144 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Xoveniber 3, 1888. 
AYe shall be very glad to learn in what 
other direction the company assists in the 
development of fruit crdture in this country. 
It is worthy of remark, that amongst the 
guests at this Mansion House banquet to 
the Fruiterers, so called, there does not appear 
to have been any one person who is associated 
with British fruit culture, or engaged in 
helping in its development in a practical way. 
Future Conferences. —AA r ith the suggestion 
that has been made that the recent Conference 
at Chiswick should be succeeded by others 
held from time to time, and to include various 
diverse horticultural topics, we heartily agree. 
Really a floral one might be held annually, 
and also one of a fruit nature, to include 
vegetables and other things allied to fruits. 
Exhibitions too much in the past have been 
mere plant or flower shows, or promenades, 
with but little practical good resulting. Con¬ 
ferences, however, such as that which marked 
the Apple and Pear show, are feasts of intel¬ 
ligence, and exponents of practice. They 
indicate the development of higher objects 
and results than have ordinarily in the past 
grown out of exhibitions. 
Yery likely it will be found that one day 
is ample to devote to a spring or summer 
conference, and two days,, in the autumn. 
Then it is important that the aims should not 
be of a desultory or haphazard nature, but that 
the objects in each case should be clearly defined 
beforehand, and those only invited to give 
papers who could deal with the subjects to be 
discussed with authority. It would, indeed, be 
well that the desired aim of the respective 
papers to be read should be, to some extent, 
indicated, so that one may follow the other as 
part of a whole, and the discussion taken in 
the concrete at the last. 
There is little to find fault with in relation 
to the papers read at the recent Conference, 
but occasionally there were breaks in the 
connecting links which seemed incongruous, 
and some little travelling over the same 
ground. In quitting the subject now, how¬ 
ever, we must first acknowledge the good 
service done by the executive committee; 
secondly, in the very efficient, intelligent, and 
kindly help rendered by the Rev. AY AYilks, 
the Society’s secretary, and last, but not least, 
the splendid exertions of Mr. Barron and his 
staff hi rendering the Conference such a 
complete success. 
The Potato Crop and Present Prices.— 
It seems very difficult to understand that with 
a crop of Potatos sadly diminished by dis¬ 
ease, and in many localities to the extent of 
one-third, yet that the market price just 
now should be absurdly low ; fairly good 
Magnum Bonums—the chief Potato stock in 
the kingdom—fetching only some 2s. per 
bushel, or about 80s. per ton. The crop of 
Magnums, although affected by the disease 
only to a trifling extent, is yet a moderate 
one, not even half an average crop ; for the 
reason that the foliage was destroyed long 
before the tubers had attained full dimen¬ 
sions. The average yield of even a good 
Magnum crop in the south is about one 
bushel to the rod of fair medium tubers. 
In good Potato seasons the yield is often 
three bushels per rod of ground. The chief 
reason given for the low market price is that 
the quality of Potatos is so bad this year. 
That is undoubtedly the fact; indeed, it is 
doubtful whether in any year since the dis¬ 
ease first visited us, the tubers have ever 
been so lacking in table quality as this year. 
Allied to so much rain, and the fierce develop¬ 
ment of the Peronospora, was the almost 
entire absence of sun-heat, and without that 
Potatos cannot be produced fit for table. 
Doubtless also there has been great anxiety 
on the part of growers to force their Potatos 
on the market lest the Continental orders 
should come in and make matters worse. 
But it is not at all certain that the foreigners 
have any quantity of sound tubers to send 
us ; in fact, our chief dependence for Potatos 
later on must be on the north and Scotland, 
where it is reputed the crops are sound and 
good; but on that head we should be pleased 
to have fuller information. Should this anti¬ 
cipation not be verified, it does seem obvious 
that we shall have to suffer something of a 
Potato famine towards the end of the winter. 
The Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.— The 
capital result to the Orphan Fund of a 
donation of £10, as presenting the profits 
arising from the recent soiree held at 
Chiswick, serves in a very practical fashion 
to show how the Fund may be helped in 
a truly valuable way during the winter 
months. Let some twenty or thirty other 
horticultural centres but follow the Chiswick 
example, and a splendid addition to the 
finances of the Fund is thus made, and 
the maintenance of ten or fifteen orphans 
assured. AYere every horticultural city in 
the kingdom which has any considerable 
population in its area to arrange a soiree, 
and secure similar financial results to those 
which accrued at Chiswick, some £500 
annually might be added to the Orphan 
Fund income. 
The Chiswick soiree is the first of its 
kind, but the real initiative is due to Mr. 
AATlclsmith, who, if he did not organise an 
entertainment in his rural and thinly 
populated neighbourhood, did get a lecture 
delivered on behalf of the Fund. The 
soiree is, however, likely to prove the most 
attractive, because not only more varied in 
character, presenting, if properly conducted, 
admirable opportunity for social intercourse, 
but also may be aided by many in various 
ways. The individual expense is trifling, 
the aggregate product may prove a sub¬ 
stantial one. The Chiswick soiree was 
promoted by young men, and there are 
plenty of young men in gardens throughout 
the kingdom who could, with the consent 
of their head gardener, promote successful 
gatherings in their respective localities. 
Still it would seem as if the most efficient aid 
Avould come from horticultural societies, 
because these have at their disposal both 
organisation and influence, and we have no 
doubt but that at some suitable time during 
the winter, members generally would be only 
too pleased to render in such direction 
to the Orphan Fund the heartiest assistance. 
The Weather,. —Amongst the vicissitudes 
of climate to which Chrysanthemum exhibitors 
are heir, few present more difficulties than do 
the sudden interruption of the ordinary low 
autumn temperature by several days of 
summer warmth. The lateness of the season 
this year, allied to the troubles incidental 
to the early October frosts, have given growers 
for exhibition not a little anxiety, as the 
shows have been fixed almost a day or two 
earlier than later; and they have been com¬ 
pelled to drive their plants somewhat. In 
such case the sudden influx of external 
warmth has no doubt proved rather helpful 
than otherwise; but in some preceding sea¬ 
sons warm weather at the end of October has 
been fateful to many all too precocious flowers. 
Outside, the influence of the recent warmth 
has been of exceeding value, apart from the 
rich hues of colour lent to the falling foliage 
— colour so welcome to all lovers of the 
beautiful in nature. The wood made by trees 
of every description during the preceding 
sunless summer has been wonderfully hard¬ 
ened and ripened ; fruit-buds have plumped 
up finely, and in every respect good results 
to all kinds of vegetation have followed. 
Without doubt we may look forward to the 
winter now with greater complacency, and to 
the succeeding spring and summer in the 
cheerful hope of proving them to be both 
beautiful and fruitful seasons. 
The Luton Horticultural Society's fifth annual show 
of Chrysanthemums, fruits, roots, and vegetables will 
be held on "Wednesday and Thursday, Aovember 28th 
and 29th. 
House and Table Decoration and the Plants most 
Suitable therefor is the subject of a paper to be 
read this (Saturday) evening at the “Legs of Man” 
Hotel, Fishergate, Preston, by Mr. John AVilliams, 
gardener at The Priory, Penwortham. 
The Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society’s 
eleventh spring show is announced to be held on 
March 20th and 21st next. 
Carnations, Picotees and Pinks.—Being desirous 
of promoting the cultivation of these beautiful hardy 
florists’ flowers, and having more plants than he can 
successfully cultivate, Mr. AVilliam AYardill, 25, Park 
Street AYest, Luton, has decided to offer a portion of 
his stock for sale, the proceeds of which will be handed 
over to the Luton Horticultural Society to provide 
prizes for these flowers. 
Valuable Orchids: A Rare Cypripedium,—On 
Friday, the 26th ult., a small plant, with three leaves, 
of Cypripedium Marshallianum, was sold at Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris’s rooms for 150 guineas, and pur¬ 
chased for a gentleman resident in America. The plant 
is the result of a cross between C. venustum and C. con- 
color. A small plant of C. leueorrhodum was sold at 
the same time for 40 guineas. 
The Weather in South Africa.—Our correspondent, 
“AY. T.,” writing from Graham’s Town, saysI see 
that after a very wet season sharp frosts have set in 
early, and I think it singular that there should be 
similar weather on our side of the globe at about the 
same time. AYe have had some fine rains here this 
spring (our spring), such as we have not had for fully 
twenty years ; there were 6 ins. of rain in four days. 
I am now speaking of the Eastern province. In the 
AYest at Cape Town, I hear that in the four winter 
months they had an aggregate of 6 ft. of rainfall. AYe 
have had another sharp frost that has played mischief 
with the gardens. It has taken the most of the 
Apricots ; all the other fruits, fortunately, were not in 
bloom. 
Preventing Birds from Attacking Fruit.—“R. D.” 
writes :—“A San Francisco paper states that a sure 
way of preventing the ravages of birds on the fruit 
crops is to keep them well supplied with water to 
drink. I am inclined to think there was no lack of 
water for birds during the past summer, and though in 
addition I provided them with drink, they played sad 
havoc with the finest of my Jargonelle Pears, and this, 
too, when abundant showers were falling. I have 
heard gardeners complain during the fruit season that 
the birds had proved destructive to the fruit crops. 
AYhat has been the general results as to observations in 
this matter ? AYhen I was at Messrs. J. Cheal & Son’s 
nursery at Crawley, not long since, I found they had 
to net many of their small bush trees on the Paradise 
as the birds were attacking the fruit, and, as in my 
own case, the finest—that required for exhibition 
purposes. At that season of the year there was no 
lack of rain and moisture for the birds.” 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—At the monthly meeting 
of the committee, held on the 27th ult., it was 
announced that the sum of £3S 19s. 8 d. had been 
received since the previous meeting, this sum including 
£7 12 s. sent in by Mr. AYildsmith, of Heckfield, and 
£10 the proceeds of the recent soiree at Chiswick. It 
was also announced that Mr. Owen Thomas, of Chats- 
worth, is organising a concert, with floral decorations, 
to be given in aid of the fund, at Chesterfield, on 
November 14th. Mr. Bishop, The Grove Gardens, 
Teddington, was appointed local secretary for that 
district. Mr. Barron stated, with reference to the 
appointment of guardians for the children elected to the 
benefits of the fund at the late annual meeting, that in 
most cases the mother had very properly accepted the 
duties, and in the others, one grandmother, and the rest 
aunts had undertaken to look after the children. The 
child selected by the committee for the receipt of Mr. 
Sherwood’s bounty is Kate Harriet Brooks, aged four 
years, the daughter of a Devonshire gardener, who died 
in February last, leaving a widow and ten children 
totally unprovided for. 
The Centenary of the Introduction of the Chrysan¬ 
themum.—Mr. AY. Holmes, honorary secretary of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society, in a letter published 
in The Standard of the 30th ult., suggests that, inas¬ 
much as the Chrysanthemum was imported into Europe 
in 1789, next year would be a very fitting opportunity 
for celebrating the centenary of its introduction. This 
