86 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 21, 
have short lives and active ones. They are 
profitable to grow only if growtli be rapid—- 
cuttings to-day, fine plants in bloom in a few 
months, and away they go only to make room 
for more. 
Of course plants sold under the hammer 
are, as a rule, disposed of somewhat below 
what are regarded as ordinary catalogue prices, 
but then it is a great gain to the growers to 
get a wholesale clear out without farther 
trouble, and to have the large house space 
available for immediate use. This area in 
good nurseries seems to be re-filled almost as 
quickly as emptied. Unlike the ordinary 
gardener and the amateur, the market man 
or the trader has no time to evince sentiment 
much less to cultivate it over his plants. 
They are here to-day and gone to-morrow, 
very much like bales of wool or cotton in a 
warehouse, and with as little consideration. 
Still, they are plants admirably grown, healthy, 
if small, and often indeed beautiful stuff, 
but perhaps the very nature of the cultivation 
bestowed, rather of a pushing, strong-feeding 
character, helps to the early death of the 
plants, because seldom continued. We hope 
to hear good reports of the great plant sales. 
We hope also that what is termed the 
legitimate trade will do a thriving business 
during the coming active season. 
he Fruiterers’ Company.— Hardly has the 
surprise arising from the announcement 
of a recent essay competition connected with 
this company died out than we read the state¬ 
ment, given in another column, that the com¬ 
pany are busy organising a fund of some £5,000 
for the purpose of offering prizes—we presume 
annually—for the best managed fruit farms, 
plantations, orchards, &c. Although these 
terms are exceedingly indefinite, still the move 
is an important one, and will in due course 
receive greater publicity than did the recent 
essay competition. 
The Fruiterers’ Company seems to travel 
over rather beaten paths in professing to lament 
the want of attention paid to the production 
of hardy fruit, and the neglected state of many 
existing orchards. Lamentations of this kind 
are based chiefly upon the pessimistic orations 
or writings of indifferent authorities, whilst 
really the reverse is the case, as the attention 
devoted to improved fruit culture in this 
country during the past twenty years has 
been remarkable and full of promise. It is 
less in the matter of neglect, which after all 
forms a small item in the comparative occasional 
lack of fruit production, than in adverse seasons 
which no amount of high-class cultivation can 
improve or alleviate, in which improvement is 
so needful. We shall watch with interest the 
result of this new effort of the Fruiterers’ 
Company, which might very well be aided by 
some .of its rich fellow companies in the 
City. 
Of course in any undertaking of this de¬ 
scription it will be most important, in making 
awards of prizes for good culture, that men 
of the highest capacity should be selected as 
judges; without such precaution be taken, 
the 'whole effort may prove worse than a 
lamentable failure. 
-->K»- 
Paris Exhibition.—Comte Horace de Choiseul, 
President of the Jury at the Paris Exhibition, has 
informed Messrs. Kelway & Son that the Jury has 
awarded them “first prize with mention” for their 
various exhibits of cut flowers. 
The Belgian Society of Amateur Orcliidists will 
hold their annual statutory general meeting on Sunday 
next, at 10.30 p.m., at 79, Rue Wiertz, Brussels. The 
judges for the exhibitions to be held during the ensuing 
year will he elected at this meeting. 
The “Mrs. Hawkins” Chrysanthemum Case.—In 
another column we give a summarised report of the 
evidence given before the arbitrators on the 10th inst., 
in the case of Hawkins & Bennett v. Ware, and an 
extract from the arbitrators’ award. The result of the 
action is that the arbitrators consider that the plaintiffs 
and defendant’s plants are alike, and that the plaintiffs 
are not entitled to any damages for the use of the name 
of “Mrs. Hawkins.’’ The plaintiffs have to piy the 
whole of the costs of the action up to the 22nd of 
August; and the costs of the arbitration and award are 
to be paid in equal moieties by both parties to the action. 
Homestead Orchards.—The Lord Mayor has con¬ 
sented to read a paper on “ Homestead Orchards ” to 
the members of the Kendal Agricultural Society shortly 
after the completion of his mayoralty. 
Mr. Frost, well known in Covent Garden as a market 
gardener, was thrown from his trap at Plaistow on 
Tuesday morning and picked up dead. 
The Fossil Trees at Partiek.—At a cost of about 
£450, a house is to be erected over tbe unique fossil 
forest remains in the Victoria Park, Partiek, N.B., for 
tbeir preservation. 
The Early Frost experienced on the morning of Tues¬ 
day last over a wide area round the metropolis should 
be a warning to Chrysanthemum growers to take prompt 
measures to protect their plants if they do not want to 
be caught napping, as so many were last year. The 
amount of frost registered on .Tuesday varied in different 
districts from 2° to 7°, and there was sufficient in many 
places to seriously punish the Dahlias and other tender 
things. 
Great Destruction of Plants by Frost at Ghent.— 
We regret to learn from Ghent that the nursery trade 
there has for the moment been almost paralyzed through 
a sharp frost on Monday morning, which lias committed 
terrible havoc amongst the Azaleas. The frost came on 
about two o’clock on Monday morning, and by daylight 
it was apparent that a most irreparable loss had been 
sustained. Thousands upon thousands of beautifully 
grown plants present the appearance of having been 
scorched by fire, the hot sun, following so quickly after 
the frost, developing the injury quicker than if the 
weather had been dull. Packing operations for export 
were to have commenced in earnest on the very day of 
the disaster, and the disappointment to the customers 
will be great. The loss to the growers will prove the 
most serious misfortune that has befallen them within 
the recollection of the oldest horticulturist in Ghent. 
The Hollies at Killarney.—A gardening friend, who 
has lately been enjoying the beauties of the Killarney 
district, writes in rapturous terms of the magnificence 
of the scenery about Lord Kenmare’s seat, Killarney 
House, and specially mentions the wonderful Holly, 
Yew, and Arbutus trees to be seen on the various 
islands in the lakes. One old Holly tree he measured 
had a stem exactly 15 ft. in circumference at 2 ft. from 
the ground, and the principal branch measured 
4 ft. 6 ins. round. Are there any larger trees than 
this about ? 
Fota Island, between Queenstown and Cork, was 
also visited by the same correspondent, who was 
delighted with the place, and especially with the 
luxurious growth of the Conifers and other rare trees 
not often seen out of doors. The Bamboo Island and 
some large mixed beds of purple-leaved Hazel and 
Negundo fraxinifolia albo-variegata specially interested 
the visitor, the latter combination being very striking. 
Gardening Engagements. —Mr. W. J. Dale, late of 
Chalfont Lodge, Slough, as gardener at Walburton 
House, Arundel, Sussex. Mr. R. R. Whitfield, late of 
Melton Park, Doncaster, as gardener at Elford Hall, 
Tam worth, in succession to Mr. Udale. Mr. Townend, 
late gardener to Lady Alice Ewing, at Bettws-y-Coed, 
succeeds Mr. Whitfield at Melton Park. Mr. J. 
Osborne, for twelve years gardener at Wilton House, 
Southampton, as gardener to W. Howard, Esq., The 
Grove, Teddington, in succession to Mr. Bishop. 
The Highfield Hall Specimen Plants.—We under¬ 
stand that Mr. Nicholson, of Highfield Hall, Leek, 
whose fine specimen stove and greenhouse plants have 
been a conspicuous feature during the last few years at 
most of the midland exhibitions, has decided to give 
up exhibiting, and sell the whole of the plants. This 
will necessitate his gardener, Mr. Roberts, a most 
energetic and able man, looking out for another em¬ 
ployer in October. 
The Chiswick Chrysanthemum Conference_The 
rogramme for the exhibition and conference to bed 
held at Chiswick on November the 5th and 6tli has 
just been issued, and copies can be obtained from the 
secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society, or Mr. 
Barron. “The object of the conference” is stated to be 
‘ ‘ to get together as large and as representative a collection 
of Chrysanthemums of all descriptions as possible; to 
form an exhibition of all subjects pertaining to the 
Chrysanthemum, whether in its botanical, its horticul¬ 
tural, its literary, or its artistic aspects ; and to bring 
together for the purposes of reciprocal information and 
fellowship all those interested in the Chrysanthemum 
and its culture.” The conference will commence each day 
at 1.30 p.m., and the following papers will be read: — 
First day—1, Opening Address, by the chairman, 
T. B. Haywood, Esq. ; 2, Summarised History, by 
Mr. Harman Payne ; 3, New Varieties, by Mr. E. 
Molyneux ; 4, Judging Chrysanthemums, by Mr. J. 
Wright; 5, Progress in Chrysanthemums, by Mr. 
Shirley Hibberd. Second day—1, Chrysanthemum 
Seed and Seedlings, by Mr. F. W. Burbidge ; 2, Dwarf¬ 
ing and Grouping Chrysanthemums, by Mr. C. Orchard ; 
3, Market Chrysanthemums, by Mr. C. Pearson ; 4, 
Summer and Early Autumn Chrysanthemums, by Mr. 
W. Piercy. The schedule contains thirty-six classes 
for plants, cut flowers, &c., but no money prizes are 
offered. 
Death of Mr. T. M. Sliuttleworth, of Preston.—A 
telegram from Ingleton, on the borders of Yorkshire, 
was received in Preston on Sunday last, announcing 
the sudden death that day of Mr. Thomas M. Shuttle- 
worth, the Clerk of Assize and Associate for the 
Northern Circuit district. The deceased gentleman, 
who was also Keeper of the Seal of the County Palatine 
of Lancaster, and who had been staying at Ingleton for 
a few days’ shooting with his son, was apparently in 
good health up to Sunday morning, when he was sud¬ 
denly seized with a fit of apoplexy, from which he 
never recovered. From ten to a dozen years ago Mr. 
Shuttleworth’s name was a household word among 
growers and exhibitors of specimen stove and greenhouse 
plants, of which about that time he had a remarkable 
collection at Howick House. In 1878 he was a member 
of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, and 
acted as local secretary for the provincial show, which 
was held that year at Preston. He was not a com¬ 
petitor at this exhibition, but exhibited a splendid 
collection—the last we ever saw from Howick House. 
Previous to that he had been a very successful exhibitor 
at other leading shows ; but his greatest triumph was 
obtained at the Alexandra Palace, on the occasion of its 
being opened the second time, when his gardener, 
humorously dubbed “ the coachman,” squarely beat 
the redoubtable Thomas Baines. 
The Fruiterers’ Company and Fruit Culture.— 
The Fruiterers’ Company having during the past few 
months received several suggestions as to the en¬ 
couragement of fruit culture in England, have passed 
the following resolution :—Resolved, that the Fruiterers’ 
Company feel strongly the great importance of the 
question of fruit farmingin England, and view with much 
concern the want of attention paid to the production of 
Apples, Pears, Plums, and other hardy fruits of fine 
quality, and deplore the frequently neglected state of 
many of the existing orchards. The Company, there¬ 
fore, desire to encourage the development of the 
profitable culture of fruits of high quality in England 
for the advantage of the grower and consumer, and for 
the better utilisation of agricultural land. With this 
object the Company propose to establish a fund of not 
less than £5,000 (towards which they are willing to 
contribute £500), from the income whereof they intend 
annually to offer prizes for the best managed fruit 
farms, plantations, or orchards. The Lord Mayor has 
undertaken to receive at the Mansion House sub¬ 
scriptions to the fund, and they can also be sent to the 
clerk of the Company, Mr. O. C. T. Eagleton, 40, 
Chancery Lane, London. 
A New Sewage Process.—A demonstration of the 
new “Amines” process for the treatment of sewage 
was recently witnessed by some members of the Main 
Drainage Committee of the London County Council at 
the Wimbledon Sewage Farm. It has been estimated 
that the cost of treating the sewage of London by a 
good and efficient chemical precipitation process would 
be not less than £200,000 a year. By the “Amines” 
process, in which the active disinfectant is evolved 
from a cheap waste product, it is claimed that the cost 
need not exceed £125,000 annually, which means 7 id. 
per head of the population, or a rate of less than 1(7. in 
the pound. As shown at Wimbledon, the process con¬ 
sisted of the addition of a mixture of milk of lime 
and herring brine to the sewage in its flow. This 
instantly removed the unpleasaut sewage odour, though 
a slight smell of brine, or something like it, took its 
place. After standing half an hour in the tanks, which 
were 6 ft. deep, the solid matter had entirely subsided, 
