September 24, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
271 
- Mb. J. Goddard of Fulham has recently on several occasions 
exhibited at Kensington samples of a Patent Clip or Holder that will 
prove useful in many ways to amateue. In the words of the patentee, 
<f It is designed to hold together two or more pieces of glass, slates, or 
other suitable material to form a protection from sun, wind, &c.” The 
clip is simple and ingenious in construction, consisting of a screw which 
passes through a triangular pad that can be removed when desired, and by 
means of one or two of these clips two sheets of glass can be firmly 
secured in position to form a small span bandlight, or four will hold five 
sheets of glass as a flat-topped handlight. It will be found useful in 
many ways, as the screws can be very readily removed. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. John Cameron, outside fore¬ 
man at Melville Castle, Lasswade, has been appointed gardener to H. 
Fryder, Esq, Westbrook Hay, Hemel Hempstead. 
-The monthly meeting of the Belgian Horticulturists was 
held in Ghent on the 14th inst., when the following members of the Jury 
were present—MM. Fr. Desbois, V, Cuvelier, Edm. Yervaet, Ch. Spae, 
Em. de Cock, and Charles Van Geert of Antwerp, M. Auguste Van Geert, 
senior, presiding, and M. Ad. Risseel being Secretary. Certificates of 
merit were awarded for the following plants—Cypripedium species from 
M. A. Van Geert, senior, Tradescantia albo-vittata from M. E. Pynaert 
Van Geert, Dracaena australis variegata from MM. Desbois et Cie.; Cypri- 
pediums Petri, Tonsum, cenanthum superbum, albo-purpureum, tessel- 
latum porphyreum, and selligerum majus from M. Jules Van Heye- 
Leysen; Odontoglossum facetum from MM. Vervaet et Cie., Rhus Cotinus 
pendula from MM. Dervaes frferes, Wetteren; Pavonia intermedia and 
Abutilon chrysostephanus from MM. Desbois et Cie., Gymnotheca Rad- 
diana crenata, Piper ornatum, and Arenga Kaaarinei from M. Aug. Van 
Geert, and double Tuberous Begonias from M. Louis Van Houtte. Honour¬ 
able mention was accorded for Rondeletia speciosa from M. Ch. Spae, Odon¬ 
toglossum grande from M. James Bray, Anthurium Chantrieri from M. 
Desmet-Duvivier, Dracaena Madame Ad. D’Haene and Adiantum Legrandi 
from M. Ad. D’Haene, Bollea species from MM. Vervaet et Cie., Pesca- 
torea species from M. Desmet-Duvivier, and single Tuberous Begonias 
from M. Louis Van Houtte. 
In the majority of catalogues issued by nurserymen and seeds¬ 
men at the present time the literary merit is considerable, and the accuracy 
of the names is very commendable. We have, however, a curious example 
of an opposite character before us, which indicates some singularly erratic 
notions respecting plant nomenclature. Iris Geamania can be recognised 
without any difficulty as Iris germanica, but Iris Susannah requires a 
moment’s reflection before I. susiana is suggested, and we might equally 
ponder over Iris Tnber Roses for I. tuberosa. Scilia Peacocks, Bella 
Donna mina, and Spierie Japonica are slight wanderings which may be 
forgiven, but the genus which has evidently most severely taxed the 
powers of the compiler is the Fritillaria. This we first find as Frittalara, 
which narrowly escaped being correct; a little further we come to Fritte- 
leria Meligus, which apparently did not give perfect satisfaction, for it is 
ultimately developed into Frirteleria. This is slightly confusing, and it 
is hoped that it will he found convenient in the next issue to adopt a 
uniform mode of spelling such names. 
- Referring to OmphalodesLucilm, “J.” writes —“I am 
pleased that “ C. R.” has called attention to the protector for this choice 
alpine; it had slipped my memory at the moment when writing, and 
does not differ materially from that described by your correspondent. 
The first of these I ever saw in use was in Mr. Whitehead’s garden at 
Bickley, and was composed of a small band of perforated zinc gauze 
so as to form a circle, the ends meeting as nearly as possible ; a slightly 
larger hole was made to allow a stout piece of copper wire to pass through 
and round the interior, thus causing a continuous electric current suffi¬ 
ciently efficacious to ward off the attacks of slugs and similar pests. 
This simple though effectual invention I termed—for it was then un¬ 
named, I believe—" Electric Alpine Plant Protector,’’ and apart from 
its uses for placing round alpine gems to protect them, it may be em¬ 
ployed round the young stem growths of Lapageria alba and any other 
similar subjects which slugs attack in their younger stages of growth. I 
did not employ the protector for my first plants of this lovely Navel- 
wort, but which were protected with a square handlight, and planted in 
equal parts of peat and sandy loam ; and though it may not be strictly 
opposed to limestone, this is by no means essential in its successful 
cultivation.” 
The Botanical Magazine for August and September con¬ 
tains plates representing the following plants:—Allium giganteum, a 
Central Asian Onion of large size, with dense globular heads of purple 
flowers. It was collected by O’Donovan in the Merv Expedition. Sisy- 
rinchium filifolium, an interesting plant from the Falkland Islands, 
where it grows in “ the bleakest spots of the globe.” The flowers are 
white streaked with rose, and it is known as the “ Pale Maiden.” Del¬ 
phinium cashmerianum var. Walkeri has large violet-purple-tinted 
flowers, and roundish lobed leaves. Eucbaris Mastersi, a recently intro¬ 
duced species, intermediate between E. grandiflora and E. Sanderi ; a 
small free-flowering variety of the latter is shown in the same plate, and 
named multiflora. Alpinia pumila, a curious plant with red-striped 
flowers in clusters, not unlike some of the Pleiones at a glance. It is a 
native of Eastern China, and is believed to be either a new genus or a 
distinct section of Alpinia. Anthurium Glaziovii, a new Brazilian Aroid, 
with fine dark green leaves and a large purple spadix. Pentstemon Menziesi 
var. Scouleri, a larger freer-flowering form of the type, the leaves narrow 
and flowers purple. Arctotis aureola and A. revoluta, two showy species, 
the former bright orange red, the latter smaller and paler in colour. A. 
aureola is a very handsome old garden plant that has been lost for some 
time, but was obtained by Mr. R. I. Lynch as A. speciosa. Didyosperma 
nanum is an Assam Palm of the Areca tribe, with pinnate leaves in bold 
divisions. A good plate of Primula Auricula is also given showing the 
character of the typical plant. 
CULTIVATING EDIBLE FDNGI. 
After the genial rain we have had, our meadows and woodlands must 
be abounding in delicious Mushrooms of many varieties—delicious to the 
taste as well as delightful to the eye. Now I want to ask why, in these 
days of “ Mushrooms for the Million,” if we wish to buy Mushrooms or 
spawn, we are restricted to the Meadow Mushroom, Agaricus campestris, 
or its inferior, the Horse Mushroom, with its black or subfust gills. Has 
it ever been proved by experiment that it is unprofitable or too expensive 
to produce spawn for growing other varieties, as Lactarius deliciosus. 
Boletus edulis, Agaricus procerus, Chanterelles, or any other of the thirty 
well-known edible fungi described by Mrs. Hussey and others, with full 
directions how to cook them 1 Has any capitalist ever ruined himself in 
the endeavour to cultivate artificially “Jews ears?” The savour-to- 
gravy, soup-and-sauce-giving Morell, said to have been sold in Covent 
Garden Market for 16s. per pound. Herefordshire, I believe, is the 
mycologists’ paradise. Could not some of the Mushroom excursionists of 
that favoured region do us the kindness to undertake a few experiments 
in the way of producing spawn for the market, so that the fried Mush¬ 
room, so dainty at breakfast, might be as varied as the fried fish ? And 
might not horticultural societies at their autumn shows for vegetables 
include a prize or prizes for the best dish of Mushrooms artificially grown 
or cultivated in the open ground, in the home kitchen garden not less 
than six varieties? Will some correspondent give an answer to these 
questions ?—the Q. E. D. to the perplexed—X. 
GRAND DUKE AND SELF-HELP PLUM. 
Mr. Rivers’ letter re-pecting my exhibit of this Plum at the meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Fruit Committee on the 8th inst., for 
comparison with my seedling Self-help, is most unfair and uncharit¬ 
able towards myself. He does not deny, although he raises a doubt, 
that the comparing specimens were of Grand Duke, but he charges me 
with having intentionally picked inferior fruit for the purpose, and speaks 
of me as if I were a contending exhibitor at an ordinary show of the 
Horticultural Society. Surely there should be no contention at the Fruit 
Committee meetings, of which Committee Mr. Rivers is a member, and 
appears to have been present at the meeting on the 8 th inst. I had not 
anticipated contention ; I sent the Plums in good faith, fairly gathered, 
and for the dry season and position of proportionate size and ripeness, 
certainly with no intention of disparaging Mr. Rivers’ productions or of 
incurring his hostility. I selected Grand Duke for comparison with Self- 
help as being the variety which approximated mostly to it in colour, 
shape, size, fertility, and general appearance, but differing from it a good 
deal in the period of ripening. Self-help in a crowded and shaded posi¬ 
tion being fully ripe and dropping, Grand Duke having in a full south 
exposure only a few fruits quite coloured, and these were selected. It 
would have been magnifying the difference had I picked the less ripe. In 
size there was no perceptible diflerence between the fruits gathered and 
those left. Had the heavy crop been thinned probably greater size might 
have been obtained, but I do not thin, and made Grand Duke no 
exception. 
Mr. Rivers’ allusion to “ ill-shape,” which arose from compression, 
helps also to explain the cause of want of size. All the varieties of Plums 
grown on my hot sandy land at Girtford, especially such fertile varieties 
as Victoria and Grand Duke, are much smaller than usual, as, indeed, 
Plums are generally this year. I have looked upon Grand Duke as one 
of ihe best Plums grown, but it has never been very large, although last 
and previous years it has been much later than this. That my stock of 
Grand Duke is true I have not the least doubt, as I have it from two 
distinct but most reliable trade sources, and both stocks have comported 
themselves alike. The last specimens of each I have forwarded to the 
