400 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 23, 1889. 
has been realised, that profit should relatively 
be greater where the culture is under the 
personal supervision of the grower himself. 
(Drafting. —It is very distressing to gardeners 
^ to learn, on the undoubted testimony of 
some who, if they do not know, at least 
profess to know, that we are all wrong in 
our methods of increasing trees, &c., by grafting. 
Not for our mentors did the “divine Williams” 
(if it was not Lord Bacon) declare, that 
we take a stock of inferior worth, and work 
upon it a scion of superior value : and hence 
the product is a fruitful tree. Shakespeare 
was doubtless no gardener, and if he had lived 
in our day he would have probably been voted 
a bungling dramatist. But as he lived when 
there were fewer of carping critics, he got 
dramatic canonisation, and now from the 
distance we regard him as the very prince of 
playwrights. In addition to his wonderful 
dramatic powers, he was a quaint and illus¬ 
trious philosopher also, and we may as well 
admit that no better piece of philosophy, no 
wiser maxim, is found throughout all the 
poet’s plays than is his reference with such 
exceeding truthfulness to the remarkable 
products of grafting. 
Still, Shakespeare, and all the generation of 
gardeners from his day till now, have all been 
wrong. We are not sure whether grafting is 
not now regarded by the new school as advice 
of the Devil, meant to lead men and the 
vegetable kingdom astray. To work grafts on 
to stocks is to seek perdition. There is but 
one natural method of raising fruit trees, for 
instance, viz., by seeds, and if these should 
after all our labours perversely produce worth¬ 
less things, it only serves to show that we 
are at fault, and not the system. The beheading 
of the Dog Bose, and budding it with the 
products of French gardens has almost wrought 
the downfall of the nation ; whilst working 
Bhododendrons, Azaleas, and by raising other 
beautiful shrubs or trees by grafting has only 
resulted in the most disastrous failure. At least 
that is what the new school say, and of course 
they are right. Nurserymen and gardeners, 
repent from the errors of your ways; forsake 
grafting and budding, find trees only in stones, 
and bushes in seeds, and eternal prosperity 
shall follow! 
Forestry.—T hat Great Britain should be 
one of the two or three European nations 
which give no support to forestry as a 
Government institution is hardly creditable to 
our reputation. It is true that forestry in 
India enjoys the patronage of the British Govern¬ 
ment but the knowledge essential to successful 
forestry in India seems to be of a diverse 
character from that essential to successful 
practice at home. There has been much 
talk of late with respect to the establishment 
by the Government of a National School of 
Forestry, and aspirations are strong in that 
direction in the locality of that most extensive 
of all Government forests, the New Forest 
of Hampshire. Without doubt the district 
presents very favourable opportunities for the 
founding of a national forestal school there, 
because the soils of the district vary so much 
that almost all of our most valuable timber 
trees can be grown there successfully. 
Whilst the New Forest offers exceptionally 
ample range for the attainment by the students 
of practical knowledge, the fine Hartley Insti¬ 
tution at Southampton seems to offer special 
advantages for the study of theoretical forestry 
and also of botany, and such physical sciences 
as chemistry and geology, a knowledge of 
which seems to be essential to the successful 
practice of forestry. The Hartley Institution 
authorities are, we note, urging the local 
Chamber of Commerce to take action in the 
matter, and it is hoped such will be done 
with energy. We have too disastrously neg¬ 
lected the study of forestry as a scientific 
occupation at home. For that reason vast 
areas of land are now absolutely unproductive, 
w T hich might be carrying profitable crops of 
timber; and not least, in clearing off acres of 
woods without re-planting, we have left the 
country needlessly exposed to fierce winds 
and storms. 
he Chiswick Manure Trials. —We have 
heard that whilst some manufacturers of 
artificial manures have made inquiries with 
regard to the proposed manure trials at 
Chiswick, they all seem to gib at the stipu¬ 
lated condition that they should deposit 
£10. That is very natural, for, as we have 
previously intimated, the suggestion is of the 
wildest and most absurd kind, and so far, 
not a single person has been found willing 
to say a word in its favour, except the 
originator of the proposal—a member of the 
garden committee. Had a sovereign been the 
fee suggested, some of the merchants might, 
perhaps, have been willing to enter the lists, 
and that sum would more than suffice to pay 
the cost of the individual trial. Besides the 
ridiculous fee, the condition that the society 
shall purchase the manure in the open market, 
also finds no favour, as manures long manu¬ 
factured hardly retain those active elements 
found in freshly made compounds, and dealers 
do not usually tell their customers how long 
the article sold has been in stock. A liberal 
offer to test all manures sent in for trial on 
Potatos, Tomatos, Cauliflowers, plants in pots, 
&c., would perhaps have brought in a supply 
that would have been useful at Chiswick in 
these hard times; but this can hardly be 
expected under the conditions made public. 
25The National Chrysanthemum Society.— 
The brief announcement in our last issue 
of the willingness of Lord Brooke, M.P., to 
accept the office of president of this society, 
if elected, as we have every reason to believe 
he will be, and by acclamation, at the meeting 
on Thursday next, seems to have taken many 
persons by surprise. It was not imagined that 
the new policy of boldness, inaugurated by 
the committee, took such high flights, but the 
desire that exists among the supporters of the 
society to elevate it into a really national 
position, can only be carried out by flying at 
high game, in the personnel of its leading 
officials. Lord Brooke is a genuine admirer 
of the Chrysanthemum, and will be something 
more than an ornamental president. With such 
a head there should be no difficulty in securing 
the adhesion of many gentlemen of position 
and influence as vice-presidents of the society. 
Then, with really national confidence assured, 
the future of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society can hardly fail to be a prosperous 
one. _ 
he Chiswick Chrysanthemum Conference. 
—The alteration by the Council of the 
Boyal Horticultural Society of the date for 
holding the proposed Chrysanthemum con¬ 
ference at Chiswick to the first week in 
November materially changes our views as to 
the desirability of holding such a meeting. So 
long as it conflicted with the principal shows 
of the Metropolis, so long was the conference 
fore-doomed to failure. All the same, it is 
due to the Council to say that although they 
were not the first in the field with a proposal 
to celebrate the centenary of the introduction 
of the Chrysanthemum, they fixed their original 
date in the belief that the National and other 
leading shows would be held as usual—about 
the first week in November; but the dates 
this year have been complicated by the time 
at which the best show days fall, hence the 
selection by the chief societies of the second 
full week in November rather than the first 
for their shows. As the Chiswick Conference 
is not to be an exhibition in the ordinary 
sense, the question of a Aveek can make no 
difference. All the same, Ave A r ery much doubt 
AA'hether the ordinary exhibitor Avill take part 
in the display, and it may be that the pro¬ 
moters rather desire to see exhibited other 
than ordinary shoiv plants and flowers. 
he Weather Again.—’W hat strange con¬ 
trasts the Aveather of the present month 
presents ! On Sunday week a heavy snowfall 
was universal over the entire kingdom. Liter¬ 
ally, the land Avas locked in the embraces of 
Avinter, for some A'ery severe frosts were 
associated with the fleecy A’isitation. We might 
Avell have averred that Avinter had not only 
come at last with great severity, but also that 
it meant to endure. But hey, presto! as it 
Avere, there came a thaAv with rain on the 
Wednesday, and on the folloAving morning the 
snow had entirely disappeared. Then came 
some not unwelcome rain to wash aAvay the 
foul secretions left by the snoiv and frosts; 
and, behold, comes Sunday again, and the 
Aveather is delightfully fine, Avarm, and 
spring-like, AA r hile the birds are full of song 
and joy, the earliest spring flowers bursting 
into bloom freely, and all nature rejoices. 
Truly ours is indeed a capricious climate, for it 
may give to us one day Canadian winter, and 
the next the warmth and delicious fragrance 
of Southern Italy. 
-- 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.—We 
understand that the Jubilee festival of this institution 
Avill take place at The Albion, Aldersgate Street, on 
Thursday, June 13th, 1889, on which occasion Leopold 
de Rothschild, Esq , has kindly consented to preside. 
Suttons’ Farmers’ Tear Book and Graziers’ Manual 
has been brought out this season in a new form, and 
contains a good deal of useful information to both 
arable and grass land farmers, especially the latter. 
Gardening Engagement.—Mr. H. Bngden, late 
foreman at Birrow Point, Pinner, as gardener to Mrs. 
Andrews, Highfield, Aldenham, Herts. 
Hardy Primroses.—On Friday evening next, March 
1st, Mr. A. Dean, Bedfont, will read a paper on Hardy 
Primroses, before the members of the Chiswick Gar¬ 
deners’ Mutual Improvement Society. The subject 
could not be in better hands. 
Wilts Horticultural Society.—The annual meeting 
of this society was held on Thursday, the 14th inst., 
and from the report of the committee which was pre¬ 
sented to the meeting we are glad to learn that though 
the receipts, owing to wet Aveather, were not so large as 
in some previous years, the society is doing good work 
in promoting improvement in local horticulture. The 
society’s two exhibitions were of an admirable character 
as displays of horticultural skill, and it was no fault of 
the executive that they were not so financially successful 
as could have been desired. It was decided again to 
hold summer and autumn shows, and Mr. W. H. 
Williams, after being heartily thanked for his past 
services, was again elected to the post of honorary 
secretary. In the evening the annual dinner took place 
in the banqueting room of the Council House, the 
Mayor of Salisbury presiding. 
Garden Pottery. — Next to the want of a proper 
supply of flower-pots for all purposes and emergencies 
—and how many there are who suffer all sorts of incon¬ 
venience from such a cause !—few things annoy a good 
gardener more than having to put up with pots that 
are ill-shaped and ill-made, and which will not keep 
clean for any length of time. We are reminded of some 
former unpleasant experiences of this kind by the 
receipt of a sample of garden pottery manufactured by 
Messrs. R. Sankey&Son, of Bulwell, Nottingham, and 
which seem to us to well deserve the high character 
which their ware enjoys. Both the plain, ordinary 
flower-pots, and the ornamental, rustic designs for 
various purposes, are of admirable shape and colour, 
thoroughly well baked, and consequently strong though 
light; while the clay, the Messrs. Sankey inform us, 
is carefully selected and impregnated with a sufficient 
amount of saline matter to prevent “mossing” or 
becoming dirty in the objectionable manner common 
to soft pots made of clay devoid of this important 
element. The “long toms ” are admirable pots for the 
nurseryman, and the deep “market pots” would 
specially suit Chrysanthemum growers ; but hardly 
assort well Avith the regulation market “forty-eight.” 
jVe have got so accustomed to the one size in depth 
