266 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September £4, 1S91, 
have been placed first instead cf second. Vegetables were gcod all 
through, Potatoes especially. Messrs. Daniels had a splendid collection 
backed by a magnificent row of Lilium auratnms. Fruit was well 
shown. Mr. Green, nurseryman, East Dereham, exhibited a quantity 
of Pompon and Decorative Dahlias, and his large stand was tastefully 
and m r st effectively laid out, adding much to the generally interesting 
features of the Show. The weather was lovely. All the arrangements 
were admirably carried out by the energetic Secretary, Mr. A. Upstone, 
supported as he was by an enthusiastic and working committee.—J. A. W. 
FIG. 51.—MR. R. LINDSAY. 
- Electroculture. — Experiments have been carried out in 
France, inLot-et-Garonne, by M. Barat,upon the application of electricity 
to the culture of Potatoes, Tomatoes and Hemp. A row of Hemp 
subjected to the influence of the electric current produced a row of 
stalks 18 inches higher than those not electrified in the same time. A 
kilogramme (2 2 lbs.) of Potatoes planted in a path of the current 
produced 21 kilogrammes of very large and healthy tubers, while the 
une’ectnfied patches only gave 12J kilogrammes of medium size. The 
electrified Tomatoes also became ripe some eight days before the others. 
A curious fact has been remarked by M. Barat in Ids experiments. If a 
quantity of manure is near the positive pole, the constituent parts of 
this manure are transpor ed towards the negative pole, and their effects 
make themselves felt around a distance of some jards. This would 
seom to be a fresh proof of the opinion long advanced upon the part 
played by electricity in the growth of plants, an opinion also adopted 
by M. Specnew, who has given some attention to these phenomena ; 
this is, that the action of the electric current upon plants seems to 
consist in the more active dissolution of the organic principles existing 
in the soil, which are thus brought within the reach of the roots.— 
(Electrical Engineer.) 
- The Late Mr. William Holmes.—S oon after the death of 
Mr. Holmes a committee was formed in Hackney to raise a fund for 
providing a local memorial of his worth and the esteem in which he 
was so generally held. With the concurrence of his widow this took 
the form of a handsome headstone in white marble continued round 
the grave to a suitable height so as to admit of the surface being 
planted with flowers. The upper portion of the headstone is finely 
sculptured, showing clasped hands with the sentence below, “ We 
shall meet again,” having representations of Chrysanthemums above 
and at the sides in bas-relief, and at the top of each of the two dark 
granite columns which support the upper sculptured portion, a bunch 
of Primroses, commemorative of his association with the local Primrose 
League. The inscription between the two columns sets forth the date of 
Mr. Holmes’ death, September 18th, 1890, and goes on to state that 
“ This memorial was erected by a number of friends of the late William 
Holmes as a token of their affectionate regard for his manly Christian 
character, and to mark their sense of his valuable services to the people 
of Hackney as one of their most trusted and zealous representatives 
upon the local boards ; also in grateful remembrance of his unceasing 
labours in the world of horticulture, especially in connection with the 
culture of the Chrysanthemum.” In spite of the very wet weather a 
considerable number of friends were present at Abney Park Cemetery on 
Saturday, September 19th, and after a short service the erection was 
formal'y handed over to the widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Holmes. 
- In “ Scribner's Magazine ” for September there is a picture of 
the sacred Bo-tree of Ceylon, from a photograph by Mr. James- 
Ricalton, who states that it has stood for 2130 years, according to 
authentic records, and is probably the oldest historical tree in the world. 
The Bo-tree (Ficus religiosa), in all countries where Buddhism prevails,, 
has become a consecrated object, and may be seen on the road-side, 
about houses and temples and in towns, protected by masonry, over 
which shrines are placed for homage-offerings. This particular tree in 
Anuradhapura crowns the uppermost of three successive terraces ; it 
has a multiple trunk, and its several divisions are feeble and gnarled, 
while its leaves lack verdancy and vigour and show the pallor of 
decrepitude. The soil about its roots is almost saturated with the oil 
of its anointment, and yet it spreads its protecting arms over its devotees 
while they deposit their offerings about it. All of them are eager for a. 
single leaf, but no one would dare pluck it fiom the tree, for it must 
fall in full maturity to yield its highest merit. When one of these, 
withered leaves loosens from its branch and comes sailing down there is- 
a pious scramble among the multitude, a collision of zealous heads and 
hands, and then the solitary leaf is borne away in the happy bosom of 
the successful competitor. 
-Mr. Edward Whittal writes to The Mayflower from Smyrna 
very pleasantly of his excursions to the mountains, where he has been, 
collecting Chionodoxas. Besides the original C. Lucilias, discovered 
by Mr. Maw, he found the first variety of this plant on the Mahmout 
Dagh, and named it Sardensis, from the beautiful plains of Sardis, which 
lay before him. This plant is of a darker tint than C. Lucilife, and tha 
intenseness of its colour where many plants were grouped together, with 
a background of rocks, made a picture not to be forgotten. This variety 
of the Chionodoxa has white and pink sports, and it is an acquisition 
for the rockery or wild garden. Mr. Whittal found the third Chionodoxa; 
on the Tmolus range of mountains. It is a smaller, but brighter 
coloured, plant than C. Luciliae, and he named it C. Tmolusi. It baa 
been considered by some botanists as identical to the one discovered by 
Mr. Maw, but in its wild state the difference between the flowers is very 
marked. No white or pink sports of this plant have been found. It 
was near this third Chionodoxa that Mr. Whittal found the variety 
which he named Gigantea, from its more massive flowers. The colour¬ 
ing of this plant is not so brilliant as in the type, but this deficiency is 
made up by its size and by the erectness of its flower-scape. It varies, 
in colour more than the other Glories of the Snow, and when well 
established it will be sure to attract attention .—(American Garden and, 
Forest.') 
FIG. 52.— MR. R. P. EROTHERSTON, TYNXINGHAME. 
THE EDINBURGH SHOW. 
Fruit Stealing. 
There was much worthy of praise in the general arrangements 
of the recent Show at Edinburgh, but there were also several 
serious defects, and it would be well if they were carefully con¬ 
sidered with a view to their rectification in future. One of the 
greatest of these to which I especially wish to draw attention now 
occurred in the removal of the exhibits ; and with many years-’ 
experience in horticultural shows in the United Kingdom I must 
say I never witnessed such a scene as that which prevailed outside 
and inside the Waverley Market on the Friday night. It was 
