February 8, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
865 
SPECIAL NOTICE. 
IF YOU WANT 
REALLY GOOD SEEDS 
AT MODERATE PRICES, 
APPLY TO 
Mr. ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
New Tenby Street, Birmingham. 
No Nurseryman will serve you better in Quality, Quantity, or Price 
SWEET PEAS 
A SPECIALITY. 
ECKFORD’S and other choice varieties at a third 
or a fourth usual prices. 
Nothing gives so much cut bloom at so small a cost or so 
little trouble. To get best results SOW IN JANUARY and 
FEBRUARY, as directions sent with each Collection. 
SPECIAL VERY CHEAP OFFER. 
Collection No. 1.—10 Really Good Varieties. 
30 Seeds of each variety, in separate packets, Is. 3d. 
Collection No. 2.—10 Very Choice Varieties. 
30 Seeds of each Variety, in separate packets, Is. (id. 
For names and colours, see Gardening Illustrated. 
Special Price for the Two Collections, 2s. 6d., Post Free 
THE FOUR BEST CUCUMBERS 
Each Packet contains io Seeds. 
Lockie’s Perfection, Rollison’s Selected Telegraph, Covent 
Garden Favourite, and Tender and True, 6d. each ; postage 
id each extra; or the Collection, 2s., post free. 
THE FIYE BEST TOMATOS 
In cultivation, often sold under other names to get fancy 
prices. Each packet contains nearly 200 Seeds. Perfection, 
3d.; Ham Green Favourite, 3d.; Roseleigh Gem, 3d., a grand 
new selection, large smooth; Challenger, 3d.; Golden Perfec¬ 
tion, 3d.; Collection, is. 3d., post free. If ordered separately, 
postage id. each extra. 
Last year I sold about 5,000 packets of each, and they gave 
universal satisfaction, one grower getting over 2,000 lbs. weight 
of Tomatos from two threepenny packets. 
MR. ROBERT SYDENHAM'S LISTS 
Are acknowledged by all to be the Best, Cheapest, and most 
Reliable ever published. They contain only the Best 
VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, & BULBS WORTH GROWING 
Being the selections of the Largest Seed Growers, Market 
Gardeners, and the most celebrated Professional Gardeners 
and Amateurs in the kingdom. They also contain very useful 
cultural instructions. 
Mr. SYDENHAM’S Bulbs and Seeds were represented and 
gained First Ptizes at London, Birmingham, Preston, New- 
castle-on-Tyne, Shrewsbury, Edinburgh, &c., &c. ( in 1892,1893, 
1894,1895. FULL LISTS POST FREE ON APPLICATION. 
fltase mention this Paper. 
NOW READY. 
HARPE’S 
ANNUAL 
GARDEN SEED 
CATALOGUE. 
Post Free on application to 
CHARLES SHARPE & Co., Ltd. 
Seed Farmers & Merchants, SLEAFORD. 
FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT 
SpA NOTHING SO PROFITABLE 
AND EASY TO GROW. 
80 Acres of Saleable Trees 
THE BEST PROCURABLE. 
Lists Free . 
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. 
Bushes in variety. Packing and 
Carriage Free, for cash with order. 
8s« perdoz., < 5 Os«perl 00 . 
A ll other Nursery Stocfc 
carriage forward, 
in POTS Froml5/-adoz. 
Ornamental Trees, 91 Acres. 
Four Acres of Glass. 
Clematis (80,000) from 15/. 
per doz. 
N.B .— Single Plants are sold at 
slightly increased prices. 
GENERAL CATAL0CUE 
(Over 170 pages) of Nursery Stock, 
artistically produced, containing 
some hundreds of illustrations, 
and full of valuable information, 
"r-. ---- is.;vrvi - — free on receipt of 3d. for postage „ 
RICHARD SMITH &C9 Worcester 
{ CARRIAGE FREE] BOXES OF 
GARDEN SEEDS, 
Liberal in Quantity. Excellent in Quality. 
Arranged to produce a Constant Supply of the Best 
Vegetables all the year round. 
WEBBS’ BOX, 
WEBBS’ BOX, 
Containing 19 varieties 
Vegetable Seeds, 
5 
Containing 42 vars. of 
Vegetable Seeds, 
12/6 
WEBBS’ BOX, 
Containing 47 vars. of -i E / 
Vegetable Seeds, 10 /" 
WEDDO’ DRV Containing 61 vars. of 
nCDDO DUAj Vegetable Seeds, L\l 
Acknowledged to be the best value ever offered. 
Other Boxes at 2 s. 6d , 7s 6d , 3 Is. 6d., 42s., 
63s, and 105s. each. 
All Carriage Free, 5 per cent, discount for cash. 
CERTIFICATE OF QUALITY 
From Mr. E. MORGAN, Wynnstay, 
“ I have had Webbs’ Collection of Vegetable Seeds 
for several years past, and I am glad to say that they 
have produced excellent crops running on all the year 
round. Peas, a continuous supply, of splendid quality; 
Lettuce simply grand ; and Onions very suitable for 
spring and autumn use.” 
WEBBS’ SPRING CATALOGUE. 
Beautifully Illustrated, post free, is., gratis to customers. 
WEBB & SONS, WORDSLEY, STOURBEIDGE. 
ROBERT VEITCH&SON, 
EXETER, 
Offer the following Sterling Novelties:— 
VEITCH’S EXONIAN PEA, 
2/- per Quart. 
VEITCH’S CLIMBING FRENCH BEAN, 
1/6 per Pint. 
VEITCH’S FLYING DUTCHMAN TOMATO, 
1/- per Packet. 
VEITCH’S PURPLE EXHIBITION SHALLOT, 
3 lbs., 2/6. 
VEITCH’S EXHIBITION LONG POD BEAN, 
2/6 per Quart. 
VEITCH’S WESTERN WONDER CUCUMBER, 
1/6 per Packet. 
Priced and Illustrated Catalogue Free on 
Apolication. 
LINCOLN SEEDS. 
\ Grown in the driest climate in England. ► 
EXTRA PEAS SELECTED. 
Perfect Germination Catalogue Free. * 
PENNELL &SONS, C rowers, LINCOLN 
SUTTQNS 
COLLECTIONS OF 
P RIMULAS . 
SUTTON'S 21 /- COLLECTION 
Contains a small packet of each of the following 
varieties .— 
Sutton’s Reading Scarlet. 
Sutton’s Reading Blue. 
Sutton’s Pearl. 
Sutton’s Ruby King. 
Sutton’s Reading Pink. 
Sutton’s Brilliant Rose. 
Sutton’s Giant Mixed. 
Sutton’s Purity. 
Sutton’s Gipsy Queen. 
Sutton’s Rosy Queen. 
Sutton’s Double Scarlet. 
Sutton’s Double Pink. 
Sutton’s Double White. 
Sutton’s Double Carmine. 
8UTT0N8 IQ/6 COLLECTION 
CONTAINS 
6 Varieties, Double and Single, 
OUR SELECTION. 
“ From the 21s. collection of Primula seed I never saw a 
better display of Primulas in my life. The blues were 
superb; in fact, they were all you could wish them to be.”— 
Mr. F. G. Skelton, Gardener to J. Lingford, Esq., J.P. 
SUTTON & SONS, 
Seedsmen, 
READING. 
For Index to Contents see page 373. 
14$ {<MtiUi|ii|(| 
Edited by J. FRASER, F.L.S. 
SATURDAY, FEB. 8 th, 1896. 
NEXT WEEK'S ENGAGEMENTS. 
Monday, February ioth.—Sales of greenhouse plants, Palms, 
hardy perennials, etc., by Messrs. Protheroe & Mcrris. 
Tuesday, February nth.—Meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society. Sales of Cypripediums, Roses, etc., by Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris. 
Wednesday, February 12th.—Sale of Liliums, Begonias, and 
horticultural requisites by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris. 
Thursday, February 13th.—Sale of Palms, Rose', stove and 
greenhouse plants, etc., by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris. 
Sale of Geraniums,etc., at The tints, Ramsgate, by Messrs. 
J. W. Scarlett & Co. 
Friday, February 14th.—Sale of hardy perennials, Gloxinias, 
Amaryllis, etc., by Messrs. Protheroe & MoFris. Also 
10,000 Dendrobiums trom Burmah and Assam. 
Horticulture as a Science.— Gardeners 
in general are so prone to look upon 
gardening as a purely practical pursuit, 
having no connection with science whatever, 
that those who entertain opposite views may 
well be pleased to find others who coincide 
with them. If we start with the notion that 
science is synonymous with theory, and that 
again with conjecture, then the proposition 
that horticulture is a science must fall to 
the ground. Happily, the case is quite 
otherwise. That any man can be a good 
gardener implies wide experience and 
knowledge, and the latter is practically 
science. Should a gardener be very 
successful at one place under a certain set 
of conditions, and fail to be a successful 
cultivator at another place under a different 
set of conditions, it is a strong argument 
that he does not understand the principles 
