March 21st, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
461 
lacked supporters, though probably during the last few 
years more of the trade have been represented than one 
could have reasonably hoped for. On the present 
occasion the post of honour was held by Messrs. 
Heath & Son, of Cheltenham. The whole of the 
space in front of the organ being taken up with a fine 
bank of choice plants. The number of specimens is 
certainly somewhat limited, but the more useful, 
medium-sized plants are well staged. Whenever 
Orchids are set up in Manchester, either at Old 
Trafford or the Town Hall, a goodly number of 
visitors is sure to be seen round them, and the 
present case was no exception to the rule. The group 
contained many fine forms of Cattleya Trian®, 
ranging from the pale C. Warscewiczii delicata, over 
7 ins. across, up through changing colours to the rosy 
sepals and petals and dark broad lip and orange 
throat; Odontoglossum Eoezlii, in its two distinct 
types, was represented by about a score plants, the 
picture of health and bearing flowers of good size and 
substance. Other Orchids shown were Dendrobium 
chrysotoxum, with spikes of rich golden flowers ; D. 
eburneum, ivory-white sepals and petals, and cinnabar 
throat, D. nobile, D. luteolum, D. Wardianum, and 
D. aggregatum majus; Cypripedium Sedeni, C. 
Boxalli, very fine forms, C. Lawrenceanum, C. 
niveum, C. concolor, C. calceolare, and C. villosum; 
Odontoglossum Alexandra, 0. Pescatorei, O. Eossi 
majus, 0. hystrix, 0. tripudians ; and different forms 
of Phaloenopsis ; the back of the group being well 
made up with Palms, Imantophyllums, and Dracaenas, 
and the front edged with moss and small plants of 
Maiden-hair Ferns. 
The Hyacinths staged were of fine quality. On one 
side of the room Messrs. W. Cutbushand Son, of High- 
gate, staged about six dozen plants, and on the other 
side Messrs. Dickson, Brown, & Tate had a collection 
of about 100 plants, and such sterling sorts as Genera, 
Pelisseer, Duke of Wellington, Howard, Linn®us, 
Macaulay, L’Honeur d’Overween, Alba maxima, Alba 
superbissima, BaronVon Tuyll, Gigantea, La Grandesse, 
Mont Blanc, Charles Dickens, Blondin, Grand Master, 
King of the Blues, Marie, Queen of the Blues, Mimosa, 
Ida, and Obe.lisque were to be met with in each group. 
The hardy Azaleas of Messrs. W. Cutbush & Son 
were a feature, mostly forms of Mollis raised from 
seed, which are now to be obtained in many shades of 
colour, and shown here with trusses of blooms 
carrying sixteen and eighteen flowers. The Cyclamen 
persicum grandiflorum in this group were very good. 
The same firm also showed some Mushrooms, 
obtained from their special Milltrack spawn. The 
Cinerarias, Genistas, Spiraeas, &c., from the Liverpool 
Horticultural Company, made up in a group edged 
with nice plants of Adiantum Pacotti, were very mnch 
admired. A distinct form of Pteris serrulata, named 
Cowani, gave promise of being a good thing and a 
free grower. 
Mr. B. S. Williams, of Holloway, sent a nice collec¬ 
tion, containing many good things, perhaps the most 
rare being Lycaste Skinneri alba with just one flower 
on it; a clear, pure form, free from any dingy yellow 
colouring whatever ; Brassavola glauca, Dendrobiums, 
including the rare Lowi, Odontoglossums, Ac., some 
good Amaryllis, including Meteor and H. Williams, 
and Imantophyllum, M. Yan Houtte. About one 
hundred plants of Cyclamen in excellent condition 
were placed at the front of this collection, and were 
very effective; one of a very dark colour, named 
Albert Victor, was awarded a First-Class Certificate. 
From Messrs. J. Waterer & Sons, Bagshot, good 
plants of Andromeda japonica and floribunda were 
shown, and formed a very pleasing break among so 
much bright and glaring colour. Messrs. F. Sander & 
Co., St. Albans, sent some nice plants of Cattleya 
Trian®, noticeable among these being some varieties 
with exceptionally dark labellums. This grand 
Orchid is now so easily obtained, can be grown 
with such a small share of Orchid knowledge, and 
flowers during the months of January, February, 
March, and even into April, that it is continually 
coming into greater favour, and will certainly in a few 
years be met with more frequently than at present. 
The Messrs. Sander also had Ccelogyne cristata, the 
St. Alban’s variety, Masdevallia ignea superba, and 
some Odontoglossums, including Euckerianum, 
Alexandra, hebraicum, Andersonianum,&e. A quantity 
of cut-flowers of Cattleya Percevaliana were on view, 
several forms having the lip and throat of a beautifully- 
blended colour, but the size of the flowers would not 
appear to have been much increased since it was first 
flowered. A quantity of Lily of the Valley made up 
in pyramid form, others in vases, and a lot in small 
pots, came from Mr. T. Jannoch, Lily Nursery, 
Dersingham, near Sandringham, and proved objects 
of eager interest. From Messrs. G. & W. Yates, 
Market Place, Manchester, and Heaton Norris Nursery, 
came a nice group of early spring flowering-plants ; 
and with those from Mr. J. Hooley, nurseryman, 
Stockport and Fallowfield, filled nearly the whole of 
the stage on one side of the room. In the latter 
group Dendrobium crassinode was in good form ; while 
Dendrochilum glumaceum was represented by a plant 
producing eighteen of its drooping spikes of sweet- 
scented flowers. 
A first-class certificate was awarded to Messrs. 
Heath and Son for Oncidium Brunleesianum. At 
first sight this plant reminds one of Oncidium pubes, 
but a closer inspection reveals a pretty and distinct 
form. A drooping branching spike is covered with 
small globular flowers, the sepals and petals being 
light yellow, faintly barred with brown. The labellum 
is singularly formed, the centre lobe being of a bright 
reddish-brown colour, and the two side wings of a 
clear canary yellow. The same firm showed the 
beautiful Double Vv’hite Azalea, Deutche Perle. 
A noticeable flower in a collection of Primroses, 
shown by S. Barlow, Esq., from his garden at 
Llandudno, was one of a clear blue colour. The 
Primrose League should make a note of this. 
— c ■ —a — 
A PATENT LINE-DIVIDER. 
This new instrument should interest those of our 
readers who have occasion to use proportional com¬ 
passes in plan-drawing. The principle involved in 
the use of this instrument, for instance, to divide a 
given length into five equal parts, is that correspond¬ 
ing sides in similar triangles are proportional. 
The instrument, when spread out, A B as shown in 
the figure, forms a hinged rule with a firm joint; each 
limb, in this case, is 10 ins. in length ; along that of 
B straight lines can be drawn, as it is bevelled, fronted 
with brass on its straight edge. On the bevelled edge 
of the limb A and on its top are divisions of eighty 
equal parts, so as to admit of dividing a given length 
into any number of equal parts from two to eighty. A 
slides in an under-cut groove upon the plain rule C, 
which has a single line marked upon it, and is also 
provided with needle-points on the under-side, to 
prevent it from slipping when placed in any position. 
In using the instrument to divide a given length 
into five equal parts, C is slid along A, till its line coin¬ 
cides with one of the lines on A, against which is the 
number 50. This line of A is then placed on one end 
of the line to be divided, and the rule opened out or 
closed up, till the bevel of B passes through the other 
end of the fine. Now press the points on the under¬ 
side of C firmly into the paper, and slide A up till the 
number 4 on the line of reference is coincident with 
the line on C, and mark the points where the bevel of 
B meets the given line to be divided. Continue to 
move A up one division at a time till the whole line is 
divided. If lines are to be drawn through the several 
points of division in a given consistent direction, the 
instrument must be so fixed that the bevel of B shall 
be initially in the given direction. It is the invention 
of Miss Marks, and may be obtained from Mr. 
Stanley, 5 Great Turnstile, Holborn. 
— 
Bignoxia venusta. —This remarkably free-flowering 
plant so well deserves a good position in every warm 
greenhouse, that one is surprised not to see it more 
frequently grown. Its deep crimson trumpet-shaped 
flowers are very handsome, and it lasts a long time in 
bloom. 
©lutuarj). 
Mr. Andrew Sinclair.— We regret to announce the 
death, on the 12th inst., aged fifty-one years, of Mr. 
Andrew Sinclair, of the firm of Messrs. W. P. Laird & 
Sinclair, nurserymen and seedsmen, Dundee, which 
took place at his residence, Fountainbrae, Monifieth, 
after several years’ suffering from heart disease. The 
deceased gentleman, who was a native of Edinburgh, 
commenced his business-career with Messrs. Dickson & 
Co., Waterloo Place, and afterwards held an important 
position with Messrs. Lawson & Son, Edinburgh. He 
subsequently joined Mr. W. P. Laird in the business 
which that gentleman established in Dundee fifty-one 
years ago, and he had been connected with the firm 
for upwards of a quarter of a century. He was an 
active, energetic man, thoroughly acquainted with all 
the branches of his business, and he bestowed great 
care and attention to the nursery at Monifieth, which 
had been under his personal superintendence since 
the death of Mr. W. P. Laird in 1872, besides taking part 
in the management of the seed-shop in Nethergate. 
The firm has for many years done a large trade in 
forest-tree seedlings, and as Mr. Sinclair travelled for 
many years south of the Tweed, he was well-known 
and much respected for his high character and amiable 
disposition. Mr. Sinclair had been suffering from 
heart disease for several years, and it is somewhat 
singular that only the day preceding his death he 
completed the arrangements for retiring from the 
firm and transferring the business to Mr. E. B. Laird 
(of Messrs. E. B. Laird & Sons, Edinburgh), brother 
of the founder of the firm, who will carry on the 
business under the same style and title. Mr. Sinclair 
was buried on Monday, at Barnhill Cemetery, near 
Dundee. 
Mr. William Gibson. —We have also to announce 
the death, on the 12th inst., aged fifty-three years, 
of Mr. William Gibson, head of the firm of Messrs. 
Gibson & Eeid, seedsmen, 14, Lower Ormond Quay, 
Dublin. Mr. Gibson’s connection with the Dublin 
Seed Trade goes back over a quarter of a century. 
He went to Dublin to fill a responsible position in the 
well-known firm of Messrs. Drummond & Sons, 58, 
Dawson Street, which he relinquished to take a 
partnership in the business which he established, 
and was, we believe, the sole owner of at his death. 
Mr. Eugene Chantrier, head of the firm of 
Chanti'ier & Sons, nurserymen, of Mortfontaine, 
Chapel-en-Serval, France, died on the 8th inst, aged 
seventy-one years. Mr. Chantrier succeeded to the 
business, which was established by a celebrated 
nurseryman, M. Le Fevre, the raiser of the Beurre 
de Mortfontaine Pear, the original tree of which 
existed in the nursery when we paid it a visit a few 
years ago. Of late years the Messrs. Chantrier have 
been large growers of fine-foliaged plants, and they 
have also raised many good new Crotons and 
Dracamas. 
Mr. James Ingram.— We also hear of the death, 
under very distressing circumstances, of Mr. James 
Ingram, brother of the late Mr. Ingram, of the Eoyal 
Gardens, Frogmore. The deceased, who was eighty-six 
years of age, and a man of very eccentric habits, served 
his apprenticeship at Messrs. Lee’s, of Hammersmith, 
and afterwards went to Page’sNurseryat Southampton. 
Subsequently he commenced business on his own 
account in the same town, and for a time was very 
successful. Misfortune, however, overtook him, he 
lost his business, and for many years has lived in 
Maidstone, where he died, last week, utterly destitute. 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
An old Gardening Book. —I have a very interesting 
old gardening book of which the title page is missing, 
and I am anxious to know its title, the name of the 
writer, and the date of its publication. Some of the 
plates—plans of gardens on the Continent—have been 
copied into Mackintosh’s Book of the Garden, but I 
cannot find any reference to the source from whence 
they were obtained. I have been told that it may be 
