October 1, 1898. 
THH GARDENING WORLD 
69 
Mr. John Gilchrist, of Clifton Hall Gardens, Mid¬ 
lothian, has been appointed head gardener to C. 
Theodore Barclay, Esq., Ledhoe, Hertford. 
Mr. G. Milne, for some time foreman to J. M. 
Inglis, Esq., Montrose, Donnybrook, Dublin, has 
been appointed head gardener at the same place. 
Tropaeolum speciosum.—Where the river Lochay 
empties itself into Loch Tay, the front of the hotels 
has been gay for some time past with Clematis 
Jackmanni and Tropaeolum speciosum. Hillward, 
the waysides are gay with an abundance of the large 
fruits of wild Roses, but more particularly Rosa 
villosa. The Dog Rose is equally fruitful, but the 
heps are not yet ripe. The hedges in many places 
are red with haws. 
The French Paradise stock of De Metz, on which 
Apples are grafted to dwarf them and cause an early 
production of fruit, has this season produced a good 
crop of fruits in the Allington Nurseries, of Messrs. 
George Bunyard & Co., Maidstone. The fruits are 
about the size of those of the Transcendent Crab, 
and globular, but not so highly coloured or orna¬ 
mental as that variety. This must be an unusual 
occurrence, for we have never previously observed it; 
and very few fruit growers, we imagine, have 
witnessed it. 
The Large Beech Trees, so prominent a feature in 
. the pleasure grounds at Kew, have already lost 
. nearly all of their leaves on account of the severe and 
long-continued drought. The ground is littered with 
leaves as if it were November. This has been the 
case for some time past. One Beech tree still re¬ 
tains its leaves but they are dead and shrivelled as if 
the branches bearing them were broken. The Oaks 
are beginning to suffer, but strange to say, they, as 
well as the Elms, are in much better condition than 
the Beeches. The grass everywhere has never been 
seen in a more pitiable plight. It is as brown as 
Kew Green. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association.—The 
^ annual business meeting of this association was held 
in the Council Chamber of the Guildhall, Exeter, on 
the evening of Wednesday last, the 28th ult. The 
autumn programme for the session 1898-99 opens on 
Wednesday evening, October 12th, when the hon. 
secretary, Mr. Andrew Hope, will speak about the 
" Flowers that bloom in the Spring.” On October 
26th Mr. George Lock, of Newcombes Gardens, will 
deal with "Vine Culture." Mr. F. Edwards, of 
Honeylands Gardens, follows on November 9th with 
an essay on " Deciduous Trees.” November 23rd 
brings Mr. F. W. E. Shrivell, F.L.S., Thompson's 
Farm, Tonbridge, Kent, who will lecture upon 
" Further Experiments with Chemical Manures 
applied to Garden Crops." ., These experiments have 
been carried out in Kent by Mr. Shrivell in conjunc¬ 
tion with Dr. Bernard Dyer. On the 7th of Decem¬ 
ber Col. Walker, Lee Ford, Budleigh Salterton, will 
discourse on *' The Honey-bee, and why it should 
interest Gardeners." 
Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co..—We are in receipt of 
an " office copy ” of the catalogue of fruit trees 
grown by Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co., at their 
Aliington and Maidstone Nurseries. This is a handy 
book in stout cardboard covers. It contains a num¬ 
ber of handy lists of Apples, Pears and other hardy 
fruits, arranged in alphabetical order under the 
sections in which the fruit is placed according to its 
suitability for dessert or culinary purposes. Appended 
to the name of each variety is a capital description, 
which in a few words sets forth its chief points, its 
shape, appearance and flavour, together with the 
constitution, cropping qualities, soil and position 
required, and the form of tree in which it does 
"best. In this direction the vast experience of 
Messrs. Bunyard & Co., covering, as it does, the 
whole of the legion of varieties of hardy fruits that 
are worth anything, is of the greatest value. The 
pages are interleaved with blank pages, upon which 
private notes may be made in addition. The cata¬ 
logue thus forms a most reliable work of reference. 
The chapter of " Practical Hints on Planting, Prun¬ 
ing, etc.," is full of useful information, and we are 
pleased to note an important addition in another 
chapter on “ Insects and Blight affecting Fruit 
Trees." Short descriptions of these pests are given, 
and recipes for getting rid of them. 
A big bunch of Grapes.—M. Patapy, of Gondom, 
has a bunch of Grapes, which is 16 in. long, though 
it has not yet attained its full development. 
Mr. W. Middlebrooke informs us that his engage¬ 
ment with Messrs. George Bunyard & Co. terminates 
on October 1st. He is, therefore, open for a fresh 
engagement, and should not have long to wait. 
Bulbs for the London Parks.—Incidentally we learn 
that the London County Council have been adopting 
the tactics of the Glasgow and Hastings Corporations 
in placing their bulb orders with a Dutch firm for 
the sake of a small reduction in price. Hitherto the 
bulbs supplied for the London Parks by English 
seed houses have given every satisfaction and we fail 
to see the advantage to be gained by the transaction 
when balanced against the loss to home industries. 
Nymphaea stellata at Gunnersbury House.—Inie- 
pendently of the fine collection of hardy Nympbaeas 
at Gunnersbury House, Acton, one of the residences 
of Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., a means has beeD 
found for growing the less hardy N. stellata in the 
open air. A good sized cement tank has been con¬ 
structed, and this is heated with a single row of pipes 
in the bottom. During the summer months the 
plant makes vigorous growth with fine foliage cover¬ 
ing the water, and from amoDgst the leaves the 
flowers rise to a height of 18 in. above the water. 
The blooms are of large size, and dark blue on first 
expanding, but after a time they fade to a clear blue. 
The stout flower stalks, rising clear out of the water, 
impart a character to this species which is not found 
amongst strictly hardy Water Lilies. Mr. Hudson, 
the gardener, covers up the tank in winter, and this 
proves all the protection that is necessary for the 
preservation of the rootstock. We should like to see 
the beautiful blue of this species imparted to the hardy 
race. 
The Midland Daffodil Society.—We note the inaug¬ 
uration of a new society, the object of which is " to 
encourage and popularise the growth and improve¬ 
ment of the various kinds of Daffodils (Narcissus) 
and other spring flowering plants, and to hold an 
annual exhibition at the Botanical Gardens, Edg- 
baston, Birmingham.” The first show is to be held 
on Thursday and Friday, April 13th and 14th, 1899. 
It says much for the vigour of a young society lhat 
£100 should be offered for the first show, and that it 
should be supported by the principal amateurs and 
trade growers in the kingdom. The boom which 
Daffodil culture has now been enjoying for some 
years past had its origin with the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society, notwithstanding the many tons of 
flowers which are grown in the Scilly Islands, 
because culture there is confined to a few varieties. 
The Midland Daffodil Society should not interfere 
with that of Truro, but should from its central posi¬ 
tion command a large measure of support. Class I. 
is for a collection of Daffodils, not less than fifty 
varieties, exclusive of the Polyanthus type, and 
should prove very interesting. We hope that a large 
measure of success will be realised at the first exhi¬ 
bition. 
Acock's Green Horticultural Society.—On Monday, 
September 19th, the members of the Acock's Green 
Horticultural Society, to the number of about 70, 
paid a visit to the nurseries of Messrs. John Laing 
& Sons, Forest Hill, S.E., and also inspected the 
gardening done by the firm at the Earl’s Court Exhi- 
tion. The visitors were entertained at lunch and tea at 
the Exhibition by the Messrs. Laing, and a most 
enjoyable, as well as instructive, day was passed. 
The special features of the nurseries made a deep 
impression upon the party, and the Hon. Secretary 
of the society, Mr. Walter B. Child, gives expression 
to this in a letter to the Messrs. Laing, which says 
that “ the chief topic of conversation was what they 
had seen at Forest Hill,” and the open-hearted way 
in which ihey had been received and entertained. 
He assures the Messrs. Laing that the 19th will be a 
red-letter day in the annals of the society. He 
hopes also that “ Mr. Laing, Senr., may be spared 
for many years to enjoy the great reputation he has 
made." The Floral Peacock at the Earl’s Court 
Exhibition evidently impressed the Acock's Green 
Gardeners, for Mr. Child asked that a " sitting of 
eggs " might be forwarded him, " with instructions.” 
The excursionists reached Birmingham at 5 o'clock 
on the morning of the 20th, so that they were early 
to bed—at least, those that went. 
The Flower Trade of London, it is stated, exceeds 
£2,000,000 in value annually. 
International Exhibition at St. Petersburg.—It has 
been officially decided that the spring exhibition will 
be international and will take place from May 17th 
to the 27th next. A grand exhibition of fruit will be 
held in September and the opinion is prevalent that 
the authorities will resolve on its being international 
also. S. E. M. Fischer, of Waldheim, the director 
of the Botanic Gardens, St. Petersburg, has been 
appointed president of the foreign section of the 
international spring exhibition. Horticultural pro¬ 
ducts destined for exhibition, if accompanied by the 
necessary instructions,will be admitted duty free, and 
immediately put on rail towards St. Petersburg 
without inspection on the frontier. 
Mr. W. Duncan Tucker, of Tottenham, N., has 
forwarded an advance copy of his Illustrated 
Catalogue of English-made Joinery, including 
mouldings, sash-bars, and prepared timber for horti¬ 
cultural buildiDg purposes. The catalogue is a 
handsome affair in very stout boards and runs to 
close upon sixty pages. It is profusely illustrated, 
the prices of the various patterns of mouldings, etc., 
being marked in plain figures together with the 
sizes. The individual who could not find some¬ 
thing to suit him amongst the comprehensive collec¬ 
tion offered would indeed be hard to please. Mr. 
Tucker is well known to the horticultural world by 
reason of the many glasshouses he has built, the 
said houses being marvels of strength, lightness, and 
general high finish. A few illustrations of typical 
erections are given, varying from conservatories in 
various degrees of oroation made to suit different 
styles of architechture, to ranges of forcing houses, 
and the humbler, but indispensable, pits and 
frames. 
Floral Liverpool.—The Lord Mayor of Liverpool 
presided over an interesting gathering at St. Georg 3‘s 
Hall on the 20th ult., when about fifty prizes were 
awarded for window boxes ranging from 2s. 6 i. to 
10s. This new departure is an introduction of the 
Parks and Gardens Committee who have also 
generously supplied the wherewithal for the prizes. 
The Corporation have this year supplied nearly 
2,000 window boxes to the poor of the city. The 
number of plants utilised is about 24,000, the kinds 
used being Pelargoniums, Margueiites, Lobelias, and 
Nasturtiums. A proof that the cause is a popular one 
may be proved by the large number who were 
present at the prize presentation. Alderman Ball, 
the chairman, gave an interesting detail of the work, 
in which W. G. Wilkinson, of Primrose Hill, a lad 
thirteen years of age, proved himself independent of 
the help of the Corporation. Living with his mother, 
who was unable to secure a box for her window, the 
boy purchased two cases at a shop and formed them 
into suitable boxes for the window. Soil and 
Nasturtium seeds were obtained, and so well did the 
young gardener succeed that a special prize was 
awarded him. 
Lilium auratum at Dunoon.—There is a magnificent 
specimen of the " Golden Rayed Lily of Japan,” at 
present in full bloom, in the garden of Mr. James 
McGibbon, Darrochdhu, Sandbank Road, Dunoon. 
The bulb was purchased, along with some more, 
some six years ago at a sale of bulbs in Glasgow, at 
the small cost of threepence each, and planted in its 
present position in the open ground. The plant 
carried a large number of blooms three years ago ; 
and again last year it showed 291 blooms ; while at 
the present time there are no fewer than 428 blooms 
fully expanded, the fragrance of which can be felt at 
a considerable distance. The bulb, or rather bulbs, 
have pushed up twenty stems, some of which are 
over 7 ft. in height; one carrying sixty-one large and 
well-developed flowers. Unfortunately, in tying up 
the plant one stem got damaged and had to be taken 
away; this one showed sixty undeveloped flower 
buds, bringing up the total to 488. This is surely an 
exceptional instance in Lilium culture. The plant is 
quite unprotected.— A. G. 0 . S. 
[The above instance of successful culture should 
make many cultivators green with envy, particularly 
those whose bulbs flower well the first year and then 
gradually degenerate, by the splitting up of the 
mother bulbs into a large number of small ones that 
flower imperfectly or not at all. This communica¬ 
tion has been somewhat delayed by being carried 
away with us when travelling. The owner of the 
Lily, Mr. McGibbon, has been pleased to show it to 
visitors, but it is now past its best.—E d.] 
