216 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [ September, 



cut from one house ; had all been planted in May, 1868, chiefly from eyes of that year ; and 

 had all been subjected to a bottom-heat from piping placed undor pavement, varying from 90° 

 to 105°, except in the case of one vine, a Royal Muscadine, which had had no bottom-heat 

 whatever. This latter variety, which, under similar conditions, would have preceded the 

 Muscat in ripening by at least two months, was under these conditions not so much matured 

 as wore the Muscats grown in the same atmosphere, but with bottom-heat. This is a striking 

 fact in support of the advocates of bottom-heat for forced vines. 



2Ue note that the Royal Horticultural Society's Manchester Show has 



proved more successful in a financial point of view than was at one time 

 anticipated, the receipts being about £1,900, and the expenses about £1,500. 

 This amount would probably have been doubled had the society received that countenance 

 and support from Royalty which it was led to expect, and which, indeed, was more or less 

 publicly announced. The show itself was one of considerable extent, occupying fivelongtents and 

 one large circular tent ; it was also of fair average quality — good in some points, vegetables 

 especially ; the stove and greenhouse plants being, moreover, generally good, as were also the 

 Conifers, and some of the fruit. Amongst the gems of tho show were Mr. Hole's Roses, Mr. 

 Dixon's Ansectochilus, Mr. Baines's Sarracenias, and Mr. Stevenson's Alocasia Jenningsii. Tho 

 Horticultural Congress was a new and very successful feature of this meeting. 



(Cucumbers for Exhibition should be straight, evenly swelled close up 



to both ends, smooth or free from ribs on the surface, and in length about nine 

 or ten times the diameter. Generally, dark-green varieties, with plenty of bloom 

 and black spines, are preferred, though as the best of all Cucumbers belong to the smooth- 

 skinned Syon House breed, these latter points involve sacrificing quality to appearance. 

 Hence at all exhibitions there should be separate classes for the different races of Cucumbers. 



^he Selby Flower and Fruit Gatherer, introduced by Messrs. Dick 



Eadclyffe and Co., of High Holborn, is a handy and ingenious form of flower- 

 scissors. By means of a spring clamp attached to the cutting blade, the stalk of 

 a flower as soon as severed is caught and retuined firmly till purposely released. It will bo a 

 most convenient implement for ladies. It is stated to be able to cut and retain bunches of 

 fruit to tho weight of 4 lb., or, indeed, up to 7 lb. 



iHR- Osman Rhodes, of the Crystal Nursery. Sydenham Park, died on 



the 8th of July, aged 40. Mr. Ehodes had been well known for the last 20 

 vears as a first-class plant-grower and exhibitor. He had also successfully turned 

 his attention to the improvement of hot-water apparatus. 



jf&n. John B. "Whiting died on the 19th of July, at the residence of 



his son, near Hereford. For nearly 30 years he was gardener at the Deepdene, 

 Dorking, which position he had only quite recently resigned. He was not only 

 esteemed for his personal worth, but also for his eminence in his profession, and for his sound, 

 sensible contributions to the gardening journals. In his younger days ho was employed in 

 the gardens of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick. and he retained to the last his connec- 

 tion with that Society by his service? as a member of the Fruit Committee. 



(Charles B. Warner, Esq., died at his residence at Hoddesdon on 



the 27th of Jul\ r . Mr. Warner was formerly one of the most successful growers 

 and exhibitors of Orchids, but for some years past he had given up growing for 

 exhibition, and confined himself to keeping up a select collection for bis private gratification. 

 At the period above alluded to, he was an active Fellow of the Ro} r al Horticultural Society, 

 and for some years occupied a seat at its Council-board. He was an earnest supporter of 

 cottagers' shows for fruit and vegetables, and in this, and many ways, so brought his influence 

 to bear on those around him, that his loss will be severely felt. 



