512 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 13, 1889. 
produce begin to wish they had let well alone. 
Had they gone to the companies and made 
their own special arrangements all might have 
been well; but they preferred to invoke the 
aid of Parliament, and a pretty mess has been 
made of it. “ Where,” exclaims an indignant 
correspondent of a contemporary, “are the 
Fruit Growers’ Associations, at this juncture 1 ” 
and echo answers, “Where 1 ?” As one result of 
all this hubbub about preferential rates, pro¬ 
ducts seem likely to be heavier rated generally, 
with increased terminal charges, all of which, 
so far from helping the home-grower will but 
leave him in a worse plight than ever. Well 
may he exclaim over this matter, “ Save me 
from my friends ! ” 
‘TJll about a Medal.— One of our con- 
J' temporaries last week waxed so wroth 
over the action of the Floral Committee in 
granting to a large and attractive group of 
plants at the Westminster Drill Hall, on March 
26th last, a Silver-gilt Banksian Medal, that 
the fierce protester could find in nothing less 
than a long leader, space in which to vent his 
editorial indignation. It seems a little late to 
be angry with the Floral Committee for doing 
just what that body has been doing any time 
during the past twenty years. Perhaps if the 
recipient had been some London or other 
eminent nurseryman, no protest would have been 
made, and it does seem rather unfortunate that 
the Avhole force of our contemporary’s anger, 
which is very terrible when it bursts, should 
have been reserved for a young and striving 
tradesman in a provincial town, who thought 
that in sending to London a big bank of 
decorative plants and flowers for the delectation 
of the habitues of the Westminster Drill Hall, 
he was performing a meritorious act. 
But after all, what is this row about 1 A 
Silver-gilt Banksian Medal, whatever that piece 
of metal may be. We are strangely reminded 
of the protest of the Jew, who, when about to 
partake of a surreptitious rasher, was startled by 
a terrific clap of thunder, and, as if to propitiate 
angry Jupiter, exclaimed, “What a row about a 
bit of bacon! ” Just what seemed in the 
Hebrew’s eyes to be trifling, is this medal with 
the long and dubious description in our 
estimation. For after all what is the medal 
worth 1 Will anyone give five pounds, one 
pound, nay, ten shillings 1 No 1 Well, let us 
withdraw the lot for some more appreciative 
people than those all too familiar with the 
pecuniary value of Silver-gilt Medals. But 
whilst we are far from joining with our con¬ 
temporary in his anger about such a small 
matter, we freely admit that still the Drill 
Hall displaj's are far too much made up of 
common-place stuff, which is greatly out of 
place there. 
irsute Chrysanthemums. — Not exactly 
crested, as were the several forms of Cycla¬ 
men shown and illustrated last year, but 
distinctly hirsute or hairy is said to be the 
new Chrysanthemum, Mrs. Alpheus Hardy. 
So far we have been favoured only with 
illustrations of this wonderful variety ; and 
whilst we shall not be surprised if it be found 
less remarkable than described, we shall, on 
the other hand, welcome most warmly not 
only that, but any other form if found to be 
really novel and offering distinctive breaks 
from the normal type of petal found in 
Chrysanthemums. If Mrs. Alpheus Hardy be 
all that it is pronounced to be, we may in 
time hope to see a race of Japanese floAvers 
covered Avith something like SAvan’s-down, or 
bristling over with spines like the back of a 
hedgehog. Such forms may prove to be very 
hard nuts for both floral committees and judges 
to crack, but they Avould all fall into their 
proper places in good time. 
We hope to see the new American beauty, 
hirsute though it be, in all its native elegance 
next autumn. No matter from whence illus¬ 
trations may come, Ave have had enough of 
experience to take them all with a big grain 
of salt; and that grain has often to be all the 
larger Avhen the descriptions come to us from 
over the Atlantic. It is to be hoped that 
some of our best groAvers of Clnysanthemums 
have this novelty, and will be able to render 
to it ample justice. Such champions as 
Molyneux, Beckett, Doughty, &c., Avill knoAv 
hoAv to create in the floAvers all those features 
Avhich it is desirable to see fully evoked. 
There will be as big a run on the floAvers as 
there Avas a few years since to see that fine 
Bose, Her Majesty, that has not been so 
grandly shoAvn since. We hope for a better 
fate for the hirsute album Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy. 
he Shirley Poppies.— These very beautiful 
summer garden floAvers, for the introduction 
of Avhich, through the process of selection, we 
are largely indebted to the Bev. W. Wilks, 
have the particular merit of being very fresh 
and vigorous as ordinary border foliage plants 
during the Avinter. The best Avay to have them 
in good robust clusters, seems to be to soav 
seed in small patches in the autumn, and thin 
the plants doAvn to three or four, Avhere strong 
enough to be so treated. The roots strike deeply, 
and therefore do not take kindly to trans¬ 
planting, the fine outer leafage suffering in the 
end. Probably we shall find the Shirley 
Poppies in everybody’s gardens soon, and it may 
largely tend to their popularisation if their 
proper treatment be understood. A similar 
soAving of seed may also be made in spring, to 
give a late summer blooming. 
I|olumbines. —Very excellent hardy foliage is 
as the spring draws on, furnished by 
the robust forms of the various species and 
hybrids of Aquilegias. Very hardy are they 
also, seemingly incapable of harm from hard 
Aveather. The various products of intercrossing, 
especially from chrysantha and coerulea, or 
those intermixed with the common garden 
varieties, are Avonderfully robust, and if Avell 
established in good holding soil, produce huge 
heads or clusters of floAver stems every year. 
Seed sown in the early spring—and it is Avisest 
to soav under glass as a rule—give strong plants 
for dibbling out during the summer. They 
bloom moderately the first year, and henceforth 
become valuable perennials. Columbines have 
been not inaptly termed the Orchids of the 
hardy floAver garden. Certainly the floAvers of 
many varieties are quaint, elegant, and very 
beautiful. 
-- 
“Tlie English Flower Garden,” with over 1,400 
engravings, will be published this week by Mr. Murray. 
Many of our most beautiful English gardens are illus¬ 
trated, while nearly all the plants that will bear the 
free air in England are figured. 
L'Orchideenne.—A meeting of the Orchid Society of 
Brussels will be held on Sunday morning next in 
the Central Pavilion of L’Horticulture Internationale. 
The jury meets at 10.30. a.m. 
The Late M. Beauearne's Collection of Plants is an¬ 
nounced to be sold by auction at Eename, near Auden- 
Arde, France, on the 29th and 30th of this month. 
Besides the numerous ornamental subjects of all kinds, it 
is stated that the sale will comprise notably very beau¬ 
tiful collections of Azaleas and Camellias of exhibition 
size, of Bromelias, Amaryllis, Palms, and above all of 
Orchids, amongst Avhich is a rich series of Cypripediums 
in strong specimens, and Vanda Lowii, a very rare and 
unique specimen, about 54 ft. high. 
A Daffodil Show in Ireland.—The first Daffodil 
show held in Ireland took place on March 28th and 
29th, in the Assembly Rooms, Cork, in connection 
Avith a sale of fancy Avork, we presume for some 
charitable object. The great feature of the display 
was naturally a contribution from Mr. Baylor Hartland, 
which consisted of blooms of over 100 varieties, and 
perfect masses of some of them—such as the Queen 
Anne’s Daffodil. 
Gardening Engagements. — Mr. C. A. Long, 
foreman to Mr. Lumsden, at Bloxholm Hall, Sleaford, 
as gardener at Aswarby Park, Folkingliani. Mr. Neil 
Sinclair, for fifteen years gardener at Easthampstead 
Park, Berks, as gardener to A. Wynne Corrie, Esq., 
Park Hall, Oswestry. Mr. Richard Willey, late gar¬ 
dener at Glenville, Brough, Yorkshire, as gardener to 
Wm. Wheatley, Esq., Milton House, Hull. Mr. 
C. J. Salter, gardener to the late J. Southgate, Esq., 
Selborne House, Streatham, as gardener to T. B. 
Haywood, Esq., Woodhatch Lodge, Reigate. 
Nottinghamshire Horticultural and Botanical 
Society.—The next monthly meeting of this society 
Avill he held at the Arboretum Rooms, Nottingham, on 
April 17th, at 7.30 p.m., when Mr. J. Duncan Pearson, 
Chilwell House, Notts, will read a paper on Daffodils 
and Narcissi, and an exhibition of specimen blooms 
of this lovely spring flower will take place at the same 
time. 
Ealing Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society.— 
The closing meeting of the first session of this society, 
which was established last autumn, was held on Friday 
the 29th of March, and as a fitting termination to the 
session a dinner was held on the Wednesday following. 
In the unavoidable absence of E. M. Nelson, Esq., the 
president, the chair was occupied by Mr. Geo. Deal, 
chairman of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. A pleasant 
evening was spent by an agreeable rendering of songs 
and recitations. A number of well-known local men 
were present, including a large number of gardeners 
and their amateur friends to the number of sixty. In 
the course of the evening, Mr. Geo. Cannon said that 
it was the intention of the society next autumn to 
organise a concert in aid of the Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund. The chairman also announced the receipt of a 
donation towards the same fund from a gentleman 
present. 
Thrush’s Nest in an Ozothamnos Bush at Temple 
Hill, Cork.—Mr. W. Baylor Hartland writes: —My 
eldest boy delighted me yesterday (Sunday) with the 
discovery of a thrush’s nest in an Ozothamnos bush, an 
occurrence that could not take place in England, 
except perhaps well south of London, and which goes 
to prove what has been said respecting the salubrity of 
our climate. Here is a plant that has to be grown 
with a certain amount of risk in England, sufficiently 
established in my garden to produce seclusion for the 
building of a thrush’s nest. When the young birds 
appear, and before they are fledged, the plant will be 
in flower, and the birds will have “ Snow in Summer” 
for a blanket, the blossoms really when at perfection 
resembling snow resting on sprays of Conifene. 
Azaleas.—Large specimens of Azaleas are now no 
longer a feature of London exhibitions as they were ten 
or fifteen years ago, Avhen competition in monster speci¬ 
mens of these plants was keen and well contested. The 
horticultural papers in those days teemed with the 
experiences, the hopes, fears, and disappointments, as 
well as the successes of more fortunate exhibitors. 
Different sets of sizes were kept by some cultivators, 
and the keen disappointment of an unsuccessful ex¬ 
hibitor may be better imagined than described, when, on 
reaching the scene of the contest, he had found that his 
neighbour perhaps had brought his largest specimens, 
while he himself had only turned out with a smaller 
set, whereas, had he come up with his biggest plants he 
had felt confident of being able, without doubt, to out¬ 
distance him. The labour and worry attached to the 
culture, training and tying of those monster specimens 
was no small matter, but when to this was added the 
railway expenses inevitably attached to the conveyance 
of plants to exhibitions at a distance, the risk of failure 
was very depressing to gardeners who could ill afford 
to lose the money. "Where, it may be asked, are all 
those giant exhibition specimens now ? It is to he 
feared that by far the greater proportion are non¬ 
existent. A few of them linger, or did till recently in 
some establishments, where they are retained for the 
sake of the large quantity of cut blooms they afford 
rather than for exhibition. Some were planted in 
the open shrubbery in sheltered places in the south of 
England, where they managed to exist and flower for 
a few years at least, serving to remind us of what had 
been. Reports of the bygone exhibitions hepled to 
animate the breasts of young gardeners with an 
ambition to travel south and see those magnificent 
specimens for themselves ; but more than one has been 
disappointed, on reaching the great southern centres of 
civilisation, that the times and the fashions had 
changed, for large specimens, not only of Azaleas but 
other hard-wooded plants are now the exception rather 
than the rule. Recent exhibitions have only served to 
give further illustration of this, and although spring 
shows are not the best places where large specimens 
may be expected, yet those held later on will not show 
a proportionately marked difference. 
