December 12 , 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
509 
- We regret to announce the sudden death of Dr. W. R. McNab. 
He died at his residence in Dublin on Tuesday morning, the 3rd inst. 
Dr. McNab was Professor of Botany in the Royal College of Science, 
Dublin, having succeeded Professor Thiselton Dyer, F.R.S. He was 
also Scientific Superintendent and Referee to the Royal Botanic Gardens, 
Glasnevin, under the Science and Art Department. He appears to have 
been in his usual health on Monday, and on St. Andrew’s Day (Satur¬ 
day) took an energetic part in the meeting and banquet held by the 
Scotch residents in Dublin. The remains of the late Professor were 
interred on the 6th inst. A long line of carriages followed the hearse, and 
prominent amongst the mourners were the Professors and other officials 
connected with the Royal College of Science for Ireland. The chief 
mourners were the Rev. John Goold, Glasgow, brother-ir-law ; Mr. 
James M‘Nab and Mr. Ramsay M'Nab, sons of the deceased ; and Pro¬ 
fessor A. C. Haddon, M.A., Dean of the Faculty, Royal College of Science 
The general attendance included the chief men of science, arts, and 
letters in Dublin. The interment took place in Mount Jerome Cemetery. 
The Rev. J. D. Osborne, Presbyterian minister, conducted the burial 
service. 
- American Blackberries. —In the note from “ South Wales,” 
in the last issue of the Journal, the writer says he never could grow or 
find any of them to merit ordinary praise, and further that he could not 
hear of a good crop. As to the former, it is perhaps not altogether the 
fault of the Blackberry ; and as to the two latter, had the writer paid a 
visit to Hummersknott, Darlington, the residence of Arthur Pease, Esq., 
during last October, he would have seen a crop of American Bramble 
that would have probably astonished him. These plants were planted, 
I believe, four years ago, and are trained up an iron fence, and always 
bear good crops ; but owing to early frosts they, like the native varieties, 
do not always attain maturity. “ South Wales” also advises those who 
like Blackberries to plant our native varieties. I should be pleased to 
learn if he or any of your numerous correspondents have done so, and 
with what results.— De Nova. [A fine English grown specimen of the 
Parsley-leaved Bramble (Rubus lacinatus) has been illustrated in this 
Journal, and we have seen several most praiseworthy examples of 
culture. Perhaps when our correspondent “ travelled from Land’s 
End to John o’ Groat’s ” it was by an express train.] 
- Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society.—T he 
monthly meeting of the above Society was held at the Castle Hotel, 
Preston, on Saturday evening, December 7th. Through the unavoid¬ 
able absence of the President, Alexander Ellis, Esq., occupied the 
chair, and was supported by Councillor Harding and members to the 
number of about fifty, the subject for the evening being the Melon. 
“ Its Cultivation in Houses and Frames” was the title of a paper pre¬ 
pared and read by Mr. Williams, head gardener, Penwortham Priory. 
The essayist treated his subject in a thoroughly practical manner, from 
seed sowing in thumb pots to the planting out in suitable composts, 
training, fertilising, and ripening of the fruit. The reader was a little 
in favour of the extension system, but during an interesting discussion 
which followed, it was urged that planting fewer plants at intervals, 
according to the requirements, was much preferred to having plants 
with fruits of various sizes and in different stages of development. The 
cankering and decay of the main stems, so prevalent with some 
growers, was considered to be the result of a too free use of the syringe 
in houses where the water does not leave the plants sufficiently to 
render them thoroughly dry for a few hours each day and night. A 
hearty vote of thanks was accorded the reader, and also the Chairman. 
Many interesting exhibits were also acknowledged by the thanks of 
the meeting. It is gratifying to note the ever increasing interest and 
support extended to these monthly gatherings. 
- Scottish Primula Society. —The annual general meeting of 
the Scottish Primula and Auricula Society was held recently at No. 5, 
St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Mr. Alexander Milne, Edinburgh, pre¬ 
siding. Mr. W. Stratton, Broughty Ferry, the Hon. Secretary and 
Treasurer, submitted a report upon the third annual Show held in the 
Calton Convening Rooms, Edinburgh, last May. The Show, it was 
stated, had been in every way successful. Exclusive of the species and 
varieties sent in for exhibition, about 300 plants were staged for com¬ 
petition. Mr. Stratton’s financial statement indicated that with the 
balance of £10 9s. 6d. from the previous account, the year’s 
income amounted to £37 5s. 6d. ; while, on the other hand, the expen¬ 
diture for the year amounted to £29 15s., leaving a credit balance of 
£7 10s. 6d. The loss of £2 19s. on the year’s working was largely due 
to the falling off in subscriptions, which showed a decrease of £0 18s. 
The entrance money, however, showed a substantial increase, the attend¬ 
ance at the Show having been about double that of the previous 
year. On the motion of Mr. Robert Lindsay, Curator, Royal Botanic 
Garden, Edinburgh, seconded by Mr. James Grieve, Pilrig Park Nursery, 
Edinburgh, both reports were regarded as satisfactory, and adopted. 
A letter was read from the President, Mr. Cathcart of Pitcairlie, 
suggesting that next year’s Show might be held in Dundee. The pro¬ 
posal seemed to find general approval in the meeting, but before deciding 
on the change it was decided to take the opinion of the members on 
the matter. The office bearers were re-elected, and it was remitted to 
the Committee to adjust the schedule for next year’s Show, adding 
prizes for Daffodils or Narcissus. The Secretary said, in reply to a 
question, that if the meeting were to be held in Dundee there would be 
no difficulty in getting a local Committee, and that the nurserymen 
would be ready to give them every assistance in filling the hall, 
which was larger than they had hitherto had, and was well lighted. 
The Chairman, in moving a vote of thanks to the Secretary, said that 
the most of the work of the Society devolved on Mr. Stratton, and 
that he did it most ungrudgingly and heartily. The motion was heartily 
agreed to. 
GROUPING PLANTS AND FLORAL DECORATIONS. 
I have read Mr. L. Castle’s able article on “ Lessons of the Past 
Season ” with great interest, and I should like to add a few observations 
chiefly upon the troubles caused to exhibitors by the vague wording of 
schedules. With regard to the employment of foliage plants in groups 
of Chrysanthemums there is a danger unless it is made very clear that 
they would possess more weight with judges than the plants for which 
the classes are chiefly intended. I think it would be more satisfactory 
to exhibitors to have two classes, one to continue as they have been, and 
the other for a group of Chrysanthemums and foliage plants, not to ex¬ 
ceed so many feet, arranged for effect, Chrysanthemums to predominate 
and to be the only flowering plants used. I am not sure if it would not 
be advisable and bring a better competition if the latter class took the 
place of the former as a trial. Of this I am certain, if there is to 
be only one class and no limit is given to the foliage plants, the 
judges will be puzzled, and the exhibitors too, and neither would 
be perfectly satisfied. I am also sure that some of the exhibitors of 
groups of Chrysanthemums have not a good collection of Palms and 
other foliage plants, then it follows that the best foliage group would be 
the most pleasing and more likely to win. Whatever is done make it 
definite ; it will be more pleasant for all concerned. 
This brings me to the other part of the article respecting the exhi¬ 
bition of devices in St. Stephen’s Ha'l; and here I contend that, through 
the uncertain reading of the schedule, the classes have caused some dis¬ 
content. First I will deal with the hall vase of Chrysanthemums with 
any kind of foliage; now, as an old exhibitor, I should always carefully 
avoid using grasses, for fear any exhibitor would object, as I think he 
would have a right to do. I know perfectly well what effect a few 
grasses judiciously nsed have in any decoration, and I am certain it was 
the grasses and not the Chrysanthemums that had most weight with the 
judges. I quite admit it was the best-looking stand on the table. In 
this case also let the schedule read, “A hall vase of Chrysanthemums with 
any kind of natural grasses and foliage, not to be dressed at the base, 
and the whole when finished not to exceed I feet in height; ’ you would 
then get a uniform exhibition, and place all the exhibitors on an equal 
f °°Now I come to the last and most important exhibit, the class for 
devices, and I must congratulate the donors on the splendid display 
such small prizes brought; and I also think the Society would do well 
to encourage this class liberally, either as a whole as this year, or in 
separate classes, and also to make this reading quite plain to exhibitors. 
If grasses are to be admitted, say so ; but do not allow any other 
flowers to be used. The National is a Chrysanthemum society, and it 
should not allow other flowers to be employed in such competition.— 
W. Brown, 
THUJA OCCIDENT ALTS. 
This, the American Arbor-Vitae, makes a capital hedge, and is well 
suited for many positions, especially where not exposed to strong gales 
of wind. It answers better in partially shaded places than many other 
shrubs do, and with those who understand its nature and the kind of 
treatment necessary to make it accommodate itself to certain positions 
very pleasing screens may be formed to hide unsightly walls. I have 
seen such screens, and have dressed some of them. lor hedges of this 
shrub to have a pleasing appearance they should never be clipped with 
the shears, as by doing so you give them a stumpy appearance, which it 
is desirable to avoid. 
This Arbor-Yitae is employed in many nurseries to form screens tor 
giving shelter to plants while they are in a young and tender state, and 
for this few shrubs are better adapted when judiciously managed. They 
can be kept very thin and green down to the ground for many years, 
while they are devoid of that stiff and shorn appearance which most 
hedges have. They occupy very little space, and to prevent their roots 
spreading cut them with a spade at about a foot or 15 inches Horn the 
stem. By doing one side one year, and then the other side the follow¬ 
ing year, the roots will be kept from impoverishing the ground or from 
