August 30, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
195 
-A correspondent writes as follows on the Acme Weed 
Killer which has been advertised :—“ In April we gave several walks 
a good dressing of it, which in a few days after its application destroyed 
every vestige of vegetation, and no weeds have been seen since on that 
part of the garden. It leaves the walk clean, bright, and firm, and 
there is, in the end, a considerable saving of expense over hoeing and 
hand-weeding. For some previous years we have been in the habit 
of using No. 5 carbolic acid largely diluted with water, but prefer the 
Acme as being cheaper, and free of that objectionable smell which is left 
for several days after applying carbolic acid. When applying the pre¬ 
paration great care must be taken not to allow it to come in contact 
with Box or grass edging. I have, during hot dry weather, when the 
paths have been very hard and dry, applied a few cans of clear water a 
few hours prior to using. This softens the top, and the mixture readily 
soaks down to the roots of the weeds, destroying them, and giving us 
the greatest satisfaction.” 
-A Vegetarian Conference. — The London Vegetarian 
Society invited last Monday to one of their “ Fruit and Cake Con¬ 
ferences,” the members of the London Press, and about forty-five 
accepted the invitation. After the repast, consisting of fruits of 
various sorts, salads, cold savouries, and various cereal foods and 
sweets, Mr. Alderman H. Phillips, of West Ham, presided at the Con¬ 
ference. In commencing his address, the Chairman expressed his 
deep regret at the absence of Mr. Hills, their President, which was a 
great loss for all present. After giving a few of the leading reasons for 
upholding the non-flesh diet, Mr. Phillips said vegetarianism did not 
mean eating vegetables any more than librarian meant eating libraries. 
Fruit and cereal foods were, he contended, the proper food for man, 
because Science classed us with the fruit-eating division -of animals. 
Mr. James Burns, in an eloquent address, spoke of the pressure to 
which Pressmen were subject from a lengthened experience, and of his 
strong convictions of the immense advantage of a diet entirely free 
frem all stimulants, solid or liquid. Mr. Manning, the Organising 
Secretary, closed the meeting by urging all to give a trial to a move¬ 
ment that made out so good a jorima facie case for itself. 
- Dr. Hoskins, writing in the American Garden on American 
Plums, says, “ The European Plum, from which our cultivated varieties 
is derived, is said to have its origin from the uneatable Sloe. Now, the 
American wild Plum is by no means an uneatable fruit. Some of the 
wildlings are really good, and it is strange that so little has been done in 
the way of cultivation, crossing, and the growth of seedlings to improve 
the race. Interest in them is, however, increasing, and before long we 
shall be apt to see marked gains, such as have been made with our 
native Grapes. Mr. Munson of Denison, Tex., is much interested in 
this fruit, but I fear that the Cicasaw type will not prove so well 
adapted to northern culture as the two northern types—that of Canada 
and that of the West. These two are not alike, the western Plum being 
nearer the European in firmness of flesh and plumpness of seed. The 
Canada type has a large and very flat seed, and in most cases the flesh is 
soft and watery. But for preserves and jellies these wild Plums are on 
the whole superior to the foreign sorts, having a brisk flavour, approaching 
that of the Peach. They also have the merit of extreme hardiness, 
being rarely harmed by any amount of cold. The colour is in shades of 
yellow and red, and the size is sometimes quite large, Selections have 
been made of varieties with pretty firm flesh, and in other ways showing 
a tendency to vary in the direction of improvement. The worst fault 
about the western type is the tendency, like that in the Strawberry, to 
be defective in the staminate element, resulting in barrenness, unless care 
is taken to plant varieties with good stamens close by. There ought to 
be no difficulty in crossing the various types together, or with the 
European Plum, and when a decided break is made seedlings varying 
widely are pretty sure to appear, from which selections can be made in 
the directions desired for improvement. Many of these native Plums 
are able to resist the attack of the curculio and produce large crops of 
fruit, which is a great point in their favour.” 
A SAD CASE. 
By your very kind permission, I beg to ask the respectful attention 
of your numerous readers to the case of Joseph Richardson. About 
three years ago he was head gardener to J. S. Wheatley, Esq., Calverton 
Hall. Recovering from diphtheria, his left knee diseased, and having 
a wife and six children he and his family had to depend upon his small 
club pay and the aid of friends. At the General Hospital, Nottingham, it 
was found necessary to amputate the leg, but owing to the disease he 
was discharged as incurable. Through the kindness of other friends he 
was taken to the Llandudno Hospital, where his thigh was amputated. 
The poor man is now in great distress, and needs help. I fear he is in a 
consumption. Formerly he contributed certain articles to your valuable 
Journal, and may be known to some of your readers, who, I am sure, 
in human sympathy, will help this most deserving case. 
Subscriptions on behalf of J. R. will be recived by—W. Field 
Newman, Endowed School, Calverton, Notts; or by E. Steward, 
Sec. Notts Horticultural Society, 2, Exchange Row, Nottingham. 
[The occasional short contributions of Mr. J. Richardson to this 
Journal a few years ago led us to regard him as an intelligent, 
educated, practical gardener, and we commend his case to the 
sympathy of our readers. Members of gardeners’ associations might 
perhaps collect a few shillings at their meetings to assist a brother 
gardener in such dire distress ; and small collections may possibly be 
made in some private gardens.] 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
August 28th. 
The greater portion of the usual available space in the Drill Hall, 
James Street, Westminster, was occupied with exhibits on Tuesday last, 
Gladioli from Langport, hardy flowers from Tottenham, Dahlias from 
Crawley, and Orchids with other choice plants from Upper Holloway 
constituting the chief attractions. The weather was, however, most 
unfavourable and the attendance of visitors small. 
Fruit Committee. —Present: T. Francis Rivers, Esq., in the 
chair, and Messrs. J. Lee, R. D. Blackmore, T. J. Saltmarsh, G. W. 
Cummins, J. Burnett, W. Marshall, and Peter Barr. 
Mr. W. Roupell, Roupell Park, was awarded a cultural commenda¬ 
tion for the Strawberry and several Frontignan varieties of Grapes, 
also clean bunches of Duke of Buccleuch, with fine berries. Mr. Owen 
Thomas, Chatsworth Gardens, sent small bunches of a seedling black 
Grape with small globular berries. It was considered to be like Early 
Ascot in appearance, the flavour was sweet, but devoid of special 
character, and the skin was thick. It is said to be earlier than Black 
Hamburgh. Mr. Whillans, Blenheim Gardens, Woodstock, exhibited a 
neat well netted Melon, which was not ripe, and an opinion was 
deferred to the next meeting. Several other Melons were also shown ; 
one from Mr. Boston was decayed, and another, named Standard, from 
Messrs. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, was not in its best condition. A vote of 
thanks was accorded to the last named firm for a collection of fruits, 
including very large handsome fruits of Sea Eagle Peaches, Plums, 
Apples, Pears, Morello Cherries, and Quatre Saisons Strawberries. 
Floral Committee. —Present: The Rev. W. Wilks in the chair, 
and Messrs. Shirley Hibberd, H. Herbst, J. Fraser, J. Walker, W. 
Holmes, W. Goldring, R. Dean, B. Wynne, H. Ballantine, J. Dominy, 
H. M. Pollett, J. O’Brien, E. Hill, and Dr. M. T. Masters. 
A silver-gilt Banksian medal was awarded to Mr. B. S. Williams, 
Upper Holloway, for a handsome and valuable group of flowering and 
fine-foliage stove and greenhouse plants. Conspicuous amongst the 
Orchids were some beautiful examples of Cypripediums, such as C. Ash- 
burtonias and its two varieties' expansum and superbum, C. Dayanum, 
the new C. Sanderianum, C. superbiens, C. oenanthum, and a grand form 
of the richly coloured C. oenanthum superbum, also the most valuable 
C. tessellatum porphyreum with three flowers on one spike. Laelia 
Perrini, Cattleya gigas, C. Dowiaua, Dendrobium Goldeiand D. formosum 
were all represented by well grown specimens, such as visitors to Upper 
Holloway are accustomed to seeing. The autumn-flowering Amaryllis 
Mrs. W. Lee, one of the reticulata hybrids, was noteworthy, also the rosy 
crimson Anthurium leodinensc, with finely formed broad spathes; 
Griffinia Blumenavia, a graceful stove bulbous plant bearing blue and 
white flowers, and Adiantum colpodes roseum, having the young fronds of 
a bright rosy colour. Collections of Droseras and Dionaeas and of Sarra- 
cenias completed the group. The Sarracenias were excellently repre¬ 
sented by small but characteristic and well coloured plants, the 
varieties shown being Williamsi, hybrida, Wilsoni, illustrata, very dis¬ 
tinct, green and red ; Tolliana, Chelsoni, variolarisj and Hitchelliana, 
deep red. 
Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, had a brilliant group of Del¬ 
phiniums, Gaillardias, and Gladioli, the latter numbering some hundreds 
of handsome massive spikes that seemed to have been unaffected by the 
weather. Several certificates were awarded, and a silver Banksian 
medal were adjudged for the whole group. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley, sent a collection of double and single Begonias, mostly the 
former, described as having been raised from seed sown February 11th, 
1888 (bronze medal). Certificates were awarded for several varieties 
which are described below. Messrs. Cheal & Son, Crawley, exhibited a 
group of Cactus, Pompon, and single Dahlias, comprising some excellent 
varieties and many novelties, the best being selected for certificates 
(bronze medal). Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, as usual had a varied and 
beautiful group of hardy flowers, including single and Pompon Dahlias, 
Lilies, Gladioli, Iceland Poppies, &c. (bronze medal). Mr. F. T. Smith, 
West Dulwich, showed a collection of Hollyhocks and Phloxes. Mr. 
R. Dean, Ealing, had some large trusses of Phloxes. Messrs. Munroand 
Ferguson, Edinburgh, sent a double white Matricaria inodora named 
Snowflake. Messrs. R. Veitch & Son, Exeter, showed a pale yellow Sun¬ 
flower named Primrose Dame, and Messrs. Walsham V Son, Scarborough, 
sent flowers of Carnation Juliet, a peculiar pale buff tint. 
