340 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 30, 1886. 
that [a new society will 1 create. The financial 
element is one that cannot be despised—- 
commonplace as it may seem. Suppose it were 
determined to create an Orchid committee of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, apart from 
the floral committee, and give it considerable 
powers, would that answer all the requirements 
of the case 1 It seems to us that a scheme of 
this sort merits full consideration, and we shall 
he glad to know what others have to say on the 
subject. 
-- ~>x<~ - 
GARDENING MISCELLANY. 
Flower Show Fixtures. —The annual exhibi¬ 
tion of the Wiltshire Horticultural Society, of which 
Mr. Walter H. Williams is the hon. secretary, will 
take place at Salisbury on July 29th. The Trowbridge 
Horticultural Society will hold its annual exhibition on 
Wednesday, August 18tli. The Chiswick Horticultural 
Society will have an exhibition in the gardens of the 
Royal Horticultural Society on July 15th, and an 
autumn show of Chrysanthemums on November 18th. 
•‘The Treasures of the Snow. Mr. James 
Douglas writes :—“ I have before me a series of litho¬ 
graphs of flowers from the Arctic regions, from paintings 
by Madame Ebba ,de Ramsay. The flowers were col¬ 
lected during the various Swedish expeditions to 
discover the north-eastern passage through Berings 
Sound, and to find the North Pole, between the years 
1858 and 1880. About sixty distinct plants have been 
painted, and the first series of eight have been published, 
they are—Carex gloriosa, C. lagopina, Polemonium 
pulehellum, Saxifraga nivalis, S. CEespitosa, S. opposi- 
tifolia, Potentilla pulchella, and Taraxacum phymato- 
carpum. The object of this lady in publishing the 
plates is to devote the profits to mission work at 
Whilhelmsro, Sweden. She has also presented a number 
of sets in aid of the “Mission to the Kaybles ” in North 
Africa. I can truly say that the pictures are not only 
interesting but beautifully executed. If any reader of 
these lines feels inclined to aid in a good work, they 
can do so by purchasing a set of the ‘ ‘ Treasures of the 
Snow ” from my old friend Mr. E. H. Glenny, Linton 
Road, Barking, Essex.” 
Grafting Bulbs. — A correspondent of the 
American Gardeners' Monthly recently described an 
experiment he had made in grafting bulbs, chiefly 
Hyacinths, which deserves a note, although no definite 
results could be given. Possibly, however, some ama¬ 
teurs might like to try the plan for themselves. 
Several bulbs were taken of differently coloured Hya¬ 
cinths, these Avere cut clean dawn the centre, the 
halves of tAvo distinct varieties AA'ere then joined 
together evenly and bound securely with matting or 
string ; the grafted bulbs were then either potted in 
the usual rvay or placed in glasses. We have never 
heard of the experiment being tried before, but scarcely 
anticipate the success which the describer seemed to 
expect, namely, the production of spike shoAAung the 
two varieties on opposite sides. 
Gladiolus Ville de Versailles.— We have 
received from Mr. W. B. Hartland, Cork, a cut spike of 
four flowers of this Gladiolus, and Avhich Avas grown in 
a cool house. The segments of the blooms are very 
narroAV, Avhite flushed Avith pale rose, Avith a rosy 
magenta band down the centre of all but the tAvo upper 
segments. Though there is nothing of the florists’ 
flower about it, the blooms are pretty, but whether it 
is worth Avhile floAvering it at this season is another 
matter. 
Special Prizes.— The folloAving special prizes 
are offered by Messrs. James Carter & Co. for compe¬ 
tition on the folloAving dates, at the meetings of 
the Royal Horticultural Society:—May 25th, best brace 
of Carter’s Model Cucumbers, three prizes. June 22nd, 
best specimen of Carter’s Blenheim Orange Melon, 
three prizes ; best brace of Carter’s Model Cucumbers, 
-Tiree prizes. July 13th, best fifty pods, each of the 
f Rowing Peas—Telephone, Stratagem, Pride of the 
Market, and Telegraph, four prizes. July 27th, best 
tAvelve pods of Carter’s Leviathan Bean, three prizes ; 
best examples of Lettuce, comprising tAA r o specimens 
each of Carter’s Giant White Cos, Carter’s Longstander, 
and All the Year Round, three prizes ; best three speci¬ 
mens of Carter’s HeartAvell Early Marrow Cabbage, 
three prizes. September 7th, best dish of nine fruit of 
Denham Favorite, or Carter's Perfection Tomato, three 
prizes. October 12th, best six of Carter’s Tennis Ball 
Onion, three prizes ; best three of Carter’s Mont Blanc 
CaulifioAver, three prizes ; best tAvelve pods of Carter’s 
Champion Runners, three prizes. October 26th, for 
the best four dishes of Potatos, nine tubers each, to 
comprise Carter’s Ashtop Fluke, Sukreta, Village 
Blacksmith, and Cetewayo, four prizes. 
Jasminum nudiflorum, —The yellow autumn 
and Avinter floAvering Jasmine is so Avell knoAvn that it 
is almost needless to call attention to its beauty. As a 
town shrub it is very useful, the bright blossoms are 
borne in great profusion, and though not possessing 
the fragrance of so many of its relatives, it is invaluable, 
owing to the season at which it flowers, Avhen there is 
scarcely anything else outside at all attractive. There 
is one quality not generally recognised which deserves 
remark, and that is the long time the flowers last 
Avhen the shoots are cut and placed in Avater. The 
floAvers on the loAver portion of the branelilets open 
first, and if the shoots are cut then the flowers Avill 
open in succession to the tips, thus lasting for nearly a 
fortnight. The stems seem to contain an abundant 
support for the blooms, for a few placed in a glass 
Avithout Avater have opened similarly, but did not last 
so long. 
Starting Tuberous Begonias. —A simple 
but excellent plan of starting the tubers of choice 
varieties for early flowering is the folloAving :—Prepare 
a bed of light sandy dry soil in any house where an 
intermediate temperature is maintained, and AA T here 
the moisture in the air is rather less than required by 
plants other than succulents. The bed should be as near 
the glass as convenient, and the tubers can be arranged 
upon it according to the varieties. They are much 
subject to mildeAV and other forms of fungi in this 
state, and they Avill need careful Avatcliing to prevent 
the loss of the smallest and most delicate ; but it is an 
excellent plan to give them a good dusting with sulphur, 
both as a preventer and destroyer of mildew. As the 
shoots appear the tubers can be potted in light rich 
turfy loam, leaf-soil, and well-decayed manure, the 
latter preferably in a small proportion, as the en¬ 
couragement needed can be given later on in the form 
of liquid manure. The majority of the free-growing 
varieties can be increased at the time of potting by 
dividing the tubers, Avith some of the delicate sorts, 
this is, hoAA r ever, rather a critical operation, and it is 
best to Avait until they are three or four years old before 
attempting it. 
Sulphide of Potassium for Mildew on 
Ptoses. —A summary of the experiments made by 
various persons Avith this substance to test its efficacy 
as a destroyer of mildew on the Rose and other plants, 
is given by Mr. E.W. Badger (who some time ago called 
attention to the subject in our columns) in the Eosarians' 
Year Book for 1886, and as the matter possesses much 
interest for horticulturists, attention may be profitably 
called to the success achieved. It has been chiefly 
tried upon mildeAV, but green-fly and red-spider have 
also been submitted to its effects Avith equal satisfaction. 
Mr. W. Coleman, of Eastnor Castle, has given it a 
careful trial, and communicates the result, assuming 
that it proved an excellent remedy. “The first trial 
Avas made on old Avinter Cucumbers badly infested Avith 
mildeAA'. One syringing nearly killed them ; a second 
completely destroyed the pest. This Avas in April, 
and the plants still remain clean and healthy The 
second attack Avas made on red-spider, also on 
Cucumbers. Tavo dressings destroyed the spider, and 
the plants Avere in no Avay injured. The third and 
most important trial Avas made on an old Vine attacked 
by spider and mildeAV, and although my stock of 
sulphide ran short, the result Avas equally satisfactory.” 
Many instances of its application to Roses affected by 
mildeAV are also given, and the results in every case 
seem to be similar, namely, the destruction of the 
fungus, and the non-injury of the plants. It is advised 
to make a solution of the sulphide, a quarter of an 
ounce to a gallon of water, and as the compound 
readily dissolves, it can be then syringed on the foliage 
of the infested plants. It is said that double the 
strength named did not injure the foliage in the 
slightest degree. No doubt the effects are due to the 
presence of sulphur in the substance ; but it is far more 
useful in this form than as a poAvder, and it is evidently 
Avell Avorthy of a trial by gardeners or amateurs. 
Mr. W. F. Fancourt, son of the late Mr. 
FanCourt, of the Fulham Nurseries, and a pupil of Mr. 
Richard Gilbert, at Burghley,'recently read a capital 
paper on the Cyclamen before the Florists’ and Growers’ 
Association of Philadelphia. 
Tradescantia zebrina is described by an 
Austrian gardening paper as “ a real barometer.” The 
floAA’ers are stated to open twenty-fours before rain, 
snow, or any storm. If placed in a light room, Avhere 
it can receive the rays of the sun, it aatII soon bloom 
and flowers abundantly. 
Rainfall at Kingston Hall Gardens in 
1885. —It will be seen from the accompanying columns 
of figures that the rainfall of 1885 Avas below the 
average during ten months of the year, September and 
October being the exceptions, October girung us one- 
fifth of the total fall. The four months of autumn 
gave us nearly 1 in. more than the half of total falL 
Taking the months of February, June, August, Sep¬ 
tember, October, and November we have 18 "46 ins., 
leaving only 6’42 ins. for the other six months. 
Heaviest fall in one day, October 24th, 1*32. Rain 
fell upon 171 days. Total fall for year Avas 24 - 89 in. 
Inches. 
Inches. 
January . . 
1-21 
July . . 
. 0T5 
February . 
2'37 
August. . 
. 2T0 
March . . 
0-86 
September. 
. 3T0 
April . . 
1-81 
October . 
. 5‘H 
May . . . 
1-79 
November 
. 2-97 
Juue . . . 
— J. JV. Bayne. 
2-89 
December . 
. 0-53 
THE "R. H. S.” 
I quite agree AA-ith the suggestions of “A Fellow” 
in his letter to you on the Royal Horticultural Society 
as to the desirability of throAAnng off the yoke of the 
South Kensington Commissioners, and holding shows 
throughout the country after the manner of the Royal 
Agricultural Society ; but the council of the R. H. S. 
would have to consider and provide for some amusement 
in the Avay of floAver shows, for the majority of the 
FelloAVs Avho find the sineAvs of Avar, care in reality little 
for horticultural science. A small minority only are 
interested in the good Avork Avhich the society carries 
out at ChisAvick ; feAV, indeed, have paid their sub¬ 
scription for that purpose, but are attracted by the 
promenade and florver shoAvs. 
It appears to me that both classes of subscribers, aaRo 
may be called the scientific and ornamental, might 
obtain their money’s worth if the council of the society 
could induce the council of the Royal Botanic Society 
to permit the R. H. S. to hold their floAver shows in 
the' gardens at Regent’s Park, to Avhich the fellows of 
both societies should have free entry. No doubt a 
house might be obtained or built suitable for holding 
the Lindley Library a^id accommodation for the various 
committees ; AA-liilst the gardens at ChisAvick, as at 
present, might continue to carry out the experimental 
Avork Avhich is so usefully done there, under the 
superintendence of Mr. Barron.— S. H. A. 
_ . _ _ 
STARTING EARLY VEGETABLES. 
Peas and Potatos. 
I Avas recently A'isiting an experienced gardening 
friend, and Avas much struck Avith his arrangements 
for having an early supply of vegetables, the varieties 
he used, and his limited facilities. It strikes me 
a feAV observations thereon Avould be of very Avide 
interest Avhere millions in the British Isles are similarly 
circumstanced, if not much better, and equally desire 
the same. To confine my remarks I shall allude 
iioav merely to Peas and Potatos. There is little 
gained by starting Peas in cold frames in November, 
Avhen they are ultimately to be planted out ; on the 
contrary, AA r lien started in sods, or in trays—much the 
best plan—too early, tlieygroAv puny, and frequently 
get infested with green-fly. It would be ruinous to put 
them out in this state before February, or, even then, 
as they Avould be much more liable to be injured by frost 
than if permanently planted out. My friend avoids this 
by only planting his Peas in shalloAV zinc troughs 
toAvards the end of this month, and transfers them from 
the cold frames to prepared lines in the garden Avhen 
the Aveather gets mild, about the same time that the 
young roots have exhausted the soil in his little wee 
shoot-like trays. In this AAay I have seen splendid 
dishes of Peas with him on the 10th of May. One other 
point of culture Avorth noticiug Avas that he transplants 
them as you Avould Celery in sunken trenches, well 
