September 12, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
21 
Plant out Carnations as soon as the layers are well 
rooted and the ground has been prepared for them. 
Choose a dry day for the operation and make the 
ground quite firm ; the plants will stand the winter 
all the better for it. 
Hop-pickers in distress.—Owing to the report that 
the season was a fortnight in advance, thousands of 
hop-pickers arrived on the scene of their labours too 
early for the hops and as a consequence many of 
them are starving, as well as subjected to heavy 
downpours of rain thoroughly drenching their 
clothing which they have no means of drying. 
Mr. H. H. Asquith in opening the Dundee flower 
show on the 3rd inst., spoke of the greatly increasing 
interest in horticulture, and said that it was one of 
the most refining of all recreations or hobbies by 
which busy men could diversify and elevate their 
lives. Scottish gardening has always been the pride 
of Scotland and the envy of other countries. Flower 
shows tended greatly to improve the character and 
quality of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. He com¬ 
pared the pleasant work of the gardener with the 
unfruitful toil of the politician. 
An innovation at a flower show.—Mr. Udale, 
technical instructor in gardening, carries on an 
experimental garden at Droitwicb, by the aid of a 
subsidy from the County Council. At the flower 
show held recently at Aston Fields, Mr. Udale had a 
very instructive exhibit, each specimen of which 
bore a label showing the kind of seed used, and the 
date of sowing. Those interested in gardening had 
an excellent opportunity of picking up information 
of various kinds relating to gardening, and could not 
fail to profit by it should they turn the same to 
practical account in their gardens. The experi¬ 
mental garden is doing some useful work and gives 
every promise of being of great service to cottagers 
and amateurs as well as the profession. 
Coloured plate of Daffodils.—Messrs. Barr & Son, 
King Street, Covent Garden, have initiated a fresh 
departure in issuing a coloured plate of Daffodils 
with their autumn catalogue of “ English Daffodils 
and Tulips,” and uniform in size with the same. The 
species and varieties illustrated (seven in ah) are 
well known and beautiful types each in their respec¬ 
tive classes, and widely differing from one another 
in general appearance. The hybrid Narcissus Barii 
conspicuus takes a prominent position at the top of 
the plate, and Angels Tears or N. triandrus albus is 
seen peering from behind it. In the centre comes 
the beautiful Eucharis Daffodil (N. Leedsii Mrs. 
Langtry) with broad white segments. N. bicolor 
J. B. M. Camm, and N. Johnstoni Queen of Spain, 
take up positions on the left and right respectively. 
The interesting N. cyclamineus major and the pigmy 
N. minimus are not overlooked, but take their places 
beneath the taller growing forms. All these may be 
looked upon as types of different sections. 
Death of Mr. A. G- Martin.—It is with profound 
sorrow that we receive the short telegram announcing 
the death of Mr. Martin, at Bloemfontein, Orange 
Free States. Our readers will remember the 
character sketch and photograph we gave in our 
columns on January 4th last, and the announcement 
therein that our friend was about to visit South 
Africa for the benefit of his health. On Saturday 
January nth, he sailed by the Castle Liner, but was 
taken ill soon after landing at Cape Town, and only 
stayed there long enough to recover sufficient 
strength to journey further into the country. 
Eventually he succeeded in getting to the Orange 
Free States, and finding the climate there more 
congenial than that of the Cape, he decided to settle 
down at Bloemfontein. At this place it appears that 
his disposition and ability attracted the attention of 
some gentlemen prominently connected with 
municipal affairs, with the result that a copy of 
The Bloemfontein Messenger reached us setting forth 
the election of Mr. A. G. Martin on the post of book¬ 
keeper to the markets. In a letter which quickly 
followed his announcement, the new municipal 
officer spoke in glowing terms of his appointment, 
prospects, and health, yet before one had time to 
send congratulations, comes news of his death. To 
the young wife with her child stranded on foreign 
soil we send sincere condolences, a sentiment which 
will be shared by all horticulturists when they 
remember that her father, Mr. William Richards 
(for many years the publisher of The Gardeners' 
Chronicle) met his death from the same disease that 
has now taken away her husband. 
Bad for the Hops.—It is reported that mould is 
spreading in the East Kent Hop gardens to an 
alarming extent. 
The Hampton Court Big Vine is in fine condition 
this year, and carrying its usual complement of 
1,200 bunches of Grapes, which are being cut daily 
for the royal table. 
“ The Florist’s Business is, we asseverate, a wonder¬ 
fully paying one.” At least the Pall Mall Gazette 
says so, and continues, " Begonias cost 2s. 6d. each 
to rear, and there is not the least difficulty in selling 
as many as can be raised for a guinea each. It is an 
exceedingly busy business : there is no slack time all 
the year through.” All this is certainly very rosy, 
but our contemporary also says, if things do not go 
very well, there is the fresh air and the perfume of 
flowers to be thankful for. That is our belief, but 
such airy blessings do not help to pay the rent nor 
the labour bill. 
Orchids at the Sale Rooms.—On the 10th of March 
last, we saw and described Odontoglossum crispum 
arthurianum at the Drill Hall, where it was accorded 
a First-class Certificate by the Royal Horticultural 
Society, when exhibited by W. Vanner, Esq., Chisle- 
hurst. On the 4th inst. a small piece off the original 
plant, and consisting of one old pseudobulb and a 
lead, appeared at the Central Sale Rooms of Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris, Cheapside, where it created a 
considerable amount of excitement and lively bidding 
till in a short time it was knocked down at 68 guineas. 
Those who have seen the plant well know that it is 
something in the way of O. c. apiatum and very 
handsome, with one to three large, dark crimson- 
purple blotches on the petals, and some smaller 
marking on the other segments. We are not sur¬ 
prised that it realised a high figure and that it 
was the most important Orchid put up for sale that 
day. 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS IN 
PERTHSHIRE. 
In one provincial paper we have seen over a score of 
reports of horticultural exhibitions which were held 
on one day. This does not include the number of 
these shows reported in local papers alone. In 
Forfarshire, Stirlingshire, and some other counties 
exhibiting goes on increasing, and it may be fairly 
said that horticulture is not losing its popularity. 
Much of the success attending these shows, and the 
interest taken in them by the populace, are due to 
the patronage of the influential and the opulent 
portion of the community in the districts. Perth¬ 
shire is specially favoured in this respect. As 
examples at Perth, where Lord Balvaird, Mr. Wood, 
Sir Robert Pullar, and others expressed themselves 
so favourably towards horticulture, and where it had 
such influence on the people who were engaged in 
the work as a profession, or those who spent their 
leisure time in their gardens for the love of flower, 
fruit, and vegetable culture, floriculture appears to 
make rapid strides even in the most obscure locali¬ 
ties. Gardening papers are read by great numbers 
of the people, so that advertisements certainly are 
not printed in vain. Neither are exhibits from our 
leading nurserymen and florists labour in vain, when 
tabled as many are at exhibitions. At Crieff, August 
22nd a very pretty exhibition was opened by the Coun¬ 
tess of Ancaster who was accompanied to the platform 
by a large number of the elite of the district. The 
Countess in the most felicitous manner complimented 
this rising society on their success, aDd in a speech of 
some length, spoke of the influence which the love of 
flowers had on all classes of the community, it being 
elevating, humanising, and the love increased the 
more as persons became acquainted with it. Her 
ladyship had experience of this at Drummond Castle 
(that unique garden is open to the public three 
days a week, and to which visitors come from long 
distances, especially at this season when flowers are 
at their best). Provost Finlayson, who presided 
expressed himself very intelligently regarding the 
exhibition and its associations. The splendid collec¬ 
tion of vegetables, so tastefully arranged, were the 
strong points. Celery, Leeks, Onions, Potatos, 
Turnips, and Cauliflower were of great excellence. 
There was also an increase in plants, and tables of 
them arranged for effect were an improvement on 
former years. Mr. McKennie’s table was deservedly 
placed first, and received Provost Finlayson's hand¬ 
some prize. Mr. Maxton Graham’s medal was won 
by Mr. D. R Drummond, of Fowlis, for an exhibit of 
vegetables, which would have been admired at any 
horticultural exhibition in the kingdom. The great 
centre of attraction, however, was the exquisite 
display of Messrs. Dobbie, of Rothesay, whose 
large collection of their choicest Sweet Peas, 
Gaillardias, Violas, Dahlias, etc., were greatly 
admired by the visitors. Their International Leek 
also exhibited was noted by the keen vegetable 
growers. Messrs. Turnbull, Perth Nurseries, had a 
fine collection of Sweet Peas in bunches, and some 
fine tuberous Begonias from seed raised by them¬ 
selves.—iff. Temple, Canon, N.B. 
— *a .- 
POINSETTIAS. 
In the dreary winter, particularly when Nature is 
covered with a mantle of snow, what a bright and 
bold show these Mexican plants produce under glass, 
particularly in a warm temperature. Last season we 
grew a batch with the intention of utilising them for 
the decoration of the Conservatory; the cuttings 
were taken off the old stems—they having been 
stood out-doors in the full sun at the end of May— 
with a slight heel and inserted in fine sandy soil, 
placing them in heat under hand-lights. When 
rooted they were potted off into 6o's, shading them 
for a time till they got root-hold, when they were 
placed on shelves near the glass to keep them dwarf 
and strong. Their next shift was into 32’s, using a 
soil composed of fibrous loam, adding a little old 
mushroom-bed manure and a good sprinkling of 
sand; they were still kept in heat, but soon became 
too tall to be accommodated by the shelves. When at 
their best they were transferred to the conservatory, 
but a lower temperature prevailing there, they soon 
began to lose their lower leaves, and the bracts were 
affected by damp. 
I had saved a few old plants, and noticed that they 
stood the lower temperature better than the summer 
struck ones ; so we decided to try the whole of them 
this season in preference to propagating. The 
plants were wintered under the stage in the stove. 
They were brought out when they commenced to 
break, placing them in a pit, the lights being taken 
off in June to harden the growths. They were 
shaken out, the balls reduced, and repotted into 32’s, 
using nice fibrous loam and sand alone. After pot¬ 
ting they were placed in a pit, shaded during sun¬ 
shine, syringed in the afternoon, and carefully 
watered, as anything approaching stagnation is very 
detrimental to the Poinsettia; hence they require 
good drainage. When they had taken hold of the 
new soil, air was given and shading dispensed with, 
keeping them as near the glass as possible. 
About the middle of July they were plunged to the 
rims of the pots in ashes, and allowed the full benefit 
of the air and sunshine. I should have given them 
that position until the end of the present month, but 
we have now copious rains so have removed them to 
the side stage of a light and airy greenhouse, which 
position they can occupy for a few weeks, when they 
will be transferred to warmer quarters. They look 
well at present, are stocky and short jointed, so that 
I think they will give a better account of themselves 
than summer struck, and grown-on-in-heat plants.— 
George Potts, August 24th. 
-- 
CHIONODOXAS. 
The popular name of ” Glory of the Snow,” which 
is applied to the members of this genus, more par¬ 
ticularly perhaps to C. Luciliae, doubtless bears 
reference to the natural habitats of the plants. They 
are found at high altitudes, where they expand their 
bright blue flowers amidst the meltiDg snows. The 
genus contains about four species, all of them closely 
allied to each other. These are very variable, and 
there are several well marked varieties in cultivation. 
Some botanists only admit three of the members 
of the genus to specific rank, viz , C. Luciliae, C. 
nana, and C. cretica. C. sardensis is looked upon as 
a form of C. Luciliae. All of them are perfectly 
hardy and may be grown in beds or borders, in 
nooks in the rockery, or sprinkled about among the 
grass. 
No matter where they are, their bright star-like 
flowers always attract attention as some of the most 
beautiful of the plants of early spring. C. cretica, 
common to the mountains of Crete is the first to 
flower. The flowers are pale blue in colour and the 
plant closely resembles C. nana, except that it is of 
much more vigorous habit. C.nana the dwarf of the 
genus, also a Cretan species, usually bears lilac 
