132 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 2, 1889. 
and thriving, as well-conducted provincial 
societies usually are. But the time came 
when there seemed to he a danger that all 
places suitable for the holding of the annual 
exhibition would be, by reason of the advance 
of the speculative builder, closed against the 
society, and something had to be done to 
provide for it a permanent home. 
It may seem odd, having regard, first, to the 
fact that the society holds only one out-door 
show in the year, and, secondly, that the town 
is favoured heyond almost all other towns 
with public lands in different parts of the 
borough, that some small portion of these 
could not be set apart for such objects as the 
holding of horticultural shows, on payment to 
the local authorities of a moderate rental, 
without the townspeople being injured. How¬ 
ever, although curiously enough, whilst the 
local authorities can strain at a gnat by 
allowing circuses and wild beast shows to 
settle upon portions of the public lands and 
charge for admission, yet no such privilege 
could be granted—two days in the year—to 
the horticultural society. Hence, at enormous 
cost, land was secured, debentures raised, great 
expense incurred in fencing, levelling, &c., 
and, sad to learn, horticulture became of small 
import, in face of the more profitable catering 
for sports and all sorts of other and new 
pastimes. 
It is, therefore, no matter for wonder if, in 
thus departing from its original purpose, the 
society, in spite of its pretentious and some¬ 
what absurd prefix of “royal,” has fallen upon 
evil times, and is heavily burthened witli debt; 
indeed, its usual autumn Chiysanthemum show, 
it is humiliating to learn, has to be abandoned, 
although, oddly enough for a horticultural 
society, a bird show is jiromised to the sub¬ 
scribers. It is a great pity that under evil 
influences the society ever departed from its 
original course. It has, however, made a 
desperately ambitious effort, which bids fair to 
presently result in ruin. 
Single-handed Gardeners.— AVe should 
like to evoke some expression of opinion 
as to the status and general character of the 
single-handed gardener. So far as our 
experience goes, it is not highly favourable 
towards him, but then it may be exceptional, 
and the class may be on the whole highly 
meritorious. AVe do not for one moment 
question the single-handed man’s honesty or 
industry. In these matters, as a rule, he is 
as good as his neighbours, and the compeer 
of the higher class men of his profession. 
What is so wanting seems to be knowledge 
first, and the lack of desire to increase that 
knowledge when opportunity offers. The 
doctrine of laisser faire seems to animate our 
subject too much. Perhaps it is rarely his 
chance to get training in a good garden, and 
under a good man; perhaps if he does so 
he is found incompetent and is hustled out to 
find his way as best he can, and finds it in 
some small garden where the care of a cow 
and a pony helps to vary in no very dignified 
way his garden work. Or even when he is 
entirely employed in the garden, too often it 
is to be feared he falls into a condition of 
indifference, and fails to realise a desire for 
any advance in status or knowledge. That 
is very unfortunate, and the man who is in 
such case, never will be other than a hewer 
of wood and a drawer of water in his 
profession. 
AVlien sometimes stimulated by local ex¬ 
hibitions he puts forth his full powers, he 
will do very well indeed, and exhibit evidence 
of considerable ability, which, if well directed, 
might lead on to .greater things. On the 
whole, we cannot feel proud of our single- 
handed gardeners as a professional body. 
-->=£<-- 
Flower Shows at the Aquarium.—We understand 
that the directors of the Royal Aquarium, AVestminster, 
have decided to hold seven monthly flower shows next 
year in addition to the three which will be held under 
the auspices of the National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The shows will take place in January, March, April, 
May, June, July, September, October, and November, 
and the special features of each will be the popular 
garden flowers of each respective month. The whole 
of the exhibitions will be under the management of 
Mr. William Holmes, the honorary secretary of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society. 
31r. Fraser's Successor at Arddarroeh.—AA r e are 
pleased to hear that Mr. James Brown has been engaged 
by R. B. AVhite, Esq., to succeed the late Mr. R. C. 
Eraser. Mr. Brown, who was lately with Mr. G. J. 
AVhite at AA'inehmore Hill, and previously at Oakley, 
Eallowfield, Syon House, Clovenfords, and several other 
well-known places, has had a wider experience of 
Orchid cultivation than falls to the lot of most young 
men, and we doubt not his ability to maintain the 
Arddarroeh plants in the same fine condition in which 
poor Fraser left them. 
Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society.—The 
twenty-fifth monthly meeting of this society will be 
held this (Saturday) evening, when Mr. Councillor 
Jos. Harding will read a paper on landscape gardening 
in its relation to villas, public parks, and cemeteries. 
The chair will be taken at 7.30 by the president, 
W. E. M. Tomlinson, Esq., M.P. 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—The first meeting of the 
committee after the recess was held on the 25th ult., 
when the business transacted was only of the usual 
routine character. Mr. Barron, the honorary secretary, 
announced receipts amounting to £32 7s. Id., including 
£5 from J. Broome, Esq., Manchester ; the proceeds of 
a concert held at Swallowfield, Reading, and of garden 
fetes at Heckfield and Ketton Hall, and the sum of 
£9 2s collected in some eight money boxes. The 
bank balance was stated to be £424 17s. 10i., and it 
was resolved that £300 be placed on deposit with the 
bankers. 
Chrysanthemum, Airs. Alplieus Hardy.—So many 
growers who bought this novel variety in the spring 
have failed to get blooms set of it, owing doubtless to 
excessive propagation, that we are pleased to hear Mr. 
A\ T are has been fortunate enough to secure the desired 
flowers. The blooms, which will be fully open at the 
end of this week, are not so large as they will be when 
the plant gets regular cultivation, but we understand 
that so far as can be seen as we write they promise to 
bear out all that has been said of the plant in America. 
The Season in the Midlands.—A Salopian corre¬ 
spondent writes:—We are haying very hard weather 
for the poor “Mums”—a regular November sample, 
no sun, but not cold—and the blooms are damping 
badly. Gladioli are in full bloom yet, and we are still 
picking Broad Beans. Peas are still green, but not 
very full, and nothing has been hurt by frost except 
Marrows and Dwarf Beans. 
Gardening Engagements.—Mr. J. Gold, gardener 
and bailiff for the last six years at Barvins Park, 
Potters Bar, as gardener to F. H. Norman, Esq., Moor 
Place, Hadham. Mr. G. Bunting, for two years hardy 
fruit foreman to Mr. Parker, of Impney, as gardener to 
H. Buckley, Esq., Upper Boon, near Bromsgrove. 
Mr.- John Biker, late foreman at Melchet Court, as 
gardener at Fairford Park, Gloucestershire. 
AbutUon vitifolium album.—This beautiful and by 
no means common greenhouse plant has flowered freely, 
and borne a good crop of seed this season in the garden 
of AAL E. Gumbleton, Esq., Belgrove, Queenstown, and 
Mr. Gumbleton will, wc understand, be pleased to send 
a packet of seed to any one who may care to have it, 
and who will send him a legibly addressed and stamped 
envelope. 
Enormous Crop of Potatos .—The North British 
Agriculturist states that probably the largest crop of 
Potatos on record is that just raised on a field in the 
Garscube policies. The measurement is 5 acres 1 rood 
10 poles, and the tonnage 109 tons 18 cwt. 2 lbs., equal 
to 20 tons 18 cwts. per acre. They were of the Magnum 
Bonum variety. The grower was Mr. Robert AA r allace, 
Chapelton, Beardsden. 
Holland House, Kensington.—It is reported that 
since Lady Holland’s death, when the beautiful 
demesne of Holland Park reverted to Lord Ilchester, he 
has been overwhelmed with correspondence in regard to 
the disposal of that historic mansion. AVe are glad to 
hear that Lord Ilchester has no intention of altering in 
any way the present condition of the house and estate, 
but on the contrary has already given orders for the 
improvement of the gardens, which are to be better 
kept up than they have been for some years. AA r e are 
pleased also to learn that in recognition of twenty-five 
years’ faithful service'Lady Holland has left her gar¬ 
dener, Air. Dixon, a legacy of £50 a year for life, to be 
continued to his wife should she survive him. Air. 
Dixon still remains at Holland House, having been re¬ 
engaged by Lord Ilchester. 
The Weather and the Bulbs.—The moist “ muggy ” 
weather, which is giving so much trouble to Chrysan¬ 
themum growers, is also causing much uneasiness 
among holders of trade stocks of bulbs, so rapidly are 
they starting to grow. It is most unusual for bulbs to 
“ start ” so soon as they are doing this season, and our 
advice to those who have not yet sent in their orders is 
to do so at once. 
The English Fruit and Rose Company (Cranston's), 
Limited.—A prospectus has just been issued of this 
company, which has been formed, with Air. C. F. 
Barker as managing director, and Air. AV. Beckett, 
Bartholomew House, Bartholomew Lane, E.C., as 
secretary, to purchase from Air. John Cranston the 
freehold and leasehold properties known as the King’s 
Acre Nurseries, Hereford, and to carry them on as 
fruit and Rose nurseries, and to grow fruit, Roses, and 
other flowers for market. The capital proposed to be 
raised is £30,000 in 30,000 shares of £1 each, and the 
first issue is 20,000. Air. Cranston, one of the directors, 
will continue to superintend the planting and nursery 
portion of the business, and Air. AV. J. Grant, late of 
Hope End, near Ledbury, has been engaged to assist 
in the management of the nurseries and fruit farm. 
“ Aldiborontiplioskiphorniostikos.” — A correspon¬ 
dent writes :—The names of plants, if a little out of 
the common, are a source of stumbling and a pillar of 
offence to many who profess a fondness for flowers, but 
who will not trouble themselves to master their names 
unless they have the merit of extreme simplicity. The 
above outlandish name I found in S. Girling’s list of 
Pansies, issued in 1848, and thinking that perhaps 
some of your readers may have a sufficient love of 
unravelling puzzles to have a try at deciphering the 
meaning of this one, I send it on, and submit that if 
many names approached this outrageous specimen, 
there might be just a little cause for the complaints 
we sometimes hear with regard to scientific nomen¬ 
clature. 
The Disaster on the Clvde.—The following is the 
nd list of subscriptions in aid of the 
late Alessrs. R. C. Fraser and AA r . Hall. 
£ 
widows of 
s. d. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., 
, ALP... 15 
15 
0 
Charles AV. Lea, Esq. 
.5 
5 
0 
F. AVigan, Esq. 
... 5 
5 
0 
J. C. Stevens, Esq. ... 
. 5 
5 
0 
— Aludford, Esq., “The Standard.” 5 
5 
0 
T. J. Smith, Esq. 
... 5 
0 
0 
Bridgman Gapp, Esq. 
... 2 
2 
0 
AV. J. Nutting, Esq. 
. ... 2 
2 
0 
Handel Cannon, Esq. 
... 2 
2 
0 
C. Young, Esq. 
. ... 2 
2 
0 
Rev. R. Kinleside. 
... 2 
2 
0 
A. J. Baker, Esq. ... 
. ... 2 
2 
0 
Mr. J. Fraser 
. ... 1 
1 
0 
Airs. AVelborne Ellis 
... 1 
0 
0 
Air. Peacock... 
... 1 
1 
0 
Air. J. Cypher 
. ... 1 
1 
0 
Sussex Friend 
... 1 
1 
0 
Air. H. G. Smyth. 
... 1 
1 
0 
Air. Thomas Alanning 
. ... 1 
1 
0 
E. Harvey, Esq. 
... 1 
1 
0 
Air. Tracey. 
. . ... 0 
10 
6 
G. C. D. 
. ... 0 
10 
6 
A. Egerton Green, Esq. 
... o 
10 
0 
Air. G. AV. Cummins 
... 0 
5 
0 
Air. C. Alason . 
... 0 
5 
0 
Air. Aliller ... 
... 0 
5 
0 
Air. Bilmy. 
. ... 0 
5 
0 
Misses L. and C. Dale 
... 0 
5 
0 
G. AV. C. 
... 0 
1 
0 
Air. Tomalis... 
... 0 
2 
6 
Air. Kettle ... 
... 0 
2 
6 
Air. Kingston . 
. ... 0 
2 
6 
Florence 
... 0 
1 
0 
The following list of subscriptions has been received 
by Air. Horsman, through Air. AVilliam Thomson, Jun., 
Clovenfords :— 
Lady Tennant, The Glen ... ... 5 0 0 
Airs. Nelson, Salisbury Green ... 5 0 0 
J. Coats, Jun., Esq., Paisley ... 5 0 0 
R. Pullar, Esq., Perth . 3 0 0 
J. AVilson, Esq., Bantaskin ... 3 0 0 
AV. Thomson & Sons, Clovenfords.. 2 2 0 
D. Todd, Esq., Eastwood Park ... 2 2 0 
J. Gordon, Esq., Aikenhead ... 1 0 0 
A. Curie, Esq., Prior wood... ... 1 1 0 
J. AVatson, Esq., Earnock... ... 1 0 0 
Air. Laing, Salisbury Green Gardens 10 0 
G. Alonro, Esq., Covent Garden ... 1 1 0 
G. Douglas, Esq., Dalkeith ... 1 0 0 
Air. Johnston, Renfrew . 0 10 6 
Air. AIcLean, Finnart Gardens ... 0 7 6 
Air. Yeo, Ravenswood . 0 5 0 
Air. Sharp, Freelands, Perth ... 0 5 0 
Air. AIcDonald, Tayside, Perth ... 0 5 0 
Air. Stratton, Balmedie ... ... 0 5 0 
Air. Grossart, Oswald Road ... 0 10 0 
Collected bv Dr. Paterson, Bridge 
of Allan. ... 3 14 0 
Amount previously acknowledged 1-35 18 0 
AA T e regret to hear from Arddarroeh that Airs. Fraser 
is still very ill and unable to leave her bed. 
