14 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[January, 
Doyenne du Comice, and Marie Louise; tlic 
following as espalier, or against a wall— Glou 
Morceau and Winter Nelis , and Josephine de 
Malines; and Bergamotte d’Esperen against a 
wall only. Of Plums: Early Prolific and 
Prince of Wales sliould be planted as standards; 
Denyers’ Victoria , Green Gage , Transparent 
Gage , and Prince Englehert , as standards or 
against a wall; Heine Claude de Bavay and 
Belle de Septembre should go against a wall. 
It is much the best to plant when there is no 
frost, and the soil is somewhat dry. If done 
during the prevalence of frost, no frozen soil 
should be put in on the roots. 
Flower Garden. —Here there is little sign of 
active life, but January is an important period 
of preparation, when plants appear as if re¬ 
newing their strength for the task they dis¬ 
charge in spring and summer. The flower¬ 
beds planted with spring bulbs and flowering 
plants should be looked over occasionally, and 
kept stirred on the surface and free of weeds. 
The mixed border should be carefully forked 
over, without doing injury to the plants, top- 
dressed with refuse potting-soil, and some loose 
manure spread over it, as a winter mulching. 
During mild weather, creeping and climbing 
and also pillar plants should be pruned and 
made tidy for the winter. Deciduous trees and 
roses may be planted in fitting weather, but ever¬ 
greens will do best when planted in the spring. 
Cold Frames. —Plants in pots will need but 
little water now; the drier the soil, the better 
can the plants resist frost. All decayed foliage 
should be removed, as it fosters damp, which 
is destructive at mid-winter. Air should be 
given freely in mild dry weather, and the 
lights closed entirely only when severe frost 
prevails. The glass of the frames should be 
kept clean, that light may fall freely on the 
plants. Cleanliness is all-important in winter, 
and as, during mild weather, green-fly will 
gather on the leaves of the plants, an 
occasional fumigation with tobacco-smoke 
will be found of the greatest advantage. 
Greenhouse. —Thanks to the mild weather 
and the use of one of Rippingille’s warming 
stoves, we have now much more flower in a 
cold greenhouse than is usual at this season of 
the year. It is in fact a circulating hot- 
water apparatus. The necessary heat is obtained 
from a duplex burner in a paraffine stove. It 
has a 5-ft. spread of pipe in three lines, the 
pipes supported at the end by means of up¬ 
right square columns, open at the top, also 
containing water. In an hour, a genial 
warmth is distributed, and the dryness is 
tempered by means of the steam given forth 
from the open columns. The stove is made of 
strong material and well finished, and is a true 
friend to the amateur with a cold greenhouse. 
Zonal Pelargoniums are flowering, and the 
trusses of bloom are very acceptable. Christ¬ 
mas Roses in pots are coming fast into flower; 
they also are valuable at mid-winter. To keep 
the plants clear of decaying leaves and the 
surface soil stirred are important matters; 
plants at rest may be kept pretty dry, those 
that are growing a little moister. The cold 
frame will soon begin to supply material for 
blooming in early spring.— Suburbanus. 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
« HE annual meeting of the National 
Auricula and National Carnation 
and Picotee Societies was held simul¬ 
taneously, at the residence of Mr. E. S. Dodwell, 11 
Chatham Terrace, Larkhall Rise, Clapham, on 
November 23rd. At this meeting it was decided 
to again hold the annual exhibitions at South 
Kensington, under the auspices of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, the Auricula Show to be 
held April 19, 1881, the Carnation and Picotee 
Show on July 19, 1881. The reports and balance- 
sheets for 1880 were adopted, and showed a balance 
in hand for the Aui-icula Society of £10 15s. Id., and 
for the Carnation and Picotee Society of £36 8s. lid. 
The prize schedules were revised, but few altera¬ 
tions being made. Prizes were added, amongst others, 
for twelve yellow-ground Picotees, six at least to be 
distinct. The prizes for seedlings will again be 
offered, and Mr. G. Smith will repeat his special 
prizes for Duke of Wellington Polyanthus. The 
schedules are being printed for early distribution. 
— ®he annual meeting of the National 
Rose Society was held on December 9th, at 
the Horticultural Club, Arundel Street, Strand, 
the Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen in the chair. 
The report showed a balance in hand of £104. It 
was determined that three shows should be held in 
1881—the metropolitan at the Crystal Palace on 
July 2nd, the provincial on July 14th, at Sheffield, 
and an additional or autumn show at Manchester, 
in September, in connection with the great Inter¬ 
national Fruit and Flower Show. It was also 
determined that the provincial show for 1882 should 
be held at Bath. The election of officers and com¬ 
mittee for the ensuing year afterwards took place. 
— JFrom Mr. Chichester Hart we have a 
reprint of his interestingmemoir on the Botany 
of the British Polar Expedition of 1875-G, 
which originally appeared in the Journal of Botany. 
The memoir will well repay perusal. Mr. Hart 
remarks on the peculiar conditions of an Arctic 
flora, that it is only on the low ground of the more 
southerly parts of Greenland that the surface is 
uniformly covered with vegetation for any extent, 
and this consists of small tufted perennials of low 
matted growth, through which the Willows and 
Ericaceae trail and extend their branches, the first 
alone rarely rising under the shelter of a cliff to a 
height of 3 ft. or 4 ft. Through this brownish- 
green carpet conspicuous and beautiful blossoms of 
Rhododendron, Azalea, Diapensia, Pyrola, and other 
ericaceous plants, are lavishly scattered ; while the 
cream-coloured Di’yas, the snowy-white Cerastium 
and Stellaria, the pink Silene, and the gorgeous red- 
purple Saxifraga, often form luxuriant sheets of 
colour, the latter being comparable to our Scotch 
