December 19, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
243 
FRUIT TREES, 
GRAPE VINES, & ROSES. 
H UGH LOW & Co. offer of fine quality 
and best varieties, trained and untrained, APPLES, 
APRICOTS, CHERRIES, DAMSONS, NECTARINES, 
PEACHES, PEARS, PLUMS, ROSES, a tine collection, dwarf 
on Manetti; ROSES, half-standards and standards; ROSE 
GLOIRE DE DIJON, open ground, very strong, also in pots; 
ROSE NIPHETOS, strong, in pots. VINES, BLACK ALI¬ 
CANTE, BLACK HAMBURGH, GROS COLMAN, and other 
line sorts, planting canes and forcing canes. Low prices on 
application. 
CLAPTON NURSERY, LONDON, E. 
THE 
Village Blacksmith Potato. 
2s. per lb.; 7s. 6d. per 4 lb. ; 10s. 6d. per 71b. 
Awarded 1st Prize and Silver Cup at Falkirk on Dec. 
15tli, for the best bushel of any new Potato. 
The following are only a few of the many letters 
received from thoroughly practical men who have 
grown “The Blacksmith ” for me this year :— 
Margam Park Gardens, Taibach, South Wales, Sept. 21,1SS5. 
My Dear Sir,—“Tour ‘ Village Blacksmith’ Potato did exceed¬ 
ingly well. Strong compact grower, very prolific, and no 
disease; the most distinct Potato known. It is first-rate in 
quality cooked and uncooked, and it is sure to take its place as 
a standard main crop sort as soon as it is generally known.” 
Yours truly, James Muir. 
Warwick Castle Gardens, Warwick, October 2nd, 1SS5. 
Dear Sir,—“ ‘The Village Blacksmith ’ Potato we have cooked 
in several ways, and found it simply grand. The heavy thick- 
netted skin is very peculiar, never saw anything like it before.- 
The crop was heavy, and free from disease when all the other 
sorts were touched a little.” 
Yours very sincerely, Alexander Christie. 
Hendre Park Gardens, Monmouth, October llth, 1SS5. 
My Dear Sir,—“Your Potato, ‘Village Blacksmith,’ sent for 
trial, proved to be of excellent quality when cooked ; it is a very 
free cropper, has a sturdy disease-resisting habit of growth, and 
will undoubtedly become popular for general purposes. Its 
closely netted skin stamps it with a remarkably distinct 
appearance.” Yours very truly, Thos. Coomber. 
JAMES DON, 
NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
STEVENS, E.R.H.S, St. John’s Nur- 
• sery, Putney, is now booking orders for his new 
Chrysanthemums, which will be sent out in February next, 
good strong plants:— 
MAIDEN’S BLUSH.—Fine Japanese, with broad flat florets, 
forming a full, large, handsome bloom ; fine for exhibition. 
First Class Certificate Royal Horticultural Society, November 
10th, and National Chrysanthemum Society, November llth, 
18S5. Price 2s. Gd. each, cash with order from unknown corre¬ 
spondents. See report in this paper November 21st. 
MARTHA HARDING, a fine Japanese variety. Golden 
yellow, shaded reddish brown; large, full, handsome flower; fine 
for exhibition. First Class Certificate National Chrysanthemum 
Society, 1884. Price 2s. Gd. each. 
Chrysanthemum Catalogues of all the best exhibition varieties 
on application. 
HRYSANTHEMUMS, Japanese, Incurved, 
Pompon, Anemone, Early-flowering, and Singles. Strong 
cuttings, Is. lid. per dozen ; 10s. per 100. Rooted cuttings ready 
in January, 2s. (id. per dozen ; 15s. (id. per 100. Only the best 
and most distinct grown. Send for list (post free), containing 
full instruction for growing the Chrysanthemum to perfection. 
Tin's will be of great assistance to amateurs. 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS from the very best strains, dry 
tubers, specially selected to colour, 4s. G d., 6s., and 7s. 6 d. per 
dozen ; extra good mixed, all colours, 3s., 4s. 6d., and 6s. per 
dozen. Tuberous Begonia seed saved from flowers 5 and 6 ins. 
across, Is. 6 d. per packet. Double, certain to produce 75 per 
cent, of double flowers, 2s. per packet. Gloxinia seed from the 
finest collection in England, Is. 6 d. per packet. 
H. J. JONES, Hope Nursery, Lewisham. 
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBED AND ADVERTISERS. 
THE GARDENING WORLD ivill next week 
be published on Thursday instead of Friday, 
in consequence of the Christmas Holidays. 
ADVERTISEMENTS for that number 
must reach the Office not later than Wednesday 
morning. 
The Editor will be greatly obliged to con¬ 
tributors if they will kindly favour him with 
their communications a day earlier than usual. 
SEEDSMAN", 
20, CHAPEL BAR, NOTTINGHAM. 
B A. Ft R ’ S 
GREAT CLEARANCE SALE 
°F ^ 
Spring k Summer-flowering Bulbs, 
At 6REAT1Y lEDlCE® SLICES* 
INCLUDING 
Barr’s Daffodils, Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocus, Narcissi, 
Snowdrops, Scillas, Iris, Snowflakes, Ixias, Anemones, 
Lilies, Tuberoses, etc., etc. 
_A_XjIj fxtnte sottwd bulbs. 
Clearance List free on abdication. 
CONTENTS. 
PAGE 
Amateur’s Garden, The .. 247 
Apple Congress, Edinburgh 246 
Asparagus, Early . 247 
Boilers . 252 
Carnations and Picotees .. 244 
Carter’s Vade Mecum .... 244 
Celei y, White Plume .... 247 
Christinas Roses. 251 
Chrysanthemum Culture.. 246 
Chrysanthemums in the 
West . 24S 
Cucumbers in June . 251 
Flete, Notes from . 251 
Floriculture. 252 
Fungology . 250 
Gardeners’ Calendar. 252 
Garden Label, A useful...: 251 
Gladiolus Saundersii. 251 
Grape, Lady Downe . 251 
PAGE 
Horticultural Ornaments.. 244 
National Chrysanthemum 
Society. 244 
Orchid Growers’ Manual .. 248 
OrchidNotesandGleanings 252 
Palms for Decoration ( Ulus- 
trusted) . 245 
Pear Conference.250 
Picea Breweriana . 254 
Poinsettias . 25 i 
Primulas, double Chinese.. 246 
Roses, Cut, on packing .. 244 
Scottish Gardening .246 
Seeds, Foreign . 243 
Suburban Gardens (illus¬ 
trated) . 24S 
Vine Roots . 246 
Winter’s Dearth. 243 
Zygopetalum Mackayii .. 252 
BA.RR & SONS, 
KING STREET, GOVENT GARDEN, LONDON, W.C. 
KEYNES, WILLIAMS & Co., 
NURSERYMEN, FLORISTS, AND SEEDSMEN, 
SAL ISBU RY. 
Specialities :— 
ROSES, VINES, DAHLIAS, & VERBENAS. 
Catalogues free.The Trade supplied. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”— Bacon. 
CLAPTON NURSERY, LONDON, E. 
BUSH HILL PARK NURSERY, ENFIELD, N. 
At the above named Nurseries arc cultivated, in unusually large 
quantities, Azaleas, Bouvardias, Camellias, Climbing Plants, 
Cyclamen, Epaeris, Ericas, Ferns, Ficus, Flowering and Decora¬ 
tive Plants ill variety ; Fruit Trees, Gardenias, Genistas, Grape 
Vines, Greenhouse Plants in variety; Palms, Pelargoniums, 
Rhododendrons, Roses, Shrubs, Stove Plants in variety, &c. 
ORCHIDS A SPECIALITY.—The Stock at the Clapton 
Nursery is of such magnitude that without seeing it, it is not easy 
to form an adequate conception of its unprecedented extent. 
The Glass Structures cover an area of 246,000 ft. superficial. 
muom low & co. 
Cordially invite Gentlemen interested in Horticulture to inspect 
__ the Nurseries. 
Roses for the Carden inc World. 
M. RUMSEY is now offering TWELVE 
MOST BEAUTIFUL PERPETUAL DWARF OR 
BUSH ROSES, in 12 leading sorts, strong well-rooted plants, 
package and postage free for Ss. Twenty-five, in 15 sorts, fol¬ 
ios. 6 d . Fifty, in 25 sorts, for 30s. One Hundred, in 50 sorts, 
for 50s. Standards, a splendid selection, extra fine plants, 18s. 
per doz.; £6 5s. per 100. Half-Standards, a splendid selec¬ 
tion, extra fine plants, 12s. and 15s. per doz.; £5 per 100. ROSES 
IN POTS FOR FORCING, 24s., 30s., 36s., and 42s. per doz. 
Ml packing free (except pot Roses). Cash accompanying order, and 
plants added to compensate for distant carriage. 
Descriptive Catalogue now ready, gratis, and post free. 
JOYNING’S NURSERIES, WALTHAM CROSS, N. 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1885. 
Foreign Seeds.— The flood of seed, plant, tree 
and bulb lists from all parts of the continent, 
which flow in upon us during the autumn 
months, tell with marked force of the exceeding 
dependance which gardening in Great Britain has 
upon foreign countries. Could these supplies but 
he stopped for a year or two, the effect upon both 
horticulture and agriculture would be both 
remarkable and paralysing, and would soon 
teach those who decry such dependance, that 
we can no more do without such foreign aid 
than we can without the sun in the heavens, or 
the air we breathe. The fact is, our climate is 
far too ungenial for the production of vast 
quantities of the seeds which serve the require¬ 
ments of both farmers and gardeners. We 
cannot grow them if we would, because our 
climate lacks the needful warmth, dryness, or 
constancy of behaviour, without which seed 
production profitably is not possible. 
Both from Germany and France we obtain 
vast quantities of flower and vegetable seeds, 
which enables myriads to have flowers in their 
gardens that would otherwise be bare and 
devoid of beauty. Not a few of our chief seed 
houses get all their best flower seeds from 
Germany, and we know all the kingdom is 
dependant upon Holland for bulbs of the kinds 
familiar in our spring gardens, whilst Japan 
furnishes us with Lilies in enormous quantities, 
and Orchids come to us from all the tropical 
countries of the earth. Fruit trees, Roses, 
shrubs, and trees of all kinds; indeed, it is 
hard to say what there is in association with 
gardening for which we are not more or less 
indebted to other climes. 
It is easy to say, “ Let us raise our own of 
these things ” ; it is not so easy to do it. Then 
those who send to us so largely of their products 
are customers for other things, the production 
of which affords employment to thousands here 
and profit to employers. We dare not interfere 
with our foreign trade as it affects either farming 
or gardening, for should we feel aggrieved 
myriads find benefit, and the myriads' must 
outweigh the interests of the few. 
Winter’s Dearth.— The Israelites of old 
found it was difficult to make bricks without 
straw. Metaphorically, gardening writers find 
it to be just now as difficult. Unlike most 
other vocations, gardening seems to sink quietly 
to rest during the winter, or if the actual work 
of the garden is not suspended, at least there is 
a decided period of rest for nature, and with 
that rest comes lack of matter and deficiency of 
ideas. It is true that in modern gardening of the 
highest order there is neither rest nor sleep. 
In Orchid-houses, in plant-stoves, in forcing 
fruit, and vegetable departments, there is still 
life and activity, because it is the very soul of 
gardening that it shall overcome natural ob¬ 
stacles, and surmount climatic difficulties. 
Still, these forms of life and activity are limited 
in operation. They can exist only under artificial 
conditions, and within buildings constructed 
solely for their maintenance. Outside conditions 
are absolutely diverse, and the operations of 
natural life are quiescent. 
It is hard, therefore, to make living thoughts 
from dead life, and, perchance, much which 
comes to the eyes of our readers, as well as to 
the eyes of readers of other gardening papers, 
seems heavy and perhaps common-place at this 
dull and aspectless period of the year. Happy 
are those who during periods of natural activity 
have noted down that which would keep and 
might he brought forth when nature is restful, 
for our instruction and edification. 
But if contributions seem now and then to he 
very heavy, or too scientific or practical, let us 
not forgot that we, too, may well fall in with 
nature’s plan, and solidly digest that which 
seems cold and chill hut really may he for our 
good. Very soon the spring, with all its life 
and vigour, will come ; and much of that life 
and vigour will he imparted to the thoughts 
and pens of those who labour for our readers’ 
enjoyment. 
_ . ♦ _ _ 
~ ♦ 
Christmas and New Year’s Cards. —We have 
received from Messrs. Charles Lee & Co., 78, Milton 
Street, London, E.C., a set of Christmas and New 
Year’s Cards, of the most pleasing character. Instead 
of the floral designs in colour now so abundantly seen 
in the shop windows- and exceedingly beautiful many 
of them are —the decorations on the cards before us are- 
composed of dried specimens of small-growing Alpine 
plants, elegantly arranged and gummed down, with 
the usual expression of good will in gold letters. The 
“Alpine Series” deserves high commendation. 
