October 13, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
109 
SOME LESSONS FROM 
FLOWER SHOWS. 
That there are many lessons to be learned at flower 
shows, I do not think any reasonable person will for 
one moment doubt. That they are pre-eminently 
educational is also one of the chief reasons why they 
should exist; the only reason for regret is, I think, 
why competitors should be allowed to stage their 
exhibits without the articles being properly named. 
I have occasion to visit many shows in the course of 
the season, and almost the only articles properly 
named are those on exhibition from Nurserymen, 
whose exhibits are generally one of the most 
educative features of a show. It is here the " Ple¬ 
thoric Note book” is mostly seen. Not only in the 
hands of young Gardeners, but also in the hands of 
veterans who, ever on the outlook for something 
good, see it and take a note of it, not to fill their 
note books as suggested by your correspondents, 
but to refresh their already over-taxed memory (their 
is no gardener that is not handicapped in this respect) 
and when the proper time comes round the note book 
will finally be consulted (it will many times have 
been so already), and the names therein noted, will 
now serve the purpose for which they were written, 
whereas if left to the memory they would have been 
one of those things that were. 
Would it be out of place I ask for a young gar¬ 
dener with a thirst for knowledge to take the names 
of twenty-four Roses, as he saw them in a first 
prize stand, or twenty-four Carnations or any other 
cut flowers, collection of fruits or vegetables, (where 
it is possible to get them under name). We can take it 
for granted that the varieties here seen will all be 
good, such beiDg the case, there is nothing more 
natural than our young friend noting down those 
names, seeing it is impossible he can carry them all 
away in his memory. That is surely one use for the 
note book, "Plethoric” or otherwise, the only pity 
is that there are not more note books used. When I 
see a young man using his note book, and 
that freely, I have great hopes of him, he 
means business. A man who takes notes on paper 
does it more for the fun of the thing, and not as 
“ Y ” implys that he has thrown his lime and labour 
away, and that it would be wiser to use his memory 
and power of observation more, as long as he does 
not throw the note book away his power of observa- 
is in safe keeping. Verily, he is casting his bread 
on the waters, and will find it after many days. Go 
on, young men, taking notes, in the show, in the 
nursery, and by the way-side, wherever you see any¬ 
thing to attract your attention jot it down—fill 
twenty note books if you feel inclined—as I have 
never yet known an instance where good results did 
not follow. 
“Y” complains of young men cramming their 
minds with a string of names, just so, to relieve this 
strain we have the note book, the contents of which 
are not learnt by rotation, and strung out like a 
recitation, as suggested by the remarks of your 
correspondents. I only trust they are not judging 
others by their own standard, as I can hardly believe 
their exists men of the stamp to which they refer. 
We may next hear of them advising the editor not 
to fill his paper with plethoric notes, but confine 
himself to a few pages, as there is danger of his 
readers gormandising.—0 
- ■ 
BEGONIAS. 
In establishments where numbers of Begonias of the 
shrubby and ornamental leaved sections are grown, 
as decorative material for winter and spring use, a 
most critical time of the year is approaching. This is 
particularly the case with those in the vicinity of 
large towns, where the fogs,which are so very attentive 
to us during autumn and winter, are charged with all 
sorts of noxious and injurious gases. Where this 
is the case it becomes a matter of extreme difficulty 
to keep the plants in anything like condition. That 
they will receive harm, to some degree or other, may 
be regarded as being well-nigh a certainty. It only 
remains for us, therefore, to minimise the danger as 
much as possible. 
We are promised great things in the future from a 
series of " fog-strainers ” (if I may be allowed to use 
the term). These contrivances are formed of a 
number of crates filled with charcoal, and affixed to 
the bottom ventilators. All air entering the house 
by these ventilators passes through the charcoal, be¬ 
coming purified of a great part of the injurious 
matter in its passage. 
This is all very fine ! ! But how about the laps of 
the glass, and the opening and shutting of the doors ? 
The present construction of our glass houses renders 
it a matter of impossibility to exclude the fog wholly. 
There is, we venture to say, a fortune awaiting the 
lucky individual who is able to give to the horticul¬ 
tural world some method of successfully combating 
this dread enemy, As it is, however, we have to 
look on and see our favourite plants crippled, and, 
in many cases, well-nigh ruined, whilst we are com¬ 
paratively powerless to help—not exactly a dignified 
position for any gardener to be called upon to assume. 
The leaves of the healthiest Begonia, after the 
passage of one of the abominable fogs, so common to 
the metropolis and its environs, look very much as if 
they had been scorched by fire, and dropped off in the 
course of a week or two with deplorable results. 
With regard to the best conditions under which to 
place plants at such periods, some cultivators advise 
keeping the atmosphere of the house dry, others 
(with more reason we think) advocate a slight 
restriction in the use of the watering-can, but not 
too dry an atmosphere. We should advise this latter 
method of treatment as being the best known to us 
at the present.— A. 
Hardening Miscellany. 
ADIANTUM BlRKENHEADII. 
This beautiful Maidenhair is of garden origin and 
judging from a photograph -of it in the Revue de 
L' Horticulture Beige, it is allied to Adiantum 
curvatum. The fronds are beautifully arched, close 
upon 2| ft. in length and about a foot at the widest 
part. The pinnules are oblong-trapeziform, almost 
dimidiate and cut into lobes along the upper edge. 
The distinguishing features of the Maidenhair under 
notice are the broad lobes of the upper edge of the 
largest pinnules. The fronds are tripinnate at the 
base, bipinnate upwards and simple at the apex ; 
and all the pinnules are alternate and spaced so that 
they stand quite free from one another and give the 
Fern a graceful appearance. In common with other 
Maidenhair Ferns, the fronds of that under notice 
remain dry after being immersed in water. The 
significance of this fact is that cut fronds may be kept 
in water for certain periods and then used amongst 
cut flowers without being unduly wet, as a shake re¬ 
moves all the water immediately. 
FATSIA (ARALIA) JAPONICA. 
This fine ornamental shrub, well known in nurseries 
for a number of years, has not been used by planters 
to the extent which its merits deserve, for it stands 
in the first rank among our hardy fine foliaged 
plants, and has the additional merit of being a 
beautiful flowering plant, and that, too, at a time of 
the year when very little in the way of flower is to 
be found among trees and shrubs. Having a good 
specimen of it in flower at the present time is my 
excuse for calling attention to it. I believe it to be 
most accommodating in respect to soil and situation, 
and never remember seeing it injured by the extra 
severe weather we have had occasionally. It is 
most readily propagated by root cuttings, which are 
made about 2 in. in length, inserted in loamy soil 
made rather sandy. The ends of the cuttings should 
be just under the surface of the soil, and the pots of 
cuttings should be placed in a cold frame where frost 
can be excluded. The young plants when they 
appear above the surface should be gradually inured 
to the air, and when two or three leaves are 
developed pot them off, keep them in pots and 
frames till over the second winter, when they may 
be planted out in the open.— W. B. G. 
-- 
Mutual Improvement Societies. 
Woolton, Liverpool, October yd and $th. —This 
Society commenced the work of its sixth session with 
a horticultural exhibition in the Parochial Hall, 
Woolton, in aid of the funds of the Woolton Conva¬ 
lescent Institution. The show, although moderate 
in its scope, fully compensated in quality what it 
lacked in quantity, for, although the prizes were only 
of moderate value and, in all cases, being in kind, it 
led to entries that did honour even to this well- 
known district, the chief of the Liverpool exhibitors 
doing their best for the Society and the useful Insti¬ 
tution for which they were working. Exhibits were 
invited on a broad basis with the request that 
friendly instruction should be the aim rather than 
personal rivalry. Mr. J. Craven, gardener to J. 
Grant Morris, Esq , Allerton Priory, staged a 
superb table of fruit, nine distinct kinds of Grapes, 
three of Tomatos, three of Plums, one of Peaches, 
Red Currants, Apples and Pears in variety, which 
was awarded two cases of cutlery. Mr. J. Jellicoe, 
gardener to F. H. Gossage, Esq., Camp Hill, Wool- 
ton, had two Kentias twelve feet in diameter, Croton 
mortefontainensis five feet high and splendidly 
coloured, an eight-feet square group with a ground 
work of Adiantum cuneatum, Cocus as a raised 
centre, Crotons at the corners, with several well- 
flowered Cattleya aurea, which was awarded a Cul¬ 
tural Certificate. It was a charming arrangement, 
and the same exhibition also had a Dendrobium for- 
mosum, which received a Cultural Certificate, and 
two bunches of Muscat Grapes. A special award 
was given for these exhibits. Mr. T. Carling, gar¬ 
dener to Mrs. Cope, Dove Park, Woolton, con¬ 
tributed a bank of plants, including well-flowered 
Bouvardias, plants suitable for house decoration, and 
two boxes of Roses staged side by side, the glowing 
colours of the Roses being enhanced by the paler 
tones of the “ mums.” The reward for this excellent 
lot was an eight-day marble striking clock. Mr. 
Tunnington, gardener to Mrs Mclver, Calder- 
stone's, Allerton, sent a background of well-flowered 
Celosias, two bunches of fine Grapes, double and 
single Dahlias, and a fine collection of Apples and 
Pears, securing a barometer and thermometer in an 
01k case. Mr. B. Cromwell, gardener to T. Sutton 
Timmis, Esq., Cleveley, Allerton, arranged a pretty 
table of stove and greenhouse flowering and foliage 
plants with a margin of Maidenhair Ferns, the prize 
for which was a hanging striking clock. Mr. G. 
Eaton, gardener to W. H. Shirley, Esq., Allerton 
House, had some two dozen bunches of choice 
hardy herbaceous cut flowers arranged in three tiers ; 
this fine exhibit was awarded a set of silver-mounted 
carvers in case. Mr. W. Wilson, gardener to H. 
Cunningham, Esq., Gateacre, staged a pair of 
bunches of fine Grapes and hardy fruits, and took 
a Gladstone bag. Mr. J. Stephenson, Woolton Hall, 
sent a tempting basket of fruit tastefully arranged, 
which was awarded a barometer. Mr. T. Hitchman, 
gardener to A. Earle, Esq., Child wall, had a similar 
award for a dozen Celosias of a good type. Mr. T. 
Hayes, gardener to Mrs. Janion, Woolton Grove, 
carried off a copper kettle with six bunches of 
Grapes. Mr. J. Griffiths, gardener to Mrs. Duncan, 
Woolton, was a pair of boots the richer for his 
exhibit of stove and greenhouse cut flowers. And 
Mr. W. Ellis, gardener to G. H. Warren, Esq., for 
his cut Carnations received a silver-mounted malacca 
stick. 
Among under-gardeners, Mr. H. Corlett, Woolton 
Wood, contributed a well formed garden design, 
which was awarded a handsome dressing case. 
Mr. J. Elsworth, Dove Park, took a silver-mounted 
umbrella for two beautiful baskets of flowers ; and 
Mr. J. Rothwell, Camp Hill, brief bag for a floral 
cross, etc., Mr. A. Almond, Dove Park, a silver- 
mounted malacca stick for some fine Tomatos. 
Some half dozen cottagers also received awards. 
Certificates of Merit were granted to Messrs. R, ,P 
Ker & Sons, for new and rare plants ; to Messrs. J. 
Cowan & Co., Garston, for table of miscellaneous 
plants; to Mr. R. Owen, Maidenhead, for early 
flowering Chrysanthemums; to Mr. C. Young, 
West Derby, for a bank of tree flowering Carnations. 
The contributions to the prize list amounted to 
nearly /30, and each evening most enjoyable concerts 
were given, which were thoroughly enjoyed by a fair 
muster of visitors. The committee, with Mr. R. G. 
Waterman, Treasurer, and Mr. W. Disley, Secretary, 
must be congratulated upon their successful and 
instructive venture. 
■ 1 » - 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural, gth Oct.- —The exhibits at the 
Drill Hall on Tuesday last were both numerous and 
extensive. Asters and other hardy herbaceous 
plants, Dahlias, Gladioli, stove and greenhouse 
plants, Chrysanthemums, and Orchids were the 
principal features of the meeting. Orchids were 
