128 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[August, 
capital strain of Sweet Williams. With these were 
four fine doubles, a crimson, a purple, and two light- 
coloured sorts; these are good garden flowers on ac¬ 
count of the durability of their handsome trusses of 
flowers. With the above came some meritorious 
Antirrhinums, double Canterbury bells, and annual 
tricolor Chrysanthemums. 
— 33.nder the name of Alschinger’s 
Laburnum, the Gardeners' Chronicle recently 
alluded to a pretty and very floriferous variety 
of laburnum— L. Alschingeri , a kind that should be 
in every garden in the kingdom. Nothing can sur¬ 
pass the elegance of this tree when in bloom; its 
flowers are a paler, more refined shade of yellow than 
the common variety; they are produced freely, the 
racemes being of extraordinary length—some mea¬ 
suring 18j inches in length, not including the two or 
three inches of foot-stalk. Its branches become 
laden with these long bunches, as full apparently as 
the common variety, audit has-the still further merit 
of not opening its flowers until the others are quite 
over. Waterer’s Laburnum raised in the Surrey 
nurseries, agrees very closely with this description. 
— ®he Standard form is well adapted for 
both the Currant and the Gooseberry. In this 
form they are not only beautiful objects when 
planted at intervals by the sides of the walks in 
kitchen gardens, but are extremely profitable and 
valuable for late use. The birds always leave them 
until the last, and when they do attack them the 
head of each tree can be easil y enveloped with hexagon 
netting, and the fruit is then safe. The standard 
trees do not usually grow so luxuriantly as bushes, 
and they bear prodigiously. True, they need stakes 
to support them, and they are W'orthy of them. If 
standards were generally grown, they would not only 
add to the attractiveness of the garden, but wliat 
is more, the period of the fruit supply would be con¬ 
siderably lengthened ; for it is certain that the fruit 
keeps better on standards than on bushes. The 
standards are easily formed, but it is a question of 
time to produce fine heads; select straight cuttings, 
and do not stop them until they are three feet high; 
all the lower buds must be scrupulously removed, 
or suckers will be troublesome; secure the leading 
growths to stakes and pinch the side shoots, and in 
due time fruitful miniature trees will be produced.— 
(i Journal of Horticulture .) 
— ®he Border Pinks are amongst our 
most grateful June flowers, being remarkable 
at once for their showy character and their 
rich aromatic perfume. Mr. T. S. Ware sent us 
from Tottenham cut flowers of three of the best 
amongst the few distinct sorts which are grown; 
and though not new they are in every way worth 
a word of commendation. When grown in beds 
they form sheets of colour in the garden, as may 
have been seen during the past month of June at the 
Hale Barm nurseries. The varieties we specially 
refer to are : Lord Lyons , a bright magenta colour, 
large smooth and well-formed, the edges crimped; 
a prolific bloomer and very fragrant; one of the most 
striking pinks in cultivation. Ascot, a pleasing 
flower of a soft lilacy-pink, with dark carmine 
centre, the petals crimped at the edge, and rather 
crumpled, but of a pleasing colour. Mrs. Sinicins 
a large self white with fringed and rather crumpled 
petals, but forming a large full flower, and possessing 
a very rich clove-like perfume; it is, no doubt, the 
finest of all the white pinks, remarkably free-bloom¬ 
ing, and hardy and sturdy in habit. 
$it fEemoriam. 
— Hichard Barton Dodgson, Esq., of 
Beardwood, Blackburn, died on June 13, 
aged 58 years. He was one of the most 
amiable and hospitable of the patrons of horticulture, 
according a hearty welcome to all lovers of flowers 
who paid a visit to his well-stored houses and 
garden. He was especially interested in Orchids, 
of which he had a very fine collection. The specimen 
Orchids sent from Beardwood to Manchester and 
other shows, where Mr. Dodgson has exhibited for 
many years, have always obtained high honours. His 
memory will be embalmed in the Orchids, especially 
Cattleyas, that have been named in his honour. 
— /Hr. John Sherratt, for many years 
gardener to James Bateman, Esq., at Biddulph 
Grange, and subsequently senior partner of 
the firm of Sherratt & Pointon, of the Knypersley 
Nursery, Biddulph, died at Spring Grove, Biddulph, 
on June 20, aged. 53 years. He was connected 
with the gardens at Knypersley Hall for nearly forty 
years. He commenced his gardening career when 
quite a lad, and was placed in charge while still quite 
young, from which time everything seemed to prosper 
in his hands, so that after a while the faithful ser¬ 
vant became the trusted friend, and so continued to 
the day of his death. Bletia Sherrattiana, a very 
distinct terrestrial species named after him by Mr. 
Bateman, will perpetuate his memory amongst 
Orchid growers. 
— /Hr. William Perry, for the last 
fifteen years gardener at Pen-Pole, Skire- 
kampton, Bristol, tke residence of C. H. Miles, 
Esq., died last month, aged 36 years. He was one 
of the most successful plant growers, including 
Orchids, in the western part of the kingdom, and. 
was one of a band of gardeners resident in the 
neighbourhood of Bristol who have worked hard and 
successfully to promote horticulture in the district, 
as evidenced by the excellent displays at the spring 
and autumn exhibitions held at the flourishing old 
town. 
— 23r. Samuel Newington, of Ticekurst, 
died on July 3, in kis 69tk year. Dr. 
Newington’s professional duties in tke man¬ 
agement of a large private lunatic asylum left him 
but little time for personal intercourse with the 
gardening fraternity, of which, nevertheless, he was 
one of the most active members, and a frequent 
contributor to the horticultural Press, his articles 
being marked by original thought, and based on 
comprehensive knowledge of vegetable physiology 
and plant-life. 
—■ 23r. George Dickie, F.R.S., Emeritus 
Professor of Botany in tke University of 
Aberdeen, died on July 15, at Aberdeen. 
Dr. Dickie was well versed in Highland Botany, and 
was one of the few British botanists w'ho had an 
intimate knowledge of Algse. He was the discoverer 
of Cystopteris Dickieana, which was named in his 
honour. 
—- /Hr. Matthew Brown died at Old 
Trafford on July 18, aged 58 years. He 
was a member of tke respected firm of Dickson, 
Brown, & Tait, seed-merchants, of Manchester. 
