528 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 20, 1889. 
seems to be fear that the Auriculas, Poly¬ 
anthuses, &c., will hardly he at their best, 
because of the low temperature and gloomy 
shies which have prevailed. We may not 
forget to remind our readers that two of the 
saint’s most enthusiastic apostles, the Rev. 
F. D. Horner and Mr. J. T. D. Llewellyn, arc to 
read papers on Auriculas and Primula species 
respectively, and without doubt these will be 
full of interest and information. We hope 
they will not be too long, and will afford some 
spare time for discussion. 
It is difficult to find much that is new to be 
said concerning either class of plants, but very 
much that is delightfully interesting may, and 
probably will be said all the same. If the 
gathering should result in hundreds taking the 
Auricula pledge, and keeping it, we shall have 
every reason to be glad and so will they. 
‘T^affodils, from Seed.— That these flowers 
Gr come freely from seed, just as they 
freely produce seed, is now very well known; 
but it is rather disappointing to learn, on the 
authority of Messrs. Engleheart & Burbidge, 
that some four to six years must elapse 
from the sowing, ere flowers are produced. 
That fact is hardly an encouraging one to 
enthusiasts, whose fire must be fed with 
abundant and readily-produced fuel. When 
so many beautiful garden flowers produce 
flowering plants from seed within the year or a 
little longer, it is but natural that waiting some 
four to six years for seedling Daffodils to 
flower should hardly be encouraging. 
It is true, once the first few barren years are 
got over, seedlings will then be producing 
blooms annually, provided seed be sown an¬ 
nually. But we see already such a very 
abundant variety in Daffodils, and variety so 
minute in diversity as to render distinction the 
veriest of hair-splitting, that new comers in 
seedling raising may well ask what is to be 
gained from their labours. When it is stated 
that the great majority of the seedlings will 
certainly prove only as good as the parents, or 
probably inferior, it is evident that a big lot of 
chaff has to be taken with the corn. In that 
respect Daffodils differ from some other popular 
flowers, which seem to show with every fresh 
batch of seedlings very appreciable advance. 
The great need in Daffodils is less found in 
form or size than in colour, but a scarlet or 
even a red variety seems to be as improbable a 
production as does the blue Dahlia or Rose. 
Some such developments, however, if decisive, 
will at least not be open to the charge, that 
they are created only by the veriest hair¬ 
splitting. 
‘H)oble Trees.— There are some trees in the 
United Kingdom which it is difficult to 
look upon without some sense of reverence, 
arising from the fact that they are kings and 
princes of their kinds. The other day we were 
privileged to see once again, as green and as 
perfect as ever, the noble Dropmore Araucaria, 
which, with all its huge dimensions, still is as 
perfectly furnished from top to bottom as is 
any other Araucaria in the kingdom. Then 
there is the famous Dropmore Douglas Fir, of 
which we Avrite, very much for old Philip 
Frost’s sake, with bated breath, once so noble 
and so perfect in form, now, alas! robbed of 
much of its beauty by the snowstorm of 1887. 
There are not so many remarkable trees in the 
kingdom that we can afford to ignore any of 
them, and a splendid memento of their regal 
qualities would be found in some pictorial 
album, which contained illustrations of all the 
most illustrious specimens of various trees which 
the country possesses. 
|||ruel Cold is the adjective applied to the 
Aveather by one of our correspondents, 
avIio Avrites in a very despondent frame of 
mind. He fears a repetition of the cold, gloom, 
and Avet of last year, from all of Avhich Ave 
earnestly trust Ave may be spared, for another 
such season as the preceding one of 1888 
Avould be a disaster indeed. Certainly the 
Aveather has been, for the time of year, cruel, 
cold, and Avet also. Not only has the wind 
come to us sharpened by the northern tempera¬ 
ture, but the clouds have been dense and laden 
Avith moisture, and the sun has been shut out 
from us most disappointingly. Every day 
presents a loss Avhich can hardly be recouped. 
Especially will seeds suffer, indeed are suffer¬ 
ing, for added to the poor germination which 
results from imperfect ripening, is slow growth, 
arising from cold sodden soil, Avhilst slugs are 
rampant in myriads. We hope every day may 
bring real spring Aveather, but not only days 
but weeks pass by, and still the winter remains 
and spring fails to come ! 
T^ arly Sunrise Potato. —We learn that the 
excellent samples of this early Potato, 
slroAvn by Mr. R. Dean at the meeting of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, Avere groAvn at 
Blythewood, Bucks, by Mr. Hubbard, in a 
frame, and were planted Avith others the first 
Aveek in January. Mr. Hubbard considered 
that the variety had done its Avork remarkably 
quick, beating the other sorts planted at the 
same time. Sunrise is one of those excellent 
Potatos Avhich, because not made widely 
knoAvn, has its merits very much hidden 
under a bushel. There are many such excel¬ 
lent Potatos in commerce—indeed, Ave have a 
Avealth of first-class A'arieties, but it is the 
humour of some very clever but very ignorant 
persons always to be denouncing neAv varieties 
of Potatos. Really they know little or nothing 
about them, because they have not grown 
them. 
-- 
Presentation to a Gardener.—On the occasion of 
Mr. Eobert Bell leaving Morton Hall, Midlothian, for 
the more important position of gardener and manager 
to His Grace the Duke of Abercorn, at Barons Court, 
Ireland, a few horticulturists and other friends, as a 
mark of their esteem, presented him with a handsome 
timepiece, and Mrs. Bell with a gold brooch. 
Liverpool Horticultural Association.—The tenth 
summer exhibition of this association is announced to be 
held in the grounds of the City Police Athletic Society, 
Fairfield (instead of as heretofore in Sefton Park), on 
Saturday and Monday, August 3rd and 5th, and the 
annual Chrysanthemum, plant, and fruit show will be 
held in St. George’s Hall, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 
November 19th and 20th. 
King Williamstown Botanic Garden.—We understand 
that Mr. J. Leighton has resigned the appointment 
of Curator of this South African Botanic Garden, which 
he has held for several years, and that Mr. T. R, Sim, 
lately a florist and seedsman at Banchory, Aberdeen¬ 
shire, has been engaged as his successor. Mr. Leighton 
takes up the management of a large fruit farm which 
he has purchased. 
Pembrokeshire Chrysanthemum Society. — The 
fourth annual exhibition of this society will be held in 
the Market House, Pembroke, on November 12th. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society. 
—The quarterly meeting of this society was held last 
week, Mr. E. Berry presiding. Three new members 
were elected, making a total of nineteen for the past 
three months. About £11 has been paid to sick 
members during the quarter, but at the present time 
there is but one member on the funds. Applications 
for copies of the rules should be addressed to the 
secretary, Mr. W. Collins, 9, Martindale Eoad, Balham, 
S.W. 
Plants Certificated in Ghent.—At the last meeting 
of the Belgian Chamber of Horticulture, Certificates of 
Merit were awarded to Mr. Jules de Cock for Anthurium 
Schertzerianum Marquise Henri de Waverin and 
Odontoglossum Harryanum nigrum superbum ; to Mr. 
Moentjens, of Mariakerke, for Clivia miniata rubens ; 
to Mr. Jules Hye for Odontoglossum Albertianum, 0. 
Wilckeanum, and 0. triumphans var. ; to Messrs. E. 
Yervaet & Co., for Odontoglossum vexillarium and 0. 
Masereelianum ; to Mr. Spae for Aciphylla squarrosa ; 
and to Messrs. F. Desbois & Co. for Vriesia fulgida. 
The Faversham Chrysanthemum Society have just 
issued their schedule for 1889, and although this is 
only the third schedule their prominent position and 
financial success speak volumes for the enthusiastic 
executive. Their balance sheet for last season, after 
paying a considerable number of prizes, shows a sum of 
£52 7 s. 8 d. to begin the season’s work with. Numerous 
classes have been added, the most important being 
fourteen classes for vegetables open to members of 
allotment clubs, of which there are a goodly number in 
the district, and some keen competition is anticipated. 
In addition there are open classes for amateurs and 
cottagers, and the Society’s Silver Challenge Cup. Mr. 
C. Stidolph, 9, East Street, Faversham, is the honorary 
secretary. 
Slugs, Snails, and Worms. — Mr. John Thorpe, 
writing to the American Florist, saysBeing 
troubled badly by the depredations of slugs and snails, 
a neighbour gave me this remedy : Take some fresh 
crushed oats, lay on boards—about a 2-in. pot full— 
place them where the enemy congregates, and in the 
evening take a light and go over the ground. There 
you will find your game without fail if there is any. 
Mr. J. N. Gerard, of Elizabeth who is sadly afflicted 
with 1 Mum ’ fever, wrote me the other day : 1 Here’s 
something to keep worms out of pots—a sure cure. 
Take wire mosquito netting—Jersey size—cut into 
squares large enough to cover the holes in pots, and on 
this put your drainage. Eesult, no worms to make you 
say cuss words. ’ This is supposed to be for ‘ Mum ’ 
growers, but Eose men can use it.” 
International Congress of Horticulture.—The 
committee named by the Minister of Commerce and 
Industry, general manager of the Paris L"ni versa] 
Exhibition of 1889, announces that the International 
Congress of Horticulture will he held from the 16th to 
the 21st of August next. Those wishing to take part 
in it must apply before the 1st of June next, addressing 
themselves to the president of the committee, Mr. M. 
Hardy, 84, Rue de Grenelle, Paris. The secretary of 
the congress is Mr. Ernest Bergman, Ferrieres-en-Brie. 
The subjects to be discussed are :—1. Is it possible to 
obtain by practical artificial fertilisation amongst 
genera or species of plants which lend themselves to that 
operation, characters or foreseen qualities besides those 
belonging to different subjects already in cultivation 1 
2. Is it necessary to first obtain white flowers, to obtain 
others with variegated corollas ? 3. To examine the 
tariffs of railway companies applied to the transport ol 
vegetables. 4. The revision of the Phylloxera Con¬ 
vention of Berne. 5. Chemical manures in horticulture 
and their employment. 6. The means of destroying 
the enemies of cultivated plants. 
Exhibition of Hyacinths at Haarlem.—"We learn 
from Messrs. E. H. Krelage & Son that on April 21st 
they will open at their establishment a large exhibition 
of Hyacinths in flower, which will last till the middle 
of May, but which will be in the most perfect beauty 
during the last days of April. The exhibition consists 
of two large beds, each containing more than 600 
plants, and comprising all the best and rarest kinds, as 
well as the latest novelties. Similar exhibitions were 
held in the years 18S0-1884, but did not take place 
from 1885 to 1888, when the beds were devoted to late 
Tulips. There will also be opened, annexed to this 
exhibition, in the month of May, a special show of 
early single Tulips, two beds each of more than 600 
being planted, all of the best, newest, and rarest sorts. 
This show of early single Tulips will be the first evet 
held in Holland of this much-esteemed flower. AVe 
need hardly add that foreign visitors will receive a 
hearty welcome at No. 19, Ivleinen Houtweg, where 
the exhibitions will be held. 
Reading and District Gardeners" Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association.—The usual fortnightly address was 
delivered in the “British "Workman,” King’s Eoad, 
Reading, on Monday evening the 15th inst., by Mr. 
Richard Dean, of Ealing, subject, “The Life History 
of a Flower,” the florists’ Tulip being taken as an 
illustration. By means of coloured diagrams the 
history of the flower was traced from the seed, through 
the stages of seedling, breeder, and broken flowers, and 
the curious physiology of the Tulip was clearly set 
forth. Appropriate cultural directions were given, and 
the address concluded with recollections of Tulip shows 
and Tulip growers. Some remarks on the subject of 
the address were made by T Mr. AY. Lees, who was in the 
chair, Mr. A\ r . Wildsmith, of Heckfield, and Mr. J. P. 
Jones, of Reading, and the proceedings closed with a 
hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer, who expressed 
a hope that there might soon be a revival, in the 
southern counties, of the culture of this once populai 
flower. 
Richardia albo-maculata.—The spathes of this 
species are rather smaller than those of the 
Trumpet Lily (R. africana), and not quite so showy 
nor so pure white; but this deficiency is com 
pensated for by 7 the markings of the leaves, whicl 
