May 26, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
395 
- A Curious Exhibit at the World’s Fair. —A unique 
■exhibit ifrom Pennsylvania will be a map of the United States, 18 by 
24 feet, made entirely of pickles, vegetables, fruit, &c,, preserved by the 
Company which makes the exhibit. The State lines will be accurately 
shown,[[and the lakes and rivers will be represented by vinegar. The 
larger cities will be indicated by spices. The whole will be covered 
with a single piece of plate glass, which is being specially made for the 
purpose. The expense of this interesting exhibit of the pickling and 
preserving industry will be 15,000 dollars. 
- Narcissi on Grass. —One of the most attractive forms of 
outdoor gardening at the present time is that where a quantity of 
Narcissus biflorus and the Pheasant’s Eye variety are growing in grass 
the white flowers of both contrasting well with the green of the grass 
and the foliage of Sycamore, Lime, and Chestnut trees above. Some 
years since the bulbs were planted, three in a patch about 3 yards 
apart, and they have increased till now they form good sized clumps 
which flower annually. The advantage of growing these two sorts is 
that they are late flowering, and thus prolong the display after the 
bulk of the family are past. The point is not to cut the grass until 
the foliage of the Narcissi has died down, thus allowing the bulbs to 
mature naturally, and ensuring a full crop of flowers annually.—E. M. 
- Life History of Fungi. —The usual Friday afternoon 
lecture at the gardens of the Koyal Botanic Society was delivered by 
Mr. Henry Power, F.R.C.S., upon the “ Life History of the Lower 
Fungi.” It dealt in a popular manner with the various microscopic 
vegetable organisations known as moulds and mildews, whose spores or 
seeds floating in countless millions in the air or resting upon the soil 
are ever on the look out and attack and destroy animal and vegetable 
substance by resolving them into their inorganic constituents, some¬ 
times benefiting mankind, but more often disappointing him by eating 
up the fruits of his labour, producing, as they do, all those diseases 
which devastate our crops, as the Potato disease, Hop blight. Vine 
disease, rust in Wheat, and many others against which science as yet 
has found no remedy. A second lecture, dealing with the higher fungi, 
will be given this week. They are free to all visitors to the gardens. 
- Paris Green. —Messrs. Blundell & Spence, the well-known 
manufacturing chemists, write :—“ Under your head of Roses in the 
Journal of Horticulture for May 19th, we notice that Mr. J. Hiam of 
Astwood Bank, Redditch, gives his experience of Paris green as a 
powerful and effective insecticide for Rose maggots. He also gives 
instructions for using the same, pointing out the necessity of keeping 
the Paris green in perfect suspension whilst spraying. As he says he 
would be pleased to hear of the results from others, we should like to 
point out that there is a great advantage in using pure Paris green that 
has been finely levigated in water. This is in a much finer state of 
sub-division than any Paris green sold in powder, and it very easily 
keeps in suspension. It is, therefore, much safer to use, and it is also 
more effective. Excellent results have lately been obtained in exter¬ 
minating red spider on Gooseberry bushes ; indeed, it is not only 
effective against all leaf-eating insects, but, as aniexperiment will show, 
is equally effective against green fly.” 
- Lilacs. —These I never saw flowering more freely than this 
year. It is the exception rather than the rule to find any other variety 
but the common kinds—vulgaris and v. alba—in gardens. What, I 
would ask, forms a handsomer bush than the Persian Lilac ? and what 
is more showy when covered with its semi-weeping masses of flower of 
a bluish-purple hue? Charles X.is much to be preferred to the common 
variety. The tree is a more vigorous grower, erect in habit, and the 
flower trusses are borne in greater profusion. The colour is a deep 
purple lilac. This variety is decidedly the best of all. There are many 
new sorts now in commerce which give considerable diversity to any 
shrubbery—for instance, the double-flowered kinds Mathieu de Dom- 
basle, reddish mauve, and with very long trusses ; and Michael Buchner, 
pale lilac, margined with rose ; not to mention new single kinds, such 
as Alba grandiflora, and Dr. Bindley, reddish lilac. As a rule the Lilac 
bushes are allowed to grow far too thick ; fewer better ripened branches 
would give much more satisfaction. The weakly growths should be cut 
out, to give more air and light to those remaining. Varieties that are 
budded or grafted or seedling stocks should have all sucker-like growths 
removed which rob the plant of its strength. We see a thicket of 
shoots springing up from the base, which are quite useless. When the 
common varieties which have been grown from suckers have become 
weakened by age and want of some stimulant in the shape of manure, 
only giving a few flowers poor in quality, cut off the branches to the 
ground line, and only allow two or three of the[[8trongest shoots to 
grow ; a strong vigorous bush would then be secured, and in two or 
three years it would give infinitely better results than the decrepit old 
bush.—E. M. 
-Strawberry Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury.—M uch has 
been written about the merits of various Strawberries of late for forcing, 
and amongst them the Vicomtesse has been mentioned. It has long 
been a favourite of mine, not only for pot culture, but for outdoor 
growth also. In this respect no sort that we grow succeeds better. It 
never fails to give good returns, and cannot be beaten in point of 
flavour by any of those which are looked upon as early sorts. As an 
early outdoor crop the manner in which the foliage shelters the blooms 
from late frosts is a strong point in its favour. The fruit produced 
may not be so large as some others, but there are generally two in the 
place of the one large fruit of some other sort, and the fine flavour fully 
balances any defect in size. AVith the late Mr. Wildsmith, who grew 
early pot Strawberries as well as most people, this was an especial 
favourite, always presenting a rich colour, no matter at what time the 
fruit was ripe. Those persons who have not given this variety a trial, 
and who require fruit of good quality, and plenty of it, would do well 
to try it.—E. M. 
- Kelway's Medals for Herbaceous Plants. —The follow¬ 
ing medals are offered this year through the Royal Horticultural 
Society at their meetings:—For Pyrethrums (perennial) on June 7 th, 
six single and six double varieties, three blooms of each variety (large 
silver). For Herbaceous Pmonies, June 21st, three single and nine 
double varieties, three blooms of each variety (large silver-gilt). For 
Delphiniums, June 21st, twelve varieties, one spike of each variety 
(large silver). For Gaillardias (perennial), July 12th, six varieties, five 
blooms of each variety (large silver). Kelway Gladiolus Medal 
September 6th, twelve spikes in twelve varieties. The flowers must 
have been grown by the exhibitor (amateur), must consist solely of 
British-raised varieties, which must be procurable in commerce, as far 
as possible correctly named, with the name of the raiser of each variety 
also attached. Schedules of the R.H.S. and all particulars may be 
obtained from the Secretary, 117, Victoria Street, London, S.W., or 
particulars from Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport. There is no 
entrance fee. 
- County Councils and Cottage Gardening.—D uring the 
delivery of lectures on horticulture, given under the auspices of several 
County Councils during the past winter, it was frequently urged that 
very much good might be done in furtherance of the instruction in garden¬ 
ing to the working class, not only if cotcage garden societies, exhibitions, 
allotments, &c., were established in every village where practicable, 
but also that competent persons should be occasionally employed to visit 
these villages or garden areas, note the respective merits and demerits of 
the gardens and allotments, as also of their products represented at 
the exhibitions, and take full advantage of the opportunity thus offered to 
give good advice and counsel to the assembled workers and competitors. 
The suggestions have been adopted by the Beddington and Bishop’s 
Waltham Societies, Mr. G. W. Cummins being Honorary Secretary of 
the former, and Mr. E. Molyneux of the latter. The Bishop’s Waltham 
Show will be held on the 27th of July, and Mr. Alex. Dean, one of the 
Judges, has been engaged by the Hampshire County Council to lecture on 
the occasion. Mr. Dean and Mr. Luckhurst will also deliver addresses 
at the Beddington and Carshalton Conference on behalf of the Surrey 
County Council on Bank Holiday, August Ist, as will the Judges of the 
gardens, allotments, and exhibited produce, Messrs. G. Gordon and 
J. Wright, Both gatherings are expected to be of a representative 
character, and will doubtless tend to stimulate an increased number of 
the working classes to strive for greater excellence in domestic gardening. 
What may be termed continuation school gardens are being established 
by the Surrey County Council, and a series of plots of about a rod each 
are now being worked at Banstead by youths varying from thirteen to 
eighteen years of age who have ceased school attendance. They proceed 
under the immediate guidance of local gardeners and the general super¬ 
intendence of Mr. J. Wright, There is a great demand for these plots, on 
which the occupants will be taught how to use the implements with 
which they are supplied, and to cultivate in a proper manner serviceable 
crops, also a few flowers by those who wish to grow them. Where it is 
convenient to do so a large standard plot will be added to the series in 
which the routine of fruit culture can be demonstrated. Prizes will be 
given for the best managed plots. This is a distinct step in advance, 
inaugurated by Mr. H. Macan, M.A,, the practical and energetic organ¬ 
ising Secretary of the Surrey County Council. 
