March 12, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
439 
Jadoo Fibre. —The Secretary to the American 
Carnation Society has written to the Jadoo Company, 
and states that ioo per cent, of Carnation cuttings 
have been rooted by him in Jadoo Fibre, and that he 
now means to use it exclusively for propagating. 
This statement, made by an official with such a 
standing as Mr. Heer, should mean a considerable 
influx of orders to the company, both from home and 
abroad. 
Cypripediums with Fungus. —At a meeting of the 
Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society last month, Mr. Douglas exhibited specimens 
with the roots badly infested by a mycelium. Mr. 
Veitch at once recognised it as the result of a too damp 
atmosphere, recording the fact that having on one 
occasion to make a double roof, it caused so much 
damp that he lost many Orchids from the same 
cause, but on improving the atmosphere this com¬ 
pletely prevented any recurrence of the fungus. 
Royal Botanic Society —Mr. J. B. Sowerby, the 
energetic secretary of this society is favouring the 
members with a series of lectures on “ Vegetable 
Fibres, and Fibre-producing Plants.” The second 
lecture of the series was delivered on the 26th ult., 
Mr. C. Brinsley Marley presiding. Mr. Sowerby 
dealt specially on this occasion with flax, hemp and 
cotton. Several interesting exhibits were banded 
round for purposes of illustration, not the least 
interesting of which was a piece of flaxen mummy- 
cloth, supposed to be about 3,000 years old. The 
chairman announced that at the next meeting of 
Fellows there would be a microscopic exhibition of 
pollen grains. 
International Shew at Ghent. —The Royal Agri¬ 
cultural and Botanical Society of Ghent is actively 
engaged forwarding everything pertaining to the 
great show to be opened on the 16th April next and 
continued till the 24th. The jury will consist of 200 
members all strangers to the town of Ghent, who will 
have to allocate the prizes in the 720 classes open to 
competitors. His Majesty the King of Belgium 
offers a Gold Medal for the 100 most meritorious 
exotic Orchids; while H. M. The Queen of Belgium 
offers a Gold Medal for 25 stove and greenhouse 
plants in flower. A work of art (value 500 francs) is 
offered in memory of Comte Charles de Kerchove de 
Denterghem, for the most remarkable 100 hardy 
annuals or biennials. M. Leon Van den Bossche 
offers a work of art (value 500 francs) for a collection 
the most numerous in botanical, woody, and sub- 
woody species of cool greenhouse plants, not in 
European culture outside of botanical gardens. A 
work of art (value 300 francs) will be decreed in the 
name of the English committee to honour the 
memory of Louis Van Houtte, for the most varied 
collection of 40 plants, flowering or otherwise, but in 
good examples. Besides the above, many other 
valuable prizes are offered. 
Chiswick Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Associa¬ 
tion. —On the 3rd inst., Mr. A. Pentney, Worton Hall 
Gardens, Isleworth, read a paper at the meeting of 
this society on "The Present Day Gardener." Mr. 
Pentney took a pretty wide survey of the subject, com¬ 
paring the capabilities of the modern gardener with 
his predecessors, who, with fewer and less suitable 
appliances, was able to accomplish much in the way 
of growing Pines and various large specimen plants. 
He mentioned a considerable number of types or 
classes of gardener, to which he added the most recent 
innovation, the lady gardener. The various com¬ 
paratively recent improvements of certain classes of 
plants received a considerable amount of attention. 
The microscope as an aid to gardening was men¬ 
tioned amongst the appliances at the command of 
those of a scientific turn of mind. The old gardener 
was no botanist, though a knowledge of the subject 
was of material advantage to any gardener. In 
landscape gardening, the work of laying out new 
gardens is now tending along more natural lines 
than formerly. Briefly, the gardeners’ education is 
never complete; but he considered that the re¬ 
muneration offered is by no means adequate, 
considering the education that a gardener must give 
himself in order to fit him for the duties required. 
A large number of the members present took part in 
the discussion. Mr. S. T. Wright, the president, 
announced that the Rev. Prof. George Henslow, is to 
deliver a course of four lectures on various subjects 
pertaining to gardening to the members of this 
society in July next. 
A Papyrus Manuscript has the honour of bearing 
the earliest caricature, as far as is known. The lion 
and the unicorn are represented playing a game of 
draughts or something similar. 
Woolton Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society.— 
A meeting of this society was recently held, when 
Mr. R. Todd, of Woolton Wood, delivered a lecture 
on " Should Coniferae be more extensively planted ?” 
and urged a plea for the more extensive planting in 
the neighbourhood of Liverpool for two reasons, 
utility and beauty. The lecturer referred to the 
beauty of the woods and trees in spring and autumn, 
but dwelt strongly on the barren and leafless aspect 
during winter. To enforce the object in view, some 
of the finest pinetums in the North of England and 
Scotland were enumerated, and some of the more 
notable Pine woods of Scotland were mentioned, 
with the heights of many of the trees and the value 
of the timber. The extensive planting in the Isle of 
Man was also referred to, with the suggestion that 
the Government should continue the work in the 
wild wastes of England and Ireland. A strong 
discussion followed in which Messrs. J. Hogan, J. 
McColl, T. Carling, J. Rae, H. Corlett, T. Griffiths, 
H. Ellis, R. G. Waterman, and the chairman, Mr. 
W. W. Gamble, took part, principally on the dearth 
of good specimens in our pleasure grounds in the 
district, and the cause of the bottom branches dying 
off. A cordial vote of thanks was tendered to the 
lecturer and chairman for their services. 
Currant Bl'ght. —Mr. Berry gave an interesting 
account of the history and progress of this destruct¬ 
ive injury, especially to Black Currants in Kent, at 
the last meeting of the Scientific Committee of the 
Royal Horticultural Society. It was first observed 
some ten years ago, but has now reached alarming 
dimensions. Miss Ormerod recommended picking 
off and destroying the buds infested with the mite 
(Phytoptus Ribis), the cause of the complaint. 
This was done, but last year a sudden development 
occured, when picking became useless. The " Bald¬ 
win," a very heavy cropper, was the variety most 
seriously attacked. The "Red Budded Naples" 
was only slightly affected, but this variety is not a 
heavy cropper, and the fruit being more readily 
shed, it is not so useful as the Baldwin for market 
purposes. He suggested that experiments might be 
carried out at Chiswick to discover which was the 
most blight-resisting variety, as was done with other 
plants in Victoria in the Horticultural Gardens, so 
as to aid the fruit industry in Australia. Mr. Mc- 
Lachlan gave some account of the general habits of 
the Phytopti, remarking that this species was first 
noticed by Westwood some thirty years ago. It is 
nearly legless, and lives inside the bud, consequently 
it is very difficult to reach by means of insecticides. 
He could only recommend hand picking, unless a 
mite-proof variety could be found, as they had 
raised more or less phylloxera-proof Vines. Mr. 
Michael also contributed further details, observing 
that all the species of Phytoptus were parasites, 
and that while many species might attack the same 
plant, a single species might also live on many kinds. 
They were excessively minute, possessing only two 
pairs of legs instead of eight, and always protect them¬ 
selves, so that it becomes a very difficult matter to 
reach them, as— e.g., in the curled-up edges of leaves, 
and within buds. It had been found that kerosene 
emulsion continuously applied by spraying had been 
more or less effective against P. Pyri, but acari are 
far less sensitive to chemicals than insects. The 
eggs especially have a dense cuticle, so as to render 
it quite impervious to chemical action of insecticides. 
The only chance was to repeat the process of spray¬ 
ing, and catch the successive broods. The only 
thing absolutely fatal to acarus life was boiling 
water; eggs and all were destroyed at once. Mr. 
Berry, in replying, observed that the remedy hither¬ 
to suggested of cutting down the shoots of the 
Currant bushes attacked was quite useless. Mr. 
Veitch suggested that analysis of the branches of 
the varieties affected or otherwise might reveal some 
differences, but Mr Wilks expressed himself as 
very doubtful of any appreciable differences being 
attainable even if they exist. Mr. Engleheart raised 
the question as to whether the Baldwin variety was 
weaker than others through over-propagation, but 
Mr. Michael added that Phytopti do not by any 
means prefer weaker plants, but are found more 
usually on perfectly healthy ones. 
S A.F A. O H. is supposed to stand for the " Society 
of American FlorLts and Ornamental Horti¬ 
culturists.” The Florists' Exchange has had a go at 
this cumbrous and unnecessarily lengthy title by 
interpreting the letters as the " Scotch American 
Florists’ Ancient Order Hibernians." Not bad by 
any means! 
- m§m 
ORCHID NOTES & GLEANINGS. 
By the Editor. 
Cattleya Trianaei, Mrs. W. H. Cannon, J. 
O'Brien .—The resources of C. Trianaei have by no 
means been exhausted, yet, judging from 
a flower of this new variety sent us by 
Mr. W. H. Cannon, ig, Wool Exchange, 
Basinghall Street, London. The flower was notable 
for its massiveness rather than diameter, owing to 
the very broad and sturdy character of the petals 
which ascend at an angle of 43 0 and then spread 
above the middle. Both sepals and petals are of the 
faintest shade of blush white, the petals being 
broadly ovate, crisped at the margins and clawed at 
the base; they measure 3J ins. in length, and 2f ins. 
across, a fact that will give some idea of the bold and 
massive character of the flower. The lip is propor¬ 
tionate in size to the rest of the segments, and forms a 
very characteristic feature of the flower. The tube 
is pale blush-lilac externally, and likewise internally, 
with the exception of the usual obovate, orange 
blotch. The lamina is obliquely orbicular, beauti¬ 
fully crisped at the margins; in colour it is like the 
tube, with the addition of a large, rich purple, tri¬ 
angular or transversely rhomboid blotch on the cen¬ 
tre. Mr. Cannon may well be proud of it for it is a 
charming variety. Accompanying the above were 
four grand flowers of Dendrobium findlayanum, 
measuring 3^ ins. across the petals. 
-- I - - 
READING AND DISTRICT GARDENERS. 
One of the largest attendances of members during 
the present season assembled on Monday evening 
last, in the Club Room, under the presidency of 
Mr. C. B. Stevens, to hear a paper on "The Culti¬ 
vation of a few useful Flowering Plants for Stove 
and Warm Greenhouse ” by Mr. Townshend, Gar¬ 
dener to Sir Wm. Farrer, Sandhurst. The large 
attendance fully testified to the esteem in which 
Mr. Townshend is held, and appreciation of the 
services rendered by him in addiog to the interest of 
the Society’s meetings by continued exhibits of inter¬ 
esting flowering plants, etc. The lecturer, in intro¬ 
ducing his subject, said that in taking up the subject 
for the evening, he would treat with those plants 
which with proper treatment are easily managed and 
are for the most part inexpensive to buy, and are 
prettier than houses of Chrysanthemums, which are 
grown in far too large a quantity in most private 
gardens, to the detriment of many beautiful fldwef- 
ing plants. 
The following subjects were touched upon, and 
short but ample instructions were given of each 
variety :—Achimenes, Begonia manicata, B. Ingrami, 
B. fuchsioides, B. insignis, B. corallina, Justicia 
speciosa, J flavicoma, Heterocentrum roseum, Cen- 
tradenia rosea, Centropogon lucianus, Clerodendron 
splendens, C. Balfouri, Scutellaria mocciniana, 
S. pulcherrima, Eranthemumpulchellum.Thyrsacan- 
thus rutilans, Dendrobium nobile, Anthurium scher- 
zerianum, Phajus grandifolius, Zygopetalum Mack- 
ayii, Libonia floribunda, Habrothamnus Newelli, 
Streptosolen Jamesonii, Salvia Pitcherii, Diplacus 
hybridus splendens,Torenia Fournierii, and Exacum 
affinis. 
A lengthy discussion took place which drifted 
chiefly to the advantage or disadvantage of pruning 
Dendrobium nobile. A hearty vote of thanks was 
accorded Mr.Townshend for his unique and prac'ical 
paper. 
An interesting collection of cut blooms was 
exhibited by the lecturer, the most noticeable being 
Centradenia rosea, Clerodendron Balfouri, Phajus 
grandfolius, Zygopetalum Mackayii, Habrothamnus 
Newelli, Streptosolen Jamesonii and the various 
Begonias named above. Mr. Bound, Bill Hill Gar¬ 
dens, showed some blooms of a good type of Dendro¬ 
bium findlayanum and Odontoglossum Rossii major. 
