228 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
14, W96. 
- The Oxford Botanic Gardens.—T hese gardens are receiving 
the attention of the University authorities, and steps have been taken 
to place them on a footing and in a position befitting the Oxford 
University. Quite recently a Congregation empowered the Curators of 
the University to make sundry payments to the Curators of the Botanic 
Garden, to bring up the total income of the gardens during the next four 
years to an amount sufficient to defray all expenses. 
- Large Cinerarias. —Mr. G. Freeman, The Gardens, Akeley 
Wood, Buckingham, writes:—“I herewith send for your inspection 
gome Cineraria blooms, and shall be glad of your opinion of them. 
They were cut from plants measuring 2 feet across and producing 
upwards of fifty blooms each. They are growing in 32-sized pots.” 
[The flowers were large, ranging between 3 and 3J inches in diameter, 
and the colours very rich. They represent excellent culture and a good 
strain. 1 
- Bradford Paxton Society. —Between seventy and eighty 
members and invited guests sat down to the annual dinner of the above 
Society on the 28th ult. The company included delegates from the 
Batley, Wakefield, Morley, and Leeds Societies. Mr, R. Bichel (Pre¬ 
sident) was in the chair, and Mr. J. Collier occupied the vice-chair. 
From the report read by Mr. H. R. Barraclough (the Hon. Secretary), it 
appeared that the membership had increased during the past year, 
bringing the present total to eighty-nine. The papers read during the 
year had been of a high order, affording much information, especially to 
young gardeners. The report and balance-sheet were adopted, 
- Exposition Universelle d’Amsterdam. — During the 
present year there will be held at Amsterdam a universal exhibition, in 
which horticulture will be included. It has been decided to hold four 
shows. The first, for Roses and other plants, on July the 6th, 7th, and 
8th; the second and third, for flowers, fruits, and vegetables, on 
July 27th-3l8t, and September 14th-18th ; and the fourth, and 
apparently the principal one, for fruit and vegetables, on October 10th- 
17th. In the latter there are classes for all countries, and entries must 
be in before the 1st of October. Several medals are offered, but the 
prizes in the ordinary classes are not scheduled. Full particulars may, 
however, be had from Mons. Isaac Bulk, Chief Secretary of the Horti¬ 
cultural Section, Amsterdam. 
- Wakefield Paxton Society.—T he programme of meetings 
for the first quarter, session 1895, are as follows :—March 9th, “ Methods 
of Book Illustration, Old and New,” with lantern vie'^’s, Mr. J. Swire ; 
March 16th, ” The Pyramids of Egypt,” Rev. A. N. Thomas, B.A. ; 
March 23rd, ” Migration of Plants,” Mr. G. Bott ; March 30th, 
“ Observant Habits,” Mr. J. Thomas ; April 6th, “ Trees,” Mr. J. W. D. 
McPherson, B.A. ; April 13th, “ The Rearing and Preservation of Insects,” 
with specimens, Mr. G. Parkin; April 20th, “ Rhubarb,” Mr. W. 
Hudson; April 27th, “The Cultivation of Bulbs for Spring Flowers,” 
Mr. J. G. Brown; May 4th, “The Florist’s Carnation and Picotee,” 
Rev. F. D. Horner, Kirkby Lonsdale ; May 11th, ” The Origin and 
Development of Plants,” Mr. J. Burton; May 18th, ” Spring Bedding 
Plants,” Mr. T. Pitts; May 25th, ” The Primula,” Mr. T. Gartery, 
Rotherham. Each meeting will commence at 8 o’clock for business, 
and the lecture at 8.15 prompt. We are glad to see by the financial 
statement that the funds are in a healthy state. 
- Gooseberry Trees and Red Spider—I f Gooseberry trees 
were much more cultivated on trellises than they are red spider and 
caterpillar would be easily kept down, and a great deal of room saved 
in gardens. For a number of years Mr. Beddard, Lord Leigh’s gardener 
at Stoneleigh Abbey, near Warwick, has grown them in no other way, 
and secures fine crops, which are easily protected by netting and kept 
clean. There are two long lengths of wire trellis, simply uprights at 
certain lengths, with stout wires strained along at about 9 or 10 inches 
apart. One-year-rooted cuttings are planted 10 inches apart, and are 
trained upright, with a single stem on the cordon system, and the 
Bide shoots kept pinched off. Large tubs are placed near at hand for 
holding lime water, made according to a method and at a strength 
recommended recently in the Journal, and frequent syringings of the 
trees are given on both sides, and by this means the under part of the 
foliage is easily got at. Netting can readily be placed over the top to 
fall down on each side, and gathering can be done by simply lifting 
the net. A long north-aspect wall has cordon Gooseberry trees against 
it, and good crops are also obtained here, but when they are against a 
wall both sides of the foliage are not so easily got at as on the open 
trellis, and in the latter case caterpillar, a deadly enemy to the Goose¬ 
berry tree, is readily exterminated.—W. D. 
- Gardening Appointments. — Mr. C. Cowley, late head 
gardener to E. Brodie Hoare, Eiq., M.P., Tenchleys Park, Limpsfield,. 
has been appointed gardener to W. M. Tidy, Esq., Lynton Crofts, 
Caterham. Mr. W. Boreham, the experienced foreman under Mr. 
Moorman at Victoria Park, has been promoted to the position of District 
Superintendent of open spaces south of the Thames, in the place of Mr. 
Wilkie resigned. Mr. James Wood, for the last two years head 
gardener at Oak House, Northenden, Manchester, has been appointed 
head gardener to Ernest Frank, Esq., Withington Hall, Chelford, 
Cheshire, and will enter on his duties on the 18ch of March. In the 
issue of February 28th it was stated in error that Mr. J. Brooks had 
been chosen for this position. 
- Parsnips Profitable. — In the neighbourhood of South 
Petherton, Somerset, there are large tracts of fertile ground divided into 
allotments of various sizes, and principally rented by the working classes. 
For many years past Parsnips have been quite as extensively grown as 
Potatoes, and are principally preferred by those who grow for the- 
markets. As a rule they do not pay very well, the growers receiving 
from 303. to 403. per ton for the best roots. This S' ason there is an ex¬ 
ceptionally heavy demand for Parsnips, these being among the few 
vegetables that have survived the severe frosts, and the prices have 
gone up surprisingly. Those growers who delayed belling are securing 
about £4 per ton for their roots, and two days after I was at South 
Petherton I heard of as much as £7 per ton being offered in another 
parish. Sixteen tons to the acre is a fair estimate, and at £4 only that 
would mean good business.—W. I. 
-Cabbages.—A Lucky Escape.—T hat the effects of the 
frost on vegetables is more disastrous in the south than the north is only 
what might be expected when the protective power of the snow i3 
kept in mind. Daring the intense frost of last month there was not 
enough snow to cover plantations of young Cabbages in Surrey and the 
“home counties” generally, and millions of plants were destroyed. In 
suggesting to Mr. Mclndoe of Guisboro’, Yorks, when he called the other 
day, that the northerners would have the advantage this year, he said, 
“Yes, I suppose we have. I have a bed of 6000 Ellam’s & Mein’& 
No. 1 Cabbages, many of them turning in just as fresh when the snow 
left them as when it covered them six weeks before—not a plant killed. 
I have also 400 sturdy plants of Veitch’s Model Broccoli quite un¬ 
injured, except the tips of the leaves that were not covered by the snow. 
They were grown on firm ground. The Cabbages were raised early in 
July, and are grown 9 inches apart in rows 1 foot asunder, as we like 
them small. We can cut at any time, and shall have abundance.”' 
Lucky Mr. Mclndoe. 
- Seakale. —I quite agree with “A. D.” (page 207) as to the 
great necessity of having a good stock of the above on hand for winter 
forcing, and more especially in such a severe winter as this, when so 
many of the green crops are severely cut up. But I have more sym¬ 
pathy with the old-fashioned method of forcing Seakale than “ A. D.”' 
appears to have. We annually follow the old system of pots and 
fermenting material, and have this season had no difficulty in cutting 
good Seakale since early in December. We were a little later this season 
than usual, which I attribute to the absence of autumn frosts to give 
the plants that decided rest so essential to successful forcing. Happily, 
we have a good supply of leaves and stable manure at command. By 
using three dozen pots, and as the crowns are cut regularly moving 
the pots forward (leaving only sufficient of the old fermenting 
material behind to protect the cut crowns from frost), and working 
in sufficient fresh material to insure a gentle heat, a regular supply of 
tender growth is maintained. About 400 new crowns are planted 
each year, and the same number of old done away with. Some portion 
of the bed now has been forced six years in succession with good results, 
—J. Friend. 
- The History of Kew Gardens, — Some interesting 
historical facts respecting the Royal Gardens at Kew appear in the 
“ Kew Bulletin ” for February. An arboretum has been for more than a 
century a feature of the Kew establishment. It is supposed to date 
its formal commencement from 1762, when “all the Duke of Argyll’s 
trees and shrubs were removed to the Princess of Wales’s garden at 
Kew, which now excels all others, under the direction of Lord Bute.” 
The old arboretum in part still exists near the main gate on Kew 
Green. The Botanical Garden was opened to the public in 1841, with 
Sir William Honker as Director. It comprised only about 11 acres, 
and included the old arboretum. In 1844, by permi-sion of the Queen, 
about 47 acres, including the ornamental piece of water in front of 
the Palm house, was added for the formation of a pinetum. This, it 
