32 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 17, 1892. 
upon, it should be allowed to fall through. 
Of course the Wild West attraction cannot 
be furnished next year, but it is certain that 
there are plenty of capable caterers for the 
public enjoyment as well as Buffalo Bill. 
However, we are most concerned with the 
Flower and Fruit Shows, and should like 
to see the series continued. 
rozen Flowers. —Although the frozen 
Chrysanthemums which were ex¬ 
amined at the recent show of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society were, from the 
florists’ point of view,of no special merit,and 
may be said to have been a good way below 
the fine average of home-grown flowers, 
yet the experiment was amply justified 
because it has proved that frozen flowers 
may be sent immense distances, may be 
kept so frozen over long periods of time, 
and will still exhibit the blooms in just the 
same condition as when first gathered, so 
long as they continue in the frozen state. 
We pointed out some time since that whilst 
the process never could be applied for the ex¬ 
portation from here or the colonies of flowers 
for sale, it was possible to utilise it for the 
sending of sample blooms almost anywhere. 
That assertion has been proved to be cor¬ 
rect. and just as we have been enabled to 
discern what may be regarded as ^average 
Chrysanthemum quality in New Zealand, 
so may our antipodial friends gather the 
most correct conceptions of what is high- 
class exhibition quality at home, if we send 
them out a similar frozen consignment. 
None the less we must not assume that 
theNew Zealanders are behind us materially 
in cultural ability. 
The only thing probable is that they 
have not yet reached to our height in ex¬ 
hibition ideals,but they will assuredly do so 
soon. We started in the race long before 
they did, and have had to guide us the 
teachings of the old florists who preached 
the doctrine of quality, form, beauty, and 
excellence, in relation to other flowers, 
teaching which has helped us so much to 
develop the Chrysanthemum, and made 
our home-grown flowers to be at once 
the finest and most beautiful in the 
world. 
mANiELS COME to Judgment.— Reading 
™ a protest found in the columns of our 
estimable contemporary The'Garden, from a 
couple of American visitors to Kew 
Gardens, with respect to the pruning of 
trees there apparently so largely practised, 
we were singularly reminded of the Biblical 
quotation :—“ The Queen of the South 
shall rise up in the judgment with this 
generation and shall condemn it : for she 
came from the uttermost parts of the earth 
to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, 
a greater than Solomon is here.” Putting 
the wise men from the far west in the place 
of the Southern Queen we find these estim¬ 
able gentlemen who came to sit literally 
at the feet of the Solomons at Kew, actually 
rising up in judgment to condemn them, 
and if not greater than Solomon at least 
setting up to be severe critics. 
We are not going to condemn the Kew 
practices or to justify them. Mr. Thistle- 
ton Dyer or Mr. Nicholson can do the 
latter far better, because they can give 
reasons for the pruning practice which has 
evoked the indignation of our American 
visitors. We do remember that in his 
lecture on trees in the public parks, given 
not long since at the James Street Drill 
Hall, Mr. Dyer declared that pyramidal 
height and form, and not cabbage-headed 
outlines, was the proper thing to aim for in 
trees, as tending to promote greater 
beauty as well as deeper root-hold in the 
soil. 
It may be that it was in the endeavour 
to bring the Kew trees up to this ideal the 
depreciated pruning was being carried out, 
but without doubt there is much in the 
complaint that trees are not allowed to 
display their natural forms under such 
treatment. However, we look for the 
Kew rejoinder with some interest, as how¬ 
ever lightly home made objections or 
protests may have been regarded, it is 
impossible that this temperate American 
protest can with honour or courtesy be 
disregarded. 
TPAahlias. —These beautiful autumn flowers 
^ have been having a somewhat gay time 
of it in and about theMetropolis just recently, 
and three shows in succession chiefly or 
largely devoted to Dahlias, has indeed been 
a remarkable event. We are yet promised 
a very fine Dahlia display at the James 
Street Drill Hall on the i8th, so that one 
more opportunity will be offered to see these 
flowers in their beauty, all being well. It 
has sometimes happened that mid October 
flowers have proved to be wonderfully 
good. 
So far as all the great show and fancy 
sections are concerned it has perhaps oc¬ 
curred to some persons that they are now 
about as good as they can be ; at any rate, 
even if now and then certificates of merit be 
granted, it is difficult to show that the new 
flowers are real improvements on the old 
ones. The Pompon section and the Cactus 
forms are perhaps the most widely popular 
of all Dahlias. We see nothing new or 
specially attractive in the singles, and their 
fugitive character when cut materially 
militates against their usefulness. 
Perhaps the best favoured of all just, now 
are the real Cactus varieties, not the big 
bold bad Dahlia, seen under the term 
decorative : flat-pointed petals, and more 
bold than beautiful. It is the real long 
twisted or fluted pointed petals of the true 
Cactus forms which are so much admired 
and which all but a few obstinate judges 
think so beautiful. There are great possi¬ 
bilities before the raisers of true Cactus 
Dahlias. 
--4—- 
Mr. John Buchanan, late gardener at Newmore, 
Alness, Ross-shire, has been engaged as gardener at 
Edmonstone House, Liberton, Edinburgh. 
The Stott Distributor of Insecticides was awarded 
a Certificate of Merit at the late Convention, at 
Washington, of the Society of American Florists. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society. 
—We are informed that the annual dinner of this 
society will take place on Wednesday, October 5th,at 
6 p.m., at the Cannon Street Hotel. Mr. John 
Fraser, of Lea Bridge, has kindly consented to pre¬ 
side on the occasion. 
Crewe and District Chrysanthemum Society —The 
third exhibition of this society will be held in the 
Town Hall, Crewe, on Saturday, November 5th. 
“ L'lllustration Horticole."—The plants illustrated 
in the August issue of this monthly publication are 
Peperomia metallica and Dichorisandra augustifolia, 
two of the fine new plants exhibited by MM. Linden 
at the last Temple Show. 
■■ Lindenia.”—The August number of this Belgian 
monthly contains coloured illustrations of Zygo- 
petalum (Warscewiczella) Lindeni, Z. graminifolium, 
Grammangis Ellisi, and Dendrobium nobile Cook- 
sonianum. 
The Reaumur Thermometer, marking eighty 
degrees, which up to the present has, except in 
scientific researches, been in general use throughout 
Germany, is to be replaced, says the Berlin Corre¬ 
spondent of the Daily News, by the Celsius centi¬ 
grade thermometer. A Ministerial decree orders the 
introduction of the centrigrade thermometer in 
hospitals, lunatic asylums, bathing places, schools, 
and institutions for the training of midwives and for 
clinical purposes. 
Messrs Protheroe & Morris, who for some time 
past have experienced difficulties in conducting other 
than horticultural sales, in consequence of having 
only one room at their disposal, which has almost 
exclusively been used in the autumn and winter 
months for the sales of horticultural produce, have 
just opened a new and spacious room at the rear of 
their well-known room in Cheapside. The new room 
is placed like their old one on the ground floor, and 
will shortly be lit up with the electric light. They 
propose to increase still further the sales of Dutch 
flower roots, which last year averaged twelve tons 
weekly. The sales of Orchids will take place two 
days per week, excepting where a private collection 
has to be disposed of ; and it is also intended to ex¬ 
tend the sales of imported and other Lilies, and of 
other plants generally. The principal object, how¬ 
ever, in acquiring the new premises is to offer facili¬ 
ties for conducting other sales, some of which can 
be held periodically throughout the year. 
Aberdeen Public Parks.—At a meeting of the Links 
and Parks Committee of the Aberdeen Town Coun¬ 
cil on Friday, the gth inst., it was unanimously agreed 
to increase the salaries of Mr. Walker, gardener at 
the Victoria Park, and Mr. Harper, gardener at the 
Duthie Park, to £130 per annum. At present Mr. 
Walker receives £110 and Mr. Harper £100, but the 
commitee considered that the duties and responsi¬ 
bilities were equal and thus resolved to make the 
salaries alike. The estimated expenditure for the 
maintenance of the Aberdeen public parks for the 
current year has been fixed at £2,160, showing an 
increase of £278 as compared with last year. 
The Jersey Potato Crop.—The Potato crop in 
Jersey has not this year, says the Mark Lane Express, 
been so profitable to the growers as it was last year. 
With the exception of 1891, the past season’s 
produce has been the largest exported, but it has not 
been the second greatest in value. The output was 
only 478 tons less, but the cash received for the whole 
crop was £111,10653. iod. under last year’s figures— 
a most serious drop. It is noticeable that earlier 
consignments than usual fetched high prices, as 
much as £52 per ton, and the values ran generally 
higher until the 18th of June, when they fell off 
rapidly, and to a greater extent than usual. In the 
season 1891 no Potatos were sold at less than £5 per 
ton, but this year the later consignments dropped to 
£2 is. 2d. This fact alone explains the less 
remunerative character of the crop. 
Scottish Horticultural Association.—A meeting of 
the Scottish Horticultural Association was held on 
the 6th mst., at No. 5, St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, 
Mr. Robert Morrison, vice-president in the chair. 
Mr. J. W. M'Hattie, Newbattle Abbey, Dalkeith, 
read a paper on " Fig Culture.” Having first briefly 
remarked on the evidences of Fig cultivation amongst 
the ancients, and having described the introduction 
of the fruit into this country in 1648, Mr. M‘ Hattie, 
speaking with the knowledge of the practical fruit¬ 
grower, proceeded to give a number of valuable 
suggestions as to the best methods of propagating 
the Fig, and mentioned a number of the varieties 
that best rewarded the grower. The fresh fruit of 
the Fig, he said, was not so much used in this 
country as it ought to be. It was amongst the most 
delicate of all fruits, and there was none more 
wholesome. Moreover, there was no fruit which 
gave such satisfaction to its owner as did the Fig. 
Amongst the exhibits afterwards shown to the meet¬ 
ing were several seedling Figs grown by Messrs. 
Dicksons & Co. in their Pilrig Park Nurseries, which 
were stated to weigh 4 oz. each ; a double seedling 
Begonia by Mr. J. Daigleish, Rowantree, Eskbank ; 
and a few blooms bv Messrs. Herd Brothers, Penrith, 
of their new Carnation, Mrs. Hamlet Riley. 
Cleome speciosa.—The larger and more showy 
flowered species of Cleome generally require 
greenhouse treatment to bring them to perfec¬ 
tion ; but that under notice may be considered 
an exception, inasmuch as, if raised in a cold 
frame along with half hardy annuals and 
planted at the same time as the latter in the open 
ground, it will grow to a height of 2 ft. to 3 ft. and 
flower to perfection. The flowers consist of four 
long-stalked purple petals, fading to rose with age 
and spreading. On casual observation they would 
remind one of ihe irregular flow-ers of a red Dictam- 
nus, though structurally they are very different. 
The leaves are digitate with seven to nine long 
finger-like leaflets. Both clumps of this species are 
capable of producing a striking effect. 
