December 24, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
567 
wintered, a few stroDg old plants yielding abundance of cuttings, wLicb 
strike freely in heat, or they may be struck in the autumn and wintered 
similarly to Zonal Pelargoniums. They ought not to be planted in very 
rich soil or they grow too strongly, small plants soon becoming tall and 
bushy. In a sunny or rather dry position in mixture with singlo Petunias 
they succeed admirably. They are also effective when planted either in 
lines, in mixed groups, or as a groundwork for thinly planted beds of 
Ricinuses. For window boxes they are invaluable, immense quantities 
being annually used in London. When required for this purpose they 
ought to be raised in the autumn and stopped once or twice, and every 
shoot resulting will flower well in the spring. Etoile d’Or is a good 
yellow sort, and of the whites I prefer coronarium frutescens. For hot 
dry banks, or flower beds and borders that are naturally poor and dry, 
there are no plants to equal seedling single Petunias. On rich soil they 
are apt to grow too strongly, and do not flower nearly so freely as they 
■do on poor soil. A packet of seed sown early in February will yield a 
great number of plants, which soon attain a good size. I have no 
faith in the very dwarf sorts sent out of recent years. 
Lobelias are also easily raised from seed, and several of the strains can 
be depended upon for neatness of growth, freedom of flowering, and 
colour. We prefer to raise our stock either from cuttings or by division 
of a number of old plants wintered in a cool house or pit. These soon 
make good plants and form close bright lines of colour. L. pumila mag- 
nifica and Brighton are our favourite blue varieties, and pumila Ingrami 
is a good white. Ageratums on the whole are much more serviceable than 
Lobelias, neither very dry nor very wet weather appearing to greatly 
injure them. They are easily reared from seed, but for edging purposes 
plants raised from cuttings are the best. Cannell’s Dwarf is perhaps the 
most dwarf of all, and would be invaluable for carpet beds if it was fixed 
in character. Many of the plants are apt to grow much too strongly and 
do not flower well, while those that retain their character produce nothing 
but bloom, and the stock is easily lost. Swanley Blue is our favourite, 
and may be said to be one of the most easily increased and most effective 
dwarf bedding plants in cultivation. 
Pyrethrum Golden Feather flowers too readily, and does not stand wet 
weather so well as we should like, and for the future the preference will 
be given to Pvretbrum aureum selaginoides. The latter, though not so 
bright in colour, does not run to seed, and is much the best for carpet 
beds, not requiring so much plucking. Centaureas argentea plumosa, 
gymnocarpa, and ragusina compacta can all be easily raised from seed, 
and if sown early in the year the plants will be of good size at bedding- 
out time. They stand all weathers, and are very effective white-foliaged 
plants. Chamxpeuces diacantha and Casabonse, the former silvery white 
and the latter green-foliaged, are very attractive dwarf Thistle-like plants, 
and suitable for dotting among dwarf carpeting plants. These may be 
raised from seed either in the autumn or in the spring. Of hardy Grasses 
for bedding purposes the best dwarf kinds are Festuca glauca and Dactylis 
glomerata elegantissima, the former being the most generally useful. 
They divide readily, and a large stock can thus be easily raised without 
the aid of glass. Arundo donax variegata grows to about 3 feet in 
height, and in mixed beds or a strong clump in the centre of a bed is 
most effective. 
Fuchsia Golden Fleece is useful for bedding purposes, while Chrysan¬ 
themum Sensation and another old silvery variegated plant, Polemonium 
cseruleum variegatum, are still deservedly popular in some districts. 
Coprosma Baueriana variegata is also very handsome, but it is not exten¬ 
sively grown, being rather slow of propagation. The same remarks apply 
to the beautifully variegated Veronica Andersoni variegata. Stachys 
lanata, being perfectly hardy and free-growing, is not much prized, but 
we find it very serviceable as well as effective, and use it freely for edging 
large beds, dividing the old plants at bedding-out time only. The Golden 
Thyme loses its colour, otherwise it would be largely grown. Euonymus 
radicans variegatus is a very useful edging plant, and quite hardy. It 
takes some time to get up a good stock, but when this is accomplished the 
plants can be kept neatly trimmed into any shape. Cuttings will strike 
in handlights during the summer, and in heat in the spring. Mesembryan- 
themum cordifolium variegatum ought to be renamed, as it is much too 
long. It is a pretty edging plant, is also suitable for carpet beds, and 
forms the best groundwork for beds thinly planted with tuberous-rooted 
Begonias. Koniga maritima grows freely in all weathers, a little too 
strongly in fact, but it is very easily increased by cuttings in the spring, 
and is a very effective silvery variegated edging plant. Iresine Lindeni 
does not always thrive on heavy soils, but Iresine Herbsti succeeds nearly 
everywhere. Alternantheras magnifica, paronychoides major aurea, amoena 
spectabilis, and versicolor grandis are all worthy of culture and are most 
effective in carpet beds. 
I ought not, perhaps, to omit mentioning a few more flowering plants, 
and wish particularly to strongly recommend tuberous-rooted Begonias 
for summer bedding—not, however, the produce of any inferior strain, 
but rather the best sorts suitable for the purpose. Those that are most 
valued for pot culture we also find the best for the beds. Messrs. Laing 
and other well-known seedsmen supply seeds of capital strains of bedding 
Begonias, and if the plants are given fairly rich soil as well as mulched 
before hot weather arrives, they will flower grandly, almost rivalling 
the Zonal Pelargoniums for brilliance of colour, and certainly far sur¬ 
passing them in wet sunless weather. Antirrhinums are very effective in 
beds, standing drought surprisingly, as also do Pentstemons. Heliotropes 
are general favourites, and a bed or beds of Miss Nightingale please 
everybody. The above list is by no means complete, but perhaps the 
omissions may be made good by some other correspondent.—W. I. 
CANKER IN APPLE TREES. 
I HAVE read Mr. Hiam’s remarks on the canker in Apple trees. I 
quite agree with him in all he says. He forgets when he says I had not 
seen the insects, I said I had, and also my gardener, by the aid of a 
Coddrington lens. I have no doubt in the matter, none. But I did not 
write on the question this time, for I deemed it useless. I suppose I am 
the •“individual” that “Thinker” alludes to. He might in courtesy 
have mentioned my name as Mr. Iiiam did. I do not like to be simply 
styled an “ individual ” in the controversy. I found that two Apple 
trees coated with Gishurst compound four times a year lost their canker 
and grew well, while that standing close by still continued to canker. 
All were in deep good yellow loam. I do not intend to go into the 
argument any further. I can but say, as regards canker, I discovered it 
was caused by insects, not from Mr. Hiam, but I most cordially agree 
with him in every way. I am perfectly satisfied myself, and shall not 
continue further, and should not have written now, only to correct what 
Mr. Hiam stated as to my not having seen the insects. Some Apple trees 
are more attacked by them than others. With regard to the trees being 
out of health, this was not the case, as they were in good soil, well drained, 
and were growing vigorously.— Harrison Weir, F.B.H.S., 34, Lansdowne 
Road, Tunbridge Wells. 
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE HORTICULTURAL AND BOTANICAL 
SOCIETY. 
The third annual dinner of the members of the above Society was held 
in the large dining-room of the Nottingham Arboretum on Thursday last, 
December 17th, when a large company of members and their friends 
assembled. Various parts of the room were well furnished with a variety 
of choice flowering and ornamental foliage plants, whilst stands of choice 
cut flowers and fruits graced the tables, very noticeable being a nicely 
arranged stand of cut Orchid flowers, representing many varieties, sent by 
S. Thacker, Esq., one of the Vice-Presidents, and a noble Queen Pine from 
Chatsworth. The company consisted of many local magnates, in addition 
to a large number of gardeners, most of the gardens of the great houses 
of Notts being represented, as well as a number of local nursery firms. 
The Mayor (Alderman W. Lambert), President of the Society, occupied 
the chair, and was supported amongst others by the Town Clerk ( S. G. 
Johnson, Esq.), F. W. Cooper, Esq., F. G. Baldwin, Esq., Alfred Page, Esq., 
J. P. Fearfield, Esq., H. M. Baines, Esq., A. J. Field, Esq., F. S. Granger, 
Esq., W. Sibley, Esq.; Messrs. A. H. Pearson and C. E. Pearson (Chilwell), 
Owen Thomas (Chatsworth), T. Macdonald (Messrs. Barron & Son), C. J. 
Mee (Wollaton Hall), J. Swanwick (Sherwood Lodge), J. H. Walker (Hard- 
wicke House), T. Edgington (Woodthorpe Grange), J. S. Beiliss (Newstead 
Abbey), &c. 
The usual loyal and patriotic toast having been honoured, the Mayor rose, 
amidst applause, to propose “ Success to the Society.” He thanked the 
members for having elected him President for the ensuing year. He felt 
that every President of a Society like theirs ought to know a good deal about 
horticultural matters, but in that he was very deficient. He was, however, 
a great admirer of gardens, gardeners, and all their work. He was greatly 
indebted to his own gardener, who had endeavoured to teach him much. 
However, he was ashamed to say that he had so much on his mind with re¬ 
gard to business and town matters, that he frequently forgot the names of 
the numberless varieties of pretty flowers, which, while they charmed the 
eye, did not fix their names in his memory. He wished the Society a pro¬ 
sperous season, and hoped they might be successful in their new,venture, and 
hoped it might be instituted at his grounds at Mapperley Park. To him it 
was a source of much pleasure that they should hold their Show there, and 
next year he hoped, if possible, to see them with a better Show than before, 
Mr. Samuel Thacker, in responding, dwelt upon the history of the Society, 
and made some practical suggestions as to its working in the future. 
Mr. C. E. Pearson gave the toast of “ Horticulture,” and commented upon 
his experience of horticultural shows and their successful management. The 
Society had already obtained success by holding one of the best shows in the 
Midlands, but the success which they had not obtained was success from a 
pecuniary point of view. If they could not get the public together to look 
at horticultural produce, they must adopt some other additional means of 
attraction. 
Mr. F. W. Cooper submitted the toast of “ The President, Vice-President, 
and other officers of the Society.” He thought previous speakers took 
rather a gloomy view of the prospects of the Society. The Society had up 
to the present been connected with genteel horticulture. They had resorted 
to popular prices, but not to popular pleasures or amusements. The suc¬ 
cess of the Society very largely depended upon the efforts of its officers, and 
if they would each endeavour to obtain more subscribers the future success 
of the Society would be assured. 
The toast having been responded to, Mr. H. M. Baines proposed “The 
Mayor, Magistrates, and Corporation,” to which the Town Clerk (Mr. S. G. 
Johnson) responded in a very energetic address, containing some sound 
advice to the young men connected with the Society. Mr. Sankey, Bulwell 
Potteries, next proposed “The Visitors,” for whom Mr. Owen Thomas, 
Chatsworth, reponded in a few well-chosen observations^ 
The Chairman, on behalf of the members of the Society, presented the 
Secretary (Mr. Edward Steward) with a cheque for .£10, in recognition of 
his services to the Society. The remaining toasts were “The Auditors,” 
“ The Ladies,” and “ The Press.”—J. H. W. 
NEW SINGLE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
I AM reminded by a box of blooms of all the newer and best varieties 
just received of how much Mr. Cannell, of the well-known “ Home for 
Flowers ” at Swanley, has done, with his accustomed energy, to popularise 
