16 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 9, 1893. 
foundest satisfaction that in a few instances 
there are now some breaks from the ordi¬ 
nary yellow to other tints, so that it may 
be in time we shall have red, pink, mauve 
or even scarlet and crimson Sunflowers. 
With such really charming material for cut¬ 
ting as many of the varieties now give, it is 
rather remarkable that the Giant Annual 
Sunflowers should still be so largely grown, 
for these when got are neither beautiful nor 
useful. Some of the small flowered annual 
forms are pretty, but it hardly seems worth 
troubling to raise these even so easily from 
seed, when some half-dozen or so of the 
perennial forms give similar colour and are 
far more useful cutting material. 
It is most satisfactory that we have for 
this big family of plants so popular and 
comprehensive a common name as is that 
of Sunflower. Helianthus, Heliopsis, Har- 
palium, and Rudbeckia, all, if mellifluous 
enough to the gardener, are yet herbarium 
terms to the general public, and it is most 
probable that the ordinary acceptance 
given to so common an appellation has done 
very much to help make all this attractive 
family of hardy flowers so popular. 
- ^ - 
"Index Kewensis.’’ —The first part of the long 
looked-for "Index Kewensis’’ was issued by the 
Clarendon Press on Tuesday. 
The Rev. Leonard Blomefield, M,A., Father of the 
Linnean Society, died at Bath on the ist, inst., in 
his ninety-first year. The reverend gentleman was 
elected a member of the Linnean Society so far back 
as November 19th, 1822. 
Mr. W. M. Geddes has been engaged by the Earl of 
Macclesfield as gardener at Tetworth, Oxfordshire. 
Mr. Geddes was previously for thirteen years gar¬ 
dener to Lady Byron, at Thrumpton. 
Mr. George A. Scott, for the past eight years gar¬ 
dener to Mrs. Archibald, Beechwood, Tillicoultry, 
has been engaged as gardener to Lady Stewart, 
Grantully Castle, Perthshire. 
Prizes for Giadioli.—As the season for Gladioli is 
drawing to a close, we have been requested by 
Messrs. Kelway & Son, of Langport to say that their 
prize of a silver medal will be offered at the meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society, on Tuesday 
next, for the best twelve Gladiolus Gandavensis 
varieties raised from British seeds. Prizes are also 
offered by the Society for twelve distinct Gladioli 
grown by amateurs. 
Wakefield Paxton Society—The Dahlia was the 
subject under discussion at the meeting of this 
society on Saturday evening last, the essayist being 
Mr. A. V. Maher, of the Gardens, Woolley Park, 
who handled the subject in a very able manner. 
The members were favoured in having a grand lot 
of blooms sent for their inspection by Mr. C. Turner, 
of Slough, and which included leading varieties of 
all sections. Other friends who contributed to the 
Dahlia feast were Mr. Maher, of Yattenden Court 
Gardens, Newbury, Berks; Mr. Williamson, of 
Sandon Hall Gardens, Stone, and several local 
members, the whole forming a brilliant little display. 
A Cornish Correspondent thoroughly endorses the 
views of Mr. H. Phelps, who writes to the Birming¬ 
ham papers from the Smilhfield Market,Birmingham, 
to the effect that hundreds of tons of Plums and 
Apples have been wasted this year because the 
growers would not go to the trouble of picking them 
up. If Mr. Phelps had made it thousands of tons, 
our correspondent would not have been surprised. 
But where does the chief cause lay ? We take it, 
with the railway companies, in refusing to adopt a 
lower rate for carriage. There is no doubt, however, 
the middleman, has done extremely well this year, 
and the growers have in many instances hardly been 
paid for the labour and trouble. 
Daffodil Culture in the Scilly Isles.—A series of 
splendid photographs showing the growth of the 
Narcissus in its various stages at the Scilly Islands 
has been produced by a Penzance photographer. In 
more than one of the series, Mr. Dorrien-Smith, the 
Lord of the Isles appears, and, what is something 
unique in its way, his daughters, surrounded by the 
growing flowers. The photos include a description 
of the forcing, tying, and packing houses at Fresco, 
giving a view of the noble old Abbey as a back¬ 
ground. As one writer states, " all who love flowers 
may become the owners of two or three photos, 
which, by selection, will illustrate floral acres and 
the ingathering and packing of their fragrant, lovely 
harvest at Scilly." 
The Wallflower Plants in Cornwall are now in a 
most healthy condition, and it is stated by experts 
that if the weather continues favourable not much 
time will elapse before they begin to bloom. Their 
bloom, at all events, is likely to appear earlier than 
in many former years. The Chrysanthemums are 
doing particularly well, and the societies have 
already made good headway with their arrangements 
for the autumn shows, which, it is hoped, wilt surpass 
those of other years, in the first place, because, 
additional interest has been and is being taken in 
their culture and consequent perfection, and in the 
second, because, year by year the public generally 
more largely appreciated the flowers produced for 
them. 
Glut of Fruit in Lincolnshire.—Fruit is reported to 
be so plentiful in Lincolnshire this year that growers 
are experiencing the greatest difficulty in disposing 
of the produce of their orchards. The markets are 
so glutted, especially with Apples, that the sales in 
many cases have not realised sufficient to pay the 
expenses of sending to market. Plums also have 
been a bad trade, and those that were damaged at 
all by wasps have been practically rendered unsale¬ 
able. The average price of Apples is about 2d. per 
stone. 
National Chrysanthemum Society.—Ameetingof the 
General Committee took place at Anderton’s Hotel, 
Fleet Street, on the 4th inst., Mr. C. Harman Payne 
in the chair. Among the correspondence read was 
some from Australia, by the Chairman as foreign 
corresponding secretary, viz , a communication from 
Bordeaux to the effect that a Chrysanthemum 
Exhibition is to be held there on November gth to 
the irth, and a cordial invitation is given to English 
growers to compete, entries to be sent in by October 
30th ; and one from Mr. John Earland, Wellington, 
New Zealand, notifying the arrival of the frozen 
blooms sent out from England last winter, and 
stating that the Christchurch growers thought they 
were not far behind the home growers in the pro¬ 
duction of Japs., and they suggest that in order to 
test the matter, the National Society offer medals open 
to all societies or growers in the Australian colonies 
for six Japs, and six incurved blooms to be shown in 
two square blocks of ice, the same as the blooms 
sent from England were frozen, each competitor to 
deliver his exhibit to the place of judging at his own 
expense. It being considered that such an exhibition 
would be a very interesting one, it was unanimously 
resolved that the matter be referred to the Schedule 
Revision Sub-Committee to be appointed in the 
autumn, with instructions to make a recommendation 
to the effect suggested as early as convenient. The 
Hon. Secretary reported as to the reserve fund, 
stating the amount of the same to be ^39 15s. 6d., 
and appealing to the members to make it up to £^o 
by the end of the year; also as to the amount 
received to the credit of the general fund. Mr. 
Edwin Molyneux, Swanmore Park Gardens, was 
elected a member of the Floral Committee in the 
place of Mr. E. Sanderson, deceased. It was 
resolved that facilities should be afforded at one of 
the meetings of the General Committee in October 
for Mr. Charles E. Pearson to read a paper on some 
suggested improvements in the schedule of prizes ; 
and also for Mr. Charles E. Shea to read a paper at 
one of the November or December meetings on 
methods cf judging Chrysanthemum blooms. Ten 
new members were elected, and one fellow, and the 
Port Elizabeth Chrysanthemum Society, Cape of 
Good Hope, was admitted to affiliation. The hon. 
secretary was instructed to convey to Sir John 
Llewelyn, Bart., one of the vice-presidents, and to 
Lady Llewelyn, the expression of the deep sympathy 
of the committee and their condolence with them 
under their recent great bereavement through the 
death of their son. A cordial vote of thanks to the 
chairman closed the proceedings. 
The R.H.S. at Islington.—Our report of the exhibits 
in the Horticultural Sundries and Appliances Section 
at the Agricultural Hall Show last week is unavoid¬ 
ably held over until next week. 
NOTES ON PHLOXES. 
In the article on " Phloxes at Chiswick ’’ in your issue 
for August 26th, I was pleased to note that ycu 
recommended the growing of these really beautiful 
perennials in pots. Invaluable as they are for making 
a display in beds and borders, I think they are still 
more so when grown in pots for conservatory decora¬ 
tion. It is then that one sees them to perfection, and 
especially so is this the case with regard to those 
varieties which are of continental origin, and which, 
being much thinner in the petal, do not stand ex¬ 
posure to the weather so well as some of the small- 
flowered and older varieties, and yet for form and 
size of pip and truss are a great advance on our 
own. They are, too, every year gaining in 
favour, especially those of a dwarf character, and it 
is gratifying to note that the tendency of raisers 
points in this direction. 
I saw a very fine selection of some of the newer 
varieties in pots in the nurseries of Mr. John Forbes, 
at Hawick, lately. Phloxes are a speciality with 
Mr. Forbes, and s^me 300 varieties were in bloom in 
a border at the time of my visit. To speak of these 
would take up too much of your space, but those in 
pots, under glass and slightly shaded, showed with¬ 
out doubt that they are well worth any little trouble 
that may be taken with them during the growing 
season. I was informed in fact, that the extra 
trouble was almost nil, as they were plunged in pots 
in the open ground, and only taken indoors when 
opening their flowers. Some may say that there is 
no need to have them both indoors and out at the 
same time, but the same may be said of P.elargoniums, 
Fuschias, and many other things. Anyone who has 
a large conservatory to keep gay at this season and 
before the " Mums ’’ come in, will not regret giving 
them a fair trial. 
The following varieties I noted as being good, and 
well adapted for pot culture : Aurore Boreale and 
Etna, both very fine brilliant orange-scarlets ; seemed 
to me to be perfect. Both are inclined to get a little 
wasty out of doors, except when shaded. Eugene Dau- 
zanvilliers, of a delicate lilac, with large white eye 
seemed altogether different, and very much superior, 
when grown indoors. Eclatant and Pont Biquet 
are both very fine, purple, shaded with scarlet, and 
the form is perfect. Le Vengeur, Roxelane, and 
Sesostris are all very fine, dark carmines, the last- 
named especially being worthy of special notice. 
Le Siecle, Pantheon, and Wm. Robinson are of a 
rosy salmon colour, the first-named being my 
favourite, all points considered. Panama, pure 
white, perfect in form, and Amazon, creamy-w’hite, 
with sweetly perfumed, and immense heads of 
flower, along with Purest of All, will hold their own 
with any existing whites in commerce. In fact, as a 
perfect Phlox, the first-named has no rival. The 
above are only a few of the many good varieties I 
noticed in pots. Some of them were in flower for 
the first time ; others I have known for a season or 
two. 
I also noticed some plants finely set with seed in 
view of further improvement. The public, in the 
course of time, generally spot a good thing and cry 
for more. This is as it should be, only give us 
something good. That we have got something good, 
in the way of Phloxes, no one who has seen the 
collection now growing in Chiswick gardens, will 
attempt to deny, and I trust the suggestion as to the 
proposed conference will be acted upon. A few 
papers will be gladly welcomed. There is plenty of 
room for information. In fact, as you hinted, the 
dwarf varieties, such as Belvedere, i ft. high, with a 
head of flower i J to 2 ft. through, is known only to the 
few. 
Information on this class will be readily sought 
after by many a gardener ever on the alert for some¬ 
thing new in the way of bedding. The range of 
colours is yet limited in the dwarf section, but we 
can almost hope for anything in the near future, so 
great has the improvement been of late years. I 
also trust the early-flowering varieties will receive 
attention. We don’t hear so much of them through 
the columns of your paper as they most assuredly 
deserve.—IF. S. 
The Carnation its History, Properties, and Management, 
with a descriptive list of the best varieties in cultivation. By 
E. S. Dodwell. Third edition, with supplementary chapter on 
the Yellow Ground. London: Gardening World Office, i, 
Clement’s Inn, Strand, W.C. is. 6d.: post free, is. yd.—Adv.] 
