414 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[June 22, 1912, 



Market Gardening in Belgium.- The Field which are believed to be natural hybrids, how- 

 ever, are not rare. There are several American 

 Oaks which are probably hybrids, and these, so 

 far as they have been tested in the Arboretum, 

 and densely-populated a country as Belgium con- grow more rapidly than their supposed parents, 

 tains about 165,000 acres under fruit, and an even For example, Ulmus vegeta, which is believed to 

 greater area under vegetables. The export trade be a hybrid between two European species, grows 



(June 8, 1912) contains the following interesting 

 note on the extent of market gardening in 

 Belgium :— It will be news to many that so small 



is of considerable importance, and continues to 

 expand at a rapid rate. Thus the best Apples 

 and Pears go to England, as also an immense 

 amount of other produce of many kinds, and also 

 to other countries, particularly Germany. In good 

 seasons, for example, no fewer than 60,000 pack- 

 ages of fruit are sent off from one railway sta- 

 tion alone; every week over a long season about 

 1,000 cases of choice Grapes are sent to the 

 United States, to which country also some 25,000 

 baskets of M Witloof " (Brussels chicory) are 

 annually dispatched in cold storage. The dimen- 

 sions and organisation of this Belgian trade in 



more rapidly than any other Elm tree, and the 

 so-called Carolina Poplar, which is not an 

 American tree but probably a hybrid between 

 the American Cottonwood and the European 

 Black Poplar, outgrows, at least while young, all 

 other Poplar trees. 



Prospects of the Crops. — According to the 

 monthly report of the crops for June, issued 

 by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, root 

 crops are very backward, owing to the dry 

 spring. Potatos are generally looking fairly well, 

 although in most districts frosts have done a 



formed syndicates united 

 members. 



■ 



horticultural produce are comparable to those oi ntt * e damage to the early crops. The area under 

 Denmark in dairy produce. Thus in 23 villages Potatos is slightly larger than last year. Man- 

 around Brussels the Strawberry growers have golds are backward, and germinating slowly; 



some areas had not yet been sown. They are 

 looking well, particularly since the recent rains, 

 but in some localities the crop is patchy. More 

 Professor Eduard Strasburger. — The progress has been made with Turnip and Swede 

 death of Professor Strasburger, one of the most 

 eminent botanists of the present age, took place 

 on May 19. The late professor contributed to 

 many branches of botanical science, but chiefly to 

 that which deals with the minute structure of 

 plants, and in this domain his discoveries were 

 of fundamental importance. Strasburger's re- 

 searches into the mechanism of the ascent of 

 water in trees provided in the domain of 

 physiological botany an example of his untiring 

 industry and acute intelligence. His command- 

 ing position among botanists is illustrated in a 

 striking manner by the large number of British 

 and American botanists who have, for many 

 years, proceeded to Bonn in order to complete 

 their training in the laboratory of one who was 

 an acknowledged master and devotee of research. 



/ 



/ 



Hybrid Trees and Shrubs. — According 

 to The Bulletin of Popular Information, 

 June 5, issued by the Arnold Arboretum, 

 U.S.A., some of the most valuable shrubs now 

 found in gardens are natural hybrids of related 

 species, or have been produced by hybridisers. 

 One of the most beautiful of Lilacs, Syringa 

 chinensis, is a natural hybrid which appeared 

 100 years ago in the Botanic Garden at Rouen. 

 Several of the most attractive Honeysuckles are 

 hybrids, and in recent years the crossing of 

 different species in several genera has produced 

 new races of garden plants which have vigour, 

 hardiness and beauty not possessed by their 

 parents. A good example of the value of such 

 hybrids is found in Deutzia Lemoinei, obtained 



French nurseryman by crossing the 

 Japanese D. gracilis with D. parviflora of 

 northern China. Although it resembles D. gracilis 

 in habit, it grows into a taller and broader shrub. 

 The flowers also are larger and the plant is much 

 hardier. It is certainly one of the best garden 

 plants of recent introduction. The systematic 



by a 



THE LATE WILLIAM JOHN JENNINGS. 



sowing in the north of England than in the 

 south. Both clover and meadow hay will be 

 much below the average. The eastern, south- 

 eastern, and Midland districts are very much the 

 worst, and considerable areas of " seeds" have 

 been ploughed up. In the north and Scotland 

 many districts report promise of good crops, 

 although they are outweighed by the number of 

 bad reports. The indications on the 1st June 

 were that in Great Britain, as a whole, the yield 

 per acre of " seeds" hay would be only 87 per 



crossing of shrubs with the object of creating new cent, of the average, while that of meadow hay 

 forms, except perhaps in the case of Rosea, is a might be 92 per cent. Hops are looking strong 



comparatively new industry, but it has already 

 produced startling results in euch genera as Mag- 



and healthy and growing freely, though some- 

 what unevenly in places. There is a great deal 



nolia, Deutzia, Philadelphus, Ceanothus, Rhodo- of vermin, and washing, in Kent Sussex and 

 dendron, and Diervilla. With the great num- Hereford particularly, is already ' general' A 



ber of new shrubs discovered in recent years * - 



in eastern Asia and eastern North America at 

 his disposal, the hybridiser has now new and 

 abundant opportunity to show his judgment 

 and skill in producing new races of plants. 

 Hybrid trees are naturally less common than 

 hybrid shrubs, and, except in the case of fruit 

 trees, comparatively few attempts to cross 

 different species of trees have been made. Trees 



rough survey indicates that the area under Hops 

 this year will be 3 to 4 per cent, greater than 

 in 1911, most of the increase being in Kent. Of 

 fruit, Strawberries would appear to be somewhat 

 under average ; there ary rather more reports of 

 large than of small crops, but more of the latter 

 come from the chief Strawberry districts, such as 

 Kent. Raspberries are fairly promising; still 

 more so are Currants and Gooseberries. Apples 



seem variable, but should probably be an over 

 average crop. Pears are much better, whfo 

 Cherries may possibly reach a bare average 

 Plums appear likely to be appreciably below 

 average. 



Publications Received.-^*, Bulletin of 



Miscellaneous Information. Catalogue of thf> 

 .Library ; additions received during 1911 (Lon 

 don : Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.) Price 2d -^ 

 Teaching Through the Eye : Modern Methods in 

 ft Model Factory. The National Cash Register 

 Co., Ltd., 225, Tottenham Court Road, London W 

 —Thirty-third Annual Register of the Officer* 

 and Students of the Colorado Agricultural 

 College ; Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. 

 (.bort Collins, Colorado: Colorado Agricultural 

 College.)— The Journal of the Board of Agri- 

 culture for June. (London : Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries.) Price 4d. 



©bttuam 



We regret to 



William John Jennings.— 



record the death of William John Jenninc 

 gardener to Lord Derby, at Knowsley Park, near 

 Manchester, and son of Mr. John Jennings, 

 gardener to Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., Ascott, 

 Leighton Buzzard. Mr. Jennings, who had been 

 at Knowsley only six months, was previously 

 gardener to Lord Hereward, at Hereward 

 Hall, near Leeds, for a period of 12 years. He 

 commenced his gardening career under his 

 father at Ascott, and subsequently served for 

 various periods at The Dell Gardens, Egham, 

 Eaton Hall Gardens, near Manchester, Baron 

 Rothschild's garden near Paris, and other first- 

 class places. Mr. Jennings visited the Interna- 

 tional Show at Chelsea, and appeared in perfect 

 health, but on his return home he developed 

 symptoms of septic poisoning, and death occurred 

 somewhat suddenly. Deceased, who was 42 years 

 of age, leaves a widow and five children. 



Lawrence Hay. 



Horticulture of U.S.A. 



records the death of Mr. Lawrence Hay at 

 West Barrington, Rhode Island, U.S.A., aged 

 80 years. Mr. Hay was a native of Perthshire, 

 Scotland, and for 30 years was gardener to Col. Sir 

 William Gordon, at Earlston. Deceased settled in 

 America about 20 years ago, and was employed 

 as head gardener in various places. During the 

 past few years Mr. Hay has been working with 

 his four sons, all of whom are prominent gar- 

 deners. These are Mr. Lawrence Hay, of East 

 Providence, who has charge of the grounds of 

 the Agawam Hunt and of the Wanamoiset and 

 Metacomet Golf Links; Mr. William Hav, who 

 has a large range of greenhouses at Oaklawn; 

 Mr. James Hay, gardener to Mrs. William 

 Goddard at Potowomut; and Mr. Daniel Hay, 

 gardener to Mrs. Elsie French-Vanderbilt, at 

 Newport. 



NOTES FROM IRELAND. 



TWO FORTHCOMING SHOWS. 



The Irish Rose and Floral Society will hold 

 its second annual show in conjunction with the 

 National Rose Society in the Botanic Park, Bel- 

 fast, on Friday, July 19. Last year's show was 

 a great success, and resulted in a profit. It is 

 expected that this year's exhibition will be even 

 more successful, in view of the importance given 

 it by the National Rose Society. There are 49 

 classes for Roses, and six N.R.S. medals will be 

 awarded. The schedule is comprehensive, and 

 includes 24 classes for Sweet Peas. The prizes 

 are considerably in advance of what has been 

 usually offered. There are also classes for hardy 

 garden flowers, annuals, Carnations, and Be- 

 gonias. Schedules may be obtained from 31r. 

 H. P. Pinkerton, 18, Victoria Street, Belfast. 



Another exhibition will be held in the w^ 1 "*} 

 counties of Ireland (Galway). Cups are offered 

 for Gladioli, Sweet Peas, and Carnations. -^ 

 secretary and treasurer is Miss J. T. Armstrong, 

 Mount Pleasant, Ballinasloe. 



