March 4 , 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
171 
Secretary, Mr. J. H. Ford, at a complimentary dinner in the Masonic Hall, 
when he was presented with a substantial testimonial in recognition of 
his services. This consisted of a handsome gold watch and a purse of 
100 sovereign", which had been subscribed by members of the Society 
and friends. The chair was taken by Sir J. Whittaker Ellis, Bart., and 
there was a large attendance of the leading horticulturists in the district. 
Several speeches were made, and Mr. Ford was highly complimented 
upon the satisfactory manner in which he has conducted the Society’s 
affairs. 
-The New Park at Exeter.—W e learn that Messrs. Lucombe, 
Pince Sc Co.’s tender for the supply of the ornamental trees and shrubs 
required for the Belmont Pleasure Grounds at Exeter has been accepted 
by the Exeter Town Council. 
- “ M. C. B.” writes—“ I have had some seeds from New Zealand 
of a plant called Kowhai Nguttii kalia. Can any of your correspon¬ 
dents tell me what is the correct botanical name, and what is the proper 
treatment ? They are being raised in a hotbed. How shall I treat 
them 1 ” 
- The gardeners and labourers employed in the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society's Gardens at Chiswick and South Kensington were 
entertained at a supper provided for the occasion at the Bolton Hotel, 
Chiswick, on Friday evening, the 26th ult. The chair was taken by Dr. 
Robert Hogg, who was supported on the right by Mr. A. F. Barron, and 
on the left by Dr. M. T. Masters. The vice-chair was filled by Mr. J. 
Shirley Hibberd, supported by Mr. Thomson and Mr. Summers. About 
thirty sat down to an excellent repast, which being over, the remainder of 
the evening was spent in songs and speeches, all present giving evidence 
of the pleasure they seemed to derive from this gathering. The occasion 
was prompted by some members of the various Committees who are accus¬ 
tomed to meet during the year at Chiswick to conduct experiments of 
various kinds and to report thereon. These gentlemen having received 
much useful assistance from the young gardeners and others employed in 
the Garden, and who made in many cases personal sacrifices that these 
experiments should not fail through want of attention, considered it a 
proper recognition of their assistance to invite them all to a supper. We 
hope that this will be but the beginning of a long series of such enter¬ 
tainments. 
- Referring to Mildew on Roses “Borderer” writes:— 
“Though I have had by me all last year the ‘Gardeners’ Year Book, 
1885,” yet it was only the other day that I read in it Mr. Worthington 
Smith’s most interesting article on ‘ Rose Mildew,’ but in which he unfor¬ 
tunately has to say that he cannot point out how it can be prevented. I 
was, when reading the article, reminded that I saw in a number of the 
Journal of Horticulture last year a statement that dressing the soil of a 
Rise bed with gypsum was a great preservative against, if not pre¬ 
ventive, of mildew. Can any of your correspondents kindly inform me if 
this is generally found to be successful, and in what quantity the gypsum 
should be used ? ” 
- The Narcissus Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society will hold three meetings during the coming season—viz., on 
March 23rd, April 13th, and April 27th. The proceedings at each of 
these three meetings will be conducted as follows :—The Committee will 
meet in or near the conservatory at 11 A.M., when a list of the specimeng 
seat in for examination, and of questions for discussion, will be presented, 
The Committee will first determine what specimens and questions it will 
take into consideration, and adjourn in order that members of the Com. 
mittee may examine the specimens. At 1.30 P.M. the Committee will re¬ 
assemble and proceed to the discussion of the specimens. It is hoped 
that those interested in the Narcissus will send up to one or other of these 
meetings any new or interesting forms they may possess. All such speci¬ 
mens should be sent in so as to arrive at South Kensington not later than the 
day before the meeting. They should be addressed to the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society Narcissus Committee, and each specimen should bear 
a label (waterproof) with the sender’s name and some number by which 
it may be recognised, and be accompanied by a statement of the inquiry 
which the sender desires to put to the Committee, and of any facts 
which may guide the Committee in their decisions. The Committee 
will also be glad to receive communications or inquiries relating to the 
natural history and culture of Narcissus, also suggestions for inves¬ 
tigation. 
— A correspondent remarks that—“ Th'se who have not yet 
obtained Azalea Deutsche Perle should do so at once. It is without 
doubt the finest semi-double white variety that has yet been raised. The 
flowers are of large size, pure white, and their beatiful shape will commend 
them to all who have many bouquets to make. For early forcing A. 
narcissiflora is the variety relied upon, and we have a large stock 
of that, but its greatest defect is its poor badly coloured foliage. A. 
Deutsche Perle has fine dark green foliage, flowers very early, and when 
well known will certainly be the most popular white variety for early 
forcing.” 
- A gardener observes that “ Statice Suworowii is a 
charming plant when well grown in 5 and 6-inch pots for purposes of 
decoration during the summer months. At that period of the year it is 
totally distinct from other plants in flower, and is at once striking and 
effective in any arrangement of plants. Those who have effective and 
telling groups of plants to arrange either at home or in the exhibition 
tent should give this plant a trial, for in such arrangements its slender 
stem bearing its light pink flowers stand out boldly. It is easily grown. 
The seed should be sown in heat and the plants pricked off when large 
enough, and then potted into 3-inch pots, and from them into the sizes 
named. It will do well in any moderately rich fertile soil. Care must 
be taken not to grow the plants too warm. They must be gradually 
hardened to greenhouse treatment, and later in the season to the cool airy 
conditions of a cold frame. The treatment that will suit Rhodanthes 
after they are about 1 inch high will suit this plant well.” 
- We have received from the Native Guano Company, 29, 
New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London, a pamphlet showing the results 
of the application of their manure in the field and the garden in the 
form of testimonials from cultivators who have applied it to various plants 
and crops. It may be remembered that Mr. H. S. Easty expressed his 
high approval of Native Guano on page 126 for Potatoes. The directors 
would invite the assistance and co-operation of landowners, farmers, and 
others to help in extending the use of the ABC process in their own 
neighbourhood, thus subserving not only their own direct interests, but 
also the welfare of the community at large. The multiplication of works 
for the treatment of sewage by this system would not only improve the 
sanitary condition of towns, but the manure being produced in proximity 
to farms, Sea , would not have its costs augmented by carriage charges. 
Thus, what is now a nuisance to towns would become a source of profit to 
the country generally, and especially to farmers, who would have a 
valuable manure produced almost at their own doors. So far as we 
know, this is the best and cleanest method of disposing of the sewage of 
large towns. 
-“ J. R. S. C.,” states respecting the caterpillars complained of 
(p. 151) as destroying the blossoms of fruit trees (PCarpocapse pomon®), 
• ‘ Perhaps the early application of some bitter substance, such as decoction 
of quassia, or something odorous, such as very weak solution of petro¬ 
leum, syringed over the twigs, might prevent the moths from depositing 
eggs. The mite observed to infest Eucharis (p. 163) I am not sure about, 
but I presume it is a trombidium (allied to the harvest-bug therefore) and 
not one of the spinning mites of the genus tetranychus, so familiarly repre¬ 
sented by the red spider of our houses and frames. Mites of the trombi¬ 
dium group pierce into plants, chiefly those of succulent and low growth. 
It has been urged that they do occasional benefit, because they have been 
taken preying upon parties of aphides.” 
- Gardening Appointments.— We learn that Mr. J. Udale, who 
has been for eleven years gardener to J. Watson, Esq., Shirecliffe Hall, 
Sheffield, and is well known in that district as an able horticulturist, has 
been appointed head gardener to Howard F. Paget, Esq., Elford Hall, 
Tamworth. The following have been made through Messrs. John Laing 
and Co.’s Nurseries, Forest Hill, London, S.E.:— Mr. Frankis as head 
gardener to Mrs. Grummont, Hatcham Grove House, Kent; Mr. A. 
Hawkes as gardener to Mrs. Williams, Palewel), Richmond ; Mr. Hutton 
a? gardener to E. de la Penha, Esq., Grove House, Clapham, Surrey ; and 
Mr. Johnson as gardener to Arthur Bray, Esq., Bickley Park, Kent. 
- At the last weekly meeting of the members of the Wakefield 
Paxton Society an able and very comprehensive paper was read by 
Mr. J. H. Turner, the Hon. Treasurer of the Society, on “ The Drainage 
of Land,” a subject to which the Lecturer has for some years devoted 
considerable attention, inspecting from time to time the most important 
drainage schemes at home and on the Continent. Mr. Oxley presided, 
and Mr. Tunnacliffe occupied the vice-chair. After speaking of the useful 
