October 14, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
105 
were of the Souvenir de Mirande type, and Madame 
de Boudeville and Etoile de Lyon were handsome, 
(Bronze Banksian Medal). Cactus Dahlia George 
Phippin was exhibited by Mrs. Phippin, Reading. 
Some hardy flowers were shown by Messrs. R. 
Veitch & Son, Exeter. Some decorative Dahlia 
blooms named Miss Arnold were shown by Mr. J. 
Arnold, Stoke, Devonport. A large box of hybrid 
Streptocarpus, in great variety, and baskets of 
Amasonia punicea, Caryopteris mastacanthus, and 
Carnation Madamoiselle Therese Franco, as well as 
a box of cut blooms of hybrid greenhouse Rhododen¬ 
drons were exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Some Dahlias were e.xhibited by Messrs. J. Perkins 
& Sons, Coventry. Three boxes of cut bloom of 
Stephanotis floribunda were exhibited by Mr. S. 
Mortimer, Rowledge, Farnham. He also staged a 
a collection of show and fancy Dahlias (Bronze 
Banksian Medal). A collection of cut flowers 
of Begonias was exhibited by the Dowager 
Lady Freake (gardener, Mr. A. H. Rickwood), 
Fulwell Park, Twickenham. A collection of Chry¬ 
santhemums, mostly of the large flowering kinds, 
with a few pompons, was set up by Mr. W. Wells, 
Earlswood Nursery, Redhill. Some single, pompon, 
decorative, and Cactus Dahlias were exhibited by 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. 
He also exhibited a large and showy basket of Aster 
grandiflorus, and a pot of Nerine elegans alba. 
Some stands of large flowering Chrysanthemums 
were exhibited by Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, 
Hextable, Swanley, Kent. The White Viviand 
Morel, Bouquet des Dames, Golden Wreath, Geo. 
W. Childs, Mrs. F. L. Ames, and several seedlings 
were large, and handsome. A miniature Dahlia 
named Ryecroft Gem was exhibited by Mr. H. J. 
Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Lewisham. A collection 
of hybrid Streptocarpus, as well as the hybrid 
Tecoma Smithii, Bomarea patacoensis, large 
panicles of Solanum Wendlandii, a hybrid Disa 
named Premier, Clematis Stanleyi, and a dish of the 
Inca or yellow Peruvian Potato (a variety of Solanum 
tuberosum) were sent up to the meeting by the 
director of the Royal Gardens, Kew. Some tuberous 
Begonias were exhibited by G. A. P'arini, Esq , 
Forest Hill. Some prizes were offered for twelve 
bunches of hardy herbaceous perennials, and the 
premier award was accorded to Mr. G. H. Sage, 
The Gardens, Ham House, Richmond. Asters, 
Erigeron speciosum, Sunflowers, and Anemone 
japonica alba were very fine. The second prize 
went to Miss Debenham, St. Peter’s, St. Albans. 
At a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Com¬ 
mittee a Gold Knightian Medal was awarded to 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons for a collection of Apples 
and Pears occupying the whole length of a table 
along the centre of the hall. They had splendid 
samples of culture in Mere de Menage, Ecklinville 
Seedling, King of the Pippins, Alfriston, Bismarck, 
Peasgood’s Nonsuch, Albury] Park Nonsuch, Lord 
Derby, Seaton House, Lane's Prince Albert, 
Sandringham, and others. A Gold Knightian Medal 
was also accorded to Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co , 
Maidstone, for a similarly extensive collection of 
Apples arranged in groups according to their kind, 
such as Pippins, Kernels, Americans, Nonp.ariels, 
etc. They had 120 dishes of dessert Apples, and as 
many culinary varieties. Amongst the former, 
Washington, Wealthy, King of Tompkins County, 
and Chatley’s Kernel were very handsome. A Silver 
Knightian Medal was awarded to Mr. John Watkins, 
Withington, Hereford, for a collection of Apples 
notable for their high colour, and it must be acknow¬ 
ledged they had a handsome appearance. A collec¬ 
tion of sixty-one dishes of Apples and Pears was 
exhibited by P. Saillard, Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. 
Martin), Buchan Hill, Crawley. They exhibited 
evidence of high cultivation, and received a Silver 
Knightian Medal. A fine collection of Apples was 
also exhibited by Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest 
Hill, including fin^samples of Ribston Pippin, King 
of the Pippins, Grenadier, Hollandbury, Hoary 
Morning, and others, for which a Silver Knightian 
Medal was awarded. A similar award was made to 
Mr. W. Crump, The Gardens, Madresfield Court, 
Malvern, for a collection of Pears, some of which 
were of enormous size. A collection of sixty dishes 
of Pears in plates, covered with handsomely-coloured 
vine leaves, were brought up from the Royal Gar¬ 
dens, Windsor. Sotne handsome Pears were shown 
by Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley; by Mr. 
Mancy, gardener to — Druce, Esq., Upper Gatton, 
Surrey (Bronze Banksian Medal) ; by Mr. James 
Day, Galloway House, Garliestown (Bronze Bank¬ 
sian Medal) ; and by Mr. Charles C. Tudray, The 
Cedars, Wells (Bronze Banksian Medal). Apples 
were shown by Messrs. H. Lane & Son, Berkham- 
stead. Some American Grapes were brought up by 
the Royal Horticultural Society. A Cultural Com¬ 
mendation was awarded to the Right Hon. Lord 
Foley (gardener, Mr. J. Miller), Ruxley Lodge, 
Esher, for a huge Gourd weighing 154 lbs. 
-- 
Qardepef?’ Ipipro^epiept (Ippociatiopp. 
Ealing.—The members of the Ealing and District 
Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association held 
their first meeting of the session on Tuesday, the 
3rd inst. G. Nixon, Esq., occupied the chair, and 
after the preliminary business of the evening intro¬ 
duced Dr. Masters, who gave a lucid and interesting 
lecture on the subject of “Weeds,” illustrated by 
numerous fresh and dried specimens. He defined a 
weed as a plant merely out of place. In the eyes of 
Nature there were no weeds, but plants adapted for 
particular soils and situations so that every part of 
the earth’s surface capable of supporting vegetation 
might be clothed. When man undertakes to culti¬ 
vate particular portions for his own benefit, he has 
himself to blame if he allows weeds to flourish 
at his expense, for plants are weeds only when allowed 
to be so. He illustrated, by means of some thriving 
masses of the underground stems of Tussilago, how 
well adapted the plants were to withstand a 
droughty season, and to hold their own against 
grasses and similar kinds of vegetation when 
their broad leaves covered the ground. Similarly 
the injurious effect of broad-leaved weeds on 
lawns was discussed, and the secret of the 
success by which they were able to monopolise the 
ground explained. In the course of the discussion 
that followed the lecture, on the questions raised, 
he stated that the bulk of the useless and injurious 
weeds on lawns could be held in check, or altogether 
exterminated, by the use of certain appropriate 
manures. The experiments carried on for many 
years at Rothampsted by Messrs. Lawes and 
Gilbert were cited as proof of this fact. The number 
of plants, including many of a coarse and weedy 
nature, that established themselves within a given 
area on ground that had been left unmanured for 
twenty years or more was something remarkable, 
whereas on properly manured ground the useful 
grasses predominated to the exclusion of weeds. 
He exhibited some rhizomes of the Twitch 
(Triticum repens) that had pierced and passed 
through a Potato and a Daffodil bulb, and explained 
that it had been discovered that the tip of the rhizome 
of Twitch secreted an acid by which it dissolved 
the tissues of tubers and bulbs, thereby effecting a 
passage through them. The Corn Poppy is the 
vilest of weeds in the fields of the lazy husbandman, 
but it had been turned to wonderful account for 
garden decoration in the showy race of Shirley 
Poppies, with which every garden is now familiar. 
The lecturer aptly explained that the Cabbage 
itself was a weed under certain conditions, because 
worthless from man’s point of view. To illustrate 
this he showed specimens of the Wild Cabbage from 
the chalk cliffs of Dover. In the same way the 
Carrot and Parsnip in the wild state were shown 
not only to be worthless, but even weeds infesting 
cultivated soils in chalky districts. Specimens of 
wild Celery were also shown. All these had been 
brought to their present state of perfection by the 
fostering care of man through a long series of genera¬ 
tions, and were now nourishing articles of food. 
Most of them had originated on the Continent, which 
said little for our initiative and enterprise. Stachys 
tuberosa was instanced as a plant that had been 
introduced to cultivation in modern times. It was 
brought out in the discussion afterwards that owing 
to the abundance of good food the cultivator had 
not the same encouragement to improve and intro¬ 
duce new vegetables or food plants ; but nevertheless 
the members present were urged to take up and 
pursue the laudable endeavour to improve our wild- 
ings,and render them fit for human enjoyment and sus¬ 
tenance. The exhibits by members on the occasion 
were not numerous, but a fine collection of Apples and 
Pears was exhibited by Mr. J. Baird, gardener to 
C. A. Dawes, Esq., Homefield, Ealing, and a beauti¬ 
ful collection of sea weeds dried and mounted was 
shown by Mr. W. H. Whittaker, The Gardens, 
Boston House, Brentford. Both exhibits received 
the highest award obtainable on any one occasion. 
Cypripedium Harrisianum superbum and Odonto- 
glossum grande was shown by Mr. Roberts, gardener 
to Mr. Harris, Ealing. A dish of Apple Cellini of 
handsome size. Coreopsis grandiflora and C. lanceo- 
lata were shown by Mr. Cox, gardener to Mrs. 
Black, Ealing. 
Birmingham and District Amateurs—At a recent 
meeting of this Association Councillor R. F. 
Martineau (Vice-President) delivered an address 
before the members, at the Temperance Institute, 
the subject being “ An Old Birmingham Botanist,” 
and formed a sketch of the life of the once cele¬ 
brated Dr. Withering. He mentioned that Dr. 
Withering, like so many other Birmingham worthies, 
was not a native of the town; he was a friend of 
Priestley, James Watts, and a member of the now 
defunct Lunar Society. His residence, Edgbaston 
Hall, was one of few large residences which escaped 
destruction in the Birmingham riots at the end of 
the last century. He traced Dr. Withering’s con¬ 
nection with botanical pursuits, and pointed out 
that his greatest discovery was undoubtedly the 
medicinal properties of the Digitalis. A vote of 
thanks was accorded Councillor Martineau for his 
very able and interesting address. There was only 
one exhibit, and that from a lady member. Miss 
J. S. Martineau, who was awarded five points for a 
very nice Aralia Sieboldi. 
-- 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN, 
Variegated Pineapple.— The foliage of this plant 
never looks better than when suspended in small 
pots or pans near the glass. Treated in this way 
they give an air of variety in the stove, and the 
glossy leaves acquire a beautiful reddish tinge at the 
margins. Suckers developed from the crown of the 
fruit should always be secured in preference to those 
from the base of the plant, as they retain a dwarf 
habit for a much longer period. 
Cyperus alternifolius.— Young plants obtained 
from the flowering portion of the stems are much 
dwarfer for a time than those obtained by division of 
the rootstock. The heads put into sandy soil and 
kept moist in the propagating frame will develop 
crowns which may be separated when rooted. 
Fittonia and Pelionia. —The stems of the old 
plants are now getting elongated and somewhat un¬ 
tidy. The best plan under the circumstances would 
be to take as many cuttings as required, and after 
they are seen to be well rooted the old plants in 
pots may be thrown away. 
Gym nog ram me.— The gold and silver leaved 
Ferns should now be kept in the warmest and driest 
part of the house. Remove any fronds or portions 
of them that show signs of damping, and thereby 
save much injury to those in fresher condition. Pot 
off young seedlings that come up in the house, as 
well as young plants that appear at the tip of the 
fronds of G. schizophylla gloriosa. Old plants are 
often liable to go wrong, but the breach can soon be 
repaired when a batch of young plants is held in 
stock. 
Aspleniums. —The readiest and quickest method 
of raising a stock of young Aspleniums is to Jake 
some of the fronds bearing young plants and peg 
them down on sandy, peaty soil in pans, which may 
be placed in a propagating case or hand glass until 
the young plants are well rooted, when they may be 
potted off separately. 
Peaches.— The sashes for the earliest house 
should be got in readiness for placing in position at 
any time should heavy rain or severe weather occur. 
What painting or repairs they may require should be 
seen to at once. The trees may receive their final 
pruning, but very little will be required if they have 
been properly attended to in summer. 
The Orchard House. —Whatever repotting is 
considered necessary should be accomplished at 
once, the plants cleaned if troubled with brown 
scale, and placed in the open air. The pots may be 
plunged in cocoa-nut fibre, or surrounded with 
bracken to the top of the rim. Should the weather 
during the remainder of the month prove dry, it may 
be necessary to water the trees in pots occasionally. 
