August 30, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
819 
FERNS. FERNS. 
WILLIAMS’ for Cheap FERNS. 
WILLIAMS’ „ Stove FERNS. 
WILLIAMS’ ,, Greenhouse FERNS. 
WILLIAMS’ „ Hardy FERNS. 
WILLIAMS’ „ Tree FERNS. 
WILLIAMS’ „ Filmy FERNS. 
WILLIAMS’ „ Rockworkfor FERNERIES. 
WILLIAMS’ „ the FERNERIES. 
An Inspection of our Stock invited. 
Illustrated CATALOGUES gratis and post free. 
B. S. WILLIAMS & SON, 
Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, 
UPPER HOLLOWAY, LONDON, N. 
JOSHUA LE CORNU X. SONS 
|rDan#FRU IT TREES 
II LHO L I and ROSE TREES. 
CARRIAGE PAID. PACKED GRATIS. An immense stock 
of strong, healthy, well-rooted trees. Before ordering, be sure 
to write for our Illustrated Catalogue. 
CORDONS A SPECIALITY. 
ROSES WONDERFULLY CHEAP. The finest that money can buy 
BIGS View NURS-RRIES, JERSEY, 
DUTCH BULBS 
Carriage Paid to Purchaser’s door in Great 
Britain and Ireland. No Packing Charges. 
Beautifully Illustrated English Amateur’s Catalogue 
gratis and post free from the growers. 
VAN MEERBEEK & Co.,Hillegom (Holland). 
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. 
lVliite Grounds, 3s. 6d. per doz.; 21s. per 100. 
Yellow Grounds, 5s. per doz.; 31s. 6d. per 100. 
Strong plants of his NEW YELLOWS and KILIILRRY 
YELLOW GROUNDS, for late Autumn or Winter 
blooming, 10s. 6d. per dozen. 
THE COTTAGE, STANLEY ROAD, OXFORD. 
FERNS A SPECIALITY. 
The largest, most complete and profusely ILLUSTRATED 
CATALOGUE OF FERNS ever published, containing over 
120 Illustrations and much valuable practical information on the 
cultivation of Ferns, &eincluding comprehensive List of useful 
Gardening Books. 
One Shilling and Sixpence , post free. 
Smaller Catalogue of about 1,400 species and varieties, free on 
application. 
W. & J. BIRKENHEAD, 
FERN NURSERY, ' 
SALE, MANCHESTER. 
PONKEY POTTERIES 
RUABON, NORTH WALES. 
FLOWER POTS 
IF YOU WANT 
MALL! GOOD BULBS <S SEEDS 
APPLY TO 
Mr. ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
Of the firm of Sydenham Brothers , Wholesale Jewellers, 
THE LARGEST AMATEUR IMPORTER IN THE KINGDOM. 
My Revised LIST and Enlarged PAMPHLET, 
“HOW ! CAME TO CROW BULBS,” 
The Most Reliable Guide to the Best Varieties and 
How to Grow them, has now been sent to all friends who 
have supported me in past seasons ; any who Have not received 
a copy will please send Post Card. 
[ do not aim so much to sell the cheapest bulbs as I do to 
send out the very best quality, feeliDg sure the results will be 
most satisfactory to buyers. 
I have to thank my many friends for their kind support and 
recommendations, and to ask them to send orders as early as 
possible, as best Bulbs are much scarcer than usual. 
To ensure success and the finest blooms, I particularly recom¬ 
mend all to order early and plant the following as soon as 
received—NARCISSUS, CROCUS, SNOWDROPS, FREESIAS, 
IRIS, and LILIUM CANDIDUM—as they begin to make roots 
sooner thanmost others in my List. 
BULBS FOR CHRISTMAS BLOOMING, 
The following, if ordered and potted at once, will bloom well 
for Christmas. 
EARLY WHITE ROMAN HYACINTHS, Is. 6 d. doz., 
11s. 100 ; or extra selected Bulbs, all averaging over five 
inches round, the finest that can possibly be imported, 2s. doz., 
15s. 100. 
EREESIA REFSACTA ALBA, the most lovely flower of 
the day. Ordinary flowering Bulbs, as usually sold 9d. doz., 
4s. 100; selected Bulbs, Is. doz., 7s, 100; or extra selected 
Bulbs, Is. 6rf. doz., 11s. 100. 
DOUBLE ROMAN NARCISSUS, average size Bulbs, as 
usually sold 5s. 100 ; selected Bulbs, Is. doz., 7s. 100. 
PAPER-WHITE NARCISSUS, Is. doz., 7s. 100; or the 
large-flowering variety, Is. 6d. doz., 11s. 100. 
I MAKE A SPECIALITY OF HYACINTHS. 
One dozen, first size and named, for pots or glasses, 4s. 
A splendid dozen, unnamed, for pots, 3s., for water, 3s. 6d. 
Capital second-size Hyacinths, quite equal to what are often 
sold as first size, 2s. 6d. doz . or 17s. 6d. 100. 
A choice collection of all the best Hyacinths for Exhibition 
purposes, from 3d. to 8d. each. 
Splendid Bedding Hyacinths, Blue, Is. 6d. ; Bed, Is. 9d. ; 
White, 2s. 3d. doz. 11s., 13s- and 16s. 100. 
I have increased my collection of Narcissus, and made reduc¬ 
tions in prices where possible, Bulboeodium, Is.; Jonquils, 6 d.; 
Pheasant Eye, 4<Z.; Poeticus ornatus, for foicing, Is. Id.; Bur- 
bidgei, Is. 3d. ; Incomparable, 8 d. ; Stella, 9 d. ; Cynosure, 2s. 3d.; 
Leedsii amabilis, 2s. 3d.; Duchess of Brabant, 2s. 3d.; Obval- 
laris, Is. 6d. ; Rugilobus, 2s. ; Princeps, Is. 6d. ; Horsfleidi, Ss.; 
all per dozen., cheaper by 100. Polyanthus Narcissus ; Gloriosa, 
Is. 6d. ; Soleil d’Or, Is, 3d ; Grand Monarque, 2s. 6d. ; all per 
dozen. Best named, extra large Crocus, 2s. 100 ; second size, 
Is. to Is. 6d 100. Splendid Snowdrops, single or doable, 2s. 100 ; 
extra large, 3s. 100. Winter Aconites, 2s. 100. Scilla sibirica, 
2s. 100 ; extra selected, 2s. 6d. 100. Chionodoxa, a lovely flower, 
8d. dozen ; 4s. 6d. 100. Lilium Harrisi, 7s. dozen ; extra large, 
S to 9 inches round, 10s. 6d. dozen ; candidum, 2s. 6d. dozen. 
English Iris, 3s. 6d. 100. Spanish Iris, Is. 6d. 100. Anemones, 
single, 2s. 100 ; double, 4s. 100. Splendid mixed Ixias, 2s. 100; 
ISs. 1,000. Choice mixed Ranunculus, 2s. 100. Grape Hya¬ 
cinths, 2s. 3d. 100. 
Send for full List, and compare prices, CONSIDERING 
GUARANTEE asd DISCOUNT, before ordering elsewhere. 
TERMS:—STRICTLY CASH with order from unknown 
correspondents ; references given if required. 
Letter Orders have same care as for my own planting. 
Any wanting VEGETABLE or FLOWER SEEDS for autumn 
sowing would do well to send for my UNIQUE SEED LIST and 
GUIDE, free on application. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
New Tenby Street, JBirminghdm. 
SAVES MORE THAN TWICE ITS COST IN LABOUR. 
NO SMELL. 
One application will keep the Walks and Drives clear 
of Weeds for at least Eighteen Months. 
Recommended by Mr. W. G. Head, Crystal Palace, and other 
leading Gardeners. 
Prices In 1 and 2-gal. tins, 2s. per gal. (tins included); in 
5-gal. drums, Is, 6d. per gal.; 10 and 15-gal. drums, Is. 4d. 
per gal. Special quotation for larger quantities. Carriage 
paid on 10 gals, and upwards. 
Used in the proportion of One Gallon to 25 Gallons of Water. 
Sole Proprietors and Manufacturers, 
THE AGRI-KORTICULTURAL CHEMICAL COMPANY, 
Tunbridge, Kent; and Carlton St., Bolton, Lancashire. 
London Wholesale Agents— Messrs. Corry, Soper, Fowler & 
Co., Limited, Finsbury Street; and Hooper & Co., Limited, 
Covent Garden. May also be had of Messrs. Barr & Son, 12, 
King Street, Covent Garden ; Barclay & Sons, Limited, 95, 
Farringdon Street; James Yeitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, 
Chelsea ; and others. 
Large quantities of all kinds always in stock. 
SAMPLES AND PRICES ON APPLICATION. 
All Ware stamped PONKEY. 
STRAWS E3 H R. 1 E2 S. 
Strong Roots, 4s. per 100. Plants in small pots, 16s. per 100 ; 
ditto in large pots, 25s. per 100. Descriptive LIST free. 
RICHARD SMITH & Co., Nurserymen and Seed Merchants, 
Worcester. 
Next Week's Engagements. 
Monday, September 1st.—Sales of Bulbs at Protheroe & Morris’s 
and Stevens’ Rooms. 
Tuesday, September 2nd.—Haddington Shows. 
Wednesday, September 3rd.- Flower Shows at Glasgow 
(2 days), Dumfries, and Bath (2 days), Sale of Bulbs at 
Stevens’ Booms. 
Thursday, September 4th.—Flower Shows at Paisley, Stirling, 
and Dundee. Sale of Bulbs at Protheroe & Morris's Rooms. 
Friday.— September 5tb.—National Dahlia Show at the Crystal 
Palace. 
Saturday, September ftb.—Dalkeith Flower Show. Sale of 
Bulbs at Protheroe & Morris’s and Stevens Rooms. 
For Index to Contents & Advertisements, see p, 827. 
u Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”—B acon. 
SATURDAY , AUGUST 'SO, 1890. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
JaOLLYHOCKS.—A very excellent florist, Mr. 
c James Douglas, read a paper on these 
fine old border flowers at tlie Westminster 
Drill Hall on Tuesday. Having regard to 
the frequent references made to Hollyhocks 
in the gardening papers from time to time, 
it ivas very obvious that little that was 
new could he said, and that, indeed, the paper 
■was of necessity a recapitulation of ivhat has 
been said before. Really, as far as propagating 
and cultivating Hollyhocks is concerned, w r e 
knoiv all that is to be told. We are, hi 
fact, not turning out such grand specimen 
spikes as were seen in abundance some 
fifteen or twenty years ago, and it was, 
perhaps, in the hope of re-stimulating 
Hollyhock culture that Mr. Douglas took the 
subject in hand. 
But the lack of fine quality now so painfully 
evident in these hardy border flowers is not 
due to incapacity of cultivation. The Holly¬ 
hock fungus has been for several years master 
of the situation, and lias rendered the production 
of fine spikes of bloom allied to the highest 
double quality, almost impossible. So far, we 
seem to be at present dependent for our 
Hollyhock strain upon seedlings; and seed 
strains, whilst usually fairly good, yet fail 
absolutely to give that superb quality found in 
named varieties of pre-fungoid days. It was 
but natural that those superb forms should 
have been allied to such constitutions as almost 
always become associated with the highest 
floral quality, whilst the coarser-flowered forms 
are of more robust habit. 
Still we find it very hard indeed to save 
even the coarser varieties now, and thus it is 
ability to fight the deadly fungus successfully 
which we so much need, rather than cultivating 
capacity. The discoverer of a remedy for the 
disease would indeed be a Hollyhock benefactor, 
