82 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 13, 1893. 
- Wakefield Paxton Society.—A t the usual meeting of the 
members of this Society last week an excellent essay on “ Summer 
Salads” was read by Mr. W. Hudson, The Lodge, Sandal Grange* 
The paper contained several excellent suggestions and some valuable 
advice. 
- The Midland Carnation and Picotee Society.—W e are 
requested to state that, owing to the earliness of the season, the date of 
this Exhibition, which will be held in the Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston, 
has been fixed for Saturday, July 22nd, instead of August 5th as in the 
original schedule. 
- Johnson’s Gardeners’ Dictionary.—T he fifth part of the 
new edition of this standard work has come to hand. It deals with 
the genera from Inga to Agaricus campestris (Mushroom), inclusive, 
full cultural details of the latter being given. As we have before 
remarked, the edition will be completed in eight parts. 
- Gardening Appointment.—M r, Thomas Winkworth, who 
for the past eighteen years has been gardener to Ealph Brocklebank, 
Esq., Childwall Hall, Liverpool, has been appointed gardener to that 
gentleman’s eldest son (of the same name), who is leaving Childwall, 
having purchased Haughton Hall estate, near Tarporley, Cheshire. 
- Verbascum Chaixi.— “E. M.” writes, “This Nettle-leaved 
Mullein has grown to an abnormal height with me this year. We have 
a plant of it amongst some Ehododendrons which has thrown up its 
flower spikes 8 feet high, where it has an imposing effect, the foliage of 
the evergreens below making a pleasing getting to its pale yellow 
flowers. The plant in question has been established half a dozen years. 
The strong soil in which it is growing appears to suit it well. Where a 
suitable site can be found this is just the plant to grow for the borders 
or shrubberies.” 
-Violas White Duchess and Countess of Wharncliffe, 
—The first is a new Viola of merit. Its colour is white, distinctly 
edged with blue. That it will become a favourite with Viola 
cultivators I cannot doubt. It was raised by Mr. Baxter of Daldowie. 
Passing to the Countess of Wharncliffe, it is to my mind the chastest, 
sweetest, and most fragrant of pure white Violas. Its colour is exquisite, 
resembling that of white satin. Let any of the readers of this Journal 
who cultivate the Viola compare the Countess of Wharncliffe with 
Countess of Hopetoun, and they find that the difference is very dis¬ 
cernible. Another of my most precious floral possessions is Dr. Stuart’s 
miniature Viola, entitled “ Violetta,” which may be described in the 
language of Thomas Gray, as “ a gem of purest ray serene.”— David 
K. Williamson, 
- Pansies at the World’s Fair. —An American contem¬ 
porary says ;—The Pansy display at the World’s Fair, Chicago, will no 
doubt soon lose some of its attractiveness from the continuation of ex¬ 
cessively warm weather. The great beds in front of the horticultural 
building are daily admired by thousands. These Pansies, which repre¬ 
sent the best strains of growers in England, France, and Germany, as 
well as in America, were sown in the open ground July 12th-18th 
last year. The locality chosen was one of the inner courts of the horti¬ 
cultural building, so, although in the open ground, they would be at 
least partially shaded at some times during the day. They received 
their first transplanting when about five weeks old, being given more 
room for the purpose of encouraging a more stocky growth. They were 
finally planted out in the autumn, and were all wintered outside. Some 
of them were covered with littery manure, while others were protected 
by temporary frames. The Pansies were very late in coming into bloom, 
- Foreign Fruit Crops, — Latest advices from Greece show 
that the downy mildew has attacked the Currant plants in Patras, 
Zante, and some of the other coast districts, and there is reason to fear 
that much damage will be done, although Currant growers in the east 
have learned to use the copper compounds for spraying against mildew. 
It is probable, says the “ Garden and Forest,” that in a few years 
Currants from California will be as common in our markets as other 
fruits are now, since the experiments in cultivating this berry there 
have proved most encouraging. Fruit dealers are looking forward 
confidently to the time when European Currants will be subject to 
competition with the California product, just as European Prunes and 
Eaisins now are. The Prune crop of Bosnia and Servia is likely to be 
up to the average, and the crop of French Prunes will be abundant and 
good. Encouraging reports come from Spain as to the crop of Valencia 
Eaisins, and a careful review of the situation in the “ Journal of 
Commerce ” concludes that there is likely to be an abundance of fruit 
from all sections of the world with low prices. 
- Death of Mr. Egbert Holland,—W e regret to hear of 
the sudden death recently, from heart disease, of Mr, Eobert Holland of 
Frodsham, Cheshire, a well known authority on agriculture, and the 
joint author, with Mr. James Britten, F.L.S., of the Natural History 
Museum, South Kensington, of the “ Dictionary of English Plant 
Names.” 
- Summer Marguerites, —These are beautiful flowers when 
blooming superbly in huge masses. At the same place as I saw these 
there are Helenium pumilum, clear yellow, 15 inches in height; Erigeron 
speciosus superbus, large flat bluish mauve flowers ; and Chrys¬ 
anthemum maximum, white, the fine dwarf form of the Ox-eye Daisy. 
Later in the season this latter is well replaced by Chrysanthemums 
lacustre and uliginosum ; the Helenium by various single Helianthuses 
and Harpaliums ; and the Erigeron by some of the finer forms of the 
Michaelmas Daisy.—A. D. 
- Death of Mr. John Fielden.—W e learn with extreme 
regret of the death of Mr. John Fielden, of Grimston Park, Tadcaster. 
He was, we believe, about seventy years of age, and had been in a weak 
state of health for a considerable time. He was buried on Friday last in 
the pretty churchyard adjoining the fine old parish church of Kirkby 
Wharfe, mourned deeply by a wide circle of friends, and by those who 
had served him. A more kind, considerate, and when merit deserved, a 
more appreciative employer did not exist. He took an interest in 
everyone on his place, and showered benefits upon those who had won 
his confidence. It is considered probable that the magnificent estate 
will remain in the Fielden family. 
- SwAlNSONlA GALEGAEFOLIA ALBA.—The finest Specimen of 
this greenhouse plant that I have seen is growing against the back wall 
in Mr. Agate’s Chrysanthemum house in Havant. The space covered 
is 15 feet by 7 feet, and is a sheet of pure white blooms. The floor of 
the house is composed of soil in which are planted Tomatoes, with Tea 
Eoses against the back wall. The plant in question is in a 12-incb pot, 
but the roots have found their way through the hole at the bottom, and 
are now rambling in the border. I have seen this same plant many 
times, but never found it flowerless. Mr, Agate speaks highly of it in 
producing flowers, which are extremely useful for wreaths, bouquets, 
or in fact any form of decoration.—E. M. 
- Achimenes. —There is just now in profuse bloom a very large 
collection of these pretty old fashioned tuberous-rooted flowers at the 
London Eoad Nursery, Eeading, where not only have the Messrs, Sutton 
and Sons collected all the best varieties, chiefly in 48-size pots, and in 
that perfection of cultivation which always characterises all that is 
there done, but they have them filling the long span-house. From out of 
the whole number I select as, to my mind, the most beautiful—Ambrose 
Verschaffelt, white, veined with dark blue ; Celestial, lavender blue ; 
Longiflora major, deep blue ; Masterpiece, purple ; Alba major, pure 
white ; Harry Williams, deep rich rosy crimson ; Lady Lyttleton, ruddy 
carmine; Eose Queen, rosy magenta ; andSplendens, fiery scarlet—as being 
a beautiful collection, although all the varieties are very charming.—D, 
- Kola.— Some useful information with reference to this valu¬ 
able plant is contained in a report on the botany of Sierra Leona pre¬ 
sented to the Colonial Office and published as an official paper by Mr, 
C. F. Scott Elliot. The tree Kola acuminata, Mr. Elliott says, grows 
freely everywhere, and is found from the sea level to fully 3000 feet at 
Sumbauaya, in the Talla highlands. It appears to thrive wherever 
planted, and is well able to hold its own in the original native bush. 
Mr. Elliot could not find any special conditions of soil as necessary, but 
it certainly grows on disintegrated gneiss, red grit or laterite, dolerite, 
and occasionally on dry alluvium. He does not think he ever saw it 
on marshy ground or soil liable to be overflowed, and in planting the 
tree such places ought to be avoided. It begins to bear in seven years, 
and is in full bearing after eight to ten years. Each tree is said to 
yield £3 to £4 per annum, and hence a plantation ought certainly to 
include a large number of these trees. The yield given by Mr, Fawcett 
is 125 lbs,, or 4000 seeds per tree—that is, £8 to £10 per tree, or £800 
an acre. Semler says it produces 50 kilog. in the tenth year. At 
present the nuts are chiefly used by the natives, but so much has been 
done of late years to bring their valuable properties before the public 
that it may be safely said that the demand in Europe is sure to increase. 
The following are some of its properties. A nut, or even half a nut, 
will enable a man to go without food and support great fatigue for 
twenty-four hours or more. It is an excellent nerve tonic, and is espe¬ 
cially good for keeping the brain clear and active at night. It, how¬ 
ever, prevents sleep almost too thoroughly, and should not be taken 
less than four hours before bed.— {The Times,') 
