546 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 28, 1894. 
mistic feeling which had begun to per¬ 
meate the minds of all working on the 
land, lest another dry summer should be 
in store, and if so, bringing with it great 
disasters. We have all now got to believe 
that the danger once feared is no longer 
before us, and therefore there are brighter 
anticipations in all directions. If so far 
the season has not been all that could be 
desired, it has not been far from it. The 
prospect of a good season in crops Avith a 
fair supply of moisture gives confidence in 
all directions, and we are glad,for the sake 
of our hardy plant trade especially, that 
such confidence has been inspired. Horti¬ 
culture in all its branches is specially 
susceptible to disturbing influences from 
various sources, but particularly so from 
the Aveather, That Avhich Ave are now 
enjoying seems, hoAvever, to promise in all 
directions most faA'Ourable results. 
ASPS.—The greatest of humanitarians 
will probably Avithold very much of 
S5?mpathy from Avasps. That these insects 
perform some function or other in the 
economy of Nature Ave may assume, but 
AA'hateA'er that function may be, gardeners 
at least have not discoA'ered that it is use¬ 
ful, Avhilst nothing seems in their estimation 
to compensate for the immense amount of 
damage Avhich Avasps do to fruits. Did 
they leave our fruit alone Ave should pro¬ 
bably leaA'e them alone, but it is an odd 
circumstance that, AA'hilst these insects find 
literally eA^ery man’s hand against them, 
and both in breeders in the spring and in 
nests in the autumn they are destroyed 
annually in immense numbers, yet some- 
hoAV they seem to be every summer just as 
plentiful as ever. We are therefore tempted 
to ask. Avere not this constant Avarfare 
waged against them, hoAV terribly plentiful 
would they not in time become. 
It was someAvhat discouraging last year 
to see eA'en the belauded honey-bee as 
destructwe to fruits as Avas thcAvasp. That 
is not commonly the case, but perhaps it 
may have been due someAA^hat to the 
drought; stilt in one large fruit garden Ave 
saAA"^ at least twenty bees to one Avasp 
preying upon soft fruits. It Avould be 
indeed a misfortune did bees imitate the 
predator}' characteristics of the wasp. But 
it does seem to be a fact that these latter 
insects are usually more abundant Avhen a 
fruit crop is promised than in other seasons. 
Last year AA'e had generally a fine fruit 
crop, and Avasps were in great force. This 
}ear there is an even greater promise for 
frnit, and Avasps seem in many directions 
almost to have become a plague. They 
are being destroyed by thousands, and it 
Avould seem, assuming that every one noAV 
being destroyed is a breeder or queen, that 
a nest of a thousand strong is destroyed 
also. 
We haA'e no knowledge that Avasps per¬ 
form any fertilising functions, such as is 
ascribed to bees and other insects. Apart 
from its predatory character it seems to be 
carnivorous in its tastes also. With this, 
however, Ave find no fault. It is a pity, 
however, that the creature is endoAA'ed 
with such strong frugivorous propensities, 
which too, hoAvever indulged m, does not 
seem to mitigate its warring habits. 
Possibly the Avasp has learnt that it is a sort 
of Ishmael in the insect Avorld, and seeks to 
justify its reputation by doing all the 
mischief it can. 
^HE Keav Gardeners.—W e cannot but 
congratulate the garden labourers at 
KeAv that their oft-repeated demands for 
increased wages have at length been met, 
although it may be that eA’en igs. per 
Aveek can hardly be described as a muni¬ 
ficent Aveekly Avage in the London district. 
The AA’hite elephant to all Avorkers in and 
about tOAvns, but London especially, is the 
exhorbitant rentals which have to be paid, 
rentals that truly astonish rural dwellers, 
and Avhen some 6s. to ys. is absorbed in 
rent it is evident that igs. Aveekly does not 
present to any recipient a very attractiA'e 
salary. It is true that at Kew there are 
some privileges enjoyed by the garden 
labourers that are not so enjoyed by every¬ 
one, and these, though they be not great, 
merit due consideration. Sunday duty is, 
- Ave belieA'e, paid for extra, as it should be, 
for Sunday Avorkis, if not onerous, at least 
always of a nature that demands ample 
remuneration. 
It is certain that the Government has 
been doing its best in all directions to 
meet what may be regarded as the fair 
requirements of its labour employees, both 
in relation to pay and hours of lg,bour, and 
although we do not anticipate that the 
eight hours day can be A’ery well adapted 
at KeAV, or in the parks and gardens under 
the control of the Office of Works, still 
employees in these merit just as much of 
consideration as do those in dockyards, 
arsenals and factories. It is true that the 
Avork in such gardens as those at KeAV is 
not essentially laborious, and it is con¬ 
ducted generally under pleasant surround¬ 
ings, so that ten hours in the open is much 
less exhausting than is eight hours in a 
close Avorkshop. 
-- 
Mr. James Batley, for forty-two years gardener to 
T. F. C. V. Wentworth, Esq., Wentworth Castle, 
Barnsley, has lately retired on a pension, and is 
succeeded by his son. 
Mr. Robert Morris, gardener. Hay Lodge,Edinburgh, 
has been engaged as gardener to Miss Dirom, New 
Park, Annan ; and Mr. Alex. Johnstone, gardener, 
Glenbourne House, Edinburgh succeeds him at Hay 
Lodge. 
Nursery and Seed Trade Association. —The annual 
meeting of the members of this Association will take 
place on May 23rd, at 30, Wood Street, Cheapside, 
E.C., and the usual dinner at the Guildhall Tavern 
will follow. 
Chrysanthemums and their Culture. —Mr. Edwin 
Molyneux’s most useful little work has, we are glad 
to see, reached the eight edition. 
Dr. Paterson, Bridge of Allan, has presented the 
Stirling Town Council with a Fig tree, to be planted 
at the south gable of the Guildhall, where a similar 
tree grew for many years and bore fruit. 
Portsmouth Chrysanthemum Show is, we regret to 
hear, to be abandoned this year. There was an 
adverse balance last year of £36, and the committee 
feel that it is useless to carry on the show under 
such conditions. 
Death of Mr. James Simpson.—We regret to learn 
of the dea'h on the nth inst., in his 74th year, of 
Mr. James Simpson, of the firm of Messrs. Watkin 
& Simpson, seed merchants, Exeter Street, Strand. 
We understand that the business will be carried on 
by Mr. Alfred Watkins, under the same style and 
title. 
The Public Parks Committee of the Edinburgh 
Town Council have instructed their parks superin¬ 
tendent to roll and otherwise keep in order the 
cricket grounds in the public parks for the con¬ 
venience of the players. The golfers having 
received some official consideration, the cricketers 
did not see why they should not have a little also, 
hence the new order. 
The Carnoustie Police Cotnmissioners decided some 
time ago to provide additional recreation grounds 
for the neighbourhood, but a protest being lodged 
against the scheme, a poll of the electors has been 
taken, which resulted in favour of the Commis¬ 
sioners. The estimated cost is about /750. 
Mr. George Hardy, of Pickering Lodge, Tiraperley, 
who died the other day, and whose grand collection 
of Orchids is to be sold on May 9th and loth, has 
left personal estate of the value of /500,coo, which 
is divided betAveen relatives. He was formerly pro¬ 
prietor of the Log Inn, Deansgate, Manchester, but 
after losing his licence he became a traveller for a 
brewer, and subsequently bought the business. 
About seven years ago he sold the business to a 
company for £600,000. 
Juniper Berries. —It is a well known fact that juniper 
flowers do not perfect their seeds for two years, 
consequently there are blue and green berries on the 
plants at the same time; but Mr. Jack, in the 
Botanical Gazette, believes that it takes three years 
for the berries to perfect. The red cedar, which is 
another kind of juniper, however, perfects seeds the 
same year. It is remarkable that so much diversity 
should exist among plants so closely allied.— 
Meehans' Monthly. 
Testimonial to Mr. William Dean.— On the nth of 
July next that well-known Alidland florist, Mr. 
William Dean, of Birmingham, will attain his 
seventieth birthday, and as his seventieth year finds 
him very much incapacitated for work, especially 
during the autumn and winter months, some of his 
many friends have formed themselves into a com¬ 
mittee, with Mr. George M'Leod, 46, Cannon Street, 
London, E C., as hon. treasurer, and Mr. William 
Cuthbertson, of the firm of Messrs. Dobbie & Co., 
Rothesay, N.B., as honorary secretary, to get up a 
testimonial and present Mr. Dean with the same on 
his birthday, in recognition of his life-long and dis¬ 
interested services to floriculture. Mr. Dean has 
been an active worker in his day, and like most other 
busy men has found time to do a great deal for 
horticulture and horticulturists that has brought no 
substantial reward to himself, and we hope his 
friends will not forget him now. 
Awards at the Chicago Exhibition. —The following 
is a list of awards made to British exhibitors in the 
Department of Horticulture. The aw'ards, a bronze 
medal and diploma, are all of equal value. Flori¬ 
culture'. —H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, collection of 
Phloxes, collection of Primroses, collection of « 
Paeonies, collection of Dahlias and Cyclamens. 
James Carter & Co., High Holborn, London, col¬ 
lection of Cyclamens, collection of Primroses. 
Anthony Waterer, Woking, Surrey,, collection of 
Rhododendrons and Azaleas. F. Sander & Co., St. 
Albans, ornamental foliage plants. John Laing & 
Sons, Forest Hill, London, Primroses. Kelway & 
Son, Langport, Primroses. Alex Dickson & Sons, 
Newtownwards, Ireland, collection of Roses. 
Arboriculture'. —Anthony Waterer, Woking, Surrey, 
Coniferous Evergreens. 
Lobed Leaves.—Grant Allen, a writer of pretty 
chapters on speculative botany, contends that leaves 
become dissected in their efforts to obtain air and 
light. Those who have had an opportunity of 
examining our White Oak, know that the leaves are 
lobed just in proportion to the ease by which they 
can get light. In other cases the rule is reversed. 
The outer leaves are chiefly lobed, and to our mind 
this is the rule that generally prevails. Some other 
circumstances than light must haA'e To do with the 
lobing of leaA’es. The well known English Ivy has 
its leaves lobed, while it is running rapidly up trees, 
walls, or fences. When it ceases to grow in this 
direction, but sends out lateral branches, the lobes 
disappear. Light can have nothing to do Avith this 
result.— Meehans' Monthly. 
Primroses and their Allies. — Such Avas the title of a 
lecture delivered before the members of the Becken¬ 
ham Horticultural Society, in the Public Hall of 
that place, by Mr. A. Dean on the 19th inst. The 
President of the Society, the Vicar of Beckenham, 
presided, and there Avas a large attendance. Mr. 
Dean Avas assisted in illustrating his lecture by some 
charming Polyanthuses and border Auricula blooms 
of the AA'ell-knoAvn Bedfont strain, and some 
Polyanthuses shown by local gardeners. The 
lecture covered Avide ground, including A’arious 
Primula species, specially mentioning British forms 
and many of the best imported, including the beauti¬ 
ful Floribunda, Sieboldi, and Obconica, all so 
well adapted for pot culture. Then the various 
forms or sections of Auriculas Avere dealt Avith, the 
diverse points in shoAV, alpine, laced, fancy, border, 
and other varieties being clearly indicated. Polyan¬ 
thuses, including the Gold-laced and border forms, 
came next, the latter being especially commended 
for their beautiful effects in gardens at this season 
of the year. Lastly came the garden Primroses, 
double and single, all of which received ample 
notice. The lecture, Avhich Avas giA-en from a feAV 
notes, lasted for one hour and a quarter, and Avas 
listened to Avith the deepest interest. 
