174 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 10, 1894. 
Gardening ||iscellany. 
PEAR, THE CONFERENCE. 
The unfavourable season does not seem to have 
prejudiced the flavour of this excellent November 
Pear. “ Beauty is only skin deep ” as the old 
proverb says and it may be that the lack of colour in 
Pears this year, due to the deficiency of sunlight, 
bears little correspondence to the quality when the 
fruits come to complete maturity. Possibly those 
varieties which have to mature in fruit rooms, are 
less affected in this respect than those which become 
fit for use while still hanging upon the trees. At all 
events the comparatively new variety named The 
Conference, seems quite up to its usual standard, 
judging from a box of fruits sent us by the raisers, 
Messrs. Thomas Rivers & Sons, Sawbridgeworth. 
Many of the fruits seem shorter and less tapered 
than we have seen them on former occasions, but 
they are very thick and doubtless quite up to the 
normal size. The skin is thinly suffused with russet 
or densely spotted with that hue, and showing 
greenish yellow patches, while the exposed side is 
more or less suffused or splashed with red. The 
finely gritty flesh is of a pale amber or nearly white, 
very tender, crisp, juicy, and richly sugared, although 
devoid of any special aroma. Even amongst 
November Pears it must be considered an acquisi¬ 
tion for the dessert table on account of its excellent 
quality and delicate melting character. Fruits alone 
give no evidence of actual fertility, but we believe the 
trees have given good satisfaction in that respect. 
Although not particularly favoured with regard 
to colour yet the fruits are decidedly handsome. 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 
These are excellent subjects for bedding out even in 
the North. Looking into the neatly-kept garden of H. 
Parke, Esq., at Withnell, near Chorley, 1 saw this 
season some beautiful beds, and as the situation is a 
bleak one and the summer anything but favourable, 
I was surprised to see them in such excellent con¬ 
dition ; indeed, no one could desire anything better. 
Pelargoniums were a poor show in the past summer 
as compared with the Begonias, for no sooner did a 
few trusses expand than they were spoilt by the rain 
up to September, when the season was partly over- 
I have seen boxes planted with these Begonias out¬ 
side the windows of some of the houses in Preston, 
and they looked very well indeed.— W. P. R. 
STRANDMILLIS BELFAST. 
When visiting the Emerald Isle several weeks ago,I bad 
the pleasure of looking through the well-kept grounds 
and gardens belonging to W. H. Wilson, Esq., where 
the gardening operations are conducted by Mr. 
Lindsay, with all the enthusiasm and vigour of 
youth. In passing through the various departments, 
it was easily seen that the same master hand had 
been at work throughout the entire establishment. 
There is a very extensive range of glass at Strand- 
millis, greenhouse, stove, Peach houses, vineries, 
fernery, Melon and Cucumber houses, numerous 
forcing pits, besides some splendid Orchid houses. 
The forcing of fruit, flowers, and vegetables, is 
carried on throughout the entire year. It is scarcely 
necessary to single out any particular plant or 
department for special description, because each and 
all are thoroughly well done, reflecting great credit 
upon employer and employed.— J'. McNab. 
MARSH MARIGOLD IN BLOOM. 
Caltha palustris, popularly known as Marsh 
Marigold, blooms ordinarily in March, April, and 
May, but April is really the month when it makes 
the best display. In gardens of the southern 
counties of England at least it often flowers a second 
time in autumn, provided the weather is unusually 
mild and open. One might imagine this to be the 
result of cultural treatment, shelter, and other 
favourable conditions, but when the wild plant 
behaves in this way, it may be considered that the 
species naturally blooms twice a year. For some time 
past it has been flowering and fruiting freely on the 
marshy land forming part of StainesMoor, Middlesex. 
The mild autumn and the abundance of moisture has 
set various kinds of vegetation into a second growth, 
and besides the Marsh Marigold, various other 
interesting wild plants have also been gay, as if it 
was still early in the season.— Rambler. 
Questions add ansmeRS. 
Heating a Small House.— W. E. B. : You can 
get exactly what you want from Messrs. C. Toope & 
Son, Stepney High Street, Stepney Square, E., or 
the Albion Lamp Co., Birmingham. 
Names of Plants. — Perth : OncidiumGravesianum, 
a good dark variety and sweetly scented. J. M. G.: 
The specimens you sent were those of Fraxinus 
Ornus rotundifolia or some other variety of the 
Manna Ash. We should like to see a flowering 
branch in spring.— S. J. : i, Adiantum Capillus 
Venerus var.; 2, Adiantum cuneatum grandiceps ; 
3, Pteris cretica albo-lineata ; a, Euonymus micro- 
pbyllus ; 5, Begonia maculata ; 8, Jasminum revolu- 
tum ; g, Cotoneaster Simonsii. 
Buds of Oncidium crispum dropping.— C. B. G : 
In winter this could be ascribed to fogs in the vicinity 
of large and smoky towns. But at other times and 
places some other cause must be sought. It might 
even be ascribed to the sunless and unfavourable 
season if the atmosphere of the house has been kept 
too cold and damp with long continued, stagnant 
moisture. The species you mention is generally 
grown upon rafts, blocks, or in baskets, and it may 
be that the roots have been allowed to get too dry 
while growth was being made, or while throwing up 
their flower spikes. Without knowing the cultural 
treatment it would be impossible to definitely name 
a cause for the evil, which, as far as we know, is of 
casual and not general occurrence. We imagine that 
it must be due to something somewhere in the 
cultural treatment. 
Crude Manure for Fruit Trees.— C. B. G : 
Dead cats, dogs, and even horses we believe have 
been buried at the roots of fruit trees at one time or 
another, but we never heard of extraordinary results. 
The fact is that putrescent flesh or similarly highly 
concentrated manures would be greatly injurious to 
the roots of trees and plants of all kinds, if brought 
into direct contact with them in the crude condition. 
After they are getting fairly rotted then the roots 
could attack them and find great benefit therefrom. 
Large animals would have to be buried at such a 
depth that they would ultimately serve to induce the 
roots to penetrate the soil too deeply, which in itself 
would be detrimental than otherwise in the long run 
to fruit trees. We should prefer to cut the animals 
up roughly, and to mix them with a heap of good 
soil, then to allow the whole to decay and become 
more or less incorporated during a period of ten or 
twelve months. Then this rich compost of humic 
matters could be spread over the ground and dug in 
about or above the roots of fruit trees, &c. 
Clubbing of Cabbages.— G. F. C., Reading : There 
will be no danger of applying gas lime, even in the 
fresh state, to vacant plots of ground, provided you 
do not plant nor sow anything there for two months 
afterwards. Break up the gas lime finely with a 
spade and spread it over the ground till the latter 
appears white. No particular quantity is necessary, 
and you should apply it much in the same way as 
for ordinary lime. First of all you should remove 
as many of the clubbed roots and pieces as possible, 
because the gas lime will have little effect upon large 
lumps of diseased roots. You can then spread it 
upon the ground before digging. Trenching the 
ground 2 ft. deep every year or every second year is 
a good plan, because by so doing you bury the spores 
of the fungus, as well as the eggs and pupae of 
insects, slugs, etc., at too great a depth for their 
getting to the surface the following year. If you 
trench, the gas lime may be scattered over the top 
spit after it is turned to the bottom of the trench. 
Avoid planting the same kind of crop on the same 
plots of land two years in succession. 
Pears from November to March.— E. B:. The 
following will give you a succession :—Beurre Diel, 
Glou Morgeau, Chaumontel, Easter Beurre, 
Josephine de Malines, and Beurre Kance. You may 
substitute Doyenne du Comice for Beurre Diel 
because of better quality and less gritty. 
Climbers for trellis.— Thomas Finch : The oval¬ 
leaved Privet and the golden variety of it would 
answer the purpose admirably and cover the trellis 
in a few years. The first-named grows stronger, and 
would require more pruning to keep it within 
bounds. The golden one grows slowly, and although 
it would take a little longer to cover the space, 
it would be the neater and more handsome of the 
two. Other very neat climbers are Cotoneaster 
Simonsii, Cotoneaster microphylla, The Fiery Thorn 
(Crataegus Pyracantha) also Roses, like Rosa multi¬ 
flora with double flowers or some of the more hardy 
Noisette Roses. The everlasting Pea (Lathyrus 
latifolius) and its white variety would make a beau¬ 
tiful screen in summer, and flower grandly after be¬ 
coming established some years. The cotoneasters and 
Fiery Thorn are evergreen, and have red and orange 
berries. 
Lime tree and Smells. — Thomas Finch : We 
are doubtful if any Lime tree would deodorise bad 
smells, although when in bloom it would doubtless 
counteract the disagreeableness of the same to some 
extent. Some carbolic acid, which can easily be 
obtained, and scattered about the place, and thrown 
down the sink, would prevent any danger to health 
arising from such sources. 
Names of Fruits. — A. R. Wilson : 1 and 2, King 
of the Pippins; 4, Gravenstein ; 5, Bess Pool; 9, 
Scarlet Nonpariel; 10, Brownlees Russet.— Juno : 
Too far decayed for identification.— H. F. E. ; 
1, Doyenne Boussock; 2, Marie Louise.— G.T.: 
1, Doyenne Boussock ; 2, Marie Louise ; 3, Urbaniste, 
4, Beurre Clairgeau ; 6, Beauty of Kent.— St. 
Lawrence'. 1, Beurre Hardy; 2, Doyenne du Comice; 
4, Beurre Diel; 5, Vicar of Winkfield; 6, Glou 
Morceau. 
Communications Received. —W. A.—J. T.—C. 
H. P.— W. S.—S. & S.—A. P.—A. S.—S. J. (next 
week. 
-•*»- 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Fotheringham & King, Dumfries.—Forest and 
Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, &c. 
J. P. Abrahams, Colombo, Ceylon.—Tropical 
Plants, Seeds, Bulbs, &c. 
Little & Ballantyne, Carlisle.—Forest and 
Ornamental Trees, Hardy Plants, &c. 
Morrison & Cunningham, Pinefield Nurseries, 
Elgin.—Roses, Fruit Trees, &c. 
LONDON SEED TRADE. 
November 6 tli, 1894. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch, and 39, 
Seed Market, Mark Lane, report little demand for 
Clover Seeds. White Clover is again higher. 
Alsike and Trefoil steady. Red Clover has ad¬ 
vanced one shilling per cwt. Rye grasses unchanged. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET. 
November yth, 1894. 
Fruit.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s. d s. d. 
Apples.per bushel 30 90 
Nova Scotia Apples 
per barrel 12 o 15 0 
Cherries, per hit. sieve 0 000 
Cob Nuts and Fil¬ 
berts, per 100 lbs.22 6 25 0 
Grapes, per lb. 06 1 6 
Vegetables.—Aver 
1. d. t. d 
ArtlchokesGlobedoz. 30 60 
Beans, French, perlb. 06 10 
Beet.per dozen 20 30 
Cabbages ... per doz. 1626 
Carrots ... per bunch 0 6 
Carrots, 
Cauliflowers, Eng.dz. 30 60 
Celery.per bundle 16 20 
Cucumbers .es ;h 0 4 06 
Endive, French, djz. 2 6 30 
Herbs .per bunch 02 06 
s. d. s. d 
Melons .each 00 00 
Peaches & Nectarines, 
per doz. 00 00 
Pine apples. 
—St. Michael's, each 26 60 
Plums .half Sieve 00 00 
Strawberries, per lb. 0 0 00 
tGE Rbtail Prices. 
1. d. 1. d. 
Horse Radish, bundle 20 40 
Lettuces ...per dozen 20 00 
Mushrooms, p. basket 10 16 
Onions.per bunch 04 06 
Parsley ... per bunch 0 6 
Radishes... per dozen 1 6 
Seakale...per basket 00 00 
Smallsalading,punnet 0 4 
Spinach per bushel 3 0 
Tomatos. per lb. o 6 15 
Turnips.per bun. 0 6 
Plants in Pots.—Average Wholesale Prices 
t. d. s. d. I 1. d. i. d. 
Aspidistra, per doz 180420 Heliotrope...per doz. 3 o 60 
_specimenplants.eachs 0 15 0 Marguerites, perdoz. 6 0 12 0 
Cyperus .per doz. 4 0 12 0 Mignonette, per doz 60 00 
Chrysanthemums, Palms in variety,each 2 6 10 0 
per doz. 4 0 15 0 Palms, Specimen ... 15 0 64 0 
Dracaena term., doz. 18 0 36 0 Pelargoniums, scarlet 
Dracaena viridis,doz. 9 0 18 0 per doz...3 060 
Evergreens,invar.doz 6 0 24 0 Primulas,perdoz. ... 40 60 
Ferns, invar.,per doz. 30 80 Solanums, 
Ferns, small, per 100 3 0 60 per doz. pots 10 o 12 0 
Foliage Plants, doz. 12 0 60 0 | 
Cut Flowers.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s. d. s. d. 
Arum Lilies, 12 blms. 30 50 
Bouvardias, per bun. 06 10 
Carnations...per doz. 10 20 
Chrysanthemums, 
doz. blooms 20 60 
1, doz. bunches 30 90 
Eucharis ...per doz. 26 40 
Gardenias 12 blooms 20 40 
Heliotropes,12 sprays 06 09 
Lilac (French) 
per bch. 30 50 
Lllium Harrisii, 
doz. blooms 60 90 
Lilium lancitolium, 
white.doz. blms. 20 40 
MaidenhalrFern,i2bs.4 060 
Marguerites, 12 bun. 16 30 
Mignonette... 12 bun. 3040 
Narciss (French) 
doz. bch. 40 6 6 
1. d. s. d 
Orchid Bloom in var. 
per bloom, from 03 10 
Pelargoniums 12 sps. 0609 
Pink Roses...per doz. 20 40 
Pyrethrum doz. bun. 20 40 
Primula, double, bun. 06 0 g 
Roses .doz. bchs. 6 o 12 0 
Roses, yellow, dozen 20 40 
— Red.doz. blms. 10 16 
— Tea.per dozen 06 20 
Scarlet Geraniums, 
doz. bchs. 40 60 
Tuberoses, per doz 04 06 
Violets (French) 
Parnu, per bch. 20 36 
Violets (French) 
Czar, per bch. 13 20 
Violets (French) 
doz. bch. 16 00 
OOITTBNTS 
Basket Ferns 
Begonia, Winter Gem 
Begonias, Tuberous ... 
Begonias, Winter 
flowering . 
Bystock, Exmouth 
Cabbage Fly, The 
Centropogon Lucyanus. 
Chrysanthemum growing, 
modern phases in .. 
Chrysanthemum Society, 
National.170 
Chrysanthemums in cottage 
gardens .168 
Chrysanthemums, new.168 
Crystal Palace Show.165 
ExmouthShow.173 
Gardeners and Holidays...171 
Gardeners' Improvement 
Society .173 
page 
Gardeners’ Mutual Im¬ 
provement Societies.164 
Greenhouse, The.16b 
Holme Park .16S 
Horticultural Outlook, Thei73 
Laelia pumila praestans ...166 
Marsh Marigold, the.174 
Mushrooms .173 
Orchid Houses, the .167 
Orchid Notes .166 
Orchids from Liberton.166 
Pear, the Conference.174 
Pits and Frames.167 
Plant Houses, the .167 
Science Gleanings.167 
Seakale, propagating.16S 
Stove, the .166 
Strandmillis, Belfast.174 
Vegetable Garden, the.167 
Vegetables, storing of .165 
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