November 9, 1889 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
151 
a small crock just under the glass, but at all times they 
must be kept sufficiently moist. 
The best way to get spores out of their cases is to cut 
the frond containing them off the plant, wrap it in a 
piece of paper, and place in a dry warm position near 
the hot-water pipes ; the spores soon fall out by the 
shrivelling of the frond, and all are caught in the paper, 
from which they can readily be sown. A day or two will 
suffice to get them out if the frond be in a fit condition 
to cut. 
The fronds of Ferns that are proliferous may be cut 
off and laid upon the surface of square pans or boxes, 
securing them there by pieces of crock or small 
wooden pegs, and covering the frond partially with dry 
sand, which runs in amongst and fills up all crevices, 
afterwards well watering the whole ; these soon root if 
put in a warm damp place, and make good plants the 
following spring. 
The stems of Dracsenas that it may be required to 
increase the stock of, should be cut up into lengths and 
laid in some very sandy soil in the warmest part of 
the house where plenty of bottom heat can be applied, 
a strong bottom heat being essential to their well doing; 
and taking into consideration that at the present time 
of the year more fire heat is used than in summer and 
autumn, the most should be made of it for cuttings or 
small plants that require bottom heat to increase their 
root action. 
Advantage should be taken at the present time to 
get in choice sorts of greenhouse Rhododendrons, the 
wood of these plants being in as good a condition now 
as it ever will be, and by rooting them now nice plants 
canjbe made the following season. 
As a passing note the cuttings of Chrysanthemums 
will require to be taken as soon as obtainable, and from 
what I have seen this season, they appear to be throwing 
up good cuttings in the majority of cases. Healthy 
shoots pushing from the base of the plant should be 
selected, and these ought to be rooted in a cool pit or 
greenhouse where they are safe from frost, but avoid 
giving them too much heat, for this is very injurious 
to these plants. — Verax. 
-. >I<- - 
THE WHITE BULLAOE. 
Bullaces and Damsons form a group of themselves 
among the Plums. The Bullace, or Prunus institia of 
botanists, is found wild in some of our hedges and 
thickets, where it furnishes for the country people, 
in some districts, an abundance of very' good fruit for 
pies and puddings. When preserved with sugar they 
are very useful for family use ; and, after being ameli¬ 
orated by frost, they are not at all disagreeable in 
flavour. It is said the Damson originated from the 
same source, and the difference between the two is 
little more than a name. Is the Bullace the parent 
of our cultivated Plums 1 That perhaps is a large 
question, but then the early history of the Plums, like 
that of the Apple and Pear, is remote and compli¬ 
cated. Some botanists are found asserting that the 
Plum is represented by no fewer than three fairly 
distinct typical forms, viz., the Common Sloe, Sloe- 
thorn or Blackthorn of every hedge and thicket, and 
a small shrub, well-named Prunus spinosa. 
Sloe is an Anglo-Saxon word, meaning not the 
fruit, but the hard trunks—a word, as Dr. Prior 
remarks, “we find in our own and in all its kindred 
languages to be intimately connected with a verb 
meaning slay or strike.” Whether this connection is 
due to the wood having been used as a flail (as from its 
being used so in this day is most probable), or as a 
bludgeon, can only be discovered by a comparison of 
its synonyms, and the corresponding verb in other 
languages of the sub-European group. The fruit of 
the Sloe is very acid until it has been ameliorated 
by frost, and is used in a good many home-made 
wines to communicate the colour and roughness of 
Port. They make an excellent preserve, which is much 
relished by children on the Continent. The young 
leaves of the Sloe have been used as a substitute for 
tea, and for adulterating the Chinese tea, and is said to 
be the best that has yet been tried. The Bullace I have 
already alluded to. Bullace is from the Latin Bullas, 
and is called so from its hard, round fruit. The other 
is P. domestica, and from it, it is supposed, all our 
cultivated varieties of Plums have been obtained. In 
its wild state it is found in Great Britain in hedges, 
and throughout Europe, but its native country is 
supposed to be Asia Minor, and it has been introduced 
to Europe through Greece and then to Italy. By some 
botanists all three are run together under the single 
name of P. domestica. 
The late Mr. George Bentham considered P. 
institia and P. domestica to be only varieties of P. 
spinosa, produced by long cultivation. On this Mr. 
Leo Grindou remarks, that if it be so, “ the common 
Sloe will have been the original parents of everything 
of the Plum kind. The Sloe, however, is not a plant 
that seems likely ever to have invited cultivation. It 
is very different also from the others in its root habits.” 
It is worthy of remark that in France the boys call the 
Sloes, Sibarelles, since the flavour being intensely 
harsh, it is impossible to whistle after eating them. 
Mr. George Bunyard catalogues three varieties of the 
Bullace : the white or yellow, the black, very late and 
rather rough in taste, and Shepherd’s, a large greenish 
round variety, said to be valuable for autumn tarts. 
The white variety is very prolific. I have just seen 
some trees in the gardens of Hanger Hill House that 
bear remarkable clusters of fruit, that require a frost or 
two to give them a more appreciable flavour. The 
wood of the Bullace is less thorny than that of the Sloe, 
it has larger leaves, which are expanding when the 
flowers appear, and the latter are larger than those of 
the Sloe. The White Bullace is well deserving of 
cultivation for late use ; and, indeed, it is a pretty 
plant when in bloom in spring.— R. D. 
-~>-I-o- 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
Late Peas. 
It may interest you to know that we picked Peas on 
the 5th, 12th, and 19th of October, the variety being 
Yorkshire Hero, sown on the 21st of June along with 
several others, which included Walker’s Perpetual 
Bearer. I have proved during the last two seasons 
that the last named requires to be sown earlier, as it 
was in bloom at the end of October, but too late to be 
of any use. I shall sow it earlier another season, and 
in the meantime should be glad of any information 
about it. I intend to sow Yorkshire Hero more 
extensively, as it is dwarf and keeps free from mildew, 
and I am assured that it was equal in flavour to early 
summer sorts .—Charles Anderson, Gardener, Wickham 
House, Beckenham. 
-—>X<~- 
THE UNITED HORTICULTURAL 
BENEFIT AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
The third annual dinner of this long-established but 
still comparatively little known society was held on 
Wednesday evening, October 23rJ., when 142 of 
the leading metropolitan nurserymen, seedsmen, florists 
and gardeners sat down under the presidency of 
N. N. Sherwood, Esq., of the firm of Messrs. Hurst & 
Son, Houndsditch. The dinner was admirably served, 
and rendered all the more enjoyable in that the tables 
were superbly decorated with flowers and fruits, the 
work of some of the leading spirits of the society. 
The usual loyal toasts having been duly honoured, 
the chairman gave the toast of the evening, “ Continued 
success to the United Horticultural Benefit and Provi¬ 
dent Society,” and in so doing gave an interesting 
account of its origin and progress, which he characterised 
as being truly admirable in its beneficent aims, its 
thorough independence of spirit, and its able manage¬ 
ment. He had well studied the rules, and had never 
read better ; they were simple in the extreme, yet 
perfectly sound, and enabled all who desired to provide 
for the proverbial rainy day to do so, with the certain 
knowledge that while providing for themselves they 
also lent a helping hand to others, and their investments 
were perfectly safe. He found that last year they had 
309 members on the roll, yet had only spent in sick 
pay the sum of £35 12s, 8 d. They had a capital sum 
of £4,600 invested in good securities, and at the present 
time had not a sick member on the fund. In addition 
to providing for sickness they had a provident fund, 
and he thought they ought to have yet another—a 
convalescent fund—which would be found very useful 
in enabling the society to help an ailing member to get 
that change of air and scene which doctors so often 
recommended, but which so many could, not afford. 
There were many admirable convalescent homes to 
be found now at seaside health resorts, where for 
a very moderate consideration the less fortunate of man¬ 
kind could now get that change of air and well- 
regulated diet which to so many meant renewed health 
and vigour. He thought such a fund would be a very 
beneficial one, and if the managers of the society could 
see their way to carry out the suggestion he had thrown 
out he would be happy to give 25 guineas towards 
giving it a start. Being in no sense a charitable 
society he thought their list of honorary members 
ought to be largely increased, and he believed that 
there were many gentlemen who would willingly subscribe 
a guinea a year if they were only asked. He had 
himself written to one eminent horticulturist—Baron 
Schroder—and was gratified to say that the Baron 
had not only promised to become an honorary member, 
but had sent a donation of 5 guineas besides. He was 
pleased also to announce that seventeen other gentlemen 
in the room had assented to their names being put on 
the honorary members’ list. In conclusion, Mr. Sher¬ 
wood made an earnest appeal to the members to do 
all in their power to bring in members from the 
class for which the society was established to benefit. 
The toast was drunk with the utmost enthusiasm, and 
Mr. lfathan Cole, one of the oldest members, suitably 
replied. 
The “ Health of the Chairman ” was the next toast, 
and Mr. Harry J. Veitch, in proposing it, said Mr. 
Sherwood was known to them all for his great kindness 
of heart and the warm interest which he took in all 
their gardening institutions. It was with great sorrow 
he had to tell them that only some four or five days 
previously, a heavy cloud hung over the chairman and 
his family, for his only son was sick nigh unto death, 
and he had great fears that he would be unable to be 
present that evening. Fortunately a change for the 
better had taken place in his little son’s condition, he 
was present among them, and he, Mr. Veitch, was sure 
he need say no more to ensure their hearty reception of 
the toast he had to propose. The toast was received 
with vociferous applause and musical honours, and in 
acknowledging it Mr. Sherwood said it had always been 
a great pleasure to him to do all he could to help those 
who helped him, for his trade entirely depended upon 
gardeners. He had the pleasure to announce that Mr. 
Edward Roger Cutler had promised to take the chair 
next year. He had been known to gardeners for as 
long a period as anyone present, and they owed him a 
deep debt of gratitude, for it was to him, and him only, 
that the success of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution was mainly due. He felt sure that he would 
make them an admirable chairman, and would ask 
them to drink the health of “ Good old Roger,” which 
was done in a bumper. 
The other toasts given and most cordially received 
were “The Honorary and Life Members,” proposed by 
Mr. James Hudson, and responded to by Mr. William 
Paul; “The Trustees, Treasurer and Officers of the 
Society,” proposed by Mr. R. Dean, and responded to 
by Mr. Joseph Wheeler and Mr. Hudson; “The 
Visitors,” proposed by Mr. N. Cole, and acknowledged 
by Mr. G. Deal ; “ Success to Horticulture at home 
and abroad,” given by Mr. G. Cavendish, and responded 
to by Mr. Nutting ; and “The Secretary,” proposed by 
the chairman, and acknowledged by Mr. Collins, who 
took the opportunity on behalf of the committee to 
thank Mr. B. S. Williams, Mr. John Laiog, and Mr. 
Henry Cannell, and other friends, for their handsome 
contribution of plants and flowers, and Mr. Cbard and 
his assistants who had so beautifully arranged the 
decorations. The concluding toast was “ Our next 
merry meeting,” with thanks to Miss Belval and her 
musical friends for the enjoyable entertainment they 
had afforded. 
-»>***■-- 
ffoTES from Scotland. 
-- 
Galashiels Horticultural Association.— 
On Friday evening, November 1st, the members of this 
flourishing association held their first social gathering 
in the Douglas Hotel, Galashiels. About fifty sat 
down to an excellent supper, under the presidency of 
Mr. Thomson, (schoolmaster, Galashiels, who kept the 
meeting in rare humour during the evening. The 
chairman gave the usual loyal and patriotic toasts, 
which were enthusiastically received, and made a few 
remarks as to the character and work of the association, 
which is doing much good in disseminating a know¬ 
ledge of the cultivation of flowers among the working 
classes. Mr. John Forbes, Hawick, gave “The Gar¬ 
deners,” and dealt with the important position which 
they occupy in the welfare of the country. Mr. Mallen, 
Abbotshill, suitably replied. Mr. Robert Laird pro¬ 
posed “The Town and Trade, of Galashiels,” and Mr. 
Hutton responded. “The Nursery and Seed Trade” 
was given from the chair, and Mr. Renwick, Melrose, 
returned thanks. The usual vote of thanks to the 
chairman and the croupier (Mr. Mallen, of Abbotshill) 
brought a most enjoyable evening to a close. Songs 
and recitations greatly added to the hilarity of the 
evening, and it is hoped that this will be the fore¬ 
runner of many similar annual gatherings. The supper 
table was tastefully decorated with plants and cut 
flowers by a few of the members living in the district. 
