•January 14, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
21 
200 varieties of this genus ; he also cultivated the genus Amaryllis 
largely. Close to the gardens of Colvill were those of Davey. 
He was also famous as a florist and fruit-grower, but did not rival 
Colvill. To the north, upon ground near Sloane Street, were the 
nurseries of Catleugh, remarkable for the quantity of evergreens 
that were sent out. In their forcing houses Pines and Cucumbers 
were largely raised for the London market. At that date very 
few Pines reached England from abroad. William Cnrtis, the 
botanist, of whom mention has been made, towards the end of the 
eighteenth century took a plot of land at Old Brompton for a 
botanic garden, and afterwards joined Salisbury in his enterprise 
of laying out several acres in Sloane Street, which was at first 
nailed Sloane Square, subsequently Cadogan Gardens, and con¬ 
tinued, under different owners, to be an emporium of exotics till 
•a few years ago. They, too, called their establishment an 
American nursery. Most of the plants were carefully labelled 
and arranged. 
The appearance of the name of “ Swiss Nursery ” in the London 
•suburbs marks the date of a commencing demand for Alpine 
plants. One of the first, if not the first, of these was opened by 
Denyer, at Cromwell House, Loughborough Road, Surrey. Potter 
and Moore are said to have commenced the cultivation of fragrant 
and medicinal plants in the neighbourhood of Mitcham in 1788, 
and from the small beginning with Roses, Lavender, Peppermint, 
Thyme, and a few other herbs, this has extended to what we see at 
the present day, when the whole district is odorous in summer and 
autumn.—J. R. S. C. 
Events of the Week. —Owing to the meeting of the Koyal 
Horticultural Society falling upon the day announced last week for the 
meeting of the Provisional Committee of the proposed International 
Fruit Show in London this year, it was postponed until to-day (Thurs¬ 
day), when the meeting will be held in the Cannon Street Hotel at 
3 P.M. The annual general meeting of members of the Gardeners’ 
Koyal Benevolent Institution will be held at “ Simpson’s.” 101, Strand, 
on Friday, Jan. 15th, to receive the report of the Committee of Manage- 
■ment, to elect the usual officers, to transact general business, and to 
place thirteen pensioners on the funds, seven of whom will be elected 
by ballot. The chair will be taken at three o’clock, and the ballot will 
close at five o’clock precisely. The annual Lark Pudding Dinner will 
also be held the same evening, at six o’clock, the Rev. W. Wilks in 
the chair. Messrs. Protheroe & Morris advertise several sales for the 
current week; a large consignment of Lilium auratum will be sold 
to-day, and to-morrow (Friday) Messrs. F. Sander & Co. have a sale in 
the Cheapside Booms of 2000 Cattleya labiata, together with several 
novelties. 
- The weathee in the metropolitan district has been 
somewhat changeable, but cold, with a little snow and sleet at intervals. 
The frost on Tuesday morning was rather severe, 14° being registered 
in several suburban gardens, and from some places we hear that the 
thermometer fell as low as 10°. 
- Death of Me. J. Westcott.—W e are informed that Mr. 
J. Westcott, the well-known gardener at Raby Castle, Durham, died 
last Saturday. He occupied his position most creditably for many 
years, and was highly respected far beyond the district in which he 
resided. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. Alex. F. Grant, for six 
years gardener to B. Beveridge, Esq., St. Leonard’s Hill, has been 
appointed gardener to Lord Grosvenor, Bulwich Park, Northampton. 
- The Council of the Royal Meteorological Society have arranged 
to hold at 25, Great George Street, S.W., from March 15th to 18th, an 
Exhibition of Instruments, Charts, Maps, and Photographs 
RELATING TO CLIMATOLOGY. The Committee will be glad to show any 
new meteorological instruments or apparatus invented or first con¬ 
structed since last March, as well as photographs and drawings 
possessing meteorological interest. 
-Asparagus plumosus from Seed.—I n his article on table 
plants, p. 7, “ S.” mentions that the valuable Asparagus plumosus nanus 
is increased by division only. For the benefit of intending growers I 
should like to state I have been successful in raising plants from 
seed sown in November, but the proper time is during February or 
March, in heat. When the plants are large enough we prick them in*o 
small pots, and keep them in heat until June, when a cool house will 
suit them.—J. Mogeidge. 
- Weather at Liverpool.—D uring the past week the weather 
has been of a very severe character. Snow has fallen freely, and the 
whole country has the aspect of real wintry weather. In addition the 
winds blowing from N. and N.E. have been intensely cold. A change 
would be welcomed, for outdoor work is, to some extent, behind, owing 
to the very wet weather during the past two months. The night tem¬ 
peratures from January 4th to 11th have been 20°, 19°, 28°, 22°, 16°, 6°, 
12°, 24°. 
- The Liverpool Horticultural Association. —Last Satur¬ 
day evening a moderate attendance of members assembled at the Lecture 
Room, William Brown Street, Liverpool. The paper which should 
have been read by Mr. J. Kelly, was entitled “ Culture and Forcing 
of Spring Flowering Bulbs.” Mr. Kelly telegraphed his inability to 
be present, and an interesting discussion on Lachenalias, Amaryllis, «Scc., 
took place amongst the members present. 
- Chrysanthemum Mrs. E. W. Clarke is a useful late 
fiowering variety. It is perhaps the nearest approach to the incurved 
type that it is possible to find in the whole section of Japanese. The 
colour reminds one of the incurved variety Prince of Wales. The habit 
is good, and our plants from terminal buds are now carrying excellent 
blooms, which are peculiarly scented. It is a most desirable variety to 
grow, and one which ought to be in every collection.—P. 
- As a portion of the series “ Science in Plain Language,” by 
Mr. William Durham, F.R.S.E. (Adam & Charles Black) a volume has 
just been issued entitled “Food, Physiology, &c.” This comprises 
123 pages, and in four sections deals with solid foods, liquid foods, 
constituents of foods, and physiology, in a clear and simple manner. 
Under solid food some interesting facts are given with regard to 
vegetables, comparing their respective value as foods. 
- Caenationists. —So the American florists have invented a 
new designation for the cultivators of the Carnation, a flower which is 
now very popular in America, and where a Carnation Society has been 
formed. Picotees, of which we have such splendid varieties, are at 
present classed with Carnations ; but will th(!re some day be “ pico- 
teeists” in the States? Chrysanthemums are fully as popular in 
America as with us and as well grown, and there are Chrysanthemum 
societies everywhere ; and the growers of this popular flower are now 
dubbed “ chrysanthists,” as we see by the American Florist. Well, if 
we go on at this rate are the Pansy growers to be pansyists. Dahlia 
growers to be dahliaists, and so on? It is true we have rosarians, 
pomologists, florists, and horticulturists; but are we to expand, and 
become roseists, appleists, onionists, potatoists, and a lot of other 
“ ists ? ” I am still—M um. 
- Removing Whitewash from Glass.—A little sulphuric 
acid added to a pail of soft water, enough, say, to make it about as sour 
as weak vinegar, greatly assists in washing whitewash shading from 
glass. The whitewash is put on as a hydrate of lime. After a time it is 
converted into a carbonate by the action of the carbonic acid of the air. 
The sulphuric acid facilitates removing it by decomposing the carbonate 
and forming sulphate. The lime on the glass neutralises the acid, so 
that there can be no harm in the practice recommended, unless too 
much acid be used. I used this method of removing whitewash from 
the glass of some of the greenhouses and found it worked admirably. A 
mop or brush on a pole may be used. The labour is reduced to a 
minimum by rubbing each spot moistened immediately, washing the 
product off with a syringe or hose, if necessary to have the glass clean at 
once. If not, it may be left for the rain to remove. The persistency of 
the whitewash on the glass is due to using the lime too fresh. Air- 
slaked lime makes a wash that comes off readily—too readily. But it is 
better to apply the wash several times if necessary than to use a wash 
that will prove very troublesome to remove. Naphtha and white lead 
of the consistency of milk has been recommended as a greenhouse shade, 
but this does not come off without the help of lye. It is a lighter shade 
than is ordinarily made with whitewash.— (^Meehan's Monthly'). 
