80 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 27, 1882. 
- In one of the shrubby borders the most conspicuous 
object is Spiraea LindleyanA. There are several specimens 
from 6 to 8 feet high, which, with the large pinnate leaves and 
terminal plumes of white inflorescence have a remarkable effect. 
The specimens are not crowded by other shrubs, to which 
circumstance their j present floriferousness is doubtless to be 
attributed. 
- During the past week—namely, from the 18th to the 25th 
inst., Messrs. Cranston & Co. of Hereford have had an exhibition 
op Rose blooms in the Royal Botanic Society’s Gardens, Regent’s 
Park, which has attracted many visitors. About forty boxes were 
staged in the corridor, the majority containing thirty-six blooms 
each, and thus there were collectively over one thousand blooms, 
representing a large number of the best varieties in commerce. 
Fresh blooms were supplied every morning from the Hereford 
nurseries, and thus a fine display was maintained throughout the 
week. Such well-known and much-appreciated varieties as Sena- 
teur Yaisse, A. K. Williams, and Alfred Colomb were especially 
fine, the last-named being represented by particularly handsome 
blooms. Duchesse de Morny, Charles Darwin, Lady Sheffield, 
Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Baker, Xavier Olibo, Comtesse d’Oxford, 
and Marquise de Castellane were similarly good. But perhaps 
there was not a more attractive box in the whole Show than that 
filled with blooms of Crimson Bedder. These, though not large, 
were remarkable for their neatness of form and rich scarlet crimson 
hue, the half-opened buds being admirably suited for bouquets or 
button-holes. Some large trusses of buds and flowers well indi¬ 
cated the astonishing floriferousness of this useful variety. 
- A correspondent writes as follows :—“ Poison berries 
—Mezereon. —A child in Maidstone has been seriously poisoned 
by eatiDg the berries of Daphne Mezereum, possibly mistaking 
them for Red Currants. It may be as well to caution those who 
have these pretty spring-flowering shrubs in their gardens.” The 
Daphnes are distinguished by possessing rather strongly marked 
acrid, caustic, or purgative qualities, which are especially developed 
in the fruits and’ bark. Some preparations have been used in 
medicine, but in 'large 'quantities they are injurious. Daphne 
Mezereum, D. [Gnidium, D. Cneorum, D. Laureola, and several 
others possess similar properties. 
- Gardening Appointments.—M r. E. Butts, foreman at 
the Royal Gardens, Kew, has been appointed head gardener to 
Mrs. Tredwell, Leigham Court, Streatham ; and Mr. John Wool- 
ford succeeds Mr. D. Greig as head gardener to the Right Hon. 
Earl of Bandon, Castle Bernard, Bandon, Cork, Ireland. 
- Our correspondent “ Single-handed ” sends the follow¬ 
ing note relative to rooting Strawberry runners:—“North¬ 
ern Gardener,” in'noticing my method of securing early-rooted 
plants of Strawberries, says it is not suited for a very dry district. 
Now it is just such a district where it is superior if, as I recom¬ 
mended, the young runners are dibbled into frames kept close, 
shaded, and moist. If anyone with a spare frame will try that 
plan they will go on repeating it annually. During dry hot 
weather when no frames are to be had this plan might not be so 
successful, but even then much might be done by shading and 
watering.” 
- A Scottish correspondent writes :—“ Partly owing to the 
very mild winter and spring, partly to the 1 growing ’ weather 
experienced during summer here ‘in the north countrie,’ a SECOND 
SPRING is being experienced, and bouquets may be had of Roses 
and other July flowers mingled with Alpine Auriculas, Primroses, 
and other Primulas. [Some people profess to be frightened at 
these things, but it is’ doubtful if any real harm can come to the 
plants thus growing again. The summer’s rest which many 
things take is_[often? forced [[on them by a heat and drought that 
paralyses them into inactivity ; hut, as ‘ only the flying cloud 
changes and lightens—only the waving wing changes and 
brightens,’ so only the growing plant spreads and gains strength 
for showing off its beauty in all its fulness. Instead, therefore, of 
moaning over untimely growth a rare opportunity should now be 
seized for dividing many such plants as we have named, for the 
warmness and moisture are just suited for making them strike 
root and become established.” 
- Mr. C. V. Riley, writing in “ Nature,” has the following 
respecting the utilisation of ants in horticulture :—“Dr 
C. J. Macgowan has sent me from Han Chow, Province of Hainan 
China, a little paper on the ‘ Utilisation of Ants as Insect-destroyers 
in China.’ It seems that in many parts of the province of Canton 
the Orange trees are injured by certain worms, and to rid them¬ 
selves from these pests the inhabitants import ants from the neigh¬ 
bouring hills. The hill-people throughout the summer and winter 
find the nests of two species of ants, red and yellow, suspended 
from the branches of various trees. The ‘ Orange ant-breeders 
are provided with pig or goat bladders, baited inside with lard. 
The orifices of these they apply to the entrance of the bag-like 
nests, when the ants enter the bladders, and, as Dr. Macgowan 
expresses it, ‘become a marketable commodity at the orangeries.’ 
The trees are colonised by placing the ants on their upper branches 
and bamboo rods are stretched between the different trees, so as 
to give the ants easy access to the whole orchard. This remedy 
has been in constant use at least since 1G10, and probably dates 
from a much earlier period. This is certainly a new way of utilis¬ 
ing ants, which as a rule are deservedly considered a nuisance by 
the horticulturist. I should like to learn whether the facts com¬ 
municated have before been known in Europe, and, if so, whether 
the species of ant has been determined.” 
- Relative to Carter’s new Fairy Queen Virginian 
Stock a correspondent writes:—“This is an acquisition among 
early-flowering dwarf annuals, its compact growth and numerous 
richly coloured flowers completely putting the typical form of 
the old favourite in the shade. The flowers are variable, but the 
majority are rosy crimson, and large flowering masses are sparkling 
cushions of brightness, there being at the present time nothing 
prettier in my garden.” 
- A daily paper says :—“ Not a few capitalists in the 
United States are investing large sums of money in what promises 
to be a very profitable and lasting industry—namely, the culti¬ 
vation of Oranges in Florida. It will scarcely have escaped 
the attention of any middle-aged man that we in England seem 
now-a-days to have Oranges nearly all the year round, whereas 
twenty or thirty years ago they had their season, like Goose¬ 
berries. The reason is that we are no longer dependant on Spain 
or a few tropical islands for our supply, but we receive Oranges 
from many parts of the world, and when one crop is exhausted 
another arrives. Not many years ago Oranges at a halfpenny each 
in the middle of July would have been deemed curiosities ; but 
so much as a matter of course is their appearance now considered 
that it is doubtful whether even those who sell them can explain 
how the change has been brought about. The beginnings of 
several large fortunes have been made by speculators who have 
taken up land in Florida and planted it with Orange groves. 
Not many years ago that State was regarded as an unhealthy 
swamp ; but as a proof of how little was known of the capabilities 
of the practically uninhabited parts of North America, Florida 
now produces fifty millions of Oranges per annum, and will yield 
a great many more millions when the estates now undergoing 
cultivation are brought into full bearing condition.” 
- In the paper discussing the Comparative Hardiness of 
Hardwooded Plants by Col. H. M. Drummond Hay, which 
