JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 1, 1882. ] 
451 
salt as to more then supj ly the very small amount of salt plants 
may need. 
While thus believing salts and acids to possess a solvent power, 
I think it will yet be shown that the roots of plants, whether by 
secreting acids or otherwise, possess a digestive power which 
enables them to avail themselves, to some extent at least, of the 
supplies within reach, borne years ago we potted an Agapanthus 
in soil which was known to be benefited by an application of 
lime. Among the soil was placed a piece of polished marble. 
Two years afterwards the ball of the plant was pulled to pieces 
and the marble examined. The smooth surface was now rough 
and covered with an engraved network, clearly showing where 
the roots had travelled. The Agapanthus was chosen because of 
the largeness of its roots. Whether it is a lime-loving plant I 
know not, but I am convinced that roots possess digestive powers. 
I have not used the chloride of potash in a way that can enable 
me to speak with confidence as to its effects in producing watery 
Potatoes or otherwise ; but some years ago a manure guaranteed 
to contain so much soluble phosphate, so much nitrogen, and so 
much potash, the latter supplied with equal amounts of chloride 
and sulphate of potash, was used on the home farm here, and pro¬ 
duced very splendid crops. Its use was discontinued, however, 
because the quality of the Potatoes was found to be inferior. 
At the time I was inclined to think the crops had been over- 
manured, and possibly they were, for the “ artificial ” was in 
addition to a good dressing of stableyard manure. Over-ma¬ 
nuring almost always produces inferior Potatoes. Notwith¬ 
standing, I suspect the chloride of potash ; for, even with very 
heavy manurings our Potatoes here are generally exceptionally 
good.— Single-handed, 
PRESENTATION TO MR. THOMAS MOORE, F.L.S. 
When it became known that Mr. Thomas Moore, who has been 
associated with the literary management of the Gardener’s Chronicle 
for some twenty or more years, was about to retire from editorial re¬ 
sponsibilities, his friends determined to mark the event by an expres¬ 
sion of personal and public regard. The result was the formation of 
a committee comprising 110 persons, many of them intimate friends 
of Mr. Moore, others unacquainted with the man, but familiar with 
his labours, and more especially his important contributions to hor¬ 
ticultural botany. The committee brought its agreeable labours to a 
close on Tuesday last at a dinner at the Cannon Street Hotel, Mr. 
Moore being the chief guest, and in the place of honour. 
Dr. Masters, F.R.S., presided. There were present: Mr. William 
Paul, treasurer of the presentation fund ; Mr. B. S. Williams of Hol¬ 
loway ; Mr. William Bull of Chelsea; Mr. Charles and Mr. Harry 
Turner of Slough ; Mr. George Paul of Cheshunt; Dr. Kellock of 
Stamford Hill; Mr. H. Cannell of Swanley ; Mr. J. Cutbush of High- 
gate ; Mr. G. Deal of Messrs. Weeks & Co., Chelsea ; Mr. Peter Grieve 
of Bury St. Edmunds ; Mr. W. Richards of the Gardeners’ Chronicle; 
Mr. E. J. Beale of Messrs. Carter & Co., High Holborn ; Mr. J. Tegg 
of Bearwood ; Mr. J. Wills of South Kensington ; Mr. W. Hinds of 
Dawlish ; Mr. Porsyth Johnson of Alexandra Palace ; Mr. Kelway of 
Langport; Mr. G. Jackman of Woking ; Mr. G. S. Y. Wills of West¬ 
minster College of Chemistry; Mr-. John Cross of Burton Crescent; 
Mr. Charles Mitchell of Stoke Newington; Mr. Shirley Hibberd, 
secretary to the presentation fund ; and others. 
The usual loyal and patriotic toasts having been duly honoured, 
Mr. B. S. Williams proposed “The Prosperity of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural and Royal Botanical Societies.” 
Dr. Kellock responded for the Royal Horticultural Society, and Mr. 
William Bull replied for the Royal Botanic Society. 
Dr. Masters, the chairman, then proposed the toast of the evening, 
“ The Health of Mr. Thomas Moore,” which was received with great 
enthusiasm. The learned chairman said his “elder brother,” Mr. 
Moore, has claims upon our sympathy, founded alike on his many 
years of hard literary work and his readiness at all times to assist a 
brother in distress or take charge of a great undertaking for the ad¬ 
vancement of horticulture. Thirty years had passed since he first 
met Mr. Moore, and looking back he could say that he had never 
known him to change in his habits or sympathies. He was then, as 
now, devoted alike to the science he had done so much to advance 
and those human interests that so often brought him into contact 
with his friends when some good cause demanded a patient worker. 
Calling to mind the busy times of 1866, he remembered how assiduously 
Mr. Moore then applied himself to the organisation of horticultural 
energies, and how he then proved himself, as on many other occasions, 
a model secretary and a real man of business. As the curator of the 
Botanic Garden at Chelsea he was the official descendant of the great 
Philip Miller, whose mantle had certainly fallen upon him. It would 
be compensation for the retirement of Mr. Moore from the joint 
editorship of the Gardeners' Chronicle if he would now do as Miller 
did—prepare a gardener’s dictionary, for such a book was wanted, and 
it would be no easy matter to find one so competent to the task as the 
present occupant of Miller’s office at Chelsea. Mr. Moore possessed 
such an immensity of knowledge, he was accurate, and withal so kindly 
communicative of that knowledge, that it required somewhat of an 
effort to regard him as a specialist. But then they all knew that be 
was above all things learned in Ferns, and his books upon that sub¬ 
ject were of the greatest value and importance. As a judge of plants 
and flowers he made manifest another of his special acquisitions, for 
he was a thorough florist, and had produced what he (the chairman) 
believed to be the best code of judging flowers. He was both a maker 
of: law and an administrator of law, and his decisions were never ques¬ 
tioned. [Cheers.] Perhaps his qualities as a man were of more im¬ 
portance now that they had met to offer him a trifling compliment. 
It could never be forgotten that when there was a good deed to be 
done Thomas Moore was always ready to do it. The small gift he 
would now ask his friend to accept was no measure of their admira¬ 
tion and esteem. It was but the straw thrown up to show which way 
the wind was blowing, and assuredly it was a kindly wind that blew 
the straw, and he would ask Mr. Moore to accept it, not for what it 
was, for it was nothing, but for what it meant—for the good feeling it 
was intended to express, and the hearty wishes for Mr. Moore’s health 
and happiness felt by them all. [Cheers.] 
Dr. Masters then presented Mr. Moore with a silver salver and a 
purse. The salver bears the following inscription :—“ Presented, with 
a purse of three hundred guineas, to Thomas Moore, Esq., F.L.S., 
F.R.H.S., <S:c., on his retirement from the joint editorship of the 
Gardeners’ Chronicle newspaper, by friends who value his scientific 
labours and cherish remembrances of his constant devotion to social 
fellowship and pure philanthropy. May 23, 1882.” The presenta¬ 
tion was accompanied w-ith musical honours. 
Mr. Moore, on rising to return thanks, was greeted with prolonged 
cheers. He said he felt perplexed as to what he should say, for his 
friend the chairman had placed him in a difficulty by the warmth of 
his eulogy. One thing at least he could say, and it was that he fully 
appreciated the kind feeling that had prompted them to make this 
presentation, and he very heartily thanked the committee and the 
treasurer and others who had taken measures to afford him so much 
gratification. It was known to them all that he did not often speak 
in public, and if his words were few be was none the less conscious 
of the honour conferred upon him by the combined endeavours of his 
excellent friends. [Cheers.]—( Gardeners' Magazine.) 
HELIOTROPE WHITE LADY. 
Few flowers during the winter are more appreciated than the 
deliciously fragrant blooms of Heliotrope. For decorative pur¬ 
poses in pots they are invaluable, and last moderately well when 
employed for room-decoration in light positions away from the 
gas. They have one serious defect, and that is their flowers last 
only a very short time when severed from the plant and placed in 
water. The above new variety after one year’s experience of it 
will, I think, prove a valuable acquisition to the list of winter-flower- 
ing plants. It was sent out as having pure white flowers, but un¬ 
fortunately they are not quite white, but slightly shaded with blue, 
whether grown in heat or under cool treatment. The flowers might 
more properly be described as clouded white instead of pure white. 
Notwithstanding this, however, I am inclined to think White Lady 
will become popular when well known. It is a free-flowering 
variety, and can be had in bloom over the greater portion of the 
year. Such is its character in a moderate degree of warmth during 
winter. It is rather sturdy and of compact habit, with bold light 
green foliage, and fortunately, unlike the older forms of Heliotrope, 
it does not appear to become weakly in heat. The corymbs of 
bloom are large from strong shoots, highly perfumed, and last 
much longer in a conservatory temperature while in flower than 
in more heat. After flowering if placed in heat it will in a very 
short time show flowers again. My stock is limited, as it is not a 
rapid grower ; but I have formed a very high opinion of it, and 
intend to increase the number as much as possible for next winter’s 
display. Those who have grown it might profitably say how it has 
behaved with them, and those that have not grown it might safely 
give it a trial, and I feel confident they will not be disappointed by 
so doing.—W. B. 
ASPARAGUS PLUMOSUS. 
Amongst the many new and rare plants that have of late been 
introduced to our gardens, few, if any, have been more eagerly 
sought after, more highly prized and appreciated, than has the 
subject of this note. If I mistake not Kew must take the credit 
of introducing this valuable plant, and it is only one of many for 
which the horticultural world are indebted to Kew. I learn that 
it has been grown there for some years, but it is only lately 
that it has passed into the hands of the nurserymen, owing, no 
doubt, to the slow way in which it has hitherto been propagated, 
and that by division of the roots and seeds only. It was con¬ 
sidered for a long time that they were the only means of 
propagating it. However, this is a fallacy ; that it can and is 
propagated by cuttings has been proved beyond doubt, and any¬ 
one who is in possession of a small frame with bottom heat can 
