816 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 24, 1889. 
to their culture at Chiswick, as to many it 
would prove to be an eye-opener in relation 
to Tomato culture. 
We must compliment the recently formed 
British Apple and Fruit Company on their 
first appearance as exhibitors, although their 
Apple products were “ Love Apples,” as once so 
called, an appellation for the Tomato now 
almost forgotten. The fine kinds shown 
by this company, especially Livingstone’s 
Favourite, the original probably of all the 
Perfection type, were highly meritorious, and 
formed a most attractive feature. In the face 
of such superb samples as came from Chiswick 
and Fosbroke, it is a matter for surprise that 
such kinds should be put into commerce as 
are occasionally met with, and are so ugly and 
so objectionable in colour. 
It is stated with some authority that 
medical men are decrying Tomatos for the 
reason that they seem to possess so many 
excellent medicinal properties as to render 
medical attendance comparatively needless 
where the fruits are regularly but still mod¬ 
erately consumed. The notion is both amusing 
and exceedingly interesting. 
he National Chrysanthemum Society.— 
The award of a Certificate of Merit to 
a new early Chrysanthemum at the Drill Hall 
last week may well serve to remind our 
readers that the season of the Chrysanthemum 
is close at hand. Practically, so far as the 
“National” is concerned, it begins next month 
with the early Chrysanthemum show at the 
Royal Aquarium, Westminster, on the 11th 
and 12th, with which also is wisely allied 
a fine Dahlia and Gladioli exhibition, as 
experience has shown that early Chrysanthe¬ 
mums alone fail to make up a really meri¬ 
torious display. 
But as evidence of the great advantages the 
society offers for its moderate annual subscrip¬ 
tion, not only do members secure free admission 
on both days to the autumn show, but also 
on both days to the grand Chrysanthemum 
show in November—literally, the finest show 
of the popular winter flower to be seen in 
the whole world. Again, the same privilege is 
afforded to the mid-winter show in January, 
and the provincial show at Hull on November 
21st and 22nd; and as though even then 
subscribers would not be satisfied, there are 
the meetings of the Floral Committee held on 
October 9th and 23rd, November 26th, and 
December 11th, also there are the ordinary 
general meetings, conferences, &c., so that 
the privileges afforded exceed by far those 
offered by any similar society in the kingdom 
for the subscription. Who would not, therefore, 
be a member of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society 1 
There is ample reason for believing, so 
admirably on the whole have plants done 
this year, that we shall see in the late autumn 
flowers of unusual excellence, and the real 
centenary of the introduction of the Chrysan¬ 
themum seems as if it would be celebrated 
in the best possible fashion, by our having a 
glorious season for the flower. The “National” 
is doing its work so well that it merits the 
hearty support of every lover of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, especially those within the metropolitan 
district. May hundreds of new members join 
the “National” during the present season! 
t 1|vOLLYHOCKS. —Judging by the very beautiful 
<: spikes of Hollyhock flowers to be seen 
in all directions this year, it would seem as if 
that old pest, the warty fungus (Puccinea), 
was less destructive this year than usual. To 
some extent its ravages ever have been local, 
as even when some growers have had their 
plants decimated others have scarcely found 
evidences of the disease. But there can be 
no doubt but that for several years the fate 
of Hollyhocks trembled in the balance, and 
many were perforce induced to forego their 
cultivation altogether. Happily, the worst 
seems now to have passed, the fungus is, 
perhaps, wearing out, or it may be that it 
finds more difficulty in thriving when showers 
liberally prevail. Still, so erratic are its 
operations that last season a long row of fine 
plants was literally eaten up by it in spite of 
the wetness of the summer, whilst this year 
the same row of plants are blooming capitally. 
However, we strongly recommend constant 
raising from seed. Still farther, it is well 
to secure changes of seed. That seems to be 
a good plan in relation to many things, but 
it is specially so in the case of all plants 
affected by diseases, such as Hollyhocks, 
Potatos, &c. If seed be sown now in a frame, 
plenty of stout plants will be produced to 
put out next spring earl}’’, and these will 
carry fine spikes of flowers late in the summer. 
We rather prefer to have Hollyhocks blooming 
in the autumn, because the cooler weather 
enables the flowers all the longer to endure. 
Still, such plants, if the shoots be thinned 
the following spring, will throw up two or 
three fine spikes during the summer, and 
make a brilliant and beautiful show. 
-- >x< -- 
Practical Fruit Growing.—Messrs. George Bell & 
Sons announce the publication shortly of a treatise on 
planting, growing, and storage of hardy [fruits for 
market and private growers, by Mr. J. Cheal, of 
Crawley. 
Fruit-Growing in Carse of Gowrie.—The North 
British Agriculturist reports that the famous Carse of 
Gowrie orchards are this year showing a crop which is 
much below the average yield. It is also stated that, 
as the result of the unpro6tableness of the crops in 
recent seasons the trees have got to be in bad condition, 
being covered with moss and showing a good deal of 
dead wood. 
Gardening Engagements.—Mr. R. Russell, as 
gardener to the Earl of Mayo, Palmerstown, co. Kildare. 
Mr. J. Arkell, as gardener to J. Hopton, Esq., Canon 
Frome Court, Ledbury. Mr. Fleming, as gardener to 
C. Saxton, Esq., Riverdene.Cookham, Berks. Mr. J. G. 
Kitching, as gardener to John Beard, Esq., Manor House, 
Linton, Burton-on-Trent. Mr. J. Burke, as gardener 
to J. Caldwell, Esq., Forest Hall, Essex. 
New Plants Certificated in Ghent.—At the last 
meeting of the Syndical Chamber of Belgian Horti¬ 
culturists, Certificates of Merit were awarded to Mr. 
Aug. Van Geert for Croton Montefontainensis, Nephro- 
lepis Philippinensis, and Gymnogramma Mulleri ; to 
Mr. A. Van Imschoot for Brassia Keliana and Odonto- 
glossum Schilleriana ; and to Mr. L. Spae for Pandanus 
Lennei. 
Gale and Heavy Rainfall on Monday Night.—In 
the course of Monday night and Tuesday morning a 
smart gale from the westward was experienced over 
nearly the whole of England, with exceedingly heavy 
falls of rain in all the more western and northern parts 
of the United Kingdom. These unpleasant conditions 
have been brought about by a small barometrical 
depression of growing intensity, the centre of which has 
travelled north-eastwards across the St. George’s 
Channel, Wales, and the north of England to the 
North Sea. 
National Chrysanthemum Society.—A conference 
of cultivators and others interested in the Chrysan¬ 
themum will be held on September 11th, in conjunction 
with the National Chrysanthemum Society’s exhibition 
of early-flowering Chrysanthemums, with Dahlias and 
Gladioli, at the Royal Aquarium. The programme 
prepared by the sub-committee appointed to carry out 
the arrangements includes a paper by Mr. W. Piercy, 
of Forest Hill, on “Early-flowering Chrysanthemums,” 
and one by Mr. J. Doughty, of Angley Park, on the 
“Treatment of plants (grown for the production of 
exhibition blooms) a short time previous to the shows.” 
The chair will be taken at 4 p.m. 
The American Timber Trade.—The chief of the 
Forestry Division of the United States Department of 
Agriculture says that England heads the list of the 
countries to which are shipped the largest quantities of 
lumber. This country is closely followed by the West 
Indies, the Argentine Republic comes next, and then 
Austria, Germany', and Canada, with almost equal 
participation in the export trade. In wood manufac¬ 
tures, which form less than one quarter of the exports 
of forest products, agricultural implements and house¬ 
hold furniture alone are of importance, each with about 
£450,000 worth. England, France, the Argentine 
Republic, Austria, and Germany, together take over 
two-thirds of the United States’ wood manufactures. 
Pot-washing Machine. — “ B. L.” writes: “The 
pot-washing machine illustrated in your last issue 
is simplicity itself in construction, and admirably 
effective, no doubt, as far as it goes. For washing the 
insides it is doubtless perfect, but what about the out¬ 
sides ? For this something else is wanted, and I would 
suggest a hollow cylinder, with the brushes inside, at 
one end of the shaft.” 
Souvenir de Mirande Pelargonium.—Under this 
name we noticed a new variety of zonal Pelargonium 
the other day in the nurseries of Messrs. John Laing & 
Sons, Forest Hill. It is of French origin, as the name 
indicates, and presents rather a distinct, novel and 
attractive appearance. The lower petals are of a bright 
rosy carmine, fading to white or almost so at the very 
base, while the upper petals are tipped only with rosy 
carmine, and more than half of them are white. The 
amount of the latter is the distinguishing feature of the 
flower, while the lively colour of the rest renders the 
variety a charming one. The leaves are small and 
uniformly green, and are borne on stiff-growing short- 
jointed stems, while the truss of flowers is well thrown 
above the foliage. 
The Scarlet Leather Flower.—Such is the popular 
name given to Clematis Viorna coccinea, owing to the 
great thickness of the sepals, which in this species and 
a few others assume a position very different from what 
usually occurs in the better-known and cultivated kinds 
at least. The four sepals are connivent—that is, they 
approach one another and form a pitcher-shaped 
structure like a true corolla, although they are really 
quite separate. The typical C. Viorna has similarly- 
shaped flowers, made up of four sepals that are purple 
externally and yellow internally, hut in the variety 
under notice they are of a warm vermilion externally 
and yellow internally. A fine plant of it about 6 ft. 
high may be seen on an east-aspect wall at Kew, where 
the upper part of the plant is now well furnished with 
bloom. It is a very slender-growing species, and 
requires to be carefully supported as growth proceeds. 
Whether it is decidedly hardy is rather doubtful, but 
with the aid of a south-aspect wall in the more favoured 
parts of the country it not only lives but flowers with 
moderate freedom, and indeed looks handsome. The 
leaves are pinnate, with ovate leaflets, and being 
deciduous, protection can be readily given during the 
severest winters. 
The Spotted Richardiu.—Botanically this is Richardia 
maculata, which was once considered to be a variety of 
the popular R. africana, but the leaves are narrower 
and longer, and the white spots of the leaves are re¬ 
produced by seed sowing, which would not generally be 
the case if the plant were a mere sport from R. africana. 
It may be well, however, to bear in mind that there 
are exceptions. For instance, the variegated Sycamore 
(Acer Pseudo-Platanus variegata) bears seeds freely, 
and a large percentage of the seedlings have variegated 
leaves, even from the first pair onward. R. maculata 
also seeds freely, and the seedlings have green leaves 
the first year, but possess the characteristic white spots 
the second summer. Double and even triple spathes 
are by no means uncommon in this country, and are 
now pretty well known in the case of R. africana ; but 
a double-spathed R. maculata has quite recently 
appeared on the Continent, as recorded by the Revue de 
L’Horticulture Beige for this month. The spathes 
originate opposite one another or nearly so, and are 
slightly different in size, as is generally, if not always 
the case with R. africana. The plant is as suitable for 
table and window decoration as the old favourite, and 
when placed between the eye and the light, the sub¬ 
transparent white spots are shown oft' to the best 
advantage. 
Ealing Gardeners at Windsor.—The members of 
the)Ealing and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Society, had their first excursion on Tuesday, August 
13th, when thirty-three members and friends spent a very 
pleasant and profitable afternoon at "Windsor. After 
visiting the Royal Chapels, Tower, and State apartments, 
the party walked to Frogmore, where they were shown 
round the Royal Gardens. On the way the Cedar of 
Lebanon planted by the Shah of Persia on a former 
visit was pointed out—a fine healthy tree. The 
IVellingtonias in the avenue were noted as getting to 
their best, making shorter growth every year. The 
visitors’ book having been signed, the party went 
through the fruit and plant houses, which are built of 
