fHfe gardening world 
February 25, 1899. 
Tree Bounty in Minnesota.—A bounty of $2.40 
(gs. 8d.) is paid in Minnesota per acre of trees 
planted. The sums claimed for 1898 amounted to 
$‘9,553 68 (£4 ,073 13s. 8d). The number of persons 
applying was 2,800, and the acreage claimed for 
was 8,147. 
Death of Mr. Frederick Watkins.—We regret to 
learn of the death, at Davos Platz, Switzerland, on 
the 15th inst., of Mr. Frederick Watkins, of the 
firm of Howcroft & Watkins, Seed Merchants, 
Covent Garden. Mr. Watkins had been in ill-health 
for a long time, and his death, at a comparatively 
early age, is much regretted by his many friends in 
the trade. 
Shirley Gardeners’ and Amateurs’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association.—The monthly meeting of the 
above society was held at the Parish Rooms, Shirley, 
Southampton, on the 20th inst., the president pre¬ 
siding over a good attendance of the members. Mr. 
E. T. Mellor, B.Sc., London, lecturer in biology at 
the Hartley College, Southampton, gave a most 
interesting lecture on “The influence of Light on 
Plants’’ illustrating the same by means of lantern 
slides and experiments. The points of the lecture 
may be briefly stated as follows :—The influence of 
light on the formation of chlorophyll; the assimil¬ 
ation of carbon ; and the mechanical effect of light. 
A number of interesting questions were put to the 
lecturer and received satisfactory replies, and at the 
close a very cordial vote of thanks was most heartily 
accorded to Mr. Mellor. During the past month a 
large party of the members visited by invitation the 
works of Messrs. Spooner and Bailey, chemical 
manure manufacturers, at Eling, near Southampton, 
where the whole of the processes of preparing 
manures for use were shown by the senior member 
of the firm, Mr. E. Bailey. It was a most interesting 
visit and no doubt what was seen was very much 
more instructive than a lecture on the subject could 
have been. At the close of the visit a hearty vote of 
thanks was accorded to Mr. Bailey. 
Potato Scab.—The current issue of the Royal 
Agricultural Society's Journal contains an exhaustive 
article upon the Potato by Mr. A. W. Sutton, of the 
well-known Reading firm of Sutton & Sons. 
Amongst the affections to which the Potato is 
subject "scab’’ was specially dealt with. Mr. 
Sutton pointed out that in certain seasons the value 
of the crop was seriously reduced by “ scabbing.” 
Much had been written as to the origin of the 
disease and its remedy, but after all little definite 
was known concerning it. He believed that scab 
was seldom seen in a season during which the crop 
had had a sufficiency of moisture throughout its 
whole period of growth, but that a dry time for 
several weeks after the young tubers had been 
formed would bring it about. An attempt was made 
at the New Jersey Experiment Farm in 1895 to get 
rid of scab by means of sulphur, and this had been 
attended by a certain amount of success. In the 
Reading trial grounds, however, but little difference 
was apparent between the crops in which the tubers 
had been dressed or rolled in sulphur and those that 
had not been so treated, the two crops growing side 
by side. In 1896 the authorities at the New Jersey 
Experimental Farm made further experiments, this 
time with corrosive sublimate, which checked the 
scab. The mere soaking of the “ seed " tubers was 
considered to be ineffective, and the opinion was 
that the corrosive sublimate should be added to the 
soil. Dr. Halstead, of the New Jersey Station, 
believed that sulphur had given the best results, and 
it was dusted in the rows at the rate of 200 lbs. to 
the acre. The New Hampshire College Experiment 
Station had also confirmed this view. Speaking 
from a practical point of view Mr. Sutton said that 
no remedies hitherto suggested were, in his opinion, 
likely to pay the grower for the extra outlay. If the 
tubers were covered with sulphur before planting it 
was by no means certain that the crop would thereby 
be freed from scab, and even after going to the 
expense the season might not be of a character 
favourable to the development of the disease. On 
suitable soil capital crops had been grown without 
sulphur from "seed” that had been very badly 
scabbed. The safe and economical method, there 
fore, seemed to be to discontinue to grow Potatos on 
land where crops had previously been attacked by 
scab. 
Fifty to Sixty tohs of Cabbage per acre have been 
obtained upon good rich soil. 
A Cigarette Concert on March 15 th, the proceeds 
of which will be devoted to the Royal Gardeners' 
Orphan Fund—is being promoted by the same com¬ 
mittee, who have acted in a similar capacity 
previously on behalf of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society, with satisfactory results. It is to be hoped 
that the cause of the Orphan Fund will be an 
incentive to even greater success. Sir A. F. Godson, 
M.P., has promised to preside, and the venue chosen 
is the Pillar Hall of the Cannon Street Hotel, City. 
Helpers willing to assist in the programme, or by 
distribution of tickets, might communicate with Mr. 
Gerald Dean, bon. sec. of the concert, 1, Clement's 
Inn, Strand, W.C. 
Woolton Gardeners’ Society.—A meeting of the 
above was held at the Mechanics’ Institute on the 
16th inst., Mr. H. Middlehurst, of Liverpool, in the 
chair, who briefly introduced the lecturer as one 
fully competent to treat the subject of ' Notes on 
Exhibiting ” from his long and successful experience 
as a competitor at the leading Northern shows. Mr. 
B. Cromwell, in introducing his paper, dwelt upon 
the delights of his first experience of visiting a first 
class show over a quarter of a century ago, and one 
that created some desire to excel in the culture of 
horticultural exhibits. This led up to a strong 
recommendation that managers of shows should make 
arrangements so that children might visit the 
exhibitions, which would result in an object lesson 
that might stimulate a love for the beautiful in the 
vegetable kingdom. In considering exhibits, quality 
was strongly recommended in place of quantity or 
size. An important matter was the arrangement and 
wording of schedules, that they should be explicit 
and distinct, so that no doubt could exist either to 
exhibitor or judge. The namiug of exhibits was 
dealt with. Managers should compel all exhibits to 
be named, where possible, so that visitors might gain 
information. That was one of the objects in attend¬ 
ing shows. The compilers of schedules were warned 
that it was desirable that these should be in the 
hands of the exhibitors at an early date, to allow for 
the proper preparation for the exhibits, which in 
many cases required several months. A discussion 
followed on the importance of the matter of showing 
in the best possible form, which in many cases 
would raise the exhibits to a more prominent 
position. The value of shows, was also considered. 
The members taking part in the discussion were 
Messrs. R. Todd, T. Carling, G. Haigh, R. G. 
Waterman, and the chairman. A cordial vote of 
thanks was passed to the chairman and lecturer. 
ORCHID NOTES & GLEANINGS. 
By the Editor. 
Dendrobiums at Harleyford, Great Marlow.— 
A boxful of varieties of Dendrobium nobile has 
reached us from Harleyford, Great Marlow, Bucks, 
the residence of Sir William Clayton, over whose 
garden Mr. Jas. Sharpe presides. All the flowers 
were clean and bright, with a glossy lustre betoken¬ 
ing good cultivation, plenty of light, and a clean or 
smokeless atmosphere. No. 1 was the darkest variety 
of all, being rich enough for D. nobile nobilius, except 
that the colour was not carried far enough down 
upon the petals and sepals. In any case it would 
retain a place even in a select collection. No. 2 was 
a remarkably bold flower, having the build almost of 
D. wardianum, the petals particularly being broadly 
oval, and rounded at the apex. The lip also was 
broad, and the maroon blotch intense. The tips of 
the other segments were rich purple. Nos. 3, 4, and 
5 were also good flowers, the sepals and petals being 
tipped with dark purple; but neither of them 
approached the quality of the two previously 
mentioned forms, which easily stood first. Quite of 
another type was No. 6, being a light flower, with 
long, pointed segments, including the lip, and notable 
for a white band along the middle of the purple at 
the upper end of the petals. Accompanying the 
above were some flowers of a pretty pale variety 
of Calanthe Regnieri, with a silvery-pink lip and a 
dark eye. Mr. Sharpe is an enthusiastic and success¬ 
ful grower of both Dendrobiums and Calanthes, into 
4of 
the growth of which he mandges to infuse a great 
amount of vigour. 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Elegy written in a Country Churchyard, by 
Thomas Gray; illustrated by R. W. A. Rouse. 
This recently published volume is one of a series 
of English Illustrated Poems that is being issued 
from the Aldine House, Bedford Street, Strand, and 
will appeal with a peculiar force to the admirer of 
Gray’s immortal classic. Neatly bound and printed 
in capital style, one verse on a page, the reader 
cannot fail to be struck with the singular appropri¬ 
ateness of the beautiful illustrations in black and 
white that Mr. Rouse has selected to embellish the 
text. 
Without in any way presuming to criticise the 
technique of his art we cannot fail as lovers of rural 
scenery to be specially charmed with Mr. Rouse’s 
pictorial representation of “ now fades the glimmering 
landscape from the sight," the one that has reference 
to the line "Each in bis narrow cell for ever laid,” 
the exquisite little plate illustrating the verse 
beginning " Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble 
strife,” and even more so wiih that accompanying the 
verse beginning “ There at the foot of yonder noddiDg 
beech.’ 
Mr. Ernest Rhys, the Editor, speaking of the 
surroundings of Stoke Pogis and the scenic 
impressions of the poem says, " Something of this 
Mr. Rousehasattempted to render in hissympsthetic 
illustrations” but we are inclined to go still farther 
and say that the young artist, who is not unknown 
to fame as a landscape painter and an exhibitor at 
the Royal Academy for some years past, has given us 
a wonderfully pleasing series of pictures that are a 
poem in themselves. No one looking at them who 
ever thoroughly entered into the spirit of the Elegy 
could fail to recognise their singular appropriateness, 
and delicacy of execution.— G. H. P. 
The Culture of the Chrysanthemum, by W. 
Wells ; new and revised addition. Written and 
published by W. Wells, Earlswood Nurseries, 
Redbill, Surrey. Price is 6d. 
It is now a little over three years since the publi¬ 
cation of the first edition of this guide to the culture 
of the Autumn Queen, and the call for a second 
edition is an additional proof, if such were wanted, 
that the Chrysanthemum is not on the wane. 
This second edition is a great improvement upon 
the first, for not only has the text been revised, and 
edited, and additional matter added, but the book 
neatly bound in green cloth covers, with black 
lettering. The stability of the book has thus been 
much increased, and it will come as a valuable aid to 
the lover of the Chrysanthemum whether he be an 
amateur or professional, whether he grows for pleas¬ 
ure or profit, for home decoration or for exhibition. 
The cultural details given are concise, easily 
understood, and eminently practical. Especially use¬ 
ful are the lists of the best varieties in their respective 
sections, for the dates at which to insert cuttings, 
stop, and take the bud, number of shoots to a break, 
the kind of bud, and how to feed, are appended in 
tabular form to each variety. The latest novelties 
are taken account of so that the book is well up to- 
date in this respect. 
The chapter dealing with "Chrysanthemums on 
the Continent ” will doubtless be eagerly read by 
many who would like to get some idea of the way they 
do things in France and Italy. A portrait of the 
famous raiser of new varieties, M. E. Calvat, of 
Grenoble, is given. 
Since the first edition was issued, moreover, the 
Chrysanthemum Rust has made its appearance in 
this country, and Mr. Wells sketches the rise and 
progress of this malady under the exceedingly vague 
heading of *' Fungus,” and he goes on to say that this 
(Fungus) is an entirely new disease, just as if the 
“ rust ” were the only fungus that attacks the Chry¬ 
santhemum. Methods of dealing with the "rust” 
are successfully practised by Mr. Wells at Earlswood. 
The illustrations are numerous, and good, on the 
whole. They represent various stages of growth of 
the plant and help the reader to understand the 
different allusions to first break, second break, first 
crown, second crown, and so on. Typical blooms, 
and vases of blooms are also given, together with 
samples of insect pests. 
