84 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 10, 1885. 
Elementary Botany. —Gardeners residing within reach 
of Bedford may be interested to know, that two courses 
of weekly lectures on Elementary Botany will be 
delivered, during the winter, in the museum, Bedford 
Booms, by Mr. Arthur Bansom. The first course, 
Vegetable Morphology/and Physiology, will commence 
on Monday, October 5th, and end on Monday, December 
14th ; and the second course, Systematic Botany, will 
commence on January 18th, and end on March 29th, 
1S86. These lectures are prepared with the view of 
encouraging the study of botany among the people 
generally, as well as of assisting those who are required 
to pass examinations in botany, or are engaged in 
occupations in which a knowledge of botany is useful. 
Mr. Bansom, we understand, offers tickets free to 
working gardeners. 
English Dahlias at the Antwerp Exhibition, —Messrs. 
Bawlings Brothers of Bomford have been awarded the 
First Prize, a Gold Medal, by acclamation, for a collec¬ 
tion of fifty Dahlias, and a further Silver Medal for a 
collection of twenty-five blooms, at the Antwerp 
Universal Exhibition. Mr. J. VTest, Gardener to 
IV. Keith, Esq., Brentwood, was also successful in 
securing a first prize for twenty-five blooms on the 
same occasion. 
''Tam-o'-Shanter” Hones.— Mr. John C. Mont¬ 
gomerie, Dalmore, Tarbolton, Ayrshire, has been 
awarded a gold medal at the Inventions Exhibition for 
his hones, the good qualities of which we have already 
commented upon. 
Bently Priory, Stanmore, will be known to many as 
a delightful old place with a very fine garden. In 1852 
it passed into Sir John Kelks hands, with Mr. Keve for 
gardener. Since then it has passed into the hands of 
Mr. Frederick Gordon, aud this year it was opened as 
a high-class hotel, the like of which is not to be found 
in the kingdom. It is to be hoped that with such a 
clever gardener, and such fine ranges of glass, the 
present proprietor will be tempted to infuse a little 
more spirit into the Bently Priory gardening than has 
been the case of late years. Mr. Keve has the skill, 
and the necessary accommodation is available, all that is 
requisite is a little capital which will give a safe return. 
Will it be at Bently Priory as at many other places, 
while expenditure is lavish in most directions, the 
garden will be nipped and screwed in such a manner as 
to effectually bring to the very lowest both the pleasure 
and the profit of it ? 
Local Bulb Auctions and Back Street Sales.— On this 
subject our correspondent, Mr. TV J. Murphy, Clonmel, 
writes:—“I had two letters this morning—one from 
London, the other from Manchester, and both, while 
drawing attention to some notes from myself and others 
in The Gakdexjxg World, agree in denouncing the 
system now in vogue in Holland of sending over the 
refuse of the bulb farms, and having them disposed of 
either by auction or by grocers, chemists, tobacconists, 
&c. Xo doubt there is a wonderful amount of impo¬ 
sition in this way, and there is not anything like the 
same certainty as if one had their bulbs from any of the 
great seed and bulb firms ; but I would ask at the same 
time, as a point open to discussion, whether bringing 
bulbs for sale to the very doors of the masses is not a 
corresponding gain to horticulture ?” 
The Temple Chrysanthemums. —“Temple” writes:— 
“ I send you a cutting from the Journal of Horticulture 
for the 1st inst., in which you will see it stated that 
‘ it is not generally known that the Temple authorities 
do not purchase Chrysanthemums for the gardens, but 
the gardeners obtain all the newer varieties at their own 
cost, and have the privilege of disposing of cuttings to 
recoup themselves for the outlay.’ Are we now, then, 
to understand that the credit of the exhibition must 
not be given to the Benchers as heretofore, but to the 
gardeners who, for the time being, become nurserymen 
in a small way of business, but a profitable business, 
nevertheless, if the gardeners in question live on the 
premises and pay neither rent, rates, nor taxes. It 
may be a fact that the ‘ Temple authorities ’ allow the 
cuttings to be sold, but I imagine that as far as the 
Benchers are concerned, it is principally for the purpose 
of gratifying the visitors who go to see the plants when 
in bloom, and not solely to recoup the gardeners. 
There are, no doubt, a number of people who pass 
through the show who like to have some of the cuttings 
merely for the sake of saying that they came from the 
Temple Gardens ; but if the plants are to be advertised 
in this style, the Temple authorities can scarcely be 
surprised if they are considered as nurserymen instead 
of the owners of a private garden which is very popular 
with the public. This open competition between the 
Temple gardeners and ordinary tradesmen who are taxed 
up to the hilt may be legally right, but morally it is a 
great 'wrong, and in equity should not be allowed.” 
Is a Tenants' Greenhouse a Building?—Mr. A. 
Dent, Horticultural Builder, 118, Selsdon Boad, 
Croydon, writes under date of October 6th:—“On 
Wednesday, September 30th, I was summoned by Mr. 
Elkington, District Surveyor of Penge, to appear at 
Lambeth Police Court, on a charge of erecting a green¬ 
house, 12 ft. by 8 ft., in the district of Penge, without 
having given the notice required under the Building 
Act. I contended that this greenhouse was a tenants’ 
fixture, and did not come under the Act, being made 
portable in every respect, boarded up to sill of sashes, ‘ 
standing on but not fixed to another sill or frame at 
bottom formed of 7 by deal. I was advised to have 
four wheels put upon this greenhouse to save being 
compelled to comply with the Act, which states that 
all buildings shall have 9-inch brick walls with 
proper footings, and concrete foundations, which of 
course I could not carry out being only a tenants 
fixture. Accordingly I had four wheels put on the 
bottom frame, so that the whole could be moved in one 
if necessary, or taken apart and stowed away in a shed 
if required. The result was that Mr. Chance (magi¬ 
strate) decided that this greenhouse, although not 
connected with the ground, either by posts driven in or 
by brickwork under, but only laid on the top of the 
earth was a building within the Act, and gave it as his 
opinion that even Cucumber frames were not exempt. 
“ Now, sir, I report this case to you feeling that it is a 
matter not to be trifled with, but should be dealt with 
promptly and decisively, and in the interests of flower 
growers generally, I take the liberty of asking you to 
give this matter all the publicity possible. Having 
seen the uncertainty which existed among tenants and 
the gardening papers generally, I took the precaution 
of employing a first-class solicitor to defend the case, 
thus incurring considerable expense, the case being 
adjourned, and having to re-appear on Saturday ; but 
it was all no use, I was fined a nominal fine of 5s. and 
the cost of the summons, with, of course, the privilege 
of appeal. Xow, this appeal will be of no use to me, 
but if your readers feel sufficient interest in the cause 
of tenants’ rights, as to having a greenhouse of their 
own, and will offer some assistance towards the cost of 
an appeal against this decision, I am quite willing to 
join in The expense, and allow my case to be made a 
test case in the interests of tenants and flower growers 
generally. Should you deem this worthy of insertion, 
those of your readers who wish to help in this important 
matter, may forward their names, addresses, and amount 
they promise to contribute, to Basil E. Greenfield, Esq., 
Solicitor, 17, Katherine Street, Croydon, and they will 
receive an acknowledgment in the paper they choose to 
name. In writing please write the word ‘Appeal’ on 
the outside of the envelope.” 
--iX<—- 
THE PRIMULA CONFERENCE. 
From a copy of the programme of the Primula Con¬ 
ference, to be held in April, 1886, under the auspices 
of the Boyal Horticultural Society, it appears that an 
exhibition of these interesting plants will be held in the 
conservatory at South Kensington, in conjunction with 
the exhibition of the National Auricula Society. The 
President of the Conference, John T. D. Llewelyn, 
Esq., F.L.S., and the chairman of the committee, Dr. 
Michael Foster, F.B.S., are supported by a numerous 
committee of gentlemen interested in the subject in 
this country, both amateur and professional, as well as 
by the representatives of a large number of the chief 
Botanical and Horticultural Gardens and Museums 
abroad. It is proposed that the plants to be exhibited 
shall be ranged under eleven classes, namely : I., the 
Auricula ; II., the Primrose and Polyanthus; III., va¬ 
rieties of Primula Sieboldi; IV., varieties of Primula 
sinensis ; Y., European species, varieties and hybrids of 
the genus Primula ; VI., Himalayan and other Asiatic 
ditto ditto ; YII., Chinese and Japanese ditto ditto ; 
VIII., American ditto ; IX., plants allied to the genus 
Primula, such as Cyclamen, Dodecatheon, Androsaee, 
Cortusa, etc. (the species only, and not garden varie¬ 
ties will be admitted) ; X., Primulaceous plants grown 
to illustrate special modes of culture, etc, ; XI., speci¬ 
mens, models and drawings, illustrative of the srnictur e 
and mode of growth of Primulaceous plants. 
In order to assist in the arrangement of the European 
Primulas at the exhibition, Mr. J. G. Baker, F.B.S., 
has kindly drawn up for the committee a list of 
European Primulas, classified in three groups, pub¬ 
lished as an appendix to the programme, which may 
serve as a preliminary basis for the discussion at the 
Conference, and also as a guide, so far as possible, to 
the exhibitors, in giving names to the plants. 
The provisional programme of the Conference on 
April 24th, 1886, includes (1) the origin and history of 
the florists’ Auricula, on which subject an introductory 
paper will be read by Mr. Shirley Hibberd ; (2), the 
directions in which efforts should be made with the 
view of improving the florists’ flowers belonging to the 
genus Primula, introductory paper by Samuel Barlow, 
Esq., J. P. ; (3), the nomenclature of Alpine Primulas, 
introductory paper by Mr. J. G. Baker ; (4), culture of 
hardy Primulas, introductory paper by Dr. Maxwell 
T. Masters, on root structure and mode of growth, as 
affording indications of the probable best culture. 
-- 
DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH GRAPE. 
‘ ‘ S. W. ” in a contemporary lately wrote a short note 
which had for its sole aim and object the disparagement 
of this Grape. “S. TV's” signature bears a close 
resemblance to a slightly longer one which has for some 
years been associated with personal attacks, and rather 
bitter, if smart, writing. A reply to that note has 
appeared, and a number of facts have been given, which 
will surety have more weight than “ S. TV’s” vague 
remarks and baseless assertions. Looking over some 
old gardening papers the other day, I came upon an 
account of a show held in Edinburgh, on September 
10th, 1879, in which Duke of Buccleuch is noted thus: 
“Muscats, Golden Champion, Duke of Buccleuch, 
Alicante, Lady Downes, and the more recent novelty, 
Alnwick Seedling, being simply superb Mr. Mclndoe 
had “most splendid Duke of Buccleuch.” “The blue 
ribbon for the coveted prize of eight bunches fell to a 
new exhibitor, Mr. A. Kirk, Ernsfrie, Castle Douglas, 
with an evenly good lot, not a bunch under 3| lbs. in 
weight, and some of the biggest approaching 7 lbs.” 
“They consisted of Duke of Buccleuch, etc.” The 
second prize fell to Mr. Mclndoe, who had among other 
kinds ‘ 1 Duke of Buccleuch, in splendid style, and 
Forster’s White Seedling, which looked like a Currant 
Grape alongside of the noble, but much abused Duke, 
clearly showing what cultivation can do.” “For four 
bunches of Grapes, Mr. Mclndoe and Mr. Kirk ex¬ 
changed positions, the" former having 1 Duke ’ and 
Muscat of Alexandria, grand, and the latter the Duke 
and Buekland Sweetwater, very fine indeed.” At the 
same show we again find the “ Duke ” in the class for 
twelve bunches, six white and six black. This notice is 
in The Gardeners' Chronicle for September 13th, 1879. 
Looking back among some other old papers I 
came upon the following, among many more notices 
of the Duke being shown in various parts of the king¬ 
dom, at the Dundee International Show:—“For two 
bunches of the Duke of Buccleuch, which was exhibited 
in many parts of the hall, Mr. Ballantyne, Duloch 
House, Inverkeithing, Fife, has been awarded first. 
His bunches were large and clean, and not quite so 
green as the second prize two from Mr. Dickson, St. 
Andrews.” I may note that the next sentence of the 
same report is this :—“For two bunches of any sort of 
white Grape Mr. Goodacre came in first with splendid 
Golden Champion ”—another very much abused Grape. 
I quote in this instance from the Journal of Horticul¬ 
ture for September 14th, 1876. 
The “Duke” is very often mentioned in glowing 
terms in reports of shows both prior to, and after, the 
cases that I quote here. The present year has seen it dis¬ 
played in first-class condition at various shows. Grant 
that it has peculiarities which require special attention, 
it is worthy of all the trouble that can be bestowed on it; 
no other Grape can approach it for appearance and 
quality when successfully grown. It is so juicy, has so 
few seeds, and such a thin skin, that no Grape can beat 
it for refreshing lusciousness. Peculiarities in its treat¬ 
ment have been so often noted that I need not enlarge 
on them. Suffice it to say, that long spur-pruning, 
running up young rods, careful attention as regards 
moisture—both at the root and in the atmosphere, 
keeping it rather drier than most other Grapes, and 
not watering the border at all after the second swelling 
