212 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 6, 1890. 
are flourishing; and yet it is but too evident 
that the coming year is big with the future 
of the Societj-. May we hope that a great 
effort will now be made to the realisation of 
the old axiom, that “When things get to the 
worst, then they mend.” 
HIRLEY HlBBERD AND POTATOS.- At One 
time Mr. Hibberd was classed as a faddist. 
Later, when he became better known, it was 
then generally admitted that his heart was 
horticulturally so large that he seemed to have 
a warm place in it for everything. We have a 
lively recollection of our dead friend in con¬ 
nection with the exhibitions of the Inter¬ 
national Potato Committee, of which body he 
was an active member; and still further, suc¬ 
ceeded in getting a remarkably wide knowledge 
of Potatos. Even when but half-a-dozen 
members of the committee turned up to transact 
business, rarely was the face of Shirley Hibberd 
wanting. 
How many of the “pots ” of horticulture are 
there who have never done one tithe the hard, 
grinding work Mr. Hibberd did, and yet aspire 
to sit in seats of the greatest, to which he was 
so well entitled ! To Mr. Hibberd is due the 
discovery of the still famous Magnum Bonum, 
for it may not be generally known that the late 
Mr. Clarke, of Christchurch, the raiser, and 
whose death preceded Mr. Hibberd’s but a few 
months, sent the latter a selection of his Early 
Rose seedlings, from out of which Mr. Hibberd 
specially selected Magnum Bonum, which 
passed into the hands of Messrs. Sutton & 
Sons, of Reading, and became the most popular 
and widest cultivated Potato in the kingdom ; 
and King of Kidneys, so named at Stoke 
Newington, but which, passing into the hands 
of Messrs. Hooper & Co., became widely known 
as Covent Garden Perfection, and is still a 
popular Potato. 
So much for Mr. Hibberd’s Potato judgment. 
Rarely at any time of his life was he in better 
form than at those delightful reunions which 
followed upon the Crystal Palace Potato shows. 
Somehow we never seem to have such im¬ 
promptu festive gatherings as were those 
International Potato luncheons, whereat Mr. 
Hihberd was always a bright light. 
oreign Fruit.— Foolish indeed are the 
questions often put to Ministers in the 
House of Commons, but hardly could any be 
more absurd than was the query put the other 
day by a Kentish member to the President of 
the Board of Trade, as to the possible branding 
or marking of foreign fruit, which the honour¬ 
able member feared was sold as British fruit. 
The British public are not fools, and know 
pretty well what are the distinguishing features 
of both home-grown and foreign produce. The 
merest tyro can tell the difference, and any¬ 
one familiar with the appearance of fruit in 
town shops and markets find no difficulty 
whatever in determining for themselves which 
is which. 
It is true we get very nice fruit from 
abroad, and so far as Apples are concerned 
the handsomest samples. But a child could 
distinguish .an American from an English 
Apple, whilst if the price be the same 
relatively little is lost, let the fruits be from 
which source they -may. So far as Grapes 
are concerned we know, and all who eat 
Grapes know, that foreign samples are a long 
way inferior to our own producing, but then 
the prices are so astonishingly low, that no 
one imagines home-grown Grapes can be sold 
for the money. As for Pears, we get better 
from France on the whole than we can produce 
at home. Tropical fruits come to us so plenti¬ 
fully because we cannot grow them here, and 
to attempt to shut them out because competing 
with home-grown fruits would be a crime in 
no way to be tolerated. 
We do not want the Trade Marks Act 
applied to the foreign fruit trade, because no 
one is or can be deceived, whilst even such 
interference with trade as the Act presents 
only serves to embarrass without producing 
much good. We are getting, presumably in 
the interests of the home producer, rather too 
much grandmotherly legislation. 
he Cold Nip. — There can be no doubt but 
. that we have just beeu favoured with as 
unquestionably a touch of winter as has pre¬ 
sented itself for many years so early as Novem¬ 
ber. Weatherwise people will shake their 
heads and aver that this cold is but the 
precursor of a hard winter. Some others, 
however, remember that in many preceding 
winters the worst cold visitations have been 
before Christmas; indeed, it now often hap¬ 
pens, such is the erratic nature of our insular 
weather, that we get more of cold early and 
late in the winter than we do in mid-season. 
It is not the early nips—sharp as they may 
be, or even unusually sharp as the recent one 
has been—which produces harm. Could we 
but have our cold, let it be ever so severe, in 
the proper season, all would be well for gar¬ 
dening, and especially for fruit culture. With 
what equanimity could we bear the cold of 
November did we feel it signified so much 
deducted from the spring months ! The chief 
difficulty in modem gardening arises from the 
undoubted exceeding late coldness of our 
spring months; indeed, it is long since our 
ideal notions of a spring have been realised. 
With such a prospect as is just now presented, 
of a grand fruit season next year—and a 
glorious bloom product is assured—what joy 
would it not bring to the hearts of thousands of 
gardeners did they know that the spring weather 
would be for the bloom all that nature 
requires! 
Cold, early in the season, and especially 
severe cold, serves to make us alive in respect 
of sufferings; but to many, particularly the 
young, later, sharp, keen cold brings joyous 
associations. The aged and weak may Avell 
dread these sudden falls in the temperature. 
The poor have to endure many trials and 
privations, not only from the cold directly, but 
also because of hindrances to labour, and 
suffering is considerable in many ways. Still, 
we realise that the cold is generally good in its 
season, and well may we hope that a rich 
reward will result in due course. 
-«->$<--— 
B. S. Williams Memorial Fund.—It being intended 
to close this fund at an early date, subscribers ■who 
have not yet sent in their donations are requested to do 
so without further loss of time to Mr. Harry J. Yeitch, 
554, King’s Road, Chelsea, S.W., hon. treasurer, or to 
either of the hon. secretaries, Mr. John A. Laing, The 
Nurseries, Forest Hill, S.E., and Mr. A. Outram, 7, 
Moore Park Road, Fulham, SAY. 
London Fog. —We learn from a daily paper that 
the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, under the direction of Dr. D. H. Scott, F.L.S., 
of the Normal School of Science, and Dr. Francis 
Oliver, F.L.S., of London University, have undertaken 
to investigate ‘ 1 the effects of London fogs on cultivated 
plants,” and the Royal Society has granted £100 in 
aid of the experiments. 
A Chrysanthemum Society for Dorking.—We 
understand that Mr. Buswell, who has had long 
experience in the management of a successful Chrysan¬ 
themum society in the north, is promoting the formation 
of a similar society in the Surrey town of Dorking, and 
we hope will succeed in so doing. Mr. Buswell, whose 
address is 10, Rose Hill, Dorking, will be glad to hear 
from any one willing to help in the cause. 
Birmingham Chrysanthemum Show. — Our Bir¬ 
mingham correspondent writes :—In the report of 
the recent exhibition, at p. 188 of your issue of Nov. 
22 nd, there is a mistake, which I will thank you to 
correct. It is stated that “Messrs. Thomson, Pope 
k Sons, and Hurst & Co. contributed handsome groups 
of Primulas, not for competition.” It should read 
“ Plants,” not Primulas ; and in place of Hurst & Co., 
it should be “Hewitt k Co.” 
Trade Mem,: Ryder & Son, Sale,—The partnership 
hitherto existing between Mr. S. Ryder and Mr. 
S. Ryder, Jun., has been dissolved by mutual consent, 
and the business, with stock, goodwill, kc., has been 
purchased by Mr. John Ryder and Mr. Alfred Jones as 
from the beginning of September last, and they will 
continue the business under the same title as hitherto— 
viz , Ryder & Son. 
The Late Edinburgh Chrysanthemum Show.—We 
are informed that at the late Edinburgh show Messrs. 
John Laing & Sons were awarded the society’s Silver 
Medal for a 20 ft. table of cut Chrysanthemum blooms, 
very effectively arranged. The latest varieties were 
represented, amongst them being some excellent 
blooms of Ada Spaulding, Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, Mons. 
E. A. Carriere, Gaspard Rozain, Mrs. Irving Clarke, 
W. H. Lincoln, Rose Queen, Volunteer, Stanstead 
White, kc.. The exhibit was considered to be one of 
the features of the show. 
The Bay-leaved Willow as a Town Plant.—Mr. 
James Percival, of Smithy Bridge, near Rochdale, one 
of the keenest of Lancashire observers, recommends 
Salix pentandra as a plant that ought to be extensively 
planted in towns. Though deciduous it is worth 
growing in tubs if only for the summer season, for its 
Bay-like leaves and fragrance give it a claim over a 
great many other plants. It is possible that the plant 
cannot be purchased at nurseries, but when it becomes 
known a stock can be readily worked up, for it strikes 
readily. 
Gardening Engagements,—Mr. George Anderson, 
Mentmore, as gardener to G. W. Elliot, Esq., Scruton 
Hall, Bedale. Mr. G. Watts, recently foreman at 
Clumber, Worksop, as gardener to S. Bircham, Esq., 
The Moor House, Keepham, Norfolk. Mr. Griffiths, 
lately gardener at Pledwick House, Wakefield, as 
gardener to C. H. Crompton Roberts, Esq., Drybridge 
House, Monmouth. Mr. C. W. Baynes, as gardener to 
Wm. Brown, Esq., Summerhurst, Hungershall Park, 
Tunbridge Wells. 
In what month of the year were Herculanum and 
Pompeii destroyed ?—The above ancient cities were 
destroyed by Vesuvius in 79 A.D , but the learned 
disagreed as to whether it occurred in the month of 
August or November, and argued that point with great 
keenness from the text of Pliny and others. An 
Italian botanist named M. Pasquale arrived at a 
solution of the question. In recent excavations the 
trunk of a tree was discovered, the soil preserving 
not only the impression of the trunk, but also of the 
leaves and fruits. All were identified as belonging to 
Laurus nobilis, the fruits of which in Italy ripen in 
November. The discovery therefore fixes the date of 
the eruption as November. 
The Late Mr. Shirley Hibberd, F.R.H. S.—The 
many paragraphs, not only in the gardening press, but 
in several of the other London newspapers, testify how 
deep and wide-spread is the feeling of the loss sustained 
by the comparatively early death of Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd. A letter, with several influential names 
attached to it, has been forwarded to the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, requesting the president and council 
to take the initiative in promoting some public 
memorial of our late friend’s life and work. Mr. 
Shirley Hibberd’s services to horticulture have been so 
many and so varied, and his devotion to the interests 
of our society has been so enthusiastic and thorough, 
that the president and council gladly accept the 
suggestion, and have desired me to announce that a 
public meeting will be held in the society’s offices, at 
117, Victoria Street, Westminster, on Tuesday, Dec. 
9th, at 1 o’clock, to consider the question of raising a 
suitable memorial to the late Mr. Shirley Hibberd. 
— W. Wilks, 31.A., Sec. Royal Horticultural Society. 
Hawick Horticultural Mutual Improvement Asso¬ 
ciation.—An association under the above title has 
been formed in Hawick, with every promise of success. 
The need of such a society has been long felt in the 
district, and now that it has been fairly set afloat, we 
doubt not its usefulness will be warmly appreciated. 
The following office bearers have been appointed: 
President, Mr. J. Forbes, Buccleuch Nurseries ; vice- 
president, Mr. G. Wood, Summerfield Nurseries; 
treasurer, Mr. G. Laidlaw, Stewartfield; secretary, 
Mr. W. Oliver, Gladstone Street ; and the following 
as members of the council: Professional gardeners, Mr. 
J. MeKobb, Springbank ; Mr. S. Johnstone, Silver- 
bithall ; Mr. Swanson, lvilmeny ; Mr. A. Forbes, 
Buccleuch Nurseries. Amateurs, Mr. W. Whellans ; 
Mr. G. Davidson, and Mr. Murray. The president 
will deliver the inaugural address on Friday, Dec. 5th, 
when a large attendance is expected. 
