February 26, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
407 
The Biggest Thing on Earth in Parks. —Yellowstone 
National Park in north-western Wyoming, U S.A. 
It has an area of 3,312 square miles. 
Preston and Fulwood Gardeners.—At the last 
mbnthly meeting the members of this institution 
were favoured with a paper on ‘‘Seeds, 1 ’ by Mr. J. 
Roberts. Alderman Woods filled the chair. Tbe 
lecturer dealt in an able manner with the common 
requirements, growth, and substance of seeds, illus¬ 
trating his remarks by samples of various seeds in 
different stages of germination. Mr. Roberts 
spoke of the requirements of seeds as being air, 
water, and soil. He referred to the process of 
malting barley in which tbe starch contained in the 
seed was converted into sugar by the action of a 
ferment. He spoke, too, of the essential constituents 
of plants, and of the method by which they obtained 
them from the air and the soil, in the latter case by 
tbe action of water. A brisk discussion took place 
at the close, and many questions were asked. The 
lecturer subsequently replied to these. 
The Swanley College.—The women’s department 
of this famous horticultural training school continues 
to flourish apace. In the report for the year 1897 
just issued by the council of the college reference is 
made to the fact that so far from the ranks of the 
gardening profession being overcrowded with women, 
remunerative employment has been found for all 
students who were duly qualified, and that the 
demand is still in excess of the supply. Miss Gulvin > 
one of the students first employed at Kew, has 
accepted a responsible post with several gardeners 
under her, of whom Miss Groome, another Swanley 
student is one. Miss Hutchings is still at Kew, and 
two others are in training there. Edinburgh 
Botanic Gardens have also been opened to two 
women gardeners. Other students of the college 
who have done well include Miss Smith, who is still 
at work at Lady Henry Somerset’s Industrial Farm 
Colony at Duxhurst, where she organises and 
directs the horticultural work ; Miss Prior, who is 
directing and instructing in gardening the patients at 
the Hale Convalescent Home ; Miss Agar, who is at 
the Wycombe Abbey School as head gardener ; Miss 
Clark, who has been teaching botany at the 
Princess Helena College, Ealing ; Miss Morrison, 
who has been employed in laying out gardens in 
London; Miss Atkey, who has been employed in 
planting an orchard in Suffolk ; aDd Miss Windermer 
and Miss Cope, who have been appointed to lecture 
on bee-keeping and London trees respectively. 
The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association has 
just issued its 15th annual report. This runs to a 
pamphlet of 116 pages dealing with the work of the 
association. A map of London and its suburbs 
comes next to the title page, localities where work 
has been done being marked with red ink. These 
red marks are conspicuously numerous in that con¬ 
gested area of the metropolis marked E C. in the 
postal guide. The sphere of operations extends 
from Tottenham and Muswell Hill on the north, to 
Penge and Lower Tooting on the south ; and from 
Woolwich and East Ham on the east toTwickenham 
and Ealing in the artistocratic west. The benefits 
conferred by the association or through its instru¬ 
mentality include the laying out of open spaces or 
grants to other bodies for that purpose, opposition 
to infringements of public rights, negotiations con¬ 
cerning inimical movements, the obtaining of new 
open spaces, the planting of trees in suitable locali¬ 
ties, and the placing of seats and drinking fountains 
where they may prove of service. Amongst the items 
of work which have--b6en successfully carried out 
during the past year we notice a grant of /13 5s. to 
the Paddington Vestry for trees planted in the Great 
Western Road, trees planted in Pender Street, Dept¬ 
ford, a recommendation to the St. Giles’ District 
Board of Works to plant trees in Great Russell 
Street, W.C.; and assistance to the schemes of 
acquiring Churchyard Bottom Wood, Highgate, N., 
for a public park, the extension of the Chelsea 
Embankment, and the appointment of an inspector 
forjudging window and cottage gardens for prizes. 
In an appendix a list of trees and shrubs suitable 
for town planting, compiled by Mr. W. Goldring, is 
given. All those who would like to help forward 
the laudable work of the society may send their 
cheques or postal orders to Lord Neath, or the 
Secretary, 83, Lancester Gate, London, W. 
The Californian Woodpecker must be a good forager. 
It is said to carry home acorns to its stores from a 
distance of thirty miles. 
Mr. William Paton has been appointed head 
gardener to Mrs. Harmsworth, Poynter's Hall, 
Totteridge, Herts. Mr. Paton is a young Ayrshire 
trained gardener, and judging from his training and 
experience, coupled with his great energy he will 
prove himself a credit to the " land of Burns.” 
Floral Fete for Newton-Stewart.—The annual prize 
scheduleof the Newton-Stewart,Minigaff and District 
Horticultural Society, which has just been published, 
is a well got up catalogue. The fete is to be held in 
Kirroughtree Park, by the kindness of the owner, 
who is also the president of the society. Amongst 
the prizes are gold and silver medals from various 
donors, a silver challenge cup, and the bronze medal 
of the R. H. S. Messrs. Cocker & Sons, of Aber¬ 
deen, offer two silver medals, and Messrs. Sander & 
Co., St. Albans, a Cattleya value 4 gs. The prizes to 
be given for Chrysanthemums at the show projected 
for November next, include a silver-gilt medal from 
Mr. H. J. Jones, of Lewisham ; a handsomely bound 
volume of Pearson's Magazine, from Messrs. C. 
Arthur Pearson, Ltd.; volumes of The Gardening 
World, and Gardening Illustrated, presented by their 
respective editors, and a volume of Cottage Gardening 
from Messrs. Cassell & Co. 
Sale of the Crystal Palace.—We understand that 
the directors of the Crystal Palace Company have 
under consideration proposals from an influential 
quarter for the purchase of the Crystal Palace and 
Grounds, although no details of the scheme have as 
yet been made public, but as it will be necessary to 
obtain special parliamentary powers for carrying 
through the scheme of reconstruction, the present 
company having been incorporated by Act of 
Parliament, they must soon be made so. The 
capitalisation of the existing company reaches the 
enormous figure of £1,533,675, and it is proposed to 
reduce this by more than half, a large working 
capital being provided in addition. The schools of 
engineering, art, and music, so long associated with 
the Palace, will be continued, and increased facilities 
for tuition granted. Strong representations have 
been made as to the urgent need for an improved 
railway service if the enterprise is to pay, and it is 
highly probable that improvements will be made in 
this direction. The catering will also be rendered 
more attractive. There is no word as yet, however, 
with regard to the flower shows which were held for 
many years by the present company, but which were 
latterly discontinued, still with a vigorous and 
energetic executive we may hope for the best. 
-- 
EARLY CABBAGE. 
With us these are quite five weeks in advance of 
most seasons, and I hear that excellent Cabbage has 
been cut during the past few weeks in North Devon, 
where it is much colder than here. I have tried 
several varieties, but for earliness and compactness 
none pleases me better than Ellam’s Early, this being 
an ideal Cabbage for a gentleman's table, I consider. 
Out of 1,000 only 3 per cent, have bolted, but all 
the three kinds that I am growing are behaving well 
in this respect, to which I must attribute the excep¬ 
tionally mild winter. The plants have had no 
check whatever since they were put out on the 20th 
September, so they have kept growing, and are now 
quitfe nice, firm heads, which we are cutting daily for 
the dining-room. It is after a mild time, succeeded 
by severe frost, that I have always found the greatest 
number go to seed when they make a fresh start 
again.— J. Mayne, Bicton. 
TOMATO THE POLEGATE IMPROVED. 
Tomatos more than anything, perhaps, require 
constant attention in order to keep them up to the 
desired standard, for which reason it is necessary 
to raise fresh stocks or varieties to take the 
place of those that get worn out by age 
and other circumstances. The Polegate Im¬ 
proved is the result of a cross between the old 
Trophy and Perfection. The former was highly 
popular and extensively grown for many years, par¬ 
ticularly by growers for market, but it has been dis¬ 
placed to some extent by more recent selections or 
by crossing it with others, as in the case under 
notice. The fruit is of large size, smooth, and 
shapely. The skin is bright red, with the smallest 
amount of waste at the eye, while the flesh is also 
richly coloured, solid, and of good flavour. A house¬ 
ful of 149 plants, confined to a single stem each, gave 
a harvest of 2,159 fruits in a house unaided by fire- 
heat, thus testifying to the heavy cropping character 
of the variety. The accompanying illustration was 
lent us by Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & Son, Highgate, 
London, and shows how well adapted for exhibition 
the variety is. 
Tomato, The Polegate Improved. 
