June 15, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
655 
HORTICULTURAL^ 
^P REPAR ATIONS, 
FOWLER’S GARDENERS’ INSECTICIDE for 
destroying and preventing Insects, Blight, and 
Mildew infesting plants and trees. It is easily 
applied either by dipping, syringing, sponging, or 
as a winter dressing ; does not require cleansing off 
with water; will not stain or injure any more 
than plain water ; and gives the foliage a bright, 
clean, and healthy appearance. In jars, Is. 6cl., 
3s., 5s. 6d., 10 s. ; and, in kegs, 28 lbs., 21s. ; 56 lbs., 
42s. ; 112 lbs., 84s. each. 
FOWLER’S MEALY-BUG DESTROYER for 
the special eradication of this most troublesome of 
stove-house plant pests. It is easily applied, 
either with a small brush or vaporiser ; is instant 
destruction to both insects and ova, and does not 
stain or injure the foliage. In bottles, Is., 2s. 6d., 
5s., 10s.; £ gal., 21s. ; 1 gal., 42s. each. 
ELLIOT’S “SUMMER CLOUD” SHADING 
for Greenhouses, Conservatories, Skylights, and 
all glass structures that require shading material. 
In packets, Is. each. 
EWING’S MILDEW COMPOSITION. In bottles, 
Is. 6d. and 3s. 6 d. each ; per gallon, 12s. 
TOBACCO JUICE, extra strong, specially prepared 
for evaporating. 10s. 6d. per gallon. 
UNEQUALLED 
AS A 
DRESSING FOR LAWNS 
AND FOR 
DESTRUCTION OF 
WEEDS. 
A trial tin will prove its 
efficacy. 
PKICES, 
In Tins, Is., 2s. 6d., 5s.; and 
in Casks, 10s., 19s., 36s. 
SOLE MANUFACTURERS: 
CORRY, SOPER, FOWLER & Co, Ltd, 
16, FINSB URY STREET, LO NDON, E.C. 
Sold by all Nurserymen, Seedsmen and Florists. 
ROSES 
IN 
POTS. 
J The finest HYBRID PER¬ 
PETUAL, TEA-SCENTED, 
and other varieties, from 
15s. to 42s. per dozen. 
Catalogue of New Varieties on 
application. 
DI0KS0NS,Nu7s h erles0HESTSE. 
(Limited.) 
FERNS A SPECIALITY. 
The finest, most varied, choice, and interesting collection in 
the Trade. 
1,400 species and varieties of Stove, Greenhouse, and Hardy 
Ferns. 
Partially descriptive Catalogue free on application. 
Illustrated Catalogue (No. 21), containing 120 illustrations, 
and much valuable information on the cultivation of Ferns, 
Is. 6 d., post free. 
W. & J. BIRKENHEAD, 
FERN NURSERY, 
SALE, MANCHESTER. 
CUTBUSH'S 
MILLTRACK MUSHROOM SPAWN. 
Too well known to require descrip¬ 
tion. Price 6s. per bushel; Is. extra 
per bushel for package; or 6d. per cake, 
free by Parcel Post, Is. None genuine 
unless in sealed packages, and printed 
cultural directions enclosed, with our 
signature attached. 
Wm. CUTBUSH & SON, 
NURSERYMEN it SEED MERCHANTS, 
afKJH«AT8 KURSEHISS, 
LONDON N. 
ROSES in POTS. 
All the best New and Old English and Foreign sorts, 
from 18s. to 36s. per dozen. 
Descriptive List free on application. 
RICHARD SMITH & Co, 
Nurserymen and Seed Merchants, 
WORCESTER. 
(SirTERMs of Subscription. —Post free from the office to any 
part of the United Kingdom, one copy, \\d .; three months, 
Is. Sd. ; six months, 3s. 3d. ; twelve months, 6s. 0 d. Foreign 
Subscription to all counties in the Postal Union, 8s. Sd. per 
annum. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Wednesday, June 19th.—Great Floral F6te at York (and two 
following days). Royal Botanic Society, Second Summer 
Show. 
Friday, June 21st.—Sale of imported Orchids at Protheroe & 
Morris’s Rooms. 
For Index to Contents & Advertisements, see p.666. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.” —Bacon. 
SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1889. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
"Tit ee Keeping. — Judging by some recent 
communications published in our columns, 
it would seem as if there was much scepticism 
amongst gardeners, not only as to the mone¬ 
tary value of bees as producers of honey, but 
also as to their value as aids to fertilisation. 
There can he no doubt hut that the bees not 
_ o 
into the hands of people who very largely 
were bitten with a sort of craze, and being 
deeply conscious in their way that bees 
would, if properly handled, become a sort of 
saviour of the declining land interest, thought 
it would appreciably help to create in the 
insects additional interest if it were put forth 
prominently that they materially assisted in 
the fertilisation of flowers of all descriptions. 
Whilst there can be no doubt but that 
insects may play an important part in the 
Avork of floral fertilisation, we are assured that 
that part has been greatly over-estimated, as, 
indeed, were all that is said as to the work done 
by bees and other insects true, it would but 
show that in the matter of reproduction 
nature was in the most deplorably faulty con¬ 
dition—a proposition which we certainly 
decline to admit. The remarkable paucity of 
bees this year affords an admirable opportunity 
for testing the force of the assertions made 
in favour of the bees, and we believe that, 
like some eminent persons in “The Mikado” 
they never ivill he missed in relation to floral 
fertilisation, but their honey products may 
he. 
Here again we have seen a big bubble 
pricked, for honey after all is so cheap that 
it hardly pays, probably does not pay, to 
produce it. As a home luxury it is a delight¬ 
ful one, and to keep bees for its production 
for that end may he pleasurable and even 
profitable. Ho doubt some of the bee experts 
have done very well because of the bee 
craze, but nine-tenths of those bitten with it 
are now poorer than they were when they 
started as apiarians. 
Tej lower Show Arrangements.— If the 
H weather which greeted the Temple Show 
was not all that could have been desired, 
and certainly it was far from that, it was 
a long way better than was experienced last 
year, and as a consequence the attendance 
was large, although we could but remark 
the comparative boycott of the show by the 
“upper ten.” Why that should be it is hard 
to say; perhaps the executive are not in good 
odour in that quarter, perhaps the right in¬ 
fluence is not exercised to secure the patronage 
of the wealthier classes, hut the fact remains, 
and it may be as well bluntly expressed that 
as between the society and the higher patrons 
of horticulture there seems to he little or no 
present sympathy. The matter is rather a 
serious one for exhibitors generally, who, now 
that there are no prizes or other inducements 
held out to them worthy a moment’s considera¬ 
tion, for cups nearly always are shams, should 
look for some reward in the attendance of 
that very class who, having wealth, will expend 
it horticulturally. 
With respect to the general arrangements 
of the staging, there is much room for im¬ 
provement if the society had, in the first 
place, broader tents at its disposal; and in 
the second, the exhibitors themselves were 
willing to break away from established tradi¬ 
tions in arrangement. Everywhere there 
prevailed the ordinary straight stage and the 
straight line of frontage to the collections. 
As a consequence the narrow tents, and 
especially the one containing cut flowers, were 
so crowded that many visitors preferred not to 
face the ordeal of getting locked into a dense 
crowd without the chance of escape unless 
somehow the end of the tent was reached. 
How we should like to see straight tables 
entirely abolished, and all the plants arranged 
at the sides in semi-circular or serpentine 
stages, on which really artistic groups could 
be formed, and about which the densest crowd 
could circulate freely, and everybody would 
have a chance of seeing. Here is an opening 
for a hold genius in flower show arrange¬ 
ments. 
Hopples are Swelling Fast.— Such is the 
L statement which comes to us from various 
directions, and it renders the Apple crop 
outlook very much Letter than it was a week 
or two ago. That Apples are swelling fast 
may be taken as an indication that if the crop 
generally he thin, yet the hulk will he greatly 
increased by the average size of the fruit 
left to us. But more than that, the finer 
the fruits the more saleable are they, for 
a good sample is always worth at least Is. 
per bushel more than an indifferent one. 
Then a good sample invariably means good 
keeping, because only sound clean fruits swell 
early and become large. The very fact that 
the young fruits have made so good a start 
in swelling has done much to take the 
rough edge from off that comparative dis¬ 
appointment which followed upon the very 
thin aspect of the set after such a fine 
show of bloom. 
There is also about this thin set a feature 
which is worthy of note. It is that the 
fruits have not set in clusters here and 
there, hut that one or two of a cluster of 
bloom have set, thus not only distributing 
the fruits evenly over the trees, but showing 
that the bad set this year is due to lack 
of strength in the fruit buds, as hut one 
bloom or so out of the many possessed the 
needful strength and fertility. The fine 
foliage on the trees, the thoroughly moist¬ 
ened condition of the roots, and some recent 
warm weather, have doubtless all jointly 
helped to promote this desired early swelling 
of the fruits. We shall, however, need 
ample sunshine throughout the summer to 
continue what has been so well begun. It is 
gratifying to learn that the recent electrical 
storms have largely helped to free the trees 
from insect pests. 
« arket Peas. —The London market was 
well supplied with fresh Peas last week 
from the outlying districts. Peas are only 
good when fresh, and they are only fresh 
when obtained from the market fields, and 
eaten as speedily as possible. Still, to the 
majority of Londoners nearly twenty-four 
hours must elapse ere they can enjoy the 
freshest of the Peas sent into market, as 
the gathering proceeds during one day, and 
the Peas are dispersed and sold for con¬ 
sumption in the metropolis the next morning. 
