October 16, 1898, 
151 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Not much from Scotland.—Mr. Editor, your report 
says that only twa entries appeared at the Crystal 
Pailace show from Scotian’ ; but ye mauna forget 
that the big, bonnie Aipples, the lang Peers, the 
looshious Peaches, and the bloom on the Plums are 
a’ due to Ayr and Skye.— S 7 iaggs. 
Prince Bonaparte’s Gardens.—The palace of Prince 
.Victor Bonaparte is situated in the Avenue Louise, 
Brussels, where he lives quietly, taking, apparently, 
little interest in politics, but more in his select group 
of friends, together with his extensive gardens and 
stud of horses at the bottom of the latter. The 
Prince even takes an active interest in the cultivation 
of his gardens, in which the Roses are conspicuous 
and famous for their beauty. 
Thos. S. Ware, Ltd.—The first autumn catalogue 
of bulbs and plants for the flower garden, issued by 
the new firm, is in our hands. We have nothing but 
praise for the way in which this catalogue is got up. 
The covers are a very pretty shade of art green, and 
are handsomely ornamented with representations of 
vases of Narcissi and other flowers. There are 8o 
pages of text, with an index to the contents. There 
are about 30 illustrations of Liliums, Erythroniums, 
Tulips and Narcissi, all of them reproduced from 
photographs. The printing is good throughout, 
some of the Narcissi having come out with excep¬ 
tional clearness. The store of all sorts of bulbs is 
great, and we notice that the firm has particularly 
fine stocks of species of Tulips, Narcissus, and 
Irises, as well as the numerous varieties of these 
popular flowers. In addition to these, all sorts of 
Dutch bulbs are listed in lots to suit all buyers. A 
special bonus is offered to cash purchasers. 
Reading and District Gardeners' Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association.—The first meeting of the 1898 99 
session was held on Monday evening last in the club 
room, at the Old Abbey Restaurant, Mr. Turton 
presiding over a good attendance of members. The 
subject for the evening was " A few Orchids that can 
be grown with other plants,” introduced by Mr. W. 
P. Bound, of Bill Hill Gardens, Wokingham, and 
late of Messrs. Sanders, St. Albans. The lecturer 
took up the various varieties suitable for different 
houses and gave very valuable and practical advice 
as to their treatment from the time of the purchasing 
of the bulbs to the time they had done flowering ; 
great importance being given to the buying of 
imported bulbs, An interesting discussion ensued, in 
which Messrs. Woolford, Neve, Townsend, Murrell, 
Dockerill, Martin, Parsons, Turton, and Alexander 
took part, which turned chiefly on whether the draw¬ 
ing room was a suitable place for Orchids, and if it 
was desirable to give manure directly to the plants. 
A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Bound for his 
practical paper brought the meeting to a close. A 
splendidly flowered specimen of Miltonia Clowesii 
vyas shown by Mr. Lever, gardener to Leonard 
Sutton, Esq., Hillside. 
The United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society.—The quarterly meeting of this society was 
held on Monday evening at the Caledonian Hotel, 
Adelphi, Strand. Mr. William Taylor presided. 
The minutes of the last meeting were read and con¬ 
firmed. Five new members were elected and one 
nominated. The principal business of the meeting 
was respecting the oldest member of the society (No. 
4’ on the Register), who having attained the age of 
seventy years, and being in failing health, is entitled 
to an allowance from the Benevolent Fund in accord¬ 
ance with Rule 18. This member was one of the 
originators of the society, and has been in office 
ever since, and has never drawn any "sick pay." 
The committee, having taken these facts into con¬ 
sideration, unanimously resolved that 8s. per week 
should be allowed him for the remainder of his 
life. There is a balance of nearly £80 standing 
to this member's credit in the ledger. He 
was allowed to withdraw the sum of £ 6 , and 
he leaves the balance to draw from as he 
may require. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded 
him for his past services. Two other members are 
receiving 5s. per week, and one 4s. 6d. per week from 
the Benevolent Fund in continuation of " sick pay," 
they having been unable to work for over twelve 
months. Several letters were read on various 
matters, and a cordial vote of thanks to the chair¬ 
man ended the meeting. 
A High-flying Acrobat.—The Gymnasturtiura. 
Strawberries in Fruit.—During the recent spell of 
hot weather a plantation of Strawberries at Totten¬ 
ham came into flower for the second time this 
season. Ripe fruits were gathered a few days ago. 
M. Ernest Fierens, the zealous secretary of the 
Royal Agricultural and Botanical Society of Ghent, 
has just received from the Government of France 
the decoration of the Merite Agricole. Independently 
of his secretarial duties M. Fierens is noted in Bel¬ 
gium for the progress in Chrysanthemum culture 
which he has been instrumental in bringing about. 
Glasgow Corporation Parks Department. — The 
lately issued statement of accounts relating to the 
parks and open spaces under the control of the 
Glasgow municipal authorities gives the state of the 
finances of the corporation, up to and including the 
31st May of the present year. The revenue amounts 
to no less than £56,14'/ 10s. Sd., and is made up of 
the following principal items :—Assessment at 3d. in 
the £1 —£51,524 16s. 8d.; Sauchiehall Street pro¬ 
perty rents, £1,105 • Swimming Pond in Alexandra 
Park, £52 is. nd.; Golf Course in the same park, 
£345 9S-; and feu duties and rents for the portions 
of the parks let out for building and other purposes. 
In this way Kelvingrove Park brings in £635 10s.; 
Queen’s Park, £793 3s. 2d. ; Alexandra Park, £232 
15s. 4d.; Glasgow Green, £845 os. 2d.; Botanic 
Gardens, £127 16s. ; Bellahouston Park, £314 19s. 
5d.; and Spiingburn Park,£57 14s. nd. The ordinary 
expenditure for the year amounts to £54,375 4s. 2d., 
of which the following sums are devoted to the 
respective parks:—Kelvingrove Park (including 
Gilmorehill, Overnewton and Bunhouse Lands), 
£2,730 15s. gd. ; Queen’s Park, £1,537 4 s - 1 Camp- 
hill Nursery Gardens, £1,106 16s. 2d.; Alexandra 
Park, £1,224 13s. 3d. ; Glasgow Green, £2,498 ns. 
8d.; Botanic Gardens, £3,285 2s. gd.; Maxwell 
Park, £589 ; Bellahouston Park, £756 12s. 7d.; and 
Cathkin Braes Park, £136 16s. 3d. In addition to 
the ordinary there has been an extraordinary expen¬ 
diture of £1,620 4s. 5d., whilst a sum of £152 2s. id. 
remains as excess. The balance sheet shows assets 
amounting to £1,059,722 gs. 6d., and liabilities 
£834,675 7s. gd. There is thus the comfortable 
balance of £229,047 is. 9d. on the right side. 
Ealing District Gardeners’ Society.—The eleventh 
annual meeting of this society was held in the Muni¬ 
cipal Buildings, Ealing, on Tuesday, September 27th 
last, Mr. Burgess presiding. The annual report was 
somewhat voluminous, but recorded progress. The 
balance sheet showed :—Receipts, £61 10s. 6d.; ex¬ 
penses. £57 17s. 1 id.; which gives a credit to the 
society of £3 12s. 7d.—a very satisfactory state of 
things. The election of officers was then proceeded 
with. I. Harris, Esq., F.R.H.S., was re elected 
president. All the vice-presidents were re-elected. 
The chairman, Mr. C. B. Green; and the vice- 
chairman, Mr. H. Burgess were also voted back to 
office. The committee resulted as follows :—Messrs. 
Cooper, Dack, Edwards, Freebrey, R. Green, Hard¬ 
ing, Hawkins, Miles, and Newell. Mr. W. Roberts, 
the hon. secretary, was unanimously re-elected; as 
was also the hon. treasurer, W. W. Richardson, 
Esq. On Tuesday, October 4th, Mr. R. Dean opened 
the sessional meetings with a paper on “ Dahlias," 
which was listened to with great attention by a 
numerous audience. Mr. Dean dealt with the his¬ 
tory, and the show, fancy, Cactus and pompon 
sections, respectively, from a florist’s point of view, 
it being understood that he will take up the cultiva¬ 
tion Of the Dahlia in a future paper. The president, 
I. Harris, Esq., occupied the chair, and proposed a 
hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Dean, which received 
unanimous approval. Mr. Dean exhibited a collec¬ 
tion of Dahlias which Mr. Chas. Turner, of Slough, 
had kindly forwarded. Other exhibits were a col¬ 
lection of Apples and Pears by Mr. R. Green, gar¬ 
dener to W. Owen, Esq , Castle Bar, for which he 
received the full number of marks. His Cox’s 
Orange Pippin and Peasgood’s Nonsuch Apples were 
well coloured, while his Souvenir du Congies and 
William's Bon Chretien Pears were in fine condition. 
Mr. Freebrey placed some ornamental Cucumbers on 
the table, which he stated were not unlike Telegraph 
in flavour. The fruits are short and spiny, and alto¬ 
gether curious. They were grown under the name 
of the African-horned Cucumber. 
STAND HALL, MANCHESTER. 
While on a visit to Manchester recently I wended 
my way out to Stand Hall for the purpose of seeing 
the famed collection of Orchids there. When I got 
there I found that the genial head gardener, Mr. 
Johnson, had gone to dinner, and on presenting 
myself at his house and making myself known, I 
was invited in to dine with that worthy gentleman 
and his family, which invitation was thankfully 
accepted. After doing full justice to the good things 
provided, we first of all examined some beautiful 
paintings of Orchids and then proceeded to inspect 
the real ones. 
Mr. Johnson explained that they had not a collec¬ 
tion now, but rather a selection, and that it really is, 
and a very choice selection too, and all in the best of 
health. The Cypripediums alone were worth the 
trouble of going to see, in very many of the newest 
and best varieties; also a very fine batch of Dendro- 
bium Phalaenopsis schroderianum just coming into 
flower. One in particular Mr. Johnson showed me 
with evident pride. In its present stage it promises 
to be a pure white variety. 
Cattleyas, too, were in the pink of condition, and 
not the least interesting were the batches of seedling 
Orchids, chiefly Dendrobes and Cypripediums, some 
of which will doubtless be heard of again in the 
course of time. 
After leaving the Orchids we inspected the vineries, 
in which were some good serviceable-sized, well 
finished bunches of Grapes hanging,, and the Vines 
well matured for next year’s crop. Chr> santhemums, 
too, are well done there, not so much for extra large 
blooms as a quantity of medium-sized flowers for 
cutting ; and these are really the most beautiful, for 
some of the blooms one sometimes sees look more fit 
for mops than the decoration of the house I felt 
inclined to linger longer over the treasures there, but 
in an hour-and-a-half I was due some twelve miles 
away. I bid my worthy friend adieu, hoping to have 
another look in at his selection at some future time. 
—J. Williams. 
--i—- 
BLACKBERRIES. 
As we go through life, it is to be feared that there 
are but few reflective minds who have not at times, 
in the varied walks of life, to regret lost opportuni¬ 
ties. I sometimes now regret that the inspirations 
of earlier days were not better attended to. It 
appears to me a sad reflection that a community 
which has achieved such great results in some 
directions, certainly at first sight not more promising, 
should have done so little for the too frequently 
despised Blackberry. I think some of those who 
pooh, pooh it, if they only had a taste of the jelly 
in our cupboard, made only from the somewhat 
unpromising looking produce of the uncultivated 
material, would at least be tempted to think 
differently, it being one of the best things in its way 
I know. I write these notes, hoping it may lead 
some of the younger members of the profession to 
take the improvement of Blackberries seriously in 
hand. Your mention of Dewberries sends me back 
to the time when I gathered them on the headlands 
of an, Essex farm. In spite of the fewness of the 
drupels as compared to the more common Black¬ 
berries, I gave them the preference on account of 
the flavour and juiciness. If only the size of the 
drupels and, I may add, the beautiful bloom on 
them, could be imparted by cross-breeding to the 
more common forms of the Bramble, we should then 
have a fruit which would be a welcome addition to 
the dessert, both on account of appearance and 
flavour. Now, young men, some of you just "wire 
in,” and get your name up.— W. B. G. 
-- 
A SOLDIER’S SONG. 
For the Sirdar. 
Victory crowns our Sirdar ! 
'Mid din of war on Afric’s plains ; 
Glory gilds our Sirdar. 
As drops the wrist its servile chains— 
His the plan. The gore-hewn way. 
With force the " Black and white ” of clay. 
Glory to our Sirdar ! 
Honours of our Sirdar ? 
Who led his gallant band 
By feats of strength, through charnelled war, 
On blood-stained Soudan’s sand— 
