436 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 13, 1897. 
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It was repaired again, at considerable ex¬ 
pense, only about a year ago. The stock 
alone was worth ^500. 
The Camellias were over 70 years old, and 
at the time of the disaster were in full bud 
and bloom. There were also ten thousand 
blooms on the Marechal Niel Roses as well 
as Azaleas, most of which would have been 
cut for Easter decorations. About the time 
of the culmination of the hurricane, three 
men were in the Camellia house picking 
Camellias, but hearing the report of a house 
that was demolished by the wind in another 
part of the nursery, they rushed out to 
render assistance in preventing further 
damage. Immediately afterwards the whole 
structure was blown down with a terrific 
crash, demolishing .the plants, the glass, 
and walls, and twisting the 9 in. hot-water 
pipes out of their position. The roof was 
blown on to that of a lean-to house close by, 
wrecking it, and destroying many of the 
valuable plants it contained. The lean-to 
had been built within the last 18 months 
at a cost of £ 200 . Other damage was done 
all over the nurseries ; sashes of frames 
were blown away, and trees and shrubs up¬ 
rooted. One fine tree torn down was more 
than a hundred years old. Efforts are being 
made to raise a subscription on behalf of 
the owners, both by the trade and the 
general public. Most of the employes were 
more or less cut in their endeavours to pre¬ 
vent damage. 
^HE ABUNDANCE OF SPRING FLOWERS.- 
On the disappearance of the short but 
sharp snowstorm with which we were 
visited about the end of January, the spring 
flowers both in public and private gardens 
began to appear in quick succession; and 
now they are practically abundant 
wherever the owners or keepers of parks 
and gardens have taken the precaution and 
forethought to secure and plant bulbs of 
various kinds now so easily obtainable. 
While March has been ushered in with 
gales of wind, rain and showers of snow in 
the southern countries, we are aware that 
in the far north there has practically been 
a renewal of winter in the shape of frost 
and snow. Even there, however, it is 
regarded as probably the “ teuchits ” 
storm, that is, the last small storm which is 
supposed to precede the advent of the lap¬ 
wing to the inland fields. Until such incle¬ 
ment weather disappears, spring flowers in 
the north will be retarded, except perhaps, 
in the case of the Snowdrop which often 
passes part of its flowering period under 
the snow. 
In the southern counties, Snowdrops 
were abundant and fine early in February, 
and the weather being cool, the flowers 
long remained in excellent condition. The 
Winter Aconite appeared almost .simul¬ 
taneously. Both these types of spring 
flowers are old friends ; and the same might 
be said of Crocuses. Outside of botanic 
gardens, however, most prominence is given 
to the large, improved forms of Crocus 
vernus and C. aureus. It is a pity, how¬ 
ever, that C. susianus and the finer forms 
of C. biflorus are more or less neglected, 
compared with their abundance ten to 
twenty years ago. The great development 
that has taken place in recent years in the 
planting of Crocuses on the grass, seems 
to be the revival of a plan that prevailed in 
cottage and other gardens, when the scythe 
and not the machine mowed the grass. 
Scattered about promiscuously on the grass 
of public parks, public and private gardens, 
they have a very brightening effect at a 
season when cultivated ground and beds 
are bare. Another advantage is that such 
plantations are permanent and require little 
attention besides preventing the leaves 
from being cut too early, when the grass is 
being mowed. 
Scilla bifolia and S. sibirica are at the 
command of the planter, but more impor¬ 
tant than either are the various species or 
forms of Chionodoxa or Glory of the Snow. 
They are well named for they often appear 
on the edge of the melting snow and push 
into bloom very rapidly when frost has left 
the ground. C. sardensis is the first to make 
its appearance, but quite a number of forms 
have been in full bloom for a fortnight. 
So long as the weather remains cool, the 
scapes remain short, with the flowers near 
the ground. The brilliant blue of the 
species just named is conspicuous for a^ 
great distance when planted in beds on the 
grass or in masses upon the sward itself. 
The effect is fine as that of the best of 
summer bedding plants of similar stature, 
and vastly more interesting. C. Luciliae 
and C. gigantea are notable for their paler 
but larger flowers, with a white centre. 
On the grass they give an unwonted glow 
daring early spring, but they make better 
growth and give more flowers when planted 
in soil that is kept clear from everything 
else. No more important introduction to 
the spring garden has been made for many 
years than the Chionodoxas. Being per¬ 
fectly hardy, in the south at least, they re¬ 
quire no protection, and get none. The 
Daffodils are distinctly later than those of 
the above, but a few of the early varieties 
have been making headway for some time 
past. We shall have a perfect galaxy of 
them before the end of the month and the 
last of them will not disappear till June, 
unless the weather continues warm and 
fine, making them earlier than usual. The 
above are but a few of the popular and 
more common bulbs, readily obtainable for 
spring gardening and which may be planted 
in duly prepared beds or borders, or planted 
out permanently upon the grass or in 
semi-wild portions of the grounds of an 
estate. 
• X - - 
Mr. Neil McShee, late gardener at Dunkerron 
Castle, has been appointed head gardener to Sir 
John C. R. Colomb, K.C.M.G., Dromquinna Castle, 
Kenmare, Co. Kerry. 
Mr. James Dunbar, from Mr. John Downie's 
Beechhill Nurseries, Edinburgh, has been appointed 
head gardener to Henry Herbert, Esq., Dunkerron 
Castle, Co. Kerry. 
Cocoanut Trees in certain parts of India, after 
presenting an almost lifeless appearance, have been 
restored to vigour and made to bear abundantly 
again by using salt as a manure. 
The firtt Blue-flowered Hydrangea.—A Ghtnt con 
temporary, Le Message r de Sciences is responsible for 
the statement that the.first blue Hydrangeas appeared 
in the gardens of M. Hopsomere at Wetteren in 1801 . 
Some Hydrangea cuttings had been put in a bed cf 
virgin soil, at first meant for bulbous plants. The 
cuttings ultimately produced trusses of blue flowers. 
Soon after this the florists of Wondelghem found the 
means of obtaining the same results, and since then, 
blue-flowered Hydrangeas have made their way in 
the world. 
The Hamburg Exhibition. — Progress continues to be 
made with the arrangements for the international 
exhibition to be held at Hamburg during 1897, and 
the prospects are good. The committee lately 
received an official communication from South 
Australia concerning the exhibition. Valuable 
prizes are offered for papers, &c., in the science 
section, the success of which has already been 
assured. Various congresses will be held during 
the summer, and gardeners are invited to take part 
in those things which concern their profession. 
Exhibitors intending to compete at the spring exhi¬ 
bition should communicate with the committee of 
the German Horticultural Exhibition before the end 
of March, 
Sparrows Eat Oats faster than they can be planted 
according to the farmers near Red River, Texas. 
Sq u i rrfl s are the latest pest on some Scotch estates, 
notably Lord Reay’s woods at Carleside, near 
Earlston, 
Ireland, it is generally admitted, is more free from 
insect pests and diseases injurious to forest trees, 
than, perhaps, any other country in the world. 
Evaporation from Trees.—It is calculated that a 
plantation of 500 healthy, vigorous and fully grown 
trees emits nearly 4,000 tons of moisture in twelve 
hours of daylight. 
Spelled it 'Mum.—"Jack,” said Mrs. Snaggstoher 
husband," how do y ou spell ‘ Chrysanthemum ? ' ” “I 
don't think I would put any Chrysanthemums in a 
letter if I were you,” replied Mr. Snaggs. " They 
v ill make the letter overweight.” Mrs. S. : " O, if 
you don’t know how to spell it you needn't try.” 
Mr. S. : Who said I didn't know how to spell it ? ” 
Mrs. S .: “Well, how do you spell it?” Mr. S: 
“ The right way.” And Mr. Snaggs resumed his 
perusal of the evening paper.— Pittsburg Telegraph. 
Dried Palm Leaves.—In the preparation of these, 
they are at first immersed in a weak caustic lye. 
When they commence to bend without breaking, 
they are washed with water, then left to drip. They 
are then dipped in molasses diluted with water and 
treated with heat, in which they remain for some 
weeks. At length they are washed superficially and 
left to dry under cover from light. The leaves so 
treated are more or less stained, but they are cleaned, 
painted, and covered with a supple varnish resisting 
the changes or inclemency of weather. 
A Harrowing Orchid Yarn. —Under this heading an 
American contemporary recently published a sensa¬ 
tional account of the relation of Orchids to dead 
bodies. It states that $50,000 was paid by the Right 
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain for a unique specimen of 
Dendrobium Phalaenopsis schroderianum that was 
growing over and firmly' attached to a human skull. 
The account goes on to say, that in New Guinea, when 
a man dies his sorrowing relatives place his body upon 
the limestone rocks beneath the shelter of trees laden 
with Orchids. The roots of these Orchids attracted by 
the seething mass of putrefaction beneath would find 
their way amongst it, and even after all the flesh had 
left the bones the roots would still cling lovingly 
round the latter, as in the case of the plant under 
notice. Civilisation cannot appreciate the luxury of 
having our ancestor's bones entwined with flowers, 
hence the Papuans have gone a step beyond, as since 
we only plant flowers upon the graves of our dead, 
whilst they have driven the matter to its logical con¬ 
clusion. Still whether savage or civilized the human 
being in death, as in life, is closely associated with 
flowers. 
Woolton Mutual Improvement Society.—The usual 
fortnightly meeting was held on the 4th inst. at the 
Mechanics’ Institute, Mr. W. Tunnington presiding 
over a gcod attendance. The subject under con¬ 
sideration was " Vegetable culture suitable for 
exhibition,” introduced by Mr. J. Hathaway, 
superintendant of parks and gardens at Southport. 
The lecture was in every way an excellent one, the 
details being those followed by Mr. Hathaway, which 
has placed him in the forefront as a grower and success¬ 
ful exhibitor in the northern counties and Shrewsbury. 
The preparation, sowing, cultural details, with hints 
as to the prevention and eradication of insect pests 
were fully set forth. The list of kinds most suitable 
for exhibition from July onwards were as follows:— 
the best six Potatos, Cauliflowers, Onions, Carrots, 
Peas and Tomatos ; the next best six—Celery, Leeks, 
Beet, French Beans or Scarlet Runners, Artichokes 
and Cucumbers, failing any of these, Parsnips or 
Vegetable Marrows. At the conclusion of the paper 
a capital discussion ensued in which Messrs. Todd, 
Stoney, Disley, Thomas, Rae, WatermaD, and the 
chairman took part, the chief items under review 
being the special difficulties that growers have to con¬ 
tend with in various districts, the Woolton rock being 
considered very bad for Parsley, Onions and Carrots, 
and in some cases rust on Parsnips. A cordial vote of 
thanks was accorded to Mr. Hathaway for his 
excellent paper and to Mr. Tunnington for presiding. 
The next meeting on the 18th inst. (the last of the 
session), was announced as a social evening, with 
plants, flowers and music, when the proceeds will 
be devoted to the Victorian Era Fund. 
