292 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 10 1891. 
To these a long spell of rough weather comes 
as an undoubted misfortune, because time 
once lost cannot he regained; and orders will 
not come in if the ordinary planting season is 
over. Generally, plant and tree trading has 
been of a very stagnant kind, hut seedsmen 
can work, and their goods do not neces¬ 
sarily suffer because the weather is severe, 
except seed Potatos, and of these the less 
interfered with the better. It is feared these 
roots will have suffered a good deal through 
the frost, for its severity has been of so un¬ 
wonted a kind that many were found un¬ 
prepared for such intense cold. 
There is a great advantage found in connec¬ 
tion with seed orders in having them supplied 
early, so that every desired article may he at 
hand for use the moment it is required. Many 
a gardener has lost the opportunity to make 
a sowing just because seeds were not in, and 
ere they could be obtained the time for sow¬ 
ing had passed away. Dry seed will well 
endure considerable cold or heat, but suffers 
most in damp. For that reason they travel 
better in dry, frosty weather than in the 
soft, moist air. 
he Catalogues.— The season of Catalogues 
has set in with its accustomed severity. 
They come tumbling in thick and fast— 
evidence of the remarkable vitality of the 
horticultural trade, which by reason of its 
nature must of necessity catalogue largely 
and effectively. Where some seed houses 
vie with each other in floral production the 
result is truly remarkable. The richest tints 
and glorious flowers of summer are reproduced 
in such profuse colouring, as to lead us to 
fancy ourselves roaming again amidst gardens 
of the richest floral beauty, rather than sitting 
grimly in a close office, the windows of which 
look out upon chimney tops and slushy 
streets. We thank our numerous friends for 
the kindly, if fleeting illusion. It is perchance 
hut a dream of beauty, hut it is a dream of 
joy whilst it lasts. 
Some of our catalogue artists have floral 
conceptions which excel even those of the 
most sanguine of florists. The latter have 
their ideals only in their brain, and work up 
to them. The artist puts his ideal upon 
paper, and produces them to the eye profusely. 
We may some day perchance reach to the 
artist’s ideal even, but are not at all discon¬ 
tented that with many flowers we are still so 
far away from it. Our horticultural cata¬ 
logues constitute a remarkably interesting and 
attractive form of garden literature. If not 
absolutely unique in trade, they are hardly to 
be excelled. 
We ought to be proud of the spirit shown 
by our nurserymen and seedsmen in catalogue 
production ; we hope they find their reward 
in the increased trade brought by them. It 
must be said that our traders try hard to 
merit success, and as only those who try can 
hope to he blessed, the horticultural trade can 
hardly he other than blessed, as the product 
of their enterprise in the year just now begun. 
HThe Severe Weather. — .Notwithstanding 
the slight thaw which took place on 
Saturday and Sunday last, the face of nature 
still remains hidden, as it has been for nearly 
a month past. It is indeed unusual in this 
country for the earth to be locked up in snow 
and frost for so long a period ; and the visi¬ 
tation of cold has, it is feared, been productive 
of much mischief to vegetation. Prior to the 
snowfall we had intense frost, and since the 
s low fell there has been some of the sharpest 
frosts of the century, so that it seems impos¬ 
sible we can have escaped without much harm 
having been done. 
When a complete thaw comes it is to be 
hoped that it will be consistent with the 
chaiacter of the winter, slow but certain, and 
-because slow, beneficial -in preserving us 
largely from inundations and floodings in all 
directions, which characterise rapid snow- 
thawing. A good downpour of ram will be 
acceptable when the snow has left us, to 
cleanse the soil and vegetation, and wash away 
those foul impurities which fog and snow 
collect from the air and leave behind. To 
a busy people on the land such as we are the 
enforced idleness has been very, trying. It is 
so very difficult to carry on needful labour 
when snow and frost bind the soil in icy 
armour, but some forms of work must be done, 
whilst others have to go undone. 
We may now hope that the worst is over, 
the darkest days gone, and with sunshine 
and warmth will come ample work, the pres¬ 
sure of which will be all the greater that it 
has been so long hindered, and in the summer 
of our gladness we shall soon forget the 
bitter winter of our discontent. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—On Tuesday evening 
last, by the kindness of E. M. Nelson, Esq., the lake 
at Hanger Hill, Ealing, was opened for skating for the 
benefit of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. The ice was 
in splendid condition, and we are glad to hear that the 
illuminated carnival was well attended. 
B. S. Williams Memorial Fund. — The committee 
having decided to close this fund on Saturday, January 
17th next, they beg that any still intending subscribers 
will kindly remit the amounts to either of the hon. 
secs., Mr. J. A. Laing. the Nurseries, Forest Hill, S.E., 
and Mr. A. Outram, 7, Moore Park Road, Fulham, 
S. W., or Mr. H. J. Veiteh, 544, King’s Road, Chelsea. 
Death of M. J. Triana.—This gentleman, who was 
Consul-General of Columbia, died recently in Paris at 
the age of sixty-two. His name commends itself to 
our attention from the fact that the popular and 
much-cultivated Cattleya labiata Trianse owes its 
name to him. In conjunction with M. Planchon he 
had just commenced the publication of a Flora of New 
Granada. He was also noted for some works on the 
introduction of Cinchona into Europe. 
Weather in America.—A letter has just been 
received in this country from Mr. J. W. Lawrence, of 
Harrisburg, Par. (who for quite twenty years was 
gardener at Farnham Castle, then famous for its 
Orchids), in which he says : “We have had a deal of 
rain, more like your weather, and many crops have 
suffered. We have had this month a little snow and 
nightly frosts, in fact it looks as if we may have an old- 
fashioned typical American winter for the next two or 
three months, and the country would be all the better 
for it. Mild winters are disliked by everyone here. I 
see that John Burton, the nurseryman, has been 
elected to the State Legislature. Both J. Burton and 
E. Lonsdale were at Enville, and came out together to 
Germantown nine years before I came here. J. Thorpe 
is an old Midland man.” 
How Varieties are Multiplied.—A forcible illustration 
of how varieties are multiplied is found in a retail 
catalogue of German flower seeds, largely circulated in 
this country. Under the head of Sweet William, we 
get eleven varieties offered, as follows : Double mixed ; 
single mixed ; Dunnettii, dark ; Dunnettii flore pleno ; 
Auricula-eyed, single ; Auricula-eyed, double ; Nigres- 
cens, black; single dwarf, mixed ; single dwarf 
Auricula-eyed ; double dwarf, mixed ; and double 
dwarf Auricula-eyed. One wonders how many of these 
come out of one drawer of seed ! Sweet AVilliams are 
recommended by the German growers for placing in 
bouquets. As far as our experience goes they are 
scarcely fitted for this, as the blossoms are so apt to 
close. That a fine strain of single Sweet Williams 
makes excellent border flowers there can be no doubt, 
but from much of German growth may we be mercifully 
preserved, and especially from their ragged double 
varieties. 
The Treasurership of the R. H. S.—In the list of 
officers of the society, published with the programme of 
the present year’s work, we note with pleasure the 
substitution of the name of Mr. Philip Crowley, 
Waddon House, Croydon, for that of Mr. D. Morris, 
as treasurer, and conclude that Mr. Crowley is to be 
nominated for election to the office next month. Mr. 
Morris, as a highly paid, if not overworked Government 
official, was not the right man for such an important 
office as that of treasurer, but to the choice of Mr. 
Crowley no possible objection can be taken. Though 
Mr. Morris has retired from the Council, it must not be 
imagined that the Kew grip on the Society has been 
relaxed. With the Director, Assistant Director, and 
Keeper of the Herbarium on the Scientific Committee, 
the Keeper of the Herbarium on the Narcissus Com¬ 
mittee ; the Curator and Assistant Curator on the 
Floral Committee, and the Assistant Director on the 
Chiswick Gardens Board of Management, the Kew 
establishment may be said to keep a steady eye on the 
society and its doings. 
The R. H. S. Programme for 1891.—The annual 
“arrangements for the year” (commonly termed the 
schedule) of the society has just been issued, and we 
gladly note the fact in a few words that it is the best 
we have had for several years. We are especially pleased 
to see that the Council is making some attempt to 
encourage amateurs to bring their productions to the 
meetings, by harking back to the ancient, but none the 
less only truly effective method of offering prizes for 
competition at several of the Drill Hall and both of 
the Chiswick meetings. The prizes are small it is true, 
but we shall be much surprised if they do not all the 
same help materially to render the meetings more 
lively than they have been for some time past. Secre¬ 
taries of cottagers’ societies, or at least such societies 
“as are not founded on any sectarian basis,” will also 
be glad to know that the society will, in approved cases, 
give its medals free for competition at cottagers’ 
exhibitions. 
The Reigate and District Chrysanthemum Society 
held a dinner at the Public Hall, Reigate, on December 
23rd, 1890, when upwards of forty members sat down. 
The chair was taken by Mr. A. Hayter, and the vice- 
chairs by Messrs. H. Bailey and C. J. Salter. In 
responding to the toast of the evening, “Success to the 
Reigate and District Chrysanthemum Society,” the hon. 
sec., Mr. J. Brown, reviewed at some length the history 
of the society, and specially alluded to the good work 
it had accomplished during its two years’ existence. 
Mr. Brown stated that the idea of organising the society 
originated with the late Mr. Ridout, in the spring of 
1889, his object in view being to devote the whole 
proceeds, after paying necessary expenses, to the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution and the 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, with the result that in 1889, 
£52 10s. was paid to the former, and £50 to the 
latter. Last year the committee decided to give 40 
guineas in prizes, and 40 guineas to the Gardeners’ 
Royal Benevolent Institution, and that amount had 
been paid, making a total of £144 10s. given to the two 
institutions. 
Crops for Pickling and Preserving is the title of 
an exhaustive article in the December part of the 
Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England , 
from the pen of Mr. W. J. Malden. Of the magnitude 
of this branch of market-garden farming, some idea 
may be gained from the following particulars given 
with respect to the business of Messrs. King & Sons, of 
Broom, near Biggleswade. They farm in all some 1,100 
acres, only 200 of which are grass. In 1889 they had 
120 acres of Potatos, 110 acres of Turnip seed, 90 acres 
of Onions and Onion seed, 50 acres of Cauliflowers for 
pickling, 20 acres of Cucumbers and Gherkins, 60 acres 
selected varieties of Peas, 30 acres of Radish seed, 25 
acres of Kidney and French Beans for seed, 20 acres of 
pickling Cabbage, 40 acres of Mangel seed, 1| acre of 
Sweet Pea seed, and various areas under Wheat, Barley, 
Clover, &c. Last year garden crops were grown to a 
greater extent. To keep the land in condition for 
exhaustive cropping, the Messrs. King purchase every 
year 2,000 tons of London manure, 4,500 sacks of soot, 
and 30 tons of dissolved bones, in addition to the large 
amount of manure made on the farm. The labour bill 
exceeds £7,000 per annum, the railway bill, £1,810, and 
rates, £500. 
-- 
THE NEW WEIGHTS AND 
MEASURES ACT. 
I had expected to have heard in some of the horticul¬ 
tural papers, and through the Nursery and Seed Trade 
Association, of which Mr. Goodchild has been the active 
secretary, some candid description of the various require¬ 
ments of the new Weights and Measures Act, as affects 
the nursery, seed, and market trade. The Act came 
into operation on January 1st, and I find that traders 
of all descriptions have been in a state of excitement, 
fearing, under its somewhat severe provisions, lest they 
may be convicted of striving to evade them. 
Scales, at least, I find have had to be tested and 
stamped in all cases, leading to considerable expendi¬ 
ture at the scale-makers’ for repairs before the stamping 
by the inspector is performed. It seems to be one of 
