6 
jourisal of horticulture and cottage gardeneh 
never last so many years and form such interesting landmarks as 
our British Oaks and Elms. The two latter are so closely 
associated vith this country’s history it would amount to almost a 
crime were they neglected to such an extent as to be termed a thing 
of the pa.st, to say nothing of the injustice done to the future 
generations. 
While this matter is worthy of the serious attention of all it 
does not perhaps affect the ordinary gardener so much as the 
general plantations of shrubs and ornamental trees in the pleasure 
grounds in close proximity to the residence. A few weeks or days 
at this season among such would find ample work for men who 
perhaps cannot get on with other work. This careful overhauling 
would in many cases be most advantageous, not only to the trees 
and shrubs themselves, but to all concerned, saving to a great ex¬ 
tent the annoyance felt at the busy season at the sight of some of 
the most interesting features of the garden gradually being choked 
by stronger and less attractive occupants, and by the satisfaction of 
knowing that such work was done at the right time, thereby 
securing that beauty in the pleasure grounds which is of very great 
importance in all gardens large or small.—R. Parker, Impney. 
UNDER GARDENERS AND EXHIBITORS. 
As your correspondent, “ A Head Gardener,” very truly observe.'', 
the above subject is a veiy large one, but I think in this way, as in all 
other relations of life, “ Do as you would be done by ” should be the 
rule to guide our course of action. I do not think there would be any 
likelihood of a successful exhibitor acting unjustly towards his subor¬ 
dinates if he would but remember what were his feelings on the subject 
when he was a young man. 
Your correspondent makes much of the experience gained in grow¬ 
ing plants, &c., for exhibition, and seems to imply that young men 
ought to consider this sufficient payment for all the extra labour and 
anxiety incurred. Perhaps so, but I am not inclined to consider this 
experience of such inestimable value, as it seems to me that in these 
days there is a greater demand for good all-round gardeners than for 
men who can grow a few things superlatively well. If I were starting 
life again I should avoid all places where exhibiting was carried on to 
a great extent, as it is not, in my opinion, in such places that a young 
man can gain the experience most valuable to him in after life. 
But even supposing the experience is valuable, I contend that under 
gardeners are only human in expecting something more material. 
What is it induces exhibitors to compete ? To some extent, perhaps, 
because of the honour and credit attached to winning prizes, but to a 
much greater extent because of the value of those prizes. If it were 
not so we should see as many competitors for a small prize as for a large 
one. It is all very well to tell young gardeners not to look at things 
from a pecuniary point of view, but to do their woik for its own sake, 
&c. All very good in theory, but not so easy to practise when one is 
probably receiving a semi-starvation wage. I nevt r yet knew a head 
gardener who would work for £2 a week if he could get £2 10s , nor an 
exhibitor who was as pleased with a 5s. prize as with one of the value 
of £10. 
There are, I know, some gardeners who deal most generously with 
their young men in the matter of prizes. If one of them would be 
good enough to tell us what is his practice he might be the means of 
inducing others to follow his example, and thus create a better feeling 
on the subject. With regard to gardeners getting all the credit, I 
admit that this is not always so, but frequently it is the case. 1 have 
frequently heard successful exhibitors complimented and congratulated 
when the young men standing by were not deemed worthy a word of 
praise. Your correspondent was fortunate in having his merits recog¬ 
nised so early in his career. Week by week we read a report in the 
horticultural papers of some noted place. The report generally con¬ 
cludes by saying that the condition of things was a great credit to 
Mr. So-and-so, completely ignoring his assistants, without whom Mr. 
So-and-so, however clever, could do little. A small matter, some will 
say, but life is made up of small things.— An Under Gardener. 
Events of the Week. —To-night (Thursday) the General Com¬ 
mittee Meeting of the National Chrysanthemum Society will be held at 
7 P.M. in Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, to fix the time and place of the 
annual general meeting, with other important business. On Tu-sday, 
the 10th inst., the Royal Horticultural Society’s Committees will meet 
at South Kensington, and a general meeting of Fellows will also be held 
lo confirm the resolutions passed at the last special meeting. 
[ Sennuj. 5, 18CK 
- The Weather. —A Scottish correspondent writes : “ The- 
weather has been similar to that of i the preceding week—.alternate frost 
and thaw. On the night of the 26th we had 7 of frost, and 12“ on the- 
night of,the 30th. Snow threatened on Saturday and Sunday, and oyer 
2 inches have fallen during the night. The barometer continues to fall 
as it has done for the past few days. I wish all Journal readers ‘ A gui(J, 
New Year. Muckle luck and little maen (moan).’ ” 
-A WELL-KNOWN Brighton horticulturist, Mr. E. SpAHY, died 
suddenly on the 27th ult. aged eighty-four years. For some years Mr- 
Spary had been proprietor of The Graperies at Brighton and had fre¬ 
quently taken a prominent part in the exhibitions at that town. He 
had been a subscriber to the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, 
for thirty-seven years. 
- Mr. Benjamin Field, 75a, Queen Victoria Street, London, 
has sent us a copy of his almanack for 1888. It is in monthly sheets, 
on which the dates and days are prominent, and contains postal and 
other information. These sheets are useful in the offices of gardens or 
other places for handy reference. 
- We have received from the Eastern Telegraph Company, 
50, Old Broad Stieet, London, a paper knife, with an almanack on the; 
handle and map of the world on the blade, which is as much as can be 
expected on an article of this kind, that also answers its purpose well. 
It is manufactured by Messrs. Waterlow &Sons. 
- Planting Out Poinsettias. —Mr. A. Haggart writes from 
The Gardens, Moor Park, Ludlow :—“ Most people like Poinsettias, but 
few think of planting them in a bed. The example sent is from a. 
plant we have growing in a bed in the stove. It is bearing twenty- 
seven heads of blooms, twenty of them about as good as this, the others 
smaller. I shall be glad if you can tell me if they are often seen branch-, 
ing down the stem as this has done?” We have never seen a finer 
example than the one before us. The diameter of the head, measuring 
from the tips of the floral bracts, exceeds 17 inches, and ithe [larger of 
these are 2|^ inches across, of great substance, and brilliant in colour, 
while on the stem below the head are eight branchlets produciag-flDW.srS’ 
and bracts. Such examples are not common. 
- The usefulness of Asparagus plumosus in affording, gracgfu-l 
foliage to be arranged with flowers is known to many gardeners, but the 
popularity of the plant is certain to increase for such purposes, T,he 
small side branches last a surprising time when placed in vessels of 
water in rooms, and we have some now that have been cut for more tba^i 
three weeks and yet seem to be scare ly the worse. They are fresh, ^iKcn, 
and will last much longer. 
- The Australian Acacias are represented in British gajdeaa, 
by numbers of species, the majority of which are, however, only ^: 3 ,pte<i; 
for large conservatories, though a few succeed well in pots. Some 300 
species are known, and there is a large living collection in the Royal 
Gardens, Kew, but many botanists will welcome the Iconography of 
Australian Acacias, a work which has been undertaken by Baron Von. 
Mueller for the Victorian Government. A portion has already been 
issued, a lithographic quarto plate being devoted to each species. The: 
monograph of the Eucalypti has afforded ample evidence of Baron. 
Mueller’s admirable method of dealing with botanical subjects. 
- A TREE that is comparatively seldom seen in British gardi ns 
Sophora japonica, is better known in America under its pendulous, 
form, and makes a very noble tree when fully developed. The whitish 
yellow flowers are in racemes. The finest specimen in Europe, M. A,nclre’ 
says, is probably at the village of Villennes on the borders of the §eine, 
near Poissy. This was planted 1795. It is in t’ue middle of the public 
park there. The head has a spread of 133 feet, and Is a proportiona^j 
height. The trunk has a circumference 13|^ feet. 
- A CORRESPONDENT of the “ Garten Zietung” communicates, 
some particulars of a specimen of THE Japan Umbrella Pine that is 
growing in the garden of Max Daniel Wolterbeek, Valkenburg, near 
Arnheim, in Holland. It was planted where it now stands, in a very 
exposed situation, twt nty years ago, and is a healthy and beau tifally 
formed tree. Moreover, it has never suffered in the least from fros.t 03 
other climatal influences. Of pyramidal shape, it is nearly 13 feet high, 
with a circumference of a little over 21 feet. The year before last it- 
bore for the first time two ripe cones, and the seed produced fifteen 
