386 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Ngy( mi>er 5 , 18M. 
Events of the Week. —Chrysanthemum Shows will contribute 
the principal horticultural events of the present and succeeding week. 
To-day (Thursday), Nov. 5th, there are Shows at Highgate, Chiswick, 
and Wandsworth. On Friday, Nov. 6th, the Crystal Palace Show will 
be openel, and will be continued on Saturday. Monday, Nov. 9th, 
commences with a Show at St. Neots, followed on Tuesday, Nov. 10th, 
by a number of shows, some of which are continued over two, and in 
one case three days. These are East Grinstead, Kingston, Horsham, 
Royal Aquarium, Leeds, and South London. The Shows commencing 
on Wednesday, Nov. 11th, are Birmingham, Bournemouth, Northamp¬ 
ton, Swansea, and Croydon. On Friday next, Nov. 6th, an important 
sale of Cattleya labiata vera from Messrs. F. Sander & Co. will be held 
at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris’s rooms, when some extra large specimens 
will be offered. 
- Ware and District Horticultural Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Society. —At a special meeting held by this Society recently a 
very interesting and instructive paper was read by Mr. G. Paul, of the 
Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, on “ Fruit Culture on the West Slopes of the 
Lea Valley.” Mr. Paul’s remarks were illustrated by a very fine collec¬ 
tion of fruit. About 100 dishes of Apples and Pears having been sent 
from the nursery. The paper was highly appreciated by a large gathering 
of members and their friends. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded 
to Mr. Paul for his able paper, and a vote of thanks to the Chairman 
brought a very pleasant meeting to a close. 
- Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—A t a largely attended Committee 
meeting of this charity on Friday evening last it was decided that the 
anniversary dinner be held in February next, and it was resolved 
unanimously that Sir Jame3 Whitehead, Bart., be invited to preside 
on the occasion. A letter was read from Mr. Tait of Manchester 
stating that a local committee had been formed in that busy and 
wealthy city to represent and support the Fund, the Secretary 
Mr. Upjohn, or his delegate, being empowered to attend the meetings of 
the Central Committee in London. It could scarcely fail to be of great 
advantage to the charity if committees were established on the same 
basis in other great centres of population. Sums amounting to upwards 
of £11 were received as the proceeds of money boxes or collections from 
Bristol, Birmingham, and Birdsall, Mr. Wadds sending £5 7s. 6d. Two 
donations of £5 each were announced, also £250 as the result of a 
collection of small sums, mainly by gardeners and friends in various 
parts of the kingdom. Thus a great deal of good will be done at a very 
small sacrifice by individuals, and the Committee expressed their 
obligation to all who had collected and contributed to the Fund. 
- Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—A t Ketton Hall Gardens, 
where Peaches are so well and extensively grown by Mr. Divers, a 
praiseworthy example has been set. By the kind permission of Mr. 
and Mrs. Hopwood the fine collection of Chrysanthemums grown 
there are open to public view on a small payment being made on 
Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 p.m. till dusk until November 21st, 
the proceeds to be devoted to the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. Could not 
many others where Chrysanthemums are grown follow the example of 
the energetic Hon. Sec. for the Stamford district, and try and persuade 
their employers to allow a similar exhibition, if only for one afternoon ?_ 
H. W., Stamford. 
- Gardening Appointments.— We are informed that Mr. 
Albert Baxter, late foreman to Mr. T. H. Grasp, Canford Manor, 
Wimborne, has been appointed gardener to Henry Lewis, Esq., Green- 
meadow, Tongmynlais, Cardiff. Mr. Walter Madge, foreman at Parker’s 
AVell Gardens, Exeter, has been appointed to succeed Mr. C. Lock at 
Culver, Exeter. Mr. Arthur Allsop, who was plant decorator at 
Trentham, succeeds Mr. Leach at Bryanston House, Blandford. 
Trees at Richmond Terrace. —The London correspondent 
of a local paper says : — “ Richmond Terrace, whence can be 
obtained a view over the Thames Valley which Sir Walter Scott 
pronounced to be ‘unrivalled,’ and which was equally beloved by 
Turner, will shortly lose one of its distinguishing beauties. The stately 
Elms that line the terrace are all internally decayed. Some must come 
down at once, and the rest, it is feared, cannot last much longer. It 
was under these trees, readers of 1 Pickwick ’ will remember, that Mr. 
Tracy Tupman walked with ‘ a youthful and jaunty air,’ which 
rendered him ‘ the admiration of numerous elderly ladies of single 
condition.’ ” 
- Just as we are going to press we have received a telegram, 
from which we learn that the Portsmouth Chrysanthemum Show 
is an extremely fine one. The Jubilee prize of £8 for eight trained 
specimen plants is won by Mr. Penford, Leigh Park Gardens, Havant*- 
In the class for forty-eight cut blooms Messrs. W. & G. Drover, of 
Fareham, have won the piece of plate value £25 and £8 in money aB 
the first prize, and are followed by Mr. Payne of Emsworth, Mr. 
N. Molyneux, and Mr. Agate. Messrs. Drover won the challenge prize 
last year, and it therefore now becomes their property in accordance 
with the conditions imposed by the Society. 
- Mr. Henry Mardlin, the well-known Chrysanthemum grower 
at Finsbury Park, is about to resign the position he has held since the 
formation of the Park, as foreman and propagator. And Chrysanthe¬ 
mum cultivators ought not to allow him to retire without some ex¬ 
pressions of esteem for one who has done so much to popularise our 
queen of autumn. The public display at Finsbury Park was initiated- 
mainly through his exertions, and save for those of the Temple Gardens ^ 
was the first of the kind in the metropolis. The flower loving public 
■ff North London, too, will lose in Mr. Mardlin a valuable public servant.. 
—Visitor. 
- Greenhouse Floors.— The builder of my greenhouse (40 by 
20) has laid the tiling of floor almost level, therefore causing all water 
to lie about unless mopped up or allowed to dry, there being no¬ 
channels or waterways. To relay would be somewhat costly, besides- 
the builder says all greenhouse floors are so laid. I beg to differ. 
What is your readers’ opinion ? Any suggestion as to remedy, and as- 
to whether builder’s contention is correct, will be esteemed.—W. B». 
Beckett. 
- Early Planting of Apples. — Mr. Luckhurst’s excellent 
paper on the advantage of autumnal planting ought to be convincing,, 
but there are some still, I fancy, who do not believe in trees and shrubs 
making roots during the winter. The commencement of the great frost 
last year found me with one Apple tree still unplanted. It was laid 
in overnight, and in the morning could not be moved. At the earliest 
possible opportunity, at the conclusion of the seven or eight weeks’ frost,, 
we lifted the tree to plant it, and found that several little white roots- 
had actually been formed during the frost.—W. R. Raillem. 
- Dactylis glomerata variegata. — I have previously 
touched on the great utility of this beautiful Grass for bedding purposes, 
I now wish to call attention to it as a useful addition to the list of 
plants suitable for indoor decoration. For this purpose it is one of the 
best plants in its own particular style that I am acquainted with for 
use during the winter and spring months. At those seasons of the year 
suitable materials in small pot3 for finishing groups of plants, and 
arranging around larger plants in vases, are not generally plentiful, and 
as this can be had in quantity then with but little trouble, it is all the 
more welcome, especially as it supplies a fine variegation of foliage,, 
which is so desirable for intermixing with Ferns and Isolepis gracilis,, 
both indispensable plants to the house decorator. Those who are 
fortunate enough to have a good stock in any position in the open air 
should, as soon as possible, lift some of the roots, divide them, and place 
them in pots of various sizes, pressing the soil very firmly, and then plunge 
the pots over their rims in coal ashes in the open air. In this position 
they should be left for a few weeks till the growth has thoroughly 
died. They should then be taken into a structure where they receive 
gentle heat, and can be kept near the glass. A heated pit or shelf in a 
warm greenhouse are capital positions for them, there they quickly 
develop their growth. When this has become a little hardened by a 
free circulation of air the plants are ready for use wherever required. 
When once a good stock has been obtained the roots can be-thrown 
away after being used, as this Grass increases so rapidly that a few 
roots divided in the spring and planted out in a sunny position,.are 
ready for use in the autumn, and one of the chief features of its useful¬ 
ness is that they only occupy space under glass while they are making 
growth, and as the spring months advance they may be brought on 
quickly enough in cold pits.—H. D. 
