4G4 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 10, 1886. 
aphides, and American blight. If the alum solution will destroy American 
blight there is little fear of its not freeing plants of mealy bugs. Both 
have protection, which render them difficult to reach with an insecticide. 
The white cotton-like substance exuded by American blight acts as a 
covering for the insects, and mealy bug is covered with meal, and forms 
cocoons of cotton-like subtance in which the young are reared. The 
covering in both American blight and mealy bug are impervious to wa'er 
unless applied with considerable force, which renders their destruction 
difficult, as the insecticide, to be of value, must be brought to bear upon 
the insects. An ounce of alum dissolved in boiling water, and cold added 
so as to make a gallon, may be tried, and its effect noted upon different 
insects and plants. 
Sal ammoniac is also likely to prove useful against insects and mildews. 
It and sulphate of ammonia are soluble in water, and might be tried as 
insecticides at the rate of half an ounce to a gallon of water. The ammo- 
niacal liquor of the gasworks is a valuable insect killer; diluted with 
sixteen times its bulk of water it ought to prove safe for most plants. 
These are mentioned with a view to encouraging experiments. Insecti¬ 
cides should act like rain—cleanse the foliage of insects and other im¬ 
purities ; clear the pores, so that the nutriment would be more highly 
assimilated, which, with the enriching the soil, would contribute to the 
increased health and vigour of the plants.—A Yorkshire Gardener. 
At a general meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
held June 8th, Maxwell T. Masters, Esq., M.D., F.R.S., in the chair, the 
following candidates were unanimously elected—viz., Colonel Hugh Baillie, 
Johannes Bergmann, L. Bryett. Besides the above, Mons. A. Bleu was 
elected a corresponding member. 
-Messrs. James Carter & Co. send us specimens of their new 
American Knickerbocker Radish, and invite us to observe that, 
although the plants have commenced running to seed, the root retains its 
edible properties, whilst all other kinds grown near it have become quite 
pithy and useless. They also point out that its great size must render it 
valuable to large consumers. We have never seen Radishes so large and 
at the same time so firm and crisp as the specimens in question. 
- Messrs. John Laing & Co., Forest Hill, have sent us their 
gorgeous coloured plate of the Royal Family of Begonias, the varieties 
being alike remarkable for size, form, and colours. Such flowers could 
not have been anticipated by the most sanguine of hybridisers a few 
years ago, yet we believe there are some 7 inches in diameter now in 
cultivation. 
-We observe by the schedule forwarded to us that the Brighton 
Chrysanthemum Society's Show will be held on November 16th and 
17th ; also that substantial prizes are offered, notably in the classes for 
groups, in which the fir.-t prize is £5, and for forty-eight cut blooms £10, 
the remaining prizes in this class being £6, £3, and £2. Mr. Longhur st, 
Church Road, Hove, is the Secretary. 
-The annual displays of Calceolarias at Bedford Hill , 
Balham, are always worthy of note, not only on account of the admirable 
manner in which the plants are grown by Mr. Rapley, but for the excel¬ 
lence of the varieties. The plants are not quite so numerous and large 
this year as usual, the long winter proving inimical. There is, however, no 
depreciation in the quality of the flowers; but, on the contrary, varieties 
of great richness and clearness have been added. Some of the pure yellow 
varieties are magnificent, quite out-distancing the once famous Cloth of 
Gold. Mr. Ripley is to be congratulated on his success in establishing 
such a fine strain of these handsome flowers. 
- The magnific-nt collection of Orchids belonging to Arthur 
Potts, Esq., Hoole Hall, Chester, the fame of which has extended 
far beyond the provinces, is on view at the Eastgate Street premises of 
Messrs. F. and A. Dicks n & Sons, Chester, during this, the yeomanry, week 
in that city. The collection is an extensive one, aud Mr. Potts has 
generously thrown opeu his garden and grounds to those interested in 
horticultural matters. Tickets can be obtained free at Messrs. F. and A, 
Dickson & Sons. Exhibitions of this character are most interesting and 
in every way commendable. 
- The Gardens of the Inner Temple are now open to the 
public nightly from six until nine o’clock, the permission thus granted by 
the benchers being more especially intended for the benefit of the poor 
children inhabiting the surrounding closely populated neighbourhoods. 
Huudreds of these poor children may be seen every evening playing upon 
the large and well-kept lawn in the centre of the gardens, and it is grati- 
fying to state that, although so many enter the gardens nightly, there has 
not been a solitary instance hitherto of damage or injury to the trees, 
shrubs, or plants. 
-The Richmond Local Board have decided to purchase the Duke 
of Buccleuch’s estate, which was recently offered for sale at £30,000, 
and to reserve a portion of it for a public recreation ground. It is 
situated upon the slope immediately beneath the terrace, and if the whole 
of it had been built upon as was intended the delightful and famous 
prospect would have been deprived of the greater portion of its beauty. 
The local magnates who have favoured the scheme deserve the thanks not 
only of the townspeople, but of the public generally. 
- Mr. W. N. Craig writes :—“ There is at present in bloom at 
Park Side Gardens, Kendal, the residence of J. E. Openshaw, Esq., a fine 
collection of Herbaceous Calceolarias. The plants number about 
100 from 3 to 4J feet in diameter, and are perfect pictures of health and 
vigour. The display is well worthy of a visit, and once seen will not be 
readily forgotten. The condition of the plants reflects the greatest 
credit on the painstaking head gardener (Mr. T. Railton), who has made 
Calceolarias a special study, and appears to have achieved complete success 
in their culture.” The flowers received are well grown and very diversi¬ 
fied and bright in colour. 
- We have received the well arranged and comprehensive schedule 
of the Hull, East Riding, and North Lincolnshire Horticul¬ 
tural Society. The Exhibition will be held in the Hull Botanic 
Gardens on July 14th, 15th, and 16th. We are informed that two gold 
and two or more silver medals will be awarded. The chief class is for ten 
stove and greenhouse plants in bloom (Orchids excluded) and six orna¬ 
mental foliage plants, the prizes being—first, £15 and the Society’s gold 
medal ; second, £10 ; and third, £5. Oher good prizes are offered in 
the open classes and invite good competition. The schedule numbers 127 
classes in six sections, and there are to be trials of mowing machines and 
garden engines. A large and diversified exhibition may be expected. 
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Hull (Mr. Alderman Williams) is 
President of the Society ; George Bohn, Esq., C.E., Chairman of the 
Committee ; and Messrs. E. T. Sharp, James Dixon, and P. MacMahon, 
Curator of the Botanic Garden, Honorary Secretaries. 
-A correspondent writes :—“ It is customary with many who 
cultivate choice exotics to despise our native flowers, probably because 
they are common and do not possess any pecuniary value. Happily there 
has been some alteration in taste lately, and in floral decorations these 
simple familiar flowers are occasionally employed in preference to the 
more brilliant and costly rarities. But to thoroughly appreciate such 
plants they must be seen in their native luxuriance, as wildings and in 
masses. At this time a common aquatic plant, Ranunculus AQUATilis, 
is flowering profusely, aud in some places it has a remarkable appearance. 
This is especially so in one of the lakes in Richmond Park, a large portion 
of which is covered with its pure white flowers. At a little distance on 
a still day we might imagine that it was a sheet of clear ice lightly 
covered with freshly fallen snow. It would no doubt be scouted as an 
absurd notion to propose establishing such a weed in lakes or shallow 
water, nevertheless it would add to their beauty in some places.” 
- During the recent riots in Chicago a store was sacked containing 
a quantity of alcoholic beverages ; among-t these were, however, some 
bottles of wine OF colchicum, which somewhat resembles sherry in 
colour, but is a deadly poison. The consumption of this liquor caused the 
death of eight persons, and others are not expected to survive. The Meadow 
Saffron, Colchicum autumnale, is well known to be one of our most 
poisonous plants, very acrid narcotic properties being present in the bulbs, 
and preparations of these have been employed in small quantities for 
medicinal purposes, especially in the treatment of gout and rheumatism. 
It is said that ‘‘the Turks infuse the flowers in wine to add to its 
inebriating effects, and in autumn the peasantry of Carniolia eat the bulbs 
with impunity.” 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. Jesse Jones, late foreman at 
Brynkinalt, Chirk, near Ruabon, has been appointed gardener to C. H. 
