260 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 7, 1892. 
- Presentation op a Medal to Mr. Thiselton-Dyer. —The 
Director of Kew Gardens, Mr. W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, has become the 
recipient of a medal awarded to him by the Koyal Society of New 
South Wales. The letter from the Secretary, Mr. W. H. Warren, is as 
follows :—“ With this, under separate cover, I have the pleasure to 
forward to you the Clarke Memorial Medal, which has been awarded 
to you by the Council of this Society in recognition of your distinguished 
services in the cause of botanical science, and especially on account of 
your labours in connection with the development and organisation of 
the botanical departments for the Colonies and India at the Koyal 
Gardens, Kew. The Council fully appreciates the beneficial effects 
which this colony (in common with the other British possessions) has 
already derived, and will continue to derive, from the foresight and 
scientific zeal you have displayed in the building up of the Colonial 
departments of your institution ; the Council is also aware of the 
assistance which the department under your direction has given to 
institutions in Sydney, and is not unmindful of the fact that the first 
collections obtained for the Sydney Technological Museum were 
received from the museum of the Royal Gardens, Kew. The Council 
trusts that you will, therefore, accept the medal, as a token on the 
part of this Society of the appreciation in which your work is 
held in Australia.” The above, with Mr. Dyer’s reply, which is 
couch.d in felicitous terms, appears in the “Kew Bulletin” for 
March, and the incident is a pleasing one, as testifying to the good 
feeling that prevails between leading botanists in this country and 
the Colonies. 
-Copper Fungicide (not Insecticide). —Your correspondent 
“ Chemicus ” seems to have discovered a mare’s nest in my com¬ 
munication, re the “ Prevention of the Tomato Disease,” on page 216. 
I cannot admit his premises, that I was entirely in error as to 
the composition I was using. I have re-read my statements in the 
article alluded to, and find them to be quite correct, and a plain state¬ 
ment of facts as they occurred. The material used was bluestone 
(sulphate of copper), not sulphate of iron, as your chemist supposes. I 
also stated that the soda solution caused the sulphur to part from the 
copper, andito float upon the surface as a thick yellow scum. I readily 
admit that the chemical term for this scum is not sulphur, and I thank 
him for informing us that it is subsulphate. I did not state that I made 
brown carbonate of copper, but that the sediment had the appearance of 
a thickish brown mud when the water was poured off it. I also further 
stated that this, when the water had been evaporated from it, formed a 
dry hard cake of a brownish orange colour. “ Chemicus” further informs 
us that a trace of copper would colour the ammonia. Admitted, it did 
colour the ammonia a bright blue. I did not mention this in my notes, 
as it was a matter of no practical consequence.—W. K. W. 
- Keeping Cats prom Gardens. —The diagram in the Journal 
of March 31st, page 249, is good, but I might suggest an improvement— 
viz., instead of slots to each upright a length of old gas pipe made flat so 
far down, say 8 inches, to screw on each post, and at the height for the 
overhanging wire a hole drilled, through which a piece of wire might 
be run ; thus from each post fastened to the wire some 2-inch meshed 
wirework could be run and fastened along the top of the paling, the 
same at the bottom of paling, to another wire. Into the barrel of the 
piping a length of wire with a twist at the outer end could be fixed, the 
shank dropping down the pipe, another wire run through the loop, and 
another piece of wirework run along as depicted in the Journal, at the 
same angle. This is light and inexpensive compared to slots, and has the 
advantage also of not being easily broken, the whole being elastic. As 
an old friend to cats, but a decided enemy to vagrant ones, I wish that 
a tax were placed on each head. In the neighbourhood of London and 
in London cats are a nuisance. People think nothing of leaving a 
house, and the cat; consequently should no one take the house at once 
there is a stray cat living as it can, and the miserable wretches I have seen 
caught and shot there would, could the owners be found, be fair cases for 
the R.S.P.C.A. Since I have prevented, one way or the other, the large 
influx of cats on to my small plot of ground mentioned in the leading 
article of last week’s Journal, I have been able to prevent the soft-billed 
birds’ nests being destroyed. These build in places so accessible to cats 
that they must diminish, and the wretched sparrow, which takes care to 
build in your water spout or some inaccessible place, goes comparatively 
free. Look at the havoc made by these sparrows just now with the 
Crocuses. I find that they prefer the yellow varieties first, then the 
white, lastly the purple. Could something be done to impose a tax on 
cats I should be willing to assist, and subscribe myself— Cuthbert 
Johnson, Waldronhyrst, Croydon. 
- Crocuses of various colours are just now making a fine 
display in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. They are in abundance 
around the lake, and on grass in various parts of the grounds. The 
gardens cover an area of about 40 acres, and for the centre of London 
are well wooded with fine trees. Crocuses are also blooming freely in 
Hyde Park and St. James’s Park, the clumps on the grass in the latter 
instance being very attractive. 
- Pansies at the Chicago Exhibition. — Messrs. J. M. 
Samuels and John Thorpe issue the following appeal for Pansy seed :— 
“ The Department of Horticulture, realising the importance of the Pansy 
and the prominent position it holds as a spring and summer flowering 
plant, is desirous of having them displayed to the very best advantage 
during the early months of the Exposition in 1893. With this end in 
view the Department solicits donations of seed in order to carry out their 
plans and show to the vast number of people who will visit the Exposi¬ 
tion during these months the immense strides that have been made in 
the cultivation of this flower during the past few years. Seeds of only 
the very best varieties are desired in quantities to insure at least 250 
plants of each at the time final planting is made. All varieties, such as 
Emperor William, Beaconsfield, and others that come true to colour, 
should be separate and the colours marked plainly on each package. 
Varieties sent in mixture should have marked on them the habit of the 
plant whether bushy or spreading. Two sowings of each kind will be 
made, one in July and one in August. All seed should arrive not later 
than July 1st, 1892, addressed to Department of Horticulture, World’s 
Columbian Exposition, Chicago Ill., U.S.A. Duplicate invoices of 
varieties will facilitate the work of recording. Those contributing seeds 
will receive credit for the same by having their names and addresses 
advertised in connection with the display and in other ways.” 
- Notes on Apples. —In these days, when so many varieties of 
Apples are being planted, notes on those which cannot be grown success¬ 
fully in certain soils are valuable to intending planters as limiting the risk 
of failure. Blenheim Pippin is perhaps more noted for vagaries than any 
other. In our strong retentive soil it is a failure, while two miles 
distant, where the surface soil is sandy and the subsoil a stiff clay, it 
succeeds admirably, the fruit realising 10s. per bushel. The trees were 
grafted by a gamekeeper on the Crab stock in the wood and have never 
been disturbed, and this may account somewhat for the success, as they 
are now fully established. Dumelow’s Seedling grows fairly well, but 
fails to give a crop of fruit. Lord Burghley does not succeed, although 
it is a good Apple when in condition. Scarlet Pearmain is an utter 
failure, which is a pity, as it is a taking variety, the colour is so rich, 
Kentish Fillbasket, although producing a few fruits in some seasons, has 
never been a success during the dozen years it has been planted. 
Alfriston is a mere apology for this grand variety in our heavy land as 
seen growing in lighter soil, in which it revels. Devonshire Quarrenden 
commands 7s. and 8s. per bushel in this neighbourhood at the end of 
August, but here the fruits are poor except in colour. Cox’s Orange 
Pippin, although said to require a warm soil and position, is in our strong 
ground and high altitude an annual success, which proves that its 
accommodating nature is considerable.—E, M., Hants. 
-Annual Dinner of London Market Salesmen and 
Growers. —On Tuesday, 29th ult., the second annual dinner of the 
salesmen and growers connected with the London fruit and vegetable 
markets took place at the Hoi born Restaurant. In spite of the gloomy 
forebodings of many who were of opinion that no unity of opinion 
existed to warrant the attempt to establish this annual gathering, the 
Chairman (Mr. George Coleman) found himself supported by 160 gentle¬ 
men, who among them represented all the London markets, from Strat¬ 
ford in the east to Covent Garden in the west, as well as the growers 
from a large circle around the metropolis. The loyal toasts were drunk 
with great enthusiasm, and that of “ Success to the Trade ” was responded 
to by Mr. Jay, Covent Garden ; Mr. Richards, Borough and Farringdon ; 
Mr, J. Lee, Spitalfields ; Mr. Webster, Stratford ; Mr. J. Peart, King’s 
Cross and Midlands ; that of “ The Growers ” by Messrs. Webb, Wood, 
and Brown ; and “ The Visitors” by Mr, Assbee and Mr. Kearsey. The 
proposition to start a benevolent institution for the trade, which was 
introduced by Mr. Daniels, was hailed with acclaim, and the kindly 
feelings of those present were not satisfied until a Provisional Committee 
was named. The following is the list of the Committee, who are entitled 
to the thanks of their fellow salesmen :—Messrs. G. Bradley, Roach, 
John Lee, Joseph Lee, Morris, Richards and Smith, William Taylor, 
Peart, Jackson, Jay, Coleman, Dennis, E. Coleman, Conder, Osmond, 
Champion, Saunders, Brookesbank, and R. G. Brown ; Hon. Sec, Mr. 
William Whitehead Cousins. 
