73 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 28, 1892. 
and grafted the trees, but will have pruned and brought them into 
bearing, packed the fruit and shipped it, and kept accurate accounts of 
their operations. 
Of course, at the same time that students are carrying on their 
practical work in the field, regarding which they have no°discretion 
outside the directions of the professor in charge, they will be conducting 
their scientific studies, such as entomology, botany, geology, ornithology, 
zoology, agricultural chemistry, &c. The chief branches of the depart¬ 
ment (any special one of which students may follow out as a specialty 
for the three years after obtaining their first degree, and all of which 
have to be taken in the general course) are fruit culture, fruit preserva¬ 
tion, vegetable growing, floriculture, and landscape gardening. One 
feature of this system of education is that each student must at 
some period previous to taking his first degree, work for several weeks 
in one of the best nursersies, canneries, greenhouse establishments, &c., 
in the country, under the direction of the regular superintendents of the 
several establishments. This enables the student upon taking his first 
degree to decide which industry he may prefer to make the chief object 
of his three years’ independent work and study. For the constant aim 
will be to teach the commercial aspect of every problem as thoroughly 
as the scientific and operative sides. 
Special students who do not pass examinations will have every 
advantage in the class work; and while they cannot secure degrees they 
can earn certificates of proficiency, stating the length of time they have 
worked in the department, and the degree of excellence attained. We are 
inclined to inaugurate a system of examination quite different from that 
usually in vogue. The student will be required each day, or at frequent 
intervals throughout the terms, to give the day following the perform- [ 
ance of certain practical or scientific operations both a written and 
verbal account of the work accomplished. The excellence of these 
reports, and the general standing of the students in their classes 
throughout the year, will rather determine their fitness for acquiring 
degress than the old-fashioned final examination. At present there are 
about 520 students at the University, and in October next there will 
be about 1300 ; but in following years, when more buildings have been 
erected, the number will probably be more than doubled. A number of 
these students are entering, or preparing to enter, the horticultural 
department. It will be understood that the examinations in this 
University, and the mental attainments required of the student, are on 
a par with those of Oxford, in England, and it will thus be seen that a 
bid is made for students of first-class ability. A large number of the 
first horticultural authorities in America have been consulted regarding 
the formation of this department of horticulture, and general satisfac¬ 
tion was expressed at the plans under which the work is and will be 
cajried on. Ihe students’ expenses at the University need not exceed 
£ j per month, the charge for board and room being £4 per month, the 
actual cost to the University. Students who are industriously inclined 
can frequently work their way, and scholarships will be offered to those 
showing great progress in their studies. 
This, it will be understood, is a very brief and general outline of the 
great work in hand, as it would take too long to develop the ideas and 
plans in detail. 
An unanimous vote of thanks was given to Professor Smith by the 
members of the Scientific Committee for his most interesting account. 
r _ Events of the Week.— Shows continue to be plentiful. To-day 
(I hursday, July 28th) there are Exhibitions at Halifax, Southwell, and 
Salterhebble (Yorks). On Saturday, July 30th, Ripley and Southampton 
Exhibitions open, the latter continuing the following Monday. A three- 
days special Show of fruit, Carnations, and cottagers’ produce opens at 
the International Horticultural Exhibition, Earl’s Court, on Monday, 
August 1st. ^ On the same day the Beddington and Carshalton Flower 
Show and Fete is held, and there will also be a Show at Mansfield that 
day. A Show and Gala will be held at Abbey Park, Leicester, on 
Tuesday, August 2nd. Messrs. Protheroe & Morris’s customary sale of 
Orchids takes place at their rooms in Cheapside on Friday. 
— The Weather.— The weather in the metropolis has been of 
a varied character during the past few days, but generally fine. Warm 
and cool days have alternated, but the nights have been generally cold, 
in consequence of prevailing easterly winds. We hear that the Potato 
disease has made its appearance, but not in a virulent form. 
-- Gardening Appointment.— Mr. Preston Altoft of Brocklesby 
I ark Gardens, Lincolnshire, has been appointed gardener to the 
Dowager Countess of Yarborough, Healing Manor, near Ulceby, 
Lincolnshire. 
Death of Mr. Joseph Ellam. —We learn with regret of the 
death (on the 17th inst.) in his fifty-third year of Mr. Joseph Ellam, best 
known, perhaps, as the raiser of the valuable Cabbage associated with 
his name under the designation of Ellam’s Early. He was formerly 
gardener at Cliveden, and at the time of his death was superintendent 
of the Oxford University Parks. 
- Birds Attacking Begonias.—I should be glad to know if 
it is an unusual thing for birds to attack the buds and half-opened 
blooms on Tuberous Begonias outside. I have been obliged to protect 
the plants outside, owing to the buds being pierced and slit by what I 
feel certain is the birds.—T. F. E. 
- Nymph^ea ccerulea. — I recently observed this beautiful' 
aquatic flowering in a tub under glass in Dickson’s nursery at Chester. 
Its lovely mauve-blue flowers were charming in the extreme. If pro¬ 
cured in a pot, and this plunged over the rim in a shallow tub of water, 
an unusual and beautiful feature will be added to the greenhouse._W. 
- Lobelia Royal Purple. —This is one of the most striking 
Lobelias I have ever seen. In the neighbourhood of Winchester it is 
largely grown in the numerous villa gardens. If it has a fault it is its 
somewhat straggling habit, but for ribbon borders or for filling large 
beds it is very useful, and wherever planted is a striking object. The 
colour is very rich dark purple, with a large clean white eye. It makes- 
little growth but produces plenty of flowers.—E. M. 
! orget-me-nots in Fashion. —A Forget-me-not luncheon- 
was given the other day by one of the bridesmaids of a prospective 
American bride in compliment to the latter on her approaching marriage. 
Forget-me-nots were arranged in the shape of hearts and true love°rs r 
knots upon the table, and all the decorations were in the colour of the- 
blue flowers. Each guest was provided with a cluster of the blossoms 
to wear. Forget-me-nots were to be the principal flowers at the 
wedding, and the bride presented to her bridesmaids pins in the form of 
the flower in blue enamel with a diamond dewdrop glistening in the 
centre. „ 
- Strawberry Cardinal. —You recently gave me permission 
to allude to my experience of about twenty varieties, and in the hurry of 
writing this escaped my notice. Mr. Laxton sets it down as “ second 
early,” but with me there was only a few days between it and Noble, 
and just three days behind Scarlet Queen in the same bed; while the ? 
flavour I like immensely. It is much superior to Competitor, but the 
yield in weight would be about half. In fact, Competitor on a warm 
limestone soil with me had the largest and finest terries. Cardinal will 
supplant two excellent varieties under other circumstances—Sir Joseph 
Paxton and British Queen—with me.—W. J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
- Wallflowers for Spring Bedding.—N o time should be 
lost in pricking these out from the seed bed during showery weather. 
Allowing them to remain in the seed bed until they are drawn up 
weakly is not the best way to prepare the plants to withstand such 
winters as the last two, nor to secure a good display of bloom. Properly 
prepared Wallflowers should have numerous side shoots, commencing 
close to the soil, from each of which a stout flower spike can be 
expected. It is not so with those ill-grown plants which run up with 
one stem and exhibit no sign of side branches. If pricked out into 
rows 10 inches apart and 8 inches asunder ample space is afforded for 
running the hoc between the lines occasionally to keep the soil stirred 
about the plants.—E. M. 
-Bournemouth Gardeners’ Improvement Association.— 
The fourth annual excursion of the members took place on Wednesday, 
July 20th, to Broadlands Park, Romsey, the seat of the Right Hon! 
E. Ashley. The party, over fifty in number, journeyed by rail to 
Romsey, where they were met by Mr. Fowler, the head gardener, 
who welcomed them most heartily, and conducted them to the park! 
The park is a most extensive one, and contains some fine groups of 
trees, amongst them being some noble Cedrus deodara, C. atlantica, 
and C. Libani, many of which were planted by the late Lord Palmerston 
between seventy and eighty years ago. There are also other enormous 
specimens, said to be 230 years old. In the grounds also was a very 
fine specimen of the Maidenhair Tree. The party were next conducted 
through the extensive kitchen gardens, also the vineries, Peach houses, 
and plant houses, the whole of which reflected the greatest credit on 
Mr. Fowler and his assistants. Luncheon and tea were partaken of in 
the large Orange house, and after tea a visit was paid to the famed 
Romsey Abbey. 
