1880 . ] 
NOTES ON BOOKS. 
23 
in the neighbourhood where he lives, he 
was invited to inspect a famous collection of 
Carnations and Picotees, and what he then saw 
gave a direction to his energies, which ap¬ 
parently will last through all his future life. 
For less than one-fifth of the sum named by 
“ Wyld Savage,” aided by the possessor of the 
collection referred to, he obtained 150 plants 
in about seventy varieties, pots, frames, soil, 
shading material, and exhibition-boxes; and 
incited thereto and aided by what probably 
may have been a little judicious bottleholding, 
he went in to win at the National Carnation 
and Picotee Society’s Show, and did win prizes 
which, though not at the top of the class, were 
in advance of some who had advantages of 
situation far beyond his; whilst some of his 
flowers were spoken of by one of the oldest and 
most experienced of the judges of the Show as 
“ admirable examples of first-class cultivation.” 
Of the Auricula, Mr. B. Simonite, of Shef¬ 
field, one of the most experienced and most 
successful of cultivators, says, “ It might be 
grown in St. Paul’s Churchyardand from 
what, through many years, I have known of 
the Carnation and Picotee, I am sure no one 
will go unrequited who gives pains and atten¬ 
tion to their cultivation, even in localities of 
detrimental surroundings.—Z. 
NOTES ON BOOKS. 
f HOSE who wish to be successful must 
go the right way to attain that end—so 
writes Mr. Douglas in the preface to 
his new hand-book, entitled Hardy Florists’ 
Flowers.* We have quoted the phrase for 
the purpose of adding, that the ‘right way ' for 
those who wish to master the cultivation of 
hardy florist’s flowers is to make themselves 
acquainted with the instructions to that end 
which Mr. Douglas has succinctly laid down for 
their guidance in his handy little volume, and 
to follow them implicitly. They will find his 
recommendations to be practical, and his 
warnings opportune. He is no blind guide, 
but has himself travelled along the road which 
leads to success, and his readers will find it 
safe to follow him. A book of this kind, a 
brief, plain, practical explanation how to grow 
the several flowers embraced by the title has 
long been wanted, and now it is provided, 
though it is, perhaps, not without slight 
blemishes, we recommend all who take interest 
in the subject to use it freely. Besides serving 
* Hardy Florists’ Flowers; their Cultivation and Manage¬ 
ment. By James Douglas, lE.R.H.S., gardener to Francis 
Wliitbourn, Esq., Loxford Hall, Iflord, Essex. Published by 
the Author. 
as a general reminder for all growers of florists’ 
flowers, it will be especially useful to the 
amateur who has not yet bought his ex¬ 
perience, and to the professional gardener who 
has not come in the way of these subjects, and 
who consequently has no clear practical know¬ 
ledge of the technicalities incidental to the 
successful growth of many of them. All the 
more popular of our old hardy florists’ flowers, 
and some of the more modern subjects, are 
treated on, brief plain directions for propaga¬ 
tion, cultivation and exhibition being given. 
A selection of choice varieties, and a monthly 
calendar, provided as a finger-post for the in¬ 
experienced cultivator, is added. Thus Hardy 
Florists’ Flowers is not only a trustworthy, 
but a tasteful and presentable little volume. 
In the Hardy Fruit Book (Country Office, 
170 Strand), Mr. D. T. Fish discourses at con¬ 
siderable length on the various matters con¬ 
nected with the cultivation of the Apple, the 
Pear, and the Peach and Nectarine. The various 
modes of trimming and training are fully ex¬ 
plained and illustrated. In the case of the 
Peach, the treatment of the trees under glass 
is also fully discussed. The book contains a 
great mass of useful information brought to¬ 
gether in a handy form for reference. 
A similar volume to the foregoing is called 
Greenhouse Management for Amateurs, by 
W. J. May {Bazaar Office, 170 Strand). This 
commences with remarks on the erection and 
heating of greenhouses, and goes on to describe 
the culture of some of the most popular 
plants. It will supply many practical hints to 
amateur cultivators, for whom it is intended, 
but the subdivision of the text is rather difficult 
to understand. The principal sections are headed 
Hard-wooded plants (amongst which are ranged 
Bouvardia, Epiphyllum, Sericographis, &c.), 
Soft-wooded plants, Oool-liouse plants (by which 
hardy plants, sometimes grown under glass, ap¬ 
pear to be meant). Climbers, Annuals. Chapters 
on raising seeds, on propagation, and on in¬ 
sects follow, and the volume winds up with 
a monthly calendar of work to be done. 
The pamphlet, Water for Nothing, by 
Shirley Hibberd (Effingham Wilson, Royal Ex¬ 
change), is written to show that every house 
may be made to yield its own supply. Its object 
is to point out to the water-consuming citizen 
“ that he may, if he pleases, make an end of 
his obligations to the water company, by esta¬ 
blishing a supply of his own—a supply that 
will cost him absolutely nothing, and that will 
