GARDENERS" MAGAZINE. 



December 3j 1 g 9 g > 



of variation ; and it is worthy of remark that nearly all the ferns experi- 

 mented upon are of British origin, the vagaries being noted in con- 

 nection with two varieties of Scolopendrium vulgare, two of Polystichum 

 angulare, one of P. aculeatum, one of Lastrea dilatata, three of Athyrium 

 filix-foemina, one of Polypodium vulgare, and several of Lastrea filix- 

 mas. The theory, therefore, that the abnormal forms of plants as 

 occupying a sort of debatable borderland between Nature's apparently 

 hard and fast rules, and her actually infinite versatility, constitutes pro- 

 bably a rich field for research into Nature's secrets, has borne good fruit 

 in this instance, as it has already in others, and we have no doubt that 

 very much remains to be learnt in the same direction. The theory of 

 alternation of generation in cryptogamic plants is shown by Dr. Lang's 

 cultures to admit of many exceptions, and exceptions of all classes, but 



very well. There they had a profit of 30s. at the end of the second 

 Hatley they had an average loss of 2Is . per acre> The ^ e «*d y ear ■ ; at 



a gravel soil animal manure very SCO n acted, but on a heavy, wet clZ 1 5? ° n 

 act quickly, and it did not produce much result in the first two' .ear 

 were three plots on which they used 7 cwt. of artificials. The average' Jut 

 swedes on those plots was 5 tons ic^t. .per acre, >nd the average amo 0 

 barley was 29 % bushels, an increase of nine bushels over the no manuTnW 

 Artificials on heavy soil appeared to act more quickly and gave a greater increase 

 than on the gravel soil. The adding of artificials to the manure had made "Z 

 great difference on two plots. The plots which received the smallest dressing in 

 the first year and a dressing in the second year were these which had paid best at 

 Hatley. A dressing of artificials increased the quantity of straw to the extent of 

 half a ton per acre. One experiment was d esigned to inquire into the reason whv 

 farm manure did not do so well at Hatley as they might expect it to do. They 



decidedly the most striking exception is embodied in the discovery that thought the reason might have something to do with the subject of denitrification 



the first and last stages of fern life, viz., the prothalli, is a first product of and their experiments seemed to show that well-rotted manure did not, on clay 



the spore, and the spore itself may be actually conjoined. Apospory, to soil » interfere with nitrate of soda, or nitrates generally, but hot fermenting 



which frequent reference is also made in Dr. Lang's paper, cuts the life manure did. Nitrate of soda added after hot fermenting manure did not produce 



history of the fern down by eliminating the spore, then apogamy was an y considerable increase-only 3 cwts.-in the straw per acre, as against three 



found to occur in conjunction therewith, and cut it down still more by ^ mes that amount when nitrate of soda was applied to short dung. Mr. Wood 



eliminating archegonia and antheridia, shortening it to fern, prothallus, mtends to m \ mre . mt0 tbe subject of dee P Ovation, and, if necessary, conduct 

 fern ; and now, to crown the edifice, the spore revenges itself by asserting 

 itself again as a factor, and the poor fern proper is ousted altogether in 



its turn, the life history resulting being the insignificant one of pro- to the g reat value of flower stalls at horticultural exhibitions, and collecting 



thallus, spore, prothallus, which degrades it to all intents and purposes to boxes as a means for augmenting the income of the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent 



exoeriments therein. 



Gardening Charities.— We have on several occasions directed attention 



the level of the lichens. 



Cold Storage Of Fruit.— Under the auspices of the Technical Education 

 Committee of the Kent County Council, Mr. W. P. Wright, the county superin- 

 tendent of the horticultural branch, has been conducting experiments in the cold 

 storage of fruit. In his report he showr that in the case of strawberries (i) the 

 fruit cannot be kept long in a temperature of 36 degrees or upwards ; (2) it can be 

 kept for three weeks at least in a temperature of 30 degrees ; (3) it is necessary to 

 surround the fruit with cotton wool, or, in the case of fruit in sieves, to place a 



Institution and the Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund, and it would be gratifying to 

 know that they were taken fuller advantage of. As showing what may be 

 accomplished in this direction we would mention that the other day the secretary 

 of the first-named charity informed us that he had received a cheque from Mr. 

 Treseder, of Cardiff, for over £5, the proceeds of a flower stall at the chrysan- 

 themum show at Cardiff, and at the meeting of the committee of the second of 

 the charities that the following amounts had been received as the result of sales 

 of flowers : Mr. W. Bryant, Rugby Chrysanthemum Show, £7 5s. ; Mr. J. 

 Hughes, Birmingham Chrysanthemum Show, £4 35. 4d. ; and the Sevenoaks 

 Gardeners' Society, ^4 ; while Mr. R. Scott, of Bradford, sent £1 ios., the 



pad of that material over the top. If this precaution is not taken the fruit, though amount collected in his boXi In additioa to the contri bution from Mr. Treseder, 

 sound, becomes dull and loses the fresh, inviting appearance which issoim- the secretary of the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution has received the sum 

 portant when it is offered for sale. The general results were : (1) The fruit must of £zl from the Reigate chrysanthemum Society, being a share of the profits 

 be placed in store in advance of dead ripeness, especially in the case of strawberries. 0 f t jj e recent exhibition. 

 Fruits that are fully ripe will keep for some time, but lose surface freshness, 

 becoming seared and unsightly. (2) Cherries pecked by birds soon go off, and 

 other fruits impaired in any way will not keep. To achieve success the fruit must 

 be sound, (3) The fruit should be covered or surrounded with cotton wool. It 

 was observable that that so treated retained its freshness much longer than that 



The Starling as a Friend of Gardeners. — A correspondent from Wiltshire 



states that to describe the starling as a wholesale depredator in the matter of fruit, 

 as some folks are doing, is ridiculously untrue, at least, he writes, " in this part of 

 England. He will peck a ripe apple or pear occasionally in the autumn, but I 



left The cLm^rmuT^^ept'd^and c^-fiUing' doors "are haVC ne ^ kno ™ to touch strawberries gooseberries, raspberries currants 



necessary. ( S ) All decaying or impure matter must be rieidlv excluded. ° r aDy ° f the earher frmts ' 1 1 think ' claim to have SOme knowled g e . bolh 



of birds and of gardening. I have lived for thirty years in this county, and have 

 Value of Horticultural Certificates.— As there is at present a desire paid special attention to the habits of birds ever since I was old enough to see them, 

 on the part of some small societies to give, and on the part of some growers Moreover, I have been certainly for twenty years a keen gardener. Every year 

 to receive from them, certificates for plants and flowers, it is as well to remind there are at least half a dozen nests of starlings on our premises." 

 such that these certificates have no real value, and sooner or later they serve to 

 depreciate the plant for which they are awarded, owing to the ease with which they 



National Rose Society. — The twenty-second annual meeting of this 



society will be held in the rooms of the Horticultural Club Hotel, Windsor, on 



are obtained and the fact that (usually) such plants and flowers are not brought before, W1U be held "> the rooms of the Horticultural Club Hotel, winasor o» 



or else fail to obtain awards from, the properly constituted authorities. With our ™ ursda y next > December 8, when, in addition to the usual routine business the 

 various national horticultural and floricultural societies in good going order, we do ^ te ™8 regulations will be submitted for the consideration of the members . 

 not, fortunately, suffer much from local certificates ; but we agree entirely with an , In the th ' ee tro P h y clasS£S at the metropolitan exhibition, and in the two trophy 



classes at the provincial exhibition, the blooms must be staged in boxes of the 

 following dimensions, viz. : Twenty-four blooms in boxes 3 feet 6 inches long by 



6 ™ , «. uiHiuumciy m» pcup.c w«i u 5C a Maseru J { °°[ 6 inc * es wide ' ™* eighteen blooms in boxes 2 feet 8 inches long by 1 foot 



of this award in introducing their novelties Such tactics are not of a very high 6 , m Wlde ~ a11 ou tside measurements." The house list of officers and members 

 moral order. The awards made in many local societies are undoubtedly honest, ° f committee that has been issued contains several new names, these comprising 



American contemporary, which, in discussing the matter, observes that there may 

 be u a few individuals to whom all certificates look alike, the fact that they have re- 

 ceived an award being sufficient ; and undoubtedly such people will use a statement 



so far as they go, but from the necessities of the case it frequently happens that the 

 Judges' opinions do not amount to very much, and certainly have no national 



reco 



Weetman , , , 



I for elerrinn nrPci'dPTirs ■ and Mr. F. W. Campion, Mr. R. 



w^-.n^ua uu nut ailluUUL 1AJ VCiy IUUCll, itllU LCI lex I lily IJiiVC I1U UHUUIliU — " f ' 7 " - 



weight. These certificates are not really worth the paper on which they are B \ Cater ' and Mr - R - Fole Y Hobbs, who are recommended as members ot com- 



mriif^n 1 11 r ?. _ , 1 t ■ r .» • .... mittpp. TVi» onnnoi ^i;^„„ :ii i-,oifr.nct f< vp n m . or immediate. V 



written, and therefore it would be sound practice for those whose novelties have 

 been adjudged worthy by authoritative societies to advertise in their public 

 announcements just what societies are referred to when it is claimed that a certifi- 

 cate has been awarded." 



Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund.— Mr. A. F. Barron informs us that 



mittee. The annual dinner will take place at half-past five p.m., or UK 

 after the annual meeting, at the Hotel Windsor, with Mr. R. B. Cater, president 

 of the Bath Floral Fete Committee, in the chair. The dinner is not limited to 

 members of the society, but those who intend beiDg present must signify their 

 intention before December 6 to the honorary secretaries, the Rev. H. H- 



iwyai uarueners urpnan l-und. — Mr. A. r. rsarron informs us that , . " " w — " w ^ ' ' ... Ko „ n(1pr the 



the next election of children to the benefits of this fund, consisting of an allowance J 0m ? am t a ° d E. Mawley. The musical arrangements will be under 

 of 5s. per week until they attain the age of fourteen years, will take place early in dlrectlon of Mr - J- D - Pawle, one of the vice-presiden's. 



Chrysanthemums.— Some few years ago 



liquid fertiliser ; this 



Febiuary. AH applications must be made on a proper printed form, copies of 

 which may be obtained gratis of the secretary, or any of the local secretaries. 

 Such forms must be correctly filled up, duly signed, and returned to him at 

 Sutton Court Road, Chiswick, by Tuesday, December 20, 1898. 



Experiments with Manures at Hatley.— Under the auspices of the 



Cambridge and Counties Agricultural Education Scheme Mr. T. B. Wood has 

 been conducting rotation experiments on the Vice- Chancellor's farm at Hatley, and 

 the results were given before the Cambs and Ely Chamber of Agriculture on the 

 20th ult. Mr. Wood stated that the soil at Hatley was a stiff, wet clay, and on the 

 p.ots with no manure they had an extraordinarily poor crop of roots— only 4 cwt. 

 per acre. Farm manure gave very poor results indeed ; it only increased the pro- 

 duce of swedes by about one and a half tons, and the barley by something under 

 •ve bushels. Ten tons of manure were placed on two plots, and there was a loss in 

 each case. They could not definitely pronounce on those plots yet ; they could 

 only say at the present time such manure had not yielded a sufficient increase of 

 produce to pay for itself. At Thriplow. on a eravel soil, farm manure had paid 



Wagne 



Professor Wagner, of Darmstadt, prepared a formula for a liqui 

 has become known as Wagner's Solution, and in America it has become popular 

 in some districts as a liquid fertiliser for chrysanthemums, to be used twice a wee , 

 commencing about six weeks before the flowering season, and continuing until t e 

 flowers begin to fade. The solution is made thus : 2 oz. phosphate of ammonia, 

 \% oz. nitrate of soda, 1^ oz. nitrate of potash, V/ 3 oz. sulphate of ammonia, 

 and 50 gallons of water. This is useful for other subjects than chrysanthemums. 



The Extermination of Prickly Pears by Cochineal Insects 



is a matter that has at various times engaged the attention of the Madras 

 dency. In a report of the Madras Government Museum Dr. Bourne d« sCU ^' 

 the practicability of destroying prickly pear (Ofttntia Dilleni) by means of W 

 cochineal insect, and shows that the historical evidence weighs entirely again - 

 such destruction. There seems to be no doubt that the cochineal insects an 

 the cacti are introductions, and the net result has been that the yellow flowers 

 cactus has thoroughly naturalised itself, while the cochineal insect has just m. 



