August 4, 1883.] 
135 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 
/ 
fully grown and selected at Slough, and a batch sent 
out — Advancer, Princess Royal, Little Gem, Epi- 
curean, Wonderful, Premier, and others, commenced 
that long line of improvements more or less striking^ 
which has continued to this day. One of the most 
useful of winter Greens, the Cottagers’ Kale, was sent 
out by Mr. Turner a quarter of a century ago ; and 
the well-known Schoolmaster Potato at a more recent 
date. The Incomparable White Celery, and the 
Golden Gem Melon, also emanated from Slough. 
It need scarcely be said that the Royal Nursery is 
widely known as one of the cleanest, best ordered 
and appointed establishments in the country, and 
famous for tl 5 e healthy and satisfactory stock found 
there. It has grown largely in extent during the past 
twenty years, and yet extends itself according to the 
requirements of an increasing trade. 
As an author Mr. Turner is not unknown, though 
his productions are few. It is not for want of 
ability to write that he has published so little ; buf, 
being always with the flowers he loves so well, and 
delighted to be there, literary occupation could not 
draw him aside. When at Chalvey he published 
Practical Observations on the Culture of the Dahlia 
for Exhibition^ with a Descriptive Catalogue of 
Dahlias ^ ^c. In 1850 he published, in pamphlet 
form, some papers on the Culture of the Pansy ^ which 
had previously appeared in the pages of The Florist 
and Garden Miscellany, In 1851 Mr. Turner suc- 
ceeded the late Mr. Edward Beck as the conductor of 
the Florist^ and continued in this capacity until the 
end of i860, when the work underwent some modifi- 
cation, and Dr. Hogg, assisted by the late Mr. John 
Spencer, took an active share in the management. 
It is still continued under the name of the Florist and 
Pomologist, and is edited by Mr. Thomas Moore, 
F.L.S. At times Mr. Turner contributed to some of 
the gardening papers, but only occasionally. 
As a representative man Mr. Turner has on not a 
few occasions stood forward on behalf of his fellow 
florists. Many years ago, when a complimentary 
dinner was given to the late Mr. Charles Kean, the 
eminent actor, the committee decided to invite a 
representative of every profession, and the late Mr. 
Jame^ Veitch was present to represent the nursery- 
men and Mr. Turner the florists. The Duke of 
Newcastle presided, the present Prime Minister of 
England being one of the guests. Mr. Turner was also 
a very active member of the Executive Committee of 
the Great International Horticultural Exhibition of 
1866, and took more 1st prizes than any other exhi- 
bitor. In conjunction with the Rev. Canon Hole 
and the late Mr. Thomas Rivers, Mr. Turner laboured 
hard in carrying out the arrangements of the first 
National Rose Show, held in St. James’ Hall, Regent 
Street, on July i, 1858. Several men eminent as 
florists gave their quota of labour — ^John Edwards, 
Richard Stains, and others, who, with Mr. Rivers, have 
since gone over to the majority. In connection with 
the Southern Section of the National Auricula Society 
(a flower that for years past has found a 
congenial home at Slough), the National Car- 
nation and Picotee Society, the National Dahlia 
Exhibition, the International Potato Show, and 
other societies, he is a willing and hearty helper ; 
in fact he is ever to the fore when something has to be 
done in the best interests of horticulture. He has 
been a steady supporter of the Gardeners’ Benevolent 
Institution for many years past. He most cordially 
aided in every way the old National Floricultural 
Society until it was superseded by the establishment 
of the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society ; and he has been a member of this body, with 
short intervals of non-ofilcial existence, almost since 
its establishment. 
Mr. Turner has for many years taken an active 
interest in local matters affecting Slough, and exhi- 
bited a commendable public spirit. 
And so we bring this somewhat imperfect sketch 
to a close. A busy life extending over half a century’s 
duration embraces many incidents, only a few of 
which can be compressed within the limits of a brief 
memoir. The reading of the foregoing lines will 
awaken in not a few hearts memories of old, and 
recall occurrences that it might be well had been 
incorporated in this concise story of a life. We can 
ori y give a necessarily imperfect outline. Those who 
will can fill It out to perfect fulness with recollections 
tnat will never die, so long as the powers of the 
PHACELIA CAMPANULARIA, A. Gray. 
In the Gardeners' Chfonicte^ n.s,, vol. xviii., p. 51, 
a description of this handsome half-hardy annual was 
given, from specimens sent by Mr. Thompson, of 
Ipswich. Seeds of it were sent to Kew by the same 
gentleman, andfthe accompanying figure (fig. 22) has 
been prepared from a plant which flowered here this 
season. It is dwarfer and more compact than P. 
Whitlavia, A. Gray (Whitlavia''grandiflora, and W. 
minor, Harvey), and the corollas, which measure from 
I — Is inch in^breadth, according to vigour, are bright 
gentian-blue, with five pure white oblong spots on the 
inside, situate below the angles of the corolla lobes ; 
these white spots become ochreous-yellow as the 
flower fades ; on the outside they are u sually absent, 
sometimes a trace of them may be seen, but here, if 
present, they are carried down to the base of the 
corolla. 
Mr. Thompson has now sent a plant to Kew, from 
which a figure for the Botanical Magazine has been 
prepared. This plant is more compact than the one 
from which our drawing was made, which latter was 
grown in a deep frame early in the season, and, in 
consequence, had a drawn-up appearance — the leaves 
are dentate, and the whole plant much less hairy than in 
Mr. Thompson’s plant, which is itself less hairy than 
an authentic specimen sent by Dr. Gray to Kew from 
California. The wild plant is so copiously covered 
with short glandular hairs as to give it a cinereous 
hue ; the leaves are subcordate, i inch long and 
neatly crenate, and for some time I was unable to 
believe in the specific identity of this specimen with 
the one represented in our figure, especially as Dr. 
Gray, in the Botany of California^ vol. ii., p. 4671 
says, “ corolla violet-purple.” Mr. Thompson’s plant 
is intermediate between the two in hairiness and in 
cUo nf leaf, showinff thaf U 
detected. If it proves as hardy as the purple-flowered 
P. Whitlavia, it will be a great acquisition, and will 
doubtless take a place in the front rank of showy half- 
hardy annuals. R, A. Rolfe, 
Acrostichum (Elaphoglossum) magnum, Baker, 
n. sp* 
This is a large new Acrostichum of the sub-genus 
Elaphoglossum, which was discovered in 1880 by Mr. 
G. S. Jenman, on the banks of the Mazaruni River, in 
British Guiana, and of which he has just sent living 
plants to Kew. It is allied to A. perelegans and A. 
auricomum. 
Root-stock suberect. Basal palese small, linear 
subulate, nearly black. Stipes tufted, those of the 
barren frond 3—4 inches long, clothed with small 
lanceolate adpressed fimbriated membranous paleae. 
Sterile lamina 2—3 feet long, 1^—2 inches broad at 
the middle, narrowed gradually to the apex and base, 
membranous in texture, green on both sides, the 
palese of the upper surface numerous but incon- 
spicuous, minute, ovate, adpressed, whitish, deeply 
fimbriated, of the under side densest on the midrib, 
not adpressed, minute, membranous, lanceolate, fer- 
ruginous, densely fimbriated ; veins slightly ascending, 
moderately close, distinct, simple or forked. Fertile 
frond not yet seen. J, G, Baker, 
Anguloa Ruckeri {Lindl,) retusa, n, var, 
A most remarkable variety. It is lemon colour 
outside the perigone, full of dark purple blotches 
inside. The good character is found in the lip. Its 
lateral laciniae are quite abrupt, rectangular ; its 
median lacinia is unusually small, reflexed, covered 
with short strong hairs. The column has a very strong 
angle at a short interval above the base. This curious 
plant, W'hose constancy can only be judged by time, 
though it is to be expected, was kindly sent by Mr. 
W. Bull, of Chelsea. H. G, Rchb.f 
Odontoglossum Schlieperianum {Rchb, /), 
O. flavidum, var. 
This is the Odontoglossum grande flavidum of the 
late Herr Klotzsch. It is a very fine variety, sulphur 
colour, with a few exceedingly light cinnamon bars at 
base of the sepals and petals, some orange on base of 
the lip and on the callus, and with brown hairs on 
the wings of the column. I have finally had it now 
afresh from Mr. B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise 
Nurseries. H, G, Rchb, f. 
EDIBLE FUNGI. 
According to Coulter's Gazette, Dr. J. J. Brown, 
of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, has for several seasons 
experimented with field fungi for culinary purposes. 
He finds no fungi that one would be likely to 
gather for eating that are violently poisonous. 
His method for discovering the valuable kinds 
is one that requires no scientific knowledge of 
the plants, and commends itself for its practical com- 
mon sense. He gathers fresh clean-looking speci- 
mens ; if they have a bad or unpleasant odour when 
cooking they are discarded, and one will soon be able 
to tell the good from the bad at this time with consi- 
derable certainty. A small amount of the cooked 
fungus is then eaten. If it has a pleasant taste, and 
no disagreeable results follow, it is partaken of more 
freely next time, and is soon put on the list of valu- 
able kinds. Tasting of the fresh fungus is but little . 
assistance, as an acrid or nauseating property is often 
dispelled in the preparation. There is no doubt that 
the danger of fungus-poisoning has been unnecessarily 
exaggerated. With the caution just pointed out the 
danger is so greatly lessened that it is practically 
reduced to zero, and no one need hesitate to make 
use of this abundant supply of nourishing and palat- 
able food. It may be added that many sorts will be" 
found harmless enough, but of no more culinary value 
than so much grass or wood, being either not juicy or 
without a rich flavour. Our contemporary is respon- 
sible for the whole of the foregoing. No doubt 
proper cooking neutralises some of the harmful pro- 
perties, and another important point is to gather your 
fungus before it is too old ; but, as far as European 
fungi are concerned at any rate, it is better to learn 
to distinguish the .various kinds than to proceed in the 
experimental fashion recommended by Dr. Brown. 
* Acrostichum {Elaphoglossum) magnum. Baker, n. sp. — 
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Missouri 
■ .-X . Botanical 
cm copyright reserved garden 
