314 
rHE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 15, 1898. 
marrowfat qualities, and size of pcd of the wrinkled 
and later varieties,including Daisy, the mother of the 
new Pea under notice. When the pods ripened 
during the first year of the .cross there were three 
white, three blue, and one green seeds in a pod. 
Two seeds, namely a blue and a white, were 
smooth, and the other five variously wrinkled- 
All of the seeds were sown and an obser¬ 
vant eye kept upon them to see whether 
any of them held out promises of the characteristics 
desired. After five years of repeated selection 
Early morn at length became evolved, while another 
year’s trial proved that it had become fixed. 
As will be seen from the accompanying illustra¬ 
tion the pods are straight, of great thickness, and 
when well grown they equal in length those of 
Duke of Albany or Daisy, even when they are in their 
best form. It is very little behind the earliest 
round-seeded varieties, while the pods are well filled 
with seeds of excellent marrowfat flavour. The 
haulm grows about 3 feet high ; and if the seeds 
are sown during February or March the crop will be 
fit to gather some time in June. 
FORESTRY. 
For a period of years, many emiment men have 
been using their influences, and taking steps to bring 
the subject of forestry before the Government, 
pressing it forward that it is the nation’s duty in 
disseminating a scientific knowledge of the subject. 
There are good hopes that the efforts that have been, 
and are still being, made will ultimately succeed. 
Should they fail, the nation will be a sufferer ; 
while the hope of Government support lies in the 
future. 
It is satisfactory to be able to record that the 
advocates of a higher and more improved system of 
forestry have the joy of seeing some fruit of their 
labours, in more than ways than one. They conten¬ 
ded that it was the duty of our universities to open 
their doors and impart a knowledge of the principles 
of forestry, and to give one instance of fruit, I shall 
mention the forestry class in the university of Edin¬ 
burgh, which is presided over by Colonel Bailey, 
who is an undoubted authority on forestry. The 
winter session of the above class was opened by 
Colonel Bailey on the 12th October, and in his intro¬ 
ductory address he dealt with “Our timber supplies.” 
From the Scotsman I take a brief extract of some 
important truths that the lecturer expounded 
believing that they are of interest to your readers 
“The lecturer stated the quantities of’wood annually 
imported from foreign countries, and proceeded to 
show that the supplies from these countries could 
not be depended on. The consumption of wood in 
the United States exceeded by more than 50 per 
cent, what their present forest area could produce as 
an annual yield, and the demand increased 25 per 
cent, in every ten years. That meant that the 
States would very soon take the whole of the wood 
that Canada might have to spare, &c.’’ The lecturer 
then discussed the situation in Canada, whence he 
had lately returned. He said “ no effective measures 
of conservancy or regulations of fellings had yet 
been taken. The forests were cut without thought of 
regeneration and fires swept through them burning 
up young trees with the old ones, vast tracts which 
a few years ago were covered wi ch unbroken forest were 
now completely denuded, and there was little to be 
seen but bare rock with burnt and bleaching trunks. 
The effect was not only to render enormous areas 
unproductive, but to dry up springs, lessen the flow 
of rivers, cause floods by sudden thaw of snow, and 
drought over large areas in summer. That condi¬ 
tion of affairs extended over vast areas up to and in¬ 
to the Rocky Mountains, and the valley of Columbia. 
The time was not far distant when Canada would 
cease to be a timber-exporting country unless a 
proper system of forest management was introduced 
without delay. Considering the uncertainty of their 
foreign supplies, it was a matter of national import¬ 
ance to grow their own supplies at home — that was 
to grow wood in sufficient quantity—of a quality 
suited to their requirements.” 
This brief outline of Colonel Bailey's address 
gives us harrowing details of the conditionsiof our 
wood supplies, and I am sure it will impress itself on 
most thoughtful men, that the subject of forestry 
demands serious attention. It appears to me that 
it is the bounden duty of those who are more less 
engaged or connected with forestry to study it. We 
have many eminent authorities in our midst, whose 
attainments in the scientific and practical depart¬ 
ments of forestry are an honour and credit to them. 
The times demand that the field of knowledge and 
intelligence of the subject must be evidenced, and 
that a greater number of individuals should turn 
their attention to it. 
I am not for a single moment overlooking the 
highly commendable progress that has been made in 
many ways, and especially by some societies in 
arousing attention and bringing it prominently 
before the public. I am aware of untiring efforts 
and zeal by the leaders and members of societies 
and others, which will never be compensated nor re¬ 
ceive any reward. I am making no appeal to these 
or on behalf of any society. From a financial point 
many, with the varied claims made on them, prefer 
to keep outside these societies. My contention is 
that by a greater number taking more interest and 
studying its varied aspects, this increasing intelli¬ 
gence will possibly aid and help those that are 
striving for a higher and better system of forestry. 
If sympathy given to a good cause has been produc¬ 
tive of beneficial effects, surely then^-the wider the 
interest taken in forestry—the benefit will be of some 
importance in the cause of progress. 
One does not expect that every individual who 
turns to the study of the question will become the 
possessor and master of a sound knowledge of the 
most scientific principles that are found or known in 
the domain of forestry. The higher the attainment 
the better it will be for the individuals and the pro¬ 
gress of forestry ; but it is of considerable importance 
to get a grasp of the subject and the interests that 
are at stake, for I am confident that in many 
quarters these are not fully realised. 
The basis of the truths contained in Colonel 
Bailey’s address have long ago been digested by 
many ; but this is no reason against extending these 
truths to the field of a far wider circle of 
individuals. 
It is to be trusted that this subject of national im¬ 
portance will meet with greater support than it has 
received in the past; and that many defects of the 
past management of forests in our and other lands 
may be rectified ; that the dark blots and stains 
flapped in our faces—of inferior home timber and the 
eternal stipulations in specifications of foreign 
woods—will be gradually removed ; and that a higher 
and better system of forestry will take the field, and 
model forests for instruction and experiments 
become established in our midst.— J. Cameron, Bye- 
thorn Gardens, Corbridge-on-Tyne. 
■« >— 1 ——■ 
MEADOWBANK NURSERY, ROTHESAY. 
While paying a visit of inspection to several places 
in Rothesay last September, we had a run through 
the grounds of Mr. Alex. Lister, florist, Meadowbank 
Nursery, Rothesay, and could see at a glance that 
Dahlias, chiefly the show and fancy types, were one 
of the chief specialities here. Many other florists’ 
flowers are cultivated, but Mr. Lister devotes con¬ 
siderable attention to Dahlias, of which he is a 
successful exhibitor. 
That show Dahlias are well known and appreciated 
will be gathered from the mention of such varieties as 
John Walker, John Rawlings, Wm. Keith, Purple 
Prince, Norma, J. T. West, Coronet, Nubian, 
Pioneer, James Cocker, Maude Fellowes, Mrs. Glad¬ 
stone and many others that are of constant occur¬ 
rence on the show boards at all the leading Dahlia 
shows. While inspecting the varieties what struck 
us most was their remarkably dwarf and sturdy 
habit. The soil is very heavy and inclined to clay, 
and this, no doubt, explains to some extent the 
dwarfness of the plants ; while climate would also 
share in that responsibility. 
Other fine varieties belonging to this section were 
Harry Walton, yellow, edged bronzy-red; Agnes, 
golden-yellow and of fine form ; William Powell, a 
very large form of a softer yellow ; Mr. Charles 
Noyes, deep buff-yellow, and Bismarck, a huge crim¬ 
son-purple flower. Edged varieties were well 
represented, including Mrs. Morgan, white, tipped 
with purple and very pretty ; Shotsham Hero, pink, 
and edged with deep purple . Majestic, white or soft 
lilac, tipped with purple and fine in form ; and Mrs. 
Langtry, buff, with a broad, deep purple edge. 
Amongst the choicer seifs we noted W. H. Williams, 
a huge glowing-scarlet flower ; Joseph Green, crim¬ 
son-scarlet ; Duke of Fife, deep crimson, almost 
maroon ; John Hickling, clear yellow and of fine 
form; James Stevens, of a handsome orange hue; 
and Yellow Boy, a huge, finely built flower. Many 
other show varieties, scarcely inferior to the above- 
mentioned, were in the collection, but time, or rather 
the lack of it, prevented us from going more largely 
into details. 
Fancy Dahlias were by no means neglected, but 
fully maintained the importance of their section. 
Mrs. Saunders we have always looked upon as one of 
the best and most charming of this section. The 
florets are yellow, tipped with white. The paler 
colour being confined to the tip serves to distinguish 
a true fancy (according to the florists) from the 
edged varieties in the show section, where the darker 
of the two colours is disposed round the margin or 
confined to the tip. Prince Henry is lilac, with 
crimson markings. General Grant is buff yellow, 
flaked with crimson. Greater complication is notice¬ 
able in Lottie Eckford, which has white flowers, 
flaked with red, and mottled with purple. It is also 
a neatly built bloom. On the contrary, Gaiety is 
yellow, mottled with buff, and shaded with white. 
Dazzler is a buff-yellow mottled with crimson. Very 
curious is the mixture of colours displayed by John 
Cooper, which is white, flaked and mottled with 
maroon. 
Other florists’ flowers cultivated here are Violas, 
Penstemons, Carnations, Roses, and Pelargoniums, 
all of which have their special uses in the business 
conducted by Mr. Lister. 
A general collection of hardy herbaceous perennials 
is an adjunct to most of the nurseries in Scotland, 
the climate of which is particularly favourable to the 
growth of this class of plants, getting more and more 
popular every year. Coreopsis lanceolata, Statice 
iatifolia, the true Eryngium alpinum, and Sidalcea 
Listeri are choice things we noted, which should be 
present in every collection of this character. The 
flowers of Sidalcea are satiny pink, but the fringed 
corolla is the special characteristic of the plant, which 
received an Award of Merit from the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society last summer. 
-- 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Hardy Herbaceous Plants. 
Hardy Perennials and Old-Fashioned Garden 
Flowers. Describing the most desirable 
plants for borders, rockeries, and shrubberies, 
and including both foliage and flowering plants. 
By John Wood. Illustrated. London: L. Upcott 
Gill, 170, Strand, W.C. Price 3s. 6d. 
The book under notice is intended to meet the 
wants of amateurs in quest of hardy perennial plants 
upon which they can rely to give them the longest 
succession of flowers during the year in the open 
ground. The .writer is an amateur who loves his 
garden, and has successfully cultivated all the plants 
of which he speaks at his home at Woodville, Kirk- 
stall, Yorks. This latter fact in itself would limit 
the number of hardy herbaceous subjects that might 
be grown with ordinary care in various other parts 
of the country, better favoured in the matter of 
climate. Nevertheless the plants recorded in this 
octavo volume of some 330 pages, including an index 
of the species and varieties, show that Mr. Wood's 
garden must be extensively stocked with these hardy 
subjects. He grows something like thirty-five 
species and varieties of Saxifraga, though the names 
employed are not always that of the botanist. 
Indeed, unless he were a botanist himself, he could 
hardly be expected to furnish the botanical name in 
all cases, ior many things still remain incorrectly 
named in gardens throughout the country. 
The generic names of the plants are arranged 
alphabetically and under them come the specific 
appellations, haviDg the same order of precedence. 
The botanical names are followed by the synonyms, 
if any, and those again by the common names and 
occasionally by old names now neglected. The 
author is evidently interested in ancient descriptions, 
of which he gives a quotation no v and again from 
such herbalists as Gerarde ai 1 Parkinson. In 
speakiog of “ reeky ” towns he mikes use of a word 
that smacks distinctly of very old English, but 
nevertheless a very graphic term. We do not quite 
agree with the writer, however, when he uses such 
names as Andromeda tetragona, and Acaena Novae 
Zealandiae, and then gives the correct names (Cassi- 
ope tetragona, and Acaena microphylla) as 
synonyms. 
