72 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. f Janua ry 2 e, waa. 
and vegetables—nearly always sold at famine prices, and the 
grower not paid for growing them.—P eter Ferguson. 
Mi 
N0TEMLEPNGS. 
Messrs. E. H. Krelage & Son, Haarlem, Holland, send us 
the following communication, which will interest all concerned 
in the CUT flower trade —“ There have been serious com¬ 
plaints from the English horticultural trade, that last year during 
the flowering period of Hyacinths, Tulips, and other Dutch bulbous 
and tuberous plants, the English markets have been overstocked 
by large quantities of cut flowers of these plants sent from 
Holland; thereby the price of English-grown flowers was in 
many cases so much depreciated that, instead of giving any 
profit, there was a great loss in this branch of cultivation. The 
majority of Dutch bulb-growers and exporters have thought it 
necessary to interfere in the matter, and in consequence of this 
at a general meeting of the General Association for the Pro¬ 
motion of Bulb Cultivation at Haarlem (a Society which has 
nearly five hundred members in twelve different sections), reso¬ 
lutions have been passed against this trade in cut flowers, be¬ 
cause it is considered to largely damage the trade in bulbs. 
The Society wishes every bulb-grower or exporter, whether a 
member of the Society or not, to give a declaration to the 
following effect—1, To send out neither in the interior nor abroad 
any cut flowers of Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissuses, Anemones, 
Banunculuses, or Gladioli, except— a , As samples in cases under 
five kilogrammes; b, Without charge for exhibition purpose. 
2, Neither to sell nor to give to others any such cut flowers as an 
article of trade. The signatures to these declarations will be 
collected by the officers of the sections of the Society. It may 
be expected that this measure will have the desired effect.” 
-Just on the eve of going to press we receive the following 
from Mr. Z. Stevens of Trentham relative to the proposed Testi¬ 
monial to Mr. Thomas Moore : — “I could wish that all 
gardeners might be able to afford something to swell the general 
total, but this I know is not possible ; however, if each will give 
according to his means ‘ the presentation will become an epoch in 
the history of horticulture.’ ” 
- The programme of essays to be read before the Sheffield 
Floral and Horticultural Society during the first half of 
the present year comprises a variety of well-selected subjects con¬ 
nected with gardening and floriculture. We are glad to see that 
this Society is now becoming firmly established and likely to do 
much good in the district. Instead of the monthly shows it has 
been decided to hold two larger exhibitions, one on March 2nd 
and the other on the 30th and 31st of May ; the latter is expected 
to prove very satisfactory. It is worthy of note that, in the place 
of selecting judges for each show, a permanent horticultural com¬ 
mittee has been selected to exercise similar functions to the Com¬ 
mittees of the Royal Horticultural Society. 
- In a few days there will be a handsome display of Den- 
drobium NOBILE And its varieties in the gardens, Shirecliffe 
Hall, Sheffield. There are nine specimens in pots varying from 
7 inches to 13 inches in diameter, and about 1300 blossoms are 
expanding. The condition of these plants and others under the 
charge of Mr. J. Udale are alike creditable to his cultural skill. 
-A correspondent advises that “Clematis indivisa 
lobata be grown in every greenhouse, as it is so useful for 
affording a liberal supply of flowers. When these are first pro¬ 
duced they are greenish white, but as they expand they become 
pure white. The plant grows quickly, is not subject to attacks 
of insects—a character possessed by few greenhouse plants—and 
though the foliage is abundant, it is not so dense as to unduly 
shade the plants beneath.” 
- A successful cultivator writes to us as follows on 
Dielytra spectabilis —“ For conservatory decoration during 
the winter months this plant is quite indispensable. Moreover, 
it is one of the cheapest of plants, and easily propagated. To 
raise a stock any plants that can be spared from the forcing 
stock should be cut up and transplanted any time from September 
till March. Single buds with small pieces of roots attached will, 
if planted on good soil a foot apart each way, be fine clumps with 
half a dozen strong buds each for forcing the following year.” 
- “ J. U. S.” writes—“The brilliant Azalea obtusa should 
be more generally grown than it is at present. I have a fine speci¬ 
men flowering most freely, which is very attractive. It is quite 
as free as A. amoena, and the colour of the neat flowers is a bright 
red with a distinct shade of scarlet.” One of the varieties shown 
by Mr. Todman at Kensington recently was an improvement on 
A. obtusa, having slightly larger flowers very bright in colour. 
•- The schedule of the Royal Caledonian Horticul¬ 
tural Society announces that a spring show will be held on 
April 5th and 6th, when prizes will be offered in 110 classes for 
plants, flowers, and vegetables. A silver challenge cup, value 
£10, will also be offered by Andrew Paul, Esq., Gilmore Place, 
for a collection of exotic Ferns, and several special prizes are 
contributed for bulbs. The International Fruit and Flower 
Show will take place on September 13th and 14th in theWaverley 
Market, Prince’s Street, Edinburgh. Over £900 are offered in 
prizes, 175 classes being enumerated, eighty-nine being for fruits, 
seventy-one for plants and flowers, and fifteen for vegetables. 
Special prizes arc also contributed by the Yeitch Memorial 
Trustees. 
- The American “ Gardener’s Monthly ” gives the following 
note, which has a rather unpromising appearance for those en¬ 
gaged in the culture of Tobacco :—“ After a careful investi¬ 
gation by disinterested scientific men the French Government has 
concluded that the use of tobacco interferes with the mental facul¬ 
ties and general ability to study, and has prohibited absolutely its 
use in all the Government schools. It is also said that no regular 
6moker ever took the highest degree in Harvard, and the authori¬ 
ties there are inclined to look into it.” 
- “ It appears,” observes a correspondent, “ that there is 
considerable danger that the varieties of Gladiolus will soon 
become too numerous. I noticed recently in an excellent cata¬ 
logue that about six hundred varieties were enumerated—quite 
sufficient to puzzle an intending purchaser. As far as my know¬ 
ledge goes, a large proportion of these can be spared. A hundred 
varieties, I should think, is the outside limit that any amateur 
requires.” 
- A correspondent writing from the Otago District 
of New Zealand, 30th November, 1881, observes—“ This month 
corresponds to your May, and already our Peas are filling, and 
new Potatoes will be ready in a week or two. In the North 
Island these vegetables have been in use for several weeks. The 
Potato blight is unknown, and the tubers are splendid ; even now 
they are as white as flour, and perfectly sound even when the 
size of bricks. Open-air flowers are on the tables all the year 
round.” 
- A daily contemporary gives this note respecting a 
STRIKE OF MARKET gardeners— “ The ancient city of Tours 
is suffering just now from a failure of the supply of fresh vege¬ 
tables of every kind, the gardeners around the city having agreed 
