THE 



GARDENERS 



7 



MAGAZINE. 



SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER io, 1898. 



NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. 



Owing 



now goes to press on Wednesday. No advertisement can oe guaram 

 insertion, or altered, unless received before Four p.m. on that day 



NOTES OF THE WEEK. 



ASSOCIATED PARK SUPERINTENDENTS 



tas been left to insect agency, and it is not the least marvellous point in 

 tnis connexion, that despite so much mixture, a modus vivendi is almost 

 arrived at, though the cultivator may not approve of it when the pre- 

 arranged flower appears. On the other hand he may be delighted to 

 md that the little germinules have contrived a pleasing surprise for him 

 in the shape of a novel and beautiful combination of which he then 

 becomes as proud a possessor as if he had " worked the oracle ■ himself. 

 1 here is, however, another wonderful aspect of seeds. We may take 

 two of these vital grains, very similar in appearance, sow them side by 



The greater appreciation on the part of the public of parks and ^ de in the same pot and soil and give them identical treatment, 

 rdens to which they can have free access, and the more enlightened Both consist merely of a husk, a store of intestive matter, and a micro- 

 ns held by municipal authorities, have had the gratifying result of greatly scopic embryo. No sooner, however, do these embryos begin to develop, 



than two widely different results ensue, the one becoming a deadly 

 poison, each cell within it furnishing its quota of venom, while the other, 



easing the number of open spaces in populous centres. How numerous 

 e the parks and gardens belonging to the Government and local 



thorities is well shown in the list given in the Gardening Year Book, lrom precisely the same materials, forms a nutritious food, and yet both 



lich is compiled and published in association with the GARDENERS' sha11 belong to one family of plants, and their very flowers and fruits 



a jAZiNE, and its length can hardly fail to surprise those who have not, sha11 resemble each other. Thus the deadly nightshade breeds its 



;e ourselves, the opportunities of making observations in different parts belladonna, and its sisters, as the tomato and potato, it matters not 



the United Kingdom. In the preparation of the list our chief objects which, become our table delicacies. What subtle chemistry must this 



:re to give greater prominence to this important aspect of horticulture, be that can transform the same trifle of earthy salts and aerial gas into 



id to facilitate correspondence between park and garden super- such opposite products as these. So much, or rather so little, for the 



tendents. To know that our objects have been attained, and that the wonders are infinite, for the inward potencies of seeds ; then look at 



rectory has been the means of bringing superintendents in widely their diversity of form and fashion, their tricks for securing distribution, 



parated districts into close relationship with mutual advantage, is to us their varied receptacles, their range of size, from the microscopic seed 



source of great pleasure ; for we have in no way changed in our views of the tiny weed, to the huge double coker-nuts. Consider, then, the 



i to the importance of those engaged in the same pursuits taking economical uses of seeds, our bread, beer, and very whiskey, are all 



mnsel with each other. The directory has indeed surpassed our dependent upon the supply of cereals, which, in some parts, are the 



pectations, for it has not only proved useful in enabling superintendents sole food of millions. The theme, however, like Nature's store, is 



freely communicate with each other, but it has given rise to a desire for inexhaustible, and as space is limited, at any rate, in these columns, we 



still closer relationship, or, in other words, a desire for the formation must leave the rest to the imagination, 

 an association of park and garden superintendents. We are strongly 

 jposed to the unnecessary multiplication of horticultural societies, 

 ■ in this case the association would cover wholly new ground, 



DECORATIVE ASPECT OF THE DAHLIA. 



Notwithstanding the fact that the dahlia has been severely con 



_ A ^ ■ . 1 I A - 1 _ ^ _ - 



id as it could not fail to possess a high degree of utility, it would demned at differe nt periods of its history, on the ground of its being 

 ive our warmest support. There has for many years past been want j ng j n a i most eve ry attribute of beauty, by those unable to appre- 



1 association ot this description in America, and having regard •* " - - — : -*- { — J : *- 



the support received, we may assume that it is highly appre- 

 »ted by those in whose interest it was lounded. The object of 

 e association would be the dissemination of information to the 

 embers that is now difficult to obtain, and to enable the super- 

 tendents to meet together once a year at least. In America an 

 mual congress is held, and by selecting a different centre each year 

 • interest is maintained and a good attendance ensured. Here we 

 we so many cities and towns with several parks that a long period 

 *«d elapse before the list of important centres would be exhausted, 

 t the annual conference there would necessarily be a meeting for the 

 Hussion of subjects of interest, visits to the parks and gardens in the 

 , S ^ Cts ' and various social functions, but as the cost of these would 

 Jwrne by those attending the conference, a comparatively small 



would riPtl0n W ° Uld suffice to meet the office ex Penses. How far 

 *»2ed bC desirable to admi t to membership horticulturists not 

 has be m J ark manag:err - ent is a matter that can be determined after 

 en decided to form the society, but superintendents of ceme- 



ciate the charms of its shapely blooms, the flower has maintained its 

 firm hold upon the affections of the flower-loving public, and at the 

 present time, as so well exemplified by the two metropolitan exhibitions, 

 enjoys a high degree ot popularity. The dahlia has had its periods of 

 depression, as well as times of jubilant progress ; but throughout the 

 hundred and odd years that have elapsed since the parent of the prin- 

 cipal sections was introduced it has been held in the highest estimation 

 by an important section of the community. This is all the more remark- 

 able fVom the fact that the dahlia does not possess the attribute of 

 ragrance, which is so highly appreciated in all classes of flowers, and 

 that but little has been done by those responsible for the organisation of 

 exhibitions to develop the decorative aspect of the several sections The 

 tendency of the competitive gatherings in the past has been rather to 

 encourage a course of procedure which had the result of producing 

 plants that certainly did not contribute to the attractions of the flower 

 garden, and blooms useless for the adornment of the house. The 

 majority of the committees of dahlia shows, and not a few writers, appear 

 to have regarded the blooms of the dahlia as only suitable for the forma- 



10 nave ic 6 diu^ ( ^cu-^rr oc fVtPv nnnnestionab v mient 



r*s*thm.u '"r^vj fwfwwwuuwiw v^iliv.- t have rename a mc uiuuui^ v. » - . • , 



Ss on fh 3 r " m / tter ° f COUrse > have the ri S ht of enrom "S their ion of long lines of colour, instead of being, as they unquestionably might 



mZ ^ ? ° f members - These are matters of detail, and we be of the highest value for enhancing the beauty of the garden and 



SaS H th ° Se inteiested s »°uld first determine whether an ^ ° f * g ■ J M ^ Wlth the weaUh 



01 park superintendents is desirable or otherwise. 



When * SEEDS. 



~«*fte«WM^ e -r tHmk ° f ir ' a seed is one of the greatest, though 

 4 ** d of some 1 1 marvels of Na ture. We may purchase a packet 

 *H*e shall fi T i C n ° Wer ' Say ' the auricula ' and though, even with 

 01 so win? aU P racticall y alike in appearance, yet as a 



*** m ,h e great* 6 ^ & bat ° h ° f P lants ' the fl owers of which will 



have st rsity of form and colour > an d even the leaves will 

 ^ nredet r ° nS - mdlvldual differences. All these differences are 

 ^ *» it is " ern " Red » not m the whole body of the seed, for that, 



Plant, 'whi h' StS mamly ° f a St ° re ° f nouri shment, but in the 

 bulk. 1 t£ lStS ES a feW "microscopic cells at a definite point 



*J*G*g of varierf 1 CellS ' ° r rather in one of them > there has been 



. CQ elements, derived not merely from two parents, but 



* ancestry M ««ivea nor merely trom two parents, bu 



th «ir q U o» a generations crossed and recrossed, have con 



Stable fa u- lnfluence5 to that tin y microscopic bag, and in 



. ,dini0n this mixed rnmmntiitv Vine A «*« A vmi M f K o 



*««• Plant. 



» ui nowerand leaves, and also the constitution 

 ach seed in a pod may vary in result if pollination 



be, ot toe n.gne^ 'Tsed ^ th " convictio n that, with the wealth 



house; and we are 'X^t nuous efforts should be made to bieak 

 of material they now g^'S ^ Society has done 

 from the tradiUon of the past ^ ^ 



something in this direction, but h , exhibi . 



although the compet.tion ^^^S we trust the executive 

 tionwas on the ^ »^ by . T he object in offering prizes should 



will not be «^^SSSi of producing artistic effects in the garden 

 be to d emonstrate the pos * b ™^P of ^ he cultivation of plants that 

 and house, and no , the encour g ^ ^ ^ 



can hardly be described othe decorations . We greatly need 



of blooms so obese as to be ^ ^ h the dasses for show 



improvements m method of stag ^ g ^ ^ ^ ^ . 



and fancy varietie s J ,s e f ^ that now characterise exhibitions 

 should be made o breai upthe g ^ ^ ^ ^ 



of which in tL staging of all the sections, and 



10 mewhat liberal us consisting 0 f from six to twelve vases, 



we are fully persuaded ^that ^ k ^ ^ ^ ^ 



each containing a g> ^en » u tf Fiye Q{ six blooms would suffice 

 enhance the f^f^f^ and cactus varietres, while double that 



see a s 



