December 12, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
237 
by sun heat, putting a little air on when the temperature 
rises above this point, and maintain a bottom heat of 
from 85° to 90° with a view to induce the plants to 
send up their fruits, and with this object in view, suffi¬ 
cient tepid water (80°) should be given at the roots to 
thoroughly moisten the soil. 
Snckers should have a night temperature of from 50° 
to 55° and from 5° to 10° higher by day, keeping them 
a little more moist at the roots than the successional 
plants.—if. W. Ward, Longford Castle 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Forcing Department : Cucumbers. — The recent 
and somewhat sudden change in the weather has 
rendered brisk firing necessary at night, in order to 
maintain the moderately low temperature of 65°. This 
in its turn renders necessary an increase of atmospheric 
moisture in the Cucumber-house, as a means of counter¬ 
acting the somewhat parching influence of the highly- 
heated hot water pipes. The plants, too, where the 
bottom-heat is obtained through the same source (hot 
water pipes) will recpiire water oftener at the roots, and 
this, when necessary, should be given in the morning, 
but not before the'temperature of the house has reached 
70°, so that the superabundance of moisture that might 
arise therefrom would have time to evaporate before 
nightfall. 
The application of water (at a temperature of 80°) to 
the roots must be in accordance with the special cir¬ 
cumstances of each individual plant and house, bearing 
in mind that a superabundance at one time cannot 
compensate for a deficiency at another ; hence the 
necessity of knowing when to apply and to withhold at 
the roots, a knowledge that can only be acquired by 
possessing a practical knowledge of the wants and con¬ 
dition of the plants, and even then the wants (applica¬ 
tion or non-application of water to their roots) must be 
determined by a variety of circumstances, foremost 
amongst which is the mode by which the bottom-heat 
is obtained and the scope of root action possessed by the 
plants, as also by their condition and appearance gene¬ 
rally. Let the fires be stopped—banked-up —by half¬ 
past eight or nine o’clock on bright mornings, by which 
time solar will have taken the place of artificial heat. 
This should be done on bright mornings, even though 
the thermometer does not register the minimum degree 
of day temperature at the time indicated above, for the 
obvious reason that if the fires had been driven on until 
a medium day temperature had been attained, the sun, 
meanwhile, as well as the fire-heat would have increased 
in force, thereby rendering almost immediate venti¬ 
lation necessary, thus letting out the very thing (heat) 
that labour and fuel had been wasted in getting up in 
the house, and admitting, to a great extent, the very 
thing (cold) that a short time before had been sought to 
be kept out. 
The fires should be again started in the afternoon, as 
soon as the sun is going off the houses and decreasing 
in force, so that by the time the heat husbanded by 
entrapping the sun’s rays, by shutting up early (with 
a slight distribution of atmospheric moisture in the 
house at the same time), has declined to 65°, the heat 
radiated from the liot-water pipes may be sufficient to 
maintain that temperature in the house during the 
night, but in the event of severe frost at night, a tem¬ 
perature of 60° will be ample for the time being, but 
65° should be aimed at, and to obtain and maintain 
even this low temperature, in a moderately large sized 
house, the supply of piping must be liberal. Under 
these circumstances, it trill be advisable, not only for 
the sake of economising fuel—which is a consideration 
not to be overlooked—but of securing and maintaining 
a more general heat, to cover the Cucumber house or 
pit at night with mats or other protecting material, 
when convenient to do so, and place the thermometer 
iu such a position in the house, that it can be seen 
by the assistance of the bull’s-eye at night, without 
having to enter it, and so obviate the necessity of 
opening the door, thereby preventing the escape of 
heat and the letting into the house, at the same time, 
a volume of cold air. The above remarks are applicable 
to all forcing houses. 
Should Green or Black Fly attack the plants, fumi¬ 
gate a couple of evenings in succession, when the 
weather is mild and the leaves of the plants are dry ; 
and should Mildew put in an appearance, dust the 
affected leaves, while damp, with Flour of Sulphur, 
and aim at a drier atmosphere. Crop the plant light 
rather than otherwise, cutting the fruit as soon as they 
have attained to table size, and stand them on their 
ends in saucers containing a little water ill a warm 
room. Keep all male flowers picked off the plants, as 
the necessary complement of fruit for a crop has been 
secured ; and encourage a free though consolidated 
growth of the plants.— II. W. Ward, Longford Castle. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural.— Dec. Sth.—' Though a 
great improvement on the previous meeting, as regards 
weather, there was a very thin attendance of Members 
on this occasion, and an equal paucity of subjects for 
them to sit in judgment upon. Only two First Class 
Certificates were awarded, the first going to Mr. R. 
Owen, Floral Nurseries, Maidenhead, for a new white 
Chrysanthemum, named Boule de Neige, which promises 
to take high rank as a late decorative variety. The 
flowers are reflexed, pure white, t and freely produced 
by plants which, with two stoppings in the summer, 
grow only to the height of 18 inches to 2 feet, and 
requires no stakes. It is naturally a late bloomer, 
coming in at the end of November, and continuing well 
into January. Either for cut flowers or conservatory 
decoration, it is well worth looking after. The second 
Certificate was awarded to Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., 
M. P., for Calantlie porphyrea, one of a large batch of 
seedlings raised at Burford Lodge. It is the result of a 
cross between Limatodes labrosa and Calanthe vestita 
rubra oculata, and was much admired for its distinct 
bright purplish red blossoms. C. Burfordiensis is a 
larger flower than the last named, but paler in colour, 
and not so distinct; C. casta is a good white ; C. 
amabilis, pale rose with a white centre ; and C. auran- 
tiaca is a bold showy flower, white with a bright orange 
blotch in the centre. Mr. White, gardener to C. Dor¬ 
man, Esq., The Firs, Laurie Park, Sydenham, sent a 
flowering plant of the rare Odontoglossum Humeanum, 
an interesting hybrid, presumably between O. cordatum 
and O. Rossii ; the lip is white, the petals white, with 
a few brown blotches at their base, and the sepals dull 
yellow with cinnamon bars. From W. Vanner, Esq., 
Camden Wood, Chislehurst, came a pretty rosy violet 
coloured variety of Barkeria Skinneri, named Vanneu- 
iana. Messrs. H. Page & Sons, Grove nursery, Ted- 
dingtou, staged an exceedingly well flowered group of 
Cyclamens, for which they were awarded a Silver Gilt 
Banksian medal. The plants were in 48’s, and of the best 
market type; and besides the usual coloured varieties of 
C. persicum included, a very fine pure white strain with 
broad well rounded petals, to which they gave the name 
of Albion. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons contributed a 
very showy collection of cut blooms, of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, mainly useful decorative varieties ; a stand of 
cut blooms of the double rich rose coloured Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums, Madame Thibaut—an unique display for 
the season ; and cut blooms of several varieties, of 
Zonal Pelargonium, all as bright and attractive as the 
Swanley flowers usually are, and including a very fine 
new scarlet, named Crocus. Messrs. Janies Yeitch & 
Sons staged Chrysanthemum Domination, a late white 
flowering Japanese with spoon-shaped petals. Mr. 
Rullins, Hampstead Heath, showed a very good sport 
from the Japanese Chrysanthemum Duchess of Albany, 
a much more compact and better built flower, of a rich 
orange colour with chestnut red centre. Mr. J. James, 
Woodside, Farnliam Royal, had two very good Chinese 
Primulas, Argus, a very rich magenta purple, and 
Purity, a very fine fern-leaved white. Messrs. James 
Carter & Co., High Holborn, sent some cut stems of 
the climbing Boussingaultia basellioides, bearing 
numerous tuber-shaped excresences. 
At the meeting of the fruit committee, the only ob¬ 
ject of interest, besides a few Apples from Mr. Miller, 
Road Ashton ; Mr. J. Woodford, nurseryman, Ather- 
stone ; and Mr. J. C. Barker, Broxbournbury, was a 
good sample of the Winter King Grape, a variety some¬ 
what resembling Gros Maroc in shape, but with a very 
thick skin, and in flavour, sweeter than Alicante, but 
not better than Lady Downes. It is avery late keeper, and 
is said to have been obtained by grafting Gros Colmar on 
the white Raisin de Calabre. The action of the stock on 
the scion, however, iu this case, appears to have been so 
extraordinary, that we venture to suspect that some error 
has been made. Be that as it may, it is a grape that will 
make its way, and Mr. B. S. Williams was the exhibitor. 
Manchester Horticultural Improvement. 
— Dec. 3rd. —At the ordinary meeting of this society, 
held in the Memorial Hall, Albert Square, Mr. Bruce 
Findlay presiding, Mr. Henry Hyde delivered an 
address on the classification of plants. He said the 
vegetable kingdom comprises at least 200,000 species, 
which may be divided into two great divisions, one being 
the flowering plants, and the other non-flowering 
plants. These are sub-divided into two classes, the 
dicotyledons and the monocotyledons, or in other 
words, the exogens and the endogens. The exogens 
are distinguished by their mode of growth, the stem 
being formed by successive additions to the outside of 
the wood. Nearly all the woody trees of this country 
are exogens, as also are the herbaceous plants, or nearly 
all. The Palm is a specimen of the endogens, and 
these contain no pith nor bark. These are the two 
great divisions of flowering plants, the remaining 
plants being termed cryptogramic, meaning that the 
organs of growth are hidden. Of this division are the 
Ferns, mosses, fungi, and sea-weeds. One of the great 
characteristics of these plants, is that they are produced 
by means of spores, whilst those in the other two 
divisions are produced from seeds. The difference 
between spores and seeds is that in seeds there are 
little embryo plants, which on being sown, develop 
into full grown trees and plants ; whilst a spore is a 
cellular substance, which will grow from any part of 
its surface. He had intended saying something about 
the generic and specific names of plants, but his time 
being limited he was obliged to abandon that intention. 
He should be glad to answer any questions connected 
with the subject of the lecture. 
The Chairman said that as Mr. Hyde would have to 
leave them in a few minutes to attend his class at the 
Technical School, he would call for a vote of thanks to 
him at once. Mr. E. Griffiths Hughes said he had 
much pleasure in moving that the best thanks of the 
society be given to Mr. Hyde. He regretted that the 
lecturer had not more time at his disposal, because the 
subject was so comprehensive, that it could not be 
satisfactorily dealt with in so short a time. Mr. 
Upjohn, Worsley Hall, seconded the motion. He was 
sure they had all enjoyed the lecture, and would derive 
instruction from it. The motion was adopted. 
Mr. Hughes said he had always been puzzled by the 
rapid growth of the Mushroom, and he would like Mr. 
Hyde to explain, if he could, the cause of the rapid 
development. Mr. Hyde said no satisfactory expla¬ 
nation of that fact ever had been given, and he could 
not explain it unless it was owing to the multiplication 
of the cellular system, the plant being entirely cellular, 
having no fibrous structure. Throughout the entire 
vegetable kingdom it was found that plants which are 
composed entirely of cells always grow rapidly. If 
time had permitted he would have said a great deal 
more about the minor classification of plants. He 
would just like to' say that the great aim of Linmeus 
was to give plants two names, a generic and a specific 
one. Some modern botanists would like to upset that 
classification and give them three names, but he (Mr. 
Hyde) thought they had quite sufficient. 
It was then announced that the honorary secretary, 
Mr. Swan, having obtained a situation near Preston, 
was leaving this neighbourhood, and therefore had 
given up the secretaryship. Mr. Tait said he was sure 
they were all sorry to lose Mr. Swan’s services, but 
pleased to hear that he had obtained a new situation. 
They had now to find a successor to him. They had at the 
top of the tree an excellent president, but if the society 
was to prosper they must have at the bottom of the tree 
as good a secretary. Anyone who took the post would 
have to give a considerable amount of time to it, the 
work being greater than some of them would imagine. 
It had been suggested to him that they could not have 
a better successor to Mr. Swan than Mr. Upjohn, of 
Worsley, and he had much pleasure in moving that he 
be appointed, believing that they would have no reason 
to regret the selection. Mr. W. Plant seconded the 
motion, which was at once carried unanimously. Mr. 
Upjohn said it was not because he had too little 
work that he accepted this appointment, but because 
he felt it was the duty of some one to come forward in 
the emergency whicli had arisen and take up the duties 
which Mr. Swan had so well discharged. Without 
making any great promises, he would endeavour to do 
his duty during the remainder of the society’s official 
year. ■ • - 
