196 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 26, 1898. 
Those flowers, or the finest of them, were 
mostly grown in the counties to the north 
of Midlothian, the southern exhibitors faring 
rather badly on this occasion. That may 
be due largely to the character of the past 
season, and the unfavourable effect it had 
upon the proper development of the big 
blooms. 
From several quarters we were confirmed 
in our opinion that the class for twenty 
vases of Chrysanthemums, together with 
seventeen or more classes for smaller num¬ 
ber of vases, were the leading features of 
the cut flower classes at this show. The 
ordinary stands of cut blooms were there in 
force, but they were greatly overpowered 
by their compeers in the vases. The long 
stems carrying their own foliage and massive 
blooms in their natural position were in 
such prominence that they could be seen 
Irom all parts of the Waverley Market. The 
blooms on the show boards could only be 
seen at close quarters, and lost much in 
their attractiveness from this fact. We copy 
much from other nations, but in certain 
cases our prejudices, insular or otherwise, 
prevent us from speedily altering our older 
methods. Here and there an attempt has 
been made to popularise the method of 
showing Chrysanthemums in vases, but a 
conservative influence at work has hindered 
progress in this direction. The question 
of greater expense in carrying these flowers 
for long distances may be serious enough, 
but the other plea that the merits of the 
blooms could not be readily compared, nor 
properly judged under those conditions is 
only a myth. The natural position of a 
bloom ought to be, and is, the best under 
which to examine and adjudicate upon the 
good points of different varieties, and good 
judges now admit it. By all means retain a 
number of classes for stands of bloom ; but 
we consider it good policy to institute a 
considerable number of classes for vases on 
account of their conspicuous character in a 
show. At first only blooms of second or 
third rate size were put into vases, but those 
at Edinburgh were of the largest 
size, and lost nothing of their value, except 
where the vases or the blooms happened to 
be crowded. The twenty vases at Edin¬ 
burgh contained only three blooms each; 
but the larger number of the classes con¬ 
sisted of vases containing six blooms each. 
In one case there were twelve blooms in a 
vase, but obviously this was too great a 
number, causing unnecessary crowding of 
the blooms. Six, at most, we consider 
ample, unless the vases themselves are 
inconveniently large. It requires some 
skill on the part of the exhibitor to fix up 
six blooms to the best advantage, without 
at the same time making the vases top- 
heavy. 
The Japanese varieties are still over- 
poweringly in the ascendant, while the in¬ 
curved varieties were just as far below the 
standard as the Japanese varieties were 
above it at Edinburgh. A certain degree 
of refinement is always possible when only 
one variety is used in a vase ; because the 
exhibitors, if gifted with taste, can so 
arrange the colours as to harmonise. Three 
blooms is the smallest number yet used in 
a vase, but with the heavy flowers at com¬ 
mand, interesting exhibits might be staged 
having only one bloom in a vase. This 
might apply both to incurved and Japanese 
blooms. 
The groups of Chrysanthemums in the 
Waverley Market call for no special 
remark, as they were below the average of 
what we have been accustomed to see at 
other large shows. In this respect there is 
room for greater improvement amongst the 
exhibitors. The old-fashioned method of 
setting up a solid mass of blooms has, 
however, been abandoned even here. The 
specimen plants seem to have entered on 
the initial stages of following the system of 
training in vogue at London, as the leading 
six were trained in that fashion, and 
visitors, even the gardeners, admitted the 
greater effectiveness of the style of training. 
The leading exhibits of wreaths, and other 
floral devices, were not lacking in novelty 
nor admirers, for at certain periods during 
the afternoon and evening it was almost 
impossible to get more than a glimpse of 
the taller devices on the tables as they 
could be seen between the heads of the 
people. 
Fruit was, perhaps, as well represented 
as we have been accustomed to see it at 
the November show. Grapes were fairly 
plentiful, but called lor no special remark, 
with the exception of the i2lb. bunch of 
Black Hamburgh. Apples were shown in 
great quantity, and generally in fine con¬ 
dition. The fruits in a few of the exhibits 
were highly coloured, but from other parts 
of Scotland they were lacking in this 
respect. Pears were shown in lesser 
quantity, and generally of fair size. 
Vegetables were excellent throughout, and 
left nothing to be desired, even in the 
number of entries, which was astonishing 
in many instances. 
As to the financial success of the show 
we need only state that about ^i,ooo was 
taken at the gates during the course of the 
three days of the show. During the same 
period 40,000 people passed the turnstiles. 
What brought them there ? 
Not the least important constituent was 
the powerful programme provided, and 
executed with great eclat , by the Band of 
Her Majesty’s Greuadier Guards, under the 
able and very skilful directorship of Mr. 
Arthur Williams, Mus. Bac., Oxon. To 
watch the faces in the huge audiences as 
the light and shade and genius of the 
various masters were so beautifully 
rendered, no one could help feeling that it 
is a very patent and real fact that music 
and flowers in conjunction form the 
happiest of happy consummations. 
- .»> 
Oil is extracted from Cocoanuts by breaking the 
latter into small pieces, and drying them in the sun, 
after which they are pressed or boiled to extract the 
oil. 
Datura lutea would suggest yellow flowers, but the 
fact is they are only pale yellow in the half-opened 
state of the long trumpet-like flowers, because after 
attaining full development they change to pure 
white, as observable upon a plant in the Begonia 
house, Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh. 
National Dahlia Society.—The annual meeting of 
the National Dahlia Society will be held, by kind 
permission of the Horticultural Club, in their rooms 
at the Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, S.W., on 
Tuesday, December 13th, 1898, at 2 p.m. The 
items upon the agenda are:—The report for 1898, 
the schedule for 1899, and the revision of select list 
of Cactus Dahlias, together with other business. 
Pipes of Soapstone and Red Clay have been found 
in graves and tumuli in both Europe and Asia as 
well as America, whose occupants lived in prehistoric 
times, so that there is no doubt that smoking was 
practised by our ancestors in those dim, far away 
times. Whether the weed smoked was Tobacco we 
cannot know, but at least the art of smoking was not 
originally introduced into this country by either 
Raleigh or Hawkins. 
Death of Mr. Seeger, Bandon Hill, Croydon.—We 
regret to hear that Mr. Seeger, the well-known 
Orchid grower, died in a fit last Sunday night (20th). 
It will be remembered that Mr. Seeger was formerly 
principal of the firm trading as Seeger & Tropp, 
Ltd., East Dulwich, also of Seeger & Co., Crown 
Place, W. Norwood, and latterly he has been run¬ 
ning a small nursery at Bandon Hill, Croydon. Our 
informant was with the deceased on Friday, the 
18th, when he appeared to be in his usual good 
health and temper. 
The Horse Chestnut is said to harbour more insects 
than any other tree found growing in these coun¬ 
tries. 
Mr. F. G. Treseder, Chairman of the Cardiff Chrys¬ 
anthemum Society has forwarded a cheque for £5 
15s., being the proceeds of a stall held at the 
Chrysanthemum exhibition at Cardiff, in aid cf the 
above institution. 
Botanising in Western Australia.—At the meeting 
of the Linnean Society of London, on the 17th inst., 
a paper was read by Mr. Spencer Le M. Moore, 
F.L.S., on " The Botanical Results of a Journey into 
the Interior of Western Australia.” Observations 
were made on the nature and relations of the desert 
flora, and on the probable origin of the Australian 
flora as a whole. 
Messrs. Harrison & Sons’ Root and Vegetable Show. 
—This annual fixture was held on the gth inst. in 
the warehouse of the firm at Welford Road, 
Leicester, and, as in former years proved to be a 
great success; for although in some of the classes 
the number of exhibits showed a falling away, the 
quality displayed an advance. Potatos and Onions 
were the leading features of the show, the favourite 
Potato being Up-to-date. There was also a fairly 
brisk competition for farm roots. 
A Southern Gardener’s Successes. —Up to date Mr. 
W. H. Lees, of Trent Park Gardens, New Barnet, 
has bad a fairly successful season amongst the Chrys¬ 
anthemums. He was first for forty-eight Japanese, 
distinct, at the National Chrysanthemum Society’s 
November show, and would probably have won for 
the thirty-six incurves but that his stand was dis¬ 
qualified. He was first in the premier class for 
twenty-four incurves and twenty-tour Japanese at 
Manchester (Lord Derby’s Challenge Cup), and also 
first for eighteen Japanese. The blooms staged by 
Mr. Lees have been fully equal to, if not better than, 
those staged by him in previous years, but the 
standard of Chrysanthemum culture has been much 
raised of late, and it takes a first-rate stand nowadays 
to win a a first prize. 
The Reading Trough Edging Patent Garden Tile.— 
This is an introduction by Messrs. Wheeler & Co., 
Kew Kiln, Tilehurst, Reading, which is quite a 
departure from the ordinary run of edging tile, of 
which there is a number of styles and makes in 
existence. Looked at sectionally, the tile is Y-shaped, 
the limb facing the pathway or lawn being capped 
with a neatly moulded rim. The space between the 
limbs of the Y may be filled with soil and used as a 
sort of pot to hold small edging plants. Drainage 
is provided for these plants by small holes, which 
run from the base of the cavity on the side next the 
lawn or border, so that the soil is not rinsed on to 
the path. As the tiles are made some nine inches in 
depth, they can be inserted sufficiently deeply to 
give them a good grip of the soil. They thus remain 
firm as long as they are intact, and are not easily 
moved out of line. The tile is made to suit paths 
with any curvatures, and angles of any size can 
also be obtained from the makers. 
Self-irrigation in Plants.—The Rev. Alex. S. 
Wilson, M A„ B. Sc., continues this interesting sub¬ 
ject in the November number of Knowledge. From 
the more obvious phases of the subject he, oh this 
occasion proceeds to note and describe facts that are 
seldom obvious to the casual observer. Many plants, 
like the Teasel, Sow Thistle, and Compass Plant 
have their leaves so constructed at the base that they 
hold water for a greater or less length of time after 
rain has ceased to fall. This water may act as guards 
to prevent creeping insects from getting up to the 
flowers. These cups also hold small quantities of 
ammoni and nitric acid in suspension after being 
brought down by rain. Either or both of these may be 
directly absorbed by the leaves, according to the 
more pressing needs of the plants for the time being. 
Sometimes protoplasmic threads are protruded into 
the water and absorb nitrogenous matter after the 
manner of a carnivorous plant, as discovered by Mr. 
Francis Darwin. Bacteria often collect in this water, 
as well as many microscopical animalculae, which 
constitute most interesting objects for study. The 
Rev. Alex. S. Wilson thinks that there may be some 
symbiotic connection between the plants and their 
guests, the animalcules, that is, that there is a sort 
of partnership between plants and animals for 
mutual benefit and protection. Those who put 
flowers into water, find, when they subject a drop of 
