4 ^ THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



There the enemy would be found rioting in a position jnst suited to its 

 full development, touching -with certain death the very organs that should 

 be the source of life to the tree, and refusing to yield to any other agency 

 but fire. Manure to roses in this failing state, is worse than useless, it 

 strengthens the fungi at the expense of the tree, and it Avill not be long 

 before the enemy will prove the strongest. Here, then, is another obvious 

 conclusion from the fact, that in all damp soils, and especially in gardens, 

 "wooden stakes are not to be trusted ; growers of roses, hollyhocks, 

 dahlias, «§:c., should use iron rods, which are cheap in the first instance, and, 

 with an occasional coat of paint, will last for ever. If wood is used, the 

 lower end of the stake should be charred, and then covered with a coat of 

 pitch, and every year afterwards be taken up and examined. In the 

 construction of shedding, rustic arboiu's, arches, and the like, every post 

 driven into the ground should be treated in the same way, for when once 

 this pest gets a footing, it is hard to eradicate, but it never does appear 

 except in connection with the slow decay of wood in some shape or 

 other. Dead wood is its proper nidus, therefore dead wood is a dangerous 

 material in every damp soil. 



It is pleasant, at this dead season, to loot forward and anticipate the floral fetes, for 

 which active preparations are now making in all parts of the country, and particularly 

 near the metropolis. St. James's Hall will, in a short time hence, be once more gay 

 with camellias, azaleas, hyacinths, cinerarias, and otliers of the first spring flowers. 

 We hear of several choice new seedling florists' flowers, which are to make their first 

 appeai'ance this season ; among them some promising new hyacinths from Mr. Cutbush ; 

 new azaleas from Messrs. Ivory, Standish, and Henderson, of which announcements 

 were made in the Garden Oracle. Mr. Standish will at last show the world the 

 beauties of his new Camellia, figured from the life in this present number of the 

 "Floeal Would," and IMr. Turner will be very forward in the field with cineraiias, 

 pelargoniums, and tulips, having made some notable purchases of the latter flower, 

 and arranged to have the Kational Tulip Show in his own grounds, at Slough, this 

 summer. In his own nursery he will not, of course, be a competitor, but his best bed 

 will be open to the inspection of visitors, and will be the grand feature of the show 

 itself. Mr. Salter, ever busy in raising seedling chrysanthemums, will send out 

 .several new flowers in May next. We saw Mr. Salter's lot of new seedlings in bloom 

 on the 6th of December last, they number many hundreds, and comprise a variety 

 of novel colours ; but only such will be sent out as have been proved for two or more 

 seasons. We shall, next month, give a report upon the subject from the notes made 

 on our visit. Among the announcements of exhibitions for 1S59, one stands out 

 conspicuously. It is a proposed gi-eat Yorkshire gala, to take place on or about the 

 13th of June next, at York, to which the growers of the United Kingdom, amateur 

 and professional, are invited in friendly contest. The prizes will be " unprecedented 

 in amount," say the pi'omoters. We trust they will be skilfully apportioned, so that 

 subjects nearly approaching in merit, may not be separated far and wide, by the 

 honours respectively awarded them. Communications on the subject are, for the 

 present, to be addressed to Mr. Thomas Smith, Bootham, York. The days fixed for 

 exhibition of plants at tlie Eoyal Botanic Gardens, Regent's Park, are Wednesdays, 

 May 25, June 15, and July G. The Stoke Newington Chrysantliemum Society will 

 hold its next show at tlie Manor Rooms, on the Sth and 9th of November. 



The report for the past yeai*, of tlie Horticultui-al Society of Edinburgh, shows 

 signs of healthy progress, attributable, in some measure, perhaps, to the recent decline 

 of the Caledonian Society, though, mainly, to the energetic manner in which the new 

 society lias been conducted. The two flower sliows were eminently successful; 

 innnerous amateurs and cottatiers have joined the society, and it is hoped that this 

 organization may prove widely beneficial to n class which usually holds aloof from 

 associated efforts for mutual advancement. Up to September last, the members 

 numbered seventy ; since September, thu'ty more have been added. Donations and 



