336 
January 30, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Our new teacher and preacher is of a very 
unpretentious order. He may be met with 
unexpectedly in some of the dark lanes of 
the rural districts tramping along boldly 
and hurriedly through the snow, or it may 
be the mire, carrying perhaps long pat cels 
of diagrams, or bags containing examples 
of work with which to instruct his 
auditors in some of those arts which 
have done so much in the past for the 
prosperity of the nation. It is usually 
late at night—often has the witching hour 
of midnight passed ere our missionary 
reaches his home from a long journey. The 
rural districts, which furnish so many 
centres and so many hearers, have furnished 
few if any instructors, hence the more 
intelligent towns have to furnish them. 
They find pleasure to hear of the new 
gospel of technical instruction, labourers, 
artizans of the true cottager type, some 
gardeners perhaps whose early oppor¬ 
tunities have been few and gladly avail 
themselves of the lectures to acquire more 
information. 
Some ladies and gentlemen are also 
found among the auditors occasionally, and 
as the mixed assemblage give attention of 
the most promising kind to what is being 
taught them, it is most obvious that 
gardening knowledge has charms for all 
minds, and finds a welcome in every breast. 
The new missionary, whatever may be the 
burden of his discourse, cannot fail to 
accomplish great good and assuredly will, 
if allowed free play, make his mark in the 
years that are coming. 
Herbaceous Plants. —By the death at 
Clapham, on the 21st inst., of Mr. 
Robert Parker, formerly of Tooting, we are 
reminded of the admirable displays of 
hardy perennials and herbaceous plants 
which at one time formed such pleasing 
as well as conspicuous features at 
the Royal Horticultural Society’s exhibi¬ 
tions in the old South Kensington days. 
The contest for supremacy then laid 
chiefly between such "redoubtable oppo¬ 
nents as Robert Parker and Thomas S. 
Ware, and generally the public benefitted 
perhaps more than the competitors, for the 
prizes were ha idly such as to repay the 
cost of any very heroic efforts. 
The public enjoyed this advantage, that 
during several months of the year, and 
usually from March till July, they saw all 
the best hardy plants in season set up in 
huge clumps—really large show specimens. 
For a sight of any such to-day we sigh in 
vain. Tnere were many delightful features 
about the old Kensington shows and 
gatherings such as are absolutely lacking 
now at the Drill Hall meetings. Chiswick 
bears the reputation of having enjoyed the 
palmy days of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, but in spite of many drawbacks 
we give the palm to South Kensington, lor 
that unfortunate place after all comes back 
to us in memory laden with a thousand 
pleasant recollections. It is impossible to 
read of the death of Robert Parker with¬ 
out recalling South Kensington, and its 
shows to mind. Mr. Parker was one of 
the constant attendants there for many 
years, but for a long time past the stalwart 
figure with the inevitable black bag has 
been missed from the usual haunts of 
London horticulturists. We still seem to 
feel, however, that we are standing beside 
him in front of one of his grand collections 
of hardy plants, whilst he discourses so 
affectionately on their characteristics and 
merits. He not only knew all about hardy 
plants, but he knew also how to grow and 
show them. 
In spite of the assumed revival of taste 
for hardy plants in gardens, they seem in 
danger of disappearing from our shows. 
It is true that we see plenty of hardy 
flowers, but the plants as specimens find no 
encouragement. It may be all right, we 
won’t quarrel with the newer style, but at 
least may sigh for a touch of that vanished 
hand in plant exhibiting which Robert 
Parker’s death so forcibly recalls. 
he Chicago Exhibition.— Our American 
cousins, with that energy and go which 
hasever marked all their undertakings, have 
resolved to hold in Chicago next year one 
of the greatest exhibitions of the world’s 
Arts and Industries ever seen. We may 
take it for granted that this World’s Fair, 
as it is not inaptly termed, will be one of 
the wonders of the nineteenth century, for 
although some very big things have been 
done in that way previously, the Chicago 
display of 1893 is to eclipse them all. 
Possibly then there will be a general 
disposition, to rest somewhat from efforts 
of this description, as they are enormously 
costly in every way, indeed it would be well 
perhaps to allow a few years to elapse ere 
Great Britain, for Europe, attempted to 
outdo the giant effort of the remarkable 
people of America. 
We observe through the interposition of 
the Society of Arts some early effort is 
being made to induce our home nursery¬ 
men and traders in all descriptions of 
horticultural subjects to take part in this 
World's Fair, and to show to the admiring 
millions from all quarters of the globe who 
will be to Chicago attracted, what British 
horticulture is. There is already made an 
useful classification cf subjects under the 
head of Viticulture, including all that 
relates to Vines, Wines, &c. Then comes 
Horticulture, which we infer includes prac¬ 
tical gardening in relation to other things 
than flowers, which find their place in the 
Floriculture section, opening up an illimi¬ 
table vista of beauty and effect created by 
the myriads of flower-producing plants in 
cultivation ; Arboriculture ; Pomology, a 
■wonderfully interesting section, com¬ 
prising preserved fruits and vegetables; 
and finally garden appliances complete the 
list. The Horticultural Hall, in the which 
all that relates to gardening is to be 
presented, will be an immense building 
1,000 feet long and nearly 300 feet wide, 
and will include some heated departments 
for tender or tropical plants. Judging by 
information furnished the Exhibition will 
be in the Horticultural department alone a 
grand display, whilst the entire gathering 
will probably beggar all descriptions. 
oil Insects. —Whether it arises from 
a -wider knowledge than we formerly 
possessed of the nature and habits of the 
various insect pests which infest cur soils 
or to some other causes, it is certain that 
we seem of late to have discovered them 
in enormous abundance, and to have found 
in them special objects of terror to 
cultivators. It is not to be for one 
moment assumed that grubs, wire-worms, 
or similar insects are more abundant 
in the soil than they were a generation 
since. What is the case now probably 
amounts to this, that our natural history 
has been rubbed up, we have much 
more closely than formerly studied insect 
life, and have in consequence of that know¬ 
ledge learned rather to regard the ordinary 
ground pests with more apprehension than 
they deserve. 
We have been recentlyreading a report is¬ 
sued from the Cornell University, America, 
respecting wireworms, and the conclusion 
we have arrived at is that unless the Ameri¬ 
can soil is cursed with these creeping insects 
beyond all precedent that there has been 
made in experimenting with methods for 
their destruction, efforts not unlike the 
familiar illustration of employing a steam 
hammer to crack a small nut. But after 
all there seems to have been not much of 
success to record from these experiments. 
We have heard the best way to kill a flea 
is to turn the creature on its back, tickle it 
till it laughs, then stuff a brick into its 
mouth, and so choke it. Of course, that 
is all coarse fun, and it would seem as if 
these American entomologists were poking 
fun a bit when they detail all the numerous 
and almost gigantic efforts made to destroy 
wireworms, but without effect. The soil 
infested by wireworms seems to have been 
all but utterly poisoned with all sorts of 
assumed destructives, but yet all to no 
purpose. 
We at home have found exposing the 
soil frequently, to enable birds to feed upon 
the insects, setting traps of rape cake, or of 
similar fatty compounds, to have been effec¬ 
tual and simple, and have so far never gone 
mad over insect pests. It is not in the 
pursuance of wild theories that we shall 
effectually combat soil enemies : a little of 
common sense seems to be all that is need¬ 
ful, and not making your little insect 
troubles perfect mountains of difficulty. 
Clay's Fertilizer and Invigorator.—We understand 
that the firm of Clay & Levesley, manufacturers of 
the well-known Clay’s Fertilizer at Temple Mill Lane, 
Stratford, has been dissolved, and that the business 
will be carried on in future by Samuel Clay' and 
Samuel Charles Clay under the title of Clay & Son. 
Mr. H. Purser, formerly of Berwick House, 
Shrewsbury', and latterly gardener to Lord Zouche 
at Ravenhill, Rugeley, is about to take charge of his 
lordship’s garden at Parham Park, Pulborough, 
Sussex, Ravenhill being let. 
A Horticultural linproument Societyfor Hertford.— 
At a meeting held recently in the Council Chamber, 
Hertford, the Mayor (Mr. Councillor R. Ginn) pre¬ 
siding, a Horticultural Improvement Society' for the 
district was established on similar lines to the one 
at Ware in the same county, with the Mayor as 
president, Mr. J. Fears as treasurer, and Mr. W. 
Brett as secretary'. 
Mr. J. Doig, late gardener to the Hon. H. E. 
Butler, has been engaged as gardener to W. W. 
Wickham, Esq., Chestnut Grove, Boston Spa, 
Yorks. 
The Rainfall at Madresfield Court. —Mr. Crump 
kindly sends us the following statement with 
regard to the rainfall at Madresfield during last 
year:—Monthly rainfall: January i-go; February 
012; March, 155; April, 1-41; May, 3-34; June. 
2-15; July, 183; August, 4 61; September, i-o2; 
October, 6 94; November, 2'4<y; December, 3'47. 
Total 30 83. The average for the past ten years is 
26 81 ins. The total number of days on which rain 
fell was 1S7, the lowest monthly record being two 
days in Febraruy, and twenty-six in October. 
New Plants Certificated in Ghent.—At the last 
meeting of the Belgian Chamber of Horticulturists, 
Certificates of Merit were awarded to Mr. Leon 
Poelman for Lamprococus Weilbachi leodiense ; to 
Mr. Gustave Vincke for Cy'pripedium Niobe, Odon- 
toglossum Alexandra var., Baronne Ruzette, and 
Odontoglossum Wilckeanum var. ; to Mr. Auguste 
Van Geert, for Vriesia jcardinalis; and to Mr. 
Delanghe for Lselia anceps var. 
The late Duke of Clarence.—Out of respect to the 
memory of H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, who hon¬ 
oured them last winter by' lunching with his Royal 
Father under their roof on the occasion of his 
installation as Provincial Grand Master of the 
Berkshire Freemasons, Messrs. Sutton & Sons en¬ 
tirely closed their premises from 1 till 5 p.m. on the 
day of the funeral; and on the same day a magnifi¬ 
cent wreath of Lilies of the Valley and Violets, 
which had been prepared by Messrs. Sutton by 
Royal permission,, was personally presented at 
Windsor by the members of the firm. 
