June 18, 1892. 
THH GARDENING WORLD. 
657 
impeding the passage of whatever pleasure boats 
or other vessels may be there. Cultivators, says 
L'Illustration Horticole, easily get rid of it by dragging, 
and they make an excellent compost of it, or even 
use it as a green manure. In slowly running streams 
the weed might be dragged against the course of the 
current, as the slender stems more readily break or 
get rooted up in that way. 
Market Gardening in the Neighbourhood of Paris.— 
There are, says L'Illustration Horticole, about 1,500 
market gardeners working each about 5,000 to 10,000 
square yards or from half a hectare to a hectare 
(nearly 2^ acres). The material of culture varies in 
the same proportion and returns about 20,000 francs 
per hectare. It consists of 3,000 to 4,000 cloches to 
begin with, 400 to 500 frames or boxes with glass 
sashes, 1,000 mats ; of a system of watering, a pump, 
workings for it, a reservoir, channels for conducting 
water, numerous stop-cocks, india-rubber pipes, 
stand pipes ; of a horse and a waggonette for taking 
vegetables to the market. At least thirty cubic 
yards of water per day are consumed on each 
hectare ; that quantity is doubled in time of drought. 
Horse manure is generally employed; the market 
gardener does not make it ; every arc (119J square 
yards about) receives the manure of a horse. The 
capital required by market garden culture is much 
greater than that necessary for agriculture, but 
likewise the produce in vegetables have a much 
greater commercial value. A vegetable or market 
garden of a hectare gives a return of 18,000 to 20,000 
francs per annum ; the soil is constantly occupied, 
and the cultures are quickly grown, planted, and 
transplanted without relaxment. 
FERNS AND FERN 
CULTURE.* 
This is the title of an admirable small octavo volume 
on Ferns and their allies, running to 128 pages. It 
treats on all manner of subjects, their relation to Ferns 
and their methods of culture, and is evidently 
intended for amateurs and others desirous of making 
a practical acquaintance with them, and the different 
uses to which they may be put in stoves, greenhouses, 
ferneries proper, Wardian cases, rockwork, etc. The 
book is copiously illustrated, showing not only the 
form of the fronds and habits of the plants, but also 
the various ways of planting them under the different 
conditions above mentioned. 
The book is divided into eleven sections, most of 
which deal with cultural directions in some form or 
other, so that no attempt is made to constitute it a 
descriptive handbook or text book. The modes of 
growth are illustrated, showing the tufted, creeping, 
and upright habited or tree Ferns, as well as the 
various modes of division of the fronds contrasted 
with those that are entire or undivided. The various 
materials used as composts for Ferns are described, 
and their mode of preparation. At one time peat 
was supposed to be an indispensable article in the 
culture of most kinds of Ferns, including Adiantums, 
which were mostly grown in peat; but more recently 
it has been conclusively demonstrated that they can 
not only be grown in good fibrous loam, but that 
they do better in it and are more durable. The use 
of sphagnum for chopping up and mixing with the 
compost is also mentioned. In some parts of the 
country this is largely used and might more com¬ 
monly be adopted by amateurs, especially by those 
who have not much time to attend to watering at the 
proper time. It retains the moisture much better 
than loam and if mixed at the same time with 
broken crocks, the compost remains open and allows 
the escape of superfluous moisture. Lists of those 
genera are given, the members of which do well in 
certain defined composts. 
Certain Ferns have to be potted, basketed, or 
grown in certain ways according to their natural 
habits, and this is not only described but illustrated 
as far as practicable. Some are grown in pots or 
pans, others in baskets, on blocks of cork, or on 
walls furnished with cork or tile pockets. Old tree 
Fern stems can be utilised to advantage by planting 
a Fern of drooping or spreading habit on the top, 
and other smaller kinds on the stems by means of a 
little compost covered with moss and fastened on by 
wires. 
The operations of potting and basketing are 
detailed in such a way that the intelligent amateur 
•Ferns and Fern Culturk. Selections ot Ferns, Insect 
Pests, and their eradication, etc , by J. B rkenhead, F.R.H.b. 
(Published by the author, Fern Nursery, Sale, Manchester.) 
can hardly fail to grasp them. The construction of 
outdoor ferneries and rockwork is detailed at some 
length with illustrations of several different methods 
of constructing the same and planting on the level 
ground, on mounds, and in excavated places. 
Shading, ventilating, the temperatures of different 
houses, watering, Ferns in dwelling houses, window 
boxes, window cases, and select lists of Ferns, Filmy 
Ferns, Selaginellas, etc., are all dealt with in their 
turn. The modest price of the book is a shilling. 
-« 4 -- 
THE LONDON AGRICULTURAL SEED 
TRADE ASSOCIATION. 
We regret to find that the accidental omission of a 
few words in Mr. Sherwood’s speech, reported on 
p. 628 of our issue for June 4th, has given rise to 
some misapprehension among the members of the 
general seed trade, and therefore hasten to make the 
needful correction. What Mr. Sherwood said was 
that he would refuse to buy Clover and Grass seeds 
from merchants who would not trade under the terms 
of the London Agricultural Seed Trade Association ; 
so that the remark has no bearing whatever on the 
general conduct of business in the seed trade proper, 
as what we originally reported would seem to imply. 
As this particular association does not appear to be 
much known we may take this opportunity of giving 
a few particulars respecting it. It was established 
some twelve years ago “To promote uniformity in 
the terms of bargains and sales of agricultural seeds ; 
to settle, determine, and publish rules and regula¬ 
tions upon which contracts shall be based ; to provide 
for the speedy determination of disputes arising 
under contracts; and for the determination and 
adjustment of other matters that may from time to 
time arise in the carrying on of the seed trade." 
It is governed by a committee of twelve members, 
including a chairman, two vice-chairmen, and a 
secretary (Mr. David Allester, 6, Market Buildings, 
Mark Lane, E.C.), who are elected annually ; and 
the committee is called together as often as occasion 
requires. The annual subscription of members is 
one guinea, due on the 1st of May in each year. 
The association has two sets of special rules, the 
one regulating the conduct of arbitration, and the 
other the terms under which English and Foreign 
seeds are bought and sold, the latter having special 
reference to such matters as quality, time and place 
of delivery, payment, weights and measures, re¬ 
weights, time and mode of shipments, &c., and -all 
of which are designed to promote the main object of 
the association, viz., uniformity of action in the 
conduct of business. 
The arbitration committee consists of ten members 
of the association, who retire annually, but are 
eligible for re-election; and all disputes arising 
between members of the association, must be referred 
to the association for settlement, unless the parties 
to the dispute can agree upon a settlement. Should 
a dispute come before the association three members 
of the arbitration committee are chosen by mutual 
agreement between the claimant and defendant, and 
if their award should not be acceptable to either 
party, they have the right of appeal within seven 
days to the committee of direction, whose decision 
is final and binding upon all. 
Always considering the special objects of the 
association there is certainly nothing in the rules 
that any fair dealing man can object to, and we may 
add also that they in no way favour “ protection’’ 
as that term is usually understood. 
SMILAX ~ARGYREA. 
The species of Smilax are very numerous and all be¬ 
long to the tropical and warm temperate regions of 
both hemispheres. Kunth, in his Enumeratio Pia - 
arum, has described about 180 of them, and since 
then only about a dozen have been added. 1 he 
species under notice comes from the eastern side of 
the Andes of Peru, from whence the collectors of 
L’Horticulture Internationale sent it to Brussels last 
year. Some of our readers may recollect seeing it at 
the Temple Show in the latter end of May last. It 
seems to have some affinity with S longifolia, but is 
distinct. The leaves are oval-lanceolate, drawn out 
to along point, about 4 in. to 6 in. long, strongly 
three-nerved, and of a rich dark green, variously 
marked between the nerves with large irregular 
blotches of a silvery-grey. It is hardly necessary 
to add that it is a climber with somewhat prickly 
stems and requires to be attached to some support 
or trained round stakes in pots in the stove. There 
is a beautifully coloured illustration of it in 
L'Illustration Horticole, pi. 152. 
THE CHICAGO EXHIBITION. 
Horticultural Department. 
A carload of choice ornamental plants and trees, 
about 1,000 in all, was received the other day for the 
horticultural exhibit. Large donations and loans of 
plants are coming in daily now, as is necessary for 
the future success of the department. Mr Robert 
Craig, President of the Society of American Florists, 
has been here, accompanied by Mr. J. Coates 
Walker, Chairman of the Committee on Horticulture 
for Pennsylvanian World’s Fair Board. The latter 
is an enthusiastic amateur. 
They expect to make a splendid display with the 
aid of private collections, and have secured splendid 
specimens from many sources, including Mr. Childs, 
already mentioned, and Mr. Drexel. Mr. Childs 
intends to grow specially the finest collection of new 
Caladiums ever shown in America; these are 
a specialty at his fine country home, and will be 
forwarded in July. The nurserymen intend also to 
give a good account of themselves. 
The superintendent of the Allegheny Park pur¬ 
poses making in front of the State Building an 
immense portrait in growing plants of some one of 
Pennsylvania’s distinguished men. Mr. Drexel will 
exhibit a Pritchardia grandis, 3 ft. by 4 ft., which he 
values at 600 dollars, also a fine Gleichenia, 4 ft. to 
6 ft. in diameter. 
The far territory of Arizona has applied for 2,000 
feet of space inside the horticultural hall, and 5,000 
feet of outside space in the general horticultural 
department. Arizona intends to make a splendid 
exhibit of fruit, the growing of which will soon be 
a leading industry there. 100,000 dollars of plants 
have been donated outright, partly from foreign 
countries; 20,000 dollars will be saved by the 
tendered free use of lawn mowers and rollers. 
Economy in such matters is an important factor in 
the financial success of the undertaking, and is 
rigidly adhered to in all departments. 
An enthusiastic lady in South Kansas has had a 
large Catalpa tree cut from her garden, and after the 
wood is seasoned, will have it cut into panels, to be 
carved for the women's building. A conventional 
design has been selected, the Sunflower, emblematic 
of the State. Several fine Virginia Creepers from 
the entrance to the famous Luray Caverns in 
Virginia will decorate the same building. Messrs 
Nanz & Neuner, Louisville, Kentucky, have for¬ 
warded a fine consignment of choice Roses. 
Wisconsin proposes devoting a quarter of an acre 
on the wooded island to a Cranberry display in 
growing bushes. This is a leading industry in the 
Badger State. 
Japan promises great things in the way of a 
horticultural display. The leading Japanese artists 
will direct the landscape gardening, which will of 
itself be worth a long journey to see. This is no 
idle prophecy when we consider Japan’s ancient 
reputation in art and in horticulture. They will 
make the finest display possible of the flora of their 
country, and will collect from all parts of the 
kingdom. 
Forestry Department. 
Exhibits of woods (native) in the forestry depart¬ 
ment will be received by Chief Buchanan after 
Nov. 1st, 1892, and not later than April 20th, 1893. 
Sections of trees must not exceed 42 in. in length. 
Ornamental woods may be shown so as best to 
display their special adaptablities. Accurate infor¬ 
mation as to locality, amount of similar wood 
standing, and general history is requested. Models 
of mills, lumbering methods, transportation facilities, 
etc., will be shown. Ceylon will make a very fine 
display of ornamental woods in the construction of 
their buildings, in the Singhalese architecture of 
2,000 years.ago. 
The plans include a Kandian dagoba. Ebony, 
satin wood, calamander, tamarind, and palm woods 
will be used. All the products of the island will be 
shown, and Ceylon tea, ready for drinking, will be 
served free to visitors. Three columns will be 
furnished for the forestry building by the State of 
New York. For the first column, has been selected 
Balsam, black Spruce, and Tamarack, each 12 in. 
in diameter. For the second column, red, and 
black, or yellow Birch, each 12 in., and white Ash 
20 in.' For the third column, black Cherry, and red 
Beech, each 12 in., and Sugar Maple, 20 in. Each 
tree will be 25 ft. high, when set up, and each 
column will consist of three trees, the 20-in. ones in 
the centre of the cluster.—C. Macquarie, Chicago. 
