September 28, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
51 
WEBBS’ 
FREE BY 
POST 
OR RAIL. 
Finest 
Selected 
Roots. 
BULBS 
FOR GREENHOUSE DECORATION. 
Collection A, containing 461 Bulbs 
„ B, „ 262 „ 
C, „ 207 „ 
D, „ 134 „ 
E, „ 96 „ 
F, „ 60 „ 
» 1 > ft " 
s. d. 
Price 42 0 
„ 21 
15 
10 
7 
5 
FOR GARDEN BEDS, BORDERS, Ac. 
J 
Collection M, containing 2,923 Bulbs 
N, 
O, 
P, 
Q, 
R, 
S, 
T, 
1.909 
1,286 
680 
424 
315 
203 
114 
Price 105 
63 
42 
21 
15 
10 
7 
5 
5 per cent. Discount for Cash. 
Webbs’ Bulb Catalogue 
Beautifully Illustrated, and containing complete Cultural 
Instructions. Now ready, Gratis and Post Free. 
Seedsmen by Royal Warrants to H.M. 
the Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, 
WORDSLEY, STOURBRIDGE. 
P L A NT T PJ O W ! 
SUTTON’S 
Roman hyacinths. 
SINGLE WHITE: 
Fine Bulbs, 2s. per dozen ; 14s. per 100. 
SUTTON & SONS, READING, BERKS. 
VEITCH’S 
COLLECTIONS OF 
BULBS 
TO SUIT ALL REQUIREMENTS. 
These Collections are arranged on a most liberal 
scale, and contain only the most easily cultivated and 
attractive sorts of Winter and Spring Flowers. 
VEITCH’S 
COLLECTIONS OF BULBS 
FOR INDOOR CULTIVATION, 
At 10s. 6d., 21s., 42s., and 63s. 
For particulars see Catalogue, gratis and post free 
on application. 
VEITCH’S 
COLLECTIONS OF BULBS 
FOR GROWING in the OPEN GROUND. 
At 10s. 6d., 21s., 42s., and 63s. 
For particulars see Catalogue, gratis and post free 
on application. 
JAMES VEITCH& SONS, 
Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, S.W. 
EVENRYT RU&BS WARRAKTBD. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
NEW TENBY ST„ BIRMINGHAM, 
The celebrated importer of Bulbs, will send bis revised 
Pamphlet, “How I Came to Grow Bulbs,” and the 
cheapest Price List for reliable Bulbs ever issued, 
free on application. 
I can guarantee my best Bulbs to be the finest that come from 
Holland, and will undertake to replace, at half price next year, 
any which, with fair treatment, do not flower satisfactorily ; 
or any bulbs that are not perfectly satisfactory when received 
may be returned and the money refunded, as my great aim is to 
send out nothing but the best at moderate prices. 
White Roman Hyacinths, 2s. doz., 15s. 100; or 
a very grand sample, 2s. 61. doz., 19s. 100. 
Freesia refracta alba, the coming Flower of the Day, 
planted now, will bloom at Christmas, Is. doz., 7s. 6d. 100 ; 
extra selected Bulbs, Is. 6d. doz , 11s, 100. 
I MAKE A SPECIALITY OF HYACINTHS. 
One dozen, first size and named, for pots or glasses, 4s. 
A splendid dozen, unnamed, for pots, 3s., for water, 3s. 6d. 
Capital second-size Hyacinths, quite equal to what are often 
sold as first size, 2s. 3d. dez, , or 16s. 100. 
A choice collection of ail the best Hyacinths for Exhibition 
purposes from 31. to 8 d. each. 
Splendid Bedding Hyacinths, Blue, 9s. ; Red, 13s. ; White, 
16s. ; or mixed, all colours, 11 s. per 100. 
Tulips will be dearer and scarcer this year, owing to the 
great increased demand, but having made very advantageous 
purchases, my prices will be but little above those of last year. 
I shall have a very select collection of Narcissi at reduced 
prices, and I shall have a grand lot of Scilla sibirica, Cliionodoxa 
Lucilise, Snowdrops, Crocuses, Winter Aconites, Ixias, English 
and Spanish Iris, Ranunculus, Lilium Harrisi, &c., &c. 
A full list now ready, and sent post free on application. 
(Pi.ease Mention this Paper.) 
Letter Orders have same care as for my own planting. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
NEW TENBY STREET, BIRMINGHAM. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Monday, September 30th.—Continuation of Great Fruit Show at 
Ghent. Bulb Sales at Protheros & Morris's and Stevens’ 
Rooms. 
Wednesday, October 2nd.—Sales of Bulbs at Stevens’ Rooms ; 
and Bulbs and Azaleas, &c , fiom Holland, at Protheroe & 
Morris's) Rooms. 
Friday, October 4th.—Sale of Orchids at Protheroe & Morris’s 
Rooms. 
Saturday, October 5th.—Sale of Bulbs at Protheroe & Morris’s, 
and Stevens' Rooms. 
For Index to Contents & Advertisements, see p. 62. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.” —Bacon. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1889. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
TaHE Vegetable Conference.— The persistent 
^ downpour of rain which greeted the 
vegetable gathering at Chiswick on Tuesday, 
whilst generating considerable discomfort, 
entirely failed to damp the ardour or slacken 
the interest aroused in all engaged in the 
conference. Rarely at any gathering of this 
kind, and there have been several important 
ones at Chiswick, has there been manifested 
on the part of the managing committee, or 
committees of selection, or indeed of all con¬ 
cerned, greater appreciation for and interest 
in Jhe exhibits than was seen on Tuesday. 
There was an element of novelty about the 
gathering which helped to keep interest awake, 
and not least, there seemed to be a general 
impression that, crude and almost ungainly 
as some of the material might have appeared, 
yet the matter in hand was intensely practical 
and useful. The too often proscribed vegetable 
department of our gardens got a good lift, 
which it thoroughly merits. 
The exhibits were not only far more 
numerous than ivas at first looked for, but 
they were generally of high merit. That 
some were less attractive than others, or less 
advanced, or perhaps too far advanced, was 
natural, but still the representation of the 
various classes was remarkable, and we are 
indebted to some extent for the thorough repre¬ 
sentative character of the collections, not only 
to some of our best seed firms, but also to the 
enterprise of that eminent Parisian seed firm, 
the Messrs. Vilmorin, who not only sent over 
many first-rate exhibits, but were represented by 
the distinguished head of the firm, Mr. Henri 
Vilmorin. Mr. John Benary, of Erfurt, was 
also present, and both gentlemen joined 
heartily with our home traders and gardeners 
in the work of selection, and in making the 
awards for cultural commendation. 
That Onions, Carrots, Beet, Potatos, Celery, 
and various other popular roots should stand 
out with striking force was natural, but 
remembering the recent severe frost, we did 
not look for such Peas, Kunner Beans, &c., 
as greeted the visitors at the conference. 
The work of the censors, or committee of 
selection, was enhanced by the fact that in the 
present case the various products were rather 
mixed. In any future conference that defect 
can easily he remedied. Not only are the 
reports on these committees of the most 
impartial kind and full of interest, but the 
censors have awarded many certificates for 
high-class culture. The work has been well 
continued during succeeding days, the reading 
of numerous able papers on vegetables and 
their culture creating exceeding interest. 
TV he Conference Dinner.— The crowded 
state of the tables at the Cannon Street 
Hotel on Tuesday evening, when the popular 
chairman, Mr. H. J. Veitch, took his place as 
president of the gathering, showed that the 
promoters of this social assembling of the 
forces, metropolitan and provincial, which had 
been so thoroughly associated with the work at 
Chiswick, had done the right thing. Whilst 
there was no very distinguishing feature in the 
proceedings, yet throughout they were marked 
by an element of geniality and almost of enthu¬ 
siasm, which gave evidence that the numerous 
provincial gardeners present heartily enjoyed 
the opportunity thus offered to enable them 
to fraternise with their friends and co-workers, 
and become, if possible, better acquainted. 
Mr. John Wills with his accustomed 
generosity had converted the noble room in 
which the dinner was served into a Palm 
grove, and Messrs. Hudson and Bates, who 
acted as stewards, did their part remarkably 
well, so that there was no hitch, and the 
moment dinner was ready the 148 guests fell 
into their places with ease and facility. We 
believe somehow everybody seemed to get well 
placed, and to have pleasant neighbours. 
There was also a hearty desire to remain to the 
last, whilst the early hour at which the dinner 
began enabled many returning home long 
distances to catch trains. Some capital 
amateur singing furnished at the tail of the 
programme rather left a desire that this 
element might, at future dinners of a horti¬ 
cultural kind, be more largely introduced. 
The chairman was genial and happy in his 
position, and he was admirably supported by 
Mr. Vilmorin, the Rev. W. Wilks, the popular 
secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
and Mr. Shirley Hibberd. Some iather great 
guns were absent, for whose convenience some 
changes in the toast list were made, hut all 
went pleasantly, nevertheless, and if the 
gathering fell a little short of our ideal of a 
gardeners’ reception, still it was as good as 
dinners well can he, and there can he no doubt 
whatever that everyone present carried away 
kindly recollections of a happy evening, 
associated as it was with the novelty of a 
vegetable conference. 
TIThe Early Frost. —Beyond a somewhat 
^ lower temperature 'over night, there was 
little in the weather to indicate that so early as 
the morning of the 17th of September we 
