466 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 26, 1892. 
exhibition quality which eventually grew 
up from them, it is possible in the space of 
one season to reproduce the wonderfully 
fine examples seen at the later of those 
shows has to be proved. 
Doubtless we still have some high-class 
exhibitors, but the two or three very best 
men who have literally swept the boards, 
as it were, with tubers for several years at 
the Royal Aquarium and elsewhere have 
removed from their old habitations, and may 
not now have those great soil advantages 
they once possessed. That, however, should 
make the competitions all the more open 
and attractive to the general body of culti¬ 
vators. Growers of Potatos are, perhaps, 
more handicapped by soils than by anything 
else. We have few garden crops which 
are more subject to the character or consti¬ 
tuents of soils than are Potatos, and those 
who are favoured with deep, soft, sandy, 
well-drained soils have a great advantage, 
especially if they will add as fertilizing 
agents, phosphates, rather than nitro¬ 
genous or ammoniacal manures. 
Still there is something to be done in the 
selection of sorts, in the preparation of the 
tubers, and of the soil and methods of 
planting. On the whole there is ample 
time for the planting, as early in April in 
the south, and the end of the month in the 
north, is amply early enough for Potato 
planting to produce October exhibition 
samples. 
T^rovident Gardeners. —It would not be 
£ gracious or courteous to a society es¬ 
tablished so long since, and so particularly 
in the interests of gardeners, as the United 
Horticultural Provident and Benefit 
Society, that its annual meeting should be 
held without notice being taken of its 
prosperity and usefulness. Whether or 
no it may in all cases be wise to establish 
provident societies for the particular 
benefit of one vocation, certainly it would 
seem that the success which has attended 
upon the formation of this particular asso¬ 
ciation had fully justified its founders. 
When success follows upon efforts of this 
description it becomes evident that there 
are virtues or merits in the course adopted, 
which have largely been overlooked or 
ignored, and we may find in the success 
found in this instance proof,as the report of 
the society sets forth, lhat gardening is not 
an unhealthy vocation ; whilst still further 
there is a clanishness, although not nearly 
so much as we desire to see, which makes 
them cling somewhat to purely gardening 
associations, and find in them elements of 
satisfaction not to be discovered in other 
benefit societies. 
The figures given in our report last week, 
so far as figures possess speech or eloquence, 
tell their own tale. There is no need 
whatever that we should recapitulate them. 
No wonder is it now to find many a good 
gardener who has reached middle life and 
has either refrained from associating him¬ 
self with a society of this description, or 
has become a member of some body not so 
financially sound, lamenting that his know¬ 
ledge of the value of the Horticultural 
Benefit Society comes to him so late. 
Young gardeners may, however, take warn¬ 
ing and start their association with it early 
and whilst yet comparatively free. We 
trust no amount of success or of confidence 
will ever cause the committee of the 
society to become lax in their control over 
all financial matters. With so many 
evidences about of what follows in such 
cases it is needless to add that laxity may 
sometimes become little less than a crime. 
-•*»- 
Wanted.—To know when the Royal Botanic 
Society of London intends to pay its last year's prize 
money.— X. 
Mr. E. Chadwick, who has resigned his position as 
gardener to E. M. Nelson, Esq., Hanger Hill House, 
Ealing, on the ground of ill-health, ar.d with a view 
to going out to one of the colonies, has been suc¬ 
ceeded by Mr. D. Cooper, who has been foreman to 
Mr. Hudson, at Gunnersbury House, Acton, for the 
last six years. 
Orchid Sales —We note that the late Mr. E. G. 
Wrig-ley’s collection of Orchids is to be sold by 
Messrs. Protheroe & Morris, at Howick House, on 
April 5 and three following days; and that the late 
Mr. J. Statter's collection will be sold at Stand Hall, 
by the same firm on May 3rd, and three following 
days. 
The Sevenoaks and West Kent Chrysanthemum 
Society will hold its next exhibition in the Club Hall, 
Sevenoaks, on November 8th and gth. 
Fruit from South Africa —The Union Steam-ship 
Company’s R.M.S. “ Scot,” which arrived at 
Southampton on the 17th inst., brought a further 
consignment of Grapes and Peaches from South 
Africa. This fruit was placed on sale at Covent 
Garden Market, on Monday, when boxes containing 
about 20 lbs. net of white Grapes fetched 10s. to 
10s. 6d. each, and similar boxes of black Grapes 
realised 12s. 6d. to 15s. 6d. per box. These Grapes 
were packed in cork dust and arrived in very good 
condition. The Peaches realised from 8s. to 14s. 
per box. 
Exeter Gardeners’ Society.— At the meeting of this 
Society held on the 16th inst., a paper was read by 
Mr. G. B. Lansdale on " The Cultivation of Carna¬ 
tions and Picotees, from an amateur’s point of 
view.” Mr. G. B. Carlile presided, and Messrs. 
Veitch & Son exhibited some beautiful specimens 
of tree Carnations, among them being Catherine 
Paul, a white variety flaked with purple; Edith, a 
charming purple variety; and Mrs. Llewellyn, a 
dusky red. After a brief discussion, votes of thanks 
were passed to the essayist and the chairman. 
Mr. Samuel Barlow, J.P. —The many floricultural 
friends of this popular and greatly esteemed amateur 
florist will be gratified to hear that the Lancashire 
County Council has just conferred upon him the 
dignity of an alderman. During the last three years 
Mr. Barlow has represented the Milnrow and 
Castleton Division of his native county, and at the 
recent election was returned without opposition. 
Mr. Barlow was also last week unanimously elected 
a vice-president of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society, and we congratulate our friend on the 
receipt of honours which no man better deserves. 
The International Horticultural Exhibition at Earl’s 
Qourt. —Already some of our would-be “funny” 
contemporaries—would that they really were 
•• funny ”—have been striving to find some concise 
and expressive appellation for the exhibition above 
referred to. One thinks the “ Garden Stufferies ” a 
suitable term, but that is both long and vulgar; 
another thinks the “Celeries ” a proper appellation, 
but that is both saladaceous and bibulous in ex¬ 
pression, and would soon be converted into 
“ Sallyries.” If it be really contemplated to give 
this horticultural exhibition a short and expressive 
name, none could be more appropriate than the 
“ Floweries.” It may save the plagiarists some 
trouble if we add that this term is not copyrighted. 
Birmingham Gardeners' Association. —At the 
meeting on the 16th inst., a paper on “TheCulti¬ 
vation of Pears in Edgbaston ” was read by Mr, 
F. M. Mole, who for several years has devoted much 
attention to the cultivation of this fruit in his garden 
in the Edgbaston district which is a part of Birming¬ 
ham. He advocates Cordon training with four 
upright shoots as sooner filling a wall, and in case of 
failure, not leaving so large a gap as in the removal 
of a large fan-shaped tree. Doyenne de Comice 
and Buerre Diel were especially recommended as 
first-class varieties for town gardens, such sorts as 
Jargonelle, Marie Louise, and others also being grown. 
Mr. Mole practices thinning out the bloom buds by 
the removal of whole bunches when so close together, 
and the thinning of fruits so as to secure a moderate 
crop of really fine fruit, and this he succeeds in doing. 
A good deal of sound practical information was 
given and a hearty vote of thanks accorded. 
Adulteration of Manures. —Mr. Chaplin has ap¬ 
pointed a Departmental Committee of the Board of 
Agriculture to inquire into and report upon the 
adulteration of artificial manures and fertilisers, and 
to consider whether special legislative provisions 
for the prevention and detection of such adultera¬ 
tion be necessary, and if so, the nature of those 
provisions. 
THE ROSERY. 
Roses near Big Towns and Cities. 
In the Rosarian’s Year Booklast published there is a 
cheery article by Mr. Bateman on growing Roses for 
exhibition near large towns and cities, and the writer 
bases his experience upon what he has been able to 
do at Highgate. He advises that those who attempt 
to grow Roses in such districts should select only 
those varieties which have the largest and most 
leathery foliage and a good habit of growth ; and for 
a select dozen to begin with he names Ulrich 
Brunner, which he terms “ the finest Rose for sub¬ 
urban gardens yet introduced,” Charles Lefebvre, 
Dupuy Jamain, Mr. John Laing, Earl of Dufferin, 
Marquise de Castillane, Pride of Waltham, Her 
Majesty, Etienne Levet, Madame Gabrielle Luizet, 
Clara Cochet, and Madame Charles Wood; 
certainly the most vigorous growing among the 
hybrid perpetuals. These, Mr. Bateman states, 
should be on the Briar cutting, and he strongly 
advises growers to plant and bud their own stocks in 
their permanent position, as some of the best 
varieties are impatient of removal, and under the 
head of cultural directions he states—“ Prune right 
down to the ground so as to get completely new 
growths every season. Manure heavily, and make 
liberal use of liquid manure when the buds are 
swelling. Disbud severely, never leaving more than 
one bud to a shoot, or six or eight on a plant. In 
dry seasons freely syringe every leaf at frequent 
intervals." And, he adds, that if these points are 
carefully attended to, it is possible to produce Roses 
in abundance in the suburbs of our great cities, and 
of sufficiently good quality to hold their own at any 
ordinary shows, and occasionally to win at the 
National Rose Show and similar great exhibitions. 
At any rate, Mr. Bateman asserts this has been 
done.— R. D. 
, ♦ r 
ODONTOGLOSSUMS. 
(Concluded from p. 455 ) 
Odontoglossum vexillarium and O. Roezli are 
heat-loving plants; they seem to grow best in any 
temperature over 6o°, but are at a standstill below 
that, although they struggle along at 50°. Thrips are 
fond of them. If there is one in the house it will be 
amongst them, causing the foliage to look speckled 
with black. They do not like being wet and then 
dry, and the foliage being tender they lose their 
leaves at the slightest check. I had a few plants 
with the thrip amongst them, so I concluded to try an 
experiment with them. I put them in a cool portion 
of the greenhouse where the heat was 40°, and kept 
them dry at the roots during the last three months. 
I went to examine them last week, and found all the 
thrips dead and the plants also. The cold had killed 
the lot, while a batch of Lycaste Skinneri were in the 
picture of health and flowering freely just against them. 
Newly-imported Odontoglossums should have all 
decayed bulbs and withered leaves cut off; then 
washed in clean water to take off all mould and the rot 
which generally is of a spreading nature. Spread 
them out in a cool place to get perfectly dry till they 
begin to show eyes, then pot them, and give very 
little water, trusting to the dampness of the house 
for a week or two to plump up the bulbs. The 
florists’ properties have never yet been definitely de¬ 
fined in the various forms of Odontoglossum ; they 
are grown simply for their bright colours, which to¬ 
gether with substance in the various sepals, petals, 
and lip, are the points most regarded. By substance 
I mean thick petals, not of the thin, flimsy, tissue 
paper style. The petals should be broad, the lip large 
and flat if possible, and the whole of the flower to be 
flat and not half open, but so that the whole of the 
flower may be seen at once. The flower with these 
properties may be as large as it is possible to get 
them. The brilliant marking and bold spotting of 
O. Alexandra and O. Pescatorei being the scarcest, 
are consequently the most coveted and the highest 
in price. 
The difficulty of raising hybrids in the Odonto¬ 
glossum family seems to be greater than in other 
species of Orchids. The seeds do not germinate so 
freely, and I expect the climatic conditions under 
which it would germinate do not often occur in 
greenhouses in this country. Several pods of seeds 
which I have sown when ripe have not shown any 
sign of life, nor has any seedling ever appeared how¬ 
ever minute. The strain of pod bearing is also very 
great, as nearly every Odontoglossum which has 
