July 18, 1891 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
731 
colour. It is to this kind of Rose that Homer 
likened dawn, and Anacreon compared the Nymphs 
and Aphrodite ; it was this that Milton and Gray 
had in their minds when the one in “ Comus” and 
the other in his "Ode to Spring" spoke of the 
" rosy-bosom’d hours"; and it is the colour of this 
flower to which we allude when, by a curious process 
of thought, we talk of hopes, or a man's future pros¬ 
pects, or his view of life being rosy. 
There must be something cheerful in the very 
colour of the flower to have given rise to such a 
metaphor. It is, indeed, and always has been, the 
very emblem of joy. Men wore it in old times at 
their feasts, crowning themselves with chaplets of 
Roses. The blooms are scattered now at the feet of 
princes and of brides. The fascination of the Rose 
has enchanted everybody since the world began. 
Sculptors have tried to copy it, but in vain. Painters 
have succeeded but slightly better. As for poets, old 
and new, Eastern and Western, they have never 
ceased to send up one continuous song in celebration 
of its beauty. It would be idle to quote passages 
from such a large anthology as Rose-poetry consti¬ 
tutes, but there is a fine and noble paradox in Ana¬ 
creon’s longer*ode on this flower which is worthy of 
mention. “ This," he exclaims, " comforts the sick ; 
this watches over the dead; this also conquers 
time !’’ So it does conquer time, whether we think 
of it in connection with * 1 Rose-leaves w T hen the Rose 
is dead ” ; for, as Anacreon himself puts it, "even 
the charming old age of Roses is redolent of youth ” ; 
or whether we think of the Rose as renewing its 
beauty, not only every year but twice every year; or 
whether we think of it as enthroned in men’s hearts 
and immortalized in their sweetest poetry for ever. 
Poets sing of beautiful palaces, and we picture them 
in our dreams ; they tell us of lovely women, and we 
remember that in this country of lovely women we 
have seen many such ; they proclaim the glories of 
the Rose, and we "find that it is neither a dream 
nor a memory, but there in our garden, be it ever so 
small, is the living reality for us to see and smell and 
handle . — The Globe, 
FRUIT CULTURE IN 
ENGLAND. 
Meeting at the Mansion House. 
At the instance of the Fruiterers’ Company, of which 
Alderman Sir James Whitehead is Master, a large 
and representative meeting was held, on Monday 
afternoon, at the Mansion House, to consider what 
further steps should be taken for the promotion of 
fruit culture in our homesteads and cottage gardens. 
The Lord Mayor took the chair at the earlier, and 
Sir James Whitehead at the later stage of the pro¬ 
ceedings. The Duke of Westminster was kept away 
by a visit to Windsor Castle, but he sent a kindly 
letter of encouragement and a subscription of £ioo. 
Other letters of apology for non-attendance came 
from Lord Stanhope, the Duke of Norfolk, who was at 
Hatfield; Lord Ravensworth, the Dean of Rochester, 
who said he had known many a cottage of which 
a couple of Apricot trees paid the rent ; Sir T. 
Lawrence, president of the Royal Horticultural 
Society ; and Sir James Paget, who thought that the 
application of scientific discoveries in the cultivation 
of fruit would have good results. 
The Lord Mayor explained that the movement 
was set on foot during the mayoralty of Sir James 
Whitehead. In the past, he thought, the subject of 
fruit-growing had not received anything like the 
attention it deserved. Many tracts of land now 
lying waste or cultivated at a loss might be made 
to yield a good income if planted with suitable 
fruit trees and be of great benefit to the country, 
for seasonable ripe fruit was one of the most health¬ 
giving articles of food it was possible to supply. 
Mr. Chaplin, to whom was allotted the moving of 
the first resolution, adduced a number of interesting 
facts in relation to the fruit and food supply of the 
country. Prefacing his observations by a reference 
to the agricultural depression, and the expression of 
a hope that the worst stage of that depression had 
been passed, he proceeded to say that in la petite 
culture there were considerable openings and useful 
adjuncts to the agricultural system of the country, a 
system that had been concerned, in years gone by, 
chiefly with the production of bread and meat. As 
to fruit, much of course depended upon the climate,' 
and the climate was the thing that could be depended 
upon least. But large quantities of fruit were im¬ 
ported from Canada, whose climate was no better 
than our own. Last year our imports of fruit 
were valued at ^4,349,000, an increase of nearly 
7500,000 upon the previous year, though he was 
bound to admit that a large amount of the increase was 
in fruits that could not be produced in this country. 
His view was that fruit to the value of £1, 200,000 
that had been imported could have been grown in 
this country. The funds had been handed over 
to the County Councils, and it was to the County 
Councils that they must look in regard to education. 
He had, however, been successful in conveying a great 
deal of information to the general public in respect to 
the ravages of insects ; and on the question of dealing 
with winter moths, the department had circulated a 
leaflet to the number of 35,000. In conclusion he 
moved " That in the opinion of this meeting, vigorous 
efforts should be made to restore orchards and to 
promote the extension of hardy fruit cultivation in our 
homesteads and cottage gardens, and that the Lord 
Mayor be invited to open a subscription list with the 
object of obtaining the necessary funds to enable the 
Company to carry out their purpose." 
Lord Egerton of Tatton, in seconding, remarked 
that those who had visited horticultural shows in the 
country must have noticed that cottagers frequently 
failed through not having selected the best kinds of 
fruits for growth. In some fruits, such as Straw¬ 
berries, they could most successfully compete with 
foreigners. But they could learn much from 
foreigners in regard to the packing of fruit for safe 
carriage. 
Sir James Whitehead, supporting the resolution, 
said he looked upon the movement as an attempt to 
restore the activity of the Livery Companies. Their 
first attempt was to promote a fruit show last year at 
Guildhall. It was one of the grandest displays of 
hardy fruit ever seen in this country. They had 
35,000 visitors in three days, and there would have 
been double that number had it been possible to admit 
them. Their next step, which they were initiating at 
that meeting, was to restore orchards and bring about 
an extended growth of fruit in our homesteads and 
cottage gardens. Sir James mentioned that when a 
schoolboy in the North of England he had a practical 
acquaintance with some neighbouring orchards. 
But those orchards have grown less and less, and he 
desired to see them restored to their old area, and 
that the same principle of restoration should be 
applied to other orchards. The Fruiterers’ Company 
thought that in promoting their present object they 
should follow the lines of the Royal Agricultural 
Society to a very great extent. They proposed to hold 
annual exhibitions in different parts of the country; to 
obtain the co-operation of local societies; to give 
prizes, medals, and certificates ; and to organise a 
system of lectures by competent, practical men, who 
would give demonstrations both oral and ocular, and 
spread information as to the best position for orchards 
and fruit trees, as to soils, pruning, and the treatment 
of insects and grubs, and as to the best means of 
making jams and preserves for winter use. 
The resolution was carried unanimously. 
The Baroness Burdett-Coutts moved: "That the 
following noblemen and gentlemen (with power to 
add to their number) be appointed a committee to 
co-operate with the Worshipful Company of Fruit¬ 
erers in taking such steps as they may think fit to 
bring about a widespread interest in the subject of fruit 
culture, and to carry out the object of the foregoing 
resolution." The list of names referred to included 
those of the Lord Mayor, the Duke of Westminster, 
the Baroness Burdett-Coutts and Mr. Coutts, Lord 
Derby, Mr. Walter Gilbey, Mr. Charles Whitehead, 
and others,together with experts in fruit growing. The 
Baroness spoke of the subject as it affected domestic 
life. Anything that would further interest the rural 
population, and add to their comfort and happiness 
deserved support. Interest taken in work would be 
proportionate to knowledge of the work and skill to 
execute it. Therefore much remained to be done by 
way of education. Especially was improved know¬ 
ledge required in the making of jam. 
Colonel Sir Nigel Kingscote seconded the resolu¬ 
tion, which was caried. 
The medals and certificates awarded at the 
exhibition of fruit in Guildhall last year were then 
presented by Sir James Whitehead; and a vote of 
thanks was passed to the Lord Mayor, on the 
motion of Mr. H. R. Williams, seconded by Mr. 
Brocklesby. 
PANSIES AT CHISWICK. 
These at present form one of the most attractive 
features of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens. 
The lover of hardy flowers can obtain quite an 
education in Pansies from the long border devoted to 
them at Chiswick, because all the different classes 
are represented in it, and all are well-grown. The 
old show varieties are there; seedling and named 
varieties of fancies are growing side by side, while 
one-third of the whole border is devoted to Violas. 
These latter are by far the most effective. They 
are simply one mass of bloom, and the visitor does 
not require to look twice at the border to become 
thoroughly convinced that Violas can be grown to 
perfection near London, and that for effect they are 
far ahead of Pansies. Among the many good 
varieties the more notable are the following :— 
Bullion. — A yellow of a wonderfully bright colour 
and first-class habit; covered with flowers. 
Dawn of Day .—A very quaint combination of 
colour—white, or silver-grey ground, pencilled all 
over with lilac. Though difficult to grow in some 
places this fine variety is doing well here. 
Neptune. —The three lower petals are rich purple 
in colour, while the upper ones are pure white—a 
most effective combination, exceeding floriferous. 
Countess of Hopetoun and Marchioness of Tweedale .— 
Two very fine whites. 
Columbine .—More like a fancy Pansy in habit but 
quite a Viola in its flowers. White ground with a 
belting of pale rosy-lilac. 
Duchess of Fife. —Yellow splashed with pale purple 
and white. 
Archibald Grant .—A dark purple variety, with 
fine flowers on good, stout footstalks. 
York and Lancaster . — A fantastically-striped variety. 
Joy . — In some respects a little defective perhaps, 
but should be grown in every garden. From the 
half dozen plants here, several hundreds of good 
blooms could be gathered. — R. 
• . , 
dleauuuur frnm ffic IPirrlfi 
uf In'icrn't. 
Etiolation of Quercus rubra—A good illus¬ 
tration of how sports occur amongst forest trees and 
get propagated for decorative purposes in the garden 
and pleasure grounds may be seen near the pagoda 
at Kew. A large, round-headed tree, devoid of 
branches for a considerable height above the ground, 
bears near the centre of the head a large branch 
bearing leaves wholly of a pale, clear yellow colour. 
When the foliage first expanded that on the branch 
under notice was even paler, almost white, but has 
got considerably darker on attaining maturity. From 
the first appearance of the leaves till now the branch 
has been a very conspicuous object, because not a 
green leaf is to be seen upon it. The branch as it is 
would form a good-sized shrub if on separate roots. 
Whether the sport would live or not if separated 
from the tree is a question, but it seems quite 
possible, for we have numerous golden varieties of 
different trees. If it were wholly white, then we are 
certain it could not lead a separate existence, but, 
there is sufficient etiolin, or yellow-colouring matter 
in the leaves to warrant a trial by grafting on the 
roots of some ordinary green-leaved kind. 
Impatiens Noli-me-tangere.—The Yellow Bal¬ 
sam is the only species which is considered to be 
truly a native of Great Britain, and the localities 
accredited to it are the mountainous districts of 
North Wales, Lancashire, and Westmoreland. It is 
believed to have been introduced elsewhere. Near 
one of the ponds in the grounds of Chiswick House, 
Chiswick, a large colony has been established for 
many years, and the origin of it is not certain, 
although it is believed to have been sown at one 
time or other. The species has now made its 
appearance on the banks of the Thames about a mile 
westward from the Chiswick habitat as the crow 
flies, but at a greater distance by the way the seeds 
have evidently travelled. The pond in question has 
an outlet into the Thames, and the seeds would 
appear to have reached the river in that way. One 
might have supposed that they had been carried by 
the feet of birds, but the spot where the seedlings 
germinated would indicate that they had been carried 
up the river by the tide and stranded on the bank at 
the high-water level. The seedlings occur at different 
places, but exactly where some of the exceptionally 
high autumn or winter tides would leave them. I 
detected the new comer when only showing its cotyle¬ 
dons, but did not recognize it till leaves were deve¬ 
loped, because the find was altogether unexpected, 
—J. F. ' " - 
