March 22, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
455 
sown in pans on the 22 nd of January, and the first 
batch of seedlings was pricked off eleven days after¬ 
wards. Since then the work of pricking off repeated 
batches has been going on as the seedlings become fit 
to handle, that is, when the cotyledons have become 
well formed. In a bed along one side of a house are 
208 pans of pricked-off seedlings, containing between 
300 and 400 each, generally nearer the latter number. 
Taking 208 pans, with an average of 300 seedlings 
each, the number mounts up to 62,400. Half as many 
again are stood on shelves overhead, and the work of 
pricking off the seedlings from the pans in which they 
were sown is still being prosecuted with great ardour. 
Galashiels Horticultural Association.—The usual 
monthly meeting of the members of this society was 
held on Saturday evening last, in the Gala Park 
School, Mr. Thomson presiding in the absence 
of Dr. Murray. The first paper was read by 
Mr. W. Craig, of Clovenfords, the title of his subject 
being “The Narcissus.” The paper was an eminently 
practical and interesting one, and was well received by 
the large audience present. The second paper was of a 
more scientific character, being on “Flowers, their 
Forms and Functions,” by an able young practitioner, 
Mr. Watt, gardener to W. Curie, Esq., Priorwood, 
Melrose, whose contribution also met with appreciative 
recognition. A hearty vote of thanks to the readers of 
the papers brought the meeting to a close. On a table 
in the centre of the school were some well-grown 
Azaleas and Primulas, and cut blooms of many species 
and varieties of Narcissi, which were closely inspected 
and much admired. 
Phoenix Robelenii.—By an unfortunate error, which 
we hasten to correct, we credited Messrs. B. S. Williams 
and Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, in our last issue, with 
having exhibited specimens of this interesting Palm at 
the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
instead of Messrs. F. Sander & Co. and Mr. James 
O’Brien, to both of whom certificates were awarded, 
and not to the firms first named. The plant is an 
interesting one, inasmuch as it is a native of Siam, 
where it grows on the mountains at a remarkably slow 
rate ; it is exceedingly difficult to import alive, and 
there is little or no chance of getting seeds, as they are 
eaten by birds and monkeys before they become ripe. 
Some four years ago one of Mr. Sander’s travellers sent 
home seven plants, but all were dead when they 
reached St. Albans. Last year Mr. Robelin found it, 
and successfully sent home about twenty-five plants, 
which were sold at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms, 
when they were all but one bought by Mr. Sander, Mr. 
O’Brien obtaining the other. 
- 
GARDENERS’ ORPHAN FUND. 
Ox the evening of the 14th inst. a meeting of 
standholders in the Flower Market, Covent Garden, 
was held at the Hummums Hotel, Mr. George Deal 
presiding, to consider the desirability’ - of holding a 
third Floral .Fete in the market in aid of this fund. 
Among the growers present were Mr. J. Walton, Mr. 
G. Poulton, Mr. G. Messer, Mr. E. Messer, Mr. G. 
May, Mr. G. Wermig, Mr. T. Lewington, Mr. W. S. 
Plimley, junr., Mr. W. G. Williams, Mr. Hergge, Mr. 
Evans, and Mr. Ed. Sawyer, and letters were read from 
several others heartily wishing success to the movement. 
The chairman explained the object for which the meet¬ 
ing was called, and moved a resolution endorsing the 
proposal to hold the fete, for which the sanction of the 
Duke of Bedford had been readily granted, and pledging 
the standholders to do all in their power to successfully 
carry out the same. This was seconded by Mr. Walton 
and carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. G. 
May, seconded by Mr. A. Bullen, the following gentle¬ 
men were elected as representatives of the standholders 
to co-operate with the committee of the fund in carrying 
out the fete Mr. W. Gregory, Mr. J. Walton, Mr. 
W. Baker, Mr. G. Messer, Mr. Bannister, Mr. G. 
Poulton, Mr. T. A. Dickson, Mr. T. Lewington, Mr. 
H. B. May, Mr. E. Sawyer, Mr. G. May, Mr. A. 
Cataneo, Mr. Ed. Rochford, Mr. A. Bullen, Mr. G. 
Wermig, and Mr. J. Williams. A discussion then 
ensued as to the date most suitable for holding the fete, 
the choice resting between May 21st and June 7th, the 
first-named, the Wednesday before Whit-Sunday, being 
ultimately agreed to. The committee will meet at the 
Caledonian Hotel at 9 p.m. on the 28th, to arrange 
details. 
On the same evening a lecture on “ Apples, their 
Culture and Use,” was given by Mr. William Roupell, 
at the British Workman’s Club, Upper Tulse Hill, a 
fine building recently erected at the expense of a local 
philanthropist. Mr. T. Buxton Morrish presided, and 
opened the proceedings by explaining that the lecture 
was given on behalf of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, 
which society he commended to the meeting in a forcible 
address. The lecture was of a comprehensive character, 
and conveyed much practical information concerning 
Apples and the best methods of culture. Quotations 
from old authorities, as well as new, were given, and 
some extracts from Mr. R. D. Blackmore’s recent work, 
“Kit and Kitty,” were well received. The walls were 
hung with suitable maps and drawings, but a fine col¬ 
lection of well-preserved Apples was found to be the 
most effective illustration, and excited much surprise 
and interest, especially when, during a pause in the 
lecture, some well-filled baskets were handed round for 
the audience to test the truth of the proverb, “ the 
proof of the (say Apple) is in the eating.” Admission 
was by ticket, with some reserved seats, but the meeting 
consisted largely of gardeners and their wives. -A 
collection was willingly made, and several new sub¬ 
scribers gave in their names, the result being a 
substantial benefit to the Orphan Fund. 
--Hi- 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 
A good breadth, well-grown, of this fine winter vege¬ 
table, is indispensable in nearly every kitchen garden, 
and Brussels Sprouts, like everything else, require good 
and timely attention to secure a fine crop. If not 
already done, get some boxes 4 ins. deep, and into these 
put 3 ins. of good-hearted soil moderately fine. Sow 
the seeds at once, evenly on the top, scattering from 
nine to twelve seeds to the square inch ; slightly cover 
them with soil, water, and place the boxes on a shelf in 
the greenhouse or pit, and when the seeds come up 
give air at every favourable opportunity to keep them 
sturdy. On the appearance of the third rough leaf 
they are ready for pricking out into frames, or still 
deeper boxes, containing a bottom layer of 3 ins. of rotted 
manure, with 3 ins. or 4 ins. of fine soil on the top. 
Dibble the young plants up to the seed leaf, 4 ins. 
apart each way, water them, keep close for a few days, 
and when established sprinkle lime or soot over the 
soil to keep down insects ; give air as before, until 
finally the lights can be dispensed with altogether, or 
the boxes placed outside. 
Planting out in their permanent quarters takes place 
in May. The ground is prepared by digging in a good 
dressing of manure, 10 in. deep, and planting inrowsfrom 
18 ins. to 2 ft. apart, according to the respective varieties. 
During the summer occasional drenchings of water is 
given at the roots to keep the soil moist. Autumn 
sowings we have never tried, nor do we see the necessity 
of it when good results can be attained without. Three 
capital sorts are Sutton’s Matchless, Aigburth, and 
President Carnot. They are all compact growers, 
yielding sprouts of nice size and delicious quality. 
Failures are occasioned in several ways, such as 
leaving them too long in the seed beds, imperfect pre¬ 
paration of the soil for them, late planting, and 
overcrowding. “ Oh ! they will not be wanted for six 
or nine months ; stick them in !” Time and labour is 
certainly not plentiful at planting time, but there is a 
remedy for this—the quarters should be prepared in 
winter. In small gardens, for want of space, they are 
often crammed in with other summer occupants—aneces- 
sary evil ; but even in large places, where there is 
plenty of room, we sometimes find the same system 
pursued. Comment is needless ; but the good old 
adage—“A place for everything, and everything in its 
place”—cannot be too often enforced, even in con¬ 
nection with the successful culture of Brussels Sprouts. 
—A Kitchen Gardener. 
THE CROWN ANEMONE. 
The Crown Anemone (A. coronaria) was very popular 
in gardens some years ago, and for a time ranked 
among the florists’ flowers. It is the "Windflower of 
our gardens, and Pliny tells us it is so named because 
it bloweth only when the wind blows, meaning thereby, 
perhaps, that as it flowers in the month of March, it is 
at the season of the year when March winds do blow. 
Much depends upon the strength of the plants, the 
character of the season, and the position they occupy, 
as to the period when the flowers are seen ; and it is 
not too much to say the Anemone will flower at any 
time between November and May. 
.1 have before set forth the Greek tradition which 
relates to the origin of the Anemone. According to 
Ovid, it is to be found in the death of Adonis, the 
favourite of Venus. Desperately wounded by a boar, to 
which he had given chase, the ill-fated youth lay 
expiring on tho blood-stained grass, when he was found 
by Venus, who, overcome with grief, determined that 
her fallen lover should hereafter live as a flower. The 
Greek poet, Bion, in his epitaph on Adonis, makes the 
Anemone the offspring of tears of the sorrowing Venus. 
One of the Spanish poets attributes the red colour only 
of the Anemone to the blood of Adonis. 
A. coronaria is, like A. hortensis or A. stellata, a native 
of the Mediterranean region, and came to us many 
years ago. When our earlier florists, and, later in point 
of time, raisers like Tyso made a pet of it, very beautiful 
varieties were obtained ; they were named, and col¬ 
lections offered for sale. But it had its day—those who 
took a great interest in it gave up growing it, or died. 
New subjects challenged attention, and the Anemone, 
with all its wealth of vernal beauty, fell into neglect. 
Of late years the popular taste has set in again, and we 
are hearing a good deal about Poppy Anemones, Em¬ 
press Anemones, St. Brigid Anemones, &e. ; but under 
whatsoever name they are known, they represent A. 
coronaria. Poppy is an old name for the Anemone, 
and refers to the fine single types, and the Giant 
Empress Anemones are single also. But in raising 
seedlings it is found that single and double flowers 
will come among them. 
Seed can be sown in autumn or spring, but I prefer 
the spring, sowing it in pans or shallow boxes, or on a 
bed made up in a frame. The seeds are not a great 
while in germinating, and when the plants are large 
enough they can be pricked off into other boxes, and 
finally planted out in the open. The raiser of seed¬ 
lings—as indeed any grower of Anemones—should give 
his Anemones liberal treatment, in order to see his 
flowers at their best. Let the soil of the bed be 
dug deeply, and if some manure is necessary, let it be 
well decayed, and when this is well incorporated in 
the soil, it is well to place a dressing of leaf-soil on 
the surface, and gently fork it in before planting. 
Whether the planter is using seedling plants or dry 
roots, let him place them 6 ins. apart each way, and 
then they will have ample room in which to develop. 
Dry roots may be put in the ground at any time from 
September to March, and by planting at intervals of two 
months or so, a succession of flower may be obtained. 
But the Anemone is essentially a spring flower, and 
therefore need not be planted after Christmas. 
I am decidedly in favour of taking up the roots when 
the plants have gone out of bloom, and the foliage 
turns yellow. They should be lifted with a little soil 
adhering to the fibres, and put in open boxes in a cool 
place, and when dry enough they should be cleaned 
and put away in paper bags for planting out at the 
proper time. A little seed can be taken from the 
very best varieties when in bloom, but only from the 
best. The aim of the seedling raiser should be to 
secure the finest types possible. 
On the Continent named varieties are grown, 
mostly of the double-flowered type. Such varieties 
as Beauty of Cannes, Etoile de Bretagne, Gloire 
de Nantes, La Brillante, Ponceau and Rosnei, are 
said to be very fine. The single and double scarlet 
forms of A. Hortensis and A. fulgens, and its double 
form also, are well worthy of cultivation with the 
varieties of A. coronaria, and I would decidedly say, 
add also that pretty pale blue species, A. appenina, so 
free and so charming under the spring sunshine.— R.D. 
-—- 
FOGS. 
Fogs are very troublesome to gardeners at times, as 
they cause a great deal of damp in plant houses ; and 
in the immediate neighbourhood of London they are 
found very hurtful, as they are frequently charged with 
impurities of the atmosphere that have a deadly effect 
on plants. Mr. Roberts, when at Gunnersbury Park 
Gardens, and his successor, Mr. George Reynolds, have 
found—and still find—it very difficult to flower cer¬ 
tain things at Gunnersbury at that time of the 
year when the wind is in the east, and the fog-laden 
atmosphere, charged with impurities, is blown from 
the east westward. Fogs arise when the atmosphere 
becomes colder than water. Recognising this, certain 
conclusions can be drawn. One is that fogs will be 
most frequent in autumn, after the earth has been 
heated during the summer, the air cooling faster than 
the earth. Fogs are generally more numerous and 
heavier after the hottest summer. The appearance of 
fog indicates that the air has become suddenly colder, 
and therefore may be taken as an indication that snow 
is imminent. Fogs are rare in hot climates, where the 
air is usually very hot and dry. Fogs are therefore 
likely to be very frequent in the Arctic, regions, where 
the sudden depressions are enormously below the mean 
temperature. Lastly, fogs will be most frequent over 
shallow water, which more quickly partakes of the 
temperature of the bottom than the deeper water. It 
is an old saying with country people, that for every fog 
that occurs in March in a locality, there will be a 
frost in May.— E. IF. 
