270 
JOURNAL OF UORTTCULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 20, 1894. 
plant florists’ Roses when showing is not a leading object in view as it 
would be to plant painters’ or poets’ Roses for the purposes of exhi¬ 
bition.— Wm. Paul, Pauls' Nurseries, Waltham Cross. 
Tea Rose Niphetos. 
Mr. Brotherston (page 175) speaks highly of this Rose, and 
rightly so. In this neighbourhood no Rose is held in higher esteem as a 
market variety, and that is a very gcod test of the worth of any flower. 
Messrs. Drover, Fareham, who are large growers of cut flowers, say that 
Niphetos is the finest Rose they can grow. With them it succeeds 
admirably planted against a back wall of a lean-to house, formerly used 
as a vinery, now filled with Cucumbers. Mr. Agate. Havant, speaks 
most highly, too, of this Rose for the same purpose. No variety that I 
know will continue to flower over such a long period.—B. M., Swanviorc 
Park. 
Weather in London. —The weather since our last issue has been 
remarkable for its equability, the days, as a rule, being dull, but 
many of the nights bright and clear. Scarcely any rain has fallen, 
short drizzly showers only, and these at wide intervals. 
- Crystal Palace Fruit Show.—The Luncheon.—T he 
Secretary would be greatly obliged if those who contemplate joining the 
gardeners’ luncheon at 1.80 on September 29th would be kind enough 
to apply to him for tickets at once, as there will probably be a very large 
number, and it may be impossible to increase the accommodation at the 
last moment. 
■- Conference on Trees and Shrubs at Chiswick Gardens. 
—As m.any intending exhi’oitors at the Conference on Trees and Shrubs 
at Chiswick Gardens on September 25th may possibly wish to know 
what kinds are most likely to be wanted, the following list will be of 
some assistance, of course only branc’aes of large trees nerd be sent 
to the Gardens Andromedas, Cassandras, Catalpas, Carpenterias, 
Ceanothus, Cratmgus, Cotoneasters, Euonymus, Pyrus, Pernettyas, 
Pfunus, Amygdalus, Copper Beeches, Birches, Alders, Walnuts, Hickory 
(Carya), Maples (Acer), Dogwoods, Pavias, Viburnums, Quercus, Spirmas, 
Berberis, Magnolias, Robinias, Sophoras, Hamamelis, 
- The Rev. W. Wilks. —The Fruit Committee of the Royal Hor¬ 
ticultural Society, at the meeting at Chiswick on Tuesday, learned with 
the deepest regret that the Rev. W. Wilks, the estimable Secretary of 
the Society, had that day been ordered to enter a London hospital for 
the purpose of having an operation performed on his throat, and would 
-entail upon him some two or three weeks’ seclusion. This is all the 
more to be deplored, as the Conference at Chiswick next week and the 
Great Fruit show at the Crystal Palace on the 29th and succeeding days 
arc events in which the rev. gentleman took the deepest interest. 
Very warm sympathy with him in his suffering will be expressed on 
every hand. 
- Hour OF Judging AT the Crystal Palace Fruit Show.— 
To prevent any possible error as to the hour at which the judging will 
begin at the Royal Horticultural Society’s great show of British-grown 
fruit, to be held at the Crystal Palace, September 29th, October Ist and 
2ad, 1894. On the entry form which each exhibitor signs he undertakes 
to have finished staging by 11 A M. punctually, but on page 20 of the 
echedule. Regulation vii. has accidentally slipped in as a reprint from the 
Society’s annual schedule, in which the usual time at our fortnightly 
meetings of twelve o’clock has remained unaltered. By their written 
undertaking the exhibitors are bound to be ready by eleven; it will, 
therefore, be no hardship on them (particularly after this notice) to 
insist on the show being cleared at 11.1.5, and the Judges commencing 
punctually at 11.30.—W. Wilks, Secretary. 
- Pears.—A market grower told me a few days since that he 
sent 30 busheLs of “ Hazels ” to market, and got back 30i. in return. 
The fact is Pears are so abundant that they can hardly be given away. 
But how delicious an addition to our meals might be found if persons 
who can purchase these inferior varieties so cheaply would but quarter 
and core them, then gently stew these pieces, using plenty of sugar, 
M’hich is now so cheap. There need not be a Pear in the country wasted 
were this simple method of consuming them employed.—A. D. 
- Reseda alba. —This is a tall pyramidal branching form of 
Mignonette that has long spikes of pure white fiowers. The plants are 
about 20 inches in height, and most admirably adapted to put out into 
beds of a mixed character. It would associate admirably with Salvias, 
Pentstemons, Fuchsias, and other plants, and give capital flowers for 
cutting. 
- A New Bertolonia.—“ A. F.” writes :—“ Among the many 
Bertolonias which have been exhibited recently, a new and showy 
hybrid, B. guttata var. Alfred Bleu, obtained from Van Houttei x rosea 
punctatissima, is very attractive. The leaves are deep bronzy green, 
ribbed and spotted with brilliant carmine. The originator of this 
variety, M. Alfred Bleu, after whom it is named, is reported to be 
sending out a series of such hybrids, including some of great beauty 
and brilliancy of colouring.” 
- New Alpine Strawberry.—I n the Reading trial grounds 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons have a new alpine Strawberry that is much 
superior in all respects to the old alpine, the fruits being longer and 
sweeter. Once the plants are established they fruit over a long season, 
giving pickings that cannot be out of the ordinary and all too short 
Strawberry season, too highly esteemed. The variety is even well worth 
growing to cover root or rockwork or bare slopes.—D. 
- Harpalium rigidum. — “North” writes, “This fine old 
perennial is now flowering profusely in my garden, and of all autumn 
blooming plants this is one of the most effective. It is grown in 
shrubberies and semi-wild places where no attention whatever is given 
the plants other than an occasional weeding. The flowers, while being 
attractive in the open air, are also extensively used for the embellishment 
of the rooms in the house. If placed in vases containing water they last 
for a fairly long time in good condition.” 
- Campanula pyramidalis. — The article by “G. H., Alton 
lowers" (page 250) on this plant reminds me of some beautiful speci¬ 
mens which I recently saw in Finsbury Park. The plants were plunged 
in the grass in a secluded corner, large groups making a grand effect. 
In other public gardens I have also seen the blue and white varieties 
used to advantage for outdoor decoration, but they do not seem to be so 
employed in private establishments. There is a dwarfer form than the 
type, and the flowers, moreover, are larger, though it does not seem to 
be generally grown. Some weeks ago I noticed plants of it were 
exhibited at a meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society.—C. P. 
- A Bite from a Spider —Entomologists have often been 
amused at the popular dislike to spiders, seeing that all our native 
species are, as a rule, harmless, even the larger garden and cellar 
species. Yet spiders of similar size and habit do inflict annoying, or 
even dangerons bites, in the warmer countries of Europe. An instance 
of a bite from an English spider is worth recording. When engaged 
in her garden, a lady recently felt a tickling sensation up her arm. 
She rubbed the part, as we naturally do, and a spider rolled down her 
sleeve, which had crawled up unobserved. In a few minutes she 
experienced a painful sensation, and the arm began to swell; for 
several days much uneasiness was felt, also weakness in the limb. 
No doubt in self-defence the spider used its sting when pressed by her 
hand.—E. 
- Ancient Society of York Florists. —On Saturday last 
the usual flower services were held at St. Mary’s Church, York. The 
chaplain of the Society (Rev. H. Vyvyan) preached in the morning, 
founding his sermon on the words, “ Flowers appear on the earth.” 
At the outset he eulogised the Society for the work it was doing in 
bringing into prominence a love for and cultivation of flow ers, than which 
no occupation could be more refining and ennobling, and approvingly 
commended the management for their disinterested efforts generally, 
also in the pains they had taken in the decoration of the church 
on that occaoioa. In the course of his sermon he took his hearers 
from the Arctics, where the scanty but in some respects still beautiful 
plants struggled for existence in uncompromising difficulties, to the 
luxuriant Tropics where flowers were produced and dwelt in wild 
profusion, and drew lessons therefrom which he pressed home upon his 
hearers. In the afternoon Rev. Gordon Salmon preached, he forcibly 
drawing his hearers’ attention to the “ Gardens ” of God’s own making 
in Nature, which were in evidence all around governed by His 
unalterable laws. In the evening Rev. C. B. Bedwell preached, he 
enforcing the need of sacrifice in order that charity should be rightly 
directed. Crowded congregations attended all the services, the offer¬ 
tories taken amounting to £9 3i., which were in support of the Local 
Charity Organisation Society.—J. L. 
