May 14, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
581 
Fragrance of Lilium Harrisii. — It is stated that 
the pastor of a church in Jersey City, U.S.A., re¬ 
quested that no Easter Lilies should be used for 
decorative purposes in his church, several persons 
having for several years past fainted owing to the 
overpowering fragrance of the flowers. 
The Vine Mildew was named Oidium Tuckeri by 
the late Rev. M. J. Berkeley. Until quite recently 
its natural history was but little known ; then its 
true fruits or asci were discovered and it was rele¬ 
gated to the genus Erysiphe as E. Tuckeri. Now 
the fungologists say that an inspection of the 
perithecia shows it to be a Uncinula, namely, U. 
americana or U. spiralis. 
Canals in Mars.—Hitherto the phenomenon of the 
doubling of the canals in Mars, as seen through the 
telescope, has been set down to the growth of vege¬ 
tation on either bank. The newest explanation by 
M. Antonidi is that the phenomenon of doubling is 
caused probably by the eye of the observer, seeing 
double. Surely this is a serious allegation against 
the condition of the star-gazers.— Snaggs. 
Packing Watercress in Tins has been attempted by 
an enterprising farmer in Wisconsin, U.S.A. The 
Cress, after having been pressed tightly in the tins 
was covered with saline fluid, and the tins were then 
hermetically sealed. After the tins had lain 
unopened for a year they were opened, and it is 
stated that the Cress was found to be as fresh in 
appearance and as tasty as when it was first cut. 
We understand that the farmer intends to follow up 
jthe experiment by canning Watercress on a large 
scale for trade with tropical countries. 
Poor Dracaena.—-M. C. Petrick, of Ghent, has 
recently raised a new Dracaena which he has named 
after the great French writer, M. Emile Zola. The 
Nord Horticole takes exception to this and speaks in 
very strong language concerning what is evidently 
■regarded as a gross insult. In the comments upon 
ithe matter which appear in the May number of that 
paper, Zola is spoken of as being under the ban of 
society, and of all loyal and independent people. It 
■concludes by saying that the writer is convinced that 
<no honest Frenchman, or foreigner who is also a 
iriend of France, will be found who will attempt to 
•obtain it, which is distinctly hard—upon the 
Dracaena. 
Forfar Horticultural Improvement Association.— 
This Society held its concluding meeting in the 
Burgh Court Room, on the evening of Tuesday, 
3rd May, the president, Mr. Thos. Wilson, Glamis 
Castle Gardens, presiding over a good attendance. 
The paper for the evening was " Progress of Hort- 
culture in America during Her Majesty’s Reign ” by 
Mr. Alfred Outram, F.R.H.S., London, which, in 
his absence, was read by Mr. James Brown, the 
secretary. At the close a hearty vote of thanks was 
passed to Mr. Outram for his very interesting paper. 
There were on exhibition from Glamis Castle 
Cardens, twenty-five varieties of Narcissus besides 
some blooms of that grand strain of single Begonias 
.-so well grown there, which were very much admired. 
A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Wilson, who in 
returning thanks, intimated that that closed the 
session and called on the secretary to read the balance 
sheet, when it was found the society was in a healthy 
■condition financially. The annual general meeting 
4 o elect office bearers for the coming session was then 
held, when the following were appointed—viz. : Mr. 
John Knox, hon. president; Mr. Thos. Shiel, New 
Cemetery Lodge, president ; Mr. Thos. Wilson, 
Glamis Castle Gardens, vice-president; Mr. James 
Brown, 86, Castle Street, hon. sec. and treasurer. 
Committee: Mr. John Clark, Fernbank ; Mr. 
Andrew Lees, South view ; Mr. James Saddler, 
Honeyplace ; Mr. J. R. H. Robbie, Castle Street ; Mr. 
A. Harris, Baronhill ; Mr. Wm. Moir, View Mount ; 
Mr. Walter Piggott, Zoar. The company then 
adjourned to Mr. Robertson’s hall for supper, Mr. 
Wilson presiding, and Mr. Shiel being croupier. 
After covers had been removed, Mr. Robbie, vice- 
president, in the unavoidable absence of Mr. Koox t 
hon. president, in came of the members presented 
Mr. Wilson with a silver-mounted silk umbrella, 
along with a ladies’ combination workbox for Mrs. 
Wilson, bearing suitable inscriptions in recognition 
of his valuable services as president during the past 
session. Mr. Wilson very feelingly replied. With song 
and sentiment a happy evening was spent. 
Echinocactus polyancistrus is a recent introduction 
from California, but is yet very rare in this country. 
A figure of it is given in The Cactus Journal for April, 
PI. V. It is a very spiny plant like most or all of its 
congeners. The spines are its special feature, some 
being red and others white, while they may be of 
several hues on one and the same plant. They are 
3 ins. to 4 ins. long, and very much flattened. The 
plant body is light green, thus forming a striking 
contrast with the particoloured spines. Very few 
plants have been found in the native home of the 
species, and as it multiplies very slowly even under 
cultivation, it is bound to be a rare plant for years 
to come. 
Lettuce Forcing in the States.— In this country the 
growing of Lettuce under glass is not carried on to 
any extent, but in America vast crops are raised 
thus. One of the most successful cultivators in the 
neighbourhood of Bolton calculates than within a 
radius of ten miles of that city not less than from 
150 to 200 acres of under-glass space are devoted to 
this fcrop. The returns must be remunerative or we 
should not hear of vast areas such as this being 
devoted to the purpose. The structures employed 
are chiefly frames, which are either placed on hot¬ 
beds 01 are unheated. The plants in the cold framej 
are raised from seed sown in the open ground in 
September, which are transferred to the frames 
early in October ; or the seed is sown on hotbeds or in 
heated houses later on in the winter, the plants being 
put in the frames early in the spring. The plants 
from the autumn sowing need but little or no water 
during the winter months, but careful attention is 
given to ventilating on bright sunny days. 
■■■ 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The Temple Show, May 25TH, 26 th, & 27TH. 
For the eleventh year in succession, the Royal Hor¬ 
ticultural Society will hold their great annual flower 
show in the Inner Temple Gardens on May 25th, 
26tb, & 27th. Every year the desire of growers to 
exhibit increases, and the officials of the society 
have a very anxious task in endeavouring to do jus¬ 
tice to those growers who support the fortnightly 
shows of the society held at the Drill Hall, and yet 
at the same time to encourage others to come for¬ 
ward. The space is absolutely limited by agreement 
with the Temple Authorities ; no more or larger 
tents may be erected. Hence, every new exhibitor 
whose entry is accepted means curtailment of the 
space allotted to previous supporters. 
A catalogue of the show will be be given gratis to 
every visitor, and will contain a notice of new and 
rare plants entered on or or before May 19th. It 
will also contain a programme of the music to be 
performed each day. On the first two days the 
Band of H. M. 2nd Life Guards, and on the 3rd day 
the Band of H.M. Royal Horse Guards will perform. 
The judges will meet at the secretary’s tent at 
10.30 a m. on May 25th, at which hour, punctually, 
the tents will be cleared of all exhibitors and their 
assistants. The Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Com¬ 
mittees will assemble at the secretary’s tent at 
11 a.m. sharp ; and the show will be opened 
at 12.30. 
N.B.—All plants for certificate must be entered on 
or before Monday, May 23rd. Address :—Secretary, 
R. H. F., 117, Victoria Street, S.W. 
They cannot be entered under any circumstances 
on the day of the show. 
-- 
TO GROW FINE FRUIT. 
The Journal de l' Agriculture gives the following in¬ 
structive story by Mr. Duret, agriculturist of Indre- 
et-Loire, a story all those who have charge of an 
orchard will do well to remember. 
“Two or three years agoj (the tale is old, but as 
will be seen, is for this very reason more valuable), 
I visited an old friend for whom I had obtained 
ssme slips of a Vine called Gros Cabernet. It was 
near the middle of September when one day we 
drove together into his vineyard. “ There they are," 
he exclaimed, “ your magnificent Grapes." 
“ I do not recognise them," I replied. “ You have 
not grown them on my slips ? The Lignieres Pinot 
Noir does not produce such fine fruits." 
“They are indeed your Pinots.” 
" But the Grapes are enormous, what have you 
done ” ? 
"Well, I dissolved 2 kilogrammes (4410 lbs.) of 
sulphate of iron in 100 litres (22 gallons) of water, 
and with this solution I sprayed the leaves and fruit 
of my Vine. But one must work at the right time. 
I waited until the Grapes had attained one third of 
their ordinary size. I sprayed again a month later, 
and again twenty days before gathering. You see 
the effect. I obtained similar results with Cherries, 
Pears, and Apples." 
"That was a success," I said, "and next year I 
shall try your method." 
Alas, when the time arrived I had quite forgotten 
the receipt and the magnificent Grapes of which I 
have just spoken. Yesterday, by chance I met this 
old friend, after an absence of two years. I thought 
of his Cherries, Apples, and Pears. " Well," I said, 
" have you repeated your sulphate of iron experi¬ 
ment.” 
" Yes, and always with the same success. What 
about yourself ?" 
" I have so many matters to attend to that I can 
hardly help forgetting some, but what is delayed is 
not lost and I intend next July, August, and 
September, to spray some rows of Vines, to see 
whether I shall obtain Grapes of wonderful size and 
beauty." 
Let us observe that the method is applied, at least 
for fruit, by the horticulturists of the environs of 
Paris, who moisten each promising fruit with a 
solution of sulphate of iron by means of a brush — 
Ctmes, Sefttmb** 18 th, 1897. 
AUSTRALIAN PERFUMES AND 
ESSENTIAL OILS. 
Although the Australian colonies are rich in plants 
yielding delicious perfumes and valuable essential 
oils, little or nothing has been done, so far, to practU 
cally utilise the advantages thus afforded. Syste¬ 
matic flower farming is still in its experimental 
stages, and there exists an almost untouched field of 
illimitable extent at the command of those possess¬ 
ing the necessary capital and experience in the manu¬ 
facture of perfumery and essential oils, coupled with 
the advantage of an abundance of mutton fit, so 
largely used in the perfumery trade, at minimum 
prices. In New South Wales all the garden flowers 
of Europe and Asia, especially those emitting th» 
richest fragrance, are found growing in unsurpassed 
luxuriance, many being obtainable nearly all the 
year round, their profusion and cheapness proving 
how easily they are reared. Several of the essential 
oils obtained from the leaves of native plants are 
really perfumes, and their chief use is in scenting 
soaps and other preparations. The quantities used 
are small, and the plants used are wild. 
Among the native perfume-yielding plants which 
remain unutilised are several varieties of Acacia, 
including a few which furnish a scented wood. The 
Acacia farnesiana, which is largely cultivated in 
Italy and the south of France,the well-known pomade, 
called " Cassia" being produced by placing the 
sweet scented flowers in melted mutton fat or olive 
oil, until the latter becomes impregnated with their 
odour, grows plentifully in many parts of New 
South Wales , and another species of Acacia, fami¬ 
liarly known as the Golden Wattle, is equally use¬ 
ful as a perfume plant; as is also the Native Laurel, 
or Mock Orange. Among the plants from which 
sweet-scented and other oils may be obtained are the 
Native Sassafras,Peppermint, Blood wood,Blue Gum, 
Mountain Ash, White Gum, Ironbark, Woolly Butt, 
Spotted Gum, Tallowwood, Messmate, Red Gum, 
Poplar Box, and other species of Eucalyptus; 
Ridge Myrtle, Tea-tree, Native Peppermint, Dog¬ 
wood, and Turmeric. 
The essential oil of the Red Gum has been found 
a reliable remedy for chronic dysentry and diarrhoea, 
and that of the Moreton Bay Ash makes an excellent 
furniture polish. The oil obtained from the Native 
Sassafras resembles, in odour, ordinary Sassafras oil, 
with an admixture of oil of Caraways, and is used 
for medicinal purposes. Eucalyptus oil possesses 
many valuable qualities, and is said to possess the 
power of destroying bacteria, or animal life. Its 
antiseptic powers have been fully recognised by the 
medical profession, and by many it is preferred to 
carbolic acid in the treatment of wounds. The leaves 
of the various kinds of Eucalyptus are found useful 
