454 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 19, 1898. 
Cotton Plantations of twelve different colours may 
be seen in Peru. 
Holland Exports Annually bulbs to the value of 
three-quarters of a million pounds sterling, of which 
£25,000 worth go to the United States. 
Royal Horticultural Society—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, March 22nd, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, 1 
to 5 p.m. A lecture on “Soils” will be given by 
Mr. J. J. Willis at 3 o’clock. 
National Chrysanthemum Society.—The adjourned 
annual general meeting of members will take place 
at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, E.C., on Monday, 
March 21st next, at 6 o'clock in the evening :—To 
receive the committee’s revised statement of accounts, 
together with an estimate of .receipts and expenses 
for the current year; to elfect a president, vice- 
presidents, officers, and committee for the year 
ensuing; to consider certain amendments to the 
rules; and to transact such business as pertains to 
the annual general meeting. The attendance of all 
members is particularly requested. 
The Garden of Love.—They were talking of figures 
of speech. “Have you ever noticed,” said one, 
“ how fond people are of vegetable metaphors when 
they are dealing with a woman ? Her cheeks are 
' Roses,’ her lips are ' Cherry,’ her hands are always 
' Lily ’ hands, her mouth is a ' Rose-bud,' her com¬ 
plexion is like a ‘ Peach,' and her breath is fragrant 
of 1 Honey-suckle.’" "You have forgotten one," 
said the cynic. “ What’s that ? ’’ " Her tongue—it 
is a ' Scarlet Runner.’ ”— Pick-Me-Up. 
Mr. Robert Brown, who has been for some years 
foreman to Mr. Mackinnon at Terregles, and Ayton 
Castle Gardens, has been appointed gardener to 
Sir Emilius Laurie, Bart., of Maxwelltown House, 
Dumfries. Mr. Brown has had an exceedingly good 
training in some of the best places in England and 
Scotland, and although comparatively a young man, 
he is an accomplished practitioner in all departments 
connected with horticulture, Mr. Brown will no 
doubt prove a worthy successor to the very able men 
who have conducted gardening operations at Max¬ 
welltown House for so many years. He enters on 
his duties early in April. 
openings in the country that she could fill 
with propriety to herself and her employer, 
openings where the emoluments offered 
would be no temptation to any energetic 
and well qualified gardener. On the other 
hand, there are many nurserymen and 
florists who could turn their daughters to 
useful account in the management of some 
branch or department of their business. 
Moreover, women are often called upon to 
manage a business on their own account. 
In the United States many floral establish¬ 
ments are managed by women. There is 
no lack of opportunity in this country, un¬ 
fortunately, when the husband dies, leaving 
it may be a widow whose family is young. 
In such cases the advantage of a good 
horticultural training would serve the 
widow in good stead, enabling her it might 
be to carry on the establishment, which 
otherwise might, perforce, have to be given 
up. 
We do not advocate a cry for more 
gardeners, knowing as we do the congested 
condition of the profession ; but all the 
same we consider there is need for progress 
and advancement all along the line so that 
our countrymen may continue to hold their 
own not only at home but all over the 
world where competition demands that the 
gardener should be well abreast of the 
times. This striving to be in the front rank 
should be the duty of every gardener, and, 
in so attending to his own duty, he is also 
attending to the duty imposed upon him in 
patriotism to his country and nation. Not 
every branch of gardening is equally well 
attended to in this country. For instance, 
notwithstanding the agitation for an 
extension of fruit culture, it is well known 
that some people undertake the work who 
have no knowledge, practical or scientific, 
of the requirements of the case. Indeed, 
we are informed that it is very difficult to 
lay hands on young gardeners capable of 
undertaking the management of a fruit farm 
or garden. The question of manures and 
fertilisers and their proper application offers 
another burning question that must needs 
be followed up with energy, both in the 
matter of scientific teaching and practical- 
demonstration. It is no longer sufficient 
to know that the ashes of sundry specified 
plants consist of so many elements, in 
certain percentages. Good cultivators 
should be able to ascertain the relative 
fertility of the soil, and the capabilities of 
particular crops for collecting their require¬ 
ments from the soil, so that in applying 
fertilisers they may be able to do so econ¬ 
omically. That gardeners and others are 
beginning to interest themselves in these 
and similar questions is a pleasing sign of 
the times. 
———-- 
The Cotton Crop of Egypt has doubled under British 
rule, amounting now to 500,000,000 lbs. annually. 
Daffodil Prizes for Spring. —Since the schedule of 
arrangements was issued by the Royal Horticultural 
Society, Messrs. Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent 
Garden, have offered a Silver Cup for Daffodils, to 
be competed for at the meeting of the society in the 
Drill Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, Westmin¬ 
ster, on Tuesday the 12th April. The Cup has 
been designed by Mr. H. G. Moon and is offered as 
the first prize for a collection of not less than forty 
varieties of cut Daffodils, and including varieties 
belonging to the three sections—Magni-coronati, 
Medio-coronati, and Parvi-coronati (Polyanthus ex¬ 
cluded). Bottles will be provided by the society, 
and not more than three bottles of any one sort may 
be staged. Correct naming will be taken into account 
as well as elegance ot arrangement. The society 
offers a Silver Flora Medal and a money prize for 
the second best exhibit. Notice of entry should be 
addressed to the Secretary, R.H.S., 117, Victoria 
Street, S.W. 
The National Auricula and Primula Sooiety 
[Southern Section) has just sent out its twenty-first 
annual report, as usual, in neat pamphlet form. 
During 1897 the receipts have been £87 17s. 3d., and 
the expenses £71 2s. 6d. The treasurer and secre¬ 
tary, who is Mr. T. E. Henwood, Auricula Villa, 16, 
Hamilton Road, Reading, will thus have a balance 
of £16 14s. gd. to carry forward. The show held 
by the society in connection with the R H.S. at the 
Westminster Drill Hall on April 13th last was a 
complete success, and another one on the same 
lines and at the same place is, therefore, fixed for 
April 26th next. We hope it will turn out all that 
could be wished. The winners in all the classes at 
the 1897 show, together with the varieties they 
showed, are given, and the latter feature should 
be valuable for reference and information to intend¬ 
ing exhibitors who may be in need of such a guide. 
The list of last year's subscribers is also given. We 
hope to see a substantial increase this year. 
Tunbridge Wells Gardeners had, on the 22nd ult., 
the pleasure of listening to an admirable lecture on 
“Cyclamen” from Mr. James Martin, of Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, of Reading. Mr. Martin is so well 
known as an authority on Cyclamen, that anything 
ne has to say upon the subject is sure of rapt 
attention and a good audience. It was therefore 
not surprising that on this occasion the attendance 
was large and enthusiastic. In the course of his 
remarks Mr. Martin traced the introduction and 
development of the Persian Cyclamen from the year 
1730, and exhibited some blcoms of the oldest forms 
obtiinable, to illustrate the progress made by the 
flower under cultivation. Mr. Martin also gave 
minute details concerning seed propagation and the 
life generally of the plant for which he has done so 
much. He gave point and interest to his remarks 
by his rich fund of anecdote and apt illustration. 
Mr. Alderman Cronk (chairman of the Technical 
Committee) presided, and voiced the general feeling 
when he commented on the kindness of the Messrs. 
Sutton in sending Mr. Martin to instruct them. 
The Netherlands Horticultural and Botanical Society. 
—This society, which has for its objects the exhibi¬ 
tion and recognition by award of noteworthy plants, 
has just successfully completed its eighth year. In 
accordance with the custom of former years a cata¬ 
logue of the work accomplished by the society has 
been issued printed in Dutch and French. In this 
catalogue there appear the names of all the plants 
that have been exhibited, together with the names of 
the persons or firms shewing them, and the date at 
which they appeared before the committee. The 
plants shown are either new introductions, home- 
raised seedlings, or specially good examples of 
culture. All of these are eligible for award. The 
awards consist of First-class Certificates, Awards 
of Merit, Botanical Certificates, Honourable Men¬ 
tion, and Remerciment, which being equivalent to our 
•'Vote of thanks " is of little value. Plants which 
have obtained any of these awards are placed 
together, whilst in another column appears those 
subjects which the committee desires to see again, 
amongst which, by the way, we see the grand 
Deutzia Lemoinei. 
Ealing and District Gardeners’ Society.—On the 
8th instant, the president, J. Harris, Esq , F.R H.S., 
in the chair, there was a very good meeting of this 
society. The occasion was a paper by Mr F. Read, 
on " The Gardener and his Work," a subject very 
fertile in suggestion, and one which may be treated 
in a variety of ways. Mr. Read took rather a 
philosophic than a practical mood, quoting old saws 
and treating the gardener generally, rather than 
specifically, as he is most accustomed to. Mr. Read, 
however, thought the gardener was often in the same 
position as a tradesman—he embraced too many 
occupations, sometimes even saving his own seed 
and propagating his own trees. Mr. Read and the 
president received hearty votes of thanks, the latter 
assuring the members that he was greatly interested 
in the society and its work. 
Epping Forest.—The Epping Forest Committee 
made its annual report to the Court of Common 
Council on the 10th inst. The report referred to the 
judicious thinning of trees and undergrowth which 
had been carried on in some parts of the Forest, and 
stated that other parts were in need of similar treat¬ 
ment. Arrangements were in progress whereby the 
people of Ilford would obtain access to the eastern 
side of Wanstead Park by a new roadway and 
bridges. A large ornamental pond that had been 
made at Leytonstone cost £1,228, of which sum the 
corporation had voted £750 The receipts of the 
committee for the year amounted to £6,832, inclusive 
of £4,000 from the grain duty. The expenses of 
maintenance and management came to £237 in 
excess of the receipts, and aShounted to £7,069. The 
estimated expenses for tbfe year were £5,600, and 
the estimated income £1,660. The Court adopted 
the report of the committee, and agreed to place 
£4,000 to the credit of the Forest for the expenses of 
the current year. 
The National Carnation and Picotee Society (Southern 
Section ).—The twenty-first annual report of this 
section of the National Carnation and Picotee 
Society for 1897 lies before us. The report of the 
committee congratulates the society upon its con¬ 
tinued prosperity. No fewer than 78 new members 
have joined its ranks during the year,and the interest 
displayed in the Carnation and Picotee seems in no 
danger of abatement. This progress is in a great 
measure due to the untiring energy and generosity of 
the president, Martin R. Smith, Esq. Amongst other 
things he contributed £19 7s. in special prizes last 
year. The total receipts for the year, inclusive of a 
balance from 1896 of £238 is. 3d., have been 
£493 14s. gd. Theexpenses have been £284 17s. n£d., 
of which a sum of £182 gs.6i. has been distributed in 
prize money. A balance of £108 16s. gjd. is thus 
carried forward to 1898. The exhibition for 1898 
will be held at the Crystal Palace on Wednesday, 
July 20th. The directors of the Crjs al Palace 
have promised £50 towards the prizes. The names 
of the winners, and the varieties shown in each class 
at the 1897 exhibition is appended. The hon. 
secretary and treasurer of the society is Mr. T. E. 
Henwood, Auricula Villa, 16, Hamilton Road, 
Reading. 
