152 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f Febraary 20, 1890. 
stands or trays with collars and other hideous accompaniments, but 
were neatly set out in shallow tin or zinc boxes holding water, and with 
a wire network strained across for supporting the flowers with their 
stems in the water. A groundwork of Maidenhair Fern fronds with a 
fringe of tiny Ferns in small pocs gave the finish to a very pretty 
exhibit. There are really such a beautiful selection of these Begonias, 
both double and single, that it is comparatively an easy matter to bring 
a charming display together, and I should like to see prizes offered for 
an artistic exhibit of them as well as for a fixed number of varieties. 
Mr. Davis has also frequently exhibited hand and buttonhole bouquets 
composed entirely of Begonias and Fern, and very bright and attractive 
they look. Some of the varieties may easily be mistaken for Gardenias, 
Carnations, Picotees, and Eucharises, though without the scent unfor¬ 
tunately, and the delicate and rich shades of innumerable other varieties 
gives plenty of scope to an exhibitor. In conclusion, I venture to 
think that if classes were provided for cut Begonias these would soon be 
very popular with both exhibitors and visitors.—W. IGGULDEN. 
^ Events of the Week. —The principal Society meetings during the 
week are the following The Koyal Society Feb. 20th at 4.30 P.M., and 
the Linnacan Society the same day at 8 p.m. ; the Eoyal Botanic Society 
on Feb. 22nd at 3,45 p.m., the Royal Geographical Society on Feb. 24th 
at 8.30 P.M., and the Society of Arts at 8 p.m. on Feb. 26th. 
- A FURTHER official Communication respecting the Great 
International Horticultural Exhibition at Berlin has been 
issued, from which we gather that additional special prizes have been 
offered, including one from Her Majesty the Empress of Germany, and 
that several prominent German horticulturists will participate in 
furnishing the Exhibition. The great French firm Vilmorin Andrieux 
and Co. will be represented, and among British horticulturists the names 
of Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, and Blair, gardener to the Duke 
of Sutherland, are announced as exhibitors. The examination of foreign 
consignments, which under the existing law as to phylloxera would have 
to undergo inspection en route, will be conducted within the Exhibition 
buildings. During the time that the Exhibition is being held there will 
be discussions by the German Rose Growers’ Union, the German Garden 
Trades’ Union, and others. Particulars can be obtained from the office 
of the Society for the Advancement of Horticulture, Invalidenstrasse, 
42, Berlin. 
- Horticultural Club. —The annual dinner took place on 
Tuesday, Feb. 11th, at the Club Rooms (Hotel Windsor), when there was a 
yery full attendance. The chair was taken by the Chairman of the Club, 
Mr. John Lee, and there were present—Sir John T. D. Llewelyn, Bart., 
Dr. Hogg, the Rev. W. Wilks, the Rev. F. H. Gall, Messrs. T. B. Hay¬ 
ward, P. Crowley, Harry J. Veitch, J. H. Veitch, George Paul, George 
Deal, T. W. Girdlestone, H. J. Pearson, W. Bull, J. Stewart Dismoor, 
George Bunyard, A. Turner, Lynton White, W. Baker, J. C. Cousens, 
C. T. Druery, Arnold Moss, the Secretary, &c. In the course of the 
evening a selection of vocal and instrumental music of a very high 
order of excellence was given, under the kind arrangement of Mr. Geo. 
Bunyard, and altogether the banquet was a very successful one, and 
many good wishes were expressed for the prosperity of the Club. 
- The w'eather in the metropolitan district has been 
variable. The concluding days of last week were wet and foggy, but 
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday have been bright, the wind varying from 
S.W. to N.E., with morning frosts on several occasions. The buds of 
trees and outdoor plants are advancing fast under the influence of the 
sunny days. 
- The Weather in the North.—F ebruary 10th to 17th. 
The first half of the week was bright but cold, with east wind, and 
frost from 2° to 8°. About a quarter of an inch of snow fell in the 
afternoon and evening of the 13th, and the hills around are still white, 
a cold thaw prevailing lower down.—B. D. 
- Gishurstine.— We are requested to state that this prepara¬ 
tion, which is advertised, is largely used by sportsmen on their 
shooting and fishing boots, is now being applied to walking boots and 
shoes. It has been found that applied even to the soles of ladies’ 
boots it prevents damp reaching the feet. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. William Hockey, foreman 
at Cardiff Castle Gardens, has succeeded Mr. Armytage as gardener to 
Col. Page, Dulwich House, Llandaff. 
- Trade Announcement. —Mr. Sidney Ford, lately of the 
Leonardslee Gardens, Horsham, has commenced business as a consult¬ 
ing landscape gardener at The Laurels, Cowfold, Horsham. 
- Proposed Hall for Horticulture. —Through the acci¬ 
dental misplacement of two small words in our reference to this 
project last week, the sentence read that Miss Douglas and others 
promised £25. It should have been, Messrs. Douglas and the other 
gentlemen mentioned, and Miss Sullivan. 
-Ware and District Horticultural Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Society. —This Society met twice during January. The members 
are steadily on the increase. On the 28th January Mr. H. Brown read 
a paper on Odontoglossums, which was much appreciated. On the 11th 
of February a paper on “ The Cultivation of Soils for Garden Crops,” 
dealt with in an able manner by Mr. W. M. Alexander. A good dis¬ 
cussion followed. The paper could not fail to be instructive. 
- Hybrid Azaleas. —Many will remember that when Mr. 
Carmichael was at Sandringham he succeeded in raising and flowering 
a number of hybrids between Azalea amoena and, I think, A. phoenicea. 
I remember very well seeing them there in flower, and on visiting High¬ 
bury, near Birmingham, a few days since, I saw several of the Carmichael 
varieties in flower. One of them, especially Mrs. Gerard Leigh (I think 
this is one of the Sandringham varieties) is very beautiful, of a bright 
ruby red colour, larger in flower than amoena, but of compact dwarf 
habit and a very profuse flowerer. Truly it is a gem for early work.— 
D. S. H. 
- The Parsley-leaved Bramble. — In response to your 
editorial footnote appended to my remarks upon the origin of the 
above, page 118, I communicated with Messrs. Fisher, Son & Sibray 
upon the subject, and the enclosed is their reply, just received, in which 
they give what information they can upon the subject.—W. K. W. 
“You are quite correct as to the originiof this variety, but we cannot give 
the exact date of its discovery, but in looking throujh our former 
catalogue we find it quoted for the first time in the list for 1859-60, 
and we are of opinion that this is about the date of its introduction.— 
Fisher, Son &; Sibray.” 
- An influential committee has been formed, says Natxwe, for 
the purpose of securing the scientific and other friends of the LATE 
Dr. McNab, Professor of Botany in the Royal College of 
Science, Dublin, an opportunity of expressing their appreciation 
of his work and their respect for his memory. “ Through no fault of 
his own. Prof. McNab was unable to make adequate provision for his 
wife and five children ; and it is proposed that the memorial shall 
consist of a fund, sufficiently large to be of real service to his family. 
Many subscriptions have already been received or promised. Mr. 
Greenwood Pirn, Easton Lodge, Monkstown, Co. Dublin, acts as Hon. 
Secretary; Prof. W. N. Hartley, F.R.S., Royal College of Science. 
Dublin, as Hon. Treasurer. As Professor Hartley has been obliged to 
leave Dublin for some time, all communications should be addressed 
and cheques made payable to the Hon, Secretary.” 
- Gardeners’ Improvement Societies. —These, which may be 
termed local schools of gardening, appear highly popular. Tne Ealing 
Society had a crowded meeting last week, at which G. Deal, Esq., pre¬ 
sided, a paper was read, discussion conducted, and plants exhibited. A 
method of encouraging cultivation adopted by the Society in according 
marks of merit on an equitable basis will, perhaps, be further referred 
to. A very large meeting of a similar nature was held at Reading on 
Monday night, this week. New members were enrolled, and good 
financial support offered by Mr. Sutton, Mr. Palmer, and others towards 
the library and the Wildsmith Orphan fund. A Gardeners’ and 
Amateurs’ Mutual Improvement Society was inaugurated at Croydon on 
Tuesday evening, at which Mr. J. Wright delivered by request the 
opening lecture on “ Mutual Improvement Societies and their Objects.’’ 
Rev. W. Wilks, M.A., presided, and much earnestness was manifested in 
the proceedings throughout. 
--- After reading Mr. Arnott’s note and that by “ W. T., Blan- 
tyre," on the Weather and Snowdrops, I thought perhaps it may 
interest them and Mr. Skerry to know that here we had some hundreds 
of Snowdrops in flower on 4th January, and our young lady sent some 
on that day to England, and was told by return they had none yet. Our 
