801 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 17, 1895. 
Roman Hyacinths.—There is now little doubt that 
the French crop of white Roman Hyacinths is a 
short one and quality only fair. 
Horticulture will be one of the twenty -four divisions 
of the Berlin Industrial Exposition to be held at the 
German capital May to October, 1896. 
Royal Botanic Society.—Mr. J. B. Sowerby has 
recently been appointed as secretary to this Society 
on the resignation of his father, Mr. W. Sowerby, 
who has held the post for fifty years. 
Mr. A. F. Barron’s retirement —In connection with 
the retirement of Mr. A. F. Barron from his office 
of Superintendent of R. H. S. Gardens, at Chiswick, 
we understand that the Council have resolved to 
make him an allowance which is practically a 
retiring pension of /180 a year. 
Mr. Gladstone declared that, although labour- 
saving machinery is necessary on large farms, there 
is as much room as ever for spade husbandry in the 
cultivation of cottage gardens. It is simply wonder¬ 
ful what these scraps of ground can be made to pro¬ 
duce by an industrious family. 
Blackberries.—Gather the fruit as it ripens. For 
the home table you want the berries dead ripe. 
Then they are luscious. For market or canning, 
gather them a little before that time. Don't let the 
suckers spread too far from the rows .—American 
Gardening. 
Plant diseases on the Continent.—During the past 
three or four weeks, about nine-tenths or more of 
the growing crops of Tomatos in the fertile lands of 
the Rhone valley have been destroyed by disease. 
The Onion disease is just now assuming alarming 
proportions. In both Western and Southern 
France whole fields are simply ruined ; where 500 
kilos were confidently expected, not so much as ten 
kilos will be saved. These are, of course, excep¬ 
tional cases, but hardly one field is unaffected. 
Were it not for the fact that the acreage is excep¬ 
tionally large, a famine would certainly result. 
Leeks, although not affected to the same degree, 
are also attacked, but only the individual growers of 
this article are likely to suffer. 
Loughborough Flower Show.—The thirty-eighth 
annual exhibition of the Loughborough Horticultural 
Society was held on Bank Holiday in the field 
adjoining The Willows, Derby Road. The show 
was the best held for some few years, for although 
the number of entries was about the same a larger 
quantity was shown, and it was of first-rate quality, 
staged in capital condition. Over £50 was offered 
in prizes, and the schedule was about the same as in 
previous years. 
Flower Show at Hawarden.—On the 5th inst., Mr. 
Gladstone attended the distribution of prizes to the 
successful competitors at the annual Hawarden 
Flower Show, the ceremony taking place on the 
Terrace in front of Hawarden Castle, and being 
witnessed by a numerous company. Mrs. Gladstone 
handed the prizes to the winners, and at the close a 
hearty vote of thanks was, on the motion of Mr. C. 
B. Toller, unanimously accorded to her. Mr. 
Gladstone, who appeared in excellent health and 
spirits, acknowledged the vote, and delivered an 
interesting speech on the show and horticulture 
generally. 
St. Giles Cottage Garden Show - One of the most 
popular, and certainly the most picturesque cottage 
garden exhibitions in North Devon, is that held at 
St. Giles, or rather in the lovely grounds of Steven- 
stone Park, which, with the Hon. Mark Rolle's 
usual generosity, are thrown open to the public for 
the occasion. The miserable weather, which has 
considerably lessened the attendance at various 
shows lately, exerted an unfavourable influence at 
the show on the 1st inst. With the exception of a 
few slight showers, however, the rain held off, and 
spectators found their way to the grounds in large 
numbers towards evening. The character of the 
show was fully maintained, for though owing to the 
lateness of the season some of the classes were not 
so well filled as in other years, this was was counter¬ 
balanced by heavier entries in other departments, 
while the quality was excellent. In several of the 
classes the quality was so high and evenly matched 
that extra prizes had to be awarded. The entries 
in the vegetable classes were numerous, and of 
highly meritorious quality. There were seventy-four 
exhibits of Potatos, and Beans were more numerous 
by fifteen entries than last year. Peas, Cauli¬ 
flowers, Turnips, Onions, and Vegetable Marrows 
were fine. 
Wells F ower Show. —On the 5th inst. the annual 
fruit aod flower show was held at The Cedars (by 
kind permission of Mr. C. C. Tudway). The 
weather was very unfavourable, and consequently 
the attendance was limited. Taken as a whole, the 
show was a fairly good one, the groups being the 
principal feature. Begonias were a good class. 
There was also a good collection of vegetables. 
Flowers at Peckham. —During the first three days 
of the second week of this month the Camberwell and 
Peckham Amateur Floral Society afforded its 
patrons and the public a very neat and effective 
flower show, this being the nineteenth annual 
exhibition made by about a dozen amateur growers, 
who contend year by year, and that most success¬ 
fully, with the adverse surroundings of the district. 
The exhibits are all grown by working members. 
The display cannot be considered from any point of 
view a meagre or an indifferent one. The most 
noticeable features are the numerous groups 
arranged within a given space, and the Fuchsias. 
Night-flowering Cactus.—There is at present 
flowering in the greenhouses of the Rev. R. Burdon, 
Heddon House, the night-blooming Cactus (Cereus 
nycticalus), the flowers of which are about a foot in 
diameter. They open about seven o’clock in the 
evening, and fade the following morning. The 
Cactus is now rare as compared with its popularity 
a generation or so ago, when it was to be found 
among many collections of plants, and at that time 
its flowering was looked upon as an unusual event. 
Vegetable Marrows. —A new variety has, during 
the last season or so, been introduced into the 
Evesham gardens, and is very favourably spoken of 
by those who have tried it. It is called the Bush 
Marrow, presumably from the manner of its growth. 
Instead of sending out runners like ordinary Mar¬ 
rows, the plant takes more the form of a bush with 
very short branches, and the Marrows grow from 
these branches. There “ bushes ” are considerably 
taller than the commoner Marrows, and as they have 
no runners, they are more easily kept in order. 
Cedar struck by lightning—The thunderstorm 
that burst over the metropolitan district on the 
evening of Saturday, August 10th, was one of the 
heaviest on record. Not only did torrents of rain 
fall, but the lightning was exceptionally brilliant, the 
flashes recurring at exceedingly short intervals, 
whilst the accompanying thunder crashed and 
rumbled its loudest. A handsome specimen of 
Cedrus Deodara growing on the right of the walk 
leading from the Palm house to the Pagoda Vista in 
Kew Gardens came to grief. The top of the tree was 
broken clean off, the remaining trunk being rent 
asunder right to the ground, whilst large wedges of 
the wood torn from different parts of the stem by 
the Titanic energy of the lightning flash lay here and 
there amidst the other ruins. Singularly enough, 
but little traces af any discoloration or burning were 
discernible. The scene of the catastrophe was 
visited on Sunday by large numbers of visitors, who 
crowded around the fallen monarch with unmis¬ 
takable indications of interest. 
Plants Certificated at Ghent.—At the monthly 
meeting of the Syndical Chamber of Belgian Horti¬ 
culturists, held in the Casino, Ghent, on the 4th 
iQst., Certificates of Merit were awarded to Daphne 
Laureola atropurpurea, Spiraea Anthony Waterer, 
Physalis Franchetti, Euphorbia Fournieri, and 
Aristolochia tricaudata, shown by M. F. Desbois ; to 
Euphorbia Fournieri, shown by M. Pynaert-Van 
Geert; to Anthurium Scherzerianum Adrieni, shown 
by M. Em. de Cock; to Agave Troubetzkoyana, 
shown by M. Bedinghaus : to Physalis Franchetti, 
shown by M. Al. Dalliere; to Grisebachia compacta, 
shown by M. E. de Cock ; to Aralia monstrosa, shown 
by M. Desmet-Duvivier; to Cattleya Rex and 
Laelio-Cattleya Proserpine, shown by M. Jules Hye ; 
and to Yucca filamentosa fol. var., shown by M. Aug. 
Toeffaert. Similar awards were made to collections 
of double flowers of tuberous Begonias from this 
year’s seedlings, presented by M. Georges Van Oost, 
M. Szewczik, and by M. Joseph ALberghe, whose 
p'ants were raised in 1894. 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. —On 
Wednesday last, through the kindness of A. Mordan, 
Esq , a garden party was held in the grounds of 
Stone House, Reigate, for the benefit of the Gar¬ 
deners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, established for 
the support of aged and infirm gardeners. The 
weather being exceedingly fine, the grounds were 
visited by over a thousand persons. Amongst those 
present were Lady Jennings and party, Mrs. Simmons 
and family, the Misses Baxter, Mr. and Mrs. Mordan, 
Mr. Lawder Eaton, Miss Mordan, Mr. R. E. West, 
Mr. Davidson, &c. In the evening the grounds 
were beautifully lighted by fairy lamps and Chinese 
lanterns, especially the verandah, which was most 
effectively illuminated. The work was carried out 
in a most satisfactory manner by Messrs. T. Lan¬ 
away & Sons (Redhill). The whole of the grounds 
and greenhouses were thrown open for the inspec¬ 
tion of the visitors, many of whom were heard to 
remark on the admirable way in which the grounds 
were kept by the head gardener (Mr. G. Steer), who, 
it should also be mentioned, ably carried out the 
general arrangements of the gathering. Dancing 
was carried on in the evening with much vigour ; 
the Redhill Town Band, whose services were highly 
appreciated, played the selections. Refreshments 
were supplied on the ground by Mr. Mark Dean, of 
Bell S reet, Reigate. By this effort the funds of the 
Institution will be benefited by over £\i. 
Liverpool Window Garden Association.—During its 
existence, extending to twenty-one years, the Liver¬ 
pool Window Garden Association has done a great 
amount of valuable work, as through its influence 
and active exertions, it has fostered and extended a 
love of flowers in many of the lowest parts of the city 
amongst dwellers whose surroundings have been 
greatly brightened and beautified by the anxious care 
of the society. The scheme of labour has been con¬ 
sistently and enthusiastically carried out by many 
ladies and gentlemen whose object has been to 
encourage even the poorest amongst the population, 
to give some brightness and beauty to their humble 
dwellings. The result of these self-sacrificing and 
commendable efforts was apparent on the 22nd ult., 
at St. George's Hall, where the coming-of-age exhibi¬ 
tion of the association—the 21st of the series—was 
held under the most favourable auspices so far as 
weather and competitions were concerned. On the 
tables which were placed in the large hall were to be 
seen most creditable specimens of plant growing, 
principally Pelargoniums and Fuchsias, the total 
exhibits numbering something like 850 plants of a 
very varied description. The show was generally 
judged as superior to that of last year, when there 
were 603 plants displayed. The quality of the 
exhibits was especially marked, and there was a more 
profuse display of flowers on the plants than has 
te3n seen for several years. 
Important right of way case.—An important right 
of way case is reported from Bournemouth, where 
the dispute between the parties has reached an acute 
stage. It appears that in December last Mr. Merton 
Russell Cotes, the Mayor of Bournemouth, who 
resides at East Cliff Hall, and who is proprietor of 
the Royal Bath Hotel on the East Cliff, enclosed a 
portion of a narrow strip ot ground leading from the 
Bath road to the cliffs, which adjoin his private 
grounds. The strip of ground, 250 feet long by 30 
feet wide, had long been used by the public. Mr. 
Cotes narrowed the pathway to seven feet, taking the 
remainder, a strip 23 feet wide, into his grounds. 
This strip he had banked up with soil and planted 
with shrubs, privet hedge, and gorse. At the high 
road end a carriage way had been made to East 
Cliff Hall, and on the site of the old road there had 
also been erected a gateway to the hall, and a hand¬ 
some summer house. This proceeding had been 
much criticised and discussed by the Bournemouth 
C jrporation, over which Mr. Cotes presides as Mayc r, 
and on the 6.h inst , at the Corporation meeting, 
a motion to restore to ihe public the piece of land, 
250 feet long by 23 feet wide, which it was alleged 
the Mayor had encroached upon, was carried by a 
majority of one. Acting in consequence of that vote, 
the assistant surveyor, with 58 men and a dozen 
cirts, proceeded to the strip of ground at three 
o’clock yesterday morning. They at once proceeded 
