July 11, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
717 
The Victoria regia has commenced to flower earlier 
than usual this season in the Royal Botanic Society's 
Gardens, as a result, probably, says Mr. Sowerby, of 
the many sunny days we have had this season. The 
plant possesses half-a-dozen leaves, the largest of 
which measures 6 ft. in diameter. Mr. Sowerby, who 
weighs io st., says the leaf can support him sitting 
upon it. Nelumbium speciosum is also thriving and 
flowering beautifully. 
National Horticultural Exhibition at Florence.— 
Under the auspices of the Royal Horticultural 
Society of Florence, a national exhibition with an 
international congress, will be held in the gardens of 
the society at Florence, from the 8th to the 30th of 
May, 1897. Numerous Gold Medals and other 
prizes, in 182 classes are offered for various plants 
and collections of plants. The arrangements are 
very similar to those with which we are acquainted 
in western Continental Europe. 
Excursions.— On Wednesday the employees of 
Messrs. W. P. Laird & Sinclair, nursery and seeds¬ 
men, Dundee, held their annual picnic, the place 
chosen being Kinclaven Castle. The party, number¬ 
ing about sixty, journeyed thither in four brakes, 
leaving Dundee at 8.30. After an excellent repast 
the company engaged in various games, &c. Tea 
was provided at five o'clock, after which the party 
was photographed. Before leaving, thanks were 
given to Messrs. Laird, who generously defrayed the 
whole expenses. 
Ealing allotment and cottage gardens.—The grounds 
let tor gardening purposes, both at Ealing Dean and 
St. Mary’s, were examined the other week by Messrs. 
R. Dean, E. Fountain, and W. Rigden who acted 
as judges, and adjudicated the prizes. Seventeen 
awards were made at each of these places. Several 
cottage gardens were also examined, and nine prizes 
awarded, while three gardens were commended. 
The judges desired to call the attention of the 
trustees of St. Mary's allotment grounds, to one plot 
which was being neglected, causing uneasiness to the 
surrounding allotment holders on account of its foul 
and weedy state. 
National Chrysanthemum Society’s Annual Outing. 
—The annual picnic and outing will take place on 
Monday, July 20th next. The members will travel 
to Elstree Station by the Midland Railway, to visit 
the gardens and grounds of Aldenham House, 
Elstree, by the kind permission of Lord Aldenham. 
The gardens which are under the charge of Mr. 
Beckett are most attractive ; Lord Aldenham has 
granted permission for the members to fish in the 
lake which contains bream, perch, roach, pike, tench, 
gudgeon, and most fresh-water fish ; also, provided 
the family are not in residence, permission to play 
lawn tennis in the tennis courts, but those desirous 
of playing must take their racquets. There will also 
be ample provision for cricket. Dinner and tea 
will be provided in a spacious marquee on the lawn, 
by a thoroughly reliable contractor. Ladies are, as 
usual, specially invited. The charge for the day- 
including return fare from Mansion House and St. 
Pancras to Elstree and back, conveyance from the 
station to the lodge gates and back, dinner and tea, 
will be 8s. to members, and gs. to non-members. 
Members not using railway tickets, but using the 
conveyances to and from the railway station and 
lodge gates, will be charged 6s. 6d., and non-members 
7s. 6d. As this is certain to be a highly popular 
trip, early application must be made for tickets so 
that necessary arrangements may be made, more 
especially in reference to ample accommodation by 
rail, and for dinner and tea. Members must state 
whether they require tickets from Mansion House or 
St. Pancras, so that ample accommodation can be 
provided at each. No applications for tickets can 
entertained unless made by the evening of Friday, 
July 17th. Railway arrangements : 10.24 a.m.— 
Train leaves Mansion House (Midland platform), 
change at Kentish Town; 10.45 a.m.—Train leaves 
St. Pancras; 11.20 a.m.—Arrive at Elstree Station, 
take conveyances to lodge gates. At 1 p.m. sharp— 
Dinner in marquee on grounds ; 2 p.m.—Inspection 
of plant houses and gardens, fishing, cricket, lawn 
tennis, &c.; 5 p.m.—Tea in marquee; 6 p.m.—Go 
as you please; 8.56 p.m.—Train leaves Elstree for 
London, arrive St. Pancras, 9.35; Moorgate Street, 
10.10 —Richard Dean, Hon. Sec. 
“ English Flower Garden.”—A new and revised 
edition (the fifth) of this work will be published by 
Mr. Murray next week. 
Hints for emigrants.—A copy of the circular 
issued from the Emigrants' Information Office, 31, 
Broadway, Westminster, S.W., has been sent us, 
and from it we glean the undermentioned particulars. 
There is a demand for farm labourers in North 
West Canada, and in New Brunswick. In New 
South Wales the applications for homestead 
selections under the Land Act of last year continue 
to be very numerous. The mining interest in 
Victoria continues to be very active. The irrigation 
Colony in Mildura is in liquidation, but it is said 
that the Victorian Government may assist the settle¬ 
ment. Female servants are in great demand in 
Victoria. There are also excellent openings there 
for farmers, dairy farmers, fruit growers, and vine 
growers, if they have a little capital, and some 
experience of the country. There is no demand for 
more labour in South Australia. In Queensland, 
speaking generally, prospects are improving through¬ 
out the Colony, but there is no demand for more 
hands at present. There are openings for farmers 
with a little capital in the sugar districts, after they 
have had some experience of the country. 
Mechanics generally are wanted in Western 
Australia, as well as miners. In Tasmania there is 
renewed activity in the mining districts, where 
prospects look promising. 
Synciical Chamber of Belgian Horticulturists.—The 
report of the proceedings of the general assembly of 
this society on February 2nd last, has now been 
published in pamphlet form, running to 112 pages. 
It must have been rather a lengthy meeting, but by 
having the various reports prepared for the occasion, 
our Continental neighbours get through a considera- 
able amount of work in short space. The pamphlet 
is printed in Dutch and French on alternate pages so 
as to meet various classes of readers in Belgium, 
Holland and wherever those languages are written or 
spoken. M. Pynaert was deputed to read the report 
of the permanent committee upon the situation and 
the work of the Syndical Chamber; and in it we 
notice that M. Pynaert considers that the numerous 
foreign international exhibitions organised almost 
everywhere, were likely to endanger the success of 
their grand floral quinquennial exhibitions. They 
were to set aside a day for the discussion of that 
matter. He, however, made apressing appeal to the 
numerous members of the Chamber to prepare for 
the approaching quinquennial in 1898. He recalled 
the meeting on August 4th last, inviting all those 
interested in the exhibition to make known their pro¬ 
positions in view of that event, and to augment 
participation in the exhibition, for which no sacrifice 
ought to appear too great. M. Desire Van Herzeele, 
chief of culture with M. Maurice De Ghellinck of 
Walle at Wondelghem, had been awarded a large 
Medal of Honour as a testimony of their high esteem, 
for services he had rendered to horticultural industry 
during a period of more than half a century. 
- »tm ■ 
AQUILEGIAS. 
These have always been favourites with all lovers 
of hardy flowers. The various forms of A. vulgaris 
find a home in the gardens of a large percentage of 
establishments; besides this we have A. chrysantha, 
with its rich yellow flowers, A. caerulea, A. cali- 
fornica, scarlet, and A. glandulosa a most beautiful 
thing, known only to the select few. The above till 
the advent of Mr. Douglas’ hybrids, constituted the 
majority of the generally cultivated species. These 
hybrids are among the most beautiful of hardy 
flowers we possess, and when shown, as they fre¬ 
quently are, among collections of hardy flowers are 
greatly admired. The wonder is considering their 
hardiness and suitability for almost all soils and 
situations, they are not more widely disseminated 
and grown than they appear to be. The flowers are 
most elegantly shaped, having long spurs, resembling 
A. chrysantha in form ; and the number of different 
shades of colour is remarkable. They have long 
footstalks carrying the flowers well above the foliage, 
and are most excellent material for the decoration of 
vases. A packet of seed from any reliable firm will 
insure a good variety of colours. Sown early in 
heat, and pricked off when fit to handle, then after¬ 
wards potted into sixties, and planted out in April, 
many of them will flower the first year. Grown on 
in pots and taken into the conservatory when in 
flower they are no mean addition to the resources 
available for that purpose; and being so distinct 
from the majority of subjects generally found in such 
structures during the flowering season, they can¬ 
not fail to be a welcome addition to their attractions. 
—IV. B. G. 
-•*«- 
IMPROVED FLOWER CLIPS. 
A sample of the Sydenham Improved Unique 
Flower Clips has been sent us by Mr. Robert 
Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham. The work 
of tying up flower stems is always a laborious job 
where any particular classes of plants are grown in 
large quantities. The time is grudged for this opera¬ 
tion, particularly in the case of soft-wooded plants 
whose flowering period is relatively of short duration. 
The heavy blooms of Carnations, double Begonias, 
Lilies, and other things, particularly when grown in 
pots, render it necessary that the operation should be 
performed. The accompanying illustration, lent us 
Sydenham’s Improved Clip. 
by Mr. Sydenham, shows the Improved Clip now in 
use, but other two sizes are to be made to fit smaller 
stakes to make them suitable for a great variety of 
plants with which the cultivator has to deal. The 
stakes are round, perfectly smooth and painted 
green, or unpainted according to the wish of those 
who employ them. The clips are made of brass and 
whitened, so that they will neither rust nor injure 
the plants in any. way ; and fis they will last for three 
or four years, they soon repay themselves in the cost 
of extra labour they save. It is claimed that twenty 
stakes may be inserted in the soil and the flower 
stems fixed up to them by means of the clips, while 
the quickest man is tying up five or six by the old 
method. Where a large amount of tying is to be 
effected, the saving of labour would thus be 
considerable. The illustration represents a small 
portion (natural size) of a stake that is 3 ft. long. It 
has been put into commerce rather late in the season 
to benefit the bulk of Carnation growers, but will 
come in handy for late batches in pots, and for a 
variety of subjects no w being grown on for display 
in autumn and winter. Gardeners are really never 
out of want of stakes for various subjects. 
