176 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 18, 1893. 
0 
to abundance, from starved, blighted 
breadths to those of rich luxuriance, is 
almost remarkable. At one time all sorts 
of fears were entertained, lest we should 
have an almost complete failure of our 
winter crops. Now we have on every hand 
expressions of wonder as to what is to be 
done with the prevailing wealth. What a 
change is this, and how accomplished in a 
few months ? 
Those who had faith that the drought 
could not go on for ever, and even so late 
as early in September sowed Early Gem 
Carrots, Spinach, Onions, and even white 
Turnips, or planted out Cabbages and 
Coleworts, or even some hardy sprouting 
Broccoli and Kales, have found their reward 
in the astonishing growth which followed 
the autumn rains; for whilst the soil still 
largely retained the fertilising manures 
which the drought failed to exhaust, it 
also retained for the time of year an 
unusually high temperature, so that 
growth followed almost as from a hot¬ 
bed. What wonder then that we have 
seen such a transformation in our garden 
crops. 
But still further, there has been in their 
favour the unusually prolonged growing 
period allowed to them. W'e have had 
not only a magnificent, but also a wonder¬ 
fully long growing autumn, and even now, 
in the middle of November, there is nothing 
hardy in leaf that is not growing still. It 
may be feared that some severe frosts 
presently will soon spoil all this pleasing 
picture, but of that we are not so much 
afraid. A lower temperature and some 
moderate frosts to check further growth 
will no doubt be welcomed, but the soil 
even now is so far from being moist that 
only an open wet winter can compensate 
for last summer’s exhaustion. 
UNDAY Chrysanthemum Shows. —In 
commenting recently upon the re¬ 
markable attraction for town dwellers on 
Sundays that is found in the London 
Parks, through the fine collections of 
Chrysanthemums provided by the London 
County Council, and we are glad to note 
also by the Government at Kew, we also 
suggested that there were many private 
collections throughout the country that 
might well be opened to the public in the 
same wa}’. We have been most agreeably 
surprised to learn, however, that our 
suggestion, as regards some districts, came 
rather late in the day, as in the southern 
parts of Surrey it would seem to have been 
long since acted upon. 
It is worthy of mention, too, that 
amongst gentlemen who have set such 
a good example are Sir Richard 
W'^ebster, M.P., Sir Henry Doulton, and 
Mr. Leveson Gower, M.P., but these seem 
to be but a few of the many in a district, 
where the practice of throwing open collec¬ 
tions for some two or three Sundays in 
November is so general. Can it be regarded 
as other than ample reward for such kind¬ 
ness, when hundreds of poor people tramp 
three and four miles each way to see the 
Chrysanthemum shows. They have ample 
leisure ; with the poor man the Sunday is 
his only holiday, and if in going to and 
from the show, he can meet and chat with 
his neighbours, he is all the better pleased. 
How much may a taste for Chrysan¬ 
themums and their culture in rural districts 
be extended in that way. 
In all these places, too, where such 
gratuitous shows are held we should like 
to see a little effort made to secure from 
the better class visitors a little silver on 
behalf of our Orphan Fund ; but the 
collecting box should be kept out of sight 
of the poor, for they are already too hardly 
collected from in other directions, and its in¬ 
trusion might help to create a sort of scare. 
However, we are delighted to learn that 
this opening of private collections in rural 
districts so largely exists. Would that all 
of these collections could have honourable 
notice. That is beyond our powers. All 
the same, we cannot doubt but that in the 
estim^ation of the rural dwellers they are 
regarded with the deepest admiration and 
delight. 
- . f 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., of Rothesay, last week 
received a Royal Warrant appointing them seed 
growers and florists to the Queen. The same firm have 
also recently admitted into partnership Mr. Archibald 
M. Burnie, who has long been associated with the 
Clydesdale Bank, in Rothesay, and who will take 
charge of the counting house department, leaving 
Mr. Cuthbertson and Mr. Fyfe free for the direction 
of the practical branches of the business. 
Edinburgh Chair of Forestry.—At the last meeting 
of the Council of the Highland and Agricultural 
Society it was reported that the subscriptions 
received by the Society for the endowment of the 
Chair of Forestry in Edinburgh University amounted 
to ;^^640. It was agreed to hand over this sum to the 
University for investment. It was also agreed that 
further steps should be taken to obtain additional 
subscriptions. 
A Cure for Scale on Orange Trees.—For scale on 
Orange trees Mr. Gawthorp, a Parramatta grower, 
says he uses “ kerosene tar ” with excellent results. 
Writing to the president of the New South Wales 
Fruit Growers’ Union, he remarked: " I have much 
pleasure in bearing testimony to the good results of 
the recipe so kindly given for destroying scale in 
Citrus trees, viz , blue oil emulsion. I used one 
ounce of soft soap, mixed in one pint of boiling water, 
added to one pint of blue oil; churn for half-an-hour, 
diluted with thirty parts of water (hot water is the 
best). Apply with a syringe. Use fine hose. If 
these directions are carried out, one dressing is a 
certain cure. I am also using the emulsion on Apples 
badly affected by American blight, and find it the 
best remedy.” 
Chrysanthemums at " My Garden.”—For some 
years past now Mr. A. H. Smee, of the Grange, 
Hackbridge—‘‘ My Garden ”— hasgenerously thrown 
open his gardens twice a year, that his neighbours, 
and particularly those of them who do not possess 
gardens of their own, might have an opportunity of 
inspecting his floral treasures when at their best. 
In pursuance of this laudable custom, ‘‘ My Gar¬ 
den ” was open to the public last week for the 
Chrysanthemum exhibition. The Chrysanthemums, 
which were between eight and nine hundred in 
number, were, as in previous years, staged in the 
largest house, and, though they were placed as close 
as the pots could be got to stand, occupied the 
whole of the centre bed from end to end. Those 
with the shortest stems were placed nearest the 
door, and the tallest furthest away, those in between 
being graded according to size. The result was 
that the visitor, as he entered the door, was faced 
by a perfect bank of bloom, reaching almost from his 
feet to very nearly the roof of the house. This year 
Mr. Smee’s girdener (Mr. Cummins) has not de¬ 
voted so much attention to producing specially 
fine blooms as to getting good plants generally. 
Consequently there were none of the very large 
blooms which some growers like to see and which 
can only be obtained by much sacrifice. But the 
visitors saw instead a collection of plants well 
grown and freely flowered, containing a considerable 
proportion of the better known varieties. 
Vegetable and Root Show at Leicester.—Messrs. 
Harrison & Son held their annual Vegetable and 
Root Show in the Market Hall, Leicester, on the 
8th inst., and with very gratifying results. Liberal 
prizes had been offered by the firm for the roots and 
vegetables grown from seed supplied by them, and, 
judging from the excellent quality of the exhibits, 
the judges must have had no easy task in awarding 
the prizes. A better exhibition of Celery has very 
rarely been seen. Some fine heads of Harrison’s 
Leicester Red Celery and the Early Rose variety 
were staged. The competition was strong in the 
Carrots, and of the Early Market and the 
Selected Intermediate Carrots it would be 
impossible to speak too highly. There were also 
some good specimens of the Autumn Giant Cauli¬ 
flower, but the competition was not quite so marked 
in this class. Savoys were very strongly repre¬ 
sented, aad soma exceedingly large ones were on 
view. The quality of the Brussels Sprouts was very 
good, whilst the same remarks would apply to the 
Onions and Beets. Perhaps the Cheltenham Green- 
tops were the most conspicuous in the Beet line 
Messrs. Harrison usually excel in Potatos, and the 
exhibits this season did not prove an exception. 
With regard to the farm roots, some very fine speci¬ 
mens of all the leading kinds were brought forward. 
The first prizes in the vegetable classes were awarded 
as follows;—Harrison’s Leicester Red Celery (the 
best six heads), Mr. F. Douglas, Collingtree, 
Northampton ; Harrison’s Early Rose Celery (the 
best six heads), Mr. W. Burrows, Grafton Place, 
Leicester ; Harrison's Early Market Carrot (the best 
twelve roots), Mr. Hadfield Bocock, Collingham, 
Newark; Harrison’s Selected Intermediate Carrot 
(the best twelve roots), Mr. Hadfield Bocock; 
Autumn Giant Cauliflower (the best three heads), 
Mr. Robert Wastling, Beverley, Yorkshire; 
Harrison’s Magum Bonum Parsnip (the best six 
roots), Mr. T, F. Douglas, Collingtree, near 
Northampton; Harrison’s Improved Drumhead 
Savoy (the best three heads), Mr. Geo. Brewin, 
Broad Street, Loughborough ; Brussels Sprouts of 
any kind (the best four stems), Mr. Joseph Brad¬ 
shaw, Birstall, Leicester; Leeks of any kind (the 
best twelve), Mr. Geo. Brewin, Broad Street, 
Loughborough ; Globe Onions of any kind (the 
best twelve bulbs), Mr. A. W. Hainsworth, Brough¬ 
ton Astley ; Flat Onions of any kind (the best twelve 
bulbs), Mr. Geo. Andrews, Cambridge Street, Rugby ; 
Beet of any kind (the six best roots), Mr. M. Laxton, 
Little Dalby; Potatos of any kind (the best twelve 
tubers), Mr. T. Lockton, The Gardens, Thurlaston 
Rectory. 
Manchester Horticultural Improvement Society.— 
At the recent annual meeting of this Society Mr. 
Bruce Findlay was re-elected president; Messrs. 
Stansfield, Tait, Robinson, and Hughes vice-presi¬ 
dents; Mr. R. Tait, treasurer; Mr. W. B. Upjohn, 
honorary secretary ; and the following gentlemen to 
serve on the committee:—Messrs. Briddon, W. 
Birkenhead, Elkin, Hough, Lunt, M’Kellar, Plant, 
Robson, and Tilling. The annual report showed 
that the number of members has suffered no sensible 
diminution, notwithstanding several lamented deaths 
and the important fact that the parent society has 
given birth to four or five similar societies in neigh¬ 
bouring towns. The treasurer, too, had the pleasant 
duty of reporting that the Society’s finances were 
never more flourishing, there being a balance in 
hand of £ii gs. id., this after a donation oi made 
to the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, and the 
awarding of prizes for the best essay on some horti¬ 
cultural subject. The latter made a highly interest¬ 
ing feature of the past session, their being no fewer 
than thirteen competitors for the Society's prizes. 
After the transaction of business about forty mem¬ 
bers and some friends dined at the Atlantic 
Restaurant, the chair being taken by the president. 
-- 
Recent Gardening Changes. 
Mr. Harry May, late gardener at Rosemount, 
Sunningdale, as gardener to Mrs. McIntosh, Have¬ 
ring Park, Romford. 
Mr. L. Kinnear, late foreman at Parkhall, Pol- 
mont, as gardener to James Hope, Esq., Belmont, 
Edinburgh. 
Mr. Robert Aitken, of Abbey Mews, North 
Berwick, as gardener to Alex. Inglis, Esq., Logan 
Bank, Midlothian. 
Mr. Reid as gardener to Lord Blantyre, Erskine 
House, Glasgow. 
Mr. William Johnstone, of Edinburgh, as gar¬ 
dener at Greyfriars House, Lancashire. 
Mr. Henderson, Benmore, Argyllshire, as gar¬ 
dener to W. Arthur, Esq., Fullerton, Troon, Ayr¬ 
shire. 
Mr. Peter Ramsay as gardener to Mrs. Horne, 
Heatherhurst Grange, Surrey. 
Mr. Alex. McLaren, late of Beechleigh, Lass- 
wade, as gardener to Mrs. McLaren, Invergillie 
House, Fife. 
Mr. Alex. Johnstone, late of Clinton Road, 
Edinburgh, as gardener to J. MacFarlane, Esq., of 
Glenbourne, Edinburgh. 
Mr. Andrew Campion as gardener to Henry Hall, 
Esq., Manor House, Alton, Hants. 
Mr. John Buchanan, gardener at Edmonstone, 
Libberton, Edinburgh, as gardener to Lady Elliott, 
Wells House, Jedburgh. 
