July 12, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
707 
WEBBS’ 
EMPEROR CABBAGE. 
THE EARLIEST AND BEST. 
6cl. and Is. per packet; 
Is. 6d. per oz. 
"Webb's Emperor Cabbage is a 
very good fast-growing sort, of large 
size and good quality.” — Mr. E. 
SIMPSON, Gardener to the Right 
Hon. Lord Wrottesley.” 
Per oz 
Early Nonpareil Cabbage . 
... 
... 8d. 
Enfield Market Cabbage . 
. 
. . 6(1. 
Early Rainham Cabbage. . 
. 
... 9(1. 
Red Dutch Cabbage . 
. 
... 9(1. 
ONION. 
Per pkt. 
Webbs’ Red Globe Tripoli . 
... 6d. 
Is. 6d. 
Large Flat Red Tripoli . 
... Gd. 
lOd. 
Giant Roeca . 
... 6(1. 
Is. 6d. 
White Lisbon . 
... 
8(1. 
Post Free. 
B B 3 D J i 
si* 
til] 
BJM 
jfej 
Gardening Charities, &c. 
f '1 ARDENERS' ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.— 
VT Secretary, Edward Roger Cutler, 50, Parliament Street, 
S.W. 
G ARDENERS’ ORPHAN FUND.—Honorary Secretary, 
A. F. Barron, Royal Horticultural Society's Garden, 
Chiswick, W. 
U NITED HORTICULTURAL PROVIDENT and BENEFIT 
SOCIETY.—Secretary, William Collins, 9, Martiudale 
Road, Balham, S.W. _ 
S TEPHANOTIS FLORIBUNDA, the true 
Elvaston 'variety. I have plants now in 4-inch pots in 
bloom. For truthful illustration, see Catalogue. Strong¬ 
growing plants, 3s. Gd. and 2s. Gd. 
PRIMULA FLORIBUNDA.—This is a gem; pure yellow. 
3s. 6 cl. per doz. 
PRIMULA CORTUSOIDES, 2s. per doz. 
HYBRID ROCHEAS. — Charming new winter - flowering 
plants. The five splendid varieties figured in the Gardeners’ 
Chronicle. February 22nd last. The set, 15s. Moat valuable 
addition to the list of winter-flowering plants. 
HYDRANGEA STELLATA FIJIBRIATA. — Pure white, 
fimbriated edges, crimson spot in centre. Is. Gd. each. 
CROTONS.—Twelve grand sorts, 9s. and 12s. 
SARRACENIAS.—All the best varieties, at low prices. See 
Catalogue Essay on their successful cultivation. 
ADIANTUM CAPILLUS - VENERIS LA GRANDE. — A 
splendid stock of this line new Fern. Very line plants. 
Is. each ; 11s. per dozen. 
NEW FUCHSIA, MOLESWORTH.—The largest Fuchsia in 
existence. 5s. per dozen. 
ZONAL GERANIUMS.—The finest collection in the country, 
from 3s. per doz.; 20s. per ICO. 
Send for my NEW ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE. 
A. J. IL. BRUCE, 
THE NURSERIES, 
Edge Lane, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. 
PRIMULAS! PRIMULAS! 1PRIMULAS! 
21st YEAR OF DISTRIBUTION. 
Williams’ Superb Strain, Is. Gd. per dozen ; 10s. per 100. 
CINERARIAS same price, also DOUBLE WHITE PRIMULAS, 
Gd. each. Carriage free for cash with order, 
JOHN STEV ENS , The Nurseries, COVENTRY 
Mr. DODWELL’S GRAND CARNATIONS 
THE FINEST GROWN. 
5,000 Unbloomed Seedlings, warranted of the highest parentage, 
unrivalled whether for bedding or forcing for Spring flowering. 
BULBS 
IF YOU WANT 
RELIABLE BULBS <& SEEDS 
Mr. ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
Of the firm of Sydenham Brothers, Wholesale Jewellers, 
THE LARGEST AMATEUR IMPORTER IN THE KINGDOM, 
HIS 
UNIQUE BULB LIST, 
With Pamphlet, Now Revised and Enlarged, 
“HOW I CAME TO CROW BULBS,” 
The Most Reliable Guide to the Best Varieties and 
How to Grow them. NOW Ready. Sent Post 
Pree on application. 
Please mention this Paper. 
A few CHOICE FLOWER SEEDS for Sowing 
now. — Aquilegia californica, 6(i.; Auricula, show, Is., Is. 6rf.; 
Alpine, 9d., Is.; Calceolaria, Is., 2s. ; Carnation-, very special, 
Is., Is. Gd. ; Cineraria, Is., Is. 6 d ; Gloxinia, Is., 2s.; Hollyhock, 
prize double, Gd, Is.; Pansy, Roemer's Prize Giant., Is. ; Show 
and Fancy, best mixed, Gd., Is. ; Picotee, very special. Is , Is Gd. ; 
Pink, very choice, Is , Is. Gd. ; Poppy, new, very large single 
scarlet. (142 in List), Gd. ; Pyrethrmn, from best sorts, Gd.; Stock, 
Giant Scarlet Brompton, Gd., 9 d. ; Giant White, Gd., 9d.: Wall¬ 
flower, single, crimson, gold, rich brown early, each 3d.; Double 
German, 4<L, 6d. All per packet, post free. All of the choicest 
strains. See Mv Guarantee. 
MUSHROOM SPAWN.— 4d. each, 3s. dozer, bricks; or sent, 
post free, 1 brick, 9d. ; 3 bricks. Is. S d. ; 6 bricks, 2s. 9 d. 
RAFFIA CRASS.— Best White, for tying. Price, Is. per 
postal lb.; 2 lb., Is, Gd,; 3 lbs., 2s. If sent with seeds or 
bulbs, Gd. per lb. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
New Tenby Street, Birmingham. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Monday, July 14th.—National Chrysanthemum Society : Meet¬ 
ing of the General Committee at 7 p.m. 
Tuesday, July 15th. —Wolverhampton Floral Fete (three days). 
Portsmouth Flower Show (three days). Third Sale of Mr. 
Tautz’s Orchids at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Thursday, July 17th.— National Rose Society's Show at Bii- 
mingliam. Helensburgh Rose Show. Highgatfi Flower Show. 
Friday, July ISth.—Annual Meeting and Dinner of the Gar¬ 
deners’ Orphan Fund at the Cannon Street Hotel. Sale of 
Established Orchids at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, July 19tli.—Rose and Pink Show at the Botanical 
Gardens, Manchester. 
For Index to Contents & Advertisements, see p. 718. 
r ‘ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.” —Bacon. 
SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1890. 
White Grounds, 3s. 6(1. per doz.; 21s. per 100. 
Yellow Grounds, 5s. per doz.; 31s. Od. per 100. 
Strong- plants of his NEW YELLOWS and KIL.HURRY 
YELLOW GROUNDS, for late Autumn or Winter 
blooming, 10s. 6d. per dozen. 
THE COTTAGE, STANLE Y ROA D, OXFORD. 
FLORAL ALBUM OF CONFERENCE DAFFODILS. 
This unique “ Work of Art,” illustrated by Gertrude Hartland, 
has now become a regular Drawing-room Book, containing, as it 
does, over 50 faithful pictures of one of the most accommodating 
of all Spring Flowers. First Edition, limited to a thousand 
copies, Post Free, 2s. 6d. Complimentary to past and future 
purchasers. Trade circular of Best Market Varieties, Gratis. 
Bulbs very line and prices moderate. 
WM BAYLOR HA RTLAND, Seedsman, CORK. 
BECONIAS A SPECIALITY 
Exhibition of th ese Lovely Flowe rs Now on View. 
Unequalled as a floral display. Visitors are cordially 
invited. Free admission. Frequent trains from the 
City and from the West End to Catford Bridge and 
Forest Hill Railway Stations. 
[Descriptive Priced Lists Free on Application. 
JOHN LAING & SONS, 
The nurseries, FOREST HILL, LOHDOH, S.E. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
he Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. —With the 
annual meeting and festival of the sub¬ 
scribers and friends of this fund so near, for it 
takes place on the 1 Stir nit., it is not possible 
to ignore the fact that the gathering will this 
year take place under gloomy conditions ; not 
that the Fund is suffering financially—it is in 
no danger in that respect—but it has lost by 
death its estimable and most energetic chair¬ 
man, Mr. Deal, and his absence will he 
materially felt. Those who remember the 
dinner, at which, by virtue of his office, he 
took so prominent a part last July, find it 
difficult to realise that so comparatively hearty 
a man lias been taken from us. He was at 
once so business-like and so genial, that every¬ 
body liked him, and readily accepted his acts 
and decisions. 
It would have been to Mr. Deal a matter 
of exceeding pleasure to have supported Mr. 
Shirley Hibberd, who presides at the annual 
dinner. Perhaps the knowledge that so great a 
void in the gathering has been created may 
induce others to help reduce the dimensions of 
what otherwise may-be a sort of skeleton at 
the feast. The bereavement is a sad event 
which, whilst deeply deplored, must be duly 
faced, for men may come, and men may go, 
but time and its duties roll on for ever. That 
some sort of memorial to Mr. Deal’s memory, 
that of the first chairman of the Fund, should 
be raised none can doubt; hut the suggestion 
as to its nature should come from the com¬ 
mittee over which he presided. Still, there 
seems to he one form, which doubtless occurs 
to all simultaneously. 
fljRCHiDS and the Million.— Although the 
prices paid at the recent auction sales of 
the Studley House collection may have seemed 
comparatively low to some, as compared with 
■what is given occasionally for good things, still 
it must be admitted that to the million of plant 
lovers, the amount paid must have a very 
prohibitory look, and cause them to reserve any 
desire they may have to become Orchid-growers 
to a more favoi r.ible opportunity. There may 
he money in Orchids still, and doubtless always 
will he, because whilst the fields in tropical 
climes from •which Orchids are gathered must 
be somewhat lessening in area, there is a 
constant growth of wealth here, and with 
wealth comes a natural desire to have 
collections of what are, without exception, 
properly desciibed as floral aristocrats—none 
the less truly, perhaps, that Orchids are mainly 
floral parasites. 
But all the same they present to us a most 
beautiful family of plants. None other under 
the sun gives us such loveliness, such quaintness, 
and such exceeding beauty as do Orchids. 
Then they are not everybody’s flowers, and 
never can be. It is not merely that they must 
ever be costly, and perhaps will become again 
more expensive than they are just now, but 
they demand special knowledge in cultivation, 
special houses, and such conditions of culture 
altogether, as renders their growth comparatively 
difficult, except where all needful appliances are 
furnished, and where there is the required 
cultural knowledge. 
On the whole we think that the investing of 
a good sum of money in Orchids is not a had 
speculation, hut on the contrary, with practical 
knowledge arid sound judgment in buying, is 
likely to lead to a considerable financial reward 
in due course. When to such business pro¬ 
clivity there is added a genuine love for the 
flowers, it is certain that the investor will he far 
more than repaid, for the annual floral return, 
independent of the increased value of the plants, 
must be great. If one large collection be 
broken up occasionally, it will prove in the end 
no loss if a dozen others be formed out of 
it, and something of the kind is what appears 
to be taking place. 
^he ’Weather.— Tf there is much concern as 
to the. probable nature of the season in 
the minds of all associated with the land it 
is of no wonder. There are few vocations 
which suffer more from bad weather than do 
those of agriculture and horticulture. Both 
are in considerable danger just now of being 
heavily hit by bad weather* for we have been 
having a cold, Wet time, which has done great 
harm, and may be productive of much more 
ere the gloom and cold passes away. Really, 
it would seem as if all the ills of the wet 
summer of 1888 were being tumbled into a 
few weeks at midsummer now. 
Tremendous heavy rains, cold wind storms, 
long hours of drizzle, very little of warmth 
and of sunshine, and general lowness of tem¬ 
perature. Such visitations are bad enough at 
any time during the summer months, but they 
come with special harm in the midst of the 
hay harvest, of the Strawberry and Raspberry 
season, and whilst the Pea-gathering is at its 
height. The soil now seems to be universally 
soaked. It is, in fact, reeking with moisture 
for the time of year. All vegetation will be 
making growth unduly dense, and coarse, and 
