October 18, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
389 
stances, they came very light in the colour. A florist friend told me 
that nitrate of soda would darken them to any shade desirable. To 
prove this it was given freely at one end, less so at the other ; in fact 
graduated from nothing at one end to a good dressing repeated at the 
other. To my surprise it was exactly as my friend had told me. At 
one end, where most was given, the plants, which at first gave pure 
yellow flowers, became first striped, then grew darker till they came 
without a trace of yellow. Those that had none remained yellow, 
while as the manure was graduated the flowers gradually became 
deeper and deeper in colour. Not so long ago stinting for want of 
water was generally practised in order to ripen off Peach trees and 
even Vines. But this course was not always satisfactory, causing as 
it did dropping buds and weakly trees. Under glass late and early 
firing and more moderate growing have been the means adopted to 
secure thorough ripening, and therefore fruitfulness. I am con¬ 
vinced that by the proper use of mineral food and nitrogen this process 
can be materially forwarded ; luxuriance, hard driving, can be prac¬ 
tised with safety when required, when the fruit is swelling or dense 
floriferousness threatens to break down the energies of the plant; and 
stinting be practised, not by starving but by judicious and wise 
feeding. 
There is one way manure is given that I must warn against, even 
at the end of a long chapter. It is giving it to vegetables forced in 
darkness. Judging from calendars, we should imagine the giving of 
manure water and rich soil to Rhubarb, Seakale, Asparagus forced in 
darkness, to be universal in order to feed it or cause greater growth. 
It does not. It is the matter formed in the green leaf under sunlight 
that contributes to plant-growth, and it is such matter stored up in 
stems and roots that is drawn out when forcing in darkness is done. 
Were there no other evil following except the loss of manure no great 
harm might result ; but giving diluted urine, infusion of animal 
dungs, or guano water to forcing plants to drink is not better than 
pouring sewage into wells. As found in the plants such are not 
altered to plant tissues ; they remain as poisons filthy and dangerous. 
—Single-handed. 
THE GREAT VINERY AT CHISWICK. 
The National Apple Congress has drawn much attention to he hand¬ 
some vinery in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens at Chiswick, 
and as it presents one of the most beautiful spectacles that a pomologist 
could wish to see, we have thought it a good opportunity to give an en¬ 
graving of it prepared from a photograph taken by Mr. C. Hen wood, High 
Road, Chiswick. The house maybe termed the head-quarters of the Exhibi¬ 
tion, but does not represent its magnitude. The largest portion of the finest 
exhibits are contained in it, the contributions from Kent, Middlesex, 
Hertfordshire, Sussex, Berkshire, and Essex occupying the principal part 
of the space, four or five smaller houses being also filled with Apples. 
An excellent description of this vinery is given in Mr. A. F. Barron's 
work on “ Vines and Vine Culture,” which we extract as follows :— 
“ This noble vinery—probably the largest structure devoted to the 
cultivation of Grapes in existence—was originally erected as a plant 
conservatory, forming the first portion of a grand building in the form 
of a + with a central dome, projected for erection in the Horticultural 
Gardens at Chiswick, when Chiswick was at its zenith and the leader of 
horticultural progress. It was built by Messrs. Bailey of London nearly 
fifty years ago, and, as we were informed by the late Mr. R. Thomp¬ 
son, the cost was something about £4500, a heavy duty then existing 
on glass. It is a span-roof curvilinear structure of iron and glass, 
180 feet in length, 30 feet in width, and 26 feet high, running east 
and west, and heated by two of Stevenson’s patent boilers, fixed by 
Messrs. Burbidge & Healey. Ventilation is obtained by ventilators on 
both sides over the piping, and from a ridge lantern ; this, although 
apparently very limited, is very perfect and quite sufficient. 
“ In the year 1857, the cultivation of plants having been abandoned, 
it was proposed by the late Mr. G. McEwen, then Superintendent of the 
Gardens, to plant it with a collection of Vines, and this was accordingly 
done. Borders on the most limited scale were prepared, both inside and 
outside ; that on the outside was about 5 feet in width, bounded by a 
broad gravel walk on a raised terrace ; and that inside the house was 
about 9 or 12 inches in depth, and formed on the surface of the stone 
pavement of the conservatory.” 
Numerous varieties of Grapes were first tried in the house and afforded 
an opportunity of determining their relative merits ; the worthless sorts 
were subsequently removed, others being cut down and grafted with 
proved varieties. 
“ At the present time the varieties cultivated are chiefly those standard 
sorts which have been found suited to the house—viz., Black Hamburgh 
or Frankenthal, which is the best of all, Alicante, Gros Guillaume, 
Madresfield Court, Gros Colman, Lady Howne’s Seedling, Black Prince, 
Black Monukka, West’s St. Peter’s, Dutch Hamburgh, Buckland Sweet¬ 
water, Raisin de Calabre, and Muscat of Alexandria. 
“ The greatest number of bunches produced in one season was four 
thousand five hundred (4500), their aggregate weight being somewhat 
over two tons.” 
It will doubtless be satisfactory to many to learn that the Exhibition 
is to continue open until the 25th inst., a prolongation of time that will 
probably enable some hundreds to visit the Show who have not at present 
had the opportunity of doing so. 
CENTAUREA ARGENTEA. 
This occurs to me to be one of the most useful of all white-foliaged’ 
plants suited for bedding purposes. It is perfectly hardy and easy of 
propagation, division of the root being the best method, though it strikes 
freely under handglasses or in a cold frame. It is of a naturally spreading 
habit, hence easily kept in its place, and it is far whiter than Cineraria 
maritima or Centaurea ragusina. I have not seen this plant used 
much in England, but it is in great favour here. I am propagating all I 
can obtain of it. This plant would look well mixed with Verbenas. li 
saw a bed of these the other day remarkably bright, and it appears to 
me that it should be in all gardens where bedding is a speciality.— 
J. Pithees. 
GARDENERS’ BENEFIT SOCIETY. 
Several of your correspondents have been lately advocating the 
founding of a Gardeners’ Benefit Society. They do not seem to be 
aware that there is such a Society in good working order, and the funds, 
of which are economically managed and husbanded. 
About the year 1865 a considerable number of the leading gardeners 
in the suburbs of London met, and after several meetings brought the 
subject before the public by holding exhibitions in the City of London.. 
The first was held in the Albion Hotel, Moorgate Street, and figured in 
the Illustrated London News of April 22nd, 1865. The next exhibition 
was held in Finsbury Circus, and most handsomely assisted by the resi¬ 
dents of the Circus. Many will remember the two following exhibitions, 
held in the Guildhall of the City of London, the use of which was kindly 
and unreservedly granted by the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen, and the 
Common Council of the City, and resulted in starting the Society with a 
sum of several hundred pounds. The leading working members of the 
Committee at that time were the late Mr. Osman Rhodes, who was the- 
original promoter. William Marshall, Esq., James Crute, Esq., and 
Shirley Hibberd, Esq. 
The Society was advertised and made known from time to time in the 
horticultural papers, and has gone on gradually increasing quietly and 
unobtrusively since. The funds in hand in January last were—in the 
Benefit Fund, £1504 165. 6|fZ. ; Benevolent Fund, £856 11s. 4f d.~ 
Management Fund, £3 8s. 10rZ. 
I may state here the reason it is not advertised more extensively is 
from there being no fund for the purpose. The moneys of the Benefit and 
Benevolent Funds cannot be used for other than their legitimate purposes, 
and nothing has surprised me more than the lukewarmness displayed 
by gardeners in supporting such a praiseworthy institution, as our 
object in founding this Society was not to make it a charity, but to 
endeavour to make the members provident, and in time of need come 
upon the funds as a matter of right. Owing to various causes there have 
been no exhibitions held for its benefit in late years, neither would they 
be required if gardeners would support it as they ought. 
The name of the Society is The United Horticultural Benefit and' 
Provident Society, and the Secretary is Mr. John F. McElroy, The 
Gardens, Moray Lodge, Campden Hill, Kensington, W., and whose 
respected employer I notice is an annual subscriber of one guinea. Mr. 
McElroy makes it a labour of love, working without remuneration at 
present, and he will be pleased to give any information required. The 
Trustees, Committee, &c., are all elected according to the rules. The 
financial part of the Society was vouched for as being safe by A. G. 
Finlayson, Esq., the Government Actuary. The Society is well named 
Benefit and Provident, as, unlike any other benefit society, the membert’’ 
moneys keep accumulating, with interest added each year, each member’s 
account being kept separate ; and the rules seem so adequate to redu< e 
the call on the Benefit Fund to a minimum, that they should be carefully 
read by all wishing to join. There are no entrance fees, and no mom y 
fines for non-payment of subscriptions, this beiDg specially provided f( r 
in the rules. For instance, my share of the sick pay was for 1877— 
Is. 9hd ; for 1878, Sf d. ; for 1879, Is. 0 \d. ; for 1880, Is. U. ; for 1881, 
Is. 1 \d. ; for 1882, 5 d. ; to January, 1883, 6| d. The remainder of the 
members’ subscription is placed at interest as before stated. I find I am 
member No. 1, having been the first Secretary, and joined in 1866, and I 
have placed to my credit, according to the balance sheet issued in Feb¬ 
ruary last, £38 5s. 0 \d. There is no burial fund, the member’s own 
money supplying this when required. 
The benefits are 16s. per week in sickness, for which the subscription 
is 9d. per week, and 10s. 6d., for which 6^Z. per week is paid, and 2s. 6J- 
to the Management Fund, and 3s. to the Benevolent Fund annually. I 
trust the publicity now given may induce gardeners to come forward 
and join a Society founded specially for their benefit.— WILLIAM Heaee, 
Lowfield Nurseries, Crawley, Sussex. 
N.B.—The annual meeting is held in February of each year. The 
sum now invested in 3 per cent, consols is £2485 Is. 1(M. 
Oeange Fungus on Roses, &c.— We have been very much troubled 
with this of late years. Last year I took up and replanted several 
hundred Rose trees, which seemed to prevent the fungus coming so 
soon this year, but it did not cure them, as it appeared again as had a» 
ever last month, and as the fungus is on the lower surface of the leaves it 
is very difficult to do anything to prevent it. I have seen a fungus muck 
