454 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 22, 1890. 
It is described as being composed of interlacing 
stems, like the leafless branches of the "Weeping 
Willow,nearly black in hue, and covered with a 
thick viscid gum, which exudes from the hark. 
Attaching themselves to fleshy substances, 
whether human or otherwise, by this viscid gum, 
the branches, like the tentacles of the octopus, 
literally drain the flesh of all its blood, and 
then reject its prey as no longer useful. We 
are told that “its voracity is almost beyond 
belief.” So, indeed, is the whole story. 
Assuming that it were true, however, would 
it not be well to introduce this terrible 
vegetable blood-sucker into this country, as it 
would so materially help to solve the problem 
of the disposal of dead bodies, other than 
through interment 1 
We are so fond, as a people, of supping off 
horrors, that there would be found special 
enjoyment in the thought that in death, not 
the prosaic burial, with a feast for worms 
some time later would be our fate, but that 
we should become sacrifices literally to gratify 
the Juggernaut-like maw of the marvellous 
octopus. The plant might even help to solve, 
to some extent, the over-population question. 
Oh, for a new Victor Hugo to paint the fierce 
struggles of the unhappy gardener in the grip 
of the vegetable monster ! 
ssociation Competition’s.— The practice 
which has grown up of late of holding 
competitions of a literary kind in relation to 
horticulture or allied subjects, by members of 
the various gardeners’ associations, promises to 
become a most valuable movement if rightly 
and honestly conducted. In our elementary 
schools it is a recognised doctrine that all 
work done should be subjected to periodical 
examination. In the same way it is but right 
that the work of a gardeners’ literary associa¬ 
tion should be thoroughly tested by examina¬ 
tions. 
Our attention has been called to this 
subject by the fact of some recent examina¬ 
tions 'having been carried out in a crude 
"way—no systematic inspection, no regulation 
as to time or means, but leaving the various 
competitors to do their best, under any con¬ 
ditions, whether coached or securing informa¬ 
tion from books, or getting it in any fashion. 
How it is obvious that no practical or 
satisfactory form of testing knowledge can be 
obtained in such a way. 
In all properly regulated examinations or 
competitions, the candidates are placed in 
rooms under the charge of officials, are limited 
absolutely in regard to materials, and also as 
to time, so that only the knowledge which 
the candidate actually possesses can be utilised. 
Gardeners’ associations, which may wish to 
have the merits of their local candidates 
fairly tested, should invariably adopt some 
similar method. Certainly it should not be 
difficult to find a room suitable, to formulate 
the required syllabus of subjects to be 
examined in, arranging number of answers 
required, and the time that can be allowed 
for each; also such careful isolation of the 
candidates that none should copy from or 
assist another. In this way a satisfactory 
examination will assuredly result. 
lectric Alarms. —Visitors to the pretty 
show of flowers which Mr. Holmes 
gathered together at the Westminster 
Aquarium last week, were probably astonished, 
if not particularly gratified, with the astound¬ 
ing noises made in the form of a combination 
of sweet and terrible sounds, produced by an 
electric-piano machine. The inventor of this 
remarkable instrument has displayed in its 
production’ exceeding ingenuity, which it is 
to be deplored was not utilised for some 
practical good. While listening to the 
performance it occurred to us that were some 
such machine as this devised as garden, 
orchard, or field alarms, hotv beneficial they 
would prove to those whose crops of seeds or 
fruits suffer from the depredations of birds. 
What a potent bird frightener would be a 
mechanical contrivance—which fixed, saj T , in 
an orchard, would, as needed, emit terrible 
sounds, resembling the bray of brass instru¬ 
ments, the roar of musketry, and the scream 
of the fog-horn, by simply pressing an electric 
button some few hundreds of yards away! 
The poor winged depredator would be so 
alarmed that nothing would induce them to 
return to the neighbourhood of such a 
combination of unearthly sounds. How nice 
would it be could the owner of a fruit 
orchard be assured that on simply touching 
a button in his bedroom at early morning, 
there would be a discordant row amidst his 
fruit trees, recalling pandemonium ! We might 
even hope- to see the cornfields encompassed 
with similar inventions—the electric current 
setting bells ringing, guns firing, gongs 
banging, fog-horns shrieking until bird life 
in the locality became intolerable ! 
The suggestion we think well worthy of 
the attention of ingenious electricians; and 
having settled the predatory voracious birds, 
perhaps the insect pests might next be 
grappled with, and thus the almighty science 
would become a saving grace to fruit culture. 
Henri de Vilmorin. —The Royal Horti- 
cultural Society will have a distinguished 
foreign visitor at the Drill Hall on Tuesday 
next in the person of hi. Henri de Vilmorin, 
of Paris. This gentleman, whose knowledge of 
horticulture seems to be illimitable, has kindly 
consented to read a paper in the.afternoon on 
so commonplace a subject as “ Saladings,” and 
although the theme is far from being a horti- 
culturally heroic one, that it will be presented 
in a very interesting paper there can be no 
doubt. 
Saladings, as raised and consumed in France, 
differ largely from the crude materials usually 
presented here under that designation, and as 
we may find so much worthy of copying in 
this direction from the French, all who have 
to furnish salads will do well to hear what our 
visitor of next Tuesday has to say about them. 
But apart from this fact there should be in 
two ways a very hearty welcome accorded to 
M. de Vilmorin. In the first place there 
should be provided for his delectation, and to 
take the edge off the excessive baldness of the 
Drill Hall, a beautiful exhibition of the choicest 
of plants or other productions in season—not 
mere padding of the ordinary decorative sort, 
but realty good things, which it shall be to 
our credit to display. Then we should like 
to see also a large attendance, not merely of 
the ordinary public, but of members of the 
committees, when M. de Vilmonn’s paper is 
read. If the president of the society will 
rise to the height of the occasion of the visit 
of one of the most distinguished of Contin¬ 
ental horticulturists, and take the chair, 
probably others may be induced to remain. 
Parisians always welcome us heartily. Shall 
we be less hearty in our welcome of M. de 
Vilmorin 1 
-- 
The Clay Cross Horticultural Society's Annual 
Exhibition is fixed to be held on Tuesday, August 12th. 
The Leicester Abbey Park Annual Flower Show 
and Gala is announced to beheld on Tuesday, August 5th. 
The Collections of Amaryllis in the nurseries of 
Messrs James Yeitch & Sons will be at their best next 
week, and Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son’s in about ten 
days. Both will he well worth seeing. 
Dissolution of Partnership.—We are informed that 
Mr. R. Beale and Mr. E. A. Moore, who have been 
trading in horticultural sundries at Hew Southgate, H., 
under the title of R. Beale & Co., have dissolved part¬ 
nership by mutual consent. 
Fraudulent Commission Agents.—We understand 
that in the case of Frederick Wise, of Covent Garden 
Market, who recently pleaded guilty to obtaining goods 
by false pretences, the Duke of Bedford has paid the 
costs of the prosecution—a very commendable act, 
which should not be without its effect on other evil¬ 
doers. 
The Birmingham Chrysanthemum Society, as will 
be seen in our advertising columns, offers six prizes, 
ranging from £20 to £2, for forty-eight blooms (incurved 
and Japanese), to be competed for at its next exhi¬ 
bition. Such liberal awards should bring a grand 
competition. 
The Deepdene Gardens, Dorking.—Mr. J. Burnett, 
who succeeded the late Mr. J. B. Whiting, and has 
been gardener for some years at the Deepdene, having 
resigned on account of delicate health, has been suc¬ 
ceeded by Mr. T. Shaw, who until recently was 
foreman at Welbeck Abbey. Mr. Burnett has, we 
understand, gone to California in search of a better 
climate. 
Chiswick Horticultural Society : A Challenge Cup 
for Roses.—It may interest Rose growers to know that 
a member of this society offers a Silver Challenge Cup, 
value twenty guineas, for competition at the annual 
exhibition in Chiswick Gardens on July 10th. It is 
offered in a class for twenty-four varieties, three blooms 
of each, and must he won three times to become the 
absolute property of the exhibitor. 
Shropshire Gardeners’ Improvement Society.—A 
meeting of the members of this society was field in the 
Music Hall, Shrewsbury, on the 13th inst., Mr. 
Harrison, M.A., in the chair. Mr. Bacchus, foreman, 
Onslow Gardens, read a very practical paper on herba¬ 
ceous and other hardy flowers, dealing chiefly with 
those most useful for decorative and cutting purposes. 
An animated discussion ensued, and the usual vote of 
thanks accorded. It was decided not to hold any more 
meetings for the present, but to commence again about 
the first week in October next, when it is hoped the 
meetings will be continued again with renewed life and 
energy. 
The Lee Prizes.—The results of the competition for 
the prizes offered by Mrs. S. A. Lee, of Chiswick, to 
members of the Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association, for essays on horticultural subjects, 
have just been announced. The class that was left 
open for an essay on any subject at the discretion of 
members, brought the greatest number of-competitors. 
The first prize was awarded to Mr. A. "Wright, Devon- 
hurst, for a paper on “Popular Orchids.’’ Mr. 
Brooker wrote on “ Ferns,” and took the second prize. 
A second prize for a paper on the “ Culture of Hardy 
Herbaceous and Alpine Plants ” was awarded to Mr. J. 
Addison ; and a third to Mr. T. Bones. Prizes were 
also offered for a “ Report of the Work of the Session,” 
open to members under the age of twenty-one only, 
and these were taken by A. Belcher, — Miller, and 
Percy Smith. 
Ciuerarias.—Mr. H. Cannell exhibited a very fine 
strain of Cinerarias at the Drill Hall, on the 11th ; we 
now learn that Mr. James, of Farnham Royal, will 
exhibit some plants of his fine strain at the same place 
next Tuesday. It would have been all the more inter¬ 
esting to have had both strains on view at the same 
time. What interest would attach also to an exhibit 
of the best-named varieties of twenty-five years ago ! 
Are any of these in existence ! If so, could anyone send 
up a dozen plants or so just to enable the Fellows of 
the Royal Horticultural Society to note what advance 
has been made in size, colour, and quality of flower. 
It is worthy of notice that whilst Mr. Cannell’s blooms 
were so wonderfully fine, Mr. James should report his 
flowers as apparently finer than ever. 
The late Royal Aquarium Show.—Oddly enough 
in connection with Cinerarias, a correspondent should 
have drawn attention to the fact that there were no 
Cinerarias at the recent Aquarium show, which he 
greatly deplored. There can be no doubt but that the 
lack of these beautiful flowers, arrayed as they 7 are in 
many bright and glorious hues of colour, created a void 
which no amount of the eternal yellow Daffodil could 
fill. A good bank of Cinerarias makes one of the 
finest features of a spring show. There is about the 
plants such admirable adaptability for display, in the 
bold rotund flowers, fine broad heads, ample foliage, 
and comparatively dwarf habit of growth. That Ciner¬ 
arias were absent the other day from the Aquarium 
show was probably due to the fact that it extended co 
two days, and growers might have been afraid to have 
plants so long in the building. 
Begonia Seedlings.—Some idea of the enormous 
numbers of Begonias annually raised from seed in this 
country may be gathered from the work that is being 
carried on daily amongst them in the nursery of 
Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill. The seeds were 
