160 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 12, 1892. 
It seems almost certain if the present 
rate of flower or variety production goes 
on that we shall see our show selection, 
at least of Japanese varieties, changed 
about every five years, but a limit to size 
and quality must be reached some time. 
We seem to have touched that point long 
since with the incurved section, and even 
the wondrously varied Japanese forms will 
probably reach their limit some day. 
J/T INTER-BLOOMING PELARGONIUMS. -We 
' d* observe that the subject of autumn¬ 
blooming Zonal Pelargoniums will form the 
theme of a paper to be read next Tuesday 
at the James Street Drill Hall. The 
terms autumn and winter are practically 
identical so far as relates to these 
plants, for if got into bloom to produce a 
good show of flowers in the autumn, it is 
very easy, by the aid of a light, airy house, 
and a little artificial warmth, to have them 
blooming all the winter. It is a matter 
for surprise that whilst in many pretentious 
gardens houses are specially devoted to 
certain plants, it is rare to find one spe¬ 
cially set apart for the culture of winter- 
blooming Pelargoniums. 
It is not easy to have these flowering in 
a mixed house. Both flowers and leaves 
are somewhat impatient of damp. When, 
however, a good collection of plants is seen 
in bloom now or later in the winter, it is 
impossible to withhold from such collection 
a tribute of enthusiastic admiration. The 
change from the dull gloom and dirt, which 
so commonly marks gardens in the dead of 
winter, to a house ablaze as it were with 
Pelargonium flowers, in rich profusion 
and of the richest and most varied tints, is 
indeed remarkable and beautiful ; and just 
such a show we saw recently at Downside, 
Leatherhead. It is so very easy to have 
Zonal Pelargonium plants for winter 
blooming that it is surprising they are not 
more generally found. 
For the production of flowers for cutting 
no plants can well excel these Zonals, 
whether single or double. Cuttings put 
in early in the spring, grown on in small 
pots later, and shifted as needed into larger 
ones, the plants well exposed to light and 
air during the summer, kept well pinched 
and watered, are all easily enough produced. 
The pinching ceases by the end of August. 
Soon after the plants are put under glass 
for the winter, and then they bloom as 
freely as they may. We shall hope to see 
Zonal Pelargoniums in great force to illus¬ 
trate Mr. Pearson’s paper concerning them 
at the Drill Hall next Tuesday. 
Whe Rain.— How the continuous wet days 
are washing out the beauty of the 
autumn, and rendering the conduct of 
needful outdoor operations practically 
impossible. It cannot be said that a very 
wet November is at all a desirable weather 
incident. Practically in gardening we 
seem always to be needing fine dry weather, 
and continuous rains create great incon¬ 
venience. Still, the rain must come some¬ 
time. Those who just now perhaps are 
finding the greatest trouble from the wet 
are our nurserymen and the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum growers. These latter are now 
realising that whilst a week or ten days of 
rain may' be got over, when that period 
extends to three weeks, then great harm 
results. 
Clever indeed, as well as fortunate, must be 
the man who can bring his fine show blooms 
through such a time as this in perfect 
safety 7 . There are many small growers 
whose conveniences are so indifferent that 
they cannot help themselves, and have to 
endure the distress of seeing their best 
flowers damping off wholesale. Were the 
shows now so plentiful not of such impor¬ 
tance to the growers, they would perhaps 
bear their misfortune with greater equa¬ 
nimity. As to the nurserymen their case is 
bad too, for just now that they are flooded 
with orders, all requiring early execution, 
they find the rain a grave hindrance. 
It is equally bad for planters, for on stiff 
soils it would be wor^e than madness to 
plant whilst ground is sodden-and saturated 
with moisture. It is thought that this 
unusually wet autumn is indicative of a 
soft moist winter. As to that time alone 
will show, as with all our scientific know¬ 
ledge we are yet unable to forecast the 
seasons. The weather seems to be as it 
were quite outside the range of practical 
science, so far as to determining its future 
character and conduct. 
he Earlier Opening of Kew Gar¬ 
dens. —Now that there has been a 
change of First Commissioners in the 
Office of Works and Public Buildings, and 
it is known that Mr. Shaw Lefevre is not 
unfavourable to the opening of the Royal 
Gardens at Kew at an earlier period of the 
day than is now the case, a strong effort to 
keep up the old seclusion is aga n being 
put foith on the part of the botanists and 
the chiefs of the Kew staff, most ot whom 
seem to be strongly endowed with the 
erroneous notion that Kew should be main¬ 
tained for them, and not for the welfare of 
the nation at large. 
All the assumption put forth with respect 
to the presumed interference of the public 
with the scientific work done at Kew is, to 
put the matter mildly, sheer nonsense. 
There is no work done in the open air at 
Kew, scientific or otherwise, that is not 
done in the public parks and gardens, 
which are open all day, and those who 
are familiar with Kew know that the 
scientific work of the establishment is 
carried on in places not open to the public 
gaze, and so far as the general public are 
concerned is an unknown quantity 7 . The 
wail of the botanists is oftbe old style of the 
alarmist who is ever ready to cry wolf, and 
indeed has cried wolf so often in relation 
to this matter that the public are sick of it 
and will pay to it no further heed. The 
real fact is there is so much room at Kew 
that there is ample space for the public 
without disturbing the scientists; indeed,the 
former have not the slightestwish to interfere 
with the latter and could not do so if they 
would. All that is asked is that the 
gardens shall be opened to the public a 
couple of hours earlier than is now the 
case, and it can be done, if only there be 
the will to do it, as easily as the most 
trifling of favours can be granted. 
To employ towards the public the term 
“ a few nursemaids ” is discreditable to say 
the least, but it is the superior manner of 
the Kew scientists to so argue. Practical 
common sense argument they do not com¬ 
prehend. Perhaps there is nowhere to be 
found, on the whole, a more selfish body of 
persons than are those who would thus 
exclude the public from Kew. What holds 
good, if there be any force in it, in relation 
to the exclusion of the public for the extra 
two hours asked for, holds good for all day. 
Happily 7 it has no force whatever. Kew 
Gardens are the property of ihe public, and 
the public not only have the right to them 
unrestrictedly but will enforce the right if 
stupidly opposed or refused. 
-- 
The late Mr. E G. Wrigley's Library.—A portion of 
the library of the late Mr. E. G. Wrigley, of Howick 
House, Preston, will be sold by Messrs. Sotheby, 
Wilkinson & Hodge on Tuesday next. It will 
include the Botanical Magazine, “ Sowerby's Botany," 
and other important botanical works. 
Floricultural Mayors.—We note with pleasure 
that among the gentlemen selected for municipal 
honours on Wednesday were Mr. Samuel Barlow, 
J P., of Stakehill, Castleton, as Mayor of Middle- 
ton ; and Mr. W. Herbert Fowler as Mayor of 
Taunton. 
Sale of Masdevallias. — The celebrated collection of 
Masdevallias formed by the late Sir William Salt, 
Bart., will be sold at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris’ 
Rooms, on Tuesday, November 29. 
Dr. William Fream, F G.S., has been appointed 
responsible editor of the Royal Agricultural Society’s 
Journal at a salary of £500 per annum. For some 
years past Dr. Fream has been a valued contributor 
to agricultural literature of the best class, and the 
society is to be congratulated on securing the 
services of such a capable man. 
Poisonous Properties of the Yew.—Mr. W. Carru- 
thers, F.R.S., replying to a question asked by Earl 
Cathcart at the last meeting of the Council of the 
Royal Agricultural Society, as to what was known 
as to the poisonous properties of the Yew, and 
whether the trees of one sex only or of both were 
poisonous, said the question whether the poisonous 
qualities of the tree were restricted to one sex only of 
the plant could not be answered in the affirmative. 
The N. G. S. Challenge Cups.—At the N. C. S. Show 
on Tuesday the Challenge Trophy, competed for by 
affiliated societies, was won by the St. Neot’s 
Amateur and Cottagers' Horticultural Society, the 
Havant Society, last year's winners, being second. 
The Holmes Memorial Cups, which were on view 
at the exhibition and greatly admired, were won for 
the first time by W. H. Fowler, Esq., the new mayor 
of Taunton, and Messr s. W. & G. Drover, of 
Fareham. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association.—The 
members of this association held a meeting on the 
2nd inst., when an excellent paper was read on 
“ How a scientific knowledge of plant life can help a 
gardener," by Mr. J. Stoneman, teacher of botany at 
the Exeter Science School. The lecture was ahighly 
interesting one, and was rendered very intelligible by 
the manner in which Mr. Stoneman described the 
names and forms of every plant he referred to. A 
discussion followed. 
Gardening Engagements—Mr. William Suther¬ 
land, of Edinburgh, as superintendent of the estate 
belonging to C. Greene, Esq., at Eddy, New Mexico. 
— Mr. S. Wood, foreman at Hedsor, near Maiden¬ 
head, as gardener and bailiff to Lord Boston at the 
same place. — Mr. Alexander Dewar, for the last 
seven and a half years gardener at Falkland Palace 
(latterly to the Marquis of Bute), as gardener to — 
Thompson, Esq., Kilkearn, Maybole, Ayrshire. 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Meet'ngs for 1893 . 
—We are asked to announce that this society’s meet¬ 
ings and exhibitions will be held as nearly as possi¬ 
ble as follows : January 17th; February 14th; 
March 14th and 28th ; April nth and 25th (National 
Auricula Show); May 9th and 24th and 25, or two 
following days (Temple Show) ; June 13th and 20th ; 
July nth (Show at Chiswick), and 25th (National 
Carnation Show) ; August 8th and 22nd ; September 
12th and 26th (possibly a great show at the Agricul¬ 
tural Hall, Islington, early in this month) ; October 
10th and 24th ; November 14th and 2Sth ; and De¬ 
cember 12th. 
The Dutch Eulb Trade in America is reported as 
being likely to be overdone this season. Very large 
quantities are being sent in from Holland, owing to 
the very poor season for sales in Europe. Russia, 
Germany, and Roumania are the countries that 
Holland largely depends upon as a market for her 
highest priced bulbs. In these countries they use 
mostly named Hyacinths, and of the best sorts. 
This year, owing to cholera, they have not taken 
half their usual amount, which leaves large 
quantities to be disposed of in other countries. 
Open Spaces for London.—The Earl of Meath 
suggests that millionaires " who look upon wealth not 
so much in the light of a personal possession as a 
trust, and who believe that the truest happiness is to 
be found in using it for the benefit of their fellow 
creatures rather than themselves,” might assist in 
securing for the people the following : — Alexandra 
