302 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Jan. 10th, 1885. 
William on a plot occupying a couple of poles. The 
seeds were sown at the end of May the year before, 
dibbled out before they spoilt each other for want of 
room, and, with the exception of two or three hoeings 
between the rows, no further trouble was taken with 
them. Immediately an inferior flower apppeared it 
was ruthlessly destroyed to avoid mischief from 
impregnation by the pollen-carrying bees. At first 
there was a preponderance of light flowers, some of 
which were extremely delicate in their markings—pure 
white, for instance, with elegant discs of purple; 
white self, with lavender stamens and anthers, and 
many other varieties—there were at least forty. 
The most effective were a black crimson with purple 
anthers, a bright crimson with clear white eye, 
another with the most delicate though clearly defined 
Piceotee edge. For five or six weeks every morning 
brought me something new and beautiful. Friends 
would call and look over the bed with me, and we 
invariably found something fresh and also something 
to discard. 
It is five years since I began to grow the Sweet 
William, and I flatter myself that I have at last a very 
beautiful strain. The habit of the pip is much 
improved, the petals lying neatly over without 
crowding so as to turn up the edges of the newer 
flowers like the habit of some of the better kinds of 
Pelargoniums. Where this habit became persistent in 
succeeding years, the flowers remained wide open in 
fine weather in the night. My bed lasted in flower 
from early June to the middle of October; the bloom 
during the two last months was carried on slender 
side-shoots. Any amateur wishing to try the experi¬ 
ment of raising seedlings of biennials could not do 
better than begin with the old Sweet William. He 
might then proceed to fresh delights in the way of 
Pansies, Polyanthuses, Antirrhinums, Carnations, and 
Auriculas. 
RHODODENDRONS. 
I am about to try half-a-dozen of the most effective 
Rhododendrons in pots for greenhouse decoration, and 
occasional removal to front doors. They have been 
planted in 12-in. pots in suitable stuff — is any 
precaution needed further than a sufficient supply of 
water ?— J. L., Littlehampton. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Scottish. Horticultural Association. — A 
meeting of this Association was held on Tuesday 
night, Mr. Mackenzie in the chair. Mr. James 
Grieve read a paper on “ The Progress of Horticulture 
during the last Quarter of a Century.” Commencing 
with an enumeration of the improvements effected 
and new introductions made within that period in 
conifers, ornamental trees, shrubs, floiists flowers, 
stove plants, fruits, and vegetables, Mr. Grieve 
proceeded to comment on the great increase which 
has taken place in the numbers who grow Orchids, 
and in regard to table plants, remarked that the 
amount of money now changing hands for these 
alone would astonish the wiseacres who were for 
ever talking of the good old days. As to cut flowers, 
again, what with births, deaths, and marriages, and 
the decoration of churches at Christmas, as much 
money now changed hands in a week as did in a year 
twenty-five years ago. Of fruit-trees, the Apple had been 
very much improved, and several varieties, if not new 
in the correct sense of the word, had been brought to 
the front to displace sorts formerly recommended. 
The Pear had not been so much improved; we ;had 
any quantity of fine Pears, but what we wanted in 
regard to this fruit was a better climate. In Peaches 
and Nectarines great changes had been introduced, 
especially with very early and very late sorts. The 
Apricot had not been so much taken in hand as it 
ought to have been; and the Cherry remained, to a 
great degree, what it was twenty-five years ago. Of 
Gooseberries, Currants, and Raspberries, the number 
had been thinned, the better sorts having come to the 
front. Strawberries had become a great favourite; 
various sorts had been added, and there were ten 
acres grown in Scotland now for one twenty-five years 
ago, There had also been a great increase in the 
gsewfb ef vegetables. Tbs wages ®i wsrkiag hiss is 
nurseries had increased about 50 per cent."; and 
although at present horticulturists, like every other 
profession, were undergoing a season of dull trade, 
they trusted soon to see a return to the golden harvests 
of former years. 
In the course of the discussion which followed, Mr. 
Todd said there might be some flowers better developed 
than twenty-five years ago, but, with the exception of 
Roses, there had been very little progress; and the 
progress made had not been made in recent years, but 
in the beginning of the quarter of a century under 
review. In vegetables, many things had been im¬ 
proved, but the improvement had not been so very 
great. Peas had been introduced that were to be ten 
days earlier, or to produce double the crop ; but still 
then- Peas came in about the same week, and they 
had just about the same quantity. A great many of 
the introductions mentioned by Mr. Grieve had 
improved gardens immensely. The great change that 
had taken place during the last twenty-five years had 
been that the people had interested themselves more, 
and had become greater lovers of flowers and plants ; 
but he was not quite sure that horticulture as a science 
had very much advanced during that period. The 
great increase in the means of communication had in 
some cases contributed to progress, while in some it 
had rather hindered progress by bringing the gardener 
into competition with foreign growers who enjoyed a 
better climate. Proceeding to ask if the gardener 
was a better gardener than twenty-five years ago, he 
desired to mention, as showing that he was not, a sad 
fact that took place last year. The council of the 
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, having to 
award the Neil prize, which was given once in three 
years to the most distinguished horticulturist of his 
time, could not find in Scotland a gardener worthy of 
it, and so had to give it to an amateur, and not one 
gardener in Scotland could be found to raise his voice 
against the award. 
Mr. Lindsay contended that, on the whole, there 
could be no question that during the last twenty-five 
years horticulture had progressed very much. Mr. 
Munro remarked that the teaching of Darwin, although 
it had not done all that it ought to have done, had 
done more for horticulture as a science than anything 
else that had occurred during the last twenty-five 
years. The Chairman submitted that there had been 
as great progress in practical horticulture during the 
period in question as there had been in the science 
of that period. Gardeners all over the country at the 
present day were in possession of modes of cultivation, 
and produced results that the gardeners of dukes, 
earls, and princes could not produce thrity years ago. 
DEATH OF MR. JAMES KINGS¬ 
BURY. 
We regret to have to record the death on the 27th 
ult., at Southampton, of Mr. James Kingsbury of 
the Bevois Valley Nursery, with which in former 
days was also associated the name of Windebank. 
Mr. Kingsbury was but sixty-three years of age when 
death removed him. He had been engaged a few 
weeks previously in advising a townsman with respect 
to the best arrangement of some shrubs, when stepping 
back he unhappily fell into a trap or cellar door open 
close by, and falling, suffered injuries which ultimately 
proved fatal. He was one of the early founders of 
the Royal Southampton Horticultural Society, and at 
all times an active horticulturist, was specially liberal 
in the loan of plants, &e., at local gatherings, and 
was deservedly esteemed by a large circle of friends. 
A correspondent writes:—“ I have learnt of Mr. 
Kingsbury’s death with exceeding regret, because it 
removes another of those links which tied and linked 
memory to the past and life to ancient associations. 
Southampton is not a locality in which horticulture 
ranks very highly, though it has near and about it 
some few honoured workers. Fifty years since its 
most famous Horticultural Association was formed in 
the Old Spa Gardens, then the town head-quarters of 
Page’s extensive nursery business, which had a wide 
reputation over the south and west of England. In 
time that house died out, and the leading trade was 
doubtless that done by Mr. Rogers of the pretty Red 
Lodge Nurseries, but the trade has always been most 
largely in ordinary nui'8ery=@tuff, especially in forest 
ti‘603 and shrubs, 
“ It was not until my late old friend Mr. Kingsbury 
came from out of his amateur occupation at Bishops 
Waltham and joined himself to another old friend, the 
late Mr. Windebank, and settled down as florists at 
Bevois Valley that genuine floriculture in Southampton 
found a trade home. Mr. Kingsbury’s peculiar forte wa 3 
found in hybridization, and in that direction he wag 
not only an expert but an enthusiast. How much 
of chaff he found to the grains of wheat which he 
from time to time garnered we shall never know, but 
in those early days our floral standards with many 
things were not what they are now, and success was 
very considerable. With the Chinese Primroses 
wonders were accomplished, but when there came a 
dissolution of partnership, and Mr. Windebank 
removed to Bevois Mount, he took most of the 
Primula stock there, because the low-lying position 
of the Bevois Valley Nursery was less favourable for 
winter hybridization. 
“ What a lot of fine doubles were obtained by Mr. 
Kingsbury I cannot now detail, but they were nume¬ 
rous. Verbenas, Fuchsias, and Zonal Pelargoniums 
were the special favourites of my old friend, and many 
of the finest of these in commerce some ten or twelve 
years since were the creation of his hands. These 
went chiefly into trade through the once well-known 
houses of Henderson, St. John’s Wood, and of Smith 
6 Son, of Dulwich. Mr. C. Turner and Mr. Cannell 
also taking some good things under their care. I 
believe that the still famous Vesuvius Pelargonium 
was one of Mr. Kingsbury’s, as also was May Queen 
and Kingsburyana silver bioolors, and many of our 
beautiful tricolors. Natural florists’ flowers are 
fleeting, and the monument Mr. Kingsbury thus built 
will soon disappear.” 
It was at one time generally understood that Mr. 
Kingsbury raised Vesuvius, but he could give no proof 
of his having done so, and the Messrs. F. & A. Smith 
are now, we think, rightly credited with its produc- 
tion. 
—— n — 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Roses toe an Amateur.— Dorset, who asks for a list of 
about three dozen good Roses suitable for one who wishes to 
commence Rose culture, is recommended to make a commence, 
ment with the following sorts ■—Hybrid Perpetuate —Abel 
Carriere, Abel Grand, A. K. Williams, Alfred Colomb, Annie 
Wood, Baroness Rothschild, Beauty of Waltham, Boule de 
Neige, Camille Bernardin, Captain Christy, Charles Lefebvre, 
Comtesse d’Oxford, Comte Raimbaud, Countess of Rosebery, 
Dr. Anclry, Duke of Connaught, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke 
of Teck, Francois Michelon, General Jacquiminot, John 
Hopper, La France, Madame EugCne Verdier, Madame Gabriel 
Luizet, Madame Lacharme, Madame TherCse Levet, Madame 
Victor Yerdier, Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier, Marie Baumann, 
Maurice Bernardin, Merveille de Lyon, and Violette Bowyer; 
Tea Scented —Bouquet d’Or, Glorie de Lyon, Madame Lom¬ 
bard, and Marie Van Houtte. 
Apple Trees. — R. Scott .—The strong clay is the cause of 
the mischief, and you should drain the garden if possible. In 
any case you would do well to spend a little time on the 
“ Normanton’s” in scrubbing the affected parts with a dry 
hard brush, and then dress the trees with some fresh lime 
wash. Mix the lime and water well together and pass it 
through a fine sieve,, before applying it to the trees with a 
syringe or garden engine. 
Measures. — R. Scott. — A sieve measures 15 ins. in diameter 
and S ins. deep; ancTcontains seven imperial gallons. A bundle 
of Celery may contain from six to twenty heads, according to 
size, hut eight is the number in a first-class sample, and twelve 
in what are called seconds. A Mushroom punnet or basket is 
7 ins. in diameter and 1 in. deep. 
Names of Plants.— Ireland.— 1 . Zygopetalum Maekayi. 
2. Oncidium flexuosum (see p. 12). 3 Tillandsia acaulis 
zebrina. 
Plants for a Bank. — F. 31. C. —We would recommend 
you to plant your bank, which is shaded with trees and 
shrubs, with Ivy, the ordinary trailing varieties, mixed with a 
few of the so-called Tree Ivies, or with St. John’s Wort, 
Hypericum calycinum, and Vinca minor or any of its varieties. 
We should ourselves prefer the two latter to the Ivy. 
Communications Received.— J. D. D.—J. A.—R. S.— 
J. K—J. H. H—A. H—J. M—J. D.—W. E. B—W. P. R.- 
Ed. Pynaert—G. P. (many thanks)—J. C. & Sons— Alpha— 
E. J— C. W. W. 
-- 
Trade Catalogues Received. 
Sutton & Sons, Reading.—Amateur’s Guide in Horticul¬ 
ture for 1885. 
William Cutbush & Son (Limited), Highgate, N.— 
Flower, Vegetable and Farm Seeds. 
John Laing & Co., Stanstead Park, Forest Hill, S.E.— 
Flower, Vegetable and Agricultural Seeds; Begonias and other 
new Plants. 
J. Cheal & Sons, Lowfield Nurseries, Crawley, Sussex.— 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
John Downie, 111, Princes Street, Edinburgh,—Vegetable 
and Flower Seeds, Gladioli, &c, 
Henry Darby, 172, Galedenisn Read, N,—Patent Paregea 
Hygienic Heater, 
