October 24, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
117 
Dunmow Root Show—The annual root, poultry 
and dairy show was held at Great Dunmow, on the 
13th inst., and was well attended. Prizes to the 
value of nearly £50 were offered and competition 
was very keen. The Dunmow Flitch Committee 
subscribed £10 to the funds. 
Leamington Spa, Warwick and District Chrysan¬ 
themum Show will be held in the Winter Hall, on the 
19th and 20th November. The Countess of Warwick 
will open the show on the first day, and Mrs. Smith- 
Ryland on the second. A sum of £100 is offered in 
prizes and the show promises to be a success. 
Early frost.—Last Sunday night and early on 
Monday morning a relatively severe frost set in over 
London and the suburbs. The frost gave way after 
daylight and rain began to fall ; but Tropaeolums, 
Salvias, and other tender subjects already showed 
that mischief had been done. 
The Bridal Veil with which the Queen of Italy 
has presented her future daughter-in-law, the 
Princess Helene of Montenegro, is a veritable work 
of art, the design of Orange blossoms and leaves 
upon it being exquisitely carried out. The Queen of 
Italy bought it for a fabulous sum from the Venetian 
ladies who intended to present it themselves. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association.—This 
thriving gardeners' society seems determined to be 
in good time with their arrangements. The holding 
of a spring show has been a great success, and the 
schedule already published announces that an exhi¬ 
bition of spring-flowering bulbs and plants will be 
held on Wednesday, 17th March, 1897, i n the Royal 
Public Rooms, Exeter. 
Gold Medal from Chrysanthemum Society of America. 
—We are requested to announce that the Chrysan¬ 
themum Society of America desire to offer a special 
prize of a Gold Medal to the National Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Society to be competed for at the forthcoming 
Jubilee Show. In the event of its acceptance, the 
American Gold Medal value £5 is to be awarded to 
the best twelve commercial blooms, one variety from 
any source to be considered from an American point 
of view, viz., and exhibited in a vase (to be provided 
by the exhibitor) with not less than t8 in. of stem, 
of a pleasing, saleable colour, with size and substance 
also to be considered. Further information can be 
obtained of Mr. Rd. Dean, Hon. Sec., National 
Chrysanthemum Society. 
Death of Dr. Trimen—We regret to announce the 
death of Dr. Henry Trimen, M.B. Lond., on 
October 16th, at Peradeniya, Ceylon, in the fifty- 
third 3 ear of his age. The state of his health had 
been causing his friends great uneasiness for some 
time past, and he gradually sank in spite of the best 
medical attention. Dr. Trimen went from the 
Botanical Department of the British Museum, a few 
years ago, to assume the directorship of the Royal 
Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya, Ce3lon, as successor 
to the late Dr. Thwaites. We announced the 
appointment of Mr. J. C. Willis, as director in 
succession to Dr. Trimen, on p. 69, as well as the 
safe arrival at Ceylon of the same gentleman on 
p. 101. 
Superstitions of the Ash.—There is an article on 
this subject by Mr. George Paxton in the October 
number of Knowledge. He says it is to be called the 
Tree of Superstition, because wherever it grows it is 
intimately connected with superstitions, mythological 
lore, and legends without end. In ancient Scan¬ 
dinavian mythology we have the following:— 
“ Igdrasil, the Ash tree of existence, has its roots 
deep down in the kingdom of Hela, or death ; its 
trunk reaches heavens high, and spreads its boughs 
over the whole universe. At the foot in the death 
kingdom sat three Nornas (Fates)—the Past, Present 
Future—watering its roots from the sacred well. Its 
boughs with their buddings and disleafings—events 
—things suffered—things done—catastrophies. On 
the summit is perched an eagle, who watches the 
course of all earthly affairs, assisted by a squirrel 
who employed his time in descending and ascending 
to examine into and report upon what was happening 
beneath." We may add that the Scandinavian 
names of these imaginary beings were Urd, Vernandi 
and Skuld—the present, past, and future. They are 
known as the three fates. Urd survives in modern 
English in the word weird. They were the three 
weird sisters of Shakespeare, or the three witches in 
the tale of Macbeth. The tree is a native of Britain 
from Land’s End to John o' Groats, and in old Celtic 
literature many of the superstitions concern ng this 
tree are recorded, 
A late show of Dahlias. —Under the auspices of the 
gardening society at Charing, Ashford, Kent, a 
Dahlia show was held on the 12th inst. The entries 
were very numerous except in the gardeners’ class in 
which quality was good, but competitors few. Mr. H. 
Cackett took the lead in the gardeners’ class ; Mr. 
Elvy was first amongst amateurs ; and Mr. Gardner 
was first in the cottagers’ class. 
British Produce Supply Association. —In reference 
to the efforts of the Right Hon. the Earl of Wincbil- 
sea and Nottingham, to establish local depots for 
garden and farm produce, as mentioned in our last, 
we may state that a store has been established at 
Winchilsea House, Long Acre, W.C., under the title 
of the British Produce Supply Association, Limited. 
Amongst other articles of British produce supplied 
to customers we note English fruit in tins and 
bottles; country made jams, dessert and ccoking 
Apples and Pears, hothouse Grapes, nuts, Cobs, 
Walnuts and Tomatos. 
The Duke and Duchess of Bedford, while driving 
from Cairnsmore House, Kirkcudbrightshire on the 
19th inst., to join a shooting party, were thrown from 
their carriage and injured. While passing down the 
avenue, the horses bolted, and by a jolt of the 
carriage the Duke was thrown to the ground, getting 
his ankle sprained. He is the well-known proprietor 
of Covent Garden Market. The horses next came 
into contact with a tree and the Duchess was thrown 
against it, getting cut about the face and lower 
limbs. Medical aid was procured from Newton 
Stewart, and it was found that the Duchess who was 
the more badly hurt, was is no serious danger. The 
horses continued their wild career, and in passing 
over a narrow bridge, which they failed to clear, one 
of them was thrown over it and killed, while the 
other was much cut. 
Great Success in Horticultural Showing.— Mr. 
Boston, of the Manor Farm Nurseries, Carthorpe, 
has this season been extremely successful in showing. 
He has exhibited at no less than eighteen shows and 
has won easily 167 first prizes and seconds. This south 
country Rose grower has distinguished himself very 
much since he left Sheffield. Mr. Boston gives all 
credit to Mr. H. J. Griffin, who has worked wonders, 
gaining 167 first prizes ; he has the art of showing in 
a nutshell. I myself have gone in largely for showing 
this season, and have met a stranger at the shows 
who has got his name up well in the north and has 
not allowed me to have a first look in at all. He is 
not quite twenty-one, I understand, and feel sure will 
come greatly to the front. Mr. Boston speaks of 
him as a first-class gardener and a good all-round 
hand. — L. Barron, The Nurseries, Bedale. 
Shirley Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association. 
— The first meeting of the half session opened with a 
good attendance of the members presided over by the 
president, and was held on the 19th inst., at the 
Parish Room, Shirley, Southampton. Mr. J. Miles, 
The Gardens, Portswood House, gave a paper 
entitled “ Pruning Hardy Fruit Trees for Pleasure 
and Profit," and all the details of this most important 
operation were fully discussed by him in a short, but 
intelligent and practical manner, and was further 
made intelligible by humorous specimens of good 
and bad pruning taken trom trees growing in the 
neighbourhood. The object of pruning a tree being 
chiefly to obtain a moderate crop every year instead 
of an occasional heavy crop, and secondly to keep 
the trees within certain bounds, every method should 
be taken to secure these results, and amongst them 
Mr. Miles recommended root-pruning as a most 
efficient aid, and the operation was fully described ; 
but in the after discussion one member objected to 
the care advised in root-pruning ; choppping off the 
roots with a spade he had found to answer very 
well ? A most cordial vote of thanks was accorded 
to Mr. Miles, and also to the president and the 
exhibitors at the close of the discussion. The two 
Certificates offered for four dishes of Apples, and 
four of Pears, were secured by Mr. H. Curtis, 
gardener to Mr. W. F. G. Spranger, and Mr. F. 
Batlett, gardener to Mr. Andrew Barlow ; and Mr. 
W. G. Bushell, gardener to Mrs. Keates, Rownham 
House, was V. H. C. for Pears, and Mr. H. Curtis, 
H C., for Pears. There was a fine Chrysanthemum 
spoit, " Golden Ball ’’ shown by Mr. J. Bagden, 
gardener to Sir Melville Chamberlain, which was 
given a Certificate. — H. J. H. 
A Vegetarian Infirmary is established in the village 
of Loughton, Epping Forest. 
The other Side of the Question.—Messrs. D. M. 
Ferry & Co., seed merchants, of Detroit, U.S.A., 
have applied for an injunction to restrain the secre¬ 
tary of agriculture and any or all of his assistants 
from executing the free distribution of seed ordered 
by Congress. It is claimed that the sale of 5,000,000 
packets of seed, or a money value of $20,000 is 
thereby lost to the firm. Naturally any self-respect¬ 
ing seed merchant feels a desire to kick. 
The American Carnation Society held a meeting at 
Cleveland, U.S.A., recently to determine the official 
scale of points to be ased in judging seedlings. The 
hundred marks which constituted the maximum of 
points were apportioned as follows:—Calyx, 20 ; 
size, 15 ; stem, 15; substance, 10; form, 15; fragrance, 
10; plant, 15. There was an animated discussion 
as to what should constitute the points on a plant, 
and finally it was decided to instruct the judges to 
take into account habit, health, freedom of bloom 
and general commercial adaptability. 
Kent County Farm Fruit Society.— A highly meri¬ 
torious display of fruit was made by this society in 
the Corn Exchange, Maidstone, on the 13th and 14th 
inst. The show was largely patronised by the 
gardeners of the county, and much appreciated by 
the public of which there was a large attendance. 
There were thirteen classes for fruit, and six for 
home-made jam. Competition was very close in the 
fruit classes. Apples were most numerous, a great 
number of varieties being represented. Culinary 
varieties attracted the greatest amount of attention 
on account of their great size and fine appearance. 
Dessert varieties were also represented by good 
samples of the best British Apples in cultivation. 
Hydrangeas in the West of England.—Even in the 
vicinity of London the common Hydrangea cannot 
be grown in the open air with any degree of success, 
except in summer. It does splendidly on the west 
and south coast of England, where the winter is 
usually mild and equable. The flowers without any 
special attention or treatment being given them develop 
beautiful pink, white, porcelain and blue tints, not 
only upon the same plant, but even oh the same 
truss. During the past summer a splendid specimen 
was to be seen at Burncoose, Perranwell, Cornwall, 
and which bore 725 trusses of its beautiful flowers. 
It has been in this position for the past thirty-five 
years, with scarcely any attention but a dressing of 
leaf mould. 
Sandringham Horticultural Show. — Owing to the 
financial success that attended the recent Sandring¬ 
ham Estate Horticultural Society’s Exhibition in 
Sandringham Park, which was visited by the 
Princess of Wales, Princess Victoria of Wales, 
and Prince and Princess Charles of Denmark, 
the Committee has been enabled to hold a 
substantial sum in reserve, and, in addition, has 
just distributed over £56 to public institutions, 
namely £20 to the West Norfolk and Lynn Hospital, 
10 gs. to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institu¬ 
tion, and 5 gs. each to the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund, the Hunstanton Convalescent Home, the 
Norwich Eye Infirmary, and the Eastern Counties 
Asylum for Idiots, Colchester. 
The Beauties of Flowers.—At the twelfth annual 
convention of the Society of American Florists, Prof. 
L. H. Bailey, of Massachusetts, delivered an illus¬ 
trated lecture on this subject, and said that there 
were three classes of admiration of beauty—a sort of 
scientific love of flowers, by men who love them for 
their structure. Another was found in the public 
school where the pupils accepted the teacher's opinion 
—a sort of gushing beauty. The third was inter¬ 
mediate between these two, inasmuch as it was an 
intelligent appreciation of beauty which was the only 
basis upon which the florist’s business could work. 
All pleasing combinations of colour fall into five 
classes or harmonies: (1) Contrasted harmony, one 
colour with black, white, or gray. (2) Dominant 
harmony, tints and shades of one colour. (3) 
Analogous harmony, closely related hues of colour. 
(4) Complimentary harmony, opposite hues of colour. 
(5) Perfected harmony, analogous tones plus the com¬ 
plimentary of their effect. He then, in concluding 
his remarks, said that " the beauties of any flower 
may be obscured or enhanced by association with 
others. In groups, each should help all and all 
each.” 
