390 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 18, 1899. 
Potatos and Nitrogen —Experiments go to show 
that Potatos grown without manure contain a larger 
proportion of nitrogen than those to which manure 
has been applied. 
The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. —"The 
proprietors of the Journal of Horticulture,'' per R. 
Milligan Hogg, Esq , have given a donation of £50 
towards the sum required to complete the " Victorian 
Era Fund.” Mr. Alex. Dean has also given £5. 
Reading and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association.—A very interesting lecture on 
"Destructive and Injurious Sawflies ” was given on 
Monday evening last, the 13'h inst., before the 
members of the above association by Mr. P. H. 
Foulkes, B.Sc., Edinburgh, of the Reading College. 
In introducing the subject, the lecturer said that 
Sawflies belonged to the order Hymenoptera, which 
included all those insects which had wings of a 
membranous character, and that this particular 
order was also divided into various classes. The 
flies touched upon were the Apple Sawfly, Goose¬ 
berry and Currant Sawfly, Cherry and Pear 
Sawfly, and the Turnip Sawfly. Their time 
of appearing, method of attack, the best means 
to take for their prevention or destruction, 
and the various stages of growth, were fully dealt 
with, the latter more particularly so by the aid of 
several illustrations shown by the limelight. Many 
questions were asked and ably answered, and an 
interesting discussion took place in which the chair¬ 
man (Mr. Woolford), Messrs. Martin, Neve, Exler, 
Hobbs, Purkis, Fry, Townsend, Burfitt, and Alex¬ 
ander, took part. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. 
Foulkes brought the meeting to a close. 
Puzzle! Find the Names.—Our attention has been 
drawn to the catalogue of a sale of trees, shrubs, 
Roses, and climbers held on the 9th inst , at Henley- 
on-Thames. The fiendish ingenuity with which the 
simplest names have been distorted is remarkable, 
and after this catalogue Henley must certainly hold 
the record for original spelling. Here are some of 
the tit-bits:—one Candalitus pendiculata; six dwarf 
wrin, in sorts; twenty climbing Madam plantier; 
ten EspelierMorel; six Cerasus chinensis floraplrose; 
two Jucca filementosa penaula ; nine standard 
Hydrangea gift; two Cup Launsoni Elicta, various; 
four Cuppres Launs oniana ; two Rit squarrosa veits. 
The printer has evidently fought hard with “ Cupres- 
sus ” and " lawsoniana,” since he gives the alterna¬ 
tive spellings of Cup and Cuppres, and Launsoni 
aDd Launs oniana respectively. "Ten Espelier 
Me rel ” is a real beauty, and "climbing Madam 
plantier ” may be either a Rose or a cat—it climbs 
anyway. We have a dim suspicion that by " Cera¬ 
sus chinensis floraplrose ” is meant Prunus sinensis 
flote-pleno rosea, but what is intended by " Rit 
squarrosa veits,” beyond that it is some form of 
Retinospora squarrosa, we don’t know—it ought to 
be valuable. The lucky wight who gets " nine stan¬ 
dard Hydrangia puniculata gift ” ought to be pleased, 
aDd stand drinks round, for we suppose they are 
bei ig given away. “ Two Jucca filementosa penaula " 
should fetch a good price, for they must be the only 
oces in the country. At Candalitus pendiculata we 
feel inclined to shy. Is it a Candle-tree? or a slip 
from " Aaron's rod that budded ? ” Surely the owner 
must be hard up to part with this unique specimen. 
The man who once showed a Melon labelled " Kon- 
kerer of Urup ” is out of it at last. 
The Fourteen Requirements of a Gardener.— A gar- 
det er was recently in want of a situation, and a 
would-be employer replied, r< quiring answers to the 
iollowing: — (1) Name and address of references. 
(2) Length of character. (3) Cause of leaving last 
two situations. (4) Did you or your employer give 
notice ? (5) When disengaged ? (6) How long out 
of si uation ? (7) What wages have you been receiv¬ 
ing ? (6) What position have you held in the last 
two situations? (9) Age, height, married or single, 
and what family ? (10) Have you any knowledge of 
bee-keeping ? (11) Are you strong, healthy, and an 
abstainer ? (12) Have you been accustomed to use 
a scy the ? (13) Can you have a good character for 
qualifications and good temper ? (14) Please give 
an outline of your career, and the work you have 
been accustomed to do since the last twelve years. 
He was required to be a strong, healthy, active 
qu ck, willing and obliging man, who thoroughly 
understands the requirements of a gentleman’s small 
{lace, methodical, systematic, and orderly in bis 
habits, punctual, and an abstainer. He must 
thoroughly understand the cultivation of fruits, 
flowers, vegetables. The duties outside the garden 
were to be carrying coals, cleaning boots (no knives), 
cleaning windows outside, and make himself 
generally useful. No assistance would be given. 
Sunday work would he easy, only the usual boots, 
coals, and watering to attend to. The garden in 
summer would have to be watered after 6 p.m. if the 
weather was hot; aDd in winter he would have to 
come back at 8 p.m. to attend to the fires. The re¬ 
muneration would be £55 to £65, payable once a 
calendar month. If old mother Nature has made 
such a man, here is a chance for him. This was the 
reply sent to Mr. A. Outram, of Moore Park Road, 
Fulham, as a reply to an advertisement. 
Sutton’s Farmers’ Year Book for the current year 
supplies in a brief form precisely the kind of inform¬ 
ation farmers wish to have. Each of the pedigree 
roots is described in a few telling sentences, 
supplemented by reports of crops and prizes won by 
customers in all parts of the United Kingdom. In 
favourable seasons these results would have been 
regarded as extraordinary, and considering the long 
drought of 1898 it is evident that in addition to other 
merits the stocks possess the quality of endurance to 
a remarkable degree. The prizes awarded in great 
root competitions to the customers of the Reading 
house include most of the coveted honours of the 
year. The illustrations are mainly of field crops. 
By no other means can the enormous produce of 
roots be so effectually exhibited; but a few photo¬ 
graphs of large groups serve the purpose of showing 
the close adherence to typical forms. These are of 
value in proving that like produces like when the 
stock has been carefully selected for a long term of 
years. Grasses for permanent and temporary 
pastures are described and illustrated at greater 
length. In this we think Messrs. Sutton & Sons 
exercise wise discretion. The study of grasses was 
for a long time regarded as the exclusive domain of 
specialists, and it is satisfactory to find that in a 
widely distributed work an attempt is made to 
popularise this important branch of agriculture. 
One innovation is observable in the " Farmers’ Year 
Book for 1899.” An excellent calendar with monthly 
notes suitable for country requirements is introduced 
for the first time. A copy may be obtained by those 
interested in farming on application to the publishers 
at Reading. 
The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society has 
lately issued the annual report and statement of 
accounts for 1898, in conjunction with the details of 
arrangements for 1899, and the schedule of the 
classes and the prizes at the Spring Show to be held 
on April 5th and 6th, and the Autunin Show on Sep¬ 
tember 13th and 14th, in the Waverley Market as 
before. After reviewing the work done, a suggestion 
was put forth by the Council that monthly or bi¬ 
monthly meetings shall be inaugurated for the dis¬ 
cussion of horticultural topics and the exhibition of 
new, rare, and meritorious plants, flowers, fruits, and 
vegetables, and leaflets conveying a special appealior 
help are enclosed in the schedule. The statement of 
accounts shows ordinary receipts for the year, 
amounting to £1,211 13s. 6d. Payments total up to 
£1,348 7s. Sd., but £76 14s. ud. are for sums charge¬ 
able against last year’s accounts, so that there is a 
balance on the wroDg side of £59 19s. 3d. Including 
capital account and ordinary receipts brings the in¬ 
come to £1,288 6s. 6d., but there have been dis¬ 
bursements, which leave a deficit of £206 rs. rod. 
This is partly accounted for by the £105 which was 
incurred by the extraordinary expense of the new 
Charter. It was felt that the old Charter, granted 
in 1824, was " too limited in its scope,” and that it 
was " desirable to endeavour to obtain a new Char¬ 
ter with fuller powers.” At the Spring Show arrange¬ 
ments have been made for 135 classes, distributed 
amongst groups, specimen plants, bulbs in flower, 
cut flowers, fruit and vegetables. There is a new 
section for amateurs only. At the Autumn Show 
prizes are offered in no fewer than 267 classes, and 
here, again, a new section is devoted to amateurs, 
who cannot now justly complain that they were not 
sufficiently cared for by the society. The Council 
has resolved to adopt the lists of dessert and culinary 
fruits drawn up by the Royal Horticultural Society 
of London, aDd all exhibits at the shows of the 
R.C.H.S. are henceforth to conform therewith. The 
lists of varieties are printed in the schedule for the 
guidance of exhibitors. 
The Alleluia Plant is the popular name that has, in 
France and Belgium, been bestowed upon Oxalis 
acetosella, by reason of the fact that it blooms about 
Easter time. 
Preston Horticultural Society. — An interesting 
gathering was recently held, when Mr. R. Todd, re¬ 
presenting the Woolton Society, gave a popular 
paper on " Orchids,” dividing them in the most use¬ 
ful structures, such as the East Indian house, the 
Cattleya house, Masdevallia house, and the cool 
house. The species were divided into periods of 
flowering from Christmas to May, from May to 
August, and from August to Christmas. Those suit¬ 
able for cutting with long spikes, and the various 
colours, were also reviewed, including varieties of 
Coelogyne, Cattleya, DeDdrobium, and Odontoglos- 
sum. To add to the interest Mr. Todd exhibited 
forty-one distinct varieties, with their names and 
native countries. A discussion followed, after which 
a cordial vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. Todd 
for his admirable address. 
Sherborne Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Soc¬ 
iety.—At the meeting on Thursday, the 2nd, 
inst., there was a record attendance, Mr. Dean 
presiding over about fifty members. Four new 
members were added to the roll. There was a 
splendid show of dessert aDd kitchen apples—nearly 
two dozen dishes being exhibited—and the judges 
awarded the blue card to Mr. A. SherwiD, gardener 
to the Rev. J. Blanch, and the red card to Mr. J, 
Dean (Rev. F. B. Westcott), Mr. H. J, Lewis, of 
Milborne Port, being awarded a First-class Certifi¬ 
cate in the amateur class. For Narcissi Mr. J. 
Bishop (W. H. Williams, Esq.) was awarded a First, 
class Certificate, and Mr. A. Lane (Mr. E. B. Ding- 
ley) a second. An excellent address was given by 
Mr. John Crook (W. H. Evans, Esq., of Forde Abbey), 
on " Profitable Fruit Culture.” Before dsaling with 
his subject he made reference to the death of the 
late Mr. W. G. Pragnell, the head gardener at Sher¬ 
borne Castle, and spoke in very high terms of the 
deceased, whose acquaintance he had enjoyed for 
about thirty years. He also remarked that his 
uccessor was also an old friend of his and held a 
high position in the gardening world. Referring to 
fruit culture, he asserted that this country was in¬ 
creasing its demands for good fruit and vegetables, 
and for anyone who cared to embark in the cultiva¬ 
tion there was a good opening. He maintained that 
Cox’s Orange Pippin, the qualities of which it took 
the English thirty years to recognise, had been pro¬ 
nounced by expert judges to be a long way ahead, 
the best Apple of the day, and a man who understood 
his business would not sell it for less than 2s. 
per dczeD. The West of England was one of 
the best parts in this country to grow fruit ; but what 
did they find in their orchards ? Miserable Crabs. 
If they planted Apples like the Cox’s Orange Pippin 
they would make money instead of sending it out to 
America, Tasmania, and California. He had seen 
Blenheim Oranges in the Yeovil market for which 
3d. per lb was asked, and they would be astonished 
at the figure that worked out at per bushel. He had 
gathered no lb. off a Lane's Prince Albert, which 
was only seven feet high and seven feet in diameter, 
and another tree, Seaton House, which was intro¬ 
duced from Scotland, and bears early, would pay to 
grow. Mr. Crook, who for want of time, confined 
his remarks to the Apple, gave a few hints on storage 
and concluded a very interesting and practical 
address, amidst applause. After a discussion, in 
which Messrs. Stagg, Lewis, Trott, Smith and 
Witherington took part, Mr. A. Philpott proposed a 
hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Crook for his excellent 
address, and this beiDg seconded by Mr. S. Hunt, 
was carried unanimously, Mr. Crook acknowledging 
the compliment. The committee who bad the 
question before them as to continuing or otherwise 
the annual show, upon which last year there was a 
loss of about £5, recommended " that it be dropped 
for this year, and that two small exhibitions be held 
in the place of it, and that money prizes be offered 
at the same.” Mr. Witherington proposed, and 
Mr. C. Stagg seconded, that the recommendation of 
the committee be adopted, and this was carried, an 
amendment to adjourn the matter for a month meet¬ 
ing with little support. The society’s annual supper 
took place on Friday evening the 10th inst., in St. 
John’s Hall, and was a great success. 
