December 10, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
229 
- Eight Inches of Rain Wanted.—It is estimated 
by the Meteorological Office that London and the 
more southerly areas of England are still eight inches 
below their average rainfall for the year. 
Flowers in a good State of Preservation have been 
taken from tombs in Egypt after a lapse of some 
thousands of years. They include white and blue 
varieties of Nymphaea, the flowers of the Pomegra¬ 
nate, the red Poppy, and the Crocus. 
Gardens in Equatoria. —When the Russian traveller, 
Junker, arrived at Lado, in the province of Equatoria, 
in 1884, he was surprised at the changes that had 
come over the place since he first knew it about six 
years previously. In the interim it was governed by 
the eminent traveller, Emin Pasha, and under his 
sway the solitudes and deserted villages had given 
place to well-tilled fields and browsing cattle. 
Instead of wretched hovels, there had arisen sub¬ 
stantial buildings. The wilderness and filth had 
given place to well-cultivated grounds and gardens 
containing trees laden with fruit. 
Scottish Horticultural Association.—The financial 
aspect of the Chrysanthemum exhibition held under 
the auspices of this association in Edinburgh last 
month was an unqualified success. At the monthly 
meeting held last Tuesday evening, the report of 
that show was read. The income from all sources 
amounted to £1,300, of which £1,149 was from gate 
money. The expenditure amounted to £1,091, the 
prize money paid away figuring at £440. ' On the 
motion of Mr. M. Todd, the president, contributions 
were voted to various charities, amounting to £110, 
including £15 each to the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund and the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institu¬ 
tion. A paper by Mr. Alex Wright, The Gardens, 
Falkland Park, South Norwood Hill, London, on the 
" Arrangement of Hardy Plants in the Garden,” was 
read and discussed. 
Dean Swift and th6 Fruiterer. —It is recorded that 
when Dean Swift, of Gulliveriau fame, lived in Hol- 
born, he was served by a fruiterer who bore the 
appropriate name of " Berry.” This tradesman once 
submitted to the Dean for payment an account which 
had already been paid. This caused the Dean to pay 
a visit to the fruiterer’s shop, where he saw a young 
man, who in answer to his enquiry said he was the 
son of Mr. Berry, senior. The latter was called and 
the Dean opened fire on him thus—" You are Mr. 
Berry, senior, the Elder—Berry 1 presume.” ” Yes ” 
sir, was the reply. •' Then,” said the very reverend 
gentleman, *• you have sent me a Bil—Berry that isn't 
Dew—berry; for your customers you evidently don't 
care a Straw—Berry ; in fact, in matters of business 
you are quite a Goose—Berry, and if such a thing 
occurs again, your face I shall have to Rasp—Berry.’■ 
The answer to this fine tirade is not given. 
Ealing and Distriot Gardeners’ Society.— On the 
29th ult., in the Municipal Buildings, Ealing, the 
chairman of the society, Mr. C. B Green, gave a 
paper — illustrated by photographs — on 'Cardiff 
Castle and Gardens,” the vice-chairman, Mr. H. 
Burgess, presiding. Mr. Green divided his subject 
into two principal sections, dealing in the first with 
the Castle in relation to the town, its historical 
aspects, and its modern rejuvenescence. In the 
second part the gardens and the celebrated vineyards 
were passed under review, Mr. Green stating that the 
gardening which is carried on here is of the most 
systematic and satisfactory description, and reflected 
the greatest credit on Mr. A. Pettigrew and his able 
staff. During the discussion which followed,one of the 
members (a Welshman) reverted with evident pleasure 
to the reminiscences of his youth, and complimented 
the lecturer on his " true account ” of the Castle and 
its gardens. As no higher praise could possibly be 
bestowed, and as the members generally were much 
in accord, the vote of thanks which was heartily given 
must have been very gratifying to Mr. Green. The 
chairman, likewise, ^received a vote of thanks for 
presiding. Mr. Cox, The Haven Gardens, Ealing, 
was awarded the society’s certificate for an excellent 
collection of Apples and Pears. Those we particu¬ 
larly noted were—Apples : Bismarck (finely coloured), 
Alfriston, Wellington, Rtbston Pippin, and (of course) 
Cox’s Orange Pippin. Pears : Beurre Diel, Berga- 
motte Esperen, Josephine de Malines, and Duchesse 
d’Angouleme. 
Eremurus robustus Elwesii is considered by some 
cultivators as being more closely allied to E. 
- himalaicus, so that it should be written E. 
himalaicus Elwesii. 
Fertility of British Soil.—The average yield of 
-wheat per acre in the United Kingdom is 29-1 
bushels ; in the United States it is 12 bushels; in 
Russia 8 6 bushels ; and in Australasia 6 8 bushels. 
The average for the whole world is 127 bushels per 
acre. In the Rothamstead experiments for 1863 it 
was recorded that 555 bushels per acre were secured 
by the use of mixed mineral manures and nitrate of 
soda. If the world's average could be raised to this, 
wheat-eating peoples need fear no famine for some 
generations to come. 
Wool on Mutual Improvement Society.—The fort¬ 
night^ meeting of this society was held at “The 
Mechanics,” on the 1st iDst., Mr. John Glover in 
the chair. The meeting was a large and enthusiastic 
one, the large attendance being attracted by the 
popular subject, “Japanese Chrysanthemums for 
Exhibition,” by the champion grower, Mr. J. 
Heaton, the winner of the Silver Challenge Vases 
offered for competition by the Liverpool and 
Grassendale Societies. The lecturer gave bis system 
of culture in detail, commencing with the cutting 
with suitable compost of light loam and leaf mould 
in equal parts, adding one-eighth of sharp sand. 
The proper time for inserting the cuttings should 
range from November to January, beginning with 
those that naturally bloom late. Artificial heat was 
objected to, with the exception of sufficient to keep 
out frost. After rooting they should be kept well up 
to the light such as a shelf in the greenhouse. Pot 
off when rooted in the following:—two parts loam, 
one part leaf mould, one-fourth of a part rotten 
manure, with a good sprinkling of sand ; spread out 
the roots and make the soil firm. The plants, at 
the end of February, can be placed out in cold 
frames, on strips of wood near the glass ; pot on in 
6-in pots when the pots are fairly full of roots in a 
compost somewhat stronger than that of the former 
shift, adding horse droppings as prepared for Mush¬ 
room beds, and a sprinkling of Ichthemic manure. 
Pot firmly and water carefully or the result will be 
sappy or immature growth. Place the plants outside, 
about the middle of April, in a sheltered position. 
.Final potting should be done in May and completed 
early in June, the compost for this being four parts 
rich loam, one leaf mould, one horse droppings 
.(prepared as before), one fourth of a part half-inch 
bones, and a similar quantity Ichthemic, mixing 
sufficient for the whole potting before commencing 
to pot. Make the soil firm in gj-in. pots, and water 
carefully as required. Commence feeding with soot 
water when the roots have fairly taken hold of the 
soil ; gradually increase the feeding from various 
sources of natural or artificial manures. The most 
suitable positions for the summer quarters were 
given, and the proper system to adopt regarding 
insect pests which should, as far as possible, be pre¬ 
vention rather than cure. The dates for housing 
were given from September 23rd to the 29th, accord¬ 
ing to the buds. Where convenient, the early buds 
should be placed under a shed with a glass roof. 
Special stress was laid on carefulness in watering 
throughout the whole season, and placing the pots 
on the edges of boards or open staging, so as to leave 
a space between the pot and the ground. After the 
lecture the following members spoke in terms of 
praise of the excellence of the paper :—Messrs. W. 
Tunnington, T Carling, R. G. Waterman, B. Crom¬ 
well, G. Haigh, J. Hogan, R. Todd, and the chair¬ 
man. The meeting was greatly enhanced in interest 
by a good selection of blooms of the Japanese 
varieties—Mrs. Hume Long, Sunstone, Western 
King, C. W. Richardson, Mary Molyneux, Master 
H. Tucker, George Pitcher, Lady Northcote, &c. 
Incurves were represented by Duchess of Fife, 
Mdlle. Lucie Faure, Bonnie Dundee, Miss Phyllis 
Fowler, and Sir Trevor Lawrence, staged by Messrs. 
J. Heaton, T. Carling, G. Haigh and J. Wilson. 
Messrs. W. Clibran & Son, Altrincham, contributed 
a dozen new varieties and fifteen single kinds, these 
being highly praised. This fine show was the means 
of bringing on a discussion as to the advisability of 
holding a Chrysanthemum exhibition, wh ch was 
left to the committee. Cordial votes of thanks were 
tendered to Mr. Heaton for his admirable paper, to 
Mr. Glover for presiding, and to those who 
generously contributed the cut flowers. 
An Inch of Rain upon an area of one square mile is 
nearly equal to 17,500,000 gallons, weighing 
z 45.250.000 lbs., or 64,844 tons. 
Potatos in Ireland. — The Lord Mayor of Dublin 
recently issued a report on the condition of the South 
and West of Ireland affected by the Potato famine of 
last year, and finds that last year's distress has been 
followed by plenty. Extensive spraying operations 
did much to secure this desirable result; and the 
fresh seed supplied was also beneficial. 
The Violets of Nice.—Several varieties of single 
Violets are cultivated at Nice, and some of them are 
not only great favourites there, but t y are largely 
exported. The Czar, which originated in this 
country, is one of the best in France as in England. 
Luxoune, obtained by crossing the variety Wilson 
with The Czar has as fine flowers as the Czar, but is 
lacking in perfume. Princess of Wales, which first 
saw the light at Bourg la Reine in 1889, came from 
the variety Gloire de Bourg la Reine. It is remark¬ 
able for the size of its flowers and leaves and the 
length and strength of its peduncles and petioles. 
The Parmese Violets are the only double variety 
grown for exportation, the singles monopolising the 
major part of the attention. 
EXAMINATION IN HORTICULTURE. 
April nth, 1899. 
1. The Council of The Royal Horticultural 
Society, sympathising with the efforts of various 
county councils, technical institutes, schools, gar¬ 
deners’ mutual improvement societies, and other 
bodies to promote instruction in practical horticul¬ 
ture by means of lectures, demonstrations, &c., and 
in the hope of rendering such teaching more definite 
and effective, have consented to hold an examination 
in horticulture on April Tith, 1399. 
2. The following is an outline syllabus, showing 
the nature of the subjects to which it is considered 
desirable that the attention of students should be 
drawn. 
Elementary Principles. 
On which Horticultural practice is based. 
(I) Soils, good and bad : their nature and compoii- 
tion : weeds and their eradication. 
[z) Requirements of growth—water, heat, air. 
(3) Seeds : nature of, duration of vitality in, and 
modes of germination. 
(4) Roots: nature and functions of; fibrils and 
root-hairs ; what they do, and how they do it 
—what helps and what hinders them. 
(5) Stems and branches : their nature, work, and 
uses; helps and hindrances to their work. 
(6) Leaves: what they are, what they do; helps 
and hindrances to their work. 
(7) Tubers and bulbs, leaf-buds and flower buds. 
( 3 ) Growth and development: increase in size and 
changes of composition and structure; forma¬ 
tion and storage of food materials. 
(9) Flowers : their component parts; what they 
do; artificial fertilisation. 
(10) Fruit: changes and development during ripen¬ 
ing ; forms and varieties, as, c.g., Apple, 
Strawberry, Plum, &c. 
(II) Seed : 'formation of. 
(12) Variation and selection. 
(13) Names and orders of common garden plants, 
trees, &c., &c. 
Horticultural Operations and Practice. 
(1) Surveying and landscape gardening : elements 
of. 
(2) Choice of site for garden. 
(3) Description and use of implements under each 
head. 
(4) Operations connected with the cultivation of 
the land, with explanations and illustrations 
of good and bad methods: digging and 
trenching ; draining ; hoeing, stirring the soil, 
weeding and watering; preparation of seed 
beds ; rolling and raking, sowing, transplant¬ 
ing and thinning ; potting, planting ; aspects, 
positions, and shelter ; staking ; earthing and 
blanching, &c. 
(5) Propagation. Elementary principles: cuttings, 
budding and grafting, stocks used, layering, 
division, branch pruning, root pruning; old 
and young trees and bushes. Training. 
(6) Fruit culture : open air and under glass; 
small fruits ; Apples and Peats; stone fruits ; 
