THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 12 , 1898 . 
Tobacco Culture occupies about 1,500,000 acres of 
the earth’s surface. 
Potatos are prepared for table in 100 different 
ways; but how many of them are bad is not 
stated. 
A Fact.—Overheard at a recent horticultural 
exhibition at Exeter.—Prominent tradesman, to a 
leading horticulturist of the district: " Oh, are you 
one of the judges to-day?” Horticulturist: “ Oh 
no ; lam an inspector.” P. T. : *■ Ah ! I see. I am 
a surveyor.”— Snaggs. 
Coming of Age Celebration.—The Scottish Horti¬ 
cultural Association is to celebrate its majority or 
" coming of age ” on the 8th March next, by a supper 
and social gathering of the members and their 
friends. The association was founded in 1877, as a 
mutual improvement organisation amongst the 
gardeners of Edinburgh and the surrounding district. 
Its beginnings were very small, but like the thrifty 
acorn, it has grown to great proportions, with a 
healthy and vigorous constitution, which will carry 
the association to a hale old age. We wish it - long 
health and prosperity, and sympathise with every 
wholesome endeavour it makes for the benefit of 
gardeners and gardening. 
Sevenoaks Horticultural Society.—Mr. F. S. Paine 
presided at the annual meeting of this society, which 
took place recently at the Royal Crown Hotel, 
Sevenoaks. The statement of accounts for the year 
was presented, and showed a balance in hand of 
£'4 r 9 s - 1 id., the income for the year having been 
£ 3°5 is. 4d., and the expenses £290 is. sd. It was 
decided that the annual flower show should take 
place on the 10th August next, subject to the 
approval of Lord Sackville. His lordship was again 
appointed president, and the vice-president and com¬ 
mitteemen, with the exception of one member of the 
latter body, who had left the neighbourhood, were 
also re-elected. Mr. C. Essenhigh Corke was asked 
to continue the office of auditor, and Mr. Stanford 
J. YouDg was chosen as his colleage vice Mr. S. 
Young, deceased. 
Study of Mosses. — The Fein Bulletin has extended 
its sphere of influence so as to include mosses. This 
new departure has been made with the object of 
enabling amateurs who may be interested in mosses 
to get some knowledge of the bryophytes without 
excessive labour or expense. The books recom¬ 
mended as part of the young collector’s outfit for this 
particular study must constitute a serious item for the 
pockets of any but the well-to-do amateur. No 
hobby can, however, be indulged in without some 
initial outlay, whether the would-be student is a 
gardener, bricklayer or millionaire. The quarterly 
just mentioned is to assist by means of illustrations 
in each number, accompanied by descriptive text ; 
by the naming of specimens ; by distributing dried 
and mounted ones ; and in other ways. In the win¬ 
ter number the Common Hair Moss (Polytrichum 
commune) is well illustrated and in detail. Like 
many other British plants, this moss occurs in the 
United States, being, indeed, so common, that 
scarcely any meadow or roadside is free from it. In 
many parts of New England it is a great nuisance by 
killing the grass in old meadows. 
The Liverpool Horticultural Association. — The 
annual meeting of this society was held in the Free 
Library, Liverpool, on the 29th ult., Mr. Thomas 
Foster presiding. The accounts show an income of 
£130 16s. gd. from the summer show ; £175 ns. 2d , 
autumn show ; subscriptions, £408 7s. 4.; Adver¬ 
tisements and bank interest, /n ns. ; with a 
balance brought forward of £101 9s. 5d., making a 
total of £&2j 15s. 8d. The expenditure includes for 
summer show, /380 is. 5d. ; autumn, £283 19s. gd. ; 
general, £84 2s. 8d. ; total expenditure, £748 3s. iod., 
leaving a balance in favour of the society of £yg ns. 
iod., or a loss on the year’s working of £21 17s. 7d. 
The statement of accounts and the report as read by 
the secretary were adopted. The sub-treasurer, Mr. 
G. Blackmore, the auditors, Messrs. Peers and 
Waterman, and Mr. W. Dickson, the secretary, 
were re-elected. Arrangements were made to hold 
two shows, spring and autumn, during the ensuing 
year. The subscriptions of £1 3s and £2 2s. to the 
Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution and to the 
Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund were unanimously 
voted. Some five changes were made in the com¬ 
mittee. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded 
the business. 
Lignum Vitae and Pomegranate woods are the 
heaviest, while cork is the lightest. Some may, how¬ 
ever, object to cork being considered wood. 
Iron Tonics.—A French chemist proposes to feed 
plants judiciously with iron fertilisers in order to 
obtain easily assimilable iron tonics from vege¬ 
tables. 
Popping in Acorns.—As Collingwood never saw a 
vacant place in his estate but he took an acorn out 
of his pocket and popped it in ; so deal with your 
compliments through life. An acorn costs nothing, 
but it may sprout into a prodigious bit of timber.— 
Tliackevay. 
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.—A few years ago 
the site now occupied by this grand park was a wild 
waste of sand running in places to a depth of 200 ft., 
but a liberal expenditure of money and talent has 
made it what it is to-day—one of the special features 
of the Golden City of the West. It has an extreme 
length of four miles and slopes right down to the 
Pacific Ocean. All Australian and Japanese plaids 
do well in the kindly climate. No fewer than thirty 
forms of Acacias are represented by healthy and 
vigorous specimens, also Conifers of various kinds, 
notably Sequoia gigantea, Cedrus atlantica, and C. 
Deodara. The main roads in the park are 75 ft. in 
width, and no trouble or expense is spared in keeping 
them in condition. The glass department is well 
found, and accommodates some excellent collections 
of Orchids and foliage plants. The Victoria regia is 
also well done, and blooms very freely. 
Moles and their Food.—The generally prevalent 
opinion about the gentleman in black velvet is that 
he lives on an animal diet chiefly. Every now and 
again this gets controverted, and recently so by a 
writer in the Rural World. This penman says that 
moles live on seed corn, Carrots, Potatos, Turnips, 
Asparagus, and similar dainties, but chiefly those. 
From such a statement it would seem as if the mole 
had been specially created for the annoyance of man. 
Surely it ought not to be difficult to settle by 
properly authenticated and (reliable examination of 
the contents of the stomach by scientific men, or in 
other words well-qualified naturalists. Moles no 
doubt existed in Britain long before any of the above 
named plants existed in sufficient quantity, and in 
various parts of the’ country, to supply the moles 
with food. Whether they are animal or vegetable 
feeders, or both, should be placed beyond the 
bounds of uncertainty. According to our experience 
they are most abundant in meido vs where the soil is 
relatively soft, moist, rich, and capable of supporting 
plenty of animal life, bat from which all of the above 
crops may have been absent for many years. 
Woolton Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society.— 
The usual meeting was held on Thursday, the 2nd 
inst., at the Mechanics’ Institute, Mr. W. W. Gam¬ 
ble in the chair. The subject for consideration was 
“ Economy in Chrysanthemums,” by Mr. J. Devan. 
ney, Botanic Gardens, Liverpool. The chief points 
reviewed were the season, cleanliness, quantity of 
bloom and the system of grouping. The speaker 
was especially strong on the best means of staging, 
and continually varying the same. One week he 
would arrange the groups or banks with Palms and 
other foliage plants; in the next he would show the 
beauties of the flowers without the aid of outside 
helps; at other times he would group in distinct 
colours or kinds. These changes of systems gave a 
stronger interest to the general public. The speaker 
in answer to the position of the ” Mum ” as a popu¬ 
lar flower in Liverpool stated that last season the 
number of visitors far exceeded those of previous 
years, and, although the doors were opened an hour 
earlier than usual, the crush was so great that many 
were unable to gain admission. There had been on 
some occasions 4,000 visitors, 600 being unable to 
obtain admission. Mr. J. Hogan contributed some 
9 or 10 bunches of cut Chrysanthemums in splendid 
perfection, for which a Certificate of Merit was 
awarded. Mr. R. Todd also received a Certificate 
of Merit for forty-three varieties of cut Orchids 
shown at the previous meeting. The secretary was 
instructed to write and thank Mr. R. j. Harvey 
Gibson,M. A., for the loan of half-a-dozen microscopes. 
Votes of thanks to the lecturer and chairman con¬ 
cluded the business. 
875 
ORCSID NOTES ft GLEANINGS. 
Laelia anceps schroderiana Rosslyn van. Nov. 
var. —Amongst the numerous white varieties of Laelia 
anceps, the form known as L. a. schroderiana must 
take a prominent position on account of the great 
breadth of the lamina of the lip, this, we consider, 
being its primary distinguishing feature. Amongst 
hundreds of plants that may be seen during the 
flowering period of the species, it will be noted that 
the lip is relatively narrow even while the petals are 
broad. The whole flower of the Rosslyn var. is of 
splendid dimensions and the plant of vigorous 
growth. The sepals and long, elliptic petals are pure 
white. The same may be said of the lip with the 
exception of the disc and the radiating lines on the 
interior of the side lobes. The latter are of a rich 
purple deepening to carmine-crimson at the opening 
of the tube. The raised golden disc is striped with 
dark purple lines on its lower half only. The lamina 
of the lip measures 1^ in. in length, and ij in. in 
breadth. The flower measures 4A in. across the 
petals without flattening them ; and 5J in. vertically. 
The side lcbss spread wide open. This grand variety 
was secured for twelve guineas at the Sale Rooms of 
Messrs. Protheroe & Morris, on the 4th inst., by H. 
T Pitt, Esq., Rosslyn, Stamford Hill, who is to be 
congratulated on being the possessor of the best 
form cfL. a. schroderiana in cultivation 
--— 
QUESTIONABLE EXHIBITS. 
To most people it will come as a surprise that the 
National Chrysanthemum Society has fallen so low 
as to accept prizes with such conditions as those 
mentioned in last week’s issue by ” A Member of the 
N.C.S.” In small local shows such a thing might be 
tolerated, but should not be encouraged : but in a 
society like the N.C S. it is surely unnecessary. I 
believe the offering of these prizes leads to a great 
deal of dishonesty, and should not be encouraged. 
As secretary of a Chrysanthemum show I have 
frequently had to decline similar offers from firms, 
who evidently think this a cheap way of advertising. 
I would call upon the N.C.S. and all horticultural 
societies to purge their prize lists of such “ liberal ” 
donors, and feel certain they will not lose by it—in 
reputation at least— Secretary. 
-j-»* » ■ 
LOW-PRICED SEEDS. 
My attention has just been called to a communica¬ 
tion in your paper of January 29th, in which your 
correspondent attacks, without any ex eauation, the 
sale of what he terms " low-priced seeds.” Under 
some circumstances, no doubt, his opinion may, to 
some extent, be endorsed, but it does not follow that 
his version is absolutely correct. As senior member 
of my own firm, I venture to submit to you that we 
supply seeds of unquestionable value—no better is it 
possible to procure-^-yet our prices are fully 50 per 
cent below some houses for the same class of gpods. 
How can we do this ? Simply because our catalogue 
prices are the net prices to us. We sell our seeds 
entirely upon their merits and at a fair remunerative 
profit, which, as I said before, is net to 
ourselves. I should not have troubled you 
with this explanation but that your corre¬ 
spondent seemed to infer that it was impossible 
to offer a good article in this particular business 
without charging an exorbitant price, but when the 
expenditure comes to be analysed a little it will fully 
explain itself. 
That we are doing the thing that is right, anrj 
giving the public satisfaction is evident from the 
numerous testimonials we are daily rece’ving and the 
very rapid extension of our business.—C. Fidler. 
I am obliged to your correspondent at p. 364 for his 
reply to my previous note on this subject. I may say 
here that, after thirty-five years’ careful observation 
and comparison over a wide area as to prices, quality, 
&c., I maintain all I said, and this without 
prejudice to any one or class. May I ask jour 
correspondent to note that there is a wide difference 
between low and high prices, as he puts it, just as there 
is a middle between two ends ; but it can answer 
no good purpose to discuss this question further, as 
I am quite prepared to leave the matter with the 
common sense of the readers of The Gardening 
World. Now I have bad my say in the matter.— 
J. C., Chard. 
