February 6, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
365 
8. Some necessary points. —Gives your vines a 
sunny location. Guard against tree roots that rob 
of food and moisture. Plant the earliest day that 
you find the frost out of the ground, the earlier the 
better, although an exception may be made of the 
white seeded varieties, which are apt to rot if planted 
too early. Run your rows north and south. Let no 
pods stay on the vines.— W. T. Hutchins. 
[The above directions for the successful growing 
of Sweet Peas was written by the Sweet Pea 
specialist, the Rev. W. T. Hutchins, Indian Orchard, 
Mass., U.S.A., and forms a part of his “Sweet Pea 
Annual for 1897,” ' n which he imparts many useful 
hints to cultivators or would be successful growers 
of this popular race of garden plants. The cultural 
directions apply specially to the prevailing climatic 
conditions of the northern parts of the United 
States, but they can be applied to cultivation in the 
United Kingdom, and to the drier southern counties 
in particular, as our experience tells us. We had 
the pleasure of meeting the Rev. W. T. Hutchins, 
on more than one occasion when he visited this and 
other European countries in 1895; and we had ample 
evidence that he was a great enthusiast in all that 
pertained to Sweet Peas.— Ed.] 
-» ■ - 
LIVERPOOL HORTICULTURAL 
ASSOCIATION. 
The annual meeting of this Society was held on the 
30th ult., at the Free Library, Mr. Thos. 'White in 
the chair. The report for the year refers to the im¬ 
provement in the financial position, which was 
attributed to the fact that the members decided to 
hold only two shows, and thus strengthen the financial 
position. The Committee regret the small attendance 
at each of the shows ; that for the spring admissions 
was by ticket 1,800; by payment, 692 ; autumn by 
ticket, 2,317 ; by payment, 2,932; total, 7,741. 
The spring show was considered as one of the best 
held under the auspices of the society, whilst the 
autumn still maintained its reputation as one of the 
finest held in the provinces, and this may be attri¬ 
buted to some extent to the action of the committee 
in making a special effort in providing a fine Silver 
Challenge Vase for competition. 
The statement of accounts shows an income for 
the spring show, by cash and tickets sold, of 
£32 8s. od ; special prizes £g 2s. 6d ; entrance fees 
&c., £6 18s. 6d; total £52 9s. od. The payments 
were, in prize money, £gi 3s. od; hire of hall, 
£37 16s. od ; band, advertising, printing, staging, &c., 
/106 16s. iod ; total £229 ns iod ; loss, £177 2s iod. 
Autumn—by cash and tickets, £167 4s. 5d; special 
prizes, entrance fees, &c., £19 5s. od; total 
/186 13s. 5d. The payments were, in prize money, 
£144 18s. 6d ; hire of hall and staging, £50 16s. od ; 
music, advertising &c., £gi 5s, 9d ; total £286 10s. 3d. 
General account-balance in hand, ^58 17s. iod ; 
subscriptions, £395 5s. 8d ; advertisements, &c., 
£11 14s. 4d ; total £465 17s. iod ; payments in excess 
at the spring show were, £177 2s. iod ; summer show, 
£gg 16s. iod ; salaries, £46 6s. od ; subscription &c., 
the Gardeners’ Benevolent Institution, and Orphan 
Fund, £5 5s. od ; stamps, stationery, &c., £32 17s. 9d; 
balance Jan., 1897, £101 gs. sd. The officers elected 
were—president, the Lord Mayor, of Liverpool; hon. 
treasurer, Win Fletcher Rogers Esq.; sub-treas., 
Mr. G. Blackmore; and secretary, Mr. W. Dickson. 
Resolutions were passed that two shows be held 
during the ensuing year, viz., summer and autumn. 
The usual sum of five guineas was voted for the 
gardening charities, and the committee was requested 
to consider in what way the society can best help the 
proposed special Jubilee fund, in connection with the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. 
--— 
The Teak Tree (Tectona grandis) forms but a small 
proportion of the forests of Burma, and that only as 
an upper story, so to speak. It likes an abundance 
of light, and accordingly, always grows in association 
with lower growing subjects, frequently with Bamboos 
of 30 ft. to 60 ft. in height, which form the lower story 
or undergrowth of the forest. The Teak trees often 
have a severe struggle in their earlier stages with 
their Bamboo associates, but after they get clear 
above the under growth so asto get the benefit of 
light, the Bamboos may then be regarded as their 
friends and useful companions. This is the experi¬ 
ence of Sir Dietrich Brandis, K.C.B., F.R S., who 
has made a communication to The Garden and Forest 
on the subject. 
READING AND DISTRICT GARDENERS’ 
MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT 
ASSOCIATION. 
The annual tea of this Association was held in the 
Abbey Hall (lent by Messrs. Sutton & Sons) on Mon¬ 
day evening, the 25th ult., when the newly-elected 
president, Mr. C. B. Stevens, presided. The party 
numbered about ioo, including Mr. T. Neve (chair¬ 
man of the Association) Mr. Dearlove (vice-chair¬ 
man), Mr. James Martin (librarian), Mr. J. Pound, 
Junr. (hon. sec), Messrs. Woolford, Turton, 
Dockerill, Atter Smith, Silver, Bright, Spencer, 
Stanton (Henley), Townsend (Wellington College), 
Webb (Beenham), Wise (Blackwater), Callaghan 
(Wokingham), Galt (Aldermaston), Chamberlain 
(Shinfield), Pound, Farey, Collins (Caversham), Bear- 
foot (Mortimer), Prince (Aborfield), and Simmonds 
(Bearwood). After justice had been done to an 
excellent repast, the president read letters which had 
been received apologising for the unavoidable 
absence of Mr. Arthur W. Sutton, ex-president, the 
member for Reading (Mr. C. T. Murdoch), the Rev. 
Alan Cheales, Mr. M. H. Sutton, Mr. M. J. Sutton, 
Mr. G. W. Palmer, Mr. Herbert Sutton, and Mr. S. 
B. Stevens. 
The second part of the meeting was a new 
departure as far as the Gardeners’ Association is 
concerned. It was thought advisable to try and save 
the expense of engaging professional talent to carry 
out the entertainment, and to have a smoking con¬ 
cert, the programme to be sustained by the members, 
and with one or two exceptions, this was done. The 
new arrangement proved a great success, and was 
pronounced to be one of the most enjoyable enter¬ 
tainments ever held by the Association. In an 
interval in the programme, Mr. T. Neve took the 
opportunity of proposing a hearty vote of thanks to 
the president. This was seconded by Mr. Dearlove, 
and carried unanimously. Mr. G. B. Stevens in 
reply, thanked the members for the great honour 
they had done him in electing him their president for 
the year 1897, and said that although a stranger to 
most of them he hoped this would not long remain 
so. He confessed that he knew but little of the 
practical part of gardening, yet he knew that the 
gardener’s was one of the most difficult of crafts, 
requiring a great amount of forethought, care, and 
knowledge, and he considered that these social meet¬ 
ings, and their meetings devoted to lectures were 
most valuable, as they enabled them to know each 
other better, and to obtain knowledge from one 
another, which would help them in their work, and 
in their association. 
The programme was as follows:—Song, "Nancy 
Lee," Mr. J. Woolford; song, *• My Old Friend 
John," Mr. James Martin ; recitation, “ Faithful unto 
Death,” Mr. C. Bush; song, “The King’s Own,” 
Mr. Fitz Wren ; banjo solo, Mr. J. Burness; song, 
" The Muddle Puddle Porter,” Mr. H. F. Simmonds; 
song, “ Peter Piper,” Mr. A. F. Bailey; song, “Tom 
Bowling,” Mr. J. Martin; piccolo solo, “Austria,” 
Mr. Jacobs ; song, “ Where did you get that Hat,” 
Mr. H. G. Cox; song, “The Scapegoat of the Regi¬ 
ment,” Mr. Dell; song, “My Pal JohD,” Mr. 
Fisher; song, "Our Jack’s Come Home To-day,” 
Mr. Fitz Wren ; recitation, “ Turn Him Out,” Mr. 
C. Bush; song (banjo) "Eleven Hundred and 
Eleventy Eleven,” Mr. J. Burness ; song, The Old 
Log Cabin," Mr. C. Burton ; song, “ Free and Easy,” 
Mr. J. Martin. Accompanists, Messrs. Stevens and 
Burness. 
- 
Hardening ||iscellany. 
HOYA CARNOSA VARIEGATA. 
Hoya carnosa is an old favourite, and is often met 
with in varying conditions of health and vigour. 
The variegated form is more of a rarity, and it is Dot 
often that we see it. It is, however, a vastly pretty 
plant. Mr. Iceton has a healthy young specimen of 
of it in his establishment at Putney. It is growing 
in a rather higher temperature than that usually 
given the type, and this may account for the 
increased vigour. The habit of the plant is exactly 
that of H. carnosa, but the leaves are longer and 
narrower, being lanceolate, in fact. They are prettily 
mottled with blotches of yellow-white, which throws 
into relief the deep shining green of the greater part 
of the leaves. From its foliage alone H. c. variegata 
would be worthy a place in the stove. 
ANTHURIUM ANDREANUM ATROPUR- 
PUREUM. 
As seen in the stove at Kew the flowers of this 
Anthurium are remarkable for the deep colouring of 
the spathe, which may be described as being black- 
crimson. It is large, of great width, and as long as 
or longer than the spadix. The latter is tinged with 
yellow for a considerable distance below the tip. 
The leaves are narrowly cordate, about a foot in 
length, by 6 in. in width. This whole plant is 
possessed of a noble and distinct appearance. 
SPARMANNIA AFRICANA FLORE PLENO. 
The single form of this old introduction from South 
Africa is well-known in many gardens where it is 
grown as a greenhouse or conservatory subject. 
The double form is rare, for we do not remember 
seeing it till recently when it was flowering in the 
houses of T. McMeekin, Esq., Falkland Park, South 
Norwood Hill. We regard it as superior to the type, 
inasmuch as the flowers are perfectly double, 
resembling at a short distance a good truss of a 
double variety of Deutzia scabra. The great brush 
of curious looking stamens occupying the centre of 
the single form is very conspicuous Imagine then 
that all these stameas, or most of then, have been 
changed into white petals with a claret midrib and a 
golden-orange base, and you then get an idea 
of what the double form is like. White is the 
dominant colour ; the claret midribs give a purplish 
tint to the centre, and the orange base is scarcely 
noticeable unless the petals are pushed aside to get 
a glimpse of the interior. It should be useful for 
cut flowers. 
MYOSOT1S ALPESTRIS NANA. 
Already there are several varieties of Myosotis 
alpestris in cultivation, including the beautiful and 
well-known Victoria with fasciated flowers, having 
numerous segments; also a variety with white 
flowers, and another, the blooms of which retain 
their primary rose colour as long as they continue 
fresh. Judging from a figure of M. alpestris nana 
in the Revue de l'Horticulture Beige for January, the 
plant is so dwarf as to resemble the alpine gem 
Eritrichum nanum belonging to the same family. In 
speaking of Myosotis generally, M. Fred. Burvenich, 
pere, says, “ In the language of flowers, these speak 
to you, while looking at you from their beautiful 
celestial blue eyes : 1 Love me ! do not forget me ! 
remember me ’; and one cannot refrain from reply¬ 
ing to them : ‘ The more I see you the more I love 
you, little blue one.’ " 
A NEW FRUIT. 
Under the name of Casabanana, Mr. S. L. Watkins, 
Grizzly Flats, California, describes in American 
Gardening, what he considers a new fruit of great 
value. Botanically it is known as Sicania odorifera, 
and belongs to the Cucumber family, but might 
rather be compared to the Melon, seeing that it is 
utilised in the ripe state for making preserves, for 
which it is said to be very superior. The fruit is 
about 18 in. in length and 3 in. in diameter, becoming 
of a brilliant red when ripe, and possessing a strong 
Pineapple fragrance. In an unripe condition it 
enters largely into the making of various kinds of 
curry. The plant thrives under similar conditions 
to those accorded the Melon. It is a climber which 
will attain a height of 50 ft. in a season. The writer 
says that, in warm countries, the seed may be planted 
where it is to fruit in the open ground, but in cold 
climates it must be started under glass and planted 
out when the weather becomes fine. Whether it 
would succeed in the open ground in any part of 
Britain is a question, but it might very well be tried 
both under glass and in the open air by some enter¬ 
prising gardener or grower. 
-- 
OBITUARY. 
Mr. Alexander Curle.— It is with much regret 
we have to announce the death of Mr. Alexander 
Curie, which on 5th January took place very suddenly 
at his beautiful residence of Priorwood, just over¬ 
looking the ruins of Melrose Abbey. Under its 
shadow he was laid to rest with all the honour his 
native town could give him, for over 300 mourners 
formed the funeral procession. Many women and 
children respectfully looked on from the churchyard 
railings, the bells of the Abbey and parish church 
were tolled, shops were closed for an hour, and the 
