April 4, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
493 
Plum culture constitutes one of the most important 
industries of Bosnia. Rich and poor alike plant 
Plums, and in a good season 40,000 tons of dried 
fruit, valued at £200,000, are exported. 
The Hampstead Vestry decided on the 26th ult. to 
contribute £10,000 towards the purchase of the 
West End Hall estate for a public park for West 
Hampstead. The total purchase price is £40,000. 
Messrs. Daniels Bros., of Norwich, are again offering 
their shilling packets of seels suitable for the 
possessors of small gardens, and who desire to grow 
a variety of annuals amongst other subjects for 
which they have room to spare. For those who 
desire to know the contents of these packets we may 
state thit they include Candytuft, Nasturtium, 
(Tropaeolum) Sweet Peas, Godetia, Mignonette, 
China Aster, Stocks, Pansies, and other things. 
With a little good gardening a good display can be 
produced. Twopence will cover the postage of the 
packet. 
Mr. Redington, of the Yorkshire College, Leeds,gave 
the last of a course of lectures on gardening at the 
Board Schoolroom, Outwood, on the 16th ult., under 
the presidency of the Rev. T. H.* Baywater. He 
spoke of the varieties of Strawberries suitable for 
certain kinds of soil. In the case of artificial 
manure he advocated 6cwt. of rape dust, 5 cwt. of 
bone meal, and 4 cwt. of kainit to the acre, or a 
quarter of a pound of these ingredients in mixture to 
the square yard. In selecting young plants from the 
runners he advised his hearers to take the first and 
second plants on the runners but never the fourth, 
on account of its barrenness. 
Juno Cycles and Cycling.—" To be or not to be ” 
(taxed), that is now the problem agitated in cycling 
circles, and, certainly, as a matter of public policy, 
the consensus of opinion is in favour of an answer 
in the negative. Cycling is a source of health and 
pleasure, and while the rich and the well-to-do 
bestride the steel steed they are as nothing to the 
vast number of Englishmen and Englishwomen of 
limited means who enjoy this exhilarating exercise, 
and from which it would be a great pity to do any¬ 
thing to deter them. The system of monthly pay¬ 
ments applied by the Metropolitan Machinists 
Company to the sale of their well-known Juno cycles 
permits the purchase of a machine by the payment 
of a small monthly sum without derangement of the 
finances. The system is good and worked on 
thoroughly fair lines. Perhaps the Juno Lady 
Safeties for 1896 are the finest machines of the class 
that have ever been turned out. They are elegant 
in build, easy to ride, light to handle, and very 
swift. The Juno Roadster Diamonds for the sterner 
sex have long been popular among votaries of the 
wheel. The season of 1896 has opened exception¬ 
ally early, and everything points to a record year. 
The journal of the Essex Technical Laboratories. — 
The mid-monthly number for March is before us, and 
we note several very interesting articles in it 
relating both to the scientific and practical part of 
gardening. Of course, the journal in question is 
intended primarily for the benefit of the students 
attending the classes at the Essex Technical Labor¬ 
atories, Chelmsford, as well as those attending the 
classes held throughout the county. The work 
carried on at the central school should, however, be 
itnitated in every county throughout the country for 
the benefit of those studying horticulture, or who 
may in any way be connected with the tillage of the 
soil. Seed-testing is the title of an interesting 
article that treats of the purity of seeds, their value 
as determined by trueness to name, volume-weight, 
purity, and germinating power. Some tables giving 
the germinating power, purity, and the optimum 
temperature necessary for the germinating of cereals, 
grasses, leguminous plants, garden vegetables, and 
flowers, should be valuable to gardeners generally 
and all having to do with seed in any capacity. 
Lime, Rhubarb, and Seakale, marine zoology, 
studies in elementary chemistry, and the propagation 
of plants, are articles of practical value for students, 
and which appear in the March number. It also 
gives the results of the examination for the February 
course of instructions at the County School of 
Horticulture. Seventeen students sat for this exam¬ 
ination ; and the questions for the written examina¬ 
tion, as well as the practical work, are given in this 
issue. Mr. David Houston, the staff-lecturer on 
biology is greatly augmenting the value of this 
publication. 
Early Potatos at one time formed a staple industry 
in the Scilly Islands, till competition with the south 
of France and the Channel Islands, as well as the 
heavy tariff, crippled it. Flower culture has now 
completely eclipsed it. 
Tunbridge Wells Gardeners.—A meeting of this 
society was held at the Club Hall, on the 24th ult., 
Mr. A. Charlton presiding. For points gained at 
previous meetings for various exhibits, awards were 
made to Messrs. Berwick, Booth, Jenner, Simmonds, 
Bridger, Verrall, Greengoe, and May. On this 
occasion Mr. Verrall took the first prize for Narcissi. 
In the second division of the same competition Mr. 
E. Fuller took the lead. Liberal subscriptions 
towards the funds of the society were announced and 
Mr. Greengoe was warmly thanked for securing the 
same. 
-- 
THE READING PROPAGATING GLASS. 
The accompanying illustration shows a simple 
invention which has been designed to obviate the 
evil effects arising from the condensation and 
dripping of moisture upon cuttings put under the 
ordinary bell-glass to root, and to perform the same 
useful purpose for delicate or choice seeds and the 
seedlings during germination. However careful the 
cultivator may be in wiping the bell-glasses in use 
every morning condensation is sure to occur, 
especially when the temperature may happen to 
sink low on cold nights. Even if the moisture does 
not drip on the cuttings or seedlings, it runs down 
the sides of the glass and keeps the soil in a sodden 
and saturated condition. All this can be prevented 
by the use of the Reading Propagating Glass, which 
is of the ordinary shape, but has an addition in the 
shape of a groove near the base of the inner face, and 
in which the moisture lodges as it tickles down the 
sides. The propagator can remove this moisture at 
Reading Propagating Glass 
any convenient time by reversing the glass ; then it 
may be wiped clean and dry and restored to its 
usual position again. Messrs. Corry & Co., Limited, 
13, 15, and 16, Finsbury Street, London, have 
acquired from the inventor the right to make and 
sell this simple and useful invention. To them we 
are obliged for this opportunity of figuring it. 
-- 
CHINESE SACRED LILY. 
On p. 476 of last week’s issue I wish to draw the 
attention of readers of the Gardening World to an 
error in reference to the " Chinese Sacred Lily,” as 
beinig dentical to the Narcissus Tazetta Scilly White. 
It doesnotinany way resemble this beautiful variety 
further than being a “Tazetta,” or bunch-flowered 
Narcissus. The Chinese Sacred Lily, or Jass Lily, 
Fairy-flower, etc., has petals of a thin white, and 
with a yellow corona. N. Tazetta Scilly White is 
altogether a more valuable plant, with pure white 
and broader petals, and creamy-white corona.— 
W.L. 
-- 
HEDGES. 
While I never advocated hedges for any j urpose 
beyond their usefulness as shelter and fences, I have 
always tried to form them with ornamental material 
when they had to be planted in parks and ornamental 
grounds. Broad-leaved Privet, by reason of its quick 
growth, and being evergreeD, has often done good 
service. I am planting a number of such hedges at 
present, mixed in equal proportion with Cotoneaster 
Simonsii. In Messrs. Ben Reid & Co.'s extensive 
nurseries at Aberdeen, long lines of Cotoneaster may 
be seen, sturdy in growth, and, whenloadtd with 
their scarlet berries very ornate. When not too 
formally kept they are handsome pictures. 
The Garrya elliptica, being one of the hardiest 
shrubs in Scotland, makes a capital hedge. Beech 
and Holly, well kept, have a picturesque appearance 
when equally mixed, especially during winter, when 
the brown Beech leaves hang on till removed by the 
new growth in spring. One of the most picturesque 
hedges I have seen was one of considerable height 
in Perthshire. When the young growths appear the 
delicate green is very pretty and striking.— M. Temple , 
Canon , N.B. • 
-- 
FLOWERS IN SEASON AT CHELSEA. 
No matter at what season a visitor may call at the 
nurseries of Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, he 
will always find something in season, and that too 
of a varied description. At present a large number 
of the plants in season may properly be reckoned 
amongst spring flowers, but others are common to 
every month and week of the year for they are never 
absent. Hybrid greenhouse Rhododendrons of the 
Javan type and Cypripediums may be mentioned as 
instances to confirm this statement, for we have 
never found a lack of them from January to 
December. This in itself is sufficient recommenda¬ 
tion for their culture by everyone who has the means 
of gratifying his taste in this direction. By pursuing 
certain methods of procedure the Amaryllis, which 
we mentioned in our last issue, may be had in bloom 
for the greater part of the year ; but by the more 
natural method of treatment, such as they receive at 
Chelsea, they more properly belong to spring. 
Passing from the collection of Amaryllis we passed 
into the rockwork house for flowering and foliage 
plants. Here again we have perennial greenness, for it 
is furnished at all seasons of theyear from other houses. 
Rhododendrons of the Javan type are never absent 
from it. Chaste and choice is Purity, having white 
flowers with the palest lemon throat to its longish 
tube. Primrose indicates the colour of another first- 
class variety. Equally choice is Princess Beatrice, 
of the palest salmon hue. Double sorts were repre¬ 
sented by Balsaminaeflorum aureum, B. roseum, and 
B. album, the latter resembling a Gardenia in no 
small degree. A bank of Himantophyllums at one 
end of this makes a gorgeous display in various 
shades of orange and scarlet, backed up with the 
leathery evergreen foliage so peculiar to this class of 
plants. Very much neglected in gardens is Burchellia 
capensis, with its tubular scarlet flowers and the 
habit of an Ixora. Various Selaginellas creep over 
the rocks of tufa, which are also covered in places 
with the long rambling stems of Ficus barbata. 
Ferns, Palms, Dracaenas, and other plants in plenty 
are distiibuted about the house, which is enlivened 
with groups and clumps of flowering subjects. A 
fine piece of one of the most elegant of basket plants 
—namely, Davallia tennuifolia Burkei is suspended 
from the roof. It differs from D. t. Veitchi in its 
decidedly pendent habit. 
A cooler house close by is occupied with hybrid 
greenhouse Rhododendrons of the Himalayan type, 
represented by the Countess of Haddington, with 
large rosy flowers fading to blush when fully 
expanded. Very choice is R. fosteriana with its 
pure white flowers, except a yellow blotch on the 
upper segment. The blossom in this case is very 
fragrant. One large house, as well as the long 
corridor leading from the entrance in the Fulham 
Road, are occupied with Camellias of various sizes, 
including many tall bushes laden with buds and fully- 
expanded flowers. Though much neglected at the 
present day, Camellias are noble plants with which 
to fill tall and cool greenhouses and conservatories. 
One cool house, which may be termed a conserva¬ 
tory, is always occupied with the more popular, 
useful, and showy plants in season. Varieties of 
Azalea indica and A. mollis are -in many instances 
masses of bloom completely hiding the foliage. 
More common flowers, perhaps, are Hyacinths, 
Mignonette, Astilbe japonica, Cyftsus racemons, 
Polyanthus Narcissi, Cyclamens, and Lilacs. The 
mere mention of the names of these will recall to the 
minds of many the peculiar and grateful fragrance of 
the respective subjects. When all are brought 
together under one roof it is suggestive of spring 
indeed, especially just before nightfall when the 
dewy atmosphere makes the air redolent of sweet 
odours. Few of the Heaths are more handsome 
than Erica wilmoreana, with its delicate and beauti¬ 
ful blending of rosy-pink and white. Hardy Rhodo¬ 
dendrons in pots are plentiful enough and heavily 
laden with buds and blossom, 
A houseful of Pelargoniums of the show and 
decorative types will be worthy of inspection when 
they come into bloom. At present the plants are in 
