November 26 , 1891 . ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
453 
—r- Oakdene, Guildford. —We are requested to announce that 
this estate has been purchased by the Marquis of Sligo, and that Mr. 
W. H. Aggett remains in charge as head gardener. 
- Raising Chrysanthemums from Seed. —Is it possible to 
ripen the seed of Chrysanthemums in this country ? If so, what is the 
mode adopted, and how are the flowers hybridised 1 —Stanstead 
Surprise. 
- Kingston Chrysanthemum Society. —We are informed 
that the Committee of the Kingston and Surbiton Chrysanthemum 
Society have decided to hold their next Exhibition on November 8th 
and 9th, 1892, and that judges are being engaged for the occasion, 
- Lectures in Horticulture. —We are informed that Mr. 
G. Jordan, gardener to the Rev. Hugh Berners, Harkstead Rectory, 
Ipswich, has been appointed by the County Council of Suffolk to 
deliver twelve lectures on horticulture in the neighbourhood of 
Ipswich. 
- The second Chrysanthemum Show at Ellesmere (Salop) 
appears to have been very satisfactory, for the numbers of entries as 
compared with last year show an advance from 73 to 113. The Presi¬ 
dent is Mr. Brownlow R. C. Tower, who gave an interesting address on 
the Chrysanthemum in the afternoon. 
-Birmingham Gardeners’ Association.—A well-considered 
exhaustive paper on the Culture of the Melon was read at the last 
meeting of the Birmingham Gardeners’ Association by Mr. William 
Comfort, The Gardens, Knowle Hall, near Birmingham. A lengthened 
discussion followed, and a very hearty vote of thanks was awarded. 
- Gardening Appointments. — Mr. Henry Osman, having 
resigned his engagement at Harefield, has been appointed gardener to 
Mrs. Miller, Brentby House, Westbury-on-Trym, Gloucestershire. The 
following appointments have been recently made through Messrs. 
J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill :—Mr. G. Yoell, late of Colley Lodge, 
Reigate, as head gardener 'to W. Watkins, Esq., Fairfield, Lee, S.E.; 
Mr. Beckett as head gardener to F. Behrens, Esq., Worleston Grange, 
Nantwich ; and Mr. C. Stocking as head gardener to the Earl of Ayles- 
ford, Packington Hall, Coventry. 
- The works of the late Mr. Hibberd.—M essrs. W. H. & L. 
Collingridge, the proprietors of the Gardeners' Magazine (the editorship 
of which was under the late Mr. Shirley Hibberd) have purchased of the 
receiver of the estate of Messrs. Groombridge & Son, Limited, the whole 
of the stock, copyright, engravings, and stereotype plates of the well 
known gardening books by the late Mr. Shirley Hibberd, and will in 
future supply the trade. Many of the books are at present out of print, 
new editions of each are in preparation. 
- Although Mignonette is a great favourite with most people, 
and much frequented by bees, it is not cultivated to the extent as it 
might be, nor in a manner to prolong its flowering. Treated as a hardy 
annual it is seldom seen in bloom before the end of July, but when 
treated as a biennial it may be had in flower from the end of April or 
the beginning of May in the open ground, just as the plants have been 
treated. I used to preserve the plants in frames, and sometimes in dry 
sheltered positions the whole winter, and when spring came had only 
to plant them out in any vacancies in the flower garden.—W. T. 
- Mr. Albert Koebele, the American entomologist, is travel¬ 
ling in the Australasian colonies for the purpose of studying the enemies 
OF insect pests. In introducing him to the Wellington Philosophical 
Society at a meeting on September 23rd, Sir James Hector recalled the 
circumstances connected with a memorable service which Mr. Koebele 
lately rendered to California. In 1888, when on a visit to South Australia 
in search of a small fly (Testophonus), a parasite on that dreadful pest 
Icerya Purchasi, Mr. Koebele discovered a single ladybird (Yedalia) prey¬ 
ing on the pest. He found a second specimen in New South Wales, and then 
on his arrival in New Zealand he found that the Icerya about Auckland 
was also being destroyed by something, and this, too, turned out to be 
Yedalia. He at once saw that here was the thing he sought, and he was 
fortunate enough to be able to collect several thousands of Vedalias, 
which he afterwards liberated in California. Up to that time California 
had been so eaten up by Icerya that the damage was estimated at twenty 
millions of dollars annually. Yet, in twelve or fifteen months after the 
liberation of Vedalia in April, 1889, the State was practically free from 
the dreaded pest. Sir James Hector rightly characterised this work of 
Mr. Koebele as one of the grandest things in the interest of fruit and 
treegrowers that have been effected in modern times.—( Nature .) 
- The Woodbridge Horticultural Society. —The Com¬ 
mittee of the above Society show in the financial statement of their 
Floral and Musical Fete, held in the Abbey Grounds on July 9th last, 
a balance in their favour of £39 5s. 9d. In consequence of the fire 
which occurred in the Tan Yard, by which the whole of the working 
plant was consumed, it was necessary for the Committee to have new 
stands made which cost a considerable amount, besides various other 
materials which have not all been replaced yet, the Committee feeling 
the expense too great to incur in one year, but they trust that all friends 
will rally round the old Society so that next year the whole of the 
working stock may be obtained. The town having taken up the question 
of allotments so warmly, the Committee hope to be able to offer more 
encouragement to allotment holders in future. The next Show is fixed 
for July 7th, 1892, and a £25 cup is offered for twenty-four Roses (open), 
a remarkably liberal prize. 
- Prof. G. L. Goodale, of Harvard University, has recently 
paid a visit to the Museums and Botanical Gardens in the tropics 
and IN the southern hemisphere, and has contributed an interesting 
description of them to the American Journal of Science. In the number 
for October we find an account of the Technological Museum at Sydney, 
which contains a very complete collection of the economic vegetable 
products of Australia, and which is largely visited by the working classes; 
of the two Botanic Gardens at Brisbane, one of them under the manage¬ 
ment of the Society of Acclimatisation ; the Botanic Gardens at Geelong, 
Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington ; the Museums at Dunedin, 
Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland ; and the small but excellent 
local Museum and Garden at Hobart. Prof. Goodale notices, with com¬ 
mendation, the tenacity with which all the Australian Museums cling to 
rare specimens of archaeological and ethnographical interest, instead of 
utilising them for exchange. 
- The Teignmouth and District Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Association held a non-competitive Show in the 
Assembly Rooms on Friday, November 20th. The object of the Show 
was to start a fund for a library in connection with the Association. 
Some very effective groups were arranged most creditable to the 
gardeners of the neighbourhood, as it is only five weeks since this 
Show was suggested. H. Hammond-Spencer, Esq. (the President of 
the Association) sent a fine group of miscellaneous plants, Orchids, a 
fine Adiantum farleyense over 5 feet across, with fourteen dozen cut 
blooms of Chrysanthemums ; Miss Fripp sent some fine cut blooms and 
fruit ; Mrs. Marsh-Dunn, Carlton Lodge, had a very good group of 
Palms and Chrysanthemums, as also did H. Leah, Esq., — Athens, Esq. 
F. Wheatly, Esq., Endfield, Shaldon, sent some beautiful Orchids in 
splendid condition ; the Rev. A. Simms, Newton Abbot, showed good 
cut blooms of Chrysanthemums ; Messrs. Hannaford & Son, nursery¬ 
men, displayed a fine bank of miscellaneous plants, &c.; Mr. Stamp, 
nurseryman, Bishops Teignton, also had a small group. The Show was 
a great success in every way, after all expenses are paid there will be a 
balance in hand of £15. 
_ A Further Note on the Kingston Show. —The furious 
gale of Wednesday, November 11th, accompanied with the drenching 
rain, seriously affected the receipts on the second day of Kingston Show. 
Fortunately, the Society has a good reserve fund, and in the evening of 
the second day the prize money was paid to the successful competitors 
to the amount of £130. A most interesting feature of the Exhibition, 
which we were unable to note before, was the clas3 for twenty-four 
blooms, twelve incurved and twelve Japanese, the first prize a cup 
value £5 5s., given by Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, which 
brought six magnificent collections, so even and fresh that each collec¬ 
tion would have done honour to any first-class show. Mr. R. Cawfe 
recoived the premier distinction with massive blooms of Lord Alcester, 
Violet Tomlin, Jeanne d’Arc, Alfred Salter, Queen of England, Miss 
M. A. Haggas, Prince Alfred, Golden Empress, Brookleigh Gem, Princess 
of Wales, Mrs. Coleman, and Lady Hardinge ; Japanese Avalanche, 
Mons. Bernard, Condor, Edwin Molyneux, W. W. Coles, Stanstead 
White, Jeanne D&aux, Ralph Brocklebank, Mrs. H. Cannell, Stanstead 
Surprise, Puritan, and Carew Underwood. Mr. Woodgate ran the first 
prize collection very close, and received the second award ; Mr. 
R. Coombe was third, and Mr. J. Wilkins fourth. A finer display of 
reflexed has probably never been seen, and Mr. J. Carpenter wdls 
deservedly awarded the first prize with the following Amy Furze, 
Cloth of Gold (two), Cullingfordi (two), King of Crimsons, Golden 
Christine, Pink Christine, and Mrs. Forsyth (two). There were six 
competitors, all staging grand collections. Large Anemones, Pompons, 
and Anemone Pompons were alike all extraordinarily fine, and brought 
