1883 .] 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
79 
high quality of the show itself, or the unbounded 
hospitality of their hosts. The show was opened on 
April 15 by Her Majesty the Queen of the Belgians, 
the King being confined by indisposition, and it 
remained open until April 22, during which period, 
as the weather was fine, it must have been well 
attended. These shows at Gaud are always grand, for 
where else is there such an abundance of material to 
draw upon ? but they vary from time to time in the 
quality of the different exhibits. On this occasion 
the place of honour must he given to the Indian 
Azaleas, which were shown in splendid condition, 
those from the collections of M. de Ghellinck de Walle 
and Comte de Kerchove being in every way perfect. 
The Imantophyllums were another striking feature 
and a novel one, for they have almost sprung up in 
variety since the last Quinquennial, and now they 
are being raised by thousands. There are improve¬ 
ments of size, form, and colour amongst the later- 
named sorts, but the change is slow, though for¬ 
tunately the worst are really fine things. Hyacinths 
from Holland, Cyclamens from Holloway (Mr. B. S. 
Williams), and Pelargoniums and Double Cinerarias 
from Swanley (Mr. Canned), were conspicuous ele¬ 
ments of the floral display, while the Camellias 
seemed to be fast their best and not very effective. 
Palms, Cyoads, and foliage plants were abundant, and 
mostly very fine. Perns, especially the arborescent 
ones, were a trifle below par ; nevertliele's there were 
a few grand specimens in the Cyathei medullaris 
and C. dealbata of M. Ghellinck de Walle. Some 
remarkably fine examples of Standard Laurustinus 
and of Standard and Pyramidal Bays were also shown 
iu the hardy department. The kindness and gene¬ 
rous hospitality which the visitors met with every¬ 
where will never be forgotten. 
— 2Tiiis evergreen Mexican Choisya tee- 
nata, when introduced, was described as a stove 
plant; but it has been found to flower well in 
a cool greenhouse, and it will also thrive admirably 
trained against a wall in the open air, where in all 
but the severest winters it will stand without having 
its leaves damaged, and flower abundantly in May 
and June. The pure white flowers bear mucU 
resemblance to Orange blossoms, while the trifoliate 
leaves, of a firm and leathery texture, are covered on 
both surfaces, as well as the flowers, with oily glands 
which give to them a rather strong but not disagree¬ 
able odour. 
— ®he question as to the distance at 
which Vines should be trained from the 
Glass, is one of some practical importance, 
upon which we find the following remarks by “ E. IT.” 
in the Field newspaper:—“Thirty years ago,” he 
says, “ it was a matter of some moment, in the case 
of old-fashioned houses, to place the foliage near the 
glass. Now, such floods of light and sunshine are 
admitted in modern-built houses that there is no 
longer any necessity to come up to the glass for it. 
Close under a roof consisting of nearly all glass in 
large squares, the difference between the day tem¬ 
perature when the sun shines and that at midnight 
on a clear night is very considerable—too much, in 
fact, for healthy growth.” When he first had the 
management of such a house he thought it was 
the hot sunshine which made the foliage look so 
pale as it did. But when the vines were dropped 
further from the glass, it was discovered that the evil 
was due rather to the radiation going on during 
bright starlight nights than to the sun, although the 
latter aggravated the matter by causing a greater 
change in the temperature. He adds that he is 
convinced that we may with advantage, in the case 
of recently-built houses, drop our vines two feet from 
the glass. 
— well-known writer, “ J. S. W.,” 
treating of tbe Tomato, remarks that it 
rejoices in a very bigb temperature, with 
plenty of light and free ventilation, and will bear 
long and well under such conditions; but it will also 
thrive in a temperature ranging constantly from 
60° to 70°. To have very early crops, he recommends 
cuttings cf old plants to be struck in August or 
September, and wintered in a warm house or pit till 
December or January, and then planted out or 
potted. These plants will fruit in February or 
March, and continue to tear the whole summer and 
autumn. 
— Amongst tbe taller Cacti, now too much 
neglected, Phyllocactus amcenus bolds a 
distinguished place. It is a splendid flower, 
beyond description. The flowers are as much as 9 
inches across, with the petals, as is usual, ranged in 
several rows, the outer ones scarlet, the inner ones 
also scarlet, but deeply edged with violet crimson, 
the two brilliant hues becoming blended towards the 
apex of the petal. It w 7 as flowered last year in Mr. 
J. T. Peacock’s collection at Sudbury House, Ham¬ 
mersmith, and has been designated as a Cactus 
really worth growing—a very glory of colour, as 
well as fine in form. 
— ®!he Reed-workers in certain parts of 
France, especially in Provence, and chiefly 
those who manipulate tbe stems of Arunclo 
Donax,a,re said to be sometimes affected by a painful 
irritation of the nose, eyes, and throat, followed by 
erythematous sw r elliag, which extends to the hands 
and trunk, cats and dogs being also affected. An 
examination of the reeds has shown that they are 
covered with a'mould consisting of the spores and 
mycelium of a fungus, Sporotrichum dermatodes, 
which being developed under the influence of pro¬ 
longed exposure to moisture, the spores become 
shaken off as dust during the manipulation of the 
reeds, and then irritate the exposed paris of the 
skin on which they lodge. Although usuallj r 
trifling, the malady sometimes assumes a severe 
form, lasting nearly a fortnight, and has been known 
to cause death. It may apparently be prevented, 
says the Lancet, by the simple expedient of washing 
the reeds before their manipulation. 
— ®!he use of Carbolic Acid as an In¬ 
secticide is recommended by a correspondent 
of tbe Journal of Horticulture, wbo writes : 
“ The value of carbolic acid for destroying mealy 
bug and other horticultural pests has been certified, 
but the fact that the addition of a little glycerine to 
the acid before its dilution renders it perfectly 
soluble in water is not generally known. Any one 
who takes the trouble can, however, in this way 
secure a perfectly reliable insecticide of any strength 
required.” 
— TOe find tbe following note, by Prof. 
Westwood, on tbe origin of tbe Blenheim 
Orange Apple, in tbe Gardeners' Chronicle, 
(xviii., 142) :—“Mr. George Kempster, tailor, wdio re¬ 
sided at Old Woodstock, and died there September 15, 
1773, was the first grower of the Blenheim Orange 
Apple. When a young man, he observed a plant 
growing close to the wall of the house, and, liking 
