December 7, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
211 
FOR PLEASURE and PROFIT. 
ROSES. 
CO 8 I IT Nothing so profitable and easy to grow. 
§ H U 1 i ■ 74 Acres in Stock. 
See Catalogue for simple Instructions and kinds of 
Trees to suit all soils. 
20 Acres. 
Bushes, 8s. per doz. ; 60s. per 100. 
Packing and carriage free for cash with order. 
ROSES IN POTS from 15s. per dozen. 
ORNAMENTAL TREES.— 91 Acres. 4 Acres of 
Glass. 
CLEMATiS (80,000), 12s., 18s. and 24s. per dozen. 
SEEDS & BULBS. v T“&,S ower 
DESCRIPTIVE LIST FREE. 
RICHARD SMITH & Co. 
WO RC ESTE R. 
FRUIT 
TREES. 
Immense Stock of remark¬ 
ably well-grown Trees. In¬ 
spection invited. 
New Descriptive CATALOGUE 
on application. 
Dickson’s nurseries, 
CHESTER. 
nnn rhododendrons.— 
L/ A/ •) VA VA VA Fine, healthy, bushy stuff, splendidly 
budded :—SEEDLINGS, 12 ins., 4s. per doz.; do., IS ins., 6s. per 
doz.; do., 24 ins , 9s. per doz. 
Finest named HYBRIDS, IS ins., 18s. per doz.; do., do., 21 ins., 
24s. per doz. 
AZALEA PONTICA, 15 ins., Gs.; IS ins., Ss. per doz. Splendidly- 
set with buds. 
LAUREL ROTUNDIFOLIA, 21 ft., 6s. per doz.; 3 ft., 9s. per 
doz. 
IRISH IVIES, from ground, 3 to 4 ft., 25s. and 30s. per 100. 
,, „ staked, in pots, 4 ft., 6s. per doz.; 5 ft., 9s. per doz.; 
6 ft, 12s. per doz. All sizes up to 12 ft. 
Packing free for cash with order, or delivered within 10 miles. 
Special Culture of Trees, Shrubs, and Climbers, suitable for 
Town Planting. Special quotations for Parks, Squares, &c. 
W. FROMOW & SONS, Sutton Court Nursery and Seed 
Establishment, Chiswick, Izmdon, W. 
Catalogues of Plants, Bulbs, or Seeds on application. 
“NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT TREES,” 
R OBERT NEAL begs to call the attention of 
Gentlemen, Local Boards, Builders, and others 
who intend planting this season, to his large and varied 
stock of Shrubs, Standard and Ornamental and Forest 
Trees, Fruit Trees, Roses, and Climbing Plants, &c., 
which, being well transplanted, are in fine condition 
for removal, and having been grown in the vicinity of 
London, are specially adapted for Town and Street 
Plantings. Special quotations for large quantities. 
Delivery free within a radius of six miles of the 
Nursery. Inspection of the stock solicited. Cata¬ 
logues free on application. “Also to offer extra fine 
Forcing Sea Kale and Rhubarb.” 
THE NURSERIES, 
TRINITY ROAD, 
WANDSWORTH COMMON. 
GOLD MEDAL, PARIS. 
KELWAY’S 
CHOICE SEEDS OF 
VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS, 
SO VALUABLE TO EXHIBITORS, 
May he obtained through most Seedsmen in England, 
Scotland, and Ireland. 
KELWAY S 
KELWAY S 
KELWAY S 
KELWAY S 
KELWAYS 
KELWAY’S 
KELWAY’S 
KELWAY’S 
KELWAY S 
KELWAYS 
KELWAYS 
KELWAY S 
KELWAYS 
KELWAYS 
KELWAYS 
KELWAY’S 
KELWAYS 
KELWAYS 
KELWAYS 
KELWAY S 
CALCEOLARIA. 
CINERARIA. 
COCKSCOMB. 
BEGONIA. 
PETUNIA. 
“ MODEL’ 
“ MODEL 
“ MODEL 
“ MODEL 
“ MODEL 
CYCLAMEN. 
“GLOBE QUILLED’ ASTER. 
PERENNIAL GAILLARDIA. 
CAMELLIA-FLOWERED BALSAM 
AURICULA. 
POLYANTHUS. 
“NIMROD’ TOMATO. 
CUCUMBERS. 
MELONS. 
“ CRIMSON GEM ” BEET. 
INTERMEDIATE” CARROT. 
NIMROD 
“ MARROW ” 
CELERY. 
BRUSSELS 
CATALOGUES 
TURNIP. 
PARSNIP. 
SPROUTS. 
GRATIS. 
LANGPORT, SOMERSET. 
ALL SEEDS WARRANTED. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
NEW TENBY ST„ BIRMINGHAM, 
THE CELEBRATED AMATEUR IMPORTER OF BULBS. 
Having been continually solicited by a large number of my Bulb 
friends to keep a select stock of the best and most reliable 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds, I have decided to do so. 
“Quality before Quantity” being my “motto,” I shall 
spare no expense to get the very best strain of every variety 
offered in this list, and send out all fresh new seeds of the latest 
growth. The majority, if not nearly all ordinary Seedsmen say 
they will not be responsible for the failure of any Seeds. I 
cannot guarantee there shall be no failures, but as the best 
guarantee it is possible to give of my wish to sell only genuine 
Seeds, I will undertake to replace, free of charge, any Vegetable 
or Flower Seeds from which a fair proportion fail to germinate 
in due course, under fair and proper treatment, or which do not 
come true to name. 
I stall not confuse my friends with a long list of six or eight 
hundred varieties of Flower Seeds, but confine myself to about 
two hundred varieties that will be satisfactory to purchaser as 
well as seller. In Vegetable Seeds, I contend that few want 
more than six or eight varieties of Peas, three or four sorts of 
Cabbage or Broccoli, two or three of Carrots, one of Parsnips, 
and so on, and where the list is much increased, it often contains 
names manufactured to suit a particular locality, or selected 
stocks of old varieties slightly improved under new names. As 
a proof of this, I have often heard of two or three so-called 
varieties of Seeds being taken from the same bag or drawer. 
One gentleman in the trade went so far as to tell me, in his cata¬ 
logue were four varieties of Parsnips, but all were taken from 
one bag. 
TERMS, strictly cash with order from unknown correspon¬ 
dents ; references given if required. 
All Flower Seeds sent post free ; all general Seed Orders over 
10s. carriage paid ; Orders over £3, 5 per cent, discount; Orders 
over £5, 10 per cent, discount. 
Seed Orders under 2s. 6 cl. not solicited. 
My “UNIQUE SEED LIST,” entered at Stationers’ Hall and 
Copyright, is the most original and useful List ever published 
for amateurs. It contains only the most select varieties of 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds in cultivation, and gives full cultural 
directions. This List will be sent, post free, to all my Bulb 
friends about the middle of December. To all new applicants 
the price will be 6d., but this may be deducted from the first 
order of 5s. or over. 
Choice Primula, Calceolaria, Carnation, and Picotee 
Seeds will be of a specially good strain. 
Best white Raffia Fibre, 6d. per pound. 
(Please Mention this Paper.) 
Letter Orders have same care as for my own planting. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
NEW TEN BY S TREET, B IRMING HAM. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Monday, December 9th.—Sale of Bulbs at Protheroe & Morris's 
Rooms. 
Tuesday, December 10th.—Royal Horticultural Society : Meet¬ 
ing of Fruit and Floral Committees at 11 a.m. Special sale 
of Lily Bulbs at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Wednesday', December 11th.—National Chrysanthemum Society: 
Meeting of the Floral Committee at 2 p.m. Sales of Dutch 
Bulbs, Palms, &c., at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. Sale of 
Roses, Fruit Trees, &e. (weather permitting), at Stevens’ 
Rooms. 
Thursday, December 12 th.—Sale of Bulbs at Protheroe & Morris's 
Rooms. Sale of Flowering Orchids at Stevens’ Rooms. 
Friday, December 13th.—Sale of a collection of Established 
Orchids at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, December 14th.—Sale of Roses, Fruit Tries, &c. 
_(weather permitting), at Stevens’ Rooms. 
For Indexto Contents & Advertisements, see p. 222, 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.” —Bacon. 
•Ip 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1889. 
CURRENT^TOPIC S. 
||he Chrysanthemum Fetish. — “ Has the 
Chrysanthemum become a fetish with 
both exhibitors and the press 1 ” writes a cor¬ 
respondent briefly, but we do not understand 
■whether the inquiry is put jocularly or in 
earnest. The fact is, there seems to be about 
the flower some of that Soudan fascination of 
which Mr. If. M. Stanley, the illustrious tra¬ 
veller, wrote the other day to Emin Pasha’s 
friend, Mr. Jephson. We have no desire to 
come under the influence of any form of 
fascination which is dangerous. Our corre¬ 
spondent will probably hold that the fascina¬ 
tion incidental to the culture of any plant need 
not necessarily he dangerous, or productive of 
absolute absorption ; but probably he looks at 
the perpetual reference to the Chrysanthemum 
in the press ; at the infinitude of shows held 
in its honour; at the conversation of those 
who exist within the charmed circle of the 
Chrysanthemum influence, and realises that 
somehow, after all, it is worshipped, and that 
such worship is a fetish. 
Mr. Andrew Lang, the other day, in sug¬ 
gesting absurdities in versification, used these 
nonsensical lines :— 
“ When the sombre night is dumb, 
Hushed the loud Chrysanthemum.” 
and yet cynics may aver that if the Chrysan¬ 
themum has not been “ loud ” of late, at least 
its votaries have. Even for the present year, 
although, as we intimated last week, the shows 
are over for the season, the voice of the wor¬ 
shipper is not stilled, for the annual festival of 
the chief body of “Mum” -worshippers will 
soon he held, and the Chrysanthemum will 
verify Mr. Lang’s nonsense, and be heard 
loud enough then. The upshot of all the 
fierce fervour and devout enthusiasm will pro¬ 
bably he presently a wearing out of the 
devotion, a waning of the fire ; we shall again 
become sane, and realise that the “ loud Chry¬ 
santhemum” is but a common-place flower 
after all, and nothing more. 
J llotment Gardens.— This subject, like hope, 
now springs eternal in the human breast, 
for it is evident that, come what may, the 
working classes of this country are determined 
to have allotments for garden purposes where- 
ever they can obtain them. The assumed 
sacred rights of property in land will have to 
endure some rude shocks presently, because it is 
evident that only through the action of popularly 
elected bodies and with compulsory powers 
can the demands for allotments in all parts of 
the country be met. This demand is, perhaps, 
less forcible in thinly populated districts where 
land is plentiful and cheap. It is rather in 
and about populous districts where the need 
for these garden allotments is so severely felt, 
and where there is no chance of obtaining 
them except through the aid of strong public 
bodies. 
How terribly inoperative have proved to be 
previous Acts of Parliament intended to assist 
working men to obtain allotments ! The first 
dealt with parochial charity lands, which the 
trustees were empowered to let where possible 
as allotments. The “ possible ” seems to have 
presented the obstacle to the success of that Act, 
as such lands have been converted into allot¬ 
ments, only rarely indeed. The next Act 
enabled rural sanitary authorities, viz., local 
boards and boards of guardians, to purchase 
land, and provide allotments. That Act has 
been a monstrous failure, because left to be 
worked by those who detest allotments, as 
likely to make the labourers somewhat inde¬ 
pendent. Thus the matter stands, with the 
outside pressure and demand growing, whilst 
only where owners of land are wise as well as 
liberal have the demand for allotments been at 
all adequately met. 
But it is evident that the need in the case of 
allotment holders is that they shall have them 
under a safe tenure, and free from the caprice 
of any one individual ; but that security can 
only be obtained when the land is held by a 
popular public body, and by those especially in 
harmony with the holders in a desire to 
render their positions in life less irksome and 
more enjoyable. 
TTrtificial Light and Plants. — We have 
J? not forgotten the sensation aroused in 
horticultural circles a few years since, when 
Sir W. Siemens published the result of his 
experiments with the electric light, and its 
influence on plants. Somehorv the sensation 
died away quickly, due perhaps chiefly to the 
fact that electric lighting was not then in the 
range of practical use generally. We are now 
getting past that difficulty, for there seems 
reason to anticipate that in a year or two our 
towns, and many of our country houses and 
institutions will he lighted by electricity. Such 
being the case a favourable opportunity may 
