404 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 25, 1888. 
was a mere sop in the ocean as compared with 
the needs of the earth; and should March, 
the wind-month, which is so near at hand, 
show its traditional form, and hake the soil 
with its north-easters, we shall have to record 
one of the driest winters known, perhaps, for 
many years. Without doubt it is tempting 
to work in the garden when the soil is dry 
and pulverised. Even the recent snow through¬ 
out the southern districts has affected this 
dryness of the earth only minutely, and now 
that the worst has passed and a real spring-time 
is imminent, we may hope that the sounds 
of labour will be heard on every hand getting 
in those seeds, with the products of which the 
soil shall later teem. 
Last winter some fair weather early in the 
year tempted sowing seeds, but a heavy snow¬ 
fall so chilled the soil later, that large breadths 
of the seeds put in perished. The anxiety 
to take time by the forelock was ill rewarded, 
but none the less a valuable lesson was given, 
which it would be very unwise to ignore. 
Rarely does it happen that gain is found in 
very early sowings. A generation or two since 
it was the rule to make sowings of Peas and 
Beans in November, bait some later winters 
have knocked the nonsense out of that prac¬ 
tice, and gardeners have learned that seeds 
are safer and better in their bags during mid¬ 
winter rather than in the cold, cheerless soil. 
Even more, we have found of late, as a result, 
perhaps, of the ‘general backwardness of our 
springs, as much as for any other reason, that 
seeds are better if put into the soil in March 
rather than in February, because the earlier 
growing period is at once so cheerless and so 
procrastinated. How many a seed-failure has 
been due to the anxious but unhappy haste 
to sow; and where seed-failure has not abso¬ 
lutely resulted, how many seed-stocks have 
come out of character, for the simple reason 
that they have had to develop under unkindly 
conditions. 
Another good result arising from waiting, is 
that in March we get far more, not only of 
clearer light, but also extended light; and light, 
apart from warmth, plays an important part in 
seed germination and plant growth. With 
more light we also get increased temperature, 
and that means the more rapid growth of plants; 
with more rapid growth we get truer form and 
greater robustness, so that in every way the 
advantages are found on the side of deferred 
rather than unduly early sowing. Seedsmen, 
too, have more right to object to early sowings, 
becairse their reputation is allied to that of their 
seeds, and too often has seed, which has at 
sowing been honestly good, yet perished more 
or less, because committed to the soil ere the 
season had become favourable. Even in the 
matter of indifferent seeds, which may be 
rather old or, perchance, are not well-ripened, 
because the harvest time was ungenerous ; yet 
the percentage of growth may be doubled if 
sown under the best rather than under the 
worst conditions of temperature. 
Then it is well known, but not too often 
regarded, that the compression of the soil inci¬ 
dental to seed sowing is often productive of 
special harm should considerable rain or snow¬ 
falls follow. How sodden and set does trodden 
soil become, the moisture being retained upon 
it instead of passing freely away, as is seen on 
light loose areas ! The tendency to rain more 
heavily is, as a rule of course, much greater in 
February than in March or April, and the 
longer sowing is deferred, the greater prospect 
there is of missing such an evil. We freely 
admit that all these exhortations may seem to 
be of an elementary character, but it is equally 
a fact that whilst long experience teaches 
gardeners to be chary of undue haste, there is 
the natural anxiety in all to be in good time 
with sowing and planting, and the chances are 
that this anxiety will be the dominating force 
in early gardening. 
We can now congratulate ourselves that cold 
and cheerless as the recent weather has been, 
still it has so far done no harm to the seed or 
to winter crops; we have been rather more 
concerned with what might have been than 
with what has been. We may even further 
congratulate ourselves that so far the winter has 
been marked by none of those extremes of cold 
or fierce visitations, which have in some other 
regions caused it to be remembered. Snow¬ 
falls, several feet in depth, such as have visited 
northern Europe ; terrible windstorms, known 
as tornados and blizzards, carrying in their 
tracks death and destruction, such as have 
struck terror into the hearts of thousands in 
America ; these have not been ours to endure, 
happily, and we trust they never may be. Our 
weather troubles are, if plentiful, yet mild ones 
on the whole ; they give us some worry at 
times, either in the form of a cold blasting 
spring, or an exceptionally cold and wet or a 
hot and parching summer, but they bring few 
deaths in their train; and generally we may 
rejoice that our lot is cast in a not unpleasant 
climate. 
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Royal Horticultural Society.—We learn from The 
Journal of Horticulture that at a meeting of the council 
of this society, held last Tuesday, the resignations of 
Mr. William Lee and Mr. Sidney Courtauld were 
accepted, and the council appointed Mr. T. B. 
Haywood and Mr, J. Woodbridge as their successors. 
The Rev. W. Wilks was chosen secretary of the society 
in place of Mr. Lee, resigned. 
New Plants Certificated in Ghent.—At the usual 
monthly meeting held in Ghent, on the 15th inst., 
Certificates of Merit were awarded as follows:—To Mr. 
Ad. D’Haene, for Oncidium splendidum ; to Mr. Ed. 
Pynaert, for Cypripedium Dauthieri marmoratum ; to 
Mr. Jules Hye, for Cattleya Trianse var., C. Trianae 
alba, Odontoglossum coronarium, and Cypripedium Yan 
Houttei (by acclamation); to Messrs. Vervaet & Co., 
for three varieties of Cattleya Trianae. 
Clematis indivisa lobata.—With reference to our 
note last week on this plant, Mr. Starkie Baldwin, 
Woodbine Nursery, near Burnley, writes:—1 have a 
plant which is now bearing over 4,000 flowers. It has 
120 ft. run of growth, and was planted two years and 
nine months ago. I find it to be a good and profitable 
plant to grow on the roof of a greenhouse, as it has 
small foliage, and can be grown in a plant house 
without too much shading the things underneath. 
Eucalyptus Honey.—At the last meeting of the 
Scientific Committee it was stated that some honey 
from Eucalyptus globolus had been sent from Adelaide, 
South Australia, to Mr. Thomas Christy, as possessing 
similar properties to those of the tree itself ; being, for 
example, antiseptic in its nature. It is found to be 
very efficacious [in cases of lung disease. The honey 
can only be procured every other year, as the tree 
flowers biennially. One peculiarity is that, though 
liquid on arrival, it rapidly crystallises in this climate. 
It has a very peculiar flavour and scent. 
Stoke and Guildford Auxiliary Horticultural Society. 
—We have been favoured with a copy of the schedule 
issued by this society for a spring show, to be held on 
March 21st and 22nd, and which we notice here on 
account of a somewhat novel feature that it introduces 
into flower show management. Contributions are in¬ 
vited in some forty-five classes devoted to groups of 
different subjects—cut flowers, vegetables, fruits, &c. ; 
but the value of the prizes is not stated, and in what 
follows consists the novel feature above alluded to. 
No prizes will be awarded until after the treasurer has 
paid all expenses out of the receipts at the doors, when 
the balance, if any, will be distributed according to the 
judges’ decision of merit. The committee ask no aid 
from the public, except the admission fee. 
National Co-operative Flower Show.—If one may 
judge from the schedule of prizes just issued, the 
largest and most completely representative show of 
amateurs’ and cottagers’ garden produce that will be 
seen this season will be that of the National Co¬ 
operative Flower Show, which is to take place at the 
Crystal Palace on August 18th. With classes for 
everything in season, numbering over 200 in all, and 
an increase in the value of the prizes—from the modest 
sum of £60 last year to the handsome amount of £?>2\ 
this year—clearly only a favourable season is wanted 
to make the exhibition a complete success. 
The Covent Garden Club.—An adjourned meeting for 
the promotion of this club, was held at the Covent 
Garden Hotel, on Monday evening, and numerously 
attended by salesmen of the market and others. The 
secretary, Mr. W. Arthur Board, explained the objects 
of the proposed club, which has been a long felt want in 
the neighbourhood, particularly amongst the salesmen 
in the market. An animated discussion followed, the 
meeting being unanimously in favour of the club, and 
ultimately a committee of three gentlemen were deputed 
to make arrangements for the acquisition of suitable 
premises [and accommodation, and the meeting was 
adjourneduntil Thursday next, the 1st March, at 8. p.m. 
The success of the concern is confidently predicted. 
Salesmen in the market and residents in the neighbour¬ 
hood are cordially invited to join. 
A Fern Catalogue.—The catalogue issued by Messrs. 
W. & J. Birkenhead, Fern Nursery, Sale, near 
Manchester, is to hand, and gives a list of over 
1,400 species and varieties of Ferns and Selaginellas 
cultivated by that firm. They are arranged under the 
headings of stove, greenhouse, hardy, exotic, and 
British Ferns ; and if it ended here the catalogue would 
be so far instructive, but exceedingly dry reading to 
amateurs and professionals, especially to the former. 
On the contrary, the number of faithfully executed 
illustrations that are scattered through the whole work 
of 130 pages is so great that it well deserves the title 
of illustrated ; and no greater incentive to the culture of 
Ferns and similar beautiful forms of plant life, by 
amateurs especially, could be given than such plant 
portraits, which constitute more graphic descriptions to 
the non-botanical members of the gardening community 
than pages of letter-press. Hints on the cultivation of 
Ferns are given at the end of the catalogue. 
Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society.—At 
the meeting of the Preston and Fulwood Horticultural 
Society, on Saturday last, the business which occupied 
the committee pertained chiefly to matters in con¬ 
nection with the forthcoming spring show. The 
treasurer stated that the subscriptions were coming in 
very freely, and that the finances were never in a better 
condition than at the present time. At the close of 
the business, Mr. W. Swan made allusion to the 
Orphan Fund, now fairly started—the permanent 
outcome of the loyalty of gardeners and their generous 
employers. He expressed a hope that no one from that 
district would need its help just at present, but was 
glad to find the society sufficiently strong to be willing 
to place six applicants on its pension fund. He hoped 
the secretary, Mr. Atherton, would write for a collecting 
box, so that it might be placed in a prominent position 
at the spring show, and that it would always be put on 
the table when the members met together at the 
monthly meetings. However small the sum might be 
that individual members subscribed, in the course of 
six months, when country secretaries sent in their 
accounts, a fairly good sum would always be found 
collected, to be sent up in the name of the society. 
Azalea indica, L£on Pynaert.—Under this name is 
figured in the Revue de VHorticulture Beige a beautiful 
Indian Azalea, which originated as a sport from the same 
source as Charles Pynaert, and having the same grand 
qualities as a garden plant, but not the white flowers 
of Louise Pynaert. These all have flowers of great 
size, of good substance, have a strong and vigorous 
habit, and bloom both regularly and abundantly. The 
flowers of Leon Pynaert are semi-double, with broad, 
flat, spreading segments to the corolla, and are of the 
most beautiful rose suffused and spotted with a darker 
colour on the base of the upper segments. As a sport 
it originated in the establishment of M. Ed. Pynaert, 
Ghent, Belgium, without the intervention of cross¬ 
breeding, of hybridisation, or even of seeds, and may 
be termed a natural sport that is propagated by 
grafting. 
Lselia porphyritis. — In the Revue de VHorticulture 
Beige for February a coloured plate is given of a plant 
that is described as a natural hybrid from Brazil. 
Judging from the excellent illustration and the de¬ 
scription it must be a fine thing, recalling the bi-generic 
hybrid, Sophroeattleya Batemaniana, in no small 
degree, both as to size, colouring and general comport. 
It also reminds one of the flower of Lfelia pumila, and 
may have some affinity with that species. The sepals 
and petals are purple ; the tube of the labellum rose- 
coloured externally, while the terminal and the lateral 
lobes of the labellum externally are of the richest 
crimson-purple, with this rich colouring extending to 
the very margin, which appears to be entire. The 
pseudo-bulbs are small, somewhat spindle-shaped, and 
terminated by one or two oblong leathery leaves. The 
