October 23, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
117 
Death of Mr. E. J. Baillie.—As we go to press we 
learn of the death of Mr. E. J. Baillie, of the firm of 
Messrs. Dicksons, Limited, at his residence, Wood¬ 
bine, Upton, on the i8th inst. We shall refer to the 
matter again in our next issue. 
Oak on a Church Tower —An evergreen Oak, 
supposed to be 200 years old, grows on the top of the 
tower of a church at Culmstock, Devon. How it 
manages to exist amongst the masonry, especially 
during droughty seasons, is a mystery. 
The First Chrysanthemum in Cincinnati, USA — 
The earliest blooms to come to hand this year in 
America were those of Lady Fitzwygram, on the 
23rd September, six days in advance of last year. 
The blooms fetched 6Jd. each in the market. 
Royal Appointment.—Messrs. Dobbie & Co , Seed 
Growers and Florists to the Queen, Rothesay, have 
been honoured with the following addition to their 
Royal Warrant of Appointment:—'* The name of 
Andrew Mitchell is added to this warrant, as one of 
the firm of Dobbie & Co., by desire of the Lord 
Steward, The Earl of Pembroke.— Signed, T. C. March, 
Secretary, Board of Green Cloth, Buckingham Palace . 
October 16 th, 1897. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The dates fixed for 
next year’s meetings are as follows :—1898 : January 
nth, February 8th, March 8th and 22nd, April 12th 
and 26th, May 10th, Temple Show, May 25th, 26th 
and 27th, June 14th and 28th, July 12th and 26th, 
August 9th and 23rd, September 6th and 20th, Fruit 
Show, Crystal Palace, September 29th and 30th, and 
October 1st, October nth and 25th, November 8th 
and 22nd, December 13th. Any gentleman willing 
to deliver a lecture on any of these dates would 
greatly oblige by communicating at once with the 
Secretary, 117, Victoria Street, S.W. 
The New Colony at Pitsea.— The Fairview Building 
Estate, at Pitsea in Essex, according to experienced 
judges is said to contain some of the finest land in 
the county. The estate also possesses great advan¬ 
tages in the way of a good supply of water, and light 
tithes. It is situated on the main road to LondoD, 
and is easy of access from the metropolis. Recently 
a powerful and wealthy syndicate has been formed 
with a view to promoting the formation of a colony 
at this favoured spot. The opening sale of land 
takes place on Monday, October 25th, when all pur¬ 
chasers will have an equal chance of securing plots 
of land according to their needs at low prices. We 
understand that the syndicate intends to relieve pur¬ 
chasers of the payment of all tithes. Arrangements 
are being made for the erection of factories, and Mr. 
J. W. Humm himself has had plans prepared for a 
factory capable of employing 500 hands. All those 
who sympathise with the dreary life of the East End 
worker, cooped up in the congested surroundings 
will welcome this practical attempt to improve the 
conditions of labour. 
Nursery and Seed Trade Address List.—The value 
of an address list is of leading importance to every¬ 
one engaged in business of any description that 
necessitates much communication through the post. 
Various lists already exist, but need frequent over¬ 
hauling, and even then it is difficult to make all the 
necessary corrections and alterations except one is in 
direct communication with the parties concerned, 
whose names are given in the list. With regard to 
the nursery and seed trade Mr. B. Wynne, 1, Danes 
Inn, Strand, W.C., is in this position ; and it has 
occurred to him to get together and publish The 
Nursery and Seed Trade Postal and Telegraphic 
Address List.” The list is given in alphabetical 
order followed by abbreviations, which indicate 
whether the party addressed is a nurseryman, 
seedsman, florist, horticultural sundriesman, whole¬ 
sale florist, or commission salesman. It should 
therefore be of value to a wide circle of business 
men in connection with commercial horticulture. 
Then follow the postal address and the telegraphic 
address, where there is one, in the same or the con¬ 
secutive line. As one line usually contains the name 
and address, it follows that an enormous number of 
them are recorded in the book, which runs to 94 
pages. The first list runs to 77 pages ; then follows a 
list of telegraphic addresses written separately ; and 
this in turn is followed by a third list consisting of the 
Metropolitan nurserymen, seedsmen, florists, &c., 
together making up the 94 pages. This useful list 
may be obtained from the author, 1, Danes Inn, 
Strand, W.C., for is., post free, is. ijd 
Chrysanthemums at Battersea Park —The eighth 
annual display of the autumn flower is now open to 
the public in Battersea Park, in the houses near the 
west lodge entrance. Mr. Coppin has increased the 
number of plants from 2,000 to 2,200, being an 
increase of 200 since last year. There are 250 
varieties in the collection. 
Shirley Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Associa¬ 
tion.—The monthly meeting was held at the Parish 
Room, Shirley, Southampton, on Monday 18th inst., 
the President, Mr. W. F. G. Spranger conducting the 
meeting. Mr. F. J. Crook, Assistant Hon. Sec. 
Winchester Gardeners’ Association, gave an exhaus¬ 
tive paper on " Salads,” his opinion being that our 
gardeners as a rule paid too little attention to this 
branch of their profession, and that a great number of 
employers also called for very little variety in this 
class of food. He enumerated quite a big array of vege¬ 
tables suitable for the purpose, and gave the method 
of culture desirable for a number of the most useful 
varieties. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to 
Mr. Crook at the close of a brief discussion on his 
paper. The annual outing of the members took place 
on the 3rd inst., the party going to the National 
Fruit Show at the Crystal Palace, and after inspect¬ 
ing the exhibits, a capital luncheon, provided by 
Messrs. Bertram & Co., was partaken of. After the 
luncheon a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to 
the president and members who had subscribed to 
the special fund for the outing, and the members 
separated, some finding their way to the London Parks 
and a few went to Messrs. Laing & Son’s Nurseries, 
where they were courteously treated and shown round 
the establishment. 
Beddington, Carshalton, and Wallington Horticul¬ 
tural Society.—The annual general meeting of the 
members of this society took place on the evening of 
Tuesday, October 5th. Dr. Cressy occupied the 
chair. The report for the year presented by the 
committee stated that the show held (by the kindness 
of J. H. Bridges, Esq., J.P ) in Beddington Park was 
a great success. The number of competitive entries 
was equal to former years ; and there were many 
honorary exhibits of high quality. Notwithstanding 
the falling off in the subscriptions from various 
causes, a balance of over £33 was reported. The 
amount disburstd in the shape of prizes totalled 
£97 17s. 6d. The total receipts for the year were 
£335 I 4 S - 9d., and the expenditure for the same 
period £282 ;s. 3d. The chairman in moving the 
formal adoption of the report and balance sheet, 
spoke of the effect that the Jubilee year had had in 
lessening subscriptions. Mr. Brown seconded, and 
the motion was carried unanimously. Mr. G. W. 
Cummins was asked to refill the post of secretary, 
but said that he was compelled to decline the honour 
owing to his retirement from the office of gardener 
at The Grange. A vote of thanks and an honorarium 
of ten guineas was proposed as a recognition of Mr. 
Cummins’ services. Mr. W.T. Toogood was elected 
secretary, and Mr. C. F. F. Hutchings assistant 
secretary. 
-•*.—- 
IDEAL LABEL AND HOLDER. 
The vexed question of durable labels for garden 
plants is always cropping up, and many kinds are 
brought forward from time to time. Mr E. H. 
Harry has invented and patented a durable label of 
simple construction, the general features of which may 
be seen by reference to the accompanying illustration 
lent by the inventor. The label itself upon which 
the writing is done consists of a flat plate of zinc, 
with four holes for the reception of the stout wire 
holder. The latter consists of one piece bent in the 
middle, and tnree times bene near the ends to form a 
receptacle for the label. 
The advantages claimed for this invention are 
several. It is less in price than any ordinary stem 
label. The label may be used twice, thus saving 50 per 
cent, on this item alone. The stem may be used 
any number of times for different labels. The latter 
may be taken off the stem to be written upon, which 
is a great convenience, as anyone who has bad to 
write on the ordinary stem label will allow. It 
cannot face the wrong plant, as single stem labels 
are apt to do. It is far neater than any label of a 
similar character, as only the writing space hides the 
view of the plant. For amateurs, gentlemen's 
gardeners, and nurserymen, this label, the inventor 
thinks, will be a great boon. The patentee is having 
the cast Acme Label made to fit the above, and is 
also making a zinc label of stouter substance with any 
desired name stamped in. Either of these two addi¬ 
tions raises the price from is. to 3s. 6d. per dozen. 
The Ideal Label and Holder. 
The patentee is also having the Ideal Label and 
Holder made in three sizes for placing in the ground 
or in pots. These labels are to be obtained from Mr. 
E. H. Harry, 36, Adelaide Road, Brockley, S.E. 
--•«— - — 
CHINA ASTERS AT MORTLAKE. 
China Asters are amongst the most popular of 
annuals, and the assurance of this is found in the 
enormous number of varieties in existence, classified 
or grouped under numerous sections. Florists still 
keep straining every effort to raise new types and 
colours. There is also some evidence that they are 
being turned to account in a greater variety of ways 
than formerly. 
During the fourth week of September we visited 
the Trial Grounds at Mortlake of Messrs. J. Carter 
& Cd , High Holborn, London. At the north end of 
the grounds, close to the railway between Mortlake 
and Richmond, three long rows of beds were sown 
with China Asters in the first week of May, the 
seeds being committed to the ground where they were 
to bloom. About three-fourths of them were still in 
full bloom about the time of our visit, The strain 
known as Queen of the Market is the earliest, and 
was considerably past its prime. The blooms of 
this variety are relatively of large size, showy, and 
conspicuous. We noted rose, red, pink, white, blue, 
and violet-purple varieties amongst them. The 
Comet strain is now one of the most popular and 
admired. The white is an exceedingly fine form ; 
but there are others of a beautiful mauve, rose, blue 
with a white edge, and pink with a white edge. This 
strain bears the same relation to the other Asters as 
the Japanese Chrysanthemum does to the incurved. 
There are twenty-four different shades of colour in 
the Paeony-flowered section, including the ordinary 
type and Truffaut's strain, ranging from white to 
crimson. Truffaut's type of the strain is charac¬ 
terised by having incurved florets, and when well 
grown it is very pretty. The plants grow about 12 
in. to 18 in. in height, branch freely, and produce a 
great quantity of flowers. The number of varieties 
is, amongst other things, an index to the utility and 
popularity of Paeony-flowered Asters. Very vigor¬ 
ous, upright, and branching are the plants of the 
strain known as Giant Branching. There are 
several colour varieties, and all are very late in 
coming into bloom compared with the rest. Many of 
the plants were only commencing to bloom on the 
25th ult. Emperor Aster may be compared with the 
last two sections mentioned for the sake of contrast. 
The white and the blue varieties are the best, and 
produce only, one or two blooms of huge size and 
handsome appearance upon a plant 
Very pretty is the new strain known as the Ray 
Aster, having long, quilled, loosely arranged florets 
of white and rose colours, much resembling the 
spidery Chrysanthemums. The Crown or Cockade 
