784 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 12, 1898. 
material encouragement to pear planting, 
and the trade will do well to prepare for a 
considerable demand for trees. 
Would that pears had longer staying 
powers, for all our very best have but a 
very limited season of goodness. Those 
that will ordinarily keep late are of in¬ 
different quality, and our best earliest sort, 
the popular “ Williams,” is but too often a 
gay deceiver, so quickly does it get out of 
condition. The raiser who can obtain 
some good keepers that are of good quality, 
would render gardeners a great service. 
Some day, perhaps, we may find sorts as 
good as Marie Louise and Doyenne du 
Comice on our Christmas dinner tables. 
he Coming Dahlia Season. —In spite 
of the great drought of the early sum¬ 
mer Dahlias have done wonderfully well, 
especially since the rain, and we look with 
confidence to a remarkably good show 
season. There will be this autumn some 
exceptionally good opportunities for the 
exhibition of our finest autumn flower in 
and about the metropolis, whilst there will 
not be wanting other opportunities to exhi¬ 
bit and see the flowers in other parts of the 
kingdom. At the Earl’s Court Show held 
this week we may have to report the pre¬ 
sence of some of the earlier blooms, 
especially of the smaller flowered sections, 
but by the end of the month Dahlias will 
be plentiful and in fine form. 
The real tournament will of course be 
found when the National Dahlia Society 
holds its annual exhibition at the Crystal 
Palace on the ist and 2 nd of Septem¬ 
ber. Then a few days later will come the 
National Chrysanthemum Society’s Show 
at the Royal Aquarium, and on the 13 th 
and 14 th, a special Dahlia Show at 
Earl’s Court, when the later blooms will 
will have a grand chance. Thus so many 
shows held in London affords Dahlia growers 
ample opportunities for bringing their best 
old and new varieties into prominent notice. 
That Dahlias have a singularly innate 
capacity to adapt themselves to varying 
soils and situations, we have often seen 
evidenced, and but the other day noticed a 
really fine lot of show varieties growing 
most admirably on what was but shallow, 
common soil, but which, after a few years, 
culture, has been greatly deepened and im¬ 
proved. The situation is a high and windy 
one. Possibly the finest flowers are ob¬ 
tained on deep, holding soils, but at least 
good ones can be produced in shallow soils. 
-- 
Mr. C. Page, for some years gardener to H. P. 
Leschalles, Esq., Highams, Bagshot, has been 
engaged as gardener to J. B. Fortescue, Esq., 
Boconnoc, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, and entered on his 
new duties on the 2nd inst. 
The Crewe and District Chrysanthemum Society’s 
Show is announced to be held on Saturday, Novem¬ 
ber nth. The new Honorary Secretary is Mr. W. E. 
May, 37, Samuel Street, Crewe. 
Gardening Instruction in the isle of Wight. —We 
understand that Mr. Heaton, Cedar Road, Armley, 
Leeds, is the successful candidate for the recent ap¬ 
pointment as Lecturer on Horticulture to the Isle of 
Wight County Council. There were forty-two 
applicants, and the final selection lay between Mr. 
Heaton and Mr. R G. Waterman, of Woolton, 
Liverpool. 
Raspberry Pulp from Australia. —A Melbourne 
paper states, respecting the export of Raspberry 
pulp to this country, that an expert has given his 
opinion that the pulp would not be suitable for jam 
after the voyage, as it would undergo fermentation ; 
but he was of opinion that it would be suitable for 
Raspberry vinegar, of which a large quantity is used, 
both in England and Scotland, especially in Glasgow, 
where it is in demand for various purposes, largely 
as a beverage intermixed with whisky or other 
spirits. 
New Chrysanthemums. — L'Illustration Horticole 
remarks that a new and well defined class of Chry¬ 
santhemums, termed long-haired Chrysanthemums, 
is to make its appearance presently The class has 
been so named by the raiser, M. Crozy, Sen., of 
Lyons, by reason of the fineness of the petals, which 
are like hair. The race comes from the strange 
variety Thibet, of Japanese origin. Another type 
from the same source is Fleur lyonnaise, of which 
the grand, full, lightly incurved inflorescence, of a 
superb reddish-purple colour with carmine reflec¬ 
tions, spreads in spirals. Besides, the reverse of the 
petals is bronzed and ornamented with long and 
abundant downy silk. 
Destroying Wasps' Nests. — Mr. George Abbey, 
Avery Hill, Eltham, writes: — Within a fortnight 
we have destroyed forty-eight nests, and in spring 
over 200 queens, by myself and men. If everyone 
would kill all the queens they can, they would not 
exist as a plague, as it is easier to kill a queen than 
take a nest. My mode of killing them, which I have 
practised for years—viz., in the day time I search all 
the hedge banks and similiar places, mark the finds, 
take a man at dusk protected with a bee-hat and 
gloves, place a twopenny squib in the hole, and turf 
over that to keep in the smoke, dig the nest out, and 
smash the nest to a pulp—an infallible cure. 
The Duke of Bedford's Woodlands —We presume 
we are indebted to some remarks on Arboriculture, in 
our last issue, for the receipt of a printed list of the 
woods belonging to the Duke of Bedford in the 
counties of Beds., Bucks., and Northamptonshire. 
The list includes the name of each wood or planta¬ 
tion, and its acreage, the name of the parish in which 
it is situated, and the name of the foreman in charge. 
The total number of separate enclosures is 187, dis¬ 
tributed throughout some three dozen parishes, and 
the total acreage is 4,598 acres, 22 perches. The 
whole are under the able management of Mr. A. D. 
Webster. 
The Madagascar Tree Lions.—The fact of M'. 
Hamelin offering for sale the pair of young tree lions 
(Cryptoprocta ferox) which he has recently brought 
home from Madagascar, at Messrs. Protheroe & 
Morris’ rooms on Friday last, attracted a greater 
crowd than we have seen in the rooms for some 
weeks past, but the beautiful young specimens, some 
four months old, and as a pair said to be unique in 
Europe, failed to find a purchaser, the highest bid 
made, seventy-five guineas, being below the reserve. 
Good prices generally were made for the new 
Orchids offered on this occasion, but the finest speci¬ 
men we have yet seen of Cattleya Rex, a mass of 
over forty bulbs with twelve leads, failed to get a 
higher bid than £60 and was bought in. 
Harvesting has been somewhat interfered with in 
Cornwall this week owing to the heavy showers which 
have fallen from day to day. A great many of the 
wheat crops have, however, been safely garnered. 
There is now no doubt but that the second hay crop 
will supersede the first, and there is much rejoicing 
over the fact. Green vegetables which are largely in 
demand, are becoming more like their natural selves 
and the Vegetable Marrow, which at one time looked 
like a complete failure for the season, is as good as in 
ordinary years, if not quite as plentiful. Tomatos 
are not looking as well as could be wished—at least 
those grown in the open. They do not seem to ripen 
well this year. 
A New Invention for the Conveyance of Fruit and 
Vegetables has been introduced by a Melbourne 
manufacturer. He calls it a “ louvered hanging 
fruit case,” and explains that each fruit or vegetable 
is hung beneath tablets in the same manner as Nature 
provides for their growth. The pressing of one fruit 
against another is thus prevented. If proper rules 
and care were observed while gathering there would 
be no difficulty, he says, in landing the most delicate 
fruits and vegetables in London in good condition 
and with regularity and certainty. The case is 14 in. 
deep, 12 in. wide, and 2 ft. 6 in. long. It has five 
separate compartments, each accommodating four 
dozen of 2J in. Apples, and the total cost of the 
materials is estimated at is. 7d. The various parts 
of the case would be cut by machinery and be inter¬ 
changeable, and would be put together by the 
growers. 
Scottish Horticultural Association.—The monthly 
meeting of this society was held in 5, St. Andrew' 
Square on the ist inst., when Mr. W. Carmichael 
read a paper on “ Trees for Villa Planting,” his 
object being to show that the practice of allowing 
forest and hard wood trees to grow unchecked in 
urban and suburban gardens was an evil, in that they 
shut out the light and air, and tended to produce 
damp. He advocated a judicious choice of appro¬ 
priate subjects, and mentioned a number which he 
considered suitable. In the discussion that followed, 
some very appropriate things were said, after which, 
Mr. Carmichael was awarded a vote of thanks. 
Various exhibits were shown by Messrs. Dickson & 
Co ; a new Petunia by Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons, 
named Princess May ; and a Clianthus Dampieri 
from Mr. Chapman, Easter, Duddingston. 
Lost, Stolen, or Strayed, the Storks from Kew 
Gardens. —Considerable interest is being manifested 
in the neighbourhood of Kew and Richmond in the 
recent disappearance of the storks from the pond in 
front of the Palm house at Kew. The Richmond 
Borough Philosopher ” remarks that various 
reasons have been suggested for the absence of the 
storks from duty. “ Some say that they are making 
an extended tour of the new borough, incognito ; 
others that they went to inspect the new Town Hall 
last week and were so overcome by the magnificence 
of the Council Chamber and so stricken with despair 
that the five-guinea chairs were not, and never could 
be, for them, that they went and drowned them¬ 
selves in the river, off the new steps. There are yet 
others who declare that they are going through a 
course of lessons with the ‘ Borough Philosopher ’ and 
are boarding in the house, but this he is in a con¬ 
dition emphatically to deny.” 
The Birmingham and District Amateur Gardeners’ 
Association. — We have been favoured by the honorary 
secretary of this association, Mr. W. B. Griffin, with 
a copy of the programme for the current half year. 
The next meeting will be on August 27th, when the 
members will enjoy an excursion to Impney Hall, 
Droitwich, the train leaving New Street Station, 
Birmingham, at 1.50 p.m. On September 6th, Mr. 
Walter B. Child will contribute a paper on “ Some 
Notable Perennials, and How to Grow Them.” On 
October 4th, Mr. Councillor R. F. Martineau will 
discuss "An Old Birmingham Botanist ” ; and on the 
18th of the same month, Mr. Arthur Roe will have 
something to say on “ Our Herbaceous Border.” 
Mr. George Pressly will contribute "A Few Notes on 
Lilies” on November ist ; and Mr. Herbert Stone, 
F.L.S., will give, on the 15th, a lecture on “ Roots 
and Their Functions,” illustrated by limelight views. 
The season will close on December 6th with an 
address by the president, Mr. Alderman White. 
The association already numbers 150 members, and 
the roll increases at every meeting. 
Mr. Jabez Balfour takes to Orchids. — A daily paper 
says :—It will require more philosophic serenity 
than is possessed by most of the unfortunate Libera¬ 
tor victims for them to hear with equanimity of the 
manner of life at Buenos Ayres of the scoundrel who 
swindled them. Mr. Jabez Balfour snaps his fingers 
at the British Government, is residing in a palatial 
residence outside the city, and has taken to the 
cultivation of Orchids. All orchid growers will learn 
with interest that twelve sacks of moss have been 
shipped to him by a tradesman of Croydon, the place 
which he formerly honoured by his residence. It is 
even suggested that the Argentine Government will 
be glad to avail itself of Mr. Jabez Balfour's services 
and cash by offering him an official position. Still, 
there is that “ two-handed engine by the door ” in 
the shape of the Extradition Treaty awaiting final 
signatures, which may surprise the founder of the 
Liberator in his palatial mansion. 
Frozen English Chrysanthemums in New Zealand.— 
The Wellington Times thus refers to the frozen blooms 
sent out from this country last November :—“An ex¬ 
hibition of frozen Chrysanthemum blooms, under 
the auspices of the Wellington Horticultural and 
Florist’s Society was opened on Saturday, 20th May. 
The building had been draped with bunting, and 
the exhibits were arranged in a very attractive 
manner. The chief interest, of course, centred in 
the exhibits sent from England by the National 
Chrysanthemum Society. Encased in solid blocks 
of ice, which lay in zinc cases, they presented quite 
a unique appearance, and their excellence of quality 
was the general theme of the knowing ones among 
the spectators. The frozen blooms exhibited by 
local growers, too, were of very good quality, but in 
some cases were somewhat spoilt, owing to want of 
care in regard to their treatment. The process of freez- 
