450 
FHE GARDENING WORLD 
March 19, 1892. 
county councils it is hard to determine, but 
that such bodies should have the fullest 
power to establish markets wherever 
needed is certain. 
Probably under no circumstances shall we 
ever be able to dispense with the middle¬ 
man altogether, because in our conditions of 
social life myriads of distributors of com¬ 
modities are essential. None the less, the 
public market seems to be specially a most 
valuable means to trade intercourse, bring¬ 
ing into immediate contact the producer 
and the consumer. This is particularly so 
with garden produce material, that is 
perishable and needs to be quickly sold, 
and speedily consumed. London is such a 
marvellous conglomerate of habitations 
and of people, that its ample “ foraging,” 
to use a well-known term, is a matter of 
supreme importance, and it cannot much 
longer be tolerated that within its borders 
any persons should possess monopolies in 
markets to the detriment of the inhabitants. 
The same must be said in relation to all 
populous places. We want the sale and 
purchase of all garden products to be free 
as air, but to insure this, it is needful that 
the various municipal authorities should 
furnish the needful markets where the sale 
and barter can be conducted under the 
fairest and freest conditions, When we 
remember that the London population is 
increasing at the rate of 60,000 per year, 
what wonder is it that the demand for 
many markets should grow. The same 
demand will soon grow strong all over the 
kingdom. 
Whe Gardener as a Servant. —There 
can be no doubt but that the relation¬ 
ship of the gardener to his employer is not 
always sufficiently defined, and because the 
gardeners as a body of workers have no 
union or society which looks after their 
special interests, they are in a very doubtful 
position, so far as the defence of their 
own interests and clear definition of their 
status is concerned, when cases occur, as 
they sometimes do in which the interests 
of the gardener are attacked. 
A report of a case which appeared in the 
columns of our contemporary' Gardeners' 
Chronicle last week, in which a gardener 
was compelled to take an employer into a 
court of law to recover damages for instant 
dismissal, shows that the worker's position 
is here very imperfectly defined, and 
although in that instance a verdict was 
given m the gardener’s favour, yet such is 
the glorious uncertainty of the law that in 
another court an entirely different verdict 
might have been given. It is too hard 
upon a gardener that he should be regarded 
as a mere weekly servant. He may be 
paid weekly because frequent wage pay¬ 
ments are indispensable ; but on the other 
hand, just as kitchen-maids or footmen are 
entitled to a month’s notice to leave, or the 
equivalent—a month’s wages—so should a 
gardener be so entitled without question, 
and have some greater respect shown him 
than was displayed in such a case as that 
which we refer to. Of course we ask so 
much only in the case of fair conduct. 
A very interesting question has been 
raised by a correspondent of our contem¬ 
porary, who asks whether a gardener can 
class as a domestic servant, and thus claim 
a legacy left generally to all the testator’s 
domestics. What is the legal definition of 
the term “domestic” has not yet been 
determined, so far as we know, but whilst 
butlers, coachmen, &c., even though they 
reside out of their employers’ houses, are 
still held to be domestics, so would it seem 
that a gardener who resides on his em¬ 
ployer’s premises should be so treated, or 
is engaged in the discharge of those do¬ 
mestic duties of a household which pertain 
to the garden department. 
-j—- 
Royal Horticultural Society. —The next meeting of 
the Royal Horticultural Society in the Drill Hall, 
James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, will be 
on Tuesday, March 22nd. Besides the Floral, 
Fruit, and Orchid Committees, the Narcissus Com¬ 
mittee will also meet for the first time this year, for 
the purpose of adjudicating on Narcissi and 
Daffodils, of which there will in all probability be a 
fine display in addition to other Spring Bulbs. At 
3 o’clock Mr. C. Ross will read a paper on the 
“ Cultivation of Melons.” 
The Dyeing of Flowers. —Mr. W. Brockbank, of 
Didsbury, sent to the last meeting of the Scientific 
Committee a large series of dried flowers, the vena¬ 
tion of which had been rendered apparent by the 
action of aniline dyes. The cut ends of the flower- 
stalks were immersed in the fluids, so that the colour¬ 
ing matter was absorbed by the vascular tissue of the 
flowers. The results were very striking, and 
considered likely to be of use to botanists. 
Fruit from South Africa. —The Union Steam Ship 
Company’s R. M.S. Mexican, which arrived at 
Southampton on the 6th inst., brought a further con¬ 
signment of fruit from South Africa, consisting of 
Grapes, Pears, Apples, and Melons. This fruit was 
placed on sale at Covent Garden market, on Wednes¬ 
day, the 9th inst., when the Grapes realised the 
highest prices yet obtained for importations from 
South Africa, boxes containing about 20 lbs. fetching 
15s. each. The Apples and Pears turned out in first- 
class condition, boxes containing 30 to 35 of the 
former realising 7s. 6d.; the Pears also obtaining 
high prices, one case of 42 being sold for 34s. The 
Melons realised about 3s. 6d. per box. 
The Birmingham Gardeners’ Association. —At the 
last meeting of the members, Mr. H. Dunkin, the 
Gardens, Warwick Castle, read a paper on 
" Modern Gardening,” comparing the horticulture 
of the present day with that of years ago, of the 
great advance in Chrysanthemums and other 
popular plants, and the great demand for flowers 
which necessitated the culture of many kinds on an 
extensive scale, and the influence on horticulture of 
the numerous flower shows about the country. 
Much useful information was given, and Mr. Dunkin 
recommended young gardeners to obtain a knowledge 
of Geometry, Chemistry, and Botany. A hearty 
vote of thanks was accorded. 
The Midland Counties Pansy Society.—The schedule 
of prizes for the second annual exhibition of Pansies 
and Violas is now issued, and the date fixed is June 
9th, at the Central Hall, Birmingham. There are 
thirty-three classes, and all sections of growers have 
a good chance, the schedule being so arranged that 
the small growers are protected. Several classes 
are open to all growers in the United Kingdom. 
The society gives a handsome Gold Medal as a first 
prize for twenty-four new fancy Pansies, open to all. 
Schedules can be had of Mr. W. Dean, hon. sec., 
Dolphin Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham. 
Fruit Growing in California. —The following extract 
from a private letter recently received in this 
country from Mr. J. Burnett, formerly of the Deep- 
dene, Dorking, will doubtless be of interest to 
the many personal friends he left behind him. 
Writing from Bakersfield, Kern Co., California, early 
in Feburary, Mr. Burnett says:—"I am glad to say we 
all kept in good health during the past year, and my 
vineyard has thriven finely. The vines are very 
strong, and although only planted some eighteen 
months many of them have stems from 6in. to 8in. 
in circumference,—not bad work in the time. I look 
for a good crop from them this year, as I do also 
from my Peach trees, many of which are already from 
10 ft. to 12 ft. high, and from 10 ft. to 15 ft. through 
the head. We had a very hot summer last year, the 
thermometer being generally from no° to 120° in 
the shade nearly every day for about two months, 
but we stood it very well. There is much planting 
of orchards and vineyards going on here just now, 
and we employ Chinese labourers to do the planting. 
They make very good workmen when they get used 
to it. The influenza has reached even this dry 
climate, which by the way is rather damp now as 
we have a little rain. It is surprising what a small 
amount ofrain falls here, only about 4J in. during the 
year, and none whatever from May till October. 
Were it not for the system of irrigation the country 
would be a desert.” 
NEW § IffiKE PhJiXLS. 
The undermentioned plants and the Apple were 
exhibited at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on the 8th 
inst., and received awards according to their relative 
value. The Orchids receiving certificates on the 
same occasion are recorded under Orchid Notes and 
Gleanings. 
Anthurium Andreanum sanguineum. — The 
leaves of this variety are heart-shaped, acuminate 
and of great size, but that is probably due to good 
cultivation. The spathe is roundly heart-shaped, of 
great size and of an intense reddish-crimson or blood 
red, and therefore very distinct from the ordinary 
scarlet type. The spadix is elongated, stout, slightly 
curved and yellow at first, but gradually becoming 
creamy white from the base upwards. A First-class 
Certificate was awarded it when shown by Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P. (gardener, Mr. W. 
Bain), Burford Lodge, Dorking. 
Amygdalus Davidiana alba.— The more we 
know of this Almond the more we recognise its 
hardiness, early flowering character, and its conse¬ 
quent ornamental value in the shrubbery or pleasure 
grounds. Flowering branches were cut from the 
open ground and exhibited at the meeting on the 9th 
of February ; other branches were cut from the 
same trees and shown in excellent condition on the 
8th inst., that is, a month later. Flowers are pro¬ 
duced in great abundance, in clusters all along the 
wood of the previous year, as may be seen from our 
illustration on p. 421, and which was prepared from 
specimens shown on the 9th of February. The 
petals are broad, orbicular, often emarginate and 
pure white. There is also a pink or reddish variety 
of the same Almond. Both were shown by Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, and the white variety 
under notice was awarded a First-class Certificate. 
Amaryllis Mars. —The flower scape of this 
variety was about two feet high, two-flowered, and 
the well-advanced leaves were about the same 
length. The flowers themselves are of good average 
size or even above it, with a very short tube and 
wide spreading segments, of an intense scarlet with 
a short, white six-rayed star in the throat. The 
outer segments are the broadest; all the three inner 
ones are narrower, but the lowest one is much the 
narrowest and would be a great improvement to the 
flower as a whole if it equalled its fellows in width. 
As it is, it is certainly an improvement upon those 
hitherto raised by Messrs. Paul & Son, who showed 
it, and received an Award of Merit for it. 
Apple, Improved Ashmead’s Kernel. —Like the 
Ribston Pippin, the Apple known as Ashmead’s 
Kernel is a very old variety, but has long remained 
in obscurity. It is by no means an attractive Apple, 
and this may account in a measure for the little 
attention it has received. The fruit of the improved 
variety under notice is of medium size, flattened, 5- 
angled, but more prominently so at the top and 
around the half-open, eye which lies in a rather 
shallow, slightly plaited or sometimes smooth basin. 
The stalk is very short, stout, and inserted in a 
moderately deep, narrow cavity. At this season of 
the year the skin is yellow but thinly suffused with 
russet all over, in some places a little more densely 
than others. The sunny side is said to be more 
decidedly orange in the autumn. The flesh is 
yellowish, crisp, juicy, and sugary, so that the 
variety is reckoned of first-class quality for dessert 
purposes. It is in season from November to May, 
and should therefore enjoy greater popularity for its 
long keeping properties. A dish of it was exhibited 
by Mr. J. Watkins, Pomona Farm, near Hereford, 
and an Award of Merit was accorded it. 
-- 
THE LADY GARDENERS 
AT SAWLEY. 
We take the following from the Nottingham Daily 
Guardian, of the nth inst. — “ By your courtesy, I 
gladly avail myself of the opportunity for giving a 
short explanation respecting the reasons for starting 
the ladies industry at Sawley. All my life 1 have 
been brought into contact with numbers of educated 
ladies who are obliged to earn their own living, and 
it is well known that each year every opening to 
them becomes more and more overcrowded. 
“The report of the Congress papers in 1888 first drew 
my attention to this style of hardy fruit-growing in 
addition to ordinary gardening, but before venturing 
