384 



JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTURB AND OOTTAQB QABDENER. 



[ May 24, 1877. 



bonthood of his church in the days when monastic gardens 

 were there, in which the monks cultivated Fig trees. He 

 reminded the older people in the congregation that trees used 

 to grow in some of the City courtyards, which were supposed 

 to be the remains of Fig orchards, though now the district was 

 so altered that to some it would seem singular that a flower 

 sermon should be preached in it. The name cf Fig Church 

 Lane and old pictures of the neighbourhood showing ladies 

 weaving garlands conveyed an idea of the once rural aspect of 

 the spot. The small seed from which the Fig tree springs was 

 made by the rector to convey to the children the lesson that 

 no one was so small as to be of no use. The appearance of 

 the fruit on the Fig tree before the leaves grow prompted the 

 motto — " Deeds before words," and the injunction to be a 

 Christian rather than to parade ChriBtiauity. 



We have received the schedule of a great HOBTionLTnRAL 



ExniEiTioN which is to be held at Antwerp from the 19th to 

 the 22nd of August, in connection with the fOtes to celebrate 

 the 300th anniversary of the birth of Rubens. It consists of 

 127 classes ; and the prizes, which consist of gold, silver-gilt, 

 silver, and Ijronze, are both numerous and valuable. 



The Rev. T. Brockway has alluded to the vegetation 



OP Madagascae as follows : " It was not yet the season for 

 flowers, but there were some here in warm spots. Sometimes 

 I saw Orchids hanging from trunks of trees, and found one 

 beautiful specimen of a terrestrial Orchid in full bloom, and 

 in a sheltered nook recognised the pretty blue Lobelia. Ferns 

 of great beauty abound, among which the Tree Fern and the 

 Maidenhair are frequently seen. But it was almost worth the 

 trouble of the journey to see the Bamboos. These with the 

 Rofiia tree and the Traveller's Tree, only found in hot regions, 

 showed the luxuriance of vegetation in this tropical climate." 



A COBKESPONDENT Writes :—" What particular deUght 



can it afford Mr. Dodwell to be continually carping at 'D., 

 Dealt ' I have read his observations at page 370, and I am of 

 opinion that his own statement is not absolutely correct when 

 he says, ' I paid prize moneys to eleven.' Did not that in- 

 clude exhibitors of Polyanthuses? and therefore 'Jy., Deal,' 

 was quite correct in saying that of Auricula exhibitors ' seven 

 exhibitors competed.'" [Did Mr. Dodwell pay prize moneys 

 to eleven exhibitors of Auriculas ? If he did not he made a 

 misleading statement. — Ens.] 



We have received the first number of the " Jouknal 



OF Forestry, " a monthly publication published by Messrs. 

 Rider of St. Bartholomew's Close. The object of the journal 

 is to " bring forestry into the foreground as a science, an art, 

 an economic department, and a source of social and personal 

 delight." The importance of establishing a school of forestry 

 in Britain is ably urged, and many excellent articles are sub- 

 mitted on various topics which come within the province of 

 the volume. It is a publication of much promise, and can be 

 recommended to landed proprietors, and, indeed, to all who 

 are interested in the management of woods and who are 

 identified with the growing of timber for pleasure or profit. 

 The first number is calculated, from the variety and soundness 

 of the articles it contains and from its general good appear- 

 ance, to meet with a favourable reception from those who are 

 interested in the management of estates. The volume is of 

 large 8vo. size, and contains seventy-two pages of excellently 

 printed matter. It deserves success. 



Keferhisg to " F. J.'s " inquiry for " Particulars of treat- 

 ment of Gold Fish in a pond in the garden," Mr. Butler of 

 Bletcbingley states that last spring he turned two dozen into 

 a pond about 30 feet in diameter, supplied with water from 

 the natural drainage of the adjoining land, and having so 

 turned them in nothing further was done. They did very well 

 until November, when they disappeared, and as they did not 

 again show themselves during the winter it was concluded they 

 were dead, until the following passage was read in Knight's 

 " Museum of Animated Nature:" — " In the winter carp appear 

 to undergo a partial state of torpor, burying themselves in the 

 mud or in deep holes in the bank." The re-appearanoe of 

 the gold fish was therefore hoped for, which hope has not 

 been disappointed, for within the last fortnight they have 

 shown themselves, and are as lively and well as can be 

 desired. 



We have received the following note from a Dorsetshire 



correspondent: — "I send you two or three blooms of Miss 

 BATEiiAN Clematis, which should be pure white. You will 

 observe that they are as green as jealousy. They are taken 



from a plant against a south wall which last year bloomed 

 splendidly, and appears now to be in most robust health, being 

 covered with blooms, but as yet they are all like the sample 

 enclosed. Can you account for it ? It is exceedingly annoy- 

 ing, just as the summer is here and the Roses begin to cover 

 the walls, to have these green-eyed monsters spoiling all." 

 We think the cold wet spring and the absence of sunshine has 

 caused this abnormal feature. 



On'e of the finest light Azaleas that has come under 



our notice is Apollo. We recently saw some plants of this 

 flowering in the collection of Messrs. Veitch, and even when 

 associated with such excellent sorts as Mdlle. Leonie Van 

 Houtte and other approved Belgian varieties its superiority 

 was manifest. The flowers are almost pure white, but a few 

 are irregularly striped with pink. They are large, well formed, 

 and of good substance, and are produced in great profusion. 

 This Azalea has been recently exhibited by Mr. Charles Turner. 

 It is almost certain to find its way into all collections, and the 

 sooner the better, for it is a splendid variety. 



We have received the following note on Mr. Wilson's 



leaving the Crystal Palace : — " I am sure that none of the readers 

 of the Rose journal who ever exhibited Roses or other plants 

 at the Crystal Palace can have read the announcement at the 

 conclusion of your article on the Crystal Palace Flower Show 

 without great regret— viz., that Mr. Wilson has been dismissed. 

 I never met with a more kind or courteous official, or one 

 whose conduct to exhibitors of all classes was more to be 

 praised. I am exceedingly sorry to find that the exhibitors at 

 the Crystal Palace will lose the benefit of his services, and I 

 would oiler to him the condolence and regret of at least — A 

 Wyld Savage." 



The flower show to be held at the Orleans House Club, 



Twickenham, on Friday and Saturday next the 25th and 26th 

 inat., is expected by the managers — Messrs. RoUissou & Sons, 

 Tooting — to be a very good one. The prizes are certainly 

 liberal. The large Roses from Slough and Cheshuut are in- 

 vited, for we observe that in class A for ten Roses two prizes 

 only (£20 and £15) are provided, three prizes being offered 

 in the remaining classes. There is a class for twenty Roses itb 

 8-inch pots (open), and we are glad to see an amateurs' class 

 for eight plants. Azaleas, Orchids, stove and greenhouse 

 plants, hardy perennials, new and rare plants, &e., are pro- 

 vided for. The total amount of the prizes offered exceeds 

 £350. 



On page 487 of our last volume a correspondent under 



the signature " Cape " inquires for plants of the Cape species 

 of Pelargoniums. If he will send us his address we have a 

 communication for him which we will forward. 



One of the finest Ferns of recent introduction is 



Adiantum palmatdm. It is being increased as rapidly as pos- 

 sible in the chief nurseries. We lately observed a fine stock 

 of it in Mr. Williams's nursery at HoUoway, where it is popu- 

 larly called the " greenhouse farleyenee." It has the same 

 large pinnules as A. farleyense, and the rachides are similarly 

 slender. It is one of the most elegant Ferns in cultivation, 

 and will be the more popular on account of its comparative 

 hardiness. It was discovered by M. Roezl in Peru at an alti- 

 tude of more than 10,000 feet, hence the temperature of a 

 warm greenhouse will suit it admirably. 



Frdit. — Texas producers expect the largest fruit crop 



this year which has ever been harvested in that State. 



ANTHURIDM SEEDS POISONOUS. 

 When I entered my Orchid house the other morning I 

 immediately perceived a horrible smell, and knowing that it 

 proceeded from a dead rat I commenced searching for it. I 

 found it under the stage. On looking about I saw that the 

 animal had been eating some seeds of Anthurium Scherzeri- 

 annm which had just been gathered and placed in a heap, but 

 which the rat had scattered all about, and the traces of ita 

 having eaten several were evident from the fact of the seed 

 pods being emptied of their contents. Now the effect must 

 have been very immediate, as the rat had evidently, after 

 enjoying its last meal, jumped down from the stage and died 

 at once. We have no rat poison about that I am aware of, 

 as I do not allow the use of it ; and I naturally conclude that 

 the Anthurium seeds contain deadly poison. I send you thia 

 short account, as I should like to know whether a similar result 

 has followed elsewhere ; if not, it is as well that your readers 

 should be warned against the dangerous foe which lurks in the 



