120 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 26, 1895. 
Cut your flowers in the morning, for one gathered 
then will outlast two cut with the midday sun upon 
them. 
A Big Turnip. —A yellow Turnip weighing thirty- 
pounds without the top, and raised on the farm of 
Middleton Cairness, Lonmay, has been exciting a 
deal of interest locally for some time past. 
The tuberous Artichoke.—I was yesterday (Sunday) 
at Bellagio, in Surrey, and there saw the tuberous 
Artichoke flowering freely. I know that this plant 
bears flowers in most years, in the western counties 
—Devon and Cornwall -but is it not an unusual 
occurrence to find it flowering so near London ? — 
J. C. Stogdon. 
Blood poisoning and artificial manures.—In the 
province of Brandenburg a strange malady broke 
out among the country .people, their hands being 
swollen in places, and sometimes so inflamed that 
amputation was necessary. It was ultimately dis¬ 
covered that the labourers thus afflicted had been 
scattering artificial manure on the fields. This 
manure contains Chilian saltpetre and chloric salts, 
and these stufls penetrating small wounds or 
scratches on the hands of the peasants had caused 
inflammation of the lympb-vessels and blocd- 
poisoning. Artificial manure ought, therefore, to be 
carefully handled. 
The Fruit question is one of considerable interest to 
fruit growers to-day, ior the glut in the market is so 
great that many owners of orchards fear that if they 
gather the Apples and send them to market the 
price realised will be too low to even pay for the 
gathering and carriage. It seems, however, a pity 
to let the fruit rot in the orchards, and the Parish 
Councillor, of Leeds, has sought the advice of two 
experts, Mr. B. H. Wells, of Crawley, and Mr. H. 
Hobday, of Cambridge. Mr Wells points to the 
primitive method which prevails in America of paring 
and slicing the Apples, threading them on strings, 
and hanging them to dry in the kitchen. Thousands 
of cons are still treated in this way, while in the 
larger centres the slicing and "evaporating" is 
is done by machines. 
Moorland Plants.—On the nth inst., at the 
Montgomery Hall, under the auspices of the Sheffield 
Naturalists' Club, Mr. E. Snelgrove, B.A., gave a 
lecture, entitled “Our Moorland Plants." The 
lecture took the form of a descripton of a ramble in 
which the various characteristic plants of the moors 
in the immediate neighbourhood were shown by 
means of the oxy-hydrogen lantern. The Alpine 
plants, such as Cloudberry, Cowberry, Bog Asphodel, 
and others, were described in detail, and the origin 
of Alpine flora was explained. Several moorland 
plants (not Alpine), such as Sundew, Milkwort, 
Gorse, Bedstraw (or Beadstraw), Cotton Sedge, 
Sheep’s-bit, Eyebright, yellow and red Rattle, were 
made the subjects of much interesting information. 
Different kinds of heather were shown, and the part 
played by the bog moss in the economy of nature 
explained. The chair was taken by Mr. H. Anty, 
the Vice-President, and the Hon. Secretary, Mr. 
C. Bradshaw, who had perepared the slides and 
manipulated the lantern. There was a good attend¬ 
ance. 
Paxton Society.—At the meeting of the members of 
this Society held at the Woolpacks Hotel, on the 5th 
inst., Mr. B. Whiteley presided, and Mr. B. 
Edmondson, solicitor, was the vice-chair. Despite 
the wet weather and other attraction there was a 
good attendance of members. The essayist was Mr. 
Thomas, gardener to the Bishop of Wakefield, and 
he gave a most excellent and very interesting essay 
on hardy climbers. Mr. Thomas pointed out the 
best varieties of fine foliage and blooming climbers 
suitable for the adornment of mansions, villas, 
cottages, etc , in this district, particularly mentioning 
different kinds of Virginian Creepers, Ivies, and 
Honeysuckle. Wistarias, the Ayrshire Rose, etc. 
The essay provoked a lengthy and most interesting 
discussion, in which some diversity of opinion was 
expressed as to the use of Ivy of various 
sorts for the adornment of dwelling-houses, some of 
the speakers expressing it as their opinion that it 
caused dampness, whilst others said it prevented 
dampness. 
An all-round manure is one that contains nitrogen, 
phosphorus, and potash. Most soils contain all 
the other seven essential elements of plant food in 
sufficient abundance unless they are relatively poor 
and sterile. 
Indian Summer.—Wild Strawberries and Rasp¬ 
berries have been gathered in the district of 
Chaddesley Corbett within the last few days, and 
an Apple tree in the village has a spray of blossom 
on it. 
Village Blacksmith Potato was raised by Mr. 
Cleland, blacksmith, Torphichen, West Lothian, 
and was first put into commerce by Mr. James Don, 
Wardhead, Bonnybridge. Under a rough exterior it 
hides excellent quality. 
" Cider.’’—The first number of a new monthly 
journal named Cider was issued on the 1st inst., 
from 15, Lincoln's Inn Fields, by Mr. Ernest Sam¬ 
son, who is the proprietor and editor. It is to be 
devoted to the interests of cider and perry, and is 
the official organ of the National Association of 
Cider Makers. The first issue consists of twenty- 
four pages, exclusive of the covers, and the price is 
sixpence. The object of the paper is to assist those 
engaged in cider and perry making to revive the 
interest in this industry, and to reinstate the former 
in a leading position as the people’s beverage; also 
to place at the farmer’s disposal the modern 
methods of making cider, and to assist dealers in 
marketing it. Several illustrations of the requisite 
machinery, presses, &c. for the making of the bever¬ 
age, are distributed through the first number, and a 
fairly lengthy article on the several processes 
necessary to the making of it is given. 
Certificates for Orchids at Brussels.—The sixty-first 
meeting of L’Orchideenne was held on October 13th 
in the galleries of the winter garden of L'Horticulture 
Internationale, Brussels. The jury awarded First- 
class Certificates of Merit to Cattleya labiata 
atrorubens, exhibited by M. le Comte de Bousies; 
to a group of Cattleya maxima floribunda, shown by 
M. Linden ; to Cattleya Trianaei, shown by M. 
Coppens; to a hybrid Cypripedium, shown by M. 
Madoux ; to Vanda caerulea, shown by M. Pauwels; 
to the hybrid Phaius amabilis, shown by M. Van 
Imschoot; to Cattleya gigas, from M. Madoux; to 
Cattleya maxima marginata and C. warocqueana, 
shown by M. Linden; and to Miltonia Bluntii 
lubbersiana, from M. le Comte de Bousies. Second- 
class Certificates of Merit were accorded to Vanda 
caerulea, Laeliocattleya, and Cattleya aurea, all 
shown by M. Linden; and to Cattleya gigas, from 
M. de Lombaerde. M. Linden had Botanical Certi¬ 
ficates for Bulbophyllum rufinum, a species of Eria, 
Cirrhopetalum Medusae, and a species of Dendro- 
bium. 
A Huge Pear.—There is a huge Pear on view in the 
window of the shop of Mr. C. Parker, fruiterer, &c., 
Slough, and it weighs no less than ilb. 120Z., nearly 
as much as the heaviest Pear at the Crystal Palace 
Fruit Show. The Pear, which is of the Pitmaston 
Duchesse variety, was grown by Mr. R. H. Barrett in 
his garden at Grove Lodge, the tree being supplied 
by Mr. C. Turner, of the Royal Nurseries. The 
Slough Observer says we have had the pleasure of 
sampling the other Pears on the tree, and can 
honestly say that the flavour is superb. As this 
season has favoured the abnormal growth of many 
varieties of fruit, we do not doubt but that many of 
our readers have also grown some magnificent speci¬ 
mens, and we should be only too happy to record 
their various weights and dimensions. As a result 
of the extreme mild weather of late. Raspberries 
and Strawberries have been sent us in as late as 
Thursday in order that we might chronicle the fact. 
Mr. R. H. Barrett also writes to say that it may 
interest the readers of The Gardening World to 
know that the Pear in question grew on the main 
stem near the top of a high wall tree, and that all 
the others growing on the branches were very much 
smaller, which seems to suggest that fruit does 
better that can draw its sap from the main, instead 
of the side branches—an experience similar to that 
of many of the London water consumers last 
winter. 
A Persian legend says that “ we should do good to 
our enemies, as the Sandal wood sheds its perfume 
on the axe that fells it. " 
The County of Buckingham is said to be so named 
from the great quantities of beech-nuts or “ buck ’’ 
formerly produced in its forests. 
A contractor in the French army has been 
sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for trying to 
palm off seventy-four sacks of old Beans as new. 
The French Grape Crop is likely to be below the 
average of the last few years in quantity, but the 
vintage of 1S95 promises to be remarkable for 
quality. 
Lecture on Apple culture. —Mr. C. D. Powell, one 
of the lecturers employed by the County Council to 
promote technical instruction in the rural districts, 
at Thorverton, on the 14th inst., gave a useful and 
instructive lecture on “ The Culture of the Apple.’’ 
He pointed out that it was quite possible for English 
farmers and others to produce equally good fruit as 
that which was imported from Canada, Tasmania, 
and other countries. He attributed the want of 
success in choice of soil, pruning, and selection of 
good sorts of Apples. He brought with him fruits 
of large size, excellent colour and form, and at the 
request of some who attended named several kinds 
which they had brought. There was a very good 
attendance. 
Shirley Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association. 
—The monthly meeting was held at the Parish 
Room, Shirley, Southampton, on the 21st inst. and 
there was a very strong muster of the members, 
the President taking the chair. The lecture was 
given under the auspices of the Hants County 
Council, the subject being “ An Epitome of Chrysan¬ 
themum Culture," and as the work had been 
entrusted to Mr. E. Molyneux, Swanmore Park 
Gardens, it need hardly be said that the subject was 
most admirably dealt with. The various points of 
the address were also illustrated with living examples 
of facts to be chiefly borne in mind by the would-be 
cultivators of the popular flower, and every detail 
was fully dwelt on, leaving little for after discussion. 
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. 
Molyneux at the close of the lecture. There was a 
competition for a certificate for best six blooms of 
Chrysanthemums offered by the Society which was 
awarded to Mr. G. Bushell, gardener to Mrs. Keats, 
Rownhams. There was also an exhibition of fruit 
and various plants. 
Dutch Horticultural and Botanical Society.—At a 
Floral Committee Meeting of September 14, 1895, 
The committee awarded First-class Certificates to 
Mr. J. Th. Van Den Berg, Jun., Jutfaas, for Cactus 
Dahlia Countess of Gosford and Bertha Mawley; 
to Mr. C. G. Van Tubergen, Jun., of Haarlem, for 
Cactus Dahlia Bertha Mawley, Countess of Radnor, 
Marquis, Earl of Pembroke, The Bishop, and Francis 
Humphries ; to Messrs. E. H. Krelage & Son, of 
Haarlem, for Cactus Dahlia Countess of Radnor, 
Robert Cannell, and Cannell’s Gem, Dahlia Grand 
Due Alexis, and Le Phare with single flowers ; to the 
botanical garden of Leiden for Vriesia suringariana ; 
to Mr. D. G. Vervooren, of Rotterdam, for Dianthus 
plumarius semperflorens ; to Messrs. W. D. Keessen 
Dzn. & Son, of Aalsmeer, for Begonia hybrida 
Aalsmeer’s Glory. Certificates of Merit were 
awarded to Messrs. E. H. Krelage & Son, of 
Haarlem, for Cactus Dahlia W. H. Cullingford, 
Dean Hole, Gloriosa, Beauty of Eynsford, Ernest 
Cannell, Mrs. Larkin, Mrs. Barham, Chancellor, 
Swayne, Old Gold, Ernest Cheal. Mrs. Keith, 
Dahlia (single flowers) Violetta and Gladiolus 
nanceianus Capitaine Marchand; to Mr. J. Th. 
Van Den Berg, Jun., of Jutfaas, for Cactus Dahlia 
W. H. Cullingford, Sonnen Cactus, Dean Hole, 
Gloriosa, Dahlia (single flowers) Mad. de 
Guinaumont, Jules Della Rosa, Mad. Paul Bredin, 
Cousin Jacob, and Duke of York ; to Mr. C. G. Van 
Tubergen, Jun., of Haarlem, for Cactus Dahlia 
Gloriosa, Harmony, Mrs. Portman Dalton, John 
Welch, and J. H. Roach; to Messrs. Groenewegen 
& Co., of Amsterdam, for Cactus Dahlia Gloriosa, 
and J. T. Barber, Dahlia (single flowers) Mad. Jules 
Closon, Asclepias incarnata alba, and Helianthus 
multiflorus maximus; to Messrs. A. P. Bouman & 
Son, of Arnhem, for Cactus Dahlia Beauty of 
