8 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ J uly 0, 1890. 
on mantel-shelves>, and in fire grates was faultless. Mr. Wills has given 
so many examples of his taste in this work that no commendation can 
be of much advantage to him, but the graceful combination of the 
flowers and plants named was something to be proud of, entirely free 
from formality, effective and graceful in the extreme. 
- Mr. W. Baylor Hartland, Cork, sends us a Daffodil 
album, containing thirty-two faithful woodcut illustrations of 
Daffodils, from drawings by Miss Gertrude Hartland, but no descrip¬ 
tions are included. 
- Washing the Stems of Trees —I have long considered 
that too little attention has been paid to the washing and wetting the 
boles of trees during times of drought. I think if it was practised good 
results would follow.—W. T. 
- Birmingham Gardeners’ Association.—A special meeting 
was held on the evening of June 24th for the purpose of an exhibi¬ 
tion of cut herbaceous plants, and some of the well-known trade 
growers were asked to contribute a few specimens of the rarer and less 
known species and varieties. Messrs. Backhouse & Son, York, sent a 
select collection, amongst them Preonia sinensis varieties—viz., Modesty, 
Whitleyi plena, and Madame Bacon, all beautiful varieties ; 
Campanula persicifolia alba grandiflora, Primula reticulata, 
Clematis evecta, Cypripedium spectabile, Lilium Washington- 
ianum, Inula glandulosa, Tropreolum polyphyllum, and some 
handsome varieties of Spanish and herbaceous Iris, &c. Messrs. 
Harkness & Sons, nurserymen, Bedale, also sent a large collec¬ 
tion. Mr. Thomas Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, 
contributed a grand collection, including many fine Liliums. 
Messrs. Bichard Smith & Co., nurserymen, Worcester, sent a 
good group, including Erigeron multiradiatum, Ligularia macro- 
phylla, Spiraea Aruncus elata, Sidalacea Candida, Dictamnus 
Fraxinella, Orchis foliosa, and Paeonia varieties. Messrs. Hewitt 
and Co., the Nurseries, Solihull, sent a well set up stand of 
handsome flowers. Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading,contributed 
a collection of outdoor flowers, including bulbous Irises, Spiraeas, 
in variety, new varieties of Sweet Peas, Shirley and Iceland 
Poppies, Melica altissima, a very distinct and handsome orna¬ 
mental Grass with pale purple bracts, and some fine Gloxinia 
flowers. Mr. W. B. Child, florist, Acock Green, had a standard 
of herbaceous flowers well arranged. Mr. Jinks, gardener to 
J. E. Wilson, Esq., Wyddington, and Mr. Cryer, gardener 
to J. A. Kenrick, Esq., Berrow Court, also exhibited well. 
Hearty votes of thanks were awarded to each exhibitor, and 
the Exhibition will give an impetus to the further culture 
of herbaceous plants, as a large number of gardeners were 
present, and note-taking general. A general interesting discussion 
followed. 
- Ham Green Favourite Tomato. — Any expression of 
opinion as to the value of this variety in comparison with other well- 
known varieties will be acceptable to myself and others. At least 250 
plants of it are growing in one of the houses of Tomatoes at Mr. Henry 
Whateley’s, Kenilworth, and for earliness and cropping it is much behind 
Hackwood Park, and a selected rough red variety, of which Hackwood 
Park is a parent, grown extensively here, and wonderful croppers. 
- IxoRA Westi is not much known, but it is a great acquisition, 
new in colour, and a beautiful variety. The trusses are large, of a lovely 
cerise pink colour, and the foliage fine, and the plant has a good con¬ 
stitution. A good specimen of it is now in bloom in Mr. Alderman 
Marriott’s garden at Coventry. Mr. Finch, the gardener, has a very 
beautiful variety of Cattleya Mendeli in flower, the petals and tube pure 
ivory white, and the labellum richly coloured.—S. H. 
- Leeds International Exhibition. —We have received the 
schedule of a “ Floral and Horticultural Fete ” to be held in connection 
with the above Exhibition, on July 22nd and two following days. Very 
good prizes are offered in thirty classes, and a good general display 
should be forthcoming. Mr. J. II. Clark, who was for many years the 
Secretary of the Leeds Horticultural Society, has undertaken the 
management of the Show. Mr. Joseph Davis is the General Manager 
of the permanent Exhibition. 
--Alexander and Waterloo Peaches.—A correspondent 
who had trees of these varieties from Mr. Rivers says the former is a 
freestone, the latter more of a clingstone and much the darker in 
colour of the two. The fruits of Alexander that we have seen were 
clingstones. Another good Peach-growing gardener regards the two 
varieties as practically the same. Can any of our readers reconcile the 
differences of opinion that appear to exist on those points ? 
- Rose Blooms. —Mr. Frank Cant, Braiswick, Colchester, sends 
us a box of fine Rose blooms comprising some good varieties, but the 
flowers had suffered somewhat in transit. 
-Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—T he usual monthly meetingof the 
Committee took place at the Caledonian Hotel on the 27th ult., Mr. John 
Laing presiding. The minutes of the last meeting having been read, the 
Hon. Secretary laid upon the table a balance-sheet of receipts and ex¬ 
penditure of the recent Covent Garden Floral Fete, showing a clear gain 
of £173 8s. 7d. A draft report of the Committee and balance-sheet for 
presentation at the annual general meeting was read and adopted. 
Several matters of detail connected with the annual meeting and 
dinner were completed, and a cheque for the quarter’s allowances to 
children on the Fund, amounting to £65, was ordered to be drawn. 
The third annual general meeting of subscribers will take place at the 
Cannon Street Hotel, E.C., at 2 p.m. on the 18th inst., and the annual 
dinner at 5 P.M., Mr. Shirley Hibberd presiding. 
-Attendances at Flower Shows. —A correspondent writes, 
in answer to the inquiry if any show has an attendance in two days 
larger than 47,000, that at Shrewsbury Floral Fete in 1888 43,000 
visitors attended the second day alone, and about 11,500 on the first 
day, making a total of nearly 55,000 in two days, the receipts being 
nearly £2800. Last year both days of the Show were unfortunately 
very wet, yet 45,000 visitors were present, the total receipts being 
nearly £2500. 
- Birds, Caterpillars, and Poison. —I observe the Americans 
use bisulphide of carbon as an insecticide, and Professor Cook says it is 
the best known. For some years the sparrows have kept the Gooseberry 
caterpillar down in my garden. Previously I kept them under by using 
a little hellebore before the eggs were deposited. I never saw a cater¬ 
pillar upon a bush that I had sprinkled with the powder. The hedge 
sparrows exterminated the “ borers.” After these birds were destroyed 
I kept them under by tapping the bushes with a stick, then as they 
dropped by their silken threads I killed them. Not many years since I 
saw acres of pasture completely destroyed by caterpillars, which 
followed immediately on the season after the timber of a large wood was 
cut. Orchard trees and bushes may be sprayed with insecticides, but 
it is, I fear, impracticable to do so with trees in extensive forests. 
Birds must, to a great extent, be the agents in these. Prevention is the 
proper course if it can be attained. Killing caterpillars in many cases 
is killing them after the work of destruction is done. If the spraying* 
of fruit trees with insecticides would have the same effect as the 
hellebore had with the Gooseberry caterpillar, then the problem would 
be solved, but it would be absolutely necessary to do this annually, or 
perhaps several times annually. Proprietors would do well to make a 
plantation or two suitable for the breeding and preservation of insect- 
eating birds near both plantations and orchards.—W. T. 
Fig. 4.—Dendrobium Wardianum. Baron Schroder’s Variety. 
