January 14, lb99. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
309 
Findlay Brothers.—The business hitherto carried 
on in the name of Mr. Thos. S. Findlay, Springhill 
Nurseries, Baillieston, will in future be continued by 
Mr. Thos. S. Findlay and Robert Findlay, Junr., 
under the name of Messrs. Findlay Brothers. 
Messrs. Dicksons’ Catalogue.—'The annual garden 
, seed catalogue published by the well known firm of 
Messrs. Dicksons, seed growers and nurserymen, 
Chester, is, as usual, got up in a neat and artistic 
style. Exhaustive lists of all the leading kinds of 
vegetables are given in alphabetical order, this 
section of the catalogue being copiously illustrated 
with carefully executed drawings of the firm’s speci¬ 
alities in Peas, Beans, Onions, Tomatos, &c. The 
flower seed section is also most complete, the 
illustrations here, too, being of a very high order. 
The section dealing with garden tools, garden 
sundries, &c., is also an elaborate and complete one. 
The many practical hints given throughout the 
catalogue cannot but be helpful and interesting to 
all those interested in garden pursuits. Copies 
of this catalogue may be had free on application 
from Messrs. Dicksons. 
Mutual Improvement Society, Woolton. — On the 
5th inst., a subject was introduced by Mr. A. Ran¬ 
dall, somewhat out of the usual course, although of 
practical importance to the gardener and general 
public. The matter under consideration, “The 
Tomato at home and abroad,’’ received careful con¬ 
sideration by the lecturer, who stated that the im¬ 
portations to this country amounted to 360.000 tons 
annually. A Liverpool gentleman, a grower in the 
Canary Islands, grows and forwards to this northern 
seaport 10,000 tons per annum, which are readily 
sold at fair prices. The importations being from 
September to May have a tendency to keep down 
the price of early home-grown fruit. The system of 
culture adopted in the Canary Islands was given, 
with notes on pests and diseases ; and especially 
interesting were the details of packing, the material 
for this purpose being kiln-dried peat, reduced to 
rough powder, which must prove an excellent sub¬ 
stance for the purpose. Home-grown fruit was duly 
reviewed by the lecturer, and the most approved 
methods of culture were submitted. Messrs. 1 . 
Carling, J. Vaughan, R. Todd, R. G. Waterman, and 
the chairman took part in the discussion which fol¬ 
lowed, chiefly on varieties grown for exhibition as 
plants or fruits, light and air being most essential for 
close-jointed growth and free setting. Deformed 
fruits, it was considered, were often caused through 
careless ventilation, especially when the fruit huDg 
with the eye downwards, more fruit suffering in this 
position than when hanging sideways. A cordial 
. vote of thanks was tendered to the lecturer and 
chairman for their services. 
Shropshire Horticultural Society —On the occasion 
of the twenty-fifth Summer Exhibition of this 
influential Midland society, which is to be held on 
August 23rd and 24th, there is to be a grand inter¬ 
national Grape competition. The class is for “ a 
collection of Grapes, in six distinct bunches, two 
bunches of each variet}, at least one white variety 
essential.’’ The fruit is to be staged in a space of 
' 8 ft. by 4 ft. 6 in., each variety being shown on a 
single board. Foliage plants and loose foliage are 
allowed for decorative purposes. The prizes 
aggregate £100 in cash, the first beiDg the society’s 
Gold Medal and £26. There are six prizes in all, 
ranging downwards from £26 to £5, so that as far as 
inducement is concerned there seems to be ample to 
insure a strong competition. The maximum of points 
allowed are ten points for Muscat of Alexandria, nine 
for any other variety, black or white ; and six for 
decorative staging. The varieties Bowood Muscat, 
Charlesworth Muscat, Tyningham Muscat, and 
CaDon Hall Muscat are to be considered, for exhibi¬ 
tion purposes, the same ; and they cannot, therefore, 
be shown as distinct. Gros Maroc and Cooper’s 
Black are also to be held to be synonymous. The 
attention of the judges is to be specially directed 
towards superior cultivation and finish for the respec¬ 
tive varieties, and neither size of bunch nor flavour 
is to carry primary weight, for it is argued that large 
bunches may have inferior berries, and the flavour of 
all varieties may not be fully developed. The last 
statement seems to us rather curious, for as far as 
our experience goes, a well finished bunch of a good 
variety has flavour proportionate to its finish, so that 
in giving attention to " finish,” the question of 
flavour is really receiving attention. 
Lady at Flower Show.—" Oh, yes, dear things, I 
used to know them well, but I forget them all now 
except the Delirium tremens and the Aurora 
borealis.”— Punch. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association.—The 
Spring Programme for 1898-9 of this very much 
alive association is before us, and we notice that it is 
a most attractive one ; for not only are the subjects 
both interesting and important to gardeners but the 
men who have been deputed to deal with them are 
thoroughly conversant with them. The meetings are 
held fortnightly from January 18th to March agth 
inclusive. The session will be opened on the 18th 
inst. by Mr. R. W. Hodder, gardener to Mrs. Trevor 
Barclay, Ponsonby, Torquay, who will discourse 
upon “ The Fungus Pests of our Gardens, with 
Notes on Rust in Chrysanthemums.” February 1st 
brings to the lecture table Mr. J. Mayne, gardener 
to the Hon. Mark Rolle, Bicton, Budleigh Salterton, 
who will talk about “ Liliums and their treatment.” 
Mr. E. J. Love, Mount Radford Nurseries, follows 
on February 15th with ” The History of the Rose.” 
" Plants for House Decoration ” will be dealt with on 
March 1st by Mr. G. Camp, gardener to E. Byrom 
Esq., Culver. “ Chrysanthemums—their Culture, 
with Hints on Dressing, Staging, and Judging the 
Blooms ” will doubtless prove a drawing card on 
March 15th when Mr. J. Stiles, gardener to Miss 
Fripp, The Grove, Teignmouth will claim the atten¬ 
tion of his brother gardeners. The session doses 
on March 29th when Mr. G. C. Crabbe, Prospect 
Park, is going to tell all he knows about “ Pelargon¬ 
iums : their treatment from an amateur’s standpoint.” 
Keiway’s Manual of Horticulture.—The word 
11 Manual ” is the only one that would describe this 
publication, for it has long passed out of the mere 
catalogue stage, for it is practically a compendium of 
information on matters relating to flower and vege¬ 
table culture, and does infinite credit to Messrs. 
Kelway & Son, of Langport, who have compiled it. 
The issue for 1899 is a great improvement upon 
previous issues. It comprises nearly forty more 
pages of text, in addition to an index to the various 
sections, the matter under each section being 
arranged alphabetically. The priming and general 
turn-out are remarkably good throughout, and reflect 
great credit upon those who turned it out, whilst the 
covers are in themselves artistic productions of great 
merit, the spike of Gladiolus appearing on the front 
cover being so marvellously well brought out that it 
seems almost to be a real flower awaiting the hand 
of the gatherer. Attached to each genus of plants is 
a brief but comprehensive resume of the most 
important points concerning its culture, whilst the 
height and month of flowering is given of each species 
and variety catalogued. Such information is often 
just what both the amateur and professional gardener 
want, and here it is in the handiest and most get-at- 
able guise. The Messrs. Kelway have long been 
known as expert cultivators of, and specialists in, 
hardy plants, but their name is usually linked 
particularly with such important classes of flowers 
as Paeonies, Pyrethrums, Gaillardias, and Gladioli, of 
which they have given us innumerable superb 
varieties. If we turn up one of these classes, say 
Paeony, we find a mass of special information 
collected from all sources—cultural advice, methods 
of employing them successfully, selections for special 
purposes, and detailed descriptions of new and 
striking sorts, and all arranged in methodical fashion ; 
and this instance might serve as an illustration of the 
way the other classes are treated. In addition to 
hardy and tender flowers, vegetables, and fruits are 
also dealt with, and all in the same thorough fashion. 
The illustrations have chiefly been prepared from 
photographs and are absolutely true to nature. 
There is only one colour plate, and that a real beauty : 
it is a double page representation of a bunch of 
Paeonies. The delicate shading off from rose to 
• silver seen in some of the most refined varieties is 
marvellously well done, and, taking it altogether, it 
is the best plate of Paeonies we have ever seen. 
Turning to more strictly utilitarian matters the tables 
that are given of what to sow and plant during each 
month of the year, the space that certain quantities 
of seeds will sow, and the lists of vegetables, with 
annotations as to where to plant, and when the 
produce is ready for gathering, will appeal to all 
interested in practical gardening. 
Preserving Flowers.—It is said that flowers may be 
preserved for some time by charring the stems. A 
shaving of wood must be used instead of a match, 
because the sulphur from the latter destroys the 
flowers. Chrysanthemums may thus be preserved 
for a month, by charring the stems and frequently 
changing the water in which they are kept. 
Sir W. T. Thiselton Dyer.—Amongst honours 
recently conferred we are pleased to learn that 
horticulture and botany have been honoured in the 
person of William Turner Thiselton Dyer, Esq., 
C.M.G., C.I.E., Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, 
whom the Queen has been graciously pleased to 
appoint to be Knight Commander of the Most 
Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, 
in recognition of services rendered to Colonial 
Governments. Wherever a British post or colony of 
any importance has been established in any part of 
the world, one or more botanical gardens have also 
been located, and all of them are in direct communi¬ 
cation with Kew for advice or assistance in the way 
of seeds, plants, or other economial or utilitarian 
advantage. Kew is practically mother to the 
daughter establishments. 
Kew Gardens.—On the 3rd inst., in the Municipal 
Buildings, Ealing, Mr. C. H. Curtis ( Gardeners' 
Magazine), gave a most interesting lecture on this 
subject, illustrated by limelight views, to the Ealing 
and District Gardeners’ Society, Mr. Councillor 
Taylor occupying the chair. The attendance! 
although not so large as had been anticipated, was 
fairly strong, and received the lecturer's remarks with 
the greatest enthusiasm. Mr. Curtis introduced his 
subject by a short historical account of the Gardens 
which, he said, dated back to 1551, when a Dr. 
Turner, in an old herbal, wrote that he had certain 
plants in his garden at Kew. As early as 1768 a 
catalogue of plants was published, while in 1789 this 
catalogue had swollen to 5,600 species. From the 
hands of the Capel family it passed, by purchase, to 
George III., who enlarged and improved it by adding 
more land in the vicinity of the Richmond Road. 
For many years the Gardens were under the 
management of John Haverfield and the two Aitons, 
which brings the history of the Gardens down to 
1841, when Sir William Hooker took over the 
directorship. From this time the Gardens became 
public property, and since then have continued to 
increase in extent, in beauty, in interest, and useful¬ 
ness. At the present time, Sir William Turner 
Thiselton Dyer (lately promoted- to the rank of 
Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and 
St. George) is the presiding genius, and to his great 
administrative abilities is due, in large measure, the 
popularity of the Gardens as a pleasure resort, as 
well as to the fact that Kew is now probably the 
first of botanical institutions. Mr. Curtis, who is 
proud of his connection with these famous Gardens, 
then proceeded to dilate, in a masterly manner, on 
the beauties of Kew, both as a botanical and a horti¬ 
cultural establishment. As view after view was 
luridly thrown on to the canvas, the lecturer himself 
became quite enthusiastic, and delighted his audi¬ 
ence with his descriptions, his references, and his 
historical allusions. The views, some sixty-five in 
number, represented all phases of the establishment, 
such as the Palm stove, temperate house, Victoria 
house, ferneries, museums. North Gallery, Kew 
Palace, pagoda, the various temples, lake, Bamboo 
garden, Rhododendron dell, rock garden, etc., be. 
sides interior views of the contents of the Museums 
and the Herbarium. Many fine collections of tropi¬ 
cal and hardy subjects were also focussed and de¬ 
scribed, their dates of introduction given, their 
native countries indicated, and their economical 
uses, if any, referred to; in fact, the lecture was 
crammed full of information and illustration, such as 
only an old Kewite, proud of his Alma Mater, could 
possibly get together. The chairman spoke of the 
value of Kew as a public institution, and of such 
lectures as these, as a means of spreading a know¬ 
ledge of horticulture amongst all classes. He 
particularly wished that the jobbing gardener should 
be encouraged and brought into the fold of this 
society, as he was sure that it would operate, not 
only to the advantage of the men he had in view, 
but also to their employers. He further backed up 
this proposition by offering a guinea towards a prize- 
fund in this direction. Hearty votes of thanks to 
the lecturer and chairman brought one of the most 
successful and instructive gatherings of this society 
to a close. 
