Sept 



H O RTI CULTURE 



297 



tant fixture has just been held, but unfortunately the wet 

 weather marred its complete success. Once again the 

 leading nurserymen contributed their novelties and the 

 finest specimens from their conservatories and gardens, 

 enabling provincial residents, who are prevented from 

 getting to London, to see the latest introductions. This 

 show, like the leading Metropolitan ones, largely owes its 

 attractiveness to the splendid support accorded by the 

 trade, who spare neither time nor expense in making 

 noteworthy displays. The exhibits are object lessons in 

 the advance made in recent years in horticulture in this 

 country. For cultural skill British gardeners have 

 gained world-wide fame; it must be admitted, however, 

 that our French neighbors can give the Britishers points 

 in the effectiveness of their grouping, and artistic 

 arrangement of exhibits. Of the educational value of 

 these shows there can be no question. Amongst the 

 visitors at Shrewsbury were a party of employes of the 

 Irish Department of Agriculture, under the guidance of 

 Mr. Moore, of the Eoyal Botanic Gardens, Dublin. These 

 visitors subsequently made a tour of inspection of the 

 large area of fruit plantations in the vale of Eveshan. in 

 Worcestershire. 



A LADY MARKET GARDENER 



The establishment of horticultural colleges for w-omen 

 has induced many of the fair sex to embark upon gar- 

 dening as a profession. After paying a heavy premium 

 and studying at the colleges some of the women have 

 obtained situations as gardeners, but in several cases 

 this branch of work has not been altogether successful. 

 They have found the life irksome and underpaid. Some 

 of the students who' have commenced on their own 

 account as florists and market gardeners have done very 

 well, provided they had ample capital and the requisite 

 energy and enterprise. In a northern suburb of Lon- 

 don Miss Dowie has for the last three years conducted a 

 market gardener's business and she personally superin- 

 tends the glass-houses and plots. She cultivates cucum- 

 bers, mushrooms, chrysanthemums, etc., and these are 

 supplied to retailers. Miss Dowie understands the prac- 

 tical side of the business, and on Sundays takes a hand 

 in the watering. As a result of her experience she has 

 come to the conclusion that a comfortable living can be 

 derived from the business, although the excessive com- 

 petition prevents a fortune being made. Several other 

 women gardeners are turning their knowledge to account. 

 Miss O'Connell, a descendant of the famous Liberator, 

 has commenced bulb growing in Ireland, where this 

 branch of horticulture has made great strides in recent 

 years. 



EXTENSION OF LAVENDER CULTURE 



During a recent tour in the south of England I came 

 across a new flower farm which has been established at 

 Broadstone in Dorset. Hitherto large quantities of 

 lavender liave been cultivated at Mitcham, close to Lon- 

 don, but the land in that neighborhood is gradually 

 passing into the builder's hands. In Dorset land is 



very much cheaper, and it has been found in every way 

 suitable for cultivating the sweet-smelling herb. In 

 addition, wall-flowers, violets, and carnations are culti- 

 vated, and these, besides the lavender, are distilled and 

 rich perfumes abstracted. It is contended by a mem- 

 ber of the firm owning the farm that instead of paying 

 thousands of pounds to foreign countries for floral and 

 medicinal essences, it is possible to grow most of the 

 requisite materials in Britain. An excellent start has 

 already been made and near the farm is a factory where 

 English lavender water was in great favor, and then 

 the crop of this fragrant fiower was very profitable. 

 Public tastes cliange, and in recent years the cheap for- 

 eign essences have made a great difference to the British 

 trade. A commendable effort is now being made to 

 revive this industry. Already trade with Canada has 

 been established with the firm in Dorset. Satisfaction 

 is felt that land which has hitherto been regarded as 

 practically waste can be utilized for such a useful 

 purpose. 



>ty'/. C\M^, 



Aus. 30, VM\o. 



Italian Garden at Newport 



The accompanying photograph shows the Italian or 

 sunken garden at the Newport residence of Mr. E. C. 

 EJiight. All the beds are planted with fibrous rooted 

 begonias in various colors, one color in a bed. The 

 effect produced is exceedingly pleasing, the begonias 

 having almost as uniform an appearance as plants used 

 in carpet-bedding without the stiffness or dullness of 

 the latter. 



The picture, however, conveys little idea of the beauty 

 of this garden which was a mass of bloom nearly three 

 months ago and will continue so until kte in the fall. 



