832 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 31, 1889. 
and so far is somewhat disappointing in 
weight, as the surface of the bulbs covers 
as much ground as do those of Ailsa Craig, 
perhaps even more. 
Hampshire is to be congratulated on the 
production of these superb samples; they are 
the product of fine strains, of high cultivation 
and a grand season. We should like to 
see these bulbs at the Chiswick Yegetable 
Conference, with others equally meritorious 
in friendly rivalry. 
-- 
Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution. — We 
understand that Mr. Edmund Yates, Editor of The 
World, has kindly consented to preside at the annual 
friendly dinner of the subscribers of this institution, 
which will be held about the 17th of January next. 
Gunnersbury Park Gardens.—We understand that 
Mr. J. Roberts is retiring from the management of 
the Messrs. Rothschild’s gardening establishment at 
Gunnersbury, and will be succeeded by Mr. Reynolds, 
who has been at Gunnersbury for some fifteen years. 
Cliantlms Bampieri.—A correspondent writes 
This is usually considered a most difficult plant to do 
well, and certainly I have seen few good specimens of 
it in pots. Judge then of my surprise to find the other 
day, in Messrs. Sutton k Sons’ nursery at Reading, a 
very handsome plant growing in the open air. It was 
planted in the open ground at the end of May, the 
seeds having been sown in February. The plant has 
nine shoots about 3 ft. high, covering a radius of about 
the same diameter, and producing some five or six 
dozen of its most curious scarlet and black flowers. 
This, I take it, should teach us that the plant does not 
require so much coddling as it generally receives at the 
hands of those who attempt to grow it. 
Presentation to Mr. James Huntley, of Trowbridge. 
—Advantage was taken of the fortieth exhibition of 
the Trowbridge Horticultural Society, held on August 
21st, to make a presentation to Mr. James Huntley, 
who has filled the post of honorary secretary for a 
period of twenty-six years. The presentation was 
-made at the luncheon to the judges by Mr. A. P. 
Stancomb, one of the vice-presidents, and it consisted 
of a handsomely carved overmantel, an elegant clock 
and bronze ornaments to match, together with an 
elaborately illuminated address signed by the president 
on behalf of the society. Mr. Huntley returned thanks 
in a suitable manner. The society is specially fortunate 
in securing the services of a gentleman in Mr. Huntley’s 
position ; he possesses the utmost confidence of the 
exhibitors, and many of them subscribed to the testi¬ 
monial fund. 
Fatal Accident to a Gardener.—-Ou Saturday after¬ 
noon last an inquiry was held at St. George’s 
Hospital concerning the death of Sidney Bixley, aged 
forty-four years, gardener to F. C. Burnand, Esq., 42, 
Hyde Park Gate, who was fatally injured on the 
21st inst. It seems from the evidence given that 
Bixley was lopping the branches of a large Acacia tree, 
when he overbalanced himself on the ladder and fell to 
the ground. Mr. Le Cronier, house-surgeon at St. 
George’s Hospital, said that the deceased died about 
five hours after his admission without having recovered 
consciousness. He had received shocking injuries, his 
skull and six ribs being fractured, and his lungs and 
kidney ruptured. The coroner said the case was a very 
sad one, the deceased, who had been in his situation 
about fifteen years and was a very respectable man, 
having left six children unprovided for. A verdict of 
‘ ‘ Accidental death 11 was returned. 
Window Plant Competition.—The annual com¬ 
petition for prizes for window plants grown by children 
—members of the Christ Church Band of Hope, Chelsea 
—took place on Wednesday of last week in the parish 
room adjoining the schools, and the whole of the 
arrangements were ably carried out by the secretary, 
Mr. Colin Rae, in conjunction with the vicar, the 
Rev. Arthur J. Spencer. There were ten competitors 
for three prizes, the exhibits consisting principally of 
Fuchsias and Pelargoniums. It is gratifying to notice 
the growing popularity of children’s flower shows, 
especially in the metropolis. The idea is worthy of 
every encouragement, for apart from initiating the 
little ones into the science and mysteries of the garden¬ 
ing art, it is a means whereby many of the crowded 
streets and alleys of large towns and cities may be 
made brighter. We believe the time is not far distant 
when exhibitions of window plants, grown by children, 
will be supported in a more practical manner by the 
affluent and heads of our large schools than is the case 
at present, and we hope to see sooner or later added 
to the Education Code the art of growing ordinary 
plants, so that this interesting knowledge and healthy 
occupation may form a part of every child’s education. 
Gladiolus, Leonard Kelway.—This new variety or 
kind is stated to be a hybrid between G. purpureo- 
auratus and G. Gandavensis. In habit, and in the 
open and expanded nature of its flowers, as well as 
their size, it certainly takes much after the latter, 
which was probably the seed parent. A fine specimen 
was exhibited at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society on Tuesday last by Messrs. Kelway & Son, 
Langport, Somerset, but arrived too late to be placed 
before the Floral Committee. The flowers are large and 
closely arranged on a one-sided spike, while all the 
segments are broad, much overlapped, with the ex¬ 
ception of the lateral ones of the inner series. They 
are of a rich dark crimson, more or less tinted with 
rose, especially when they first expand, and are 
evidently somewhat flaked with crimson and rose 
towards the margins ; the smaller lateral ones of the 
inner set above mentioned have a very dark median 
crimson blotch surrounding a pale or whitish midrib. 
The upper and inner segment is of a warm rose colour 
for more than half its length upon first expanding, but 
gradually deepens to crimson or scarlet. The anthers 
are violet, and the stems and bracts are tinted with 
bronzy red. Altogether it is a very fine and richly- 
coloured flower. 
Edinburgh Plum Congress.—From a circular letter 
issued by Mr. Dunn, of Dalkeith, we learn with refer¬ 
ence to the Special Exhibition and Conference on 
Plums, to be held in connection with the Royal Cale¬ 
donian Horticultural Society’s autumn show, on the 
11th and 12 th September, that while collections of 
Plums are solicited from all parts, for comparison and 
instruction, the chief object of the conference is to 
utilise the favourable opportunity presented this season 
by the fine crop of Plums in Scotland, for gaining 
useful information about them, comparing their merits 
and correcting their nomenclature. All who are inter¬ 
ested in the growing of Plums are therefore invited to 
send as complete a collection as possible of the varieties 
(ripe or unripe) grown in their district, and as the 
object is solely educational, there will be no competition 
and no prizes. It is not necessary that the fruit should 
be grown by the sender, but those sending collections 
from a district should specify the place where each 
sample was grown. Ho limit will be put as to the 
number of varieties which any contributor desires to 
send, but the number of fruits of each variety should 
be from three to six, according to circumstances. The 
Council of the society are anxious to procure a complete 
representation and record of the varieties of Plums 
grown in Scotland, therefore each variety should be 
distinctly labelled with the name, or names, under 
which it is known in the locality, and each collection 
should be accompanied by all the information possible 
about the climate, altitude, exposure, soil, methods of 
cultivation, and other particulars, which will be of 
much value to the committee in drawing up their 
report. The specimens being strictly for examination 
and instruction, they must necessarily be at the 
disposal of the Council. In the case of a new or 
unknown variety, specimens of the fruit should be 
accompanied by a bearing branch, with fruit and 
foliage, to show its character and bearing qualities. 
Intending exhibitors must give notice to the secretary 
or assistant secretary, in writing, not later than Wed¬ 
nesday, 4th September, stating the number of varieties 
they intend to exhibit —for which space will be allotted 
and plates provided by the society. The Council will 
pay the carriage of any Plums sent to the exhibition 
and conference, and will also see that they are carefully 
staged for the inspection of the committee, but they 
will not be held responsible for any error, damage, or 
loss of fruit consigned to them, although all possible 
care will be taken of it. 
Fuchsia, Countess of Aberdeen. — Light-coloured 
Fuchsias are plentiful, but there are few exhibiting 
both white sepals, petals and tube. Usually either the 
sepals and tube are dark with a white corolla or the 
latter may be of some shade of purple, red, violet, or 
even blue, with the calyx and its tube white. But in 
Countess of Aberdeen the corolla is pure white ; 
and the calyx with its tube is also white, but of a 
slightly different shade. The blooms are moderate in 
size, but the distinct break in colour is a thing amongst 
Fuchsias that should be well taken in hand by the 
florists, in order to develop a race with large and pure 
white flowers, distinct from the usually bi-coloured 
types now so plentiful everywhere. The variety under 
notice is evidently of slow growth and upright habit, 
with small dark green leaves. Forms with drooping 
branches and pure white flowers would be an acquisition 
for those who grow Fuchsias well and use them for 
conservatory decoration. 
Dahlia, James Scobbie.—Ye learn from an Edin¬ 
burgh correspondent that the new single yellow Dahlia, 
James Scobbie, for which Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons 
received an Award of Merit from the Floral Committee 
on Augmt 13th, and which was described in our last 
issue at p. 818, was raised at the Pinkhill Nursery of 
Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons, and was sent out last 
spring. It is also further stated to have a fine dwarf 
habit, and to throw its blooms well above the foliage. 
-->X<-- 
TREE PLANTING IN TOWNS. 
In order that success may crown the effort, it may 
truly be said that no work of the horticulturist requires 
more tact and good management than the proper 
planting of trees alongside streets and avenues. That 
the materials with which roads are usually made up are 
ill fitted for sustaining a healthy condition in trees, at 
least for any great length of time, is well known to 
those who have taken any interest in the matter— 
broken stones, clinkers and gravel affording but small 
support to vegetation, be it of whatever kind, but 
particularly large-growing trees and shrubs. Many 
failures in street planting from this very cause might be 
pointed out, and the result is that the public generally 
have got tired of the subject and become prejudiced by 
unworthy endeavours. Not a few cases of street tree 
planting could be pointed out, the future result of 
which will certainly be discreditable to all concerned, 
simply because the work has not been well done. 
In crowded streets and avenues, where the air is 
vitiated with impurities and the soil hard, and, as is 
frequently the case, surcharged with gaseous matter, 
tree planting becomes far more difficult and is quite a 
different undertaking to what is the case along a 
country lane or field side. In the latter case it may be 
sufficient to simply open a fair-sized pit, insert the tree 
and stake it ; but in any of our large towns the case is 
very different, for the soil, hard as iron and composed 
mainly of clinkers and shingle, affords but very little 
nourishment to a rapid-growing tree, and one that, 
moreover, has to do battle above ground with the 
deleterious effects of an impure atmosphere. Another 
cause of failure in street planting is having che paving 
placed above the roots and in too close proximity to 
the stems. The roots should always be allowed plenty 
of breathing room, and to effect this a good-sized space 
should be railed off around the stem of each tree, no 
paving being allowed within the boundary. By so 
doing a double benefit is brought about, in allowing 
the free access of rain to the roots, and also by prevent¬ 
ing the accumulation of noxious gases beneath the 
ground surface (as has been proved to be the case when 
pavements are used), which are inimical to the welfare 
of the trees. In proof of what is said we may refer 
any person to the trees along the Victoria and Thames 
(Chelsea end) Embankments, which have been planted 
as above directed ; and that success has amply crowned 
the effort cannot be denied, for certainly that noble 
avenue has no equal in any British town. 
Where street trees are to be planted, a good-sized 
patch of ground—say at least 6 ft. in diameter and 4 ft. 
in depth—should be thoroughly broken up, and if the 
soil is of inferior quality, which will assuredly be the 
case in 90 per cent, of the pits, good fresh loam should 
be substituted instead. By undermining the sides of 
the pits a much larger receptacle for the fresh soil will 
be formed, and this will not occasion so much of the 
footway and pavement being torn up as if the pits were 
of equal diameter top and bottom. The plants used 
should be such as have been specially prepared for the 
purpose by being frequently transplanted for some 
years previous to being placed in their final position. 
They should be stout, stock} 7 , well rooted, clean, and 
from 6 ft. to 8 ft. in height. 
In planting, spread the roots well out around the 
stem, and do not bury too deeply, the mark visible on 
the stem as to how deep the trees stood in the nursery 
border being the best criterion to go by. As regards 
the best time to plant trees in a town opinions differ, 
but there can be little doubt that spring is preferable, 
and for the good reason that, as they start into growth 
at once, they are not so likely to suffer from smoke and 
other deleterious affections, as if they remained for 
several months or during the winter without hold of 
the soil and in an inactive condition. Staking firmly 
or tying the trees so as to prevent rocking by the wind* 
and consequent damage to the roots, should be set 
about immediately planting is finished. Circumstances 
will alone be a guide as to how this should be done, 
but it is generally found necessary, even when the 
trees are surrounded with iron railings, to drive a stout 
