382 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 2,1895, 
- The Timber Supply of the United States is being 
exhausted at twice the rate of its recuperation from tree growth. 
- We regret to announce the death of Mr. Andrew Kerr, Nursery 
Manager for nearly twenty years to Messrs. Stuart^f&iiMein, iKelso, 
which occurred on the Idth inst., after along and painful illness. 
- TEOP.EOLDM Teiomphe de Gand.—T hisjplant is grown to 
the best advantage at The Priory, Warwick. Some two or three dozen 
pots of it were placed at the foot of the iron rods that support the roof 
of the flowering house in the early winter, and after the plants had been 
trained to the glass they were continued until they "[met each other. 
The effect now produced is very charming and picturesque. Mr. Smith, 
the gardener, told me that some thousands of blooms had been gathered 
for winter decoration.— G. Burrows. 
- Growing Asparagus in Austria.—A Belgian horticultural 
journal describes certain means employed in Austria to obtain enormous 
sticks of Asparagusi One consists in placing over the head of the 
Asparagus, as soon as it appears above ground, a wooden case pierced 
in its upper portion with holes to allow of the circulation of air. A 
more rough and ready method is the fixing of an inverted bottle over 
the plant, which grows through the neck. Asparagus grown in this 
way is not coarse and insipid like much giant Asparagus that is forced, 
but delicate and tender as the thin green wild variety, or the ordinary 
garden Asparagus. 
- Lilium Harrisi. —The growth of this plant has become an 
important industry in Bermuda, as indicated by the fact that the annual 
exportation of bulbs from the island to the United States for the past 
five years has, according to an American contemporary, been from 
2,500,000 to 3,000,000, As the average production of every bulb is six 
flowers, from 15,000,000 to 18,000,000 blooms are used in America in 
decorations yearly. Of course this entire crop is not used for the Easter 
festival, as the Easter Lily has been popular for the past ten years for 
interior decorations, weddings, receptions, or other similar ceremonies. 
But American growers insist that fully 60 per cent, of the entire crop is 
used during Easter week. 
- The Plum Bloom. —This is everywhere just now a mass of 
snowy whiteness. What a promise does it offer of a Plum crop. The 
recent rains softened the air, the bloom buds, and leafage, therefore 
the burst of bloom was, almost irrespective of sort, simultaneous. We 
could just now do with rather more of sunshine to help set the flowers, 
but at least there is no frost, and the nights are not cold. If only one- 
fifth of the bloom produces fruit there will still be an enormous crop, 
and these immense crops are hardly desirable in the interests of the 
trees or of cultivators. It is not easy, however, to thin Plums on 
myriads of standard trees, as they are too big and too much out of 
reach. On bush and wall trees that can be done easily, In view of so 
great a Plum produce it will be well for fruit preservers to make the 
most of it, as we may have to wait a couple or three years before the 
trees can fully recuperate. The great profusion of bloom on the wild 
Blackthorn shows that it is a natural Plum season. We can now fairly 
hope to see a great and a profitable crop.—A, D. 
-Fungus on Quince.— The fungus which spots the leaves of 
the Quince and produces the black spot on the fruit is nearly always 
present, and this is especially true when the trees are standing in sod. 
It is from the effect of this disease that the leaves of the Quince often 
begin to fall in August and early September, while, of course, the 
foliage ought to persist until the frnit has ripened, for the loss of the 
leaves deprives the fruits of nourishment at the lime when they are 
completing their growth. This defoliation also prevents the tree from 
storing up energy for the next year’s crop. But not only is the fruit 
stunted before it is fully grown, but the fungus also attacks the fruit 
itself, causing cracks and lop-sided growth, as in the case of Pears when 
attacked by the same fungus, Entomosporium maculatum. In a late 
bulletin on the Quince in western New York, Professor Bailey shows 
that this fungus can be held at bay by spraying with the useful 
Bordeaux mixture. Half of the foliage fell from the unsprayed trees, 
and the remaining leaves were small and yellow. The foliage on the 
sprayed trees was large and dark green, and plainly helping the growth 
of the fruit. Experience seems to show that the spread_of the spot may 
be wholly checked, even after the leaves are conspicuously marked by 
it. Of course, it is unwise to wait until the disease appears, and the 
first application ought to be made soon after the blossoms fall.— 
(“ Garden and Forest.”) 
- It is stated that there are 82,222 ACRES OF Raisin Vineyards- 
IN California, producing 80,000,000 lbs. 
-The Fern Vegetation of Jamaica is said to be the richest 
in the world, comprising between 400 and 500 species. 
- Peaches in Michigan.—M ichigan is entering the list as a. 
Peach-growing State. Orchards are being formed of 500, 1000, and even 
10,000 trees. The promoters of the enterprise anticipate a good return 
on their outlay, as the conditions are said to be favourable for the 
culture of Peaches. 
- A Lexicon of Orchid Hybrids.—T his is a little work of 
some 140 pages published by M. Octave Doin of Paris, and compiled by 
Herr E. Bohnhof. It is divided into two parts, the first containing a list 
of the artificial and natural hybrids known up to January 1st, 1895,. 
the second consisting of tables to facilitate finding the parentage and 
synonyms of the hybrids, as well as those hybrids obtained reciprocally. 
What prefatory and explanatory matter there is apart from the tables 
has been expressed in English, French, and German, and will serve 
materially to extend the usefulness and popularity of the publication. 
- Chislehuest Gardeners’ Association.—T he members and 
friends of this Association celebrated the close of the fourth session by a 
dinner, on Wednesday, April 24th, the President, Mr. J. Lyne,. 
occupying the chair, and thanked the members for the loyal manner 
they had supported him since he had filled that office. The Secretary, 
Mr. R. Filkins, in proposing “ Continued Success to the Chislehurst 
Gardeners’ Association,” gave a r^ium6 of the work done by the 
Association during the past year, and also presented a financial report, 
which was very satisfactory. Mr. McKirchor, from Messrs. B. S. 
Williams, replied to the toast of “ The Visitors,” and a most enjoyable 
evening was spent. 
-The People’s Palace and East London Horticultural- 
Society. —We have just received the balance-sheet and report of this 
Society, and are glad to note the finances are in a prosperous state. The 
report, too, shows that good work has been done, and that flower culture 
in the East of London is being materially increased. We trust the 
Society will continue to flourish, and that the two shows arranged for 
the coming seasons will be great successes. Praiseworthy encourage- 
ment has been given by Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son of Holloway by 
the presentation to the People’s Palace Winter Garden of nearly 
300 plants, including Camellias, Azaleas, and Palms. The Honorary 
Secretaries are Messrs. H. E. Boulton, E. Flower, and C. E. Osborn. 
- The Eastbourne Battle of Flowers. —The weather con¬ 
ditions were unfavourable at Eastbourne on the 24th inst., when the 
central feature of Carnival Week, the Battle of Flowers, took place. 
Up to the commencement of the proceedings the outlook was bright and 
promising, but heavy clouds then overspread the town, and for about an 
hour rain fell in copious showers, causing no little discomfort, and 
marring to some extent the spectacular effect of the fSte. It, never¬ 
theless, was a great success, alike in regard to the dimensions and 
brilliancy of the pageant, the crowds which gathered to witness it, the 
beauty and variety of the individual “ exhibits,” and the character of 
the arrangements. Decorations had been carried out on an extensive 
scale, especially on the Grand Parade and other thoroughfares traversed 
by the procession, the householders and shopkeepers having united 
loyally with the Fete Committee in beautifying the streets and buildings, 
and producing effects of colour and design that commanded general 
admiration. The abnormal assemblage of visitors was greatly swollen 
by the excursionists who arrived during the morning in thousands from 
London and all parts of Sussex, and such dense masses of holiday¬ 
makers have, perhaps, never before gathered in the town at any one 
time. There was inevitable crowding and excitement during the 
progress of the “ battle,” but excellent order was preserved. The pro¬ 
cession, which was hailed with continued rounds of cheering, consisted 
of between sixty and seventy gorgeously decorated carriages, including 
four-horse coaches, pair-horse and single-horse vehicles, children’s and 
village carts, and allegorical cars. In the decoration of the vehicles and 
horses drawing them, neither money nor trouble had been spared. At 
a given signal, after the judging was over, the flower-throwing between 
the spectators and processionists commenced, and this was kept up 
virgorously along the whole length of the Parade, some thousands of 
bouquets being utilised for this purpose. The fusilade occasioned much 
merriment, and the spectacle presented from the tribunes was extremely 
pretty.—(“ Standard.”) 
