240 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 17, 1892. 
mercial element. Even these considerations, 
however, do not prevent us from regretting 
that the Blenheim collection is to be 
dispersed. After all, of our wealthy ones, 
very few have Orchidaceous tastes. 
Preferences rather run on pictures, yachts, 
or racehorses, or other costly and, as a 
rule, not too profitable luxuries. 
Orchids somehow generally pay in the 
end, for they will if well cared for grow into 
value, although in the present case it may 
prove that a big sale in the end of Decem¬ 
ber can hardly be so profitable as if it were 
held some two or three months later. That 
the sale will be both largely attended and 
watched with great interest there can be no 
doubt. It is one of the Horticultural events 
of the year, and perhaps of all things was 
the one which but just a few weeks ago was 
the least expected. 
ARIEGATED-LEAVED PELARGONIUMS.- 
The death a few weeks ago, at South¬ 
ampton, of an aged lady named Sophia 
Dumaresque recalls the fact that a once 
well-known variegated silver tricolor 
Pelargonium enjoyed that appellation. 
There may still be some yet in existence, 
but there was so much of similarity in 
many of that section of bedding plants, 
that very likely not a few once regarded 
as distinct now have one common title, and 
of these again very few are cultivated. 
There is one grower of this class of plants 
for the market at Brentford, Middlesex, who 
still caters largely through the market for 
such as may desire to possess them, but the 
old silver tricolors form a very inconsider¬ 
able part out of the number. 
It must be said that these were never a 
very useful strain. They were too delicate 
or miffy for outdoor culture, and too 
troublesome in pots under glass; their loss 
is of no moment, neither is that of many 
of the golden tricolors, of which we once 
had so many and now so few. Nay it is 
a remarkable fact that of all the number 
none remained in common use so long as 
has the popular Mrs. Pollock, for that is 
grown largely yet for bedding purposes. 
Another of the golden bicolor section, 
Crystal Palace Gem, still remains very 
popular also, indeed will not be dispensed 
with so long as the present system of 
bedding out in the summer with tender 
plants exists ; and of all the silver bicolors 
the pretty Flower of Spring still seems to 
have their place. 
What sensation did some of these create 
in the early days of their production, but 
whilst so few have continued to exist scores 
have gone from gardening for good. I n the 
golden zonal section McMahon and Black 
Douglas may still be found employed, and 
perhaps a few others here and there of 
minor note. It seems very likely that the 
Begonia will soon give the final extinction 
to many bedding Pelargoniums. 
he Potato Trade. —The extraordinary 
abundance of this year’s Potato crop 
is of course the chief cause of the present 
exceedingly low prices which prevail, but 
we may take it for granted that the low 
price of Corn has some connection with it. 
Still we have such an abundance of 
Potatos that only by offering at low prices 
under any conditions could stocks be 
consumed. It is thus very instructive to 
note that whilst farmers who find that 
Corn has touched the low water mark of 
the past fifty years, attribute all their 
troubles to Free Trade, we find Potatos in 
precisely the same boat, and yet in relation 
to all our chief crops of these tubers, we 
have literally no form of foreign competition 
to contend with, we are in fact exporters 
to a considerable extent. 
True, early in the year we import from 
various *parts of South Europe large 
quantities of early Potatos, but these do 
not materially compete with our late crops, 
and certainly are not competing now, yet 
we see Potatos of all the best field varieties 
quoted in the markets at an average price 
of 60s. per ton, or is. 6d. per bushe', and 
there can be no doubt that thousands of 
tons could be bought from the pits or 
clamps at 50s. per ton. Now to what 
particular cause are we to attribute this 
very low figure; we had a very considerable 
quantity of disease in the crops during the 
autumn, and from some places very 
distressing accounts were furnished of the 
effects of the Phytophthora on the tubers. 
Assuming that these statements were true, 
then taking the country throughout some 
ten to fifteen per cent, of the crop was 
rendered valueless. Had this portion been 
sound, what a tremendous crop we should 
have had ! 
Looking at the existing greatabundance, 
which is chiefly attributed to the numerous 
disease resisting varieties we have in 
cultivation, what wonder is it that after all 
disease remedies, whether BouillieBordelaise 
or anything else, attract very little notice. 
Whilst the farmer may attribute all his 
misfortunes to the low price of Corn, he is 
little better than a simpleton if he ignores 
the importance of such a factor as Potatos 
in our present food stocks. Things are 
very different now to what they were 
twenty or thirty years ago, and if Corn was 
to go up in price largely the public would 
respond by trebling the growth and con¬ 
sumption of Potatos. 
ipfDiBLE Chrysanthemums. —-We feel sure 
our readers will heartily commend Me. 
Harman Payne for the complete coup de 
gvdce which he gave in our last issue to the 
new notion as to the fitness of Chrysanthe¬ 
mum flowers for human food. If the petals 
of the Chrysanthemums, why not those of 
Dahlias,[or Roses, or Sunflowers,or myriads 
of other popular flowers not omitting the 
common Marigold, which our grandmothers 
frequently used for flavouring soups, but 
which is seldom now so employed. It will 
be a misfortune if any fad, fancy or fashion 
should ever result in the conversion of 
beautiful flowers into a cooked product or 
a salad. No element in our friend’s experi¬ 
ence seemed to tickle our fancy or probably 
that of our readers so much as the presence 
of green-fly in his compound of floral petals. 
Very likely these aphides in proper 
quantity would add a special piquancy and 
flavour to salads, and in a cooked dish add 
an entomological interest that is usually 
lacking in other dishes. But the presence 
of a few caterpillars amongst our cooked 
Cabbage or Cauliflowers is not esteemed 
appetising, and aphis would hardly prove 
more attractive ; in any case the difficulty 
would seem to be to determine the proper 
quantity. 
After all, in what way as a cooked dish 
can even the most beautiful Chrysanthe¬ 
mum flowers compare with good Cauli¬ 
flowers, Brussels Sprouts, or Spinach, or 
as salads with well blanched curled Endive 
or Mustard and Cress. English tastes 
in relation to diet differ happily, at least 
according to our opinion, from those which 
prevail either in America or so near at 
home as France. Possibly we do neglect 
some good things, but on the whole whilst 
our ordinary diet covers a very wide range 
of subjects, most of them being of a very 
wholesome kind, we are open to receive 
from elsewhere any good thing that is 
worth having, and certainly Chrysanthe¬ 
mum flowers can hardly be so included. 
Without referring to not a few products 
which have from time to time been 
recommended as edible and have been 
quicklv rejected there have been found some 
notable accessions, of which perhaps the 
most popular is the Tomato, and we may 
yet find others in due course as acceptable. 
But whether of fruits or vegetables, the 
existing varieties that home and abroad 
furnish to us are indeed wonderful, and in 
many cases truly delicious. Even in 
canned or tinned products there is a 
wondrous wealth, so that there is little fear 
with all the world to supply us, we shall 
ever be lacking suitable food elements. 
-- 
Mr. Grayer, formerly gardener to the late Duke of 
Sutherland, at The Willows, Windsor, has been 
engaged as gardener to H.S.H. Prince Christian, at 
Cumberland Lodge. 
Mr. W. Bennett, lately gardener at Bagheeca Park, 
near Bath, has been engaged to succeed the late Mr. 
Wright as gardener to T. G. Clark, Esq., Tal-y-garn, 
Llantressant, Glamorganshire. 
The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society's Exhi¬ 
bitions for 1893 are announced to be held on April 
5th and 6th, July 12th and 13th, and September 13th 
and 14th. 
A Baronetcy for Baron Schroder.—The Gazette of 
the 9th inst. states that the Queen has directed 
letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal 
granting the dignity of a Baronet of the United 
Kingdom unto Mr. John Henry William Schroder, 
of The Dell, Old Windsor, Berkshire, and to the 
heirs male of his body lawfully begotten. 
The Reaumur Thermometer in Russia —The Fah¬ 
renheit thermometer has long been known to be 
based on a scientific error, and with the New Year 
Russia will discard the Reaumur, only officially re¬ 
cognizing that known as the Centrigrade. Its 
adoption in this country may possibly follow, in 
which case an impetus will be given not only to 
trade, but to “ weather ” conversation. 
Rabbit-proof Conifers. —An Orleans correspondent 
of the Field states that he has from long experience 
found the Corsican Fir to be an excellent rabbit- 
proof Conifer. The Messrs. Transon made an ex¬ 
periment with Pinus sylvestris, native, black Aus¬ 
trian, and other Pines by planting them in one row, 
and always the Corsican Fir was the only tree 
untouched by rabbits. 
Gaultheria Shallon, the Partridge Berry, is also 
strongly recommended in the same journal as an 
excellent, hardy, free-growing plant for covert. It 
is a plant of much beauty of leaf, flower, and berry, 
and sometimes attains a height of 6 ft. or more. 
The Botanical and Horticultural Society of Northum¬ 
berland, Durham, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, at its 
annual meeting held last week, decided to hold the 
society’s spring show on April 19 and 20, and the 
summer show in July instead of August. Mr. 
Gillespie, who has very ably discharged the duties 
of secretary to the society during the past fifteen 
years, has been compelled to resign his office, but 
has joined the council. Owing to wet weather at the 
spring show, and the contested election in August, 
the surplus funds of the society were somewhat 
reduced this year. 
The Weather in Cornwall has this week (writes a 
correspondent) been something to be thankful for, 
and of such a character as to cheer the hearts of the 
market gardeners, whose early spring vegetables are 
making such healthy progress with the promise of 
an abundant harvest. Outdoor work in the gardens, 
too, is very forward in the county, and many of the 
gardens are showing up this year particularly well 
in winter flowers, whilst the nurseries perhaps never 
looked better for davs before Christmas. Altogether 
the industry in the far West of England looms with 
a brightness that is likely to have a contrary effect 
to that of agriculture ; and as fruit growing is to be 
largely cherished in the near future—preparations 
being already made to no meagre extent—Cornwall 
will be looked forward to wuth greater interest than 
has hitherto been the case. It may also be remarked, 
in passing, that the railway companies have been 
approached with some degree of satisfaction as to 
the reduction of rates for carriage between that 
county, London, and the Midlands. 
