564 
[ December 20,1888. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
and all things prepared, commence by drawing with a hoe a drill 
across the end of the bed, 14 inch deep ; if deeper the roots will be 
weakened the succeeding year, by forming a kind of stem nearer 
the surface ; and if shallower, the plants are more liable to be 
struck with drought. Plant the tubers, if large, 4 inches apart in 
the row ; if small, 3i inches will be a sufficient distance, and cover 
them with fine sand. This will cause the tubers, when they are 
taken up in July, to come out of the ground quite clean for 
keeping.” 
Very precise instructions were also followed in other details of 
culture ; but it is not as a florist’s flower that the Ranunculus is 
alluded to now, but as an ordinary garden flower that may be 
grown to give satisfaction by simpler methods of culture than those 
above described, though the instructions are good. We have found 
it is not a waste of time and money attempting to grow Ranunculuses 
near towns, as we have seen brilliant masses of them within two 
miles of Charing Cross ; and, as to soil, they will grow in such as 
will grow good Cauliflowers. In respect to the time of planting, 
some of the most extensive growers of these flowers for market 
have probably about finished planting their tubers now. They 
plant in November, onwards, as the ground may be in suitable con¬ 
dition, not deferring the work till spring ; but when severe weather 
follows, and the tubers have started, being in what is known as the 
“ milky ” state, the surface of the ground is covered with litter, as 
in the condition indicated they are liable to injury by frost; but 
when the growth pushes through the ground they are regarded as 
safe, being quite hardy. When grown on a limited scale in gardens 
cocoa-nut fibre refuse would answer for protection if litter were 
considered unsightly. The advantages of late autumn planting 
consists in the roots taking good and deep hold of the soil, hence 
the plants better endure dry weather in late spring, which often 
causes them to wither prematurely when grown from tubers in¬ 
serted in March The flowers figured represent ordinary decora¬ 
tive forms, and were grown in a London garden from mixed tubers, 
which are the reverse of costly. A small leaf-mining insect often 
injures the plants, the larvae of a small fly similar to that attacking 
Celery. Sprinkling with a solution of softsoap with half a wineglass¬ 
ful of petroleum well mixed in each gallon, applying in the evening, 
not in the morning, is a safe and good deterrent of the attacks. 
Royal Horticultural Society. —We understand that with a 
view to retrenchment of office expenditure, and with the hope of being 
able to devote more money to Chiswick, the Council of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society have decided to leave the position of Assistant Secretary 
vacant for the present. Mr. Chas. J. Grahame, who has so well filled 
that office during the past year, fully concurs in the propriety of this 
step, and having the Society’s welfare at heart is in entire accord with the 
Council’s decision. The Hon. Sec., the Rev. W. Wilks, has most kindly 
undertaken to be responsible for all official correspondence, and con¬ 
sidering the main objects he has in view—viz., the habilitation of Chis¬ 
wick and the resuscitation of the Society’s Journal, we are sure that he 
will meet with every indulgence at the hands of Fellows and others, if 
sometimes he find it impossible to keep the correspondence quite up 
to date. 
- The usual monthly dinner and conversazione of the Horti¬ 
cultural Club took place at the Club Rooms, Hotel Windsor, 
Victoria Street, Westminster. The chair was taken by the Hon. and 
Rev. J. T. Boscawen, in the absence of Mr. John Lee from illness—an 
illness from which he is happily making a rapid recovery. There were 
present—Dr. Hogg, Messrs. Pearson, Lindsell, Denny, Turner, Pearson, 
&c, The subject for discussion was the Chrysanthemum, being opened 
by Mr. Charles E. Pearson in an excellent practical paper, which touched 
upon the various points of culture. An interesting discussion took place, 
in which the Chairman, Dr. Hogg, and others joined. A vote of thanks 
was accorded to Mr. Pearson. The paper referred to appears in the 
present issue of this Journal. 
-The Horticultural Directory and Year Book for 1889 
(published at this office) is now issued in an enlarged and greatly 
improved form. It comprises some 368 pages, and includes full list of 
gardens, garden owners, and gardeners in England, Scotland, Ireland, 
and Wales, nurserymen, and horticultural builders, a much extended 
list of horticultural societies, and the principal continental and American 
nurserymen. A useful feature is added in the twelve pages devoted to 
descriptions of plants certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society 
from November, 1887, to the corresponding month this year. A series 
of tables of special service to horticulturists is another addition, and 
with ordinary [calendarial information renders the book a substantial 
shillingsworth. 
- The following are the principal arrangements of the Royal 
Botanic Society for 1889, but as that year will be the fiftieth anniver¬ 
sary of the Society, a special fete is under consideration and will be duly 
announced :—Spring Exhibitions, Wednesdays, March 20th, April 10th ; 
gates open at 2 o’clock. Summer Exhibitions, Wednesdays, May 15th, 
June 19th; gates open at 2 o’clock. Evening FSte (probable date), 
Wednesday, July 3rd ; 8 to 12 P.M. Promenades, Wednesdays in May, 
June, July, commencing May 8th ; exhibition and fete days excepted. 
Lectures, Fridays at 4 P.H., May 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st, June 7th, 14th. 
General Meetings, for election of new Fellows, scientific discussions, &c., 
Saturdays, at 3.45 P.M., January 12th and 26th, February 9th and 
23rd, March 9th and 23rd, April 13th and 27th, May 11th and 25th, 
June 15th and 29th, July 13th and 27th, November 9th and 23rd, and 
December 7th. Anniversary, Saturday, August 10th, at 1 P.M. 
-A Caution to Nurserymen.—I feel it my duty to ask you 
to note, for the benefit of nurserymen and seedsmen, to caution them 
about executing orders from unknown individuals in the neighbourhood 
of Bristol. A nurseryman saved himself from executing a very large 
order by paying a personal visit to the place 'where the goods were to be 
sent. The address looks well upon paper, and therefore might entrap 
anyone. I need not say the large order will not be executed, so look 
out, those in the trade. — Alfred Outram. 
- In “ A Kitchen Gardener’s” paper on “ Peas in 1888 ” in the 
Journal of Horticulture, page 536, he speaks of “ Lynn’s” Black-eyed 
Marrow Pea (Dicksons) as though it was a variety introduced by one of 
the firms of Dicksons. It is a very old variety, for I have known it 
quite thirty years, and is of the type of Knight’s Marrow, also old 
varieties, and it is “ Lyne’s,” not “Lynn’s,” but I do not know who he 
was. Dr. Hogg could no doubt tell us, or some of our older London 
wholesale seedsmen. Like many other old varieties, it has passed almost 
into oblivion, and I think it is probably grown more in America and the 
colonies than in England, as I was some years ago connected with a 
London seed house who used to report it, but we never had it in large 
quantities.—W. D. S. 
[Lynn’s (not Lyne’s) Wrinkled Marrow Pea was raised forty years 
or more ago by Mr. Lynn, the fishmonger in Fleet Street, whose shop is 
still in existence. Having accidentally discovered a few wrinkled Peas 
with a black eye (hilum) among a sowing of Knight’s Dwarf Marrow, 
he selected them and grew them apart. He brought them to the notice 
of Messrs. W. & J. Noble, who were at that time seedsmen at 152, Fleet 
Street, and by them the Black-eyed Marrow was brought into notice. 
It is a very hardy variety, and used to be grown in the north ; but not 
being of desirable quality it nearly dropped out of cultivation.] 
- We are informed that the Committee of the Hull and East 
Riding Chrysanthemum Society have decided to hold the Show in 
1889 on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 14th and 15th. 
- Gardening Appointment. —We understand that Mr. G. 
Merritt, gardener to Lord Dacre, Kimpton Hoo, Welwyn, Herts, will 
shortly go into business at Harpenden as a florist and market grower, 
and he will be succeeded by Mr. Charles Martin, foreman at Holker 
Gardens, Lancashire. 
- Considerable quantities of American Apples are now 
reaching the British markets, and it is said that the Apple crop in 
Canada and the United States is the largest ever known; 536,000 
barrels have already been shipped to Europe, against about 290,000 
during the corresponding months! of last year. 
- The “Garden Oracle” for 1889 prepared by Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd, and published by Messrs. W. H. & L. Collingridge, is before 
us, and will be handy for reference during the year by persons engaged 
in gardening. It contains a concise and excellent monthly calendar of 
operations, also a good calendar on bees, lists of new plants, fruits, 
and vegetables, with selections for cultivation, a full chapter on the 
cultivation of Chrysanthemums, and an extensive catalogue of large 
flowering varieties. 
