January 26, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
349 
grey points, slightly larger and redder towards the eye. 
The flesh is greenish-white, very melting, juicy, 
without grit, and deliciously perfumed. The juice is 
very sugary and relieved with a slightly acidulated 
flavour. The tree adds to its other recommendations 
good vigour and great fertility. The variety was ob¬ 
tained by M. Paul Demaret, merchant at Hennuyeres, 
of the province of Hainaut, from a sowing of the pips 
Durondeau, made in 1886. The tree fruited for the 
first time in 1892, and during the two succeeding 
years has fruited well. 
APPLE REINETTE DESCARDRE. 
This excellent Apple, well known by name, says the 
Bulletin d'Arboriculture, has remained for a long time 
in the country of Liege where it originated. It is an 
acquisition of M. Benoit Descardre, father of M. 
Charles Descardre, nurseryman at Chenee, so 
favourably known in Belgium and elsewhere. It was 
in the spring of 1834, about half-a-century ago, 
that it was put into commerce, but Reinette 
Descardre is yet a novelty if the province of Liege is 
excepted, where it is widely spread and highly 
appreciated by amateurs as well as fruiterers. Like¬ 
wise, in that province, the orchards are rare in which 
there are not several trees, and it is not extra¬ 
ordinary to meet with some of them which give 225 
to 1,125 ^s. of Apples at a harvest. The fruit is 
of good size and nearly globular, bronzy-green, 
and of a deep brick-red on the exposed surface. 
The flesh is yellow, quite firm, aromatic, and 
slightly acidulated; it is ready for use from the 
month of October and keeps till December. The 
tree is very fertile and of good growth. Grafted on 
the paradise or doucin, it will figure very worthily in 
the fruit garden. A coloured plate of it is given in 
the Bulletin d’Arboriculture for November, which 
speaks of its great superiority over many varieties in 
cultivation. 
HIBBERTIA DENTATA. 
This is one of the prettiest and most effective green¬ 
house climbers known to us, and yet with very few 
exceptions it is a comparative stranger to private 
gardens, although now and again we do come across 
stray plants of it in places where not even its name 
is known. The genus to which it belongs contains 
some seventy species or thereabouts, shrubs or sub¬ 
shrubs usually. H. dentata is, however, at once the 
most useful and the best known of the group, and is 
certainly well worthy of recognition. The flowers 
are a rich deep yellow, and from ij in. to 2 in. in 
diameter when borne upon healthy plants, although 
they decrease considerably in size if the health of 
the plant is allowed to suffer from the continuous 
attacks of insect pests, which seem to manifest a 
decided partiality for it. The leaves are a dark 
green in colour, oblong in shape, acuminate, and the 
margins serrate. The plants are not very particular 
as to soil, as they will grow in either peat or loam, 
or in a mixture of the two. Whatever soil is used, 
however, the addition to it of plenty of sharp sand 
is an essential, and the drainage must be of as an 
efficient a character as possible, otherwise the soil 
will become close and sour, a state of things which 
the plant detests, and which it invariably resents by 
putting on a very shabby appearance. Cuttings 
inserted in sandy peat and placed beneath a bell- 
glass and kept close will root easily enough, and 
plenty of good plants may in this way soon be 
obtained. 
JADOO FIBRE. 
I have only just seen the article in your issue of Janu¬ 
ary 12th on this subject. The reason why no mention 
of Ferns was made as growing well in Jadoo was 
simply that at the time the list of plants tried was 
published, Ferns had not been thoroughly tried in it, 
and I did not wish to recommend anything I was not 
absolutely sure about. Since then Ferns have been 
proved and grown luxuriantly, and so have some sorts 
of Orchids, in fact, so far, no plant has been found 
that has not flourished in it. With reference to what 
you say about the word "Jadoo,” your Indian 
readers will guess at its origin if they look at the 
truly marvellous way in which plants root in 
Jadoo even under such adverse circumstances as 
being transplanted into it in full bloom.— C. Halford 
Thompson, F.R.H.S., Eastcliff, Teignmouth, January 
22nd, 1895. 
Questions add AnsoieFS- 
*** Will our friends who send us newspapers be so good 
as to mark the paragraphs or articles they wish us to see. 
We shall be greatly obliged by their so doing. 
Examinations in Horticulture.— Gang Wanly: 
With regard to a syllabus of previous examination 
papers, we advise you to apply to the Rev. W. Wilks, 
Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society, 117, 
Victoria Street, London, S.W., sending a stamped 
envelope for reply. In the meantime, you have no 
time to lose, but must diligently set yourself to study 
such subjects as the elements of plant physiology, 
as well as a good knowledge of digging, trenching, 
sowing, staking, propagation by cuttings, layers, 
seeds, budding, grafting, pruning, training, and all 
that relates to vegetable culture. Take advantage of 
any course of lectures that may be delivered in your 
district, and in the absence of such means of 
instruction, you should get some books on the sub¬ 
ject and apply yourself with great earnestness to 
grasp the information therein contained. We could 
further assist you to the names of useful books on 
the subjeot and other information if required. 
Mutual Improvement Societies and Educa¬ 
tion. — Lover of Nature : The aim and objects of such 
societies as you mention is to diffuse a knowledge of 
horticulture amongst gardeners and amateurs 
generally. Their programme of papers does not as 
a rule, however, embrace in any one session all that 
is necessary to cover the subject of an examination in 
horticulture. Plant physiology as a basis of horti¬ 
cultural knowledge is generally looked upon as a dry 
and difficult scientific subject, and is accordingly 
discouraged. It is, nevertheless, a mistake and 
ought to be remedied. There is no reason why mutual 
improvement societies should not arrange to have a 
competent lecturer (who may be a gardener) to occupy 
every evening upon one or other of the subjects that 
bear upon the syllabus of subjects necessary to pass 
an examination in horticulture. In the absence of such 
lectures we should advise you to study books on the 
subjects in question. Seethe question on " Examina¬ 
tions in Horticulture.” The examinations are divided 
into higher and lower grades, that is, two classes, for 
gardeners and amateurs alike. 
Cultural Treatment.— P. obconica : Seeds may 
be sown at various times, or, in fact, at any time, 
according to convenience and requirements. The 
seedlings will come into bloom about the same time 
as P. sinensis under similar treatment. The compost 
should consist of two parts good, fibrous loam, one part 
of leaf soil and one of well-decayed cow manure with 
sufficient sand to make thewhole porous and open.This 
will suffice for the final potting, but somewhat lighter 
material should be used for the seedling stages. Re¬ 
pot as the plant grows and before the roots become 
matted and pot bound. Weak liquid manure may 
be supplied twice a week when the plants commence 
to flower. During summer keep the plants rather 
cool, and in winter 40° to 45 degrees will suffice, 
though >ou may raise it to 50° to keep the plants 
more actively growing and flowering. The flowers 
cannot be compared to those of P. sinensis for size 
or colour, but amends are made for that by the 
quantity and continuity of flowering. Besides white 
there are various shades of lilac or pale rose. 
You might use brewer’s decayed hops in the same 
way as leaf soil, but we do not know that they 
possess any special advantage. 
Flower Garden. — Effective Bedding : We are 
much obliged for the photographs which explained 
the matter fully and showed us where the mistake 
came in. We thought that the bed marked O in the 
photograph was the same one as you marked I in the 
diagram accompanying your second communication. 
That was where the confusion arose. But you must 
remember that in your second communication you 
said that No. 8 was the bed concerning which we 
gave you advice on the 12th of January. Possibly 
this was a mistake, but we could not rectify it owing 
to the first diagram having been inadvertently 
destroyed. Scarlet flowered tuberous Begonias with 
a double edging will answer very well for No. 1, as 
mentioned last week. In the case of the bed 
marked O in the seond photograph, we should prefer 
a green ground work to the white Cerastium tomen- 
tosum. This might consist of Herniaria glabra or 
Mentha gibraltarica; but the Cerastium would not 
come into conflict with the original plan. We are 
pleased to note the pieces of rockwork, and were 
unaware that you went in for herbaceous and Alpine 
plants at all. The tall trees not only afford shelter, 
but they constitute a pleasing environment to a 
flower garden. The whole must look beautiful when 
trees and everything else are in fuil dress during the 
summer months. 
Bloom of Laelia anceps.— Gracemount-.The flower 
you sent is beautiful and good, but it is not Laelia 
anceps alba, because it has too much colour about 
it. That variety should be pure white with excep¬ 
tion of a yellow ridge along the middle of the lip. 
It comes nearest to L. anceps Sanderiana or L. a. 
Sander’s var., and you may safely name it such. 
The only difference is that the terminal lobe of the 
lip has less purple on it than the typical L. a. 
Sanderiana. Your variety has only two small purple 
spots and a blush tint upon the terminal lobe, 
whereas there should be one large blotch on that 
part of the lip; but many plants are named L. a. 
Sanderiana that differ more or less, though only to 
a small extent, from that variety. Though not L. a. 
abla, you still have got a good thing, and well 
worthy of all attention. 
Fruiting of Pears. — Quince : The figures you 
mention must have been a printer's error overlooked 
at the time. Seeing that the return from the 2,000 
young trees was put down at 25,000 dozens, the 
return from the older trees should have read 35,000 
dozens. A cypher must have been omitted from the 
figures, making the mistake of which you speak. 
When bought in quantity, Quince and Paradise 
stocks are very Cheap, but in smaller numbers they 
would be relatively dearer. There should be no 
difficulty, we think, in procuring what you want 
from any good nurseryman who deals largely in fruit 
trees. 
Communications Received.— S. & S.—W. C — 
S. N. S.—W. D —B. F.—H. J H.—R. G. W —]. G. 
P.—J. A. L— J. M.—E. S.—J. L. P.—Next week. 
Many thanks. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED- 
H. J. Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Hither Green, 
Lewisham.—Chrysanthemum Guide for 1895. 
Alex Finlayson, 42, Above Bar, Southampton.— 
Descriptive Seed List. 
Louis Paillet, Vallee de Chatenay (Seine), 
near Paris.—Plants, Trees, and Shrubs. 
W. Fromow & Sons, Sutton Court Nurseries, 
Chiswick, W.—Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
Maurice, Young & Son, Milford Nurseries, near 
Godaiming.—Conifers, Hardy Ornamental Trees and 
Shrubs, Fruit trees, etc. 
Robert Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham. 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
LONDON SEED TRADE. 
January 22nd, 1895. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch, & 39, 
Seed market, Mark Lane, report an improved 
demand for agricultural seeds. White Clover realises 
higher figures, Red Clover and Cowgrass steady. 
Alsike easier. Trefoil unchanged. Ryegrasses 
neglected. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET. 
January 2yd, 1895. 
Fruit.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s. d s. d. 
Apples.per bushel 30 90 
Nova Scotia Apoles 
per barrel 12 0 21 o 
Cob Nuts and Fil¬ 
berts, perioolbs.20 o 21 o 
Vegetables.—Average Retail Prices. 
d. i. d. t, d. 
s. d. s. d 
Grapes, per lb. 10 20 
Pine apples. 
—St. Mlohael's, each 26 60 
ArtichokesGlobedoz. 3 0 
Beans, French, perlb. 1 6 
Beet.per dozen 2 0 
Cabbages ... per doz. 1 6 
Carrots ... per bunch 0 6 
Cauliflowers, Eng.dz. 3 0 
Celery.per bundle 1 6 
Cucumbers .ea ;h 0 9 
Endive, French, djz. 26 
Herbs -.per bunch 0 2 
Lettuces ...per dozen 2 0 
Mushrooms, p. basket 1 0 
Onions.per bunch 0 4 
Parsley ... per bunch 0 6 
Radishes... per dozen 1 6 
Seakale...per basket 2 o 
Smallsaladlng,punnet 0 4 
Spinach per bushel 3 0 
Tomatos. per lb. o 6 
Turnips.per bun. 0 6 
5 0 
2 0 
I 3 
3 0 
0 6 
Horse Radish, bundle 20 40 
Plants in Pots.—Average Wholesale Prices 
1. d. s. d. 
Aspidistras, per doz 18 0 42 0 
—specimenplants.eachs 0 15 0 
Cyperus .per doz. 4 0 12 0 
Chrysanthemums, 
per doz. 60 80 
Cyclamen, per doz.... 9 0 18 o 
Dracaena term., doz. 18 o 36 0 
Dracaena viridis.doz. 90180 
Erica hyemalis, per 
doz. 12 0 18 0 
t. d. 
0 0 
1 6 
0 6 
2 6 
gracilis per doz. 10 0 12 0 | 
1. d. :. d. 
Evergreens,Invar.doz 6 0 24 0 
Ferns, invar.,per doz. 30 80 
Ferns, small, per 100 30 60 
Foliage Plants, doz. 12 0 60 0 
Marguerites, perdoz. 80120 
Mignonette, per doz 60 00 
Palms in variety,each 2 6 10 o 
Palms, Specimen ... 15 0 63 o 
Primulas,per doz. ... 40 60 
Solanums, 
per doz. pots 80120 
Cut Flowers.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
1 
3 
6 
12 
s. d. s. d. 
Arum Lilies, I2blms. 60 80 
Azalea.doz. bchs. 6 0 12 o 
Bouvardlas, per bun. 0 6 
Carnations...per doz. 2 0 
Chrysanthemums, 
doz. blooms 2 o 
,, doz. bunches 4 
Double Daffodils, 
doz. bchs. 16 0 18 0 
Single Daffodils, 
doz. bchs. 210 
Eucharls ...per doz. 4 o 
Gardenias 12 blooms 2 o 
Heliotropes,12 sprays 0 6 
Hyacinth (Roman) 
doz. bch. 9 0 12 0 
Lilac (French) 
per bch. 50 60 
Lilium Harrisii, 
doz. blooms 6 0 10 0 
MaldenhalrFern,i2bs. 4 060 
Marguerites. 12 bun. 16 30 
30 0 
6 0 
4 0 
0 9 
s. d. 1. d. 
40 60 
1 0 
0 9 
6 o 
Narciss (French) 
doz. bch. 
Orchid Bloom in var. 
per bloom, from 0 3 
Pelargoniums 12 sps. 0 6 
Pink Roses...per doz. 3 
Pyrethrum doz. bun. 2 
Primula, double, bun. 0 
Roses, yellow, dozen 2 
— Red.doz. blms. 3 
— Tea.per dozen 0 
Scarlet Geraniums, 
doz. bchs. 5 0 
Tuberoses, per doz 06 
Violets (French) 
Parma, per bch. 40 50 
Violets (French) 
Czar, per bch. 19 20 
Violets (French) 
doz. bch. 20 40 
Violets (English) 
doz. bch. 16 26 
OOJSTTEHsTTS. 
PAGE 
Apple, Reinette Descardre 349 
Benevolent Institution, 
Gardeners’ Royal.346 
Books, Notices of .347 
Cypripedium Norma ..342 
Fig Tree, the Parable of ...348 
Florist, death of an old.340 
Flower Garden, the..343 
Flowers, colours of.339 
Fruit under glass.343 
Gardening Miscellany .348 
Hibbertia dentata .349 
Jadoo Fibre .349 
Liverpool Horticultural 
Association.340 
Maxiilaria cchroleuca .342 
Orchid Notes & Gleanings 342 
Palmetto Asparagus .344 
PAGE 
Plants recently certificated 344 
Primula verticillata.348 
Pyrethrums, florist .341 
Rivinia humilis.348 
Salsafy and Scorzonera ...345 
Senecio macroglossus .348 
Scutellaria formosana .348 
Snowdonia, a ramble 
through .344 
Stoning . 345 
Talauma Candollii .348 
Teneflos.341 
Thompson, the late Mr. 
William .345 
Vegetable Garden, the .343 
Vegetables for winter.341 
Von Moltke as a gardener 340 
Window Gardening .348 
