July 4, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
709 
blooms. From what I can make out, the said plant 
will be ten years old. It would have been much 
larger but I have to keep pruning it to keep it within 
bounds.-— Thos. Cocbevill. 
KNIPHOFIA NORTHIAE. 
This South-East African species is the noblest of all 
as far as the foliage is concerned The great glaucous, 
grooved leaves are serrulated at the edges and 
clasp each other at the base in such a way that they 
form a thick-necked stem like a gigantic Leek or 
huge Onion that does not intend to form a bulb and 
ripen off. The foliage is therefore a marked and 
most distinct feature of the plant, but the flowers, 
although conspicuous and showy in themselves, are 
not so brightly coloured as in the case of several 
other better known species. They are arranged in a 
two-ended or double cone, the dense and massive 
spike tapering in either direction. The tubular 
flowers are pale red before they expand, but after 
that event they become pale yellow, partly owing to 
the fading of the flower and partly from the profusion 
of long yellow stamens which become protruded and 
extended far beyond the tubular flowers. For 
several years this species was conspicuous in the 
succulent house at Kew, where the plants were 
grown in pots. Several huge specimens have been 
flowering for some time past in the angle between 
the Orchid and Victoria houses at Kew, where they 
have been established in the open air. The flowers 
and foliage together constitute a very striking com¬ 
bination, apd visitors are struck by the strange and 
uncommon appearance of the plants. 
SALVIA ARGENTEA. 
A round bed filled with this comparatively little 
known Salvia is just now a very conspicuous object 
in the grass near the southern end of the Palm 
House at Kew. The plants are about 3 ft. in height, 
and carry large, branching panicles of bloom. The 
flowers are pinkish-white in colour, and much larger 
than the usual run of Salvias. The leaves are 
thickly covered with white woolly hairs. The 
radical leaves particularly give the plant a rather 
curious appearance as they hug the ground very 
closely. In the first year of its growth—for S. 
argentea is a biennial—the habit of the plant is that 
of a low prostrate herb, and when the leaves reach 
a good size a very ornamental appearance is pre¬ 
sented. 
NERTERA DEPRESSA. 
This is one of the very many plants which have been 
pressed into service by those who have gone in 
largely for carpet bedding, and had it not been for 
the birds taking a fancy to its beautiful coral-red 
berries, it would in all probability have still been 
used for that purpose, its habit and style of growth 
well fitting it for this kind of work. It is besides 
among the most beautiful of berried plants, resemb¬ 
ling in colour of foliage some of the dwarfer 
Saxifrages sprinkled over with beads of coral. Those 
who would fain use it elsewhere have to be content 
with either frame or greenhouse culture on account 
of our biped friends. When grown in pots, the surface 
of which is sprinkled over with fine Derbyshire spar, 
the effect of the bright red berries is heightened.— 
17 . B. C. 
—— 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Fruit Growing. 
Fruit Growing: By B. Wells, F.R.H.S., R.A.S.E., 
The Fruit Nurseries, Crawley. Price is. 
This is a small book of some 82 pages, to which, 
however, an appendix is added, containing short 
essays on land tenure, birds, and injurious insects, 
tree washes, and short descriptions of a few Apples. 
Mr. Wells gives a more lengthy list on p. 35 ; but he 
mentions The Queen, Cox’s Pomona, Keswick 
Codlin, Domino, Duchess of Oldenburg, and Lord 
Suffield, which he says are not worth culture for 
market nor for cider making. What seems most in 
demand at present he says, are good keeping 
varieties such as French Crab, Wellington, Northern 
Greening, Caldwell, Bess Pool, etc. Nevertheless, 
some of the first-named list, but particularly Keswick 
Codlin and Lord Suffield, do appear regularly in the 
market every year, in greater or less quantity. He 
advises the planting of Cox’s Orange to any extent in 
places where it will grow, for it is the most valuable 
Apple grown, statements with which we agree. His 
plea for fruit culture, is evidently made entirely from 
the market-gardener's point of view. 
There are 27 short chapters in the book dealing 
with a great variety of practical subjects, and the 
well arranged contents save the necessity of an index, 
though the same might have been improved by 
giving the page on which each chapter commences. 
In the summary of reasons for the extension of fruit 
culture, the author is somewhat rosy in his state¬ 
ments; but the edge of this encouragement is rather 
rubbed off when he gives reasons for the neglect of 
orchards. Other chapters deal with soils and varie¬ 
ties, stocks, manure, draining, preparation to plant, 
mixed orchards, renovaticn of old orchards, storage, 
Apple drying, cost of planting, Pears, Plums, 
Cherries, Raspberries, and other small fruits, pack¬ 
ing for market, etc. A considerable amount of space 
is devoted to cultural treatment and other matters 
relating to the Apple, as he considers that the 
information given, applies largely to all other kinds 
of fruit. Many of the leading questions in connection 
with fruit growing are tackled, but not at great 
length. 
The question of manure is an important one, but 
the author in this case is sometimes not exactly in 
line with the most advanced thinkers and writers in 
the matter of plant food. The subject may be rather 
a subtle one to tackle by a practical man ; but the 
theory of the subject is not difficult to surmount, 
provided the writer bad time to give it a little calm 
study and thinking of the information supplied by 
the best physiologists. The nitrate contained in 
farmyard manure that has been exposed to the 
weather for some time and washed by rain, the 
author reckons might be worth twopence. While 
granting that the nitrogen contained in it would be 
small, we consider that this wasted manure would be 
worth a good deal more than that sum, merelj for 
mulching purposes. Farmyard manure is also very 
serviceable ia light soils by making them more 
retentive of moisture. The chapter on packing for 
market will be found useful and interesting. As a 
book, the chief fault to this is the bad punctuation. 
Many sentences read well enough if the reader dis¬ 
regards the colons and semi-colons, which occasion¬ 
ally separate subject and predicate. 
--*•- 
SOCIETIES. 
Richmond Horticultural, 247 1 //. —Although this 
show was decidedly thinner than that of last year it 
well sustained its reputation as a popular and success¬ 
ful meeting. It was held as usual in the Old Deer 
Park, four roomy tents being devoted to the various 
exhibits of decorative plants, cut flowers, fruit and 
vegetables. 
Miscellaneous exhibits were fairly numerous, and 
added much to the success of the show from a horti¬ 
cultural point of view. Messrs. John Peed & Sons, 
Roupell Park Nurseries, Norwood Road, S.E., were 
well to the fore with a superb display of Caladiums, 
for which a Silver-Gilt Medal was awarded. 
Carnations were well shown by Messrs. Wm. Cut- 
bush & Son, Highgate, N., Germania appearing to 
especial advantage (Silver Medal). Similar awards 
were made to Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill 
Park, Enfield, for a group of well flowered Cannas 
in small pots; and to Messrs. John Laing'& Sons, 
Forest Hill, S.E., for a tastefully arranged group of 
miscellaneous plants. The Begonias, both single 
and double, shown by Mr. H. J. Jones, Ryecroft 
Nursery, S.E. received a Silver Gilt Medal. A 
similar award was made to Messrs, J. Veitch &Sons, 
Chelsea, for a fine group of Roses in pots, which 
were remarkable for their dwarfness and floriferous- 
ness. Mr. William Iceton, Putney, also staged a 
group of foliage plants with his usual taste and skill 
(Silver Gilt Medal). Messrs. Fromow & Sons, 
Sutton Court Nursery, Chiswick, sent samples of the 
highly ornamental Japanese Acers (Silver Medal). 
Exceedingly pretty non-competitive groups of 
plants were also forthcoming from Mr. J. F. 
McLeod, gardener to J. P. Morgan, Esq., Dover- 
house, Roehampton (Silver Medal); Mr. W. H. 
Holah, St. Mary’s Nursery, Richmond (Silver 
Medal) ; and Mr. Geo, Wythes, Syon House, Brent¬ 
ford (Silver Gilt Medal). 
Messrs. Jas. Carter & Co., High Holborn, made a 
brave display with Delphiniums, Violas, Irises, and 
single and double Petunias (Silver Gilt Medal). 
Messrs. Barr & Son, King Street, Covent Garden, 
exhibited hardy cut flowers in great profusion 
(Silver Medal). Charming indeed was a group of 
miscellaneous plants set up by Messrs. B. S. 
Williams & Sod, Upper Holloway, N. It included 
some fine pieces of such Orchids as Vanda suavis, 
Oncidium crispum, and Tbunia marshalliana (Silver 
Medal). A large and showy group of Orchids was 
set up by Messrs, Hugh Low & Co,, Clapton, N.E. 
(Silver Gilt Medal). Hardy cut flowers were shown 
in quantities by Messrs. Jas Veitch & Sons, and 
Messrs. Geo. Jackman & Son, Woking, Silver 
Medals being awarded in both cases. 
In the classes according to schedule the following 
exhibitors won first prizes :—Mr. H. El Fordham, 
Twickenham; Mr. C. Want, gardener to Sir F. 
Wigan, Clare Lawn, East Steen ; Mr. W. J Port- 
bury, Putney Heath, for groups of flowers ; Mr. 
Chas. Turner, Slough, for show and regal Pelar¬ 
goniums ; Mr. C. J. Waite, Esher, for six specimen 
Ferns ; Mr. J. Allsop, gardener to W. Cunard, Esq., 
Twickenham, for Caladiums; Mr. Farr, gardener 
to A. Pears, Esq , of Isleworth ; Mr. A. Offer, 
Crawley, for specimen Ferns; and Mr. Potter, 
gardener to J. H. Master, Esq., Roehampton, for 
two specimen stove flowering plants in pots. 
Cut Roses were represented by a superb lot of 
blooms. Those sent by Messrs. D. Prior & Sons, 
Colchester, were awarded a first prize, and well they 
deserved it, the size, colour, and finish of the blooms 
leaving little to be desired, Mr. R. E. West, Reigate, 
and Mr. C. Want, were also credited with first 
awards for much smaller quantities. Mr. W. Rumsey 
received a Bronze Medal for a neat little collection 
in which Teas figured conspicuously. 
The whole of the central table in one large tent 
was filled with table decorations, numerous effective 
and pretty bouquets, sprays, epergnes, and baskets, 
being on view. The following were some of the most 
successful competitors and winners of first prizes. 
Miss C. B. Cole, Feltham, and Miss Crump, 
Twickenham, for floral baskets ; Mrs. F. W. Seale, 
Sevenoaks, for epergnes; and Messrs. Perkins & 
Sons, Coventry, for bouquets. 
The tent in which the fruits and vegetables were 
accomodated was rather scantily filled. Mr. J. 
Gibson, gardener to E. H. Watts, Esq., Devonhurst, 
Chiswick, was the most successful competitor for the 
prize for a collection of vegetables offered by Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, of Reading. For a similar collection, 
for which prizes were offered by Messrs. Carter & 
Co. Mr. T. Wilkin, Henstridge, was the foremost 
exhibitor. 
--- 
OBITUARY. 
It is with regret that we record the death of Mr. 
Bruce Findlay who passed away from the scene of 
his labours on the 16th ult., and was buried at 
Stretford Cemetery on the 19th. He was followed 
to his last resting place by a large concourse of the 
fraternity, and others who knew him. He was of 
Scotch extraction, though born at Streatham, in 
Surrey. After leaving school he was apprenticed to 
Messrs. Rollisson, of Tooting, from whence he went 
to the Royal Gardens, Kew, though his name is not 
included in the list of the "Kew Guild.” He was 
afterwards in the Botanic Gardens, Hull, for two 
years in the capacity of foreman, and then went to 
the Sheffield Botanic Gardens, where he occupied a 
similar position. 
When translated to the Manchester Botanical 
Gardens, as curator in 1858, hs had fuller scope for 
his peculiar talent, and in a shcrt time enlisted the 
sympathy and confidence of all with whom he came 
in contact. Here he made a name for the gardens 
and himself, that has long been a household word in 
the domain of gardening, for Manchester and Bruce 
Findlay were inseparable words in the minds of a 
multitude of gardeners, and others throughout the 
length and breadth of the land. The annual spring 
show was altered to Whitsuntide, at the suggestion 
of Mr. Findlay in 1867, and the sum of £200 offered 
in prizes was increased to £1,000. The whole aspect 
of affairs was completely altered, and the small, local 
and provincial show became one of national 
importance. By this time gardening was being 
prosecuted with vigour at Manchester, and the 
country liberally responded, for exhibits, exhibitors, 
and visitors came from all quarters, and the name of 
Manchester spread everywhere, under the able 
