Fesrvary 9, 1895.] 
THE GARDENERS’ 
A THOMSON MEMORIAL FUND.—At a meeting 
of members of the Royal 8 1 raya 
Society, held at Edinburgh on Jan 23, it was 
agreed that a fund should be instituted, e the 
interest thereof applied in providing prizes in 
memory o of the late Mr. Wm. Txomson, ete 
such prizes to take the form of medals and 
money to be awarded for exhibits at various shows in 
the United Kingdom, in the same manner as the Me- 
morial Prizes already in existence; and Mr. Taomson’s 
family have expressed their approval of the pronen 
To t the scheme, it is proposed that 
general committee should be formed to collect me 
scriptions; and circulars are being sent out inviting 
gentlemen to join such committee. hen this 
committee is formed, the members will send out 
circulars and col 
no wn 
reached by public 
announcements in the press, it has been suggested 
that as to 
C n Place, Edinburgh, has 
been piri: interim e for the committee. 
WHAT CHISWICK SHOULD BE.“ 
We must apologise to Mr. Barker (an old Kewite, 
if we mistake ey for putting a heading to his 
article, He spoke of what is being done at Cornell 
University, in 5 Pen ate, and as we read, we 
ccald not but see, measure, reglised, what 
Chiswick should be * people apprehend that 
5 is something more than a n 
may expect them to become alive to the 
A. of a scientific training for je sina 
and farmers :— 
A goo od combination p te practical vih the theo- 
retical is most useful in the education 
and in this baba * way of a 8 
practical education in E and its allied arts 
and sciences —I can say without hesitation that in 
Earope or America there is nothing equal to the 
Practice and instruction afforded by the Horticul- 
tural ea eaa of Cornell University. 
It has been my good fortune to see and know some- 
thing of all the more importaat horticultural institu- 
tions in England and the United S 
uch superior quality 
had been going on quietly for years quite unknown 
artment was established in 
1889, and its growth since that time has been healthy 
and rapid. The students have abundant opportunity 
9 become expert in the general work of the farm, 
a 
extensive orchards they 
A experience in planting, spraying, pruning, 
8 eo grafting. Sprayin has of late 
most important matter in farm and garden 
Work, cates 3 in all other divisions of ins 
the fullest 
fungi injurious to vegetation, as 
Well as for the facility with . he can sega 
Temedy for any known 
* 
Corn Facts from 
T a r on Horti 
By Mr. Michal — culture and Floriculture at 
3 
CHRONIC 
LE 175 
Vegetable culture outdoors and under glass is given 
a large share of e mes the * of new and 
improved forms of o mmon 
pursued in a manner chet — mc other than of 
the greatest value to all who may embark on a horti- 
cultural career, The students at Cornell do practi- 
cally all of the work incident to the raising of vege- 
tables under glass, and Lettuce, Cauliflowers, 
Radishes, Tomatos, Cucumber, Melons, Mushrooms, 
e, are among the 8 grown annually, Their 
work; including the Hi: of soils and manures, 
sowing seede, and in other ways eee stock, 
potting, p ati tying, and training, making an 
spawn ing Mushroom-beds, — ventilating, &c., 
is of course, se to competent direction, and it 
would surprise many able gardeners to see the excel- 
lent crops these beginners produce. Just at this 
time there is a crop of Tomatos in full bearing, which 
would be creditable to any expert, and every operation 
in connection with the same has been performed by 
regular studen 
The ae plauta and flowers of the florists, 
, C 
nti 
work of their propagation (including porto 
budding), potting and planting, staking and training, 
disbudding and crossing, and treatment for diseases 
and insects, is neta ae yer to students abe 
very marked succe rits and defec 
various systema of peiros ee, as yentilation 
19 80 under their observation daily, and ther 
h practical work of the most ahi p ama 
7 60 glazing, fhe construction of benches, and the 
application of shading materials, in which they par- 
ticipate all through the college year. This is sup- 
plemented by similar work in ee greenhouses of the 
Botanical Department, where there is a large and 
varied collection of Palms, Ferns, Orchids, Cacti, and 
other exotics, e k of the lecture-halls 
nd laboratories cover the fields of agricultural 
2 botany, horticulture, and floriculture, so 
eory is concerned, as perfec ey a the best 
— is demonstrated in or 
greenhouse, 
chard, garden, and 
LIBRARY AND HERBARIUM, 
The most complete garden-library in this ae A 
so far as I know, is that of the Massachusetts H 
—— — and that of Cornell — A cer- 
aa wn roti But if the present ra 
— volumes continues very — 
Cornell will — advance to first place. 
not mention this with a desire to convey the impres- 
sion e any number of books will ever make a 
gardener; but as much of our advance is due to the 
faithful records of work done in similar directions by 
redecessors, I refer to the matter simpl 
show that nothing is neglected as Cornell which will 
tend te promote the interests of the student. And 
in the same way, I may call attention to the garden 
herbarium—the most extensive thing of the kind in 
existence. Speaking in a botanical sense, there are 
=e * of far greater extent and impor- 
a pure rely horticultural standpoint 
— 1 — of dried specimens of culti- 
vated fruits, flowers, and vegetables, is unrivalled, 
arden 
a 
D 
eo 
f numerous forms of c 
herbarium is one of 
Bailey, and it wiil perhaps be in 
that he regards it as his best assistant, e 
pot na en of ay Beans, of which, he sa 
there is a great deal yet to be learned, he has found 
— herbarium of ae utility. I might go on 
to speak of many minor coll i 
ese 
points sufficient has been said to indicate ‘bak horti- 
cultural education on a solid lasting and profitable 
basis has only begun. 
RESEARCH AND Work, 
Aside from the regular work of instruction, all 
the officers of the department have special experi- 
ments and investigations in hand in the interests of 
horticulturists and floriculturists in general. he 
students may keep records of the progress made in 
such investigations, and in that way gain valuable 
nowledge and experience, 
and flowers sent to 
the results of such te 
printed and distributed gratuitously among — — 
parties. Novel inventions and appliances, e 
and insecticides, &c., are treated in the same mann 
Efforts are being made to improve our a fru ers 
and foreign varieties of standard fruits are introduced 
and tested as to their reliability in our climate, A 
— wate ept on th ee imported 
from foreign countries, and grown and about 
immigrant settlements, notably such as are intro- 
duced by the Chinese and se 
4 
* 
han e now possess. Some r 
valuable vegetables have been in constant cultivation 
f ri very eneg that their original types 
at all in the earth to-day, and i 
types introduced by the — genera! of 
Mongolians assume any of the ard of our 
own products, it will be a distinct gain to have these 
records of their quality and character when first 
established in this country. Whether any of there i im- 
porte igh 
quality of our own produce is a question which ws 
cannot hope to see solved for many years to come. 
t some tim 
we may find greater “light on this interesting * 
An investigation of perhaps more iate concern 
to florists is one now being carried on with the 
common Callas of our greenhouses. It is known 
that the Calla in its natural state exists under 
periodical seasons of drought and moisture, and the 
alter- 
nating the periods of rest and activity. In this it 
has been 8 * Callas under amended treatment 
will con 
year, and thet their physical charac 
changed by the novel — —.— —— the plants 
produce a =p or lesser num f flowers under 
this system is a matter so far undetermined, but one 
which will be announced in due tim 
Bgconias, 
In like manner it is known that those Begonias 
which are cultivated for their flowers ge 
uch @ way as 
flowers, and fewer or none of the pistillate order. It 
is generally believed that the application and lack of 
food produce opposite effects in the development of 
sex in the flowers of monecious plants; but the 
data on the subject is >an 2 sufficient for practical 
purposes, and our object is to gain such a ee 
of Pe ere may ate 
den d florists, While speaking of Begonias, T I 
dee 1 Kur. refer to the nom 
1 
is undoubtedly the most popular indoor cultiva- 
tion with all grades of gardeners. There in a large 
number of species, and tk ties hi 
al number of hybrids 
led to the production 7 ge sil seine uch 
now the catalogues haye names 
is 3 that the evil should not be allowed to 
extend, and Mr. E. G. Lodeman has ＋ upon 
the task of unravelling the tangle before i omes 
too intricate, and in this I would here — for 
