894 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 30, 1881. 
- The following are the arrangements of the Koyal Botanic 
Society for 1885 Spring Exhibitions, Wednesdays, March 25th, April 
22nd. Summer Exhibitions, Wednesdays, May 20th, June 17th. Even¬ 
ing Eete, Wednesday, July Ist, 8 to 12 r.M. Special Exhibition, 
American plants, by Mr. Anthony Waterer, Knap Hill Surrey, daily 
during June. Promenades every Wednesday, from May 6th to July 29th, 
excepting May 20th, June 17th, and July 1st. Lectures, at 4 p.m.i 
Fridays, May 1st to June 19th. General Meetings, for election of new 
Fellows, &c., Saturdays at 3.45 ; January 10th and 24th, February 14th 
and 28th, March 14th and 28th, April 11th and 25tb, May 9th and 23rd 
June 13th and 27th, July 11th and 25th, November 14th and 28th, 
December 12th. Anniversary, Monday, August 10th, at 1 p.m. 
- Mr. Pettigrew has sent us a box of Grapes prom the Vine¬ 
yard AT Castle Coch as a fair average sample of the crop now being 
gathered, which is by far the finest the Vines have produced. The fruit 
is in small dense clusters, the largest berries three-quarters of an inch in 
diameter, the majority smaller. It is fairly coloured and sufficiently ripe 
for its purpose, and several hogsheads of wine will be made. 
- We are informed that the carpet bed figured on page 378 
last week was the production of Mr. John Gibson, a beautiful basket bed 
near it having been designed by Miss Grant. These beds were equally 
creditable to the respective originators of them. 
- We are desired to state that the Lambeth Amateur Chrys" 
ANTHEMUM SOCIETY will hold their annual Exhibition on November 
11th and 12th in the Hawkstone Hall, Westminster Road, S.E., a much 
more commodious building than ’the ball in the Borough Road, where 
the Shows have hitherto been held. It is expected that the Exhibition 
this season will be the best the Society has ever had. 
- The Western Chrysanthemum Society’s Show will beheld 
at Plymouth on the 18th and 19th November. A pleasant feature of the 
schedule is a prominent list of special prizes contributed by Members of 
Parliament and others, who thus give practical encouragement to the 
directorate of the Society in promoting ^superior cultivation in this 
district. 
- Mr. Thomas Christy has sent us a specimen of Jerusalem 
Artichoke which flowered very freely at Sydenham this year in Mr. 
Drakeford’s gardens. This is the result of the hot dry summer, as it is 
only in such seasons as the one now closing that the plants flower freely 
in this country. 
- Pelargonium Royalty.— “S. C.” writes:—This hybrid or 
semi-Nosegay variety is well worth attention either for pot culture or bed¬ 
ding-out. I have it for both purposes and like it immensely. The colour 
(crimson) is grand, the truss large, and the single pips the same. The 
habit is good, rather inclined to be spreading. 
-National Chrysanthemum Society.—A general meeting of 
this Society was held on Wednesday, the 22nd inst., at the Four Swans, 
Bishopsgate Street. Thirty-seven members were present, and some 
important business was transacted. Applications had been made by 
several local societies wishing to become affiliated to the National 
Society, and after a full discussion of the matter the following resolution 
was passed :—“ That local societies be affiliated with this on the follow¬ 
ing terms Subscribers of £1 1.?. to be entitled to one bronze medal, sub¬ 
scribers of £2 2s. to be entitled to one silver medal, subscribers of £5 5s. 
to be entitled to two bronze and two silver medals. Each medal to be 
accompanied by one of the Society’s certificates. All publications to be 
charged cost price. Every society in affiliation to be allowed to send one 
representative to serve on the General Committee. 
- Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, sent a stand of new 
Japanese Chrysanthemums, two of which were certificated—namely, 
Brise du Matin, with fluted recurved florets of a neat, delicate, silvery 
pink colour, very pretty and distinct, and Mens. Moussillac, rich crimson 
golden on the under side of the florets. 
- Poisoning by Yew Berries. —In the town of Gravesend there 
died recently a child, whose death, after examination of the stomach, was 
attributed to his having eaten freely of Yew berries. Supposing there is 
no mistake in the facts of the case it is certainly of interest, because the 
Yew as a shrub or hedge is found in many gardens and parks ; moreover^ 
some discussion upon the subject took place in scientific journals several 
years ago. The general opinion expressed then was that the berries were 
innocent to man and animals, although the latter had suffered from 
browsing upon the foliage. It may be, however, that the seeds of the 
Yew are harmful, but the pulp of the berries harmless. 
- Kerosene as an Insect-killer.—I t is maintained by Mr. 
R. McLachlan, F.R.S., that the most effective of all insecticides for fruit 
trees is “ kerosene butter ” diluted with water to the extent of from twelve 
to twenty times its bulk. This butter is prepared as follows :—Pure 
kerosene, 1 gallon ; condensed milk, 1^ pint; water, 3 pints. The milk 
and water are mixed, the oil added, and the compound churned till it 
forms a butter. The insecticide is applied by washing or syringing as 
in the case of similar compounds. But seeing this remedy must be kept 
in constant agitation while using, or else the kerosene rises to the surface, 
and that the butter needs the churning process, I am inclined to think 
its practical worth is overrated.— Entomologist. 
- Strawberry-eating Beetles.—S everal curious instances 
have been published during the last two or three years of beetles belong¬ 
ing to the carnivorous group devouring the ripe fruit of the Strawberry. 
A garden near Tonbridge, as stated in the Entomologist, suffered from 
the attacks of a beetle this season, and, on examination, the foe of the 
Strawberries turned out to be Pterostichus melanarius, hitherto regarded 
as a useful species simply, because it preys upon less insects, small slugs, 
and centipedes. This gardener’s plan for diminishing their numbers was 
to make little holes in the ground about their haunts, by which he trapped 
scores of them. 
- Through some mistake on the part of the post-office or some¬ 
body else copies of the “ Gardening World ” did not reach us until 
last Saturday. We have had the best possible evidence of late of the 
extraordinary increase in the number of readers of gardening literature, 
and we hope the world is wide enough for all the horticultural 
papers to flourish. Our young contemporary is conducted by Mr. 
B. Wynne. His paper is good in every way—just such a production as 
we should expect from him, and we do not know that we can bestow on 
it a greater, or better merited, compliment than by describing it as a cheap 
form of the Gardeners' Chroniele, in the preparation of which Mr. 
Wynne has had such a large share for a number of years. 
- Nepenthes. —“ W. K. W. ” writes .•—“ In the East India house 
at Westbrook, Sheffield, are seven very fine and large plants of Nepenthes 
—viz , three of N. Rafflesiana, three of N. Hookeri, and one of N. inter¬ 
media. They are all in robust health, and carrying great numbers of 
fine-coloured and large pitchers. The largest plant of N. Hookeri is about 
4 feet through, and is carrying about fifty pitchers. They are growing in 
ordinary teak baskets, each about 12 inches square—rather a small root 
space for such large and vigorous specimens. Mr. Pidsley, the gardener, 
called my attention to numerous pitchers c'rntaining cockroaches in various 
stages of decomposition fioating in the fiuid contained in greater or less 
quantity in nearly all the pitchers.” 
- Clematis-flowered Dahlias.— E. J. Lowe, Esq., Shire- 
newton Hall, Chepstow, sends us some blooms of a distinct race of 
single Dahlias he has succeeded in obtaining from a cross between 
D. glabrata and D. Cervantosi and Mr. Moore’s type. They partake very 
much of the D. glabrata form and habit, but the blooms are very graceful 
with spreading star-like florets, with a zone of a different colour in the 
centre, the outer portion of the blooms being lighter, as for instance 
there are several with a yellow ring in the centre and the outer portion 
of the florets is pure white, some are scarlet fading to pale rose and other 
similar gradations. They are unquestionably an acquisition, very distinct 
and extremely elegant. 
- Tits and Caterpillars. —Mr. J. Hiam, Astwood Bank, Wor¬ 
cestershire, writes :—“As no one has replied to your suggestion at present, 
allow me to say that the only birds that I have found destroying the 
caterpillars on Cabbages, &c., are the large tits (Parus major). I have 
watched them carry off hundreds into the trees to pull to pieces, par¬ 
ticularly this season. It is rare to miss them taking their breakfasts 
from a bed of various “ green stuff ” near my bedroom window. They 
roost in my old boots hung in the fruit trees, and not unfrequently find 
themselves the observed of all observers at natural history lectures.” 
- The Wakefield Paxton Society. —On Saturday, the 18th 
inst., this Society held a meeting of considerable importance. About 
twenty delegates from the gardening societies of Sheffield (two societies), 
Leeds, Barnsley, and Rotherham, assembled at the invitation of the 
Paxton Society, and after a lengthy discussion, in the course of which 
some good ideas were thrown out with respect to raising the position of 
