316 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 18, 1896. 
defined. When plants are exposed to sun¬ 
light during the day and electric light 
during the night, the effects upon their 
tissues are intermediate between those 
resulting under natural conditions and those 
produced by continuous electric light. 
There is a prevailing notion that most 
plants, except those of an annual nature, 
require rest some time during the twenty- 
four hours of each day, and also during 
certain times of the year—in winter, for 
instance, or at other times in the case of 
Cape bulbs which naturally die down. 
The case is different, however, with bulbs 
which retain their leaves all the year round. 
Practical cultivators have proved this with 
Eucharis, and the corms of Cyclamen per- 
sicurn. Good growers now keep their 
Cyclamens growing continuously from the 
seedling stage onwards till the plants have 
finished flowering, and then throw away 
the old plants either before or after the pro¬ 
duction of seed. They do so because they 
find that they get the best results and the 
most floriferous plants with a minimum of 
trouble and expense as compared with 
old corms, which have been dried off, rested, 
and then grown on again. We get a good 
instance of the same thing in Arctic regions 
where the sun shines continuously for 
several weeks at a time during summer. 
The growing season is very short, yet 
under the continuous sunlight plants are 
brought to maturity during the short period 
of three months. The argument which this 
suggests is that some at least of our culti¬ 
vated plants might be brought to maturity 
at an earlier period than is the case under 
natural conditions. In other words, elec¬ 
tricity might be used as an aid to sunlight 
and artificial heat in the matter of forcing 
fruit and vegetables. In connection with 
this it may be stated that M. Bonnier, above 
mentioned, discovered that Alpine plants, 
under the continuous action of electric light, 
developed their tissues in a way almost 
identical with that of Arctic plants. 
An Italian professor has recently been 
discussing the question of electricity and 
plant life before the Italian Botanical 
Society, and says that both terrestrial and 
atmospheric electricity exercise a favour¬ 
able influence upon the growth of plants, 
and even on the germination of seeds. 
Some months ago we recorded a method of 
utilising atmospheric electricity on the 
Continent by setting up tall poles here and 
there over a field, and connecting these by 
means of a conducting wire with a set of 
wires distributed at regular distances over 
the field, and a few inches under the surface 
of the soil. The electric current so con¬ 
ducted from the atmosphere to the soil in 
which the plants were grown produced such 
an effect upon the vegetation that the area 
affected by the wires was readily dis¬ 
tinguishable from other parts of the same 
field not so influenced. 
The experiments conducted by the late 
Dr. Siemens in this country also went to 
prove that electricity might be rendered 
serviceable to man in the matter of forcing 
and other aids to plant culture. Professor 
Bailey in America has been carrying on 
experiments in the same direction more 
recently, and has shown that this natural 
power maybe useful to the market gardener 
in several respects. Some plants respond 
more readily to the action of the electric 
light than others. Lettuce can be grown 
to a stage suitable for market in a much 
shorter period than it could be with arti¬ 
ficial heat and the light of the sun only. 
The method of applying the electric light 
has much to do with the successful results 
or otherwise, and it therefore remains to be 
discovered which method, or under what 
conditions, it may be most effectively and 
economically applied to the several kinds of 
cultivated plants. How near or how 
distant we are from those discoveries 
remains to be seen ; but all gardeners and 
cultivators have reason to be thankful to 
those philanthropists who carry on such 
experiments at their own expense or other¬ 
wise. In any case it has been amply 
demonstrated that plant life can be in¬ 
fluenced for good, both by means of feeble 
electric currents in the region of the roots 
at least, and by means cf the arc lamp when 
judiciously applied. It has also been 
proved that plants may be made to grow 
continuously night and day, without that 
rest which is generally considered to be 
necessary for their welfare. 
-►*.- 
Flowers from Soilly.—A very large number of 
packets of flowers from the Scilly Islands have 
been sent to the London and Midland markets 
within the last few days. 
A venerable dish of Peas.—Ludus : “ Those Peas 
you have just eaten were Mummy Peas." Jocus: 
“ What ? taken from the hands of a mummy ? Well 
I knew they were a little out of season from their 
hardness." 
Hardy flowers in bloom.—As an evidence of the 
mild weather, it is interesting to hear that last week 
a bunch of Primroses, numbering over forty flowers, 
was gathered in one of the woods at Clevedon, Bristol 
while Pansies, Stocks, and Violets are still in bloom. 
A blue Rose impossible.—A florist states that 
according to the law of colouring in flowers, the 
primary colours, red, blue and yellow never occur 
together in the same species. We get red and yellow 
Roses and cannot, therefore, get a blue one. 
A judicious arrangement.—It seems that Ontario 
growers are arranging to export choice Canadian 
Apples to Sydney, timed to arrive exactly when 
native-grown Apples are not to be had, and thus 
maintain an all-tbe-year-round supply of the choicest 
Apples that can be grown ! 
Mr. Alfred Austin, who has been elevated to the 
office of Poet Laureate Dy the Queen, was born at 
Headingley, near Leeds, in 1835. He was educated 
first at Stonevhurst and afterwards at St. Mary’s 
College, Oscott. The post has been vacant since 
Tennyson died in 1892. Mr. Austin is the author of a 
very interesting book of poetry and prose, entitled 
"The Garden I Love,"which has found many admirers. 
His more recent work, "Veronica's Garden," falls 
much behind the general excellence of the former. 
Destruction of a mansion and conservatory by fire. 
—With the total destruction by fire of the ancient 
mansion owned and occupied by Col. Bolitho, at 
Madron, Penzance, on Saturday night, the nth inst., 
is also destroyed a most magnificent conservatory, 
which contained some rare plants and flowers. It 
has not been leng since the Colonel expended large 
sums of money in fitting up the conservatory in an 
up-to-date manner, and with improvements of the 
very latest. To witness the destruction of what was 
achieved at the cost of so much money, labour, and 
thought, was truly distressing, and although some of 
the more valuable plants were hastily removed to the 
lawn, they fared but little better than if allowed to 
remain victims to the fiery elements. The total loss 
to Col. Bolitho, by the destruction of his mansion 
was ^12,000. He was insured in the Guardian Office. 
The Right Hon. Sir Julian Goldsmid died on 
the 7th inst. About one hundred mourning 
coaches and forty private carriages followed the 
remains of this eminent statesman to Ball's Pond 
Cemetery on the 10th inst. According to the custom 
of the Jewish nationality no ostentatious display is 
made with flowers or other decorations, but the 
flowers inadvertently sent by admiring friends of the 
deceased were placed on the top of the hearse. 
Sir Julian Goldsmid's name is most familiar to 
gardeners in connection with the Royal Gardeners' 
Orphan Fund. He became the first president of the 
institution when the fund was established in 1887 in 
commemoration of Her Majesty’s Jubilee. He 
rendered invaluable aid to the young association from 
its inception onwards, and those who had the pleasure 
of being associated with him in establishing the 
same will remember with gratitude the wise and 
timely assistance his wide experience enabled him to 
give them. He often presided at the annual and 
other meetings of the fund, so that his absence will 
be felt as a great loss. 
A boy has died at Faversham from the effects of a 
pea put in his ear by a playmate. 
Tobacco growing in Kent, as an experiment, is said 
to have given better results last year than in 1894. 
Thermometer for botanic gardens.—Mr. Dewar, 
the curator of the Botanic Gardens, Glasgow, is 
having a thermometer screen erected for the use of 
the public. The instrument contains a barograph, a 
thermograph, and a hygrometer which register their 
various readings. 
Beetroot cultivation for sugar making.—The in¬ 
telligence has just reached Cornwall that there is a 
scheme for starting the cultivation of Beetroot in this 
country for sugar-making purposes. Should this 
scheme come to anything, which we doubt, Cornwall 
is to be the place selected for the experiment. 
Honours from St. Petersburg.—Many of our readers 
will learn with pleasure that M. A. Maertens and 
M. Ed. Pynaert (our Belgian contemporary), the 
delegates of the Cercle of Arboriculture of Belgium, 
have received from His Majesty the Emperor of 
Russia the decoration of the second class of the 
Order of St. Stanislaus (rank of commander.) 
Long-standing law-suit about trees.—On June 21st. 
1595, the legal advisers of the community of Burginn, 
Unterfranken, Bavaria, appeared before the legal 
tribunal in Speier, against the Lords of Thiingen, for 
a sum of two millions of marks, as owners of a forest 
of valuable Oak and Beech trees. Death thinned the 
ranks of the litigants, during the lapse of years, but 
others took up the cause, and the case was brought 
on for trial again recently with all its former spirit. 
It is hoped that June 21st next will see the last of 
the litigation which has already lasted for 300 years. 
Liverpool Horticultural Association.—The annual 
dinner of this society took place on Saturday, at the 
Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, under the presidency of 
the hon. treasurer, Wm. Fletcher Rogers, Esq. The 
tables proved highly attractive, being embellished 
with well-grown plants and cut flowers contributed by 
friends of the society. The company numbered no. 
The only toasts being the Queen and the chairman, 
both were drunk with enthusiasm. A most enjoyable 
musical evening followed the well-served dinner, the 
artistes being members and friends of the associa¬ 
tion. 
Technical Education at Dersingham.—On the 6th 
inst., the second of a course of four lectures on 
"Vegetable and Fruit Culture" was given in the 
Dersingham Foresters’ Hall, the meeting being 
presided over by the Rev. E. W. Penny. Over forty 
attended, mostly cottage gardeners and allotment- 
holders. The lecturer, Mr. W. K. Woodcock, 
F.R.H.C., Horticulture Instructor to the T.E.C., 
N. C.E., showed that the best cultivation of these 
fruits, particularly Apples, had been much neglected 
and insufficiently understood for many years in 
England, as a general rule, with the result that 
inferior fruits, as regards quality, coming from foreign 
nations are greatly supplanting those of home growth 
in the English markets. Common errors or neglect 
in culture were pointed out, and proper methods 
described to an interested and most attentive 
audience. At the close a number of pertinent 
questions were asked and replied to by the lecturer. 
Bristol Amateur Horticultural Society—This society 
has now entered upon its third season, and, in com¬ 
piling the programme for the year, the committee 
have abandoned their former practice of set lectures, 
and introduced some features which ought to prove 
of interest to all amateurs, inasmuch as most of the 
subjects in general favour are dealt with at the time 
when attention should be directed to them. A large 
influx of new members is expected as the result, and 
there is every indication of a successful season. 
The first of the new series of meetings was held at 
the Colston Hall, and the president, Mr. T. D. Sibly, 
gave a new year's greeting to a large number of mem¬ 
bers. Mr. G. Wager gave some interesting hints on 
the culture of the Chrysanthemum, and his remarks 
were confined to the preliminary stages of treatment. 
He also gave some advice to those intending to grow 
Tomatos. Mr. W. J. Pollard gave the plans and 
details of a scheme of hot-water propagators for 
amateurs, and dealt with the various methods in 
vogue. A paper on “ Lilies ” was also contributed 
by a member. 
