164 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 13, 1897, 
curved, and forty-eight Japanese varieties, 
taking both of the Holmes Memorial Chal¬ 
lenge Cups. The new incurved types were 
also predominant in the national competition 
of Chrysanthemum and horticultural 
societies. They included such as Duchess 
of Fife, Ma Perfection, Major Bonaffon, 
and others mentioned in the report of the 
show. Many of the old growers look 
upon them as beyond the pale of recognition, 
and their inclusion in the incurved list as 
rank heresy ; but they have a noble appear¬ 
ance all the same. 
The miscellaneous exhibits were un¬ 
doubtedly a strong feature of the show; 
for they occupied the whole of the ground 
floor space. The two groups of Chrysan¬ 
themums set up by Mr. Norman Davis and 
Mr. H. J. Jones, at the west end of the 
building, were gorgeous, massive, and a 
great relief upon other arrangements, and 
took the public fancy immensely. There 
were also many admirers of the Pelar¬ 
goniums from Swanley, the Potatos from 
Reading, the Apples from Forest Hill, and 
the Conifers from Dundee decorating the 
Ichthemic Guano Company’s octagon group. 
The vegetables in St. Stephen’s room 
now constitute the most important show of 
the kind in London, and have been growing 
in importance for some years past. The 
displayed collections were both interesting 
and instructive. It now takes good vege¬ 
tables and great skill in arrangement to 
take a first prize. The samples of Leeks, 
Potatos, Onions, Cauliflowers, Beet, Par¬ 
snips, Brussels Sprouts, Tomatos, &c., are 
something to be remembered. Potatos 
were both abundant and of good quality, 
thanks to new and disease-resisting kinds. 
Apples in most cases presented a most 
alluring and imposing appearance. 
- - —- 
Ben Nevis was entirely bare of snow at the begin¬ 
ning of this month, a most unusual occurrence. 
Victorian Era Exhibition. —A Diploma and Gold 
Medal have been awarded to Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale 
Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, N., by the manage¬ 
ment of the Victorian Era Exhibition, Earl’s Court, 
for the planting of shrubs and other subjects in the 
gardens there, while the exhibition was open. 
Sutton’s Peerless Marrowfat Pea, although classed 
as a main crop Pea, was shown in excellent condition 
at Sevenoaks, November 2nd, fine large pods con¬ 
taining grand dark, bright green peas 8 ton in a 
pod, remarkable in size and of excellent flavour. 
This Pea is most robust in habit, in height about 
3 ft., producing an enormous crop, and never 
attacked by mildew, a very great thing in its favour. 
It is one of the splendid novelties emanating from 
the Reading firm .— Urbanus. 
Lance-Corporal Patrick Milne, the brave piper who 
continued playing “ Cock of the North ” on his 
pipes after being bowled over by a shot in each leg, 
in the famous charge at Dargai, on the Indian 
frontier, is a native of Ardoyne near Insch, Aber¬ 
deenshire, where his father was a small farmer. 
The latter is now gardener at Waterside, Newburgh, 
in the same county. Young Milne first smelt powder 
at the battle of Malakand, and in the next encounter 
of the same campaign he again had a narrow escape, 
while a bullet through the pipe-bag silenced his 
music. 
French Chrysanthemum Society.— On the occasion 
of the Chrysanthemum show held by this society 
at Orleans on the 6th, 7th, and 8th inst., a congress 
was organised to commence at 2 p.m. The ques¬ 
tions submitted to the congress were the *' Fertilis¬ 
ation of Chrysanthemums,” “ The best Compost 
and Manures,” " Diseases and Parasites,” &c. A 
banquet was held at 7 p.m. On the second day 
there was a mid-day breakfast, and in the afternoon 
the town and monuments were visited. On the third 
day (Monday) the principal horticultural establish¬ 
ments of Orleans were visited by the society and 
those connected with it. 
Mike : “ What was it Pat said when he fell 
through the roof of the hothouse ? ” Denny : •' Oi 
have a pane in me soide, begorra ! " 
Late Peas, Scarlet Runners and Strawberries. —About 
the beginning of November, usable Scarlet Runners 
were gathered in the suburbs of London. Marrow¬ 
fat Peas were gathered on the 2nd inst., by Mr. H. 
C. Corney, High Street, Littlehampton, Sussex. 
Mr. H. Harvey, of the same town plucked ripe 
Strawberries on the 1st inst. 
Mr. John Forbes at Carlisle.—On the occasion of the 
Chrysanthemum Show at Carlisle on the 10th and 
nth inst.,Mr. J.Forbes,Buccleuch Nurseries,Hawick, 
staged a very fine lot of the immensely popular 
winter flowering Begonia, Glorie de Lorraine, 
associated with Roman Hyacinths and Ferns, along 
with his new scarlet perpetual Carnation, Yule 
Tide, which has become such a favourite on account 
of its free blooming qualities, size and colour of 
flowers, etc. 
Messrs. J- Weeks & Co.—In order to better cope 
with the constantly increasing amount of work en¬ 
trusted to the firm for execution, the business of the 
old established and well-known horticultural builders 
and hot-water engineers, Messrs. J. Weeks & Co. 
has been formed into a company, most of the capital 
being privately subscribed, and has been duly 
registered under the Companies' Acts. The firm, 
now merged in J. Weeks & Co., Limited, which will 
be continued under the same management is under 
the most distinguished patronage, having executed 
works for Her Majesty The Queen, most of the 
nobility and gentry, H. M. Government, the 
Admiralty and War Departments, the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural and Botanic Societies, as also many 
museums and other public buildings, churches, etc. 
Presentation.—On Friday night (the 5th inst.), a 
few friends met in the house of Mr. Mclnnes, Shew- 
alton, Irvine, and presented him with a beautiful 
marble timepiece on the occasion of his leaving 
Shewalton. Mr. Dewar, Dankeith, occupied the 
chair, and after a few suitable remarks called upon 
Mr. Hamilton to make the presentation. Mr. 
Hamilton, in doing so, expressed the great regret 
with which they parted with Mr. Mclnnes. He had 
been among them for five years, and made himself a 
kind neighbour and true friend. He wished him 
much success in his new situation. Mr. Mclnnes 
said he was much surprised to receive such a hand¬ 
some present, and would never cease to remember 
the many friends he had made in Ayrshire, and 
trusted he would occasionally be able to be among 
them. On behalf of his wife and self, he sincerely 
thanked all who had contributed. Mrs. Mclnnes 
entertained the company in hospitable fashion, and 
a pleasant evening was spent. Mr. Mclnnes has 
been appointed gardener to D. Whitelaw, Esq , 
Eskhill, Inveresk, and is succeeded at Shewalton by 
Mr. Miller,presently foreman at Caprington Castle.— 
R. L. 
Amateur versus Professional.—Apropos of Mr. Gib¬ 
son’s comments on this matter (p. 133), I am very 
glad to be able to record that, occasionally, the 
ability of the amateur to out-rival his professional 
confrere, is not confined to bonnie Scotland ; and 
that the latest instance proves that the Sassenach, 
also can sometimes excel in his own particular line. 
Mr. Mathew—a gentleman I know by reputation 
—not only won first place at the Exmouth show 
against all comers, but repeated the performance at 
the Devon and Exeter show a few days later. In 
fact the Devon Evening Express of Nov. 4th states 
that:—” Following up his success at the Exmouth 
Show last week, Mr. G. W. Mathew was to-day, at 
the exhibition of the Devon and Exeter Horticul¬ 
tural Society, awarded a first prize for his splendid 
specimen of Alicante grapes. The three bunches 
exhibited were grown in a small cool greenhouse at 
the rear of Mr. Matthew’s residence in Mamhead 
View, and were produced without professional aid. 
The bunches are remarkable for their size and sym¬ 
metry, and certainly do their producer very great 
credit.” Moreover, this is no isolated instance, for the 
Exmouth local paper has it that when Mr. Mathew 
” lived at Sandhill Cottage he repeatedly beat experts 
whose life’s business was grape-growing,” and that, 
“ the marvel is that no artificial heat of any des¬ 
cription has been employed."— C. B. G,, Acton, W. 
Enthusiastic Amateur Gardener.— Goggles was so 
fond of grass that, because it would not grow in his 
back yard, he wore green spectacles. 
Chrysanthemums at Waterlow Park.— In the 
long raDge of greenhouses there are 2,000 Chrys¬ 
anthemums in 750 varieties, old and new. The dis¬ 
play promises to be the best ever seen at Waterlow 
Park, when the blooms shall have reached their best 
condition. The collection reflects great credit on 
Mr. Webbe, the grower. 
Mutual Improvement Society, Woolton. — On 
Thursday of last week the usual meeting of this 
society was held at the Mechanics’ Institute, Mr. W. 
Oliver in the chair. The lecturer, Mr. A Randall, of 
Aigburth, selected for his subject, ** Plants Suitable 
ior Decoration.” A large numher of kinds was 
submitted, including stove, greenhouse, and hardy 
kinds, with the varied requirements to suit them for 
the trying time that they were in the house and usually 
in positions far from the light. A special selection 
suitable for table decoration of the most light and 
graceful varieties was given. A discussion followed 
in which Messrs. Todd, Waterman, Corlett, Carling, 
Rae, and Disley took part. Sections of stems of 
Aspidium and Bracken, the root of a marsh plant, 
the starch grains in wheat, and specimens of 
lungs heavily charged with foreign matter were 
shown by the aid of the microscope under the 
direction of Messrs. Corlett and Potts. Votes of 
thanks to the essayist and chairman concluded the 
business. 
Exmouth Chrysanthemum Show took place in the 
market at Exmouth. Up to the present year it has 
been a one day’s show only, but this season the 
period has been extended to two days. A highly 
creditable display of Chrysanthemums, fruit and 
vegetables was got together. Amongst the cut 
Chrysanthemums some excellent blooms were to be 
seen, the leading award for thirty-six Japanese going 
to Mr. H. Hammond Spencer. Mr. Hammond 
Spencer also showed the best twelve incurves. 
General Rocke received the first prize for four 
Chrysanthemums in pots ; and Mrs. H. Steward a 
similar award for plants arranged for effect. In the 
classes for fruit, first prizes went to Mr. Matthew, 
for Muscat Grapes; to Mrs. Creswell, for six 
varieties of cooking Apples; and to Mr. R. Ley, for 
six varieties of dessert Apples. The premier collec¬ 
tion of vegetables was contributed by Mr. A. 
Shapland. In the special prizes Mrs. Harvey was 
honoured for table decoration, and Miss Schreiber 
for a basket of Chrysanthemums. Mr. W. J. 
Godfrey, of the Exmouth Nurse; ies, sent a splendid 
non-competitive exhibit of Chrysanthemums, both 
on the plants and off them, and other subjects for 
which the Exmouth Nurseries are famous. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners' Association.—At a 
meeting of this association, held at the Guildhall. 
Exeter, on the 27th ult., a paper was read by Mr. R, 
Hodder, gardener, to Mrs. Trevor Barclay, Pon- 
sonby, Torquay, on the subject of “ How a 
Knowledge of Botany is a Help to Gardening.” 
The chair was occupied by Mr. T. Stoneman, lately 
teacher of botany at the Exeter Museum. Mr. 
Hodder said that botany had much to teach garden¬ 
ing, because it afforded an insight into the physiolog¬ 
ical principles upon which horticultural operations 
were based. By thoughtful care a gardener could 
often so improve the surroundings compared with 
those of the natural home of plants, that he could 
coax Nature, as it were, to greater developments and 
a higher perfection. In the production of double 
flowers, man did not add new possibilities to Nature, 
but took advantage of those already existing. Man 
could not break through the laws of Nature, which 
were fixed, but could only work in accordance with 
them. Botany taught them the structure of plants, 
the functions performed by them, and the systematic 
arrangement of the same in sub-kingdoms, classes, 
orders, &c. In conclusion he told his hearers not to 
imagine that the whole field of improvements had 
been traversed, but that there was a vast field for 
improvement ahead of them. Mr. A. Hope showed 
the members a branch of the true Cedar of Lebanon. 
The Rev. Lloyd Sanders exhibited a cone obtained 
from the Biblical Forest of Lebanon. He sowed 
the seed and has reared a tree from it. 
