Febm: ry 23, 1893. ]l 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
155 
- Death of Mb, Ebnest Benaby.—W e regret to announce the 
death of the world-famed seed grower, Mr. Ernest Benary of Erfurt) 
who passed quietly away after a short illness on the morning of the 
19th inst. Mr. Benary was a gentleman of great business capacity and 
social geniality, and widespread will be the sympathy with his relatives 
in their great bereavement. Mr. Benary was seventy-four years of age. 
- Foeeign Floba.—P rof. K, Shimek is now investigating the 
flora and the geology of Nicaragua, along the route of the canal, under 
'Commission from the State University of Iowa. Dr. Terracciano, of 
Home, is about to renew his investigation of the flora of Erythrea, the 
Italian colony on the Red Sea. Dr. K. N. Denkenbach is commissioned 
by the Natural History Society of St. Petersburg to investigate the flora 
of the Black Sea. 
- Tadcasteb Paxton Society.—A t a meeting of the above 
Society, held last Thursday, February 16th, a paper on “ Allotment 
Gardens ” was read by Mr. Clayton of Grimston Park Gardens. The 
various profits derived from allotments by the holders were detailed, 
also the physical and social benefits accruing. A unanimous vote of 
thanks was accorded to Mr. Clayton for the able manner in which he had 
dealt with his subject. Mr. Jewitt (who is leaving the locality) resigned 
the position of Secretary, and Mr. A. Garnett was elected to the position. 
- Fruit and Vegetable Trades. — On Tuesday last an 
influential deputation, representing the growers and salesmen of Covent 
Garden, Farringdon, Spitalfields, Borough, and other vegetable and fruit 
markets in London, waited upon the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House 
to ask his assistance in establishing a benevolent institution and fund in 
•connection with their trades. The deputation was introduced by Mr. 
J. S, Daniels, and the request was supported by Mr. G. Coleman and 
others. The Lord Mayor, in the result, accepted the invitation of the 
deputation to preside at the forthcoming festival dinner of the London 
Wholesale Fruit and Potato Traders and Growers’ Benevolent Society 
-on March 22nd, when it is proposed to bring the scheme prominently 
before the trade and the public. 
- Gloxinias all the Year Round.—I t is very evident that 
with ample stock it is easy to have these at command. A sowing of 
seed made now will give an abundance of plants to bloom through the 
late summer and autumn. Older tubers now at rest and potted as late 
as can be, kept cool all the summer, and then placed on a top shelf ir 
temperate house, will retain their leafage admirably all the winter and 
bloom very early in the spring. Others kept in a higher temperature 
will bloom all through the winter. Once a plentiful stock of tubers are 
to be had the grower can employ them much as he desires, if only 
some be early forced, and others retarded as needed. The facility with 
which very fine strains may be obtained from seed enables gardeners to 
have Gloxinias in plenty with ease. I saw some very fine plants on 
the top shelf of a temperate house the other day at Titsey Park, which 
will at once begin to bloom abundantly.—A. D. 
- The Midland Counties Carnation Society. — The 
schedule for the current year’s Exhibition at the Botanical Society’s 
Gardens at Edgbaston, Birmingham, will shortly be distributed, the 
date of the Show being August 5th. The schedule remains very much 
as last year, but with more prizes and two or three more classes added. 
Especial attention is being given to border varieties and to the 
encouragement of decoration work with cut blooms. The Directors of 
the Botanical Gardens have placed at the disposal of the Committee 
two silver and two bronze medals, which will be given to most successful 
exhibitors, and special prizes are given by friends for Sweet Peas and 
other flowers also. Mr. Robert Sydenham, Tenby Street, is the Chairman 
of the Committee. 
- National Pink Society.—Midland Section.— The Wolver¬ 
hampton Committee are making arrangements for the 1893 Exhibition 
of the Midland Section of the National Pink Society on July 11th, 
12th, and 13th next, in connection with the great summer Show of the 
Wolverhampton Horticultural Society in the Public Park. Starting 
with a balance in hand, the schedule has been arranged, giving increased 
prizes in the class for twelve Pinks, dissimilar ; and there is a class for 
the encouragement of border varieties, six bunches of any kinds, not 
more than twelve blooms in a bunch. There are also eight other 
classes for Pinks. Mr. A. R. Brown offers special prizes for his superb 
new Pink, Amy, sent out last autumn. Mr. Thurstans of Cardiff, a 
well-known raiser and grower, is the President for the year ; and his 
son, also an energetic amateur, Mr. C. F. Thurstans, Pennfielda, Wolver¬ 
hampton, is Hon. Secretary. 
- Birmingham Gardeners’ Association.— At the last 
meeting Mr. W. B. Latham, Curator of the Birmingham Botanical 
Gardens, read a paper on “ Stove and Greenhouse Climbers,” alluding to 
those of special interest, instancing amongst the former Gloriosa superba. 
This the essayist grows in loam, decayed manure, and sand, starting 
the tubers early, and laying the pots on their side in a warm house 
during the winter months. Stigmatophyllum miniatum, Thunbergia 
grandiflora, • Solanum Wendlandi, Mucuna imbricata, and Aristolochia 
elegans were named as more rarely seen, but beautiful stove climbers. 
Cultural instructions were freely given, and a good discussion followed. 
-Fourcroya selloa.—A t the recent meeting of the Royal 
Botanic Society on Saturday one of the branches of the flowering stalk 
of Fourcroya selloa was shown from the Society’s conservatory. This is 
a Mexican plant allied to the Aloes, and like them it flowers only once 
during its life. The plant, which has been in the conservatory for 
upwards of twenty years, late last autumn threw up a flower spike 
which in very short time grew to a height of 30 feet, and passing through 
the glass roof, rose for some feet into the open air. It could not, of 
course, resist the frosts and fogs of winter. The flower buds dropped un¬ 
opened, when immedia'ely from each node a number of young plants 
appeared. This mode of reproduction is found in only a few species of 
plants, and is especially valuable in relation to the cultivation of 
Fourcroyas as a source of commercial vegetable fibre. 
-- The Kingston and Surbiton Gardeners’ Association.— 
The adjourned meeting of the new mutual improvement association 
for gardeners was held at the Albany Hall on Thursday evening last, 
when Mr. T. Cushon presided over a good attendance. The rules 
prepared by the sub-Committee were accepted after discussion and 
ordered to be printed, the subscription of gardeners being fixed at 
23. 6i., and honorary members not less than 5s. per annum. The 
election of President and Vice-President was deferred. Mr. Dean was 
elected Hon. Treasurer, and Mr. Yeabsley, of Surbiton Hall Gardens, 
Hon. Secretary, the Committee being chosen as follows:—Messrs* 
Cushon, Watson, Tibbie, Henbest, Benson, Martin, Hughes, Woods, 
Hawkes, Christmas, Marlow, and Peed. The next meeting will be held 
on March 2nd, at St. James’s Hall. 
- A Huge Eucharis.— In one of the houses at The Briars, 
Reigate, the residence of Mrs, Barclay, there is one of the very finest 
clumps of Eucharis amazonica to be found almost anywhere. This 
giant cluster, for it can hardH be described as a plant, is in one of the 
largest of pots, for it is some 28 inches across and as deep. The growth 
in the pot is literally a mass of bulbs and leafage, the latter measuring 
8 feet across. It is luxuriantly healthy and perfectly clean. The 
remarkable thing is that the plant, which some fifteen years ago 
originated from one bulb, has been in the present pot some nine or 
ten years, getting such occasional dressings of le fruitier, and guano, as 
it is possible to apply, and liquid manure. Since the beginning of 
December forty-nine splendid spikes or clusters of bloom have been 
taken from it, and about four such crops are furnished during the year. 
This grand clump reflects on Mr. Bailey, the gardener, the highest 
credit. It weighs some 4 cwt., and is seldom moved.—D. 
- Close Pinching and Planting Vines.—F ar be it from me 
to cross pens with the skilled writers and practical men who have 
written on this interesting subject, yet I would fain have a few lines. 
Leaving out of the question the whole scientific value of each leaf, I 
emphatically protest against the advisability of wild Vine growth. For 
years I have conclusively proved that heavy crops of Grapes can be 
successfully produced by a continuous system of close stopping. The 
simple stopping of any Vine lateral is, as we all know, the stoppage 
to a certain extent of the flow of sap, but then if this operation is done 
at the correct time with thumb and finger it must be beneficial; fewer, 
yet finer, foliage is thus obtained without grossness. A few full-sized 
leaves are of far greater value than a crowd of smaller ones. The suh- 
laterals, pinched at one leaf, cause root development. By the end of the 
season I find ordinary laterals three leaves longer than at the first 
stopping. This of itself is against close Vine planting. Vines at 3 feet 
from rod to rod will answer well under this treatment, and Muscats 
6 inches wider. Dealing with Vines 2 feet apart, though I crop fairly 
heavy, and have yearly fair results, these do not equal those of the 
wider-planted Vines. I treat every lateral as for fruiting all through 
the season. The result in healthiness of foliage is all that can be desired ; 
and if fruit does not finish it is a question of a rather too heavy crop.— 
Stephen Castle, Fordiiujlrulgc. 
