52 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 24, 1887. 
The market gardeners of Sandy have been plagued 
with Caterpillars to such an extent that (according 
to the local papers) they (the caterpillars) have been 
collected and sold at M. per peck, for poultry feeding. 
The chairman of the Metropolitan Public 
Gardens Association, the Earl of Meath, has just 
appointed Mr. William Goldring, landscape gardener, 
Kew, to be honorary inspector of the gardens and open 
spaces of the association in London. There are now 
many of these gardens distributed about the metropolis, 
their area being nearly 70 acres, and their conversion 
from waste places into gardens has cost upwards of 
,£15,000. 
At a cottagers’ Red Cabbage and Celery Show, 
held in Sheffield on Saturday last, the heaviest Cabbage, 
after being closely trimmed, weighed 20 lbs. ; and the 
best brace of Celery weighed 7 lbs. 
The season has been an unusually favourable one for 
Tomato Culture out of Doors, and many fine 
examples have come under our notice. The latest and 
one of the best bunches of fruits we have seen was one 
of Carter’s Perfection, containing eleven fruits, which 
weighed 2 lbs. 9 ozs. 
The Bradford and District Chrysanthemum 
Society’s Show is announced to be held on November 
4th and 5th. 
On Tuesday evening last a meeting of buyers of 
Fresh Fruit, Flowers and Wegetables generally, 
was held at the Freemasons’ Tavern, Great Queen 
Street, W.C., to consider certain trade questions con¬ 
nected with the auction sales of produce sent to market, 
and to promote the formation of a Buyers’ Protection 
Society. There were about 140 buyers present, and 
Mr. P. Garcia, Central Avenue, Covent Garden, took 
the chair. After some discussion, it was decided to 
form such a society, and about 90 members were en¬ 
rolled the same evening. Another meeting is to be 
held on Tuesday week. 
Mr. J. W. Bayne, for the last twelve years head 
gardener to Lord Belper, Kingston Hall, Derby, has 
taken the glass on lease at Castledykes, Dumfries, for 
the purpose of growing fruit and flowers for market. 
Mr. William English, the present foreman, has been 
appointed to the situation of head gardener at Kingston 
Hall. 
At a meeting of the Belgian Chamber of Horticulture, 
held at Ghent on the 13th inst., Certificates of Merit 
were awarded to M. de Smet DuvivierforPteris Bausei; 
to M. A. Van Imschoot for Oncidium barbatum ; to 
MM. Vervaet & Co. for Cattleya Gaskelliana and 
Odontoglossum Vervaeti ; and to M. Devriesere 
Reemeus for Lobelia erinoides alba flora grandiflora. 
The Committee of the Harpenden Horticultural 
Society have announced what may be termed a new 
departure for institutions of this character, by making 
known their intention to hold, in connection with the 
annual general meeting of the society, on December 7th, 
an Apple and Pear congress, for the purpose of illus¬ 
trating the varieties of these useful fruits most suited 
to this district, and to obtain information with regard 
to their proper cultivation by combining with the con¬ 
gress an exhibition of Apples and Pears equally suitable 
for the district. A few prizes will be offered for col¬ 
lections of kitchen Apples, as well as dessert varieties, 
also for stewing and dessert Pears ; and it is suggested 
that papers should be read on the following subjects :— 
(1) “The history of the Apple” ; (2) “The cultivation 
of the Apple”; (3) “Diseases of the Apple and sug¬ 
gested remedies ” ; (4) “ Importation of foreign Apples 
and the influence on the British fruit trade.” Similar 
papers in relation to the Pear are also invited. They 
are to be short, and a limited time will be devoted to 
the consideration of each. The secretary of the society 
is Mr. John J. Willis, who will furnish information to 
anyone interested in the matter. 
Lord Dalhousie, who is an extensive landowner in 
the county of Forfar, lately determined to make an 
experiment in Land Reclamation and in the 
Creation of Small Holdings. The ground selected 
is an undulated tract of land known as the Links of 
Barry, distant about eight miles from the town of 
Dundee. The land reclaimed was under cultivation 
in former years, traces of the old furrows being still 
distinctly visible. Two holdings have been formed, 
extending to forty acres and thirty-five acres respec¬ 
tively. The annual rental will be about 23s. per acre, 
including interest at four per cent, for the money 
expended in the erection of the cottages and other 
buildings, which are of a very superior class. Both 
tenants are ex-ploughmen, and men apparently of more 
than average intelligence. The crop on the reclaimed 
land consists of Oats, and the yield is a fairly good one, 
considering that the soil has become cold by being still 
undrained, and having lain untilled for years. On 
that part of the holdings which has been for some 
time under cultivation—for both tenants have for some 
years cultivated a few acres for market gardening 
purposes—the produce is chiefly Carrots, for which a 
ready market is obtained in the neighbouring towns. 
Situated close to the coast, the land lies very low and 
level, and to protect the crops from the ravages of 
hares and rabbits, which swarm on the waste lands 
adjoining, the holdings have been enclosed by a fence 
of wire netting. From a financial point of view, the 
project is regarded as a pretty successful one for the 
landlord. __ 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 
The tuberous-rooted Begonias planted out in the 
nurseries of Messrs. John Laing & Sons, at Forest 
Hill, are still in great beauty, and for brilliancy of 
colour-effects completely put in the shade all other 
bedding plants in bloom at this season. Some 80,000 
tubers were planted in the long beds facing the 
Stanstead Road, and the neat uniform height of the 
plants, their stiff sturdy habit, ample foliage, and 
marvellous floriferousness, alike bear testimony to the 
skill and assiduity with which Mr. Laing has carried 
out the process of cross-breeding, and the no less 
important matter of selection. We have gained much 
during the last few years in the matter of habit, and, 
perhaps, in no particular more advantageously than in 
the strengthening of the flower-stalks, that gives the 
stiff erect position of the flowers which is so essential 
a condition in all perfect bedding plants. It is some¬ 
what difficult to say which of the beds at Forest Hill— 
all planted as closely as possible in different colours— 
most take one’s fancy ; but one cannot ignore the fact 
that the crimsons and orange-scarlets have the greatest 
preponderance of flowers, which is explained as being 
due to flowers of these colours being more persistent 
than the others, and to their greater tendency to carry 
two open flowers on a stalk at the same time. Progress 
is, of course, being constantly advanced in all sections 
of the tuberous Begonia ; but it is gratifying to know 
that during the last year or two the greatest advances 
have been made with the pure orange and orange- 
scarlet section, which was previously weak in good 
forms. From what we could see of the present season’s 
batch, they will soon be plentiful, and gladly welcomed 
for the flower garden. The largest flowers are found 
among the crimsons, scarlets, and pink or rose- 
coloured blooms, and in all these sections the Messrs. 
Laing have some remarkable flowers among their new 
seedlings. In the whites, yellows, lemons, and roses, 
there is an abundant choice of novelties to select from ; 
indeed, it may be conscientiously said that finer have 
never been seen. The beds are a perfect mass of lovely 
colours, and we would advise all who intend seeing 
them to do so at once, ere frost embraces them in its 
icy grip. -►>*<-- 
“SEALING” VEGETABLES FOR 
EXHIBITION. 
“All produce to be sealed the day previous to the 
show,” is a condition frequently stipulated in flower 
show schedules issued by societies in the northern 
counties, and where extra prizes are given, this is most 
desirable, as then it is taken for granted that the 
contents of the trays or hampers have been honestly 
grown by the competitors. 1 ‘ Sealers ” are generally 
sent out by the committee of management in batches 
of two, who work out the gardens in the several 
districts allotted to them, and are armed with the 
necessary appliances, which consist of a seal, sealing- 
wax, packing needle, and some strong tape. 
On several occasions I have had excursions of this 
sort, when I found it good policy to figuratively apply 
the seal to my tongue, “sealing” day being a rare 
one for quizzing, and experience taught me that a too 
voluble tongue had a tendency to limit the number of 
trays to be exhibited, so great is the rivalry which 
exists amongst cottage growers. 
Entering the garden or allotment of John Smith, at 
early dawn, the worthy man, schedule in hand, greets 
us with a smile not unmingled with a look of suspicion, 
for glancing over the hedge into the next allotment, 
he is evidently dubious as to whether we may not pro¬ 
ceed there next, and if his neighbour Jones should 
beat him, what a dreadful thing it would be. JVe 
afterwards found that Jones was equally suspicious of 
Smith, and it was clear that the whole thoughts of 
these men were centred upon their gardening achieve¬ 
ments ; so great was the rivalry between them. 
With fork in hand the “sealers” are conducted 
perhaps first to the Potato ridges, where isolated 
haulms here and there, with short single stems of sturdy 
growth, are picked out. The exhibitor evidently 
knows where the best tubers are to be found, and 
although few in number they are tolerably large, and 
invariably turn up well. One of the “ sealers, ” with 
basket in hand, takes charge of the best until a few 
over the requisite number to compare with have been 
got. These are taken to a convenient place and care¬ 
fully washed with a soft sponge or flannel in a lather 
of soap and tepid water. Yery little rubbing is 
required, as too much of that would ruffle the skin. 
The tubers are again carefully compared, the most even, 
unblemished and shallow in the eye being chosen. 
These have then to be wrapped separately in soft paper 
and placed in the hamper. From this time one 
“sealer” takes care of the hamper, and places it in a 
conspicuous position, so as to be always under his eye. 
In this way every quarter is alike visited, Cabbages, 
Cauliflowers, Peas, Beans, Celery, &c., being selected 
and carried to the hamper. Such as require dressing 
or washing are quickly dealt with. The Celery is 
generally treated to a heavy syringing with cold clear 
water—one operator using the syringe, whilst another 
holds up the stick root upwards, keeping back the 
leaves with his right hand, whilst a sluice from the 
syringe penetrates up to the base, bringing all dirt or 
grit away. Cauliflowers, Cabbages, &c., are rinsed in 
cold water, Beans, Peas, &c., are handled as little as 
possible, and so on, until all the lots are completed, 
when they are carefully packed and the lid closed and 
fastened. The tape is then passed through the meshes 
of the hamper, firmly tied, and the ends crossed over 
and sealed. It is thus left in the exhibitor’s charge, 
and the “ sealers ” pass on to the other gardens, where 
the same programme is repeated. 
On the show mornings the “sealers ” have again to 
examine the hampers, break open the seals, and stand 
by until the contents are given into the custody of the 
curators. At some shows many articles are separately 
sealed ; but I do not see the necessity of it, except 
in the case of plants, in which instance there is no 
other course open. To the novice in “sealing” I 
would commend the following hints :—(1) see that 
Potato-ridges have not been disturbed, and before the 
tubers are put into the vessel of water to be washed, 
run your hand round the bottom ; (2) see that the soil 
around Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Onions, &c., has not 
been dovetailed into position ; (3) follow Peas, Runner 
Beans, and Cucumbers to their base or into the ground ; 
the latter I have known—and passed, too—fastened on 
the trellis-work, with 4 ft. of stem each side of the 
fruit ; (4) see that hampers have no false bottoms, and 
if you have any doubt about it, fasten the tape and 
seal accordingly on all four sides ; (5) in the case of 
agricultural produce, such 'as Corn to be shown the full 
length of the straw, see that one straw is not slid into 
the socket of another, terminating each end at a joint. 
Such are a few of the tactics adopted, which, at 
times, require a quick and discerning eye to detect 
them. Committees know that there is as much honesty 
in this branch of competition as in any other ; hence 
these garden excise men.— B. Lockwood. 
-- 
MITRIOSTIGMA AXILLARE. 
Uninviting as is the name of this plant, it is closely 
allied to Gardenia, and is frequently cultivated under 
the name of G. citriodora, in reference to its strong 
citron-like and agreeable odour. For this alone the 
plant is worth growing ; and it is, moreover, an orna¬ 
mental stove subject when in full flower. The value 
of the plant is also enhanced from the fact of its 
flowering in winter, when white flowers of all kinds are 
greatly in request; while their- delicious odour, though 
strong at certain stages of their development, proves 
agreeable to most people. The opposite leaves are 
evergreen, lanceolate-elliptic, rather longer and 
narrower than those of the common Gardenia, and 
bearing clusters of shortly bell-shaped, five-lobed 
flowers in the axils. Only two species of the genus are 
known, and the subject of this note comes from South 
Africa. No great skill is required in its cultivation, as 
it naturally forms a dwarf, compact, spreading bush, so 
that there is little need to use the pruning knife to 
keep it within due bounds. Its cultural requirements 
are also moderate, provided the plants are kept in a 
moist stove temperature during the growing season, 
freed from insects as soon as they make their appear¬ 
ance, and shifting on as the development of the roots 
requires it. This latter requirement is not a very 
important matter, as the plant increases but slowly. 
