Augu*t 9, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
127 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. Maurice Irwin, for some 
years presiding over the gardens at Marlay, Rathfarnham, has been 
appointed gardener to Mr. Justice Madden, Nutley, Booterstown, 
Co. Dublin. 
- Permanganate of Potash for Hollyhock Disease.— 
"Will Mr. J. Clarke (page 81) kindly state in the Journal of Horti¬ 
culture how much permanganate of potash he uses to a given quantity 
of water for destroying the Hollyhock disease?— Somerset. 
- Horticultural Implements. —The Directors of the Stan¬ 
dard Manufacturing Company, Derby, inform us that they have 
received the Royal Warrant of appointment as makers and purveyors of 
Horticultural Implements and Appliances to Her Majesty the Queen. 
- The Hampton Court Vine.— Visitors to Hampton Court 
Palace just now will find that the famous old Vine there is heavily 
laden with fruit, the bunches, according to a daily contemporary, 
numbering 1200. The clusters are not so fine as they have been, but 
this is not to be wondered at when it is stated that the Vine is 126 
years old. 
- Death of Mr. W. H. Gower. —We regret to hear of the death 
of Mr. W. Hugh Gower, which occurred on July 30th at Tooting. 
Mr, Gower, who was in his sixtieth year, was for a time at the Royal 
•Gardens at Kew, and previously at Jackson’s nursery; afterwards he 
was at Messrs. Rollisson’s at Tooting, and at Messrs. Williams & Son, of 
Holloway. He contributed much to horticultural literature, and was 
principally known for his knowledge on Orchids. 
- Entomology in America. —We learn from the “ Garden 
and Forest ” that “ Mr. N. 0. Howard, of New York, a graduate of 
Cornell, has been appointed Entomologist of the Department of Agri¬ 
culture to fill the position made vacant by the retirement of Dr. C. V. 
Riley. Since 1886 Mr. Howard has been the first assistant to the 
entomologist of the department, and is the author of numerous memoirs 
published by the Department, and joint editor of ‘ Insect Life,’ the 
periodical issued by the Division of Entomology. The position of first 
assistant, created by Mr. Howard’s promotion, has been filled by the 
appointment of Mr. C. L. Marlatt, of Kansas.” 
-Wet Weather and Outdoor Peaches.—S o continuous has 
been the damp and sunless weather here for the last month that the 
early outdoor Peach crop has been entirely ruined. One tree of 
Alexander which was carrying over a hundred fruits is utterly worthless, 
not a fruit has been fit to gather, but all decayed upon the tree before 
ripening. Early Louise on a south wall is not quite in such a bad 
plight, but the fruits on that tree are not at all promising. Waterloo 
being against a west wall has escaped rather better, and is more 
promising, but still the fruits are a long way from being good. The 
almost daily showers have rendered the skin of the fruit so soft that a 
sudden burst of sun has caused it to decay quite suddenly. During 
the month of July we had only thirteen rainless days. The effect of so 
much continued moisture falling upon heavy soil can easily be imagined. 
I have had to remove the mulching of manure from the surface soil 
about the trees that was laid on during the short spell of dry weather 
experienced at the end of June and the first week in July. The total 
rainfall for July here was 5-56 inches.—E. M., Swanmore. 
- Elsham Flower Show. — On August Bank Holiday, 
6th inst., the Elsham and Warlaby Cottagers’ Horticultural Society 
held its twenty-fourth annual show. As in previous years, Sir John 
Astley, Bart., very kindly placed the grounds of Elsham Hall at the 
disposal of the Society. In addition to the show ground the gardens 
attached to the residence were thrown open to the public, and by the 
numbers who were flocking towards the entrance it was evident that 
the visitors looked forward to the annual treat. One large marquee 
provided sufficient tabling to stage the whole of the exhibits, which 
were, as a rule, of very high quality. The classes were mostly confined 
to amateurs living in the parishes above named, though there were a 
few open to the whole of England. In these latter excellent Roses, 
black and white Grapes, Tomatoes, Peas, Onions, and other produce 
were exhibited, this also being the case in the amateurs’ divisions. Mr. 
Gardner, Elsham Hall Gardens, arranged a handsome group of foliage 
and flowering plants down the centre of the marquee, thus much 
enhancing the good effect of the whole. The Secretary (Mr. Campbell), 
the Manager of the show (Mr. Gardner), and their assistants deserve 
every congratulation for the straightforward manner in which the whole 
affair was carried, and especially for the promptitude with which the 
judging was commenced at the advertised time of eleven o’clock.—H. 
- The Kew Bulletin. —We have received a copy of “The 
Kew Bulletin ” for August, which contains “ A Summary of Informa¬ 
tion Relating to Bananas and Plantains,” with descriptions of the 
species and principal varieties of Musk grown for use and ornament. 
The publication is larger than usual, and contains much useful and 
interesting matter. 
- Anchusa italica.— Bluest of the blue, but why so? This 
species is given in Paxton’s “ Botanical Dictionary ” as pale yellow. 
Nearly thirty years have come and gone since the late Mr. Sim, of Foots 
Cray, gave me the name it is known by. Lately the Kew notes in these 
pages have endorsed it. As it appears to be a case of doctors differing, 
can anyone decide ?—E. K. 
- Pea Taber’s Duke op York.— This excellent early Pea has 
been grown by Mr. Griffin at Coombe Bank, Kingston-on-Thames, this 
season, and he says of it:—“ I sowed a row of it at the same time that 
I sowed William Hurst on a warm border. Duke of York was ready 
together within a week after the other. It is a first-rate second early, 
and I am saving every pod of a later sowing for seed.” The great gain 
such a Pea presents is that it is of such excellent Marrow quality. 
Gardeners now have no need to trust for early Peas to such inferior 
forms as are the old hard rounds. We have too many main crop or late 
Peas, sorts that it seems difficult to improve upon ; but of first earlies 
there is room for improvement.—A. D. 
- RuBUS DELlciosus. —This Rocky Mountain Bramble is pro¬ 
bably a common garden plant in the United States, but in England, 
according to a correspondent in t’ne “ Garden and Forest,” it is scarcely 
known, notwithstanding its hardiness, the beauty of flowers, its free 
growth, and the early date of its introduction—1822. Planted in 
groups on the border of a shrubbery, or in a bed on a lawn, it soon 
forms an ornamental mass of Raspberry-like stems, which, in early 
summer, are clothed with pure white Rose-like flowers 2 inches in 
diameter. It is the most ornamental of all the species of Rubus known 
in cultivation here, and if not appreciated in America as a garden plant 
it ought to be. At Kew it used to be grown in poor soil from a belief 
that rich treatment was bad for it, but a group of it, raised from layers 
two years ago, now fills a space of about 40 square yards, having 
grown rapidly in the rich loam in which it is planted, and the canes, 
some of them 7 feet long, were recently wreathed in flowers. 
-Birmingham Amateur Gardeners’ Association.—O n 
Wednesday in last week Mr. W. White, J.P., invited the members of 
the above association to a garden party at his house at Edgbaston, where 
a very enjoyable evening was spent. On entering the garden one is at 
once struck by the fact that the place belongs to a lover of Nature. 
Here one sees winding paths, arches covered with Honeysuckles, Roses, 
Virginian Creepers, beds filled with herbaceous plants, arranged with 
skill by a true gardener ; shrubs which have been left to grow a little at 
their own free will, not pruned and cut in order to shape them into a 
perfect cone, circle, or square. The whole aspect of the place gave one 
the idea that for once in a gentleman’s garden Nature was allowed to 
have matters a little her own way. After tea was over and the visitors 
had had ample opportunity for inspecting the grounds in general and 
the plants in particular, they assembled in the tent, where the usual 
ordinary meeting was held. Mr. William B. Griffin read a paper on 
“Hyacinths, Narcissi, and Other Ordinary Bulbs.” He dealt with the 
growing of bulbs in pots, glasses, window boxes, and in the open ground, 
giving the best varieties which amateurs ought to cultivate. He strongly 
advocated the buying of any bulbs early in the season; more failures 
were accounted for by the fact that the bulbs were planted late than 
from almost any other cause, except perhaps want of water. With 
regard to the latter he advised members to place the pots of bulbs in 
pans of water for an hour or two every three or four days so as to ensure 
their having sufficient moisture. The paper was listened to with much 
interest and was productive of some good discussion, after which 
Mr. Cope proposed and Mr. Peake seconded a hearty vote of thanks to 
Mr. Griffin for his paper. Although the place of meeting was rather 
out of the way for most members there was a good exhibition of flowers, 
plants in pots, and vegetables. Messrs. H. Beech, J. C. Clarke, 
T. P. Cope, W. H. Peake, A. Stanford, C. Shotton, H. Smith, and 
W. H. Wilks were the principal exhibitors. The competition for the 
special prizes for six bunches of annuals offered by Messrs. Griffin and 
Roe was postponed till September 5lh, when it js hoped there will be a 
large number of entries. The next meeting, August 15th, will be held 
at the rooms, 116, Colmore Row, as usual.— Wm. B. Griffin, Hon, Sec., 
Alcester Road, Moseley. 
