October 18, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
321 
Our soil—so called for compliment—is really nothing more than a thin 
layer of shaly stones. The greater part of our stock are cuttings struck 
annually outdoors, in the autumn, and left in the cutting beds until 
late in the spring, when they are transplanted under fruit trees for the 
summer and following winter, receiving no attention further than weed¬ 
ing, until lifted in spring, divided if necessary, and transplanted 9 inches 
apart in the open quarters of the kitchen gardens, mostly following 
Cauliflowers or such crops. They are treated liberally during summer with 
‘ Beeson s, and in autumn lifted with good balls of earth and roots, and 
placed in sunken pits for winter blooming, covering with lights merely 
to throw off heavy rains, See., and for protection against severe frosts, 
From various causes we have recourse at times, from scarcity of stock 
of struck cuttings, to dividing the old plants, selecting the strongest 
healthiest crowns, giving them similar treatment in every way to the 
others during their last preparatory season, as these will in all cases be. 
good flowering plants at the. end of their first summer. Treated thus 
we are seldom without Violet blooms during any part of the year. As 
to the mode of packing you so approve of, I may say that we annually 
send hundreds of boxes similarly packed, and have not had a single 
complaint of their having arrived at their destination other than in the 
most satisfactory condition.” 
- SoutH American Plants.— In 1884 Mr. John Ball, F.R.S.’ 
published a paper in the Journal of the Linnean Society (vol. xviii. 
pages 203-24(1) giving the first ^comprehensive account of the flora of 
North Patagonia. This vyas based on a collection obtained from him 
during his travels in South America from M. Georges Claraz, a Swiss 
gentleman who had passed several years chiefly at Bahia Blanca. Mr- 
J. L. AVilliams-Andrews has now sent to Kew a beautifully preserved’ 
collection made by him in the same region daring the years 1881-85 
The excellence of the specimens is the more remarkable as the majority 
of them have travelled more than 600 miles on horseback. Mr. Williams- 
Andrews writes to Kew :—“ The Indians are certainly a very fast- 
decreasing race, and at the present day cannot exceed 2000 in number. 
The combs, or rather brushes, mentioned by Mr. Ball in his paper, page 
225, are formed of a species of very tough grass, not of roots. The use 
of vegetable dyes is also rapidly dying out amongst them, though they 
still make a considerable quantity of textile fabrics, of which I have 
numerous examplesthe same is to be said of their silver ornaments.” 
Vice-Consul Goodhall, of Bahia Blanca, has taken much trouble to 
obtain information about the plants used, by the Indians for dyeing 
purposes. Me has unfortunately failed in obtaining trustworthy speci¬ 
mens, as “ the Indians are most jealous about affording any information 
on the subject." Mr. Ronald Bridgett, Consul at Buenos Ayres, has 
sent to Kew some articles dyed by the Indians, in which the greens and 
yellows are native dyes made from roots and plants. These have been 
sent to the Chemistry and Dyeing Department of-the Bradford Technics 1 
College.—( Nature .) ^ ; , j • 
- At the ordinary weekly meeting of the Wakefield Paxton 
Society, held at the Saw Motel, the President (Aid. W. H. Lee, J.P.) 
presided, and Mr. Hudson occupied the vice-chair. There was a good 
attendance of the members. Mr. Thomas Tate, F.G.S., teacher of 
Botany at the Mechanics’ Institute, delivered- an able lecture on 
“Flowering and Non-Flowering Plants Compared,” in which he, 
explained that the distinction—based upon tlio reproductive structures 
and functions—which has seemed to separate these two groups of 
plants, have been dispelled by the recent investigations of : English and 
German botanists. The lecturer illustrated his subject by'diagrams and 
drawings on the black board. He was very attentively listened to, and 
at the close a hearty vote of thanks was passed to him, on the* motion 
of Mr. W. L. Skinner, seconded by Mr. T. Senior, for his admirable 
lecture. 
- The “ American' Gardener’s Monthly ’’ generally contains some 
useful practical hints, and from the October issue we extract the follow¬ 
ing suggestive paragraphs “ One of the cheapest and best modes of 
destroying insects on pot plants is to invert the pot and dip the plant 
for a few seconds in water warmed to 130°. It is the best plan for 
destroying insects, unless we have to deal with plants on a very large 
scale. We notice that the ‘Garten Zeitung,’ in referring to the plan 
says that the Azalea will stand 133° without injury. We usually heat 
the water pretty well and pour in cold till 130° is reached. 
- Oil and Mildew. —“ Those who are likely to be troubled with 
mildew would do well to remember Mr. Veitch’s remedy of oil on hot- 
water pipes is good against its development. Since Mr. Veitch gave 
that remedy to the public we find by research in chemical botany that 
oily vapour has long been known as inimical to the growth of the lower 
forms of fungi, and that Mr. Veitch’s successful practice is in full 
accord with the teachings of this branch of science. 
Glazing without Putty.— “No one uses putty over glass in 
glazing in America any more, but it is still used for bedding in the glass, 
but even this is unsatisfactory. It will often loosen and come out. Mr. 
Henderson recommends that thick white lead and oil be run along, and 
on this sprinkle dry light sand before laying on the glass. It is a much 
better plan than the old putty bedding. 
Horsetails for the Florists. —“ Green ferny foliage that 
will not rapidly wilt as Fern fronds will has caused a number of plants of 
the Asparagus family to become almost indispensable to the florist. An 
addition to this class of popular florists' stuff has been found in Europe 
in the different species of Equisetum or Horsetails. These have firm 
fronds that do not wilt easily.” 
- To the diminutive Primula sapphirina and bell-shaped P. 
Reidi a plate is devoted in the October issue of the “ Botanical Maga¬ 
zine." They are both Himalayan species, and the first named was dis¬ 
covered by Sir Joseph Hooker in the Sikkim Himalaya at elevations of 
13,000 to 15,000 feet, “ Where it starred the otherwise bare soil and rocks, 
soon after the melting of the snow, with its gem-like flowers.” The plants 
vary from LJ to 2) inches high from the base of stem to the top of the 
flower head. P. Reidi we have already figured and described; it was 
found by Mr, Duthie in the Western Himalaya at elevations of 12,000 
to 13,000 feet. 
HOLLYHOCKS. 
I HAVE to thank Mr. Webb most heartily for his courteous reply 
through the Journal for his list of leading varieties. From what I have 
heard of some he enumerates I think we are on the right track. Mr. 
Boston in his able remarks, page 267, certainly takes the little conceit 
we have out of us in Hollyhock growing, but I would remind Mr. 
Boston “ not to despise the day of small things.” Many of our finest 
novelties have been raised in the cottage garden of some of these 
“ minor lights,” and if it had not been for the little shoemaker (Mr. 
Chas. Barron), where would he have got many of the gemsheso proudly 
speaks of ? We have as yet nothing to boast of in Hollyhock growing, 
and are at present content with blooms half the size of Mr. Boston’s 
9-inch “ corner peg.” Our object is to encourage growers, and in 
raising new varieties we may yet be honoured with another Glory of 
Waltham, a Lizzie, or even a Lord Loughborough. Let us not overlook 
Mr. Boston’s hint as to the disease. There is not the least doubt that 
plants which have been heavily fed for exhibition are the first to suc¬ 
cumb. The constitution seems to be forced out of them, they can 
neither stand frost nor damp. I think artificial manure ought to be 
used with great caution, for I have often noticed where plants have 
been artificially fed the ground is infested and putrefied .with vermin 
of every description. 
Mr. Dean has no doubt reaspn .to be proud of the interesting re¬ 
marks he has already drawn from your readers, and as he says, with the 
winter before us, there there is ample time to discuss the Hollyhock 
disease and its remedies.—G. Steel. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
Floral Committee, October 12th. 
The second meeting of the season was lield on Wednesday afternoon in 
St. Stephen’s Hall, Westminster, but it was rather too early for many exhi¬ 
bitors, and there will no doubt be a better attendance at the next meeting on 
October 26th. 
PresentMr. E. Sanderson in the chair, and Messrs. R. Ballantine, C. 
Gibson, R. Owen, J. Mardlin, H. Canned, Lewis Castle, G.Gordon, R. Dean. 
J. P. Kendall, C. Swift, and G. Langdon. 
This season silver and bronze medals are offered for the best stands of 
new varieties not included in English nurserymen’s catalogues before 
November, 1886, and two collections were entered for these awards. Re¬ 
specting the first there was little difficulty but with regard to the other it 
was decided one of the varieties had been listed before the time stipulated, 
and it was therefore reluctantly disqualified. The silver medal was awarded 
to Mr. G. Stevens, Putney, for a stand of twelve new Chrysanthemums, 
comprising Feu de Bengale, William Cobbett, C. Wagstaff, a large white 
Japanese; Ormonde, Macbeth, Rose Stevens, James Stevens, O. J. Quintus, 
Elsie (reflex* d), Romeo, Martinas (reflexed), and M. Canet (reflexed). The 
blooms were of good size and fresh. A stand of a dozen fine blooms of 
Mdlle. Lacroix was sent by the same exhibitor. The new varieties are 
described in the report of the South Kensington meeting. A vote of thanks 
was accorded to Mr. R. Ow* n, Maidenhead, for a stand of twelve varieties, 
mostly new, but a bloom of William Holmes excluded it from the award of 
a bronze medal. Romeo, Lincoln’s Inn, and William Cobbett were the most 
notable blooms. Mr. Owen also sent a box of fine Tuberous Begonia blooms. 
Mr. William Holmes, Hackney, exhibited a stand of Japanese blooms 
Similar to those at South Kensington on the previous day, O. J. Quintus 
being very notable for its soft mauve colour (vote of thanks). Messrs. H 
