May 3, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
519 
MY NEW 
DAHLIA 
CATALOGUE 
Is now being issued, and ought to be in the hands of 
my Patrons in a few days ; anyone not receiving same 
should apply at once, when a fresh copy shall be sent. 
It contains 
My NOVELTIES for 1890 
Which are quite equal to my previous introductions, 
manv of which are among the most popular of the day. 
Each section is fully represented, and every good 
variety will be found fully described. I have a fine 
collection of 
CACTUS, SINCLE, POMPONE.SHOW, 
FANCY, & STELLATE VARIETIES. 
All are good strong plants established in pots, and w ill 
be ready for planting the first week in May. This 
Catalogue also contains a fine collection of the 
NEW LARGE-FLOWERING CAMS, 
Having flowers almost as large as Gladiolus, of almost 
every shade of colour. The Catalogue also contains an 
abridged list of CHRYSANTHEMUMS, MAR¬ 
GUERITES, PENTSTEMONS, SINGLE 
PYRETHRUMS, and many other popular groups 
for present planting. 
I have issued this season the follow.ing descriptive 
Catalogues:— ILLUSTRATED HARDY PERENNIALS, 
CLIMBING PLANTS, HARDY FERNS, CHRYSAN¬ 
THEMUMS, CHOICE FLOvVER SEEDS, any of winch 
can still be had on application to 
THOS. S. WARE, 
HALE FARM NURSERIES, 
TOTTENHAM, LONDON. 
KEL WAY’S 
^ UTC^X^Iy of which we grow 20 acres. 
PYRETHRUMS, 5 acres. 
ARDIAS, 5 acres. 
and DELPHINITJ M 8 , 5 acres. 
NOW is the TIMEto PLANT. 
Catalogues Gratis. 
KELWAY tt SOS, LAMPORT, SOMERSET. 
GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 1SS9. 
.'THE BEST MUSHROOM SPAWNS 
“ S» 8 41 14 S O IV S IHIPROVKI' 
15/- per bus. Circular, with testimonials, Post Free. 
LDlCKSOMSl” N J .S^gfCHESTER. ; 
THE GARDEN. 
I T would be greatly to the advantage and interest 
of all who well understand, and particularly 
those who take a hearty interest in participating in 
the enjoyment of a well-kept garden e™ For such to 
have a familiar knowledge of our Establishment bm*» 
Stock mmmm Unrivalled natural advantages bm Mode 
of supplying mmmm Sending safely . w- a And cheaply 
bbb First handed direct mama The best of everything 
required — To the furthermost parts of the earth 
bb Will find enormous gains em In the first 
instance Please send for Catalogues, then 
WE SUPPLY NEARLY ALL THE ROYAL FAMILIES AND HEADS 
IN THE WORLD. 
HENRY GANNELL&SONS, 
SWANLEY, KENT. 
.SONS 
LAIHC’S BEGONIAS 
SHOULD BE TRIED BY ALL. 
JOHN LAING & SONS beg to 
f ) offer Seed saved from Prize Plants. 
In illustrated packets. Choice Mixed 
Single or Double varieties, Is., 2s. 6 d., and 
5s. per packet. Collections, 12 named 
Single varieties, separate, 5s. 6 d.\ 6 do., 3s. 
1 . Tubers, named Singles, from 12s. to 42s. 
|Cfl per doz.; unnamed Seedlings, 12s., 18s., 
and 21s. per doz; Bedding, choicest. 6s. 
and 9s. per doz.; choicest named Doubles, 
from 42s. per doz.; unnamed, very choice, 
24s. and 30s. per doz.; choicest Mixed, 
ISs. per doz. The best procurable. 
CATALOGUES gratis. 
THE NURSERIES, 
FOREST HILL, LONDON, S.E. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Wednesday, May 7th.—Sale of Plants at Protheroe & Morris’s 
Rooms. 
Friday, May 9th.—Sale of Established and Imported Orchids 
at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, May 10th.—Crystal Palace Flower Show. 
For Indexto Contents & Advertisements, see p. 559. 
11 Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”—B acon. 
SATURDAY , MAY 3, 1890. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
7|The Auricula Shows. —The exhibitions of 
^ Auriculas held in London last week, and 
in both London and Manchester during the 
present week, should materially help to the 
wider cultivation of one of our loveliest of 
hardy spring flowers. To the Auricula Society 
certainly belongs the honour of bringing 
together the largest assemblage which greets 
the meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society 
at the Drill Hall yearly — evidence that a 
special society does in its particular direction 
perform good work in influencing a large num¬ 
ber of persons to take to the cultivation of a 
favourite flower, which even the Royal Society 
cannot excel. Whilst perhaps somewhat less 
interest attached to the Auricula Show of the 
present week at the Royal Aquarium, yet it is 
certain that very many persons were attracted 
to it who are not otherwise accessible to 
floral influences, and not a few may thereby be 
induced to become Auricula cultivators. 
Should such he the case, we hope that the 
National Auricula Society will also secure 
them as members. This body, however, so far 
as the Southern Section is concerned,must show 
rather more of business aptitude and style than 
was seen at the recent Drill Hall exhibition. 
There was too little evidence of good 
management in the general arrangements, 
everybody wanting to know, and no one 
heins; at hand or able to advise. An active 
superintendent of the shows, who is at 
once a responsible member but not an 
exhibitor, seems to he badly needed; and the 
committee should take the matter in hand. 
One of the special features of the recent shows 
was found in the marked advance made in 
Auricula culture by one of the Reading ama¬ 
teurs Tha tMr. Henwood does so well, shows 
that there is no royal road to success, and that 
energy with knowledge, and some few simple 
appliances can accomplish much. May many 
other small growers be encouraged to go and 
do, or try to do, as Mr. Henwood has so 
admirably done ! Let those who are dubious 
of their powers start cultivating a few good 
Alpines. They are indeed very lovely flowers, 
and whilst less costly or difficult to cultivate 
well, do serve to indicate the way to success 
witli those other beautiful forms associated 
with which the Rev. F. D. Horner has notably 
earned so high a reputation. 
HTn International Horticultural Exhibi- 
tion. — We have been reading in the daily 
papers reports of a most successful horti¬ 
cultural exhibition held in Berlin, and 
patronised most warmly by the Imperial family 
of the German Empire. How is it that whilst 
these things may he done in Berlin, in 
Brussels, in Ghent, in Paris, indeed almost 
anywhere, yet here in London, the city, as it 
were, of the universe, and the capital of the 
greatest horticultural people in the world, a 
great international horticultural exhibition 
seems impossible 1 We had one—and a grand 
one — twenty-four years ago; is it too 
much to ask that another may be organised 
after an interval of twenty-five years? If 
there is one country in Europe in which a 
really grand horticultural display might be 
made, it certainly is Great Britain. 
But the other day we read of the honours 
paid at Berlin to British horticulturists. It 
is ever the case let the shows on the Conti¬ 
nent be where they may, and open to the 
world, that British growers are found in the 
very front rank of exhibitors, and taking a 
full share of the honours. How humiliating, 
therefore, must it be to our champions that 
they are ever unable to offer their compeers 
on the Continent a similar greeting, and as 
many honours at a grand international show 
in London ! Even Edinburgh is far more go- 
ahead than London in this respect, and the 
energy and earnestness of the citizens of the 
northern Athens put us to shame. How is 
it, and why is it that we are thus placed ? 
Would that, putting aside all societies abso¬ 
lutely, the horticultural trade of the kingdom 
and leading amateurs and gardeners would 
come together and talk the matter over! 
What was possible in I860 surely cannot be 
impossible in 1891 or the following year. 
If we wait for the Royal societies to move, 
then will nothing be done, and from past 
experience it does seem that if that undoubted 
desideratum for a great international exhibi¬ 
tion, Royal patronage, is to be secured, then 
it must be obtained through other means than 
the Royal Horticultural Society. We should 
like to see a permanent arrangement come to 
between the horticulturists of Europe for the 
holding of a grand international show in one 
of the capitals or leading cities yearly, so 
that the turn of each might come once in 
every ten years. What a grand stimulus 
such an arrangement would give to horti¬ 
culture ! 
TsThe Proposed Horticultural Hall. —If 
^ that very estimable and enthusiastic 
gentleman, Baron Schroder, was enabled to 
derive any encouragement for his scheme for 
the erection of a horticultural hall in the city 
of London from the meeting of the horticul¬ 
tural trade, held at the offices of the Royal 
Horticultural Society last week, then he is .a 
sanguine man indeed. Some 1,500 circulars 
were sent out, and the bond fide attendance 
was fifteen minus the hundreds. Of these few 
several were regular attendants at the Society’s 
meetings, and have personally promised assist¬ 
ance, so that the response was so poor, and 
Baron Schroder’s explanation so vague, on most 
of the points on which information is wanted, 
as to render it impossible for us to derive from 
the meeting any hope whatever. Even those 
of the trade who did pronrse help pleaded 
poverty, and we know only too well how true 
that plea is. Perhaps they might also have 
added some expression of doubt as to whether 
any ultimate benefit to the trade, and especially 
the country trade, is likely to result from the 
