December 3, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
213 
In Aid of he Gardeners’ Orphan Fund—The sale 
organised by Mr. M. Todd, the president of the 
Scottish Horticultural Association, on the occasion 
of the annual Chrysanthemum exhibition at Edin¬ 
burgh, was a great success. Mr. Todd anticipates a 
profit of /40 when all the assets of the sale have 
been realised. This will be duly handed over to the 
secretary of the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. 
It may be remembered that Mr. Todd also organised 
a similar scheme last year, when a handsome sum 
was realised. 
Society of Jersey Gardeners.—At the last monthly 
meeting of this association there was a brisk discus¬ 
sion upon the Chrysanthemum rust. Proceedings 
were opened by Mr. Robert J. Hamill.who expressed 
his opinion that high culture, excessively rich feed¬ 
ing, rapid propagation, extensive introductions of 
varieties from other countries,and continual growing 
from the same stock tended to weaken the constitu¬ 
tion of the plants and predispose them to disease. 
He thought that the rust must be carefully watched 
for in early summer and preventatives then applied. 
He recommended syringing with a solution of half- 
an-ounce of sulphide of potassium in a gallon of 
water. Several members spoke after Mr. Hamiil, 
but from their remarks it appeared that the 
gardeners of Jersey had not as yet been very much 
troubled with the disease,which has been so preva¬ 
lent in many parts of England this season. At the 
close of the meeting a hearty vote of thanks was 
accorded Mr. Hamiil for having brought forward the 
subject. 
The Banquet at the Edinburgh Show.—The official 
meeting on the afternoon of Thursday, the 17th ult., 
was the occasion of the customary banquet, at which 
a very large number of guests sat down, under the 
presidency of Mr. Matthew Todd, president of the 
association. The menu was handsomely and beauti¬ 
fully carried out in the sumptuous dining hall of the 
Royal British Hotel, under the personal supervision 
of Mr. Chas. Clark. The toast list included “ The 
Judges,” proposed by Mr. W. M. Welsh and re¬ 
sponded to in a thoughtful speech by Mr. Beckett, 
Aldenham House.Gardens, Elstree, Herts., who ex¬ 
pressed the pleasure and gratification it had been to 
him on this, his first, visit to Edinburgh. So much 
had been said and written about their Edinburgh 
shows that he felt there was little that could be 
added in their praise. He was exceedingly pleased 
with the exhibition as a whole, and congratulated 
the society upon the high status they had attained. 
Mr. E. Molyneux also responded in a speech full of 
advice and practical suggestions, adding also a few 
words of congratulation on the continued progress of 
the Edinburgh shows. " The Press, General and 
Horticultural,” were toasted in eloquent style by 
Mr. Uavid P. Laird, to which sentiment Mr. Gilbert, 
of The Scotsman, and Mr. John Fraser, of The 
Gardening World, responded. 
Shirley Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association. 
—The monthly meeting of the above society was held 
at the Parish Room, Shirley, Southampton, on 
Monday, 21st ult., when there was more than an 
average attendance, and the president, W. F. G. 
Spranger, Esq., conducted the meeting. The lec¬ 
turer was Mr. E. T. Mellor, B. Sc., London,Lecturer 
in Biology at the Hartley College, Southampton, 
who had chosen for his subject, “The Soil,” and 
divided it into two lectures, this being the first part. 
The second, which will deal with the chemical 
aspect of the subject, will be given next month. 
Mr. Mellor, on this occasion, treated his subject in 
three parts. (1) The origin and formation of soils. 
(2) The composition of soils. (3) Nutritive and 
other constituents of soils. The lecture was made 
more interesting and instructive, as each part was 
most profusely illustrated by means of lantern 
slides, chemical experiments, and diagrams. At the 
close of the lecture a number of interesting questions 
bearing on the subject were addressed to Mr. Mellor, 
to each of which he kindly gave satisfactory replies. 
There was a very good exhibition of plants and cut 
blooms of Chrysanthemums, contributed by the 
members, and several First-class Certificates were 
awarded. Cordial votes of thanks to Mr. Mellor, 
to the president, and to the exhibitors terminated 
the meeting. The lecture was under the auspices of 
the Technical Education Act Committee, Southam- 
ton County Council. 
The Importation of Flowers and Ornamental Plants 
to Bavaria from the South of France and Italy, has 
undergone a great development, says Nord-Horticole, 
within the last few years, in spite of the outcry by 
the Bavarian growers. 
The Ayrshire Horticultural Society are to be 
congratulated on the very successful Chrysanthemum 
Show which they held at the Pavilion, Dam Park, 
Ayr, on Wednesday, the 16th ult. The entries were 
well up to the standard of those of previous years, 
both with regard to quantity and quality. Mr. M. 
Ganly, gardener to P. Davidson, Esq., Dunoon, 
carried off the County Challenge Cup for four 
Chrysanthemums in pots, showing capital specimens 
of Viviand Morel, Elsie, La Triomphant, and yellow 
Source d’Or. Mr. Ganly has previously won the 
cup three times, viz., in 1894, 1895, aQ d 1897* Mr. 
D. Buchanan, of Bargany, was the most successful 
exhibitor in the classes for cut blooms, in both the 
Japanese and incurved sections. The eighteen Japs., 
distinct, with which he won the Land of Burns Cup, 
was a first-rate exhibit, and comprised very finely- 
finished flowers of such varieties as Edith Tabor, 
Mrs. W. H. Lees, Mutual Friend, Australie, Emily 
Silsbury, Hairy Wonder, Pride of Madford, Viviand 
Morel, and Edwin Molyneux. Mr. Buchanan’s first 
prize lot of six incurves included solid flowers of J. 
Agate, Baron Hirsch, Madame Darrier, and Globe 
d’Or. Mr. M. Ganly staged the winning stand of 
six incurves and six Japanese. In the amateurs’ 
classes Mr. M. Meridith was most successful amongst 
the pot plants, and Mr. T. McGregor won a number 
of firsts for cut flowers. 
Ealing and District Gardeners’ Society.—On the 
15th ult., in the Municipal Buildings, Ealing, the 
members of this society turned up in large numbers 
to hear a paper by the hon. secretary, Mr. V/. 
Roberts, on “ A Gardener’s Holiday.” Mr. Geo. 
Cannon occupied the chair. Mr. Roberts said that 
the annual holiday was now so much of a national 
institution that everybody, except gardeners, partici¬ 
pated in it. He, however, was more fortunate than 
some of his fellow workers, and this year he had 
spent a very pleasant holiday in Hampshire, which 
he described in flowing terms and vigorous language. 
Mr. Roberts was of opinion—and this was fully 
endorsed by his audience—that a change of scene was 
as vital and necessary in the gardener’s case as in 
any other class of the community. Moreover, he 
contended that some annual recreation of this kind 
redounded as much to the advantage of the employer 
as to the employe ; for not only was it a great gain 
to the one physically and mentally, but it also 
operated to the advantage of the other in the matter 
of new ideas and fresh experiences, which would be 
sure to be acquired and applied. Mr. Roberts, how¬ 
ever, did not confine himself entirely to gardening, 
but travelled over other ground in a humorous and 
trenchant style. Votes of thanks were heartily 
accorded to the genial chairman and the witty 
secretary. A “ collection of vegetables (six dishes,dis¬ 
tinct),” brought out an excellent competition among 
the members. There were five entries, the coveted 
place being secured by Mr. J. Stiles, gardener to J. 
Carver, Esq., Greystoke, Ealing, whose Autumn 
Giant Cauliflowers, Marquis of Lome Cucumbers, 
Perfection Tomatos, Globe Onions, Prize-taker 
Leeks, and Windsor Castle Potatos were much 
admired. The first prize (which was contributed by 
Mr. Geo. Wythes, Syon House Gardens, Brentford), 
also carried with it a new Bronze Medal by Mr. R. 
Pinches, 3, Crown Buildings, Camberwell. Mr. J. 
Simpson, Devonhurst Gardens, Chiswick, was a good 
second with Pragnell's Exhibition Beet, The Student 
Parsnip, The Lyon Leek, Cranston’s Excelsior 
Onion, Sutton's Exhibition Brussels Sprouts, and 
Satisfaction Potato. Mr. R. Green, The Elms 
Gardens, Castle Bar, Ealing, received the third 
award with some well-grown stuff. Other exhibits 
were Cattleya labiata, by Mr. Hogg; Epiphyllum 
truncatum, by Mr Woods; collection of Apples, 
finely coloured, by Mr. Stiles; and collection of 
vegetables, consisting of Tomato Warner’s King, 
Onion Cranston’s Excelsior, and Potato Syon House 
Prolific, by Mr. A. Pentney, Worton Hall Gardens, 
Isleworth. Messrs. Stiles and Pentney received 
votes of thanks and the Society’s Certificate. Mr. 
Pentney speaks very favourably of the quality and 
productiveness of Potato Syon House Prolific, and 
certainly the tubers which he staged were, in appear¬ 
ance, highly satisfactory. 
Snow in the North.—On the night of the 22nd and 
the early morning of the 23rd ult. a sharp snow¬ 
storm raged over a great part of Scotland. By 10 
a.m., on the 23rd, there was no snow along the 
eastern seaboard, but about J in. covered the ground 
at Dundee. At Errol, only 117 ft. above sea level, 
there were 3 in. over all, independently of the drift¬ 
ing. Farther inland and upland, in the Perthshire 
and Aberdeenshire Highlands the snow lay to the 
depth of 6 in. or more. During the day snow gave 
place to storms of hail, sleet, rain, and a hurricane of 
wind. Snow was lying on the higher hills two days 
later,notwithstanding almost continuous rain. In con¬ 
trast to this, Tea Roses and the Burn Pink were 
flowering freely in the Carse of Gowrie, and early 
Chrysanthemums were still holding out bravely in 
cottage and other gardens near the seaboard. 
Flora of Western Australia.—At a meeting of the 
Linnean Society of London, on the 17th November, 
Mr. Spencer Le M. Moore, F.L.S., read a paper 
entitled “ The Botanical Results of a Journey into 
the Interior of Western Australia ; with some Obser¬ 
vations on the Nature aud Relations of the Desert 
Flora, and on the probable Origin of the Australian 
Flora as a whole.” The author briefly sketched the 
physical and botanical features of the West Australian 
desert,indicating the parallel of 30° S.as, at least in the 
Coolgardie district, the dividing line between two 
subfloras. Flowering takes place almost entirely in 
springtime, when alone the conditions are favourable 
to it. Statistics of the desert-flora were then given. 
These comprise 867 known species, of which 860 are 
Phanerograms, referable to 319 genera, distributed 
among 73 natural orders. Of the flora 58 per cent, 
consist of species ranged under 8 orders, with 
Compositae and Leguminosae heading the list, 
leaving 42 per cent, to be shared between the remain¬ 
ing 65 orders. The author disbelieved the current 
theory of Scandinavian predominance; and the 
prevalence in Eastern Australia of forms of Indo- 
Malayan facies was held to be due, in great measure, 
not to immigration, but to descent from the primitive 
Tertiary Flora. Moreover, the balance of exchange 
between Indo-Malaya and Australia in favour of the 
former area, was considered as coming under the 
doctrine of chances, and not as implying any inherent 
superiority of the one flora over the other. While 
in Europe the Australian, i.e.,the xerophilous, element 
was, owing to change in climate, eliminated in favour 
of the present hygrophilous vegetation, in Eastern 
Australia the conditions remained as they were in 
earlier Tertiary times until desiccation set in. He 
held that this desiccation dates from an earlier 
period in Western Australia; and that this, together 
with the isolation of the Western portion of the 
contiaent in Secondary times by a sea, and later by 
stretches of desert, explains the floristic difference 
between the two halves of Australia. Mr. C. B 
Clarke, F.R.S., F.L.S , made some observations on 
the origin of the Australian flora, and on the dispersal 
northwards of species from the Antarctic. The 
president made some remarks by way of comparing 
the botanical statistics mentioned by Mr. Moore with 
the results obtained by zoologists in Australia, both 
as regards the character and origin of the fauna. 
»B — —- 
JUDGING PANSIES. 
Every year it becomes more and more evident that 
judges at flower shows are still far from unanimity in 
their methods and ideas of judging the exhibits 
placed before them. We are somewhat puzzled with 
the results of the judging of two varieties of fancy 
Pansies which have been brought to our notice by a 
correspondent, who sends us blooms of Kathleen 
Stirling and Mrs. Crum Ewing, the Pansies in ques¬ 
tion. There were five gentlemen, all specialists, re¬ 
puted Pansy judges, and often taken out to judge at 
Pansy and horticultural shows. The event took 
place at the first conference of the Scottish Pansy 
and Viola Association, held in the Religious Institute 
Rooms. Buchanan Street, Glasgow, last summer. 
The voting paper allowed 3 points for form, 3 for 
size, 2 for texture, 2 for colour, and 2 for distinct¬ 
ness, making a total or possible maximum of 12. 
The totals voted by the five judges were 9, 8, 9, 8. 
and 6, respectively, making an aggregate of 4c for 
the fancy Pansy Kathleen Stirling. In the case of 
the variety Mrs. Crum Ewing the totals voted by the 
same judges in the same respective order, w r ere 9, 8, 
8, 7, and 2, making an aggregate of 34. We agree 
