January 17, 1891 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
311 
way for them. Recent changes in the Herne Hill 
district are a good typical example of this. "Where 
three years ago there were around country houses 
grounds rich with timber and fruit trees, are now roads 
closely built on either side, with a few square yards of 
front that might bo effectually treated with tiles and 
small pattern “carpet bedding,” but are not large 
enough for trees. Instances of this kind might be 
quoted from many districts around London. Again, 
the older roads of villas, that had some 25 ft. to 40 ft. 
of garden between the front door and the gate, with 
more at the back, are in all parts, little by little, being 
bought up to make streets which have their frontage 
flush with the pavement, or a depth of some 3 ft. to 
4 ft. at the most railed off. The miles of plain fronted 
brick terraces built from 70 to 100 years ago are 
(probably as the leases run out) being replaced by rows 
with their front doors leading directly from the pave¬ 
ment. Architecturally there may be an improvement, 
but the gardens, which averaged about 30 ft. in length, 
are lost. Front gardens are gradually disappearing 
from London, and with them go the trees that used to 
make the public ways so changefully pleasant from 
bright spring to rich fint d autumn. 
2. In districts where gardens remain, there is a large 
increase in the cutting down and close lopping of trees. 
It is difficult to assign the cause for this ; but whatever 
the explanation, the fact remains that the trees, instead 
of being annually pruned, are suddenly lopped till, in 
hundreds of cases, they are reduced to a trunk and a 
foot or two, or a few inches, of branch-stumps. Few 
trees grow symmetrically except when isolated, and, 
even then prevailing winds have their influence, and 
in towns rows of buildings have an effect similar to 
copses and hill contours in protection. And in many 
cases around London there may be trees so carefully 
tended from year to year that they but little overhang 
flower beds, grow well above the pavement, and yet do 
not look unnaturally distorted. 
Many fine Elms and spreading Poplars and Acacias 
may be seen, their trunks covered with Ivy or other 
creepers, and the lower branches carefully removed, so 
that sunlight falls on the small garden, and the lower 
rooms have light. It would seem that want of 
management while trees are young is one of the causes 
of ignorant lopping being resorted to ; and another, 
that forest trees have been planted where fine-leaved 
and small-habit trees would have been more appropriate. 
It can be easily observed that the increasing number 
of public trees are periodically attended to, while 
private trees are disappearing piecemeal, or being 
entirely swept away. London has, in the last few 
years, gained in planted open spaces, but the acreage 
does not equal the small lawns, grass plots, shrubs, and 
trees lost.— Society of Arts Journal. 
-- 
VEGETABLES IN THE OASES 
OF SAHARA. 
Everyone probably at one time or other has read of 
the oases or green spots in the great desert of Sahara, 
where the Date Palm (Phcenix dactylifera) flourishes. 
The green verdure of theso spots and the flourishing of 
the Palm is due to springs of water in the desert, with¬ 
out which vegetation would be impossible. Further, 
they form halting places for caravans which transport the 
merchandise of that part of the world across the desert. 
Shade is a matter of great importance where the 
rays of the sun strike the earth perpendicularly, and 
this is afforded by the crown of leaves surmounting the 
Date tree. M. J. Dybowski, in Lc Jardin , gives an 
account of the cultivation of vegetables in those—to us 
—romantic spots. The ground everywhere is furrowed 
with small channels for the conveyance of water to the 
foot of every Date tree. Among them small squares 
are traced, a side of which measures only four or five 
yards, and these are surrounded with a low bank or 
ridge to retain the water. 
Irrigation is effected daily, otherwise culture would 
be a failure, and the Arab would consider his time as 
having been lost. He takes great care of his time for 
work, reserving the greater part for repose to give him 
a foretaste of the paradise of Mahomet. The vegetables 
he cultivates can be summed up under six or seven 
names. They are Cabbages, Radishes, rarely Turnips, 
Carrots, Broad Beans, Capsicums, and Onions. "Where 
of course French influence prevails, the ancient customs 
have been greatly modified, with beneficial results. 
The Cabbage takes precedence in all the cultures, 
but the writer goes on to say that, a thrifty housekeeper 
would probably not give a sou for a dozen. These 
Cabbages do not heart, but develop a few leaves only 
about the size of the open hand. The variety of 
Cabbage grown may, however, have something to do 
with their small size and poor development. Radishes 
are not found everywhere, but chiefly in those oases 
frequented by the traders, the assembling of whom is 
spoken of under the name of M’Zab. The Radishes 
are tolerably large and rose-coloured, and differ from 
our Radishes in the violet colour of their flowers, which 
colour seems to point to Raphanus Raphanistrum 
rather than R. sativum. Turnips are only cultivated 
exceptionally. 
Capsicums are indispensable and are cultivated every¬ 
where. The dried and pulverised fruits serve as a 
condiment in all foods. Only one variety of Carrot 
is grown, and this is of moderate sizfq with a white, 
almost translucent root. Beans are eaten green and 
uncooked, and are small in size. The same may be 
said of Onions, which are eaten wdien young, as we do 
when the thinnings of the Onion beds are pulled, and 
are spoken of under the name of Scallions. 
It will be seen that the greater number of vegetables 
grown by the Arabs belong to the Crucifer family, and 
to that family belongs the greater number of represen¬ 
tatives growing in a wild state. No doubt it is quite 
possible to inaugurate or introduce a better state of 
matters ; but the primary difficulty to be surmounted 
is to overcome the extreme apathy and indolence of the 
aborigines or natives. 
- 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVO- 
ltent INSTITUTION. 
By the courtesy of the veteran secretary, Mr. Edward 
Roger Cutler, we are enabled to publish the statement 
of accounts which will be presented for adoption at tho 
annual meeting to be held on Thursday afternoon, at 
which Baron Schroder will preside. The business to be 
transacted will also include the election of a vice- 
president, in the place of the late James Mac Intosh, 
Esq.; and John Brackenridge, Esq , Bush Hill, 
Winchmore Hill, will be nominated tor the office by 
the committee. Mr. Harry J. Yeitch will again be 
nominated for re-election as treasurer, and Mr. E. R. 
Cutler, for the fiftieth time, as secretary. The re- 
election of Mr. James Douglas, Ilford ; Mr. "W". 
Denning, Hampton ; Mr. Wythes, Syon House ; and 
Mr. Sexby, "Wimbledon, as members of the committee, 
will also be recommended, with the addition of Mr. 
Arnold Moss, and Mr. C. Pilcher, in the places of 
Mr. H. Ballantyne and John Bolton Esq., who retire. 
STATEMENT of the RECEIPTS and 
INSTITUTION for 
Dr. 
& s. d. £ s. d. 
To Balance, 1SS9. 
„ Annual Subscriptions ... 1,403 12 0 
„ Donations at and in 
consequence of Annual 
Dinner .2,144 9 6 
„ Collecting Cards. S76 2 7 
4,424 4 1 
ii Advertisements . 67 14 G 
-4,491 IS 7 
,, Dividends on Stock. G29 1 3 
i, Interest on Deposits ... 114 9 1 
- 743 10 4 
PAYMENTS OF the GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT 
the Year ending 31st December, 1890. 
£ 
753 
s. d. 
6 10 
— 5,235 S 11 
£ s. d. 
By Pensions and Gratuities. 
,, Secretary’s Salary and Honorarium 212 10 0 
,, Rent of Offices . 15 0 G 
,, Stationery . 40 11 1 
,, Book of Cheques . 3 6 S 
,, Printing . 155 14 11 
,, Expenses of Annual Dinner . 93 10 0 
„ Irvine & Co., Addressing Circulars 
and Postage of same . ... 94 11 0 
,, Postages, Wages and Sundry Petty 
Expenses . 74 11 S 
,, Purchase of £2,C0D 2j- per Cent, 
Consols .. 
Cr. 
£ s. d. 
2.64S 13 4 
750 1 4 
3.39S 14 S 
1,897 19 0 
,, Balances, viz. 
With Treasurer at Bankers. 66S 13 9. 
„ Secretary. 23 8 4 
- 692 2 1 
£5,983 15 9 £5,9SS 15 9 
Stock in per Cent. Conscls, standing in the names / JOHN LEE 
of the Trustees-viz., Dr. Hogg, John Lee and Audited January 9th, 1891, J. WEBBER 
N. N. Sherwood, Esq.£25,000 ( J WILLARD. 
Gltatmtrjs JJruttt Ifp TCfaijIfr 
tif jSntntft 
Ergoted Grasses.— Ergot begins its attack on the 
grass when the flower is getting fully developed. It then 
settles on the tender seed, and uses for its own growth 
the food which was destined by the grass for filling up 
the seed. Ergot lives only on the seed, and it cannot 
appear until the grasses are in flower. It has been 
met with cn most of our pasture grasses, and the 
Ergot from any one of the grasses will in the following 
year produce seeds (spores) which will reproduce the 
Ergot on any other grass. I cannot refrain from 
expressing my conviction that very few farmers 
recognise this dangerous parasite in their pastures, or 
at all realise the injury it may cause their stock.— 
Win. Carruthers, F.R.S., in the Journal of the Royal 
Agricultural Society. 
Flora of Sussex.— The Rev. F. IT. Arnold, who 
has worked up the Flora of Sussex, says that the only 
plant peculiar to the county is Phyteuma spicatum. 
It is said to be “originally perhaps an escape from 
"Warbleton or Mitchelham Priories, but now established 
sixty years over some miles of country.” "We were not 
aware that there was so much doubt as to the nativity 
of the plant.— Journal of Botany. 
Influence of the Stock upon the Graft.— 
Darwin cited the fact that several Peaches and Plums 
of North America reproduced themselves exactly from 
3eeds ; but when shoots were taken from these same 
trees and grafted upon some other sort, the branches 
arising from the grafted shoots lost the property of 
reproducing themselves true to name. The seeds then 
gave rise to plants of very variable character. Now, 
not only must the grafts have been altered in character, 
but the fruits as well. Bearing upon this point, Lc 
Jardin says, that variegated shoots of the Jasmine 
when grafted on the common green one will cause the 
latter to develop variegated leaves. 
Coca —As a drug this has increased greatly in use 
within the last few years, owing to the discovery of the 
anaesthetic properties of its alkaloid ; and it has been 
found especially useful in diseases of the eye. The 
consumers of Coca in Peru and Bolivia are the native 
races, and the habit must have descended from the 
time of the Incas, since Mr. Gibbs says he has found 
buried with the ancient Peruvians, small quantities of 
Coca, and the small earthenware vase used with it, to 
hold the lime or potassa of the Coca chewer.— Hard- 
wicke's Science Gossip. 
Starch in Leaves.— The experiments of Herr T. 
Sachs go to show that, although Starch is abundantly 
present in leaves during the day, it all disappears 
during the night. Getting converted into sugar it is 
drafted away into the stem, and from thence to the 
seats of growth, or to be stored up in the stem or other 
persistent parts of the plant as a reserve of food. He 
found that a square metre (a little over a square yard) of 
leaf surface of Helianthus gained ‘914 gramme, and of 
Cucurbita "68 gramme of Starch per hour of the day, 
while during the night the former lost '974 gramme, 
and the latter '828 gramme per hour. 
Influence on Sex in Plants _-Dr. H. Hoffman, 
in Science Gossip, has shown in the case of several 
dioecious plants, including red and white Campion 
(Lychnis diurna and L. vespertina), Dog’s Mercury 
(Mercurialis perennis), and Hop (Humulus Lupulus), 
that the comparative number of male to female plants 
is affected by thick sowing, which increases the relative 
number of male plants. The result is attributed to an 
insufficiency of nutrition during the embryonal stage. 
Popular Delusions. —It is now tolerably well 
known that the so-called showers of sulphur are simply 
phenomena brought about by the washing together of 
pollen shed in great quantities by Pine trees and other 
Conifers. Red snow owes its appearance to the growth 
of Palmella nivalis, a lowly organised vegetable. In 
like manner red or blood-like spots on bread are due 
to the growth of P. prodigiosa ; the bleeding of statues 
and shields is due to the growth of Hi'ematoeoeeus 
sanguineus. Showers of milk might be the white rust 
of Cabbages (Cyrtopus candidus) and other Cruciferae. 
Showers of oil so-called might be due to the sudden 
appearance of Nostoc or some of the Palmellacefe after 
rain, as these low vegetable organisms increase very 
rapidly in moist weither, other conditions being 
suitable. 
