800 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 18, 1894. 
robust constitution. Sown in April, and 
subsequently pricked off into rows, then 
transplanted early in the following March, 
there need be little fear of failure. Lately 
a bed at Acton that came under our notice 
was a picture, and contained very few 
single forms, yet a bright single with its 
greater freedom in growth and bloom is 
not to be despised in a town garden. 
Where many make a mistake is in pur¬ 
chasing cheap seed. An extra shilling or 
so in the initial outlay is always amply re¬ 
paid among florists’ flowers, and seldom 
more so than in this instance. If the 
situation is very smoky or fogg}^ pot off 
into small pots and winter in a cold 
frame; but do not coddle the plants under 
any circumstances. Sown in the spring of 
one 5’ear, they will bloom excellently during 
the early and late summer of the next. 
During winter, slugs are the chief enemies 
in town gardens. These can be kept at 
ba)^ b}^ an occasional slight dusting of 
lime or coal soot. We prefer the first in 
winter and the last in early spring and 
summer. 
- . « 8 .- 
Bulbs for the Parks. —The bulb orders for the 
London Royal Parks, and also those for the parks 
and open spaces under the control of the London 
County Council, have been placed with Messrs. 
James Carter & Co. 
The old-established business of Charles Sharpe & Co., 
Sleaford, Seed Growers and Merchants, has been 
registered as a limited company, for its continuity 
and to give the managers of the different departments 
an interest in the business. The public is not 
invited to subscribe any capital, the whole of the 
shares having been taking up by those engaged in 
conducting the business. 
New Plants Certificated at Ghent. —At the last 
meeting of the Belgian Chamber of Horticulture, 
held at Ghent, Certificates of Merit were awarded 
to Mr. Em. DeCock, for Coeratolobus concolor, 
Zalaca nitida, and Cypripedium hybrid (insigne 
Chantinii x Lawrenceanum) ; to Mr. Ch. Petrick, 
for Alocasia Watsoni and a seedling Croton ; to Mr. 
Edward Pynaert, for Cypripedium Charlesworthii; 
to Mr. Aug. Toeffaert, for Begonia striata; to the 
Societe Horticole Gantoise, for a species of Cycas 
from Cochin China; and to Mr. Millet-Richard, for 
Dracaena indivisa panache. 
Cornell University Experimental Station.—We 
understand that Prof. F. H. Bailey, of the Horticul¬ 
tural Department of the Cornell University, Ithaca, 
New York, has appointed Mr. Michael Barker 
superintendent of the departmental experiment 
gardens there. Mr. Barker, when residing in the 
vicinity of Bristol, was an occasional contributor to 
our columns in our early days, and we heartily wish 
him success in his new undertaking. He is a Kew 
man of 1881-84, went to America in 1888, where 
he soon got an appointment as assistant superinten¬ 
dent of the Botanic Garden of Harvard University 
at Cambridge, Mass., which he has held to the 
present time. 
A New Way of Treating Footpaths.—The Builder 
quotes the following reference to a new way of 
treating footpaths, from the annual report of Mr. 
Lovegrove, the borough surveyor of Richmond;— 
“ A new method of treating gravelled paths was in¬ 
troduced in Kew Road, where the foot traffic renders 
it almost impossible to keep the stones down; a 
length of path opposite the Athletic Ground, and 
also across Kew Green, was simply brushed over 
with tar, and covered with sea-shell, the cost being 
about 2jd. per yard super, and in result a smooth, 
even path was obtained. Now that the Town 
Council have the maintenance of over two-and-a- 
half miles of river path, this would be the most 
economical and satisfactory way of dealing with the 
walk.” 
Market Produce and Railway Rates. —Much of the 
present agricultural depression (writes a correspon¬ 
dent of the Pall Mall Gazette) is wholly attributable 
to the suicidal policy of many of our railway com¬ 
panies. From a consumers’ point of view Green 
Peas are just now very appetising when served with, 
say, tender ducklings, but I, as a grower of Peas for 
the market, view the matter from quite another 
aspect. For instance, I recently sent sixty-five 
bags of this dainty vegetable to Covent Garden, and 
they sold at exactly one shilling per bag—total 65s. 
That consignment cost me no less than 72s. id., a 
large proportion being for railway charges. Now in 
these hard times one does not expect large profits, 
but even an Irish farmer, who lives on reverses, 
could scarcely thrive on a clear loss of 7s. id. 
Thanks to the prohibitive rates of carriage, much 
of my other produce is equally profitless, while 
foreigners with a better and cheaper transport can 
flood the English market with all the necessities and 
luxuries of life. 
The late Mr. W. H. Gower. —It has been pointed 
out to us that the writer of the paragraph on the 
death of Mr. W. H. Gower, which appeared in our 
last issue has done an injustice to Messrs. Watson 
and Bean in stating that Orchids for A mateurs “formed 
the basis of another work which has since been 
issued without the slightest acknowledgement of 
the labours of the original authors,” the actual facts 
being that due acknowledgement was made in the 
preface to Orchids, which was published with part 
twelve on the completion of the work. The writer 
expresses his regret for the error he fell into, having 
only in his mind at the time statements frequently 
made to him by Mr. Gower during the publication 
of the book in parts, and the notice of the work, 
which appeared above Air. Gower’s initials in T/i« 
Garden for October 26th, i88g. 
Anthracite for Horticulturists.—It does not 
generally occur to consumers of anthracite for 
horticultural purposes that there are various kinds 
called by that name, and that the comparative dura¬ 
bility of each kind is very diflficult to ascertain. 
Even 10 per cent, less durability, which means 2S. 
per ton on the wrong side, cannot be readily de¬ 
tected in every day consumption. Practical owners, 
however, to whom the qualities of the different veins 
is known at a glance, are well acquainted with the 
comparative durability of each kind. That is why 
(says a writer in The Cable) Air. AV. H. Essery, of 
Swansea, is able to guarantee his original Orchid 
anthracite to be 25 per cent, more durable than 
cheaper kinds, which at equal prices means 5s. per 
ton in the consumers’ favour. For instance, his 
original Orchid anthracite at 20s. would, in result, 
be IS. per ton better value still than cheaper kinds 
offered as low' as i6s. per ton. This is no random 
assertion, but a fact which is borne out and con¬ 
firmed by large numbers of testimonials from 
gentlemen and the best known head gardeners in the 
Kingdom. 
An Oddfellows Flower Show. —The eleventh annual 
floral and horticultural exhibition and fete, organised 
by the Oddfellows of Frome was held as usual, on 
Bank Holiday, in the customary fields at Portway, 
and proved most successful. The weather caused a 
good deal of anxiety for some days previous, and the 
rain on Sunday night was followed by dull clouds on 
the morning of the day and a smart downpour 
shortly after one o’clock ; but subsequently the sky 
gradually cleared and the afternoon and evening 
were all that could be desired. As a result, although 
the attendance was limited up to 4 p.m., the total 
number of persons who paid for admission to the 
field must have been in excess of last year, and the 
receipts were a few pounds in advance. In other 
respects, too, the show was a gratifying one. Never 
have finer collections of plants been brought together 
at this show, and the arrangement of them showed a 
marked improvement in taste compared with former 
occasions. There was a regrettable absence of some 
local exhibitors who have been accustomed to figure 
in the prize list for some years, but this was more 
than compensated for by the splendid exhibits of 
several gentlemen from a distance, who have never 
before shown at Frome. Some of the special features 
of this year’s show, added greatly to its attractions, 
and won encomiums from judges and visitors alike. 
The Carshalton Conference on Gardening. —Mr. 
Jessie Collings, ALP., in addressing a conference on 
gardening, convened by the Surrey County Council, 
at Carshalton Park, on the 6th inst., and at which 
he presided, said twenty years ago science in agri¬ 
culture was practised but very little, but now 
scientists had taught the inhabitants of rural dis¬ 
tricts the proper method of cultivating the soil, 
which methods would improve very largely the 
social life of the people, and be the means of bring¬ 
ing prosperity to the nation. It had been shown on 
more than one occasion that England, the greatest 
manufacturing and trading country in the world, 
would be left far behind unless it kept pace with its 
competitors on the Continent and elsewhere in 
respect to agriculture. All these circumstances had 
compelled Parliament to take steps to remedy the 
evil, and in 1890 three-quarters of a million of 
money, known as the Goschen Fund, was voted for 
the purpose of scientific and technical education. The 
voting of this large sum of money marked a great 
many changes in the rural life of their countrymen, 
and he was pleased to find that local authorities had 
proved themselves worthy of the trust that had been 
placed in them. The Government, in response to 
numberless appeals, were now voting various sums 
of money for the purpose of furthering agricultural 
education. In 1893 they voted to various 
colleges and schools, but it was absolutely ludicrous 
to suppose that that sum was suflScient for the 
advancement of this education. 
National Amateur Gardeners’ Association.—The usual 
monthly meeting of this Society was held at the 
Alemorial Hall, Farringdon Street, E.C., on Tuesday 
evening, August 7th, when Air. James Douglas, gave 
an interesting paper on the “ Carnation.” The subject 
being such a useful one from an Amateur's point of 
view, the details of culture, etc., were listened to 
with a great amount of interest by the large number 
of members present. The exhibition, which is 
always held in connection with the monthly meeting, 
was a very good one indeed and included many sub¬ 
jects showing successful cultivation, by the high order 
of merit attained. For the various prizes offered, a 
spirited competition took place: in most cases the 
difference between the first three awards being very 
little indeed. For six bunches of Tuberous Begonias, 
Air. W. Dipper, Chingford, was first with superb 
blooms. For six Sprays of Violas, (nine blooms in a 
spray). Air. A. J. Rowberry, S. Woodford, was first, 
and Air. D. B. Crane, Highgate, second, the last- 
named also securing a Certificate for a new white 
rayless seedling Viola, named "Ethel Hancock” 
certainly the whitest Viola in commerce. For 
twelve Carnations, Air. A. J. Rowberry was again 
first with good examples and Air. H. W. Robertson, 
Woking, second. For eighteen bunches Wild 
Flowers, distinct. Airs. T. J. Day, Upper Clapton, 
was first, and Air. L. Brown, Brentwood, second. 
In addition to the foregoing, numerous exhibits of 
floral subjects were staged in competition for the 
Society’s aggregate, the whole producing a very 
pretty effect. 
Scottish Horticultural Association.—At a meeting 
of this Association, held on the 7th inst., a lecture 
was given by Air. W. C. Mackenzie, D. Sc., Professor 
of Chemistry in the Agricultural College, Ghezeh, 
Cairo, Egypt, on “Agriculture on the Nile,” with 
illustrations by the oxy-hydrogen light. Having 
described the formation of the agricultural land along 
the banks of the Nile, the character of the soil, and 
the quantity and value of the crops grown. Air. Mac- 
Kenzie explained proposals for increasing the supply 
of water, and said that whichever scheme might be 
adopted there could be no doubt that the storage of 
water for summer irrigation would be an immense 
boon to Egyptian agriculture. Of the cereal crops 
wheat, barley, maize, millet, and rice were the most 
important. Of podded crops they found beans, peas, 
lentils, and lupins chiefly. Beans had been culti¬ 
vated from the most remote times, and were to-day 
the most important leguminous crop for home use 
and exportation. Green crops w’ere bersim or white 
Egyptian Clover, Fenugreek, and Lucerne. Tobacco 
was at one time grown to some extent, but it was 
now forbidden, though Tobacco and Hashish were 
both grown clandestinely. Cotton xvas introduced 
in 1821, but it was only grown largely after 1683. 
The profits of cotton growing had been steadily 
decreasing for some time, until now only a good crop 
would pay at all. The fine quality of Egyptian 
cotton helped it to compete with that grown in 
America. Flax and Hemp were also grown. Sugar 
Cane was now' one of the principal crops, and was 
being grown profitably. The vegetables and fruits 
grown were also noticed, and descriptions of the 
gardens given. The subjects exhibited included a 
splendid collection of Begonia blooms from Mr. H. 
J. Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Lewisham, for which he 
received a cultural Certificate; and a very interest¬ 
ing collection of flowering shrubs from Air. M. 
Chapman, Easter Duddingston. 
