December 31, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
279 
work to young men as excellent instruction, always, be 
it understood, that they be taught that much well 
that they may do it well. All the higher work of 
gardening, whether under glass, or in the ground, or 
on the walls, or in pruning of trees, or in the flower 
garden, or where or what it may he, should be all well 
taught, and well practised. In urging heads to give 
their young men the full benefit of their own know¬ 
ledge, we shall be told, perhaps, that it is done-already, 
but we know too well of many cases in which young 
men are left to pick up their practice as best they can, 
whilst a little kindly showing and generous encourage¬ 
ment might have saved many mistakes, and much 
carping. All this presents no appreciable difficulties, 
and with kindly intelligent heads and appreciative 
students, immense good in the direction of technical 
training may be accomplished. 
Very likely 1 ", too probably indeed, the laments from 
young men which we sometimes hear, come from gardens 
in which the duties of the heads and the rights of the 
students are not duly recognised. But it is in the 
acquiring of theoretical knowledge of a higher order 
than mere practice affords, in which our British-garden 
youth seems to find difficulty. It has so far been no 
one’s business to promote institutions or schools of 
horticulture, and, therefore, the gardener, whose know¬ 
ledge is ever so eminently practical, still knows little 
of botany, of geology, and of chemistry as applied to 
soils and manures, or of various other sciences which 
have affinity to gardening; also drawing, French and 
latin languages, mensuration, and other valuable 
acquirements, such as gardeners in good positions can 
find ample use for. 
Where a head gardener is, himself, more than 
ordinarily accomplished, and prefers the delight of his 
vocation to social attractions, he majq perhaps, promote 
a class for his young men, and give them every possible 
assistance. We should think it would be to any head 
gardener a matter for special pride, if it could be said 
of his young men that they ranked amongst the 
brightest, and the most intelligent of their order 
wherever they weut. Something hardly less useful 
might be done in our nurseries if the youths in these 
establishments are to hold their own against French 
and German competition. It is absolutely certain that 
if horticulture in this country is to extend, it will only 
be by its workers keeping pace with that progress in 
enlightenment which is marking all other trades and 
vocations. 
ARDENING fJOTES FRO 
Scotland. 
Aberdeen Seed and Nursery Trade.— 
The fifth annual assembly of the Aberdeen Seed and 
Nursery Trade was held on the evening of the 22nd inst. 
in the Royal Albert Hall, Huntly Street, which was 
beautifully decorated for the occasion with evergreens 
and rare hothouse plants supplied by the various 
nursery firms in the city. Too much praise cannot be 
given to Mr. J. A. Huggan and Mr. Thomson (of 
Messrs. Cardno & Darling) for the skill and taste 
displayed in the floral decorations, which were ex¬ 
clusively under their control. Supper was served at 
eleven o’clock in the gymnasium, Mr. D. C. Darling (of 
Messrs. Cardno & Darling) occupying the chair, while 
Mr. A. Robson (of Messrs. Smith & Sons) and Mr. W. 
Strachan, acted as croupiers. The chairman, in pro¬ 
posing the toast of the Aberdeen Seed and Nursery 
Trade, expressed his regret that Mr. George Bruce, who 
was to have occupied the chair, had been unable 
through indisposition to be present, and said that, 
unfortunately for them, the seed trade had not been in 
a very lively condition during the past few years. He 
was glad, however, to say they were beginning to see the 
rift in the clouds. Mr. A. Robson, who acknowledged 
the toast, said the seed trade in Aberdeen was a very 
important one. It was not generally known that the 
position occupied by the seed trade there was more 
important than in any other city that he knew, con¬ 
sidering the population of the town and the resources 
of the district. In no other place was the competition 
so keen, and that he supposed stimulated them to such 
activity that no one could live in the north except 
themselves. Some people said they were suffering from 
depression, but it was not depression of trade they were 
suffering from—it was rather depression of profits. 
Though the times had been bad they had got a good 
deal to do, but the pay was not so good as they used to 
get. However, they would look forward to the time 
when they could make a shilling off a bushel of Rye 
Grass, and when they would get a fair return for their 
labours. Mr. William Anderson (of Messrs. Ben. 
Reid & Co.), in proposing “The Town and Trade of 
Aberdeen,” said that Aberdeen had come through the 
depression better almost than any place he knew, owing 
to the fact that its industries were not confined to any 
particular product, but embraced a variety of things. 
Councillor Lyon, whose name was coupled with the 
toast, replied. Mr. C. S. France proposed the toast of 
“ The Ladies,” and Mr. Ironside replied. Mr. William 
Gordon, Broad Street, proposed “ The Committee,” and 
Mr. James Thomson returned thanks, and “The 
Chairman’s Health ” having been proposed by Mr. W. 
Wyllie, and very heartily pledged, and Mr. Darling 
having replied, the company adjourned to the ballroom, 
where dancing was kept up for several hours. 
Vegetables. —The season is approaching when 
many of us will be deluged with catalogues of seeds and 
general garden requirements. It is well to be ready at 
the earliest convenience to give the necessary orders to 
seedsmen who are to be called upon to supply the usual 
wants at the beginning of the year. A clean seed room, 
■with complete security from vermin of every kind, is in¬ 
dispensable to economy and safety of the seeds. Dryness 
and means of ventilation are also items of much 
importance. All seeds of any value, whether home- 
saved, or such as may be of use for next season, should 
be put into clean papers, named properly if required, 
dated, and any speciality about them noted, so that 
action may be taken at sowing time free from impedi¬ 
ment and doubt. 
Potatos. —For seed these should be laid out to keep 
them from sprouting till required for planting in the 
gTound. If the planting lots are separated from those 
for domestic use. so much the better—a cool dry position 
where frost cannot reach them is very essential. For 
late kinds to be planted in quantity, the great growers 
in this fine Potato district keep them in pits till they 
are in danger of sprouting and weakening the tubers. 
To make any special lemarks as to kinds might be 
deemed superfluous at present, but those sorts which 
are valued in our locality, and do so well around us, we 
think, would be of sterling worth almost anywhere else. 
We have had, as usual, a number of kinds on trial 
during the past season, which we do not care to try 
again, while on the other hand we have had some of 
the finest quality (we should suppose) ever seen, and 
have noted some kinds of rare appearance at some 
of the early, mid-seasoD, and late shows. On Tuesday 
November 13th we saw samples, some pecks of each, of 
some of the most handsome Potatos ever exhibited, 
and though the favourite Regents, according to the 
rule of the schedule, received the usual Silver Cup, 
they were insignificant in appearance beside the splendid 
exhibits of Village Blacksmith, Creole (or Cobbler), 
and The Dean. The first-named has come immensely 
into favour since last year, when it was exhibited by 
the Messrs. Don, nurserymen, Falkirk. This distinct 
Potato is found to be a grand cropper, as well as of 
superb quality and handsome form. I have, however, 
my fears that it will be eclipsed by the Creole, which 
appeared in the choice collection of kinds exhibited by 
the same gentleman. It would almost appear that 
Village Blacksmith was a parent of the last-named 
kind, because of its somewhat freckled skin ; but it is 
white-skinned and quite distinct otherwise. We had a 
sample to prove them when served at table, and do not 
remember ever seeing a purer white, dryer, or a more 
highly-flavoured Potato, and its character as a cropper 
is of the highest order. A Potato of such sterling 
merit, however, cannot hold high honours on the ex¬ 
hibition table in this locality by the farming class till 
its merits are proved in the fields ; but the high 
encomiums passed upon it by all and sundry w T ere 
profuse and hearty. Messrs. Don’s other exhibit, The 
Dean, is something after the habit of Grampian, but 
much darker in the skin. This very striking kind we 
have also proved to be excellent in quality as well as 
very handsome, but do not know its cropping pro¬ 
clivities. Walker’s Early, Rough White, and Magnum 
Bonum were among the other well-known favourite 
kinds, and all appeared of fine quality, such as Potatos 
generally are this season. Hearing the discussions of 
experienced agriculturists around the vegetable classes, 
they all seemed to be agreed that the finest quality 1 , 
not the largest tubers, were from land free from fresh 
manure, and with plenty of space allowed for admission 
of light and air. Potatos, large Cabbage, and Turnips 
(Yellow and Swede) of gigantic size made a very fine 
auxiliary show, with colossal cattle, &c., at Falkirk. 
— Caledonian. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
■ ♦ 
Cold Frames. —If the weather continues as it set 
in about the early part of the week, amateurs will be 
troubled in no small degree about the safety of their 
plants. This applies more especially to those who 
possess cold frames only—that is, structures which are 
not heated in any way by artificial means. A certain 
amount of difficulty will also be experienced with 
greenhouses that are not heated in a regular way by 
means of flues or hot-water pipes. It is presumed that 
in such cases a stove of some description, or even an 
oil-lamp, is used. V here this holds good, a covering 
of some description thrown over the house will 
materially assist in retaining the heat. Another plan 
to be recommended is to move away all plants as far as 
possible from the glass, so that they may not become 
frozen. 
This latter precaution cannot be taken in the case of 
those in a cold frame, as they are already equi-distant 
from the glass. If means, however, were taken in 
autumn for the protection of these glass structures, by 
forming a casing around them in which to pack Fern 
or other litter, all that now remains is to see that the 
upper and glass surface is properly covered. This may 
also be done with Fern-litter, especially if the frost is 
likely to be of any duration or very severe. In the 
absence of the latter material, ordinary Russian mats, 
or those of straw made for .the purpose, may be used, 
and in all cases they should be dry if possible. 
There are a few points to be attended to in the 
preservation of tender or half-hardy subjects, which, 
if properly carried out, would be of more material 
service than is generally believed. The more there is 
of protection, the more tender the plants are likely to 
be. This applies to subjects that are well known to be 
perfectly hardy under most circumstances, as well as to 
those which are recognised as only half-hardj 1 . The 
most important of the necessary conditions are a free 
exposure to light on all occasions, at least, when 
practicable; secondly, thorough ventilation on all 
favourable opportunities ; and, thirdly, a comparatively 
dry condition of the soil and atmosphere or of the frame. 
The first two of these conditions are difficult to impress 
on the minds of both amateurs and professional 
gardeners, so that plants ordinarily requiring but little 
protection are made more tender and liable to destruc¬ 
tion by frost than they are naturally. In such a case 
the object of protection should be more to ward off 
rains than to guard against frost. This applies to 
Pinks, Carnations, Pansies, and even to Calceolarias of 
the bedding class. The former are perfectly hardy under 
ordinary circumstances, and protection only becomes 
necessary in the case of choice kinds, whose constitu¬ 
tional vigour is more or less impaired by high culti¬ 
vation, excessive propagation, and cross-breeding of 
varieties selected for their beauty and other desirable 
qualities, irrespective of their hardiness or vegetative 
vigour. 
Importance of Light and Ventilation. —In the 
first place, plants protected in frames are much more 
tender than the same kinds in the open ground, on 
account of the less-ripened tissues. Much protection, 
especially when the weather is comparatively mild and 
open, induces a certain amount of vegetative activity, 
which is certain to be checked when the frost sets in. 
This could be avoided to a certain extent by a free 
exposure to light on all occasions, and abundant 
ventilation when not actually freezing ; it is really the 
stumbling-block on 'which plant cultivators are liable 
to err. Labouring under the impression that plants 
are benefited by being kept close and warm in cold 
weather, the frames are kept shut all day, while in 
many cases the mats or other protective material are 
suffered to remain also. Vegetative activity commences, 
and frost ultimately setting in, the results are disastrous, 
not so much on account of its severity as on the 
weakened condition of the plants. A better plan 
would have been not only to give full and free venti¬ 
lation, but even to take off the sashes altogether from 
frames containing the above-named subjects. Of 
course, where Cinerarias, greenhouse Calceolarias, 
Pelargoniums, Lobelias, and other plants of a like 
nature are kept iu a slow-growing condition, with the 
intention of being used later on for the embellishment 
of the conservatory or greenhouse, the frames should 
not be opened in the manner mentioned. Rather than 
run the risk of getting such things killed or injured 
they should be removed to safer quarters when the 
nature of the weather renders it imperative. All plants 
in pots wintered in cool frames should be kept in the 
driest condition compatible with their preservation.— F. 
