July 10, 1890. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
■ The Strawberry in Malta.—M r. Hibberd alludes to the 
wild Strawberry having been cultivated in England in the sixteenth 
century. It may interest your readers to know that the Maltese still 
grow it under the name Frauli comuni. It has been introduced, as also 
I ragaria chiloensis, which they call the “English Strawberry,” or Frauii 
inglesa. 1 came across a small patch of the former species in flower in 
February, but it was apparently much the same as our wild form’. I 
have not seen the fruit. No other kinds are generally cultivated.— 
G. HENSLOW. 
- Royal Horticultural Society.—A Conference and Great 
Exhibition of Carnations and Ferns will be held in the Society’s 
Gardens at Chiswick on July 22nd and 23rd next. The National 
Carnation Society offers several prizes for Carnations and Picotees, and 
two silver challenge cups will be awarded to amateurs by the R.H.S.— 
viz., one for the best collection of hardy Ferns, the other for the best 
collection of Filmy Ferns, grown without heat. The Conference on 
Carnations will begin on the 22nd inst. at 2.30 P.M., and the following 
papers will be read—viz., “ The Carnation from a Botanical Point of 
View,” by Mr. F. N. Williams, F.L.S ; “ The Florists’ Carnation and 
Picotee as Exhibition Flowers,” by Mr. Harry Turner ; “ Carnations 
and Picotees in Towns,’’ by Mr. Martin Rowan ; “ Border Carnations,” 
by Mr. Richard Dean. On the 23rd the Conference on Ferns will open 
at 2 p.m., and papers will be read as follows “ The Systematic Rela¬ 
tions of Ferns,” by Professor Bower, F.L.S. ; “ Hybrid Ferns,” by Mr. 
E. J. Lowe, F.R.S. ; “Plumose British Ferns,” by Mr. C. T. Druery, 
F. L.S.; “Hardy Ferns and their Cultivation,” by Mr. J. Birkenhead. 
Intending exhibitors are requested to communicate with Mr. Barron, 
Superintendent R.H.S. Gardens, Chiswick, on or before Friday, July 
18th, stating the classes in which they propose exhibiting, and giving 
an approximate idea of the amount of space they will require. 
- The Inclement Weather. —Saturday was one of the most 
boisterous and inclement July days we have had for a long while past. 
On Friday night a small cyclonic disturbance, which lay in the 
morning off the north-west of France, advanced steadily in an east- 
north-easterly direction along the English Channel. In many districts 
trees were uprooted, and considerable damage was done to fruit orchards 
and standing crops. In London, and over our eastern and south-eastern 
counties generally, tne squalls occasionally reached the force of a 
moderate to fresh gale, the high wind being accompanied by a steady 
downpour of cold rain. Later in the day the depression travelled away 
to Holland, and the wind rapidly subsided. The weather also exhi¬ 
bited decided signs of improvement, but the latter change was very 
gradual, the air remaining raw, cold, and unpleasant throughout the 
remainder of the day. In London the maximum temperature was as 
low as 57°, or 16° below the average for July. Saturday was, in fact, 
with one exception the coldest July day we have had in London during 
the whole of the past twenty years, and at least 5° colder than in 
thirteen out of the twenty. The solitary exception occurred on the 
11th of July, 1888, when the thermometer in London never rose above 
54°, and when a’so the occurrence of snow was reported in many parts 
of the country. The aggregate amount of rain which fell during the 
passage of Saturday’s depression was very large. At Dungeness there 
was a total of 1-2 inch, in London and at Yarmouth 14 inch, at St. 
Aubins, Jersey, 15 inch, and at Cape Grisnez 19 inch, while at Lynsted, 
near Sittingbourne, as much as 2 9 inch is said to have fallen up to 
Saturday morning. In the London district and some other parts of our 
south-eastern counties the aggregate rainfall for June was heavier than 
in any year since the disastrous season of 1879, and the opening days 
of July have certain'y brought us no amelioration. The hay harvest 
has already been partially ruined, and unless an early change to more 
genial weather takes place the damage to grain crops will be simply 
irreparable.— ( Daily Paper .) 
MISAPPLICATION OF FLOWERS. 
t 
Commonly enough it occurs that where public taste sets in 
favour of any one article, some injudicious friends of that article 
do it considerable harm by advocating its claims to an extent not 
warranted by its merit. Many new and useful plants have been 
blighted in public opinion by too much having been said in favour 
of them by some indiscreet admirer, whereas a true and unpre¬ 
judiced narrative of their worth might have retained them an 
honourable place. 
It may appear unkind to check the unbounded admiration of 
certain enthusiasts, yet it sometimes happens that by their lauda¬ 
tions they do more harm than good ; looking at only one side 
of the picture they forget to point out any defect it may have r 
or in their zeal to advocate its cause cannot see any, and conse¬ 
quently thrust forward their favourite for a purpose it is not suited' 
for, and the public being disappointed will not give it credit for 
what it really possesses. 
Numbers of new bedding plants have after trial passed intr>- 
neglect, the character given of them not being fulfilled in their 
growth and appearance. Perhaps one good feature in this is that 
old and tried good kinds are the more thought of when new ones 
have failed. But there are other cases in which the ardent 
admirers of the beautiful threaten to do harm to their cause as well 
as in their advocacy of new plants or varieties of them, and that is 
in no less a matter than the almost universal purposes to which 
flowers are now put—purposes which, I fear, must tend to create ' 
that indifference if not dislike to them which all interested in their' 
culture must deplore. 
Although it is next to heresy to breathe a syllable against- 
flowers, nevertheless they are sometimes introduced where their 
presence can hardly be otherwise than inconvenient, if not an 
absolute nuisance. For instance, some kind visitor will intrude a 
bundle of strong-scented flowers into a sick room, or perhaps a bed¬ 
room, while the sitting and other rooms are so profusely garnished 
with flowers that the legitimate fittings there are disregarded. It 
is certainly not my purpose to say much against the dinner table 
being ornamented with tasteful displays of flowers, but a too great 
profusion must be contrary to good taste, and some of the con¬ 
trivances adopted to exhibit the flowers partake so much of the 
toy character that I should predict that they are likely to have a 
very short reign. In fact, the design for this class of ornament is 
only yet in its infancy, and no doubt when it settles down into 
something like a channel that will accord itself wich other things, 
we shall look back and wonder at the monstrosities that are now 
countenanced. 
Not very long ago at a table of some pretensions I noticed 
every dish and object had flowers or foliage stuck upon it. Even 
the hot viands emitted their steam against fast-fading blooms of 
exotics, while stands for plants were scattered with a profuse hand 
over the centre and side tables. 
Now, though this is unquestionably the age for embellishment, 
some discretion must be exercised in its use, for assuredly orna¬ 
ment too profusely employed ceases to deserve the name. Flowers,, 
fruit, and foliage are all pleasing objects to look at, but they are 
not to be tolerated when out of place ; and when every mantel¬ 
piece, bookshelf, table, and other such places are crowded with 
flowers the eye becomes tired of the monotony, and all delight in 
their presence is lost. Flowers are also sometimes placed where 
existing things tend to destroy their effect—as, for instance, where 
a stand of cut flowers is placed against a wall that is covered with a 
paper of a high-coloured floral pattern, the real contending against 
the sham. But let us leave this department, and, emboldened by 
our attack on flowers where misplaced, let us pry into another 
quarter where they are at the present moment exceedingly popular, 
and see if good taste, utility, and the other conditions that govern 
all prudent measures will assign them a place there. 
Pardon me, ye ladies, to whom all lovers of flowers look for 
support and encouragement, if one of the purposes you put them 
to should meet with undue censure ; for I confess I intend to be 
rather severe, and when I say I mean to attack no less a feature in 
your pet arrangements chan the bouquets you so fondly caress I 
fear I am bringing a frown upon myself which I by no means 
invite. Perhaps I may be too much of a utilitarian, and look at 
things only with a view to what useful services they are likely to 
perform ; if so, my attack on hand-bouquets must only be taken 
for what it is worth ; but I certainly aim at something better than 
mere condemnation, I should like the thing reformed. Let us 
take an example, and an ordinary one. 
For a lady of rank prepared for a ball one of the requisites of 
the present day is a bouquet in the shape of the shield of Achilles- 
and nearly as large. The bouquet is made as symmetrical as if it 
were cast in a mould, and as stiff and formal as if it were formed 
of earthenware or cast iron. Its bulky proportions give quite suffi¬ 
cient employment to one hand to hold it ; and though sometimes- 
the courtesies of a partner may be agreeably called into play in 
holding it for a time, it nevertheless requires almost as much 
nursing as a baby. If laid on a seat it certainly may not occupy 
so much room as the lady herself, but will take up quite as much 
as her partner, and it is an endless source of concern and anxiety, 
and finally, perhaps, occasions some little disaster to the dress by 
being attached to the side for security ; or perchance getting upon 
the floor, an accident of another kind is the result. All these 
things and many others aie of everyday occurrence where huge 
hand-bouquets form portions of ladies’ ball equipments ; and what 
compensation do they offer for the discomfort ? The odour of the 
flowers may be urged in their favour ; but very often such bouquets.- 
