704 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 9, 1892. 
he Garden a Solace. —Amidst fthe 
whirlpool of election excitemenffand 
the fever of party political agitation from 
which few men may now be absolutely free, 
how pleasant it is to turn to the sweet solace 
and intelligent recreation which gardening 
affords. Probably there are thousands of 
ardent political workers who are looking 
with some little anticipation to the usual 
summer holiday, and hope to find then 
that rest and recuperation which many will 
so much need. But those who have 
gardens, however small, when flowers or 
other products are cultivated, find even 
amidst the turmoils of the present election 
some of the alleviations in gardening from 
which others less happily situated are 
debarred. 
The British are not essentially an excit¬ 
able race, whereas in some countries public 
events often arouse to the utmost the warm 
temperaments of the inhabitants. The very 
frequency with which such feelings are 
called into play, serve to school the mind 
and exhaust the force of the outbreak. 
Here we are a somewhat phlegmatic people, 
difficult to excite, hard to arouse, but once 
excited up to fever point, as is just now 
the case, the fever is hard to restrain and 
difficult to allay. In gardening, however, 
there is restraint and compensation. The 
work amidst flowers or plants of some 
description, in quietude and under the 
canopy of heaven where the air is pure and 
free, when there is absence from the busy 
hum of life and the brain is unvexed with 
questions of doubt, of antagonism and of 
difficulty, there is found peace and repose 
and recuperation. 
We venture to think that very few who 
garden are amenable to homicidal ten¬ 
dencies, whilst the work seems to be so 
conducive to peace and contentment. We 
are not assuming that anyone will, hermit¬ 
like, retire absolutely from public life and 
bury his days henceforth in a garden ; that 
would indeed be foolish. We want to see 
the enjoyment of garden labour made good 
healthful recreation for the busy, the 
enthusiastic, and the energetic, without 
whom the world could indifferently exist. 
■Horticultural Instructors.— A notable 
'N* incident in relation to the obtaining of 
competent instructors in gardening for 
allotments and small gardens is an 
advertisement issued by the Hampshire 
County Council, inviting applications for 
such offices from qualified persons. That 
there is a genuine desire on the part of the 
County Councils to spread abroad know¬ 
ledge on gardening there can be no doubt, 
and this advertisem-nt is in this instance 
an indication of what we state. The chief 
difficulties, so far as relates to the securing 
of really capable men, are on the side of 
the County Councils, though there are 
some notable exceptions, and are to be 
found in the moderate remuneration offered 
and the insecurity of the tenure of the office. 
It must be very obvious that no capable 
man can undertake work of this nature so 
long as he is engaged as a gardener, and 
if he has not been or is not a practical 
gardener then he is somewhat unfitted to 
undertake duties of the nature here 
specially required of him. To secure the 
services of really able men they should not 
only be offered good pay, but also some 
prospect of permanent occupation. But 
competency doesnot alone lie in knowledge, 
of which plenty of men may have an 
abundance. It is absolutely needful that 
instructors should not only know just what 
sort of knowledge they should impart, but 
also have the too-rare facility of being 
able to impart it in a free, easy, and effec¬ 
tive way. 
The instructor who cannot hold his 
audience for an hour at least, if need be, 
will not have much success in his labours. 
Very few who may have inclinations to 
undertake duties of this kind know how 
much and varied is the knowledge they 
may be expected to possess ; indeed it is 
needful to have every topic figuratively at 
their fingers ends. It rvould be a misfor¬ 
tune all the same were County Councils 
unable to find the needful ability, but 
it is not too common and should be 
well remunerated. 
Rhododendrons. — We have learnt on 
excellent trade authority that it is the 
rule to export large numbers of small plants 
of Rhododendrons to the United States 
from England. Naturally that reads very 
much iike sending coals to Newcastle, but 
then it so happens that whilst America is 
the native habitat of many of the Rhodo¬ 
dendron family, it is not alone. Such of all 
the species, and some of the Himalayan 
varieties, as well as from other parts of 
India and various districts of Europe, as 
have been from time to time employed to 
cross-fertilize the American species, have 
developed varieties here in England which 
no other country seems to have been 
capable of producing, hence it is doubtless 
a fact that the home trade possess the 
finest collection of hardy varieties of the 
Rhododendron in the whole world. There¬ 
fore it is no matter for wonder if we send 
some of these beautiful forms to our 
friends in America. 
Rhododendrons have had a fairly good 
time this year, having bloomed well and so 
far made good stout shoots for next year’s 
bloom production. In some low-lying 
districts the young leafage suffered slightly 
from the severe frosts of the middle'of June, 
but no great harm was done, as then the 
growth had become fairly firm. Whilst it is 
the rule for the bulk of the hybrids to bloom 
mostly in the summer there are not a few 
which will flower freely so early as March, 
April, and May. Plants of good size that 
are thus early merit some protection, and it 
is not too much to ask that some rough frame 
work which may be covered with canvas 
at night, might be fi xed over these precocious 
bloomers as their beauty merit all care 
and attention. 
Very early varieties planted in woods 
beneath overhanging trees if induced 
to grow will bloom profusely and suffer 
little during sharp frosty weather. We 
cannot now imagine any pretentious garden 
which does not possess a good selection 
of Rhododendrons, for these have no equals 
as hardy evergreen flowering shrubs. 
-- 
The Oxford Union Carnation Show —Welearn from 
Mr. Dodwell that the date fixed for holding this 
annual exhibition in his garden at Oxford is Thurs¬ 
day, July 28th, two days after the National Society’s 
show at the Drill Hall, Westminster. 
Sir James Whitehead, Bart., who for several years 
past has taken such a prominent interest in the sub¬ 
ject of hardy fruit culture, was elected, unopposed, 
on Saturday last, as one of the Liberal members for 
Leicester. 
The Gardens at Sandringham.— A notice has been 
issued by Sir D. M. Probyn, comptroller to the 
household of the Prince of Wales, to the effect that 
the gardens and grounds at Sandringham will not be 
open to the public this season as they have hitherto 
been. 
The St. Ives, Hunts, Flower Show will take place on 
Thursday, July 28th. Schedules can be obtained 
from the secretary, Mr. Walter Mann, St. Ives. 
The National Co-operative Flower Show will be 
held at the Crystal Palace, on Saturday, August 20th, 
instead of on the Saturday previous as originally 
arranged. Intending exhibitors should note that 
entries will close on the nth. 
The new list of Doctors’ of Science of the University 
of London includes the name of Mr. Bernard Dyer, 
on whom the degree has been conferred for contri¬ 
butions to the chemistry of Agriculture. Theother 
names on the list are, in the department of Chemistry 
those of Mr. S. F. Dufton and Mr. W. P. Wynne, 
and, in the department of Zoology, that of Mr. T. 
Jeffrey Parker. 
New Gloxinias. —At the annual summer show of the 
Richmond Horticultural Society, held last week, 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons made a grand display with 
their Gloxinias. The committee awarded six First- 
class Certificates, one to each sort shown, viz. :— 
Gloxinia Her Majesty, pure white flowers of great 
substance and perfect form, foliage dark green, and 
of crassifolia type ; Gloxinia Duke of York, scarlet 
and white; and Gloxinia Sutton’s New Netted 
Strain; Begonia, fibrous-rooted, Duchess of Edin¬ 
burgh, of the semperfiorens type, with large, pink 
flowers ; and Crimson Gem, of similar habit to the 
above, with bright scarlet flowers. 
Mr. Alderman Coldwells, of Croydon, who suc¬ 
ceeded in gaining a seat on Tuesday in North 
Lambeth, his opponent being Mr, H. M. Stanley-, 
the African explorer, is, we believe, the first member 
of Parliament, since the time of Sir Joseph Paxton, 
who has been a gardener. Mr. Coldwells worked 
as a gardener for several years, at which period he 
took an active part in forwarding the Band of Hope 
and Temperance movement, afterwards identifying 
himself with political life previous to and during the 
the time of the old Reform League. Since his 
removal to Croydon, where he went into business as 
as a tailor and outfitter, he has occupied a prominent 
position in the borough, being returned to the first 
and three following School Boards, and being also a 
member of the Local Board of Health. He took an 
active part in obtaining the Charter of Incorporation, 
and was returned one of the first members of the 
Corporation, and elected an alderman by his 
colleagues, and appointed a magistrate when the 
borough bench was formed. 
The Growth of Asparagus.—The American Agricul¬ 
turist states that the unusually heavy rains of last 
spring caused the Piasa River in Madison County, 
Illinois, to overflow and inundate the adjoining 
extensive Asparagus fields of Mr. Kellenberger. The 
flood thus laid bare the roots of the plants to such 
an extent as to afford a most useful object lesson on 
the growth of Asparagus. It was then shown that 
the roots of an Asparagus plant four years old 
spread out horizontally-, a little below the surface of 
the soil, for about 13 ft. in diameter. Each root 
extended from 5 tt. to 7 ft. from the crown, and none 
struck downwards. It is therefore evident that 
Asparagus plants should be set a distance at least 
3 ft. apart each way, to give full scope for the many 
roots to grow. 
Sevenoaks Gardeners’ Improvement Society. —About 
forty members and friends were present at the meet¬ 
ing held on the 21st ult., including a small con¬ 
tingent from the Tonbridge Society. The chair was 
taken by Mr. Aylward Some excellent vegetables 
were staged by Mr. A. Hoodley, Mr. Emery, Mr. 
Heath and Mr. Farmer, the first-named especially- 
showing a fine basket of produce. Mr. Searing had 
some good pot Strawberries, and Mr. Westcott, 
Mushrooms. There was a competition for prizes 
offered for six bunches of hardy flowers, and Mr. 
Duberry secured the first, and Mr. Fox the second. 
Cabbages were also well shown by amateurs, and 
prizes were awarded to Messrs Hayward, Walfe 
and Reynolds in the order named. Mr. Hoodley 
gave an address to the meeting on Mushrooms, 
speaking for some fifteen minutes, after which a dis¬ 
cussion took place, in which a number of the 
members joined. 
National Chrysanthemum Sooiety.—At a meeting of 
the general committee, held on the 30th ult., Mr. R. 
Ballantine presiding, a small sub-committee was ap¬ 
pointed to make arrangements for the Conference, to 
be held on October 12th, to consider the proposed 
enlargement of show boards for Japanese blooms. 
Designs were submitted for the proposed Holmes’ 
Memorial Challenge Trophies, and the subject re¬ 
ferred to a sub committee for consideration. It was 
also unanimously resolved to request the schedule 
committee to prepare a supplement to be issued in 
the autumn with the society’s catalogue, and bringing 
the lists up to date. Mr. C. Harman Payne reported 
with reference to the intimation made at a previous 
meeting, that a New Zealand amateur grower, 
