Febrnary 20 , 1890. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
153 
earliest grew in an open spot on the lawn, where, till November, 1888, 
they grew under a large Thorn tree, when it was destroyed by a gale of 
wind. There are about one hundred clumps in this spot, which is raised 
a little above the level of the lawn, and this would have a good roast¬ 
ing in May and June last year, and may account for their early flower¬ 
ing, assisted by this mild winter. As Blantyre and Kutherglen are so 
near, I am surprised at “ W. T.” only seeing one on the 8th. We are 
not sheltered, being on a wooded brae. Snowdrops in January are quite 
common, but not so early in the month.—W. E., Rutherglen. 
- The Late Mr. G. W. Young.— l was much surprised and 
sorry to read in the last issue of the Journal of the death of 
Mr. Young. I have no doubt many more besides myself have benefited 
by his sound and practical teaching. I always found him ready to give 
advice, and I can safely say on several occasions I have received useful 
hints from him, which I had no fear about carrying into practice, especially 
in plant culture. I need scarcely say that my sympathy rests with his 
widow and family in their bereavement.—J. Pethers. 
- Homalomena (C^rmeria) Wallisi is not grown so gene- 
gally as it should be. It is a handsome plant, belonging to the Aroidem, 
of low growing habit, not more than 9 inches high, with drooping leaves, 
6 to 8 inches long by 5 inches wide, ovate oblong, and pale velvety 
green, copiously blotched with golden yellow. The under surface is dull 
red. The flowers are rather attractive, the spathe being about 3 inches 
long, constricted in the middle and reddish brown, while the spadix is 
red. To ensure good leaves, however, the flowers should be picked as 
soon as seen. We grow this plant in the warmest house, potted in a 
mixture of peat and moss, and keep it very wet. Under this treat¬ 
ment it gives great satisfaction. It should be propagated by division 
—(The American Garden.') 
-The Schedule op the Eoyal Aquarium Exhibitions 
FOR 1890 is just to hand, and gives particulars of the following:— 
Spring Shows on March 12th and 13th and April 29th and 30th, when 
prizes are offered in twenty-one and thirty-one classes respectively, 
chiefly for bulbs, forced plants, Auriculas, Primroses, and Narcissus. 
The summer Show takes place on May 2l8t and 22nd, when there will be 
liberal provision in twenty-six classes for flowering and foliage plants 
and cut flowers. The Eose Show is fixed for June 27th and June 28th^ 
and the Naoional Pink Society offers prizes in ten classes for the same date. 
A Carnation Show will be held on July 29th and 30th. A fruit Show 
is announced for October 15th, 16th, and 17th, when the National 
Chrysanthemum Society offers prizes for Chrysanthemums. The early 
autumn Show of the same Society takes place on September 10th and 
11th, and the Centenary Festival on November 13th and 14th. Meetings 
of the British Fruit Growers’ Association are announced for June 27th 
and October 15th. 
- Cinerarias for House Decoration.—W hen well grown, 
the varied beauty and bright colours of the Cineraria will always 
insure for it a high position in general favour. In the greenhouse it 
is indispensable, while as a plant for the house it is also valuable. 
As I keep from thirty to forty plants indoors, I have had every 
opportunity of proving its merits, and I am much in favour of the 
blue varieties. Other colours I tried, but not with such good results. 
The blue varieties 1 am in favour of are the tipped ones. Some have 
stood a month indoors, but before being taken in, the soil is covered 
with moss, which is kept wet, and 1 find it helps to maintain their 
freshness. I find the colours most brilliant of the plants which were 
supplied with farmyard liquid manure. The doubles I intend to try 
next season, but I have not so much confidence in them as in the singles^ 
Perhaps some other readers will give their experience.—E. V. S. 
- Gas-heating Houses.—I n reply to “ C. S.,” respecting an 
automatic arrangement for regulating the supply of gas used in heating 
small greenhouses, I can recommend a very ingenious, yet simple, and 
undoubtedly effective contrivance, that is extensively used in this neigh¬ 
bourhood. The principle of its action consists in the expansion or con¬ 
traction of spirit enclosed in a thermostat by a column of mercury, the 
gas being conducted by an inner tube subject to the passage being 
contracted or enlarged by the heat of the house, causing the column of 
mercury to rise or fall. This is merely an outline of its action, but 
several important improvements have been recently effected by one of 
our most practical heating engineers in the city, and the instrument, 
which can now be seen in use in several amateur conservatories in 
Clifton, can be adjusted in such a manner that any desired temperature 
can be assured. I shall be pleased to forward address of maker if “ C. S.” 
will favour me with his address through the Editor.—M. Coombe. 
- Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Soceity.—A n 
interesting meeting of this Society was held on Saturday last, when 
Mr. Alfred Waters, of Farington House Gardens, was presented with a 
handsome clock. Mr. Waters is leaving to take charge at Hopwood 
Hall Gardens, near Manchester, and the members decided to take this 
opportunity of recognising his many good qualities and his usefulness to 
the Society. Mr. C. Parker made the presentation, and in doing so he 
alluded to Mr. Waters’ skill as a gardener and as a successful exhibitor, 
and also to his willingness at all times to give to others the benefit of 
his experience on any gardening matter, and that, though the members 
were all sorry to lose him as a friend and adviser, they wished him every 
success. Mr. Eoberts and others also bore testimony to the respect in 
which he was held. Mr. Waters feelingly replied, thanking the sub¬ 
scribers for their kindness, &c. 
- The Botanical Gazette published at Crawfordsville, Indiana, 
gives some particulars of one of the most magnificent bequests ever 
made for scientific purposes, that of the late Mr. H. Shaw for the 
endowment of the Botanic Garden and School of Botany at 
St. Louis, Missouri, amounting to not less than between three and five 
million dollars. The trustees have determined to apply the income to 
the maintenance and increase in the scientific usefulness of the Botanic 
Garden ; to provide fire-proof quarters for the invaluable herbarium of 
the late Dr. George Engelmann, and to supply means for its enlarge¬ 
ment ; to secure a botanical museum ; and to gradually acquire and 
utilise facilities for research in vegetable physiology and histology, the 
diseases and injuries of plants, and other branches of botany and horti¬ 
culture. To aid in the carrying out of this last purpose travelling 
botanical scholarships have been esta’olished. The present very able 
director of the Botanic Garden is Dr. William Trelease.— (yature.) 
-- A “ Maryland Farmer ” writes in YAs Canadian Ilortiovl- 
tnrist—“ The extensive use now made of PARIS green and other arsenical 
poisons should be a warning to us. Some of our ablest physicians 
insist that there are forms of disease traceable directly to the presence 
of arsenic in the Potato. This I doubt, and yet it seems certain that 
the use of arsenic on vegetation more or less checking the perfectly 
healthy development of the leaves, produces a chemical change in the 
tubers detrimental to health. It is getting almost impossible to pur¬ 
chase Potatoes entirely free from a tinge of bitterness, while a very 
large part of the Potatoes that find their way to market are quite unfit 
for use. Many farmers use five or ten times as much Paris green on a 
Potato field as is necessary for the purpose of destroying the Colorado 
beetle. The practice of sprinkling Paris green into Cabbage heads is 
criminal and inexcusable. I have recently seen the account of five 
persons having been killed by the use of such Cabbage. Probably there 
is no direct danger from the recently derived method of spraying Apple 
and Plum trees to the fruit eater, but there is serious danger to those 
who handle the poisons. Paris green should be used and stored with 
every precaution. We are getting quite too familiar with it, and are 
losing our fear of it.” 
- The Native Guano Company send us a ist of testimonials, 
showing the results of the application of the manure to farm and 
garden crops in the different counties of England, also in Wales and 
Scotland, and it has evidently given great satisfaction to the several 
cultivators. 
- A VALUABLE paper on “ The Utility of Forests and the 
Study op Forestry ” was recently read before the Indian section of 
the Society of Arts, by Dr. W. Schlich, Professor of Forestry at the 
Eoyal College of Engineering, Cooper’s Hill. In the course of his 
remarks Dr. Schlich gave an account of the instruction in forestry at 
Cooper’s Hill, and mentioned that the authorities were thinking of 
appointing a second professor of the subject, and thus doubling the 
amount of instruction now given. After the reading of the paper 
Major-General Michael, C.S.I., who presided, made some interesting 
observations. No one, he said, who had visited the great forest regions 
of Germany, Austria, and France could fail to be impressed with the 
visible effects of good management, and to wish they were more 
generally apparent in England and Scotland. There were signs that 
the education and practical training of foresters were being more 
thought of at the present time in England, and he ventured to predict 
that Dr. Schlich would shortly have a good many students under him 
who were destined for home employment and not for India only. 
Personally he knew more about the value of forestry and the life of a 
forester in India, having spent seven or eight of the happiest and 
perhaps the most useful years of his youth as a forest officer. That was 
