528 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 22, 1898. 
How many young men, rightly or 
wrongly we cannot say, complain that 
their chiefs give them no encouragement 
intellectually, and indeed seem to exist 
rather to find fault than to help ? If that 
complaint be well founded then it is indeed 
a misfortune. It is to be feared that in too 
few cases do head gardeners give their 
juniors that help and encouragement they 
so much need. It is not pleasant to learn 
that capable and willing youths are so 
often on the move. There must be some¬ 
thing wrong somewhere, more’s the pit)'. 
We could imagine such a condition of 
things that not only should heads be most 
anxious to induce and help young men to 
become candidates, but that they should 
also be full of gratification should these 
youths prove successful in passing through 
the examinations. 
jp>OTATOS. —To many persons it doubtless 
comes as a matter for surprise that 
during the past month of March there 
should have been imported into this country 
no less than 140,000 cwts. more of Potatos 
than were sent here in the corresponding 
month of the previous year. Oddly enough 
there has been a large falling off in Apples 
and Onions, our other chief imports of a 
vegetable kind. Still, we have no informa¬ 
tion as to whether the Potatos sent us are old 
or new, although, remembering the time 
of year and the fact that all along Potatos 
have been very cheap and plentifulat home, 
as well as good, we are disposed to think 
that a large portion of this great increase 
in Potatos imported must be of new ones. 
And, indeed, it is but natural that such a 
trade should develop as, wisely or unwisely, 
the consuming millions of England are 
ever somewhat fastidious with respect to 
their foods, and in the matter of Potatos 
seem to prefer new ones, however value¬ 
less as an article of diet, over good old well- 
matured Potatos, that relatively contain 
double the needful nutrient elements. 
In spite of the fact that home Potatos 
have been so plentiful and cheap, the recent 
dry weather has again led to the planting 
of enormous breadths of land with this 
crop, and, all being well, we may look this 
year for a continuance of that plenty which 
is of such importance to us as a nation. 
It is useless to plead with the' fastidious 
consumer of Potatos that they are but fools 
for rejecting the good mature old tubers in 
favour of the new unripe ones—we can 
but deplore the existence of this unhappy 
public taste. What of old tubers are sent 
us can hardly return much of profit to the 
foreign grower, having regard to prevailing 
rates. Perhaps many of them go to the 
manufacture of gin, or finding body for 
some of our patent or quack foods. So 
far at least we can aver that there are no 
Potatos in the world superior to those of 
home-growth. 
Jj^RiMULACEiSs.—Sometimes we have seen 
* very charming groups of diverse species 
of Primulaceae at the Auricula Show, to 
which we adverted last week, and hope to 
be as highly favoured on Tuesday next. 
Pretty as these varied forms of the world’s 
Primroses are, for our own native forms 
are perhaps the least attractive, yet they 
find, on the whole, few cultivators. This is 
to be regretted, but perhaps it is due to the 
fact that the bulk of these species are 
Alpines and need conditions which we 
seem unable readily to furnish ; indeed our 
chief success seems to be found in a course 
of culture in pots and in cool frames, except 
where now and then soil and well con¬ 
structed rockwork provide the desired con¬ 
ditions. 
Perhaps it is because somewhat difficult 
to cultivate that Primulas find so many 
admirers. Everybody likes them and 
admires them, and somewhat longingly 
realise how difficult it is to have them. 
Of course, as with all the great Primrose 
family, the bulk of these Primula species 
flower in the spring. Some indeed are so 
precocious that it is hard to catch them in 
bloom at the end of April. Still, including 
garden forms or hybrids, the detestation of 
the botantist, we can manage to make from 
the family a very attractive show. The 
most popular of all the section, perhaps, is 
the one tender species from China, and 
that we have not only captured for our 
greenhouses, but have converted it into one 
of the most beautiful of winter bloomers. 
Next, perhaps, come the garden varieties 
of P. vulgaris, and Elatior, the Primrose 
and Polyanthus proper, for these now can, 
and often do, decorate our gardens with 
flowers of exceeding beauty in the early 
spring. With all these, however, we are 
very familiar. It is therefore rather with 
the farinose Himalayan, Japanese, Abys¬ 
sinian, Marginate, Alpine, and other forms 
that we look for so much of charm and 
perhaps of rarity at the Auricula Show. If 
our Welsh friend, Sir. J. T. D. Llewellyn, 
Mr. Samuel Barlow, Mr. Self Leonard, 
Mr. Jas. Douglas, and some few prominent 
traders in hardy plants would but do their 
best, we might have to enjoy, with, we 
hope, a large body of the public, a charm¬ 
ing show of varied Primulaceae. 
eafage.— That sudden burst of beauty 
which characterises those northern 
regions where snow and frost holds ice¬ 
bound to the last all nature, then suddenly 
quits its hold and leaves all vegetation to 
come into summer beauty and leafiness as 
with swift rebound, is not for the dweller 
in the British Isles. How far it may be 
for the welfare of that wondrously con¬ 
structed machine, the human frame, that 
changes of this kind should be so sudden 
wedo notknow. Certainly here the sluggish¬ 
ness of motion which characterises our 
spring season leaves little room for 
complaint on the score of surprises. 
Not a few of our deciduous trees, 
notably the Horse Chestnut, have now been 
six weeks leafing and have not yet 
completed their clothing. Other trees, the 
Oak and Ash for instance, have hardly yet 
burst a bud, indeed it will not be a matter 
for challenge if we assert that at least nine 
weeks, if not longer, seems needful to enable 
all ordinary tree and shrub life to get into 
full activity. No doubt this exceeding 
slowness has its compensations. We have 
so much that is interesting to note in this 
process of the unfolding of the leafage, so 
much that varies from day to day. We have 
here, thanks to enterprise, a marvellous 
wealth of hardy trees and shrubs, and these 
have in all their forms and developments 
such pleasing variations that so long as 
nature is in process of expansion so is she 
full of charm and of variety. 
It is not of the somewhat long-drawn out 
activity of nature of which we complain, 
but rather of the atmospheric conditions 
which lead to it. Our springs would be so 
much more enjoyable were they more genial. 
It is true we have been having one of the 
finest and most brilliant of springtimes on 
record, but all the same we have been 
scorched in the day with a summer heat, 
and have shivered at night with an arctic 
cold. These are not, and never can be, 
enjoyable conditions for us or for vegetation. 
All the same the country,where nature can 
be seen, is now becoming beautiful, and 
could we but have the April showers, how 
delightful, joyous, lovely would all nature 
be, so full of sweetness, and of peace. 
Mr. and Mrs. Dodwell’s Golden Wedding. —The 
present made to Mr. and Mrs. Dodwell on the 
occasion of the celebration of their golden wedding 
on the 20th, consisted of a handsome sterling silver 
tea and coffee service, but as the limits of Mr. Dod- 
well’s house are too small to permit of a large gather, 
ing, and Mrs. Dodwell’s health not being such as to 
allow her to venture on having a garden party so 
early in the season, the service was sent to Mr. and 
Mrs. Dodwell and the formal presentation, with a 
salver or any other piece of plate that may be pur¬ 
chased from the balance of funds, will be made at 
the annual gathering of the Carnation and Picotee 
Union in Mr. Dodwell's garden on August 1st. We 
have much pleasure in giving a portrait of our old 
friend in another column. 
Royal Horticultural Society —The next meeting of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, on April 25th, at 
the Drill Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, 
Westminster, promises to be of exceptional interest 
in every way Besides Daffodils, Orchids, hardy 
plants, fruits, &c., the members of the National 
Auricula and Primula Society will bring their 
choicest plants, which will be sure to attract 
universal attention. At 3 p.m. the visitors will have 
an opportunity of hearing a lecture on “ Alpine 
Plants,” by Mons. Henry Correvon, of the " Jardin 
d'Acclimatation,” Geneva. The lecture on 
“ Chemical questions concerning the soil,” by Prof. 
Cheshire has been postponed until May 9th. 
Sequoia gigantea. —The Bulletin d'Arboricu'ture, etc., 
states that the American Government is actually 
taking measures to preserve that which still remains 
of the gigantic examples of this majestic Conifer 
upon Californian territory. The age of some of 
these trees is computed at a thousand years. We 
are only surprised that our American cousins have 
not taken measures before this time to preserve some 
of the best of the most gigantic and grandest speci¬ 
mens of living vegetation extant, the like of which 
the world may never see again, although we have 
evidence in a fossil state that vegetable giants have 
at a former geological epoch occupied the earth's 
surface. 
The Helensburgh Rose Show will be held on July 
10 th. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society. 
—At the usual monthly meeting of this society, held 
at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi Terrace, Strand on 
Monday the 10th inst., Mr. George Keif presiding, 
five new benefit members were elected and three 
others nominated. S. M. Segar, Esq., also became 
a honorary member. There are two members only 
on the sick fund at the present time. 
Saffronomania.— L'Illustration Horticole relates that 
General Rajewski. president of the Imperial Horti¬ 
cultural Society of rt. Petersburg, in calling the at¬ 
tention of the members to the many varieties of 
Apples and Pears that succeed best in the Crimea, 
spoke of the harm done by nurserymen in renaming 
the varieties of fruit trees. They have thus replaced 
the names Reinette Franche, Reinette d’Orleans, 
Court-pendu Royal, Pearmain d’Hiver, &c.,by those 
of White Saffron, Winter Saffron, Red Saffron, 
Striped Saffron, &c. The honourable president 
called that a Saffronomania with good reason. 
A Hardy White-flowered Azalea.—As related by 
L'Illustration Horticole there is a hardy white Azalea 
which has been obtained from the Chinese A. molis 
fertilised with A. viscosa. This origin is authenticated 
by M. Fr. Brettschneider, of Berlin, who is a 
specialist. This hybrid form has been named 
Azalea hybrida Daviesi, and is distinguished by its 
flowers being at first slightly tinted with sulphur, 
but changing to pure white when fully expanded. 
To this unique colour amongst the A. mollis type 
is added an exquisite perfume. The plant is 
perfectly hardy, but is besides well suited for forcing 
purposes. It is of English origin. There is a figure 
of it in the February number of Gartenflora. 
Edinburgh Botanical Society.—This Society met 
at 5, St. Andrew Square—Dr. Christison, presi¬ 
dent, in the chair. It was reported that during the 
last fourteen years /107 had been contributed to the 
Illustration Fund, and that the expenditure had ex¬ 
ceeded that sum by £21 9s. The council therefore 
appealed for contributions,so that the "Transactions" 
might continue to be illustrated in a manner worthy 
of the society. The chairman also urged upon the 
meeting the desirableness of increasing the member- 
