844 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I April_30, 1891. 
Events of the Week, —The Roy;al Society meet to-day, Thursday, 
at 4.30 P.M., the Quekett Club on Friday, May 1st at 8 P.M., and the 
Society of Arts on Wednesday, May 6th, at 8 p.m. Sales of Orchids 
are also announced for Thursday, Friday and Tuesday at King Street, 
Covent Garden, and Cheapside. 
- CovENT Garden Market.—D utch Flow-ers, Canary Island 
Potatoes, and Tasmanian or New Zealand Apples, have been the chief 
centres of the auction trade in Covent Garden during the past week, 
and on Tuesday in particular some thousands of cases were sold. The 
Apples have arrived in good condition, and we saw excellent samples 
of Ribston Pippins, but the arrival of such large quantities at one 
time materially reduced the prices. The Potatoes were mostly of 
capital appearance, and the flowers included Hyacinths in abundance. 
- The Weather in the South is steadily improving, for 
though the wind continues cold the days are becoming much warmer, 
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday being bright, sunny, and springlike. 
The low night temperatures and occasional frosts still, however, keep 
vegetation in check, and the progress is astonishingly slow for the time 
of year. Almond trees in suburban gardens have been gay for several 
days. 
- Weather in the North. —April 27th. For the last two 
transplanting the seedUngs during showery weather in rows 10 inches 
apart, the plants 6 inches from each other, finally transferring them to 
the position they are to flower in afterwards.—R. 
- Gardenino Appointment. —Mr. Thomas Phillips, late fore, 
man at Gredington Gardens, Whitchurch, Salop, has been appointed 
head gardener to Colonel Cornwallis West, M.P., Ruthin Castle, Ruthin, 
North Wales. 
-Chionodoka sardensis. —This is one of the earliest and 
also one of the prettiest plants for flowering on the rockery. Grown in 
a sunny position, it was in flower three weeks before C. Luciliae, an4 
in colour a darker blue. Both species should have plenty of room for 
spreading, as they seed freely, and the seedlings flower when two or three 
years old. They associate well with yellow Primroses and dwarf 
Daffodils. 
- Selaginella Kraussiana.—A lthough the winter has been 
weeks the weather has been of a uniform character, occasional frosty 
nights, generally bright days, with a dry, hard, ungenial atmosphere, in 
which very little growth has been made. A change of wind to the west 
on Saturday brought no alteration for the better, and the wind is again 
from the east.—B. D. S., Perthshire, 
-Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. — At the Committee meeting 
held on Friday evening last, sums of illO from Alderman Watson of 
Wakefield, also £10 from Mr. G. Dominy, were received, and the donors 
warmly thanked. The last named sum was in compliance with the 
wishes of the late Mr. Dominy. Following the generous examp’e of 
Alderman Watson Mr. John Wills promised a gift of ten guineas on his 
approaching birthday and annually during his life. Mr. J. B. Stevenson 
was appointed a local Secretary for the Bournemouth district. Negotia¬ 
tions are in progress for holding a “ Rose Fete and Floral Fair ’’ at the 
Crystal Palace, on a day to be fixed in July, on behalf of the Fund, 
and all the gardeners and friends of gardeners in the kingdom will be 
gladly seen there, 
-A Census Curiosity. —A Sussex gentleman writes :—“ When 
the Census enumerator was leaving the schedules at the different houses 
in our parish, an old cottager to whom he offered one said he need not 
leave it as he had received one by post. The enumerator naturally 
asked to see it, when the man produced one of Carter’s seed catalogues.” 
AVe wonder whether the native gave the firm an “ order 1 ” 
- Downshire House Garden, Roehampton.—O wing to the 
exceptionally severe and prolonged, this most useful Selaginella has 
proved itself again sufficiently hardy to withstand 28° of frost. Good 
clumps of it are growing in the hardy fernery between roots of Scolo- 
pendriums. The position is damp, and shaded by Coniferae. It also 
withstood the severe winters of 1879, 1880, and 1881. So it is alike 
useful for the stove, greenhouse, and hardy fernery.—A. H., Runts. 
- Portsmouth Show. —At a summer Exhibition to be opened 
by H.R.H. The Duchess of Connaught on July 1st in the A'ictoria-Parl^ 
Portsmouth, in aid of local charities, some liberal prizes are offered^ 
including £12 10s., £7, and £5 for twelve specimen plants, and £5, £3, 
and £2 for groups. The chief prize for a collection of six dishes of 
fruit is £2, and for nine sorts of vegetables £3. The schedule comprises 
fifty-three classes. Mr. B. Miller is the Secretary. 
- The remarkable and useful Streptocarpus hybrids now 
being sent out by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, can be seen in excellent 
condition in one of the houses at the Chelsea Nursery. The plants ar 9 
exceedingly floriferous, the flowers most varied in colour and markings, 
and the compact habit renders them well suited for culture in pots. 
They can also be grown in a moderately cool house, and will be useful 
for conservatories. At the recent Royal Botanic Society’s Show fouf 
distinct named varieties were certificated. 
- Messrs. J. Peed & Sons’ Roupele Park Nurseries, 
recent death of Mr. D. B. Chapman the gardens and estate at Downshire 
House, Roehampton, arc about to be broken up. The plants will be 
sold, and it is said the land will be disposed of for building purposes. 
The well-known experienced gardener, Mr, M, Sullivan, is consequently 
in search of another sphere of duties. Although Chrysanthemums have 
been so great a feature at Downshire House, and so many prizes have 
been won with the blooms from these gardens, miscellaneous plants, 
fruit (particularly Peaches), and vegetables have been cultivated with 
equal skill and success, as many can testify wdio have visited the 
place at various times of year, and Mr. Sullivan is not likely to be long 
without employment. 
— Alyssum saxatile has proved itself to be one of our best 
hardy spring flowering bedding plants, and it does not afford the 
slightest indication of having passed through such an exceptionally 
severe winter as that just experienced. Perhaps the most suitable 
place that could be found for this Alyssum is in a mass on the rockery. 
In that case plants half a dozen years old or more are preferable 
They give more and earlier flowers than yearlings do, although indi¬ 
vidually they may not be so robust in the trusses. The easiest plan of 
securing a stock of plants is by sowing the seed out of doors in May, 
Tulse Hill, are at the present time in attractive condition, 
Anthuriums are largely and well grown, their brilliant spathes being 
abundant. Orchids occupy several houses. Crotons, Dracaenas, and 
other foliage plants have much space devoted to them, while forced 
plants of the usual character afford a gay floral display. Some 
thousands of young Gloxinias are advancing, and will constitute an 
interestingffeature later in the season, for this is one of the specialties 
at Tulse Hill. Amines, too, are admirably grown and promise a plentiful 
crop of fine bunches. 
- Trentham Show,—A large and successful horticultural Show 
was held at Trentham last year, and judging from the schedule before 
us a still larger may be expected on July IGth. As may be seen by 
the advertisement last week some excellent prizes are offered, in¬ 
cluding one of exceptional value, £25, no less than £57 10s. being 
provided in the class for a miscellaneous group of plants in a space not 
exceeding 300 square feet. The prizes for fruit and Roses should also 
invite good competition. Mr. Blair’s popularity will bring good 
support, and the Show and gardens be a great source of attraction to 
the inhabitants of the district and (visitors from various parts of the 
country, - 
-“ Potato Culture for the Million.”—T his is the title o^ 
a manual by Mr. H. AV. AYard, recently issued by Messrs. Eyre and 
Spottiswoode. The author appears to have said as much as he could in 
the space which large type allowed. It goes without saying that his 
advice, concisely as it is rendered, is sound, Mr. AYard gives prominence 
to the following varieties of Potatoes :—A''eitch’s Improved Ashleaf, 
Buttons’ AYindsor Castle, Buttons’ Seedling, Chiswick Favourite, Kinver 
Monarch, Buttons’ Matchless, Carters’ Holborn Favourite, Hooper’s 
Paragon, AYordsley Queen, Carters’ King of the Russets, Carters’ 
Holborn Perfection, Magnum Bonum, and Imperator as suitable for 
maintaining an all the year round supply. He gives the following 
hint on cooking Potatoes :—“ Put them in boiling water with a little 
salt; boil till nearly done, then drain off the water, replace the lid, 
and stand them [aside on the hot stove to finish in their own steam. 
They will then turn out like balls of flour. Many Potatoes of good 
quality are spoiled through bad cooking.” 
