360 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 3, 1883. 
a truss shown by Mr. Bolton not fully open, would, in a few days, 
be very fine ; but I have never seen reason to alter my opinion 
about it; the green is lovely, but the deadness of the eye takes away 
all life from it, and while one would be always glad to have it, I 
should be sorry to give the high price that is asked for it. It 
seems almost impossible to combine in the white edges the 
beautiful violet body colour, such as in Frank Simonite, with, 
the deep orange eye that is so highly prized by Auricula fanciers. 
If cold had left its mark on many of the flowers so had heat 
also. Several growers grow them in heated houses, and the result 
is seen in long-drawn footstalks which will not stand without a 
crutch, and in seifs by the colour flying and giving them the 
appearance of shaded flowers. Commend me to one lady, whose 
gardener told me, “ When I was leaving home Miss- said to 
me, ‘You must take away all those sticks (which were necessary 
for carrying the flowers to the show) when the flowers are staged. 
I should be ashamed to think that ours required to be shown 
thus.’ ” This was the true spirit of a florist, and although it 
entailed a great amount of labour on the gardener he did it like a 
man. In the north these supports are considered a disqualifi¬ 
cation, and I hope yet to see them equally condemned in the south, 
where a more cultivated taste prevails. 
Such are my jottings on the Auricula show. Whether my 
views are correct or not, I know that they are shared by some of 
the very best growers that we have ; and while certain of the 
opinions I have given may not be acceptable to all, I yet hope 
that all who read these notes will believe that I have but one end 
in view, and that end can never be attained if we do not speak 
out what we think, I mean the maintenance of the Auricula as 
the very queen of florists’ flowers.—D., Deal. 
CRANSTON’S NURSERY SICK FUND. 
I BEG to enclose you a copy of rules of a “ Sick Fund” which 
we have recently established in these nurseries. Formerly it was 
customary to make collections for any of the employes who might 
fall ill, but the promoters of the Fund consider it a better means 
of encouraging their work-fellows to assist one another should 
sickness overtake them. All the offices are honorary, so that the 
only expense incurred in the management is a small item for 
printing. 
The Company have given the Committee authority to compel 
all who may in future he employed in the nurseries to subscribe 
to the Fund. Upwards of 120 men and boys are employed here, 
and consequently subscribe. The amount of good accruing from 
such a combination in a large firm is, I think, apparent to all. If 
you deem it worthy of a notice in your valuable paper and can 
spare space for the same I shall be much obliged.— Henry K. 
Illman, Hereford. 
P.S.—If by your notice of the Fund others are led to “go and 
do likewise,” it will have had the desired effect. 
[With this object we publish the Rules as follows 
RULES. 
1. —That the Fund assume the name of Cranston's Nursery Sick Fund. 
2. —That all males employed at the nurseries shall become members. 
3. —That all employes receiving 10s. and over per week shall pay in advance 
2d., and under 10s., Id. per week. 
4. —That the benefit be 5s. per week to members paying 2d. per week, and 
2s. 6d. to those paying Id., for the first six weeks of their illness, and half-pay 
for the next six weeks. Any member receiving twelve consecutive weeks’ sick 
pay shall not be entitled to any further benefit for another twelve weeks. 
5. —That members unable to follow their .employment through illness must 
send, or cause to be sent to the Secretary a notice of same, from which date they 
wiil be entitled to benefit. 
6. —That any member being ill for three days only shall be entitled to a half 
week’s pay, provided the visiting members and Secretary be satisfied as to his 
illness. 
7. —That in the event of a member dying who has been in the Fund three 
months, his widow or friends shall receive a sum of 20s., or if before that time 
he should die from injuries received in following his employment, the same 
benefit shall be paid. 
8. —That no member shall receive any benefit if found guilty of any criminal 
offence or assault, or should his illness arise from his own bad behaviour, or 
whilst in a drunken state, and this may be proved by any two members. 
9. —That any member leaving the employment of Cranston’s Nursery and 
Seed Co. be entitled to one-half the amount of his subscriptions for the current 
financial year, provided he has received no sick pay during that time. 
10. —That none be considered members, nor have any claim upon the funds, 
after leaving the nursery employ. 
XI.—That two members of the Committee be appointed by the Secretary to 
visit the sick once in every week, ascertain the nature of his illness, and report 
to the Secretary. One of the visiting members to pay benefit and obtain receipt. 
12.—That any member receiving sick pay shall not be from home after 6 P.M. 
from 1st October to 31st March, nor after 8 P.M. from 1st April to 30th 
September. 
1?.—That the funds be invested in the Post-office Savings Bank (for the ex¬ 
clusive benefit of the members) in the names of the two Trustees. 
14.—That at the expiration of each year a statement of accounts shall be 
issued by the Secretary at a General Meeting, when it may be considered 
whether the Funds will warrant a further allowance to be made weekly (after 
placing a sufficient amount to a reserve fund), also to determine what bonus 
shall be refunded to members who have not received any sick pay during the 
financial year.]_ 
MUSHROOM CULTURE. 
The able and interesting series of articles upon Mushrooms 
that recently appeared in the Journal of Horticulture not only 
gave a great amount of valuable information as to their successful 
and profitable cultivation, but, judging from the numerous in¬ 
quiries having reference to the subject, caused many readers of 
the Journal to try for themselves the method so carefully explained 
by Mr. Wright. Statements from correspondents fully corro¬ 
borate the value and truth of the articles in question, and testify 
to the general interest they have awakened in Mushroom culture. 
At Oakbrook, Sheffield, the residence of Mr. Mark Firth, the 
system has been tried with very good results. Mr. W. K. Wood¬ 
cock, the head gardener, having seen the crops produced by the 
skilful management of Mr. Barter, determined to give his system 
a fair trial in the open air ; and about three months ago made up 
a bed, which when ready was duly spawned, and notwithstanding 
the recent very severe weather, so unusual in March, it is now in 
full bearing. 
The Mushrooms are of very firm texture and good flavour. 
They have been gathered in abundance for the past three weeks, 
and at the present time the bed is well filled with clusters of fine 
Mushrooms, and promises a very abundant yield for some time to 
come. I counted three of the clusters, which are numerous, and 
found them to contain twenty, eighteen, and fifteen Mushrooms 
respectively, the greater portion being 3 or I inches in diameter. 
They grow so thickly together that many have not sufficient room 
to expand properly, and are therefore somewhat out of shape in 
consequence of being pressed so closely together. One or two fine 
specimens that had a little more space to grow in would be 
considerably over half a pound in weight. 
The bed, which is ridge-shaped and covered with a good coat of 
litter, was not opened the whole of its length, a couple of yards 
or so on one side only being uncovered for my inspection. As it 
is about 10 yards long it will yield a very large crop indeed. 
Such excellent results in the open air at a time when the weather 
has been so unfavourable is very gratifying, and proves both the 
accuracy and value of the articles previously alluded to. If the 
system is carefully carried out there appears to be no reason why 
a good supply of Mushrooms should not be obtainable all the year 
round by both amateur and professional gardeners. 
Since ! saw Mr. Woodcock’s bed a few days ago I have had a 
letter from him saying that he has gathered about 2 pecks from it 
since my visit. Several of the principal gardeners here have also 
been to look at it, and all are both delighted and astonished at 
the result. As you are aware by the short notice sent by Mr. 
Woodcock a little time ago, Mr. Walker has been growing Mush¬ 
rooms in sphagnum moss. If you think a short article upon this 
method would be accepted I will either write one or get Mr. 
Walker to do so. He has had many inquiries by post since the 
notice appeared in the Journal.—J. H., Sheffield. 
[We shall be obliged by further particulars relative to the 
method of culture indicated.] 
THE LATE MR. SADLER. 
Will you allow me to call the attention of our hardy-plant 
fraternity to the fund now being collected for the family of the 
late Mr. Sadler ? 
The Edinburgh Botanic Garden rockwork and hardy plant 
ground was, as is well known, one of the early successes in alpine 
plant-growing. This was a hobby of the late Mr. McNab, and 
well carried on by his successor Mr. Sadler ; hardy-plant growers 
have benefited by his work. Mr. Sadler died at the early age of 
forty-five, before he had time to make provision for his large 
family, who are left very poorly off. A relative, the scientific 
head of the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, called my attention to 
the fund. I have found friends disposed to contribute, and now 
ask the favour of the large circulation of your columns to make 
the fact that a fund is being raised more generally known. Dr. 
William Craig, F.R.S.E., 7, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, is the 
receiver of subscriptions.— George F. Wilson, Heatherhanh, 
Weyhridge. 
Caladhjm esculentum.— Although we are informed the Caladium 
esculentum was first introduced from tropical America in 1739, there 
nevertheless seems to be some uncertainty as to whether that part of 
the world is in reality its original home or not. One might naturally 
infer from its rank and wild abundance in various parts of Africa, 
