704 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 8, 1893. 
tion family at Chiswick, and a big attend¬ 
ance of Carnation lovers, who by-the-bye 
seem just now to be everybody. We hope 
for ample rains in the interim, and a 
fine day for the show, so that all concerned 
may have at Chiswick a delightful re-union. 
eeds and the Season. —Very severe 
indeed have been the tests to which 
all descriptions of seeds sown in the open 
ground have this season been subjected. 
It is too commonly the case that under such 
trial many seeds have failed altogether. 
It may be that such failure is due to 
atmospheric conditions ; but when, as may 
have been seen in large allotment areas, 
some good growths from seeds and very bad 
growths side by side, yet under precisely 
similar conditions, it is evident that not the 
weather but the seeds must have been at 
fault in many instances. 
We draw attention to this matter because 
in one particular case when enquiry was 
made from numerous allotment holders as 
to whence the seeds came, we found that 
whilst growth was good in the case of those 
obtained from good class houses, from small 
local dealers the growth was invariably 
bad. It is therefore no matter for surprise 
to learn that in this case there is a talk of 
forming a sort of allotment holders’ syndi¬ 
cate for the purpose of purchasing seeds in 
bulk from good firms, so as at once to 
secure cheapness and quality. Possibly 
the small retailers are not entirely to blame, 
but still the worker who invests his few 
shillings annually in garden seeds pays 
relatively as high a price as his richer 
neighbour and is entitled to as good 
quality. 
Nothing can be more disappointing to 
the gardener than to find that through 
failure of growth he has lost a crop, or else 
that the product is a coarse imperfect one. 
The smallest of purchasers are entitled to 
protect themselves against disapointments 
of this kind,and seedsmen may as well take 
note of the fact. It is very likely that much 
seed this season has failed to grow because 
of shallow sowing or imperfectly prepared 
soil, but no one could foresee the nature of 
the drough which followed. It is pretty 
certain that the season will tell'disastrously 
on seed crops, and next year good seeds 
may be comparatively scarce. 
Wloral Table Decorations.— At a popu- 
]ar suburban flower show held last 
week, there -was a class for dinner table 
stands “ modern style.” We did not observe 
that the judges paid any attention to this 
requirement, for the first prize went to 
stands dressed as stands have been dressed 
for the last twenty years, and apparently 
will be dressed so long as stands of the old 
epergne pattern are utilised. We en¬ 
deavoured to ascertain what was meant by 
“ modern style,” and whilst in one direction 
learning that it was found in somewhat 
elaborate or heavily dressed tops, in another 
it was shown to be all bases and no tops, 
practically dwarf pyramids in dishes. 
Perhaps those who fashioned the 
schedule will another year kindly indicate 
more clearly what they mean by “ modern 
style.” What is most obvious in relation 
to these dinner table stands is that the 
decorator is much tied by the form of 
stand which has to be dressed, and hence, 
barring variations in the nature and colour 
of the flowers, it is very difficult to introduce 
variety in style. Truly we are tired of the 
stereotyped stands seen everywhere, and 
which are still more seen at exhibitions 
than on real dinner tables. 
When the wire arches were introduced 
it was believed that these would supersede 
the glass stand, but they have not become 
popular, indeed they seem rather to be 
obstructions to social intercourse across the 
table than to be artistically decorative. It 
is very difficult indeed for anyone to define 
or originate any new form of table decora¬ 
tion. All we know is that the public is 
getting very tired of the old monotonous 
styles, and wants a new sensation. The 
March stands have been with us for a 
generation and in diverse patterns they still 
exist. Would that some society would 
endeavour to promote something that is 
both new and distinctly attractive. 
IjHjRTiFiCAL Manures.— A Bill of material 
4 value to all classes who use chemical 
manures, whether farmers, gardeners or 
cottagers, is that promoted by the Board 
of Agriculture, and intended to make 
guarantee as to fertile quality of any arti- 
fical manure compulsory on the vendor. 
Armed with such a guarantee the purchaser, 
if he has any practical knowledge of value 
of specified percentages of nitrogen, of 
phosphate, of potash, etc., will be able to 
estimate exactly the money worth of the 
article he is obtaining. 
Now in purchasing all sorts of mixtures 
or special manures very much has to be 
taken for what it is worth, and too often 
very little is the worth. A measure of this 
description should prove to be of special 
service to small holders and allotment or 
cottage gardeners, because those too often 
are unable to obtain animal manures, and 
frequently in purchasing those of an artifical 
nature obtain what as plant food is almost 
worthless. Taking them when fresh a'nd 
in their most fertile state, there are no such 
manures as are those of animal production. 
These not only contain, in varying propor¬ 
tions, all that is required as food by plants 
immediately, but leave behind a good deal 
of what is termed insoluble food which, 
however, in the process of time becomes 
soluble and thus creates fertility. 
Artifically we cannot well create exact 
duplicates of animal manures, but we can 
at least furnish to different crops those 
elements of food which they specially need. 
During the present season of drought, how¬ 
ever, artifical manures have unfortunately 
been so far exceedingly inoperative, and 
the well-prepared fresh, moisture retaining 
animal manures have been of material 
value. Still we shall have many seasons 
yet when chemical manures will be found 
of great service, and the more pure and 
complete they are the better will it be for 
those who use them. 
-—i-- 
Mr. Harry Angus, late general foreman at Wykeham 
Abbey has been engaged as gardener at Coupland 
Castle, Wooler, Northumberland. 
Honours at Oxford.—We are pleased to learn that 
Mr. J. F. Hudson, of Jesus College, Oxford, only son 
of Mr. James Hudson, Gardener, Gunnersbury 
House Acton, has just passed the first public exam¬ 
ination ("Mods”) and is placed in the first class 
(Honours School) in Mathematics. 
The Albert Medal of the Society of Arts for the 
present year has been awarded by the council of the 
society to Sir John Bennet Lawes, Bart., F.R.S., and 
a like medal to John Henry Gilbert, Ph.D., F.R.S., 
for their joint services to scientific agriculture, and 
notably for the researches which, throughout a 
period of fifty years, have been carried on by them at 
the Experimental Farm, Rothamsted. 
The Aldermaston Estate.—We understand that this 
historical well-known Berkshire estate, comprising 
upwards of 2,5000 acres, with its magnificent deer 
forest, park, mansion, and the entire village of 
Aldermaston has been purchased by Charles E. 
Keyser, Esq., Warren House, Stanmore, for the sum 
of £80,000, exclusive of the timber which has to be 
valued. This is perhaps the most important sale of 
property that has taken place during the present 
season. 
The Bouquet presented to Her Majesty on the 
occasion of the unveiling of Her Majesty’s statue in 
Kensington Gardens, last week, was an extremely 
elegant one and composed of rare Burmese Orchids. 
It was novel in form too, the apex being fashioned 
into the shape of an imperial crown with smaller 
flowers of the same kind. The designer was Mr. 
Oscar Vogel, late floral decorator to the Queen of 
Saxony, but now in the employment of Mr. P. 
McArthur, 4, Maida Vale, W. 
Rose and Carnation Show at Earl’s Court.—We 
learn from Mr. Milner, manager of the Gardening 
and Forestry Exhibition, that in addition to the 
prizes offered for Roses on Wednesday next, July 
12th, a further series will be offered for Carnations 
and Picotees. Seven classes are provided for as 
follows:—1, 24 Carnation blooms, not less than 12 
to be distinct; 2, 12 Carnation blooms, distinct ; 3, 
24 Picotees, not less than 12 distinct; 4, 12 Picotees, 
distinct ; 5, 24 Selfs and Fancy Carnations, not less 
than 12 distinct; 6, 12 Selfs and Fancy Carnations, 
distinct; 7, 12 Yellow-ground Picotees. 
Frozen Chrysanthemums from Sydney, N.S.W. —A 
special meeting of the general committee and also 
of the floral committee of the National Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Society will be held at the Royal Aquarium, 
Westminster, on Friday, July 21st., at 6 p.m.. to 
examine some frozen blooms of Chrysanthemums 
sent from Sydney for the opinion of the society. 
Members of the society, not being members of the 
committee named, will be admitted at 7 p m. on 
production of their member’s pass. 
Cricket at St. Albans. —On Saturday last a team of 
cricketers, representing the firm of Messrs. Hugh 
Low & Co., of Clapton, played a match with the 
Anguloa’s (Messrs. F. Sander & Co’s, club) at St. 
Albans. The Anguloa’s commenced batting at 3 
o’clock and by half-past 4 were all out for the small 
total of forty-eight runs, Mr. L. Sander being top 
scorer with twelve. After a short interval the 
visitors went to the wickets and made 103 runs 
before the last man from Clapton was got rid of. 
The highest score made for Clapton was Mr. 
Brown’s very useful forty-eight. 
Shrubberies burnt at Alexandra Palace.—On Satur¬ 
day evening last, the shrubbery and trees immediately 
in front of the palace, through some unexplained 
cause, became ignited, and the fire spread with such 
alarming rapidity that in a very short time several 
acres were ablaze, and considerable excitement pre¬ 
vailed at one time as to the safety of the palace, the 
flames coming into close contact with the eastern 
front of the building. In response to calls the local 
steamers in addition to the palace hydrants were 
quickly at work, but the fire was not got under for 
some hours. After the brigades had left, a second 
outbreak occurred, and it was deemed advisable for 
the Hornsey steamer to remain for a time in order to 
cope with any further outbreaks. The conflagration 
covered an area of ten acres, and the damage is re¬ 
ported as considerable. 
The Devon Rosery Gardeners’ Relief Fund.— The 
sixth annual exhibition in connection with this fund 
for assisting gardeners in distress and the widows of 
gardeners, organised by Messrs. Sanford, Curtis & 
Co., of the Devon Rosery, Torquay, was held in the 
grounds of the rosery on the 27th ult. The exhibition 
takes the place of the summer show, originally held 
by the Torquay Horticultural Society, which lapsed 
through lack of funds. Despite the rain there was a 
large attendance, and the exhibits placed in a 
spacious greenhouse in the grounds presented a 
most attractive appearance. At the luncheon in the 
afternoon it was stated that the committee com¬ 
menced the year with a balance in hand of £44 18s. id. 
The proceeds of last year’s show amounted to 
£42 13s , or £10 less than in 1891. The special 
donations amounted to £21 16s., collecting boxes 
£3 5s. 3d. The committee had made thirty five 
grants amounting to £50. They had now a balance 
in hand of £45. Since they started in 4888 they had 
received in donations and from collecting boxes 
£283103. yd. The committee had made 156 payments. 
Gardenias.—T. R. writes :—Those who have a 
pit with a command of bottom heat would ensure a 
better supply of bloom by planting them out than 
in pots. The bottom heat can be supplied by 
fermenting manure, but as the latter requires renew¬ 
ing, the plants must be kept in pots. Hot-water 
piping would be more useful and permanent. 
