed heavily with one-year- old leaf-mould. When planting on the turf, a crow- bar may be used for making the holes, which may be deep, and should be partly filled with suitable soil. Pleasing combinations are made with two or more species planted together. Bleak aspects should not be chosen for such plants, or leat and flower will be readily injured. After the soil has been allowed a sufficient length of time to settle, it should be raked over, and the bulbs planted with just sufficient good earth over them to prevent dis- turbance ; a rake or hoe is used on the land. " Stern- bergias " succeed when the bulbs are planted quite close to the surface, in consequence of their large bulbs being thoroughly ripened during their season of rest. They should have a piece of ground which is well drained, and the soil porous. Under these conditions they prove hardy in most parts of the country, and may remain undisturbed for several years. Sweet Campernelle, Narcissus odorous. — This bulb flowers in the spring, and should be planted early. Contrary to most Narcissi, the bulbs increase rapidly if a good bed of peat be prepared for it, in which plenty of sand is mixed, the blossoms coming much finer, and offsets are freely produced if the bulb be left undisturbed. This preference for peaty soil makes plants useful for planting between or around dwarf Rhododendrons, Andromedas, &c, and there they need but little attention, if once carefully planted. Spanish Iris. — These bulbs are suitable for planting in rich vegetable soil, and in clearings in the woods. They thrive where the soil does not become much dried up, and in such soils and sites they produce numerous flowers, the patches in- creasing in size annually. At Abbotsbury, on the line of a disused ditch, filled with the right sort of soil, they succeed admirably. They are not so prone to disease or to weevil attacks as the English Irises. Iris stylosa and its Varieties. — These should be planted in the same kind of soil as the last, and the roots can be divided, but not too severely, and planted this month. Where they can have a sunny place and liberal treatment, they produce great quantities of their mauve, or lilac and white flowers. They flower from two to three months, beginning in February. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Yoonq, Orchid Grower to Sir Frederick Wigan, Bart., Glare Lawn. East Sheen, S.W. Sobralias. — Many valuable additions have been made to this genus of late years, which, as they become better known, will become popular. An apparent drawback to the cultivation of Sobralias is the ephemeral nature of the bloom, which, however, is produced in succession from the same flowering-reed, so that need not count. Nearly all are of easy cultivation in any sort of glasshouse having an intermediate temperature throughout the year. It is not always good prac- tice to repot any plant because the pot or tub is filled with roots, although in order to keep the plants growing healthily, repotting about every second year becomes a necessity. The operation should be carried out about a month after a plant has ceased to flower, the interval allowing for recuperation. Large, moderately shallow recep- tacles should be used, as they are surface-rooting subjects ; and these should have crocks put in to half the depth, the rest being reserved for a compost. This may consist of turfy-peat one-third, turfy-loam one third, with well-rotted cow-dung, chopped Bphagnum-moss, fine crocks and sand, one-third. Plants requiring to be divided should be turned out, and the tangled mass of roots cut through with an edging-iron, it being impossible to separate the mass without causing damage to the roots. For two weeks after being so treated, no water should be afforded ; but afterwards a gradu- ally increasing quantity should be applied until the winter, when the soil should be kept just moist. A close atmosphere and dense shade is injurious. S. macrantha, with its varieties and natural hybrids, should have the cooler position ; and S. xantholeuca, S. Sanderiana, S. Amesise, S. virginalis, and S. sessilis, the warmer. They are very clean plants, thrips and aphis being the only insects likely to affect them, and these may be kept under by frequent light fumigations. Cypripediums. — Many representatives of this large family may n >w be re-surfaced or repotted-on as the condition of each may demand, operating principally upon those which flowered during the present summer. With the declining light and consequent increase of moisture, Cypripediums generally make good progress. When turning out the plants, examine the tendency of the roots, whether they prefer to ramble near the surface, or penetrate downward, as by noticing their indi- vidual habits a clue is obtained to the depth of material required pro rattl. Too much water should be avoided, or the new material will decay and become sour very soon. Excepting in the case of hybrids claiming affinity with those of the con- color section, it is inadvisable to raise the base of the plants above the edge of the pot. Seedlings should be afforded fresh material as soon as that in which they ara growing shows signs of becoming sour. Catlleya Lawrenciana, being late in commencing to grow, should be given a favourable position in which to develop its pseudo-bulbs ; a warm, light part of the Cattleya-house, or stove even, being selected if their present one does not supply its needs. Do not apply much water, less harm re- sulting from a slight degree of drought than from superabundance. AOGTJST 18, 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHBONIGLE. 129 Cattleya Eldorado and its variety JVallisii, plants of which are now iu flower, being impatient of water remaiuing long about their roots, require well-drained pots, and but a small quantity of materials. Water is frequently required by them, but its passage through the compost should be rapid, so that dryness is likely to follow quickly. The conditions of an East Indian-house are neces- sary to their welfare the whole year. THE HABDY FRUIT GARDEN. By A. Ward, Gardener to F. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, New Barnet. Sweet Cherries.— With the exception of Late Duke, these are now clear of fruit, and afford an opportunity for cleansing the trees, should they require it. At this date insecticides of full strength may be used, as the foliage being mature and there- fore firm in texture, will not suffer in consequence. Having done this, let all secondary growth made since the first stopping be shortened, and tinish by traiuing-in the young wood retained at the previous pruning. These are small matters, but if the trees are put in order at the present time, they will need no further attention before winter. Figs. — The season so far has not been one of the best for outdoor Figs, and a fine warm autumn is needed in most parts of the country to ripen the wood. For this reason the current season's shoots should be reduced in numbers only, the best of them being left over the whole trees. Let them be nailed close to the face of the wall, where they will reap the benefit of great heat. All fruits forming on these shoots should be rubbed off, these being too backward to ripen this year, and too forward to stand the winter. Ripening fruit should be protected from wasps and flies, covering the trees with hexagon netting where these pests are very numerous. Summer pruning. — Many of the trees that were stopped some few weeks back have pushed a great quantity of secondary growths, which should be stopped, for being of a weak watery nature, they are of no service whatever. The pruning of all trees needing it out in the open should now be brought to a close. Strawberries. — If a sufficient number of runners have been layered from the late varieties, trim up the plants forthwith, and put the beds in order. Save the best of the self-rooted runners, and plant them out in nursery-beds at 9 inches apart. These will form good plants by next spring, and suitable for filling up gaps, and in case of emergency for forming new plantations next year. As oppor- tunities may offer, get a mulch of well-rotted manure, or a compost consisting of one-half of the latter, and the remainder of old potting-bench soil, or similar material, wheeled on and spread between the rows of two and three-year-old plants. Well work this round the collars of the plants, and in a short time numbers of new roots and stout leathery foliage will form, which will afford good protection to the crowns in the winter months. Bring to a speedy close the formation of new plantations, not forgetting to mulch afterwards, as we may yet have another spell of hot dry weather to contend with. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Holford, Westonblrt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Spinach. — To be enabled to have a good supply of this useful vegetable all through the winter, three sowings should be made, in case the earlier ones run to seed before early spring-sown Spinach comes into use. For one or two sowings it is difficult to advise as to the date, so much depending upon the locality and character of the soil of the garden. Speaking generally, the first sowing may be made at this date, sowing in drills drawn about 16 inches apart. I do not recommend the practice of steeping the seeds in water, unless the soil should be very dry, as so much water has to be afforded afterwards. A better method is to apply water to the drills a few hours before proceeding to sow. Land may now be prepared for later sowings, and rich manures, plenty of fresh soot, and uuslaked lime applied to the soil. Long Standing Prickly is the best variety for these late sowings. Coleworts. — Plants raised from the principal sowings may now be transplanted in rainy weather. If the Rosette and London are to be planted, the distances at which they stand may be 15 inches apart ; and given a good start and a rich soil they will not be much affected by frost. As has been mentioned, the land should be dressed with slaked lime. Onions. — The main crop will now require that the ground between the rows be thoroughly cleared of weeds, and in the case of backward crops artificial manure may be spread broad-cast over the land ; this being especially necessary when another crop will speedily take the place of the Onions. The silver-skinned Onion should be lifted as soon as of full size, as to leave them longer is to run the risk of the bulbs starting into growth if moist weather ensue. Tripoli Onions. — The seed may now be sown, the plot receiving a trampling. Many failures with Tripoli Onions are due to over-thick sowing, as however carefully the thinning of the plants may be performed, it is impossible to pull up the plants without disturbing those that are left. In such cases, much labour is incurred in firming the soil ; and unless this be done, the first hard frost destroys the crop. If the land is still under crop, the Onion seed may be sown in cold frames or boxes, and trans- planted when the land is cleared. The bulbsobtained by this .method are much larger than when the seed is sown in the open, if transplantation be carefully done. Giant Kocca, Giant Lemon Rocca, and Globe are excellent for this sowing. Polatos (Second Early). — The rains have satu- rated the ground, and made the lifting of the crop an easy matter, and now that the skin of the tuber is firm, and the tops are ripe, the sooner they are lifted and stored the better. The tubers should be put into heaps of a moderate size in a cool store- room or cellar, and covered with mats, but where there is not this convenience, they may be laid out on straw in a shed, with a moderately thick covering over them. Winter Radishes. — Seeds of the Black Spanish or China Rose Radishes may be sown on a south border. Shallow drills should be drawn about 9 inches apart, and the seed sown thinly. The beds should be netted to prevent losses from the birds, and water afforded when the land is dry. After the last thinning the plants should stand at 3 ins. apart. PLANTS UNDER GLASS. By T. Edwards, Foreman, Royal Pfant Gardens, Frogtnore. Chrysanthemums. — The plants having made plenty of roots, and in some cases flower-buds, weak guano- water or other manure may be afforded them. The guano should be put into a water-pot, and be stirred with a stick at time of using, and only sufficient should be added a9 will j ust give colour to the water ; but the dose may be increased later, and also a change of nutriment, as soot and farm- yard manure-water given instead. Let all side- shoots be removed, only four or five of the strongest growths being retained ; for exhibition blooms only three are left. From the present time till the beginning of September, the selection of the flower-buds should be made ; and as soon as these are chosen, the three shoots at the base of each should be removed. The early morning is the best time for this operation, as the growth is then more brittle than later in the day. In most cases the crown buds produce the finest blooms, though if taken before the end of the present month, the flowers are ofttimes coarse, and sometimes they harden, and fail to develop properly. In other cases the terminal bud is the better. But these details the gardener can best decide according to the locality, the sorts grown, and the purpose for which they are required. Let strict attention be paid to affording water, examining the pots after rain, which leaves the surface moist, although no water may reachthe roots ; and to keeping a sharp look-out for earwigs. During fine weather syringe the plants morning and evening. Caladiums, Tuberous Begonias, Cloxinias, and Achimenes. — These plants should now be removed to brick pits, and exposed to sunshine, the amount of water afforded being reduced so that the foliage may die off in a natural way. Show and Fancy Pelargoniums. — The older plants may be cut hard back, and when started, shaken out and repotted in smaller pots. Cuttings, when rooted, mey be potted up in large 60's. For indoor decorative work, cuttings grown on the market plan annually are very useful, the plants being compact, and well furnished with foliage. Fuchsias. — Those plants that were stood outside will furnish good cuttings ; and a stock put in now, and kept steadily growing on in an intermediate- house during winter, will be valuable for spring and early summer flowering. Bouvardias. — Continue to stop the stronger- shoots, but not later than the end of this month, and afford manure- water two or three times a week. Pot-Poses should be examined, and repotted if necessary, or if larger pots are not desirable, the surface-soil should be loosened with a pointed stick, and removed, a top-dressing of rich compost being afforded, and made firm with a rammer. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop. F'h/s in Pots. — Late Figs should be afforded manure-water occasionally, and the house kept in a humid state by day. Let the shoots be thinned, or the maturing of the same will be difficult at this season ; and remove imperfect fruits, and reduce- tbe crop to one of moderate weight. Fig-trees on Outside Walls, carrying good crops of fruit, should be covered with temporary frame- lights, so as to get the fruits ripe not later than. September. A little extra attention in affording water after the trees are covered will be repaid by the superior quality of the fruit. Muscat Vines. — The nights being cool and the- dew heavy, make it desirable to keep the Muscat- house rather drier than hitherto while the fruit is ripening, and to afford slight artificial warmth at night, and not to damp down early iu the afternoon, except in very hot weather, when the house may be left open one or two hours longer than usual. The Muscat-house should not be closed entirely after the fruit commences to ripen, and enough ven- tilation should be afforded at night, which in com- bination with the warmth from the hot-water pipes- will secure buoyancy in the air of the vinery, and prevent condensation of moisture on the bunches. Abrupt raising of the warmth early in the day should be guarded against, ventilation being in- creased as soon as the sun strikes the house, a sudden rise while the berries are cool leading to- condensation of moisture, cracking of the skins at the footstalks, and other evils. If it be desired to- colour some of the bunches at an early date, a little extra light may be afforded them by tying aside a leaf or two, otherwise it will be better to allow colouring to take place slowly under a moderate amount of foliage for six weeks longer. Too great an exposure of the fruit is apt to cause shrivelling, and) when this has once commenced, no after treatment will give plumpness to the fruit. Let the border- be afforded water as often as may be necessary, applying it on a sunny morning. A temperature of 70° to 75° at night, and 10° higher by day will be necessary to secure well-ripened Muscat Grapes. If there are bunches still on the Vines in the earlier houses, which it may be desired to keep clean and fresh as long as possible, they msiy have a covering of stiffish paper cut of a circular shape, placed over- the bunches, which will ward off the too ardent sun's rays and the dust. Late Vines. — Whilst the fruit is colouring, the Vines should be maintained in the highest state of health for two months longer. All borders inside the vineries, if they are well drained, should be afforded water once in ten days, and outside ones, a good soaking, when water is seen to be required, especially that part abutting on the wall of the vinery. A light shade of fish-nets should be- applied to the roof in very bright weather, as it tends to reduce evaporation from the foliage. All Grapes for late keeping are improved when ripened in warmth, especially Gros Colmar ; and chills and draughts must be avoided. A regular and even degree of warmth, and a moderate amount of aerial moisture, tend to improvement in the quality of the fruit. As the majority of late Grapes take a long time to ripen, artificial heat should be con- tinued after the fruit is coloured, or it will not keep well. A night temperature of 65° to 70° with fire-heat, and S0° to S5° on sunny days, will be- suitable. Pot Vines. — The canes being hard and welt matured, with the old foliage still sound, the laterals may now be removed in order to concen- trate the energies of the Vines in the stronger buds. These Vines should be gradually inured to cool treatment, previously to placing them in a sunny spot out-of-doors. The quantity of water afforded: at the root may be diminished as the foliage ripens. Heavy rain should be guarded against, and the pots protected from strong sunshine. 130 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August IS, 1900. EDITORIAL NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be sent to the PUBLISHER. Letters for Publication, as well as specimens and plants for naming, should be addressed to the EDITOR, 41, Welling. ton Street, Covent Garden, London. Communications Should be WRITTEN ON ONE SIDE ONLY OF THE PAPER, sent as early in the week as possible, and duly signed by the writer. IJ desired, the signature will not be printed, bvt kept as a guarantee of good faith. The Editor does not undertake to pay for any contributions, or to return unused communications or illustrations, unless by special arrangement. 1 Illustrations. - -The Editor will thankfully receive and select photographs or drawings, suitable for reproduction, if gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, dtc. ; but he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. Local News. — Correspondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence of local events likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of horticulturists. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. TUESDAY, Auo. 21— Paris Exhibition (temporary Show). /"Shropshire Horticultural Society's WEDNESDAY, Aug. 22-^ Exhibition at Shrewsbury (two \ days,). 'FRIDAY, Aoo 24 1 Bradf°r Secretary, the proceedings of the year, and a list of officers and members of the Society.— Annual Administration Report of the Forest Department of Madras Presidency, for the twelve months ending June 30, 1899. The several chapters deal with: I., Extension and Constitution of State Forests; II. Management of State Forests ; III., Gross Yield and Out-turn of Forest Produce; IV., Financial Results; and V., Forest Administration.— The Tropical Agriculturist, July 2. This- contains, among other matter, articles and shorter notices on- the following subjects : Pioneers of the Planting Enterprise in Ceylon, the, late Henry Trimen (with portrait); Tea Com- panies (London— Ceylon), Area Planted and Capital ; Coffee Planting in Nyassaland ; Planting in Mexico ; Experiments with India-rubber and Tea Planting in the Caucasus.— The Tokyo Botanical Magazine. The issue of this publication for- June 20 contains articles by J. Matsumura, Notula' ad plantas- Asiaticas Orientales ; T. Ito, Plants; Sinenses Yoshianae IV. ;. N. Ono, Notes on the Stimulating Effect of Certain Sub- stances upon the Growth of Algx and Fungi ; Y. Yabe, Catalogus plantarum ad Station em Zoologicam Misakensem Sponte crescentium ; and T. Makino, Bambusacesc Japonicse. There are also sundry articles in Japanese, and notes and general jottings.— Flora of Bournemouth, mcladmg the Isle of Purbcck, by Edward F. Linton, M.A. With map. (Sold by H. G. Commin, Old Christchurch Road ; Bright's Stores, Tho. Arcade ; and Mate & Sons, Bournemouth.) A PEACH-TEELLIS AT THE HENDRE, MONMOUTH. We are indebted to the kindness of Mr. W. Crump, of Madresfield Court Gardens, for a full account of Lord Llangattoek's garden at the Hendre, near Monmouth town, from which we take. AUG08T 18, 1900.] TEE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 133 the following note about tho Bellegarde Peach-tree growing in a Peach-house : — " If it were possible to convey intact to a meeting at the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, this perfect tree of a Bellegarde Peach (fig. 35, p. 131), Che highest award would be unanimously given Mr. Coomber by the Fruit Committee. The tree is growing in a house about 25 feet by IS feet, and was planted about eight years ago. It is evidently worked on a very suitable stock, probably that of the Pershore Plum, which from my own experience is one of the best stocks for the Bellegarde Peach, stock and scion growing at an equal rate. 'The iron-trellis on which the tree is trained forms about a fourth of a circle, and tho upper part is about G feet from the ground. It is a better form of trellis than the flat, as the compulsory curvature of the branches tends to keep the growth of the upper shoots somewhat in check, thus the sap is not so much diverted from the lower branches, as in the case of the latter ; moreover it is an easy cnatter to perform any required work on the tree, and other trees if worked on high stems can be planted on the back wall of the Peach-house, no ■shade being thrown on the heads of such trees." We shall give further details as to the Hendre later on. With the exception of a few drops in the middle of July, no rainwater at all has come through the latter gauge for nearly sixteen weeks. Since the 10th tho atmosphere has been calm and very dry, while there has been a splendid record of bright sunshine during the same four days, the average daily duration being nearly \'2\ hours. E. M., Berkhatusted. Notices of Books. F6RSTBOTANISCHES MerkbuCH. By Prof. Dr. Conwentz, Danzig (Gebriider Borntraeger, Berlin). This little volume is Part I. of a series of similar handbooks, and is published under the auspices of the Minister of Agriculture, and of Domains and Forests. Together with others of the same series, this notebook is to be distributed freely among the officers of the Government Forestry Department of Prussia. Though it does not pretend to be a complete guide to forestry, the Merkbuch is likely to do good work in calling attention to fine speci- vegetation of Australia as a whole is highly dif- ferentiated from that of the rest of the world, Western Australia is more specifically Australian in this connection than any of the other colonies of the group." Dr. Morrison then passes on to notes on the native plants comprised in the principal natural orders, closing his paper with paragraphs dealing with poisonous plants and ornamental plants, the whole forming a useful contribution to the natural history of the country. Handbook of British Rubi, by William Moyle Rogers. (London: Duckworth.) Bl_aj| This is a very acceptable Monograph of our common Brambles, from the pen of a gentleman possessing the greatest competence for the work. Those who have not made a special study of the genus are not competent to criticise such a book, but any student can gauge the general plan of the work and form an estimate of the manner in which the author has realised his plans. The author is one of those who splits up the half-dozen fairly well- defined groups into a hundred or more "species." Having gone so far, it seems difficult to understand Fig. 36. — annual larkspur, "blue butterfly." DELPHINIUM BLUE BUTTEEFLY. One of the prettiest annuals we have seen lately was exhibited at a recent show of the Royal Horticultural Society in a pot by Messrs. James Carter & Co. Our illustration (tig. 36) shows the dwarf, compact habit of the plant, and its freedom of blooming. The colour of the flowers is bright blue. It is probably a form of D. consolida. THE WEATHEB IN WEST HEBTS. The cold, wet, and sunless period, which had lasted ten days, came to an end on the 10th, when .a complete change to fine, bright, and warm weather, took place. The change in the day tem- peratures during the week has been very consider- able, the reading in the shade on two days at the beginning of it never exceeding 61° ; while during the last two days the same thermometer has risen to, respectively, S2° and 81°. The nights, however, still remain rather cold for the time of year. At 2 feet deep the ground is now 2° warmer, and at 1 foot deep 5° warmer than is seasonable. During the ten days above referred to, 2h inches of rain fell, which is nearly equal to the average quantity for the whole of August. Of this amount, 1 J inch, equivalent to 7 gallons on each square yard of sur- face of my garden, has come through the bare soil percolation-gauge, but none whatever has passed through the gauge on which short grass is growing. mens of indigenous trees, in registering an in- ventory of trees that are noteworthy on account of their size or history, and in noticing Buch shrubs, trees, and plants as are worthy of preservation among the many changes that take place in forests, as elsewhere. The book relates only to the district of West Prussia, and contains a map and about twenty illustrations of trees that are characteristic of the country. The Vegetation of Western Australia. The first volume of the West Australian Tear- Booh for 1898-99, by Malcolm A. C. Fraser, con- tains a communication, by Dr. A. Morrison, on the " Vegetation of the country." In the introduction he says that " The flora of Western Australia is distinguished for its richness, the beauty of its flowers, and, in many instances, the singularity of the forms composing it. . . . While the vegetation of the tropical region is not specially distinguished, alpine vegetation, on the other hand, is entirely wanting, on account of the absence of high moun- tains and the permanent streams and still waters usually associated with them. The remarkable profusion that characterises the flora is, therefore, to be sought for in the temperate latitudes, and is found in the south-west division of the colony, or within the triangle formed by a lino from about the mouth of the Murchison river to the neighbour- hood of Esperance, with the west and south coast- lines between these two points. . , . While the why the author did not go further and give us 200 species. Of one thing we feel sure, that the larger the number of species made the more diffi- cult it is to discriminate between them ; and, further, that the opinion arrived at in one season is very likely to be modified in the succeeding one. As the author says of R. Balfourianus, "there are undoubtedly intermediate forms connecting it with R. corylifolius, and these are often most baffling to the student, even with the living bush before him." The enthusiastic " batologist " must surely regret that he is not likely to live long enough to see which of these variations will survive and adapt itself to the conditions under which it is placed ; that is a pleasure for the botanist of succeeding ajons. The hybrid produced by Mr. Culverwell between the Raspberry $ and the Strawberry <3, has been identified by some batologists as R. idffius var. obtusifolius, which is the same as Babington's R. Leesii. This being so, it seems that Mr. Culverwell has produced artificially the same form that has originated naturally, as has been done so often of late with Orchids. The white Raspberry of our gardens is referred to R. idanis, B. asperrimus, in which the setaceous prickles [or as the author abbreviates them " prk "] or strong bristles are very crowded and tawny, instead of purple, and the ripe fruit amber-coloured. Another garden variety; is R. laciniatus, a handsome form, common in the vicinity of towns, and producing fruit of superior quality. Mr. Rogers denies this 134 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August IS, 1900; plant the rights of British citizenship, but is unable to say whence it was derived. We have alluded in passing to the abbreviations used by the author, and refer to them again to suggest that in another tdition they be mate- rially diminished in number : — acic, bas., et., pan., prk. , prklet., St., are puzzling, and there is no abbreviation of the reader's time if he have to turn to the explanation whenever he meets one of these condensed statements in the author's pages. The increased space required would not be very alarming. Fruit Register. . THE LOGANBERRY. This fruit has ripened here for the first time this season, and is likely to be appreciated as a dessert fruit. It comes in after the bulk of the Rasp- berries are over, and resembles that fruit in appear- ance, but is more juicy, and of greater length ; the flavour partakes of the Raspberry and Blackberry, as might be supposed, and is hybrid between these kinds of plants. The fruit should not be gathered for consumption until it turns of a dark colour, as it bas a very small amount of flavour previously. My plants were weak when I received them in November, 1S98, but they have increased much in strength since then, and now the young growths measure 5 feet in length, which leads me to hope for even better results another season. W. H. Divers, Belvoir Casth' Gardens, Grantham. Nursery Notes. MESSRS. WEBB & SONS' TRIAL GROUND. A distinguished party, chiefly of Professors from various Universities and Colleges of the king- dom, paid a visit of inspection on Thursday last to Messrs. Webb & Sons' Kinver Trial Grounds and Seed Farms, where were to be seen a very extensive variety of Wheat, Barley, and Oats from foreign countries, growing side by side with the most per- fect examples of new kinds, the result of cross- fertilisation and high selection this country has hitherto produced. The party consisted of Pro- fessor Parry, University of Wales (Aberystwith) ; Professor Blundell, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester ; Professor Wallace, University of Edin- burgh ; Professor Middleton, Durham University ; Dr. Hunter, Edinburgh ; Mr. Biffen, botanist, Cambridge University ; and Professor McAlpine, Glasgow, besides several practical agriculturists. Unfortunately, heavy soaking rains prevailed all day, but this did not damp the ardour of the investigators, who gave a comprehensive examina- tion into the interesting features of plant-culture laid open to view. There were no fewer than 155 varieties of Corn alone, the largest collec- tion, as one of the professors declared, to be found in any trial-ground in the kingdom. The utility of high selection was abundantly proved by finer ears and stouter straw having been imparted to some of the old Wheat, such as Golden Drop. But the marvels wrought by cross-fertilisation were equally apparent, especially in an entirely new variety of white Wheat, whose plump corns have only the thinnest skin-coating ; while they are so close set in the heads, that in all probability it will prove a general favourite when brought into general use. Among the seventy-five sorts of Oats which came under view there was not one that apparently surpassed in heavy yielding the Bosworth variety, but Dr. Hunter gave the palm to Newmarket, on the ground of its superior milling quality. According to the Dalmeny experiments, he said this Oat had surpassed all other kinds in yielding the greatest weight of flour. Some of the Barleys from countries so far distant as China and Egypt were curiosities, and the "naked" varieties were regarded with interest; but of the best malting varieties Kinver Chevalier could only be surpassed by an entirely new sort, as yet unnamed, which some pronounced to be, in all probability, the Barley of the future. Some thirty- one trials of Swedes and twenty-three of Mangolds also proved of great interest. GLOUCESTEE FBUIT MAEKET. In response to an application from the Glouces- tershire Chamber of Agriculture, and several large fruit growers in the county, the Gloucester Corpo- ration decided to open a fruit and vegetable market in the city. The first sale took place on Monday, and was pronounced on all hands to be an encou- raging success. There were close upon 200 baskets of fruit, and a few lots of vegetables, and buyers were present from Cardiff, Birmingham, Chelten- ham, Tewkesbury, Stroud, and other large centres, whilst local fruiterers were well represented. The market was formally opened by the Mayor, who expressed the pleasure he felt at seeing so many buyers present. The Corporation, he said, were determined to spare no pains to make the Market a success : and he hoped before long it would be found necessary to increase the present accommodation for the large consignments of fruit that he was confident would be sent into the city. Mr. Sandal, the auctioneer, before commencing the sale, said he saw no reason why a Fruit Market in Gloucester should not be well supported. Gloucester would compare favourably with Hereford, Evesham, and other places where these sales were, and had been a success for years past. Gloucester was centrally situated for buyers ; it was a good fruit centre as well as an excellent distributing place, and there was no doubt if it were well supported by growers, buyers would patronise it. One would think that growers would find it to their advantage to send their fruit to a market such as this rather than sell their orchards as they stood, or send their fruit to a distant market, and risking what they might get sent them in return, and having to pay carriage. He thought, too, if growers would pay more attention to the selection of their fruit, better prices would be realised. He would also like to point out that growers would be studying their own interests in seeing that the fruit was fairly and evenly packed, as the market would gain a reputation for fair dealing. The first hamper of Apples, 74 lbs., realised 6s. 3d. ; the second, 81 lbs., 3s. Id. ; five lots of Keswick Codlins, each containing 50 lbs., sold for 3s. Id. per basket ; and a similar consignment of Ouarrendens were knocked down at 3s. lrf. each hamper. The top price realised for Plums was 9s. for a hamper containing 90 lbs. A fine sample (56 lbs.) of .Jargonelle Pears sold for 9s. Qd. Law Notes. THE GARDEN OF " EDEN ' COUNTY COURT. IN THE At Lancaster County Court on^Monday, Aug. 13, Elizabeth Charlotte Pape, wife of Robert Pape, Inland Revenue Collector, Morecambe, sued Edward Armstrong Jowett, commercial traveller, for dilapidations in respect of "Eden House," Bare. The chief item in the claim was respecting the garden, which comprised about a thousand yards of kitchen, flower, and fruit-garden. Plaintiff made a special stipulation on letting the house that defendant kept the garden in good order. Instead of that, he let it go into a wilderness, never mowed the lawn, and it took a gardener and a labourer over a fortnight to put the garden in order. Two cartloads of weeds were taken away, and they had so got the mastery it took a "pick" to dislodge them, and they had to trench them in. Sixty yards of the walks which were obliterated had to be resoiled at the edges. Defendant said he spent all his spare time and his week-ends in the garden, which was in a better state when he left it than when he took possession. Instead of the claim for £8 9s., plaintiff got 38s. damages. THE FINLEY LAWN -BAKE. "The common garden -rake is an ancient imple- ment, and has changed but little in principle of; construction throughout the ages, although the form has been frequently modified to meet specific requirements. The rotary lawn-rake, however, is a complete departure from the time-worn ideal, and affords another illustration of the inventive genius of modern days. As in many other familiar cases, the new machine is simplicity itself, and when one looks upon it for the first time expression is given to the trite phrase, ' It's a wonder some- body did not think of it years ago.' The manner in which the idea was stumbled upon is common- place. Mr. C. E. Finley, of Joliet, 111., the inventor, spent his days in the city, retiring for rest and recreation to his suburban home, where much of his leisure time was devoted to amateur gardening. Saturday- afternoons he mowed the lawn, and on Sunday mornings raked up the grass in the old-fashioned way. It was tiring work in the hot summer months, and Mr. Finley often thought there should be some easier and more expeditious method. It was an unusually hot Sunday morning, as the inventor tells it, when the idea occurred to him, 'Why not a lawn rake on the carpet-sweeper principle ? ' He had it. The rest is simply the story of drawing designs, constructing patterns, making a model, tests, improvements, &c. , until a. company was formed, special machinery devised., and the invention was placed on the market a few months ago. As already hinted, the principle of construction in the new rake is that of the carpet-sweeping; machine. The teeth, as shown in fig. 37, p. 135, pick up the lawn debris — including Ioobo grass, leaveB, twigs, litter, paper, Orange and Banana, skins, Peanut shells, windfalls from fruit-trees, and even stones as large as Chestnuts — and the blades- in which the teeth are set, being rotary, cause a suction which carries it to the capacious receiver. The parts are few in number, strong, and well put together. The machine is so light, that a mode- rately Btrong boy can do as much work on a lawn with it in one hour as the average man can do in. four with an ordinary rake. Many well-known men in the trade have already tested the machine, or seen it in operation, and it meets with their general approval. There should be a future for it in public grounds, parks, and cemeteries, as well as in private establishments." The American Florist. Home Correspondence. WET AND COLD SUMMERS. — Most wet sum- mers are cold, but some are hot. Most cold summers are wet, but some are dry. Here we call everything above average wet, or hot ; everything below average, dry or cold. In the accompanying table are grouped together in ten columns (years ending with 0, with 1, and so on), all years with summers either wet, or cold, or both. The wet summers that were hot (5) are indicated by brackets. The cold summers that were dry (12) are under- lined : — 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | 8 1 1840 IS41 1S43 1S4* 1S45 ... 1848 1S51 (1852) 1S53 1S54 1855 I860 1S62 1SB3 1S61 (1S65) IS66 1S6T 1S69 1871 (1872) (1873) ... 1S75 ... (1S78) 1879 1SS0 18S1 1891 1S82 1883 ... ... |l894 1S85 1I886 1SSS 1SS9 IS90 1892 Addi- \ 4 tions 0/3 5 14 5 15* 5 : 4 14 14 1 5 11 2 8 1 6« 7 3 We may note great contrasts in different parts of the table. Thus, the groups of years ending, 1, 2, 3, and 5, have each five wet or cold (or both wet and cold) summers out of six ; while the group of years ending 7 has only one out of six ; and the group ending 0 has two. Taking 1, 2, and 3,. August 18, 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 135 together, we rind fifteen of those summers out of eighteen ; taking li, 7, and 8, together, only six out eighteen. The years ending 0 have a special in- terest at present. We find four out of the six summers wet or cold, or both. We might con- struct this statement : In each decade, since 1S40, one or other of the years ending 1 and 2, has always had a summer wet or cold, or both ; and in a majority of cases both years have had such summer.". The same may be said of years ending 2 and 3. Do these facts point to a periodicity of about ten years? Or will the balance be redressed in another sixty years'.' In any case, it will be interesting to see how future summers compare with the paet in this respect. Ale.e. B. MacDowatt, F.lt.Met.S. PEA FERTILISATION— My old friend, Mr. Benja- min Harrison, of Igbtham, of palaoUthic implement renown, and a keen observer, writes me as follows, which 1 think well worthy of noting : — "A humble bee was walking across ray shop floor on Wednes- day, I carefully picked it up and placed it on some everlasting Pea blossoms ; he soon became active, and seemed intent on eating his way through the lower wings. I watched his attempts at burglary for some time, presently he succeeded and was happy. This accounts for many holes drilled through on many other flowers. Close by settled a hive-bee, and his action was totally different : he centred his attention on the standard, and began to suck away to his heart's content, at the same time trampling away on these lower wings as a platform. Presently, as if alive, a club-shaped yellow object made its way over the bee's back. It was so sudden in its movements it seemed alive, and creeping over, directly Mr. Bee removed the pres- sure, back it coiled again. I watched several more, and all the same. .Some years since, in reading Lubbock's book, I noted the method of fertilisation, but nothing was said of the movement of pistil and stamens which here rose to view." Chas. T. Druery, F.L.S., V.B.M. A QUICK CROP OF PEAS.— One curious effect of the extreme heat last month has been the rapidity with which Peas have tilled their pods. A row of Sutton's Early Giant Marrow was sown on June 20, and produce was ready for gathering on August 10, fifty-one days after sowing ; the same variety sown on March 9 was ready for use July 2, a period of 117 days, which was not unusually long considering the cold spring. In fact, I consider this Pea one of the quickest and most satisfactory as an early Pea. Laxton's Standard (a good hardy variety seldom seen now) and Telephone, sown on June "20 by the side of the above, will not be ready for several days. The mean temperature for July was the highest of any month here since August, 1S93, but the mean temperature of the earth at 3 feet was slightly exceeded in August, 1899. Not- withstanding the great heat in July, vegetables of all kinds are more satisfactory here than they were in 1S98 and 1899, and especially so in regard to Peas, an average amount of rain having contributed largely to this result. W. H. Divers, Belvoir Castle Gardens. DIGGING AS A RECREATION. — Our tool-makers must prepare for a big run on spades and forks, for has not a bishop — indeed, no less a personage than the Lord Bishop of London — actually been recom- mending that boys at school should practice digging, for at least one hour daily, as recreation ? It is indeed a feature of the age when a bishop con- descends to become a horticultural instructor ; still it is worthy of note, that his lordship did not strip off his cassock, roll up his shirt-sleeves, and with a spade or fork set the Hampton schoolboys an example. I can well imagine the pleasure which must have beamed on the face of our old friend, Mr. Denning, an active governor of the Hampton school, when he heard his diocesan thus descant on the uses and pleasures of digging. It was so much in keeping with his own vein of practical thought. But we may well wonder how far the school governors will act up to the bishop's suggestion, and how far the schoolboys will accept with satisfaction or with grimace the opportunity to learn the laborious art of digging. I am but a humble and very non - ecclesiastical Dean, but I have long been ahead of the bishop in advocating the practice of digging and trenching, not only for lads, but for young men, who would find in such recreation something profit- able as well as healthful, whilst they waste enormous energies in athletic sports and pastimes, practically making of such sports a fetish, that do little physical good, and not a little moral harm. To all these an hour's trenching or digging before breakfast each day would in time represent to the nation millions of pounds profit. In respect of boys, our continuation-school gardens in Surrey constitute practice-grounds in the art of digging and gardening generally, of which most probably the Bishop of London knows nothing. Clearly, in other and much more practical directions, the Eight Reverend advice has been forestalled. A. I). LATHYRUS MAGELLANICUS.— In my note on this plant, for which you did me the favour to find room on p. 114, I said that it probably was first found near Strait L9 Maire. This seems to be a mistake ; as 1 have since writing the note had an opportunity of consulting Walter's History oj Anson's Voyage, and Thomas's Journal of the same ; both of these writers were on board the Centurion. I find from these that the squadron had no communication with shore from the time of leaving Port San Julian on February 27, 1741, until reaching Juan Fernandez on June 11 in the same year. Port St. Julian is on the east coast of Patagonia, 500 miles north of Cape Horn. The Centurion remained at anchor there for nine days, and explored the land searching in vain for fresh water and salt. It must have been there that the Pea was found. The circumstances mentioned by Fig. 37. — the fixlev lawn-rake, (see p. 134.) Miller were probably communicated to him personally by Lord Anson's cook, who brought the seeds home and gave them to Miller. I may add that this long coveted L. magellanicus, or Lord Anson's Pea, has often been offered in seed and plant catalogues, the species sent for it being L. tingitanus, but more frequently L. sativus, an annual with bright blue flowers, native of the south of Europe, and cultivated for fodder in Egypt and India. The meal from the peas of L. sativus is poisonous, and being imported mixed with other meal has more than once proved fatal to horses. C. W. Dod, Eclrji Hall, Malpis. THE NEW BRAMBLEBERRY.— Newspaper scribes, fearful of an editorial earthquake if they in the dull season brought to life once more the big Gooseberry, or the ghostly sea-serpent, have found a new and startling wonder in the new Blackberry. How much this interesting fruit which, by the by, though a berry is not black, owes to its intrinsic merits, or how much it may owe to its appellation for its recent popularity, it may be difficult to sa}-, but there can be no doubt that in dubbing it after that somewhat wild and warlike eastern potentate The Mahdi, Messrs. Veitch & Sons did the fruit a good turn, and the only regrettable fact now is, that plants cannot be put into commerce for some time hence, as ere then the fame of the novelty may have dwindled. It has been amusing reading this of the general press, concerning the new Mahdi, and specially so because one incorrect statement made one day would be corrected by another, as in each ooe writer gravely told his readers that the fruit would not be ripe till September, evidently oblivious of the fast that the whole stir about The Mahdi arose from an exhibit of ripe fruit by Messrs. Veitch & Sons, at the Drill Hall in July. It is all the more odd that the certificate given to the guest should have been granted last year, when no penny-a-liner spotted the wonder. However, we seem at last to have obtained one good thing from out of what seem to have been the often made cross between the Raspberry and Blackberry, and as the berry of The Mahdi is large and juicy, and of a deep claret hue when ripe, it will hardly be confounded with others. Those who have not this laciniatus should get it, and then when ready for issue, The Mahdi, that needs somewhat similar treatment. These are two good things, and very likely in time we shall hear of some others that will be well worthy of cultivation. A. D. A MODE OF HELPING THE ROYAL GARDENERS ORPHAN FUND.— If any of the readers of the Gardeners' Chronicle would like to have some good varieties of Strawberries I should b; glad to send runners to them at 2s. per 100, post-free. The proceeds will be forwarded to the charity named. The varieties are Royal Sovereign, Sir Charles Napier, Sir Joseph Paxton, President, Noble, Newton Seedling, Miss Knollys, Louis Gauthier, Latest-of-AU, Auguste Boisselot, Auguste Nicaise, and Dr. Morere. The postage and the package will cost in each case about 1*. I should be very glad if I could manage to pay the postage and cost of package. 15,000 plants are to be thus distributed. JO. H. Davies, The Gardens, Darren Court, Neath, South Wales. WHY SWEET PEAS ALONE?— We hear a great deal about too many Sweet Peas, and demands are uttered that the number be reduced ; but is the Sweet Pea alone open to some process of reduction '.' I think the culinary Peas require it ten times more. I have just totalled up the list given in one of the leading wholesale seed catalogues, and find it amounts to some 120 varieties, with a possible increase to 200, if some of the leading retail catalogues were put under contribution. How many of these are Telephone, or Duke of Albany. Stratagem, or Ne Plus Ultra, under different r.am?s'r Fifty culinary Peas would not show a tenth part of the variation found in the same number of Sweet Peas ; and culinary Peas grow in numbers much more rapidly than does their fragrant relatives. It would not be difficult to make up a list of fifty varieties of Broad Beans, but they cannot be distinct ; and when we come to Cu- cumbers, the list is appalling in its length, while it seems impossible to enumerate more than two or three distinct types. I can make up a list of fifty varieties, eight of which at least were sent out as new varieties in the present year ! The Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society go on making Awards of Merit to Cucumbers year after year, but they are not, and cannot be, dis- tinct. I was at a flower show a few days ago where there was a class for a brace of Cucumbers, and about ten brace were staged ; as far as I could see, they all bore different names, but they were all exactly alike in type, and all the judges could do was to select the most symmetrical consistent with fitness for table. If members of the Fruit Com- mittee are ambitious to apply the pruning-knife to lists of flowers, let them first turn their attention to some productions with which it is supposed they are more fitted to deal. And then the Melons, and a Melon appears to gain an Award of Merit at the rate of nearly one a month. I can make up a list of sixty, and nearly a dozen are new of this year. There is a little more scope for variation in Melons than there is in the case of Cucum- bers, but the different types might be counted upon the fingers of one's hand ; yet they go on increasing in number with a start- ling rapidity. It is even worse with Tomatos, for the list totals up eighty assumed varieties. Can there possibly be a dozen distinct types ? If there are this number distinct, some of them must be greatly multiplied. I find a list of three dozan garden Turnips, seven varieties of Parsnip, ten of Parsley, and as many as forty-two varieties of Onion, exclusive of the Tripoli, Lisbon, and Silver- skinned sorts ; Cos Lettuce thirty, Cabbage-Let- tuce more ; over thirty Celeries ; Broccolis and Cabbages can be enumerated almo3t by the hundred, and they vary so little. Are there not other flowers of older standing than the Sweet Pea whose varieties are much more numerous ?— the Begonia, Carnation, Dahlia, Fuchsia, Pelargonium, and 136 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 18, 1900. others. But I hear no proposal to reduce the numbers. Why the Sweet Pea alone should be singled out for the thinning process — the most easily grown, and the most popular of all of them, I can only conjecture. In reference to the preva- lence of synonyms, those most to be pitied are the wholesale seedsmen. They are compelled by the requirements of their trade to publish in their catalogues long lists of names, a considerable proportion of which they know to be synonyms. They can take three or four, or half-a-dozen so- called varieties of Peas out of the same sack. Any newly announced vegetable is subjected to trials on their well ordered trial grounds. A new Pea, ■which is only a selected stock of some well known type, is tested by them, and its character is noted. The wholesale seedsman has to consider his customers, and he is practically compelled, in order to keep his connection together, to place the synonyms in his list at an advanced price over the type. The trial ground of a wholesale seed-house affords an excellent opportunity for selecting the best stocks : they are always selecting and re- selecting ; and they are able to apply the best of tests to any reputed novelty. This credit is not always given in the right quarter, but it is never- theless abundantly due. Lathyms. HUMAN OBSTACLES TO FRUIT AND FLORAL EXHIBITORS. — These as held have been emphati- cally made, and consequently may be marred, by man. Generally one or more leaders, governors, or secretaries, run such societies successfully for years — it is often observed to me by such of tbem as the Secretary and Manager of One-and-All, Mr. Greening and Mr. Waugh ; and the Secretaries of the Royal Horticultural, National Pose, Caledonian and other societies. When Councils, members, Fellows, employers, and exhibitors, and the railways, carriers, and waggoners pull together, and the jurors are known as growers of experience and fairness, shows will generally prosper. Cheapness, rapidity and facility of transit for passengers, exhibits, and baggage, lay the solid foundation of success. No matter how good the fruits, flowers, vegetables, garden products are, if they cannot be delivered, decorated, shown on a certain table at a specified time, at a certain cost, the exhibitor cannot pay his way. A very slight rise in prices of transit will often keep the best exhibits at home. Yes, a thousand pities, no one will be the happier, the richer, but the public the poorer, much. Great efforts have been made by Mr. Greening and his staff to keep up the old cheap fares for showers, singers, visitors, at the One-and-All shows, sports, concerts, &c. These efforts seem to have par- tially failed this year, but they will soon be re- newed with greater energy. The general daily and monthly press have been thoroughly aroused, and have taken the side of popular trips at the cheapest possible rates for all educational and cultural agencies. And then horticulture, which now has somewhere about twenty newspapers a week, is taking this matter of cheap fares, and popular con- certs, and other great j'Hes, in hand, and are not likely to allow the matter again to drop until their charming craft and ennobling pleasures are free from grasping monopolies, which impoverish others, whilst they are utterly incapable of enriching themselves. D. T. Fish. LATE CHERRIES. —Referring to "A. D.'s" remarks in the Gardeners' Chronicle, August 11, the Cherries that he saw at Kingston Market were probably Turks, or Turkey Heart, which have grown out this year to a remarkable size. Turkey Heart is quite distinct from Noble, the former being quite a week earlier, and not nearly the size of fruit. JF. Bay >k Co., Teynham. STANDARD ROSE-TREES.— Rose-trees with large heads, when in full bloom, growing in suitable places in lawns, &c, have a very pleasing effect, and should be grown more extensively than they are at the present time. Crimson Rambler, Aimee Vibert, William Allen Richardson, Reve d'Or, Reine Marie Henriette, and many other of the Teas, when budded on the Briar Stock, from 4 to 5 feet high, if kept moderately thinned, soon make fine heads, and the long rambling shoots bending towards the ground as they lengthen, in due time flower most freely. When large heads are wished for, the trees should be planted in a light, open spot, so that the head does not grow one- sided. Very little pruning should be afforded the weak and blind shoots, and superfluous old wood should be removed. I often think the knife is too freely used upon Roses, and the heads are too much restricted either for appearance sake, or the welfare of the plant. More shoots should be preserved. H. Markham, Wrotham Park Gardens. THE PENSHURST LEECH.— I have just been reading the interesting account by a " Sussex Naturalist" in last week's Gardeners' Chronicle, p. 102, of the animal recently sent from there to the editor. I distinctly remember sending to the Gardeners' Chronicle from Redleaf some ten or twelve years ago what I take to be the same thing, and as nearly as I can remember (writing from memory only) the reply was, that it was sup- posed to be a tropical worm, or something to that effect. The description of the one recently seen quite agrees with the one I sent, and during my twenty years at Redleaf, both before and after that time, I had occasionally found them, so that it is not by any means a recent introduction to this country. I have an idea that it will be found to be a flesh-eating animal, like some of the slugs, as 1 once found one that had partly eaten a common earth-worm ; at any rate, it was in such a position that would lead one to suppose that such was the case. That this leech is not at all un- common, I expect will be found to be the case, as I have frequently found them here in the houses, not always among Orchids, but among Ferns and other moisture-loving plants, generally under pots, or among the crocks in the daytime ; but at night I have seen them on damp walls and paths. That they do no in j ury to plants, I feel certain, as I have never once seen any damage caused by them. Only a few weeks ago I found a small one, and dropped it into a tank containing gold -fish ; they made the usual rush as when a worm is dropped, but appa- rently "Trocheta" was not to their taste, as they at once dropped it, and gave it a wide berth after- wards. W. H. Holah, St. Mary's Nurseries, Bichmond, S. W. SHORT GRASS AS A MULCH TO CARROT AND ONION-BEDS. — While walking through the garden at Freeland, near here, in company with the gar- dener, Mr. Sharp, the other day, I was much struck with the vigour of the spring-sown Onions and Carrots, and the absence of the dreaded grub in them ; and on asking what means were taken to prevent it, Mr. Sharp said that he saved all the short grass from the lawns, and put it into a heap, and when half-rotten, scattered it between the rows of his crops of Onions and Carrots, with the result that there is not a grub to be seen in the whole lot ; and he assured me it was an excellent thing to put round Broccoli, Savoys, &c, to prevent clubbing. I may add, the grass-mulch is put on in the spriDg. A. S. Cole, Moncreiffe Gardens, Bridge oj Earn, N.B. SOCIETIES. ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. August 14.— The meeting held on the above date was one of the smallest of the year hitherto both in regaid to the exhibits and the number of the visitors. Orchids were conspicuously absent ; Hardy Perennial Plants as Ct;t Flowers were few, and the pieces de resistance consisted of a pretty exhibit of Campanula isophylla Mayi, by Mr. H. B. May, and a noble Nepenthes, shown by Messrs. Veitch. Fruit bad the precedence ; an exhibit of cordon Goose- berries and dishes of Apples and Pears by Messrs. J. Veitoh & Sons, Ltd., Grapes from Lord Strafford's garden at Wrotham Park, and some London-grown fruit from the neighbouihood of Regent's Park, calling for the greater amount of comment. Floral Committee. Present : W. Marshall, Esq. (in the Chair) ; and Messrs. O. Thomas, C. T. Druery, G. Nicholson, H. B. May, R. Dean, J. Walker, J. F. McLeod, J. Fraser, W. Bain, J. D. Pawle, C. E. Pearson, H. Self e- Leonard, C. E. Shea, G. Gordon, J. W. Barr, and E. T. Cook. Mr. H. B. May, Dyson's Lane Nurseries, Upper Edmonton, bad a capital exhibit consisting of 20 feet of tabling, set out with Campanula isophylla Mayi, which well showed the capabilities of the plant under pot culture, as a balloon trained, and as a basket and vase plant. The different specimens were very finely bloomed. The table was set out with Maidenhair Fern, Eulalias, and Dracaenas (Silver Bauk- sian Medal). Messrs. R. Wallace & Co., Kilnfield, Colchester, showed a choice assortment of bulbous plants, and hardy herbaceou perennials as cut flowers. There were remarked Coreopsis graudiflora ; Campanula grandiflora, and the faint blue form called alba, which is not white; Delphinium speciosum glabratum, of a dark blue colour ; D. Zalil, primrose -yellow coloured flower; Montbretia sulphurea, Gaillardia maxima, Liliuin Thunbergi, L. auratum, L. longiflorum, with white margins to the leaves ; L. superbum, and others ; several Crinums, Hemerocallis aurantiaca major, a fine orange- coloured, large blossom ; Rudbeckia Newraanni, and Gladiolus of various sections (Silver Flora Medal). Messrs. Kelway & Sons, Langport, Somerset, staged about 130 spikes, most of them furnished with, large and numerous flowers (Silver-gilt Banksian Medal). Mr. S. Mortimer, The Nurseries, Rowledge, Farnham, Surrey, showed four dozen Cactus Dahlias in fine style. We noted the dark crimson Regulus, Charles Woodbridge, aud Harry Stredwick ; the yellow Mrs. Crowe, and a seedling ; salmon-coloured Exquisite; mauve Mary Service; buff Bri- tannia ; purple Emperor ; and scarlet Stella and Lucius. These blooms were arranged on ordinary show boards. A number of varieties were shown in fan form in glasses, and among these were noted Alfred Vesey, cherry-red ; Mrs. W. H. Lus- combe, light purple, with white central florets; and Major Tuppenney, scarlet as regarded the outer florets and yellow as to the inner ones. Sixty blooms of show varieties were like- wise shown whiGh weie rather below full size although in most cases the blooms were perfect in form. They consisted chiefly of old favourite varieties. Mr. S. Mortimer showed a yellow Cactus Dahlia, also the varieties Monarch and Herbert Mortimer, but none received recognition at the hands of the committee. Mr. G. W. Piper, nurseryman, Uckfield, Sussex, showed a quantity of his Tea-scented Rose Sunrise, the blooms being inserted in various devices. Messrs. Dobbie & Co. had a pretty exhibit of Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, African and French Marigolds in several varie- ties, including selfs, striped, and edged flowers. They like- wise showed the " Scotch " Marigold, with simple, slightly reflexed florets, a glorified common Marigold. The Pentste- mons, seedling, a light crimson flower ; Malamore, and Andre Lebon, deep crimson ; Auguste Cain, crimson, were pretty varieties. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent, had IS yards of tabling, furnished quite lavishly with bouquets of Asters, including blooms of most of the sections into which, the China Aster is divided. Specially good were Jewel of the giant section, and of the Pffiony section, Perfection, Emperor, and others. The collection of blooms was a very good sample of the fine quality of English saved seed ; the whole being raised from seeds saved on Messrs. Cannell's seed farm at Eynsford. In this instance native seeds are quite equal to German or French. This firm showed also Nemesia com- pacta alba, a plant with pure white flowers ; and Godetia Pigmy "^Spotted Carpet," a white flower with crimson spots at the base of the petals (Silver Flora Medal). J. T. Bennett-PoK, Esq., Holmwood, Cheshunt (gr., Mr. Downes), showed a group of plants of Biowallia grandiflora, a plant once found in almost every garden. The flowers are blue with a white centre, and in shape like those of an Achimenes. Messrs. Frank Cant & Co., Braiswick, Colchester, showed bouquets of Roses of the so-called " garden" section, very pretty and very sweet. We remarked the varieties Boule de Neige, white ; Papa Gontier, rose ; Cramoise Superieure, crimson ; Madame Abel Chatenay, rosy-buff ; Madame Pernet Ducher, white ; Bardon Job, deep crimson ; Gruss aus Teplitz, lignt crimson ; Gustav Regis, fawn ; Camoens, pink ; Crimson China, Killarney, pink ; and Madame Resal, cerise (Silver Banksiam Medal). Messrs. Barr & Son, florists and seedsmen, King Street, Covent Garden, W.C., exhibited a mixed group of flowers in season, inclusive of Cactus-Dahlias, Gaillardias, Helianthus, Verbena Miss Wilmott, soft pink ; Platycodons, Water- Lilies in much variety ; also herbaceous Phloxes, Sweet Peas, Pentstemons, Crinums, Kniphofias, and Montbretias. Messrs. P. J. Looysmans & Zonen, Oudenbosch, Holland, showed Aralia alata, differing from the type only in the variegation which is visible on the margins of the leaves. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Burford Lodge, Dorking, gr., Mr. W. Bain), showed some of the finest Gladiolus we have ever seen grown in a private garden ; these consisted of G. Lemoinei-Fulgurant, G. Duchesne, Ferdinand Kegeljan, General Galliene, Antoine Rivoire, Dubrueil des Rhins, Le Chat Noir (of the darkest shade of purple), Demi Deuil (half- mourning), Georges Frick, Belle Alliance, a singular-looking flower, of pale lilac, with the lower segments of the flower of a dark shade of purple, flamed with yellow ; Antoine de Thiery, salmon red, aud large of size ; besides several others (a Silver Banksian Medal). Miss E. Armitace, of Dadnor, Ross, Herefordshire, showed Gypsophila The Pearl, which blooms twice in the year. The flowers are small as in the type, and quite white. Thomas Cubitt, Esq., Edenbridge (gr., Mr. Hughes), showed a flaked Carnation. Fred Davis, Esq., Woollas Hill, Pershore, showed some extraordinary double-flowered tuberous Begonias in crimson, rose, scarlet, and creamy-white. The plants were remarkable for strength and vigour, and the bold character of the foliage and flowers (Bronze Flora Medal). Lady Breadalbane, Taymouth Castle Gardens, N.B. (gr., Mr. W. Wright), showed Thalictrum Chelidbnii, a plant with minute lilac- coloured flowers. August 18, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 137 Orchid Committee. rtf: H. J. Veitch, Esq., in the chair ; and Messrs. De B. Crawshay, A. H. Smee, H. Little, H. J. Chapman, H. A. Tracy, W. H. Young, J. Jacques, E. Hill, J. Douglas, am! J. G. Fowler. E. Bostock, Esq., Trexall Lodge, Stafford, showed Cattleya Harrisonia? violacea, with nine well-developed flowers. Sir William Marriott, Bart., Down House, Blandford, Fruit and Vegetable Committee. Present : P. Crowley, Esq. (in the Chair) ; and the Rev. W. Wilks, J. Willard, J. Cheal, W. Poupart, G. Keif, W. Pope, H. Baling, A. Dean, S. Mortimer, G. T. Miles, G. Woodward, H. Markham, G. Wythes, W. Crump, W. Farr, H. Balderson, F. Q. Lane, G. Norman, and G. Bunyard. Messrs. J. Veitcr & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, made a telling exhibit with fan-trained, heavily-fruited Gooseberries. The 3^%is^s» fit ;aC - Fig. 38. — rurus phcenicolasius : colour of the fruits orange-red. (Plants and fruits shown at the Drill Hall on Tuesday, August 14, 1900. See Report, p. 136.) showed Laelio-Cattleya Clonra = L. elegans x C. Warsce- wiczii, a handsome flower, partaking mostly of the La?lia parent. R. I. Measures, Esq., [showed Cattleya Warnero-Bowiingi- ana, a smallish flower of a pale purple tint, and tube of a deeper shade; also Cattleya Pdtrocini (C. Leopoldi and C. Loddigesii). <*M. Florent Claes showed Odontoglossum crispnm var De Sadeleri, a compact, almost circular flower, whitish in the midd'e, and faint yellow at the margins, with brown potting. plants had been taken from the open ground and potted. They were good examples of this mode of cultivation. There were shown six dishes of Plums, including Burbank, a Japanese red fruit ; Stmt, and Early Prolific. Several dishes of early Apples, unblemished examples, were shown, including Early Red Mar- garet, Kerry Pippin, Early Joe, Mr. Gladstone, White Joanet- ting, Red Astrachan, Early Harvest, Early Strawberry, Early Russian, Summer Thorle, Lady Sudeley, Beauty of Bath, Irish Peach, Rivers' Early Peach, besides many early culinary varie ties. "A quantity of shoots and plants of Rubus phcenicolasius in fruit (fig. 3S) were shown (Silver Knightian Medal). Mr. Geo. Norman, gr. to the Marquis of Salisbury, Hatfield House, showod a dozen of the Royal George Peach, laken from a tree under glass, which has carried in all this year 300 fruits. The fruits were over average size. Mr. Norman said that this tree always crops heavily (Cultural Commendation). He also showed Hatfield Hybrid Melon, a small-fruited variety with a yellow rind which is slightly netted. Miss Adams, South Villa, Regent's Park (gr., Mr. G. Keif), showed a collection of fitiit comprising generally fine specimens of Black Hamburgh, Bnckland Sweetwater, and Poster's Seedling Grapes, Barriugton and Bellegarde Peaches, Green Gage, Reine Claude de Comte Athems, Golden Gage, Kirke's, Jefferson, Early Transparent, Cox's Emperor, and Green Gage Plums ; four Melons, and a dish of Early Rivers Nectarine, a capital lot of fruit to be the produce of a purely London garden (Silver-gilt Knightian Medal). Mr. H. Markham, gr. to Lord Strafford, Wrotham Park, Barnet, showed twelve bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes, four being the produce of a Vine planted 115 years ago, and the others were taken from Vines which the gardener has recently renovated, but of the same age. All of the bunches were equally fine in berry, and of the same jet black colour, those from the renovated Vines being slightly larger. The weight of the latter would be Zk lbs. to that of the others 2 and 2£ lbs. (Silver Knightian Medal). Messrs. Dickson, Chester, showed Kidney Potato Pioneer, a smooth-surfaced tuber of the p&bble shape, with very shallow eyes (Award of Merit). Messrs. R. Veitch, Exeter, showed Potato Beauty of Hebron, an old variety (Award of Merit). Messrs. Sharpe & Co., seed growers, Sleaford, showed tubers of their variety Victor, an excellent sample (Award of Merit). Mr. Dixon, gr. to Lord Jlchester, Holland House, Kensington, showed fruits of Lord Napier Nectarine, and Violette Hativc Peach. Mr. Geo. Charlton, High Street, Morpeth, showed a quantity of berries of Gooseberry Victoria, a smooth red fruit. The Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens, Chiswick, furnished Rivers' Early Damson (Cultural Commendation). W. Roupell, Esq., Harvey Lodge, RoupellPark, S.W. (gr., Mr. A. Russell), showed a number of dishes of Apples, chiefly early ripening varieties, as Lady Sudeley, Irish Peach, Red Astrachan, Duchess of Oldenburg, but no awards were made. Some Peaches from the same garden received a Cultural Commendation. Messrs. Cheal & Sons, Lowood Nurseries, Crawley, Sussex, showed a number of pods of Runner Brau Lougpod of Leyden. These were very flat, being young, and measured 1 foot in length by 1 inch in width. Messrs. J. Wood, nurserymen, Penrith, showed a Butter- Bean named Wood's Centenary. The pods were of a light yellow tinge, and 0 inches in length. Awards. First-class Certificates. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery Chelsea, showed a cross-bred Nepenthes, Sir W. T. Thiselton Dyer, raised from N. Dicksoniaua, crossed with N. Mixta. The pitchers have the capacity of about 1 quart when of full size. The parent species were likewise shown. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, King's Road, Chelsea, exhibited their Ladio - Cattleya Hermione, a flower of an uniform bright purple colour in all its parts, excepting the margin of the lip, which is of a deep velvety purple tint. The plaot had five pseudo-bulbs and two flowers. Awards of Merit. } Messrs. Kelway & Sons, Langport, for Gladiolus Mrs. Wood, a rich purple self. Lady Breadalbane, Taymouth Castle, for Thalictrum Chelidoni. ^Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton ani Enfield, showed Cattleya Eldorado Enfieldiensis, an entirely white flower with the exception of the throat, which is yellow, and front of the lip purple. PATtIS EXHIBITION. August 8. — Gladioli and Roses, together with fruits and vegetables, were the principal features of the show. Gladioli were superbly represented by Messrs. Victor Lemoine & Son of Nancy, including a number of unnamed seedlings and a collection of blue or bluish varieties. M. Gravereau exhi- bited specimens of a new race of Gladioli produced from gandavensis, but with cylindric spikes. The flowers are not large, but it is probable that this race will rapidly be im- proved. Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrilux & Co. of Paris, showed a fine lot of Gladioli, a group of Vinca rosea, a collection of Celosias, a group of varieties of Begonia sempervirens, foliage plants, such as Amaranthus bicolor, tricolor, &c. ; Nicotiana affinis, Solanum marginatum, S. Warscewiczii, S. grand ifloruin, S. hsematocarpum, Coleus, .Zea, &c. From the same firm ' came also a superb collection of vegetables. Messrs. Dupan- loup of Paris, and Billiard & Barre of Fontenay, showed fine Canuas. Gladioli were also exhibited by Messrs. Cayeux and Le Clerc of Paris, andBARETTE of Caen. The Roses of Messrs. Defresne, Leveque, Boucher, Soupert & Nottlng, Bontigny, and many others were remarkable. Orchids were not so well represented ; as in the majority of preceding competitions the collection of M. Charles Maron, of Brnnoy, was the most remarkable. It contained a fine Cattleya x Hardyaua, C. Eldorado alba, C x Halevy = Mendeli x Rex ; C. x velutino-Lehmanniana, Leelio- Cattleya x velntino-elegans, having the petals broader tthan in th 138 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August IS, 1900. type, of a fine yell owish -brown tint, which resembles that of C. velutina, C. x intermedia Percevaliana, which does not show much of the character of the second parent, and is not likely to have a distinguished future ; Lselio-Cattleya X Cornelia, with very btoad flowers, &c. The collections of Orchids from M. Bert of Colombes, Beranek of Paris, and Keonier of Fontenay, did not contain any novelties. We must not omit to mention the superb Crassulaeea? and Cactacete of M. Simon, the fine foliage plants of M. Dallk, the large Palms of MM. Delavier, Chantin, and others. M, Gouchault, of Orleans, showed Ligustrum sinense and L. ovalifolium with variegated leaves. M, Perrault & Son, of Angers, exhibited Agaves ; M. Nonin, Pelargonium peltatum in variety ; M. Desire Bruneao, of Bourg la Reiue, a collection of Hibiscus syriacus ; M. Millet, of the same place, exhibited Phloxes. Messrs. Cappe & Son of Le Vesiuet showed Crotons ; Messrs. Doval et Fils had fine masses of Asparagus Sprengeri ; M- Reonier had Carnations; M. Ferard had Zinnias; M. B. Thiebaut had Petunias ; and M. J. Sallier of Neuilly presented Phlox Liervali with red flowers, striped with white. G. T. G. KIRKCUDBRIGHT HORTICULTURAL. Angust 10.— The annual show of the Kirkcudbright Horti- cultural Society took place on the above date in Bourtree Park. The entries were fully as numerous as last year, and, notwithstanding the recent heavy rains, the exhibits were in good bloom. Messrs. Kerr Bros., Dumfries, sent a fine stand of Cactus Dahlias and Sweet Peas for exhibition ; and Messrs. T. Smith & Sons, Stranraer, were represented by an exhibit of their well-known Roses ; while specimens were also shown from Mr. Blyth, Castle- Douglas, St. Mary's Isle Gardens ; and Mrs. Henderson, Glenauld. Marigolds, Carnations, and Cactus Dahlias, were strong features in the cut flowers in the gardeners' class ; the principal prize-wioners being Messrs. James Allan, Arundel House, Dumfries; W. M'Cormack, Tarff; George Benson, Milend, Borgue ; and James Henderson, Ellenbank, Dumfries. Fruit was exceedingly good, Grapes and bush-fruits especially. Messrs. James Anderson, James Doff, Threave ; and G. Anderson, carried off the principal prizes. Theamateur classes were exceedingly good all over, the pot pLints being excellent. Mr. W. M'Cormack again carried off the lion's share of the awards, Mr. R. Middleton following him closely. R. J. A. CASTLE ASHBY. A very good show was held in the grounds of the Mar- quis of Northampton recently, at which the exhibits were excellent, and competition keen ; in many cases iipwards of nine and ten entries were staged in some classes. Peas and Beans, Polatos and other roots, were above the average appeararce. The fine feature of the show was the table decoration that was done by the Marquis of Northampton. The table was decorated with a very costly set of china -and -gold fruit-dishes. The head gardener at Castle Ashby chose as his flowers Salpiglossis. The fruit consisted of Melons, Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, &c. In addition to the table, he filled a tent with fruit and vegetables, besides Palms, Acalypha hispida, Cam- panula pyramidalis, with very fine spikes, the variety Alba especially ; and small plants and mosses. Unfortunately the raiu, which fell heavily, diminished the pecuniary results of this excellent show. H. K. ABBEY PARK FLOWER SHOW, LEICESTER. August 7, S. — The full force of the storm of Monday night the 6th inst., appears to have spent itself over the Abbey Park, for of the six spacious tents three of them were laid low by the force of the gale, unhappily one of them after two or threo fine groups had been arranged. One of the cottager's tents was so wrecked, that two of the large plant-houses were cleared of their contents, and many of the exhibits were staged in them. Every effort was put forth by Mr. J. Burn to repair the havoc wrought ; it was a very trying time for him, but coolness and courage stood him in good stead. The staging could not be completed until <_ onsiderably beyond the usual time, the judging was necessarily delayed, rain-storms drove the numerous visitors to the tents, and much of the judging was got through with extreme difficulty. Note-taking became a matter of almost practical impossibility. In the Open-to-AU Division, Mr. Jas. Cypher, Cheltenham, was 1st with a superb group of plants, set upon a space of 160 superficial feet, arranged in bis well-known style Orchids and rich Crotons predominating. Mr. H. Rogers, Leicester, was a close 2nd ; but all the groups were remarkably goxl. Mr. H. Blakeway, of Rugby, had the best six stove and greenhouse plants ; and Mr. W. Vause, of Leamington, was 2nd. There was a class also for six Ferns, and for the best plant in bloom. Specimens are never a strong point at Leicester, as the value of the money prizes do not justify Messrs. Cypher and others in taking their plants at such heavy cost. In the division for cut flowers, open, Roses formed a strong feature, but the dressing or manipulation of the blooms appeared to be carried to such an extent as to. largely change the character of some of the Mowers ; this is carrying dressing to inordinate limits. The reported practice of the National Rose Society in deducting points for dressing does not appear to be sufficiently drastic to prevent the abuse of the practice, any dressing that places the petals in an unnatural position should be made to carry disqualification. Messrs. D. & W. Croll, Dundee, were placed 1st with, thirty-six varieties ; and they were run very close by Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons, Newtownards. With twenty-four blooms, Mr. Hugh Dickson was 1st ; Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons '2nd. Teas and Noisettes were of somewhat poor quality, and in the foregoing classes hybrid perpetuals largely preponderated. Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons had the best twelve Tea3. In the class for twelve Roses, one variety, Mr. H. Dickson came 1st, with well finished Mrs. J. Laing; and Messrs. A Dickson had the best twelve Teas, one variety, staging Madame Hoste; Messrs. D. & W. Croll coming 2nd with Luciole. The best Rose in the show was Madame Eugene Verdier, shown by Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons. The best twelve Carnations, bizarres and flakes, came from Messrs. Thomson & Co., Birmingham ; the 2nd prize going to Mr. R. G. Rudd, Balsall Heath. With twelve yellow ground varieties, Messrs. Thomson & Co. were again 1st, and Messrs. Artindale & Son 2nd. Mr. Rudd had the best twelve white ground Picotees, staging clean pure blooms of high quality ; and Messrs. Thomson & Co. were 2nd. There were classes for single blooms, and they were exhibited in bunches also. Bunches of stove and greenhouse plants were placed in stands much too small for them, and consequently greatly crowded, and so lost very much of thtir effectiveness. Haidy annuals in bunches of twelve were also shown, and they also could be better displayed with advantage. There were some pretty bunches of Violets. Hand and bridal bouquets were very good, the leading honours being divided between Messrs. Perkins & Son, Coventry, and Jones & Son, of Shrewsbury. The best collection of hardy flowers filling a space of 7i feet came from Messrs. Harkness & Sons, Hitchin. There were classes also for show anl Cactus Dahlias. Fruit. The exhibits under this heading were remarkably good, but the white Muscat Grapes, though bunch and berry were alike fine, were somewhat green Mr. J. H. Goodacre, Elvaston Castle Gardens, was 1st with eight dishes, having Madresfield Court, Canon Hall Muscat, and Black Ham- burgh Grapes, Barrington and Royal George Peaches, Lord Napier and Elruge Nectarines, ani a Melon— an excellent collection. 2nd, Mr J. Doe, The Gardens, Ruiford Abbey, who had Madresfield Court, Muscat of Alexandria, and Foster's Seedling Grapes, and a fine Pineapple, Royal George Peaches, Lord Napier Nectarine &c. With eight dishes, Pine excluded, Mr. Goodacre was again 1st, staging Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, Royal George Peaches, Elruge Nectarine, Kirke's Plum, Lady Sudeley Apples, Melon, and Negro Largo Figs. Mr. McCulloch was 2nd, he had Madresfield Cuurt and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, Barrington Peaches, Fitmaston Orange Nectarines, Moor Park Apricots, &c. With four varieties of Grapes, two bunches of each, Mr. A. McCulloch was 1st, having Muscat of Alexandria'. Black Hamburgh, Madresfield Court, and Gros Maroc ; and Mr. A. J. Elphinstone, Nottingham, was 2nd. Mr. McCul- loch had the best two bunches of Black Hamburgh, Mr. Elphinstone was 2nd. With two bunches of White Muscats', Mr. W. Duncan, Bosworth Hall Gardens, was 1st ; and Mr' McCulloch 2nd. With two bunches of white other than these Mr. Elphinstone was 1st with well-fruited Foster's 'Seed- ling; and Mr. Duncan 2nd, with Bucklandl Sweetwater. Any other black but Hamburgh was represented by excellent Madresfield Court from Mr. Goodacre ; Mr. R. Shaw, The Gardens, Garend on Park, was 2nd with Gros Maroc. There were classes for Peaches, Nectarines, Figs, &c. ; also for bush- fruits, and Tomatos and Cucumbers were numerously shown. Vegetables. These were numerous and very fine. The special prizes offered by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Harrison & Sons, and others, brought excellent competitions, while the cottagers' produce was deserving of the highest praise. Miscellaneous exhibits were of a very diversified character, and foremost among them was the representatives of topiary gardening contributed by Messrs. W. Cutbush & Son, of the Highgate Nurseries. These were placed on the grass sward in the open, and attracted a large amount of interest. Mr. R. G. Lane, gr. to Mrs. G. H. Ellis, Knighton, Hayes, had a very fine group of plants, such as U'ich-leaved Codireums, Dracaenas, the variegated Eulalia, Caladiums, &c. Messrs. Harrison k Sojss, Market Place, Leicester, had a large collection of cut flowers, very fine Gloxinias, Egg-plants, Coleus, &c. Mr. Robert Pringle, Leicester, had a stand of various cut flowers of good quality, such as Carnations, Phloxes, &c. Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, had collections of Cactus, Pompon, and single Dahlias, &c. Mr. Walter Bentley, Belgrave, had a collection of Carnations, &c, in hunches. Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, Sale, had one of their elaborate collections of Ferns, showing great variety. Mr. William Sydenham, Tamworth, had a representative collection of Violas in sprays, and several pretty floral designs showing how Violas and Roses can be utilised for indoor decoration, Messrs. R. W. Proctor & Son, Chesterfield, had an inter- esting collection of Carnations, mainly yellow grounds of a very attractive character. Mr. W. L. Pattison had a large collection of Violas in spray?. Mr. S. Mortimer, Farnbam, had a large quantity of show Dahlias, and also Cactus varieties in excellent character for so early in the season. Mr. H. Deverill, nurseryman, Banbury, had a large bank of hardy flowers in considerable variety. Mr. B. R Davis, Yeovil, had cne of his unique collections of Begonias, many of the doubles of very fine quality. There were doubtless other trade exhibits, but the pressure of the crowd made it extremely dillicult to get near some of them. THE BRITISH PTERIDOLOGICAL. Despite the terribly inclement weather which characterised the Bank Holiday generally, the annual meeting of this society was eminently a success, being well attended, and many exquisite forms of British Ferns being exhibited in the shape of fronds and plants. The meeting was held as usual at the Institute, Bownesson-Windermere, Mr. C T, Druery, F.L.S., V.M.H., president of the society, occupying the chair. The usual formalities having been gone through, the chairman addressed the meeting, alluding to the loss the society had sustained by the deaths of Mr. E. J. Lowe, who had con- tributed so largely to the literature of the cult, and to the number of new forms ; and of the Rev. G. Gunn, who only joined the society a year ago, and had been snatched away in the very prime of life. Passing from this sad theme, he proceeded to a far pleasanter one, takiDg the form of the presentation by the members of the society of a very massive handsome clock and a choice full tea service of china, accompanied by a beautifully illuminated framed expression of the esteem and legard of the donors for Mr. G. Whitwell, the honorary secretary of the society, whose invaluable services were thus tangibly recognised. Mr. Whitwell returned thanks in a very feeling speech. This pleasant ceremony concluded, the reports of the secretary and treasurer, which were of a very satisfactory nature, were read and adopted, and the whole of the officers, including the President, were re-elected; Mr. Askew's name being added to the committee. As it had been resolved at the previous annual meeting that a committee be appointed for the preparation of a list of select British Ferns to be issued under the auspices of the Society, the said committee reported that the lists had now been compiled by the editor (Mr. Chas. T. Druery), and that, having gone carefully through it, it had been approved. Furthermore, it was resolved that the committee be fully empowered to deal with the publication and issue. The Chairman then read his paper, entitled " The Growth of a Hobby," relating how be had commenced to acquire an interest in British Ferns, and how that study had developed in course of time. Mr. George Whitwell then followed with a most interesting and valuable paper, em- bodying a list of his own finds, and what is of great value a detailed description of the aspects, soil, and general condi- tions under which they were found. This latter paper forms a model which might be copied by many Fern-hunters with advantage for the benefit of students of varietal sports and those who are diligently seeking for a clue to their origin. The following Ferns were then exhibited and named :— Lastrea propinqua ramo-cristata naua, a dwarf crispy gem only a few inches high, raised by Mr. Whitwell; Scolopen- drium vulgare cristulatum densum, a perfect ball of finely- cut, ramose- crested fronds, raised by Mr. Cropper ; Athyrium f.-f. setigerura Vernonioides, a beautiful bristly form of setigerum on Vernoniae lines, raised by Mr. Wiper. Messrs. W. Trodghton, Askew, Garnett, and others exhibited a number of interesting fronds, and these having been examined, it was resolved that the next annual meeting be held at the same place, and with a hearty vote of thanks to the President, the meeting terminated. This Society consists of a coterie of British Fern lovers, finders, and raisers ; the subscription is a merely nominal one of 5s. per annum, and an annual report, embodying very inte- resting papers is issued. All interested in this peculiarly unique branch of our British flora are invited to join, and the Secretary, Mr. George Whitwell, Serpentine Cottage, Kendal, or the President, Mr. Chas. T. Druery, F.L.S., V.M.H., 11, Shaa Road, Acton, London, W., will gladly furnish fuller particulars on application. ARUNDINARIA JAPONICA.— This is a common species throughout Japan, both in the cultivated and wild state [often, but erroueously, called B. Metake in English gardens. Ed.]. Its general habit seems to approach that of Arundinaria borealis, Makino (Jap., Suzu-dake), but the culm is much larger, and the inflorescence and flowers are manifestly different from it. The culm is excel- lent to make arrows ; hence the name of Ya-dake, or Arrow-Bamboo, by which it is generally known to the layman ; though there are some other local names, such as Shinobe, and Ya zino, &c. No per- son, however, denominates it Me-dake, or Female- Bamboo, which is properly the common name of Arundinaria Simoni, Riviere. In Japan the flower is very rarely met with ; my floriferous specimen is from Kyushu, and I owe it to the kindness of Mr. Yoshio Tanaka, a Member of the House of Peers, of Tokyo. T. Makim, in "Botanical Magazine" Tokyo, June. AtraosT 18, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 139 DAHLIA. — Our Italian friends are about to cele- brate the centenary of the introduction of the Dahlia into Italy this September. It is said to have been introduced into this country from Spain in 17S0, and again in 1S04, but it was not till 1S15, says NlOHOLSON in his invaluable Dictionary, that the introduction was fully successful. ©bttuan>. Mr. Maxwell of Munches.— We regret to hear of the death of one of our oldest correspon- dents, Mr. Wei wood Herries Maxwell, of Munches, Kirkcudbrightshire, in his eighty-third year. The Conifers and other trees at Munches are very remarkable, and have often been the subject of comment in these columns. A short notice of the Conifers is given at p. 518 of the Conifer Congress Report (Royal Horticultural Society, 1891). Variorum. Tea. — "The Chinese physicians say that upon the mountain Tiengo grow above one hundred sorts of Simples, all of very sovereign vertues. But, amongst all others, China is famous for a herb called Thea or Cha, andi whereof the natives and other neighbouring people make their drink called Thea or Cha, taking its name from the herb. Of all the places in China this herb grows fastest, and in greatest abundance, in the province of Nanking, near to the city of Lucheu, and indeed the same is only found in China, Siam, and in the island of Japan. The leaves thereof are very like unto those of Sumack, and that this is a sort of Sumack none need to doubt. However, it springs not wild, but by manuring ; is no tree nor herb, but a bush or shrub, which they plant upon little hills three feet asunder, and grow as high as a Rose- tree, the branches whereof are full of flowers and thin leaves of a dark green colour, which, though they differ not in shape, yet they are of several sizes, for upon one shrub are at least of five several degrees in bigness. The first and biggest grow upon the lowermost sprigs ; next to them follow those of the next size, and are lesser than the first, and so by degrees grow all the other sorts. But so much as these leaves decrease upward in bigness so much the more the increase in price, for a pound of dried leaves of the first bigness is worth five Dutch shillings, that of the second bigness is worth fifty shillings, but that of the third five guilders, that of the fourth fifteen, and that of the fifth and last bigness fifty. Yea, sometimes one hundred and fifty guilders a pound if well prepared. Upon the branches grow small green buds, which produce little flowers with white leaves, yellow within, and in bigness, fashion, and colour very like the Mower of Sweet Briar, but different from it in smell. After that the flowers are shed, there remains a husk which contains a blackish seed, which, being sown in the ground, brings forth the third year new bushes, from whose leaves is gathered every year a rich harvest, and that in such place* where it rains and snows, as it does in Europe, so that it is probable enough that there might be bushes raised from that seed if it were sown in some shady fruitful European soyl. It is full of spreading roots, which run but shallow in the ground, and are good for nothing ; but the leaves they gather every day, and, drying them in the shade, preserve them for their drink Thea, which they use instead of beer, not only at tables' but upon all visits and entertainments, and, which is more, whosoever has anything to dispatch in the pilaces of the Grandees is presented as soon as he H seated with a cup of this liquor, which is alwaies drunk, or rather supped off hot, according to the fashion of the antient Romans, who esteemed more of warm than cold water. If at any time this liquor proves bitter to the taste they mingle a little sugar with it, and drink it to drive away drowsi- ness. But such especially find the benefit in drinking thereof who have overcharged their stomachs with eating, or discomposed their brains with too much strong drink, for it is a very great drier of gross humours and dispels vapours, occasioning sleep. It strengthens the memory, but increases gall if drank in too great a quantity. In brief, they extol the vertues of this drink infinitely, and attribute their not having the stone or gout to this, as they term it, most noble drink, which we may believe the rather because in all our journey forward and backward we saw nobody alllicted with these distempers. There is a very great difference in the manner of preparing and using this liquor between the Chineses and those of Japan, for the Japonners beat the leaves to a powder, and mingle it with boiling water in a cup, which they afterwards drink off, but the Chineses put the leaves whole into a pot of boiling water, which, having lain in steep for some time, they sip off hot, without swallowing down any of the leaves, but only the quintessence thereof extracted. Others prepare it with milk and a little salt mingled with the water, which is not so well approved ; but, however prepared, it is not only drunk in China and other parts of India but is much used likewise in divers other countries, and the general consent of all people that they find much good by it enhances the price, and makes the same to be sold here at a very dear rate. Extract from an Embassy from the East - India Company of the United Provinces to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperour of China, 1669. . . . Englished . . by J. Ogibbt, Esq., Master of his Majestie's Revels in London." Fi.amj is Pots. — Average Wholesale Prices. Markets. CO VENT GARDEN, AUGUST 16. [We cannot accept any responsibility for the subjoined reports. They are furnished to us regularly every Thursday, by the kindness of several of the principal salesmen, who revise the list, and who are responsible for the quotations. It must be remembered that these quotations do not represent the prices on any particular day, but only the general averages for the week preceding the date of our report. The prices depend upon the quality of the samples, the supply in the market, and the demand, and they may fluctuate, not only from day to day but often several times in one day. Ed.] Cut Flowers, &c— Average Wholesale Prices. s- d. s. cl. s. d. s. d. Asparagus "Fern bunch Carnations, per doz. blooms ... Cattleyas, per dozen Eucharis, perdozen Gardenias, per doz. spikes Gladiolus, scarlet, per dozen — white, per doz. Lil mm Harrisii, per dozen blooms ... Liliura lancifolium album, doz. blms. Lilium rubruin.doz. Li limn longitlorum, per dozen Lily of Valley, per doz. bunches Maidenhair Fern, 2 0 2 6 per doz. bunches 4 0- S 0 Marguerites, p. doz. 10-2" bunches 20-40 9 0-12 0 Mignonette, dozen 2 0-40 hunches * n- 6 0 Montbretias, bunch 0 6 — 16 — Odoiitoglosaums, per dozen 4 0-80 6- 5 0 Roses, Red, oer doz. 1 0- 3 0 2 6-40 — Tea, white, per dozen 1 0- S 0 — Safrano, per dozen 10-30 — Catherine Mer- met, per dozen 2 0-50 : Smilax, per bunch 4 0-50 4 0-50 Tuberoses, per doz. blooms 0 4-06 12 0-24 0 4 0-50 10-30 3 0-50 Fruit.— Average Wholesale Prices. Apples, English, per bushel — Suffields Keswicss Juliens Quarrendens Apricots, per dozen Bananas, bunch ... Cherries, Englisu, per sieve Currants, blk., sieve — red, sieve — white, in gils. Figs ( New), per doz. Filberts, per lb. ... Grapes, Hamburgh, new, per lb. ... — Alicante — Co'.mir — Gros Maroc, — Muscats, per lb ." — Muscats, J?., per lb. — Belg an, per lb. — in barrels s. d. s. d. 6- 3 v- 2 : 6- 3 0- 5 3- 2 0-12 ! 0- 6 I ' 0 — ; 0 — : 0 — 0- 2 i ,1b. A., 9- 1 i 0- 1 : 6- 2 i u- 1 i 10-1 7- 1 0 - Lemons, case Melons, each — Foreign Rocks. — Valencia, cases (24) Nectarines, per dozen— Class A Class B Oranges. Murcia, p. caae(ieo) Peaches, per doz. — Class A Class B. Pears, Californian, c»ses ... — "Williams, French in boxes (4S) ... Pines, each Plums in sieve — English, Rivers per sieve Raspberries, pun- nets, doz. Green Gages in sieves S. d. f. rt 10 6-15 0 10-20 2 0-30 10 0 Vj U 6 0- 2 0- 5 0-18 0 6 0- 9 0 2 0-40 80 - 2 0-30 13-30 10-40 1 0- ! 0 Adiantums, p. doz. 5 Arbor-vita;, var., doz. 6 Aspidistras, p. doz. IS — specimen, each 5 Canniis, per dozen 18 Crotons, per doz 18 Cyclamen, per doz. 8 Dracaenas, var., per dozen 12 — viridis, per do*. 9 Ericas, var., per doz. 12 E u onymus, various, per dozen ... 6 Evergreens, var., per dozen ... 4 Ferns, in variety, per dozen ... 4 d. s. d. 0-7 0 0-36 0 0-86 0 0-10 6 0 — 0-30 0 0-10 0 0-80 0 0-18 0 0-86 0 0-18 0 0-18 0 0-18 0 Ferns, small, per 100 Ficus elastlca, each Foliage plants, var. , each Lily of Valley, each Lycopodiums, doz. Marguerites, per dozen 8 Myrtles, per dozen 6 Palms, various, ea. 1 — specimens, each 21 Pelargoniums, scar- let, per dozen 8 — Ivyleai.perdoz. 8 Spirteas, perdozen... 6 B. '/. . i.'. 0- fi 0 6-7 6 0-5 0 9-3 0 0-4 0 0-12 0 0-9 0 0-15 0 0-63 0 0-12 0 0-10 0 0-12 0 Vegetables.— Average Wholesale Prices s. d. s. d. | s. d. 1 6 Aubergines, per. dz. Artichokes, Globe, per doz. Beans, Scarlet Runners, bush. — Broad, home- grown, per bush. — English, dwarf, per bushel — — per sieve.., **eetroot)fl, bushel. . Beet, per dozen ... Cabbage, tally — dozen Carrots, new, p. dz. — in cwt. bags ... Cauliflowers, per dz. Cress, per dozen punnets Cacumbers, doz. ... Endive, new French, per dozen Garlic, new, dozen bunches Horseradish, Eng- lish, bundle ... — foreign, per bundle Leeks, per dozen bunches Lettuce, English Cabbage, bush. — English Cos, per score Mine, new, p. doz. bunches 0 6 10-16 4 0-60 16-20 4 0-60 3 0 — 2 0 — 0 6-09 2 0-30 0 6-10 10-20 3 U — 1 0- 1 G 1 6 — 10-2U 10-16 2 0 — 16 — 0 10-1 0 16 — 16-26 10-20 16 — 3 0 5 0 2 0- 1 0 0 9- 4 0- 6 0- 60 0-; 1 0 Mushrooms, house, per lb. .. — outdoor, sieve Onions, picklers per sieve — per bag — Green, dozen ... Parsley, 12 bunches — per sieve Peas English, per bushel — in bags Potatos, per ton Radishes, 12 bches. Saiad, small, pun- nets, per dozen Shallots, new, per sieve Spinach, per sieve... — bushel Tomatos, English, new, per 12 lb. — Channel Islands, per lb 0 4- — Bordeaux, per box 4 0 Turnips, new, per dozen 2 6 — in bags.. ..r a n Vegetable Marrows. per dozen — tally , Watercress, p. doz bunches 5. (/. 0 s 3 0 1 0 5 0 7 0 5 0 2 0 5 6 0 4| 1 0 3 0 0 4-00 Remarks.— Some Green Cobs of Indian Corn are selling at 2s. per doz. ; Cobnuts and Filberts have begun to arrive ; Plums and Gages are plentiful and cheap ; Apples in bags and bushels at about Is. per bushel ; PotaUs are easier in price. Potatos. Potatos : Beds, Lincolns and Kents, 60s. to 80s. per ton. John Bath, 32 & 3 4, Wellington Street, Covcnt Garden. SEEDS. London : August 15.— Messrs. John Shaw it Sons, Seed Merchants, of Great Maze Pond, Borough, London, S.E., report to-day's market thinly attended, with only a small business passing. There is no alteration inTri folium, its supply anddemaud beiDg alike moderate. New Mustard and Rapeseed, and also Thousand-headed Kale, are now offering. There is a good inquiry for New Winter Tares and seed Rye. For all kinds of Clover and Grass-seeds the market keeps very strong, Trefoil in particular has opened very high. Full rates are asked for Canary and Hemp-seeds, whilst Peas and Haricots move off slowly on former terms. CORN-, Average Prices of British Corn (per imperial qr.), for the week ending August 11, and for the corresponding period of 1899, together with the difference in the quotations. These figures are based on the Official Weekly Return :— Description. 1899. 1900. Difference. Wheat Barley Oats 5. d. 24 S 22 6 17 9 s. d, 28 7 23 7 19 S 8. d. + 3 11 + 1 1 + 1 11 2 0-30 3 6-50 FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Glasgow : August 15.— The following are the averages of the prices recorded since our last report :— Gooseberries, £6 to £10 per ton ; Strawberries, Scotch, 3s. to 6s. per dozen pounds ; Cucumbers, 2s. Qd. to 3s. per dozen ; Onion? , Valencia, 4's, 4s. 6d. to 5s. per case; do.. 5's, 5s. 9d. to 6s. do. ; Pears, Angers' Williams, 4s. to 4s. 6t£ per casr Apples, English, large, 14s. to ISs. per cwt. ; do., small, 7s to 10s. do. ; American, 15s. to 20s. per barrel ; Tomatos. Scotch, Gd. to 9d. per lb, ; do., Guernsey, smooth, 5d. to td. do. ; do.. French, 4s. 6d. to 5s. per crate ; Grapes, English, Is. 3d to Is. 8d. per lb. ; do., Guernsey, lOiZ. to Is. 2d. per lb. ; Denia, 3s. to 5s. per burel ; do., black, 4s. to 7s. do. ; Melons, 24's, 5s. 6ci. to 6s. 6d. per case ; do., 36's, 9s. 6 /. to 10s. 6d. do. ; Greengages, French, quarters, id. to id. per lb. ; halves, 2W. to 3d. per lb. ; cases, Is. 3d. to 2s. per case ; Plums. French Orleans, 2d. to 2JW. per lb. ; do., Goliaths, 3d. to 3id. per lb. ; do., English Prolific, 12s. to 14s. per cwt. ; Belgian Cherry-Plums, Ss. to l"s. do. i4U THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 18, 1900. Liverpool : August 15. — Wholesale Vegetable Market. — Potatos, per cwt. : Early Regents, 3s. 9d. to 4s. Gd. ; Kidneys, 4s. Gd. to 5s. 9d. ; Lynn Grey, 3s, Prf. to 4s. 3d. ; Turnips, 6d. to Sd. per 32 bunches ; Swedes, 2s. 3d to 2s. 6d. per cwt ; Carrots, Sd. to lOd. per 12 bunches ; Onions, foreign, 3s. 9d. to 5s. per cwt. ; Parsley, id. to 6d. per dozen bunches ; Lettuce, Gd. to Sd. per dozen ; Cucumbers, Is. 3d. to 2s. 6d. do. ; Cauliflowers, $d. to Is. 6d. do. ; Cabbages, Ad. to (Jd. do. ; Celery, 2s. 3d. to 2s. Gd. do. ; Peas, 3s. to 4s. per bushel ; Beans, Is. 3d. to Is. Gd. do. ; do., Kidney Sd. to lQd. perpeck ; Scarlet Runners, Sd. to Is. do. St. John's : Potatos, Is. Gd. per peck ; Grapes, English, Is. Gd. to 3s. per lb. ; do., foreign, 6d. do. ; Pines, English, Gs. to 8s. each ; Apples, 2d. to Gd. per lb. ; Tomatos, Ad. to Sd. do. ; Currants, white, Gd. do. ; do., black, 8(1 do. ; Peas, Is. Ad. per peck ; Cucumbers, Ad. each ; Mush- rooms, Is. per lb. Birkenhead : Potatos, Is. 2d. to Is. Ad. per peck; Peas, Is. 2d. to Is. Ad. do.; Cucumbers, 2d. to Ad. each ; Cherries, Gd. to 8d. per lb. ; Grapes, English, Is. Gd. to 2s. Gd. per lb. ; do., foreign, 4|d. do. ; Mushrooms, Sd. to Is. do. ClTwfm Cormpandentd METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS taken in the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens at Ohiswick, London, for the period August 5 to August 11, 1900. Height above sea-level 24 feet. 1900. a z TEMPERATURE OF THE Am. Tempera- ture OF THE Soil at 9 a.m. z o h O z o H ' Id P < 05 D At 9 a.m. t-' K ■o A © CD TJ 43 O £ jp D a < 5 •3 n 43 % en W o P Is n J deg. deg.deg. deg. ins. deg. deg. deg. deg. Sun. 5 w.s.w. 57-7 53-7^0-S 47-2 0-10 61-3 62-9 60-9|40-9 Hon. 6 s.s.w. 57-8 55-2:63-0 49-5 0-22 60-5 62-2 60-7 41-2 Toes. 7 S.S.W. 60-4 54-265-5 53-4 0-14 59*7 61-5 60-5 46-8 Wed. S N.N.W. 56-4 53-863-0 51-0 60*2 61-2 60-2 44-3 Thu. 9 S.W. 58-8 54-560-0 51-2 0-26 GO' 2 60-9 59-9 45-7 Fri. 10 W.N.W. 56-9 53-661-9 53-7 0-02 59*5 60-7 59-8 51-8 Sat. 11 N.W. 59-7 55-972-0 48-6 ... 59-2 60-3 59-7 42-8 Means... ... 68-2 54-4 63-8 1 50-7 Tot 0-74:60-1 61-4 60-2 44-8 Remarks — Durh g the first part of the week the weather was very s tormy, tl le lat ter part 1 emg wan n an 1 bri ;ht. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending August 11, is furnished from the Meteorological Office : — " The weather during this week was cool and extremely unsettled, especially over Ireland and the more central parts of Great Britain, where very heavy falls of rain occurred, mostly on the 6th. Thunderstorms occurred in many parts of England on the 5th, and again in the north-western districts on the 6th. "The temperature was below the mean, the deficit varying from 2° in Ireland, the S.W. of England and the Channel Islands, to 4° in most of the Wheat producing districts and to 5° in the Channel Islands. The highest reading occurred mostly on the 10th in Scotland, and on the 11th in England, but on various dates in Ireland. They were decidedly low for the time of year, the absolute maxima ranging from 74° in England, S. and S.W., to 07" in Ireland, and to 65° in Scotland, W. At many of the northern stations the maximum readings on the 6th, 7th, and 9th, were below 60°. The lowest readings which occurred at various times in the different districts ranged from between 34° and 38° in Scotland, N. and E., and England, N.E., to 45° in England, N. W., and to 52° in the Channel Islands. " The rainfall was in excess of the mean in all districts excepting Scotland, N.( the amount being as a rule very considerable. In Scotland, W., the total fall was twice as much as the mean, and in most of the English districts as well as in Ireland, S., more than twice as much. The largest daily amounts occurred on the 6th in Ireland, the N. of England, and the S. of Scotland, and on the 11th in Scotland and the N. E. of England. On the former date, more than an inch and a half was measured in several places, and as much as 2'0 in. at Edinburgh. " The bright sunshine was less than the mean in all bnt the extreme northern and south-western parts of the kingdom. The percentage of the possible duration ranged from 54 in the channel Islands, 48 in England, S.W., to 19 in Ireland, N., 18 in England, N.E., and 13 in Scotland, W. Book for Mounting Ferns, &o. : H. W. S. Any bookbinder in a large way of business would make one according to order. It must be inter- leaved, so as to admit of being closed wben filled with specimens. Books : E. S. We have no knowledge of a book on jobbing gardening. Catalfa : A. A large, spreading tree, with broad, stalked, green leaves, and large panicles of irregular white flowers with purple spots. Consult any botanical dictionary. Cattleya gigas : J. B. Not a specially good variety, the spots are too pale. The flowers are thin in substance, and did not travel well. We should have packed the sides of the box with damp moss, and wrapped the flowers in paper. The box was not injured in the post, wonderful to relate. Celery, &c. : L. J, Toms. The insects infesting your Celery, &c, are two species of Clover- weevil (Apion species). The attack is a very unusual one, and the beetles were, no doubt, introduced with the Clover. In all probability the insects will not again trouble you ; but, as a precaution, farm produce should not be stacked near the garden, as all kinds of insects are brought from the fields in hay. corn, &c. Your only course now is to beat the infested plants over a tarred tray or large bag-net. Chloroform for Plants : A. We do not credit the statement, and do not recommend you to try it. Dwarf French and Scarlet Runner Beans : W. G. You must be guided by the schedule in such disputes. We should take it that dis- qualification was not justifiable in this case, the Beans being quite distinct. Examinations in Horticulture : W. F. Those of the Boyal Horticultural Society are held yearly in April ; the last took place on Wednes- day, April 25. An enquiry made at the offices of the Society, 117, Victoria Street, S.W., might elicit the date of the next one. Fig Disease : Suffolk does not read his Gardeners' Chronicle, or he would have seen the disease figured and described in our number for July 7, 1900. Galls : Rus in Urbe. The nail-gall on the Lime, Cecidomyia, a fly ; Rhytisma acerinum on the Sycamore. Hollyhocks Eaten by Grubs : C. T. The larvas of the Daddylonglegs — injthe vernacular, Leather- jacket. Turn up the soil, and expose it to the birds. We do not think you can do much beyond dressing it with salt or nitrate of soda. If, after turning it up, the surface be stirred with a dig- ging-fork, and pinioned gulls or ducks kept on the patch, great numbers of the grubs would be devoured. Iris Diseased : J. Deacon. The Iris is attacked by a fungus called Sclerotinia Fuckeliana. The summer form of the fungus is abundant on the fading leaves under the form of a fluffy, olive- brown mould. Cut out and burn such diseased leaves, and spray the entire tufts with a solution of potassium sulphide, i oz. to 1 gallon of water. It will also be necessary to spray the foliage with a similar solution next spring, to prevent a repetition of the attack. G. M. Malformed Gloxinias : Curious. Doubtless a perusal of our pages for sixty years would afford the reader many examples of the sort of mal- formation noticed in your Gloxinia-flowers ; the result of great vigour in the plants, that is all. Montbretias going off : W. C. The bulbs, which are brown and diseased, are infested with swarms of the Eucharis - mite, Rhizoglyphis. Remove the healthy plants to a new locality, and treat the infected soil with gas-lime. G. M. Names of Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number. — P. W. 1, Eulophia macu- lata ; 2, Cirrhtea viridis. W. M. 1 , Adiantum excisum ; 2, Scolopendrium vulgare fimbriatum ; 3, Lastrea aristata variegata ; 4, Adiantum cuneatum ; 5, A. pedatum ; 6, A. eapillus- veneris. — S. 1, Crinum capense, Linn.; 2, Allium sphserocephalum, Linn. ; 3, A. sphaaro- cephalum, Linn. ; 4, probably a form of A. paniculatum, Linn. ; but without a bulb and a leaf it is impossible to name the specimen with certainty ; no number, the Trachelospermum jas- minoides you send is the wild form of that species. C, Rothesay. Brodiaaa ixioides. — Gar- dener. 1, Cotoneaster Simonsii ; 2, Spiraea callosa alba ; 3, Gaultheria Shallon ; 4, a Spiraea ; 5, Spirs-a Douglasii ; 6, Berberis Wallichi ; 7, Rhus typhina. — F. G. S. Vitis gongylodes, figured in Gard. Chron., January 13, 1883 — a very remark- able plant. — Cumbrian. Fruits of Arum macalu- tum, poisonous. — E. M. W. Euphorbia lathyris, Caper spurge. — Leedsii. 1, Gnaphalium margarita- cium ; 2, Sambucus, we do not know the variety ; 3, Saxifraga hypnoides ; 4, Antennaria tomen- tosa. — C. A. 1, CasBinia fulvida; 2, Colutea arborescens ; 3, not recognised ; 4, Skimmia japonica ; 5, Pbyllyrea angustifolia ; 6, Ligustrum ovalifolium ; 7, Cupressus Lawsoniana ; 8, aspecies of Ca3uarina ; 9, Spiraea Douglasii ; do not send more than six another time. — Gloeosporium. Send the Caladiums to some nurseryman who grows them. We are unable to name them. Nectarines : R. H. S. The fruits show sun- burning, which is due to exposure for many hours to such roasting sunshine as was experi- enced a fortnight ago. In a state of nature, fruits are not thus exposed ; the shadows thrown by the leaves and branches obviating that, and tbey are constantly shifting by the action of the wind, and the passage of the sun across the sky. On a wall it is otherwise ; there are no branches and few leaves to mitigate the ardent rays, and what few there are hanging in front of the fruits are pushed on one side. High colour does not mean high flavour in Peaches and Nectarines ; and the more delicate skin of some varieties would predispose them to injury by very strong sunshine. Northampton Show : H. K. We do not profess to enumerate every exhibit ; but leave it to our reporters to make selections. Moreover, the mere notice, without full description of table decorations and other objects of the florist's art, are of but little value to our readers. We are not in the receipt of any complaint from the exhibitors for whom you take up the cudgels. Stunting Trees a la Chinoise : G. E. S. Summer pinching and the removal of strong shoots, toge- ther with restricted rooting space, are the chief means of bringing it about. It is a difficult matter to carry out in ordinary establishments, with the usual changes of head gardeners now so common in this country. The stunting of trees artificially is the work of a lifetime, and pre-supposes a great liking for the art and per- sistency in carrying out every detail. Tomatos : T. P. Affected with spot (Clado- sporium), repeatedly figured and described in the Gardeners' Chronicle. Burn all affected plants. — F. L. L. Your plants are affected with a fungus, Cladosporium. Consult the back numbers almost weekly ; we give the information you want. In the meantime, burn all the affected plants. Trapa eicornis : A. Has nothing to do with the Water-Lilies, except that it grows in water. Your seed is probably dead. Twin Cucumbers : G. E. W. A not uncommon occurrence, wheu the plants are in vigorous growth. Variegated London Plane Tree : A. Worsley. The " maggot " had gone from the Plane shoot, and in its absence it is impossible to identify the species. Collect the infested shoots and burn them. Communications Received. — J. D., Notts— J. Taylor— J. A. — R. P. B.— J. R. Box.— Rev. H. E.— Rev. E. P. L — W. G. S., Leeds.— Dr. Franceschi.— Mrs. S.— W. Fell «; Co. — A. D.— H. O., apply to West, Newman * Co., Hatton Garden.— J. Coward.— John Wall.— The Dean of R.— H. H. D'O.— J. H. F.— Max Leichtlin— L. C— 1>. R. W.— Marquis de Lassie.— E. V. B.— C Sharpe & Co._W. W. —A. P.— X. Y. Z.-C. S.— Potato— G. McCall— F. Batho— S. S.-A. D.— A. O'N.— Expert- W. W.— J. O'B.-S. A.— D. T. F.— R. P. B.— R. D.— W. R.-C. T. D. Specimens, Photographs, &c., Received with Thanks.— Mrs. S. Auoost 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 141 THE gardeners' dfhrxintct* " No. 713.— SATURDAY, AUG. 25, 1900. CONTENTS. Alpine garden— Agapanthus umbel- latus Mooreanus ,.. 142 Erigeron mucronatus 142 Meconopsis aculeate . . . 142 Sedum brevifolium var. Pottsii 142 American Grapes ... 140 Apple Beauty of Batli ... 145 Apple Irish Peach ... 145 Bog, a moving 145 Books- Flora of Bournemouth 14*> Organography of Plants 146 Cherry "Noble" ... 154 , 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 149 longer when removed from the plants. A number of Selaginellas, sufficient to meet requirements, should bo put in 4S-pots, tilling the pots with shoots, which soon become established when placed in moist heat. Hard-wooded Plants : A.alea indica, New Hol- land, etc. — The hot weather and drying winds call for special attention being paid to affording water, and plying the syringe among them morning and evening, and unless this be done, insect pests are likely to work mischief on many of them. Rich- ardias in pots that have been rested may now be shaken out of the soil, and re-potted in a loamy soil to which decayed manure, to the extent of one- third of the whole mass may be added. Let the plants remain outside for a month longer, and when they are started, afford them abundance of water at the root. Richardias planted in the open will be improved by a mulching of decayed dung, water being afforded at short intervals of time. These plantB should be lifted early in September. General Remarks. — When the seeds of Cyclamens are ripe, sow them forthwith in pans, dibbling them in an inch apart and jinch deep, and place them in an intermediate- house. Established Cy- clamens should have some weak manure-water, and be kept close to the glass, affording air freely, shading from bright sunshine, syriDging early in the afternoon, and closing the pit or house at the same time. If thrips are found on the plants, apply XL-All. The plants of Migno- nette growing in pots should be thinned to H inch apart, and the sashes taken off the frame or pit in tine weather. It is not too late to make another sowing of Mignonette seed. Bulbs of Lilium longiflorum and L. 1. Harrisii should be potted as soon as received, or covered with moist leaf-mould or Cocoanut-fibre refuse ; as when the bulbs become dried, they bloom indiffe- rently. A suitable compost for these Lilies is one that consists of equal parts of peat and turfy-loam, with some silver sand round the bulbs, and mixed in the soil. One bulb in a 6-inch pot makes a useful decorative plant, and three or more in slightly larger pots make a line display if they can be got into flower together. The pots should not be more than two-thirds tilled with the soil at planting time, more being afforded when roots appear at the base of the stems. After potting, water, and plunge outside, and cover with 3 inches of ashes, or cocoa-fibre refuse for choice. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Holford, Westonblrt Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Cropping.— The great need of a thorough pre- paration of the land from which two or even three crops may betaken in the course of one year with- out further manuring was mentioned early in the present month, and as a few months hence im- portant vegetables, as Onions, Potatos, Parsnips, Cabbages, and Cauliflowers, will be sown or planted', the land on which these will grow in the future should be cropped with some vegetables which will be cleared off by the end of the year. Gardeners who exhibit at horticultural shows should not intercrop or crop too closely, as the first means to a certain degree close planting. Most gardeners assert that two crops growing together impoverish the soil, besides curtailing the light and air which each requires for full development. Insects abound when the land is inter-cropped or closely planted. There is not much doubt but that the Potato disease is induced, and that its spread is greatly favoured by this practice. I believe if the land was fallowed after a crop was taken, that fungoid troubles would almost disappear from our gardens. Although to do this would require a greater area of land than the average gardener has to deal with, there is no doubt that the quality and quantity of the produce would well reimburse the owner for his expenditure. Celery. —It is impossible to obtain good heads of Celery unless water can be abundantly applied to the growing crop. When Celery must be fit for salads early in the autumn, the most important point connected with its cultivation is the water supply, for if this be not abundant the Celery leaf- mining-fly soon appears, and dusting with soot has but little effect in mitigating the ravages of this insect. The surest remedy is to remove the infested leaves and burn them, and encourage the plants to grow rapidly by means of liberal doses of liquid-manure. Strong insecticides are not advised, as these destroy the foliage. Suckers should be removed as soon as they appear, and their early re- moval helps the plants greatly. Any leaves which lop over should be promptly supported by bast-ties loosely put round the plants, and if the plants fall about much, mouldiog-up should not be delayed. Asparagus. — The heavy rains of the month have benefited all kinds of vegetables, and Asparagus in particular. Beds which have recently been top- dressed will not need any more assistance this year. The rootB which will be forced this year and next spring should receive the final dressing of salt, applying it during a shower of rain. Too much feeding cannot be afforded crowns that are going to be forced. Globe Artichokes. — If the land on which this vegetable is cultivated is light or shallow, it should receive liberal manuring till the end of the month of October, more especially if the growth is weakly. Liquid-manure applied to the roots of the clumps has good results, and forces on the growth of small heads. The heads that are too old for use should be removed from the plants, and weak stools should have at the least one-fourth of the number of heads cut off. This sort of thinning strengthens the plants, and they do better another year. Seedlings which show heads having prickly scales should be removed as soon as they are distinguishable. Late Peas. — So far, the season haB favoured the growth of late-sown Peas, and the heavy rains have saved much labour. Should September be warm, the production of pods will go on till the haulm is cut off by frost. Liquid-manure should be occasionally afforded, and the haulm syringed with clear water. Pea-plants treated in this manner are rarely attacked by mildew, and the pickings are abundant and prolonged. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop. Peach and Nectarine-trees. — The earliest forced trees, now that active growth is arrested, may have all weakly shoots removed, which are not capable of producing fine fruits. The remaining shoots should now be shortened more or less, according to their strength, shoots of middle-size being reduced to 1 foot, and strong ones to lh foot, always cutting back to triple buds. This will assist the uniform ripening of the shoots, and strengthen them. Immature shoots should have a few of the leaves on them cut in half to admit the sunlight, for exposure for a month in this manner will ripen the wood and render the buds plump. Trees which are trained on the back walls of the houses are more especially benefited by this kind of treatment. No attempt should be made to rest the trees by a starvation treatment ; rather afford water copiously to all, and liquid-manure occasionally to aged ones. Red- spider must be rigidly kept in check, or premature ripening of the foliage will occur, to the detriment of the future crop of fruit. Succession Peach-houses. — As soon as the trees are cleared of their fruits, wash them well with clear water, and then cut out all useless shoots, and expose every other shoot to suolight. Dig the border lightly with a fork, and afford water to moisten the soil throughout. An occasional syring- ing with clear water will soon restore vigour to the trees after a heavy crop of fruit. Gross shoots should be removed or closely pinched in after this date. Gradually inure the trees to full exposure and the night dews, and keep the house warm during the day. The fruit in the latest house being unusually late this season, it may be necessary to keep the house slightly warmer than is thought necessary in the average of years. This is a matter which the gar- dener must determine for himself. Where the trees cover the whole trellis, the present affords a good time to shorten all the shoots that are bearing truit to four or five leaves beyond the fruit, which will have the effect of increasing the size of the fruits. Trees which are heavily cropped may be assisted with liquid-manure, and in general afford them the treatment advised for earlier trees. Strawberries. — All potting should now be com- pleted, and in the case of those that have filled their pots with roots, liquid-manure may be occasionally afforded. Remove the runners, and pull up weeds springing up in the pots. Afford the plants plenty of space, moving them weekly in order to prevent the roots getting into the cinders. Apply lime-water in a clear state if worms get into the pots. Moisten the foliage after bright days. THE APIARY. By Kxtkrt. Sections. — All sections should be removed at once in districts where the honey-flow haB ceased, other- wise the bees will commence taking honey down very quickly ; and all honey should be stored away where the bees cannot get to it, or robbing will commence very quickly, and when started, even the most experienced of bee-keepers find it a diffi- cult matter to stop it. All sections should be cleaned, and placed away in a box or iron chest, corn-bin, &c, particularly now the weather is so- warm. Of course, this applies to sections not Bold j all sections not filled should be extracted as far away from the bees as possible, and placed into- boxes, and a little naphthaline kept in the box will keep the wax-moth away. The sections then come in for next year, but if the sections are not very clean, they will be best burnt ; nothing looks so bad on the breakfast or tea-table as dirty sections. Sections not filled properly can be sold at a reduced price, or can be placed on the bees which are not strong, and so save feeding them. All hives should be carefully gone through, and the weak ones marked, so that you can, if secured, unite a driven lot with them ; and take away the queen from the old lot before uniting them. Flour the old lot well after you have taken away the queen. You then tilt the bees which you have driven into the hive, and im- mediately flour and close up ; the flour or pepper- mint, whichever is used, destroys for the time the bees' smell, otherwise they would fight. This should always be done at night-time, to enable them to settle down before the next day ; aa it is very tiresome where a good many hives are kept, and robbing might ensue. Should this be the case, narrow the entrance so that only one bee can gain access at a time, and sprinkle a little carbolic powder over the front of the hive. All little vents in the hives should be carefully blocked up. There will be a lot of hives, we are afraid, this year, drawn open by the sun, and if not looked after at once, bad results must follow. Feeding. — In all operations in feeding, great care must be taken that no syrup is left about ; it not only upsets the bees, but encourages the wasps, and when a stock is not very strong, the wasps will soon clear it out, and then look out for another. All pieces of comb should be picked up, to prevent the wax-moth from breeding. This pest seems on the increase very much, so that every stock should have naphthaline placed on the top bars. The honey on the top bars should be left for winter passages, and then scraped off in the spring-time. The advantage of this is, it enables the bees to travel all round the interior, and this, if for nothing else, gives the bees a little exercise in wet weather. We hope to deal in our next with bee-driving. "Week-ends in Hopland."— This is the first of a set of small books (the Week-end Series) for the rambler, and is written and illustrated by Duncan Moul. (Published by the Homeland Association for the Promotion of Touring in Great Britain and Ireland, 53, Wych Street, London, W. C. ). We can only say that we hope that other books of the series will be as good as this ; as full of pretty- pictures and of useful information. The pictures come first, as the letterpress of any guide-book is most valuable when read in the districts under treatment. The author takes his followers from London to Tonbridge and back for a Saturday to Monday cycle ramble, and through the country part of this ride ''one can understand how Kent came to be called the Garden of England." For natural scenery, pretty villages, and spots of historic interest, this county can scarcely be rivalled; and as here described they are made interesting, and not merely chronological me- morials. The following is the index of the chief "sights" noted by Mr. Moul : Becket's Well, Otford ; Chiddingstone, Hever Castle, Ightham Church and Mote, Knole ; Oldbury Hill, Otford :, Penshurst Church and Place, Plaxtole, Sevenoaks, Squerryes Court, Tonbridge, and its Church and Castle, and Westerham. We must not omit to mention the serviceable little map with which the book opens. On the whole, after studying this volume, we cannot wonder at the native pride of the men of Kent and of the Kentish men. A sketch, however slight, of the geology and physical geography of the district traversed would greatly add to the interest of the journey. 150 THE GARDENERS" CHRONICLE. [August 25, 1900. EDITORIAL. NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be sent to the PUBLISHER. Illustrations.— The Editor will thankfully receive and selett photographs or draiuings, suitable for reproduction, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, £c; but he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. Local News.— Correspondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence of local events likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of horticulturists. Newspapers. — Correspondents sending newspapers should lr careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the Editor to sec. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. TUESDAY, Aug. /Royal Horti mittees. , I Royal Hoti '"| Irela Bright I, Soei Horticultural Society's Cour- ses. Horticultural Society of Ireland Exhibition, ghton and Sussex Horticultural Society's Show (2 days). WEDNESDAY, Ado. 29— Harpenden Horticultural Show. /Dundee Horticultural Society's THURSDAY, Aug. 30- Show (3 days). L Sandy and District Horticultural. SALES. MONDAY', August 27.— Great Trade Sale of Dutch Bulbs, at Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. WEDNESDAY, August 29. — Dutch Bulbs, at Stevens' Rooms. THURSDAY, August 30.— Great Trade Sale of Euteh Bulbs, at Prjtheroe & Morris' Rooms. FRIDAY. August 31. -Great Trade Sale of Dutch Bulbs, and Collection of Orchids from Private Growers, Lilium Harrisii. Palm Seed, Lilies of the Valley, &c, at Protheroe and Morris' Rooms. Average Temperature for the ensuing week, deduced from Observations of Forty-three Years, at Chiswick.— 60'53. Actual Temperatures : — London.— August 22 (6 p.m.) : Max. TO' : Min. 57°. August 23 : Showery and thundery weather. Provinces. — August 22 (6 p.m.) : Max. 67", Cromer ; Min., 50°, Birkenhead. It is not long since that those of ■Gartafchelsea. us.who understood the potential utility of this old-world garden, and the uses to which it might be put, trembled lest the builders should obtain possession of the land, and cover it with quasi Queen Ann houses. Happily, that misfortune has been averted by the public-spirited action of several learned societies, and we are now likely to see it put to botanical and horticultural purposes, as was the wish of Sir Hans Sloane, the donor and founder of the garden. Looking at the small area— less than 4 acres — it is hard to believe that before the establish- ment of a botanical garden at Kew, it was the sole botanical garden in the metropolis. Aiton, the first director of Kew, was at one time the curator of the Physic Garden at Chelsea, and now the whirligig of time has given it a new curator in the person of Mr. William Hales, who received his training at Kew. Miller, the father of English gardening, was one of its earliest curators ; and his once famous work, The Dictionary of Gardening, date 1730, the original edition is one of its treasured posses- sions. The old council chamber, in which men famous in their day have met in consultation, and to give lectures on botany and horticulture, including N. B. Ward, of Fern-case repute — a most loveable man, and Lindley, one of the founders, and for some years Editor of this Journal. Lindley's lectures were things to be remem- bered. They were given at half-past eight in the morning, and the students who lived in the central parts of London had to present them- selves at that hour. But what a treat those lectures were : the lecturer was not an orator, but as clear and purposeful as a professor could be. Seizing the first flower that came to hand, and distributing specimens to the students, he pulled it to pieces, draw- ing on the black-board such parts as were too small for exhibition, describing each part accurately as he went on, pointing out the affinities of the plant and its relationship to others, and impressing on the pupils the various natural orders and their characteristics. The properties of the plant, medicinal and other, were pointed out. All this was told in the clearest fashion without a superfluous word ; and the pupil learnt from these demonstrations more about systematic and medical botany than weeks of poring over text-books could have aflbrded. The lecture over, the pupils were free to roam about the old garden, and under due restrictions to gather for themselves speci- mens of the medicinal and other plants in bloom. In later years Mr. Baker used to give a similar course of lectures in the old garden ; and examinations for the gold medal, then esteemed as the highest award for the botanical student, were held by N. B. Ward, Hooker, Berkeley, and Masters. The old place, now a seed-room and office, will soon have to make way for a much-needed range of glasshouses, so that those who may wish to see what the place is now like should hasten to visit it ere it is demolished. Near by are some glasshouses much dilapi- dated which are heated (save the mark) by one of the first hot-water apparatus ever erected in this country, if we omit that of Loddiges of Hackney. This apparatus is intact, and con- sists-of an ordinary furnace, destitute of an ashpit door, which heated a quadrangular tank furnished with a moveable cover. The tank is about It foot deep, the flow-pipe being inserted near the top, and the return at the bottom. Another curiosity is a cast leaden tank for holding water, made with a handsome pannelled front — the last thing in the world a modern plumber would make for utilitarian purposes. The new buildings will render necessary the removal of a fine old specimen of Ginkgo biloba, which was evidently treated at one time as a reputedly tender plant, and planted close to the north wall of the garden, being within our recollection trained to the wall, although for many years it has grown unrestrained, and now overtops the wall by fully 20 feel. With the exception of a large glasshouse standing in a shady part of the garden on the western side, the whole of the glass structures are in a ruinous condition, and will be replaced with others. Very few of the plants contained in them are worth retaining for teaching or other purpose, and their places will be taken by plants from - botanic gardens at home and abroad, and other sources, and considerable numbers will be raised from seed. A beginning has been made- in this direction with Droseras and Liverworts, at the instigation of Prof. Farmer, who is taking a leading part in the renovation of the garden, acting in concert with a small working committee of members of the various Societies interested in the garden. Professor Farmer intends to form a collection of vegetables, and a beginning in a small way was made this year with a collection of ninety - five kinds, generously given by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, of Beading. For many years the garden was under the man- agement of Robert Fortune, and afterwards of Thomas Moore, so well known in his generation. Mr. Hales has already clone good work. He has reduced the inordinate width of the walks from 11 feet, to which they had been extended by ages of trimming and squaring the turf, edgings, to 8 feet, thus giving a considerable additional area to the available land, besides other advantages. He has relaid hundreds of yards of turf margins, which this reduction of width rendered necessary. Beds of botanical plants are being re-arranged, and in conformity with modern ideas and requirements ; and in the course of a year or two at the most, this part of the new work will be completed. Con- siderable progress is already apparent in the furnishing of the beds with the required genera and species. A bog-garden has been formed alongside of, and abutting on the tank in which are grown the aquatic plants, and some progress has been made in planting it ; and among the plants which are establishing themselves are Primula farinosa, Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Myrica Gale, Samolus Valerandi, of which a nice clump was in flower ; Cyperus longus, a strong clump ; Gunnera scabra, a strong plant, with a sturdy inflorescence ; Triglochin palustre, several Orchises, and Linnea borealis. Lathyrus magellanicus, or the species they have under that name, is of annual duration. We observed two varieties of L. Aphaca, one having white, and the other black seeds ; also Anthyllis tetraphyllus, a good clump in one of the beds is covered with its singular-looking pods, which are filled with round seeds. Quite a large collection of the Composite order — Carduus, Cynara, and Onopordum — have been got together, and robust examples were noted. The gardens have suffered many losses in trees from age and the malign influences of the atmosphere during many years. The two Lebanon Cedars (see fig. 42, p. 147), once the pride of the garden, have succumbed, and the last is awaiting its turn to be taken down. Of trees still healthy, which it is hoped will not be removed without good reasons, may be men- tioned a fine Juglans nigra, Rhamnus cathar- ticus, 30 feet in height ; and Keelreuteria pani- culata, one of the finest examples in the country. On the walls were observed a nice example of Pomegranate, which flowers well after warm, dry summers ; Styrax officinalis, a very aged plant, but still in good health ; -Egle sepiaria, Diospyros virginiana, Rhus juglandifolia, a rare plant, and handsome withal ; Jasminum odora- tum, yellow-flowered. Some young trees pi anted in later years comprise the Paper Mulberry, Celtis australis, a handsome water- side tree, with small black fruits ; and Ptelea trifoliata. The history of the old garden, which is of great interest, is given in Dr. Semple's edition of Field's Memoirs of the Botanic Garden at Chelsea, and to a considerable extent in our own columns. In her interesting address on The National . , , ,, ,, ° ,, , Co-operative opening the fifteenth annual Flower Show, flower show, held in connection with the Great Co-operative Fes- tival at the Crystal Palace on the 17 th and 18th inst., the Countess of Warwick said that chief among the recreative developments of the co-operative movement was " the never-failing interest in gardening, the one pleasure that time does not rob us of, that as the years pass grows ever nearer to our hearts ; and that for whole-hearted joy in every day, and every year, in every season, is unsurpassed." In these words the President for the year — for August lV>, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 151 the hrst time a lady— struck the keynote of taught him, his plants and flowers will teach But ideals were soon created, and as the annual that and the subsequent day's proceeding^. One him." exhibitions have waxed in number, ideals and dominant idea in the minds of these earnest The institution of a flower show in connection methods of culture have grown into higher co-operators is that it is both expedient and with this important industrial festival has been conceptions, better productions have resulted, possible to realise that every abode in town or the means of producing several congratulatory and the best is now the aim of these co-opera- ■eountry should have its garden-ground of some results. It has created an army of working- tive gardeners. The high level of quality is Fig. 43.— roupellia grata: flowers cream-coloured, flushed with rose, (see p. 152.) sort, -and when this can be brought about, ■even if the highest level of its possibilities cannot be reached, it will be possible in large (measure to say " good-bye to the overcrowding ■of cities, and the herding together of the ■workers in circumscribed spaces. Each man •will insist on his birthright of light and air, and what the little children's white faces have not class amateur gardeners up and down the country. The earlier exhibitions in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society at South Kensington are not too far remote for some to remember the rudimentary ideals of culture of flowers and vegetables produced on those occa- sions. Nothing that was then seen rose above the common culture of ordinary cottage gardens. seen to be more widely manifested as the seasons follow each other, and the bulk of the produce increases in the same ratio. Another result has been the impetus given to the move ment f or providing allotment gardens. If the working-man co-operator is to grow for exhi- bition, he must have a garden. Its value, when properly cultivated, as an adjunct to the home 152 THE GABBENEES' CHRONICLE, [August 1900. cannot be over-estimated, and when an area of allotment-gardens is provided near large centres of the population where they are most needed, an important open air space is thereby secured. Happy is it for a community when a landowner or a local authority is found withstanding the blandishments of the builder, who covets the spot for the erection of dwellings. The multi- plication of allotment gardens means higher ideals of recreation ; the man who finds real and constant pleasure in his garden is under moral discipline, and it not infrequently leads to his becoming a worthier and more useful member of society. The gain from the dietetic point of view, from having fresh and succulent vegetables of his own growth for his table, is surely great. There are other advantages of a social character flowing from the culture of the garden ; and the desire to excel on the exhibi- tion - stage on the occasion of the Annual Co-operative Flower Show braces up the moral fibre of the man, and fires him with a laudable ambition. In some respects the recent Festival and Flower Show fell behind some of its pre- decessors. Abridged railway facilities, with- held at an opportune moment, kept away industrial exhibits ; and this to some extent, with the incidence of the season, affected garden produce. On the first day of the show, pro- fessional gardeners and amateurs employing hired labour, submitted their productions ; in their case there was little perceptible falling off, while the produce was generally of a high order of merit. These classes of exhibitors were not so much affected by restricted facilities for travelling as the working-men coming from a distance ; still, altogether, there were some 3000 exhibits, requiring a length of tabling three-quarters of a mile long. Vegetables largely preponderated ; there were over 400 dishes of Potatos, and the display made by these— so clean, bright, and symmetrical— re- called the Potato exhibitions which were held with so much success at Sydenham twenty years ago. Vegetable - Marrows were a leading feature, they were numerous in the classes for white and green ; good table quality was the prevailing characteristic. Beets were numerous, especially in the Turnip-rooted classes ; and there were a large number of Beans of all types. Some of the dishes of Scarlet Runners came near to perfection. Peas were fewer than usual, owing to the hot weather ; Autocrat was one of the leading varieties. Tomatos, Cucum- bers, and Celery, vegetables generally con- sidered somewhat difficult of cultivation by working-men, were much more numerous than might have been expected, and very good. There was abundant evidence that the Onion is a favourite esculent ; it was seen in excellent character, and of various types. There were many collections of vegetables also : the quality uniformly praiseworthy. The working co-operator thrives as a cul- tivator of flowers, for there were abundant widely representatives. Asters and Stocks led the way in point of numbers ; Sweet Peas followed, and there were Marigolds, Zinnias, Mignonette, Roses, Gladioli — a half dozen spikes from Brechin was one of the features of the show; also Roses, Dahlias, Phloxes, ancl tne last festival of the present cen- tury came to an end amid general expressions of satisfaction. ROUPELLIA GRATA (fig. 43, p. 151).— This is a stove climber rarely seen in gardens, but when it is seen it commands admiration ; flowers creamy- white, rose-tinted, deliciously fragrant. The plant is a native of Sierra Leone, and is said to produce the fruit called Cream-fruit, though this point is, we believe, uncertain. We have seen it in flower at Kew, and specimens were exhibited in the spring of the year at the Royal Horticultural Society. It belongs to the Apocynacie, which furnish many ornamental species to our gardens. Royal Horticultural Society.— The next meeting of the Fruit and Flower Committees will be held on Tuesday, August 28, in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, from 1 to 5 p.m. At 3 o'clock a paper on " Montbretias and Crocos- mias," by M. Emile Lemoine, will be read. The Vintage on the Continent.— Reports from many of the Continental wine-producing centres are of a very favourable nature. In France, the Minister of Agriculture prepared an estimate of the vintage, from which it appears that the result promises to be very good in point of quantity. In thirty-five departments good, in thirty fairly good, in four fair, and under average in one only. The outlook in Germany is a very promising one ; and a good crop is also expected in Italy. In Portugal the gathering will be later than last year, but the yield will probably be larger. It may be noted respecting the Fiench vintage, that the ripening has been so favoured by atmospheric conditions, that great expectations are formed as to the quality of the wines. Dr. WILSON.— We learn that Dr. Wilson, of St. Andrew's, is visiting California, and has inspected the plantations of Mr. Luther Bureank. We shall hope on his return to have spme account of the wonderful work in which Mr. BtTRBANK is employed. In the meantime, it muBt be remem- bered that some of these productions are not suited to this climate. FENN TRIBUTE. — Additional subscriptions have been received from Mr. J. Douglas, and from Rev. H. H. D'Ombrain, per Mr. H. G. Cox. Mk. Fenn, we are glad to hear, is progressing favourably, and desires us to say how thankful he feels to his old friendB who have aided him in his troubles. His labours in Potato-raising have been disinterested, and have received no public recogni- tion, though he has moved about among the Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society and others since 1S35. It was in 1S37, he tells us, that he planted his first orchard, "grubbed up a lot of worn-out Apple- trees and renovated their sites, 3 yds. in diameter and 2 feet deep, with chopped turves taken from a meadow, and mixed with ditch scourings and road dirt (exactly what the poor old Chiswick garden wants doing to now). As the spring-time waned, this ground, about an acre, became trenched and planted with ths then most popular Borts of Potatos, for the purpose of making selections for improve- ments from the most promising stools. I lost a good ten years over that futility. For the last two- decades have been endeavouring to cross-fertilise our domestic varieties with wild species from the latitudes of New and Old Mexico. I have succeeded in regard to New Mexico through- Solanum Fendleri, and as regards Old Mexico- thus far with S. castaneum (?), by securing last season a pollen-cross from the latter with one of my seedling varieties. Continuity in this Potato- breeding business means deep delvings into the pocket of the inventor." ■Journal of the Royal Horticultural. SOCIETY."— The August number has been issued, and is perhaps rather less interesting than usual. Mr. Newstead's paper on "Scale Insects" is, however, of first class rank. The New Charter and the New Bye-laws will, we expect, cause this- volume to be frequently referred to in the future. The Bye-laws are not all that can be desired, and the obnoxious Proxy-voting is not quite scotched, but Bye-laws can be revoked or amended or new ones- proposed at a general meeting, provided that the new or altered Bye-law be submitted among the- whole of the Fellows twenty-one days at least before that meeting. A good many difficulties are thus thrown in the way, probably to prevent too frequent or frivolous disturbance. Some of the- " fill up " illustrations show nothing in particular, and are not sufficiently accurate for insertion in th& pages of a journal which has won for itself so high a position. A New Use for Chervil.— Chervil is best known as a flavouring herb when it has reached an adult stage, yet the young seedlings, when about an inch high, form no bad substitute for the familiar Mustard-and-Cress. If the Chervil be- sown rather thickly, and be carefully thinned out when at the right stage, enough small salad is- obtained without robbing the herb-bed, in which the plants that are left can be allowed to grow to full size. The small Chervil, duly washed and> slightly chopped, is useful in a mixed salad, or served singly, or as a flavouring for sandwiches. The taste of it is very delicate and agreeable. Seedling Purslane we have treated similarly and' tasted with approval ; indeed, very many other plants are, iu their young state, quite as inexpen- sive and palatable as are the time - honoured Mustard-and-Cress. Cooking of Vegetable - Marrows. — As- the season of Vegetable-Marrows is now with us, here are two very good modes of cooking them, sent us by Dr. E. Bona via : — "(a). 'Young Marrow, Parmesan Fashion. — Take as many very young Marrows as you require, cut each in four, lengthwise ; stew them with butter, without water, adding salt, till they, are quite soft ; place them on a hot dish, and .powder them rather thickly with grated Parmesan cheese. In the same saucepan put a large spoonful of good stock or gravy ; mix in the puree of two- or three large Tomatos ; pour this sauce on the Marrows, and serve, (6). Young Marrow, Milanese Fashion. — Cut the number required in halves, lengthwise ;. half boil them in water and salt : remove the interior of each half, chop it up, and squeeze it in a clean rag to remove the water ; then fry a chopped Onion in butter, adding the squeezed pulp, thickened with a little flour, and add a tablespoonful of cream, if handy :. season with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and grated Parmesan. The whole should be as thick as por- ridge. When cold, bind the whole with a whipped egg or two. Fill the Marrow-shells with this- stuffing ; sprinkle over them some grated Par mesan, and bake to a light brown. N.B. — A varia tion of this is the addition of minced-meat and Sultana-raisin3 to the stuffing." Olives v. Wine.— An observant English official- in Italy has drawn and continues to draw attention to the gradual uprooting of Olive trees in certain- districts in Italy, and the substitution therefor oC the Grape-vine, the product of the latter becoming Anoura 25, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 153 'larger year by year at a falling price. In a few years, says the observer, thia must end in a glut of wine in the market, selling at prices which cannot prove remunerative to the cultivator ; pos- sibly, at that period it will not be possible to make up with Olives for the lee way made by Vine cultivation. ANew Belgian Horticultural Society.— There has lately been founded, in Belgium, a ■co-operative horticultural society, the inauguration of which is worth chronicling. The society includes -as original members, many of the horticulturists of Brussels and the environs, aod many Vine-growers from around Brussels, especially from Hoeylaert, where the cultivation of Grapes under glass is, as is Renown, an important industry. The object of the society is to maintain a commission agency for the sale, by auction, of cut flowers, fruit, vegetables, Bag-filling Machine Co., of Fitchburg, Mass., U.S.A., manufacturers of automatic bag-making and bag-tilling machines. The Brown Bag-tilling Machine, represented by our illustration (fig. 44), is, as far as we know, the only one of its kind, and is designed for handling flat paper-bags, tilling them with measured quan- tities of dry materials, such as seeds, powders, &c. It measures the material, opens the bag, fills it, gums it, turns the flap, presses it hard down, and holds it till it sticks fast, making the bag tight and secure for the finest material. The power required to run the machine is less than one-eight horse-power, which may be furnished from any ordinary source of power, or from an electric or other motor. MouDted upon a sub- stantial table, the machine measures 2i by 41 feet, and would be easily accommodated in a room 8 feet by 10. The table is supported by a strong frame- FlG. 44. — A NEW AND VALUABLE MACHINE FOR THE USE OF SEEDSMEN. ^and other horticultural and agricultural produce, it is started for nine years under the title, ' ' Societe -co-operative horticole, viticole et man'iichere." It is established in Brussels. The society's capital is fixed at 40,000 francs, divided into 400 shares of 100 francs. Article 4 of the statutes declares that, "No one shall be admitted into the society who is not a horticulturist, a gardener, a Vine-grower, a nurseryman, or market-gardener working on his own account." A NEW, VALUABLE MACHINE FOE THE USE OF SEEDSMEN. Amongst the numberless interesting things that are now to be seen at the Great World Fair of Paris, there is a bag-filling machine, that will surely be found most useful to seedsmen. This ingenious machine may be seen at the Central Seed Pavilion of the well-known French seed firm of Vilmorin- Audrieux & Co., group VII., class 39, on the Champ de Mars. The exhibitors are The Brown work, fitted with countershaft, pulleys, and shipper complete, and is ready to belt direct to any line of shafting. The table is also fitted with a receiving box for seed, and with drawers supplied with tools, duplicate parts, a full set of measures, and every- thing necessary for the complete operation of the machine. The machine requires but one operator, generally a girl, to look after it, and runs automatically, discharging the sealed packets at the rate of 3000 per hour, dry, and ready for packing, or for imme- diate use. The number of bags filled is registered by an indicator attached to each machine, making it possible to keep an accurate account of each day's work, and the number of bags run of each variety, as well as the amount run in an entire season. Any kind of seed that will poar, can be handled by the machine. The seeds do not clog in the hopper, and are not cut or injured in any way. The material is measured with absolute accuracy, and the amount can be readily gauged anywhere from an ounce to a fraction of a grain. When the quan- tity is one fixed, 100,000 pipers may be run without variation, and without waste or loss. The saving thus made by putting just the right amount into each bag, and no more, averages from 5 to 10 per cent, as compared with hand-work. The machine will run any Bize of bag, from one 5A inches by 4] inches, to one 2 inches by J of an inch, being readily adjusted to any variations between these limits. The paper-bags may have a seam on either side, or a seam on both sides, either with or without a bottom lap ; but the flap of the bag should be cut square across, not pointed, and the corners of the flap should be as full as possible, not slashed away. The bag in all cases should be machine-made. The flow of seed or other material to the machine is regulated automatically, and the seed may be supplied from a bin overhead that will contain material sufficient to last a whole day. Empty bags are supplied without stopping the machine, as also the glue. The machine runs from fifty to sixty bags per minute and maintains a very high percentage of speed. One record made at the Department of Agriculture at Washington, in January, 1895, showed 505,000 bags run in 162 J consecutive working hours, an average of over 3, 100 per hour. Some single day records show averages as high as 3,300 aud 3,400 per hour. The idea of a machine for automatically filling flat paper-bags was first conceived by Joseph C. Brown, of Burlington, Vt., U.S.A., who devised and made a model, that was perfected later, and in 1889 the work of con- struction was begun in Boston by J. C. & B. F. Brown, and a machine was brought to a successful completion, that turned out packets rilled and sealed. The Brown Bag-filling Machine Company was orgauised early in 1892 ; and several machines, with important improvements, have been sent out to different parts of the world. At the present day the company has many machines in successful operation in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries. The latest model, with many improvements, is now exhibited at Paris, for the first time in Europe. Nils N. Emitslcef. Law Notes. A GARDENER AND HIS TESTIMONIALS. At the Stroud County Court (Gloucestershire) on Friday last, William Carter, gardener, of Stone- house, sued F. F. Parker, of Pitchcombe View, for the recovery of two testimonials, for damages amounting to £12 4s. for their detention, and for a week's wages. Mr. J. L. Norris appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. E. C. Davis for the defendant. Plaintiff stated that he was now iu the employ of Mr. E. James Davis, of Stonehouse, and had been a gardener since he was sixteen years of age. During February this year he saw an advertisement in the Gardeners' Chronicle, and he subsequently sent Mr. Parker two testimonials, one from Mr. L. F. Page, of Bobbing Court, Sittingbourne, and a second one from Colonel Heyworth, Bury St. Edmunds. These testimonials were worth £20 each to him. Witness was subsequently dismissed, and asked for the return of the testimonials, which were still retained. Examined by Mr. Davis, witness ac- knowledged that there were discrepancies between the original testimonials and copies (produced). This occurred because he had been in the habit of writing the copies without having the originals before him. He had no desire to misrepresent. Mr. Davis submitted that the detention of the certificates was lawful, plaintiff having obtained the situation by a false certificate of character, defendant was entitled to hold the testimonials for the purpose of bringing an action if necessary against plaintiff. That being so, plaintiff was nob entitled to recover damages. — Frank Freeman Parker said that quite suddenly plaintiff burst 154 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [August 25, 1900. into a violent passion, and then alleged that he had been decoyed from London. He was also insolent, and witness then suspended him until he apologised. His Honour gave judgment for defendant, but made no order as to costs. Now that the object of the defendant had been gained, he was of opinion that the testimonials should be handed back to plaintiff. If they were not, he should impound them. PEEEIN'S FLY-TKAP. At the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society a number of wire fly-catchers were ex- hibited. Our illustration (fig. 45) shows one much reduced in size. The flies enter the balloon through a narrow chink. They regale themselves on treacle or some other pleasant substance, and then find that they cannot escape ; for although there is a small aperture at the apex of the intruded cone, the flies se«m never to find out that in that way lies escape. We have tried this particular trap, and found it very efficacious ; so much so, that we recommend it to those whose fruit-houses are tenanted with flies or wasps. It is to be had of E. Perrin, 72, Chiswell Street, London. Home Correspondence. WANTED — A CENSOR. — Such a person seems to be becoming increasingly necessary in relation to the meetings of the Floral Committee, someone who shall have the power to reject as unworthy of notice subjects which only waBte the time of the Committee when brought on to the table, as they are frequently of an inferior character and unworthy consideration. The tendency to submit inferior subjects is on the increase, and needs to be checked in some manner. A Member. THE LATE MR. JOHN LAING. — It was quite appropriate that at the meeting of the Floral Committee on Tuesday, the 6th inst., the Chair- man, Mr. W. Marshall, should have moved a vote of condolence with the widow and family of the late Mr. John Laing ; for Mr. Laing was an old and useful member of this body for a number of years. I think he first became a member in 1862 or 1S63. The earliest list I can find is that of 1860— 61, but his name does not appear on it. This list gives what I think was that of the first Floral Committee, as it came into existence about 1860. Of the original committee, five who con- stituted it are still living, namely, Mr. Samuel Ainsworth (Carter & Co. ), Rev. H. H. D'Ombrain, Dr. M. T. Masters, Mr. William Paul, and Mr. Harry J. Veitch. I think I can, without suspicion of boasting, claim to be the oldest present member of the Committee, in point of time, if not of ace, having been first appointed a member in Jan. , 1868. R. Dean. VICIA OROBUS AND V. SYLVATICA.— Several times lately I have seen complaints that we do not make enough use of the native flora in ornamenting the wilder parts of our gardens and shrubberies. In this respect I may mention two perennials which are well worth notice — Aricia Orobus, De Candolle, and V. sylvatica, Lin. Both of theBe have the merit of preserving their botanical names unchanged for about a century, whilst their relatives of the tribe of Orobus have had their surname obliterated, and been scattered abroad till it is hard to identify them. V. Orobus I have never seen wild, though it is said to occur in many counties. In my garden it grows 18 inches high, with dense stalks often branched near the top, and clothed to the base with closely growing bright green leaves, each having from ten to fifteen pairs of leaflets, the general effect recalling a Mimosa. The stems rise so thickly from a small base, that Virgil's description of the Amellus may be applied to it : — " Uno ingentem tollit de cespite silvam." The pale blue flowers at the end of June are borne in close tufts in the axils of the leaves, but when the flowers are over the beauty of the plant is not gone, for of the thirty or forty stalks the outermost droop to the ground, so as to form altogether a bright hemisphere of foliage which lasts till the frost ; the little branches of brown pods, which do not burst and fly like some Vetches, add to its orna- ment. A shady position raised amongst stones shows the plant at its best. V. sylvatica is com- moner as a wild plant than V. Orobus. I have often seen it in woods in Cheshire, and recollect it as particularly ornamental in groves by the road-side between Monmouth and Tintern Abbey. Itisprettily described by Scott in a passage quoted in Sowerby's British Botany, though it is a poetic licence to speak of it as entwining the trunks of the Ash and the Elm; but Scott's picture of "its pale and azure-pencilled flower " is very happy. It climbs to a height of S or 10 feet amongst low trees and thickets. I have sometimes seen it in open rocky ground, such as Mene hillocks on the Heights of Abraham at Matlock, and the railway embankment between Llandulas and Llysvaen in North Wales, growing hardly more than a foot high, and flowering very densely, but I have never been able in cultivation to imitate this condition. Probably neither of these plants will be found offered in nursery catalogues, but the seed list of Mr. W. Thompson, of Ipswich, would be likely to include both. O. Wolley-Dod, Edge Hall, Malpas. THE GARDENER IN COMIC OPERA.— The gar- dener has in his time — which dates from Adam — played many parts, in fact as well as fiction. But FlG. 45. — A NEW FLY-TRAP FOR THE USE OF GARDENERS AND OTHERS. once, and once only, has he figured as the title role in a comic opera. On Wednesday, February 18, 1761, there was produced at the Theatre de la Foire Saint-Germain, Paris, Le Jardinier de son Seigneur, a comic opera, by M. Sedaine, an Academician, and a man of considerable repute in his day. He was born in 1719, and died in 1797 ; his chief claims to posterity are not perhaps so much that he was the writer of comic operas, as that he was the librettist of the composer Gretry, but he is probably best of all remembered for the singing of his song, Richard, O, mon Roi ! at the Court Theatre of Versailles on October 1, 1789, which is a well known episode of the Great Revo- lution. One does not fly to a comic opera for practical instruction in any department of life, and in Le Jardinier el son Seigneur it is amazing to note how entirely the calling of the chief figure is overlooked. In the first duet, the gardener, M. Senion, it is true sings : — " Un maudit Litivre vient chaque matin, Ronger les plantcs de notre jardin ; Avec un baton de sarment Je me coule toute doucement, Pan, pis, pouf, il eBt a cent pas," and so on. The story of the opera is very thin, and the gardener appears in more trouble about his perruque than about his garden, and his wife appears to have been a thorn in her husband's side ; her running comments on her husband's remarks being usually of a sarcastic nature, and often very funny. The - Seigneur appears to have an inclination for falling in love with his gardener's daughter, the beautiful Fauchette, who, however, in the end marries Maitre Nicolas, the barbier, and, as Madame Nicolas, perhaps lived happily for ever afterwards. It would be an interesting task to draw up a list of the old plays and romances in which gardeners have figured conspicuously. W. Roberts. THE WEATHER IN NORTH WALES.— On Friday, August 3, we had much the same experience here as in other parts of the country. We experienced a violent gale from the north-west, which did con- siderable damage to forest and fruit-trees in the neighbourhood of Towyn, and the heavy rain laid many acres of ripe corn in the surrounding district. The weather continued rough, and culminated in another storm on August 6, which was even more disastrous in its effects than the preceding gale of Friday. Trees have been uprooted, large branches split off, and on all sides can be seen evidence of this unusual August weather. In the gardens here, although sheltered by trees, much damage was done to the Apple crop. The finest fruits were shaken from the trees, and some trees denuded entirely of fruit. Apart from the wind, the rain was very welcome to garden produce, as on our light porous soil everything was suffering from the drought. C. S., Ynys-y-Maengwyn, Towyn. " NOBLE" CHERRY.— In reference to "A. D.'s" note on late Cherries, I may say that it is very diffi- cult to be sure about naming them, unless one sees the trees growing, and can note their style of growth, fertility, &c. It may be that "Noble" is quite a new kind, and whether or no, it is the finest black Cherry I know, and from the raiser's observations, it has been in the same position from a seedling. I have a very high opinion of it. As regards local names, I have hitherto classed "Turks" and clusters as the same, but my stock has always been kept separate, and this season I have described them as distinct. At the present time we have two- Black Cherries from East Kent as extra fine kinds, but they are only locally named, and may prove to- be old and well known sorts. The Black Bohemian Biggareau is very close to the "Turk" (Turkey Black), but I cannot at present say they are the same — time will prove ; and for purpose of sale we find ourselves obliged to adopt the local names to meet our clients' wants. The cluster (of some) is- the "Carone." George Bunyard, Maidstone. A PHARMACEUTICAL ABSURDITY.— For some years past, after repeated trials with various fumi- gatory insecticides — and "trials of patience" in many cases when I found my best Ferns browned and spoilt for the season by the fumes, I was for- tunate enough at length to reap success with the well known XL-All, which did the business' effectually, without accompanying damage. I have read from time to time recently that some action had been taken by the Pharmaceutical Society in. this connection, which debarred the ordinary horti- cultural sundriesman from retailing this remedy, and placed its sale in the hands of the chemist under the usual "poison" regulations. What is the result? Finding an invasion of white-fly im- pending, I, forgetting this piece of professional interposition into matters foreign, try to obtain the stuff from several nurserymen in the city, who inform me that not only cannot they sell it to me themselves or get it for me, but they have not the remotest idea where it can be procured ! This, I perceive at once, is due to tne fact that they naturally will not facilitate a sale by the chemist, who has been installed as a monopolist of an article in their own particular line. Having thus given the legitimate trader his chance, I, sorely against my will, apply to all the chemists (four) which are within easy distance. Not one of them knows the article, even by name. Result, my insect foea grow stronger for a day or two, and assume in greater numbers the flying and egg-depositing state, which I was aiming at forestalling. I then search the advertising columns of the various gardening papers, and find the advertisements dropped there- out, and eventually only succeed in tracing the source of supply through an old number. I am not yet, however, able to obtain the needful, even when I take half-an-hour's journey to the manufacturer's depot. No ! All he can do is to give me the name of a chemist in the city ; and finally repairing thither, I obtain the coveted article, after formally signing the chemist's book and giving my address. Acovst 25, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. .00 Meanwhile, I ascertain from one source and another that, pending a further decision which is hoped for, the manufacturer is afraid of offending his possibly restored customers in the horticultural trade by advertising, and giving any chemist or chemists as the sellers ; and the chemist, on the other hand, selling a thing out of his line, does not consider it worth his while to advertise it himself. Conse- quently, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, the would-be buyer gives up his quest, and resorts once more to his experiments with other remedies, and possibly experiences once again the failures and disappointments which he had thought ended once and tor all. I do not write this in any way as an advertisement ; the only interest I have in the remedy is that it has proved a success, which others have not doDe, without the accompaniment of more damage than the insects themselves would have occasioned, and consequently 1 resent, as do many others, the interference of one trade with another which has the result of rendering a tried article almost unobtainable, and is based upon no really rational ground. Chas. T. Druery.F.L.S., V.M.B. EARLY HISTORY OF THE DAHLIA.— The short note on p. 139 reminds one that there is some misconcep- tion concerning the early history of the Dahlia in England, it being supposed that Lady Holland's seedlings from the parcel of seeds she sent home in May, 1804, were immediately lost, and also that the earliest double Dahlias were introduced from the continent in the winter of 1814-15. An interesting communication from Mr. Buonianti, Lord Holland'a gardener, giving the history of these historical seeds and their resulting offspring, is appended to the laBt volume of MacDouald's Dictionary of Practical Gardening, 1 807, and two varieties are figured by Sydenham Edwards, the illus- trator of the book. The gardener had the good seDse to sow only a small portion of the seeds in 1S04, retaining them till the spring of 1805, when the whole was sown, and from the plants which flowered seed was saved, which pro- duced another batch of seedlings in the year following. The variability of the Dahlia was noticed by Mr. Buonianti, and he notes that two varieties had 'arch-double "flowers, and others had more than the normal number of petals. The old plants were wintered in a cool green- house, and had no heat to start them ; and a root that had been left in the open ground, coming up in spring and growing as vigorously as the others, confirmed him in the opinion that coddling the Dahlia was a mistake. He also propagated plants from cuttings. Hogg, in 1820, alludes to these as the origin of the English stock of Dahlias, though the finest varieties were then introduced from France. B. SOCI ETI ES. — »■ ROYAL HORTICULTURAL: CHISWICK. August 16.— Pleasant weather ou the above date helped to bring a full quorum of members to Chiswick to examine Potatos in spite of its being the holiday season, when gardeners flee to the seaside or elsewhere. No less than 130 stocks or varieties of Potatos have been grown this season, and the Fruit and Vegetable Committee think that in future these great numbers may be severely reduced, seeing that so many are of such poor value. The Committee also rigidly ignored any that were sent in under letter or number only, and that practice will continue to be adopted, indeed it is hoped that the Council will instruct its superintendent to refuse all varieties that are not sent in under name ; and then the numbers from any one person to be severely limited. P. T. Crowley, Esq., was Chairman, and there were present : Messrs. J. Wright, G. Keif, J. Willard, A. F. Barron, W. Pope, J. Cheal, Esling, and A. Dean. The early varieties, sixty in number, had been lifted and laid out in lines to show crop ; several were ordered to be cooked. Then attention was given to the later ones, but not a few of these still showed such strong late green growth that it was resolved to leave them to a future date. Of all the varieties tried one only showed any signs of disease. Many of the later ones were disappointing in their tuber produce ; ultimately thirteen varieties in all were cooked, and their table quality tested as a result. Awards of Meiit were given to Early Puritan, now well known and very good ; and Collyer's Glory, round white, good cropper ; General Roberts, round white ; Sir J. Llewelyn, flattish white, and a wonderful cropper. Tommy Atkins, Kate Henderson, and Twentieth Century, fine rounds, are to be cooked again when riper. CARDIFF GARDENERS ASSOCIATION. August 13, 1900, will long be remembered by the members of the Cardiff Gardeners' Association as a red-letter day in the history of their Society, for on that date a delightful and instructive excursion was made to the Royal Gardens, Kew. The programme for the day was a visit to the Royal Gar- dens, to Gunnersbury House, and to Gunnersbury Park Gardens (the residence of Mr. Leopold de Rothschild), ana various places of amusement in London at night ! The party, numbering fifty, left Cardiff at ..>.50 a.m., and reached Kew at 12.30 p.m., where a luncheon was partaken at the Rose and Crown hotel, the chair being taken by Councillor Peuhold. At 2 p.m. a move was made to the Royal Gardens, where two hours were spent, the chief attraction being the Lily- house, in which grows the Victoria Regia and the double Cocoa-nut Palm. The party then re-assembled at their hotel, and a start was made for Gunnersbury House and Park Gardens, where the members were met by Messrs. Camp and Quainton on betalf of Messrs. Hudson and Reynolds (who were absent). These gentlemen conducted the party to the mansion, where (by the oeslre of Mr. Leopold de Rothschild) a welcome tea was in readiness. The party were then taken to view the glasshouses, con- servatories, and pleasure grounds, and everyone came to the conclusion that it was a model English garden. After a few hours spent in these delightful gardens, a start was made for London, where the remaining time was spent. The party reached Cardiff at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, everyone satisfied with the excellent arrangements made by the honorary secretary, Mr. John Julian. THE ENGLISH ARBORICULTURAL. THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. This 8ociety held their yearly meetingp, from 14th to 17th inst., at Manchester, making the Grand Hotel their headquarters. On Wednesday, 15th inst., about 150 members and many friends paid a visit to the nurseries of Messrs. Wm. Clihran & Son, Altrincham, which were minutely inspected, especially the Forest-tree Department, and from the general opinion expressed, that which was observed seemed to be quite a revelation to many of the visitors. Visits were paid to several places of interest, including the Dunham Park (by kind permission of the Countess of Stamford and Warrington), where some grand old specimens of forest trees were measured, and in several cases photographed for record in the Society's Journal. The whole party were afterwards entertained at luncheon by Messrs. Clibrau, to whom a hearty vote of thanks was accorded, coupled with the name of their Mr. J. R. Brown (in the absence of Mr. Clibran, who is away from home), the leader of the party throughout the day. In the evening the annual dinner took place at the Grand Hotel, at which the principals of Messrs. Clibran & S*»n were the guests. The Lord Mayor of Manchester honoured the company by his presence, and responded to the toast of the city and trade of Manchester. Chatsworth and Haddun Hall were visited on Thursday and Friday respectively. ROYAL HORTICULTURAL OF ABERDEEN. August 16, 17, 18.— How widely diflerent were the experi- ences this year of the members of this Society in comparison with those prevailing last year, when the scene which met the gaze or the visitor on the opening day was one of chaos and destruction. The effects, however, of last year's destruction were clearly discernible in the number of entries, and especially was this notable in the pot-plants division, it being found impossible to replace within a year many of the valuable plants ruined last year. Nevertheless, the entries numbered upwards of 1200, and a splendid spectacle they p:esented in the spacious marquees erected for thsir ac- comraolation. Pot Plants.— The exhibition made in this division was an exceedingly fine one. The feature in the professional section was the group of plants entered in the class for " best grown plants arranged in a circle of 10 feet diameter." Although there were only two entries, the exhibits were of the highest degree of merit. The 1st prize was awarded to Mr. Alex. Grigor, gr. to Mr. A. O. Gill, of Fairfield, Aberdeen ; and the 2nd to Mr. John Proctor, gr. to Sir William Henderson, Devanha House, Aberdeen. The merits of the respective exhibits were very much on a par, and it was only through Mr. Grigor's superior arrangement that he carried off the highest prize. The outstanding plants in Mr. Grigor's group were Liliums, Crotons, Dracrenas, Orchids, and Begoaias. In Mr. Proctor's group a fine Dasylirion was in the centre, surrounded by Liliums, Ixoras, Bougainvilleas, Alocasias, and Orchids. Keen competition took place in the class for stove or greenhouse plants, and here Mr. John Proctor eairied off premier honours with a magnificent exhibit The Fern classes were well filled, most of the specimens being in splendid order. In this class, Mr. John Sim, gr. to Mr. Murray, of Glenburnie Park, Aberdeen, and Mr. Alex. Grigor, Fairfield, carried off highest honours. For Petunias, Mr. John M. Simpson, Varvillbaok, Aberdeen, and Mr. Alex, Grigor were chief prize winners ; while for Gloxinias, Mr. John Sim, Glenburnie Park, and Mr. S. Roberison, Ferryhill House Gardens, were best. Other gardeners well worthy of mention in this division were Mr. Alex. Douglas, Belhelvie, zonal Pelargoniums ; Mr. A. Gillespie, Aberdeen, Fuchsias ; and Mr. James Anderson, Aberdeen, early-flowering Chrysanthemums. Cut Flowers.— A fine display of Roses was witnessed in this division, aud the marquee devoted to it proved very attrac- tive to the visitors. Messrs. D. & W. Croll. nurserymen. Dundee, carried off premier honours fur Roses among nursery- men, their blooms of Killarney being of special good quality. In the professional gardeners' section. Roses and Cactus Dahhas were very good, and competition was keen. For. twenty-four Roses, Mr. George McLennan, gr., Fetteresso Castle, Kincardineshire, was 1st. Among other exhibitors taking prizes were Mr. W. Milne, Corsindae, Midmar ; Mr Anderson, Aberdeen; and Mr. W. L. Johnston, Ardennan. Asters and Marigolds were above the average ; while hardy herbaceous flowers made a meritorious display. Among Car- nations, Stocks, and Sweet Peas, some excellent blooms were shown. The outstanding winners for Dah'ias were— Mr. Geo. Milne, Cluny Castle ; Mr. G. MgLennan, Mr. A. Grigor, and Mr. J. D. Crozier, Durris. Among others worthy of mention in this division were— Mr. W. L. Johnston, Ardenmvi, f t Asters ; Mr. J. Grieve, Woodside, for Marigolds ; Mr. A. Douglas, Middlemuir, for herbaceous perennial flowers ; Mr. J. Anderson, Aberdeen, for Pansies ; Mr. W. Scorgie, Rubis- lawden House, Aberdeen, for twenty cut flowers of species distinct ; Mr. A. Grigor, for trusses of zonal Pelargoniums : and Mr. John Brown, Blackhall Castle, for model garden and bedding design of flowers o: foliage plants. Fruit. — All over the display in this division was decided'y backward, owing to the lateness of the season. Grapes wer.) admittedly the most conspicuous feature, and those shown by Mr. A. Hutton, Usan House, Monlrose, and Mr. Alex. Grigor, Aberdeen, were well worth the honours comerred. The best collections of fruit were exhibited by Mr. A. Howie, Drumtochty Castle, Fordoun, and Mr a. Hutton, Usan House. Montrose. Among the other 1st prize-takers were Mr. G. Taylor, Inchgarth, Cults, for hariy Iruits ; Mr. 8. Cowie, Raeden, Aberdeen, for Strawberries and Red Currants. Vegetables.— Taken all round, the display of vegetables was very good, both in numbers and qualitv, especially those shown by Mr. J. Grant, gr. to Mrs Crawford Leslie, Rothienorman, who worthily won in the class for the b st collection of ten varieties of vegetables; indeed, the drsiHy made by the professionals was most meritorious. Especially so were those shown by Mr. Alex. Paterson, market- girdeuer, Ruthrieslon (collection or nine varieties). In the amateur and working-class divisions, very good displays were made, Mr. J. Lennie, Bannermill. showing the best side-table of greenhouse plants, in the former class. Ferns were also well shown here. Special FlorUUf Displays.— Messrs. James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen, occupied a large tent, and were awarded the Gold Medal for the best nurseryman's display. The firm's beau- tiful collection of Cups, Medals, &c, was shown off to advan- tage amongst the superb wreaths, crosses, bouquets, &c. Following the floral display was a fine bank of herbaceous perenDial cut flowers, extending to 40 feet by 9 feet. At the north end of the tent, immediately following the herbaceous flowers, Messrs. Cocker exhibited a gorgeous display of Roses, arranged in baskets. Gladioli and Cactus Dahlias were also represented in fine order. Messrs. William Smith & Sons, Burnside Nurseries, Aber- deen, had a fine exhibit, the principal feature of which was a table of floral work, bouquets, and baskets of choice exotics. Messrs. Ben Reid & Co., Aberdeen, were also to the fore with an exhibition which included a variety of pot plants. Several fine examples were on show of the new Watsoria Arderni, which is almost entirely new lothe north. Gladioli, Sweet Peas and various herbaceous plants were shown. They also showed hardy Conifers and deciduous tlants largely. The show was a great success, and the Society's exchequer was well filled. Thanks to the assiduous care and forethought of the courteous Secretary, Mr. Rennet, Advocate, who was on the ground all the time, everything went off satisfactorily IV. K. . 1ROWBBIDGE HORTICULTURAL. August 15.— Trowbridge has had its flower show lor fifty- one years, and the interest in them does not abate. Tie holding of the show forms a gala day for the district, the people flocking into the town from the surrounding villages ; Bristol and Bath send their contingents. The exhibition was held as usual in the Town Field ; the day was fine. Trowbridge keeps up its reputation for Fuchsias, and some fine specimens were staged on this occasion. Mr. G. Tucker, florist, Helperton Marsh, has become the champion Fuchsia cultivator, and was on this occasion placed 1st for six and four specimens, all large, weU grown and bloomed plants. In his six he hid of dark varieties Charming (one of the most useful Mr. J. Lye ever raised), Doel's Favouri'e, and Final. Light varieties were Mrs. Bright, Tucker's Favourite, a free-growing and blooming variety ; and Arabella. The 2nd prize for six went to Mr. H. Chislett, gr. to E. T. Fgxcroit, Esq , Hinton Charterhouse, who had plants ofgood growth, but whose flowers wen small. Mr. H. PoeicK, Trowbridge, was 3rd. Mr. Tucker's 1-t prize four varieties were Western Beauty, light; Mrs Moles, worth, doublerwh'te corolla; Charming, and Mrs. H. Roberts. Mr. Chislett was 2nd, having better bloomed examples than he had staged in the preceding class ; Mr. H. Pooook wasSrd, wilh much better examples than we are accustomed to see at leading provincial exhibitions In a tent set apart for amateurs and cottagers there were some excellent Fuchsias. All classes grow them well in this Wiltshire town. Next in importance to the Fuchsias came the stove and greenhouse plants; and tiiough the^e fill a little below the 156 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [August 25, 1900. usual mark, owing to the date being earlier than usual, they were still very good. Mr. H. Matthews, gr. to Sir W. R. Brown, Bart., Trowbridge, was as usual 1st with twelve specimens in flower ; they were large and well-balanced ; chief among them, Allamanda nobilis, and A. Williamsii ; Ericas Eweriana superba and Austin- iana ; Ixora amabilis, Clerodendron Balfourianum, &c. Mr. Geo. Tuckek was 2nd, chief among his plants were Statiee Gilbert!, Botlgainvillea Sanderiana, Dipladenia crassinoda, and Scephauotis flonbunda. Mr. G. Hallett Bath, was 3rd. But Mr. Tuckek came in 1st with six specimens, having in good character Bougainvillea glabra, Erica Eweriana superba, Dipladenia profusa, and Allamanda Hendersoni. Mr. H. Matthews was 2nd, with three speci- mens ; Mr. Tucker was also to the fore, here he had in very good character Statiee Gilberti, Allamanda nobilis, and Bougainvillea glabra. The best specimen flowering plant was a fine Dipladenia Brearleyana from Mr. G. Tucker ; Mr. Matthews almost equal with Clerodendron Balfourianum. The best specimen foliage plants was a fine Kentia Foster- iana from Mr. Matthews; Mr. G. Hallett came 2nd, with a variegated Pine-apple, handsomely coloured. Cockscombs were good, indeed it was pleasant to see these old-fashioned subjects in such goodeharacter. Zonal Pelargo- niums as exhibited by Mr. Tucker were very fine ; and Mr. Matthews' six Heaths were decidedly praiseworthy. Some excellent Gloxinias were also shown. Single and double- flowered Begonias were shown in good character ; Mr. G. Tucker had the best six plants of single ; and Mr. H. Chis- lett the best six plants of double ; in both cases they were well grown and bloomed. Coliseums were mainly representa- tive of newly. introduced plants, and Campanula Mayi was also shown in this class. There were also two classes for groups of plants arranged for effect. Excellent plants of Pelargoniums and other subjects were shown by amateurs and working-men. The best nine foliaged plants came from Mr. H. Matthews, well-grown Palms and Coditeums preponderating ; Mr. G. Hallett was 2nd. The class foi twelve Perns brought a keen contest between Mr. A. P. Stancomb, the President, and Mr. Geo. Tucker; eventually the two collections were placed equal 1st, though Mr. Staxcomb's plants showed the finest development, both displayed excellent cultivation. Other foliaged plants were represented by Coleus and Caladuims. Cut flowers included Asters of the quilled type, also the flat-petalled Victorias and Comets, the lattor very good. Botes.— There were several classes for Roses; the best twelve trebles came from Messrs. J. Townsend & Son Worcester, who had in good character for the season of the year Mrs. J. Laing, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, A. K. Williams, Catherine Mermet, Caroline Testout, Duchess of Bedford, The Bride, &c. Mr. J. Mattock, nurseryman, Oxford, was 2nd, his best blooms were Maman Cochet, and its white variety, Horace Vernet, Niphetos, &c. With thirty-5ix distinct, Messrs. J. Townsend & Son were again 1st, chief among the blooms were Mrs. J. Laing, Caroline Testout, Auguste Rigotard, Duke of Wellington^ Fisher Holmes, Victor Hugo, The Bride, Maman Cochet] Beauty of Waltham, &c. Mr. J. Mattock was again 2nd, his leading flowers were Duchess of Bedford, A. K Williams, Horace Vernet, Mareehal Niel, Mdlle. Eug. Verdier Maman Cochet, &c. Messrs. E. Cooling & Son, Bath, had the best twenty-four varieties, staging in good form Mrs. H. Turner, Charles Lefebvre, Horace Vernet, Alfred Colomb, Marechal Niel Mdlle. Eug. Verdier, White Maman Cochet, &c. Mr. J. Mat- lock was 1 nd. With twelve varieties, Mr. Mattock was 1st, and Messrs. Townsend & Son 2nd. The best twenty-four blooms of Tea Roses came from Messrs. Townsend & Son ; the most noticeable were Edith Gifford, Madame Cusin, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Catherine Mermet, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Francisci Kruger, and The Bride. 2nd, Mr. J. Mattock. Mr. Geo. Garrowav, Bath, was 1st with twelve Tea- scented, and Messrs. Townsend & Son 2nd. Dahlias, owing to the season, were not up to the usual mark, the blooms being small and unfinished. The best twelve of show varieties came from Messrs. J. Cray & Son Frome ; Messrs. Keynes & Co., Salisbury, were 2nd. The best twelve bunches of Pompons, and also of Cactus varieties came from Messrs. Cray & Son ; Messrs. Keynes and Co. 'taking the 2nd prizes in both classes. Gladioli, Pansies, Carnations, ami Pieotees were also shown ; as well as hardy flowers and stove and greenhouse subjects, all of which helped the general display. Floral decorations included epergnes, also fruit and flowers in. combination ; dinner-tables, bouquets, Ac, all very pretty and highly attractive to the lady visitors. There were also wild flowers in collections, bunches of Hardy Annuals, &c. Fruit was scarcely up to the usual standard at Trowbridge. Mr. W. Strucnell, The Gardens, Rood Ashton, was 1st with ten, and also with six dishes. In these classes, he had Muscat of Alexandria and Black Alicante Grapes ; Dyinond and Walburton Admirable Peaches ; Stanwick Elruge and Pine-apple Nectarines, Plums, Melon, &c. Mr. Bible, gr. to H. H. Prince Hatzheldt, Draycott Park, Sutton Benger, was 2nd with ten dishes, and Mr. G. Pymm with six dishes'. There were good Grapes in several classes, also Apricot?, Melons, Plums, Cherries, Peaches, dessert and culinary Apples. Among the former, Beauty of Bath and Astrachan were the best ; and of culinary varieties, Lord Suffield and Peasgood's Nonsuch. Vegetables were very good, as they always are in the west of England, climate and soil alike appearing to suit them. There were excellent collections competing for the special prizes offered by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading ; Webb & Sons, Stourbridge ; and Toogood & Sons, Southampton. There were many classes, and the cottagers came out in strong force. Altogether, the tifty-first exhibition of this society appeared to be as successful as any which has preceded it. SHROPSHIRE HORTICULTURAL. EXHIBITION AT SHREWSBURY. August 22, 23.— The annual shows held at Shrewsbury by the Shropshire Horticultural Society are still the largest and finest to be seen in the provinces. Since 1875, the year when the Society was established, the management has been so energetic and intelligent, that there has been almost uninter- rupted progress. Its financial position has improved year by year, and there has been shown the greatest desire to share this increased prosperity with the exhibitors ; consequently the exhibits have showed an increase in number from year to year. On the present occasion, the amount of prize money offered for competition amounts to about £1,000, with Gold and Silver Medils, and the competitors for these prizes include the most successful cultivators throughout England. It would be im- possible to deny that such an exhibition as that opened on Wednesday at Shrewsbury has a great educational influence upon the many thousands of visitors that always attend. Its influence is one for the extension of horticultural practice, and in the direction of higher cultivation. The plants, fruits, and flowers exhibited there are as nearly perfect in respect to cultivation as it is possible to obtain them, and many a country gardener, as well as thousands of amateurs, are stirred by their excellence to greater efforts than they have hitherto made. The means that provided such liberal prizes are obtained in a large measure from a class of people who have little sympathy or liking for so unexciting a pursuit as gardening, and who attend the Shrewsbury Show in order to see the many attractions, and sports held upon the same day in thesame beautiful grounds, known as the " Quarry." It is regrettable that it should be impossible to attract the immense number of people one meets at Shrewsbury by a display of horticulture alone, but it may be hoped that on each occasion many of those who have come merely to see the sports, are encouraged to make some start, and to take an interest in gardening, by the splendid exhibits they see in the tents. There were six large marquees provided, and all of them were well filled. That containing the large groups of mis cellaneous plants arranged for effect, and the specimen stove and greenhouse 'plants, was 250 feet long, and 60 feet wide, excepting in the centre, where in the shape of a cross, the width was that of 120 leet. Another tent in which the principal exhibits were fruit and cut flowers had a length of 300 feet, and varied from 51 feet to 100 feet in width. Most of the vegetables were accommodated in a tent 120 feet X 30 feet, and cut flowers again filled another one 100 feet x 36 feet. Miscellaneous exhibits from amateurs were contained in a tent 150 feet X 42 feet. Wild flowers, &c„ and various exhibits from cottagers, in one 150 feet x 3(i feet. The evening preceding the show was not too promising ; rain fell occasionally, and the glass was falling. The night was much worse, for there were frequent storms, and a perfect deluge of rain. On Wednesday morning, however, the sun shone early, and the secretaries, who had almost given up hope on Tuesday night, then thought that things would not be so very bad ; and this, although it was expected that the clouds that passed over our heads frequently would produce occasional showers. This was what happened, and there were several vety heavy showers during Wednesday ; and the rain at times found its way into the tents. As we walked through the tents on Taesday night, and saw the immense amount of work occasioned by the arrangement— the building up it might almost be called — of the groups of plants arranged for effect, some idea could be obtained-of the thoroughness with which the exhibitors perform their tasks ; but some of us could see in the fruits and specimen plants shown, evidence of most painstaking cultivation during the past year and previous ones. Never were specimen plants better shown at Shrewsbury, nor has any previous exhibition in all respects excelled the one held this week. Messrs. H. W. Adnitt and W. W. Naunton, the Honorary Secretaries, have worked hard and succeeded. The greatest courtesy has been extended by each of them to everybody, and to their tact and energy must be due the extraordinary success that has been obtained and retained. We took occasion last year to reproduce the photographs of these gentlemen (see Gardeners' Chronicle, August 20, 1S99). FRUIT. Champion Class. Collection of Twenty-four Dishes.— The principal fruit class was one for twenty-four dishes of British-grown fruits, arranged upon a space 10 feet by 4 feet 6 inches. The 1st prize offered was £25 and the Society's Gold Medal; 2nd prize, £20; 3rd prize, £15; 4th prize, £10. Pines were excluded from this class. The fruit was judged exclusively upon its merits, and prizes awarded accordingly. Additional prizes were also awarded to exhibits in this class, and in all those for collections of fruits, for decorations used, and general setting up. Tbe Earl of Harrington, Elvaston, Derby (gr., Mr. J. H. Goodacre), has the honour of winning in this extremely exacting class. His Grapes consisted of Canon Hall Muscat, Muscat of Alexandria, Black Hamburgh, and Madresfield- Court ; Pears, Souvenir du Cougres, and Triomphede Vienne ; Melons, Countess (2;, Vicar of Bath, and Hero of Lockinge; Peaches Royal George and Bellegarde (several dishes) ; Apples, Worcester Pearmain (uncommonly pretty) ; Plums, Jefferson ; Nectarines, Elruge and Pitmaston Orange ; Figs, Brunswick. Below is appended a table showing the points awarded each dish :— Apples, points gained ... 5h Points possible ... 7 Figs „ ... 6 ,, .« 7 Grapes „ ... o£ ,, .* 10 ... 0 „ ... 10 ... 8 „ -. 10 ... n » - 10 ... n >. - io „ „ ... 9 m ••• 10 ... 8 „ ... 10 7h ,, - 10 Melon „ ... 6 „ ... S - 6| „ ... S ... <3* „ -. S 5 „ ... 8 Nectarines ,, ... 4£ ,, ... 8 ,, „ - 5£ „ ... S Peaches Pears Plums 5* 6| 6 5£ Total 157| Total 20S S.r J. W. Pease, Bart., Guisboro, Yorks (gr., Mr. J. Mclodoe), was 2nd for the collection of fruit, and for the ornameniation employed, winning 134J points out of the pos- sible 208, for quality of fruit only, in this exhibit some of the Peaches were very good, and Pears excellent. One dish of Plums gained bh points from a possible tf points; but the Grapes were hardly so good as in the other exhibit ; 3rd, Lady Henry Somerset, Eastnor Castle, Ledbury (gr., Mr. G. Mul- lins), who gained 12SrV points ; and was also 3rd prize-winner for the decorations used. There were five exhibitors, and 4th prize was gained by the Hon. Mrs. Ingram, Temple News- ham, Leeds (gr., Mr. R. Davies), whogaiaedl2U points. Collections of Twelve Dishes.— There was grand fruit shown in' this class, and as in the previous one, it was judged inde- pendently of the decorations. Mrs. F. Need, York House, Malvern (gr., Mr. J. Jones), won 1st prize, and the following were his varieties : Grapes, Madresfield Court, Gros Maroc, and Muscat of Alexandria ; Peaches : Stanwick Elruge, Violet Hative, and Stirling Castle ; Apricot, Moor Park ; Fig, Brown Turkey ; Plum, Grand Duke ; Apple, Beauty of Bath ; and two fine Melons. The fruits in this exhibit were of very general exceUence. In respect to the decorations employed, 2nd prize only was gained. The collection adjudged to be next in value was one from Lord Bagot, Blithfield, Rugeley (gr., Mr. T. Bannermann), who had an exhibit that closely approached in merit the one already noticed. Splendid Peaches, Nectarines, Figs, and Cherries were shown, and the Muscat of Alexandria, Madresfield Court, and Gros Maroc Grapes were likewise of satisfactory quality. No prize was gained by this exhibitor for the decorations employed, which in this case were very scanty; 3rd, the Hon. Mrs. Ingram, Temple Newsham (gr., Mr. R. Davies), who included a nice Pine-apple, a fruit omitted from both 1st and 2nd prize col- lections. The Hon. Mrs. Ingram also gained 3rd prize for her decorations, but the 1st prize for decorations was won by the Earl of Harrington, whose collection of fruit was disquabl- fied, owing to a slight disagreement with the s chedule. Under the circumstances an extra prize was awarded. Collection of nine dislies, Pine excluded (open to residents in Salop only).— There were five competitors in this class, and the 1st prize was won by Rev. T. M. Bulkeley Owen. He had Foster's Seedling and Madresfield Court Grapes, Grosse Mignonne and Hale's Early Peaches, Early Rivers Nectarines, Shipley Apricots, Prince Englebert Plums, Jargonelle Pears, and Hero of Lockinge Melon. For the decoration of this exhibit the 2nd prize was awarded. The next collection of fruit in point of quality was one from H. H. France Hay- hurst, Esq., Overley, Wellington (gr., Mr. Bremmell), his Apricots were very fine, as were his Alnwick Seedling Grapes, Prince of Wales and Lord Napier Peaches, and Lord Napier Nectarines. 3rd, Lord Trevor, Brynkmalt, Chirk igr., Mr. W. Davies), whose Peaches, Nectarines, and Cherries were most praiseworthy. Miss Wright, ofHalston Hall, Oswestry (gr., Mr. C.Roberts), gained 1st prize in this class for the decoration employed, but failed in respect to the fruits exhibited. The best collection, of six dishes of hardy fruits from Salopians was only one from J. B. Wood, Esq., Henley Hall, Ludlow (gr., Mr. H. Hunter), and his fruits were very fiue indeed. They included Jargonelle Pear, Superlative Raspberry, Lord Derby Gooseberry, Irish Peach Apple, Irish Grape Currant August 25, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 157 ami MorelloChorries; 2nd, BfrB.WMQHT-BOTCOTT, Pattingham, Wolverhampton. There were several classes for Apples, Pears, and Plums, restricted to residents in Salop, and each of them were well contested ; the fruits generally being of high quality. DESSERT TABLE COMPETITION. As last year, there was a class for a dessert-table, 10 feet by 4 feet t> inches, decorated with plants in pots, cut flowers, and furnished with not more than fifteen dishes of fruit, selected from a li&t published in the Society "s schedule. This class produces a very charming effect. There were four tables on this occasion, and it was evident from the crowded state of this part of the fruit-tent that the public were greatly attracted, by these exhibits. The 1st prize was awarded to the Earl of Harrington, Elvaston Hall, Derby (gr., Mr. J. H. Goodacre). The varieties he showed were Grapes, Muscat of Alexandria, Madresfield Court, Canon Hall Muscat, and Black Hamburgh ; two excellent bunches of each being shown in fancy, cross-handled baskets, the Grapes resting on Vine-foliage, and the baskets themselves being relieved with Asparagus sprays. There were also Nec- tarines Pitmaston Orange aud Lord Napier ; Peaches Princess of Wales and .Royal George ; Plums, Kirk's ; two excellent Melons ; Pears Williams" Bon Chretien, Apples Lady Sudeley and Worcester Pearmain, and Figs. The table was orna- mented by three large trumpet glasses, and a number of smaller ones furnished with Montbretia and Francoa race- mosa flowers, relieved by Ferns and Gypsophila. It may be of interest if we append the table showing the number of points gained in respect to the various fruits :— Apples, points gained ... 5 Points possible ... 7 ... , ■■■ '-» „ ... 10 Melon n ... 7 g » .» ■■■ t) „ ... 8 Nectarines ,, ... 7 8 ... 7 " .'.'." 8 Peaches ,,7 ^ - » ... 0 „ ... 8 Pears n ... *>i „ ... S Plums » - 4* „ ... t> Beauty of Flowerand Foliage 0£ S Harmonious Blending of Colour, points gained ... 8i If ... 10 General Arrangement lor Effect, points gained ... 0 )( 10 126 151 The 2nd prize was taken by Sir J. W. Pease, Bart., Guis- boro, Yorks (gr., Mr. J. Mclndoe), who gained 113£ points, all but twenty-three of which were awarded for excellence of the fruit shown. 3rd, Lady Henry Somerset, Eastnor Castle, Ledbury (gr., Mr. G. Mullins), who gained 112 points, being very close to the last-named exhibitor. 4th Lady Theudora Guest, Henstridge (gr., Mr. T. Wilkins), who gained SO points. G rapes. Though there was no " great Grape class " this year, in the sense there was in the previous year, there were plenty of very fine Grapes shown in the clashes exclusively for this fruit, as well as in those for collections of fruits. The best collection of six bunches, in three varieties, was shown by the Rev. F. M. Bulkelev Owls, Tedsmore Hall (gr., Mr. J. Langley). Black Alicante was shown grandly, the bunches being of unusual size, well shouldered, large in berry, and magnificently coloured ; Madresfield Court were also of first- rate quality and size ; whilst the remaining varieties, Black Hamburgh, were finished to a degree. Of the six other com- petitors, the most successful for 2nd prize were D & W Buchanan, Forth Vineyaid, Kippen, N.B., showing Madres- fleld Court, Alnwick Seedling, and the new Diamond Jubilee, all of them being good; 3rd, C. E. Newton, Esq., Mickleover Manor, Derby (gr., Mr. Campbell). The bunches of Madres- field Court were not of best form, but the berries were noteworthy. Four Bunches, Two White, Two Black.— Messrs. D. & W. Buchanan wou 1st prize, showing Madresfield Court and Muscat of Alexandria. Of eight other exhibitors, C. E.. Newton Esq., won 2nd prize with Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria. The first-named variety was shown the better, "but the Muscats contained some berries of great size. 3rd, the Earl of Harrington, with the varieties Muscat of Alexandria and Madresfield Court. New Grapes.— In a class for two bunches, black or white, of a new Grape raised and introduced during 1895 to 1000 inclusive, Sir J. M. Pease won 1st prize for the black-fruited variety named Directeur Tisserand ; 2nd, Diamond Jubilee from Messrs. D. & W. Buchanan. Three bunches Black Hamburgh. — E. A. Young, Esq., Tan-y-Bryn, Bangor (gr., Mr. A. Ruddock), had the best exhibit of this variety with moderate-sized bunches of lar<*e handsomely-coloured berries. Of eight other collections the best was from the Earl of Harrington, 2nd ; and C E Newton, Esq., was 3rd. Madresfield Court.— There were nine exhibits of two bunches of this variety, and generally they were very good, but those of Col. Plath, Llanfairfeehan(gr.,Mr. W. Coates) (1st prize), were much superior in size to all the others ; 2nd Mrs Wilson, Market Drayton (gr., Mr. A. Salt), who had berries superior in size and colour to those in the larger bunches just noticed ; 3rd, J. C. Waterbouse, Esq., Prestbury, Maccles- !ield(gi\, Mr. A. H. Hall). Black Alicante.— There were six exhibits of this variety, and Messrs. D. R. W. Hudson, Esq., Danesfield, Great Marlow, was 2nd having very fine Oninns, Carrots, Runner Beans, Celery, anil tine Leeks, Cauliflowers, Tomato3, Potatos, &c. Mr. W. Pope, gr. to the Earl of Carnarvon, Highelere Castle, Newbury, was 3rd. Mr. Ashton, gr. to the Earl of Lathom, Ormskirk, was 4th. Mr. Wilkins, gr. to Lady Guest, Henstridge, Dorset, was 5th; and Mr. Bastin, gr. to A. Henderson, Esq., Buscot Park, Berks, was 6th. Messrs. J. C»rter & Co., High Holborn, gave valuable prizes also for nine vegetable*, many of the same competitors entering; in this case eight compet'd. Mr. Beckett \va* again 1st, with supero Duke of Albany Peas, Adsa Cra'g Onions, Celery, Potatos, Runner Beans, Tomatos, Carrots, and Leeks. Mr. Gibson, gr. to J. B. Johnstone, Esq., Coombe Cottage, Kingston, was 2nd, having tomewhat similar kinds but included some very good Beet. Mr. Wilkins was 3rd, Mr. Aseton 4th, Mr. Bastin 5th, and Mr. W. Pope 6th. Messrs. Webb & Sons, Wordsley, had a class for nine vege- tables also, offering very liberal prizes. Heie Mr. Gibson, of Marlow, was well 1st with Long Surrey Carrots, Ideal Potatos, Autocrat Peas, Exhibition Runners, Rid Celery, Tomatos, CauliHowers, and Onions; Mr. E. Beckett came 2nd, having similar kinds ; Mr. E. Pope was 3rd. Mr. Ashton 4th, Mr. Wilkins 5th, and Mr. Bircb, gr. to C iptain H. L. Butler, eth. That there is much monotony in the report of these compe- titions there can be no doubt, and it will be seen that the fortune of competitors slightly varies just as they put their best products into this or that class. Whilst the average cha- racter of the exhibits was about the same as last year, it is worthy of note that the same judges, with the same basis of pointing, put the 1st prize collection in Messrs. Sutton & Sons' class four points higher last year than this, some vege- tables. Cauliflowers notably, not bsing up to last seasons excellence. Nearly all competitors had Tomatos, Potatos, Onions, Peas, Runner Beans, Cauliflowers, Celery, aud Carrots these constituting the chief in collections of nine kinds. With M»ssrs. Carter & Co 's class the lsj this year is two points ahead of the w i nner of last year. Messrs. Jones & Co, Shrewsbury, offered prizes for eight vegetables, but Mr. Taylor, gr. to Lord Keiyon, Gredington, and Mr. Davis, gr. to Lord Trevor, Chirs, ware 1st and 2nd, and the only competitors. Mr. E. Murrell, also of Shrewsbury, had classes for twelve kinds, and six kinds of vegetibtes. In the larger class-, Mr. Bremmell, gr. to H. H. France Hayhurst. Esq., Overley, Salop, was 1st; and Mr. E Walker, gr. to Sir W. Honyman, Whitchurch, was 2nd. In the smaller class, Mr. Birch was 1st; and Mr. Chaunt, gr. to Sir Colley Scotland, Chilton Grove, was 2nd. In au open class for dish of Onions, Mr. E. Beckett was 1st, with fine Ailsa Craig ; Mr. Wilkins coming 2nd ; but the latter had much the finest autumn-grown Onions, in huge Tripolis. A class for four dishes of Potatos brought good competi- tion. Mr. Morrow, Ormskirk, coming 1st, with fine Duke of York, Sutton's Al, Goldfinder, and Mr. Breeze ; Col. Kenyon coming 2nd, and Lord Kenyon 3rd. The best single dish was a superb Up-to-Date, from Mr. Walker. Mr. Ashton had the finest dish of Peas in Dicksons Champion; splendid pods. Mr, D. Breeze had the finest Runner Beans; and Mr. Cumberbatch, of Sitverdale, the best Dwarf Kidney Beans, in Cinadian Wonder. Mr. W. Pope had a superb dish of Carrots. In the classes instituted by Mr. Herbert Sydenham, of Birmingham, there was some tine products. Mr. Read had the best two dishes cf Potatos in Windsor Castle and Satis- faction ; Mr. Leith, gr. to Col. Middleton, Ross, had the best Celery; Mr. Walker, the finest Tomatos. with beautiful Polegate ; Mr. T. Wilkins, charming Turnips, with Model Mr. Leith, again the finest Onions, in Ailsa Craig, and also the best Parsnips ; vhile Mr. Pope, came 1st with beautiful Carrots, and also the best Tomatos. Mr. Read, came first with two dishes of excellent Peas, Autocrat and Gradus ; and Mr. Leith, was 1st once more with runner Beans. Non-Competitive Exhibits. Mr. J. Mclndoe, gr. to Sir J. M. Pease, Bt., showed dishes of fruits of five or six varieties of Japanese Plums, General Sigo, Chabot, Hattankio, Satsuma, Burbank, and Wiekson. The last-named variety was shown as a tree in a pot, and bore a fine crop of fruits ; the fruits of all the varieties were excellent in appearance. Mr. B. R. Davis, Yeovil Nuiseries, Somerset, had a group of tuberous-rooted Begonias. Most of them were double - flowered varieties of excellent merit, and interspersed as they were with Adiantum Ferns, the group was greatly attractive. Ariel white, Hercules scarlet, Duchess of Albany yellow ; Ida, a peculiar but attractive flower of salmon and mauve colour; E. J. Davis, crimson, &c, were varieties worth special note. Messrs. W. Clibran & Son, Altrincham Nurseries, Cheshire, made an exhibit of stove and greenhouse plants, in which we noticed a number of nice Codiaeums, including newer varieties as Mrs. J. F. McLeod, Clibran's Silver, Pride of Oldfield, and Mrs. Clibran ; Aralia elegantissima, Ixora Pilgi imi, Cordylinee, and other decorative flowering plants were well shown, including a commendable strain of Celosia pyramidalis. Messrs. R. Smith & Co., Worcester, had a group of plants and cut flowers of a miscellaneous character. Liliums in pots were conspicuous, especially L. Batemanni. The background consisted of Bamboos, Palms, Codheiims, Bouvaidias, &c, and nearer the front were large bunches of the choicer hardy flowers ; and in pans of water a lot of strong blooms of many varie ies of Marline's Watcr-Lilies. Ferns were, as usual, shown admirably by Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, Sale, near Manchester, who had something like 350 diverse species and varieties, including stove, greenhouse, and hardy. Messrs. Pritcsard & Son, Shrewsbury, had an exhibit of bedding Begonias, B. semperflorens Vernon compacta, covered with blooms ; also a group of greenhouse plants and Ferns. Mr. H. Deverill, nurseryman, Banbury, had a very praiseworthy exhibit of hardy flower*, in bunches. Choice species were shown. Mr. J. H. White, nurseryman, Worcester, had a group of cut 'flowers, including Dahlias, Gladioli, Sweet Peas, Herbaceous Phlox, Gaillardias, &c. Salvia horminum violaceum, with violet-coloured bracts. Also a plant in fruit of a variety of the "Strawberry-Raspberry." Messrs. J as. Veitch & Soss, Ltd., Royal Exotic Nurseries, Kings Road, Chelsea, showed very extensively, having a -roup of plants arranged on the grass, in a semicircular recess in. the specimen plant tent. The group was arranged to excellent effect, and in it were some splendid Codueunvs, some of them from three to four feet high, and well clothed withfoliageof unusuallyhigh colour. C. Mrs. Dorman, Warreni, Reidi, and Prince of Wales, were conspicuous. Nepenthe* mixta x, Mastersiana, &C, with abundant pitchers, were raised above the group upon stands. A magnificent plant of Heliconia illustris rubricaulis, others of Dracaena Sanderiana, D. Godsefiiana, Caladiunn, Greenhouse Rhododendrons in flower, Campanula isophylla Mayi, and a few choice Orchids were also prominent features of the exhibit. Mr. Albert Mvers, Sutton Nurseries, Shrewsbury, had a large exhibit, the specialty of which consisted of zonal Pelar goniums, which were shown as cut blooms and plants in pots, and they were of excellent variet/es. Messrs. Dicksons, Ltd., Chester, had the best collection of herbaceous Phloxes in the show in named varieties, and a group of cut flowers of miscellaneous hardy perennial species. The centre of the group included a large basin in which aquatic flowers aud some of Marliac's Lilies were tastefully disposed. Mr. Edwin Murrell, Portland Nurseries, Shrewsbury made the largest non-competitive exhibit of Roses, showin, plants in pots, as well as a large number of cut blooms. Messrs. Webb & Son, Wordsley, Stourbridge, made an extensive display of cut flowers, showing varieties of Sweet Peas and China Asters. A pretty feature of the group were fine plants of their Excelsior Gloxinia, including a white- fljwered variety of much merit, and others of various August 25, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 159 colours. The rest of the exhibit consisted of excellent i ii i ice of some of the firm's specialties In vegetables, in- cluding varieties of Potatos, Parsnips, Runner Beans, Carrots, licet, i minus, ,vr. Ueasrs. Join B & Sons, Shrewsbury, showed Dahlias exten- MMly and Sweet Peas, and made a grand display of each In & msiderable variety. Mr. W. L. Pattisos, Cherry Orchard, Shrewsbury, showed cut blooms of Violas Mr. Henry Bckpobd, Wem, Salop, showed a fine lot of Sweet Peas in glasses ; there were something like forty varie- ties, in capital condition. Varieties of Cactus Dahlias were also shown by Mr. Eckkord. Messrs. Harrison & Suns, Leicester, exhibited a large number of cut Mowers, including Sweet Peas, China Asters, &c. ; also a few choice vegetables. Messrs. EiAIHG & Mather, Kelso-on-Tweed, showed a collection of blooms of Carnations. Mr. J. B. Bi,.\i kmoru, Tiverton-onAvon, Bath, exhibited blooms of tuberous-rooted Begonias. Mr. Joun Green, Norfolk Nurseries, Dereham, had a grand lot of Dahlia flowers, chiefly of Cactus varieties. Messrs. Hartland & Son, Cork, had flowers of tuberous- rooted Begonias. Mr. S. Mortimer, Farnham Nurseries, Surrey, showed a stand of Dahlia (lowers. Mr. John Forbes, Hawick, had flowers of varieties of Car- nations, Dahlias, and other hardy species. Messrs. Jarman & Co , Ltd., Chard, had a few vegetables, Apples, cut flowers, &c. Messrs. Gi/nn &Sons, Olton, Birmingham, had a commend- able exhibit of cut Roses and herbaceous Phloxes. Messrs. D. k W. Buchanan, Forth Vineyards, N.B , exhi- bited fine Grapes, including their new Diamond Jubilee, also one called Forth Vineyard, with berries like giant Black Marocs ; and a new seedling with yellow and piuk-eoloured berries, and solid hard flesh. Awards. Large Gold Medal. To Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, for new and rare plants. To Messrs. Wfbb & Sons, Stourbridge, for cut flowers, &c. To Mr. John Green, Dereham, for Gloxinias, Dahlias, &c. To Mr. Edwin Ml-rrell, Shrewsbury, for Roses. Gold Medal. To Messrs. R. B. Davis & Son, Yeovil, for Begonias. To Mr. R. T. Smith, Shrewsbury, for group of plants. To Mr. H. Eckkord. Wemni, for Sweet Peas and Dahlias. To Messrs. Dkksons, Chester, for plants and cut flowers. To Messrs. Hartland & Son, Cork, for cut Begonias. To Mr. Blackmore, Tiverton on-Avon, for Begonias. To Messrs. Jones & Son, Shiewsbury, for ahlias and Sweet Peas. Large Silver Medal. To Mr. W. L. Pattison, Shrewsbury, for Pansies. To Messrs. Clibran & Son, Altrincham, Manchester, for group of plants. To Messrs. Pritchard & Son, for Begonias. To Mr. J. H. White, Worcester, for cat flowers. To Mr. A. Myers, Shrewsbury, for cut Pelargoniums. To Mr. J. Forbes, Hiwick, for Carnations, &c. To Mr. S. Mortimer, Farnham, Surrey, for Dahlias. Silver Medal. To Messrs. Harrison & Sons, Leicester, for Sweet Peas and cut flowers. To Messrs. Laing & Mather, tor Carnations. To Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, Sale, for Ferns. To Mr. Deverill, Banbury, for herbaceous flowers. To Messrs. Jarman & Co., Chard, for cut flowers, r. S. H. Mathews, for Tomatos. A R K E T S. CO VENT GARDEN, AUGUST 23. We cannot accept any responsibility for the subjoined reports. They are furnished to us regularly every Thursday, by the kindness of several of the principal salesmen, who revise the list, and who are responsible for the quotations. It must be remembered that these quotations do not represent the prices on any particular day, but only the general averages for the week preceding the date of our report. The prices depend upon the quality of the samples, the supply in the market, and the demand, and they may fluctuate, not only from day to day but often several times in one day. Ed.] Plants in Pots.— Average Wholesale Prices. 5- d. s.d. I . s. a. s. d. Adiantruns, p. dor. 6 0-70 Ferns, small, per Arbor-vitffi,var.,doz. 6 0-36 0 100 Aspidistras, p. doz. 18 0-36 0 i Plena elaBtaca, eaco — specimen, each 5 O-io 6 Foliage plants, var., Cannas, per dozen 18 0 — each Orotons, per doz. ... 18 0-30 0 Lily of Valley, each Cyclamen, per doz. 8 0-lQ 0 * Dracsenas, var., per dozen 12 0-30 0 — viridis, perdoj. P 0-18 0 Ericas, var.,per doz. 12 0-36 0 Enonymus, various, per dozen ... 6 0-18 0 Evergreens, var., per dozen .,, 4 0-18 0 Ferns, in variety, per dozen ... 4 0-18 0 4 0-60 16-76 10-50 19-30 8 0-40 Lycopodiums, doz. Marguerite s, per dozen Myrtles, per dozen Palms, various, ea. — specimens, each 21 0-63 0 Pelargoniums, scar- let, per dozen 8 0-12 0 — Ivyleat.perdoz. 8 0-10 0 Spiraeas, per dozen... 6 0-12 0 8 0-12 0 6 0-90 1 0-15 0 Cut Floweks, Asparagus "Fern," bunch Carnations, per dox. blooms ... Cattleyas, per dozen Eucharis, per dozen Gardenias, per doz. spikes Gladiolus, scarlet, per dozen — white, per doz. Lilium Harrisii, per dozen bloomB ... Lilium lani-ifoliuin album, doz. blms. Lilium rubrum, doz. Lilium longiflorum, per dozen Lily of Valley, per doz. bunches &c. — A vi 9, il. S. tl 10-2 0 9 0-12 0 2 0-40 rage Wholesale Prices 4 0- 2 0- s. d, 8 0 1 0 6 0 Apples, English, per bushel — Sufflelds Keswicks Juliens Qaarrendens Various Apricots, per dozen Bananas, bunch .. Cobnuts, lb. Figs (New), per doz. Filberts, per lb. ... Grapes, Hamburgh, new, per lb. ... — Alicante — Colmar — Gros Maroc, lb. — Muscats, A., per lb — Muscats, B., per lb. — Belgian, per lb. — Denla,in barrels Lemons, case Melons, each — Foreign Rocks. 16 — 2 6-50 2 6-40 4 0-50 10-30 3 0-50 4 0-50 0-24 0 Fruit. — Average s. d. s. (/. ... 1 Maidenhair Fern, per doz. bunches Marguerites, p. doi. bunches Mignonette, dozen hunches * 0- Montbretias, bunch 0 6- Odoiitoglossums, per dozen 4 0-80 Roses, Red, per doz. 10-30 — Tea, white, per dozen 10-30 — Safrano, per dozen 10-30 — Catherine Mer- met, per dozen 2 0-50 Smilax, per bunch 4 0-50 Tuberoses, per doz. blooms 0 4-06 16-36 2 0-20 16-26 3 6-50 10 — 19-20 6 0-10 0 0 4-05 13-20 0 3-05 0 7-10 0 6-13 14-19 13-26 2 6-30 0 9-13 0 7- 1 U 5 0 — 27 6-32 6 16-30 2 0-30 Wholesale Prices. Melons, Valencia, cases (24) Nectarines, per dozen- Class A Class B Oranges, Naples, p. caae — S. Australian (150) Peaches, per doz. — Class A. Class B. ... Pears, Californian, cases — Williams, French in boxes (4S) ... ia crates, ac- cording to count Pines, each Plums in sieve — English, various per sieve Green Gages in sieves . d. s. d- 0-7 0 0-9 0 I 0- 5 0 S 0-15 0 ! 0 - I 0-12 0 ! 0- 5 0 i 0- 6 0 : o- 3 o i 0-16 6 6-2 6 . 0 — 0-2 0 16-50 Vegetables. — Average Wholesale Prices. Aubergines, per. dz. Artichokes, Globe, per doz. Beans, Scarlet Runners, bush. — Broad, home- grown, per bush. — English, dwarf, per bushel — — per sieve... Heetrootw, bushel . . Beet, per dozen ... Uabbage, tally — dozen Carrots, new, p. dz. — washed, in cwt. bags Cauliflowers, per dz. Oress, per dozen punnets Cacumbers, doz. ... Endive, new French, per dozen Garlic, new, cwt.... Horseradish, tug- lish, bundle ... — forei gn, per bundle Leeks, per dozen bunches Lettuce, English Cabbage, bush. — English Cos, per score a, d. s. d. 16- 10 — 1 1 3 0 2 0 5 0 3 0- 2 0 — 16-20 0 fi — 2 0-30 0 0- 1 0 10-20 3d - 10-16 1 « 1 0- 1 6- 18 0 1 6 1 C 10 — 1 4 16-26 10-20 Mint, new, p. doz. bunches Mushrooms, house, per lb Onions, picklers per sieve — per bag — Green, dozen ... Parsley, 12 bunches — per sieve Peas, per bushel ... — in bags Potatos, per ton Radishes, 12 bches. Salad, small, pun- nets, per dozen Shallots, new, per tieve Spinach, persieve... — bushtl Tomatos, English, new, per 12 lb. — Channel Islands, per lb — Bordeaux, Feb. crates Turnips, new, per dozen — in bags Vegetable- Marrows, per dozen — tally Watercress, p. doz. bunches s d. s. d. 16 — 30 - 4 0-50 2 0 — 1 0 — 0 9-10 3 0-50 6 0-70 '0 0-80 0 10 — 1 0 1 6- 3 6- 0 3 2 0- 3 0 1 0 1 6- 3 0 0 4-06 Remarks.— Some good washed Carrots now coming in a the price quoted. The South Australian Oranges, 150 in a case, are of good size, but not fine in quality, and some are wastey. Apples and Plums are plentiful, and low in price. Scarlet Beans are down in price, and are likely to be lower. Good Peas are a short supply. Potatos. Potatos : Beds, Lincolns and Kent?, 70-6 50- S 65-5,62 5J59 5 44-S Wed. 15 E.S.E. 65-6 59 2 70-7 57-9 66-2 62 9 59-5 51 6 Thu. 16 E.N.E. 67 6 60-5,76-2 57 2 65'6 63 2 59 S 51-2 Fri. 17 E.N.E. 62-3 60-379-2 60 0 85-9 63-2,59-9 55-4 Sat. is E.N.E. 71-9 66 9 83 2 57-3 rot i6-5 63560-0 52-2 Means... 67 5 61-4 78-5 55-1 S5-2 62 5'59'7 19 8 Remarks.— A week of warm, bright weather, entirely with- out rain. 160 THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. [August 25, l1 ( r. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending August IS, is furnished from the Meteorological Office : — "The weather duriDg this period was fine and warm gene- rally, but became somewhat unsettled towards its close, with slight rain in many parts of the kingdom, and a severe thunderstorm locally, with extremely heavy rain in some of the southern suburbs of London. "The temperature was above tne mean, the excess ranging from 2° over the northern counties of England and in the south of Ireland, to 3° or 4° elsewhere. The highest of the maxima were registered during the earlier days of the week, and varied from S6° in England, S.W., and Ireland, N., 85° in Eng- land, S., S4° in the Midland Counties, and 83° in Scotland N., to 70° in England, N.E. The lowest of the minima were also recorded during the earlier half of the week, and ranged from 3S° in Ireland, N„ 39° in England, S.W., 40° in the Midland Counties, and 41° in England, N.W., to 48° in England, S., and to 53° in the Channel Islands. "The rainfall was much less than the mean in all districts. In the southern suburbs of London, however, the fall during the thunderstorm on Friday afternoon ranged from between 0'40 in. and 1-2 in. "The bright sunshine gve&tly exceeded the mean in all parts of the kingdom. The percentage of the possible duration ranged from 85 in England, S. W., 81 in the Channel Islands, and 79 in England, S., to 50 in England, N.E., 43 in Scotland, E., and 37 in Scotland, N. Answers to C orrespondents. — • — Asparagus Speengeri for Sale Purposes : S. S. Prepare a well-drained bed surrounded with a wall or a border, employing sandy loam, peat, and a small quantity of rotten dung at the Btart. Plant forthwith or in February, and train the shoots or strings up to the roof, never letting them get into a tangle. The distance to which to plant will depend upon the size of the plants, 2 feet will do at the beginning ; but if the plants throve, alternate plants would have to be trans- planted elsewhere in a couple of years. If a span-house, there might be beds made on either side, the growths meeting at the apex. The whole of the roof might be covered with growths. Nutriment must be afforded after the second year, either as top-dressings of guano or nitrate of soda, applications of stable-drainage, house- slops, &c. The growths are usually cut when of sufficient length, 1J to C feet or longer; no regard being had to their being furnished with fruit or flowers. Begonia-leaves Disfigured : W. W. Rust, caused by a mite. You might try the effects of fumigation with tobacco, or repeated syringings with soapy-water in which tobacco -water is mixed in the proportion of 1 to 20. .Black Varnish on Hot-water-pipes : J. R. Only roastiDg the pipes over a fire made in the open air will remove the varnish. The pipes i need not remain in the fire long enough to destroy the packing of the joints. Of course, some of the joints must be taken to pieces, so as to be enabled to remove the pipes from the glasshouse. Correction — Cherry "Noble." In our last issue it was stated that Messrs. Eay & Co. r/ received an Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society ; it should have read, a First-class Certificate. — /. C For Hypericum hircinum read H. Androsremum. Fungus : W. H. B. The curious fungus you were good enough to send is Geoglossum difforme, which grows in grassy situations, but is generally not so large as your specimens. Grapes : W. Stanton. Send again when quite ripe, also shoots and foliage. We will retain postage-stamps till reply goes into our pages. Grapes, Sec. : X. Y. Z. Not caused by weed- killer, but by wholesale shanking, which has affected, in every case, the stalk of the bunch. The appearances point to this having been brought about by over - cropping, intensified perhaps by the unhealthy state of the roots. The Stephanotis leaves and young shoots are scorched by the sun, whilst the house was imperfectly ventilated. Haystack, Weight of : C. L. A cubic foot of Hay should weigh 5 lb. Find the con- tents of the stack in cubic feet, multiply these by five, and you have the total weight in pounds. The part above the eaves will be about one-half that which it would weigh if it were quadrangular. Ivy-leaf Pelargonium : Scottish Amateur. When the bulk of the flowering is past, withhold water by degrees, but not entirely, and in a fortnight lay it on the ground in a partially sunny spot for another period of a fortnight, then prune away some of the old crowded shoots, and slightly shorten the remaining ones. Re-pot or apply a surfacing of loam two-thirds, and leaf-mould one-third, after teazing out as much of the exhausted soil as may be got out without injury to the roots. The plant may then receive as much water as will wet the ball throughout, and be placed in the warmest part of the greenhouse, or in a sunny window. Being practically an evergreen, it must have sufficient water to wet the soil to the bottom of the pot occasionally, and have venti- lation in mild weather, and it must be kept slightly moving all winter — in fact, be treated similarly to the show and fancy Pelargoniums, only a little warmer If in a window-box, the plant should be taken up, have its roots reduced a little, and be potted in a pot that will take them comfortably. Potting and surfacing should be done not later than the last week in September ; earlier would be better. Lack of Draught in Garden Furnace : In Trouble. For the burning of fine coke and breeze without their caking on the fire-bars, we think that you would get better results from tubular than saddle boilers. The chimney might be lengthened so as to increase the draught, and water kept in the ashpit in order to prevent clinkers forming readily. These cannot be pre- vented from forming by any means known to us where there is quick draught. With a tubular boiler there is less need to drive the fires, and, of course, less clinkering to contend with. Lawn Rake: S. B. B. Finley Lawn Rake Co., Joliet, Illinois, U.S.A. Marguerites : Scottish Amateur. Take slips forthwith, placing five or six around the edges of a 3-inch pot in sandy soil, and after affording water, place in a close cold frame or hand glass. Keep in the cutting-pots till March ; then pot singly, and grow on, affording slight shifts when necessary. You can pot up the old plants in the boxes, first drying them off slightly, cutting them into shape and reducing their size. Keep in a cold greenhouse or garden-frame, in the latter case plunging the pots in coal-ashes to the rims. Other questions next week. Mushrooms : O. F. (Bucks). Fungi too putrid for determination. There is no ring to the stem. The spores are very small. Not an edible species. The peeling of the skin is not sufficient test of a "Mushroom." There is no "royal road," except to learn to know the species by their botanical characters. M. G. C. Names of Fruits : S. S. U., Yorks. The Plum is Perdrigon Violet Hative, and the Pear Summer Crassane. Names of Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number. — H. M. V. Tilia americana. — Trow. fiscallonia rubra. — S. W. 1, a Lime, Tilia ; we cannot tell which one from a single leaf ; 2, Tulip-tree, Liriodendron tulipiferum ; 3, Cor- nus mas variegata ; 4, Euonymus europfeus, common Spindle. — Clues. 1 and 4, Catalpa bignon- ioides ; 2, Viburnum lantana ; 3, Oriental Poppy; 5, Sedum carneum variegatum ; 6, not recognised. — T. W. 1, Galium verum ; 2, Erica tetralix ; 3, Calluna vulgaris ; 4, Statice Limonium ; 5, Aster Tripolium. — Harold Wood. Rhus Cotinus, Wig-tree. — Max L. Asclepias eriocarpa. — A. J. K.. Taunton. 1, Saponaria officinalis fiore pleno ; 2, Alstru'meria pelegrina ; 3, Sidalcea malvaeflora alba ; 4, Scutellaria galericulata ; 5, Mentha aquatica. — J. A. C. We are rather appalled at the prospect of having to name all the trees in the park, but we will do what we can, consistently with editorial duties, to help you. Your specimens are : — 1, Rhamnus cathar- ticus. Buckthorn ; 2, Euonymus japonicus. — A. H. Viburnum lantana. Orange-rust on the Rose : L. G. Ii. Flowers-of- sulphur dusted over infected foliage whilst the latter is wet from rain or dew, or when wetted with the syringe. No infested Rose-leaves or those of other plants should be left untouched by sulphur, or the rust will live to afflict you another year. The fungus is known to science under several names, but it will isuffice if we give it Mr. Worthington G. Smith's name— Coleosporium pingue. It exists in three forms on Roses at different seasons, but rarely together at the same time and on the same Rose-bush. The first stage it is sulphury or creamy-yellow ; at the midsummer stage it is brilliant cinnabar-red, the "Orange-fungus " or rust stage ; and at last it is black. A full description, with figures of the fungus, appeared in oar issue for July 17, 1886, pp. 76 and 77. Peaches : H. G. M. Peach mildew. Pear : W. H. S. Not generally grown in this country. Pelargoniums : Scottish Amateur. We do not understand what you mean by "boggy," but, generally speaking, zonal and other Pelargoniums, which are not winter bloomers, or not wanted in bloom till the spring and summer seasons, should be dried off, more or less, and then be cut back severely ; that is, into the well-ripened current season's growth, leaving the snags from 1 to 2 ins. long. The plants may then be laid on their sides on the ground against a wall (west or east), and left there till growth recommences, which will be in two or three weeks afterwards. Then shake them out of most of the old Boil, cut off straggling roots, and repot ; this time in pots two or three sizes smaller than those they previously occupied. Bedding Pelargoniums should be taken up in early October, and after trimming the roots and removing the weaker shoots entirely, they should be firmly potted in small pots, using a rather sandy loam three-quarters, and one-quarter leaf-mould or decayed stable-dung. Keep close till tbey recover their vigour, then afford air pretty freely in mild weather, and apply water only when the soil is getting very dry. Old plants in large pots may be readily wintered in a cool greenhouse if frost be not allowed to reach them, but small plants do best with a little more warmth. Be sure not to pot these plants, especi- ally the young ones, deeply. It is enough if the base of the plant be 1 inch under the surface. Picturesque County : A. N. Probably most persons would give the palm to Cornwall as being the most picturesque south-western county. Taking all Eogland, Yorkshire shows the greatest variety in landscape. Seeding of Camellias : D. T. With the semi- double and single-flowered Camellias seeding is very common. When ripe the pods open, and should then be gathered and the seeds extracted. If sown in October in loamy soil, and kept in a cold pit or greenhouse, they will germinate in the spring. The plants form good stocks for superior varieties, or they may be grown on for flowering, which they do most abundantly, giving a variety of colours, with occasionally a good double-flowered variety among them. Seeds prom the Transvaal : W. G. The red seeds are those of Abrus precatorius, used as weights for diamonds at one time. We do not recognise the other seed. Span-house for the Cultivation of Early Potatos, and Tomatos Later : Lancaster. We would advise two more rows of piping to be put in, so that the heat may be kept up to 65° in severe weather. For varieties, grow Potatos — Early Early Ashleaf, and Sharpe's Victor ; To- matos — Frogmore Selected, Golden Jubilee, Hackwood Prolific, Conqueror, and Hathaway's Excelsior. We have not space to teach you how these plants must be cultivated. Get a manual on the subject. Tomatos : S. S. We should imagine, from the information you afford us, that you are coddling your plants, keeping the air too moist, and affording too little ventilation. To talk of "a chink " of air being given at night, with the roasting day temperatures of the last fortnight, shows that you do not quite understand the needs of the plants, or the danger you run of having disease among them. The flowers do not set properly because the air is not set in motion by ventilation ; hence the young fruits drop off. The field Tomato plants that fail to set their flowers may be growing in too rich a soil. Communications Received. — Wills (Ltd.). — W. S. Con' suit a patent agent. — R. B. — Sydney Burton. — W. Watson & Sons.— W. Fulford.— E. Webb & Sons— G. Johnson. — L. C. — Hilderic Friend. — R. Brain, cannot trace the package.— K. & S.— H. R., Plymouth.— B. C— A. C. F. — D. R. W.— C. R. F.— G. B. M.-A. P.— A. D.— R. P. B — W. S.— J. Benbow.— D. T. F — W. L. Heaver.— The requests of our Correspondents, R W.— W. B., and Blackie & Son, Ltd., will receive attention in a few days. Specimens, Photographs, &c.. Received with Thanks. — W. T. T. D. DIED.— July 29, 1900, aged 79 years, Gegeor Cooke, of Stanley Yale, Wylam-on-Tyne. Sei'tember 1, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 101 THE No. 714.— SATURDAY, SEPT. 1, 1900. CONTENTS. Apples in the United States 171 Aster sickness 171 Benevolent Institution, Gardeners' Royal ... 172 Campanula sulphurea ... 168 Carnation Mrs. T. W. Lawson 174 Cherry names and syno- nyms .. 105 Cherry, " Tradescaut's Heart" 172 Cloves and slavery ... 171 Conifers, notes about some fine 167 Cornish garden, notes from a 174 *' Cut flowers and have flowers" 163 Daughters of the Year, the 161 Entomology 172 Florists' Flowers — Chrysanthemums ... 162 Flower-gardens at Kings- ton 171 Flower show groups ... 170 Fruit in Canada 171 Fruit show, the coming, at the Crystal Palace 171 Grapes, autumn treat- ment of out-door ... 162 C-ynroopsis uniserialis ... 105 Hybrids 170 DLily pond at Berkswell, the 172 McHattie, Mr. J. W. ... 172 Manchester Botanical Gardens 171 Blontbretias and Crocos- mias, lecture on ... 177 Nectarine Early Rivers, fruiting in the open ... 172 Nyniphcea lotus delicata 171 Nursery notes — Seed-growing at Eyns- ford Obituary — Dodds, W. MuUer, E Sutton, Mrs. Leonard Orchid notes and glean- ings— Lielia crispa Panama or Jipijapa hats Pelargonium cuttings ... Peronospora in Greece ... Primula rosea destroyed by mildew Rosary, the Selection ... Shrewsbury, the recent exhibition at ... Societies — Bishop's Stortford Hor- ticultural Brighton Horticultural National Dahlia Royal Horticultural ... Taunton Deane Horti- cultural Strawberries, early Strawberries, old v. new Sulphuring a vinery ... Sweet Pea classification committee Thalietuin Chelidonii ... Wanted— a censor Weather in West Herts, the Week's Work, the Flower garden, the ... Fruits under glass ... Hardy fruit garden ... Kitchen garden, the ... Orchid-houses, the ... Plants under glass ... 165 179 17'J 179 161 169 172 171 174 162 163 177 17S 171 175 177 174 174 174 171 167 174 169 169 16S 168 168 169 ILLUSTRATIONS. Corycius senex, Sundial in the garden of . Crocosmia aurea Crocosmia aurea maculata Croup of plants arranged by Mr. Cypher at the Wolver hampton Show (Supplement). Cymnopsis uniserialis Shrewsbury Show, a 1st prize fruit exhibit at the Thalictrum Chelidonii ... 163 175 & 176 177 165 173 167 DAUGHTERS OF THE YEAE. AUGUST. ft THE August garden is tie happy hunting- ■*- ground of annuals. I likened them last ■month to an autumnal eruption of Lake visitors •eclipsing the permanent residents. We have just verified the comparison by a visit ; avoiding, however, the crowded dusty tourist centres, to anake our home in a still removed place, as Mi lton calls it — a valley unvisited and un- known, lying off the common routes. Dotted here and there are venerable cottages and farm- houses, white or grey, embosomed in Damson- •orchards. Each has its mighty Yew-tree — I measured one 18 feet in girth — dating from the time when every householder was compelled by law to plant a Yew beside his home, that bow- 'timber might never be wanting for the cloth- yard arrows of the English archers. The hills ■on either side ascend 600 feet, clad with Heather, Bracken, Juniper, commanding the entire semi-circle of the Lake Mountains, from Black Comb on the west, to eastward Ingle- horough and Pennigant. On the steep banks of the narrow lanes show harmonious masses of yellow, red, and blue — Golden-rod, Betony, Hair-bel1 ; patches of Cow- wheat cover the moist outcroppin ; slate ; deep in grass are the Bistort and the fleshy Orpine, flanked by spreading white Wood-sage, Basil, and Devils-bit. Behind them is a background of endless Broom, used once, they tell us, as an ingredient in the manu- facture of Kendal-green, its glossy pods of black and purple entwined with blossoming Woodbine, and neighboured by short Raspberry stems still full of fruit ; while over these again is the dry unmortared wall, Polypody, Lady- fern, Trichomanes, Wall-rue, waving or peeping from its crevices. Within the farmhouse lodg- ings are quaint beam- ceiled rooms, with vast chimney-piece and monumental oaken table, the last at meal times covered with native bread, vaccine cream, troutlets from the little brook, farm-fattened poultry. Without, is the primitive wholesome pageantry of scratching hens and chuckling ducks, and gobbling turkeys, and excited sheep - dogs, such as gladdened Mrs. Poyser's eyes, or brought back bodily health and mental balance to poor, storm-tossed Caterina. We have returned to find thegardendominated, as I said, by annuals. Gayest of all, and cover- ing most ground, is Coreopsis Drummondi ; other prominent yellows are Eschscholtzia, self- sown year by year ; and lovely Bartonia, with blooms unerringly regular as a botanical dia- gram. There is a grand patch of Malope grandi- flora, red and white, the flower which, as she tells us in her Garde}iing for Ladies, made Mrs. Loudon a botanist. Weak-stemmed Salpiglossis is interspersed amongst herbaceous plants, which support and exhibit its splendid funnel- shaped blossoms — blue, bronze, lilac, mauve. " Where in doubt, sow Nasturtium " (Tropajolum the wise it call), has been my life-long garden maxim ; their gaudy flowers and clear succulent leaves fill vacated spaces and climb denuded branches. Giant Sunflowers line the garden wall, and gladden the passers by. A battered ecclesiastical - looking urn, whose history I cannot trace, is filled with seedling Campanulas and Creeping-Jenny, both finely pendulous over the carved sides and stem. I strive each year in vain to raise the curious Lathyrus Nissolia, a blade of grass tipped by a bright red Pea ; but I succeed with the not less inte- resting L. aphaca, a yellow-flowered Vetch quite destitute of leaves, which are replaced by broad heart-shaped stipules. My seeds came originally from Worthen, in Shropshire, so far as I know, its one English habitat. The Carnation-bed is going off as the month ends. I dress it annually with road-scrapings, to which all the sorts take kindly. There are Cloves, Picotees, Marguerites, and many more ; but I observe that visitors fasten most de- lightedly on sulphur-coloured Nora, Ruskin's favourite, brought from the Brantwood garden. The herbaceous border owes much to the Gail- lardias, supported by many kinds of perennial Helianthus, by French Marigolds, Chrysanthe- mum atratum, a profusion of pretty Galactites tomentosa, with its grey leaves and pink Thistle- heads, and a bordering of Asters and Petunias. At its shadiest end is a sunken tub, filled with purple Loosestrife, and with Acorus calamus, the sweet Thames-rush, into which Alice pulled her boat ; behind are stems of the tall, fragrant Balsam, while around it plants of Acanthus longifolius send up their long, flowering spikes, and the graceful leaves from which the capitals of Ionian columns are said to have been modelled. In the rock-border are Montbretia, Oenothera csespitosa, and the lovely little Anomatheca cruenta. Of coarse plants, Rudbeckia is on the wane ; Saponaria in full bloom, brought long ago from Barrow on the Bristol Channel, where it is probably a native ; silvery Hippophae from the eastern coast is forming its coral berries ; Marsh Mallow, rural specific against sores and wounds, lifts its soft foliage and pale pink flowers ; Allicampane, Inula Helenium, commemorates Helen's tears for slain Paris ; early-sown " Scarlet Lightning," Lychnis chalcedonica, bids the rash gazer wipe his eye with its unusual dazzling hue. Hollyhocks are at their very best ; Dahlias, in our backward climate, hardly yet profuse in bloom. " No garden is complete without its sun-dial," I wrote in these columns ten years ago. Virgil does not tell us that he found one in the Corycian garden ; he may have done so, for they were com- mon in Italy before the Christian era, but there is certainly one in ours (fig. 46, p. 163). For an ancient copper gnomon, perched formerly on a wooden post, I erected a stone pillar, curbing the eccentricities of the sculptor. Its four- square summit carries mottos and devices ; on the sunny side a verse from the Greek Testa- ment, "Coming down from the Father of Lights;" northwards, a line from Virgil, "I will fill up my allotted hours and go back to darkness ; " east and west my own device, and my old Winchester school shield and motto. When the hours allotted to myself are ended, I have ordained, like Howard the philanthropist, that it shall be placed above my grave. It stands until then in the middle of the lawn ; and beside it, on July and August afternoons, when the stress of the day's work is over, and the tall Sycamores cast welcome shade, the basket-chairs are pitched, and the tea-table spread. Drawing-room and study -windows show through gadding Clematis, white Jessamine, aspiring Virginian Creeper ; the line of blue Lobelia along the flower-border edge makes Burne-Jones harmony with the green close-shaven turf ; swifts chase one another overhead — alas ! they left us on the 24th ; the "Lady of the place " presides, her little Maltese dog reposing at her feet ; visitors and inmates gather round, the bit of Words- worth or of Tennyson is read, the garden owns its etymology — a guarded, place — insured against all but serene thoughts, pleasant looks, friendly converse — " A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot ; Kose plot, Fringed pool, Ferned grot, The veriest school Of peace ; and yet the fool Contends that God is not. Not God ! in gardens ! when the eve is cool ? Nay, but I have a sign, I 'm sure God walks in mine." Here you see it, photographed on a sudden impulse one afternoon, and admirably repro- duced. Only, remembering that the operator with a camera is out of sight, be not hasty to set down the placid figure, waiting for its tea, as the counterfeit presentment of Corycius senex. Orchid Notes and Gleanings. L^ELIA CRISPA. This general favourite is not flowering here this year as well as it usually does ; the dampness and the cloudy weather of this season, though permit- ting many things to grow to perfection, having not had a beneficial, at least, not corresponding influ- ence upon the plant. We have a plant which last year bore 116 flowers upon 19 spikes, which this year is carrying only 37 flowers on 6 spikes. The plant, when growing, loves plenty of moisture, 162 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 1, 190O> but it requires plenty of light as well, and not as we are now getting, a deluge of rain lasting a few days, and followed by cloudy weather, and this by bright, glaring, scorching sunshine. The light and shade are subjects requiring much skill in the management of glasshouses, especially in this part of the country ; for instance, what would be a (comparatively) dullish day in a town may mean a scalding day in the country, hence the necessity for constant observation. In plants generally, and in Orchids in particular, the building up of a solid, strong growth should be the object of the cultivator, and not rank, sappy growth. The material used about the roots of Cattleyas should be chiefly crocks, a little sphagnum-moss, and the fibre of Orchid-peat. Let the plant be so potted that the air has free access to the centre of the pot, for there is nothing like air at the roots for making lasting plants. There is much time wasted in afford- ing water when it would be but to greater advantage listening to the voice of the plant. Intelligence in affording water is absolutely essential, an idea as to the look of the weather, the amount of fireheat that has been used, the extent of the damping down, in so far as it has an effect in minimising the neces- sity for the application of water, and lastly, the stage of growth of a plant. For about six weeks after the plant has done flowering it should have a fair supply of water, and afterwards water may be gradually withheld ; and unless the pseudo-bulbs begin to Bhrivel, no more water should be given from the end of the month of October to the begin- ning of May. At the last-named season the plant will begin to grow, and a handful of lime and soot should be placed here and there within, say, 10 feet of each other on the floor of the house, is a good thing at that season, the volatile ammonia acting as food for the plant. Weak manure- water is very helpful, especially if allowed to run down inside and outside of the pot, for the roots of the plant will rapidly follow the same course. Laslia crispa is a roaming plant, and should it require potting, care must be given that the "leads" look towards the centre rather than away from it. The best time for potting, in my opinion, is just before it starts into growth— not in the autumn after it has finished flowering. H. W. T., Cornwall. Florists' Flowers, — • CHRYSANTHEMUMS. Selecting the Buds. — Among plants cultivated to produce large blooms, many of the Japanese varieties have formed their buds. The selection of the proper bud is a very important matter. When the bud is being formed, there occurs a temporary cessation in the growth of the plant. After a few days have passed, shoots may be seen pushing from the nodes below the newly-formed bud. If such shoots be not promptly removed, the bud will fail to swell, and the growths will take from it all nourishment. It is well to retain for a few days just one of these shoots, choosing that which is nearest the bud. This one may be removed when it has been found that the bud has not been injured by earwig?, thrips, the "jumper," birds, or rough winds. Incises wherethebud has been thus injured, the shoot already mentioned will produce a bloom at a later date, though it may not be so good in quality as the injured one would have been. When the buds have been selected, and the y ounggrowths removed, some light support should be affixed to themain shoot, extending to the base of the bud. Thiswillstrengthenthe peduncle, whichinsome cases is weak. Small stakes or pieces of builders' lath tied to the shoot itself about 10 inches in length will make them secure. Earwigs are generally troublesome at this stage of growth ; crippling the bud, and making them uneven in growth. They may be trapped by the aid of Bamboo-canes, Broad Bean-stems, or rolls of black cloth, about 10 inches long, and thrust in amoDg the leaves ; in these the earwigs will secrete themselves on the approach of daylight, and may be easily caught and destroyed. The recent showery weather, accompanied by such irregular temperature, is a prolific source of mildew attack. Flowers of-sulphur sprinkled over the affected parts is the best remedy. Any plant showing signs of a loss of colouring matter in the leaves, consequent upon the use of cold, hard water or other cause, should be treated before the plants go inside. Sulphate of iron at the rate of .j -ounce to 1 gallon of water will quickly cause an increase in growth and colour. If any of the plants are very late ingrowth or bud-formation, they may be hurried along by affording each a dose of nitrate of soda dissolved in water at the rate of i-ounce to 1 gallon. Do not apply this more than once a week, and discontinue it directly a change in growth is perceptible. E. Holyneux. AUTUMN TREATMENT OF OUT- DOOR GRAPES. Few other plants want more pruning and atten- tion than a Vine, if it is to ripen its fruit in an average autumn in this country. If September were always a month like the Septembers of 1S93 and 1895, Grapes would ripen however they were treated ; but we never know what is coming, and therefore it is best to prepare, if not for the worst, at least for only a moderately sunny autumn. The whole object of the treatment of out-door Vines in late summer and early autumn is to let the fruit have all the air and warmth it can get. If it has not already been done, all the young wood not wanted for next season should be cut off, except, of course, the side shoots which are fruit- ing. These latter should some time ago have been cut back to one eye above the fruit. On the main rods or branches it is of no use leaving shoots of too great a length for fruiting next year, as it does not ripen properly, and if it does not ripen properly it will produce no good fruit next year, 4 feet being generally enough to leave of the strongest growth. By cutting out all the superfluous wood, more strength is left for the fruit, which, if still stoning, requires a great deal of solid matter from the soil ; and if the stoning is finished and the fruit beginning to swell, it wants all the sugary sub- stances which the leaves can elaborate. All weak growths should be cut clean away, and the big leaves left of such a density that the face of the wall may be seen between them. The fruit wants the leaves, especially the big ones, as it is the shining of the sun upon them which gives the fruit its flavour; and at the same time the sun should be able to shine direct upon the wall a little, so as to increase the amount of heat radiated from it, and let the air circulate well about the fruit. The chief cause of the non-ripening of Grapes in a damp autumn is mildew ; and this mutt be constantly looked out for, and preventive and curative measures taken at the first sign of its presence. If the soil about the root-stem is thickly covered with plants, especially if these are afforded water, the Vine will be predisposed to attacks of mildew. If the space for about 2 feet from the stem is fairly clear of vegetation, the sun is enabled to warm the soil, and this warmth induces early ripen- ing. Fruit on a wet soil is always longer ripening than that on a dry one. When the Grapes are beginning to turn colour, but not before, all the leaves which screen the bunches from the sun's rays should be removed, unless the weather is very hot, in which case the leaves will enable the fruit to swell to a bigger sizs, and develop a finer flavour. As a preventive of mildew when the weather seems favourable to an attack, the Vine may be syringed with a solution of liver- of sulphur. This needs careful using, or it may damage the foliage. If used at the rate of one ounce in ten gallons of water, it is quite harmless to the leaves, but is a good preventative of mildew. Suppose the mildew to have come, one ounce to four gallons of water should be used in cool, damp weather ; and not more than one ounce to twice that amount of water in hot, sunny weather. The evening is the best time for syringing. In all cases, enough soft- soap should be put into the water (soft, if possible) to make a good lather when it is churned up with the syringe. Liver-of-sulphur costs 6i. or Sd. a pound retail, and it ha3 one disadvantage in> certain circumstances — it blackens white-lead paint. If liver-of sulphur caunot be obtained, the mildew can ba killed by boiling a quarter of a pound of black sulphur (8. vivum — a powder) in three pints of water, and dipping the bunches in it when it is just hot enough to hold the fingers in. Of course, this will need heating again with a little added water after a dozen bunches or so have been dipped. This may seem a tedious process, but after a little practice, a hundred bunches can be dipped by a man in a short space of time, especially if a second lot of sulphur is being heated whilst the first is being used. Alger I'elts. The Rosary. THE SEASON OF ROSES. Looking back from this intermediate season upon their first fair summer inflorescence, I cannot but think that the achievements of many Roses have been memorable, considering the treat- ment they received from Nature, who has seldom been more unmerciful with her brightest creations. Especially distinguished by their floral affluence and beauty, under such adverse conditions, have been Clio and Margaret Dickson, both of these being very attractive Roses, the former having been raised by Mr. Wm. Paul, of Waltham Cross ; while the latter is a native of Newtownards, in Ireland, and one of the finest Roses Messrs Dickson have produced. Both are vigorous varieties, and very floriferous. 1 cannot say which of those Roses I account the more valuable for garden decoration ; it is "a choice of Hercules," like that between Mrs. Sharman Crawford and Mrs. John Laing. Clio was grandly exhibited by its raisert Mr. Wm. Paul, at the Temple Show this year ; but I subsequently had it equally good in my garden. Its only rivals here during the second week of July were Clara Watson and Margaret Dickson ; of these, the former, introduced (but not raised) by Mr. Prince of Oxford, has proved, during this and all previous seasons, by far the finest of my precious hybrid Teas ; though it has been almost rivalled by an exquisitely beautiful Rose of French extraction, entitled G. Nabonnand', and included by Mr. Cant of Colchester in the class of pure Teas. Other Tea-scented Roses that have flowered effectively amid much atmospheric tribulation are Devonitnsis, Madame Lambard, strong in growth, and profuse in richly- coloured bloom ; Anna Olivier, a most reliable and an effec- tive Rose ; Hon. Edith Gifford, which suffered much occasionally from untimely floods of rain ; Souvenir d'un Ami, saved from rninnotseldom by its pendulous habit ; Homer, Jules Finger, Bouquet d'Or, and Belle Lyonnaise. Greater sufferers than these from bad weather were the varieties Madame Hoste, Medea, a superb, fine-weather, lemon-coloured Tea ; Mrs. James Wilson, still more easily soiled ; the charm- ingly-tinted Luciole, L'ldeil, The Bride, Madame de Watteville (the "Butterfly Tea "), and Souvenir de S. A. Prince. Lamarque and Niphetos had quite enough of adverse weather during their usual flowering season, and certainly achieved nothing ins the special direction of floral Effect. La France, Augmtine Guinoisseau, White Lady, the lovely Aurora, and other precious hybrid Teas were much more fortunate in their first atmospheric experi- ences ; their opening was heralded by brilliant sun- shine, which, mirabile dictu ! (as Virgil would have said), lasted for three days. It was the great Russian, C'junt Smorltork, who commenced a dissertation to Mr. Pickwick by saying that StePTEMBKB 1, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 16! politics is a subject " which surprises in itself." As much may be said, with much more intelligibility, of Hose cultivation in a season such as this. It is indeed surprising that so many splendid Rosea as those whose calmly-MitlVring natures I have eulo- gised, have bloomed and looked so well. Vigorous in constitution and strong in petal, they seemed to withstand with marvellous composure the fury of her blasts, which, like Lord Roberts, as depicted by Mr. Rudyard Kipling, were "a terror for their size." Rather should I say, that those pitiless "rains from Heaven" upon the Roses were territic in their influence, in virtue of their length. A few hours of such floods as this season we have experienced, and realise still, seriously dist'irb the beautiful -aspect and composure of the gracious garden queen ; but when Nature weeps piteously for days at a time, her influence is disastrous to the spirit of the Rose. Then chiefly do we remember those words of George Herbert : — 41 Sweet Rose, whose hue, angry and brave, Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye ; Thy foot is ever in the grave, And thou must die." — David R. Williamson. of these means of reproduction, as in the case of the Tulip and similarly constituted plants. If the grower of a bulbous plant should wish to produce a variety, he elects to reproduce by seed, and he attempts so to control the produc- tion of 6eed by artificial pollination, or cross- fertilisation, as to bring about the desired end. On the other hand, if the object of the grower be to multiply the plant without variation, he elects, in the case of a pUnt like the Tulip, to cultivate it for its bulbs. The production of seed and the produc- tion of bulbs the same season in a plant like the Tulip are not compatible with each other, for the reason that the powers of Nature would thereby be overtaxed. We learn therefore from this practical application of vegetable physiology that in the case of all bulbous plants it will tend the more certainly to the production of healthy and vigorous bulbs if the flowers as soon as they have reached their floral maturity be cut instead of being left to grow and exhaust the energies of the plant by " running to seed." The Canna, many beautiful variations of which in recent years have been introduced, is subjected to the same rule. If we would have flowers we * ^r» ^^^ HBl- - .v •*..•* i * jto £* -^V"1^ Ifinb^fl l | iBjl ^He wn^il Dfl^HL & ^^^^HV^^°? Jt^^^^B ^^h£.I Hv^ '<* sr '3$sg . ~s— -f I nXmSSn IBf 8 1 i'ii^y- ifr .- #v;;r! Fig. 46. — the sundial is the garden of "cokycius senex." (see p. 161.) "CUT FLOWERS AND HAVE FLOWERS." This pithy maxim in horticultural practice is believed to have originated in England soon after the famous Dutch Tulip-mania, and is said to have ?iad its forerunner in "Cut Tulips and have Tulips." The essential value of the maxim lies in the fact that it embodies a principle in physiological botany which deserves to be well understood by all cultivators of flowers. As applied originally to Tulips, it is capable of a simple explanation. The Tulip is a plant which possesses two modes of re- production—one node by means of its bulb, the other by means of seed. The easiest and most natural method in the case of the Tulip and other bulbous plants is by means of seed. It would seem, however, that Nature's efforts, vigorous as they are throughout the whole vegetable kingdom in the reproduction of species, are restricted to one of these modes of multiplication in the case of bulbous plants, and that man lias it in his power to select one or other must cut them, and not allow the plant to run to seed. In this cise the Canna perpetuates itself by means of its rhizome or root-stock, which is an elongated fleshy part of the stem lying underground, and upon which buds or "eyes" are developed to serve for the new shoots of the succeeding season. When the plant is allowed to produce seeds, the development of the rhizome does not proceed with any vigour ; but when the flowers are cut in time to prevent exhaustion of the energies of the plant by the production of seed, then the development of the rhizome goes on satisfactorily, and the grower may count with reasonable certainty on having flowers on new stems the succeeding season. With Roses the same maxim may be carried into practice. Cut Roses, and have Roses. Here, in the case of the Rose bush, the cutting of the flowers on reaching perfection prevents exhaustion of the plint by the formation of seed. It thus keeps up the tendency of flower-buds to form, and a Rose-tree thus treated will present a prolonged period of bloom, and the flowers, in addition, will be finer than under a less attentive treatment. In Bermuda very great success has attended the cultivation of the Japanese Lily introduced now- many years ago. The so-called Bermudian Lily is really of foreign origin, but in its cultivation in Bermuda the practice involved in the maxim of "Cut flowers aud have flowers" is thoroughly understood and most strictly carried out. The flowers are cut at the season of most perfect flower- ing just a day or two earlier than the period of perfect bloom, and they are shipped to New York, where they find a ready market. The plants deprived of their flowers still have their leafy stems to provide nutrition for the bulbs, which in due season are harvested. Mr. Harris, in the Report on the Hill Garden at Resource (IS99), gives some account of an attempt to cultivate the Bermudian Lily in Jamaica. He writes: — "The bulbs of the Bermuda Lily were lifted in July and August last, gradually dried, and sent to Hope to be packed and despatched to their owners. They were not a success from a commercial point of view — that is, the bulbs did not increase in size and quantity as it was hoped they would do ; but horticulturally they were every- thing that could possibly be desired. With just ordinary field cultivation they were in flower, more or less, all the year round, and from March to June the field was simply a sheet of magnificent blooms." There is no mention here of any marketing of the cut-flowers, and obviously that was not attempted. But may not the want of success, " from a com- mercial point of view," have existed in this very fact ? It would be interesting to have the trial of cultivating Japanese Lilies in Jamaica repeated under conditions more closely similar to those which obtain in Bermuda. In order to procure bulbs of good quality and profitable in size and quantity, the flowers must be cut (and disposed of profitably, if practicable), and then the energies of the plants, no longer expended on maturing the flower and its seed, will be given to enlarging and multiplying the bulbs. In this way the grower may be successful commercially as well as horticul- turally, by acting on the lines of the maxim "Cut flowers and have flowers." — James Neish, M.D., Old Harbour, May, 1900, in the " Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society." SELECTION.* By Henry L'Eveque Vilmorin. The word selection, taken in its general sense, means choice. In natural history, when applied to plants or animals, which man raises under domestication, it assumes a more restricted meaning, and is applied only to the choice of individuals considered as agents of reproduction. It is in this- sense alone that the word selection is used in this article. The purpose in this paper is to indicate the reasons for miking a certain choice, the results it may produce, the pre cautions that should accompany it, the practical methods of applying it, and the difficulties that may be met and may defeat the purposes in view. Evidently the process is quite different from natural selec tion. The latter proceeds independently of man by the simple interplay of natural forces, while artificial selection is an act performed by man for the purpose of satisfying his needs and tastes. Nature modifies plants in their interest ; man modifies them in his; but in the one case, as in the other, there is an acquirement of characters and a trans- mission of the characters acquired. This article is not the proper place to discuss selection and its relation to evolution, of which the creation of varieties by selection is only one phase ; nor is it the place to discuss the relative permanence of existing species. The task of the improver of cultivated plants is not to create new species, but to establish and fix in known species well defined and constant races possessing distinct characters which may render them useful or agreeable to man. The practice of selection is almost or quite as old as tho practice of cultivation itself. It is certain that from the most remote beginnings of pastoral life, primitive man has preferred the finest and best-shaped animals for breeding pur- poses. In the same way, when the culture of certain useful plants had succeeded to a more primitive form of pastoral agriculture, or had become associated with it, the domesti- cated races of plants were gradually ameliorated by the diligence of some men who were more observant and interested than others ; and the improved races were disseminated from place to place. * Experiment Station Reccrd, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 164 THE ' GABDEJVEBS' CHRONICLE. [September 1, 1900. The Effects of Cultivation on Plants. Much has been said of cultivation as a means of improving plants. The writer believes, however, that the selection of the individual intended to reproduce a sort has done intinitely more in this direction than cultivation, properly so called. Without doubt, the larger amounts of plant-food, air, and room that are provided for the plant under careful cultiva- tion, as compared with wild conditions, are the means by which some given plants attain to a greater individual deve- lopment ; but cultivation in general advances improvement principally because it gives to man an opportunity to observe the plant closely, to notice even the slightest variations in the characters of the different individuals, to note at the time of their occurrence all the variations which appear useful to him, and to fix them by sowing the seed from all the individuals that have shown these variations. Superabundance of food-supply undoubtedly favours the appearance in cultivated plants of variations which consist of multiplication of parts of a plant or the excessive develop- ment of certain parts among them, but heredity interferes to fix those characters, so that they are seen to persist in indi- viduals escaped from cultivation and are perpetuated for a long time, even after the causes that brought them into existence have ceased to act. Selection in the Earlier Ages. We possess few records bearing on the history of the improvement by selection of the various useful or ornamental plants in ancient times ; yet the figures which have been left to us in paintings, mosaics, and sculptures indicate a notable improvement of the species cultivated by the Egyptians, the ancient Greeks, and the Romans, over the wild types of the same plants found in those regions at the present day. The Leeks of Egypt, to the fame of which the sacred writings bear witness, are represented on the bas-reliefs and paintings of Egyptian tombs as of a size far superior to that of the wild Leeks of the mountains of central Asia, which, without doubt, represent the primitive type of the species. The Romans cultivated several varieties of Brassica oleracea that represented an immense advance over the wild type found on the coast regions of Europe. The flowers and fruits, figures of which are found frequently in Roman works of art, resemble more the varieties of the present day than the primitive types from which they were developed. In passing it may be remarked, in reference to those fruits and flowers that are propagated by grafts and not by seeds, that selection is not entirely unconcerned in their culture, but even in such cases is found to exert its influence in several ways. A new variety generally originates from a seed which may have been accidentally planted, the resulting plant being reproduced and multiplied by grafting, or from seed planted by man, the various young plants being carefully observed from day to day, and compared with each other ; and meri- torious novelties, if such appear, selected and propagated. In grafting, two things must be taken into consideration : In the first place, only those stocks should be used that are healthy, vigorous, as free as possible from defects and diseases, and well provided with roots ; and in the second place, the grafts should be taken from the youngest and healthiest shoots of the plant that is to be propagated, and always from those that represent most faithfully the characters it is desired to reproduce. Sometimes variations are produced in plants by dimorphism, as by variation in the form or colour of the foliage, or in the shape or hue of the flowers, as often occurs in the Chrysanthemum. There is then opportunity for the selection of the modified branch which is propagated by cuttings or any other method. The question of the permanence or running out of varieties of fruit trees, which is so often and so contradictorily dis- cussed in the horticultural press of all countries, is inti- mately connected with this question of nelection. There is no reason why a given type should run out, if only proper stocks and healthy grafts are used in propagation ; but the variety will certainly disappear if it is attacked by parasites to the extent that it is no longer possible to find a graft that does not carry with it its enemy. To return to the history of selection of cultivated vege- tables and flowers propagated by seeds. Italy, Provence, Flanders, and the neighbourhood of Paris were, at about the beginning of modern times, the principal centres of the improvement of common plants. Seeds grown in these places bore a high reputation throughout Europe, and the popularity that they enjoyed shows that the characteristics developed in the various varieties of plants by these skilful and careful gardeners were well fixed, else they could not have repro- duced themselves faithfully when cultivated under very different conditions of soil and climate. Vegetable gardeners have been for the most part the creators of European varie- ties of vegetables (and at the same time of many varieties of flowers, for the two occupations of vegetable gardener and florist were very often followed by the same individual, as is frequently the case at the present day) ; and the uniformity, the constancy, and the cooking qualities of the varieties of vegetables originating in Naples, Milan, Lyons, Paris, and the Low Countries, bore witness to the skill, fine observation, and judgment, in the application of selection which our predecessors possessed. It is only since the latter half of the seventeenth century that the seed business has begun to be separated little by little from that of general gardening; and as division of labour always results in an improved product, the establish- ments that have devoted themselves exclusively to the growing of seed have come to do it better and more economi- cally than the common gardeners, whose time and effort were divided among various lines of production. In one respect, however, the competition of the market gudeners as well as that of the florists, properly so called, is still very useful to the careful seedsman in that it helps to keep him always in the front line of progress. To a less extent than the market gardener and florist, the seedsman is brought in immediate contact with the consumer whose needb are the source of progress and new acquisitions. The former sometimes supply these needs, but often they turn to the seedsman and point out to him the prospect of increased profits as the reward for the creation of new and desirable varieties. At the present day species that have been cultivated for many years have become, so to say, like wax in the hands of special growers, who mould them and fashion them to their taste, obtaining the various modifications of shape, size, flavour, &c, demanded by the preferences of their patrons and the caprices of fashion. Examples of Selection. It would be difficult to select a more striking example of the variations that selection can develop and fix than the cultivated forms of Brassica oleracea. As already stated, this plant is a native of the coasts of Western Europe, and is found on the shores of the Mediterranean, as well as on those of the Atlantic Ocean. The wild plant grows princi- pally on the calcareous cliffs on the border of the sea. It is a semi-herbaceous, semi-ligneous vegetable, flowering from the second year onward, much branched, and making each year both flowering branches and vegetative branches which are to flower the year following. The leaves are thick and fleshy, as are the flowering branches, while the stem and the crown of the root are also to a certain extent swollen and thickened. All of these characters will be found exag- gerated greatly in the cultivated varieties of B. oleracea, but not all of them in any one race. Ordinarily, one of the organs of the plant is selected with a view to obtaining one of the twenty or thirty forms of vegetables which, identical or nearly so with the others in their essential charac- teristics of flower and fruit, present most divergent forms so far as the organs of vegetation are concerned. Cabbages, which form the most important group of cul- tivated B. oleracea, represent the plant reduced to its most simple form— that is, to a single erect stem bearing at its upper extremity numerous large, thickened leaves, more or less closely crowded together, which, according to their shape and the manner in which they are laid over each other, form heads that are oval (as in York Sugar Loaf), conical (Early Etampes, Pomeranian), spherical (Joanet, Holland Short Stem), or flattened (St. Denis, Brunswick). The same forms are found again in the Savoys, which differ from the ordinary Cabbages in the form of development of the parenchyma between the little nerves of the leaves, giving the upper surface a blistered appearance ; oval (Long Headed Savoy), conical (St. Jean Savoy), spherical (Victoria Savoy), and flattened (Roblet Savoy). Again, the same variety of forms is found among the red Cabbages, where the entire leaf is coloured a deep red ; conical (Red Conical), spherical (Red Dwarf Erfurt), flattened (Red Pologne). All these forms without exception are the result of a patient and prolonged selection which has given to them almost complete permanence. But these are not the only modifications of this plant, or even of the leaves alone. There are the various headless Cabbages or Kale, which differ widely in respect to size, shape, and colour. One of them, the Collard (Rosette Cole- wort), has round, spoon-shaped leaves, imbricated but not crowded together to such an extent as to deprive those in the middle of air and light and thus blanch them, as is the case with the inner leaves of the head Cabbage. There are nume- rous varieties of Kales with the leaves green or red, entire or laciniate, flat or curled ; Portugal Cabbage, cow Cabbage, branched Kales (B. oleracea ramosa), Palm borecole, and many besides, among which Brussels Sprouts is not the least strange. On a simple, straight stem are ranged petiolate, flattened, spoon-shaped leaves. At the axil of each leaf is developed a little branch, the leaves of which fold over each other and are closely imbricated, forming a little hard head. Selection has solved the problem, apparently so difficult, of inducing the formation of heads on the branches of a stem without such formation at its top. The stem of B. oleracea, as I have said, is in the wild type very large, and capable of becoming thickened. Taking advantage of this tendency, selection has established a form, the entire stem of which becomes large and fleshy, and yields a product that can be used as a vegetable when it is young and tender, and is valuable as a food for cattle in winter when it has reached its full development. If, instead of affecting the entire stem, the swelling is localised a little distance above the ground, the Kohl-rabi is formed, the varieties of which are numerous, large or small, early or late, white or violet. The capability of becoming thickened and fleshy is not limited to the stem. The tap-root possesses it also, and plants which showed a marked tendency to vary in this way having been noticed and reproduced, have yielded, under the influence of long-continued selection, the turnip-rooted Cabbage, B. caulo-rapa and ruta-baga, the former of which has white flesh, the latter yellow. They are round, oblong, or flattened, and may weigh as much as S or 10 klg. Selection has produced these numerous forms from a root that weighs scarcely 1 or 2 oz. in the wild state. A still more remarkable modification was developed, as follows : The floral branch of B. oleracea is very thick and, especially at the early period of its growth, very tender and agreeable to the taste when cooked. Certain Italian gardeners noticed that the inflorescences of certain individuals had the sprouts larger and more thickened than others. Collecting the seed from these, and selecting among the descendants of the second generation those plants which yielded the largest and shortest floral shoots, they have- succeeded in creating the very characteristic modification known as the Cauliflower. Here the pedicels of the flower have become very much thickened and flattened! at the expense of the flowers themselves, which on the principal shoots have become atrophied, and appear in small numbers only on the shoots of the third or fourth rank, which develop slowly on those heads which have not been cut at the time when they were good to eat. With the principal results once obtained, selection has produced varieties of Cauliflower, early or late, of varying size, white, yellow, rose,, or violet in colour, and of various degrees of hardiness. Here, then, is a plant the different races of which have come down in culture under such different forms that an unusual keenness of insight, or the aid of botanical science, is necessary, to explain that they truly "belong to one wild type in which, in one case the leaves, in another the inflorescences, in still another the stem or the root, have been literally modified by the power of selection to such an extent that from infinitely slight variations at the beginning the differences between the various races have become greater than are often found in Nature between different species of the same genus ; and all of this has been accomplished by almost imperceptible steps under the influence of continued selection in a single direction. Doubtless selection may be defined, but nothing can explain it so well as its results. For this reason I shall mention a few more examples taken from among the most common plants. Take, for instance, Celery. This is an aquatic perennial plant, native in almost the entire basin of the Mediterranean ,. having its stem and petioles relatively large, tender, hollow, and of a pronounced aromatic odour. It was early observed in ditches and swamps, and introduced into cultivation. In the time of the Romans it was planted in gardens, more perhaps as an ornamental plant for use in domestic religious ceremonies, than as a vegetable properly so called. When it came to be appreciated as a plant for the kitchen garden, it became an object of the gardener's attention At first the size of the petioles was increased, then the plants with hollow petioles were eliminated as inferior to those in which the entire stalk was filled with tender, crisp flesh. Plants throwing up suckers were weeded out because growth-force is always more economically utilised when it concentres about a single plant axis, than when it is divided among several. The useful part of the Celery being the stalk or petiole of the leaf, efforts were and are still directed toward the development of this organ by reducing others to the smallest size compatible with the good growth of the plant. The variety Pascal is very near to the present ideal of a green Celery. The self -blanching Celery was found in the neighbourhood of Paris perhaps a dozen years ago by a very successful market-gardener, Chemitt The original plant yielded seed from which was raised* a good proportion of the new variety, but also some green plants. By persistent selection the proportion of green plants has been considerably reduced, but they have not yet entirely disappeared. By way of compensation, this race las yielded a pretty variation with rose-coloured ribs, which is becoming fixed. White Plume and Boston Market are two good American varieties. The latter throws up- many suckers, which is considered a defect according to European s andards. But attention has not always been concentrated upon the petioles of the Celery. Connoisseurs have not failed to observe that the fleshy roots on which the leaves are inserted possessed an especial flavour and were sweeter, although not of as clear a colour as the stalks. By selection certain plants have been obtained in which the root has been modified into a large, well-shaped, and very regular, rounded enlargement, as in the Erfurt and Prague Turnip, rooted Celeries. It should be noted in comparing the various races of B. oleracea that but one organ is enlarged. If this organ is the root, the leaves and the petioles are proportionately diminished in size, and serve only as auxiliary organs to the root. It is very difficult in general to develop two organs at the same time to any great degree in the same plant. In support of this assertion the Beet may be mentioned, as the history of its cultural evolution presents many analogies to that of the Celery. I fchall devote only enough time to it to point out certain differences between these two vegetables. In the first place, in the case of the Beet it is the kind of root developed that 'is of greatest importance. In this case the leaves are only the organs of assimilation, and of transformation of the food absorbed. The form having the leaves, or rather the petioles and ribs of the leaves very much enlarged and the root small, branched, and fibrous, is known as the Swiss- chard. Whenever there occurs an enlargement of the stalk or petioles properly so called, one may be certain that a decrease in the size of the root has already occurred or will occur immediately. The deep red colour of garden Beets is of very great import- ance. But in sugar Beets, the absence of colour— that is, the perfect whiteness of the flesh of the root— is a condition of perfection. Selection has produced this very remarkable specialisation. There is no necessary or absolute correlation between the colour of the root and that of the foliage. In garden Beets a thick, tender, sweet, and richly-coloured flesh is much desired. Now, a variety may have these qualities without its foliage showing, at least for the greater part of the growing period, any particularly deep coloration. In Eng- land it was the fashion to produce varieties of garden Beets with large and deeply- coloured foliage (as in Dell's Dark Leaf Beet). Some men of independence and good judgment have Stamuuwi i, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 1G5 ciot hesitated to say that this is putting colour to a bad use ; that it is better to concentrate it in the root. As a matter of fact, the dark red Egyptian and Cheltenham Green Beets, and among the American varieties Edmund Early Turnip, are living proofs that a variety may have finely-coloured roots, and.'at the same time preserve in its leaves a noticeable pro- portion of greeu surface. A third class might be made of Take, for instance, the Amaranth ; this is an annual plan from India of rapid growth, with large, alternate, oval leaves, and inconspicuous (lowers In large bracteate clustered spikes. It has become, under the influence of selection, in one case a vegetable esteemed for its large and thickened leaves ; in another case an ornameutal, valued also for its leaves, which in this instance are variously coloured and Fig. 47. — gymkopsis uniserialis, and details op the flower, colour of flowers chrome- yellow. those having very deeply-coloured, reddish-brown foliage, which are used for decorative purposes only, as, for instance, the Dracaena Beet. But in agreement with the rule already laid down, this race has a small root of no culinary value. I cannot conclude this list of plants which have been ^modified by artificial selection in such divergent directions, and; which so plainly bear the impress of man's activity, •without mentioning a few ornamental plants as well as garden vegetables. variegated ; and in a third case it is valued for its inflo- rescence, which is so curiously modified that one would hardly recognise at first sight the original type in the strange variations that have been developed from it. Let us consider only the extremes, the Cockscomb and the feathered Celosia. The former is a low-growing, stocky plant, with its flowering head enormously developed. An accidental fasciation of the stem has been fixed by selection, and aug- mented to such an incredible degree that the size of the stem at its top must be measured by dissecting all the redu- plications which form the part of the plant called the comb. This coloured velvety mass, so ornamental in its bizarre effects, is the simple modification of an ordinary straight cylindrical stem into the comb. From the same original type has been produced another entirely different plant. This is the feathered Celosia, which is as graceful and light as the other is massive and stocky. Whereas all the stems were united into one in the cockscomb, they are here distiuct, erect, and divided into ascending branches, each one of which ends in a plume having a varying number of filaments furnished with bright - coloured, silky bracts, and vary from golden-yellow, through flame colour and crimson to deep violet. In spite of such great differences in appearance between the two plants, it is not possible to observe the botanical characters and fail to recognise that both are modifications of the same original species. From the same root are produced still other formations in which the ornamental part is not the inflorescence but the leaf, which is zoned or flagellated or bordered, sometimes with brown on a green ground-work, or sometimes with bright red on yellow or brown, or even simply on a brighter shade of red. All these pretty variations are the result of selection acting on the various forms found in Nature, or on modifications induced and patiently accentuated by man. If it were not for the danger of making the list too long, many other examples of profound modifications brought about by the action of selection on the natural characters of wild plants could be mentioned. A single example that has been produced entirely within recent times will be instanced. The Canna was introduced into garden culture about 1820 as a foliage plant ; seeds were sown to obtain variations of form and colour of foliage, and the success of M. Annee in this respect is well known. More recently M. Crozy, of Lyons, and other growers, have directed their efforts to increasing the size of the flowers, as a result of which we have the large-flowered varieties that to-day rival the Gladiolus for garden decoration in summer. At the same time the colour of the flowers has increased in brilliancy. It may be said indeed that hybridisation has not been entirely unconcerned in this increase of size, but it is none the le3s selectiun that has taken advantage of the tendency thus introduced into the plant as a result of crossing, and that produces for us each year better varieties, the series of which is still far from being exhausted. {To he continued.) GYMNOPSIS UNISERIALIS. This is an annual received from Herr Dammann, of San Giovanni a Teducoio, near Naples. He describes it as a native of Texas, and as resembling in its habit Helianthus cucumerifolius. It grows about 30 inches high. Above the dark green foliage rise most abundantly, on rather long stems, the very pretty chrome-yellow flowers, which are from 2 to .'$ inches in diameter (tig. 47). They are most valuable for cutting, as they keep well in water for a long time. The plant produces flowers with- out interruption from June to September. It seems to be more generally known under its synonym of Gymnolomia, under which name it is described and figured by M. Mottet in his excellent French edition of Nicholson's Dictionary of Gardening. It has also another synonym of Heliomeris. I consider it quite an ornamental plant, though unfortunately miffy, and apt to damp off when in a young state. W. E. Ouwhleton. Nursery Notes. SEED GROWING AT EYNSFORD. Those persons who have visited our large seed farms, such as that of Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, soon realise that we have not to depend quite so largely as is sometimes thought for our seeds upon what is grown for us out of Great Britain. Not that it is either wise or needful that seed growing, or horticulture in any of its aspects, should be looked on in any insular spirit, as our beloved art ought to know neither nation nor race ; never- theless we are pleased when we see in our own land that the raising of seeds of many species of plants is an industry which is prospering, and showing that despite its variability, the British climate is not without advantages in the pro- duction of good seeds. Certainly there may be wisdom or unwisdom in the selection of suitable spots for this kind of enterprise, yet we find it is generally successful in all parts of the kingdom ; and the Eynsford locality seems to be specially fitted for the work of seed production. It is extensive, 16G THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 1, 1900'. for there are some 300 acres under cultivation. There are lofty hill sides, and a deep, broad fertile valley. There is the fullest exposure to sun and wind, there is variety of soil, and there is a some- what southerly position that affords the maximum of light. This extensive area is not all devoted to seed culture, for some of it is made to produce ordinary farm crops interchangeable with seed crops. Some portions are of permanent nur- sery character, and fruits, Roses, shrubs, trees, herbaceous plants, and myriads of similar things are well and freely grown. But there is constant varia- tion and exchange going on, 80 that crops of diverse nature are regularly notated. The firm devotes itself entirely to garden seeds, or, as Mr. Cannell so quaintly terms them, " golden " seeds, meaning thereby that Kentish-raised seeds ultimately pro- duce golden crops, and profits. One of the difficulties in describing a seed-farm such as that at Eynsford is in mentioning all of the diverse crops found thereon. ASTEKS. Probably, just at present, none attracts more attention than the Asters of the annual section, for these are in apparently immense quantities and variety. Talk about too many Asters ! Why there seems to be some_150 or 200 or so diverse varieties of these favourite annuals, and in harvesting every diverse form, apart from the most careful rogueing whilstin bloom — and seed growers are terribly severe on everything in their stocks that is not of good character — everything has to be saved separately with the utmost care. It is one of the unquestioned characteristics of ..Asters that they do not seem to be influenced by insect visitation, as varieties that are grown side by side do not seem to vary in the east ; yet natural fertilisation seems to be perfect. Those who saw the remarkable collection of cut blooms recently staged by the firm at the Drill Hall were enabled to gather from it something of the variety grown, as also to judge of the fine quality of the double flowers. Yet, with the excep- tion of a few German novelties, all were produced by plants grown from home-saved seed, and of similar productions for several previous years ; indeed, Mr. H. Cannell, who so ably presides over the seed-growing department, asserts that their Kentish culture and constant keen supervision in rogueing, causes constant improvement in the flowers. What gigantic flowers, almost like white Japanese Chrysanthemums, are the Emperor and Comet. Then there are Victorias, Mignons, Paeony- flowered, Chrysanthemum, tall and dwarf, Bouquet, Quilled, and many others, each one represented by so-ne six to twelve colours. Certainly, of Asters alone, it is possible to have during July and August a garden of marvellous beauty. Summer and intermediate stocks are chiefly grown in pota under glass, where they are found to give the most satisfactory seed. Phlox Drummondi astonishes not only by the variety of habit [found, but by the variety of its colouring. There are free-growing forms, such as we have long been familiar with, some dozen or more of colours and markings. There are star- shaped varieties, the flowers of which rank amongst the quaintest grown in gardens. There are "com- pactum " forms that present in habit and effect the embodiment of beauty for bedding plants, the colours generally of the flowers being fitly termed glorious. By way of antidote to all this brilliancy of colour come the big patches of Mignonette in numerous varieties also ; and how profusely do they seem to seed on these Kentish hills ! There are Giant whites and reds, the latter chiefly of the pyra- midal form ; golden hued, and others all neutral tinted, yet so sweet-smelling ! It is a poor garden indeed that has not its bed of Mignonette. Verbenas, once propagated by cuttings only, are here flowering in great profuseness, not only mixed for those who like them so, but also in separate colours. What beautiful varieties of these summer flowers may now be had through seed production, such as in times passed gardeners would have desired to possess and propagate. The Verbena is now of such line form, so varied and beautiful, that it is but needful to purchase a packet and sow the seed in the spring to have from the plants truly charming effects. Not only Neniesia strumosa Suttoni, but also a fine, nearly white-rlowered, compact form, does well here too. The latter bears resemblance to Lobelia compacta, the plants being literally balls of flowers, about 6 inches in height. Then how wonderfully good are the Balsams. It is quite a joy to see these plants so commonly relegated to pots, and drawn too, doing so finely outdoors here. There are plants 10 inches in height, literally masses of flowers ; and there is the old strain in many colours 18 inches high, and all producing superb double blooms. Then, by way of change, comes a big breadth of noble Hollyhocks ; and yet farther off is seen a breadth of the double Jacobcea in great variety of colouring. How is it that these long- blooming plants with such beautiful colours are not used for summer bedding ? Now is passed the remnant of a large breadth of hybrid Columbines, of which the firm have such a charm- ing strain. Pew hardy plants excel these Aqui- legias for beauty or quaintness when in full bloom. Prom these, new colours and combinations still come yearly from seed. Double orange and lemon Marigolds are very fine ; large breadths of them show now but very few singles, the strains are so good, and in form of flower so perfect. The French Striped, in diverse forms, and pretty singles, are also in great abund- ance. The strong winds that have recently pre- vailed seem to have swept over the several large breadths and to have left them unharmed, for they are flowering gloriously. What wonderful blooms some strains have, how wonderfully floriferous are the smaller-flowered ones. The pretty white Snowball, of compact habit, is a remaikable fine bedder. Godetias, Clarkias, Gaillardias, Calliopsis, and myriads of other good hardy annuals, and all in great variety are found here, and it is wonderful how in the harvesting they are kept so true. Amongst the3e the beautiful variety of Chrysan- themum annuus and tricolor call for special notice, they are so dwarf, yet so charming. Probably many of those who have gardens know nothing of these good annuals. Dianthuses in their won- drous variety are better known, and these give fine masses. Sweet Peas are a remarkable feature, even the much-abused Cupid section are blooming profusely, whilst of the tall varieties in separate clumps entire rows are carrying a second crop of bloom. There are 100 varieties of these grown in this way. Vegetables. These productions form a very interesting and important feature. Not only are there great breadths of ordinary spring sowings of Onions made, but a few thousands of winter sown plants are yearly put out to furnish giant bulbs, and there should be in the autumn a very fine stock of these. Mr. Robert Cannell holds that seed from such bulbs gives the finest stocks, and no doubt that is true, for general experience sustains the opinion. There are now growing in this way splendid examples of Ailsa Craig, Improved Wrox- ton, Improved Reading, Cocoa Nut, Cranston's Excelsior, Webb's Masterpiece, Sutton's Al, and others ; and one of great promise, sent for trial from Portugal by Baron Tait. Of Cabbage, the firm is particularly proud of its fine stock of Defiance. This is a very handsome, solid, conical green Cabbage, not large, and as seen here, presenting absolutely perfect exhibition heads. Some 10 acres are devoted to culinary Peas, and all are staked. These have done well on a lofty hill- side, open to the sun, a position that seems to have suited them admirably. There seem to be scores of the most popular varieties. Broad Beans, Runner Beans of the best strains, Dwarf Kidney Beans, are all found in profusion ; and of Potatosr, there are breadths, including apparently every well-known variety. The stocks seem to be in excellent, clean condition, and they have ample room allowed them. Disease does not seem to harm the tubers in the pure air of this exposed position. Beets form important articles in seed production. There are the best of the Turnip- rooted ones, and of the tapering-rooted, Pragnell'a Exhibition, Dell's Crimson, Sutton's Dark-red, Cheltenham Green-top, &c. Parsnips, too, are grown for seed ; and of Carrots, there are to suit all tastes, Early Scarlet Horn, Eirly Nantes, In- termediate, Long Surrey, and Altrincham, the beBt stocks for garden culture. Tomatos for seed Btocks are grown in long span-bouses, and the varieties are numerous. All seem to be good, and they fruit well in the abundant light, being quite free from any form of fungoid pest. Cucumbers are grown for seed in similar houses. In one house adjoining were some 400 plants in 8-inch pots of Marcchal Niel Rose, now with growths from the bud 10 feet long ; in another, a big quantity of Vines in pots were rapidly maturing their wood. But to tell all one can see in a day's march over the Eynsford farm and seed-grounds would need far more of space than I may occupy to do justice to all. A. D. CHEERY NAMES AND SYNONYMS. The illustration on p. 127 of the issue of the Gardeners Chronicle for August IS, faithfully represents the fine late Cherry Noble, exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society's meeting on, July 31. I carefully examined the fruits shown, and the award made was a well merited recognition, of the good qualities of the variety. Many Cherries have been introduced from the continent at different times, some of which have almost disappeared from gardens now, owing either to their having proved tender, or through defective cultivation they have lost the good reputation they once had. It is therefore necessary to examine any reputed novelties carefully, to determine i£ hey are new only in name. From a practical point of view, perhaps, it matters little whether a variety is an old one rescued from obscurity or a new one, p-ovided it possess some substantial recommenda- tions for a grower, and it has not been previously recognised by the Society. But to avoid confusion, and the dissatisfaction arising from the multipli- cation of names, it is very necessary that both exhibitors and committees should take every care in the matter of nomenclature. For this reason, an exhibitor of any novelty should be required to give all the particulars he possesses respecting the history or origin of the variety, or of the plant from which the specimens are obtained. In the absence of information bearing upon these points, a. committee might be well justified in withholding an award. Special circumstances as to soil and cul- tivation will occasionally alter temporarily the characters of fruits in a remarkable manner, o£ which I have had many proofs. Amongst Cherries there has been great confusion, in nomenclature, some instances of which were given in your columns on p. 106 (August 11). Reference is there made to Turkey Heart, and it is evident that two totally different varieties have passed under this name. Mr. Rivers speaks of Turkey Black Heart as " a popular Cherry in Kent;" and Mr. Bunyard gives "Black Cluster (Turkey Heart or Carrone)." By the last name is- evidently meant Corone, which has been variously rendered Couronne, Caroon, Coroun, and Korroon. This is an old variety, and is described in Forsyth's Fruit Trees (4th edition, 1S06) as "an excellent fruit, and great bearer.'' In Lindley's Guide to the Orchard, 1831, it is also described with the syno- nyms "Hertfordshire Cherry," and is the " Merisier a gros fruit noir," of Duhamel, which takes it back to the middle of the eighteenth century. Corone was adopted in the London Horticultural Society'* September l, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 10' Catalogue of Fruits of 1842, a valuable list, which was mainly due to the efforts of Mr. Robert Thompson. It is rather peculiar, however, that under Oorone in this list the synonym " Hereford- shire Black " was inserted, and this was followed in three editions of Dr. Hogg's Fruit Manual ; but in the 4th edition which appeared in 1S75, Lindley's "Hertfordshire" synonym was substituted, and a most interesting note is appended to the descrip- tion. The Hertfordshire Cherry is well known to me, and I have no doubt that this and the one catalogued by some firms, and known in a few districts as Turkey Heart or Turkey Black Heart, are identical with Corone, which has priority in its favour. How and when Turkey Heart was first applied to this Cherry, I have failed to discover. The other Turkey Heart, or Turkey Bigarreau is distinct from Noble, but the third one mentioned, i.e., Tradescant's Heart, does resemble that variety in several characters. It is some years Bince I saw the true variety, and then I had the assurance of the late Dr. Hogg himself that it was correct ; as a matter of fact I do not think it is in general cultivation now, for all my efforts to secure true samples of the fruits in recent years have failed. It is only catalogued by one firm known to me, and these two other names are given as synonyms, one at least of which applies to a totally different Cherry. How the name St. Margarets was bestowed upon Tradescant's Heart I do not know. The first authoritative mention of the name I can find occurs in the Royal Horticultural Society's List of Fruits, published in 1861, but no descrip- tions are given ; and in the same list Tradescant's FlG. 48. — THALIC'TKUM CHELIDONI: FLOWERS VIOLET-COLOURED. Given an Award of Merit by the Floral Committee of the Boyal Horticultural Society on August 14. quite distinct, and is correctly referred by Dr. Hogg to Bigarreau, in which decision he followed Lindley and ThomsoD. Graffion is also an old name for this Cherry, and it is that given by Forsyth ; though in an additional list of names that author also mentions Turkey Heart, but without apy description, so that probably it was insuffi- ciently known to him. This is the case with some other varieties, for Ronald's Large Black Heart (Black Circassian) and Fraser's Black Tartarian, are named as distinct, though we now know them to be identical with Black Tartarian. Andre Leroy describes the Bigarreau above mentioned as Bigarreau Blanc (Gros), and gives a formidable list of synonyms which differ to some extent from those by British authorities. He considers it one of the three Bigarreanx mentioned by Merlet in 1667, .e., "le Blanc, le Rouge, et le Creuret." It is obvious that both the varieties already referred to, namely, Corone and Bigarreau, are Heart is also included, as though they were distinct varieties. In the following year, however, the second edition of the Fruit Manual appeared, and there St. Margarets is classed as a mere synonym of TradeBcant's Heart, a position it has always been assigned since. The variety has been a favourite in America, where it has been known as the Elkhorn ; and Downing mentions one character that is especially worth notice, namely, "When the trees are young and thrifty the fruit is often of the largest size, fully as largj as that of the Black Tartarian." The same author also gives an outline figure of the fruit. It should be mentioned that Tradescant's is an old variety, as it appears in Forsyth's work, though not in Lindley's Guide to the Orchard. The variety known as Black Heart is included in the majority of trade collections, and some selections are better than others, but Kerr's Black Heart I have not seen. Leu-is Castle, Ridrjmont, Beds. THALICTRUM CHELIDONI. This, as shown by Lady Breadalbane, Tay- mouth Castle, at a recent meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, is a pretty, dwarf, herbaceous species, with ternately divided leaves, and rounded crenate lobes, pale green above, glaucous beneath. It is a native of the temperate regions of the Himalaya at from 6,000 to 10,000 feet. Hooker and Thomson, in the Flora Indica, i., 14, describe it as exceedingly variable in foliage, but as bearing panicled, violet flowers (fig. 48). NOTES ABOUT SOME FINE CONIFEBS. Abies grandis. — By far the finest specimens oE Abies grandis I have seen are growing near Rox- burgh Castle, the Eirl of Charlemont's property in the North of Ireland. They are each about 80 feet high, branched to the ground, and thickly covered with the healthiest of foliage. Cones are produced in fair abundance, but, like those at Penrhyn Castle, and figured in the Gardeners' Chronicle many years ago, only towards the extreme tops oS the trees. There are many other beautiful Conifers on the same estate. On Coney Island, in Lough Neagh, also owned by the Earl of Charlemont, Conifers thrive amazingly ; and worthy of particular notice are two specimens of Cephalotaxus pedunculata fastigiata, and one of Thuiopsis dolabrata, the latter bearing immense quantities of full-sized cones. An Irish Yew here also claims notice from its unusual size- about 30 feet high, and with a branch-spread of 24 feet — and wealth of dark green foliage. The Churchill estate, in county Armagh, contains a very choice collection of the rarer coniferous trees, principally growing on reclaimed peat-bog, and planted by my father about fifty years ago. Worthy of particular notice is the speci- men of Abies nobilis, from which some of the first cones produced in this country were obtained, and which were sold at a guinea each. It is of giant proportions, measuring in circumference of stem at 3 feet and 5 feet from the ground level 8 feet 3 inches and 7 feet 7 inches, with a height of nearly 80 feet, and a branch- spread of 40 feet. So abundantly are cones pro- duced, that the upper portion of the tree for 12 feet in length appears one solid mass of fruit, and on several of the branch tips I counted eighteen of the large and beautifully formed cones. Strange to say, pollen cones are borne plentifully on the lower branches, which sweep the green sward. Cupressus Goveniana is here represented by the finest tree in this country, it being about 45 feet high, and spreading evenly for 48 feet. Cones are freely produced, both male and female, and the lovely bluish tint of the foliage renders it one of the prettiest of Cypresses. Arthrotaxis selagenoides also thrives well, it being 15 feet high, very slender of branch, and coning sparsely. But certainly the most remarkable conifer here is an immense specimen of Cephalotaxus Fortunei, measuring nearly 30 feet in height, and1 the branches spreading to 28 feet, while the trunk is 2 feet in girth. The Btiff prickly foliage has a, very healthy appearance, the sharp pointed leaves.' being more difficult to handle than I have ever noticed before in any of these Chinese Yews ; the tree is growing in a damp and shady situation. Podocarpus chilina, when seen as at Churchhill, is worthy of culture ; which might also be said of Fitzroya patagonica, with its fine, whipcord like branchlets, and rather inconspicuous cones. Pinus Jeffreyi and P. ponderosa grow well in reclaimed peat - bog, as indeed do most of the Pine family, the rate of growth being rapid, and the foliage tint brighter than in almost any other class of soil. Amongst the Junipers, the most remarkable, certainly the rarest, are J. drupaeea,, which forms a handsome specimen nearly 30 feet high ; and the weeping Indian Juniper, J. recurva, which seems at home everywhere on the ChurchhiB property. Abies magnifica and Picea la9iocirpa have 168 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 1, 1900. thriven well, while A. grandis and A. Nord- manniana are to be seen 70 feet in height, and •clothed with branches almost to the ground level. I am sorry to say that the Larch-disease has ■found its way to Ireland, and caused great damage in many of the woodlands of Ulster. It is of quite as virulent a type as any that I have seen in England or Scotland. A. D. Webster. Plant Notes. CAMPANULA SULPHUREA, Boiss. Thts very attractive plant, of which I received seed from Syria last winter, has just begun to bloom here. The flowers, which are of about the same size as the common Hairbell, are of the jpalest straw-yellow on the outside, and of the richest sulphur-yellow on the inside. The whole effect is most delicate and charming. It is, I t>elieve, only of annual duration, and is native to -the sandy shores of Palestine. A. K. Bulky, Jfeston, Cheshire. The Week's Work. THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. •By A. Ward, Gardener to F. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, New Barnet. Preparation for Planting. — Where the quantity •of land to be planted is extensive, its preparation should be undertaken at an early period of the autumn, either digging the entire area, or taking out the required number of holes for the trees and bushes. The advantage of preparing early is that the soil that is thrown out gets mellowed before planting is performed, and the work can go on without delay. In digging the holes, the upper layer, which is the most fertile, should be put by itself for covering the roots. The holes should be made not less than 4 feet in diameter, and in the case of standard trees it is labour well spent to make them of 6 feet. Having thrown out the first and second spits, break up the soil at the bottom with a mattock. If it be convenient, a stake to which the tree could be at once tied loosely, should a lately received from Henry A. Dreer, nurseryman, Philadelphia, as N. Kewensis, a name which belongs to a hybrid raised at Kew fifteen years ago, and figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 09SS, that had flowers 9 inches across, coloured rich rosy-pink. Un- fortunately, only one plant was raieed, and it died one winter, bo that N. Kewensis, true, is no longer in existence. It is possible, however, that Mr. Dreer's plant is a crosB between two forms of N. lotus. It has leaves exactly like those of the form known as dentata, and flowers essentially the same as that species, but the petals are coloured a delicate blush-pink, almost white at the base, and they are of variable width, usually broadest in the upper half ; the stamens are orange-brown. The width of the largest flower borne at Kew is 5 inches. Is it pos- sible that this is the N. delicatissima of Mr. Dreer's catalogue? " After the style of dentata, handsome foliage, of a metallic lustre ; flowers of a pleasing delicate pink. American origin." Lee, Blackheath, Lewisham, and West Kent Horticultural Society.— The annual oitingof the members of this society took place on Monday, Aug. 20, when they visited the gardens of Aldeuham House, Elstree, by permission of Lord Aldenha.u. Having seen everything of interest.in his lordship's admirably-kept garden, they pro- ceeded to Messrs. Sander k Co.'s nurseries at St. Albans, the cathedral, and other places of interest ia and about that town. THEPERONOSPORA IN GREECE— as we recently stated would prove to be the case— has ruined the Currant crop, and with it many cultivators. The Patras report has it that the damage has reduced the crop to about a third of its usual quantity, practically destroying the Greek vintage, including that of the Ionian Islands. There will, of course, also be a great falling away in the industries connected with the Currant business and the wine trade, by which the labouring classes earn their livelihood. British shipping will also as a consequence suffer to some extent ; imports from Britain will also be greatly 'reduced. The above reports are confirmed from Athens. Some fortunate planters will probably greatly profit by this state of things, but for the rest there appears to be only bankruptcy. The Manchester Botanical Gardens, lite the Crystal Palace, London, have recently- afforded facilities for a display by co-operators. When calling upon Mr. P. Weathers last week, we found the exceptionally fine building, where most of the Manchester shows are held, quite filled with exhibits and stalls belonging to the Man- chester and Salford Co-operative Societies. What a boon such a house as that at Manchester would be if it were in a central position in London, where the need of such a space is so much greater ! By the way, we believe that the financial position of the Manchester Royal Botanic Society is improving, and it is said that the present year will prove to be the most satisfactory one for a long time past. Apples in the United States.— We learn from official quarters that while there has during the past month been a slight decline in the condi- tion of Apples, there is not an important Apple- producing State in which the condition at the last survey did net exceed the ten year average. The indications still point to a phenomenally large crop. Aster Sickness.— Mrs. Radford, of North Devon, has forwarded samples of very fine Asters which are one by one showing signs of sickness. She at first thought something was wrong with the bed, but in time a new and healthy bed was attacked, showing that the cause did not lie in the soil. We have examined the plants submitted, and find they have been attacked by the minute annelid known as the Aster- worm. This destructive creature was described in our pages some four years ago, Bince which time it has made its appearance in many different parts of the country. There seems no hope for the beds when once the worm has begun its work, but it would be well for gardeners to test the effects of various insecticides by applying the plants freely with a solution as soon as signs of sickness appear. Productions of the Jewish Colonies in Palestine at the Paris Exhibition.— We are informed by Mr. S. Eldod, manager and director of the Palestine Wine and Trading Company, Limited, whose business premises are at 11, Bevis Marks, City, that the Jewish colonies in Palestine have obtained at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900, a Gold Medal for their wines and Grape- brandy, and a Silver Medal for fruit-trees and fruits. Flower-gardens at Kingston.— Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bt.., M. P., President of the Royal Horti- cultural Society, has kindly promised to present the prizes to the successful competitors in the four classes for front flower-gardens and window deco- rations, attached to houses not rated over £20 in the Borough of Kingston. These classes were instituted by the present Mayor, Alderman Moatt, for the first time this year. In three classes for front gardens of diverse sizes, and for one for window decoration only, there were no less than eighty-four entries. There were originally offered twenty cash prizes, but because of the com- petition, that number has been increased to thirty. The presentation will take place at 4 P.M. on Saturday, September S next. The National Dahlia Society.— Mr. J. P. Hudson, Hon. Secretary, wishes us to inform our readers that, in addition to the classes already pro- vided for in the schedule, there will be on Sep- tember 7, at the Crystal Palace, a class for fancy Dahlias in competition for special prizes, kindly offered by the Duchess of Sutherland, patroness of the society, viz., Class 5a, eighteen fancy Dahlias in six varieties, three blooms of each, £2 2s , £1, and 10s. On September 25, 1900, the committee will meet at 12 o'clock at the Drill Hall, St. James' Street, Westminster, S.W., on the occasion of the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on that date, when certificates will be awarded to such seedling Dahlias as may be deemed worthy. En- tries should be announced to the Hon. Secretary at the Drill Hall, before 11.30 on the morning of the show. Mr. A. Dean has kindly offered a special prize of 10s. 6d. for the best bunch of a New Cactus Dahlia exhibited at this meeting. Cloves and Slavery.— As all the world knows, it receives its supply of Cloves from the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba ; the yield last year was 570,000 frasilas, or, at 35 pounds to the frasila, equal to 19,971,000 pounds ! This is the largest crop ever reported, and was S,061,259 in excess of that of the preceding year. Notwithstanding this produce, however, the plantations are not being cultivated as they ought to be — a falling-off in this respect having become noted ever since the edict abolishing slavery was promulgated in 1S97. Nature has been very bountiful, but she must be assisted more by free labour than appears likely to be given by those "coloured persons" who find laziness more congenial to their feelings than moderately hard work. Attempts are made by means of fair wages to get work out of the emanci- pated slave ; he is also tempted by free grants of land in exchange for a certain supply of labour, but the bait does not appear to take freely. Some effort has been made to raise crops other than Cloves, but the results are unsatisfactory. Only time and very j udicious management of the native workers rescued from slavery can be trusted to retain for the Sultanate that celebrity it so long enjoyed by the aid of slavery. An Effort on Behalf of the Gardening Charities. — By kind permission of R. Oliverson, Esq., the gardens and grounds of R-agley Hall, Alcester, were thrown open to the public on August 23, and a collection made by means of boxes, &a. , in favour of the Gardeners' Royal Gardeners' Benevolent Institution and the Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund. The gardens were look- ing very charming, and the system of flower- gardening carried out by Mr. A. D. Christie was greatly admired. Large pyramids of Plumbagos and Pelargoniums G feet high and nearly 8 feet in diameter were conspicuous features, and beds o£ Cerastium, Coleus, and Lobelia, representing stripes of red, white and blue colour, were generally popular. The weather was not satisfactory, but there were present considerable numbers of visitors, and the sum of £3 5s. was obtained for the chari- ties. This is an excellent manner by which any owner of a good garden may help these deserving institutions. Fruit in CANADA.— We are in receipt of sundry somewhat disjointed statements as to the outcome of the fruit crops in Canada, but the fol- lowing note will be found to cover a large area of fruit plantations. Apples and Pears promise well, fruit large and free from black spot. (By the way, the codlin-moth did not appear to be in such plenty as last season). There are a number of new varie- ties fruiting this season, of which more may be heard later on. One report says: — Our fruit crop will excel any former year, both in quantity and quality. It is further observed that a very decided difference is to be seen between sprayed and un- sprayed orchards, both in fruit and foliage. Wood- growth on most varieties is healthy and vigorous — rains having brightened up the orchards. Plums, it was noted in sundry localities, did not share in the then general promise. The thinning of Pears had to be adopted to keep the trees from breaking down. Pears worked on the Q uince have proved a successful experiment, the reports being quite satisfactory. The work of Dr. William Sanders, director of the Dominion Experimental Farms, appears to be giving forth good fruit. The Recent Exhibition at Shrewsbury.— Notwithstanding the showery weather that pre- vailed during the two days this fine show was open to the public, the number of visitors was very satisfactory. The honorary secretaries courteously nform us that the receipts upon Wednesday the opening day, amounted to £797, and there were present 18,000 persons. On Thursday, the second day, the receipts were £1,808, and the number of visitors 60,000. The total receipts, which include other items than the gate-money, were £46,000. Financially the exhibition was second only to one on record. As we published in our last issue a detailed report of the exhibits, there is little remains to be said, but we are informed that in. Class 78, for the best new Grape exhibited, the 1st prize has been awarded to Diamond Jubilee, shown, by Messrs. D. & W. Buchanan, Forth Vineyards, Kippen. When our notes were taken the 1st prize ticket was attached to two bunches of Directeur Tisserand shown by Sir J. W. Peases (gr., Mr. McIndoe). As the Shropshire Society award gold medals of two sizes to non-competitive exhibits, we may say that Messrs. Jones & Son, Shrewsbury, gained a large one for their exhibit of Dahlias and Sweet Peas. On p. 173 we reproduce a photograph of the first prize exhibit in the class for 24 dishes of fruit. The Sweet Pea Classification Committee. — We learn from a S weet Pea expert that a Committee met recently at the Hotel Windsor, and drew up a list of the three best varieties in each colour-section. This list will by and by be made public, and will 172 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September I, 1900. no doubt come in for considerable attention and criticism, adverse and otherwise. It ought to be remembered that it is a much easier task to criticise with a list before the critic than it is to sit down and draw up such a list. We do not expect, our correspondent adds, that the Committee will claim for its list that it is perfection, and exhausts the subject ; in fact, it is said that several members of the Committee who were out-voted regarding cer- tain varieties, declared that before another year passed the varieties in question would be added to the list. The reference to the Committee should be kept in view "to select the three best varieties in each coIour-sectioD,"as this must explain why a long list could not be prepared, and we maintain that a long list in any section would have defeated the chief object such selections are intended to serve. The Committee acted wisely in not including too many novelties in the selections. Novelties should have an extended trial, and reports should be obtained from growers in different localities before they are stamped with the hall-mark of a committee of Sweet Pea experts. The question of the permanency of a Sweet Pea society or committee is being much discussed. We cannot think, even if it were possible, that a huge Sweet Pea show held annually would serve any very good purpose ; but a Classification Committee, which from its composition would possess aDd inspire confidence, would do good work, and such a committee might hold a small exhibition for novelties annually in connection with some of the big shows ; and if it organised a large show once in five or ten years, it would do very well. Mr. J. W. McHATTIE, whose retirement from Strathfieldsaye we notified recently, has now been appointed gardener to Whitaker Wright, Esq., Lea Park, near Godalming, who is, we believe, engaged in making a first-class garden at this place. Those who saw the magnificent Grapes Mr. McHattie exhibited at the Drill Hall on Tuesday last, from the Duke of Wellington's garden, will share our hope that he will meet with ample opportunities in the new establishment to continue such skilful cultivation. Mr. McHattie will remove to Lea Park in October. The Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Insti- tution.—Mr. G. J. Ingram, the Secretary of the Institution, desires us to state that Mr. A. Mac- Kellar has forwarded a donation of £5 from the Sandringham Horticultural Society in aid of the funds of this charity. Publications Received.— .vom Scotia Provincial- Government Crop Eeport, July, 1000. A return prepared by the Secretary for Agriculture of the then state, and future prospects of the principal fleldand orchard cropsof the province of Nova Scotia, such as Potatos, Apples, and root crops, were good. Published for Government of Nova Scotia Office of Agri- ulture, Halifax— Pollination In Orchards : ByS. W. Fletcher! Giving the reasons why flowers of fruit-trees do not set ; self- sterility and its main cause ; varieties grown in this country and found self-sterile in the United States of America, viz. :— Pears : Duchesse d'Angouleme, Williams' Bon Chretien (Bartlett), Clapp's Favourite, Kieffer, and Winter Nelis. Apples: Spitzenburg Reinette, Winesop (Sops in Wine)! Plums: Coe's Golden Drop, French Prune, and Peach. Cherries: Napoleon, Belle de Choisy, and Reine Hortensh The pollinisers should bloom at the same time ; they should be abundant pollen-producers, and should cross readily. Among Pears, the Kiefler is a good polliniser for the Pearsabove mentioned, which bloom together withthse, audits influence in giving an increase of size to the fruits is very marked, as in Seckel, whose flowers were rendered fertile with its pollen. Some varieties of Plums will not cross with each other, and it is therefore a matter which orchardists and hybridists should discover for themselves.— Cornell University Agricul- tural Experimental Station, Bulletin 174, Ithaca, New York : 1 ' The Problem of Impoverished Lands," compiled by L. H. Bailey. Bulletin 175 : " Fourth Report on Japanese Plums," by L. H. Bailey. Bulletin 176 : " The Peach-tree Borer," by M. V. Slingerland. Bulletin 177 : " Spraying Notes," by L. H.Bailey and others. Bulletin 178: "The Invasion of the Udder by Bacteria," by A. R. Ward. Bulletin 179: "Intro- duction to Field Experiments with Fertilisers," by A. L. Kinsley. Bulletin ISO: "The Prevention of Leaf curl in Peaches, by W. A. Murrill. Rose Hvbeid Tea, "Exquisite." — Gardening Magazine, July 14. Sechium edoxe.— A very beautiful figure of the Chayote occasionally seen in our markets, is given in the Revue Horticole, August 1. Vanda Cathcahti.— Eevue Horticole, August 16. THE WEATHER IN WEST HEKTS. Since the last report was issued, a great change in temperature has taken place, all the days of the past week having been cold, while the nights, taken as a whole, have been of only seasonable warmth. The ground temperatures have, in con- sequence, fallen very considerably, the reading at 2 feet deep being now about 1° warmer, while that at 1 foot deep is about 2° colder, than their re- spective averages for the end of August. At the latter depth the reading has fallen nearly 10° during the week. Rain fell on four days, but to the total depth of only about half an inch. No measurable quantity of rain-water has come through the bare soil percolation gauge for more than a week ; and excepting a few drops in the middle of July, none whatever through the gauge covered with short grass for nearly eighteen weeks. The winds have again been light, and throughout the last four days thave come exclusively from some point of the compass between north and east. For a summer month the atmosphere was, as a rule, rather humid ; and the record of bright sunshine poor. E. M., Berkhamsted, August 28. PLANT POETEAITS. Api-le " Leckerbissen. " — An old Dutch variety, of obliquely oblong-shaped depressed eye, short stalk, and yellow flesh. Garten Flora, t. 1478, Begonia rex x B. diadema.— Garten, Welt, July. PELAEGONIUM CUTTINGS. The successful striking of these cuttings out- doors is a timple matter in the summer when the weather is dry ; but when it is deferred, as it usually is, for the sake of the flower-beds, till the end of August or the beginning of September, the long damp nights, and often cold and cloudy days, combined with the succulence which often charac- terises the shoots of Pelargoniums at that season, sometimes make the rooting process difficult. This means disappointment, as it is often too late to take another lot. If the following points, however, are attended to, the loss of these cuttings by damping- off will be greatly reduced. In the first place, the cuttings before being put in the earth, should be laid out thinly somewhere (not in too hot a place), to let the newly-cut parts of the stalks get dry, when they also get harder and tougher, and consequently more ready to form a callus, and less liable to rot. In the second place, some of the shoots of the old plants are much more juicy than others, and it is the cuttings from these juicy ones which are the most inclined to damp off. Only the hardest shoots should be taken, not those which can be lightly crushed between the thumb and finger. The short lateral spurs are the easiest of all to strike, especially if they are simply broken off at their junction with the parent-stem, and not cut. This method, however, has a disadvantage attached to it, for if the old plants are to be taken up and kept another year, fresh shoots are not likely to come where these lateral spurs have been broken off, and consequently the plants may have long bare stems. So much for taking the cuttings. In putting them in the pots, four matters should be remembered — good drainage must be put in the bottom of the pots ; some sand must be put round each cutting, which is best done by putting it on the top of the earth round the edge of the pot before putting the cuttings in ; they must be afforded only just enough water as will keep them from drying up, as it will not damage them to let them wither a good deal the first two or three days ; and lastly, they must be set in as sunny a place as possible. When they have struck root, they should be given no more water than is abso- lutely necessary to keep them alive, as the object is to get a hardened plant which will not damp off in the winter. Should the weather be persistently wet, it is a good plan to set the pots in a cold frame, and raise the sash by means of a block of wood at each end, so that it keeps the rain out, but not the air. A Irjer Petts, Home Correspondence. THE FRUITING OF EARLY RIVERS NECTARINE IN THE OPEN. — Any gardener or amateur not having a wall against which to train trees of the Peach and Nectarine, and having misgivings about planting them away from a wall, should visit Mr. C. Turner's nursery at Slough at the present time, and inspect some rows of healthy bushes of Early Rivers Nectarines, which are fruiting freely. The- trees possess fine crowns, and the fruit is all that can be desired, being large, and beautifully coloured,, many of them being good enough to put in a col- lection of fruit at a first-rate show. The soil of thiB part of the nursery is a rather heavy loam, from which bricks are being made on the adjoining land. The lesson to be gleaned from an inspection- of these trees may lead some cultivators to plant early Peach and Nectarine in the open for the pro- duction of fruit for the market, as well as for private- use. The trees at Slough are growing on an un- sheltered piece of land. The most suitable varieties are Early Alexander, Waterloo, and Hale's Early Peaches ; Early Rivers, and Lord Napier Necta- rines. These fruits ripen towards the end of August or early in September, therefore in warm, weather. Ordinary Peach culture would suffice,. no special kind of treatment being required. B. W. Ward, A vgust 25. TRADESCANT'S HEART CHERRY.— A fruit-grow- ing friend interested in Cherries kindly sent me so- late as August 21 a few very fine fruits of Trades- cant's Heart Cherry. It is a large, almost black, roundish variety, of solid flesh and fine quality. This variety is one of the latest of sweet Cher- ries. It does bear a close resemblance to Noble, the new one to which Mr. Bunyard recently made reference, and no doubt anyone obtaining one variety will do well to get the other, to test rela- tive merits. Probably when the new variety becomes plentiful, nurserymen will be enabled to- say how far one may be better than the other. Of Tradescant's Heart perhaps one reason why so little is heard of this Cherry is, that generally it is listed) as St. Margarets, but as I previously remarked.. Dr. Hogg regards Tradescant's Heart as the proper appellation. A. D. ENTOMOLOGY. — Notice of rare captures have appeared in several papers. It may interest your readers to know I took a fine Papilio (Colias)> Machaion in our Maidstone nursery. Although an ardent collector thirty years back, I never before came across this much coveted " Bwallow-tail "' butterfly. My children have taken several Colias hyale and edusa. My brother took in the town, years ago a Camberwell Beauty (Vanessa antiopa)> and Aporus Crata>gi at Sittingbourne, but I have- never seen or taken either since 1860. Geo. Bunyard* Maidstone. THE ABSENCE OF PLANT LABELS IN THE BEDS AT BATTERSEA PARK.— On Sunday last I paid a visit to this beautiful park, and I am able to endorse everything that is stated at p. 132 of the Gardeners' Chronicle ; but I noticed an almost entire absence of plant-labels. I admit that a number of white, conspicuous labels disfigure a flower or foliage-bed, especially if they are very large ; but I think that small-sized labels, with the names legibly written thereon, might be placed where they could be readily seen by visitors. Gardeners and other persons interested visit the various London parks during the season with the- object of noting the plants made use of in filling the beds (many of them for the first time as bedding, plants), and the question of names is a matter of some moment to such persons. H. W. THE LILY POND AT BERKSWELL.— Having previously given in the Gardeners' Chronicle a sketch of my Lily-pond, I now go on to show what success subsequently followed the planting. Not- SlTPTEMlSER 1, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 173 feeling safe in wintering the plants in the newly- made pond lest the water should fail, 1 placed them in a tank in which they were grown during the Erevious summer in a coachhouse, and where they ibemated comfortably, until the end of the month -of April of this year, when they were transferred to the outdoor pond. Up to that time they were still in i; in.'li pots, plunged in puddle, with water -over them. On turning them out, I found them all to be strongly rooted, with the exception of Nympb;t?i odorata Exquisita, which was weak, and ao it still remains. After being placed on pre- viously-prepared rich mounds of soil in the pond, 4hey soon began to grow, followed by the flowering season, which commenced on July 4, and from that date up to the present time I have had the pleasure matella throws up a strong lot of brindled leaves, and has a bold yellow flower ; N. sulphurea is smaller in leaf than that of N . chromatella, but it is quite as much brindled ; the flower is a brighter yellow, and for the first two or three days of its life stands about .'; or 4 inches out of the water, which none of the other varieties in my collection does ; N. albida has beautiful leaves, and sends up a bold white flower with yellow centre ; of this variety I have two plants, but neither of them, so far, has sent up more than one flower at a time, and remains longer in flower in the afternoon than any of the others ; N. rosea has fine dark green leaves, with a decided pink flower and yellow centre. Dr. Paunce's seedling has smaller leaves than N. rosea, but much darker, the outer petals of the growing and floweriDg of those lovely Lilies quite as much as if the basin was constructed of the purest Klondyke gold. Besides these Nym- ph;eas there are other aquatic claimants, who have made a determined push for a place in the pond ; and but for our assiduity in weeding them out, they would soon have absorbed the whole space for themselves. One of these is Ranunculus aquatilis, which quickly came into flower, then dropped to the bottom in cloudy masses, which, when handled, feels crisp, rough, and has a rather unpleasant smell, favouring that of seaweed. Another is j.Jotamogeton natans, which also came up in extraordinary quantities. Callitriche aqua- tica, Alisma plantago, and A. natans. It puzzles me to know how all these plants got into this Clrst Frire exhibit of Fruit in the Fig. 49. — the Shrewsbury show. 'Champion" class for twenty-four dishes, shown by the Earl of Harrington (gr., Mr. J. H. Goodacre). For a full description of the varieties of fruit included, see p. 15G in our last issue. From a photo by W. Thurtle, Shifnal. 5 ■■a.. >> a , and the first bloom appeared in August, 1900. A. Cor/niav.c. Odontoglossum aspidorHixum, Lehm This graceful and new species, described by its discoverer in the Gardeners' Chronicle, Sept. 28, 1S95, is now flowering in several collections, and its blossoms well bear out Mr. Lehmann's descrip- tion, that "this is beyond any question the most floriferous Odontoglot yet discovered. Not only does every pseudo-bulb produce two flower-spikes at one time, but they do so for two and even three years id succession, a character which, though com- mon among Masdevallias, has not yet been observed with Odontoglo3Su ms. It is therefore quite common to meet with comparatively small masses which are set with twenty to thirty flower-spikes at one time, and as many as thirty-eight have been observed on one plant." Good examples have been received from Major Joicey's gardens, Sunningdale Park (gr., Mr. Fred. J. Thorne), and from Joseph Broome, Esq., Sunny Hill, Llandudno (gr., Mr. A. C. Axtel). The slender curved sprays bear showy flowers, having yellow-coloured sepals and petals, marked with reddish-purple. The lip, which is large in proportion to the size of the flower, is pure white, with, in some cases, violet blotches. It is a very pretty and distinct species. RODRIGUEZIA FRAGRANS. This forms one of the prettiest of basket plants, producing its racemes of white fragrant flowers in profusion, generally in the spring and early summer, though the plant often flowers at other seasons of the year. It is of dense and tufted habit of growth, and the white flowers, with yellow keel down the centre of the lip, being arranged all round the basket or Orchid-pan in which they are growing, look very attractive. Being evergreen they require but a slight diminution of the quan- tity of water afforded, and a lower temperature when growth is fully completed. A plant of this species is flowering well witu. Captain G. W. Law- Schofield, New Hall Hey, Rawtenstall (gr., Mr. Shill), who forwards an inflorescence of a very fine form of it. The genus is known in gardens as Burlingtonia. Foreign Correspondence. THE GREAT FLOWER SHOW AT VERSAILLES. Tins has been a year of flower shows in France, or more particularly in Paris and its environs ; and the incessant calls on the resources of the French nurserymen must have almost depleted their nur- series. The Paris Exhibition has been more or less of a permanent flower show, and yet the great exhibition which opened at Versailles on Saturday, September 1, and continued on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, of this week, proves that the exhibition has not monopolised all the interesting things. The beautifully- wooded grounds of the Palace at Versailles are admirably adapted for floral exhibitions, the fine old trees affording a most welcome shade in hot weather. The French do not organise big flower shows without calling in what may be described as adventitious aid to make them attractive to the ordinary crowd of sightseers as well as to the specialist. In con- nection, therefore, with the show at Versailles, not only have concerts been organised, but on Sunday the iuvariable attraction of grandts eaux (which cost the government or municipality from 8,000 to 10,000 francs on each occasion) was announced, and, on the same day, M. Georges Bellair, gardener - in - chief of the Park and Orangerie was on the programmes for a covference- promenade, and on Monday M. Leon Duval, the well known horticulturist of Versailles, was down for a similar conference. The show, it may be mentioned, was organised by the Societe d'Horti- culture de Seine et Oise. Plants and Flowers. The centre of attraction of the exhibition was, of course, the large tent, in which one might wander for a week and find much to interest and to instruct. The whole arrangement was designed with great skill, and carried out with excellent taste. The horticultural establishment of M. Alexandre Rou- land, of Versailles, was especially in evidence, and deservedly won a number of silver medals, his splendid bower of Ferns and their exhibit of noble Palms exciting general commendation, whilst his displays of Asters and Roses each received a medal, as did also a huge arrangement of pot plants and cut flowers in the shape of an immense basket, which demonstrated the extreme "pliability," so to speak, of cultivated plants and their decorative possibilities. A fine centre bed of MM. Duval et Fils, also of Versailles, won a Gold Medal, and included among some choice specimens of Palms and other ornamental plants, Heliconiaaureastriata, a variety of Fieus elastica with irregular margins of gold, and a lovely specimen of Nephrolepis exaltata. M. Derudder, another well known Versailles nurseryman, did much to make the large tent a thing of beauty and a joy for the five brief days of its existence, and he carried off several medals ; his bank of miscellaneous foliage plants contained a number of that most graceful table decoration — Araucaria excelsa compacta robusta, than which there is none more effective for the Bpecial purpose for which it is so largely grown in this country, although gas is fatal to its existence. The same exhibitor received also a second silver medal for a new plant, Euonymus marginata alba, the creamy gold of its leaves giving it a very distinct appear- ance. M. A. Truffaut, of Versailles, contributed two fine beds of decorative Palms and other plants. His small plants of Araucaria excelsa were especially well grown, and his collection of Ferns included a noble specimen of Lygodium scandens trained into a huge Pear-shaped formation, with seven shoots, perhaps not lesi than 10 feet in height. Also a fine series of Crotons which com- prised nearly every conceivable form of coloration except white and black. M. Truffaut also sent a small collection (for which he received the large gold medal), of Nepenthes which were admirably grown, and which included N. Mastersii rubra and N. Annerleyensis. A second display of Nepenthes to which a gold medal was also awarded, was sent, from the gardens of M. Robert Lebandy, of Bougival, and in this exhibit quite the most notable specimen was N. Mastersii, with pitchers perhaps 9 in. in length. The exhibits of Caladiums were es- pecially interesting, a fine bed of them bsing sent by the gardener of M. E. Thelier, to which a gold medal was awarded ; whilst those from M. A. Chantin, Paris, should also be mentioned. M. J. Welker, of La Celle, St. Cloud, received a silver - gilt medal for a small collection of Montbretias, with some very richly-coloured forms, and a small gold medal for a bed of Begonias, single and double. The cut Gladioli spikes, and the Cannas of M. Millet, of Bourg-la-Reine, and the bank of Asters cfM. Mon- dain, of Versailles, were honoured with medals ; and the bed of Palms, Ferns, and other plants of M. Benoit, received a Silver Medal ; the show of Begonias from M. E. Coutis received a similar award. Especially noteworthy was the collection of Sfty varieties of "picture trees," which received a large Gilt Medal, and were exhibited by a nur- seryman whose name did not appear, and in which Aucubus, Euonymus, and Ilex played the most con- spicuous part. Another exhibitor — an amateur — whose name did not appear, at all events when the exhibition was opened on the first day, received a large Silver Medal for a spirally-trained plant of Vanilla planifolia, which carried no fewer than forty fruits. The cut Roses, with a bedding of moss, obtained for M. Lecointe Amedee a large Silver-gilt Medal, who received other medals for other exhibits. To another exhibitor, whose name I could not discover, was awarded a small Gold? Medal for a magnificent specimen plant, very cleverly trained, of Lithrobrochii platyphylla, 10 feet high ; an amateur, whose name also did not appear, sent a wonderful show of Platycerium, grande, chiefly arranged on an upright arrange- ment of virgin cork, with seven arms or branches on either side ; this exhibit included also severaV small pots, under glass, in which the spores of this plant were seen just starting into life, and also- plants which ranged from the size of a shilling to others of two years' growth, the Silver-gilt Medal- awarded to this exhibit was exceedingly well- deserved. Special mention may al«o be made of an exhibit of Abutilon Savitzi, which, with its creamy-green foliage, received a Gold Medal ; of M. Georges Truffaut's huge heads of Chrysanthe- mums, of which the primary object was to adver- tise not so much the flowers themselves as the manure with which they which they were raised ; and also of an Orchid novelty which received a Gold Medal, sent by M. Charles Maron, of Brunoy : it is: a cross between Laelio purpurata and Cittleya gigas-, and is named Laelio-Cattleya Midam.9 Georges Halphen, th9 rich satin purple of the throat renders it a most lovely flower. Mention should also be made of the effective waterfall, with rock- work decorated with Orchids, erected by M. L. Perego, of Paris-Passy, to which a small Gold Medal was awarded, Although not all the floral exhibits were confined to the large tent, they may be briefly grouped here. M. A. Gravereau, of Neauphile-le-Chateau, staged a splendid series of Gladiolus, chiefly of ganda- vensis, to which, as he was a member of the "jury," no prize was awarded, but in which there were; several novelties, notably "Le. Colosse," a deep- red, with white satiny throat ; there were numerous- varieties of English origin. Two other exhibits of seedling Gladioli received medals, but the names of the exhibitors did not appear. A very fine show of Dahlias, by an amateur grower, received a Gold Medal, and included the beautiful dark purple- "Bragg," the larger flower variety of the same- colour, " Papa Charma," and the lovely pearly- white " Perle de la Tote d'Or : these were chiefly arranged in star-shaped formations of seven flowers each. The various arrangements of cut flowers of Madame A. Simon, Versailles, and of M. Wegarine of the same place, received medals, and were f ji- the most part in very good taste. Fruit and Vegetables. The French have no rivals in the skill and ingenuity of their methods of fruit and vegetable culture, and' the display at Versailles was uncommonly varied and interesting. In a composite way, the honours of the exhibition were carried off by the Ecole d'Hor- ticulture of Igoy (Seine et Oise), whose exhibits were on a large scale, and who received se/traf medals. Their Pumpkins included one nearly as large as the wheel of an ordinary cart, and theiF Gourds comprised several which might have served as the Club of Hercules. Their Potates especially made a fine show. Their Tomatos varied from the appropriately - named "Cerise," which is noi larger than a Cherry, to a variety of the sizi of a small Turnip. The same exhibitors' table of Pears included the huge and luscious - looking Docteur Jules Guyot. M. Deseine, Bougival, received several gold and other medals for similar- exhibits ; for Grapes a medal was awarded to M. Gustave Chevillot, of Thomeray ; and another went to MM. Gayeaux & Clerc, of Paris, for the show of vegetables grown from their seed. Ore of the most interesting exhibits was sent by* M. G. Compoint, of St. Ouen, and included bunches- of cut Asparagus from ths fine form which origi- nated at Argenteuil, or is known by the name of that place, down to the small green varieties which are known in England. M. Compoint told me- that he has 45 hectares entirely devoted t> the cultivation of this vegetable, and that he has been- established at St. Ouen for thirty years. Hii* establishment produces Asparagus hev's nearly ak the year round. -- il UBBB S, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 183 M. E. Pidoux, of Poruiehot (Loire Inf.), received a Silver-gilt Medal for his exhibit of Strawberries, of which he haa about 6 hectares under cultivation, chief of which are St. Antoine de Padoue, Oregon, Jeanne d'Arc, and the mo9t fruitful bearer of all, Leon XII. In conclusion, I cannot pass over three highly interesting volumes exhibited by the Kcole d'Hor- ticulture "Le Notre,'' of Villepreux (Seine et Oise). These consist of dried specimens, carefully mounted and labelled, and the titles of the three volumes indicate the nature of their interest :— 1, Maladies serted into the base of the corolla. The species delineated in our present issue (Kg. 53) is from a plaut obligingly furnished by W. E. (Jumbleton, Esq. , Bilgrovc, Queenstown, who obtained it from Herrn Max Leichtlin, of Baden- Baden. The plant was collected in the Sierra Nevada, California, by C. A. Purpus, from whom Mr. LeichtliD purchased it. It ct>mes near to A. princeps, but the flowers and heads are larger. The plant flowers, and is perfectly hardy at Baden- Baden. It should prove a pretty addition to hardy herbaceous plants. garden Marigold they appear almost different plants altogether. Like all (lowers they require a little attention in order to give complete satisfaction. Thus, I have found it convenient to sow the seeds not in the borders they are wanted to adorn, but in nursery lines early in April, whence thay are transplanted at the end of May into the position they are to occupy during the season. Transplanting has the good effect of inducing a less rampint growth, and a more floriferous habit. The summer treatment consists in removing all seed- capsules, and in keeping the plants within bounds Fig. 53. — asclepias halli: ex hort. max. leichtlin in eaden-baden ; with details of the anthers-', pollen masses, and three different views of the flower. colour of flowers dull pink. (The specimen sent for figuring was obligingly furnished by Mr. Gurableton.) des Plantes d'Ornament ; 2, Maladies des Arbres Fruitiers ; and 3, Maladies des Plantes Agricoles et Legumes. These volumes are the work of MM. Potier, the Director of the school. W. Roberts. ASCLEPIAS HALLI {Asa Gray). The Asclepiads are a numerous order of herba- ceous plants or shrubs, almost always milky, and often climbing. Leaves entire, opposite, sometimes whorled , having ciliie in lieu of stipules. The flowers are mostly arranged in umbels, in fascicles, or racemes. The calyx is five-divided and persistent ; corolla also five-lobed and deciduous ; stamens five-in- CONCERNING MARIGOLDS. For certain purposes these somewhat lightly- esteemed plants are quite indispensable, as for example in schemes of yellow where that colour passes into orange, they may safely form the back- bone of the arrangement, other plants being more or less sparingly employed for filling up. There are now good strains of lemon- coloured and of deep orange Marigolds, with large full flowers, in form and size not unlike reflexed Chrysanthemums, that are of great value for summer and autumn flowering. These are greatly superior to the fancy strains such as Meteor and Le Proust, though I grow these also, and as compared with the common old-fashioned by trimming any over-vigorous growths at interva'a as required. To associate with these, both French and African Marigolds are meritorious. They have somehow become associated in country districts altogether with flower shows, and their usefulness in adding a charm to the pleasure garden has perhaps on that account been largely overlooked. No doubt many dwarf forms of the French Marigold (Tagetes patula) are cultivated for effect, but the old- fashioned forms are left severely alone. This is a mistake, because in the kind of gardening I have in view, a mass of colour-mixture, with no clearly- detined gradations, this tall - growing, straggly plant, now with single blooms, and as often with 184 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 8, 1900. double, in yellow, brown, or striped with both, is more effective than any of the low -growing varieties. They are almost as easy to cultivate as the common Marigold, the only difference being that the French Marigold is sown in April iu a cold frame ou a prepared bed of light soil, and by the end of May the seedlings are sufficiently vigorous to bear transplanting directly into the border to bloom. African Marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are accorded a different treatment ; this is rendered necessary because of the impossibility of procuring a strain that will yield more than about 50 per cent, of good double flowers ; and though a few of those composing the other fifty may not be wanting in prettiness, the plant as a whole cannot be depended on to place without selection in any arrangement where good effect is every- thing. Fortunately, the plants bear transplanting at any stage of growth, so instead of setting them out into the borders from the frames ■where the seedlings are raised in the same manner as the French Marigold, they are dibbled into nursery lines at 15 inches apart each way, the ground chosen for their reception having first been prepared by the addition to the surface of a 2-inch layer of leaf-mould, which promotes the production of surface roots, and renders the process of lifting and transplanting easier and less liable to irritating losses. The time to transplant is when the first bloom on each plant has expanded, which is generally early in August. The work should be carried out after noon, and the soil and balls of the plants well moistened with water directly the plants have been set ; no bad effects follow, but instead a dwarfer growth is promoted. None of the flowers should be allowed to remain to produce seeds, which weakens the plant and lessens the size of the later blooms. I think it is Parkinson who affirms that blooms of the African Marigold, when cut, will continue fresh, with the stems in water, for a period of two months. I often employ all the Marigolds as cut flowers, but never noticed this peculiarity. They are, however, not to be despised for vase furnish- ing, the striped forms of the French Marigold, loosely arranged, with long stems, buds, and foliage, being most effective. Their scent is, un- fortunately, not of a kind to be sought after ; but it is by no means of so dreadful a nature as the earlier herbalists conceived it to be, for by their own account they were afraid to inhale it, and the juice was thought to be as deadly as that of the common Hemlock. Both species would appear to have been introduced into Europe at an early date, and as it was thought, from Tunis, whence came the name, "African Flower," applied to each. Hill, of English writers, first mentions the French Marigold under the designation " Petilius floure," but the plant itself was not known to him. Lyte describes the African and French Marigolds very fully, and it is plain that both were in cultivation in England when he published in 1578, the last name being used as a distinguishing term by which, as Gerarde affirms, they were "vulgarly " known. At the time Parkinson wrote, several distinct forms were already cultivated, including the African, with quilled florets, which still distinguish a high-class strain, with lemon-coloured flowers. A few years ago a very charming plant, said to be a hybrid production from Chrysanthemum segetum or Corn Marigold, and called "Princess 'May," was introduced. It had, unfortunately, a tendency to go all to flower, and cuttings were consequently difficult to produce. This year I am glad to see among our border flowers a plant exactly like "Princess May," which was produced from a packet of seed kindly sent by Messrs. Carter & Co., and which they name "Rising Sun." We have nothing like this in its soft gradation of yellow coloration, and both for border furnishing and for cutting we may look forward to the strain becom- ing popular. It is quite hardy, but requires the blooms as they set for seed to be regularly removed in order to preserve the plants in a floriferous ondition. B. NECTAEIES ON THE BRAKE FERN. At a recent meeting of the Torrey Botanical Club, Professor Lloyd called attention to the occurrence of nectaries on the leaves of Pteridium aquilinum. The glands are found on the rachis, one below the insertion of each pinna, and may be recognised as modified oval areas covered by a dark red epidermis. The colour is due to the presence of matter dis- solved in the sap, and is found also in lines running up and sometimes down the rachis from the glands. These are very active during the rapid growth of the frond, their activity ceasing on the attainment of maturity. The secretion, which is very abun- dant, is formed independently of bleeding pressure, and the fluid is thick and syrupy. So rapidly does it accumulate that one may notice the increase in the size of the drops with a hand-lens. The secre- tion escapes through modified stomata, similar in form to the water- stomata of Tropfeolum. The glandular tissue beneath extends deeply into the cortical mass of the petiole ; its cells are small and contain chlorophyll. Small ants, and one honey-gathering dipterous insect were noticed visiting the glands ; none was seen to be gnawed by the iD sects. As Francis Darwin observed, the plant has few natural enemies or none, and the interpretation must be sought in the internal economy of the plant, pro- bably in connection with nutrition. The abundant excretion of sugar may be a carrier of or an accom- paniment to the excretion of some harmful sub- stance. It is noteworthy that up to the present time no other pteridophyte has been reported to be possessed of nectar-secreting organs. The plants on which the observations were made grew near Bantam Lake, Litchfield, Conn. American Gar- dening, Avgust 11, 1900. The Bulb Garden. EURYCLES CUNNINGHAMI A very good form of this Eucharis-like bulbous plant, popularly known as the Brisbane Lily, has recently flowered here. The leaves are generally produced in pairs, and have oblong, laxly-veined blades, a foot long, and 8 inches wide, borne on very long, stout petioles. The pure white flowers are produced before the leaves, and are borne in an umbel of twenty or more on a long, cylindrical, tapering scape. Each consists of a cylindricil tube, suddenly dilated into a cup-shaped perianth- limb, the lanceolate segments of which are elegantly waved and twisted. A small, funnel-shaped sta- minal cup occupies the centre of the flower, and is surmounted by two long teeth between the free ends of the filaments. The flower measures 2 inches, and resembles that of Pancratium canariense. The inflorescence is exceedingly delicate and pretty, and the individual flowers are suitable for button- holes, and all those purposes to which the Eucharis is put. The plant can be grown in the warm greenhouse, but it does far better in the stove, the flowers produced there being of twice the size, and in far greater number. It requires a compost of leaf soil and loam, the former prepon- derating, and plenty of water when growing. It is a native of Eastern Australia. It is figured in Bot. Mag., t. 3399. POHLIA PLATENSIS. A plant that is undoubtedly a Cypella, and close in its characters to C. plumbea, has been distri- buted under the above name by several continental nurserymen this past year. Bulbs of it, procured from Messrs. Herba & Wulle of Naples, have flowered in these gardens receLtly. It is a tall Iridaceous plants with few lanceolate, plicate leaves, 1 foot long and li inch wide; the flower-spike is stout, branched, 3 feet high ; and bears numerous rich azure-blue flowers 3J inches across. The blades of the outer segments are drooping, the inner segments are smaller, heavily tipped with white, with a faint yellow median line extending to the base. The centre, or basin of the flower, is mottled yellow and brown, as in C. plumbea. It is a better plant than the latter, from the gardener's point of view, on account of the greater number and richer colour of the flowers r^ though individual flowers have the same fugacious character — lasting but a single day. The plant is- described by the vendors as hardy, but most of these things require, to be quite safe, to be lifted) and stored during the winter in sand. It is closely allied to and succeeds under the same kind of treatment as that afforded Tigridias. Potfuls- of, say, a dozen bulbs are useful for conservatory decoration, a display of several flowers daily being kept up for about a fortnight. Crinum gigantetjm. I have before alluded to this fine garden plant in these columns. A large specimen has flowered) here (Isleworth) for the fourth time this year, yielding an aggregate of thirty eight flowers, which I think is a very unusual number for the plant under cultivation. The flowers are white, with green tubes, and are suitable for cutting for table decoration and for placing in vases. They are fragrant, especially towards the evening, when they expand to their fullest extent. The plant is easily grown. Geo. B. Mallett. Forestry. ♦ ■ ■ AVENUES. Probably the most important points in an. avenue next to the condition of the trees, are length and breadth. The former determines its- ability either to add to the attractions of an. approach, when of suitable length, or to convert it into a monotonous and apparently never-ending drive when too long. Its breadth, again, may almost be said to determine its existence as an. avenue at all, for we have all of us seen the distauce between the two rows of trees so great, as- to entirely destroy the effect they were meant- to produce, and while retaining its formality, destroying the grandeur with which the height of the trees invests it, and which relatively decreases- the further the latter recede from the observer's eye. As far as its length is concerned, this will depend to some extent on the distance between the two points it is supposed to connect. But, considered as a feature in itself, we think that half-a-mile is long enough for any avenue, if we wish to avoid making the journey along it tedious and tiresome. As already pointed out, after once an avenue has been entered, the view presented to the eye re- mains much about the same, and it is only when one or other of the ends is approached, that the scene changes to any great extent. When the line runs through an extensive park, which can be seen between or beneath the trees of the avenue, a change of scene is afforded on either side ; but the main or front view remains the same, and after a few minutes' ride or walk, the eye becomes- satiated with its familiarity, and gradually be- comes bored with what at first sight may have pleased. As a long avenue familiar to many, the Long Walk in Windsor Park may be instanced. The size of its trees, and the historic castle at one end, and the colossal statue at the other, render it an> imposing and striking feature of the royal domain j but to tramp along its whole length merely for pleasure is a feat few would care to repeat who are able to appreciate natural scenery. Had the hill, with its Copper Horse, been as- near again to the Castle, this avenue, in my opinion, would have been a much grander sight than it is at present. This may, perhaps, be a matter of opinion, but in a world where size is only relative, it must be allowed that a disproportionate length only tends to dwarf the accompanying height and breadth of any object, and proportion is an essential feature in matters connected with taste. The most attractive and successful avenues are September 8, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. lS.r frequently those of only a few hundred yards in length, such as may be found connecting some old Elizabethan manorhouse standing in a few acres of ground, with the adjoining village or public road. In such a position, it invests the approach to the house with a dignity it would not otherwise possess, and' the house itself with additional importance 6y hiding from view outbuildings, and boundary- kind. The distance is too short to enable the visitor to be decoyed into a winding and circuitous road through the grounds, while a piece of straight road through ordinary park land or shrubbery rarely looks well. But when bordered by a stately avenue, it does away with that villa-like aspect whijh short drives of this kind often convey, and carries with it a greater idea of importance. Of Fig. 54.— brocchinia cordtlinoides : as it grew in mr. everai d im thurn's garden on the barima river. fences, which would reveal the actual extent of the property. Usually planted with Elms or Limes, these avenues in many instances still remain entire and in good health, although the houses to which they owed their origin have either disappeared, or have been turned into farm-houses, or even more humble usea. In the same way, where the mansion stands close to the entrance gates, no better connection bttween the two can be found than a short avenue of this course, much depends upon the style of the building to which it leads, but we must leave this question to those more competent to discuss it. Much the same thing may be said about breadth as has been said about length. Proportion, again, should be strictly observed, and the loDger the avenue the wider (in moderation) it should be. A great deal, however, depends here upon the s;yle of the approach. In many places a wide sweep of closely-cut lawn borders the drive on either side, and the avenue in this case merely becomes the background to the turf, and fulfils much the same function as a tall hedge, and loses its more cha- acteristic appearance. But in avenues of the usual kind, a distance between the two rows of more than 40 yards in loDg, or 20 to 30 yards in short avenues, tends to dwarf the trees and reduce the desired effect. With too narrow a margin, the trees, if at all of a spreading character, are apt to meet overhead, and the effect, though pleasing enough in its way, is not exactly what is looked for in an avenue. !No hard-and-fast rule seems to have been observed in the past as to either the length or width of avenues, for we find the latter varying to as great an extent as the former ; but much of this is probably due to the fact that in avenues, as in many other things, the real object in view is not very clear to those engaged in carrying out the work. A. O. Forbes, (To. be continued.) BEOCCHINIA CORDYLINOIDES. In our issue for August 21, 1SS0, we gave an illustration of a Guianan savanna, in which Broc- chinia cordylinoides formed the chief part of the vegetation. The plant has the general aspect of a Fourcroya, leaves broad, semi-pendant, supported in old plants on short, stout stems ; the inflorescence is three or four times as long as the leaves, and the lower branches of the decompound panicle are more than 2 feet in length. Mr. Everard im Thurn, who kindly furnished the photograph from which our illustration was taken (fig. 54), affords the following particulars concerning this plant : — " The enclosed photograph of a plant of Broc- chinia cordylinoides, which has recently flowered in my dear old Guiana garden (now a thing of the past) may interest you. The plant, which was first discovered by me, grows on the rocks at the Kaieteur Fall and at Roraima. The plant in the picture in one which I brought in a very small state from Roraima in 1884, planting it first in my garden on the Pomeroon, and then removing I when it was already pretty big to my later garden on the Barima. It has flowered this year." SELECTION.* By Henry L'Eveque Vilmorin. (Continued from 'page 165.) Application of Selection.— If plants did not vary there could be no selection. The object of selection is to estab- lish, fix, and sometimes to develop in plants certain qualities or new peculiarities which a plant has shown, and someone has noticed. It is not difficult to select plants. Anyone can do it, but it is not so easy to do it profitably. In order to succeed, one must be not only patient, attentive to the work in hand, but must also exercise judgment and common sense. Every mod (ication that a plant shows is not necesssrily worth fixing. Experience alone can tell whether it is worth perpetuating. The Chinese Primrose is one of those plants that within a short space of time— that is, within fifty or sixty years— has produced a very great number of good varieties under the influence of selection. It seems that any new character that appears in these plants is easily established. Several times I have found in cultivation, both at Paris and in the Riviera, certain bordered flowers— that is, flowers having a lighter- coloured border aiound a deeper-coloured disk— but all of my efforts to fix this pretty variation have thus far been in vain. When a variation in a cultivated form is noticed, one should ask himself first whether it is worth fixing; for it is very- evident that it would be time and labour lost if anyone should devote himself to the fixation of a character having neither interest nor usefulness. Several years ago a gardener brought to the writer a plant of a new Celery that he had happened to find in a seed plat. He had transplanted it, saved the seeds from it, and sowed them, with the result that the type was reproduced very faithfully. It was a Celery in which the petiole or leaf-stalk was shortened almost to the point of disappearance. The many crowded leaves spread over the ground in a compact rosette, but the plant had practically lost the very pait that made it useful as a vegetable — that is, the stalks. I told him so, and did not conceal from him the fact that his novelty appeared to me to mark a step back- ward and not forward, somewhat as if one had discovered a Potato without tubers. I could not convince him that his novelty was not a fine thing, and I believe he actually found a house that introduced it into the trade among their * Experiinent Station Record, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 186 TEE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [September S, 190ft. novelties. If horticultural novelties were a rarity, one could realise that anything new would be received with eagerness, but, as a matter of fact, novelties superabound, and one is tempted to say that the greatest virtue of a plant-breeder is to be severe toward his own creations, and not easily to become enthusiastic over their real or supposed merits. Hence, good judgment and experience are necessary in order to decide, when a variation appears, whether it is worth propagating or not with a view to establishing a new variety in the course of time. If, as is most often the case, there is but one plant thit shows the modification, the only thing to do is to collect the seeds from it to be planted again. But even here there are certain precautions to b9 taken. If the plant is one of those in which cross-fertilisation takes place easily, it is advisable to remove the possibility of pollination by plants of the same kiod which might be in the vicinity. There are two ways of doing this : one is to destroy all plants of the same kind except the one to be propagated ; the other is to cover the flowers of this plant so that they are protected from the pollrn of other plants. It is advisable, if the flowers have already begun to open when the variation is noticed, to destroy all those that might hare been fertilised by the pollen of any other plant, as this would introduce an unknown parentage into the race. For the sake of simplicity I shall first consider the com- monest case, that of a plant capable of self-fertilisation, or one in which the different flowers of the same plant can fertilise each other, and do not require the aid of another plant of the same species. Seeds will then be collected only from those flowers which open after the plant has been covered. Suppose now that we have before us the seeds gathered from a plant that has shown the variation which we wish to propagate. The first thing to do is to sow these seeds in order to obtain a considerable number of young plan's. The chances of finding something satisfactory among them naturally increases with the number of individuals among which we can choose. In this connection two important points are to be observed : (1) The inequality which is found in different cases in the proportion of plants con- forming to the desired type in the first generation after the beginning of the selection. Sometimes, as has already been said, a single one is not obtained. Certainly this result is not encouraging; nevertheless this is rot always an unqualified reason for abandoning the task to which one has set himself. Occasionally it happens that by gathering the seed from the plants of the second generation, the characteristics of the plint originally selected may reappear in the following generation. Sometimes, on the contrary, the observed variation may reproduce itself completely and entirely in the first generation. This case is rare, but nevertheless it does occur. One day I noticed in a lot of double violet Clarkias, a plant with pure white double flowers. When gathered and sown by them- selves, the seeds of this plant yielded only pure white flowers, which have never varied. The race was established in a single generation. Generally, however, the result is intermediate— that is, certain individuals show the desired characters, while others revert to the earlier form. We shall consider in due season the proper method of procedure in a case like this. Meanwhile, I must take up the second point to which I have already referred, which is : (2) the necessity of sowing the seed under normal conditions. By these, I mean conditions which are not such as will influence artificially the characters of the plant produced by these seeds. In other words, structural or other peculiarities which '.he plants show should be the result of their natural tendencies and not the artificial result of cultivation. In a word, the plants under observati m must have the opportunity to show their defects as well as good qualities. It goes without saying that a selection cannot be useful and valuable unless so made. One must be in a position to decide that a plant behaves in a certain manner because it has an innate tendency to do so, and that it has not been constrained to a certain form artificially. An illustration will make my point better understood than many explanations. In selecting sugar Beets, those roots are sought for that are straight, long, and free from lateral branches. This is right, for those that are branched are more difticuit, and hence, more expensive, to gather. Now, certain growers of Beet-seed in the north' of France once foim:d the idea— thinking, no doubt, in this way to improve their varieties— of growing the plants which were to be used as seed stocks in very rich, deeply-worked soil, where they were very much crowded together ; so much so that sixteen to twenty, or even more, grew on one square metre of ground. The result was that the Beet assumed the form, and later, the length, of a thick whipstock. They were not branched, because the roots were very closely crowded together. Their sugar content was abnormally high, as a result of their growing together, and the conclusions drawn from the form of the roots and their sugar content, as determined in rhe laboratory, were tainted with error because they did not represont qualities truly acquired, but modifi- cations accidentally imposed by external conditions. Thus, these Beets, which were declared to be of good shape and composition in the laboratory, yielded seed which, when sown in the open field, produced branched roots of only moderate sugar content, because the descendants bad reas- sumed their true characters when they were released from the restraint which had been artificially imposed on the parent plants. Those Beet, alone, may be considered un- branched that are free from roots when they are cultivated under conditions that would peimit them to become branched if they had such a tendency. In order to obtain seed that will produce unbranched rootj, the plants from which the lection is to be made must be grown under conditions as nearly as possible like those under which the same kind of plants are commonly grown that are intended for common domestic or industrial uses. Let us return to a consideration of the successive opera- tions of selection. V. Suppose that we have before us a lot of plan's grown from seed of the plant which forms the point departure in the establishment of a new variety. Of these plants some are true to type— that is, they reproduce faith- fully[the characters which we desire. Others have reverted to the older type, and we destroy them. We also destroy those which correspond only imperfectly to the ideal which we have set before ourselves. Let us suppose that the tenth part of these plants are true to type, and that we have twenty satisfactory plants before us. There are then open to us two methods ofl procedure. There is the method by individual selection of single plants and that of individual selection by group lots. Thejformer is much the more exact, more simple, more direct, and less liable to error. But it has the disad- vantage of being slow of operation, for at the end of three or four generations the grower still has only the seed pro- duced by a single plant, and two or three years are still required to produce a large enough stock to introduce it into trade. The method by group lots operates more rapidly and at the same time affords a considerable probability of establishing the variety. It consists in selecting not a single plant, but as large a number of perfectly satisfactory plants ai can be found by individual examination of all the plants in the lot. These plants are grown together, the seeds are collected in one lot, and are planted the following year (if the plant is an annual) in order to obtain a larger number of plants, from which a larger number of individuals may be selected than in the preceding year, thus providing a good quantity of the seed of the improved race in a short time. The weak point in this method is that that one does not know in what manner each individual plant has reproduced itself, so that in selecting a good plant one does not know that it was not derived from a parent that produced only 5 or 10 per cent, of seed of the improved variety, the other nine-tenths revertirjg to the earlier type. This may happen and, of course, hinder the complete differentiation and establishment of the race. There is a method thatmay be said to be intermediate between the two already described, which embraces, to a great extent, the advantages of both without their disadvantage. It is the method of seeding by single plants. This method requires somewhat more labour and attention. It is as follows : In the first generation, from the original plant, instead of select- ing only one individual, as in the first method, several are chosen, all of them perfectly satisfactory in appearance, but instead of sowing them together and collecting the seed in a mixture, as in the second method, each is grown sufficiently far away from the others to avoid cross-fertilisation, and the seed from each plant is collected separately. Each lot is again sown separately the next year, and when the time comes to make a selection, the first step is to note to what extent each of the lots thus obtained has faithfully reproduced the characters of the plant from which it is sprung. (For the sake of clearness and convenience, each plant selected receives a number or lettf r by which it it designated and its pedigree may be followed) A great difference is generally noticed in the behaviour of the different plants in respect to the transmission of tfceir characters. Those that do not reproduce the desired characters are entirely rejected. If any are found, as often happens, that produce entirely those of the parent plant, such plant or plants only arc preserved and their descendants may be used immediately for the mul- tiplication of the new variety, which is thus established with a constancy that the best horticultural varieties do not always possess. This process of seeding by individual plants is one of the most powerful means which the plant-breeder possesses to establish with certainty and relative quickness new varieties of cultivated plants. About twenty years, ago I applied this method to the improvement of Sugar Beets, a work that was begun by my father in 1850, and that I have made one of my principal lines of business for twenty-five years. In the laboratory of Verrieres, as everywhere else at the present time, the roots of the Sugar Beet are submitted individually first to a physical selection as to size, form, colour, &c. then to an examination by the polariscope for their sugar content. After this the most perfect roots are replanted, and the seed from each one is collected and kept separate, but still before using this seed for the multiplication of the variety on a lar«e scale, those plants must be determined which, besides their own characters, are endowed with that special quality which consists of faithfully transmitting those characters to their descendants. A small sample of the seed from each root, enough to produce about fifty plants, is sown the next year. The roots produced are examined physicallyand chemically at the laboratory in the usual manner. If the result of the test is unfavourable, the rest of the seed is thrown away ; but if the test is favourable— that is, if the roots from which the seed was produced have demonstrated that they reproduce and transmit faithfully to their descendants the qualities for which they are chosen -the rest of the seed is sown with suitable care so as to obtain as great an increase of the variety as possible. Now, it is a fact of observation that individual plants or animals are very unequally endowed in this respect. I have already referred to this fact when I mentioned the case in which a new variety is established in a single genera- tion. In an article on heredity, written in 1856, my father has so well presented this matter of the varying ability of in- dividuals to transmit their own characters, that I can do no better than quote the entire passage. " An example drawn from the animal world will make this idea clearer. Suppose two stallions, eminently ramarkable lor eight characteristics, the same for both. Let the first of these characteristics be that of a fine head and shoulders, with ths head shapely and well poised. We will not mention the other characteristics, which are of no importance to our argument, and pass directly to the eighth. Let this eighth characteristic be that of being a good stallion; and, since we are only making a supposition, we will define this by saying that it consists in the ability to transmit to descendants seven- eighths of his own characteiistics. Now let us advance one generation, and consider two male offsprings of these animal-s. The first has transmitted seven of these characterists, but he has not transmitted the first ; hence, this colt will have a head that is too large, badly poised, and he will not carry it well ; but, as he has received the quality of being a good stallion, he will transmit with tenacity to his descendants his unshapely head, compensated, however, by his other good qualities. Let the offsprings of the second stallion, on the other hand, possess all the visible characteristics of his father, and be to all appearances, a fine horse. But he has not received the eighth quality. In the second generation lie will show his great defect. His offspring will have no common family resemblance and all the fine qualities which he received from his sire will thus be lost to the further improvement of the race. This ability to impress a very pronounced character on their offspring, which certain stallions possess to a much higher degree than others, is a fact well known to those who devote themselves to the improvement of domestic animals ; but it is not generally known that in the plant world this fact is even more pronounced — so much so, that certain plants endow their descendants with such prepotency, that a race, equivalent almost to a species group, is formed at a single leap, while at other times thousands of individuals may be raised from a plant showing some noticeable peculiarity with- out a single one of them reproducing the distinctive trait of the parent. But as this ability to transmit a specific cha- racter is not indicated by any external characteristic, and the result alone reveals its existence, it becomes necessary to be able to eliminate from the second generation all of the descendants of a plant imperfectly endowed in this respect ; and for this reason £ have been led to make it an absolute lule 'to keep the seed from different plants separate and not to mix the seed of two plants intended to be use 1 in improving a race, no matter how perfect and how much alik; these plants may appear." When, after two or three generations, it is seen that the new variety is not becoming constant, that at each generation the reversions to the old type or variations in all directions are still found, it is better to abandon the selection entirely, or rather, cease to apply it to this lot, which is possibly lacking in the ability to transmit acquired characters, and to seek another point of departure in another individual better endowed in this respect. (To be continued.) Florists' Flowers, PINKS. These plants may be lifted and potted in large 48'a at this season, and they will, if well attended to, be found useful for furnishing flowers iD the spring months. They should be carefully lifted, a good proportion of the soil about the roots being preserved. I pot my plants in light sandy loam of good quality, potting firmly. When the plants are potted they are stood in a shady place on sifted coal-ashes and afforded water. If the weather proves dry, they are syringed three or four times daily till they have recovered from the disturbance, when I place them iD a sunny position. Pinks are not good early forcers, the whole plant dwindling and getting drawn ; but when wintered in cold frames with plenty of air afforded, the first batch may be placed in a newly-started vinery or Peach- house in January, standing the plants on shelves close to the glasB. Marguerite Carnations. Our plants which were raised in the spring of this year and transferred to the open ground for the purpose of being potted-up at this season, are now sturdy and well furnished with shoots. Although the flowers will not be as early as those on plants grown in pots, still they are very useful. By planting- out, a good deal of labour is saved io affording water at a time when the pressure of work is greatest. If the soil at the time of lifting is dry, afford it water copiously, and then lift, carefully and pot-up, using 48's and 32's. The little quantity of soil that is required is pressed moderately firmly into the pots, and water afforded copiously at the finish. They are then stood in the shade for about ten days, or if there is much rain they are placed under glass instead, September S, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 187 until re-established. A few plants placed ia moderate beat at intervals will keep up a succes- sion of bloom for many weeks, if not coddled or kept in crowded, shady houses. B. Markham. PKUNING GOOSEBEREY-BUSHES. The Gooseberry is a fruit which repays a good deal more care than it usually gets. Sometimes the bush is left entirely to itself, when it becomes a perfect thicket, and small fruit and scratched least twice as much young wood as can or should be left. The consequence is, the bush is using its strength iu maturing so much useless wood, instead of concentratiug it on just that wood which is to be left for next year's bearing. In the latter case, of course, the young shoots have a better chance to become strong, and get more sun and air to ripen them. Next, as to the method of pruning. It is this season's growth which bears the best fruit next year, and the aim is therefore to leave as much of Fig. 55. — polygonum scandess (?) : leaves pr/RrLE on the under surface. hands in the picking of it are the result. Some- times, on the other hand, they are cut all over so as to make a round bush, and nothing more. It would be difficult to say which is the worse practice. This article will deal only with the common form of bushes, as wall and espalier- trained trees needing rather different treatment. First, as to the time of pruning. The winter is the usual time, but unless birds are very troublesome in picking ont the buds, the best time is certainly just after the fruit has been gathered. Think what happens when the bush is left to itself. There is at it on the bush as possible. In thinning the bush after the season's growth, old wood should be cut out wherever it can be done without making a serious gap, or materially lessening the size in any direction, unless, of course, it has grown so big as to be in the way. The young growth Bhould be thinned out so that it is possible to put the hand through the bush in any direction without getting it scratched. The long shoots of thiB season's growth which are left on Bhould not be shortened except where necessary to preserve the shape of the bush or keep it in bounds. The bush may look rather thin after being pruned so severely, but when the spring growth takes place it will be quite thick enough, and the result will be that the bush will make much stronger shoots for the succeeding year's fruiting, resulting of course in bigger fruit. If caterpillars are troublesome, burn all the cuttings as soon as possible, and sprinkle lime under the bushes, and hoe it in. Algtr Potts. POLYGONUM SCANDENS(?). In the course of the present summer, the Poly- gonum shown at fig. 55 was exhibited by Messrs. James Veitch & Sons. The plant is of climbing habit, and the somewhat leathery leaves are dark green above, claret-coloured beneath. Somo re- ferred it to P. chinense, but it seems widely different from that species. In any case, it is a handsome, and presumably hardy, twining plant. It is near to P. scan dens. THE WEATHER IN WEST HERTS. Temperatures have varied considerably during the past week. On the warmest day the highest reading in the shade was 73°, and on the coldest night the exposed thermometer fell to within 4° of the freezing point. The changeable character of recent temperatures above ground is shown by those beneath the surface at the present time — the read- ing at 2 feet deep being about 1° warmer, whereas at 1 foot deep it is about 1° colder than is season- able. ^ ( >n the last day of August rather more than a quarter of an inch of rain fell. As previous to this the weather had been dry for a week, this amount^in no way affected the percolation gauges. Indeed, no measureabie quantity of rain-water has - hi. i' through the bare soil gauge for more than a fortnight, and none at all through that covered with short grass since the heavy thunderstorm of July 1(5. The record of sunshine was poor, the average duration being less than three hours a day, instead of about five hours a day, which may be regarded as seasonable. August. There occurred about ten consecutive warm days in the middle of the month, otherwise the tem- perature ruled low. Taken as a whole, it was an August of about average warmth. On three days the Bhade temperature rose to or above 80°. There were scarcely any unseasonably cold nights, and on the coldest of these the thermometer exposed on the lawn never descended lower than 40°, which is the highest extreme minimum tem- perature that this thermometer has yet registered here in August. Eain fell on thirteen days, and to the aggregate depth of 3} inches, which is about ^-inch in excess of the mean for the month. The sun Bhone on an average for six hours a day, or for about a seasonable period. The atmosphere proved, as a rule, unusually calm ; in fact, on about half the days in the month the mean rate of movement of the air was less than 3 miles an hour. There, however, occurred two remarkable excep- tions to this rule, for on two days early in August the wind rose to the strength of a gale — directions, W.N.W. and W.S.W. — and did much mischief in my garden among the Dahliis and other plants insufficiently staked. The Summer. In the last fifteen years there have been only two summers as warm, viz., those of 1893 and 1899 ; and yet, but for the great heat which pre- vailed during the last three weeks in July, the mean temperature would have come out in no way exceptional, as June was only moderately warm, and August of about seasonable temperature. The total rainfall, although only slightly in excess of the mean for the quarter, was heavier than in any summer since that of 1895, showing how very dry our recent summers must have been. It was a remark- ably bright season, the sun shiniDg for about 1J hours a day longer than usual. E. M., Berkhamstcd, September 4. 188 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 8, 1900. The Week's Work, THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Holford, Westonbfrt TetburVi Gloucestershire. Cauliflowers. — Those which were planted late in the month of June, will, unless heavy rains have fallen in the district, stand in need of copious supplies of water, failing which, the plants will "button " at the roots, and the crop prove a failure. Make a point of protecting the card by turning down the heart leaves over the heads, or tying the leaves loosely in a bundle so as to shade it. Seeds of Cauliflowers for wintering should be sown ■forthwith, and again in the last week of the month. Two sowings are always advisable, as we •can never forecast the weather, and in some years, the autumn being abnormally warm, the plants from the first sowing get of large size, and do not winter satisfactorily. The seed-beds should be situated on a south border to which some fresh loamy soil has been added when forking it over. When dug, let it be roughly levelled, then trodden ■evenly all over, and finally made level and firm. The seed (Walcheren for preference), should be thinly sown in shallow drills drawn at 14 inches apart, and covered with soil a little lighter than the staple. Put netting over the beds, and keep them moist. When large enough, prick out the plants into a cold frame at 5 inches apart, and afford -air and light to the fullest extent, only putting on the lights at night, or when rain falls heavily. If the plants are to be wintered in cold frames or pits, prepare a mixture of loam three parts, leaf- ■mould one part, and a small quantity of farm- yard or stable dung, well decayed. Having selected a warm sunny spot for the frames, which -should face southwards, arrange matters so that when the bed is finished it will not be more than 9 inches from the glass. First place a layer of •finely-sifted coal ashes 2 inches thick on the soil, rolling this or beating it to a smooth hard surface, on which place the prepared soil to the depth of 3 inches. The coal-ash-layer is intended to prevent the roots of the plants straying far, and thus making it difficult to secure a compact ball of soil and roots when transplanting. The bed of soil should be made firm. Cardoons. — These plants may run to seed at this season, unless water be copiously afforded till the earthing-up is carried out. Usually two sowings of Cardoon seed are made, and those of the first sowing should be well established in the trenches by this date, and may be therefore afforded manure- water alternately with clear water. Guano freely sprinkled on the soil in the neighbourhood of the plants is a great assistance to them. Celeriac. — Given rich land, and plenty of water •und liquid-manure, this root forms a very useful addition to the winter salad, and for cooked dishes. This treatment should be commenced forthwith, and continued so long as the plants are growing. If -a mulch was not afforded early in the season, Guano may be applied now. Occasional and somewhat severe thinnings of the lowermost leaves, and the entire removal of the suckers, will increase the size of the tuberous roots. Current Operations. — The store of decayed manure for use in the early winter trenching and •digging should be turned and got in readiness for ■use. In doing this sort of work, the heap, if a large one, should be turned over in regular sections of 2 to 2^ feet, just as is done in trenching land which affords the workmen the opportunity of throwing out all undesirable rubbish, or that which 'is still undecayed. As it is being dug over to the very bottom, it should be thrown into a heap of smaller compass, and flat on the top. If it be made 3£ feet high it will be easy to estimate its cubical •contents. The dung from corn-fed horses should continue to be collected for forming Mushroom beds under cover, spreading it out under cover if possible in moderate sized heaps, and mixing aud turning it at the least once a week, in order to ■dissipate some of its ammonia and moisture. At this season the dates of sowings or plantings are not of so much importance as the favourable condition of the land and of the weather. Still, after the end of August, it is not advisable to defer sowing or planting for more than two or three days beyond the usual date. Time should always be afforded to thoroughly cleanse, trench, and moderately manure every plot, however small the plot or evanes- cent the crop with which it may be planted or sown maybe. There is one thing to be observed in the treatment of light soils in times of drought : they should not be dug till the time has arrived for sowing or planting, otherwise the little moisture contained in the surface soil will be evaporated, the germination of seeds hindered, and the re- covery of plants after root disturbance rendered tedious and slow, unless heavy rains fall, or much water is afforded artificially. Leeks required for culinary uses early in the month of November, should now be moulded up ; and backward and successional crops be afforded liquid-manure occa- sionally in dry weather. Endives, where standing too thickly in the seed-beds, should be thinned partially, and transplantation carried out a fort- night afterwards. PLANTS UNDER GLASS, ByT. Edwards, Foreman, Royal Plant Gardens, Frogmore. Bulbs for Forcing. — Prepare at once a sufficient quantity of soil for potting Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissus, &c, as soon as these are received from the seedsmen. If a compost be made nosv, and placed in an open shed until required, or even outside if covered by shutters to throw off heavy rains, it will be in a better condition for potting, than if mixed as required for use. A suitable compost is one consisting of three parts fibrous-loam and one part well decomposed hotbed manure, with plenty of sand added. All should be thoroughly well mixed, and if at all dry it may be watered. Hyacinths are most useful when potted singly in 5-inch pots. Place a flat piece of crock at the bottom of the pot, and some finer crocks over this ; then cover with some of the more fibrous portion of the soil. Make the soil moderately firm by means of the hand, and put a little silver-sand under each bulb. After arranging the bulb, add some more soil around it until the point just shows above the sui face. A rammer may only be used to make the surface soil firm. For early flowering the single varieties are more satisfactory than those with double flowers. Tulips may be potted up in groups of three, four, or five, in 5-inch pots. Varieties of Van Thol intended to flower at Christmas may be planted 2 inches apart in boxes, and be potted up when the flowers commence to show colour. If this be done, and the plants are placed in a moist warm atmosphere for a few days, they will suffer no check whatever. Three bulbs of Polyanthus Narcissus may be put in a 6-inch pot, but for conservatory decoration they are more effective if five or six bulbs be put into an 8-inch pot, according to the variety. In potting leave the tops of the bulbs slightly exposed. After potting-up bulbs, place the pots and boxes on ashes in a position out- of-doors, and give them a good watering. When dry, cover them about 1 foot deep with ashes or cocoa-fibre refuse. Before doing this, it may be advisable to invert a 3 inch pot over each Hyacinth, as these sometimes decay owing to damp settling in the crowns. After live or six weeks examine the stock, and remove those that are well rooted to a cold pit, where they should be shaded for a few days until the leaves have become green. They will then be in a suitable condition for removal to the forcing-house as required. Border Narcissus or Daffodils may also be potted up now, and if treated in the manner described above, these may be had in flower duriDg January and February in an ordinary greenhouse. The following varieties have large showy flowers, and are not expensive : N. Golden Spur, Ard Righ, Horsfieldii, Emperor, Empress, Golden Prince, Sir Watkin, and the common Daffodil (Telemonius plenus). Chrysanthemums. — The continual application of water in dry weather to a certain extent ex- hausts the soil, and it will be well therefore to give the plants a top-dressing of cow-dung, or deer-droppings and loam in equal parts, after it has been passed through a sieve. Stir the surface of the soil with a pointed stick before adding the compost, which may be made firm with a rammer ; sufficient space must be left for applying water. Late struck plants now in 6 inch pots should be moved to the sunniest place available, and be given ample space between each. Feed them regularly with animal manure-water, or with one of the prepared fertilisers, and turn the plants round occasionally to prevent them rooting through into the soil. Syringe them morning and afternoon when the weather is fine. Bouvardias that have been planted in outside borders had better be potted up before the middle of this month. For this purpose use a light, sandy, fine soil, which should be carefully worked about the roots when potting. Place the plants in a pit where a night temperature of 50° to 55° can be maintained, and syringe, shade, and keep them rather close until they have become established. THE FLOWER GARDEN. By J. Benbow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilchester, Abbotsbary Castle, Dorsetshire. Bamboos. — Inthewarmerpartsofthe country, and in shelter ed spots in many south country gardens, the hardier species of Arundinaria, Bambusa, and Phyllostachys may be planted with safety, and the early part of September is a suitable date at which to plant. A very important point in the cultiva- tion of these plants is the thorough drainage of the soil ; and this being well carried out, any deficiency in regard to the soil can be supplied. Bamboos like a mulch of half-decayed leaves in the winter months, and, if necessary, some heavy turfy loam worked in carefully around them when vigorous growth is being made by the plants. A richer mulch than leaf-mould should be employed in the summer season. The proper kind of soil for the plants is a sandy, retentive loam, and it should not be less than 2 feet in depth. In such a soil the rhizomes do not travel widely, as is the case in light soils ; moreover, the growth of the stems is more vigorous than in the latter, although there may be a greater number. An occasional thinning-out of the weakest canes should be performed after a plant has become established. The hardier species make good progress from the first ; if they are pot-bound, the roots soon finding their way into the fresh soil, loosing no foliage, which always occurs unless the greatest care be taken when divisions of the roots are planted. The best kind of compost to use when planting consists of leaf-mould, charred garden-refuse, and road scrapings. On finishing afford water to settle the soil. Whether water must be again afforded will depend upon the character of the weather. Young, and newly-planted BambooB, should be supported by stakes, and have rabbit-proof wire protectors put round them. The Herbaceous Perennials. — The flowerless shootB and seed-vessels of double and single- flowered Dahlias should be removed. Choice or new varieties of Dahlias may now be increased from the lateral growths cut with a heel, potting these into small Go's, and placing them on a mild hot-bed to form roots. Let the hoe be plied on the borders whenever the state of the soil will allow of it, and clear off the rubbish, burning this, and all dead and flowerless shoots, so as to destroy injurious grubs, &c. At this season a smother fire may be kept going in an out-of-the-way part of the garden for this purpose. The Flower Beds. — When the required numbers of cuttings have been taken, let all spent flowers and decaying foliage be removed. If the soil is dressed with a small quantity of native-guano or other artificial manure, the plants will be kept in bloom until the frost comes. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Yodno, Orchid Grower to Sir Frederick Wioan, Bart., Glare Lawn. East Sheen, S.W. Lcelia purpurata and others. — The present con- dition of the young growths of L. purpurata is such, that any necessary repotting must be done without delay. Old plants are very liable to injury when there is any disturbance made at the roots, and the greatest care will be needed. Large specimens which have grown beyond their receptacles, and have next to worthless centres, should be divided, and the best pseudo-bulbs re grouped together. For this purpose, crack the pot or pan, and by cutting the rhizomes, remove certain portions bodily. Pick away all decayed material, and then rearrange the pseudo- bulbs in a pot or pan of suitable size, and so dispose the growing points that some years will elapse before they reach the margins. The pots should be filled to three-parts of their depth with crocks placed edgeways. After arranging the plant, pack among the roots, and well up to the rhizomes, some good turfy peat, with a few patches of sphagnum-moss here and there. Small plants need not to be disturbed more than by cracking the receptacle, and removing those pieces to which roots are not adhering, cutting off the useless back Ski'TEmukr 8, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 189 portion of the plant, and rearranging the plant in a pot a size or two larger than that from which it has been removed. L. purpurata usually thrives in the temperature and conditions of a Cattleya- house. The very moist condition of the out-of- doors atmosphere at this season increases the need for judicious ventilation, accompanied by a gentle heat in the hot water pipes. Discontinue spraying the plants overhead for the same reason, and take care, when watering or damping amongst them, that none lodge in the sheathing-braets. L. crispa having passed out of bloom, should be given a period of rest before it makes new growth, which it will be likely to do during the dull season. Water very sparingly. L. Perrinii is a useful autumn-flowering species that will exist under very adverse conditions, but is difficult to cultivate successfully, owing to the peculiar downward tendency of the rhizome. A small quantity only of material may be placed about its roots, for although a frequent supply of water is good for the plant when it can pass away rapidly, a permanently saturated base is most hurtful. Well- drained receptacles must be used, surfaced with a thin layer of peat and a little sphagnum-moss. Rapid evaporation is necessary, and the plants ought to be suspended in the warmest part of the Cattleya- house, or placed where light and heat, in conjunc- tion with freshly admitted air, can act upon them. Permit no water to remain lodged in the bracts. Healing - apparatus.— Before these are urgently needed, the whole system above ground should be examined, in Older to test and lubricate valves, repair slight leakages, clean smoke-stack, flues, &c. Vigorous tiring will not yet be callsd for, but every- thing should be put in readiness for that event. General remarks. — Every encouragement mus' now be given plants that have finished their growth, in order to obtain well - matured specimens. On every bright day expose them to as much light as is desirable, and ventilate the house freely when cir- cumstances permit. Dendrobiums should not be permitted to remain in their growing quarters a day longer than is necessary. Unseasonable growths in Cattleyas should be bodily removed, or the plants be placed in the most favourable position for development. I prefer to remove such growth, and the second bud generally present will take the place of the leading one. A more careful and some- what restricted system of damping will now be necessary, and less root moisture, or a fall in the temperature will induce over-saturation of the atmosphere, and disease in the plants. Only employ shading when the sunlight is too strong for the tenderest subjects. THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. By A. Ward, Gardener to F. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, "New Barnet. Planting Bush Fruits. — Where new plots are to be formed, the ground should now be prepared. It will need to be deeply stirred, and liberally manured, particularly any that is intended for Raspberries, which require different conditions than do Apples, Pears, &c. The site should be dug two spits deep, and plenty of well rotted manure incor- porated with each layer of soil. Dig a trench 1 yard wido and 1 spit deep at one end of the plot, and wheel the soil to the other end ready for filling in with when the trenching is completed. In the bottom of the trench spread a good layer of rotten manure, and proceed to dig this in, incorporating the manure with the soil as much as possible. Then mark off another strip of ground 1 yard wide, and after manuring the surface turn the top-spit, with the manure, on the freshly-dug soil in trench No. 1, which will fill this up, and leave the bottom of trench No. 2 ready for manuring and digging. If the second spit of soil is deemed good enough to bring to the surface, the first trench should be taken out two spits deep at the outset. For Raspberries, it is a good plan to break up the bottom spit as well, which really means trenching three spits deep. With the bottom spit work in such mate- rial as old rubbish-heap manure which has been accumulating for the past season or two. Such elaborate preparation may be considered by some persons as being too costly, but in private gardens bush-fruits usually occupy the same piece of ground for a good many years. General Work.— Frequently stir with a hoe the soil between rows of recently -planted Strawberries, not only to keep the ground free from weeds, which in itself is important, but also to aerate it, and thus give more air and warmth to the plants. This is productive of much good, even if a mulch was applied directly after planting. Raspberry planta- tions will need to be examined again, and any suckers that have since pushed up must be removed, and the surface soil cleaned of weeds. Effect the mulching of Raspberries as soon as a convenient opportunity offers. Old fermenting beds, and soil from Melon and Cucumber-houses, is just the kind of manure that the surface roots of the Raspberry will revel in. If this be not avail- able, then any manure in which the roots may grow freely will be sufficient. In addition, give a good soaking of liquid-manure once or twice during the autumn or winter months. The crop on the autumn fruiting varieties will need protecting from small birds, but before enclosing them with netting, tie the tips of the canes to the wires, as they are now heavily laden with fruit. Gooseberry and Currant plantations from which the fruit has been gathered need the same attention to weeding and mulching. In case of bushes which have been neglected in previous years, a dressing of well-rotted farmyard or stable-manure will impart fresh vigour to them. The manure should be applied at once, and spread all over the surface of the plantation, or at least 3 inches in depth under each bush to as far as the branches extend. The autumn rains will carry the best part of this manure to the roots, and then, when pruning has been done, the solid matter may be pointed in under the surface. Where underground tanks exist for catching the drainings of the stables and farmyard, no better stimulant than this can be found for debilitated fruit bushes. When Morello Cherry-trees have been cleared of fruit, take down the nets, dry them, and store them away for future use. As often as circum- stances will permit, hoe the surface soil of the alleys under walls, and both under and around Apple and Pear-trees in the open. Madrestield Court, now ripe, should be examined! occasionally, and decaying berries cut out. Young Vines. — Spring planted Vines will require artificial heat for some time longer, in order to thoroughly mature the wood ; and the more vigorous, the longer the ripening process takes. Gradually remove all young growth as it appears, and keep the roots uniformly moist. Cease syringing, except occasionally in the early part of the day if insects are present on the Vines. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop. Vines. — The present month is the best in which to remove any Vines that are out of condition, and from which the fruit is cut, and the foliage is in a healthy condition, and the wood well matured. As a commencement, let a few inches of the surface- soil be replaced with fresh loam, mortar-rubble, and crushed bones. Where shanking has occurred, and the foliage is thin, it may be necessary to remove the whole or greater part of the border. In doing this, great care is necessary, in order to prevent the drying of the roots. Wet stable-litter, mats, and long grass, may be bound round them while the work is in progress. Roots should be lifted with care, so as to preserve the finer ones. The drain- age materials should be thrown out, and re- arranged, and all drains examined, and cleared of detritus. If the border is considered to be too deep, let more drainage be used so as to reduce the depth to 2 feet 6 inches of soil. In making the border the loam should be used in a rough stats, and between each layer of loam 6 inches in depth a layer of mortar-rubble, crushed bones, and charred refuse, 4 inches thick should be placed. The roots should be laid out regularly throughout the whole border, some of the strongest being kept near the top, say, about 6 inches under the surface. If the soil be dryish water should be lightly applied to each layer as the work proceeds, and a light mulch will help keep the border in a uniform state of moisture. While work is proceeding, the vinery should be kept rather close, aud the Vines Byringed several times a day, and always the last thing at night. During hot weather a temporary shading for a week or two after the operation may be required, as the foliage should be preserved in a good condition for a month or six weeks afterwards. Late Vines.— The drier conditions maintained in the vinery during the ripening of the fruit en- courages the spread of red-spider, and when this pest is remarked no time should be lost in sponging the leaves with soapy water, aud painting the hot- water pipes with flower - of - sulphur mixed in white-wash. It is of importance that the foliage be maintained to the latest period of the autumn, if the fruit is to ripen properly. Leaves of good texture, and green and healthy during the last stage of ripening, always mean good quality in the Grapes, provided a temperature of 60° to 75° be steadily maintained. Bunches of Hamburghs and The Botanical Gardens, Liverpool. — No one having occasion to visit the city of Liverpool should omit to see the botanical gardens there. Thirteen acres in extent, and therefore of no great Biza, they are well maintained by the- city corporation, and the management of them by Mr. J. Guttridge, a graduate of the Royal Gardens, Kew, leaves nothing to ba desired. Originally the botanical gardens formed by Roscoe were situate nearer to the centre of the city, but most of the plants were removed to the present site in Edge Lane about half a century ago, and here (although the omnibuses pass the entrance gates), plants and trees out - of - doors have a better chance to thrive at the present time than they would enjoy in the old situation. The greatest hindrance to the successful cultivation of hardy trees and shrubs in these gardens, is that of cold winds, which at times appear likely to sweep- everything before them. In addition to the wind nuisance, there are several businesses in the locality that must have an injurious effect upon vegetation. But if as an arboretum the grounds- are not likely to be worth notice, they compel one's admiration as a flower garden, with neatly kept paths and velvety lawns intensely green in- colour ; for unlike our lawns about the metropolis, they are very seldom disfigured by heat and drought. The amount of bedding-out done is really prodigal in proportion to the area of the gardens, and at the present time, look which way you will the scene is one of rich floral beauty. It might be objected that the turf has been too frequently cut up to accommodate these beds, and that a good effect might be obtained from half the present number, But we have no mind to quarrel on that score, especially as Mr. Guttridge has so planted the beds that quite contrary effects are produced by different groups. Harmonies rather than contrasts have been arranged, aud in one- scroll-like design in particular the blending of shades of purple and blue are most pleasing and uncommon. The carpet- bedding, though we have no great admiration for the system, has been done with care and skill. Being as botanical garden there are also beds illustrative of the principal types of the important natural orders. There is a hardy fernery of very pleasing appear- ance, and there are numbers of miniature fountains among the Ferns. Though the species are mostly hardy, this fernery has the protection afforded by an unheated house. The principal glasshouses consist of a stove, a Palm-house, and hot and cool ferneries. In the stove, beyond the miscellaneous collection of fine foliage plants, there are heat-loving species- that have peculiar interest to the average visitor to- a botanical garden. Thus, a week ago, when we made a hurried visit, there were several species of the edible Passifloras bearing abundance of fruits, a number of Cotton plants were growing well, &c. The Palm-house is a very tall structure, but it would be well if there was more space at its base- instead thereof. At the same time it con- tains several fine specimen plants. Besides, these houses there are many span-roofed pits and frames, in which there are Orchids and other plants cultivated, and where we observed a very tine strain, of Celosia pyramidalis. The Chrysanthemum-house is a comparatively recent addition, and is a span- roofed structure 120 feet long, through the centre of which, at the proper season, a movable stage is» erected. Mr. Guttridge has about 2 000 Chry- santhemum plants in cultivation this season, and' never have we seen a more promising lot. As he remarked, in the centre of a great Chrysan- themum -growing district like Liverpool, they must have a good show of these- plants. And' if things go well, they will have a good show. We may add that in the botanical gardens, or, at any rate, in most parts of it, visitors are not per- mitted to walk on the grass, but the Wavertree- Park joins the gardens, and this park is essentially- a playground. 190 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 8, 1900. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. TUESDAY, / Royal Horticultural Society's Com- Sept. 11 \ mittees, at Drill Hall. (_ Paris Exhibition (temporary Show). (Derbyshire Agricultural and Hor- ticultural Society's Show, at Dei by (2 days). ( International Pomological Con- THURSDAY, Sept. 13-> eress, at Paris (2 days). Boston Dahlia Show, in the Drill \ Hall. SALES. MONDAY, SErT 10.— Fifteenth Annual Trade Sale of Pot- plants, at Dyson's Lane Nurserv, Upper Edmonton, by order of Mr. H. B. May, bv Protheroe & Morris, at 11 o'Clock. Dutch Bulbs, at Protheroe & Morris' Room'. Bulbs, at Steven's Rooms, 38, King Street, London, W.C. TUESDAY, Sept. 11. -Annual Trade Sale of Winter-blooming Heaths, at Burnt Ash Road Nurseries, Lee, by order of Messrs. B. Mailer and Sons, by Protheroe & Morris, at 11 o'Clock. Dutch Bulbs, at Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. WEDNESDAY, Sept. 12.— Annual Trade Sale of Winter- flowering and other Plants, at the Nurseries, South Woodford, Essex, by order of Mr. John Fraser, by Pro- theroe & Morris, at 11 o'Clock. Dutch Bulbs and Lilium Harrisii, at Protheroe & Morris. Bulbs, at Steven's Rooms, 3S, King Street. London, W.C. THURSDAY, Sept. 13— Thirty-second Annual Trade Sale of Stove and Greenhouse Plants, ogak. The number of entries made showed a decided increase, but owing to unsatisfactory weather, some of the hardy tlowers, especially those from amateurs, were rather weak. Sweet Peas were noticeable, and so were Gladioli, but Dahlias and Begonias are to be excepted. Having described hardy flowers as weak, we must except the collection from Lord Ashtown (gr., Mr. Porter), as it was a most meritorious exhibit, and was awarded Lord Ardilaun's Cup. In the classes for fruit, the amateurs showed conspicuously well ; of those, Grapes were especially good. Peaches, Nec- tarines, Pears, Plums, Apples, Figs, Melons, and Currants, were satisfactory. Vegetables made a fine display ; Ailsa Craig Onion was much in evidence, and Tomatos, Cucumbers, &c, were capital. Among the non-competitive exhibits nearly all the impor- tant growers in Ireland were represented. Chief among cut blooms were Begonias, but the blooms were a little backward, especially the double varieties. Messrs. Dicksons, both of Newtownards and Belmont, staged Roses grandly, and their exhibits recalled summer owing to the colour and freshness of the blooms. The Newtownard firm showed some new Roses, the best of which was one called Liberty, a miniature bloom, with great substance of petal, in colour a velvety-crimson. The Belmont firm also showed Dahlias. Gladioli were shown by Messrs. Kelwats, of Langport, Somerset, their collection comprising two hundred named spikes, whilst hardy flowers and Carnations were fittingly shown by Messrs. Dicksons, of Chester ; Clibrans, of Altrincham ; and Forbes, of Hawick. The Sfcretary (Mr. Hillyarb) has done much to secure a success for this show. Cut Flowers. For a stand of twenty-four show Dahlias, consisting of at least twelve distinct varieties, the honours fell as follows :— Lord Ashbrook, Castle Durron, Queen's County, 1st (gr. , Mr. J. McKellar) ; 2nd, Marquis of Downshire, County Down (gr., Mr. J. Bradshaw). For a similar stand of Cactus, Mr. Rigg, gr. to Lord Clon- curry, Lyons, Hazlehatch, was 1st, with faultless blooms of Mary Service, Mrs. Feart, Ellen Pellissier, Arachne, King- fisher, Alfred Vasey, Primrose Dame, &c. The same exhi- bitor gained a similar place for twelve bunches of Pompons ; also for a stand of twelve decorative varieties ; whilst Major Burroughs, Gilltown, county Kildare, and the Hon. Colonel Crichton, Mullaboden, Ballymore, Eustace, won 2nd prizes. Gladioli were well shown, but the competition was by no means keen. Mr. Porter, gr. to Lord Ashtown, Woodlawn, county Galway, was an easy 1st ; and Colonel Jervis White, M.A., J.P., Wexford, was 2ml, for a stand of twenty-four spikes. In a class of twelve spikes, Lord ^Cloncurry, Lyons, Hazlehatch, was 1st ; and John L. Smallman, Esq., was a weak 2nd. For a stand of thirty-six cut blooms of Begonias in at least twelve distinct varieties, there was considerable competition, but an excellent box of blooms was staged by Viscount Ash- brook, Castle Durron, Queen's County (gr., Mr. Kellar) ; ^Lord Ashtown being 2nd with an even lot of good blooms. R. Hamilton Shubber, Esq., was 1st for a stand of twelve double varieties ; and Lord Ashtown 2nd. Lord Ashtown had a finely coloured collection of twelve singles. Carnations were tastefully displayed, but competition was not keen ; still, the blooms from Surgeon -General Beaumont were very fine, and the varieties were mostly seedlings of his own raising. This collection won 1st prize for twelve bunches ; J. L. Smallman, Esq., was 2nd. Surgeon-General Beaumont also won the Jervis White Challenge Cup, value five guineas, for the best twenty-four bunches. Sweet Peas lookel well, and Mrs. Berta Doyne, with a collection of selfs, was awarded an easy 1st; Major Bur- roughs, D.L., with a group of selfs and striped varieties, was 2nd. Hardy flowers, exhibited for the Ardilaun Challenge Cup, were best from Lord Ashdown, Woodlawn, co. Galway (gr., Mr. A. Porter). The group included Phloxes, Gladioli, Car- nations, Tigridias, Montbretias, Tritomas, Eryngiums, Core- opsis, and Liliums in variety. Mr. H. F. Verschoyle was 2nd. Foliage Plants. For a group of twelve fine foliage-plants, distinct (Ferns excluded), Mrs. McComas, The Grange, Monkstown (gr., Mr. Coughlan), was an easy 1st ; she also took premier honours for a stand of six exotic Ferns. Coleus were excellently shown ; and Mr. Byrne, gr. to D. Drimmie, Esq.,Booterstown was 1st, after a close contest ; Mr. Kearns, gr. to Mrs. Moore, Ashtown, Phienix Park, being 2nd. 198 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [September 8, 1900. For pots of double- flowered tuberous-rooted Begonias, Sir R. Palmer, Kenure Paik (gr., Mr. Stringer), was 1st. Fruit and Vegetables. Fruits, &c., formed an attractive display. For a stand of six bunches of Grapes, in at least three distinct varieties, Mr. Bradshaw, gr. to the Marquis of Downshire, was 1st ; and Lady E. Bury (gr., Mr. McKenna), 2nd. The Marquis of Downs hire also took premier place in most of the other classes. Lord Ashtown had exceptionally fine white Muscat Grapes. The Marquis of Downshire had 1st prizes for Melons, Plums, and Figs. Lady Emify Bury was 1st with Nectarines. First prizes for vetr "stables were taken by Lord Ashdowm a W. Goffkimm, Esq , who likewise won the two Gold Medals. Miscellaneous Exhibits. Messrs. M. Sanders & Son, Friars Walk Nurseries, Cork, had a collection of Begonias. Messrs. R. Hartland & Sons, Lough Nurseries, Cork, had an excellent stand of cut blooms and fruit (Gold Medal). Messrs. McGredy & Sons, Portadown, displayed Begonias well; they draped their stands with Gypsophillapaniculita, giving it a very nice effect. This firm also staged Gladioli, using sprays of Arundoconspicua for effect (Silver Medal) Messrs. Kelway, Langpqrt, Somerset, staged over 200 spikes of bloom of Gladioli, but they required more space than was given them. Tall Kentias were used as a back- ground, and this was one of the choicest stands in the show ( Hi =hly Commended). Messrs. Drummond & Co., Dawson Street, Dublin, displayed a group of herbaceous plants, also Conifers and Acers. Messrs. Watson & Sons, Clontarf, had a representative collection of Dahlias. Messrs. Olibran & Son, Altriuchain, Cheshire, had prettily arranged stands of hardy flowers, also sprays of foliage of shrubs (Highly Commended). Messrs. Dickson, Ltd., Chester, had also an exhibit of hardy flowers, notably Phloxes. Mr. Jso. Forbes, Hawick, had a neatly-arranged group of Carnations and Pentstemons; amongst the Carnations, Teviot Dale and John Forbes were very fine. Messrs. Ramsay & Sons, Ballsbridge, had a choice group < f stove plants with Liliums interspersed, also flaral designs, &c. From the Botanic GaTdens, Glasnevin, Mr. F. W. Moore staged a fine collection of stove plants. Messrs. J. Henderson & Sons, Oakley Park, Blackrock. had a group comprising exotic plants, also Bfgonias aLd vegetables. Messrs. Hugh Dickson, Belmont, staged a group of Rospp, also Dahlias, which took the Society's Silver Medals in boih classes for nurserymen. The Hon. A. H. F. de Montmorency had a nice stand of zonal Pelargoniums. J. F. Lombard, Esq .South Hill, Rathmines, staged some fine Gladioli. BATTLE FLOWER SHOW. August 19.— The weather, which had been mora like October than August, was on this occasion favourable to a successful flower show, and a collection of plants, cut flowers, and fruit, was shown in the lovely grounds of the venerable Abbey, that reflected great credit on tlie gardeners and amateurs of the district. Nor must any exception by made in the cottagers' class, for under th* stimulus of special awards offered by the Duchess of Cleveland, Lady Idioa Brassey, the Royal Horticultural Society, and the local Society, cottagers and allotment- holders staged a very Hue and clean lot of vegetables ; Potatos and Onions being of superior quality; while the plants and cut flowers showed unmistakab.e signs of careful and intelli- gent culture, Asters and Stocks, always favouiites in this class, being very noticeable. The exhibitb in the second division, from which gardeners and the profession generally are excluded, was on (he whole hardly up to its usual standard. Even the fruit was deficient, both in quantity and qaality, many well-remembered names being absent. Plums were not above mediocrity in any class but Morello Cherries were fully up to precedent. For a collection of eight dishes of fruit, the 1st prize went to Mr. Gore, market-grower, Polegate ; who beat Mr. Gbiog, gardener, Ashburuham Place, by only a few points. Is it quite fair for these wholesale growers to compete with gentle- men's gardeners ? There were nine competitors in a class for six Fig1', a dish of very fine Brunswick, shown by Mr. T. Portnell, being best. Melons were not first-class, and the show of Grapes was poor for Battle In the Muscat of Alexandria class Mr. Camm was 1st, but had it been a week later this honour would most certainly have gone to Mr. W. Allen, of Normanhurst, whose bunches were more symmetrical, though the berries wanted a little more finish. Peaches and Nectarines were a fine and even lot, and required careful judging. Nearly all of them were from the open wall, Dymond being to the front, a perfect dish of six securing the 1st prize, Thtre are many special prizes given by the landowners of the district as well as the Society which invited good com- petition; for instance, that for four flowering, and four fine foliage plants, and a similar one for gardeners and amateurs only, which, combined with the prizes for exotic and British Ferns, served to well fill the first division tent. Vallota purpurea major, V. eximia, ofW. Bull, by its extreme bright- ness compelling attention ; it is a desirable variety, with a dwarf habit, and large, rosy-scarlet flowers with pure white centres, altogether an advance on V. purpurea ; and Gilbert's variety of Statice profusa formed conspicuous specimens iu all the collections staged. Groups were very good, the 1st prize falling to Mr. Giigg, gr. to the Earl of Ashburnham. Table deorations were good, bat q 'ite a replica of Hastings. BATH FLORAL FETE. August 20, 30.— This Society held its autumn show on the above dates under much more favourable weather than is customary. The Sydney Gardens is an ideal spot for the holding of such an exhibition, the wealth of tree growth giving the desired amount of shade and coolness for the benefit of the many hundreds who patronise the show when the weather is summer-like. The great teut devoted to trained flowering stove and greenhouse plants, Fuchsias, &c, presented a magnificent .spectacle, aud was better filled than we have seen it for some years, and the quality of the exhibits was excellent. Specimen, Plants.— The principal class was that fur eighteen specimens, six to be flowering, the remainder foliage plants. Mr. Cypher, of Cheltenham, was an easy 1st, staging grand specimens of Kentias Belmoreana and Fosteriana, Phoenix rupicola, Codueums Countess, Queen Victoria, Chelsonii, angustifolia ; Ixoras, Ericas, Allauianda nobilis, and Bou- gainvillea glab a. Messrs. Wood & Son, Chipping Soibury, 2nd, with smaller plants. BougainvilleaSanderii, Stephanotis, and Tabernaemoataaa coronaria being ih^ more noteworthy; Messrs. Cole & Son, Bath, were 3rd. Mr. Cypher staged six grand plants iu the class for that number, and was again an easy 1st. The plants were Ixora Duffii, Allauianda nobilis, PtKenocoma prolifera Barnesii, Bougainvil'ea glabra, Rondeletia speciosa major, and a Heath ; Mr. G. TrjCKBR, Hilp rton, Trowbridge, was 2ad, with smaller, but, still, beautifully fresh and freely-flowered speci- mens—Statice Gilbertii, Dipiadenta Brearleyana, and a Stephanotis floribanda were his best plant". For a single specimen stove plant, Mr. Cypher showed a magnificent Ixora DuffVi ; Mr. Tucker following with a freely- bloomed Dipladenia amabilis. Mr. Cypher staged a fine Statice intermedia in the class for a single specimen greenhouse plant ; Mr. Tucker having a Lapageria alba, taking the 2nd priz*. Messrs. Cole & Son were 1st for fight specimen foliage plants, Palms preponderating in the collection. Mr. Cypher, with a fine Codiseum Chelsonii, took 1st prize for a specimen stove plant. Fuchsias, which are a feature at these shows, were quite up to the average quality, Mr. G. Tucker once more demonstrating his skill as a grower and trainer of these summer plants by taking the 1st prize fur nine specimens; P. Hum, Esq, Bradford, was 2nd ; and Mr. J. Lye 3:d. E. T. D. Foxcroft, Esq., Bath, was 1st for six varieties; Lady Pitman, Bath, 2nd ; and Mr. W. A. Barford 3rd. Mr. Ticker was 1st with a single specimen, dark, as also for a light flowered variety ; Mr. Foxcroft was 2nd in both classes. Mr. Cypher was the only exhibitor of six Orchids, and was also 1st for a specimen Erica, and of one new or rare plant. Ooitps.— -These devices, instead of occupying their accus- tomed position in the centre of the tents, were crowded into the upper end, which spoiled the effect, when the splendour of former shows is remembered. There is, however, a reduc- tion of space, and of money value offered ia prizes, which was a distinct disadvantage to the exhibition. In his 1st prize group, Mr. Cypher displayed great tas'.e in arraogemejt, and the q ulity of tha flowers employe 1 was good. Orchid3, including Dmdrobes, Cattleyas, Oncidiums, and Odontoglossums, iu variet}', were freely made use of. Humea elegans, Coditeums, Bamboos, and Liliums, with a groundwork of dwarf loliage and miss, made an attractive exhibit ; Messrs. Cole & Son, Bath, were 2nd, with a less artistic display ; Major Dohertv (gr., H. Plance), arranged a bright and effective group, and was awarded 3-d prize. Ferns, Begonias, double and single; Coleus, Liliums, Cox- combs, GloxiLias, zonal Pelargoniums, and Petunias, each have classes provided, and in which there is a healthy competition, and together they make up an interesting and varied exhibition. Cot Flowers filled the whole of the sides of the large tent : and as with the plants, so with these, there were numerous entries. Of Show Dahlias, in twenty-four varieties, there were three entries, all good. Mr. W. Treseder, Cardiff, showed the best, his varieties being: Dr. Kt-ynes, Joseph Ashby.Mrs. W. Slack, Duchess of York, Mrs. Foreman, Rev. J. Gooday, Mr. Glassock, Southern Queen, Virginale, Willie Garrett; Maud Fellowes, Mrs. Lang- try, Henrietta, J. T. Saltmarsh, Hon. Mrs. Wyndham, Prince Bismar.'k, Mrs. GUdstone, Diadem, J. Walker, Victor, F. Tranter, Dante, Mrs. Giffard, and Win, Rawlings; Mr. J. Walker, Thame, was 2nd; an I Mr. G. Humphries, Chip- penham, 3rd. In the class for twelve varieties, Messrs. Cray & Sons, Frome, were 1st. For nine fancy varieties, Mr. Humphries was 1st, Mr. Tresseder 2nd, and J. Walker 3rd. The competition iu the class for twelva bunches of Cactus Fahlias in six varieties made a large and attractive show, and must have given the judges some difficulty in deciding. Messrs. Crvs & Sons were 1st, their stand including Starfish, Britannia, G. Sherbrook, Primrose Dame, and Standard Bearer ; Mr. Treseder was again 2nd, and Mr Walker 3rd. Singles and Pompons made, too, a pretty show. Mr. T. Carr Tiverton-on-Avon, and Messrs. Cray' Sl Sons, won the premier prizes. Gladiolus were staged in quantity, and the quality generally was superb. Mr. J. Mattock, Oxford, was 1st, with thirty- six spikes in eighteen varieties; and Mr. G. Humphries, with twelve spikes. Roses were very good, and the comp.tition fairly keen. Messrs. Perkins & Sons, Coventry, took 1st prize for twenty - four blooms, staging Sir Rowland Hill, Duke of Edinburgh, Alfred Colomb, Horace Vernet, Lady Londonderry, and Medea, in good form. Mr. J. Mattock was 2nd, with flowers scarcely so large as the winner's ; and Messrs. Garawav, Bath, were 3rd. Mr. W. T. Mattock, Oxford, won the ls>t prize in the class for twelve blooms, his best bring Duchess of Bedford, Niphttos, and Lady Mary Fitzwilliam ; Mr. A. A. Walters, Bath, took 2nd prizs with a nice clean lot of blooms. For Twelve Teas, Mr. W. T. Mattock scored again, Perle des Jardine, Madame Lambard, Maman Cochet, and Marie Van Houtte being his best ; Mr. J. Mattock was 2nd. The latter was a good 1st in the class for twelve varieties, five trusses of each, staging brightly-colourad hybrids and Teas. Messrs. Cooling & Sons and G. Garawat following with Teas in varitty. Annuals, Herbaceous Flcwers in bunches, Asters, Zinnias, Su-ett Peas, <&a. — These were exceptionally good, the Asters in particular. Bouquets, Vases of Flowers, and other devices were as usual both numerous and good. Table decorations were represented by eight competitors, Lady Theodore Guest (gr., Mr. T. Wilkins), taking first honours. Fruit. These classes were well filled in almost every case, no less than seven competing in the class for eightdishes. J. N. Flem- hing, Esq. (gr., W. Mitchell), Romsey, took the 1st place, he having Madresfield Court and Gros Maroc Grapes' Sutton's A 1 Melon, N.gro Largo Figs, Sea Eagle Peaches, Pitmaston Orange Nectarines, Pond's Seedling Plums, and Morello Cherries. Lady Ashburtox (gr , Mr. Hall), was 2nd, showing among his dishes fine Brunswick Figs, Muscat Grapes, and Pine-apple Nectarines. Lady Theodore Guest was 3rd, only one bunch of Muscat Grapes, and two of Gros Maroc were staged in this exhibit. There were several tntries for eight batches of Grapes in four varieties, and Mr. Mitchell was 1st ; showing very fine clusters of Black Hamburgh, Gros Maroc, Madresfield Court, and Muscat of Alexandria. Mr. Marsh, Bath, was 2nd ; and Mr. T. Jones, 3rd. Mr. G. Sutton, Bristol, was 1st with five bunches of Buckland Sweetwater, in the class for any other white variety, and the Bromham Fruit Co. took the 1st prize for Muscats. There were olher classes tor Grapes, and in every instance the quality was good, and the c •mpstiti jn keen. Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries, Nuts, Melons, Figs, and Tomatos are each severally provided for, and in these quite a large entry was made, and the qual ty throughout was excel- lent in every respect. Apples, particularly the culinary varieties, were very tine and numerous. Vegetables, as usual, were displayed in the open air on the slope closely abutting on the railway, and, as is customary at Bath, the competition was keen, and the produce very finely selected. Cauliflowers, Carrots, and Tomatos were especially fine. There were several non -competitive exhibits ; lovely Phloxes and Pentstemons were contributed by Messrs. House & Son, Westbury-on-Trym ; Messrs. Cooling & Sons showed garden Roses and single flowered Dahlias ; Messrs. Walters, Bath, herbaceous flowers and Roses; Messrs. Werb, of Stourbridge, a collection of annuals ; the Devon Nursery- Co., Teignmouth, contributed Sweet Peas, Dahlias, and other flowers ; Alderman Chaffin staged some handsome Mad res- field Court and Cancn Hall Muscat Grapes from his extensive vineries at Bath. The secretaries, Messrs. Pearson and Jeffery have every reason to be gratified with the extent and quility of the show, and much credit is due to them from t xhibitors and public, every detail connecttd therewith being carried out in the best possible manner. Fine weather favoured the show, and it is hoped the financial results are satisfactory. WE LLINGBORO D GH AND MIDLAND COUNTIES DAHLIA. August 30.— Instead of holding their annual exhibition in the cold and bare Corn Exchange as heretofore, the Society arranged for their flowers to be staged under a spacious tent iri a paddock adjoining the residence of their President, Mr. Thomas Pendered, at Red well, Wellingborough. There was an excellent show of Dahlias, with the addition of fruits and vegetables. Several Dahlia-growers from the south exhibited, and it was the best display the Society has yet held. Many of the woking men of Wellingborough and district grow Dahlias for exhibition. The principal class of those open to all comers, was one for thirty-six blooms of show and fancy varieties ; and the first prize was awarded to Mr John Walker, Nurseryman, Thame, who had refined flowers of Mrs. W. Slack, James Cocker, Gaiety, Chiefiain, Rev. J. B. Camm, Muriel Hobbs, Shottesham Hero, John Wyatt, Maud Fellowes, Mr. Giass- cock, Mrs. Every, Buffalo Bill, &c. ; Mr. 8. Mortimer, Swiss Nursery, Farnham, was 2nd, aho with very good blooms. With twenty-four blooms, Mr. J. Walker was again 1st ; his principal flowers were John Walker, Mr. Glasscock, Duke of Fife, John Standish, David Johpson, Rev. J. B. faram September S, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 199 Arthur Raw lings, Kathleen, Ac; Mr. Geo. Humphries was 2nd with blooms of good quality* So strong was Mr. Walker that he was also placed 1st with twelve blooms, showing in flue character in this class such varieties as John Walker, Mrs. Gladstone, Seraph, Maud IVllmves, Victor, John Hickling, Duke of Fife, Florence Tranter, &c. ; Mr. G. Humphries was again '2nd.. There were two classes for Cactus Dahlias shown on boards. The best eighteen blooms came from Mr. S. Mortimer, who had excellent blooms, chief among them Mrs Carter Page, The Clown, Lucius, Mrs. J. J. Crowe, Exhibition, Charles Woodbridge, Keynes White, Ebony, Starfish, &c. ; Mr. J. Walker was a close 2nd; he had, differing from the fore- going, J. F. Hudsoo, Debonnair, Countess of Lonsdale, Britannia, and Sylph. Mr. J. WALKtRwas 1st with twelve blooms, acdhestaged in excellent character, Britannia, Zephyr, Lucius, J. F. Hudson, The Clown, Mary Service, Night, Stella, and Magnificent ; Mr. S. Mortimer was 2nd. For twelve bunches of Cactus varieties, three blooms in a bunch, Mr. S. Mortimer was ltt with a very fine lot, having Monarch (Dew), Britannia, Purity, white (uew) ; Mrs. Carter Page, Princeof Yellows (new), Lucius, Mrs. J. J. Crowe, Mrs. J. Goddard, Exquisite, Zephyr, and Major Tuppeny ; Mr. J. Walker took the 2nd prize, having distinct from the fore- going, Stella, Ruby, and J. F. Hudson. Mr. Walker was the only exhibitor of twelve bunches of Pompon Dahlias, putting up model flowers of the following varieties :— Cheerfulness, Opal, Adnenne, Sunny Diybreak, Bacchus, Ganymede, Douglas, Emily Hopper, Tommy Keith, and Rosalie ; and he took the 1st prize for an elaborate vase of Dahlias, which was much admired. Special prizes were offered for the best three blooms of a yellow Dahlia. Mr. Mortimer came 1st, with R. T. Raw- liugs, and Mr. J. Walker was 2nd, with John Hickling. A special prize for the best new Cectus Dahlia in the show whieh has never before been exhibited, was awarded to Village Maid, a light green variety, tipped with ruby, from Mr. J. Green (Hobbies & Co.), Dereham. There were several classes for Dahlias shown by amateurs, but open to all comers, and here the local growers came to the fore with excellent blooms. Mr. A. Robinson, Welling- borough, had the best twelve, and Mr. T. Pendered came Sad. The best twelve blooms of Cactus— a very good lot— came from Mr. H. Bindly, Desborough. Mr. J. York had the best six blooms. Cactus varieties were also shown in bunches. There were also special prizes for amateurs, for show and Cactus Dahlias, and in each case very good blooms were staged. Dahlias were also well shown by cottagers. Certificates of Merit weie awarded to two new Cactus Dahlias, viz., Minnie Walker, delicate primrose suffused with white, a very refined flower, from Mr. S. Mortimer; and to Baden Powell, bright red tipped and suffused with maroon, and of the finest Cactus type, from Mr. John Green, Dereham. Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Orpington and Rothesay, had a large a d interesting collection of Dahlias ; and Mr. John Green Dereham, the same. STIRLING HORTICULTURAL. August 3). — This Society, which Is one of the oldest in Stot'aud, held its annual exhibition on the above date. The entries were more numerous than usual, but when they came to be staged, there was a shrinkage in the vegetable section. The show, however, was a good one, and quite up to the average which we are accustomed to sec at Stirling, where the enthusiasm both of exhibitors and the pnbllc is great. Hor- ticulture is very strongly represented at the " City of the Rock," and much first-class gardening is to be seen through- out the district. Mr. Lunt, gr. at Keir, was, as usual, well to the front, with fruits from under glass, carrying off all the leading Grape prizes, his exhibits being excellent in evtry respect. Mr. Lunt'3 plants were on a par with his fruits, foliage plants especially being of much merit. All the leading prize3 for plants were also won by Mr. Lunt. Mr. Ritchie, of Polmaise Gardens, as usual, took the lead- ing prizes for hardy fruits. Mr. Craig and Messrs. Drummond, nurserymen, represent- ing the trade, were strong in table and other plants. Mr. Hodgson, florist, exhibited a collection of Peaches and Plums which were much admired. GARDENING APPOINTMENTS. Mr. E. Wright, for the past thirteen years Gardener at Park House, Cottingham, as Gardener to H. E. Goddard, Esq., Thwaite House, Cottingham. Mr. R. Barton, for the past eight years Foreman at The Hendre Gardens, Monmouth, as Gardener to Sir Ch as. Cave, Bart., Sidbury Manor, Sidmouth, Devon. Mr. S. G. Bri'nt, for over four years Head Gardener at Barra Hall, Hayes, Middlesex, as Head Gardener to Major W. Bcrgess,. Fernside, Child's Hill, N.W. Mr. E. Norton, for the last three years as Foreman in the Gardens, Iwerne Minster, Blandford, as Head Gardener to Baron Dimsdale, Essendon Place, Hatfield. Mr. George Williams has been appointed, through Mr. William Bull, of King's Road, Chelsea, as Head Gar- dener to the Rt. Hon. Louisa Lady Ashburton, at Addiscombe Park, Croydon. Mr. Wm. Cousins, as Head Gardener to C. E. Atkinson, Esq., Algoa Lodge, Beckenbam. CATALOGUES RECEIVED. BULBS, &C. Jab. Cocker & Sons, 130, Union Street, Aberdeen. lu a a o s, A ID V O < A 9-5 60 9 59-9 52 7 "Wed. 29 E.N.E. 61-7 5S 0 69 2 56-2 59 $60 4 59-7 54-2 Thu. 30 E.S..E. 60 5 570634 55-2 60-8 60 5J59-5 49-2 Fw. 31 8.S.W. 55-3 55 S74-2 44 9 0-28 59-6 60 6 59-5 39 5 Sat. 1 S.S.E. 61-1 60 7 66 7 51-9 0'09 Tot 0/39 il-7 60 5 60-8 59:3 47-6 Means... 59 6 56-1 66 3 53 3 610 59-7 4S 2 Remarks. — The mornings and dull past wpek has b?en remarkable for misty , cold days. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout the British Islands, for the week ending September 1, is furnished fiom the Meteorological Office :— "The weather was mostly fair and dry during the greater part of the week, but towards its close it 'became unsettled and rainy, at first in the north and west, and subsequently over the whole kingdom. "The temperature was just equal to, or rather below the mean generally, but was 2° above it in the Channel Islands. The highest of the maxima occurred on the 31st, and ranged from 76" in England, E., and 75° in England, S, to G8C in Scotland, N., and Ireland,'N. The lowest of the minima were recorded on rather irregular dates, but generally between the 2(Jth and 29th in the west and north, and on the 31st in the south. They ranged from 3b° in Scotland, E., 37° in Ireland, N., and 38* in Scotland, N., and Ireland, S., to 4S" in England, S., and to 55° in the Channel Islands. "The rainfall exceeded the mean in Scotland, N., and just equalled it in Scotland, W., but in all other districts there was a deficit. "The bright sunshine was deficient over the country generally, but exceeded the normal in Scotland, N., and England, N.W. The percentage of the possible duration ranged from 42 in the Channel Islands, and 33in England, N.W. , to 26 in Ireland, N., 25 in the Midland Counties, and 17 in Enghnd, N.E." Markets. COVENT GARDEN, SEPTEMBER 6. [ We cannot accept any responsibility for the subjoined reports. They are furnished to us regularly every Thursday, by the kindness of several of the principal salesmen, who revise the list, and who are responsible for the quotations. It must be remembered that these quotations do not represent the prices on any particular day, but only the general averages for the week preceding the date of our report. The prices depend upon the quality of the samples, the supply in the market, and the demand, and they may fluctuate, not only from day to day but often several times in one day. Ed.] Cut Flowers, &c— Average Wholesale Prices. Asparagus "Fern," bunch Carnations, per doz. blooms ... ., Cattleyas, per dozen Eucharis, per dozen Gardenias, per doz. spikes Gladiolus, scarlet, per dozen — white, per doz. LiliumHarrisii, per dozen blooms ... Lilium lancifolium album, doz. blras. Lilium rubrum.doz. iiilium longiflorum, per dozen Lily of Valley, per doz. bunches . it. s. d. 0 2 6 j 0-2 0 0-12 0 0-4 0 6 — 6-5 0 6-4 0 0-5 0 0-3 0 0-5 0 0-5 0 0-24 0 Maidenhair Fern, per doz. bunches 4 0-80 Marguerites, p. doz. bunches 2 0-40 Mignonette, dozen punches Montbretias, bunch Odoiitoglossums, per dozen Roses, Red, per ioz. — Tea, white, per dozen , 10-30 — Safrano, per doien 10-30 — Catherine Mer- met, per dozen 2 0- 5 ft Smilai, per bunch 4 0-50 Tuberoses, per doz. blooms... ... C 4 C 0 0 6 4 0- 1 u- fi 0 8 0 3 0 Plants ix Pots.— Average Wholesale Prices. s. d. Ad. an turns, p. doz. Arbor- vi tee, var., doz. Aspidistras, p. doz. — specimen, each Cannas, per dozen Crotons, per doz. ... Cyclamen, per doz. Dracaenas, var., per dozea — viridis, perdoz. Ericas, var., per doz. Euonymus, various, per dozen Evergreens, var., per dozen Fernp, in variety, per dozen s. ~d. s. d. 5 0-70 6 0-36 0 18 0-86 0 5 0-10 6 18 0 — 18 0-30 0 8 0-10 0 12 0-30 0 9 0-18 0 12 0-36 0 6 0-18 0 4 0-18 0 4 0-18 0 Ferns, small, per 100 4 0- fi 0 Ficus elastica, eacn 1 u - 7 ■■: Foliage plants, var., each ... 10-50 Lily of Valley, each 19-30 Lycopodiums, doz. 8 0- i 0 Marguerite s, per dozen 8 0-12 0 Myrtles, per dozen 6 0-9 0- Palms, various, ea. 1 0-15 u — specimens, each 21 0-63 0 Pelargoniums, scar- let, per dozen 8 0-12 O — Ivyleaf.perdoz. 8 n-10 0 Spineas, per dozen... 6 0-12 U Vegetables. — Average Wholesale Prices. Aubergines, per. dz. Artichokes, Globe, per doz. Beans, Scarlet Runners, bush. — English, dwarf, per bushel ... — — per sieve... Beetroots, bushel.. Beet, per dozen ... Cabbage, tally — dozen ... Carrots, new, per dozen... — washed, in cwt. bags Cauliflowers, perdz. Cress, per dozen punnets Cacumbers, doz. .. Mndive, new French, per dozen Garlic, new, lb. \i. Horseradish, l£ng. lish, bundle ... — foreign, per bundle L^eks, per dozen bunches Lettuce, English Cabbage, bush. — English Cos, per score ...: S. d. : 2 6 1 6- 2 0- '1 C 1 6 0 fi 1 6- 0 6 0 fJ- 3 0 1 6- 1 « I 0 1 6 0-3 2 0 30 2 0 2 0 •_• 6 10-16 Mint, new, p. doz. bunches Mushrooms, house, per lb Onions, picklers per sieve — per bag — Green, dozen ... — cases — English, bag ... Parsley, 12 hunches — per sieve Peas, per bnshel ... Potatos, per ton .. i Radishes. 12 bches. Salad, small, pun- nets, per doz«n Shallots, new,r. lb. Spinach, persievd... — bush.l Tomatos, English, new1, per 12 lb. — Channel Islands, per lb — French, crate* Turnips, new, per dozen — in bags.. Vegetable-Marrows, per dozen — tally Watercress, p. doz. bunches . d. s d. . 6 — 6-2 0 0-6 0 0 — 0 — 9- 1 0 0-4 0 0-90 0 0- 1 0 g- 2 a C- 3 0 2-0 2£ 6 — 6-2 0 6-3 0 6- 1 0 ft-H 0 4-0 200 THE ~ GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 8, 1900. Fruit.— Average Wholesale Prices. Apples, English, per bushel — ■ SuffleWs Keswicks Juliens Quarrendens Various Apricots, per dozen Bananas, bunch .. Cobnuts, lb. Pigs (New), per dozen Filberts, per lb. ... Grapes, Hamburgh, new, per lb. ... — Alicante — Colmar — Gros Maroc, lb. — Muscats, A., per lb — Muscats, B., per lb. — Belgian, per lb. — Denia.in barrels Lemons, case s. d. s. d. 16-20 10-20 16-26 3 0-40 10-20 16-20 6 0-11 0 0 3i-0 4 0 9- 0 1% 0 6- 0 9- 1 0- 1 0- 1 6 2 0-30 10-16 0 7-10 4 0 — 12 0-18 0 Melons, each — Foreign Rocks. Melons, Valencia, cases (24 to 36) Nectarines, per doz. OlasB A Class B Oranges, Naples, p. case " Peaches, per doz. — Class A Class B Pears, Califomian, cases — Wms., Eng., si. — Williams, French in boxes (48) ... in crates, ac- cording to count Pines, each Plums in sieve — English, various per sieve Green Gages in sieves s.d. n i>- 1 6 s. d. 1 3 4 0 — 5 0- 2 0- 4 0- 1 6- S 0 4 0 8 0 2 6 4 0 1 6- 7 6 2 0- 1 0 3 0 5 0 1 3 2 6 Remahks.— A quantity of home-grown Plums sold as low a 4Jd. per sieve on Saturday last. Apples continue low in price. The first Blackberries were on the market a few days ago ; and there are some Califomian Plums. The supply generally is plentiful, and trade is slow. Potatos. Potatos : Various and Kents, 65s. to 90s. per ton. John Bath, 32 & 34, Wellington Street, Covent Garden. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Glasgow : September 5.— The following are the averages of the prices recorded since our last report : — Bananas, extras, lis. to 13s. per bunch ; No. 1, 9s. to 10s. do. ; No. 2, 7s. 6d. to 9s. do. ; Grapes, English, new, Is. to 2s. per lb. ; foreign, Denia, Is to 2s. Gd. per barrel ; do., 3s. Gd. to 6s. 6d. per case ; black, 3s. to 6s. per barrel ; Almeira, legitimates, lis. to 14s. per barrel ; tinted, sound, 5s. to Ss. do. ; wasty, Is. to 3s. do. ; Lemons, Palermo, cases, 300's, 20s. to 24s. ; 360's, 12s. Gd. to 20s. do. ; Naples, cases, 20s. to 30«. ; Melons, Valencia, 24's, 4s. to 4s. Gd. per case ; do., 36's, 5s. to «s. Gd. do. ; Onions, Valencia, 4's, 4s. to 5s. per case ; do., 5's, 5s. Gd. to 6s. 6d. do. ; Mushrooms, Is. per lb ; Apples arriving to special order. Liverpool : September 5. — Wholesale Vegetable Market. — Potatos, per cwt. : Early Regents, 2s. 10 nis grandiflora 204 Hardy fruit garden ... 206 Margnirite Flor d'Or ... 211 Kitchen garden, the ... 207 New species, experi- Orchid-houses, the ... 206 mental origin of 208 Plants under glass ... 207 Oaks, transplanting large 203 Yorkshire Naturalists' Paris horticultural fete . 202 Union 203 ILLU8TR ATION8. Aubergine, dwarf early, purple 211 Cucumber-Melon 204 Highbury, view at (Suppl emen t). Lychnis grandiflora 205 Transplanted Oak, a 203 BOTANY IN EELATION TO THE GARDEN. TT is probably assumed by most people that •*- the gardener is, in -virtue of his profession, a botanist as well. No assumption could well be more erroneous. We assume that the doctor understands chemistry, that the electri- cian is acquainted with optics or the laws of light, and that the chemist understands diseases. It is often a great shock to us when we discover the truth. We think that a doctor cannot rightly dispense his medicines if he has not extracted opiurn from the Poppy, and learned its chemical formula by direct analysis ; but we might as well assume that a butcher could not cut an ox to pieces scientifically because he had not studied physiology at the university. We are apt to suppose that a gardener knows all about the plants he handles because he brings his Peas and Tomatos, his Asters and Begonias, to such perfection. And yet he may be totally ignorant of botany in spite of it all. The butcher and the physiologist both deal with animals, the chemist and the doctor with drugs, the electrician and the optician with light, the mechanic and the miner with iron ; and yet the one may be as ignorant of the other's department as it they belonged to other realms entirely. For a doctor can prescribe perfectly for his patient, because he has learned from the lecture-room and the Pharmacopoeia what will best suit the case in point. His busi- ness is to diagnose the disease, the rest i3 done for him. Yet everyone will feel that the medical man who has had a good chemical training has a decided advantage over his brother who has ignored this important branch of medical science. It may not be necessary to his equipment as a practitioner, but the wider knowledge will increase his efficiency, intensify his confidence, and win a firmer trust from his patients. As the practice of medicine and the study of chemistry are distinct, though closely related, so is it with gardening and botany. A man may be a splendid botanist, and yet be unable to keep his flower-borders respectable. Or he may be a first- class gardener, and not know the difference between an umbel and a Composite flower. But everyone feels that if it is not necessary for the botanist to understand the art of gardening;, it is of great importance that every gardener should be acquainted with the principles of botany. To whatever genus or order a plant may belong, if it is brought under cultivation, it must have air, light, moisture, food. The duty of the gardener lies primarily in discovering what amount of each i3 necessary. Has the plant roots, bulbs or tubers ; does it possess or is it destitute of leaves ; is it to be grown for the sake of its foliage, its flowers, or its fruits ; has it come from the tropics or the Artie regions ; does it love shade, abundance of moisture, a northern aspect ; or must it be put in the open, with flower freely and at all times to look up at the sun I These are some of the problems the gardener has to master, and in many instances the answer will be quite independent of the botanical order or genus. One member of the Primrose family may need to be treated just as if it were related to the Water- Lily or the Bog-bean. Another must be handled as though it were allied to the Viola or Anemone. The gardener is concerned, not with names and species, orders and families, the number of stamens, or the shape of the ovary ; but with the needs and capabilities of the plants under his care. He is no mere census taker, but stands to his charge as a mother does to her family. The mother knows that each of her ten children needs its own peculiar treatment. Its habits, appetites, individualities differ from those of the other nine ; and the mother is successful in the upbringing of her family not in proportion as she is able to identify her own children in a crowd, but rather as she is able to anticipate and meet the needs of each of her offspring. We may therefore state with all distinctness that a man who is entirely ignorant of botany may nevertheless become a most skilful gardener, while the expert botanist may be an utter failure at horticulture. But we are bound to say that it is a very serious mistake to divorce the two, and no gardener ought to be content to remain ignorant of botanical science. We insist on this mainly on two grounds. In the first place, we would draw attention to the great loss which the gardener sustains from the standpoint of pleasure and delight, if he knows nothing of botany. Every educator dwells upon the value of the natural sciences. The study of nature does more than anything else to open the eye to natural beauty. The greatest beauty is not necessarily to be found in broad vistas, in sweeping downs, in landscape and seascape. It needs seeking out ; and a pocket-lens applied to the floret of a Daisy, the stamens of a bog-plant, or the colours of the Eyebright, will reveal marvels never dreamed of by those who are ignorant of Nature's by-ways. Think what delight the botanist finds in a garden, a rockery, a conservatory, or a hot- house. He sees the Periwinkle growing in the hedgerow, and takes out his magnifying glass to examine the wonderful " painter's brush," that falls into his hand as he lays the blossom open. He watches the bee or moth flitting from flower to flower, and stores his mind wifck wonderful facts relating to the fertilisation of plants. He peers into the blossoms of a little known plant, and finds miracles of transfor- mation hidden in its corolla. The calyx has become petaloid, that the true petals may be set free for other duty. Stamens have been magically changed into glands and nectaries, or converted into petals ; stigmas have acquired a peculiar power of development to serve some useful end, or the aborted sepals have assumed the form of a feathery pappus, which acts as a balloon to carry the seeds to distant lands. Passing from flower to flower, the botanist notes how they change their colour with their age. Hydrangea and Candy - tuft, Viper's bugloss and Lungwort, Forget-me-not, and Virginia Stock, all have a new charm for him now that he knows the meaning of the constant variation. He applies his knowledge to the foreign Lantana and Hibiscus, and observes how wonderfully means are adapted to the securing of definite ends. The gardener who is a gardener only, walks in fairy-land with his eyes shut. Or, if he sees at all, he discovers only the gold of merchants, and misses the pearls and rubies, the emeralds and diamonds of royalty. Why not sea and enjoy both? Why not have an eye to the beautiful as well as the useful ? For in Nature the two go hand-in- hand. But in the second place we plead for the training of gardeners in botany on the ground of utility. It is well to know that old bones supply the best manure for this plant, rags for that, guano for the third, and stable-manure for the rest. It is of the first moment that the gardener should learn the rules which experi- ence has taught us respecting the times and seasons for planting and sowing, pruning and cropping, watering and netting. This is the gardener's duty. But no knowledge i3 final. Old rules may be improved upon, and even if they are perfect it is possible we do not know why they are so. Observation is of prime importance. By making careful note of the phenomena of plant life, the earlier gardeners, without any scientific training, acquired vast funds of knowledge ; and we are the better for their observations. But how important it is that the gardener should acquaint himself with the laws which underlie all phenomena. Why do some plants set their seeds while others fail to do so. Why do some plants need to be planted near others of the same kind 1 What part do bees and butterflies, moths, wasps, and other insects play in the economy of plants ? How is it that the Tomato has edible fruits, while the Potato, which is closely related to it, and has similar flowers, yields nauseous green berries above-ground, but edible tubers below 1 What makes some plants valuable as pot-herbs, others for their fruits, and others for their foliage and flowers ? What are the laws of plant-life as relates to food, drink, chemical properties, duration, and development ? These are a few of the questions which the botanist asks, and tries to answer ; and in trying to dis- 202 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [September 15, 1900, cover the correct replies, he is learning a great deal that will be of infinite importance to him as a gardener. If a man knows nothing of the constitution of a plant, how can he understand why phosphates are better for one set than farmyard-manure ? or why blood and animal refuse is the best appliance for another I A little knowledge of botany in relation to chemistry would open a new world to many a young gardener. Much has been done of late years. In some gardens a knowledge of botany is indispensable. A young man seeking a post as under-gardener, will not be accepted unless he has acquired some familiarity with the orders of plants, the names of the organs, the uses of the parts, the laws of plant-life. But there are still many well-known gardens in which botany is an unknown subject. The head-gardener himself would find it difficult to pass an elementary examination, though he is an expert in his pro- fession ; and those who are under him are too frequently discouraged from prying into subjects which (he says) do not concern them. Having succeeded by rule-of-thumb himself, he does not care that his underlings should be scientific. The policy is bad, though it is perfectly in harmony with all we know of human nature. Botany is now so frequently taken up by medical men, chemists, students of science, ladies, the clergy, and others, that a youth ought to find no difficulty in getting instruction. May we, however, suggest one or two ways by which the young gardener may be assisted in the pursuit. We hold that it should be imperative that every head gardener be a botanist, and hold certificates of proficiency. It would then be easy for owners of large gardens to stipulate that the duties of head gardener should include the training of the young men or women employed in the elements of the science. A certain specified time should be allotted to the subject every week, and pro- motion be made to depend on results. Where the head gardener or his assistant cannot undertake the duty, let a local authority on the subject be engaged wherever possible ; the classes to be open, if needs be, to the outside public, so that the lecturer should be sufficiently remunerated for his labours. Finally, let a few first-class books be always at hand for the use of the students. A Hussex Naturalist. (To be continued.) being of a lighter shade of rose. The disc of the lip is of a bright chrome-yellow tint, a dark red band and veining runs from the base up the centre, to the waved, bright purple front lobe. The edges of the side lobes of the lip are purple ; the fleshy column is of cream-white, with purple margin and tip. Mr. Stafford remarks that there is great variation in the colour of the flowers of the dif- ferent plants, one extreme form having a showy yellow lip, while another has the front and side lobes of the lip nearly black. Flowers of three varieties of Sophro- Cattleya x Geo. Hardy (Sophronitis grandiSora x Cattleya Aclandiai) were likewise sent at the same time. All are handsome, but they differ in the degree of intensity of the purplish-red hue of the sepals and petals, and cf the orange tint in the centre, and that of the rose-purple of the front lobe of the lip. The column of one variety is almost entirely white, that of another nearly wholly of a purple colour, and the third is white, with purple markings on the apex. Cattleya Harrisoniana. On the occasion of a recent visit to the garden of Ludwig Mond, Esq., The Poplars, Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, a shelf full of this pretty species was observed in the Cattleya-house. The plants, which are very vigorous and in great beauty, have been in bloom for some time. The flowers, numer- ously produced on the plants, are rose-pink, with an orange- coloured centre. The plant is regarded as being a form of C. Loddigesii, the colour of the flower differing according to the locality in which it is found. A few of the nearly white variety, and several of the form known as " violacea, " are among them, and Mr. Clarke, the head gardener at The Poplars, considers it one of the most useful of Cattleyas, and the easiest of all to cultivate if it be kept well up to the light. The Cattleya and Lselia house is lofty, and con- tains excellent examples of what good management can do with Orchids. Mr. Clarke's method of management is to utilise the lower part of the house for the growing of foliage plants, and the edges of the staging and the wall for Ficus repens, F. radi- cans, and similar clinging plants ; whilst the best of the Orchids are brought near to the roof glass in hanging baskets or on Bhelves. Any Orchids which are grown on the lower stages have their positions shifted occasionally, excepting the Cypripediums, &c. Thus managed, Lrclia purpurata, Cattleya Warscewiczii, C. aurea, and other showy Cattleyas and Lfelias grow vigorously and flower abundantly. The contents of the Odontoglossum and the other houses are in fine condition. Vanda ccerulea, Lselia harpophylla, and Epidendrum vitellinum majus are here grown cold with success. Orchid Notes and Gleanings. VARIETIES OF ONCIDIUM FORBESI. Six very distinct and dissimilar forms of this showy cool-house Oncidium are sent by Messrs. Hooley, Bros., of Bitterne Park Nursery, South- ampton. In one form the flowers are chrome- yellow in colour, with sparsely displayed light brown markings, while the other extreme is of a dark chocolate- brown tint, with a yellow margin to all the segments. One abnormally - developed flower has two complete labellums, but no other abnormal character, except that the lower sepals, joined at the basal third in the usual way, have three blades instead of two. From the larger to the smaller forms there seems to be a gradual approach to the plant known as Oncidium Gardneri. Ljelio-Cattleya x Aurora. A number of plants of this pretty by brid of Cattleya Loddigesii and L;elia Dayana have been flowering for some time in the collection of Fred Hardy, Esq. , Tyntesfield, Ashton-on-Mersey (gr., Mr. Thomas Stafford), whence a flower of an exceptionally fine form of it is sent. The sepals and petals are of a bright purplish-rose colour, the tube of the lip The Rosary. AN EASY METHOD OF PROPAGATING ROSES. Mr. C. S. Harrison, of York, Nebraska, states, in American Gardening, that he hit upon an easy way of propagating Poise Madame Plantier. The plants grew well in the summer, but they were killed by the winter drought and bright sun acting on the shoots whilst the roots were frozen. The variety would not root from layers, so Mr. Harri- son laid out the shoots on the ground one autumn, arranging them like the spokes of a wheel, and covering them with 6 inches of fine earth. This covering was not removed in the spring, and the buds were obliged to come through it. They blos- somed wonderfully and grew with great vigour, and he dug up thirty-five fine plants from one hill. Each sprout had thrown out a root. The ground below and above the Ro3es must be of good quality. Aimee Vibert Rose. Though it may not ramble so far as the Tea Rose Homer, or Turner's Crimson Rambler, it flowers as freely as either, and is one of the nicest and most persistent autumn-blooming white Roses that we possess, good for growing on a wall, climbing a pillar, clothing an arch, or forming'a bush. Aimee Vibert, perhaps, never looks better than as a wall Rose. It makes an admirable garden- hedge. The plant should in that case not be trained too trimly, or pruned closely, for treated formally, it, and others like it, lose half their charm. Aimee Vibert may be planted by itself, or in company with Charles Lefebvre, Gloire des Rosamenes, General Jacqueminot, Gloire de Dijon, William Allan Richardson, and Crimson Rambler. D. T. F. Foreign Correspondence. THE HORTICULTURAL FETE. The French can organise and carry out floral ft' tea in a manner and on a scale which defy rivalry. These fetes may not advance horticul- ture, and from an educational point of view cannot, of course, be compared to exhibitions, where each group of flowers or individual plant permits of a leisurely examination. Artificial, therefore, as is every floral fete or " battle of flowers," they have the one great merit of being good for trade, for they must necessarily mean the transference of very large sums of money to the coffers of nursery- men and florists. That is a consummation with which, of course, no horticulturist will quarrel. But they serve a much more important purpose than thi3 : they demonstrate the infinite variety of forms which flowers may be used to adorn, some of which are utilitarian, whilst others are purely extraneous, perhape even absurd. Whatever the utility or otherwise of floral fetes, they have ineradically fixed their attraction on the minds and in the affections of the French of to-day. Every visitor to the Exposition on Thursday, September 6, must have realised this fact, when the "Fete de l'Horticulture " attracted upwards of 200,000 spectators, most of whom, it should be mentioned, had to pay four tickets, as against the usual single ticket, to enter the grounds. That is to say, instead of paying 35 or 40 centimes to enter, each person had to pay 1 franc 60 centimes. As the fete waB the great attraction of the day, it is obvious that most of those who entered the Exposition od Thursday were chiefly attracted by the fete. The fete was an unqualified success, for it was favoured with two important conditions necessary to this end :— magnificent weather, and a big crowd. The idea of the fete was due, it seems, to M. Vacherot, the Inspector of the Paris gardens ;, the proposition was at first received without any enthusiasm, and what was at the beginning only encouraged with luke-warm approbation has turned out to be one of the most successful of the big fete attractions of the Exposition. It was a dis- tinct triumph for M. Vacherot. The procession was formed in the Salle des Fttes, and leaving the Chateau d'Eau at three o'clock, it passed over the Pont d'lena to the Trocadero, and back again over the same bridge to the starting place. The length of the procession was roughly placed at 600 metres, but progress was slow, and at the particular point at which I managed to establish myself, the pro- cession must have been not much short of an hour in passing. The procession fell into eight groups, namely :— 1, Legumes, a flag, a vehicle ornamented with Legumes, a vehicle of "cucurbitaces," escorted by three children, and a handbarrow decorated with Legumes ; 2, Fruits, a banner, a basket of fruit, the Car Horticulture, escorted by gar- deners, with gardening tools and "motifs" of fruits ; 3, Flowers and trees, banner, arc de triomphe in flowers, a small vehicle are.c parasol el jardiniere Louis XV., two sedan chairs, cart of forage plants, with field flowers, and chariot of the goddess Flora ; a syndicat of florists with a floral stage, and a bust of La France and allegoricallydressed females ; at each side of the stage three " pousse-pousse," bound to the chairs with garlands, and with waiting- women dressed in the costume of the Louis XV. period, throwing flowers ; a chair with four floral September 15, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 203 parasols, a porch of Roses, a barrowf ill of cut Mowers, a model of the Palais de l'Horticulture in flowers, and floral motifs ; 4, Plants of the greenhouse, and of the colonies ; a chariot of Palms, a basket of Orchids, with a lady escorted by a troop of girls throwing flowers ; 5, Seeds, four men in the costume of the Louis XV. period, carrying rakes and spades, four porters with baskets of flowers on their backs, four seed-sowers throwing flowers, and two large baskets of flowers ; (J, A floral ship, emblematic of the city of Paris ; 7, " Service " of the parks and gardens of the Exposition, and including a number of floral chairs escorted by porters, a saint fiacre with six children, the goddess Flora preceded by six women dressed in the costume of ancient Greece, ■two vehicles of cut flowers, &c. ; S, Village Suisse, with twenty young men and women throwing the Edelweiss, &c. It will be obvious from the foregoing that the Committee meant making the fete comprehensive and elaborate, and in this they were more than successful, for at the last moment several unex- pected "shows" were permitted to join in the procession. Two of the items had a special journalistic interest, and both excited much admi- ration. One of these was the Louis XV. car of L°. Jardin, accompanied with its "typographes en jupon." Le Jardin, it seems, has a printing office of its own ; the central figure in this car was " une admirable personne aux yeux noirs," emblematical of " Thought ; " each of the "comps.' ■carried a pannier with flowers, which were thrown among the crowd. The Revue Horticole also had a Bpecial carriage which was particularly effective, not only from a floral point of view, but from the fact that, as Le Figaro puts it, it was " conduite par une fort jolie personne a la physionomie tres honnete. C'est une jeune fille tri-3 chaste, qui a oonsenti a jouer un njle dans cette fete a cause de son caractere exclusivement professionnel." The most successful "item " in the long parade was unquestionably the chariot of Monaco, a magnificent arrangement on a large scale of plants and flowers which flourish in this, the most favoured spot in Europe ; at the bottom of a throne, on which sat a lady symbolical of the sun, was a floral design with the words " Eterntl Printemps :' ; at the top of the car was a similar design in flowers of " Monaco.'' This car aroused much enthusiasm ; it will be of interest to mention that it was decorated by M. Tessier, the architect of the Pavilion of Monaco in the Rue des Nations, in collaboration with the artist M. Alphonse Visconti, whilst M. Landolff designed the costumes of the seamen who attended the car. The fete was a horticultural one in the fullest and most literal sense of the term, and it was a very great as well as a very interesting success. W. Roberts. THE TRANSPLANTATION OF OAKS OF LARGE SIZE. Moschen is the name of a small village and of a large castle in Upper Silesia, Germany, the residence of the Count Tiele Winckler. A park of wide ex- tent surrounds the castle. In the old part of the park many aged trees are to be found, principally Oaks more than a hundred years old. Adjoining the old park there is also a new one which was laid out about seventeen years ago, and containing, besides other trees, large groups of American Oaks which are about twenty-five years old, and doing well. When laying out these grounds the mistake .generally made was also made at this place, viz , the Oaks were planted closely together ; it had not been considered how much space a tree requires after 20 or 50 or 100 years. Year after year some of the smaller Oaks were cut down without the •end in view being attained; that is, the gain of sufficient room for each tree to develop in. When I came to this place two years ago, I found the above-mentioned groups of Oaks had grown together again, each tree trying to get the better of its neighbour, and a good many the lower branches had died off for want of light and air. Wishing to save as many of the trees as possible, I proposed to cut down the worst, to leave the best ones standing in their places, and to transplant the rest. My master, the Count Tiele Winckler, gave his consent, and most liberally granted the means required for carrying out this by no means easy work. Thirteen Oaks were selected to be replanted a year later, and were at once prepared for moving. In February, IS!);), I planted the first seven Oaks, FlG. 57. — A TRANSPLANTED OAK. about 32 feet high, as an experiment (and to prove that large Oaks will live after transplantation), in a meadow close by, and about 65 feet apart. As they stand exposed to winds from all sides, I fastened each with three wires until the autumn ; since then they have stood without any support. These seven Oaks have grown well till now, pushing out many new shoots from the branches and stems, these making up for the branches that formerly died off, and reforming the crown of the tree. Examining the roots of these trees last autumn, I found young roots more than a foot long. After this success, the transplanting of the Oaks was continued last winter on a larger scale. Snow was abundant here last winter, and therefore it was possible for me to work on the ground which was not much frozen. In the course of last December I got the holes dug out for all the large trees, and refilled with soil to two-thirds of their depth. A cart used for conveying plants in large tubs served me for transplanting my trees to their future places. The trees destined for transplanting were dug out most carefully, every root was saved, damaged rootlets were cut off at once, and all dry or dead branches were cut off before the digging began. Two ropes were fixed to the crown in order to move and keep it in the position required. This done, the ground was dug out rather broader than the cart I used for moving the trees, and in a slanting direction, and on the bottom of the hole boards were laid the width of the wheels of the cart. This done, the cart was pushed by four men backwards down into the hole close to the roots of the tree, the wheels standing on the boards. The tree was then pulled backwards by from four to eight men by means of the ropes fixed to the crown ; and it was supported by other men to prevent it from falling to the ground. Next the cart was pushed as far as possible under- neath the roots, which were lifted into it while the men with the ropes kept the tree upright. With another rope, stem and roots were fastened to the cart to prevent any slipping. Two horses pulled the cart with the tree to the nearest road- way. A kind of sleigh, to which a strong support was affixed, was put behind the cart, all the ropes were loosened, and the tree was carefully laid back- wards until the stem rested upon a support put on the sleigh. The branches of the tree did not drag upon nor touch the ground. Everything being ready, the cart was moved by the horses to the place where the tree was to be planted. Arrived at the place of destination, the cart was brought close to the bole, anything broken or damaged was cut off, and the tree put upright and lifted into the hole. The filling in was done care- fully. Although I planted in winter I never used frozen soil for this rilling in ; all the soil required was covered with stable-dung. I did not fasten he trees at first, but at the end of May I fastened some with wires. The trees were moved from 2,000 to 4,500 feet. In spring all the trees budded well, but on May 12 they were frost-bitten by — 4° Reaumur (8° frost Fahr. ), as were most Oaks in this district. The photographs show growth after the 12th of May. I planted at Moschen, fifty-seven Quercus coccinea, the tallest 34 feet in height, and the stem at the base 80 cm. (= 31 J inches) in circumference, the width of crown from 19 to 25 feet, twenty-five years old ; thirty Quercus coccinea and rubra, 22 to 25 feet in height, eighty-seven trees altogether. Up to now all of these eighty-seven are growing, and show dark-green leaves. Hinderlich, Head Gardener, Moschen, Kvjan, Silesia, Germany. [The photographs afford good illustrations of the suc- cessful transplantation of the Oak, but it is only necessary after Mr. Hinderlich 's clear account to reproduce one of them (fig. 57). Ed.] Plant Notes. — » — ERIOGONUM WRIGHTII. I received this most attractive Alpine from Herr Siindermann, of Lindau im Bodensee. In habit of growth it is dwarf and creeping, like several other members of the family. The striking feature is in the flowers. These, instead of being yellow, are white tinged with pink, and are borne in the greatest profusion. The whole effect is very feathery and delicate, and in some respects recalls Tiarella cordifolia. My plant was in full flower last month (August), which gives it additional interest among Alpines. A. K. Bailey, Neston, Cheshire. Ro.SCOEA PURPUREA. One of the things which struck me most during my first autumn visit to Ireland recently, was the vigour and beauty of Roscoea purpurea as grown there as a hardy plant. I observed it in several gardens, notably in the Daisy Hill Nursery at 204 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 15, 1900. Newry, the Glasnevin Botanic Gardens, Dublin, and at Mount Usher, in Co. Wicklow. At Newry it was in considerable quantity, and the mass in the bed it occupied was exceedingly fine. The colour is, it is true, not one which is not very popular at the present time in flowers ; but this taste is, probably only a passing one, and flowers like the Roscoea will possibly be favourites once more. Those who like plants because of their intrinsic beauty or distinctness, will be glad to know that it is quite hardy in such gardens as those named. It is best known as a plant to be grown under glass, but it is, I think, more beautiful in the open. A casual glance reminds one of the Tradescantias, but it belongs to a different natural order, and is in reality quite distinct. It is what is appropriately called full purple in colour, and its sessile leaves are lanceolate, and pointed at the extremities. So distinct a plant might well be tried by persons haviDg gardens in a mild climate, and having well - sheltered positions where the plants would be protected from cold winds and severe frosts. It is a native of the Himalayas, and is probably much hardier than we suppose. S. Arnott. A CUCUMBEK-MELON. We are indebted to the courtesy of Sir William T. Thiselton Dyer, Director of Kew, for the oppor- tunity of affording our readers an illustration of a fruit of a supposed hybrid between aCucumber and Melon. The crossing of these nearly allied genera of the order Cucurbitacese— Cucumis sativus and C. melo, the Cucumber and Melon of gardenB — is a rare cir- cumstance under cultivation ; and were it other- wise, our gardeners would have the greatest difficulty of keeping either of them in their true characters, seeiDg how often the plants are grown in adjacent pits and frames, and produce their flowers contemporaneously. The fruit illustrated (fig. 58) was the produce of a plant which was raised from what was ostensibly a Cucumber-seed ; and it was sent to the Director of Kew by Mr. Ed. Bryning of Moss Side, Great Martoo, Blackpool. The habit, flowers, and leaves were those of a Melon, but the fruit had a curiously- twisted, Cucumber-like form, differing however, in having the basal part thicker than in ordinary Cucumbers. When ripe, as we saw it, the fruit was coloured green and dull yellow, the two colours beiDg distinct, and following the spiral twists of the rind. The aroma waB that of a Melon, but the flavourpoor and vapid ; the flesh, pinkish-yellow, was of no great depth, and the seed cavity much larger than is the case in true Cucumbers, and in that respect it bore some similarity to a Melon when quite ripe. Mr. Bryning did not inform the Director if he had partaken of the fruit in the immature condition, as a Cucumber. The actual length of the fruit figured was 33i inches ; circum- ference at the base, 8 inches, and at near the tip, 1J inches. The seeds are flat on one side, and ridged on the other. LYCHNIS GRANDIFLOKA. (See fig. 59, p. 205.) Among the newer plants whose blooming for the first time in this garden has been looked forward to with interest has been Lychnis grandiflora. It was offered in the catalogue of a well-known hardy plant nursery this Bpring for the first time to my knowledge, although I gather from the Index Kewensis that it has been figured in this country. The description given of the plant was somewhat tempting to one who cares for hardy flowers, but the first bloom which opened made me fear that I had only received one of the many disappoint- ments which fall to the lot of him who tries new plants. "A delightful soft Balmon " was the colour- description in the catalogue referred to, but the first flower was a combination of green, white, and yellow. It was curious, certainly, but not beautiful. Thia may have been due to the bad weather, for the flowers which have succeeded the first have . ; m W been quite different. They are best described, as given in the catalogue, as a "soft salmon" — a colour which is hardly represented among perennial flowers at this season. The first bloom opened about the middle of August, and the next, of good colour, in the end of the month. It is seldom that one's experience is quite in accord with catalogue descriptions, but in other directions theae have also been wonderfully near the real plant. The height, 1 to 1£ foot high, is almost that of my plant, and the size of the flowers, given as " 2 inches or so across," is within the mark. I have to-day meaBured a bloom which ia exactly 2J inchea. The whole plant reminds one in its general appearance of the old Soapwort, with, of course, the difference in colour of the flowers and the better habit. The flowers are produced successively in a small cluater at the top of the stem, and from the axila of the leaves all up the atem also. As was suggested, it has been grown here in a damp position, and, should it be as hardy as I anticipate, it will be an acquisition to my garden. It is, I understand, a native of China and Japan, the stock reaching us from the latter country. S. Arnott, Carsethorn, by Dumfries, N.B. [Our figure was taken from a plant shown by Messrs. G. Jackman & Co., of Woking, at the meeting of the R.H.S., August 2S last. Ed.] Fig. 58.— a cucumber-melon. INSECT AND FUNGOUS FOES OF THE FARMER AND GARDENER. As many of our readers are aware, the country is indebted to the Board of Agriculture for the issue of leaflets, written by experts, on a variety of insects and fungi injurious to an enormoua extent to farm and garden crops. TheBe handy publica- tions contain succinct, easily understood descrip- tions of the pests, and methods for their destruction. The two leaflets, which we print in full on the present occasion, treat of the White Boot-rot, and the small Ermine Moths. White Root Rot (Rosellinia necatrix). The Board of Agriculture have had their atten- tion directed to a disease likely, if not checked, to prove destructive among fruit treea. The attack ia found to be caused by a fungus belonging to the genus Rosellinia, the spawn or mycelium of which spreads below the surface of the soil, extending rapidly from the root of one tree to another. The following information concerning the features of this attack has been taken from au article in the Keiv Bvlletin for 1896.* Amongst the numerous root diaeaaes of various plants caused by parasitic fungi, none are better known, or extending over a greater area, than the Pourridie of the French, which occura in France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Southwest Germany, and has recently been recorded from several widely separated localities in Britain. The fungus causing this disease is called Rosellinia necatrix, Prill, and Del. ( = Dematophora necatrix, Hartig), which frequently devastates vineyards and orcharda ; its attacks, however, are unfortunately not confined to Vines and fruit trees ; Potatos, Beans, Beet, &c, are also destroyed, and Hartig states that the mycelium soon kills young Maples, OakB, Beeches, Pines, and Spruces. The mycelium firat attacks and kills the youngest rootlets, and then enters into the larger branches of the root, in which it rapidly spreada and forms an irregular network of Blender strands ; finally bursting through the cortex, and enveloping the roots in a snow-white, fluffy mycelium, here and there runniDg into slender, cord-like strands, which traverse the soil, and by thia meana spread from one tree to another. At a later stage of develop- ment, numerous minute, black compact masses of mycelium or sclerotia are formed in the cortex of the roots, and from each of these spring several slender spines, each of which bears an abundant crop of conidia or reproductive bodies at its tip. In addition to the white mycelium, a very charac- * Root Diseases caused hy Fungi, by Geo. Massee, F.L.S. Kew Bulletin, January, 1S90, p. 1. pErTEMRER 15, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 205 teriaticpale brown or olive mycelium is also present on the surface of the roots, formed of septate or jointed threads of variable thickness, having pear- shaped swellings at intervals ; these swollen por- tions finally become free by the disappearance of the intermediate portions of the mycelium, and form bodies capable of germinating and giving origin to a new crop of mycelium. Under certain conditions some of the Bclerotia, instead of pro- ducing the spine-like bodies bearing conidia, be- come converted into hollow spheres or pycnidia, containing in their interior numerous minute repro- ductive bodies or stylospores, which germinate at once and produce new plants. Finally, the highest, or ascigerous form of fruit is rare, and only deve- lops on old trunks that have been dead or decayed for a long time. 9 inches to a foot deep, round eaeh, care being taken to throw the excavated soil on the diseased portion, and not outside of it. This method, which was first suggested by Hartig for the purpose of preventing the spread of subterranean fungi in the German forests, cannot be too strongly commended, especially where the diseased patches are small in area. The amount of success depends entirely on the thoroughness, combined with an intelligent method, of carrying out the work. Half attempts inva- riably result in a loss of time and labour without benefit. It may be enough to point out that the disease may be spread by the spores of the fungus, by infected soil carried on the shoes of labourers, by dirty tools, wheels of carts, animals, &c. , from diseased centres. Diseased and fallen trees, and especially stumps and roots, should be at once Fig. 59. — lychnis grandiflora : flowers pale salmon coloured. (SEE p. 204 ) Rosellinea necatrix is almost entirely confined to heavy clay soils, where the water drains away with difficulty, whereas Rosellinia glomerata, Viala, an allied, but much rarer fungus, with a similar destructive habit, hitherto observed only in France, is met with attacking plants growing in loose sandy soil, where the subsoil is wet. Preventive Measures. — Owing to the habit of the fungus in penetrating and spreading in the living tissues of the root of its victim, cure is practically impossible when a plant is once permeated with mycelium ; and keeping in view the varied modes of reproduction, facilitating the rapid spread of the disease, no efforts should be spared for preventing this when the presence of the fungus is once detected. Undoubtedly the most frequent and rapid mode of spreading is by means of the mycelium travel- ling in the soil, and a good method of isolating diseased patches is to cut a narrow trench, from destroyed by burning. The soil surrounding dis- eased stumps should be burned after the stumps have been removed, so as to destroy the smaller diseased portions of the root that remained behind. Quicklime should be mixed with the soil in places from which diseased plants have been removed. A second preventive method, which has proved of service in France, is to lay bare the trunk as far below the surface of the soil as can be done without injury to the tree, and to densely coat the exposed trunk and adjoining soil with powdered sulphur. Stagnant water should not be allowed to remain in the soil, as this favours the spread of the fungus. The Small Ermine Moths (Hyponomectta). Identification — The genus Hyponomeuta contains a number of species, most of which so closely resemble each other in appearance and in mode of life aa to be difficult to distinguish. They are all small moths (Microlepidoptera), measuring J to 1 inch from tip to tip of thi wings. The general colour of the fore wings is white or grey, sparsely traversed on the upper surface by irregular rows of small black spots, hence the name " Ermine Moths." The thorax, or portion of the body from which the wiogs spring, is usually also supplied with similar marks. The hind wings are provided with a long fringe, and they, as well as the lower surface of the fore wings, are brownish. The caterpillar is about three-quarters of an inch in length, of a greyish or yellowish colour, plentifully supplied with black or dark brown spots, and possesses sixteen feet. It tapers markedly both before and behind. When disturbed it lowers itself to the ground by a silken thread. The commonest species are : — H. padella L. (H. variabilis, Zell.), with a wing stretch of about four- fifths of an inch. The upper surface of the fore wings is bluish or greyiBh-white, traversed longi- tudinally by three irregular rows of black spots (about thirty in all), the hind wings being greyiBh- brown. The caterpillar has a dark head, and a body covered by wart-like tubercles from which hair springs. This species is met with on Plum, Apple, Hawthorn, Sloe, Mountain Ash, &e. H. evonymella L. (H. padi, Zell.), measures nearly an inch across the wings. The upper surface of the fore wings is lustrous- white in colour, and shows five rows of black spots (over forty in all). In appearance the caterpillar closely resembles the former. This species generally feeds on Bird Cherry, and is the species most usually met with in the North of England. The " Small Ermine " that frequents Apple-trees is generally regarded as a distinct Bpeciea (H. mallinella, Zell.), but, in any case, it so cloBely resembleB H. padella, as to be practically indis- tinguishable. Life-history.— the Ermine Moths that damage British trees have all a similar life-bistory. From about the middle of July till the middle of August, for the most part, they are on the wing, at which time they lay their eggs in clusters on the buds and shoots of the trees already indicated. In the course of the autumn, or in the following spring, the eggs hatch and produce caterpillars, which in the month of May spin a veil like web, under which they live gregariously in detached colonies. At this time the caterpillars feed voraciously, so that destruction of the foliage of the food-plant proceeds rapidly. As the creatures increase in size and find it necessary to secure more food, they spread their webs over a larger and larger portion of the tree or bush on which they live, until, in many cases, but little of the plant may remain uncovered. When full grown the caterpillar spins for itself a tough greyish cocoon about the size and shape of a large grain of Oats, and in this protective covering it pupates. This change takes place for the most part in July, the chrysalid- cocoons being situated within the common web. A fortnight later the appearance of the moth completes the life-history. Preventive and Remedial Measures. — If the colonies of caterpillars are within easy reach, they may be destroyed by crushing by hand, the use of a glove making the process less disagreeable. If the webs are too high to be treated in this way, the branches that they envelop may be cut off and burned, or the "nests" may be burned in their original position, ignition being effected by a torch on the end of a pole. If water under high pressure from a hose can be applied, the colonies may be effectively destroyed. Various solutions may be applied by means of a syringe or Bpraying machine. Of these one of the best is prepared by dissolving 7 lbs. of soft soap in 7 gallons of boiling water. To this, while still hot, half a gallon of paraffin or petroleum oil is added, with vigorous stirring, the whole being diluted with soft water to 25 gallons before use. Solutions of tobacco juice and quassia are also useful. Whatever measure is employed, it should be put in force as soon as the webs are observed. If too 206 THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. [September 15, 1900. Song delayed, the caterpillars will have spread themselves over a wider surface, and most of the damage will already have been done. The Week's Work. UNPRECEDENTED FRUIT CROP AT BARHAM COURT. Despite the violent storms that visited most parts of this country on August 3, 4, and 6, the general crop of Apples, Pears, and Plums, is a most abundant one. In the case of many localities the thinning of the fruits effected by the storms was a blessing in disguise, and where the destruc- tion -of the trees themselves has been little, there is nothing to regret. We have recently visited fruit gardens in Wor- cestershire, Monmouthshire, Staffordshire. Cheshire, and Lancashire, and in all of these counties there •remain more than average crops. But in no instance was the prodigality of the season's fruit so strikingly evident as is the case at the gardens adjoining Barham Court, near Maidstone, belonging to Roger Lee, Esq. That experienced fruit grower, Mr. ■George Woodward, who has had charge of these gardens for many years, declares that he has never seen them so filled with fruit as they are at the •present time, and although we have visited the place on many previous occasions, and have never beheld a failure of crop there, we should imagine this to be true. There seemed to be no exception to the rule when we were there last week ; all varieties and all the trees were alike ; none but had •big crops, whilst some afforded such instances of heavy cropping as we have never before seen. Those ■extraordinary Apple-trees near the paths, that were originally trained aa espaliers, but which Mr. Woodward has since allowed to grow in whatever direction they wished, with the result that in some caBes they have made large, free-growing bushes, and in others great branches or arms stretching in all sorts of directions, are as heavily laden as any ; and the great difficulty at present experi- enced, is to gather the fruits as fast as they become fit. Pears are even more remarkable than the Apples, because of these there are usually some varieties that fail to fruit in a particular year ; but there is none this year. Sixty bushels of fruit of Williams' Bon Chretien had been gathered the day we were there. Some of the varieties of Pears that most astonished us were Durondeau, with fruits •almost as long as those of Beurre Clairgeau, Triomphe de Vienne, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Super- fin, Doyenne du Cornice, and Passe Crasanne, the last named variety being against a wall. The more noticeable Apples were Bismarck, Stone's, Golden Spire, Cox's Pomona, Worcester Pearmain, Lord Suffield, Lord Derby, Cox's Orange Pippin, Emperor Alexander, Peasgood's Nonsuch, and the new Allington Pippin, which is succeeding capitally. Mr. Woodward describes it as a better .grower than Cox's Orange Pippin, and as very nearly approaching that variety in quality. Dam- sons have never been so abundant, and possibly 'from this reason, they, in common with several varieties of Apples and Pears, will be rather smaller than usual. But this remark is not intended to apply generally, for what surprised us most was the fact that the trees have been able to bring such an unprecedented crop to so large a size indi- vidually. The Peaches and Nectarines were looking magnificent. Indoors and out of doors there were still heavy crops of fine fruits to be gathered, possibly 2,000 fruits. Mr. Wood- ward says he has never missed once to have a crop of Peaches. Perhaps one reason of this is, that just now he takes care that someone goes over all the trees, and takes off a leaf here, and half a ileaf there, so that the sun may reach the stem these same leaves have a tendency to cover. The green bark then becomes reddened, and this is one — just one of the details that make the crop for next year less uncertain. Mr. Woodward, we should imagine, will have some excellent fruit at the forthcoming show at the Crystal Palace. THE HAEDY FRUIT GARDEN. By A. Ward, Gardener to F. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, New Barnet. Mode of Planting Bush Fruit. — Gooseber- ries and Currants of sorts may be planted as bushes for supplying fruit for ordinary pur- poses. With the exception of the black varieties, the bushes should have long clean stems, as the fruit is not then so liable to be splashed in rainy weather. For dessert purposes, Gooseberries are decidedly beat grown as cordons, and trained to wire -trellises, walls, or fences ; and this method is the best to adopt when a late supply of Red and White Currants is needed, planting those for the latest supply against a wall having a northern aspect. Raspberries, both summer and autumn fruiters, yield best when trained to wire - trellises. Bush Currants and Gooseberries may be planted in rows from 6 to S feet asunder, and 6 feet apart in the rows. Plant triple cordons of Gooseberries and Currants at 3 feet apart ; and single cordons at 1 foot apart. Allow a distance of 3 feet between each Raspberry stool for trellis work, and 6 feet between the rows. Varieties to Plant. — Of Black Currants, Bald- win's Champion, Black Naples, and Lee's Prolific, are three of the best varieties ; Raby Castle, La Versaillaise, Red Dutch, and Cherry are good Red Currants ; and of white varieties, select White Versailles and White Dutch. Of Gooseberries, plant Winharn's Industry, Keepsake, Berry's Early Kent, and Crown Bob, in quantity, for supplying green fruits for tarts, preserving, and bottling. For the dessert, Pitmaston Green Gage, Scotch Nutmeg, Speedwell, Red Warrington, Leader, Langley Beauty, Green Walnut, Rumbul- lion, Winharn's Industry, Slaughterman, Leveller, and Ploughboy are twelve excellent sorts. Of Raspberries, Superlative, Carter's Prolific, Baum- forth's Seedling, Northumberland, and Fillbasket are the best of the red varieties, the first named yielding by far the largest fruits. Of yellow kinds, select Yellow Antwerp and The Guinea, the latter being a comparatively new introduction. Of autumn fruits, Belle de Fon- tenay and October Red and Yellow are the best. Need for Top-dressings. — The restoration of fruit- trees showing temporary signs of exhaustion can best be done by affording the roots a top-dressing of new compost, enriched with some good fertiliser. If this be applied to the land annually or bi- annually, according to necessity, the roots will be kept near to the surface, and therefore out of the unsuitable subsoil. Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, all need this attention. One reason why such work is recom- mended to be done now, is that, the work should be performed while the trees are still clothed with foliage, then new shoots will be made which will quickly enter the new compost. Besides this, the work may be done more expeditiously in favourable weather than in the depth of winter. As much as possible of the old soil should first be removed, even if this necessitates some of the larger roots being laid bare. Before covering these with fresh soil, dress the surface with some bone-meal, and lightly prick it in. If old, thong-like roots are seen, cut notches on them about 3 or 4 inches apart on either side. These incisions will soon callus and emit fibrous roots, which are most useful. For the compost use good turfy-loam, not chopped too finely, and add to this some old lime-rubble, varying in quantity according to the consistency of the loam, some wood-ashes, and a little charred soil. Mix these ingredients together thoroughly, and add the fertiliser immediately before applying the com- post. The soil of borders abutting on broad coped walls will most likely be very dry for a foot or so from the base, and in such cases a good soaking of water should be afforded before the fresh soil is put on. All trees so top-dressed should be given a mulching afterwards. Vines. — Expose the bunches to sunshine by stop- ping all lateral growths, and by pushing or tying the leaves on one side when necessary. Fruit Gathering. — Apples are dropping badly, and this may lead some persons to gather the fruits before they should. But many varieties of Apples, and a few Pears, are now ready for gathering, Of Apples, there are Lord Suffield, Lord Grosvenor, Keswick Codlin, Duchess of Oldemburgh, Wor- cester Pearmain, Duchess' Favourite, and Ecklin- ville Seedling, &c. ; and of Pears, Williams' Bon Chretien, Beurre' de la Assomption, Summer Beurre de Aremberg. By planting the first-named Pear against walls having various aspects, a longer supply of fruits may be obtained. Keep the store or fruit- room well ventilated, and as dark and cool as pos- sible. If it is necessary to hasten the ripening of a few Pears, wrap them in soft paper, place them close together in a box, and remove them to a shelf in a house where a moderate degree of warmth is maintained. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Yodno, Orchid Grower to Sir Frederick Wigan, Bart., Glare Lawn, Baat Sheen, 8.W. Miltonia vexillaria. — If the plant has been stand- ing in a cool, dry house since it flowered, it may, now that the night temperature has dropped, be removed to the cooler end of a Cattleya-house, where the temperature ranges from 58° to 65°; affording it plenty of light, and only a moderate amount of water. Let the young growths be examined frequently, separating adhering leaves. If a plant has not been potted this year, the opera- tion may now be performed, or it may be delayed till the month of March. Cattleya Bowringiana. — This plant, so soon as it reaches its limit of growth, puts forth new roots at a time when repotting, if necessary, may be done. The plant should be stood in the warmer part of the Cattleya-house. The pot in which it is grown should be thoroughly drained, and the surfacing material consist of equal parts of peat and sphagnum- moss. Unlike most Cattleyas, the roots do not adhere to the pot tenaciously, and if there are but few on the outside, the plant may be turned out without breaking the pot. In order to afford a large area on which the roots may ramble, the pot or pan should be mounded high above the rim. Whilst in active growth, a fair amount of moisture should be afforded, but repotted plants should have but little for a time. Aerides, Vandas, and other distichous species usually cultivated in sphagnum-moss, should be afforded water sparingly, or mishaps will occur. In some cases the sphagnum-moss will have grown very long, in which event it must be clipped short. The warmer-growing species should be placed where moisture does not accumulate on the leaves, unless it is rapidly dispersed when air and artificial heat are afforded. The cooler growing Aerides will run no risks from this cause for the present. The fleshy-leaved Angr.'ecums will need careful treat- ment from this time, only just sufficient water to keep the sphagnum-moss alive being afforded. The Phalocnopsis are mostly in active growth at the root and top, needing to be afforded water with judgment, rather erring on the dry side. In order to be on the safe side, it will be sufficient to moisten the crocks and base of the moss, by dipping in a vessel of water, and occasionally to sprinkle the surface, if the sphagnum-moss begins to whiten. The plants should be ventilated on every favourable occasion through the wall ventilitors, and the blinds should not be left down longer than is absolutely necessary. Let high temperatures be avoided, a range of 10°, say from 65° to 75°, being ample at this season, or a trifle lower in cold weather. Affording Water to Orchids. — In this matter the gar- dener cannot be too careful at this season, for plants that have finished to grow should be resting, and will need water only in sufficient quantity to prevent shrivelling of the pseudo- bulbs. Those that are still growing will need a more generous supply, but, even here, so many things have to be considered before affording water, and often when the material appears to be dry, the conditions do not warrant an application of water. On dull, cool, moist days, it is better not to afford water if an examination was made the previous day. Damping down will depend on the outside conditions. Pleiones, &c, will need but a small amount of water, their pseudo-bulbs being completed and the leaves falling. The deci- duous Calanthes will still need water as the soil becomes dry. Catasetums, Mormodes, and Cycno- ches seldom need much water, and now that growth is complete, a very limited quantity will suffice. They should be placed where full sunlight reaches them, so that the new tissues may mature. Chysis of species having completed their pseudo-bulbs, may be removed from the warm division to a light position in the Cattleya-house, and the moisture afforded them grradually diminished. September 15, 1900.] THE GAB DENES S' CHRONICLE, 207 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Bolford, Weatonblrt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Cold Frames and Pita. — Now that most of the sowings, which will be wintered in frames, have been made, preparations for planting them out should be undertaken, boaring in mind the need of a firm soil. The running to seed and untimely hearting of Cabbages, Lettuces, and Cauliflowers, are mishaps mainly due to an imperfect preparation of the nurse-bed. The same kind of preparation as the Cauliflower requires, holds good for other kinds of vegetables which have to be wintered in pits and frames. Main Crop Onions. — The bulbs of spring-sown Onions will, in most parts of the country, be well matured, and even those of strong growth if the tops were laid last month, will be tit for lifting. The weather in August was particularly favourable to the proper ripeuing of the bulbs. If possible, the crop should be removed to some sunny pits, or to cold frames placed to face the south, and left to dry thoroughly, the lights being placed over them in rainy weather. Where these conveniences do not exist, the bulbs must be left on the ground, turning them over every other day. All thick- necked bulbs should be stored apart from the others, and used first. Asparagus. — In order to prevent wind-waving, the stems should be secured to strong stakes placed at intervals of 2 feet round the sides of the beds, soft twine being drawn along the rows in such a manner as to support the tops. Although the plants generally should not be cut over till the end of next month, all shoots which have become of a yellow tint may be removed, also all those with seeds before the latter drop. Any neglect of this pre- caution will lead to a lot of labour in eradicating the seedling plantB. Lettuce. — It is now the proper time to sow Lettuce-seeds in cold pits or frames, where the plants will be found to stand the rigors of an ordinary winter, and turn in quicker than those raised in heat. The only protection needed by these plants is a covering of mats in very severe weather. As the seeds should be sown thinly so that the plants have ample space in which to grow, it is not every gardener who can adopt this course, and he must perforce choose a warm sunny border out-of-doors on which to grow the crop. The ground should have been well manured for some earlier crop, and will then need only a moderate dressing of quick-lime and wood-ashes. On heavy soils road -scrapings may be liberally applied. Having deeply dug the ground, make it level, and trample it evenly and regularly before raking it smooth and drawing the drills. The best hardy varieties of Cabbage-Lettuce are Stanstead Park and Lee's Hardy Green, and of Cos the Inter- mediate and black seed Bath. Spring Cabbages. — The plants raised from the sowing made about July 17 will be nowfit for planting on a prepared plot of land. The first to plant out should consist of the stronger plants, the removal of which will afford the remainder space to grow bigger. These, when of fair size, may be set out on land recently cleared of Onions. The plants should be set out in rows IS inches apart, 1 foot or 15 inches from plant to plant in the row ; large growing Cabbages needing more, and small growing ones less space. The land from which a crop of Onions has been taken this month will need to be pointed over or broken up with a Kentish hoe or '•graft," trodden firmly, and then roughly raked over. In cold localities and dry soils it is well to plant in drills drawn 4 inches deep. PLANTS UNDER GLASS. By T. Edwards, Foreman, Royal Plant Gardens, Frogmore. Work in the Stoves. — This is the season when the shoots may be thinned, and all lateral growths removed from plants trained to the roof, and the plants afterwards afforded rather less water. Allamandas, Clerodendrons, and similar deciduous trailers in pots may be loosely tied to sticks and transferred to a cooler house, which will prepare them for a period of rest. Re-arrange and turn round the plants on stages or beds, allowing Codiaeums, Pandanus, &c. , to have plenty of sun- shine. To obtain highly-coloured Codireums suit- able for the decoration of the dinner-table, place the pots in saucers suspended from the roof, so that the heads of the plants will get all the light possible, and afford them regular supplies of manure-water. Ventilate the house freely on hot days, and damp the paths and stages frequently, but syringe the plants and close the house about 4 p.m. If the stove contains a variety of plants, remove the Codianims and Pandanus to the side stages, that the blinds may be lowered half-way on bright days, for such plants as Alocasias, Marantas, &C. Any plants of such strong-growing species as Alocasia Thibautiana, intended for specimens next season, and that are now pot-bound, may be moved to pots two sizes larger, using a fibrous compost of equal parts, peat and loam (hand picked), to which should be added some fresh sphagnum-moss, silver sand, charcoal, and clean crocks. Place the plants several inches lower in the new pots than they were in the old ones, which will encourage the stems to make fresh roots. Poinsett ins should now be afforded weak guano- water two or three times a week, a free circu- lation of air, and full exposure to sunshine. Syringe them each morning and afternoon ; and afford a night temperature of 70°. When the earliest plants set their buds and growth ceases, water should be applied very carefully for a week or two, and a less humid atmosphere maintained ; but when the bracts commence to develop, they may again be afforded more liberal treatment, and a night temperature of 75° to S0°. Olivias {Imantophyllum* ). — After these have rested, top-dress them with rich soil and put them in a light-house for the winter, where they will have a night temperature of about 55°. Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. — Tie all the leading shoots to very neat sticks, and place the plants on shelves in the warmest part of the stove. This plant, is specially adapted for use in hanging baskets, and as it does not require much root room, baskets about 9 inches in diameter are quite large enough. Line these baskets with common wood- moss, cut with a spade, and press the moss out- wards so as to hide the wires. One plant may be placed in the centre of the basket and staked ; then three or four smaller plants should be placed round it to droop over the sides. Fill in the basket with light sandy mould, and syringe frequently to keep the moss fresh. THE FLO WEB GARDEN. By J. Benbow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilchester, Abbotsbury Castle, Dorsetshire. Violets. — The beds in which the runners were planted in the spring should be freed from all weeds, and afforded water copiously, as well as some not over-powerful liquid-manure, the latter being poured on the middle space between the rows, and not close to the plants. Twice a week during this sunny weather will not be often to apply water, and once a fortnight mauure-water. The extra vigour thus imparted to the plants will render them less liable to leaf-diseases, or to attacks of red-spider. Should the last-nameda earns infest the foliage, let soot- water or diluted nicotine solutions be applied by means of a syringe, placing the nozzle beneath the foliage meanwhile. Let all lateral shoots or runners be pinched off as they show, and thus afford strength to the chief crown, from which the finest blossoms are obtained. Layering trees and shrubs. — Layering, if done at this season, of Cupressus, Thuias, Thuiopsis, and Juniperus, will result in rooted plants being obtained in two years. First, some stout stakes 2 to 3 feet long by 1 inch in diameter should be pointed, and after digging up the soil where a branch is to be layered, let a stake be firmly driven into the ground ; then give the branch to be layered, which should be two years old, a sharp twist so as to cause the bark to be ruptured near the base of the stake, to which it should be secured with a stout peg 10 inches long. Having done this, bring the shoot gently up towards the stake, and tie it securely top and bottom in an erect position. The soil, or a mixture of better soil if it be poor, should be placed round the layer with a trowel. This fresh soil may, in the case of plants not needing peat, consist of stiffish loam and sand, and should be run through a 1-inch meshed sieve or screen. Such a soil enables a layer to be lifted when rooted with a compact root-mass. The layers, when the job is finished and the soil made firm, should rise a few inches above the ground level ; and, to render the application of water more certain, a shallow basin should be made round the layer. Choice Shrubs. — The same precaution is necessary with other plants, but the method of layering differs. Privets, Ribes, Rhus, Weigelas, Kuony- mus, Caryopteris, Escallonias, Forsythias, Cornus, Corylus, and Tamarisk, root quite easily if shoots a good length be buried in fairly rich soil, and kept in position by means of stout, wooden hooks ; these will be ready for transplanting within a year. Layers of Altha?i frutex, Azara, Baccharis, Ber- beris, Broussonetia, Buddleia, Calycanthus, Camellia japouica, Cercis, Cotoneaster, Daphni- phyllnm, Diplopappus, Ehragnus, Eugenia, Gri- selinia, Hymenanthera, Jasminum, Magnolia both evergreen and deciduous ; and Myrtle, Olearia, Rhamnus, Styrax japonicum, and Tetran- thera ferruginea, root freely if the shoots are "tongued" after the manner of Carnation layers. It is also best to prepare a special compost of loam, turfy-peat, leaf-mould, and sand. The layers- should be secured in the manner described above. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbecli Abbey, Worksop. Figs. — The principal object of the gardener at this season should be the maturing of the young growth, which is accomplished by reducing the amount of water afforded, liberating the fruiting shoots from the trellis, and allowing them to approach the glass as near as possible without touching it, and full exposure to the sun. If the wood is long- jointed and sappy, it may be advisable to partially lift the roots, remove a few of the strongest and least fibrous ones, and maintain more warmth and dryer atmosphere in the house, but reducing the degree of warmth at night to the normal. If a border be wet and sour, the Fig seldom ripens its wood satisfactorily, and generally casts the first crop of fruit. Suck borders should be renovated in the following manner : take one tree at a time, andcarefullyremovewith adiggingthe soil to within- 2 feet of the stem, and to a depth of 3 feet, digging out the soil from beneath trees, so as to leave a small ball to each, the size of which should correspond with the size and age of the tree. Underneath each- ball and covering the bottom of the border some hard drainage material, say, lime, rubble, and chalk, should be placed to the depth of 1 foot, and over it turves packed close together, then partially fill- up with a compost of turfy loam one-half, and lime rubble and road grit, each a quarter, together with a small quantity of half-inch bones. The roots may be spread out as the filling-in proceeds. All- being finished and made firm, afford the border water copiously and cover with a layer of dry soil. The trees should be syringed two or three times a day for fourteen days afterwards. When the time to- force the trees arrives a mass of warm stable-dung and tree-leaves placed on the border will soon set up- activity in the roots, on which the safety of the first crop generally depends. Early Pot Figs. — These should now be well ripened and therefore fit for being placed out-of- doors in a sunny corner, and the balls top-dressed* whilst the roots are still active enough to seize upon the new soil. Top-dressings for the Fig should consist of good turfy loam, bone-meal, and as much lime-rubble as will make the whole porous. Late trees in tubs or pots, with developing fruits, should be placed in a warm-house before the end of the present month, and be plunged, if convenient, in a- mild hot-bed. The house should be well ventilated until the vapour from the hotbed has been got rid of. Apply water carefully, and keep a temperature of 65° to 70° at night. The Pinery. — A re-arrangement of the plants is usually advisable at about the present date, old stools left to produce suckers being removed, suckers potted up, the remaining plants re-arranged, and the different batches of winter and spring fruiters placed together. A gradual reduction in the temperature may now begin, and less moisture be afforded at the root, and less humidity in the air. When replunging the plants, they should be kept as near to the glass as is consistent with safety. Pot- bound plants may have a small shift to enable them to grow without check during the winter : any others showing fruit should be top-dressed. Newly potted suckers should be kept rather close for a month after being potted. The well-estab- lished plants should be afforded air freely on sunny days, and the houses closed early, the temperature being permitted to reach 80°, but letting it fall to 05° to 70° during the night. 208 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 15, 1900. EDITORIAL. NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be sent to the PUBLISHER. Letters for Publication, as well as specimens and plants for naming, should be addressed to the EDITOR, 41, Welling- ton Street, Covent Garden, London. Communications should be written on one side only of the paper, sent as early in the week as possible, and duly signed by the writer. Ij desired, the signature will not be printed, but kept as a guarantee of good faith. The Editor does not undertake to pay for any contributions, or to return unused communications or illustrations, unless by special arrangement. Newspapers. — Correspondents sending newspapers should le careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the Editor to tee. Sllustratlons. — The Editor will thankfully receive and select photographs or drawings, suitable for reproduction, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, etc. ; but he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. Local News.— Correspondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence of local events likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of horticulturists. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. tttmthv «n.T is ( Dahlia Show at the Royal Aqua- iUfcSDAi, sept, lb ^ rium, Wesl minster (three days). King 8ALES. MONDAY, Sept. 17.— Bulbs at Stevens' Rooms, Street, W.C. TUESDAY, Sept. IS.— Nursery Btock, St. John's Road Park, Blackheath. WEDNESDAY, Sept. 19.— Bulbs at Stevens' Rooms. THURSDAY, Sept. 20. -Clearance Sale, The Floral Nurseries, Castle Hill, Maidenhead. FRIDAY, Sept. 21. — Choice Hybrids, at Protheroe & Morris's rooms. Average Temperature for the ensuing week, deduced from Observations of Forty-three Years, at Chiswick.— 57'4\ Actual Temperatures : — London.— September 12 (6 p.m.) : Mai. 71° : Min. 50°. Weather sunny and genial ; nights cool. Pp.ovinces.— September 12 (6 p.m.) : Max. 63", Ipswich ; Min. , 54°, off Peterhead. On this subject M. Hugo de Vkies The Experi- contributes a paper to the Comptes mental Origin of 0 , , „ f r , . r a New Species, -ttenaus de I Acaaenue aes sciences for July 9, from which we extract the following particulars : — " In my experi- mental garden in Amsterdam," he says, " a new species of a plant was developed under experi- mental conditions which enabled me to follow exactly every phase of the phenomenon. In my opinion species are not produced by a pro- longed selection of marked individual variations, as is ordinarily thought to be the case. This idea is contrary to all that the experiments of agriculturists have told us concerning selection. The species under consideration is produced suddenly, with all the characteristics of an ordinary species, and especially with that absolute fixity which is the peculiar attribute of a species. Needless to say this is an elementary species, a small species, as it is usually called, and not a Linnean or collective species. Evidently these latter can only be produced by a suc- cessive accumulation of specific elementary characteristics. The new species is the product of an Onagra- ceous plant, described under the name of (Enothera Lamarckiana, from which it differs not in one feature but in all its organs. I shall call it CE. gigas, as it is much stronger and more robust than the parent species. The principal distinctivecharacteristics are the following : the radical leaves are much wider, the petiole is long, the base of the blade is not much narrowed, but shortened abruptly. This is especially the case in the leaves of the young rosettes, and by this it is always very easy to distinguish between the two types from the first weeks of growth. In the ulterior radical leaves the difference is less marked, it always remains so far evident that the plants can be distinguished at a glance. The stems are larger and stronger, about the same height as those of CE. Lamarckiana. The internodes are shorter and more numerous, the leaves larger and usually recurved, covering the stem more or less closely, and giving the plant a peculiar effect. The inflorescences are very robust, with well developed bracts and very large and numerous flowers forming a larger and more compact head than that of the parent species. The fruits are short and thick, of conical shape ; the seeds very large. From this it seems that the plant is easily recognisable at every stage, whether it occurs under cultivation or spontaneously. But it has only been found once, and was represented by a single individual. This appeared in the Professor's experiments during 1895 and 1896, which included several thousand examples, more than a thousand of which flowered the first year. Onagraceous plants, as is known, are some annual, others biennial. At the flowering season, in August, 1895, Dr. de Vries selected among the specimens still in the rosette stage, thirty of the strongest and finest. They were then cultivated too closely together ; the leaves, for that reason, were too long, so that it was impossible to judge of the plants exactly. He set them further apart, and they sent up stems in the next year, 1896. At the time of flowering one plant differed from the rest by its more robust habit, denser leaves, larger flowers, and shorter fruits. This was the parent plant of the new species, CE. gigas. As these characteristics indicated the possibility of a new form, the Pro- fessor cut the flowers and young fruits, and tied up the flower buds in transparent parchment that they might be fertilised by their'own pollen. Thus he succeeded in gathering pure seed. The seeds yielded, in 1897, about 450 plants, which, without exception, exhibited the before-men- tioned features of CE. gigas. But as he had not known the parent plant before it flowered, he had to await the flowering of the new genera- tion to be sure of its identity. For this purpose he grew a hundred of these plants ; most of them produced stems and flowers which quite repeated the characteristics of the parent plant. The new species, therefore, remained constant from the first generation, with no trace of atavism. It has remained so during the three following generations, in 1898, 1899, and 1900. Professor de Vries further speaks of the grandparents of my plants in 1895 and 1896. He had cultivated them for three successive generations which flowered in 1887, 1889, and 1891, all specimens chosen as seed- bearers being biennials. Their numbers were 9, 6, and 10 in these three generations. They flowered each time on an isolated patch of ground, but were fecundated and intercrossed by insects. These plants all showed the pure type of CE. Lamarckiana. It was in the midst of the numerous specimens derived from these parents that the new specific type appeared. The production of CE. gigas was therefore sudden, without intermediation or visible pre- paration, as it has been definitive, with abundant characteristics and no reversion to the primitive type. View in the Grounds at Highbury, Bir- mingham, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. J. Chamberlain. — Iu our last issue we gave an illustration of a view in the Colonial Secretary's garden at Highbury, and in the present one we give another, representing a portion of the lake, with its characteristic vegetation, and a pretty glade, bordered by exotic shrubs and trees (see Supplementary Illustration). That such a plea- santly rural scene should have been created in a Birmingham suburb speaks volumes for the good taste of the proprietor, and the skill of the land- scape gardener. Kingston Front Flower-Gardens.— The presentation of the thirty-five prizes given by the Mayor of Kingston-on-Thames to the successful competitors in the front flower-gardens, window- box, and allotments competition, which took place in the large art room of the Technical Institute, on Saturday afternoon last, proved to be a singularly pleasant and acceptable function. The attendance was large, and every one of the successful com- petitors was present. The Mayor, Alderman Mo att, presided, and introduced Mr. J. Wright, V.M.H., as one of the judges of the gardens, to give a preliminary address. This was of a very interesting and expository kind, dealing with all the requirements of the County Technical Education Committee in relation to the judging of flower gardens, and various other matters. The prizes were then presented by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Presi- dent of the Royal Horticultural Society, who followed with an interesting address, in the course of which he contrasted the horticulture of England with what he had seen on the continent, much to our advantage. He dealt also with the growth of gardening, showing that our gardens were to-day in trees, shrubs, fruit, flowers, and vegetables, almost exclusively tenanted by the introductions from other countries. At the conclusion of the address, which was most heartily applauded, Mr. W. Drewitt proposed and Alderman Baker seconded a vote of thanks to Sir Trevor, to which the Baronet amusingly responded. A vote of thanks to the Mayor was proposed by Mr. Hugh Macan, County Technical Education Secretary, and seconded by Mr. A. Dean. The SALE OF POISONS.— Many of our readers will be interested to know that the firm of W. Wood & Son, Ltd., Wood Green, dealers in horticultural sundries, have established a wholesale and retail manufacturing chemistry department, under the management of a qualified pharmaceutical chemist ; and gardeners can obtain of them direct certain requisites without having to go to the local chemist. The firm dots not inform us if they deal in proprietary articles of a poisonous nature as well. Yorkshire Naturalists' Union. — The Fungus Foray connected with the Yorkshire Natu- ralists' Union will be held at Whitby, September 15 to 22 inclusive. Headquarters at Nineteenlands Farm, near Whitby. Mycologists generally are invited to attend. Flowers in Season.— A collection of flowers of seedling varieties of the Dahlia reach us from Mr. J. Arnold, Stoke, near Devonport, who appears to have a special admiration for names having a military association. Thus we find Lord Roberts, a whitish flower with a very slight tinge of mauve colour ; General Hector Madonald, pale mauve colour, of considerable size, and one of the best received ; Captain Lambton, rich deep purple ; General French, rose-scarlet, with darker centre ; General Baden-Powell, pretty pink colour, with white centre (very commendable) ; Lady Sarah Wilson, deep mauve colour, with straw-coloured centre ; Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, crimson ; General Buller, pink colour, shaded with orange ; Lord Methuen, scarlet, with shade of purple the reverse of the petals ; Bugler Dunne, a bright scarlet flower, rather small in size, and possessing an open centre ; and an unnamed seedling of which two large malformed flowers were received. The colour of this seedling is rich mauve, and the petals are very long. The variety may be one of some merit, but the blooms before us are not average ones. All the varieties belong to the Cactus-like group, so rich in novelties at the present time. September 15, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 209 Botanical Magazine. — The September Dumber contains plates of the following : — Co/ocasia antiquorum var. Fontanei-ii. — This variety, according to SCHOTT, differs from the type in the shortness of the suckers, in the violet petioles, and moreoblong.obscurely green blade of the leaf with violet margins. The plant figured has the expanded spathe of a bright primrose colour. The tube is of a bright red-purple colour, and .') inches in length. India. Asparagus umhellatus. — A plant remarkable for the large size of its flowers, which are usually •collected into simple umbels at the tips of the branchlets. The stems are climbing, woody, and terete below ; leaves minute, deltoid ; cladodes in ■fasicles of three to ten. Anthers golden-yellow ; berry globose, half an inch in diameter, one-seeded, and bright red. Madeira and Canaries. Iris stinophylla. — Figured in these pages. March 17, 1900, p. 171. Pedicularis curvipes. — A Himalayan species of a rather numerous genus. A slender herb with dexuous, decumbent stems ; leaves scattered, glabrous, pinnatisect, segments seven to eleven ; with pink and white flowers. Corylopsix fauci/lora. — A native of Japan, and allied to Hamamelis ; figured in the Oard. Citron. , 1899, vol. ii., p. 24. MAMMOTH BEGONIAS. — Most remarkable •double flowers of tuberous - rooted Begonias are kindly sent us by the Rev. E. Lascelles, Newton St. Loe Rectory, Bristol, gr., Mr. C. F. Langdon. The first of these is an intensely bright scarlet, ■rather flat flower named W. Sparshot. It measures wing to the fact of the wood being well ripened and the absence of late spring frosts, big crops of fruit will be gathered, notwithstanding the destruction caused by wind and rain. Every kind of fruit-tree is cropping heavily, and under the present genial condi- tions the fruits are ripening very rapidly. Although fruit is grown extensively, especially within the me- tropolitan area— by such is meant not the immediate vicinity, but including the counties adjoining it — the treatment adopted is very backward, the trees are allowed to bear their natural crop, and when ripe pulled and stored. The question of thinning is never considered, so that when heavy crops occur 1S99. He had been assisted by his sister from time to time. He had made no profit on the business during the last twelve months. His household expenses amounted to £380 per annum until last year, when he reduced them to about £4 per week. He sold his business to his sister for £2,000, being compelled to sell it, owing to his being pressed by the bank, who had a mortgage on the nursery and house, besides which he had an overdraft of £250, guaranteed by his sister. His sister had paid creditors to the amount of £400 on his behalf. She might have paid £000 on his behalf. When his sister purchased the place, he fixed the purchase price. He did not consult any of his creditors about it. He attributed his bankruptcy to depreciation in growing crops. The examination was adjourned. 1 V I Fig. 60. — aubergine, early dwarf purple. See note by Dr. E. Bonavia in our issue for September S, p. 194. Shown by him at the Drill Hall, August 28 last. France the Aubergine is immensely popular, not merely as a vegetable, but as a plant for table and other decorations. The variety with white fruit is, I think, the only one grown specially for orna- mental purposes, and I must say that the large white, egg-like fruits give the plant a very distinct and striking appearance. I saw hundreds of them on market-days along the Paris quays. They are grown to about 12 inches or 18 inches high, and each plant bears two or three fruits, and they appear to sell readily at a few pence each. 11". Roberts, 47, Lansdowne Gardens, S. W. the fruit is not well developed. The lesson of timely thinning a heavy crop has yet to be learned by the ordinary cultivator in Ireland. A. O'Niell, Dublin. Law Notes. Ireland. THE WEATHEPv. The weather has considerably improved, the sunny days for the past few weeks have been very enjoyable, in fact, they are the pleasantest spell we have had for a long time, but the havoc caused by FAILUEE OF A NURSERYMAN. Mr. A. E. Higgott, who was until recently a member of the Hampton District Council, and carried on business as a nurseryman in Hollybush Lane, Hampton, appeared for his public examina- tion before the deputy registrar at the Kingston Bankruptcy Court, when he stated that his liabilities amounted to £867, of which £53S was fully secured, and his assets £59S. He commenced business in 1SS9 with a capital of £1,250, which he derived under his father's will. He had been pressed by creditors for money since November, BRITISH ASSOCIATION. This important meeting opened on Wednesday, September 5, at Bradford, and Sir W. Turner delivered his inaugural address. He said that it was twenty-seven years since the Association met at Bradford, and since its meeting at Dover last year the Association had lost two of its former Presidents. The Duke of Argyll presided at the meeting held at Glasgow so long ago as 1855 ; Sir J. William Dawson was president at the meeting in Birmingham in 18SG. The President then spoke of the great- value of the scientific method of research, of diligence and accuracy— the funda- mental qualities in the scientist. By their application, new- facts are discovered and tabulated, their order of succession is ascertained, and a wider and more intimate knowledge of the processes of Nature is acquired. But to decide on thair true significance a well-balanced mind, and the exercise of prolonged thought and rellection are needed. Whilst certain principles of research are common to all the sciences, each great division requires specialised arrange- ments toeusure its progress. Nothing contributes so much to the advancement of knowledge as improvements in the means of observation, either by the discovery of new adj uncts to research, or by a fresh adaptation of old methods. The invention and employment of new and more precise instru- ments and appliances enable us to appreciate more clearly the signification of phenomena which were previously obscure, and to penetrate more deeply into the mysteries of Nature. It had long been recognised that the tissues of plants were, to a large extent, composed of minute vesicular bodies, tecnically called cells. In 1831 the discovery was made by the great botanist, Robert Brown, that in many families of plants a circular spot, which he named areola or nucleus, was present in each cell ; and in 1838, M. J. Schleiden published the fact that a similar spot or nucleus was a universal elementary organ in vegetables. In the tissues of animals also structures had begun to be recognised com- parable with the cells and nuclei of the vegetable tissues, and in 1839 Theodor Schwann announced the important generalisation that there is one universal principle of development for the elementary part of organisms, how- ever different they may be in appearance, and that this principle is the formation of cells. The enunciation of the fundamental principle that the elementary tissues consisted of cells constituted a step in the progress of biological science, which will for ever stamp the century now drawing to a close with a character and renown equalling th"se which it has derived from the most brilliant discoveries in the physical sciences. It provided biologists with the visible anatomical units through which the external forces operating on, and the energy generated in, living matter come into play. It dis- pelled for ever the old mystical idea of the influence exercised by vapours or spirits in living organisms. It supplied the physiologist and pathologist with the specific structures through the agency of which the functions of organisms are discharged in health and disease. It exerted an enormous influence on the progress of practical medicine. A review of the progress of knowledge of the cell may appropriately enter into an address on this occasion. A cell is a living particle, so minute that it needs a micro- scope for its examination ; it grows in size, maintains itself in a state of activity, responds to the action of stimuli, repro- duces its kiud, and in the course of time it degenerates and dies. The original conception of its structure, based upon the study of the vegetable tissues, was a minute vesicle enclosed by a definite wall, which exercised chemical or metabolic changes on the surrounding material and secreted into the vesicle its characteristic contents. A similar conception was at first also entertained regarding the cells of animal tissues ; but as observations multiplied it was seen that numerous elementary particles, which were obviously in their nature cells, did not possess an enclosing envelope. A wall ceased to have a primary value as a constituent part of a cell, the necessarily vesicular character of which could no longer be entertained. Progress of Scientific Botany. Ou Thursday, September 6, the Botanical Section (K.) met, and should have been addressed by Professor S. H. Vines, who was unfortunately prevented by a sudden illuesj from being 212 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 15, 1900. present, and his address was read in his enforced absence by Dr. D. H. Scott. The address dealt with the progress made by scientific botany in the nineteenth century. It is generally stated that about 10,000 species of plants were known to Linna-us in the latter half of the eighteenth century, of which about one-tenth were cryptogams ; but so rapid was the progress in the study of new piants at that time that the first enumeration of plants published in the nineteenth cen- tury—the Synopsis of Persoon (1807)— included as many as 20,0C0 species of phanerogams alone. Turning now to the end of the century we arrive at the following census : — Phanerogams, 105,231 ; pteridophyta, 3,452; bryophyta, 7,650 ; thallophyta, 59,263; or a grand total of 175,506 for the approxi- mate number of recognised species of living plants. In a general way the smaller groups represent families of plants which attained their greatest number in long-past geological period? and are now decadent, whilst the existing flora of the world is characterised by the preponderating angiosperms and fungi. In spite of the great increase in the number of known species, it cannot be said that any essentially new type of plant has been discovered during the century. So far as the bounds of the vegetable kingdom have been extended at all it has been by the annexation of groups hitherto regarded as within the sphere of influence of the zoologists. The most notable instance of this has occurred in the case of the bac- teria, or schizomycetes, as Niigeli termed them. These organisms, discovered by Leeuwenhoek 200 years ago, had always been regarded as infusorian animals until, in 1853, Cohn recognised their vegetable nature and their affinity with the fungi. Classification. The classification of plants is a problem which has engaged attention from the very earliest times. Speaking generally, all the earlier sy stems of classification were more or less artificial, the sub-divisions being based upon'the distinctive features of one set of members of the plant. When I say that of all these systems, that proposed by Linnaeus (1735) was the most purely artificial, I do not imply any reproach ; if it was the most artificial it was at the same lime the mo3t service- able, and its author was fully aware of its artificiality. The system is generally regarded as his most remarkable achieve- ment, but the really great service which Linn;Hus rendered to science was the clear distinction which he for the first time drew between systems which are artificial and those which are natural. It was in France, where the Linnean system never secured a firm hold, that the quest of the natural system [was pursued ; and it is to French botanists more particularly that our present classification is due. The discovery of the reproductive processes in cryptogams not only facilitates a natural classification of them, but had the farther very important effect of throwing light upon their relation to phanerogams. Perhaps the most strikiug botanical achievement of the nineteenth century has been the demon- stration by Hofmeister's unrivalled researches (1851), that phanerogams aid cryptogams are not separated, as was formerly held, by an impassable gulf, but that the higher cryptogams and the lower phanerogams are connected by many common features. The development of the natural classification proceeded for the most part on the assumption of the immutability of species. But since the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species, in 1S59, the problems of classifica- tion have assumed an altogether different aspect. We no longer seek a "system" of classification; we endeavour to determine the mutual relations of plants, PAL/EOPHVTOLOGY. The stimulating influence of the new doctrine was not, however, confined to the investigation of existing plants ; it also gave a remarkable impulse to the study of fossil plants, inasmuch as the theory of descent involves the quest of the ancestors of the forms that we now have around us. Marvellous progress ha* been made in this direction during the 19th century by the labours, in our own country, of Lindley and Hutton, Hooker, Carruthers, and more espe- cially of Williamson. It may be stated generally that the number of existing species has been found to diminish rapidly in the floras of successively older strata. Similarly, the distribution in time of existing natural orders does not coincide with that of existing genera. Moreover, altogether new families of fossil plants have been discovered, and it is of interest to note that all these newly discovered families can be included within the main subdivisions of the existing flora-in fact, no fossil plants have been found which suggest the existence in the past of groups outside the limits of our Phanerogamia, Pteridophyta, Briophyta, and Thallophyta. In a general way the study of Palaeo-botany has proved the development of higher from lower forms in the successive geological periods. Yet we are not able to trace the ancestry of any one of the larger groups of plants. Morphology. If inquiry be made as to the cause of the great advance in the recognition of the true affinities of plants, and con- sequently in their classification, which distinguishes the 19th century, I would refer it to the progress made in the study of morphology. The earlier botanists regarded all the various parts of plants as " organs " in relation to their supposed function ; hence their description of plants was simply *' organography." But instead of evolving schemes out of their own internal consciousness as to how plants ought to be constructed, later botanists endeavoured to discover by the study of development, and more particularly of embryogeny, how they actually are constructed, with the result that ■within a decade Hofrneister discovered the alternation of generations in the higher plants— a discovery which must ever rank as one of the most brilliant triumphs of morpho- logical research. With the knowledge thus acquired it became possible to determine the true relations of the various parts of the plant-body ; to distinguish these parts as " members " rather than as " organs " — in a word, to establish homologies where hitherto only analogies had been traced — which is the essential difference between morphology and organography. The publication of the " Origin of Species" profoundly affected the progress of morphology, as of all branches of biographical research, but it did not alter its trend— it confirmed and extended it. We are not satisfied now with establishing homologies, but we go on to inquire into the origin and phylogeny of the members of the body. Anatomy and Physiology. Passing to the consideration of the progress of knowledge concerning the structure of plants, the most important result to be chronicled is the discovery that the plant-body consists of living substance indistinguishable from that of which the body of animals is composed. In respect of physiology we may well begin with the nutritive processes. At the close of the eighteenth century there was practically no coherent theory of nutrition. It is true that the important discovery had been made that green plants exposed to light absorb carbon dioxide and evolve free oxygen, but this gaseous interchange had not been shown to be the expression of a nutritive process. At the opening of the nineteenth century (1804) this connection was established by De Saussure, in his classical RcchercMs Chimiques, who demonstrated that, whilst absorbing carbon dioxide and evolving oxygen, green plants gain in dry weight ; and he further contributed to the elucidation of the problem of nutrition by showing that, whilst assimilating carbon dioxide, green plants also assimilate the hydrogen and oxygen of water. Three questions naturally arose in connection with De Saussure's statement of the case— What is the nature of the organic substance formed ? What is the function of the chlorophyll? What is the part played by light? It was far on in the century before answers were forthcoming. With regard to the first of these questions the researches of Boussingault (1S64) and others established the fact that the volume of carbon dioxide absorbed and that of oxygen evolved in connexion with the process are approximately equal. The first step towards the solution of the questions with regard to chlorophyll and to light was the investigation of the lelative activity of light of different colours, originally undertaken by genebier (1782) and subsequently repeated by Daubeny (1536). It was not until 1S71-72 that Loinmel and N. J. C. Miiller pointed out that the rays of the spectrum which are most completely absorbed by chlorophyll are just those which are most efficient in the assimilation of carbon dioxide. Subsequent researches have placed it beyond doubt that the importance of light in the assimilatory process is that it is the form of kinetic energy necessary to effect the chemical changes, and that the function of chlorophyll is to serve as the means of absorbing this energy and of making it available for the plant. The function of transpiration and of the means by which water and sub- stances in solution are distributed in the plant is perhaps the department of physiology in which progress during the 19th century has been least marked. We have got rid, it is true, of the old idea of an ascending crude sap, and of a descending elaborated sap, but there have been no funda- mental discoveries. With regarl to transpiration itself, we know more of the detail of the process, but that is all that can be said, and we must regretfully confess that yet another century has clo ed without bringing the solution of the secular problem of the ascent of the sap. The lPth century has been, fortunately, rather more fertile in discovery con- cerning the movements and irritability of plants. But it is surprising how much knowledge on these points had been accumulated by its beginning. What was lacking was an interpretation of them, and whilst it has largely added to the store, its most important work has b en done in the direction of explanation. Finally, of that department of physiological study known as the bionomics or cecology of plants, we may say that in the earlier part of the century it was studied more especially with regard to the distribution of plants, and to their relation to soil and climate, but that since the publication of the Origin of Species, the purview has been greatly extended, since it then became necessary to study the relation of plants, not only to inorganic conditions, but to each other and to animals ; in a word, to study all the adaptations of the plant with reference to the struggle for existence. The result has been the accumulation of a vast amount of most interesting information. At the end of the address. Prof. Bayley Balfour expressed regret at the absence of Prof. V.nes, whose acceptance of the presidency of the section had been hailed by botanists with immense satisfaction. In moviDg a votfl of thanks to Prof. Vines for his address, he suggested that a message of sympathy and regret be sent to the absent president. Prof. Marshall Ward seconded the motion, and re-echoed the regrets which were so generally expressed at the absence of Prof. Vines. Prof. Bower, who described himself as probably the senior pupil of Prof. Vines present; Prof. Hartog, and Prof, Green having also spoken, the motion was carried. Miscellaneous Subjects. Mr. Albert Wilson read a paper on "The Great Smoke- Cloud of the North of England and its influence on Plants." Prof. F. E. Weiss gave an account of a Gymnosporangium, recently observed in North Central China. In the afternoon, Mr. Harold Wager gave a demonstation of the structure and attachment of the flagellum in Euglena*. viridis ; Mr. T. W. Woodhead read a paper on " The Structure- of the Root-nodules of Alnus glutiaosa " ; and Mr. J. Parkin read a paper on "Fungi Found in Ceylon Growing upon- Scale-Insects." [We are indebted to The Times of various dates for the above extracts. Ed.]. Mr. Samuel Margerison read a paper on British Sylvi- culture. The old, insular idea that there is no timber on earth equal to British Oak, has had to be considerably modified since the introduction of foreign timbers in large quantities. Among the hundreds of imported varieties it only needs one to raer> tion, say, Teak, Greenheart, Pitch Pine, and Fir, to show that our own supplies would long ago have proved inadequate to the demand both in quantity and quality, had we been solely dependent on home production. Yet we cannot afford to- ignore the fact that we still need large quantities of native wood. Notwithstanding the substitution to a large extent of iron for wood in construction, more timber is used than ever, and in the opinion of experts, the available supply of the latter is so much reduced that we are "within measureable distance" of a timber famine. Doubtless, the world has immense areas- of almost untouched forests, but the present cost of transport is prohibitive of their use here, and, besides, the requirements of other countries are increasing, and much of this supply will be wanted at home. In view of these vital facts, it is short- sighted and improvident of us to neglect our own sources of supply. Could we look into the future for the period covered by the life of a mature tree, we should probably see even greater economic changes than have taken place during a similar period of the past. Of courss, something is being done by a few people to provide for future requirements, but it is a trifle in comparison with what ought to be done, Not hun- dreds of acres, but hundred of thousands ought to be planted. We have much land, both in hilly and lowland districts, which is at present wholly or partially unproductive, a great part of which could be profitably utilised lor sylviculture, and it behoves us to use some of it in this way. There is enough of it to make us nearly independent of foreign supplies of the most generally used timbers, which we import to the value of nearly £20,000,000 per annum. The nation, as a whole, is comfortably apathetic about the matter— content with its present abundant supply. Owners of the soil are generally scared by the personal loss which they might suffer, because of the length of time it takes to bring back profitable returns ; and they are also influenced by the possibility of loss of sporting facilities. This attitude is not surprising, but there seems to be no ground for expecting in the matter of sport anything but a change of kind; as in the case of reclaiming — say, fen-land, where water-fowling is exchanged for partridge-shooting. Field* sport would give way for woodland sport. There might be fewer partridge and grouse, but there would be more pheasants and foxes, and perhaps deer. Another parallel may be drawn here. An immense area of land has been improved and made more productive iu this country by means of the Government loans for drainage of agricultural land ; and it seems to many that, as this question of the supply of timber is even more a national than a personal one, it may be taken up by a Government depart- ment in such a manner that private owners would be secured against loss, whilst the nation would ultimately benefit largely. It may als3 be incidentally mentioned that the cultivation of a large area of forest would be another means- of keeping the labourers from crowding into the large towns- as they are doing. Continental Forestry. When we compare the results obtained from the forests of the continent (especially the forests of Germany) with those of our own country, we cannot fail to sea that some change is necessary. We find in Germany, for instance, Beech forests- with 9,000 cubic feet, and Fir with 12,0J0 to 15,000 cubic feet, to the acre. Contrast these with our crops of 2,000 to 3,000 cubic feet, and it is evident that something is lacking either in the conditions or management of our woodlands. There is no serious difference in the natural conditions ; climate and soil are similar, but the management in Germany is much more systematic and thorough. What are the differences in management ? In a few words, the German forester plants thickly to induce lengthy, straight, and clean growth ; he preserves a good overhead canopy to modify direct evaporation from the soil ; and later, thins- gradually to encourage thickness of stem. He has systematic " rotations " of a certain number of years for cutting, accord- ing to the nature of the crop, its environment, and rate o£ growth. Sport is secondary to sylviculture, although sport is abundant ; and, where advisable, he has the advantage of secured Government loans at reasonable interest, together with what is perhaps the most important thing of all, Government supervision. There are alsolarge areas of forest belonging to the state and to other corporations. Schools of forestry, with equipments worthy of the importance of their object, are also provided in order to give scientific and practical training to those who have charga of the forests- And the result of this care is that crops of three or four times- the bulk of ours are gained from the timbared areas. Reforms needed in British Forestry. Without presuming to formulate any complete scheme of reform, I may perhaps quote some of the general suggestions- that have been made, of the lines on which improvements- might be made, both in using to better advantage our rresent timbered lands, and in planting waste and poor soils. The necessary powers having been given or extended, a Forestry September 15, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 213 Department might be created, either distinct from or as a branch of the Department of Agriculture. Owners of land, either private persons or corporations who possess lands un- suitable for growing field crops— Fay land worth no more than 10s. per acre per annum— might ask for Government loans at low interest, with repayment spread over a long term of years. Expert inspectors would examine the soil, climate, and general environment of the land, and report on its suit- ability for timber-growing and the probable disposal of the produce, would formulate a " working plan " for the develop- ment and working of the area for a term of years equal to the life of the particular species to be planted. This " working plan " would have to be strictly adhered to, unless the express sanction of the Department were obtained to some alteration owing to changed circumstances or discovery of mis-judgment. The Department itself might have power to purchase and develop forest areas, and at, say four or six, centres might institute forestry schools for the training of forest officers. In the sylviculture proper, the greatest gain would come from the systematic methods of growing timber, the crops not being subject, as they are at present, to being wasted in con- sequence of the caprice or necessity of individuals. The great principles would be thoroughly worked out of making sport secondary to timber-growing (most especially by keeping down rabbits, and by not allowing the convenience of King Pheasant to interfere with the proper working of the woods) ; thick planting, preservation of over-head canopy, judicious thinning, and the suppression of the host of forest enemies, insect, vegetable, and other. In a few years current expenses would be met by the sale of the early thinnings, and sporting rents, and the late crops would be utilised by tire repayment of the loans, meeting death duties, &c. In the foregoing remarks I have said little, perhaps, which has not been said before, and more fully ; but it is an impor- tant matter that we should more generally realise the danger there is of a shortage of supply of timber, and at the same time see that we can easily provide for ourselves to a very great extent upon very simple lines. Facilities of Thansport. I should like to add a few words on a section of the subject whioh naturally suggests itself to one who is engaged in the commercial work of home forestry, a detail which does not generally receive the attention of scientists and producers so much as it ought to do. Having produced a stock of timber, it is necessary to place it where it is useful, and so the ques- tions of handling, transport, and conversion come in. The cost of these operations is, proportionately to the value of a forest, very great, often much greater than the cost of pro- duction. As I hinted in reference to the large forest areas of other countries, the question of handling and transport is a vital one. It is no less so in relation to native timber. In fact, under present circumstances (circumstances which might be modified), it has almost more important influence, proportionately, on home productions than it has on foreign. The cost of conversion is also greater. The continental forester and timber merchant have larger quantities of stock in one district to work on, so that there are less frequent removals of the appliances for conversion. He has less costly labour. He can do much of the work of conversion on the ground where the trees are grown. Often he has the advantage of water carriage, and his railway carriage is much more economically done. When his produce arrives in this country also, it is conveyed from the port to the consumer for very much less than our native timber is carried. Preferential railway rates here are equal to an annual tax on our woodlands of some shillings per acre. But much of this could be remedied. By the systematic working of larger areas in districts suitable to sylviculture, local industries would arise, and instead of, as at present, having to bring bulky and perhaps somewhat dangerous traffic by rail to the converting machinery in the towns, and then conveying it out again to the users we should have compact and safe loads of converted or semi-converted timber, which could be taken to the ultimate consumer straight from the growing spot, and thus save the cost of one haulage, and that the most cumbersome and consequently the most costly one. I venture to think that if the railway companies could have guaranteed to them large quantities of timber which could he compactly loaded the pressure of public opinion would cause them to give facilities for the traffic, equal to those at present extended to foreign goods. Summary. These then seem to me to be the essential objects to b° striven for, if our home forestry is to be made equal to the future requirements of the country : — First, the largest possible crops to be grown from a given area by improved sylviculture, and large areas of cheap land devoted, to a considerable extent, to the production of timber, so as to centralise effort. Secondly, conversion or partial conversion of the rough timber on the spot by means of machinery, assisted by light railways, timber slides, wire railways, water shoots, timber waggons (which after all will almost "go anywhere and do anything"), for local transport. Thirdly, the cheapening of transport to the more distant markets by railway rates more on an equality with those for imported timber. Fourthly, Government as-sistance, and supervision, in order to secure continuity of policy. Wilh these reforms, I venture to think that in the evf nt of foreign supplies of timber being curtailed by any means, we shall be able to supply ourselves with most of what we require. [This paper was kindly forwarded to us by Mr. Margerison. Ed ] An interesting discussion by Prof. Balfour (Edinburgh), Prof. Marshall Ward (Cambs.), Mr. T. H. Healey, &c, ensued on the reading of the paper. SOCI ETI ES. ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. September II.— There was a glorious sbow of flowers at the fortnightly meeting of the Committees of this Society held at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on Tuesday last. It is seldom the Society's Gold Medal is awarded for a collection of cut flowers, but such an exhibit of Gladiolus was staged by Messrs. J. Burrell & Co., Cambridge, that for cultural excellence and general merit has never been surpassed, and the highest award possible was recommended it. As there were several smaller collections of Gladiolus, this showy hardy flower was very conspicuous in the Hall ; and two Awards of Merit were recommended by the Floral Committee to varieties shown by Messrs. Burrell. But even more remarkable than the Gladiolus, which are just now in perfection, were the beautiful exhibits of deco- rative Roses. There were seven collections from as many firms, all well known Rose cultivators, and the quality and variety of the blooms shown were the subject of frequent remark. It is a question if there were not as many decorative Roses at the Drill Hall as there were shown at the National Rose Society's exhibition at the Crystal Palace, but some varieties that were shown then cannot be had in bloom in September, although there appeared to be almost every variety of form and colour. The Dahlias also were very remarkable, and the firm of J. Bcrrell & Co. again obtained distinction in respect to these. A collection of about eighteen new Cactus varieties shown by them was of unsurpassed merit, and almost all of those varieties that had not previously been given awards wero recommended for distinction on this occasion. Mr. J. Stredwick and Mr. C. Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough, also showed seedling Dahlias that were given awards. The Fruit and Vegetable Committee, although it sat for very much less timg than the Floral Committee, had also more work to do than usual, there being an uncommon number of exhibits. This body recommended a First-class Certificate to Cannell's Defiance Cabbage, shown by Messrs. Caxnell & Sons, Swanley; an Award of Merit to Early Prolific Filbert, from Messrs. Bunyard & Co ; an Award of Merit to a seedling Apple St. Everard, from Papworth Hall Gardens ; four Awards of Merit to varieties of Potatos that have been cultivated at Chiswick : and fourteen varieties of Tomatos also cultivated out-of-doors at Chiswick were highly commended. Owing to unavoidable circumstances, the Lecture on "Garden Manures" that had been announced for this date was postponed. Floral Coininittee. Present: W. Marshall, Esq., Chairman ; and Messrs. Chas. T. Druery, Geo. Nicholson, H. B. May, R. Dean, W. Howe, J. Hudson, J. Jennings, R. Fife, C. R. Fielder, J. D. Pawle, Chas. E. Pearson, Jas. Walker, H. J. Cutbush, H. J. Jones, E. H. Jenkins, J. W. Birr, W. J. Jimes, Chas. Bli'ck, and E. T. Oook. R03ES. Mr. Chas. Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough, showed upwards of two dozen bunches of garden or decorative varie- t es, and these ' ' bunch sprays ' were exceedingly showy, being well put together, and including good blooms. Some of the more noticeable wtre Anna Olivier, cream coloured, with salmon-pink centre; Miss E. Giflbrd, white; Souvenir de Therese Levet, crimson; Ka' serin Augusta Victoria, lemon colour ; W. A. Richardson, Souvenir de Guillot, Perle des Jardins, &c. (Silver-gilt Banksian Medal). Messrs. Geo. Cooling & Sons, Bath, had a great number of varieties of garden Roses, put up in bunches. Such an exhibit showed how extremely valuable these Roses are, affording, as they do, the earliest flowers each season, and blooming as late as the absence of frost will allow them. The exhibit contained a large number of the best Tta and Noisette varieties, as Medei, Bridesmaid, Innocente Pirola, Madame Hoste, Miss E. Brownlow, Maman Cochet, Marshal Niel, Madame Lambard, Madame Falcot, Homer, &c. The more truly garden j varieties, including the pretty China section, were also well represented (Silver Flora Medal). An excellent display of Tea and other Roses was made by Mr. Geo. Prince, Oxford, who maintains that if Roses be grown upon the cultivated seedling Briar they will bloom earlier and later than otherwise. The quality of the blooms shown was extremely good, and there was a large number of varieties. Some of the more noticeable were Maman Cochet, White Maman Cochet, Ernest Met/, Princess of Wales, Marie Van Houtte, Niphetos, Madame Fdlcot, Mrs. E. Mawley Perle des.Jardins, Bridesmaid, Comtesse deNadaillae, and a number of the choicest climbing varieties (Silver-gilt Banksian Medal). Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross Nurseries, Herts, showed a few varieties of decorative Roses, all of which have been raised \>j Messrs. Paul. Corallina, a decorative Tea variety, with very beautiful reddish-rose flowers, was splen- didly shown in large baskets ; it is evidently a capital grower. Queen Mab, a pink variety of the China section ; Fairy Queen, a decorative Tea of pale cream colour; En- chantress, creamy-white ; and several seedlings, are all good Roses. We ought to mention sulphurea, a decorative Tea Rose with yellow semi-double flowers, and extremely high coloured foliage. The contrast is very effective (Silvtr Banksian Medal). Messrs. Frank Cant & Co.. Braiswick Nurseries, Col- chester, made a pretty display with his Roses, showing sixty-eight varieties, and not including more than eight that could not be shown as true garden varieties. Con- spicuous in the collection was the old China Fabier, a single crimson Hower with white centre; Marquis of Salisbury, 1/ Ideal, Mario Van Houtte, Papa Gontier, one of the freest bloomer* of all ; ;Madame P. Ducher, cream colour, with semi-double flowers, &c. (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Paul & Son, The Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, had a grand lot of Roses, in which such varieties as Grussan Teplitz, crimson ; Clara Watson, flesh colour ; Souvenir de P. Carnot, white, shaded pink ; Anna Olivier, Marie Van Houtte, Allister, Stella Gray, Madame P. Ducher, L'Ideal, and others, were most noticeable (Bronze Flora Medal). Mr G W. Piper, Uckfield, Sussex, had also a collection of Rose blooms, and showed a considerable number of varieties : Tea Maman Cochet, Sunrise, and White Maman Cochet, were exhibited in quantity upon Bamboo stands, and were very effective ; the blooms being of very superior quality. GLADIOLUS. There was a glorious exhibit of Gladiolus from Messrs. J. Burrell & Co., Howe House Nurseries, Cambridge, whose collection was not only a large one, but it exhibited such per- fect culture as is very seldom obtained. The flowers were all large, brightly coloured and even, and the distinguished award of a gold medal was well deserved. Many of the spikes had twelve open blooms upon them, and we could count ten or more buds above these. There were some excellent varieties amongst the general collection, but we must confine our remarks to a few new seedlings shown. Of these Dorah Craven and Vida were white varieties marked with purple in the throat, both somewhat similar, and very handsome. Rosalind was a very large flower of a silvery colour and red, and two other magnificent varieties will be found mentioned under " A wards " (Gold Medal). Varieties of Gladiolus Nanceinanus were shown by Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nurseries, Chelsea, and they were remarkable for the size and beautiful mai kings of the flowers. We noticed General Saussier, deep red or plum colour, with pretty cream markings in throat ; President Carnot, a fascinating flower with red, purple and cream shades of colour ; and Viviand Morel, a very large flower of salmon. scarlet, marked irregularly with purple. DAHLIAS. Messrs. J. Burrell & Co., Cambridge, exhibited some extraordinary seedling varieties, most of which will be found described under *' Awards." Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Lowfield Nurseries, Crawley, made a delightful display of bloom?, showing three dozen show Dahlias in variety, twenty-four bunches of single flowered varieties, twenty-four bunches of Cactus Dahlias, twenty-four bunches of Pompon varieties, and twelve bunches of the so-called Cactus single varieties, which had a very distinctand agreeable effect. Messrs. Cheai. also showed a few seedling varieties, including Golden Queen (Cactus), Cheal's White (Cactus), Lord Alverstone (scarlet and purple Cactus), and Miss Girdlestone, and Shamrock singles (Silver-gilt Banksian Medal). Dahlias were also shown by Mr. Stredwick and Mr. C. Turner, Slough. See Awards. OTHER HARDY FLOWERS. Mr. Thos. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, had a delightful show of hardy flowers, in which the shrubby Phloxes constituted an imposing feature. These were repre- sented by some excellent varieties, as Le Mahdi, rich purple ; Coquelicot, very bright red ; Independence, white ; Girordin, mauve, with shading of silver colour ; Aurore, Leonardo da Vinci, white, with lose-coloured eye, &c. Mr. Ware had also many showy Dahlias, perennial Asters, and many miscella- neous species (Bronze Flora Medal). Mr. A. Perry, Hardy Plant Farm, Winchmore Hill, London, N., made an extensive exhibit of hardy flowers, embracing a large number of good things. Some of these were Lychnis cardinalis, Lychnis-Haageana, Stachys coccinea, all brightly- coloured flowers, especially the L.-Haageana; Scibiosa cau- casica, some choice varieties of Gaillardias, and perennial Asters ; Senecio pulcher, with large single,. rosy-purple flowers; Astrantia major and A. minor, Kniphotia MacOwani, Gen- liana Andrewsii, Callirhoe involucrata, an old species with magenta-coloured single flowers, having a white centre, &c. (Silver Flora Medal) Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, N.B , and Orpington, Kent, showed excellent strains of French and African Mari- golds. Of the latter strain, Prince of Orange and Lemon Queen are distinct, and of great merit Antirrhinums were also shown well by Messrs. Dobbie, and they included the varieties Yellow Queen, White Queen, Firefly, white, crimson, and yellow; Crimton King, and Tall Striped, a'l of them being very good in their respective colours. Messrs. Barr& Sons, Co vent Garden, London, W.C., showed a collection of Gladioli varieties, also some nice shrubby Phloxes, Kniphotia corallina superba, K. Pfltzeri, and others; also some of Marliac's hardy Lilies; Helianthus rigidus, with semi double flowers ; some varieties of Dahlias, Montbretias, perennial Asters, Scabiosa caucasica, &c. (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. John Peed & Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries, Nor- wood Road, London, a group of hardy flowers, in which Dahlias were the principal feature. 214 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 15, 1900. MISCELLANEOUS. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent, showed a grand group of Caunas in bloom that was well worthy the Silver Gilt Flora Medal awarded it. It was composed of about forty varieties, including Madame Pichon, Jean Tissot, scarlet; Madame Crozy, scarlet, with a fine yellow margin ; Robert Christy, cherry-red ; Burbank, a yellow variety (America); Meteor, Italia, Eniile Lorenz, and a number of others, all of them very handsom9 and useful, for Messrs. Cannell exhibit them in bloom throughout the year. The group was bordered by some excellent dwarf Cockscombs in pots. Mr. J. H. Witty, Nunhead Cemetery, London, S.E., showed a group of early flowering Chrysanthemums in pots, which, from a cultural point of view, were most commendable, the flowers being large, well developed, and the plants of vigorous appearance (Silver Flora Medal). Messrs. W. Paul & Son exhibited a fine group of plants of Salvia Ruhm von Stuttgart, which is described as an improved form of S. splendens, but which is probably identical with S. s. grandiflora (Silver Banksian Medal). Mr. H. J. Jones, Ryecroft Nurseries, Hither Green, Lewisham, had a group of miscellaneous species of plants- including the winter flowering Begonia Dreggi, a small delicate-leaved Begonia, with white blossoms. Also Richardsi ana, a white flowered variety of rather freer growth, and with more deeply cut leaves ; Moonlight, also a white flowering variety ; and Gloire de Lorraine. Also several varieties of Heliotropes, one of which obtained an Award of Merit (Silver Banksian Medal). Messrs. Harrison & Sons, Leicester, showed an extensive collection of Sweet Peas, which included some of the very choicest varieties, and they were shown in tastefully arranged bunches (Bronze Flora Medal). Messrs. W. & J. Brown, of Peterborough, also showed a good collection of Sweet Peas, and it should be remem- bered that the present date in September is a very late one for these flowers (Silver Banksian Medal). Mr. Chas. Turner. Royal Nurseries, Slough ; and Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, showed sprays of varieties of Hibiscus syriacus (Althsea frutex), some with single and others with double flowers. Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons exhibited three plants in pots of Lilium Browni, var. leucochilum, a yellow flowered variety otthis handsome Lily. Awards. Anemone japonica Mont Rose —This is a beautiful variety of this popular autumn-flowering Anemone. The blooms which, as shown, were 3i inches across, are pale mauve colour. From Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross (Award of Merit). Anthurium Bakeri.— A species introduced from Costa Rica in. 1S72. It has rather insignificant, green, reflexed spathee, and pink and bright scarlet spadix. The plant exhibited by Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, bore three spadice3 thickly set with small coral-coloured flowers and pea-shaped fruits, which later would become bright scarlet. The leaves are linear, leathery, about 14 inches long, and the petioles about 6 inches long. In the leaves the midrib is very prominent (Botanical Certificate). Dahlia Artus (Cactus).— A light orange-red-coloured variety of excellent form and size. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Dahlia Lyric (Cactus).— Bright crimson, with yellow bases to the petals. Capital form. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Dahlia Dinorah (Cactus).— A pale red variety, with orange shade. Very fine flowers. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Dahlia Eclipse.— A greenish-yellow coloured Cactus with narrow petals, very refined flower of quite star-like appear- ance. From Mr. J. Stredwick (Award of Merit). Dahlia Imperator.—A fine rosy-crimson Cactus Dahlia of large size and beautiful form. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Dahlia Rosine (Cactus).— A very rich and deep mutve- coloured variety of surpassing merit. From Messrs. J. Bur- rell & Co (Award of Merit). Dahlia Jealousy.— A pretty yellow Cactus variety, with less narrow petal, and scarcely so refined a flower as Eclipse, bat described as a capital grower and bloomer. From Mr. J. Strhdwick (Award of Merit). Dahlia J. W. Wilkinson (Cactus).— A large crimson-flowered variety with purple shading especially towards the points of the petals. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Dahlia Galliard (Cactus).— A magnificently bright, large- flowered variety, almost scarlet. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Dahlia Sybil (Pompon).— Yellow, with reddish margin. A neat little flower. From Mr. C. Turner, Slough (Award of Merit). Dahlia Galatea (Pompon).— A deep maroon coloured variety, of good form. From Mr. C. Turner (Award of Merit). Dahlia Vesta (Cactus).— A rosy-pink variety, with lighter centre. Excellent in every respect. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Dahlia Zcrlina (Pompon).— Flowers exceedingly deep-crim- son or maroon colour, small in size, and neat in form. From Mr. C. Turner (Award of Merit). Gladiolus Althea.— A very large variety of much substance, one of the spikes bearing twelve expanded flowers ; colour rich pink, splasbed with red and purple, and deeply blotched with purple on the lower petals. From Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. (Award of Merit). Gladiolus dclicata.—A magnificent variety of pale pink colour, most imposing in size. There were numerous buds showing above the eight expanded flowers the spike bore. From Messrs. J. Burrell 6l Co. (Awaid of Merit). Heliotrope Dr. Jeclin. — A deeply- coloured variety, some- what distinct shade, and of strong habit, From Mr. H. J. Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Lewisham (Award of Merit). Orchid Committee. Present : Harry J. Veitch, Esq., in the Chair ; and Messrs. Jas. O'Brien (Hon. Sec), J. G. Fowler, De B. Crawshay, J. Gabriel, W. Cobb, H. J. Chapman, F. J. Thorne, W. H. Young, H. A. Tracy, and A. Hay. As on the last occasion of the Committee meeting, Orchids were not present in any large number, and the only groups were staged by Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, and consisted of Deudrobiuni, Phalaenopsis, Schroderianum ; and that of W. C. Walker, Esq., Percy Lodge, Winchmore Hill (gr., Mr. Geo. Cragg), which consisted of some sixty spikes of flowers, and some in bud. Arthur Hay, Esq., Oakley Park, Eye, Suffolk (gr., Mr. H. Pratt), exhibited a finely grown plant of one of the most beautiful varieties of Vanda coerulea yet seen, the flowers being large, circular, and netted and tinged with bright blue, the veining and lip being of a violet tint. The plant pos- sessed a single stem clad with about two dozen leaves, and bore a fine inflorescence of seventeen fully expanded flowers on one spike (Cultural Commendation). Captain Holford, Westonbirt, Tetbury (gr., Mr. A. Chap- man), sent an interesting spike of a goo i variety of Cattleya aurea, bearing three dissimilar flowers. The one had the purple lip closely veined with rich yellow veining except the margin, and with no sign of the patches of yellow colour often seen in flowers of this plant; the second had yellow disc; and the third a darker yellow middle area, partially obliterating the yellow veining. Norman C. Cookson, Esq., Oakwood, Wylam, Northum- berland (gr., Mr. Wm. Murray), sent an inflorescence of the fine Cypripedium >; Morgan's, "Oakwood" variety, and another of an unrecorded seedling, probably derived from C. Boxalli x C. Leeanum. De B. Chawshay, Esq., Rosefield, Sevenoaks (gr., Mr. S. Cooke), showed two very interesting hybrid Odontoglossums, the one, O. >; Wattianum Crawshayanum (Lindleyanum ? , Harryanum 6"), proving the supposed record of the imported type. The sepals and petals were yellow, closely blotched and marked with brown, the column and base of the lip jutting out as in O. Lindleyanum, the broad blade of the lip white, with one large violet-purple blotch and some smaller ones around the side. The other was O. x Hallio-crispum rnseum (Hallii ? crispum lilacinum<5 ). The flowers differed from the last shown in having the reverse of the flower coloured rose, the colour showing through on the tips of the sepals. Flowers cream-white, with light brown markings. Lip fringed, and apieulate. R. I. Measures Esq., Cambridge Lodge, Camberwell (gr., Mr. H. J. Chapman), showed Cypripedium " Mrs. F. L. Amis " (tonsum x Fairieanum), with singular looking pale yellowish flower, the upper sepal marked with dark green lines, with a rosy flush near the margin, the petals also having a rosy tint and some purple spots. Also C. X "Uhxia" (Harrisianum superbumxLawrebel), a showy hybrid of the general appear- ance of C. x Harrisianum, but having a warm purplish glow over the flower. F. W. Moore, Esq., Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, showed the pretty Aganisia ionoptera, with wax-like white flowers, tinged with blue.a nd striped with purple ; and the singular Bulbophyllum Reinwardti, brown, with claret- coloured lip. Leopold de Roths(HIld, Esq., Gunnersbury House, Acton (gr., Mr. Jas. Hudson), sent a specimen of Dendrobium formo- sum giganteum, with several home-raised seedlings in flowering stage around it, and one in flower. The original plant was imported in 1S07, and from seed which came with it among the roots, the plants surrounding it germinated, and are now flowering (Cultural Commendation). Mr. Ed. Kromer, Bandon Hill, "West Croydon, showed Zygopetalum crinitum. Major Joicey, Sunningdale Park (gr., Mr. F. J. Thorne) showed a fine plant with three spikes of the singular plant imported by Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, and named Dendro- bium taurinum amboinense. The flowers differ much from the type, especially in colour, as they are entirely yellow, faced with brown, of varying shades. The same exhibitor also showed a spike of a very richly-coloured Pescatorea (Zygo- petalum) Klabochorum, with two flowers on the same stem, a circumstance perhaps not previously seen. J. Gurney Fowler, Esq., Glebelands, South Woodford (gr., Mr. J. Davis), showed a very large and finely-grown specimen of Cattleya bicolor "Glebelands" variety, with eleven spikes of finely-developed flowers. The broad, rose- purple labellums had a white margin, which, together with the size of the flower, formed a distinguishing feature (Award of Merit). Fx*uit and Vegetable Committee. Present : Philip Crowley, Esq.; Chairman ; and Messrs. H. Somers Rivers, James H. Veitch, Jos. Cheal, Geo. Keif, H. Eslings, W. Pope, A. Dean, S. Mortimer, C. Herrin, John Basham, E. Beckett, F. Q. Lane, Jas. Smith, Geo. Reynolds, G. Norman, and George Bunyard. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., The Royal Exotic Nursery, King's Road, Chelsea, showed two pyramids of the John Downie Crab, most abundantly fruited. The trees had been removed from the open ground and potted. The same firm had an interesting show of hardy fruits on a table backed with Crabs, and Rubus laciniatus, grandly fruited, and trained on flat trellises. Their show of Plums was particularly good, and included large dishes of the dark purple Archduke, Boulouf, Reine Claude du Comte Hathems, Prince Englebert, Monarch, Goliath, and Grand Duke ; the red Cox's Emperor, Pond's Seedling, Victoria, and Jodoigne Gage. Light coloured varieties : the Transparent Gage, Coe's Golden Drop, Washington, Jefferson, White Magnum Bonum. John Seden, raised from the Farleigh Damson and Black Orleans Plum, was shown as picked fruit and on the branch. It is a fruit of large size for a Damson, carries a fine bloom, and is a heavy bearer. The fruit is bigger than the Farleigh, and is less astringent than are Damsons generally. The firm showed a small collection of early varieties of Pears and Apples, including Pear Gregoire Bordillon, a fruit of the shape of Williams' Bon Chretien ; and Triomphe de Vienne. A dish of very fine Apples The Queen, and one of the delicious Summer Golden Pippin (Silver Knightian Medal). River's Early Damson, a fine-looking variety, was shown by Messrs. Rivers & Sons, Sawbridgeworth. Messrs. Harbison & Sons, seed-growers, Leicester, received a Vote of Thanks for an exhibit of Runner and Dwarf Kidney Beans, twenty-four varieties being shown. Several varieties not much grown W6re amongst them, viz., Dwarf Magnum Bonum, Early Dwarf, Victoria Flageolet, Best-of-All, and Neal's DwarFiVote of Thanks). Mrs. Burns, North Mymms Park, Hatfield (gr.,Mr. C. R. Fielder), received a Silver Banksian Medal for a collection of eighteen varieties of Plums, all of them possessing beautiful bloom. We remarked fruits of Diamond (from a standard tree), Brahy's Green Gage, Transparent Gage, Archduke, Guthrie's Golden Gage, and Cox's Emperor. Messrs. Paul & Sons, Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, showed a number of plants of the perpetual-fruiting Strawberry, St. Joseph. The free manner in which these were fruiting was acknowledged by the award of a Cultural Commendation. From the Society's Gardens at Chiswick, Mr. S. T. Wright, the Superintendent, exhibited Tomato plants cut off at the ground level, of fourteen varieties which have been cultivated out-of-doors at Chiswick this season. All of the plants were well cropped, although most of the fruits were yet unripe, and the committee attached to each variety " Highly Recom- mended." The names of these varieties may be found recorded on p. 197 in our number for last week. A collection of Damsons and Bullaces, consisting of the leading varieties, came from Mr. J. Watkins, Withington> Hereford. Some six fruits of Melon Early Favourite were sent by Mr. H. Balderson, Corner Hall, Hemel Hemp- stead ; and a dish each of Moor Park and Mirabelle Plums by Mr H. Divers, gr., Bel voir Castle. Awards. Apple St. Everard.—A moderate sized dessert variety, with open, very thallow eye, and stout stalk. Colour, deep red upon one side, with white spots. From Mr. Charles Terry, Papworth Hall Gardens, Papworth (Award of Merit). Cabbage Cannell's Defiance.— -This is a capital Cabbage, pos- sessing most useful characteristics. It has handsome solid , conical, green heads, of moderate size only, but of perfect form. Messrs. Cannell exhibited a large number of perfect- looking heads. It is recommended as essentially an all-the- year-round variety, and very fine heads are obtained by sowing seeds in April (First-class Certificate). Filbert Early Prolific— This is a free-cropping variety of the Filbert, producing very large clusters, and the husks are peculiarly frilled. It has an advantage over other varieties, in that the fruits ripen at least a fortnight earlier. From Messrs. G. Bunyard & Cj., Miidstone (Award of Merit). Potatos Sir J. LUwellyn, Centenary, Supreme, and Baden Powell.— From the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick (Awards of Merit). Descriptions of these Potatos may be found on p. 107 in our issue for last week. NATIONAL DAHLIA. September 7, S.— While there is ample space at the Crystal Palace for such an exhibition as that of the National Dahlia Society, with abundance of light to enable the flowers to be seen to the best advantage, yet it must be admitted that the vastness of the building appears to dwarf the Dahlias out of all proportion. The nakedness of the tables on which the flowers are staged is so objectionable, showing beneath them empty boxes, rejected blooms, band-boxes, and other para- phernalia of the exhibitors, with here and there a show-box standing out from beneath the table at a dangerous angle ; that the wonder is, the committee of the Society do not insist upon their being draped. The entries were said to be more numerous than ever, still there were great lengths of bare tabling, probably because some of those who had entered, failed to put in an appearance. Show and Fancy Dahlias. The present may be said to be Mr. John Walker's year, for at the Crystal Palace, as well as several of the provincial towns where Dahlias are exhibited, Mr. Walker has taken the leading prizes. At Sydenham, he was 1st with sixty blooms, and though some of the flowers showed a tendency to coarse- ness which comes of au awkward season, there were jet not a few blooms of approved quality, and they were Florence Tranter, Rev. J. B. M. Camm, Johu Walker, Victor, Mrs. Foreman, Dr. Keynes, Mr. Every, T. J. Saltmarsh, Colonist, Prince Henry, Mrs. Gladstone, Comedian, Wm. Rawlings, R. T. Rawlings, William Powell, Perfection, John Forbes, Queen of the Belgians, Matthew Campbell, Geo Rawlings, Kathleen, John Bennett, Dorothy, Royal Queen, Mrs. J. Greaves, J. C. Vaughan, Goldsmith, John Standish, September 15, 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 215 Herbert Turner, Virginale, Duke of Fife, Mabel, Chorister, and Muriel Hobbs. Mr. 8. Mortimer, Swiss Nursery, Farn- ham, was 2nd, his leading blooms were Thomas Goodwin, Virginale, J. B. Service, Wm. Powell, T. J. Saltmarsh, Mrs. S. Walker, a pleasing light variety ; It. T. Rawlings, J. N. Keynes, Mrs. Gladstone, and John Walker. Mr. M. V. Seale, Nurseryman, Sevenoaks, was 3rd, Thero were four entries in the class for forty-eight blooms, instead of only three as in the previous class ; and here again Mr. John Walker was placed 1st, with Miss Cannell, John Hiekliug, William Powell, Duke of Fife, Mabel Stanton, Ethel Britton, J. T. West, Rev. J. B. M. Caram, Maud Fellowes, Mrs. J. Grieve, Mrs. Foreman, Flag of Truce, Arthur Rawlings, Frank Pearce, Nubian, Virginale, Diadem, Chieftain, Muriel Hobbs, Matthew Campvcll, J. C. Vaughan, Mrs. Gladstone, R. T. Rawlings, Comedienne, &c. Mr. S. Mortimer was again 2nd, his chief blooms were Diadem, John Standish, Henry Walton, and Richard Dean ; 3rd, Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., Salisbury, With thirty-six blooms, Mr. Geo. Humphries, Kingston Langley, Chippenham, was 1st, and he had as his best blooms, T. J. Saltmarsh, Duke of Fife, Ethel Britton, Maud Fellowes, Prince of Denmark, R, T. Riwlings, Mrs. Gladstone, William Rawlings, Florence Tranter, John Walker, Sailor Prince, Shottesham Hero, David Johnson, Harry Turner, Duchess of York, Miss Cannell, and Dorothy; 2nd, Mr. W. Treseder, nurseryman, Cardiff. With twenty-four varieties, Messrs. J. Cray & Son, Nur- serymen, Frome, were 1st ; they had in good form Emm Pasha, John Walker, Matthew Campbell, W. Powell, Florence Tranter, Willie Garratt. Prince of Denmark, Dr. Keynes, Mrs. Every, R. T. Rawlings, Duchess of York, W. Rawlings, Colonist, Rev. J. B. M. Cainm, Mrs. Gladstone, and R. Dean. Mr. G. Humphries was 2nd ; he had John Walker, William Powell, Dr. Keynes, Mrs. Gladstone, and Goldsmith. Mr. W. Treseder was 3rd. With twelve varieties, Mr. J. R. Tranter, Henley-on- Thames, was 1st ; he had T. W. Girdlestone, Mrs. Saunders, Lord Salisbury, R. T. Rawlings, James Cocker, Shottesham Hero, Shirley Hibberd, Mrs. J. Downie, and Miss Cannell. Messrs. J. Chral & Sons, Nurserymen, Crawley, were 2nd. Amateur Classes. In the c!ass for twenty-four varieties , Mr. F. W. Fellowes, Putteridgebury, Luton, was 1st. His leading blooms were Miss Cannell, Marion, T. W. Girdlestone, Mrs. W. Slack, W. Powell, Harrison Weir, James Cocker, Norma, Mrs. Langtry, Duchess of York, John Bennett, Shottesham Hero, and Frank Pearce. Mr. T. Anstiss, Brill, Bucks, was 2nd; he had as his best blooms T. J. Saltmarsh, Dr. Keynes, Maud Fellowes, Duke of Fife, and J. T. West ; 3rd, Mr. R. Burgin, St. Neots. With eighteen blooms, Mr. E. West, jun., Henley-on- Thames, was placed 1st with Mrs. Langtry, Hercules, Dr. Keynes, William Powell, Shirley Hibberd, Mabel Stanton, Duchess of York, W. Keith, Goldfinch, ChieftaiD, and Arthur Rawlings; Mr. W. Wheeler, Henley-on-Thames, was 2nd. For twelve blooms, Mr. J. Thomson, Hollinswood, Oldham, was 1st with rather large but well-proportioned blooms of Maud Fellowes, William Rawlings, R. T. Rawlings, Chieftain, Willie Garratt, Rosamond, and Yellow Globe ; 2nd, Mr. S. Cooper ; 3rd, Mr. E. Jefferies, Langley Burrell. With six blooms, Mr. R. Whillington was 1st ; and Mr. Seamer, 2nd. For sis blooms of any dark Dahlia, Prince of Denmark won all three prizes, exhibited by Mr. J. Walker, who was 1st ; Mr. R. Burgin 2nd, and Mr. M. "V. Seale 3rd. Mrs. Gladstone took all the prizes as the best light Dahlia ; Mr. Walker was 1st; Mr. R. Burgin, 2nd; and Messrs. J. Cheal & Son, 3rd. With six blooms of a yellow self, Mr. Walker was 1st, and Messrs. Keynes & Co., 3rd, with William Powell; Mr. R. Burgin was 2nd, with R. T. Rawlings. The best red was Arthur Rawlings, also from Mr. Walker; and Mr. G. Hcmphbies, 3rd, with the same; Mr. Mortimer came 2nd, with Diadem. John Walker was the best white self, taking all three prizes; Mr. Walker, 1st; Mr. Seale, 2nd ; and Mr. Humphries, 3rd. The best six blooms of any other colour was Sunbeam, from Mr. Seale ; Mr. Walker was 2nd with Imperial ; and Mr Anstiss 3rd with Thomas Anstiss. The best tipped fancy was Mrs. N. Halls, red, tipped with white, six pretty blooms were shown by Mr Walker ; Mr. Anstiss came 2nd, with Mrs. Saunders, yellow, tipped white. The best striped fancy was Matthew Campbell, from Mr. Walkeh ; and Messrs. Cheal & Son were 3rd, with the same ; Mr. Burgin came 2nd with the Rev. J. B. M. Caram. The best show Dahlia, selected from the whole exhibition, was Duchsss of York, shown by Mr. J. T. West. The best fancy was Mis. J. Downie, shown by Mr. W. Peters. There were two classes exclusively for fancy Dahlias, and the competition was confined to amateurs. The best twelve blooms came from Mr. R. Burgin, who had the Rev. J. B. M Camm, Duchess of Albany, Henry Eckford, Chorister Mrs J Downie, Mrs. N. Halls, Lottie Eckford, &c. ; Mr. S. Cooper was 2nd ; Mr. T. Anstiss 3rd. With six blooms, Mr. Seamer was 1st ; he had good blooms of Mrs. J. Downie,- T. W. Girdlestone, Chorister, Rev J B M. Camm, Mrs. N. Halls, and Matthew Campbell. Cactus Dahlias in Bunches. These were numerously produced, and covered a consider- able space of tabling. Messrs. J. Burrell & Co Howe End Nursery, Cambridge, had the best eighteen vaxieties-a really splendid lot of blooms, and they comprised Imperator Grandee, Ignea, Artis, Vesta, Jessica, Rosine (extra fine) Persis' Lyric, J. W. Wilkinson, Dinorah, Elvira, and Elsia, with two others, all varieties of their own raising ; and in addition Mrs. J. J. Crowe, Uncle Tom, and Mrs. Pearts. It must be admitted that this firm has taken a distinct step forwards as raisers. Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, were 2nd. They had some very fine bunches, comprising Mayor Tuppenny, Regulus, Zephyr, Lord Alvestone, C. Woodbridge, Britannia, Mrs. J. J. Crowe, J. F. Hudson, Lucius, &c. Mr. J. Stredwick, Silver Hill, St. Leonards, was a good 3rd. With twelve bunches, Mr. S. Mortimer was 1st. He had excellent bunches of Viscountess Sherbrooke, Harmony, Mrs. J. Goddard, Zephyr, Britannia, Mary Service, J. F. Hudson, and Lucius, as the leading varieties. Mr. H. Shoesmith, Woking, was 2nd ; and Mr. Seale, 3rd. In the amateurs class for twelve bunches, F. W. Sharp, Esq., Waltham St. Laurence, Twyford, was 1st, with very good bunches of Cycle, Britannia, Viscountess Sherbrooke, Mary Service, Uncle Tom, Stella, Casilda, Countess of Lonsdale, Lucius, Keyne's White, and Alfred Vasey. Mr. J. F. Hudson, Gunnersbury House, Acton, came 2nd, with Zephyr, Starfish, Mrs. J. J. Crowe, &c, all in good character ; Sir. W. Mist, Igtham, 3rd. For nine bunches Mr. H. L. Brousson, Sidcup, was 1st, and Mr. F. W. Fellowes was 2nd, both exhibiting much the same sorts as those already named. Mr. W. Peters, St. Lawrence, had the best six bunches, and Mr. W. Mist was 2nd in the class in which Mr. J. Stredwick offered fpecial prizes ; and in the Society's class for the same number, Mr. E. Jefferies was 1st, and Mr. E. Mawlev, Berkhamsted, 2nd. Cactus Blooms on Boards. In the class for sixty blooms, not more than two of one variety, shown with foliage, and also in subsequent classes of a similar character, there did appear to be a tendency on the part of some to use too much foliage ; those stands were cer- tainly the most effective in which the foliage was kept well below the blooms. Messrs. Burrell & Co. were again 1st, and here their superb examples were largely composed of their new varieties, with the addition of such, as Emperor, Charles Woodbridge, Mrs. Peart, Vesta, The Clown, Mrs. J-. J. Crowe, Britannia, Radiance, J. F. Hudson, &c. ; Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons were 2nd, with very good blooms also, and Mr. J. Stredwick 3rd. For twenty-four blooms, distinct, Mr. W. Treseder was 1st ; he had in excellent character Charles Woodbridge, Magnificent, Emperor, Loadstone, Mrs. J. Goddard, W. Tre- seder (a charming light variety), Cornucopia,. Mrs. Carter Page, Alfred Vasey, Mrs. J. J. Crowe, The Clown, A. J. C. Hare, &c. 2nd, Mr.W. Baxter, nurseryman, Woking; 3rd, Mr. G. Humphries. In the amateurs' division, the best eighteen blooms came from Mr. J. Bryant, Salisbury— a very good representation of varieties already named ; Mr. F. W. Sharp was 2nd. With twelve varieties, Mr. H. A. Needs was 1st ; he had two triangular blush-coloured boards, on each of which he had staged six blooms of leading varieties ; and Mr. E. Turner was 2nd. Cactus Dahlias in Vases. Six blooms of twelve varieties being required, made a new and interesting feature, but for some reason they occupied some three different tables, which told against their effective- ness. It was stipulated that the blooms should be judged for quality. Mr.,M. V. Seale was 1st with excellent blooms, and an effective selection of varieties, admirably set up with suitable foliage, each vase standing in a bed of autumn-tinted Fern. Mr. Seale had Mary Service, Night, Magnificent, Starfish, Mayor Tuppenny, Charles Woodbridge, Keynes' White, Coun- tess of Lonsdale, Capstan, King of Siam, Stella, and Britannia ; Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons were 2nd : they used Croton leaves among their foliage, and set up very effective bunches ; Mr. W. Treseder, Cardiff, was 3rd. There were five entries. Pompon Dahlias. Collections of these in twenty-four bunches, ten blooms in each, were a very interesting feature. There was not much to choose between Mr. Turner's collection, which was placed 1st, and Messrs. Cheal & Sons, which was 2nd. Mr. Turner had slightly the smaller blooms, and the greater level of average size. The following were the most attractive sorts :— Isabel, Whisper, Eurydice, Sybil, Sunny Daybreak, Douglas, Emily Hopper, Captain Boyton, Ph.ebe, Mars, Snowflake, Arthur West, Vera, Bacchus, Iris, Tommy Keith, Galatea, Orpheus,, Nerissa, Fabio, Nora, Ganymede, Clarissa, and Imogene ; 2nd, Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, who had a number of the preceding varieties, also Donovan, Rosebud, Ernest Harper, Adrienne, Dr. Jim, Whisper, and Madeline ; Mr. M. V. Seale was 3rd ; and an extra prize was awarded to Messrs. Keynes & Co. For twelve bunches, Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. were 1st, having much the same varieties in exc°llent character ; Mr. G. Humphries was 2nd ; and Mr. J. Walker 3rd. In the amateurs' division there was a class for twelve bunches of Pompons. Mr. H. J. Stenning received the 1st prize, and Mr. J. F. Hudson, the 2nd. With six bunches, Mr. W. C. Pagram, The Whin, Wey- bridge, was placed 1st ; and Mr. J. Peters, 2nd. The varieties shown being similar to those already named. Single Dahlias. In the open class for twenty-four bunches there were two entries; Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons were placed 1st with excellent bunches of Mrs. Morland, Victoria, Puck, Miss Glasscock, Polly Eccles, Veronica, Daisy, Miss Henshaw, Violet Forbes, Formosa, Columbus, Miss Roberts, Shamrock, Miss Gordon, &c. ; Mr. F. M. Seale was 2nd, also with capital bunches of Jeannette, Emmie, Miss Roberts, Duchess of Marlborough, Northern Star, Dorothy Seale, &c. With twelve bunches of singles, but with rather large llowers, Mr. J. Walker was placed 1st, being the only exhibitor. In the amateurs' division the best six bunches, ten blooms in each bunch, came from Mr. J. F. Hudson, who had in good character, Miss Morland, Gulielma, Kitty, Polly Eccles, Eric, Naome Tighe, &c. Mr. C. Osman was 2nd ; and Mr. W. Mist 3rd. For six bunches of six blooms, Mr. E. Mawley was 1st ; he had charming exampies of Polly Eccles, Miss Roberts, Cleopatra, Tommy, Aurora, and Victoria. The Rev. S. S. Pearce, Woodstock, was 2nd. / A few small classes were set apart for Amateurs who had never won a prize at a show of the National Dahlia Society, and there was a brisk competition in each. Decorative Exhibits. The best Epergne of Dahlia blooms came from Mr. R. Ed- wards, Buckingham. Pompon Single, and Cactus Dahlias were nicely arranged with appropriate foliage. Mr. W. C. Pagram, was 2nd, and Mr. J. F. Hudson, 3rd. Mr. H. E. Boucn, Keston, had the best vase arranged with twelve Dahlia blooms ; he had dark and salmon-coloured Cactus varieties arranged with appropriate foliage. Mr. J, F. Hud- son was 2nd, and Mr. E. Turner, 3rd. Mr. H. A. Needs had the best three vases of Cactus Dahlias, very nicely set up; Mr. R. Edwards was 2nd ; and Mr. Mr. J.F. Hudson 3rd. Mr. W. Treseder was 1st with a shower bouquet of Cactus Dahlias ; and Mr. Seale was 2nd. Fancy Single Dahlias. These were shown in collections of eighteen varieties, ten blooms of each. Messrs. Cheal & Sons were 1st; and Mr. Seale 2nd. Seedling Dahlias. These were shown somewhat numerously, but in a manner capable of great improvement, as they were placed upon a table in a confused manner, and it was very difficult to find those which had been certificated. This is another details of the show requiring the attention of the Executive. Show Dahlias. Several were staged, but decidedly the best was Viceroy, from Mr. G. Sr. Pierre Harris, Orpington, soft yellow, the basal petals edged with a slight rosy-lilac shade ; a flower of good build, florets and outline, and having a well formed high centre. This was awarded a First-class Certificate of Merit. Cactus Varieties were numerously shown, some very fine varieties coming from Messrs. J. Burrell & Co. ; two in particular were charac- terised by much distinctness of character, viz. , Rosine (F.C. 0.) a large full flower, the petals incurving to the centre, the colour a rich fiery rose, the tips of the petals soft rose with edgings of a delicate pink. This is a variety certain to be variously described, bnt there can be no difference of opinion as to it9 beauty and distinctness. The other is J. W. Wilkinson (F.C.C.), a flower of singular refinement, the colour crimson, flushed with , rosy-carmine, the centre of the flower having a slight dark shading. Gallaird (F.C. C.J, brilliant. scarlet, a flower of fine shape and refinement of character; Vesta (F.C.C.), a lovely variety [of the Delicata type, but a little deeper in tint and in the centre ; if this shows constancy of character, it will becorce a great favourite ; Lyric (F.C.C.), brilliant orange red, a fine Cactus type, but with a tendency to looseness in the centre ; Dinorah (F.C.C.), salmon-buff, the petals tipped with a paler tint, distinct in colour and very pleasing; and Artus (F.C.C.), a mixture of salmon and apricot, and flashed slightly with crimson. Other promising new varieties, als^ from Messrs. Burrell & Co., are Impe- rator, ruby-crimson ; Ignea, pale scarlet ; Grandee, and Persis. From Hobbie & Co. (J. Green), Dereham, came Baden- Powell (F.C.C.), as described in our report of the Welling- borough show. From Mr. J. Stredwick, St. Leonards, came J. Weir Fife (F.C. C). rose flushed with purple at the points, and may be described as a glorified Cinderella ; Lord Roberts (F.C.C.), cream with yellow centre, a highly refined variety, and quite distinct ; Richard Dean, brilliant deep red ; General French, orange apricot, the centre florets rather flat, but a bright, talcing variety ; Eclipse, pale yellow, &c. From Mr. S. Mortimer came Purity (F.C.C.), a very promising white variety, which will become a real acquisi- tion if it displays constancy of character. Many other new Cactus varieties were submitted for notice. Pompon Dahlias continue to increase, and of those staged on this occasion, the most noticeable were Buttercup (F.C.C.), pale yellow, but scarcely perfect in point of shape, and Doris (F.C.C.), pale lilac-pink ; these were from Mr. M. V. Seale, Sevenoaks. From Mr. J. T. West, Brentwood, came Daisy (F.C.C.), a well-shaped variety, ■ of a buff and apricot shade; Adelaide (F.C.C.), delicate lilac, with a slight purple tip— a well-formed flower ; and Darkest of All (F.C.C.), maroon, almost black— a model in point of petal and outline; also Zuiiine (F.C.C.), maroon, the basal petals distinctly edged with crimson, from Mr. C. Turner. Miscellaneous Exhibits. Messrs. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth, had fruit trees in pots; Messrs. J. Laing & Sons hardy plants, cut flowers, &c , forming two large exhibits ; Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons Cactus and other Dahlias in great variety ; Mr. J. Green, Dereham, a very large collection of Dahlias, mainly Cactus ; Messrs. F. Cant & Co., Roses; J. Peed & Sons, Begonias; and Messrs. A. W. Young & Co., cut flowers. 210 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 15, 1900. ROYAL CALEDONIAN HORTICTJL TUBAL. September 12, 13. — Undoubtedly this exhibition was one of the best the Society has held in late years. The Waverley Market was, as usual, the scene of the show. Grapes were exhibited in grand form, especially Black Ham- burgh's, Black.Alieante, Gros Coltnan, and Lady Downes'. The great classes respectively for six bunches and for four bunches of Grapes were strongly contested, and iu both cases ihe prizes went, in the order of merit, to Messrs. Lunt, Keir Gaidens, Stirling; D. & W. Buchanan, of Kippen; and Mr. Beisant, gr. at Castle Huntly. Messrs. D. & W. Buchanan exhibited grand bunches, not lor competition, of their new seedlings, Diamond Jubilee, and Forth Vineyard, as well as of Black Alicante. White Grapes were rather deficient in quality, Mr. Loot's however, excepted, which were so fine, as not only to secure ihe 1st prize in the ordinary classes, but also for the best flavoured white Grapes shown. The class for the best decorated table of fruit brought out only one competitor, Mr. Barnes, Elton Hall gardens, Chester, who also secured the 1st place for ten dishes of fruit ; Mr. Smith, gr., Oxcnford Castle, being 2nd ; and Mr. Murray, gr., Culzean Castle, 3rd. Peaches were extraordinarily good gene- rally. There were eighteen dishes of twelve fruits of these shown; Mr. Leyden was 1st, and Mr. Barnes, gr., Eaton Hall, 2nd. Nectarines were equally abundant, but the fruits were com- paratively less fine, Mr. Smith had the finest. There was an enormous quantity of hardy fruits, such as Apples, Pears, and Plums, and flowers were lavishly shown, though every- where complaints were rife of the unfavourable nature of the season. Boses were really wonderful for this date. Messrs. Dickson, Belfast ; Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen ; W. & R. Ferguson, and D. & W. Croll, were the chief prize- winners. Very striking were the best-arranged tables of hardy flowers (15 feet by 5 feet), Messrs. Cocker being 1st, and Messrs. Harkness, Bedale, 2nd. Dahlias, Sweet Peas, Gladioli, and Carnations, were also well shown. Miss Geddes, Murrayfield, with a nice arrangement of blue Cornflower, white Sweet Peas, and scarlet Geraniums, was 1st for the best dinner-table decorations. Plants were perhaps the least effective feature of the exhibition. Vegetables. were exhibited in enormous quantities. For a collection of twelve varieties, Mr. Gibson, Danesfield, Bucks, was placed 1st with a grand lot. Non-ccmpetitive groups were one of the great features of the Show, and it is impossible to do more than name a few of the chief of these, of which one of the most striking was a collection of superb vegetables with flowers lepresenting their strains, from Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading. Dahlias, Roses, &c, from Dobbie & Co., Rothesay; a grand collec- tion of cut Phloxes, Pentstemons, and Carnations, from Mr. Forhes, Hawick. Herbaceous flowers were shown from Mr. M. Cuthbertson, Rothesay; Lister, Rothesay; Cocker & Co., Aberdeen; Campbell, Blantyre ; Harkness & Sons, Bedale ; Lilies from Wallace &, Co., Colchester; Chrysanthemums from Wells, Keihill; Groups of Plants from Methven & Sons, John Downie, and Messrs. Cunninghame, Fraser & Co., County Bulk. Weather grand and attendance very large. MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES. Wargrave Gardeners.— At the monthly meeting held on the 5th inst., a paper on " Sweet Peas " was read by Mr. Baeeley, of the Twyford nurseries. The Cupid varieties were recommended as pot -plants. The old - fashioned perennial Sweet Pea was not forgotten, and its use advocated for those situations where the annual variety will not thrive. The paper closed with a list of some of the best self-coloured varieties. Some fine exhibits were staged by members, and Messrs. Finch, Haskett, and Scott were awarded Certificates of Meril. II. C. The Brixton, Streatham, and Clapham Horticul- tural.—Mr. W. Roupell, of Harvey Lodge, Roupell Park, S. W. , kindly infoims us that in consequence of the changes that aie taking place in the suburbs of South London this Society has decided to alter and extend its radius to two and half miles from Streatham Hill Station. The autumn show will be held on November 7 and S, at the Hall near Streatham Station. British Horticulturists at the Inter- national Exhibition, Paris.— Among those of our countrymen who have taken Prizes and Medals, we learn from the list published in the Anglo- Saxon Guide to the Exhibition at Paris that the firm of Chivers & Sons, Histon, Cambs, was awarded a Silver Medal for fruit jellies ; Messrs. Merry weather & Sons, 63, Long Acre, W.C., makers of pumps, syringes, &c, a Grand Prize ; Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, a Silver Medal ; and Messrs. Sutton & Sons, ReadiDg, a Bronze Medal. The Devastation in Texas. — Following the track of this disastrous hurricane, the fruit crops have been destroyed — what but the other day looked so full of promise is now a wreck. Sugar plantations are also extinguished, and many refineries utterly destroyed — a loss of millions of dollars. As affecting one of our own great home industries, the destruction of a large extent of cotton crop still further darkens the outlook for Lancashire mill proprietors and operatives. ©bttuary. LOUIS Menand.— We learn with regret of the death of this pioneer florist, etc., at Albany, N. Y., on August 15. The deceased gentlemarj, who was in his ninety-third year, landed in New York in 1837, and removed to Albany in 1840. His was a remarkable personality. The Menand collection of Orchids and little heard-of hard-wooded plants was a remarkable one. QmWm Mr Calceolarias and Asters : Troubled. Calceo- larias of the sub-shrubby kinds employed in the flower-garden are liable to sudden collapse, which is one of the reasons that gardeners have discarded them in favour of yellow Viola3, Tagetes, Calendulas, Celosias, dwarf Dahlias, Gazanias, &c, which have not this disability. A variety of Calceolaria not so liable as some others to go off so disappointingly, is amplexi- caulis, flowers yellow, of a light tint. The Asters may have "gone off'' from an attack of the special Aster-worm, or of fungus. You should send a few specimens for our inspection. NAMES OF Fruits: We are most desirous to oblige our correspondents as Jar as we can, but we must request that they will observe the rule that not more than six varieties be sent at any one time. The specimens must be good ones ; if two of each variety are sent, identification will, be easier. They should be ju>t approaching ripeness, and they should be properly numbered, and carefully packed. A leaf or shoot of each variety is Iielpful, and in the case of Plume, absolutely essential. In all cases it is necessary to know the district from which the fruits are lent. We do not undertake, to send answers through the pott, or to return fruits. Fruits and plants must not be sent in the same box. Delay in any case is unavoidable. — J. B. S. The Apple resembles White Astrtohm, but we should have liked to have seen another sample with foliage. — G. B., Hants. 1, Grena- dier ; I, Bedfordshire Foundling ; 3, a small example of Castle Major ; 4. Golden Spire ; 5, Alfriston; 6, Colville Rouge d'Ete.— S. S. J., Grajton. 1, Domino ; 2, Greening's Pippin ; 3 and 4, Lord Suffield ; 5, Damelow's Seedling ; 6, Lord Derby. — A. L., Surrey. The Pear is Seckle, but the fruits are very Bmall, and not in character ; due, no doubt, as you say, to the tree being old and decayed. — A. T. 1, Lawson's Golden ; 2, Denniston's Superb ; 3, Transparent Gage ; 4, Coe's Golden Drop ; 5, Washington ; 6, Sultan — Edgar, Leicester. 1, Potts' Seed- ling ; 2, Grenadier ; 3, Lemon Pippin ; 4, Dame- low's Seedling ; 5, Duchess of Oldenburgh ; 6, Cockle's Pippin. — W. D., Bucks. The Plum is Goliath, aud the Apple is Red Astrachan. — /. H. B., Middlesex. The Nonsuch. An old Apple occasionally seen in a few mar- kets. — F. R., Kent. 1, Hollow Core; 2, Whorle Pippin ; 3, Lane's Prince Albert ; 4, Colville Blanche d'Ete 5, Unknown, and in the state sent valueless ; 6, Apparently a small imperfect example of Manks Codlin. — C. A., Peterborough. Goliath, sometimes seen under the name Nectarine Plum, which is quite distinct. — G. D., Lincolnshire. 1, Duchess of Oldenburgh : 2, Scarlet Nonpariel. Names of Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number. — ■ G. Clarke. Nandina domestica. — William Lewis. 1, Sequoia semper- vireus ; 2, Solidago virgoaurea ; 3, Echinops sphierocephalus ; 4, Aster Tradescanti (too young). — A. Hope. Sedum Cepaja L. ; the other plant too fragmentary. — /. Denham. Sedum pulchellum. — Ed. Bland. Clematis Davidiana. — George Payne. Erigeron canadense, Salvia car duacea, Melilotus officinalis. — Young Gardener. 1, Erica stricta ; 2, Erica vagans ; 3, Dabcecia polifolia ; 4, Calluna vulgaris alba ; 5, Calluna vulgaris ; 0, ditto. — A. and Mc, Glasgoio. Ste- nolaphrum glabrum variegatum. Often ealled S. americanum. — N. M. 1, Saponaria officinalis flore pleno ; 2, Colutea arborescens ; 3, probably Crataegus, but impossible to determine without better material ; 4, Berberis Darwini. — H. G. Rudbeckia speciosa and H.-emanthus carneus. — A. L. J. The yellow Orchid is Odontoglossum Lindleyanum ; the white and purple one On- cidium incurvum ; the other, Miltonia Clowesi. Why did you not number the specimens ? We will reply about the insect next week. — Constant Header. 1, Peperomia argyreia ; 2, Cyrtodeira fulgida ; 3, Adiantum capillus veneris. — P. W. The Cattleya is a form of C. Intermedia ; the Cypripedium is a C. Rothschildianum cross, and near to C. x Massaianum, illustrated in the Gardeners Chronicle, 1893, xiv., p. 267. Nectarines from Open Wall : G. Carpenter. Very nice fruits, well ripened. Plums Denniston's Superb : B. L. C. Excellent in flavour and appearance. Qualifications of a Young Gardener wishing to Enter the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. G. B. He must have been employed in a good garden for some few years, possess a fair acquaintance with the art of gardening, write a good hand, and generally prove to the satis- faction of the authorities that he has enjoyed a fair education. He should also possess good testimonials from previous employers. On application to the Director, the applicant will be furnished with a full list of qualifications ; but as there are far more applicants than vacancies, " G. B." will have to exercise patience. Special Prize : J. R. We do not think that in the event of there being no competition the donor of a special prize should forfeit his money. The Nectarine Peach : A. Batewan, Brixworth Hall Gardens. Your Peach weighing 12 oz , was a very fine specimen, but we are unable to give an opinion upon its flavour as the frnit was quite " past" when it reached the Editor's table. The variety is one of the largest fruiting section, and generally it is not of the finest quality. White Grape : Charles Baker. The variety of Grape sent under the name of "Muscatelle" is known in British gardens as Raisin de Calabre and Calabrian Raisin. A late good keeping Grape of moderately good quality. It succeeds in a cool vinery such as your friend's, but it will stand a considerable amount of heat. Yellow China Rose &c. : /. D. Among the so- called Monthly Roses (section Rosa Indica), there are several which approach a yellow colour, viz., Madame Bureau, Madame Desprez, and Meillez. Rosa fimbriata is a synonym of R. tomentosa. Any grower of Roses in a large way would supply the Monthly Roses, and probably R. tomentosa also. Commukications Received — P. Weathers. — W. T., Ipswich. —J. H. B.— G. W. K— J. G. W— R. L. C— J. A.— G. A.— J. McL.— T. L. T.— E. Gower.— H. G. R.— A. Corps.— A. W. Wa5erer.— W. B. Hemsley.— F. W. B.— W. Smythe. H. Kempshall.— C. W. Dod.— C. H. W.— A. G.— J. W.— W. Mac P.— W. G— E. B.— P. K.— A. M.— T. Gregory.— Olemati.s-Scotica.— F. G.-C. T.— E. H. C— W. J. W.— J. S.— F. W.— F. H.— A. F. T.-J. J. F.— R. J. Lynch.— J. R. L. Specimens, Photographs, &c, Received with Thanks :— W. G. S.— W. E. G.^L F. Smith— J. OB.— J. Simpson— J. B.— A. D. W.-F. W. B.— W. F. Y.-J. McLelland— W. Fitzherbert. Continued Increase in the Circulation of the •> GARDENERS' CHRONICLE." IMPORTANT TO ADVERTISERS.— The Publisher has the satisfaction of announcing that the circulation of the " Gardeners' Chroniele " has, since the reduction in the price of the paper, SitT TREBLED. -»fl Advertisers are reminded that the " Chronicle" circulates among Country Gentlemen, and all Glasses of Gardeners and Garden-lovers at home, that it has a specially large Foreign and Colonial Circulation, and that it is preserved fur reference in all the principal Libraries. {For Markets and Weather t see p. x.) SuiKMBKn -22, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 217 THE No. 717.— SATURDAY, SEPT. 22, 1900. CONTENTS. American notes Anemone japoniea var. Mont Rose Aubergine, the Blackberries, hybrid ... Botany in relation to the garden Cannes, view in the gar- den of the Hotel du Pare at Carnation Mrs. T. W. Lawson Chemicals for horticul- tural purposes Convolvulus, the field ... Eremurus robustus in Scotland Ferns, cultivating, on biicks ... Floriculture, fostering ... Foul-weather plants . . . Ireland— Potato disease Kilruddery, notes on trees, &c, at Linum Cbamissonis Lychnis Corsica Nursery notes — Clibran, Win., & Son, Altrincham Oaks, physiological dif- ferences between the sessile and ptdunculate Opuntia myriacantha ... Orchid notes and glean- ings— La?lia Dayana and L. puniila ILLUSTRATIONS. Anemone japonica var. "Mont Rose" Eremurus robustus, growing in Miss Brand's garden at Dundee Oaks, sessile and pedunculate Platycodon grandiflorum semi-duplex View in the garden of the Hotel du Pare at Cannes (Supplement). Views in the Oldtteld Nurseries, Altrincham '_'2S Platvcodon graLdiflorum, Bemi-duplex 223 22;' Potato trials at Cbiswick, 231 the 231 231 Pteridium aquilioum ... 280 Rudbckia fulgida .,.>■> 217 Savoys, blinduess in ... 231 Selection .. 220 Sobralia Cattleva 231 22(> Societies — Boston Dablia 233 231 British Association ... Dahlia Show at Royal 227 227 Aquarium 233 230 Derby Agriculturaland Horticultural 234 228 Royal Caledonian Hor- ticultural 234 225 Scottish Horticultural 233 22G Stokesia cyan* a 231 232 Summers, a cla;siiication of sixty 231 222 Tsuga canadensis var. pendula 226 232 Turf on lawns, a substitute 223 for 231 223 Violets in pits, culture of 22.1 Weather in West Herts 227 Week's Work, the 220 Apiary, the 225 Flower garden, the ... 224 Fruits under glass ... 22ft 21 S Hardy fruit garden ... 224 220 Kitchen garden, the ... 224 Orchid-houses, the ... 224 Plauts under glass ... 225 Wengern Alp, Switzer- 22) land 217 229 228 219 223 WENGEEN ALP, SWITZERLAND. "IT ERE, up in the clouds with the giant peaks -*— *- of the Obeiland all around one, it is difficult in inid-Septeniber to say much as to the vegetation, for that is over for the year. It is easy to comment on the gardening of the •district — there is none. Flowers there are few, beyond a few belated Aconites (Lycoctonum and Napellus). Euphrasias (Eyebright) adorn the mountain-sides with their cheerful white flowers ; and they are of all sizes that a Euphrasia is capable of. Some botanists make I know not how many species of them, but here they grow, or many of them do, intermixed ; and it is hard to see that they can be anything more than seed variations. The little yellow- flowered species is an exception ; it is distinct •enough to attract attention at once. Gentiana germanica is abundant in the pastures. This is the plant originally noted as native by the late Rev. Harpur Crewe, who found it as we have since done in the Halton woods, near Tring. How it came to be over- look d as a British plant so long seems strange, as it when seen in quantities at least, very different from G. amarella. Bow high it goes I cannot say 1 cxn only say that I found it in full bloom on the top of the Lauberhorn, at a .height of over 8000 feet. Calluna vulgaris is abundant on the moors. Alchemilla alpina is not uncommon ; while the foliage of the common Ladies mantle is bejewelled with brilliant dew - drops. Patches of Linaria alpina attract by the brilliancy of their colour. It is useless to comment on the myriads of plants not now in bloom. One can only imagine what a mosaic they must present iti the spring. It is worth noting, however, that at the top of the Rothstock the rocks are absolutely barren but for little starvelings of Saxifraga oppositifolia, which barely manage to exist in the cracks of the hard rocks. At this season the forests aie most inter- resting, their varied tints of green are most lovely ; quaint fungi abound in them, in- cluding the " Stein-pilz," Boletus edulis, which forms excellent eating. On the western side of the ridge, between Lauterbrunnen and Wengern Alp, the forest consists almost entirely of Spruce, intermingled at the lower elevations with various deciduous trees ; but above Wengern the broad-leaved trees gradually vanish, the Alder (Alnus) holding out longest. As we ascend, even the Spruce gets smaller and more stunted, and whilst in the lower elevations seedlings and young plants are to be found in abundance, in the upper parts of the forests seedlings and young plants are very scarce, as if the climate was not propitious for the fertilisation of the ovules. At any rate, a little higher up the trees give up the struggle, and at the Scheidegg, at an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet, there are none to be found, unless in the form of blasted stumps. Not a Pinus cembra is to be found on this side of the ridga. Strange to say, however, one has hardly crossed it before the Cembras appear, ragged veterans truly, but there they are. Indeed, the slopes descending into the Grindelwald valley have the appear- ance of a warmer climate than that which prevails on the more barren Wengern side. Both slopes are more or less covered with Rhododendron ferrugineum and R. hirsutum growing in company, and not on different soils, as they sometimes do. Many of them bear great fleshy knobs, rose-red on the 'sunny side, of the size of Cherries, and like some dis- torted fruit. These gouty swellings are the result of the attack of a fungus (Exobasidium rhododendri), which, when growing on some other plant, assumes a totally different appear- ance. What creatures of circumstance we all are, not excepting our remote relatives, the Fungi ! The sublimity of the mountains, the excite- ment caused by the low thunder of the avalanches at frequent inteivals, the interest in gazing at a herd of chamois, all combine to distract one's thoughts from wild plants, especially at this season, so I must be excused for ending this letter by asking if any reader has seen of late the white form of Agi-ostemma coronaria, which we met with in a garden at Wengern lately ? Mixed with Gentiana ascle- piadea it forms an effective bouquet. The Rambler. BOTANY IN RELATION TO THE GARDEN. {Continued from p. 202.) II.— FIELD BOTANY. In carrying out a series of investigations in different parts of the country during the past summer, I have been greatly astounded at the ignorance which still prevails among us in the matter of field botany. This ignorance is not peculiar to any one class ; it is found everywhere. I go to the University city, and meet a Bachelor of Science fresh from the class- room and the exami- nation hall, aud he tells me he knows nothing of held botany. When I visit the botanical gardens of the city, the lecture theatre, the laboratory, and the museum, 1 find everything that is necessary for the student's equipment. Here is an acre of land set apart fur the cultivation of plants in beds, arranged according to the natural orders. Buttercups and Meadow-Rues are here, Poppies there, Primroses yonder, and Composite plants further off. The museum has a splendid collection of diagrams, wax models, preserved specimens, and every facility is afforded the student for mastering his subject. He can tell you all about pericarp and phloem, anthotaxis and the andraecium, dichogamy and dimorphism ; but he cannot dis- tinguish a Rockrose from a Buttercup, or say how the Buckbean stands related to the Gentian. He has analysed and dissected, has cut and stained sections, teased out tissues, and learned the most microscopic details, yet he cannot tell you how to identify a Crucifer, or what there is peculiar about the Scabious or Scrophularia. I visit the gardens of a neighbouring squire, and chat with the intelligent young man who Bhows me round. When we come to some fine pots of Cycla- mens I find he has no idea that the plants are closely related to the Primrose, Loosestrife, and Pim- pernel ; and discover that the two latter are even unknown to him, or exist for him only as names. We observe the Guelder Hose, but he has never seen it growing in the hedgerows with its fertile flowers in the centre, and does not understand the original use of the aborted florets, which give the cluster its ball like appearance. A fine Medlar is bearing fruit in the garden, but the gardener has: never seen it iu a state of nature, does not know that it bears thorns, and has never read its history. We look at the Carnations, Pinks, Picotees, Sweet Williams, but my guide has never heard that in our English flora there are at least half-a-dozen Pinks, and that the Campions, the Ragged Robin, the Soapwort, aud the Catchtlies, all belong to the same wonderful family. And when we go to the Orchid-house, he tells me that these rare and costly flowers came from abroad, and looks at me with in- credulity when I tell him I could show him where Orchids grow near his own door, whose flowers assume the shapes of bee and fly, spider and butterfly, and that there are nearly fifty species of Orchis in the British flora. I contend that this condition of things is greatly to be deplored, and ought to be remedied. I will confine myself to the consideration of the latter case — that of the intelligent gardener who knows nothing of English botany ; or if he knows any- thing at all, is familar only with the botany of books. Two things, I think, ought to be con- sidered. We must first enquire the cause, or causes, of this ignorance, and then the means of remedying the defect. Ignorance of field-botany — a subject of the highest interest and value to the gardener — is due to a variety of causes. In the first place, most young people are repelled by the long names and hard words which they encounter in opening a book on botany. Usually the terms are un- explained, the names are meaningless, and the words fail to grip the memory or the imagination. The would-be student, if he have attended no classes or lectures, does not know the meaning of stamen or pistil, calyx and corolla, style and ovary, and finds great difficulty in discovering which is which. If at last he succeeds, he is baffled with new terms, such as awn and pappus, capsule and carpel, perianth, and nectary, to say nothing of such words as corolliflora: and calyci florae, polypetake and gamopetaliE. These ugly terms certainly have their use, but they are the bugbear of the amateur botauist. A few years ago it was impossible to learn anything of botany without first mastering such words as these, and the tradition still lingers, to the great detriment of botanical science. In the next place, when botany is taught in 218 TEE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Set-teueer '22, 1900. schools it is seldom so taught as to make it inter- esting. The teacher is too often familiar only with his text-book, and keeps close to the printed page. He has no enthusiasm for his subject, or the code does not allow him to take his class into the fields and lanes to study Nature at first hand. In towns he has access to no flowers, gardens, or fields ; in the country these things are too common to possess any charm. We add a third cause. The spirit of the age is still sadly too commercial and utilitarian. The father laughs at the boy who fills his fists with Dandelions, and the girls who bring home their laps full of Daisies and Cowslips are thought to be unpractical. It is lamentable to think that many parents would rather see their boys smoke a bit of cane than study the nature of the Clematis from which it had been cut. Yet we know, from careful observation, that the great percentage of children are born naturalists, are quick and accurate ob- servers, and could easily be trained to become expert botanists, if only they were taken in hand in the right way. There are, again, various reasons why young people fail in the study of field botany, and after a time give up the pursuit in disgust. I have observed that one of the principal reasons is to be found in attempting too much. A gardener, for example, wants to learn all he can about the flowers in the fields and hedgerows around his home. He gets hold of a work on flowers, possibly a very indifferent book at best, and goes out to study. He sees a yellow flower, and has enough knowledge to recognise it as a Composite. But when he comes to trace it out he is bewildered among the Dandelions and Hawkweeds, Goats- beards and Hawkbits, and either fails to find the plant a name, or identifies it wrongly. He finds another plant, and thinking it is a Buttercup calls it the Creeping Crowfoot, when in all probability it is a Potentilla. Next he goes for the Willowherb, the Valerian, and the Hemp Agrimony. Misled by appearances he mixes Umbellifers with' Composites, Roses with Buttercups, Bogbeans with Lilies, EpilobeB with Crucifers, and becomes so bewildered and confused that he gives up in despair. It is as though a boy at school attempted to answer ques- tions in vulgar fractions, decimals, proportion, and even geometry and logarithms, on the strength of his having got as far as division and multiplication ! Now the student who has no guide or teacher must learn to go a step at a time. Umbellifers and Composites, Willowherbs and Potentillas, cannot be mastered in a day or a year by one who has all the work to do himself. He should begin with one order, or at most two, and be content to master them thoroughly ; if he would take a Violet, Primrose, Deadnettle, Lady's-Smock, or some other well-known flower, and work from the known to the unknowD, quietly and patiently seeking out every species he can find that belongs to the order, his knowledge would speedily grow from more to more. From Primrose he goes to Cowslip, then to Oxlip, or hybrid forms produced by the crossing of the two species ; and thus to Pimperel and Loosestrife, Cyclamen, and Water- Violet, Brookweed and Saltwort, till the whole of the native members of the Primrose order are familiar ; and he can understand why he has Primula and Polyanthus, Auricula and Oxlip, Cyclamen and Starflower, among his greenhouse or hardy plants. How great will be his pleasure, when he has mastered the common English forms, to find that the Chinese Primrose or the American Dodecatheon is in reality built upon the same plan and belongs to the same wonderful group ; and if, at the same time, he reads one of the many fascinating volumes which deal with the cross- fertilisation of plants, what a world of wonders will be opened to him. Another reason why many young gardeners fail in the study of botany is to be found in the fact that they cannot get rid of the old, false idea that botany means the knowledge of a number of hard and unpronounceable wordr. What is wanted is that students should recognise the prime importance of accurate and first-haud observation. A man may be ignorant of all the book names of every plant he sees, and yet be an adept in botanical lore. We have had few truer botanists than Darwin, yet with what child-like glee he writes to a friend to tell him how he has made out a common grass in his declining years. Let not the student be dismayed because he cannot roll off a string of unintelligible names : his business is to master facts. Once he becomes lost in the mystery and beauty of plant life he will find it comparatively easy to identify and remember the plants he is studying ; but if he begins at the other end his progress will probably be slow. Observations on the colours of flowers, their shapes, times of opening and closing, insect visitors, frequency or rarity, habitat and habits are always worth recording, and constitute the truest form of natural science. Notes should be freely made. Nothing should be taken for granted. Statements made by others in conversation or writing should be checked, and thus proved true or false. The effects of soil, manure, climate, animal and insect life, the proximity of dwellings, and cultivation, should all be made subject of careful observation, and the notes reviewed and revised as knowledge grows. It may be encouraging to some young gardeners who want to improve themselves, if I say that some of the most successful workers I have known have been practically self-taught, and twenty years ago it was not so easy as now. Darwin and Lubbock, Henslow and Grant Allen, Dr. Taylor and Hilderic Friend, have done much to popularise the study of flowers and flower-lore ; and to the freshness and charm of their style is largely due the Btimulus which has been given of recent years to the study of field botany. Field work and book work should go hand in hand. The Story of the Plants may be read during moments of leisure, and followed by such a book as Lubbock's British Wild Flowers in Relation to Insects. Henslow's Botany will pave the way for Hooker's larger work ; and Step's Plant Life, or Romance of Wild Flowers, alternate with studies in Taylor's or Grant Allen's various volumes, or Friend's Flowers and Flower Lore if it can be obtained. We promise the student who will give a year to this delightful pursuit, such success and enjoyment as will make him a more enthusiastic gardener and more devoted workmen ; and we are sure that if masters and head gardeners would put facilities in the way of those who wish to learn botany on these lines, they would reap a rich result. A Sussex Naturalist. (To be contimied.) MYCOEHIZAS OF ORCHIDS. The roots and underground organs of more than 700 species of Orchids have been examined, and all of this number are found to have formed unions with fungi in such a manner as to form mycorhizas. A mycorhiza consists of the structure resulting from the attachment of the fungus to the roots or absorbing organs of a higher plant in such manner that the association results in benefit to both. The tube-like threads of the fungus generally gain entrance to the roots while they are young, and grow forward, as the root extends in length, in the tissues just underneath the epidermis. Branches of the tubes or hyphse are sent out through the root-hairs into the soil, and the two plants work in partnership to accomplish nutrition. The fungus takes up the products of decaying leaves and organic matter in the soil, carries them into the root, yielding the greater portion to the higher plant, which may actually get all of its food from its minute associate. Some of this food, however, is built up into starch and sugar, which is given back to the fungus. The higher plant thus takes the crude material given it by the fungus, and makes it into substances which the fungus is unable to construct, but which form a very valuable food for it. In addition to this advantage to the fungus the root offers it a habitat in which it is free from many dangers it would encounter in the soil. The nicety of attention necessary to the suc- cessful culture of most Orchids is doubtless due to the fact that, not only must the proper conditions of water and temperature be offered the higher plant, but its unseen associate must be provided with exactly the proper soil and food. The fungi which inhabit the hanging roots of the epiphytic Orchids bear the same relation to them, though many inexperienced writers have described them as parasites. By the co-operation of the fungus the Orchid is relieved from the fierce struggle to win its food from the soil necessary to unaided species, and the great variations and marked characteristics of the leaves and flowers of this group may be due in part to its method of nutrition. Although not generally known, the variations of the underground organs are almost as great as those of the aerial parts. Thus the Coral-roots (Corallorhizas) have lost their roots entirely, and the underground coralloid formations which gives them their name, are really short branches serving the purpose of roots, and are inhabitated by a fungus. Some of the near relatives of the Coral-roots show a tendency to construct similar underground branches, espe- cially Aplectrum and Calypso. If one digs up a specimen of Aplectrum he wilt find an old corm of last year's growth connected by an offset an inch long with a young corm which sends up a leaf in the autumn. The fungus which lives in the roots of the old corm travels through this offset and down into the new roots formed) at its tip when it begins to enlarge to make the young corm. Now, if the growth of the offset should be disturbed, or if it should not be properly nourished from the old corm, it develops all of the latent buds along its sides into coralloid branches, with hairs through which the fungus sends tubes out into the soil and brings in a supply of material. The leaves which spring from offsets developed in this manner are much narrower than the ordinany forms. The clumps of Aplectrum which grow alongside a decaying log, or which have found a footing in the remainB of one, are very apt to make these coralloid formations, or they may be produced at the will of the experimenter, if old corms are separated from the plant and made to germinate the latent buds. Journal of the New York Botanical Garden. PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SESSILE AND PEDUNCULATE OAKS. During the recent visit of the English Arbori- cultural Society to Chatsworth, we found that pedunculate Oaks in the Peak are becoming stag- headed, but that there are many fine, vigorous sessile Oaks. This was specially noticed in the- Beechmore Woods above Rouseley, where all the pedunculate Oaks are dying, while the sessile ones are still flourishing. The soil in these woods is a fairly deep loam, above the mountain limestone, and the trees are growing on a hillside, with good, natural drainage. British botanists have hitherto considered both these Oaks as mere varieties of Quercus robur, L. Continental botanists and foresters, on the other hand, separate them specifically, as Quercus pedun- culata, Ehrh. and Q. sessiliflora, Sm., and are well acquainted with the different demands each of them- makes on water in the soil. This is why the dis- tinction between them is so important in forestry, as it is a fatal error, well illustrated by the con- dition of the Chatsworth Oaks, to plant pedun- culate Oaks on too dry a soil. The British view regarding these Oaks is largely due to the fact that natural hybrids between them are not uncommon, as is the case with Willows, and other wind-fertilised plants. Thus, according to the Gardeners' Chronicle of May 29, 1841, to* which Dr. Masters has kindly referred me, Dr. Ski-tembkr 22, 1900.] THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 219 tireville, when reporting lo tho Edinburgh Botanical Society, exhibited a number of specimens of Oaks, showiug that the peduncle varies from 5 inches in length to its complete absence. He also states that the botanical characters pass insensibly and completely into one another, and cannot therefore Their leaves, he says, have a darker hue and a more glossy appearance, the tree has nioro numerous boughs, which are sub-divided into a greater number of small branches, and diverge almost horizontally from the Btem ; those of the pedunculate Oak being few in number, slightly FlQ. 61.— PEDUNCULATE OAK FROM PAMPISFORD, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. Fig. 62. — sessile oak from the peak, Derbyshire. be relied upon in collecting acorns, or in supplying the dockyards with timber. In another paper, however, that appeared about the same time in the Gardeners' Chronicle, Mr. Billington states that sessile Oaks, termed Knot- Acorn Oaks in the Forest of Dean, produce there, and in the county of Durham, the hardest, closest, and firmest timber ; and that there is no difficulty in distinguishing them from pedunculate Oaks. ramified, and forming a decidedly acute angle with the stem. Mr. W. Atkinson, of Silvermere, a well-known architect and botanist, read a paper before the Horticultural Society, on January 15, 1833, in which he states that the timber of the sessile Oak has less silver grain than that of the pedunculate Oak, and is frequently mistaken for timber of Castanea vesca, as in the roof of Westminster Hall. He imagines, from finding much wood of this species in old buildings, that it was formerly the chief British Oak, and he recognised sessile Oak-wood in a submarine forest at Hastings, and in that of most bog oaks, thus proving the autiquity of the species. Mr. W. Stevenson, in his Trees of Commerce, states that sessile Oak is sometimes called Chest- nut Oak, the wood being mistaken for Chestnut. Another common name for this species is Durmast Oak. I remember finding a hybrid Oak at Burnham Beeches, when on a visit there with Prof. Marshall Ward, but I could not persuade him to accept the continental opinion regarding the specific differences between the two Oaks. These differences, however, are strongly marked, and, as I found to be the case in the Peak, no careful observer can possibly fail to recognise them. Botanists are too often guided by mere botanical specimens, without studying the general aspect of the tree as it grows, or its anatomy. In these respects the dissimilarity of the two Oaks is very marked, while acorns of either produce plants like the parent-tree, a fact that is constantly being acted on by French and German foresters, and which supports the assumption that they are distinct 6pecies. I will now proceed to describe the nature of the two Oaks. In the pedunculate Oak, the foliage is in tufts at the ends of the smaller branches, and there are com- paratively few branches and main boughs, the latter forming an acute angle with the stem, which, ex- cept in dense high woods, soon loses the tendency to form a strong leader. On a bright tummer day, therefore, the crown of the pedunculate Oak shades the ground only in patches. The leaves are sessile on the twigs, or nearly so, they are thus enabled to draw freely from the wood the water that is copiously supplied by the few large boughs and their ramifications. The leaves are comparatively soft and membranous ; thus they can transpire freely (fig. 61). I purposely omit for the present any reference to the position of the acorns. In the sessile Oak, there are more boughs than in the pedunculate ; they are smaller, more hori- zontal, and much more ramified than in the latter tree. The sessile Oak usually retains a strong hading shoot later in life than the pedunculate one, and this is extremely useful in its competition with Beech. The foliage is more uniformly distri- buted over the crown of the tree, and protects the soil against the desiccating effects of the sun's rays much better than that of the pedunculate Oak. The leaves of the sessile Oak are on petioles about an inch long (fig. 62), and consequently the supply of water they receive from the wood of the twigs is restricted in quantity, while, owing to the diffuse ramification, the latter obtaiu less water from the roots of the tree. The leaves are also of a darker green, and are hard and leathery ; they thus transpire less freely than those of the pedunculate Oak. It appears, therefore, that the sessile Oak is thoroughly adapted to economise the water its roots absorb ; while the pedunculate Oak necessarily uses larger quantities of water. Quercus pubescens is a variety of the Bessile Oak common in hot localities in the south-east of France, the under- surface of the leaves and the. buds of which are covered with a heavy tomentum, and thus protected still further against excessive transpiration. I will now discuss the position of the acorns in the two species. In the pedunculate Oak the acorns are situated near the apex of tapering peduncles ; that in vigorous trees, like the one shown in the plate, may be i or 5 inches long. In the sessile Oak, on the other hand, the acorns are either sessile on the twigs, or clustered together at the base of very short peduncles. It is well known that plenty of moisture favours a purely vegetative growth, while it is prejudicial to the formation of fruit. I could give many illustrations of the truth of this statement, but will merely remark here that Mr. Martin, agent at Chatsworth to the Duke of Devon- shire, informed me that acorns are rare on Oaks near Tavistock, where the climate is very damp. 220 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 22, 1900. Growing naturally where there is plenty of water in the soil, the pedunculate Oak produces acorns at the ends of long, tapering peduncles, which pro- trude beyond the foliage of the tree. They are thus prevented from receiving too plentiful a supply of water, while they can transpire freely in their exposed position, and do not thus retain too much water in their tissues. On the other hand, the sessile position of the acorns of the sessile Oak, and the fact that they are sheltered by the foliage, enable them to draw and retain sufficient water from the twigs, which are drier than those of the pedunculate Oak. The necessity for protecting the water supply to acorns is very clearly exhibited by the Turkey Oak,* Quercus Cerris, a tree that grows naturally in a hot, dry climate. The acorns of this Oak grow from carpels, that are formed a year before they develop into fruits, and remain inconspicuous until they are shaded by a fresh year's shoot with its foliage ; they then begin to swell into mature acorns. The acorns of the Turkey Oak are thus situated on two years' old wood and obtain suffi- cient water, while, when ripening, they are sheltered from excessive transpiration by the numerous bracts on their cups. From the above description of the two Oaks, it is evident that the pedunculate is naturally adapted to a very wet soil, while the sessile will thrive in comparatively dry situations, and this is always true of the two species. Lands subject to inundations along the rivers Rhine and Danube produce splendid pedunculate Oaks, which may also be seen growing to perfection in the French State Forest of S. Amand, near Valenciennes, in the valley of the river Scheldt. When growing naturally iu hilly or mountainous districts, the pedunculate Oak is confined to the banks of streams, or to the neighbourhood of wet places. Mere heavy rainfall, that is not retained by the soil, is not sufficient for the pedunculate Oak, as near Lake Vyrnwy in Wales, with about 60 inches of rainfall, or in hilly districts in the d^partement de l'Orne, in France, with nearly 40 inches, sessile Oak predominating in both localities. Sessile Oak thrives in the dry regions of the Spessart, in the Harz mountains, Norway, and on bills and plateaux in France. It also predominates over the pedunculate on the poor heather lands of North Germany. The sessile Oak may be seen to perfection in the forest of BellSme, in the north- west of France, at about 700 feet above sea-level. Hedgerows in the lower lands, near this forest contain numbers of pollard pedunculate Oaks, and no sessile Oaks. I recently measured a sessile Oak in the forest of Belleme that was 146 feet high, with 113 feet of bole, and a girth at chest height of 9 feet 10 inches. Its volume is about 500 cubic feet. There is so little natural Oak forest left in Britain that the distinctive preference of each species for certain localities has been obscured by plantations, chiefly made of pedunculate Oak. Seedsmen have usually supplied acorns under the ambiguous name Quercus Robur, which generally means pedunculate Oak, the acorns of which are most easily procur- able, from trees grown in the open ; hence the presence of this species in localities like the Peak, for which it is thoroughly unsuited. Naturally grown sessile Oaks are still to be found in the forest of Dean, in Wales, and in the high lands of the north of England and south of Scotland ; it is highly important that only this species should be planted on well-drained or hot hilly land. The pedunculate species should be confioed to places where the subsoil always contains abundant mois- ture. The fact that the sessile is more susceptible to frost than the pedunculate should also exclude the former from low, damp, and frosty situations, where the pedunculate Oak, sprouting later in the spring, may frequently be grown with impunity, provided that nurses are supplied for the young * This tree is too often planted ; its timber is worthless, and it is surpassed in beauty by several American Oaks, that yield useful timber. plants, and the stems of the older trees sheltered by Hornbeam underwood, as in Epping Forest. Both these Oiks prefer a deep, moist soil, con- taining a certain amount of cla.y, and the hardiest and most durable timber is produced by the pedunculate Oak on clay soils ; but Oaks will also attain large dimensions, though with a softer wood, on a sandy soil that is well supplied with water by capillarity. As a rule, where Oaks are grown, the water should be chiefly in the subsoil ; but the pedunculate Oak thrives on knds that may be flooded for several weeks annually, and the best Bosnian Oak timber is produced under these conditions. As regards the comparative quality of the timber produced by either Oak, it may be laid down as an axiom, "that the superior value of English Oak depends on its vigorous and rapid growth, which frequently exceeds that from the north of Europe by ten to one."* As a rule, this rapidly grown timber is taken from pedunculate Oak standards over coppice, growing on wet land. The sessile Oak is usually grown with Beech on hilly land, and its rate of growth is only moderate, or even slow, consequently, apart from any inherent difference in the structure of the wood of either species, sessile Oak-timber is usually softer and of less specific gravity than well grown pedunculate Oak-timber, although it is far superior to the latter when grown in unsuitable localities. It is also usually less durable than the latter, and is chiefly used for the internal fittings of buildings and rail- way-carriages, or for cabinet- making. W. R. Fislier. OPUNTIA MYRIACANTHA. Dr. A. Weber has sent me some further notes on this Cactus, a figure of which appeared in the Oard. Chron. for March 24, 1900. His remarks arose out of another communication of mine appear- ing in the Ganl. Chron., July 7, 1900, in which I reproduced James Douglas' account of a Cactus, in the Galapagos Islands, from 40 to 50 feet high. Dr. Weber suggests that Douglas' Cactus and Opuntia myriacantha are identical, and I think his reasons are convincing. In the first place, he says that I was wrong in describing the flowers of D. myria- cantha as small for the genus ; and on making further comparisons, I agree with him. He originally described the flowers as 2 inches in diameter, which is certainly not less than they are in several other species. He now informs me that O. myriacantha has flowered profusely this season at Villefranche, and fully- expanded flowers measured 7 centimetres (2| inches) in diameter. Douglas described his Cacius as having large, bright yellow flowers, and very long, flexible spines. Dr. Weber has sent me some petals and spines of O. myria- cantha, which answer this description very well ; and he goes on to say that their plant produced upwards of 100 flowers this year ; and as they grow in tufts, they are exceedingly effective. W. Bolting Hemsley. Orchid Notes and Gleanings. L.ELTA DAYANA. This species was considered by some persons to be merely a form of L. pumila, but now it is generally acknowledged to be a species. The flowers are of a bright purplish-rose colour, like those of L. pumila ; the anterior margin of the side lobes of the lip, and the front portion, are of a rich claret colour. The principal distinguishing feature consists in the raised purple lines running from the base of the lip to the front. Some good plants of L. Diyana are in flower in Mr. H. A. Tracy's nur- series, Amyand Park Road, Twickenham, where it is grown in a light, airy, intermediate-house. It was first found in Brazil by Mr. Boxall in 1876, when collecting for Messrs. Hugh Low & Co. * Quoted from Mr. Knight, President of the Horticultural Society, Gardener* Chronicle, February 5, 1S42. L.ELIA PUMILA. This species varies a good deal in the size and colour of its flowers ; and only in recent years was the best type to be found in any quantity in British gardens. Messrs. Stanley, Ashton & Co., of Southgate, were fortunate in discovering the habitat of the best large-flowered form a few years ago, since which time it has formed a showy object in their nurseries in late summer and autumn. The large, broad-petalled flowers vary in the intensity of their colours, and all are beautiful. The majority have sepals, petals, and tube of the lip of a bright purplish rose colour ; and the front and edges of the side lobes of a bright purplish- crimson. Considering the dwarf habit of the plant, the flowers are extraordinarily large and showy. At Southgate, the best results are obtained by planting it in hanging Orchid-pans, placed near the glass in an intermediate-house ; the house is freely ventilated, and afforded shade only when the sun is very bright. A number of species of Brazilian Oncidiums, Cattleya Loddigesii, C. bi- color, C. granulosa, &e, are also in flower at this nursery, these plants being special introductions of the firm. Nursery Notes. WM. CLIBRAN & SON, ALTRINCHAM. The increased hold that horticulture has ob- tained upon the sympathies of the people of this country during the last quarter of the closing century is strikingly illustrated by the extra- ordinary development that has taken place in some of the larger nurseries during the same period. The firm of W. Clibran & Son is a capital instance of very a large business which has been brought to- its present dimensions and importance by rapid progression. When we had the pleasure to visit the Oldfield Nurseries recently, we were informed that as late as the year 1872 this nursery consisted of a few acres of ground and one greenhouse only — now there are nearly 5 acres covered with glass ; there are more than 200 acres of out-of-door stock. The firm employs nearly 300 persons, and the yearly wage bill has been increased until it is 200 times more than in 1872. Having stayed in Manchester on the previous night, we were able to reach Altrincham station early in the morning by fast train, and at once commenced an inspection of the Oldfield and several smaller nur- series. There was so much to be seen, however, and the variety was so great, that we shall not- attempt to do more than reproduce a few notes then taken upon some of the more interest- ing and important features in this extensive establishment. Mr. Clibran being away from home at the time, we found an excellent guide in Mr. Thos. Lewis, to> whom much of the direction of the practical work in the nursery is entrusted. The Indoor Department. Having already mentioned the extent of glass- houses, it will be readily understood that they must contain an enormous number of plants. We first looked into a warm Btove, and found a con- siderable collection of Codifeums there, including some varieties which were originally distributed by this firm, such as A. Pettigrew, with leaves of moderate width, and deep yellow in colour ; Daviesii, a spreading variety, of handsome appear- ance, leaves 1J inches wide, petiole red, mid-rib white, and the surface of the leaf green, laced witb creamy-white ; Mrs. Clibran, a very charming, narrow-leaved variety, just suitable for the orna- mentation of the dinner-table, colour deep red and yellow ; Golden Chain, in some respects similar to Mrs. Clibran, but the graceful leaves are much longer, and there is less red colour in them ; and Mrs. Lewis, with golden-yellow coloured leaves* rather less narrow than those of Mrs. Clibran. In the same structure could be seen a grand lofc Srptlmbbb 22, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 221 Fig. G3. — view of rockery in the oldfield nurseries, altrinohaii. (see p. 222.) Fig. 64. — view in the begonia house at the oldfield nurseries, alteincham. (see p. 222.) 900 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [Sei'Tember 22, 1900^ of plants of that elegant decorative plant, Aralia Veitehi, and many other stove species with orna- mental foliage that we must not particularise, save the Cordylines. A large stock of these of the best varieties is grown, and there were noticed several unnamed seedlings of much merit. One of these had narrow, richly-coloured leaves, with rolled, but wavy margins, and much recurved points ; another was of a type quite different, beiDg freer in habit, and the narrow leaves were bronzy-green, with red-coloured margins. This would make an excellent "table " plant. It was evident from the contents of this and adjoiniog houses that the warmth -loving climberB and trailers are given considerable attention ; amongst a large stock of these were seen nice plants of Allamanda cathartica [grandillora], a pretty species, but not the easiest to cultivate success- fully ; Arauja (Schubertia) grandiflora, a plant that produces white, sweetly-scented flowers, and well worth cultivating ; Clerodendron splendens speciossimum, an orange scarlet-flowered evergreen trailer, that blooms during the whole year ; and a large number of Passifloras, &c. Next was noticed Pentas carnea, and a batch of Caladiums. In another house were some nice plants of Clethra arborea, and several of the finer Acacias, the stock plants of A. pubescens and other species now being of considerable size and 'age. Palms are culti- vated in large numbers for the supply of private gardens, &c. A house, 200 feet long, and 25 feet wide, was quite filled with tuberous-rooted Begonias in pots. There were many thousands of them, and an immense amount of seed might be taken from them. The flowers showed a capital strain, and we have the opportunity to give some idea of their appearance by reproducing a photograph taken of the interior of this house (see fig. 04, p. 221). There is a large stock of Ferns in several spacious houses, and a number of uncommonly fine plants of the handsome Adiantum tenerum Farleyense. In other houses; we much admired a capital strain of Celosia pyramidalis, with beautiful, feathery plumes of various shades of colour ; zonal Pelar- goniums, yellow and white -flowered Richardias, Bouvardiaa, Petunias, Eucharis, and Urceocharis Clibrani, a'l hybrid figured in the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1892, vol. xii., p. 292. All of these plants, excepting the hybrid, are cultivated in very large quantities, as also are Cockscombs. Special mention should be made of a new strain of Cocks- comb, with pink or light rose-coloured flowers ; they are distinct in shade from any we have noticed. Cupressus funebris in pots makes a charming table plant, being of graceful habit, and a particu- larly delicate shade of green colour. A house 220 feet loDg is used for forcing plants, bulbs, &c. , for sale at the business premises in Manchester. There were many pot Vines just completing their growth : and numbers of miscellaneous species of plants that we must pass without comment, and conclude our remarks upon the indoor department by a reference to the Roses in pots, which are raised each year in very considerable quantities. Most of them were just finishing growth for the present season in a house 200 feet long by 20 feet. About 1,500 plants are the stock raised this year, and most of them have grown to about 9 feet high, and are strong and sturdy. It is surprising that a few well-known varieties should be required in the numbers they are, and others of equal merit asked for but occasionally. Hardy Flowering Plants and Fruit-trees. Hardy herbaceous and other perennial flowering plants occupy a considerable space at Oldfield, the collection of such plants being very comprehensive. There were not very many in bloom, however, at the time of our visit, if we except the Dahlias, which were commencing to make a great show, and the Hollyhocks (Allegheny straiD), which were in capital condition. The somewhat difficult but admirable Tropa:olum specioisum was growing and flowering in the freest manner possible ; and the golden-leaved Hop made several pretty garlands amongst the beds. Our attention was called to a new variety of the dwarf Lobelia to be known as Mrs. Clibran. Its characteristics are an uncom- monly erect habit of growth and flowering, very large individual flowers, and its height is about five inches, and colour of the flowers purple. A variety of the double Arabis alpina named Snowdrift, is said to have more persistent flowers than the type, and a variety of Genista tinctorum known as elatior, which we were fortunate to see in bloom, is a great improvement upon the type, having stronger flower spikes and larger blossoms. The newer varieties of the shrubby Phloxes were well represented, and some of them were already in bloem. Upon the rockery (see fig. 63, p. 221) there are cultivated numbers of the choicest Alpine plants, but their beauty is offered to visitors in spring rather than in August. Most of the blossoms to be seen were those of Yucca filamentosa. The collection of Alpines, however, appeared to be rich in Campanula species, and Ramondia pyrenaica, R. p. alba, and other equally fine plants for culti- vation upon the rockery were noticed. Fruit-trees occupy something like fifty acres of land, and all kinds are cultivated. The majority of the trees are growing at Hale Nurseries, a short drive from Oldfield, and there we saw an excellent lot of trees of Apples, Pears, Plums, Peaches, Cherries, also batches of Raspberries, Strawberries, Gooseberries, and Currants. The trees are trained in all the common methods, and they are free-growing, clean-barked, healthy speci- mens, but rather short- jointed, owing to less quick growth than are fruit-trees cultivated in more southern counties. The Peaches appeared to us to be remarkably good, both the standards and dwarfs, and the stock was a large one. Cherries, too, had made a grand growth this season, and the one and two years old Apple and Pear-trees are all that could be desired. The Boil being a nice sandy loam, they make a large quantity of good, fibrous roots. Trees and Shrubs, &c. At the Hale and Cemetery Nurseries also there are thousands of trees and shrubs, including the choicer species of Conifers, such as Cedrus atlantica glauca, Retinosporas, Junipers, Thuia9, Cupressus Nutkatnsis and other species, Abies pungens glauca, &c. ; but there is another collection of Conifers, consisting chiefly of the larger-growing species, at the Stamford Nursery, which is near to Bowdon, in Cheshire, and is eight or ten acres in extent. The soil there is also sandy loam resting upon the red sandstone formation, and Conifers succeed in it capitally. At the same place there is a number of glass- houses containing market varieties of Fern3, and a quantity of plants of the fragrant Luculia gratis- sima. Reverting for a moment to the trees and shrubs in the nurseries in and about Altrincham, the Hollies which flourish grandly deserve special mention, and are of many diverse varieties, differing in leaf from the largest smooth-leaved form, to that of the very formidable - looking hedgehog variety ; there are capital pyramids and bushes in stock. It is a question whether gardeners make all the use they might do of the Holly as a decorative plant upon lawns. It has no chance to be effective if planted in the ordinary "very mixed "shrub- bery, where the outlines of any particular species can seldom be discerned ; but if a nicely-trained pyramid is planted in the grass as a specimen, and in a position where it may grow evenly all round, the Holly may still hold its own amongst the increased number of ornamental shrubs that in these days are at the planter's disposal. The golden-leaved Catalpa (C. biguonioides aurea) is very effective in any landscape, and it was in these nurseries. Messrs. Clibran have a grand lot of Larches, especially the Japanese species, Larix leptolepis, sometimes known as L. japonica, and which possesses a graceful, spreading habit and drooping branchlets.'and^in colour is of a pleasing light shade of green. Plants 5 feet high, and of considerable breadth, had a very charmiDg effect. At a place called Carrington, the stock consists chiefly of Rhododendrons, and altogether there are about 25 acres of these showy hardy shrubs, in which an endeavour is made to include all the best varieties obtainable. Golden-leaved Elders, Willows, and Privet, too, are largely cultivated there. At Llandudno the firm has a nursery, where Tea Roses are found to grow especially well, and an extensive and up-to-date collection is maintained there. In addition to the Roses, there are many species of hardy plants that are naturally more or less of maritime habitats, and are grown at present at Llandudno, where they succeed best. At Bangor, in the High Street, the firm has a branch where a considerable trade is done in all details of a seed and nurBery business. The seed trial - grounds are at Urmston, a suburb of Manchester, this being the ground where all the firm's agricultural and horticultural seeds are carefully tested. The agricultural seeds are stored, and orders are executed from 85, Water Street, Manchester ; and at 10, Market Street, the garden seed and bulb trade is conducted. Number 12, Market Street is entirely devoted to a florists' business, and in the city of Manchester there is considerable business of this nature to be done, so that at Cromfield Court a staff of male and female florists is always engaged in making up flowers. The growth of Messrs. Clibran's business re- sponsibilities has indeed been unusually rapid. RTJDBECKIA FULGIDA. From the flowers which I have seen of this, itlooks as if it would be one of the beat of the Rudbeckias for late bloom, although it has not the neat habit of R. specio9a ; still, it is one of the best of our autumn Composites. It differs considerably from R. speciosa, not only in its foliage, but also in the shade of yellow of its flowers, and in its broader and shorter ray-petals. It is more orange-yellow than speciosa, and if the two are placed together, it will befoundthat R. fulgidais the more effective, though smaller flower, and perhaps less elegant id the form of its rays. Both have the centre of that deep, almost black, colour, which gives such a character to the flower. Nominally, R. fulgida ought to flower in October and November, but it anticipates that time considerably in some gardens, as might be seen by the flowers shown by Mr. Porter, Lord Ashtown's gardener, at the Dublin Show on August 28. It is one of the flowers which is likely to be wanted in the future, wherever plants growing from 3 to 4 feet high can be used with advantage. It varies in stature in its native habitats in the United States from 1 to 3 feet, and it is not unlikely that dwarfer forms will appear in gardens, either from seed or as the result of a dry soil, such as it seems to prefer at home. S. Arnott, Dumfries. Ireland. POTATO DISEASE. We may safely assume that the Potato crop will be an unquestionable failure ; the rampant spread of the disease has been considerable, and fears of a repetition of the failure of 1847 may be realised without engaging in horoscope casting, but wishing that the worst may be averted. The question of spraying as a preventive is scarcely entertained, the air of doubt regarding its efficacy hangs like a cloud over our cultivators, and the attitude of; indifference assumed by them cannot be entirely blamed, as they have been misled by the use of the Bordeaux Mixtures as supplied by the- trade under the appellation of "Blight Powders," which have since been proved to be worthless {vide Mr. Moss, F.L.C., pamphlet on Copper Preparations for Spraying Potatos, p. 117^ September 22, 1900.] THE GAEDENEES1 CHRONICLE, 223 the chief objection being its non-efficacy, owing its poor power of adhesiveness to the foliage, so that a heavy raiDfall will wash it oil"; whilst the art of spraying, namely, whether the underpart or top of the foliage should be sprayed [both. Ei>.], either together or separately, is undetermined. Possibly the burning of the haulm is worth consideration as a preventive. Instead of the Board of Agriculture issuing reports on these preventives (based on the advice of the Botanical Department), they would experiment in different localities, somewhat similar to the efforts of Dr. Halstedt in America in dealing extensive scale on their land in Kent, with excel- lent results. See Gardeners' Chronicle, p. 1.3s, August 6, 1892 ; also " Irish Experiments," in issue for December 17, same year. En.] Cultural Memoranda. BOUGAINVILLEAS. During the autumn attention should be paid to the thorough ripening of the shoots. This process is best brought about by withholding water gradu- FlG. 65. — rLATYCODON GRANDIFLORUM, SEMI-DUPLEX. with the Lettuce disease (vide a current number of American Gardening), by placing soil where in- : ected tubers were known to be ; then get land yet unbroken — to use a more popular term, unculti- vated— and place a portion of the soil, containing morbid conditions, on different patches, and induce, as far as possible, the development of the disease, and report results ; also spraying in every conceiv- able manner, and grow the so-called disease- resisting varieties. Let the failures and successes be equally reported, and the possibility of effectu- ally controlling the disease may then come within the sphere of practical conception. A. 0'AT. [Spray- ing diseased and healthy Potato haulm was tried by Messrs. J. Carter & Co., of,High Holborn, on an ally from the soil and affording air freely. Just enough water should be afforded as will keep the foliage and bark from shrivelling ; and the whole ball of soil should not be wetted, or the plant will recommence to grow, which is most undesirable. H. T. M. The Culture or Violets in Pits. It is good practice to thoroughly clean the pits and frames to be used for this purpose, and to put into them about 6 inches of sweet soil, and well- decayed manure. This should be brought up to within a few inches of the glass by previously placing in the pits a quantity of tree-leaves and stable-litter, which is made very firm by treading. Much bottom-heat should be avoided, but a little artificial warmth is helpful, though not essential to the plants. If cold frames are employed, I place them in a full south position, and the back of the frame is raised to allow all the sunlight possible to shine on the glass. Before removing the plants, I take care that the soil about the roots is thoroughly moistened ; they are then lifted care- fully with a spide, and put side by side upon a hand-barrow, and immediately removed for plant- ing. The plants are given as much room in the frame as it is thought they will require, and when all are planted, water is afforded, the lights are put on, and a moderate amount of shade applied for a few days. The glass is then removed alto- gether, except it be unusually wet weather, or the nights are very cold. H. Marhham, Wrotham, Park Gardens. PLATYCODON GRANDIFLORUM SEMI-DUPLEX. This pretty semi-double flowered variety of the Chinese Bell flower was shown by Mr. Bain, gardener to Sir Trevor Lawrence, Birt. , at the Royal Horticultural Society's Meeting, held at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on August 2S of the present year. The flowers, of deep blue tint, are 3 inches in diameter ; the anthers and stigma white, and the leaves as in the type. The plant was honoured with a First-class Certificate on this occasion. Platycodon grandiflorum has, in some places on the continent, been taken up as a market plant, but not, we believe, with marked success, its culture entailing some difficulties, and these would also be likely to beset the cultivation of its partly double -flowered variety. Plant Notes. LYCHNIS CORSICA. During the last two summers beds of this beautiful pink Lychnis have been the most admired objects in the interesting gardens of Joseph Broome, Esq., Sunny Hill, Llandudno, and all who saw the plants pronounced them to be new to them. It appeared in Mr. Broome's garden among other annuals, and being very pretty and different to anything which had ever been grown in the garden before, the seeds were saved, and the result is that this year several beds were planted with seedlings derived from the original stock. The plant grows from 2 to 3 feet high, the wiry branch- ing stems are densely set with flowers somewhat resembling some of the alpine Pinks. The colour is pale pink at first, changing to bright pink, and when passing off they assume a reddish hue. The profusion of the flowers, their constant succes- sion, and their varying tints, serve to add to the attractions of the plant. But little appears to be known of it in gardens, and not until he had sub- mitted it to the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, could it be determined. It is said to be identical with Lychnis Loiseleuri. /. O'B. Linum Chamissonis. This charming little plant, with yellow flowers and bright scarlet-hued buds, comes from the same region in South America as Lathyrus magellanicus, and bike that plant is not hardy in my garden. It, however, ripens seed and comes readily from cuttings, so there is no difficulty in keeping it. In the cold clay soil here it remains quite dwarf. Doubtless in the south it would make a much larger plant, A. K. Bulley, Neston, Cheshire, The Annual Dinner of the members and friends of the United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society, writes Mr. Collins (Secretary), will take place at the Holborn Restaurant, on Wednesday, October 10, at 6 30 p.m. The chair will be taken by Mr. George Monro, We trust there will be a good company present. 224 THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. [September 22, 1900. The Week's Work. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Ohap&ian, Gardener to Captain Holfobd, Westonbht, Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Soutine-work. — Tbe weather of the present month ■has retarded the growth andestablishment off reshly- .planted Cabbages, Kales, &c, for unless water can be afforded copiously, they will not have made much progress before cold weather sets in. Better afford one or two copious applications of water each week than driblets daily. The hoe should be used fre- quently between the rows of Cabbages, Turnips, and autumn-sown Onions. Soot sprinkled along the rows of the latter, and moderate applications of some approved fertiliser, will assist the plants. Water should still be afforded Runner and French Beans in dry weather. Spinach — The earliest sowings should be par- tially thinned, the final thinniDg being performed in about a fortnight later, when the plants should be left at about 10 inches apart ; but if the position is exposed, the space may be less. It is prudent to thin twice, wireworms and slugs sometimes com- mitting serious ravages among the Spinach -plants. As a deterrent to these visitants, apply dressings of fresh soot and lime. Successional sowings of Spinach seed having been made by this time, the soot and lime dressings may be occasionally applied to these also. Celery. — Until the end of the present month, the plants intended for use late in October should be moulded up for the last time, if the plants are sufficiently advanced, otherwise the operation 3hould be deferred, as the close contact of the soil somewhat arrests growth. Before the last moulding is begun, apply water or liquid-manure liberally, the latter by preference. When affording ■either, it is very important that the soil should be 'saturated so that the water reaches the bottom of the trench. Tomatos. — Those plants which are growing in the open air should be relieved of all fruits that are partly ripe, placing them on a dry shelf in a vinery till they become fit for use. All surplus and lateral shoots should be removed from the plants. Where provision has been made for a crop of fruit to be ready for use in the autumn, have them placed under glass, and afford them a degree of warmth not less than 60° at night. For the next few •weeks the air of the structure should be kept in a genial buoyant state day and night, rather dry than moist, and air admitted whenever the days are favourable. The amount of water afforded should be enough and no more. The pots may be afforded a mulch of stable-dung or bone-meal. Endive. — The first sowings should now be trans- planted to a warm border facing south. The bed having been manured and dug deeply, should the weather be mild for the next month, Endive will soon form hearts, and when of full size they may be blanched in various methods where they are standing. Although the round-leaved Batavian Endive is the hardiest of them all, frame protection should be afforded the winter supply, or much loss will occur among those that are tied up for blanch- ing; plants under a south wall, if allowed to remain green, will stand much frost without injury. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Yodno, Orchid Grower to Sir Frederkk Wioan, Bart., Glare Lawn, East Sheen, S.W. DendrobiumPhalanopsisSchroderianumandothers. — In most gardens this superb Dendrobium having ■ceased to grow, will now be in flower, and until the flowers have passed, a certain amount of moisture will need to be afforded at the roots of the plants. To preserve the blossoms from spotting, keep the atmosphere of the house moderately dry, and do but little damping down. In proportion as the plants pass out of bloom, so decrease the quantity of water afforded them, and by mid-winter, when the bulbs have thoroughly matured they will not require any. During the dull season the plants will need all the light and heat that the warmest house affords. Always examine any plants freshly im- ported for traces of the much- dreaded beetle that sometimes infests them, and i f any plants are found to be affected with it burn them at once. D. bigibbum, D. Statterianum, D. Leeanum, D. Gouldianum, and others of this section, require treatment similar to that described above. D. formosum now com- mencing to flower will require very little water to keep the pseudo-bulbs in a sound condition. Sus- pend this plant when in bloom in a moderately dry sunny atmosphere. D. albo-sangnineum having been cultivated during the summer in a shady part of the stove should now be removed to full sunshine, and less water need be given the roots now that the pseudo-bulbs have attained their full size. D. spectabile also will need little water, but as the dower-spikes are now showiDg, the plants should not be kept dry. D. atroviolaceum has finished growth, and should be removed to a lighter situation in the warm-house, where it needs to be afforded sufficient water only to keep the pseudo-bulbs firm. Lcelia monophylla. — This pretty scarlet-flowered species deserves more general cultivation. Being a native of Jamaica, it succeeds best here in the inter- mediate-house. The plants should be cultivated in shallow, well - drained pans, and suspended in a shady portion of the house. Growth has now nearly finished, and the plants will need but little water. If there be much material around the roots, and it be kept very damp, decay is liable to occur. Some Epidendrums. — E. vitellinum has completed its leaves and pseudo-bulbs, but the roots will be active for some time. Do not apply large quantities of water to the plants unless it can get away rapidly ; neither keep them in a close atmosphere, but near to the glass in a cool-house. E. macro- chilum, now developing its growths, requires a light position in a Cattleya-house. and the rooting mate- rial to be kept just moist. E. Wallisii, E. Endresii, and the hybrid from these two species, thrive at the cooler end of the Cattleya-house. Keep them moderately moist, and free from insects. E. nemo- rale and E. prismatoearpum require a light, dry position in the Cattleya-house. Do not let any water lodge in the growths of either of these species. Barkerias, or, as they are now called, Epidendrums, are developing their flower - spikes. They require much light and air, and a moderate quantity of water until the leaves fall away, when none whatever should be afforded before growth commences the following season. E (NanodeB) Medusiaj requires moisture at its base all the year through, and as it grows along with the Masde- vallias, the moist atmosphere prevents it becoming frequently dry. The Temperatures of the various departments should now be permitted to decline. The cool- houses may still be chiefly supported by natural warmth, but the warmer ones will of necessity need more fire-heat. It is necessary to warn culti- vators repeatedly against using more fire-heat than necessary at this season of the year, when plant- life is approaching a period of rest. Employ just sufficient to support the temperatures required, and no more, a low temperature that can be easily raised being preferable to a high one that has to be diminished early in the day. THE HARDT FRUIT GARDEN. By A. Ward, Gardener to F. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, New Barnet. The Apricot. — The crops having been gathered from the trees in nearly all parts of England, the opportunity is favourable for effecting the pruning of the fruit-spurs, or those that will form fruit- spurs, thinning the branches and young shoots. Although the giving of advice on such matters may appear unseasonable to many, it is not so in reality, as owing to the tree being in active growth, wounds heal quickly ; and gumming, which nearly always follows hard-pruning in winter, is avoided. I would therefore advise that aged yet healthy trees, on which the spurs project far from the face of the wall, be forthwith thinned out. In some gardens these spurs are veiy long, and carry fruits of only medium quality. Quite half of their number may be removed. Those which are retained can be dealt with in the course of the next two years. It is not advisable to cutback aged spurs close to the branches, but to leave a stump of about an inch in length, from which buds will push the following spring ; and even if they should not, some dormant buds are generally existent on the main branches, which seldom fail to break after the spurs are shortened back. If required, these can be utilised for forming new spurs. When it is seen that the cut-back spurs refuse to break, prune them away. By following this method I have clothed old trees afresh with new spurs in about three years, and at the present time am engaged in treating some here in the manner described. In dealing with trees overerowded with branches, the thinning should be spread over at the least two years. In the first year the most exhausted branches should be removed ; or if there are not many of these, remove branches where there is the most crowding. Where more shoots were laid in during the summer than there is now space for, these should be reduced in number. Top-dressing the roots with a rich compost is a great assistance to trees that have to be severely dealt with in the manner indicated, for which instructions were given in the Calendar for September 15. THE FLOWER GARDEN. By J. Benbow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilchester, Abbotsbnry Castle. Dorsetshire. Hedges of Privet, Thorn, Ilex, Euonymus, and Fuchsias should now be neatly trimmed. In the warmer parts along the south coast Fuchsia Riccar- toni, if grown as a bush or as a hedge-plant, will flower well into the winter if this year's growth be now cut back to two or three buds, the plants growing again and flowering readily. Matured shoots will also strike freely if placed in sandy soil in rows in the open ground at 15 inches apart. Cuttings taken with a heel are the best. Plant them in little trenches made with a spade, burying them to the depth of 0 inches, and making the soil firm about them. A mulch of leaf mould may be put on the ground before cold weather sets in. The Lawn. — The lawn, now that worms come freely to the surface, should be frequently swept when dry, and the roller applied before any mowing is done. Cotyledon (Echeveria) secunda glauca. — If a quantity of these neat edging plants will be required for planting next season, preparations had better be made at once for wintering them. A pit or frame that can be made proof against frost will afford them sufficient protection. They should not be planted in very rich soil at this season. Put a good layer of $-inch coal-ashes at the bottom, and upon this may be placed a compost of finely-sifted leaf-mould two parts, coarse grit one part, and a little soot. The plants will need an abundance of fresh air, and this may be afforded them by tilting or removing the lights during bright weather. If this be not done, damping will be sure to occur. When taking up Echeverias, it is best to divide the plants and offsets into three grades. First the parent plants ; second, the larger suckers ; and third, the smaller ones. Remove all the dead leaves and other refuse from the plants, and cut off the ragged ends of suckers squarely, but keep some of the roots where possible. Any plants that have been injured by grubs should be burned. The older plants sometimes require shortening back severely, which is a great help. In making up the soil in the frames, let the surface slope from north to south, so that the plants may get all the sun- light possible. It will prevent also water from standing long upon the plants, and this is very necessary. Plant them closely in straight rows, and apply water thoroughly afterwards, which should be sufficient for them until the new year. Hardy Dwarf Edging Plants, such as Sedums, Saxifragas, Arenarias, Cerastiums, Ajuga reptans, and others, may now be divided and planted out in spare borders where the soil is somewhat light, raising the soil a little above the general level. Choose for planting small, compact tufts which have some healthy roots. Plant them rather thickly in rows. Gladiolus that were planted out early may now be lifted. The older corms should have some of the soil removed from them, and each sort should be kept true to name by means of labels. If the corms be placed upon a layer of powdered charcoal in trays, and kept upon shelves in an airy apartment, they will not be likely to suffer. The young brood should be kept for further cultivation. Propagating. — Secure cuttings of such useful but tender climbing plants as Cobasa scandens, Trop«olum Lobbianum, Maurandya Barclayana, &c. Take short, stocky cuttings, and insert them in pots in rich sandy soil, and place in a warm pro- pagating-house ; pot them off immediately they have become strongly rooted, and when well established, place them in a position where they will receive much sunlight. Examine Pelargonium-cuttings, and remove decayed leaves from them. Prepare sufficient space indoors in readiness to receive these cuttings, so that they may be housed expeditiously. SiTTKMllKH --, 1900.] THE GARDENERS1 CHRONICLE. 225 FRUITS UNDEB GLASS. By J. Robehts, Gardener to tie Duke of Portland, Welbeck Al bey, Worksop. The Melon. — The weather has been favourable to the growth of Melons recently planted out. As soon as the blossoms begin to appear on the plants generally, the ventilation may be slightly increased, and a little more heat afforded till fertilisation has taken place in a sufficient number of the flowers. Let the growths be stopped and tbiuned, so as to force the sap to the young fruits, and when a sufficient number of the latter is set, remove the remainder, after selecting four of the likeliest fruits on each plant. This stage being reached, a more liberal treatment should be afforded, syringing the plants on tine sunny mornings, closing the house or pit early in the afternoon, with a syrioging of the foliage if the day has been sunny throughout, and letting the temperature rise to 90° witn sun-heat. It should sink to 70°, but not lower, by 8 p.m. In syringing and affording water, let no water touch the stems in quantity. Where the fruit on Melon-plants grown in frames is fast developing, the air of the frames must not be rendered very moist, water being afforded only on bright mornings, and not in the afternoon. Attention should be paid to stopping and removing redundant growths at short intervals of time, and to elevating the fruits, so that the sun shines on them. Where the bottom-heat of the bed is not less than 65°, no fresh linings will be required, otherwise new or partly new linings must be applied. Before doing this, it is prudent to prees the soil of the bed firmly round the Bides of the frames, in order to prevent the products of fermentation entering the frames. It will now be advisable to lay a double thickness of mats on the frames at night. Cucumbers. — No time should be lost in planting out Cucumber plants, which will supply the winter fruit ; or, if that is inconvenient, planting them in large pots, so that no check to growth is caused. Soils which are of an adhesive nature should not be employed, but a rather rich turfy loam, together with a small quantity of leaf-mould and road- scrapings or coarse sand. The bottom heat of the bed should range from 70° to 75°. and the tem- perature of the house from tire-heat alone may be identical. When the roots have permeated the soil of the bed generally, weak liquid manure may be afforded, as well as a dressing of horse- droppings one-third, and loam two-thirds. Keep the air humid by damping-down frequently ; and ventilate the house freely on sunny days. Plants in bearing should be kept in a fruiting state as long as possible at this season, in orde' not to distress the winter plants by cropping them heavily. This will be ensured by affording the bearing plants frequent top-dres'ings, removing exhausted bine, and thinning the fruits when too many have set. Tomatos. — The plants intended to provide winter fruit being well established, with fruits in course of development, may now be afforded rather less air ; and the blossoms should be fertilised by hand daily, using a soft brush or a feather in distributing the pollen. When affording air, except in warm sunny wea- ther, the heating apparatus should be used, and by night it will usually be required. The house for the present should not be quite closed at night, slight currents of air favouring the setting of the flowers, ani tending to keep the plants free from diseases. The removal of side-giowths should receive frequent attention. PLANTS UNDER GLASS. ByT. Edwards, Foreman, Royal Plant Gardens, Progtnore. Miscellaneous Specie*. — Remove the covering from Freesias, and apply water very sparingly until the leaves have developed. Keep tbem quite cool, and afford ample ventilation ; as any forcing at this stage would produce weedy-looking plants and weak flower-stems. Zonal Pelargoniums should now be covered at night, or the damp atmosphere will retard the ripening of the shoots so essential for successful winter flowering. Some of the plants may now be permitted to flower, and the flower buds should not be removed from the remainder after this month has ended. Any Bouvardias or Salvias not yet potted-up should have some light covering put over them at night ; and the lifting of all tender plants in the open ground should be proceeded with. Cold foggy nights have commenced earlier than usual. Camellias. — The plants if heavily set with flower-buds may be disbudded, leaving those on the leading shoots, but removing them from the eide-shoots. If a small piece of the shoot is removed when taking the expanded flowers, suffi- cient pruniog is done to keep the crown compact. The leaves may now be sponged with clear water, or rubbed with a dry cloth, and the plants tied into shape. See that plants growing in tubs and pots get well supplied with water at the root, and those planted out in borders with a sprinkling of bone-meal, afterwards affording them a copious application of water. Chrysanthemums, tl-c , possessing flower-buds in a forward state, should be brought under glass, and preparation made for removing all of the plants indoors, or where protection can be afforded them. Heaths, Boronias, Sollyas, and new Holland plants generally, which have been standing in coal-ash beds, should be brought under cover. Rose-house. — The pruning of the plants trained on the roof should now be undertaken, weakly and blind shoots being removed, and long ones of the Noisette and Tea sections tied in, the unripened ends of shoots beiDg the only parts cut off. The border may be afforded manure water in quantity. In the afternoon let the Roses be well syringed and the house closed. No firing will be necessary for the present, unless the night temperature cannot be kept at from 55° to 00°, when heat may be applied late in the eveniDg. Celine Forestier, Homire, Catherine Mermet, and Niphetos, are very nice, free- flowering varieties for the Rose-house when planted out, and they may, if it be desired, be got into flower by the end of the year. Solanums. — The plants of the berried variety, potted up from the open ground should be afforded water plentifully in order to settle the soil about the roots, syringed overhead daily twice, shaded from bright sunshine, and kept close for two or three weeks, otherwise the plants may cast their leaves. When completely re established, ths points of the shoots should be pinched out once, unless lengthy ones are liked, when no pinching should be done. Well coloured shoots of Coleus struck at this date singly in 60's, soon make plants suitable for a variety of purposes. Let them be grown in a sunny position. Carnations should be provided with supports and removed to cold pits or frames ; the Marguerite varieties should be freely disbudded and assisted with manure-water, which will have the effect of prolonging the production of flowers. THE APIARY. By Expert. Feeding driven Slocks. — This should be done as quickly as possible, and when a few full frames of honey can be spared from an old stock they should be placed with the driven ones, thus affording them a great help ; but on no account rob one lot to feed another, if they can poorly bear it. In feeding driven bees, place on a rapid feeder (this can be bough t of any dealer for 2s. or 3s. ); or if you cannot do this, secure a quantity of jam-bottles holding about 3 to 4 lb. each, till with syrup, and after tying over with a bit of butter-cloth, place them on the top of the hive, seeing firstly that the hive is level, and secondly that a piece of perforated zinc be placed over the frames to keep the bees down, otherwise you will experience a considerable amount of trouble every time you refill the bottles. This should be always done in the early morning, or late at night, and no syrup should be left about, as it would encourage the bees to rob. Keep a tin of carbolic-powder handy to sprinkle the entrance as soon as robbing commences. Care should be taken to examine the hive, and see that the bees have no place to get in other than the entrance, or you will soon have your stock troubled with wasps. In making syrup, proceed as follows, and always use the best loaf-sugar ; the inferior qualities are very injurious to bees. No. I Salicylic acid solution. — For mixing syrup for feeding bees, painting over hives, and spraying combs, &c. , for the prevention and cure of foul brood, salicylic acid, 1 oz. ; soda borax, 1 oz. ; water, 4 pints ; Hilbert's solution, pure alcohol, 8 oz. ; salicylic acid, 1 oz. Spring and Summer food for bees. — White lump- sugar, 10 lb. ; water, 7 pints ; vinegar, 1 oz. ; salicylic acid solution No. 1, 1 oz. ; salt, 1 oz. Boil for a few minutes. Autumn food for Bees. — White lump - sugar, 10 lb. ; water, 5 pints ; vinegar, 1 oz. ; salicylic acid No. 1, 1 oz. ; salt, i oz Boil for a few minutes. All hives, floor boards, and frames that have been in use should be thoroughly scalded and cleansed before they are used again. The winter is a convenient time for doing this, so that they may be ready for use again in the spring. In addition, they Bhould be washed over with salicylic acid solution, the recipe of which I ha\e given. This will check the propagation of foul brood, by pre- venting the development of any germs of the disease which may be present. All empty hives, &c, which have been put away should also be fumi- gated or sprav ed with this solution before they are used again. The solution is inexpensive, and the prudent beekeeper will be well repaid for the Bimple precautions he may take to prevent the intro- duction of foul brood into his apiary. In any case, precaution is better than cure. It will pay the beekeeper to examine his hives and destroy all wax moths, as they breed so rapidly, and may destroy all the combs in the hives, and the bees in consequence will be starved out. To prevent this happening, a little naphthaline may be used in every hive at the back, and on quiltedleaking roofs. All roofs should be repainted and repaired to keep out the rain and heavy dews, as bees must be kept as dry as possible. Close all entrances so that only one bee can pass in at a time. Variorum. Cultivating Ferns on Brick.— Since Nature is the giver of all that is beautiful, florists perhaps more than any other class of men may derive the greatest benefits by more closely observing and applying her laws. In many instances we fail to gain the best results from the skilled culture and scientific growing of plants, because it savours too much of the artificial, and utterly disregards the natural. Especially is this true in the cultivation of Ferns, which the increasing demand of late years has made it necessary to devise a means of propa- gation in a manner that will insure the best deve- lopment by the most practical methods. A true lover of nature and close observer, wandering in the dense forests of a mountainous country, finds the most delicate varieties of Ferns growing and flourishing in the crevices of rocks. Contrary to this, iD the forests of a low, flat country, abound- ing in decayed wood, we find Ferns of a stronger, coarser growth luxuriantly developed. In the solid brick walls of the old-fashioned, half-span green- houses of European countries, where the mortar has fallen out, I have found the finest varieties of the Adiantum family growing. This fact, coupled with the close resemblance to the porous nature of rock, confirmed my belief that the cultivation of Ferns on brick would be both possible and prac- tical. After several successful trials I submit this article, in which I will endeavour to give a lucid explanation of the methods which I have found practical in this particular mode of cultivation, with the hope that it may prove of interest to some of your readers. Take a galvanized iron or tin pan, 50 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 1 inch deep. Tho- roughly cleanse one dozen common bricks, 8x4x2, and place in the pan. Cover them entirely with a thin layer of soil procured from the decayed trunks of hardwood trees, sifted through a fine wire sieve. Sow the spores very thinly on top of this, and fill the pan with rain-water. I am particular about the water, since hard water contains mineral matter which would close the pores of the brick. Place pan on the north side of a Rose or Palm-house, close to wall, and entirely enclose with glass plates set on an incline. Keep the pan constantly filled with water, in the shade, in a temperature of 60° to 70°. In closing my article I wish to call the attention of busy florists especially to two points : dirt cannot be swept off by syringing, nor plants damaged by over-watering. Plants grown in this thin layer of soil can be easily and readily peeled off and removed without injury to roots. I have found the Adian- tum family especially adapted to this manner of growing. C. M. H., The Weekly Florists' Review Chicago, August 16, 1900. 226 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, [September 22, 1900. APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. TUE3DAY, Royal Horticultural Society's Com- mittees. ,FT' " "| Paris Exhibition (Temporary I Show). ( Royal Horticultural Society's Show THURSDAY, Sept. 2r{ of Fruits at the Crystal Palace I (three days). SALES. EVERY DAY.— Dutch Bulbs, at Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. MONDAY, Sept. 24.— Bulbs, at Messrs. Stevens' Rooms. TUESDAY, Sept. 25.— Clearance Sale of Plants, Orchids. &c , at 28, Alleyn Park, West Dulwich, by order of J. A. Causton, Esq., by Protheroe & Morris, at half-past 12 o'clock. WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26. — Established Orchids, at The Ferneries, Ulceby, by Protheroe & Morris, at half-past 12 o'clock. Bulbs, at Messrs. Stevens' Rooms. FRIDAY', Sept. 23.— Imported and Established Orchids, at Protheroe & Morris' Room-. Great Sale of Palm Seeds, Lilium Harrisii, Roman Hyacinths, d examples of Mrs. Pince and of Muscat Hamburgh were included in the fours. Black Hamburgh were better shown than has been remarked in Scotland for several years. An extra inducement was afforded this year in a medal offered by the Society for any bunch the judges thought worth seven and a half points out of a possible nine points. Mr. Mattison, gr., Currie, and Mr. Potter, gr., Whitehall, Cumberland, receiving a Bronze Medal each for a bunch to which seven and a half points were apportioned. The bunches of Muscat, of Alexandria from Mr. Lunt were unsurpassable, and he took the 1st prize for this variety, and was also 1st for the best flavoured white Grape with a cluster of the same variety. Messrs. D. & W. Buchanan, nurserymen, of Kippen, were also prominent exhibitors in the Grape classes, coming 2nd to Mr. Lunt for six and four bunches, with grand examples of cultivation, also securing 1st for black Alieante. Mr. J. Anderson, gr., Dailzie, Peebles, had the best Lady Downes, and Mr. Lunt the finest Madresfield Court, as well as taking 1st prize for the best white Grape in the show, with Buckland Sweetwater. Collections of Fruit.— For ten dishes, Mr. N. T. Barnes, gr. to the Duke of Westminster, Eaton Hall, Chester (who also secured 1st for decorated table of fruit), was 1st, showing excellent Madresfield Court and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes ; grand dishes of Souvenir du Congres Pear, and King of Tom- kins County Apple, Princess of Wales Peach, Nectarines, a fine Melon, Coe's Golden Drop Plum, and Morello Cherries ; Mr. Smith, gr. to the Earl of Stair, Oxenford, Dalkeith, was a good 2nd ; and Mr. Murray, gr. to the Earl of Ailsa, Culzean Castle, May bole, was 3rd. The best collection of hardy fruit was staged by Mr. J. Day, gr. to the Earl of Gallowav, Galloway House, Garliestown, who showed Scottish -grown fruits at their best. The 1st prize collections of orchard-house fruit came from Mr. Beisant, gr., Castle Huntly, Perthshire, who staged dishes of splendid fruits of Marguerite de Marrilat, and Souvenir du Congres Pears, Emperor Alexander Apple, and fine Magnum Bonum Plum. Among those who were the most successful in the hardy fruit classes were Mr. G. Mackinlay, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Day, and Mr. McIntyre, gr. at the Glen, for Plums; Mr. Barnes, Mr. F. W. Carnegie, Mr. J. Day, Mr. D. Gib- son, Mr. R. W. Whiting, Mr. J. Dymock, for Apples ; among which last, the following were well represented : The Queen, Melon, Peasgood's Nonsuch, Gascoigne's Scarlet, Lord Derby, Gloria Mundi, Ecklinville, LadySudeley, Worcester Pearmain, Warner's King, and Lord Suffield. In the Pear classes, which were well filled, the same exhibitors, with Mr. Cook, gr., Gosford, East Lothian, were to the front. PLANTS. The bast of the plants shown were Orchids, from Mr. W. Shard, gr., Freelands, Perth ; the six foliage-plants, from Mr. T. Lunt; and six of the same, in 9-inch pots, from the same exhibitor. Two Caladinms from Mr. Lunt, and four Exotic Ferns from Mr. G. Wood, Canaan Lane, who also secured the 1st prize for table-plants. Cut Flowers.— Gladiolus were well shown, and Mr. A. Bennet, Tweedmouth, took the 1st prize for twelve, and for six spikes with good examples. Mr. Edward Keith, gr., Wellington, Cambo, in the same way secured both 1st for Hollyhock blooms ; and Mr. W. Veitch, gr., The Cemetery, Carlisle, secured 1st prizes for Show and for Fancy Dahlias. The best Sweet Peas were shown by Mr. Duncan Fooo, gr., Duns, which were good and bright for the time of year. Fur Roses, Mr. Melville and Mr. Brvdon, gr., Tweedbank, Innerleithen, were most successful, their blooms being fresh and clean. The best Chrysanthemum blooms were staged by Mr. Baikd ; and twelve trusses of the same by Mr. Black. In the nurserymen's division, Roses were the exhibits which attracted the greatest amount of attention. Here, Mr. Hugh Dickson, nurseryman, Belfast, took 1st for thirty- six blooms ; Messrs. D. & W. Croll, Dundee, being very good 2nd. For twenfy-four Teas, Messrs. Adam &Cragmyle, Rubislaw, were 1st with fresh-looking, small blooms ; Messrs. Hark- ness & Sons, Bedale, had the finest Gladiolus in Ihe show ; and the best Hollyhocks were staged by Mr. Downie, Finkhill. The tables of cut herbaceous border flowers, a3 noted last week, were very striking ; and the 1st and 2nd prize collections were of almost equal merit. Messrs. Cocker & Sons staging a nice lot of Montbretias, and Messrs. Harkness of Pyrethrum and Gladiolus, in addition to many others. The Society awarded a Gold Medal to Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, for a collection of fine vegetables and flowers ; and a Silver Medal was given to Messrs. Wallace & Co. Colchester, for a table of Lilies in which L. longifolium iu variety was conspicuous. A grand group of cut blooms of Dahlias, Roses, Marigolds, with twenty-five dishes of Tomatos, from Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, also secured a Silver Medal. Messrs. D. & W. Buchanan were the recipients of a Silver Medal for their tine exhibit of Grapes. A large number of Special Awards and Awards of Merit were also made to other trade firms, to whom the society and the public were greatly indebted for the success of the show. The Fruit and Floral Committees met on the 12th, the former making no awards ; but the Floral Committee gave to Mr. Forbes, Hawick, a First-class Certificate for Begonia Caledonia, and to another exhibitor an Award of Merit for white Carnation Miss F. Sutherland. MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES. Moffat and Upper Annandale. — The annual show took place on the cricket field on the 14th inst. The entries showed a considerable falling off this year, especially in the amateur classes, numbering 1,075 against 1,200 last year. Nevertheless, there was an exceedingly meritorious show. Cut flowers were, as usual, especially strong, and fruit, parti- cularly in the gardeners' section, was good. Messrs. Kerr, Bros., Dumfries, had on exhibition a fine stand of new varie- ties of Cactus Dahlias, and some beautiful Liliums. Messrs. Palmer & Sons, Annan, and Messrs. Thomas Smith & Son, Stranraer, exhibited a large number of varieties of hybrid perpetual and hybrid Tea Roses. The tables of stove plants of Messrs. Ewen Cameron, Ericstane, and William Murray, Ardenholm, were very fine. These exhibitors were the most successful in the gardeners' classes, Messrs. L. Frazer, Craigielands ; J. Hamilton, Haywood; and J. Allan, Arundel House, Dumfries, running them closely. Trade Notice. We are requested to inform our readers that Frau Marie Miiller, widow of the late Ernst Miiller, has become the proprietress of the con- cern, trading as "T. C. Schmidt" in Erfurt, of which her late husband was the head. The business will, in all its branches, be carried on as heretofore. Markets. GO VENT GARDEN, SEPTEMBER 20. [We cannot accept any responsibility for the subjoined reports. They are furnished to us regularly every Thursday, by the kindness of several of the principal salesmen, who revise the list, and who are responsible for the quotations. It must be remembered that these quotations do not represent the prices on any particular day, but only the general averages for the week preceding the date of our report. The prices depend upon the quality of the samples, the supply in the market, and the demand, and they may fluctuate, not only from day to day but often several times in one day. Ed.] Fruit. — Average Wholesale Prices. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Apples, English, per bushel- Worcester Pear- main Warner's King ... Suflields Keswicks Various Bananas, bunch ... Blackberries, peck . . . Cobnuts, lb. Figs (New), per dozen Filberts, per lb. ... Grapes, Hamburgh, new, per lb. . — Alicante — Colmar — Gros Maroc, lb. — Muscats, A., per lb. — Muscats, B.( per lb. Belgian, per lb. 3 0-40 4 0 — 16-26 10-20 10-30 7 0-11 0 10 — 0 4£ — 0 9- 0 3 1 0 10-16 0 9-10 10-20 16-19 2 0-26 10-16 0 6-10, — AlnTeira,inbrIs. 10 0-1 1 0 ; Green Gages Lemons, case ... 25 0-30 0 sieves Nectarines, per doz. Glass A Class B Oranges, Jamaica, per case (200)... Peaches, per doz.— Class A Class B Pears, Califoraian, cases — home grown Hazels, bush... — Willms., English sieve — — bushels — Stewing, p. bkt. — French, Bon Louise, in crates. Duchess, in crates Pines, each Plums in sieve — English, various per sieve 4 0- 3 0- 8 0 4 0 s 0-10 0 2 6-40 16-20 16-20 3 0-36 2 6 — Melons, each — Valencia cases (48) in 10-10 60 - Walnuts, good shelled, peck ... — in, bags 5 0-80 16-30 1 0 — 0 9-13 2 0-40 66 - 22 U — September -2-2, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 235 Cut Flowers, &c— Average Wholesale Price; s. d. S. d. Asp&ragna "Fern,' bunch Asters, duz. bunches O&rnatiouB, per doi. blooms Cattleyos, per dozen Eucharia, per dozen Gardenias, per doi. ppikes Gladiolus, scarlet, per dozen — white, per doz. LilimnHarriBii, per dozen blooms ... Lilium lancifolimn album, doz. blms. Lilium rubrum.doz. Lilium longiflorum, per dozen ... s. d. s. a. Lily of Valley, per 10-20 doz. bunches ... 9 0-15 0 2 0-40 Maidenhair Fern, per doz. bunches 4 0-80 10-2 0 Marguerites, p. doi. 0 0-12 0 : bunches 2 0-40 2 0-40 Mignonette, doz. bun. 4 0- b 0 Montbretias, bunch 0 6 — 16-2 6 Odoiitoglossoms, per dozen 4 0-80 S 6- 5 0 Roses, Red, per doz. 10-30 2 G- 4 0 — Tea, white, per dozen 10-30 3 0-50 — Safrano, per dozen 10-30 10-30 — Catherine Mer- 10-40 met, per dozen 30-50 Smil&x, per bunch 4 0-50 3 0-50 Tuberoses, per dot blooms 0 4-06 Plants in Pots.— Average Wholesale Prices. Adlantmns, p. doi. 6 Arbor-vitfe,v&r.,doi. 0 Aspidistras, p. doi. 18 — specimen, each 6 Cannas, per dozen 18 Crotons, per doz. ... 18 Cyclamen, per doz. 8 Dracaenas, var., per dozen 13 — viridis, perdoa. 9 Ericas, var., per doz. 12 Enonymus, various, per dozen ... 6 Evergreens, var. , per dozen ... 4 Ferns, In variety, per dozen ... 4 d. s. d. | 0-7 0 0-S6 0 0-86 0 ; O-10 6 0 — 0-30 0 0-10 0 0-30 0 0-18 0 0-86 0 0-18 0 0-18 0 0-18 0 s. tl. s. d. Ferns, small, per 100 4 0- fl 0 Ft cus elastic*, each 16-76 Foliage plants, var., each 10-50 Lily of Valley, each 19-30 Lycopodiums, doi. 8 0-40 Marguerites, per dozen 8 0-12 0 Myrtles, per dozen 6 0-90 Palms, various, ea. 1 0-15 0 — specimens, each 21 0-68 0 Pelargoniums, scar* let, per dozen 8 0-12 0 — Ivyleaf.perdoz. 8 0-10 0 Spineas, per dozen... 6 0-12 0 Vegetables. Aubergines, per. dz. Artichokes, Globe, per doz. Beans, Scarlet Runners, bush. — English, dwarf, per bushel — — per sieve... Heetroots, bushel . . Beet, per dozen ... uabbage, tally — dozen Carrots, new, dozen — washed, in cwt. bags Cauliflowers, per dz. — telly dress, doz. punnets Cucumbers, doz. .., Kndive, new French, per dozen — English, score . Garlic, new, lb. ... Horseradish, Eng- lish, bundle ... — foreign, per bundle Leeks, per dozen bunches Lettuce, English Cabbage, bush. — English Cos, per score — Average Wholesale Prices. s. d. s. d. s. 2 0 — Mint, new, p. doz* bunches ... 1 2 0-30 Mushrooms, house, per lb. ... ... 1 10 — 1 Onions, pickler?, per sieve ... 3 8 0 — — per bag ... 3 16 — — Green, dozen ... 1 10-16 — cases 5 0 6 — f — Engl., cwt. bag 4 10-20 Parsley, 12 bunches 1 0 6 — ' — per sieve ... 0 10-20 Parsnips,: newt. bags 2 Potatos, per ton ... 60 2 0-26 16-26 S 0- 9 0 16 — 0 10 1 6 1 6 — 10-16 0 2$-0 3 10-20 Radishes, 12 bches. Salad, small, pun- nets, per dozen 1 Shallots, new.p. lb. 0 Spinach, persieve... 1 — bushel 1 Tomatos, English, new, per 12 lb. 2 — Channel Islands, per lb 0 — French, crates 2 Turnips, new, per dozen 1 — in bags.. ... 2 Vegetable-Marrows, per dozen ... 0 — tally 1 Watercress, p. doz. bunches d. s. d. 0 - 0-8 6 6-2 0 6-6 6 0-5 0 0 — 9- 1 0 6 — 0-80 0 9-10 0 — 6-2 0 0 4-06 Potatos. Potatos : Various and Kents, 55s. to Sds. per ton. John Bath, 32 £ 34, Wellington Street, Covent Garden. Remarks.— Runner Beans, Vegetable-Marrows, Plums, and Apples, are much in excess of the demand, so that prices in some eases are very low. Only a few Apples, Yellow iDgestre Worcester Pearmain, and fine culinary varieties, command the prices quoted above. Blackberries are plentiful, aDd ommand about Is. per peck. SEEDS. London : September 19.— Messrs. John Shaw & Sons, Seed Merchants, of Great Maze Pond, Borough, London, S.E., report to-day's market thinly attended, with only a small business doing. Red Cloverseed, although less active this week, keeps firm in value ; the total shipments from London ti Germany now bulk up heavily. No attention is just now heing given to white Cloverseed, whilst neither Alsyke nor Trefoil shows any change. As regards Perennial and Italian Rye-grasses there is a strong tone. Trifolium, Tares, and Rye. in the absence of rain, move off slowly. The yield of Vetches this season proves disappointing. No special feature has been developed in the Birdseed trade. Blue Peas and Haricot Beans meet a good sale at hardening rates. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Glasgow : September 19.— The following are the averages of the prices recorded since our last report : — Pears, Hardy, Beurre, Ss. to 9s. per crate ; Duchesse, 8s. to lis. do. ; Havre Duchesse, 3s. to 3s. Gd. per case ; Marie Louise, 4s. to 4s. 9d\ do. ; Apples, English, large, 12s. to 17s. per cwt. ; Medium, Vs. to lCs. do.; Small, 3s. to 5s. do. ; Canadian, 12s. to 17s. do.; United States, 10s. to 15s. do. ; Peaches, 2s. Gd. to 4s. per dozen ; Grapes, English, lOd. to Is. 2d. per lb. ; do., Guernsey, Gd. to Sd. do. ; Almeira, fine, lis. to 16s. per bairel ; Melons, 24'*, 3s. to 3s. Gd. per case; do., 36's, Is. 9d. to 2s. 6(7. do. ; 48's, 2s. to 2s. Gd. do. ; Greengages, English, 2s. Od. to 3s. Gd. per half sieve; Plums, Victorias, 2s. Gd. to 4s. per do. ; do., small, Is. Gd. to 2s. do. ; Scotch, Ss. to 4s. do. ; various, Is. 9d. to 2s. £&. do. ; California!), 4s. to 5s. per case ; Damsons, 7s. to 8s. per cwt. ; Bananas, extras, lis. to 12s. Gd. per bunch ; No. 1, 9s. to 10s. do. ; No. 2, 7s. to 8s. Gd. do. ; Pomegranates, Malaga, 7s. Gd. to 8s. 6d. per case ; Lemons, Malaga. 21s. to 24s. per half chest ; and 18s. to 21s. per case ; do., Naples, 25s. to 36*. per case ; do., Palermo, various counts, 5s. to Ss. per box; Cucumbers, Is. Gd. to 2s. Gd. per dozen ; Mushrooms, Gd. to 9d. per lb ; Tomatos, home, 4(7. to Gd. do. ; do., Guernsey, smooth, 2d. to 3d. do. ; Onions, Valencia, 4's, 4s. to 4s. Gd. per case ; 5's, 5s. 3d. to 5s. 6d. do. ; Dutch, 2s. 9d. to 3s. per bag. Liverpool : September 19.— Wholesale Vegetable Market.— Potatos, per cwt. : Lynn'.Greys, 2s. 4d. to 2s. 9d. ; Bruces, 2s. 9d. to 3s. 3tZ. ; Kidneys, 3s. Gd. to 4s. 3(7. ; Main Crops, 3s. Gd. to 4s. 3(7. ; Giant, 2s. 4<7. to 2s. 9(7. Turnips, Gd. to8d. per 12 bunches; Swedes, Is. 3d. to Is. 6t7. per cwt. ; Carrots, Gd. to Sd. per 12 bunches ; Onions, foreign, 3s. Gd. to 4s. Gd. per cwt. ; Parsley, 4(7. to 6d. per dozen bunches ; Cucumbers, Is. to 2s. Gd. per dozen ; Cauliflowers, ad. to Is. Gd. do. ; Cabbages, 4d. to Sd, do. ; Celery, 10d\ to Is. 9<7. do. SL John's: Potatos, Is. to Is. Ad. per peck; Grapes, English, Is. to 3s. per lb. ; ;do., Foreign, 4d. to Sd. do. ; Pines, English, 4s. to 7s. each ; Apples, 2d. to 4d. per lb. ; Pears, 4d, do. ; Tomatos, 6d. do. ; Damsons, l£d. do. ; Cucumbers, 3d. to 4d. ;each ; Mushrooms, 8d. to Is. per lb. Birkenhead; Potatos, lOd. to Is. per peck; Cucumbers, 2d. to 4d. each ; Damsons, Id. per lb. ; Grapes, English, Is. 4d. to 3s. 6d. per lb. ; do., foreign, 4d. to 8d. do. ; Mushrooms, 3d. to 6d. da CORN. Averaoe Prices of British Corn (per imperial qr.), for the week ending September 15, and for the corresponding period of 1899, together with the difference in the quotations. These figures are based on the Official Weekly Return :— Description. 1899. 1900. Difference. Wheat s. d. 25 4 a. d 28 4 I. d. + 30 Barley 27 1 25 4 - 1 9 Oats 16 2 17 1 + 0 11 0-3 0 BS 2-0 2J 6 — 6-2 0 0-2 6 6-10 0- 1 6 METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS taken in the Royil Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick, London, for the period September 9 to September 15, 1900. Height above sea-level 24 feet. 190). Q Temperature of the Air. Tempera- ture OF THE Soil at 9 a.m. o u o SE o H O s a j 5 < 5 < p At 9 a.m. < o 2 Pi ID . u a .0 •3 n o •IS m - o h3 H s 3 -J deg. deg. deg. deg. ins. deg. deg. deg. deg. Sun. 9 w.s.w. f0-8 57-4 69-0J49'3 59 9 59'5 5S-5l41-3 Mon. 10 W.N.W. 63 8 54 669 5 49 3 60*3 59 8 58 7;39 5 Toes 11 N. 612 54 065-8|47-t 60*1 60 0 58-5 36 9 Wed. 12 S.E. 54 2 51-569 9 420 58 4.59 8 58-5 33 2 Thu. 13 SE. 52 6 51-5 69-7 40 9 57-6 59 3 58 4 34-0 Fri. 14 E.S.E. 61-5 55-965-7 49 5 58 2 58 9,58-4 35-4 Sat. 15 E.S.E. 59 9 56-970-5 55 0 Tot 5S s 590 58-2 14*2 Means... 59 1 54-5 6S 7 1 47' 6 ... 59 0 59 5 58-5 37 9 Remarks.— Cool nights, misty mornings, and dull days have prevailed during the past week. No rain has fallen since the 1st inst. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The following summary record of the weather throughout Che British Islands, for the week ending September 15, is furnished from the Meteorological Office : — 11 The weather during this week has teen vtiy Cne and dry generally, the only rain being confined to the we^t^rn and northern districts, where sight falls occurred at the com- mencement of the period. "The temperature was rather above the mean in most parts of the kingdom, but only just equal to it over central, eastern, and north-eastern England. The highest of the maxima wire registered, as a rule, during the latter half of the wetk, when they ranged from S4" in Scotland, N. (at Lairg), 78" in Scot- land, E., and Ireland, N., and 77' in England, N.W., ai.d the Channel Islands, to 73° in Scotland, W., and to 70' in Eng- land, N.E. The lowest of the minima, which were recorded at the middle or on the later days of the peiiod, varied from 33* in Scotland, W., and 34' in England, S.W., to 39° in England, E., and ti 52° in the Channel Islands. The diurnal range of temperature was large at many inland stations ; at Lairg on Friday and Saturday it was as much as 45'. " The rainfall was much less than the mean in all districts The greater part of England and the South of Ireland were quite rainless. " The bright sunshine was again very prevalent, and mueh above the normal in all districts. The percentage of the possible duration ranged from 75 in the Channel Islands, 72 in England, S., and 70 in Ireland, N., and Englind, N W , to 52 in Scotland, N., and 46 in England, E." Enquiry. Sdnflowee Farm. — "A. S. H." would like to know where in these islands a Sunflower farm exists. He understood that theie was one near Littlehampton. GARDENING APPOINTMENTS. Mr. F. L. Thurston, for the past three years Foreman in the Gardens, Burwood House, Cobham, 8urrey, as Head Gardener to A. Morris, Esq., CourtGreen, Streathan, S. W. Mr. B. L. Hammett, as Head Gardener to R. H. Clay, Esq., M.D., Wembury House, near Plymouth. Mr. William Haddow, for the past two years General Fore- man in the Gardens, Castle Boro, Co. Wexford, as Head Gardener to Lord Ardilaun, Ashford House, Cong, Co. Galway. Mr. Frank Noyce has been appointed, through Mr. H. W. Ward, of Rayleigh, as Gardener to Captain E. A Adcock,'.R.N., Reddands, Broadstairs. Mr. Arthur Melville, sen., Foreman in the gardens, Druai- lanrig Castle, as Head Gardener to Sir Ernest Cassel, Moulton Paddocks, Newmarlet, taking up his duties immediately. Mr. John Dickson, from the nurseries of Messrs. Cunning- ham, Fraser & Co., Comely Bank, Edinburgh, and Ia'.e Foreman at Douglas Castle, Lanarkshire, as Head Gardener to Duchess Adeline of Bedford, Chenies, Rick- mansworth. The situation was obtained for him through Mr. Inolis, gardener at Dramlanrig Castle. Mr. E. J. Day, for the past eleven years Head Gardener at Banwell Castle, Somersetshire, as Head Gardener to Mrs. Harris, Steventon Manor, near Whitechurch, Hampshire. Mr. C Burriss, late Gardener for J. Greoory, Esq., Egam View, by Sheffield, as Head Gardener to A. Leioh, Esq., Mayfield, Shoitlands, Kent. Mr. Francis Fenna, General Foreman for the last five years at Penrhyn Cattle, Bangor, N.W., as Gardener to the Hon. Viitor Cavendish, Holker Hall, Lancashire. CATALOGUES RECEIVED. BULBS, S.C. A. Cross & Sons (Limited), 19, Hope Street, Glasgow. Thos. Kennedy & Co., Hi^h Street, Dumfries. Harrison & Sons, Market Place, Worcester. Robert Veitch & Son, 54, High Street, Exeter. Ben. Reid & Co., Ltd , Aberdeen. John Russell, Richmond Nurseries, Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey. MISCELLANEOUS. Thomas Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth, Herts— Fruit Trees, Roses, and Shrubs. Jasques Haaslach, Ntmes, France— Garden Seeds. R. Veitch & Son, Exeter -Fruit Trees, and Hardy Trees and Shrubs. J. Grieve & Sons, Redbraes Nurseries, Broughton Road Edinburgh — Nursery Stock. Chr Lorenz, Erfurt, Germany.— New varieties of Vegetables and Flowering Plants. H. J. Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Hither Green, Lewisham — Bulbs, &C. Answers to Correspondents. — . — Apples Cracking : S. The cracking of the flesh and skin is due to great dryness of the soil, aod the corky formation in the cracks is merely au effort of Nature to remedy the mischief. The rind of the fruitB sent is attacked by a f uogu?, Mueor stolonifera. The remedies are copious applications of water to the soil now, and o:ci- sionaliy during the winter ; and the use of the Bordeaux Mixture on the foliage and fruit during the growing season, the first application being made when the fruit is as big as a Hsz;l- nut. All affected fruits should be collected and burnt. Bluebottle Flies in Vinery : Amateur. You may scire them away by hanging up slabs of carbolic preparations (sanitary) ; trap them in bottles and double hand-glasses, with fiuit hails placed in them, or keep them out by ta< kinj hexagon netting over the openings. 236 THE GARDEJVEBS' CHRONICLE. [September 22, 1900. Crataegus ox Chalky Soil : Rus in Urbe. There are seedling varieties of this species without spines ; others with a few, and one with large, straight spines (maerantha). C. Azarolus is a native of south of Europe, the Levant, and we know of no "Thorn less American Azarole." A nurseryman's name, probably. C. Azarolus has more or less numerous strong spines, and large red or yellow, globose fruits, which are agreeable eating. Can you not send a leafy shoot and fruits for our inspection of the Crataegus you observed at Beckenham ? Thorns are not particular as to soil, provided it is of a fair depth. Chalk is not injurious to them. Diseased Magnum Bonum Potatos : Carbo. If not too late, we would advise you to spray the haulms well with the copper sulphate, or, better still, the Bordeaux Mixture, made according to the formula we have so often published in these pages. The growth of the plants cannot be finished as yet, and by pulling up the tops, as suggested, there will be a considerable loss of weight in the crop. Only in the event of the attack of disease being virulent should this be done. To dress the Boil with Bordeaux Mixture would do good in destroying spores of the Potato disease. Only in the case of the tubers being exposed to the light, or as a protection against frost if tbey are left a long time in the ground, would it be necessary to take up alternate rows, and use the soil of these rows to cover those that remain. Flowers-of-sulphur is not so effectual a remedy as Bordeaux Mixture. Disease is transferred from the leaves to the tubers rather rapidly in rainy weather. We cannot, however, say in how many days. It would depend upon the nature of the soil and the depth of the moulding-up ; whether it had been done according to Jensen's methods, that is with the spade, and the soil beaten smooth ; or if it was left just as drawn up by the hoe. Eulalia: A. J. M. There is yet time to divide the root-masses ; pot them and get them esta- blished before winter sets in. The early spring is likewise a suitable season for increasing the stock of plants in this manner : keep the plants close f'>r a week or ten days in a cold frame, then afford air by degrees, and winter in a green- house. If you do not divide too severely you will have good plants in May. Greenfly on Melon Plants : 67. Winch. Mild fumigation with tobacco or some of its prepara- tions would clear the plants of the insects, each fumigation being followed by copious syringings of clear warm water. Greenfly infesting Melon or Cucumber plants growing in ordinary pits and frames with tight -fitting lights can be destroyed with freshly-bruised leaves of the common Laurel put into the frames at 6 p.m., and leaving them there for twelve hours. A second lot should be used three days later. The quantity of leaves need not exceed 1 lb. per light for frames and pits of ordinary size. Insects : Edmund Bland. Your insect is one of the rarer Lougicorns, or wood-boring beetles — Saperda carcharias, Lin., said to be commoner in the fen country than elsewhere. NAMES of Fruits : We are most desirous to oblige our correspondents as Jar as we can, but we must request that they will observe the rule that not more than Six varieties be s*nt at any one time. The specimens must fee good ones; if two of each variety are sent, identification will be easier. They should be iust approaching ripeness, and they should be properly numbered, and carefully packed. A leaf or shoot of each variety is helpful, and, in the case of Plums, absolutely essential. In all cases it is necessary to know the district from which the fruits are sent. We do not undertake to send answers through the po-t. or to return fruits. Fruits and plants must not be sent in the same box. Delay in any case is unavoidable. — F. H. Apple, Duchess of Oldenburgh ; Plums, 1 and 2, Victoria. — Anxious. 1, Herefordshire Beefing ; 2, Duchess of Oldenburgh ; 3, Early Red Calville ; 4, Irish Peach ; 5, Court Pendu Plat ; 6, Flat Nonpareil.— Chad. Pears : 1, if the fruits sent (about the size of marbles) are a fair average, the variety is not worth a name. It is unknown to us ; 2, Fondante de Cuerne ; 3, Fond ante de Charneu ; 4, a poor example of Hessle ; Apples : 1, Red Astrachan ; 2, Irish Peach ; 3, not known. — /. B., Kent. 1 and 5, quite rotten. Send better specimens, carefully packed ; 2, St. Denis ; 3, Beurre Precoce ; 4, Louise Bonne of Jersey; 0, Beurre Benoit. — /. Z , Wales. Affixing the labels to fruits by means of nails thrust into the eyes is a most unsatisfactory method ; a valuable character is thus entirely destroyed. 1, Flanders Pippin ; 2, Ribston Pippin ; 3, Al- fristou ; 4, Calville Rouge de Micoud ; 5, re- tained for further comparison ; 6, Oslin, or Golden Apple.— A. F. T., London. 1, Charles Van Mons ; 2, Durondeau ; 3 and 5 are unknown. In the first consignment, the Pears sent with these numbers attached were identical, those now sent are distinct ; 4, Beurre Bosc ; 6, Beurre deMans.— T. S., Herts. 1, Dunmore ; 2, Hor- mead's Pearmain ; 3, A small fruit of Reinette Grise ; 4, Nonsuch ; 5, Scarlet Nonpareil ; 6, Summer Golden Pippin. — T. F., Bradford. Grape No. 1 is West St. Peters ; 2, Black Alicante. Names op Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number. — Clematis. C. campaniflora. — /. /. Foster. 1, Crataegus crus- galli prunifolia ; 2, C. sinaica ; 3, 0. monogyna var. (without fruit) ; 4, C. crus-galli prunifolia ; 5, C. monogyna (cannot say var. without fruit) ; 6, C. mollis ; yes, the Pyrus is P. pinnatifida. — H. 67. Rogers, King's Lynn. 1, Pseudotsuga Douglasii ; 5, Cedrus (cannot name species from such a scrap) ; 6, Cupressus pisifera var. squar- rosa ; 9, Thuya orientalis ; 10, Thuya occidentalis ; 11, Cupressus Lawsoniana ; others next week. — A. Corps, Hawkhurst. 1 and 2, Thuya orientalis var. ; 3, Cupressus plumosa aurea ; 4 and 5, C. Lawsoniana ; 6, C. pisifera (Ketinospora pisifera). — A. M, 1, Helianthus decapetalus ; 2, H. multi- florus ; 3, H. strumosus ; 4, H. multiflorus ; 5, specimen too withered. — H. KempshaU. 1, Asarum europa?um ; 2, we cannot name this without flowers ; 3, Clematis graveolens ; 4, Lonicera etrusca ; 5, Pentstemon centranthi- folius ; 6, Aristolochia Sipho. — W. Macpherson. 1, Phacelia tanacetifolia ; 2, Dicentra formosa ; 3, Oxalis corniculata var. rubra ; 4, Lysimachia ciliata ; 5, Veronica spicata ; 6, V. virginica. — F. 67. Chienostoma hispidum. — A. Goodwin. 1, Pterocarya caucasica ; 2, Crataegus oxyacan- thoides ; 3, Myrica cerifera. — D. K. Known in gardens as Anthericum lineare variegatum. — Old Subscriber. 1, Polypodium aureum ; 2, Grevillea robusta ; 3, Divallia canadensis ; 4, not a fair specimen ; 5, Dracena intermedia ; 6, Aspidistra lurida variegata — Alpha. Impatiens Noli-me- tangere. — W. C. <£ Son. Pterocarya caucasica, — ■ IF. 67. , Tories. Miltonia Clowesii. — J. R., Syden- ham. 1, Odontoglossum pulchellum, the worst form of it; 2, Geranium sylvaticum. — C. J. P. 1, Chrysocoma comaurea (Goldy Locks); 2, Ligustrum lucidum. — 6. C. Cattleya Loddigesii, the malformed flowers are very singular. — E. M. Tecoma (Bignonia) radicans. — Alpha. It is not possible to name the specimen without seeing a flower. — 67. W. 1, Lycium barbarum ; 2, Ptero- carya caucasica ; 3, Polygonum cuspidatum ; 4, Selenipedium Sedeni ; 5, a Melastoma, send flower. — DUTctlsha. The Ferns are : 1, Athyrium felix-foemina ; 2, Lastrea dilatata. Other plant next week. Odontoglossum crispum : A. L. J. The orange- coloured grubs feeding under the epidermis of the leaf are Dipterous ; but in the absence of the perfect insect we are unable to fix the species. Remove the badly-eaten leaves, and pinch the grubs in those you cannot afford to cut away. Parma Violets : 67. W. E. The market here is rather over-stocked in the season with Parma Violets coming from the south of France, and other varieties such as those you mention, and we would advise you to get clients in other cities as well. The best prices are realised in the season December- April ; after that the price gets very low. English growers have not competed with the Frenchmen for the good reason that the climate and enforced frame- culture here handicap them, but they "come in" when the foreign supplies fall off. We think that the name of the " nursery " is very suitable — not " nurserieB." Peach Leaves with " Shot-holes " : Scolica says "the tree has been syringed with soapy-water and paraffin, the leaves have become blotched and spotted, and they drop frequently." Exami- nation with the microscope revealed the Peach shot-hole fungus (Cercospora circumscissa), a recognised cause of the shot-hole, or dry brown spots, which easily drop out from an otherwise green leaf. A valuable paper by Mr. B. M. Duggar, of Cornell University (1S98), gives his "observations on the shot-hole effect on foliage of the genus Prunus." He there shows that shot- holes are not only produced by several minute fungi (including Cerc03pora), but may equally well be caused by spraying with mixtures which are too strong or incorrectly made ; premature loss of foliage may follow from either of these causes. Peach foliage is tender, and is easily injured by spraying solutions, hence when theBe are used they should be considerably diluted below the strength recommended for most plants. The loss of leaves so early in the season will produce immature wood, and probably affect the crop next year. AU fallen leaves should be collected and burnt, as they form a suitable nursery for fuDgi. Peach Lord Paimerston : T. W. H. This is a large coarse-fruiting variety, of third-rate quality. The quality of the fruits is best when the trees are grown in moderate heat, and are thoroughly ripened each season. But we cannot recommend the variety. The fruits you send us are large and worthless. Pear and Cherry-trees Infested by Insects : Paul Klameth. The creatures sent are Slug- worms — the larv.-e of Selandria atra, a sawfly. Dust the trees with quicklime in powder repeatedly ; one dressing not being sufficient, owing to the slugworm exuding a coating of slime, and thus slipping out, as it were, of the coating — but it cannot continue this process, and the second or third dressing kills them. Tobacco water, and strong lime-water with soft soap intermixed will destroy them. The soil under the infested trees should be skimmed off and charred or buried deeply in the earth, the cocoons being found on the surface, and to a depth of four inches. The cocoons are little earth-coloured bulbs of tough fibre. Solanum.capsicastrum Diseased: G. W. The fungus on the shoots sent is the Tomato-leaf Rust (Cladosporium fulvum). We have previously found it, as in your case, on other species of Solanum. No doubt, as you suggest, forcing treatment has rendered the young shoots suscep- tible to attack. The fungus is not difficult to check. You say it occurs as yet only here and there ; then prune off the parts where it occurs. Spraying with potassium sulphide (\ oz. in each gallon of water) is generally successful with Tomatos, if begun early ; but with jour Sola- nums it might be well to try this strength on a plant or two, to ascertain whether it does damage to the foliage, if so, more water must be added. If the same house, or a Tomato-house, is to be used next year for this plant, it should be pre- viously washed down with a disinfectant. Tomatos : Tugela. The fruits are badly attacked by the fungus, Cladosporium Iycopersici, known commonly as the Black Spot fungus. It is too late to benefit the present crop by spraying, and the best advice we can give you is to remove affected fruits as soon as they are discovered. When growing another crop of such plants, it will be well to spray them occasionally during the period of their growth with the Bordeaux Mixture. Wallflowers: T. G. The roots are " clubbed," owing to the attacks of the grub of a weevil— Centorrhynchus sulcicollis — a creature about an eighth of an inch in length. The weevil lays its eggs in holes made with its proboscis, usually one in each. The grubs, which are thick and legless, and much wrinkled and whitish, soon cause the formation of a gall or irregular swelling, as in the case of the Wallflower roots, and in those of Cabbages and Turnips. The whole of the sickly- looking plants should be pulled up, after moistening the seed or nurse- bed, and put on the smother-heap, or into a boiler-furnace. The infested land should be heavily dressed with gas-lime, which should be allowed to lay on the surface for a month at the least ; it may then be dug in, it having become changed by exposure to the air to sulphate of lime. Gas-lime may safely be employed at the rate of 1 lb. per square yard. Communications Received. — Crystal Palace Co —A. M. D. — E. F. T.— J. O.— H. W.— A. O. H.-T. M — P. E.— A. T., Birmingham.— W. B. H.— R. B. Allwork.— R. D.-A. D. W. —W. W. & Sons.-F. U. & Co.— C. W. D— A. K. D.— W. S. S.-R. J.— Winton.— H. H. C— W. G. B.— E. F. B.— H. M.— Chiswick — A. P.-T. L.— W. J. G.-F. B. C— Dr. M. T. M.— Begonia.— G. A.— W. T— Lincoln.— A. Derry. — Hersal.— W. G.— J. R.— T. Stoner.— J. Conchault & Cie. —Flowers.— F. W.— W. M.S. A.— A. C. F.— W. K.— B. J. -J. W.— W. R.-H. W.-G. B. M. Specimens, Photographs, &c., Received with Thanks :— Rev. E Lascelles. Supplement to the "Gardeners' Chronicle," September 22, 1900. View in the Garden at the Hotel du Parc, Cannes, September 2<», 1900.] THE GARDENERS1 CHRONICLE, 237 THE No. 718— SATURDAY, SEPT. 29, 1900. CONTENTS. Anemone japonica Mont Plants new or note- Rose 245 worthy — Bananas in Fiji 245 Laelio-Cattleya x Col- Berne 240 maniana 240 British Oak 247 Plums, packing of 245 Carnation, Mrs. T. W. PolygODum Baldschuani- Lawson 247 cum 24( ,2 8 Crata^us Crus-galli (Sup- Potato Early Puiitan ... 24b plement) 244 Potato trinls at Chiswick 2IS Cucumber- Melon 248 Societies— Dendrobium Phakvnopsis Jersey Horticultural Schroderaium 240 Societies (See S»pp.) Exotics, spontaneous National Chrysanthe- apptarance of 218 mum 244 Frrns, latent variability National Dahlia 252 in 241 Royal Horticultural ... 250 Hampton Court, flower Royal Horticultural, gardening at 240 Great Fruit 8how, Heather as thatch 246 see Supplemeut Heibaceous Border- Soils, practical facts re- Daisy Snowdrift 242 garding 244 Hungary, horticulture in 237 Solanum Tomatillo 210 Ivy eaten by caterpillars 247 Stokesia c^anea 248 Lac Industry in Assam... 244 Weather n West Herts 245 Nursery Notes- Week's Work, the Messrs. Bunyard , at Flower garden, the ... 243 Allington 248 Fruits under glass 2*2 Ohitaary — Hardy fruit garden ... 242 Evans, W. H 252 Kitchen garden, the ... 243 Maitland, J. .. 252 Orchid-houses, the ... 243 Saunders, W 245 Plants under glass ... 243 ILLUSTR ATION8. Apple, Barnack Beauty .. 251 Apple, Mrs. Phillimore... 249 Crataegus Crus-galii. (Supplen lent.) Dendrobium Phalsenopsis var. lololeuca 239 Dendrobium Phalsenopsis Schr >derianum 238 Dendrobium Phalcenopsis ofthe Heather-thatched cottage 9 c lire derisnuni, striped flowers 241 247 Heather-thatchtd garden-hut.. 246 HORTICULTURE IN HUNGARY. TTUNGARY has not played a very prominent "' * part in the horticultural movement, so far, at all events, as any published record shows. Loudon, in his Encyclopaedia of Gardening, dis- misses the subject in a single paragraph. His information, it is true, was second hand, but his acquaintance with all books of travel bearing on his subject was so extensive and thorough that it is doubtful even if he had visited the country, whether he could have elaborated the writings of others to any considerable extent. Townson, in his Traveh in Hungary in 1793, mentions Count Vetzy as laying out his grounds in the English style, aided by a gardener who had been for some time in England ; he also speaks of the gardens of Count Esterhazy of Galantha, at Totis, as very fine, and those of the Bishop of Erlau, at Felcho-Tarkar, as romantic. A later observer, Dr. Bright, in his Traveh from Vienna Through Lower Hungary in 1815, mentions Kurmond, the property of Prince Batthiany, as "containing a very handsome garden in the French taste, with considerable hothouses and conservatories." Count Bruns- wick, of Marton Vassar, had his gardens laid out in the English style ; and the favourite mansion of Prince Esterhazy, at Eisenstadt, is described as having gardens, which were in 1754 laid out in the French taste, and transformed in 1814 into the English manner. The back- wardness of Hungary in horticulture is largely due to the political convulsions which have marked the history of this polyglot country. -Thanks to the patriotism of M. Igraz Daranyi, the Hungarian Minister of Agricul- ture, and to the industry of Dr. Charles Schil- berszky, the Professor at the Royal Hungarian School of Horticulture at Budapest, the future Loudon will not have to deplore the want of a concise record of the progress of the art in Hungary. Dr. Schilberszky's Monographic - mosum superbum) raised from a non - crested plumosum, the excurrent character of the venation- leading in one case to formation of bristles, and in the other to plumation, seems correlated strongly with a tendency to form crests. In another species, .Scolopendrium vulgare, we have also an instance where we can fix the origin of wide variation as lying latent in a nearly normal plant. S. v. undu- lato-rigidum, a stiff-growing merely undulate form, finding its way into Messrs. Stansfield's bands, was found to yield constantly from its spores a- percentage of thin-fronded, frilled, and fimbriate Hartstongues of great beauty, ultra-plumose forms ; indeed, though partially fertile, these two in time yielded crested and heavily-crested types, though usually at the expense of the frills. The very numerous fronds of the barren frilled Harts- tongues (nineteen in one list are credited to Col. A. M. Jones), point indisputably to some parallel latency in normal or nearly normal Hartstongues, these true crispums being absolutely barren. A third case may be cited in the Shield Ferns (Poly- stichum angulare). A decomposite fertile form was found in Dorset, and when its spores were sown by Col. Jones and Dr. Fox, the resulting plants were so extraordinarily and densely plumose that neither of them could credit the parentage, until a second sowing was made, and like results confirmed the fact. Here, as in the previous caBes, the sporting capacity must be latent in the parent Fern, and be already implanted in the spore before it is scattered. Nearly every raiser of British Ferns can cite mysterious cases pointing in the same direction. A tiny dwarf form of Blechnum Spicant (crisp1 - sissimum, Hartley), resulted in quantity in a sowiog of B. S. strictum, a somewhat narrowed but other- wise normal Blechnum. The writer, sowing from the dwarf form, found the prothalli to be globose fleshy masses instead of thin scales, a sort of conges- tion of the prothallus itself. The numerous finds of the quite barren Welsh Polypode (P. vulgare cam- bricum) must individually originate from spores ofi some fertile form of distinct character approaching the normal. The only fertile variety at all like it in form, P. v. pulcherrimum, was found in the Lake district, is not plumose at all though much cut, and 242 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 29, 1900. When sown yields the fertile type truly. In the •case of the Polypodys, however, it is noteworthy that bipinnate or sub-bipinnate forms are not un- common in Wales iu t'he localities where P. v. cambricum has been found, and it is only reason- able to assume, in view of parallel cases cited, that now and again these may yield spores which go a -considerable stride further in the foliose direction, and thus produce the plumose barren type. The whole question of variation is so veiled in mystery, 'that any indications are welcome. When we actually see the abnormal plants, one, it may be, among millions of normals, the time is long past for per- ■ceiving its absolute genesis. The abnormality may have originated in a single spore on a neighbouring Fern otherwise normal, or, as in the instances described, a slightly abnormal Fern may be latently ■affected to a greater extent, and produce a propor- tion of spores in which its particular incipient character is accentuated, or even transformed. Eut the spore itself might be absolutely normal, and the "sport" result from some subtle modifi- cation of one or more antherozoidg or ova among the many subsequently formed on the prothallus, or in the amalgamation of these in the reproductive .process. Or, leaving the spore altogether out of the question, the variety may originate as a bud- spore, the mother cell of a bulbil, or offsets pro- ducing an original style of vegetative structure, in which case it may be possible to determine its origin subsequently, since as in such a case which occurred in the writer's fernery, the two forms are found, like the Siamese twins, to be actually joined together. In the case in question, a plain frilled Hartstongue produced at its side a complete crown of heavily-tasselled fronds, which •crown could only be parted by actual severance with a knife through the caudex. It is the habit of Fern-raisers to sow from the ■best and most marked fronds, but so far there is scarcely any evidence proving that the results are enhanced by such selection ; and some of the more experienced growers consider that the variation is " in the blood " of the entire plant, and equally transmissible by spores from any parts of it. On the other hand, I recollect that many years ago the raiser of Gymnogramma Laucheana grandiceps <( Dixon, at Hackney) assured me that he raised the whole original batch of plants, all alike, from spores on a merely fan-shaped pinnule which he observed on an otherwise normal plant. Obser- vation and record of cases like this would certainly help us greatly in our quest for further knowledge -of this most important and interesting branch of .plant biology, regarding which we are at present almost entirely in the dark. Chas. T. Druery, P.L.S., V.M.H. The Herbaceous Border. DOUBLE DAISY SNOWDRIFT Some correspondence in the Gardeners' Chronicle last autumn on the subject of double Daisies led to Mr. Cuthbertson, of Rothesay, to send to me, for ■trial, an unnamed seedling, double, white-flowered Daisy, which he considered to be of much merit. It was in flower at the time, but one could not •express any definite opinion upon it at that season, especially as it is usually necessary to give some plants an extended trial before forming an opinion about them. Happening to meet the sender in Edin- burgh some months ago, I told him that it was an acquisition ; and I then learned that it had been named Snowdrift, a not inappropriate name for •ouch a flower. It has been grown here alongside of The Bride and other fine white Daisies ; and now that it has been given a fair and severe trial, I can safely say that it is better than they. Snow- drift is purer and more floriferous than The Bride, doeB not show its centre, and lasts longer in flower. Small clumps are rarely without a flower in a summer such as that of this year ; and now, in mid-September, they are affording a fair quantity of bloom. The double Daisies have been neglected of late years, but the introduction of such forms as Snowdrift will help to make them more popular as bedding plants, &c. As a market flower it should have a future before it. Leccojum autcmnale. A plant which is seldom seen at autumn flower-shows is the pretty autumn Snowflake, Leucojum autumnale. Messrs. Cunningham & Fraser showed two or three pots of it at the last show of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, and the plants appeared to attract some notice from those not altogether engrossed in gayer flowers. It would seem as if the plant would be appreciated much more if a large number of bulbs were planted in a pan, and if this could be shown when at its best. My attention was first drawn to the plant by an interesting article on the Leucojums, written by the late Mr. Brockbank, of Didsbury, which appeared in the Gardeners' Chronicle, of March 15, 1SS4, p. 341. The plant is perfectly hardy, and it seeds freely, almost the only danger in its cultivation lying in the danger (in some hands) of its being pulled up for grass, when its leaves appear at a different season to that of the flowers. S. Arnott, Carsethorn-by-Dumfries, N.B. The Week's Work. FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By J. Roberts, Gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop. Vines in pots. — The Vines that have been grown for producing early fruit should be now thoroughly mature, and in a fit state for being pruned, although a few leaves and leaf- stalks may still remain. These remnants of the foliage should be carefully removed, leaving only the strongest bud, and the canes shortened to suit the position they will occupy in the forcing-house. In order to guard against bleeding, the wounds made by the knife should be dressed twice with styptic, and the canes bent to a semi circle, or the upper buds will receive too much sap, and the lower ones too little. The canes should be washed with water and soft-soap, and afterwards coated with a thick wash of flowers-of-sulphur and nicotine. These operations being carried out, the Vines should be placed in a cool, airy structure for about one month before beginning to force them. Just enough water should be afforded as will keep the soil damp. During this interval of rest the house should be cleansed and repaired. The most reliable varieties for early forcing are Black Hamburgh and Foster's Seedling. The Late Muscat Vines. — Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, in order to have them plump and good till January, should be quite ripe at the present date, and if the foliage is still healthy, no difficulty will be experienced in doing this, the roots being still in an active state. Light and warmth are the principal factors in bringing about the desired results. All shading material that may have been employed, must be removed, and leaves which shade the bunches too much should be tied aside. The temperature of the vinery from sunheat may run up to 80° to 85°, and this degree of warmth should be maintained as long as possible during the day, gradually reducing it to 65° to 70° at night. Not much moisture will be required by the borders after this date, and, if any be needed, it should be applied early on bright mornings. In changeable weather, sufficient warmth must be maintained in the heating apparatus to afford dryness and buoy- ancy in the air, with a slight amount of ventilation at the front and back of the vinery. A month of this kind of treatment will render the fruit firm and sugary, and in the best condition for keeping. Late Vines. — Where the principal roots are in outside borders, means should be taken to protect the border against rain. If the slope is good, asphalted felt is a handy material for this purpose, but it should be so fixed that air can pass freely between it and the surface of the border. The borders which are inside the vineries must be kept uniformly moist, as the artificial heat used to ripen the Grapes and the dryness caused from sun-heat will soon extract much moisture out of the upper part. Late Vines of Black Alicante and Lady Downes Seedling, now ripe, should have the temperature reduced to 50° at night and 55° by day. Vineries containing Gros Colmar, Gros Guillaume, or Mrs. Pince, will still require to be kept 60° at night and 70° by day in order to ensure perfect ripeness in the fruits. Ventilation should be afforded day and night, and sudden alternations of temperature guarded against, or splitting of the fruit may occur. THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. By A. WiKD, Gardener to P. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, New Barnet. Selection of Fruit-trees for Planting.— Having recently advised intending planters to visit a fruit- tree nursery, I now give a list of well-proved varieties of the different kinds of hardy fruits, as a guide to those who cannot make it convenient to visit a nursery, or who require hints upon what varieties are best to order : — Apricots are usually planted against walls facing due south, or any point between that and due west, but as a general rule, the further north the locality, the greater need is there for a warm aspect. Moor Park, although liable to lose its branches more than other varieties, is still the finest for general purposes. Other good oneB are Kaisha, Hemskirk, New Large Early, and Shipley or Blenheim, and Musch-Musch. The fruits of the latter make a particularly rich preserve. Peaches and Nectarines require exactly the same positions as Apricots, and the varieties enumerated below should be planted in the order given, those which ripen earliest on the warmest sites, and later ones on a due western aspect. Early Alexander, Hale's Early, Rivers' Early York, Amsden June, Alexandre Noblesse, Royal George, Crimson Ga- lande, Magdala, Belle Doue, Raymacker, Diamond, Violette Hative, Princess of Wales, Bellegarde, Prince of Wales, and in the warmest counties Walburton Admirable are fine varieties. Of Nectarines, Early Rivers, Lord Napier, Stanwick Elruge, Rivers' Orange, Pineapple, Humboldt, Spenser, Victoria, and Newton may be chosen. Plums {Dessert). — Of these plant July Green- gage, Denniston's Superb, Bryanston, *Comte d'Atthems, *Coe's Violet, *Reine Claude du Bavay, "Bonne Bouche, *Anna Spasth, and Late Trans- parent. Of Plums, * Jefferson, Kirkes, * Angelina Burdett, Ickworth Imperatrice, and *Golden Drop. All the foregoing are worthy the protection of a wall, and few of the Gages succeed perfectly with- out it. Plums (culinary), *Rivers' Prolific, *Czar, Orleans, Prince of Wales, * Pond's Seedling, Black Imperial, Red and Yellow Magnum Bonum, Sultan, * Monarch, Belle de Louvain, Diamond, *Cox's Emperor, Belle de Septembre, Late Orleans, and *Coe's Late Red. Plums will succeed on an east wall, and for early supplies plant Early Prolific, Czar, Early Orleans, and July Greengige, on a south aspect. All those varieties having an asterisk against them succeed well grown as cordons. Of Damsons, the Shropshire and Herefordshire Prune are the finest in point of size, and are also good croppers. Farleigh, or Crittenden, is an immense cropper, but the fruits are small. Cherries. — Choose an eastern aspect for the main crop varieties, and plant Rivers' Early Black, Early Purple Gem, Werder's Black, May Duke, Early Purple Gean, and Guigne d'Annonay on a south wall, for affording fruit in advance of the main crop. In addition to theBe varieties, there are Belle d'Orleans, Black Eagle, Black and White Heart, Downton, Governor Wood, Black Bigarreau, Bigarreau Jaboulay, Bigarreau Napoleon, Elton, Black Tartarian, St. Margaret's, Bigarreau d'Hedel- fingen, and Guigne de Winckler, Late Duke, and the new introduction, Noble. The Morello, Flo- rence, and Kentish Red varieties succeed well on a north wall. The first and last of these three suc- ceed and crop abundantly grown as bushes. Pears. — These do well on a west wall, but only the best should be accorded this protection._ A very excellent method of growing choice Pears is as cordonB on the Quince, for which the following varieties are suitable : Beurre Giffard, Jersey Gra- tioli, Duchesse d'Orleans, Brockworth Park, Clapp's Favourite, Magnate, Le Lectier, Directeur Hardy, Beurre d'Anjou, Doyenne' du Cornice, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Superfin, Marie Louise, Emile d'Heyst, Winter Nelis, Knight's Monarch, GIou Morceau, Beurre de Aremberg, Olivier de Serres, and Bergamotte d'Esperen. Varieties suitable for wall-culture are Jargonelle, Williams' Bon Chretien, Souvenir du Congres, Beurre d'Amanlis, Summer Beurre de Aremberg, Pitmaston Duchess, Duron- September 29, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 243 deau, Marichal de la Cour, Louise Bonne, Princess Marguerite, Marillat, Beurre A. Lucas, Josephine de Marines, Beurrc Baltet Pore, and BeunY- Diel. As bushes and pyramids Colmar d'Kte, Souvenir du Congrvs, Marie Louise, Thomson's, Althorpe Cras- sane, BeurK d'Amanlis, Forelle, Danas Hovey, Doyenne du Cornice, Man'ehal de la Cour, Fondante d'Automne, Pitmaston Duchess, Louise Bonne, Brans' Hardy, Alexandre Lambre, &c. The best stewing Pears are Catillac and \Terulam. A list of Apples, .fee, will be given in next week's Calendar. PLANTS UNDER GLASS. ByT. Edwards, Foreman, Royal Plant Gardens, Frogmore. General remarks. — Remove Achimenes from the conservatory as the plants pass out of flower, and place them in pits where they will be fully exposed to sunshine. Less water should now be afforded them, the amount being decreased gradually until the foliage has died away, when the pots may be placed on their sides under stages in a house where the temperature will not fall below 50°. Caladiums and Amaryllis may be stored for the winter in the same temperature, and the bulbs keep best if allowed to remain in the pots until after Christmas. Tuberous-rooted Begonias, after being similarly dried off, when they are quite dormant may be shaken out of the soil, and the tubers packed in boxes containing Cocoa-nut fibre dust, and may be wintered in any dry structure in which they will be secure from frost. Proceed with the housing of plants, and allow as much space as possible to Chrysanthemums as to other plants. If these be crowded together, they will suffer from want of light, and mildew will spoil the foliage. Growth having now ceased, the roots are less active, and care should be taken that an exces- sive amount of manure is not afforded the plants, nor more water at the root than is needed. Keep the ventilators fully open day and night, and during the next week or two syringe the ground underneath the plants in the afternoon if in fine weather. This will help to counteract the Budden change from the moist night atmosphere out-of-doors to the much drier bouse atmosphere. Violets in borders, if they are intended for culti- vation in frames, should be afforded a thorough soaking of water a day or two before they are lifted. Those plants that are to remain outside may also be afforded water, for the ground is still very dry. Monlbretias in pots, so useful at this time of the year, will require manure-water while in flower. Tuberoses intended for winter flowering are better left outside until frosts occur ; put a neat stake to the flower- stem, and rub off all the offsets as they appear. THE ORCHID HOUSES. By W. H. Young, Orchid Grower to Sir Frkderk k Wigan, Bart.. Glare Lawn. East Bheen, S.W. Discontinuance of Shading. — The bright weather of the present month has necessitated the use of shading much later in the season than is usual. Now, however, all dense shading of a permanent character should be removed. The slanting rays of the sun will do little harm, even to tender-leaved plants, and these may be protected when necessary by placing sheets of paper over them when it is inadvisable to shade the whole of the house or division. Blinds made of cinvas or similar material should be quite dry when stored away, and it will be well to make a note of any that will need to be renewed for use next season. The lath-roller blinds are best left in position for use during Severn weather, when they will be very useful as a means of partially protecting the house from frost, and cold winds at night. Cattleya labiata will soon unfold its lovely blooms, and until they have done this, should be kept moderately moist at the roots. Subsequently a gradual decrease in the water supply may be made, until they are afforded only an occasional application, in order to keep the pseudo-bulbs firm. When the flowers have passed, cut the sheaths cleanly off at their junction with the pseudo-bulb. Plants may still be repotted if new roots emerge from the base of the last made pseudo-bulb, and in other respects they should be treated as above described. Cattleya Warneri, etc., if not kept cool and dry at this season, is apt to commence growing too early. Plants showing this tendency should not be placed in heat to encourage development, or failure will result. Continue to afford them water, but only when there are indications of shrivelling. C. Gaskelliana requires similar treatment. C. Warscewiczii often commences to grow again after the first pseudo- bulb is completed. In such cases the growing bud may be removed, or the plant placed under condi- tions that will hasten its development. The same remarks apply to C. aurea, and C. :< Hardyana. Hybrids possessing the characteristics of diverse parents make growth at peculiar seasons, owing probably to the fertilisation of the seed parent at an unseasonable period. One cannot experiment with these, owing to their value and rarity, but often it would be more preferable to remove the unseasonable developing bud, than to let it remain and form an immature pseudo-bulb. Every advantage of position should be accorded to plants in the act of producing new growths. Afford water in small quantities and often, rather than heavy applications, that the base may not be sodden should dull weather occur. Odontoglossum grande now flowering, will com- mence a long period of rest soon after the blooms have been removed. At that time the plants should be placed in a warm, light position in an inter- mediate-house, and afforded only sufficient water as will keep the pseudo-bulbs firm, when they have become fully developed. Trichopilia suavis and other species that have finished growing should be treated similarly to Odontoglossum grande. But T. fragrans is an ex- ception, it being a cool-growing species. It is now producing its flower spikes, and needs to be afforded water with great care. Pests. — Slugs should be sought for at night, and cockroaches kept under by frequently placing phos- phor-paste on bits of crock amongst the plants at night ; but always removing them in the morning for fear of accidents, as it is a dangerous poison. Scoop out part of the interior from pieces of Potato, and place them hollow-side downwards upon plants where wood-lice are common ; then by frequently examin- ing the Potatos, many will be captured. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. By A. Chapman, Gardener to Captain Holfohd, Westonlirt, Tetburv, Gloucestershire. Mushroom-beds. — In order to afford the cook Mushrooms regularly throughout the winter, the place in which they are grown Bhould be a suitable one. The Mushroom-house is sometimes built at the rear of glass-houses and near the heating apparatus, and perhaps close by the stoke-hole. This is an unsuitable position, sulphurous fumes penetrating the house ; and again, proximity to the boiler makes it impossible for the gardener to keep an equable temperature, or the required degree of humidity in the house. To overcome this there is much slopping of water on the floors and walls, which causes the Mushrooms to turn black, and other evils. A Mushroom-house or cellar must be fitted with the means of ventilation, orthe Mushrooms will damp off. The best kind of ventilation is by means of fall doors, or sashes in the roof. If a bed was spawned and covered with soil about the middle of last month, it may now be advisable to afford a slight degree of heat to the house, in order to keep the temperature at about 5S°. A succession bed may now be made, if stable manure in good condition is available. Where an open shed of good size does not exist, the manure as it is taken from the dung-pit may be stacked alongside of a wall, and protected from the rain. Do not let the bed touch the pipes, or even approach them nearly, and beat the materials of which it consists firmly. For covering the bed rich loam sifted finely is the best. Whether a bed requires moistening must be left to the judgment of the gardener, but unless it is very dry on the surface no water should be applied till Mushrooms show on the top. The temperature at which to spawn will hold good for all seasons, namely, from 80° to S5°. Beds made in the open and spawned not later than the first week in October will bring very fair returns, and may be had by the middle of the month of December ; but if they are left for two or three weeks later the produce may be quite three months later in coming. These out-of-door beds require to be covered with long litter, and over this some sort of waterproof covering or Russian mats, in- creasing the thickness of litter as the cold increases. Radishes. — Seeds for furnishing the winter supply of roots may yet be sown. Sometimes sowings made in the open in the middle of September, and if afforded some slight protection against frost, they will last till the new year. However, the sowing this year should be made forthwith in pits or frames. During the winter months the temperature of the pits, &c, should not be much less than 50°, and in making fresh sowings later in the year 60° will not be too high. The beds in the open should be hooped over, and mats placed over the plants when frosty weather sets in. Parsley. — With glass protection, the July sow- ings will afford plenty of leaves for use throughout the winter ; nevertheless, a few dozen roots should be lifted and put into a cold frame. For the next two months the frames should be left open by day in fine weather. When transplanting, it will not be amiss to add a liberal amount of charred garden- refuse or soot to the soil, and to remove the older leaves from the plants. THE FLOWER GARDEN. By J. Benbow, Gardener to the Earl of Ilcheater, Abbotsbnry Castle, Dorsetshire. Hints on Operations that are Urgent. — The drought- is taxing the resources of most gardens very heavily, and especially where much planting was carried out in the spring. Nothing short of heavy mulches, and the continued use of the hose or watering-pot, will keep the plants alive. If attention be paid to keeping the foliage of deciduous shrubs and ever- greens fresh, and thus prevent flagging, the roots- will continue to act. As a means of lessening the heavy labour caused by having to afford much water to shrubs and trees in the summer and autumn, I would strongly advise gardeners to plant early in the autumn. Any piece of land which has been selected for planting should be staked out forthwith, and when in a fit state for planting, the work should be undertaken within the next two months. In the meantime garden and woodland refuse and rubbish should be charred and used on the land when trenching it, and should the staple be infertile, a large quantity of manure, road- scrapings, ditch clearings, &c, should be dug in. Plants set out on land treated in this manner and at this season become established much sooner than when planted in the spring, and cost less in labour the following summer. This is the season to grub up worn-out or unhealthy bushes, taking special care to dig out all the roots. Gaps in the shrubberies should be made good by planting Pyrus Malus in variety, Crataegus, &c, after first dressing the stations with pasture-loam and manure. Herbaceous Borders should now be cleared of dead flower-stems, unnecessary sticks and stakes, weeds, dead leaves, and flowers, and generally make the borders tidy and presentable. Where bulbs and corms lie buried, the spots, lines, &C, should be indicated by labels or small stakes. If a new border is to be made, the land should be enriched with farmyard manure, or leaf-mould and charred refuse, and be deeply dug or trenched. In retentive soils that are not well drained, a drain may be made of rough stones, or brickbats, flints, &c, placed in a V-shaped trench made 9 inches deep, leading to a dry well or drain, situate at the lowest point. The materials in the drain should be covered with sods or heather ; such a drain will, by carrying off the too abundant moisture, impart warmth to the land. A herbaceous border which is to be planted with tall and dwarf plants should be 10 or 12 feet wide. There are some gardens that could be made very attractive by making a border for the growth of herbaceous perennials below the terrace wall. The old-fashioned haw-haw would also in some places make an admirable site for such a border. I purpose giving a selection of herbaceous plants in another Calendar. New shrubberies would be rendered more ornamental than is usually the case by planting in clumps and lines, bulbs and corms of Crocuses, Snowdrops, Chionodoxas, Scillas, early and late single and double Tulips, Hyacinths, Erythronium3, hardy species of Gla- diolus, Lilium album, L. croceum, &c. Lily of the Valley. — New beds should be formed every third or fourth year, in order to have a good supply of fine flower- spikes. It is customary to order the roots at this season, and hold them in readiness for planting. The plant thrives in a half shaded place. If the land be heavy, the soil on the site of the bed should be thrown out to a depth of 2 feet, and hard drainage materials put into the hole 6 inches in depth, and over this peat-sods or some turfy loam should be placed. The staple should then be enriched with leaf-mould and dry cow-dung. When levelled and raked smooth on the surface, plant the crowns about 4 inches apart, and 2 inches beneath the soil. They will make early progress if a mulch of short dung be put over them 244 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [September 29, 1900. EDITORIAL. NOTICES. ADVERTISEMENTS should be tent to the PUBLISHER. Newspapers. — Correspondents sending newspapers should It: careful to mark the paragraphs tliay wish the Editor to see. APPOINTMENTS FOR OCTOBER. TUESDAY, TUESDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, /Royal Horticultural Society's I Committees. Oct. 9^ National Chrysanthemum Society early Exhibition (3 days). V. Paris Exhibition(temporary show). | Royal Horticultural Society's Oct. 23 J Committees. ( Paris Exhibition (temporaryshow). Oct 30 S Cr°yd°n Chrysanthemum Slow I (2 days). /Penarth (South Wales) Chrysan- I themum Show. I Torquay and District Gardeners' Oct. 31 i Association Chrysanthemum I Show. Wolveihampton Chrysanthemum \ Show (2 days). SALES FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. EVERY DAY.— Dutch Bulbs, at Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. TUESDAY, Oct. 2.— Established Orchids, at The Nurseries, Park Lane, Tottenham, by order of the Executor of the late Mr. J. E. Pennett, by Protheroe & Morris. WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3. — Important unreserved Sale of Nursery Stock, at the Tunbridge Wells Nursery, Tun- liridge Wells, by order of Messrs. Thns. Cripps & Son, by Protheroe & Morris (two days). Orchids, Plants, and Live Stock, at Pairoak Lodge, Eastleigh, Hants, by order ol the Executors of the late W. A. Gillett, Esq., by Pro- theroe & Morris. FRIDAY, Oct. 5. —Imported and Established Orchids, at Piotheroe & Morris' Rooms. Average Temperature for the ensuing week, deduced from Observations of Forty-three Years, at Chiswick.— 54'2\ Actual Temperatures : — London.— September 26 (6 p.m.) : Max. 66' ; Min. 49'. Weather fine early in the day, rain in the evening ; generally unsettled. Provinces. — September 26 (6 p.m.): Max. 69% Frome ■ Min., 44", Shetland Isles. Plants are composed of two FaX regarding J*— °f Chemical ^stances, Soils. known as organic or volatile, which are destroyed by burning ; and inorganic, or fixed elements, which remain in the ash after burning. The importance of the inorganic or fixed elements to plant-life rests in the fact that, no matter what sort of a soil is under cultivation, a healthy plant carries away about the same amount of these con- stituents which it obtains from the soil for the building up of its structure. At the same time, while the same species of plant when matured may yield to analysis very similar quantities of these elements, different species will show different results as to kind and quantity ; and the more remote the natural affinity of the species to each other, the wider, as a rule, will be these differences. Perfect plants cannot be produced, much less can fruits, on soils where one or more impor- tant constituent is absent. The most valuable materials are phosphoric acid, potash, lime, and nitrogen. Accordingly, where soils have been exhausted by the growth and carrying away of crops below the point of remunerative cultiva- tion, they may be restored to fertility by making a j udicious return of the ash or mineral constituents along with the element nitrogen. This latter, the nitrogen, belongs to the organic class of plant-foods. While it is true that some alluvial soils possess vast stores of plant-food, both of nitro- genous and of mineral substances, as to be regarded practically inexhaustible, yet by con- stant cropping, without a suitable return in manure, they will in time become unproductive. The condition of a plant grown on an ex- hausted soil may, says Dr. Page, be likened to that of a storm-tossed mariner in mid-ocean with his water- casks washed away and he dying of thirst, with " water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink." The plant with mineral elements everywhere in the soil, and organic elements everywhere in the atmosphere, and none available for use. Paradoxical as this may appear, it is never- theless true, owing to the fact that the greater part of the soil-constituents are locked up in an inert condition, in which state, for the most part, they remain until united with a solvent supplied as manure. For example, in one of the experimental plots of the late Sir John Lawes at Eothamsted, to which no manure whatever was applied for thirty-eight years, the soil at the end of that period was found, on analysis, to contain in the top nine inches as much as thirty -six thousand six hundred and four pounds of potash per acre, and two thousand five hundred and three pounds of phosphoric acid per acre. Of these very large amounts of plant-food in the soil, only ninety- one pounds of potash, and one hundred and thirty-nine pounds of phosphoric acid per acre was in a soluble condition and available to plants. The addition of three hundredweight of superphosphate per acre to this same soil, on an adjoining plot, increased the solubility of the plant-food to one hundred and sixty-five pounds of potash per acre, and to one thousand one hundred and seventy pounds of phosphoric acid per acre. Having by this means brought the inert mineral constituents into a condition of solu- bility, the addition of nitrogen in the form of ammonia-salts as manure to this same land raised the produce from twenty-two to forty- three bushels of Barley-grain per acre/ and the straw from eleven hundredweights to twenty- four hundredweights per acre. These important facts teach us that as science has furnished the mariner with means and appliances to obtain fresh drinkable water for his relief from the briny sea- water, so science comes to the aid of the gardener and the culti- vator of the soil, and furnishes him with means and appliances of relief attainable in the soil and in the atmosphere by which he is surrounded. Thus, the chief office of manure is to furnish assimilable food for the immediate use of grow- ing crops, and that these combine with and supplement the natural food-supply existing in the soil. When it is said that certain consti- tuents in the soil are lacking, it does not always mean that the soil does not contain them, but that it does not supply to the growing plants as much as they need. It is not so much, there- fore, because soils have been worn out of plant- food, but rather because the food is locked up in such combinations that the plant-roots can- not get at and use it, that an artificial supply of soluble food in manure becomes necessary. It is believed, says Professor Roberts, that the beneficial effects of commercial fertilisers are due as much to the timely supply as to the amount of nourishment they contain. This timely supply enables the plants to enlarge their root system, whereby they are able to secure more nourishment from the soil over and above that furnished by the fertilisers, than they could have secured without such supply. If this be so, it is seen that the use of concen- trated manures in small quantities may not only largely increase the yield of crops, but may also serve to deplete the soil of some of its elements of plant-food more rapidly than would the same kind of crop and treatment without their use. CRAT/EGUS CRUS-GALLI (Supplementary Illus- tration).— The genus Crataegus provides the planter with some of the choicest subjects for the decora- tion of the garden, pleasure-ground, and woodland. This ample store of good things, taking gardens in general in this country, has not been much dipped into as yet, and the species which is more commonly found in quantity is the Whitethorn, C. oxyacantha, and the pink form of it. The beau- tiful double-flowered forms in rose, red, ciimson, and scarlet, of C. oxyacantha are relatively much less common ; and yet finer trees for gardens, or forecourts of villas in towns, are not to be found. Near the sea-coast the colours of the flowers come out with intense brilliancy. Next to the flowers in decorative importance are the fruits, which are produced in abundance in most years in colours of yellow, crimson, and red. We may mention as being of great decorative value, C. pyracantha, with white flowers, glistening small foliage ; and the brighter red-berried variety, C. p. Lelandi ; the North-American C. coccinea, with large corymbs of white flowers, having red anthers, large ovate, cordate, glabrous leaves, and large, bright red fruits ; C. pyrifolia, and C. prunifolia, likewise North American species; the first named having large, oblong, toothed leaves ; white flowers, produced in corymbs, and pear- shaped fruits. The second has small scarlet- coloured fruits, and much resembles the subject of our illustration, C. crus- galli, Cockspur Thorn, excepting that the fruits are smaller. The Cockspur Thorn forms a very characteristic half tree, beset with strong, curved spines, and has horizontally-poised branches and twigB, having bark of a yellow-brown colour. The blossoms come in simple clusters, which are quite destitute of hairs. The fruit is globular, and of a brick-red colour. On account of its long spines and vigorous growth, C. c. -g. makes a capital hedge plant. There are several varieties of this species in cultivation, of which mention may be made of lancifolia, with very small leaves ; splendens and laurifolia, with broad ones ; and pyracanthifolia, with long, lancet-like leaves. The tree figured is growing in the front garden of Mr. J. P. Gabriel, 32, Palace Road, Streatham, and shows admirably the habit of the species. The tree was photographed by Mr. Fred. Coope, of Brixton Hill, S.W. The National Chrysanthemum Society has already fixed the dates for its exhibitions in 1901. The early autumn exhibition will be held on October S, 9, and 10 ; and the great autumn com- petition on November 5, 6, and 7 ; and the early winter exhibition on December 3, 4, and 5. In each case the days of the week will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Professor W. von Ahles, who was for many years the President of the Horticultural Society of Wiirtemberg, and conductor of the Technical High School in Stuttgart, died there at the age of seventy-one years. The Lac Industry of Assam.— A recent report of the Assistant- Director of Agriculture in Assam deals in detail with the lac industry there. Lac occurs in its natural state in various parts of the forests of Assam, as well as of Burma, but chiefly in parts of the Khasi and Garo hills, and the export in recent years has averaged 16,000 maunds, or something over 500 tons, but in some of the foreBts, owing to the ravages of the Kola- azar epidemic and depopulation, the production is declining. The production in Manipur is not suffi- cient for the local needs, and quantities of lac are sent there from the Kubo Valley of Assam. In Assam the lac is usually collected twice a year, first in May and June, and then in October and November. The first is mainly used for seed pur- poses, while the second forms the export. A few days after the collection, pieces of stick lac con- taining living insects are tied on to the branches of the trees on which the next crop is to be grown. The usual plan is to place the lac in small bamboo baskets and tie these on the twigs of the trees. The September 29, 1900.] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 245 Gardens," illustrated By Councillor J. M. 'insects soon crawl out, and spread over the young branches, on which they promptly begin to feed, and secrete the resin. This is allowed to go on for about six months, when the lac is collected ; but ■if the secretion has been defective or insufficient the insects remain undisturbed for another six months. Cardiff Gardeners' Association. — The ■OpBning of Session 1!)00 will take place on Tuesday, •Ootober 2, at 7.30 p.m. sharp, in the St. John's Hall, St. John's Square, when the Deputy-Mayor •>y one time. The. specimens must be good ones; ij two of each variety are tent, identification wilt be easier. They should be iu t approaching ripeness, and they should be 2)roperly numbered, and cirefully packed. A leaf or >hoot of each variety is helpful, and in the case of Plums. abtoluUly essential In ail cases it is necessary to know the district from which the frwt< are sent. We do in( undertake to s*nd answers through the poou "could not send better speci- mens." 1. 2, and 5, it is impossible to determine in tbe condition sent, and we can only say with regard to the others that they resemble the following varieties : 3, White Paradise ; 4, Keddlestone Pippin ; 6, Beurre d'Anjou. — E. L. Nectarine Pineapple — H. J. Plums, Bellede Liuvaine, Red Magnum Bonum ; Apple next week. Names of Plants : Correspondents not answered in this issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following number, — Winton. The Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladonna), ex- ceedingly poisonous. — Dilltuiha,. Ambrosia aptera, a North American Composite. — R Jar- din. Clematis Davidiana. — W. S. S. 1, Solidago Virg-aurea ; 2, Inula Conyzi ; 3, Atriplex patula ; 4, Lapsana communis ; 5, Bromus inter- medins : 6, B. unioloides. — E. F., Bath. 1, Psoralea glandulosa ; 2, Salvia coccinea ; 3, Polygonum amplexicaule ; 4, Chrenostoma hispi- dum. — C. W. D. Certainly not Malvastrum coccineum, but a species of Sphreralcea, probably Fendleri, but material far too meagre and withered for an accurate determination to be made. — H. M. Rosa rugosa. — FT. G. R. Iu addition to those given in our last issue. 2, Pinus excelsa ; 3, Thuiopsis dolabrata ; 4, Pinus Cembra ; 7, Taxu3 fastigiata ; 8. Biota aurea. — A. K. D. Stapelia variegata. — H., Southampton. Miltonia Regnelli, slightly different in colour from the type. — Ashlyns. Chironia linoiodes. — if. /., Alton. 1, Coreopsis latifolia ; 2, Chryso- coma comaurea ; 3, Centranthus ruber ; 4, Mesembryanthemum acinaciforme. — J. D., Notts. 1, Cyathea medullaris ; 2, Alsophila australis ; 3, Dicksonia antarctica ; 4. Osmunda regalis ; 5, probably Dracasna margiuata ; 6, Pteris Ouvirardi. — R. B. 1, Dracsena pul- cherrima ; 2, Selaginella caulescens ; 3. Paullinia thalictrifolia ; 4, Selaginella apoda ; 5, Selaginella denticulata ; 6, Dracaena intermedia ; 7, Selagi- nella cassia ; 8, specimen too small ; 9, Adiantum gracillimum ; 10, Maranta picta ; 11. Dracaena marginata ; 12, Dracaena rubra; 13, Selaginella umbrosa ; 14, Coco3 Weddeliana ; 15, Adiantum cuneatum grandiceps ; 16, Cypripedium bar- batum ; 17, Cypripedium venustum ; IS, Euco- mis punctata ; 19, Carex species ; 20, Carex variegata ; 21, Platycerium alcicorne. Speci- mens very imperfect, and too many sent. — W. , Hampstead. 1, Tanacetum vulgare crispum (Tansy) ; 2, Polygonum cuspidatum. Preserving Fruits and Vegetables : W. G. Any good cookery book would describe the various processes. We know of no work specially dealing with these subjects. Tomato fruits partly ripe and green : A. Dtrry. Kindly send some of these fruits for our inspec- tion. We are unable to answer your question without seeing them. Continued Increase in the Circulation of the " GARDENERS' CHRONICLE," Important to Advertisers.— The Publisher has the satisfaction of announcing that the circulation of th 11 Gardeners' Chronicle " has, since the reduction in the price of the paper, §0T- TREBLED. ~9$ Advertisers are reminded that the " Chronicle " circulates among Country Gentlemen, and all Classes of Gabdener8 and Garden-lovers at home, that it has a specially lar Foreign and Colonial Circulation and that it is preserved for reference in nil the }-rincif.al Libraries. (For Markets and Weather t see p. x.) September 29, 1900.] SUPPLEMENT TO THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. EXHIBITION OF BRITISH -GROWN FRUITS AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. (SEPTEMBER 27, 28, 29, 1900.) The Royal Horticultural Society is now holding its Seventh annual exhibition of British-grown fruits at the Crystal Palace. We have repeatedly expressed our conviction that much good may be done in the way of encouraging first claBS fruit cultivation in this country, by bringing together such a display as that now on view, providing the public can be induced to visit the exhibition in sufficient numbers. In this respect the series of shows the Society has held at the Crystal Palace have been attended by a considerable degree of success. Though we have good reason to hope that year by year the event will be made better known, and be looked forward to by a larger number of persons, the support it has been already accorded has been such as to give cause for satisfaction. If the attendance could be still further increased, by giving the show even greater publicity, so much the better. The present show is rather more successful generally than any which have preceded it, and though it is not more extensive, certain sec- tions are represented very much better than last year or previously. We refer to Pears and soft fruits, as Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums, all of which we should judge are shown in twice the quantity they were at the last exhibition. In the single dish classes for Pears this is particularly evident, the entries in some of which are most satisfactory. The following are instances : — Beurre Diel, 13 ; Beurre Superfin, 1.5 ; Doyenne du Cornice, 17 ; Durondeau, 18 ; Josephine de Malines, and Fondante d'Automne, 13 each ; Louise Bonne of Jersey, 25 ; and in the class for " Any other variety," 36. The actual exhibits fall below these figures in some cases, but they are sufficient evidence that there has been a consider- able increase. In the classes for Plums, grown out of doors, there were 24 entries in some and never fewer than IS. The quality too was superior. Peaches and Nectarines were not only abundant, but in size and colour, they were above average. Apples are always shown well at this exhibition, and they are not better than usual, we think, on this occasion. In the single dish classes there appears to be a little falling off in the number of exhibits of some well-known varieties, as Cox's Orange Pippin, King of the Pippins, but as there were nearly 30 entries in each of the classes there is not much to regret. What slight falling off there may be, may possibly be accounted for by particular varieties, having needed some thinning of the fruits to be done, in order to bring them to exhibition size ; and in the present year when most kinds of fruits are very abundant, it has been found impossible in many gar- dens to effect as much thinning as was needed. Cox's Orange Pippin is such a variety, and if the trees are in the least heavily cropped, the fruits will not develop the large size in which this unrivalled Pippin is exhibited at these shows. Of newer varieties of Apples, it is interesting to note that for Lord Hindlip there was only one entry in a class reserved for that variety, and only two for Allen's Everlasting, but for Allington Pippin there were nine entries ; and some specimens exhibited by J. Colman, Esq., Gatton Park, Reigate, in a col- lection of twenty-four dishes of cooking and dessert Apples, were magnificent fruits, that clearly indicate the variety to be a capital one for market as it is for quality. Turning to essentially indoor fruits, Grapes are shown rather more largely than usual, and the quality is good. The Grape classes are remarkable for two circumstance. The first is, that Lord Har- rington's gardener, Mr. Goodacre, has continued the wonderful success he has met with at earlier exhibitions this season, particularly at Shrewsbury, by winning the fifty-guinea Challenge Cup offered for eighteen bunches in six varieties. The second circumstance is that of Lord HASTINGS' gar- dener exhibiting so well in these classes. From the remarks that may be found in our description of these Grapes, we think it will be conceded that such cultivation is in the highest degree praise- worthy. It is interesting also in connection with our note on p. 20G of the fruit crop at Barham Court, that Mr. Geo. Woodward entered in as many as seventy- five classes, won forty-one 1st prizes and tifteen2nd prizes. Mr. McKen/.ie, who did well in the Apple and Pear classes last year, has been unable to exhibit on the present occasion, and we regret to hear that he is suffering indisposition. Among new exhibitors, we notice the Duke of Port- land, Mr. Roberts, his present gardener having entered collections of excellent Apples. Altogether there are 155 exhibitors, and there are representatives from England, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands, but none from Ireland. The classes that several seasons ago were insti- tuted for the purpose of illustrating the best systems of packing choice fruits were repeated, and if no superior method than has been practised hitherto was shown, they were nevertheless inter- esting. The District County Classes are also useful, and afford means for all exhibitors in them to compete on equal terms. At the Luncheon, Sir Trevor Lawrence was unable to be present on account of an important engagement in connection with St. Bartholomew's Hospital. The Rev. W. Wilks, M.A., occupied the Chair, and admirably fulfilled the duties per- taining to it. As Secretary to the Society, Mr. Wilks disclosed a few circumstances connected with the decision of the Royal Horticultural Society some years ago to commence this series of exhi- bitions, when the annual event that had previously taken place in the Crystal Palace had fallen through. Both Mr. Wilks and the Council are now happy in thinking that the decision then arrived at was one in favour of attempting to establish a show in the place of that one, and fruit-growers and horticulturists generally have reason to be grateful to the Society for continuing it. The show necessarily inflicts a very great deal of work upon the Society's officials, especially Mr. Wilks, Mr. Reader, Mr. S. T. Wright, the superintendent of Chiswick, and his assistant, Mr. Humphreys. Mr. John Wright, V.M.H., and Mr. Challis, the Earl of Pembroke's gardener, replied to the toasts of the referees and judges, and votes of thanks were passed to the Chairman and to Mr. Wright. Below we give a report of the whole of the competitive classes, but we must defer our remarks upon the Nurserymen's exhibits until our next issue. DIVISION I. (Gardeners and Amateurs only.) Frotts Grown under Glass or Otherwise. COLLECTIONS OF FRUIT. Entries were most numerous in Class II., one that calls for six dishes only. In the collections of hardy fruits there were two exhibits in each class. The first class was one for a collection of nine dishes of ripe dessert fruits in six kinds at least, including only one each of Pine, Melon, Black and White Grapes, and not more than two varieties of any other kind, nor two dishes of the same variety. The 1st prize, which included a Silver Cup presented by Sholto H. Hare, Esq., was won by the Earl of Harrington, Elvaston Castle, Derby (gr., Mr. J. H. Goodacre), and it is almost needless to say that very fine quality characterised the exhibit which was well in front of the others staged. His Grapes were Blaek Alicante and Muscat of Alexandria, and both were excellent. There were Peaches Golden Eagle and Princess of Wales, Pear Doyenne du C >mice, Apple Cox's Orange Pippin, Figs Brunswick, a moderate-sized Cayenne Pine, and a Melon. 2nd, Lady Hesuy Somerset, Eaatnor Castle, Ledbury (gr., Mr. G. Mullens). Gros Maroc Grapes were shown in this instance in place of Black Alicante. Both these and the Muscats were of good quality. The Peaches Sea Eagle and Barrington, Nectarines Pinaapple, and Albert Victor and Countess Melon were also commendable. Ribston Pippin Apples and Pitmaston Duchess Pears completed the exhibit. 3rd, Sir Jos. W. Pease, Bt., Hutton Hall, Guisborough, Yorks (gr., Mr. J. Mclndoe), whose Grapes were Gros Maroc and Foster's Seedling. There were four exhibits in the class. The best collection of six dishes, inclusive of not fewer than four kinds (Pines excluded), was shown by J. W. Fleming, Esq., Chilworth Mauor, Romsey, Hants (gr., Mr.]W . Mitchell), a new exhibitor, we think. He had excellent Madresfield Court and Muscat of Alexmdria Grapes, the latter being, perhaps, a little deficient in point of finish ; Peaches, Princess of Wales and Sea Eagle ; Nectarine, Elruge, and Pear, Wil- liams' Bon Chretien. The Peaches were very large in both instances. 2nd, M. Biddulfh, Esq., Ledbury, Hereford (gr., Mr. J. Davies). He had short, heavily-shouldered, capi- tally finished Alicante and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, also Nectarine Albert Victor; Peaches, Princess of Wales and Barrington, and Hero of Lockinge Melon. 3rd, C. S. Eatjy, Esq., Oatlands Lodge, Weybridge (gr., Mr. Jas. Lock). There were as many as ten exhibitors in this class. Collections of Hardy Fruits grown entirely in the open air. Fifty dishes. The 1st prize went to Mr. R. C. Sanders, gr. to A. C. de Rothschild, Esq., Halton, Tring, who had eighteen dishes of Apples. Chief among them, finely finished, were Lady Sudeley, Allington Pippin, Ribston Pippin, Newton Wonder, Peasgood's Nonsuch, Mere de Menage, Emperor Alexander, The Queen, Gascoigne's Scarlet, King of the Pippins, Tom Putt ; and ten dishes of Pears, chief among them being Triomphe de Vienne, Brockworth Park, Duchess d'Angouleme, Marie Benoist, Doyenne du Cornice,