April 4, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
489 
LAWNS 
AND 
TENNIS GROUNDS. 
WEBBS’ 
PRIZE 
MIXTURES 
Either with or without Clovers, Tapidly produce the 
most beautiful and enduring turf for Garden Lawns, 
Bowling Greens, Tennis and Cricket Grounds, &c. 
Awarded the Gold Medal at the Liverpool Exhibition, 
IB86, and Prize Medal at Paris Exhibition, 1878. 
First Quality, Is. 3d. per lie., 24s. per bush. 
Second do.' Is. Od. „ 20s. 
Prom the Liverpool Daily Post, May 26, 1SS6. 
“ Liverpool International Exhibition.— The plots sown 
by Messrs. Webb, of Stourbridge, who are elsewhere exhibitors, 
are doing their part nobly, and fairly disproving the theory 
that green Lawns can be more quickly formed out of sods 
than well-conditioned Grass Seeds. In this instance,' at all 
events, the very opposite is the ease, Messrs. Webbs' sowings 
looking beautifully fresh and green, while many portions of 
the ground which had a start of them by being carefully 
sodded among the first operations on the plateau are looking 
bare and brown, and only beginning to sprout. Contrasting 
the appearance of these plots with that of the eastern portion 
of the ground makes one long for an extension of this excellent 
system to that still benighted part." 
WEBBS’, WORDSLEY, STOURBRIDGE. 
R eaders of the gardening 
WORLD who experience any difficulty in obtaining the 
paper at Railway Bookstalls, or through local agents, are 
respectfully requested to communicate with the Publisher 
17, Catherine Street, Strand, W.C. 
FERNS A SPECIALITY. 
Awarded R.H.S. Gold Medal, Fern Conference, July, 1S90 • 
Silver Cup. R.H.S. Show, May, 1S90 ; Silver Medal, Shrewsbury’ 
August, 1890 ; Silver Medal, Edinburgh, September, 1890. 
The finest collection in the Trade. Partially Descriptive 
Catalogue of 1400 species and varieties free on application 
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE (No. 21), 
Containing 120 Illustrations and much valuable information on 
the cultivation of Ferns, ONE SHILLING and SIXPENCE 
W. & J. BIRKENHEAD, 
FERN NURSERY, 7 
SALE. MANCHESTER. 
WILLIAMS’ EUREKA SHADING. 
(REGISTERED) 
FOR 
GREENHOUSES, 
SKYLIGHTS, WINDOWS, 
&c. 
Lasts the whole Season. 
Sold in 1 lb. Packets, 
With Directions for Use, 
price. Is. each. 
1 lb., free by Parcel Post, 
Is. 4| d. ; 2 lbs., free by Parcel 
Post, 2s. 6 d, 
B. S. WILLIAMS & SON, 
Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, 
UPPER HOLLOWAY, L0OT0BT, N. 
IIINESE FAIRY LILIES, direct from 
the Chinese Mountains. JAMES CARTER & Co.’s first 
importations have now arrived in the finest condition. Magni¬ 
ficent Bulbs, price Is. each ; 10s. 6 d. per doz., carriage free. We 
were the original introducers of this attractive Lily into 
England, and have again secured the best Bulbs of the year. 
Seedsmen by Royal Warrants to H.M. The Queen and H.R.H. 
The Prince of Wales, 237 and 23S, High Holborn, London. 
N EW CHRYSANTHEMUMS for 1891.— 
JAMES CARTER & Co. have one of the largest and 
most perfect stock in the country. For full particulars, see 
Carter's beautifully Illustrated CATALOGUE, Gratis and Post 
Free to intending customers. 
Royal Seedsmen by Sealed Warrants. — 537 and 238, High 
Holborn, London, W.C. 
T7INES AND VINE CULTURE.—The 
V best hook on Grapes. By Archibald F. Barron, Superin¬ 
tendent of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden, Chiswick ; 
Secretary of the Fruit Committee.—A New and Cheaper Edition, 
Revised and Enlarged. Demy 8vo., Handsomely Bound in 
Cloth. Price, 5«. ; post free, 5s. 3d.—17, Catherine Street, 
Strand, W.C. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Monday, April 6th.—Sale of Lilies, Plants and Roses, at 
Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Tuesday; April 7th.—Sale of the Fernside Orchids at Protheroe 
& Morris’s Rooms (2 days). 
Wednesday, April Stli.—Sale of Border Plants, Roses, &c., at 
Stevens’ Rooms. 
Thursday, April 9th.—Sale of the Bankfield Orchids at Stevens’ 
Rooms. 
Friday, April 10th.—Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen 
SpriDg Show. Sale of Orchids at Protheroe & Morris's 
Rooms. 
Saturday, April 11th.—Sale of Border Plants, Roses, &c., at 
Stevens’ Rooms. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.” —Bacon. 
SATURDAY , APRIL J+th, 1891. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
c 1Jlorists’ Flowers. —The numerous and very 
-H interesting communications which come 
to us so liberally from various able contributors, 
week by week, respecting different florists’ 
flowers affords conclusive evidence, were such 
needed, that this section of garden flowers still 
has many admirers. Still further, we think 
that the love for these flowers, displayed in 
true floricultural fashion by amateur florists so 
widely, indicates a renewed interest in floral 
ideas, not merely of a garden character, but of 
the true florists’ type, in which flowers are 
made objects of art love as they ever must he 
of natural love. 
It is indeed difficult to say what are and 
what are not florists’ flowers. Practically there 
is no limit to the range. There is no flower- 
producing plant in cultivation which from its 
natural condition may not hear what the 
florist regards as evolutionary improvement or 
development, and so might come under the 
designation of a florists’ flower. Some of our 
friends would perhaps object to include 
Begonias, Gloxinias, and some other tender but 
still popular and beautiful flowers in their 
select lists. Yet these seem to he just as 
amenable to the skill of the florists as any of 
those which they have made the objects of 
their special care. Without doubt the most 
acceptable of florists’ flowers to the million are 
those which thrive well out-of-doors. Those 
who can grow flowers under glass are com¬ 
paratively limited in number, hut those who 
grow them out-of-doors are legion. Thus 
Pansies, Carnations, Pinks, Phloxes, Polyan¬ 
thuses, Pentstemons, and similar hardy things 
are so much more easily grown by the bulk of 
flower lovers than are choice Auriculas or 
flowers of any sort which require house culture 
or excessive attention. That our many and 
enthusiastic correspondents seem to find most 
pleasure in the production of the more tender 
of florists’ flowers is hut natural, because to 
enthusiasts, difficulties in cultivation are hut 
incentives to greater exertion. To the many 
lovers of florists’ flowers, however, comparative 
ease of production is of necessity a great 
recommendation. 
®arcii Winds. — It will be generally 
admitted that the month just past has 
pretty well maintained its old traditional 
reputation for wind. Not that, with one 
special exception, we have had storms and 
hurricanes, but at least there has not been 
wanting plenty of that strong air which breeds 
dust wholesale, and dries the soil. Perhaps 
March has rarely left the soil in such friable 
condition as now ; indeed, it could hardly 
at any time have more needed the refreshing 
dews of April—come how they may—than 
now. The soil is not exceptionally moist 
at the bottom, far from that; hut it is moist 
enough for all ordinary cropping, except that 
for seeds the surface needs softening, and the 
baked lumps of soil, pulverising. That this 
desideratum will be furnished presently there 
can be no doubt, as it is very improbable that 
the remarkable dryness of the winter will be 
continued long into the spring. 
We want a change now to softer winds 
and moister skies sadly, for the season is at 
hand for vegetable development and bloom, 
and we are anxious after so long and dreary 
a winter to realise that the spring is really 
with us, and summer once more is not far 
off. It was very cruel on the part of any 
one to prognosticate a cold, wet summer as 
being in store. We have better hopes, 
especially that the winter has been so 
severe, that a real reaction may he naturally 
looked for. A cold, wet summer would be 
productive of such ills to gardening that the 
result would be mournful. Rarely have all 
engaged in horticulture more truly needed a 
warm generous summer than now. Such a 
season is due. 
There is the rich prospect of a grand fruit 
crop ; there are the weather conditions at 
present which forebode a fruitful season so 
far as all ground products are concerned. We 
only need a gentle traditional spring and a 
warm, fruitful summer to render glad the 
hearts of myriads that the bitter winter 
and a preceding fruitless summer have made 
heavy. 
-- 
Chrysanthemum Show Fixtures.—Monmouth, Nov¬ 
ember 11th and 12th ; Rugby, November 18th and 
19th; Lambeth, November 3rd and two following 
days. 
Death of Mr. Geo. Child.—The death is announced 
as having taken place at Balham on the 28th ult., of 
Mr. George Child, for many years a partner in the now 
defunct seed firm of Beck, Henderson and Child. Mr. 
Child, who was in his 74tli year, had long been a great 
sufferer from cancer in the tongue. 
Sale of the late M. Caimart d’Hamale’s Orchids. 
—We have received from Malines, a copy of the 
catalogue of Orchids which belonged to the late M. 
Cannart d’Hamale, the well-known Belgian amateur 
grower and exhibitor, and which will be sold at 
Malines on Tuesday, April 14th, and two following 
days. There are nearly a thousand lots, and among 
them are many rare and valuable things. 
Nicotiana affinis.—“ R. D.” writes:—This is such a 
favourite plant that it will not be out of place to state 
that if the seed be sown in a little warmth in March, 
and the plants put out in good ground in May, they 
will grow into a large size, with several main stems, 
bloom abundantly, and for a long time. I think sowing 
the seed is often done later than it should be. 
Death of a Border Scientist.—The death is an¬ 
nounced, at the age of fifty-six years, of Mr. Andrew 
Brotherston, Kelso, a well-known scientist, whose 
attainments in botany and natural history secured the 
acquaintance and friendship of eminent men, and gave 
him a much more than local reputation. On account 
of his accomplishments as a botanist, and reputation 
for original research, he was employed by the Highland 
