April 28, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
551 
Mr. Yan Geert, did not catch, the eye at the time of onr 
visit. The new Azaleas, however, were not to be over¬ 
looked, as they, as well as grand specimens of the older 
kinds, were not to he denied attention, and the same 
remark applies also to a brilliant lot of Clivias. 
Palms are fine, and, if we may take the word of a 
horticultural friend we met coming away after buying 
heavily, “prices are easy,” the variegated Rliapis 
flabelliformis being here in several good specimens, 
Aspidistras fine, Araucarias all that could be desired, 
Phormiums the same, and Aralia Sieboldii variegata, 
which is here extensively cultivated, a good, admirable 
and cheap plant for decoration. 
In conclusion, let us take the opportunity of con¬ 
tradicting the report that has recently got circulated 
to the effect that Mr. Yan Geert was going to give up 
his nursery, in order to devote his attention to another 
business, and for which we understand there is no 
foundation whatever. We should be extremely sorry, 
in common with many others in Great Britain, to hear 
that the old name of "V an Geert should be lost to 
horticulture, and that the good training—a great part 
of it in this country—which the present proprietor 
has had in the nursery business was to be thrown away 
in the manner indicated. 
-- 
NEW PLANTS CERTIFICATED 
By the Floral Committee of the R. H. S. 
April 24 th. 
Odontoglossum Rossii, var. F. L. Ames. 
The foliage, pseudo-bulbs, and flowers of this variety 
as exhibited were all much above the average size, and 
it appeared a giant amongst its kind. The rich brown 
of the upper sepal had scarcely any other markings at 
all, while the lateral ones were barred with streaks of 
white. The white sepals were furnished with one large, 
slightly-lobed, brown blotch at the base, and the large 
ovate-obtuse lip was white with a yellow crest. Ex¬ 
hibited by Mr. B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise 
Nurseries, Upper Holloway. 
Angrjecum arcuatum. 
From a short upright stem the oblong obtusely bilobed 
leaves are given off horizontally, and are about 4 ins. 
long, deep green and rigid. The flowers are borne in 
short pendulous racemes, being pure white, above the 
average size, and sweetly scented. The sepals and 
petals are linear subulate, drawn out to a long slender 
point and sharply recurved, giving rise to the specific 
name. The lip is similar in shape, but much shorter 
and only slightly curved. Exhibited by H. J. Buchan, 
Esp, Wilton House, Southampton. 
Odontoglossum crispum. Charlesworth variety. 
One of the finest forms of this species that has 
been certificated for some time. The pseudo-bulbs 
and leaves were tinted with a bronzy red. The 
sepals were of a uniform deep rose, richly blotched 
with dark purple in the centre ; the petals were 
somewhat paler, but also blotched in the middle, 
broadly ovate, acuminate in outline, and jagged or 
deeply toothed at the side above the base. The lip 
was white, suffused with pink, and spotted with 
purple. A fine spike was carried by the plant, which 
looked handsome. Exhibited by Mr. J. Charlesworth, 
Heaton, Bradford. 
Odontoglossum Humeanum. 
The sepals of this plant were of a rich deep chocolate- 
brown, banded transversely with narrow streaks of 
yellow. The petals were lemon-yellow, spotted with 
deep brown at the very base only ; while the lip was 
pale yellow, almost white, with the exception of the 
deep yellow crest. In contrast to this, the column was 
purple. Not only were the colours fine, but the whole 
flower was much above the average size for 0. Hume- 
anum, ■which is considered a natural hybrid between 
0. Rossii majus and 0. cordatum. Exhibited by 
H. M. Pollett, Esq., Fernside, Bickley. 
Erythronium grandiflorum albiflorum. 
The foliage of this plant, independently of the flowers, 
is a recommendation in itself to hardy plant lovers. 
The individual leaves vary between oblong and 
elliptical, and are of a deep shining green, beautifully 
blotched and banded longitudinally with brown. 
From the crown formed by these, numerous flower- 
scapes spring, bearing mostly one flower only, which 
is of large size and drooping. The perianth is white, 
green at the base externally, and marked with golden 
yellow blotches at the base internally. Exhibited by 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. 
Double Cinerarias. 
Aspasia. —For description of this variety see p. 535. 
Faust. —For description see p. 535. 
Advance. —The whole plant was dwarf with a broad 
almost flat panicled inflorescence. The individual heads 
are large, almost globular, with the florets very densely 
arranged, and of a deep blue, more or less tinted with 
purple, so as to give the head a violet-purple appearance. 
All exhibited by Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, 
Kent. 
Queen Yictoria. —The flower heads are almost 
white, but the florets are slightly tipped with purple, 
so as to mar the purity of this the whitest double white 
variety we have seen. The purple disk in some of the 
flower heads occasionally makes its appearance. The 
plants are very dwarf in character. 
Beatrice Kelivay. —In this we have another pale 
variety of a very pleasing shade of colour. The basal 
half of the' florets are pure white, and the upper half 
pale lilac-purple, while the two colours harmonise 
beautifully. The heads are of medium or large size, 
and the plants dwarf in both cases. Both exhibited 
by Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, Somerset. 
Roses. 
Climbing Niphetos. —The plant of this new Tea 
variety was grown in a pot about 14 ins. or 15 ins. in 
diameter, had three leading varieties from near the 
base, and rose to a height of 10 ft. or more, the upper 
part of the branches drooping gracefully. The flowers 
are similar in shape to those of the old variety, but 
much larger, pure white and deliciously scented. The 
leaves consist of three or five deep shining green leaflets. 
Exhibited by Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., The 
Nurseries, Salisbury. 
May Queen. —This is a Tea variety of great beauty, 
of a soft yellow colour. The expanding buds are 
conical and very firm, afterwards becoming more 
expanded, but preserving their buds for a long time. 
Finally the outer petals become considerably revolute 
at the margin. The foliage is ample, deep green and 
finely serrated. A boxful or stand of the blooms were 
shown. Exhibited by Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, 
Sawbridgeworth, Herts. 
Amaryllis, Miss Ainslie. 
Four flowers were borne on a scape about 15 ins. in 
height, and were of moderate size, but finely shaped, 
with a short tube and expanded lamina. The seg¬ 
ments were broad, especially the three outer ones, and 
greatly overlapped one another. The upper half of 
each segment was mostly scarlet, while the lower was 
variously striped with the same colour on a white 
ground, and the whole flower might be, from its general 
aspect, classed amongst the light-coloured greenhouse 
(almost hardy) varieties. Exhibited by Messrs. Kelway 
& Son, Langport, Somerset. 
PjEonia Moutan, Comtesse d’Endoet. 
From a stem 2J ft. to 3 ft. in height, the flowers of 
huge size stood out prominently. They are fully 
double, and salmon-pink on first expanding ; but after¬ 
wards change to pink, and finally the outer petals 
become almost white. On the whole the flowers have 
a bold and telling effect as they stand out prominently 
on the top of the stems. Exhibited by Messrs. James 
Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Primula, Crimson Beauty. 
Much might be done in the hands of the hybridist to 
raise a class of beautiful Primulas, of which P. pubescens 
is the type, and itself considered a hybrid. Numerous 
large trusses of very handsome flowers are produced 
from quite small plants, and the foliage is good, but 
not mealy as in P. Auricula, one of its reputed parents. 
The flowers are of good size, deep rosy crimson, or 
crimson-purple with a conspicuous white band, thrown 
out into several angles, and running round the base of 
the lamina, which adds greatly to the attractiveness of 
the flowers. Exhibited by Mr. J. Crook, The Grange 
Gardens, Farnborough, Hants. 
-- 
ffoTES FROM 
Important to Gardeners. —Judgment was given 
on Friday, the 20th inst., by Sheriff Brown, in the 
Aberdeen Sheriff Court, in an action at the instance of 
James Harper, at one time gardener to the late Lieut- 
Col. James Ross Farquharson, of Invercauld, Braemar, 
Aberdeenshire, for £54 9s. 6 d., for loss sustained 
by the pursuer through his illegal dismissal by the 
defender. The pursuer in his condescendence states that 
he entered the defender’s service at Martinmas, 1864, as 
gardener at the mansion-house of Monaltrie, his en¬ 
gagement being for a year. He remained in that 
capacity—his contract being renewed by tacit relo¬ 
cation—until 31st March, 1887. His wages were £45 
a year, and free house of the value of £10 per annum. 
On 1st March, 1887, Mr. Foggo, the defender’s factor, 
wrote the pursuer that his services would not he 
required after the 31st March following, and the 
pursuer pled that his notice was insufficient, and that 
being a yearly servant he was entitled to at least forty 
days’ notice before a Martinmas term. The pursuer 
further states that, acting on advice, he, on being 
dismissed, proceeded to seek other employment, and 
was engaged by a gentleman, who was fishing at 
Ballater (Deeside), to attend him as a ghillie ; but 
that on defender’s factor (Mr. Foggo) coming to know 
of this, he called on Mr. McGregor, of the “ Invercauld 
Arms, ” Ballater, and used his influence to get pursuer 
deprived of this employment, and, in consequence, he 
lost that engagement. The defender denied that the 
pursuer was a yearly servant, and stated that his 
engagement was terminable on a month’s notice, and 
that the pursuer, according to the universal rule in 
regard to servants on the defender’s estates, was paid 
and accepted payment of his wages as a monthly 
servant. The defender further denied the pursuer’s 
averment as to the dismissal as a ghillie. Proof was 
led at considerable length, both at Aberdeen and 
London, and Sheriff Brown has now issued an inter¬ 
locutor, assoilzing the defender, and finding the 
pursuer liable in expenses. 
Sheriff Brown added:—“It is still an undecided 
point in the law of Scotland whether a gardener is a 
yearly servant, and in the view I take of the evidence 
in this case it is not necessary that the question should 
be raised. He is only a menial servant according to 
the law of England, but there are indications that a 
different result might be here reached. Contrary to 
the pursuer’s contention, I think he has failed to prove 
that he was originally engaged as a yearly servant, for 
practically that point depends on little more than his 
own evidence. Colonel Farquharson really contributed 
very little light to the question, because, although he 
goes even beyond the pursuer in speaking to an im¬ 
pression as to the existence of an agreement between 
him and his former factor, Mr. Brown, there is no 
evidence but the pursuer’s as to the endurance of the 
engagement. A very skilful argument was submitted 
to me on the footing that the pursuer was originally 
employed as a yearly servant, it being contended, and 
with much force, that an agreement deliberately 
entered into was not to be held as cancelled by mere 
implication ; and -without going the length of the 
proposition that a bargain thus made cannot be altered, 
except by the use of writing as a solemnity, I hold 
that at any rate the evidence of a change in the agree¬ 
ment must be very distinct and conclusive. But, in 
my opinion, there is such evidence here, and, therefore, 
it comes to be immaterial whether the pursuer was 
originally a yearly servant. In saying that about 
eleven years ago Mr. Foggo called his attention to the 
terms of the new receipts, while stating that they 
would not apply to head gardeners, the pursuer could 
not be referring to the month’s notice arrangement, 
because that was only introduced in 1885. "What 
must have been in view of the parties was the change 
in the receipts, which first appears about 1870, although 
even that does not suit in point of time. It seems to 
me, however, to be a point against the pursuer that 
while the qualification that the new rule was not to 
apply to head gardeners is not proved, there is an 
admission on his part that his attention was called to 
the matter by the letter of 19th November, 1870, in 
answer to which he sent the receipt No. 12 of process. 
It must be admitted that the letter No. 47 of process 
is somewhat embarrassing. I cannot read that in the 
sense in which it is attempted to be construed by Mr. 
Foggo—viz., that it refers only to the rate at which 
the pursuer was to be remunerated—for I see nothing 
in the letter on which that could be fastened. . . , 
Some of the evidence suggests that there were three 
distinct stages in the dealings with the Invercauld 
servants — viz., with yearly servants, half-yearly 
servants, and servants liable to be dismissed on a 
month’s notice. The first of these, of course, colour- 
ably supports the pursuer’s statement that he was 
engaged by the year, although even with that assistance 
I have not been able to reach the conclusion that in 
the pursuer’s case there is legal evidence of such a 
contract. But the pursuer is brought into perilous 
contact with the half-yearly change, and on the whole 
evidence I feel myself compelled to affirm that he was 
no exception to the successive arrangements made on 
the estate, and that he acquiesced in these. ” 
GOTLAND. 
