842 



GA RDENERS MA GAZINE. 



DKCEMB3R 24, 1898. 



bushels, and in 



£ 



pay 



for an 



uusncij> »uu in v«. U v, v . a.-j 5 77/> j o r _, half-a-crown is made. It will be found of immense value to those using the 



esculent *which can "be* Cultivated" without difficulty "in the United library, but it falls considerably short of our expectations, for with but few excep- 



Kingdom. 



The Chrysanthemum.— Reviewing mentally the galaxy of bloom which 

 formed the main attraction to the exhibitions held during the past two months, and 

 recalling the insignificance of the blossom from which that gorgeous array has 

 been slowly developed, we are forced to the conclusion that no parallel exists in 

 any other flower. We may well pride ourselves upon our roses, our dahlias, our 

 begonias, primulas, and other flowers whose original beauties have been enlarged, 

 elaborated, and varied in tint and habit to a truly marvellous extent, but in no 

 one of these has the innate capacity for variation displayed itself to such 

 advantage as in the chrysanthemum, not merely in one or two directions, but 

 practically in all, save, perhaps, in the direction of perfume. An extraordinary 

 feature in this, and a very important one from the selective cultivator's point of 

 view, is that this varietal power is not due, as in many other highly- developed 



tions the vvhole of the books are entered under the name of the authors only. 

 This we regard as a serious defect, for unless the reader is acquainted with the 

 names of the authors of the works on) the subject in which he is interested he 

 will, in using the catalogue, be compelled to wade through the whole of the one 

 hundred and sixty odd pages. The titles of the works should certainly have been 

 given in alphabetical sequence, and it would have been a decided advantage had 

 the books been arranged according to the subjects dealt with. These cross- 

 references would have increased the cost of preparation and printing, and it may 

 be that the funds at the disposal of the trustees prevented their making the cata- 

 logue so full and complete as we could have wished to see it. 



National Amateur Gardeners' Association.— The annual dinner of 



this flourishing society was held at the Holborn Restaurant on the 15th, and was 

 generally regarded, and properly so, as one of the most enjoyable social functions 

 of the year. Mr. T. QV. Sanders, the president of the association, occupied the 



flowers, to hybridisation. There are no combined and maybe antagonistic chair, and about one hundred and fifty members were present. Both the president 



specific potencies at work in the blood or sap of the plants, the outcome of which 

 are compromises which take the form of new variations either in bud or seed, all 

 the variations originate per se in plants of the same species under high culture and 

 keen observation of differences of type or tint. This high culture has also led to a 



and the hon, secretary (Mr. Leonard Brown) were able to give a highly satis 

 factory account of the work of the association ; and Mr. Fife, Mr. Waterer, Mr. 

 Crane, Mr. Gordon, and other speakers bore ample testimony to the work that is 

 being accomplished. The several trophies presented to the successful exhibitors 



remarkable capacity in the plants of many varieties for concentration of energy in during the year formed a very attractive exhibicion of the silversmith's art. 



comparatively few buds when the great majority are removed. It is this capacity 



Mr 



Barron has, we regret to learn, found it necessary, in con- 



which gives us the enormous blooms with which we are familiar, and here again sequence of impaired health, to retire from the position of secretary of the Royal 



we are safe in saying that the chrysanthemum is unique in its power of adaptation Gardeners' Orphan Fund, which he has held since the foundation of the charity, 



to this checking process in one direction and of diverting its energies in another to on the completion of the year's work in February next. 



the greatest advantage of the favoured buds. We may prune our roses and dahlias Cut Seed Potatos.— The old-fashioned method of cutting potatos used for 



almost to death on similar lines, but we shall not obtain similar enhancement of planting has given rise to much controversy, and by an important section of 



size, and at a certain point we are simply the poorer numerically. Then, again, cultivators the practice is considered to be both unprofitable and undesirable. The 



in diversity of form the chrysanthemum is an easy first among the flowers of the crop i s considered not to grow so strongly or to yield so satisfactorily when cut 



world, and, vast as is now the number of distinct types, every season adds some se ts have been used as when the potatos have been planted whole, and, further, 



unexpected outbreak in a new direction. One season gives us a bloom bristling t h e plan pursued by many of planting small seconds or inferior tubers in the belief 



with hairy excrescences, in another the pointed petals, after curling and twisting t h at t ^ ty are i mpr0 ving on the cutting process and at the same time effecting 



and lengthening in all conceivable styles, break out into tasselled ones, forming a economy in the use of seed has been proved to be a short-sighted one. It is not 



fringe, and this season we have some marvels of slender elongation, such as What suggested that the very best or largest potatos should be selected for seed, but all 



Ho ! exhibited recently, which, though too eccentric for the connoisseur's taste, careful investigations go to prove that it is false economy to rely on improperly 



displays none the less the versatility of the flower, its long, la*, slender curly developed tubers for the succeeding crop. This truth has received fresh confirm*, 

 petals falling around like a floral cataract. The warmth of coloration, too, is 



gradually improving, some recent varieties approaching very near the true crimson 

 and scarlet, while the snow whites and the golden yellows have reached the per- 

 fection of purity. When, finally, we consider that all this wealth of blossom is in unmistakable. Much the best returns were obtained from the whole seed that 



tion in the results of experiments conducted last summer at the Cheshire County 



Agricultural 



Cut seed and 



whole tubers of various sizes were experimented with, and the lessons are clear and 



its prime at a period when most flowers are over, and that even when left to them- 

 selves the plants are as hardy as grass, and will afford abundance of bright, though 

 smaller, blooms as a counterpoise to even the fogs of November, we may well be 

 thankful to Nature for such a floral gift, and to those who have raised it to its 

 present superexcellence. 



9% 



11 tons 8 cwt. saleable and I ton 2 cwt. small from seed that would pass through 

 the 2% in., but not through the 2 in. mesh ; and the yields were still less where 

 smaller sets were used, the sets that passed through 1 % in., but were retained in 



The Glastonbury Thorn {Crat&gus oxycantha var. precox). — This old a \% in. riddle, giving only about 8 tons gross, or scarcely half the weight pro- 

 and precocious variety is, writes Mr. F. W. Burbidge, now in bloom in the Trinity duced by the largest size seed. Potatos cut in the ordinary way gave disappoint- 

 College Ball Gardens at Dublin. The plant was received direct from Glastonbury i ng returns, but it was found that cut seed is substantially enhanced if the tubers 

 Abbey some years ago, and has flowered every year since, but this year it is a are cut a week or so before they are intended for use and dusted over with slaked 

 month earlier than usual— old Christmas Day, or our twelfth day, being its usual H me , as we have frequently advised. The lime causes a crust to form over the 



wound, and thus prevents the sap from exuding and the set from shrinking. 



Seeds and Music— It is evident the handling of seeds is in no way detri- 

 mental to the study of music, for not only is the musical talent shown at the 



time. 



The Late Dr. Allman's Garden. 



tes from Ileatherbank, Weybridge Heat! 



Wilson 



Dr. Allman's garden : " A very eminent scientist recently died at Parkstone, annual festive gatherings of Messrs. Hurst and Son of an exceptionally high 

 near Bournemouth, who had been for some years a devoted and successful gardener, order, but a society in association with their seed house has been formed for the 

 and had a collection of very interesting and rare shrubs which flourished in his promotion and cultivation of musical taste and talent. The society hopes by orga- 



noid climate ; it was a great pleasure to see him in his garden, and at eighty-six 

 he remembered most of the names without referring to labels. A great traveller 

 and author, also a very successful gardener, who lives close by Ardmore, writes 

 me : 1 Dr. Allman's house and garden will soon be for sale, try and get some good 

 gardener to buy it, it is full of rare and fine things.' To any old gardener wishing 



nising systematic and regular practices to announce occasional musical evenings 

 at a convenient central place, to which all members will be invited. It is also 

 contemplated to offer prizes for vocal and instrumental competitions. We shall 

 hope to see the society doing more than providing musical evenings for its members, 

 as judging from the excellence of the vocal music at the annual dinner on 



for a nice house and attractive garden in a mild climate this would give a good Saturday last, and the splendid performance of the orchestra under the direction 



chance and to my friend a congenial neighbour." of Mr. Edward Sherwood, it should in due course be able to render good service 



The Gardening Year Book and Garden Oracle.— The edition of this in the cause of the charities associated with gardening. 



1 ■ f a _ __ 



popular annual for 1899 is now published, and can be obtained of all booksellers 



The Starling a Friend of Gardeners.— Although we fully believe the 



enjoyed during the past forty years. 



and newsagents. This issue has been thoroughly revised, and in great part sta rling is a friend, and treat the bird as such here, yet, nevertheless, we find the 

 I!I"lIfLSl JS ™ aintain the h 'g h dc S ree of Popularity the work has East Anglian starling, writes S. P., likes a little more variety in fruit than his 



brethren of Wiltshire (see page 780, December 3). In common with the rook he 

 is very fond of cherries, generally taking a few from the tops of high standards 

 or from the tops of trees on walls, especially in early morning. He does not 

 object to a few red currants from a north wall, and in dry seasons, like the past, 

 will piy an occasional visit to the strawberry beds. But, altogether, the starlings 



Library 



for several years past, is now published, and will be heartily welcomed by Fellows 

 of the Royal Horticultural Society and others who are resident within a short 



distance of the metropolis, and thus able to take advantage of the library. As * , ~. ^ — , - . 



well known to those familiar with the horticultural events of the past forty years, do us ver y little damage, and we cannot regard them in any sense as wholesa c 



the International Horticultural Exhibition, held in London in iS66,resulted in a sub- depredators in the matter of fruit, but they destroy large numbers of certain 



a. . .. m ^ ... . insects. Both myself and children were lately interested in watching them alter 



the few stray apples left for them on some trees near our house. We do not 

 molest the birds or their nests, consequently starlings are both tame an 

 numerous here. 



stantial profit. Of the surplus the sum of £\,oco was handed over to the Gardeners' 

 Royal Benevolent Institution, and the remainder was expended in the publication 

 of a full report of the exhibi'ion and congress and the purchase of the library of 



< , Lindle y* As at that time the Royal Horticultural Society possessed 

 but few books the Lindley library was handed over by the committee of the 

 exhibition to a body of trustees for the benefit of the Fellows of the society and 



Other persons. Soon after its foundation a presentation of valuable books was 

 made by Her Majesty the Owen, and additions of books and pictures by dona- 

 tion or purchase have been made annually, so that the publication of a catalogue 



had become an urgent necessity. We have 



reordmg the publication of the catalogue, for which 'the small charge 



uch 



Allotments and Small Holdings in Lincolnshire.— There was 



recently a large gathering of small holders at Spalding Corn Exchange, mo 

 of those present being occupiers of small holdings belonging to u> 

 Carrington, and rented through a syndicate of local gentlemen for the P ur P° s * : 

 encouraging the cultivation of small holdings, now very successfully carried o 



f 



easure in the Spalding district. 



of that the move 



Winfrey, chairman 



pai 



;nd 



