192 
November 28, 1891. 
FHE GARDENING WORLD. 
cards, with names written on them, can be 
placed as desired. What is so badly 
needed is some method which will enable 
anyone to see the name of any particular 
flower at a glance. That facility is not 
now in any case afforded so completely as 
is desired, especially with the spreading 
Japanese flowers. 
It should not be at all difficult to fix to 
the front of the boxes some means to which 
these label holders could easily be attached. 
We hope next season to find that some one 
has registered or patented something of the 
nature suggested, and will submit it to 
public approval. Then if found satisfactory 
we may in time hope to see Committees of 
Chrysanthemum Shows making it a condi¬ 
tion of competition that all boxes of flowers 
shall be so labelled, and then the present 
difficulty will be removed. 
inter Blooming Pelargoniums. —If 
tuberous Begonias have somewhat 
ousted zonal Pelargoniums from the high 
place they once held as summer blooming 
plants, both in the greenhouse and in the 
flower garden, at least the zonals can hold 
their own in the winter. Occasionally we 
see plants of this section of the Pelargo¬ 
nium family very finely done in mid-winter, 
and when thus found in full bloom, they 
are indeed beautiful objects, lending glori¬ 
ous colour at a time of the year when bloom 
is usually scarce and dull in hue. When¬ 
ever these zonal Pelargoniums are seen in 
good condition at the November Shows 
they give life and vivacity such as cannot 
be too much admired. 
We have all found out that because of 
the subdued natural light which the winter 
months afford, the colours of the flowers 
found on the numerous varieties of both 
single and double Pelargoniums are always 
rendered more vivid or richer, especially 
the pink and violet shades. Those who 
grow these plants specially for the produc¬ 
tion of winter cut blooms find them 
invaluable, the doubles especially, because 
they are so enduring. And yet the plants 
are easily - grown, needing only ordinary 
culture, a little prior Stopping, so that the 
early strength of the plant shall not be 
wasted in unseasonable bloom production, 
and so much of light as can be given with 
moderate warmth. These are, however, 
conditions which are easily found in ordi¬ 
nary gardens. 
At Swanley, -where Mr. Cannell does these 
plants so well, long low span-roofed houses, 
well lighted and gently heated, present in 
the dead of winter such masses of brilliant 
colouring as to rival all the Begonia can 
give in the summer. It is only to have a 
house specially suitable for Gloxinias, 
Begonias, &c., in the summer, and the best 
possible style of house is at hand for winter 
Pelargoniums. Start in March with cut¬ 
tings, -when rooted, grow them on in pits 
until well established ; stand them out of 
doors for several weeks to harden them, 
shift into 6 or 7 in. pots, and finally house 
them at the end of September. A grand 
show of blooms all the winter is then easily 
attainable. 
^ported Apples. — In spite of the 
- fact that we have had at home a very 
abundant crop of Apples, we now see our 
grocers’ and other provision shops almost 
everywhere supplied with Canadian Apples, 
and of excellent quality too. It xvas 
imagined only the other day that with such 
great abundance at home there would be 
but a poor chance for the imported sorts, 
so far at least as a paying price was con¬ 
cerned, and yet we see these Canadian 
Apples selling from the barrels at three 
halfpence and twopence per pound, and 
generally far more attractive samples than 
are those of home production, excepting, of 
course, the very best. 
Unhappily, we have but to compare the 
sample fruits seen on the tables of our re¬ 
spective exhibitions with those of home or 
market productions seen in the shops, to 
note how very wide is the difference, and 
relatively how poor is the latter in com¬ 
parison. It seems as if we never should 
learn that it will not pay to grow rubbish, 
and that we cannot hope to compete with 
imported Apples, well grown and properly 
sampled for market; and yet in spite of all 
our teaching we see the fruits roughly 
pulled from the trees, as roughly packed 
without any sorting, and also wanting 
generallyin attractiveness. If the Canadians 
will take so much trouble to sample their 
fruits that out of a thousand barrels hardly 
a dozen fruits differ in size, surely our home 
growers can take some little trouble in the 
same direction also. 
Why, too, cannot our fruits be sent to 
market in light barrels after the Canadian 
fashion, rather than in rough, uneven open 
baskets, in which the fruits suffer from fric¬ 
tion ? We cannot hope to get our fruits 
into the grocers’ shops in such utensils, 
when neat, convenient barrels are to be had 
from elsewhere. After all, despite so much 
that has been done, our slowness to move 
in trade matters is as proverbial as it is 
deplorable. When we regard the fact that 
it is much more difficult for us to obtain 
good Apple crops than the Canadians, rea¬ 
sons surely are all the greater that we 
should use every effort to make our produce 
acceptable and profitable. 
If'HE Winter. —It is such an unusual ex- 
— perience for us to get nearly through 
November without some sharp frosts, that 
the nature of the early winter weather has 
very naturally set us surmising as to the 
probable character of that which is to fol¬ 
low later on. If we are to reason from 
analogy evidence points to the winter being 
a mild, open one rather than to a cold, hard 
one. Of course it is yet early for surmises 
of any sort, but we believe it to be the case 
that all previous hard winters have been 
heralded by some sharp frosts at an early 
period. It is really a long time since we 
had so mild a November as the passing 
month has been. 
Gerierally it has been an exceedingly wet 
month, although now that the end is near 
and moisture has somewhat settled down 
we do not seem to have had any too much 
rain. Still if we should have a mild win¬ 
ter we can hardly hope to escape the 
addition of very much more of moisture 
yet. We should hail a long spell of dry 
weather now with pleasure as it would be 
productive of great good, but hardly desire 
that such a desideratum should be pur¬ 
chased at the expense of intense cold. 
Last winter was an unusually dry one and 
an intensely severe one. Even all the snow 
which fell did little towards making amends 
for the lack of rain, and we have had to 
suffer for it during the summer and autumn. 
We are often told that a hard frosty 
winter is healthful, but last winter did so 
much towards the explosion of that delusion 
that we hope it will never be heard again. 
Very hard winters and very low tempera¬ 
tures kill off humanity rapidly. A - mild 
winter allows them to have a yet longer 
lease of life. Probably on the whole a hot 
summer is our most healthful season, as it 
is so productive of conditions favourable to 
soth animal and vegetable life. However, 
we prognosticate nothing so far as the 
coming winter is concerned, but practically 
await its development. 
The Annual Di ner of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society will take place at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet 
Street, on Tuesday next, December 1st, at 6.30 
sharp, and we may remind those of our readers who 
ini end to be present, that early application should be 
made for dinner tickets to Mr. R. Dean, Ranelagh 
Road, Ealing. 
Mr. Joseph Broome, of Manchester, who for some 
years has been the treasurer, and an active and much 
esteemed member of the council of the Manchester 
Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society, has been 
appointed High Sheriff of Carnarvonshire for the 
ensuing year. Mr. Broome’s charming estate is 
situated near to that of Mr. Samuel Barlow, J.P., at 
Llandudno., 
The National Amateur Gardeners’ Association.— 
Arrangements have been made for a dinner to take 
place on Thursday, December 15th, 1891, at 7.30 p.m. 
precisely, at the Guildhall Tavern, Gresham Street, 
E.C., to celebrate the successful working of this 
association since its inauguration. 
Mr. J. Smith, for several years plant foreman in the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Chiswick, 
has been engaged as gardener to James Livesey, 
Esq., Home Bank, Rotherfield, Sussex. 
Birmingham Gardeners’ Association. —A capital 
paper on the Melon and its cultivation was read by 
Mr. W. Comfort, gardener to F. A. Everett, Esq., 
Knowle Hall, at the last meeting of the Birmingham 
Gardeners’ Association. He gave his own expe¬ 
rience, and he is an acknowledged able cultivator 
of this fruit. A. spirited discussion .followed. 
Chrysanthemums in December.— It is fully antici¬ 
pated that at the exhibition to be held at the Royal 
Aquarium, Westminster, on December gth and 10th, 
the show which the National Chrysanthemum Society 
has substituted for the one hitherto held early in 
January, there will be an extensive and attractive 
display, as the later blooms are keeping much better 
than was at one time expected. 
Scandalous Outrage at Canford Manor.—A dastardly- 
act was committed at Canford Manor, the Dorset 
seat of Lord Wimborne, on Saturday night. The 
grounds surrounding the house are amongst the most 
beautiful in the south of England, and contained, up 
to Saturday, some valuable pieces of statuary. Late 
on Saturday evening, however, twenty-seven of these 
were thrown down, together with eight valuable 
garden vases. Seventeen of the statues were literally 
battered to pieces, whilst the others were seriously 
damaged. The damage amounts to quite £2, 000. Two 
persons have been arrested. 
The late Mr. Shirley Hibberd's Books. —Messrs. 
Collingridge, of Aldersgate Street, E.C., have 
purchased of the receiver of the estate of Messrs. 
Groombridge & Son, Limited, the whole of the stock, 
copyright, engravings, &c., of the books brought out 
by the late Mr. Shirley Hibberd, and will in future 
supply . the trade. Many of the books are at 
present out of print, but new editions of each are in 
preparation. 
Chicago Exhibition, 1893 .—The British Royal 
Commission are now prepared to receive applications 
from manufacturers and others desirous of taking 
part in the Exhibition. Such applications must be 
made upon forms to be obtained from the Secretary 
of the Commission at their offices, Society of Arts, 
John Street, Adelphi, London, W.C. They must be 
sent in, properly filled up, not later than February 
29th, 1892, and addressed to the Secretary, as 
above. 
Ealing and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Society. —On Tuesday evening, November 17th, at 
the weekly meeting of this society, Mr. George 
Wythes, Sion House Gardens, Brentford, read a 
paper on. Vegetable culture and its importance to 
young gardeners. The subject was treated in a 
thoroughly practical manner, by Mr. Wythes, who 
impressed upon those who hoped to rise in their pro¬ 
fession the importance of acquiring a sound practical 
knowledge of vegetable production and the manage¬ 
ment of the kitchen garden. -Much kindly advice 
was given by Mr. Wythes, and his paper was highly 
appreciated. A capital discussion followed. 
The Winner of the Edinburgh Association Challenge 
Cup at the Chrysanthemum show last week, Mr. 
Alexander Watt, gardener to J. Stewart, Esq., Black 
House, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire, is a young gardener who 
has made his mark at the Edinburgh and other shows 
during the last three years. Last week he secured, 
besides the cup above mentioned, two first, five 
