Hay 10,13»4. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
UvBNTS OP THE WEEK. —As announced last week there will be a 
grand show of flowers, plants and fruit at the Antwerp Exhibition on 
the 13th, 14th, and 15th inst., and doubtless many British horticulturists 
will attend. On Friday, the 11th. an exhibition of Roses, Orchids, and 
other plants will open in The Gardens, Old Trafford, Manchester, this 
continuing until the following Thursday, the 17th. 
- The Weather in London. —Cold winds were prevalent in 
the metropolis towards the end of last week, but since Sunday the 
weather has been much warmer. Monday was fine, but dull at times, 
similar weather occurring on Tuesday. Wednesday opened dull with 
appearance of rain, but at the time of going to press the clouds are 
passing away, 
- The Weather in the North.—T he weather of the first 
week of May has been in marked contrast to the fine warmth of the end 
of April. A very cold west wind has prevailed, with frequent showers 
both by day and night. Tuesday morning was very wet, but calm and 
somewhat milder.—B. D., S. Perthshire. 
- Death op Mr. Henry G. Easty.—A fter long suffering, 
borne with great patience and fortitude, Mr. Easty died on the 16th ult. 
at the age of forty-six years. He was a gentleman of accomplishments, 
an ardent horticulturist, and an occasional genial contributor to our 
pages. 
- We have received part 10 of Messrs. Veitch’s Manual op 
OrChidaobous Plants, which completes the work, and a very 
important work it is. In its complete form the ten parts of which it 
is composed make two volumes, the first of which embraces the 
Bpidendriem, and the second the Vandeae and Cypripedieas. We shall 
return to the subject in a future issue. 
- Irish Correspondence. —With regret I read Mr. Murphy’s 
note (page 343) on some expressions of mine “ calculated (not intended) 
to bring Irishmen into contempt.” I do not regret his courteous 
reproof, but that there should have been occasion for it. I trust he 
may have noticed other remarks of mine in previous articles which, 
though not erasing these pen splashes “ which do not adorn,” may at 
least show they proceeded more from thoughtlessness than heartlessness. 
—B. BL, Dublin. 
- Market Gardeners’ Compensation. — Many market 
gardeners will be glad to learn that a Bill to extend the provisions of 
the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1883, so far as they relate to market 
gardens, has been brought into the House of Commons by Sir Edmund 
Lechmere. The objects of the measure are to “ give to the tenants of 
market gardens power to remove conservatories and other buildings 
erected by them for the purpose of their business; compensation for 
fruit trees, fruit bushes, and other crops; and power to remove fruit 
stocks. The Bill applies to current contracts, but expressly excludes 
nursery grounds.” 
- The Gibson Testimonial Fund. —Mr. John Gibson, until 
recently Superintendent of Victoria Bark, having felt it his duty to 
resign that appointment in consequence of his long-continued illness, a 
desire has been expressed by many of his friends to present him with a 
testimonial in the form of a purse of money, in recognition of his 
services in connection with the London parks. Mr. Gibson is well 
known to the horticultural world. His first public appointment was at 
Hyde Park, which he succeeded to on the death of his father, whom he 
had previously assisted ai Battersea Park. In consequence of continued 
illness in his large family, and his own ill health, Mr. Gibson has 
unfortunately been unable to make adequate provision for himself and 
them, and tlie Testimonial Committee therefore hope for a liberal 
response to this appeal. Any contributions may be sent to and will be 
gratefully acknowledged by the Treasurer, Mr.Harry J, Veitch, Royal 
Exotic Nursery, Chelsea ; orby Mr. James T. Anderson, 135, Commercial 
Street, Chairman of the Committee, The following contributions have 
been promised Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, £10 10a. ; James T. 
Anderson, £6 Ss.; J. Steggall, £5 ; C. B. Farnham, £2 23.; John Laing, 
£1 Is.; Arnold Moss, £1 Is. 
a6i 
- The Corporation of Newport, Mon., have just appointed 
Mr. Witty, who has ably superintended the laying out of their new Belle 
Vue Park, to be Superintendent of the same. 
- The Aberdare Colliery Co. have appointed Mr. J. Cowley 
to the management of their land and woods, in addition to the gardens 
at Abernant, which he has had charge of for about ten years. 
- Mons. Martinet. —It is reported that Mons. Martinet, the 
editor of “Le Jardin,” a French horticultural journal, and a well known 
landscape gardener, has been nominated Chevalier of the Order of La 
M6rite Agricole. 
- Gardening Appointment.—M r. William Hamilton, for the 
last nine and a half years gardener to Mrs. Grice, The Fields, Newport, 
Mon., and Beechwood, Reigate, Surrey, has been appointed gardener to 
Captain Hope, R.N., St. Mary’s Isle, Kirkcudbright. 
- Death of Mr. Joseph Rust.—W e regret to announce the 
death of Mr. J. Rust, who died at Eridge on the 26th ult. Mr. Rust was 
born at Strachan, in Kincardineshire, on March 26th, 1826, and was 
apprenticed to Mr. Mundie, at Castle Fraser, but soon left Scotland to 
take a situation at Caen Wood, Highgate. Thence he went as foreman 
to Eridge Castle, near Tunbridge Wells, the seat of the Marquess of 
Abergavenny, which he left for a time, but returned in 1865. 
-^ Presentation to Mr. Parker at Impney. — As we 
remarked a few weeks since, Mr. R. Parker, after a period of ten 
years, is retiring from his engagement at Impney Gardens. The staff 
employed there on Monday in last week showed their regard for him 
by the presentation of a handsome marble clock. An address, which 
accompanied the present, conveyed the warmest expressions of esteem, 
regret at his resignation, and good wishes for his future welfare. Mr. 
Parker has been appointed gardener to the Duke of Richmond and 
Gordon at Goodwood, Sussex. 
- Daphne Cneorum majus. —No admirer of hardy flowers can 
be insensible to the beauty of the flowering trees and shrubs, and it was 
with pleasure that I read the article by “ R. H. R.” on page 314. Among 
others named in that interesting article was the above Daphne which 
I saw under name in the garden of Captain Stewart, Shambellie, 
Dumfries, lately. I had seen it occasionally before, but not under its 
varietal name. The typical D. Cneorum is in my garden, but the variety 
majus is distinct, being of erect, not trailing habit, and compact in 
growth. It is quite deserving of the commendation of your contributor, 
being, as he says, “ of exceptional beauty.”—S. Arnott. 
- Ornithogalum nutans. —In the very interesting article by 
“ J. R. S. C.,” pages 339 and 340 of last week’s issue, the Ornithogalum, 
or Star of Bethlehem, was favourably mentioned and the species nutans 
compared to a “ pensive cloistered nun.” A lady who saw it in my garden 
once described its colouring as akin to moonlight, and I think the 
description so good that I mention it. In a well known work on flower 
gardening the Ornithogalums of all varieties are not recommended for 
general planting, but the following varieties are specially excepted, and 
are so beautiful that it is surprising they are so little known—namely, 
0. nutans and 0. pyramidale. O. nutans I have grown for many years, 
and it is so free growing and increases so rapidly that it requires more 
space than I have at command; its flower is beautiful both in the 
garden and also for house decoration, and the tints of the bells are so 
refined that they would please the most aesthetic amateur horticulturist. 
- Daffodils. —“W. T.’s” (page 343) experience is that of the 
majority of my friends who grow these flowers. I have had gradually 
to move my bulbs from the neighbourhood of Rose plants, as the 
foliage interferes with dwarf Roses, and the manure necessary for Roses 
does not suit most Daffodils. I ascribe the cause of my Daffodils having 
flowered so badly to the fact of their having been left in the ground all 
last summer. With the intense drought then existing I believe it 
would have been better to have lifted them, and after a fortnight’s 
exposure to the air to have replanted. The great heat of 1893 seems to 
have also had some bad influence on May-flowering Tulips, as I lost 
fully 500 of mine, some kind of decay having caused the bulbs to entirely 
disappear, large blank spaces existing in places where I had planted 
some hundreds. Those which I bought last autumn from Mr. Barr have 
flowered very well. I believe comparatively few persons know 
May-flowering Tulips well, but from their colouring and size of 
flower they deserve general cultivation, and more attention from all 
amateurs.— Chas. J. Grahame, 
