816 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 8, 1886. 
“Popular Gardening” contains the subject previously referred to, arid 
has a very instructive chapter on propagation. Part 21 of the “ Encyclo¬ 
paedic Dictionary ” contains from “ Cost ” to “ Croop,” page 513 to 576. 
Part 18 of the “ Book of Health ” has, amongst other subjects, an import¬ 
ant chapter on “ Travelling and its Influence on Health.” Part 42 of 
the “ Illustrated Book of Canaries and Cage Birds ” has a coloured 
plate of the green woodpecker, the jay, and the nuthatch with descriptive 
matter. 
-A correspondent writes that he has “ a plant of Lilium 
AURATuM which had thirty stems, 7 feet high, and bearing 275 flowers. 
The flowers were 8 inches in diameter, and the plant has not divided for 
eighteen years.” Such a specimen is certainly remarkable, and it would 
he interesting to learn in what soil and position the plant is growing. 
- Gardening Appointments. —The following appointments have 
been recently made through Messrs. John Laing & Co., Forest Hill Nur¬ 
series, London, S.E. :—Mr. Jas. Ford, as head gardener to Captain Elliot, 
Farnborough Park, Hants. The undermentioned have also been appointed 
through Messrs. James Carter Sc Co. :—Mr. Robert Loadbetter, as head 
gardener to A. G. Hubbuck, Esq., Elmstead Lodge, Chislehurst ; and Mr. 
James Church, as head gardener to Sir William Parker, Bart., Melford 
Hall, SuflE.dk. 
- The Editor of the Tropical Agriculturist gives the following 
notes on the Queen of Flowers in Ceylon. —“ On many upland 
estates in Ceylon we have seen not only garden plots, but hedges brilliant 
with a wealth of Roses. But until the receipt of a basket from Mr. A. 
Whyte of Kandy, a few days ago, we had but an imperfect idea of the 
perfection of form, colour, and fragrance to which the very finest species 
of Roses can be brought in our island by careful and intelligent culti¬ 
vation. When the basket was opened, a scene of exquisite beauty was 
suddenly revealed, the many-petalled, compact and large blossoms dis¬ 
playing every shade of crimson, pink, glorious golden-yellow and white. 
The basket was more than half filled with damp moss, and in this were 
placed a number of porous earthen pots which held the bouque s of 
Roses, the stems of the flowers being also in damp moss, with which the 
pots were half filled. So packed, Mr. Whyte told us, he was able to 
send his Roses in good condition to distances so remote from Kandy as 
Galle.” 
- A correspondent states that a paper was lately read at a 
meeting in Dresden, giving an account of the introduction of the 
Potato into Germany and the gradual spread of its cultivation. It 
was first brought into Germany from Italy in 1585. The first seed 
Potatoes in Saxony were presented by the Landgrave of Hesse to the 
Elector of Saxony in 1591. In 1647 they were grown as exotics in 
gardens at Leipzig. They were re-introduced into Saxony from Brabant 
in 1717, and they were soon in general cultivation, their culture being 
much developed in the famine of 1770-71. In the year 1882 over nine 
million acres were devoted to the cultivation of Potatoes in Germany, the 
produce amounting to 23 million tons. 
-“ Instigated by the threatened dearth of the Gutta Percha 
Tree (Isonandra gutta),” says the South of India Observer, “ M. Haeckel 
has sought a substitute and claims to have found it in the Birtyrosper- 
Mum Parkii (Kotschy) of Equatorial Africa, and abundant in latitudes 
between Upper Senegal and the Nile ; especially in the forest of the 
Niger and Nile regions. It affects the argillaceous and ferruginous soils 
of Bambarris Boure and Fenoa-Djalon, where the Africans gather its 
fruit, which yields a greese called karite. The juice or milk is obtained 
by incision from the bark, and on evaporation resembles gutta percha. 
M. Hseckel states that he has sent seeds to various French colonies, and 
also to England, in the hope that the latter country will try the experi¬ 
ment of introducing the tree into her vast tropical possessions. M. 
Hteckel also calls the attention of English botanists and chemists to the 
divers India Bassias, as he is led by analogy to infer that they might 
furnish milky products similar to the Bassia Parkii.” 
- The Weather. — A Westmoreland correspondent writes : 
Frost has unfortunately visited us unusually early. On September 24th, 
at 12 P.M., the thermometer registered 8° of frost, sufficient to cut down 
Dahlias, Marigolds, and tender bedding plants, also Runner and Dwarf 
Beans. When we consider the very late spring and scorching summer 
no wonder that many feel this to have been a somewhat blank season, 
especially those who have to depend upon many such tender plants for 
their little display as amateurs and cottagers have_to do. Single Dahlias 
especially were just at their best. In 1880, September 29th and 30th 
were two very severe nights. At 12 p m. on the 29th the thermometer 
registered 15° of frost. With these exceptions frost this year has come 
much earlier than usual, but in 1880 the spring was very early, and the 
best summer remembered in this part.” 
- To keep away slugs.— “Anyone troubled with slugs eating 
Lapageria growths or other choice plants,” writes “ E. B.,” ‘ will find 
Gorse cut when hard and strong in autumn and chopped into 3-inch 
lengths or so answers this purpose well. Spread it over the surface of the 
soil or between pots on stages when the plants do not touch.” 
- “ In the many articles on the cultivation and selection of Toma¬ 
toes,” writes Mr. E. Burton, “ I do not notice mention of Tomato 
Carter’s Red Currant. More especially is this brought to my mind 
in consequence of the many callers here, who do not appear to be much 
acquainted with it. It is, as its name suggests, very similar in growth 
of fruit to the ordinary Red Currant, but rather more than twice the size 
of the finest Currants. Nothing is more esteemed here than this brisk- 
flavoured variety. It is eaten uncooked from salad oil, and anyone wish¬ 
ing to cultivate a taste for Tomatoes need only grow this. It is of free 
slender growth, very prolific (more so than any other), and is also 
particularly ornamental as a roof plant, and equally free throughout 
winter.” 
- Paragraphs have been going the round of the daily and local 
newspapers containing marvellous accounts of the Fruiting of Arau¬ 
caria imbricata in the Isle of Wight, which seem to have been 
occasioned by a specimen of this Conifer in Steephill Castle Gardens, 
which is about 40 feet high and has had nearly forty cones, each twice the 
size of ordinary Cocoa-nuts, this season. It is not uncommon for this 
Araucaria to bear cones, and plants have been raised from seeds pro' 
duced in England. 
- The Phylloxera Convention has been joined by Greece, and 
that country now forbids all trade with North and South America, 
Australia, Africa, the coast of Ada Minor, and Europe, except Holland, 
Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in trees and plants of every 
kind, fresh fruits and their foliage, fruit juice, in natural or mixed state ; 
flowering bulbs, and fre-h fleshy roots of every description, Vine stakes 
which have been used in vineyards, and hay in bundles. 
- We regret to learn that the noted botanist M. Edmond Boissier 
died after a very short illness on the 25th ult. at Yaleyres. He was 
chiefly known for his “ Flora Orientalis,” but he was also the author of 
several other works, especially his “ Voyage Botanique dans l’Espagne,” 
an illustrated work which appeared at intervals from 1839 to 1845, and 
recounted his travels in Spain during 1837. He botanically explored 
various parts of South-eastern Europe and Asia Minor, and published, 
separately, diagnoses of the large number of undescribed species he found 
from within the limits of his “ Flora Orientalis,” the first volume of which 
appeared in 1867, and the last in 1881. 
- Mr. Stephen Castle, West Lynn, wishes to second “A Surrey 
Gardener’s ” proposition for the National Chrysanthemum Society to add 
a Grape Class in the January Exhibition. “ This will meet the approval 
of a host of Grape-growers, the money prizes need not be large, and 
medals would perhaps cause greater competition. The Society oflEers very 
liberal prizes at the November Show for Apples, Pears, and Grapes, which 
classes have always proved very interesting to the visitors, yet while they 
have a special certificate for prizewinners in Chrysanthemums the fruit 
exhibitors are left out. I think even now it is not too late for the National 
to move in the matter. I should be pleased to give my support to a Grape 
class or classes. What say others ?” 
- Much useful work has been executed in the Singapore 
Botanic Gardens during the past year. Upwards of 70,000 forest 
tree nursery plants were propagated, and have been sent to the forests 
of Singapore, or to the forests of the neighbouring British settlements. 
The trees comprised Teak, Mahogany, Serayah, Gum Copal, Merhau, 
Toon, Illippi, Rain Tree, and mixed native trees. Of the plants sold to 
the public, a large number were Fourcroya gigantea or Mauritius Hemp ; 
the remainder were principally ornamental trees, shrubs, Orchids, &c. 
“Coca” (Erythroxylon Coca), appears likely to prove profitable in 
Singapore. 
-- The Committee of the York Floral Fete are endeavouring to 
make arrangements for holding an Annual Dahlia Show in the North 
