374 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 12, 1898. 
tonianum do well, however, at Poolewe. 
With slight protection in winter the ever¬ 
green Chilian shrub, Mitraria coccinea 
produced a wealth of its curved, orange- 
scarlet flowers. He has not yet got the 
blue sheen of Gentiana cruciata out of his 
eyes. We should advise him to try G verna 
and G. acauhs, the former being particularly 
brilliant. The cool, moist atmosphere of 
the west should suit them admirably. The 
Penzance Sweet Briers have found their 
way here, the variety Lady Penzance 
having met with great favour. Orchis foliosa 
from Madeira was particularly vigorous last 
year, one large clump consisting of twenty- 
five strong spikes. The perennial Silver 
Qu°en Poppy and the silvery-leaved Salvia 
argentea are much admired favourites. For 
some years Sparaxis pulcherrima had been 
anything but a success till a specimen sup¬ 
posed to have come direct from South Africa 
was sent him,and this flowered as freely as the 
native heather on the hills, quite indifferent 
to the gales of the West Coast. Barnardia, 
more correctly described as Scilla chinensis 
and figured as such in the Botanical Magazine, 
t. 3,788 rewarded him by flowering freely 
after a number of years and he was able to 
supply the Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 
with bulbs, as well as plants of Fabiana 
imbricata, an evergreen, heath-like shrub 
from Chili, but which he obtained in the 
form of cuttings by parcel post from Ajaccio, 
Corsica. It flowered in his garden without 
protection during last winter. 
The same collection speaks in glowing 
terms of the improvements that have been 
worked amcngst modern as compared with 
the old named varieties of Pciitstemons. 
He was highly pleased with the results from 
a packet of seed, but was lost in wonder¬ 
ment over the large flowers that turned up 
in another batch of seedlings also raised 
from seed. Though he gives no name of 
the place nor the horticulturist from whom 
he obtained the seed, we can, through the 
mind’s eye, perceive the Surrey garden in 
which the Pentsiemons and Lobelias, he 
mentions, are growing. He describes the 
individual blooms as positively as big as 
small Gloxinias. We were amongst the 
first to find any merit in single Cactus 
Dahlias ; but amongst others they now find 
a warm advocate in this enthusiastic plant 
grower. He admits that the taste is an 
acquired one after being accustomed to the 
ordinary single sorts having blooms about 
as round as the compass can make them. 
Since he first saw them they have been 
greatly improved, and his people have taken 
a great fancy for them From an artistic 
point of view he considers them by far the 
more beautiful ofthe two types,and they look 
well in vases without any special arrange¬ 
ment. From the 18th October to the nth 
November last, there was neither rain, fog, 
frost nor wind at Poolewe, and during his 
thirty years’ experience he has never had 
such a wealth of perfect Tea Roses, even 
in the best June weather, as during that 
period. Some clumps of Oxalis bowisma 
commenced flowering in June, and con¬ 
tinued without intermission till November, 
when they were masses of crimson. Though 
there is a slight difference in colour between 
the flowers of Schizostylis coccinea, Rhodo¬ 
dendron nobleanum and Gloire de Margot - 
in Roses, there seemed very little either 
when under the influence of lamp light or 
bright sunshine. These scarlet flowers 
adorned his dining-room table on the 3rd 
December. Again on the 5th ult. he was 
charmed with the lilac and gold flowers of 
the Algerian Iris (I. stylosa), which he con¬ 
siders one of the most charming of winter 
flowers. 
- -- 
Camphor comes mostly from Japan and Formosa. 
A Cinematograph registers slow as well as rapid 
motion, and it is reported that a camera has been 
invented to register the growth of plants. 
Birmingham Amateur Gardeners' Association.—The 
first meeting of this society’s 1898 session took place 
on the 2nd inst., when Mr. W. Walker gave an 
address on Tomatos. Details of cultivation were 
dealt with, and a list of suitable varieties was 
given. 
A Record for Gardeners. —How is this for a 
record ? A gardener from East Lothian told me the 
other day that he had been thirty-eight years in his 
present place ; his predecessor was forty-five years ; 
and the man before him fifty-five years. The present 
man looks fit to beat his predecessors.— R. L. 
Spring Flowers in January.—A correspondent from 
the neighbourhood of Leeds writes to the effect that 
seventy-six species and varieties of plants were in 
flower in a garden in Leeds at the end of January, 
and comments upon this unusual feature. The list 
includes, besides a number of Hellebores, five 
varieties of AnemoDe Hepatica, ten Snowdrops t 
Leucojum vernum, Cyclamen Coum, six Primroses 
of various colours, Erica carnea, Eranthis hyemalis, 
Saxifraga Boydii, Tussilago fragrans, Adonis 
amurensis, five Crocus species, Cardamine trifolia, 
Hacquetia (Dondia) Epipactis, a Wallflower, and 
Rhododendron praecox. 
Practical Botany at Glasnevin.—The young gar¬ 
deners at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, 
are to have the advantage of scientific training such 
as exists at the Kew and Edinburgh establishments. 
Dr. T. Johnson, Professor of Botany in the Royal 
College of Science, will lecture on botany. The 
curator of the gardens, Mr. F. W. Moore, will 
lecture on horticulture and floriculture, explaining 
the scientific classification of the plants in the beds 
and houses in the gardens. We understand that the 
Department of Science and Art has made the 
arrangement, but the instruction will be modelled on 
the same lines as at the two botanical establishments 
above-mentioned. We congratulate the Sister Isle 
on this evidence of progress with the times. 
Cheltenham Bachelors’ Fancy Dress Ball.—Mr. W. 
F. James (of Messrs. Shirer & Haddon) and Mr. 
Cypher, both of Cheltenham, gave a splendid mani¬ 
festation of their skill as decorators at this annual 
function, which was the excitement at Cheltenham 
on the 2nd inst. One special feature was a trellised 
archway which led the way from the refreshment- 
room. This archway was prettily wreathed with 
trails of Ivy and other climbers, and ornamented 
with flowers. Against the drapery which concealed 
the balconies were arranged groups of choice plants 
which produced an excellent effect. In the gallery 
itself was a pretty representation of the front of an 
eastern residence which was elegantly decorated 
with curtains and hanging baskets of flowers. It 
was in the chief supper-room, however, that Mr. 
Cypher’s efforts were most evident. The centre 
diamond table was adorned by two three-span 
arches, upon which Orchids, Lilies, and Camellias, 
displayed their charms in conjunction with suitable 
greenery. 
Kew and Chiswick Gardeners Fraternizing —Dr. D. 
H. Scott, the honorary keeper, Jodrell Laboratory, 
Kew, is to deliver a lecture on “ The Construction of 
Plants ” at a meeting of the Kew Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Society on the 14th inst., at 8 p.m., to 
which the members of the Chiswick Gardeners’ 
Mutual Improvement Association have been invited, 
with the consent of the director, Mr. W. T. Thisel- 
ton-Dyer. For many years past we have been 
pleased to meet and associate with many of the 
young gardeners from Kew at the meetings of the 
Chiswick society. We have also attended some of 
the meetings at Kew as an old member, but this is 
the first occasion on which the Chiswick society has 
had a general invitation from the authorities at Kew, 
and the innovation meets with our cordial sympathy. 
This form of fraternizing has much to recommend 
it, and is an example that might well be adopted by 
other societies throughout the country. We hope 
the Chiswick gardeners will attend in strong force 
to mark their appreciation of this invitation. The 
entrance is by the Melon Ground gate at the north 
end of the Richmond Road, Kew, and the gate will 
be open a few minutes before 8 p.m. 
Mr. James Ogston, for the past four years 
gardener to John White, Esq., Dalhebity, Cults, 
Aberdeenshire, has been appointed superintendent 
of the new Grove Cemetery, Woodside, Aberdeen. 
Mr. Ogston enters his new duties on the first of 
March. — D. A. 
National Chrysanthemum Society. - We understand 
that James Herbert Veitch, Esq., F.L.S., of the 
Royal Exotic Nursery, King’s Road, Chelsea, is to 
take the chair on the occasion of the annual 
“ smoker ” of the National Chrysanthemum Society 
at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, London, on the 
14th inst. The meeting was a success last year, but 
it should even be more strongly supported on this 
occasion by the members and others. 
The Scent of Roses. —In giving awarls to 
meritorious Roses, the National Rose Society has 
decided that in the future judges shall consider more 
carefully the scent than hitherto. Had this rule 
always been observed some existing varieties would 
not have ranked so highly as they have done. Her 
Majesty, one of the earliest of the late Mr. Bennett's 
pedigree Roses is scentless. So also are Baroness, 
Merveille des Blanches, and Merveille de Lyons. 
The hybrid Sweetbriers raised by Lord Penzance 
should satisfy those people who wish for fragrance in 
both leaf and bloom. 
Symmetry in a Garden. —A Scotch gardener—one 
of the old school—was so fond of symmetry in the 
garden that every bed, border, bush, and tree had 
its counterpart in some other corresponding part of 
the garden. One summer-house was not sufficient; 
it had to be matched in another portion of the grounds 
by another precisely similar in all its details. The 
laird was passing through the garden one day 
accompanied by the gardener, and espied a boy 
imprisoned in one of the summer-houses. “ Why is 
the boy locked in there ?" he enquired. " I caught 
him stealin’ yer lairdship’s fruit,” replied the 
gardener. This was sufficient answer, but presently 
he came upon the other house and exclaimed | 
“ Losh me ! gardener, has your son been stealing 
fruit, too.” *■ Na, na, your lairdship; I only put 
him in for the sake of seemmetry.” 
Scottish Horticultural Association —The opening 
meeting of the session of the Scottish Horti¬ 
cultural Association was held on the 1st inst. at 5, St. 
Andrew Square, Edinburgh — Mr. Mr. M. Todd pre¬ 
siding over a large attendance. The lecturer of the 
evening was Mr. H. J. Jones, of Lewisham, who 
spoke on " Chrysanthemums and their Culture. In 
introducing the lecturer the Chairman said that to 
think of Chrysanthemums was to think of Mr. 
Jones, who, perhaps more than any one living, had 
done much to popularise and improve the cultiva¬ 
tion of that flower. In the course of his lecture Mr. 
Jones said that no greater mistake was made in the 
cultivation of the Chrysanthemum than in making 
the first shift before the plant pressed its claims for 
that treatment upon the grower. After mentioning 
several methods to be adopted in testing whether the 
plant w^s ready for shifting, he cautioned growers to 
see that the plant had proper atmospheric conditions, 
and advised them against overcrowding. He strongly 
recommended that the ash of the old Chrysanthe¬ 
mum stems be used as part of the food of the plant; 
emphasised the importance of the soil being in the 
right condition ; and recommended the growth of 
two weak plants in one pot. It sometimes happened, 
he said, that too much water was put into one pot, 
and if one of the plants was in a healthy condition, it 
absorbed the extra moisture, and thus helped its 
weaker brother. Shading he condemned, and sug¬ 
gested that cuttings should be put in boxes or frames 
in preference to small pots. The lecturer next 
described the course to be followed in the various 
pottings, gave details of the compost to be used, and 
said that in shifting to the flowering pot it was safe 
to err on the side of having small rather than large 
pots, it being necessary that the pots should be filled 
with roots. Mr. Jones also emphasised the necessity 
of potting firmly, and said that, though the flowers 
should be watered thoroughly, too much water was 
often more injurious than too little. It was a mis¬ 
take to assume that because the plant had got rain, 
and the earth appeared moist on the top, that it had 
had sufficient water, and he therefore suggested 
sounding at the bottom rather than at the top of the 
pot. Mr. Jones was accorded a hearty vote of thanks 
for his address. In the course of the evening a 
number of new members were admitted. 
