J lauary 24, 183D. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
67 
- Commercial Horticulture in Belgium.—A n important 
group of horticulturists have recently founded a “ Brussels Horticul¬ 
tural Chamber of Commerce ” in the Belgian capital, having for objects 
the union of Brussels and Brabant horticulturists, the institution of a 
bourse or exchange, the progress and diffusion of horticulture, the 
organisation of meetings, exhibitions, &c. It will be composed of active 
and honorary members, and directed by a Committee, for which the fol¬ 
lowing have been elected :—M. Lucien Linden, President; M. F. de 
Backer, Vice-President; M. Paul Baquet, Secretary ; M. Joseph Story, 
Assistant Secretary ; and M. Louis de Langhe, Treasurer. The Bourse 
will be opened at 7.30 p.m. on the 4th of February, at Le Corbeau,” 
32, Rue de l’Eveque, Brussels, and subsequently be open free on the 
first and third Mondays in each month, at the same place and hour. 
Entries may be sent to M. de Backer, 46 et 48, Rue d’Aremberg, 
Brussels. 
-The death of John Southgate, Esq., of Selborne, 
Leigham Court Road, Streatham, which took place on the 13th 
instant, resulted from injuries received in a carriage accident a few 
days previous. Mr. Southgate was well known as a lover of Orchids, 
having formed a choice collection, which, under the able management 
of his gardener (Mr. Salter), took a prominent position. Owing to fail¬ 
ing health a short time ago, Mr. Southgate disposed of nearly the whole 
of his Orchids, and many of the plants realised good prices. 
- Mr. Laxtox’s Peas. —Messrs. Harrison &; Sons, Leicester, 
•announce that they have purchased the entire stock of Peas from the 
well-known hybridiser, Mr. T. Laxton of Bedford. They are an 
accumulation of many years’ crosses and selections, and will be dis¬ 
tributed as soon as sufficient stocks can be increased for commerce. 
- “ The Kew Bulletin ’ for January contains a full 
account of Coca, the product of Erythroxylon Coca, which has come 
into notice and use so much in recent years. Other chapters are devoted 
to a descriptive list of Beetles Destructive to Rice in Burma,” “ Fibre 
from Lagos,” Yam Bean,” Schweinfurth’s Method for Preserving 
Plants,” “ A Starch-yielding Bromeliad,” and “ The Fruits of Mysore.” 
- A Northern correspondent , 11 H. D.,” sends the three following 
notes Woolly Aphis.— ‘ D., Deal,' reminds mo of rare old Ben. 
He once turned out several of his Auriculas in order to show me in what 
■contempt he held the above pest. The soil and roots were grey with it, 
but he did not care ; he thought his plants did better with it if anything. 
Dear old Ben ! I think I can see the twinkle of his eyes.” 
-“ Madresfield Court Grape Cracking.—I did not have a 
cracked berry last year, wet as it was ; neither did I keep the front 
ventilators closed at any time after the Hamburghs commenced 
colouring. The Madresfiekls were all that could be desired in berry and 
finish. Bunches were small but solid, they had been carefully thinned. 
No special treatment was accorded them except that they received no 
water direct to their roots from just before they commenced colouring. 
The same treatment was applied the year before (1S87) with the same 
•success.” 
- Winter Cucumbers and Ventilation. —Mr. Coombedoes 
not seem happy with his 1 science.’ After laborious and semi-scientific 
argument he fails to refute Mr. Ward’s very plain statements. A tem¬ 
perature of 65° to 70° ‘ without much artificial heat,’ can scarcely be 
called 1 hot and moist ’ in the strict sense of the term ; therefore 
Mr. Ward gives sound advice in recommending growers to be careful in 
throwing water about under those conditions. In general practice the 
* chink of air ’ theory is no farce, though it may not be necessary in 
badly glazed structures. The fact that plants require a little carbonic 
acid is no reason why they should be deprived of fresh air ; neither 
does it prove that the same would be inimical to them. Mr. Ward’s 
■statements are correct practically and scientifically.” 
-We are informed that Mr. W. Bardney read a paper on “ Horti¬ 
cultural Societies ” before the members of the Liverpool Associa¬ 
tion on Saturday evening, the 12th inst.., in the lecture-room of the Free 
Public Library, William Brown Street. Mr. J. White occupied the 
•chair, and there was a good attendance of members ; and Messrs. R. W. 
Ranger, Cox, Tunnington, Waterman, and others took part in the dis¬ 
cussion, which was mainly directed to suggestions for holding the 
summer show in a more central position than Sefton Park. The usual 
votes of thanks terminated the proceedings. 
- Planting Willows.— Mr. W. Bardney writes : “ I shall feel 
obliged if any of your correspondents can inform me in your next issue 
whether Willows planted for basket making on good land, but low, 
would pay better than an ordinary agricultural crop of any kind. It 
is impossible to drain the land, for about an acre of it is level with the 
ditch. How far should the Willows be planted apart ? and which kind 
would be the most profitable to grow ? ” 
- The Tomato Disease.—■“ F. W.” writes :—“ It may be of 
interest and profit to some of your readers to know that I have proved 
that the Tomato disease can be kept at bay by a dry atmosphere and 
free ventilation. Last year I had it badly in a house, light, but short of 
ventilation ; but the next house in the range having free communica¬ 
tion with the diseased house of plants was entirely free from disease, 
except where in two places rain dripped on leaves ; but it went no 
farther, whilst plants in the other house not over 6 feet away were 
ruined.” 
- A LARGE and representative meeting of the recently formed 
Reading and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Asso¬ 
ciation took place at the British Workman Hotel, King’s Road, Read¬ 
ing, on Monday evening, January it 1st. The President (W. J. Palmer, 
Esq., J.P.) presided ; and in the course of some well chosen remarks 
urged on the members the importance of obtaining as much education as 
possible ; and Mr. W. Wildsmith of Heckfield read an excellent paper 
on “ Mutual Improvement Associations as Applied to Gardeners and 
Gardening,” dealing with the subject in an able manner. The Associa¬ 
tion has every prospect of success. 
- King of the Russets Potato.—S ince the notes on northern 
gardens left my hands, the beautiful seed catalogue of the Messrs. 
Carter has reached me, and I have no doubt of the bona fries of those 
gentlemen who have found “ King of the Russets ” free from disease. 
It is impossible from one trial to decide on the qualities of a given 
Potato, and I have therefore kept every scrap that was produced of the 
above variety to try it again another season. I send a few examples, 
grown in poor soil for seed purposes, and if these are not afflicted with 
the Potato disease, then they are by something equally baneful.—B. 
[The tubers ars seriously affected with the ordinary form of the Potato 
disease, but it does not follow the crops will be attacked next year 
under different weather conditions in the locality. These are the first 
diseased tubers we have seen of this variety.] 
- The Wakefield Paxton Society. —At the last weekly 
meeting of the members of the above Society, held at Councillor Lup- 
ton’s, the Saw Hotel, the chair was occupied by Councillor Milnes, the 
President, and Mr. J. G. Brown of Stanley filled the vice-chair. There 
was about an average attendance. The essayist was Mr. W. Daniels of 
Mil-field, and formerly gardener to Alderman Henry Lee, J.P., of Wake¬ 
field. His subject was “The Eueharis,” of which there was a grand 
display of specimens. Mr. Daniels has devoted great attention to the 
cultivation of this choice and free blooming plant, and he freely and 
fully explained the system adopted by him, and which had resulted 
most successfully. A long and most interesting discussion followed, in 
which a number of questions were put to the essayist, chiefly with 
regard to the best mode of getting rid of the destructive mite which 
affects the bulb. On the motion of Mr. Brown, seconded by Mr. G. Gill, 
and supported by Messrs. E. Fenner, T. Garnett, and H. Oxley, a very 
hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Daniels, who acceded to a 
request to pay another visit to the Society on some future occasion. 
- Our Irish correspondent, Mr. W. J. Murphy, Clonmel, whom 
we recently referred to as retiring on a handsome competence into 
private life, assures us he means to “ retire into activity,” so far as his 
favourite pursuit of gardening is concerned, and is at present engaged in 
planting a small town garden attached to his residence, and getting 
ready to erect one or two greenhouses. He wishes to thank the brother 
garden correspondents who have written him, and none more than his 
Irish fellow worker and enthusiastic gardener Mr. F. W. Burbidge, F.L.S., 
Trinity College Botanic Gardens. Dublin, an extract from whose letter 
is appended “ Since I read of your well-merited retirement in the 
Journal of Horticulture last week I have desired to ofEer you my 
congratulations and best wishes in whatever sphere you may in future 
move. I am sure 1 retirement' means to you fresh attempts, fresh 
hopes, fresh desires, and experiments in your favourite pursuits as an 
amateur gardener. Your writings have made your name a household 
word everywhere. The 1 noble tuber,’ the Chrysanthemum, and the 
Gladiolus specially have met in you a dear and faithful friend, and as 
• Nature ne’er deserted the heart who loved her,’ so I feel you have had 
vour affections too long in field and garden ever to retire from either. 
We are proud of your yeoman’s service to horticulture generally, and 
