180 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 22, 1890. 
week, manifestly unwell though he was, 
imagined that the end Avas so near 1 Alas, 
alas, we shall never look upon his like 
again ! No truer remark could be made of 
him than that he will be universally missed, 
and that there is none other to step in and 
take his place. 
It is impossible in the space of a paragraph 
to tell of all the chief actions of Mr. Hibberd’s 
acti\ T e life, such a list even of the principal of 
his public acts would almost need a volume. 
We recall, however, as especially pleasing, Mr. 
Hibberd’s delightful address on the “ History of 
the Dahlia,” delivered at the Dahlia Conference 
at Chiswick, so recently as September 23rd last. 
On that occasion he was emphatically at his 
best, and well Avas it remarked of him that he 
Avas the only living man Avho could have done 
the history of the Dahlia such justice. His 
latest appearances at the Centenary Celebration 
of the introduction of the Chrysanthemum, 
Avere marred by his undoubted illness, for he 
suffered severely from the cold atmosphere of 
the iron room at the Aquarium, Avhen addressing 
the Chrysanthemum Conference on Tuesday 
evening, and delivering an exhaustive essay 
upon the origin of the Florists’ Chrysanthemum. 
Of this paper Ave give a portion in another 
column, and it Avill be read Avith special 
interest, because of its uoav posthumous 
associations. Still later, so recently as Thursday 
evening, Mr. Hibberd was present at the 
Centenary Dinner in St. Stephen’s Hall, ill 
indeed though he Avas, and proposed the toast, 
“ To the Eternal Glory of the Golden Flower 
that claims and obtains the constant homage 
and service of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society,” This Avas Mr. Hibberd’s last 
appearance, for he died Avithin three days 
later. 
In good time, doubtless, proposals will be 
made to create some memorial worthy of the 
illustrious dead ; but it will indeed be difficult 
to determine on the course which would do the 
greatest justice to his memory. Literally he 
Avas a giant in horticulture, and a noble 
memorial should be his, promoted by a body 
representative of every section and society in 
horticulture. Finally would Ave say of him, as 
so well has been said of some others illustrious 
in other spheres, who have gone before — 
“ Noav is the noble, column broke, 
The Beacon lire is quenched in smoke, 
The Trumpet’s silver sound is still, 
The Warder’s silent on the hill.” 
lue Primroses. —An interesting question as 
to the origin of the blue Primula Avas 
raised the other day at the Westminster Drill 
Hall, during the discussion which followed 
the reading of an admirable paper on Chinese 
Primroses by Mr. Arthur Sutton. We are not 
much concerned as to the origin of the 
variety in question, because, novel as it may 
be, it has proved to be far from attractive, 
and blooming at the dullest period of the 
year, entirely fails to create that pleasing- 
effect Avhich is so beautifully produced by the 
Avhites, carmines, reds, crimsons, &c., of the 
family. 
Generally it may be said to have had a 
continental origin, just as the once famous 
Chiswick Red came out of a red conti¬ 
nental strain. Certainly the Chinese Primrose 
has been largely improved in this country, 
and it is satisfactory to note that our grorvers 
seem to have the knack of producing plants 
unequalled in cultivation, as Avell as varieties 
Avhich are also unequalled in the whole Avorld. 
Our earliest blue Primrose, placing a wide 
interpretation upon the term, was the old 
Primula elatior ccerulea, or the blue Polyanthus. 
That, hoAvever, is a poor thing at the best, 
and the flowers in colour are but a pale 
lavender. The Himalayan Primrose, Primula 
denticulata, is one of' the bluest of the 
various imported species, but some later 
introduced varieties sIioav a deep shade of 
violet. Still, universally, blue seems to be 
found in the Primrose family only faintly, 
and noAA’here in a decided colour. 
The nearest approaches to a real blue hav r e 
been found in the section of hardy Primroses 
raised by Mr. G. F. Wilson, at Weybridge, 
of Avhich his Scott Wilson is one the best, 
the colour being of a violet shaded lavender; 
Avhilst most striking is the Blue Gem variety 
raised by Mr. Dean, of Bedfont, Avhich has 
fine flowers of a bluish mauve colour. So 
the hardy Primrose has beaten all other 
members of the family in the production of 
blue tints. 
■laAviNG a Hobby.— Probably few of our 
•V readers Avho glanced over the extract 
from the Hospital , Avhich we published last 
Aveek, did not feel that the paper omitted to 
mention as one of the healthiest, most beauti¬ 
ful and profitable of hobbies that of gardening. 
Certainly Ave do not urge everybody to go 
gardening, to the avoidance of other hobbies, 
but Ave may aver that ferv if any other hobbies 
are productive of so much real enjoyment. 
Some people are so peculiarly constituted 
that they would And no pleasure in a garden. 
They are indeed to be pitied. But these are 
the feAA', for almost universally do Ave find 
that gardening in some form or another has 
remarkable attractions for humanity. 
Happily all gardening is varied in character. 
No man is tied to the culture of Cabbages 
or SunfloAvers, and nothing else. The hobby 
rider may find in horticulture a hundred 
diverse features, all of which may be 
ridden separately, and have been ridden from 
time to time by someone or other, with 
great success. Gardening compels outdoor 
labour, that is of the greatest good to all 
of sedentary habits; it calls into existence 
intellectual poAvers too much dormant in the 
idler; it requires active exercise, yet of a 
mild nature, that is good for the physically 
weak, because it assists in the development 
of the human frame and promotes health 
and strength. 
Gardening also enlarges the sympathies, 
that is good for the narrow-minded ; and it 
generates a love for the beautiful, and that 
is good for those AAdiose art tastes are blunt. 
We can find in Avocations or occupations of 
any sort none so Avorthy of adoption by the 
hobby rider as is gardening, and those 
hypochondriacs, Avho rail at life and regard 
it as burdensome, will find in horticulture 
in any of its forms a sure cure for physical 
or mental idiosyncracies. We very heartily 
commend gardening to all on the look-out 
for a useful hobby. 
0OOSEBERRIES. —“I am putting in 50,000 
Gooseberry cuttings this year,” said a 
grower of plants for the market trade, the 
other day, “ and shall sell every one good 
enough to plant next winter.” It is, indeed, a 
strong tribute to the market value of the 
Gooseberry, that it ever seems to be in demand. 
Probably we have no more profitable hardy 
fruits, or relative to the size of the bushes, more 
longer lived. It is not difficult to find splendid 
bushes Avhich have had the old Avood cleared 
out of them every feAv years, and yet are strong, 
healthy, and fruitful after tAventy years of 
life. 
Of course, such ancient bushes as these are 
not of single-stemmed form. They could not 
be so necessarily, but Avhilst it may be ever so 
desirable to start young bushes on clean single 
stems, the continuation of the bushes in a 
fruitful healthy state is dependent absolutely 
upon the production of base shoots, and these 
presently develop into fruitful branches. On 
soils Avhere the Gooseberry is not too Avell at 
home, it is a good plan to put out the bushes 
on to broad ridges of soil, as some additional 
6 ins. of good soil beneath the roots is > 
eminently conducive to health and fruitfulness. 
Probably many thousands of Gooseberry 
bushes are planted for market Avork every year. 
If the cuttings be good, and the yearling growth 
good, then the bushes being also Avell rooted, 
are sold for planting the same season. 
If not strong enough for that purpose, they 
are lifted, have the heads and roots very hard 
pruned, and are then dibbled out into rows 
about 15 ins. apart, most assuredly making 
capital bushes for planting out the folloAving 
autumn. Gooseberries owe their abundant 
sale largely to the fact that the demand for 
green fruit early is so great. The bushes are 
early relieved of their crop, and soon recover 
from the strain placed upon them, Thus the 
Gooseberry crop is a fairly good one five years 
out of every six. 
-—-— 
Gardening Engagement.—Mr. J. Trevor, late 
gardener to Colonel Heywood, Hatley St. George, 
Malvern, as gardener to the Dowager Lady Howard de 
Walden, St. James’s House, West Malvern. 
Edinburgh Chrysanthemum Show.—We learnt 
early in the week that the prospects of a good show at 
Edinburgh on Thursday and two following days were 
excellent, the number of entries being 815, as compared 
with 694 last year. 
The Holmes Memorial Fund—A Floral Fete and 
Bazaar.—The Directors of the Royal Aquarium having 
generously proposed to give a special benefit in aid of 
the above fund, it is proposed also to have a Floral 
Fete and Bazaar, the proceeds of which are to be 
devoted to the same object. Further particulars will 
shortly be announced. 
Death of Mr. A. McIntosh.—We regret to hear that 
Mr. Alexander McIntosh, whose sad case was alluded 
to in our number for September 13th, died at Paxton 
House, Berwick-on-Tweed, on the 13th inst. Mr. 
McIntosh, who had been gardener to Colonel Milne 
Holme for about fifteen years, and was much respected 
by all his acquaintances, had been ill for a long time, 
and leaves a widow and three children totally un¬ 
provided for. 
ChisAvick Gardeners" Mutual Improvement Associ¬ 
ation.—The third annual concert organised by the 
above association in aid of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund 
was held in the Yestry Hall, Chiswick, on the 29th 
ult. The sum realised after deducting expenses was 
£18 13s. 7 d. ; but it is likely that the members will 
raise this sum to £20, in order that four of their 
number may be made life members of the fund, this 
being considered better than having an equivalent 
number of votes for the association collectively. 
Death of Mr. James McIntosh.—With sincere regret 
Ave announce the death of a distinguished amateur 
horticulturist, and one of the most amiable of men, in 
the person of Mr. James McIntosh, of Duneevan, 
Oatlands Park, Weybridge, Avho passed away on the 
5th inst., in his 77th year. Mr. McIntosh was for 
several years a member of the Council of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, but had long been an invalid, 
and by many had been forgotten. Those, however, 
Avho knew him intimately could not forget the cour¬ 
teous English gentleman and warm-hearted generous 
friend, Avho AA-as ever ready to contribute of his wealth 
to any good object. 
Jubilee Testimonial to Mr. E. R. Cutler.—On the 
15th January next, Mr. E. R. Cutler is to be proposed 
for election as secretary of the Gardeners’ Royal 
Benevolent Institution for the fiftieth time, and many 
of the influential supporters of the institution consider 
that Mr. Cutler’s jubilee year of office should be marked 
in a special manner. To carry out this project, a 
committee is beiDg formed, of which Baron Schroder 
has consented to act as chairman, with the Duke of 
Westminster (president of the institution), Alfred de 
Rothschild, Esq., and Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., as 
vice-chairmen, and Mr. Harry J. Veitch as honorary 
secretary. 
The Fruiterers Company.—The Court of the 
Fruiterers Company on Monday had an interview with 
the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House. Alderman Sir 
James Whitehead, the Master of the Company, in 
introducing the deputation, said that after the great 
success of the recent shotv at Guildhall, the Company 
proposed to have fruit shows in various parts of the 
country, like those of the Royal Agricultural Society 
co-operating with the local horticultural societies. 
During the shows there would be lectures giving 
