1870.] NOTES OF THE MONTH. 245 



horticultural monster as this aught else but the outcome of the 

 imagination of an exhibition monomaniac 1 Mr Paul writes like a man 

 soured by disappointment of some character, which has tinctured the 

 sober judgment of his mature years ; and so he flings forth utterances 

 of floral misanthropy very painful to many of his old friends and asso- 

 ciates in the work of exhibiting, who still hold him in high esteem 

 both as a florist and a man. 



In the charges thus brought against exhibitors in general, and in- 

 directly against the judges at exhibitions as conniving at such acts, 

 Mr Paul should not forget that invariably, when any resort has been 

 made to these practices, it has resulted in detection. During the last 

 year of the existence of the National Floricultural Society, of which 

 Mr W. Paul was a member to its dissolution, an instance occurred of 

 a seedling Dahlia being submitted to the judgment of the censors at 

 one of the meetings of the Society, which had had its centre taken out 

 and that of another flower substituted for it. The culprit was instantly 

 expelled the Society, as a means by which the members could best ex- 

 press their abhorrence of such a deliberate intention to deceive. When 

 the dishonest exhibitor and the venal judge come into power at our 

 exhibitions, there will be reason to fear such practices may prevail ; at 

 present we have a higher opinion both of exhibitors and judges, not- 

 withstanding what is stated by Mr Paul to the contrary. 



From New York comes the intelligence of a new process for preserv- 

 ing timber, which has been tried with much success. We extract the 

 following passage from ' Chambers's Journal' : "There is, in all green 

 wood, an amount of putrescible matter combined with the sap. If 

 this can be got rid of, the timber will keep sound ; and it is got rid of 

 by soaking the timber in a solution of borax, and washing afterwards 

 in plain water. Borax has an advantage over some other chemical 

 substances used in the seasoning of timber ; it does not attack or 

 weaken the woody fibre, or the structural tissues, or cellular mem- 

 branes, however delicate. This being the case, may we not sup- 

 pose that by treating different kinds of wood with borax, a delicate 

 appearance would be imparted, which would render them valuable for 

 ornamental purposes ] " 



The exigencies of railway communication in the metropolitan dis- 

 trict has necessitated the closing of the Versailles Nursery, Hammer- 

 smith, occupied by Messrs Salter & Son, and the stock has been 

 sold off preparatory to the property passing into the hands of the 

 railway company. We hear Messrs Salter k Son do not intend to 

 resume business, and their new Chrysanthemums will be distributed 

 by Mr W r illiam Bull. We are very sorry indeed to lose the pleasant 

 winter-garden in this nursery during the months of November and 



