176 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 17, 1888. 
mistakes were made, anything seems to be 
better than allowing myriads of labouring 
men to remain idle, and fairly good soil to 
remain unproductive. We do not favour land 
nationalisation, but the moderate proposal of 
Messrs. Little & Ballantyne certainly merits 
every consideration. 
The British Fruit Growers Association. —If 
this newly formed body purposes accom¬ 
plishing really useful work, it must exhibit 
greater boldness and more energy. The 
great evil in relation to the further develop¬ 
ment of fruit culture generally, just now, is 
found in ignorant indifference, and it is 
only by combating this indifference in a firm 
and thoroughly antagonistic way that any 
progress can be made. The Association held 
a meeting at the Royal Aquarium last week, 
and a very interesting discussion upon the 
eternal subject of railway rates for the transit 
of fruit took place; but so thoroughly was 
this little light hidden under the bushel, 
either of modesty or of timidity, that very 
few persons weie present, and but few knew 
that the meeting was to be held. 
That sort of thing will not do at all. An 
association which has such big aspirations 
must exhibit bold actions. There is a wide 
field open for the Association to operate in; 
but if no more be done than so far has been 
accomplished, and no more energy displayed 
than has been so far evidericed, that field will 
have to remain untilled. We make these 
remarks in the best possible spirit, for we are 
most anxious to see the Association playing an 
important part in the fruit agitation ; not that 
progress in hardy fruit culture is dependent 
upon the co-operation of any voluntary body, 
but at least such body may, if rightly 
directed, do very much to encourage and 
develop that progress. Not only should 
useful information, both with regard to fruit 
culture and also with regard to market 
advantages in all parts of the kingdom be 
obtained, but the same knowledge should be 
as widely dispersed in the interests of the 
members needing it. 
The National Chrysanthemum Show. —The 
recent show of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society was made up of a combination, not 
merely of plants and flowers, but of fruit and 
vegetables, all of a very high order, and 
because of these interesting aids, the show 
has become for the metropolis practically the 
gardeners’ fete of the season. With such a 
wealth of material at disposal, it is therefore a 
matter for regret that the obstacles placed in 
the centre of the Royal Aquarium prevent 
the production of that fine effect in combi¬ 
nation which is seen at Kingston for instance; 
or indeed in any considerable hall where a 
show of even moderate extent is effectively 
arranged. 
There is much to be deplored that in the 
interests of horticulture so few visitors to the 
show, comparatively, should have found their 
way upstairs, and thus have missed the grand 
display of Potatos and other vegetables, fruits 
and other interesting exhibits. Probably not 
more than one visitor in fifty found the fruit and 
neiv flowers, and only a very thin attendance 
at any time was seen in St. Stephen’s Hall, 
where the exhibits and exhibitors were, in 
a double sense, out in the cold. We hope 
the committee will endeavour, ere another 
November fete arrives, to see whether some more 
desirable arrangement cannot be made. The 
Aquarium is both central and easy of access, 
and, therefore, highly favoured. Still, the 
grand show of the Society is broken up, 
and all its effect destroyed for lack of com¬ 
bination. Were the entire area of the floor 
of the building placed at the Society’s disposal, 
there can be no doubt but that the display 
created would be a grand one, excelling all 
others in the kingdom, and proving worthy 
of the National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The Potato Disease.—We direct the attention of 
our readers to an important statement made at the 
meeting of the Scientific Committee on Tuesday, with 
reference to some experiments made at Chiswick, 
which will he found on p. 180. 
Baskets of Autumn Foliage and Berries.—At the 
Chrysanthemum show held every year at Devizes in aid 
of the Town’s Benevolent Fund, one delightful feature 
in the schedule of prizes is for baskets of autumn 
foliage and berries arranged by ladies. A large number 
of baskets are staged in competition, and it is always 
very keen. It is a feature well worth a place in other 
schedules of prizes. 
Gardening Engagement.—Mr. James McDougall, 
formerly with Mr. R. G. McDougall, The Gardens, 
Forest Side, Grasmere, and lately with Mr. C. R. 
Lawson, The Gardens, Nunnykirk Hall, Morpeth, as 
gardener to L. E. Ames, Esq., Linden Hall, Morpeth. 
Nottingham Chrysanthemum Show.—At a com¬ 
mittee meeting of the Notts Horticultural and Botanical 
Society, held on the 31st ult., it was decided to hold a 
great Chrysanthemum, Fruit, and Potato Show at the 
Arboretum on the 21st and 22nd inst., when liberal 
prizes will be offered, and the competition will be open 
to the United Kingdom. 
The Red Pyracantha.—“I like the way that Mr. 
Roberts uses this delightful-berried plant at Gunners- 
bury Park, ” writes R. D. “ Some years ago, in extending 
the pleasure grounds, a piece of an old orchard was 
taken in, and the Standard Apple trees were retained 
for the sake of their blossoms in the spring. To cover the 
nakedness of the trunks, Mr. Roberts planted a bush 
of the Red Pyracantha against each, associated with 
a Clematis. The plants have berried nicely, and have 
a very pleasing effect, but the birds are devouring them 
with great rapidity, although the weather is so open 
and mild.” 
Manchester Horticultural Improvement Society.— 
We have before us a neatly-printed volume of the pro¬ 
ceedings for the year 1887 of this well-conducted and 
most useful association. The work is demy octavo in 
size, extends to 108 pages, and is sold for Is. The 
text consists of eight papers read at the society’s 
meetings, all of which, if not of equal merit, contain a 
great deal of interesting and practical information. 
Judging the work from an educational point of view, 
we must, however, point out that it would have been 
better if the plant names throughout had been revised 
before the sheets were sent to press. 
L'Orchideenne.—At the meeting of this new society, 
held in Brussels on the 11th inst., some very fine 
Orchids were exhibited to the number of fifty-five 
specimens, and Certificates of Merit of the first class 
were awarded to Dr. Carnus, of Louviers, for Cypripe- 
dium Harrisianum polychromum ; to Madame Gibez, 
Sens, for Ansellia africana aurea ; to M. le Comte de 
Bousies, Mons, for Oncidium Forbesii maximum ; to 
Madame de Cannart d’Hamale, Malines, for Yanda 
ccerulea and Cypripedium callosum ; and to M. 
Peeters, St. Gilles, for Cypripedium nitens superbum. 
Onion Show at Kelso.—Messrs. Stuart & Mein, 
Kelso, recently organised an Onion show, the conditions 
being that each competitor should stage six varieties, 
three bulbs of each ; and notwithstanding the fact that 
the season has been exceptionally unfavourable to 
Onion culture, a good number of exhibits was sent 
from various parts of England and Scotland, ranging 
from so far north as Aboyne, in Aberdeenshire, to 
Banhury, in Warwickshire. Some heavy, well- 
matured, and finely-grown bulbs were shown, and the 
display was altogether excellent. The following were 
the prizetakers :—1, Mr. E. S. Wiles, Edgecote Gardens, 
Banbury ; 2, Mr. S. Buglas, Old Town, Ayton ; 3, 
Mr. Charles Harris, Crossford, Lanark. In addition to 
being well grown and of fine shape, the first-prize lot 
weighed 18£ lbs., averaging ,thus slightly over 1 lb. 
apiece. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence on Hardy Fruit Culture.—In 
his address at the opening of the Apple and Pear 
Conference, at Chiswick, on October 16tli, the president 
of the Royal Horticultural Society is reported to have 
said “It was important in dealing with this subject 
that they should not pitGh their anticipations too high, 
and that it should not be supposed that in a reasonable 
extension of the cultivation of hardy fruit would be 
found any real panacea for the troubles which had been 
afflicting the agricultural classes of this country. 
The utmost that could be done would be to give those 
classes some small help, where intelligence and skill 
were brought to bear. Of course, as long as we 
continued to import such large quantities of fruits and 
vegetables—between six and seven millions sterling in 
value—persons would point to that total as indicating 
a direction in which more might be done in this 
country. But it must not he forgotten that that total 
included some fruits which could not be cultivated in 
this country, and further, it was by no means clear at 
present that where hardy fruit, such as Pears and 
Apples, could be successfully cultivated, it could be 
done so as to bring anything like a satisfactory profit.” 
In The Standard of November 13th, it is stated that, 
in a letter from the same gentleman, read at a meeting 
of the Fruit-Growers’ League, ‘ 1 the writer expressed his 
sympathy with the object of the league, and his 
conviction that a largely-extended area of land might 
advantageously and profitably • be devoted to the 
cultivation of hardy fruits and the increased production 
of table vegetables.” Has Sir Trevor been correctly 
reported ? 
The Centenary of the Introduction of the Chry¬ 
santhemum to Europe.—The growers and admirers of 
the Chrysanthemum are bestirring themselves with a 
view to celebrate the centenary of the introduction of 
the Chrysanthemum to Europe. According to reliable 
authority it would appear that the first large-flowered 
type of the Chrysanthemum was introduced from China 
in 1789. It is said that the first European tidings o 
this flower came from Holland in 1689, but some doubt 
appears to be thrown upon the truth of this statement. 
One authority states it was “introduced into this 
country in 1764, and soon became a favourite in our 
gardens.” But this appears to be getting into debate- 
able ground. It seems, however, pretty clear that 
there was an introduction from China in 1789, and 
authorities think that this date should be seized upon 
for the purpose of the celebration. On the occasion of 
the Crystal Palace Show on the 9th inst., some re¬ 
presentatives of Chrysanthemum culture, the j udges, &c., 
met in the Board Room under the chairmanship of Mr. 
E. Sanderson, president of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society, there being present also Messrs. R. Ballantine 
(vice-president), W. Holmes (hon. secretary), J. Laing, 
J. Douglas, IV. Early, L. Castle, R. Dean, G. Gordon, 
and W. G. Head, when a conversation took place upon 
a proposal that the centenary of the introduction 
of the Chinese Chrysanthemum should be celebrated 
in some form. Eventually the following resolution, 
proposed by Mr. John Laing and seconded by Mr. 
William Earley, was carried unanimously:—“That con¬ 
sidering the year 1889 is the centenary of the intro¬ 
duction of the Chrysanthemum to Europe, it is advisable 
that the National Chrysanthemum Society be requested 
to prepare a scheme for the proposed celebration of this 
event.” We cordially approve of the suggestion and 
the action taken at this preliminary meeting, and we 
are quite certain that the matter cannot be left in 
better hands than those of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society. 
-- 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
Southport Red Globe Onion. 
Most of the red Onions are'flat or very much depressed, 
but the variety under notice is ovoid, not globe-shaped 
as the name would seem to imply, and tapers somewhat 
to the neck. It is of great depth, evidently a good 
Onion, and of a bright crimson-red—not blood-red— 
colour, and ripens off very firm. Being one of the 
varieties tried this year in the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society it was brought up to the Drill 
Hall, Westminster, on Tuesday last, along with a 
large collection of other kinds, and to Messrs. J. 
Yeitch & Sons, who sent the seeds for trial, a First Class 
Certificate was awarded by the Fruit Committee. 
Stachys tuberifera. 
This new vegetable has been several times exhibited 
lately at the metropolitan exhibitions, and on Tuesday 
samples grown at Chiswick, and also by Messrs James 
Carter & Co., were shown at the meeting of the Fruit 
Committee. During the morning a dish of the tubers 
were cooked, and when eaten with salt only, were very 
palatable, and considered superior in flavour to 
Jerusalem Artichokes. Y T hen we can get the roots 
somewhat larger, and find out the right way to serve 
them up, Choro-Gi will prove an acceptable dish for a 
change. The Committee awarded a First Class Certificate 
to it. 
Yeitch’s Red Globe Turnip. 
This has been an excellent cropper with me this season, 
and I can highly recommend it to those desiring a good 
useful variety. The bulbs are bright purple at the top, 
white at the base, and when on an exhibition table are 
very attractive. They are also very firm, of fine flavour 
when cooked, and are good keepers. A fine Turnip 
for general crop. — J. S. T. 
