March 13, 1897. 
437 
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j 
THE GARDENING WORLD- 
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It is all Nansense to talk of the flora of the North 
Pole, with its ever-green icebergs and microscopic 
ice plants. 
Camellias in white, red, and pink colours, and 
supported with stiff, glossy, green leaves, are the 
artificial flowers of the day. 
Death of a Frogmore gardener. —Mr. George 
Crookshanks, a foreman in Her Majesty’s gardens 
at Frogmore, died rather suddenly on Thursday, 
March 4th. The deceased, when alive, was held in 
great esteem by the Queen, and the various members 
of the Royal Family. 
Mr. T. W. Saunders, the editor of Amateur Garden¬ 
ing, we are pleased to learn, is steadily recovering 
from the injuries he received on the 22nd ult., as we 
announced a fortnight ago. He met with an 
unfortunate accident resulting in nasty wounds 
about the head, a sprained left arm, and a general 
shake up. 
Hailstorm Insurance Corporation.— This company, 
which was started under the title of “The Nursery¬ 
men, Market Gardeners' and General Hailstorm 
Insurance Corporation,” has lately completed its 
second year,, during which 33% more income has 
been received than in the first year, with a lessened 
expenditure. This is getting to be a very big con¬ 
cern. Mr. Alexander James Munro is the general 
manager and secretary. 
Exhibition at Berlin. —The oldest German horticul¬ 
tural society, “ Verein zur Beforderung des Garten- 
baues in den preussischen Staaten,” will celebrate 
the seventy-fifth anniversary of its foundation by a 
grand general exhibition, extending from the 28th 
April to the 9th May next, inclusive. Foreigners 
can take part in it. Besides the ordinary prizes 
amounting to £2,500, many prizes of honour, 
including a very valuable one from His Majesty the 
German Emperor, will be offered for competition by 
German as well as foreign exhibitors. The general 
secretary's address is Berlin, Invalidenstrasse, 42. 
Cape fruit growing in Favour.—As evidence of the 
growing popularity of Cape fruit in this country it 
mav be stated that a consignment of thirty-five tons 
arrived by a recent mail. A choice selection of it is 
now on view in the Cape Colony Section at the 
Imperial Institute. It includes fine samples of 
Williams' Bon Chretien and Louise Bonne of Jersey 
Pears, also Barbarossa and Hermitage, both black 
varieties of Grapes, as well as red and white Harre- 
poot Grapes. The rest of the consignment was 
bought by several well-known fruiterers with whom 
it is now on sale. Never before, it has been 
declared, has fruit from the Cape arrived in finer or 
fresher condition. 
Orchids at the Sale Rooms —A very handsome 
natural hybrid Odontoglossum, allied to O. elegans, 
turned up at the Sale Rooms of Messrs. Protheroe 
and Morris, Cheapside, on the 5th inst. The sepals 
and petals are rather narrow, but more obtuse than 
that of O. elegans, and white, blotched with claret. 
The flowers, moreover, were of good size and very 
handsome. The piece was finally secured by H. T. 
Pitt, Esq., Rosslyn, Stamford Hill, for the sum of 
26 gs. At the same sale, a fine piece of Laelia elegans 
was sold for 6 gs. Imported Cattleya Trianaei sold 
at prices ranging from 5s. to 10s. apiece. The beau¬ 
tiful Laelia anceps seegeriana reached 3J gs., but did 
not change hands. The flowers are pure white, with 
the exception of some lilac lines in the throat. The 
sale was a large one. 
Wild Bird Protection and Nesting Boxes.— This is 
is the title of a book written by John R. B. 
Masefield, M. A., vice-president of the North Stafford¬ 
shire Naturalists' Field Club. The book is in four 
parts, and is intended to furnish reliable particulars 
of the ancient and modern laws relating to wild bird 
protection, including orders obtained by county 
councils for the local protection of wild birds and 
their eggs, and to give full particulars and illustra¬ 
tions of artificial bird nesting boxes, ledges, and 
holes, with instructions how to make and affix them. 
The text is accompanied by illustrations of various 
designs of nesting boxes recommended by the Rev. 
Julian Tuck, the author and others; also by nine 
full-page collotype plates taken from photographs of 
nesting boxes, &c., in situ, which have been actually 
used by wild birds. The publishers are Taylor 
Brothers, Leeds. 
Pdristeria elata was named " Holy Ghost Flower 11 
by the Spaniards who discovered it in South 
America. It is also known as the Dove Orchid. 
A Notable Year—According to an old refrain 
Hops, Reformation, Carp, and Beer 
Came into England all in one year. 
Adiantum Capillus-Veneris Semilunatum.—This 
variety was collected some years ago by J. T. 
Bennett-Poe, Esq., Holmwood, Cheshunt, when 
staying at the village of Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, 
noted for its sulphur and iron spas. He found it 
growing in the deep and narrow clefts of waterworn 
limestone-rocks overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. 
Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting at 
the plants. He has grown the variety ever since, 
and sent specimens to Mr. J. G. Baker, keeper of 
the Herbarium, Royal Gardens, Kew, who 
determined it to be the above variety as named by 
Mr. E. J. Lowe. That it should have been discovered 
in Ireland is very interesting. 
An enterprising Adam.—A Glasgow contemporary 
speaks of having heard of a young Glasgow draper 
who recently set out to seek his fortune in the 
Metropolis, but by-and-by found himself homeless 
on the (Victoria) embankment. Noticing an 
advertisement, a "gardener wanted,” he promptly 
applied and succeeded in getting the appointment, 
though he had never handled a spade in his life and 
scarcely knew a Beetroot from a Begonia. All went 
smoothly till the third day when he got some seeds 
to sow. When his employer found him planting 
these seeds contrary to all horticultural canons, he 
demanded an explanation. Fortunately for the 
would be Adam an opening in his own line occurred, 
and he returned to his yardstick with which he was 
more familiar. 
Vitality of Seeds.—Professor de Candolle, has 
recently given some interesting facts concerning the 
latent life of seeds, and their ability to withstand low 
temperatures. After giving instances of seeds which 
had germinated after having lain apparently dead for 
hundreds of years—in one case as many as 1,500 
years—he furnished results obtained by experiments 
made in the direction of subjecting seeds to various 
degrees of cold. Corn, Oats, Fennel, and some 
flower seeds were exposed for 118 days to a tempera¬ 
ture of 40° Fahr. below zero, Taken out of the cold 
and placed amidst favourable surroundings it was 
found that most of them germinated. From such 
results he concludes that the protoplasm in a resting 
seed is in a state of inaction, something like a 
chemical mixture which has the power of forming a 
combination whenever the circumstances of tempera¬ 
ture and light are favourable. 
Benefit Association for Ireland.—Messrs. W. Drum¬ 
mond & Sons, Ltd., of 58, Dawson Street, Dublin, 
and Stirling, Scotland, have initated a Benefit 
Association for Ireland, with its centre in Dublin. 
They have now laid the rules of the association 
before the horticultural and agricultural community 
of Ireland for their co-operation and support. The 
objects of the association shall be :— (a) Giving 
assistance to members while out of situations. ( b) 
When incapacitated from work by old age, or when 
out of situation through sickness, (c) The granting 
of aid to widows, orphans, or those who were 
dependent upon deceased members. Messrs. Drum¬ 
mond & Sons guarantee the association an annual 
payment of a sum equal to the total subscriptions 
received in each financial year up to 100 gs. All 
information may be had of the secretary, Mr. D. 
MacLeod, 58, Dawson Street, Dublin. 
Potato Culture.—At a meeting of the Farmers’ 
Club, under the presidency of Carrington Smith, 
Esq , a paper written by Mr. Arthur W. Sutton 
on " The Potato,’’ was read by Mr. M. J. Sutton. 
He said the Potato was indigenous to Chili, and was 
first introduced to Europe from the highlands of that 
country. The present annual production of Potatos 
in this country would amount to -z\ cwt. per head of 
the population. The quantity raised in France was 
three times as great, and in Germany six times ; but 
in those countries the tubers are largely used for dis- 
tilliog. The lecturer went on to speak of the causes 
of the Potato disease, and the methods of dealing 
with it. He first dealt with the practice of spraying 
with sulphate of copper and lime ; but he strongly 
advocated the raising of new disease-resisting varieties 
from the seed of the Potato Apple. Mr. Sutton 
finished up by giving some statistics concerning the 
cost of growing Potatos, as given by farmers in 
different parts of the country. 
The Irish Yew, which resembles the Cypress in 
habit, is said to have originated at Florence Court, 
Fermanagh. 
Poison in Potato Sprouts.—It is reported that 
specialists have advised the French Minister of 
War that the eyes of the Potato, when growing, con¬ 
tain poison, which poison gives rise to grave indisposi¬ 
tion in those partaking. It is stated that cases of 
this kind have terminated fatally. The Minister has 
therefore issued orders that the eyes shall be care¬ 
fully removed from those Potatos which have' com¬ 
menced to sprout. This is supposed to be rendered 
necessary because of the fact that the Potato is a 
staple article of the French soldier’s diet. 
Jamaica Oranges.—The annual report on the trade 
of Jamaica shows that the value of the imports has 
risen above that of any previous year. There has 
been a heavy export of Oranges, amounting to 
97,000,000, at an estimated value of £169,800, 
whereas the previous year the value was only 
£48.700- It is stated that the blizzard of 1894, and 
the disaster which overtook the Orange groves of 
Florida, account for the greatly increased output in 
Jamaica. The Governor of the island says that 
much yet remains to be learnt concerning the culti¬ 
vation and proper packing of the fruit. 
County Councils and Rare Birds.—Mr. Joseph 
Collinson pleads in the National Observer for the 
better protection of rare and beautiful birds, and 
points out that if their destruction is allowed to go 
on, there will soon be none left in these islands. In 
this country a large number of birds have become 
extinct as breeding species during the present 
century, and others are vanishing altogether. Mr. 
Collinson has compiled from the newspapers some 
acts of barbarism which are positively exasperating. 
Our county councils, he says, would do well to bestir 
themselves. The powers given them by the Wild 
Birds Protection Acts of 1880 and 1896 ought to be 
enforced more vigorously, and it is to be hoped that 
the Home Secretary will be asked to give rare birds 
of all kinds protection all the year round. 
The Woodbridge Nursery —We learn that Mr. R. 
C. Notcutt, F.R H S , of the Broughton Road Nur¬ 
sery, Ipswich, has taken over the nursery at Wood- 
bridge, which for over 100 years had been carried on 
by the late Mr. John Woods and his predecessors. 
The grounds are well known ; they cover an area of 
some fourteen acres, and the reputation established 
by the late Mr. Woods for sending out trees, shrubs, 
and seeds on which perfect reliance can be placed is 
of the highest. That Mr. Notcutt will maintain 
that reputation may be relied upon with certainty, 
and it should be stated that he has arranged to 
retain the services as foreman of Mr. Wm. Morse, 
who has been at the nursery for sixteen years, and 
during the last three years has had sole charge of 
the tree and shrub department. Mr. Notcutt will 
continue to carry on his nursery at Broughton Road, 
Ipswich, where he will continue to pay special atten¬ 
tion to Chrysanthemums, pot plants, and cut 
flowers, as a grower and exhibitor of which he has 
gained more than local honour. 
International Exhibition at Trevueren, Brussels.— 
This is intended for the promotion of horticulture, 
market gardening and pomology. The inauguration 
show is to be held from May 9th to 12th, inclusive. 
The removal of these exhibits will commence on 
May 13th, and ought to be concluded by the 15th. 
Gold medals to the value of 300, 200 and 100 francs 
will be offered as prizes ; also silver-gilt and silver 
medals, for choice plants remarkable for their rarity, 
culture or flowering. The schedule shows that 
prizes are offered in 114 classes for various subjects 
at this initial show. There will be an exhibition of 
cut Roses on June 12th, 13th and 14th. Here there 
are twenty-three classes for Roses. A general 
exhibition will be held from July 21st to 25th, inclu¬ 
sive. Similar prizes are offered as on the first open¬ 
ing of the international exhibition, in 214 classes, for 
a great variety of subjects. A Chrysanthemum show 
will be held during November 6th, 7th and 8th. 
Shows devoted to market gardening and pomology 
will be opened on May 13th, June nth, August 2nd, 
September 25th respectively. There will also be 
scientific conferences at which money prizes are 
offered for essays, &c., on different subjects. The 
secretary is M. L. Lubbers, superintendent of the 
Botanic Garden of the State, at Brussels. 
