652 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 11, 1898. 
a 7-ft. cane, neat, and yet very strong is recom¬ 
mended for Tomatos, a 6-ft. cane of similar quality 
for tall growiog Carnations, and a very stout cane of 
similar size and mahogany colour for supporting 
young trees. Smaller and neater canes are selected 
for Carnations and other dwarfer growing plants, and 
as these can be obtained in either yellow or brown, 
according to taste,the wishes of the customer are con¬ 
sulted in every possible direction. We were informed 
by our guide that in addition to the great stock of 
Bamboos on hand there were over half a million 
waiting at the docks for them. 
Huge bales of wood wool, so useful for packing 
purposes, were shown us, and we were most favour¬ 
ably impressed with the appearance of a special 
sample that was exceedingly soft, white, and light. 
Manures have long been a specialty with the firm, 
and Le Fruitier, with which the name of 
Wood is so closely associated, has been, and is, in 
greater favour for certain purposes than many others. 
Even now, we were informed, more of it is sold than 
of all the others kept in stock. Of these, by the 
way, there are numbers, for the manure business 
has been prolific of new fertilisers of late years. 
Wood’s Special Soluble Manure is another manure 
of great repute, and we noticed that the stock of it 
was large. The crude materials of which the home¬ 
made fertilisers are made are ground at the docks, 
but the mixing is done at Wood Green. Bone meal, 
crushed bones of various sizes, and crushed oyster 
shells represent other goods for which there is a 
consistently brisk demand. 
The soils department is an extensive one, and the 
firm is particularly famous for its brand of Orchid 
peat, which is becoming increasingly difficult year 
by year to obtain. The best quality is carefully 
pulled to pieces by hand, the dust shaken out, any 
rough sticks that may be present removed, and the 
peat packed in barrels. When sent out it is really a 
mass of fibre with practically no waste. Second and 
third qualities are supplied, and even the third is 
good A special dark, rather sandy peat is supplied 
for Rhododendrons, and other hardy plants needmg 
peaty soil. Banstead loam is annually sold in tons, 
of the best quality obtainable. The leaf soil supplied 
is likewise excellent. It is composed of Oak and 
Beech leaves only, and is singularly free from 
fungoid growths and foreign matter of all descrip¬ 
tions. Bedfordshire sand, both yellow and white, is 
kept in several qualities, from the best coarse to very 
fine. Shingle, carefully sifted and very clean is 
supplied in quantities for covering stages, also 
crushed shells. Derbyshire spar and tufa are kept for 
those requiring material for building rockeries. 
Hard-burnt masses of brick, the remnants of old 
brick kilns, make a cheaper but equally as suitable 
material, and are not quite so glaring as the white 
spar. 
The weed killer sent out by the firm has so abun¬ 
dantly proved its efficac) that improved plant is 
being laid down in order to keep pace with the 
demand. It is estimated that when this extension is 
effected three times the quantity of the destructor 
can be turned out than has hitherto been possible. 
The enterprising spirit of the firm is continually 
seeking out, and working up some new thing for the 
benefit of the gardener. One of the most promising 
of this year’s novelties is a specific, called Carvita, 
for combating the rust affecting Carnations. This 
has proved effective in the tests given it, and is 
stated not to injure in any way the health of the 
plants operated on. If so there is no doubt but that 
Carnation growers the world over will hail its appear¬ 
ance with joy. 
A syringe named the " Invicta,” fitted with a 
patent automatic spray, is a contrivance that is bound 
to be well received. The device is so simple and 
withal so easily worked that a child might use it. 
The secret is a small flange or flap which works on a 
hinge. When the syringe is held so that the flap 
falls into position its edge catches the jet as it issues 
from the barrel and divides it into a fine spray. By 
simply turning the barrel of the syringe upon its 
centre, the flange falls clear of the stream and an 
ordinary jet is obtained. The need for all fixings is 
thus done away with, since a jet or a spray is 
obtained by a mere twist of the wrist on behalf of 
the operator It may be added that while in use the 
syringe may be turned over on its centre without the 
spray flap falling clear, since it is kept in place by the 
force of the water. 
The “balance plant carrier ” is another ingenious 
labour saving device. It is in the form of a light yet 
simple rack with holes to receive the pots of the 
plants, and fitted in the centre with a handle for 
carrying. Three plants may be placed on either side 
of this handle, six in all, and they can then be 
carried by a boy with perfect safety and ease. As a 
boy can manage two of these carriers he can account 
for a dozen plants each journey which is more than 
twice as many as a man could carry in the old way. 
In many establishments where many thousands of 
plants have to be shifted in the course of the year 
this “ carrier” will be of the utmost value. 
The above constitute a few of the more noteworthy 
articles of the huge stock in trade kept by Messrs. 
Wood & Son, Ltd. It would obviously be impos¬ 
sible to enumerate all since, as we have previously 
intimated, everything that a gardener can want is 
stocked and supplied by them. 
-—-- 
SLUGS AND WOODLICE IN CONVER¬ 
SATION. 
“ I say Cheesey, I have got such good news for you,” 
said a large black slug, addressing a woodlouse one 
damp morning in May. 
“ Fire away with it then, I hope it is good for you 
too” 
"Yes, very, thanks!” replied the slug. “Well, 
the lady gardener and the boy are busy planting the 
Cucumbers and Tomatos in the houses this morn¬ 
ing ” 
" Hurrah ! ” shouted the woodlouse, " what a rare 
old time we shall have for the next few weeks. My 
mouth waters when I think of.tasting Tomato again, 
and I daresay your's does at the thought of Cucum¬ 
ber.” 
"Oh ! it won’t be the first time this year, I have 
had a go at them in the pots, but it is a long crawl 
right up to the shelves ; it will be much more con¬ 
venient now they are in the borders. But I say, my 
friend, you are not looking very well, what is the 
matter with you ? ” 
" Oh, nothing, I think I only want a change of 
diet, I am rather tired of Mushrooms. The beds 
have done very well this year, under the lady 
gardener’s care, so I and my comrades have been 
almost satiated.” 
"Well! you will get the desired change to night. 
Shall we meet here to-morrow at the same time, and 
then we can tell each other our experiences ? ” 
" Agreed. Farewell for the present.” 
***** 
“ You are a bit late,” said the woodlouse as the 
slug appeared next morning. 
• Sorry, but after my night's debauch, I over slept 
myself. But tell me, how did you get on ? ” 
" Oh ! capitally, I had a splendid night. Would 
you believe it, by the side of all the nice young 
Tomato plants, some one had kindly placed Potatos 
all scooped out. Now you know I have a great weak¬ 
ness for Potatos, in fact I was quite spoiled with 
choice.” 
" Oh ! you innocent creature, you don’t mean to 
say you really thought the Potatos were put for 
your delectation. Why ! my dear fellow, they were 
merely there as a trap. Knowing your partiality for 
them, they thought you and your friends would pro¬ 
bably try them before the Tomatos, and then you 
were to be caught and killed. I think it is wonderful 
you have escaped with your life. How did it 
happen, were not the Potatos examined ? " 
“ Yes, quite early this morning the boy came in 
and lifted them all up.” 
" And where were you ? ” 
" Ob, I had had my fill of Potato, and had moved 
on to a Tomato plant. I wondered what the boy was 
doing, when I heard him stamping his feet on the 
floor, but it never struck me that my poor brothers 
and sisters were being murdered.” 
“ Well, we have all to live and learn. I am glad 
you escaped, for you are such a simple innocent 
little chap.” 
" I must be on my guard to-night. But now tell 
me how you got on ? ” 
“ Well, my wife and I started about nine o’clock 
to the greenhouse ; these long evenings are a nuisance 
by the way, for we have to wait so long before it is 
dark enough to come out The house felt warm and 
moist, and the Cucumber plants looked delicious. 
Round the roots of each of them, two or three fresh 
Cabbage leaves had been placed. Now if I had been 
as guileless as you, I should have thought what 
kindness this was, but I knew that they, like the 
Potatos, were only a trap. 1 Come,’ I said to my 
wife, ‘ we won’t waste time on the Cabbages, we can 
get them ad lib. out of doors, we will begin at once 
on the Cucumbers. So we crawled to the very end 
of the house, and started on the first one. We had 
only been there about half-an-hour, when the door 
opened and we heard talking. A match was struck 
and a candle lighted, and then a voice said, ‘ oh 
William, there are heaps already on the Cabbages.’ 
I knew at once it was the lady gardener and the boy 
slug hunting. Gently touching my wife we crawled 
as quickly as we could behind some flower-pots that 
were near. 
" Oh the poor, poor things,” the lady gardener 
exclaimed, " are you quite sure William the water 
is boiling, and they die at once ? ” 
" Quite sure, Miss,” was the reply. 
" You can imagine our feelings, Cheesey, as we 
crouched there, thinking every moment might be our 
last. But they never looked behind the pots 
fortunately, and after doing both sides of the house, 
and catching (I heard them say) over one hundred of 
my brothers and sisters, they took their departure. 
" Then my wife and I returned to the Cucumbers, 
and had a good feast till about three this morning.” 
" Well, we both seem to have had a very narrow 
escape. I wonder how we shall get on to-night. 
Shall we meet here again to-morrow morning at the 
same time ? ” 
" Yes, and I will try, and be in good time. Good¬ 
bye.” 
* * * * 
They never met again, for that night they took 
their departure to slug and wood-louse land.— 
Solanaceae. 
--- 
WORK IN THE SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
June! glorious June! the leafy month! the month 
of Roses ! according to those who pretend to know 
all about it, is with us again, at least, the month is, 
the rest is somewhere else. A fair exchange is no 
robbery, however, and variety is charming; hence, 
let us proceed to enjoy in theory, if not in fact, the 
rain, hail, snow, wind, cold, and watery sunshine 
that the gods have sent us. 
The garden is looking gay just now, says the gar¬ 
dening books, and everything is growing apace. By- 
the-way, I should just for once like to see the garden 
that these books talk about. One thing, I know, and 
that is, that it isn’t mine. 
There is plenty to do in it just now, further say 
the books, and with this I am perfectly in accord. 
Everybody is talking about bedding out, and I can¬ 
not forget it if I would, for the coster fraternity, 
with a persistence that in another cause would be 
praiseworthy, have well nigh worn out the knocker 
on my front door, and quite exhausted my patience. 
I presume that the one who called last understood 
this, for he invited me very sympathetically to 
" keep my 'air on.” 
Sweet Peas have been boomed a good deal of late, 
and last year I tried to grow a good many. I say 
“ tried ” advisedly, for the blessed things struck and 
wouldn't grow. They were advertised to grow 5 ft., 
and they didn't do as many inches, and never 
flowered at all. Not to be beaten, I sowed some 
more in February this year. I am not quite sure of 
them, however, for they have not grown an inch lor 
the last month. I put sticks to them, more for the 
sake of ornament than anything else, for they don’t 
like climbing, apparently. 
I have a few melancholy Chrysanthemums in pots, 
but they seem too listless to do much. They'll want 
pottiDg directly, and I expect they'll have to want. 
I can’t get everything I want, and why should they ? 
Of all amusements the cutting of the grass has 
most to commend it. For a right down, hard, back- 
aching, commandment breaking, cussed sort of a 
job it is difficult to beat. It leaves a man wondering 
whether he is a man or only a donkey. One feels 
inclined to fall on the machine, and pull its inside 
out, and throw it in the corner and jump on it. My 
mower proved more than usually intractable yester¬ 
day, and I found upon enquiry that my boy and the 
boy next door, and the boy from the next door after 
that had been having a conversazione and had played 
" engines” with the mower afterwards. 
Talk of the land of pure delights, why it isn’t in it 
with a well managed garden. Think of the 
