April !4, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
841 
of Agriculture, Honorary President of the Exhibition, 500 marks. 
Science will be represented in its connection with horticultural practice- 
- The Bkockham Rose Association have accepted the in¬ 
vitation of Robert Barclay, Esq., to hold their Show on July 2nd at 
Bury Hill, near Dorking. 
- Fruit as Food and Drink. —The Secretary of the Vege¬ 
tarian Society, Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, London, E.C., desires 
us to state that deputations will be sent on application, to gardeners’ 
meetings and horticultural societies free of charge, at which it may be 
desirable to discuss the subiect. 
- Gardening Appointments. —Mr. John Justice, foreman, 
Witley Court Gardens, has been appointed head gardener to J. S. Howitt, 
Esq., The Firs, Norton, Worcester. Mr. A. J. Long has left Westwood 
Park, Droitwich, where he was head gardener for five years, and has 
been engaged by J. Spiller, Esq., Compton House, Stockbridge, Hants. 
- Railway Charges for Vegetables. —This day I sent in 
a basket to London, via North Wall, three heads of Broccoli, for which 
I paid charges 53. This seems such an enormous price for a basket of 
vegetables containing only three heads as stated. I have often been to 
Market Lane to dine, and the quantity would be partaken of by three 
ordinary feeders. Surely the charges are extraordinary.—W. Baylor 
Hartland, Corlt. 
• -Rose Catalogue Commentary.—I am very much obliged 
to “ A. C.” for his too favourable mention of my paper, which I hardly 
thought deserved an elaborate peroration. I meant it to have appeared 
earlier, in time to assist novices in the selection of varieties, and fear 
that it would be of little use published separately. Lists of Roses 
become quite out of date in a year or two, as it is of the newer sorts 
especially that the average Rose-grower desires information.—W. R. 
Raillem. 
- The schedule of the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural 
Society (thirty-eighth season) is just to hand, and announces that 
Shows will be held on July 9th and 10th (Roses), and on September 
10th and 11th. The Exhibitions will be held in the Royal Pavilion, 
Brighton, and in conjunction with the last named on September 11th, 
at 4 P.M., a Conference will be held by the British Fruit Growers’ 
Association, Grapes and Tomatoes being the special features. Eighty 
classes are provided, numerous prizes being offered for fruits. 
- Sweet Peas in Spring.—I have sent you a few Sweet Pea 
flowers to show how the season of these useful flowering things may 
be prolonged. We cut the first on the 10th of March. The pink variety is 
the Princess Beatrice, which is in great demand, and will ultimately 
prove valuable for cutting purposes.—J. T. Ebbutt, Wmslade Gardens, 
Exeter. [The flowers received were extremely fresh, bright, varied, and 
fragrant, and their usefulness at this season cannot be over-estimated. 
We shall be glad if Mr. Ebbutt will describe his method of culture.) 
- Prospects of Fruit in the Bournemouth District.—T he 
soil of Bournemouth is not very favourable to the production of fruit, 
but some fair samples are grown in the neighbourhood. There is a fair 
amount of blossom on Cherries, Pears, and Apples, but on Plums it is 
scarce. Some of the trees are well covered, but the birds have been 
very destructive. The following are a few sorts which are showing 
best :—Pears, Jargone’le, Beurrd d’Amanlis, Marie Louise, Louise 
Bonne of Jersey, and Williams’ Bon Chretien ; Apples, Ribston Pippin, 
King of the Pippins, Cockle’s Pippin, Keswick Codlin, and Hawthorn- 
den. Small fruits are looking well. 
- Vegetation Generally.— We have experienced a long spell 
of dry weather with north-east and easterly winds, and Euouymus 
which grows with us all winter have suffered in exposed places. A 
welcome change took place on April 15th—warm showers and rain all 
day Thursday. The beautiful pink Ribes will soon be over, but 
shrubberies are gay with Berberries. Forsythia viridissima, the white 
Andromedas, Laurustinus, Tulips, Wallflowers, Aubrietias, Arabis, 
Pansies, Polyanthus, and Myosotis are flowering well in the borders. 
Grsiss is growing freely, and the scythe and machines have been at work 
for some time.—J. B. S. 
- Two Good Outdoor Hyacinths. — A I^^acinth seldom culti¬ 
vated out of doors, yet most suitable for the purpose, is Grand Lilas, 
single-flowered, porcelain-lilac—an uncommon colour, and the spikes of 
bloom are almost self-supporting, a great point in the favour of this 
variety. We have it planted in the front of Rose borders and upon the 
grass, in clumps of about five bulbs each. Another good variety is the- 
pure white double flowered La Tour d’Auvergne. Seven years ago we- 
planted in the herbaceous borders the bulbs which had previously 
flowered in pots. Every year since they have flowered well, and are as- 
good this year as they were the first season in pots. I might also say 
that our soil is cold and wet in the winter, consequently not the most 
favourable for bulb culture. Beyond taking up the bulbs once when 
the border was trenched two years ago, they have not been disturbed— 
—E. M. 
- Narcissus Bulbocodium.—T hose who have not grown this-- 
yellow Hoop Petticoat Narcissus in pots would do well to procure a few 
bulbs, in the autumn potting half a dozen in a 4-inch pot, giving them.- 
the usual bulb treatment, and at this time next year reap the reward' 
of the slight outlay in the possession of rich masses of yellow flowers-- 
which will be produced. For the front of the stages in the conservatory 
or as edgings to groups in any other structure, arranged on a base of 
small Maidenhair Ferns or Selaginella Kraussiana, the golden flowersi- 
show to the greatest advantage for cutting ; intermixed with its own-, 
foliage in small vases a pleasing effect is pioduced.—E. 
- Where ordinary varieties of Hippeastrums (Amaryllises);- 
are simply grown for decorative work greater success may be obtained 
by allowing the bulbs to stay in the same pots for two or three years,, 
or even four sometimes, without potting, than by annually disturbing- 
their roots, which I know is the general plan of cultivation. Where- 
8 and 9-inch pots are employed the offsets, through not being disturbed 
or separated from the parent bulb, will throw up flower spikes. Whenb 
plants in the pots named deyelope from two to half a dozen flower - 
heads, such are valuable for conservatory or house decoration, giving a 
display of brightly coloured flowers, which contrast so well with white 
flowers such as Lilies, Spirieas and Deutzias. One point in their culti-- 
vation is not to allow the roots to be dried too much. The foliage 
should never be allowed to wither. Those plants which carry some 
green leaves all through the winter succeed the best. Liberal feeding 
when growth is active is the main point to consider. Nothing is better- 
than liquid manure from the cowhouse.—M. 
- A CAPITAL plant is Choisya ternata for covering a bar& 
wall in a cool house, or it will succeed in the south of England planted 
at the base of a south wall. In such a position it flowers amazingly 
where the growth is not allowed to become so thick as to prevent the- 
shoots being thoroughly ripened. The flowers are somewhat like Orange- 
flowers in their individual form. The perfume is ple.isant without being-- 
too powerful. The foliage is particularly a glossy dark green, and whei> 
bruised with the hand emits an agreeable perfume. The leaves are 
often used instead of Fern fronds for the cut flower vases, and they last 
fresh some time. Cuttings strike readily if taken with a heel any time 
when the new growth is nearly ripened. A sandy soil, gentle bottom 
heat, and shade from bright sun are all that are needed to ensure suc¬ 
cess ; the plants quickly grow into a good sizf*. The roots at all times 
must be kept moist. While growth is being made abundance of water 
must be supplied both to the roots and over the foliage, or red spider 
will gain a hold.—S. P. 
- The Sparrow Pest.—I am afraid your correspondent “ B.” 
will only be wasting valuable time, and running a great risk of killing 
something he does not wish to lose, in trying to poison sparrows and 
other birds when they have attained to such numbers as to become a 
pest, which is no doubt the case in many places, especially near the - 
homes of some of our great game preservers. The proper remedy is not 
far to seek, and to find it out we must look for the cause of the pest. 
Nature herself provides the requisite balance in all things, and if left to- 
herself will not for any length of time trouble us with a pest, even of 
sparrows. The cause of the smaller birds increasing at such a rapid rate 
is the wanton manner in which gamekeepers und others shoot or other- - 
wise destroy the hawk and the cuckoo and similar birds which prey 
either upon the eggs or bodies of the smaller birds, and thus Nature is 
deprived of the moans most wisely provided for keeping down the 
numbers of those birds, which would otherwise increase too rapidly.. 
The worst part of the matter is that such a course is purely a one-sided ' 
business, for whoever hear of the squire or nobleman who directs his* 
gamekeeper to kill the larger birds of prey having any thought for the- 
loss he is thus causing to the poor farmer or gardener from the absence 
of those birds of prey, which are actu.ally the greatest protectors of his. 
crops? All animal, bird, or insect pests may be traced more or less to- 
the absence of their natural enemies, and if they can only be provided 
in sufficient numbers there is never any doubt as to what the result wilV 
