812 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 22,1896. 
counter question to this, if we may so term 
it, was the necessity of a special manure for 
Violas. This would differ very little in kind 
from other artificial manures, as far as the 
simple chemical elements are concerned, but 
might vary in the particular combination 
employed. The artificial composition that 
would give the greatest beneficial results 
would entail some experiments. Such 
might very well form the basis of the work 
in connection with a trial next year. Violas 
might be grown in fresh ground as well as 
in that occupied by them this year. Such 
a test would go to prove whether it were 
possible to grow Violas in the same beds 
year after year with equal success as in 
fresh soil. The manure that would ensure 
such a result, would prove a boon indeed to 
hundreds of cultivators. Encouraged by 
such an example, cultivators of various 
other classes of plants could adopt the 
theory and put its feasibility to a practical 
test. Degeneracy takes more than one form 
in gardens where Violas are grown too often 
upon the same soil. Many varieties die off 
wholesale ; others grow very slowly and 
produce but a small quantity of flowers 
during the whole length of the season. 
Others again produce very small flowers 
after the first flush of spring is over ; but 
that may result from individual peculiarity, 
or from the character of the season. Another 
class, particularly those most nearly allied 
to the Pansy, produce striped instead of 
self-coloured flowers. The colours may “run” 
as gardeners say, or the plants or a portion 
of them may sport into a different colour 
altogether, or a mixture of colours. As a 
rule these sports are greatly inferior to the 
type and in every respect undesirable. 
Some of the speakers at the conference 
advocated the planting of Violas in autumn, 
so that they might get thoroughly estab¬ 
lished before winter. Others condemned 
the practice and considered that March was 
the proper month. Late spring planting 
certainly ought to be avoided. Doubtless, 
these experiences depend largely upon the 
nature of the soil and the proximity to 
large smoky towns, or otherwise. We cannot 
omit mention of the fact that the 
miniature section of Violas has been entirely 
overlooked. Surely this is matter for regret, 
even if the public does not at first take 
kindly to the strain. The same indifference 
was exhibited towards fancy Pansies, when 
first introduced; but they are now more 
popular than the show varieties proper. 
That some of the miniature strain of Violas, 
have been utilised and appreciated for 
bedding purposes, is an established fact. 
-- 
Shrewsbury Fete.—A special report of this grand 
show will be found on p. 821. 
Mesopotamia is considered by several good 
authorities to have been the aboriginal home of 
Wheat. 
Diatoms are Unicellular Plants, some of which are 
so small that 3,000 laid end to end would only cover 
an inch, lineal measure. 
Trees which grow on the northern aspects of hills 
or mountains are said to produce more durable, 
harder, and better timber than those which grow on 
a southern aspect. 
Lift the Bulbs of Lilium candidum where they are 
crowded, or have not been thriving, and replant in 
fresh soil. This should be done while the bulbs are 
still at rest. 
Sow Pansies and Violas in boxes or frames for early 
work next spring and summer. Transplant into lines 
2 in. apart each way when the seedlings are large 
enough to handle easily, 
Guernsey Summer Show was a great success this 
year, the exhibits being very numerous, and the 
quality of the material excellent. The competition 
in the ciasses for Grapes and Tomatos was 
especially keen. 
Tomatos are good for the liver and for those having 
rheumatic tendencies. They should be eaten in the 
raw state at meals or otherwise. 
A Show of Flowers, Fruit, and Vegetables was held 
at Tenby, on the 12th inst., and included more than 
1,000 entries of good quality. The show was admir¬ 
ably arranged, and very successful. 
Royal Botanic Society—The annual income of this 
Society is £5,169 18s. 6d. The debenture debt at 
one time stood at £20,000, but this has now been 
reduced to £16,500. The accumulated debt amounts 
to £19,774 4s. nd., and was largely brought about 
by a succession of disastrously wet years, especially 
on the days of fetes and flower shows. It is believed 
that a similar succession of fine years would speedily 
wipe out this debt. Last year 109 new fellows were 
elected, 
Manure for Tomatos.—At the last lecture delivered 
by Dr. Clarke of the Yorkshire College, at the orchard 
of Mr. E. Miller, of Thorne Waterside, he spent 
half-an-hour in the Tomato houses. From 100 plants 
of one variety were obtained 1,784 lbs. The stimulant 
found most useful consisted of two parts sulphate 
of ammonia, five parts mineral superphosphate, four 
parts kainit, and one part washing soda. When the 
plants had grown to some extent the sulphate of 
ammonia was increased to three parts, and then to 
four parts as the plants attained a considerable 
height. 
Guavas and Cape Gooseberries grown at Durrow, 
Queen’s County, were exhibited by Lord Ashbrook 
(gardener, Mr. James M’Kellar) at the meeting of 
the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, at 6i, 
Dawson Street, Dublin, on the 10th inst. The fruits 
were of excellent flavour, and Mr. M’Rellar was 
commended for his successful cultivation. The fruit 
and flower show to be held on the 28th inst., 
promises to be the best of its kind yet held in 
Dublin. 
Flower Culture as a means of Education.—The 
committee of the Manchester Art Museum, has for 
some time past been trying to interest children in 
plant-life by means of pictures of trees and flowers. 
The principal collection is exhibited in the Man¬ 
chester Museum, but 237 smaller collections have 
been lent to as many school departments. A sum of 
money has been placed at their disposal by Mr. C. 
P. Scott, and Mr. Goldschmidt, and with this they 
promoted a show for window gardening, which took 
place on the 15th inst., when forty small prizes were 
awarded. 
Erratum.—In the report of the Forest Hill and 
Catford Show, in the fourteenth line from the top 
of the middle column, for “ Mr. E. St. John Tasker ” 
read Mr. E. St. John Tucker. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, August 25th, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Westminster, 1 to 5 p.m. A 
lecture will be given at 3 o’clock on " Forcing Lily 
of the Valley ’’ by Mr. T. Jannoch, F.R.H.S. 
Mr. William Hay, who has served as foreman in 
the gardens, Ayton Castle, Ayton, N.B., has been 
appointed gardener and estate manager to Mrs. 
Newall, Ferndene, Gateshead, Newcastle-on-Tyne. 
Apple Trees in Jadoo Fibre—At the fourth annual 
exhibition of the Shaldon and Ringmore Horti¬ 
cultural Society on the nth inst., Col. Halford 
Thompson, of Bishopsteignton, exhibited a group of 
stove and greenhouse plants, and a novelty, in the 
shape of Apple trees grown in Jadoo Fibre, and 
bearing excellent samples of fruit, for which he was 
highly commended by the judges. 
Fine Exercise.— Pearson's Weekly is of opinion that 
digging is the best exercise, that it is a fine aid to 
digestion, an incomparable recipe for driving away 
insomnia, and an admirable cure for a fit of the 
blues. It has the advantage of seldom becoming 
mechanical enough to allow the mind to become 
absorbed in thought. Herein it is superior to 
sculling. 
Flower Show at Tower Hill House.—The seventh 
annual show of the Kingsclere District Horticultural 
Society was held in the grounds of Tower Hill 
House, and proved the best since the inauguration 
of the society. Prizes were offered in 150 classes, 
bringing about 1,200 entries. These included fruits, 
flowers, and vegetables, as well as industrial exhibits. 
Dr. Maples, in whose grounds the show was held, 
was the honorary secretary and the moving spirit of 
the organisation. 
The Deer on Exmoor make moonlight excursions 
into the orchards and shake the Apples from the 
branches with their horns. 
The pounded Fibres of soft and decayed wood are 
mixed with honey and eaten by the Veddahs or wild 
hunters of Ceylon when meat is unobtainable. 
Lumber is a term applied to trees which have been 
cut, raised from the ground, dressed or reduced to 
the desired form, and left there to season. 
The Rontgen Rays have been utilised to illustrate 
flowers in the bud state. The pictures show the 
ovules in position. Seeds have been shown in the 
interior of fruits, and likewise the veins in the petals 
of a white flower. 
While a man named Kofl er was collecting Edelweiss 
on a mountain near Bozen in the Tyrol, his son, a 
lad of fourteen, missed his footing and fell over a 
precipice into a mountain torrent, receiving injuries 
which proved fatal. 
Orchids at the Sale Rooms.—Flowering specimens 
of Orchids were not so numerous as we have seen 
them at the Central Sale Rooms of Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris, Cheapside, on the 14th inst. 
This is easily accountable from the fact that Orchids 
are mostly out of season and buyers mostly out of 
town. A fine piece of Cattleya gaskelliana alba 
went for 14 gs., and C. g. albens for 15 gs. Cattleya 
Miss Williams, a hybrid-, was sold for 5igs. A good 
piece of Cattleya hardyana was knocked down at 
25 gs.; C. Eldorado Wallisi at 4J gs. ; C. aurea at 
2 gs.; Vanda caerulea at 10 gs.; a piece of Odonto- 
glossum vexillarium superbum at 14 gs.; and Cypri- 
pedium vexillarium superbum at n gs. 
Irish-grown Daffodils—A very lengthy list of 
Daffodils divided into numerous sections is published 
by Mr. W. B. Hartland, of Cork. It is something 
more than a mere list, however, seeing that every 
variety recorded is described, and special information 
given concerning many of them. There can be no 
doubt but that Mr. Hartland is the champion in the 
cause having for its object home-grown Daffodils 
and Tulips in Ireland. Needless to say his list 
includes all the best varieties grown in Britain, 
whether raised at home or on the Continent; but it 
also contains a large number which have either been 
raised or rescued from oblivion in the gardens of 
Ireland by Mr. Hartland in his enthusiasm for beau¬ 
tiful hardy plants. With many of the varieties thus 
rescued or raised by him we have long been familiar, 
but less well known are John Ridd and Loma Doone, 
which must be fine if at all worthy of the memory of 
their namesakes. Maximus Superbus Longivirens 
is rather a cumbrous name for a Daffodil, but the 
text explains the reason for using it. Primrose 
Dame, Tuscan Bonnet, lone, and Nanus Pallidus 
are other varieties raised by Mr. Hartland. 
Hamburg Exhibition, 1897 .—The council of the 
Royal Horticultural Society has formed a committee 
to co-operate in England with the committee of 
management of the Great Hamburg Horticultural 
Exhibition, 1897. The following gentlemen have 
been requested to act on this committee with power 
to add to their number-Sir Trevor Lawrence, 
Bart , chairman, H. J. Veitcb, W. T. Thiselton Dyer, 
Dr. Morris, Baron Schroder, Owen Thomas, Geo. 
Bunyard, J. T. Bennett-Poe, H. Self-Leonard, Chas. 
E. Shea, W. Marshal), Philip Crowley, and the Rev. 
W. Wilks, M.A. The committee will be called 
together as soon as the holiday season is over. 
Park Place, Henley-on-Thames —Splendid weather 
favoured the annual red-letter day at Park Place, on 
Thursday, August 13th, when past and present em¬ 
ployes in the gardens of this well-known establish¬ 
ment assembled at Mrs. Noble's kind invitation to 
hold high festival. Particular interest was attached 
to this year's meeting on account of the presentation 
which was to be made to Mr. Stanton by those who 
have served under him, and who had taken the 
opportunity of giving a practical demonstration of 
their esteem and affection for their old tutor. As 
usual, a cricket match took place between the past 
and present, although the latter proved the abler 
exponents of arboriculture, since the deftness with 
which they uprooted the Ash sticks of their oppo¬ 
nents, and the skill with which they handled the 
willow, resulted in the "ancients” sustaining a 
thorough beating. Both sides scored well at the 
