182 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 19, 1898 
Calceolarias, Lobelias, Scabious and Lilium auratum 
are still flowering freely in a garden at Thornton 
Heath, Surrey. 
Mr. Frank Mark, at present of the Royal Gardens, 
Kew, has been appointed gardener to W. H. Myers, 
Esq., Leckhampton House, Cambridge. 
Dates of R.H S. Meetings, 1899 .—January ioth and 
31st; February 14th and 28th ; March 14th and 
28th; April 18th; May 2nd and 16th ; May 31st, 
and June 1st and 2nd, Temple ; June 13th and 27th; 
July nth and 25th ; August 15th and 29th ; Septem¬ 
ber 12th and 26th; September 28th, 29th and 30th, 
Crystal Palace ; October ioth and 24th ; November 
7th and 21st; December 5th and 19th; January, 
1900, 9th and 23rd. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 
22nd, in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, 
1 to 4 p.m. A lecture ou "Artificial Garden 
Manures" will be given by Mr. A. D. Hall at 3 
o’clock. June 27th will be the Rose show at the Drill 
Hall. On July 11th there will be an International 
Conference held at Chiswick on " Hybridisation and 
Cross-breeding in Plants,” together with an exhibi¬ 
tion of hybrid and cross-bred plants with their 
parents (when possible), for comparison. 
In Aid of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, a subscrip¬ 
tion sale has been organised by Mr. M. Todd, and is 
to take place on the evening of Saturday,the 19th inst., 
at the close of the show of the Scottish Horticultural 
Association in the Waverley Market, Edinburgh. 
The proceeds are to be made over to that excellent 
charity, “The Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund." 
The tickets for the " sale ” have been priced at 6d. 
each. There are ten substantial prizes, the most 
valuable being a lady’s and a gent's Gazelle 
Bicycle, offered by Mr. Matthew White, The 
Lothian Cycle Depot, 101, Lothian Road, Edin¬ 
burgh. Messrs. Ford 4 c Co., Princes’ Street, Edin¬ 
burgh, supply a beautiful China Dessert Service, 
whilst from Messrs. Brook & Son, Edinburgh, there 
is a very elegant Electro-plated Silver Tea Service, 
consisting of teapot, sugar basin, and cream jug. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association.— Vt the 
Guildhall, Exeter, on the evening of the 9th inst., 
Mr. F. Edwards, gardener to Mr. Hare, Honeylands, 
Exeter, read a paper before the members of the 
above association on “ Deciduous Trees." The lec¬ 
turer spoke admiri ngly of the grand trees that were to 
be found in our parks and pleasure grounds. The 
Horse Chestnut, the Spanish Chestnut, the Elm, 
and the Beech all came in for praise. In some 
countries the sap of the Birch was converted into 
wine. The slowness of the growth of the Oak, and 
the durability of its timber, were commented on. 
The Lime, the Maple, Ash, Walnut, Tulip Tree, 
Alder, Willow, Elder, Mountain Ash, Cherry, 
Laburnum, Medlar, and White Mulberry were like¬ 
wise all passed in review. In conclusion, Mr. 
Edwards expressed his regret that beautiful trees 
were often spoilt by being planted in unsuitable posi¬ 
tions. Not only was it essential for a planter to 
have a knowledge of the origin of trees he used, but 
also of th-ir dimensions and habits. 
Chrysanthemum Carnival at Dundee—The annual 
carnival of the Dundee Chrysanthemum Society will 
be held on the 24th, 25th, and 26th inst , in the Drill 
Hill, Dundee. Last year’s carnival was a turning 
point in the Society's career, it being on a scale much 
larger than previous exhibitions, and of leading im¬ 
portance in the country. It was specially favoured 
in having Sir William Harcourt at the opening cere¬ 
mony, and by having the engagement of a London 
" Ladies' Band.” The entries and exhibits were 
numerous, and of first-rate merit, coming as they did 
from all parts of the United Kingdom. This position 
the society has every confidence of maintaining ; and 
this year's entries are expected to largely exceed last 
year's. The society has, at great expense, secured 
the band of the Royal Scots Greys for Thursday and 
Friday, the 24th and 25th inst., and the band of the 
Royal Grenadier Guards for Saturday, the 26th inst. 
—undoubtedly the strongest musical engagement 
available—and has every confidence in the ultimate 
success in doing so. Arrangements are well forward 
and everything points to the carnival turning out one 
of the most important and successful of its kind this 
season Prizes are offered in 46 classes, most of 
which are open to all, and a few are set apart 
for amateurs. The special prizes include four chal¬ 
lenge cups, a gold medal, two silver gilt medals, 
three silver medals, money prizes, &c. 
The £10 10 s. Sherwood Cup will, in 1899, be given 
for vegetables shown by amateurs or gentlemen’s 
gardeners on June 13th and September 26th. The 
points obtained by each exhibitor on each day will 
be added together for the result. 
Corbridge on-Tyne Gardeners’ Society. —On Tuesday 
evening, the 8th inst., the monthly meeting was held 
in the Society’s rooms, Town Hall, Corbridge, Mr. 
J. Cameron, Byethorne Gardens, in the chair. After 
the usual business, minutes, new members, &c., Mr. 
Winder, gardener, Howdenden, read a paper on 
" Transplanting Trees and Shrubs." He dealt in a 
very interesting manner with the practical and work¬ 
manlike way of removing or transplanting Trees and 
Shrubs. A very good discussion followed, and Mr. 
Winder received a hearty vote of thanks, after which 
the chairman intimated the arrangements for the 
Chrysanthemum Show, which the Society is to hold 
on the 19th inst. As part of the profits is to be given 
for charitable purposes everyone in the district seems 
to be taking an interest in the show. We congratu¬ 
late the gardeners and other members of this young 
Society for entering on the project of holding a show 
with such a laudable object in view, and we hope it 
will be a success. 
Woolton Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society — 
A meeting under the auspices of the above was held 
on the 3rd inst. at the Mechanic's Institute, Mr. B. 
Cromwell presiding over a good attendance of mem¬ 
bers. The chairman introduced Mr. B. Ashton, 
gardener to the Earl of Lathom, K.G., who had 
come to inform them as to the “ Art of Dinner Table 
Decorations,” a featuie of gardening in which he 
stood very high, and which was one of the most 
important in their vocation. The lecturer, in his 
opening remarks, referred to the importance of this 
subject, and to fill a first-class gardener’s situation it 
was necessary to be well versed in the carrying on of 
work of this nature. Thirty years ago the main 
qualifications of a good gardener was to be a capable 
plant, fruit and vegetable grower ; but at the present 
day, it was imperative that the gardener should be a 
competent decorator in addition to the qualifica¬ 
tions already.enumerated, and therefore it was most 
desirable that young gardeners should endeavour to 
make themselves proficient in this matter. A pretty 
table must have elegance, and in some cases perfume 
or colouring, or these points might be combined. It 
was but rarely that more than two colours could be 
utilised, and in many cases the work should be done 
with one. The most useful flowers were Orchids, 
such as Odontoglossums, Cattleyas, Oncidiums, 
Masdevallias, and others ; also Carnations, Roses, 
especially Tea varieties, with their charming colours 
and delightful fragrance, Sweet Peas and Cornflowers 
with their delicate shades of blue; but the latter 
could only be used for daylight purposes. Other 
useful things were Dahlias, Cactus varieties, Begonia 
Gloire de Lorraine, Montbretias, Ixias, Sparaxis, 
Gladiolus, Crocus, and Snowdrops, the two last- 
named being more successful when springing from 
green moss. Many kinds of foliage were at hand 
which would give a change, and make one better 
able to meet the demand. Amongst others might be 
named Crotons with their brilliant colouring, Abutil- 
ons, Acers, Coleus, Azaleas, Ghent varieties for the 
autumn season, Oaks, Prunus, Vine, Virginian 
Creepers, Bramble, Carrot Tops, Asparagus, Smilax, 
and Ferns. A selection of suitable foliage plants 
includes Crotons in variety, Palms, Aralias, Dra¬ 
caenas, Pandanus, Asparagus, etc.; for flowering 
kinds, Orchids, Celosias, Fuchsias, Epacris, etc., and 
Salanums for berried plants. Formal designs should 
not be overdone. Trailing forms were pretty and 
light; foliage, especially autumn tinted, would 
invariably harmonise; plants in large lofty rooms 
should be of good height but not dense; single 
stemmed Crotons rising to a height of 5 ft. were 
most effective in a large room. After the lecture a 
discussion followed in which the chairman, Messrs. 
R. Todd, T. Carling, J. Hogan, R. G. Waterman, 
and J. Ellis took part, when the following sugges¬ 
tions were made:—Straws without joints were valu¬ 
able for lengthening flowers with short stems, such as 
Dipladenias, Nasturtiums, etc.; and that many 
common flowers were good for decorating, such as 
Dog Roses, Honeysuckle, Ox-eye Daisies, Butter¬ 
cups, and Water Lilies. For dishing up fruit autumn 
tinted Pear leaves showed up superbly. Cordial 
votes of thanks were tendered to Mr. Ashton for his 
excellent lecture, and to Mr. Cromwell for so ably 
presiding. 
Spinach and Yoke of Egg, according to the chemist, 
Bunge, are proportionately richer in digestible and 
assimilable iron than all the most renowned ferru¬ 
ginous remedies. 
Geraldus Cambrensis.— It is a pity that your cor¬ 
respondent, C.B.G., will write so inaccurately. 
Gerald de Barri wrote under the name of Giraldus 
Cambrensis — not Cambriensis—his well-known 
Itinerary of Wales, in the time of Henry II., and cer¬ 
tainly was not writing two hundred years ago—he 
then having been dead some four centuries and a 
half! A look into the first biographical dictionary 
he came across would have gi'en C.B.G., these facts. 
— J. C. Stogden. 
Jadoo Fibre at Home and Abroad.— We are in¬ 
formed that a cable has just come from America 
that Jadoo Fibre has gained sixteen prizes at the 
Philadelphia exhibition of the Pennsylvania Horti¬ 
cultural Society. Last week it also gained silver 
medals, both at Birmingham (Bingley Hall) and at 
the Chrysanthemum Society’s exhibition at Bor¬ 
deaux, so that it was somewhat a grand week for 
Jadoo. 
Barley Competition at Ipswich.—The annual com¬ 
petition instituted by Mr. Wm. Colchester, of the 
Chemical Manure Works, Griffin Mills, was decided 
at Ipswich on the nth inst., by two experts. The 
competition was open only to users of the Gold Cup 
Fertiliser, Griffin Brand, in the growing of Barley 
with this manure, aided by farmyard manure at the 
grower’s option, but without other chemical ferti¬ 
lisers. None of the entrants used farmyard manure. 
Entries from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, 
Kent and Herts, made a strong competition. The 
winning sample proved to be No. 54, grown and 
entered by Mr. Wm. Nisbet, Park Gate Farm, 
Stratford St. Andrew, Saxmundham. The soil was 
a medium one, with a sandy subsoil, and the previous 
crop was Beans and Peas. The second award of a 
Diploma went to sample No. 59, entered by Mr. 
Harry Fulcher, Finningham, grown upon a heavy 
soil after Beet. Mr. Walter Fallows, Witnesham, 
being third, also received a Diploma. 
-«*.- 
NOTICE OF BOOK. 
The Farmer and the Birds, by Edith Carrington, 
with preface by Canon Tristram, F.R.S. Lon¬ 
don : George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent 
Garden, r8g8. 
Books that deal with plant enemies generally men¬ 
tion some of the birds and insects that are beneficial 
to man on the farm and in the garden by checking 
the harmful species. A whole book of some 204 
pages is entirely devoted to the cause of birds by 
Edith Carrington,the author of "Nature's Wonders," 
"Animals’ Ways and Claims,” "Ages Ago," &c. A 
large number of birds coses under review, including 
many whose good work is incontestable, and which 
are generally admitted to be harmless to cultivated 
crops. Other birds, however, are dealt with, which 
are well-known to be marauders at certain seasons, 
of various cultivated plants ; but in the case of the 
rook, for instance, the evil is more than counter¬ 
balanced by the good it does in destroying vermin 
of various kinds, with which man would otherwise 
have great or insuperable difficulty in coping, owing 
to their small size, great numbers, and the labour 
that would be necessary to check their ravages in 
any appreciable degree. 
In speaking of the Lapwing, the author deals with 
the places frequented by this bird, the danger of its 
extermination,owing to the value placed upon its eggs, 
the nature of its food, and various anecdotes con¬ 
cerning it in gardens and in a semi-domesticated 
state. By means of a table the author shows by 
what means man is benefited or robbed, by the 
agency of the Lapwing. In this particular instance, 
no harm is recorded against the bird at all. It is 
otherwise with the Rook, Partridge, Pheasant, 
Yellow-Hammer, Thrush, Blackbird, &c., but the 
harm they do is insignificant compared with the 
good. 
A chapter is devoted to "slandered workers," 
under which title the author includes the house 
Sparrow, Sparrow Hawk. Kestrel. Magpie, various 
species of Owl and the Wood Pigeon. The house 
Sparrow, says the author, must be judged as a 
native, and not as a colonist in other countries to 
which it has been taken. The Sparrow’s own 
natural enemies are said to be the best in maintain¬ 
ing a due balance of the bird, and no doubt there is 
